OF  THE 

U N I VLR.S  ITY 
Of  ILLINOIS 


Received  by  bequest  from 
Albert  H.  Lybyer 
Professor  of  History 
University  of  Illinois 
1916-1949 

©5> 

^7e> 


iEJ  U rl 


y a M's 


TIIE 


WORKS 


OK  THAT  EMINENT  SERVANT  OF  CHRIST, 


OHN  BUNYAN, 


MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


ILLUSTRATED  EDITION. 


TWO  VOLUMES  IN  ONE. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

BRADLEY  & CO.,  66  N.  FOURTH  STREET 
1871. 


< 


/ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871,  by 
BRADLEY  & CO., 

In  tne  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  'Washington, 


Westcott  8k  Thomson, 
Str'voiy/ers,  P/ulada. 


Caxton  Press  oj 

Sherman  & Co.,  Philadelphia. 


INTRODUCTION 


TO  TIIE 

COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  BUNYAN. 


By  Rev.  JOHN  P.  GULLIVER,  D.D., 
President  of  Knox  College,  Galesburg,  Illinois. 


The  career  of  Bunyan  is  a marvel.  It  will  repay  the  labour  of  a careful  analysis 
by  the  rhetorician,  the  orator,  the  writer  of  fiction,  the  preacher,  the  Sabbath-school 
teacher  and  the  Christian  parent ; for  each  of  these  may  draw  out  fronTSome  portion  of 
his  multifarious  productions  the  secret  of  success  in  his  own  department  of  effort. 


THE  SUCCESS  OF  BUNYAN. 


The  literary  rank 
of  Bunyan. 


Bunyan  was  successful  even  in  his  wickedness.  He  styles  himself,  as  Paul  did,  “The 
chief  of  sinners.”  In  both  cases  the  title  was  deserved,  not  so  much  on  account  of  eminent 
depravity  as  of  eminent  ability  and  energy.  All  the  natural  qualities  which  afterward 
gave  him  power  as  a Christian  preacher  and  writer  were  exhibited  in  his  leadership  in 
profanity,  in  revilings,  and  in  all  iniquity. 

Bunyan  was  successful  as  a Christian  man,  as  a popular  orator,  as  a practical  religious 
writer,  and  to  no  small  extent  as  a theologian.  In  some  of  these  departments  his  suc- 
cess has  been  most  remarkable. 

Bunyan  was  an  illiterate  man.  He  was  an  ordinary  mechanic — 

“a  tinker,”  as  the  parlance  of  the  times  termed  him.  Unlike  the 
craftsmen  of  our  nation  and  age,  he  had  enjoyed  only  the  most 
, limited  opportunity  for  education.  Yet  his  language  possesses  some  of  the  highest  quali- 
1 'ties  known  to  rhetoric ; his  thought,  even  in  his  most  abstract  treatises,  where  it  is  cum- 
Jwbered  with  the  system  of  minute  subdivision  then  in  vogue,  is  precise,  discriminating, 
■ comprehensive,  and  at  times  profound ; while  the  peculiar  vitality  of  the  Pilgrim’s 
Progress  and  the  Holy  War  has  made  them  the  delight  alike  of  child  and  man,  of  the 
Y cottager  and  the  king,  of  the  cultured  and  the  unlettered.  If  there  is  any  book 
4 except  King  James’  Bible  which  has  a surer  prospect  than  any  other  of  a permanent 
^ place  in  English  literature,  that  book  is  Bunyan's  Pilgrim’s  Progress.  Is  it  claiming  too 
.much  if  it  is  placed  on  an  equality,  in  this  respect,  even  with  the  Paradise  Lost  and  the 
^lays  of  Shakespeare  ? 

In  language,  Bunyan  certainly  has  the  advantage,  for  he  wrote 
Y^n  the  dialect  of  the  English  Bible,  which  was  the  popular  dialect  of  Bu uyan  s lan' 
£ the  day,  modified  and  elevated  to  suit  the  sacred  use  to  which  it  was 


guage. 


3 


4 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


Bunyan’s  literary 
resources. 


applied.  The  words  of  Shakespeare  already  require  a glossary.  Much  of  his  vocabu- 
lary, though  by  no  means  the  whole  of  it,  is  destined  to  become  as  obsolete  as  that  of 
Chaucer  is  now.  But  the  most  unlettered  reader  finds  no  obscurity  clouding  the  words 
of  Bunyan’s  allegories.  They  are  taken  from  the  very  warp  and  woof  of  the  English 
language,  not  merely  as  it  was  spoken  at  the  time,  but  as  it  has  been  spoken  since,  and 
as  it  will  continue  to  be  spoken  so  long  as  the  English  Bible  gives  law  to  English  speech. 
The  words  of  the  royal  Milton,  immortal  as  they  will  surely  be  among  the  learned, 
are  growing  yearly  less  intelligible  to  the  people.  But  the  words  of  Bunyan,  aside  from 
an  occasional  quaintness,  are  as  easily  understood  by  the  English-speaking  population 
of  the  world  as  they  were  the  day  they  were  written. 

In  other  respects  than  in  language  it  would  be  presumptuous  to 
compare  Bunyan  with  the  masters  of  English  literature.  His  clas- 
sical training  was  confined  to  Fox’s  “ Book  of  Martyrs”  and  the  Bible. 
His  early  reading  was  comprehended  by  “The  Practice  of  Piety”  and  the  “Plain 
Man’s  Pathway  to  Heaven” — two  books  which  constituted  the  only  marriage-portion 
of  his  wife.  But  the  paucity  of  his  resources  only  renders  more  wonderful  the  results  he 
gained.  If  we  consider  literary  success  to  consist  in  power  over  men,  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  Bunyan  should  not  still  be  placed  in  the  very  front  rank.  The  impersonations 
* of  Shakespeare  will  undoubtedly  be  as  permanent  as  are  the  traits  of  the  human  nature 
which  he  has  photographed.  But  it  can  be  said,  with  equal  truth,  that  the  impersona- 
tions of  Bunyan,  rude  and  unfinished  as  they  sometimes  seem,  will  possess  an  interest 
so  long  as  the  process  of  man’s  redemption  from  sin  is  a thing  which  angels  or  men 
desire  to  look  into.  The  classic  machinery  of  Milton’s  visions,  grand  and  impressive 
as  it  certainly  is,  begins  to  seem  ponderous  and  unwieldy  to  the  readers  of  our  times, 
as  if  we  were  made  the  spectators  of  a tournament  of  mediaeval  knights  in  iron  armour. 
But  the  creations  of  the  Interpreter’s  Plouse,  Doubting  Castle,  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow 
of  Death,  and  of  the  Land  of  Beulah,  are  as  clear  and  fresh  and  beautiful  to  the  readers 
of  the  nineteenth  as  to  those  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

The  literary  immortality  which  has  been  an  object  of  intense  ambition  to  many  of 
the  most  gifted  men  of  the  race  has  been  gained,  without  a thought  or  an  effort,  by  the 
humble  story-teller  of  Bedford  jail. 

Similar  remarks  might  be  made  concerning  the  theological  rank 
icaio-ank11  Sthe0l°S  these  writings.  Not  a despicable  theologian  in  his  graver  homi- 
lies, Bunyan  becomes  almost  an  inspired  prophet  in  his  religious  fic- 
tions. The  greatest  of  the  systematic  theologians  will  be  left  behind  by  the  progress 
of  the  careful  study  of  God’s  truth.  But  when  Augustine  and  Calvin  and  Edwards 
have  ceased  to  be  recognized  as  authorities,  the  theology  they  taught,  changed  from  the 
abstract  to  the  concrete,  will  be  studied  and  accepted  in  the  simple  adventures  of  Chris- 
tian and  his  family,  in  the  deeds  of  Faithful  and  the  experience  of  Hopeful,  and  in  the 
wonderful  sights  of  the  Delectable  Mountains. 

That  such  anticipations  concerning  the  literary  “immortality”  of 

The  early  success  ^.jiese  uiljque  works  of  sanctified  genius  are  not  visionary,  may  be 
of  Bunyan’s  works.  J , „ n.  , , . „ , . , 

safely  argued  from  their  immediate  success  at  the  time  of  their  pub- 
lication, and  from  the  permanency  of  their  high  place  in  literature  since.  The  sale 
which  followed  their  first  publication  in  England,  amounting  to  more  than  one  hundred 
thousand  copies — an  immense  issue  for  the  times — their  republication  in  the  infant  colo- 
nies of  New  England,  their  speedy  translation  into  the  languages  of  the  French,  the 
Dutch,  the  Flemings,  the  Highland  Scotch,  and  the -Irish,  is  but  the  introduction  of  a 
career  of  influence  and  popularity  to  which,  among  uninspired  writings,  the  works  of 
Shakespeare  present  perhaps  the  only  parallel  in  the  history  of  literature. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THU  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


Such  ft  phenomenon  in  the  world  of  letters,  nnd  such  n power  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  challenge  a scrutinizing  examination  alike  from  the  critic  and  the  Christian. 


TIIE  SPECIAL  SUBJECT  OF  THIS  ESSAY. 

Our  main  inquiry  in  this  essay  will  be  for  the  causes  of  this  success. 

^ hat  made  Bunyan  for  six  years  after  his  conversion  a convcnti-  Inquiry  for  the 
cle  exhorter  so  formidable  to  the  proud  Episcopate  of  the  realm  that  ' " 1 ‘ 

only  the  thick  walls  of  the  Bedford  jail,  under  the  sentence  of  the 
Bedford  justices,  sustained  by  no  less  a jurist  than  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  could  protect 
the  English  hierarchy  against  his  sturdy  blows? 

Why  should  the  refusal  to  use  the  “Book  of  Common  Prayer” — a frequent  and  in 
most  men  a scarcely  noticeable  violation  of  the  bigoted  English  statutes  of  the  day- 
have  become  a crime  of  such  magnitude  in  Bunyan  as  to  demand  the  expiation  of  a 
twelve  years’  imprisonment? 

What  was  the  inspiration  that  made  those  twelve  years  an  era  in  English  literature, 
and  endowed  the  Bedford  jail  with  a literary  celebrity  not  inferior  to  that  of  the  Arno 
and  the  Avon?  And  what  was  the  spell  which,  after  his  release,  drew  constant  crowds 
to  the  dreamer’s  spacious  chapel  in  Bedford  ? 

It  is  plain  that  the  discovery  of  Bunyan’s  secret,  if  our.  analysis  be  delicate  enough 
to  catch  and  retain  for  examination  a quality  so  spiritual,  would  render  a most  im- 
portant service  to  all  who,  in  any  capacity,  are  seeking  “ to  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature.” 


THE  PREACHING  OF  BUNYAN  COMP  A RED  WITH  THE  PREACHING  OF  OUR 

SAVIOUR. 

The  writer  who  can  at  the  same  time  inform  the  intellect  and  move  the  sensibilities, 
has  reached  the  perfection  of  his  art.  The  speaker  who  can  “so  speak”  as  to  affect  at 
once  the  scholar  and  the  peasant,  and  to  charm  all  classes  of  men  by  the  same  spell,  is 
the  consummate  orator.  Among  the  examples  of  such  success,  Jesus  our  Saviour  stands 
unapproached.  Of  his  merely  human  imitators,  perhaps  none  has  achieved  so  great  and 
so  permanent  success  as  John  Bunyan.  To  analyze  the  style  of  the  one  and  to  deter- 
mine the  elements  of  his  power  will  be  to  discover  the  secret  of  the 
other.  Such  an  analysis,  moreover,  will  give  the  solution  of  one  of  Tho  sollltlon  ' ‘ * 

. . great  question  of 

the  most  important  questions  of  our  era,  viz. : How  may  the  gospel  be  our  era 

so  preached  that  men  shall  crowd  to  hear  it,  as  they  thronged  the 

river  banks  in  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist,  as  they  covered  the  mountain  acclivities  to 

listen  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  as  they  flocked  to  the  spacious  chapel  in  Bedford  and 

hung  entranced  upon  the  lips  of  Bunyan  ? 

Contrary  to  a very  common  impression,  it  must  be  admitted  that 
our  Saviour  was  eminently  a doctrinal  preacher.  Whether  his  success  . . "! l"lira' oc' 
were  owing  to  this  peculiarity,  or  whether  he  was  successful  in  spite 
of  it,  no  man  can  question  the  fact  that  instruction,  and  that  in  the  deep  things  of  God — 
in  “ those  things  which,”  as  he  himself  says,  “had  been  kept  secret  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world” — was  his  constant  aim.  That  is  a most  superficial  and  unappreciative 
view  of  Christ’s  teaching  which  supposes  it  to  have  been  wholly  or  chiefly  confined  to  the 
sphere  of  practical  ethics.  From  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  which  is  a most  compact 
and  profound  doctrinal  discourse,  to  the  conversation  with  Peter  in  the  twenty-first 
chapter  of  John,  which  was  a most  acute  analysis  of  the  “ evidences  of  regeneration,” 


6 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


'‘his  doctrine  drops  as  the  rain  and  distils  as  the  dew.”  Such  themes  as  the  origin  of 
evil  and  its  proper  treatment,  the  nature,  origin,  and  evidences  of  the  new  birth,  the  im- 
possibility of  salvation  by  personal  goodness,  the  necessity  of  faith  to  produce  personal 
goodness,  the  mystery  whereby  Christ,  “ being  a man,  made  himself  equal  with  God,”  the 
peculiarities  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  as  compared  with  human  governments,  the  abso- 
lute, Divine  control  over  free  human  acts,  the  essential  unity  of  the  believing  soul  and 
its  Saviour,  together  with  many  another  of  the  most  profound  and  even  metaphysical 
truths,  such  as  are  calling  forth  the  liveliest  denunciations  of  the  sensational  preacher 
of  our  era,  were  the  themes  of  his  daily  discourse. 

Nor  need  we  hesitate  to  admit  that  this  richness  in  doctrinal  dis- 

Doctnne  essential  cuss}on  was  a positive  and  even  a prime  element  in  his  success,  as  it 
to  all  popular  sue-  . q 

cess_  must  be  in  all  permanent  success  m popular  teaching,  everywhere 

and  in  every  age.  Truth  is  the  natural  pabulum  of  the  human  soul. 
From  infancy  to  old  age,  among  barbarians  and  philosophers,  the  inquiry  is  the  same: 
“What  is  truth?”  If  the  feelings  are  moved,  or  the  will  is  determined,  it  is  always  by 
means  of  somethirig  thought — that  is,  through  the  intellect.  Even  the  fancies  of  the 
poetical  preacher  are  attractive  only  through  their  verisimilitude.  Christ  gave  to  the 
famishing  minds  about  him  this  bread  of  life  in  rich  abundance,  and  they  who  ate  of  it 
never  knew  hunger  again. 

To  say  that  the  writings  of  Bunyan,  the  most  attractive  religious 

Buny  an  also  a doc  teacher  of  modern  times,  are  distinguished  for  their  wealth  of  doc- 
trinal preacher.  . ° 

trinal  truths,  is  to  repeat  what  every  reader,  even  of  his  most  popular 
works,  well  knows.  In  his  three  great  religious  dramas,  the  Pilgrimages  of  Christian 
and  Christiana  and  the  Holy  War,  every  character  is  a personified  fact,  and  every 
incident  is  a vitalized  doctrine.  No  man  can  thoroughly  understand  the  Pilgrim’s  Prog- 
ress without  becoming  an  accomplished  theologian.  The  power  of  the  book  is  largely  due 
to  this  fact.  As  a story,  it  has  no  plot.  Its  characters  are  simple  enough  for  a nursery 
tale.  Its  fancies  are  quaint,  and  even  rude.  The  playwright  and  the  bookmonger  would 
ridicule  an  author  who  should  expect  success  with  the  public  by  the  use  of  such  simple 
machinery.  Yet  the  Pilgrim’s  Progress  is  successful,  more  successful,  certainly  in 
popular  impressiveness,  than  even  the  plays  of  Shakespeare,  to  which,  in  some  respects,  it 
bears  a marked  resemblance,  but  to  which,  in  all  the  requisites  for  dramatic  impression, 
except  the  single  one  now  under  discussion,  it  would  be  preposterous  to  compare  it. 
The  peculiar  power  of  the  book  is  to  be  found  in  its  presentation  of  truth.  The  doc- 
trines bristle  along  its  pages  like  cannon  upon  the  walls  of  a citadel.  The  attention  of 
the  reader  is  constantly  aroused  by  a strong,  bold,  and  almost  explosive  utterance  of  the 
successive  truths  of  evangelical  Christianity,  reinforced,  almost  uniformly,  by  a scrip- 
tural reference,  and  expressed  with  such  unquestionable  common  sense  as  to  silence  cavil 
before  it  can  be  spoken. 

The  opening  scene  gives  vividly  a contrast  between  justification  by  faith  and  by 
works,  which  is  equal  in  polemic  power  to  a dozen  controversial  treatises.  In  the  prog- 
ress of  the  allegory  all  the  great  doctrines,  from  total  depravity  to  the  resurrection,  are 
clearly  set  forth,  with  the  omission  of  scarcely  a shade  or  a phase  which  has  any  prac- 
tical adaptation  or  value.  The  reader  is  constantly  stimulated  by  new'  discoveries.  He 
adds,  from  each  page,  something  to  his  store  of  thought  on  the  profoundest  and  mightiest 
themes  which  can  engage  the  human  mind.  He  is  not  only  entertained,  but  he  is  con- 
scious of  being  instructed.  His  pleasure  is  accompanied  with  respect  lor  the  author, 
for  the  work,  for  himself  as  engaged  in  the  best  culture  both  of  mind  and  heart,  and 
for  the  system  of  Christian  doctrine  which  shines  out  so  clearly  and  gloriously  from  the 
simple  narrative  he  is  reading. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  TIIN  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


In  tlicso  particulars  a marked  similarity  is  to  be  traced  between  the  writings  of  Hun* 
yan  and  the  teachings  of  the  “ Great  Teacher.” 


Jesus  a 
preacher. 


populnr 


The  manner  of 
Christ’s  teaching. 

The  manner  of 
Christ  precise, 
plain,  impressive. 


Christ’s  language 
concrete. 


Modern  preachers  who  specially  aim  at  popularity  usually  seek  it 
by  avoiding  doctrine,  especially  in  its  more  profound  and  analytic 
forms.  Our  Saviour,  as  we  have  seen,  as  well  as  the  humble  preacher  of  Bedford,  while 
preaching  the  doctrines,  attained  an  unparalleled  degree  and  permanence  of  popularity. 

How  was  this  accomplished?  The  inquiry  is  a vital  one.  Upon  its  solution  the  ques- 
tion of  the  success  of  the  Church  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  world  which  lietli  in 
wickedness  depends. 

Now,  if  we  look  at  the  manner  of  the  teaching  of  Christ,  as  we 
have  already  examined  its  matter,  we  shall  observe,  first,  that  the 
truth  be  uttered  was  spoken  with  precision,  so  that  he  was  never 
obliged  to  retract  or  amend  bis  words.  It  was  spoken,  also,  plainly, 
except  in  cases  when  he  chose  to  give  an  esoteric  cast  to  his  lan- 
guage, in  order  to  communicate  to  his  disciples  instructions  which  the 
multitude  were  not  prepared  to  receive.  Never  wras  the  apparatus  of  language  so  skil- 
fully used  to  bring  the  conclusions  of  metaphysical  philosophy  and  the  direct  revela- 
tions of  the  heavenly  Father  within  the  reach  of  the  humblest  intellect. 

It  was  spoken  impressively  also.  The  words  which  he  uttered  were  words  of  grace, 
of  a rare  and  exceeding  beauty — so  that  men  “ wondered  at  the  gracious  words  which 
proceeded  out  of  his  mouth.”  

They  were  concrete  words.  An  abstract  truth  was  seldom  presented 
alone,  but  generally  in  its  combination  with  some  familiar,  every-day 
object.  The  definition  of  neighbour  is  the  story,  “A  man  went  down 
from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho.”  Evil  is  tares;  good  is  wheat.  The  great  perplexing 
problem  of  the  permission  of  sin  is  solved  by  an  ordinary  farmer  in  an  ordinary  opera- 
tion of  agriculture.  Instead  of  stating  a philosophical  problem  and  giving  a philoso- 
phical solution,  he  turns  to  his  hearers,  and  with  a “ But  what  think  ye?"  he  proceeds  to 
tell  a simple  story,  in  which  the  principle  he  would  teach  is  involved,  and  then  leaves 
the  conclusion  to  their  own  discernment,  only  adding  the  caution,  “ He  that  hath  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hear.” 

But  the  great  power  of  the  preaching  of  Jesus  was  its  personality. 

It  struck  home.  Men  felt  that  they  were  dealing  with  one  who  under- 
stood them.  The  Pharisees  very  often  “ perceived  that  he  spake  of 
them.”  Sometimes  a more  promiscuous  crowd  were  struck  by  a penetrative  .word  as 
with  a shock  from  an  electric  battery,  and,  “ being  convicted  by  their  own  consciences, 
went  out,  one  by  one,  beginning  at  the  oldest,  unto  the  last.”  All  his  preaching 
showed  that  “ he  knew  what  was  in  man.”  This  personality  was  not  only  seen  in  appeals 
to  the  conscience.  He  touched  the  heart  also.  He  was  full  of  human  sympathies.  It 
is  true  that  his  keen  analysis  delighted  the  perplexed  intellect,  and  that  his  clear  illus- 
trations made  even  “wayfaring”  men,  though  fools  in  ignorance,  exult  in  the  pos- 
session of  some  grand  truth  which  prophets  and  wise  men  had  desired  to  see,  but  had 
not  seen  it.  But  it  was  his  love,  or  to  express  the  thought  more  pre- 
cisely, it  was  his  broad,  sympathetic  humanity,  that  chiefly  made  great  v ' ^ 

multitudes  follow  him  in  the  city  and  upon  the  mountain,  across  the 
sea  and  into  the  wilderness,  held  by  a spell  which  they  could  hardly  have  defined,  and 
yet  were  unable  to  resist.  The  word  humanity  is  used  rather  than  the  word  love,  in  this 
connection,  because  something  more  is  meant  than  a simple  feeling  of  tenderness  or  a 
desire  to  promote  happiness.  The  word  is  used  to  designate  sympathy  with  all  human 


Christ’s 

personal. 


8 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


emotion  and  aspiration,  as  well  as  with  men’s  modes  of  thought  and  habits  of  life.  It  is 
the  sentiment  described  by  the  heathen  poet  when  he  said:  “I  am  human,  and  nothing 
which  is  human  is  foreign  to  me.”  Jesus  showed  himself  a man  under  all  circum- 
stances. He  was  tempted  at  all  points  as  man  is,  and  knew  how  to  succour  tempted 
man.  There  was  nothing  regal  or  priestly  or  even  sombre  about  him.  The  tradi- 
tional assertion,  “Our  Saviour  wept,  but  was  never  known  to  smile,”  has  more  an- 
tiquity than  authenticity.  ITe  certainly  never  betrays  any  anxiety  about  his  dignity. 
He  shows  the  most  intense  hatred  of  formality  and  of  all  the  requirements  of  religious 
etiquette.  He  can  hardly  conceal  his  contempt  for  the  ecclesiastical  martinets  who 
sought  to  stone  him  because  he  had  made  a man  every  whit  whole  on  the  Sabbath 
day.  He  taught  that  the  Sabbath,  and  so  all  God’s  institutions,  was  made  for  man, 
whom  God  made,  and  as  God  made  him.  He  preached  a gospel  which  was  antagonistic 
to  sin  in  man,  but  not  antagonistic  to  man.  His  teaching  and  his  life  were  full  of  this 
beautiful  and  sympathetic  humanity.  Men  instinctively  felt  that  Jesus  was  their  fellow, 
a man  indeed  absolutely  pure,  and  a being  in  some  relations  infinitely  more  than  man, 
but  in  his  human  relations  a being  on  their  level.  While  he  sometimes  drew  from 
them  the  adoring  exclamation,  “My  Lord  and  my  God!”  at  other  times  they  hesi- 
tated not  to  ask  querulously,  “Lord,  carest  thou  not  that  we  perish?”  while  provident 
Martha,  in  the  very  tenderest  mood  of  grief,  reproached  him,  with  the  familiarity 
of  a sister,  in  the  words,  “Lord,  if  thou  hadst  been  here,  my  brother  had  not  died.” 
The  scenes  at  the  blessing  of  the  children,  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  at  the  summary 
ejection  of  the  money-changers  from  the  temple,  are  only  excerpts  from  a life  of  intense 
sympathy  with  all  that  is  human  in  man.  He  was  a stranger  only  to  the  sin  of  man, 
alienated  only  from  the  progeny  of  evil  in  the  soul — the  works  of  those  who  are  of  their 
father  the  devil,  and  who  do  his  deeds. 

This  broad,  deep  humanity,  tinging  all  the  language  of  his  teaching  and  interpene- 
trating its  very  substance,  seemed,  when  he  spoke,  to  envelop  speaker  and  hearers  in  one 
comprehensive,  magnetic  atmosphere,  and  made  their  hearts  beat  together  as  one,  till 
the  very  life  of  Christ  was  communicated  to  those  around  him,  and  an  all-enveloping 
sympathy — which  was  more  than  a sympathy,  which  was  a substance,  unseen  and  ethe- 
real, but  potential  and  pervading — made  the  vastest  multitude  one  intellectual  and  moral 
being,  thinking,  feeling,  moving  with  the  one  master  spirit.  It  is  no  wonder  they 
were  astonished  at  his  power  over  them,  or  that  his  bitterest  enemies  were  compelled  to 
exclaim,  “Never  man  spake  like  this  man.” 

A discriminating  and  thorough  analysis  of  the  teaching  and  oratory 

The sam^elements  0£  tjie  great  masters  of  eloquence  will  show  that,  in  various  propor- 
of  power  in  all  pop-  , . . , . 

! orators  tions,  the  elements  ot  power  now  enumerated  have  been  present  m 

their  speech  and  writings.  It  will  also  be  found  that  this  power  has 
been  just  in  proportion  to  the  perfection  they  had  attained  in  these  various  essentials 
of  true  eloquence. 

There  may  be  profound  thought  which  is  yet  not  precise  and  clear,  and  the  result  will 
be  only  bewilderment  in  the  hearer.  There  may  be  clear  thought  which  is  not  profound 
or  original  or  forcible,  and  the  result  will  be,  at  the  best,  only  a patient  approval  of 
what  is  to  the  audience  a very  dull  discourse.  Or  the  thought  may  be  both  clear  and 
profound,  while  the  words  are  anything  but  “ gracious  words.”  The  rhetoric  may  be 
rough  or  pedantic,  or  suggestive  of  disagreeable  associations,  or  flighty  with  pretti nesses 
or  rotund  with  bombast.  Or  the  composition  may  be  faultless  in  thought  and  expres- 
sion, and  yet  may  be  so  abstract  in  form  that  the  common  people  will  be  far  from  hear- 
ing it  gladly,  while  even  the  philosopher  will  experience  a stir  of  the  thoughts  rather 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


1) 


than  a quickening  of  the  conscience  or  a marshalling  of  the  purposes  to  right  action.  Or 
the  preacher  may  have  the  clearness  of  Addison,  the  profundity  of  Plato,  the  beautiful 
diction  of  Vaughn,  and  the  concreteness  of  Dean  Swift,  all  combined,  yet,  if  he  be  not 
interpenetrated  with  humanity  and  surrounded  with  it  as  an  atmosphere,  he  will  never 
do  wluit  Luther  did,  nor  what  Whitefield  did,  nor  what  Banyan  did,  nor,  even  at  a dis- 
tant approximation,  what  Christ  did. 


Perhaps  this  analysis  of  manner  in  the  successful  religious  teacher 

will  guide  us  to  the  secret,  in  part  at  least,  of  Banyan’s  great  and 

e 1 jo  over  men> 


continued  influence  over  all  classes  of  men  while  teaching  the  whole 
circle  of  Christian  doctrine. 

Ill  the  first  place,  then,  every  reader  of  Banyan  must  have  observed  the  precision  and 

clearness  of  his  style  and  thought.  The  reader  is  never  compelled  to 

go  over  a sentence  the  second  time.  The  impression  it  makes  upon  r|<'-"'ne.ss  of  Bun- 
° i * r yans  style, 

his  mind  is  clear,  well-cut,  and  immediate.  Occasionally  he  comes 

upon  a sentence  whose  quaintness  gives  him  a moment’s  pause,  as  when  Faithful  com- 
mences his  defence  before  the  court  at  Vanity  Fair  in  this  way:  “ That  he  had  only  set 
himself  against  that  which  had  set  itself  against  Him  that  is  higher  than  the  highest.”  But 
the  delay  reveals  to  him  a pith  and  richness  of  meaning  which  will  be  likely  to  make 
him  linger  upon  the  sentence  till  it  is  indelibly  printed  upon  his  memory.  Generally, 
however,  the  thought  of  the  author  is  seized  at  once.  The  impression  upon  the  imagina- 
tion and  feelings  is  not  impaired  by  even  the  least  perplexity  of  the  intellect.  Each  sen- 
tence is  a nail  fastened  in  a sure  place. 

The  suggestion  that  Banyan  is  a profound  writer  will  hardly,  how- 
ever, be  so  readily  assented  to.  Certainly,  if  our  idea  of  profundity 
in  a writer  is  that  he  shall  be  shadowy  and  unintelligible,  or  that  he 
shall  be  abstract,  or  that  he  shall  wander  into  the  regions  of  the  unknown  and  the  un- 
knowable, then  Bunyan  is  not  profound.  Banyan  is  no  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson.  He  is 
no  German  philosopher  turned  into  a mere  ghost  of  a man  by  the  excessive  subjectivity 
of  his  speculations.  He  is  no  propoundcr  of  theories  concerning  matters  which  no  theory 
can  explain.  The  theologians  of  all  the  evangelical  schools  accept  the  Pilgrim’s  Prog- 
ress. It  does  not  even  enter  their  ancient  battle-grounds. 

But  if  to  be  profound  is  to  go  to  the  bottom  of  the  subject  in  hand,  if  it  is  to  follow 
with  a sharp  analysis  the  dividing  line  between  things  that  differ,  if  it  is  to  search  every 
element  that  enters  into  a just  and  safe  conclusion,  then  Bunyan  is  profound. 

The  way  of  life  is  the  subject  of  the  Bible.  To  point  out  that  way  a certain  number 
of  facts  and  truths  are  considered  necessary  by  Infinite  Wisdom.  These,  when  arranged 
systematically  and  discriminated  from  error,  constitute  our  systems  of  theology. 

The  way  of  life  is  also  the  subject  of  Banyan’s  allegories.  It  would 
be  a curious  experiment  should  some  constructive  mind  attempt  to 
draw  from  them  a system  of  underlying  doctrine,  as  theologians  have 
done  from  the  Bible.  If  nothing  were  omitted  which  Bunyan  uses,  if  all  his  qualifica- 
tions were  noted  and  all  perversions  guarded  against,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  a 
very  complete  body  of  divinity  would  be  the  result.  It  is  this  peculiarity  which  is  the 
basis  of  Bunyan’s  strength.  The  reader  is  gaining  truth — the  food  of  the  soul — in  every 
line. 

That  Bunyan  has  the  next  requisite  of  a popular  style  is  evident. 

No  reader  doubts  that  he  uses  concrete  rather  than  abstract  terms,  Bun}  an  s st% Ie 

concrete. 

or,  more  precisely,  that  he  individualizes  rather  than  generalizes  his 

ideas.  He  invests  the  most  abstract  qualities  with  all  the  charm  of  a personal  iudivid- 


Bunyan’s  system 
of  theology. 


10  INTRODUCTION  TO  TIIE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


uality.  He  turns  a doctrine  into  an  exciting  adventure.  He  converts  great  moral  facts 
into  solid  existences,  as  a mountain,  a burden  on  the  back,  a man  in  a cage,  a giant’s 
castle,  a celestial  city.  In  this  he  closely  follows  the  Bible,  and  never  fails  to  appropri- 
ate its  imagery  when  it  is  possible  to  do  so.  There  is  nothing  in  Shakespeare  more  per- 
fect than  the  impersonations  of  Obstinate  and  Pliable  in  the  very  beginning  of  his  storv. 
The  description  of  Vanity  Fail’,  its  streets,  its  rulers,  its  citizens,  and  its  doings,  makes 
a group  which  the  painter  could  transfer  almost  unchanged  from  the  paper  to  the 
canvas.  In  the  Holy  War  the  generalizations  of  mental  philosophy  in  all  their 
multitude  rise  before  us  in  the  form  of  walls  and  gates  and  magistrates  and  armies,  as 
if  “spirits  from  the  vasty  deep”  had  suddenly  taken  to  themselves  form  and  solidity, 
and  were  lifting  their  huge  proportions  all  around  us.  What  a study  is  his  nomencla- 
ture alone!  Who  but  Bunyan  would  have  concocted  such  a catalogue  as  this  of  the 
court  at  Vanity  Fair? 

Judge,  My  Lord  Hate-good. 

Witnesses,  Envy,  Superstition,  and  Pick-thank. 

The  Prince  of  the  Realm,  Beelzebub. 

The  Nobility,  Lord  Oldman,  Lord  Carnal-delight  Lord  Luxurious,  Lord  Desire-of- 
vain-glory,  Lord  Lechery,  Sir  Having-greedy. 

The  statutes  are  acts  come  down  from  Pharaoh,  Darius,  and  Nebuchadnezzar! 

The  roll  of  the  Jury  puts  a fitting  climax  upon  this  pyramid  of  personification:  Mr. 
Blindman,  the  foreman,  Mr.  No-good,  Mr.  Malice,  Mr.  Love-lust,  Mr.  Live-locse,  Mr. 
Heady,  Mr.  High-mind,  Mr.  Enmity,  Mr.  Liar,  Mr.  Cruelty,  Mr.  Hate-light,  Mr.  Im- 
placable ! 


Defect  of  modern 
preachers. 


What  an  immense  acquisition  of  power  would  come  to  many  of  the 
ablest  preachers  of  our  era  if  they  could  learn  Bunyan’s  art  of  giving 
to  their  airy  abstractions  “ a local  habitation  and  a name,”  not  by 
descriptive  appellations,  but  by  descriptive  impersonations ! The  whole  power  of  many 
preachers,  otherwise  of  very  inferior  abilities  and  attainments,  lies  in  the  possession  of 
this  art.  Let  the  philosopher  and  the  scholar  beware  how  they  despise  a gift  which, 
however  unnecessary  within  the  walls  of  the  university,  is  one. of  the  grand  instrument- 
alities by  which  men  are  to  be  brought  up  from  the  East  and  the  West  and  the  North  and 
the  South  to  sit  down  together  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 


Bunyan’s 

humanity. 


hu- 


broad  Bunyan’s  humanity,  by  which  we  mean,  as  before,  a broad  and  deep 
sympathy  with  all  that  belongs  to  men,  is  another  of  tlie  chief  ele- 
ments of  his  power.  He  comes  into  contact  with  his  readers  at  every 
point.  He  is  so  guileless,  so  frank,  so  fearless,  so  kindly,  so  keen,  so  witty,  so  intensely 
in  earnest,  that,  before  you  are  aware  of  it,  he  has  thrown  over  you  the  spell  of  an  en- 
chanter. No  man  ever  attained  more  perfectly  the  divine  art  of  drawing  human  beings 
“ with  the  cords  of  love  and  the  bands  of  a man.” 

The  element  of  humour  plays  a very  important  part  in  this  attract- 
ive process — not  less  important  because  there  is  no  oj)en  expression  of 
it.  It  would  shock  some  persons  to  hear  the  intimation  that  our 
Saviour  ever  indulged  in  humour.  But  a fair  analysis  would  readily  detect  something 
closely  analogous  to  this  fascinating  quality  in  many  passages,  especially  those  of  a con- 
troversial character.  The  repartees  made  to  the  ecclesiastical  lawyers  who  attempted  to 
“entangle  him  in  his  talk”  had  in  them  that  sense  of  logical  absurdity  and  that  enjoy- 
ment of  deserved  personal  discomfiture  which  are  important  elements  in  the  higher  grades 
of  humour.  The  scene  at  Gadara,  when  the  devils  were  taken  at  their  word  and  sent 
into  a herd  of  swine,  is  essentially  ludicrous,  and  may  have  been  intended  to  match  the 


Bunyan’s 

mour. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  11  r IN  YAK.  II 


malignant  design  of  these  rampant  spirits,  of  drawing  Jesus  into  trouble  with  the  OtuU 
arene  pork-merchants  by  bringing  them  and  their  boasted  power  into  ridicule. 

Bunyan  is  full  of  humour,  though  he  is  too  serious  and  earnest  to  wish  to  employ  it 
except  in  his  exposures  of  error  and  wickedness.  What  an  exquisite  bit  of  satire,  for 
example,  is  the  conversation  with  By-ends,  just  after  Christian  leaves  Vanity  Fair,  “the 
parishioner  of  Mr.  Two-tongues”  and  “the  lineal  descendant  of  a waterman  who  got  his 
living  by  rowing  one  way  and  looking  the  other,”  by  which  laudable  occupation,  remarks 
Mr.  By-ends,  “I  got  most  of  my  estate.” 

The  same  keen  quick  perception  of  the  incongruities  and  contradictions,  which  are 
the  staple  of  all  rhetorical  retributions  for  f'ol ly  and  pretence,  pervades  all  Bunyan’s 
works,  and  constantly  draws  toward  him  the  peculiar  sympathy  which  the  story-teller 
and  the  wit  are  sure  to  awaken.  Let  not  the  Christian  teacher  who  possesses  this 
charming  gift  consider  it  only  a misfortune  and  an  impediment.  Carefully  employed, 
it  will  bring  him,  more  quickly  than  any  other,  into  a magnetic  sympathy  with  men. 
The  most  violent  prejudices  against  an  orator  or  his  cause  may  often  be  dispelled  by 
a few  pleasantries.  Wit  can  give  even  to  logic  a finer  edge  and  a sharper  point.  Hu- 
mour may  play  over  the  surface  of  the  most  serious  discourse,  as  heat-lightning  over 
the  moonless  sky,  not  obtrusively,  yet  lighting  all  the  firmament  of  thought  with  a be- 
witching iridescence. 

Every  page  of  Bunyan’s  allegories,  and  every  verse  of  his  quaint  but  rude  poetry, 
wavers  in  this  magnetic  atmosphere  of  humour.  What,  for  example,  could  be  more 
suppressed,  and  yet  effective,  than  the  sly  sarcasm  of  the  lines  in  which  he  describes  the 
reception  of  his  Pilgrim’s  Progress  by  his  immediate  friends? 

“ Then  I set  pen  to  paper  with  delight, 

And  quickly  had  my  thoughts  in  black  and  white. 

For  having  now  my  method  by  the  end, 

Still  as  I pulled,  it  came:  and  so  I penned 
It  down  ; until  it  came  at  last  to  be, 

For  length  and  breadth,  the  bigness  which  you  see. 

“ Well,  when  I had  thus  put  my  ends  together, 

I showed  them  others,  that  I might  see  whether 
They  would  condemn  them,  or  them  justify ; 

And  some  said,  ‘Let  them  live;’  some,  ‘Let  them  die;’ 

Some  said,  ‘ John,  print  it ;’  others  said,  ‘ Not  so ;’ 

Some  said  it  might  do  good  ; others  said,  ‘No.’” 

Closely  connected  with  this  quality  of  humour  in  Bunyan  was  that  . 

peculiar  compound  of  self-forgetfulness  and  truthfulness  which  for 
want  of  an  English  name  we  have  agreed  to  term  naivete.  This  charming  quality, 
which  opens  men’s  hearts  like  the  pressing  of  a secret  spring  in  the  iron  door  of  a money- 
vault,  is  conspicuous  not  only  in  the  quotations  just  given,  but  in  almost  every  sentence 
Bunyan  wrote.  We  feel  at  home  as  soon  as  we  begin  to  read.  In  a very  few  minutes 
we  are  on  such  terms  of  intimacy  with  the  author  that,  while  we  are  conscious  of  his 
access  to  the  most  secret  places  of  our  hearts,  we  feel  that  we  have  a free  entrance  to  his 
also. 

If  Bunyan  preached  as  he  wrote,  as  he  undoubtedly  did,  he  must  in  his  very  first  sen- 
tence have  introduced  himself  to  his  hearers  and  drawn  them  into  the  sphere  of  his  per- 
sonal life.  Edward  Everett,  when  once  asked  how  he  gained  the  sympathy  of  a strange 
audience  in  a strange  place  so  uniformly  and  quickly,  replied,  “ I always  search  out 
some  historical  incident  or  some  local  association,  through  which  I ingratiate  myself  with 
the  people  I am  to  address.”  Without  egotism,  certainly  without  vanity,  but  with  a sell- 


12  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


Bunyan’s  rich  im 
agination. 


forgetful  ingenuousness  that  goes  out  in  sympathy  and  confidence  toward  others,  and  loves 
to  make  them  sharers  of  his  thoughts  and  hopes  and  joys,  the  preacher  who  partakes  of 
the  spirit  of  Bunyan  will  envelop  his  audience  with  the  atmosphere  of  his  own  personal- 
ity. He  will  lay  his  heart  upon  the  heart  of  each  hearer  till  their  beating  is  in  unison. 

Another  element  of  this  quality,  which  we  have  termed  the  human- 
ity of  Bunyan,  is  imaginative  in  its  character.  It  is  a part  of  our 
humanity  to  love  analogies.  It  impresses  us  much  more  to  be  told 
“ God  is  a rock  ” than  to  be  assured,  in  literal  phrase,  “ God  is  firm  and  strong.”  A 
whole  treatise  upon  conviction  of  sin  cannot  move  us  as  does  the  picture  of  the  Slough 
of  Despond,  in  which  Pliable  appears  crawling  out  upon  one  side  and  Christian  catching 
the  hand  of  Help  on  the  other.  The  machinery  of  these  allegories  is  certainly  not  elab- 
orate. On  the  contrary,  it  is  very  simple,  if  not  rude.  Yet  it  may  well  be  doubted 
whether  the  most  exquisite  impersonations  of  Shakespeare  or  the  grandest  fancies  of  Mil- 
ton  really  make  so  strong  and  permanent  an  impression  upon  us  as  the  story  of  the  town 
of  Mansoul,  with  its  walls  and  its  gates,  its  magistrates,  its  sovereigns,  and  its  wars.  Few 
have  ever  looked  on  the  picture  of  the  laud  of  Beulah,  and  the  passage  of  the  Pilgrims  to 
the  Celestial  City,  without  experiencing  a glow  of  emotion  such  as  even  the  masters  of 
romance  and  song  have  seldom  been  able  to  inspire.  The  language  of  imagination  was 
natural  to  Bunyan,  as  it  was  to  our  Saviour.  He  was  writing  another  book,  supposed 
to  be  “The  Heavenly  Footman,”  when,  as  he  tells  us,  “before  I was  aware,  I thus 
began,”  and  the  result  was — The  Pilgrim's  Progress  ! 


“And  thus  it  was:  I,  writing  of  the  way 
And  race  of  saints  in  this  our  gospel  day, 

Fell  suddenly  into  an  allegory, 

About  their  journey  and  the  way  to  glory, 

In  more  than  twenty  things,  which  I set  down. 

This  done,  I twenty  more  had  in  my  crown ; 

And  they  again  began  to  multiply 

Like  sparks  that  from  the  coals  of  fire  do  fly.” 

Such  labour  is  play,  and  such  play  of  the  finest  faculties  of  the  mind  of  man  is  power. 

No  culture  is  complete  which  fails  first  to  develop,  then  to  regulate,  the  imagination,  and 

no  man  is  the  full  possessor  of  the  “humanity”  now  under  discussion  who  js  not  master 

of  the  “ humanities ” by  which  it  is  trained  and  strengthened. 

In  enumerating  the  various  elements  of  Bunyan’s  power  over  men 
Bunvan’s  pathos.  , ..  , n ,7 

we  must  not  omit  the  mention  or  pathos. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  sympathy  with  our  common  humanity  on  the  side  of  its 
fancy,  in  its  love  of  frankness,  and  in  its  appreciation  of  wit.  But  the  human  heart  has  a 
tender  side  also.  Tears  lurk  close  to  smiles  and  fun  frolics  in  the  very  arms  of  sadness. 
The  heart-stricken  Cowper  wrote  “John  Gilpin”  out  of  the  depths  of  a troubled  spirit. 
Gough,  the  orator  of  the  heart,  gives  the  warning, 

“ If  you  have  tears,  prepare  to  shed  them  now,” 

by  a side-splitting  joke,  close  upon  which  follows  a picture  of  the  drunkard’s  wife  and 
babes,  the  home  laid  desolate,  the  generous,  loving,  heart  made  fiendish  by  drink, 
which  has  the  force  of  a thousand  arguments  to  convince  and  persuade. 

The  preacher  of  the  Gospel  handles  themes  full  of  the  tenderest  pathos.  Love  is 
the  subject  of  the  Gospel.  Tenderness  is  its  essential  spirit.  Ministration  to  the  dis- 
eases and  sorrows  of  the  human  heart  is  its  chief  work.  We  plead  for  no  sickly,  cer- 
tainly no  sanctimonious,  pathos.  But  when  a man  like  Bunyan,  full  of  vigour,  with 
no  vaporish  humours,  alive  to  all  pleasant  fancies  and  all  generous  wit,  tells  us  of  his 


INTRODUCTION  TO  TllE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OE  JOHN  IIUNYAN  13 


own  protracted  in  on  till  sufferings,  or  pictures  those  scenes  of  gentleness  which  especially 
abound  in  the  narrative  of  Christiana  and  her  children,  lie  takes  our  hearts  captive. 
We  are  clay  in  Ids  hands.  lie  moulds  us  as  lie  will. 

This  broad  humanity  in  Banyan  is  manifested  still  further  in  his 


Bunynn'a  ready 
sympathy. 


ready  sympathy  in  all  the  forms  of  human  feeling.  It  is  especially 

conspicuous  in  his  charity  of  spirit,  which  even  his  twelve  years  of 

imprisonment  could  not  disturb  so  as  to  call  out  one  sharp  or  bitter  word  toward 

his  enendes.  It  is  manifested  in  that  infectious  enthusiasm  which  is  a 

nnme  element  of  power  in  every  successful  career,  and  which  com-  J 

1 r ....  siasin. 

nninicates  to  ordinary  men  an  inspiration  of  hope  and  courage  and 

strength  such  as  puts  its  author  almost  in  the  place  of  a deity  among  his  followers. 

It  is  the  combination  of  these  and  kindred  qualities  in  Bunyan,  constituting  a broad, 
generous,  well -developed  humanity,  which  seems  to  have  been  the  source  of  that  peculiar 
magnetism  which  is  so  perceptible  in  his  writings,  and  which  must  have  been  still  more 
fully  felt  in  his  personal  presence. 


Cause  of  the  pop- 
ularity of  sensa- 
tional preachers. 


If  our  analysis  is  correct,  and  if  this  magnetic  humanity  is  one  great 

source  of  the  power  which  attained  such  development  in  Bunvan,  and  Th.‘s  broa<*  ,Iu‘~ 
\ ...  1 - manity  essential  to 

which  is  seen  in  absolute  perfection  in  Him  who,  five  days  before  his  success, 
crucifixion,  could  fill  Jerusalem  and  even  the  very  courts  of  the  Tem- 
ple with  the  hosannas  of  the  populace,  then  every  preacher  of  the  gospel,  whether  by 
tongue  or  pen,  should  give  to  its  culture  the  most  assiduous  study. 

It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  a class  of  men  who  have  none  of  the 
higher  qualities  we  have  named,  who,  unlike  Bunyan,  have  little  or  no 
real  instruction  to  give,  who  sneer  at  “theology”  because  they  know 
nothing  about  it,  and  who  are  held  in  deserved  contemjpt  by  scholarly 
men,  are  notwithstanding  getting  and  retaining  the  ear  of  the  busy,  mercurial,  quick- 
witted American  people,  not  by  any  means  on  account  of  their  emptiness,  but  wholly  in 
spite  of  it,  and  yet  are  wielding  an  amount  of  influence  over  public  opinion  and 
character  which  is  undoubtedly  preparing  the  way,  first,  for  loose  doctrine,  then  for  false 
doctrine,  and  at  last  for  a complete  apostasy  from  Christ,  both  in  opinion  and  life. 

The  secret  of  the  power  of  these  preachers  is  to  he  found  in  their  intense  sympathy 
with  men,  and  in  the  numerous  points  of  contact  with  their  audiences  at  which  that 
sympathy  is  evolved.  It  is  simple  slander  upon  the  people  to  say,  as  is  often  done, 
that  they  do  not  love  thought.  All  men  love  thought,  but  they 
love  something  else  better.  They  love  a man  better  than  they  love 
his  thoughts.  He  who  shows  himself  to  be  a man,  highly  developed 
in  all  the  characteristics  of  a man  as  God  made  him,  will  be  more  to  them  than  the 
greatest  philosopher  or  the  profoundest  theologian.  “ And  I,”  says  our  Saviour — noi 
my  doctrine,  not  my  law,  but  I — “if  I be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men 
unto  me.” 


What  the  people 
want. 


RUNYAN’S  WORKS  A TRANSCRIPT  OF  HIS  OWN  EXPERIENCE. 

It  still  remains  that  another  and  a far  more  important  secret  of  Bunyan’s  success  should 
be  mentioned.  He  wrote  what  he  had  himself  experienced.  His  “ Grace  Abounding  to 
the  Chief  of  Sinners”  is  the  “Pilgrim’s  Progress”  and  the  “Holy  War”  in  a subjective 
form.  It  is  easy  to  trace,  in  this  account  of  his  personal  experience,  the  original  of  all 
the  chief  scenes  of  his  allegories.  Here  is  the  Slough  of  Despond,  and  a miry  place  it 
was  to  poor  Bunyan.  The  Interpreter’s  House  stood  hard  by  his  home.  The  fight  with 
Apollyon  was  a real  one.  Vanity  Fair  and  its  courts  were  a transcript  of  the  society 


14  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  BUN Y AN. 


and  government  of  the  times  in  England.  Some  of  the  characters  can  even  now  he 
traced  to  the  living  men  around  him,  and  in  Bunyan’s  day  a large  number  must  have 
been  capable  of  identification. 

Without  the  terrible  spiritual  experience  of  Bunyan  and  his  protracted  sufferings, 
these  immortal  productions  would  have  been  impossible.  The  seed  of  the  plentiful  har- 
vest which  they  have  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  God  was  sown  in  anguish  and  tears. 

The  force  of  this  personal  experience  threw,  often  into  a single  sentence,  the  results  of 
a lifetime  of  intense  thought.  It  focalized  under  the  eye  of  the  reader  the  concentrated 
vitality  of  Bunyan’s  whole  physical,  intellectual  and  spiritual  energies  for  long  years. 
Here  is  the  power  of  these  works  in  one  of  its  chief  elements.  While  all  the  auxiliaries 
which  we  have  named,  of  defined  doctrine,  of  clear  speech,  of  beauty  in  expression,  of  cor- 
rectness in  conception,  of  personal  application,  of  a large  humanity  in  its  humour,  in  its 
frankness,  in  its  fancy,  in  its  pathos,  in  its  sympathy,  in  its  charity,  and  in  its  inspiring 
enthusiasm,  were  present,  yet  none  of  them  were  present  in  such  an  eminent  degree  as 
to  place  the  author  where  he  is — in  the  very  front  rank  of  literature.  In  fact,  the  critic 
often  feels  that  there  is  a deficiency  in  these  particulars  which  suggests  somewhat  pain- 
fully the  idea  of  poverty  in  literary  resources.  Still,  he  is  conscious  of  power.  He  feels 
that  the  author  has  reached  the  end  of  writing,  while  he  seems  deficient  in  the  qualities 
by  which  that  end  is  ordinarily  gained.  Like  the  famous  sentence  of  Massillon  at  the 
commencement  of  his  sermon  on  the  death  of  the  Duchess  of  Orleans,  “ God  only  is 
great!” — which  simple  words  caused  a vast  assembly  to  bow  their  heads  in  worship  and 
awe — the  words  of  Bunyan  seem  possessed  of  a power  of  which  no  critical  account  can 
be  given.  The  explanation  is,  in  part  at  least,  that  these  words  were  forged  upon  the 
anvil  of  experience,  and  were  ejected  with  the  concentrated  momentum  of  years  of 
emotion  and  thought. 

So  it  has  been  with  all  great  orators.  The  finest  similes  of  Daniel 
Webster  were  not  wrought  out  at  the  moment  when  they  leaped,  as  if 
unbidden,  from  his  lips.  They  were  the  fruit  of  hours  of  elevated 
communion  with  nature  and  with  truth,  and  when  they  were  uttered 
they  were  a lightning-stroke,  because  the  massed  electricity  of  vast 
hidden  regions  of  lofty  emotion  found  vent  in  them. 

Very  simple  were  the  words  of  Whitefield.  The  rudest  collier 
among  his  audiences  could  have  uttered  them  as  easily  as  he.  Yet 
when  he  raised  his  hands  and  exclaimed,  “Oh  the  wonderful  love  of  Christ!”  vast  assem- 
blies were  bathed  in  tears,  because  these  words,  when  uttered  by  Whitefield,  meant  vastly 
more  than  when  uttered  by  an  ordinary  man. 

„ , Napoleon’s  charge  at  Lodi  carried  his  troops  victorious  over  bat- 

JSapoleon.  . „ 

teries  which  had  mowed  down  the  columns  of  every  other  French 

general,  because  at  the  moment  his  whole  military  history  was  brought  to  the  minds  both 

of  friend  and  foe,  and  the  united  force  of  a hundred  battle-fields  swept  over  the  bridge 

of  fire.  The  great  chief  himself  recognized  this  principle  of  cumulation  when  he  said 

to  his  army  in  Egypt,  “From  the  summit  of  those  pyramids  forty  centuries  look  down 

upon  you.”  The  deeds  witnessed  by  those  mute  sentinels  of  history,  during  two-thirds 

of  the  world’s  life,  commingled  with  the  deeds  of  to-day,  and  every  blow  of  the  modern 

army  gathered  into  itself  the  combined  energies  of  ages  of  heroism. 

The  words,  as  well  as  the  deeds,  of  power  which  have  moved  the  world  have  evei 
been  the  voice  of  the  accumulated  experience  of  generations.  So  the  words  by  which 
one  individual  moves  another  must  be  the  voice  of  accumulated  personal  experience. 

_ Our  Saviour  penetrated  in  an  instant  the  hearts  of  all  about  him. 

Our  Saviour.  r 

not  only  because  he  knew  man,  but  because  he  had  been  tried  as  man 


All  real  eloquence 
springs  from  per- 
sonal experience. 

Webster. 


Whitefield. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN.  15 


if>.  IIo  paints  heaven  and  the  glory  of  his  Father,  he  describes  hell  in  language  of  four- 
fill  power,  because  ho  speaks  that  which  he  knows  and  testifies  that  which  he  bus  seen 
John  could  not  be  commissioned  to  write  the  Apocalypse  of  the  future  until  he  had 
been  shown,  amid  the  dark  mountains  of  the  isle  of  Patinos,  the  actual  vision  of  the 
supernatural  world.  Even  Paul  could  not  be  entrusted  with  his  great  message  until  ho 
had  been  caught  up  in  the  third  heaven  and  heard  that  “ which  it  is  not  lawful  for  man 
to  utter.”  In  ordinary  speech,  the  words  of  an  eye-witness,  though  they  are  the  same 
words,  arc  always  uttered  with  a zest  which  the  manufactured  utterances  of  a mere  in- 
vestigator can  never  acquire. 

Bunyan’s  rude  and  unfinished  word-pictures  stand  before  us  in  the 

J . i-iii  Bunyan. 

warm  colours  and  sharp  outlines  which  belong  to  acts  rather  than  repre- 
sentations. We  do  not  read  a biography.  We  see  a life.  Hence  we  are  moved  by  Bun- 
yan’s words  as  by  a cry  of  agony  or  a shout  of  joy  uttered  at  our  side.  We  are  in  no 
mood  to  criticise  the  artistic  execution,  as  if  a dramatist  were  exhibiting  before  us.  Here 
is  living  suffering  and  actual  happiness.  A human  heart  is  uttering  itself,  not  a musi- 
cal tone  or  an  elocutionary  inflection.  This  is  the  power  of  reality.  All  the  rules  of  mere 
representation  here  fail  of  application. 

The  preacher  who  speaks  out  his  own  experience  has  a power  which  transcends  all  the 
canons  of  art.  Art  will  unquestionably  add  to  this  power  and  bring  it  to  a polished 
perfection,  but  it  will  not  create  it.  The  preacher  who  moves  men  must  learn  to  say, 
not  only  “ Thou  art  the  man,”  but  also,  “ I am  the  man.”  The  former  without  the 
latter, will  be  scolding,  not  preaching.  It  may  be  vei-y  faithful  and  very  just,  but  men 
will  grow  worse  under  it  rather  than  better.  The  latter  without  the  former  is  simply 
the  egoistic  form  of  the  sensational  style.  It  is  the  insufferable  personality  of  a coarse, 
vain  man  thrust  between  his  hearers  and  the  truth.  But  the  two,  united  as  they  were  in 
Bunyan,  cry  to  men  to  escape  the  city  of  Destruction,  where  / lived  ; to  roll  off  their  bur- 
dens at  the  cross,  where  I found  pardon  ; to  avoid  Doubting  Castle,  where  I was  ensnared ; 
to  resist  the  Devil,  with  whom  I contended  in  the  Valley  of  Humiliation  ; to  eschew 
the  allurements  of  Vanity  Fair,  which  / have  seen  to  “ bite  like  a serpent  and  sting  like 
an  adder;”  to  seek  the  instruction  and  delights  of  the  Delectable  Mountains,  where  1 
have  drunk  of  the  river  of  God’s  pleasures. 

There  is  a sense  in  which  the  true  preacher  can  say,  “ We  preach  not  ourselves,  but 
Christ  Jesus,  the  Lord.”  There  is  another  sense  in  which  he  can  say,  “ We  preach  our- 
selves as  your  servants,  for  Jesus’  sake.” 

BUNYAN’S  THOUGHTS  AN  INSPIRATION  FROM  GOD. 

We  shall  detain  the  reader  only  to  call  attention  to  one  more  element  of  Bunyan’s 
power.  He  was  a man  in  constant  communion  with  God.  His  spiritual  autobiography  is 
not  needed  to  assure  us  of  this  fact.  All  his  writings  bear  testimony  to  it.  Such  a fact 
is  of  course  beyond  the  scope  of  ordinary  literary  criticism.  The  power  of  the  men  who 
have  received  from  God  “ a mouth  and  a wisdom  which  all  their  adversaries  are  not  able 
to  gainsay  or  resist  ” is  a mystery  to  the  critics  of  the  Schools.  They  find  in  it  only  a 
new  proof  of  the  superstition  of  the  ignorant  masses,  who  can  be  so  moved  without  any 
apparent  cause.  But  in  this  case,  as  in  others,  the  foolishness  of  God  is  wiser  than  men. 
One  divine  word,  though  it  be  ever  so  simple,  is  mighty  to  the  pulling  down  of  the 
strongest  holds.  The  man  who  utters  that  divine  word  possesses,  it  may  be,  not  elo- 
quence, not  learning,  not  logic,  not  any  of  the  ordinary  forces  of  the  orator,  but  he  has 
inspiration.  In  the  highest  spiritual  sense,  “the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  hath  given 
him  understanding,”  and  with  understanding  comes  power. 


16  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 

* In  using  the  word  inspiration  we  have  restricted  it  to  thought- in- 
Lion  and  word-in-  sPiratl0n-  Jrore^mspiration  is  confined  to  the  superintendence  of  the 
spiration.  Spirit  over  those  who  spake  “not  in  the  words  which  man’s  wisdom 

teacheth,  but  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth.”  In  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures both  the  thoughts  and  the  language,  so  far  as  necessary,  were  directed  from  on 
high.  “Expressing  things  taught  by  the  Spirit,  in  language  taught  by  the  Spirit,”  is 
probably  the  idea  intended  in  the  words,  “Comparing  spiritual  things  with  spiritual.” 

But  there  is  no  evidence  that  in  our  times  any  aid  is  given  to  utterance,  except  as  it 
is  given  through  the  thoughts,  emotions  and  purposes  which  are  created  by  the  present 
Spirit  in  the  soul.  That  form  of  inspiration  is  still  the  privilege  of  every  man  who  has 
become  united  with  God. 

The  original  union  of  man  with  his  Maker  is  a union  of  nature — a union  which  has 
been  broken  by  sin.  But  the  union  of  the  “new  creature”  with  the  Creator  is  a union 
of  thought,  affection  and  purpose.  The  soul  experiences  the  modicum  of  truth  which  is 
contained  in  the  heathen  idea  of  absorption  into  the  deity.  “ It  returns  into  the  bosom  of 
Divinity,”  not  to  lose  its  conscious  existence,  but  to  become  more  active  amid  divine  ac- 
tivities, to  become  more  loving  with  Him  “ who  first  loved  us,”  to  energize  its  will-power 
by  blending  it  with  the  will  of  God.  Just  in  proportion  to  the  perfection  of  this  union 
does  the  restored  wanderer  become  “a  partaker  of  the  Divine  nature;”  just  in  that 
proportion  he  can  say,  “I  live;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me;”  and  just  in  that 
proportion  does  it  remain  true,  as  of  old,  that  it  is  given  him,  at  the  hour  of  need,  what 
he  ought  to  speak.  The  particular  words  will  indeed  be  modified  by  the  habit.s  and 
taste  of  the  speaker.  Here  comes  in  the  need  and  the  duty  of  per- 

ReUtion  of  cul-  gonaj  cuiture.  But  the  thought  or  emotion  will  issue  defined  and 
ture  to  inspiration.  . “ 

strong  and  glowing  from  the  mind  of  God.  In  a real,  in  the  most 

important,  sense,  the  words  of  the  man  of  prayer  are  the  words  of  God. 

The  inspiration  of  thoughts  is  a higher  inspiration  than  that  of  words.  The  one  im- 
plies union  with  God  in  character  and  by  constant  communion.  The  other  may  be 
granted  to  a Balaam  who  “loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness.” 

The  inspiration  of  Bunyan  is  the  inspiration  of  a man  who  had  become  “the  temple  of 
the  living  God.”  When  this  fact  is  fully  comprehended,  it  ceases  to  be  a mystery  that 
none  of  his  adversaries  were  able  to  resist  the  wisdom  and  power  with  which  he  spake. 
All  the  other  sources  of  strength  which  we  have  enumerated  sink  into  insignificance  when 
compared  with  this. 

Let  this  unquestionable  fact  be  a rebuke  to  the  men  of  ambition  who  trust  mainly  in 
the  arts  of  popularity  or  in  the  forces  of  learning  and  culture,  and  convert  their  pulpits, 
the  one  into  an  actor’s  stage,  the  other  into  a professor’s  chair.  Let  it  be  for  the  en- 
couragement and  joy  of  every  man  of  faith  who  puts  forth  all  his  powers,  however  hum- 
ble they  may  be,  in  close  and  constant  sympathy  with  God. 

Bunyan,  like  the  woman  who  anointed  the  Saviour’s  feet,  has  done  deeds  by  the  sim- 
ple power  of  faith  which  shall  be  told  for  a memorial  of  him  wherever  this  gospel  shall 
be  preached  throughout  the  whole  world.  By  the  same  faith  may  every  man  become  a 
chosen  vessel  to  bear  the  name  of  Christ  to  the  perishing  millions  of  earth ! 

“ When  one  who  holds  communion  with  the  skies 
Has  filled  his  urn  where  these  pure  waters  rise, 

And  once  more  mingles  with  us  meaner  things, 

’Tis  e’en  as  if  an  angel  shook  his  wings  1 
Ambrosial  fragrance  fills  the  circuit  wide, 

That  tells  us  whence  his  treasures  are  supplied  /” 


4 


HEN  at  the  first  I took  my  pen  in  hand 
Thus  for  to  write,  I did  not  understand 
That  I at  all  should  make  a little  book 
In  juch  a mode  ; nay,  I had  undertook 
To  make  another,  which  when  almost  done, 
Before  I was  aware,  I thus  begun. 

And  thus  it  was  : I,  writing  of  the  way 
And  race  of  saints  in  this  our  gospel -day, 
Fell  suddenly  into  an  allegory 
About  their  journey  and  the  way  to  glory, 

In  more  than  twenty  things,  which  I set  down ; 
This  done,  I twenty  more  had  in  my  crown  ; 
And  they  again  began  to  multiply, 

Like  sparks  that  from  the  coals  of  fire  do 
fly. 

Nay,  then,  thought  I,  if  that  you  breed  so 
fast, 

I’ll  put  you  by  yourselves,  lest  you  at  last 
Should  prove  ad  infinitum,  and  eat  out 
The  book  that  I already  am  about. 


Chr.  Here  is  a poor  burdened  sinner. 

I come  from  the  city  of  Destruction,  but 
am  going  to  Mount  Zion,  that  I may  he 
delivered  from  the  wrath  to  come.  I 
would,  therefore,  sir,  since  I am  informed  that 
by  this  gate  is  the  way  thither,  know  if  you 
are  willing  to  let  me  in. 

Goodwill.  “ I am  willing,  with  all  my  heart,” 
said  he.  And  with  that  he  opened  the  gate. 

So  when  Christian  was  stepping  in,  the  other 
gave  him  a pull.  Then  said  Christian,  “ What 
means  that?”  The  other  told  him,  “A  little 
distance  from  this  gate  there  is  erected  a strong 
castle,  of  which  Beelzebub  is  the  captain  : from 


Till  I came  hither  : what  a place  is  this  ! 
Mnst  here  bo  the  beginning  of  my  bliss  ? 


CONTENTS 


Grace  abounding  (o  the  Chief  of  Sinners , in  a Faithful 
Account  of  the  Life  and  Death  of  John  Bunyan ; 
corrected  and  much  enlarged  by  the  author,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Templed  and  Dejected  Christian. 

An  address  to  Ills  spiritual  children.  His  low  origin 
by  birth.  Hip  ungodly  childhood.  Fears  of  future 
ret  ribution.  Intense  dislike  of  religious  things. 
Still,  Is  greatly  shocked  at  the  sight  of  gross  sin 
in  professed  Christians.  His  narrow  escape  from 
death.  His  wife  and  her  marriage  portion — a re- 
ligious book  and  the  memory  of  her  godly  father. 
His  superstitious  reverence  for  priests  and  their 
vestments.  Is  troubled  because  he  is  not  a Jew. 
Hears  a sermon  on  sabbath-breaking.  Convicted 
while  playing  a game  of  “Cat.”  Reproved  by  a 
woman  for  swearing,  and  breaks  it  otf.  Reforms 
generally,  and  is  well  pleased  with  himself.  His 
bell-ringing  and  dancing.  Still  ignorant  of  Christ. 
The  humble  Christian  women  of  Bedford,  and 
their  talk.  He  discovers  his  false  position.  A 
profligate  friend.  The  sect  of  “ Ranters.”  Relig- 
ious people  drawn  away  by  them  into  open  sin. 
He  begins  to  understand  Paul's  Epistles,  and  to 
see  that  faith  on  the  part  of  man  is  the  condi- 
tion of  all  blessings  from  God.  Proposes  to  test 
his  faith  by  working  a miracle.  Remembers  the 
poor  women  of  Bedford.  They  are  seen  in  his  im- 
agination to  occupy  the  bright  side  of  a mountain, 
while  he  is  in  the  dark  and  frost.  A great  wall  is 
between  them,  with  a narrow  opening,  through 
which  he  vainly  strives  to  enter.  Is  troubled  with 
the  doctrine  of  election,  but  is  comforted  by  learn- 
ing that  none  are  elected  to  be  lost  but  those  who 
will  not  believe.  Searches  a year  for  a special 
passage  of  Scripture,  and  finds  it  at  last  in  the 
Apocrypha.  Then  is  troubled  lest  he  has  put  off 
believing  too  long,  but  is  comforted  by  the  words, 
“And  yet  there  is  room.”  Tempted  to  go  back 
into  sin,  but  is  restrained  by  fear.  Fanciful  sym- 
bols interest  him.  Longs  for  a special  call  into 
the  kingdom.  Love  for  the  elect Pages  27-3S 

Is  instructed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Gilford  of  Bedford,  prob- 
ably the  “Evangelist”  of  “Pilgrim’s  Progress.” 
Vivid  experiences  and  sharp  temptations.  Fears 
he  has  committed  the  unpardonable  sin.  After 
a long  and  fearful  struggle  he  looks  away  from 
himself  and  his  own  character  to  Christ,  and  for 
a twelvemonth  is  fully  in  the  peace  of  God.. ..38-60 

His  prayer  for  his  wife,  and  the  answer.  His  trials 
in  uniting  with  the  visible  Church.  New  tempta- 
tions at  a time  of  bodily  weakness.  The  final 

' triumph 60-63 

A Brief  Account  of  the  Author's  Call  to  the  Work  of 
the  Ministry. 

Is  urged  to  exhort,  then  to  attend  meetings  in  the 
country.  Finds  men  awakened  and  converted. 

2 


Preaches  the  terrors  of  the  Lord  as  he  himself  fell 
them.  Then  preaches  aesus  Christ  in  all  his 
offices,  ns  he  had  discovered  the  plan  of  salva- 
tion. Then,  having  learned  the  mystery  of  the 
union  of  the  believing  soul  to  Christ,  he  preaches 
that  truth.  This  continues  five  years,  till  he  is 
cast  into  prison,  to  bear  testimony  by  suffering 
twice  as  long  ns  he  had  by  preaching.  His  expe- 
riences and  trials  in  the  ministry Pages  61-69 

A Brief  Account  of  the  Author's  Imprisonment. 

Is  arrested  for  holding  unlawful  assemblages  and 
conventicles,  and  lies  in  jail  twelve  years.  The 
trial  of  parting  from  his  wife  and  children.  His 
spiritual  experiences  in  prison 70-73 

A Continuation  of  Mr.  Banyan's  Life;  beginning 
where  he  left  off,  and  concluding  with  the  Time  and 
Manner  of  his  Death  and  Burial ; together  with  his 
True  Character,  &c. 

He  is  released  from  prison  by  the  good  offices  of 
Dr.  Barlow,  bishop  of  Lincoln.  He  continues  his 
labors  as  before,  notwithstanding  the  law  which 
was  still  in  force.  Takes  advantage  of  the  law 
giving  liberty  of  conscience,  though  he  pene- 
trates its  evil  design.  Builds  a chapel  in  Bed- 
ford, which  is  thronged.  His  political  teaching. 
Preaches  often  in  London 7-1-76 

Bunyan  was  converted  in  16oo;  was  imprisoned 
November  12,  I860;  was  released  in  1666,  but  again 
imprisoned  for  six  years,  being  arrested  while 
preaching  from  the  words,  “Post  thou  believe  on 
the  Son  of  God?”  He  was  again  arrested  and 
imprisoned  for  six  months  more.  During  the 
last  year  he  was  elected  pastor  of  a church  in 
Bedford.  He  never  gave  offence;  never  re- 
proached or  reviled  any.  His  family  discipline. 


His  last  service.  His  sickness  and  death 76, 77 

A Brief  Character  of  Mr.  John  Bunyan. 78 

Mr.  John  Banyan’s  Dying  Sayings. 

Of  sin 79 

Of  affliction 79 

Of  repentance  and  coming  to  Christ- 79,  SO 

Of  prayer 80 

Of  the  Lord's  day,  sermons,  and  week-days...  SO 

Or  the  love  of  the  world SO 

Of  suffering SO,  SI 

Of  death  aud  judgment Si 

Of  the  joys  of  heaven SI 

Of  the  torments  of  hell $2 

Postscript.  By  Robert  Philip. 

His  release.  The  deed  of  bis’ property.  The  cause 
of  his  death 82,  S3 


17 


18 


CONTENTS. 


The  Pilgrim's  Progress  from  this  World,  lo  that  which 
■is  to  Come , delivered  under  the  Similitude  of  a Dream. 
In  two  parts.  Part  I. 

The  Author’s  Apology  {ire  verse).  Unpremedi- 
tated beginning  of  the  allegory.  Various  opin- 
ions of  it  among  the  author’s  friends.  Defence  of 
the  allegory  as  a mode  of  religious  teaching,  by 
three  arguments.  The  benefits  of  the  work  to  the 

careful  reader ; Pages  85-87 

Chap.  I.  The  “den”  where  the  book  was  written. 
Christian's  home  and  family  in  the  City  of  De- 
struction. Evangelist.  Office  of  fear  in  the  com- 
mencement of  a religious  life 88,  89 

Chap.  II.  The  period  of  conviction  and  inquiry.— 
His  neighbors  Obstinate  and  Pliable,  and  their 
characteristic  talk  and  adventures.  The  Slough 
of  Despond.  Many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen. 

89-92 

Chap.  III.  Justification  by  faith  and  by  works. — Mr. 
Worldly-wiseman  and  his  preaching.  Clnistian 
tries  to  be  saved  by  becoming  good.  Mr.  Legality, 

and  Mount  Sinai.  Evangelist  again 93-96 

Chap.  IV.  The  act  of  conversion. — Christian  enters 
the  wicket-gate  through  faith  in  the  directions 
of  Evangelist,  but  is  without  the  assurance  of 
forgiveness  until  he  sees  the  cross  of  Christ. 

Good-will  the  gate-keeper 97-99 

Chap.  V.  The  teachings  of  the  Spirit. — The  Interpre- 
ter’s house.  The  grave  person.  The  dusty  room. 
Passion  and  Patience.  The  oil  of  grace.  The  vic- 
tor’s courage  and  reward.  The  apostate  profes- 
sor. The  vision  of  the  judgment  day 99-103 

Chap.  VI.  Faith  before  the  cross. —Christian  gets 
rid  of  his  burden.  The  full  joy  of  the  convert. 
The  robe,  tlie  mark,  and  the  sealed  roll.  Christ’s 
righteousness,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  and  the 

assurance  of  the  promises 1U4 

Chap.  VII.  Early  Christian  experience.  — Simple, 
Sloth,  and  Presumption  asleep.  Formalist  and 
Hypocrisy  propound  their  theories  of  salvation. 
The  hill  Difficulty  reached,  Christian  goes  up. 
Tlie  ritualists  attempt  to  go  around  it,  and  perish. 
Christian  sleeps  in  the  arbour,  halfway  up,  and 
loses  his  roll.  He  gains  the  top  of  tlie  hill,  and 
hears  of  lions  in  the  way.  Mistrust  and  Tim- 
orous. Having  lost  the  promises,  Christian  is 
full  of  fear  and  anguish.  Returns  for  his  roll, 
and  regains  the  top  of  the  hill  at  nightfall. 

105-108 

Chap.  VIII.  He  unites  with  the  visible  Church.— The 
palace  Beautiful.  The  lions  lie  at  the  entrance. 
They  are  found  to  be  chained,  and  incapable  of 
mischief.  The  Porter  questions  him  concerning 
the  lateness  of  his  arrival.  Discretion  farther 
interrogates  him,  when  Piety,  Prudence,  and 
Charity  are  appointed  to  examine  him  fully  as 
to  his  experience.  The  Lord’s  Supper,  and  the 
discourse  at  the  table.  He  lodges  in  tlie  chamber 
called  Peace,  which  be  terms  the  “next  door  to 
heaven.”  The  second  day  he  is  taught  the  life  of 
Christ,  and  the  history  of  his  Church.  He  is 
shown  the  armour  of  God  prepared  for  an  innu- 
merable number  of  future  pilgrims,  and  also  tlie 
weapons  of  ancient  heroes.  The  third  day  lie 
has  a view  of  tlie  Delectable  Mountains,  where 
pilgrims  receive  on  earth  an  antepast  of  heaven, 
and  whence  tlie  gate  of  the  Celestial  City  is  dis- 
tinctly seen 109-114 

Chap.  IX.  Tlie  ministers  of  the  Church  now  har- 
ness Christian  with  an  armour  of  proof,  and  he 
goes  on  his  pilgrimage  again.  They  carefully 
conduct  him  down  into  the  Valley  of  Humilia- 
tion. His  desnerate  fight  witli  the  fiend  Apol- 


lyon.  He  comes  to  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow 

of  Death Pages  ill-118 

Chap.  X.  tie  meets  two  renegades,  who  bring  an 
evil  report  of  the  way.  He  passes  through  the 
valley  in  the  night.  At  the  farther  end  he  comes 
upon  tlie  cave  of  the  giants  Pope  and  Pagan. 

118-120 

Chap.  XI.  Fellowship  within  the  Church. — Christian 
overtakes  Faithful,  and,  getting  the  start  of  him, 
falls  down.  Faithful  helps  him  up,  and  gives 
him  tlie  news  from  their  native  city  since  he  left 
it.  Pliable’s  reputation  after  he  turned  back. 
Faithful’s  encounter  with  Wanton.  Adam  tlie 
First  and  li is  three  daughters.  Faithful  is  at- 
tacked by  Moses,  and  rescued  by  Christ.  He 
passes  by  tlie  palace  Beautiful  in  his  haste  to 
press  on.  Christian  regrets  that  he  did  so,  and 
thinks  he  lost  much  good  by  neglecting  to  join 
tlie  visible  Church.  Meets  Discontent  and  Shame. 

121-125 

Chap.  XII.  Intercourse  with  empty  professors  in  the 
Church.  — Tlie  wonderful  eloquence  and  ortho- 
doxy of  Talkative.  Faithful  is  fascinated  by 
him;  Christian  exposes  him.  Faithful  then 
probes  him  by  avoiding  discussion  and  talking 
of  “ heart- work.”  Talkative  departs  disgusted. 

125-130 

Chap.  XIII.  The  martyr  trial. — Their  former  pas- 
tor and  teacher,  Evangelist,  meets  them.  Their 
joy.  He  warns  them  of  coming  persecutions.  The 
city  of  Vanity  Fair.  Its  history.  The  way  to  the 
Celestial  City  lies  through  the  middle  of  it.  The 
people  deride  tlieir  pilgrim  garb,  their  dialect, 
and  their  contempt  of  the  wares  of  tlie  place.  A 
great  hubbub.  They  are  arrested,  and  put  into 
a cage.  They  are  beaten,  led  through  the  streets 
in  chains,  and  put.  into  the  stocks.  Their  trial. 
Faithful  is  burned  at  the  stake.  Christian  escapes, 

and  goes  on  his  way 131-13G 

Chap.  XIV.  Expediency  in  religion. — Christian  lias 
a new  companion  in  Hopeful,  a citizen  of  Vanity 
Fair,  converted  by  the  martyrdom  of  Faithful. 
They  encounter  Mr.  By-ends,  who  defends  the 
practice  of  prudence  by  pilgrims  that  they  may 
keep  out  of  trouble.  They  refuse  his  company. 
Mr.  Hold-tlie-world,  Mr.  Money-love,  and  Mr. 
Save-all  appear,  who  succeed  in  proving,  to  the 
full  satisfaction  of  Mr.  By-ends,  that  a man  may 
use  a Christian  profession  as  a means  of  making 
money.  They  put  the  point  to  Christian,  who 
shows  that  their  doctrine  is  heathenish,  hypo- 
critical, and  devilish.  The  pilgrims  leave  them 
again,  and  cross  the  plain  Ease.  Demas,  and  his 
silver-mine.  By-ends  and  his  friends  enter,  and 
perish  in  the  pit.  The  monument  of  Lot’s  wife 

hard  by ; 137—142 

Chap.  XV.  Wanderings  from  the  way. — The  river  of 
God  and  its  delights.  The  way  beyond  it  rough. 
They  turn  into  By-path  Meadow.  Vain-confl- 
dence,  and  his  fate.  Captured  by  Giant  Despair 
Thrown  intoa  dungeon.  Cruelly  beaten.  Tempted 
to  suicide.  Christian  remembers  tlie  key  called 


Promise  in  his  bosom,  by  which  they  escape. 
The  monument  of  warning 142-147 


Chap.  XVI.  Visions  of  eternity.— The  fate  of  false 
professors  at  the  hill  Error,  the  mountain  Cau- 
tion, and  the  by-way  to  Hell.  Tlie  gate  of  the 
Celestial  City  seen  through  the  shepherds’  glass, 
lint,  dimly  from  tlieir  want  of  skill.  The  shep- 
herds warn  them  to  beware  of  tlie  Flatterer  and 
of  sleeping  on  the  Enchanted  Ground,  and  give 
them  a note  of  the  way.  Bunyan  awakes,  and 
for  a time  loses  sight  of  his  pilgrims 147-149 


CONTENTS. 


19 


Chap.  XVIL  Omfiict.i  and  dangers.  — When  the 
dream  Is  resumed  the  pilgrims  lire  lit  the  open- 
ing of  a crooked  lnno  that  came  down  from  the 
land  of  Conceit,  through  which  Ignorance  enters 
the  path.  A dark  lane.  A man  bound  and  borne 
by  seven  devils  to  the  Hypocrites' gate  to  the  pit. 
Mr.  lilttle-futth  and  the  robbers.  Faint-heart, 
Mistrust  anil  Clullt.  The  King's  champion,  U rent- 
grace.  Sharp  debate  between  Christian  and 
Hopeful.  A black  man  clad  In  white  entices 
them  from  the  way, and  springs  a net  over  them. 
A shining  one  delivers  them  and  chastises  them. 

Pai/cs  150-155 

Chap.  XVIII.  A final  examination  of  fundamental 
truths. — ' They  meetaderlslve  Atheist,  and  Inquire 
as  to  the  truth  of  his  assertions.  They  resist 
drowsiness  upon  tiie  Enchanted  Ground  by  re- 
viewing llie  doctrine  of  Justification  by  faith. 

• 156—100 

CHAP.  XIX.  The  necessity  of  an  intelligent  faith. — 
A discourse  with  Ignorance,  and  an  exposure  of 
his  follies.  The  office  of  fear  in  religion.  The 


causes  of  backs  I id  i n g 160-1 65 

Chap.  XX.  The  final  consummation.  — From  the 


Enchanted  Ground  they  enter  the  land  of  Beulah. 
Tliis  lleth  upon  the  borders  of  heaven,  in  sight, 
of  the  Celestial  City.  Its  beauties  and  its  fruits. 
Two  shining  ones  meet  them.  To  their  conster- 
nation, they  are  led  to  a river  which  separates 
them  from  the  city.  The  shining  ones  assure 
them  that  they  must  go  through  it,  and  that  only 
Enoch  and  Elijah  had  found  any  other  way  to 
the  gate.  They  entel' the  river.  Hopeful  is  calm, 
but  Christian  Isalmostin  despair.  Tile  discovery 
of  Jesus  reassures  him,  and  they  reach  t lie  far- 
ther bank,  leaving  their  mortal  garments  in  the 
river.  A convoy  of  angels  conducts  them  above 
tiie  regions  of  the  air  to  t lie  gate.  They  present 
their  credentials,  and  enter  upon  the  joy  of  their 
Lord.  Meanwhile,  Ignorance  crosses  the  river 
with  ease,  with  the  ai,d  of  a ferryman  named 
Vain-liope.  He  ascends  unattended  to  the  gate 
and  knocks  for  admittance.  Having  no  creden- 
tials, he  is  rejected.  Two  shining  ones  are  com- 
manded to  bear  him  through  the  air  to  the  gate 
of  the  pit.  in  tiie  hill  side.  There  they  thrust  him 
in.  So  there  is  a way  to  hell  from  the  very  gate 
of  heaven 106-170 

'/'he  conclusion  (in  verse).  The  author’s  caution  to 
the  reader 171 

The  Pilgrim's  Progress  ( Part  IT.),  wherein  is  set  forth 
the  Manner  of  the  Selling  out  of  Christian's  Wife  and 
Children;  their  dangerous  Journey  and  Safe  Arri- 
val at  the  Desired  Country. 

Introduction.  A colloquy  (in  verse)  with  the 
author's  new  book.  He  answers  its  objections  to 
going  out.  into  the  world.  He  Instructs  it  how 
to  introduce  tiie  various  characters— Christiana, 
Mercy,  Honest,  Pearing,  Pecble-mincl,  Ready -to- 
halt,  Vatiant-for-the-truth,  Great-heart,  Despond- 
ency, Much-afraid 173-175 

Chap.  I.  The  author  lias  occasion  to  visit  tiie  City 
of  Destruction,  and  again  falls  asleep  and  dreams. 
Mr.  Sagacity  appears  to  him  and  relates  the  His- 
tory of  the  wife  and  children  of  Christian  after 
his  departure  for  tiie  Celestial  City.  Christiana's 
conviction  of  sin.  A visit,  from  one  Secret,  with 
a letter  from  the  King  inviting  her  to  Hie  Celes- 
tial City.  The  visits  of  hei  neighbours.  She  and 
her  children,  with  a maiden  named  Mercy,  com- 
mence their  pilgrimage 170-182 

Chap.  II.  They  warily  cr<«s  the  Slough  of  Despond. 


Avoiding  the  doctrinal  mistakes  of  Christian, 
they  make  no  attempt  to  be  saved  Iry  works  of 
tiie  law,  hut  proceed  at  once  to  the  wicket-gate, 
where  they  arc  alarmed  by  the  barking  of  a dog. 
After  much  knocking,  they  are  received,  though 
Mercy  taints  from  fear  of  rejection. ..Pages  183- 1 Hi 
Chap.  III.  They  omit  to  ask  at  tiie  gate  for  an  es- 
cort, and  In  consequence  are  assaulted  by  two 
ill-favoured  ones,  and  barely  escape.  Tiie  boys 
eat  forbidden  fruit.  Tiie  teachings  of  the  Spirit 
at  the  Interpreter's  house.  Diverse  experiences 

of  pilgrims 180-1H3 

Chap.  IV.  The  washing  of  regeneration  and  the 
sealing  of  the  Spirit.  The  robe  of  Christ’s  right- 
eousness brought  forth.  The  pilgrims  put  it  on. 
A pastor  and  guide  granted  them  to  attend  them 

ill  their  journey 193-197 

Chap.  V.  Tiie  muddy  teaching  of  unworthy  min- 
isters, and  how  to  make  it  clear.  They  attempt 
to  enter  tiie  visible  Church,  but  meet  the  lions, 
backed  by  a giant,  who  declares  that  they  shall 
not  enter.  Mr.  Great-heart,  their  guide,  slays 
the  giant,  and  they  are  admitted  to  tiie  palace 
Beautiful  with  music  and  joy.  Tiie  boys  are 
carefully  catechised,  and  commended  to  tiie  far- 
ther instructions  of  their  mother,  the  works  of 

nature,  the  Bible,  and  the  Church 197-203 

Chap.  VI.  Mercy  lias  a suitor,  who,  upon  discover- 
ing that  she  leads  a life  of  benevolence,  retires  in 
disgust.  Matthew  made  ill  by  the  fruit  lie  ate 
near  tiie  gate.  Dr.  Skill  tries  to  cure  him  by  re- 
ligious rites,  and  fails.  He  then  gives  him  tiie 
flesh  and  blood  of  Christ — “ came  el  sanguine 
Christ i ” — and  life  returns  to  him.  The  boys  re- 
ceive special  instruction  in  the  Church,  and 
inspiriting  visions  are  given  to  them  all.  Mr. 
Great-lieart  returns  to  accompany  them  to  their 
journey’s  end.  Christiana  leaves  her  contribu- 
tion for  the  support  of  the  Church  with  the  Por- 
ter, and  they  commence  their  journey 2103-207 

Chap.  ATI.  Their  joys  in  tiie  communion  of  the 
Church  seem  to  lie  uttered  by  tiie  birds  about 
them.  Piety  presents  them  with  a scheme  of  the 
Church  covenant,  and  creed.  They  go  down  into 
tiie  Valley  of  Humiliation,  tiie  peculiarities  of 
which  are  described.  They  see  the  place  of  Chris- 
tian's encounter  with  Apollyon,  and  tiie  marks 
of  the  fight.  They  enter  the  Valley  of  Hie  Shadow 
of  Death.  The  proper  use  of  spirituous  liquors — 
as  a medicine  in  an  emergency,  not  as  a beverage 
habitually.  Satan  appears  in  front,  but  vanishes, 
appears  again  as  a lion  in  the  rear,  but  retreats. 
Darkness  falls  upon  tliem.  They  stand  still  and 
pray  till  it  disappears.  Samuel  discovers'  the 
difference  between  discipline  and  punishment. 
Snares.  Mr.  Great-heart  has  a dispute  with  Giant 

Maul,  then  a contest,  and  kills  him '208-213 

Chap.  VIII.  They  find  a hero — one  Honest  by 
name — “acock  of  the  right  kind.”  The  history 

of  Mr.  Fearing 213-213 

Chap.  IX.  The  history  of  Mr.  Self-will,  who  held 
that  a man  might  follow  the  vices  as  well  as  the 

virtues  of  pilgrims 218,  219 

Chap.  X.  Tiie  inn  of  Gains ‘‘mine  host,"  and  bis 
cordial  welcome.  The  duty  of  Christians  to  be 
married  and  to  raise  up  a godly  seed.  A speech 
on  the  behalf  of  woman,  showing  that  though 
she  listened  to  Satan  in  Eden,  she  was  the 
mother  of  the  Saviour.  The  supper  at  the  inn, 
and  its  courses.  . Gains  exhorts  them  to  “drink 
freely”  of  tiie  “pure  blood  of  the  grape,”  but 
says  nothing  in  favour  of  a beverage  which  if 
used  “freely”  will  produce  the  worst  results 


20 


CONTENTS. 


Matthew  and  Gains  fall  into  the  common  error 
of  supposing  that  the  forbidden  fruit  of  Eden 
was  the  apple.  The  spiritual  advantage  of  hav- 
ing to  crack  “hard  nuts”  of  doctrine.  An  after- 
dinner  riddle — how  a man  may  give,  and  yet 

have  ten  times  more Pages  219-222 

Chap.  XI.  More  riddles.  The  decays  of  nature  in 
the  aged  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  triumphs 
of  grace.  An  exercise  in  exegesis.  They  seek  a 
contest  with  one  Slay-good,  a giant  and  a man- 
eater,  and  kill  him.  Mr.  Feeble-mind  rescued, 
and  proves  a man  strong  in  faith.  Not- right,  his 
companion,  killed  by  lightning.  Matthew  and 
Mercy  are  married;  also  James  and  Phebe,  the 

daughter  of  Gaius 222-225 

Chap.  XII.  They  resume  their  journey.  Mr. 
Feeble-mind  proposes  to  go  on  alone,  on  account 
of  various  scruples  and  infirmities.  Ready-to- 
halt  joins  him,  and  offers  to  lend  him  one  of  his 
crutches.  Reminiscences.  They  reach-  the  city 
of  Vanity,  and  lodge  with  Mr.  Mnason  of  Cyprus. 
Religion  grown  respectable  in  Vanity  Fair  since 
the  martyrdom  of  Faithful.  The  pilgrims  re- 
main a long  time  at  Vanity  Fair.  Mr.  Mnason 
gives  his  daughter  Grace  to  Samuel  in  marriage, 
and  Martha  to  Joseph,  the  sons  of  Christiana. 
Roman  Catholicism  appears  and  slays  many, 
carrying  off  their  children  to  be  nursed  l>y  its 
whelps.  Great-heart  and  his  friends  attack  and 

cripple  the  monster 225-229 

Chap.  XIII.  They  journey  on  slowly  on  account 
of  the  feebleness  of  the  women  and  children. 
They  enter  the  land  described  in  the  twenty- 
third  Psalm,  and  are  led  “into  green  pastures 
and  by  the  still  waters.”  The  young  mothers 
commit  their  infant  children  to  One  who  prom- 
ises “to  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arms  and 
carry  them  in  his  bosom.”  Other  provisions  of 
this  covenant  with  believing  parents.  Mr.  Great- 
heart,  Old  Honest,  and  the  four  sons  of  Christi- 
ana kill  Giant  Despair  and  demolish  his  castle. 
They  release  Despondency  and  his  daughter 
Much-afraid.  The  pilgrims  rejoice  over  this  vic- 
tory, and  the  cripple,  Ready-to-halt,  and  Miss 
Much-afraid  indulge  in  a dance  on  the  occasion, 
which  seems,  unlike  modern  dancing,  to  have 
bad  nothing  lascivious  or  indecent  about  it.  They 
arrive  at  the  Delectable  Mountains,  and  are  wel- 
comed by  the  shepherds.  They  are  shown  the 
wonders  of  the  place.  Mercy  receives  the  present 

of  a wonderful  mirror 229-234 

Chap.  XIV.  They  encounter  another  hero,  one  Mr. 
Valiant-for-truth  st:ll  covered  with  blood  from 
a recent  conflict.  They  arrive  at  the  Enchanted 
Ground,  where  the  weariness  of  the  journey  in- 
vites to  fatal  repose,  the  last  danger  of  the  Pil- 
grims. Mr.  Standfast  joins  them,  who  describes 

the  offers  of  Madam  Bubble 234-210 

Chap.  XV.  The  Land  of  Beulah,  the  place  of 
assured  hope  and  constant  peace.  The  summons 
comes  to  Christiana  to  cross  the  river.  She  con- 
fers with  her  pastor  and  takes  leave  of  her  com- 
panions. Convoys  of  angels  attend  her  to  the 
gate  of  the  city.  One  after  another,  her  compan- 
ions are  summoned  and  enter  upon  the  joy  of 
their  Lord 211-245 

Christian  Behaviour , being  the  Fruits  of  True  Christi- 
anity ; teaching  Husbands,  Wives,  Parents,  Children, 
Masters,  Servants,  &c.,  how  to  Walk  so  as  to  please 
God ; xvith  a Word  of  Direction  to  all  Backsliders. 
The  epistle  to  the  Reader.  The  Author  writes  to 
show  the  relations  of  good  works  to  faith,  to 


apply  the  doctrine  to  particular  classes,  to  pre- 
’sentthe  subject  in  a compact  form,  to  bear  his 
testimony  to  the  power  of  faith  to  purify  the 
heart,  and  to  induce  Christians  to  do  well  the 

special  work  assigned  them Pages  247,  248 

Proposition  I.  Good  works  do  flow  from  faith : 
1.  They  can  have  no  other  source.  2.  Faith  re- 
veals proportionately  the  truth  which  excites  to 
good  works.  3.  Faith  lays  hold  of  the  strength, 
of  Christ,  which  enables  the  soul  to  practice  good 
works.  Objection.  Why  is  it  so  hard  for  men  of 
faith  to  practice  good  works?  Answer.  1.  Be- 
cause they  are  weak  in  faith.  2.  Faith  sets  up  so 
high  a standard  of  good  works  that  believers 

undervalue  their  own  attainments 249-252 

Proposition  II.  Every  one  that  believeth  should 
be  careful  that  his  works  are  good.  Men  have 
erred  extensively  both  in  works  of  doctrine  and 
of  worship.  Tests  of  a good  work:  1.  It  must 
have  the  word  for  Us  authority.  2.  It  must  flow 
from  faith.  3.  It  must  be  rightly  timed  and 

placed.  4.  It  must  be  done  cheerfully 252-254 

Good  works  in  the  master  of  a family. — These  must 
have  respect  to  its  spiritual  and  outward  wel- 
fare. 1.  He  must  rule  it.  2.  He  must  lead  it  to 
public  worship.  3.  He  must  call  godly  men  into 
it.  4.  He  must  attend  to  family  devotions.  5. 
He  must  exclude  ungodly  books. 

In  temporal  things.— 1.  He  must  obtain  a liveli- 
hood for  it.  2.  He  must  be  moderate  in  his  labour. 

3.  He  must  insist  upon  harmony  in  the  family, 
not  suffering  children  to  domineer  over  servants 
or  over  each  other,  counting  a personal  injury  as 
slight,  but  an  injury  done  to  God  of  great  impor- 
tance. In  case  of  a believing  wife,  treat  her  as 
Christ  his  Church.  In  case  of  an  unbelieving 
wife,  with  meekness  instruct  and  recover  her. 

Good  works  in  parents. — To  instruct  and  correct 

their  children 254-257 

Good  works  in  masters. — Get  servants  that  fear  God 
if  possible;  or,  if  not,  seek  their  conversion  ; not 
overtasking  them,  nor  threatening  them,  nor  de- 
ceiving them,  nor  circumventing  them 25S,  259 

Good  works  in  a wife. — 1.  She  should  look  upon  her 
husband  as  her  head.  2.  She  should  be  subject 
to  him.  3.  She  should  shun  gossip,  an  idle 
tongue,  not  usurping  authority  over  her  hus- 
band, avoiding  immodest  and  showy  apparel. 

4.  Yet  she  is  not  to  be  a slave,  but  to  be  in  author- 

ity next  to  her  husband.  All  this  to  be  especially 
observed  toward  an  unbelieving  husband,  and 
still  more  toward  a froward  husband 259-261 

Good  works  in  children.— To  honour  their  parents, 
to  aid  them  to  remember  their  love  and  care. 

261-263 

Good  works  in  servants. — Faithfulness  and  obedi- 
ence toward  believing,  unbelieving,  and  froward 

masters 263,  264 

Good  works  in  neighbours. — To  be  upright,  kind, 
meek,  discountenancing  sin  in  them,  guarding 
the  tongue,  and  a headstrong,  obstinate  way, 
and  eschewing  covetousness,  are  duties  among 


neighbours 261-270 

Solomon's  Temple  Spiritualized,  or  Gospel  Light 
brought  out  of  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem,  to  let  us 
more  fully  into  the  Glory  of  Nexv  Testament  Truths. 

Introduction 271-273 

I.  Where  the  temple  was  built 274 

II.  Who  built  the  temple 274 

III.  How  the  temple  was  built 274 

IV.  Of  what  the  temple  was  built 275 


V.  Who  was  to  fell  those  trees  and 


CONTENTS. 


21 


to  dig  those  stones  with  which 
Solomon  built  the  temple. 

Page  275 

VI.  In  what  condition  the  timber 
and  stones  where  when  brought 
to  be  laid  In  the  building  of  the 


temple 271) 

VII.  Of  the  foundation  of  the  temple...  270 

VIII.  Of  the  rlehnoss  of  the  stones 
which  were  laid  for  the  founda- 
tion of  the  temple 277 

IX.  Which  way  the  face  or  front  of 

the  temple  stood 277 

X.  Of  the  courts  of  the  temple... 278 

XI.  Of  the  great  brazen  altar  that 
stood  in  the  inner  court  of  the 

temple 279 

XII.  Of  the  pillars  that  were  before  the 

porch  of  the  temple 279 

XIII.  Of  the  height  of  these  pillars  that 

thus  stood  before  the  porch  of 
the  door  of  the  temple 2S0 

XIV.  Of  the  chapiters  of  the  pillars  of 

the  temple •• 2S0 

XV.  Of  the  pomegranates  adjoined  to 

these  nets  on  the  chapiters 2S1 

XVI.  Of  the  chains  that  were  upon  these 
pillars  that  stood  before  the 

temple 281 

XVII.  Of  the  lily-work  which  was  upon 
the  chapiters  that  were  upon 

these  pillars  of  the  temple 282 

XVIII.  Of  the  fashion  of  the  temple 282 

XIX.  Of  the  outward  glory  of  tire  temple.  283 

XX.  Of  the  porch  of  the  temple 281 

XXI.  Of  the  ornaments  of  the  porch  of 

the  temple 281 

XXII.  Of  the  ascent  by  which  they  went 

up  into  the  porch  of  the  temple..  285 
XXIII.  Of  the  gates  of  the  porch  of  the 

temple 286 

XXIV.  Of  the  pinnacles  of  the  temple 286 

XXV.  Of  the  porters  of  the  temple 287 

XXVI.  Of  the  charge  of  the  porters  of  the 

temple  more  particularly 2S7 

XXVII.  Of  the  doors  of  the  temple 288 

XXVIII.  Of  the  leaves  of  this  gate  of  the 

temple 2S8 

XXIX.  What  the  doors  of  the  temple 

were  made  of 2S9 

XXX.  How  the  doors  of  the  temple  were 

adorned 2S9 

XXXI.  Of  the  wall  of  the  temple 290 

XXXII.  Of  the  garnishing  the  temple  with 

precious  stones - 291 

XXXIII.  Of  the  windows  of  t lie  temple 291 

XXXIV.  Of  the  chambers  of  the  temple 292 

XXXV.  Of  the  stairs  by  which  they  went 
up  into  the  chambers  of  the 

temple ; 292 

XXXVI.  Of  the  molten  sea  that  was  in  the 

temple 293 

XXXVII.  Upon  what  the  molten  sea  stood 

in  the  temple 294 

XXXVIII.  Of  the  lavers  of  the  temple 295 

XXXIX.  Of  the  tables  of  the  temple 295 

XL.  Oftheinstrumentswherewith  this 
sacrifice  was  slain,  and  of  the 
four  tables  they  were  laid  on  in 

the  temple 296 

XLT.  Of  the  candlesticks  of  the  temple..  297 
XI.II.  Of  the  lamps  belonging  to  the 

candlesticks  of  the  temple 298 


XLIII.  Of  the  Nhow-biVad  on  the  golden 

table  In  the  temple Page  299 

XI. IV.  Of  the  HiiutlcrH  belonging  to  the 
candlesticks  and  lamps  of  the 

temple 200 

XLV.  Of  the  snntr-dlshes  I Imf  were  with 

the  snu tiers  In  the  temple 299 

XLVI.  Of  the  golden  tongs  belonging  to 

the  temple 300 

XLVII.  Of  the  altar  of  incense  in  the 

temple 301 

XLVIII.  Of  the  golden  censers  belonging 

to  the  temple 302 

XLIX.  Of  the  golden  spoons  of  the  temple.  303 

L.  Of  the  bowls  and  basons  belong- 
ing to  the  temple 301 

LI.  Of  the  flagons  and  cups  of  the 

temple 305 

I.II.  Of  the  chargers  of  the  temple 305 

LIII.  Of  the  goings  out  of  the  temple 306 

LIV.  Of  the  singers  belonging  to  the 

temple 307 

LV.  Of  the  union  of  the  holy  and  most 

holy  temple 308 

LVI.  Of  the  holiest  or  inner  temple 369 

LVII.  Of  the  veil  of  the  temple 309 

LVIII.  Of  the  doors  of  the  inner  temple...  310 

LIX.  Of  the  golden  nails  of  the  inner 

temple „ 311 

LX.  Of  the  floor  and  walls  of  the  inner 

temple 312 

LXI.  Of  the  ark  of  the  covenant  which 

was  placed  in  the  inner  temple..  313 
LXII.  Of  the  placing  of  the  ark  in  the 

holiest  or  inner  temple 314 

LXIII.  Of  the  mercy-seat,  and  how  it  was 

placed  in  the  holy  temple 315 

LXIV.  Of  the  living  waters  of  the  inner 

temple 316 

LXV.  Of  the  chains  which  were  in  the 

oracle  or  inner  temple 316 

LXVI.  Of  the  high  priest,  and  of  his  office 

in  the  inner  temple 317 

LXVII.  Of  the  high  priest’s  going  into  the 

holiest  alone 319 

LXVIII.  Of  the  high  priest  going  in  thither 

but  once  a year 319 

LXIX.  Of  the  cherubims,  and  of  their 
being  placed  over  the  mercy- 

seat  in  the  inner  temple 320 

LXX.  Of  the  figures  that  were  upon  the 

walls  of  the  inner  temple 321 


The  Jerusalem  Sinner  Saved,  or  Good  Vet rs  for  (he 
Vilest  of  Men : being  an  Help  for  Despairing  Souls: 
Showing  (hat  Jesus  Christ  would  hare  Mercy  in  the 
first  place  offered  to  the  Biggest  Sinners;  to  which 
is  added  an  answer  to  those  grand  objections  that  lie 
in  the  wag  of  them  that  would  believe,  for  the  Com- 
fort of  those  that  fear  they  have  sinned  against  the 
Ilolg  Ghost. 

Introduction 323,  324 

The  disciples  were  commanded  to  preach,  “begin- 
ning at  Jerusalem.”  By  a Jerusalem  sinner, 
Bunyan  menus  one  who  has  had  peculiar  privi- 
leges and  has  attained  peculiar  depravity.  His 
proposition  is,  that  Christ  is  willing  to  stive  the 

biggest  sinners 325-330 

I.  The  reason  is — 1.  The  biggest  sinners  have  the 
most  need.  2.  It  redounds  most  to  the  fame 
of  his  name.  3.  It  gives  special  encouragement 
to  others.  4.  It  specially  weakens  the  kingdom 
of  Satan.  5.  Such  sinners,  when  converted-  are 


22 


CONTENTS. 


the  best  helps  to  the  Church,  because  of  the  severe 
contests  with  the  devil  they  have  in  parting 
from  him,  and  because  of  their  knowledge  of  his 
secrets.  6.  Such  sinners  are  apt  to  love  most. 
The  author  here  refers  to  a story  that  Mary  of 
Bethany  was  the  same  Mary  who  was  a public 
sinner,  and  who  anointed  Jesus’  feet  at  the  house 
of  Simon.  7.  Because  grace  finds  the  best  matter 
to  kindle  upon  in  such  sinners.  8.  By  saving 
such  sinners,  others  are  left  more  completely 

without  excuse Pages  330-346 

II.  The  application— 1.  Such  salvation  shows  the 
heart  of  Christ.  2.  It  shows  the  sufficiency  of 
the  merits  of  Christ.  3.  It  gives  encouragement 
to  all  to  come  to  Christ 346-366 

The  Holy  War,  made  by  Shaddai  upon  Diabolus 
f or  the  Regaining  the  Metropolis  of  the  World; 
or  the  Losing  and  Taking  again  of  the  Town  of 
Mansoul. 

The  Author’s  Preface  (in  verse).  Answer  to  the 
charge  of  plagiarism  in  the  “ Pilgrim’s  Progress.” 
The  history  of  Mansoul  well  known  to  many, 
especially  to  the  author.  He  knew  Mansoul  in 
its  sin  and  allegiance  to  Diabolus.  He  witnessed 
the  attack  by  Emmanuel,  the  final  capture,  and 
the  blessedness  introduced  by  the  victory.  He 
also  was  present  through  the  long  struggle  which 
followed  for  the  final  possession.  He  is  then 

uttering  no  fable,  as  many  authors  do 367-369 

The  continent  of  Universe.  The  fair  and  delicate 
town  of  Mansoul — its  beauty,  dominion,  defences, 

and  entrances 370,371 

The  history  of  Diabolus,  the  enemy  of  Mansoul; 
his  origin  and  fall.  Diabolus  has  a consultation 
with  his  officers,  and  it  is  agreed  that  Mansoul 
shall  be  assaulted  by  Diabolus  alone  in  the  guise 
of  a familiar  animal,  concealing  his  intentions 
by  all  manner  of  deceit,  while  one  Tisiphone 
should  lie  in  ambuscade  to  shoot  Captain  Resist- 
ance as  soon  as  he  should  appear  upon  the  walls. 

371-373 

Diabolus  appears  before  Ear-gat.e  and  demands 
audience  of  the  chief  men.  While  he  is  speak- 
ing, Captain  Resistance  is  shot.  Ill-pause  then 
makes  a speech.  The  people  eat  the  forbidden 
fruit,  are  made  drunk  thereby,  and  open  the 
gates  to  Diabolus  and  his  crew.  He  is  chosen 
king.  He  deposes  the  Mayor,  Lord  Understand- 
ing, and  the  Recorder,  Mr.  Conscience.  He  dark- 
ens Understanding  by  building  a wall  before 
the  windows  of  his  house.  Debauches  Con- 
science, and  then  persuades  Mansoul  that  the 

Recorder  is  crazy 373-376 

Diabolus  next  makes  Lord  WiU-be-will  his  lieu- 
tenant, with  Mr.  Vile-affections  for  his  deputy. 
The  image  of  Shaddai  defaced.  Other  officers  of 

Diabolus 376-37S 

A message  sent  to  Shaddai  concerning  these  trans- 
actions, who  forms  a plan  with  his  son  for  the 
reoccupation  of  Mansoul.  Diabolus  endeavours 
to  conceal  this  plan  from  Mansoul,  induces  them 
to  take  a new  oath  of  allegiance,  proclaims  un- 
bounded liberty  in  all  fleshly  lusts,  and  arms  the 
people  with  an  iron  helmet  to  cover  the  head,  a 
breastplate  to  harden  the  heart,  a tongue  set  on 
fire  of  hell  for  a sword,  the  shield  of  unbelief,  and 
with  a peculiar  piece  called  “ a dumb  and  prayer- 
less spirit.” 378-383 

Meanwhile,  Shaddai  organizes  an  army  under 
Captains  Boanerges,  Conviction,  Judgment, 
and  Execution,  stout,  rough-hewn  men,  whom 
Shaddai  was  accustomed  to  put  in  the  van 


of  his  armies.  They  entrench  in  front  of  Ear- 

gate Pages  383,  384 

Diabolus  makes  a speech  to  the  citizens  which 
sets  them  running  about  and  crying,  “The  men 
that  have  turned  the  world  upside  down  are 

come  hither  also.” 384,  385 

Boanerges  utters  his  summons  at  Ear-gate,  but 
no  one  appears  to  listen.  At  last  a conference 
takes  place,  and  each  of  the  four  captains  de- 
livers his  message.  They  demand  the  imme- 
diate surrender  of  Ill-pause.  Their  demands 
refused  by  Mr.  Incredulity,  the  mayor,  who  de- 
clares his  belief  that  they  are  no  soldiers  of  the 

King,  but  only  vagabonds 385-389 

The  attack  commences,  directed  chiefly  against 
Ear-gate,  but  is  unsuccessful.  Mr.  Tradition,  Mr. 
Human-wisdom,  and  Mr.  Man’s-invention  en- 
list in  the  army  of  Shaddai,  but  are  taken  pris- 
oners, and  enter  the  army  of  Diabolus  under 
Captain  Anything.  The  captains  succeed  in 
tearing  off  the  roof  from  the  house  of  Mr.  Under- 
standing with  their  missiles,  so  that  he  had  much 
more  light  than  heretofore.  They  also  kill  Mr. 
Swearing,  Mr.  Whoring,  Mr.  Fury,  Mr.  Stand-to- 
lies,  Mr.  Drunkenness,  and  Mi'.  Cheating,  and 
dismount  two  great  guns  at  Ear-gate,  called 
Heady  and  High-mind.  Mansoul  in  constant 
alarm  day  and  night.  Perplexed  thoughts.  Con- 
science, the  old  recorder,  utters  words  like  great 
claps  of  thunder,  so  that  the  town  would  have 
surrendered  had  it-not  been  for  old  Incredulity 

and  the  fickleness  of  Lord  Will-be-will 389-391 

At  last,  Lord  Will-be-will  proposes  a surrender 
upon  conditions  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Ill-pause, 
which  are  indignantly  rejected.  A mutiny  in 
Mansoul  in  consequence,  convoked  by  Mr.  Con- 
science and  Lord  Understanding,  who  are  cast 

into  prison  by  Diabolus 391-394 

The  captains  send  a petition  to  Shaddai  for  rein- 
forcements. They  are  sent  under  command  of 

Prince  Emmanuel 394-397 

The  town  now  completely  invested.  Mounts  are 
erected  against  it,  as  Mount  Gracious,  with  its 
white  flag,  and  Mount  Justice,  with  its  red  flag. 
Mansoul  is  silent.  A parley  between  Emmanuel 
and  Diabolus,  but  in  a language  which  Mansoul 
cannot  understand.  Emmanuel  then  addresses 
Mansoul  directly,  but  double  guards  are  set  at 

Ear-gate,  and  nothing  is  heard 397-401 

An  attack  is  then  prepared,  when  Mr.  Loth-to- 

stoop  appears  and  proposes  to  surrender  half 
the  town  to  Emmanuel.,  This  rejected,  he  pro- 
poses that  Diabolus  shall  have  a private  place 
within  to  live  in,  and  Emmanuel  all  the  rest. 
This  rejected,  he  proposes  that  Diabolus  shall 
enjoy  the  hospitalities  of  the  town  on  an  occa- 
sional visit.  This  rejected,  he  proposes  that  the 
Diabolonians  of  the  town  be  allowed  to  remain 

unmolested 401,  402 

Other  similar  propositions  being  rejected,  a gene- 
ral attack  commences  by  all  the  captains...402-104 
Diabolus  then  vainly  proposes  reformation  instead 

of  surrender 404,  405 

Ear-gate  is  broken  down,  and  Emmanuel's  forces 
enter.  They  force  the  strong  castle  of  Mr.  Con- 
science, who  is  full  of  fear  and  perplexity.  Ill- 
pause  slain.  A capitulation  proposed.  No  answer 
returned,  since  the  proposal  came  only  from 
Lord  Understanding  and  Mr.  Conscience.  The 
castle  of  Diabolus  forced.  He  is  summoned 
from  his  den  by  Emmanuel  in  person,  stripped 
of  his  armour,  and  exhibited  in  the  market-place, 
and  sent  away  into  a salt  desert.  Mr.  Conscience, 


CONTENTS*. 


23 


Lori]  Understanding,  and  Lord  TVHl-be-wlil  put 
In  prison.  After  penitent  petitions  on  the  part 
of  the  town,  the  l'rlnee  summons  the  prisoners 
before  him,  while  the  victory  gained  by  Emman- 
uel Is  proclaimed  amid  sounds  of  celestial  music, 

the  prisoners  shouting  Amen Pages  405-4X4 

After  this  complete  submission  of  the  Will,  the 
Understanding,  and  the  Conscience,  a universal 
and  complete  pardon  Is  proclaimed  In  Mansoul, 

and  the  town  Is  tilled  with  rejoicing 414-419 

The  purification  of  the  city.  The  trial  of  tile  Dlab- 
olonlans  remaining  In  It,  and  the  execution  of 
the  chief  of  them.  The  love  of  Emmanuel  for 
Mansoul  and  the  banquets  lie  gave  continually. 

419-429 

Emmanuel  commits  Mansoul  to  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  who  as  lord  secretary  is  to  take 
of  the  things  of  Christ  and  to  show  unto  them, 
and  to  the  teaching  of  Recorder  Conscience  in 
all  moral  duties.  Warnings  and  instructions  of 

Emmanuel 429-433 

Mr.  Carnal  security  and  other  Diabolonlans  seduce 
the  citizens  with  fair  and  deceptive  words.  Em- 
manuel withdraws  from  them.  The  Diabolonlans 
petition  their  prince  to  return,  and  receive  from 
him  Instructions  how  to  do  his  work,  Mr.  Pry- 
well  discovers  their  plot,  and  announces  that 
Plabolus  is  about  to  march  against  the  city  with 
an  army  of  Doubters,  under  the  command  of 
General  Incredulity.  The  corporation  take  meas- 
ures of  defence — viz.,  they  close  the  gates;  they 
search  for  Diabolonlans  lurking  in  the  city;  they 
require  of  offenders  public  confession;  they  ap- 
point a day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  and  petition 

Shaddai  for  help 433-149 

They  find  Dlabolonians  who  had  changed  their 
names  for  concealment,  as  Lord  Covetousness 
was  found  hid  in  Mr.  Mind’s  house  under  the 
name  of  Prudent-thrifty ; in  Lord  Will-be-will’s, 
one  Lasciviousness  under  the  name  of  Harm- 

less-m  irtli 449-450 

Diabolus  with  his  army  invests  the  city.  Mansoul 
applies  to  Recorder  Conscience  for  advice,  but 
gets  little  comfort  till  Lord  Understanding  ex- 
amines and  interprets  his  words,  when  tire  citi- 
zens are  aroused  to  more  determined  resistance. 
Diabolus  tries  fawning  and  deceit.  The  contest 
continues  with  great,  fury  till  the  besieged  engage 
in  a sally  with  slight  success.  Diabolus  storms 
Feel-gate  and  effects  an  entrance,  driving  the 
forces  of  Emmanuel  into  the  castle,  tilling  the 
streets  with  shouts  of  hell-fire.  For  two  years 
and  a half  the  Diabolonlans  hold  the  town, 
but  can  get  no  access  to  the  castle.  The  peti- 
tions of  the  citizens  for  aid  receive  no  notice 
from  Shaddai,  because  they  are  not  counter- 
signed by  the  lord  secretary,  the  indwelling 

Spirit 451-459 

Mr.  Godly-fear  shows  them  their  error.  They 
apply  to  tlie  lord  secretary  for  aid,  who  indites  a 
petition  to  which  they  all  heartily  assent.  Cap- 
tain Or  -lence  carries  it  to  Emmanuel 459,  400 

The  rage  of  Diabolus,  who  demands  the  surrender 

of  Captain  Credence 460,  401 

The  favourable  reply  of  Emmanuel.  Mansoul 
discovers  the  wonderful  power  of  faith  at  the 
court  of  Emmanuel,  and  desires  that  Captain 
Credence  should  thenceforth  be  their  leader  and 

ruler 401,  462 

The  council  of  Diabolus  and  his  princes  how  they 
may  take  the  castle,  which  results  in  a plan  to 
surfeit  Mansoul  with  the  things  of  this  world, 
that  she  may  destroy  herself.  To  tills  end  they 


determine  to  withdraw  from  the  town  Into  the 

open  field Pages  102- 10' 

While  tills  diabolic  council  Is  In  session.  Captain 
Credence  receives  an  order  from  Emmanuel  to 
meet  him  on  the  third  day  In  the  Held— un  order 
which  he  could  not  comprehend  till  lie  was  in- 
formed by  the  lord  secretary  of  the  plans  of 
Diabolus  and  of  the  coming  of  Emmanuel  with 
a great  army.  The  Joy  of  Mansoul  and  the  con- 
sternation of  tlie  enemy,  who  withdraw  to  flic 
open  field.  On  tlie  appointed  day,  Cuplaln  Cre- 
dence makes  a sally.  A fierce  Im file  ensues,  the 
issue  of  which  Is  for  a long  time  doubtful.  Mr. 
Speedy  comes  with  (lie  news  that  Emmnnuel  is 
at  hand.  Diabolus  and  his  army  of  Doubters 
surrounded.  He  and  Ills  captains  flee.  His  whole 

army  put  to  the  sword 404-406 

The  Prince  enters  Mansoul  amid  tlie  rejoicings  of 
the  people.  They  wash  in  the  fountain  set  for 
Judah  and  Jerusalem,  and  are  cleansed  from 
their  pollution.  They  search  out  and  destroy  all 

lurking  Dlabolonians  within  the  walls 100,  407 

By  order  of  Emmanuel  they  send  a detachment  to 
bury  tlie  dead  of  tlie  army  of  Doubters,  and  leave 
“uotaboue  nor  a skull  nor  a piece  of  a bone." 

467,  408 

Diabolus  having  descended  through  Hell-gate  to 
liis  den,  organizes  another  expedition  against 
Mansoul,  consisting  in  part  of  Doubters  and  iu 
part  of  Blood-men,  still  under  the  command  of 
old  Incredulity.  Tlie  army,  twenty-five  thousand 
strong,  beleaguer  Mansoul.  Their  summons  to 
surrender  is  taken  to  Emmanuel,  who  forthwith 
organizes  the  defence.  . The  siege  is  long  and 
severe,  as  a trial  for  the  faith,  hope,  and  love  of 
Mansoul.  At  last  an  attack  is  ordered  by  the 
Prince,  which  results  in  the  entire  rout  of  the 
Doubters  and  tlie  caplure  of  tlie  Biood-men  in  a 

body 403-471 

Four  of  the  fugitive  Doubters  make  their  way  into 
tlie  town,  where  they  hide  in  tlie  liouseof  a Diab- 
olonian,  Mr.  Evil-questioning.  They  are  cap- 
tured, tried,  and  crucified 471-476 

Other  resident  Diabolonians  sought  out  and  de- 
stroyed, but  some  remained  to  the  lime  when 
Mansoul  ceased  any  longer  to  dwell  in  tlie  king- 
dom of  Universe 475,  476 

Emmanuel  appoints  a day  when  he  holds  a convo- 
cation of  the  whole  people  of  Mansoul.  He  then 
proclaims  many  exceeding  great  and  precious 
promises;  he  expresses  his  great  love  for  them; 
he  gives  them  solemn  charges  against  sin;  lie 
bids  them  be  faithful  unto  death,  that  they  may 
receive  the  crown  of  life 470-479 

The  Life  and  Death  of  Mr.  JBadman,  presented  to  the 
World  in  a Familiar  Dialogue  between  Mr.  Il'ise- 
man  and  Mr.  Attentive. 

Introduction 4S1-486 

This  history,  which  is  in  striking  contrast,  in 

point  of  vividness  and  dramatic  power,  with  the 
allegories  of  Bunyan,  is  given  in  the  form  of  a 
dialogue,  in  which  the  vices  and  crimes  of  a 
thoroughly  bad  man  are  described,  with  the 


comments  of  the  narrator 4S7-556 

Christ’s  sermon  on  the  Mount  (iu  verse) 657-500 


Come  and  Welcome  to  Jesus  Christ,  or  a Plain  and 
Profitable  Discourse  on  John  vi.  37 ; showing  the 
Cause,  Truth,  and  Manner  of  the  Coming  of  a Sin- 
ner to  Jesus  Christ;  with  his  Happy  lleceptu n and 
Dlessed  Entertainment. 

This  is  a most  earnest  and  elaborate  presentation 


24 


CONTENTS. 


of  the  nature  or  the  duty  of  coming  to  Christ,  of 
the  difficulties  and  objections  of  those  who  are 
attempting  to  come  to  Christ,  of  the  nature  of 
the  reward  or  those  who  accept  Christ,  and  of  the 
doom  of  tnose  who  reject  him.  It  gives  an  in- 
sight, perhaps  better  than  any  other  of  Bun- 
yan’s  extant  works,  into  his  character  as  a 
preacher  and  the  sources  of  his  remarkable 
power Pages  561-626 

The  Barren  I-  ig  Tree , or  (lie  Doom  and  Downfall  of  the 
Fruitless  Professor ; showing  that  the  Day  of  Grace 
may  be  past  with  him  long  before  his  Life  is  ended: 
the  Signs,  also,  by  which  such  Miserable  Mortals 
may  be  known. 

To  the  Reader 627 

This  is  an  exegetical  discourse,  of  a practical  and 
hortatory  nature,  concerning  the  cursing  of  the 
fig  tree  on  which  our  Lord  found  nothing  bpt 
leaves 628-653 

A Discourse  on  Prayer,  wherein  are  briefly  discovered — 
I.  What  Prayer  is.— II.  What  it  is  to  Pray  with  the 
Spirit. — III.  What  it  is  to  Pray  with  the  Spirit,  and 


with  the  Understanding  also. 

Definition  of  prayer 655-659 

Praying  with  the  spirit 659-665 

Praying  with  the  understanding 665-670 

A word  of  information,  of  encouragement,  and  of 
rebuke : 670-675 


A Relation  of  the  Imprisonment  of  Mr.  John  Bunyan, 
Minister  of  the  Gospel  at  Bedford,  in  November, 
1660;  his  Examination  before  the  Justices ; his  Con- 
ference with  the  Clerk  of  the  Peace;  what  passed 
between  the  Judges  and  his  Wife  when  she  Presented 
a Petition  for  his  Deliverance,  &c.  Written  by  Him- 
self. 

Arrested  November  12,  1660,  while  preaching.  Op- 
portunity for  escape.  Reasons  for  neglecting  it. 
The  examination  before  the  justice,  and  a con- 
versation with  one  Dr.  Lindale 677-681 

Examination  before  the  quarter  sessions.  Sentence 

of  banishment  or  hanging 681-684 

Conversation  with  the  clerk  of  the  peace 6S4-687 

The  coronation  of  the  king.  Reasons  why  Bunyan 
could  not  be  pardoned.  Interview  of  Runyan’s 
wife  with  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  and  his  treatment 

of  her.  Tlie  temper  of  Justice  Chester 687-690 

Prison  Meditations  (in  verse).  Dedicated  to  the 
heart  of  suffering  saints  and  reigning  sinners. 

691-694 

Reprobation  Asserted,  or  the  Doctrine  of  Eternal  Elec- 
tion and  Reprobation  promiscuously  handled  in 
Eleven  Chapters;  wherein  the  most  material  objec- 
tions made  by  the  Opposers  of  this  Doctrine  are  fully 
answered,  several  doubts  removed,  and  sundry  cases 
of  Conscience  resolved. 

Reprobation  is  a reality 693-696 

It  is  tlie  negative  of  election 696,  697 

It  was  fixed  from  before  the  foundation  of  the 

world 697-699 

Its  causes 699-701 

Its  unchangeableness 701,  702 

Reprobation  not  thp  same  as  appointing  to  eternal 

condemnation,  nor  the  cause  of  it 702-705 

The  reprobated  have  no  cause  of  com  plaint  against 

God 705-707 

No  hindrance  in  obtaining  salvation 707-709 

The  offers  of  tlie  gospel  are  made  to  the  reprobated. 

709,  710 

These  offers  cannot  be  received  by  tlie  reprobated, 
nor  Indeed  by  the  elect,  save  by  the  special  aid 


of  the  Spirit,  which  is  given  to  the  latter  and 
withheld  from  the  former Pages  710-713 

Still,  the  offers  of  grace  are  made  to  tlie  reprobated 
in  order  to  show,  in  various  ways,  the  nature  of 
sin,  and  tlie  justice  and  mercy  of  God,  and  espe- 
cially to  command  tlie  assent  of  tlie  intelligent 
universe  to  the  necessity  of  their  condemna- 
tion   713-720 

The  Strait  Gale,  or  the  Great  Difficulty  of  Going  to 
Heaven. 

To  the  Reader 721 

Tliis  is  a tractate  containing  practical  directions 
pointing  out  the  entrance  and  the  way  of  salva- 
tion   722-739 

The  Heavenly  Footman,  or  a Description  of  the  Man 
that  gets  to  Heaven;  together  with  the  way  he  runs 
in,  the  marks  he  goes  by;  also  some  Directions  how 
to  run  so  as  to  obtain. 

An  epistle  to  all  the  slothful  and  careless  people. 

741-743 

This  is  a description  of  the  Christian  life  under  the 
image  of  a journey.  It  is  supposed  to  be  the  trea- 
tise referred  to  in  tlie  introduction  to  “Pilgrim’s 
Progress 

"I,  writing  of  the  way 
And  race  of  saints  in  this  our  gospel  day, 

Fell  suddenly  into  an  allegory 

About  their  journey  and  the  way  to  glory.” 

744— /o8 

Sighs  from  Hell,  or  the  Groans  of  a Damned  Soul, 
discovering  from  Luke  iv.  the  Lamentable  Estate  of 
the  Damned;  and  may  fitly  serve  as  a Warning 
Word  to  Sinners,  both  Old  and  Young,  by  Faith  in 
Jesus  Christ  to  avoid  the  same  place  of  Torment; 
with  a discovery  of  the  usefulness  of  the  Scriptures  as 
our  safe  conduct  for  avoiding  the  Torments  of  Hell. 

Tlie  Author  to  the  Reader 759,  760 

This  is  an  explanatory  discourse  upon  tlie  parable 
of  tlie  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus 761-814 

A Confession  of  my  Faith,  and  a Reason  of  my  Prac- 
tice; or,  with  who,  and  who  not,  I can  hold  Church 
fellowship  or  the  Communion  of  Saints:  showing,  by 
divers  arguments,  that  though  I dare  not  communi- 
cate with  the  open  profane,  yet  / can  with  those  visi- 
ble saints  that  differ  about  Water  Baptism;  wherein 
is  also  discoursed  whether  that  be  the  entering  ordi- 
nance into  fellowship  or  no. 

To  the  Reader 815,  816 

The  nature  of  God.  The  Trinity.  The  resurrec- 
tion. Tlie  divine  and  human  nature  of  Christ. 
The  righteousness  which  saves  the  sinner  is  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  gained  by  us  as  we  are 
united  to  him.  His  exaltation.  Tlie  final  judg- 
ment  816-820 

Christ's  righteousness  ours  by  grace.  God  only 
can  impute  this  righteousness.  This  mputation 
made  on  condition  of  faith,  which  faitli  puts  it- 
self forth  in  such  acts  as  purely  respect  a gift— 
viz.,  receiving,  accepting,  &c.  This  faith  is  the 
work  of  the  Spirit,  performed  only  in  those  who 
were  eternally  ordained  to  life.. 820,  821 

Election  is  free  and  permanent,  made  from  eter- 
nity, not  upon  tlie  ground  of  foreseen  good 
works,  but  as  itself  the  origin  of  such  works, 
the  elect  are  chosen  in  Christ;  nothing  can  hin- 
der their  conversion  and  salvation.  They  know 
of  their  election  only  by  being  actually  called. 
Election  achieves  its  ends  only  through  means. 

821,  822 

Effectual  calling  is  by  the  Holy  Ghost  attending 


CONTICNTS. 


25 


the  wniil.  It  convicts  of  sin,  nwnkcns  fear  of 
punishment ; II  sanctifies,  producing  laltli,  hope, 
repentance,  and  love Puget 822-82-1 

riie  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  God,  able  to  make 
man  wise  unto  salvation  without  the  aid  of 
any  human  Inventions,  Their  object  to  teach 
what  sin  Is,  and  to  lead  us  to  Christ.  They 
will  he  surely  1'ultllled.  Men  will  be  Judged  by 
them 821 

Human  governments  are  of  God's  appointment,  821 

A reason  of  my  practice  in  worship. 

I.  With  whom  1 dare  not  hold  church  communion. 

1.  With  them  that  profess  not  faith  and  holiness, 
excluding  a real  saint  If  he  be  not  visible  by  pro- 
fession, and  Including  even  the  secret  hypocrite 
If  he  be  hid  by  a credible  profession.  («)  lleeuuse 
God  hath  from  the  beginning  made  tills  distinc- 
tion. He  banished  Cain.  When  seed  of  Seth 
commixed  In  worship,  he  sent  Noah  to  preach 
against  It,  and  because  they  would  not  cease, 
sent  the  llpod  to  destroy  them;  and  so  in  many 
other  instances,  {b)  Because  it  is  so  commanded  in 
the  Scriptures,  especially  In  connection  with  t Ho 
ancient  Church,  (c)  Because  such  is  the  example 
of  the  New  Testament  churches,  they  being  made 
up  of  the  “called  of  Christ” — those  who  have 
drank  into  his  Spirit — those  in  whom  is  God— 
the  partakers  of  the  joy  of  the  gospel— the  in- 
wardly circumcised — the  turned  from  idols— the 
body  of  Christ,  (d)  Because  separation  from  the 
world  is  the  duty  and  privilege  of  the  Church. 
(«•)  Because  union  with  the  world  is  incongruous, 
as  the  ploughing  of  the  ox  and  the  ass  together. 
(/)  Because  such  union  is  pernicious  and  destruc- 
tive, as  is  shown  especially  in  the  history  of 
Israel.  (</)  Because  it  provoketli  God  to  severe 
judgments."  The  objection  considered  that  there 
have  always  been  the  openly  profane  in  the 
Church - 825-S28 

II.  With  whom  I dare  to  hold  church  communion. 
Preliminary  observations.  There  are  but  two 
ordinances  in  the  Christian  Church  — Baptism 
and  the  Lord’s  Supper.  Not  fundamental  nor 
essential  to  Christian  communion.  To  ascribe  to 
them  an  undue  importance  is  to  commit  idolatry 
with  God’s  own  institutions.  Answer.  I dare 
have  church  communion  with  men  of  faith  and 
holiness  who  give  a faithful  and  credible  relation 
thereof,  corroborated  by  the  testimony  of  others 
to  their  consistent  lives.  This  is  the  rule  of 
church  fellowship  and  the  only  initiating  ordi- 
nance, and  corresponds  with  circumcision  under 
the  ancient  dispensation,  being  the  circum- 
cision of  the  heart.  Question.  Should  they  not 
be  received  to  church  fellowship  through  water 
baptism  as  the  initiating  ordinance?  Answer. 
Baptism  was  administered  in  time  past  upon 
conversion,  but,  unlike  circumcision,  it  is  not 
an  initiating  ordinance.  1.  None  are  debarred 
or  cut  oil"  from  the  Church  for  want  of  it.  John, 
the  great  baptizer,  gathered  no  Church.  The 
eunuch,  Cornelius,  the  Antioch  converts,  and 
Lydia  were  received  into  no  Church  by  their 
baptism,  for  if  they  were,  they  must  have  joined 
some  particular  Church,  since  no  other  is  visible. 
Question.  Why  were  they'  baptized,  then?  A ns. 
To  strengthen  their  own  faith.  Question.  By 
what  rule  then  would  you  admit  to  the  Church  ? 
Ans.  By  the  word  of  faith— i.  e.,  by  faith  uttered 
in  the  life,  through  obedience  to  the  royal  law. 
The  ten  commandments  should  be  made  the  test 
of  faith.  Objection.  Vet  in  all  cases  water  bap- 
tism should  precede  church  membership.  Ans. 


It  lias  done  so  ns  a matter  offset,  but  It  need  not 
as  a matter  of  necessity.  Moreover,  there  Is 
no  proof  that  any  were  refused  admission  to 
the  Church  who  were  In  doubt  about  baptism. 
There  is,  in  fact,  no  proof  that  all  communi- 
cants were  baptized.  Three  texts  on  this  point. 

Papes  828-832 

The  author  now  admits,  for  argument's  sake,  that 
baptism  is  the  initiatory  ordinance  of  the  Church, 
according  to  the  common  belief,  but  even  on  that 
ground  affirms  that  a believing  man  may  be  re- 
ceived without  It.  1.  Because  lie  lias  something 
better  than  baptism— he  lias  Jaith  ; nnd  having 
this,  you  have  no  right  to  exclude  him  from  the 
Church  because  he  does  not  agree  with  your 
opinion  about  baptism.  2.  Because  they  who 
are  “ baptized  by  one  Spirit  Into  one  body  ” have 
“one  baptism,”  and  that  Is  all  which  is  essential 
in  the  case.  3.  Because  all  such  have  the  doctrine 
of  baptism,  though  they  come  short  in  the  prac- 
tice. 4.  Because  God  holds  communion  with 
them.  5.  Because  failure  in  such  an  outward 
ordinance  does  not  unchristian  ns.  6.  Because 
edification  is  of  more  concern  than  agreement  in 
externals.  Scripture  authorities  for  this  view. 
7.  Because  love  is  worth  more  than  baptism.  8. 
Attempts  to  exclude  from  communion  on  higher 
grounds  than  this  are  condemned  by  the  Bible. 
9.  This  exclusion  is  an  attempt  to  exclude  from 
the  birth-right  to  which  these  non-conforming 
Christians  are  born  of  God.  10.  It  shows  con- 
tempt; it  implies  the  existence  of  some  great 
iniquity  in  them.  The  absurdity  of  hearing 
them  preach,  anil  joining  with  them  in  prayer, 
while  yet  excluding  them  from  the  communion. 
Objection.  Would  you  then  hold  communion  wito 
a Roman  Catholic?  Yes,  if  he  be  a visible  sain' 
as  before  defined.  But  suppose  he  retains  bn 
connection  with  that  Church?  That  is  impos- 
sible if  he  desires  to  join  a Christian  Church. 
But  suppose  he  retains  some  of  the  errors  of  that 
Church?  If  they  are  fundamental  errors,  such 
as  eat  out  the  very  life  of  religion,  exclude  him 
as  not  a visible  saint,  but  if  otherwise,  receive  him. 
But  this  is  receiving  for  opinion's  sake,  which 
you  condemn.  No,  because  it  is  an  opinion 
which  is  a test  of  Christian  character,  not  an 


opinion  in  lesser  matters 832-839 

Practical  application  of  the  whole 840 


Differences  in  Judgment  about  Water  Baptism  no  Bar 
to  Communion.  To  communicate  with  Saints , as 
Saints,  proved  lawful,  in  answer  to  a book  written  by 
the  Baptists,  and  published  by  Mr.  T.  P.  and  Mr. 
W.  K.,  entitled  “ Some  Serious  Beliecl ions  on  that 
part  of  Mr.  Banyan's  Confession  of  paith  touching 
Church  Communion  with  Unbaptized  Believers;'’ 
wherein  their  objections  and  arguments  are  an- 
swered, and  the  doctrine  of  Communion  still  asserted 
and  vindicated.  Mere  is  also  Mr.  Henry  Jesse’s 
judgment  in  the  case,  fully  declaring  the  doctrine  I 
have  asserted. 

To  the  Reader S41 

This  is  a polemic  treatise,  written  in  answer  to  an 
opponent,  and  largely  made  up  of  exposures  of 
supposed  misconception  of  the  views  of  the 
former  treatise.  It  is  valuable,  not  so  much  for 
any  views  additional  to  those  advanced  in  the 
“ Reasons  for  my  Practice,”  as  for  giving  an  ad- 
ditional exposition  of  those  views. 842-889 

Mr.  Henry  Jesse's  essay  is  an  exegetieal  discussion 
of  certain  passages  bearing  upon  the  question- 
such  as,  “ Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive 


26 


CONTENTS. 


ye  ” (Rom.  xiv.  1),  and  the  clause,  “ one  baptism. ” 
Eph.  iv.  5 Pages  869-875 

/ 

Peaceable  Principles  and  True , or  a Brief  A nswer  to 
Mr.  Danvers'  and  Mr.  Paul's  books  against  my  Con- 
fession of  Faith , and  Differences  in  Judgment  about 
Water  Baptism  no  Bar  to  Communion;  wherein 
their  Scriptureless  notions  are  overthrown  and  my 
peaceable  principles  st  ill  maintained. 

This  is  also  a controversial  treatise,  farther  ex- 
plaining and  emphasizing  the  principles  enunci- 
ated in  “Reasons  of  my  Practice  in  Worship.” 

877-885 

The  conclusion 885-887 

Questions  about  the  Nature  and  Perpetuity  of  the 
Seventh-Day  Sabbath,  and  proof  that  the  First  Day 
of  the  Week  is  the  true  Christian  Sabbath. 

In  the  introduction  the  author  takes  the  ground 
that  while  a sabbath— a day  devoted  to  religious 
duties  and  worship — is  moral,  and  so  perma- 
nently obligatory,  the  particular  day  to  be  ob- 
served is  a matter  of  special  enactment...  889,  890 

Argument.  The  seventh-day  sabbath  is  not  made 
known  by  the  light  of  nature,  but  only  a sabbath. 

891,  892 

It  was  not  enjoined  by  any  positive  precept  from 
Adam  to  Moses 892-895 

The  Gentiles  were  not  included  with  the  Jews  in 
the  Mosaic  command 895,  896 

It  fell  with  the  other  Jewish  rites,  and  was  not 
afterward  improved  by  the  apostles 896-900 

The  first  day  of  the  week  is  the  time  fixed  upon  in 
the  New  Testament  as  the  day  of  public  worship. 

900-916 

Mr.  Banyan's  Last  Sermon,  Preached  July,  1688,  on 
the  text  from  John  i.  13:  “ Which  were  born  not  of 
blood,  nor  of  the  tvill  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of 
man,  but  of  God 917-920 

Of  the  Trinity  and  a Christian : how  a Young  or  Shaken 
Christian  should  demean  himself  under  the  weighty 
thoughts  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  or  Plurality  of 
Persons  in  the  eternal  Godhead 921,  922 

Of  the  Law  and  a Christian 923,  924 

Instruction  for  the  Ignorant;  being  a Salve  to  Cure 
that  great  want  of  Knowledge  in  both  Old  and  Young  : 
prepared  and  presented  to  them  in  a plain  and  easy 
Dialogue,  fitted  to  the  capacity  of  the  weakest. 

To  the  Church  of  Christ  in  and  about  Bedford...  925 


This  is  a statement  of  theological  doctrines  in  the 
form  of  a catechism 926-943 

Of  Justification  by  an  Imputed  Righteousness,  or  no 
Way  to  Heaven  but  by  Jesus  Christ. 

1.  Definition  of  terms 945-947 


2,  Men  are  justified  while  sinners  in  themselves. 

947-964 


3.  Men  are  justified  while  sinners  in  themselves 
only  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ. ..Pages  964-976 

Poetical  Pieces  of  Mb.  John  Bunyan. 

Ebal  and  Gerizim,  or  the  Blessing  and  the  Curse, 
being  a short  exhortation  to  Sinners,  by  the  Mercy 


and  Severity  of  God. 

Prom  Mount  Gerizim 979-9S3 

From  Mount  Ebal 9S3-985 


One  Thing  is  Needful,  or  Serious  Meditations  upon  the 
Four  Last  Things— Death  and  Judgment,  Heaven 


and  Hell. 

An  introduction  to  the  ensuing  discourse 9S7 

Of  death : 9S7-989 

Of  judgment 989-991 

Of  heaven 991-994 

Of  hell,  and  the  estate  of  those  that  perish..  994-997 

A Caution  to  Stir  up  to  Watch  against  Sin 999,  1000 

Divine  Emblems,  or  Temporal  Things  Spiritualized — 
fitted  for  the  use  of  boys  and  girls. 

To  the  Reader 1001,  1002 

Upon  the  lark  and  the  fowler 1603 

Meditations  upon  an  egg 1003,  1004 

Upon  the  flint  in  the  water 1004 

Upon  the  fish  in  the  water 1004 

Upon  the  swallow 1004 

Upon  the  bee 1004 

Upon  overmuch  niceness 1004 

Meditations  upon  a candle 1005 

Upon  the  sacraments 1005 

Upon  the  sun’s  reflection  upon  the  clouds  in 

a fair  morning 1005,  1006 

The  sinner  and  the  spider 1006-100S 

Of  the  mole  in  the  ground 1008 

Of  the  cuckoo 1008 

Of  the  boy  and  the  butterfly 1009 

Of  the  fly  at  the  candle 1009 

On  the  rising  of  the  sun 1009 

Upon  the  promising  fruitfulness  of  a tree..  1009,  1010 

Upon  the  thief 1010 

Of  the  child  with  the  bird  on  the  bush 1010,  1011 

Of  the  rose  bush 1011 

Upon  the  beggar 1011 

Upon  the  horse  and  his  rider 1011,  1012 

Upon  a penny  loaf 1012 

The  boy  and  watchmaker 1012 

On  the  cackling  of  a hen 1012 

Upon  a snail 1013 

Upon  a skilful  player  on  an  instrument 1013 

Of  man  by  nature 1013 

Upon  the  disobedient  child 1013, 1014 

Upon  a sheet  of  white  paper 1014 

Upon  the  frog 1014 

On  the  barren  fig  tree  in  God’s  vineyard 1014 

On  the  going  down  of  the  sun 1014, 1015 


GRACE  ABOUNDING  TO  THE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS: 


IN  A FAITHFUL  ACCOUNT  OF 

THE  LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  JOHN  BUNYAN. 


CORRECTED  AND  MUCH  ENLARGED  BY  TIIE  AUTHOR,  FOR  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  TEMPTED 

AND  DEJECTED  CHRISTIAN. 


Come  and  hear,  all  ye  that  fear  God,  and  I will  declare  what  he  hath  done  for  my  soul. — Psalm  lxvi.  16. 


PREFACE. 

WRITTEN  BY  THE  AUTHOR,  AND  DEDICATED  TO  THOSE  WHOM  GOD  HATH  COUNTED  HIM  WORTHY  TO 
BEGET  TO  FAITH  BY  HIS  MINISTRY  IN  THE  WORD. 

Children,  grace  be  with  you.  Amen.  I being  taken  from  you  in  presence,  and  so  tied  up 
that  I cannot  perform  that  duty,  that  from  God  doth  lie  upon  me  to  youward  for  your  further 
edifying  and  building  up  in  faith  and  holiness,  &c.,  yet  that  you  may  see  my  soul  hath  fatherly 
care  and  desire  after  your  spiritual  and  everlasting  welfare,  I now  once  again,  as  before  from 
the  top  of  Shenir  and  Hermon,  so  now  from  the  lion’s  den,  and  from  the  mountains  of  the  leopard, 
do  yet  look  after  you  all,  greatly  longing  to  see  your  safe  arrival  into  the  desired  haven. 

I have  sent  you  here  enclosed  a drop  of  that  honey  that  I have  taken  out  of  the  carcass  of  a lion. 
I have  eaten  thereof  myself,  and  am  much  refreshed  thereby.  (Temptations,  when  we  meet 
them  at  first,  are  as  the  lion  that  roared  upon  Samson;  but  if  we  overcome  them,  the  next  time 
we  see  them,  we  shall  find  a nest  of  honey  within  them.)  The  Philistines  understood  me  not. 
It  is  something,  a relation  of  the  work  of  God  upon  my  soul,  even  from  the  very  first,  till  now, 
wherein  you  may  perceive  my  castings  down,  and  risings  up : for  he  woundeth,  and  his  hands 
make  whole.  It  is  written  in  the  Scripture,  “ The  father  to  the  children  shall  make  known  the 
truth  of  God.”  Yea,  it  was  for  this  reason  I lay  so  long  at  Sinai,  to  see  the  fire,  and  the  cloud, 
and  the  darkness,  “that  I might  fear  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life  upon  earth,  and  tell  of  his 
wondrous  works  to  my  children.” 

Moses  writ  of  the  journeyiugs  of  the  children  of  Israel  from  Egypt  to  the  land  of  Canaan ; and 
commanded  also  that  they  did  remember  their  forty  years’  travel  in  the  wilderness.  “ Thou  shalt 
remember  all  the  ways  which  the  Lord  thy  God  leads  thee  these  forty  years  in  the  wilderness, 
to  humble  thee,  and  to  prove  thee,  and  to  know  what  was  in  thine  heart,  whether  thou  wouldst 
keep  his  commandments  or  no.”  "Wherefore  this  I have  endeavoured  to  do;  and  not  only  so, 
but  to  publish  it  also ; that,  if  God  will,  others  may  be  put  in  remembrance  of  what  he  hath 
done  for  their  souls,  by  reading  his  work  upon  me.  It  is  profitable  for  Christians  to  be  often 
calling  to  mind  the  very  beginning  of  grace  with  their  souls.  “ It  is  a night  to  be  much 
observed  to  the  Lord  for  bringing  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  This  is  that  night  of  the 
Lord  to  be  observed  of  all  the  children  of  Israel  in  their  generations.”  “ My  God,  (saith  David, 
Psa.  xlii.  G,)  my  soul  is  cast  down  within  me,  but  I will  remember  thee  from  the  land  of  Jordan 
and  of  the  Hermonites,  from  the  hill  Mizar.”  He  remembereth  also  the  lion  and  the  bear,  whei 
he  went  to  fight  with  the  giant  of  Gath. 


28 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


It  was  Paul’s  accustomed  manner,  and  that  when  tried  for  his  life,  ever  to  open  before  his 
judges  the  manner  of  his  conversion.  He  would  think  of  that  day,  and  that  hour,  in  which  he 
first  did  meet  with  grace ; for  he  found  it  supported  him.  When  God  had  brought  the  children 
of  Israel  out  of  the  Red  Sea,  far  into  the  wilderness,  yet  they  must  turn  quite  about  thither 
again,  to  remember  the  drowning  of  their  enemies  there,  for  though  they  sang  praises  before, 
yet  they  soon  forgat  his  works. 

In  this  discourse  of  mine,  you  may  see  much,  much  I say,  of  the  grace  of  God  towards  me. 
I thank  God  I can  count  it  much  ; for  it  was  above  my  sins,  and  Satan’s  temptations  too.  I can 
remember  my  fears  and  doubts,  and  sad  months,  with  comfort ; they  are  as  the  head  of  Goliah 
in  my  hand.  There  was  nothing  to  David  like  Goliah’s  sword,  even  that  sword  that  should 
have  been  sheathed  in  his  bowels ; for  the  very  sight  and  remembrance  of  that  did  preach  forth 
God’s  deliverance  to  him.  Oh  ! the  remembrance  of  my  great  sins,  of  my  great  temptations,  and 
of  my  great  fear  of  perishing  forever ! They  bring  afresh  into  my  mind  the  remembrance  of  my 
great  help,  my  great  supports  from  heaven,  and  the  great  grace  that  God  extended  to  such  a 
wretch  as  I. 

I could  have  enlarged  much  in  this  my  discourse,  of  my  temptations  and  troubles  for  sin,  as 
also  of  the  merciful  kindness  and  working  of  God  with  my  soul.  I could  also  have  stepped  into 
a style  much  higher  than  this  in  which  I have  here  discoursed;  and  could  have  adorned  all 
things  more  than  here  I seemed  to  do ; but  I dare  not.  God  did  not  play  in  tempting  of  me ; 
neither  did  I play,  when  I sunk  as  into  a bottomless  pit,  when  the  “ pangs  of  hell  caught  hold 
upon  me wherefore  I may  not  play  in  relating  of  them ; but  be  plain  and  simple,  and  lay 
down  the  thing  as  it  was.  He  that  liketh  it,  let  him  receive  it ; and  he  that  doth  not  let  him 
produce  a better.  Farewell. 

My  dear  Children: 

The  milk  and  honey  is  beyond  this  wilderness.  God  be  merciful  to  you ; and  grant  that  you 
be  not  slothful  to  go  in  to  possess  the  laud. 


JOHN  BUNYAN. 


GRACE  ABOUNDING  TO  THE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


Tx  this  my  relation  of  the  merciful  working 
of  God  upon  my  soul,  it  will  not  be  amiss,  if, 
in  the  first  place,  T do  in  a few  words,  give  you 
a hint  of  my  pedigree,  and  manner  of  bringing 
up ; that  thereby  the  goodness  and  bounty  of 
God  towards  me,  may  be  the  more  advanced 
and  magnified  before  the  sons  of  men. 

For  my  descent  then,  it  was,  as  is  well 
known  to  many,  of  a low  and  inconsiderable 
generation ; my  father’s  house  being  of  that 
rank  that  is  meanest,  and  most  despised  of  all 
the  families  in  the  land.  Wherefore  I have 
not  here,  as  others,  to  boast  of  noble  blood,  or 
of  any  high-born  state,  according  to  the  flesh ; 
though,  all  things  considered,  I magnify  the 
heavenly  Majesty,  for  that  by  this  door  he 
brought  me  into  the  world,  to  partake  of  the 
grace  and  life  that  is  in  Christ  by  the  Gospel. 

But  yet  notwithstanding  the  meanness  and 
inconsiderableness  of  my  parents,  it  pleased 
God  to  put  it  into  their  hearts  to  put  me  to 
school,  to  learn  me  both  to  read  and  write ; the 
which  I also  attained,  according  to  the  rate 
of  other  poor  men’s  children,  though  to  my 
shame  I confess,  I did  soon  lose  that  little  I 
learnt,  even  almost  utterfy,  and  that  long 
before  the  Lord  did  work  his  gracious  work 
of  conversion  upon  my  soul. 

As  for  my  own  natural  life,  for  the  time  that 
I was  without  God  in  the  world,  it  was,  in- 
deed, “ according  to  the  course  of  this  world, 
and  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  chil- 
dren of  disobedience.”  It  was  my  delight  to 
be  “ taken  captive  by  the  devil  at  his  will 
being  filled  with  all  unrighteousness;  the 
which  did  also  so  strongly  work,  and  put 
forth  itself,  both  in  my  heart  and  life,  and 
that  from  a child,  that  I had  but  few  equals, 
(especially  considering  my  years,  which  were 
tender,  being  few,)  both  for  cursing,  swearing,' 
lying,  and  blaspheming  the  holy  name  of  God. 

Yea,  so  settled  and  rooted  was  I in  these 
things,  that  they  became  as  a second  nature  to 
me ; the  which,  as  I have  also  with  soberness 


considered  since,  did  so  offend  the  Lord,  that 
even  in  my  childhood  he  did  scare  and 
affrighten  me  with  fearful  dreams,  and  did 
terrify  me  with  fearful  visions:  For  often, 
after  I had  spent  this  and  the  other  day  in 
sin,  I have  in  my  bed  been  greatly  afflicted, 
while  asleep,  with  the  apprehensions  of  devils 
and  wicked  spirits,  who  still,  as  I then 
thought,  laboured  to  draw  me  away  with 
them,  of  which  I could  never  be  rid. 

Also  I should  at  these  years,  be  greatly 
afflicted  and  troubled  with  the  thoughts  of 
the  fearful  torments  of  hell-fire;  still  fearing 
that  it  would  be  my  lot  to  be  found  at  last 
among  those  devils  and  hellish  fiends,  who 
are  there  bound  down  with  the  chains  and 
bonds  of  darkness,  until  the  judgment  of  the 
great  day. 

These  things,  I say,  when  I was  but  a child, 
but  nine  or  ten  years  old,  did  so  distress  my 
soul,  that  then  in  the  midst  of  my  many  sports 
and  childish  vanities,  amidst  my  vain  com- 
panions, I was  often  much  cast  down,  and 
afflicted  in  my  mind  therewith,  yet  I could 
not  let  go  my  sins:  Yea,  I was  also  then  so 
overcome  with  despair  of  life  and  heaven, 
that  I should  often  wish,  either  that  there  had 
been  no  hell,  or  that  I had  been  a devil ; sup- 
posing they  were  only  tormentors ; that  if  it 
must  needs  be,  that  I went  thither,  I might 
be  rather  a tormentor,  than  be  tormented 
myself. 

A while  after  those  terrible  dreams  did  leave 
me,  which  also  I soon  forgot  ; for  my  pleas- 
ures did  quickly  cut  off  the  remembrance  of 
them,  as  if  they  had  never  been : wherefore 
with  more  greediness,  according  to  the  strength 
of  nature,  I did  still  let  loose  the  reins  of  my 
lust,  and  delighted  in  all  transgressions  against 
the  law  of  God : so  that  until  I came  to  the 
state  of  marriage,  I was  the  very  ringleader  of 
all  the  youth  that  kept  me  company,  in  all 
manner  of  vice  and  ungodliness. 

Yea,  such  prevalency  had  the  lusts  and 

29 


30 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


fruits  of  tlie  flesh  on  this  poor  soul  of  mine, 
that  had  not  a miracle  of  precious  grace  pre- 
vented, I had  not  only  perished  by  the  stroke 
of  eternal  ‘justice,  hut  had  also  laid  myself 
open,  even  to  the  stroke  of  those  laws  which 
bring  some  to  disgrace  and  open  shame  before 
the  face  of  the  world. 

In  these  days  the  thoughts  of  religion  were 
very  grievous  to  me;  I could  neither  endure 
it  myself,  nor  that  any  other  should;  so  that 
wheu  I have  seen  some  read  in  those  books 
that  concerned  Christian  piety,  it  would  be  as 
it  were  a prison  to  me.  Then  I said  unto  God, 
“ Depart  from  me,  for  I desire  not  the  know- 
ledge of  thy  ways.”  I was  now  void  of  all  good 
consideration,  heaven  and  hell  were  both  out 
of  sight  and  mind;  and  as  for  saving  and 
damning,  they  were  least  in  my  thoughts.  “ 0 
Lord,  thou  knowest  my  life,  and  my  ways  were 
not  hid  from  thee.” 

But  this  I well  remember,  that  though  I 
could  myself  sin  with  the  greatest  delight  and 
ease,  and  also  take  pleasure  in  the  vileness  of 
my  companions ; yet,  even  then,  if  I had  at 
any  time  seen  wicked  things,  by  those  who 
professed  goodness,  it  would  make  my  spirit 
tremble.  As  once  above  all  the  rest,  when  I 
was  in  the  height  of  vanity,  yet  hearing  one 
to  swear,  that  was  reckoned  for  a religious 
man,  it  had  so  great  a stroke  upon  my  spirit, 
that  it  made  my  heart  ache. 

But  God  did  not  utterly  leave  me,  hut  fol- 
lowed me  still,  not  with  convictions,  but  with 
judgments ; yet  such  as  were  mixed  with 
mercy.  For  once  I fell  into  a creek  of  the 
sea,  and  hardly  escaped  drowning.  Another 
time  I fell  out  of  a boat  into  Bedford  river, 
but  mercy  yet  preserved  me  alive.  Besides, 
another  time,  being  in  the  field  with  one  of  my 
companions,  it  chanced  that  an  adder  passed 
over  the  highway,  so  I having  a stick  in  my 
hand,  struck  her  over  the  back ; and  having 
stunned  her,  I forced  open  her  mouth  with  my 
stick,  and  plucked  her  sting  out  with  my  fin- 
gers ; by  which  act,  had  not  God  been  merci- 
ful unto  me,  I might  by  my  desperateness, 
have  brought  myself  to  an  end. 

This,  also  I have  taken  notice  of,  with 
thanksgiving:  When  I was  a soldier,  I,  with 
others,  were  drawn  out  to  go  to  such  a place 
to  besiege  it;  but  when  I was  just  ready  to  go, 
one  of  the  company  desired  to  go  in  my  room: 
to  which,  when  I had  consented,  he  took  my 
place;  and  coming  to  the  siege,  as  he  stood 
sentinel,  he  was  shot  in  the  head  with  a mus- 
ket bullet,  and  died. 


Here,  as  I said,  were  judgments  and  mercy, 
but  neither  of  them  did  awaken  my  soul  to 
righteousness ; wherefore  I sinned  still,  and 
grew  more  and  more  rebellious  against  God, 
and  careless  of  my  own  salvation. 

Presently  after  this,  I changed  my  condition 
into  a married  state,  and  my  mercy  was,  to 
light  upon  a wife  whose  father  was  counted 
godly ; this  woman  and  I,  though  we  came  to- 
gether as  poor  as  poor  might  be,  (not  having  so 
much  household  stuff  as  a dish  or  a spoon  be- 
twixt us  both,)  yet  this  she  had  for  her  part, 
“ The  Plain  Man’s  Pathway  to  Heaven ; the 
Practice  of  Piety;”  which  her  father  had  left 
her  when  he  died.  In  these  two  books  I 
should  sometimes  read  with  her,  wherein  I 
also  found  some  things  that  were  somewhat 
pleasing  to  me ; but  all  this  while  I met  with 
no  conviction.  She  also  would  be  often  tell- 
ing me  of  what  a godly  man  her  father  was, 
and  how  he  would  reprove  and  correct  vice, 
both  in  his  house,  and  among  his  neighbours, 
what  a strict  and  holy  life  he  led  in  his  days, 
both  in  word  and  deed. 

Wherefore  these  books,  with  the  relation, 
though  they  did  not  reach  my  heart,  to 
awaken  it  about  my  sad  and  sinful  state,  yet 
they  did  beget  within  me  some  desires  to  re- 
form my  vicious  life,  and  fall  in  very  eagerly 
with  the  religion  of  the  times ; to  wit,  to  go  to 
church  twice  a day,  and  that  too  with  the  fore- 
most ; and  there  should  very  devoutly  both  say 
and  sing,  as  others  did,  yet  retaining  my  wicked 
life;  but  withal,  I was  so  overrun  with  the 
spirit  of  superstition,  that  I adored,  and  that 
with  great  devotion,  even  all  things  (both  the 
high  place,  priest,  clerk,  vestment  service,  and 
what  else)  belonging  to  the  church;  counting 
all  things  holy  that  were  therein  contained, 
and  especially,  the  priest  and  clerk  most 
happy,  and  without  doubt  greatly  blessed,  be- 
cause they  were  the  servants,  as  I then  thought, 
of  God,  and  were  principal  in  the  holy  temple 
to  do  his  work  therein. 

This  conceit  grew  so  strong  in  a little  time 
upon  my  spirit,  that  had  I but  seen  a priest 
(though  never  so  sordid  and  debauched  in  his 
life,)  I should  find  my  spirit  fall  under  him, 
reverence  him,  and  knit  unto  him ; yea,  I 
thought,  for  the  love  I did  bear  unto  them 
(supposing  they  were  the  ministers  of  God)  I 
could  have  laid  down  at  their  feet  and  hav< 
been  trampled  on  by  them ; their  name,  their 
garb,  and  work  did  so  intoxicate  and  be- 
witch me. 

After  I had  been  thus  for  some  considerable 


GRACE  ABOUNDING  TO  THE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


31 


(imp,  another  thought  enme  in  my  mind  ; nml 
that  was,  whether  wo  were  of  the  Israelites  or 
no?  For  finding  in  Scripture  that  they  were 
once  the  peculiar  people  of  God,  thought  I,  if 
I were  one  of  this  race,  my  soul  must  needs  be 
happy.  Now  again,  1 found  within  me  a great 
longing  to  he  resolved  about  this  question,  but 
could  not  tell  how  I should  : at  hist  I asked  my 
father  of  it,  who  told  me,  no,  we  were  not. 
Wherefore,  then  I fell  in  my  spirit,  as  to  the 
hopes  of  that,  and  so  remained. 

But  all  this  while,  I was  not  sensible  of  the 
danger  and  evil  of  sin  : I was  kept  from  con- 
sidering that  sin  would  damn  me,  what  religion 
soever  I followed,  unless  I was  found  in  Christ: 
nay,  I never  thought  of  him,  nor  whether  there 
was  such  an  one,  or  no.  “Thus  man  while 
blind  doth  wander,  but  wearetli  himself  with 
vanity,  for  he  knoweth  not  the  way  to  the  city 
of  God.” 

But  one  day,  amongst  all  the  sermons  our 
parson  made,  his  subject  was  to  treat  of  the 
sabbath-day,  and  of  the  evil  of  breaking  that, 
either  with  labour,  sports,  or  otherwise : (now 
I was,  notwithstanding  my  religion,  one  that 
took  much  delight  in  all  manner  of  vice,  and 
especially  that  was  the  day  that  I did  solace 
myself  therewith :)  wherefore  I fell  in  my  con- 
science under  this  sermon,  thinking  and  be- 
lieving that  he  made  that  sermon  on  purpose 
to  show  me  my  evil-doing.  And  at  that  time 
I felt  what  guilt  was,  though  never  before,  that 
I can  remember ; but  then  I was,  for  the  pres- 
ent, greatly  loaded  therewith,  and  so  went 
home  when  the  sermon  was  ended,  with  a great 
burthen  upon  my  spirit. 

This,  for  an  instant,  did  benumb  the  sinews 
of  my  best  delights,  and  did  embitter  my  for- 
mer pleasures  to  me ; but  hold,  it  lasted  not ; 
for  before  I had  dined,  the  trouble  began  to  go 
off  my  mind,  and  my  heart  returned  to  its  old 
course.  But  oh ! how  glad  was  I,  that  this 
trouble  was  gone  from  me,  and  that  the  fire 
was  put  out,  that  I might  sin  again,  without 
control ! Wherefore,  when  I had  satisfied 
nature  with  my  food,  I shook  the  sermon 
out  of  my  mind,  and  to  my  old  custom  of 
sports  and  gaming  I returned  with  great 
delight. 

But  the  same  day,  as  I was  in  the  midst  of  a 
game  of  Cat,  and  having  struck  it  one  blow 
from  the  hole,  just  as  I was  about  to  strike  it 
the  second  time,  a voice  did  suddenly  dart  from 
heaven  into  my  soul,  which  said,  “ Wilt  thou 
leave  thy  sins  and  go  to  heaven,  or  have  thy 
sins  and  go  to  hell?”  At  this  I was  put  to  an 


exceeding  amaze;  wherefore,  leaving  my  cat 
upon  the  ground,  I looked  up  to  heaven,  and 
was,  as  if  I had,  with  the  eyes  of  my  under- 
standing, seen  the  Lord  Jesus  looking  down 
upon  me,  as  being  very  hotly  displeased  with 
me,  and  as  if  he  did  severely  threaten  me  with 
some  grievous  punishment  for  these  and  other 
ungodly  practices. 

I had  no  sooner  thus  conceived  in  my  mind, 
but  suddenly  this  conclusion  was  fastened  on 
my  spirit,  (for  the  former  hint  did  set  my  sins 
again  before  my  face,)  that  I had  been  a great 
and  grievous  sinner,  and  that  it  was  now  too 
late  for  me  to  look  after  heaven ; for  Christ 
would  not  forgive  me,  nor  pardon  my  trans- 
gressions. Then  I fell  to  musing  on  this  also; 
and  while  I was  thinking  of  it,  and  fearing 
lest  it  should  be  so,  I felt  my  heart  sink  in 
despair,  concluding  it  was  too  late;  and  there- 
fore I resolved  in  my  mind  to  go  on  in  sin: 
For,  thought  I,  if  the  case  be  thus,  my  state  is 
surely  miserable ; miserable  if  I leave  my  sins, 
and  but  miserable  if  I follow  them  ; I can  but 
be  damned,  and  if  I must  be  so,  I had  as  good 
be  damned  for  many  sins,  as  be  damned  for  a 
few. 

Thus  I stood  in  the  midst  of  my  play,  before 
all  that  then  were  present ; but  yet  I told  them 
nothing;  but  I say,  having  made  this  conclu- 
sion, I returned  desperately  to  my  sport  again ; 
and  I well  remember,  that  presently  this  kind 
of  despair  did  so  possess  my  soul  that  I was 
persuaded  I could  never  attain  to  other  com- 
fort than  what  I should  get  in  sin ; for  heaven 
was  gone  already,  so  that  on  that  I must  not 
think.  Wherefore  I found  within  me  great 
desire  to  have  my  fill  of  sin,  still  studying 
what  sin  was  yet  to  be  committed,  that  I might 
taste  the  sweetness  of  it ; and  I made  as  much 
haste  as  I could  to  fill  my  belly  with  its  deli- 
cacies, lest  I should  die  before  I had  my  de- 
sires; for  that  I feared  greatly.  In  these 
things,  I protest  before  God  I lie  not.  neither 
do  I frame  this  sort  of  speech;  these  were 
really,  strongly,  and  w ith  all  my  heart  my  de- 
sires. The  good  Lord,  whose  mercy  is  un- 
searchable, forgive  my  transgressions! 

And  I am  very  confident  that  this  termina- 
tion of  the  devil  is  more  usual  among  poor 
creatures,  than  many  are  aware  of,  even  to 
overrun  the  spirits  with  a scurvy  and  seared 
frame  of  heart,  and  benumbing  of  conscience ; 
which  frame  he  stilly  and  slyly  supplieth  with 
such  despair,  that  though  not  much  guilt  at- 
tendeth  souls,  yet  they  continually  have  a 
j secret  conclusion  within  them,  that  there  is  no 


32 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


hopes  for  them ; for  they  have  loved  sins, 
therefore  after  them  they  will  go. 

Now  therefore  I went  on  in  sin  with  great 
greediness  of  mind,  still  grudging  that  I could 
not  be  satisfied  with  it  as  I would.  This  did 
continue  with  me  about  a month,  or  more; 
but  one  day,  as  I was  standing  at  a neighbour’s 
shop-window,  and  there  cursing  and  swearing, 
and  playing  the  madman,  after  my  wonted 
manner,  there  sat  within  the  woman  of  the 
house,  and  heard  me;  who  though  she  was  a 
very  loose  and  ungodly  wretch,  yet  protested 
that  I swore  and  cursed  at  the  most  ungodly 
rate,  that  she  was  made  to  tremble  to  hear  me ; 
and  told  me  further,  that  I was  the  ungodliest 
fellow  for  swearing,  that  she  ever  heard  in  all 
her  life ; and  that  I,  by  thus  doing,  was  able 
to  spoil  all  the  youth  in  the  whole  town,  if 
they  came  but  in  my  company. 

At  this  reproof  I was  silenced,  and  put  to 
secret  shame;  and  that  too,  as  I thought,  be- 
fore the  God  of  heaven ; wherefore,  while  I 
stood  there,  and  hanging  down  my  head,  I 
wished  with  all  my  heart  that  I might  be  a lit- 
tle child  again,  that  my  father  might  teach  me 
to  speak  without  this  wicked  way  of  swearing ; 
for,  thought  I,  I am  so  accustomed  to  it,  that 
it  is  in  vain  for  me  to  think  of  a reformation, 
for  I thought  that  could  never  be. 

But  how  it  came  to  pass  I know  not ; I did 
from  this  time  forward,  so  leave  my  swearing, 
that  it  was  a great  wonder  to  myself  to  observe 
it ; and  whereas,  before  I knew  not  how  to 
speak  unless  I put  an  oath  before  and  another 
behind,  to  make  my  words  have  authority ; now 
I could,  without  it,  speak  better,  and  with  more 
pleasantness  than  ever  I could  before.  All  this 
while  I knew  not  Jesus  Christ,  neither  did  I 
leave  my  sports  and  plays. 

But  quickly  after  this,  I fell  into  company 
with  one  poor  man  that  made  profession  of  re- 
ligion ; who,  as  I then  thought,  did  talk  pleas- 
antly of  the  Scriptures,  and  of  the  matter  of 
religion ; wherefore,  falling  into  some  love  and 
liking  to  what  he  said,  I betook  me  to  my  Bible, 
and  began  to  take  great  pleasure  in  reading, 
but  especially  with  the  historical  part  thereof ; 
for  as  for  St.  Paul’s  Epistles,  and  suchlike 
Scriptures,  I could  not  away  with-  them,  being 
as  yet  ignorant,  either  of  the  corruptions  of  my 
nature  or  of  the  want  and  worth  of  Jesus  Christ 
to  save  us. 

Wherefore  I fell  to  some  outward  reformation 
both  in  my  words  and  life,  and  did  set  the  com- 
mandments before  me  for  my  way  to  heaven ; 
which  commandments  I also  did  strive  to  keep, 


and  as  I thought,  did  keep  them  pretty  well 
sometimes,  and  then  I should  have  comfort ; 
yet  now  and  then  should  break  one,  and  so 
afflict  my  conscience ; but  then  I should  re- 
pent, and  say,  I was  sorry  for  it,  and  promised 
God  to  do  better  next  time,  and  there  get  help 
again ; for  then  I thought  I pleased  God  as  well 
as  any  man  in  England. 

Thus  I continued  about  a year;  all  which 
time  our  neighbours  did  take  me  to  be  a very 
godly  man,  a new  and  religious  man,  and  did 
marvel  much  to  see  such  a great  and  famous 
alteration  in  my  life  and  manners ; and  indeed 
so  it  was,  though  I knew  not  Christ,  nor  grace, 
nor  faith,  nor  hope ; for,  as  I have  well  since 
seen,  had  I then  died,  my  state  had  then  been 
most  fearful. 

But,  I say,  my  neighbours  were  amazed  at 
this  my  great  conversion,  from  prodigious  pro- 
faneness to  something  like  a moral  life';  and 
truly,  so  they  Avell  might ; for  this  my  conver- 
sion was  as  great,  as  for  Tom  of  Bedlam  to  be- 
come a sober  man.  Now  therefore  they  began 
to  praise,  to  commend,  and  to  speak  well  of  me, 
both  to  my  face,  and  behind  my  back.  Now  J 
was,  as  they  said,  become  godly ; now  I was 
become  a right  honest  man.  But  oh  ! when  I 
understood  those  were  their  words  and  opinions 
of  me,  it  pleased  me  mighty  well.  For  though 
as  yet  I was  nothing  but  a poor  painted  hypo- 
crite, yet  I loved  to  be  talked  of  as  one  that 
was  truly  godly.  I was  proud  of  my  godliness, 
and  indeed  I did  all  I did,  either  to  be  seen  of, 
or  to  be  well  spoken  of  by  men ; and  thus  1 
continued  for  about  a twelvemonth,  or  more. 

Now  you  must  know,  that  before  this  I had 
taken  much  delight  in  ringing  the  bell,  but  my 
conscience  beginning  to  be  tender,  I thought 
such  a practice  was  but  vain,  and  therefore 
forced  myself  to  leave  it ; yet  my  mind  hank- 
ered ; wherefore,  I would  now  go  to  the  steeple- 
house  and  look  on,  though  I durst  not  ring ; 
but  I thought  this  did  not  become  religion 
neither ; yet  I forced  myself,  and  would  look 
on  still;  but  quickly  after,  I began  to  think, 
how  if  one  of  the  bells  should  fall?  Then  I 
chose  to  stand  under  a main  beam,  that  lay 
overtliwart  the  steeple,  from  side  to  side,  think- 
ing here  I might  stand  sure ; but  then  I thought 
again,  should  the  bell  fall  with  a swing,  it  might 
first  hit  the  wall,  and  then  rebounding  upon 
me,  might  kill  me  for  all  this  beam.  This  made 
me  stand  in  the  steeple  door ; and  now  thought 
I,  I am  safe  enough ; for  if  the  bell  should 
then  fall,  I can  slip  out  between  these  thick 
walls,  and  so  be  preserved  notwithstanding. 


GRACE  ABOUNDING  TO 

So  nftcr  this  I would  yet  go  to  see  them  ring, 
but  would  not  go  further  than  the  steeple  door ; 
but  then  it  came  into  my  bend,  how  if  tho  stee- 
ple itself  should  fall?  And  this  thought  (it 
may  for  aught  I know  when  I stood  and  looked 
on)  did  continually  so  shake  my  mind,  that  I 
durst  not  stand  at  the  steeple  door  any  longer, 
but  was  forced  to  lice,  for  fear  the  steeple  should 
fall  upon  my  head. 

Another  thing  was  my  dancing.  T was  full 
a year  before  I could  quite  leave  that;  but  all 
this  while,  when  I thought  I kept  this  or  that 
commandment,  or  did,  by  word  or  deed  any 
thing  that  I thought  was  good,  I had  great 
peace  in  my  conscience ; and  should  think  with 
myself,  God  cannot  but  be  now  pleased  with 
me ; yea,  to  relate  it  in  mine  own  way,  I thought 
no  man  in  England  could  please  God  better 
than  I. 

But  poor  wretch  as  I was,  I was  all  this  while 
ignorant  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  going  about  to 
establish  my  own  righteousness;  and  had  per- 
ished therein,  had  not  God  in  mercy  showed 
me  more  of  my  state  by  nature. 

But  upon  a day,  the  good  providence  of  God 
called  me  to  Bedford,  to  work  on  my  calling, 
and  in  one  of  the  streets  of  that  town,  I came 
where  there  were  three  or  four  poor  women  sit- 
ting at  a door,  in  the  sun,  talking  about  the 
things  of  God;  and  being  now  willing  to  hear 
their  discourse,  I drew  near  to  hear  what  they 
said,  for  I was  now  a. brisk  talker  of  myself,  in 
the  matter  of  religion ; but  I may  say,  “ I heard, 
but  understood  not ; ” for  they  were  for  above, 
out  of  my  reach.  Their  talk  was  about  a new 
birth,  the  work  of  God  in  their  hearts,  as  also 
how  they  were  convinced  of  their  miserable 
state  by  nature.  They  talked  how  God  had 
visited  their  souls  with  his  love  in  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  with  what  words  and  promises  they 
had  been  refreshed,  comforted  and  supported 
against  the  temptations  of  the  devil ; moreover 
t hey  reasoned  of  the  suggestions  and  tempta- 
tions of  Satan  in  particular;  and  told  to  each 
other  bv  what  means  they  had  been  afflicted, 
and  how  they  were  borne  up  under  his  assaults. 
They  also  discoursed  of  their  own  wretchedness 
of  heart  and  of  their  unbelief;  and  did  con- 
temn, slight  and  abhor  their  own  righteousness, 
as  filthy,  and  insufficient  to  do  them  any  good. 

And  methought  they  spake  as  if  joy  did 
make  them  speak;  they  spake  with  such 
pleasantness  of  Scripture  language,  and  with 
such  appearance  of  grace  in  all  they  said, 
that  they  were  to  me,  as  if  they  had  found  a 
new  world;  as  if  they  were  “people  that 
S 


THE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS.  33 

dwelt  alone,  and  were  not  to  be  reckoned 
among  their  neighbours.” 

At  this  I felt  my  own  heart  began  to  shake, 
and  mistrust  my  condition  to  be  naught;  for  I 
saw  that  in  all  my  thoughts  about  religion  and 
salvation,  the  new  birth  did  never  enter  into 
my  mind;  neither  knew  I the  comfort  of  the 
word  and  promise,  nor  the  deceitfulness  and 
treachery  of  my  own  wicked  heart.  As  for 
secret  thoughts,  I took  no  notice  of  them; 
neither  did  I understand  what  Satan’s  temp- 
tations were,  nor  how  they  were  to  be  with- 
stood and  resisted,  &c. 

Thus,  therefore,  when  T had  heard  and  con- 
sidered what  they  said  I left  them,  and  went 
about  my  employment  again,  but  their  talk 
and  discourse  went  with  me;  also  my  heart 
would  tarry  with  them,  for  I was  greatly  af- 
fected with  their  words,  both  because  by  them 
1 was  convinced  that  I wanted  the  true  tokens 
of  a truly  godly  man,  and  also  because  by 
them.  I was  convinced  of  the  happy  and 
blessed  condition  of  him  that  was  such  an 
one. 

Therefore  T would  often  make  it  my  busi- 
ness to  be  going  again  and  again  into  the 
company  of  these  poor  people;  for  I could  not 
stay  away ; and  the  more  I went  among  them 
the  more  I did  question  my  condition:  and  as 
I still  do  remember,  presently  I found  two 
things  within  me,  at  which  I did  sometimes 
marvel,  (especially  considering  what  a blind, 
ignorant,  sordid,  and  ungodly  wretch  but  just 
before  I was.)  The  one  was  a very  great  soft- 
ness and  tenderness  of  heart,  which  caused  me 
to  fall  under  the  conviction  of  what  by  Scrip- 
ture they  asserted ; and  the  other,  was  a great 
bending  in  my  mind,  to  a continually  meditat- 
ing on  it,  and  on  all  other  good  things  which 
at  any  time  I heard  or  read  of. 

By  these  things  my  mind  was  now  so  turned 
that  it  lay  like  an  horse-leecli  at  the  vein,  still 
crying  out,  Give,  give,  which  was  so  fixed  on 
eternity,  and  on  the  things  about  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  (that  is,  so  far  as  I knew,  though 
as  yet,  God  knows  I knew  but  little)  that 
neither  pleasures,  nor  profits,  nor  persuasions, 
nor  threats  could  loose  it,  or  make  it  let  go  its 
hold,  and  though  I may  speak  it  with  shame, 
yet  it  is  in  very  deed,  a certain  truth,  it  would 
then  have  been  as  difficult  for  me  to  have 
taken  my  mind  from  heaven  to  earth,  as  I 
have  found  it  often  since,  to  get  it  again  from 
earth  to  heaven. 

One  thing  I may  not  omit:  there  was  a 
young  man  in  our  town,  to  whom  my  heart 


34 


S UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


before  was  knit  more  than  to  any  other,  but 
he  being  a most  wicked  creature  for  cursing, 
and  swearing,  and  whoring,  I now  shook  him 
off,  and  forsook  his  company;  but  about  a 
quarter  of  a year  after  I had  left  him,  I met 
him  in  a certain  lane,  and  asked  him  how  he 
did ; he,  after  his  old  swearing  and  mad  way, 
answered,  he  was  well.  But,  Harry,  said  I, 
“Why  do  you  curse  and  swear  thus?  'What 
will  become  of  you  if  you  die  in  this  condi- 
tion?” He  answered  me  in  a great  chafe, 
“ What  would  the  devil  do  for  company,  if  it 
were  not  for  such  as  I am?” 

About  this  time  I met  with  some  Banters’ 
books,  that  were  put  forth  by  some  of  our 
countrymen,  which  books  were  also  highly 
in  esteem  by  several  old  professors;  some  of 
these  I read,  but  was  not  able  to  make  a judg- 
ment about  them;  wherefore  as  I read  in 
them,  and  thought  upon  them,  seeing  myself 
unable  to  judge,  I would  betake  myself  to 
hearty  prayer  in  this  manner:  “0  Lord,  I am 
a fool,  and  not  able  to  know  the  truth  from 
error:  Lord,  leave  me  not  to  my  own  blind- 
ness, either  to  approve  of;  or  condemn  this  doc- 
trine; if  it  be  of  God,  let  me  not  despise  it;  if 
it  be  of  the  devil,  let  me  not  embrace  it.  Lord, 
I lay  my  soul  in  this  matter  only  at  thy  foot,  let 
me  not  be  deceived,  I humbly  beseech  thee.” 
I had  one  religious  intimate  companion  all  this 
while,  and  that  was  the  poor  man  I spoke  of 
before ; but  about  this  time,  he  also  turned  a 
devilish  Banter,  and  gave  himself  up  to  all 
manner  of  filthiness,  especially  uncleanness. 
He  would  also  deny  that  there  was  a God, 
angel,  or  spirit ; and  would  laugh  at  all  exhort- 
ations to  sobriety;  when  I laboured  to  re- 
buke his  wickedness,  he  would  laugh  the 
more,  and  pretend  that  he  had  gone  through 
all  religions,  and  could  never  hit  upon  the 
right  till  now.  He  told  me  also,  that  in  a 
little  time  I should  see  all  professors  turn  to 
the  ways  of  the  Banters.  Wherefore  abomi- 
nating these  enrsed  principles,  I left  his  com- 
pany forthwith,  and  became  to  him  as  great  a 
stranger,  as  I had  been  before  a familiar. 

Neither  was  this  man  only  a temptation  to 
me,  but  my  calling  being  in  the  country,  I 
happened  to  come  into  several  people’s  com- 
pany who,  though  strict  in  religion  formerly, 
yet  were  also  drawn  away  by . the  Banters. 
These  would  also  talk  with  me  of  their  ways, 
and  condemn  me  as  legal  and  dark;  pretend- 
ing that  they  only  had  attained  to  perfection, 
that  could  do  what  they  ■would  and  not  sin. 
Oh ! these  temptations  were  suitable  to  my 


flesh,  I being  but  a young  man,  and  my  nature 
in  its  prime:  but  God,  who  had,  as  I hoped, 
designed  me  for  better  things,  kept,  me  in  the 
fear  of  his  name,  and  did  not  suffer  me  to  ac- 
cept such  cursed  principles.  And  blessed  be 
God,  who  put  it  into  my  heart  to  cry  to  him 
to  be  kept  and  directed,  still  distrusting  mine 
own  wisdom ; for  I have  since  seen  even  the 
effects  of  that  prayer,  in  his  preserving  me, 
not  only  from  Banting  errors,  but  from  those 
also  that  have  sprung  up  since.  The  Bible 
wras  precious  to  me  in  those  days. 

And  now  methought,  I began  to  look  into 
the  Bible  with  new  eyes,  and  read  as  I never 
did  before,  and  especially  the  epistles  of  the 
apostle  St.  Paul  were  sweet  and  pleasant  to 
me,  and  indeed  then  I was  never  out  of  the 
Bible,  either  by  reading  or  meditation ; still 
crying  out  to  God  that  I might  know  the 
truth,  and  way  to  heaven  and  glory. 

And  as  I went  on  and  read,  I hit  upon  that 
passage,  “To  one  is  given  by  the  spirit  the 
word  of  wisdom,  to  another  the  word  of 
knowledge  by  the  same  spirit,  and  to  another 
faith,”  &c.  And  though,  as  I have  since  seen, 
that  by  this  Scripture  the  Holy  Ghost  intends, 
in  special  things  extraordinary,  yet  on  me  it 
did  then  fasten  with  conviction,  that  I did 
want  things  ordinary,  even  that  understanding 
and  wisdom  that  other  Christians  had.  On 
this  word  I mused  and  coirld  not  tell  what  to 
do,  especially  this  word  faith  put  me  to  it,  for 
I could  not  help  it,  but  sometimes  must  ques- 
tion, whether  I had  any  faith,  or  no:  but  I 
was  loth  to  conclude,  I had  no  faith ; for  if  I 
do  so,  thought  I,  then  I shall  count  myself  a 
very  castaway  indeed. 

No,  said  I,  with  myself,  though  I am  con- 
vinced that  I am  an  ignorant  sot,  and  that  I 
want  those  blessed  gifts  of  knowledge  and 
understanding  that  other  people  have ; yet  at 
a venture  I will  conclude,  I am  not  altogether 
faithless,  though  I know  not  what  faith  is ; for 
it  was  shown  me,  and  that  too  (as  I have  seen 
since)  by  Satan,  that  those  who  conclude  them- 
selves in  a faithless  state, have  neither  rest  nor 
quiet  in  their  souls;  and  I was  loth  to  fall 
quite  into  despair. 

Wherefore  by  this  suggestion.  I was  for  a 
while,  made  afraid  to  see  my  want  of  faith ; 
but  God  would  not  suffer  me  thus  to  undo  and 
destroy  my  soul,  but  did  continually  against 
this  my  sad  and  blind  conclusion,  create  still 
within  me  such  suppositions,  insomuch  that  I 
could  not  rest  content,  until  I did  now  come 
to  some  certain  knowledge  whether  I had  faith 


({RACK  ABOUNDING 1 TO  TUN  Cl  (IDF  OF  SINNERS. 


or  no,  this  always  running  in  my  mind,  “ Hut 
how  if  you  want  faith  indeed?  Hut  how  can 
you  tell  you  have  faith?”  And  besides,  1 saw 
for  certain,  if  I had  not,  I was  sure  to  perish 
for  ever. 

So  that  though  I endeavoured  at  the  first  to 
look  over  the  business  of  faith,  yet  in  a little 
time,  I better  considering  the  matter,  was  will- 
ing to  put  myself  upon  the  trial  whether  I 
had  faith  or  no.  But  alas,  poor  wretch,  so 
ignorant  and  brutish  was  I,  that  I knew  not 
to  this  day  any  more  how  to  do  it,  than  I 
know  how  to  begin  and  accomplish  that  rare 
and  curious  piece  of  art,  which  I never  yet 
saw  or  considered. 

Wherefore  while  I was  thus  considering, 
and  being  put  to  a plunge  about  it,  (for  you 
must  know,  that  as  yet  I had  not  in  this  mat- 
ter broken  my  mind  to  any  one,  only  did  hear 
and  consider,)  the  tempter  came  in  with  this 
delusion,  “that  there  was  no  way  for  me  to 
know  I had  faith,  but  by  trying  to  work  some 
miracles;  urging  those  Scriptures  that  seem  to 
look  that  way,  for  the  enforcing  and  strength- 
ening his  temptation.  Nay,  one  day,  as  I was 
between  Elstow  and  Bedford,  the  temptation 
was  hot  upon  me,  to  try  if  I had  faith,  by- 
doing  some  miracle;  which  miracle  at  this 
time  was  this,  I must  say  to  the  puddles  that 
were  in  the  horsepads,  be  dry ; and  to  the  dry- 
places,  be  you  puddles : and  truly  one  time  I 
was  going  to  say  so  indeed;  but  just  as  I was 
about  to  speak,  this  thought  came  into  my 
mind ; “ but  go  under  yonder  hedge  and  pray 
first,  that  God  will  make  you  able.”  But 
when  I had  concluded  to  pray,  this  came  hot 
upon  me;  that  if  I prayed,  and  came  again, 
and  tried  to  do  it,  and  yet  did  nothing  not- 
withstanding, then  to  be  sure  I had  no  faith, 
but  was  a castaway,  and  lost,  nay  thought  I,  if 
it  be  so,  I will  not  try  yet,  but  will  stay  a little 
longer. 

So  I continued  at  a great  loss ; for  I thought, 
if  they  only  had  faith,  which  could  do  so  won- 
derful things,  then  I concluded,  tliajt  for  the 
present  I neither  had  it,  nor  yet  for  the  time 
to  come,  were  ever  like  to  have  it.  Thus  I 
was  tossed  betwixt  the  devil  and  mine  own 
ignorance,  and  so  perplexed,  especially  at  some 
times,  that  I could  not  tell  what  to  do. 

About  this  time,  the  state  and  happiness  of 
those  poor  people  at  Bedford  was  thus,  in  a 
kind  of  a vision,  presented  to  me.  I saw  as 
if  they  were  on  the  sunny  side  of  some  high 
mountain,  there  refreshing  themselves  with 
the  pleasant  beams  of  the  sun,  while  I was 


35 

shivering  and  shrinking  in  the  cold,  afflicted 
with  frost,  snow,  and  dark  clouds:  methought 
also,  betwixt  me  and  them,  I saw  a wall  that 
did  compass  about  this  mountain,  now  through 
this  wall,  my  soul  did  greatly  desire  to  pass; 
concluding,  that  if  I could,  I would  even  go 
into  the  very  midst  of  them,  and  there  also 
comfort  myself  with  the  heat  of  their  sun. 

About  this  wall  I bethought  myself,  to  go 
again  and  again,  still  praying  as  I went,  to  see 
if  I could  find  some  way  or  passage,  by  which 
I might  enter  therein  ; but  none  could  I find 
for  some  time;  at  the  last,  I saw,  as  it  were,  a 
narrow  gap,  like  a little  door-way  in  the  wall, 
through  which  I attempted  to  pass:  now  the 
passage  being  very  straight  and  narrow-,  1 
made  many  offers  to  get  in,  but  all  in  vain, 
even  until  I was  well  nigh  quite  beat  out,  by 
striving  to  get  in  ; at  last,  with  great  striving, 
methought  I at  first  did  get  in  my  head, 
and  after  that,  by  a sideling  striving,  my 
shoulders,  and  my  whole  body : then  I was 
exceeding  glad,  went  and  sat  down  in  the 
midst  of  them,  and  so  was  comforted  with  the 
light  and  heat  of  their  sun. 

Now-  this  mountain,  and  wall,  See.,  was  thus 
made  out  to  me:  the  mountain  signified  the 
church  of  the  living  God;  the  sun  that  shone 
thereon,  the  comfortable  shining  of  his  merci- 
ful face  on  them  that  were  therein  ; the  wall  l 
thought  was  the  world,  that  did  make  separa- 
tion between  the  Christians  and  the  world; 
and  the  gap  which  was  in  the  wall,  T thought, 
was  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  way  to  God  the 
Father.  (John  xiv.  6.  Matt.  vii.  14.)  But  for- 
asmuch as  the  passage  was  wonderfully  nar- 
row, even  so  narrow-,  that  I could  not,  but  with 
great  difficulty  enter  in  thereat,  it  showed  me, 
that  none  could  enter  into  life,  but  those  that 
were  in  dow-nright  earnest,  and  unless  also 
they  left  that  wicked  world  behind  them  : for 
here  was  only  room  for  body  and  soul,  but  not 
for  body  and  soul,  and  sin. 

This  resemblance  abode  upon  my  spirit 
many  days:  all  which  time  I saw  myself  in  a 
forlorn  and  sad  condition,  but  yet  was  pro- 
voked to  a vehement  hunger  and  desire  to  be 
one  of  that  number  that  did  sit  in  the  sun- 
shine : now  also  would  I pray  wherever  I was ; 
whether  at  home  or  abroad ; in  house  or  field  ; 
and  would  also  often,  with  lifting  up  of  heart 
sing  that  of  the  fifty-first  Psalm,  “ 0 Lord,  con- 
sider my  distress,”  for  as  yet  I knew  not  w here 
I was. 

Neither  as  yet  could  I attain  to  any  comfort- 
able persuasion  that  I had  faith  in  Christ ; but 


36 


JBUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


instead  of  having  satisfaction  here  I began  to 
find  my  soul  to  be  assaulted  with  fresh  doubts 
about  my  future  hapjuness;  especially  with 
such  as  these,  “ whether  I was  elected;  but  how 
if  the  day  of  grace  should  be  past  and  gone?” 
By  these  two  temptations  I was  very  much 
afflicted  and  disquieted;  sometimes  by  one  and 
so  netimes  by  the  other  of  them.  And  first, 
to  speak  of  that  about  my  questioning  my 
election,  I found  at  this  time,  that  though  I 
was  in  a flame  to  find  the  way  to  heaven  and 
glory,  and  thought  nothing  could  beat  me  off 
from  this,  yet  this  question  did  so  offend  and 
discourage  me,  that  I was,  especially  some- 
times, as  if  the  very  strength  of  my  body  also 
had  been  taken  away  by  the  force  and  power 
thereof.  This  Scripture  did  also  seem  to  me 
to  trample  upon  all  my  desires : “ it  is  neither 
in  him  that  willetli,  nor  in  him  that  runneth; 
but  in  God  that  showeth  mercy.” 

With  this  Scripture  I could  not  tell  what  to 
do ; for  I evidently  saw,  unless  that  the  great 
God,  of  his  infinite  grace  and  bounty,  had  vol- 
untarily chosen  me  to  be  a vessel  of  mercy, 
though  I should  desire,  and  long,  and  labour 
until  my  heart  did  break,  no  good  could  come 
of  it.  Therefore  this  would  stick  with  me, 
“IIow  can  you  tell  that  you  are  elected?  And 
what  if  you  should  not?  ITow  then?” 

0 Lord,  thought  I,  what  if  I should  not 
indeed?  It  may  be  you  are  not,  said  the 
tempter ; it  may  be  so  indeed,  thought  I.  Why 
then,  said  Satan,  you  had  as  good  leave  off,  and 
strive  no  farther ; for  if  indeed,  you  should  not 
be  elected  and  chosen  of  God,  there  is  no  hope 
of  your  being  saved : “ For  it  is  neither  in  him 
that  willetli,  nor  in  him  that  runneth ; but  in 
God  that  showeth  mercy.” 

By  these  things  I was  driven  to  my  wits-end, 
not  knowing  what  to  say  or  how  to  answer 
these  temptations : indeed,  I little  thought  that 
Satan  had  thus  assaulted  me,  but  that  rather  it 
was  my  own  prudence  thus  to  start  the  ques- 
tion ; for  that  the  elect  only  obtained  eternal 
life;  that  I without  scruple  did  heartily  close 
withal ; but  that  myself  was  one  of  them,  there 
lay  the  question. 

Thus  therefore,  for  several  days,  I was  greatly 
assaulted  and  perplexed,  and  was  often,  when 
I have  been  walking,  ready  to  sink  where  I 
went,  with  faintness  in  my  mind ; but  one  day, 
after  I had  been  so  many  weeks  oppressed  and 
cast  down  therewith,  as  I was  now  quite  giving- 
up  the  ghost  of  all  my  hopes  of  ever  attaining 
life,  that  sentence  fell  with  weight  upon  my 
spirit:  “Look  at  the  generations  of  old,  and 


see ; did  ever  any  trust  in  God,  and  were  con- 
founded?” 

At  which  I was  greatly  enlightened,  and  en- 
couraged in  my  soul ; for  thus,  at  that  very  in- 
stant, it  was  expounded  to  me:  “begin  at  the 
beginning  of  Genesis,  and  read  to  the  end  of 
the  Revelations,  and  see  if  you  can  find,  that 
there  was  ever  any  that  trusted  in  the  Lord 
and  was  confounded.”  So  coming  home,  I 
presently  went  to  my  Bible,  to  see  if  I could 
find  that  saying,  not  doubting  but  to  find  it 
presently,  for  it  was,  so  fresh,  and  with  such 
strength  and  comfort  on  my  spirit,  that  it  was 
as  if  it  talked  with  me. 

Well,  I looked,  but  I found  it  not;  only  it 
abode  upon  me : then  did  I ask  first  this  good 
man,  and  then  another,  if  they  knew  where  it 
was,  but  they  knew  no  such  place.  At  this  I 
wondered,  that  such  a sentence  should  so  sud- 
denly, and  with  such  comfort  and  strength, 
seize  and  abide  upon  my  heart ; and  yet  that 
none  could  find  it;  for  I doubted  not  but  that 
it  was  in  the  holy  Scriptures. 

Thus  I continued  above  a year,  and  could 
not  find  the  place;  but  at  last,  casting  my  eye 
upon  the  Apocrypha  books,  I found  it  in  Ec- 
clesiasticus.  (Eccles.  ii.  16.)  This,  at  the  first, 
did  somewhat  daunt  me ; but  because  by  this 
time  I had  got  more  experience  of  the  love  and 
kindness  of  God,  it  troubled  me  the  less,  especi- 
ally when  I considered,  that  though  it  was  not 
in  those  texts  that  we  call  holy  and  canonical ; 
yet,  forasmuch  as  this  sentence  was  the  sum 
and  substance  of  many  of  the  promises,  it  was 
my  duty  to  take  the  comfort  of  it;  and  I bless 
God  for  that  word,  for  it  was  of  good  to  me ; — 
that  word  doth  still  oft  times  shine  before  my 
face. 

After  this,  that  other  doubt  did  come  with 
strength  upon  me : But  how  if  the  day  of  grace 
should  be  past  and  gone?  How  if  you  have 
overstood  the  time  of  mercy?  Now  I remem- 
ber that  one  day,  as  I was  walking  in  the 
country,  I was  much  in  the  thoughts  of  this, 
But  how.  if  the  day  of  grace  is  past  ? And  to 
aggravate  my  trouble  the  tempter  presented  to 
my  mind  those  good  people  of  Bedford,  and 
suggested  thus  unto  me,  that  these  being  con- 
verted already,  they  were  all  that  God  would 
save  in  those  parts;  and  that  I came  too  late; 
for  these  had  got  the  blessing  before  I came. 

Now  was  I in  great  distress,  thinking  in  very 
deed  that  th  is  might  well  be  so ; wherefore  I 
went  up  and  down  bemoaning  my  sad  con- 
dition ; counting  myself  far  worse  than  a thou- 
sand fools  for  standing  off  thus  long,  and 


a RACK  A IWUX  1)1X0  TO  TUI i CHIEF  OF  SIXXERS. 


37 


spending  so  many  years  in  sin  ns  I had  done; 
still  crying  out,  Oh  ! that  I had  turned  sooner ! 
Oh!  that  I had  turned  seven  years  ago!  It 
made  me  also  angry  with  myself,  to  think  that 
I should  have  no  more  wit,  hut  to  trifle  away 
my  time,  till  my  soul  and  heaven  were  lost. 

Hut  when  I had  been  long  vexed  with  this 
fear,  and  was  scarce  able  to  take  one  step  more, 
just  about  the  same  place  where  I received  my 
other  encouragement,  these  words  broke  in 
upon  my  mind,  “Compel  them  to  come  in, 
that  my  house  may  be  filled;  and  yet  there  is 
room.”  (Luke  xiv.  22,  211.)  These  words,  es- 
pecially those,  “ And  yet  there  is  room,”  were 
sweet  words  to  me ; for  truly  I thought  that  by 
them  I saw  there  was  place  enough  in  heaven 
for  me;  and  moreover,  that  when  the  Lord 
Jesus  did  speak  these  words,  he  then  did  think 
of  me,  and  that  he  knowing  that  the  time  would 
come,  that  I should  be  afflicted  with  fear  that 
there  was  no  place  left  for  me  in  his  bosom, 
did  before  speak  this  word,  and  leave  it  upon 
record,  that  I might  find  help  thereby  against 
this  vile  temptation.  This  I then  verily  be- 
lieved. 

In  the  light  and  encouragement  of  this  word 
I went  a pretty  while ; and  the  comfort  was 
the  more,  when  I thought  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
should  think  on  me. so  long  ago,  and  that  he 
should  speak  those  words  on  purpose  for  my 
sake ; for  I did  think  verily,  that  he  did  on 
purpose  speak  them  to  encourage  me  withal. 

But  I was  not  without  my  temptations  to  go 
back  again ; temptations  I say,  both  from  Sa- 
tan, mine  own  heart,  and  carnal  acquaintance; 
but  I thank  God  these  were  outweighed  by 
that  sound  sense  of  death,  and  of  the  day  of 
judgment,  which  abode,  as  it  were,  continually 
in  my  view:  I should  often  also  think  on 
Nebuchadnezzar;  of  whom  it  is  said,  “He  had 
given  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth.” 
Yet,  thought  I,  if  this  great  man  had  all  his 
portion  in  this  world,  one  hour  in  hell-fire 
would  make  him  forget  all.  Which  consider- 
ation was  a great  help  to  me. 

I was  almost  made,  about  this  time,  to  see 
something  concerning  the  beasts  that  Moses 
counted  clean  and  unclean : I thought  those 
betists  were  types  of  men ; the  clean,  types  of 
them  that  were  the  people  of  God ; but  the 
unclean,  types  of  such  sis  were  the  children  of 
the  wicked  one.  Now  I read,  that  the  clean 
beasts  “chewed  the  cud;”  that  is,  thought  I, 
they  show  us  we  must  feed  upon  the  word  of 
God : they  also  “ parted  the  hoof,1’  I thought 
that  signified,  we  must  part,  if  we  would  be 


saved,  with  the  ways  of  ungodly  men.  And 
also,  in  further  reading  about  them,  1 found, 
that  though  we  lid  chew  the  cud,  as  the  hare; 
yet  if  we  walked  with  claws,  like  a dog,  or  if 
we  did  part  the  hoof,  like  the  swine,  yet  if  we 
did  not  chew  the  cud,  as  the  sheep,  we  are 
still,  for  all  that,  hut  unclean : for  I thought 
the  hare  to  be  a type  of  those  that  talk  of  the 
word,  yet  walk  in  the  ways  of  sin  ; and  that 
the  swine  was  like  him  that  parted  with  his 
outward  pollution,  but  still  wanted  the  word 
of  faith,  without  which,  there  could  be  no  way 
of  salvation,  let  a man  be  ever  so  devout. 
After  this,  I found  by  reading  the  word,  that 
those  that  must  be  glorified  with  Christ  in  an- 
other world  “must  be  called  by  him  here;” 
called  to  the  partaking  of  a share  in  his  word 
and  righteousness,  and  to  the  comforts  and 
first  fruits  of  his  Spirit ; and  to  a peculiar  in- 
terest in  all  those  heavenly  things,  which  do 
indeed  prepare  the  soul  for  that  rest,  and 
house  of  glory,  which  is  in  heaven  above. 

Here,  again,  I was  at  a very  great  stand,  not 
knowing  what  to  do,  fearing  I was  not  called  ; 
for,  thought  I,  if  I be  not  called,  what  then 
can  do  me  good?  None  but  those  who  are  ef- 
fectually called,  inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
But  oh ! how  I loved  those  words  that  spake 
of  a “Christian’s  calling !”  As  when  the  Lord 
said  to  one,  “Follow  me;”  and  to  another, 
“Come  after  me:”  and  oh,  thought  I,  that  he 
would  say  so  to  me  too,  how  gladly  would  I 
run  after  him ! 

I cannot  now  express  with  what  longings 
and  breathings  in  my  soul,  I cried  to  Christ  to 
call  me.  Thus  I continued  for  a time,  all  on  a 
flame  to  be  converted  to  Jesus  Christ ; and  did 
also  see  at  that  day,  such  glory  in  a converted 
state,  that  I could  not  be  contented  without  a 
share  therein.  Gold ! could  it  have  been  got- 
ten for  gold,  what  would  I have  given  for  it! 
Had  I had  a whole  world,  it  had  all  gone  ten 
thousand  times  over  for  this,  that  my  soul 
might  have  been  in  a converted  state. 

How  lovely  now  was  even-  one  in  my  eyes, 
that  I thought  to  be  converted  men  and  wo- 
men ! They  shone,  they  walked  like  a people 
that  carried  the  broad  seal  of  heaven  about 
them.  Oh  ! 1 saw  the  lot  was  fallen  to  them 
in  pleasant  places,  and  they  had  a goodly 
heritage.  ( Psalm  xvi.)  But  that  which  made 
me  sick,  was  that  of  Christ,  in  St.  Mark,  “He 
went  up  into  a mountain,  and  called  to  him 
whom  he  would,  and  they  came  unto  him.” 
(Mark  iii.  13.) 

This  Scripture  made  me  faint  and  fear,  yet  it 


158 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


kindled  fire  in  my  soul.  That  which  made  me 
fear,  was  this ; lest  Christ  should  have  no  lik- 
ing to  me,  for  he  called  whom  he  would.  But 
oh  ! the  glory  that  I saw  in  that  condition,  did 
still  so  engage  my  heart,  that  I could  seldom 
read  of  any  that  Christ  did  call,  but  I presently 
wished,  “Would  I had  been  born  in  their 
clothes;  would  I had  been  born  Peter;  would 
I had  been  born  John  ; or,  would  I had  been  by 
and  had  heard  him  when  he  called  them,  how 
would  I have  cried,  0 Lord,  call  me  also! 
But,  oh  ! I feared  he  wTould  not  call  me.” 

And  truly,  the  Lord  let  me  go  thus  many 
months  together,  and  showed  me  nothing, 
either  that  I was  already,  or  should  be  called 
hereafter.  But  at  last,  after  much  time  spent, 
and  many  groans  to  God,  that  I might  be  a 
partaker  of  the  holy  and  heavenly  calling; 
that  word  came  in  upon  me : “ I will  cleanse 
their  blood,  that  I have  not  cleansed,  for  the 
Lord  dwelleth  in  Zion.”  (Joel  iii.  21.)  These 
words  I thought  were  sent  to  encourage  me  to 
wait  still  upon  God ; and  signified  unto  me, 
that  if  I were  not  already,  yet  time  might 
come,  I might  be  in  truth  converted  unto 
Christ. 

About  this  time  I began  to  break  my  mind 
to  those  poor  people  in  Bedford,  and  to  tell 
them  my  condition ; which  when  they  had 
heard,  they  told  Mr.  Gifford  of  me,  who  him- 
self took  all  occasion  to  talk  with  me;  and 
was  willing  to  be  well  persuaded  of  me,  though 
I think  from  little  grounds  : but  he  invited  me 
to  his  house,  where  I should  hear  him  converse 
with  others,  about  the  dealings  of  God  with 
their  souls;  from  all  which  I still  received 
more  conviction,  and  from  that  time  began  to 
see  something  of  the  vanity  and  inward  wick- 
edness of  my  heart ; for  as  yet  I knew  no  great 
matter  therein ; but  now  it  began  to  be  discov- 
ered unto  me,  and  also  to  work  at  that  rate  as 
it  never  did  before.  Now  I evidently  found, 
that  lusts  and  corruptions  put  forth  themselves 
within  me,  in  wicked  thoughts  and  desires, 
which  I did  not  regard  before;  my  desires  also 
for  heaven  and  life  began  to  fail ; I found  also 
that  whereas  before  my  soul  was  full  of  long- 
ing after  God,  it  now  began  to  hanker  after 
every  foolish  vanity ; yea,  my  heart  would  not 
be  moved  to  mind  that  which  was  good ; it 
began  to  be  careless,  both  of  my  soul  and  heav- 
en ; it  would  now  continually  hang  back,  both 
to,  and  in  every  duty ; and  was  as  a clog  on 
the  leg  of  a bird,  to  hinder  him  from  flying. 

Nay,  I thought,  now  I grow  worse  and 
worse  ; now  I am  farther  from  conversion  than 


ever  I was  before  ; wherefore  I began  to  sink 
greatly  in  my  soul,  and  began  to  entertain  such 
discouragement  in  my  heart,  as  laid  me  as  low 
as  hell.  If  now  I should  have  burned  at  the. 
stake,  I could  not  believe  that  Christ  had  a 
love  for  me : alas  I could  neither  hear  him,  nor 
see  him,  nor  feel  him,  nor  savour  any  of  his 
things.  I was  driven  as  with  a tempest,  my 
heart  would  be  unclean,  and  the  Canaanites 
would  dwell  in  the  land. 

Sometimes  I would  tell  my  condition  to  the 
people  of  God ; which,  when  they  heard,  they 
would  pity  me,  and  tell  me  of  the  promises ; 
but  they  had  as  good  have  told  me,  that  I must 
reach  the  sun  with  my  finger,  as  have  bidden 
me  receive  or  rely  upon  the  promises ; and  as 
soon  I should  have  done  it : All  my  sense  and 
feeling  was  against  me:  and  I saw  I had  a 
heart  that  would  sin,  and  that  lay  under  a law 
that  would  condemn. 

These  things  have  often  made  me  think  of 
the  child  which  the  father  brought  to  Christ, 
“ who  while  he  was  yet  coming  to  him,  was 
thrown  down  by  the  devil,  and  also  so  rent  and 
torn  by  him,  that  he  lay  and  wallowed  foam- 
ing.” 

Further,  in  these  days,  I should  find  my 
heart  to  shut  itself  up  against  the  Lord,  and 
against  his  holy  word ; I have  found  my  unbe- 
lief to  set,  as  it  were,  the  shoulder  to  the  door 
to  keep  him  out ; and  that  too  even  then,  when 
I have  with  many  a bitter  sigh,  cried,  “ Good 
Lord,  break  it  open : Lord,  break  these  gates 
of  brass,  and  cut  these  bars  of  iron  asunder.” 
(Psalm  cvii.  16.)  Yet  that  word  would  some- 
times create  in  my  heart  a peaceable  pause, 
“ I girded  thee,  though  thou  hast  not  known 
me.”  (Isaiah  xlv.  5.) 

But  all  this  while,  as  to  the  act  of  sinning,  I 
was  never  more  tender  than  now : I durst  not 
take  a pin  or  stick,  though  but  so  big  as  a 
straw;  for  my  conscience  now  was  sore  and 
would  smart  at  every  touch : I could  not  now 
tell  how  to  speak  my  words,  for  fear  I should 
misplace  them.  Oh,  how  cautiously  did  I then 
go  in  all  I did  or  said ! I found  myself  in  a 
miry  bog,  that  shook  if  I did  but  stir,  and  was, 
as  there  left  both  of  God  and  Christ,  and  the 
Spirit,  and  all  good  things.  • 

But  I observed,  though  I was  such  a great 
sinner  before  conversion,  yet  God  never  much 
charged  the  guilt  of  the  sins  of  my  ignorance 
upon  me ; only  he  showed  me,  I was  lost  if  I 
had  not  Christ,  because  I had  been  a sinner ; I 
saw  that  I wanted  a perfect  righteousness,  to 
present  me  without  fault  before  God,  and  this 


a HACK  ABO  UN  DING  TO  TUB  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


.°,0 


righteousness  was  nowhere  to  be  found,  but  in 
the  person  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Hut  my  original  and  inward  pollution;  that, 
that  was  my  plague  and  affliction,  that  I saw 
at  a dreadful  rate,  always  putting  forth  itself 
within  me  ; that  I had  the  guilt  of,  to  amaze- 
ment; by  reason  of  that,  1 was  more  loathsome 
in  mine  own  eyes  than  a toad,  and  I thought  I 
was  so  in  God’s  eyes  too ; sin  and  corruption,  I 
said,  would  as  naturally  bubble  out  of  my 
heart,  as  water  would  bubble  out  of  a fountain : 
I thought  now,  that  every  one  had  a better 
heart  than  I had;  I could  have  changed  hearts 
with  anybody;  I thought  none  but  the  devil 
himself  could  equalize  me  for  inward  wicked- 
ness and  pollution  of  mind.  I fell  therefore, 
at  the  sight  of  my  own  vileness  deeply  into 
despair,  for  I concluded  that  this  condition  I 
was  in,  could  not  stand  with  a state  of  grace. 
Sure,  thought  I,  I am  forsaken  of  God ; sure,  I 
am  given  up  to  the  devil,  and  to  a reprobate 
mind;  and  thus  I continued  a long  while, 
even  for  some  years  together. 

While  I was  thus  afflicted  with  the  fears  of 
my  own  damnation,  there  were  two  things 
would  make  me  wonder ; the  one  was,  when  I 
saw  old  people  hunting  after  the  things  of  this 
life,  as  if  they  should  live  here  always : the 
other  was,  when  I found  professors  much  dis- 
tressed and  cast  down,  when  they  met  with 
outward  losses ; as  of  husband,  wife,  child,  &c. 
Lord,  thought  I,  what  ado  is  here  about  such 
little  things  as  these!  What  seeking  after 
carnal  things  by  some,  and  what  grief  in  others 
for  the  loss  of  them ! If  they  so  much  labour 
after,  and  shed  so  many  tears  for  the  things  of 
this  present  life,  how  am  I to  be  bemoaned, 
pitied,  and  prayed  for ! My  soul  is  dying,  my 
soul  is  damning.  Were  my  soul  but  in  a good 
condition,  and  were  I but  sure  of  it,  ah  ! how 
rich  should  I esteem  myself,  though  blessed 
but  with  bread  and  water!  I should  count 
those  but  small  afflictions,  and  should  bear 
them  as  little  burthens.  “ A wounded  spirit 
who  can  bear?” 

And  though  I was  much  troubled,  and  tossed, 
and  afflicted,  with  the  sight  and  sense  and 
terror  of  my  own  wickedness,  yet  I was  afraid 
to  let  this  sight  and  sense  go  quite  off  my  mind ; 
for  I found  that  unless  guilt  of  conscience  was 
taken  off  the  right  way,  that  is,  by  the  blood 
of  Christ,  a man  grew  rather  worse  for  the  loss 
of  his  trouble  of  mind,  than  better.  Where- 
fore, if  my  guilt  lay  hard  upon  me,  then  I 
should  cry  that  the  blood  of  Christ  might  take 
it  off;  and  if  it  was  going  off  without  it,  (for 


the  sense  of  sin  would  be  sometimes  us  if  it 
would  die,  and  go  quite  away,)  then  I would 
also  strive  to  fetch  it  upon  my  heart  again,  by 
bringing  the  punishment  of  sin  into  hell-lire 
upon  my  spirits;  and  would  cry,  “Lord,  let  it 
not  go  off  my  heart,  but  by  the  right  way,  by 
the  blood  of  Christ,  and  the  application  of  thy 
mercy,  through  him,  to  my  soul;  for  that 
Scripture  did  lay  much  upon  me,  “ Without 
shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  redemption.” 
And  that  which  made  me  the  more  afraid  of 
this,  was,  because  I had  seen  some  who,  though 
they  were  under  the  wounds  of  conscience, 
would  cry  and  pray ; yet  feeling  rather  present 
ease  for  their  trouble,  than  pardon  for  their 
sin,  cared  not  how  they  lost  their  guilt,  so  they 
got  it  out  of  their  mind : now  having  got  it  off 
the  wrong  way,  it  was  not  sanctified  unto  them ; 
but  they  grew  harder  and  blinder,  and  '.mve 
wicked  after  their  trouble.  This  made  me 
afraid,  and  made  me  cry  unto  God  the  more, 
that  it  might  not  be  so  with  me. 

And  now  I was  sorry  that  God  had  made  me 
man,  for  I feared  I was  a reprobate.  I counted 
man,  as  unconverted,  the  most  doleful  of  all 
creatures.  Thus  being  afflicted  and  tossed 
about  my  sad  condition,  I counted  myself  alone, 
and  above  the  most  of  men  unblessed. 

Yea,  I thought  it  impossible  that  ever  I 
should  attain  to  so  much  godliness  of  heart, 
as  to  thank  God  that  he  had  made  me  a man. 
Man  indeed  is  the  most  noble  by  creation,  of 
all  creatures  in  the  visible  world ; but  by  sin 
be  has  made  himself  the  most  ignoble.  The 
beasts,  birds,  fishes,  Ac. ; I blessed  their  con- 
dition, for  they  had  not  a sinful  nature;  they 
were  not  obnoxious  to  the  wrath  of  God ; they 
were  not  to  go  to  hell-fire  after  death  ; I could 
therefore  have  rejoiced,  had  my  condition  been 
as  any  of  theirs. 

In  this  condition  I went  a great  while ; but 
when  the  comforting  time  was  come,  I heard 
one  preach  a sermon  on  these  words  in  the 
Song,  “Behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  love;  be- 
hold, thou  art  fair.”  But  at  that  time  he 
made  these  two  words,  “my  love,”  his  chief 
and  subject-matter;  from  which,  after  he  had  a 
little  opened  the  text,  lie  observed  these  sev- 
eral conclusions:  “ 1.  That  the  church,  and  so 
every  saved  soul,  is  Christ’s  love,  when  love- 
less. 2.  Christ’s  love  without  a cause.  3. 
Christ’s  love,  which  hath  been  hated  of  the 
world.  4.  Christ’s  love  when  under  tempta- 
tion and  under  destruction.  5.  Christ’s  love, 
from  first  to  last.” 

But  I got  nothing  from  what  he  said  at 


10 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


present;  only  when  he  came  to  the  appli ca- 
tion of  the  fourth  particular,  this  was  the 
word  he  said:  “If  it  be  so,  that  the  saved 
soul  is  Christ’s  love,  when  under  temptation 
and  destruction ; then  poor  tempted  soul, 
when  thou  art  assaulted  and  afflicted  with 
temptations,  and  the  hidings  of  face,  yet 
think  on  those  two  words,  ‘my  love,’  still.” 

So  as  I was  going  home,  these  w ords  came 
again  into  my  thoughts ; and  I well  remember, 
as  they  came  in,  I said  thus  in  my  heart, 
“ What  shall  I get  by  thinking  on  these  two 
words?”  This  thought  had  no  sooner  passed 
through  my  heart,  but  these  words  began  thus 
to  kindle  in  my  spirit:  “Thou  art  my  love, 
thou  art  my  dove,”  twenty  times  together; 
and  still  as  they  ran  in  my  mind,  they  waxed 
stronger  and  warmer,  and  began  to  make  me 
look  up ; but  being  as  yet  between  hope  and 
fear,  I still  replied  in  my  heart,  “ but  is  it  true? 
but  is  it  true  ?”  at  which  that  sentence  fell  upon 
me,  “ He  wist  not  that  it  was  true,  which  was 
come  unto  him  of  the  angel.” 

Then  I began  to  give  place  to  the  word 
which  with  power,  did  over  and  over  make 
this  joyful  sound  within  my  soul,  “Thou  art 
my  love,  thou  art  my  love,  and  nothing  shall 
separate  thee  from  my  love.”  And  with  that 
' my  heart  was  filled  fuil  of  comfort  and  hope, 
and  now  I could  believe  that  my  sins  would 
be  forgiven  me ; yea,  I was  now  so  taken  with 
the  love  and  mercy  of  God,  that  I remember  I 
could  not  tell  how  to  contain  till  I got  home : 
I thought  I could  have  spoken  of  his  love, 
and  have  told  of  his  mercy  to  me,  even  to  the 
very  crows  that  sat  upon  the  ploughed  lands 
before  me,  had  they  been  capable  to  have 
understood  me;  wherefore  X said  in  my  soul, 
with  much  gladness,  well,  I would  I had  a 
pen  and  ink  here,  I would  write  this  down  be- 
fore I go  any  farther ; for  surely  I will  not  for- 
get this  forty  years  hence;  but  alas!  within 
less  than  forty  days  I began  to  question  all 
again,  which  made  me  begin  to  question  all 
still. 

Yet  still  at  times  I was  helped  to  believe, 
that  it  was  a true  manifestation  of  grace  unto 
my  soul,  though  I had  lost  much  of  the  life 
and  favour  of  it.  Now  about  a week  or  fort- 
night after  this,  I was  much  followed  by  this 
Scripture;  “Simon,  Simon,  behold  Satan  hath 
desired  to  have  you:”  and  sometimes  it  would 
sound  so  loud  within  me,  yea,  and  as  it  were, 
call  so  strongly  after  me,  that  once,  above  all 
the  rest,  I turned  my  head  over  my  shoulder, 
thinking  verily  that  some  man  behind  me,  had 


called  me;  being  at  a great  distance,  methought 
he  called  so  loud;  it  came,  as  I have  thought 
since,  to  have  stirred  me  up  to  prayer  and  to 
watchfulness;  it  came  to  acquaint  me,  that  a 
cloud  and  a storm  was  coming  down  upon  me ; 
but  I understood  it  not. 

Also,  as  I remember,  that  time  that  it  called 
to  me  so  loud,  was  the  last  time  that  it  sounded 
in  mine  ears;  but  methinks  I hear  still  with 
what  a loud  voice  these  words  Sivionj  Simon, 
sounded  in  my  ears.  I thought,  verily,  as  I 
have  told  you,  that  somebody  had  called  after 
me,  that  was  half  a mile  behind  me;  and 
although  that  was  not  my  name,  yet  it  made 
me  suddenly  look  behind  me,  believing  that 
he  that  called  so  loud  meant  me. 

But  so  foolish  was  I,  and  ignorant,  that  I 
knew  not  the  reason  of  this  sound,  (which  I 
did  both  see  and  feel  soon  after,  was  sent  from 
heaven  as  an  alarm,  to  awaken  me  to  provide 
for  what  was  coming;)  only  I should  muse  and 
wonder  in  my  mind,  to  think  what  should  be 
the  reason  of  this  Scripture,  and  that  at  this 
rate,  so  often  and  so  loud,  it  should  still  be 
sounding  and  rattling  in  mine  ears.  But,  as  I 
said  before,  I soon  perceived  the  end  of  God 
therein. 

For,  about  the  space  of  a month  after,  a 
very  great  storm  came  down  upon  me,  which 
handled  me  twenty  times  worse  than  all  I had 
met  with  before;  it  came  stealing  upon  me, 
now  by  one  piece,  then  by  another;  first,  all 
my  comfort  was  taken  from  me ; then  darkness 
seized  upon  me ; after  wlr  h,  whole  floods  of 
blasphemies,  both  against  Jod,  Christ,  and 
the  Scriptures  were  poured  upon  my  spirit,  to 
my  great  confusion  and  astonishment.  These 
blasphemous  thoughts  were  such  as  stirred  up 
questions  in  me  against  the  very  being  of  God, 
and  of  his  only  beloved  Son ; as  whether  there 
were  in  truth  a God,  or  Christ?  and  whether 
the  holy  Scriptures  were  not  rather  a fable 
and  cunning  story,  than  the  holy  and  pure 
word  of  God. 

The  tempter  would  also  much  assault  me 
with  this,  “How  can  you  tell  but  that  the 
Turks  had  as  good  Scriptures  to  prove  their 
Mahomet  the  Saviour  as  we  have  to  move  our 
Jesus?  And,  could  I think,  that  so  nany  ten 
thousands  in  so  many  countries  and  kingdoms, 
should  be  without  the  knowledge  of  the  right 
way  to  heaven,  (if  there  were  indeed  a heaven,) 
and  that  we  only,  who  live  in  a corner  of  the 
earth,  should  alone  be  blessed  therewith? 
Every  one  doth  think  his  own  religion  Tight- 
est, both  Jews  and  Moors,  and  Pagans;  and 


ritlLGHIMS  DMSAM 


GRACE  ABOUNDING  TO  THE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


41 


how  if  nil  our  faith,  and  Christ,  and  Scrip- 
tures, should  bo  but  a think  so  too?” 

Sometimes  I have  endeavoured  to  argue 
against  these  suggestions,  and  to  set  some  of 
the  sentences  of  blessed  Paul  against  them  ; but 
alas!  1 quickly  felt,  when  I thus  did,  such  ar- 
guings  as  these  would  return  again  upon  mo, 
“ Though  we  made  so  great  a matter  of  Paul 
and  of  his  words,  yet  how  could  I tell,  that  in 
very  deed,  he  being  a subtle  and  cunning  man, 
may  give  himself  up  to  deceive  with  strong  de- 
lusions; and  also  take  the  pains  and  travel,  to 
undo  and  destroy  his  fellows.” 

These  suggestions  (with  many  other  which 
at  this  time  1 may  not  nor  dare  not  utter,  neither 
by  word  or  pen)  did  make  such  a seizure  upon 
my  spirit,  and  did  so  overweigh  my  heart,  both 
with  their  number,  continuance,  and  fiery  force, 
that  I felt  as  if  there  were  nothing  else  but  these 
from  morning  to  night  within  me;  arid  as 
though  indeed  there  could  be  room  for  nothing 
else : and  also  concluded,  that  God  had,  in  very 
wrath  to  my  soul,  given  me  up  to  them,  to  be 
carried  away  with  them,  as  with  a mighty  whirl- 
wind. 

Only  by  the  distaste  that  they  gave  unto  my 
spirit,  I felt  there  was  something  in  me  that  re- 
fused to  embrace  me.  But  this  consideration  I 
then  only  had,  when  God  gave  me  leave  to 
swallow  my  spittle;  otherwise  the  noise,  and 
strength,  and  force  of  these  temptations  would 
drown  and  overflow,  and  as  it  were,  bury  all 
such  thoughts,  or  the  remembrance  of  any  such 
thing.  While  I was  in  this  temptation,  I found 
my  mind  suddenly  put  upon  it  to  curse  and 
swear,  or  to  speak  some  grievous  thing  against 
God,  or  Christ  his  Son,  and  of  the  Scriptures. 

Now  I thought,  surely  I am  possessed  of  the 
devil ; at  other  times,  again  I thought  I should 
be  bereft  of  my  wits ; for  instead  of  lauding 
and  magnifying  God  the  Lord,  with  others,  if 
I have  heard  him  spoken  of,  presently  some 
most  horrible  blasphemous  thought  or  other 
would  bolt  out  of  my  heart  against  him ; so 
that  whether  I did  think  that  God  was,  or  again 
did  think  there  was  no  such  thing,  no  love,  nor* 
peace,  npr  gracious  disposition  could  I feel 
within  me. 

These  things  did  sink  me  into  very  great  de- 
spair ; for  I concluded  that  such  things  could 
not  possibly  be  found  amongst  them  that  loved 
God.  I often,  when  these  temptations  had  been 
with  force  upon  me,  did  compare  myself  to  the 
ease  of  such  a child,  whom  some  gipsy  hath  by 
force  took  up  in  her  arms,  and  is  carrying  from 
friend  and  country ; kick  sometimes  I did,  and 


also  shriek  and  erv  ; but  yet  I wa  r bound  in  tbc 
wings  of  temptation,  and  the  wind  would  carry 
me  away.  I thought  also  of  Haul,  and  of  tho 
evil  spirit  that  did  possess  him  ; and  did  greatly 
fear  that  my  condition  was  the  same  with  that 
of  his. 

In  those  days,  when  I have  heard  others  talk 
of  wlmt  was  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
then  would  the  tempter  so  provoke  me  to  desire 
to  sin  that  sin,  that  I was  as  if  I could  not, 
must  not,  neither  should  be  quiet  until  I bad 
committed  it ; now  no  sin  would  serve  but  that : 
if  it  were  to  be  committed  by  speaking  of  such 
a word,  then  I have  been  as  if  my  mouth  would 
have  spoken  that  word,  whether  I would  or  no ; 
and  in  so  strong  a measure  was  this  temptation 
upon  me,  that  often  I have  been  ready  to  clap 
my  hands  under  my  chin,  to  hold  my  mouth 
from  opening;  and  to  that  end  also  I have  had 
thoughts  at  other  times,  to  leap  with  my  head 
downward,  into  some  muck  hole  or  other,  to 
keep  my  mouth  from  speaking. 

Now  again  I beheld  the  condition  of  the  dog 
and  toad,  and  counted  the  estate  of  everything 
that  God  had  made,  far  better  than  this  dread- 
ful state  of  mine,  and  such  as  my  companions 
was.  Yea,  gladly  would  I have  been  in  the 
condition  of  a dog  or  horse ; for  I knew  they 
had  no  souls  to  perish  under  the  everlasting 
weight  of  hell,  or  sin,  as  mine  was  like  to  do. 
Nay,  and  though  I saw  this,  felt  this,  and  was 
broken  to  pieces  with  it,  yet  that  which  added 
to  my  sorrow  was  that  I could  not  find,  that 
with  all  my  soul  I did  desire,  deliverance.  That 
Scripture  did  also  tear  and  rend  my  soul  in  the 
midst  of  these  distractions,  “ The  wicked  are 
like  the  troubled  sea,  which  cannot  rest,  whose 
waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt.  There  is  no 
peace  to  the  wicked,  saitli  my  God.” 

And  now  my  heart  was,  at  times,  exceeding 
hard ; if  I would  have  given  a thousand  pounds 
for  a tear,  I could  not  shed  one ; no  nor  some- 
times scarce  desire  to  shed  one.  I was  much 
dejected,  to  think  that  this  would  be  my  lot. 
I saw  some  could  mourn  and  lament  their  sin, 
and  others  again,  could  rejoice  and  bless  God 
for  Christ;  and  others  again,  could  quietly  talk 
of,  and  with  gladness  remember  the  word  of 
God,  while  I only  was  in  a storm  or  tempest. 
This  much  sunk  me.  I thought  my  condition 
was  alone,  I should  therefore  much  bewail  my 
hard  hap,  but  get  out  of,  or  get  rid  of  these 
things,  I could  not. 

While  this  temptation  lasted,  which  was 
about  a year,  I could  attend  upon  none  of  the 
ordinances  of  God,  but  with  sore  and  great 


42 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


affliction.  Yea,  then  was  I most  distressed 
with  blasphemies ; if  I had  been  hearing  the 
word,  then  uncleanness,  blasphemies  and  de- 
spair would  hold  me  a captive  there ; if  I have 
been  reading,  then  sometimes  I had  sudden 
thoughts  to  question  all  I read;  sometimes 
again,  my  mind  would  he  so  strangely  snatched 
away,  and  possessed  with  other  things,  that  I 
have  neither  known,  nor  regarded,  nor  remem- 
bered so  much  as  the  sentence  that  but  now  I 
have  heard. 

In  i rayer  also  I have  been  greatly  troubled 
at  this  time  ; sometimes  I have  thought  I have 
felt  him  behind  me,  pull  my  clothes ; he  would 
be  also  continually  at  me  in  time  of  prayer,  to 
have  done,  break  off,  make  haste,  you  have 
prayed  enough,  and  stay  no  longer ; still  draw- 
ing my  mind  away.  Sometimes  also  he  would 
cast  in  such  wicked  thoughts  as  these,  that  I 
must  pray  to  him,  or  for  him ; I have  thought 
sometimes  of  that,  “Fall  down;  or,  if  thou 
wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me.” 

Also,  when  because  I have  had  wandering 
thoughts  in  the  time  of  this  duty,  I have 
laboured  to  compose  my  mind,  and  fix  it  upon 
God ; then  with  great  force  hath  the  tempter 
laboured  to  distract  me,  and  confound  me,  and 
to  turn  away  my  mind,  by  presenting  to  my 
heart  and  fancy,  the  form  of  a bush,  a bull,  a 
besom,  or  the  like,  as  if  I should  pray  to  these  ; 
to  these  he  would  also  (at  sometimes  espe- 
cially) so  hold  my  mind,  that  I was  as  if  Icould 
think  of  nothing  else,  or  pray  to  nothing  else 
but  to  these,  or  such  as  they. 

Yet  at  times  I should  have  some  strong  and 
heart-affecting  apprehensions  of  God,  and  real- 
ity of  the  truth  of  his  Gospel;  but,  oh ! how 
would  my  heart,  at  such  times,  put  forth  itself 
with  inexpressible  groanings.  My  whole  soul 
was  then  in  every  word ; I'  should  cry  with 
pangs  after  God,  that  he  would  be  merciful 
unto  me;  but  then  I should  be  daunted  again 
with  such  conceits  as  these;  I should  think 
that  God  did  mock  at  these  my  prayers,  say- 
ing, and  that  in  the  audience  of  the  holy  an- 
gels, “This  poor  simple  wretch  doth  hanker 
after  me,  as  if  I had  nothing  to  do  with  my 
mercy  but  to  bestow  it  on  such  as  he.  Alas, 
poor  soul,  how  art  thou  deceived!  It  is  not 
for  such  as  thee  to  have  favour  with  the 
Highest.” 

Then  hath  the  tempter  come  upon  me  also 
with  such  discouragements  as  these:  “You 
are  very  hot  after  mercy,  but  I will  cool  you  ; 
this  frame  shall  not  last  always ; many  have 
been  as  hot  as  you  for  a spirit,  but  I have 


quenched  their  zeal,”  (and  with  this,  such  and 
such  who  were  fallen  off  would  be  set  before 
mine  eyes.)  Then  I would  be  afraid  that  I 
should  do  so  too  ; but  thought  I,  I am  glad  this 
comes  into  my  mind ; well,  I will  watch,  and 
take  what  care  I can.  “ Though  you  do,  (said 
Satan,)  I shall  be  too  hard  for  you  ; I will  cool 
you  insensibly,  by  degrees,  by  little  and  little. 
What  care  I,  (saith  he,)  though  I be  seven 
years  in  chilling  your  heart  if  I can  do  it  at 
last?  Continual  rocking  will  lull  a crying 
child  asleep;  I will  ply  it  close,  but  I will  have 
my  end  accomplished.  Though  you  be  burn- 
ing hot  at  present,  yet  I can  pull  you  from 
this  fire;  I shall  have  you  cold  before  it  be 
long.” 

These  things  brought  me  into  great  straits ; 
for  as  I at  present  could  not  find  myself  fit  for 
present  death,  so  I thought,  to  live  long,  would 
make  me  yet  more  unfit;  for  time  would  make 
me  forget  all,  and  wear  even  the  remembrance 
of  the  evil  of  sin,  the  worth  of  heaven,  and 
the  need  I had  of  the  blood  of  Christ  to  wash 
me,  both  out  of  mind  and  thought;  but  I 
thank  Christ  Jesus,  these  things  did  not  at 
present  make  me  slack  my  crying,  but  rather 
did  put  me  more  upon  it,  .(like  her  who 
met  with  the  adulterer,  Deut.  xxii.  26.)  In 
which  days  that  was  a good  word  to  me,  after 
I had  suffered  these  things  a while : “ I am 
persuaded  that  neither  height,  nor  death,  nor 
life,  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.”  And  now  I hoped 
long  life  would  not  destroy  me,  nor  make  me 
miss  of  heaven. 

Yet  I had  some  supports  in  this  temptation, 
though  they  were  then  all  questioned  by  me. 
That  in  Jer.  iii.  at  the  first  was  something  to 
me;  and  so  was  the  consideration  of  verse  5 
of  that  chapter ; that  though  we  have  spoken 
and  done  all  the  evil  things  as  we  could,  yet 
we  should  cry  unto  God,  “My  Father,  thou 
art  the  guide  of  my  youth ;”  and  shall  return 
unto  him. 

I had  also  once  a sweet  glance  from  that, 
“For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us  who 
knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  right- 
eousness of  God  in  him.”  I remember  that 
one  day,  as  I was  sitting  in  a neighbour’s 
house,  and  thdre  very  sad  at  the  consideration 
of  my  many  blasphemies;  and  as  I was  saying 
in  my  mind,  What  ground  have  I to  think 
that  I,  who  have  been  so  vile  and  abominable, 
should  ever  inherit  eternal  life?  That  word 
came  suddenly  upon  me,  “ What  shall  we  say 
to  these  things  ? If  God  be  for  us,  wbo  can  be 


a RACK  ABOUNDING  TO  TIIE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


against  us?”  That  also  was  an  help  unto  mo, 

“ Because  I live,  ye  shall  live  also.”  But  those 
words  were  but  hints,  touches,  and  short  visits, 
though  very  sweet  when  present;  only  they 
lasted  not;  hut  like  to  Peter’s  sheet,  of  a 
sudden  were  caught  up  from  me  to  heaven 
again. 

But  afterwards  the  Lord  did  more  fully  and 
graciously  discover  himself  unto  me,  and  in- 
deed did  unite,  not  only  deliver  me  from  the 
guilt,  that  by  these  things  was  laid  upon  my 
conscience,  but  also  from  the  very  filth  there- 
of; for  the  temptation  was  removed  and  I was 
put  into  my  right  mind  again,  as  other  Chris- 
tians were. 

I remember  that  one  day,  as  I was  travelling 
into  the  country,  and  musing  on  the  wicked- 
ness and  blasphemy  of  my  heart,  and  consid- 
ering the  enmity  that  was  in  me  to  God,  that 
Scripture  came  into  my  mind,  “ He  hath  made 
peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross.”  By  which  I 
was  made  to  sec,  both  again,  and  again,  that 
day,  that  God  and  my  soul  were  friends  by  his 
blood;  yea,  I saw  that  the  justice  of  God  and 
my  sinful  soul  could  embrace  and  kiss  each 
other  through  his  blood.  This  was  a good  day 
to  me ; I hope  I shall  never  forget  it. 

At  another  time,  as  I sat  by  the  fire  in  my 
house,  and  musing  on  my  wretchedness,  the 
Lord  made  that  also  a precious  word  unto  me, 
“ Forasmuch  then  as  children  are  partakers  of 
flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took 
part  of  the  same,  that  through  death  he  might 
destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that 
is,  the  devil;  and  deliver  those  who  through 
the  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  life  subject  to 
bondage.”  I thought  that  the  glory  of  these 
words  was  then  so  weighty  on  me,  that  T was 
both  once  and  twice  ready  to  swoon  as  I sat ; 
yet  not  with  grief  and  trouble,  but  with  solid 
joy  and  peace. 

At  this  time  also  I sat  under  the  ministry 
of  holy  Mr.  Gifford,  whose  doctrine,  by  God’s 
grace,  was  much  for  my  stability.  This  man 
made  it  much  his  business  to  deliver  the  peo- 
ple of  God  from  all  those  hard  and  unsound 
tests,  that  by  nature  we  are  prone  to.  He 
would  bid  us  take  special  heed  that  we  took 
not  up  any  truth  upon  trust ; as  from  this,  or 
that,  or  any  other  man  or  men ; but  cry  might- 
ily to  God,  that  he- would  convince  us  of  the 
reality  thereof,  and  set  us  down  therein  by  his 
own  Spirit  in  the  holy  word ; for,  said  he,  if 
you  do  otherwise,  when  temptation  comes,  if 
strongly  upon  you,  you  not  having  received 
them  with  evidence  from  heaven,  will  find  you 


43 

want  that  help  and  strength  now  to  rcswi,,  that 
once  you  thought  you  had. 

This  was  as  seasonable  to  my  soul  an  the 
former  and  latter  rain  in  their  season  ; for  1 hail 
found,  and  that  by  sail  experience,  the  truth  of 
his  words:  (for  1 had  felt  “no  man  can  say,” 
especially  when  tempted  by  the  devil,  “that 
Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost.”) 
Wherefore  I found  my  soul,  through  grace, 
very  apt  to  drink  in  this  doctrine,  and  to  incline 
to  pray  to  God,  that  in  nothing  that  pertained 
to  God’s  glory,  and  my  own  eternal  happiness, 
he  would  sutler  me  to  be  without  the  confir- 
mation thereof  from  heaven ; for  now  I saw 
clearly,  there  was  an  exceeding  difference  be- 
twixt the  notion  of  the  flesh  and  blood,  and 
the  revelation  of  God  in  heaven : also  a great 
difference  betwixt  that  faith  that  is  feigned,  and 
according  to  man’s  wisdom,  and  of  that  which 
comes  by  a man’s  being  born  thereto  of  God. 

But,  oh ! now  how  was  my  soul  led  from 
truth  to  truth  by  God!  Even  from  the  birth 
and  cradle  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  his  ascension, 
and  second  coming  from  heaven  to  judge  the 
world. 

Truly,  I then  found  upon  this  account,  the 
great  God  was  very  good  unto  me;  for,  to  my 
remembrance,  there  was  not  any  thing  that  I 
then  cried  unto  God  to  make  known,  and  re- 
veal unto  me,  but  he  was  pleased  to  do  it  for 
me ; I mean,  not  one  part  of  the  gospel  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  but  I was  orderly  led  into  it ; me- 
thouglit  I saw  with  great  evidence,  from  the 
four  evangelists,  the  wonderful  words  of  God, 
in  giving  Jesus  Christ  to  save  us,  from  his  con- 
ception and  birth,  even  to  his  second  coming 
to  judgment ; methought  I was  as  if  I had  seen 
him  born,  as  if  I had  seen  him  grow  up ; as  if 
I had  seen  him  walk  through  the  world,  from 
the  cradle  to  the  cross;  to  which  also,  when  he 
came,  I saw  how  gently  he  gave  himself  to  be 
hanged,  and  nailed  on  it  for  my  sins  and  wicked 
doing.  Also  as  I was  musing  on  this  his  prog- 
ress, that  dropped  on  my  spirit,  “ He  was  or- 
dained for  the  slaughter.” 

When  I have  considered  also  the  truth  of 
his  resurrection,  and  have  remembered  that 
w ord,  “ Touch  me  not,  Mary,”  &c.,  I have  seen 
as  if  he  had  leaped  out  of  the  grave’s  mouth, 
for  joy  that  he  had  risen  again,  and  had  got 
the  conquest  over  our  dreadful  foes.  (John  xx. 
17.)  I have  also,  in  the  spirit,  seen  him  a man, 
on  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father  for  me; 
and  have  seen  the  manner  of  his  coming  from 
heaven,  to  judge  the  world  with  glory,  and 
have  been  confirmed  in  these  things  by  these 


44 


PUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WOPKS. 


Scriptures.  (Acts  i.  9, 10,  and  vii.  56,  and  x.  42. 
Heb.  vii.  24,  and  viii.  3,  8.  Rev.  i.  18.  1 
Tliess.  iv.  17,  18.) 

Once  I was  troubled  to  know  whether  the 
Lord  Jesus  was  a man  as  well  as  God,  and  God 
as  well  as  man ; and  truly,  in  those  days,  let 
men  say  what  they  would,  unless  I had  it  with 
evidence  from  heaven,  all  was  nothing  to  me  ; 
I counted  myself  not  set  down  in  any  truth  of 
God.  Well,  I was  much  troubled  about  this 
point,  and  could  not  tell  howto  be  resolved; 
at  last,  that  in  Rev.  v.  6,  came  into  my  mind, 
“ And  I beheld,  and  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  and  of  the  four  beasts,  and  in  the  midst 
of  the  elders  stood  a Lamb.”  In  the  midst  of 
the  throne,  thought  I,  there  is  the  Godhead ; 
in  the  midst  of  the  elders,  there  is  his  manhood ; 
but  oh ; methought  this  did  glister ! it  was  a 
'goodly  touch,  and  gave  me  sweet  satisfaction. 
That  other  Scripture  also  did  help  me  much  in 
this,  “To  us  a child  is  born,  to  us  a Son  is 
given,  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his 
shoulders:  and  his  name  shall  be  called  Won- 
derful, Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Ever- 
lasting Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace.” 

Also  besides  these  teachings  of  God  in  his 
word,  the  Lord  made  use  of  two  things  to  con- 
firm me  in  this  truth ; the  one  was  the  errors 
of  the  Quakers,  and  the  other  was  the  guilt  of 
sin ; for  as  the  Quakers  did  oppose  the  truth, 
so  God  did  the  more  confirm  me  in  it,  by  lead- 
ing me  into  the  Scripture  that  did  wonderfully 
maintain  it. 

The  errors  that  these  people  then  maintained 
were : 

1.  That  the  Holy  Scriptures  were  not  the 
word  of  God. 

2.  That  every  man  in  the  world  had  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  grace,  faith,  &c. 

3.  That  Christ  Jesus,  as  crucified,  and  dying- 
sixteen  hundred  years  ago,  did  not  satisfy  di- 
vine justice  for  the  sins  of  the  people. 

4.  That  Christ’s  flesh  and  blood  was  within 
the  saints. 

5.  That  the  bodies  of  the  good  and  bad  that 
are  buried  in  the  churchyard,  shall  not  rise 
again. 

6.  That  the  resurrection  is  past  with  good 
men  already. 

7.  That  that  man  Jesus,  that  was  crucified 
between  two  thieves,  on  Mount  Calvary,  in  the 
land  of  Canaan,  by  Judea,  was  not  ascended 
above  the  starry  heavens. 

8.  That  he  should  not,  even  the  same  Jesus 
that  died  by  the  hands  of  the  Jews,  come  again 
the  last  day,  and  as  man,  judge  all  nations,  &c. 


Many  more  vile  and  abominable  things  were 
in  those  days  fomented  by-  them,  by  which  I 
was  driven  to  a more  narrow  search  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  was  through  their  light  and 
testimony,  not  only  enlightened,  but  greatly 
confirmed  and  comforted  in  the  truth ; and,  as 
I said,  the  guilt  of  sin  did  help  me  much ; for 
still  as  that  would  come  upon  me,  the  blood  of 
Christ  did  take  it  off  again,  and  again;  and 
that  too  sweetly,  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

0 friends!  cry  to  God  to  reveal  Jesus  Christ 
unto  you ; there  is  none  teacheth  like  him. 

It  would  be  too  long  here  to  stay,  to  tell  you 
in  particular,  how  God  did  set  me  down  in  all 
the  things  of  Christ,  and  how  he  did,  that  he 
might  do  so,  lead  me  into  his  words ; yea,  and 
also  how  he  did  open  them  unto  me,  and  make 
them  shine  before  me,  and  cause  them  to  dwell 
with  me,  talk  with  me,  anti  comfort  me  over 
and  over,  both  of  his  own  being,  and  the  be- 
ing of  his  Son,  and  Spirit,  and  Word,  and 
Gospel. 

Only  this,  as  I said  before,  I will  say  unto 
you  again,  that  in  general,  he  was  pleased  to 
take  this  course  with  me ; first,  to  suffer  me  to 
be  afflicted  with  temptations  concerning  them 
and  then  reveal  them  unto  me ; as  sometimes 

1 should  lie  under  great  guilt  for  sin,  even 
crushed  to  the  ground  therewith ; and  then  the 
Lord  would  show  me  the  death  of  Christ ; yea, 
so  besprinkle  my  conscience  with  his  blood, 
that  I should  find,  and  that  before  I was  aware, 
that,  in  that  conscience,  where  but  just  now 
did  reign  and  rage  the  law,  even  there  would 
rest  and  abide  the  peace  and  love  of  God 
through  Christ. 

Now  I had  an  evidence,  as  I thought,  of  my 
salvation  from  heaven,  with  many  golden  seals 
thereon,  all  hanging  in  my  sight;  now  I could 
remember  this  manifestation,  and  the  other  dis- 
covery of  grace  and  comfort;  and  should  often 
long  and  desire  that  the  last  day  were  come, 
that  I might  be  forever  inflamed  with  the  sight 
and  joy,  and  communion  with  him,  wbn.ce 
head  was  crowned  with  thorns,  whose  face  was 
spit  upon,  and  body  broken,  and  soul  made  an 
offering  for  my  sins.  For  whereas,  before  I lay 
continually  trembling  at  the  mouth  of  hell; 
now  methought  I was  got  so  far  therefrom, 
that  I could  not,  when  I looked  back,  scarce 
discern  it;  and  oh!  thought  I,  that  I were 
fourscore  years  old  now,  that  I might  die 
quickly,  that  my  soul  might  be  gone  to  rest. 

But  before  I had  gone  thus  far  out  of  these 
my  temptations,  I did  greatly  long  to  see  some 
ancient  godly  man’s  experience,  who  had  writ 


GRACE  ABOUNDING  TO  THE  C1UEE  OF  SI  NS  EES. 


45 


some  lmnd rods  of  years  before  I was  born  ; for 
those  who  had  writ  in  our  days,  I thought  (but 
1 desire  them  now  to  pardon  me)  that  they  had 
writ  only  that  which  others  felt;  or  else  had, 
through  the  strength  of  their  wits  and  parts, 
studied  to  answer  such  objections  as  they  per- 
ceived others  were  perplexed  with,  without 
going  down  themselves  into  the  deep.  Well, 
after  many  such  longings  in  my  mind,  the 
God,  in  whose  hands  are  all  our  days  and 
ways,  did  east  into  my  hand,  one  day,  a book 
of  Martin  Luther’s;  it  was  his  comment  on 
the  Galatians ; it  also  was  so  old,  that  it  was 
ready  to  fall  from  piece  to  piece  if  I did  but 
turn  it  over.  Now  T was  pleased  much  that 
such  an  old  book  had  fallen  into  my  hands, 
the  which  when  I had  but  a little  way  perused, 
I found  my  condition  in  his  experience,  so 
largely  and  profoundly  handled,  as  if  his  book 
had  been  written  out  of  my  heart.  This  made 
me  marvel : for  thus  thought  I,  this  man  could 
not  know  any  thing  of  the  state  of  Christians 
now,  but  must  needs  write  and  speak  the  ex- 
perience of  former  days. 

Besides,  he  doth  most  gravely  also  in  that 
book,  debate  of  the  rise  of  these  temptations, 
namely,  blasphemy,  desperation,  and  the  like; 
showing  that  the  law  of  Moses,  as  well  as  the 
devil,  death,  and  hell,  hath  a very  great  hand 
therein ; the  which  at  first,  was  very  strange 
to  me,  but  considering  and  watching,  I found 
it  so  indeed.  But  of  particulars  here  I intend 
nothing;  only  this  metlxinks  I must  let  fall 
before  all  men,  I do  prefer  this  book  of  Martin 
Luther  upon  the  Galatians  (excepting  the  holy 
Bible)  before  all  the  books  ihat  ever  I have 
seen,  as  most  fit  for  a wounded  conscience. 

And  now  1 found,  as  I thought,  that  I loved 
Christ  dearly : oh  ! methought  my  soul  cleaved 
unto  him,  my  affections  cleaved  unto  him ; I 
felt  my  love  to  him  as  hot  as  fire,  and  now,  as 
.lob  said,  I thought  I should  die  in  my  nest; 
but  I did  quickly  find,  that  my  great  love  was 
but  little;  and  that  I who  had,  as  I thought, 
such  burning  love  to  Jesus  Christ,  could  let 
him  go  again  for  a very  trifle : God  can  tell 
how  to  abase  us,  and  can  hide  pride  from 
man.  Quickly  after  this  my  love  was  tried  to 
purpose. 

For  after  the  Lord  had,  in  this  manner, 
thus  graciously  delivered  me  from  this  great 
and  sore  temptation,  and  had  set  me  down  so 
sweetly  in  the  faith  of  his  holy  Gospel,  and 
had  given  me  such  strong  consolation  and 
blessed  evidence  from  heaven,  touching  my 
interest  in  his  love  through  Christ ; the  tempter 


came  upon  me  again,  and  that  with  a more 
grievous  and  dreadful  temptation  than  before. 

And  that  was,  “to  sell  and  part  with  this 
most  blessed  Christ,  to  exchange  him  for  the 
things  of  this  life,  for  any  thing.”  The  temp- 
tation lay  upon  me  for  the  space  of  a year,  and 
did  follow  me  so  continually,  that  1 was  not 
rid  of  it  one  day  in  a month : no,  not  some- 
times one  hour  in  many  days  together,  unless 
when  I was  asleep. 

And  though  in  my  judgment  I was  per- 
suaded, that  those  who  were  once  effectually 
in  Christ  (as  I hoped  through  his  grace  I had 
seen  myself)  could  never  lose  him  for  ever; 
“For  the  land  shall  not  be  sold  for  ever,  for 
the  land  is  mine,”  saith  God : yet  it  was  a 
continual  vexation  to  me,  to  think  that  I 
should  have  so  much  as  one  such  thought 
within  me  against  a Christ,  a Jesus,  that  had 
done  for  me  as  he  had  done ; and  yet  then  I 
had  almost  none  others  but  such  blasphemous 
ones. 

But  it  was  neither  my  dislike  of  the  thought, 
nor  yet  any  desire  and  endeavour  to  resist  it, 
that  in  the  least  did  shake  or  abate  the  con- 
tinuation or  force  and  strength  thereof ; for  it 
did  always,  in  almost  whatever  I thought,  in- 
termix itself  therewith,  in  such  sort,  that  I 
could  neither  eat  my  food,  stoop  for  a pin, 
chop  a stick,  or  cast  mine  eye  to  look  on  this 
or  that,  but  still  the  temptation  would  come, 
“ sell  Christ  for  this,  or  sell  Christ  for  that ; 
sell  him,  sell  him.” 

Sometimes  it  would  run  in  my  thoughts,  not 
so  little  as  a hundred  times  together,  sell  him, 
sell  him,  sell  him ; against  which,  I may  say, 
for  whole  hours  together,  I have  been  forced  to 
stand  as  continually  leaning  and  forcing  my 
spirit  against  it,  lest  haply,  before  I were 
aware,  some  wicked  thought  might  arise  in 
my  heart,  that  might  consent  thereto;  and 
sometimes  the  tempter  would  make  me  be- 
lieve I had  consented  to  it ; but  then  I should 
be,  as  tortured  upon  a rack,  for  whole  days 
together. 

This  temptation  did  put  me  in  such  scares 
lest  I should  at  some  time,  I say,  consent 
thereto,  and  be  overcome  therewith,  that  by 
the  very  force  of  my  mind,  in  labouring  to 
gainsay  and  resist  this  wickedness,  niv  very 
body  would  be  put  into  action  or  motion,  by 
way  of  pushing  or  thrusting  with  my  hands  or 
elbows ; still  answering,  as  fast  as  the  destroyer 
said  sell  him;  “I  will  not,  I will  not,  I will 
not ; no,  not  for  thousands,  thousands,  thou- 
sands of  worlds;”  thus  reckoning,  lest  I 


46 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


should,  in  the  midst  of  these  assaults,  set 
too  lov-  a value  on  him;  even  until  I scarce 
well  knew  where  I was,  or  how  to  be  com- 
posed again. 

In  these  seasons  he  would  not  let  me  eat  my 
food  in  quiet ; but,  forsooth,  when  I was  set  at 
the  table  at  any  meat,  I must  go  hence  to  pray, 
I must  leave  my  food  now,  and  just  now,  so 
counterfeit  holy  also  would  this  devil  be.  When 
I was  thus  tempted,  I would  say  in  myself, 
“Now  I am  at  meat,  let  me  make  an  end.” 

“No,  said  he,  you  must  do  it  now  or  you 
will  displease  God,  and  despise  Christ.”  Where- 
fore I was  much  afflicted  with  these  things  ; 
and  because  of  the  sinfulness  of  my  nature 
(imagining  that  these  things  were  impulses 
from  God)  I should  deny  to  do  it,  as  if  I denied 
God  and  then  I should  not  be  as  guilty,  be- 
cause I did  not  obey  a temptation  of  the  devil, 
as  if  I had  broken  the  law  of  God  indeed. 

But  to  be  brief : one  morning  as  I did  lie  in 
my  bed,  I was,  as  at  other  times,  most  fiercely 
assaulted  with  this  temptation,  to  sell  and  part 
with  Christ ; the  wicked  suggestion  still  run- 
ning in  my  mind,  “sell  him,  sell  him,  sell  him, 
sell  him,”  as  fast  as  man  could  speak : against 
which  also,  in  my  mind,  as  at  other  times,  I 
answered,  “No,  no,  not  for  thousands,  thou- 
sands, thousands,”  at  least  twenty  times  toge- 
ther; but  at  last,  after  much  striving,  even 
until  I was  almost  out  of  breath,  I felt  this 
thought  to  pass  through  my  heart,  “ Let  him 
go  if  he  will ;”  and  I thought  also,  that  I felt 
my  heart  freely  consent  thereto.  Oh ! the  dil- 
igence of  Satan!  Oh!  the  desperateness  of 
man’s  heart ! 

Now  was  the  battle  won,  and  down  fell  I,  as 
a bird  that  is  shot  from  the  top  of  a tree,  into 
great  guilt,  and  fearful  despair.  Thus  getting 
out  of  my  bed  I went  moping  into  the  field  ; 
but  God  knows,  with  as  heavy  a heart  as  mor- 
tal man,  I think,  could  bear;  where  for  the 
space  of  two  hours,  I was  like  a man  bereft  of 
life ; and,  as  now  past  all  recovery,  and  bound 
over  to  eternal  punishment. 

And  withal  that  Scripture  did  seize  upon 
my  soul : “ 0 profane  person,  as  Esau,  who  for 
one  morsel  of  meat,  sold  his  birthright:  For  ye 
know,  how  that  afterwards,  when  he  would 
have  inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  rejected; 
for  he  found  no  place  of  repentance,  though  he 
sought  it  carefully  with  tears.” 

Now  I was  as  one  bound,  I felt  myself  shut 
up  unto  the  judgment  to  come;  nothing  now 
for  two  years  together  would  abide  with  me 
hut  damnation,  and  an  expectation  of  damna- 


tion : I say,  nothing  now  would  abide  with  me 
but  this,  save  some  few  moments  for  relief,  as 
in  the  sequel  you  will  see. 

These  words  were  to  my  soul,  like  fetters  of 
brass  to  my  legs,  in  the  continual  sound  of 
which  I went  for  several  months  together. 
But  about  ten  or  eleven  o’clock  on  that  day, 
as  I was  walking  under  a hedge  (full  of  sorrow 
and  guilt,  God  knows,)  and  bemoaning  myself 
for  this  hard  hap,  that  such  a thought  should 
arise  within  me,  suddenly  this  sentence  rushed 
in  upon  me,  “ The.  blood  of  Christ  remits  all 
guilt.”  At  this  I made  a stand  in  my  spirit : 
with  that  this  word  took  hold  upon  me,  “ The 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  own  Son,  cleanseth 
us  from  all  sin.” 

Now  I began  to  conceive  peace  in  my  soul, 
and  methought  I saw,  as  if  the  tempter  did 
leer  and  steal  away  from  me,  as  being  ashamed 
of  what  he  had  done.  At  the  same  time  also  I 
had  my  sin,  and  the  blood  of  Christ  thus  repre- 
sented to  me,  that  my  sin,  when  compared  to 
the  blood  of  Christ,  was  no  more  to  it,  than 
this  little  clod  or  stone  before  me,  is  to  this 
vast  and  wide  field  that  here  I see.  This  gave 
me  good  encouragement  for  the  space  of  two 
or  three  hours ; in  which  time  also,  methought, 
I saw,  by  faith,  the  Son  of  God,  as  suffering  for 
my  sins ; but  because  it  tarried  not,  I therefore 
sunk  in  my  spirit,  under  exceeding  guilt  again. 

But  chiefly  by  the  aforementioned  Scripture 
concerning  Esau’s  selling  his  birthright ; for 
that  Scripture  would  lie  all  day  long  in  my 
mind,  and  hold  me  down,  so  that  I could  by 
no  means  lift  up  myself;  for  when  I would 
strive  to  turn  to  this  Scripture  or  that,  for  re- 
lief, still  that  sentence  would  be  sounding  in 
me : “ For  ye  know,  how  that  afterwards  when 
he  would  have  inherited  the  blessing,  he  found 
no  place  of  repentance,  though  he  sought  it 
carefully  with  tears.” 

Sometimes,  indeed,  I should  have  a touch 
from  that  in  Luke,  “I  have  prayed  for  thee 
that  thy  faith  fail  not ;”  but  it  would  not  abide 
with  me,  neither  could  I,  indeed,  when  I con- 
sidered my  state,  find  ground  to  conceive  in 
the  least,  that  there  should  be  the  root*  of  that 
grace  in  me,  having  sinned  as  I had  done. 
Now  was  I tore  and  rent  in  a heavy  case  for 
many  days  together. 

Then  began  I with  sad  and  careful  heart,  to 
consider  of'  the  nature  and  largeness  of  my  sin, 
and  to  search  into  the  word  of  God,  if  I could 
in  any  place  espy  a word  of  promise,  or  any 
encouraging  sentence,  by  which  I might  take 
relief.  Wherefore  I began  to  consider  that  of 


GRACE  AROUND ING  TO  THE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


47 


Mark,  ‘All  manner  of  sins  and  blasphemies 
shall  be  forgiven  unto  the  sons  of  men  where- 
with soever  they  shall  blaspheme.”  Which 
place,  methought,  at  a blush,  did  contain  a large 
and  glorious  promise  for  the  pardon  of  high 
offences;  but  considering  the  place  more  fully, 

1 thought  it  was  rather  to  be  understood,  as 
relating  more  chiefly  to  those  who  had,  while 
in  a natural  estate,  committed  such  things  as 
there  are  mentioned ; but  not  to  me,  who  had 
not  only  received  light  and  mercy,  but  that  had 
both  after,  and  also  contrary  to  that,  so  slighted 
Christ  as  I had  done. 

I feared  therefore  that  this  wicked  sin  of 
mine,  might  be  that  sin  unpardonable,  of  which 
he  there  thus  speaketh,  “ But  he  that  shall 
blaspheme  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  hath  never 
forgiveness,  but  is  in  danger  of  eternal  damna- 
tion.” And  I did  the  rather  give  credit  to 
this,  because  of  that  sentence  in  the  Hebrews: 

“ For  you  know  how  that  afterwards,  when  he 
would  have  inherited  the  blessing,  lie  was  re- 
jected ; for  he  found  no  place  of  repentance, 
though  he  sought  it  carefully  with  tears.” 
And  this  stuck  always  with  me. 

And  now  was  I both  a burthen  and  a terror 
to  myself;  nor  did  I soever  know,  as  now  what 
it  was  to  be  weary  of  my  life,  and  yet  afraid  to 
die.  Oh ! how  gladly  now  would  I have  been 
anybody  but  myself!  any  thing  but  a man,  and 
in  any  condition  but  my  own ! for  there  was 
nothing  did  pass  more  frequently  over  my 
mind,  than  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  be 
forgiven  my  transgression,  and  to  be  saved 
from*  the  wrath  to  come. 

And  now  I began  to  labour  to  call  again 
time  that  was  past;  wishing  a thousand  times 
twice  told,  that  the  day  was  yet  to  come,  when 
I should  be  tempted  to  such  a sin ; concluding 
with  great  indignation,  both  against  my  heart, 
and  all  assaults,  how  I would  rather  have  been 
torn  in  pieces,  than  be  found  a consenter  there- 
to. But  alas ! these  thoughts,  and  wishings, 
and  resolvings,  were  now  too  late  to  help  me ; 
this  thought  had  passed  my  heart,  God  hath 
let  me  go  and  I am  fallen.  Oh!  thought  I, 

“ that  it  was  with  me  as  in  months  past,  as  in 
the  days  when  God  preserved  me !” 

Then  again  being  loth  and  unwilling  to  per- 
ish, I began  to  compare  my  sin  with  others,  to 
see  if  I could  find  that  any  of  those  that  were 
saved  had  done  as  I had  done.  So  I consid- 
ered David's  adultery,  and  murder,  and  found 
them  most  heinous  crimes  ; and  those  too  com- 
mitted after  light  and  grace  received  : but  yet 
by  considering  that  his  transgressions  were  I 


only  such  ns  were  against  the  law  of  Mows, 
from  which  the  Lord  Christ  could,  with  the 
consent  of  his  word,  deliver  him:  but  mine 
was  against  the  gospel ; yea,  against  the  Medi- 
ator thereof,  I had  sold  my  Saviour. 

Now  again,  should  I be  as  if  racked  upon 
the.  wheel,  when  I considered  that,  besides  the 
guilt  that  possessed  me,  I should  be  so  void  of 
grace,  so  bewitched ! What,  thought  I,  must 
it  be  no  sin  but  this?  Must  it  needs  be  the 
“great  transgression?”  Must  that  wicked  one 
touch  my  soul?  Oh!  what  sting  did  I find  in 
all  these  sentences ! 

What,  thought  I,  is  there  but  one  sin  that  is 
unpardonable  ? But  one  sin  that  layetli  the 
soul  without  the  reach  of  God’s  mercy ; and 
must  I be  guilty  of  that?  Must  it  needs  be 
that?  Is  there  but  one  sin  among  so  many 
millions  of  sins,  for  which  there  is  no  forgive- 
ness; and  must  I commit  this?  Oh!  unhappy 
sin!  Oh!  unhappy  man  ! These  things  would 
so  break  and  confound  my  spirit,  that  I could 
not  tell  what  to  do;  I thought  at  times  they 
would  have  broke  my  wits ; and  still,  to  ag- 
gravate my  misery,  that  would  run  in  my 
mind,  “You  know  how,  that  afterwards, 
when  he  would  have  inherited  the  blessing,  he 
was  rejected.”  Oh  ! no  one  knows  the  terrors 
of  those  days  but  myself. 

After  this  I began  to  consider  of  Peter’s  sin, 
which  he  committed  in  denying  his  Master; 
and  indeed  this  came  nigbest  to  mine  of  any 
that  I coidd  find,  for  he  had  denied  his  Sa- 
viour, as  I after  light  and  mercy  received  ; yea, 
and  that  too.  after  warning  given  him.  I also 
considered  that  he  did  it  once  and  twice;  and 
that  after  time  to  consider  betwixt.  But 
though  I put  all  these  circumstances  together, 
that  if  possible  I might  find  help,  yet  I con- 
sidered again,  that  his  was  but  a “ denial  of  his 
Master,”  but  mine  was  a “ selling  of  my  Sa- 
viour!” Wherefore  I thought  with  myself, 
that  I came  nearer  to  Judas,  than  either  to 
David  or  Peter. 

Here  again  my  torment  would  flame  out  and 
afflict  me;  yea,  it  would  grind  me,  as  it  were 
to  powder,  to  consider  the  preservation  of  God 
towards  others,  while  I fell  into  the  snare;  for 
in  my  thus  considering  of  other  men’s  sins, 
and  comparing  them  with  mine  own,  I could 
evidently  see,  God  preserved  them,  notwith- 
standing their  wickedness,  and  would  not  let 
them,  as  he  had  let  me,  become  a son  of  per- 
dition. 

But  oh ! how  did  my  soul  at  this  time  prize 
the  preservation  that  God  did  set  about  his 


48 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


people.  All  liow  safely  did  I see  them  walk, 
whom  God  had  hedged  in ! They  were  within 
his  care,  protection,  and  special  providence; 
though  they  were  full  as  bad  as  I by  nature ; 
yet  because  he  loved  them,  he  would  not  suffer 
them  to  fall  without  the  range  of  mercy : but 
as  for  me,  I was  gone,  I had  done  it ; he  would 
not  preserve  me,  nor  keep  me;  but  suffered 
me,  because  I was  a reprobate,  to  fall  as  I had 
done.  Now  did  those  blessed  places  that  speak 
of  God’s  keeping  his  people,  shine  like  the 
sun  before  me,  though  not  to  comfort  me,  yet 
to  show  me  the  blessed  state  and  heritage  of 
those  whom  the  Lord  had  blessed. 

Now  I saw,  that  as  God  had  his  hand  in  all 
the  providences  and  dispensations  that  over- 
took his  elect,  so  he  had  his  hand  in  ail  the 
temptations  that  they  had  to  sin  against  him ; 
not  to  animate  them  to  wickedness,  but  to 
choose  their  temptations  and  troubles  for 
them;  and  also  to  leave  them  for  a time,  to 
such  things  only  that  might  not  destroy,  but 
humble  them ; as  might  not  put  them  beyond 
but  lay  them  in  the  way  of  the  renewing  his 
mercy.  But  oh ! what  love,  what  care,  what 
kindness  and  mercy  did  I now  see,  mixing 
itself  with  the  most  severe  and  dreadful  of  all 
God’s  ways  to  his  people ! He  would  let  David, 
Hezekiah,  Solomon,  Peter  and  others  fall,  but 
he  would  not  let  them  fall  into  sin  unpardon- 
able, nor  into  hell  for  sin.  Oh ! thought  I, 
these  be  the  men  that  God  hath  loved,  these 
be  the  men  that  God,  though  he  chastisetli 
them,  keeps  them  in  safety  by  him ; and  them 
whom  he  makes  to  abide  under  the  shadow  of 
the  Almighty.  But  all  these  thoughts  added 
sorrow,  grief,  and  horror  to  me,  as  whatever  I 
now  thought  on,  it  was  killing  to  me.  If  I 
thought  how  God  kept  his  own,  that  was  kill- 
ing to  me  ; if  I thought  how  I was  fallen  my- 
self, that  was  killing  to  me.  As  all  things 
wrought  together  for  the  best,  and  to  do  good 
to  them  that  were  the  called,  according  to  his 
purpose,  so  I thought  that  all  things  wrought 
for  damage,  and  for  my  eternal  overthrow. 

Then,  again,  I began  to  compare  my  sin  with 
the  sin  of  Judas,  that,  if  possible,  I might  find 
if  mine  differed  from  that,  which  in  truth  is 
unpardonable:  and  oh!  thought  I,  if  it  should 
differ  from  it,  though  but  the  breadth  of  an 
hair,  what  a happy  condition  is  my  soul  in ! 
And  by  considering,  I found  that  Judas  did 
his  intentionally,  but  mine  was  against  my 
prayer  and  strivings : besides,  his  was  com- 
mitted with  much  deliberation,  but  mine  in  a 
fearful  hurry  on  a sudden.  All  this  while  I 


was  tossed  to  and  fro,  like  the  locust,  and 
driven  from  trouble  to  sorrow ; hearing  always 
the  sound  of  Esau’s  fall  in  mine  ears,  and  of 
the  dreadful  consequences  thereof. 

Yet  this  consideration  about  Judas’s  sin 
was,  for  awhile,  some  little  relief  to  me ; for  I 
saw  I had  not,  as  to  the  circumstances,  traus- 
gresssed  so  fully  as  he.  But  this  was  quickly 
gone  again,  for  I thought  with  myself,  there 
might  be  more  ways  than  one  to  commit  this 
unpardonable  sin  ; also  I thought  there  might 
be  degrees  of  that,  as  well  as  of  other  trans- 
gressions ; wherefore,  for  aught  I yet  could 
perceive,  this  iniquity  of  mine  might  be  such, 
as  might  never  be  passed  by. 

I was  often  now  ashamed  that  I should  be 
like  such  an  ugly  man  as  Judas : I thought 
also,  how  loathsome  I should  be  unto  all  the 
saints  in  the  day  of  judgment;  insomuch  that 
now  I could  scarce  see  a good  man,  that  I be- 
lieved had  a good  conscience,  but  I should  feel 
my  heart  tremble  at  him,  while  I was  in  his 
presence.  Oh ! now  I saw  a glory  in  walking 
with  God,  and  what  a mercy  it  was  to  have  a 
good  conscience  before  him. 

I was  much  about  that  time  tempted  to  con- 
tent myself  by  receiving  some  false  opinions; 
as,  that  there  should  be  no  such  thing  as  a day 
of  judgment ; that  we  should  not  rise  again  ; 
and  that  sin  was  no  such  grievous  thing;  the 
tempter  suggesting  thus : “ For  if  these  things 
should  indeed  be  true,  yet  to  believe  otherwise 
would  yield  you  ease  for  the  present.  If  you 
must  perish,  never  torment  yourself  so  much 
beforehand;  drive  the  thoughts  of  daihning 
out  of  your  mind  by  possessing  your  mind 
with  some  such  conclusions  that  Atheists  and 
Banters  use  to  help  themselves  withal.” 

But  oh ! when  such  thoughts  . have  led 
through  my  heart,  how,  as  it  were,  within  a 
step,  hath  death  and  judgment  been  in  my 
view!  Methought  the  Judge  stood  at  the 
door;  I was  as  if  it  were  come  already,  so  that 
such  things  could  have  no  entertainment.  But 
methinks  I see  by  this,  that  Satan  will  use 
any  means  to  keep  the  soul  from  Christ;  he 
loveth  not  an  awakened  frame  of  spirit; 
security,  blindness,  darkness,  and  error,  is 
the  very  kingdom  and  habitation  of  the 
wicked  one. 

I found  it  a hard  work  now  to  pray  to  God, 
because  despair  was  swallowing  me  up;  I 
thought  I was  as  with  a tempest  driven  away 
from  God ; for  always  when  I cried  to  God  for 
mercy,  this  would  come  in : “ ’Tis  too  late,  I 
am  lost,  God  hath  let  me  fall,  not  to  my  cor- 


GRACE  ABOUNDING  TO  TIIE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


rpction,  but  my  condemnation  ; my  sin  is  un- 
pardonable; and  I know  concerning  Esau, 
how  that  after  lie  had  sold  his  birthright,  lie 
would  have  received  the  blessing,  but  was  re- 
jected.” About  this  time  I did  light  on  a 
dreadful  story  of  that  miserable  mortal,  Fran- 
cis Spira ; a book  that  was  to  my  troubled 
spirit,  as  salt  when  rubbed  into  a fresh  wound; 
every  sentence  in  that  book,  every  groan  of 
that  man,  with  all  the  rest  of  his  actions  in  his 
dolours,  as  his  tears,  his  prayers,  his  gnashing 
of  teeth,  his  wringing  of  hands,  his  twisting, 
and  languishing,  and  pining  away  under  that 
mighty  hand  of  God  that  was  upon  him,  were 
as  knives  and  daggers  in  my  soul ; especially 
that  sentence  of  his  was  frightful  to  me,  “Man 
knows  the  beginning  of  sin,  but  who  bounds 
the  issues  thereof?”  Then  would  the  former 
sentence,  as  the  conclusion  of  all,  fall  like  an 
hot  thunderbolt  again  upon  my  conscience: 
“ For  you  know  how  that  afterwards,  when  he 
would  have  inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  re- 
jected; for  he  found  no  place  of  repentance, 
though  he  sought  it  carefully  with  tears.” 

Then  would  I be  struck  with  a very  great 
trembling,  insomuch  that  sometimes  I could, 
for  whole  days  together,  feel  my  very  body,  as 
well  as  my  mind,  to  shake  and  totter  under  the 
sense  of  this  dreadful  judgment  of  God,  that 
should  fall  on  those  that  have  sinned  that  most 
fearful  and  unpardonable  sin.  I felt  also  such 
a clogging  and  heat  at  my  stomach,  by  reason 
of  this  my  terror,  that  I was,  especially  at 
sometimes,  as  if  my  breast-bone  would  split 
asunder;  then  I thought  concerning  that  of 
Judas,  “who  by  his  falling  headlong  burst 
asunder,  and  all  his  bowels  gushed  out.” 

I feared  also  that  this  was  the  mark  that 
God  did  set  upon  Cain,  even  continual  fear 
and  trembling,  under  the  heavy  load  of  guilt 
that  he  had  charged  on  him  for  the  blood  of 
his  brother  Abel.  Thus  did  I wind  and  twine, 
and  shrink  under  the  burthen  that  was  upon 
me , which  burthen  also  did  so  oppress  me,  that 
I could  neither  stand  nor  go,  nor  lie  either  at 
rest  or  quiet. 

Yet  that  saying  would  sometimes  come  into 
my  mind,  “ He  hath  received  gifts  for  the  re- 
bellious:” the  rebellious,  thought  I!  why 
surely  they  are  such  as  once  were  under  sub- 
jection to  their  prince;  even  those  who,  after 
they  have  once  sworn  subjection  to  his  govern- 
ment, have  taken  up  arms  against  him;  and 
this,  thought  I,  is  my  very  condition : I onee 
loved  him,  feared  him,  served  him ; but  now  I 
am  a rebel ; I have  sold  him,  I have  said,  let 
4 


40 

him  go  if  he  will;  but  yet  lie  lias  gifts  foi 
rebels;  and  then  why  not  for  me? 

This  sometimes  I thought  on,  and  should  la- 
bour to  take  hold  thereof,  that  some,  though 
small  refreshment,  might  have  been  conceived 
by  me;  but  in  this  also  I missed  of  my  desire, 
I was  driven  with  force  beyond  it;  I was  like 
a man  going  to  execution,  even  by  that  place 
where  he  would  fain  creep  in  and  hide  him- 
self, but  may  not. 

Again,  after  I had  thus  considered  the  sins 
of  the  saints  in  particular,  and  found  mine 
went  beyond  them,  then  I began  to  think  with 
myself,  and  set  this  case,  should  I put  all  theirs 
together,  and  mine  alone  against  them,  might 
I not  find  encouragement?  For  if  mine, 
though  bigger  than  any  one,  yet  should  be  but 
equal  to  all,  then  there  is  hopes ; for  that  blood 
that  hath  virtue  enough  in  it  to  wash  away 
theirs,  hath  virtue  enough  in  it  to  wash  away 
mine,  though  this  one  be  full  as  big,  if  not 
bigger  than  all  theirs.  Here,  again,  I should 
consider  the  sin  of  David,  of  Solomon,  of  Man- 
asseh,  of  Feter  and  the  rest  of  the  great  of- 
fenders; and  should  also  labour,  what  I might 
with  fairness  to  aggravate  and  heighten  their 
sins  by  several  circumstances. 

I should  think  with  myself  that  David  shed 
blood  to  cover  his  adultery,  and  that  by  the 
sword  of  the  children  of  Ammon  ; a work  that 
could  not  be  done,  but  by  contrivance,  which 
was  a great  aggravation  to  his  sin.  But  then 
would  this  turn  upon  me : Ah ! but  these  were 
but  sins  against  the  law,  from  which  there  was 
a Jesus  sent  to  save  them : but  yours  is  a sin 
against  the  Saviour,  and  who  shall  save  you 
from  that? 

Then  I thought  on  Solomon,  and  how  he 
sinned  in  loving  strange  women,  in  falling 
away  to  their  idols,  in  building  them  temples, 
in  doing  this  after  light  in  his  old  age,  after 
great  mercy  received ; but  the  same  conclusion 
that  cut  me  oft'  in  the  former  considerations, 
cut  me  off  as  to  this,  namely,  that  all  those 
were  but  sins  against  the  law,  for  which  God 
had  provided  a remedy ; but  I had  sold  my  Sa- 
viour, and  there  remained  no  sacrifice  for  sin. 

I would  then  add  to  these  men’s  sins,  the 
sins  of  Manasseh ; how  that  he  built  altars  for 
idols  in  the  house  of  the  Lord ; he  also  ob- 
served times,  used  enchantments,  had  to  do 
with  wizards,  was  a wizard,  had  his  familiar 
spirits,  burned  his  children  in  the  fire  in  sacri- 
fice to  devils,  and  made  the  streets  of  Jerusa- 
lem run  down  with  the  blood  of  innocents. 
These,  thought  I,  are  great  sins,  sins  of  a bloodv 


50 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


colour,  but  yet  it  would  turn  again  upon  me, 
they  are  none  of  them  of  the  nature  of  yours, 
you  have  parted  with  Jesus,  you  have  sold 
your  Saviour. 

This  one  consideration  would  always  kill  my 
heart,  my  sin  was  point  blank  against  my  Sa- 
viour ; and  that  too  at  that  height,  that  I had 
in  my  heart  said  of  him,  let  him  go  if  he  will. 
Oh!  methought  this  sin  was  bigger  than  the 
sins  of  a country,  of  a kingdom,  or  of  the  whole 
world,  no  one  unpardonable ; nor  all  of  them 
together,  was  able  to  make  mine;  mine  out- 
went them  every  one. 

Now  I should  find  my  mind  to  flee  from  God, 
as  from  the  face  of  a dreadful  judge,  j et  this 
was  my  torment,  I could  not  escape  his  hand, 
“ It  is  a fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  living  God.”  But,  blessed  be  his  grace, 
that  Scripture,  in  these  flying  fits,  would  call, 
as  running  after  me,  “ I have  blotted  out,  as  a 
thick  cloud,  thy  transgressions,  and  as  a cloud 
thy  sins ; return  unto  me,  for  I have  redeemed 
thee.”  This,  I say,  would  come  in  upon  my 
mind,  when  I was  fleeing  from  the  face  of  God ; 
for  I did  flee  from  his  face ; that  is,  my  mind 
and  spirit  fled  before  him ; by  reason  of  his 
highness,  I could  not  endure ; then  would  the 
text  cry,  “ Return  unto  me ; ” it  would  cry  aloud 
with  a very  great  voice,  “ Return  unto  me,  for 
I have  redeemed  thee.”  Indeed,  this  would 
make  me  make  a little  stop,  and  as  it  were, 
look  over  my  shoulder  behind  me,  to  see  if  I 
could  discern  that  the  God  of  grace  did  follow 
nre  with  a pardon  in  his  hand;  but  I could  no 
sooner  do  that,  but  all  would  be  clouded  and 
darkened  again  by  that  sentence,  “ For  you 
know,  how  that  afterwards  when  he  would  have 
inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  rejected;  for  he 
found  no  place  of  repentance,  though  he  sought 
it  carefully  with  tears.”  Wherefore  I could 
not  refrain,  but  fled,  though  at  sometimes  it 
cried,  “ Return,  return,”  as  it  did  hollow  after 
me ; but  I feared  to  close  in  therewith,  lest  it 
should  not  come  from  God ; for  that  other,  as 
I said,  was  still  sounding  in  my  conscience, 
* For  you  know  how  that  afterwards,  when  he 
would  have  inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  re- 
jected,” &c. 

Once  as  I was  walking  to  and  fro  in  a good 
man’s  shop,  bemoaning  of  myself  in  a sad  and 
doleful  state,  afflicting  myself  with  self-abhor- 
rence for  this  wicked  and  ungodly  thought, 
lamenting  also  this  hard  hap  of  mine,  for  that 
I should  commit  so  great  a sin,  greatly  fearing 
that  I should  not  be  pardoned ; praying  also  in 
my  heart,  that  if  this  sin  of  mine  did  differ 


from  that  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Lord 
would  show  it  me.  And  being  now  ready  to 
fear,  suddenly  there  was,  as  if  there  had  rushed 
in  at  the  window,  the  noise  of  wind  upon  me, 
but  very  pleasant,  and  as  if  I heard  a voice 
speaking,  “ Didst  thou  ever  refuse  to  be  justi- 
fied by  the  blood  of  Christ  ?”  And  withal,  my 
whole  life  of  profession  past,  was  in  a moment 
opened  to  me,  wherein  I was  made  to  see,  that 
designedly  I had  not ; so  my  heart  answered 
groaningly,  “ No.”  Then  fell  with  power,  that 
word  of  God  upon  me,  “See  that  ye  refuse 
not  him  that  speaketh.”  This  made  a strange 
seizure  upon  my  spirit;  it  brought  light  with 
it,  and  commanded  a silence  in  my  heart,  of 
all  those  tumultuous  thoughts,  that  did  before 
use  like  masterless  hell  hounds,  to  roar  and 
bellow,  and  make  an  hideous  noise  within  me. 
It  showed  me  also  that  Jesus  Christ  had  yet  a 
word  of  grace  and  mercy  for  me,  that  he  had 
not,  as  I had  feared,  quite  forsaken  and  cast  ofl 
my  soul ; yea,  this  was  a kind  of  check  for  my 
proneness  to  desperation ; a kind  of  threat- 
ening of  me,  if  I did  not,  notwithstanding  my 
sins,  and  the  heinousness  of  them,  venture  my 
salvation  upon  the  Son  of  God.  But  as  to  my 
determining  about  this  strange  dispensation, 
what  it  was,  I know  not;  or  from  whence  it 
came,  I know  not ; I have  not  yet  in  twenty 
years’  time  been  able  to  make  a judgment  of  it ; 
“I  thought  then  what  here  I should  be  loth 
to  speak.”  But  verily  that  sudden  rushing 
wind  was,  as  if  an  angel  had  come  upon  me, 
but  both  it,  and  the  salvation,  I will  leave  until 
the  day  of  judgment;  only  this  I say,  it  com- 
manded a great  calm  in  my  soul,  it  persuaded 
me  there  might  be  hope ; it  showed  me,  as  I 
thought,  what  the  sin  unpardonable  was,  and 
that  my  soul  had  yet  the  blessed  privilege  to 
flee  to  Jesus  Christ  for  mercy.  But  I say  con- 
cerning this  dispensation,  I know  not  what  to 
say  unto  it  yet;  which  was  al*>,  in  truth,  the 
cause  that  at  first  I did  not  speak  of  it  in  the 
book ; I do  now  also  leave  it  to  be  thought  on 
by  men  of  sound  judgment.  I lay  not  the 
stress  of  my  salvation  thereupon,  but  upon  the 
Lord  Jesns  in  the  promise;  yet  seeing  I am. 
here  unfolding  of  my  secret  things,  I thought 
it  might  not  be  altogether  inexpedient  to  let 
this  also  show  itself,  though  I cannot  now  re- 
late the  matter  as  there  I did  experience  it. 
This  lasted  in  the  savour  of  it  for  about  three 
or  four  days,  and  then  I began  to  mistrust,  and 
to  despair  again. 

Wherefore  still  my  life  hung  in  doubt  before 
me,  not  knowing  which  way  I should  go;  only 


ORA CE  ABOUNDING  TO  THE  CIIIEE  OF  SINNERS. 


51 


this  I found  my  soul  desire,  even  to  oust  itself 
at  the  foot  of  grace,  by  prayer  and  supplica- 
tion. But  oh!  it  was  hard  for  me  now,  to 
have  the  face  to  pray  to  this  Christ  for  mercy, 
against  whom  l had  thus  vilely  sinned:  it  was 
hard  work,  1 say,  to  offer  to  look  him  in  the 
face,  against  whom  I had  so  vilely  sinned; 
and  indeed  I have  found  it  as  diflieult  to  come 
to  Ooil  by  prayer,  after  backsliding  from  him, 
as  to  do  any  other  thing.  Oh!  the  shame  that 
did  now  attend  me ! especially  when  I thought, 
I am  now  a-going  to  pray  to  him  for  mercy, 
that  I had  so  lightly  esteemed  but  a while  be- 
fore! I was  ashamed,  yea,  even  confounded, 
because  this  villainy  had  been  committed  by 
me;  but  I saw  that  there  was  but  one  way 
with  me,  I must  go  to  him,  and  humble  my- 
self unto  him,  and  beg  that  he,  of  his  wonder- 
ful mercy,  would  show  pity  to  me,  and  have 
mercy  upon  my  wretched  sinful  soul. 

Which,  when  the  tempter  perceived,  he 
strongly  suggested  to  me,  “ that  I ought  not  to 
pray  to  God,  for  prayer  was  not  for  any  in  my 
case;  neither  could  it  do  me  good,  because  I 
had  rejected  the  Mediator,  by  whom  all 
prayers  came  with  acceptance  to  God  the 
Father;  and  without  whom,  no  prayer  could 
come  into  his  presence.  Wherefore  now  to 
pray,  is  but  to  add  sin  to  sin ; yea,  now  to 
pray,  seeing  God  has  c;ist  you  off,  is  the  next 
way  to  anger  and  offend  him  more  than  you 
ever  did  before. 

“For  God,”  said  he,  “hath  been  weary  of 
you  for  these  several  years  already,  because 
you  are  none  of  his ; your  bawling  in  his  ears 
hath  been  no  pleasant  voice  to  him ; and  there- 
fore he  let  you  sin  this  sin,  that  you  might  be 
quite  cut  off;  and  will  you  pray  still?”  This 
the  devil  urged,  and  set  forth  that  in  Num- 
bers, when  Moses  said  to  the  children  of 
Israel,  “That  because  they  would  not  go  up 
to  possess  the  land,  when  God  would  have 
them,  therefore  for  ever  did  he  bar  them  out 
from  thence,  though  they  prayed  they  might 
with  tears.” 

As  it  is  said  in  another  place,  “The  man 
that  sins  presumptuously  shall  be  taken  from 
God’s  altar,  that  he  may  die ;”  even  as  Joab 
was  by  King  Solomon,  when  he  thought  to 
find  shelter  there.  These  places  did  pinch  me 
very  sore;  yet  my  case  being  desperate,  I 
thought  with  myself,  I can  but  die;  and  if  it 
must  be  so,  it  shall  once  be  said,  “That  su«h 
an  one  died  at  the  foot  of  Christ  in  prayer.” 
This  I did,  but  with  great  difficulty  God  doth 
know;  and  that  because,  together  with  this, 


still  that  saying  about  Esau  would  be  set  at 
my  heart,  even  like  a flaming  sword,  to  keep 
the  way  of  the  tree  of  life,  lest  I should  take 
thereof  and  live.  Oh!  who  knows  how  hard 
a thing  I found  it,  to  come  to  God  in  prayer! 

I did  also  desire  the  prayers  of  the  people 
of  God  for  me,  but  I feared  that  God  would 
give  them  no  heart  to  do  it;  yea,  I trembled 
in  my  sonl  to  think,  that  some  or  other  of 
them  would  shortly  tell  me,  that"  God  hath 
said  those  words  to  them,  that  he  once  did  say 
to  the  prophet,  concerning  the  children  of 
Israel,  “Pray  not  for  this  people,  for  I have 
rejected  them.”  So,  “Pray  not  for  him,  for  1 
have  rejected  him.”  Yea,  I thought  he  had 
whispered  this  to  some  of  them  already,  only 
they  durst  not  tell  me  so;  neither  durst  I ask 
them  of  it,  for  fear  if  it  should  be  so,  it  would 
make  me  quite  beside  myself.  “Man  knows 
the  beginning  of  sin,  (said  Spira:)  but  who 
bounds  the  issues  thereof?” 

About  this  time  I took  an  opportunity  to 
break  my  mind  to  an  ancient  Christian,  and 
told  him  all  my  case;  I told  him  also,  that  I 
was  afraid  I had  sinned  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost;  and  lie  told  me,  he  thought  so  too. 
Here,  therefore,  I had  but  cold  comfort ; but 
talking  a little  more  with  him,  I found  him, 
though  a good  man,  a stranger  to  much  com- 
bat with  the  devil.  Wherefore  I went  to  God 
again,  as  well  as  I could,  for  mercy  still. 

Now  also  did  the  tempter  begin  to  mock  me 
in  my  misery,  saying,  “ That  seeing  I had  thus 
parted  with  the  Lord  Jesus  and  provoked  him 
to  displeasure,  who  would  have  stood  between 
my  soul  and  the  flame  of  devouring  fire,  there 
was  now  but  one  way,  and  that  was,  to  pray 
that  God  the  Father  would  be  a Mediator  be- 
twixt his  Son  and  me;  that  we  might  be  recon- 
ciled again,  and  that  I might  have  that  blessed 
benefit  in  him,  that  his  saints  enjoyed.” 

Then  did  that  Scripture  seize  upon  my  soul, 
“He  is  of  one  mind,  and  who  can  turn  him?” 
Oh!  I saw  it  was  as  easy  to  persuade  him  to 
make  a new  world,  a new  covenant,  or  a new 
Bible,  besides  that  we  have  already,  as  to  pray 
for  such  a thing.  This  was  to  persuade  him, 
that  what  he  had  done  already,  was  mere  folly, 
and  persuade  him  to  alter,  yea  to  disannul  the 
whole  way  of  salvation ; and  then  would  that 
saying  rend  my  soul  asunder,  “Neither  is 
there  salvation  in  any  other,  for  there  is  none 
other  name  under  heaven,  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved.” 

Now  the  most  free,  and  full,  and  gracious 
words  of  the  Gospel,  were  the  greatest  torment 


L\  OF  ill  i'Q 


52 


EUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  me;  yea, --nothing  so  afflicted  me,  as  the 
thoughts  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  remembrance  of 
a Saviour;  because  I had  cast  him  off,  brought 
forth  the  villainy  of  my  sin,  and  my  loss  by  it 
to  mind;  nothing  did  twinge  ray  conscience 
like  this;  everything  that  I thought  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  of  his  grace,  love,  goodness,  kind- 
ness, gentleness,  meekness,  death,  blood,  prom- 
ises, and  blessed  exhortations,  comforts,  and 
consolations,  it  went  to  my  soul  like  a sword ; 
for  still  unto  these  my  considerations  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  these  thoughts  would  make  place 
for  themselves  in  my  heart.  “Ay,  this  is  the 
Jesus,  the  loving  Saviour,  the  Son  of  God, 
whom  you,  have  parted  with,  whom  you  have 
slighted,  despised,  and  abused.  This  is  the 
only  Saviour,  the  only  Redeemer,  the  only  one 
that  could  so  love  sinners,  as  to  wash  them 
from  their  sins  in  his  own  most  precious  blood; 
but  you  have  no  part  nor  lot  in  this  Jesus; 
you  have  put  him  from  you ; you  have  said  in 
your  heart,  let  him  go  if  he  will.  Now  there- 
fore you  are  severed  from  him ; you  have 
severed  yourself  from  him : behold  then  his 
goodness,  but  yourself  to  be  no  partaker  of 
it.”  Oh!  thought  I,  what  have  I lost,  what 
have  I parted  with ! What  has  disinherited 
my  soul ! Oh ! it  is  sad  to  be  destroyed  by  the 
grace  and  mercy  of  God;  to  have  the  Lamb, 
the  Saviour,  turn  lion  and  destroyer. 

I also  trembled  as  I have  said,  at  the  sight  of 
the  saints  of  God,  especially  at  those  that 
greatly  loved  him,  and  that  made  it  their  busi- 
ness to  walk  continually  with  him  in  this  world ; 
for  they  did,  both  in  their  words,  their  carriage, 
and  all  their  expressions  of  tenderness  and  fear 
to  sin  against  their  precious  Saviour,  condemn, 
lay  guilt  upon,  and  also  add  continual  affliction 
and  shame  unto  my  soul.  “ The  dread  of  them 
was  upon  me,  and  I trembled  at  God’s  ” Samuels. 

Now  also  the  tempter  began  afresh  to  mock 
my  soul  another  way,  saying  “ That  Christ  in- 
deed did  pity  my  case,  and  was  sorry  for  my 
loss ; but  forasmuch  as  I had  sinned  and  trans- 
gressed as  I bad  done,  he  could  by  no  means 
help  me,  nor  save  me  from  what  I feared ; for 
my  sin  was  not  of  the  nature  of  theirs,  for 
whom  he  bled  and  died  ; neither  was  it  counted 
with  those  that  were  laid  to  his  charge,  when 
he  hanged  on  a tree ; therefore,  unless  he  should 
come  down  from  heaven,  and  die  anew  for  this 
sin,  though  indeed  he  did  greatly  pity  me,  when 
yet  I could  have  no  benefit  of  him.”  These 
things  may  seem  ridiculous  to  others,  even  as 
ridiculous  as  they  were  in  themselves,  but  to 
me  they  were  most  tormenting  cogitations ; 


every  one  of  them  augmented  my  misery,  that 
Jesus  Christ  should  have  so  much  love  as  to 
pity  me,  when  yet  he  could  not  help  me;  nor 
did  I think  that  the  reason  why  he  could  not 
help  me,  was,  because  his  merits  were  weak,  or 
his  grace  and  salvation  spent  on  others  already, 
but  because  his  faithfulness  to  his  threatenings 
would  not  let  him  extend  his  mercy  to  me. 
Besides,  I thought,  as  I have,  already  hinted, 
that  my  sin  was  not  within  the  bounds  of  that 
pardon,  that  was  wrapped  up  in  a promise ; 
and  if  not,  then  I -knew  surely,  that  it  was 
more  easy  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass  away, 
than  for  me  to  have  eternal  life.  So  that  the 
ground  of  all  these  fears  of  mine,  did  arise 
from  a steadfast  belief  I had  of  the  stability  of 
the  holy  word  of  God,  and  also  from  my  being 
misinformed  of  the  nature  of  my  sin. 

But  oh ! how  this  would  add  to  my  affliction, 
to  conceit  that  I should  be  guilty  of  such  a sin, 
for  which  he  did  not  die.  These  thoughts  did 
so  confound  me,  and  imprison  me,  and  tie  me 
up  from  faith,  that  I knew  not  what  to  do. 
But  oh ! thought  I,  that  he  would  come  down 
again  ! Oh ! that  the  work  of  man’s  redemp- 
tion was  yet  to  be  done  by  Christ ! how  would 
I pray  him  and  entreat  him  to  count  and  reckon 
this  sin  among  the  rest  for  which  he  died ! 
But  this  Scripture  would  strike  me  down  as 
dead : “ Christ  being  raised  from  the  dead, 
dietli  no  more ; death  bath  no  more  dominion 
over  him.” 

Thus,  by  the  strange  and  unusual  assaults  of 
the  tempter,  my  soul  was  like  a broken  vessel, 
driven  as  with  the  winds,  and  tossed  sometimes 
headlong  into  despair ; sometimes  upon  the 
covenant  of  works,  and  sometimes  to  wish  that 
j the  new  covenant,  and  the  conditions  thereof, 
might  so  far  forth  as  I thought  myself  con- 
cerned, be  turned  another  way,  and  changed, 
“ But  in  all  these,  I was  as  those  that  jostle 
against  the  rocks ; more  broken,  scattered  and 
rent.”  Oh!  the  unthought-of  imaginations, 
frights,  fears,  and  terrors,  that  are  affected  by 
a thorough  application  of  guilt  yielding  to  des- 
peration! “This  is  the  man  that  hath  his 
dwelling  among  the  tombs  with  the  dead ; that 
is  always  crying  out,  and  cutting  himself  with 
stones.”  But  I say,  all  in  vain ; desperation 
will  not  comfort  him,  the  old  covenant  will  not 
save  him ; nay,  heaven  and  earth  shall  pass 
away,  before  one  jot  or  tittle  of  the  word  and 
law  of  grace  will  fail  or  be  removed.  This  I 
saw,  this  I felt,  and  under  this  I groaned ; yet 
this  advantage  I got  thereby,  namely,  a farther 
confirmation  of  the  certainty  of  the  way  of 


GRACE  ARGUS  1>ISG  TO  THE  CHIEF  OF  SIS  SEES. 


salvation ; and  that  the  Scriptures  were  the 
word  of  God.  Oh!  I cannot  now  express  what 
I then  saw  and  felt  of  the  steadiness  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  rock  of  man’s  salvation  ; what  was 
done  could  not  be  undone,  added  to,  nor  altered. 
I saw,  indeed,  that  sin  might  drive  the  soul  be- 
yond Christ,  even  the  sin  which  is  unpardon- 
able; but  woe  to  him  that  was  so  driven,  for 
the  word  would  shut  him  out. 

Thus  was  I always  sinking,  whatever  T did 
think  or  do.  So  one  day  I walked  to  a neigh- 
bouring town  and  sat  down  upon  a settle  in  the 
street,  and  fell  into  a very  deep  pause  about  (he 
most  fearful  state  my  sin  had  brought  me  to; 
and  after  long  musing,  1 lifted  up  my  head,  but 
methouglit  I saw,  as  if  the  sun  that  shineth  in 
the  heavens  did  grudge  to  give  light;  and  as 
if  the  stones  in  the  streets,  and  the  tiles  upon 
the  houses,  did  bend  themselves  against  me. 
Methouglit  that  they  all  combined  together  to 
banish  me  out  of  the  world.  I was  abhorred 
of  them,  and  unfit  to  dwell  among  them,  or  be 
partaker  of  their  benefits,  because  I had  sinned 
against  the  Saviour.  Oh  how  happy  now  was 
every  creature  over  I was ! For  they  stood  fast, 
and  kept  their  station,  but  I was  gone  and  lost. 

Then  breaking  out  in  the  bitterness  of  my 
soul,  I said  to  my  soul,  with  a grievous  sigh, 

How  can  God  comfort  such  a wretch  as  I 
avn  ?”  I had  no  sooner  said  it,  but  this  returned 
upon  me,  sis  an  echo  doth  answer  a voice, 
“ This  sin  is  not  unto  death.”  At  which  I was, 
as  if  I had  been  raised  out  of  the  grave,  and 
cried  out  again,  “ Lord,  how  couldst  thou  find 
out  such  a word  as  this?”  For  I was  filled 
with  admiration  at  the  fitness,  and  at  the  un- 

• expectedness  of  the  sentence ; the  fitness  of  the 
word,  the  rightness  of  the  timing  of  it,  the 
power,  and  sweetness,  and  light,  and  glory, 
that  came  with  it  also,  was  marvellous  to  me 
to  find  ; I was  now,  for  the  time,  out  of  doubt, 
as  to  that  about  which  I so  much  was  in  doubt 

• before;  my  fears  before  were,  that  my  sin  was 
nut  pardonable,  and  so  that  I had  no  right  to 
pray,  to  repent,  &c.,  or  that  if  I did  it  would 
be  of  no  advantage  or  profit  to  me.  But  now, 
thought  I,  if  this  sin  is  not  unto  death,  then  it 
is  pardonable ; therefore  from  this  I have  en- 
couragement to  come  to  God  by  Christ  for 
mercy,  to  consider  the  promise  of  forgiveness, 
as  that  which  stands  with  open  arms  to  receive 
me  as  well  as  others.  This,  therefore,  was  a 
great  easement  to  my  mind,  to  wit,  that  my  sin 
was  pardonable,  that  it  was  not  the  sin  unto 
death.  None  but  those  that  know  what  my 
trouble  (by  their  own  experience)  was,  can  tell 


what  relief  came  to  my  soul  by  this  consider- , 
ntion ; it  was  a release  to  mo  from  my  former 
bonds,  and  a shelter  from  my  former  storms ; 

1 seemed  now  to  stand  upon  the  same  ground 
with  other  sinners,  and  to  have  as  good  right 
to  the  word  and  prayer  as  any  of  them. 

Now,  I say,  I was  in  hopes  that  my  sin  was 
not  unpardonable,  but  that  there  might  be 
hopes  for  me  to  obtain  forgiveness.  But  oli ! 
how  Satan  did  now  lay  about  him  for  to  bring 
me  down  again ! but  he  could  by  no  means  do 
it,  neither  this  day,  nor  the  most  part  of  (he 
next,  for  this  sentence  stood  like  a mill-post  at 
my  back ; yet  towards  the  evening  of  the  next 
day,  I felt  this  word  begin  to  leave  me,  and  to 
withdraw  its  supportation  from  me,  and  so  I 
returned  to  my  old  fears  again,  but  with  a 
great  deal  of  grudging  and  peevishness,  for  1 
feared  the  sorrow  of  despair;  nor  could  my 
faith  now  long  retain  this  word. 

But  the  next  day  at  evening,  being  under 
many  fears,  I went  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  as  I 
prayed,  I cried,  and  my  soul  cried  to  him  in  ’ 
these  words,  with  strong  cries,  “ 0 Lord,  I be- 
seech thee,  show  me  that  thou  hast  loved  me 
with  an  everlasting  love.”  I had  no  sooner 
said  it,  but  with  sweetness  this  returned  upon 
me,  as  an  echo,  or  sounding  again,  “ I have 
loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love.”  Now  I 
went  to  bed  in  quiet ; also  when  I awaked  the 
next  morning,  it  was  fresh  upon  my  soul,  and 
I believed  it. 

But  yet  the  tempter  left  me  not,  for  it  could 
not  be  so  little  as  an  hundred  times,  that  he 
that  day  did  labour  to  break  my  peace.  Oh  ! 
the  combats  and  conflicts  that  I did  then  meet 
with ; as  I strove  to  hold  by  this  word,  that  of 
Esau  would  fly  in  my  face  like  lightning;  I 
should  be  sometimes  up  and  down  twenty 
times  in  an  hour;  yet  God  did  bear  me  out, 
and  keep  my  heart  upon  this  word;  from  which 
I had  also,  for  several  days  together,  very  much 
sweetness,  and  comfortable  hopes  of  pardon; 
for  thus  it  was  made  out  unto  me,  “ I loved 
thee  whilst  thou  wast  committing  this  sin,  I 
loved  thee  before,  I love  thee  still,  and  I will 
love  thee  forever.” 

Yet  I saw  my  sin  most  barbarous,  and  a filthy 
crime,  and  could  not  but  conclude,  with  great 
shame  and  astonishment,  that  I had  horribly 
abused  the  holy  Son  of  God.  Wherefore  I felt 
my  soul  greatly  to  love  and  pity  him,  and  my 
bowels  yearn  towards  him : for  I saw  he  was 
still  my  friend,  and  did  reward  me  good  for 
evil ; yea,  the  love  and  affection  that  then  did 
burn  within  me  to  my  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 


54 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Christ,  did  work  at  this  time  such  a strong  and 
hot  desire  of  revengement  upon  myself  for  the 
abuse  I had  done  unto  him,  that,  to  speak  as  I 
then  thought,  had  I a thousand  gallons  of 
blood  within  my  veins,  I could  freely  then 
have  spilt  it  all  at  the  command  and  feet  of 
this  my  Lord  and  Saviour. 

And  as  I was  thus  musing,  and  in  my  studies, 
considering  how  to  love  the  Lord,  and  to  ex- 
press my  love  to  him,  that  saying  came  in 
upon  me,  “If  thou,  Lord,  shouldst  mark  in- 
iquity, 0 Lord,  who  should  stand?  But  there 
is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  mayst  be 
feared.”  These  were  good  words  to  me,  es- 
pecially the  latter  part  thereof;  to  wit,  that 
“ There  is  forgiveness  with  the  Lord  that  he 
may  be  feared that  is,  as  I then  understood 
it,  that  he  might  be  loved,  and  had  in  rever- 
ence ; for  it  was  thus  made  out  to  me,  “ That 
the  great  God  did  set  so  high  an  esteem  upon 
the  love  of  his  poor  creatures,  that  rather  than 
he  would  go  without  their  love,  he  would  par- 
don their  transgressions.” 

And  now  was  that  word  fulfilled  on  me,  and 
I was  also  refreshed  by  it ; “ Then  shall  they 
be  ashamed  and  confounded,  and  never  open 
their  mouths  any  more,  because  of  their  shame, 
when  I am  pacified  towards  them  for  all  that 
they  have  done,  saith  the  Lord  God.”  Thus 
was  my  soul  at  this  time  (and  as  I then  did 
think,  for  ever)  set  at  liberty  from  being 
afflicted  with  my  former  guilt  and  amazement. 

But  before  many  weeks  were  gone,  I began 
to  despond  again,  fearing,  lest,  notwithstanding 
all  that  I had  enjoyed,  that  I might  be  de- 
ceived and  destroyed  at  the  last ; for  this  con- 
sideration came  strong  into  my  mind,  “ That 
whatever  comfort  and  peace  I thought  I might 
have  from  the  word  of  the  promise  of  life,  yet 
unless  there  could  be  found  in  my  refreshment, 
a concurrence  and  agreement  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, let  me  think  what  I will  thereof,  and 
hold  it  never  so  fast,  I should  find  no  such 
thing  at  the  end ; for  the  Scriptures  cannot  be 
broken.” 

Now  began  my  heart  again  to  ache,  and  fear 
I might  meet  with  a disappointment  at  last. 
Wherefore  I began  with  all  seriousness  to  ex- 
amine my  former  comfort,  and  to  consider 
whether  one  that  had  sinned  as  I had  done, 
might  with  confidence  trust  upon  the  faithful- 
ness of  God,  laid  down  in  these  words,  by 
which  I had  been  comforted,  and  on  which  I 
had  leaned  myself.  But  now  were  brought  to 
my  mind,  “For  it  is  impossible  for  those  who 
were  once  enlightened,  and  have  tasted  tile 


heavenly  gift,  and  were  made  partakers  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of 
God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  if 
they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  unto 
repentance.  For  if  we  sin  wilfully,  and  after 
we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
there  remains  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin,  but 
certain  fearful  looking-for  of  judgnjent,  and 
fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour  the  ad- 
versaries ; even  as  Esau,  who  for  one  morsel  of 
meat,  sold  his  birthright.  For  ye  know  how 
that  afterwards,  when  he  would  have  inherited 
the  blessing,  he  was  rejected;  for  he  found  no 
place  of  repentance,  though  he  sought  it  care- 
fully with  tears.” 

Now  was  the  word  of  the  Gospel  forced  from 
my  soul ; so  that  no  promise  or  encouragement 
was  to  be  found  in  the  Bible  for  me ; and  now 
would  that  saying  work  upon  my  spirit  to 
afflict  me,  “Rejoice  not,  0 Israel,  for  joy  as 
other  people.”  For  I saw,  indeed,  there  was 
cause  of  rejoicing  for  those  that  held  to  Jesus ; 
but  for  me,  I had  cut  myself  off  by  my  trans- 
gressions, and  left  myself  neither  foot-hold  nor 
hand-hold,  among  all  the  stays  and  props  in 
the  precious  word  of  life. 

And  truly,  I did  now  feel  myself  to  sink  into 
a gulf,  as  an  house  whose  foundation  is  de- 
stroyed : I did  liken  myself  in  this  condition, 
unto  the  case  of  a child  that  was  fallen  into  a 
mill-pit,  who  though  it  could  make  some  shift 
to  scrabble  and  sprawl  in  the  water,  yet  be- 
cause it  could  find  neither  hold  for  hand  nor 
foot,  therefore  at  last  it  must  die  in  that  con- 
dition. So  soon  as  this  fresh  assault  had  fas- 
tened on  my  soul,  that  Scripture  came  into  my 
heart,  “This  for  many  days.”  And  indeed  I 
found  it  was  so;  for  I could  not  be  delivered, 
nor  brought  to  peace  again,  until  well  nigh 
two  years  and  an  half  were  completely  finished. 
Wherefore  these  words,  though  in  themselves 
they  tended  to  no  discouragement,  yet  to  me, 
who  feared  this  condition  would  be  eternal, 
they  were  at  sometimes  as  an  help  and  refresh- 
ment to  me. 

For,  thought  I,  many  days  are  not  for  ever, 
many  days  will  have  an  end ; therefore  seeing 
I was  to  be  afflicted  not  a few,  but  many  days, 
yet  I was  glad  it  was  but  for  many  days. 
Thus,  I say,  I could  recall  myself  sometimes 
and  give  myself  an  hell),  for  as  soon  as  ever 
the  word  came  into  my  mind,  at  first  I knew 
my  trouble  would  be  long,  yet  this  would  be 
but  sometimes;  for  I could  not  always  think 
on  this,  nor  ever  be  helped  by  it,  though  I 
did. 


CRACK  ABOUNDING  TO  THE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


65 


Now  wliilo  tlio  Scriptures  luv  before  me.  and 
laid  sin  anew  at  my  door,  that  saying  in  Luke 
xviii.  1,  with  others,  did  encourage  me  to 
prayer;  then  the  tempter  again  laid  at  me 
very  sore,  suggesting,  “That  neither  the  mercy 
of  God,  nor  yet  the  blood  of  Christ,  did  at  all 
concern  me,  nor  could  they  help  me  for  my 
sin;  therefore  it  was  but  in  vain  to  pray.” 
Yet,  thought  I,  “ I will  pray.”  “ Rut,  said  the 
tempter,  your  sin  is  unpardonable.”  “Well, 
said  I,  I will  pray.”  “It  is  to  no  boot,  said 
he.”  “ Yet,  said  f,  I will  pray.”  So  I went 
to  prayer  with  God;  and  while  I was  at 
prayer,  I uttered  words  to  this  effect:  “Lord, 
Satan  tells  me,  that  neither  thy  mercy,  nor 
Christ’s  blood  is  sufficient  to  save  my  soul ; 
Lord,  shall  I honour  thee  most,  by  believing 
thou  wilt,  and  canst?  or  him,  by  believing 
that  thou  neither  wilt,  nor  canst?  Lord,  I 
would  fain  honour  thee,  by  believing  that 
thou  wilt,  and  canst.” 

And  as  I was  thus  before  the  Lord,  that 
Scripture  fastened  on  my  heart,  “Oman,  great 
is  thy  faith:”  even  as  if  one  had  clapped  me 
on  the  back,  as  I was  on  my  knees  before 
God : yet  I was  not  able  to  believe  this,  that 
this  was  a prayer  of  faith,  till  almost  six 
months  after ; for  I could  not  think  that  I 
had  faith,  or  that  there  should  be  a word  for 
me  to  act  faith  on ; therefore  I should  still 
be,  as  sticking  in  the  jaws  of  desperation, 
and  went  mourning  up  and  down  in  a sad 
condition. 

There  was  nothing  now  that  I longed  for 
more  than  to  be  put  out  of  doubt,  as  to  this 
thing  in  question,  and  as  I was  vehemently 
desiring  to  know,  if  there  was  indeed  hope  for 
me,  these  words  came  rolling  into  my  mind, 
“Will  the  Lord  cast  off  for  ever?  and  will  he 
be  favourable  no  more?  Is  his  mercy  clean 
gone  for  ever?  Doth  his  promise  tail  for 
evermore?  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gra- 
cious? Hath  he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender 
mercies?”  And  all  the  while  they  run  in  my 
mind,  methought  I had  still  this  as  the  an- 
swer, “’Tis  a question  whether  he  hath  or  no ; 
it  may  be  he  hath  not.”  Yea,  the  interroga- 
tory seemed  to  me  to  carry  in  it  a sure  affirma- 
tion that  indeed  he  had  not,  nor  would  so  cast 
off,  but  would  be  favourable ; that  his  promise 
doth  not  fail,  and  that  he  hath  not  forgotten 
to  be  gracious,  nor  would  in  anger  shut  up  his 
tender  mercy.  Something  also  there  was  upon 
my  heart  at  the  same  time,  which  I now  can- 
not call  to  mind,  which  with  this  text  did 
sweeten  my  heart,  and  make  me  conclude, 


that  his  mercy  might  not  be  quite  gone,  nor 
gone  for  ever. 

At  another  time  I remembered,  I was  again 
much  under  this  question,  “ Whether  the  blood 
of  Christ  was  sufficient  to  save  my  soul?”  in 
which  doubt  I continued  from  morning,  till 
about  seven  or  eight  at  night;  and  at  last, 
when  I was,  as  it  were,  quite  worn  out  with 
fear,  lest  it  should  not  lay  hold  on  me,  these 
words  did  sound  suddenly  within  my  heart, 
“ He  is  able.”  Rut  methought  this  word  able, 
was  spoke  so  loud  to  me,  it  showed  a great 
word,  it  seemed  to  be  writ  in  great  letters, 
and  gave  such  a jostle  to  my  fear  and  doubt, 
(I  mean  for  the  time  it  tarried  with  me,  which 
was  about  a day,)  as  I never  had  from  that, 
all  my  life,  either  before  or  after.  (Heb. 
vii.  25.) 

Rut  one  morning  as  I was  again  at  prayer 
and  trembling  under  the  fear  of  this,  that  no 
word  of  God  could  help  me,  that  piece  of  a 
sentence  darted  in  upon  me,  “ My  grace  is  suf- 
ficient.” At  this  methought  I felt  some  stay, 
as  if  there  might  be  hopes ; but  oh ! how  good 
a thing  it  is  for  God  to  send  his  word ! for 
about  a fortnight  before,  I was  looking  on  this 
very  place,  and  then  I thought  it  could  not 
come  near  my  soul  with  comfort,  therefore  I 
threw  down  my  book  in  a pet;  then  I thought 
it  was  not  large  enough  for  me ; no,  not  large 
enough,  but  now  it  was  as  if  it  had  arms  of 
grace  so  wide,  that  it  could  not  only  enclose 
me,  but  many  more  beside. 

By  these  words  I was  sustained,  yet  not 
without  exceeding  conflicts,  for  the  space  of 
seven  or  eight  weeks ; for  my  peace  would  be 
in  it,  and  out,  sometimes  twenty  times  a day, 
comfort  now,  and  trouble  presently ; peace 
now,  and  before  I could  go  a furlong,  as  full 
of  fear  and  guilt  as  ever  heart  could  hold  ; and 
this  was  not  only  now  and  then,  but  my  whole 
seven  weeks’  experience.  For  this  about  the 
sufficiency  of  grace,  and  that  of  Esau’s  parting 
with  his  birthright,  would  be  like  a pair  of 
scales  within  my  mind,  sometimes  one  end 
would  be  uppermost  and  sometimes  again  the 
other ; according  to  which  would  be  my  peace 
or  troubles. 

Therefore  I did  still  pray  to  God,  that  he 
would  come  in  with  his  Scripture  more  fully 
on  my  heart;  to  wit,  that  he  would  help  me 
to  apply  the  whole  sentence,  for  as  yet  I 
could  not;  what  he  gave,  that  T gathered; 
but  further  I could  not  go,  for  as  yet  it  only 
helped  me  to  hope  there  might  be  mercy  for 
mo,  “ My  grace  is  sufficient :”  and  though  it 


56 


BUN  FAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


came  no  farther,  it  answered  my  former  ques- 
tion ; to  wit,  that  there  was  hope ; yet  because, 
“for  thee”  was  left  out,  I was  not  contented, 
but  prayed  to  God  for  that  also.  Wherefore, 
one  day,  when  I was  in  a meeting  of  God’s 
people,  full  of  sadness  and  terror,  for  my  fears 
again  were  strong  upon  me,  and  as  i was  now 
thinking  my  soul  was  never  the  better,  but  my 
case  most  sad  and  fearful,  these  words  did  with 
great  power  suddenly  break  in  upon  me,  “ My 
power  is  sufficient  for  thee,  My  grace  is  suffi- 
cient for  thee,  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,” 
three  times  together : and  oh ! methought  that 
every  word  was  a mighty  word  unto  me ; as 
“ my,”  and  “ grace,”  and  “ sufficient,”  and  “ for 
thee ;”  they  were  then,  and  sometimes  are  still, 
far  bigger  than  others  be. 

At  which  time  my  un<jlerst?Jiding  was  so  en- 
lightened, that  I was  as  though  I had  seen  the 
Lord  Jesus  look  down  from  heaven,  through 
the  tiles  upon  me,  and  direct  these  words  unto 
me.  This  sent  me  mourning  home ; it  broke 
my  heart,  and  filled  me  full  of  joy,  and  laid 
me  low  as  the  dust ; only  it  stayed  not  long 
with  me,  I mean  in  this  glory  and  refreshing 
comfort ; yet  it  continued  with  me  for  several 
weeks,  and  did  encourage  me  to  hope ; but  as 
soon  as  that  powerful  operation  of  it  was  taken 
from  my  heart,  that  other,  about  Esau,  re- 
turned upon  me  as  before;  so  my  soul  did 
hang  as  in  a pair  of  scales  again,  sometimes 
up,  and  sometimes  down ; now  in  peace,  and 
anon  again  in  terror. 

Thus  I went  on  for  many  weeks,  sometimes 
comforted,  and  sometimes  tormented ; and  es- 
pecially at  some  times  my  torment  would  be 
very  sore,  for  all  those  Scriptures  aforenamed 
in  the  Hebrews,  wrould  be  set  before  me,  as  the 
only  sentences  that  would  keep  me  out  of 
heaven.  Then  again  I should  begin  to  repent 
that  ever  that  thought  went  through  me;  I 
should  also  think  thus  with  myself:  “Why, 
how  many  Scriptures  are  there  against  me? 
There  are  but  three  or  four ; and  cannot  God 
miss  them,  and  save  me  for  all  them  ? Some- 
times again  I should  think,  “Oh  if  it  were  not 
for  these  three  or  four  words,  now  how  might 
I be  comforted!”  And  I could  hardly,  forbear 
at  sometimes,  to  wisli  them  out  of  the  book. 

Then  methought  I should  see  as  if  both  St. 
Peter  and  Paul,  and  John,  and  all  the  writers, 
did  look  with  scorn  upon  me,  and  hold  me  in 
derision;  as  if  they  had  said  unto  me,  “All 
our  words  are  truth,  one  of  as  much  force  as 
the  other ; it  is  not  we  that  have  cut  you  off, 
but  you  have  cast  away  yourself.  There  is 


none  of  our  sentences  that  you  must  take  hold 
upon,  but  these,  and  such  as  these ; it  is  im-. 
possible,  there  remains  no  sacrifice  for  sin. 
‘ And  it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have 
knowm  the  will  of  God,  than  after  they  had 
known  it  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandment 
delivered  unto  them ; for  the  Scriptures  cannot 
be  broken.’  ” 

These,  as  the  elders  of  the  city  of  refuge,  I 
saw  were  to  be  judges  both  of  my.  case  and  me, 
while  I stood  with  the  “avenger  of  blood”  at 
my  heels,  trembling  at  their  gate  for  deliver- 
ance ; also  with  a thousand  fears  and  mistrusts, 
I doubted  that  he  would  shut  me  out  for  ever. 

Thus  was  I confounded,  not  knowing  what 
to  do,  nor  how  to  be  satisfied  in  this  question, 
“ Whether  the  Scripture  could  agree  in  the 
salvation  of  my  soul.”  I quaked  at  the  apos- 
tles. I knew  their  words  were  true,  and  that 
they  must  stand  for  ever. 

And  I remember  one  day  as  I was  in  divers 
frames  of  spirit,  and  considering  that  these 
frames  were  according  to  the  nature  of  several 
Scriptures  that  came  in  upon  my  mind ; if  this 
of  grace,  then  was  I quiet,  but  if  that  of  Esau, 
then  tormented.  “ Lord,”  thought  I,  “ if  both 
these  Scriptures  should  meet  in  my  heart  at 
once,  I wonder  which  of  them  would  get  the 
better  of  me.”  So  methought  I had  a longing 
mind  that  they  might  come  both  together  upon 
me ; yea,  I desired  of  God  they  might. 

Well,  about  two  or  three  days  after,  so  they 
did  indeed;  they  bolted  both  upon  me  at  a 
time,  and  did  work  and  struggle  strongly  in 
me  for  awhile;  at  last  that  about  Esau’s  birth- 
right began  to  wax  weak,  and  withdraw,  and 
vanish;  and  this,  about  the  sufficiency  of  grace 
prevailed  with  peace  and  joy.  And  as  I was 
in  a muse  about  this  thing,  that  Scripture  came 
in  upon  me,  “Mercy  rejoiceth  over  judgment.” 

This  was  a wonderment  to  me,  yet  truly  I am 
apt  to  think  it  was  of  God,  for  the  word  of  the 
law  and  wrath,  must  give  place  to  the  word  of 
life  and  grace ; because  though  the  Word  of 
condemnation  be  glorious,  yet  the  word  of  life 
and  salvation  doth  far  exceed  in  glory.  Also 
that  Moses  and  Elias  must  both  vanish,  and 
leave  Christ  and  his  saints  alone. 

This  Scripture  did  also  most  sweetly  visit 
my  soul,  “And  him  that  cometh  unto  me,  I 
will  in  no  wise  cast  out.”  Oh  ! the  comfort  I 
had  from  this  word  “ in  no  wise !”  As  who 
should  say,  “ By  no  means,  for  nothing  what- 
ever he  hath  done.”  But  Satan  would  greatly 
labour  to  pull  this  promise  from  me,  telling  of 
me,  “ That  Christ  did  not  mean  me,  and  such 


GRACE  A BOUND  ISO  TO  THE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


57 


ns  I,  bi't  sinners  of  n lower  rank,  Unit  had  not 
done  as  1 had  done,”  But  l would  answer  him 
again,  “Satan,  hero  is  in  these  words  no  such 
exception,”  but  him  that  comes,  him,  any  him: 
“ Him  that  comoth  unto  me,  I will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.”  And  this  1 well  remember  still, 
that  of  all  the  slights  that  Satan  used,  to  take 
this  Scripture  from  me,  yet  lie  never  did  so 
much  as  put  this  question,  “ But  do  you  come 
aright?”  And  I have  thought  the  reason  was, 
because  be  thought  I knew  full  well  what  com- 
ing aright  was;  for  I saw  that  to  come  aright, 
was  to  come  as  I was,  a vile  and  ungodly  sin- 
ner, and  so  cast  myself  at  the  feet  of  mercy, 
condemning  myself  for  sin.  If  ever  Satan 
and  I did  strive  for  any  word  of  God  in  all  my 
life,  it  was  for  this  good  word  of  Christ;  he  at 
one  end,  and  I at  the  other:  Oh,  what  work 
we  made!  It  was  for  this  in  John,  say,  that 
we  did  so  tug  and  strive,  he  pulled,  and  I 
pulled;  but  God  be  praised,  I overcame  him; 
I got  sweetness  from  it. 

But  notwithstanding  all  these  helps,  and 
blessed  words  of  grace,  yet  that  of  Esau’s  sell- 
ing his  birthright,  would  still,  at  times,  distress 
my  conscience;  for  though  I had  been  most 
sweetly  comforted,  and  that  but  just  before,  yet 
when  that  came  into  my  mind,  it  would  make 
me  fear  again ; I could  uot  be  quite  rid  thereof, 
it  would  every  day  be  with  me.  Wherefore 
now  I went  another  way  to  work,  even  to  con- 
sider the  nature  of  this  blasphemous  thought ; 
I mean,  if  I should  take  the  words  at  the 
largest,  and  give  them  their  own  natural  force 
anil  scope,  even  every  word  therein : so  when  I 
had  thus  considered,  I found,  that  if  they  were 
fairly  taken,  they  would  amount  to  this: 
“That  I had  freely  left  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
to  his  choice,  whether  he  would  be  my  Saviour 
or  no ;”  for  the  wicked  words  were  these,  “ Let 
him  go  if  he  will.”  Then  that  Scripture  gave 
me  hope,  “ I will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 
thee.”  “ 0 Lord,  said  I,  but  I have  left  thee.” 
Then  it  answered  again,  “ But  I will  not  leave 
thee.”  For  this  I thanked  God  also. 

Yet  I was  grievously  afraid  he  should,  and 
found  it  exceeding  hard  to  trust  him ; seeing 
I had  so  offended  him ; I could  have  been  ex- 
ceeding glad  that  this  thought  had  never  be- 
fallen ; for  then  I thought  I could  with  more 
ease  and  freedom  abundance,  have  leaned  on 
his  grace.  I see  it  was  with  me,  as  it  was 
with  Joseph’s  brethren ; the  guilt  of  their  own 
wickedness  did  often  lill  them  with  fears  that 
their  brother  would  at  last  despise  them. 

Yet  above  all  the  Scriptures  that  I yet  did 


meet  with,  that  in  Joshua  xx.  was  the  greatest 
comfort  to  me,  which  speaks  of  the  slayer  that 
was  to  flee  for  refuge,  “ And  if  the  avenger  of 
blood  pursue  the  slayer,  then,  saith  Moses,  they 
that  arc  the  ciders  of  the  city  of  refuge  shall 
not  deliver  him  into  his  hands,  because  he  smote 
his  neighbour  unwittingly,  and  hated  him  not 
aforetime.”  Oh  ! blessed  be  God  for  his  word ; 
I was  convinced  that  I was  the  slayer ; and  that 
the  avenger  of  blood  pursued  me,  I felt  with 
great  terror;  only  now  it  remained  that  I in- 
quire, whether  I have  right  to  enter  the  city 
of  refuge : so  I found  that  he  must  not,  “ who 
lay  in  wait  to  shed  blood.”  It  was  not  the  wil- 
ful murderer,  but  he  who  unwittingly  did  it, 
lie  who  did  it  unawares ; not  out  of  spite,  or 
grudge,  or  malice,  he  that  shed  it  unwittingly : 
even  he  who  did  not  hate  his  neighbour  before. 
Wherefore, 

I thought  verily  I was  the  man  that  must  en- 
ter, because  I had  slain  my  neighbour  “ unwit- 
tingly, and  hated  him  not  aforetime.”  I hated 
him  not  aforetime ; no,  I prayed  unto  him,  was 
tender  of  sinning  against  him ; yea,  and  against 
this  wicked  temptation  I had  strove  for  twelve 
months  before ; yea,  and  also  when  it  did  pass 
through  my  heart,  it  did  in  spite  of  my  teeth. 
Wherefore  I thought  I had  a right  to  enter  this 
city,  and  the  elders,  which  are  the  apostles, 
were  not  to  deliver  me  up.  This,  therefore, 
was  great  comfort  to  me,  and  gave  me  much 
ground  of  hope. 

Yet  being  very  critical,  for  my  smart  had 
made  me  that  I knew  not  what  ground  was 
sure  enough  to  bear  me,  I had  one  question 
that  my  soul  did  much  desire  to  be  resolved 
about ; and  that  was,  “ Whether  it  be  possible 
for  any  soul  that  hath  sinned  the  unpardonable 
sin,  yet  after  that  to  receive,  though  but  the 
least  true  spiritual  comfort  from  God  through 
Christ?”  The  which,  after  I had  much  con- 
sidered, I found  the  answer  was,  “No,  they 
could  not ; ” and  that  for  these  reasons : 

First,  Because 'those  that  have  sinned  that 
sin,  they  are  debarred  a share  of  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  being  shut  out  of  that,  they  must 
needs  be  void  of  the  least  ground  of  hope,  and 
so  of  spiritual  comfort,  “ For  to  such  there  re- 
mains no  more  sacrifice  for  sin.”  Secondly, 
Because  they  are  denied  a share  in  the  promise 
of  life : “ They  shall  never  be  forgiven,  neither 
in  this  world,  nor  in  that  which  is  to  come.” 
Thirdly,  The  Son  of  God  excludes  them  also 
from  a share  in  his  blessed  intercession,  being 
for  ever  ashamed  to  own  them,  both  before  his 
holy  Father  and  the  blessed  angels  in  heaven. 


58 


RUNYAN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


W hen  I had  with  much  deliberation  consid- 
ered of  this  matter,  and  could  not  but  conclude 
that  the  Lord  had  comforted  me,  and  that  too 
after  my  wicked  sin ; then  methought  I durst 
venture  to  eome  nigh  unto  those  most  fearful 
and  terrible  Scriptures,  with  which  all  this 
while  I had  been  so  greatly  affrighted,  and  on 
which  indeed,  before  I durst  scarce  cast  mine 
efe,  (yea,  had  much  ado  an  hundred  times,  to 
forbear  wishing  them  out  of  the  Bible,)  for  I 
thought  they  would  destroy  me ; but  uo^  I say, 
I began  to  take  some  encouragement,  to  come 
close  to  them,  to  read  them,  and  consider  them, 
and  to  weigh  their  scope  and  tendency. 

The  which  when  I began  to  do,  I found  my 
visage  changed ; for  they  looked  not  so  grimly, 
as  before  I thought  they  did ; and  first  I came 
to  the  6tli  of  the  Hebrews,  yet  trembling  for 
fear  it  should  strike  me;  which  when  I had 
considered,  I found  that  the  falling  there  in- 
tended, was  a falling  quite  away ; that  is  as  I 
conceived,  a falling  from,  and  absolutely  de- 
nying of  the  Gospel,  of  remission  of  sins  by 
Jesus  Christ ; for,  from  them  the  apostle  begins 
this  argument.  Secondly,  I found  that  this 
falling  away,  must  be  openly,  even  in  the  view 
of  the  world,  even  so  as  to  “ put  Christ  to  an  open 
shame.”  Thirdly,  I found  that  those  he  there 
intended,  were  for  ever  shut  up  of  God,  both 
in  blindness,  hardness  and  impenitency  : “ It  is 
impossible  they  should  be  renewed  again  unto 
repentance.”  By  all  these  particulars,  I found 
to  God’s  everlasting  praise,  my  sin  was  not  the 
sin  intended. 

First,  I confessed  I was  fallen,  but  not  fallen 
away,  that  is,  from  the  profession  of  faith  in 
Jesus  unto  eternal  life. 

Secondly,  I confessed  that  I had  put  Jesus 
Christ  to  shame  by  my  sin,  but  not  to  open 
shame;  I did  not  deny  him  before  men,  nor 
condemn  him  as  a fruitless  one  before  the 
world. 

Thirdly,  Nor  did  I find  that  God  had  shut 
me  up,  or  denied  me  to  come  (though  I find  it 
hard  work  indeed  to  come)  to  him  by  sorrow 
and  repentance ; blessed  be  God  for  unsearch- 
able grace. 

Then  I considered  that  in  the  10th  chapter 
of  the  Hebrews,  and  found  that  the  wilful  sin 
there  mentioned  is  not  every  wilful  sin,  but 
that  which  doth  throw  off  Christ,  and  then  his 
commandments  too.  Secondly,  that  must  be 
done  also  openly,  before  two  or  three  witnesses, 
to  answer  that  of  the  law.  Thirdly,  this  sin 
cannot  be  committed,  but  with  great  despite 
done  to  the  Spirit  of  grace ; despising  both  the 


dissuasions  from  that  sin,  and  the  persuasions 
to  the  contrary.  But  the  Lord  knows,  though 
this  my  sin  was  devilish,  yet  it  did  not  amount 
to  these. 

And  as  touching  that  in  the  12th  chapter  of 
the  Hebrews,  about  Esau’s  selling  his  birth- 
right ; though  this  was  that  which  killed  me, 
and  stood  like  a spear  against  me,  yet  now  did 
I consider,  First,  That  his  was  not  a hasty 
thought  against  the  continual  labour  of  his 
mind,  but  a thought  consented  to,  and  put  in 
practice  likewise,  and  that  after  some  deliber- 
ation. Secondly,  It  was  a public  and  open 
action,  even  before  his  brother,  if  not  before 
many  more;  this  made  his  sin  of  a far  more 
heinous  nature  than  otherwise  it  would  have 
been.  Thirdly,  He  continued  to  slight  his 
birthright;  he  did  eat  and  drink,  and  went  his 
way : thus  Esau  despised  his  birthright ; yea, 
twenty  years  after  he  was  found  to  despise  it 
still.  And  Esau  said,  “ I have  enough,  my 
brother,  keep  that  thou  hast  thyself.” 

Now  as  touching  this,  that  Esau  sought  a 
place  of  repentauce ; this  I thought : First, 
This  was  not  the  birthright,  but  the  blessing; 
this  is  clear  from  the  apostle  and  is  distin- 
guished by  Esau  himself:  “He  hath  taken 
away  my  birthright,  (that  is,  formerly,)  and 
now  he  hath  taken  away  my  blessing  also.” 
Secondly,  Now  this  being  thus  considered,  I 
came  again  to  the  apostle,  to  see  what  might 
he  the  mind  of  God,  in  the  New  Testament 
style  and  sense  concerning  Esau’s  sin  ; and  so 
far  as  I can  conceive,  this  was  the  mind  of 
God,  that  the  birthright  signified  regeneration  ; 
and  the  blessing,  the  eternal  inheritance ; for 
so  the  apostle  seems  to  hint:  “Lest  there  be 
any  profane  person,  as  Esau,  who  for  a morsel 
of  meat  sold  bis  birthright;”  as  if  he  should 
say,  that  shall  cast  off  all  those  blessed  begin- 
nings of  God  that  at  present  are  upon  him,  in 
order  to  a new  birth ; lest  they  become  as 
Esau,  even  be  rejected  afterwards,  when  they 
should  inherit  the  blessing. 

For  many  there  are,  who  in  the  day  of  grace 
and  mercy,  despise  those  things  which  are  in- 
deed the  birthright  to  heaven,  who  yet  when 
the  declining  days  appear,  will  cry  as  loud  as 
Esau,  “ Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us,”  but  then, 
as  Isaac  would  not  repent,  no  more  will  God 
the  Father,  but  will  say,  “ I have  blessed  these, 
yea,  and  they  shall  be  blessed  ;”  but  as  for  you, 
“depart,  you  are  workers  of  iniquity.” 

When  I had  thus  considered  these  Scrip- 
tures, and  found  that  thus  to  understand  them, 
was  hot  against,  but  according  to  other  Scrip- 


GRACE  ABOUNDING  TO  TIIE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


59 


turcs,  this  .still  added  further  to  my  encourage- 
ment and  comfort,  and  also  gave  a great  blow 
to  that  objection,  to  wit,  “That  the  Scriptures 
could  not  agree  in  the  salvation  of  my  soul.” 
And  now  remained  only  the  hinder  part  of  the 
tempest,  for  the  thunder  was  gone  beyond  me, 
Only  some  drops  did  still  remain,  that  now  and 
then  would  fall  upon  me;  but  because  my 
former  frights  and  anguish  were  very  sore 
and  deep,  therefore  it  oft  befell  me  still,  as  it 
befalleth  those  that  have  been  scared  with  the 
lire.  I thought  every  voice  was  Fire ! Fire  I 
Every  little  touch  would  hurt  my  tender 
conscience. 

But  one  day,  as  I was  passing  into  the  field, 
and  that  too  with  some  dashes  on  my  con- 
science, fearing  lest  yet  all  was  not  right,  sud- 
denly this  sentence  fell  upon  my  soul,  “ Thy 
righteousness  is  in  heaven and  methought 
withal,  I saw  with  the  eyes  of  my  soul,  Jesus 
Christ  at  God’s  right  hand ; there,  I say,  as 
my  righteousness ; so  that  wherever  I was,  or 
whatever  I was  doing,  God  could  not  say  to 
me,  “ He  wants  my  righteousness,”  for  that 
was  just  before  him.  I also  saw  moreover, 
that  it  was  not  my  good  frame  of  heart  that 
made  my  righteousness  better,  nor  yet  my 
bad  frame  that  made  my  righteousness  worse ; 
for  my  righteousness  was  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self, “ the  same  yesterday,  to-day  and  for 
ever.” 

Now  did  my  chains  fall  off  my  legs  indeed; 
I was  loosed  from  my  afflictions  and  irons ; my 
temptations  also  fled  away ; so  that  from  that 
time  those  dreadful  Scriptures  of  God  left  off 
to  trouble  me : now  went  I also  home  rejoicing, 
for  the  grace  and  love  of  God ; so  when  I came 
home,  I looked  to  see  if  I could  find  that  sen- 
tence, “ Thy  righteousness  is  in  heaven,”  but 
could  not  find  such  a saying;  wherefore  my 
heart  began  to  sink  again,  only  that  was 
brought  to  my  remembrance,  “ lie  is  made 
unto  us  of  God,  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanc- 
tification, and  redemption.”  By  this  word  I 
saw  the  other  sentence  true. 

Fo-r  by  this  Scripture  I saw  that  the  man 
Christ  Jesus,  as  he  is  distinct  from  us,  as 
touching  his  bodily  presence,  so  he  is  our 
righteousness  and  sanctification  before  God. 
Here  therefore  I lived,  for  some  time,  very 
sweetly  at  peace  with  God  through  Christ. 
Oh!  methought,  Christ!  Christ!  there  was 
nothing  but  Christ  that  was  before  my  eyes : I 
was  now  only  for  looking  upon  this  and  the 
other  benefits  of  Christ  apart,  as  of  his  blood, 
burial,  or  his  resurrection,  but  considering 


him  as  a whole  Christ!  as  he  in  whom  all 
these,  and  all  other  virtues,  relations,  olliecs, 
and  operations  met  together,  and  that  he  sat 
on  the  right  hand  of  God  in  heaven. 

’Twas  glorious  to  me  to  see  his  exaltation, 
and  the  worth  and. prevalency  of  all  his  bene- 
fits, and  that  because  now  I could  look  from 
myself  to  him,  and  would  reckon,  that  all 
those  graces  of  God  that  now  were  green  on 
me,  were  yet  but  like  those  cracked  groats  and 
four-pence-half-pennies  that  rich  men  carry 
in  their  purses,  when  their  gold  is  in  their 
trunks  at  home:  Oh!  I saw  my  gold  was  in 
my  trunk  at  home!  In  Christ  my  Lord  and 
Saviour.  Now  Christ  .was  all;  all  my  right- 
eousness, all  my  sanctification,  and  all  my 
redemption. 

Further,  the  Lord  did  also  lead  me  into  the 
mystery  of  the  union  with  the  Son  of  God, 
that  I was  joined  to  him,  and  that  I was  flesh 
of  his  flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bone,  and  now  was 
that  a sweet  word  unto  me,  in  Ephes.  v.  30. 
By  this  also  was  my  faith  in  him,  as  my  right- 
eousness, the  more  confirmed  in  me;  for  if  l:e 
and  I were  one,  then  his  righteousness  was 
mine,  his  merits  mine,  his  victory’  also  mine. 
Now  I could  see  myself  in  heaven  and  earth  at 
once,  in  heaven  by  my  Christ,  by  my  head,  by 
my  righteousness  and  life,  though  on  earth  by 
body  or  person. 

Now  I saw  Christ  Jesus  was  looked  upon  of 
God;  and  should  also  be  looked  upon  by  us, 
as  that  common  or  public  person,  in  whom  the 
whole  body  of  his  elect  are  always  to  be  con- 
sidered and  reckoned;  that  we  fulfilled  the  law 
by  him,  died  by  him,  rose  from  the  dead  by 
him,  got  the  victory  over  sin,  death,  and  hell, 
by  him;  when  he  died,  we  died;  and  so  of  his 
resurrection.  “Thy  dead  men  shall  live  to- 
gether, with  my  dead  body  shall  they’  arise,” 
saith  he.  And  again,  “ After  two  days  he  will 
revive  us,  and  the  third  day’  we  shall  live  in 
his  sight.”  Which  is  now  fulfilled  by  the 
sitting  down  of  the  Son  of  man  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  Majesty  in  the  heavens,  according 
to  that  of  the  Ephesians,  “ He  hath  raised  us 
up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus.” 

Ah ! these  blessed  considerations  and  Scrip- 
tures, with  many  others  of  like  nature,  were 
in  those  days  made  to  spangle  in  mine  eye,  so 
that  I have  cause  to  say,  “Praise  ye  the  Lord 
God  in  his  sanctuary,  praise  him  in  the  firma- 
ment of  his  power : praise  him  for  his  mighty 
acts;  praise  him  according  to  his  excellent 
greatness. 


60 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Having  thus  in  a few  words  given  you  a taste 
of  the  sorrow  and  affliction  that  my  soul  went 
under,  by  the  guilt  and  terror  that  these  my 
wicked  thoughts  did  lay  me  under;  and  having- 
given  you  also  a touch  of  my  deliverance  there- 
from, and  of  the  sweet  and  blessed  comfort  I 
met  with  afterward,  which  comfort  dwelt 
above  a twelve-month  with  my  heart,  to  my 
unspeakable  admiration;  I will  now,  (God 
willing,)  before  I proceed  any  further,  give 
you  in  a word  or  two,  what  as  I conceive,  was 
the  cause  of  this  temptation;  and  also  after 
that,  what  advantage  at  the  last,  it  b'ecame 
unto  my  soul. 

For  the  causes,  I conceived  they  were  princi- 
pally two ; of  which  two  also  I was  deeply  con- 
vinced all  the  time  this  trouble  lay  upon  me. 
The  first  was,  for  that  I did  not,  when  I was 
delivered  from  the  temptation  that  went  before, 
still  pray  to  God  to  keep  me  from  the  tempta- 
tions that  were  to  come ; for  though,  as  I can 
say  in  truth,  my  soul  was  much  in  prayer  be- 
fore this  trial  seized  me ; yet  then  I prayed  only, 
or  at  the  most  principally,  for  the  removal  of 
present  troubles,  and  for  fresh  discoveries  of 
his  love  in  Christ,  which  I saw  afterward  was 
not  enough  to  do ; I also  should  have  prayed 
that  the  great  God  would  keep  me  from  the 
evil  that  was  to  come. 

Of  this  I was  made  deeply  sensible  by  the 
prayer  of  holy  David,  who,  when  he  was  under 
present  mercy,  yet  prayed  that  God  would  hold 
him  back  from  sin  and  temptation  to  come ; 
“For  then,”  said  he,  “shall  I be  upright,  and 
I shall  be  innocent  of  the  great  transgression.” 
By  this  very  word  was  I galled  and  condemned 
quite  through  this  long  temptation. 

That  was  also  another  word  that  did  much 
condemn  me  for  my  folly,  in  the  neglect  of 
this  duty:  “Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto 
the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy, 
and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.”  This 
I had  not  done,  and  therefore  was  suffered  to 
sin  and  fall,  according  to  what  is  written, 
“ Pray  that  ye  may  not  enter  into  temptation.” 
And  truly  this  very  thing  is  to  this  day  of  such 
weight  and  awe  upon  me,  that  I dare  not,  when 
I come  before  the  Lord,  go  off  my  knees,  until 
I entreat  him  for  help  and  mercy  against  the 
temptations  that  are  to  come ; and  I do  beseech 
thee,  reader,  that  thou  learn  to  beware  of  my 
negligence,  by  the  afflictions,  that  for  this  thing 
I did  for  days,  and  months,  and  years,  with 
sorrow  undergo. 

Another  cause  of  this  temptation  was,  that  I 
had  tempted  God;  and  on  this  manner  did  I do 


it:  Upon  a time  my  wife  was  great  with  child, 
and  before  her  full  time  was  come,  her  pangs, 
as  of  a woman  in  travail,  were  fierce  and  strong 
upon  her,  even  as  if  she  would  have  immedi- 
ately fallen  in  labour,  and  been  delivered  of 
an  untimely  birth;  now  at  this  very  time  it 
was,  that  I had  been  so  strongly  tempted  to 
question  the  being  of  God ; wherefore,  as  my 
wife  lay  crying  by  me,  I said,  but  with  all 
secrecy  imaginable,  even  thinking  in  my  heart, 
“Lord,  if  now  thou  wilt  remove  this  sad  afflic- 
tion from  my  wife,  and  cause  that  she  be  trou- 
bled no  more  therewith  this  night,  (and  now 
were  her  pangs  just  upon  her,)  then  I shall 
know  that  thou  canst  discern  the  most  secret 
thoughts  of  the  heart.” 

I had  no  sooner  said  it  in  my  heart,  but  her 
pangs  were  taken  from  her,  and  she  was  cast 
into  a deep  sleep,  and  so  continued  till  morn- 
ing; at  this  I greatly  marvelled,  not  knowing 
what  to  think : but  after  I had  been  awake  a 
good  while  and  heard  her  cry  no  more,  I fell 
asleep  also;  so  when  I awaked  in  the  morning, 
it  came  upon  me  again,  even  what  I had  said 
in  my  heart  the  last  night,  and  how  the  Lord 
had  showed  me,  that  he  knew  my  secret 
thoughts,  which  was  a great  astonishment  unto 
me  for  several  weeks  after. 

Well,  about  a year  and  a half  afterward,  that 
wicked  and  sinful  thought,  of  which  I have 
spoken  before,  went  through  my  wicked  heart, 
even  this  thought,  “ Let  Christ  go  if  he  will:” 
so  when  I had  fallen  under  guilt  for  this,  the 
remembrance,  of  my  other  thought,  and  of  the 
effect  thereof,  would  also  come  upon  me  with 
this  retort,  which  also  carried  rebuke  along 
with  it,  “Now  you  may  see  that  God  doth 
know  the  most  secret  thoughts  of  the  heart.” 

And  with  this,  that  of  the  passages  that 
were  betwixt  the  Lord  and  his  servant  Gideon 
fell  upon  my  spirit;  how  because  that  Gideon 
tempted  God  with  his  fleece,  both  wet  and  dry, 
when  he  should  have  believed  and  ventured 
upon  his  words;  therefore  the  Lord  did  after- 
ward so  try  him,  as  to  send  him  against  an  in- 
numerable company  of  enemies,  and  that  to 
as  to  outward  appearance,  without  any  strength 
or  help.  Thus  he  served  me,  and  that  justly; 
for  I should  have  believed  his  word,  and  not 
have  put  an  if  upon  the  all-seeingness  of  God. 

And  now  to  show  you  something  of  the  ad- 
vantages that  I also  have  gained  by  this  temp- 
tation : And,  first,  by  this  I was  made  con- 
tinually to  possess  in  my  soul  a very  wonderful 
sense  both  of  the  blessing  and  glory  of  God, 

| and  of  his  beloved  Son ; in  the  temptation  that 


GRACE  ABOUNDING  TO  THE  CHIEF  OF  SINNERS. 


Cl 


wont  before,  my  soul  was  porploxcd  with  un-  I 
belief,  blasphemy,  hardness  of  heart,  questions 
about  the  being  of  God,  Christ,  the  truth  of 
the  word,  and  certainty  of  the  world  to  come; 

I say,  then  I was  greatly  assaulted  and  tor- 
mented with  atheism,  hut  now  the  ease  was 
otherwise;  now  was  God  and  Christ  continu- 
ally before  my  face,  though  not  in  a way  of 
comfort,  but  in  a way  of  exceeding  dread  and 
terror.  The  glory  of  the  holiness  of  God,  did 
at  this  time  break  me  to  pieces;  and  the  bowels 
and  compassion  of  Christ  did  break  me  as  on 
the  wheel ; for  I could  not  consider  him  but  as  a i 
lost  and  rejected  Christ,  the  remembrance  of 
which  was  as  the  continual  breaking  of  my 
bones. 

The  Scriptures  also  were  wonderful  things 
unto  me ; I saw  that  the  truth  and  verity  of  them 
were  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  those 
that  the  Scriptures  favour,  they  must  inherit 
bliss ; but  those  that  they  oppose  and  condemn, 
must  perish  for  evermore.  Oh!  this  word, 

“ For  the  Scriptures  cannot  be  broken,”  would 
rend  the  caul  of  my  heart;  and  so  would  that 
other,  “ Whose  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  ; 
but  whose  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained.” 
Now  1 saw  the  apostles  to  be  the  elders  of  the 
city  of  refuge,  those  that  they  were  to  receive 
in,  were  received  to  life;  but  those  that  they 
shut  out  were  to  be  slain  by  the  avenger  of 
blood. 

Ohl  one  sentence  of  the  Scripture  did  more 
afflict  and  terrify  my  mind,  I mean  those  sen- 
tences that  stood  against  me,  (as  sometimes  I 
thought  every  one  of  them  did,)  more,  I say, 
than  any  army  of  forty  thousand  men  that 
might  come  against  me.  Woe  be  to  him 
against  whom  the  Scriptures  bend  themselves! 

By  this  temptation  I was  made  to  see  more 
into  the  nature  of  the  promises  than  ever  I had 
before;  for  T lay  now  trembling  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God,  continually  torn  and  rent 
by  the  thundering' of  his  justice;  this  made 
me  with  careful  heart,  and  watchful  eye,  with 
great  fearfulness  to  turn  over  every  leaf,  and 
with  much  diligence  mixed  with  trembling,  to 
consider  every  sentence,  together  with  its  nat- 
ural force  and  latitude. 

By  this  temptation  also  I was  greatly  holden 
off  from  my  former  foolish  practice  of  putting 
by  the  word  of  promise  when  it  came  into  my 
mind ; for  now,  though  I could  not  suck  that 
comfort  and  sweetness  from  the  promise,  as  I 
had  done  at  other  times,  yet  like  to  a man  sink- 
ing, I would  catch  at  all  I saw.  Formerly  T 
thought  I might  not  meddle  with  the  promise, 


I unless  I felt  its  comfort,  but  now  it  was  time 
thus  to  do;  the  avenger  of  blood  too  hardly 
did  pursue  me. 

Now  therefore  was  I glad  to  catch  at  that 
word,  which  yet  I feared  I had  no  ground  or 
right  to  own ; and  even  to  leap  into  the  bosom 
of  that  promise,  that  yet  I feared  did  shut  its 
heart  against  me.  Now  also  I would  labour  to 
take  the  word  as  God  hath  laid  it  down,  with- 
out restraining  the  natural  force  of  one  syllable 
thereof.  Oh  ! what  did  I see  in  that  blessed  6th 
chapter  of  St.  John:  “And  him  that  cometli 
i unto  me,  I will  in  no  wise  cast  out.”  Now  I 
began  to  consider  that  God  hath  a bigger  mouth 
to  speak  with,  than  I had  a heart  to  conceive 
with ; I thought  also  with  myself,  that  he  spake 
not  his  words  in  haste,  or  in  an  unadvised 
heat,  but  with  infinite  wisdom  and  judgment, 
and  in  very  truth  and  faithfulness.  (2  Sam.  iii. 
28.) 

I would  in  these  days,  often  in  my  greatest 
agonies,  even  flounce  towards  the  promise,  as 
the  horses  do  towards  sound  ground  that  yet 
stick  in  the  mire ; concluding,  though  as  one 
almost  bereft  of  his  wits  through  fear,  on  this 
will  I rest  and  stay,  and  leave  the  fulfilling  of 
it  to  the  God  of  heaven  that  made  it.  Oh! 
many  a pull  hath  my  heart  had  with  Satan,  for 
that  blessed  6th  chapter  of  St.  John.  I did  not 
now,  as  at  other  times,  look  principally  for 
comfort,  though,  oh,  how  welcome  would  it 
have  been  unto  me!  But  now  a word,  a word 
to  lean  a weary  soul  upon,  that  it  might  not 
sink  for  ever!  it  was  that  I hunted  for. 

Yea,  often  when  I have  been  making  to  the 
promise,  I have  seen  as  if  the  Lord  would  re- 
fuse my  soul  for  ever,  I was  often  as  if  I had 
run  upon  the  pikes,  and  as  if  the  Lord  had 
thrust  at  me,  to  keep  me  from  him,  as  with  a 
flaming  sword.  Then  would  I think  of  Esther, 
who  went  to  petition  the  king  contrary  to  law. 
(Esther  iv.  16.)  I thought  also  of  Benhadad’s 
servants,  who  went  with  ropes  upon  their  heads 
to  their  enemies  for  mercy,  (1  Kings  xx.  31.) 
&c.  The  woman  of  Canaan  also,  that  would 
not  be  daunted,  though  called  dog  by  Christ, 
(Matt.  xv.  22,)  &c.,  and  the  man  that  went  to 
borrow  bread  at  midnight,  (Luke  i.  5,  6,  7,  8,) 
&c.,  were  also  great  encouragement  to  me. 

I never  saw  those  heights  and  depths  in  grace, 
and  love,  and  mercy,  as  I saw  after  this  temp- 
tation ; great  sins  do  draw  out  great  grace ; and 
where  guilt  is  most  terrible  and  fierce,  there 
the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  when  showed  to 
the  soul,  appears  most  high  and  mighty.  When 
Job  had  passed  through  his  captivity,  he  had 


62 


B U NY  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


twice  as  much  as  he  had  before.  (Job  xlii.  13.) 
Blessed  be  God  for  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Many  other  things  I might  here  make  observa- 
tion of,  but  I would  be  brief,  and  therefore 
shall  at  this  time  omit  them ; and  do  pray  God 
that  my  harms  may  make  others  fear  to  offend, 
lest  they  also  be  made  to  bear  the  iron  yoke  as 
I did.  I had  two  or  three  times,  at  or  about 
my  deliverance  from  this  temptation,  such 
strange  apprehensions  of  the  grace  of  God, 
that  I could  hardly  bear  up  under  it ; it  was 
so  out  of  measure  amazing,  when  I thought  it 
could  reach  me,  that  I do  think  if  that  sense 
had  abode  long  upon  me,  it  would  have  made 
me  incapable  for  business. 

Now  I shall  go  forward  to  give  you  a relation 
of  other  of  the  Lord’s  dealings  with  me  at 
sundry  other  seasons,  and  of  the  temptations  I 
then  did  meet  withal.  I shall  begin  with  what 
I met  with  when  first  I did  join  in  fellowship 
with  the  people  of  God  in  Bedford.  After  I 
had  propounded  to  the  church,  that  my  desire 
was  to  walk  in  the  order  and  ordinances  of 
Christ  with  them,  and  was  also  admitted  by 
them;  while  I thought  of  that  blessed  ordi- 
nance of  Christ,  which  was  his  last  supper 
with  his  disciples  before  his  death,  that  Scrip- 
ture, “ Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me,”  was  a 
very  precious  word  unto  me;  for  by  it  the 
Lord  did  come  down  upon  my  conscience  with 
the  discovery  of  his  death  for  my  sins ; and  sis 
I then  felt,  did  as  if  he  plunged  me  in  the 
virtue  of  the  same.  But  behold,  I had  not 
been  long  a partaker  at  that  ordinance,  but 
such  fierce  and  sad  temptation  did  attend  me 
at  all  times  therein,  both  to  blaspheme  the  or- 
dinance, and  to  wish  some  deadly  thing  to  those 
that  then  did  eat  thereof;  that  lest  I should 
at  any  time  be  guilty  of  consenting  to  these 
wicked  and  fearful  thoughts,  I was  forced  to 
bend  myself  all  the  while,  to  pray  to  God  to 
keep  me  from  such  blasphemies ; and  also  to 
cry  to  God  to  bless  the  bread  and  cup  to  them, 
as  it  were  from  mouth  to  mouth.  The  reason 
of  this  temptation,  I have  thought  since, 
was  because  I did  not  with  that  reverence 
that  became  me,  at  first  approach  to  partake 
thereof. 

Thus  I continued  for  three  quarters  of  a 
year,  and  could  never  have  test  nor  ease ; but 
at  last  the  Lord  came  in  upon  my  soul  with 
that  same  Scripture,  by  which  my  soul  was 
visited  before;  and  after  that,  I have  been 
usually  very  well  and  comfortable  in  the  par- 
taking of  that  blessed  ordinance ; and  have,  I 
trust,  therein  discerned  the  Lord’s  body,  as 


broken  for  my  sins,  and  that  his  precious 
blood  had  been  shed  for  my  transgressions. 

Upon  a time  I was  something  inclining  to  a 
consumption,  wherewith  about  the  spring  I 
was  suddenly  and  violently  seized,  with  much 
weakness  in  my  outward  man;  insomuch  that 
I thought  I could  not  live.  Now  began  I 
afresh  to  give  myself  up  to  a serious  examina- 
tion after  my  state  and  condition  for  the 
future,  and  of  my  evidences  for  that  blessed 
world  to  come ; for  it  hath,  I bless  the  name 
of  God,  been  my  .usual  course,  as  always,  so 
especially  in  the  day  of  affliction,  to  endeavour 
to  keep  my  interest  in  the  life  to  come,  clear 
before  mine  eyes. 

But  I had  no  sooner  began  to  recall  to  mind 
my  former  experience  of  the  goodness  of  God 
to  my  soul,  but  there  came  flocking  into  my 
mind  an  innumerable  company  of  my  sins 
and  transgressions ; amongst  which  these  were 
at  this  time  most  to  my  affliction,  namely,  my 
deadness,  dulness,  and  coldness  in  my  holy 
duties ; my  wanderings  of  heart,  my  weari- 
someness in  all  good  things,  my  want  of  love 
to  God,  his  ways  and  people,  with  this  at  the 
end  of  all,  “Are  these  the  fruits  of  Chris- 
tianity? Are  these  the  tokens  of  a blessed 
man  ?” 

At  the  apprehensions  of  these  things  my 
sickness  was  doubled  upon  me,  for  now  I was 
sick  in  my  inward  man,  my  soul  was  clogged 
with  guilt;  now  also  was  my  former  experi- 
ence of  God’s  goodness  to  me,  quite  taken  out 
of  my  mind,  and  hid  as  if  they  had  never  been, 
or  seen ; now  was  my  soul  greatly  jfinched 
between  these  two  considerations,  “ Live  I 
must  not,  die  I dare  not.”  Now  I sunk  and 
fell  in  my  spirit,  and  was  giving  up  all  for 
lost;  but  as  I was  walking  up  and  down  in  the 
house,  as  a man  in  a most  woeful  state,  that 
word  of  God  took  hold  of  my  heart,  “Ye  are 
justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  re- 
demption that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.”  But  oh! 
what  a turn  it  made  upon  me  ! 

Now  was  I as  one  awaked  out  of  some 
troublesome  sleep  and  dream ; and  listening 
to  this  heavenly  sentence,  I was  as  if  I had 
heard  it  thus  spoken  to  me:  “Sinner,  thou 
thinkest,  that  because  of  thy  sins  and  infirmi- 
ties, I cannot  save  thy  soul;  but  behold,  my 
Son  is  by  me,  and  upon  him  I look,  and  not 
on  thee,  and  shall  deal  with  thee  according  as 
I am  pleased  with  him.”  At  this  I was  greatly 
enlightened  in  my  mind,  and  made  to  under- 
stand, that  if  God  could  justify  a sinner  at  any 
time,  it  was  but  his  looking  upon  Christ,  and 


CRACK  ABOUNDING  TO  TIIK  CIIIKF  OF  SINNERS. 


C3 


imputing  of  his  benefits  to  us,  and  the  work 
was  forthwith  clone. 

Ami  as  I was  thus  in  a muse,  that  Scripture 
also  came  with  great  power  upon  my  spirit, 
“Not  by  the  works  of  righteousness  that  we 
have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  hath 
saved  us.’’  Now  was  I got  on  high,  I saw  my- 
self within  the  arms  of  grace  and  mercy;  and 
though  I was  before  afraid  to  think  of  a dying 
hour,  yet,  now  I cried,  “ Let  me  die.”  Now 
death  was  lovely  and  beautiful  in  my  sight, 
for  I saw,  “ We  shall  never  live  indeed,  till  we 
be  gone  to  the  other  world.”  Oh  ! methought 
this  life  is  but  a slumber,  in  comparison  with 
that  above.  At  this  time  also  I saw  more  in 
these  words,  “ Heirs  of  God,”  than  ever  I shall 
be  able  to  express  while  I live  in  this  world. 
“ Heirs  of  God  I”  God  himself  is  the  portion 
of  the  saints.  This  I saw  and  wondered  at, 
but  cannot  tell  you  what  I saw. 

Again,  I was  at  another  time  very  ill  and 
weak,  all  that  time  also  the  tempter  did  beset 
me  strongly,  (for  I find  that  he  is  much  for 
assaulting  the  soul  when  it  begins  to  approach 
towards  the  grave;  then  is  his  opportunity,) 
labouring  to  hide  from  me  my  former  experi- 
ence of  God’s  goodness:  also  setting  before  me 
the  terrors  of  death,  and  the  judgment  of  God, 
insomuch  that  at  this  time,  through  my  fear 
of  miscarrying  for  ever,  (should  I now  die,)  I 
was  as  one  dead  before  death  came,  and  was 
as  if  I had  felt  myself  already  descending  into 
the  pit ; methought  I said,  there  was  no  way, 
but  to  hell  I must ; but  behold,  just  as  I was 
in  the  midst  of  those  fears,  these  weirds  of  the 
angel's  carrying  Lazarus  into  Abraham’s  bosom 
darted  in  upon  me,  as  who  should  say,  “So  it 
shall  be  with  thee  when  thou  dost  leave  this 
world.”  This  did  sweetly  revive  my  spirits, 
and  help  me  to  hope  in  God ; which  when  I 
had  with  comfort  mused  on  a while,  that  word 
fell  with  great  weight  upon  my  mind,  “ 0 
death,  where  is  thy  sting?  O grave,  where  is 
thy  victory?”  At  this  I became  both  well  in 
my  body  and  mind  at  once,  for  my  sickness 
did  presently  vanish,  and  I walked  comfort- 
ably in  my  work  for  God  again. 

At  another  time,  though  just  before  I was 
pretty  well  and  savoury  in  my  spirit,  yet  sud- 
denly there  fell  upon  me  a great  cloud  of 
darkuess,  which  did  so  hide  from  me  the 
things  of  God  and  Christ,  that  I was  as  if  I 
had  never  seen  or  known  them  in  my  life.  I 
was  also  so  overrun  in  my  soul  with  a sense- 


less, heartless  frame  of  spirit,  that  I could  not 
feel  my  soul  to  move  or  stir  after  grace  and 
life  by  Christ;  I was  as  if  my  loins  were 
broken,  or  as  if  my  hands  and  feet  had  been 
tied  or  bound  with  chains.  At  this  time  also 
I felt  some  weakness  to  seize  upon  my  out- 
ward man,  which  made  still  the  other  afflic- 
tion the  more  heavy  and  uncomfortable  to 
me. 

After  I had  been  in  this  condition  some 
three  or  four  days,  as  I was  sitting  by  the  fire, 
I suddenly  felt  this  word  to  sound  in  my  heart, 
“ I must  go  to  Jesus,”  at  this  my  former  dark- 
ness and  atheism  fif'd  away,  and  the  blessed 
things  of  heaven  were  set  within  my  view. 
While  I was  on  this  sudden  thus  overtaken 
with  surprise,  “Wife,”  said  I,  “is  there  ever 
such  a Scripture,  ‘ I must  go  to  Jesus?’  ” She 
said  she  could  not  tell ; therefore  I stood 
musing  still,  to  see  if  I could  remember  such 
a place;  I had  not  sat  above  two  or  three 
minutes,  but  that  came  bolting  in  upon  me, 
“And  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels;” 
and  withal  the  12th  chapter  of  Hebrews, 
about  the  Mount  Sion  was  set  before  mine 
eyes. 

Then  with  joy  I told  my  wife,  “ Oh  ! now  I 
know,  I know  ! ” But  that  night  was  a good 
night  to  me,  I never  had  blit  few  better ; I long- 
ed for  the  company  of  some  of  God’s  people, 
that  I might  have  imparted  unto  them  what 
God  had  showed  me.  Christ  was  a precious 
Christ  to  my  soul  that  night ; I could  scarce  lie 
in  my  bed  for  joy,  and  peace,  and  triumph, 
through  Christ.  This  great  glory  did  not  con- 
tinue upon  me  until  morning,  yet  the  12tli 
chapter  of  the  Hebrews  was  a blessed  Scrip- 
ture to  me  for  many  days  together  after  this. 

The  words  are  these:  “Ye  are  come  to 
Mount  Sion,  to  the  city  of  the  living  God,  to 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumer- 
able company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly 
and  church  of  the  first-born,  which  are  written 
in  heaven ; to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  the 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to  Jesus, 
the  Mediator  of  the  New  Testament,  and  to 
the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better 
things  than  that  of  Abel.”  Through  this  sen- 
tence the  Lord  led  me  over  and  over,  first  to 
this  word,  and  then  to  that ; and  showed  me 
wonderful  glory  in  every  one  of  them.  These 
words  also  have  oft  since  that  time,  been  great 
refreshment  to  my  spirit.  Blessed  be  God  for 
having  mercy  on  me ! 


A BRIEF  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  AUTHOR’S  CALL  TO  THE  WORK 

OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


And  now  I am  speaking  my  experience,  I 
will  in  this  place  thrust  in  a word  or  two  con- 
cerning my  preaching  the  word,  and  of  God’s 
dealing  with  me  in  that  particular  also.  After 
I had  been  about  five  or  six  years  awakened, 
and  helped  myself  to  see  both  the  want  and 
worth  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  and  also  en- 
abled to  venture  my  soul  upon  him  ; some  of 
the  most  able  among  the  saints  with  us,  I say, 
the  most  able  for  judgment  and  holiness  of  life, 
as  they  conceived,  did  perceive  that  God  had 
counted  me  worthy  to  understand  something 
of  his  will  in  his  holy  and  blessed  word,  and 
had  given  me  utterance  in  some  measure,  to 
express  what  I saw  to  others,  for  edification : 
therefore  they  desired  me,  and  that  with  much 
earnestness,  that  I would  be  willing  at  some- 
times, to  take  in  hand,  in  one  of  the  meetings, 
to  speak  a word  of  exhortation  unto  them. 

To  which,  though  at  the  first  it  did  much 
dash,  and  abash  my  spirit,  yet  being  still  by 
them  desired  and  entreated,  I consented  to 
their  request,  and  did  twice,  at  two  several  as- 
semblies, but  in  private,  though  with  much 
weakness  and  infirmity,  discover  my  gift 
amongst  them  ; at  which  they  not  only  seemed 
to  be,  but  did  solemnly  protest,  as  in  the  sight 
of  the  great  God,  they  were  both  affected  and 
comforted;  and  gave  thanks  to  the  Father  of 
mercies,  for  the  grace  bestowed  on  me. 

After  this,  sometimes,  when  some  of  them 
did  go  into  the  country  to  teach,  they  would 
also  that  T should  go  with  them ; where,  though 
as  yet,,  I did  not,  nor  durst  not,  make  use  of 
my  gift  in  an  open  way,  yet  more  privately, 
still,  as  I came  amongst  the  good  people  in 
those  places,  I did  sometimes  speak  a word  of 
admonition  unto  them  also,  the  which  they,  as 
the  other,  received  with  rejoicing  at  the  mercy 
of  God  to  me-ward,  professing  their  souls  were 
edified  thereby. 

Wherefore  to  be  brief,  at  last,  being  still  de- 
64 


sired  by  the  church,  after  some  solemn  prayer 
to  the  Lord,  with  fasting,  I was  more  particu- 
larly called  forth,  and  appointed  to  a more  or- 
dinary and  public  preaching  of  the  word,  not 
only  to  and  amongst  them  that  believed,  but 
also  to  offer  the  Gospel  to  those  who  had  not 
yet  received  the  faith  thereof;  about  which 
time  I did  evidently  find  in  my  mind  a secret 
pricking  forward  thereto ; though  I bless  God, 
not  for  desire  of  vain  glory,  for  at  that  time  1 
was  most  sorely  afflicted  with  the  fiery  darts  of 
the  devil,  concerning  my  eternal  state. 

But  yet  I could  not  be  content,  unless  I was 
found  in  the  exercise  of  my  gift,  unto  which 
also  I was  greatly  animated,  not  only  by  the 
continual  desires  of  the  godly,  but  also  by  that 
saying  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians : “ I beseech 
you,  brethren,  (-ye  know  the  household  of  Ste- 
phanus,  that  it  is  the  first  fruits  of  Achaia, 
that  they  have  addicted  themselves  to  the  min- 
istry of  the  saints,)  that  ye  submit  yourselves 
unto  such,  and  to  every  one  that  helpeth  with 
us,  and  laboureth.” 

By  this  text  I was  made  to  see  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  never  intended  that  men  who  have  gifts 
and  abilities,  should  bury  them  in  the  earth, 
but  rather  did  command  and  stir  up  such  to  the 
exercise  of  their  gift,  and  also  did  commend 
those  that  were  apt  and  ready  so  to  do.  “ They 
have  addicted  themselves  to  the  ministry  of 
the  saints.”  This  Scripture,  in  these  days,  did 
continually  run  in  my  mind,  to  encourage  me, 
and  strengthen  me  in  this  my  work  for  God. 
I have  also  been  encouraged  from  several  other 
Scriptures  and  examples  of  the  godly,  both 
specified  in  the  word,  and  other  ancient  histo- 
ries. (Acts  viii.  4,  and  xviii.  24,  25.  1 Peter 
iv.  10.  Rom.  xii.  6.  Fox’s  Acts  and  Monu- 
ments.) 

Wherefore,  though  of  myself  of  all  the  saints 
the  most  unworthy,  yet  I,  but  with  great  fear 
and  trembling  at  the  sight  of  my  own  weak- 


Accor  XT  OF  THE  AUTHOR’S  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY. 


65 


ness,  did  set  upon  the  work,  and  did  according 
to  my  gift,  and  the  proportion  of  my  faith, 
preach  that  blessed  Gospel  that  God  has 
showed  me  in  the  holy  word  of  truth;  which 
when  the  country  understood,  they  came  in  to 
hear  the  word  by  hundreds,  and  that  from  all 
parts,  though  upon  divers  and  sundry  accounts. 

And  1 thank  God,  that  he  gave  unto  me 
some  measure  of  bowels  and  pity  for  their 
souls,  which  also  did  put  me  forward  to  labour, 
with  great  diligence  and  earnestness,  to  find 
out  such  a word  as  might,  if  God  would  bless 
it,  lay  hold  of,  and  awaken  the  conscience,  in 
which  also  the  good  Lord  had  respect  to  the 
desire  of  his  servant;  for  J had  not  preached 
long,  before  some  began  to  be  touched,  and 
greatly  afflicted  in  their  minds  at  the  appre- 
hension of  the  greatness  of  their  sin,  and  of 
their  need  of  Jesus  Christ. 

But  I first  could  not  believe  that  God  should 
speak  by  me  to  the  heart  of  any  man,  still 
counting  myself  unworthy ; yet  those  who  were 
thus  touched,  would  love  me,  and  have  a par- 
ticular respect  for  me ; and  though  I did  put  it 
from  me,  that  they  should  be  awakened  by  me, 
still  they  would  confess  it,  and  affirm  it  before 
the  saints  of  God  ; they  would  also  bless  God 
for  me,  (unworthy  wretch  that  I am !)  and 
count  me  God’s  instrument  that  showed  to 
them  the  way  of  salvation. 

Wherefore  seeing  them  in  both  their  words 
and  deeds  to  be  so  constant,  and  also  in  their 
hearts  so  earnestly  pressing  after  the  know- 
ledge of  Jesus  Christ,  rejoicing  that  ever  God 
did  send  me  whore  they  were ; then  began  I to 
conclude  it  might  be  so,  that  God  had  owned 
in  his  work  such  a foolish  one  as  I,  and  then 
came  that  word  of  God  to  my  heart,  with  much 
sweet  refreshment,  “ The  blessing  of  them  that 
were  ready  to  perish  is  come  upon  me ; yea,  I 
caused  the  widow’s  heart  to  sing  for  joy.” 

At  this  therefore,  I rejoiced ; yea,  the  tears 
of  those  whom  God  did  awaken  by  my  preach- 
ing would  be  both  solace  and  encouragement 
to  me ; I thought  on  those  sayings,  “ Who  is 
he  that  maketh  me  glad,  but  the  same  that  is 
made  sorry  by  me  ?”  And  again,  “ Though  I 
be  not  an  apostle  to  others,  yet  doubtless  I am 
unto  you ; for  the  seal  of  my  apostleship  are 
ye  in  the  Lord.”  These  things  therefore,  were 
as  another  argument  unto  me,  that  God  had 
called  me  to,  and  stood  by  me  in  this  work. 

In  my  preaching  of  the  word,  I took  special 
notice  of  this  one  thing,  namely,  that  the  Lord 
did  lead  me  to  begin  where  his  word  begins 
with  sinners ; that  is,  to  condemn  all  flesh,  and 
5 


to  open  and  allege,  that  the  curse  of  God  by 
the  law,  doth  belong  to,  and  lay  hold  on  all 
men  as  they  come  into  the  world,  because  of 
sin.  Now  this  part  of  my  work  I fulfilled 
with  great  sense;  for  the  terrors  of  the  law, 
and  the  guilt  of  my  transgressions,  lay  heavy 
on  my  conscience ; I preached  what  I felt,  what 
I smartingly  did  feel;  even  that  under  which 
my  poor  soul  did  groan  and  tremble  to  aston- 
ishment. 

Indeed,  I have  been  as  one  sent  to  them 
from  the  dead ; I went  myself  in  chains,  to 
preach  to  them  in  chains;  and  carried  that  lire 
in  my  own  conscience,  that  I persuaded  them 
to  be  aware  of.  I can  truly  say,  and  that  with- 
out dissembling,  that  when  I have  been  to 
preach,  I have  gone  full  of  guilt  and  terror, 
even  to  the  pulpit  door,  and  there  it  hath  been 
taken  oft',  and  I have  been  at  liberty  iu  my 
mind  until  I have  done  my  work;  and  then 
immediately,  even  before  I could  get  down  the 
pulpit  stairs,  I have  been  as  bad  as  I was  be- 
fore ; yet  God  carried  me  on,  but  surely  with  a 
strong  hand,  for  neither  guilt  nor  hell  could 
take  me  off  my  work. 

Thus  I went  on  for  the  space  of  two  years, 
crying  out  against  men’s  sins,  and  their  fear- 
ful state  because  of  them.  After  which  the 
Lord  came  in  upon  my  soul  with  some  sure 
peace  and  comfort  through  Christ ; for  he  did 
give  me  many  sweet  discoveries  of  his  blessed 
grace  through  him.  Wherefore  now  I altered 
in  my  preaching,  (for  still  I preached  what  I 
saw  and  felt ;)  now  therefore  I did  much  labour 
to  hold  forth  Jesus  Christ  in  all  his  offices,  re- 
lations, and  benefits  unto  the  world,  and  did 
strive  also  to  discover,  to  condemn,  and  re- 
move those  false  supports  and  props  on  which 
the  world  doth  lean,  and  by  them  fall  and 
perish.  On  these  things  also  I stayed  as  long 
as  on  the  other. 

After  this,  God  led  me  into  something  of  the 
mystery  of  the  union  of  Christ ; wherefore  that 
I discovered  and  showed  to  them  also.  And 
when  1 had  travelled  through  these  three  chief 
points  of  the  word  of  God,  about  the  space  of 
five  years  or  more,  I was  caught  in  my  present 
practice,  and  cast  into  prison,  where  I have 
lain  above  as  long  again  to  confirm  the  truth 
by  way  of  suffering,  as  I was  before  in  testify- 
ing of  it*according  to  the  Scriptures,  in  a way 
of  preaching. 

When  I had  been  preaching,  I thank  God, 
my  heart  hath  often  all  the  time  of  this  and 
the  other  exercise,  with  great  earnestness  cried 
to  God  that  he  would  make  the  word  effectual 


66 


B UK  Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  the  salvation  of  the  soul ; still  being  grieved 
lest  the  enemy  should  take  the  word  away 
from  the  conscience,  and  so  it  should  become 
unfruitful;  wherefore  I should  labour  so  to 
speak  the  word,  as  that  thereby,  if  it  were  pos- 
sible, the  sin  and  person  guilty  might  he  par- 
ticularized by  it. 

Also  when  I have  done  the  exercise,  it  hath 
gone  to  my  heart,  to  think  the  word  should 
now  fall  as  rain  on  stony  places ; still  wishing 
from  my  heart,  Oh,  that  they  who  have  heard 
me  speak  this  day,  did  but  see  as  I do,  what 
sin,  death,  hell,  and  the  curse  of  God  is ; and 
also  what  the  grace,  and  love,  and  mercy  of 
God  is,  through  Christ,  to  men  in  such  a case 
as  they  are,  who  are  yet  estranged  from  him. 
And  indeed  I did  often  say  in  my  heart  before 
the  Lord,  “ That  if  to  be  hanged  up  presently 
before  their  eyes,  would  be  a means  to  awaken 
them,  and  confirm  them,  in  the  truth,  I gladly 
should  be  contented.” 

For  I have  been  in  my  preaching,  especially 
when  I have  been  engaged  in  the  doctrine  of 
life  by  Christ  without  works,  as  if  an  angel  of 
God  had  stood  by  at  my  back  to  encourage  me. 
Oh ! it  hath  been  with  such  power  and  heav- 
enly evidence  upon  my  own  soul,  while  I have 
been  labouring  to  unfold  it,  to  demonstrate  it, 
and  to  fasten  it  upon  the  consciences  of  others, 
that  I could  not  be  contented  with  saying,  “ I 
believe,  and  am  sure;”  methought  I was  more 
than  sure,  (if  it  be  lawful  to  express  myself,) 
that  those  things  which  then  I asserted,  were 
true. 

When  I first  went  to  preach  the  word 
abroad,  the  doctors  and  priests  of  the  country 
did  open  wide  against  me ; but  I was  per- 
suaded of  this,  not  to  render  railing  for  rail- 
ing ; but  to  see  how  many  of  their  carnal  pro- 
fessors I could  convince  of  their  miserable 
state  by  the  law,  and  of  the  want  and  worth 
of  Christ;  for,  thought  I,  “This  shall  answer 
for  me  in  time  to  come,  when  they  shall  be  for 
my  hire  before  their  face.” 

I never  cared  to  meddle  with  things  that 
were  controverted,  and  in  dispute  among  the 
saints,  especially  things  of  the  lowest  nature; 
yet  it  pleased  me  much  to  contend  with  great 
earnestness  for  the  word  of  faith,  and  the  re- 
mission of  sins  by  the  death  and  sufferings  of 
Jesus:  but  I say,  as  to  other  things,0 1 should 
let  them  alone,  because  I saw  they  engendered 
strife,  and  because  that  they  neither  in  doing, 
nor  in  leaving  undone,  did  commend  us  to  God 
to  be  his ; besides,  I saw  my  work  before  me 
did  run  in  another  channel,  even  to  carry  an 


awakening  word;  to  that  therefore  I did  stick 
and  adhere. 

I never  endeavoured  to,  nor  durst  make  use 
of  other  men’s  lines,  (Rom.  xv.  18,)  (though  I 
do  not  condemn  all  that  do;)  for  I verily 
thought,  and  found  by  experience,  that  what 
was  taught  me  by  the  word  and  Spirit  of 
Christ,  could  be  spoken,  maintained,  and  stood 
to  by  the  soundest  and  best-established  con- 
science ; and  though  I will  not  now  speak  all 
that  I know  in  this  matter,  yet  my  experience 
hath  more  interest  in  that  text  of  Scripture, 
(Gal.  i.  11,  12,)  than  many  amongst  men  are 
aware. 

If  any  of  those  who  were  awakened  by  my 
ministry,  did  after  that  fall  back,  (as  some- 
times too  many  did,)  I can  truly  say,  their  loss 
hath  been  more  to  me,  than  if  my  own  chil- 
dren, begotten  of  my  own  body,  had  been  go- 
ing to  the  grave.  I think  verily,  I may  speak 
it  without  any  offence  to  the  Lord,  nothing  has 
gone  so  near  me  as  that;  unless  it  was  the  fear 
of  the  loss  of  the  salvation  of  my  own  soul.  I 
have  counted  as  if  I had  goodly  buildings  and 
lordships  in  those  places  where  my  children 
were  born:  my  heart  hath  been  so  wrapped 
up  in  the  glory  of  this  excellent  work,  that  I 
counted  myself  more  blessed  and  honoured  of 
God  by  this,  than  if  he  had  made  me  emperor 
of  the  Christian  world,  or  the  lord  of  all  the 
glory  of  the  earth  without  it!  Oh  these 
words!  “He  that  converteth  a sinner  from 
the  error  of  his  way,  doth  save  a soul  from 
death.  The  fruit  of  the  righteous  is  a tree  of 
life;  and  he  that  winneth  souls  is  wise.  They 
that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to 
righteousness  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever. 
For  what  is  our  hope,  our  joy,  or  crown  of  re- 
joicing ? Are  not  ye  even  in  the  presence  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming  ? For  ye 
are  our  glory  and  joy.”  These,  I say,  with 
many  others  of  a like  nature,  have  beeu  great 
refreshments  to  me. 

I have  observed,  that  where  I have  had  a 
work  to  do  for  God,  I have  had  first,  as  it  were, 
the  going  of  God  upon  my  spirit,  to  desire  I 
might  preach  there : I have  also  observed,  that 
such  and  such  souls  in  particular,  have  been 
strongly  set  upon  my  heart,  and  I stirred  up  to 
wish  for  their  salvation ; and  that  these  very 
souls  have,  after  this,  been  given  in  as  the 
fruits  of  my  ministry.  I have  observed,  that 
a word  cast  in  by  the  by,  hath  done  more  ex- 
ecution in  a sermon,  than  all  that  was  spoken 
besides;  sometimes  also,  when  I have  thought 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  AUTHOR'S  CALL  TO  T1IE  MINISTRY. 


G7 


1 did  no  good,  thou  T did  the  most  of  nil ; and 
at  other  times,  when  1 thought  I should  catch 
them,  T have  fished  for  nothing. 

I lmve  also  observed  that  where  there  has 
been  a work  to  do  upon  sinners,  there  the 
devil  hath  begun  to  roar  in  the  hearts  and  by 
the  mouths  of  his  servants;  yea,  often  times, 
when  the  wicked  world  hath  raged  most,  there 
hath  been  souls  awakened  by  the  word ; I 
could  instance  particulars,  but  I forbear. 

My  great  desire  in  my  fulfilling  my  ministry 
was  to  get  into  the  darkest  places  of  the  coun- 
try, even  amongst  those  people  that  were  far- 
thest off  of  profession ; yet  not  because  I could 
not  endure  the  light,  (for  I feared  not  to  show 
my  Gospel  to  any,)  but  because  I found  my 
spirit  did  lean  most  after  awakening  and  con- 
verting work,  and  the  word  that  I carried  did 
lean  itself  most  that  way  also  : “ Yea  so  have 
I strived  to  preach  the  Gospel,  not  where 
Christ  was  named,  lest  I should  build  upon 
another  man’s  foundation.” 

In  my  preaching  I have  really  been  in  pain, 
and  have  as  it  were,  travailed  to  bring  forth 
children  to  God  ; neither  could  I be  satisfied 
unless  some  fruits  did  appear  in  my  work.  If 
I were  fruitless  it  mattered  not  who  com- 
mended me ; but  if  I were  fruitful,  I eared  not 
who  did  condemn.  I have  thought  of  that, 
“Lo!  children  are  an  heritage  of  the  Lord; 
and  the  fruit  of  the  womb  is  his  reward.  As 
arrows  in  the  hands  of  a mighty  man,  so  are 
children  of  the  youth.  Happy  is  the  man 
that  hath  filled  his  quiver  full  of  them  ; they 
shall  not  be  ashamed,  but  they  shall  speak 
with  the  enemies  in  the  gate.” 

It  pleased  me  nothing  to  see  people  drink  in 
my  opinions,  if  they  seemed  ignorant  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  worth  of  their  own  salvation, 
sound  conviction  for  sin,  especially  unbelief, 
and  an  heart  set  on  fire  to  be  saved  by  Christ, 
with  strong  breathings  after  a truly  sanctified 
soul ; that  it  was  that  delighted  me ; those  were 
the  souls  I counted  blessed. 

Rut  in  this  work,  as  in  all  other,  I had  my 
temptations  attending  me,  and  that  of  divers 
kinds,  as  sometimes  I should  be  assaulted  with 
great  discouragements  therein,  fearing  that  I 
should  not  be  able  to  speak  a word  at  all  to 
edification  ; nay,  that  I should  not  be  able  to 
speak  sense  to  the  people ; at  which  times  I 
should  have  such  a strange  faintness  and 
strengthlessness  seize  upon  my  body,  that  my 
legs  have  scarce  been  able  to  carry  me  to  the 
place  of  exercise. 

Sometimes  again,  when  I have  been  preach- 


ing, I have  been  violently  assaulted  with 
thoughts  of  blasphemy,  and  strongly  tempted 
to  speak  the  words  with  my  mouth  before  the 
congregation.  I have  also  at  sometimes,  even 
when  I have  begun  to  speak  the  word  with 
much  clearness,  evidence,  and  liberty  of  speech, 
yet  been  before  the  ending  of  that  opportunity, 
so  blinded  and  so  estranged  from  the  things  I 
have  been  speaking,  and  have  been  also  so 
straitened  in  my  speech,  as  to  utterance  before 
the  people,  that  I have  been  as  if  1 had  not 
known,  or  remembered  what  I have  been 
about ; or  as  if  my  head  had  been  in  a bag  all 
the  time  of  my  exercise. 

Again,  when  as  sometimes  I have  been  about 
to  preach  upon  some  smart  and  searching  por- 
tion of  the  word,  I have  found  the  tempter 
suggest,  “What!  will  you  preach  this?  This 
condemns  yourself ; of  this  your  own  soul  is 
guilty;  wherefore,  preach  not  of  this  at  all; 
or  if  you  do,  so  mince  it  as  to  make  way  for 
your  own  escape ; lest  instead  of  awakening 
others,  you  lay  that  guilt  upon  your  own  soul, 
that  you  will  never  get  from  under.” 

But  I thank  the  Lord,  I have  been  kept 
from  consenting  to  these  so  horrid  suggestions, 
and  have,  rather  as  Samson,  bowed  myself 
with  all  my  might,  to  condemn  sin  and  trans- 
gression wherever  I found  it ; yea,  though 
therein  also,  I did  bring  guilt  upon  my  own 
conscience.  Let  me  die,  thought  I,  with  the 
Philistines,  rather  than  deal  corruptly  with  the 
blessed  word  of  God.  “ Thou  that  teachest 
another,  teachest  not  thou  thyself?”  It  is  far 
better  that  thou  do  judge  thyself,  even  by 
preaching  plainly  to  others,  than  thou,  to  save 
thyself,  imprison  the  truth  in  unrighteousness. 
Blessed  be  God  for  help  in  this  also. 

I have  also,  while  found  in  this  blessed 
work  of  Christ,  been  often  tempted  to  pride 
and  liftings  up  of  heart;  and  though  I dare 
not  say  I have  not  been  affected  with  this,  yet 
truly  the  Lord,  of  his  precious  mercy,  hath  so 
carried  it  towards  me,  that  for  the  most  part  I 
have  had  but  small  joy  to  give  way  to  such  a 
thing ; for  it  hath  been  my  every  day’s  por- 
tion, to  be  let  into  the  evil  of  my  own  heart, 
and  still  made  to  see  such  a multitude  of  cor- 
ruptions and  infirmities  therein,  that  it  hath 
caused  hanging  down  of  the  head,  under  all 
my  gifts  and  attainments.  I have  felt  this 
thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  very  mercy  of  God  to 
me. 

I have  had  also  together  with  this,  some 
notable  place  or  other  of  the  word  presented 
before  me,  which  word  hath  contained  in  it 


68 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


some  sharp  and-  piercing  sentence  concerning 
the  perishing  of  the  soul,  notwithstanding  gifts 
and  parts;  as  for  instance,  that  hath  been  of 
great  use  to  me,  “ Though  I speak  with  the 
tongues  of  men  and  angels,  and  have  not  cha- 
rity, I am  become  as  a sounding  brass  and  a 
tinkling  cymbal.” 

A tinkling  cymbal  is  an-instrument  of  music 
with  which  a skilful  player  can  make  such 
melodious  and  heart-inflaming  music,  that  all 
who  hear  him  play,  can  scarcely  hold  from 
dancing ; and  yet  behold  the  cymbal  hath  not 
life,  neither  comes  the  music  from  it,  but  be- 
cause of  the  art  of  him  that  plays  therewith ; 
so  then  the  instrument  at  last  may  come  to 
naught  and  perish,  though  in  times  past  such 
music  hath  been  made  upon  it. 

Just  thus  I saw  it  was,  and  will  be,  with 
them  that  have  gifts,  but  want  saving  grace; 
they  are  in  the  hand  of  Christ,  as  the  cymbal 
in  the  hand  of  David;  and  as  David  could 
•with  the  cymbal  make  that  mirth  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God,  as  to  elevate  the  hearts  of  the 
worshippers,  so  Christ  can  use  these  gifted 
men,  as  with  them  to  affect  the  souls  of  his 
people  in  his  church  ; yet  when  he  hath  done 
all,  hang  them  by,  as  lifeless,  though  sounding 
cymbals. 

This  consideration  therefore,  together  with 
some  others,  were  for  the  most  part,  as  a maul 
on  the  head  of  pride,  and  desire  of  vain  glory. 
What,  thought  I,  shall  I be  proud  because  I 
am  a sounding  brass?  Is  it  so  much  to  be  a 
fiddle?  Hath  not  the  least  creature  that  hath 
life,  more  of  God  in  it  than  these  ? Besides  I 
knew  it  was  love  should  never  die,  but  these 
must  cease  and  vanish ; so  I concluded,  a little 
grace,  a little  love,  a little  of  the  true  fear  of 
God,  is  better  than  all  the  gifts ; yea,  and  I am 
fully  convinced  of  it,  that  it  is  possible  for 
souls  that  can  scarce  give  a man  an  answer, 
but  with  great  confusion  as  to  method ; I say 
it  is  possible  for  them  to  have  a thousand  times 
more  grace,  and  to  be  more  in  the  love  and  fa- 
vour of  the  Lord,  than  some  who  by  the  virtue 
of  the  gift  of  knowledge,  can  deliver  them- 
selves like  angels. 

Thus  therefore  I came  to  perceive,  that 
though  gifts  in  themselves  were  good,  to  the 
thing  for  which  they  are  designed,  to  wit,  the 
edification  of  others,  yet  empty,  and  without 
power  to  save  the  soul  of  him  that  hath  them 
if  they  be  alone.  Neither  are  they,  as  so,  any 
sign  of  a man’s  state  to  be  happy,  being  only 
a dispensation  of  God  to  some,  of  whose  im- 
provement, or  non-improvement,  they  must 


when  a little  love  more  is  over,  give  an  ac- 
count to  him  that  is  ready  to  judge  the  quick 
and  dead. 

This  showed  me  too,  that  gifts  being  alone, 
were  dangerous,  not  in  themselves,  but  because 
of  those  evils  that  attend  them  that  have  them, 
to  wit,  pride,  desire  of  vain  glory,  self-conceit, 
etc.,  all  which  are  easily  blown  up  at  the  ap- 
plause and  condemnation  of  every  unadvised 
Christian,  to  the  endangering  of  a poor  crea- 
ture to  fall  into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil. 

I saw  therefore,  that  he  that  hath  gifts,  had 
need  to  be  let  into  a sight  of  the  nature  of 
them,  to  wit,  that  they  come  short  of  making 
of  him  to  be  in  a truly  saved  condition,  lest  he 
rest  in  them,  and  so  fall  short  of  the  grace  of 
God. 

He  hath  cause  also  to  walk  humbly  with 
God  and  be  little  in  his  own  eyes,  and  to  re- 
member withal,  that  his  gifts  are  not  his  own, 
but  the  church’s ; and  that  by  them  he  is  made 
a servant  to  the  church;  and  he  must  give  at 
last  an  account  of  his  stewardship  unto  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  to  give  a good  account  will  be 
a blessed  thing. 

Let  all  men  therefore,  prize  a little  with  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  (gifts  indeed  are  desirable;) 
but  yet  great  grace  and  smaller  gifts  are  better 
than  great  gifts  and  no  grace.  It  doth  not  say, 
the  Lord  gives  gifts  and  glory,  but  the  Lord 
gives  grace  and  glory;  and  blessed  is  such  an 
one,  to  whom  the  Lord  gives  grace,  true  grace, 
for  that  is  a certain  forerunner  of  glory. 

But  when  Satan  perceived  that  his  thus 
tempting  and  assaulting  me,  would  not  answer 
his  design;  to  wit,  to  overthrow  the  ministry, 
and  make  it  ineffectual,  as  to  the  ends  thereof; 
then  he  tried  another  way,  which  was,  to  stir 
up  the  minds  of  the  ignorant  and  malicious  to 
load  me  with  slanders  and  reproaches:  now 
therefore,  I may  say,  that  what  the  devil  could 
devise,  and  his  instruments  invent,  was  whirled 
up  and  down  the  country  against  me,  thinking, 
as  I said,  that  by  that  means  they  should  make 
my  ministry  to  be  abandoned. 

It  began  therefore  to  be  rumoured  up  and 
down  among  the  people,  that  I was  a witch,  a 
jesuit,  a highwayman,  and  the  like. 

To  all  which,  I shall  only  say,  God  knows 
that  I am  innocent.  But  as  for  mine  accusers, 
let  them  provide  themselves  to  meet  me  before 
the  tribunal  of  the  Son  of  God,  there  to  an- 
swer for  all  these  things,  with  all  the  rest  of 
their  iniquities,  unless  God  shall  give  them  re- 
pentance for  them,  for  the  which  I pray  with 
all  my  heart. 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  AUTHOR'S  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY. 


r/A 


But  that  which  was  reported  with  the  Boldest 
confidence,  was  that  1 had  my  misses,  my 
whores,  my  bastards,  yea,  two  wives  at  once, 
and  the  like.  Now  these  slanders,  with  the 
other,  1 glory  in,  because  but  slanders,  foolish 
or  knavish  lies,  and  falsehoods  cast  upon  me 
by  the  devil  and  his  seed.  ’And  should  I not 
be  dealt  with  thus  wickedly  by  the  world,  I 
should  want  one  sign  of  a saint,  and  a child  of 
God.  “Blessed  are  ye,”  said  the  Lord  Jesus, 
“when  men  shall  revile,  and  persecute  you, 
and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  of  you  falsely 
for  my  sake.  Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad, 
for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven;  for  so  per- 
secuted they  the  prophets  which  were  before 
you.” 

These  things  therefore,  upon  my  own  ac- 
count troubled  me  not;  no,  though  they  were 
twenty  times  more  than  they  are.  I have  a 
good  conscience,  and  whereas  they  speak  evil 
of  me,  as  an  evil-doer,  they  shall  be  ashamed 
that  falselv  accuse  my  good  conversation  in 
Christ. 

So  then,  what  shall  I say  to  those  who  have 


thus  bespattered  me?  Shall  I threaten  them? 
Shall  I chide  them?  Shall  I flatter  them? 
Shall  I entreat  them  to  hold  their  tongues? 
No,  not  I.  Were  it  not  for  that  these  things 
make  them  ripe  for  damnation  that  are  the 
authors  and  abettors,  I would  say  unto  them, 
“Report  it,”  because  it  will  increase  my  glory. 

Therefore  I bind  these  lies  and  slanders  to 
me  as  an  ornament;  it  belongs  to  my  Chris- 
tian profession  to  be  vilified,  slandered,  re- 
proached, and  reviled ; and  since  all  this  is 
nothing  else,  as  my  God  and  my  conscience  do 
bear  me  witness,  I rejoice  in  reproaches  for 
Christ’s  sake. 

Now,  as  Satan  endeavoured,  by  reproaches 
and  slanders  to  make  me  vile  among  my 
countrymen,  that,  if  possible,  my  preaching 
might  be  made  of  none  effect;  so  there  was 
added  hereto  a long  and  tedious  imprisonment, 
that  thereby  I might  be  frightened  from  the 
service  of  Christ,  and  the  world  terrified  and 
made  afraid  to  hear  me  preach.  Of  which  I 
shall  in  the  next  place  give  you  a brief  ac- 
count. 


A BRIEF  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  AUTHOR’S  IMPRISONMENT.* 


HA’S  ing  made  profession  of  the  glorious 
Gospel  of  Christ  a long  time,  and  preached 
the  same  about  five  years,  I was  apprehended 
at  a meeting  of  good  people -in  the  country; 
among  whom  had  they  let  me  alone  I should 
have  preached  that  day;  hut  they  took  me 
away  from  amongst  them,  and  had  me  before 
a justice;  who,  after  I had  offered  security' for 
my  appearing  the  next  sessions,  yet  committed 
me,  because  my  sureties  would  not  consent  to 
be  bound,  that  I should  preach  no  more  to  the 
people. 

At  the  sessions  after,  I was  indicted  for  an 
upholder  and  maintainer  of  unlawful  assem- 
blies and  conventicles,  and  for  not  conforming 
to  the  national  worship  of  the  Church  of 
England;  and  after  some  conference  there 
with  the  justices,  they  taking  my  plain  deal- 
ing with  them  for  a confession,  as  they  termed 
it,  of  the  indictment,  did  sentence  me  to  a 
perpetual  banishment,  because  I refused  to 
conform.  So  being  again  delivered  up  to  the 
jailer’s  hands,  I was  had  home  to  prison,  and 
there  have  lain  now  complete  twelve  years, 
waiting  to  see  what  God  would  suffer  these 
men  to  do  with  me. 

In  which  condition  I have  continued  with 
much  content,  through  grace;  but  have  met 
with  many  turnings  and  goings  upon  my  heart, 
both  from  the  Lord,  Satan,  and  my  own  cor- 
ruptions: by  all  which,  glory  be  to  Jesus 
Christ,  I have  also  received,  among  many 
things,  much  conviction,  instruction,  and 
understanding;  of  which  at  large  I shall  not 
here  discourse;  only  give  you  a hint  or  two,  a 
word  that  may  stir  up  the  godly  to  bless  God 
and  to  pray  for  me ; and  also  to  take  encour- 
agement. should  the  case  be  their  own,  not  to 
fear  what  man  can  do  unto  them. 

I never  had  in  all  my  life  so  great  an  inlet 
into  the  word  of  God  as  now.  Those  Scrip- 
tures that  I saw  nothing  in  before,  are  made 
in  this  place  and  state  to  shine  upon  me. 


Jesus  Christ  also  was  never  more  real  and 
apparent  than  now : here  I have  seen  and  felt 
him  indeed.  Oh  that  word!  “We  have  not 
preached  unto  you  cunningly  devised  fables ;” 
and  that,  “ God  raised  Christ  from  the  dead, 
and  gave  him  glory,  that  your  faith  and  hope 
might  be  in  God,”  were  blessed  words  unto 
me,  in  this  my  imprisoned  condition. 

These  three  or  four  Scriptures  also  have 
been  great  refreshments  in  this  condition  to 
me,  (John  xiv.  1,  2,  3,  4.  John  xvi.  33.  Col. 
iii.  3,  4.  Heb.  xii.  22,  23,  24.)  So  that  some- 
times, when  I have  been  in  the  savour  of 
them,  I have  been  able  “ to  laugh  at  destruc- 
tion, and  to  fear  neither  the  horse  nor  his 
rider.”  I have  had  sweet  sights  of  the  forgive- 
ness of  my  sins  in  this  place,  and  of  my  being 
with  Jesus  in  another  world.  Oh  the  Mount 
Sion,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  innumer- 
able company  of  angels  and  God  the  Judge  of 
all,  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect, 
and  Jesus,  have  been  sweet  unto  me  in  this 
place!  I have  seen  that  here,  which  I am 
persuaded  I shall  never,  while  in  this  world, 
be  able  to  express.  I have  seen  a truth  in 
this  Scripture,  “Whom  having  not  seen  ye 
love ; in  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not, 
yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable, 
and  full  of  glory.” 

I never  knew  what  it  was  for  God  to  stand 
by  me  at  all  turns,  and  at  every  offer  of  Satan 
to  afflict  me,  &c.,  as  I have  found  him  since  I 
came  in  hither;  for  look  how  fears  have  pre- 
sented themselves,  so  have  supports  and  en- 
couragements; yea,  when  I have  started,  even 
as  it  were  at  nothing  else  but  my  shadow,  yet 
God,  as  being  very  tender  of  me,  hath  not  suf- 
fered me  to  be  molested,  but  would,  with  one 
Scripture  or  another,  strengthen  me  against 
all,  insomuch  that  I have  often  said,  “ Were  it 
lawful,  I could  pray  for  greater  trouble,  for  the 
greater  comfort’s  sake.” 

Before  I came  to  prison,  I saw  what  was 


*'  For  a more  particular  account  of  his  trial  and  imprisonment,  see  page  67/,Voi.  II. 


70 


■ 


A BRIEF  ACCOUNT  OF  T1!E  AUTHOR'S  IMPRISONMENT. 


71 


fi'Coming;  and  had  especially  two  considera- 
tions warm  upon  my  heart.  The  first  was, 
how  to  bo  able  to  encounter  death,  should 
that  be  here  my  portion.  For  the  first  of 
these,  that  Scripture  was  great  information  to 
me,  namely,  to  pray  to  God  “ to  be  strength- 
ened with  all  might,  according  to  his  glorious 
power,  unto  all  patience  and  long  suffering 
with  joyfulness."  I could  seldom  go  to 
prayer  before  I was  imprisoned,  but  for  not 
so  little  as  a year  together,  this  sentence,  or 
sweet  petition,  would,  as  it  were,  thrust  itself 
into  my  mind,  and  persuade  me,  that  if  ever 
I would  go  through  long  suffering  I must 
have  patience,  especially  if  I would  endure  it 
joyfully. 

As  to  the  second  consideration,  that  saying 
was  of  great  use  to  me,  “ But  we  had  the  sen- 
tence of  death  in  ourselves  that  we  might  not 
trust  in  ourselves,  but  in  God  that  raiseth  the 
dead.”  By  this  Scripture  I was  made  to  see, 
that  if  ever  I would  suffer  rightly,  I must  first 
pass  a sentence  of  death  upon  every  thing  that 
can  properly  be  called  a thing  of  this  life; 
even  to  reckon  myself,  my  wife,  my  children, 
my  health,  my  enjoyments,  and  all  as  dead  to 
me,  and  myself  as  dead  to  them. 

The  second  was,  to  live  upon  God  that  is  in- 
visible; as  Paul  said  in  another  place,  the  way 
not  to  faint  is,  “ to  look  not  at  the  things  which 
arc  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen ; 
for  the  things  which  are  seen  arc  temporal,  but 
the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal.” 
And  thus  I reasoned  with  myself : If  I provide 
only  for  a prison  then  the  whip  comes  un- 
awares ; and  so  doth  also  the  pillory.  Again, 
if  I only  provide  for  these,  then  I am  not  fit 
for  banishment.  Further,  if  I conclude  that 
banishment  is  the  worst,  then  if  death  come  I 
am  surprised.  So  that  I see  the  best  way  to 
go  through  sufferings,  is  to  trust  in  God 
through  Christ,  as  touching  the  world  to 
come;  and  as  touching  this  world,  to  “count 
the  grave  my  house,  to  make  my  bed  in  dark- 
ness, and  to  say  to  corruption,  Thou  art  my 
father;  and  to  the  worm,  Thou  art  my  mother 
and  sister;”  that  is,  to  familiarize  these  things 
to  me. 

But  notwithstanding  these  helps,  I found 
myself  a man  encompassed  with  infirmities. 
The  parting  with  my  wife  and  poor  children 
hath  often  been  to  me,  in  this  place,  as  the 
pulling  the  flesh  from  my  bones ; and  that 
not  only  because  I am  somewhat  too  fond  of 
these  mercies,  but  also  because  I should  have 
often  brought  to  my  mind  the  many  hard- 


ships, miseries,  and  wants  that  my  poor 
family  was  likewise  to  meet  with ; especially 
my  poor  blind  child,  who  lay  nearer  my  heart 
than  all  I had  beside.  Oh ! the  thoughts 
of  the  hardships  I thought  my  blind  one 
might  go  under,  would  break  my  heart  to 
pieces. 

Poor  child,  thought  I,  what  sorrow  art  thou 
like  to  have  for  thy  portion  in  this  world! 
Thou  must  be  beaten,  must  beg,  suffer  hunger, 
cold,  nakedness,  and  a thousand  calamities, 
though  I cannot  now  endure  the  wind  should 
blow  upon  thee.  But  yet  recalling  myself, 
thought  I,  I must  venture  you  all  with  God, 
though  it  goeth  to  the  quick  to  leave  you. 
Oh  I I saw  in  this  condition  I was  as  a man 
who  was  pulling  down  his  house  upon  the 
head  of  his  wife  and  children  ; yet  thought  I, 
I must  do  it,  I must  do  it.  And  now  I thought 
on  those  two  milch  kine  that  were  to  carry  the 
ark  of  God  into  another  country,  to  leave  their 
calves  behind  them. 

But  that  which  helped  me  in  this  tempta- 
tion was  divers  considerations,  of  which  three 
in  special  here  I will  name.  The  first  was, 
the  consideration  of  those  two  Scriptures, 
“Leave  thy  fatherless  children, I will  preserve 
them  alive,  and  let  thy  widows  trust  in  me 
and  again,  “The  Lord  said,  Verily,  it  shall 
go  well  with  thy  remnant:  verily,  I will  cause 
the  enemy  to  entreat  thee  well  in  the  time  of 
evil,”  &c. 

I had  also  this  consideration,  that  if  I 
should  now  venture  all  for  God,  I engaged 
God  to  take  care  of  my  concernments;  but 
if  I forsook  him  and  his  ways,  for  fear  of  any 
trouble  that  should  come  to  me  or  mine,  then 
I should  not  only  falsify  my  profession,  but 
should  count  also  that  my  concernments  were 
not  so  sure,  if  left  at  God’s  feet,  whilst  I stood 
to  and  for  his  name,  as  they  would  be,  if  they 
were  under  my  own  care,  though  with  the  de- 
nial of  the  way  of  God.  This  was  a smarting 
consideration,  and  as  spurs  unto  my  flesh. 
That  Scripture  also  greatly  helped  it  to  fasten 
the  more  upon  me,  where  Christ  prays  against 
Judas,  that  God  would  disappoint  him  in  his 
selfish  thoughts,  which  moved  him  to  sell  his 
master.  Pray  read  it  soberly.  (Ps.  cix.,  6,  7, 
8,  &c.) 

I had  also  another  consideration,  and  that 
was,  the  dread  of  the  torments  of  hell,  which  I 
was  sure  they  must  partake  of,  that  for  fear  of 
the  cross,  do  shrink  from  their  profession  of 
Christ,  his  words  and  laws,  before  the  sons  of 
men.  I thought  also  of  the  glory  he  had  pre- 


72 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


pared  for  those  that  in  faith,  and  love  and 
patience,  stood  to  his  ways  before  them.  These 
things,  I say,  have  helped  me,  when  the 
thoughts  of  the  misery  that  both  myself  and 
mine,  might  for  the  sake  of  my  profession, 
be  exposed  to,  hath  lain  pinching  on  my 
mind. 

When  I have  indeed  conceited,  that  I might 
be  banished  for  my  profession,  then  I have 
thought  of  that  Scripture,  “ They  were  stoned, 
they  were  sawn  asunder,  were  tempted,  were 
slain  with  the  sword : they  wandered  about 
in  sheepskins,  and  goatskins,  being  destitute, 
afflicted,  tormented ; of  whom  the  world  was 
not  worthy;”  for  all  they  thought  they  were 
too  bad  to  dwell  and  abide  amongst  them. 
I have  also  thought  of  that  saying,  “The 
Holy  Ghost  witnesseth  in  every  city,  that 
bonds  and  afflictions  abide  me.”  I have 
verily  thought,  that  my  soul  and  it  have  some- 
times reasoned  about  the  sore  and  sad  estate 
of  a banished  and  exiled  condition,  how  they 
are  exposed  to  hunger,  to  cold,  to  perils,  to 
nakedness,  to  enemies,  and  a thousand  calami- 
ties; and  at  last,  it  may  be  to  die  in  a ditch, 
like  a poor,  forlorn,  and  desolate  sheep.  But 
I thanked  God,  hitherto  I have  not  been  moved 
by  these  most  delicate  reasonings,  but  rather 
by  them  more  approved  my  heart  to  God. 

I will  tell  you  a pretty  business : I was  once 
above  all  the  rest,  in  a very  sad  and  low  condi- 
tion for  many  weeks,  at  which  time  also  I being 
but  a young  prisoner,  and  not  acquainted  with 
the  laws,  had  this  lain  much  upon  my  sjiirit, 
“ That  my  imprisonment  might  end  at  the  gal- 
lows for  aught  that  I could  tell.”  Now  there- 
fore Satan  laid  hard  at  me,  to  beat  me  out  of 
heart,  by  suggesting  thus  unto  me : “ But  how 
if,  when  you  come  indeed  to  die,  you  should  be 
in  this  condition ; that  is,  as  not  to  savour  the 
things  of  God,  nor  to  have  any  evidence  upon 
your  soul  for  a better  state  hereafter?”  for  in- 
deed at  that  time  all  the  things  of  God  were 
hid  from  my  soul. 

Wherefore,  when  I at  first  began  to  think  of 
this,  it  was  a great  trouble  to  me ; for  I thought 
with  myself,  that  in  the  condition  I now  was,  I 
was  not  fit  to  die ; neither  indeed  did  think  I 
could,  if  I should  be  called  to  it;  besides,  I 
thought  with  myself,  if  I should  make  a scram- 
bling shift  to  clamber  up  the  ladder,  yet  I 
should,  either  with  quaking,  or  other  symptoms 
of  fainting,  give  occasion  to  the  enemy  to  re- 
proach the  way  of  God  and  his  people,  for  their 
timorousness.  This  therefore  lay  with  great 
trouble  upon  me ; for  methought  I was  asham- 


ed to  die  with  a pale  face,  and  tottering  knees 
in  such  a case  as  this. 

Wherefore  I prayed  to  God,  that  he  would 
comfort  me,  and  give  strength  to  do  and  suffer 
what  he  should  call  me  to.  Yet  no  comfort 
appeared,  but  all  continued  hid.  I was  also  at 
this  time  so  really  possessed  with  the  thought 
of  death,  that  oft  I was  as  if  on  a ladder  with 
a rope  about  my  neck.  Only  this  was  some 
encouragement  to  me,  I thought  I might  now 
have  an  opportunity  to  speak  my  last  words 
unto  a multitude  which  I thought  would  come 
to  see  me  die:  and,  thought  I,  if  it  must  be 
so,  if  God  will  but  convert  one  soul  by  my  last 
words,  I shall  not  count  my  life  thrown  away, 
nor  lost. 

But  yet  all  the  things  of  God  were  kept  out 
of  my  sight,  and  still  the  tempter  followed  me 
with,  “ But  whither  must  you  go  when  you 
die?  What  will  become  of  you ? Where  will 
you  be  found  in  another  world?  What  evi- 
dence have  you  for  heaven  and  glory,  and  an 
inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified?” 
Thus  was  I tossed  for  many  weeks,  and  knew 
not  what  to  do : at  last  this  consideration  fell 
with  weight  upon  me,  “That  it  was  for  the 
word  and  way  of  God  that  I was  in  this  con- 
dition ; wherefore  I was  engaged  not  to  flinch 
an  hair’s  breadth  from  it.” 

I thought  also,  that  God  might  choose  whe- 
ther he  would  give  me  comfort  now,  or  at  the 
hour  of  death ; but  I might  not  therefore  choose 
whether  I would  hold  my  profession  or  no.  I 
was  bound,  but  he  was  free;  yea,  it  was  my 
duty  to  stand  to  his  word,  whether  he  would 
ever  look  upon  me,  or  save  me  at  the  last; 
wherefore,  thought  I,  save  the  point  being  thus, 
I am  for  going  on,  and  venturing  my  eternal 
state  with  Christ,  whether  I have  comfort  here 
or  no.  If  God  doth  not  come  in,  thought  I, 
“I  will  leap  off  the  ladder,  even  blindfold  into 
eternity;  sink  or  swim,  come  heaven,  come 
hell.  Lord  Jesus,  if  thou  wilt  catch  me,  do; 
if  not,  I will  venture  for  thy  name.” 

I was  no  sooner  fixed  upon  this  resolution 
but  the  word  dropped  upon  me,  “Doth  Job 
serve  God  for  naught?”  As  if  the  accuser  had 
said,  “ Lord,  Job  is  no  upright  man ; he  serves 
thee  for  by-respects : hast  thou  not  made  an 
hedge  about  him?”  &c.  But  put  forth  now 
thine  hand,  and  touch  all  that  he  hath,  and  he 
will  curse  thee  to  thy  face.  How  now,  thought 
I,  is  this  the  sign  of  a renewed  soul,  to  desire  to 
serve  God  when  all  is  taken  from  him  ? Is  he 
a godly  man  that  will  serve  God  for  nothing 
rather  than  give  out?  Blessed  be  God  then,  I 


A UTIIOR'S  IMPRISONMENT. 


73 


A BRIEF  ACCOUNT  OF  T1IF 

nope  I lmve  an  upright  heart;  for  I am  rc- 
solveil,  (iotl  giving  me  strength,  never  to  deny 
my  profession,  though  I had  nothing  at  all  for 
my  pains.  And  as  I was  thus  considering, 
that  Scripture  was  set  before  me,  (Psalm  xliv. 
12,  &C.) 

Now  was  my  heart  full  of  comfort,  for  I 
hoped  it  was  sincere.  I would  not  have  been 
without  this  trial  for  much ; I am  comforted 
every  time  I think  of  it;  and  I hope  1 shall 
bless  God  forever,  for  the  teachings  1 have  had 
by  it.  Many  more  of  the  dealings  of  God  to- 
wards me  I might  relate,  “ but  these  out  of  the 
spoils  won  in  battle  have  I dedicated  to  main- 
tain the  house  of  God.” 

TIIE  CONCLUSION. 

Ok  all  the  temptations  that  ever  I met  with 
in  my  life,  to  question  the  being  of  God,  and 
truth  of  his  Gospel,  is  the  worst,  and  the  worst 
to  be  borne.  When  this  temptation  comes,  it 
takes  away  my  girdle  from  me,  and  removetli 
the  foundation  from  under  me.  Oh ! I have 
often  thought  of  that  word,  “ Have  your  loins 
girt  about  with  truth and  of  that,  “ When 
the  foundations  are  destroyed,  what  can  the 
righteous  do?” 

Sometimes,  when,  after  sin  committed,  I 
have  looked  for  sore  chastisement  from  the 
hand  of  God,  the  very  next  that  I have  had 
from  him  hath  been  the  discovery  of  his  grace. 
Sometimes,  when  I have  been  comforted,  I 
have  called  myself  a fool  for  my  so  sinking 
under  trouble.  And  then  again,  when  I have 
been  cast  down,  I thought  I was  not  wise  to 
give  such  way  to  comfort.  With  such  strength 
and  weight  have  both  these  been  upon  me. 

I have  wondered  much  at  this  one  thing, 
that  though  God  doth  visit  my  soul  with  never 
so  blessed  a discovery  of  himself,  yet  I have 
found  again,  that  such  hours  have  attended 


me  afterwards  that  I have  been  in  my  spirit  so 
filled  with  darkness,  that  I could  not  so  much 
as  once  conceive,  what  that  ( Jod,  and  what  that 
comfort  was,  with  which  I have  been  refreshed. 

I have  sometimes  seen  more  in  a line  of  the 
Bible,  than  I could  well  tell  how  to  stand 
under;  and  yet  at  another  time  the  whole 
Bible  hath  been  to  me  as  dry  as  a stick : or 
rather,  my  heart  hath  been  so  dead  and  dry 
unto  it,  that  I could  not  conceive  the  least 
dram  of  refreshment  though  I have  looked  it 
all  over. 

Of  all  fears,  they  are  best  that  are  made,  by 
the  blood  of  Christ : and  of  all  joy,  that  is  the 
sweetest  that  is  mixed  with  mourning  over 
Christ:  Oh!  it  is  a goodly  thing  to  be  on  our 
knees,  with  Christ  in  our  arms,  before  God.  I 
hope  I know  something  of  these  things. 

I find  to  this  day  seven  abominations  in  my 
heart.  1.  Inclining  to  unbelief.  2.  Suddenly 
to  forget  the  love  and  mercy  that  Christ  mani- 
festeth.  3.  A leaning  to  the  works  of  the  law. 
4.  Wanderings  and  coldness  in  prayer.  5.  To 
forget  to  watch  for  that  I pray  for.  6.  Apt  to 
murmur  because  I have  no  more,  and  yet  ready 
to  abuse  what  I have.  7.  I can  do  none  of 
those  things  which  God  commands  me,  but  my 
corruptions  will  thrust  in  themselves.  “ When 
I would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  me.” 

These  things  I continually  see  and  feel,  and 
am  afflicted  and  oppressed  with ; yet  the  wis- 
dom of  God  doth  order  them  for  my  good. 
1.  They  make  me  abhor  myself.  2.  They 
keep  me  from  trusting  my  heart.  3.  They 
convince  me  of  the  insufficiency  of  all  inherent 
righteousness.  4.  They  show  me  the  necessity 
of  flying  to  Jesus.  5.  They  press  me  to  pray 
unto  God.  6.  They  show  me  the  need  I have 
to  watch  and  be  sober.  7.  And  provoke  me 
to  pray  unto  God,  through  Christ,  to  help  me, 
and  carry  me  through  this  world. 


A CONTINUATION  OF  MR.  BUNYAN’S  LIFE ; 

BEGINNING  WHERE  HE  LEFT  OFF,  AND  CONCLUDING  WITH  THE  TIME  AND 
MANNER  OF  HIS  DEATH  AND  BURIAL ; TOGETHER  WITH  HIS  TRUE  CHARAC- 
TER, &<:. 


Reader,  The  painful  and  industrious  author 
of  this  book  has  already  given  you  a faithful 
and  very  moving  relation  of  the  beginning  and 
middle  of  the  days  of  his  pilgrimage  on  earth ; 
and  since  there  yet  remains  somewhat. worthy 
of  notice  and  regard,  which  occurred  in  the 
last  scene  of  his  life ; the  which,  for  want  of 
time,  or  for  fear  some  over-censorious  people 
should  impute  it  to  him  as  an  earnest  coveting 
of  praise  from  men,  he  has  not  left  behind  him 
in  writing ; wherefore,  as  a true  friend,  and 
long  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Bunyan’s,  that  his 
good  end  may  be  known,  as  his  evil  beginning, 
I have  taken  upon  me,  from  my  knowledge, 
and  the  best  account  given  by  other  of  his 
friends,  to  piece  this  to  the  thread  too  soon 
broke  off,  and  so  lengthen  it  out  to  his  enter- 
ing upon  eternity. 

He  has  told  you  at  large,  of  his  birth  and 
education;  the  evil  habits  and  corruptions  of 
his  youth ; the  temptations  he  struggled  and 
conflicted  so  frequently  with ; the  mercies,  com- 
forts, and  deliverances  he  found ; how  he  came 
to  take  upon  him  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel ; 
the  slanders,  reproaches,  and  imprisonments 
that  attended  him,  and  the  progress  he  not- 
withstanding made,  by  the  assistance  of  God’s 
grace,  no  doubt  to  the  saving  of  many  souls. 
Therefore  take  these  things,  as  he  himself  has 
methodically  laid  them  down  in  the  words  of 
verity ; and  so  I pass  on  as  to  what  remains. 

After  his  being  freed  from  his  twelve  years’ 
imprisonment,  and  upwards,  for  nonconform- 
ity, wherein  he  had  time  to  furnish  the  world 
with  sundry  good  books,  &c.,  and  by  his  pa- 
tience, to  move  Dr.  Barlow,  the  then  Bishop 
of  Lincoln,  and  other  churchmen,  to  pity  his 
hard  and  unreasonable  sufferings,  so  far  as  to 
stand  very  much  his  friends,  in  procuring  his 
enlargement,  or  there  perhaps  he  had  died,  by 
the  noisomeness  and  ill  usage  of  the  place; 

74 


being  now,  I say,  again  at  liberty,  and  having, 
through  mercy,  shaken  off  his  bodily  fetters, 
for  those  upon  his  soul  were  broken  before,  by 
the  abounding  grace  that  filled  his  heart,  he 
went  to  visit  those  that  had  been  a comfort  to 
him  in  his  tribulation,  with  a Christian-like 
acknowledgment  of  their  kindness  and  en- 
largement of  charity;  giving  encouragement 
by  his  example,  if  it  happened  to  be  their  hard 
haps  to  fall  into  affliction  or  trouble,  then  to 
suffer  patiently  for  the  sake  of  a good  con- 
science, and  for  the  love  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ, 
towards  their  souls,  and  by  many  cordial  per- 
suasions, supported  some,  whose  spirits  began 
to  sink  low,  through  the  fear  of  danger  that 
threatened  their  worldly  concernment,  so  that 
the  people-  found  a wonderful  consolation  in 
his  discourse  and  admonitions. 

As  often  as  opportunity  would  admit,  he 
gathered  them  together,  though  the  law  was 
then  in  force  against  meetings,  in  convenient 
places,  and  fed  them  with  the  sincere  milk  of 
the  word,  that  they  might  grow  in  grace  there- 
by. To  such  as  were  any  where  taken  and 
imprisoned  upon  these  accounts,  he  made  it 
another  part  of  his  business  to  extend  his 
charity,  and  gather  relief  for  such  of  them  as 
wanted. 

He  took  great  care  to  visit  the  sick,  and 
strengthen  them  against  the  suggestions  of  the 
tempter,  which  at  such  times  are  very  preva- 
lent ; so  that  they  had  cause  for  ever  to  bless 
God,  who  had  put  it  into  his  heart,  at  such  a 
time,  to  rescue  them  from  the  power  of  the 
roaring  lion,  who  sought  to  devour  them.  Nor 
did  he  spare  any  pains  or  labour  in  travel, 
though  to  the  remote  counties,  where  he  knew, 
or  imagined  any  people  might  stand  in  need  of 
his  assistance;  insomuch  that  some  of  these 
visitations  that  he  made,  which  were  two  or 
three  every  year,  some  (though  in  a jeering 


A CONTINUATION  OF  MR.  RUNYAN’S  LIFE. 


75 


manner  no  doubt)  gave  him  tho  epithet  of 
Rit>lwp  Runyan,  whilst  others  envied  him  for 
his  so  earnestly  labouring  in  Christ’s  vineyard; 
yeti  the  seed  of  the  word  he  all  this  while  sowed 
in  the  hearts  of  his  congregation,  watered  with 
the  grace  of  God,  brought  forth  in  abundance, 
in  bringing  in  disciples  to  the  church  of  Christ. 

Another  part  of  his  time  he  spent  in  recon- 
ciling differences,  by  which  he  hindered  many 
mischiefs,  and  saved  some  families  from  ruin ; 
and  in  some  fallings-out,  lie  was  uneasy  until 
he  found  a means  to  labour  a reconciliation, 
and  become  a peace-maker,  on  whom  a bless- 
ing is  promised  in  holy  writ;  and  indeed,  in 
doing  this  good  office  he  may  he  said  to  sum 
up  his  days,  it  being  the  last  undertaking  of 
his  life,  as  will  appear  iu  the  close  of  this 
paper. 

When  in  the  late  reign,  liberty  of  conscience 
was  unexpectedly  given  and  indulged  to  dis- 
senters of  all  persuasions,  his  piercing  wit  pene- 
trated the  veil,  and  found  that  it  was  not  for 
the  dissenters’  sakes  they  were  so  suddenly 
freed  from  the  persecutions  that  had  long  lain 
heavy  upon  them,  and  set  in  a manner,  on  an 
equal  foot  with  the  church  of  England,  which 
the  papists  were  undermining,  and  about  to 
subvert.  He  foresaw  all  the  advantages  that 
could  redound  to  the  dissenters,  would  have 
been  no  more  than  what  Polyphemus,  the  mon- 
strous giant  of  Sicily,  would  have  allowed 
Ulysses,  viz.,  That  he  would  eat  his  men  first, 
and  do  him  the  favour  of  being  eaten  last. 
For  although  Mr.  Bunyan,  following  the  ex- 
amples of  others,  did  lay  hold  of  this  liberty, 
as  an  acceptable  thing  in  itself,  knowing  God 
as  the  only  Lord  of  conscience,  and  that  it  is 
good  at  all  times  to  do  according  to  the  dictates 
of  a good  conscience,  and  that  the  preaching 
the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel  is  beautiful  in 
the  preacher;  yet  in  all  this  he  moved  with 
caution  and  holy  fear,  earnestly  praying  for 
averting  the  impendent  judgments,  which  he 
saw,  like  a black  tempest,  hanging  over  our 
heads  for  our  sins,  and  ready  to  break  upon  us, 
and  that  the  Ninevites’  remedy  was  now  highly 
necessary.  Hereupon  he  gathered  his  congre- 
gation at  Bedford,  where  he  mostly  lived,  and 
had  lived  and  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life ; 
and  there  being  no  convenient  place  to  be  had 
for  the  entertainment  of  so  great  a confluence 
of  people  as  followed  him,  upon  the  account  of 
his  teaching,  he  consulted  with  them  for  the 
building  of  a meeting-house,  to  which  they 
made  their  voluntary  contributions,  with  all 
cheerfulness  and  alacrity ; and  the  first  time  he 


appeared  to  edify,  the  place  was  so  thronged, 
that  many  were  constrained  to  stay  without, 
though  the  house  was  very  spacious,  every  one 
striving  to  partake  of  his  instructions,  that 
were  of  his  persuasion,  and  show  their  good 
will  towards  him,  by  being  present  at  the  opon- 
ing  of  the  place.  And  here  he  lived  in  peace 
and  quiet  of  mind,  contenting  himself  with 
that  little  God  had  bestowed  upon  him,  and 
sequestering  himself  from  all  secular  employ- 
ments to  follow  that  of  his  call  to  the  minis- 
try ; for  as  God  said  to  Moses,  he  that  made  the 
lips  and  heart,  can  give  eloquence  and  wisdom, 
without  extraordinary  acquirements  in  an  uni- 
versity. 

During  these  things  there  were  regulators 
sent  into  all  cities  and  towns  corporate,  to  new- 
model  the  government  in  the  magistracy,  &c., 
by  turning  out  some,  and  putting  in  others. 
Against  this  Mr.  Bunyan  expressed  his  zeal 
with  some  warmness,  as  foreseeing  the  bad  con- 
sequence that  would  attend  it,  and  laboured 
with  his  congregation  to  prevent  their  being 
imposed  on  in  this  kind : and  when  a great  man 
in  those  days  coming  to  Bedford  upon  some 
such  errand,  sent  for  him,  as  it  is  supposed,  to 
give  him  a place  of  public  trust,  he  would  by 
no  means  come  at  him,  but  sent  his  excuse. 

When  he  was  at  leisure  from  writing  and 
teaching,  he  often  came  up  to  London,  and 
there  went  among  the  congregations  of  the 
nonconformists,  and  used  his  talents  to  the 
great  good-liking  of  the  hearers;  and  even 
some,  to  whom  he  had  been  misrepresented, 
upon  the  account  of  his  education,  were  con- 
vinced of  his  worth  and  knowledge  in  sacred 
things,  as  perceiving  him  to  be  a man  of  sound 
judgment,  delivering  himself  plainly  and  pow- 
erfully ; insomuch  that  many  who  came  spec- 
tators for  novelty,  rather  than  to  be  edified 
and  improved,  went  away  well  satisfied  with 
what  they  heard;  and  wondered,  as  the  Jews 
did  at  the  apostles,  viz.,  whence  this  man  should 
have  these  things;  perhaps  not  considering 
that  God  more  immediately  assists  those  that 
make  it  their  business  industriously  and  cheer- 
fully to  labour  in  his  vineyard. 

Thus  he  spent  his  latter  years  in  imitation 
of  his  great  Lord  and  Master,  the  ever-blessed 
Jesus;  he  went  about  doing  good;  so  that  the 
most  prying  critic,  or  even  malice  herself,  is 
defied  to  find,  even  upon  the  narrowest  search 
or  observation,  any  sully  or  stain  upon  his 
reputation,  with  which  he  may  be  justly 
charged ; and  this  we  note,  as  a challenge  to 
those  that  have  had  the  least  regard  for  him. 


76 


B TJNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


or  them  of  his  persuasion,  and  have  one  way 
or  other  appeared  in  the  front  of  those  that 
oppressed  him ; and  for  the  turning  whose 
hearts,  in  obedience  to  the  commission  and 
commandment  given  him  of  God,  he  fre- 
quently prayed,  and  sometimes  sought  a bless- 
ing for  them,  even  with  tears;  the  effects  of 
which,  they  may,  peradventure,  though  unde- 
servedly, have  found  in  their  persons,  friends, 
relations,  estates ; for  God  will  hear  the 
prayers  of  the  faithful,  and  answer  them, 
even  for  those  that  vex  them,  as  it  hap- 
pened in  the  case  of  Job’s  praying  for  the 
three  persons  that  had  been  grievous  in  their 
reproach  against  him,  even  in  the  day  of  his 
sorrow. 

But  yet  let  me  come  a little  nearer  to  par- 
ticulars, and  periods  of  time,  for  the  better  re- 
freshing the  memories  of  those  that  knew  his 
labour  and  sufferings,  and  for  the  satisfaction 
of  all  that  read  this  book. 

After  he  was  sensibly  convicted  of  the 
wicked  state  of  his  life,  and  converted,  he 
was  baptized  into  the  congregation,  and  ad- 
mitted a member  thereof,  viz.,  in  the  year 
1655,  and  became  speedily  a very  zealous  pro- 
fessor. But  upon  the  return  of  King  Charles 
to  the  crown  in  1660,  he  was,  on  the  12th  of 
November,  taken,  as  he  was  edifying  some 
good  people  that  was  got  together  to  hear  the 
word,  and  confined  in  Bedford  jail  for  the 
space  of  six  years,  till  the  act  of  indulgence  to 
dissenters  being  allowed,  he  obtained  his  free- 
dom by  the  intercession  of  some  in  trust  and 
power,  that  took  pity  of  his  'sufferings.  But 
within  six  years  afterwards,  he  was  again 
taken  up,  viz.,  in  the  year  1666,  and  was  then 
confined  for  six  years  more;  when  the  jailer 
took. such  pity  of  his  rigorous  sufferings,  that 
he  did  as  the  Egyptian  jailer  did  to  Joseph, 
put  all  the  care  and  trust  in  his  hand.  When 
he  was  taken  this  last  time  lie  was  preaching 
on  these  words,  viz.,  “Dost  thou  believe  on 
the  Son  of  God?”  And  this  imprisonment 
continued  six  years ; and  when  this  was  over, 
another  short  affliction,  which  was  an  impris- 
onment of  half  a year,  fell  to  his  share. 
During  these  confinements,  he  wrote  these 
following  books,  viz.,  “Of  Prayer  by  the 
Spirit,”  “The  Holy  City’s  Resurrection,” 
“Grace  Abounding,”  “Pilgrim’s  Progress,” 
the  first  part. 

In  the  last  year  of  his  twelve  years’  impris- 
onment, tiie  pastor  of  the  congregation  at 
Bedford  died,  and  he  was  chosen  to  that  care 
of  souls,  on  the  12th  of  December,  1671.  And 


in  this  charge  he  often  had  disputes  with 
scholars  that  came  to  oppose  him,  as  sup- 
posing him  an  ignorant  person ; and  though 
he  argued  plainly,  and  by  Scripture,  without 
phrases  and  logical  expressions,  yet  he  non- 
plussed one  who  came  to  oppose  him,  in  his 
congregation,  by  demanding,  Whether  or  no 
we  had  the  true  copies  of  the  original  Scrip- 
tures? And  another,  when  he  was  preaching 
accused  him  of  uneharitableness  for  saying, 
“It  was  very  hard  for  most  to  be  saved  say 
ing,  by  that  he  went  about  to  exclude  most  of 
his  congregation.  But  he  confuted  him,  and 
put  him  to  silence,  with  the  parable  of  the 
stony  ground,  and  other  texts  out  of  the  13th 
of  Matthew,  in  our  Saviour’s  sermon  out  of  a 
.ship;  all  his  methods  being  to  keep  close 
to  the  Scriptures,  and  what  he  found  not 
warranted  there,  himself  would  not  warrant 
nor  determine,  unless  in  such  cases  as  were 
plain,  wherein  no  doubts  nor  scruples  did  arise. 

But  not  to  make  any  further  mention  of  this 
kind,  it  is  well  known  that  this  person  man- 
aged all  his  affairs  with  such  exactness  as  if 
he  had  made  it  his  study,  above  all  other 
things,  not  to  give  occasion  of  offence,  but 
rather  suffer  many  inconveniences  to  avoid  it, 
being  never  heard  to  reproach  or  revile  any, 
what  injury  soever  he  received,  hut  rather  to 
rebuke  those  that  did.  And  as  it  was  in  his 
conversation,  so  it  is  manifested  in  those  hooks 
he  has  caused  to  he  published  to  the  world ; 
where,  like  the  archangel  disputingwith  Satan 
about  the  body  of  Moses,  as  we  find  it  in  the 
Epistle  of  St.  Jude,  he  brings  no  railing  accusa- 
tion, but  leaves  the  rebukers,  those  that  perse- 
cuted him,  to  the  Lord. 

In  his  family  he  kept  very  strict  discipline, 
in  prayer  and  exhortations,  being  in  this  like 
Joshua,  as  that  good  man  expresses  it,  viz., 
“Whatsoever  others  did,  as  for  me  and  my 
house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord.”  And  indeed 
a blessing  waited  on  his  labours  and  en- 
deavours ; so  that  his  wife,  as  the  Psalmist 
says,  “was  like  a pleasant  vine  upon  the  wall 
of  his  house,  and  his  children  like  olive- 
branches  round  his  table ; for  so  shall  it  be 
with  the  man  that  fears  the  Lord ;”  and  though 
by  reason  of  the  many  losses  he  sustained  by 
imprisonment  and  spoil,  of  his  chargeable 
sickness,  &c.,  his  earthly  treasure  swelled  not 
to  excess,  he  always  had  sufficient  to  live  de- 
cently and  creditably ; and  with  that  he  had 
the  greatest  of  all  treasures,  which  is  content: 
for  as  the  wise  man  says,  “ that  is  a continual 
feast.” 


A CONTINUATION  OF  MR.  BUN  VAN'S  LIFE. 


77 


■Hut  where  content  dwells,  even  n poor  cot- 
tuge  is  :i  kingly  palace;  and  this  happiness 
he  had  all  his  life  long,  not  so  much  mind- 
ing this  world,  as  knowing  he  was  here  as  a 
pilgrim  and  stranger,  and  had  no  tarrying 
city,  but  looked  for  one  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  highest  heavens.  But  at  length, 
worn  out  with  sufferings,  age,  and  often  teach- 
ing, the  day  of  his  dissolution  drew  near;  and 
death,  that  unlocks  the  prison  of  his  soul,  to 
enlarge  it  for  a more  glorious  mansion,  put  a 
stop  to  his  acting  his  part  on  the  stage  of  mor- 
tality. Heaven,  like  earthly  princes,  when  it 
threatens  war,  being  always  so  kind  as  to  call 
home  its  ambassadors  before  it  be  denounced. 
And  even  the  last  act  or  undertaking  of  his 
was  a labour  of  love  a,nd  charity : for  it  so  fall- 
ing out,  that  a young  gentleman,  a neighbour 
of  Mr.  Bunyan’s,  happening  into  the  displeas- 
ure of  his  father,  and  being  much  troubled  in 
his  mind  upon  that  account,  as  also  for  that 
he  had  heard  his  father  purposed  to  disin- 
herit him,  or  otherwise  deprive  him  of  what 
he  had  to  leave,  he  pitched  upon  Mr.  Bunyan 
as  a lit  man  to  make  way  for  his  submission, 
and  prepare  his  father’s  mind  to  receive  him ; 
and  he,  as  willing  to  do  any  good  office  as  it 
could  be  requested,  as  readily  undertook  it; 
and  so  riding  to  Reading  in  Berkshire,  he 
there  used  such  pressing  arguments  and  rea- 
sons against  anger  and  passion,  as  also  for  love 
and  reconciliation,  that  the  father  was  molli- 
fied, and  his  bowels  yearned  towards  his  re- 
turning son. 

But  Mr.  Bunyan,  after  he  had  disposed  all 
things  to  the  best  for  accommodation,  return- 


ing to  London,  and  being  overtaken  with  ex- 
cessive rains,  coming  to  his  lodging  extremely 
wet,  fell  sick  of  a violent  fever;  which  ho 
bore  with  much  constancy  and  patience,  and 
expressed  himself  as  if  he  desired  nothing 
more  than  to  be  dissolved,  and  be  with  Christ, 
in  that  case  esteeming  death  as  gain,  and  life 
only  a tedious  delaying  felicity  expected;  and 
finding  his  vital  strength  decay,  having  settled 
his  mind  and  affairs,  as  well  as  the  shortness 
of  time  and  the  violence  of  his  disease,  would 
admit,  with  a constant  and  Christian  patience, 
he  resigned  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  his  most 
merciful  Redeemer,  following  his  pilgrimage 
from  the  city  of  Destruction  to  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, his  better  part  having  been  all  along 
there,  in  holy  contemplation,  pantings  and 
breathings  after  the  hidden  manna,  and  water 
of  life,  as  by  many  holy  and  humble  consola- 
tions, expressed  in  his  letters  to  several  persons 
in  prison,  and  out  of  prison ; too  many  to  be 
here  inserted  at  present.  He  died  at  the 
house  of  one  Mr.  Straddock,  a grocer  at  the 
Star  on  Snowliill,  in  the  parish  of  St.  Sepul- 
chre, London,  on  the  12th  of  August,  168S, 
and  in  the  60th  year  of  his  age,  after  ten  days’ 
sickness;  and  was  buried  in  the  new  burying- 
place  near  the  Artillery  Ground ; where  he 
sleeps-  to  the  morning  of  the  resurrection,  in 
hopes  of  a glorious  rising  to«an  incorruptible 
immortality  of  joy  and  happiness,  where  no 
more  trouble  and  sorrow  shall  afflict  him,  but 
all  tears  be  wiped  away;  when  the  just  shall 
be  incorporated  as  members  of  Christ  their 
head,  and  reign  with  him  as  kings  and  priest* 
for  ever. 


A BRIEF  CHARACTER  OF  MR.  JOHN  BUNYAN 


He  appeared  in  countenance  to  be  of  a stern 
and  rough  temper;  but  in  his  conversation 
mild  and  affable,  not  given  to  loquacity,  or 
much  discourse  in  company,  unless  some 
urgent  occasion  required  it;  observing  never 
to  boast  of  himself,  or  his  parts,  but  rather 
seem  low  in  his  own  eyes,  and  submit  himself 
to  the  judgment  of  others;  abhorring  lying 
and  swearing,  being  just  in  all  that  lay  in  his 
power  to  his  word;  not  seeming  to  revenge 
injuries,  loving  to  reconcile  differences,  and 
make  friendships  with  all.  He  had  a sharp 
quick  eye,  accomplished  with  an  excellent 
discerning  of  persons,  being  of  good  judg- 
ment and  quick  wit.  As  for  his  person,  he 
was  tall  of  stature,  strong  boned,  though  not 
corpulent,  somewhat  of  a ruddy  face,  with 
sparkling  eyes,  wearing  his  hair  on  his  upper 
lip,  after  the  old  British  fashion;  his  hair 
reddish,  but  in  his  latter  days,  time  had 
sprinkled  it  with  grey ; his  nose  well  set,  but 
not  declining  or  bending,  and  his  mouth  mod- 
erately large;  his  forehead  something  high, 
and  his  habit  always  plain  and  modest.  And 
78 


thus  have  we  impartially  described  the  internal 
and  external  parts  of  a person  whose  death 
hath  been  much  regretted;  a person  who  had 
tried  the  smiles  and  frowns  of  time,  not  puffed 
up  in  prosperity,  not  shaken  in  adversity, 
always  holding  the  golden  mean. 


In  him  at  once  did  three  great  worthies  shine, 
Historian,  poet,  and  a choice  divine: 

Then  let  him  rest  in  undisturbed  dust. 

Until  the  resurrection  of  the  just. 


P.  S.  In  his  pilgrimage  God  blessed  him 
with  four  children,  one  of  which,  named  Mary, 
was  blind,  and  died  some  years  before.  His 
other  children  are  Thomas,  Joseph,  and  Sarah ; 
and  his  wife  Elizabeth,  having  lived  to  see  him 
overcome  his  labour  and  sorrow,  and  pass  from 
this  life  to  receive  the  reward  of  his  works, 
long  survived  him  hot;  but  in  1692  she  died, 
to  follow  her  faithful  Pilgrim  from  this  world 
to  the  other,  whither  he  was  gone  before  her, 
while  his  works  remain  for  the  edifying  of  the 
reader,  and  praise  of  the  author.  V ale. 


MR.  JOHN  BUNYAN’S  DYING  SAYINGS, 


OF  SIN. 

Sin  is  the  great  block  and  bar  to  our  happi- 
ness, the  procurer-  of  all  miseries  to  man,  both 
here  and  hereafter.  Take  away  sin,  and  noth- 
ing can  hurt  us ; for  death,  temporal,  spiritual 
and  eternal,  is  the  wages  of  it. 

Sin,  and  man  for  sin,  is  the  object  of  the 
wrath  of  God.  How  dreadful  therefore  must 
his  case  be  who  continues  in  sin  ! for  who  can 
bear  or  grapple  with  the  wrath  of  God ! 

No  sin  against  God  can  be  of  little;  because 
it  is  against  the  great  God  of  heaven  and 
earth ; but  if  the  sinner  can  find  out  a little 
God,  it  may  be  easy  to  find  out  little  sins. 

Sin  turns  all  God’s  grace  into  wantonness  : 
it  is  the  dare  of  his  justice,  the  rape  of  his 
mercy,  the  jeer  of  his  patience,  the  slight  of 
his  power,  and  the  contempt  of  his  love. 

Take  heed  of  giving  thyself  liberty  of  com- 
mitting one  sin,  for  .that  will  lead  thee  to 
another,  till  by  an  ill  custom  it  become  nat- 
ural. 

To  begin  a sin  is  to  lay  a foundation  for  a 
continuance:  this  continuance  is  the  mother 
of  custom,  and  impudence  at  last  the  issue. 

The  death  of  Christ  giveth  us  the  best  dis- 
covery of  ourselves,  in  what  condition  we  were 
in  that  nothing  could  help  us  but  that;  and 
the  most  clear  discovery  of  the  dreadful  nature 
of  our  sins : for  if  sin  be  so  dreadful  a thing 
as  to  wring  the  heart  of  the  Son  of  God,  how 
shall  a poor  wretched  sinner  be  able  to  bear 
it? 

OF  AFFLICTION. 

Nothing  can  render  affliction  so  insupport- 
able as  the  load  of  sin.  Would  you  therefore 
be  fitted  for  afflictions?  Be  sure  to  get  the 
burden  of  your  sins  laid  aside,  and  then  what 
affliction  soever  you  may  meet  with  will  be 
very  easy  to  you. 

If  thou  canst  hear  and  bear  the  rod  afflic- 
tion which  God  shall  lay  upon  thee,  remember 
this  lesson.  Thou  art  beaten  that  thou  mayest 
be  better. 


The  Lord  useth  his  flail  of  tribulation,  to 
separate  the  chaff  from  the  wheat. 

The  school  of  the  cross  is  the  school  of  light ; 
it  discovers  the  world’s  vanity,  baseness,  and 
wickedness,  and  lets  us  see  more  of  God’s 
mind.  Out  of  dark  affliction  comes  a spiritual 
light. 

In  times  of  affliction  we  commonly  meet 
with  the  sweetest  experiences  of  the  love  of 
God. 

Did  we  heartily  renounce  the  pleasures  of 
this  world,  we  should  be  very  little  troubled 
for  our  afflictions:  that  which  renders  an  af- 
flicted state  so  insupportable  to  many,  is  be- 
cause they  are  too  much  addicted  to  the  pleas- 
ures of  this  life,  and  so  cannot  endure  that 
which  makes  a separation  between  them. 

OF  REPENTANCE  AND  COMING  TO  CHRIST. 

The  end  of  affliction  i§  the  discovery  of  sin, 
and  of  that  to  bring  us  to  a Saviour.  Let  us 
therefore,  with  the  prodigal,  return  unto  him, 
and  we  shall  find  ease  and  rest. 

A repenting  penitent,  though  formerly  as 
bad  as  the  worst  of  men,  may  by  grace  become 
as  good  as  the  best. 

To  be  truly  sensible  of  sin,  is  to  sorrow  for 
displeasing  of  God,  to  be  afflicted  that  he  is 
displeased  by  us,  more  than  that  he  is  dis- 
pleased with  us. 

Your  intentions  to  repentance,  aud  the  neg- 
lect of  that  soul-saving  duty,  will  rise  up  in 
judgment  against  you. 

Repentance  carries  with  it  a divine  rhetoric, 
and  persuades  Christ  to  forgive  multitude  of 
sins  committed  against  him. 

Say  not  with  thyself,  to-morrow  I will  re- 
pent ; for  it  is  thy  duty  to  do  it  daily. 

The  gospel  of  grace  and  salvation  is  above 
all  doctrines  the  most  dangerous,  if  it  be  re- 
ceived in  word  only  by  graceless  men ; if  it  be 
not  attended  with  a sensible  need  of  a Saviour, 
and  bring  them  to  him.  For  such  men  as  have 
only  the  notion  of  it  are  of  all  men  most  mis- 

79 


80 


B UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


erable ; for  by  reason  of  their  knowing  more 
than  heathens,  this  shall  only  be  their  final 
portion,  that  they  shall  have  greater  stripes. 

OF  PRAYER. 

Before  you  enter  into  prayer,  ask  thy  soul 
these  questions : 1.  To  what  end,  O my  soul, 
art  thou  retired  into  this  place  ? Art  thou  not 
come  to  discourse  the  Lord  in  prayer  ? Is  he 
present,  will  he  hear  thee?  Is  he  merciful, 
will  he  help  thee?  Is  thy  business  slight,  is  it 
not  concerning  the  welfare  of  thy  soul  ? What 
words  wilt  thou  ose  to  move  him  to  compas- 
sion ? 

To  make  thy  preparation  complete,  consider 
that  thou  art  but  dust  and  ashes,  and  he  the 
great  God,  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
“ that  clothes  himself  with  light  as  with  a gar- 
ment that  thou  art  a vile  sinner,  he  a holy 
God ; that  thou  art  but  a poor  crawling  worm, 
he  the  omnipotent  Creator. 

In  all  your  prayers  forget  not  to  thank  the 
Lord  for  his  mercies. 

When  thou  prayest,  rather  let  thy  heart 
be  without  words,  than  thy  words  without  a 
heart. 

Prayer  will  make  a man  cease  from  sin,  or 
sin  will  entice  a man  to  cease  from  prayer. 

The  spirit  of  prayer  is  more  precious  than 
treasures  of  gold  and  silver. 

Pray  often ; for  prayer  is  a shield  to  the  soul, 
a sacrifice  to  God,  and  a scourge  for  Satan. 

OF  THE  LORD’S  DAY,  SERMONS,  AND  WEEK-DAYS. 

Have  a special  care  to  sanctify  the  Lord’s 
day ; for  as  thou  keepest  it,  so  will  it  be  with 
thee  all  the  week  long. 

Make  the  Lord’s  day  the  market  for  thy 
soul,  let  the  whole  day  be  spent  in  prayer,  rep- 
etitions, or  meditations;  lay  aside  the  affairs 
the  other  parts  of  the  week:  let  the  sermon 
thou  hast  heard  be  converted  into  prayer. 
Shall  God  allow  thee  six  days,  and  wilt  not 
thou  afford  him  one  ? 

In  the  church  be  careful  to  serve  God  : for 
thou  art  in  his  eyes,  and  not  in  man’s. 

Thou  mayest  hear  sermons  often,  and  do 
well  in  practising  what  thou  hearest;  but  thou 
must  not  expect  to  be  told  thee  in  a pulpit  all 
that  thou  oughtest  to  do,  but  be  studious  in 
searching  the  Scriptures,  and  reading  good 
books.  What  thou  hearest  may  be  forgotten  ; 
but  what  thou  readest  may  be  better  retained. 

Forsake  not  the  public  worship  of  God,  lest 


God  forsake  thee,  not  only  in  public  but  in 
private. 

In  the  week-days  when  thou  risest  in  the 
morning,  consider,  1.  Thou  must  die.  2.  Thou 
mayest  die  that  minute.  3.  What  will  become 
of  thy  soul.  Pray  often.  At  night  consider, 
1.  What  sins  thou  hast  committed.  2.  How 
often  thou  hast  prayed.  3.  What  hath  thy 
mind  been  bent  upon  4.  What  hath  been 
thy  dealing.  5.  What  thy  conversation,  fi. 
If  thou  callest  to  mind  the  errors  of  the  day, 
sleep  not  without  a confession  to  God,  and  a 
hope  of  pardon.  Thus,  every  morning  and 
evening,  make  up  thy  accounts  with  Almighty 
God,  and  thy  reckoning  will  be  the  less  at 
last. 

OF  THE  LOVE  OF  THE  WORLD.  . 

Nothing  more  hinders  a soul  from  coming 
to  Christ  than  a vain  love  of  the  world ; and 
till  a soul  is  freed  from  it,  it  can  never  have  a 
true  love  for  God. 

What  are  the  honours  and  riches  of  this 
world,  when  compared  to  the  glories  of  a 
crown  of  life  ? 

Love  not  the  world ; for  it  is  a moth  in  a 
Christian’s  life. 

To  despise  the  world,  is  the  way  to  enjoy 
heaven ; and  blessed  are  they  who  delight  to 
converse  with  God  by  prayer. 

What  folly  can  be  greater  than  to  labour  for 
the  meat  that  perisheth,  and  neglect  the  food 
of  eternal  life  ? 

God  or  the  world  must  be  neglected  at  part- 
ing-time ; for  then  is  the  time  of  trial. 

To  seek  yourself  in  this  world  is  to  he  lost ; 
and  to  be  humble  is  to  be  exalted. 

The  epicure  that  delighteth  in  the  dainties 
of  this  world,  little  thinketh  that  those  very 
creatures  will  one  day  witness  against  him. 

OF  SUFFERING. 

It  is  not  every  suffering  that  makes  a mar- 
tyr, but  suffering  for  the  word  of  God  after  a 
right  manner : that  is,  not  only  for  righteous- 
ness, but  for  righteousness’  sake ; not  only  for 
truth,  hut  out  of  love  to  truth ; not  only  for 
God’s  word,  but  according  to  it ; to  wit,  in  that 
holy,  humble,  meek  manner,  as  the  word  of 
God  requireth. 

It  is  a rare  thing  to  suffer  aright,  and  to 
have  thy  spirit  in  suffering  bent  only  against 
God’s  enemy,  sin  ; sin  in  doctrine,  sin  in  wor- 
ship, sin  in  life,  and  sin  in  conversation. 

The  devil,  nor  men  of  the  world,  can  kill 


MR.  JOHN  BUSY  AN 

lli v righteousness,  or  lovo  to  it;  but  by  thy 
own  luuul;  or  separate  that  and  thee  asunder 
without  thy  own  act.  Nor  will  he  that  doth 
indeed  suffer  for  the  sake  of  it,  or  out  of  love 
he  bears  thereto,  be  tempted  to  exchange  it  for 
the  good  will  of  all  the  world. 

I have  often  thought,  that  the  best  of  Chris- 
tians are  found  in  the  worst  of  times;  and  I 
have  thought  again,  that  one  reason  why  we 
are  no  better  is  because  God  purges  us  no  more. 
Noah  and  Lot,  who  so  holy  as  they  in  the  time 
of  their  afllictions  ? And  yet  who  so  idle  as 
they  in  the  time  of  their  prosperity? 

OF  DEATH  AND  JUDGMENT. 

As  the  devil  labours  by  all  means  to  keep 
out  other  things  that  are  good,  so  to  keep  out 
of  the  heart  as  much  as  in  him  lies,  the 
thoughts  of  passing  from  this  life  into  another 
world ; for  he  knows,  if  he  can  but  keep  them 
from  the  serious  thoughts  of  death,  he  shall 
the  more  easily  keep  them  in  their  sins. 

Nothing  will  make  us  more  earnest  in 
working  out  the  work  of  our  salvation,  than  a 
frequent  meditation  of  mortality ; nothing 
hath  greater  influence  for  the  taking  off  our 
hearts  from  vanities,  and  for  the  begetting  in 
us  desires  after  holiness. 

O sinner,  what  a condition  wilt  thou  fall 
into  when  thou  departest  this  world,  if  thou 
depart  unconverted!  Thou  hadst  better  have 
been  smothered  the  first  hour  thou  wast  born  ; 
thou  hadst  better  have  been  plucked  one  limb 
from  another;  thou  hadst  better  have  been 
made  a dog,  a toad,  a serpent,  than  to  die  un- 
converted : and  this  thou  wilt  find  true  if  thou 
repent  not. 

A man  would  be  counted  a fool  to  slight  a 
judge  before  whom  he  is  to  have  a trial  of  his 
whole  estate.  The  trial  we  have  before  God  is 
of  otherwise  importance ; it  concerns  our  eter- 
nal happiness  or  misery ; and  yet  dare  wre  af- 
front him  ? 

The  only  way  for  us  to  escape  that  terrible 
judgment,  is  to  be  often  passing  a sentence  of 
condemnation  upon  ourselves  here. 

When  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  shall  be 
heard,  which  shall  summon  the  dead  to  appear 
before  the  tribunal  of  God,  the  righteous  shall 
hasten  out  of  their  graves,  with  joy,  to  meet 
their  Redeemer  in  the  clouds ; others  shall  call 
to  the  hills  and  mountains  to  fall  upon  them, 
to  cover  them  from  the  sight  of  their  Judge. 

G 


•S  DYING  SAYINGS  8] 

Let  us  therefore  in  time  he  posing  ourselves 
which  of  the  two  we  shall  be. 

OF  THE  JOYS  OF  HEAVEN. 

There  is  no  good  in  this  life  but  what  is 
mingled  with  some  evil.  Honours  perplex, 
riches  disquiet,  and  pleasures  ruin  health.  But 
in  heaven  we  shall  find  blessings  in  their  pur- 
ity, without  any  ingredient  to  embitter,  with 
every  thing  to  sweeten  them. 

Oh ! who  is  able  to  conceive  the  inexpress- 
ible, inconceivable  joys  that  are  there?  None 
but  they  who  have  tasted  of  them.  Lord,  help 
us  to  put  such  a value  upon  them  here,  that  in 
order  to  prepare  ourselves  for  them,  we  may  be 
willing  to  forego  the  loss  of  all  those  deluding 
pleasures  here. 

How  will  the  heavens  echo  of  joy,  when  the 
bride,  the  Lamb’s  wife,  shall  come  to  dwell 
with  her  husband  for  ever ! 

Christ  is  the  desire  of  nations,  the  joy  of  an- 
gels, the  delight  of  the  Father.  What  solace 
then  must  that  soul  be  filled  with,  that  hath 
the  possession  of  him  to  all  eternity ! 

Oh ! what  acclamations  of  joy  will  there  be 
when  all  the  children  of  God  shall  meet  to- 
gether, without  fear  of  being  disturbed  by  the 
antichristian  and  Cainish  brood ! 

Is  there  not  a time  coming  when  the  godly 
may  ask  the  wicked,  What  profit  they  have  in 
their  pleasure?  What  comfort  in  their  great- 
ness? And  what  fruit  in  all  their  labour? 

If  you  would  be  better  satisfied  what  the 
beatifical  vision  means,  my  request  is,  that  you 
live  holily,  and  go  and  see. 

OF  THE  TORMENTS  OF  HELD. 

Heaven  and  salvation  is  not  surely  more 
promised  to  the  godly,  than  hell  and  damnation 
is  threatened  to,  and  shall  be  executed  on,  the 
wicked. 

When  once  a man  is  damned,  he  may  bid 
adieu  to  all  pleasures. 

Oh  ! who  knows  the  power  of  God's  wrath  ? 
None  but  damned  ones. 

Sinners’  company  are  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels, tormented  in  everlasting  fire  with  a curse. 

Ilell  would  be  a kind  of  paradise,  if  it  were 
no  worse  than  the  worst  of  this  world. 

As  different  as  grief  is  from  joy,  as  torment 
from  rest,  as  terror  from  peace,  so  different  is 
the  state  of  sinners  from  that  of  saints  in  the 
world  to  come. 


POSTSCRIPT. 


BY  ROBERT  PHILIP. 


Bctnyan’s  liberation  from  prison  was  ob- 
tained from  Charles  II.  by  Whitehead  the 
Quaker.  This  discovery  was  not  made  when 
I published  his  life  in  1839.  On  his  release, 
he  soon  became  one  of  the  most  popular 
preachers  of  the  day,  and  was,  if  not  the  chap- 
lain, “the  Teacher”  of  Sir  John  Shorter,  the 
Mayor  of  London. — Southey’s  Life. 

But  although  free  and  popular,  Bunyan 
evidently  dreaded  every  new  crisis  in  public 
affairs.  He  had  reason  to  do  so.  Venner’s 
conspiracy  had  increased  the  severity  of  his 
first  six  years’  imprisonment.  On  the  occa- 
sion of  the  Fire  in  London,  he  was  thrown 
into  prison  again.  And  soon  after  James  II. 
came  to  the  throne,  in  1685,  Bunyan  conveyed 
the  whole  of  his  property  to  his  wife,  by  a 
singular  Deed,  which  can  only  be  accounted 
for  by  his  suspicions  of  James  and  Jeffreys,  and 
by  his  horror  at  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of 
Nantz.  The  asylum  which  the  Refugees  found 
in  England  did  not  prove  to  him  that  he  was 
safe.  No  wonder.  “Kirke  and  his  lambs” 
were  abroad,  and  the  Bedford  justices  still  in 
power. 

It  was  under  these  suspicious  circumstances 
that  he  divested  himself  of  all  his  property,  in 
order  to  save  his  family  from  want,  should  he 
again  be  made  a victim.  These  coincidences 
give  peculiar  interest  to  the  Deed  of  Con- 
veyance ; a fac-simile  of  which,  from  the 
origirfal,  is  now  presented  to  the  public.  The 
history  of  its  transmission  I am  unable  to  give. 
There  is,  however,  not  the  shadow  of  a doubt 
resting  upon  its  authenticity.  Bunyan’s  own 
signature  is  unquestionable.  I have  been  able 
also  to  verify  that  by  the  Instrument  in  which 
Ruffhead  conveyed  to  Bunyan  the  ground  on 
which  his  chapel  was  built.  The  original  is 
now  endorsed  on  the  back  thus : “This  Will  is 
left  by  indenture  hereunto  subscribed,  to  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Hillyard,  Minister  of  Bunyan’s 
Meeting,  to  be  presented  to  the  Trustees  of  the 
said  Meeting,  to  be  held  by  them  in  continu- 
82 


ance.  Dated  this  26th  day  of  October,  1832. 
Bedford.  Witness,  A.  Brandram,  Secretary  of 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society;  G.  P. 
Livius ; J.  S.  Grimsliaw,  Vicar  of  Biddenharn.” 
“ According  to  the  above  statement,  this  writ- 
ing of  John  Bunyan’s  was  put  into  my  hand  at 
the  death  of  Mrs.  Livius,  and  it  is  my  wish 
that  it  should  be  attached  to  the  Church  Book. 
Samuel  Hillyard.”  “ Witness,  Robert  Philip, 
Author  of  the  Life  and  Times  of  Bunyan ; 
William  White,  Bookseller.  Bedford,  October 
30th,  1838.”  Mrs.  Livius,  if  not  a descendant, 
was,  I think,  in  some  way  related  to  the  Bun- 
yan  family. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  Deed  would  not 
have  secured  the  entire  property  to  Mrs.  Bun- 
yan. It  shows,  however,  Bunyan’s  solicitude 
for  her  comfort,  and  his  confidence  in  her  pru- 
dence. And  his  Elizabeth  well  deserved  both ! 

Whatever  Bunyan  may  have  feared  when 
he  thus  disposed  of  all  the  little  property  he 
had,  nothing  befell  him  under  James  II.  He 
published  “The  Pharisee  and  Publican”  in 
1685,  the  year  of  the  king’s  accession,  and 
in  1688,  Charles  Doe  says,  “he  published  six 
Books  (being  the  time  of  King  James  II. ’s 
Liberty  of  Conscience).”  This  appears  from 
Doe’s  List.  It  throws  also  much  light  upon 
Bunyan’s  death.  Such  labour  could  not  fail 
to  sap  his  strength,  even  if  he  did  nothing  but 
carry  the  six  books  through  the  press;  for 
none  of  them  are  small  except  the  last.  The 
usual  account  of  Bunyan’s  death,  is,  that  he 
caught  cold,  whilst  returning  from  Reading  to 
London  on  horseback.  . Violent  fever  ensued, 
and  after  an  illness  of  ten  days,  he  resigned 
his  spirit.  Now  all  this  is  as  true  as  it  is  brief; 
but  it  is  not  all  the  truth.  “He  was  seized 
with  a sweating  distemper,”  says  Doe,  “after 
he  published  six  books;  which,  after  some 
weeks’  going  about,  proved  his  death.”— Doc’s 
Circular.  This  fact  was  not  known  even  to  his 
first  biographer.  The  Sketch  in  the  British 
Museum  states,  that  “ taking  a tedious  journey 


POSTSCRIPT. 


83 


in  a slabby  rainy  day,  and  returning  late  to 
London,  lie  was  entertained  by  one  Mr.  Strud- 
wick,  a grocer  on  Snow  Ilill,  with  all  the  kind 
endearments  of  a loving  friend ; but  soon  found 
himself  indisposed  with  a kind  of  shaking , as 
it  were  an  ague,  which  increasing  to  a kind  of 
fever,  he  took  to  his  bed,  where,  growing  worse, 
he  found  he  had  not  long  to  last  in  this  world, 
and  therefore  prepared  himself  for  another, 
towards  which  lie  had  been  journeying  as  a 
Pilgrim  and  Stranger  upon  earth,  the  prime  of 
his' days.”— P.  35. 

The  occasion  of  his  journey  to  Reading, 
which  has  always  been  called  “ a labour  of  love 
and  charity,”  will  now  be  more  interesting 
than  it  hitherto  has  been.  It  was  not  under- 
taken by  a man  in  health;  but  by  an  over- 
wrought author,  sinking  under  “a  sweating 
distemper.”  Mr.  Ivimey’s  account  of  Run- 
yan's errand  being  the  best,  I quote  it: 

“ The  last  act  of  his  life  was  a labour  of  love 
and  charity.  A young  gentleman,  a neighbour 
of  Mr.  Bunyan,  falling  under  his  father’s  dis- 
pleasure, and  being  much  troubled  in  mind  on 
that  account,  and  also  from  hearing  it  was  his 
father’s  design  to  disinherit  him,  or  otherwise 
deprive  him  of  what  he  had  to  leave,  he  pitched 
upon  Mr.  Bunyan  as  a fit  man  to  make  way  for 
his  submission,  and  prepare  his  mind  to  receive 
him ; which  he  being  willing  to  undertake  any 
good  office,  readily  engaged  in,  and  went  to 
Reading,  in  Berkshire,  for  that  purpose.  There 
he  so  successfully  accomplished  his  "design,  by 


using  such  pressing  arguments  and  reason 
against  anger  and  passion,  and  also  for  love 
and  reconciliation,  that  the  father’s  heart  was 
softened,  and  his  bowels  yearned  over  his  son. 

“ After  Mr.  Bunyan  had  disposed  everything 
in  the  best  manner  to  promote  an  accommoda- 
tion, as  he  returned  to  London  on  horseback, 
he  was  overtaken  with  excessive  rains,  and 
coming  to  his  lodgings  extremely  wet,  lie  fell 
sick  of  a violent  fever,  which  he  b.*re  with 
much  constancy  and  patience : and  expressed 
himself  as  if  he  wished  nothing  more  than  to 
depart  and  to  be  with  Christ,  considering  it-as 
gain,  and  life  only  a tedious  delay  of  expected 
felicity.  Finding  his  strength  decay,  he  settled 
his  wordly  affairs  as  well  as  the  shortness  of 
the  time  and  the  violence  of  the  disorder  would 
permit;  and,  after  an  illness  of  ten  days,  with 
unshaken  confidence,  he  resigned  his  soul,  on 
the  31st  of  August,  1688,  being  sixty  years  of 
age,  into  the  hands  of  his  most  merciful  Re- 
deemer; following  his  Pilgrim  from  the  City 
of  Destruction  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  his  bet- 
ter part  having  been  all  along  there  in  holy 
contemplations,  pantings,  and  breathings  after 
the  hidden  manna  and  the  water  of  life.”  His 
tomb  is  in  Bunhill  Fields.  His  cottage  at 
Elstow,  although  somewhat  modernized,  is 
substantially  as  he  left  it.  His  chair,  jug,  Book 
of  Martyrs,  Church  Book,  and  some  other 
relics,  arc  carefully  preserved  at  his  chapel  in 
Bedford ; and  best  of  all,  his  catholic  spirit  also 
is  preserved  there. 


- 


■ 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 

FROM  THIS  WORLD  TO  THAT  WHICH  IS  TO  COME. 

DELIVERED  UNDER  THE  SIMILITUDE  OF  A DREAM. 

IN  TWO  PARTS. 


THE  AUTHOR’S  APOLOGY. 


When  at  the  first  I took  my  pen  in  hand, 

Thus  for  to  write,  I did  not  understand 
That  I at  all  should  make  a little  book 
In  such  a mode;  nay,  I had  undertook 
To  make  another;  which,  when  almost  done, 
Before  I was  aware,  I thus  begun. 

And  thus  it  was:  I writing  of  the  way 
And  race  of  saints  in  this  our  gospel-day, 

Fell  suddenly  into  an  allegory, 

About  their  journey,  and  the  way  to  glory, 

In  more  than  twenty  things,  which  I set  down  : 
This  done,  I twenty  more  had  in  my  crown, 

And  they  again  began  to  multiply, 

Like  sparks  that  from  the  coals  of  fire  do  fly. 

Nay  then,  thought  I,  if  that  you  breed  so  fast, 

I’ll  put  you  by  yourselves,  lest  you  at  last, 

Should  prove  ad  infinitum,  and  eat  out 
The  book  that  1 already  am  about. 

Well,  so  I did  ; but  yet  I did  not  think 
To  show  to  all  the  world  my  pen  and  ink 
In  such  a mode;  I only  thought  to  make 
I knew  not  what;  nor  did  I undertake 
Thereby  to  please  my  neighbour ; no,  not  I, 

I did  it  my  own  self  to  gratify. 

Neither  did  I but  vacant  seasons  spend 
In  this  my  scribble ; nor  did  I intend 
But  to  divert  myself  in  doing  this, 

From  worser  thoughts,  which  made  me  do  amiss. 

Thus  I set  pen  to  paper  with  delight, 

And  quickly  had  my  thoughts  in  black  and  white. 
For  having  now  my  method  by  the  end, 

Still  as  I pull’d  it  came;  and  so  I penn’d 
It  down,  until  at  last  it  came  to  be, 

For  length  and  breadth,  the  bigness  which  you  see. 

Well,  when  I had  put  my  ends  together, 

I show’d  them  others,  that  I might  see  whether 
They  would  condemn  them,  or  them  justify; 

And  some  said,  Let  him  live;  some,  Let  him  die; 


Some  said,  John,  print  it;  others  said,  Not  so. 
Some  said,  It  might  do  good  ; others  said,  No. 

Now  I was  in  a strait,  and  did  not  see 
Which  was  the  best  thing  to  be  done  by  me ; 

At  last  I thought,  since  you  are  thus  divided, 

I print  it  will ; and  so  the  case  decided. 

For  thought  I,  some  I see  would  have  it  done, 
Though  others  in  that  channel  do  not  run. 

To  prove  then  who  advised  for  the  best, 

Thus  I thought  fit  to  put  it  to  the  test. 

I farther  thought,  if  now  I did  deny 
Those  that  would  have  it,  to  gratify, 

I did  not  know,  but  hinder  them  I might 
Of  that  which  would  to  them  be  great  delight; 
For  those  which  were  not  for  its  coining  forth, 

I said  to  them,  Offend  you  I am  loth: 

Yet  since  your  brethren  pleased  with  it  be, 
Forbear  to  judge  till  you  do  further  see. 

If  that  you  would  not  read,  let  it  alone; 

Some  love  the  meat,  some  to  pick  a bone; 

Yea,  that  I might  them  better  moderate, 

I did  too  with  them  thus  expostulate. 

May  I not  write  in  such  a style  as  this? 

In  such  a method  too,  and  yet  not  miss 
My  end,  thy  good?  Why  may  it  not  be  done? 
Dark  clouds  bring  waters,  when  the  bright  bring 
none  ; 

Yea,  dark  or  bright,  if  they  their  silver  drops 
Cause  to  descend,  the  earth  by  yielding  crops, 
Gives  praise  to  both,  and  carpeth  not  at  either. 
But  treasures  up  the  fruit  they  yield  together; 
Yea,  so  commixes  both,  that  in  their  fruit 
None  can  distinguish  this  from  that ; they  suit 
Her  well,  when  hungry ; but  if  she  be  full, 

She  spews  out  both,  and  makes  their  blessing 
null. 

You  see  the  ways  the  fisherman  doth  take 
To  catch  the  fish  ? what  engines  doth  he  make  ? 

85 


86 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Behold ! how  he  engageth  all  his  wits ; 

Also  his  snares,  lines,  angles,  hooks  and  nets ; 

Yet  fish  there  be,  that  neither  hook  nor  line, 

Nor  snares,  nor  net,  nor  engine  can  make  thine: 
They  must  he  grop’d  for  and  be  tickled  too, 

Or  they  will  not  be  catch’d,  whate’er  you  do. 

How  does  the  fowler  seek  to  catch  his  game 
By  divers  means  ? All  which  one  cannot  name  : 
His  gun,  his  nets,  his  lime-twigs,  light  and  bell ; 
He  creeps,  he  goes,  he  stands ; yea,  who  can  tell 
Of  all  his  postures?  yet  there’s  none  of  these 
Will  make  him  master  of  what  fowls  he  please. 
Yea,  he  must  pipe  and  whistle  to  catch  this ; 

Yet  if  he  does  so,  that  bird  he  will  miss. 

If  that  a pearl  may  on  a toad’s  head  dwell, 
And  may  be  found  too  in  an  oyster  shell ; 

If  things  that  promise  nothing,  do  contain 
What  better  is  than  gold ; who  will  disdain, 

That  have  an  inkling  of  it,  there  to  look 
That  they  may  find  it!  Now  my  little  book 
(Tho’  void  of  all  these  paintings  that  may  make 
It  with  this  or  the  other  man  to  take) 

Is  not  without  these  things  that  do  excel, 

What  do  in  brave,  but  empty  notions  dwell. 

Well,  yet  I am  not  fully  satisfied, 

That  this  your  book  will  stand,  when  soundly 
tried. 

Why,  what’s  the  matter?  It  is  dark.  What 
though  ? 

But  it  is  feigned.  What  of  that  ? I trow, 

Some  men,  by  feigned  words  as  dark  as  mine, 
Make  truth  to  spangle,  and  its  rays  to  shine ! 

But  they  want  solidness : speak,  man,  thy  mind ; 
They  drown  the  weak ; metaphors  make  us  blind. 

Solidity,  indeed,  becomes  the  pen 
Of  him  that  writeth  things  divine  to  men : 

But  must  I needs  want  solidness,  because 
By  metaphors  I speak?  Were  not  God’s  laws, 
His  gospel  laws,  in  older  times  held  forth 
By  shadows,  types,  and  metaphors?  Yet  loth 
Will  any  sober  man  be  to  find  fault 
With  them,  lest  he  be  found  for  to  assault 
The  highest  wisdom  : No;  he  rather  stoops, 

And  seeks  to  find  out  what  by  pins  and  loops, 

By  calves  and  sheep,  by  heifers  and  by  rams, 

By  birds  and  herbs,  and  by  the  blood  of  lambs, 
God  speaketh  to  him ; and  full  happy  he 
That  finds  the  light  and  grace  that  in  them  be! 

Be  not  too  forward,  therefore,  to  conclude 
That  I want  solidness ; that  I am  rude ; 

All  things  solid  in  show  not  solid  be: 

All  things  in  parables  despise  not  we, 

Lest  things  most  hurtful  lightly  we  receive, 

And  things  that  good  are  of  our  souls  bereave. 

My  dark  and  cloudy  words  they  do  but  hold 
The  truth,  as  cabinets  enclose  the  gold. 

The  prophets  used  much  by  metaphors 
To  set  forth  truth  ; yea,  whoso  considers 


Christ,  his  apostles  too,  shall  plainly  see, 

That  truths  to  this  day  in  such  mantles  be. 

I am  afraid  to  say  that  Holy  Writ, 

Which  for  its  style  and  phrase,  puts  down  all 
wit, 

Is  every  where  so  full  of  all  these  things, 

(Dark  figures,  allegories,)  yet  there  springs 
From  that  same  book,  that  lustre  and  those  rays 
Of  light,  that  turn  our  darkest  nights  to  days. 

Come,  let  my  carper  to  his  life  now  look, 

And  find  there  darker  lines  than  in  my  book 
He  findeth  any ; yea,  and  let  him  know 
That  in  his  best  things  there  are  worse  lines  too. 

May  we  but  stand  before  impartial  men, 

To  his  poor  one,  I dare  adventure  ten, 

That  they  will  take  my  meaning  in  these  lines, 
Far  better  than  his  lies  in  silver  shrines. 

Come.  Truth,  although  in  swaddling  clouts,  I find, 
Informs  the  judgment,  rectifies  the  mind; 

Pleases  the  understanding,  makes  the  will 
Submit,  the  memory  also  it  doth  fill 
With  what  doth  our  imagination  please : 

Likewise  it  tends  our  troubles  to  appease. 

Sound  words,  I know,  Timothy  is  to  use, 

And  old  wives’  fables  he  is  to  refuse ; 

But  yet  grave  Paul  him  no  where  did  forbid 
The  use  of  parables ; in  which  lay  hid 
That  gold,  those  pearls,  and  precious  stones  that 
were 

Worth  digging  for,  and  that  with  greatest  care. 
Let  me  add  one  word  more : 0 man  of  God,  . 
Art  thou  offended  ? Dost  thou  wish  I had 
Put  forth  my  matter  in  another  dress? 

Or  that  I had  in  things  been  more  express  ? 

To  those  that  are  m}r  betters,  as  is  fit, 

Three  things  let  me  propound,  then  I submit : 

1.  I find  not  that  I am  denied  the  use 
Of  this  method,  so  I do  not  abuse 

Put  on  the  words,  things,  readers,  or  be  rude 
In  handling  figures  or  similitude, 

In  application ; but  all  that  I may 
Seek  the  advance  of  truth  this  or  that  way. 
Denied,  did  I say?  Nay,  I have  leave 
(Examples  to,  and  that  from  them  that  have 
God  better  pleased,  by  their  words  or  ways, 

Than  any  man  that  breathes  now  in  our  days) 
Thus  to  express  my  mind,  thus  to  declare 
Things  unto  thee  that  excellentest  are. 

2.  I find  that  men  (as  high  as  trees)  will  write 
Dialogue  ways;  yet  no  man  doth  them  slight 
For  writing  so  : indeed  if  they  abuse 

Truth,  cursed  be  they,  and  the  craft  they  use 
To  that  intent ; hut  yet  let  truth  be  free 
To  make  her  sallies  upon  thee  and  me, 

Which  way  it  pleases  God ; for  who  knows  how 
Better  than  he  that  taught  us  first  to  plough, 

To  guide  our  minds  and  pens  for  his  design? 

And  he  makes  base  things  usher  in  divine. 


T1IE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


*7 


3.  I find  that  Holy  Writ,  in  many  places, 

Hath  semblance  with  this  method,  where  the  cases 
Do  call  for  one  thing  to  set  forth  another; 

Use  it  1 may  then,  and  yet  nothing  smother 
Truth’s  golden  beams;  nay,  by  this  method  may 
Make  it  east  forth  its  rays  as  light  as  day. 

And  now  before  I do  put  up  mv  pen, 

I’ll  show  the  profit  of  my  book,  and  then 
Commit  both  thee  and  it  into  that  hand 
That  pulls  the  strong  down,  and  makes  weak  ones 
stand. 

This  book,  it  chalketh  out  before  thine  eyes 
The  man  that  seeks  the  everlasting  prize: 

It  shows  you  whence  he  comes,  whither  he  goes: 
What  he  leaves  undone,  also  what  he  does: 

It  shows  you  how  he  runs  and  runs, 

Till  he  unto  the  gate  of  glory  comes. 

It  shows,  too,  who  set  out  for  life  amain, 

As  if  the  lasting  crown  they  would  obtain: 

Here  also  you  may  see  the  reason  why 
They  lose  their  labour,  and  like  fools  do  die. 

This  book  will  make  a traveller  of  thee, 

If  by  its  counsel  thou  wilt  ruled  be; 

It  will  direct  thee  to  the  holy  land, 

If  thou  wilt  its  directions  understand; 

Yea,  it  will  make  the  slothful  active  be; 

The  blind  also  delightful  things  to  see. 


Art  thou  for  something  rare  and  profitable? 

Or  wouldst  thou  sec  a truth  within  a fable? 

Art  thou  forgetful?  or  wouldst  thou  remember 
From  new-year’s  to  the  last  of  December? 

Then  read  my  fancies;  they  will  stick  like  burrs, 
And  may  be  to  the  helpless  comforters. 

This  book  .s  wrote  in  such  a dialect, 

As  may  the  minds  of  listless  men  affect: 

It  seems  a novelty,  and  yet  contains 
Nothing  but  sound  and  honest  gospel  strains. 

Wouldst  thou  divert  thyself  from  melancholy? 
Wouldst  thou  be  pleasant,  yet  be  far  from  folly? 
Wouldst  thou  read  riddles,  and  their  explanation? 
Or  else  be  drowned  in  thy  contemplation? 

Dost  thou  love  picking  meat?  Or  wouldst  thou 
see 

A man  i’  th’  clouds,  and  hear  him  speak  to  thee? 
'Wouldst  thou  be  in  a dream,  and  yet  not  sleep? 
Or  wouldst  thou  in  a moment  laugh  and  weep? 

Or  wouldst  thou  lose  thyself,  and  catch  no  harm 
And  find  thyself  again  without  a charm  ? 

Wouldst  read  thyself,  and  read  thou  know’st  not 
what, 

And  yet  know  whether  thou  art  bless’ d or  not, 

By  reading  the  same  lines?  Oh  then  come  hither  I 
And  lay  my  book,  thy  head,  and  heart  together. 

JOHN  BUN Y AN. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS, 


PART  I. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Author’s  imprisonment  and  dream — Christian  convinced  of  sin,  flies  from  the  wrath  to 
come,  and  is  directed  by,  the  Gospel  to  Christ. 


As  I walked  through  the  wilderness  of  this 
world,  I lighted  on  a certain  place  where  was 
a den,*  and  laid  me  down  in  that  place  to 
sleep:  and  as  I slept  I dreamed  a dream.  I 
dreamed;  and,  behold,  “I  saw  a man  clothed 
with  rags,  standing  in  a certain  place,  with  his 
face  from  his  own  house,  a book  in  his  hand, 
and  a great  burden  upon  his  back.”  Isa.  lxiv. 
6;  Luke  xiv.  33;  Ps.  xxxviii.  4;  Heb.  ii.  2; 
Acts  xvi.  31.  I looked,  and  saw  him  open 
the  book  and  read  therein;  and  as  he  read 
he  wept  and  trembled;  and,  not  being  able 
longer  to  contain,  he  brake  out  with  a lament- 
able cry,f  saying,  “What  shall  I do?”  Acts 
ii.  37. 

In  this  plight,  therefore,  he  -went  home,  and 
refrained  himself  as  long  as  he  could,  that  his 
wife  and  children  should  not  perceive  his  dis- 
tress ; but  he  could  not  be  silent  long,  because 

* Mr.  Bunyan  wrote  this  precious  book  in  Bedford 
jail,  where  he  was  confined  for  preaching  the  Gospel, 
as  a nonconformist,  or  dissenter.  To  this  he  refers 
when  he  speaks  of  the  “den.”  The  Lord  frequently 
causes  “the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him.”  The  ser- 
vants of  Christ,  when  restrained  by  penal  laws,  from 
publishing  the  word  of  life  from  the  pulpit,  have  be- 
come more  abundantly  useful  by  their  writings.  < 

■(•  The  cry  of  an  awakened  sinner,  who  sees  his  own 
righteousness  to  be  as  filthy  rags,  his  soul  in  a state 
of  wrath  and  wretchedness,  exposed  to  everlasting 
destruction,  feeling  the  burden  of  his  sins  upon  his 
back,  he  turns  his  face  from  his  own  house,  from  him- 
self, from  all  his  false  hopes  and  vain  confidences,  for 
refuge,  and  takes  his  Bible  in  his  hand  to  direct  him 
where  he  shall  flee  for  safety  and  salvation.  The 
more  a sinner  reads  therein,  the  more  he  is  convinced 
of  the  wretched  state  and  ruined  condition  of  his 
precious,  immortal  soul,  and  of  his  necessity  of  flee- 
ing to  Christ  for  eternal  life  and  salvation.  As  he 
88 


that  his  trouble  increased ; wherefore  at  length 
he  brake  his  mind  to  his  wife  and  children ; and 
thus  he  began  to  talk  to  them:  “0  my  dear 
wife,”  said  he,  “and  you,  the  children  of  my 
bowels,  I your  dear  friend  am  in  myself  undone 
by  reason  of  a burden  that  lieth  hard  upon  me : 
moreover  I am  certainly  informed  that  this  our 
city  will  be  burned  with  fire  from  heaven : in 
which  fearful  overthrow,  both  myself,  with  thee 
my  wife,  and  you  my  sweet  babes,  shall  miser- 
ably come  to  ruin,  except  (the  which  yet  I see 
not)  some  way  of  escape  may  be  found,  whereby 
we  may  be  delivered.”  At  this  his  relations 
were  sore  amazed ; i not  for  that  they  believed 
that  what  he  had  said  to  them  was  true,  but 
because  they  thought  some  frenzy  distemper 
had  got  into  his  head;  therefore,  it  drawing 
towards  night,  and  they  liopting  that  sleep 
might  settle  his  brains,  with  all  haste  they  got 

reads,  he  weeps  and  trembles  to  think  what  will  be- 
come of  him.  Reader,  was  this  ever  your  case?  Did 
you  ever  see  your  sins,  and  feel  the  burden  of  them, 
so  as  to  cry  out,  in  the  anguish  of  your  soul,  What 
must  I do  to  be  saved?  If  not,  you  will  look  on  this 
precious  book  as  a romance,  or  history,  which  no  way 
concerns  you;  you  can  no  more  understand  the'mean- 
ing  of  it,  than  if  it  was  wrote  in  an  unknown  lan- 
guage: for  3'ou  are  yet  carnal,  dead  in  your  sins,  lying 
in  the  arms  of  the  wicked  one  in  false  security.  But 
this  book  is  spiritual;  it  can  only  be  understood  by 
spiritualty  quickened  souls,  who  have  experienced 
that,  salvation  in  the  heart  which  begins  with  a sight 
of  sin,  a sense  of  sin,  a fear  of  destruction,  and  dread 
of  damnation.  Such,  and  only  such,  commence  Pil- 
grims from  the  city  of  Destruction  to  the  heavenly 
kingdom. 

J Conviction  of  sin  in  the  heart,  will  discover  itself 
to  those  about  us,  by  the  outward  conduct  aDd  beha- 
viour of  the  life. 


s- 


. 


THE  1TLC, RIM’S  PROGRESS. 


him  to  bed;*  but  the  night  was  as  troublesome 
to  him  iuj  the  day;  wherefore,  instead  of  sleep- 
ing, he  spent  it  in  sighs  and  tears.  So  when 
the  morning  was  come  they  would  know  how 
he  did:  he  told  them,  “ Worse  and  worse.” 
He  also  set  to  talking  with  them  again,  but 
they  began  to  be  hardened.  They  also  thought 
to  drive  away  his  distemper  by  harsh  and  surly 
carriage  to  him;  sometimes  they  would  deride, 
sometimes  they  would  chide,  and  sometimes 
they  would  quite  neglect  him.  Wherefore  he 
began  to  retire  himself  to  his  chamber,  to  pray 
for  and  pity  them ; and  also  to  condole  his  own 
misery,  lie  would  also  walk  solitarily  in  the 
fields,  sometimes  reading  and  sometimes  pray- 
ing; and  thus  for  some  days  he  spent  his 
time. 

Now  I saw,  upon  a time  when  he  was  walk- 
ing in  the  fields,  that  he  was  (as  he  was  wont) 
reading  in  his  book,  and  greatly  distressed  in 
his  mind  ; and  as  he  read,  he  burst  out,  as  he 
had  done  before,  crying,  “ What  shall  I do  to 
be  saved  ?”f  Acts  xvi.  30,  31. 

I saw  also  that  he  looked  this  way  and  that 
way,  as  if  he  would  run ; yet  he  stood  still, 
because  (as  I perceived)  he  could  not  tell 
which  way  to  go.  I looked  then,  and  saw  a 
man  named  Evangelist  coming  to  him ; and  he 
asked,  “ Wherefore  dost  thou  cry?”  j 

He  answered : Sir,  I perceive  by  the  book 
in  my  hand  that  I am  condemned  to  die,  and 


89 

after  that  to  come  to  judgment;  and  I find 
that  I am  not  willing  to  do  the  first,  nor  able 
to  do  the  second. ||  llcb.  ix.  27;  Job  xvi.  21, 
22 : E/.ek.  xxii.  14. 

Then  said  Evangelist,  Why  not  willing  to 
die,  since  this  life  is  attended  with  so  many 
evils?  The  man  answered,  Because  I fear  that 
this  burden  that  is  upon  my  back  \ will  sink 
me  lower  than  the  grave,  and  I shall  fall  into 
Tophd.  Isa.  xxx.  33.  And,  sir,  if  I be  not  fit 
to  go  to  prison,  I am  not  fit  to  go  to  judgment, 
and  from  thence  to  execution : and  the  thoughts 
of  these  things  make  me  cry. 

Then  said  Evangelist,  If  this  be  thy  condi- 
tion, why  standest  thou  still?  lie  answered, 
Because  I know  not  whither  to  go.  Then  he 
gave  him  a parchment  roll;  and  there  was 
written  within,  “Flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come.”  Matt.  iii.  7. 

The  man  therefore  read  it,  and  looking  upon 
Evangelist,  very  carefully,  said,  Whither  must 
I flee?  Then  said  Evangelist,  pointing  with 
his  finger  over  a very  wide  field,  Do  you  see 
yonder  Wicket-gate?  Matt.  vii.  13,  14.  The 
man  said,  No.  Then  said  the  other,  Do  you 
see  yonder  shining  light?**  Ps.  cxix.  105;  2 
Pet.  i.  16.  lie  said,  I think  I do.  Then  said 
Evangelist,  Keep  that  light  in  thine  eye,  and 
go  up  directly  thereto,  so  shalt  thou  s.ee  the 
gate ; at  which  when  thou  knockest,  it  shall  be 
told  thee  what  thou  shalt  do. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Christian  proceeds — Obstinate  refuses  to  accompany  him — Pliable  goes  as  far  as  the  slough 

and  returns. 


So  I saw  in  my  dream  that  the  man  began  to 
run.  Now  he  had  not  run  far  from  his  own 
door,  but  his  wife  and  children  (perceiving  it) 


* When  we  begin  to  be  wise  unto  salvation,  carnal 
friends  pronounce  us  mad  unto  destruction : and  ad- 
minister carnal  medicine  for  our  sin-siek  souls. 

■f  No  soul  was  ever  in  earnest  for  salvation,  till  there 
is  a cry  in  his  heart  to  be  saved  from  the  wrath  of  an 
offended  God. 

J 13.  hold  here  the  tender  love  and  care  of  Jesus,  the 
great  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls  to  sin-distressed, 
heavy-laden  sinners,  in  sending  Evangelist,  that  is,  a 
preacher  of  Gospel  grace  and  glad  tidings  of  salva- 
tion, to  them. 

||  A true  confession  of  an  enlightened,  sensible  sin- 
ner. 

2 The  convictions  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  heart, 


I began  to  cry  after  him  to  return,  (Luke  xiv.  26 ;) 
but  the  man  put  his  fingers  in  his  ears,  and  ran 
on  crying,  ,;Life!  life!  eternal  life!”  So  he 


make  a man  feel  the  insupportable  burden  of  sin  upon 
his  back,  and  to  dread  the  wrath  of  God  revealed  from 
heaven  against  sin. 

The  Gospel  never  leaves  the  convinced  sinner  in 
the  miserable  situation  in  which  it  finds  him,  without 
hope  and  relief;  but  points  him  to  Jesus  for  safety 
and  salvation,  that  he  may  fly  from  himself  and  the 
wrath  he  feels  in  himself,  to  the  fulness  of  the  grace 
of  Christ,  signified  by  the  Wicket-gate. 

Christ,  and  the  way  to  him,  cannot  be  found  with- 
out the  word.  The  word  directs  to  Christ,  and  the 
Spirit  shines  into  the  heart,  whereby  the  sinner  sees 
Christ  in  the  word.  This  makes  God’s  word  pre- 
cious. 


90 


B UKYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


looked  not  behind  him,  (Gen.  xix.  17 ; 2 Cor.  iv. 
18,)  but  fled  towards  the  middle  of  the  plain.* 

The  neighbours  also  came  out  to  seef  him 
run : and,  as  he  run,  some  mocked,  others 
threatened,  and  some  cried  after  him  to  return ; 
and  among  those  that  did  so,  there  were  two 
that  \fere  resolved  to  fetch  him  back  by  force. 
The  name  of  one  was  Obstinate,  and  the  name 
of  the  other  Pliable.  Now  by  this  time  the  man 
was  got  a good  distance  from  them  ; but,  how- 
ever, they  were  resolved  to  pursue  him ; which 
they  did,  and  in  a little  time  they  overtook 
him  Then  said  the  man,  Neighbours,  where- 
fore are  ye  come?  They  said,  To  persuade  you 
to  go  back  with  us ; but  he  said,  That  can  by 
no  means  be ; you  dwell,  said  he,  in  the  city  of 
Destruction  ; the  place  also  where  I was  born  ; 
I see  it  to  be  so  ; and  dying  there,  sooner  or 
later,  you  will  sink  lower  than  the  grave  into  a 
place  that  burns  with  fire  and  brimstone : be 
content,  good  neighbours,  and  go  along  with 
me.$ 

What,  said  Obstinate,  and  leave  our  friends 
and  our  comforts  behind  us  ! 

Yes,  said  Christian,  (for  that  was  his  name,) 
because  that  all  which  you  shall  forsake  is  not 
worthy  to  be  compared  with  a little  of  that  I am 
seeking  to  enjoy,  and  if  you  will  go  along  with 
me,  ai\d  hold  it,  you  shall  fare  as  I myself;  for 
there  where  I go  is  enough,  and  to  spare,  (Luke 
xv.  17 ;)  come  away,  and  prove  my  words. 

Obstinate.  What  are  the  things  you  seek, 
since  you  leave  all  the  world  to  find  them? 

Christian.  I seek  an  “ inheritance  incorrupt- 
ible, un defiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away;  and 
it  is  laid  up  in  heaven,”  (1  Pet.  i.  4,  6 ; Pleb. 
xi.  6, 16 ;)  and  safe  there,  to  be  bestowed  at  the 
time  appointed  on  them  that  diligently  seek  it. 
Read  it  so  if  you  will  in  my  book. 

Tush ! said  Obstinate ! away  with  your  book; 
will  you  go  back  with  us  or  no  ? 

No,  not  I,  said  the  other,  because  I have  laid 
my  hand  to  the  plough.  Luke  ix.  62. 

Obstinate.  Come  then,  neighbour  Pliable,  let 


* When  a sinner  begins  to  fly  from  destruction,  car- 
nal relations  will  strive  to  prevent  him  ; but  it  is  wiser 
to  stop  our  ears  against  the  reasonings  of  flesh  and 
blood,  than  to  parley  with  them.  Carnal  affections 
cannot  prevail  over  spiritual  convictions.  The  sinner 
who  is  in  earnest  for  salvation,  will  be  deaf  to  invita- 
tions to  go  hack.  The  more  he  is  solicited  by  them, 
the  faster  he  will  fly  from  them. 

+ lie  who  flics  from  the  wrath'  to  come,  and  leads 
a life  of  righteousness,  is  a gazing  stock  to  the 
w rid. 

f The  genuine  spirit  of  a sinner,  convinced  of  sin 


us  turn  again  and  go  home  without  him;  there 
is  a company  of  these  crazy-headed  coxcombs, 
that  when  they  take  a fancy  by  the  end,  are 
wiser  in  their  own  eyes  than  seven  men  that 
can  render  a reason. 

Then  said  Pliable,  Don’t  revile ; if  what  the 
good  Christian  says  is  true,  the  things  he  looks 
after  are  better  than  ours ; my  heart  inclines  to 
go  with  my  neighbour. 

Obstinate.  What ! more  fools  still  ? be  ruled 
by  me,  and  go  back ; who  knows  whither  such 
a brain-sick  fellow  will  lead  you?  Go  back, 
go  back,  and  be  wise.|| 

Christian.  Nay,  but  do  thou  come  with  thy 
neighbour,  Pliable ; there  are  such  things  to  be 
had  which  I spake  of,  and  many  more  glories 
besides ; if  you  believe  not  me,  read  here  in 
this  book ; and,  for  the  truth  of  what  is  ex- 
pressed therein,  behold,  all  is  confirmed  by  the 
blood  of  him  that  made  it.  Heb  ix.  17,  22. 

Well,  neighbour  Obstinate,  saitli  Pliable,  I 
begin  to  come  to  a point ; I intend  to  go  along 
with  this  good  man,  and  to  cast  in  my  lot  with 
him ; but,  my  good  companion,  do  you  know 
the  way  to  this  desired  place? 

Christian.  I am  directed  by  a man,  whose 
name  is  Evangelist,  to  speed  me  to  a little  gate 
that  is  before  us,  where  we  shall  receive  in- 
structions about  the  way. 

Pliable.  Come  then,  good  neighbour,  let  us 
be  going.  Then  they  went  both  together. 

And  I will  go  back  to  my  place,  said  Obsti- 
nate ; I will  be  no  companion  of  such  misled 
fantastical  fellows. $ 

Now  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  when  Obsti- 
nate was  gone  back,  Christian  and  Pliable  went 
talking  over  the  plain ; and  thus  they  began 
their  discourse. 

Christian.  Come,  neighbour  Pliable,  how  do 
you  do?  I am  glad  you  are  persuaded  to  go 
along  with  me ; had  even  Obstinate  himself  but 
felt  what  I have  felt  of  the  powers  and  terrors 
of  what  is  yet  unseen,  he  would  not  thus  lightly 
have  given  us  the  back. 


and  fleeing  from  destruction.  He  would  gladly  per- 
suade other  poor  sinners  to  go  with  him.  The  least 
spark  of  grace  from  God  in  the  heart  discovers  itself 
in  good  will  to  man. 

||  He  who  never  became  a fool  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world  for  Christ,  is  not  yet  made  wise  unto  salvation 
through  the  faith  of  Christ. 

jl  Here  sec  the  different  effects  which  Gospel  truths 
have  upon  natural  men.  Obstinate  totally  rejects 
them.  Pliable  hears  of  them  with  joy,  believes  some- 
what of  them  for  a season,  and  accompanies  Christian 
a little  way. 


T1IE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


Pliable.  Conic,  neighbour  Christian,  since 
there  is  none  but  us  two  here,  tell  me  now  fur- 
ther what  the  tilings  are,  and  how  to  bo  en- 
joyed, whither  we  are  going. 

Christian.  I can  better  conceive  of  them  with 
my  mind  than  speak  of  them  with  my  tongue; 
but  yet  since  you  are  desirous  to  know,  I will 
read  of  them  in  my  book. 

Pliable.  And  do  you  think  that  the  words 
of  your  book  are  certainly  true? 

Christian.  Yes,  verily,  for  it  was  made  by 
him  that  cannot  lie.  Tit.  i.  2. 

Pliable.  Well  said;  what  things  are  they  ? 

Christian.  There  is  an  endless  kingdom  to 
be  inhabited,  and  everlasting  life  to  be  given 
us  that  we  may  inhabit  that  kingdom  for  ever. 
Isa.  xlv.  17 ; John  x.  27,  29. 

Pliable.  Well  said  ; and  what  else? 

Christian.  There  are  crowns  of  glory  to  be 
given  us  and  garments  that  will  make  us  shine 
like  the  sun  in  the  firmament  of  heaven.  2 
Tim.  iv.  8;  Rev.  xxii.  5;  Matt.  xiii.  43. 

Pliable.  This  is  very  pleasant;  and  what  else? 

Christian.  There  shall  be  no  more  crying  nor 
sorrow ; for  he  that  is  owner  of  the  place  will 
wipe  all  tears  from  our  eyes.  Isa.  xxv.  8; 
Rev.  vii.  16,  17 ; xxi.  4. 

Pliable.  And  what  company  shall  we  have 
there  ? 

Christian.  There  we  shall  be  with  seraphims 
and  clierubims,  creatures  that  will  dazzle  your 
eyes  to  look  on  them.  Isa.  vi.  2 ; 1 Tliess.  iv. 
16,  17.  There  also  you  shall  meet  with.thou- 
sands  and  tens  of  thousands  that  have  gone 
before  us  to  that  place ; none  of  them  are  hurt- 
ful, but  loving  and  holy ; every  one  walking  in 
the  sight  of  God,  and  standing  in  his  presence 
with  acceptance  for  ever.  In  a word,  there  we 
shall  see  the  elders  with  their  golden  crowns, 
(Rev.  iv.  4;)  there  we  shall  see  holy  virgins 
with  their  golden  harps,  (Rev.  xiv.  1,5;)  there 
we  shall  see  men  that  by  the  world  were  cut 
in.  pieces,  burnt  in  flames,  eaten  of  beasts, 
drowned  in  the  seas,  for  the  love  that  they 
bare  to  the  Lord  of  the  place,  all  well,  and 

* Here  see  the  fleshly  joys  and  flashy  eoml'orts  of 
temporary  professors : he  is  too  hot  to  hold  : too  light 
(having  never  felt  the  burden  of  his  sins)  to  travel 
far.  Our  Lord  describes  such  as  the  stony-ground 
hearers.  They  receive  the  word  with  joy ; the  word 
hath  no  root  in  their  hearts:  they  believe  awhile;  but 
in  times  of  temptation  fall  away.  Luke  viii.  15.  So 
did  Pliablo  at  the  slough  of  Despond.  This  signifies 
those  desponding  fears,  and  despairing  doubts  which 
beset  us,  arising  from  uubclief  of  (rod’s  word,  the  sug- 
gestions of  Satan,  and  tho  carnal  reasonings  of  our 
corrupt  nature,  against  the  revealed  truths,  and  pre- 


91 

clothed  with  immortality  as  with  a garment. 
John  xii.  25;  2 Cor.  v.  2,  4. 

Pliable.  The  hearing  of  this  is  enough  to 
ravish  one’s  heart;  but  are  these  things  to  be 
enjoyed?  how  shall  we  get  to  be  sharers  thereof? 

Christian.  The  Lord,  the  governor  of  the 
country,  hath  recorded  that  in  this  book ; the 
substance  of  which  is,  if  we  be  truly  willing  to 
have  it,  he  will  bestow  it  upon  us  freely.  Isa. 
Iv.  1,  3;  John  vi.  37 ; Rev.  xxi.  6;  xxii.  17. 

Pliable.  Well,  my  good  companion,  glad  am 
I to  hear  of  these  things ; come  on,  let  us  mend 
our  pace.* 

Christian.  I cannot  go  so  fast  as  I would,  by 
reason  of  this  burden  that  is  on  my  back. 

Now  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  just  as  they 
had  ended  this  talk,  they  drew  nigh  to  a very 
miry  slough  that  was  in  the  midst  of  the  plain, 
and  they  being  heedless  did  both  fall  suddenly 
into  the  bog.  The  name  of  the  slough  was  De- 
spond. Here  therefore  they  wallowed  for  a 
time,  being  grievously  bedaubed  with  dirt ; and 
Christian,  because  of  the  burden  that  was  on 
his  back,  began  to  sink  in  the  mire. 

Then  said  Pliable,  Ah!  neighbour  Christian, 
where  are  you  now  ? 

Truly,  said  Christian,  I do  not  know’. 

At  that  Pliable  began  to  be  offended,  and 
• angrily  said  to  his  fellow',  Is  this  the  happi- 
ness you  have  told  me  all  this  while  of?  If 
wre  have  such  ill  speed  at  our  first  setting  out, 
W’hat  may  we  expect  betw’ixt  this  and  our  jour- 
ney’s end?  May  I get  out  again  with  my  life, 
you  shall  possess  the  brave  country  alone  for 
me : And  W'ith  that  he  gave  a desperate  strug- 
gle or  two,  and  got  out  of  the  mire  on  that 
side  of  the  slough  which  was  next  his  own 
house : so  away  he  went  and  Christian  saw’ 
him  no  more.f 

Wherefore  Christian  was'  left  to  tumble  in 
the  slough  of  Despond  alone ; but  still  he  en- 
deavoured to  struggle  to  that  side  of  the  slough 
that  was  furthest  from  his  own  house,  and  next 
to  the  Wicket-gate ; X the  which  he  did,  but 
could  not  get  out  because  of  the  burden  that 

cious  promises  of  God.  These  try  the  reality  of  our 
convictions,  and  the  sincerity  of  our  faith. 

f It  is  not  enough  to  be  pliable ; for  the  first  trial 
he  met  with  cooled  his  courage,  damped  his  joy,  killed 
his  faith,  and  sent  him  back  to  the  city  of  Destruc- 
tion. 

J Christian,  in  trouble,  seeks  still  to  get  farther 
from  his  own  house.  See  the  difference  between  a 
truly  convinced  sinner,  and  a pliable,  unconverted 
professor ; one  keeps  his  face  towards  Christ  for  hope 
and  help;  the  other  flies  back  for  comfort  to  the  city 
of  Destruction. 


92 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


was  upon  his  back.  But  I beheld,  in  my 
dream,  that  a man  came  to  him,  whose  name 
was  Help,*  and  asked  him,  What  he  did  there? 

Sir,  said  Christian,  I was  hid  to  go  this  way 
by  a man,  called  Evangelist,  who  directed  me 
a'so  to  yonder  gate,  that  I might  escape  the 
v rath  to  come : and  as  I was  going  thither  I 
fell  in  h re. 

Help.  But  why  did  you  not  look  for  the 
steps  ? f 

Christian.  Fear  followed  me  so  hard,  that  I 
fled  the  next  way  and  fell  in. 

Help.  Then  said  he,  Give  me  thy  hand ; so 
he  gave  him  his  hand,  and  he  drew  him  out, 
and  set  him  upon  sound  ground,  and  bid  him 
go  on  his  way.  Ps.  xl.  2. 

Then  I stepped  to  him  that  plucked  him  out 
and  said : Sir,  wherefore,  since  over  this  place 
is  the  way  from  the  city  of  Destruction  to 
yonder  gate,  is  it  that  this  plat  is  not  mended, 
that  poor  travellers  might  go  thither  with  more 
security?  and  he  said  unto  me,  This  miry 
slough  is  such  a place  as  cannot  be  mended : it 
is  the  descent  whither  the  scum  and  filth  that 
attends  conviction  for  sin  doth  continually  run, 
and  therefore  it  was  called  the  slough  of  De- 
spond : for  still  as  the  sinner  is  awakened  about 
his  lost  condition,  there  arise  in  his  soul  many 
fears  and  doubts,  and  discouraging  apprehen- 
sions, which  all  of  them  get  together,  and  set- 
tle in  this  place : And  this  is  the  reason  of  the 
badness  of  this  ground. 

It  is  not  the  pleasure  of  the  king  that  this 
place  should  remain  so  bad,  (Isa.  xxxw  3,  4;) 
his  labourers  also  have,  by  the  direction  of  his 
majesty’s  surveyors,  been  for  above  these  six- 
teen hundred  years  employed  about  this  patch 

iS  The  arm  of  Christ’s  omnipotent  grace,  reacheth 
forth  to  snatch  poor  sinners  from  destruction  ; for  he 
says  to  them,  “ Thou  hast  destroyed  thyself,  but  in  me 
is  thine  help.”  Jlosea  xiii.  9. 

f The  great  and  precious  promises  of  God,  which 
arc  in  Christ  Jesus,  to  poor,  needy  and  distressed  sin- 
ners. 

J Signifying,  that  there  is  nothing  but  despondency 
nnd  despair  in  the  fallen  nature  of  sinful  man;  the 
best  that  we  can  do,  leaves  us  in  the  slough  of  De- 
spond as  to  any  hopes  in  ourselves. 


of  ground,  if  perhaps  it  might  have  been 
mended : yea,  and  to  my  knowledge,  said  he, 
here  have  been  swallowed  up  at  least  twenty 
thousand  cart-loads;  yea,  millions  of  whole- 
some instructions,  that  have  at  all  seasons  been 
brought  from  all  places  of  the  king’s  domin- 
ions, (and  they  that  can  tell,  say,  they  are  the 
best  materials  to  make  good  the  ground  of  the 
place,)  if  so  be  it  might  have  been  mended; 
but  it  is  the  slough  of  Despond  still ; and  so 
will  be,  when  they  have  done  what  they 
can.J 

True,  there  are,  by  the  direction  of  the  law- 
giver, certain  good  and  substantial  steps  placed 
even  through  the  very  midst  of  this  slough; 
but  at  such  times  as  this  place  tioes  much  spew 
out  its  filth,  as  it  doth  against  change  of 
weather,  these  steps  are  hardly  seen ; or  if  they 
be,  men  through  the  dizziness  of  their  heads 
step  beside ; and  then  they  are  bemired  to  pur- 
pose, notwithstanding  the  steps  be  there ; but 
the  ground  is  good  when  they  are  once  got  in 
at  the  gate.  ||  1 Sam.  xii.  22. 

Now  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  by  this  time 
Pliable  was  got  home  to  his  house.  So  his 
neighbours  came  to  visit  him ; and  some  of 
them  called  him  wise  man  for  coming  back ; ' 
and  some  called  him  fool  for  hazarding  him- 
self with  Christian ; others  again  did  mock 
at  his  cowardliness ; $ saying,  “Surely,  since 
you  began  to  venture,  I would  not  have  been 
so  base  to  have  given  out  for  a few  difficulties;” 
so  Pliable  sat  sneaking  among  them.  But  at 
last  he  got  more  confidence ; and  then  they  all 
turned  their  tales,  and  began  to  deride  poor 
Christian  behind  his  back.  And  thus  much 
concerning  Pliable. 

||  That  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  AVe  never  find 
good  ground,  nor  safe  sounding,  nor  comfortable  walk- 
ing till  we  enter  into  possession  of  Christ  by  faith,  and 
till  our  feet  are  set  upon  Him,  who  is  the  Rock  of  Ages. 

They  who  tiffed  to  despise  real  Christians,  often 
both  express  and  feel  great  contempt  for  those  that 
cast  off  their  profession:  such  men  are  unable,  for  a 
time,  to  resume  their  wonted  confidence  among  their 
former  companions;  and  this  excites  them  to  pay 
court  to  them  by  reviling  and  deriding  those  whom 
they  have  forsaken. 


T1IE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


93 


CHAPTER  III. 

Christian  deceived,  by  the  advice  of  Mr.  Worldly-wiseman,  turns  out  of  the  way,  tnd  is 
greatly  alarmed;  but  happily  meeting  with  Evangelist,  returns  to  the  right  path,  and  pro- 
ceeds on  his  journey. 


Now  as  Christian  was  walking  solitarily  by 
himself,  he  spied  one  afar  off  crossing  over  the 
field  to  meet  him  ; and  their  hap  was  to  meet 
just  as  they  ' were  crossing  the  way  to  each 
other.  The  gentleman’s  name  that  met  him, 
was  Mr.  Worldly-wiseman ; he  dwelt  in  the 
town  of  Carnal-policy ; a very  great  town,  and 
also  hard  by  from  whence  Christian  came. 
This  man,  then  meeting  with  Christian,  and 
having  some  inkling  of  him,  (for  Christian’s 
setting  forth  from  the  city  of  Destruction  was 
much  noised  abroad,  not  only  in  the  town 
where  he  dwelt,  but  also  it  began  to  be  the 
town-talk  in  some  other  places  ;)  Sir.  Worldly- 
wiseman,  therefore,  having  some  guess  of 
him,  by  beholding  his  laborious  going,  by 
observing  his  sighs  and  groans,  and  the  like, 
began  thus  to  enter  into  some  talk  with 
Christian. 

Worldly-wiseman.  How  now,  good  fellow, 
whither  away  after  this  burdened  manner? 

Christian.  A burdened  manner  indeed,  as 
ever,  I think,  poor  creature  had ! And  where- 
as you  asked  me,  whither  away?  I tell  you, 
sir,  I am  going  to  yonder  Wicket-gate  before 
me;  for  there,  as  I am  informed,  I shall  be 
put  in  a way  to  be  rid  of  my  heavy  burden. 

Worldly-wiseman.  Hast  thou  a wife  and 
children  ? 

Christian.  Yes  ; but  I am  so  laden  with  this 
burden,  that  I cannot  take  that  pleasure  in 
them  as  formerly : methinks  I am  as  if  I had 
none.  1 Cor.  vii.  29. 

Wor/dly-tviseman.  Wilt  thou  hearken  to  me 
if  I give  thee  counsel? 

Christian.  If  it  be  good,  I will;  for  I stand 
in  need  of  good  counsel. 

Worldly-wiseman.  I would  advise  thee,  then, 
that  thou  with  all  speed  get  thyself  rid  of  thy 
burden ; for  thou  wilt  never  be  settled  in  thy 
mind  till  then,  nor  canst  thou  enjoy  the  bene- 
fits of  the  blessings  which  God  hath  bestowed 
upon  thee  till  then. 

Christian.  That  is  that  which  I seek  for, 
even  to  be  rid  of  this  heavy  burden ; but  get 

* A glimpse  of  tho  Wicket-gate,  or  of  deliverance 
f om  the  guilt  of  sin  by  Christ,  will  make  the  sinner 
reject  all  other  ways,  and  press  on  towards  Christ  only. 


it  off  myself  I cannot;  nor  is  there  any  man 
in  our  country  that  can  take  it  off  my  shoul- 
ders ; therefore  am  I going  this  way  as  I told 
you,  that  I may  be  rid  of  my  burden.* 

Worldly-wiseman.  Who  bid  you  go  this  way 
to  be  rid  of  your  burden  ? 

Christian.  A man  that  appeared  to  me  to  be 
a very  great  and  honourable  person;  liis  name, 
as  I remember,  is  Evangelist. 

Worldly-wiseman.  Beshrew  him  for  his  coun- 
sel ; there  is  not  a more  dangerous  and  trouble- 
some way  in  the  world  than  is  that  unto  which 
he  hath  directed  thee;  and  that  thou  shalt  find 
if  thou  wilt  be  ruled  by  his  counsel.  Thou  hast 
met  with  something,  as  I perceive,  already; 
for  I see  the  dirt  of  the  slough  of  Despond  is 
upon  thee;  but  that  slough  is  the  beginning 
of  the  sorrows  that  do  attend  those  that  go  on 
in  that  way.  Hear  me ; I am  older  than  thou ; 
thou  art  like  to  meet  with,  on  the  way  which 
thou  goest,  wearisomeness,  painfulness,  hun- 
ger, perils,  nakedness,  sword,  lions,  dragons, 
darkness,  and,  in  a word,  death,  and  what  not ! 
These  things  are  certainly  true,  having  been 
confirmed  by  many  testimonies.  And  why 
should  a man  so  carelessly  cast  away  himself 
by  giving  heed  to  a stranger? 

Christian.  Why,  sir,  this  burden  upon  my 
back  is  more  terrible  to  me  than  are  all  these 
things  which  you  have  mentioned ; nay,  me- 
thinks I care  not  what  I meet  with  in  my  way, 
if  so  be  I can  also  meet  with  deliverance  from 
my  burden. f 

Worldly-wiseman.  How  earnest  thou  by  the 
burden  at  first  ? 

Christian.  By  reading  this  book  in  my 
hand. 

Worldly-wiseman.%  I thought  so ; and  it  has 
happened  unto  thee  as  to  other  weak  men, 
who  meddling  with  things  too  high  for  them, 
do  suddenly  fall  into  thy  distractions ; which 
distractions  do  not  only  unman  men,  (as  thine 
I perceive  have  done  thee,)  but  they  run  them 
upon  desperate  ventures,  to  obtain  they  know 
not  what. 


f Such  is  the  frame  of  the  heart  of  a real  penitent. 
J Mr.  Worldly-wiseman  does  not  like  that  men 
should  be  serious  in  reading  the  Bible. 


94 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Christian.  I know  what  I would  obtain ; it 
is  ease  from  my  heavy  burden. 

Worldly-wiseman.  But  why  wilt  thou  seek 
for  ease  this  way,  seeing  so  many  dangers 
attend  it?  Especially  since,  hadst  thou  hut 
patience  to  hear  me,  I could  direct  thee  to 
the  obtaining  of  what  thou  desirest,  without 
tlm  dangers  that  thou  in  this  way  wilt  run 
thyself  into.  Yea,  and  the  remedy  is  at  hand. 
Besides  I will  add,  that  instead  of  these  dan- 
gers, thou  shalt  meet  with  much  safety,  friend- 
ship, and  content. 

Christi  in.  Sir,  I pray,  open  this  secret  to  me. 

Worldiy-vnseman.  Why,  in  yonder  village, 
(the  village  is  named  Morality,)  there  dwells 
a gentleman,  whose  name  is  Legality,  a very 
judicious  man,  and  a man  of  very  good  name, 
that  has  skill  to  help  men  off  with  such  bur- 
dens as  thine  is  from  their  shoulders ; yea,  to 
my  knowledge,  he  hath  done  a great  deal  of 
good  this  way  : ay,  and  besides,  he  hath  skill 
to  cure  those  that  are  somewhat  crazed  in  their 
wits  with  their  burdens.*  To  him,  as  I said, 
thou  mayest  go,  and  be  helped  presently. 
His  house  is  not  quite  a mile  from  this  place; 
and  if  he  should  not  be  at  home  himself,  he 
hath  a pretty  young  man  to  his  son,  whose 
name  is  Civility,  that  can  do  it  (to  speak  on) 
as  well  as  the  old  gentleman  himself.  There, 
I say,  thou  mayest  be  eased  of  thy  burden; 
and  if  thou  art  not  minded  to  go  back  to  thy 
former  habitation,  as  indeed  I would  not  wish 
thee,  thou  mayest  send  for  thy  wife  and  chil- 
dren to  thee  to  this  village ; where  there  are 
houses  now  stand  empty,  one  of  which  thou 
mayest  have  at  reasonable  rates : provision  is 
there  also  cheap  and  good;  and  that  which 
will  make  thy  life  more  happy,  is  to  be  sure, 
there  thou  shalt  live  by  honest  neighbours,  in 
credit  and  good  fashion. 

Now  was  Christian  somewhat  at  a stand ; 
but  presently  he  concluded,  if  this  be  true 
which  this  gentleman  hath  said,  my  wisest 
course  is  to  take  his  advice ; and  with  that  he 
thus  further  spake. 

Christian.  Sir,  which  is  my  way  to  this  hon- 
est man’s  house  ? 

* Mr.  Worldly-wiseman  prefers  Morality  to  Christ, 
the  Strait  date.  This  ip  the  exact  reasoning  of  the 
flesh.  Carnal  reason  ever  opposes  spiritual  truth. 
The  notion  of  justification  by  our  own  obedience  to 
God’s  law,  ever  works  in  us,  contrary  to  the  law  of 
justification  by  the  obedience  of  Christ  and  living 
faith  in  his  blood.  Self-righteousness  is  as  contrary 
to  tho  faith  of  Christ  as  indulging  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh. 


Worldly-wiseman.  Do  you  see  yonder  high 
hill? 

Christian.  Yes,  very  well. 

Worldly-wiseman.  By  that  hill  you  must  go, 
and  the  first  house  you  come  at  is  his. 

So  Christian  turned  out  of  his  way  to  go  to 
Mr.  Legality’s  house  for  help.f  But  behold, 
when  he  was  got  now  hard  by  the  hill,  it 
seemed  so  high,  and  also  that  side  of  it  that 
was  next  the  wayside  did  hang  so  much  over, 
that  Christian  was  afraid  to  ventixre  further, 
lest  the  hill  should  fall  on  his  head ; wherefore 
there  he  stood  still,  and  wotted  not  what  to  do. 
Also  his  burden  now  seemed  heavier  to  him 
than  while  he  was  in  the  way.  There  came 
also  flashes  of  fire  out  of  the  hill,  that  made 
Christian  afraid  that  he  should  be  burned, 
(Exod.  xix.  16,  18 ; Heb.  xii.  21 ;)  here  there- 
fore he  sweat  and  did  quake  for  fear.  And 
now  he  began  to  be  sorry  that  he  had  taken 
Mr.  Worldly-wiseman’s  counsel.  And  with 
that  he  saw  Evangelist  J coming  to  meet  him ; 
at  the  sight  also  of  whom  he  began  to  blush 
for  shame.  So  Evangelist  drew  nearer  and 
nearer ; and,  coming  up  to  him,  he  looked  upon 
him  with  a severe  and  dreadful  countenance, 
and  thus  began  to  reason  with  Christian. 

What  dost  thou  here,  Christian?  said  he. 
At  which  words  Christian  knew  not  what  to 
answer ; wherefore  at  present  he  stood  speech- 
less before  him.  Then  said  Evangelist  further, 
Art  thou  not  the  man  that  I found  crying 
without  the  walls  of  the  city  of  Destruc- 
tion ? 

Christian.  Yes,  dear  sir,  I am  the  man. 

Evangelist.  Did  not  I direct  thee  the  way  to 
the  little  Wicket-gate  ? 

Yes,  dear  sir,  said  Christian. 

’ Evangelist . How  is  it  then  that  thou  art  so 
quickly  turned  aside?  for  thou  art  now  out  of 
the  way. 

Christian.  I met  with  a gentleman,  as  soon  as 
I had  got  over  the  slqugh  of  De«pond,  who 
persuaded  me  that  I might  in  the  village  be- 
fore me  find  a man  that  could  take  off  my  bur- 
den. 

Evangelist.  What  was  he  ? 

j-  And  a sad  turn  it  proved  to  him  ; for  he  turned 
from  the  work  of  Christ,  for  his  salvation,  to  his  own 
works  and  obedience;  so  did  the  Galatians  of  old. 
Mark  the  consequence  : Christian  is  afraid  that  Mount 
Sinai,  all  the  dreadful  curses  of  the  law,  would  fall 
on  his  head. 

J Evangelist  findeth  Christian  under  Mount  Sinai, 
and  looketh  severely  upon  him.  See  the  effect  of  dis- 
obeying the  Gospel. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


95 


Christian.  lie  looked  like  n gentleman,*  and 
talked  much  to  me,  and  got  me  at  last  to  yield ; 
ho  I came  hither:  but  when  I beheld  this  hill, 
and  how  it  hangs  over  the  way,  I suddenly 
made  a stand,  lest  it  should  fall  on  my  head. 

Evangelist.  What  said  that  gentleman  to  you  ? 

Christian,  lie  asked  me  if  I had  a family; 
and  I told  him.  But  said  I,  I am  so  loaded 
with  the  burden  that  is  on  my  back,  that  I 
cannot  take  pleasure  in  them  as  formerly. 

Evangelist.  And  what  said  he  then? 

Christian.  lie  bid  me  with  speed  get  rid  of 
my  burden ; and  I told  him  it  was  ease  that  I 
sought.  And,  said  I,  I am  therefore  going  to 
yonder  gate  to  receive  further  directions  how 
I may  get  to  the  place  of  deliverance.  So  lie 
said  that  he  would  show  me  a better  way,  and 
shorter,  not  so  attended  with  difficulties  as  the 
way,  sir,  that  you  set  me  in ; which  way,  said 
he,  will  direct  you  to  a gentleman’s  house  that 
has  skill  to  take  off  these  burdens : so  I be- 
lieved him,f  and  turned  out  of  that  way  into 
this,  if  haply  I might  be  soon  eased  of  my 
burden.  But  when  I came  to  this  place,  and 
beheld  things  as  they  are,  T stopped  for  fear  as 
I said,  of  danger ; but  now  know  not  what  to  do. 

Then,  said  Evangelist,  stand  still  a little  that 
I may  show  thee  the  words  of  God.  So  he 
stood  trembling.  Then  said  Evangelist,  “See 
that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh;  for  if 
they  escaped  not  who  refused  him  that  spake 
on  earth,  much  more  shall  not  we  escape  if  we 
turn  away  from  him  that  speaketh  from  heav- 
en.” Ileb.  xii.  25.  He  said,  moreover,  “Now 
the  just  shall  live  by  faith ; but  if  any  man 
draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in 
him.”  Heb.  x.  38.  He  also  did  thus  apply 
them : Thou  art  the  man  that  art  running  into 
this  misery ; thou  hast  begun  to  reject  Ihe 
counsel  of  the  Most  High,  and  to  draw  back 
thy  foot  from  the  way  of  peace ; even  almost 
to  the  hazarding  of  thy  perdition.  J 

Then  Christian  fell  down  at  his  feet  as  dead, 


* I5e Ware  of  taking  men  by  their  looks.  They  may 
look  as  gentle  as  lambs,  while  the  poisou  of  asps  is 
under  their  tongues;  whereby  they  infect,  many  souls 
«ith  pernicious  errors,  turning  them  from  Christ  and 
the  hope  of  justification  and  eternal  life,  through  him 
only,  to  look  and  rely  upon  their  own  works,  in  whole 
or  in  part,  for  salvation. 

t As  the  belief  of  truth  lies  at  the  foundation  of  the 
hope  of  eternal  life,  and  is  the  cause  of  any  one  be- 
coming a pilgrim;  so  the  belief  of  a lie  is  the  cause 
of  any  oue’s  turning  out  of  the  way  which  leads  to 
glory. 

J Sec  the  danger  of  turning  from  the  faith  of  Christ 
to  trust  in  any  degree  to  our  own  works  for  justifica- 


crying,  “Woe  is  me,  for  I am  undone !”  Al 
the  sight  of  which  Evangelist  caught  him  by 
the  right  hand,  saying,  “All  manner  of  sin 
and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men;” 
“ Be  not  faithless,  but  believing.”  Then  did 
Christian  again  a little  revive,  and  stood  up 
trembling,  as  at  first,  before  Evangelist.|| 

Then  Evangelist  proceeded,  saying,  Give 
more  earnest  heed  to  the  things  that  I shall 
tell  thee  of.  I will  now  show  thee  who  it  was 
that  deluded  thee,  and  who  it  was  also  to  whom 
he  sent  thee.  The  man  that  met  thee  is  one 
Wordly-wiseman,  and  rightly  he  is  so  called ; 
partly  because  he  savoureth  only  the  doctrine 
of  this  world,  (John  iv.  5,)  therefore  he  always 
goes  to  the  town  of  Morality  to  church,  and 
partly  because  he  loveth  that  doctrine  best, 
for  it  saveth  him  best  from  the  cross,  (Gal.  vi. 
12,)  and  because  he  is  of  this  carnal  temper, 
therefore  he  seeketh  to  pervert  my  ways,  though 
right.  Now  there  are  three  things  in  this 
man’s  counsel  that  thou  must  utterly  abhor : 
his  turning  thee  out  of  the  way — his  labouring 
to  render  the  cross  odious  to  thee — and  his 
setting  thy  feet  in  that  way  that  lcadeth  unto 
the  ministration  of  death. \ 

First.  Thou  must  abhor  his  turning  thee  out 
of  the  way,  yea,  and  thine  own  consenting 
thereto ; because  this  is  to  reject  the  counsel  of 
God  for  the  sake  of  the  counsel  of  a worldhj- 
iv ke  man.  The  Lord  says,  “ Strive  to  enter  in 
at  the  strait  gate,”  (the  gate  to  which  I send 
thee,)  “ for  strait  is  the  gate  that  leadeth  unto 
life  and  few  there  be  that  find  it.”  Luke  xiii. 
25 ; Matt.  vii.  13, 14.  From  this  little  Wicket- 
gate,  and  from  the  way  thereto,  hath  this 
wicked  man  turned  thee,  to  the  bringing  of 
thee  almost  to  destruction.  Hate,  therefore, 
his  turning  thee  out  of  the  way,  and  abhor 
thyself  for  hearkening  to  him. 

Secondly.  Thou  must  abhor  his  labouring  to 
render  the  cross  odious  unto  thee ; for  thou  art 

tion  anil  eternal  life.  Beware  of  legal  teachers  anil 
of  thy  own  legal  spirit. 

||  See  the  glory  of  Gospel  grace  to  sinners.  See 
the  amazing  love  of  Christ  in  dying  for  sinners.  Oh 
remember  the  price  with  which  Christ  obtained  the 
pardon  of  your  sins  : at  nothing  less  th  u his  own 
most  precious  blood ! Believe  his  wonderful  love. 
Rejoice  in  his  glorious  salvation.  Live  in  the  love  of 
him.  in  the  hatred  of  your  sins,  and  in  humbleness 
of  mind  before  him. 

§ Gospel  comfort  cannot  be  enjoyed,  till  the  soul  is 
convinced  of  the  evil,  and  rejects  the  doctrine  of  le- 
gality, or  trusts  in  anv^lependence  upon  our  own  works 
for  justification.  This  detestable  heresy  abounds 
greatly  in  the  present  day. 


96 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  “ prefer  it  before  the  treasures  in  Egypt.” 
Ileb.  xi.  25,  26.  Besides,  the  King  of  Glory 
hath  told  thee,  that  “ he  that  will  save  his  life 
shall  lose  it and,  “ He  that  comes  after  me, 
and  hates  not  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife, 
and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea, 
and  his  own  life  also,  cannot  be  my  disciple.” 
Matt  x.  37,  39 ; Mark  viii.  34,  35 ; Luke  xiv. 
26,  27 ; John  xii.  25.  I say,  therefore,  for  a 
man  to  labour  to  persuade  thee  that  that  shall 
be  thy  death,  without  which  the  truth  hath 
said  thou  canst  not  have  eternal  life ; this  doc- 
trine thou  must  abhor. 

Thirdly.  Thou  must  hate  his  setting  of  'thy 
feet  in  the  way  that  leadeth  to  the  ministra- 
tion of  death.  And  for  this  thou  must  con- 
sider to  whom  he  sent  thee,  and  also  how 
unable  that  person  was  to  deliver  thee  from 
thy  burden. 

He  to  whom  thou  wast  sent  for  ease,  being 
by  name  Legality,  is  “the  son  of  the  bond- 
woman  which  now  is,  and  is  in  bondage  with 
her  children,”  (Gal.  iv.  21,  27 ;)  and  is,  in  a 
mystery,  .this  Mount  Sinai  which  thou  hast 
feared  will  fall  on  thy  head.  Now  if  she  with 
her  children  are  in  bondage,  how  canst  thou 
expect  by  them  to  be  made  free?  This  Legal- 
ity therefore,  is  not  able  to  set  thee  free  from 
thy  burden.  No  man  was  as  yet  ever  rid  of 
his  burden  by  him ; no,  nor  ever  is  like  to  be. 
“Ye  cannot  be  justified  by  the  works  of  the 
law ; for  by  the  deeds  of  the  law’  no  man  living- 
can  be  rid  of  his.  burden:”  therefore,  Mr. 
Worldly-wiseman  is  a liar,  and  Mr.  Legality  a 
cheat : and  for  his  son  Civility,  notwithstand- 
ing his  simpering  looks,  he  is  but  a hypocrite, 
and  cannot  help  thee.  Believe  me,  there  is 
nothing  in  all  this  noise  that  thou  hast  heard 
of  these  sottish  men,  but  a design  to  beguile 
thee  of  thy  salvation,  by  turning  thee  from  the 
way  in  which  I had  set  thee.*  After  this 
Evangelist  called  aloud  to  the  heavens  for 
confirmation  of  what  he  had  said;  and  with 
that  there  came  words  and  fire  out  of  the 

■*-  The  Gospel  pays  no  respect  to  demure  looks,  and 
a sanctified  face;  but  pronounces  such  cheats,  hypo- 
crites, and  beguilers,  who  turn  souls  from  the  cross  of 
Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  him,  to  trust  to 
anywise  to  their  own  works  for  justification  and  sal- 
vation. 

f Legality  is  as  great  an  enemy  to  the  cross  of 
Christ,  as  Licentiousness:  for  it  keeps  the  soul  from 
coming  to  believing  in,  and  trusting  wholly  to  the 
blood  of  Christ  for  pardon,  and  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  for  justification  ; so  that  it  keeps  the  soul  in 
bondage,  and  swells  the  mind  with  pride,  while  Li- 
centiousness brings  a scandal  on  the  cross. 


mountain  under  which  poor  Christian  stood, 
that  made  the  hair  of  his  flesh  stand  up.  The 
words  were  thus  pronounced : “ As  many  as  are 
of  the  works  of  the  law  are  under  the  curse : 
for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that  con- 
tinueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in 
the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them.”  f Gal.  iii.  10. 

Now  Christian  looked  for  nothing  but  death, 
and  began  to  cry  out  lamentably ; even  cursing 
the  time  in  which  he  met  with  Mr.  Worldly- 
wiseman  ; still  calling  himself  a thousand  fools 
for  hearkening  to  his  counsel.  He  also  was 
greatly  ashamed  to  think  that  this  gentleman’s 
arguments,  flowing  only  from  the  flesh,  should 
have  the  prevalency  with  him  as  to  cause  him 
to  forsake  the  right  way.  This  done,  he  applied 
himself  again  to  Evangelist  in  words  and  sense 
as  follows : 

Sir, J what  think  you?  Is  there  any  hope? 
May  I now  go  back,  and  go  up  to  the  Wicket- 
gate  ? Shall  I not  be  abandoned  for  this,,  and 
sent  back  from  thence  ashamed?  I am  sorry 
I have  hearkened  to  this  man’s  counsel ; but 
may  my  sin  be  forgiven  ? 

Then  said  Evangelist  to  him,  thy  sin  is  very 
great,  for  by  it  thou  hast  committed  two  evils : 
thou  hast  forsaken  the  way  that  is  good,  to 
tread  in  forbidden  paths ; yet  will  the  man  at 
the  gate  receive  thee,  for  he  has  good  will  for 
men ; only,  said  he,  take  heed  that  thou  turn 
not  aside  again,  “lest  thou  perish  from  the 
way  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a little.” 
Ps.  ii.  12.  Then  did  Christian  address  him- 
self to  go  back,  and  Evangelist,  after  he  had 
kissed  him,  gave  him  one  smile  and  bid  him 
God  speed.  ||  So  he  went  on  with  haste,  neither 
spake  he  to  any  man  by  the  way,  nor  if  any 
asked  him  would  he  vouchsafe  them  an  an- 
swer. He  went  like  one  that  was  all  the  while 
treading  on  forbidden  ground,  and  could  by  no 
means  think  himself  safe,  till  again  he  was  got 
into  the  way  $ which  he  left  to  follow  Mr. 
Worldly-wiseman’s  counsel. 

1 Christian  inquires  if  he  may  yet  be  happy.  Legal 
hopes  will  bring  on  distress  of  soul,  and  despondency 
of  spirit,  as  well  as  outward  sins;  there  is  no  hope  of 
a sinner’s  being  comforted  by  the  cross  of  Chr-ist,  ti’J 
he  is  made  sensible  of  this. 

||  Nothing  but  the  Gospel  of  Christ  can  direct  our 
steps  in  the  right  way,  and  bring  peace  and  comfort 
to  our  souls.  It  salutes  us  with  a cheering  smile,  a 
kiss  of  peace,  and  a blessing  of  consolation  ; and  hence 
it  wings  our  peace  to  Christ  and  holiness. 

J The  faithful  minister  must  warn  young  converts 
not  to  turn  aside;  nor  can  any  soul  ever  find  confi- 
dence or  comfort,  till  they  are  conscious  of  having 
regained  the  way  they  had  forgotten. 


THE  PILO RIM'S  PROGRESS. 


97 


CHATTER  IV. 

Christian  arrives  at  the  Wicket-gate,  where  he  knocks,  awl  is  kindly  received. 


So  in  process  of  time  Christian  got  up  to 
the  gate.  Now  over  the  gate  there  was  writ- 
ten, “ Knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto 
you.”  Matt.  vii.  7,  8. 

He  knocked,  therefore,  more  than  once  or 
twice,*  saying — 

“ May  I now  enter  hero  ? Will  he  within 
Open  to  sorry  me,  though  I have  been 
An  undeserving  rebel!  Then  shall  I 
Not  tail  to  sing  his  lasting  praise  on  high.” 

• ' Matt.  vii.  7,  8. 

At  last  there  came  a grave  person  to  the 
gate,  named  Good-will,  who  asked  him  who 
was  there?  and  whence  he  came?  and  what 
he  would  have? 

Christian.  Here  is  a poor  burdened  sinner. 
I come  from  the  city  of  Destruction,  but  am 
going  to  Mount  Zion,  that  I may  be  delivered 
from  the  wrath 'to  come.  I would,  therefore, 
sir,  since  I am  informed  that  by  this  gate  is 
the  way  thither,  know  if  you  are  willing  to  let 
me  in. 

I am  willing  with  all  my  heart, f said  he. 
And  with  that  he  opened  the  gate. 

So  when  Christian  was  stepping  in,  the 
other  gave  him  a pull. I Then  said  Christian, 
What  means  that  ? The  other  told  him,  “ A 
little  distance  from  this  gate  there  is  erected  a 
strong  castle,  of  which  Beelzebub  is  the  cap- 
tain ; from  thence  both  he  and  they  that  are 
with  him,  shoot  arrows  at  those  that  come  up 
to  this  gate,  if  haply  they  may  die  before  they 
can  enter  in. 

Then  said  Christian,  I rejoice  and  tremble. 
So  when  he  was  got  in,  the  man  of  the  gate 
asked  him  who  directed  him  thither. 

Christian.  Evangelist  bid  me  come  hither 
and  knock,  as  I did ; and  he  said  that  you, 
sir,  would  tell  me  what  I must  do. 

Good-will.  “An  open  door  is  before  thee, 
and  no  man  can  shut  it.” 

* This  is  praying  and  pleading  in  faith  with  God 
for  mercy  and  forgiveness  of  sin  through  the  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

t The  gate  will  be  open  to  broken-hearted  sinners. 
Here  behold  the  love  of  Jesus,  in  freely  and  heartily 
receiving  every  poor  sinner  who  comes  unto  him.  No 
matter  how  vile  they  have  been  nor  what  things  they 
have  committed:  he  loves  them  freely  and  receives 
them  graciously.  For  he  has  nothing  but  good-will 
towards  men.  Luke  ii.  14. 

7 


Christian.  Now  I begin  to  reap  the  benefits 
of  my  hazards. 

Good-will.  But  how  is  it  that  you  come 
alone? 

Christian.  Because  none  of  my  neighbours 
saw  their  danger,  as  I saw  mine. 

Good-toill.  Did  any  of  them  know  of  your 
coming? 

Christian.  Yes,  my  wife  and  children  saw 
me  at  the  first,  and  called  after  me  to  turn 
again ; also  some  of  my  neighbours  stood 
crying  and  calling  after  me  to  return ; but  I put 
my  fingers  in  my  ears  and  so  came  on  my  way. 

Good-will.  But  did  none  of  them  follow  you, 
to  persuade  you  to  go  back  ? 

Christian.  Yes,  both  Obstinate  and  Pliable; 
but  when  they  saw  that  they  could  not  pre- 
vail, Obstinate  went  railing  back,  but  Pliable 
came  with  me  a little  way. 

Good-will.  But  why  did  he  not  come  through  ? 

Christian.  We  indeed  came  both  together 
until  we  came  to  the  slough  of  Despond,  into 
the  which  we  also  suddenly  fell.  And  then 
was  my  neighbour  Pliable  discouraged,  and 
would  not  adventure  further.||  Wherefore, 
getting  out  again  on  that  side  next  to  his  own 
house,  he  told  me  I should  possess  the  brave 
country  alone  for  all  him ; so  he  went  his  way, 
and  I came  mine ; he  after  Obstinate,  and  I to 
this  gate. 

Then  said  Good-will,  Alas,  poor  man ! is 
the  celestial  glory  of  so  small  esteem  with 
him,  that  he  counteth  it  not  worth  running 
the  hazard  of  a few  difficulties  to  obtain  it? 

Truly,  said  Christian,  I have  said  the  truth 
of  Pliable ; and  if  I should  also  say  all  the 
truth  of  myself,  it  will  appear  there  is  no  dif- 
ference betwixt  him  and  myself.  It  is  true  he 
went  back  to  his  own  house,  but  I also  turned 
aside  to  go  into  the  way  of  death,  being  per- 
suaded thereto  by  the  carnal  argument  of  one 
Mr.  Wo rl d 1 y - w iscm a n . § 

I Every  saved  sinner  is  a brand  plucked  out  of  the 
fire  by  the  loving  arm  of  Christ.  Zcch.  iii.  2. 

||  A man  may  have  company  when  he  sets  out  for 
heaven,  and  yet  go  thither  alone.  “Many  be  called 
but  few  chosen.”  Matt.  xx.  16. 

§ Where  there  is  true  grace  in  the  heart,  it  will 
take  shame  to  itself,  and  give  all  the  glory  to  God’s 
sovereign  grace,  for  any  difference  there  is  between 
us  and  others.  Free  grace  destroys  pride,  and  lays 
the  sinner  low  whilst  it  exalts  Christ,  and  causes 


98 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Good-will  Oh!  did  he  light  upon  you? 
What,  he  would  have  had  you  have  sought 
for  ease  at  the  Kinds  of  Mr.  Legality ! they 
are  both  of  them  very  cheats.  But  did  you 
take  his  counsel  ? 

Christian.  Yes,  as  far  as  I durst.  I went  to 
find  out  Mr.  Legality,  until  I thought  that  the 
mountain  that  stands  by  his  house  would  have 
fallen  on  my  head ; wherefore  there  I was 
forced  to  stop.* * 

Good-will.  That  mountain  has  been  the 
death  of  many,  and  will  be  the  death  of  many 
more.  It  is  well  you  escaped  being  dashed  in 
pieces  by  it. 

Christian.  Why,  truly,  I do  not  know  what 
had  become  of  me  there,  had  not  Evangelist 
happily  met  me  again  as  I was  musing  in  the 
midst  of  my  dumps ; but  it  was  God’s  mercy 
that  he  came  to  me  again,  for  else  I had  never 
come  hither.  But  now  I am  come,  such  a one 
as  I am,  more  fit  indeed  for  death  by  that 
mountain,  than  thus  to  stand  talking  with  my 
Lord.  But,  oh ! what  a favour  is  this  to  me, 
that  yet  I am  admitted  entrance  here.f 

Good-will.  We  make  no  objections  against 
any,  notwithstanding  all  that  they  have  done 
before  they  come  hither.  “ They  in  no  wise 

the  believer  to  triumph  in  his  righteousness  and 
salvation. 

* Though  Jesus  knows  what  is  in  man,  and  all  his 
ways,  yet  he  will  bring  the  soul  to  confession  unto 
nim.  See  the  loving  heart  of  Christ  to  sinners,  and 
the  free  communications  he  admits  them  to  with  him- 
self. 0 ye  his  people,  pour  out  your  hearts  before 
him  : God  is  a refuge  for  us.  Ps.  Ixii.  8. 

j-  It  is  a sure  sign  of  a genuine  work  of  grace,  when 
the  heart'  ascribes  all  to  grace.  Here  is  no  ascribing 
any  thing  to  his  own  wisdom  or  power;  but  his  escape 
from  destruction,  and  being  yet  in  the  way  of  salva- 
tion, are  wholly  resolved  into  the  grace  of  the  Gospel, 
the  mercy  of  God,  and  in  his  free  favour,  and  almighty 
power.  It  is  sweet  to  converse  with  Jesus,  of  his  free 
grace  to  wretched  and  unworthy  sinners.  Do  not  you 
find  it  so  ? 

I Christian  is  afraid  of  losing  his  way;  a blessed 
sign  of  a gracious  heart,  when  it  possesses  godly 
jealousy. 

|i  Christian,  being  admitted  at  the  strait  gate,  is  di- 
rected in  the  narrow  way.  In  the  broad  road  every 
man  may  choose  a path  suited  to  his  inclinations,  shift 
about  to  avoid  difficulties,  or  accommodate  himself  to 
circumstances;  and  he  will  be  sure  of  company  agree- 
able to  his  taste.  But  Christians  must  follow  one  an- 
other, in  the  narrow  way  along  the  same  track,  sur- 
mounting difficulties,  facing  enemies,  and  bearing 
hardships,  without  any  room  to  evade  them  : nor  is 
any  indulgence  given  to  different  tastes,  habits,  or 
propensities.  It  is  therefore  a straitened,  or  as  some 
vendor  the  word,  an  ajjiicted  way— being  indeed  an 


are  cast  out,”  (John  vi.  27;)  and  therefore, 
good  Christian,  come  a little  way  with  me, 
and  I will  teach  thee  about  the  way  thou 
must  go.  Look  before  thee;  dost  thou  see 
this  narrow  way?  that  is  the  way  thou  must 
go.  It  was  cast  up  by  the  patriarchs,  prophets, 
Christ,  and  his  apostles,  and  it  is  as  straight 
as  a rule  can  make  it ; this  is  the  way  thou 
must  go. 

But,  said  Christian,]:  are  there  no  turnings  nor 
windings,  by  which  a stranger  may  lose  his  way  ? 

Good-will.  Yes,  - there  are  many  ways  butt 
down  upon  this,  and  they  are  crooked  and  n ide  ; 
but  thus  thou  must  distinguish  the  right  from 
the  wrong,  the  right  only  being  ||  strait  and 
narrow.  Matt.  vii.  13,  l-L 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream  that  Christian  asked 
him  further,  if  he  could  not  help  him  off  with 
the  burden  that  was  upon  his  back ; for  as  yet 
he  had  not  got  rid  thereof,  nor  could  he  by  any 
means  get  it  off  without  help. 

He  told  him,  As  to  thy  burden,  be  content 
to  bear  it  until  thou  contest  to  the  place  of  de- 
liverance ; $ for  there  it  will  fall  from  thy  back 
of  itself. 

Then  Christian  began  to  gird  up  his  loins, 
and  to  address  himself  to  his  journey.  So  the 

habitual  course  of  repentance,  faith,  love,  self-denial, 
patience:  in  a word,  a full  conformity  to  the  will  of 
God,  according  to  the  Scriptures.  Christ  himself  is 
the  way,  by  which  we  come  to  the  Father;  and  by 
living  faith  which  works  by  love,  we  are  “ set  in  the 
way  of  his  steps.”  This  path  is  also  straight,  as  op- 
posed to  the  crooked  ways  of  men  ; for  it  consists  in 
an  uniform  regard  to  piety,  integrity,  sincerity,  and 
kindness,  at  a distance  from  all  the  hypocrisies,  frauds, 
and  artifices,  by  which  ungodly  men  wind  about  to 
avoid  detection,  keep  up  their  credit,  deceive  others, 
or  impose  on  themselves.  The  question  proposed  by 
Christian  implies  that  believers  are  more  afraid  of 
missing  the  way  than  of  encountering  hardships  in  it; 
and  Good-will's  answer,  that  many  ways  butted  down 
on  it,  or  opened  into  it,  in  various  directions,  shows 
that  the  careless  and  self-willed  are  extremely  liable 
to  be  deceived;  but  it  follows  that  all  these  ways  are 
crooked  and  wide;  they  turn  aside  from  the  direct  line 
of  living  faith  and  holy  obedience,  and  are  iro’e 
soothing,  indulgent  and  pleasing  to  corrupt  nature 
than  the  path  of  life;  which  lies  straight  forward,  and 
is  every  where  contrary  to  the  bias  of  the  carnal 
mind. 

;i  There  is  no  deliverance  from  the  guilt  and  burden 
of  sin,  but  by  the  death  of  Christ.  Here  observe,  that 
though  a sinner,  at  his  first  coming  to  Christ,  find  some 
comfort  and  encouragement,  yet  lie  may  not  for  some 
time  have  a clear  sense  of  pardon  and  assurance  of  the 
forgiveness  of  his  sins,  but  he  may  still  feel  the  bur- 
den of  them.  But  by  faith  iu  Jesus  he  shall  be  adopted 
iuto  the  family  of  heaven. 


TIIE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


90 

other  told  him  that  by  that  he  was  gone  some  should  knock,  and  he  would  show  him  excel- 
distance  from  the  gate  he  would  come  at  the  J lent  things.  Then  Christian  took  his  leave  of 
house  of  the  Interpreter,  at  whose  door  he  | his  friend,  and  he  again  bid  him  God  speed. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Christian  delightfully  entertained  at  the  Interpreter's  house. 


Then  Christian  went  on  till  he  came  to  the 
house  of  the  Interpreter,*  where  he  knocked 
over  and  over ; at  last  one  came  to  the  door  and 
asked  who  was  there? 

Christian.  Sir,  here  is  a traveller,  who  was  hid 
by  an  acquaintance  of  the-  good  man  of  this 
house  to  call  here  for  my  profit ; I would  there- 
fore speak  with  the  master  of  the  house.  So  he 
called  for  the  master  of  the  house,  who  after  a 
little  time  came  to  Christian,  and  asked  him 
what  he  would  have? 

Sir,  said  Christian,  I am  a man  that  am  corpc 
from  the  city  of  Destruction,  and  am  going  to 
the  Mount  Sion;  and  I was  told*by  the  man 
that  stands  at  the  gate  at  the  head  of  this  way, 
that  if  I called  here  you  would  show  me  excel- 
lent things,  such  as  would  be  a help  to  me  in 
my  journey. 

Then  said  the  Interpreter,  Come  in ; I will 
show  thee  that  which  will  be  profitable  to  thee.f 
So  he  commanded  his  man  j.  to  light  a candle, 
and  bid  Christian  to  follow  him : so  he  had  him 
into  a private  room,  and  bid  his.  man  open  a 
door ; the  which  when  he  had  done,  Christian 
saw  the  picture  of  a very  grave  person  hang  up 
against  the  wall ; and  this  was  the  fashion  of 
it:  “it  had  eyes  lifted  up  to  heaven,  the  best 
of  books  in  its  hand,  the  law  of  truth  was  writ- 
ten upon  its  lips,  the  world  was  behind  its 
back ; it  stood  as  if  it  pleaded  with  men,  and 
a crown  of  gold  did  hang  over  its  head.” 


* Christian  comes  to  the  house  of  the  Interpreter: 
which  means  the  Lord  the  Spirit,  the  teacher  of  his 
people.  The  Interpreter  is  an  emblem  of  the  divine 
teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures, by  means  of  reading,  hearing,  praying  and  medi- 
tating. accompanied  by  daily  experience  and  observa- 
tion. Believers  depend  on  this  teaching,  and  are  not 
Satisfied  with  human  instruction,  but  look  to  the  foun- 
tain of  wisdom,  that  they  may  be  delivered  from  preju- 
dice, preserved  from  error,  and  enabled  to  profit  by 
the  ministry  of  the  word. 

j"  Oh  how  loving,  how  condescending  is  the  Spirit  of 
God  to  poor  miserable  sinners ! 

f Illumination  is  here  signified. 

||  This  is  a true  picture  of  a Gospel  minister;  one 
whom  the  Lord  the  Spirit  has  called  and  qualified  for 


Then  said  Christian,  What  meaneth  this? 

Interpreter.  The  man  whose  picture  this  is,  is 
one  of  a thousand ; he  can  beget  children,  (1  Cor. 
iv.  15,)  travail  in  birth  with  children,  (Gal  iv. 
19,)  and  nurse  them  himself  when  they  are 
born.  And  whereas  thou  scest  him  with  his 
eyes  lifted  up  to  heaven,  the  best  of  books  in 
his  hand,  and  the  law  of  truth  written  on  his 
lips ; it  is  to  show  thee  that  his  work  is  to  know 
and  unfold  dark  things  to  sinners ; even  as  also 
thou  scest  him  stand  as  if  he  pleaded  with 
men  ; and  whereas  thou  scest  the  world  as  cast 
behind  him,  and  that  a crown  hangs  over  his 
head ; that  is  to  show  thee,  that  slighting  and 
despising  the  things  that  are  present,  for  the 
love  that  he  hath  to  his  Master’s  service,  he  is 
sure  in  the  world  that  comes  next  to  have  glory 
for  his  reward.  Now,  said  the  Interpreter,  I 
have  showed  thee  this  picture  first,  because  the 
man  whose  picture  this  is,  is  the  only  man 
whom  the  Lord  of  the  place  whither  thou  art 
going  hath  authorized  to  be  thy  guide,  in  all 
difficult  places  thou  mayest  meet  with  in  the 
way ; wherefore  take  good  heed  to  what  I have 
showed  thee,  and  bear  well  in  thy  mind  what 
thou  hast  seen ; lest  in  thy  journey  thou  meet 
with  some  that  pretend  to  lead  thee  right,  but 
their  way  goes  down  to  death. || 

Then  he  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  led  him 
into  a very  large  parlour  that  was  full  of  dust, 
because  never  swept ; the  which,  after  he  had 
reviewed  a little  while,  the  Interpreter  called 


preaching  the  everlasting  Gospel,  lie  is  one  who  de- 
spises the  world,  is  dead  to  its  pleasures  and  joys;  his 
chief  aim  is  to  exa’t  and  glorify  the  Lord  Jesus,  his 
atoning  blood,  justifying  righteousness,  and  finishing 
salvation ; and  his  greatest  glory  is  to  bring  sinners  to 
Christ,  to  point  him  out  as  the  one  way  to  them,  and 
to  edify  and  build  up  saiuts  in  him.  But  there  are 
many  who  profess  to  do  this,  yet  turn  poor  sinners  out 
of  the  way,  and  point  them  to  a righteousness  of  their 
own  for  justification,  in  whole  or  in  part.  Of  these 
the  Spirit  teaches  us  to  beware  : the  former,  he  leads 
and  directs  souls  to  love  and  esteem  him  highly  for 
their  labours  and  faith  in  the  Lord,  and  zeal  for  his 
honourand  glory,  and  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  Take 
heed  what  you  hear.  Mark  iv.  21. 


100 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


for  a man  to  sweep.  Now  when  he  began  to 
sweep,  the  dust  began  so  abundantly  to  fly 
about,  that  Christian  had  almost  therewith 
been  choked.  Then  said  the  Interpreter  to  a 
damsel  that  stood  by,  Bring  hither  water  and 
sprinkle  the  room;  the  which  when  she  had 
done,  it  was  swept  and  cleansed  with  pleasure. 

Then  said  Christian,  What  means  this? 

The  Interpreter  answered,  This  parlour  is 
the  heart  of  a man  that  was  never  sanctified  by 
the  sweet  grace  of  the  Gospel ; the  dust  is  his 
original  sin  and  inward  corruptions,  that  have 
defiled  the  whole  man.  He  that  began  to  sweep 
at  first  is  the  law ; but  she  that  brought  water 
and  did  sprinkle  it  is  the  Gospel.  Now  where- 
as thou  sawest  that,  so  soon  as  the  first  began 
to  sweep,  the  dust  did  so  fly  about,  that  the 
room  by  him  could  not  be  cleansed,  but  that 
thou  wast almost  choked  therewith;  this  is  to 
show  thee,  that  the  law,  instead  of  cleansing 
the  heart,  by  its  working,  from  sin,  doth  re- 
vive, put  strength  into,  and  increase  it  in  the 
soul,  even  as  it  doth  discover  and  forbid  it ; for 
it  doth  not  give  power  to  subdue  it.  Rom.  v. 
20  ; vii.  7,  11;  1 Cor.  xv.  56. 

Again  as  thou  sawrest  the  damsel  sprinkle  the 
room  with  water,  upon  which  it  was  cleansed 
with  pleasure ; this  is  to  show  thee,  that  when 
the  Gospel  comes,  in  the  sweet  and  precious  in- 
fluences thereof  to.  the  heart,  then,  I say,  even 
as  thou  sawest  the  damsel  lay  the  dust  by 
sprinkling  the  floor  with  water,  so  is  sin  van- 
quished and  subdued,  and  the  soul  made  clean 
through  the  faith  of  it,  and  consequently  fit  for 
the  King  of  Glory  to  inhabit.*  John  xiv.  21, 
23;  xv.  3;  Acts  xv.  9;  Rom.  xvi.  25,  26;  Eph. 
v.  26. 

I saw  moreover,  in  my  dream,  that  the  In- 
terpreter took  him  by  the  hand,  and  had  him 
into  a little  room  where  sat  two  little  children, 
each  one  in  his  chair.  The  name  of  the  eldest 
was  Passion,  and  the  name  of  the  other  Pa- 
tience. Passion  seemed  to  be  much  discon- 
tented but  Patience  was  very  quiet.  Then 

*Now  judge  by  this,  whether  you  are  under  the 
Jaw,  or  the  Gospel.  Have  you  ever  found  in  yourself 
what  is  here  described?  1st.  Of  the  law,  have  you 
ever  felt  your  lusts  and  corruptions  irritated,  and  sin 
made  to  abound  in  you,  as  to  your  perception  and  feel- 
ing by  the  commandment  working  in  you  all  manner 
of  concupisoence  ? for  without  the  law  sin  was  dead. 
Horn.  vii.  8.  Idas  the  application  of  the  law  to  your 
conscience  made  sin  to  revive  in  you,  so  as  that  you 
died  to  all  your  former  hopes  of  being  justified  by  your 
obedience  to  the  law  ? If  not  you  are  yet  dead  in  sin, 
and  cleave  to  legal  hopes  and  vain  confidence.  But  if 
through  the  law  you  become  dead  to  the  law,  has  the 


Christian  asked,  What  is  the  reason  of  the 
discontent  of  Passion?  The  Interpreter  an- 
swered, The  governor  of  them  would  have  him 
stay  for  his  best  things  till  the  beginning  of  the 
next  year : but  he  will  have  all  now.  But 
Patience  is  willing  to  wait. 

Then  I saw  that  one  came  to  Passion  and 
brought  him  a bag  of  treasure,  and  poured 
down  at  his  feet;  the  which  he  took  up  and 
rejoiced  therein,  and  withal  laughed  Patience 
to  scorn.  But  I beheld  but  a while,  and  he 
had  lavished  all  away,  and  had  nothing  left 
him  but  rags. 

Then  said  Christian  to  the  Interpreter,  Ex- 
pound this  matter  more  fully  to  me. 

So  he  said,  These  two  lads  are  figures : Pas- 
sion, of  the  men  of  this  world;  and  Patience, 
of  the  men  of  that  which  is  to  .come.  For  as 
here  thou  seest  Passion  will  have  all  now  this 
year,  that  is  to  say,  in  this  world ; so  are  the 
men  of  this  world,  they  must  have  all  their 
good  things  now,  they  cannot  stay  till  next 
year — that  is,  until  the  next  world,  for  their 
portion  of  good.  That  proverb,  “A  bird  in 
the  hand  is  worth  two  in  the  bush,”  is  of  more 
authority  with  them  than  are  all  the  divine 
testimonies  of  the  good  of  the  w'orld  to  come. 
But  as  thou  saw'est  that  he  had  quickly  lavished 
all  away,  and  had  presently  left  him  nothing 
but  rags ; so  will  it  be  with  all  such  men  at  the 
end  of  this  world. f 

Then  said  Christian,  Now  I see  that  Patience 
has  the  best  wisdom,  and  that  upon  many  ac- 
counts : — because  he  stays  for  the  best  things ; 
and  also  because  he  will  have  the  glory  of  his 
when  the  ether  has  nothing  but  rags. 

Interpreter.  Nay,  you  may  add  another,  to 
wit — the  glory  of  the  next  world  will  never 
wear  out,  but  these  are  suddenly  gone.  There- 
fore Passion  had  not  so  much  reason  to  laugh 
at  Patience  because  he  had  his  good  things 
first,  as  Patience  will  have  to  laugh  at  Passion 
because  he  had  his  best  things  last;  for  first 
must  give  place  to  last,  because  last  must  have 

Gospel  come  to  you  with  its  reviving,  comforting, 
sanctifying  influence?  Has  it  made  Christ’s  blood. 
and  righteousness  precious  to  your  soul,  and  given 
you  the  victory  of  faith  over  the  law,  sin,  and  death? 
If  so,  go  on  your  way  rejoicing. 

j-  Carnal  men  seek  nothing  more  than  the  gratifica- 
tion of  their  senses;  their  end  will  be  the  loss  of  all 
things  and  the  destruction  of  their  own  souls.  But 
the  just  live  by  faith  on  Jesus,  and  in  hope  of  joys  to 
come;  their  end  will  be  glorious;  for  they  shall  re- 
ceive the  end  of  their  faith,  the  salvation  of  their 
souls,  and  the  everlasting  enjoyment  of  Christ  in 
glory. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


101 


its  time  to  come;  but  last  gives  place  to  noth- 
ing, for  there  is  not  another  to  succeed:  he, 
therefore,  that  hath  his  portion  first  must  needs 
have  a time  to  spend  it;  but  he  that  has  his 
portion  last  must  have  it  lastingly;  therefore  it 
is  said  of  Dives,  “In  thy  lifetime  thou  receiv- 
edst  thy  good  things,  and  likewise  Lazarus 
evil  things ; but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou 
art  tormented.”  Luke  xiv.  19,  31. 

Christian.  Then  I perceive  it  is  not  best  to 
covet  things  that  are  now,  but  to  wait  for 
things  to  come. 

Interpreter.  You  say  truth  ; “ For  the  things 
that  are  seen  are  temporal;  but  the  things  that 
are  not  seen  are  eternal,”  (2  Cor.  iv.  18;)  but, 
though  this  be  so,  yet  since  things  present  and 
our  fleshly  appetite  are  such  near  neighbours 
one  to  another;  and  again,  because  things  to 
come  and  carnal  sense  arc  such  strangers  one 
to  another;  therefore  it  is  that  the  first  of  these 
so  suddenly  fall  into  amity,  and  that  distance  is 
so  continually  between  the  second.* 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream  that  the  Interpre- 
ter took  Christian  by  the  hand,  and  led  him 
into  a place  where  was  a fire  burning  against  a 
wall,  and  one  standing  by  it  always  casting 
much  water  upon  it  to  quench  it;  yet  did  the 
fire  burn  higher  and  hotter. 

Then  said  Christian,  What  means  this? 

The  Interpreter  answered,  This  fire  is  the 
work  of  grace  that  is  wrought  in  the  heart;  he 
that  casts  water  upon  it  to  extinguish  and  put 
it  out,  is  the  Devil ; but  in  that  thou  seest  the 
fire  notwithstanding  burn  higher  and  hotter, 
thou  shalt  also  see  the  reason  of  that.  So  he 
had  him  about  to  the  back  side  of  the  wall, 
where  he  saw  a man  with  a vessel  of  oil  in  his 
hand,  of  which  he  did  also  continually  cast, 
but  secretly,  into  the  fire. 

Then  said  Christian,  What  means  this? 

The  Interpreter  answered,  This  is  Christ, 
wdio  continually  with  the  oil  of  his  grace  main- 
tains the  work  already  begun  in  the  heart;  by 
the  means  of  which,  notwithstanding  what  the 
Devil  can  do,  the  souls  of  his  people  prove  gra- 

*  Here  see  the  preciousness  and  glory  of  faith;  it 
causeth  the  soul  to  make  a proper  estimate,  and  set  a 
due  value  on  things  ; it  pierceth  through  the  objects 
of  time  and  sense,  and  fixes  upon  glory  and  eternity. 
This  is  the  proper  character  of  every  heaven-born 
soul;  the  just  shall  live  by  faith.  Hob.  ii.  4.  This  is 
a life  of  heaven  upon  earth. 

f It  is  plain  Mr.  banyan  did  not  ascribe  that  glory 
to  the  work  and  power  of  the  creature,  which  is  duo 
solely  to  the  Lord,  who  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the 
First  and  the  Last,  the  Beginner,  the  Carrier  on,  aud 


cious  still.  2 Cor.  xii.  9.  And  in  that  thou 
sawest  that  the  man  stood  behind  the  wall  to 
maintain  the  fire;  this  is  to  teach  thee  that  it 
is  hard  for  the  tempted  to  see  how  this  work 
of  grace  is  maintained  in  the  soul.f 

I saw  also,  that  the  Interpreter  took  him 
again  by  the  hand,  and  led  him  into  a pleasant 
place,  where  was  builded  a stately  palace, 
beautiful  to  behold;  at  the  sight  of  which 
Christian  was  greatly  delighted ; he  saw  also 
upon  the  top  thereof  certain  persons  walking, 
who  were  clothed  all  in  gold. 

Then  said  Christian,  May  we  go  in  thither? 

Then  the  Interpreter  took  him,  and  led  him 
up  towards  the  door  of  the  palace ; and  be- 
hold, at  the  door  stood  a great  company  of 
men,  as  desirous  to  go  in,  but  durst  not.  There 
also  sat  a man  at  a little  distance  from  the 
door,  at  a table  side,  with  a book  and  liis  ink- 
horn  before  him,  to  take  the  name  of  him  that 
should  enter  therein  ; he  saw  also  that  in  the 
doorway  stood  many  men  in  armour  to  keep 
it,  being  resolved  to  do  to  the  men  that  would 
enter  what  hurt  and  mischief  they  could.  Now 
was  Christian  somewhat  in  amaze ; at  last, 
when  every  man  started  back  for  fear  of  the 
armed  men,  Christian  saw  a man  of  a very 
stout  countenance  come  up  to  the  man  that 
sat  there,  saying,  “Set  down  my  name,  sir;’ 
the  which  when  he  had  done,  he  saw  the  man 
draw  liis  sword,  and  put  an  helmet  upon  his 
head,  and  rush  toward  the  door  upon  the 
armed  men,  who  laid  upon  him  with  deadly 
force ; but  the  man  was  not  at  all  discouraged, 
but  fell  to  cutting  and  hacking  most  fiercely. 
So  after  he  had  J received  and  given  many 
wounds  to  those  that  attempted  to  keep  him 
out,  he  cut  his  way  through  them  all  and 
pressed  forward  into  the  palace;  at  which 
there  was  a pleasant  voice  heard  from  those 
that  were  within,  even  of  those  that  walked 
upon  the  top  of  the  palace,  saying, 

“ Come  in,  come  in  ; 

Eternal  glory  thou  shalt  win.” 

So  lie  went  in,  and  was  clothed  with  such  gar- 


Finisker  of  his  work  in  sinners'  hearts;  and  never  can 
his  work  be  extinguished  there,  till  Satan's  water  is 
more  powerful  to  quench,  than  Christ’s  oil  and  graeo 
arc  to  keep  the  fire  burning.  The  instruction  espe- 
cially inculcated  by  this  emblem  is  an  entire  reliance 
on  the  secret  but  powerful  influence  of  divine  grace, 
to  maintain  and  carry  on  the  sanctifying  work  that 
has  been  begun  in  the  soul. 

J We  must  through  much  tribulation  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Acts  xiv.  22. 


102 


JDUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


meats  as  tliey.  Then  Christian  smiled,  and  said, 
I think  verily  I know  the  meaning  of  this.* 
Now,  said  Christian,  let  me  go  hence.  Nay, 
stay,  said  the  Interpreter,  till  I have  showed 
thee  a little  more,  and  after  that  thou  shalt  go 
on  thy  way.  So  he  took  him  by  the  hand 
again,  and  led  him  into  a very  dark  room, 
where  there  sat  a man  in  an  iron  cage. 

Now  the  man  to  look  on,  seemed  very  sad. 
• He  sat  with  his  eyes  looking  down  to  the 
ground,  his  hands  folded  together,  and  he 
sighed  as  if  he  would  break  his  heart.  Then 
said  Christian,  What  means  this  ? At  which 
the  Interpreter  bid  him  talk  with  the  man.f 
Then,  said  Christian  to  the  man,  What  art 
thou?  The  man  answered,  I am  what  I was 
not  once. 

Christian.  What  wert  thou  once? 

The  man  said,t  I was  once  a fair  and  flou- 
rishing professor,  both  in  mine  own  eyes,  and 
also  in  the  eyes  of  others ; I once  was,  as  I 
thought,  fair  for  the  Celestial  City,  (Luke  viii. 
13,)  and  had  then  even  joy  at  the  thoughts 
that  I should  get  thither.  || 

Christian ."  Well,  but  what  art  thou  now? 
Man.  I am  now  a man  of  despair,  and  am 
shut  up  in  it  as  in  this  iron  cage.  I cannot 
get  out;  oh  now  I cannot.§ 

Christian.  But  how  earnest  thou  in  this  con- 
dition ? 

Man.  I left  off  to  watch  and  be  sober ; I laid 
the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  my  lusts ; I sinned 
against  the  light  of  the  word,  and  the  goodness 
of  God ; I have  grieved  the  Spirit,  and  he  is 
gone ; I tempted  the  Devil,  and  he  is  come  to 
me ; I have  provoked  God  to  anger,  and  he  has 
left  me ; I have  so  hardened  my  heart  that  I 
cannot  repent.  If 


® Such  is  the  spirit  and  disposition  of  a soul  who  is 
determined  to  win  Christ,  and  to  enjoy  the  kingdom 
of  glory.  In  spite  of  all  opposition  he  resolutely 
forces  his  way,  and  presses  towards  the  mark  for  the 
prize  of  his  high  calling  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ, 
l’hil.  iii.  Id.  He  is  not  content  with  a few  lazy  wishes, 
or  languid  hopes;  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  suf- 
fereth  violence  and  the  violent  take  it  by  force.  Matt, 
xi.  12. 

j The  Holy  Spirit  would  have  us  take  warning  by 
the  sad  examples  of  others.  Hence  he  sets  before  us 
in  the  Scripture,  the  dreadful  things  which  have  fallen 
professors,  that  we  may  see  our  danger,  be  humble, 
and  watchful,  and  pray  to  the  Lord  to  keep  us  from 
falling  away. 

J Most  dreadful  change ! Think  of  it  with  trem- 
bling; thou  standest  by  faith;  be  not  high-minded, 
but  fear. 

||  Soaring  professors,  beware.  Sec  how  far  this 


Then  said  Christian  to  the  Interpreter,  Bui 
is  there  no  hope  for  such  a man  as  this  ? Ask 
him,  said  the  Interpreter. 

Then  said  Christian,  Is  there  no  hope  but 
you  must  be  kept  in  the  iron  cage  of  despair? 

Man.  No,  none  at  all. 

Christian.  Why  ? The  son  of  the  Blessed  is 
very  pitiful. 

Man.  I have  crucified  him  to  myself  afresh  ; 
I have  despised  his  person,  I have  despised  his 
righteousness,  I have  counted  his  blood  an  un- 
holy thing.  I have  done  despite  to  the  Spirit 
of  grace,  (Luke  xix.  14;  Heb.  vi.  4,  6;  x.  28, 
29 ;)  therefore  I have  shut  myself  out  of  all  the 
promises,  and  there  now  remains  to  me  noth- 
ing but  threatenings,  dreadful  threatenings, 
fearful  threatenings,  of  certain  judgment  and 
fiery  indignation  which  shall  devour  me  as  an 
adversary.** 

Christian.  For  what  did  you  bring  yourself 
into  this  condition  ? 

Man.  For  the  lusts,  pleasures,  and  profits  of 
this  world ; in  the  enjoyment  of  which  I did 
then  promise  myself  much  delight ; but  now 
every  one  of  those  things  also  bite  me  and 
gnaw  me  like  a burning  worm. 

Christian.  But  canst  thou  not  repent  and 
turn  ? 

Man.  God  hath  denied  me  repentance.  Flis 
word  gives  me  no  encouragement  to  believe; 
yea,  himself  hath  shut  me  up  in  this  iron  cage; 
nor  can  all  the  men  in  the  world  let  me  out. 
0 eternity ! eternity  ! how  shall  I grapple  with 
the  misery  that  I must  meet  with  in  eternity  ? 

Then  said  the  Interpreter  to  Christian,  Let 
this  man’s  misery  be  remembered  by  thee,  and 
be  an  everlasting  caution  to  thee. 

Well,  said  Christian,  this  is  fearful!  God 


man  went;  see  what  he  thought  of  himself;  see  what 
others  thought  of  him  ; yea,  he  felt  great  joy  in  him- 
self at  the  thoughts  of  getting  to  heaven;  but  yet 
through  unfaithfulness  despair  seized  on  him.  “ Let 
us  watch  and  be  sober.”  1 Thess.  v.  G. 

$ A more  dreadful  state  on  this  side  of  hell  cannot  be. 

If  An  awful  warning,  to  professors.  Oh  take  heed  of 
trifling  with  the  God  of  truth,  and  the  truths  of  God! 
he  is  a jealous  God  ! jealous  of  his  honour  and  glory. 
Yea,  our  God  is  a consuming  fire.  Heb.  xii.  29. 

It  is  exceeding  difficult  to  draw  the  lino  here,  so 
as  not  to  encourage  in  sin,  or  not  discourage  broken- 
hearted sinners  from  entertaining  hope  in  Christ. 
Many  have  written  the  same  bitter  things  against 
themselves  as  here,  but  to  whom  they  have  in  nowise 
belonged.  A sight  of  sin;  a sense  of  sin,  and  sorrow 
for  sin,  with  a desire  to  be  saved  by  Jesus  from  all 
sin,  as  rvell  as  from  wrath,  do  really  bespeak  the  work- 
ings of  the  grace  of  Christ  in  the  heart. 


T1IE  riLGRIWS  progress: 


103 


help  me  to  watch  anil  be  sober,  and  to  pray 
that  I may  shun  the  cause  of  this  man’s  misery.* 
Hir,  is  it  not  time  for  me  to  go  on  my  way  now?f 

Interpreter.  Tarry,  till  I shall  show  thee  one 
thing  more,  and  then  thou  shalt  go  on  thy  way. 

So  he  took  Christian  by  the  hand  again,  and 
led  him  into  a chamber  where  there  was  one 
rising  out  of  bed ; and  as  he  put  on  his  raiment 
he  shook  and  trembled.  Then  said  Christian, 
Why  doth  this  man  thus  tremble?  The  In- 
terpreter then  bid  him  tell  to  Christian  the 
reason  of  his  so  doing.  So  he  began  and  said, 
This  night  as  I was  in  my  sleep  I dreamed, 
and,  behold  the  heavens  grew  exceeding  black ; 
also  it  thundered  and  lightened  in  most  fear- 
ful wise,  that  it  put  me  into  an  agony ; so  I 
looked  up  in  my  dream,  and  saw  the  clouds 
rack  at  an  unusual  rate;  upon  which  I heard  a 
great  sound  of  a trumpet,  and  saw  also  a man 
sit  upon  a cloud,  attended  with  the  thousands 
of  heaven;  they  were  all  in  flaming  fire,  also 
the  heavens  were  on  a burning  flame.  I heard 
then  a voice  saying,  “Arise,  ye  dead,  and  come 
to  judgment;”  and  with  that  the  rocks  rent, 
the  graves  opened,  and  the  dead  that  were 
therein  came  forth,  (John  v.  28,  29;  1 Cor.  xv. 
51,  58 ; 2 Thess.  i.  7,  10 ; Jude  14,  15 ; Rev.  xx. 
11,  15;)  some  of  them  were  exceeding  glad, 
and  looked  upwards : and  some  sought  to  hide 
themselves  under  the  mountains,  (Ps.  ii.  1,  3, 
22;  Isa.  xxvi.  20,  21 ; Mic.  vii.  1(5,  17 ;)  then  I 
saw  the  man  that  sat  upon  the  cloud  open  the 
book  and  bid  the  world  draw  near.  Yet  there 
was,  by  reason  of  a fierce  flame  which  issued 
out  and  came  before  him,  a convenient  dis- 
tance between  him  and  them,  as  betwixt  the 
judge  and  the  prisoners  at  the  bar.  Dan.  vii.  9, 
10;  Mai.  iii.  2,  3.  I heard  it  also  proclaimed 
to  them  that  attended  on  the  man  that  sat  on 
the  cloud,  “Gather  together  the  tares,  the 
chaff,  and  stubble,  and  cast  them  into  the 
burning  lake;”  and  with  that  the  bottomless 
pit  opened  just  whereabout  I stood;  out  of  the 

’ * Reader,  thou  hast  constant  need  to  put  up  this 
prayer  for  thyself.  Thou  art  in  a body  of  sin,  hast  a 
most  deceitful  and  desperately  wicked  heart,  and 
art  exposed  to  the  world’s  snares,  and  Satan’s  de- 
vices.. 

f Why  in  such  haste,  Christian?  Poor  soul,  he  had 
yet  got  the  burden  of  his  sins  upon  his  back;  this 
urged  his  speed.  Ho  wanted  to  get  to  the  cross,  to  be 
delivered  of  his  burden  ; but  the  Spirit  had  many  things 
to  show  him  first,  which  would  be  profitable  to  him 


mouth  of  which  there  came  in  an  abundant 
manner,  smoke,  and  coals  of  fire,  with  hideous 
noises.  It  was  also  said  to  the  same  persons, 

“ Gather  my  wheat  into  the  garner.”  Mai.  iv. 

I;  Matt.  iii.  12;  xiii.  80;  Luke  iii.  17.  And 
with  that  I saw  many  catched  up  and  carried 
away  in  the  clouds,  (1  Thess.  iv.  13,  18,)  but  I 
was  left  behind.  I also  sought  to  hide  myself, 
but  I could  not,  for  the  man  that  sat  Upon  the 
cloud  still  kept  his  eye  upon  me ; my  sins  also 
came  in  my  mind,  and  my  conscience  did  ac- 
cuse me  on  every  side.  Horn.  ii.  14,  15.  Upon 
this  I awaked  from  my  sleep. 

Christian.  But  what  was  it  that  made  you  so 
afraid  of  this  sight? 

Man.  Why  I thought  that  the  day  of  judg- 
ment was  come,  and  that  I was  not  ready  for 
it ; but  this  frighted  me  most,  that  the  angels 
gathered  up  several  and  left  me  behind;  also 
the  pit  of  hell  opened  her  mouth  just  where  I 
stood.  My  conscience  too  afflicted  me  and, 
as  I thought,  the  judge  had  always  his  eye 
upon  me,  showing  indignation  in  his  counte- 
nance. 

Then  said  the  Interpreter  to  Christian,  Hast 
thou  considered  all  these  things? 

Christian.  Yes;  and  they  put  me  in  hope 
and  fear.  || 

Interpreter.  Well,  keep  all  things  so  in  thy 
mind  that  they  may  be  as  a goad-  in  thy  sides, 
to  prick  thee  forward  in  the  way  thou  must  go. 
Then  Christian  began  to  gird  up  his  loins,  and 
to  address  himself  to  his  journey.  Then  said 
the  Interpreter,  The  Comforter  be  always  with 
thee,  good  Christian,  to  guide  thee  in  the  way 
that  leads  to  the  city.  So  Christian  went  on 
his  way,  saying: 

“ Here  I have  seen  things  rare  and  profitable; 

Things  pleasant,  dreadful,  things  to  make  me  stable 

In  what  I have  begun  to  take  in  hand; 

Then  let  me  think  on  them  and  understand 

Wherefore  they  showed  me  were;  and  let  me  bo 

Thankful,  0 good  Interpreter,  to  thee.” 

hereafter.  “ He  who  believeth  shall  not  make  haste.” 
Isa.  xxviii.  16. 

| Natural  men’s  consciences  are  often  alarmed  and 
terrified,  when  there  are  no  spiritual  convictions.;  but 
such  fears  and  terrors  soon  wear  away,  and  do  not 
generally  issue  in  conversion. 

||  Where  there  is  a Gospel  hope,  there  will  be  a 
godly  fear;  both  arc  necessary;  both  are  the  graces 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Fear  makes  us  cautious;  hope  f 
animates  us. 


104 


£ UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


CHAPTER  YI. 

Christian  loses  his  burden  at  the.  cross. 


Now  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  the  highway, 
up  which  Christian  was  to  go,  was  fenced  on 
either  side  with  a wall,  and  that  wall  was  call- 
ed Salvation.  Isa.  xxvi.  1.  Up  this  way  there- 
fore did  burdened  Christian  run,  but  not  with- 
out great  difficulty,  because  of  the  load  on  his 
back.* 

He  ran  thus  till  he  came  at  a place  somewhat 
ascending,  and  upon  that  place  stood  a Cross 
and  a little  below,  in  the  bottom,  a Sepulchre. 
So  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  just  as  Christian 
came  up  with  the  cross,  his  burden  loosed  from 
off  his  shoulder,  and  fell  from  off  his  back,  and 
began  to  tumble,  and  so  continued  to  do  till  it 
came  to  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchre,  where  it 
fell  in,  and  I saw  it  no  more.f 

Then  was  Christian  glad  and  lightsome,  and 
said  with  a merry  heart,  “ He  hath  given  me 
rest  by  his  sorrow,  and  life  by  his  death.” 
Then  he  stood  still  awhile  to  look  and  wonder ; 
for  it  was  very  surprising  to  him,  that  the  sight 
of  the  cross  should  thus  ease  him  of  his  bur- 
den. He  looked,  therefore,  and  looked  again, 

* Our  uphill  difficulty  is  the  way  to  the  greatest 
comforts.  Burdens  are  more  felt  when  comforts  are 
near  at  hand. 

j-  Christian  had  faith ; he  believed  that  there  was 
redemption  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  even  forgiveness 
of  sins,  before  he  came  up  to  the  cross,  but  now  he  finds 
and  feels  the  comfort  of  it:  He  has  now  the  joy  of 
faith,  the  guilt  of  his  sins  is  taken  off  his  conscience, 
and  he  is  filled  with  joy  and  peace  in  believing.  You 
who  believe  Christ  to  be  the  only  Saviour,  go  on  be- 
lieving till  you  experience  the  comfort  of  knowing 
that  he  is  your  Saviour,  and  feel  pardon  in  his  blood; 
for  when  God  releases  us  of  our  guilt  and  burden,  we 
are  as  those  that  leap  for  joy;  but  you  cannot  have 
this  till  you  come  to  the  cross,  and  rest  all  your  hopes 
upon  it. 

J Here  is  the  love  and  grace  of  God  the  Father,  God 
the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost.  Pray  mind;  when 
God  pardons  the  sinner  through  the  blood  of  Christ, 
he  also  clothes  him  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
Those  who  deny  Christ’s  righteousness,  never  saw  the 
purity  of  the  law,  their  own  nakedness,  nor  abhorred 


eveu  till  tlie  springs  that  were  in  his  head  sent 
the  waters  down  his  cheeks.  Zech.  xii.  10. 
Now  as  he  stood  looking  and  weeping,  behold 
three  shining  ones  came  to  him,  and  saluted 
him  with,  “ Peace  be  to  thee so  the  first  said 
to  him,  “ Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,”  (Mark  ii. 
5;)  the  second  stripped  him  of  his  rags  and 
clothed  him  with  a change  of  raiment;  the 
third  also  set  a mark  J on  his  forehead,  and 
gave  him  a roll  with  a seal  upon  it,  (Zech.  iii. 
4;  Eph.  i.  13,)  which  he  bid  him  look  on  as 
he  ran,  and  that  he  should  give  it  in  at  the 
celestial  gate ; so  they  went  their  way.  Then 
Christian  gave  three  lpaps  for  joy,  and  went  ou 
singing : 

“ Thus  far  did  I come  laden  with  my  sin, 

Nor  could  aught  ease  the  grief  that  I was  in, 

Till  I came  hither ; what  a place  is  this  ! 

Must  here  be  the  beginning  of  my  bliss? 

Must  here  the  burden  fall  from 'off  my  back  ? 

Must  here  the  strings  that  bind  it  to  me  crack? 
Blest  cross  ! blest  sepulchre  ! blest  rather  be 
The  Man  that  there  was  put  to  shame  for  me !” 

the  filthy  rags  of  their  own  righteousness.  The 
author’s  uniform  doctrine  sufficiently'  shows,  that  he 
considered  spiritual  apprehensions  of  the  nature  of 
the  atonement  as  the  only  source  of  genuine  peace 
and  comfort.  And  as  the  “mark  in  the  forehead” 
plainly  signifies  the  renewal  of  the  soul  to  holiness, 
so  that  the  mind  of  Christ  may  appear  in  the  outward 
conduct,  connected  with  an  open  profession  of  faith, 
while  the  roll  with  a seal  upon  it,  denotes  such  an  as- 
surance of  acceptance,  as  appears  most  clear  and  sat- 
isfactory, when  the  believer  most  attentively  compares 
his  views,  experiences,  desires,  and  purposes,  with  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  so  he  could  not  possibly'  intend  to  as- 
cribe such  effects  to  any  other  agent  than  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who,  by  enabling  a man  to  exercise  all  filial 
affections  towards  God  in  an  enlarged  degree,  as  the 
“ Spirit  of  adoption  bears  witness  ” with  his  conscience 
that  God  is  reconciled  to  him,  having  pardoned  all  his 
sins;  that  lie  is  justified  by  faith,  through  the  blood, 
of  Christ;  and  that  he  is  a child  of  God,  and  an  heir 
of  heaven.  These  things  are  clear  and  intelligible  to 
those  who  have  experienced  this  happy  change. 


THE  IT  LG  III  M'S  PROGRESS. 


105 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Christian  finds  Simple,  Sloth,  and  Presumption,  fast  asleep — is  despised  by  Formalist  and 
Hypocrisy — ascends  the  hill  Difficulty — loses  his  roll,  and  finds  it  again. 


I saw  then  in  my  dream,  that  he  went  on 
thus  even  until  he  came  at  the  bottom,  where 
he  saw,  a little  out  of  the  way,  three  men  fast 
asleep,  with  fetters  upon  their  heels.  The 
name  of  the  one  was  Simple,  another  Sloth, 
and  the  third  Presumption.* 

Christian  then  seeing  them  lie  in  this  case 
went  to  them,  if  peradventure  he  might  awake 
them ; and  cried,  You  are  like  to  them  that 
sleep  on  the  top  of  a mast,  (Prov.  xxiii.  34,) 
for  the  dead  sea  is  under  you,  a gulf  that  hath 
no  bottom  ; awake,  therefore,  and  come  away ; 
he  willing  also  and  I will  help  you  off  with 
your  irons,  lie  also  told  them,  If  he  that 
goeth  about  like  a roaring  lion  comes  by,  you 
will  certainly  become  a prey  to  his  teeth.  1 
Pet.  v.  8.  With  that  they  looked  upon  him, 
and  began  to  reply  in  this  sort : Simple  f said, 
“I  see  no  danger;”  Sloth  said,  “Yet  a little 
more  sleop and  Presumption  said,  “ Every 
tub  must  stand  upon  its  own  bottom.”  And 
so  they  laid  down  to  sleep  again,  and  Christian 
went  on  his  way. 

Yet  was  he  troubled  to  think  that  men  in 
that  danger  should  so  little  esteem  the  kind- 
ness of  him  that  so  freely  offered  to  help  them, 
both  by  the  awakening  of  them,  counselling 
of  them,  and  proffering  to  help  them  off  with 
their  irons.:);  And  as  he  was  troubled  there- 
about, he  spied  two  men  come  tumbling  over 
the  wall  on  the  left  hand  of  the  narrow  way ; 
and  they  made  up  apace  to  him.  The  name 
of  the  one  was  Formalist,  and  the  name  of  the 
other  Hypocrisy.  So  as  I said,  they  drew  up 
unto  him,  who  thus  entered  with  them  into 
discourse. 

Christian.  Gentlemen,  whence  come  you, 
and  whither  go  you? 

Formalist  and  Hypocrisy.  We  were  born  in 
the  land  of  Vain-Glory,  and  are  going  for 
praise  to  Mount  Zion. 

* The  Lord  shows  us  the  misery  and  danger  of  other 
professors,  to  give  us  warnings  by  the  way,  and  to  stil- 
us up  to  watchfulness. 

f There  is  no  persuasion  will  do,  if  God  openeth  not 
the  eyes.  Remember  all  is  of  grace.  It  is  God's 
grace  that  quickens,  enlightens,  converts,  justifies, 
preserves,  sanctifies,  and  glorifies.  Well  may  pilgrims 
sing  every  step : 

Oh  to  graoo  what  mighty  debtors, 

Daily,  hourly,  Lord,  are  wo  1 


Christian.  Why  came  yon  not  in  at  the  gate 
which  standeth  at  the  beginning  of  the  way? 
Know  you  not  that  it  is  written,  “He  that 
cometh  not  in  by  the  door,  but  climbeth  up 
some  other  way,  the  same  is  a thief  and  a 
robber?”  John  x.  1. 

They  said,  that  to  go  to  the  gate  for  entrance 
was  by  all  their  countrymen  counted  too  far 
about;  and  that,  therefore,  their  usual  way 
was  to  make  a short  cut  of  it,  and  to  climb 
over  the  wall,  as  they  had  done. 

Christian.  But  will  it  not  be  counted  a tres- 
pass against  the  Lord  of  the  city  whither 
we  arc  bound,  thus  to  violate  his  revealed 
will? 

They  told  liim,||  that,  as  for  that,  he  needed 
not  trouble  his  head  thereabout ; for  what  they 
did,  they  had  custom  for:  and  could  produce, 
if  need  were,  testimony  that  would  witness  it 
for  more  than  a thousand  years. 

But,  said  Christian,  will  your  practice  stand 
a trial  at  law? 

They  told  him,  that  custom,  it  being  of  so 
long  standing  as  above  a thousand  years, 
would  doubtless  now  be  admitted  as  a thing 
legal  by  an  impartial  judge,  and  besides,  say 
they,  if  we  get  into  the  way,  what’s  the  matter 
which  way  we  get  in?  If  we  are  in,  we  are 
in : thou  art  but  in  the  way,  who,  as  we  per- 
ceive, came  in  at  the  gate;  and  we  are  also  in 
the  way,  that  came  tumbling  over  the  wall: 
wherein  now  is  thy  condition  better  than 
ours? 

Christian.  I walk  by  the  rule  of  my  Master, 
you  walk  by  the  rude  working  of  your  fancies. 
You  are  counted  thieves  already  by  the  Lord 
of  the  way,  therefore  I doubt  you  will  not  be 
found  true  men  at  the  end  of  the  way.  You 
came  in  by  yourselves  without  his  direction, 
and  shall  go  out  by  yourselves  without  ms 
mercy. § 

J A Christian  spirit  feels  for  others'  dangers,  and 
aims  and  strives  to  be  profitable  to  them. 

|j  They  that  come  into  the  way,  but  not  by  the  door, 
think  that  they  can  say  something  in  vindication  of 
their  own  practice. 

§ Here  is  the  essential  difference  between  a real 
Christian  and  formal  hypocrites : he  takes  the  word 
of  God  for  the  warrant  of  his  faith,  and  the  rule  of 
his  conduct,  which  they  reject;  for  they  are  left  under 
the  power  of  their  natural  will  and  carnal  reason,  and 


( 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


106 

To  tliis  they  made  hut  little  answer;  only 
they  bid  him  look  to  himself.  Then  I saw 
that  they  went  on,  every  man  in  his  way, 
without  much  conference  one  with  another; 
gave  that  these  two  men  told  Christian,  that, 
as  to  laws  and  ordinances,  they  doubted  not  but 
that  they  should  as  conscientiously  do  them  as 
he;  therefore,  said  they,  we  see  not  wherein 
thou  differest  from  us,  but  by  the  coat  that  is 
on  thy  back,  which  was,  as  we  trow,  given  thee 
by  some  of  thy  neighbours,  to  hide  the  shame 
of  thy  nakedness.* 

Christian.  By  laws  and  ordinances  you  will 
not  be  saved,  (Gal.  ii.  16,)  since  you  came  not 
in  by  the  door.  Aiid  as  for  this  coat  that  is 
on  my  back,  it  was  given  me.  by  the  Lord  of 
the  place  whither, I go;  and  that  as  you  say, 
to  cover  my  nakedness  with.  And  I take  it  as 
a token  of  kindness  to  me;  for  I had  nothing 
but  rags  before:  and  besides,  thus  I comfort 
myself  as  I go;  surely,  think  I,  when  I come 
to  the  gate  of  the  city,  the  Lord  thereof  will 
know  me  for  good,  since  I have  his  coat  on  my 
back ! a coat  that  he  gave  me  freely  in  the  day 
that  he  stripped  me  of  my  rags.  I have,  more- 
over, a mark  in  my  forehead,  of  which  per- 
haps you  have  taken  no  notice,  which  one 
of  my  Lord’s  most  intimate  associates  fixed 
there  in  the  day  that  my  burden  fell  off  my 
shoulders.  I will  tell  to  you,  moreover,  that  I 
had  then  given  me  a roll  sealed,  to  comfort  me 
by  reading  as  I go  on  the  way ; I was  also  bid 
to  give  it  in  at  the  celestial  gate,  in  token  of 
my  certain  going  in  after  it;  all  which  things 
I doubt  you  want,  and  want  them  because  you 
came  not  in  at  the  gate.f 

To  these  things  they  gave  him  no  answer ; 
only  they  looked  upon  each  other  and  laughed.  J 
Then  I saw  that  they  went  on  all,  save  that 

lienee  they  brave  it  out  for  a season,  with  vain  hopes 
and  confidences. 

The  glorious  robe  of  Christ’s  righteousness,  which 
is  put  upon  every  believer,  is  sneered  at  and  held  in 
contempt  by  formal  professors  who  see  not  their  naked- 
ness and  want  of  covering. 

•f  Where  there  is  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  and  the 
seal  of  the  Spirit,  that  soul  will  also  glory  in  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ;  for  this  is  the  joy  of  faith,  that 
Christ  is  the  Lord  our  righteousness.  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  In 
vain  do  men  talk  of  inward  joy,  who  reject  the  cloth- 
ing of  Christ’s  righteousness. 

J Vain-glorious  fools  laugh  at  Christ’s  humble  pil- 
grims. 

IjWhat!  sighing  already,  and  just  pardoned?  One 
should  expect  that  he  was  all  joy;  nothing  but  joy. 
Oh  these  are  sighs  of  love,  which  strangers  to  spiritual 
joy  know  nothing  of. 


Christian  kept  before,  who  had  no  more  talk 
but  with  himself,  and  that  sometimes  sigh- 
ingly, ||  and  sometimes  comfortably:  also  he 
would  be  often  reading  in  the  roll  $ that  one 
of  the  shining  ones  gave  him,  by  which  he 
was  refreshed. 

I beheld  then  that  they  all  went  on  till  they 
came  to  the  foot  of  the  hill  Difficulty ; ff  at  the 
bottom  of  which  was  a spring.  There  were 
also  in  the  same  place  two  other  ways  besides 
that  which  came  straight  from  the  gate,  one 
turned  to  the  left  hand  and  the  other  to  the 
right,  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill;  but  the  narrow 
way  lay  right  up  the  hill,  and  the  name  of  the 
way  is  called  Difficulty.  Christian  went  now 
to  the  spring,  and  drank  thereof  to  refresh 
himself,  (Isa.  xlix.  10,)  and  then  began  to  go 
up  the  hill,  saying — 

“ The  hill,  though  high,  I covet  to  ascend. 

The  difficulty  will  not  me  offend ; 

For  I perceive  the  way  to  life  lies  here; 

Come,  pluck  up  heart,  let’s  neither  faint  nor  fear. 

Better,  though  difficult,  the  right  way  to  go, 

Than  wrong,  though  easy,  where  the  end  is  woe.”** 

The  other  two  also  came  to  the  foot  of  the, 
hill ; but  when  they  saw  that  the  hill  was 
steep  and  high,  and  that  there  were  two  other 
ways  to  go ; and  supposing  also  that  these  two 
ways  might  meet  again  with  that  up  which 
Christian  went,  on  the  other  side  of  the  hill, 
therefore  they  were  resolved  to  go  into  those 
ways.  Now  the  name  of  one  of  those  ways 
was  Danger,  and  the  name  of  the  other  De- 
struction. So  the  one  took  the  way  which  is 
called  Danger,  which  did  lead  him  into  a 
great  wood,  and  the  other  took  directly  up  the 
way  to  Destruction,  which  led  him  into  a wide 
field,  full  of  dark  mountains,  where  he  stum- 
bled and  fell,  and  rose  no  more.ft 

$ This  means  the  assurance  which  he  had  from  the 
Spirit,  of  the  free  love,  free  grace,  free  pardon,  free 
justification,  of  Christ  to  his  soul. 

lie  came  to  the  hill  Difficulty  ; a way  unploasing  to 
flesh  and  blood,  which  proves  _and  tries  the  sincerity 
of  our  faith,  and  the  earnestness  of  our  souls,  in  our 
pilgrimage. 

**  Depend  upon  it,  pilgrim,  some  great  blessing  is  at 
hand,  when  thou  hast  some  great  difficulty  to  grapple 
with  and  to  overcome.  The  believer’s  state  on  earth 
is  a state  of  trial : he  must  meet  with  difficulties  to 
prove  his  faith  and  love.  The  hill  Difficulty  repre- 
sents those  circumstances  which  require  self-denial 
and  exertion,  and  may  signify  whatever  in  our  walk 
proves  irksome  to  flesh  and  blood. 

ff  Formalists  and  hypocrites,  astliey  come  easy  into 
the  way  of  profession,  without  any  convictions  of  sin 
to  cause  them  to  fly  to  Christ  the  Wicket-gate,  so  they 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


I looked  then  after  Christian,  to  see  him  go 
up  the  hill,  where  I perceived  he  fell  from  run- 
ning to  going,  and  from  going  to  clambering 
upon  his  hands  and  knees,  because  of  the  steep- 
ness of  the  place.  Now  about  the  midway  to 
the  top  of  the  hill  was  a pleasant  arbour  made 
by  the  Lord  of  the  hill  for  the  refreshing  of 
weary  travellers;  thither,  therefore,  Christian 
got,  where  also  he  sat  down  to  rest  him:  then 
he  pulled  his  roll  out  of  his  bosom,  and  read 
therein  to  his  comfort;  he  also  now  began 
afresh  to  take  a review  of  the  coat  or  garment 
that  was  given  him  as  he  stood  by  the  cross. 
Thus  pleasing  himself  awhile  he  at  last  fell 
into  i slumber,  and  thence  into  a fast  sleep, 
which  detained  him  in  that  place  until  it  was 
almost  night;  and  in  his  sleep  his  roll  fell  out 
of  his  hand.* *  Now  as  he  was  sleeping,  there 
came  one  to  him  and  awaked  him,  saying, 
“ Go  to  the  ant,  thou  sluggard : consider  her 
ways,  and  be  wise.”  Prov.  vi.  6.  And  with 
that  Christian  suddenly  started  up,  and  sped 
him  on  his  way,  and  went  apace  till  he  came 
to  the  top  of  the  hill.f 

Now  when  he  was  got  up  to  the  top  of  the 
hill  there  came  two  men  running  to  meet  him 
amain ; the  name  of  the  one  was  Timorous, 
and  of  the  other  Mistrust  :J  to  whom  Chris- 
tian said,  Sirs,  what  is  the  matter  you  run 
the  wrong  way?  Timorous  answered,  that 
they  were  going  to  the  city  of  Zion,  and  h id 
got  up  that  difficult  place;  but  said  he,  tne 
further  we  go,  the  more  danger  we  meet  with ; 
wherefore  we  turned,  and  are  going  back  again. 

Yes,  said  Mistrust,  for  just  before  us  lies  a 
couple  of  lions  in  the  way,  (whether  sleeping 
or  waking  we  know  not;)  and  we  could  not 


find  the  easiest  path  to  flesh  and  blood,  and  often 
perish  in  the  end. 

* Happy  for  Christian  that  he  did  not  fall  into 
the  dream  of  Antinomian  notions,  so  as  to  sleep  in  a 
false  security  without  his  roll.  The  best  of  bless- 
ings, even  spiritual  comforts  from  the  God  of  grace, 
through  the  infection  of  our  nature,  (if  we  do  not  watch 
and  pray  in  faith,)  are  liable  to  be  abused,  so  as  to 
oause  us  to  sleep  when  we  should  be  active  and  dili- 
gent in  running  the  heavenly  race,  looking  unto  Jesus. 

t The  Lord  lovos  his  people,  nor  will  he  suffer  them 
tc  sleep  the  sleep  of  death ; he  will,  on  their  stirring 
up  his  gift  within  them,  shine  upou,  and  revive  his 
gracious  work. 

t Timorous  and  Mistrust  are  great  enemies  to  the 
Christian’s  faith,  and  bring  up  an  evil  report  of  his 
way.  Listen  not  to  them,  but  look  to  God’s  truth  and 
faithfulness ; rely  on  his  precious  promises,  and  have 
your  feet  shod  with  the  Gospel  of  peace.  Who  or  what 
shall  harm  you  if  ye  be  followers  of  that  which  is  good  ? 


107 

think,  if  we  came  within  reach,  but  they  would 
presently  pull  us  in  pieces. 

Then  said  Christian,  You  make  me  afraid  ; 
but  whither  shall  I flee  to  be  safe?  If  I go 
back  to  my  own  country,  that  is  prepared  for 
fire  and  brimstone,  and  I shall  certainly  perish 
there;  if  I can  get  to  the  Celestial  City,  I am 
sure  to  be  in  safety  there :||  I must  venture: 
to  go  back  is  nothing  but  death  : to  go  forward 
is  fear  of  death,  and  life  everlasting  beyond  it: 
I will  yet  go  forward.  So  Mistrust  and  Timor- 
ous ran  down  the  hill,  and  Christian  went  on 
his  way.  But  thinking  again  of  what  he  had 
heard  from  the  men,  he  felt  in  his  bosom  for 
his  roll,  that  he  might  read  therein  and  be 
comforted ; but  he  felt  and  found  it  not. 
Then  was  Christian  in  great  distress,  and 
knew  not  what  to  do;  for  lie  wanted  that 
which  used  to  relieve  him,  and  that  which 
should  have  been  his  pass  into  the  Celestial 
City.  Here  therefore  he  began  to  be  much 
perplexed, $ and  knew  not  what  to  do.  At 
last  he  bethought  himself  that  he  had  slept  in 
the  arbour  that  is  on  the  side  of  the  hill ; and 
falling  down  upon  his  knees  he  asked  God 
forgiveness  for  that  foolish  act,  and  then  went 
back  to  look  for  his  roll.  But  all  the  way  he 
went  back,  who  can  sufficiently  set  forth  the 
sorrow  of  Christian’s  heart?  Sometimes  he 
sighed,  sometimes  he  wept,  and  oftentimes  he 
chid  himself  for  being  so  foolish  to  fall  asleep 
in  that  place,  which  was  erected  only  for  a 
little  refreshment  for  his  weariness.  Thus, 
therefore,  he  went  back,  carefully  looking  on 
this  side  and  on  that,  all  the  way  as  he  went, 
if  happily  he  might  find  the  roll  that  had  been 
his  comfort  so  many  times  in  his  journey.  He 


I Christian  shakes  off  fear  by  sound  Scripture  rea- 
soning : even  the  reasoning  of  faith,  against  the  fear 
of  the  flesh,  and  lliistrust  or  unbelief.  We  have 
always  a sure  word  of  prophecy,  whereunto  we  shall 
do  well  to  take  heed.  When  dangers  beset,  and  fears 
assault,  remember  whose  ye  are,  and  whom  you  serve; 
look  to  the  way  you  are  in,  and  the  end  of  your  faith, 
even  the  salvation  of  your  soul.  Study  the  word  of  God 
and  obey  it. 

$ He  is  perplexed  for  his  roll : this  is  right.  If  we 
suffer  spiritual  loss,  and  are  easy  and  unconcerned 
about  it,  it  is  a sure  sign  that  we  indulge  carnal 
security  and  vain  confidence.  Many  go  on  so  till 
they  sink  into  a downright  Antinomian  spirit.  Oh 
beware  of  this:  for  many  there  are  who  abhor  the 
name,  yet  have  drunk  into  the  spirit  of  it,  and  hence 
live  and  walk  without  spiritual  communion  with  God 
the  Father,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  rest  con- 
tented without  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  with  their 
spirits,  that  they  are  the  children  of  God. 


108 


B UN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


went  thus  till  lit  came  again  in  sight  of  the 
arbour  where  he  sat  and  slept ; but  that  sight 
renewed  his  sorrow  the  more,  by  bringing  again, 
even  afresh,  his  evil  of  sleeping  into  his  mind.* 
Thus  therefore  he  now  went  on  bewailing  his 
sinful  sleep,  saying,  “ 0 wretched  man  that  I 
am ! that  I should  sleep  in  the  day-time ! 
(1  Thess.  v.  7,  8;  Rev.  ii.  4,  5,)  that  I should 
sleep  in  the  midst  of  difficulty ! that  I should 
so  indulge  the  flesh,  as  to  use  that  rest  for  ease 
to  my  flesh,  which  the  Lord  of  the  hill  hath 
erected  only  for  the  relief  of  the  spirits  of  pil- 
grims ! How  many  steps  have  I took  in  vain! 
Thus  it  happened  to  Israel,  for  their  sin  they 
were  sent  back  again  by  the  way  of  the  Red 
Sea ; and  I am  made  to  tread  those  steps  with 
sorrow,  which  I might  have  trod  with  delight, 
had  it  not  been  for  this  sinful  sleep.  How 
far  might  I have  been  on  my  way  by  this  time ! 
I am  made  to  tread  those  steps  thrice  over, 
which  I needed  to  have  trod  but  once : f yea, 
now  also  I am  like  to  be  benighted,  for 
the  day  is  almost  spent ; oh  that  I had  not  slept ! 

Now  by  this  time  he  was  come  to  the  arbour 
again,  where  for  a while  he  sat  down  and  wept; 
but  at  last,  (as  God  would  have  it,)  looking 
sorrowfully  down  under  the  settle,  there  he 
spied  his  roll;  the  which  he  with  trembling 
and  haste  catched  up  and  put  in  his  bosom. 
But  who  can  tell  how  joyful  this  man  was 

Look  to  your  spirits,  Christians.  See  if  you  have 
not  after-sorrow  for  former  indulgences.  But  it  is  far 
better  to  be  crying,  “0  wretched  man  that  I am,”  than 
to  be  alive  to  carnal  confidences,  and  dead  to  the  desire 
of  spiritual  comforts. 

f Christian’s  perplexity,  fear,  sorrow,  remorse,  re- 
doubled earnestness,  complaints,  and  self-reproach- 
ings,  when  he  missed  his  roll,  and  went  back  to  seek 
it,  exactly  suit  the  experience  of  numbers,  who  through 
unwatchfulness,  are  brought  into  a state  of  uncer- 
tainty. Nothing  can  afford  comfort  to  a mind  that 
has  enjoyed  an  assurance  of  the  favour  of  God,  but 
that  love  which  is  “ better  than  life and  such  is  the 
abundant  mercy  of  Jehovah,  that  he  imparts  light 
and  power  to  the  humble  sou^  who,  by  means  of  ex- 
traordinary diligence,  with  renewed  application  to  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  will  in  time  recover  his  warranted 
confidence  which  he  lost,  and  God  will  “restore  to 
him  the  joy  of  his  salvation;”  but  he  must  as  it  were, 
pass  repeatedly  over  the  same  ground  with  sorrow, 
which  had  it  not  been  for  his  negligence,  he  might 
have  passed  at  once  with  comfort. 

j This  means  a fresh  sense  of  the  love  and  peace  of 
God,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  through  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Mind  with  what  alacrity  and  speed 
Pilgrim  now  pursues  his  journey.  Oh  this  rich  bless- 
ing of  assurance  is  not  enough  prized,  and  too  little 
sought  for  by  professors.  But  how  can  any  be  con- 


when  he  had  gotten  his  roll  again  ? For  this 
roll  was  the  assurance  of  his  life,  and  accept- 
ance at  the  desired  haven.  Therefore  he  laid 
it  up  in  his  bosom,  gave  God  thanks  for  direct- 
ing his  eye  to  the  place  where  it  lay,  and  with 
joy  and  tears  betook  himself  again  to  his  jour- 
ney.J But  oh  how  nimbly  now  did  he  go  up 
the  rest  of  the  hill ! — Yet  before  he  got  up, 
the  sun  went  down  upon  Christian ; and  this 
made  him  again  recall  the  vanity  of  his  sleep- 
ing to  his  remembrance;  and  thus  he  again 
began  to  condole  with  himself ; £‘  0 thou  sin- 
ful sleep ! how  for  thy  sake  am  I like  to  be  be- 
nighted in  my  journey!  I must  walk  without 
the  sun,  darkness  must  cover  the  path  of  my 
feet,  and  I must  hear  the  noise  of  doleful 
creatures,  because  of  my  sinful  sleep!”  Now 
also  he  remembered  the  story  that  Mistrust  and 
Timorous  told  him  of,  how  they  were  fright- 
ened with  the  sight  of  the  lions.  Then  said 
Christian  to  himself  again,  These  beasts  range 
in  the  night  for  their  prey;  and  if  they  should 
meet  with  me  in  the  dark,  how  should  I shift 
them?  how  should  I escape  being  by  them 
torn  in  pieces  ? Thus  he  went  on.  But  while 
he  was  bewailing  his  unhappy  miscarriage,  he 
lifted  up  his  eyes;  and,  behold,  there  was  a 
very  stately  palace  before  him,  the  name  of 
which  was  Beautiful,  ||  and  it  stood  by  the 
highway  side. 

tent  without  it  ? It  is  impossible  for  them  to  be  happy, 
and  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  without  a real,  scriptural 
assurance  of  his  love  and  favour.  It  is  this  which 
adds  wings  to  faith,  liveliness  to  hope,  joy  to  love,  and 
cheerfulness  to  obedience.  Plead  the  precious  prom- 
ises : be  not  content  without  the  enjoyment  of  the 
blessings  contained  in  them.  Says  our  Lord,  “Ask 
and  ye  shall  receive,  that  ycur  joy  may  be  full.” 
John  xvi.  21. 

||  Hitherto  Christian  has  been  a solitary  p'  grim  ; 
but  we  must  next  consider  him  as  admitted  to  the 
communion  of  the  faithful,  and  joining  with  them  in 
the  most  solemn  public  ordinances.  This  is  repre- 
sented under  the  emblem  of  the  House  Beautiful, 
and  the  Pilgrim’s  entertainment  in  it,  as  described  in 
the  subsequent  pages.  Mr.  Bunyan  here  manifests 
much  candour  and  liberality  of  sentiment;  and  his 
representatipns  may  suit  the  admission  of  any  new 
members  into  the  society  of  professed  Christians  in  any 
communion,  where  a serious  regard  to  spiritual  relig- 
ion is  in  this  respect  maintained. 

It  certainly  would  bo  very  desirable,  that  Christian 
societies  should  be  formed  according  to  the  principles 
here  exhibited  ! such  would  indeed  be  very  beautiful, 
honourable  to  God,  conducive  to  mutual  edification, 
and  examples  to  the  world  around  them.  Different 
expedients  have  been  adopted  for  thus  promoting  the 
communion  of  saints;  the  advantages  resulting  there- 


. ' « ■ , ■ -v ; " ; 1 • ' -v  v v ;•  ' ■ • - ■ ■ 

' , - ' 

. 

■ 

• ; , . 

' < ' . . { ' 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


109 


C H A PIE  VIII. 

Christian  safely  passes  the  lions,  and  arrives  at  the  house  called  Beautiful,  where  he  is  kindly 

received,  and  agreeably entertained. 


So  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  he  made  haste 
and  went  forward,  that  if  possible  he  might 
get  lodging  there.  Now  before  he  had  gone 
far  he  entered  into  a very  narrow  passage, 
which  was  about  a furlong  otf  the  Porter’s 
lodge;  and  looking  very  narrowly  before  him 
as  he  went,  ho  spied  two  lions  in  the  way.* * 
Now,  thought  he,  I see  the  danger  that  Mis- 
trust and  Timorous  were  driven  back  by.  (The 
lions  were  chained,  but  he  saw  not  the  chains.) 
Then  he  was  afraid,  and  thought  also  himself 
to  go  back  after  them  ; for  he  thought  nothing 
but  death  was  before  him.  But  the  Porter  at 
the  lodge,  whose  name  is  Watchful,  perceiving 
that  Christian  made  a halt,  as  if  he  would  go 
back,  cried  unto  him,  saying,  “ Is  thy  strength 
so  small?  Mark  iv.  40.  Fear  not  the  lions,  for 
they  are  chained,  and  are  placed  there  for  trial 
of  faith  where  it  is,  and  for  discovery  of  those 
that  have  none;  keep  in  the  midst  of  the  path 
and  no  hurt  shall  come  unto  thee.” 

Then  I saw  that  he  went  on  trembling  for 
fear  of  the  lions;  but  taking  good  heed  to  the 
directions  of  the  Porter,  he  heard  them  roar, 
but  they  did  him  no  harm.  Then  he  clapped 
his  hands,  and  went  on  till  he  came  and  stood 
before  the  gate  where  the  Porter  was.f  Then 
said  Christian  to  the  Porter,  Sir,  what  house  is 
this?  and,  may  I lodge  here  to-night?  The 
Porter  answered,  This  house  was  built  by  the 
Lord  of  the  hill,  and  he  built  it  for  the  relief 
and  security  of  pilgrims.  The  Porter  also  asked 
whence  he  was?  and  whither  he  was  going? 

Christian.  I am  come  from  the  city  of  De- 
struction. and  am  going  to  Mount  Zion : but, 
because  the  sun  is  now  set,  I desire,  if  I may, 
to  lodge  here  to-night. 

fnm  have  been  incalculable;  but  surely  even  more 
might  be  done,  than  is  at  present,  perhaps  any  where, 
wore  all  concerned  to  attempt  it  boldly,  earnestly,  and 
with  united  efforts. 

• The  tv:  lions  may  signify  to  us,  the  roaring  of 
tho  devil  and  the  world  against  us ; but  both  are 
ohained,  they  cannot  go  one  link  beyond  what  our 
God  permits.  Sometimes  we  may  not  see  the  chain, 
and  unscriptural  fears  may  beset  us.  But  this  is  the 
watch-word  of  our  Lord,  FEAR  NOT. 

f A minister  of  Christ,  one  who  is  watchful  for  the 
good  of  souls.  Oh  how  precious  are  they  to  pilgrims’ 
hearts ! See  the  sweet  encouragement  and  blessed  ad- 
vice Pilgrim  obtained  from  him. 


Porter.  What  is  your  name? 

Christian.  My  name  is  now  Christian,  but 
my  name  at  the  first  was  Graceless :%  I came 
of  the  race  of  Japheth,  whom  God  will  per- 
suade to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Stem.  Gen. 
ix.  27. 

Porter.  But  how  doth  it  happen  that  you 
come  so  late?  The  sun  is  set. 

Christian.  I had  been  here  sooner,  but  that, 
wretched  man  that  I am  ! I slept  in  the  arbour 
that  stands  on  the  hill  side.  Nay,  I had,  not- 
withstanding that,  been  here  much  sooner,  but 
that  in  my  sleep  I lost  my  evidence,  ||  and  came 
without  it  to  the  brow  of  the  hill;  and  then 
feeling  for  it,  and  finding  it  not,  I was  forced, 
with  sorrow  of  heart,  to  go  back  to  the  place 
where  I slept  my  sleep ; where  I found  it,  and 
now  I am  come.§ 

Porter.  Well,  I will  call  out  one  of  the  vir- 
gins of  this  place,  who  will,  if  she  like  your 
talk,  bring  you  in  to  the  rest  of  the  family,  ac- 
cording to  the  rules  of  the  house.  So  Watch- 
ful the  Porter  rang  a bell,  at  the  sound  of 
which  came  out  at  the  door  of  the  house  a 
grave  and  beautiful  damsel,  named  Discre- 
tion,^ and  asked  why  she  was  called  ? 

The  Porter  answered,  This  man  is  in  a jour- 
ney from  the  city  of  Destruction  to  Mount 
Zion ; but  being  weary  and  benighted,  he 
asked  me  if  he  might  lodge  here  to-night:  so 
I told  him  I would  call  for  thee,  who  after 
discourse  had  with  him,  mayest  do  as  seemeth 
thee  good,  even  according  to  the  law  of  the 
house. 

Then  she  asked  him,  whence  he  was? 
and  whither  he  was  going?  and  he  told  her. 
She  asked  him  also  how  he  got  in  the  way? 

J 0 soul,  did  you  ever  know  that  this  was  your 
name?  Hast  thou  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  rich  in  grace 
to  graceless  sinners?  Oh  then  sing  of  free  grace  and 
unmerited  loTe,  every  step  of  thy  pilgrimage. 

| Look  well  to  your  roll.  Beware  of  losing  your  as- 
surance. See  tho  evil  of  it;  it  keeps  the  soul  back. 
Many  have  lost  it  and  have  never  found  it. 

$ None  ought  to  be  admitted  into  the  church  of 
Christ,  but  such  as  can  give  good  evidence  that  they 
are  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
are  sincere  pilgrims  in  the  way  to  the  heavenly 
city. 

Admitting  members  into  churches,  should  be  dona 
with  discretion. 


110 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  he  told  her.  Then  she  asked  him  what  he 
had  seen  and  met  with  in  the  way?  and  he 
told  her.  And  at  last  she  asked  his  name.  So 
he  said,  It  is  Christian  ; and  I have  so  much 
the  more  a desire  to  lodge  here  to-night,  be- 
cause, by  what  I perceive,  this  place  was  built 
by  the  Lord  of  the  hill  for  the  relief  and  se- 
curity of  pilgrims.  So  she  smiled,  but  the 
water  stood  in  her  eyes ; and  after  a little 
pause  she  said,  I will  call  forth  two  or  three 
more  of  the  family.  So  she  ran  to  the  door, 
and  called  out  Prudence,  Piety  and  Charity, 
who,  after  a little  more  discourse  with  him, 
had  him  into  the  family;  and  many  of  them 
meeting  him  at  the  threshold  of  the  house 
said,  “ Come  in,  thou  blessed  of  the  Lord ; 
‘this  house  was  built  by  the  Lord  of  the  hill, 
on  purpose  to  entertain  such  pilgrims  in.’  ” 
Then  he  bowed  his  head,  and  followed  them 
into  the  house.  So  when  he  was  come  in  and 
sat  down,  they  gave  him  something  to  drink, 
and  consented  together  that,  until  supper  was 
ready,  some  of  them  should  have- some  partic- 
ular discourse  with  Christian,  for  the  best  im- 
provement of  time ; and  they  appointed  Piety, 
and  Prudence,  and  Charity,  to  discourse  with 
him  : and  thus  they  began.* 

Piety.  Come,  good  Christian,  since  we  have 
been  so  loving  to  you  to  receive  you  into  our 
house  this  night,  let  us,  if  perhaps  we  may 
better  ourselves  thereby,  talk  with  you  of  all 
things  that  have  happened  to  you  in  your  pil- 
grimage. 

Christian.  With  a very  good  will ; and  lam 
glad  that  you  are  so  well  disposed. 

Piety.  What  moved  you  at  first  to  betake 
yourself  to  a pilgrim’s  life? 

Christian.  I was  driven  out  of  my  native 
country  by  a dreadful  sound  that  was  in  mine 
ears ; to  wit,  that  unavoidable  destruction  did 
attend  me  if  I abode  in  that  place  where  I was. 

Piety.  But  how  did  it  happen  that  you  came 
out  of  your  country  this  way  ? 

Christian.  It  was  as  God  would  have  it ; for 
when  I was  under  the  fears  of  destruction,  I did 
not  know  whither  to  go;  but  by  chance  there 
came  a man,  even  to  me  as  I was  trembling 


* The  blessedness  of  savoury,  experimental  con- 
versation with  fellow-pilgrims. 

f Hope  and  fear  should  accompany  us  every  step  on 
our  journey.  Without  true  piety  there  can  be  no  real 
Christianity.  The  Lord  shows  us  many  things  in  our 
way  concerning  the  cases  of  others,  to  make  us  fear 
falling  away  ; while  he  displays  the  glory  of  his  grace 
in  keeping  his  saints,  to  animate  our  hope  on  his 
power,  and  trust  in  his  grace.  Look  unto  Jesus. 


and  weeping,  whose  name  is  Evangelist,  and  he 
directed  me  to  the  Wicket-gate,  which  else  I 
should  never  have  found  and  so  set  me  into  the 
way  that  hath  led  me  directly  to  this  house. 

Piety.  But  did  not  you  come  by  the  house 
of  the  Interpreter? 

Christian.  Yes,  and  did  see  such  thing3 
there,  the  remembrance  of  which  will  stick  by 
me  as  long  as  I live ; especially  three  things ; to 
wit,  how  Christ,  in  despite  of  Satan,  maintains 
his  work  of  grace  in  the  heart;  how  the  man 
had  sinned  himself  quite  out  of  hopes  cf  God’s 
mercy ; and  also  the  dream  of  him  that  thought 
in  his  sleep  the  day  of  judgment  was  come.f 

Piety.  Why,  did  you  hear  him  tell  his  dream ? 

Christian.  Yes,  and  a dreadful  one  it  was,  I 
thought;  it  made  my  heart  ache  as  he  was 
telling  of  it;  but  yet  I am  glad  I heard  it. 

Piety.  Was  this  all  you  saw  at  the  house  of 
the  Interpreter? 

Ch  ristian.  No ; he  took  me  and  had  me  where 
he  showed  me  a stately  palace,  and  how  the 
people  were  clad  in  gold  that  were  in  it;  and 
how  there  came  a venturous  man  and  cut  his 
way  through  the  armed  men  that  stood  in  the 
door  to  keep  him  out ; and  how  he  was  bid  to 
come  in  and  win  eternal  glory ; methought  those  1 
things  did  ravish  my  heart.  I would  have  stayed 
at  that  good  man’s  house  a twelve-month,  but 
that  I knew  I had  further  to  go. 

Piety.  And  what  saw  you  else  in  the  way? 

Christian.  Saw ! Why,  I went  but  a little  « 
further,  and  I saw  one,  as  I thought  in  my  ■ 
mind,  hang  bleeding  upon  a tree ; and  the  very 
sight  of  him  made  my  burden  fall  off  my  back, 
(for  I groaned  under  a very  heavy  burden,  but 
then  it  fell  down  from  off  me.)  It  was  a 
strange  thing  to  me,  for  I never  saw  such  a 
thing  before;  yea,  and  while  I stood  looking 
up  (for  then  I could  not  forbear  looking)  three 
shining  ones  came  to  me  ; one  of  them  testified 
that  my  sins  were  forgiven  me ; another  stripped 
me  of  my  rags,  and  gave  me  this  embroidered 
coat  which  you  see ; and  the  third  set  the  mark 
which  you  see  in  my  forehead,  and  gave  me 
this  sealed  roll,  (and  with  that  he  plucked  it 
out  of  his  bosom. ) % 


I A blessed  scriptural  experience  of  what  the  Lord 
had  done  for  his  soul:  quite  necessary  for  every  one, 
before  admission  into  the  church  of  Christ.  For  want 
of  this,  many  who  are  joined,  prove  of  no  profit  t.0 
other  souls,  and  get  no  good  to  their  own.  A mere 
profession  of  Christ,  without  an  experience  of  his  love, 
grace,  and  peace,  being  sealed  upon  the  heart,  by  the 
Spirit  the  Comforter,  is  nothing  but  empty  specula- 
tion. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


Piety,  But  you  saw  more  than  this,  did  you 
not? 

• Christian.  The  things  that  I have  tojd  you 
were  the  beat ; yet  some  other  matters  I saw  ; 
as,  namely,  I saw  three  men,  Simple,  Sloth  and 
Presumption,  lie  asleep  a little  way  out  of  the 
way  as  I came,  with  irons  upon  their  heels; 
but  do  you  think  I could  not  awake  them ! I 
also  saw  Formality  and  Hypocrisy  come  tum- 
bling over  the  wall,  to  go,  as  they  pretended,  to 
Zion,  but  they  were  quickly  lost;  even  as  I my- 
self did  tell  them,  but  they  would  not  believe. 
But,  above  all,  I found  it  hard  work  to  get  up 
this  hill,  and  as  hard  to  come  by  the  lions’ 
mouths ; and  truly,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the 
good  man,  the  Porter,  that  stands  at  the  gate, 
I do  not  know  but  that,  after  all,  I might  have 
gone  back  again ; but  now,  I thank  God,  I am 
here ; and  I thank  you  for  receiving  of  me. 

Then  Prudence  thought  good  to  ask  him  a 
few  questions,  and  desired  his  answers  to 
them. 

Prudence.  Do  you  not  think  sometimes  of  the 
country  from  whence  you  came? 

Christian.  Yes,  but  with  much  shame  and 
detestation ; truly,  if  I had  been  mindful  of 
that  country  from  whence  I came  out,  I might 
have  had  an  opportunity  to  have  returned; 
but  now  I desire  a better  country,  that  is  an 
heavenly  one.  Heb  xi.  16. 

Prudence.  Do  you  not  bear  away  with  you 
some  of  the  things  that  then  you  were  conver- 
sant withal  ? * 

Christian.  Yes,  but  greatly  against  my  will; 
especially  my  inward  and  carnal  cogitations, 
with  which  all  my  countrymen,  as  well  as  my- 
self were  delighted ; but  now  all  those  things 
are  my  grief;  and  might  I but  choose  mine 
own  things,  I would  choose  never  to  think  of 
those  things  more;  but  when  I would  be  a 
doing  of  that  which  is  best,  that  which  is  worst 
is  With  me.  Rom.  vii.  19. 

Prudence.  Do  you  not  find  sometimes  as  if 
those  things  were  vanquished,  which  at  other 
times  are  your  perplexity  ? 

Christian.  Yes,  but  that  is  but  seldom ; but 

* Prudence  must  be  joined  to  piety.  Christian  pru- 
dence should  be  visible  in  every  step  of  the  professor, 
for  says  Solomon,  “ I,  Wisdom,  dwell  with  Prudence,” 
(Prov.  viii.  12,)  and  “tho  wisdom  of  the  prudent  is  to 
understand  his  way,”  (xiv.  S.)  Ilis  path  is  peace  and 
his  end  salvation. 

f Mind  this.  By  believing  his  pardon  by  the  blood 
of  Christ,  the  love  of  God  to  him,  by  the  witness  of 
his  Spirit  and  the  glory  of  heaven,  to  which  he  is 
going,  are  what  strengthens  the  Christian’s  heart 
against  all  oppositions. 


Ill 

they  are  to  me  golden  hours  in  which  such 
things  happen  to  me. 

Prudence.  Can  you  remember  by  what  means 
you  find  your  annoyances  at  times  as  if  they 
were  vanquished? 

Christian.  Yes;  when  I think  on  what  I saw 
at  the  cross,  that  will  do  it;  and  when  I look 
upon  my  embroidered  coat,  that  will  do  it; 
and  when  I look  into  the  roll  that  I carry  in 
my  bosom,  that  will  do  it;  and  when  my 
thoughts  wax  warm  about  whither  I am  going, 
that  will  do  it.f 

Prudence.  And  what  is  it  that  makes  you  so 
desirous  to  go  to  Mount  Zion  ? 

Christian.  \\  by  there  I hope  to  see  him  alive 
that  did  hang  dead  on  the  cross;  and  there  I 
hope  to  be  rid  of  all  those  things,  that  to  this 
day  are  in  me,  an  annoyance  to  me;  there,  they 
say,  there  is  no  death,  (Isaiah  xxv.  8;  Rev. 
xxi.  4 ;)  and  there  shall  I dwell  with  such  com- 
pany as  I like  best.  For,  to  tell  you  the  truth, 
I love  him  because  I was  by  him  eased  of  my 
burden ; and  I am  weary  of  my  inward  sick- 
ness. I would  fain  be  where  I shall  die  no 
more,  and  with  the  company  that  shall  con- 
tinually cry,  “ Holy,  holy,  holy ! ” J 

Then  said  Charity  to  Christian,  Have  you  a 
family  ? are  you  a married  man  ? 

Christian.  I have  a wife  and  four  small  chil- 
dren. 

Charity.  And  why  did  you  not  bring  them 
along  with  you  ? 

Then  Christian  wept,  and  said,  Oh!  how 
willingly  would  I have  done  it ! but  they  were 
all  of  them  utterly  averse  to  my  going  on  my 
pilgrimage.il 

Charity.  But  you  should  have  talked  to  them, 
and  have  endeavoured  to  have  shown  them  the 
danger  of  being  left  behind. 

Christian.  So  I did : and  told  them  also  what 
God  had  showed  to  me  of  the  destruction  of 
our  city;  but  I seemed  to  them  as  one  that 
mocked,  and  they  believed  me  not.  Gen.  xix.  4. 

Charity.  And  did  you  pray  to  God  that  he 
would  bless  your  counsel  to  them  ? 

Christian.  Yes,  and  that  with  much  affection ; 

t A sight  of  Christ  by  faith,  begets  longing  of  soul 
to  see  him  in  glory.  A sense  of  his  pardoning  love 
makes  ns  long  to  be  with  him;  a desire  of  being  per- 
fectly freed  from  the  very  being  of  sin,  ever  accompa- 
nies a true  and  lively  faith  in  him,  and  manifests  that 
we  profess  a most  holy  faith.  Jude  20. 

||  So  the  spirit  of  a pilgrim  manifests  itself  in  love 
to  those  of  his  own  house,  by  earnestly  wishing,  striv- 
ing, and  praying,  if  by  any  means  he  can  prevail  on 
them  to  flee  from  destruction,  and  come  to  Jesus  for 
salvation. 


112 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


for  you  must  think  that  my  wife  and  poor 
children  were  very  dear  unto  me. 

Charity.  But  did  you  tell  them  of  your  own 
sorrow,  and  fear  of  destruction?  for  I suppose 
that  destruction  was  visible  enough  to  you. 

Christian.  Yes,  over,  and  over,  and  over. 
They  might  also  see  my  fears  in  my  counte- 
nance, in  my  tears,  and  also  in  my  trembling 
under  the  apprehension  of  the  judgments  that 
did  hang  over  our  heads;  but  all  was  not 
sufficient  to  prevail  with  them  to  come  with 
me. 

Charity.  But  what  could  they  say  for  them- 
selves why  they  came  not? 

Christian.  Why,  my  wife  was  afraid  of  losing 
this  world : and  my  children  were  given  to  the 
foolish  delights  of  youth:  so,  what  by  one 
thing  and  what  by  another,  they  left  me  to 
wander  in  this  manner  alone. 

Charity.  But  did  you  not  with  your  vain  life 
damp  all  that  you  by  words  used  by  way  of 
persuasion  to  bring  them  away  with  you  ? * 

Christian.  Indeed  I cannot  commend  my 
life ; for  I am  conscious  to  myself  of  many  fail- 
ings therein : I know  also,  that  a man  by  his 
conversation  may  soon  overthrow  what  by 
argument  or  persuasion  he  doth  labour  to 
fasten  upon  others  for  their  good.  Yet  this  I 
can  say,  I was  very  wary  of  giving  them  occa- 
sion, by  any  unseemly  action,  to  make  them 
averse  to  going  on  pilgrimage.  Yea,  for  this 
very  thing,  they  would  tell  me  I was  too  pre- 
cise ; and  that  I denied  myself  of  things,  for 
their  sakes,  in  which  they  saw  no  evil.  Nay, 
I think,  I may  say,  that  if  what  they  saw  in 
me  did  hinder  them,  it  was  my  great  tender- 
ness in  sinning  against  God,  or  of  doing  any 
wrong  to  my  neighbour. 

Charity.  Indeed  Cain  hated  his  brother,  “be- 
cause his  own  works  were  evil,  and  his  broth- 
er’s righteous,”  (John  iii.  12;)  and  if  thy  wife 
and  children  have  been  offended  with  thee  for 
this,  they  thereby  show  themselves  to  be  im- 


*0 soul,  consider  this  deeply;  it  is  the  life  of  a 
Christian,  that  carries  more  conviction  and  persuasion 
than  his  words.  Though  like  an  angel  you  talk  of 
Christ,  of  the  Gospel,  of  the  doctrines  of  grace,  and  of 
heaven,  yet  if  you  indulge  evil  tempers,  and  live  under 
the  power  of  any  sinful  lusts  and  passions,  you  will 
hereby  harden  others  against  the  things  of  God,  and 
prevent  their  setting  out  in  the  ways  of  God,  and  are 
in  danger  of  finally  perishing.  Study  and  pray  to  be 
a constant  walker  in  the  way  of  holiness,  else  all  is 
but  windy  profession,  and  airy  talk.  Oh  how  much 
harm  is  done  to  Christ's  cause  by  the  unholy  walk  of 
many  professors ! 


placable  to  good ; and  thou  hast  delivered  thy 
soul  from  their  blood.f  Ezek.  iii.  19. 

Nojv  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  thus  they  sat 
talking  together  until  supper  was  ready.  So 
when  they  had  made  ready,  they  sat  down  to 
meat.J  Now  the  table  was  furnished  with  fat 
things  and  with  wine  that  was  well  refined ; 
and  all  their  talk  at  the  table  was  about  the 
Lord  of  the  hill ; as,  namely,  about  what  he 
had  done,  and  wherefore  he  did  what  he  did, 
and  why  he  had  builded  that  house ; and,  by 
what  they  said,  I perceived  that  he  had  been  a 
great  warrior,  and  had  fought  with,  and  slain 
him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  (Heb.  ii.  14, 
15,)  but  not  without  great  danger  to  himself; 
which  made  me  love  him  the  more. 

For,  as  they  said,  and,  as  I believe,  said 
Christian,  he  did  it  with  the  loss  of  blood.  But 
that  which  put  glory  of  grace  into  all  he  did, 
was,  that  he  did  it  out  of  pure  love  to  his 
country.  And  besides,  there  were  some  of 
them  of  the  household  that  said  they  had  been, 
and  spoke  with  him,  since  he  did  die  on  the 
cross ; and  they  have  attested,  that  they  had  it 
from  his  own  lips,  that  he  is  such  a lover  of 
poor  pilgrims,  that  the  like  is  not  to  be  found 
from  the  east  to  the  west. 

They,  moreover,  gave  an  instance  of  what 
they  affirmed,  and  that  was,  he  had  stripped 
himself  of  his  glory  that  he  might  do  this  for 
the  poor;  and  that  they  heard  him  say  and 
affirm,  that  he  would  not  dwell  in  the  mountain 
of  Zion  alone.  They  said  moreover,  that  he 
had  made  many  pilgrims  princes,  though  by 
nature  they  were  beggars  born,  and  their  origi- 
nal had  been  the  dunghill.  1 Sam.  ii.  8 ; Ps. 
cxiii.  7. 

Thus  they  discoursed  together  till  late  at 
night;  and  after  they  had  committed  them- 
selves to  their  Lord  for  protection,  they  betook 
themselves  to  rest.  The  pilgrim  they  laid  in 
a large  upper  chamber,  whose  window  opened 
towards  the  sun-rising : the  name  of  the  cham- 


f Hence  see  the  necessity  of  a Christian’s  giving 
good  evidence,  that  he  is  really  possessed  of  those 
graces  of  piety,  prudence,  and  charity  or  love,  befcro 
he  can  enjoy  the  communion  of  saints.  True  faith  in 
Jesus  is  never  alone,  but  is  always  attended  with  a 
train  of  Christian  graces. 

I This  means  the  Lord’s  supper;  where  Christians 
in  common  feed  on  Jesus  by  faith,  and  dwell  in  con- 
templation, with  wonder,  love  and  praise,  for  what 
Jesus  had  done  for  them,  is  in  them,  and  is  now  doing 
for  them  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  Thus  Christians 
feed  on  him  by  faith,  and  are  nourished  up  by  him 
unto  eternal  life. 


TIIE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


113 


bcr  was  Foaco,  where  he  slopt  (ill  break  of  day, 
nnd  then  he  awoke  and  sang: 

“Where  am  I now?  Is  this  tho  love  and  care 
Of  Jesus,  lor  tho  men  that  pilgrims  are  ; 

Thus  to  provide,  that  I should  bo  forgiven, 

And  dwell  already  tho  next  door  to  heaven  ?”* 

So  in  the  morning  they  all  got  up ; and,  after 
some  more  discourse,  they  told  him  that  lie 
should  not  depart  till  they  had  showed  him  the 
rarities  of  that  place.  And  first  they  had  him 
into  the  study,!  where  they  showed  him  records 
of  the  greatest  antiquity:  in  which,  as  I re- 
member my  dream,  they  showed  him,  first,  the 
pedigree  of  the  Lord  of  the  hill,  that  he  was 
the  Son  of  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  came  by 
that  eternal  generation : here  also  were  more 
fully  recorded  the  acts  that  he  had  done,  and 
the  names  of  many  hundreds  that  he  had  taken 
into  his  service;  and  how  he  had  placed  them 
in  such  habitations  that  could  neither  by  length 
of  days,  nor  decay  of  nature,  be  dissolved. 

Then  they  read  to  him  some  of  the  worthy 
acts  that  some  of  his  servants  had  done;  as 
how  they  had  “subdued  kingdoms,  wrought 
righteousness,  obtained  promises,  stopped  the 
mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the  violence  of 
fire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of 
weakness  were  made  strong,  waxed  valiaut  in 
fight,  and  turned  to  flight  the  armies  of  the 
aliens.”  Heb.  xi.  33,  34. 

Then  they  read  again  in  another  part  of  the 
records  of  the  house,  where  it  was  showed  how 
willing  the  Lord  was  to  receive  into  his  favour 
any,  even  any,  though  they  in  time  past  had 
offered  great  affronts  to  his  person  and  pro- 
ceedings. Here  also  were  several  other  his- 
tories of  many  other  famous  things,  of  all 


* A sinner  cannot  sleep  safely  and  comfortably  till 
he  has  found  peace  with  God.  But,  “ being  justified 
by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  [and  peace  in  our 
consciences]  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.”  Bom.  v. 
1.  But  all  unbelievers  of  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  are  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  condemna- 
tion for  sin,  and  are  at  enmity  against  God. 

f Christ,  and  meditation  on  Christ,  on  his  birth,  his 
person,  his  life,  his  works,  his  death,  his  atonement, 
righteousness,  and  salvation,  are  the  delight  of  Chris- 
tian souls.  Says  David,  “ My  meditation  of  him  shall 
be  sweet : I will  be  glad  in  the  Lord.”  Psal.  civ.  34. 
A lively  Christian  cannot  live  without  spiritual  med- 
itation. 

! The  provision  which  is  made  in  Christ,  and  his 
fulness  for  maintaining  and  increasing  in  the  hearts 
of  his  people,  those  holy  dispositions  and  affections 
by  the  vigorous  exercise  of  which,  victory  is  obtained 
over  all  their  enemies,  is  here  represented  by  the 
S 


which  Christian  had  a view:  as  of  things  both 
ancient  and  modern ; together  with  prophecies 
and  predictions  of  things  that  have  their  cer- 
tain accomplishment,  both  to  the  dread  and 
amazement  of  enemies,  and  the  comfort  and 
solace  of  pilgrims. 

The  next  day  they  took  him,  and  had  him 
into  the  armoury,!  where  they  showed  him  all 
manner  of  furniture  which  their  Lord  had 
provided  for  pilgrims,  as  sword,  shield,  helmet, 
breastplates,  all-prayer,  and  shoes  that  would 
not  wear  out.  And  there  was  here  enough  of 
this  to  harness  out  as  many  men,  for  the  service 
of  their  Lord,  as  there  be  stars  in  the  heaven 
for  multitude. 

They  also  showed  him  some  of  the  engines, 
with  which  some  of  his  servants  had  done 
wonderful  things.  They  showed  him  Moses’ 
rod;  the  hammer  and  nail  with  which  Jael 
slew  Sisera;  the  pitchers,  trumpets,  and  lamps 
too,  with  which  Gideon  put  to  flight  the  armies 
of  Midian.  Then  they  showed  him  the  ox- 
goad,  wherewith  Shamgar  slew  six  hundred 
men.  They  showed  him  also  the  jaw-bone 
with  which  Samson  did  such  mighty  feats; 
they  showed  him  moreover  the  sling  and  stone 
with  which  David  slew  Goliah  of  Gath;  and 
the  sword  also  with  which  their  Lord  will  kill 
the  man  of  sin,  in  the  day  that  he  shall  rise 
up  to  the  prey.  They  showed  him  besides 
many  excellent  things  with  which  Christian 
was  much  delighted.  ||  This  done  they  went  to 
their  rest  again. 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  on  the  morrow 
he  got  up  to  go  forwards,  but  they  desired  him 
to  stay  till  the  next  day  also;  and  then,  said 
they,  we  will,  if  the  day  be  clear,  show  you 
the  Delectable  Mountains;  § which,  they  said, 


armoury.  This  suffices  for  all  who  may  seek  to  be 
supplied  from  it,  how  many  soever  they  be.  We 
ought,  therefore,  to  “take  to  ourselves  the  whole 
armour  of  God,”  and  “put  it  on”  by  diligently  using 
all  the  means  of  grace,  and  we  should  assist  others, 
by  our  exhortations,  counsels,  examples,  and  prayers, 
in  doing  the  same. 

I|  Contemplations  on  the  things  of  old,  recorded  in 
the  word  of  God,  is  the  joy  and  glory  of  faith,  ani- 
mates hope,  and  causeth  the  soul  to  press  forward  in 
the  Christian  race. 

§ The  Delectable  Mountains,  as  seen  at  a distance, 
represent  those  distinct  views  of  the  privileges  and 
consolations  attainable  in  this  life,  with  which  be- 
lievers are  sometimes  favoured,  when  attending  on 
divine  ordinances:  or  diligently  making  a subsequent 
improvement  of  them,  by  means  whereof  they  are  ani- 
mated to  “press  forward  toward  the  mark,  for  the 
prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.” 


114 


£ UN  Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


would  yet  further  add  to  his  comfort,  because 
they  were  nearer  the  desired  haven  than  the 
place  where  at  present  he  was;  so  he  con- 
sented and  stayed.  When  the  morning  was  up, 
they  had  him  to  the  top  of  the  house,  and  bid 
him  look  south;  so  he  did;  and  behold,  at  a 
great  distance,  (Isa.  xxxiii.  16,  17,)  he  saw  a 
most  pleasant  mountainous  country,  beautified 
with  woods,  vineyards,  fruits  of  all  sorts, 


flowers  also,  with  springs  and  fountains,  very 
delectable  to  behold.  Then  he  asked  the  name 
of  the  country.  They  said,  It  was  Immanuel’s 
Land ; and  it  is  as  common,  say  they,  as  this 
hill  is,  to  and  for  all  the  pilgrims.  And 
when  thou  comest  there,  from  thence  thou 
mayest  see  the  gate  to  the  Celestial  City,  as 
the  shepherds  that  live  there  will  make  ap- 
pear. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Christian  enters  the  Valley  of  Humiliation,  where  he  is  fiercely  attached  by  Apollrjon,  but 

overcomes  him. 


Now  Christian  bethought  himself  of  setting 
forward,  and  they  were  willing  he  should.  But 
first,  said  they,  let  us  go  again  into  the  armoury. 
So  they  did;  and  when  he  came  there,  they 
harnessed  him  from  head  to  foot  with  what  was 
of  proof,  lest  perhaps  he  should  meet  with  as- 
saults in  the  way.  He  being  therefore  thus 
accoutred,* *  walked  out  with  his  friends  to  the 
gate,  and  there  he  asked  the  Porter,  if  he  saw 
any  pilgrim  pass  by?  Then  the  Porter  an- 
swered, Yes. 

Christian.  Pray  did  you  know  him? 

Porter.  I asked  his  name,  and  he  told  me  it 
was  Faithful. 

Oh,  said  Christian,  I know  him : he  is  my 
townsman,  my  near  neighbour,  he  comes  from 
the  place  where  I was  born:  how  far  do  you 
think  he  may  be  before? 

Porter.  He  has  got  by  this  time  below  the 
hill. 

Well,  said  Christian,  good  Porter,  the  Lord 
be  with  thee,  and  add  to  all  thy  blessings  much 
increase,  for  the  kindness  that  thou  hast  showed 
to  me. 

Then  he  began  to  go  forward ; but  Discre- 
tion, Piety,  Charity,  and  Prudence,  would  ac- 
company him  down  to  the  foot  of  the  hill.  So 

Great  is  the  Lord  our  Gud, 

And  let  his  praise  be  great; 

He  makes  his  churches  his  abode, 

His  most  delightful  seat. 

These  temples  of  his  grace, 

How  beautiful  they  stand! 

The  honours  of  our  native  place, 

And  bulwarks  of  our  land. 

* See  what  this  Christian  armour  is  in  Eph.  vi. 
18,  &c. 

f Thus  it  is  after  a pilgrim  has  been  favoured  with 


they  went  on  together,  reiterating  their  former 
discourses,  till  they  came  to  go  down  the  hill. 
Then  said  Christian,  As  it  was  difficult  coming 
up,  so  far  as  I can  see,  it  is  dangerous  going 
down.  Yes,  said  Prudence,  so  it  is;  for  it  is 
an  hard  matter  for  a man  to  go  down  into  the 
Valley  of  Humiliation  as  thou  art  now,  and  to 
catch  no  slip  by  the  way;  therefore,  said  they, 
are  we  come  out  to  accompany  thee  down  the 
hill.  So  he  began  to  go  down,  but  very  warily, 
yet  he  caught  a slip  or  two.f 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  these  good 
companions,  when  Christian  was  gone  down  to 
the  bottom  of  the  hill,  gave  him  a loaf  of 
bread,  a bottle  of  wine,  and  a cluster  of  raisins; 
and  then  he  went  on  his  way. 

But  now,  in  this  Valley  of  Humiliation, 
poor  Christian  was  hard  put  to  it;  for  he  had 
gone  but  a little  way,  before  he  spied  a foul 
fiend  coming  over  the  field  to  meet  him  ; his 
name  is  Apollyon.J  Then  did  Christian  begin 
to  be  afraid,  and  to  cast  in  his  mind  whether 
to  go  back  or  stand  his  ground.  But  he  con- 
sidered again  that  he  had  no  armour  for  his 
back,  and  therefore  thought  that  to  turn  the 
back  to  him  might  give  him  greater  advantage, 
with  ease  to  pierce  him  with  his  darts  ; there- 

rnany  special  and  peculiar  blessings,  there  is  danger  - 
of  his  being  puffed  up  and  exalted  on  account  of 
them  ; so  did  even  holy  Paul  express  it : therefore  the 
messenger  of  Satan  was  permitted  to  buffet  him.  2 
Cor.  xii.  7.  In  our  present  mixed  state,  the  Lord 
knows,  it  would  not  be  best  for  us  always  to  dwell  on 
the  mount  of  spiritual  joy ; therefore,  for  the  good  of 
the  soul,  the  flesh  must  be  humbled  and  kept  low,  lest 
spiritual  pride  prevail.  It  is  hard  going  down  into 
the  Valley  of  Humiliation,  without  slipping  into  mur- 
muring and  discontent,  and  calling  in  question  the 
dealings  of  God  with  us. 

I Apollyon  signifies  the  rfe«(roye>-.  See  Rev.  ix.  11. 


TIIE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


115 


foro  ho  resolved  to  venture,  and  stand  his 
ground ; for,  thought  he,  had  I no  more  in 
my  eyes  than  tho  saving  of  my  life,  it  would 
be  the  best  way  to  stand. 

So  he  went  on,  and  Apollyon  met  him.  Now 
the  monster  was  hideous  to  behold:  he  was 
clothed  with  scales  like  a fish,  (and  they  are 
his  pride;)  he  had  wings  like  a dragon,  feet 
like  a bear,  and  out  of  his  belly  came  fire  and 
smoke,  and  his  mouth  was  as  the  mouth  of  a 
lion.  When  he  was  come  up  to  Christian,  he 
beheld  him  with  a disdainful  countenance,  and 
thus  began  to  question  with  him.* 

Apollyon.  Whence  came  you?  and  whither 
are  you  bound  ? 

Christian.  I am  come  from  the  city  of  De- 
struction, which  is  the  place  of  all  evil,  and  am 
going  to  the  city  of  Zion. 

Apollyon.  By  this  I perceive  thou  art  one  of 
my  subjects;  for  all  that  country  is  mine,  and 
I am  the  prince  and  god  of  it.  How  is  it  then 
that  thou  hast  run  away  from  thy  king?  Were 
it  not  for  that  I hope  thou  mayest  do  me  more 
service,  I would  strike  thee  now  at  one  blow 
to  the  ground. 

Christian.  I was  born  indeed  in  your  domin- 
ions, but  your  service  was  hard,  and  your 
wages  was  such  as  a man  could  not  live  on  ; 
“ for  the  wages  of  sin  is  death,”  (Rom.  vi.  23;) 
therefore  when  I was  come  to  years,  I did  as 
other  considerate  persons  do,  look  out  if  per- 
haps I might  mend  mysclf.f 

Apollyon.  There  is  no  prince  that  will,  thus 
lightly  lose  his  subjects,  neither  will  I as  yet 
lose  thee ; but  since  thou  complainest  of  thy 
service  and  wages,  be  content  to  go  back ; what 
our  country  will  afford,  I do  here  promise  to 
give  thee. 

Christian.  But  1 have  let  myself  to  another, 
even  to  the  king  of  princes ; and  how  can  I 
with  fairness  go  back  with  thee? 

Apollyon.  Thou  hast  done  in  this  according 
to  the  proverb: — “ Change  a bad  for  a worse:” 

9 Do  not  be  terrified  though  you  meet  Satan,  and  he 
assaults  you  in  the  most  terrible  form  ; but  mind  this, 
before  Satan  is  suffered  to  attack  Christian,  his  Lord 
had  provided  and  fitted  him  with  armour;  the  armour 
of  God,  wherewith  he  could  stand  his  ground,  conquer 
Satan,  and  repel  all  his  fiery  darts.  In  every  conflict 
with  Satan,  the  battle  is  the  Lord’s  ; his  strength  is 
engaged  for  our  victory  ; therefore  fight  the  good  fight 
of  faith. 

f All  this  is  tho  effect  of  believing  God’s  word,  and 
the  conviction  which  it  brings  to  the  mind,  of  the  evil 
of  sin,  of  tho  deplorable  state  the  sinner  finds  himself 
in,  and  of  tho  grace  and  salvation  of  the  Son  of  God. 
As  soon  as  a man  believes  these  truths,  he  quits  the 


but  it  is  ordinary  for  those  that  have  professed, 
themselves  his  servants,  after  a while  to  give 
him  the  slip,  and  return  again  to  me.  Do  thou 
so  too,  and  all  shall  be  well.t 

Christian.  I have  given  him  mv  faith,  and 
sworn  my  allegiance  to  him ; how  then  can  I 
go  back  from  this,  and  not  be  hanged  as  a 
traitor  ? 

Apollyon.  Thou  didst  the  same  to  me,  anti 
yet  I am  willing  to  pass  by  all,  if  now  thou 
wilt  yet  turn  again  and  go  back. 

Christian.  What  I promised  thee  was  in  my 
nonage ; and  besides  I count  that  the  prince 
under  whose  banner  I now  stand  is  able  to  ab- 
solve me;  yea,  and  to  pardon  also  what  I did 
as  to  my  compliance  with  thee:  and  besides, 
0 thou  destroying  Apollyon,  to  speak  truth,  I 
like  his  service,  his  wages,  his  servants,  his 
government,  his  company  and  country,  better 
than  thine ; and  therefore  leave  off  to  persuade 
me  further;  I am  his  servant,  and  I will  follow 
him. 

Apollyon.  Consider  again,  when  thou  art  in 
cool  blood,  what  thou  art  like  to  meet  with  in 
the  way  that  thou  goest.  Thou  knowest  that 
for  the  most  part,  his  servants  come  to  an  ill 
end,  because  they  are  transgressors  against  me 
and  my  ways.  How  many  of  them  have  been 
put  to  shameful  deaths?  And  besides  thou 
countest  his  service  better  than  mine,  whereas 
he  never  came  yet  from  the  place  where  he  is, 
to  deliver  any  that  served  him  out  of  their 
hands : but,  as  for  me,  how  many  times,  as  ail 
the  world  very  well  knows,  have  I delivered, 
either  by  power  or  fraud,  those  that  have  faith- 
fully served  me,  from  him  and  his,  though 
taken  by  them  : and  so  I will  deliver  thee. || 

Christian.  His  forbearing  at  present  to  de- 
liver them  is  on  purpse  to  try  their  love,  whe- 
ther they  will  cleave  to  him  to  the  end ; and, 
as  for  tho  ill  end  thou  sayest  they  come  to, 
that  is  most  glorious  in  their  account ; for,  for 
present  deliverance,  they  do  not  much  expect 

service  of  the  father  of  lies  : and  by  the  faith  of  tho 
truth,  he  is  armed  to  resist  Satan ; for  it  is  the  glory 
of  faith  to  draw  all  its  reasonings  from  divine  truth. 

J Here  the  father  of  lies  delivers  a most  awful  truth, 
but  like  himself  backs  it  with  a lying  promise.  Most 
dreadful  to  think  of,  to  set  out  in  the  profession  of 
Jesus,  and  again  to  turn  back  to  the  service  of  Satan, 
yet  how  common  is  this!  Such  reject  Christ's  truth, 
and  believes  the  devil's  lie  “ that  all  shall  be  well.” 
But  their  end  is  ill.  and  their  death  damnation. 

||  Mark  the  many  subtle  wavs,  and  artful  reasonings 
of  Satan  to  prevent  pilgrims  frbm  persevering  in  tho 
ways  of  the  Lord.  Happy  for  us  net  to  be  ignorant 
of  Satan's  devices. 


116 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


it ; for  they  stay  for  their  glory,  and  then  they 
shall  have  it,  when  their  Prince  comes  in  his 
and  the  glory  of  the  angels.* 

Apollyon.  Thou'  hast  already  been  unfaithful 
in  thy  service  to  him ; and  how  dost  thou  hope 
to  receive  wages  of  him  ? 

Christian.  Wherein,  0 Apollyon,  have  I been 
unfaithful  to  him? 

Apollyon.  Thou  didst  faint  at  first  setting 
out,  when  thou  wast  almost  choked  in  the  gulf 
of  Despond : thou  didst  attempt  wrong  ways  to 
be  rid  of  thy  burden,  whereas  thou  shouldest 
have  stayed  till  thy  Prince  had  taken  it  off; 
thou  didst  sinfully  sleep,  and  lose  thy  choice 
things : thou  wast  almost  persuaded  to  go  back 
at  the  sight  of  the  lions : and  when  thou  talk- 
est  of  thy  journey,  and  of  what  thou  hast 
heard  and  seen,  thou  art  inwardly  desirous  of 
vain-glory  in  all  that  thou  sayest  or  doest.f 

Christian.  All  this  is  true,  and  much  more 
which  thou  hast  left  out ; but  the  Prince,  whom 
I serve  and  honour,  is  merciful  and  ready  to 
forgive.  But  besides,  these  infirmities  pos- 
sessed me  in  thy  country : for  three  I sucked 
them  in,  and  I have  groaned  under  them,  being 
sorry  for  them,  and  have  obtained  pardon  of 
my  Prince. % 

Then  Apollyon  broke  out  into  a grievous 
rage,  saying,  I am  an  enemy  to  this  Prince ; I 
hate  his  person,  his  laws,  and  people;  I am 
come  out  on  purpose  to  withstand  thee. 

Christian.  Apollyon,  beware  what  you  do; 
for  I am  in  the  king’s  highway,  the  way  of 
holiness : therefore  take  heed  to  yourself. 

Then  Apollyon  straddled  quite  over  the 
whole  breadth  of  the  way,  and  said,  I am  void 
of  fear  in  this  matter ; prepare  thyself  to  die ; 


* Here  is  the  precious  reasoning  of  faith.  Weil 
might  Paul  say,  “Above  all  (or  over  all)  taking  the 
shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench 
all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked  one.”  Eph.  vi.  16. 

-j-  Satan  is  justly  styled  the  accuser  of  the  brethren 
of  Christ,  (Rev.  xii.  10,)  for  he  accuseth  them  before 
(lad,  and  to  their  own  consciences.  “Rut  they  over- 
come him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word 
of  their  testimony,  (Rev.  xii.  11,)  namely,  “that  they 
have  redemption  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  even  the  for- 
giveness of  their  sins.”  Eph.  i.  7. 

+ That  is  the  best  way  to  own  Satan’s  charges  if 
they  be  true,  yea,  to  exaggerate  them  also,  to  exalt  the 
riches  of  the  grace  of  Christ  above  all,  in  pardoning 
all  of  them  freely.  By  thus  humbling  ourselves,  and 
exalting  Christ,  Satan  can  get  no  advantage  over  us, 
though  this  will  put  him  into  a rage  against  us. 

||  The  shield  of  faith  : the  belief  of  what  Christ  had 
done  for  him,  and  in  him,  and  what  he  was  in  Christ, 
justified  and  sanctified.  This  glorious  confession  of 


for  I swear  by  my  infernal  den  that  thou  shalt 
go  no  further : here  will  I spill  thy  soul. 

And  with  that  he  threw  a flaming  dart  at  his 
breast ; but  Christian  had  a shield  in  his  hand, 
with  which  he  caught  it,  and  so  prevented  the 
danger  of  that.  || 

Then  did  Christian  draw ; for  he  saw  it  was 
time  to  bestir  him ; and  Apollyon  as  fast  made 
at  him,  throwing  darts  as  thick  as  hail ; by  the 
which,  notwithstanding  all  that  Christian  could 
do  to  avoid  it,§  Apollyon  wounded  him  in  his 
head,  his  hand,  and  foot.  This  made  Christian 
give  a little  back:  Apollyon,  therefore,  fol- 
lowed his  work  amain,  and  Christian  again  took 
courage,  and  resisted  as  manfully  as  he  could. 
This  sore  combat  lasted  for  above  half  a day, 
even  till  Christian  was  almost  quite  spent ; for 
you  must  know  that  Christian,  by  reason  of 
his  wounds,  must  needs  grow  weaker  and 
weaker. jf 

Then  Apollyon,  spying  his  opportunity,  be- 
gan to  gather  up  close  to  Christian,  and  wrest- 
ling with  him,  gave  him  a dreadful  fall ; and 
with  that  Christian’s  sword  flew  out  of  his 
hand.  Then  said  Apollyon,  I am  sure  of  thee 
now : and  with  that  he  had  almost  pressed  him 
to  death ; so  that  Christian  began  to  despair 
of  life.  But,  as  God  would  have  it,** * * * § *  while 
Apollyon  was  fetching  his  last  blow,  thereby 
to  make  a full  end  of  this  good  man,  Christian 
nimbly  stretched  out  his  hand  for  his  sword, 
and  caught  it,  saying,  “Rejoice  not  against 
me,  O mine  enemy ! when  I fall,  1 shall  arise,” 
(Mic.  vii.  8,)  and  with  that  gave  him  a dreadful 
thrust,  which  made  him  give  back  as  one  that 
had  received  his  mortal  wound.  Christian 
perceiving  that,  made  at  him  again,  saying, 


faith  honours  Christ,  repels  and  quenches  all  the  fiery 

darts  of  Satan,  and  gets  the  victory  over  him.  This 

is  what.  Peter  exhorts  to : “ Resist  the  devil,  steadfast 
in  faith.”  1 Pet.  v.  9. 

§ Christian  wounded  in  his  understanding,  faith, 
and  conversation. 

We  may  think  this  is  hard  work;  why  should  a 
Christian  be  so  severely  attacked  by  Satan  ? TJm 
Lord  does  not  give  us  an  armour  to  be  useless,  but  to 
fight  with,  and  prove  its  excellency,  and  in  the  use 
of  it  to  experience  his  almighty  power  and  unchange- 
able love : for  though  we  are  weak,  he  is  almighty  to 
strengthen  us,  therefore  we  are  called  upon  to  be 
“ strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might.” 
Eph.  vi.  10. 

Observe  that  the  Lord  does  not  look  on  as  a mere 
spectator  of  our  conflicts,  but  he  strengthens  us  in 
every  evil  day,  and  in  every  fight  of  faith,  and  brings 
us  off  at  last,  more  than  conquerors  through  his 
love. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


117 


“Nay,  in  all  those  things  we  are  more ‘than 
conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  ns,” 
(Rom.  viii.  :!7,  89 ; James  iv.  7 ;)  and  with  that 
Apollyon  spread  forth  his  dragon  wings  and 
sped  him  away,  that  Christian  saw  him  no 
more. 

In  this  combat  no  man  can  imagine,  unless 
he  had  seen  and  heard,  as  I did,  what  yelling 
ancl  hideous  roaring  Apollyon  made  all  the 
time  of  the  fight;  he  spake  like  a dragon: 
and,  on  the  other  side,  what  sighs  and  groans 
burst  from  Christian’s  heart.  I never  saw  him 
all  the  while  give  so  much  as  one  pleasant  look, 
till  he  perceived  he  had  wounded  Apollyon 
with  his  two-edged  sword ; then  indeed  he  did 
smile  and  look  upward!*  Rut  it  was  the 
dreadfulest  fight  that  ever  I saw. 

So  when  the  battle  was  over,  Christian  said, 
I will  here  give  thanks  to  him  that  hath  de- 
livered me  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion,  to  him 
that  did  help  me  against  Apollyon.  And  so 
he  did ; saying : 

“ Great  lielzebub,  the  captain  of  this  fiend, 

Design’d  my  ruin;  therefore  to  this  end 
lie  sent  him  harness’d  out ; and  he  with  rage 
That  hellish  was,  did  fiercely  me  engage ; 


* Not  a vain-glorious,  hut  an  humble,  thankful 
smile,  lie  looked  up  and  smilingly  gave  the  Lord  all 
the  glory  of  his  victory. 

■f  No  matter  what  wounds  we  get  in  our  conflicts 
with  Satan,  for  Jesus  will  heal  them  all.  But  who 
will  heal  those  which  we  get  by  complying  with  the 
devil  instead  of  resisting  him  ? 

J Conflicts  with-  Satan  make  Christians  wary,  and 
value  their  sword,  so  as  to  walk  with  the  sword  of  the 
spirit,  the  word  of  God,  in  their  hands.  As  faith  in 
that  word  prevails,  the  power  of  temptation  declines, 
and  the  Christian  becomes  victorious;  yea, more  than 
a conqueror  through  the  blood  of  Jesus. 

||  “Many  are  the  afflictions  of  the  righteous;”  so 
Christian  found  it.  He  came  off  conqueror  in  the 
Valley  of  Humiliation,  his  wounds  were  healed  by  the 
tree  of  life,  and  his  soul  rejoiced  in  God  his  Saviour. 
But  new  trials  awaited  him ; he  expected  them.  He 
heard  a dismal  account  of  the  valley  before  him  ; but 
as  his  way  lay  through  it,  no  persuasions  would  stop 
his  progress. 

The  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death  seems  intended 
to  represent  a variation  of  inward  distress,  conflict 
and  alarm,  which  arise  from  unbelief,  and  a supposi- 
tion that  God  has  withdrawn  the  light  of  his  coun- 
tenance, and  is  accompanied  by  manifold  apprehen- 
sions and  temptations.  Most  Christians  know  some- 
thing of  this,  but  perhaps  very  few  are  acquainted 
with  that  great  degree  of  horror  and  fear  which  are 
here  represented.  The  words  quoted  from  the  prophet, 
describe  the  waste  howling  wilderness  through  which 
Israel  journeyed  to  Canaan;  which  typified  the  be- 


But  blessed  Michael  helped  me,  and  I, 

By  dint  of  sword,  did  quickly  make  him  fly  : 
Therefore  to  him  let  me  give  lasting  praise 
And  thanks,  and  bless  his  holy  name  always.” 

Then  there  came  to  him  an  hand  with  some 
of  the  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life,  the  which 
Christian  took  and  applied  to  the  wounds  that 
he  had  received  in  the  battle,  and  was  healed 
immediately. f He  also  satdown'in  that  plx.o 
to  eat  bread,  and  to  drink  of  that  bottle  that 
was  given  him  a little  before:  so  being  re- 
freshed, he  addressed  himself  to  his  journey 
with  his  sword  + drawn  in  his  hand;  for  he 
said,  I know  not  but  some  other  enemy  may 
be  at  hand.  But  he  met  with  no  other 
affront  from  Apollyon  quite  through  the 
valley. 

Now  at  the  end  of  this  valley  was  another, 
called  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death, || 
and  Christian  must  needs  go  through  it,  be- 
cause the  way  to  the  Celestial  City  lay  through 
the  midst  of  it.  Now  this  valley  is  a very  soli- 
tary place.  The  prophet  Jeremiah  thus  de- 
scribes it : “ A wilderness,  a land  of  deserts 
and  of  pits;  a land  of  drought,  and  of  the 
shadow  of  death;  a land  that  no  man  (but  a 


liever’s  pilgrimage  through  this  world  to  heaven. 
Low-spirited  persons,  of  a gloom}'  turn,  or  under  the 
power  of  some  nervous  disorder,  are  more  usually  ex- 
ercised in  this  manner  than  others;  for  the  subtle 
enemy  knows  how  to  take  advantage  of  our  weak- 
ness, and  to  impress,  if  possible,  distressing  ideas  on 
the  mind,  when  it  is  most  disposed  to  receive  them. 
At  such  times  the  imagination  is  crowded  with  terri- 
ble ideas,  every  thing  looks  black  and  big  with  dan- 
ger, reason  itself  is  disturbed  in  its  exercises,  and  no 
real  relief  can  be  gained  till  the  great  Physician  be 
pleased  to  restore  health,  both  to  body  and  soul. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  let  it  be  observed,  that 
we  must  not  suppose  our  author  intended  to  convey 
an  idea,  that  all  experience  these  trials  in  the  same 
order  and  degree  as  Christian  did.  Evil  spirits  never 
fail,  when  not  resisted  by  faith,  to  mislead,  entangle, 
or  perplex  the  soul,  and  many,  not  knowing  fully 
Satan’s  devices,  are  apt,  in  the  trying  hour,  to  ascribe 
such  a state  wholly  to  desertion,  which  exceedingly 
enhances  their  distress;  and  as  Bunyan  had  been 
greatly  harassed  in  this  way,  be  has  given  us  a .arger 
proportion  of  this  shade  than  is  met  with  by  consistent 
believers,  or  than  the  Scriptures  by  any  means  give 
us  reason  to  expect : and  probably  he  meant  hereby 
to  state  the  outlines  of  his  own  experienee  in  the  pil- 
grimage of  Christian;  all  due  honour  must  be  given 
to  the  words  of  Christ,  who  has  declared,  “ He  that 
followeth  me  (Christ)  shall  not  walk  in  darkness.” 
Let  ns  be  found  in  a constant  exercise  of  faith  in  the 
great  and  precious  promises,  then  shall  we  rejoiea 
evermore,  and  in  every  thing  give  thanks. 


J IS 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Christian)  passeth  through,  and  where  no  man  than  in  his  fight  with  Apollyon , as  bv  the 
dwelt.”  Jer.  ii.  6.  sequel  you  shall  see. 

Now  here  Christian  was  worse  put  to  it 


CHAPTER  X. 

Chr  istian  sorely  distressed  in  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death,  through  which,  however,  he 

passes  unhurt. 


1 3AW  then  in  my  dream,  that  when  Chris- 
tian was  got  on  the  borders  of  the  Shadow  of 
Death,  there  met  him  two  men,  children  of 
them  that  brought  up  an  evil  report  of  the 
good  land,  (Num.  xiii.,)  making  haste  to  go 
back;*  to  whom  Christian  spoke  as  follows: 

Whither  are  you  going  ? 

They  said,  Back  ! back  ! and  we  would  have 
you  to  do  so  too,  if  either  life  or  peace  is 
prized  by  you. 

Why,  what’s  the  matter?  said  Christian. 

Matter ! said  they : we  were  going  that  way 
as  you  are  going,  and  went  as  far  as  we  durst; 
and  indeed  we  were  almost  past  coming  back : 
for  had  we  gone  a little  further,  we  had  not 
been  here  to  bring  the  news  to  thee. 

But  what  have  you  met  with  ? said  Chris- 
tian. 

Men.  Why,  we  were  almost  in  the  Valley  of 
the  Shadow  of  Death,  (Ps.  xliv.  19 ;)  but  that 
by  good  hap  we  looked  before  us,  and  saw  the 
danger  before  we  came  to  it. 

But  what  have  you  seen  ? said  Christian. 

Men.  Seen?  Why  the  Valley  itself,  which 
is  as  dark  as  pitch  : we  also  saw  there  the  hob- 
goblins, satyrs,  and  dragons  of  the  pit:  we 
heard  also  in  that  Valley  a continual  howling 
and  yelling,  as  of  people  under  unutterable 
misery,  who  there  sat  bound  in  affliction  and 
irons ; and  fiver  that  Valley  hang  the  discour- 
aging clouds  of  confusion : death  also  doth 
always  spread  his  wings  over  it.  Job  iii.  5;  x. 


* Such  we  frequently  meet  with  ; who  set  out  with- 
out a sense  of  sin,  true  faith,  real  hope,  and  sincere 
lovo  to  Christ;  and  as  sure  as  they  go  back  from  a 
profession,  they  bring  up  an  evil  report  of  the  way  to 
the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

f See  what  it  is,  when  men  are  left  to  will  and 
choose  for  themselves,  they  prefer  their  own  ways, 
though  it  be  to  destruction  ; their  wills  are  averse  to 
God's,  and  they  choose  death  in  the  error  of  their 
life;  but  the  faithful  soul  is  under  the  reign  of  grace, 
and  he  chooses  to  obey  the  will  of  God,  and  to  walk 
in  the  ways  of  God,  though  they  are  not  pleasing  to 
tlesh  and  blood,  hence  true  faith  is  tried,  and  a mere 
empty  profession  made  manifest. 


22.  In  a word,  it  is  every  whit  dreadful,  being 
utterly  without  order. 

Then  said  Christian,  I perceive  not  yet,  by 
what  you  have  said,  but  that  this  is  my  way  to 
the  desired  haven. 

Men.  Be  it  thy  way ; we  will  not  choose  it 
for  ours.f 

So  they  parted ; and  Christian  -went  on  his 
way,  but  still  with  his  sword  drawn  in  his 
hand,  for  fear  lest  he  should  be  assaulted. 

I saw  then  in  my  dream,  so  far  as  this  Val- 
ley reached  there  was  on  the  right  hand  a very 
deep  ditch ; that  ditch  is  it  unto  which  the 
blind  have  led  the  blind  in  all  ages,  and  have 
both  there  miserably  perished.!  Again,  be- 
hold, on  the  left  hand  there  was  a very  dan- 
gerous quag,  into  which  if  even  a good  man 
falls  he  finds  no  bottom  for  his  foot  to  stand 
on : into  this  quag  King  David  once  did  fall, 
and  had,  no  doubt,  therein  been  smothered, 
had  not  he  that  is  able  plucked  him  out. 
Ps.  lxix.  14. 

The  pathway  was  here  also  exceeding  nar- 
row, and  therefore  good  Christian  was  the 
more  put  to  it ; for  when  he  sought  in  the  dark 
to  shun  the  ditch  on  the  one  hand,  he  was 
ready  to  tip  over  into  the  mire  on  the  other : also 
when  he  sought  to  escape  the  mire,  without 
great  carefulness  he  would  be  ready  to  fall  into 
the  ditch. ||  Thus  he  went  on,  and  I heard  him 
here  sigh  bitterly : for  besides  the  danger  men- 
tioned above,  the  pathway  was  here  so  dark, 
that  ofttimes  when  he  lifted  up  his  foot  to  go 


1 The  ditch  on  the  right  hand  is  error  in  principle, 
into  which  the  blind  (as  to  spiritual  truths,  blind 
guides)  lead  the  blind,  who  are  not  spiritually  en- 
lightened. The  quag  on  the  left  hand,  means  outward 
sins  and  wickedness,  which  many  fall  into.  Both  are 
alike  dangerous  to  pilgrims ; but  the  Lord  will  keep 
the  feet  of  his  saints.  1 Sam.  ii.  9. 

||  A tender  conscience  is  as  much  afraid  of  corrupt 
principles,  as  of  sinful  practices.  This  manifests  the 
sincerity  of  the  soul,  even  when  a Christian  is  as- 
saulted by  the  most  violent  and  complicated  tempta- 
tions. 


119 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


forward,  he  knew  not  where,  nor  upon  what 
he  should  set  it  next. 

About  the  midst  of  the  Valley,  I perceived 
the  mouth  of  hell  to  be,  and  it  stood  also  hard 
by  the  way-side:  Now,  thought  Christian, 
what  shall  I do?  And  ever  and  anon  the 
flame  and  smoke  would  come  out  in  such 
abundance  with  sparks  and  hideous  noises, 
(things  that  cared  not  for  Christian’s  sword, 
as  did  Apollyon  before,)  that  he  was  forced  to 
put  up  his  sword,  and  betake  himself  to  another 
weapon,  called  alt-prayer:  so  he  cried  in  my 
hearing,  “O  Lord,  I beseech  thee,  deliver  my 
soul.”  Ps.  cxvi.  4;  Eph.  vi.  18.  Thus  he 
went  on  a great  while,  yet  still  the  flames 
would  be  reaching  towards  him:  also  he  heard 
doleful  voices,  and  rushing  to  and  fro,  so  that 
sometimes  he  thought  he  should  be  torn  to 
pieces,  or  trodden  down  like  mire  in  the  streets. 
This  frightful  sight  was  seen,  and  these  dread- 
ful noises  were  heard  by  him  for  several  miles 
together : and  coming  to  a place  where  he 
thought  he  heard  a company  of  fiends*  com- 
ing forward  to  meet  him,  he  stopiped,  and  be- 
gan to  muse  what  he  had  best  to  do : some- 
times he  had  half  a thought  to  go  back;  then 
again  he  thought  he  might  be  half  way 
through  the  Valley:  he  remembered  also  how 
he  had  already  vanquished  many  a danger : 
and  that  the  danger  of  going  back  might  be 
much  more  than  for  to  go  forward.  So  he  re- 
solved to  go  on : yet  the  fiends  seemed  to  come 
nearer  and  nearer:  but  when  they  were  come 
even  almost  at  him,  he  cried  out  with  a most 
vehement  voice,  “ I will  walk  in  the  strength 
of  the  Lord  God;”  so  they  gave  back,  and 
came  no  further. 

One  thing  I would  not  let  slip : I took  no- 
tice that  now  poor  Christian  was  so  confounded 
that  he  did  not  know  his  own  voice  ; and  thus 
I perceived  it;  just  when  he  was  come  over 
against  the  mouth  of  the  burning  pit,  one  of 
the  wicked  ones  got  behind  him,  and  stepped 
up  softly  to  him,  and  whisperingly  suggested 
many  grievous  blasphemies  to  him,  which  he 


s But  it  may  be  asked,  Why  doth  the  Lord  suffer 
his  children  to  be  so  afflicted?  It  is  for  his  glory;  it 
tries  their  faith  in  him,  and  excites  prayer  to  him ; 
but  his  love  abates  not  in  the  least  towards  them, 
since  he  lovingly  inquires  after  them,  “Who  is  there 
among  you  that  feareth  the  Lord,  and  walketh  in 
darkness,  and  hath  no  light?”  Then  ho  gives  most 
precious  advice  to  them.  Let  him  trust  in  the  Lord, 
and  stay  himself  upon  his  God.  Isa.  i.  10. 

f Now  hero  the  conscience  manifests  its  tenderness 
by  abhorring  the  evil  of  Satan’s  suggestions.  Oh 


verily  thought  had  proceeded  from  his  own 
mind!  This  put  Christian  more  to  it  than  any 
thing  that  he  met  with  before,  even  to  think 
that  lie  should  now  blaspheme  him  that  he 
loved  so  much  before ; yet  if  he  could  have 
helped  it  he  would  not  have  done  it:  but  he 
had  not  the  discretion  either  to  6top  his  cars 
or  to  know  from  whence  those  blasphemies 
came.f 

When  Christian  had  travelled  in  this  dis- 
consolate condition  some  considerable  time,  he 
thought  he  heard  the  voice  of  a man  as  going 
before  him,  saying,  ” Though  I walk  through 
the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death  I will  fear 
no  ill,  for  thou  art  with  me.”  + Ps.  xxiii.  4. 

Then  was  he  glad,  and  that  for  these  rea- 
sons : first,  because  he  gathered  from  thence, 
that  some  who  feared  God  were  in  this  Valley 
as  well  as  himself:— secondly,  for  that  he  per- 
ceived God  was  with  them,  though  in  that  dark 
and  dismal  state : and  why  not,  thought  he, 
with  me?  though,  by  reason  of  the  imped- 
iment that  attends  this  place  I cannot  per- 
ceive it:  (Job  ix.  11) — thirdly,  for  that  he 
hoped  (could  he  overtake  them)  to  have  com- 
pany by  and  by.  So  he  went  on,  aud  called  to 
him  that  was  before;  but  he  knew  not  what  to 
answer,  for  that  he  also  thought  himself  to  be 
alone.  And  by  and  by  the  day  broke:  then 
said  Christian,  Pie  hath  “turned  the  shadow 
of  death  into  the  morning.” ||  Amos  v.  8. 

Now  morning  being  come,  he  looked  back, 
not  out  of  desire  to  return,  but  to  see  by  tho 
light  of  the  day  what  hazards  he  had  gone 
through  in  the  dark : so  he  saw  more  perfectly 
the  ditch  that  was  on  the  one  hand,  and  tha 
quag  that  was  on  the  other;  also  how  narrow' 
the  way  was  which  led  betwixt  them  both: 
also  now  he  saw  the  hobgoblins,  and  satyrs, 
and  dragons  of  the  pit,  but  all  afar  oft’,  for 
after  break  of  the  day  they  came  not  nigh : yet 
they  were  discovered  to  him  according  to  that 
which  is  written,  “ He  discovereth  deep  things 
out  of  darkness,  and  bringeth  to  light  the 
shadow  of  death.”  Job  xii.  22. 


what  nigh  access  has  the  enemy  to  our  hearts!  But 
the  Lord  is  also  nigh,  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who 
trust  in  him  : he  will  hear  their  cry,  and  save  them. 
Ps.  xxiii.  4. 

$ Tho  experience  of  other  saints  is  very  encour- 
aging.  for  the  soul  finds  that  others  have  gone  before 
in  dreadful  and  dreary  paths. 

||  To  walk  in  darkness,  and  not  to  be  distressed  for 
it,  argues  stupidity  of  soul.  To  hare  the  light  of 
God's  countenance  shine  upon  us,  and  not  to  rejoice 
and  be  thankful,  is  impossible. 


120 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Now  was  Christian  much  affected  with  his 
deliverance  from  all  the  dangers  of  his  solitary 
way ; which  dangers,  though  he  feared  them 
more  before,  yet  he  saw  them  more  clearly  now, 
because  the  light  of  the  day  made  them  con- 
spicuous to  him.  And  about  this  time  the  sun 
was  rising;  and  this  was  another  mercy  to 
Christian  : for  you  must  note,  that  though  the 
first  part  of  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death 
was  dangerous  ; yet  this  second  part,  which  he 
was  yet  to  go,  was,  if  possible,  far  more  dan- 
gerous :*  for,  from  the  place  where  he  now 
stood,  even  to  the  end  of  the  Valley,  the  way 
was  all  along  set  so  full  of  snares,  traps,  gins, 
and  nets,  here,  and  so  full  of  pits,  pitfalls,  deep 
holes,  and  shelvings  down  there ; that  had  it 
been  dark,  as  it  was  when  he  came  the  first 
part  of  the  way,  had  he  had  a thousand  souls, 
they  had  in  reason  been  cast  away : but,  as  I 
said  just  now,  the  sun  was  rising.  Then  said 
he,  “His  candle  shineth  on  my  head,  and  by 
his  light  I go  through  darkness.”  Job  xxix.  3. 

In  this  light  therefore  he  came  to  the  end  of 
the  Valley.  Now  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  at 
the  end  of  this  Valley  lay  blood,  bones,  ashes, 
and  mangled  bodies  of  men,  even  of  pilgrims 
that  had  gone  this  way  formerly ; and  while  I 
was  musing  what  should  be  the  reason,  I spied 
a little  before  me,  a cave,  where  two  giants, 
Pope  and  Pagan,!  dwelt  in  old  time;  by  whose 
power  and  tyranny  the  men,  whose  bones, 

* This  means  the  raging  of  persecution  for  the 
truth's  sake,  and  those  dreadful  deaths  which  the  mar- 
tyrs suffered  in  the  cause  of  Christ  and  his  glorious 
Gospel  and  precious  salvation.  But  here  Christian 
had  the  blessed  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel. 

f The  inhabitants  of  this  kingdom  are  not  thought 
to  be  in  any  immediate  danger,  either  from  Pope  or 
Pagan.  Yet  something  like  the  philosophical  part  of 
Paganism  seems  to  be  rising  from  the  dead,  while 
Popery  grows  more  infirm  than  over:  and  as,  even  by 
the  confession  of  the  late  king  of  Prussia,  who  was  a 
steady  friend  to  the  philosophical  infidels,  “ they  are 
by  no  means  favourable  to  general  toleration it  is 
not  improbable,  (says  the  Eev.  Mr.  Scott,)  but  Pagan 
persecution  may  also  in  due  time  revive.  Our  author, 
however,  has  described  no  other  persecution  than  what 


blood,  ashes,  &c.,  lay  there  were  cruelly  put  to 
death.  But  by  this  place  Christian  went  with- 
out much  danger,  whereat  I somewhat  won- 
dered ; but  I have  learnt  since,  that  Pagan  has 
been  dead  many  a day ; and,  as  for  the  other, 
though  he  be  yet  alive,  he  is,  by  reason  of  age, 
and  also  of  the  many  shrewd  brushes  that  he 
met  with  in  his  younger  days,  grown  so  crazy 
and  stiff  in  his  joints,  that  he  now  can  do  little 
more  than  sit  in  his  cave’s  mouth,  grinning  at 
pilgrims  as  they  go  by,  and  biting  his  nails 
because  he  cannot  come  at  them. 

So  I saw  that  Christian  went  on  his  way : 
yet  at  the  sight  of  the  old  man  that  sat  in  the 
mouth  of  the  cave,  he  could  not  tell  what  to 
think;  especially  because  he  spoke  to  him, 
though  he  could  not  go  after  him,  saying, 
“ You  will  never  mend  till  more  of  you  be 
burned.”  But  he  held  his  peace,  and  set  a 
good  face  on  it,  and  so  went  by  and  catched  no 
hurt.!  Then  sang  Christian, 

“Oh  world  of  wonders!  (I  can  say  no  less) 

That  I should  be  preserv’d  in  that,  distress 
That  I have  met  with  here  ! Oh  blessed  be 
That  hand  that  from  it  hath  deliver’d  me.  • 
Dangers  in  darkness,  devils,  hell,  and  sin, 

Did  compass  me  while  I this  vale  was  in  : 

Yea,  snares,  and  pits,  and  traps,  and  nets  did  lie 
My  path  about,  that  worthless,  silly  I 
Might  have  been  catch’d,  entangled,  and  cast  down : 
But  since  I live,  let  Jesus  wear  the  crown.” 

Protestants  iu  his  time  carried  on  against  each  other 
with  very  great  alacrity. 

I Nothing  shall  harm  us  while  we  are  followers  of 
that  which  is  good.  This  every  faithful  soul  can  tes- 
tify ; for  the  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory,  and  no 
good  thing  will  be  withheld  from  those  who  walk  up- 
rightly. Such  are  the  inestimable  blessings  conse- 
quent on  steadfastly  fighting  the  good  fight  of  faith. 
The  real  Christian,  amidst  all  his  temptations,  shall 
hold  od  his  way,  while  his  whole  soul  sings,  “'Let 
Jesus  wear  the  crown.” 

Then  let  my  soul  arise, 

And  tread  the  tempter  down : 

My  Captain  leads  me  forth 
To  conquest  and  a crown. 

A feeble  saint  shall  win  the  day, 

Tko’  death  and  hell  obstruct  the  way. 


rr«rt* 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


121 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Christian  meets  with  an  excellent  companion  in  Faithful,  with  whom  lie  has  much  profitable 

conversation. 


Now  us  Christian  went  on  his  way,  lie  came 
to  a little  ascent,  which  was  cast  up  on  pur- 
pose that  pilgrims  might  see  before  them.* 
Up  there,  therefore,  Christian  went,  and  look 
ing  forward,  he  saw  Faithful  before  him  upon 
his  journey.  Then  said  Christian  aloud,  “Ho, 
hoi  so  ho!  stay,  and  I will  be  your  compan- 
ion.” At  that  Faithful  looked  behind  him  ; to 
whom  Christian  cried,  “Stay,  stay,  till  I come 
to  you;”  but  Faithful  answered,  “No,  I am 
upon  my  life,  and  the  avenger  of  blood  is  be- 
hind me.”  f 

At  this  Christian  was  somewhat  moved,  and 
putting  to  all  his  strength,  he  quickly  got  up 
with  Faithful,  and  did  also  overrun  him ; so  the 
last  was  first.  Then  did  Christian  vain-glor- 
iously  smile,  because  he  had  gotten  the  start  of 
his  brother : but  not  taking  good  heed  to  his 
feet,  he  suddenly  stumbled  and  fell,  and  could 
not  rise  again  until  Faithful  came  up  to  help 
him.J 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream  they  went  very 
lovingly  on  together,  and  had  sweet  discourse 
of  all  things  that  had  happened  to  them  in 
their  pilgrimage : and  thus  Christian  began : 

My  honoured  and  well-beloved  brother  Faith- 
ful, I am  glad  that  I have  overtaken  you : and 
that  God  has  so  tempered  our  spirits  that  we 
can  walk  as  companions  in  this  so  pleasant  a 
path.  || 

Faithful.  I had  thought,  dear  friend,  to  have 
had  your  company  quite  from  our  town,  but  you 
did  get  the  start  of  me;  wherefore  I was  forced 
to  come  thus  much  of  the  way  alone. 

Christian.  How  long  did  you  stay  in  the  city 
of  Destruction,  before  you  set  out  after  me  on 
your  pilgrimage  ? 

Faithful.  Till  I could  stay  no  longer  ;§  for 
there  was  great  talk  presently  after  you  were 
gone  out,  that  our  city  would,  in  a short  time, 

* The  Lord  cares  for  his  people  : he  has  cast  up,  by 
means  of  his  word  and  promises,  many  a little  hill  of 
prospect  and  comfort  in  their  way,  that  they  may  look 
forward  with  pleasure  and  delight. 

f It  is  good  to  beware  and  be  jealous  of  what  com- 
pany we  fall  into.  Many  have  joined  hurtful  profes- 
sors instead  of  profitable  pilgrims. 

J How  soon  doth  spiritual  pride  show  its  cursed 
head,  in  thinking  we  have  outstripped  another ! Then 
danger  is  near,  a fall  is  at  hand,  if  we  humble  not  our- 
selves before  the  Lord.  The  very  person’s  hand  we 


with  fire  from  heaven  be  burned  down  to  the 
ground. 

Christian.  What!  and  did  your  neighbours 
talk  so? 

Faith f ul.  Yes,  it  was  for  a while  in  every  body’s 
mouth. 

Christian.  What ! and  did  no  more  of  them 
but  you  come  out  to  escape  the  danger? 

Faithful.  Though  there  was,  as  I said,  a great 
talk  thereabout,  yet  I do  not  think  they  did 
firmly  believe  it.  For,  in  the  heat  of  the  dis- 
course, I heard  some  of  them  deridingly  speak 
of  you  and  your  desperate  journey  ; for  so  they 
called  this  your  pilgrimage.  But  I did  believe, 
and  do  still,  that  the  end  of  our  city  will  be 
with  fire  and  brimstone  from  above;  and  there- 
fore I have  made  my  escape. 

Christian.  Did  you  hear  no  talk  of  neighbour 
Pliable? 

Faithful.  Yes,  Christian,  I heard  that  he  fol- 
lowed you  till  he  came  to  the  slough  of  De- 
spond : where,  as  some  said,  ho  fell  in  ; but  he 
would  not  be  known  to  have  so  done ; but  I am 
sure  he  was  soundly  bedaubed  with  that  kind 
of  dirt. 

Christian.  And  what  said  the  neighbours  to 
him  ? 

Faithful.  He  hath  since  his  going  back  been 
had  greatly  in  derision,  and  that  among  all 
sorts  of  people;  some  do  mock  and  despise 
him,  and  scarce  will  any  set  him  on  work.  He 
is  now  seven  times  worse  than  if  he  had  never 
gone  out  of  the  city. 

Christian.  But  why  should  they  be  so  set 
against  him,  since  they  also  despised  the  way 
that  he  forsook? 

Faithful.  Oh,  they  say,  “ Hang  him  ; he  is  a 
turncoat ! he  was  not  true  to  his  profession 
I think  God  has  stirred  up  even  his  enemies  to 

need  to  help  us,  whom  wo  had  frequently  under- 
valued. 

||  This  episode,  so  to  speak,  with  others  of  the  same 
kind,  gives  our  author  a happy  advantage  of  varying 
the  characters  and  experiences  of  Christians,  as  found 
in  real  life : and  of  thus  avoiding  the  common  fault  of 
making  one  man  a standard  for  others,  in  the  eircuir  - 
stances  of  his  religious  progress. 

§ This  is  the  case  with  every  pilgrim.  From  the 
powerful  convictions  which  he  has  from  above,  of  his 
state  and  danger,  he  is  urged  by  necessity  to  flee  from 
the  wrath  to  come. 


122 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


hiss  at  him,  and  make  him  a proverb,  because 
he  hath  forsaken  the  way.  Jer.  xxix.  18,  19. 

Christian.  Had  you  no  talk  with  him  before 
you  came  out? 

Faithful.  I met  him  once  in  the  streets,  but  he 
leered  away  on  the  other  side,  as  one  ashamed 
of  what  he  had  done : so  I spake  not  to  him.* 

Christian.  Well,  at  my  first  setting  out,  I had 
hopes  of  that  man ; but  now  I fear  he  will 
perish  in  the  overthrow  of  the  city : for  “ it 
hath  happened  to  him  according  to  the  true 
proverb,  The  dog  is  turned  to  his  vomit  again ; 
and  the  sow  that  was  washed,  to  her  wallowing 
in  the  mire.”  2 Pet.  ii.  22. 

Faithful.  They  are  my  fears  of  him  too : but 
t\ho  can  hinder  that  which  will  be? 

Well,  neighbour  Faithful,  said  Christian,  let 
us  leave  him,  and  talk  of  things  that  more  im- 
mediately concern  ourselves.  Tell  me  now 
what  you  have  met  with  in  the  way  as  you 
came:  for  I know  you  have  met  with  some 
things,  or  else  it  may  be  writ  for  a wonder. 

Faithful.  I escaped  the  slough  that  I perceived 
you  fell  into,  and  got  up  to  the  gate  without 
that  danger ; f only  I met  with  one,  whose  name 
was  Wanton,  that  had  like  to  have  done  me  a 
mischief. 

Christian.  It  was  well  you  escaped  her  net ; 
Joseph  was  hard  put  to  it  by  her,  and  he  es- 
caped her  as  you  did;  but  it  had  like  to  have 
cost  him  his  life.  Gen.  xxxix.  11,  13.  But 
what  did  she  say  to  you  ? 

Faithful.  You  cannot  think,  but  that  you  know 
something,  what  a flattering  tongue  she  had; 
she  lay  at  me  hard  to  turn  aside  with  her,  prom- 
ising me  all  manner  of  content.  J 

Christian.  Nay,  she  did  not  promise  you  the 
content  of  a good  conscience. 

Faithful.  You  know  that  I mean  all  carnal 
and  fleshly  content. 

Christian.  Thank  God  you  have  escaped  her : 
“ the  abhorred  of  the  Lord  shall  fall  into  her 
ditch.”  Prov.  xxii.  14. 

Faithful.  Nay,  I know  not  whether  I did 
wholly  escape  her  or  no.|| 


* Apostatfes  from  the  profession  of  Christ  cannot 
look  his  followers  boldly  in  the  face;  some  eonvfctions 
will  follow  them,  till  their  hearts  are  hardened,  and 
their  consciences  seared. 

f Though  no  sinner  will  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come 
to  Christ  for  salvation,  till  the  Spirit  has  convinced  of 
sin,  ami  deserved  wrath  and  destruction:  yet  all  do 
not  fall  under  the  like  despondency  of  soul,  at  first 
setting  out. 

J Fleshly  lusts  will  plead  hard,  and  promise  fair. 
Ilappy  those  who  look  to  the  Lord  for  power  against 


Christian.  Why,  I trow  you  did  not  consent 
to  her  desires. 

Faithful.  No,  not  to  defile  myself;  for  I re- 
membered an  old  writing  that  I had  seen  which 
said,  “ her  steps  take  hold  on  hell.”  Prov.  v.  5 ; 
Job  xxxi.  1.  So  I shut  mine  eyes,  because  I 
would  not  be  bewitched  with  her  looks : then 
she  railed  on  me  and  I went  my  way. 

Christian.  Did  you  meet  with  no  other  as- 
sault as  you  came  ? 

Faithful.  When  I came  to  the  foot  of  the  hill 
called  Difficulty,  I met  with  a very  aged  man, 
who  asked  me  what  I was,  and  whither  bound? 
I told  him  that  I was  a pilgrim  to  the  Celestial 
City.  Then  said  the  old  man,  Thou  lookest 
like  an  honest  fellow ; wilt  thou  be  content  to 
dwell  with  me,  for  the  wages  that  I shall  give 
thee  ? Then  I asked  him  his  name,  and  where 
he  dwelt?  He  said  his  name  was  Adam  the 
first, § and  that  he  dwelt  in  the  town  of  Deceit. 
Eph.  iv.  22.  I asked  him  then  what  was  his 
work?  and  what  the  wages  he  would  give? 
He  told  me,  that  his  work  was  many  delights ; 
and  his  wages,  that  I should  be  his  heir  at  last. 
I further  asked  what  house  he  kept,  and  what 
other  servants  he  had?  So  he  told  me  that  his 
house  was  maintained  with  all  the  dainties  in 
the  world,  and  that  his  servants  were  those  of 
his  own  begetting.  Then  I asked  how  many 
children  he  had?  He  said,  that  he  had  but 
three  daughters,  “the  Lust  of  the  Flesh,  the 
Lust  of  the  Eyes,  and  the  Pride  of  Life,”  (1 
John  ii.  16 ;)  and  that  I should  marry  them  if 
I would.  Then  I asked  how  long  time  he 
would  have  me  to  live  with  him  ? And  he  told 
me,  as  long  as  he  lived  himself. 

Christian.  Well,  and  what  conclusion  came 
the  old  man  and  you  to  at  last? 

Faithful.  Why,  at  first  I found  myself  some- 
what inclinable  to  go  with  the  man,  for  I 
thought  he  spake  very  fair;  but  looking  in  his 
forehead  as  I talked  with  him,  I saw  there 
written,  “Put  off  the  old  man  with  his 
deeds.”  H 

Christian.  And  how  then? 


them,  and  eye  his  precious  promises,  that  we  may  es- 
cape them. 

||  A jealous  conscience  is  grieved  for  temptations  of  the 
flesh  to  lust,  and  can  hardly  quit  itself  .of  guilt.  This 
makes  the  cleansing  blood  of  Christ  exceeding  precious, 
while  the  soul  is  sunk  into  humility  and  self-loathing. 

jl  That  is  original  sin,  and  inward  corruption,  which 
has  infected  our  whole  nature. 

Blessed  is  the  man  who  does  not  consult  with  flesh 
and  blood,  but  looks  to  and  obeys  what'  is  written  by 
the  Lord. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


123 


Faithful.  Then  it  came  burning  hot  into  my 
mind,  whatever  lie  said  and  however  he  flat- 
tered, when  lie  got  me  home  to  his  house  lie 
would  sell  me  for  a slave.  So  I hid  him  for- 
bear to  talk,  for  I would  not  come  near  the 
door  of  his  house.  Then  he  reviled  me,  and 
told  me,  that  lie  would  send  such  a one  after 
me,  that  should  make  my  way  hitter  to  my 
soul.  So  I turned  to  go  away  from  him ; hut 
just  as  I turned  myself  to  go  thence  I felt 
him  take  hold  of  my  flesh,  and  give  me  such 
a deadly  twitch  hack,  that  I thought  lie  had 
pulled  part  of  me  after  himself:*  this  made 
me  cry,  “ 0 wretched  man!”  Kom.  vii.  24.  So 
I went  on  my  way  up  the  hill. 

Now,  when  I had  got  about  half-way  up  I 
looked  behind  me,  and  saw  one  coming  after 
me,  swift  as  the  wind;  so  he  overtook  me  just 
about  the  place  where  the  settle  stands. 

Just  there,  said  Christian,  did  I sit  down  to 
rest  me;  hut  being  overcome  with  sleep,  I 
there  lost  this  roll  out  of  my  bosom. 

Faithful.  But,  good  brother,  hear  me  out:  so 
soon  as  the  man  overtook  me,  he  was  hut  a 
word  and  a blow;  for  down  he  knocked  me, 
and  laid  me  for  dead.  But  when  I was  a little 
come  to  myself  again,  I asked  him  wherefore 
lie  served  me  so?  He  said,  Because  of  thy 
secret  inclination  to  Adam  the  first:  t and  with 
that  he  struck  me  another  deadly  blow  on  the 
breast,  and  heat  me  down  backward:  so  I lay 
at  his  foot  as  dead  as  before.  When  I came  to 
myself  again  I cried  to  him  for  mercy:  but  he 
said,  I know  not  how  to  show  mercy:  and 
with  that  knocked  me  down  again.  He  had 
doubtless  made  an  end  of  me  but  that  one 
came  by  and  hid  him  forbear. 

Christian.  Who  was  it  that  bid  him  forbear? 

Faithful.  I did  not  know  him  at  first,  but  as 
he  went  by  I perceived  the  holes  in  his  hands 
and  his  side:  then  I concluded  that  he  was  our 
Lord.  So  I went  up  the  hill. 

Christian.  The  man  that  overtook  you  was 

* Though  original  sin  is  hard  to  be  borne,  it  is  good 
to  be  sensible  of  its  evil.  Though  it  makes  us  cry, 
“0  wretched!”  yet  it  tends  to  keep  up  a sense  of  our 
want  of  Christ,  and  of  the  worth  of  him,  and  that 
nothing  less  than  being  delivered  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  will  perfect  our  salvation. 

t This  is  afterwards  explained  to  bo  Moses,  or  the 
law  of  God.  Think  not  that  the  law  reachcth  only  to 
outward  actions:  nay,  but  it  reachcth  to  the  thoughts 
and  intents  of  the  heart.  It  knocks  a man's  hopes 
down  and  curses  him  to  death,  oven  only  for  secretly 
inclining  to  sin.  So  striot,  so  spiritual,  so  pure,  is  the 
holy  law  of  God.  Hence  none  but  self-righteous,  vain- 
glorious souls  oan  place  the  least  confidence  in  their 


Moses.  He  spareth  none,  neither  knowetli  he 
how  to  show  mercy  to  those  that  transgress  his 
law. 

Faithful.  I know  it  very  well ; it  was  not  the 
first  time  that  lie  has  met  with  me.  It  was  he 
that  came  to  me  when  I dwelt  securely  at 
home,  and  told  me  he  would  burn  my  house- 
over  my  head  if  I stayed  there.! 

Christian.  But  did  you  not  see  the  house 
that  stood  there  on  the  top  of  the  hill  on  the 
side  of  which  Moses  met  you? 

Faithful.  Yes,  and  the  lions  too,  before  I came 
at  it: — hut,  for  the  lions,  I think  they  were 
asleep;  for  it  was  about  noon  ; — and  because  I 
had  so  much  of  the  day  before  me,  I passed  by 
the  Porter,  and  came  down  the  hill. 

Christian.  He  told  me,  indeed,  that  he  saw 
you  go  by;  hut  I wish  yfcu  had  called  at  the 
house,  for  they  would  have  showed  you  so 
many  rarities,  that  you  would  scarce  have 
forgot  them  to  the  day  of  your  death.  But 
pray  tell  me,  did  you  meet  nobody  in  the  valley 
of  Humility? 

Faithful.  Yes,  I met  with  one  Discontent,  who 
would  willingly  have  persuaded  me  to  go  hack 
again  with  him : his  reason  was,  for  that  the 
valley  was  altogether  without  honour.  He 
told  me  moreover,  that  there  to  go  was  the 
way  to  disoblige  all  my  friends,  as  Pride,  Ar- 
rogancy,  Self-Conceit,  Worldly-Glory,  with 
others,  who  he  knew,  as  he  said,  would  he 
very  much  offended  if  I made  such  a fool  of 
myself  as  to  wade  through  this  valley.  || 

Christian.  Well,  and  how  did  you  answer 
him? 

Faithful.  I told  him,  That  although  all  these 
that  he  named  might  claim  kindred  of  me, 
and  that  rightly,  (for  indeed  they  were  my  re- 
lations according  to  the  flesh;)  yet  since  I be- 
came a pilgrim,  they  have  disowned  me,  and  I 
also  have  rejected  them;  and  therefore  they 
are  to  me  now  no  more  than  if  they  had  never 

obedience  to  the  law,  and  trust  in  their  own  righteous- 
ness for  justification. 

J That  sinner  who  never  had  a threatening  fiery 
visit  from  Moses,  is  yet  asleep  in  his  sins,  and  seeure 
in  his  soul,  though  under  the  curse  and  wrath  of  the 
fiery  law  of  God. 

||  Here  observe  the  different  experience  of  Chris- 
tians, in  regard  to  the  enemies  they  meet  with.  IV  e 
do  not  read  that  Christian  was  attacked  by  Discon- 
tent, as  Faithful  was:  but  yet  Faithful  reasoned,  and 
got  the  better  of  this  enemy.  Many  pilgrims  go  on 
much  more  contented  than  others.  The  reasoning  of 
faith  will  ever  prevail  over  that  discontent  which 
springs  from  pride,  arrogancy,  self-conceit,  and  a 
thirst  for  worldly  glory,  riches,  and  pleasure. 


124 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


been  of  my  lineage.  I told  him,  moreover, 
that  as  to  this  valley,  he  had  quite  misrepre- 
sented the  thing;  for  “before  honour  is  hu- 
mility,” “and  a haughty  spirit  before  a fall.” 
Therefore,  said  I,  I had  rather  go  through  this 
valley  to  the  honour  that  was  so  accounted  by 
the  wisest,  than  choose  that  which  he  esteemed 
most  worthy  our  affections. 

Christian.  Met  you  with  nothing  else  in  that 
valley  ? 

Faithful.  Yes,  T met  with  Shame;  but'ofall 
the  men  that  I met  with  in  my  pilgrimage,  he, 
I think,  bears  the  wrong  name.  The  other 
would  be  said  nay,  after  a little  argumentation 
and  somewhat  else,  but  that  bold-faced  Shame 
would  never  have  done. 

Christian.  Why,  what  did  he  say  to  you  ? 

Faithful.  What!  why  he  objected  against  re- 
ligion itself;  he  said,  it  was  a pitiful,  low, 
sneaking  business  for  a man  to  mind  religion ; 
he  said  that  a tender  conscience  was  an  un- 
manly thing;  and  that  for  a man  to  watch 
over  his  words  and  ways,  so  as  to  tie  up  him- 
self from  that  hectoring  liberty  that  the  brave 
spirits  of  the  times  accustomed  themselves 
unto,  would  make  him  the  ridicule  of  the 
times.  He  objected  also,  that  but  few  mighty, 
rich,  or  wise,  were  ever  of  my  opinion;  nor 
any  of  them  neither,  before  they  were  per- 
suaded to  be  fools,  and  to  be  of  a voluntary 
fondness  to  venture  the  loss  of  all  for  nobody 
knows  what.  John  vii.  48 ; 1 Cor.  i.  26 ; iii. 
18;  Phil.  iii.  7,  9.  lie  moreover  objected  the 
base  and  low  estate  and  condition  of  those  that 
were  chiefly  the  pilgrims  of  the  times  in  which 
they  lived  ; also  their  ignorance,  and  want  of 
understanding  in  all  natural  science.  Yea,  he 
did  hold  me  to  it  at  that  rate  also,  about  a great 
many  more  things  than  here  I relate ; as,  that 
it  was  a shame  to  sit  whining  and  mourning 
under  a sermon,  and  a shame  to  come  sighing 
and  groaning  home:  that  it  was  a shame  to 
ask  my  neighbour  forgiveness  for  petty  faults, 
or  to  make  restitution  where  I have  taken 
from  any.  He  said  also,  that  religion  made  a 
man  grow  strange  to  the  great,  because  of  a 
few  vices,  which  are  called  by  finer  names; 
and  made  him  own  and  respect  the  base,  be- 

* Nothing  can  be  a stronger  proof  that  we  have  lost 
the  image  of  God,  than  that  shame  which  is  natural 
to  us,  concerning  the  things  of  God.  This,  joined  to 
the  shame  of  man,  is  a very  powerful  enemy  to  God’s 
truths,  Christ's  glory,  and  our  soul’s  comfort.  Better 
at  once  get  rid  of  our  apprehensions,  by  declaring 
boldly  for  Christ  and  his  cause,  than  stand  shivering 
on  the  brink  of  profession,  ever  dreading  the  loss  of 


cause  of  the  same  religious  fraternity;  and  ts 
not  this,  said  he,  a shame?* 

Christian.  And  what  did  you  say  to  him  ? 

Faithful.  Say  ! why  I could  not  tell  what  to 
say  at  first.  Yea,  he  put  me  so  to  it,  that  my 
blood  came  up  in  my  face : even  this  Shame 
fetched  it  up,  and  had  almost  beat  me  quite 
off.  But  at  last  I began  to  consider  that  “ that 
which  is  highly  esteemed  among  men  is  had 
in  abomination  with  God.”  Luke  xvi.  15. 
And  I thought  agaii^,  This  Shame  tells  me 
what  men  are ; but  it  tells  me  nothing  what 
God,  or  the  word  of  God  is.  And  I thought 
moreover,  that  at  the  day  of  doom  we  shall 
not  be  doomed  to  death  or  life,  according  to 
the  hectoring  spirits  of  the  world,  but  accord- 
ing to  the  wisdom  and  law  of  the  Highest. 
Therefore,  thought  I,  what  God  says  is  best, 
though  all  the  men  in  the  world  are  against 
it : seeing  then  that  God  prefers  his  religion ; 
seeing  God  prefers  a tender  conscience;  seeing 
they  that  make  themselves  fools  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  are  wisest;  and  that  the  poor 
man  that  loves  Christ  is  richer  than  the  greatest 
man  in  the  world  that  hates  him — Shame,  de- 
part, thou  art  an  enemy  to  my  salvation ; shall 
I entertain  thee  against  my  sovereign  Lord  ? 
how  then  shall  I look  him  in  the  face  at  his 
coming?  Should  I now  be  ashamed  of  his 
ways  and  servants,  how  can  I expect  the  bless- 
ing? Mark  viii.  38.  But  indeed  this  Shame 
was  a bold  villain ; I could  scarce  shake  him 
out  of  my  company : yea,  he  would  be  haunt- 
ing of  me,  and  continually  whispering  me  in 
the  ear,  with  some  one  or  other  of  the  in- 
firmities that  attend  religion  : but  at  last  I 
told  him,  it  was  but  in  vain  to  attempt  further 
in  this  business;  for  those  things  that  he  dis- 
dained, in  those  I did  see  most  glory : and  so 
at  last  I got  past  this  importunate  one.  And 
when  I had  shaken  him  off  then  I began  to  sing : 

“ The  trials  that  those  men  do  meet  withal, 

That  are  obedient  to  the  heavenly  call, 

Are  manifold,  and  suited  to  the  flesh, 

And  come,  and  come,  and  come  again  afresh. 
That  now,  or  sometimes  else,  we  by  them  may 
Be  taken,  overcome,  and  cast  away. 

Oh  let  the  pilgrims,  let  the  pilgrims,  then 
Be  vigilant,  and  ’quit  themselves  like  men.” 

our  good  name  and  reputation  : for  Christ  says,  (awful 
words,)  “Whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of 
my  words  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation,  of 
him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed  when  he 
cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father.”  Mark  viii.  3-S.  It 
is  one  thing  to  be  attacked  by  shame:  and  another 


THE  PILGRIM 

Christian.  T am  glad,  my  brother,  that  thou 
didst  withstand  this  villain  so  bravely;  for  of 
all,  as  thou  sayest,  I think  he  had  the  wrong 
name:  for  he  is  so  bold  as  to  follow  us  in  the 
streets  and  to  attempt  to  put  us  to  shame 
before  all  men : that  is,  to  make  us  ashamed 
of  that  which  is  good.*  But  if  be  ivas  not 
himself  audacious,  he  would  never  attempt  to 
do  as  he  does : but  let  us  still  resist  him ; for, 
notwithstanding  all  bis  bravadoes,  he  pro- 
motetli  the  fool,  and  none  else.  “ The  wise 
shall  inherit  glory,”  said  Solomon,  “ but 
shame  shall  be  the  promotion  of  fools.” 
Prov.  iii.  35. 

Faithful.  I think  we  must  cry  to  him,  for  help 
against  Shame,  that  would  have  us  be  valiant 
for  truth  upon  the  earth. 

Christian.  You  say  true:  but  did  you  meet 
nobody  else  in  that  valley? 

Faithful.  No,  not  I,  for  I had  sunshine  all  the 


'S  PROGRESS.  125 

rest  of  the  way  through  that,  and  also  through 
the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death. 

Christian.  It  was  well  for  you  ; I am  sure  it 
fared  far  otherwise  with  me : I had  for  a long 
season,  as  soon  as  almost  I entered  into  that 
valley,  a dreadful  combat  with  that  foul  fiend 
Apollyon;  yea,  I thought  verily  he  would 
have  killed  me,  especially  when  he  got  mo 
down,  and  crushed  me  under  him,  ns  if  he 
would  have  crushed  me  to  pieces:  for  as  he 
threw  me,  my  sword  flew  out  of  my  hand ; 
nay,  he  told  me  he  was  sure  of  me ; but  I 
cried  to  God,  and  he  heard  me,  and  delivered 
me  out  of  all  my  troubles.  Then  I entered 
into  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death,  and 
had  no  light  for  almost  half  the  way  through 
it.  I thought  I should  have  been  killed  there 
over  and  over : but  at  last  day  brake,  and  the 
sun  arose,  and  I went  through  that  which  was 
behind  with  far  more  ease  and  quiet. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  picture  of  an  empty  professor  accurately  drawn  in  the  character  of  Talkative,  son  of 

Mr.  Say-well,  of  Prating-row. 


Moreover  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  as  they 
went  on,  Faithful,  as  he  chanced  to  look  on 
one  side,  saw  a man,  whose  name  is  Talkative, 
walking  at  a distance  besides  them  ;f  for  in 
this  place  there  was  room  enough  for  them  all 
to  walk.  He  was  a tall  man,  and  something- 
more  comely  at  a distance  than  at  hand.  To  this 
man  Faithful  addressed  himself  in  this  manner : 

Friend,  whither  away?  are  you  going  to  the 
heavenly  country? 

Talkative.  I am  going  to  the  same  place. 

Faithful.  That  is  well : then  I hope  we  may 
have  your  good  company. 

Talkative.  With  a very  good  will  will  I be 
your  companion. 

Faithful.  Come  on  then,  and  let  us  go  to- 
gether, and  let  us  spend  our  time  in  discoursing 
of  things  that  are  profitable. 

* Christian  experiences  perfectly  agree  in  regard  to 
shame.  No  one  ever  set  out  for  glory,  but  he  was 
attacked  by  shame  in  the  way.  Giving  way  to 
shame,  prevents  much  glory  being  brought  to  our 
Jesus,  who  is  not  ashamed  to  call  us  brethren.  Iteb. 
ii.  11.  Alas!  we  are  prone  to  be  ashamed  of  Christ, 
of  his  words,  and  of  his  ways,  which  should  be  our 
greatest  glory.  Oh  lot  us  cry  for  more  boldness  for 
Christ,  our  best  friend,  that  shame  may  hide  its  pitiful 
head,  and  skulk  away  from  us  as  our  greatest  enemy. 


Talkative.  To  talk  of  things  that  are  good,  to 
me  is  very  acceptable,  with  you  or  with  any 
other;  and  I am  glad  that  I have  met  with 
those  that  incline  to  so  good  a work;  for,  to 
speak  the  truth,  there  are  but  few  that  care 
thus  to  spend  their  time  as  they  are  iii  their 
travels ; but  choose  much  rather  to  be  speak- 
ing of  things  to  no  profit : and  this  hath  been 
a trouble  to  me. 

Faithful.  That  is  indeed  a thing  to  be  la- 
mented ; for  what  thing  so  worthy  of  the  use 
of  the  tongue  and  mouth  of  men  on  earth,  as 
are  the  things  of  the  God  of  heaven  ? 

Talkative.  I like  you  wonderful  well,  for 
your  sayings  are  full  of  conviction : and,  I will 
add,  what  things  are  so  pleasant,  and  what  so 
profitable,  as  to  talk  of  the  things  of  God? 

What  things  so  pleasant?  that  is,  if  a man 

Asham’d  of  Jesus ! yes  we  may, 

When  we’ve  no  sin  to  wash  away, 

No  tears  to  wipe,  no  joys  to  crave, 

Or  no  immortal  soul  to  save. 

f There  is  a great  difference  between  having  notions 
in  the  head,  and  being  able  to  talk  of  doctrines  of 
grace,  and  experiencing  the  grace  and  power  of  those 
doctrines  in  the  heart.  Look  to  yourselves.  2 
John  S. 


126 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


hath  any  delight  in  things  that  are  wonderful : 
for  instance,  if  a man  doth  delight  to  talk  of 
the  history  or  the  mystery  of  things;  or  if  a 
man  doth  love  to  talk  of  miracles,  wonders,  or 
signs,  where  shall  he  find  things  recorded  so 
delightful,  and  so  sweetly  penned,  as  in  the 
Holy  Scripture? 

Faithful.  That’s  true : hut  to  be  profited  hy 
such  things  in  our  talk  be  our  chief  design. 

Talkative.  That  is  it  that  I said ; for  to  talk 
of  such  things  is  most  profitable:  for  by  so 
doing  a man  may  get  knowledge  of  many 
things;  as,  of  the  vanity  of  earthly  things, 
and  the  benefit  of  things  above.  Thus  in 
general : but  more  particularly,  by  this  a man 
may  learn  the  necessity  of  the  new  birth ; the 
insufficiency  of  our  works ; the  need  of  Christ’s 
righteousness,  &c.  Besides,  by  this  a man  may 
learn  what  it  is  to  repent,  to  believe,  to  pray, 
to  suffer,  or  the  like ; by  this  also  a man  may 
learn  what  are  the  great  promises  and  consola- 
tions of  the  Gospel,  to  his  own  comfort.  Fur- 
ther, by  this  a man  may  learn  to  refute  false 
opinions,  to  vindicate  the  truth,  and  also  to 
instruct  the  ignorant.* 

Faithful.  All  this  is  true,  and  glad  am  I to 
hear  these  things  from  you. 

Talkative.  Alas ! the  want  of  this  is  the  cause 
that  so  few  understand  the  need  of  faith,  and 
the  necessity  of  a work  of  grace  in  their  souls, 
in  order  to  eternal  life ; but  ignorantly  live  in 
the  works  of  the  law,  hy  which  a man  can  by 
no  means  obtain  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Faithful.  But,  by  your  leave,  heavenly  know- 
ledge of  these  is  the  gift  of  God ; no  man  at- 
taineth  to  them  by  human  industry,  or  only  by 
the  talk  of  them. 

Talkative.  All  that  I know  very  well:  for  a 
man  can  receive  nothing  except  it  be  given 
him  from  heaven ; all  is  of  grace,  not  of  works : 
I could  give  you  an  hundred  Scriptures  for  the 
confirmation  of  this. 

Well  then,  said  Faithful,  what  is  that  one 
thing  that  we  shall  at  this  time  found  our  dis- 
course upon  ? 

Talkative.  What  you  will:  I will  talk  of 
things  heavenly,  or  things  earthly;  things 
moral,  or  things  evangelical;  things  sacred, 

*' Is  not  here  the  very  standard  of  orthodoxy? 
Hence  observe,  a mere  professor  may  learn,  like  a 
parrot,  to  talk  of  sound  doctrines,  and  may  have  a 
sound  judgment  concerning  them;  while  his  heart  is 
rotten,  as  to  any  experience  of  them,  love  to  them, 
and  the  power  and  influence  of  them  upon  his  affec- 
tions and  his  life.  Many  own  Christ  for  their  master 
now,  whom  as  their  judge  he  will  condemn  hereafter. 


or  things  profane;  things  past,  or  things  to 
come ; things  foreign,  or  things  at  home ; things 
more  essential,  or  things  circumstantial;  pro- 
vided that  all  be  done  to  our  profit. 

Now  did  Faithful  begin  to  wonder;  and 
stepping  to  Christian  (for  he  walked  all  this 
while  by  himself)  he  said  to  him,  but  softly, 
What  a brave  companion  have  we  got ! surely 
this  man  will  make  a very  excellent  pilgrim. 

At  this  Christian  modestly  smiled,  and  said, 
This  man,  with  whom  you  are  so  taken,  will 
beguile  with  this  tongue  of  his  twenty  of  them 
who  know  him  not. 

Faithful.  Do  you  know  him  then  ? 

Christian.  Know  him?  yes,  better  than  he 
knows  himself. 

Faithful.  Pray  what  is  he  ? 

Christian.  His  name  is  Talkative;  hedwelleth 
in  our  town ; I wonder  that  you  should  be  a 
stranger  to  him ; only  I consider  that  our  town 
is  large. 

Faithful.  Whose  son  is  he?  and  whereabouts 
doth  he  dwell  ? 

Christian.  He  is  the  son  of  one  Say-well,  he 
dwelt  in  Prating- row;  and  is  known,  of  all  that 
are  acquainted  with  him,  by  the  name  of  Talk- 
ative in  Prating-row ; and,  notwithstanding  his 
fine  tongue,  he  is  but  a sorry  fellow.f 

Faithful.  Well,  he  seems  to  be  a very  pretty 
man. 

Christian.  That  is,  to  them  that  have  not 
a thorough  acquaintance  with  him ; for  he  is 
the  best  abroad,  near  home  he  is  ugly  enough : 
your  saying  that  he  is  a pretty  man,  brings  to 
my  mind  what  I have  observed  in  the  work  of 
the  painter,  whose  pictures  show  best  at  a dis- 
tance, but  very  near  more  unpleasing. 

Faithful.  I am  ready  to  think  you  do  but 
jest,  because  you  smiled. 

Christian.  God  forbid  that  I should  jest 
(though  I smiled)  in  this  matter,  or  that  I 
should  accuse  any  falsely.  I will  give  you  a 
further  discovery  of  him : this  man  is  for  any 
company,  and  for  any  talk  ; as  he  talketh  now 
with  you,  so  will  he  talk  when  he  is  on  the 
ale-bench ; and  the  more  drink  he  hath  in  his 
crown,  the  more  of  these  things  he  hath  in  his 
mouth : religion  hath  no  place  in  his  heart,  or 

f Are  we  not  forbid  to  speak  evil  of  any  man  ? Ti- 
tus iii.  2.  Is  not  Christian  guilty  of  this?  No;  for 
where  the  glory  of  God,  and  honour  of  the  Gospel  is 
at  stake,  aud  there  is  danger  of  a brother’s  being  de- 
ceived bj'  a mere  talkative,  loose,  wicked  professor, 
here  it  is  right,  and  the  nature  of  things  require  it, 
that  we  should  detect  aud  expose  such  in  a becoming 
spirit. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


127 


house,  or  conversation  ; nil  he  hath  liethgn  his 
tongue,  and  his  religion  is  to  make  a noise 
therewith.* 

PnWful.  Say  you  so?  then  I am  in  this  man 
greatly  deceived. 

Christian.  Deceived!  you  may  be  sure  of  it: 
remember  the  proverb,  “ They  say,  and  do 
not;”  but  “ the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word, 
but  in  power.”  Matt,  xxiiii  3 ; 1 Cor.  iv.  20. 
lie  talketh  of  prayer,  of  repentance,  of  faith, 
and  of  the  new  birth  ; but  he  knows  but  only 
to  talk  of  them.  I have  been  in  his  family, 
and  have  observed  him  both  at  home  and 
abroad ; and  I know  what  I say  of  him  is  the 
truth.  11  is  house  is  as  empty  of  religion,  as 
the  white  of  an  egg  is  of  savour.  There  is 
there  neither  prayer,  nor  sign  of  repentance 
for  sin  ; yea,  the  brute,  in  his  kind,  serves  God 
far  better  than  he.  lie  is  the  very  stain,  re- 
proach, and  shame  of  religion,  to  all  that  know 
him,  (Rom.  ii.  23,  24;)  it  can  hardly  have  a 
good  word  in  all  that  end  of  the  town  where 
he  dwells,  through  him.  Thus  say  the  com- 
mon people  that  know  him — “ A saint  abroad, 
and  a devil  at  home.”  His  poor  family  finds 
it  so  : he  is  such  a churl,  such  a railer  at,  and 
so  unreasonable  with  his  servants,  that  they 
neither  know  how  to  do  for,  or  speak  to  him. 
Men  that  have  any  dealings  with  him  say  it  is 
better  to  deal  with  a Turk  than  with  him ; for 
fairer  dealings  they  shall  have  at  their  hands. 
This  Talkative,  if  it  be  possible,  will  go  beyond 
them,  defraud,  beguile,  and  over-reach  them. 
Besides,  be  brings  up  his  sons  to  follow  his 
steps : and  if  he  finds  in  any  of  them  a “foolish 
timorousness,”  (for  so  he  calls  the  first  appear- 
ance of  a tender  conscience,)  he  calls  them 
fools  and  blockheads,  and  by  no  means  will 
employ  them  in  much,  or  speak  to  their  com- 
mendation before  others.  For  my  part  I am 
of  opinion  that  he  has  by  his  wicked  life  caused 
many  to  stumble  and  fall ; and  will  be,  if  God 
prevents  not,  the  ruin  of  many  more.f 

* Sueh  professors  there  are  now,  as  there  always 
were.  Tho  blessed  cause  is  wounded  by  them,  and 
the  most  glorious  truths  through  them  are  brought 
into  contempt.  There  is  more  hurt  to  be  got  by  them, 
than  from  the  utterly  ignorant  and  profane.  Shun 
and  avoid  such. 

f Read  this  and  tremble,  yo  whoso  profession  lies 
only  on  your  tongue,  but  who  never  experienced  the 
love  and  grace  of  Christ  in  your  souls.  Oh  how  do 
you  trifle  with  the  grace  of  God,  and  with  the  holy 
word  of  truth  ! Oh  what  an  awful  account  have  you 
to  give  hereafter  to  a holy,  heart-searching  God ! Ye 
true  pilgrims  of  Jesus,  read  this,  and  give  glory  to 
your  Lord,  for  saving  you  from  resting  iu  barren  no- 


Faithful.  Well,  my  brother,  I am  bound  to 
believe  you ; not  only  because  you  say  you 
know  him,  but  also  because  like  a Christian 
you  make  your  reports  of  men.  For  I cannot 
think  that  you  speak  those  things  of  ill  will, 
but  because  it  is  even  so  as  you  say. 

Christian.  Had  I known  him  no  more  than 
you,  I might  perhaps  have  thought  of  him  as 
at  the  first  you  did:  yea,  had  I received  this 
report  at  their  hands  only,  that  are  enemies  to 
religion,  I should  have  thought  it  had  been  a 
slander,  (a  lot  that  often  falls  from  bad  men’s 
mouths,  upon  good  men’s  names  and  profes- 
sions:) but  all  these  things,  yea,  and  a great 
many  more  as  bad,  of  my  own  knowledge,  I 
can  prove  him  guilty  of.  Besides,  good  men 
are  ashamed  of  him ; they  can  neither  call  him 
brother  nor  friend:  the  very  naming  of  him 
among  them,  makes  them  blush,  if  they  know 
him. 

Faithful.  Well,  I see  that  saying  and  doing 
arc  two  things,  and  hereafter  I shall  better  ob- 
serve this  distinction. 

Christian.  They  are  two  things  indeed,  and 
are  as  diverse  as  are  the  soul  and  the  body ; for, 
as  the  body  without  the  soul  is  but  a dead  car- 
cass, so  saying,  if  it  be  alone,  is  but  a dead 
carcass  also.  The  soul  of  religion  is  the  prac- 
tical part : “ pure  religion  and  undefiled,  before 
God  and  the  Father,  is  this : to  visit  the  father- 
less and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and  to  keep 
himself  unspotted  from  the  world.”  James  i. 
22,  27.  This  Talkative  is  not  aware  of;  he 
thinks  that  hearing  and  saying  will  make  a 
good  Christian ; and  thus  he  deceivetli  his  own 
soul.  Hearing  is  but  as  the  sowing  of  the 
seed;  talking  is  not  sufficient  to  prove  that 
fruit  is  indeed  in  the  heart  and  life : and  let  us 
assure  ourselves  that  at  the  day  of  doom  men 
shall  be  judged  according  to  their  fruits,  (Matt, 
xiii.  23;)  it  will  not  be  said  then,  “Did  you 
believe?”  but  “Were  you  doers,  or  talkers 
only?”  t and  accordingly  shall  they  be  judged. 

tions,  and  taking  up  with  talking  of  truths:  and  that 
he  has  given  you  to  know  the  truth  in  its  power,  to 
embrace  it  in  your  heart,  and  to  livo  and  walk  un- 
der its  sanctifying  influences.  Who  made  you  to 
differ? 

J Though  sinners  are  redeemed,  and  their  sins 
washed  away  by  the  blood  of  Christ — though  by  faith 
they  arc  fully  justified — though  the  gift  of  God  is 
eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ;  yet  none  are  par- 
takers of  these  invaluable  blessings,  but  those  who 
have  living  faith  in  Christ.  And  this  faith,  which  is 
the  gift  of  God,  manifests  itself  by  its  obedience  to  the 
will  of  God,  and  in  bringing  forth  fruits  to  the  glory 
of  God.  Therefore  let  no  one  deceive  himself;  for. 


128 


BUNT  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


The  end  of  the  -world  is  compared  to  our  har- 
vest; and  you  know  men  at  harvest  regard 
nothing  hut  fruit.  Not  that  anything  can  he 
accepted  that  is  not  of  faith ; but  I speak  this 
to. show  you  how  insignificant  the  profession  of 
Talkative  will  be  at  that  day. 

Faithful.  This  brings  to  my  mind  that  of 
Moses,  by  which  he  described  the  beast  that  is 
clean.  (Lev.  xi ; Deut.  xiv.) — he  is  such  an  one 
that  parteth  the  hoof  and  cheweth  the  cud ; 
not  that  parteth  the  hoof  only,  or  that  chew- 
eth the  cud  only.  The  hare  cheweth  the  cud, 
but  yet  is  unclean,  because  he  parteth  not  the 
hoof.  And  this  truly  resembleth  Talkative  ; 
he  cheweth  the  cud,  he  seeketh  knowledge  ! he 
cheweth  upon  the  word ; but  he  divideth  not 
the  hoof,  but  he  parteth  not  with  the  way  of 
sinners  ; but,  as  the  hare,  he  retaineth  the  foot 
of  a dog  or  bear,  and  therefore  he  is  unclean. 

Christian.  You  have  spoken,  for  aught  I 
know,  the  true  Gospel  sense  of  those  texts. 
Aud  I will  add  another  thing : Paul  calleth 
some  men,  yea,  and  those  great  talkers  too, 
“ sounding  brass  and  tinkling  cymbals that 
is,  as  he  expounds  them  in  another  place, 
“things  without  life,  giving  sound.”  1 Cor. 
xiii.  1,  3.  “Things  without  life that  is,  with- 
out the  true  faith  and  grace  of  the  Gospel ; 
and  consequently  things  that  shall  never  be 
placed  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  among  those 
that  are  the  children  of  life,  though  their 
sound,  by  their  talk,  be  as  it  were  the  tongue 
or  voice  of  an  angel. 

' Faithful.  Well,  I was  not  so  fond  of  his 
company  at  first,  but  am  as  sick  of  it  now. 
What  shall  we  do  to  be  rid  of  him? 

Christian.  Take  my  advice,  and  do  as  I bid 
you,  and  you  shall  find  that  he  will  soon  be 
sick  of  your  company  too,  except  God  shall 
touch  his  heart  and  turn  it. 

Faithful.  What  would  you  have  me  to  do  ? 

Christian.  Why,  go  to  him,  and  enter  into 
some  s'-rious  discourse  about  tire  poiver  of  re- 
ligion; and  ask  him  plainly,  when  he  has  ap- 
proved of  it,  (for  that  he  will,)  whether  this 
thing  be  set  up  in  his  heart,  house,  or  conver- 
sation ?  *  * 

Then  Faithful  stepped  forward  again,  and 
said  to  Talkative,  Come,  what  cheer?  how  is  it 
now? 


faith  without  works  is  dead,  and  a dead  faith  never 
begets  living  hope  upon  a risen  Saviour;  nor  will  it 
avail,  when  he  shall  appear  as  the  Judge. 

* Without  this,  all  is  empty  notion,  mere  sound,  and 
unavailing  profession.  Men  only  take  up  fancy  for 
faith;  the  form  of  godliness,  instead  of  the  power: 


Talkative.  Thank  you,  well;  I thought  we 
should  have  had  a great  deal  of  talk  by  this 
time. 

Faithful.  Well,  if  you  will,  we  will  fall  to 
it  now ; and  since  you  left  it  with  me  to  state 
the  question,  let  it  be  this : How  doth  the  sav- 
ing grace  of  God  discover  itself  when  it  is  in 
the  heart  of  man  ? 

Talkative.  I perceive,  then,  that  our  talk 
must  be  about  th e. power  of  things:  well,  it  is 
a very  good  question,  and  I shall  be  willing  to 
answer  you;  and  take  my  answer  in  brief 
thus : — first,  where  the  grace  of  God  is  in  the 
heart,  it  causeth  there  a great  outcry  against 
sin.  Secondly — 

Faithful.  Nay,  hold,  let  us  consider  of  one 
at  once:  -I  think  you  should  rather  say,  It 
shows  itself  by  inclining  the  soul  to  abhor  its 
sin. 

Talkative.  Why,  what  difference  is  there 
between  crying  out  against,  and  abhorring  of, 
sin? 

Faithful.  Oh ! a great  deal.  A man  may 
cry  out  against  sin,  of  policy,  but  he  cannot 
abhor  it  but  by  virtue  of  a godly  antipathy 
against  it : I have  heard  many  cry  out  against 
sin  in  the  pulpit,  who  yet  can  abide  it  well 
enough  in  the  heart,  house,  and  conversation. 
Joseph’s  mistress  cried  with  a loud  voice,  as  if 
she  had  been  very  holy  ; but  she  would  will- 
ingly, notwithstanding  that,  have  committed 
uncleanness  with  him.  Gen.  xxxix.  11,  15.  ! 
Some  cry  out  against  sin,  even  as  the  mother 
cries  out  against  her  child  in  her  lap,  when  she  j 
calleth  it  slut,  and  naughty  girl,  and  then  falls  < 
to  hugging  and  kissing  it. 

Talkative.  You  lie  at  the  catch,  I perceive. 

Faithf  ul.  No,  not  I ; I am  only  for  setting  | 
things  right.  But  what  is  the  second  thing 
whereby  you  will  prove  a discovery  of  a work 
of  grace  in  the  heart? 

Talkative.  Great  knowledge  of  Gospel  mys- 
teries. 

Faithful.  This  sign  should  have  been  first; 
but,  first  or  last,  it  is  also  false ; for  knowledge, 
great  knowledge,  may  be  obtained  in  the  mys- 
teries of  the  gospel,  and  yet  no  work  of  grace 
in  the  soul.  1 Cor.  xiii.  Yea,  if  a man  have 
all  knowledge,  he  may  yet  be  nothing,  and  so, 
consequently  be  no  child  of  God.  When 

and  the  old  nature  is  dressed  up  in  the  specious  ap- 
pearance of  new  pretensions.  True  faith  will  ever 
show  itself  by  its  fruits ; a real  conversion,  by  the 
life  and  conversation.  Be  not  deceived:  God  is  not 
mocked  with  the  tongue,  if  the  heart  is  not  right  to- 
wards him  in  love  and  obedience. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


123 


Christ  said,  “Do  vo  know  all  these  things?” 
and  the  disciples  had  answered,  Yes, — he 
added,  “ Blessed  are  ye  if  ye  do  them.”  He 
doth  not  lay  the  blessing  in  the  knowing  of 
them,  but  in  the  doing  of  them.  For  there  is 
a knowledge  that  is  not  attended  with  doing: 
“he  that  knoweth  his  master’s  will,  and  doetli 
it  not.”  A man  may  know  like  an  angel,  and 
yet  be  no  Christian  : therefore  your  sign  of  it 
is  not  true.  Indeed,  to  know,  is  a thing  that 
pleaseth  talkers  and  boasters ; but  to  do,  is  that 
which  pleaseth  God.  Not  that  the  heart  can 
be  good  without  knowledge  ; for  without  that 
the  heart  is  naught.  There  are  therefore  two 
sorts  of  knowledge  : knowledge  that  restetli  in 
the  bare  speculation  of  things,  and  knowledge 
that  is  accompanied  with  the  grace  of  faith 
and  love,  which  puts  a man  upon  doing  even 
the  will  of  God  from  the  heart:  the  first  of 
these  will  serve  the  talker;  but  without  the 
other,  the  true  Christian  is  not  content : “ Give 
me  understanding,  and  I shall  keep  thy  law ; 
yea,  I shall  observe  it  with  my  whole  heart.” 
Ps.  cxix.  34. 

Talkative.  You  lie  at  the  catch  again;  this 
is  not  for  edification. 

Faithful.  Well,  if  you  please,  propound 
another  sign- how  this  work  of  grace  discover- 
ed! itself  where  it  is. 

Talkative.  Not  I ; for  I see  we  shall  not 
v agree. 

Faithful.  Well,  if  you  will  not,  will  you  give 
me  leave  to  do  it? 

Talkative.  You  may  use  your  liberty. 

Faithful.  A work  of  grace  in  the  soul  dis- 
covered! itself  either  to  him  that  hath  it,  or  to 
standers  by. 

. To  him  that  hath  it,  thus : it  gives  him  con- 
viction of  sin,  especially  of  the  defilement  of 
his  nature,  and  the  sin  of  unbelief  for  the  sake 
of  which  he  is  sure  to  be  damned,  if  he  findeth 
not  mercy  at  God’s  hand,  by  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ.  Mark  xvi.  16 ; John  xvi.  8,  9 ; Rom. 
vii.  24.  This  sight  and  sense  of  things  worketh 
in  him  sorrow  and  shame  for  sin ; he  findeth, 
moreover,  revealed  in  him  the  Saviour  of  the 
world,  and  the  absolute  necessity  of  closing 
with  him  for  life ; at  the  which  he  findeth 
hungerings  and  thirstings  after  him  ; to  which 
hungerings,  &c.,  the  promise  is  made.  Ps. 

* This,  and  this  only,  is  what  will  evidence  that  we 
arc  real  disciples  of  Christ,  honour  his  name  and  his 
truths,  and  recommend  his  religion  in  the  world. 
Without  this  power  of  godliness,  we  have  only  a name 
to  live,  while  we  are  dead  to  the  power  of  the  Gospel. 
Examine  yourself : look  to  your  ways. 

9 


xxxviii.  18;  .Ter.  xxxi.  19;  Matt.  v.  6;  Acts  iv. 
12;  Gal.  i.  15,  16;  Rev.  xxi.  0.  Now  accord- 
ing to  the  strength  or  weakness  of  his  faith  in 
his  Saviour,  so  is  his  joy  and  peace,  so  is  his 
love  to  holiness,  so  are  his  desires  to  know  him 
more,  and  also  to  serve  him  in  this  world.  But 
though,  I say,  it  discovereth  itself  thus  unto 
him,  yet  it  is  but  seldom  that  he  is  able  to 
conclude  that  this  is  a work  of  grace : because 
his  corruptions  now,  and  his  abused  reason, 
make  his  mind  to  misjudge  in  this  matter: 
therefore  in  him  that  hath  his  work,  there  is 
required  a very  sound  judgment,  before  he  can 
with  steadiness  conclude  that  this  is  a work 
of  grace. 

To  others  it  is  thus  discovered: — 1.  By  an 
experimental  confession  of  his  faith  in  Christ. 
2.  By  a life  answerable  to  that  confession  ; to 
wit,  a life  of  holiness,  heart-holiness:  family- 
holiness,  (if  he  hath  a family,)  and  by  conver- 
sation-holiness in  the  world ; which  in  the 
general  teacheth  him  inwardly  to  abhor  his 
sin,  and  himself  for  that  in  secret;  to  suppress 
it  in  his  family,  and  to  promote  holiness  in  the 
world:  not  by  talk  only,  as  ail  hypocrite  or 
talkative  person  may  do,  but  by  a practical 
subjection  in  faith  and  love  to  the  power  of 
the  word.*  Ps.  1.  23;  Ezek.  xx.  43;  Matt.  v.  8; 
John  xiv.  15;  Rom.  x.  9,  10;  Phil.  iii.  17,  20. 
And  now,  sir,  as  to  this  brief  description  of 
the  work  of  grace,  and  also  the  discovery  of  it, 
if  you  have  auglit  to  object,  object ; if  not, 
tlie’n  give  me  leave  to  propound  to  you  a 
second  question. 

Talkative.  Nav,  mv  part  is  not  now  to  object, 
but  to  hear : let  me  therefore  have  your  second 
question. 

Faithful.  It  is  this:  Do  you  experience  this 
first  part  of  the  description  of  it;  and  doth 
your  life  and  conversation  testify  the  same?  or 
standeth  your  religion  in  icord  or  tongue,  and 
not  in  deed  and  truth  ? Pray,  if  you  incline  to 
answer  me  in  this,  say  no  more  than  you  know 
the  God  above  will  say  Amen  to;  and  also 
nothing  but  what  your  conscience  can  justify 
you  in : “ for  not  he  who  commendeth  himself 
is  approved,  but  whom  the  Lord  commendeth.” 
Besides,  to  say  I am  thus  and  thus,  when  my 
conversation  and  all  my  neighbours  tell  me  I 
lie,  is  great  wickedness.! 

Then  Talkative  at  first  began  to  blush ; but 
recovering  himself,  thus  he  replied  : You  come 

f Blessed,  faithful  dealing ! Oh  that  it  was  uiorc 
practised  in  the  world  and  in  the  church ! How  then 
would  vain  talkers  be  detected  in  the  one,  and  driven 
out  of  the  other ! 


130 


B U NY  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


now  to  experience,  to  conscience,  and  God; 
and  to  appeal  to  him  for  justification  of  what 
is  spoken : this  kind  of  discourse  I did  not  ex- 
pect ; nor  am  I disposed  to  give  an  answer  to 
such  questions;  because  I count  not  myself 
bound  thereto,  unless  you  take  upon  you  to  be 
a catechiser:  and  though  you  should  so  do,  yet 
I may  refuse  to  make  you  my  judge.  But  I 
pray,  will  you  tell  me  why  you  ask  me  such 
questions  ? * 

Faithful.  Because  I saw  you  forward  to  talk, 
and  because  I knew  not  that  you  had  aught 
else  but  notion.  Besides,  to  tell  you  all  the 
truth,  I have  heard  of  you,  that  you  are  a man 
whose  religion  lies  in  talk,  and  that  your  con- 
versation gives  this  your  profession  the  lie. 
They  say  you  are  a spot  among  Christians; 
and  that  religion  fareth  the  worse  for  your  un- 
godly conversation ; that  some  already  have 
stumbled  at  your  wicked  ways,  and  that  more 
are  in  danger  of  being  destroyed  thereby ; your 
religion,  and  an  ale-house,  and  covetousness, 
and  uncleanness,  and  swearing,  and  lying,  and 
vain  company-keeping,  &c.,  will  stand  to- 
gether. The  proverb  is  true  of  you,  which  is 
said  of  a harlot,  to  wit,  that  “she  is  a shame 
to  all  women ;”  so  you  are  a shame  to  all  pro- 
fessors. 

Talkative.  Since  you  are  ready  to  take  up  re- 
ports, and  to  judge  so  rashly  as  you  do,  I can- 
not but  conclude  you  are  some  peevish  or  mel- 
ancholic man,  not  fit  to  be  discoursed  with : 
and  so  adieu. f 

Then  came  up  Christian,  and  said  to  his 
brother,  I told  you  how  it  would  happen  ; your 
words  and  his  lusts  could  not  agree.  He  had 
rather  leave  your  company  than  reform  his 
life ; but  he  is  gone,  as  I said : let  him  go,  the 

# Heart-searching,  soul-examining,  and  close  ques- 
tioning of  the  conduct  of  life,  will  not  do  with  talk- 
ative professors.  Ring  a peal  on  the  doctrines  of 
grace,  and  many  will  chime  in  with  you;  but  speak 
closely  how  grace  operates  upon  the  heart,  and  in- 
fluences the  life  to  follow  Christ  in  self-denying  obe- 
dience, they  cannot  bear  it:  they  are  offended  with 
you,  and  will  turn  away  from  you,  and  call  you 
legal. 

j-  Where  the  heart  is  rotten,  it  will  ward  off  convic- 
tion, turn  from  a faithful  reprover,  condemn  him,  and 
justify  itself.  Faithful  dealing  will  not  do  for  un- 


loss  is  no  man’s  but  his  own  ; he  has  saved  us 
the  trouble  of  going  from  him ; for,  he  contin- 
uing (as  I suppose  he  will  do)  as  he  is,  he 
would  have  been  but  a blot  in  your  company : 
besides,  the  apostle  says,  “ From  such  with- 
draw thyself.” 

Faithful.  But  I am  glad  we  had  this  little 
discourse  with  him ; it  may  happen  that  he 
will  think  of  it  again : however,  I have  dealt 
plainly  with  him,  and  so  am  clear  of  his  blood 
if  he  perisheth.J  ' 

Christian.  You  did  well  to  talk  so  plainly 
to  him  as  you  did;  there  is  but  little  of  this 
faithful  dealing  with  men  now-a-days,  and  that 
makes  religion  to  stink  so  in  the  nostrils  of 
many  as  it  doth : for  there  are  these  talkative 
fools,  whose  religion  is  only  in  words,  and  are 
debauched  and  vain  in  their  conversation,  that, 
being  so  much  admitted  into  the  fellowship  of 
the  godly,  do  puzzle  the  world,  blemish  Chris- 
tianity, and  grieve  the  sincere.  I wish  that  all 
men  would  deal  with  such  as  you  have  done  ; 
then  should  they  be  either  made  more  com- 
formable  to  religion,  or  the  company  of  saints 
would  be  too  hot  for  them.  Then  did  Faithful 
say— 

“ How  Talkative  at  first  lifts  up  his  plumes ! 

How  bravely  doth  he  speak  ! How  he  presumes 

To  drive  down  all  before  him  ! But  so  soon 

As  Faithful  talks  of  heart-work,  like  the  moon 

That’s  past  the  full,  into  the  wane  he  goes : 

And  so  will  all  but  he  that  heart-work  knows.-’ 

Thus  they  went  on  talking  of  whatHhey  had 
seen  by  the  way,  and  so  made  that  way  easy 
which  would  otherwise  no  doubt  have  been 
tedious  to  them : for  now  they  went  through 
a wilderness.|| 

faithful  souls.  Mind  not  that,  but  be  faithful  to  the 
truth. 

j;  Mind  this.  These  are  right  principles  to  act  from, 
and  right  ends  to  have  in  view,  in  faithful  reproving, 
or  aiming  to  convict  our  fellow-sinners.  Study  and 
pursue  these. 

||  Spiritual  observations  and  conferences  on  past  ex- 
periences are  very  enlivening  to  the  soul.  They  very 
often  change  the  wilderness  of  dejection  into  a garden 
of  delights  ; and  so  beguile  the  weary  steps  of  pil- 
grims through  tedious  paths.  0 Christians,  look 
more  to  Christ,  and  talk  more  to  each  other  of  his 
love  to  you,  and  dealings  with  you. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


131 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Persecution  exhibited,  in  the  treatment  of  Christian  and  Faithful  in  Vanity  Fair. 


Now  when  Christian  nml  Faithful  were  got 
almost  quite  out  of  this  wilderness.  Faithful 
chanced  to  cast  his  eye  back,  and  spied  one 
coming  after  them,  and  he  knew  him.  Oh  ! 
said  Faithful  to  his  brother,  who  comes  yon- 
der? Then  Christian  looked,  and  said,  It  is 
my  good  friend  Evangelist.  Ay,  and  my 
good  friend  too,  said  Faithful ; for  it  was  be 
that  set  me  in  the  way  to  the  gate.  Now  as 
Evangelist  came  up  unto  them,  he  thus 
saluted  them : 

Peace  be  with  you,  dearly  beloved  ; and 
peace  be  to  your  helpers. 

Christian.  Welcome,  welcome,  my  good 
Evangelist,  the  sight  of  thy  countenance 
brings  to  my  remembrance  thy  ancient  kind- 
ness and  unwearied  labours  for  my  eternal 
good. 

And  a thousand  times  welcome,  said  good 
Faithful ; thy  company,  O sweet  Evangelist, 
how  desirable  is  it  to  us  poor  pilgrims ! * 

Then  said  Evangelist,  How  hath  it  fared 
with  you,  my  friends,  since  the  time  of  our 
last  parting?  what  have  you  met  with,  and 
how  have  you  behaved  yourselves  ?f 

Then  Christian  and  Faithful  told  him  of  all 
things  that  had  happened  to  them  in  the  way ; 
and  how,  and  with  what  difficulty,  they  had 
arrived  to  that  place. 

Right  glad  am  I,  said  Evangelist,  not  that 
you  have  met  with  trials,  but  that  you  have 
been  victors,  and  for  that  you  have,  not- 
withstanding many  weaknesses,  continued  in 
the  way  to  this  very  day.  I say,  right  glad 
am  I of  this  thing,  and  that  for  my  own  sake 
and  yours.  I have  sowed  and  you  have  reaped ; 
and  the  day  is  coming,  when  “ both  he  that 
sowed  and  they  that  reaped  shall  rejoice  to- 
gether;” that  is,  if  you  hold  out;  “for  in  due 
time  ye  shall  reap,  if  you  faint  not.”  John  iv. 
36 ; Gal.  vi.  9.  The  crown  is  before  you,  and 
it  is  an  uncorruptible  one ; “ so  run  that  you 
may  obtain  it.”  Some  there  be  that  set  out 

* A sincere  :uid  cordial  love  for  Gospel  ministers, 
under  a sense  of  tlieir  being  made  instrumental  to  our 
sotil's  profit,  is  a sure  and  a blessed  sign  of  a pilgrim's 
spirit. 

t To  inquire  after  the  concerns  and  prosperity  of  the 
soul,  should  always  be  the  business  of  faithful  ministers 
of  Christ;  but  is  not  this  sadly  neglected ? Oh  how 
Often  do  ministers  visit  and  depart,  without  close  ex- 


for  this  crown,  and  after  they  have  gone  far 
for  it,  another  comes  in  and  takes  it  from 
them  ; “ hold  fast  therefore  that  you  have,  let 
no  man  take  your  crown,”  (1  Cor.  iv.  24,  27; 
Rev.  iii.  1 :)  you  are  not  yet  out  of  the  gun- 
shot of  the  devil : “you  have  not  resisted  unto 
blood,  striving  against  sin  let  the  kingdom 
be  always  before  you,  and  believe  steadfastly 
concerning  things  that  are  invisible:  let  noth- 
ing that  is  on  this  side  the  other  world  get 
within  you:  and,  above  all,  look  well  to  your 
own  hearts,  and  to  the,  lusts  thereof,  for  they 
are  “deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked  :”  set  your  faces  like  a flint;  you  have 
all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  on  your  side.J 

Then  Christian  thanked  him  for  his  ex- 
hortation; but  told  him  withal,  that  they 
would  have  him  speak  further  to  them  for 
their  help  the  rest  of  the  way;  and  the  rather, 
for  that  they  well  knew  that  he  was  a prophet, 
and  could  tell  them  of  things  that  might 
happen  unto  them,  and  how  they  might  resist 
and  overcome  them.  To  which  request  Faith- 
ful also  consented.  So  Evangelist  began  as 
followeth : 

My  sons,  you  have  heard  in  the  words  of  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel,  that  “ you  must  through 
many  tribulations  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.”  And  again,  that  “ in  every  city, 
bonds  and  afflictions  abide  on  you;”  and 
therefore  you  .cannot  expect  that  you  should 
go  long  on  your  pilgrimage  without  them,  in 
some  sort  .or  other.  You  have  found  some- 
thing- of  the  truth  of  these  testimonies  upon 
you  already,  and  more  will  immediately  fol- 
,low : for  now,  as  you  see,  you  are  almost  out 
of  this  wilderness,  and  therefore  you  will  soon 
come  into  a town,  that  you  will  by  and  by  see 
before  you ; and  in  that  town  you  will  be 
hardly  beset  with  enemies,  who  will  strain 
hard  but  they  will  kill  you ; and  be  you  sure 
that  one  or  both  of  you  must  seal  the  testi- 
mony which  you  hold  with  blood : but  “ be 

perimental  converse  with  their  people ! Hence  both 
suffer  present  loss,  and  much  harm  is  the  consequence. 

J Here  is  a blessed  word  of  encouragement,  of  warn- 
ing and  of  exhortation,  to  be  steadfast  in  faith,  joyful 
in  hope,  watchful  over  our  hearts,  and  to  abound  in 
the  work  of  the  Lord.  All  this  is  constantly  necessary 
for  pilgrims.  Faithful  ministers  will  give  advice,  and 
I pilgrims  will  be  thankful  for  sueh. 


132 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


you  faithful  unto  death,  and  the  King  will 
give  you  a crown  of  life.”  He  that  shall  die 
there,  although  his  death  wiil  be  unnatural, 
and  his  pains  perhaps  great,  he  will  yet  have 
the  better  of  his  fellow,  not  only  because  he 
will  be  arrived  at  the  Celestial  City  soonest, 
but  because  he  will  escape  many  miseries  that 
the  other  will  meet  with  in  the  rest  of  his 
journey.  But  when  you  are  come  to  the  town, 
and  shall  find  fulfilled  what  I have  here  re- 
lated, then  remember  your  friend,  and  ’quit 
yourselves  like  men;  and  commit  the  keeping 
of  your  souls  to  your  God  in  “well-doing,  as 
unto  a faithful  Creator.”  * 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  when  they 
were  got  out  of  the  wilderness,  they  presently 
saw  a town  before  them;  the  name  of  that 
town  is  Vanity;  and  at  that  town  there  is  a 
fair  kept,  called  Vanity  Fair:  it  is  kept  all 
the  year  long:  it  beareth  the  name  of  Vanity 
Fair,  because  the  town  where  it  is  kept  is 
“lighter  than  vanity,”  and  also,  because  all 
that  is  there  sold,  or  that  cometh  thither,  is 
vanity.  As  is  the  saying  of  the  wise,  “All 
that  cometh  is  vanity.”  Eccles.  i.  2,  14;  ii.  17 ; 
xi.  8;  Isa.  xl.  17. 

This  fair  is  no  new-erected  business,  but  a 
thing  of  ancient  standing : I will  show  you  the 
original  of  it. 

Almost  five  thousand  years  agone,  there  were 
pilgrims  walking  to  the  Celestial  City,  as  these 
two  honest  persons  are:  and  Beelzebub,  Apol- 
lyon,  and  Legion,  with  their  companions,  per- 
ceiving, by  the  path  that  the  pilgrims  made, 
that  their  way  to  their  city  lay  through  this 
town  of  Vanity,  they  contrived  here  to  set  up 
a fair;  a fair,  wherein  should  be  sold  all  sorts 
of  vanity;  and  that  it  should  last  all  the  year- 
long: therefore,  at  this  fair,  are  all  such  mer- 
chandise sold,  as  houses^  lands,  trades,  places, 
honours,  preferments,  titles,  countries,  king- 
doms, lusts,  pleasures ; and  delights  of  all 
sorts,  as  whores,  bawds,  wives,  husbands,  chil- 

*  Woe  unto'them  that  fold  their  hands,  and  fall 
asleep  in  strong  confidence!  You  see  what  hard  work 
jet  lay  before  these  pilgrims.  Let  us  ever  remember, 
this  is  not  our  rest.  We  must  be  pressing  forward, 
fighting  the  good  fight  of  faith,  labouring  to  enter 
into  that  rest  which  remainetli  for  the  people  of  God: 
looking  diligently,  lest  we  fail  of  the  grace  of  God. 
Heb.  xii.  5. 

f A just  description  of  this  wicked  world.  How 
many,  though  they  profess  to  be  pilgrims,  have  never 
yet  set  one  foot  out  of  this  fair,  but  live  in  it  all  the 
year  round  ! They  walk  according  to  the  course  of 
this  world.  Eph.ii.  2.  For  the  god  of  this  world  hath 
blinded  their  mind.  1 Cor.  iv.  4.  YTou  cannot  be  a 


dren,  masters,  servants,  lives,  blood,  bodies, 
souls,  silver,  gold,  pearls,  precious  stones,  and 
what  not ! 

And  moreover,  at  this  fair  there  is  at  all 
times  to  .he  seen  jugglings,  cheats,  games, 
plays,  fools,  apes,  knaves  and  rogues,  and  that 
of  every  kind. 

Here  are  tq  be  seen  too,  and  that  for  nothing, 
thefts,  murders,  adulteries,  false-swearers,  and 
that  of  a blood-red  colour,  f 

And  as  in  other  fairs  of  less  moment,  there 
are  several  rows  and  streets  under  their  proper 
names,  where  such  wares  are  vended,  so  here 
likewise  you  have  the  proper  places,  rows, 
streets,  (viz.  countries  and  kingdoms,)  where 
the  wares  of  this  fair  are  soonest  to  be  found. 
Here  is  the  Britain  row,  the  French  row,  the 
Italian  row,  the  Spanish  row,  the  German  row, 
where  several  sorts  of  vanities  are  to  be  sold. 
But  as  in  other  fairs  some  one  commodity  is 
as  the  chief  of  all  the  fair,  so  the  ware  of  Rome 
and  her  merchandise  is  greatly  promoted  in 
this  fair:  only  our  English  nation,  with  some 
others,  have  taken  a dislike  thereat.  J 

Now,  as  I said,  the  way  to  the  Celestial  City 
lies  just  through  the  town  where  this  lusty 
fair  is  kept : and  he  that  will  go  to  the  city, 
and  yet  not  go  through  this  town  “must  needs 
go  out  of  the  world.”  The  Prince  of  princes 
himself,  when  here,  went  through  this  town  to 
his  own  country,  and  that  upon  a fair  day  too: 
yea,  and  as  I think,  it  was  Beelzebub,  the  chief 
lord  of  this  fair,  that  invited  him  to  buy  of  his 
vanities;  yea,  would  have  made  him  lord  of 
the  fair,  would  he  but  have  done  him  reverence 
as  he  went  through  the  town : yea,  because  he 
was  such  a person  of  honour,  Beelzebub  had 
him  from  street  to  street,  and  showed  him 
all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  in  a little  time, 
that  he  might,  if  possible,  allure  that  Blessed 
One  to  cheapen  and  buy  some  of  his  vanities ; 
but  he  had  no  mind  to  the  merchandise,  and 
therefore  left  the  town  without  laying  out  so 

pilgrim,  if  you  are  not  delivered  from  this  world  and 
its  vanities  ; for  if  you  love  the  -world,  if  it  has  yur 
supreme  affections,  the  love  of  God  is  not  in  yon.  1 
John  ii.  15.  Y’ou  have  not  one  grain  of  faith  in 
Jesus. 

j The  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  It  is  much 
to  be  wished,  that  the  vile  presumption  of  man’s  bar- 
tering with  God,  and  purchasing  a title  to  heaven,  by 
his  performing  terms  and  conditions  of  salvation, 
meriting  heaven  bj-  his  good  works,  and  procuring 
justification  by  his  own  obedience,  to  the  exalting  liia 
pride,  and  the  debasing  the  work  and  glory  of  Christ, 
was  totally  rejected  by  us.  But  alas ! these  proud, 
unscriptural  notions  too  much  prevail 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


133 


much  ns  one  farthing  upon  these  vanities. 
Matt,  iv;  8,  9;  Luke  iv.  5,  7.  This  fair,  there- 
fore, is  an  ancient  thing,  of  long  standing,  and 
a very  great  fair. 

Now  these  pilgrims,  as  I said,  must  needs  go 
through  this  fair.  Well,  so  they  did ; but,  be- 
hold, even  as  they  entered  into  the  fair,  all  the 
people  in  the  fair  were  moved,  and  the  town 
itself,  as  it  were,  in  a hubbub  about  them:  and 
that  for  several  reasons : for, 

First,  The  pilgrims  were  clothed  with  such 
kind  of  raiment,  as  was  diverse  from  the  rai- 
ment of  any  that  traded  in  that  fair.  The 
people,  therefore,  of  the  fair,  made  a great 
gazing  upon  them:  some  said  they  were  fools, 
(1  Cor.  iv.  9,  10;)  some,  they  were  bedlams; 
and  some,  they  were  outlandish  men. 

Secondly,  And,  as  they  wondered  at  their 
apparel,  so  they  did  likewise  at  their  speech ; 
for  few  could  understand  what  they  said : they 
naturally  spoke  the  language  of  Canaan ; but 
they  that  kept  the  fair,  were  the  men  of  this 
world : so  that  from  one  end  of  the  fair  to  the 
other,  they  seemed  barbarians  each  to  the 
| other. 

Thirdly,  But  that  which  did  not  a little 
amuse  the  merchandisers  was,  that  these  pil- 
grims set  very  light  by  all  their  wares ; they 
cared  not  so  much  as  to  look  upon  them ; and 
if  they  called  upon  them  to  buy,  they  would 
put  their  fingers  in  their  ears,  and  cry,  “Turn 
away  mine  eyes  from  beholding  vanity,”  (Ps. 
cxix.  37 ;)  and  look  upwards,  signifying,  that 
their  trade  and  traffic  was  in  heaven. 

One  chanced,  mockingly,  beholding  the  car- 
riages of  the  men,  to  say  unto  them,  “ What 
will  ye  buy?”  but  they  looking  gravely  upon 
him,  said,  We  “ buy  the  truth!”*  Prov.  xxiii. 
29.  At  that,  there  was  an  occasion  taken  to 
despise  the  men  the  more : some  mocking,  some 
taunting,  some  speaking  reproachfully,  and 
some  calling  upon  others  to  smite  them.  At 
last,  things  came  to  a hubbub  and  great  stir  in 

* An  odd  reply.  What  do  they  mean?  That  they 
; are  neither  afraid  nor  ashamed  to  own,  what  was  the 
one  object  of  their  soul's  pursuit — the  Truth.  Under- 
stand hereby  that  the  whole  world,  which  lieth  in 
wickedness,  suffer  themselves  to  be  deceived  by  a lie, 
and  are  under  the  delusion  of  the  father  of  lies.  In 
opposition  to  this,  all  believers  in  Christ  are  said  to 
be  of  the  truth.  1 John  iii.  19.  They  know  and  be- 
lieve that  capital  truth  with  which  God  speaks  from 
heaven,  “ This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I am  well 
pleased.”  Matt.  iii.  17.  This  truth,  that  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God,  and  our  only  Saviour,  lies  at  the  founda- 
tion of  all  their  hope;  and  to  get  more  acquainted 
with  him,  is  the  grand  object  of  their  pursuit.  For 


the  fair,  insomuch  that  all  order  was  cor> 
foupded.  Now  was  word  presently  brought  to 
the  great  one  of  the  fair,  who  quickly  came 
down,  and  deputed  some  of  his  most  trusty 
friends  to  take  those  men  into  examination, 
about  whom  the  fair  was  almost  overturned. 
So  the  men  were  brought  to  examination  ; and 
they  that  sat  upon  them,  aslced  them  whence 
they  came,  whither  they  went,  and  what  they 
did  there  in  such  an  unusual  garb?  The  men 
told  them  that  they  were  pilgrims  and  strangers 
in  the  world ; and  that  they  were  going  to  their 
own  country,  which  was  the  heavenly  Jeru- 
salem, (Ileb.  xi.  13,  16;)  and  that  they  had 
given  no  occasion  to  the  men  of  the  town,  nor 
yet  to  the  merchandisers,  thus  to  abuse  them, 
and  to  stop  them  in  their  journey ; except  it 
was  for  that,  when  one  asked  them  what  they 
would  buy,  they  said  they  would  buy  the 
truth.  But  they  that  were  appointed  to  exam- 
ine them,  did  not  believe  them  to  be  any  other 
than  bedlams  and  mad,  or  else  such  as  came  to 
put  all  things  into  confusion  in  the  fair.  There- 
fore they  took  them  and  beat  them,  and  be- 
smeared them  with  dirt,  and  then  put  them 
into  the  cage,  that  they  might  be  made  a spec- 
tacle to  all  the  men  in  the  fair.f  Therefore 
they  lay  for  some  time,  and  were  made  the 
objects  of  any  man’s  sport  or  malice,  or  revenge ; 
the  great  one  of  the  fair  laughing  still  at  all 
that  befell  them.  But  the  men  being  patient, 
and  “ not  rendering  railing  for  railing,  but 
contrariwise,  blessing,”  and  giving  good  words 
for  bad,  and  kindness  for  injuries  done,  some 
men  in  the  fair  that  were  more  observing  and 
less  prejudiced  than  the  rest,  began  to  check 
and  blame  the  baser  sort,  for  their  continual 
abuses  done  by  them  to  the  men:  they  there- 
fore in  angry  manner  let  fly  at  them  again, 
counting  them  as  bad  as  the  men  in  the  cage, 
and  telling  them,  that  they  seemed  confede- 
rates, and  should  be  made  partakers  of  their 
misfortune.  The  others  replied,  that,  for  aught 

this  the  world  hates  them ; and  Satan,  who  is  an 
enemy  to  this  truth,  stirs  up  the  world  against 
them.  “ For,  (says  our  Lord,)  they  are  not  of  the 
world,  eveu  as  I am  not  of  the  world.”  John  xvii. 
16. 

f If  we  possess  nothing  to  distinguish  ns  from  the 
rest  of  the  world,  which  lieth  in  wickedness,  and  for 
which  they  will  hate  and  despise  us,  wc  have  no 
reason  to  conclude  that  we  are  new  creatures  in  Christ 
Jesus.  If  we  are  Christ's,  we  must  become  fools  for 
Christ,  and  he  counted  as  mad  by  those  who  know  not 
Christ;  for  if  alive  to  Christ,  we  shall  be  crucified  to 
the  world.  “Woe  be  unto  you,  if  all  men  speak  well 
of  you !”  saith  Christ.  Luke  vi.  26. 


134 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


they  could  see,  the  men  were  quiet  and  sober 
and  intended  nobody  any  harm  : and  that  there 
were  many  that  traded  in  their  fair,  that  were 
more  worthy  to  be  put  into  the  cage,  yea,  and 
pillory  too,  than  were  the  men  that  they  had 
abused.  Thus  after  divers  words  had  passed 
on  both  sides,  (the  men  behaving  themselves 
all  the  while  very  wisely  and  soberly  before 
them,)  they  fell  to  some  blows  among  them- 
selves, and  did  harm  one  to  another.*  Then 
were  these  two  poor  men  brought  before  their 
examiners  again,  and  there  charged  as  being 
gui  Ity  of  the  late  hubbub  that  had  been  in  the 
fair.  So  they  beat  them  pitifully  and  hanged 
irons  upon  them,  and  led  them  in  chains  up 
and  down  the  fair,  for  an  example  and  terror 
to  others,  lest  any  should  speak  in  their  be- 
half, or  join  themselves  unto  them.  But  Chris- 
tian and  Faithful  behav  ed  themselves  yet  more 
wisely,  and  received  the  ignominy  and  shame 
that  was  cast  upon  them,  with  so  much  meek- 
ness and  patience,  that  itf  won  to  their  side 
(though  but  few  in  comparison  of  the  rest) 
several  of  the  men  in  the  fair.  This  put  the 
other  party  yet  into  a greater  rage,  inso- 
much that  they  concluded  the  death  of  these 
two  men.  Wherefore  they  threatened,  that 
neither  cage  nor  irons  should  serve  their 
turn,  but  that  they  should  die  for  the  abuse 
they  had  done,  and  for  deluding  the  men  of 
the  fair. 

Then  they  were  remanded  to  the  cage  again, 
until  further  order  should  be  taken  with  them. 
So  they  put  them  in,  and  made  their  feet  fast 
in  the  stocks. 

Here,  therefore,  they  called  again  to  mind, 
what  they  had  heard  from  their  faithful  friend 
E\angelist,  and  were  the  more  confirmed  in 
their  ways  and  sufferings  by  what  he  told  them 
would  happen  to  them.  They  also  now  com- 
forted each  other,  that  whose  lot  it  was  to 
suffer,  even  he  should  have  the  best  of  it ; there- 
fore each  man  secretly  wished  that  he  might 
have  that  preferment ; but  committing  them- 
selves to  the  all-wise  disposal  of  Him  that 
ruleth  all  things,  with  much  content  they 


# It  is  common  for  the  world  to  be  divided  in 
their  opinions  about  pilgrims.  A Christian  conduct 
and  behaviour  will  put  to  silence  the  gainsaying 
of  some  wicked  men ; and  sometimes  win  others 
to  become  followers  of  Christ.  0 pilgrims,  look 
well  to  your  spirit,  temper  and  conduct,  towards 
the  men  of  this  world,  who  keep  vanity  fairs  all  the 
year. 

j‘  It  is  acting  in  the  spirit  and  temper  of  Christ, 
that  will  gain  adversaries  over  to  him ; whereas  a con- 


abode in  the  condition  in  which  they  were, 
until  they  should  be  otherwise  disposed  of. 

Then  a convenient  time  being  appointed, 
they  brought  them  forth  to  their  trial,  in  ordei 
to  their  condemnation.  When  the  time  was 
come,  they  were  brought  before  their  enemies, 
and  arraigned.  The  judge’s  name  was  Lord 
Hate-good;  their  indictment  was  one  and  the 
same  in  substance,  though  somewhat  varying 
in  form ; the  contents  whereof  was  this : 

“That  they  were  enemies  to,  and  disturbers 
of  their  trade ; that  they  had  made  commotions 
and  divisions  in  the  town,  and  had  won  a party 
to  their  own  most  dangerous  opinions,  in  con- 
tempt of  the  law  of  their  prince.”  J 

Then  Faithful  began  to  answer  that  he  had 
only  set  himself  ^against  that  which  had  set 
itself  against  Him  that  is  higher  than  the 
highest.  x\nd,  said  he,  as  for  disturbance  I make 
none,  being  myself  a man  of  peace ; the  par- 
ties that  were  won  to'us,  were  won  by  behold- 
ing our  truth  and  innocence,  and  they  are  only 
turned  from  the  worse  to  the  better.  And  as 
to  the  king  you  talk  of,  since  he  is  Beelzebub, 
the  enemy  of  our  Lord,  I defy  him  and  all  his 
angels. 

Then  proclamation  was  made,  that  they  that 
had  aught  to  say  for  their  lord  the  king,  against 
the  prisoner  at  the  bar,  should  forthwith  appear 
and  give  in  their  evidence.  So  there  came  in 
three  witnesses,  to  wit,  Envy,  Superstition,  and 
Pickthank : they  were  then  asked,  if  they  knew 
the  prisoner  at  the  bar;  and  what  they  had  to 
say  for  their  lord  the  king  against  him? 

Then  stood  forth  Envy,  and  said  to  this  effect : 
My  lord,  I have  known  this  man  a long  time, 
and  will  attest  upon  my  oath  before  this  hon- 
ourable bench,  that  he  is— 

Judge.  Hold,  give  him  his  oath. 

So  they  sware  him.  Then  he  said,  My  lord, 
this  man,  notwithstanding  his  plausible  name, 
is  one  of  the  vilest  men  in  our  country ; he 
neither  regardeth  prince  nor  people,  law  nor 
custom ; but  doeth  all  that  he  can  to  possess 
all  men  with  certain  of  his  disloyal  notions, 
which  he  in  the  general  calls  “principles 


trary  spirit  is  a dishonour  to  Christ,  a reproach  to  his 
cause,  never  did  good  to  others,  nor  left  the  soul  in 
the  solid  possession  of  the  peace  of  God. 

J You  see  your  calling,  brethren.  Has  no  such  in- 
dictment been  ever  brought  against  you?  Then  it  is 
to  be  feared,  what  Pharaoh  said  to  the  Israelites  may 
be  said  to  you  : Ye  are  idle,  ye  are  idle,  in  the  ways 
of  the  Lord;  ye  want  love  to  his  name,  fervency  for 
his  truth,  and  zeal  for  his  glory,  and  the  good  of  pre- 
cious souls. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


135 


of  fnitli  and  holiness.”  And,  in  particular,  I 
heard  him  once  myself  affirm,  that  Christianity 
and  the  customs  of  our  town  of  Vanity  were 
diametrically  opposite,  ancl  could  not  be  recon- 
ciled. By  which  saying,  my  lord,  he  doth  at 
once  not  only  condemn  all  our  laudable  doings, 
but  us  in  the  doing  of  them. 

Then  said  the  judge  unto  him,  Hast  thou  any 
more  to  say  ? 

Envy.  My  lord,  I could  say  much  more,  only 
I would  not  be  tedious  to  the  court.  Yet,  if 
need  be,  when  the  other  gentlemen  have  given 
in  their  evidence,  rather  than  any  thing  shall 
be  wanting  that  will  despatch  him,  I will  en- 
large my  testimony  against  him.  So  he  was 
bid  to  stand  by.* 

Then  they  called  Superstition,  and  bid  him 
look  upon  the  prisoner:  they  also  asked,  what 
he  could  say  for  their  lord  the  king  against 
him?  Then  they  sware  him ; so  he  began : 

My  lord,  I have  no  great  acquaintance  with 
this  man,  nor  do  I desire  to  have  further  know- 
ledge of  him ; however,  this  I know,  that  he  is 
a very  pestilent  fellow,  from  some  discourse 
that  the  other  day  I. had  with  him  in  this  town ; 
for  then,  talking  with  him,  I heard  him  say 
that  our  religion  was  naught,  and  such  by  which 
a man  could  by  no  means  please  God.  Which 
saying  of  his,  my  lord,  your  lordship  very  well 
knows,  what  necessarily  thence  will  follow,  to 
wit,  that  we  still  do  worship  in  vain,  are  yet  in 
our  sins,  and  finally  will  be  damned;  and  this 
is  that  which  I have  to  say.f 

Then  was  Pickthank  sworn,  and  bid  say  what 
he  knew  in  behalf  of  their  lord  the  king  against 
the  prisoner  at  the  bar. 

My  lord,  and  you,  gentlemen  all,  this  fellow 
I have  known  of  a long  time,  and  have  heard 
him  speak  things  that  ought  not  to  be  spoken ; 
for  he  hath  railed  on  our  noble  prince  Beelze- 
bub, and  hath  spoken  contemptibly  of  his  hon- 
ourable friends,  whose  names  are  the  Lord  Old- 

*  Tho  spirit  of  wisdom  asks,  “ Who  is  able  to  stand 
before  envy  ?"  Prov.  xxvii.  4.  Envy  is  the  very  tem- 
per of  the  devil.  It  is  natural  to  us  all.  But  why 
should  the  children  of  this  world  envy  God’s  children  ? 
for  they  are  strangers  to  the  spiritual  good  things  they 
enjoy.  Thoy  neither  seek  them,  nor  care  for  them,  but 
laugh  and  deride  them.  Herein  the  very  spirit  of  Sa- 
tan is  manifest.  He  envied  Christ,  being  the  Son  of 
God:  he  stirred  up  Judas  to  betray  him,  and  the  Jews 
for  envy  delivered  him,  (Matt,  xxxvii.  IS;)  and  the 
same  spirit  works  in  all  the  children  of  Satan  against 
the  children  of  God. 

t Superstition,  or  false  devotion,  is  a most  bitter  ene- 
my to  Christ’s  truths  and  to  his  followers.  This  fel- 
low's evidence  is  true ; for  as  the  lawyers  said  of 


man,  the  Lord  Carnal -delight,  the  Lord  Luxu- 
rious, the  Lord  Desire-of-vain-glory,  my  old 
Lord  Lechery,  Sir  Having-greedy,  with  all  the 
rest  of  our  nobility : and  he  hath  said,  more- 
over, that  if  all  men  were  of  his  mind,  if  pos- 
sible there  is  not  one  of  these  noblemen  should 
have  any  longer  a being  in  this  town.  Besides, 
lie  hath  not  been  afraid  to  rail  on  you,  my  lord, 
who  are  now  appointed  to  be  his  judge,  calling 
you  an  ungodly  villain,  with  many  other  such- 
like vilifying  terms,  with  which  he  hath  be- 
spattered most  of  the  gentry  of  our  town.J 

When  this  Pickthank  had  told  his  ta'e,  the 
judge  directed  his  speech  to  the  prisoner  at  the 
bar,  saying,  Thou  renegade,  heretic  and  traitor, 
hast  thou  heard  what  these  honest  gentlemen 
have  witnessed  against  thee  ? 

Faithful.  May  I speak  a few  words  in’ my  own 
defence? 

Juchje.  Sirrah,  sirrah,  thou  deservest  to  live 
no  longer,  but  to  be  slain  immediately  upon  tho 
place ; yet,  that  all  men  may  sec  our  gentleness 
towards  thee,  let  us  hear  what  thou,  vile  rene- 
gade, hast  to  say. 

Faithful.  I say  then,  in  answer  to  what  Mr. 
Envy  hath  spoken,  I never  said  aught  but  this, 
that  what  rule,  or  laws,  or  custom,  or  people, 
were  flat  against  the  word  of  God,  are  diamet- 
rically opposite  to  Christianity.  If  I have  said 
amiss  in  this,  convince  me  in  my  error,  and  I 
am  ready  here  before  you  to  make  my  recanta- 
tion. 

As  to  the  second,  to  wit,  Mr.  Superstition, 
and  his  charge  against  me,  I said  only  this, 
that  in  the  worship  of  God  there  is  required  a 
divine  faith  ; but  there  can  be  no  divine  faith 
without  a divine  revelation  of  the  will  of  God. 
Therefore,  whatever  is  thrust  into  the  worship 
of  God,  that  is  not  agreeable  to  divine  revela- 
tion, cannot  be  done  but  by  an  human  faith, 
which  faith  will  not  be  profitable  to  eternal  life. 

As  to  what  Mr.  Pickthank  hath  said,  (say  I 

Christ’s  doctrine,  “ Master,  thus  saying  thou  reproach- 
est  us  also.”  Luke  xi.  45.  So  false  worshippers,  who 
rest  in  forms,  and  rites,  and  shadows,  are  stung  to  the 
quick  at  those  who  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  rejoice  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh.  Such 
a conduct  pours  the  utmost  contempt  upon  all  the  doc- 
trines and  superstitions  of  carnal  men. 

J As  soon  as  the  poor  sinner  says,  “ 0 Lord  our  God, 
other  lords  besides  thee  have  had  the  dominion  over 
me,  but  by  thee  alone  will  I make  mention  of  thy 
name,”  (Isa.  xxvi.  13,)  your  officious  Pickthanks  aro 
always  ready  to  bear  testimony  against  him  : and  a 
blessed  testimony  this  is.  it  is  well  worth  living  to  gain, 
and  dying  in  the  cause  of.  If  we  are  real  disciples  of 
Christ  the  world  will  hate  us  for  his  sake.  John  vii.  7. 


136 


JJ UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


avoiding  terms,  as  that  I am  said  to  rail,  and 
the  like,)  that  the  prince  of  this  town,  with  all 
the  rabblement,  his  attendants,  by  this  gentle- 
man named,  are  more  fit  for  being  in  hell  than 
in  this  town  and  country;  and  so  the  Lord 
have  mercy  upon  me.* 

Then  the  judge  called  to  the  jury,  (who  all 
this  while  stood  by  to  hear  and  observe,)  Gen- 
tlemen of  the  jury,  you  see  this  man,  about 
whom  so  great  an  uproar  hath  been  made  in 
this  town ; you  have  also  heard,  what  those 
worthy  gentlemen  have  witnessed  against  hifii; 
also  you  have  heard  his  reply  and  confession ; it 
lieth  now  in  your  breasts  to  hang  him,  or  save 
his  life ; but  yet  I think  meet  to  instruct  you 
in  our  law. 

There  was  an  act  made  in  the  days  of  Pha- 
raoh the  Great,  servant  to  our  prince,  that,  lest 
those  of  a contrary  religion  should  multiply 
and  grow  too  strong  for  him,  their  males  should 
be  thrown  into  the  river.  Ex.  i.  There  was  an 
act  also  made  in  the  days  of  Nebuchadnezzar 
the  Great,  another  of  his  servants,  that  whoever 
would  not  fall  down  and  worship  his  golden 
image,  should  be  thrown  into  the  fiery  furnace. 
I)an.  iii.  There  was  also  an  act  made  in  the 
days  of  Darius,  that  whoso  for  some  time  called 
upon  any  God  but  him  should  be  cast  into  the 
lions’  den.  Dan.  vi.  Now  the  substance  of 
these  laws  this  rebel  has  broken,  not  only  in 
thought,  (which  is  not  to  be  borne,)  but  also  in 
word  and  deed;  which  must  therefore  needs 
be  intolerable. 

For  that  of  Pharaoh:  his  law  was  made 
upon  suspicion,  to  prevent  mischief,  no  crime 
yet  being  apparent;  but  here  is  a crime  ap- 
parent. For  the  second  and  third:  you  see  he 
disputeth  against  our  religion;  and  for  the 
treason  he  hath  confessed  he  deserveth  to  die 
the  death. 

Then  went  the  jury  out,  whose  names  were 
Mr.  Blindman,  Mr.  No-good,  Mr.  Malice,  Mr. 
Love-lust,  Mr.  Live-loose,  Mr.  Heady,  Mr. 
High-mind,  Mr.  Enmity,  Mr.  Liar,  Mr.  Cruelty, 
Mr.  Hate-light,  and  Mr.  Implacable ; who  every 
one  gave  in  his  private  verdict  against  him 
among  themselves,  and  afterwards  unanimously 
concluded  to  bring  him  in  guilty  before  the 
judge.  And  first  among  themselves — Mr. 

* This  is  the  Christian’s  plea  and  his  glory  : While 
he  knows  the  tender  mercies  of  the  wicked  are  cruel, 
(Prov.  xii.  10,)  yet  he  also  knows  that  the  merciful 
kindness  of  the  Lord  is  great,  and  the  truth  of  the 
Lord  endurcth  for  ever.  Ps.  cxvii.  2. 

t A blessed  verdict  1 well  worthy  of  every  pilgrim 


Blindman,  the  foreman,  said,  I see  clearly  that 
this  man  is  an  heretic.  Then  said  Mr.  No- 
good, away  with  such  a fellow  from  the  earth. 
Ay,  said  Mr.  Malice,  for  I hate  the  very  looks 
of  him.  Then  said  Mr.  Love-lust,  I could 
never  endure  him.  Nor  I,  said  Mr.  Live-loose, 
for  he  would  always  be  condemning  my  way. 
Hang  him,  bang  him,  said  Mr.  Heady.  A 
sorry  scrub,  said  Mr.  High-mind.  My  heart 
riseth  against  him,  said  Mr.  Enmity.  He  is  a 
rogue,  said  Mr.  Liar.  Hanging  is  too  good  for 
him,  said  Mr.  Cruelty.  Let  us  despatch  him 
out  of  the  way,  said  Mr.  Hate-liglit.  Then 
said  Mr.  Implacable,  might  I have  all  the  w >rld 
given  me,  I could  not  be  reconciled  to  him : 
therefore  let  us  forthwith  bring  him  in  guilty 
of  death.f  And  so  they  did ; therefore  he  was 
presently  condemned  to  be  had  from  the  place 
where  he  was,  to'  the  place  from  whence  he 
came,  and  there  to  be  put  to  the  most  cruel 
death  that  could  be  invented. 

They  therefore  brought  him  out,  to  do  with 
him  according  to  their  law ; and  first  they 
scourged  him,  then  they  buffeted  him,  then 
they  lanced  his  flesh  with  knives;  after  they 
had  stoned  him  with  stones,  they  pricked  him 
with  their  swords ; and  last  of  all  they  burned 
him  to  ashes  at  the  stake.  Thus  came  Faithful 
to  his  end. 

Now  I saw  that  there  stood  behind  the  mul- 
titude a chariot  and  a couple  of  horses  waiting 
for  Faithful,  who,  as  soon  as  his  adversaries  had 
despatched  him,  was  taken  up  into  it,  and 
straightway  wras  carried  up  through  the  clouds, 
with  sound  of  trumpet,  the  nearest  way  to  the 
celestial  gate.  But  as  for  Christian,  he  had 
yme  respite,  and  was  remanded  back  to  prison ; 
so  he  there  remained  for  a space ; but  He  that 
overrules  all  things,  having  the  power  of  their 
rage  in  his  own  hand,  so  brought  it  about  that 
Christian  for  that  time  escaped  them,  and 
went  his  way.  And  as  he  went  he  sung,  say- 
ing : 

“Well,  Faithful,  thou  hast  faithfully  profest 
Unto  thy  Lord,  of  whom  thou  shaft  be  blest; 

When  faithless  ones,  with  all  their  vain  delights, 
Are  crying  out  under  their  hellish  plights: 

Sing,  Faithful,  sing,  and  let  thy  name  survive; 

For  though  they  kill’d  thee,  thou  art  yet  alive.” 


to  obtain.  Reader,  do  you  profess  to  be  one  ? See 
then  that  you  study  to  act  so  as  to  gain  such  a verdict 
from  such  a jury!  and  then  be  sure  that  Christ  will 
pronounce,  “Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  ser- 
vant, enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord.”  Matt, 
xxv.  21. 


TIIE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


137 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Christian  meets  with  another  excellent  companion  in  ITopefnI — Dialogues  between  them,  By- 

ends,  Money-love,  and  Danas. 


Now  I saw  in  my  dream  that  Christian  went 
not  forth  alone ; for  there  was  one  whose  name 
was  Hopeful,  (being  so  made  by  the  beholding 
of  Christian  and  Faithful,  in  their  words  and 
behaviour  in  their  sufferings  at  the  fair,)  who 
joined  himself  unto  him  ; and,  entering  into  a 
brotherly  covenant,  told  him  that  he  would  be 
his  companion.  Thus  one  died  to  bear  testi- 
mony to  the  truth,  and  another  rises  out  of  his 
ashes  to  be  a companion  with  Christian  in  his 
pilgrimage.*  This  Hopeful  also  told  Christian 
that  there  were  many  more  of  the  men  in  the 
fair,  that  would  take  their  time  and  follow 
after. 

So  I saw  that  quickly  after  they  were  got 
out  of  the  fair,  they  overtook  one  that  was 
going  before  them,  whose  name  was  By-ends: 
so  they  said  to  him,  What  countryman,  sir? 
and  how  far  go  you  this  way  ? He  told  them 
that  he  came  from  the  town  of  Fair-speech, 
and  he  was  going  to  the  Celestial  City,  but  told 
them  not  his  name. 

From  Fair-speech ! said  Christian : is  there 
any  good  that  lives  there?  Prov.  xxvi.  23. 

Yes,  said  By-ends,  I hope. 

Pray,  sir,  what  may  I call  you  ? said  Chris- 
tian. 

By-ends.  I am  a stranger  to  you,  and  you  to 
me:  if  you  be  going  this  way,  I shall  be  glad 
of  your  company ; if  not,  I must  be  content. 

This  town  of  Fair-speech,  said  Christian,  I 
have  heard  of,  and  as  I remember,  they  say  it 
is  a wealthy  place. 

By-ends.  Yes,  I will  assure  you  that  it  is ; 
and  I have  very  many  rich  kindred  there. 

Christian.  Pray  who  are  your  kindred  there, 
if  I may  be  so  bold? 

By-ends.  Almost  the  whole  town ; and  in 
particular,  my  Lord  Turn-about,  my  Lord 
Time-server,  my  Lord  Fair-speech,  from  whose 
ancestors  that  town  first  took  its  name ; also 
Mr.  Smooth-man,  Mr.  Facing-both-ways,  Mr. 

s I havo  often  reoorded  it  with  thankfulness, 
(observes  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mason,)  that  though  in 
the  dreary  day  of  my  pilgrimage,  the  Lord  hath 
taken  away  a dear  and  faithful  Christian  friend,  yet 
he  has  always  raised  up  another.  A very  great 
blessing  this,  for  which  Christians  can  nevor  be 
thankful  enough. 

t Is  not  this  too  much  the  case  with  professors  of 


Any-thing:  and  the  parson  of  our  parish,  Mr. 
Two-tongues,  was  my  mother’s  own  brother  by 
father’s  side : and,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I am 
become  a gentleman  of  good  quality,  yet  my 
great-grandfather  was  but  a waterman,  looking 
one  way  and  rowing  another,  and  I got  most 
of  my  estate  by  the  same  occupation. 

Christian.  Are  you  a married  man? 

By-ends.  Yes,  and  my  wife  is  a very  virtu- 
ous woman,  the  daughter  of  a virtuous  woman; 
she  was  my  Lady  Feigning’s  daughter,  there- 
fore sue  came  of  a very  honourable  family,  and 
is  arrived  to  such  a pitch  of  breeding,  that 
she  knows  how  to  carry  it  to  all,  even  to  prince 
and  peasant.  It  is  true  we  somewhat  differ  in 
religion  from  those  of  the  stricter  sort,  yet  but 
in  two  small  points:  First,  we  never  strive 
against  wind  and  tide:  secondly,  we  arc  al- 
ways most  zealous  when  Religion  goes  in  his 
silver  slippers;  we  love  much  to  walk  with 
him  in  the  street,  if  the  sun  shines,  and  the 
people  applaud  him.f 

Then  Christian  stepped  a little  aside  to  his 
fellow  Hopeful,  saying,  It  runs  in  my  mind, 
that  this  is  one  By-ends,  of  Fair-speech;  and 
if  it  be,  we  have  as  very  a knave  in  our  com- 
pany as  dwelleth  iu  these  parts.  Then  said 
Hopeful,  Ask  him ; mctliinks  he  should  not 
be  ashamed  of  his  name.  So  Christian  came 
up  with  him  again,  and  said,  Sir,  you  talk  as 
if  you  knew  something  more  than  all  the 
world  doth  ; and,  if  I take  not  my  mark  amiss, 
I deem  I have  half  a guess  of  you : is  not  your 
name  Mr.  By-ends,  of  Fair-speech  ? 

By-ends.  That  is  not  my  name ; but  indeed 
it  is  a nick-name  that  is  given  me,  by'  some 
that  cannot  abide  me,  and  I must  be  content 
to  bear  it  as  a reproach,  as  other  good  men 
have 'borne  theirs  before  me. 

Christian.  But  did  you  never  give  an  occa- 
sion to  men  to  call  yTou  by  this  name  ? 

By-ends.  Never,  never  ! the  worst  that  ever  I 

this  day?  The  Spirit  of  truth  says,  “All  who  live 
godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  shall  suffer  persecution.”  2 Tim. 
iii.  2.  But  how  many  act  as  if  they  had  found  the  art 
of  making  the  Spirit  of  truth  a liar!  for  they  can  so 
trim  and  shape  their  conduct,  as  they  vainly  think,  to 
follow  Christ,  and  yet  to  keep  in  with  the  world  which 
is  at  enmity  against  him.  A most  fatal,  soul-deceiv- 


ing error ! 


138 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


did  to  give  them  an  occasion  to  give  me  this 
name  was,  that  I had  always  the  luck  to  jump 
in  my  judgment  with  the  present  way  of  the 
times,  whatever  it  was,  and  my  chance  was  to  get 
thereby.  But  if  things  are  thus  cast  upon  me, 
let  me  count  them  a blessing  ; hut  let  not  the 
malicious  load  me  therefore  with  reproach.* 

Christian.  I thought  indeed  that  you  were 
the  man  I heard  of;  and  to  tell  you  what  I 
think,  I fear  this  name  belongs  to  you  more 
properly  than  you  are  willing  we  should  think 
it  doth. 

By-ends.  Well,  if  you  will  thus  imagine,  I 
cannot  help  it:  you  will  find  me  a fair  com- 
pany-keeper, if  you  will  still  admit  me  your 
associate.  / 

Christian.  If  you  will  go  with  us,  you  must 
go  against  wind  and  tide;  the  which,  I per- 
ceive, is  against  your  opinion : you  must  also 
own  Religion  in  his  rags,  as  well  as  when  in 
his  silver  slippers ; and  stand  by  him  too  when 
bound  in  irons,  as  well  as  when  he  walketh 
the  streets  with  applause. 

By-ends.  You  must  not  impose,  nor  lord  it 
over  my  faith ; leave  me  to  my  liberty,  and  let 
me  go  with  you. 

Christian.  Hot  a step  further,  unless  you  will 
do  in  what  I propound  as  we. 

Then  said  By-ends,  I shall  never  desert  my 
old  principles,  since  they  are  harmless  and 
profitable.  If  I may  not  go  with  you,  I must 
do  as  I-  did  before  you  overtook  me : even  go 
by  myself,  until  some  overtake  me  that  will  be 
glad  of  my  company.! 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  Christian  and 
Hopeful  forsook  him,  and  kept  their  distance 
before  him ; but  one  of  them  looking  back, 
saw  three  men  following  Mr.  By-ends,  and  be- 
hold, as  they  came  up  with  him,  he  made  them 
a very  low  congee ; and  they  also  gave  him  a 
compliment.  The  men’s  names  were,  Mr. 
Hold -the -world,  Mr.  Money -love,  and  Mr. 
Save-all ; men  that  Mr.  By-ends  had  formerly 
been  acquainted  with ; for  in  their  minority 
they  were  school-fellows,  and  were  taught  by 
one  Mr.  Gripe-man,  a schoolmaster  in  Love- 


* How  artful,  bow  delusive,  are  the  reasonings  of 
such  men  ! Oh  beware  of  this  spirit.  In  opposition  to 
this,  watch  and  pray  earnestly,  that  ye.  may  not 
be  double-minded,  but  sincere  uutil  the  day  of 
Christ. 

f Mind  how  warily  these  pilgrims  acted  towards 
this  deceitful  professor.  They  did  not  too  rashly  take 
up  an  ill  opinion  against  him;  but  wheu  they  had 
full  proof  of  what  he  was,  they  did  not  hesitate  one 
moment,  but  dealt  faithfully  with  him,  and  eonscien- 


gain,  which  is  a market-town  in  the  county  of 
Coveting,  in  the  north.  This  schoolmaster 
taught  them  the  art  of  getting,  either  by  vio- 
lence, cozenage,  flattery,  lying,  or  by  putting 
on  a guise  of  religion ; and  these  four  gentle- 
men had  attained  much  of  the  art  of  their 
master,  so  that  they  could  each  of  them  have 
kept  such  a school  themselves. 

Well,  when  they  had,  as  I said,  thus  saluted 
each  other,  Mr.  Money-love  said  to  Mr.  By- 
ends,  Who  are  they  upon  the  road  before  us  ? 
for  Christian  and  Hopeful  were  yet  within 
view. 

By-ends.  They  are  a couple  of  far  country- 
men, that  after  their  mode  are  going  on  pil- 
grimage. 

Money-love.  Alas!  why  did  they  not  stay, 
that  we  might  have  had  their  good  company? 
for  they,  and  wre,  and  you,  sir,  I hope,  are 
going  on  .pilgrimage. 

By-ends.  We  are  so  indeed ; but  the  men  be- 
fore us  are  so  rigid,  and  love  so  much  their  own 
notions,  and  do  also  so  lightly  esteem  the  opin- 
ion of  others,  that  let  a man  be  never  so  godly, 
yet  if  he  jumps  not  with  them  in  all  things, 
they  thrust  him  quite  out  of  their  company. 

Save-all.  That’s  bad:  but  we  read  of  some 
that  are  righteous  overmuch,  and  such  men’s 
rigidness  prevails  with  them  to  judge  and  con- 
demn all  but  themselves;  but  I pray,  what 
and  how  many  were  the  things  wherein  you 
differed? 

By-ends.  Why  they,  after  their  headstrong 
manner,  conclude,  that  it  is  their  duty  to  rush 
on  their  journey  all  weathers;  and  I am  for 
waiting  for  wind  and  tide.  They  are  for  haz- 
arding all  for  God  at  a clap,  and  I am  for  taking 
all  advantages  to  secure  my  life  and  estate. 
They  are  for  holding  their  notions,  though  all 
other  men  be  against  them ; but  I am  for  re- 
ligion in  what,  and  so  far,  as  the  times  and  my 
safety  will  bear  it.  They  are  for  Religion  when 
in  rags  and  contempt ; but  I am  for  him  when 
he  walks  in  his  golden  slippers  in  the  sunshine, 
and  with  applause. ± 

Hold-the-  world.  Ay,  and  hold  you  there  still, 


tiously  withdrew  from  him.  Love  should  always 
move  slowly  in  receiving  a report,  but  ever  deal  faith- 
fully when  it  is  plain  that  men  are  not  what  they 
profess  to  be. 

{ Notwithstanding  Ey-ends  could  be  reserved  and 
upon  his  guard  with  faithful  pilgrims,  yet  he  can 
speak  out  boldly  to  those  of  his  own  spirit  and  cha- 
racter. Oh  the  treachery  of  the  desperate  wicked 
heart!  Who  can  know  it?  No  one,  but  the  heart- 
searching God. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


pood  Mr.  By-onds:  for  my  part,  I can  count 
him  but  a fool,  that  having  the  liberty  to  keep 
what  he  has,  shall  be  so  unwise  as  to  lose  it. 
Lot  us  he  wise  as  serpents ; it  is  best  to  make 
hay  while  the  sun  shines;  you  sec  how  the  bee 
lieth  still  in  winter,  and  bestirs  her  only  when 
she  can  have  profit  with  pleasure.  God  sends 
sometimes  rain  and  sometimes  sunshine:  if 
they  be  such  fools  to  go  through  the  first,  yet 
let  us  be  content  to  take  fair  weather  along 
with  us.  For  my  part,  I like  that  religion 
best,  that  will  stand  with  the  security  of  God’s 
good  blessings  unto  us : for  who  can  imagine, 
that  is  ruled  by  his  reason,  since  God  has  be- 
stowed upon  us  the  good  things  of  this  life,  hut 
that  he  would  have  us  keep  them  for  his  sake? 
Abraham  and  Solomon  grew  rich  in  religion. 
And  Job  says  that  a good  man  “shall  lay  up 
gold  as  dust.”  But  he  must  not  be  such  as  the 
men  before  us,  if  they  be  as  you  have  described 
them. 

Save-all.  I think  that  we  are  all  agreed  in 
this  matter,  and  therefore  there  needs  no  more 
words  about  it. 

Money-love.  No,  there  needs  no  more  words 
about  this  matter  indeed:  for  he  that  believes 
neither  Scripture  nor  reason,  (and  you  see  we 
have  both  on  our  side,)  neither  knows  h's  own 
liberty,  nor  seeks  his  own  safety. 

By-ends.  My  brethren,  we  are,  as  you  see, 
going  all  on  pilgrimage,  and  for  our  better  di- 
version from  things  that  are  bad,  give  me  leave 
to  propound  unto  you  this  question  : 

Suppose  a man,  a minister  or  a tradesman, 
&c.,  should  have  an  advantage  lie  before  him 
to  get  the  good  blessings  of  this  life,  yet  so  as 
that  he  can  by  no  means  come  by  them,  except 
in  appearance  at  least,  he  becomes  extraordi- 
nary zealous  in  some  points  of  religion  that  he 
meddled  not  with  before — may  he  not  use  this 
means  to  attain  his  end,  and  yet  be  a right  hon- 
est man  ? 

Money-love.  I see  the  bottom  of  your  ques- 
tion ; and,  with  these  gentlemen’s  good  leave, 
I will  endeavour  to  shape  you  an  answer.  And 
first,  to  speak  to  your  question,  as  it  concerns 
a minister  himself.  Suppose  a minister,  a 
worthy  man,  possessed  but  of  a very  small 
benefice,  and  has  in  his  eye  a greater,  more  fat 
and  plump  by  far : he  has  also  an  opportunity 

* Here  is  worldly  wisdom,  infernal  logic,  and  the 
sophistry  of  Satan.  Wo  hear  this  language  daily  from 
money-loving  professors,  who  are  destitute  of  the 
power  of  faith,  and  tho  reasoning  of  godliness.  But 
in  opposition  to  all  this,  the  Holy  Ghost  testifies,  “ The 
love  of  money  is  tho  root  of  all  evil,”  (1  Tim.  vi.  10,) 


1.39 

of  getting  it,  yet  so  as  by  being  more  studious, 
by  preaching  more  frequently  and  zealously 
and,  because  the  temper  of  the  people  requires 
it,  by  altering  some  of  his  principles:  for  my 
part,  I see  no  reason  but  a man  may  do  this, 
provided  he  has  a call,  aye,  and  more  a great 
deal  besides,  and  yet  be  an  honest  man.  Fof 
why? 

1.  His  desire  of  a greater  benefice  is  lawful; 
this  cannot  be  contradicted,  since  it  is  set  be- 
fore him  by  Providence  ; so  then  he  may  get 
it  if  he  can,  making  no  question  for  con- 
science’ sake. 

2.  Besides,  his  desire  after  that  benefice 
makes  him  more  studious,  a more  zealous 
preacher,  &c.,  and  so  makes  him  a better  man, 
yea,  makes  him  better  improve  his  parts, 
which  is  according  to  the  mind  of  God. 

3.  Now,  as  for  the  complying  with  the  tem- 
per of  his  people  by  deserting,  to  serve  them, 
some  of  his  principles,  this  argueth  that  he  is 
of  a self-denying  temper,  of  a sweet  and  win- 
ning deportment;  and  so  more  fit  for  the  min- 
isterial function. 

4.  I conclude,  then,  that  a minister  that 
changes  a small  for  a great,  should  not,  for  so 
doing,  be  judged  as  covetous ; but  rather,  since 
he  is  improved  in  his  parts  and  industry  there- 
by, be  counted  as  one  that  pursues  his  call  and 
the  opportunity  put  into  his  hand  to  do  good. 

And  now  to  the  second  part  of  the  question, 
which  concerns  the  tradesman  you  mentioned ; 
suppose  such  an  one  to  have  but  a poor  employ 
in  the  world ; but  by  becoming  religious  he 
may  mend  his  market,  perhaps  get  a rich  wife, 
or  more  and  far  better  customers  to  his  shop. 
For  my  part,  I see  no  reason  but  this  may  be 
lawfully  done.  For  why? 

1.  To  become  religious  is  a virtue,  by  what 
means  soever  a man  becomes  so. 

2.  Nor  is  it  unlawful  to  get  a rich  wife,  or 
more  custom  to  my  shop. 

3.  Besides,  the  man  that  gets  these  by  be- 
coming religious,  gets  that  which  is  good,  of 
them  that  are  good,  by  becoming  good  him- 
self ; so  then  here  is  a good  wife,  and  good  cus- 
tomers, and  good  gain,  and  all  these  by  be- 
coming religious,  which  is  good : therefore,  to 
become  religious  to  get  all  these  is  a good  and 
profitable  design.* 

“ and  a covetous  man  is  an  idolater.”  Col.  iii.  5. 
Hear  this  and 'tremble,  ye  avaricious  professors.  Re- 
member, ye  followers  of  the  Lamb,  ye  are  called  to  let 
your  conversation  be  without  covetousness.  Heb.  xiii. 
5.  Your  Lord  testifies,  ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mam- 
mon. Luke  xvi.  13. 


140 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


This  answer,  thus  made  by  this  Mr.  Money- 
love  to  Mr.  By-ends’  question,  was  highly  ap- 
plauded  by  them  all ; wherefore  they  concluded 
upon  the  whole  that  it  was  most  wholesome 
and  advantageous.  And  because,  as  they 
thought,  no  man  was  able  to  contradict  it,  and 
because  Christian  and  Hopeful  were  yet  with- 
in call,  they  jointly  agreed  to  assault  them 
with  this  question  as  soon  as  they  overtook 
them : and  the  rather,  because  they  had  op- 
posed Mr.  By-ends  before.  So  they  called 
after  them,  and  they  stopped,  and  stood  still 
till  they  came  up  to  them : but  they  concluded, 
as  they  went,  that  not  Mr.  By-ends,  but  old 
Mr.  Hold- the- world,  should  propound  the  ques- 
tion to  them  ; because,  as  they  supposed,  their 
answer  to  him  would  be  without  the  remainder 
of  that  heat  that  was  kindled  between  Mr.  By- 
ends  and  them  at  their  parting  a little  before. 

So  they  came  up  to  each  other,  and  after 
a short  salutation  Mr.  Hold-the- World  pro- 
pounded the  question  to  Christian  and  his 
fellow,  and  bid  them  to  answer  it  if  they  could. 

Then  said  Christian,  Even  a babe  in  re- 
ligion may  answer  ten  thousand  such  ques- 
tions. For  if  it  be  unlawful  to  follow  Christ 
for  loaves,  as  it  is,  (John  vi.,)  how  much  more 
is  it  abominable  to  make  of  him  and  religion 
a stalking-horse,  to  get  and  enjoy  the  world? 
Nor  do  we  find  any  other  than  heathens, 
hypocrites,  devils,  and  witches,  that  are  of 
this  opinion. 

Heathens:  for  when  Harnor  and  Shechem 
had  a mind  to  the  daughter  and  cattle  of 
Jacob,  and  saw  that  there  were  no  ways  for 
them  to  come  at  them,  hut  by  becoming  cir- 
cumcised, they  say  to  their  companions,  “ If 
every  male  of  us  be  circumcised,  as  they  are 
circumcised,  shall  not  their  cattle,  and  their 
substance,  and  every  beast  of  theirs,  be  ours?” 
Their  daughters  and  their  cattle  were  that 
which  they  sought  to  obtain,  and  their  relig- 
ion the  stalking-horse  they  made  use  of  to 
come  at  them.  Bead  the  whole  story,  Genesis 
xxiv.  22,  24. 

The  hypocritical  Pharisees  were  also  of  this 
religion ; long  prayers  were  their  pretence ; 
but  to  get  widows’ ’houses  was  their  intent, 
and  greater  damnation  was  from  God  their 
judgment.  Luke  xx.  46,  47. 

Judas  the  devil  was  also  of  this  religion: 

* Here  see  the  blessedness  of  being  mighty  in  the 
Scripture,  and  the  need  of  that  exhortation,  “Let  the 
word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly.”  Col.  iii.  16.  For 
the  word  of  God  is  quick,  and  powerful,  and  sharper 
than  a two-edged  sword,  it  pierces  through  all  the 


he  was  religious  for  the  bag,  that  he  might  be 
possessed  of  what  was  therein ; but  he  was 
lost,  a cast-away,  and  the  very  son  of  perdition. 

Simon  the  witch  was  of  this  religion  too; 
for  he  would  have  had  the  Ploly  Ghost,  that 
he  might  have  got  money  therewith ; and  his 
sentence  from  Peter’s  mouth  was  accordingly. 
Acts  viii.  18,  23. 

Neither  will  it  go  out  of  my  mind,  but  that 
that  man  that  takes  up  religion  for  the  world, 
will  throw  away  religion  for  the  world ; for 
so  surely  as  Judas  designed  the  world  in  be- 
coming religious,  so  surely  did  he  also  sell 
religion  and  his  Master  for  the  same.  To 
answer  the  question  therefore  affirmatively,  as 
I perceive  you  have  done,  and  to  accept  of,  as 
authentic,  such  answer,  is  both  heathenish, 
hypocritical,  and  devilish ; and  your  reward 
will  be  according  to  your  works.  Then  they 
stood  staring  one  upon  another,  but  had  not 
wherewith  to  answer  Christian.  Hopeful  also 
approved  of  the  soundness  of  Christian’s  an- 
swer; so  there  was  a great  silence  among 
them.  Mr.  By-ends  and  his  company  also 
staggered,  and  kept  behind,  that  Christian 
and  Hopeful  might  outgo  them.  Then  said 
Christian  to  his  fellow,  If  these  men  cannot 
stand  before  the  sentence  of  men,  what  will 
they  do  with  the  sentence  of  God?  And  if 
they  are  mute  when  dealt  with  by  vessels  of 
clay,  what  will  they  do  when  they  shall  be 
rebuked  by  the  flames  of  a devouring  fire  ? * 

Then  Christian  and  Hopeful  outwent  them 
again,  and  went  till  they  came  to  a delicate 
plain,  called  Ease;  where  they  went  with 
much  content:  but  that  plain  was  but  narrow, 
so  they  were  quickly  got  over  it.  Now  at  the 
further  side  of  that  plain  was  a little  hill, 
called  Lucre,  and  in  that  hill  a silver  mine, 
which  some  of  them  that  had  formerly  gone 
that  way,  because  of  the  rarity  of  it,  had  turned 
aside  to  see;  but  going  too  near  the  brim  of 
the  pit,  the  ground,  being  deceitful  under 
them,  broke,  and  they  were  slain : some  also 
had  been  maimed  there,  and  could  not,  to 
their  dying  day,  be  their  own  men  again. 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  a little  off  the 
road,  over  against  the  silver  mine,  stood  Demas, 
(gentlemanlike,)  to  call  passengers  to  come 
and  see;  who  said  to  Christian  and  his  fellow, 
Ho!  turn  aside  hither,  afcid  I will  show  you  t 
thing. 

subtle  devices  of  Satan,  and  the  cunning  craftiness  of 
carnal  professors,  and  divideth  asunder  the  carna1 
reasonings  of  the  flesh,  and  the  spiritual  wisdom 
which  comcth  from  above. 


I 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


Ill 


Christian.  What  thing  so  deserving  as  to 
turn  us  out  of  the  way  to  see  it? 

Demos.  Here  is  a silver  mine,  and  some 
digging  in  it  for  treasure;  if  you  will  come, 
with  a little  pains  you  may  richly  provide  for 
yourselves. 

Then  said  Hopeful,  Let  us  go. 

Not  I,  said  Christian  ; I have  heard  of  this 
place  before  now,  and  how  many  have  been 
slain  there;  and  besides,  that  treasure  is  a 
snare  to  those  that  seek  it ; for  it  hindercth 
them  in  their  pilgrimage.* 

Then  Christian  called  to  Demas,  saying,  Is 
not  the  place  dangerous?  hath  it  not  hindered 
many  in  their  pilgrimage? 

Demas.  Not  very  dangerous,  except  to  those 
that  are  careless.  But  withal  he  blushed  as 
he  spake. 

Then  said  Christian  to  Hopeful,  Let  us  not 
stir  a step,  but  still  keep  on  our  way. 

Hopeful.  I will  warrant  you,  when  By-ends 
comes  up,  if  he  hath  the  same  invitation  as  we, 
he  will  turn  in  thither  to  see. 

Christian.  No  doubt  thereof,  for  his  princi- 
ples lead  him  that  way,  and  a hundred  to  one 
but  he  dies  there. 

Then  Demas  called  again,  saying,  But  will 
you  not  come  over  and  see? 

Then  Christian  roundly  answered,  saying, 
Demas,  thou  art  an  enemy  to  the  right  ways 
of  the  Lord  of  this  way,  and  hast  been  already 
condemned,  for  thine  own  turning  aside,  by 
one  of  his  Majesty's  judges,  (2  Tim.  iv.  10;) 
and  why  seekest  thou  to  bring  us  into  the  like 
condemnation  ? Besides,  if  we  at  all  turn  aside, 
our  Lord  the  King  will  certainly  hear  thereof, 
and  will  there  put  us  to  shame,  where  we 
should  stand  with  boldness  before  him. 

Demas  cried  again,  that  he  also  was  one  of 
their  fraternity,  and  that  if  they  would  tarry  a 
little,  he  also  himself  would  walk  with  them. 

Then  said  Christian,  What  is  thy  name?  Is 
it  not  the  same  by  the  which  I have  called 
thee? 

Demas.  Yes,  my  name  is  Demas;  I am  the 
son  of  Abraham. 

Christian.  I know  you ; Gehazi  was  your 
great-grandfather,  and  Judas  your  father,  and 


* See  the  value  of  a faithful  friend.  Put  how  few 
act  so  faithfully  ! How  few  professors  will  hear  it ! 
What ! hold  a man  back  from  getting  money  ! Oh 
how  few  are  aware  that  covetousness  is  idolatry  ! and 
attend  to  our  Lord’s  double  caution,  “Take  heed  and 
beware  of  covetousness.”  Luke  xii.  13. 

f Here  you  see  the  end  of  double-minded  men,  who 
vainly  attempt  to  unite  the  love  of  money  with  the 


you  have  trod  in  their  steps;  it  is  but  a devil- 
ish prank  that  thou  usest:  thy  father  was 
hanged  for  a traitor,  and  thou  deservest  no 
better  reward.  2 Kings  v.  20,  27 ; Matt.  xxvi. 
14,  lb;  xxvii.  3,  5.  Assure  thyself,  that  when 
we  come  to  the  King,  we  will  tell  him  of  this 
thy  behaviour.  Thus  they  went  their  way. 

By  this  time  By-ends  and  his  companions 
were  come  again  within  sight,  and  they  at  the 
first  beck  went  over  to  Demas.  Now,  whether 
they  fell  into  the  pit  by  looking  over  the  brink 
thereof,  or  whether  they  went  down  to  dig,  or 
whether  they  were  smothered  in  the  bottom  by 
the  damps  that  commonly  arise,  of  these  things 
I am  not  certain  ; but  this  I observed,  that  they 
never  were  seen  again  in  the  way.f  Then 
sang  Christian : 

“By-ends  and  silver  Demas  did  agree; 

One  calls,  the  other  runs,  that  he  may  be 
A sharer  in  his  lucre;  so  these  do 
Take  up  in  this  world,  and  no  further  go." 

Now  I saw  that,  just  on  the  other  side  of 
this  plain,  the  pilgrims  came  to  a place  where 
stood  an  old  monument,  hard  by  the  highway 
side,  at  the  sight  of  which  they  were  both  con- 
cerned, because  of  the  strangeness  of  the  form 
thereof,  for  it  seemed  to  them  as  if  it  had  been 
a woman  transformed  into  the  shape  of  a pillar. 
Here  therefore  they  stood  looking,  and  looking 
upon  it:  but  could  not  for  a time  tell  what 
they  should  make  thereof:  at  last  Hopeful 
spied  written  upon  the  head  thereof,  a writing 
in  an  unusual  hand ; but  he,  being  no  scholar, 
called  to  Christian  (for  lie  was  learned)  to  see 
if  he  could  pick  out  the  meaning;  so  he  came, 
and  after  a little  laying  of  the  letters  together, 
he  found  the  same  to  be  this,  “Remember 
Lot’s  wife.”  So  he  read  it  to  his  fellow;  after 
which  they  both  concluded,  that  this  was  the 
pillar  of  salt  into  which  Lot’s  wife  was  turned, 
for  looking  back  with  a covetous  heart,  when 
she  was  going  from  Sodom  for  safety.  Gen. 
xix.  26.  Which  sudden  and  amazing  sight 
gave  them  occasion  of  this  discourse. 

Christian.  Ah,  my  brother,  this  is  a scason- 
a.ble  sight : it  came  opportunely  to  us  after  the 
invitation  which  Demas  gave  us  to  come  over 


love  of  Christ.  Tbev  go  on  with  their  art  for  a season, 
but  the  end  makes  it  manifest  what  they  were.  Take 
David’s  advice,  “ Fret  not  thyself  because  of  evil- 
doers.” Ps.  xxxvii.  1.  “ Be  not  thou  afraid  when  one 

is  made  rich,  and  the  glory  of  his  house  is  increased.” 
Ps.  xlix.  16.  But  go  thou  into  the  sanctuary  of  thy 
God,  read  his  word,  aud  understand  the  end  of  these 


men. 


142 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  view  the  hill  Lucre ; and  had  we  gone  over, 
as  he  desired  us,  and  as  thou  wast  inclined  to 
do,  my  brother,  we  had,  for  aught  I know,  been 
made  like  this  woman,  a spectacle  for  those 
that  shall  come  after  to  behold. 

Hopeful.  I am  sorry  that  I was  so  foolish, 
and  am  made  to  wonder  that  I am  not  now  as 
Lot’s  wife ; for  wherein  was  the  difference  be- 
tween her  sin  and  mine?  she  only  looked  back, 
and  I had  a desire  to  go  see:  let  grace  be 
adored,  and  let  me  be  ashamed  that  ever  such 
a thing  should  be  in  mine  heart.* * 

Christian.  Let  us  take  notice  of  what  we  see 
here  for  our  help  for  time  to  come.:  This  woman 
escaped  one  judgment;  for  she  fell  not  by  the 
destruction  of  Sodom,  yet  she  was  destroyed 
by  another,  as  we  see  she  is  turned  into  a 
pillar  of  salt. 

Hopeful.  True,  and  she  may  be  to  us  both 
caution  and  example ; caution,  that  we  should 
shun  her  sin ; or  a sign  of  what  judgment  will 
overtake  such  as  shall  not  be  prevented  by 
such  caution ; so  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram, 
with  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  that  per- 
ished in  their  sin,  did  also  become  a sign  or 
example  to  beware.  Num.  xxvi.  9,  10.  But 
above  all,  I muse  at  one  thing,  to  wit,  how 
Demas  and  his  fellows  can  stand  so  confidently 
yonder  to  look  for  that  treasure,  which  this 
woman,  but  for  looking  behind  her  after,  (for 
we  read  not  that  she  stept  one  foot  out  of  the 
way,)  was  turned  into  a pillar  of  salt;  especially 


since  the  judgment  which  overtook  her,  did 
make  her  an  example  within  sight  of  where 
they  are : for  they  cannot  but  choose  to  see  her, 
did  they  but  lift  up  their  eyes. 

Christian.  It  is  a thing  to  be  wondered  at, 
and  it  argueth  that  their  hearts  are  grown  des- 
perate in  that  case ; and  I cannot  tell  whom  to 
compare  them  to  so  fitly,  as  to  them  that  pick 
pockets  in  the  presence  of  the  judge,  or  that 
will  cut  purses  under  the  gallows.  It  is  said 
of  the  men  of  Sodom,  that  “ they  were  sinners 
exceedingly,”  because  they  were  sinners  “be- 
fore the  Lord,”  that  is,  in  his  eye-sight,  and 
notwithstanding  the  kindness  that  he  had 
showed  them ; for  the  land  of  Sodom  was  now 
like  the  garden  of  Eden  heretofore.  Gen.  xiii. 
10, 13.  This  therefore  provoked  him  the  more 
to  jealousy,  and  made  their  plague  as  hot  as 
the  fire  of  the  Lord  out  of  heaven  could 
make  it.  And  it  is  most  rationally  to  be  con- 
cluded, that  such,  even  such  as  these  are, 
who  shall  sin  in  the  sight,  yea,  and  that 
too  in  despite,  of  such  examples  as  are  set 
continually  before  them,  to  caution  them  to 
the  contrary,  must  be  partakers  of  the  severest 
judgments. 

Hopeful.  Doubtless  thou  hast  said  the  truth  ; 
but  what  a mercy  is  it,  that  neither  thou,  but 
especially  I,  am  not  made  myself  this  ex- 
ample! This  ministereth  occasion  to  us  to 
thank  God,  to  fear  before  him,  and  always  to 
“ remember  Lot’s  wife.” 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Christian  and  Hopeful  mistake  their  ivay,  and  fall  into  the  hands  of  Giant  Despair. 


I saw  then,  that  they  went  on  their  way  to 
a pleasant  river,  which  David  the  king  called 

• 

* Suck  is  the  effect  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  heart 
of  a pilgrim  ; while  on  the  one  hand  he  sees  many  pro- 
pensities of  his  evil  nature  to  every  sin  which  has 
been  committed  by  others,  and  is  grieved,  he  also  con- 
fesses that  by  no  power  of  his  own  he  is  preserved,  but 
ever  gives  all  the  glory  to  the  God  of  all  grace,  by 
who^e  power  alone  he  is  kept  from  falling.  “Thou 
standest  by  faith,  be  not  high-minded,  but  fear.”  Rom. 
si.  20. 

f By  this  river,  which  is  called  "a  pure  river  of 
the  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of 
the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,”  (Rev.  xxii.  1,)  we 
n.ay  understand  the  clear  and  comfortable  views  with 
which  they  were  favoured  of  God’s  love  and  grace. 
This  river  of  God,  this  water  of  life,  was  clear  as 


“the  river  of  God;”  but  John,  “the  river  of 
the  water  of  life.”  f Ps.  lxv.  9 ; Ezek.  lxvii.  1 ; 


crystal : They  could  see  in  it  God’s  glory,  shining  in 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  a.nd  view  their  own  faces  in 
it  to  their  own  inexpressible  joy.  This  is  the  river, 
“the  streams  whereof  make  glad  the  city  of  God.” 
Ps.  xlvi.  4.  The  streams  which  flow  from  this  river 
of  love,  are  justification  by  faith  in  Christ,  sanctifi- 
cation, and  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  from  the 
Spirit  of  Christ.  All  this  these  pilgrims  now  enjoyed, 
and  all  this  every  fellow-citizen  of  the  saints  are  called 
to  enjoy,  in  their  pilgrimage  to  Zion.  This  river  of 
life  proceedeth  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  the 
Lamb.  For  God  hath  chosen  those  (who  have  fled  for 
refuge)  in  Christ,  and  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual 
blessings  in  him;  and  they  are  all  freely  comtnuri- 
cated  to  us  out  of  Christ’s  fulness.  Oh  how  happy. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


143 


Rev.  xxii.  1.  Now  their  way  lay  just  upon 
the  bank  of  the  river:  here,  therefore,  Chris- 
tian ami  his  companion  walked  with  great  de- 
light: they  drank  also  of  the  water  of  the 
river,  which  was  pleasant,  and  enlivening  to 
their  weary  spirits.  Besides,  on  the  banks  of 
this  river,  on  either  side,  were  green  trees,  for 
all  manner  of  fruit;  and  the  leaves  they  ate  to 
prevent  surfeits,  and  other  diseases  that  are  in- 
cident to  those  that  heat  their  blood  by  travels. 
On  either  side  of  the  river  was  also  a meadow, 
curiously  beautified  with  lilies;  and  it  was 
green  all  the  year  long.  In  this  meadow  they 
lay  down  and  slept:  for  here  they  might  lie 
down  safely.  Fs.  xxiii.;  Isa.  xiv.  30.  When 
they  awoke,  they  gathered  again  of  the  fruits 
of  the  trees,  and  drank  again  of  the  water  of 
the  river,  and  then  lay  down  again  to  sleep. 
Thus  they  did  several  days  and  nights.  Then 
they  sang: 

“Behold  ye  how  thoso  crystal  streams  do  glide, 

To  comfort  pilgrims  by  the  highway  side. 

The  meadows  green,  besides  the  fragrant  smell, 
Yield  dainties  for  them:  And  he  that  can  tell 
What  pleasant  fruit,  yea,  leaves,  these  trees  do  yield, 
Will  soon  sell  all,  that  lie  may  buy  this  field.” 

So  when  they  were  disposed  to  go  on  (for 
they  were  not  as  yet  at  their  journey’s  end) 
they  ate,  and  drank,  and  departed. 

Now  I beheld  in  my  dream  that  they  had 
not  journeyed  far,  but  the  river  and  the  way 
for  a time  parted ; at  which  they  were  not  a 
little  sorry,  yet  they  durst  not  go  out  of  the 
way.  Now  the  way  from  the  river  was  rough, 
and  their  feet  tender  by  reason  of  their  travels; 
so  the  souls  of  the  pilgrims  were  much  dis- 
couraged because  of  the  way.  Num.  xxi.  4. 
Wherefore  still  as  they  went  on,  they  wished 
for  a better  way.* *  Now  a little  before  them, 

peaceful,  and  joyful  are  pilgrims,  when  the  Spirit 
takes  of  the  things  of  Christ,  shows  them  to  us,  and 
blesses  us  with  a constant  sense  of,  and  interest  in,  the 
love  of  God,  and  salvation  of  Jesus! 

* Pilgrims  have  their  discouragements  as  well  as 
their  joys:  yet  they  should  take  their  way  as  they 
find  it,  sometimes  rough,  at  others  smooth;  they  may 
at  times  be  sorry  to  part  with  their  comforts,  and  wish 
the  way  was  smoother:  so  they  did  here.  Lo,  their 
wishes  wero  answered;  but  mark  the  consequences. 
Lord,  lead  me  in  the  way  everlasting! 

t Beware  of  this  By-path  Meadow,  it  is  on  the  left 
hand.  Oh  how  many  are  walking  securely',  confi- 
dently, and  comfortably  in  it,  while  every  step  they 
take  endangers  their  destruction  ! The  transition  into 
it  is  easy,  for  it  lies  close  to  the  right  way,  only  you 
must  get  over  a stile;  that  is,  you  must  quit  Christ's 


there  was  on  the  left  hand  of  the  road  a 
meadow,  and  a stile  to  go  over  into  it;  and 
that  meadow  is  called  By-path  Meadow,  f 
Then  said  Christian  to  his  fellow,  If  this 
meadow  lieth  along  by  our  way-side  let  us  go 
over  into  it.  Then  he  went  to  the  stile  to  see, 
and  behold,  a path  lay  along  by  the  way  on 
the  other  side  of  the  fence.  ’Tis  according  to 
my  wish,  said  Christian ; here  is  the  easiest 
going;  come,  good  Hopeful,  and  let  us  go 
over.  I 

Hopeful.  But  how  if  this  path  should  lead 
us  out  of  the  way? 

That’s  not  likely,  said  the  other.  Look, 
doth  it  not  go  along  by  the  way-side?  So 
Hopeful,  being  persuaded  by  his  fellow,  went 
after  him  over  the  stile.  When  they  were  gone 
over,  and  were  got  into  the  path,  they  found 
it  very  easy  for  their  feet;  and  withal,  they 
looking  before  them,  spied  a man  walking  as 
they  did,  and  his  name  was  Vain-confidence. 
so  they  called  after  him,  and  asked  him  whither 
that  way  led?  He  said,  to  the  celestial  gate. 
— Look,  said  Christian,  did  I not  tell  you  so? 
by  this  you  may  see  we  are  right:  so  they  fol- 
lowed, and  he  went  before  them.  But,  behold, 
the  night  came  on,  and  it  grew  very  dark ; so 
that  they  that  went  behind  lost  the  sight  of 
him  that  went  before. 

He  therefore  that  went  before,  (Vain-confi- 
dence by  name,)  not  seeing  the  way  before 
him,  fell  into  a deep  pit,  (Isa.  ix.  16,)  which 
was  on  purpose  there  made  by  the  prince  of 
those  grounds,  to  catch  vain-glorious  fools 
withal,  and  was  dashed  in  pieces  with  his 
fall.  || 

Now  Christian  and  his  fellow  heard  him  fall : 
so  they  called  to  know  the  matter ; but  there 
was  none  to  answer,  only  they  heard  a groan- 
ing. Then  said  1 lopeful,  Where  are  we  now? 

protection,  trust  in  your  own  wisdom,  and  then  you 
are  in  By-path  Meadow  directly. 

J Ah ! how  easy  are  onr  eyes  deceived,  our  hearts 
mistaken,  and  our  feet  perverted  from  the  right  way ! 
Shepherd  of  Israel,  thou  knowest,  to  err  is  human, 
keep  us  from  erring,  guide  us  continually,  and  when 
wo  do  stray,  Lord,  reclaim  us. 

||  “There  is  a way  that  seems  right  unto  a man,  but 
the  end  thereof  aro  the  ways  of  death.”  Prov.  xiv.  12. 
Vain  confidence  is  this  very  way.  Oh  how  easy  do  pro- 
fessors get  into  it ! yea,  pilgrims  are  prone  also  to  take 
up  with  it,  owing  to  that  legality,  pride  and  self-right- 
eousness, which  work  in  their  fallen  nature,  till  cleansed 
by  the  blood  of  Jesus.  See  the  end  of  it  and  tremble; 
for  it  leads  to  darkness  and  ends  in  death.  Lord,  hum- 
ble our  proud  hearts,  and  empty  us  of  self-righteous- 
ness, pride  and  vain-oonfideueo. 


144 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Then  was  his  fellow  silent,  as  mistrusting  that 
he  had  led  him  out  of  the  way.  And  now  it 
began  to  rain,  and  thunder,  and  lighten,  in  a 
most  dreadful  manner;  and  the  waters  rose 
amain.* 

Then  Hopeful  groaned  in  himself,  saying, 
“ Oh  that  I had  kept  on  my  way  l” 

Christian.  Who  could  have  thought  this  path 
should  have  led  us  out  of  the  way  ? 

Hopeful.  I was  afraid  on’t  at  the  very  first, 
and  therefore  gave  you  that  gentle  caution.  I 
would  have  spoken  plainer,  but  that  you  are 
older  than  I. 

Christian.  Good  brother,  be  not  offended ; I 
am  sorry  I have  brought  thee  out  of  the  way, 
and  that  I have  put  thee  into  such  imminent 
danger : pray,  my  brother,  forgive  me ; I did 
not  do  it  of  an  evil  intent. f 

Hopeful.  Be  comforted,  my  brother,  for  I 
forgive  thee ; and  believe  too,  that  this  shall 
be  for  good. 

Christian.  I am  glad  I have  with  me  a mer- 
ciful brother ; but  we  must  not  stand  thus ; let 
us  try  to  go  back  again. 

Hopeful.  But,  good  brother,  let  me  go  before-. 

Christian.  No,  if  you  please,  let  me  go  first, 
that  if  there  be  any  danger  I may  be  first 
therein ; because  by  my  means  we  are  both 
gone  out  of  the  way. 

No,  said  Hopeful,  you  shall  not  go  first ; for 
your  mind  being  troubled,  may  lead  you  out 
of  the  way  again.  Then,  for  their  encourage- 
ment, they  heard  the  voice  of  one  saying,  “ Let 
thine  heart  be  towards  the  highway ; even  the 
way  that  thou  wentest  turn  again.”  j Jer.  xxxi. 
21.  But  by  this  time  the  waters  were  greatly 
risen,  by  reason  of  which,  the  way  of  going  back 
was  very  dangerous.  (Then  I thought  that  it 
is  easier  going  out  of  the  way  when  we  are  in, 
than  going  in  when  we  are  out.)  Yet  they 
adventured  to  go  back ; but  it  was  so  dark  and 
the  flood  was  so  high,  that  in  their  going  back 
they  had  like  to  have  been  drowned,  nine  or 
ten  times. 

# Getting  into  By-path  Meadow,  and  walking  in 
vain-eonfidence,  will  surely  bring  on  terrors,  thunder- 
ings  and  lightnings  from  Mount  Sinai. 

f Here  see,  that  as  Christians  are  made  helpful,  so 
also  they  are  liable  to  prove  hurtful  to  each  other. 
But  observe  how  grace  works!  it  humbles,  it  makes 
the  soul  confess  and  be  sorry  for  its  misfortunes;  here 
is  no  reviling  one  another,  but  a tender  sympathy  and 
feeling  concern  for  each  other.  Oh  the  mighty  power 
of  that  grace  and  truth  which  came  by  Jesus  Christ! 
how  does  it  cement  souls  in  the  fellowship  of  love  1 

j This  is  Christ : he  is  the  way,  the  only  way,  tho 
highway  of  justification  and  holiness. 


Neither  could  they  with  all  the  skill  they 
had,  get  again  to  the  stile  that  night.  Where- 
fore at  last,  lighting  under  a little  shelter,  they 
sat  down  there,  till  the  day-break ; but  being 
weary,  they  fell  asleep.  Now  there  was,  not 
far  from  the  place  where  they  lay,  a castle, 
called  Doubting  Castle,  the  owner  whereof 
was  Giant  Despair : ||  and  it  was  in  his  grounds 
they  were  now  sleeping.  Wherefore  he  getting 
up  in  the  morning  early,  and  walking  up  and 
down  in  his  fields,  caught  Christian  and  Hope- 
ful asleep  in  his  grounds.  Then  with  a grim 
and  surly  voice,  he  bid  them  awake,  and  asked 
them  whence  they  were,  and  what  they  did  in 
his  grounds?  They  told  him  they  were  pil- 
grims, and  that  they  had  lost  their  way.  Then 
said  the  giant,  You  have  this  night  trespassed 
on  me,  by  trampling  in,  and  lying  on  my  ground, 
and  therefore  you  must  go  along  with  me.  So 
they  were  forced  to  go,  because  he  was  stronger 
than  they.  They  also  had  but  little  to  say; 
for  they  knew  themselves  in  a fault.  The 
giant,  therefore,  drove  them  before  him,  and 
put  them  into  his  castle  in  a very  dark  dun- 
geon, nasty  and  stinking  to  the  spirits  of  these 
two  men.  Here  then  they  lay  from  Wednes- 
day morning  till  Saturday  night,  without  one 
bit  of  bread,  or  drop  of  drink,  or  light,  or  any 
to  ask  how  they  did ; they  were,  therefore,  here 
in  evil  case,  and  were  far  from  friends  and  ac- 
quaintance. Ps.  lxxxviii.  8.  Now  in  this  place 
Christian  had  double  sorrow,  because  it  was 
through  his  unadvised  counsel  that  they  were 
brought  into  this  distress. $ 

Now  Giant  Despair  had  a wife,  and  her  name 
was  Diffidence ; so  when  he  was  gone  to  bed, 
he  told  his  wife  what  he  had  done ; to  wit,  that 
he  had  taken  a couple  of  prisoners,  and  cast 
them  into  his  dungeon,  for  trespassing  on  his 
grounds.  Then  he  asked  her  also  what  he  had 
best  do  further  to  them.  So  she  asked  what 
they  were,  whence  they  came,  and  whither 
they  were  bound — and  he  told  her.  Then  she 
counselled  him  that  when  he  arose  in  the 

||  Sooner  or  later  Doubting  Castle  will  be  the  prison, 
and  Giant  Despair  tho  keeper  of  all  those  who  turn 
aside  from  Christ,  to  trust  in  any  wise  in.  themselves. 
“ God  is  a jealous  God;”  ever  jealous  of  his  own  glory, 
and  of  the  honour  of  his  beloved  Son. 

g What ! so  highly-favoured  Christians  in  Doubting 
Castle  ? Is  it  possible,  after  having  travelled  so  far  in 
the  way  of  salvation,  seen  so  many  glorious  things  in 
that  way,  experienced  so  much  of  the  grace  and  love 
of  their  Lord,  and  having  so  often  proved  his  faithful- 
ness, yet  after  all  this  to  get  into  Doubting  Castle? 
Surely  it  is  not  the  will  of  God  but  the  effects  of  un- 
belief. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  I'liOG LESS. 


1-15 


morning,  lie  should  boat  thorn  without  mercy. 
So  when  he  arose,  ho  getteth  a grievous  crab- 
tree  cudgel,  and  goes  down  into  the  dungeon 
to  them,  and  there  first  falls  to  rating  of  them 
as  if  they  were  dogs,  although  they  gave  him 
never  a word  of  distaste:  then  lie  falls  upon 
them,  and  beat  them  fearfully,  in  sucl?  sort 
that  they  were  not  able  to  help  themselves,  or 
turn  them  upon  the  floor.  This  done,  lie  with- 
draws, and  leaves  them  there  to  condole  their 
misery,  and  to  mourn  under  their  distress : so 
all  that  day  they  spent  their  time  in  nothing 
but  sighs  and  bitter  lamentations.  The  next 
night  she  talked  with  her  husband  about  them 
further,  and  understanding  that  they  were  yet 
alive,  did  advise  him  to  counsel  them  to  make 
away  with  themselves : so  when  morning  was 
come,  he  goes  to  them  in  a surly  manner  as  be- 
fore, and,  perceiving  them  to  be  very  sore  with 
the  stripes  that  he  had  given  them  the  day  before, 
he  told  them  that  since  they  were  never  like  to 
come  out  of  that  place,  their  only  way  would 
be  forthwith  to  make  an  end  of  themselves, 
either  with  knife,  halter,  or  poison : for  why, 
said  he,  should  you  choose  life,  seeing  it  is  at- 
tended with  so  much  bitterness?  But  they 
desired  him  to  let  them  go.  With  that  he 
looked  ugly  upon  them ; and  rushing  to  them, 
had  doubtless  made  an  end  of  them  himself, 
but  that  he  fell  into  one  of  his  fits,  (for  he  some- 
times in  sunshiny  weather  fell  into  fits,)  and  lost 
for  a time  the  use  of  his  hand.  Wherefore  he 
withdrew,  and  left  them  as  before  to  consider 
what  to  do.  Then  did  the  prisoners  consult 
between  themselves,  whether  it  was  best  to  take 
his  counsel  or  no ; and  thus  they  began  to  dis- 
course :* 

Brother,  said  Christian,  what  shall  we  do? 
The  life  that  we  now  live  is  miserable ; for  my 
part,  I know  not  whether  it  is  best  to  live  thus, 
or  die  out  of  hand ; “ my  soul  choosetli  strang- 
ling rather  than  life,”  (Job.  vii.  15,)  and  the 
grave  is  more  easy  for  me  than  this  dungeon  ! 
Shall  we  be  ruled  by  the  giant  ?f 

Hopeful.  Indeed  our  present  condition  is 
dreadful,  and  death  would  be  far  more  welcome 


* See  the  working  of  Despair.  Where  is  now  their 
faith  in,  lovo  to,  and  dependence  upon  their  Lord  ? 
Alas  ! all  seems  as  at  the  last  gasp.  But  observe, 
under  their  prevailing  distress  and  black  despondency, 
even  when  despair  had  almost  made  an  end  of  them, 
they  had  a lucid  interval  when  Giant  Despair  is  seized 
with  a fit,  so  that  God’s  mercy  is  great : for,  says 
Paul,  “We  are  perplexed,  but.  not  in  despair,”  2 Cor. 
iv.  1. 

f Poor  Christian  ! what ! tempted  to  destroy  thy- 

10 


to  me,  than  thus  forever  to  abide:  hut  yet  let 
us  consider;  the  Lord  of  the  country  to  which 
we  are  going,  hath  said,  “Thou  slialt  do  no 
murder no,  not  to  another  man’s  person ; 
much  more,  then,  are  we  forbidden  to  take  the 
giant’s  counsel  to  kill  ourselves.  Besides,  he 
that  kills  another,  can  but  commit  murder  upon 
his  body  : but,  for  one  to  kill  himself,  is  to  kill 
body  and  soul  at  once.  And  moreover,  my 
brother,  thou  talkest  of  case  in  the  grave,  but 
hast  thou  forgotten  the  hell  whither  for  certain 
the  murderers  go  ? “ for  no  murderer  hath 
eternal  life,”  etc.  And  let  us  consider  again, 
that  all  the  law  is  not  in  the  hand  of  Giant 
Despair:  others,  so  far  as  I can  understand, 
have  been  taken  by  him  as  well  as  we,  and  yet 
have  escaped  out  of  his  hands.  Who  knows 
but  that  God,  who  made  the  world,  may  cause 
that  Giant  Despair  may  die,  or  that  at  some 
time  or  other  he  may  forget  to  lock  us  in  ; or 
that  he  may  in  a short  time  have  another  of 
his  fits  before  us,  and  may  lose  the  use  of  his 
limbs?  and  if  ever  that  should  come  to  pass 
again,  for  my  part  I am  resolved  to  pluck  up 
the  heart  of  a man,  and  to  try  my  utmost  to 
get  from  under  his  liand.J  I was  a fool  that  I 
did  not  try  to  do  it  before;  but  however,  my 
brother,  let  us  be  patient  and  endure  a while; 
the  time  may  come  that  may  give  us  a happy 
release  : but  let  us  not  be  our  owu  murderers. 
With  these  words,  Hopeful  at  present  did 
moderate  the  mind  of  his  brother;  so  they 
continued  together  in  the  dark  that  day  in 
their  sad  and  doleful  condition. 

Well,  towards  evening,  the  giant  goes  down 
into  the  dungeon  again,  to  see  if  his  prisoners 
had  taken  his  counsel:  but  when  he  came 
there,  he  found  them  alive ; and  truly,  alive 
was  all ; for  now,  what  for  want  of  bread  and 
water,  and  by  reason  of  the  wounds  they  re- 
ceived when  he  beat  them,  they  could  do  little 
but  breathe.  But,  I say,  he  found  them  alive; 
at  which  he  fell  into  a grievous  rage,  and  told 
them  that,  seeing  they  had  disobeyed  his 
counsel,  it  should  be  worse  with  them  than  if 
they  had  never  been  born. 


self!  Lord,  what  is  man  ! But  mark  the  truth  of 
that  word,  “ There  hath  no  temptation  taken  you.  but 
such  as  is  common  to  man but  God  is  faithful,  who 
will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are 
able;  but  will,  with  the  temptation,  also  make  a way 
to  escape,  that  we  may  be  able  to  bear  it.  1 Cor.  x.  13. 

J Perceive  how  a fit  of  despair  robs  a Christian  of 
his  courage,  reason,  and  graoe.  But  one  single 
thought  of  the  love,  power,  and  grace  of  God  in 
Christ,  elevate  the  Christian’s  mind  with  hope. 


146 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


At  this  they  trembled  greatly,  and  I think 
that  Christian  fell  into  a swoon ; but  coming  a 
little  to  himself  again,  they  renewed  their  dis- 
course about  the  giant’s  counsel,  and  whether 
yet  they  had  best  take  it  or  no.  Now  Chris- 
tian again  seemed  to  be  for  doing  it,  but 
Hopeful  made  his  second  reply  as  followeth : 
My  brother,  said  he,  rememberest  thou  not 
how  valiant  thou  hast  been  heretofore?  Apol- 
lyon  could  not  crush  thee,  nor  could  all  that 
thou  couldst  hear,  or  see,  or  feel,  in  the  Valley 
of  the  Shadow  of  Death  ; what  hardship,  ter- 
ror, and  amazement,  hast  thou  already  gone 
through,  and  art  thou  now  nothing  but  fears  ? 
Thou  seest  that  I am  in  the  dungeon  with  thee, 
a far  weaker  man  by  nature  than  thou  art;  also 
the  giant' has  wounded  me  as  well  as  thee,  and 
hath  also  cut  off  the  bread  and  water  from  my 
mouth,  and  with  that  I mourn  without  the 
light.  But  let  us  exercise  a little  more  pa- 
tience : remember  how  thou  playedst  the  man 
at  Vanity  Fair,  and  was  neither  afraid  of  the 
chain  or  cage,  nor  yet  of  bloody  death ; where- 
fore, let  us,  at  least,  to  avoid  the  shame  that 
becomes  not  a Christian  to  be  found  in,  bear 
up  with  patience  as  well  as  we  can.* 

Now  night  being  come  again,  and  the  giant 
and  his  wife  being  in  bed,  she  asked  him  con- 
cerning the  prisoners,  and  if  they  had  taken 
his  counsel : to  which  he  replied,  They  are 
sturdy  rogues ; they  choose  rather  to  bear  all 
hardship  than  to  make  away  with  themselves. 
Then  said  she,  Take  them  into  the  castle-yard 
to-morrow,  and  show  them  the  bones  and  skulls 
of  those  thou  hast  already  despatched,  and 
make  them  believe,  ere  a week  comes  to  an 
end,  thou  also  wilt  tear  them  in  pieces,  as  thou 
hast  done  their  fellows  before  them. 


* Here  is  the  blessing  of  a hopeful  companion.  Here 
is  excellent  counsel.  Let  vain  professors  say  what 
they  may  against  experience,  and  looking  back  to 
past  experiences  : It  is  most  certainly  good  and  right 
so  to  do  ; not  to  encourage  present  sloth  and  presump- 
tion, but  to  excite  fresh  confidence  of  hope  in  the 
Lord.  We  have  David’s  example,  and  Paul’s  word  to 
encourage  us  to  this:  says  David,  “The  Lord  who 
delivered  me  out  of  the  paw  of  the  lion,  and  out  of 
the  paw  of  the  bear,  be  will  deliver  me  out  of  the 
hand  of  the  uncircumcised  Philistine.”  1 Sam.  xvii. 
37.  And  says  Paul,  “ We  have  the  sentence  of  death 
in  ourselves,  that  we  should  not  trust  in  ourselves,  but 
in  God  who  raiseth  the  dead.”  There,  mind  the  alone 
object  of  faith  and  hope,  and  see  the  reasoning  on 
past  experience  of  God’s  mercy;  for  it  is  he  “who 
delivers  us  from  so  great  a death,  and  doth  deliver; 
in  whom  we  trust  that  he  will  yet  deliver  us.”  2 Cor.  i. 
10. 


So  when  the  morning  was  come,  the  giant 
goes  to  them  again,  and  takes  them  into  the 
castle-yard,  and  shows  them  as  his  wife  had 
bidden  him : These,  said  he,  were  pilgrims,  as 
you,  once ; and  they  trespassed  in  my  grounds 
as  you  have  done ; and  when  I thought  fit  I 
tore  them  in  pieces,  and  so  within  ten  days  I 
will  do  you ; get  you  down  into  your  dt  r 
again : and  with  that  he  beat  them  all  the 
way  thither.  They  -lay  therefore  all  day  on 
Saturday  in  a lamentable  case,  as  before. 
Now,  when  night  was  come,  and  when  Mrs. 
Diffidence  and  her  husband  the  giant  were 
got  to  bed,  they  began  to  renew  their  discourse 
of  their  prisoners ; and,  withal,  the  old  giant 
wondered  that  he  could  neither  hv  his  blows 
nor  counsel  bring  them  to  an  end.  And  with 
that  his  wife  replied,  I fear,  said  she,  that 
they  live  in  hopes  that  some  will  come  to  re- 
lieve them,  or  that  they  have  picklocks  about 
them,  by  the  means  of  which  they  hope  to 
escape.  And  sayest  thou  so,  my  dear?  said 
the  giant ; I will  therefore  search  them  in  the 
morning. 

Well,  on  Saturday  about  midnight,  they 
began  to  pray,  and  continued  in  prayer  till 
almost  break  of  day.f 

Now  a little  before  it  was  day,  good  Chris- 
tian, as  one  half  amazed,  did  break  out  in 
this  passionate  speech  : What  a fool,  quoth 
he,  am  I,  thus  to  lie  in  a stinking  dungeon, 
when  I may  as  well  walk  at  liberty ! I have 
a key  in  my  bosom  called  Promise,  that  will, 
I am  persuaded,  open  any  lock  in  Doubting 
Castle.  Then,  said  Hopeful,  that’s  good  news, 
good  brother,  pluck  it  out  of  thy  bosom  and 
try  .J 

Then  Christian  pulled  it  out  of  his  bosom, 

f What!  Pray  in  custody  of  Giant  Despair,  in  the’ 
midst  of  Doubting  Castle,  and  when  their  own  folly 
brought  them  there  too  ! Yes,  mind  this,  ye  pilgrims  ; 
ye  are  exhorted,  “I  will  that  men  pray  every  whore, 
without  doubting.”  1 Tim.  ii.  8.  We  can  be  in  no 
place  but  God  can  hear,  nor  in  any  circumstance,  but 
God  is  able  to  deliver  from.  And  be  assured  when 
the  spirit  of  prayer  comes,  deliverance  is  nigh  at 
hand.  So  it  was  here. 

j;  Precious  promise!  The  promises  of  God  in 
Christ,  are  the  life  of  faith,  and  the  quickeners  of 
prayer.  Oh  how  oft  do  we  neglect  God’s  great  and 
precious  promises  in  Christ  Jesus,  while  doubts  and 
despair  keep  us  prisoners ! So  it  was  with  these  pil- 
grims; they  were  kept  under  hard  bondage  of  soul 
for  four  days.  Hence  see  what  it  is  to  grieve  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  dread  it.  For  he  only  is  the  Com- 
forter. And  if  we  cause  him  to  withdraw  his  influ- 
ence, who  or  what  can  comfort  us?  Though  precious 


■Wj 


T oa  E B>  E ILESTA1  LE 


TIIE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


147 


p.nd  began  to  try  at  the  dungeon  door:  whose 
bolt,  as  ho  turned  the  key,  gave  back,  and  the 
door  flew  open  with  ease,  and  Christian  and 
Hopeful  both  came  out.  Then  he  went  to  the 
outward  door  that  leads  into  the  castle-yard, 
and  with  this  key  opened  that  door  also. 
After,  he  went  to  the  iron  gate,  for  that  must 
be  opened  too,  but  that  lock  went  very  hard ; 
yet  the  key  did  open  it.  Then  they  thrust 
open  the  gate  to  make  their  escape  with  speed, 
but  that  gate  as  it  opened,  made  such  a crack- 
ing that  it  waked  Giant  Despair,  who  hastily 
rising  to  pursue  his  prisoners,  felt  his  limbs 
to  fail,  for  his  fits  took  him  again,  so  that  he 
could  by  no  means  go  after  them.  Then  they 
went  on,  and  came  to  the  king’s  highway,  and 
so  were  safe,  because  they  were  out  of  his 
jurisdiction.* * 


Now  when  they  were  gone  over  the  stile, 
they  began  to  contrive  with  themselves  what 
they  should  do  at  that  stile,  to  prevent  those 
that  should  come  after  from  falling  into  the 
hand  of  Giant  Despair.  So  they  consented  to 
erect  there  a pillar,  and  to  engrave  upon  the 
side  thereof  this  sentence,  “Over  this  stile  is 
the  way  to  Doubting  Castle,  which  is  kept  by 
Giant  Despair,  who  despiseth  the  king  of  the 
Celestial  Country,  and  seeks  to  destroy  the 
holy  pilgrims.”  Many  therefore  that  followed 
after,  read  what  was  written,  and  escaped  the 
danger.f  This  done  they  sang  as  follows: 

“ Out  of  the  way  we  went,  and  then  we  found 
What  'twas  to  tread  upon  forbidden  ground; 

And  let  them  that  come  after  have  a care 
Lest  they  for  trespassing,  his  pris’ners  are, 

Whose  castle’s  Doubting,  and  whose  name's  Despair.” 


CHAPTER  X YI . 

The  Pilgrims  entertained  by  the  Shepherds  on  the  Delectable  Mountains. 


They  went  then  till  they  came  to  the  De- 
tectable Mountains ; which  mountains  belong 
to  the  Lord  of  that  hill  of  which  we  have 
spoken  before : so  they  went  up  the  moun- 
tains, to  behold  the  gardens  and  orchards,  the 
vineyards,  and  fountains  of  water ; where  also 
they  drank  and  washed  themselves,  and  did 

promises  are  revealed  in  the  word,  yet  we  can  get 
no  comfort  from  them,  but  by  the  grace  of  the 
Spirit. 

* Mind,  though  the  Spirit  works  deliverance  and 
brings  comfort.,  yet  it  is  by  means  of  the  word  of  prom- 
ise ; for  as  we  depart  from  and  dishonour  God  by  un- 
beliof,  so  we  come  back  to,  and  honour  him,  bv  be- 
lieving his  word  of  grace  to  us  through  his  beloved 
Son.  In  this  way  the  Spirit  brings  deliverance. 

f Recording  our  own  observations,  and  the  experi- 
ence we  have  had  of  God’s  dealing  with  our  souls,  are 
made  of  special  and  peculiar  use  to  our  fellow-Chris- 
tians.  But  let  us  ever  take  heed  of  self-exalting  : ever 
remembering  that  all  Christian  experience  is  to  hum- 
ble the  soul,  and  exalt  the  Saviour.  As  here  these 
two  pilgrims,  by  their  own  folly,  got  into  Doubting 
Castle;  so  it  was  by  faith  in  the  promise  that  they 
escaped  from  it.  This  pillar  was  a memento  to  their 
shame,  while  it  was  a monument  of  God’s  free  favour 
in  Christ  to  them. 

Reader ! have  you  through  unbelief  been  brought 
into  doubts?  and  has  the  Lord  in  his  great  mercy  sent 
deliverance  to  your  soul  ? Keep  then  your  faith  in 
continual  exercise,  while  you  take  up  the  following 
tines: 


freely  eat  of  the  vineyards.  Now  there  were 
on  the  tops  of  these  mountains,  shepherds 
feeding  their  flocks,  and  they  stood  by  the 
highway  side.  The  pilgrims  therefore  went 
to  them,  and  leaning  upon  their  staves,  (as 
is  common  with  weary  pilgrims  when  they 
stand  to  talk  with  any  by  the  way,)  they 

Son  of  God,  if  thy  free  grace 
Agaiu  hath  rais’d  me  up, 

Call'd  me  still  to  seek  thy  face, 

And  given  me  back  my  hope: 

Still  thy  timely  help  afford, 

And  all  thy  loving-kindness  show; 

Keep  me,  keep  me,  gracious  Lord, 

And  never  let  me  go. 

By  me,  0 my  Saviour,  stand 
In  sore  temptation’s  hour, 

Save  me  with  thine  outstretch’d  hand, 

And  show  forth  all  thy  power; 

Oh  be  mindful  of  thy  word; 

Thy  all-sufficient  grace  bestow  ; 

Keep  me,  keep  me,  gracious  Lord, 

And  never  let  mo  go. 

Give  me,  Lord,  a holy  fear, 

And  fix  it  in  my  heart  ; 

That  I may  when  doubts  appear 
With  timely  care  depart  ; 

Sin  be  more  than  hell  abhorr’d. 

Till  thou  destroy  the  tyrant  foe: 

Keep  me,  keep  me,  gracious  Lord, 

And  never  let  me  go. 


148 


SUNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


asked,  “Whose  Delectable  Mountains  are 
these?  and  whose  are  the  sheep  that  feed 
upon  them  ?”  * 

Shepherds.  The  mountains  are  Emmanuel’s 
Land,  and  they  are  within  sight  of  his  city  ; 
and  the  sheep  also  are  his,  and  he  laid  his  life 
down  for  them. 

Christian.  Is  this  the  way  to  the  Celestial 
City? 

Shepherds.  You  are  just  in  the  way. 

Christian.  How  far  is  it  thither? 

Shepherds.  Too  far  for  any  but  those  that 
shall  get  thither  indeed. f 

Christian.  Is  the  way  safe  or  dangerous? 

Shepherds.  Safe  for  those  for  whom  it  is  to 
be  safe ; “but  transgressors  shall  fall  therein.” 
Hos.  xiv.  9. 

Christian.  Is  there  in  this  place  any  relief 
for  pilgrims  that  are  weary  and  faint  in  the 
way? 

Shepherds.  The  Lord  of  these  mountains 
hath  given  us  a charge  “ not  to  be  forgetful  to 
entertain  strangers,”  (Heb.  xiii.  1,  2;)  there- 
fore the  good  of  the  place  is  before  you. 

I also  saw  in  my  dream,  that  when  the  shep- 
herds perceived  that  they  were  wayfaring  men, 
they  also  put  questions  to  them,  (to  which  they 
made  answer,  as  in  other  places,)  as,  Whence 
came  you?  and,  How  got  you  into  the  way? 
and,  By  what  means  have  you  so  persevered 
therein?  for  but  few  of  them  that  begin  to 
come  hither  do  show  their  faces  on  this  moun- 
tain. But  when  the  shepherds  heard  their  an- 
swers, being  pleased  therewith,  they  looked 
very  lovingly  upon  them,  and  said,  Welcome 
to  the  Delectable  Mountains. 

The  shepherds,  I say,  whose  names  were 
Knowledge,  Experience,  Watchful,  and  Sin- 
cere, took  them  by  the  hand,  and  had  them  to 


*'  See  the  ups  and  downs,  and  sunshine  and  clouds, 
the  prosperity  and  adversity,  which  Christians  go 
through  in  their  way  to  the  promised  land.  Lately, 
these  two  pilgrims  were  bewailing  their  state  in 
Doubting  Ca3tle,  under  Giant  Despair  ; now  they  are 
come  to  Delectable  Mountains,  where  all  is  clear,  per- 
fect, and  joyful  hope'.  So  tha.t  God’s  word  is  now 
comfortably  fulfilled  upon  them.  See  Isa.-xlix.  9,  10, 
11.  “ I will  make  all  my  mountains  a way,  and  my 
highways  shall  be  exalted,”  <fcc. 

+ Oh  how  many  professors  grow  weary  of  the  way, 
fall  short,  and  fail  of  coming  to  the  end  ! Though  the 
way  appears  too  far,  too  strait,  and  too  narrow  for 
many  who  set  out,  and  never  hold  out  to  the  end  : yet., 
all  who  are  begotten  by  the  word  of  grace,  and  born 
of  the  Spirit  of  truth,  being  kept  by  the  mighty  power 
of  God,  through  an  exercise  of  living  faith,  unto  eter- 
nal salvation,  shall  succeed.  1 Pet.  i.  5. 


their  tents,  and  made  them  partake  of  that 
which  was  ready  at  present.  I They  said,  more- 
over, We  would  that  you  should  stay  here 
awhile  to  be  acquainted  with  us,  and  yet  more 
to  solace  yourselves  with  the  good  of  these  De- 
lectable Mountains.  They  then  told  them  that 
they  were  content  to  stay : so  they  went  to  their 
rest  that  night,  because  it  was  very  late. 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  in  the  morn- 
ing the  shepherds  called  up  Christian  and 
Hopeful,  to  walk  with  them  upon  the  moun- 
tains: so  they  wrent  forth  with  them,  and 
walked  awdtile,  having  a pleasant  prospect  on 
every  side.  Then  said  the  shepherds  one  to 
another,  Shall  we  show  these  pilgrims  some 
wonders  ? So,  when  they  had  concluded  to  do 
it,  they  had  them  first  to  the  top  of  an  hill, 
called  Error,  which  was  very  steep  on  the  furth- 
est side,  and  bid  them  look  down  to  the  bottom. 
So  Christian  and  Hopeful  looked  down,  and 
saw  at  the  bottom  several  men  dashed  to  pieces, 
by  a fall  that  they  had  from  the  top.  Then  said 
Christian,  What  meaneth  this?  The  shep- 
herds answered,  Have  you  not  heard  of  them 
that  w’ere  made  to  err  by  hearkening  to  Hy- 
meneus  and  Philetus,  (2  Tim.  ii.  17, 18,)  as  con- 
cerning the  faith  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
body?  They  answered,  Yea.  Then  said  the 
shepherds,  Those  that  you  see  lie  dashed  to 
pieces  at  the  bottom  of  this  mountain  are  they  ; 
and  they  have  continued  to  this  day  unburied, 
as  you  see,  for  example  to  others  to  take  heed 
how  they  clamber  too  high,  or  how  they  come 
too  near  the  brink  of  this  mountain.  || 

Then  I saw  they  had  them  to  the  top  of 
another  mountain,  and  the  name  of  that  is 
Caution,  and  bid  them  look  afar  off : § which 
when  they  did,  they  perceived,  as  they  thought, 
several  men  walking  up  and  down  among  the 


1 Precious  names!  what  is  a pilgrim  without  know- 
ledge? what  is  head-knowledge  without  heart-experi- 
ence ? And  watchfulness  and  sincerity  ought  to  at- 
tend us  every  step.  When  these  graces  are  in  us 
and  abound,  they  make  delectable  mountains  in- 
deed. 

||  Fine-spun  speculations,  and  curious  reasonings, 
lead  men  from  simple  truth  and  implicit  faith  into 
many  dangerous  and  destructive  errors.  The  word 
records  many  instances  of  such  for  our  caution.  Be 
warned  to  study  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity. 

§ It  is  well  for  us  to  be  much  on  this  mount.  We 
have  constant  need  of  caution.  Paul  takes  the  Corin- 
thians up  to  this  Mount  Caution,  and  shows  them  what 
awful  things  have  happened  to  professors  of  old:  and 
he  leaves  this  solemn  word  for  us  ; “ Whereforfe  let  him 
who  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall.”  1 Cor. 
x.  12. 


TIIE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


tombs  that  were  there:  and  they  perceived 
that  the  men  were  blind,  because  they  stum- 
bled sometimes  upon  the  tombs,  and  because 
they  could  notgetout  from  among  them.  Then 
said  Christian,  What  means  this? 

The  shepherds  then  answered,  Did  you  not 
see  a little  below  these  mountains,  a stile  that 
leads  into  a meadow,  on  the  left  hand  of  this 
way?  They  answered,  Yes.  Then  said  the 
shepherds,  From  that  stile  there  goes  a path, 
that  leads  directly  to  Doubting  Castle,  which 
is  kept  by  Giant  Despair,  and  these  men  (point- 
ing to  them  among  the  tombs)  came  once  on 
pilgrimage,  as  you  do  now,  even  till  they  came 
to  that  same  stile.  And  because  the  right  way 
was  rough  in  that  place  they  chose  to  go  out 
of  it  into  that  meadow,  and  there  were  taken 
by  Giant  Despair,  and  cast  into  Doubting  Cas- 
tle; where,  after  they  had  a while  been  kept 
in  the  dungeon,  he  at  last  did  put  out  their 
eyes,  and  led  them  among  those  tombs,  where 
he  has  left  them  to  wander  to  this  very  day, 
that  the  saying  of  the  wise  man  might  be  ful- 
filled, “ lie  that  wandereth  out  of  the  way  of 
understanding,  shall  remain  in  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  dead.”  Prow  xxi.  16.  Then  Chris- 
tian and  Hopeful  looked  upon  one  another, 
with  tears  gushing  out,  but  yet  said  nothing  to 
the  shepherds.* 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  the  shepherds 
had  them  to  another  place  in  a bottom,  where 
was  a door  iu  the  side  of  an  hill,  and  they 
opened  the  door,  and  bid  them  look  in.  They 
looked  in  therefore,  and  saw  that  within  it 
was  very  dark  and  smoky ; they  also  thought 
that  they  heard  there  a rumbling  noise,  as  of 
fire,  and  a cry  of  some  tormented ; and  that 
they  smelt  the  scent  of  brimstone.  Then  said 
Christian,  What  means  this?  The  shepherds 
told  them,  This  is  a by-way  to  hell,  a way  that 
hypocrites  go  in  at : namely,  such  as  sell  their 
birthright,  with  Esau;  such  as  sell  their  Mas- 
ter, with  Judas ; such  as  blaspheme  the  gospel, 
with  Alexander;  and  that  lie  and  dissemble, 
with  Ananias,  and  Sapphira  his  wife. 


* Do  we  see  others  foil  into  perdition  by  the  very 
same  sins  and  follies  from  which  God  has  reclaimed 
us?  What  must  we  resolve  this  into,  but  his  super- 
abounding  mercy  to  us ! And  surely  it  is  enough  to 
make  cue’s  eyes  gush  out  with  tears,  and  to  melt  our 
hard  hearts  into  fervent  love,  to  look  back  upon  the 
many  singular  instances  of  God’s  distinguishing  favour 
to  us.  Oh  call  them  to  mind  and  be  thankful. 

f Thus  we  read  of  some  being  once  enlightened,  and 
having  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made 
partakers  of  the  world  to  come.  Ileb.  vi.  It  is  hard 


140 

Then  said  Hopeful  to  the  shepherds,  I per- 
ceive that  these  had  on  them,  even  every  one, 
a show  of  pilgrimage,  as  we  have  now;  had 
they  not? 

Shepherds.  Yea,  and  held  it  a long  time  too. 

Hopeful.  How  far  might  they  go  on  in  pil- 
grimage in  their  days,  since  they  notwithstand- 
ing were  thus  miserably  cast  away? 

Shepherds.  Some  further,  and  some  not  so 
far  as  these  mountains.! 

Then  said  the  pilgrims  one  to  another,  We 
had  need  to  cry  to  the  strong  for  strength. 

Shepherds.  Ay,  and  you  will  have  need  to  use 
it  when  you  have  it,  too. 

By  this  time  the  pilgrims  had  a desire  to  go 
forward,  and  the  shepherds  a desire  they  should  ; 
so  they  walked  together  towards  the  end  of  the 
mountains.  Then  said  the  shepherds  one  to 
another,  Let  us  here  show  the  pilgrims  the 
gates  of  the  Celestial  City,  if  they  have  skill 
to  look  through  our  perspective  glass.  The 
pilgrims  then  lovingly  accepted  the  motion: 
so  they  had  them  to  the  top  of  an  high  hill, 
called  Clear,  and  gave  them  the  glass  to 
look. 

Then  they  essayed  to  look,  but  the  remem- 
brance of  that  last  thing  that  the  shepherds 
had  showed  them,  made  their  hands  shake ; by 
means  of  which  impediment,  they  could  not 
look  steadily  through  the  glass;!  jet  they 
thought  they  saw  something  like  the  gate,  and 
also  some  of  the  glory  of  the  place.  Then  they 
went  away,  and  sang  this  song : 

“ Thus  by  the  shepherds  secrets  are  reveal’d, 

Which  from  all  other  men  are  kept  conceal'd  ; 
Come  to  the  shepherds  then,  if  you  would  see 
Things  deep,  things  hid,  and  that  mysterious  be.” 

When  they  were  about  to  depart,  one  of  the 
shepherds  gave  them  a note  of  the  way.  An- 
other of  them  bid  them  beware  of  the  flatterer. 
The  third  bid  them  tale  heed  that  they  sleep  not 
upon  the  enchanted  ground.  And  the  fourth 
bid  them  God  speed.  So  I awoke  from  my 
dream. 


to  say  how  far,  or  how  long  a person  may  follow 
Christ,  and*  because  of  unfaithfulness,  yet  fall  away, 
and  come  short  of  the  kingdom  at  last.  This  should 
excite  to  diligence,  humility,  aud  circumspection,  ever 
looking  to  Jesus  to  keep  us  from  falling. 

$ The  glass  of  God's  word  of  grace  and  truth,  held 
up  by  the  hand  of  faith  to  the  eye  of  the  soul.  So 
Paul  speaks  : beholding  as  in  a glass  (the  Gospel)  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  &c.  2 Cor.  iii.  15.  But  unbelieving 
doubts  and  fears  will  make  the  hand  tremble  and  the 
sight  dim. 


150 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  Pilgrims  meet  with  Ignorance. — The  Robbery  of  Little-faith  related. — Christian  and 

Hopeful  caught  in  the  net. 


A nd  I slept  and  dreamed  again,  and  saw  the 
same  two  pilgrims  going  down  the  mountains, 
along  the  highway  towards  the  city.  Now  a 
little  before  these  mountains  on  the  left  hand, 
lieth  the  country  of  Conceit,*  from  which 
country  there  comes  into  the  way  in  which  the 
pilgrims  walked,  a little  crooked  lane.  Here 
therefore  they  met  with  a very  brisk  lad,  that 
came  out  of  that  country,  and  his  name  was 
Ignorance.  So  Christian  asked  him  from  what 
parts  he  came,  and  whither  he  was  going. 

Ignorance.  Sir,  I was  born  in  the  country 
that  lieth  off  there  a little  on  the  left  hand, 
and  am  going  to  the  Celestial  City. 

Christian.  But  how  do  you  think  to  get  in  at 
the  gate  ? for  you  may  find  some  difficulties 
there. 

As  other  good  people  do,  said  he. 

Christian.  But  what  have  you  to  show  at 
that  gate,  that  may  cause  that  gate  to  be  opened 
to  you  ? 

Ignorance.  I know  my  Lord’s  will,  and  have 
been  a good  liver ; I pay  every  man  his  own ; 
I pray,  fast,  pay  tithes,  and  give  alms,  and  have 
left  my  country  for  whither  I am  going.f 

Christian.  But  thou  earnest  not  in  at  the 
Wicket-gate  that  is  at  the  head  of  this  way ; 
thou  earnest  in  hither  through  that  same 
crooked  lane,  and  therefore  I fear,  however 
thou  mayest  think  of  thyself,  when  the  reckoh- 
ing-day  shall  come,  thou  wilt  have  laid  to  thy 
charge,  that  thou  art  a thief  and  a robber,  in- 
stead of  getting  admittance  into  the  city. 

Ignorance.  Gentlemen,  ye  be  utter  strangers 
to  me,  I know  you  not;  be  content  to  follow 
the  religion  of  your  country,  and  I will  follow 
the  religion  of  mine.  I hope  all  will  be  well. 
And,  as  for  the  gate  you  talk  of,  all  the  world 
knows,  that  that  is  a great  way  off  of  our  coun- 
try. I cannot  think  that  any  men  in  all  our 


* This  country  we  were  all  born  in ; and  are  all  by 
nature  darkness.  Some  live  long  in  the  country  of 
Conceit,  and  many  end  their  da}'S  in  it.  Are  you 
come  out  of  it  ? So  was  Ignorance  ; but  he  breathed 
his  native  air.  So  long  as  any  6inner  thinks  he  can 
do  anything  towards  making  himself  righteous  before 
God,  his  name  is  Ignorance,  he  is  full  of  self-conceit, 
and  destitute  of  the  faith  of  Christ. 

f Is  it  not  very  common  to  hear  professors  thus  ex- 
press themselves  ? Yes,  and  many  who  make  a very 


parts  do  so  much  as  know  the  way  to  it,  nor 
need  they  matter  whether  they  do  or  no;  since 
we  have,  as  you  see,  a fine  pleasant  green  lane, 
that  comes  down  from  our  country  the  nearest 
way. 

When  Christian  saw  that  the  man  was  wise 
in  his  own  conceit,  he  said  to  Hopeful  whis- 
peringly,  “ There  is  more  hope  of  a fool  than 
of  him,”  (Prov.  xxvi.  12;)  and  said  moreover, 
“ When  he  that  is  a fool  walketh  by  the  way, 
his  wisdom  faileth  him,  and  he  saith  to  every 
one  that  he  is  a fool.”  Eccles.  x.  2.  What, 
shall  we  talk  further  with  him,  or  outgo  him 
at  present,  and  so  leave  him  to  think  of  what 
he  hath  heard  already,  and  then  stop 'again  for 
him  afterwards,  and  see  if  by  degrees  we  can 
do  any  good  by  him  ? Then  said  Hopeful, 

“Let  Ignorance  a little  while  now  muse 
On  what  is  said,  and  let  him  not  refuse 
Good  counsel  to  embrace,  lest  he  remain 
Still  ignorant  of  what’s  the  chiefest  gain. 

God  saith,  those  that  no  understanding  have. 
Although  he  made  them,  them  will  he  not  save.” 

He  further  added,  It  is  not  good,  I think,  to 
say  to  him  all  at  once ; let  us  pass  him  by,  if 
you  will,  and  talk  to  him  anon,  even  as  he  is 
able  to  bear  it.” 

So  they  both  went  on,  and  Ignorance  he 
came  after.  Now  when  they  had  passed  him 
a little  way,  they  entered  into  a very  dark  lane, 
where  they  met  a.  man  whom  seven  devils  had 
bound  with  seven  strong  cords,  and  were  car- 
rying him  back  to  the  door  that  they  saw  on 
the  side  of  the  bill.  Matt.  xii.  45 ; Prov.  v.  22. 
Now  good  Christian  began  to  tremble,  and  so 
did  Hopeful  his  companion ; yet  as  the  devils 
led  away  the  man,  Christian  looked  to  see  if 
he  knew  him ; and  he  though  it  might  be  one 
Turn-away,  that  dwelt  in  the  town  of  Apos- 


kigh  profession  too;  their  hopes  are  plainly  grounded 
upon  what  they  are  in  themselves,  and  how  they  differ 
from  their  former  selves  and  other  sinners,  instead  of 
vrhat  Christ  has  made  us,  and  what  we  are  in  Christ. 
But  the  profession  of  such  is  begun  with  an  ignorant, 
whole,  self-righteous  heart;  it  is  continued  in  pride, 
self-seeking,  and  self-exalting,  and  ends  in  awful  dis- 
appointment. For  such  are  called  by  our  Lord  thieves 
and  robbers  : they  rob  him  of  the  glory  of  his  grace, 
and  the  efficacy  of  his  precious  blood. 


J.D.  Gross  Sc. 


“TMEH  SAB©  VME  SKEPNEROS  ©ME  IT®  AH0TMER. URT  U£  MEiftE  Sli's  VME 
TME  SATES  OF  VUE  CELESYOAO.  C3TV,  OF  TWEV  WAVE  SKO U.  TO-’  il'3*  K 
PROSPECTIVE  GLASS-" 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


151 


tacy.  Put  lie  did  not  perfectly  sec  his  face; 
for  ho  did  hang  his  head  like  a thief  that  is 
found.  Put  being  gone  past,  Hopeful  looked 
after  him,  and  espied  on  his  back  a paper  with 
this  inscription,  “ Wanton  professor  and  dam- 
nable apostate.”*  Then  said  Christian  to  his 
follow,  Now,  I call  to  remembrance  that  which 
was  told  me,  of  a thing  that  happened  to  a 
good  man  hereabout.  The  name  of  the  man 
was  Little-faith,  but  a good  man,  and  he  dwelt 
in  the  town  of  Sincere.  The  thing  was  this: 
— At  the  entering  in  at  this  passage,  there 
comes  down  from  Broad-way  gate,  a lane, 
called  Dead-man’s  lane;  so  called,  because  of 
the  murders  that  are  commonly  done  there; 
and  this  Little-faith,  going  on  pilgrimage,  as 
we  do  now,  chanced  to  sit  down  there  and 
slept ; now  there  happened  at  that  time  to 
come  down  the  lane  from  Broad-way  gate, 
three  sturdy  rogues,  and  their  names  were 
Faint-heart,  Mistrust,  and  Guilt,  three  broth- 
ers; and  they  espying  Little-faith  where  he 
was,  came  galloping  up  with  speed.  Now  the 
good  man  was  just  awake  from  his  sleep,  and 
was  getting  up  to  go  on  his  journey.  So  they 
all  came  up  to  him,  and  with  threatening  lan- 
guage bid  him  stand.  At  this  Little-faith 
looked  as  wdiite  as  a clout,  and  had  neither 
power  to  fight  nor  flee.  Then  said  Faint-heart, 
“ Deliver  thy  purse ;”  but  he  making  no  haste 
to  do  it,  (for  he  was  loth  to  lose  his  money,) 
Mistrust  run  up  to  him,  and  thrusting  his  hand 
into  his  pocket,  pulled  out  thence  a bag  of  sil- 
ver. Then  he  cried  out,  “Thieves!  thieves!” 
With  that  Guilt,  with  a great  club  that  w’as  in 
his  hand,  struck  Little-faith  on  the  head,  and 
with  that  blow  felled  him  flat  to  the  ground ; 
where  he  lay  bleeding,  as  one  that  would  bleed 
to  death.  All  this  while  the  thieves  stood  by. 
But  at  last,  they  hearing  that  some  were  upon 

* Oh  beware  of  a light,  trifling  spirit,  and  a wanton 
behaviour.  It  is  often  tho  forerunner  of  apostacy 
from  God.  It  makes  one  tremble  to  hear  those  who 
profess  to  follow  Christ  in  the  regeneration  crying, 
What  harm  is  there  in  this  game,  and  the  other  diver- 
sion ? They  plainly  discover  what  spirit  they  are  got 
into.  The  warmth  of  love  is  gone,  and  they  are  be- 
come oold,  dead,  and  carnal.  Oh  how  many  instances 
of  these  abound ! 

t Where  there  is  a faint  heart  in  God's  cause,  and 
mistrust  of  God’s  truths,  here  will  be  guilt  in  the  con- 
science, and  a dead  faith  in  the  heart;  and  these 
rogues  will  prevail  over,  and  rob  such  souls  of  the 
comforts  of  God's  love  and  of  Christ’s  salvation.  Oh 
how  many  are  overtaken  by  these  in  sleepy  fits  and 
careless  frames,  and  plundered!  Learn  to  be  wise 
from  the  things  others  have  suffered. 


the  road,  and  fearing  lest  it  should  be  one 
Great-grace,  that  dwells  in  the  city  of  Good- 
confidence,  they  betook  themselves  to  their 
heels,  and  left  this  good  man  to  shift  for  him- 
self, who,  getting  up,,  made  shift  to  scramble 
on  his  way.  This  was  the  story. f 

Hopeful.  But  did  they  take  from  him  aTl  that 
ever  he  had? 

Christian.  No : the  place  where  his  jewels 
were,  they  never  ransacked  ; so  those  he  kept 
still.  But,  as  I was  told,  the  good  man  was 
much  afflicted  for  his  loss;  for  the  thieves  got 
most  of  his  spending-money.  That  which 
they  got  not,  as  I said,  were  jewels;  also,  he 
had  a little  odd  money  left,  but  scarce  enough 
to  bring  him  to  his  journey’s  end,  (1  Pet.  iv. 
18;)  nay,  if  I was  not  misinformed,  he  was 
forced  to  beg  as  he  went,  to  keep  himself  alive, 
(for  his  jewels  £ he  might  not  sell.)  But  beg 
and  do  what  he  could;  “he  went,”  as  we  say, 
“ with  many  a hungry  belly,”  the  most  part  of 
the  rest  of  the  way. 

Hopeful.  But  is  it  not  a wonder  they  got  not 
from  him  his  certificate  by  which  he  was  to  re- 
ceive his  admittance  at  the  celestial  gate? 

Christian.  It  is  a wonder : but  they  got  not 
that ; though  they  missed  it  not  through  any 
good  cunning  of  his;  for  he,  being  dismayed 
with  their  coming  upon  him,  had  neither 
power  nor  skill  to  hide  anything,  so  it  was 
more  by  good  providence  than  by  his  endeav- 
our, that  they  missed  of  that  good  thing. || 
2 Tim.  i.  14;  2 Pet.  ii.  9. 

Hopeful.  But  it  must  needs  be  a comfort  to 
him,  that  they  got  not  his  jewels  from  him  ? 

Christian.  It  might  have  been  great  comfort 
to  him,  had  he  used  it  as  he  should ; but  they 
who  told  me  the  story,  said,  that  he  made  but 
little  use  of  it  all  the  rest  of  the  way ; and 
that,  because  of  the  dismay  that  he  had  in  the 


J By  his  jewels  we  may  understand  those  imparted 
graces  of  the  Spirit,  Faith,  Hope,  and  Love.  By  his 
spending-money,  understand  the  sealing  and  earnest 
ot  the  Spirit  in  his  heart.  2 Cor.  i.  22.  Of  this  divine 
assurance  and  the  sense  of  the  peace  and  joy  of  tho 
Holy  Ghost,  he  was  robbed,  so  that,  though  he  still 
went  on  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  yet  he  dragged  on 
but  heavily  and  uncomfortably;  and  was  not  hap- 
py in  himself.  Oh  how  much  evil  and  distress 
are  brought  upon  us  by  neglecting  to  watch  and 
pray ! 

||  What  was  this  good  thing  ? His  faith,  whose 
author,  finisher,  and  object  is  Jesus.  And  where  he 
gives  this  gift  of  faith,  though  it  be  but  little,  even  as 
a grain  of  mustard-seed,  if  exercised  by  the  possessor, 
not  all  the  powers  of  earth  and  hell  can  rob  the  heart 
of  it. 


152 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


taking  away  his  money.  Indeed  he  forgot  it  a 
greater  part  of  the  rest  of  his  journey ; and, 
besides,  when  at  any  time  it  came  into  his 
mind,  and  he  began  to  be  comforted  therewith, 
then  would  fresh  thoughts  of  his  loss  come 
again  upon  him,  and  those  thoughts  would 
swallow  up  all. 

Hopeful.  Alas,  poor  man ! this  could  not  but 
be  a great  grief  unto  him  ? 

Christian.  Grief!  ay,  a grief  indeed.  Would 
it  not  have  been  so  to  any  of  us,  had  we  been 
used  as  he,  to  be  robbed  and  wounded  too,  and 
that  in  a strange  place,  as  he  was?  It  is  a 
wonder  he  did  not  die  with  grief,  poor  heart: 
I was  told  he  scattered  almost  all  the  rest  of 
the  way,  with  nothing  but  doleful  and  bitter 
complaints:  telling  also  to  all  who  overtook 
him,  or  that  he  overtook  in  the  way  as  he 
went,  where  he  was  robbed,  and  how;  who 
they  were  that  did  it,  and  what  he  lost;  how 
he  was  wounded,  and  that  he  hardly  escaped 
with  his  life.* 

Hopeful.  But  it  is  a wonder  that  his  neces- 
sity did  not  put  him  upon  selling  or  pawning 
some  of  his  jewels,  that  he  might  have  where- 
with to  relieve  himself  in  his  journey. 

Christian.  Thou  talkest  like  one  upon  whose 
head  is  the  shell  to  this  very  day:  for  what 
should  he  pawn  them?  or  to  whom  should  he 
sell  them?  In  all  that  country  where  he  was 
robbed,  his  jewels  were  not  accounted  of;  nor 
did  he  want  that  relief  which  could  from 
thence  be  administered  to  him.  Besides,  had 
his  jewels  been  missing  at  the  gate  of  the 
Celestial  City,  he  had  (and  that  he  knew  well 
enough)  been  excluded  from  an  inheritance 
there,  and  that  would  have  been  worse  to  him 
than  the  appearance  and  villainy  of  ten  thou- 
sand thieves. 

Hopeful.  Why  art  thou  so  tart,  my  brother? 
Esau  sold  his  birthright,  and  that  for  a mess 
of  pottage,  (Heb.  xii.  16;)  and  that  birthright 
was  his  greatest  jewel:  and,  if  he,  why  might 
not  Little-faith  do  so  too  ? 

Christian.  Esau  did  sell  his  birthright  in- 
deed, and  so  do  many  besides,  and  by  so  doing, 
exclude  themselves  from  the  chief  blessing: 
as  also  that  caitiff  did:  but  you  must  put  a 
difference  betwixt  Esau  and  Little-faith,  and 
also  betwixt  their  estates.  Esau’s  birthright 
was  typical,  but  Little-faith’s  jewels  were  not 

* Here  is  a discovery  of  true,  though  it  be  but  little 
faith.  It  mourns  its  loss  of  God’s  presence,  and  the 
comforts  of  his  Spirit,  and  laments  its  folly  for  sleep- 
ing, when  it  should  have  been  watching  and  praying. 
He  that  pines  under  the  sense  of  the  loss  of  Christ's 


so.  Esau’s  belly  was  his  god,  but  Little-faith’s 
belly  was  not  so.  Esau’s  want  lay  in  his  fleshly 
appetite.  Little-faith’s  did  not  so.  Besides, 
Esau  could  see  no  further  than  to  the  fulfilling 
of  his  lust:  “For  I am  at  the  point  to  die,” 
said  he,  “and  what  good  will  this  birthright 
do  me?”  Gen.  xxv.  29,  34.  But  Little-faith, 
though  it  was  his  lot  to  have  but  a little  faith, 
was  by  his  little  faith  kept  from  such  extrava- 
gancies, and  made  to  see  and  prize  his  jewels 
more  than  to  sell  them  as  Esau  did  his  birth- 
right. You  read  not  anywhere  that  Esau  had 
faith,  no,  not  so  much  as  a little;  therefore  no 
marvel,  if  where  the  flesh  only  bears  sway,  (as 
it  will  in  that  man  where  no  faith  is,  to  resist,) 
if  he  sells  his  birthright  and  his  soul  and  all, 
and  that  to  the  devil  of  hell:  for  it  is  with 
such  as  it  is  with  the  ass,  “who  in  her  occa- 
sions cannot  be  turned  away,”  (Jer.  ii.  24;) 
when  their  minds  are  set  upon  their  lusts,  they 
will  have  them,  whatever  they  cost.  But  Little- 
faith  was  of  another  temper,  his  mind  was  on 
things  divine;  his  livelihood  was  upon  things 
that  were  spiritual  and  from  above ; therefore, 
to  what  end  should  he  that  is  of  such  a temper 
sell  his  jewels  (had  there  been  any  that  would 
have  bought  them ) to  fill  his  mind  with  empty 
things!  Will  a man  give  a penny  to  fill  his 
belly  with  hay?  or  can  you  persuade  the 
turtle-dove  to  live  upon  carrion  like  the  crow  ? 
Though  faithless  ones  can,  for  carnal  lusts, 
pawn  or  mortgage,  or  sell  what  they  have,  and 
themselves  outright  to  boot,  yet  they  that  have 
faith,  Saving  faith,  though  but  little  of  it,  can- 
not do  so.  Here,  therefore,  my  brother,  is  thy 
mistake. 

Hopeful.  I acknowledge  it;  hut  yet  your 
severe  reflections  had  almost  made  me  angry. 

Christian.  Why  I did  but  compare  thee  to 
some  of  the  birds  that  are  of  the  brisker  sort, 
who  will  run  to  and  fro  in  untrodden  paths, 
with  the  shell  upon  their  heads;  but  pass  by 
that,  and  consider  the  matter  under  debate 
and  all  shall  be  well  betwixt  thee  and  me. 

Hopeful.  But,  Christian,  these  three  fellows, 
I am  persuaded  in  my  heart,  are  but  a company 
of  cowards;  would  they  have  run  else,  think 
you,  as  they  did,  at  the  noise  of  one  that  was 
coming  on  the  road?  Why  did  not  Little- 
faith  pluck  up  a greater  heart?  he  might, 
methinks,  have  stood  one  brush  with  them, 

love,  has  faith  in  his  heart,  and  a measure  of  love  to 
Christ  in  his  soul;  though  he  goes  on  his  way  weep- 
ing, yet  he  shall  find  joy  in  the  end.  Sou',  be  on  thy 
watch-tower,  lest  thou  sleep  the  sleep  of  eternal 
death. 


T1IE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


153 


and  have  yielded,  when  there  had  been  no 
remedy. 

Christian.  That  they  arc  cowards  many  have 
said,  but  few  have  found  it  so  in  the  time  of 
trial.  As  for  a great  heart,  Little-faith  had 
none;  and  I perceived  by  thee,  my  brother, 
hadst  thou  been  the  man  concerned,  thou  art 
but  for  a brush,  and  then  to  yield.  And  verily, 
since  this  is. the  height  of  thy  stomach,  now 
they  are  at  a distance  from  us,  should  they  ap- 
pear to  thee,  as  they  did  to  him,  they  might 
put  thee  to  second  thoughts.* 

But  consider  again,  they  arc  but  journeymen 
thieves,  they  serve  under  the  king  of  the  bot- 
tomless pit;  who,  if  need  be,  will  come  to 
their  aid  himself,  and  his  voice  is  as  the  roar- 
ing of  a lion.  1 Pet.  v.  8.  I myself  have  been 
engaged  as  this  Little-faith  was;  and  I found 
it  a terrible  thing.  These  three  villains  set 
upon  me,  and  I beginning  like  a Christian  to 
resist,  they  gave  out  a call,  and  in  came  their 
master : I would,  as  the  saying  is,  have  given 
my  life  for  a penny;  but  that,  as  God  would 
have  it,  I was  clothed  with  armour  of  proof. 
Ay,  and  yet  though  I was  so  harnessed,  I 
found  it  hard  work  to  quit  myself  like  a man: 
no  man  can  tell  what  in  that  combat  attends 
us,  but  he  that  hath  been  in  the  battle  him- 
self. f 

Hopeful.  Well,  but  they  ran,  you  see,  when 
they  did  but  suppose  that  one  Great-grace  was 

in  the  way. 

Christian.  True,  they  have  often  lied,  both 
they  and  their  master,  when  Great-grace  hath 
appeared ; and  no  marvel,  for  he  is  the  King’s 
champion  ; but,  I trow,  you  will  put  some  dif- 
ference between  Little-faith  and  the  King’s 
champion.  All  the  King’s  subjects  are  not  his 


* Ah  ! how  easy  is  it  to  talk  when  enemies  are  out 
of  sight ! Wo  too  often  wax  valiant  in  our  own  esteem, 
when  we  have  constant  need  to  humble  ourselves  under 
the  mighty  hand  of  God,  knowing  what  mere  nothings 
we  are  of  ourselves.  It  makes  a Christian  speak  tartly 
when  one  sees  self-exaltings  in  another.  Paul  fre- 
quently speaks  thus,  from  warm  zeal  for  Christ’s  glory, 
and  strong  love  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

j Who  can  stand  in  the  evil  day  of  temptation, 
when  beset  with  Faint-heart,  Mistrust,  and  Guilt, 
hacked  by  the  power  of  their  master,  Satan  ? No  one, 
unless  armed  with  the  whole  armour  of  God:  even 
then  the  power  of  such  infernal  foes  makes  it  a hard 
fight  to  the  Christian.  But  this  is  our  glory,  the 
Lord  shall  light  for  us,  and  we  shall  hold  our  peace  : 
we  shall  be  silent  as  to  ascribing  any  glory  to  our- 
selves, knowing  our  very  enemies  are  part  of  our- 
selves, and  that  we  are  more  than  oonquerors  over  all 
these  (only)  through  Him  who  loved  us.  Rom.  viii.  27. 


champions;  nor  can  they,  when  tried,  do  such 
feats  of  war  as  he.  Is  it  meet  to  think  that  a 
little  child  should  handle  Goliah  as  David 
did?  or  that  there  should  be  the  strength  of  an 
ox  in  a wren?  Some  are  strong,  some  are 
weak  : some  have  great  faith,  some  have  little ; 
this  man  was  one  of  the  weak,  and  therefore 
he  went  to  the  wall.t 

Hopeful.  I would  it  had  been  Great-grace 
for  his  sake. 

Christian.  If  it  had  been  he,  he  might  have 
had  his  hands  full:  fori  must  tell  you,  that 
though  Great-grace  is  excellent  good  at  his 
weapon,  and  has,  and  can,  so  long  as  he  keeps 
them  at  sword’s  point,  do  well  enough  with 
them,  yet  if  they  get  within  him,  even  Faint- 
heart, Mistrust,  or  the  other,  it  will  go  hard 
but  that  they  will  throw  up  bis  heels:  and 
when  a man  is  down,  you  know,  what  can  he 
do? 

Whoso  looks  well  upon  Great-grace’s’ face, 
shall  see  those  scars  and  cuts  there  that  shall 
easily  give  demonstration  of  what  I say. 
Yea,  once  I heard  that  he  should  say,  (and 
that  when  he  was  in  the  combat.)  “ We  de- 
spaired even  of  life.”  ||  How  did  these  sturdy 
rogues  and  their  fellows  make  David  groan, 
mourn,  and  roar  ? Yea,  Heman  and  Hezekiah 
too,  though  champions  in  their  days,  were 
forced  to  bestir  them  when  by  these  assaulted ; 
and  yet,  notwithstanding,  they  bad  their  coats 
soundly  brushed  by  them.  Peter,  upon  a time, 
would  go  try  what  he  could  do ; but,  though 
some  do  say  of  him  that  he  is  the  prince  of 
the  apostles,  they  handled  him  so,  that  they 
made  him  at  last  afraid  of  a sorry  girl. 

Besides,  tbeir  king  is  at  their  whistle ; he  is 
never  out  of  hearing ; and  if  at  any  time  they 
be  put  up  to  the  worst,  he,  if  possible,  comes 


{ Pray  mind  this,  ye  lambs  of  the  flock,  whose 
knowledge  is  small,  and  whose  faith  is  weak  ; oh  never 
think  the  God  ye  believe  in,  the  Saviour  ye  follow,  is 
an  austere  master,  who  expects  more  from  you  than 
ye  are  able.  When  he  calls  for  your  service,  look  to 
him  for  strength  ; expect  all  power  and  strength  for 
every  good  work  out  of  the  fulness  of  Christ;  the 
more  you  receive  from  him,  the  more  you  will  grow  np 
in  him,  and  be  devoted  to  him. 

||  Now  here  yon  see  what  is  meant  by  Great-grace, 
who  is  so  often  mentioned  in  this  book,  and  by  whom 
so  many  valiant  things  were  done.  We  read,  “ With 
great  power  the  apostles  witnessed  pf  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus.”  Why  was  it  ? Because  “ Great  grace 
was  upon  them  all.”  Acts  iv.  .13.  So  you  see  all  is  of 
grace,  from  first  to  last,  in  salvation.  If  we  do  great 
things  for  Christ,  yet  not  unto  us,  but  unto  the  great 
grace  of  our  Lord  be  all  the  glory. 


154 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


in  to  help  them : and  of  him  it  is  said,  “ The 
sword  of  him  that  layeth  at  him  cannot  hold ; 
the  spear,  the  dart,  nor  the  habergeon ; he 
esteemetli  iron  as  straw,  and  brass  as  rotten 
wood : the  arrow  cannot  make  him  flee,  sling- 
stones  are  turned  with  him  into  stubble ; darts 
are  counted  as  stubble;  he  lauglieth  at  the 
shaking  of  the  spear.”  Job  xli.  26-29.  What 
can  a man  do  in  this  case  ? It  is  true,  if  a man 
could  at  every  turn  have  Job’s  horse,  and  had 
skill  and  courage  to  ride  him,  he  might  do 
notable  things : for  “ his  neck  is  clothed  with 
thunder ; he  will  not  he  afraid  as  a grasshop- 
per ; the  glory  of  his  nostrils  is  terrible ; he 
paweth  in  the  valley,  and  rejoiceth  in  his 
strength,  he  goeth  on  to  meet  the  armed  men : 
he  mocketlr  at  fear,  and  is  not  affrighted, 
neither  turneth  he  back  from  the  sword ; the 
quiver  rattleth  against  him,  the  glittering  spear 
and  the  shield  : he  swalloweth  the  ground  with 
fierceness  and  rage,  neither  believeth  he  that 
it  is  the  sound  of  the  trumpet.  He  saith 
among  the  trumpets,  Ha,  ha;  and  hesmelleth 
the  battle  afar  off,  the  thunder  of  the  captains 
and  the  shoutings.”  Job  xxxix.  19-25. 

But  for  such  footmen  as  thee  and  I are,  let 
us  never  desire  to  meet  with  an  enemy,  nor 
vaunt  as  if  we  could  do  better,  when  we  hear 
of  others  that  they  have  been  foiled ; nor  be 
tickled  at  the  thought  of  our  own  manhood, 
for  such  commonly  come  by  the  worst  when 
tried.  Peter,  of  whom  I made  mention  before, 
he  would  swagger,  ay,  he  would;  he  would,  as 
his  vain  mind  prompted  him  to  say,  do  better, 
and  stand  more  for  his  Master  than  all  men: 
but  who  so  foiled  and  run  down  by  those  vil- 
lains as  he?* 

When  therefore  we  hear  that  such  robberies 
are  done  on  the  King’s  highway,  two  things 
become  us  to  do : first,  to  go  out  harnessed,  and 
to  be  sure  to  take  a shield  with  us ; for  it  was 
for  want  of  that,  that  he  that  laid  so  lustily  at 
Leviathan,  could  not  make  him  yield ; for,  in- 
deed, if  that  he  wanted,  he  fears  us  not  at  all. 

* From  this  sweet  and  edifying  conversation,  learn 
not  to  think  more  highly  of  yourself  than  you  ought 
to  think  ; but  to  think  soberly,  according  to  the  meas- 
ure of  faith  which  God  hath  dealt  to  you.  Rom.  xii.  3. 
Now  it  is  of  the  very  essence  of  faith  to  lead  us  out 
of  all  self-confidence  and  vain  vaunting.  For  we 
know  not  how  soon  Faint-heart,  Mistrust,  and  Guilt, 
may  spring  up  in  us,  and  if  not  found  in  the  exercise 
of  faith,  will  rob  us  of  our  comforts,  and  spoil  our  joys. 

f But  bow  contrary  to  this,  is  the  walk  and  conduct 
of  some  who  profess  to  be  pilgrims,  and  yet  can  wil- 
fully and  deliberately  go  upon  the  devil’s  ground, 
and  indulge  themselves  in  carnal  pleasures  and  sinful 


Therefore,  he  that  had  skill  hath  said,  “ above 
all,  take  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall 
he  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
wicked.”  Eph.  vi.  16. 

It  is  good  also  that  we  desire  of  the  King  a 
convoy,  that  he  will  go  with  us  himself.  This 
made  David  rejoice  when  in  the  Valley  of  the. 
Shadow  of  Death ; and  Moses  was  rather  for 
dying  where  he  stood,  than  to  go  on  one 
step  without  his  God.  Ex.  xxxiii.  15.  0 my 
brother,  if  he  will  but  go  along  with  us,  what 
need  we  be  afraid  of  ten  thousand  that  shall 
set  themselves  agaiust  us?  but  without  him 
“ the  proud  helpers  fall  under  the  slain.”  | Ps 
iii.  5,  8 ; xxxvii.  1,  3 ; Isa.  x.  4. 

I for  my  part,  have  been  in  the  fray  before 
now ; and  though  through  the  goodness  of  Him 
that  is  best,  I am,  as  you  see,  alive,  yet  I can- 
not boast  of  my  manhood.  Glad  shall  I be  if 
I meet  with  no  more  such  brunts ; though  I 
fear  we  are  not  got  beyond  all  danger.  How- 
ever, since  the  lion  and  the  bear  have  not  as 
yet  devoured  me,  I hope  God  will  deliver  us 
from  the  next  uncircumcised  Philistines.  Then 
sang  Christian: 

“ Poor  Little-faith  ! hast  been  among  the  thieves; 
Wast  robb’d  : Remember  this,  whoso  believes, 
And  get  more  faith,  then  shall  you  victors  be 
Over  ten  thousands,  else  scarce  over  three.” 

So  they  went  on,  and  Ignorance  followed. 
They  went  then  till  they  came  at  a place  where 
they  saw  a way  put  itself  into  their  way,J  and 
seemed  withal  to  lie  as  straight  as  the  way 
which  they  should  go ; and  here  they  knew  not 
which  of  the  two  to  take,  for  both  seemed 
straight  before  them ; therefore  here  they  stood 
still  to  consider.  And  as  they  were  thinking 
about  the  way,  behold,  a man  of  black  flesh, 
but  covered  with  a very  light  robe,  came  to 
them,  and  asked  them  why  they  stood  there? 
They  answered,  They  were  a-going  to  the 
Celestial  City,  but  knew  not  which  of  these 
ways  to  take.  “ Follow  me,”  said  the  man, 

diversions  ! Such  evidently  declare  in  plain  language, 
that  they  desire  not  the  presence  of  God,  but  that  he 
should  depart  from  them;  but  a day  will  come,  which 
will  burn  as  an  oven,  when  such  professors,  if  they 
repent  not,  shall  become  stubble,  and  be  consumed  by 
the  fire  of  God. 

J By  this  way  and  a way,  it  is  plain  the  author  means 
the  way  of  self-righteousness,  and  the  way  of  the  im- 
puted righteousness  of  Christ.  Whenever  we  turn 
aside  to  the  formei-,  we  get  out  of  the  way  to  the 
city;  yea,  we  see  by  degrees  the  pilgrims’  faces  were 
turned  away  from  it,  and  they  were  entangled  in  the 
net  of  pride  and  folly. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


155 


“it  is  thither  that  I am  going.”  So  they  fol- 
lowed him  in  the  way  that  but  now  came  into 
the  road,  which  by  degrees  turned,  and  turned 
them  so  from  the  city  that  they  desired  to  go 
to  that  in  a little  time  their  faces  were  turned 
away  from  it:  yet  they  followed  him.  But  by 
and  by,  before  they  were  aware,  lie  led  them 
both  within  the  compass  of  a net,  in  which 
they  were  both  so  entangled,  that  they  knew 
not  what  to  do ; and  with  that  the  white  robe 
fell  off  from  the  black  man’s  back : they  then 
saw  where  they  were.  Wherefore  there  they 
lay  crying  some  time,  for  they  could  not  get 
themselves  out.* 

Then  said  Christian  to  his  fellow,  Now  do  I 
sec  myself  in  an  error.  Did  not  the  shepherds 
bid  us  beware  of  the  flatterers?  As  is  the  say- 
ing of  the  wise  man,  so  have  we  found  it  this 
day,  “A  man  that  fiatteretli  his  neighbour, 
spreadetli  a net  for  his  feet.”  Prov.  xxix.  5. 

Hopeful.  They  also  gave  us  a note  of  direc- 
tions about  the  way,  for  our  more  sure  finding 
thereof ; but  herein  we  have  also  forgotten  to 
read,  and  have  not  kept  ourselves  from  the 
“paths  of  the  destroyer.”  Here  David  was 
wiser  than  we;  for  saitli  he,  “concerning  the 
works  of  men,  by  the  word  of  thy  lips,  I have 
kept  me  from  the  paths  of  the  destroyer.”  Ps. 
xvii.  4.  Thus  they  lay  bewailing  themselves 
in  the  net.  At  last  they  spied  a shining  one  f 
coming  towards  them,  with  a whip  of  small 
cord  in  his  hand.  When  he  was  come  to  the 
place  where  they  were,  he  asked  them  whence 
they  came,  and  what  they  did  there?  They 
told  him,  that  they  were  poor  pilgrims  going 
to  Zion,  but  were  led  out  of  their  way  by  a 
black  man  clothed  in  white,  who  bid  us,  said 
they,  follow  him,  for  he  was  going  thither  too. 

* Luther  was  wont  to  caution  against  the  white 
devil,  as  much  as  the  black  one  ; for  Satan  transforms 
himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  and  his  ministers  as 
ministers  of  righteousness.  2 Cor.  xi.  14,  15.  And 
how  do  they  ruin  souls?  By  flattery,  deceiving  the 
ignorant,  and  beguiling  the  unstable.  These  are 
black  men  clothed  in  white. 

f By  this  shining  one  understand  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  leader  and  guide  of  all  who  believe.  When  they 
err  and  stray  from  Jesus  the  way,  and  are  drawn  from 
him  as  the  Truth,  the  Spirit  comes  with  his  rod  of 
conviction  and  chastisement,  to  whip  them  from  their 
self-righteousness  and  folly,  back  to  Christ,  to  trust 
wholly  in  him,  to  rely  only  on  him,  and  to  walk  in 
fellowship  with  him.  So  he  acted  by  the  Galatian 
Church,  who  was  flattered  into  a notion  of  self-right- 


Tlicn  said  be  with  the  whip,  It  is  a Flatterer, 
“a  false  apostle,  that  hath  transformed  himself 
into  an  angel  of  light.”  2 Cor.  xi.  13,  14;  Dan 
xi.  32.  So  he  rent  the  net,  and  let  the  men 
out.  Then  said  he  to  them,  Follow  me,  that  I 
may  set  you  in  the  way  again  : so  he.  led  them 
back  to  the  way  which  they  bad  left  to  follow 
the  Flatterer.  Then  he  asked  them,  saying, 
Whore  did  you  lie  the  last  night?  They  said, 
With  the  shepherds  upon  the  Delectable  .Moun- 
tains. He  asked  them  then,  if  they  had  not  a 
note  of  direction  for  the  way  ? They  answered, 
Yes.  But  did  you,  said  he,  when  you  were  at 
a stand,  pluck  out  and  read  your  note  ? They 
answered,  No.  He  asked  them,  Why  ? They 
said,  they  forgot.  Ho  asked,  moreover,  If  the 
shepherds  did  not  bid  them  beware  of  the  Flat- 
terer? They  answered,  Yes ; but  we  did  not 
imagine,  said  they,  that  this  fine-spoken  man 
had  been  he.  Rom.  xvi.  17,  18. 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  he  com- 
manded them  to  lie  down,  (Deut.  xxix.  2,) 
which  when  they  did,  he  chastised  them  sore, 
to  teach  them  the  good  way  wherein  they 
should  walk,  (2  Chron.  vi  2(1,  27,)  and  as  he 
chastised  them,  he  said,  “ As  many  as  I love,  I 
rebuke  and  chasten ; be  zealous,  therefore,  and 
repent.”  Rev.  iii.  19.  This  done,  he  bid  them 
go  on  their  way,  and  take  good  heed  to  the 
other  directions  of  the  shepherds.  So  they 
thanked  him  for  his  kindness,  and  went  softly 
along  the  right  way,  singing : 

“Come  hither,  you  that  walk  along  the  way, 

See  how  the  pilgrims  fare  that  go  astray : 

They  catehed  arc  in  an  entangling  net, 

’Cause  they  good  counsel  lightly  did  forget; 

’Tis  true,  they  rescu’d  were;  but  yet  you  see, 
They’re  scourg’d  to  boot : let  this  your  caution  be.” 

eousness  and  self-justification.  David  also,  when  he 
found  himself  near  lost,  cries  out, — “ He  restoreth 
my  soul,  he  leadeth  me  in  paths  of  righteousness  for 
his  name’s  sake.”  Ps.  xxiii.  3. 

The  following  lines  are  very  expressive  of  the  state 
of  mind  of  any  who,  by  giving  place  to  unbelief,  may 
have  turned  aside  from  the  narrow  way : — 

Often  thus,  through  sin’s  deceit, 

Grief,  and  shame,  and  loss  I meet 
Like  a fish,  my  soul  mistook, 

Saw  the  bait,  but  not  the  hook. 

Made  by  past  experience  wise. 

Let  me  learn  thy  word  to  prize; 

Taught  by  what  I’ve  felt  before, 

Satan’s  flattery  to  abhor. 


156 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  Pilgrims  meet  with  Atheist,  and  pass  over  the  Enchanted  Ground. 


Now  after  a while,  they  perceived  afar  off, 
one  coming  softly,  and  alone,  all  along  the 
highway,  to  meet  them.  Then  said  Christian 
to  his  fellow,  Yonder  is  a man  with  his  hack 
towards  Zion,  and  he  is  coming  to  meet  us. 

Hopeful.  I see^him  ;.  let  us  take  heed  to 
ourselves  now,  lest  he  should  prove  a flat- 
terer also.  So  he  drew  nearer  and  nearer, 
and  at  last  came  up  to  them.  His  name  was 
Atheist:  and  he  asked  them  whither  they 
were  going? 

Christian.  We  are  going  to  Mount  Zion. 

Then  Atheist  fell  into  a very  great  laughter. 

Christian.  What  is  the  meaning  of  your 
laughter  ? 

Atheist.  I laugh  to  see  what  ignorant  per- 
sons you  are,  to  take  upon  you  so  ridiculous  a 
journey;  and  yet  are  like  to  have  nothing  but 
your  travel  for  your  pains. 

Christian.  Why,  man,  do  you  think  we  shall 
not  be  received  ? 

Atheist.  Received  ! there  is  no  such  place  as 
you  dream  of  in  all  this  world. 

Christian.  Cut  there  is  in  the  world  to  come. 

Atheist.  When  I was  at  home,  in  mine  own 
country,  I heard  as  you  now  affirm,  and  from 
that  hearing  went  out  to  see,  and  have  been 
seeking  this  city  twenty  years,  but  find  no 
more  of  it  than  I did  the  first  day  I set  out. 
Eccles.  x.  15 ; Jer.  xvii.  15. 

Christian.  We  have  both  heard  and  believe 
that  there  is  such  a place  to  be  found. 

Atheist.  Had  not  I,  when  at  home,  believed, 
I had  not  come  thus  far  to  seek;  but  finding 
none,  (and  yet  I should,  had  there  been  such 
a place  to  be  found,  for  I have  gone  to  seek  it 
further  than  you,)  I am  going  back  again,  and 
'will  seek  to  refresh  myself  with  the  things  that 
I then  cast  away  for  hopes  of  that  which  I 
now  see  is  not. 

Then  said  Christian  to  Hopeful,  his  com- 
panion, Is  it  true  which  this  man  hath  said  ? 

Hopeful.  Take  heed,  he  is  one  of  the  flat- 
terers: remember  what  it  hath  cost  us  once 


•*  See  how  we  are  surrounded  with  different  ene- 
mies. No  sooner  have  they  escaped  the  self-righteous 
flatterer,  but  they  meet  with  the  openly  profane  and 
licentious  mocker.  Ay,  and  he  set  out,  and  went  far 
too,  yea,  farther  than  they ; but  behold,  he  has 
turned  his  hack  upon  all,  and . though  he  had  been 
twenty  years  a seeker,  yet  now  he  proves  he  has 


already,  for  our  hearkening  to  such  kind  of 
fellows.  What!  no  Mount  Zion?  did  we  not 
see  from  the  Delectable  Mountains  the  gate 
of  the  city  ? Also,  are  we  not  now  to  walk  by 
faith  ? 2 Cor.  v.  7.  Let  us  go  on,  said  Hope- 
ful, lest  the  man  with  the  whip  overtake  us 
again.*  You  should  have  taught  me  that  les- 
son which  I will  sound  in  thy  ears  withal : 
“Cease,  my  son,  to  hear  the  instruction  that 
causeth  to  err  from  the  words  of  knowledge,” 
(Prov.  xix.  27 ; Heb.  x.  39 ;)  I say,  my  brother, 
cease  to  hear  him,  and  let  us  believe  to  the 
saving  of  the  soul. 

Christian.  My  brother,  I did  not  put  the 
question  to  thee,  for  that  I doubted  of  the 
truth  of  your  belief  myself,  but  to  prove  thee, 
and  to  fetch  from  thee  a fruit  of  the  honesty 
of  thy  heart.  As  for  this  man,  I know  that 
he  is  blinded  by  the  god  of  this  world.  Let 
thee  and  I go  on,  knowing  that  we  have  belief 
of  the  truth ; and  “ no  lie  is  of  the  truth.” 
1 John  ii.  21. 

Hopeful.  Now  I do  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God.  So  they  turned  away  from  the 
man,  and  he,  laughing  at  them,  went  his  way. 

I saw  then  in  my  dream,  that  they  went  till 
they  came  into  a certain  country,  whose  air 
naturally  tended  to  make  one  drowsy,  if  he 
came  a stranger  into  it.  And  here  Hopeful  be- 
gan to  be  very  dull  and  heavy  of  sleep : where- 
fore he  said  unto  Christian,  I now  begin  to  grow 
so  drowsy,  that  I can  scarcely  hold  up  mine 
eyes;  let  us  lie  down  here  and  take  one  nap. 

By  no  means,  said  the  other ; lest  sleeping, 
we  never  wake  more. 

Hopeful.  Why,  my  brother?  sleep  is  sweet 
to  the  labouring  man : we  may  be  refreshed 
if  we  take  a nap. 

Christian.  Do  you  not  remember  that  one 
of  the  shepherds  bid  us  beware  of  the  En- 
chanted Ground  ? He  meant  by  that,  that  we 
should  beware  of  sleeping ; “ wherefore  let  us 
not  sleep  as  do  others,  but  let  us  watch  and  be 
sober.”  f 1 Thess.  v.  6. 

neither  faith  nor  hope,  but  ridicules  u 11  a3  delusion. 
Awful  to  think  of!  Oh  what  a special  mercy  to  be 
kept  believing  and  persevering,  not  regarding  the 
ridicule  of  apostates ! 

f 0 Christian,  beware  of  sleeping  on  this  en. 
chanted  ground  ! When  all  things  go  easy,  smooth, 
and  well,  we  are  prone  to  grow  drowsy  in  soul.  How 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


157 


Hopeful.  T acknowledge  myself  in  a fault; 
and,  had  I been  here  alone,  I had.  by  sleeping 
run  the  danger  of  death.  I sec.  it  is  true  that 
thewiso  man  saith,  “Two  are  better  than  one.” 
Eccles.  iv.  9.  1 1 itherto  hath  thy  company  been 
my  mercy ; and  thou  shalt  “ have  a good  re- 
ward for  thy  labour.” 

Now  tl  en,  said  Christian,  to  prevent  drow- 
siness in  this  place,  let  us  fall  into  good 
discourse. 

With  all  my  heart,  said  the  other. 

Christian.  Where  shall  we  begin? 

Hopeful.  Where  God  began  with  us:  but  do 
you  begin  if  you  please. 

Christian.  I will  sing  you  first  this  song — 

“ When  saints  do  sleepy  grow,  let  them  como  hither, 
And  hear  how  these  two  pilgrims  talk  together. 

Yea,  let  them  learn  of  them  in  any  wise, 

Thus  to  keep  ope  their  drowsy,  slumbering  eyes. 
Saints’  fellowship,  if  it  be  manag'd  well, 

Kocps  them  awake,  and  that  in  spite  of  hell.”* * 

Then  Christian  began,  and  said,  T will  ask 
you  a question : How  came  you  to  think  tit  first 
of  doing  what  you  do  now? 

Hopeful.  Do  you  mean,  how  came  I at  first 
to  look  after  the  good  of  my  soul  ? 

Christian.  Yes,  that  is  my  meaning. 

Hopeful.  I continued  a great  while  in  the  de- 
light of  those  things  which  were  seen  and  sold 
at  our  fair ; things  which  I believe  now  would 
have,  had  I continued  in  them  still,  drowned 
me  in  perdition  and  destruction. 

Christian.  What  things  are  they? 

Hopeful.  All  the  treasures  and  riches  of  the 
world.  Also,  I delighted  much  in  rioting, 
revelling,  drinking,  swearing,  lying,  unclean- 
ness, sabbath-breaking,  and  what  not,  that 
tended  to  destroy  the  soul.  But  I found,  at 
last,  by  hearing  and  considering  of  things  that 
are  divine,  which  indeed  I heard  of  you,  as 
also  of  beloved  Faithful,  who  was  put  to  death 

many  are  the  calls  in  the  world,  against  spiritual 
Slumber!  and  yet  how  many  professors,  through  the 
enchanting  air  of  this  world,  are  fallen  into  the  deep 
sleep  of  formality!  Be  warned  by  them  to  cry  to  thy 
Lord  to  keep  thee  awake  to  righteousness,  and  be  vig- 
orous in  the  ways  of  thy  Lord. 

* Observation  fully  evinces  this  truth,  and  when  the 
soul  slumbers,  the  tongue  is  mute  to  spiritual  converse; 
and  the  truths  of  Jesus  freeze  on  the  lips,  while  the 
man  is  all  ear  to  hear,  and  all  tongue  to  talk,  of  vain, 
worldly,  and  trifling  things.  Beware  of  such  sleepy 
professors.  You  are  in  danger  of  catching  the  infec- 
tion ; you  are  sure  to  get  no  spiritual  edification  from 
them ; but  he  sure  to  ho  faithful  in  reproving  them, 
and  prize  the  company  of  lively  Christians. 


for  hia  faith  and  good  living  in  Vanity  Fair, 
that  “the  end  of  these  tilings  is  deatli and 
that  “ for  these  things’  sake  the  wrath  of  God 
cometh  upon  the  children  of  disobedience.” 
Bom.  vi.  21,  23;  Eph.  v.  G. 

Christian.  And  did  you  presently  fall  under 
the  power  of  this  conviction  ? 

Hopeful.  No;  I was  not  willing  presently  to 
know  the  evil  of  sin,  nor  the  damnation  that 
follows  upon  the  commission  of  it,  but  endeav- 
oured, when  my  mind  at  first  began  to  be 
shaken  with  the  word,  to  shut  mine  eyes  against 
the  light  thereof. 

Christian.  But  what  was  the  cause  of  your 
carrying  of  it  thus  to  the  first  workings  of  God’s 
blessed  Spirit  upon  you  ? 

Hopeful.  The  causes  were — 1.  I was  ignorant 
that  this  was  the  work  of  God  upon  me.  I 
never  thought  that  by  awakenings  for  sin  God 
at  first  begins  the  conversion  of  a sinner.  2. 
Sin  was  yet  very  sweet  to  my  flesh,  and  I was 
loth  to  leave  it.  3.  I could  not  tell  how  to  part 
with  my  old  companions,  their  presence  and 
actions  were  so  desirable  unto  me.  4.  The 
hours  in  which  convictions  were  upon  me,  were 
such  troublesome  and  such  heart-affrigliting 
hours,  that  I could  not  bear,  no,  not  so  much 
as  the  remembrance  of  them  upon  my  heart.f 

Christian.  Then  it  seems,  sometimes  you  got 
relief  of  your  trouble  ? 

Hopeful.  Yes,  verily,  but  it  would  come  into 
my  mind  again,  and  then  I would  be  as  bad, 
nay,  worse  than  I was  before. 

Christian.  Why,  what  was  it  that  brought 
your  sins  to  mind  again? 

Hopeful.  Many  things : as,  if  I did  but  meet 
a good  man  in  the  street ; or  if  I have  heard 
any  read  in  the  Bible;  or  if  mine  head  did 
begin  to  ache ; or  if  I were  told  that  some  of 
my  neighbours  were  sick;  or  if  I heard  the 
bell  toll  for  some  that  were  dead ; or  if  I thought 
of  dying  myself;  or  if  I heard  that  sudden 

f Hero  you  see,  as  our  Lord  says,  “ It  is  the  Spirit 
who  quickeneth,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing.”  John  vi. 
63.  The  flesh,  or  our  carnal  nature,  is  so  far  from 
profiting  in  the  work  of  conversion  to  Christ,  that  it  is 
at  enmity  against  him,  and  counteracts  and  opposes 
the  Spirit’s  work  in  showing  us  our  want  of  him,  and 
bringing  us  to  him.  Man's  nature  and  God's  grace 
are  two  direct  opposites.  Nature  opposes,  but  grace 
subdues  nature,  and  brings  it  to  submission  and  sub- 
jection. Are  we  truly  convinced  of  sin  and  converted 
to  Christ  ? This  is  a certain  and  sure  evidence  of  it, — 
we  shall  say  from  our  hearts.  Not  unto  us,  not  unto 
I any  yieldings  and  compliances  of  our  nature,  free- 
will, and  power,  but  unto  thy  name,  0 Lord,  be  all  the 
I glory. 


158 


BUNYaN’S  complete  works. 


death  happened  to  others ; hut  especially  when 
I thought  of  myself  that  I must  quickly  come 
to  judgment. 

Christian.  And  could  you  at  any  time,  with 
ease,  get  off  the  guilt  of  sin,  when  by  any  of 
these  ways  it  came  upon  you  ? 

Hopeful.  No,  not  I;  for  then  they  got  faster 
hold  of  my  conscience : and  then,  if  I did  but 
think  of  going  back  to  sin,  (though  my  mind 
was  turned  against  it,)  it  would  be  double  tor- 
ment to  me. 

Christian.  And  how  did  you  do  then  ? 

Hopeful.  I thought  I must  endeavour  to  mend 
my  life ; for  else,  thought  I,  I am  sure  to  be 
damned. 

Christian.  And  did  you  endeavour  to  amend  ? 

Hopeful.  Yes;  and  fled  from,  not  only  my 
sins,  but  sinful  company  too,  and  betook  me  to 
religious  duties,  as  praying,  reading,  weeping 
for  sin,  speaking  truth  to  my  neighbours,  &c. 
These  things  did  I,  with  many  others,  too  much 
here  to  relate. 

Christian.  And  did  you  think  yourself  well 
then  ? 

Hopeful.  Yes,  for  a while ; but  at  the  last  my 
trouble  came  tumbling  upon  me  again,  and  that 
over  the  neck  of  all  my  reformation. 

Christian.  How  came  that  about,  since  you 
were  now  reformed  ? 

Hopeful.  There  were  several  things  brought 
it  upon  me ; especially  such  sayings  as  these : 
“ All  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags : ” 
“ By  the  works  of  the  law  no  man  shall  be  jus- 
tified : ” “ When  ye  have  done  all  these  things, 
say,  We  are  unprofitable,”  (Isa.  lxiv.  6;  Luke 
xvii.  10;  Gal.  ii.  16;)  with  many  more  such 
like.  From  whence  I began  to  reason  with 
myself  thus : If  all  my  righteousnesses  are  as 
filthy  rags ; if  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  no  man 
can  be  justified;  and  if,  when  we  have'  done 
all,  we  are  unprofitable — then  it  is  but  a folly 
to  think  of  heaven  by  the  law.  I further 
thought  thus : If  a man  runs  a hundred  pounds 
into  a shop-keeper’s  debt,  and  after  that  shall 
pay  for  all  that  he  shall  fetch — yet,  if  this  old 
debt  stands  still  in  the  book  uncrossed,  for  that 

* Thus  you  see  in  conversion,  the  Lord  does  not  act 
upon  us  by  force  and  compulsion,  as  though  we  were 
inanimate  stocks  or  stones,  or  irrational  animals,  or 
mere  machines.  No.  Wo  have  understanding.  He 
enlightens  it.  Then  we  come  to  a sound  mind:  we 
think  right,  and  reason  justly.  We  have  wills:  what 
the  understanding  judges  best  the  will  approves,  and 
then  the  affections  follow  after;  and  thus  we  choose 
Christ  for  our  Saviour,  and  glory  only  in  his  mercy 
and  salvation.  When  the  heavenly.  light  of  truth 
makes  manifest  what  we  are,  and  the  danger  we  are 


tbe  shop-keeper  may  sue  him,  and  cast  him 
into  prison  till  he  shall  pay  the  debt. 

Christian.  Well,  and  how  did  you  apply  this 
to  yourself? 

Hopeful.  Why,  I thought  thus  with  myself : 
I have  by  my  sins  run  a great  way  into  God’s 
book,  and  that  my  now  reforming  will  not  pay 
off  that  score;  therefore  I should  think  still, 
under  all  my  present  amendments,  “ But  how 
shall  I be  freed  from  that  damnation  that  I 
brought  myself  in  danger  of  by  my  fcrmer 
transgressions  ?” 

Christian.  A very  good  application : but  pray 
go  on. 

Hopeful.  Another  thing  that  hath  troubled 
me,  even  since  my  late  amendment,  is,  that  if 
I look  narrowly  into  the  best  of  what  I now 
do,  I still  see  sin,  new  sin,  mixing  itself  with 
the  best  of  that  I do : so  that  now  I am  forced 
to  conclude  that,  notwithstanding  my  former 
fond  conceits  of  myself  and  duties,  I have 
committed  sin  enough  in  one  day  to  send  me 
to  hell,  though  my  former  life  had  been  fault- 
less.* 

Christian.  And  what  did  you  do  then  ? 

Hopeful.  Do ! I could  not  tell  what  to  do, 
till  I broke  my  mind  to  Faithful : for  he  and  I 
were  well  acquainted:  and  he  told  me,  that 
unless  I could  obtain  the  righteousness  of  a 
man  that  never  had  sinned,  neither  my  own, 
nor  all  the  righteousness  of  the  world  could 
save  me.f 

Christian.  And  did  you  think  he  spake  true  ? 

Hopeful.  Had  he  told  me  so  when  I was 
pleased  and  satisfied  with  mine  own  amend- 
ment, I had  called  him  fool  for  his  pains : but 
now,  since  I see  mine  own  infirmity,  and  the 
sin  which  cleaves  to  my  best  performance,  I 
have  been  forced  to  be  of  his  opinion. 

Christian.  But  did  you  think,  when  at  first 
he  suggested  it  to  you,  that  there  was  such  a 
man  to  be  found,  of  whom  it  might  justly  be 
said,  that  he  never  committed  sin  ? 

Hopeful.  I must  confess  the  words  at  first 
sounded  strangely : but  after  a little  more  talk 

in,  then  we  should  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  to 
Christ  the  refuge  set  before  us. 

•j-  Here  is  the  touchstone,  to  try  whether  conviction 
and  conversion  are  from  the  Spirit  of  truth  or  not. 
Many  talk  of  conviction  and  conversion,  who  are  yet 
unchanged  in  heart,  and  strong  in  confidence  of  a 
righteousness  of  their  own,  or  of  being  made  righteous 
in  themselves,  instead  of  looking  solely  to,  and  trust- 
ing wholly  in,  the  infinite  mercy  and  blood  of  Christ. 
Jesus,  and  desiring  to  be  found  in  him.  All  convic- 
tion and  conversion  short  of  this,  leaves  the  soul  short 
of  Christ’s  righteousness,  of  hope,  and  of  heaven. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROG  HESS. 


and  company  with  him,  I had  full  conviction 
about  it. 

Christian.  And  did  you  ask  him  what  man 
this  was,  and  how  you  must  be  justified  by 
him?  Rom.  iv. ; Col.  i. ; Ilcb.  x. ; 2 Pet.  i. 

Hopeful.  Yes,  and  he  told  me  it  was  the 
Lord  Jesus,  that  dwelleth  on  the  right  hand  of 
the  Most  High.  And  thus,  said  he,  you  must 
bo  justified  by  him — even  by  trusting  to  what 
lie  hath  done  by  himself  in  the  days  of  his 
flesh,  and  suffered  when  he  did  hang  on  the 
tree.  I asked  him  further,  how  that  man’s 
righteousness  could  be  of  that  efficacy  to  justify 
another  before  God?  And  he  told  me,  He  was 
the  mighty  God,  did  what  he  did,  and  died  the 
death  also,  not  for  himself,  but  for  me,  to  whom 
his  doings  and  the  worthiness  of  them  should 
be  imputed,  if  I believed  on  him. 

Christian.  And  what  did  you  do  then? 

Hopeful.  I made  my  objections  against  my 
believing,  for  that  I thought  he  was  not  willing 
to  save  me. 

Christian.  And  what  said  Faithful  to  you 
then  ? 

Hopeful.  He  bid  me  go  to  him  and  see. 
Then  I said  it  was  presumption.  Pie  said,  No, 
for  I was  invited  to  come.  Matt.  xi.  28.  Then 
he  gave  me  a book  of  Jesus’  inditing,  to  en- 
courage me  the  more  freely  to  come : and  he 
said,  concerning  that  book,  that  every  jot  and 
tittle  thereof  stood  firmer  than  heaven  and 
earth.  Matt.  xxiv.  35.  Then  I asked  him  what 
I must  do  when  I came.  And  he  told  me,  I 
must  entreat  upon  my  knees,  (Ps.  xcv.  6;  Jer. 
xxix.  12,  13 ; Dan.  vi.  10,)  with  all  my  heart 
and  soul,  the  Father  to  reveal  him  to  me. 
Then  I asked  him  further,  how  I must  make 
my  application  to  him  ? And  he  said,  Go,  and 
thou  shalt  find  him  upon  a mercy-seat,  (Ex. 
xxv.  22;  Lev.  xvi.  2;  Heb.  iv.  16,)  where  he 
sits,  all  the  year  long,  to  give  pardon  and  for- 
giveness to  them  that  come.  I told  him  that  I 
knew  not  what  to  say  when  I came.  And  he 
bid  me  say  to  this  effect — “God,  be  merciful  to 
me  a sinner,”  and  make  me  to  know  and  be- 

* Pray  mind  this.  The  grand  object  of  a sensible 
sinner  is  righteousness,  (or  holiness.)  He  has  it  not 
iu  himself.  This  he  knows.  Where  is  it  to  be  found  '! 
In  Christ  only.  This  is  a revealed  truth  ; and  without 
faith  in  this,  every  sinner  must  be  lost.  Consider,  it 
i3  at  the  peril  of  your  souls,  that  you  reject  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  and  do  not  believe  that  God  imparts 
it  for  the  justification  of  the  ungodly.  0 ye  stout- 
hearted, self-righteous  sinners,  ye  who  are  far  from 
righteousness,  know  this  and  tremble. 

f There  may  be,  and  often  are,  very  great  discour- 
agements found  in  every  sinner’s  heart,  when  he  first 


U 9 

lieve  in  Jesus  Christ:  for  I see,  that  if  his 
righteousness  had  not  been,  or  I have  not  faith 
in  that  righteousness,  I am  utterly  cast  away.* 
Lord,  I have  heard  that  thou  art  a merciful 
God,  and  hast  ordained  that  thy  son  Jesus 
Christ  should  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world: 
and,  moreover,  that  thou  art  willing  to  bestow 
him  upon  such  a poor  sinner  as  I am,  (and  I 
am  a sinner  indeed !)  Lord,  take  therefore  this 
opportunity,  and  magnify  thy  grace  in  the  sal- 
vation of  my  soul,  through  thy  son  Jesus 
Christ.  Amen. 

Christian.  And  did  you  do  as  you  were  bid- 
den? 

Hopeful.  Yes,  over,  and  over,  and  over. 

Christian.  And  did  the  Father  reveal  the  Son 
to  you  ? 

Hopeful.  Not  at  first,  nor  second,  nor  third, 
nor  fourth,  nor  fifth,  no,  nor  sixth  time  either,  f 

Christian.  What  did  you  do  then? 

Hopeful.  What?  why  I could  not  tell  what 
to  do. 

Christian.  Had  you  not  thoughts  of  leaving 
off,  praying  ? 

Hopeful.  Yes,  and  a hundred  times  twice  told. 

Christian.  And  what  was  the  reason  you  did 
not?. 

Hopeful.  I believed  that  that  was  true  which 
had  been  told  me,  to  wit,  that  without  the 
righteousness  of  this  Christ,  all  the  world 
could  not  save  me;  and  therefore,  thought  I 
with  myself,  If  I leave  off  I die,  and  I can  but 
die  at  the  throne  of  grace.  And  withal  this 
came  into  my  mind,  “ If  it  tarry,  wait  for  it ; 
because  it  will  surely  come,  and  will  not  tarry.” 
Hab.  ii.  3.  So  I continued,  until  the  Father 
showed  me  his  Son.J 

Christian.  And  how  was  he  revealed  unto 
you? 

Hopeful.  I did  not  see  him  with  my  bodily 
eyes,  but  with  the  eyes  of  my  understanding, 
(Epli.  i.  18,  19,)  and  thus  it  was : — One  day  I 
was  very  sad,  I think  sadder  than  at  any  one 
time  of  my  life;  and  this  sadness  was  through 
a fresh  sight  of  the  greatness  and  vileness  of 
my  sins.  And  as  I was  then  looking  for  noth- 

begins  to  seek  the  Lord.  But  he  has  Christ's  faithful 
word  of  promise,  “ Seek  and  ye  shall  find,”  <tc.  Luke 
xi.  9. 

1 The  true  nature  of  faith  is,  to  believe  and  rest 
upon  the  word  of  truth,  and  wait  with  humble  fer- 
vency of  soul  for  the  promised  eomfort.  That  faith 
which  is  the  gift  of  God,  leads  the  soul  to  wait  upon 
and  cry  to  God,  and  not  to  rest  till  it  has  some  blessed 
testimony  from  God,  of  interest  in  the  love  and  favour 
of  God  in  Jesus  Christ.  But  oh,  how  many  professors 
rest  short  of  this  ! 


160 


£ LIBYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


ing  but  liell,  and  the  everlasting  damnation  of 
my  soul,  suddenly,  as  I thought,  I saw  the 
Lord  Jesus  look  down  from  heaven  upon  me, 
and  saying,  “Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved.”  Acts  xvi.  30,  31. 

But  I replied,  “ Lord,  I am  a great,  a very 
great  sinner  :”  and  he  answered,  “My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee.”  Then  I said,  “ But,  Lord, 
what  is  believing?”  And  then  I saw  from  that 
saying,  “He  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never 
hunger,  and  he  that  believetli  on  me  shall 
never  thirst,”  (John  vi.  35,)  that  believing  and 
coming  was  all  one ; and  that  he  that  came, 
that  is,  ran  out  in  his  heart  and  affection  after 
salvation  by  Christ,  he  indeed  believed  in 
Christ.  Then  the  water  stood  in  mine  eyes, 
and  I asked  further,  “ But,  Lord,  may  such  a 
great  sinner  as  I am  be  indeed  accepted  of 
thee,  and  be  saved  by  thee?”  And  I heard 
him  say,  “ And  him  that  cometh  to  me,  I will 
in  no  wise  cast  out.”  John  vi.  37.  Then  I 
said,  “ But  how,  Lord,  must  I consider  of  thee 
in  my  coming  to  thee,  that  my  faith  may  be 
placed  aright  upon  thee  ? Then  he'  said, 
“ Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners :” 
“ he  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to 
every  one  that  believeth:”  “he  died  for  our 
sins,  and  rose  again  for  our  justification  :”  “he 
loved  us;  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his 
own  blood:”  he  is  Mediator  betwixt  God  and 


us : “ he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for 
us.”  1 Tim.  i.  15;  Bom.  x.  4;  Heb.  vii.  24,  25. 
From  all  which  I gatherej,  that  I must  look 
for  righteousness  in  his  person,*  and  for  satis- 
faction for  my  sins  by  his  blood ; that  which 
he  did  in  obedience  to  his  Father’s  law,  and  in 
submitting  to  the  penalty  thereof,  was  not  for 
himself,  but  for  him  that  will  accept  it  for  his 
salvation,  and  be  thankful.  And  now  was  my 
heart  full  of  joy,  mine  eyes  full  of  tears,  and 
mine  affections  running  over  with  love  to  the 
name,  people,  and  ways  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Christian.  This  was  a revelation  of  Christ  to 
your  soul  indeed:  but  tell  me  particularly 
what  effect  this  had  upon  your  spirit. 

Hopeful.  It  made  me  see  that  all  the  world, 
notwithstanding  all  the  righteousness  thereof, 
is  in  a state  of  condemnation  : it  made  me  see 
that  God  the  Father,  though  he  be  just,  can 
justly  justify  the  coming  sinner:  it  made  me 
greatly  ashamed  of  the  vileness  of  my  former 
life,  and  confounded  me  with  the  sense  of  mine 
own  ignorance ; for  there  never  came  thought 
into  my  heart,  before  now,  that  showed  me  so 
the  beauty  of  Jesus  Christ ; it  made  me  love  a 
holy  life,  and  long  to  do  something  for  the 
honour  and  glory  of  the  Lord  Jesus : yea,  I 
thought  that,  had  I now  a thousand  gallons  of 
blood  in  my  body,  I could  spill  it  all  for  the 
sake  of  the  Lord  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Pilgrims  have  another  conference  with  Ignorance. 


I SAW  then  in  my  dream,  that  Hopeful  looked 
back  and  saw  Ignorance,  whom  they  had  left 
behind,  coming  after : Look,  said  he  to  Chris- 
tian, how  far  yonder  youngster  loitereth  behind. 

Christian . Ay,  ay,  I see  him : he  careth  not 
for  our  company. 

Hopeful.  But  I trow  it  would  not  have  hurt 
him,  had  he  kept  pace  with  us  hitherto. 

Christian.  That  is  true ; but  I’ll  warrant  you 
he  thinketh  otherwise. 

Hopeful.  That  I think  he  doth : but,  howr- 
ever,  let  us  tarry  for  him.  So  they  did. 

Then  Christian  said  to  him,  Come  away, 
man  : why  do  you  stay  so  behind? 

*•  Header,  never  think  that  you  are  fully  convinced 
of  the  whole  truth;  nor  bolieve  fully  on  Christ  accord- 
ing to  the  Scriptures,  unless  you  have  seen  as  much 
need  of  Christ’s  glorious  righteousness  to  justify,  as 
of  his  precious  blood  to  pardon  you.  Both  are  re- 


Ignorance.  I take  my  pleasure  in  walking 
alone,  even  more  a great  deal  than  in  com- 
pany; unless  I like  it  better. 

Then  said  Christian  to  Hopeful,  (but  softly,) 
Did  not  I tell  you  he  cared  not  for  our  com- 
pany, but,  however,  said  he,  Come  up,  and  let 
us  talk  away  the  time  in  this  solitary  place. 
Then,  directing  his  speech  to  Ignorance,  he 
said,  Come,  how  do  you?  how  stands  it  be- 
tween God  and  your  soul  now  ? 

Ignorance.  I hope  well,  for  I am  always  full 
of  good  motions,  that  come  into  my  mind  to 
comfort  me  as  I walk.f 

Christian.  What  good  motions?  pray  tell  us. 

vealed  in  the  Gospel;  both  are  the  objects  of  faith  : by 
both  is  the  conscience  pacified,  the  heart  purified,  the 
soul  justified,  and  Jesus  glorified,  in  the  heart,  lip  and 
life. 

f Many  sincere  souls  are  often  put  to  a stand,  while 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


1G1 


Ignorance.  Why  T think  of  God  and  heaven. 

Christian.  So  do  the  devils  and  damned  souls. 

Ignorance.  But  I think  of  them  and  desire 

them. 

Christian.  So  do  many  that  arc  never  like  to 
come  there.  “ The  soul  of  the  sluggard  desires, 
and  hath  nothing.”  Trov.  xiii.  4. 

Ignorance.  But  I think  of  them,  and  leave 
all  for  them. 

Christian.  That  I doubt : for  leaving  of  all 
is  an  hard  matter ; yea,  a harder  matter  than 
many  are  aware  of.  But  why,  or  by  what,  art 
thou  persuaded  that  thou  hast  left  all  for  God 
and  heaven  ? 

Ignorance.  My  heart  tells  me  so. 

Christian.  The  wise  man  says,  “ He  that 
trusts  his  own  heart  is  a fool.”  Prov.  xxviii.  26. 

Ignorance.  This  is  spoken  of  an  evil  heart ; 
but  mine  is  a good  one. 

Christian.  But  how  dost  thou  prove  that  ? 

Ignorance.  It  comforts  me  in  hopes  of  heaven. 

Christian.  That  may  be  through  its  deceit- 
fulness ; for  a man’s  heart  may  minister  com- 
fort to  him  in  the  hopes  of  that  thing  for 
which  he  has  yet  no  ground  to  hope. 

Ignorance.  But  my  heart  and  life  agree  to- 
gether ; and  therefore  my  hope  is  well  grounded. 

Christian.  Who  told  tlice  thyt  thy  heart  and 
life  agree  together  ? 

Ignorance.  My  heart  tells  me. 

Christian.  “Ash  mg  fellow  if  I he  a thief.” 
Thy  heart  tells  thee  so ! Except  the  word  of 
God  bearctli  witness  in  this  matter,  other  tes- 
timony is  of  no  value. 

Ignorance.  But  is  it  not  a good  heart  that 
has  good  thoughts?  and  is  not  that  a good  life 
that  is  according  to  God’s  commandments? 

Christian.  Y es,  that  is  a good  heart  that  hath 
good  thoughts,  and  that  is  a good  life  that  is 
according  to  God’s  commandments ; but  it  is 
one  thing  indeed  to  have  these,  and  another 
thing  only  to  think  so. 

Ignorance.  Pray,  what  count  you  good 
thoughts,  and  a life  according  to  God’s  com- 
mandments ? 


they  find  and  feel  the  workings  of  corruption  in  their 
nature,  and  when  they  hear  others  talk  so  highly  of 
themselves  without  any  complainings  of  the  plague 
of  their  hearts.  But  all  this  is  from  the  ignorance  of 
their  own  hearts;  and  pride  and  self-righteousness 
harden  them  against  feeling  its  desperate  wickedness. 
But  divine  teaching  causes  a Christian  to  see,  know, 
and  feel  the  worst  of  himself,  that  he  may  glory  of 
nothing  in  or  of  himself,  hut  that  all  his  glorying 
should  be  of  what  precious  Christ  is  to  him,  and  what 
ho  is  in  Christ.  See  the  contrary  of  all  this  exempli- 
11 


Christian.  There  arc  good  thoughts  of  divers 
kinds;  some  respecting  ourselves;  some,  God; 
some,  Christ;  and  some,  other  things. 

Ignorance.  What  be  good  thoughts  respecting 
ourselves? 

Christian.  Such  as  agree  with  the  Word  of 
God. 

Ignorance.  When  do  our  thoughts  of  our- 
selves agree  with  the  word  of  God? 

Christian.  When  we  pass  the  same  judgment 
upon  ourselves  which  the  word  passes.  To 
explain  myself:  the  word  of  God  saith  of  per- 
sons in  a natural  condition,  “There  is  none 
righteous,  there  is  none  that  doeth  good.”  It 
saith  also,  that  “ every  imagination  of  the  heart 
of  a man  is  only  evil,  and  that  continually.” 
Gen.  vi.  5 ; Iforn.  iii.  And  again,  “ The  im- 
agination of  man’s  heart  is  evil  from  his  youth.” 
Now  then,  when  we  think  thus  of  ourselves, 
having  sense  thereof,  then  are  our  thoughts 
good  ones,  because  according  to  the  word  of 
God. 

Ignorance.  I will  never  believe  that  my  heart 
is  thus  bad.* * 

Christian.  Therefore  thou  never  hadst  one 
good  thought  concerning  thyself  in  thy  life. 
But  let  me  go  on.  As  the  word  passeth  a 
judgment  upon  our  heart,  so  it  passeth  a 
judgment  upon  our  ways;  and  when  the 
thoughts  of  our  hearts  and  ways  agree  with  the 
judgment  which  the  word  giveth  of  both,  then 
are  both  good,  because  agreeing  thereto. 

Ignorance.  Make  out  your  meaning. 

Christian.  Why  the  word  of  God  saith,  that 
man’s  ways  are  crooked  ways,  not  good,  but 
perverse : it  saith,  they  are  naturally  out  of 
the  good  way,  that  they  have  not  known  it. 
Ps.  exxv.  5;  Prov.  ii.  15.  Now  when  a man 
thus  tliinketh  of  his  ways  ; I say,  when  he  doth 
sensibly,  and  with  heart-humiliation,  thus 
think,  then  hath  he  good  thoughts  of  his  own 
ways,  because  his  thoughts  now  agree  with  the 
judgment  of  the  word  of  God. 

Ignorance.  What  are  good  thoughts  concern- 
ing God  ? 


tied  in  Ignorance,  in  whom  we  behold,  as  in  a mirror, 
many  professors  who  are  strangers  to  their  own  hearts: 
hence  are  deceived  into  vain  self-con fidcnce. 

* No  : no  man  naturally  can.  But  this  is  a sure 
sign  that  the  light  from  heaven  hath  not  yet  shined 
into  the  heart,  and  made  it  manifest,  how  superla- 
tively wicked  the  heart  is,  and  consequently,  how  it 
deceives  ignorant  professors  with  a notion  of  being 
good  in  themselves,  and  keeps  them  from  wholly  rely- 
ing upon  Christ’s  atonement  for  pardon  and  justified 
tiun  unto  life. 


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RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Christian.  Even,  as  I liave  said  concerning 
ourselves,  when  our  thoughts  of  God  do  agree 
with  what  the  word  saith  of  him ; and  that  is, 
when  we  think  of  his  being  and  attributes  as 
the  word  hath  taught ; of  which  I cannot  now 
discourse  at  large.  But  to  speak  of  him  in 
reference  to  us ; then  we  have  right  thoughts 
of  God,  when  we  think  that  he  knows  us  better 
than  we  know  ourselves,  and  can  see  sin  in  us, 
when  and  where  we  can  see  none  in  ourselves : 
when  we  think  he  knows  our  inmost  thoughts, 
and  that  our  heart,  with  all  its  depths,  is  al- 
ways open  unto  his  eyes : also  when  we  think 
that  all  our  righteousness  stinks  in  his  nostrils, 
and  that  therefore  he  cannot  abide  to  see  us 
stand  before  him  in  any  confidence,  even  in  all 
our  best  performances. 

Ignorance.  Do  you  think  that  I am  such  a 
fool  as  to  think  God  can  see  no  further  than  I ? 
or  that  I would  come  to  God  in  the  best  of  my 
performances? 

Christian.  Why,  how  dost  thou  think  in  this 
matter? 

Ignorance.  Why,  to  be  short,  I think  I must 
believe  in  Christ  for  justification. 

Christian.  How?  think  thou  must  believe  in 
Christ  when  thou  seest  not  thy  need  of  him ! 
Thou  neither  seest  thy  original  nor  actual  in- 
firmities ; but  hast  such  an  opinion  of  thyself, 
and  of  what  thou  doest,  as  plainly  renders 
thee  to  be  one  that  did  never  see  a necessity 
of  Christ’s  personal  righteousness  to  justify 
thee  before  God.*  How  then  dost  thou  say,  I 
believe  in  Christ? 

Ignorance.  I believe  well  enough  for  all  that. 

Christian.  How  dost  thou  believe? 

Ignorance.  I believe  that  Christ  died  for  sin- 
ners ; and  that  I shall  be  justified  before  God 
from  the  curse,  through  his  gracious  acceptance 


* Here  we  see  liow  naturally  the  notion  of  man’s 
righteousness  blinds  his  eyes  to,  and  keeps  his  heart 
from  believing,  that  Christ  alone  justifies  a sinner  in 
the  sight  of  God:  and  yet  such  talk  of  believing,  but 
their  faith  is  only  fancy.  They  do  not  believe  unto 
righteousness,  but  imagine  they  have  now,  or  shall  get 
a righteousness  of  their  own,  some  how  or  other. 
Awful  delusion ! 

j-  Here  is  the  very  essence  of  that  delusion  which 
works  by  a lie,  and  so  much  prevails,  and  keeps  up  an 
unseriptural  hope  in  the  hearts  of  so  many  profes- 
sors. Do,  reader,  study  this  point  well ; for  here 
seems  to  be  a show  of  scriptural  truth,  while  the 
rankest  poison  lies  concealed  in  it.  For  it  is  ut- 
terly subversive  of,  and  contrary  to,  the  faith  and 
hope  of  the  Gospel. 

J Under  these  four  heads,  we  have  a most  excellent 
detection  of  a presumptive  and  most  dangerous  error 


of  my  obedience  to  his  laws.  Or  thus,  Christ 
makes  my  duties,  that  are  religious,  acceptable 
to  his  Father  by  virtue  of  his  merits,  and  so 
shall  I be  justified.! 

Christian.  Let  us  give  an  answer  to  this 
confession  of  tby  faith. 

1.  Thou  believest  with  a fantastical  faith , 
for  this  faith  is  no  where  described  in  the 
word.  4 

2.  Thou  believest  with  a false  faith ; be- 
cause thou  takest  justification  from  the  per- 
sonal righteousness  of  Christ,  and  appliest  it 
to  thy  own. 

3.  This  faith  maketh  not  Christ  a justifier 
of  thy  person,  but  of  thy  actions ; and  of  thy 
person  for  thy  actions’  sake,  which  is  false. 

4.  Therefore  this  faith  is  deceitful,  even 
such  as  will  leave  thee  under  wrath  in  the 
day  of  God  Almighty:  for  true  justifying 
faith  puts  the  soul,  as  sensible  of  its  lost  con- 
dition by  the  law,  upon  fleeing  for  refuge 
unto  Christ’s  righteousness,  (which  righteous- 
ness of  his  is  not  an  act  of  grace,  by  which  ho 
maketh  for  justification,  thy  obedience  accepted 
of  God,  but  his  personal  obedience  to  the  law, 
in  doing  and  suffering  for  us  what  that  re- 
quired at  our  hands:)  this  righteousness,  I 
say,  true  faith  accepteth ; under  the  skirt  of 
which  the  soul  being  shrouded,  and  by  it  pre- 
sented as  spotless  before  God,  it  is  accepted, 
and  acquitted  from  condemnation,  j: 

Ignorance.  What!  would  ye  have  us  trust  to 
what  Christ  in  his  own  person  hath  done 
without  us?  This  conceit  would  loosen  the 
reins  of  our  lust,  and  tolerate  us  to  live  as  we 
list : for  what  matter  how  we  live,  if  we  may 
be  justified  by  Christ’s  personal  righteousness 
from  all,  when  we  believe  it?  || 

Christian.  Ignorance  is  thy  name;  and  as 


which  now  greatly  prevails ; as  well  as  a scriptural 
view  of  the  nature  of  true  faith,  and  the  object  it  fixes 
on  wholly  and  solely  for  justification  before  God,  and 
acceptance  with  God.  Reader,  for  thy  soul’s  sake  look 
to  thy  foundation.  See  that  you  build  upon  nothing 
in  self,  but  all  upon  that  sure  foundation  which  God 
hath  laid,  even  his  beloved  Son. 

||  No  sooner  can  you  propose  to  an  ignorant  pro- 
fessor, Christ’s  righteousness  alone  for  justification 
but  he  instantly  displays  his  ignorance  of  the  power 
of  the  truth,  and  the  influence  of  faith,  by  crying  out, 
“ Antinomianism ! Oh,  you  are  for  destroying  holi- 
ness at  the  root,  and  for  bringing  in  licentiousness 
like  a flood !"  Thus  pride  works  by  a lie,  and  is  sup- 
ported by  self-righteousness,  in  opposition  to  God’s 
grace,  and  submission  to  Christ’s  righteousness.  This 
is  a spreading  heresy  of  the  flesh,  which  most  dread 
fully  prevails  at  this  day.  Be  not  deceived. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


1G3 


thy  name  is,  so  art  thou;  even  this  thy  an- 
swer demonstrateth  what  I say.  Ignorant 
thou  art  of  what  justifying  righteousness  is, 
and  as  ignorant  how  to  secure  thy  soul,  through 
the  faith  of  it,  from  the  heavy  wrath  of  God. 
Yea,  thou  also  art  ignorant  of  the  true  effect 
of  saving  faith  in  this  righteousness  of  Christ, 
which  is  to  bow  and  win  over  the  heart  to 
God  in  Christ,  to  love  his  name,  his  word, 
ways  and  people,  and  not  as  thou  ignorantly 
imaginest. 

Hopeful.  Ask  him  if  ever  he  had  Christ  re- 
vealed to  him  from  heaven.* 

Ignorance.  What!  you  are  a man  for  rev- 
elations ! I do  believe  that  what  both  you 
and  all  the  rest  of  you  say  about  that  matter 
is  but  the  fruit  of  distracted  brains. 

Hopeful.  Why,  man ! Christ  is  so  hid  in 
God  from  the  natural  apprehensions  of  the 
flesh,  that  he  cannot  by  any  man  be  savingly 
known,  unless  God  the  Father  reveals  him  to 
them. 

Ignorance.  That  is  your  faith,  but  not  mine  : 
yet  mine,  I doubt  not,  is  as  good  as  yours, 
though  I have  not  in  my  head  so  many  whim- 
sies as  you. 

Christian.  Give  me  leave  to  put  in  a word: 
You  ought  not  to  speak  so  slightly  of  this  mat- 
ter: for  this  I boldly  affirm,  (even  as  my  good 
companion  hath  done,)  that  no  man  can  know 
Jesus  Christ  but  by  the  revelation  of  the 
Father;  yea,  and  faith  too,  by  which  the  soul 
layeth  hold  upon  Christ,  (if  it  be  right,)  must 
b,e  wrought  by  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his 
mighty  power,  (Matt.  xi.  27 ; 1 Cor.  xiii.  3; 
Epli.  i.  18,  19;)  the  working  of  which  faith,  I 
perceive,  poor  Ignorance,  thou  art  ignorant  of. 


* This,  by  natural  men,  is  deemed  the  very  height 
of  enthusiasm ; but  a spiritual  man  knows  the  blessed- 
ness, and  rejoices  in  the  comfort  of  this.  It  is  a close 
question  : what  may  we  understand  by  it  ? Doubtless 
what  Paul  means,  when  he  says,  “ It  pleased  G od  to 
reveal  his  Son  in  me,”  (Gal.  i.  16:)  that  is,  he  had 
such  an  internal,  spiritual,  experimental  sight  and 
knowledge  of  Christ,  and  of  salvation  by  him,  that 
his  heart  embraced  him,  his  soul  cleaved  to  him,  his 
spirit  rejoiced  in  him ; his  whole  man  was  swallowed 
up  with  the  love  of  him,  so  that  he  cried  out  in  the 
joy  of  his  soul,  This  is  my  beloved  and  my  friend — 
my  Saviour,  my  God,  and  my  salvation.  He  is  the 
chief  of  ten  thousand,  and  altogether  lovely.  We 
know  nothing  of  Christ  savingly,  comfortably,  and 
experimentally,  till  he  is  pleased  thus  to  reveal  him- 
self to  us.  Matt.  xi.  27!  This  spiritual  revelation  of 
Christ  to  the  heart,  is  a blessing  and  comfort  agree- 
able to,  and  consequent  upon,  believing  on  Christ,  as 
revealed  outwardly,  in  the  word.  Therefore  every  sin- 


Bc  awakened  then,  see  thine  own  wretched- 
ness, and  flee  to  the  Lord  Jesus;  and  by  his 
righteousness,  which  is  the  righteousness  of 
God,  (for  he  himself  is  God,)  thou  shalt  be 
delivered  from  condemnation.! 

Ignorance.  You  go  so  fast,  I cannot  keep 
pace  with  you:  do  you  go  on  before:  I must 
stay  a while  behind.! 

Then  they  said — 

“ Well,  Ignorance,  wilt  thou  yet  foolish  be 
To  slight  good  counsel,  ten  times  given  thee? 

And  if  thou  yet  refuse  it,  thou  shalt  know, 

Ere  long,  the  evil  of  thy  doing  so. 

Remember,  man,  in  time;  stop,  do  not  fear; 

Good  counsel  taken  well,  saves ; therefore  hear, 
But  if  thou  yet  shalt  slight  it,  thou  wilt  be 
The  loser,  Ignorance,  I’ll  warrant  thee.” 

Then  Christian  addressed  himself  thus  to 
his  fellow  : 

Christian.  Well,  come,  my  good  Hopeful,  I 
perceive  that  thou  and  I must  walk  by  our- 
selves again. 

So  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  they  went  on 
apace  before,  and  Ignorance  he  came  hobbling 
after.  Then  said  Christian  to  his  companion, 
It  pities  me  much  for  this  poor  man : it  will 
certainly  go  ill  with  him  at  last. 

Hopeful.  Alas ! there  are  abundance  in  our 
town  in  this  condition,  whole  families,  yea, 
whole  streets,  and  that  of  pilgrims  too;  and 
if  there  be  so  many  in  our  parts,  how  many, 
think  you,  must  there  be  in  the  place  where 
he  was  born  ? || 

Christian.  Indeed,  the  word  saith,  “ He  hath 
blinded  their  eyes,  lest  they  should  see.”  etc. 

But,  now  we  are  by  ourselves,  what  do  you 


cere  soul  should  wait  and  look,  and  long  and  pray  for 
it.  Beware  you  do  not  despise  it;  if  you  do,  you  will 
betray  your  ignorance  of  spiritual  things,  as  Ignorance 
did. 

f That  sinner  is  not  thoroughly  awakened,  who  doel 
not  see  his  need  of  Christ’s  righteousness  to  be  im- 
parted to  him.  Nor  is  he  quickened  who  has  not  fled 
to  Christ  as  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to 
every  one  who  believes.  Rom.  x.  4. 

J Ignorant  professors  cannot  keep  pace  with  spir- 
itual pilgrims,  nor  can  they  relish  the  doctrines  of 
Christ  being  all  in  all,  in  the  matter  of  justification 
and  salvation. 

||  Ignorance  had  just  the  same  natural  notions  of 
salvation  which  he  was  born  with,  only  he  bad  been 
taught  to  dress  them  up  by  the  art  of  sophistry. 
Hence  it  is  they  have  so  much  abounded  among  pro- 
fessors in  every  age.  Oh  what  a mercy  to  be  delivered 
from  them,  to  be  spiritually  enlightened  and  taught 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  ! 


164 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


think  of  such  men?  have  they  at  no  time, 
think  you,  convictions  of  sin,  and  so  conse- 
quently fear  that  their  state  is  dangerous? 

Hopeful.  Nay,  do  you  answer  the  question 
yourself,  for  you  are  the  elder  man. 

Christian.  Then  I say,  sometimes  (as  I 
think)  they  may;  but  they,  being  naturally 
ignorant,  understand  not  that  such  convictions 
tend  to  their  good;  and  therefore  they  do 
desperately  seek  to  stifle  them,  and  presump- 
tuously continue  to  flatter  themselves  in  the 
way  of  their  own  hearts. 

Hopeful.  I do  believe,  as  you  say,  that  fear 
tends  much  to  men’s  good,  and  to  make  them 
right  at  their  beginning  to  go  on  pilgrimage. 

Christian.  Without  all  doubt  it  doth,  if  it  be 
right : for  so  says  the  word,  “ The  fear  of  the 
Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom.”  Job  xxviii. 
28;  Ps.  cxi.  10;  Prov.  i.  7 ; ix.  10. 

Hopeful.  How  will  you  describe  right  fear  ? 

Christian.  True  or  right  fear  is  discovered  by 
three  things:  1.  By  its  rise:  it  is  caused  by 
saving  convictions  for  sin.  2.  It  driveth  the 
soul  to  lay  fast  hold  of  Christ  for  salvation. 
8.  It  begetteth  and  continueth  in  the  soul  a 
great  reverence  of  God,  his  word  and  ways; 
keeping  it  tender,  and  making  it  afraid  to  turn 
from  them  to  the  right  hand  or  the  left ; to  any 
thing  that  may  dishonour  God,  break  its 
peace,  grieve  the  Spirit,  or  cause  the  enemy  to 
speak  reproachfully. 

Hopeful.  Well  said;  I believe  you  have  said 
the  truth.  Are  we  now  almost  got  past  the 
Enchanted  Ground  ? 

Christian.  Why?  art  thou  weary  of  this 
discourse  ? 

Hopeful.  No,  verily,  but  that  I would  know 
where  we  are. 

Christian.  We  have  not  now  above  two  miles 
further  to  go  thereon.  But  let  us  return  to  our 
matter : Now  the  ignorant  know  not  that  such 
convictions,  that  tend  to  put  them  in  fear,  are 
for  their  good,  and  therefore  they  seek  to  stifle 
them. 

Hopeful.  Plow  do  they  seek  to  stifle  them  ? 

* Pitiful  old  self-  holiness.  Mind  this  phrase.  Far 
was  it  from  the  heart  of  good  Mr.  Bunyan  to  decry  real 
holiness.  I suppose  he  was  never  charged  with  it  ; if 
he  was,  it  must  be  by  such  who  strive  to  exalt  their 
own  holiness  more  than  Christ's  righteousness  ; if  so, 
it  is  pitiful  indeed.  It  is  nothing  but  self -holiness,  or 
the  holiness  of  the  old  man  of  sin:  for  true  holiness 
springs  from  the  belief  of,  and  love  to,  the  truth.  All 
besides  this  only  tends  to  self-confidence  and  self-ap- 
plause. 

I It  is  profitable  to  call  to  mind  one’s  own  ignor- 
ance and  natural  depravity  when  in  our  unrenewed 


Christian.  1.  They  think  that  those  fears  are 
wrought  by  the  devil,  (though  indeed  they  are 
wrought  by  God;)  and  thinking  so,  they  resist 
them,  as  things  that  directly  tend  to  their 
overthrow.  2.  They  also  think  that  these 
fears  tend  to  the  jpoiling  of  their  faith  ; when, 
alas  for  them,  poor  men  that  they  are ! they 
have  none  at  all,  and  therefore  they  harden 
their  hearts  against  them.  3.  They  presume 
they  ought  not  to  fear,  and  therefore  in  despite 
of  them  wax  presumptuously  confident.  4. 
They  see  that  those  fears  tend  to  take  away 
from  them  their  pitiful  old  self-holiness,* 
and  therefore  they  resist  them  with  all  their 
might. 

Hopeful.  I know  something  of  this  myself: 
before  I knew  myself  it  was  so  with  me.f 

Christian.  Well,  we  will  leave  at  this  time 
our  neighbour  Ignorance  by  himself,  and  fall 
upon  another  profitable  question. 

Hopeful.  With  all  my  heart : but  you  shall 
still  begin. 

Christian.  Well,  then,  did  you  know  about 
ten  years  ago,  one  Temporary,  in  your  parts, 
who  was  a forward  man  in  religion  then  ? 

Hopeful.  Know  him ! yes ; he  dwelt  in  Grace- 
less, a town  about  two  miles  off  of  Honesty, 
and  he  dwelt  next  door  to  one  Turnback. 

Christian.  Bight!  he  dwelt  under  the  same 
roof  with  him.  Well,  that  man  was  much 
awakened  once;  I believe  that  then  he  had 
some  sight  of  his  sins,  and  of  the  wages  that 
were  due  thereto. 

Hopeful.  I am  of  your  mind,  for  (my  house 
not  being  above  three  miles  from  him)  he 
would  ofttimes  come  to  me,  and  that  with 
many  tears.  Truly  I pitied  the  man,  and  was 
not  altogether  without  hope  of  him;  but  one 
may  see  it  is  not  every  one  that  cries,  Lord, 
Lord. 

Christian.  He  told  me  once,  that  he  was  re- 
solved to  go  on  a pilgrimage,  as  we  go  now ; 
but  all  of  a sudden  he  grew  acquainted  with 
one  Saveself,^  and  then  he  became  a stranger 
to  me. 

estate,  to  excite  humility  of  heart,  and  thankfulness 
to  God,  who  made  us  to  differ,  and  to  excite  pity  to- 
wards those  who  are  walking  in  nature’s  pride,  self- 
righteousness,  and  self-confidence. 

J Saveself.  This  generation  greatly  abounds  among 
us.  Those  who  are  under  this  spirit  are  strangers  to 
themselves,  to  the  truths  of  God’s  law  and  the  prom- 
ises of  his  Gospel,  and  so  consequently  are  strangers 
to  those  who  know  themselves  to  be  totally  lost;  are 
dead  to  every  hope  of  saving  themselves,  and  look  only 
to,  and  glory  only  in,  salvation  by  Jesus.  “ Two  can- 
not walk  together  except  they  be  agreed.”  Amos  iii.  3. 


TI1E  riLG RIM’S  PROGRESS. 


1G5 


Hopeful.  Now,  since  wc  are  talking  about 
him,  let  us  a little  inquire  into  the  reason  of 
the  sudden  backsliding  of  him  and  some 
others. 

Christian.  It  may  be  very  profitable;  but  do 
you  begin. 

Hopeful.  Well  then,  there  are  in  my  judg- 
ment four  reasons  for  it : 

1.  Though  the  consciences  of  such  men  are 
awakened,  yet  their  minds  are  not  changed: 
therefore,  when  the  power  of  guilt  weareth 
away,  that  which  provoketh  them  to  be  relig- 
ious ceaseth:  wherefore  they  naturally  return 
to  their  old  course  again ; even  as  we  see  the 
clog  that  is  sick  of  what  he  has  eaten,  so  long 
as  his  sickness  prevails  he  vomits  and  casts  up 
all : not  that  he  doeth  this  of  free  mind,  (if  we 
must  say  a dog  hath  a mind,)  but  because  it 
troubleth  his  stomach;  but  now,  when  his 
sickness  is  over,  and  so  his  stomach  eased,  his 
desires  being  not  at  all  alienated  from  his 
v omit,  he  turns  him  about,  and  licks  up  all ; 
and  so  is  it  true  which  is  written,  “ The  dog  is 
turned  to  liis  own  vomit  again.”  2 Pet.  ii.  22. 
Thus,  I say,  being  hot  for  heaven,  by  virtue 
only  of  the  sense  and  fear  of  the  torments  of 
hell,  as  their  sense  of  hell  and  fear  of  dam- 
nation chills  and  cools,  so  their  desires  for 
heaven  and  salvation  cool  also.  So  then  it 
comes  to  pass,  that  when  their  guilt  and  fear 
is  gone,  their  desires  for  heaven  and  happiness 
die,  and  they  return  to  their  course  again.* 

2.  Another  reason  is,  they  have  slavish  fears 
that  do  overmaster  them : I speak  now  of  the 
fears  that  they  have  of  men ; “ for  the  fear  of 
man  bringetli  a snare.”  Prov.  xxix.  25.  So 
then,  though  they  seem  to  be  hot  for  heaven 
so  long  as  the  flames  of  hell  are  about  their 
ears,  yet,  when  that  terror  is  a little  over,  they 
betake  themselves  to  second  thoughts,  namely, 
that  it  is  good  to  be  wise,  and  not  to  run  (for 
they  know  not  what)  the  hazard  of  losing  all, 
or  at  least  of  bringing  themselves  into  un- 
avoidable and  unnecessary  troubles:  and  so 
they  fall  in  with  the  world  again. 

3.  The  shame  that  attends  religion  lies  also 
as  a block  in  their  way:  they  are  proud  and 
haughty,  and  religion  in  their  eye  is  low  and 
contemptible:  therefore  when  they  have  lost 
their  sense  of  hell  and  wrath  to  come,  they  re- 
turn again  to  their  former  course. 

4.  Guilt,  and  to  meditate  terror,  are  griev- 

*  A true  description  of  the  state  of  too  many  pro- 
fessors. Here  see  the  rcasou  why  so  many  saints,  as 
they  are  called,  fall  away. 

t See  how  gradually,  step  by  step,  apostates  go  back. 


ous  to  them;  they  like  not  to  see  their  misery 
before  they  come  into  it;  though  perhaps  the 
sight  of  it  first,  if  they  loved  that  sight,  might 
make  them  flee  whither  the  righteous  flee  and 
are  safe;  but  because  they  do  as  I hinted  be- 
fore, even  shun  the  thoughts  of  guilt  and 
terror,  therefore,  when  once  they  are  rid  of 
their  awakenings  about  the  terrors  and  wrath 
of  God,  they  harden  their  hearts  gladly,  and 
choose  such  ways  as  will  harden  them  more 
and  more. 

Christian.  You  are  pretty  near  the  business; 
for  the  bottom  of  all  is,  for  want  of  a change 
in  their  mind  and  will.  And  therefore  they 
are  but  like  the  felon  that  standeth  before  the 
judge;  he  quakes  and  trembles,  and  seems  to 
repent  most  heartily:  but  the  bottom  of  all  is, 
the  fear  of  the  lialtor;  not  that  he  hath  any 
detestation  of  the  offence;  as  is  evident,  be- 
cause, let  but  this  man  have  his  liberty,  and 
he  will  be  a thief,  and  so  a rogue  still ; whereas, 
if  his  mind  was  changed  he  would  be  otherwise. 

Hopeful.  Now  I have  showed  you  the  reasons 
of  their  going  back,  do  you  show  me  the  man- 
ner thereof. 

Christian.  So  I will  willingly.  They  draw 
off  their  thoughts,  all  that  they  may,  from  the 
remembrance  of  God,  death,  and  judgment  to 
come: — then  they  cast  off  by  degrees  private 
duties,  as  closet-prayer,  curbing  their  lusts, 
watching,  sorrow  for  sin,  &c. ; — then  they  shun 
the  company  of  lively  and  warm  Christians; — 
after  that  they  grow  cold  to  public  duty;  as 
hearing,  reading,  godly  conference,  and  the 
like; — then  they  begin  to  pick  holes,  as  we 
say,  in  the  coats  of  some  of  the  godly,  and 
that  devilishly,  that  they  may  have  a seem- 
ing colour  to  throw  religion  (for  the  sake  of 
some  infirmities  they  have  spied  in  them)  be- 
hind their  back ; — then  they  begin  to  adhere 
to,  and  associate  themselves  with  carnal,  loose, 
and  wanton  men ; — then  they  give  way  to  car- 
nal and  wanton  discourses  in  secret;  and  glad 
are  they  if  they  can  see  such  things  in  any  that 
are  counted  honest,  that  they  may  the  more 
boldly  do  it  through  their  example;  after 
this,  they  begin  to  play  with  little  sins  openly : 
and  then,  being  hardened,  they  show  them- 
selves as  they  are.  Thus  being  launched 
again  into  the  gulf  of  misery,  unless  a miracle 
of  grace  prevent  it,  they  everlastingly  perish 
in  their  own  deceivings.f 

It  begins  in  the  unbelief  of  the  heart,  and  ends  in 
open  sins  in  the  life.  Why  is  the  love  of  this  world 
so  forbidden?  why  is  covetousness  called  idolatry? 
Because  whatever  draws  away  the  heart  from  God, 


166 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Pilgrims  travel  the  pleasant  country  of  Beulah,  safely  pass  the  river  of  Death,  and 
are  admitted  into  the  glorious  city  of  God. 


Now  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  by  this  time 
the  pilgrims  were  got  over  the  Enchanted 
Ground,  and  entering  into  the  country  of 
Beulah,  (Sol.  Song  ii.  10,  12;  Isa.  Ixii.  4,  12,) 
whose  air  was  very  sweet  and  pleasant:  the 
way  lying  directly  through  it,  they  solaced 
themselves  there  for  a season.  Yea,  here  they 
heard  continually  the  singing  of  birds,  and 
saw  every  day  the  flowers  appear  in  the  earth, 
and  heard  the  voice  of  the  turtle  in  the  land. 
In  this  country  the  sun  shineth  night  and  day: 
wherefore  this  was  beyond  the  Valley  of  the 
Shadow  of  Death,  and  also  out  of  the  reach  of 
Giant  Despair;  neither  could  they  from  this 
place  so  much  as  see  Doubting  Castle.* *  Here 
they  were  within  sight  of  the  city  they  were 
going  to : also  here  met  them  some  of  the  in- 
habitants thereof : for  in  this  land  the  shining 
ones  commonly  walked,  because  it  was  upon 
the  borders  of  heaven.  In  this  land  also  the 
contract  between  the  bride  and  the  bridegroom 
was  renewed:  yea,  here,  “as  the  bridegroom 
rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  so  did  their  God  re- 
joice over  them.”  Here  they  had  no  want  of 
corn  and  wine ; for  in  the  place  they  met  with 
abundance  of  what  they  had  sought  for  in  all 
their  pilgrimage.  Here  they  heard  voices  from 
out  of  the  city,  loud  voices,  saying,  “Say  ye  to 
the  daughter  of  Zion,  Behold,  thy  Salvation 
cometh!  Behold,  his  reward  is  with  him!” 
Here  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  called 
them,  “ The  holy  people,  the  Redeemed  of  the 
Lord,  sought  out,”  &c. 

Now,  as  they  walked  in  this  land,  they  had 
more  rejoicing  than  in  parts  more  remote  from 
the  kingdom  to  which  they  were  bound ; and 


and  prevents  enjoying  close  fellowship  with  him, 
naturally  tends  to  apostacy  from  him.  Look  well  to 
your  hearts  and  affections.  Daily  learn  to  obey  that 
command,  “ Keep  thy  heart  with  all  diligence,  for  out 
of  it  ire  the  issues  of  life.”  Prov.  iv.  23.  If  you  neglect 
to  watch,  you  will  be  sure  to  smart  under  the  sense 
of  sin  on  earth  or  its  curse  in  hell.  “See  then  that  ye 
walk  circumspectly,  not  as  fools,  but  as  wise,  re- 
deeming the  time  because  the  days  are  evil.”  Eph. 
v.  15. 

* Oh  what  a blessed  state!  what  a glorious  frame 
of  the  soul  is  this!  Job  speaks  of  it  as  the  candle  of 
the  Lord  shining  upon  his  head.  Ch.  xxix.  3.  The 
church,  in  a rapture  cries  out,  “ Sing,  0 heavens,  and 


drawing  near  to  tbe  city  tbey  had  yet  a more 
perfect  view  thereof.  It  was  builded  of  pearls 
and  precious  stones,  also  the  streets  thereof 
were  paved  with  gold ; so  that,  by  reason  of  the 
natural  glory  of  the  city,  and  the  reflection  of 
the  sun-beams  upon  it,  Christian  with  desire 
fell  sick.  Hopeful  also  had  a fit  or  two  of  the 
same  disease : wherefore  here  they  lay  by  it  a 
while,  crying  out,  because  of  their  pangs,  “ If 
you  see  my  beloved,  tell  him  that  I am  sick  of 
love.f  ” 

But,  being  a little  strengthened,  and  better 
able  to  bear  their  sickness,  they  walked  on  their 
way,  and  came  yet  nearer  and  nearer,  where 
were  orchards,  vineyards  and  gardens,  and  their 
gates  opened  into  the  highway.  Now,  as  they 
came  up  to  these  places,  behold  the  gardener 
stood  in  the  way ; to  whom  the  pilgrims  said, 
“Whose  goodly  vineyards  and  gardens  are 
these  ?”  He  answered,  “ They  are  the  King’s, 
and  are  planted  here  for  his  own  delight,  and 
also  for  the  solace  of  pilgrims.”  So  the  gar- 
dener had  them  into  the  vineyards,  and  bid  them 
refresh  themselves  with  the  dainties,  (Deut. 
xxiii.  24:)  he  also  showed  them  there  the 
King’s  walks  and  arbours,  where  he  delighted 
to  be : and  here  they  tarried  and  slept. 

Now  I beheld  in  my  dream,  that  they  talked 
more  in  their  sleep  at  this  time  than  ever  they 
did  in  all  their  journey:  and,  being  in  a muse 
thereabout,  the  gardener  said  even  to  me, 
“Wherefore  musest  thou  at  the  matter?  It 
is  the  nature  of  the  grapes  of  these  vineyards, 
to  go  down  so  sweetly  as  to  cause  the  lips  of 
them  that  are  asleep  to  speak.” 

So  I saw  that  when  they  awoke,  they  ad- 


be  joyful,  0 earth  ; break  forth  into  singing,  0 moun- 
tains, for  the  Lord  hath  comforted  his  people.”  Isa. 
xxix.  13.  Paul  calls  this  “ the  fulness  of  the  blessing 
of  the  Gospel  of  peace.”  Rom.  xv.  29.  Oh  rest  not  short 
of  enjoying  the  full  blaze  of  Gospel  peace  and  spir- 
itual joy. 

f See  what  it  is  to  long  for  the  full  fruition  of  Jesus 
in  glory.  Some  have  been  so  overpowered  hereby, 
that  their  earthen  vessels  were  ready  to  burst : their 
frail  bodies  have  been  so  overcome,  that  they  have 
cried,  Lord,  hold  thine  hand,  I faint,  I sink,  I die,  with 
a full  sense  of  thy  precious,  precious  love.  Covet  earn- 
estly this  best  gift,  Love.  Lord,  shed  it  more  abund- 
antly abroad  in  these  cold  hearts  of  ours ! 


T K E LR\  M [3>  @ F B E U L A DC 


Tin:  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


1G7 


dressed  themselves  to  go  up  to  the  city.  But, 
ns  I said,  the  reflection  of  the  situ  upon  the 
city,  for  the  city  was  pure  gold,  (Rev.  xxi.  18 ; 
2 Cor.  iii.  18,)  was  so  extremely  glorious,  that 
they  could  not  as  yet  with  open  face  behold  it, 
but  through  an  instrument  made  for  that  pur- 
pose. So  I saw  that  as  they  went  on  there  met 
them  two  men  in  raiment  that  shone  like  gold, 
also  their  faces  shone  ns  the  light. 

These  men  asked  the  pilgrims  whence  they 
came?  and  they  told  them.  They  also  asked 
them  where  they  had  lodged,  what  difficulties 
.and  dangers,  what  comforts  and  pleasures,  they 
had  met  with  in  the  way?  and  they  told  them. 
Then  said  the  men  that  met  them,  “ You  have 
but  two  difficulties  more  to  meet  with  and  then 
you  are  in  the  city.”  * 

Christian  then  and  his  companion  asked  the 
men  to  go  along  with  them : so  they  told  them 
they  would : But,  said  they,  you  must  obtain  it 
by  your  own  faith.  So  I saw  in  my  dream  that 
they  went  on  together  till  they  came  in  sight 
of  the  gate. 

Now  I further  saw,  that  betwixt  them  and 
the  gate  was  a river ; but  there  was  no  bridge 
to  go  over : the  river  was  very  deep.  At  the 
sight  therefore  of  this  river,  the  pilgrims  were 
much  stunned ; but  the  men  that  went  with 
them,  said,  “ You  must  go  through,  or  you  can- 
not come  at  the  gate.”  f 

The  pilgrims  then  began  to  inquire,  if  there 
was  no  other  way  to  the  gate?  to  which  they 
answered,  “ Yes  ; but  there  hath  not  any,  save 
two,  to  wit,  Enoch  and  Elijah,  been  permitted 
to  tread  that  path,  since  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  nor  shall  until  the  last  trumpet  shall 
sound.”  The  pilgrims  then  (especially  Chris- 
tian) began  to  despond  in  their  minds,  and 
looked  this  way  and  that,  but  no  way  could  be 


* What  are  tbeso  two  difficulties  ? are  they  not  death 
without,  and  unbelief  within  ? It  is  through  the  lat- 
ter that  the  former  is  at  all  distressing  to  us.  Oh  for 
a strong  world-oonquering,  sin-subduing,  death-over- 
coming faith,  iu  life  and  death ! Jesus,  Master,  speak 
the  word,  unbelief  shall  flee,  our  faith  shall  not  fail, 
and  our  hope  shall  bo  steady. 

f Well,  now  the  pilgrims  must  meet  with,  and  en- 
counter their  la!  t enemy,  death.  When  he  stares  them 
in  the  face,  their  fears  arise.  Through  the  river  they 
must  go.  What  have  they  to  look  at  ? what  they  are 
in  themselves,  or  what  they  have  done  and  been  ? No; 
only  the  same  Jesus  who  conquered  death  for  us,  and 
can  and  will  overcomo  the  fear  of  death  in  us. 

J Faith  build*  a bridge  across  the  gulf  of  death; 
Death's  terror  is  the  mountain  faith  removes, 

’Tis  faith  c isarms  destruction  : and  absolves 
From  every  clamorous  charge  the  guiltless  tomb. 


found  by  them,  by  which  they  might  escape 
the  river.  Then  they  asked  the  men,  “ If  the 
waters  were  all  of  a depth  ?”  they  said,  “ No ;” 
yet  they  could  not  help  them  in  that  case ; 
“For  (said  they)  you  shall  find  it  deeper  or 
shallower,  as  you  believe  in  the  King  of  the 
place.”  I 

They  then  addressed  themselves  to  the  water, 
and  entering,  Christian  began  to  sink,  and  cry- 
ing out  to  bis  good  friend  Hopeful,  he  said,  “ I 
sink  in  deep  waters;  billows  go  over  my  head, 
all  his  waves  go  over  me.  Selah.” 

Then  said  the  other,  “ Be  of  good  cheer,  my 
brother,  I feel  the  bottom,  and  it  is  good.”  Then 
said  Christian,  “ Ah  ! my  friend,  the  sorrow  of 
death  hath  compassed  me  about,  I shall  not  see 
the  land  that  flows  with  milk  and  honey.”  And 
with  that  a great  darkness  and  horror  fell  upon 
Christian,  so  that  he  could  not  see  before  him. 
Also  he  in  a great  measure  lost  his  senses,  so 
that  he  could  neither  remember  nor  orderly 
talk  of  any  of  those  sweet  refreshments  that 
he  had  met  with  in  the  way  of  his  pilgrimage. 
But  all  the  words  that  he  spake  still  tended  to 
discover  that  he  had  horror  of  mind,  and  heart- 
fears  that  he  should  die  in  that  river,  and  never 
obtain  entrance  in  at  the  gate.  Here  also,  as 
they  that  stood  by  perceived,  he  was  much  in 
the  troublesome  thoughts  of  the  sins  that  he 
had  committed,  both  since  and  before  he  began 
to  be  a pilgrim.  It  was  also  observed,  that  he 
was  troubled  with  apparitions  of  hobgoblins 
and  evil  spirits ; for  ever  and  anon  he  would 
intimate  so  much  by  words.  ||  Hopeful  there- 
fore here  had  much  ado  to  keep  his  brother’s 
head  above  water ; yea,  sometimes  he  would  be 
quite  gone  down,  and  then,  ere  a while,  would 
rise  up  again  half  dead.  Hopeful  did  also  en- 
deavour to  comfort  him,  saying,  “ Brother,  I 

For  faith  views,  trusts  in,  and  relies  upon,  the  word  of 
Christ,  for  salvation  in  the  victory  of  Christ  over  sin, 
death  and  hell.  Therefore,  in  every  thing  we  shall 
always  prove  the  truth  of  our  Lord’s  words,  “Accord- 
ing to  your  faith  bo  it  unto  you.”  Matt.  ix.  29.  Oh 
what  support  in  death,  to  have  Jesus  our  triumphant 
conqueror  to  look  unto,  who  has  disarmed  death  of  his 
sting,  and  swallowed  up  death  in  his  victory ! 

||  What ! after  all  the  past  blessed  experience  that 
Christian  had  enjoyed  of  his  Lord's  peace,  love,  joy, 
and  presence  with  him,  his  holy  transports  and  heav- 
enly consolations,  is  all  come  to  this  at  last?  You 
know  “ the  last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death.” 
1 Cor.  xv.  26.  Satan  is  sometimes  suffered  to  be  very 
busy  with  God’s  people  in  their  last  moments,  but  he 
too,  like  death,  is  a conquered  enemy  by  our  Jesus : 
therefore  amidst  all  his  attacks,  they  are  safe.  For  he 
is  faithful  to  them,  and  almighty  to  save  them. 


1G8 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


see  the  gate,  and  men  standing  by  to  receive 
us but  Christian  would  answer,  “ It  is  you, 
it  is  you  they  wait  for ; you  have  been  Hope- 
ful ever  since  I knew  you.”  “And  so  have 
you,”  said  he  to  Christian.  “ Ah,  brother,”  said 
he,  “ surely  if  I was  right  he  would  now  rise 
to  help  me but  for  my  sins  he  hath  brought 
me  into  the  snare,  and  hath  left  me.”  Then 
said  Hopeful,  “ My  brother,  you  have  quite  for- 
got the  text,  where  it  is  said  of  the  wicked, 

‘ There  are  no  bands  in  their  death,  but  their 
strength  is  firm;  they  are  not  troubled  as 
othei  men,  neither  are  they  plagued  like  other 
men.’  These  troubles  and  distresses  that  you 
go  through  in  these  waters,  are  no  sign  that 
God  hath  forsaken  you;  but  are  sent  to  try 
you,  whether  you  will  call  to  mind,  that  which 
heretofore  you  have  received  of  his  goodness, 
and  live  upon  him  in  your  distresses.” 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream  that  Christian  was 
in  a muse  a while.  To  whom  Hopeful  added 
these  words,  “Be  of  good  cheer,  Jesus  maketh 
thee  whole.”  * And  with  that  Christian  brake 
out  with  a loud  voice,  “ Oh,  I see  him  again ! 
and  he  tells  me,  ‘ When  thou  passest  through 
the  waters,  I will  be  with  thee ; and  through 
the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee.’  ” Isa. 
xliii.  2.  Then  they  both  took  courage,  and  the 
enemy  was  after  that  as  still  as  a stone,  until 
they  were  gone  over.  Christian  therefore 
presently  found  ground  to  stand  upon,  and  so 
it  followed  that  the  rest  of  the  river  was  but 
shallow;  but  thus  they  got  over.  Now  upon 
the  bank  of  th  e river,  on  the  other  side,  they  saw 
the  two  shining  men  again,  who  there  waited 
for  them.  Wherefore  being  come  out  of  the 
river,  they  saluted  them,  saying,  “We  are 
ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  to 
those  that  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation.”  Thus 
they  went  along  towards  the  gate.  Now  you 
must  note,  that  the  city  stood  upon  a mighty 
hill,  but  the  pilgrims  went  up  the  hill  with 
ease,  because  they  had  these  two  men  to  lead 
them  up  by  the  arms ; also  they  had  left  their 
mortal  garments  behind  them  in  the  river;  for 
though  they  went  in  with  them,  they  came  out 
without  them.  They  therefore  went  up  here 
with  much  agility  and  speed,  though  the  foun- 

*  Jesus  Christ ; he  is  indeed  the  Alpha  and  Omega, 
the  first  and  the  last,  the  beginning  of  our  hope,  and 
the  end  of  our  confidence.  We  begin  and  end  the 
Christian  pilgrimage  with  him  ; and  all  our  tempta- 
tions and  trials  speak  loudly,  and  fully  confirm  to  us 
that  truth  of  our  Lord,  “Without  me  ye  can  do  noth- 
ing.” John  xv.  5. 

f Ah,  children,  none  can  conceive  or  describe  what 


dation  upon  which  tne  city  was  framed  was 
higher  than  the  clouds : they  therefore  went 
up  through  the  region  of  the  air,  sweetly  talk- 
ing as  they  went,  being  comforted,  because 
they  safely  got  over  the  river,  and  had  such 
glorious  companions  to  attend  them.f 

The  talk  that  they  had  with  the  shining 
ones  was  about  the  glory  of  the  place;  who 
told  them,  that  the  beauty  and  glory  of  it  was 
inexpressible-  There,  said  they,  is  “Mount 
Zion,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  innumer- 
able company  of  angels,  and  the  spirits  of  just 
men  made  perfect.”  Heb.  xii.  22,  24.  You, 
are  going  now,  said  they,  to  the  Paradise  of 
God,  wherein  you  shall  see  the  tree  of  life,  and 
eat  of  the  never-fading  fruits  thereof:  and 
when  you  come  there,  you  shall  have  white 
robes  given  you,  and  your  walk  and  talk  shall 
be  every  day  with  the  King,  even  all  the  days 
of  eternity.  Rev.  ii.  7 ; iii.  4 ; xxii.  5.  There 
you  shall  not  see  again  such  things  as  you  saw 
when  you  were  in  the  lower  region  upon  the 
earth,  to  wit,  sorrow,  sickness,  affliction,  and 
death  ; “for  the  former  things  are  passed  away.” 
Isa.  lxv.  16.  You  are  now  going  to  Abraham, 
to  Isaac,  and  to  Jacob,  and  to  the  prophets, 
men  that  God  hath  taken  away  from  the  evil 
to  come,  and  that  are  now  “resting  upon  their 
beds,  each  one  walking  in  his  righteousness.” 
The  men  then  asked,  What  must  we  do  in  the 
holy  place?  To  whom  it  was  answered,  You 
must  there  receive  the  comforts  Of  all  your  toil, 
and  have  joy  for  all  your  sorrow;  you  must 
reap  what  you  have  sown,  even  the  fruit  of  all 
your  prayers,  and  tears,  and  sufi  brings  for  the 
King  by  the  way.  Gal.  vi.  7,  8.  In  that  place 
you  must  wear  crowns  of  gold,  and  enjoy  the 
perpetual  sight  and  vision  of  the  Holy  One ; 
for  “there  you  shall  see  him  as  he  is.”  1 John 
iii.  2.  There  also  you  shall  serve  Him  contin- 
ually with  praise,  with  shouting!  and  thanks- 
giving, whom  you  desired  to  serve  in  the 
world,  though  with  much  difficulty,  because 
of  the  infirmity  of  your  flesh.  There  your 
eyes  shall  be  delighted  with  seeing,  and  vour 
ears  with  hearing,  the  qdeasant  voice  of  the 
Mighty  One.  There  you  shall  enjoy  your 
friends  again  that  are  gone  thither  before  you  ; 

it  is  to  live  in  a state  free  from  the  body  of  sin  and 
death.  Some  in  such  happy,  highly -favoured  mo- 
ments, have  had  a glimpse,  a foretaste  of  this,  and 
could  realize  it  by  faith.  Oh  for  mote  and  more  of 
this,  till  we  possess  and  enjoy  it  in  all  :'ts  fulness!  If 
Jesus  be  so  sweet  by  faith  below,  who  can  tell  what  he 
is  in  full  fruition  above?  This  we  must  die  to 
know. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


1GD 


and  there  you  shall  with  joy  receive,  even 
everyone  that  followetli  into  the  holy  place 
after  you.  There  also  you  shall  be  clothed 
with  glory  and  majesty,  and  put  into  an  equip- 
age lit  to  ride  out  with  the  King  of  Glory. 
When  he  shall  come  with  sound  of  trumpet  in 
the  clouds,  as  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind,  you 
shall  come  with  him : and  when  he  shall  sit 
upon  the  throne  of  judgment,  you  shall  sit  by 
him ; yea,  and  when  he  shall  pass  sentence 
upon  all  the  workers  of  iniquity,  let  them  be 
angels  or  men,  you  also  shall  have  a voice  in 
that  judgment,  because  they  were  his  and  your 
enemies.  Also  when  he  shall  again  return 
to  the  city,  you  shall  go  too  with  sound  of 
trumpet,  and  be  ever  with  him.  1 Thess.  iv. 
13,  17  ; Jude  14,  15;  Dan.  vii.  9,  10;  1 Cor. 
vi.  2,  3. 

Now,  while  they  were  thus  drawing  towards 
the  gate,  behold,  a company  of  the  heavenly 
host  came  out  to  meet  them ; to  whom  it  was 
said  by  the  other  two  shining  ones,  “ These  are 
the  men  that  have  loved  our  Lord  when  they 
were  in  the  world,  and  that  have  left  all  for 
his  holy  name,  and  he  hath  sent  us  to  fetch 
them,  and  we  have  brought  them  thus  far  on 
their  designed  journey,  that  they  may  go  in 
and  look  their  Redeemer  in  the  face  with  joy.” 
Then  the  heavenly  host  gave  a great  shout, 
saying,  “ Blessed  are  they  that  are  called  to  the 
marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb.”  Rev.  xix.  9. 
There  came  out  also  at  this  time  to  meet  them 
several  of  the  King’s  trumpeters,  clothed  in 
white  and  shining  raiment,  who,  with  melodi- 
ous noises,  and  loud,  made  even  the  heavens 
to  echo  with  their  sound.  These  trumpeters 
saluted  Christian  and  his  fellow  with  ten  thou- 
sand welcomes  from  the  world ; and  this  they 
did  with  shouting,  and  sound  of  trumpet. 

This  done,  they  compassed  them  round  on 
every  side;  some  went  before,  some  behind, 
and  some  on  the  right  hand,  some  on  the  left, 
(as  it  were  to  guard  them  through  the  upper 
regions,)  continually  sounding  as  they  went, 

* Though  Mr.  Bunvan  has  been  very  happy  in  this 
spirited  description,  (observes  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mason,) 
yet  wore  ho  alive,  I am  sure  he  would  not  be  offended, 
though  I were  to  say,  it  is  short  and  faint,  infinitely 
so,  of  the  reality:  and  were  he  permitted  to  come  in 
person,  and  give  another  description,  he  could  only 
say,  what  the  prophet  and  apostle  tell  us,  “Eye  hath 
not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for 
them  who  love  him.”  Isa.  lxiv.  4 : 1 Cor.  ii.  9.  Oh  for 
the  inorease  of  faith,  to  behold  more  clear  the  heavenly 
visiou  ; and  for  love  to  Jesus,  the  God  of  our  salvation, 
that  we  may  have  more  of  heaven  in  our  souls,  even 


with  melodious  noise,  in  notes  on  high  ; so  that 
the  very  sight  was  to  them  that  could  behold 
it,  as  if  heaven  itself  was  come  down  to  meet 
them.  Thus  therefore  they  walked  on  together ; 
and,  as  they  walked,  ever  and  anon  these 
trumpeters,  even  with  joyful  sound,  would,  by 
mixing  their  music  with  looks  and  gestures, 
still  signify  to  Christian  and  his  brother  how 
welcome  they  were  into  their  company,  and 
with  what  gladness  they  came  to  meet  them. 
Aud  now  were  these  two  men,  as  it  were,  in 
heaven  before  they  came  at  it,  being  swallowed 
up  with  the  sight  of  angels,  and  with  hearing 
their  melodious  notes.  Here  also  they  had  the 
city  itself  in  view;  and  they  thought  they 
heard  all  the  bells  therein  to  ring,  to  welcome 
them  thereto.  But,  above  all,  the  warm  and 
joyful  thoughts  that  they  had  about  their  own 
dwelling  there  with  such  company,  and  that 
for  ever  and  ever.  Oh ! by  what  tongue  or  pen 
can  their  glorious  joy  be  expressed ! * Thus 
they  came  up  to  the  gate. 

Now,  when  they  were  come  up  to  the  gate 
there  was  written  over  it,  in  letters  of  gold, 
“ Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments, 
that  they  may  have  right  f to  the  tree  of  life, 
and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the 
city.”  Rev.  xxii.  14. 

Then  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  the  shining 
men  bid  them  call  at  the  gate ; the  which  when 
they  did,  some  from  above  looked  over  the  gate, 
to  wit,  Enoch,  Moses,  and  Elias,  &c.,  to  whom 
it  was  said,  “ These  pilgrims  are  come  from  the 
city  of  Destruction,  for  the  love  that  they  bear 
to  the  King  of  this  place ;”  and  then  the  pil- 
grims gave  in  unto  them  each  man  his  certifi- 
cate, which  they  had  received  in  the  beginning: 
those  therefore  were  carried  in  unto  the  King, 
who,  when  he  had  read  them,  said,  “Where 
are  the  men?”  To  whom  it  was  answered, 
“They  are  standing  without  the  gate.”  The 
King  then  commanded  to  open  the  gate,  “that 
the  righteous  nation,  (said  he,)  that  keepeih 
truth  may  enter  in.”t  Isa.  xxvii.  2. 

while  we  are  pilgrims  here  on  the  earth.  For  none  but 
those  who  love  him  on  earth,  can  enjoy  him  in 
heaven. 

j-  Sight  here  signifies  power  or  privilege,  as  in  John 
i.  12.  “ To  as  many  as  receive  Christ,  to  them  gave 

he  power,  right,  or  privilege,  to  become  the  sons  of 
God,  even  to  them  who  believe  in  his  name.” 

J The  righteous  nation,  who  are  they  ? Oh,  say  the 
self-righteous  pharisees  of  the  day,  they  arc  those  who 
by  their  good  works  aud  righteous  actions  have  made 
themselves  to  differ  from  others,  and  are  thus  become 
righteous  before  God.  To  whom  shall  the  Lord  coin- 
I mand  the  gate  of  glory  to  be  opened  but  to  these  good 


170 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Now  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  these  two  men 
went  in  at  the  gate,  and  lo ! as  they  entered, 
they  were  transfigured ; and  they  had  raiment 
put  on  that  shone  like  gold.  There  were  also 
that  met  them  with  harps  and  crowns,  and  gave 
them  to  them ; the  harps  to  praise  withal,  and 
the  crowns  in  token  of  honour.  Then  I heard 
in  my  dream,  that  all  the  bells  in  the  city  rang 
again,  for  joy,  and  that  it  was  said  unto  them, 
‘Enter  ye  into  the  joy  of  your  Lord.”  I also 
heard  the  men  themselves,  that  they  sang  with 
a lond  voice,  saying,  “ Blessing,  and  honour, 
and  glory,  and  power,  be  to  him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb  for  ever  and 
ever.”  Rev.  v.  13,  14. 

Now,  just  as  the  gates  were  opened  to  let  in 
the  men,  I looked  in  after  them,  and  behold, 
the  city  shone  like  the  sun;  the  streets  also 
were  paved  with  gold,  and  in  them  walked 
many  men  with  crowns  on  their  heads,  palms 
in  their  hands,  and  golden  harps  to  sing  praises 
withal. 

There  were  also  of  them  that  had  wings,  and 
they  answered  one  another  without  intermis- 
sion, saying,  “ Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord.” 
And  after  that  they  shut  up  the  gates : which 
when  I had  seen,  I wished  myself  among  them. 

Now,  while  I was  gazing  upon  all  these 
things,  I turned  my  head  to  look  hack,  and 
saw  Ignorance  come  up  to  the  river  side : but 
he  soon  got  over,  and  that  without  half  that 
difficulty  which  the  two  other  men  met  with. 

righteous  people  ? But  Peter  tells  us,  “the  righteous 
nation  is  a chosen  generation”  from  among  the  world, 
and  of  a different  generation  to  them.  They  see  no 
righteousness  in  themselves,  and  therefore  are  little, 
low,  and  mean  in  their  own  eyes;  being  begotten  by 
the  word  of  truth,  and  born  again  of  the  Spirit,  they 
receive  and  love  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  By  this 
truth  they  regulate  their  life  and  walk  ; and  this  truth 
they  hold  fast  in  life,  and  keep  unto  death ; and  thus 
living  and  dying  in  the  belief  of  the  truth,  they  can 
say  with  Paul : “ I have  kept  the  faith,  and  henceforth 
there  is  laid  up  for  me  a crown  of  righteousness,  which 
the  Lord  the  righteous  Judge  will  give  to  me  and  to 
all  who  love  his  appearing.” 

* Vain  hope  ever  dwells  in  the  bosom  of  fools,  and 
is  ever  ready  to  assist  Ignorance.  He  wanted  him  at 
the  last,  and  he  found  him.  He  had  been  his  com- 
panion through  life,  and  will  not  forsake  him  in  the 
hour  of  death.  You  see  Ignorance  had  no  bands  In 
his  death;  no  fears,  doubts,  and  sorrows,  no  terror 
from  the  enemy,  but  all  appeared  serene  and  happy. 
Vain-hope  was  his  ferry-man,  and  he,  as  the  good 
folks  say,  died  like  a lamb;  ah,  but  did  such  lambs 
see  what  was  to  follow,  when  Vain-hope  had  wafted 
them  over  the  river,  they  would  roar  like  lions. 

j-  Ilcnce  see,  that  ignorant,  vain-confident  pro- 


For  it  happened  that  there  was  then  in  that 
place  one  Vain-hope,* *  a ferry-man,  that  with 
his  boat  helped  him  over : so  he,  as  the  other 
I saw,  did  ascend  the  hill,  to  come  up  to  the 
gate;  only  he  came  alone,  neither  did  any 
man  meet  him  with  the  least  encouragement. 
When  he  was  come  up  to  the  gate,  he  looked 
up  to  the  writing  that  was  above,  and  then 
began  to  knock,  supposing  that  entrance  should 
have  been  quickly  administered  to  him : but 
he  was  asked  by  the  men  that  looked  over  the 
top  of  the  gate,  “Whence  come  you?  and 
what  would  you  have?”  He  answered,  “I 
have  eat  and  drank  in  the  presence  of  the 
King,  and  he  has  taught  in  our  streets.” 
Then  they  asked  him  for  his  certificate,  that 
they  might  go  in  and  show  it  to  the  King : So 
he  fumbled  in  his  bosom  for  one,  and  found 
none.  Then  said  they,  You  have  none : but 
the  man  answered  never  a word.f  So  they 
told  the  King,  but  he  would  not  come  down  to 
see  him,  but  commanded  the  two  shining  ones 
that  conducted  Christian  and  Hopeful  to  the 
city,  to  go  out  and  take  Ignorance,  and  bind 
him  hand  and  foot,  and  have  him  away. 
Then  they  took  him  up,  and  carried  him 
through  the  air  to  the  door  that  I saw  in  the 
side  of  the  hill,  and  put  him  in  there.  Then 
I saw  that  there  was  a way  to  hell,  even  from 
the  gates  of  heaven,  as  well  as  from  the  city 
of  Destruction.}  So  I woke,  and  behold,  it 
was  a dream. 


fessors  may  keep  up  a profession,  even  unto  the 
end;  yea,  and  maintain  a self-righteous  hope  to  the 
very  last,  without  any  internal  operation  of  the  Spirit 
upon  their  hearts,  quickening  them  to  a life  of  faith 
on  the  Son  of  God.  Such,  when  they  are  called  upon 
for  their  certificate,  find  themselves  destitute  of  one. 
They  set  out  in  nature,  and  have  nothing  more  about 
them  than  what  their  natural  notions  furnish  them 
with.  Spiritual  revelations  of  Christ  to  the  heart, 
through  faith  in  his  word,  they  despised : and  there- 
fore, when  searched  to  the  bottom,  behold  they  are 
speechless.  They  could  talk  of  their  moral  powers, 
faithfulness  in  life,  but  they  have  not  one  word  to  say 
of  precious  Christ,  and  his  full  salvation;  what  he 
hath  wrought  in  them,  whereby  he  becomes  altogether 
lovely  in  their  eyes;  and  his  truths,  promises,  and 
commands,  the  choice,  the  delight,  and  the  glory  of 
their  hearts.  Oh  without  this  the  profession  of  being 
a pilgrim  will  end  in  awful  delusion  ! 

} This  is  a most  awful  conclusion.  Consider  it 
deeply.  Weigh  it  attentively,  so  as  to  get  good  sat- 
isfaction from  the  word,  to  these  important  questions: 
Am  I in  Christ  the  way,  the  only  way  to  the  kingdom, 
or  not?  Do  I see  that  all  other  ways,  whether  of  sin 
or  self-righteousness,  lead  to  hell  ? Does  Christ  dwell 
in  my  heart  by  faith?  Am  I a new  creature  in  himt 


THE  riLGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


171 


THE  CONCLUSION. 


Now,  Reader,  I have  told  my  dream  to  thee, 

See  if  thou  canst  interpret  it  to  me, 

Or  to  thyself,  or  neighbour ; but  take  heed 
Of  misinterpreting ; for  that,  instead 
Of  doing  good,  will  but  thyself  abuse ; 

By  misinterpreting  evil  ensues. 

Take  heed  also  that  thou  be  not  extreme 
In  playing  with  the  outside  of  my  dream : 

Nor  let  my  figure  or  similitude 
Put  thee  into  a laughter,  or  a feud  ; 

Leave  this  for  boys  and  fools ; but  as  for  thee, 

Po  I renounce  my  own  righteousness,  as  well  as  abhor 
my  sins?  Po  I look  to  Christ  alone  for  mercy,  and 
depend  only  on  him  for  holiness  ? Is  he  the  only 
hope  of  my  soul, and  the  only  confidence  of  my  heart? 
And  do  I desire  to  be  found  in  him,  knowing  by  tho 
word,  and  feoling  by  the  teaching  of  his  Spirit,  that 
I am  totally  lost  in  myself?  Thus  is  Christ  formed 
in  ino,,tho  only  hope  of  glory?  Po  I study  to  pleaso 


Do  thou  the  substance  of  my  matter  see, 

Put  by  the  curtains,  look  within  my  veil, 

Turn  up  my  metaphors,  and  do  not  foil ; 

There,  if  thou  seekestthem,  such  things  thou’ltfmd, 
As  will  be  helpful  to  an  honest  mind. 

What  of  my  dross  thou  findest  here,  be  bold 
To  throw  away,  but  yet  preserve  the  gold. 

What  if  my  gold  be  wrapped  up  in  ore  ? 

None  throw  away  the  apple  for  the  core. 

But  if  thou  shalt  cast  all  away  as  vain, 

I know  not  but  ’twill  make  me  dream  again. 

him,  as  well  as  hope  to  enjoy  him?  Is  fellowship 
with  God  the  Father,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  so 
prized  by  me,  as  to  seek  it  and  esteem  it  above  all 
things  ? If  so,  though  I may  find  all  things  in  nature, 
in  the  world,  and  from  Satan,  continually  opposing 
this,  yet  I am  in  Christ  the  way,  and  he  is  in  me  the 
truth  and  the  life.  I am  one  with  him,  and  he  is  one 
with  me. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 

PART  II. 

WHEREIN  IS  SET  FORTH  THE  MANNER  OF  THE  SETTING  OUT  OF 

CHRISTIAN’S  WIFE  AND  CHILDREN; 

THEIR  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY  AND  SAFE  ARRIVAL  AT  THE  DESIRED  COUNTRY. 


THE  AUTHOR’S  PREFACE 

TO  TIIE  SECOND  PART. 


Go  now,  my  little  book,  to  every  place, 

Where  my  First  Pilgrim  has  but  shown  his  face; 
Call  at  their  door;  if  any  say,  Who’s  there? 

Then  answer  thou,  Christiana  is  here. 

If  they  hid  thee  come  in,  then  enter  thou, 

With  all  thy  hoys  ; and  then,  as  thou  knowest  how, 
Tell  who  they  are,  also  from  whence  they  came ; 
\ Perhaps  they  know  them  by  their  looks  or  name ; 
But  if  they  should  not,  ask  them  yet  again, 

If  formerly  they  did  not  entertain 
One  Christian,  a Pilgrim  ? If  they  say 
They  did,  and  were  delighted  in  his  way, 

Then  let  them  know,  that  these  related  were 
Unto  him ; yea,  his  wife  and  children  are. 

Tell  them,  that  they  have  left  their  house  and 
home, 

Are  turned  Pilgrims ; seek  a world  to  come ; 

That  they  have  met  with  hardships  in  the  way  ; 
That  they  do  meet  with  troubles  night  and  day : 
That  they  have  trod  on  serpents,  fought  with 
devils ; 

Have  also  overcome  a many  evils. 

Yea,  tell  them  also  of  the  next  who  have, 

Of  love  to  pilgrimage  been  stout  and  brave 
Defenders  of  that  way ; and  how  they  still 
Refuse  this  world,  to  do  their  Father’s  will. 

Go  tell  them  also  of  those  dainty  things, 

That  pilgrimage  unto  the  Pilgrim  brings : 

Let  them  acquainted  be  too,  how  they  are 
Beloved  of  their  King,  under  his  care ; 

What  goodly  mansions  he  for  them  provides, 
Though  they  meet  with  rough  winds  and  swelling 
tides ; 

How  brave  a calm  they  will  enjoy  at  last, 

Who  to  the  Lord,  and  to  his  ways  hold  fast. 


Perhaps  with  heart  and  hand  they  will  embrace 
Thee,  as  they  did  my  firstling,  and  will  grace 
Thee  and  thy  fellows  with  such  cheer  and  fare, 

As  show  well  they  of  Pilgrims  lovers  are. 

OBJECTION  I. 

But  how,  if  they  will  not  believe  of  me 
That  I am  truly  thine ; ’cause  some  there  be 
That  counterfeit  the  Pilgrim  and  his  name, 

Seek,  by  disguise,  to  seem  the  very  same ; 

And,  by  that  means,  have  brought  themselves 
into 

The  hands  and  houses  of  I know  not  who. 
ANSWER. 

’Tis  true,  some  have,  of  late,  to  counterfeit 
My  Pilgrim,  to  their  own  my  title  set ; 

Yea,  others  half  my  name,  and  title  too, 

Have  stitched  to  their  books,  to  make  them  do ; 
But  yet  they,  by  their  features,  do  declare 
Themselves  not  mine  to  be,  whose  e’er  they  are. 

If  such  thou  meet? st  with,  then  thine  only  way 
Before  them  all,  is  to  say  out  thy  say 
In  thine  own  native  language,  which  no  man 
Row  usetli,  or  with  ease  dissemble  can. 

If,  after  all,  they  still  of  you  shall  doubt, 
Thinking  that  you  like  gypsies  go  about, 

In  nauglity-wise,  the  country  to  defile  ; 

Or  that  you  seek  good  people  to  beguile 
With  things  unwarrantable,  send  for  me, 

And  I will  testify  you  Pilgrims  be ; 

Yea,  I will  testify  that  only  you 
My  Pilgrims  are,  and  that  alone  will  do. 

173 


174 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


OBJECTION  II. 

But  yet,  perhaps,  I may  inquire  for  him, 

Of  those  who  wish  him  damned  life  and  limb : 

What  shall  I do,  when  I at  such  a door 

For  Pilgrims  ask,  and  they  shall  rage  the  more  ? 

ANSWER. 

Fright  not  thyself,  my  book  ; for  such  bug-bears 
Are  nothing  else  but  ground  for  groundless  fears ; 
My  Pilgrim’s  book  has  travelled  sea  and  land, 

Yet  could  I never  come  to  understand 
That  it  was  slighted  or  turn’d  out  of  door, 

By  any  kingdom,  were  they  rich  or  poor. 

In  France  and  Flanders,  where  men  kill  each 
other, 

My  Pilgrim  is  esteem’d  a friend,  a brother. 

In  Holland  too,  ’tis  said,  as  I am  told, 

My  Pilgrim  is,  with  some,  worth  more  than  gold ; 
Highlanders  and  wild  Irish  can  agree 
My  Pilgrim  should  familiar  with  them  be. 

’Tis  in  New  England  under  such  advance, 
Receives  there  so  much  loving  countenance, 

As  to  be  trimm’d,  new  cloth’ d,  and  deck’d  with 
gems, 

That  it  may  show  its  features  and  its  limbs. 

Yet  more;  so  comely  doth  my  Pilgrim  walk, 

That  of  him  thousands  daily  sing  and  talk. 

If  you  draw  nearer  home,  it  will  appear, 

My  Pilgrim  knows  no  ground  of  shame  or  fear : 
City  and  country  will  him  entertain, 

With,  Welcome,  Pilgrim  ; yea,  they  can’t  refrain 
From  smiling,  if  my  Pilgrim  be  but  by, 

Or  shows  his  head  in  any  company. 

Brave  gallants  do  my  Pilgrim  hug  and  love, 
Esteem  it  much  : yea,  value  it  above 
Things  of  a greater  bulk ; yea,  with  delight 
Say,  my  lark’s  leg  is  better  than  a kite. 

Young  ladies,  and  young  gentlemen  too, 

Do  no  small  kindness  to  my  Pilgrim  show : 

Their  cabinets,  their  bosoms,  and  their  hearts, 

My  Pilgrim  has,  ’cause  he  to  them  imparts 
His  pretty  riddles,  in  such  wholesome  strains, 

As  yields  them  profit  double  to  their  pains 
Of  reading ; yea,  I think  I may  be  bold 
To  say,  some  prize  him  far  above  their  gold. 

The  very  children  that  do  walk  the  street, 

If  they  do  but  my  holy  Pilgrim  meet, 

Salute  him  will ; will  wish  him  well  and  say, 

He  is  the  only  stripling  of  the  day. 

They  that  have  never  seen  him,  yet  admire 
What  they  have  heard  of  him,  and  much  desire 
To  have  his  company,  and  hear  him  tell 
Those  pilgrim  stories  which  he  knows  so  well. 

Yea,  some  that  did  not  love  him  at  the  first, 

But  call’d  him  fool  and  noddy,  say  they  must, 
Now  they  have  seen  and  heard  him,  him  com- 
mend, 


And  to  those  whom  they  love,  they  do  him  send. 
Wherefore,  my  Second  Part,  thou  need’st  not 
be 

Afraid  to  show  thy  head  : none  can  hurt  thee, 
That  wish  but  well  to  him  that  went  before : 
’Cause  thou  com’st  after  with  a second  store 
Of  things  as  good,  as  rich,  as  profitable, 

For  young,  for  old,  for  stagg’ring,  and  for  stable. 

OBJECTION  III. 

But  some  there  be  that  say,  he  laughs  too  loud ; 
And  some  do  say,  his  head  is  in  a cloud, 

Some  say,  his  words  and  stories  are  so  dark, 

They  know  not  how  by  them  to  find  his  mark. 

ANSWER. 

One  may  (I  think)  say,  both  his  laughs  and 
cries 

May  well  be  guess’d  at  by  his  wat’ry  eyes. 

Some  things  are  of  that  nature  as  to  make 
One’s  fancy  chuckle  while  his  heart  doth  ache ; 
When  Jacob  saw  his  Rachel  with  the  sheep, 

He  did  at  the  same  time  both  kiss  and  weep. 

Whereas  some  say,  A cloud  is  in  llis  head, 

That  doth  but  show  his  wisdom’s  covered 
With  his  own  mantle ; and  to  stir  the  mind 
To  search  well  after  what  it  fain  would  find, 
Things  that  seem  to  be  hid  in  words  obscure, 

Do  but  the  godly  mind  the  more  allure, 

To  study  what  those  sayings  should  contain, 

That  speak  to  us  in  such  a cloudy  strain. 

I also  know,  a dark  similitude 
Will  on  the  curious  fancy  more  intrude, 

And  will  stick  faster  in.  the  heart  and  head, 

Than  things  from  similes  not  borrowed. 

Wherefore,  my  Book,  let  no  discouragement 
Hinder  thy  travels  : behold  ! thou  art  sent 
To  friends,  not  foes;  to  friends  that  will  give 
place 

To  thee,  thy  Pilgrims,  and  thy  words  embrace. 

Besides,  what  my  first  Pilgrim  left  conceal’d, 
Thou,  my  brave  second  Pilgrim,  hast  reveal’d : 
What  Christian  left  lock’d  up,  and  went  his  way, 
Sweet  Christiana  opens  with  her  key. 

OBJECTION  IV. 

But  some  love  not  the  method  of  your  first : 
Romance  they  count  it,  throw’t  away  as  dust. 

If  I should  meet  with  such,  what  should  I say  ? 
Must  I slight  them  as  they  slight  me,  or  nay  ? 

ANSWER. 

My  Christiana,  if  with  such  thou  meet, 

By  all  means,  in  all  loving  wise,  them  greet ; 
Render  them  not  reviling  for  revile; 


TIIE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


But  if  they  frown,  I pr’ythec  on  them  smile ; 
Perhaps  ’tis  nature,  or  some  ill  report, 

Has  made  them  thus  despise,  or  thus  retort. 

Some  love  no  fish,  some  love  no  cheese;  and 
some 

Love  not  their  friends,  nor  their  own  house  or 
home ; 

Some  start  at  pig,  slight  chicken,  love  not  fowl, 
More  than  they  love  a cuckoo  or  an  owl. 

Leave  such,  my  Christiana,  to  their  choice, 

And  seek  those  who  to  find  thee  will  rejoice: 

Bv  no  means  strive,  but  in  most  humble  wise, 
Present  thee  to  them  in  thy  Pilgrim’s  guise. 

Go  then,  my  little  Book,  and  show  to  all 
That  entertain,  and  bid  thee  welcome  shall, 

What  thou  slialt  keep  close  shut  up  from  the  rest: 
And  wish  that  thou  shalt  show  them  may  be  blcss’d 
To  them  for  good,  and  make  them  choose  to  be 
Pilgrims  by  better  far  than  thee  and  me. 

Go  then,  I say,  tell  all  men  who  thou  art, 

Say,  I am  Christiana,  and  my  part 
Is  now  with  my  four  sons,  to  tell  you  what 
It  is  for  men  to  take  a Pilgrim’s  lot. 

Go,  also,  tell  them  who  and  what  they  be 
That  now  do  go  on  pilgrimage  with  thee ; 

Say,  Here’s  my  neighbour  Mercy ; she  is  one 
That  has  long  time  with  me  a pilgrim  gone : 
Come,  see  her  in  her  virgin  face,  and  learn 
’Twixt  idle  ones  and  Pilgrims  to  discern. 

Yea,  let  young  damsels  learn  of  her  to  prize 
The  world  which  is  to  come,  in  any  wise. 

When  little  tripping  maidens  follow  God, 

And  leave  old  doating  sinners  to  his  rod, 

’Tis  like  those  days,  wherein  the  young  ones  cried, 
Hosanna  ! when  the  old  ones  did  deride. 

Next,  tell  them  of  old  Honest,  whom  you  found, 
With  his  white  hairs,  treading  the  Pilgrim’s 
ground ; 

Yea,  tell  them  how  plain-hearted  this  man  was ; 
How  after  his  good  Lord  he  bare  the  cross. 
Perhaps  with  some  grey  head  this  may  prevail 
With  Christ  to  fall  in  love,  and  sin  bewail. 

Tell  them  also,  how  Mr.  Fearing  went 
On  pilgrimage ; and  how  the  time  he  spent 
In  solitariness,  with  fears  and  cries ; 

And  how,  at  last,  he  won  the  joyful  prize. 


175 

He  was  a good  man  though  much  down  in  spirit; 
lie  is  a good  man,  and  doth  life  inherit. 

Tell  them  of  Mr.  Fceblc-mind  also, 

Who  not  before,  but  still  behind  would  go: 

Show  them  also,  how  he’d  like  (’have  been  slain, 
And  how  one  Great-heart  did  his  life  regain. 

This  man  was  true  of  heart,  though  weak  in  grace; 
One  might  true  godliness  read  in  his  face. 

Then  tell  them  of  Mr.  Heady-to-halt, 

A man  with  crutches,  but  much  without  fault : 
Tell  them  how  Mr.  Feeble-mind  and  he 
Did  love,  and  in  opinion  much  agree ; 

And  let  all  know,  though  weakness  was  their 
chance, 

Yet  sometimes  one  could  sing,  the  other  dance. 

Forget  not  Mr.  Valiant-for-the-truth, 

That  man  of  courage,  though  a very  youth. 

Tell  every  one  his  spirit  was  so  stout 
No  one  could  ever  make  him  face  about ; 

And  how  Great-heart  and  he  could  not  forbear 
But  pull  down  Doubting  Castle,  slay  Despair. 

Overlook  not  Mr.  Despondency, 

Nor  Much-afraid,  his  daughter,  though  they  lie 
Under  such  mantles  as  may  make  them  look 
(With  some)  as  if  their  God  had  them  forsook. 
They  softly  went,  but  sure;  and  at  the  end, 
Found  that  the  Lord  of  Pilgrims  was  their  friend. 
When  thou  hast  told  the  world  of  all  these 
things, 

Then  turn  about,  my  Book,  and  touch  these  strings, 
Which  if  but  touched,  will  such  music  make, 
They’ll  make  a cripple  dance,  a giant  quake. 

Those  riddles  that  lie  couch’d  within  thy  breast, 
Freely  propound,  expound,  and  for  the  rest 
Of  my  mysterious  lines,  let  them  remain 
For  those  whose  nimble  fancies  shall  them  gain. 

Now  may  this  little  book  a blessing  be 
To  those  who  love  this  little  Book  and  me, 

And  may  its  buyer  have  no  cause  to  say, 

His  money  is  but  lost  or  thrown  away. 

Yrea,  may  this  second  Pilgrim  yield  that  fruit 
As  may  with  each  good  Pilgrim’s  fancy  suit, 

And  may  it  some  persuade  that  go  astray, 

To  turn  their  feet  and  heart  to  the  right  way, 

Is  the  hearty  prayer  of  the  Author, 
JOHN  BUNYAN. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


PART  II. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Christiana,  with  her  jour  Sons  and  a Neighbour,  sets  out  on  Pilgrimage. 


Courteous  Companions  : 

Some  time  since,  to  tell  you  a dream  that  I 
had  of  Christian  the  Pilgrim,*  and  of  his  dan- 
gerous journey  towards  the  Celestial  Country, 
was  pleasant  to  me  and  profitable  to  you.  I 
told  you  then  also  what  I saw  concerning  his 
wife  and  children,  and  how  unwilling  they 
were  to  go  with  him  on  pilgrimage : insomuch 
that  he  was  forced  to  go  on  his  progress  with- 
out them ; for  he  durst  not  run  the  danger  of 
that  destruction,  which  he  feared  would  come 
by  staying  with  them  in  the  city  of  Destruc- 
tion : wherefore,  as  I then  showed  you,  he  left 
them,  and  departed. 

Now  it  has  so  happened,  through  the  mul- 
tiplicity of  business,  that  I have  been  much 
hindered  and  kept  back  from  my  wonted 
travels  into  those  parts  where  he  went,  and  so 
could  not,  till  now,  obtain  an  opportunity  to 
make  further  inquiry  after  whom  he  left  be- 
hind, that  I might  give  you  an  account  of 
them.  But  having  had  some  concerns  that 
way  of  late,  I went  down  again  thitherward. 
Now,  having  taken  up  my  lodging  in  a wood, 
about  a mile  off  the  place,  as  I slept  I dreamed 
again. 

And,  as  I was  in  my  dream,  behold  an  aged 
gentleman  came  by  where  I lay  ; and  because 
he  was  to  go  some  part  of  the  way  that  I was 

* Though  the  second  part  of  the  Pilgrim’s  Progress 
will  not  strike  the  reader  with  the  novelty  of  the  first, 
because  the  same  scenes  are  repeated  ; yet  they  are 
presented  with  such  agreeable  variations,  as  make  it 
an  equal  source  of  profit  and  delight.  The  author  ex- 
plains in  this  part,  what  was  left  more  dark  in  the 
first,  as  he  tells  us  in  his  Preface.  On  this  account 
the  Explanatory  Notes  will  be  brief  on  those  parts 
already  noticed,  while  the  newer  matter  will  be  more 
176 


travelling,  methought  I got  up  and  went  with 
him.  So,  as  we  walked,  and  as  travellers  usu- 
ally do,  I was  as  if  we  fell  into  a discourse, 
and  our  talk  happened  to  be  about  Christian 
and  his  travels  : for  thus  I began  with  the  old 
man : 

Sir,  said  I,  what  town  is  that  there  below, 
that  lieth  on  the  left  hand  of  our  way  ? 

Then  said  Mr.  Sagacity,  (for  that  was  his 
name,)  It  is  the  city  of  Destruction,  a popu- 
lous place,  but  possessed  with  a very  ill-con- 
ditioned and  idle  sort  of  people. 

I thought  that  was  that  city,  quoth  I;  I 
went  once  myself  through  that  town;  and 
therefore  I know  that  this  report  you  give  of 
it  is  true. 

Sagacity.  Too  true ! I wish  I could  speak 
truth  in  speaking  better  of  them  that  dwell 
therein. 

Well,  sir,  quoth  I,  then  I perceive  you  to  be 
a well-meaning  man,  and  so  one  that  takes 
pleasure  to  hear  and  tell  of  that  which  is  good: 
pray  did  you  never  hear  what  happened  to  a 
man  some  time  ago  in  this  town,  (whose  name 
was  Christian,)  that  went  on  a pilgrimage  up 
towards  the  higher  regions  ? 

Sagacity.  Hear  of  him  ! Ay,  and  I also 
heard  of  the  molestations,  troubles,  wars,  cap- 
tivities, cries,  groans,  frights,  and  fears,  that  he 

largely  improved.  The  second  part  is  peculiarly 
adapted  to  direct  and  encourage  female  Christians 
and  young  persons;  and  it  is  hoped,  will  be  particu- 
larly attended  to  by  such.  It  is  perhaps  needless  to 
remark,  that  no  reasonable  doubt  can  be  entertained 
as  to  the  authenticity  of  this  work  : Mr.  Bunj'an  can- 
not be  imitated:  and  the  sweet  simplicity  that  cha- 
racterizes the  first  part,  is  equally  obvious  in  the 
second. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


177 


met  with  and  had  on  his  journey.  Besides,  I 
must  tell  you,  all  our  country  rings  of  him  ; 
there  arc  but  few  houses,  that  have  heard  of 
him  and  his  doings,  but  have  sought  after 
and  got  the  records  of  his  pilgrimage:  yea,  I 
think  I may  say,  that  this  hazardous  journey 
has  got  many  well-wishers  to  his  ways;  for, 
though  when  he  was  here,  he  was  fool  in  every 
man’s  mouth,  yet  now  he  is  gone,  he  is  highly 
commended  of  all.  For  it  is  said  he  lives 
bravely  where  lie  is:  yea,  many  of  them  that 
are  resolved  never  to  run  his  hazards,  yet  have 
their  mouths  water  at  his  gains.* 

They  may,  quoth  I,  well  think,  if  they  think 
any  thing  that  is  true,  that  he  liveth  well  where 
he  is ; for  lie  now  lives  at  and  in  the  Fountain 
of  life,  and  has  what  he  has  without  labour 
and  sorrow ; for  there  is  no  grief  mixed  there- 
with. But  pray,  what  talk  have  the  people 
about  him? 

Sagacity.  Talk ! the  people  talk  strangely 
about  him ; some  say,  that  he  now  walks  in 
white,  (Rev.  iii.  4;  vi.  11;)  that  he  has  a 
chain  of  gold  about  his  neck ; that  he  has  a 
crown  of  gold,  beset  with  pearls,  upon  his 
head : others  say,  that  the  shining  ones  that 
sometimes  showed  themselves  to  him  in  his 
journey,  arc  become  his  companions,  and  that 
he  is  as  familiar  with  them  in  the  place  where 
he  is,  as  here  one  neighbour  is  with  another. 
Zecli.  iii.  7.  Besides,  it  is  confidently  affirmed 
concerning  him,  that  the  King  of  the  place 
where  he  is,  has  bestowed  upon  him  already  a 
very  rich  and  pleasant  dwelling  at  court,  and 
that  he  every  day  eateth,  and  drinketh,  and 
walketh,  and  talketh  with  him,  and  receiveth 
the  smiles  and  favours  of  him  that  is  Judge  of 
all  there.  Moreover,  it  is  expected  of  some, 
that  his  Prince,  the  Lord  of  that  country,  will 
shortly  come  into  these  parts,  and  will  know 
the  reason,  if  they  can  give  any,  why  his 
neighbours  set  so  little  by  him,  and  had  him  so 
much  in  derision,  when  they  perceived  that  he 
would  be  a pilgrim.  Jude  15. 

For  they  say,  that  now  he  is  so  in  the  af- 
fections of  his  Prince,f  and  that  his  Sovereign 
is  so  much  concerned  with  the  indignities  that 


* This  is  quito  natural  and  very  common.  The 
men  of  this  world  will  canonize  those  for  saints  when 
dead  whom  they  stigmatized  with  the  vilest  names  when 
living.  Oh  let  us  leave  our  characters  to  Him  who  died 
for  our  sins,  and  to  whom  we  can  commit  our  souls. 

| Christian’s  King  will  take  Christian’s  part.  0 
pilgrim,  write  this  upon  the  table  of  thine  heart,  and 
read  it  every  step  of  thy  journey. 

J Mark  this  well.  No  matter  what  profession  we 
12 


were  cast  upon  Christian  when  he  became  a 
pilgrim,  that  he  will  look  upon  all  as  if  done 
to  himself:  and  no  marvel,  for  it  was  for  the 
love  that  he  had  to  his  Prince  that  he  ven- 
tured as  he  did. J Luke  x.  16. 

I dare  say,  quoth  I — I am  glad  of  it ; I am 
glad  for  the  poor  man’s  sake,  for  that  now  he 
has  rest  from  his  labour,  (Rev.  xiv.  13,)  and 
for  that  now  he  reaps  the  benefits  of  his  tears 
with  joy,  (Ps.  exxvi.  5,  6.)  and  for  that  he  has 
got  beyond  the  gun-shot  of  his  enemies,  and  is 
out  of  the  reach  of  them  that  hate  him.  I 
also  am  glad,  for  that  a rumour  of  these  things 
is  noised  abroad  in  this  country ; who  can  tell 
but  that  it  may  work  some  good  effect  on  some 
that  are  left  behind?  But  pray,  sir,  while  it  is 
fresh  in  my  mind,  do  you  hear  any  thing  of 
his  wife  and  children  ? Poor  hearts!  I won- 
der in  my  mind  what  they  do. 

Sagacity.  Who?  Christiana  and  her  sons? 
They  are  like  to  do  as  well  as  did  Christian 
himself;  for  though  they  all  played  the  fool  at 
first,  and  would  by  no  means  be  persuaded  by 
either  the  tears  or  entreaties  of  Christian,  yet 
second  thoughts  have  wrought  wonderfully 
with  them:  so  they  have  packed  up,  and  are 
also  gone  after  him. || 

Better  and  better,  quoth  I : but  what ! wife, 
and  children,  and  all  ? 

Sagacity.  It  is  true : I can  give  you  an  ac- 
count of  the  matter,  for  I was  upon  the  spot  at 
the  instant,  and  was  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  whole  affair. 

Then,  said  I,  a man  may  report  it  for  the 
truth  ? 

Sagacity.  You  need  not  fear  to  affirm  it;  I 
mean  that  they  are  all  gone  on  pilgrimage, 
both  the  good  woman  and  her  four  boys.  And 
being  we  are,  as  I perceive,  going  some  con- 
siderable way  together,  I will  give  you  an  ac- 
count of  the  whole  matter. 

This  Christiana,  (for  that  was  her  name 
from  the  day  that  she  with  her  children  be- 
took themselves  to  a pilgrim’s  life,)  after  her 
husband  was  gone  over  the  river,  and  sbe  could 
hear  of  him  no  more,  her  thoughts  began  to 
work  in  her  mind.  First,  for  that  she  had  lost 


make,  if  the  love  of  Christ  be  not  its  foundation.  All 
is  nothing  without  this  love.  It  is  this  love  in  the 
heart,  that,  like  oil  in  the  lamp,  keeps  the  profession 
of  Christ  burning  bright. 

||  Though  moral  persuasions,  and  all  the  affectionate 
arguments  from  a tender  husband  or  an  affectionate 
parent,  may  appear  to  prove  ineffectual  for  the  present, 
yet  let  us  not  neglect  our  duty,  but  be  earnest  in  it, 
and  leave  the  event  to  sovereign  grace. 


178 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


her  husband,  and  for  that  the  loving  bond  of 
that  relation  was  utterly  broken  betwixt  them. 
For  you  know,  said  lie  to  me,  nature  can  do 
no  less  but  entertain  the  living  with  many  a 
heavy  cogitation,  in  the  remembrance  of  the 
loss  of  loving  relations.  This,  therefore,  of  her 
husband,  did  cost  her  many  a tear.  But  this 
was  not  all ; for  Christiana  did  also  begin  to 
consider  with  herself,  whether  her  unbecoming 
behaviour  towards  her  husband  was  not  one 
cause  that  she  saw  him  no  more ; and  that  in 
such  sort  he  was  taken  away  from  her.  And 
upon  this  came  into  her  mind  by  swarms,  all 
her  unkind,  unnatural,  and  ungodly  carriage 
to  her  dear  friend ; which  also  clogged  her 
conscience,  and  did  load  her  with  guilt.  She 
was  moreover,  much  broken  with  calling  to 
remembrance  the  restless  groans,  the  brinish 
tears,  and  self-bemoaning  of  her  husband,  and 
how  she  did  harden  her  heart  against  all  his 
entreaties  and  loving  persuasions  of  her  and 
her  sons  to  go  with  him;  yea,  there  was  not 
any  thing  that  Christian  either  said  to  her  or 
did  before  her,  all  the  while  that  his  burden 
did  hang  on  his  back,  but  it  returned  upon 
her  like  a flash  of  lightning,  and  rent  the  caul 
of  her  heart  in  sunder;  especially  that  bitter 
outcry  of  his,  “ What  shall  I do  to  be  saved  ?” 
did  ring  in  her  ears  most  dolefully.* 

Then  said  she  to  her  children,  “Sons,  we 
are  all  undone.  I have  sinned  away  your 
father,  and  he  is  gone : he  would  have  had 
us  with  him,  but  I would  not  go  myself:  I 
also  have  hindered  you  of  life.”  With  that 
the  boys  fell  into  tears,  and  cried  to  go  after 
their  father.  “ Oh  !”  said  Christiana,  “ that  it 
had  been  but  our  lots  to  go  with  him ; then  it 
had  fared  well  with  us,  beyond  what  it  is  like 
to  do  now.  For  though  I formerly  foolishly 
imagined  concerning  the  troubles  of  your 
father,  that  they  proceeded  of  a foolish  fancy 
that  he  had,  or  for  that  he  was  overrun  with 
melancholy  humours ; yet  now  it  will  not  out 
of  my  mind,  but  that  they  sprang  from  an- 
other cause;  to  wit,  for  that  the  light  of  life 


* Here  see,  what  those  who  cruelly  and  unkindly 
treat  their  godly  relations  and  friends  on  account 
of  their  religion,  must  come  to  feel,  in  the  bitterness 
of  their  spirit,  and  groan  under  in  the  sorrow  of  their 
soul,  if  ever  the  Lord  grants  them  repentance  unto  life. 

f Is  it  any  marvel,  that  a quickened,  enlightened 
sinner  should  be  judged  by  those  around  him,  who 
are  yet  dead  in  their  sins,  to  be  full  of  whims  and 
melancholy?  No;  it  is  very  natural  for  them  to 
think  us  fools  and  mad;  but  we  know  that  they 
really  are  so. 


was  given  him,  (John  viii.  12;)  by  the  help 
of  which,  as  I perceive,  he  has  escaped  the 
snares  of  death.”  f Then  they  wept  all 
again,  and  cried  out,  “ Oh ! woe  worth  the 
day !” 

The  next  night  Christiana  had  a dream ; 
and  behold  she  saw  as  if  a broad  parchment 
was  opened  before  her,  in  w'hicli  were  re- 
corded the  sum  of  her  ways;  and  the  crimes, 
as  she  thought,  looked  very  black  upon  her. 
Fhen  she  cried  out  aloud  in  her  sleep,  “ Lord, 
have  mercy  upon  me  a sinner,”  J (Luke  xviii. 
13 :)  and  the  little  children  heard  her. 

After  this,  she  thought  she  saw  two  very 
ill-favoured  ones  standing  by  her  bed  side, 
and  saying,  “ What  shall  we  do  with  this 
woman  ? for  she  cries  out  for  mercy  waking 
and  sleeping : if  she  be  suffered  to  go  on  as 
she  begins,  we  shall  lose  her  as  we  have  lost 
her  husband.  Wherefore  we  must,  by  some 
way,  seek  to  take  her  off  from  the  thoughts 
of  what  shall  be  hereafter,  else  all  the  world 
cannot  help  but  she  will  become  a pilgrim.” 

Now  she  awoke  in  a great  agony;  also  a 
trembling  was  upon  her ; but  after  a while  she 
fell  to  sleeping  again.  And  then  she  thought 
she  saw  Christian  her  husband  in  a place  of 
bliss,  among  many  immortals,  with  an  harp  in 
his  hand,  standing  and  playing  upon  it  before 
One  that  sat  on  a throne,  with  a rainbow  about 
his  head.  She  saw  also,  as  if  he  bowed  his 
head  with  his  face  towards  the  paved  work 
that  was  under  his  Prince’s  feet,  saying,  “ I 
heartily  thank  my  Lord  and  King  for  bring- 
ing me  into  this  place.”  Then  shouted  a com- 
pany of  them  that  stood  round  about,  and 
harped  with  their  harps:  but  no  man  living 
could  tell  what  they  said  but  Christian  and 
his  companions. 

Next  morning,  when  she  was  up,  had  prayed 
to  God,  and  talked  with  her  children  awhile, 
one  knocked  hard  at  the  door  ; to  whom  she 
spoke  out,  saying,  “ If  thou  comest  in  God’s 
name,  come  in.”  So  he  said,  “ Amen  ;”  and 
opened  the  door,  and  saluted  her  with,  “ Peace 


I This  is  the  very  first  cry  of  an  awakened  sinner, 
mercy  for  the  lost  and  miserable;,  and  no  sooner  are 
the  sinner’s  eyes  opened  to  see  his  ruined,  desperate 
state,  and  to  cry  for  mercy,  but  the  god  of  this  world, 
who  hitherto  had  blinded  the  eyes,  and  kept  the  heart 
secure  by  presumption,  now  opposes  the  sinner’s  prog- 
ress to  a throne  of  grace,  to  a God  of  mercy,  and  to 
the  Saviour  of  the  lost.  Satan  does  not  easily  part 
with  his  prey.  But  Jesus,  the  strong  man  armed 
with  almighty  power  and  everlasting  love,  will  con- 
quer and  cast  him  out. 


TIIE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


170 


on  tli is  house.”  The  which  when  he  had 
done,  lie  said,  “Christiana,  knowest  thou 
wherefore  I am  come?”  Then  she  blushed 
and  trembled;  also  her  heart  began  to  wax 
warm  with  desires  to  know  from  whence  he 
came,  and  what  his  errand  was  to  her.  So  he 
said  unto  her,  “My  name  is  Secret;*  I dwell 
with  those  that  are  high.  It  is  talked  of, 
where  I dwell,  as  if  thou  hadst  a desire  to  go 
thither:  also  there  is  a report,  that  thou  art 
aware  of  the  evil  thou  hast  formerly  done  to 
thy  husband,  in  hardening  of  thy  heart  against 
his  way,  and  in  keeping  of  these  babes  in  their 
ignorance.  Christiana,  the  Merciful  One  has 
sent  me  to  tell  thee,  that  he  is  a God  ready  to 
forgive,  and  that  he  taketh  delight  to  multiply 
the  pardon  of  offences.  He  also  would  have 
thee  to  know  that  he  inviteth  thee  to  come 
into  his  presence,  to  his  table,  and  that  he 
will  feed  thee  with  the  fat  of  his  house,  and 
with  the  heritage  of  Jacob  thy  father. 

“There  is  Christian,  thy  husband  that  was, 
with  legions  more,  his  companions,  ever  be- 
holding that  face  that  doth  minister  life  to  the 
beholders : and  they  will  all  be  glad,  when 
they  shall  hear  the  sound  of  thy  feet  step  over 
thy  father’s  threshold.” 

Christiana  at  this  was  greatly  abashed  in  her- 
self, and  bowed  her  head  to  the  ground.  This 
Vision  proceeded,  and  said,  “ Christiana,  here 
is  also  a letter  for  thee,  which  I have  brought 
from  thy  husband’s  King ; ” so  she  took  it,  and 
opened  it,  but  it  smelt  after  the  manner  of  the 
best  perfume.  Sol.  Song  i.  3.  Also  it  was 
written  in  letters  of  gold.  The  contents  of  the 
letter  were  these:  “ that  the  King  would  have 
her  do  as  did  Christian  her  husband ; for  that 
was  the  only  way  to  come  to  his  city,  and  to 
dwell  in  his  presence  with  joy  for  ever.”  At 
this  the  good  woman  was  quite  overcome : so 
she  cried  out  to  her  visitor,  “ Sir,  will  you  carry 
me  and  my  children  with  you,  that  we  may 
also  go  and  worship  the  King?” 

Then  said  the  visitor,  “ Christiana,  ‘ the  bit- 
ter is  before  the  sweet;’  thou  must  through 
troubles,  as  he  did  that  went  before  thee,  enter 
this  Celestial  City.  Wherefore  I advise  thee  to 
do  as  did  Christian  thy  husband:  go  to  the 

® The  fear  of  the  Lord  is.  tho  beginning  of  wis- 
dom,” (Ps.  cxi.  10;)  and  “ The  secret  of  the  Lord  is 
with  them  who  fear  him.”  Ps.  xxv.  It.  The  Spirit 
the  Comforter  never  convinces  tho  soul  of  sin,  but  lie 
also  revives  and  comforts  the  sincere  heart  with  glad 
tidings  of  freo  and  full  pardon  of  sin,  through  the 
blood  or  the  LAMB. 

| Says  our  Lord,  “ When  the  Spirit  is  come,  he  shall 


Wicket-gate  yonder  over  the  plain ; for  that 
stands  in  the  head  of  the  way  up  which  thou 
must  go,  and  I wish  thee  good  speed.  Also  I 
advise  thee  that  thou  [Hit  this  letter  in  thy 
bosom ; that  thou  read  therein  to  thyself,  and 
to  thy  children,  until  they  have  got  it  by  heart ; 
for  it  is  one  of  the  songs  that  thou  must  sing 
while  thou  art  in  this  house  of  thy  pilgrimage, 
(Ps.  cxix.  54;)  also  this  thou  must  deliver  in 
at  the  far  gate.”  f 

Now  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  this  old  gen- 
tleman, as  he  told  me  this  story,  did  himself 
seem  to  be  greatly  affected  therewith.  He 
moreover  proceeded,  and  said,  So  Christiana 
called  her  sons  together,  and  began  thus  to  ad- 
dress herself  unto  them : “ My  sons,  I have,  as 
you  may  perceive,  been  of  late  under  much 
exercise  in  my  soul  about  the  death  of  your 
father ; not  for  that  I doubt  at  all  of  his  hap- 
piness ; for  I am  satisfied  now  that  he  is  well. 
I have  been  also  much  affected  with  the 
thoughts  of  mine  own  estate  and  yours,  which 
I verily  believe  is  by  nature  miserable.  My 
carriage  also  to  your  father  in  his  distress  is  a 
great  load  to  my  conscience : for  I hardened 
both  my  heart  and  yours  against  him,  and  re- 
fused to  go  with  him  on  pilgrimage. 

“ The  thoughts  of  these  things  would  now 
kill  me  outright,  but  for  that  a dream  which  I 
had  last  night,  and  but  that  for  the  encourage- 
ment this  stranger  has  given  me  this  morning. 
Come,  my  children,  let  us  pack  up,  and  be  gene 
to  the  gate  that  leads  us  to  that  celestial  coun- 
try, that  we  may  see  your  father,  and  be  with 
him  and  his  companions  in  peace,  according  to 
the  laws  of  that  land.” 

Then  did  her  children  burst  out  into  tears, 
for  joy  that  the  heart  of  their  mother  was  so 
inclined.  So  the  visitor  bid  them  farewell ; 
and  they  began  to  prepare  to  set  out  for  their 
journey. 

But,  while  they  were’thus  about  to  be  gone, 
two  of  the  women  that  were  Christiana’s  neigh- 
bours came  up  to  her  house,  and  knocked  at 
her  door.  To  whom  she  said  as  before.  At 
this  the  women  were  stunned ; for  this  kind  of 
language  they  used  not  to  hear,  or  to  perceive 
to  drop  from  the  lips  of  Christiana.  J Yet  they 

testify  of  me — ho  shall  lead  you  into  all  truth — he 
shall  show  you  things  to  come.”  All  this  the  con- 
vinced sinner  finds  true  in  experience.  As  the  Spirit 
testifies  of  Christ,  so  he  leads  the  soul  to  Christ,  that 
he  may  be  the  sinner’s  only  hope,  salvation  and 
strength.  Thus  he  glorifies  Christ. 

J Reader,  stop  and  examine!  did  ever  any  of  your 
former  friends  and  carnal  acquaintances  take  know 


180 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


came  in : but,  beliold,  they  found  the  good  wo- 
man preparing  to  be  gone  from  her  house. 

So  they  began,  and  said,  “Neighbour,  pray 
what  is  your  meaning  by  this?” 

Christiana  answered,  and  said  to  the  eldest 
of  them,  whose  name  was  Mrs.  Timorous,  “ I 
am  preparing  for  a journey.”  (fljhis  Timorous 
was  daughter  to  him  that  met  Christian  upon 
the  hill  of  Difficulty,  and  would  have  had  him 
go  back  for  fear  of  the  lions.) 

Timorous.  For  what  journey,  I pray  you? 

Christiana.  Even  to  go  after  my  old  husband. 
And  with  that  she  fell  a weeping. 

Timorous.  I hope  not  so,  good  neighbour; 
pray,  for  your  poor  children’s  sake,  do  not  so 
unwomanly  cast  away  yourself. 

Christiana.  Nay,  my  children  shall  go  with 
me : not  one  of  them  is  willing  to  stay  behind. 

Timorous.  I wonder  in  my  heart,  what  or 
who  has  brought  you  into  this  mind ! 

Christiana.  Oh,  neighbour,  knew  you  but  as 
much  as  I do,  I doubt  not  but  that  you  would 
go  along  with  me. 

Timorous.  Pr’ythee,  what  new  knowledge 
hast  thou  got,  that  so  worketh  off  thy  mind 
from  thy  friends,  and  that  tempteth  thee  to  go 
nobody  knows  where? 

Then  Christiana  replied,  I have  been  sorely 
afflicted  since  my  husband’s  departure  from 
me ; but  especially  since  he  went  over  the  river. 
But  that  which  troubletli  me  most,  is  my  churl- 
ish carriage  to  him,  when  he  was  under  his 
distress.  Besides,  I am  now  as  he  was  then ; 
nothing  will  serve  me  but  going  on  pilgrimage. 
I was  a dreaming  last  night  that  I saw  him. 
Oh  that  my  soul  was  with  him ! He  dwelleth 
in  the  presence  of  the  King  of  the  country; 
he  sits  and  eats  with  him  at  bistable;  he  is 
become  a companions  of  immortals,  and  has  a 
house  now  given  him  to  dwell  in,  to  which  the 
best  palaces  on  earth,  if  compared,  seem  to  me 

ledge  of  a difference  in  your  language  and  conduct? 
Do  they  still  approve  of  you  as  well  as  ever?  What 
reason,  then,  have  you  to  think  yourself  a pilgrim  ? 
for  no  sooner  does  any  one  commence  a pilgrim,  but 
tha.  i,  ord  is  fulfilled,  “ For  then  I will  turn  to  the  peo- 
ple a pure  language.”  Zeph.  iii.  7.  If  the  heart  be 
ever  so  little  acquainted  with  the  Lord,  the  tongue  will 
discover  it,  and  the  carnal  and  profane  will  ridicule 
and  despise  you  for  it. 

* This  was  a letter  full  of  the  love  of  Jesus,  and  the 
precious  invitation  of  his  loving  heart  to  all  sinners  to 
come  unto  him,  as  recorded  in  this  blessed  word. 
Happy  sinners,  whose  eyes  are  opened  to  read  them  : 
but  this  the  world  calls  madness. 

t The  Lord,  who  quickens  us  by  his  Spirit,  and  calls 
us  by  his  word,  well  knows  the  carnal  enemies  who  will 


but  as  a dung-hill.  2 Cor.  v.  1-4.  The  Prince  of 
the  palace  has  also  sent  for  me,  with  promises 
of  entertainment,  if  I shall  come  to  him ; his 
messenger  was  here  even  now,  and  brought  me 
a letter,  which  invites  me  to  come.  And  with 
that  she  plucked  out  her  letter,  and  read  it,  and 
said  to  them,* *  What  now  will  you  say  to  this  ? 

Timorous.  Oh  the  madness  that  hath  pos- 
sessed thee  and  thy  husband ! to  run  yourself 
upon  such  difficulties ! You  have  heard,  I am 
sure,  what  your  husband  did  meet  with,  even 
in  a manner,  at  the  first  step  that  he  took  on 
his  way,  as  our  neighbour  Obstinate  can  yet 
testify,  for  he  went  along  with  him ; yea,  and 
Pliable  too,  until  they,  like  wise  men,  were 
afraid  to  go  any  further.  We  also  heard,  over 
and  above,  how  he  met  with  the  lions,  Apol- 
lyon,  the  Shadow  of  Death,  and  many  other 
things.  Nor  is  the  danger  that  he  met  with  at 
Vanity  Fair  to  be  forgotten  by  thee.  For  if 
he,  though  a man,  was  so  hard  put  to  it,  what 
canst  thou,  being  but  a poor  woman,  do  ? Con- 
sider also,  that  these  four  sweet  babes  are  thy 
children,  thy  flesh,  and  thy  bones.  Therefore, 
though  thou  shouldst  be  so  rash  as  to  cast  away 
thyself;  yet  for  the  sake  of  the  fruit  of  thy 
body,  keep  them  at  home.f 

But  Christiana  said  unto  her,  Tempt  me  not, 
my  neighbour : I have  now  a price  put  into  my 
hand  to  get  a gain,  and  I should  be  a fool  of 
the  greatest  sort,  if  I should  have  no  heart  to 
strike  in  with  the  opportunity.  And  for  that 
you  tell  me  of  all  these  troubles  that  I am  like 
to  meet  with  in  the  way,  they  are  so  far  from 
being  to  me  a discouragement,  that  they  show 
I am  in  the  right.  The  bitter  must  come  be- 
fore the  sweet,  and  that  also  will  make  the 
sweet  the  sweeter.  Wherefore,  since  you  came 
not  to  my  house  in  God’s  name,  as  I said,  I 
pray  you  be  gone,  and  do  not  disquiet  me  fur- 
ther. J 

oppose  our  progress  in  the  divine  life:  therefore  ho 
tells  us,  “If  thy  brother,  or  the  wife  of  thy  bosom,  or 
thy  friend,  which  is  as  thine  own  soul,  entice  thee  se- 
cretly from  the  Lord,  thou  shalt  not  hearken  unto  him,” 
Ac.  Deut.  xiii.  6.  Let  the  word  of  God  be  the  rule, 
and  Christiana’s  conduct  an  example  to  all  who  are 
setting  their  faces  Zion-ward.  Oh  beware  of  the  rea- 
soning of  the  flesh.  Dread  to  look  back.  Tremble  at 
the  thought  of  going  back;  for  the  Lord  hath  no 
pleasure  in  such.  Hob.  x.  3S. 

J That  is  right.  It  is  well  to  be  bold  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  with  those  who  seek  to  turn  us  away  from 
following  on  to  know  the  Lord;  for  nothing  less  than 
life  and  salvation,  or  death  and  damnation,  will  be  the 
issue  of  it.  0 pilgrims,  beware!  beware  of  parleying 
with  the  carnal.  Ever  remember,  you  have  a nature 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


181 


Then  Timorous  also  reviled  Iter,  and  said  to 
her  fellow,  “Come,  neighbour  Mercy,  let  us 
leave  her  in  her  own  hands,  since  she  scorns 
our  counsel  and  company.”  But  Mercy  was  at 
a stand,  and  could  not  so  readily  comply  with 
her  neighbour;  and  that  for  a two-fold  reason: 
1st.  Her  bowels  yearned  over  Christiana.  So 
she  said  within  herself,  “ If  my  neighbour  will 
needs  be  gone,  I will  go  a little  way  with  her, 
and  help  her.”  2dly.  Her  bowels  yearned 
over  her  own  soul ; for  what  Christiana  had 
said,  had  taken  some  hold  upon  her  mind. 
Wherefore  she  said  within  herself  again,  “I 
will  yet  have  more  talk  with  this  Christiana; 
and  if  I find  truth  and  life  in  what  she  shall 
say,  myself  with  my  heart  shall  also  go  with 
her.”  Wherefore  Mercy  began  thus  to  reply 
to  her  neighbour  Timorous. 

Mercy.  Neighbour,  I did  indeed  come  with 
you  to  see  Christiana  this  morning ; and,  since 
she  is,  as  you  see,  a taking  her  last  farewell  of 
the  country,  I think  to  walk  this  sunshiny 
morning  a little  with  her,  to  help  her  on  her 
way.  But  she  told  her  not  of  her  second  reason, 
but  kept  it  to  herself. 

Timorous.  Well,  I see  you  have  a mind  to  go 
a fooling  too : but  take  heed  in  time,  and  be 
wise ; while  we  are  out  of  danger,  we  are  out ; 
but  when  we  are  in,  we  are  in.  So  Mrs.  Tim- 
orous returned  to  her  house,  and  Christiana 
betook  herself  to  her  journey.*  But  when 
Timorous  was  got  home  to  her  house,  she  sends 
for  some  of  her  neighbours,  to  wit,  Mrs.  Bat’s- 
eyes,  Mrs.  Inconsiderate,  Mrs.  Light-mind,  and 
Mrs.  Know-nothing.  So,  when  they  were  come 
to  her  house,  she  falls  to  telling  the  story  of 
Christiana,  and  of  her  intended  journey.  And 
thus  she  began  her  tale : 

Neighbours,  having  but  little  to  do  this 
morning,  I went  to  give  Christiana  a visit; 
and  when  I came  at  the  door,  I knocked,  as 
you  know  it  is  our  custom : and  she  answered, 
“If  you  come  in  God’s  name,  come  in.”  So 
in  I went,  thinking  all  was  well : but,  when 
I came  in,  I found  her  preparing  herself  to 
depart  the  town : she,  and  also  her  children. 
So  I asked  her,  what  was  her  meaning  by  that? 
And  she  told  me  in  short,  that  she  was  now  of 
a mind  to  go  on  pilgrimage,  as  did  her  husband. 
She  told  me  also  a dream  that  she  had,  and 

prone  to  catch  the  falling  spark  from  their  flint  and 
steel,  and  tinder  about  you  ever  ready  to  take  the  fire. 

® Here  we  see  our  Lord’s  word  verified:  “The  one 
shall  be  taken  and  the  other  left.”  Matt.  xxiv.  41. 
Mercy  obeys  the  call — Timorous  perversely  rejects  it. 

■(■  Oh  how  do  such  carnal  wretches  sport  with  their 


how  the  King  of  the  country  where  her  hus- 
band was,  bad  sent  her  an  inviting  letter  to 
come  thither. 

Then  said  Mrs.  Know-nothing,  And  what, 
do  you  think  she  will  go? 

Timorous.  Ay,  go  she  will,  whatever  come 
on’t:  and  mcthinks,  I know  it  by  this;  for 
that  which  was  my  great  argument  to  persuade 
her  to  stay  at  home,  (to  wit,  the  troubles  she 
was  like  to  meet  with  in  the  way,)  is  one  great 
argument  with  her,  to  put  her  forward  cn  her 
journey.  For  she  told  me  in  so  many  words, 
“The  bitter  goes  before  the  sweet:  yea,  and 
forasmuch  as  it  doth,  it  makes  the  sweet  the 
sweeter.” 

Mrs.  Bat’s-eyes.  Oh  this  blind  and  foolish 
woman ! and  will  she  not  take  warning  by  her 
husband’s  afflictions?  For  my  part,  I see,  if 
he  were  here  again,  he  would  rest  him  content 
in  a whole  skin,  and  never  run  so  many  hazards 
for  nothing. 

Mrs.  Inconsiderate  also  replied,  saying,  Away 
with  such  fantastical  fools  from  the  town ; a 
good  riddance  for  my  part,  I say  of  her ; should 
she  stay  where  she  dwells,  and  retain  this  mind, 
who  could  live  quietly  by  her?  for  she  will 
either  be  dumpish  or  unneighbourly,  to  talk 
of  such  matters  as  no  wise  body  can  abide ; 
wherefore,  for  my  part,  I shall  never  be  sorry 
for  her  departure;  let  her  go,  and  let  better 
come  in  her  room:  it  was  never  a good  world 
since  these  whimsical  fools  dwelt  in  it.f 

Then  Mrs.  Light-mind  added  as  followeth : 
Come,  put  this  kind  of  talk  away.  I was  yes- 
terday at  Madam  Wanton’s,  where  we  were  as 
merry  as  the  maids.  For  who  do  you  think 
should  be  there,  but  I and  Mrs.  Love-the-flesh, 
and  three  or  four  more,  with  Mrs.  Lechery, 
Mrs.  Filth,  and  some  others : so  there  we  had 
music  and  dancing  and  what  else  was  meet  to 
fill  up  the  pleasure.  And,  I dare  say,  my  lady 
herself  is  an  admirable  well-bred  gentlewoman, 
and  Mr.  Lechery  is  as  pretty  a fellow. 

By  this  time  Christiana  was  got  on  her  way, 
and  Mercy  went  along  with  her : so,  as  they 
went,  her  children  being  there  also,  Christiana 
began  to  discourse.  “ And,  Mercy,”  said 
Christiana,  “ I take  this  as  an  unexpected  fa- 
vour, that  thou  shouldest  set  foot  out  of  doors 
with  me,  to  accompany  me  a little  in  my  way.” 

own  damnation,  while  they  despise  the  precious  truths 
of  God,  and  ridicule  his  people;  But  it  was  in  the  be- 
ginning, he  who  was  born  after  the  flesh  persecuted 
him  who  was  born  after  the  Spirit;  so  it  will  be  as 
long  as  the  seed  of  the  woman  and  the  seed  of  the 
serpent  are  upon  the  earth. 


182 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Then  said  young  Mercy,  (for  she  was  but 
young,)  If  I thought  it  would  be  to  purpose  to 
go  with  you,  I would  never  go  near  the  town. 

Well,  Mercy,  said  Christiana,  cast  in  thy 
lot  with  me ; I well  know  what  will  be  the  end 
of  our  pilgrimage : my  husband  is  where  he 
would  not  but  be  for  all  the  gold  in  the  Span- 
ish mines.  Nor  shalt  thou  be  rejected,  though 
thou  goest  but  upon  my  invitation.  The  King, 
who  hath  sent  for  me  and  my  children,  is  one 
that  delighteth  in  mercy.  Besides,  if  thou  wilt, 
I will  hire  thee,  and  thou  shalt  go  along  with 
me  as  my  servant.  Yet  we  will  have  all  things 
in  common  betwixt  thee  and  me ; only  go  along 
with  me.* 

Mercy.  But  how  shall  I be  ascertained  that 
I also  shall  be  entertained  ? Had  I this  hope 
from  one  that  can  tell,  I would  make  no  stick 
at  all,  but  would  go,  being  helped  by  him 
that  can  help,  though  the  way  was  never  so 
tedious. f 

Christiana.  Well,  loving  Mercy,  I will  tell 
thee  what  thou  shalt  do : go  with  me  to  the 
Wicket-gate,  and  there  I will  further  inquire 
for  thee;  and  if  there  thou  shalt  not  meet  with 
encouragement,  I will  be  content  that  thou 
shalt  return  to'  thy  place;  I also  will  pay  thee 
for  thy  kindness  which  thou  showest  to  me 
and  my  children,  in  the  accompanying  of  us 
on  our  way  as  thou  dost. 

Mercy.  Then  will  I go  thither,  and  will  take 
what  shall  follow:  and  the  Lord  grant  that 
my  lot  may  there  fall,  even  as  the  King  of 
heaven  shall  have  his  heart  upon  me.J 

Christiana  was  then  glad  at  heart;  not  only 
that  she  had  a companion ; but  also  for  that  she 
had  prevailed  with  this  poor  maid  to  fall  in 
love  with  her  own  salvation.  So  they  went  on 

* Such  is  the  true  spirit  of  all  real  pilgrims.  They 
wish  others  to  know  Christ,  and  to  become  followers  of 
him  with  themselves.  Oh  how  happy  are  they  when 
the  Lord  is  pleased  to  draw  the  hearts  of  any  of  their 
fellow-sinners  to  himself! 

1 Though  Christiana  clearly  saw  and  knew  her  call- 
ing of  God,  yet  Mercy  did  not;  therefore  she  is  in 
doubt  about  it.  Just  so  it  is  with  many  at  their  first 
setting  out.  Hence  they  are  ready  to  say,  that  they 
could  even  wish  to  have  had  the  most  violent  convic- 
tions of  sin,  and  to  have  been  as  it  were,  shook  over 
the  month  of  hell,  that  they  might  have  had  a greater 
certainty  of  their  being  called  of  God.  But  this  is 
speaking  unadvisedly.  Better  to  take  the  apostle’s 


together,  and  Mercy  began  to  weep.  Then 
said  Christiana,  “ Wherefore  weepeth  my  sis- 
ter so  ?” 

Alas ! said  she,  who  can  but  lament,  that 
shall  but  rightly  consider  what  a state  and 
condition  my  poor  relations  are  in,  that  yet 
remain  in  our  sinful  town?  and  that  which 
makes  my  grief  the  more  is,  because  they 
have  no  instruction,  nor  any  to  tell  them  what 
is  to  come. || 

Christiana.  Bowels  . become  pilgrims : and 
thou  doest  for  thy  friends,  as  my  good  Chris- 
tian did  for  me  when  he  left  me  : he  mourned 
for  that  I would  not  heed  nor  regard  him  ; but 
his  Lord  and  ours  did  gather  up  his  tears,  and 
put  them  into  his  bottle ; and  now  both  I and 
thou,  and  these  my  sweet  babes,  are  reaping 
the  fruit  and  benefit  of  them.  I hope,  Mercy, 
that  these  tears  of  thine  will  not  be  lost ; for 
the  truth  hath  said,  that  “they  that  sow  in 
tears  shall  reap  in  joy  and  singing.”  And  “he 
that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious 
seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing, 
bringing  his  sheaves  with  him.”  Ps.  exxvi.  5, 
6.  Then  said  Mercy  — 

“ Let  the  most  blessed  be  my  guide, 

If’t  be  his  blessed  will, 

Unto  his  gate,  into  his  fold. 

Up  to  his  holy  hill : 

“And  let  him  never  suffer  me 
To  swerve  or  turn  aside 
Prom  his  free  grace  and  holy  ways, 

Whate’er  shall  me  betide. 

“And  let  him  gather  them  of  mine. 

That  I have  left  behind ; 

Lord,  make  them  pray  they  may  be  thine, 

With  all  their  heart  and  miud.” 

advice;  “Give  all  diligence  to  make  your  calling 
sure.” 

J Here  is  a blessed  discovery  of  a heart  divinely  in 
structed.  Mind,  here  is  no  looking  to  anything  Mercy 
was  in  herself,  nor  to  anything  she  could  do  for  her- 
self, but  all  is  resolved  into  this,  all  is  cast  upon  this, 
even  the  love  of  the  heart  of  the  King  of  heaven. 
Reader,  can  you  be  content  with  this  lot?  Can  you 
cast  all,  and  rest  all,  upon  the  love  of  Christ  ? Then 
bless  his  loving  name  for  giving  you  a pilgrim’s  heart 

]|  This  is  natural;  when  we  know  the  worth  of  our 
souls  and  the  value  of  Christ’s  salvation,  and  weep  for 
our  sins,  also  to  mourn  and  weep  for  our  carnal  rela- 
tives, lest  they  should  be  eternally  lost. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


183 


CHAPTER  II. 

Christiana,  Mercy,  and  the  Children  pass  the  Slough  with  safety,  and  are  kindly  received  at 

the  Wicket-gate. 


Now,  my  old  friend  proceeded  and  said: 
But  when  Christiana  came  to  the  slough  of 
Despond,  she  began  to  be  at  a stand ; “ For,” 
said  she,  “ this  is  the  place  in  which  my  dear 
husband  had  like  to  have  been  smothered  with 
mud.”  She  perceived  also,  that,  notwithstand- 
ing the  command  of  the  King  to  make  this 
place  for  pilgrims  good,  yet  it  was  rather  worse 
than  formerly.  So  I asked  if  that  was  true  ? 
Yes,  said  the  old  gentleman,  too  true:  for 
many  there  be,  that  pretend  to  be  the  King’s 
labourers,  and  say  they  are  for  mending  the 
King’s  highways,  that  bring  dirt  and  dung  in- 
stead of  stones,  and  so  mar,  instead  of  mend- 
ing.* Here  Christiana,  therefore,  and  her 
boys,  did  make  a stand : but,  said  Mercy, 
“ Come,  let  us  venture ; only  let  us  be  wary.” 
Then  they  looked  well  to  their  steps,  and  made 
a shift  to  get  staggering  over. 

Yet  Christiana  had  like  to  have  been  in,  and 
that  not  once  or  twice.  Now  they  had  no 
sooner  got  over,  but  they  thought  they  heard 
words  that  said  unto  them,  “ Blessed  is  she 
that  believeth,  for  there  shall  be  a perform- 
ance of  what  has  been  told  her  from  the 
Lord.” 

Then  they  went  on  again ; and  said  Mercy 
to  Christiana,  Had  I as  good  ground  to  hope 
for  a loving  reception  at  the  Wicket-gate,  as 
you,  I think  no  plough  of  Despond  could  dis- 
courage me. 

Well,  said  the  other,  you  know  your  sore, 
and  I know  mine ; and,  good  friend,  we  shall 
all  have  enough  evil  before  we  come  to  our 
journey’s  end.  For  it  cannot  be  imagined, 
that  the  people  that  design  to  attain  such  ex- 
cellent glories  as  we  do,  and  that  are  so  envied 
that  happiness  as  we  are,  but  that  we  shall 
meet  with  fears  and  snares,  with  what  troubles 

* But  instead  of  being  what  they  profess,  the  King’s 
labourers,  Paul  calls  them  Gospel-pevverters  and  soul- 
troublers,  Gal.  v.  10.  For  instead  of  preaching  a free 
and  full  salvation,  graciously  bestowed  upon  poor  sin- 
ners, who  can  do  nothing  to  entitle  themselves  to  it, 
or  to  gain  an  interest  in  it  : behold,  these  wretched 
daubers  set  forth  salvation  to  sale  upon  certain  terms 
and  conditions,  which  sinners  are  to  perform  and  ful- 
fil. Thus  they  distress  the  upright  and  sincere,  and 
deceive  the  self-righteous  and  wary  into  pride  and  de- 
lusion. Thus  they  mar,  instead  of  mend  the  way; 


and  afflictions  they  can  possibly  assault  U3 
with  that  hate  us. 

And  now  Mr.  Sagacity  left  me  to  dream  out 
my  dream  by  myself.  Wherefore,  methought 
I saw  Christiana,  and  Mercy,  and  the  boys,  go 
all  of  them  up  to  the  gate : to  which  when  they 
came  they  betook  themselves  to  a short  debate, 
about  how  they  must  manage  their  calling  at 
the  gate : and  what  should  be  said  unto  him 
that  did  open  unto  them : so  it  was  concluded, 
since  Christiana  was  the  eldest,  that  she  should 
knock  for  entrance,  and  that  she  should  speak 
to  him  that  did  open  for  the  rest.  So  Chris- 
tiana began  to  knock,  and,  as  her  poor  hus- 
band did,  she  knocked  and  knocked  again. 
But  instead  of  any  that  answered,  they  all 
thought  that  they  heard  as  if  a dog  came  bark- 
ing upon  them ; a dog,  and  a great  one  too ; 
and  this  made  the  women  and  children  afraid. 
Nor  durst  they  for  a while  to  knock  any  more, 
for  fear  the  mastiff  should  fly  upon  them.  Now 
therefore  they  were  greatly  tumbled  up  and 
down  in  their  minds,  and  knew  not  what  to  do: 
knock  they  durst  not,  for  fear  of  the  dog ; go 
back  they  durst  not,  for  fear  the  keeper  of  that 
gate  should  espy  them  as  they  so  went,  and  be 
offended  with  them:  at  last  they  thought  of 
knocking  again,  and  knocking  more  vehe- 
mently than  they  did  at  first. 

Then  said  the  keeper  of  the  gate,  “ Who  is 
there?”  So  the  dog  left  ofl'  to  bark,  and  he 
opened  unto  tliem.f 

Then  Christiana  made  a low  obeisance,  and 
said,  Let  not  our  Lord  be  offended  with  his 
hand-maidens,  for  that  we  have  knocked  at  his 
princely  gate.”  Then  said  the  keeper,  “ Whence 
come  ye  ? And  what  is  it  that  you  would  have  ?” 

Christiana  answered,  We  are  come  from 
whence  Christian  did  come,  and  upon  the  same 

and  bring  dirt  and  dung,  instead  of  stones,  to  make 
the  way  sound  and  safe  for  pilgrims.  Beware  of  the 
sophistry  of  such  professors. 

•j"  No  sooner  does  a poor  sinner  open  his  lips  in 
prayer  to  Jesus,  but  the  devil  will  bark  and  roar  at 
him,  and  by  all  means  try  to  terrify  and  discourage 
him.  Do  you  find  this?  What  is  your  remedy? 
Resist  the  devil,  and  he  will  fly  from  you.  James  iv. 
7.  Draw  nigh  to  God,  and  he  will  draw  nigh  to  you. 
James  iv.  S.  Oh  ever  remember  our  Lord’s  word,  men 
should  pray  always  and  n jt  faint.  Luke  xviii.  1. 


184 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


errand  as  lie,  to  wit,  to  be,  if  it  shall  please 
you,  graciously  admitted,  by  this  gate,  into  the 
way  that  leads  unto  the  Celestial  City.  And 
I answer,  my  Lord,  in  the  next  place,  that  I 
am  Christiana,  once  the  wife  of  Christian,  that 
now  is  gotten  above. 

With  that  the  keeper  of  the  gate  did  marvel, 
saying,  “ What,  is  she  now  become  a pilgrim, 
that  but  a while  ago  abhorred  that  life  ?” 
Then  she  bowed  her  head,  and  said,  “Yea; 
and  so  are  these  my  sweet  babes  also.” 

Then  he  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  led  her 
in,  and  said  also,  “ Suffer  the  little  children  to 
come  unto  me and  with  that  he  shut  up  the 
gate.  This  done,  he  called  to  a trumpeter  that 
was  above,  over  the  gate,  to  entertain  Chris- 
tiana with  shouting,  and  sound  of  trumpet,  for 
joy.  So  he  obeyed,  and  sounded,  and  filled 
the  air  with  his  melodious  notes. 

Now  all  this  while  poor  Mercy  did  stand 
without,  trembling  and  crying  for  fear  that  she 
was  rejected.  But  when  Christiana  had  gotten 
admittance  for  herself  and  her  boys,  then  she 
began  to  make  intercession  for  Mercy. 

And  she  said,  My  Lord,  I have  a companion 
of  mine  that  stands  yet  without,  that  is  come 
hither  upon  the  same  account  as  myself : one 
that  is  much  dejected  in  her  mind,  for  that  she 
comes,  as  she  thinks,  without  being  sent  for ; 
whereas  I was  sent  to  by  my  husband’s  King  to 
come. 

Now  Mercy  began  to  be  very  impatient,  and 
each  minute  was  as  long  to  her  as  an  hour ; 
wherefore  she  prevented  Christiana  from  a 
fuller  interceding  for  her,  by  knocking  at  the 
gate  herself.  And  she  knocked  then  so  loud, 
that  she  made  Christiana  to  start.  Then  said 
the  keeper  of  the  gate,  “ Who  is  there?”  And 
Christiana  said,  “ It  is  my  friend.” 

So  he  opened  the  gate  and  looked  out,  hut 
Mercy  was  fallen  down  without  in  a swoon ; 
for  she  fainted,  and  was  afraid  that  no  gate 
would  be  opened  to  her. 

Then  he  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  said, 
“ Damsel,  I bid  thee  arise.” 

“Oh,  sir,  (said  she,)  I am  faint;  there  is 
scarce  life  left  in  me.”  But  he  answered,  that 


* Mercy’s  case  is  not  singular.  Many  have  set  out 
just  as  she  did,  and  have  been  discouraged  by  the 
same  reason  as  she  was.  She,  as  many  have  been, 
was  encouraged  to  set  out  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord  by 
her  neighbour  and  friend.  Ilcnce  she  thought  there 
was  no  cause  to  conclude  that  she  was  called  by  the 
Lord,  but  that  it  was  only  the  cifect  of  human  power 
or  moral  persuasion,  and  therefore  doubted  and  fainted 
lest  she  should  not  meet  with  acceptance.  But  her' 


one  said,  “When  my  soul  fainted  within  me, 
I remembered  the  Lord,  and  my  prayer  came 
unto  thee,  into  thy  holy  temple.”  Jonah  ii.  7. 
Fear  not,  but  stand  upon  thy  feet,  and  tell  me 
wherefore  thou  art  come. 

Mercy.  I am  come  for  that  unto  which  I was 
never  invited,  as  my  friend  Christiana  was. 
Hers  was  from  the  King,  and  mine  was  but 
from  her.  Wherefore  I fear  I presume.* 

Good-will.  Did  she  desire  thee  to  come  with 
her  to  this  place  ? 

Mercy.  Yes;  and,  as  my  Lord  sees,  I am 
come;  and  if  there  is  any  grace  and  for- 
giveness of  sins  to  spare,  I beseech  that  thy 
poor  handmaid  may  be  partaker  thereof. 

Then  he  took  her  again  by  the  hand,  and 
led  her  gently  in,  and  said,  “I  pray  for  all 
them  that  believe  on  me,  by  what  means  so- 
ever they  come  unto  me.”  Then  said  he  to 
those  that  stood  by,  “ Fetch  something,  and 
give  it  Mercy  to  smell  on,  thereby  to  stay  her 
faintings.”  So  they  fetched  her  a bundle  of 
myrrh.  A while  after  she  was  revived. 

And  now  was  Christiana,  and  her  hoys, 
and  Mercy,  received  of  the  Lord  at  the  head 
of  the  way,  and  spoke  kindly  unto  by  him. 
Then  said  they  yet  further  unto  him,  “We  are 
sorry  for  our  sins,  and  beg  of  our  Lord  his 
pardon,  and  further  information  what  we  must 
do.” 

I grant  pardon,  said  he,  by  word  and  deed: 
by  word,  in  the  promise  of  forgiveness;  by 
deed,  in  the  way  I obtained  it.  Take  the  first 
from  my  lips  with  a kiss,  and  the  other  as  it 
shall  be  revealed.  Song  Sol.  i.  2;  John  xx.  19. 

Now  I saw  in  my  dream,  that  he  spake 
many  good  words  unto  them,  whereby  they 
were  greatly  gladdened.  He  also  had  them  up 
to  the  top  of  the  gate,  and  showed  them  by 
what  deed  they  were  saved;  and  told  them 
withal,  that  that  sight  they  would  have  again 
as  they  went  along  in  the  way,  to  their  com- 
fort. 

So  he  left  them  awhile  in  a summer  parlour 
below,  where  they  entered  into  talk  by  them- 
selves: and  thus  Christiana  began  : “0  Lord, 
how  glad  am  I that  we  are  got  in  hither !” 


very  doubts,  fears,  and  distress,  proved  the  earnest- 
ness of  her  heart,  and  the  desire  of  her  soul  after  the 
Saviour;  and  also,  that  his  mercy,  love,  and  gracious 
power,  had  a hand  in  the  work.  Mark  this,  ye 
poor,  doubting,  fearful,  trembling  souls,  who  are 
halting  every  step,  and  fearing  you  have  not  set 
out  aright,  hear  what  Christ’s  angel  said,  and  be  not 
discouraged.  Bear  not,  for  ye  seek  Jesus.  Matt, 
xxviii.  5. 


THE  riLG RIM’S  PROGRESS. 


Mercy.  So  you  well  say : but  I of  all  have 
cause  to  leap  for  joy. 

Christiana.  I thought  one  time  as  I stood  at 
the  gate,  (because  I had  knocked,  and  none 
did  answer,)  that  all  our  labour  had  been  lost, 
especially  when  that  ugly  cur  made  such  a 
heavy  barking  at  us.* 

Mercy,  lint  my  worst  fear  was,  after  I saw 
that  you  was  taken  into  his  favour,  and  that 
I was  left  behind.  Now,  thought  I,  it  is  ful- 
filled which  is  written,  “ Two  women  shall  be 
grinding  together,  the  one  shall  be  taken  and 
the  other  left.”  Matt.  xxiv.  41.  I had  much 
ado  to  forbear  crying  out,  Undone!  And 
afraid  I was  to  knock  any  more : but  when  I 
looked  up  to  what  was  written  over  the  gate,  I 
took  courage.  I also  thought,  that  I must 
either  knock  again  or  die : t so  I knocked,  but 
I cannot  tell  how,  for  my  spirit  now  struggled 
between!  life  and  death. 

Christiana.  Can  you  not  tell  how  you 
knocked?  I am  sure  your  knocks  were  so 
earnest,  that  the  very  sound  made  me  start:  I 
thought  I never  heard  such  knocking  in  all 
my  life;  I thought  you  would  come  in  by  a 
violent  hand,  or  take  the  kingdom  by  storm. 
Matt.  xi.  12. 

Mercy.  Alas,  to  be  in  my  case!  who  that  so 
was,  could  have  but  done  so?  You  saw  that 
the  door  was  shut  upon  me,  and  that  there  was 
a most  cruel  dog  thereabout.  Who,  I say, 
that  was  so  faint-hearted  as  I,  would  not  have 
knocked  with  all  their  might?  But  pray, 
what  said  my  lord  unto  my  rudeness?  Was 
he  not  angry  with  me? 

Christiana.  When  he  heard  your  lumbering 
noise,  he  gave  a wonderful  innocent  smile:  I 
believe  what  you  did  pleased  him  well,  for  he 
showed  no  sign  to  the  contrary.  But  I marvel 
in  my  heart  why  he  keeps  such  a dog:  had  I 
known  that  before,  I should  not  have  had 
heart  enough  to  have  ventured  myself  in  this 
manner.  But  now  we  are  in,  we  are  in,  and  I 
am  glad  with  all  my  heart. 

Mercy.  I will  ask,  if  you  please,  next  time 
he  comes  down,  why  he  keeps  such  a filthy 
cur  in  his  yard : I hope  he  will  not  take  it 
amiss. 

Do  so,  said  the  children,  and  persuade  him 
to  hang  him  ; for  we  are  afraid  he  will  bite  us 
when  we  go  hence. 

s The  devil  often  barks  most  at  us,  and  brings  bis 
heaviest  accusations  against  us,  wheu  mercy,  peace, 
comfort,  and  salvation  arc  nearest  to  us. 

“ Press  on,  nor  fear  to  win  the  day, 

Though  earth  and  hell  obstruct  the  way.” 


185 

So  at  last  he  came  down  to  them  again,  and 
Mercy  fell  to  the  ground  on  her  face  before 
him,  and  worshipped,  and  said,  “ Let  my  Lord 
accept  the  sacrifice  of  praise  which  I now  offer 
unto  him  with  the  calves  of  my  lips.” 

So  he  said  unto  her,  “Peace  be  to  thee; 
stand  up.”  But  she  continued  upon  her  face, 
and  said,  “ Righteous  art  thou,  O Lord,  when 
I plead  with  thee,  yet  let  me  talk  with  thee  of 
thy  judgments,”  (Jer.  xii.  1,  2;)  wherefore 
dost  thou  keep  so  cruel  a dog  in  thy  yard,  at 
the  sight  of  which,  such  women  and  children 
as  we,  are  ready  to  flee  from  the  gate  with 
fear? 

He  answered  and  said,  That  dog  has  another 
owner:  he  is  also  kept  close  in  another  man’s 
ground,  only  my  pilgrims  hear  his  barking; 
he  belongs  to  the  castle  which  you  see  there  at 
a distance,  but  can  come  up  to  the  walls  of 
this  place.  He  has  frightened  many  an  honest 
pilgrim  from  worse  to  better,  by  the  great  voice 
of  his  roaring.  Indeed,  he  that  owncth  him 
doth  not  keep  him  out  of  any  good-will  to  me 
or  mine,  but  with  intent  to  keep  the  pilgrims 
from  coming  to  me,  and  that  they  may  be 
afraid  to  come  and  knock  at  this  gate  for  en- 
trance. Sometimes  also  he  has  broken  out, 
and  has  worried  some  that  I loved ; but  I take 
it  all  at  present  patiently.  I also  give  my  pil- 
grims timely  help,  so  that  they  are  not  deliv- 
ered up  to  his  power  to  do  them  what  his  dog- 
gish nature  would  prompt  him  to.  But  what ! 
my  purchased  one,  I trow,  hadst  thou  known 
never  so  much  before-liand,  thou  wouldst  not 
have  been  afraid  of  a dog.  The  beggars  that 
go  from  door  to  door,  will  rather  than  they 
will  lose  a supposed  alms,  run  the  hazard  of 
the  bawling,  barking,  and  biting  too  of  a dog  ; 
and  shall  a dog  in  another  man’s  yard,  a dog 
whose  barking  I turn  to  the  profit  of  pilgrims, 
keep  any  from  coming  to  me?  I deliver  them 
from  the  lions,  and  “ my  darling  from  the 
power  of  the  dog.” 

Then  said  Mercy,  I confess  my  ignorance : 
I speak  what  I understand  not : I acknowledge 
that  thou  doest  all  things  well. 

Then  Christiana  began  to  talk  of  their  jour- 
ney, and  to  inquire  after  the  way.  So  he  fed 
them,  and  washed  their  feet,  and  set  them  in 
the  way  of  his  steps,  according  as  he  had  dealt 
with  her  husband  before. 

So  I saw  in  my  dream  that  they  went  on 


f Here  is  a blessed  example  of  deep  humility,  and 
of  holy  boldness,  excited  by  the  divine  word.  Go, 
thou  ruined  sinner,  and  do  likewise. 


186 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


their  way ; and  the  weather  was  comfortable 
to  them. 

Then  Christiana  began  to  sing,  saying — 


“’Tis  true  ’twas  long  ere  I began 
To  seek  to  live  forever  : * 

But  now  I run  fast  as  I can  ; 
’Tis  better  late  than  never. 


“Bless’d  be  the  day  that  I began 
A pilgrim  for  to  be; 

And  blessed  also  be  that  man 
That  thereunto  mov’d  me. 


“Our  tears  to  joy,  our  fears  to  faith, 
Are  turned  as  we  see; 

That  our  beginning  (as  one  saith) 
Shows  what  our  end  will  be.” 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Pilgrims  are  assaulted,  hut  relieved — Are  entertained  at  the  Interpreter’s  House. 


Now  there  was  on  the  other  side  of  the 
wall,  that  fenced  in  the  way  up  which  Chris- 
tiana and  her  companions  were  to  go,  a gar- 
den, and  that  belonged  to  him,  whose  was 
that  barking  dog,  of  whom  mention  was  made 
before.  And  some  of  the  fruit  trees  that  grew 
in  the  garden,  shdt  their  branches  over  the 
wall;  and  being  mellow,  they  that  found  them 
did  gather  them  up,  and  eat  of  them  to  their 
hurt.  So  Christiana’s  boys  (as  boys  are  apt  to 
do)  being  pleased  writh  the  trees,  and  with  the 
fruit  that  did  hang  thereon,  did  pluck  them, 
and  began  to  eat.  Their  mother  did  also 
chide  them  for  so  doing,  but  still  the  boys 
went  on.f 

“Well,”  said  she,  “my  sons,  you  transgress; 
for  that  fruit  is  none  of  ours but  she  did  not 
know  that  they  did  belong  to  the  enemy : I’ll 
warrant  you,  if  she  had,  she  “would  have  been 
ready  to  die  for  fear.  But  that  passed,  and 
they  went  on  their  way.  Now,  by  that  they 
were  gone  about  two  bows’  shot  from  the 
place  that  led  them  into  the  way,  they  espied 
two  very  ill-favoured  ones  coming  down  apace 
to  meet  them.J  With  that  Christiana  and 
Mercy  her  friend  covered  themselves  with 
their  veils,  and  kept  also  on  their  journey: 
the  children  also  went  on  before:  so  that  at 
last  they  met  together.  Then  they  that  came 
down  to  meet  them,  came  just  up  to  the  women, 
as  if  they  would  embrace  them ; but  Christiana 
said,  “Stand  back,  or  go  peaceably  as  you 
should.”  Yet  these  two,  as  men  that  are 
deaf,  regarded  not  Christiana’s  words,  but 
began  to  lay  hands  upon  them  : at  that  Chris- 

*  Matt.  xx.  16. 

f What  is  the  garden  but  the  world?  What  is  the 
fruit  they  here  found?  The  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust 
of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life.  1 John  ii.  16. 

J W bat  are  these  ill-favoured  ones?  Such  as  you 
will  be  sure  to  meet  with  in  your  pilgrimage;  some 


tiana  waxed  very  wroth,  and  spurned  at  them 
with  her  feet.  Mercy  also,  as  well  as  she 
could,  did  what  she  could  to  shift  them. 
Christiana  again  said  to  them,  “Stand  back 
and  be  gone,  for  we  have  no  money  to  lose, 
being  pilgrims  as  you  see,  and  such  too  as  live 
upon  the  charity  of  our  friends.” 

Then  said  one  of  the  two  men : We  make  no 
assault  upon  your  money,  but  are  come  out  to 
tell  you,  that  if  you  will  but  grant  one  small 
request  which  wre  shall  ask,  we  will  make 
women  of  you  for  ever. 

Now  Christiana,  imagining  what  they  should 
mean,  made  answer  again,  “We  will  neither 
hear,  nor  regard,  nor  yield  to  what  you  shall 
ask.  We  are  in  haste,  and  cannot  stay:  our 
business  is  of  life  and  death.”  So  again  she 
and  her  companions  made  a fresh  essay  to 
go  past  them;  but  they  letted  them  in  their 
way. 

And  they  said,  We  intend  no  hurt  to  your 
lives ; ’tis  another  thing  we  would  have. 

“Ay,”  quoth  Christiana,  “you  would  have 
us  body  and  soul,  for  I know  ’tis  for  that  you 
are  come ; but  we  will  die  rather  upon  the 
spot,  than  to  suffer  ourselves  to  he  brought 
into  such  snares  as  shall  hazard  our  well- 
being hereafter.”  And  with  that  they  both 
shrieked  out,  and  cried  Murder ! Murder!  and 
so  put  themselves  under  those  laws  that  are 
provided  for  the  protection  of  women.  Deut. 
xxii.  23,  27.  But  the  men  still  made  their 
approach  upon  them,  with  design  to  pre- 
vail against  them.  They  therefore  cried  out 
again.  || 

vile  lusts,  or  cursed  corruptions,  which  are  suited  to 
your  carnal  nature.  These  will  attack  you,  strive  to 
prevail  against  you,  and  overcome  you.  Mind  how 
these  pilgrims  acted,  and  follow  their  example. 

||  Here  we  see  that  the  most  violent  lemptations  to 
the  greatest  evil  is  not  ’sin,  if  resisted  and  not  com- 


TIIE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


187 


Now  they  being,  ns  I said,  not  far  from  the 
gate,  in  at  which  they  came,  their  voice  was 
heard  from  where  they  were  thither;  where- 
fore some  of  the  house  came  out,  and  knowing 
that  it  was  Christiana’s  tongue,  they  made 
haste  to  her  relief.  But  by  that  they  were  got 
within  sight  of  them,  the  women  were  in  a 
very  great  scuffle  : the  children  also  stood  cry- 
ing by.  Then  did  he  who  came  in  for  their 
relief  call  out  to  the  ruffians,  saying,  “ What 
is  that  thing  you  do?  Would  you  make  my 
Lord’s  people  to  transgress?”  He  also  at- 
tempted to  take  them ; but  they  did  make 
their  escape  over  the  wall  into  the  garden  of 
the  man  to  whom  the  great  dog  belonged  : so 
the  dog  became  their  protector.  This  Re- 
liever then  came  up  to  the  women,  and  asked 
them  how  they  did.  So  they  answered,  “ We 
thank  thy  Prince,  pretty  well ; only  we  have 
been  somewhat  affrighted : we  thank  thee  also, 
that  thou  earnest  in  to  our  help,  for  otherwise 
we  had  been  overcome.” 

So  after  a few  more  words,  this  Reliever  said 
as  followeth:  I marvelled  much,  when  you 
were  entertained  at  the  gate  above,  seeing  ye 
knew  that  ye  were  but  weak  women,  that  you 
petitioned  not  the  Lord  for  a conductor ; then 
might  you  have  avoided  these  troubles  and 
dangers : he  would  have  granted  you  one.* * 

Alas!  said  Christiana,  we  were  so  taken 
with  our  present  blessing,  that  dangers  to 
come  were  forgotten  by  us:  besides,  who  could 
have  thought,  that  so  near  the  King’s  palace, 
there  should  have  li\rked  such  naughty  ones? 
Indeed  it  had  been  well  for  us,  had  we  asked 
our  Lord  for  one;  but  since  our  Lord  knew  it 
would  be  for  our  profit,  I wonder  he  sent  not 
one  along  with  us.f 

Reliever.  It  is  not  always  necessary  to  grant 
things  not  asked  for,  lest  by  so  doing  they  be- 
come of  little  esteem : but  when  the  want  of  a 
thing  is  felt,  it  then  comes  under,  in  the  eyes 

plied  with.  Our  Lord  himself  was  tempted  in  all 
things  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin.  Therefore,  ye 
followo  3 of  him,  don't  be  dejected  and  cast  down, 
though  you  should  be  exercised  with  temptations  to 
the  blackest  crimes,  and  the  most  heinous  sins. 
Christ  is  faithful,  and  ho  will  not  suffer  us  to  be 
tempted  abovo  that  we  are  able;  but  will,  with  the 
temptation,  also  make  a way  to  escape,  that  wo  may 
be  able  to  bear  it.  1 Cor.  x.  13. 

* Let  this  convince  us  of  our  backwardness  to  prayer, 
and  make  us  attend  to  that  Scripture,  “Ye  have  not, 
beoauso  yo  ask  not.”  James  iv.  2. 

j-  It  is  well  to  value  present  blessings,  to  be  joyful 
in  them,  and  thankful  for  them ; but  it  is  wrong  to 
forget  our  dangers  and  grow  secure. 


of  him  that  feels  it,  that  estimate  that  properly 
is  its  due;  and  so  consequently  will  be  here- 
after used.  Had  my  Lord  granted  you  a con- 
ductor, you  would  not,  neither,  so  have  be- 
wailed that  oversight  of  yours  in  not  asking 
for  one,  as  now  you  have  occasion  to  do.  So 
all  things  work  for  good,  and  tend  to  make  you 
more  wary.  J 

Christiana.  Shall  we  go  back  again  to  my 
Lord,  and  confess  our  folly  and  ask  one? 

Reliever.  Your  confession  of  your  folly  I will 
present  him  with : to  go  back  again,  you  need 
not;  for  in  all  places  where  you  shall  come 
you  will  find  no  want  at  all;  for  at  every  of 
my  Lord’s  lodgings,  which  he  has  prepared  for 
the  reception  of  his  pilgrims,  there  is  sufficient 
to  furnish  them  against  all  attempts  whatso- 
ever. But  as  I said,  “he  will  be  inquired  of 
by  them,  to  do  it  for  them.”  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37. 
And  it  is  a poor  thing  that  is  not  worth  asking 
for.  When  he  had  thus  said,  he  went  back  to 
his  place,  and  the  pilgrims  went  on  their  way. 

Then  said  Mercy,  What  a sudden  blank  is 
here ! I made  account  we  had  been  past  all 
danger,  and  that  we  should  never  sorrow  more. 

Thy  innocency,  my  sister,  said  Christiana  to 
Mercy,  may  excuse  thee  much ; but  as  for  me, 
my  fault  is  so  much  the  greater,  for  that  I saw 
this  danger  before  I came  out  of  the  doors, 
and  yet  did  not  provide  for  it  where  provision 
might  have  been  had.  I am  much  to  be 
blamed.  || 

Then  said  Mercy,  How  knew  you  this  before 
you  came  from  home?  Pray  open  to  me  this 
riddle. 

Christiana.  Why,  I will  tell  you : Before  I 
set  foot  out  of  doors,  one  night,  as  I lay  in  my 
bed,  I had  a dream  about  this:  for  methouglit 
I saw  two  men,  as  like  these  as  ever  the  world 
they  could  look,  stand  at  my  bed’s  feet  plotting 
how  they  might  prevent  my  salvation.  I will 
tell  you  their  very  words:  they  said,  (it  was 
when  I was  in  my  troubles,)  “ What  shall  we 

J What  loving,  what  precious  reasoning  is  this! 
With  what  tender  affeotion  does  our  Lord  reprove  ! 
See  how  kindly  it  works  upon  a pilgrim’s  soul.  Poor 
Christiana  was  going  back  to  confess  her  folly,  and 
make  her  request  to  her  Lord.  But  she  is  forbidden, 
and  encouraged  and  oomforted  to  go  on.  Oh  how  does 
our  Lord  bear,  and  what  pains  does,  he  take  with  us, 
poor  awkward  creatures,  who  are  ever  prone  to  act 
amiss ! Let  us  ever  think  most  lowly  of  ourselves, 
and  most  highly  of  him. 

||  Here  is  the  display  of  a truly  Christian  spirit,  in 
that  open  and  ingenuous  confession  of  her  fault, 
taking  all  the  blame  upon  herself,  exaggerating  it, 
and  excusing  Mercy. 


188 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


do  with,  this  woman  ? for  she  cries  out  waking 
and  sleeping  for  forgiveness : if  she  be  suffered 
to  go  on  as  she  begins,  we  shall  lose  her  as  we 
have  lost  her  husband.”  This,  you  know,  might 
have  made  me  take  heed,  and  have  provided 
when  provision  might  have  been  had. 

Well,  said  Mercy,  as  by  this  neglect  we  have 
an  occasion  ministered  unto  us  to  behold  our 
imperfections,  so  our  Lord  has  taken  occasion 
thereby,  to  make  manifest  the  riches  of  his 
grace ; for  he,  as  we  see,  has  followed  us  with 
unasked  kindness,  and  has  delivered  us  from 
their  hands  that  were  stronger  than  we,  of  his 
mere  good  pleasure. 

Thus  now,  when  they  had  talked  away  a 
little  more  time,  they  drew  near  to  an  house 
that  stood  in  the  way ; which  house  was  built 
for  the  relief  of  pilgrims,  as  you  will  find 
more  fully  related  in  the  first  part  of  the  rec- 
ords of  the  Pilgrim’s  Progress.  So  they  drew 
on  toward  the  house,  (the  house  of  the  Inter- 
preter,) and  when  they  came  to  the  door,  they 
heard  a great  talk  in  the  house:  then  they 
gave  ear,  and  heard,  as  they  thought,  Chris- 
tiana mentioned  by  name.  For  you  must 
know,  that  there  went  along,  even  before  her, 
a talk  of  her  and  her  children  going  on  p>il- 
grimage.  And  this  was  the  more  pleasing  to 
them,  because  they  had  heard  that  she  was 
Christian’s  wife,  that  woman  who  was  some 
time  ago  so  unwilling  to  hear  of  going  on  pil- 
grimage. Thus,  therefore,  they  stood  still,  and 
heard  the  good  people  within  commending  her, 
who  they  little  thought  stood  at  the  door.  At 
last  Christiana  knocked  as  she  had  done  at  the 
gate  before.  Now,  when  she  had  knocked, 
there  came  to  the  door  a young  damsel,  named 
Innocent,  and  opened  the  door,  and  looked, 
and  behold  two  women  were  there. 

Then  said  the  damsel  to  them,  “ With  whom 
would  you  speak  in  this  place?” 

Christiana  answered,  “We  understand  that 
this  is  a privileged  place  for  those  that  are  be- 
come pilgrims,  and  we  now  at  this  door  are 
such:  wherefore  we  pray  that  we  may  be  par- 
takers of  that  for  which  we  at  this  time  are 
come;  for  the  day,  as  thou  seest,  is  very  far 
spent,  and  we  are  loth  to-night  to  go  any 
further.” 

* Here  see  how  the  experience  of  true  grace  works 
in  the  heart,  by  keeping  the  subject  of  it  low  in  their 
own  eyes,  and  cutting  off  all  self-exaltings.  “ I am  that 
hard-hearted  woman,”  &c.  This  ever  dwelt  upper- 
most in  Christiana’s  heart.  0 soul,  if  thou  truly 
knowest  thyself,  thou  wilt  ever  be  sinking  into  noth- 
ing, because  a sinner  before  the  Lord,  and  confessing 


Damsel.  Pray  what  may  I call  your  name, 
that  I may  tell  it  to  my  Lord  within? 

Christiana.  My  name  is  Christiana;  I was 
the  wife  of  that  pilgrim  that  some  years  ago 
did  travel  this  way;  and  these  be  his  four 
children.  This  maiden  is  also  my  companion, 
and  is  going  on  pilgrimage  too. 

Then  ran  Innocent  in,  and  said  to  those 
within,  “Can  you  think  who  is  at  the  door? 
There  is  Christiana,  and  her  children,  and  her 
companion,  all  waiting  for  entertainment 
here!”  Then  they  leaped  for  joy,  and  went 
and  told  their  Master.  So  he  came  to  the  door, 
and  looking  upon  her,  he  said,  Art  thou  that 
Christiana  whom  Christian  the  good  man  left 
behind  him,  when  he  betook  himself  to  a pil- 
grim’s life? 

Christiana.  I am  that  woman  that  was  so 
hard-hearted  as  to  slight  my  husband’s  troubles, 
and  that  left  him  to  go  on  his  journey  alone  ,, 
and  these  are  liis  four  children ; but  now  I also 
am  come,  for  I am  convinced  that  no  way  is 
right  but  this.* 

Interpreter.  Then  is  fulfilled  that  which  is 
written  of  the  man  that  said  to  his  son,  “ Go 
work  to-day  in  my  vineyard ; and  he  said  to 
his  father,  I will  not ; but  afterwards  repented 
and  went.”  Matt.  xxi.  28,  29. 

Then  said  Christiana,  So  be  it ; Amen.  God 
make  it  a true  saying  upon  me,  and  grant  that 
I may  be  found  at  the  last  “ of  him  in  peace, 
without  spot  and.  blameless !” 

Interpreter.  But  why  standest  thou  at  the 
door  ? Come  in,  thou  daughter  of  Abraham : 
we  were  talking  of  thee  but  now,  for  tidings 
have  come  to  us  before,  how  thou  art  become 
a pilgrim.  Come,  children,  come  in : come, 
maiden,  come.  So  he  had  them  all  into  the 
house. 

So  when  they  were  within,  they  were  bidden 
to  sit  down  and  rest  them ; the  which  when 
they  had  done,  those  that  attended  upon  the 
pilgrims  in  the  house  came  into  the  room  to 
see  them.  And  one  smiled,  and  another  smiled, 
and  they  all  smiled  for  joy  that  Christiana  was 
become  a pilgrim : they  also  looked  upon  the 
boys ; they  stroked  them  over  their  faces  with 
their  hands,  in  token  of  their  kind  reception 
of  them : they  also  carried  it  lovingly  to  Mercy, 

thy  vileness  unto  him,  acknowledge  if  he  had  left  theo 
to  thyself,  destruction  must  have  been  thy  inevitable 
doom.  And  see  how  confident  divine  teaching  makes 
us.  Under  its  power  and  influence  we  can  say  with 
Christiana,  “ I am  convinced  that  no  way  is  right  but 
this,”  even  to  be  a pilgrim  of  the  Lord,  and  a sojour- 
ner upon  the  earth. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


189 


and  bid  them  all  welcome  into  their  Master’s 
house.* 

After  a while,  because  supper  was  not  ready, 
the  Interpreter  took  them  into  his  significant 
rooms,  and  showed  them  what  Christian,  Chris- 
tiana’s husband,  had  seen  some  time  before. 
Here,  therefore,  they  saw  the  man  in  the  cage, 
the  man  and  his  dream,  the  man  that  cut  his 
way  through  his  enemies,  and  the  picture  of 
the  greatest  of  all;  together  with  the  rest  of 
those  things  that  were  then  so  profitable  to 
Christian. 

This  done,  and  after  those  things  had  been 
somewhat  digested  by  Christiana  and  her  com- 
pany, the  Interpreter  takes  them  apart  again, 
and  lias  them  first  into  a room,  where  was  a 
man  that  could  look  no  way  but  downwards, 
with  a muck-rake  in  his  band : there  stood  also 
one  over  his  head  with  a celestial  crown  in  his 
hand,  and  proffered  him  that  crown  for  his 
muck-rake ; but  the  man  did  neither  look  up 
nor  regard,  but  raked  to  himself  the  straws, 
the  small  sticks,  and  dust  of  the  floor. 

Then  said  Christiana,  I persuade  myself  that 
I know  somewhat  the  meaning  of  this ; for  this 
is  the  figure  of  a man  in  this  world:  is  it  not, 
good  sir? 

Thou  hast  said  right,  said  he,  and  his  muck- 
rake doth  show  his  carnal  mind.  And  whereas 
thou  seest  him  rather  give  heed  to  rake  up 
straws  and  sticks,  and  the  dust  of  the  floor, 
than  do  what  he  says  that  calls  to  him  from 
above,  with  the  celestial  crown  in  his  hand ; it 
is  to  show  that  heaven  is  but  as  a fable  to  some, 
and  that  things  here  are  counted  the  only 
things  substantial.  Now  whereas  it  was  also 
showed  thee,  that  the  man  could  look  no  way 
but  downwards,  it  is  to  let  thee  know,  that 


* Here  is  joy  indeed,  which  strangers  to  the  love  of 
Christ  intermeddle  not  with.  Believer,  did  you  never 
partake  of  this  pleasing,  this  delightful  sensation,  on 
seeing  other  poor  sinners,  like  thyself,  called  to  know 
Jesus  and  follow  him  ? Surely  this  is  the  joy  of  heaven : 
and  if  thou  hast  this  joy,  thou  hast  the  love  that  reigns 
in  heaven.  Oh  for  a spread  and  increase  of  this  spirit 
among  Christians  of  all  denominations  ! 

f The  emblematical  instruction  at  the  Interpreter’s 
house,  in  the  former  part,  was  so  important  and  com- 
prehensive, that  no  other  selection  equally  interesting 
could  be  expected : some  valuable  hints,  however,  are 
here  adduced.  The  first  emblem  is  very  plain,  and  so 
apposite,  that  it  is  a wonder  any  person  should  read 
it,  without  lifting  up  a prayer  to  the  Lord,  and  saying, 
“ Oh  ! deliver  me  from  this  muck-rake  !”  Yet  alas,  it 
is  to  bo  feared,  such  prayers  are  still  little  used,  even 
by  professors  of  the  Gospel ; at  least  they  are  contra- 
dicted by  the  habitual  conduct  of  numbers  among 


earthly  things,  when  they  are  with  power  upon 
men’s  minds,  quite  carry  their  hearts  away 
from  God. 

Then  said  Christiana,  Oh ! deliver  me  from 
this  muck-rake  1 

That  prayer,  said  the  Interpreter,  has  lain 
by  till  it  is  almost  rusty : “ Give  me  not  riches,” 
is  scarce  the  prayer  of  one  of  ten  thousand. 
Prov.  xxx.  8.  Straws,  and  sticks,  and  dust, 
with  most,  arc  the  things  now  looked  after. 

With  that  Mercy  and  Christiana  wept,  and 
said,  “ It  is,  alas  I too  true.”  f 

When  the  Interpreter  had  showed  them  this, 
lie  had  them  into  the  very  best  room  in  the 
house,  (a  very  brave  room  it  was:)  so  he  bid 
them  look  round  about,  and  see  if  they  could 
find  any  thing  profitable  there.  Then  they 
looked  round  and  round ; for  there  was  nothing 
to  be  seen  but  a very  great  spider  on  the  wall : 
and  that  they  overlooked. 

Then  said  Mercy,  Sir,  I see  nothing:  but 
Christiana  held  her  peace. 

But  said  the  Interpreter,  “ Look  again :”  she 
therefore  looked  again,  and  said,  “ Here  is  not 
any  thing  but  an  ugly  spider,  who  hangs  by 
her  hands  upon  the  wall.” 

“ Then,”  said  he,  “ is  there  but  one  spider  in 
all  this  spacious  room  ?”  Then  the  water  stood 
in  Christiana’s  eyes,  for  she  was  a woman  quick 
of  apprehension : and  she  said,  “ Yes,  Lord, 
there  is  more  here  than  one : yea,  and  spiders 
whose  venom  is  far  more  destructive  than  that 
which  is  in  her.”  The  Interpreter  then  looked 
pleasantly  on  her,  and  said,  “ Thou  hast  said 
the  truth.”  This  made  Mercy  blush,  and  the 
boys  to  cover  their  faces ; for  they  all  began 
now  to  understand  the  riddle. i 
Then  said  the  Interpreter  again,  “ The  spider 


them,  and  this  should  very  properly  lead  us  to  weep 
over  others,  and  tremble  over  ourselves.  Reader, 
didst  thou,  like  these  pious  pilgrims,  never  shed  a 
generous  tear  for  thy  base  and  disingenuous  conduct 
towards  thy  Lord,  in  preferring  the  sticks  and  straws 
of  this  world  to  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  and 
the  salvation  of  thy  immortal  soul? 

| The  author  did  not  mean  by  the  emblem  of  the 
spider  that  the  sinner  might  confidently  assure  him- 
self of  salvation,  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  while  he 
continued  full  of  the  poison  of  sin.  without  experien- 
cing and  evidencing  any  change ; but  only  that  no 
consciousness  of  actual  guilt  and  inward  - pollution 
need  discourage  any  one  from  applying  to  Christ,  and 
fleeing  for  refuge,  “to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before 
them,”  that  thus  the  sincere  soul  may  be  delivered 
from  condemnation,  cleansed  fully  from  pollution,  and 
so  made  meet  for  those  blessed  mansions  into  which 
no  unclean  thing  can  find  admission. 


190 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


taketh  liold  with  her  hands,  (as  you  see,)  and 
is  in  kings’  palaces.”  And  wherefore  is  this 
recorded,  but  to  show  you,  that  how  full  of  the 
venom  of  sin  soever  you  be,  yet  you  may,  by  the 
hand  of  faith,  lay  hold  of,  and  dwell  in,  the  best 
room  that  belongs  to  the  King’s  house  above ! 

I thought,  said  Christiana,  of  something  of 
this ; but  I could  not  imagine  it  all.  I thought 
that  we  were  like  spiders,  and  that  we  looked 
like  ugly  creatures,  in  what  fine  rooms  soever 
we  were ; hut  that  by  this  spider,  this  venom- 
ous and  ill-favoured  creature,  we  were  to  learn 
how  to  act  faith,  that  came  not  into  my 
thoughts.  She  worketh  with  hands,  and,  as 
I see,  dwells  in  the  best  room  in  the  house. 
God  has  made  nothing  in  vain. 

Then  they  seemed  all  to  be  glad ; hut  the 
water  stood  in  their  eyes : yet  they  looked  one 
upon  another,  and  also  bowed  before  the  In- 
terpreter. 

He  had  them  then  into  another  room,  where 
was  a hen  and  chickens,  and  bid  them  observe 
a while.  So  one  of  the  chickens  went  to  the 
trough  to  drink,  and  every  time  she  drank  she 
lifted  up  her  head  and  her  eyes  towards  heaven. 
“See,”  said  he,  “what  this  little  chick  doeth, 
and  learn  of  her  to  acknowledge  whence  your 
mercies  come,  by  receiving  them  with  looking 
up.  Yet  again,”  said  he,  “ observe  and  look 
so  they  gave  heed,  and  perceived  that  the  hen 
did  walk  in  a fourfold  method  towards  her 
chickens:  1.  She  had  a common  call ; that  she 
had  all  the  day  long.  2.  She  had  a special  call; 
and  that  she  had  hut  sometimes.  3.  She  had 
a brooding  note.  And,  4.  She  had  an  outcry. 
Matt,  xxiii.  37. 


* Our  Lord  hath,  in  immense  condescension,  em- 
ployed this  emblem,  to  represent  his  tender  love  to 
sinners,  for  whom  he  hare  the  storm  of  wrath  himself, 
that  by  flying  to  him,  they  might  be  safe  and  happy 
ui  der  the  shadow  of  his  wing.  Matt.  xiii.  37.  The 
common  call  signifies  the  general  invitations  of  the 
Gospel,  which  should  be  addressed  without  restriction 
to  every  creature  within  the  sound  thereof : “preach 
this  my  Gospel  to  every  creature “as  many  as  ye 
find  bid  to  the  marriage.”  In  proportion  as  sinners 
obey  what  Mr.  Bunvan  termed  a common  call,  so  shall, 
they  feel  what  he  styles  a special  call;  when  God  be- 
stows the  grace,  peace,  and  pardon  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  upon  those  who  believe  with  an  heart  unto 
righteousness.  The  brooding  note  is  when  he  gathers 
them  under  his  wings,  warms  their  hearts  with  the 
comforts  of  his  love,  nourishes  their  souls  with  clo“e 
fellowship  with  himself,  and  refreshes  their  spirits 
with  the  overflowings  of  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  “In 
the  shadow  of  thy  wings  will  I rejoice,”  says  David. 
Ps.  lxii.  7.  “I  sat  under  his  shadow  with  great  de- 


Now,  said  he,  compare  this  hen  to  your 
King,  and  these  chickens  to  his  obedient  ones. 
For,  answerable  to  her,  himself  has  his  meth- 
ods, which  he  walketli  in  towards  his  people : 
by  his  common  call  he  gives  nothing ; by  his 
special  call  he  always  has  something  to  give ; 
he  has  also  a brooding  voice  for  them  that  are 
under  his  wing ; and  he  has  an  outcry,  to  give 
the  alarm  when  he  seeth  the  enemy  ccme.  I 
choose,  my  darlings,  to  lead  you  into  the  room 
where  such  things  are,  because  you  are  .vi.mtr, 
and  they  are  easy  for  you.* 

“And,  sir,”  said  Christiana,  “pray  .st  us 
see  some  more.”  So  he  had  them  into  the 
slaughter-house,  where  was  a butcher  killing 
a sheep  : and  behold,  the  sheep  was  quiet,  and 
took  her  death  patiently.  “Then,”  said  the 
Interpreter,  “you  must  learn  of  this  sheep  to 
suffer,  and  to  put  up  with  wrongs  without 
murmurings  and  complaints.  Behold  how 
quietly  she  tabes  her  death,  and,  without  ob- 
jecting, she  suffereth  her  skin  to  be  pulled 
over  her  ears.  Your  King  doth  call  you  his 
sheep.”  f 

After  this  he  led  them  into  his  garden,  where 
was  great  variety  of  flowers : and  he  said,  “ Do 
you  see  all  these?”  So  Christiana  said,  “ Yes.” 
Then  said  he  again,  “ Behold  the  flowers  are 
divers  in  stature,  in  quality,  and  colour,  and 
smell  and  virtue : and  some  are  better  than 
some ; also  where  the  gardener  hath  set  them, 
there  they  stand,  and  quarrel  not  one  with  an- 
other.” J 

Again,  he  had  them  into  his  field,  which  he 
had  sown  with  wheat  and  corn : hut,  when 
they  beheld,  the  tops  of  all  were  cut  off,  only 


light,  and  his  fruit  was  sweet  unto  my  taste.”  Song  ii. 
3.  Oh  for  more  of  these  precious,  brooding  notes,  to 
be  gathered  under  the  wings  of  our  Immanuel!  But 
be  our  frames  and  experiences  what  they  may,  still 
we  are  ever  iu  danger ; for  our  enemies  surround  us 
on  every  side.  Therefore  our  Lord  has  an  outcry  ; he 
gives  the  alarm,  calls  upon  us,  and  warns  us  of  dan- 
ger. Why  ? that  we  should  flee  to  him,  and  run  into 
him.  For  “ the  name  of  the  Lord  is  a strong  tower  : the 
righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe.”  Prov.  xviii.  10. 

j-  Were  we  as  sheep  going  astray?  Are  we  now 
returned  to  thee,  0 Christ,  the  great  Shepherd  and 
Bishop  of  our  souls?  Lord,  give  us  more  and  more  of 
thy  meek  and  lowly  spirit! 

J Christ’s  church  is  his  garden  ; believers  are  planted 
in  it  by  the  power  of  his  grace,  and  they  shall  soon  be 
transplanted  into  his  kingdom  of  glory.  Though  there 
may  be  little  non-essential  differences  of  judgment, 
yet  why  should  they  fall  out?  Oh  for  more  love  and 
peace  from  Jesus,  and  then  there  will  be  more  among 
each  other. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


191 


the  straw  remained.  Ho  said  again,  “This 
ground  was  dunged,  and  ploughed,  and  sowed; 
but  what  shall  we  do  with  the  crop?”  Then 
said  Christiana,  “ Burn  some,  and  make  muck 
of  the  rest.”  Then  said  the  Interpreter  again, 
“ Fruit,  you  see,  is  that  thing  you  look  for,  and 
for  want  of  that  you  condemn  it  to  the  fire, 
and  to  be  trodden  under  foot  of  men : beware 
that  in  this  you  condemn  not  yourselves.”  * 

Then,  as  they  were  coming  in  from  abroad, 
they  espied  a robin  with  a great  spider  in  his 
mouth ; so  the  Interpreter  said,  “ Look  here.” 
So  they  looked,  and  Mercy  wondered ; but 
Christiana  said,  “ What  a disparagement  it  is 
to  such  a little  pretty  bird  as  the  robin  red- 
breast is!  he  being  also  a bird  above  many, 
that  loveth  to  maintain  a kind  of  sociableness 
with  men : I had  thought  they  had  lived  upon 
crumbs  of  bread,  or  upon  other  such  harmless 
matter : I like  him  worse  than  I did.” 

The  Interpreter  then  replied,  This  robin  is 
an  emblem,  very  apt  to  set  forth  some  pro- 
fessors by ; for  to  sight  they  are,  as  this  robin, 
pretty  of  note,  colour,  and  carriage;  they 
seem  also  to  have  a very  great  love  for  pro- 
fessors that  are  sincere;  and  above  all  other 
to  desire  to  associate  with  them,  and  to  be  in 
their  company;  as  if  they  could  live  upon  the 
good  man’s  crumbs.  They  preteud  also,  that 
therefore  it  is  that  they  frequent  the  house  of 
the  godly,  and  the  appointments  of  the  Lord: 
but  when  they  are  by  themselves,  as  the  robin, 
they  can  catch  and  gobble  up  spiders,  they  can 
change  their  diet,  drink  and  swallow  down  sin 
like  water. f 

So  when  they  were  come  again  into  the 
house,  because  supper  as  yet  was  not  ready, 
Christiana  again  desired  that  the  Interpreter 
would  either  show  or  tell  some  other  things 
that  are  profitable. 

Then  the  Interpreter  began,  and  said : The 
fatter  the  sow  is,  the  more  she  desires  the 
mire;  the  fatter  the  ox  is,  the  more  game- 
somely  he  goes  to  the  slaughter,  and  the  more 
healthy  the  lustful  man  is,  the  more  prone  is 
he  unto  evil. 

There  is  a desire  in  women  to  go  neat  and 


* A preoious  caution.  See  to  it,  Christian,  that  you 
avoid  those  things  which  cause  deadness  and  unfruit- 
fulness, and  follow  thoso  things  which  tend  to  quicken 
and  make  your  souls  fruitful  in  good  works,  to  the 
glory  of  God. 

j-  Reader,  a very  striking  emblem  this,  and  most 
pertinently  applied : and  if  your  soul  is  sincere,  it 
will  cause  a holy  fear,  create  a godly  jealousy,  put 
you  upon  self-examining,  and  make  you  sigh  out  in 


fine,  and  it  is  a comely  thing  to  be  adorn ■ d 
with  that  which  in  God’s  sight  is  of  great 
price. 

’Tis  easier  watching  a night  or  two,  than  to 
sit  up  a whole  year  together:  so  ’tis  easier  for 
one  to  begin  to  profess  well,  than  to  hold  out 
as  he  should  to  the  end. 

Every  shipmaster,  when  in  a storm,  will 
willingly  cast  that  overboard  that  is  of  the 
smallest  value  in  the  vessel;  but  who  will 
throw  the  best  out  first?  None  but  he  that 
feareth  not  God. 

One  leak  will  sink  a ship ; and  one  sin  will 
destroy  a sinner. 

He  that  forgets  his  friend  is  ungrateful  unto 
him : but  he  that  forgets  his  Saviour  is  unmer- 
ciful to  himself. 

He  that  lives  in  sin,  and  looks  for  happi- 
ness hereafter,  is  like  him  that  sowetli  cockle, 
and  thinks  to  fill  his  barn  with  wheat  and 
barley. 

If  a man  would  live  well,  let  him  fetch  his 
last  day  to  him,  and  make  it  always  his  com- 
pany-keeper. 

Whispering  and  change  of  thoughts  prove 
that  sin  is  in  the  world. 

If  this  world,  which  God  sets  light  by,  is 
counted  a thing  of  that  worth  with  men,  what 
is  heaven,  that  God  commendeth  it? 

If  the  life  that  is  attended  with  so  many 
troubles,  is  so  loth  to  be  let  go  by  us,  what  is 
the  life  above? 

Every  body  will  cry  up  the  goodness  of 
men;  but  who  is  there  that  is,  as  he  should 
be,  affected  with  the  goodness  of  God? 

We  seldom  set  down  to  meat  but  we  eat 
and  leave : so  'there  is  in  Jesus  Christ  more 
merit  and  righteousness  than  the  whole  world 
has  need  of. 

When  the  Interpreter  was  done,  he  takes 
them  out  into  his  garden  again,  and  had  them 
to  a tree,  whose  iuside  was  all  rotten  and 
gone,  and  yet  it  grew  and  had  leaves.  Then 
said  Mercy,  “ What  means  this  ?”  “ This 

tree,”  said  he,  “ whose  outside  is  fair,  and 
whose  inside  is  roiten,  is  it,  which  may  be 
compared  to  them  that  are  in  the  garden  of 


some  such  words  as  David:  “Search  me,  0 God,  and 
know  my  heart;  try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts:  and 
see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in 
the  way  everlasting.”  Ps.  cxxxix.  23, 24.  Oh  what  will 
it  avail  in  a dying  hour,  or  in  the  judgment-day,  that 
we  have  worn  the  mark  of  profession,  and  seemed  to 
man  what  we  were  not  in  heart  aud  reality  of  life 
before  God?  From  all  self-deceiving,  good  Lord,  de- 
liver us  ! for  wo  are  naturally  prone  to  it. 


192 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


God ; who  with  their  mouths  speak  high  in 
behalf  of  God,  but  in  deed  will  do  nothing  for 
him ; whose  leaves  are  fair,  but  their  heart 
good  for  nothing  but  to  be  tinder  for  the 
devil’s  tinder-box.” 

Now  supper  was  ready,  the  table  spread, 
and  all  things  set  on  board;  so  they  sat  down 
and  did  eat,  when  one  had  given  thanks. 
And  the  Interpreter  did  usually  entertain 
those  that  lodged  with  him,  with  music  at 
meals:  so  the  minstrels  played.  There  was 
also  one  that  did  sing,  and  a very  fine  voice  he 
had.  His  song  was  this — 

“ The  Lord  is  only  my  support, 

And-  he  that  doth  me  feed; 

How  can  I then  want  any  thing 
Whereof  I stand  in  need?” 

When  the  song  and  music  were  ended,  the 
Interpreter  asked  Christiana,  What  it  was 
that  at  first  did  move  her  thus  to  betake  her- 
self to  a pilgrim’s  life?  Christiana  answered: 
First,  the  loss  of  my  husband  came  into  my 
mind,  at  which  I was  heartily  grieved;  but 
all  that  was  but  natural  affection.  Then,  after 
that,  came  the  troubles  and  pilgrimage  of  my 
husband  into  mind,  and  also  how  like  a churl 
I had  carried  it  to  him  as  to  that.  So  guilt 
took  hold  of  my  mind,  and  would  have  drawn 
me  into  the  pond ; but  that  opportunely  I had 
a dream  of  the  well-being  of  my  husband, 
and  a letter  sent  me  by  the  King  of  that 
country  where  my  husband  dwells,  to  come  to 
him.  The  dream  and  the  letter  together  so 
wrought  upon  my  mind,  that  they  forced  me 
to  this  way. 

Interpreter.  But  met  you  with  no  opposition 
before  you  set  out  of  doors? 

Christiana.  Yes,  a neighbour  of  mine,  one 
Mrs.  Timorous,  (she  was  kin  to  him  that  would 
have  persuaded  my  husband  to  go  back,  for 
fear  of  the  lions,)  she  also  befooled  me*  for, 
as  she  called  it,  my  intended  desperate  ad- 
venture ; she  also  urged  what  she  could  to  dis- 
hearten me  from  it;  the  hardships  and  trou- 
bles that  my  husband  met  with  in  the  way : 


* Ah,  Mrs.  Timorous  ! flow  many  professed  pil- 
grims hast  thou  befooled  and  turned  bach!  How 
often  does  she  attack  and  affright  many  real  pil- 
grims! Oh  may  we  say  to  every  incitement  to  self- 
complacency  in  our  Lord’s  words,  “ Get  thee  behind 
me,  Satan;  thou  savourest  not  the  things  that  bo  of 
God,  but  those  that  be  of  men.”  Matt.  xvi.  23. 

f A very  simple  and  artless  confession.  The  Lord 
works  very  differently  upon  the  hearts  of  sinners,  but 
always  to  one  and  the  same  end — namely,  to  cause  us 


but  all  this  I got  over  pretty  well.  But  a 
dream  that  I had  of  two  ill-looking  ones,  that 
I thought  did  plot  how  to  make  me  miscarry 
in  my  journey,  that  hath  troubled  me:  yea,  it 
still  runs  in  my  mind,  and  makes  me  afraid  of 
every  one  that  I meet,  lest  they  should  riieet 
me  to  do  me  a mischief,  and  to  turn  me  out 
of  my  way.  Yea,  I may  tell  my  Lord,  though 
I would  not  have  every  body  know  it,  that 
between  this  and  the  gate  by  which  we  got  into 
the  way,  we  were  both  so  sorely  assaulted,  that 
we  were  made  to  cry  out  murder ; and  the  two 
that  made  this  assault  upon  us  were  like  the 
two  that  I saw  in  my  dream. 

Then  said  the  Interpreter,  “ Thy  beginning 
is  good,  thy  latter  end  shall  greatly  increase.” 
So  he  addressed  him  to  Mercy,  and  said  unto 
her,  “ And  what  moved  thee  to  come  hither, 
sweetheart  ?” 

Then  Mercy  blushed  and  trembled,  and  for 
a while  continued  silent. 

Then  said  he,  Be  not  afraid,  only  believe  and 
speak  thy  mind. 

Then  she  began  and  said,  Truly,  sir,  my 
want  of  experience  is  that  which  makes  me 
covet  to  be  in  silence,  and  that  also  that  filletli 
me  with  fears  of  coming  short  at  last.  I can- 
not tell  of  visions  and  dreams,  as  my  friend 
Christiana  can ; nor  know  I what  it  is  to 
mourn  for  my  refusing  of  the  counsel  of  those 
that  were  good  relations.! 

Interpreter.  What  was  it  then,  dear  heart, 
that  hath  prevailed  with  thee  to  do  as  thou 
hast  done? 

Mercy.  Why,  when  our  friend  here  was  pack- 
ing up  to  be  gone  from  our  town,  I and  another 
went  accidentally  to  see  her.  So  we  knocked 
at  the  door,  and  went  in.  When  we  were 
within,  and  seeing  what  she  was  doing,  we 
asked  her  what  she  meant?  She  said,  she  was 
sent  for  to  go  to  her  husband,  and  then  she  up 
and  told  us  how  she  had  seen  him  in  a dream, 
dwelling  in  a curious  place,  among  immortals, 
wearing  a crown,  playing  upon  a harp,  eating 
and  drinking  at  his  Prince’s  table,  and  singing 
praises  to  him  for  the  bringing  him  thither, 


to  prize  Christ,  his  salvation,  and  his  ways,  and  to  ab- 
hor ourselves,  the  paths  of  sin,  and  to  cast  off  all  self- 
righteous  hopes.  If  this  is  effected  in  thy  heart, 
reader,  no  matter  whether  thou  canst  tell  of  visions 
and  dreams,  and  talk  high  of  experiences.  Many  are, 
and  have  been  deceived  by  these  things,  and  come  to 
nothing.  But  where  the  soul  is  rooted  and  grounded 
in  the  knowledge  of  precious  Christ,  and  love  to  his 
ways,  though  there  may  be  many  fears,  yet  this  is  an 
indubitable  proof  of  a real  and  sincere  pilgrim. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROG  REES. 


193 


Ac.  Now  mcthought  while  she  was  telling 
these  things  unto  us,  my  heart  burned  within 
me.  Ami  I said  in  my  heart,  If  this  be  true, 
I will  leave  my  father  and  my  mother,  and  the 
land  of  my  nativity,  and  will,  if  I may,  go 
along  with  Christiana. 

So  I asked  her  further  of  the  truth  of  these 
things,  and  if  she  would  let  me  go  with  her; 
for  I saw  now,  that  there  was  no  dwelling,  but 
with  the  danger  of  ruin,  any  longer  in  our 
town.  But  yet  I came  away  with  a heavy 
heart;  not  for  that  I was  unwilling  to  come 
away,  but  for  that  so  many  of  my  relations 
were  left  behind.  And  I am  come  with  all  my 
heart,  and  will,  if  I may,  go  with  Christiana 
to  her  husband  and  his  King. 

Interpreter.  Thy  setting  out  is  good,  for  tliou 


hast  given  credit  to  the  truth  ;*  thou  art  a 
Ruth,  who  did,  for  the  love  she  bare  to 
Naomi,  and  to  the  Lord  her  God,  leave  father 
and  mother,  and  the  land  of  her  nativity,  to 
come  out  and  go  with  a people  that  she  knew 
not  before.  “The  Lord  recompense  thy  work, 
and  a full  reward  be  given  thee  of  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel,  under  whoso  wings  thou  art 
come  to  trust.”  Ruth  ii.  11,  12. 

Now  supper  was  ended,  and  preparation  was 
made  for  bed ; the  women  were  laid  singly 
alone,  and  the  boys  by  themselves.  No\v  when 
Mercy  was  in  bed,  she  could  not  sleep  for  joy, 
for  that  now  her  doubts  of  missing  at  last  were 
removed  farther  from  her  than  ever  they  were 
before.  So  she  lay  blessing  and  praising  God, 
who  had  such  favour  for  her.f 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Pilgrims,  conducted  by  Great-heart,  proceed  on  their  journey. 


In  the  morning  they  arose  with  the  sun,  and 
prepared  themselves  for  their  departure ; but 
the  Interpreter  would  have  them  tarry  awhile, 
“for  (said  he)  you  must  orderly  go  from 
hence.”  Then  said  he  to  the  damsel  that  first 
opened  unto  them,  “Take  them  and  have 
them  into  the  garden  to  the  bath,  and  there 
wash  them  and  make  them  clean  from  the 
soil  which  they  have  gathered  by  travelling.” 
Then  Innocent  the  damsel  took  them,  and  led 
them  into  the  garden,  and  brought  them  to 
the  bath ; so  she  told  them  that  there  they 

* “Thou  hast  given  credit  to  the  truth.”  What  is 
this  but  faith  ; the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God  ? But 
some  may  ask  what  is  justifying,  saving  faith:  noth- 
ing raoro  than  a belief  of  the  truth?  If  so,  the  very 
devils  believe;  yea,  more,  they  tremble  also.  True: 
but  mind  how  Mercy’s  faith  wrought  by  her  works. 
True,  she  did  not  tremble,  like  a devil,  without  hope, 
but  she  fled  for  refuge  to  the  hope  set  before  her  in  tho 
Gospel.  She  flod  from  sin,  from  the  city  of  Destruc- 
tion, to  Christ  for  salvation.  Though  she  had  not  the 
jo;/  of  faith,  yet  she  followed  on  to  know  tho  Lord, 
walking  in  his  ways,  and  hoping  for  comfort  from  the 
Lord  in  his  due  time.  Oh  how  are  many  poor  pil- 
grims’ hearts  dejected  and  distressed  about  the  faith 
of  the  Gospel,  by  the  strange,  perplexing,  unsoriptural 
definitions  which  have  been  given  of  it!  whereas  faith 
is  the  most  simple  thing  in  the  world : it  is  the  belief  of 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  that  we  are  lost  sinners  in 
ourselves,  and  that  there  is  salvation  for  us  in  him. 
Where  this  is  believed  in  the  heart,  it  causes  a sinner 
to  become  a pilgrim  : believing  the  exceeding  sinful- 
ness of  sin,  the  perfect  purity  of  God’s  law,  his  own 
13 


must  wash  and  be  clean,  for  so  her  Master 
would  have  the  women  to  do  that  called  at 
his  house  as  they  were  going  on  pilgrimage. 
Then  they  went  in  and  washed,  yea,  they  and 
the  boys  and  all ; and  they  came  out  of  that 
bath  not  only  sweet  and  clean,  but  also  much 
enlivened  and  strengthened  in  their  joints. 
So  when  they  came  in,  they  looked  fairer  a 
deal  than  when  they  wrent  out  to  the  wash- 
ing-+ 

When  they  were  returned  out  of  the  garden 
from  the  bath,  the  Interpreter  took  them,  and 

ruined  state,  the  preciousness  of  Christ,  the  glory  of  his 
salvation,  the  necessity  of  holiness,  and  the  hope  of 
glory;  this  faith  will  influence  the  conduct,  bring  love 
into  the  heart,  and  cause  the  soul  to  persevere  looking  to 
Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith.  0 reader, 
if  thou  hast  a grain  of  this  precious  faith  in  thy 
heart,  bless  Jesus  for  it,  and  go  on  thy  way  rejoicing. 

f Here  now  is  the  comfort  of  faith.  As  by  constant 
exercise  of  our  faith,  it  grows  strong,  so  it  expels  our 
doubts,  enlivens  our  hearts,  and  sets  our  souls  a bless-  ' 
ing  and  praising  our  Immanuel.  This  prayer,  “Lord, 
increase  our  faith!”  is  ever  needful  for  God’s  glory 
and  our  soul’s  comfort. 

J There  are  no  pilgrims  but  daily  need  to  have  re- 
course to  this  bath.  What  may  we  understand  by  it  ? 
The  blood  of  Jesus  which  cleanses  us  from  all  sin. 

1 John  i.  7.  Christ  is  the  fountain  opened  for  sin  and 
for  uncleanness.  Zech.  xiii.  1.  Christ  is  the  soul's 
only  bath.  The  Holy  Spirit,  the  Sanctifier,  leads  us 
to  the  blood  of  tho  Lamb.  The  Spirit  bears  witness  to 
this  blood,  and  purifies  and  comforts  by  the  applica- 
tion of  this  blood  only. 


194 


EUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


looked  upon  them,  and  said  unto  them,  “Fair 
as  the  moon.”  Then  he  called  for  the  seal 
wherewith  they  used  to  be  sealed  that  were 
washed  in  his  bath.  So  the  seal  was  brought, 
and  he  set  his  mark  upon  them,  that  they  might 
be  known  in  the  places  whither  they  were  yet  to 
go.  Now  the  seal  was  the  contents  and  sum  of 
the  passover  which  the  children  of  Israel  did 
eat  when  they  came  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
(Ex.  xiii.  8,  10;)  and  the  mark  was  set  be- 
tween their  eyes.  This  seal  greatly  added  to 
their  beauty,  for  it  was  an  ornament  to  tlieir 
faces ; it  also  added  to  their  gravity,  and  made 
their  countenances  more  like  those  of  angels.* 

Then  said  the  Interpreter  again  to  the  dam- 
sel that  waited  upon  the  women,  “ Go  into  the 
vestry,  and  fetch  out  garments  for  these  peo- 
ple.” So  she  went  and  fetched  out  white  rai- 
ment, and  laid  it  down  before  him : so  he  com- 
manded them  to  put  it  on : f it  was  “ fine  linen, 
white  and  clean.”  When  the  women  were  thus 
adorned,  they  seemed  to  be  a terror  one  to  the 
other ; for  that  they  could  not  see  that  glory, 
each  one  in  herself,  which  they  could  see  in 
each  other.  Now  therefore  they  began  to  es- 
teem each  other  better  than  themselves : “ For 
you  are  fairer  than  I am,”  said  one ; and  “ You 
are  more  comely  than  I am,”  said  another. 
The  children  also  stood  amazed,  to  see  into 
what  fashion  they  were  brought. 

The  Interpreter  then  called  for  a man-ser- 
vant of  his,  one  Great-heart,):  and  bid  him 
take  a sword,  and  helmet,  and  shield ; “ And 
take  these  my  daughters  (said  he,)  conduct 
them  to  the  house  called  Beautiful,  at  which 
place  they  will  rest  next.”  So  he  took  his 
weapons,  and  went  before  them ; and  the  In- 
terpreter said,  “ God  speed.”  Those  also  that 
belonged  to  the  family  sent  them  away  with 
many  a good  wish.  So  they  went  on  their  way, 
and  sang— 

“ This  place  has  been  our  second  stage, 

Here  we  have  heard  and  seen 

* This  means  the  sealing  of  the  Spirit.  Eph.  iv.  3(1. 
Oh  this  is  blessed  sealing!  None  know  the  comfort 
and  joy  of  it  but  those  who  have  experienced  it.  It 
confirms  our  faith,  establishes  our  hope,  and  inflames 
our.affoctions  to  God  the  Father,  for  his  love,  to  God 
the  Son,  for  his  gracious  atonement  and  righteousness, 
and  to  God  the  Spirit  for  his  enlightening  mercy,  re- 
generating grace,  quickening,  sanctifying,  testifying 
and  assuring  influences,  whereby  we  know  that  we  are 
the  children  of  God,  for  “ the  Spirit  itself  beareth  wit- 
ness with  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  children  of  God.” 
Bom.  via.  16.  Therefore  grieve  not  the  Holy.  Spirit. 

f Mind,  they  are  commanded  to  put  it  on.  Though 
God  imparts  the  righteousness  of  his  beloved  Son  to 


Those  good  things,  that  from  age  to  age 
To  others  hid  have  been. 

The  dunghill-raker,  spider,  hen, 

The  chicken  too,  to  me 
Have  taught  a lesson;  let  me  then 
Conformed  to  it  be. 

The  butcher,  garden,  and  the  field, 

The  robin  and  his  bait, 

Also  the  rotten  tree,  do  yield 
Me  argument  of  weight, 

To  move  me  for  to  watch  and  pray, 

To  strive  to  be  -sincere  : 

To  take  my  cross  up  day  by  day, 

And  serve  the  Lord  with  fear.” 

Now  I saw  in  my  dream  that  thos^  went  on, 
and  Great-heart  before  them ; so  they  went  and 
came  to  the  place  where  Christian’s  burden  fell 
off  his  back,  and  tumbled  into  a sepulchre. 
Here  then  they  made  a pause.  Here  also  they 
blessed  God.  Now,  said  Christiana,  it  comes 
to  my  mind  what  was  said  to  us  at  that  gate, 
to  wit,  that  we  should  have  pardon  by  word 
and  deed ; by  word,  that  is,  by  the  promise ; 
by  deed,  to  wit,  in  the  way  it  was  obtained. 
What  the  promise  is,  of  that  I know  some- 
thing : but  what  it  is  to  have  pardon  by  deed, 
or  in  the  way  that  it  was  obtained,  Mr.  Great- 
heart,  I suppose  you  know,  which,  if  you 
please,  let  us  hear  you  discourse  thereof. 

Great-heart.  Pardon  by  the  deed  done,  is 
pardon  obtained  by  some  one,  for  another  that 
hath  need  thereof ; not  by  the  person  pardoned, 
but  in  “the  way  (saith  another)  in  which  I 
have  obtained  it.”  So  then,  (to  speak  to  the 
question  more  at  large,)  the  pardon  that  you 
and  Mercy,  and  these  boys,  have  attained  by 
another ; to  wit,  by  him  that  led  you  in  at  that 
gate ; and  he  hath  obtained  it  in  this  double 
way : he  hath  performed  righteousness  to  cover 
you,  and  spilt  blood  to  wash  you  in. || 

Christiana.  But  if  he  parts  with  his  right- 
eousness to  us,  what  will  he  have  for  himself? 
Great-heart.  He  hath  more  righteousness 

sinners,  yet  it  is  received  and  put  on  by  faith.  Hence 
it  is  called  the  righteousness  of  God,  (2  Cor.  v.  21  ;) 
and  the  righteousness  of  faith.  Rom.  x.  C. 

j Great-heart  may  represent  the  stated  pastoral  care 
of  a vigilant  minister,  who  is  strong  in  the  faith,  and 
courageous  in  the  cause  of  God.  How  thankful  should 
we  be  for  a pure  ministry,  and  carefully  improve  all 
the  blessings  consequeut  thereupon  ! 

| This,  this  is  the  comfort,  joy,  and  glorifying  of  a 
pilgrim’s  heart.  Hath  Jesus  performed  righteousness 
to  cover  us,  and  spilt  blood  to  wash  us  ? Have  we  faith 
in  him?  Oh  how  ought  we  to  love  him,  glory  in 
him,  rejoice  in  him,  and  study  to  glorify  him  in  every 
step  of  our  pilgrimage  1 


TIIE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


1 05 


than  you  lmvo  need  of,  or  than  ho  necdeth  | 
himself. 

Christiana.  Pray  make  that  appear. 

Great-heart.  With  all  my  heart:  but  first  I 
must  premise,  that  he,  of  whom  we  are  now 
about  to  speak,  is  one  that  has  not  his  fellow. 
He  has  two  natures  in  one  person,  plain  to  be 
distinguished,  impossible  to  be  divided.  Unto 
each  of  these  natures  a righteousness  belong- 
eth,  and  each  righteousness  is  essential  to  that 
nature.  So  that  one  may  as  easily  cause  the 
natures  to  be  extinct,  as  to  separate  its  justice 
or  righteousness  from  it.  Of  these  righteous- 
nesses, therefore,  we  are  not  made  partakers, 
so  that  they,  or  any  of  them,  should  be  put 
upon  us,  that  we  might  be  made  just,  and  live 
thereby.  Besides  these,  there  is  a righteous- 
ness which  this  Person  has,  as  these  two  na- 
tures are  joined  in  one.  And  this  is  not  the 
righteousness  of  the  Godhead,  as  distinguished 
from  the  manhood  ; nor  the  righteousness  of 
♦ he  manhood,  as  distinguished  from  the  God- 
head ; but  a righteousness  which  standeth  in  the 
union  of  both  natures,  and  may  properly  be 
called  the  righteousness  that  is  essential  to  his 
being  prepared  of  God  to  the  capacity  of  the 
mediatory  office,  which  he  was  entrusted  with. 
If  lie  parts  with  his  first  righteousness,  he  parts 
with  his  Godhead : if  he  parts  with  his  second 
righteousness,  he  parts  with  the  purity  of  his 
manhood:  if  he  parts  with  his  third,  he  parts 
with  that  perfection  which  capacitates  him  to 
the  office  of  mediation.  He  has  therefore 
another  righteousness,  which  standeth  in  per- 
formance, or  obedience  to  a revealed  will:  and 
that  is  what  he  puts  upon  sinners,  and  that  by 
which  their  sins  are  covered.  Wherefore  he 
saith,  “As  by  one  man’s  disobedience,  many 
were  made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one, 
shall  many  be  made  righteous.”  * Bom.  v.  19. 

Christiana.  But  are  the  other  righteousnesses 
of  no  use  to  us? 

Great-heart.  Yes:  for  though  they  are  es- 
sential to  his  natures  and  office,  and  cannot  be 
communicated  unto  another,  yet  it  is  by  virtue 
of  them. that  the  righteousness  that  justifies  is 
for  that  purpose  efficacious.  The  righteous- 
ness of  his  Godhead  gives  virtue,  to  his  obedi- 
ence ; the  righteousness  of  his  manhood  giveth 

* Here  Mr.  Bunyan  gives  a very  clear  and  distinct 
account  of  that  righteousness  of  Christ,  as  mediator, 
which  he  wrought  out  by  his  perfect  obedience  to  tho 
law  of  God,  for  and  in  behalf  of  all  believers:  and 
which  righteousness  is  imparted  to  them  by  God  tho 
Father,  through  faith  and  in  this  righteousness : be- 
lievers in  Christ  are  made  perfectly  righteous  before 


capability  to  his  obedience  to  justify:  and  the 
righteousness  that  standeth  in  the  union  of 
these  two  natures  to  his  office  giveth  authority 
to  that  righteousness  to  do  the  work  for  which 
it  was  ordained. 

So  then  here  is  a righteousness  that  Christ, 
as  God,  has  no  need  of ; for  he  is  God  without 
it:  here  is  a righteousness  that  Christ,  as 
man,  has  no  need  of  to  make  him  so,  for  he  is 
perfect  man  without  it:  again,  here  is  a right- 
eousness that  Christ,  as  God-man,  has  no  need 
of,  for  he  is  perfectly  so  without  it.  Here  then 
is  a righteousness  that  Christ,  as  God,  and  as 
God-man,  has  no  need  of,  with  reference  to 
himself,  and  therefore  he  can  spare  it;  a jus- 
tifying righteousness,  that  he  for  himself 
wanteth  not,  and  therefore  giveth  it  away. 
Hence  it  is  called  “the  gift  of  righteousness.” 
Bom.  v.  17.  This  righteousness,  since  Christ 
Jesus  the  Lord  has  made  himself  under  the 
law,  must  be  given  away;  for  the  law  doth  not 
only  bind  him  that  is  under  it  to  do  justly,  but 
to  use  charity.  Wherefore  he  must,  or  ought 
by  the  law,  if  he  hath  two  coats,  to  give  one  to 
him  that  hath  none.  Now  pur  Lord  indeed 
hath  two  coats,  .one  for  himself,  and  one  to 
spare:  wherefore  he  freely  bestows  one  upon 
those  that  have  none.  And  thus,  Christiana 
and  Mercy,  and  the  rest  of  you  that  are  here, 
doth  your  pardon  come  by  deed  or  by  the  work 
of  another  man  ? Your  Lord  Christ  is  he  that 
worked,  and  hath  given  away  what  he  wrought 
for,  to  the  next  poor  beggar  he  meets. 

But  again,  in  order  to  pardon  by  deed,  there 
must  something  be  paid  to  God  as  a price,  as 
well  as  something  prepared  to  cover  us  withal. 
Sin  has  delivered  us  up  to  the  just  curse  of  a 
righteous  law ; now  from  this  curse  we  must 
be  justified  by  way  of  redemption,  a price  be- 
ing paid  for  the  harms  we  have  dope ; and  this 
is  by  the  blood  of  your  Lord,  who  came  and 
stood  in  your  place  and  stead,  and  died  your 
death  for  your  transgressions.  Thus  has  he 
ransomed  you  from  your  transgressions  by 
blood,  and  covered  your  polluted  and  deformed 
souls  with  righteousness,  (Rom.  viii.  34;  Gal. 
iii.  13 ;)  for  the  sake  of  which,  God  passeth  by 
you,  and  will  not  hurt  you,  when  he  comes  to 
judge  the  world. f 

God.  Of  this  righteousness,  therefore,  they  glory,  and 
their  souls  make  their  boast  of  it,  saying.  In  the  Lord 
Jehovah  Jesus,  have  I righteousness.  Isa.  xiv.  24. 

f Thus  we  see  what  God  hath  joined  together,  the 
life  and  death,  the  atonement  and  righteousness  of 
his  beloved  Son,  for  the  salvation  of  our  souls.  Bo'h 
enter  into  tho  essence  of  the  faith  of  the  Gospel. 


96 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Christiana.  This  is  brave : now  I see  that 
there  was  something  to  be  learned  by  our  being 
pardoned  by  word  and  deed.  Good  Mercy,  let 
us  labour  to  keep  this  in  mind ; and,  my  chil- 
dren, do  you  remember  it  also.  But,  sir,  was 
not  this  it  that  made  my  good  Christian’s  bur- 
den fall  from  off  his  shoulder,  and  that  made 
him  give  three  leaps  for  joy? 

Great-heart.  Yes,  it  was  the  belief  of  this 
that  cut  off  those  strings  that  could  not  be  cut 
by  other  means ; and  it  was  to  give  him  a 
proof  of  the  virtue  of  this,  that  he  was  suf- 
fered to  carry  his  burden  to  the  cross. 

Christiana.  I thought  so ; for  though  my 
heart  was  lightful  and  joyous  before,  yet  it  is 
ten  times  more  lightsome  and  joyous  now. 
And  I am  persuaded  by  what  I have  felt, 
(though  I have  felt  but  little  as  yet,)  that  if 
the  most  burdened  man  in  the  world  was  here, 
and  did  see  and  believe  as  I now  do,  it  would 
make  his  heart  the  more  merry  and  blithe. 

Great-heart.  There  is  not  only  one  comfort, 
and  the  ease  of  a burden  brought  to  us,  by  the 
sight  and  consideration  of  these,  but  an  en- 
deared affection  begot  to  us  by  it;  for  who  can 
(if  he  does  but  once  think  that  pardon  comes 
not  only  by  jiromise,  but  thus)  but  be  affected 
with  the  way  and  means  of  redemption,  and 
so  with  the  man  that  hath  wrought  it  for 
him?* 

Christiana.  True:  methinks  it  makes  my 
heart  bleed  to  think  that  he  should  bleed  for 
me.  Oh ! thou  loving  One ! Oh  ! thou  blessed 
One!  Thou  deservest  to  have  me;  thou  hast 
bought  me ; thou  deservest  to  have  me  all ; 
thou  hast  paid  for  me  ten  thousand  times 
more  than  I am' worth!  No  marvel  that  this 
made  the  water  stand  in  my  husband’s  eyes, 
and  that  it  made  him  trudge  so  nimbly  on  ; I 
am  persuaded  he  wished  me  with  him ; but, 

Let  us  beware  never  to  separate  them  in  our  views. 
We  want  both  his  blood  to  atone  for  our  sins,  and  his 
righteousness  to  be  imparted  to  our  souls. 

* Come  hither,  ye  sons  of  the  sorceress,  who  make 
sport  of  holy  raptures  and  heavenly  ecstaey,  begotten 
in  the  soul  by  the  knowledge  of  redemption  in  the 
blood  of  Christ,  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins.  Laugh 
on  till  ye  howl  in  destruction  for  despising  salvation 
by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

f 0 brave  Christians  1 See  what  it  is  to  have  one’s 
heart  inflamed  with  a sense  of  the  love  of  Christ. 
Here  observe  two  things  : 1st.  That  when  the  affec- 
tions are  thus  powerfully  carried  out,  it  is  no  uncom- 
mon thing  to  believe  that  all  may  thus  come  to  a 
saving  knowledge  of  the  truth ! 2dly.  Beware  of 
thinking  slightly  of  having  the  affections  thus  divinely 
inflamed.  Many  poor,  dry,  formal  professors  are 


vile  wretch  that  I was!  I let  him  come  all 
alone.  0 Mercy,  that  thy  father  and  mother 
were  here!  yea,  and  Mrs.  Timorous  also;  nay, 
I wish  now  with  all  my  heart  that  here  was 
Madam  Wanton  too.  Surely,  surely  their 
hearts  would  be  affected;  nor  could  the  fear 
of  the  one,  nor  the  powerful  lusts  of  the  other, 
prevail  with  them  to  go  home  again,  and  re- 
fuse to  become  good  pilgrims. f 

Great-heart ..  You  speak  now  in  the  warmth 
of  your  affections:  will  it,  think  you,  be  always 
thus  with  you?  Besides,  this  is  not  communi- 
cated to  every  one,  nor  to  every  one  that  did 
see  your  Jesus  bleed.  There  were  that  stood 
by  and  that  saw  the  blood  run  from  his  heart 
to  the  ground,  and  yet  were  so  far  off  this, 
that,  instead  of  lamenting,  they  laughed  at 
him;  and  instead  of  becoming  his  disciples, 
did  harden  their  hearts  against  him.  So  that 
all  that  you  have,  my  daughters,  you  have  by 
peculiar  impression,  made  by  a divine  con- 
templating upon  what  I have  spoken  to  you. 
Remember  that  it  was  told  you  that  the  hen, 
by  her  common  call,  gives  no  meat  to  her 
chickens.  This  you  have  therefore  by  a 
special  grace.  £ 

Now  I saw  still,  in  my  dream  that  they  went 
on  until  they  were  come  to  the  place  that  Sim- 
ple, and  Sloth,  and  Presumption,  lay  and  slept 
in,  when  Christian  went  by  on  pilgrimage:  and 
behold  they  were  hanged  up  in  irons  a little 
way  off  on  the  other  side. 

Then  said  Mercy  to  him  that  was  their  guide 
and  conductor,  “What  are  these  three  men? 
and  for  what  are  they  hanged  there?” 

Great-heart.  These  three  men  were  men  of 
bad  qualities;  they  had  no  mind  to  be  pil- 
grims themselves,  and  whomsoever  they  could 
they  hindered : they  were  for  sloth  and  folly 
themselves,  and  whomsoever  they  could  per- 

eontent  with  the  cold  light  of  the  moon,  without  the 
genial  warmth  of  the  sun ; with  clear  notions  of 
truth  in  their  heads,  without  their  hearts  being  warmed 
and  their  affections  carried  out  by  the  powerful  influ- 
ences of  the  love  of  Jesus,  who  says,  “ Ask,  and  you 
shall  receive,  that  your  joy  may  be  full.”  John  xvi. 
24. 

J Mind  how  tenderly  Great-heart  deals  with  Chris- 
tiana. He  does  not  attempt  to  damp  her  joy  and 
throw  cold  water  upon  the  fire  of  her  affections,  but 
gently  insinuates — 1st.  The  peculiar  frame  of  mind 
she  speaks  from.  2dly.  By  a gentle  hint,  suggests, 
that  her  indulgences  were  of  a peculiar  nature,  be- 
stowed upon  the  faithful  in  Christ  only.  And  that 
therefore  amidst  all  her  joyful  feelings,  she  should 
know  to  whom  she  was  indebted  for  them,  and  give 
all  the  glory  to  the  God  of  all  grace. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


197 


Buade,  they  made  wo  too:  and  withal  taught 
them  to  presume  that  they  should  do  well  at 
last.  They  were  asleep  when  Christian  went 
by,  and  now  you  go  by  they  are  hanged.* 

Mercy.  But  could  they  persuade  any  one  to 
be  of  their  opinion? 

Great-heart.  Yes,  they  turned  several  out  of 
the  way.  There  was  Slow-pace,  they  persuaded 
to  do  as  they.  They  also  prevailed  with  one 
Short-wind,  with  one  No-heart,  with  one  Linger- 
after-lust,  and  with  one  Sleepy-head,  and  with 
a young  woman,  her  name  was  Dull,  to  turn 
out  of  the  way  and  become  as  they.  Besides, 
they  brought  up  an  ill  report  of  your  Lord, 
persuading  others  that  he  was  a hard  task- 
master. They  also  brought  up  an  evil  report 
of  the  good  land,  saying  it  was  not  half  so  good 
as  some  pretending  it  was.  They  also  began 
to  vilify  his  servants  and  to  count  the  best  of 
them  meddlesome,  troublesome  busy-bodies : 
further,  they  would  call  the  bread  of  God, 
husks;  the  comforts  of  his  children,  fancies; 
the  travail  and  labour  of  pilgrims,  things  to 
no  purpose. f 


Nay,  said  Christiana,  if  they  were  such,  they 
should  never  be  bewailed  by  me:  they  have 
but  what  they  deserve;  and  I think  it  well 
that  they  stand  so  near  the  highway,  that 
others  may  see  and  take  warning.  But  had  it 
not  been  well  if  their  crimes  had  been  d-n- 
graven  on  some  pillar  of  iron  or  brass,  and 
left  here  where  they  did  their  mischiefs,  for  a 
caution  to  other  bad  men? 

Great-heart.  So  it  is,  as  you  may  well  per- 
ceive, if  you  will  go  a little  to  the  wall. 

Mercy.  No,  no;  let  them  hang,  and  their 
names  rot,  and  their  crimes  live  for  ever  against 
them : 1 think  it  is  a high  favour  that  they  are 
hanged  before  we  came  hither;  who  knows  else 
what  they  might  have  done  to  such  poor  women 
as  we  are?  Then  she  turned  it  into  a song, 
saying— 

“Now  then,  you  three,  hang  there,  and  be  a sign 
To  all  that  shall  against  the  truth  combine. 

And  let  him  that  comes  after  fear  this  end, 

If  unto  pilgrims  he  is  not  a friend. 

And  thou,  my  soul,  of  all  such  men  beware, 

That  unto  holiness  opposers  are.” 


CHAPTER  Y. 

The  Pilgrims  ascend  the  hill  Difficulty,  pass  the  Lions,  and  arrive  at  the  house  Beautiful. 


Thus  they  went  on  till  they  came  to  the  foot 
of  the  hill  Difficulty,  where  again  their  good 
friend  Mr.  Great-heart  took  an  occasion  to  tell 
them  what  happened  there  when  Christian 
himself  went  by.  So  he  had  them  first  to  the 
spring:  Lo,  saith  he,  this  is  the  spring  that 
Christian  drank  of  before  he  went  up  this  hill ; 
and  then  it  was  clear  and  good,  but  now  it  is 
dirty  with  the  feet  of  some  that  are  not  de- 
sirous that  pilgrims  here  should  quench  their 
thirst.  Ezek.  xxxiv.  18.  Thereat  Mercy  said, 

* God,  as  it  were,  gibbets  some  professors,  and 
causes  their  names  and  characters  to  be  publicly  ex- 
hibited, as  a terror  to  others. 

f Let  us  consider  the  characters  of  these  three  pro- 
fessors— 1st.  Here  is  Simple,  who,  as  Solomon  says, 
believeth  every  word,  (Prov.  xiv.  15;)  a foolish,  credu- 
lous professor,  who  is  easily  led  away  and  beguiled  by 
smooth  words  and  fair  pretences  of  others;  over  learn- 
ing, but  never  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
so  as  to  believe  it,  lovo  it,  and  be  established  on  it : 
hence  liable  to  be  carried  away  by  every  wind  of  doc- 
trine. 2d.  Sloth,  a quiet,  easy  professor,  who  never 
disturbs  any  one  by  his  diligence  in  the  word  of  God, 
nor  his  zeal  for  the  truths  and  glory  of  God.  Ileuce 
all  men  speak  well  of  him ; but  Christ  denounces  a 
woe  against  all  such.  Luke  vi.  6.  odly.  Presumption, 


And  why  so  envious,  trow  ? But,  said  the  guide, 
it  will  do,  if  taken  up  and  put  into  a vessel  that 
is  sweet  and  good  ; for  then  the  dirt  will  sink 
to  the  bottom,  and  the  water  come  out  by  itself 
more  clear.  Thus  therefore  Christian  and  her 
companions  were  compelled  to  do.  They  took 
it  up,  and  put  it  into  an  earthen  pot,  and  so  let 
it  stand  till  the  dirt  had  gone,  to  the  bottom, 
and  then  they  drank  thereof.  J 

Next  he  showed  them  the  two  by-ways  that 
were  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  where  Formality 

one  who  presumes  to  find  favour  with  God,  in  a way 
which  his  word  does  not  promise,  or  expects  salvation 
at  the  end,  without  the  means  prescribed  by  God  for 
attaining  it.  Oh  beware  of  these  three  sorts  of  pro- 
fessors, for  they  turn  many  aside.  Real  Christians 
are  in  danger  of  being  seduced  by  them,  if  not  of 
total  destruction  through  their  means. 

J This  represents  to  us,  that  some  preachers,  as  the 
prophet  says,  foul  the  water  with  their  feet,  (Ezek. 
xxxiv.  IS:)  that  is,  though  they  preach  somewhat 
about  Christ,  and  salvation  by  him,  yet  they  so  clog, 
mire,  and  pollute  the  stream  of  free  grace,  with  pre- 
requisites, that  a poor,  thirsty  soul  cannot  drink  the 
water,  nor  allay  his  thirst  with  it:  but  is  forced 
to  let  it  stand,  till  these  gross  dregs  sink  to  the 
bottom. 


198 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  Hypocrisy  lost  themselves.  And,  said  he, 
these  are  dangerous  paths  : two  were  here  cast 
away  when  Christian  came  by.  And  although 
you  see  these  two  ways  are  since  stopped  up 
with  chains,  posts,  and  a ditch,  yet  they  are 
they  which  will  choose  to  adventure  here, 
rather  than  take  the  pains  to  go  up  this  hill. 

Christiana.  “The  way  of  transgressors  is 
hard,”  (Prov.  xiii.  15  ;)  it  is  a wonder  that  they 
can  get  into  these  ways  without  danger  of 
breaking  their  necks. 

Great-heart  They  will  venture;  yea,  if  at 
any  time  any  of  the  King’s  servants  do  hapi^en 
to  see  them  and  doth  call  upon  them,  and  tell 
them  that  they  are  in  the  wrong  ways,  and  do 
bid  them  beware  of  the  danger,  then  they 
railingly  return  them  answer,  and  say,  “ As  for 
the  word  that  thou  hast  spoken  unto  us  in  the 
name  of  the  King,  we  will  not  hearken  unto 
thee;  hut  we  will  certainly  do  whatsoever 
thing  goeth  out  of  our  mouths.”  Jer.  xliv.  16, 
17.  Nay,  if  you  look  a little  further,  you  shall 
see  that  these  ways  are  made  cautionary  enough, 
not  only  by  these  posts  and  ditch  and  chain, 
but  also  by  being  hedged  up ; yet  they  will 
choose  to  go  there.* 

Christiana.  They  are  idle ; they  love  not  to 
take  pains ; uphill  way  is  unpleasant  to  them. 
So  it  is  fulfilled  unto  them  as  it  is  written, 
“ The  way  of  the  slothful  man  is  an  hedge  of 
thorns.”  Prov.  xv.  19.  Yea,  they  will  rather 
choose  to  walk  upon  a snare,  than  to  go  up 
this  hill  and  the  rest  of  this  way  to  the  city.” 

Then  they  set  forward,  and  began  to  go  up 
the  hill,  and  up  the  hill  they  went ; but  before 
they  got  up  to  the  top,  Christiana  began  to 
pant,  and  said,  I dare  say  this  is  a breathing 
hill;  no  marvel  if  they  that  love  their  ease 
more  than  their  souls,  choose  to  themselves  a 
smoother  way.  Then  said  Mercy,  I must  sit 
down ; also  the  least  of  the  children  began  to 
cry : Come,  come,  said  Great-heart,  sit  not 
down  here,  for  a little  above  is  the  Prince’s 
arbour.  Then  he  took  the  little  boy  by  the 
hand,  and  led  him  thereto. f 

When  they  were  come  to  the  arbour,  they 
were  very  willing  to  sit  down,  for  they  were  all 
in  a pelting  heat.  Then  said  Mercy,  “How 

Examine,  which  do  you  like  best,  self-soothing  or 
foul-searching  doctrine?  Formalists  and  hypocrites 
love  the  former,  and  hate  the  latter.  But  the  sincere 
and  upright  are  discovered  by  desiring  to  have  their 
hearts  searched  to  the  quick,  and  their  ways  tried  to 
the  uttermost. 

t He  who  is  a stranger  to  self-denial,  knows  not 
what  this  hill  Difficulty  meaus;  for  the  nearer  to  the 


sweet  is  rest  to  them  that  labour ! Matt.  xi.  28. 
And  how  good  is  the  Prince  of  pilgrims,  to 
provide  such  resting-places  for  them ! Of  this 
arbour  I have  heard  much ; but  I never  saw  it 
before.  But  here  let  us  beware  of  sleeping 
for  as  I have  heard,  it  cost  poor  Christian  dear, 

Then  said  Mr.  Great-heart  to  the  little  ones, 
Come,  my  pretty  boys,  how  do  you  do  ? What 
think  you  now  of  going  on  pilgrimage?  Sir, 
said  the  least,  I was  almost  beat  out  of  heart : 
but  I thank  you  for  lending  me  a hand  at  my 
need.  And  I remember  now  what  my  mother 
hath  told  me,  namely,  that  the  way  to  heaven 
is  as  a ladder,  and  the  way  to  hell  is  as  down 
a hill.  But  I had  rather  go  up  the  ladder  to 
life,  than  down  the  hill  to  death. 

Then  said  Mercy,  But  the  proverb  is,  To  go 
down  the  hill  is  easy : but  James  said,  (for  that 
was  his  name,)  The  day  is  coming  when,  in  my 
opinion,  going  down  the  hill  will  be  the  hard- 
est of  all.  ’Tis  a good  boy,  said  his  master; 
thou  hast  given  her  a right  answer.  Then 
Mercy  smiled,  but  the  little  boy  did  blush. I 

Come,  said  Christiana,  will  you  eat  a bit,  to 
sweeten  your  mouths,  while  you  sit  here  to 
rest  your  legs?  For  I have  here  a piece  of 
pomegranate,  which  Mr.  Interpreter  put  into 
my  hand  just  when  I came  out  of  his  doors; 
he  gave  me  also  a piece  of  an  honeycomb,  and 
a little  bottle  of  spirits.  “ I thought  he  gave 
you  something,”  said  Mercy,  “because  he 
called  you  aside.”  “ Yes,  so  he  did,”  said  the 
other.  “But,”  said  Christiana,  “it  shall  be 
still  as  I said  it  should,  tvhen  at  first  we  came 
from  home ; thou  shalt  be  a sharer  in  all  the 
good  that  I have,  because  thou  so  willingly 
didst  become  my  companion.”  Then  she  gave 
to  them,  and  they  did  eat.  both  Mercy  and  the 
boys.  And  said  Christiana  to  Mr.  Great-heart, 
“Sir,  will  you  do  as  we?”  But  he  answered, 
“You  are  going  on  pilgrimage,  and  presently 
I shall  return;  much  good  may  what  you  have 
do  to  you ! At  home  I eat  the  same  every 
day.”  Now  when  they  had  eaten  and  drank, 
and  had  chatted  a little  longer,  their  guide  said 
to  them,  “ The  day  wears  away ; if  you  think 
good,  let  us  prepare  to  be  going.”  So  they  got 
up  to  go,  and  the  little  boys  went  before : but 
Christiana  forgot  to  take  her  bottle  of  spirits 

arbour  of  Jesus’  rest,  the  more  difficulties  in  the  way; 
but  the  sweeter  it  is  when  attained. 

J This  is  right ; when  we  are  praised,  to  have  a con- 
scious blush,  well  knowing  how  much  we  have  to  bo 
ashamed  of.  Oh  cry  to  the  Lord  continually  against 
spiritual  pride,  and  for  an  humble  heart,  knowing 
thyself  to  be  a poor  sinner. 


T1IE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


199 


with  her;  so  she  sent  her  little  boy  back  to 
fetch  it.  Then  said  Mercy,  “I  think  this  is  a 
losing  place.  Hero  Christian  lost  his  roll, 
and  hero  Christiana  left  her  bottle  behind  her; 
sir,  what  is  the  cause  of  this?”  So  their 
guide  made  answer,  and  said,  “The  cause  is 
sleep  or  forgetfulness:  some  sleep  when  they 
should  keep  awake,  and  some  forget  when 
they  should  remember;  and  this  is  the  very 
cause,  why  often  at  the  resting-places  some 
pilgrims  in  some  things  come  off  losers.  Pil- 
grims should  watch  and  remember  what  they 
have  already  received  under  their  greatest  en- 
joyments ; but  for  want  of  doing  so,  oftentimes 
their  rejoicing  ends  in  tears,  and  their  sun- 
shine in  a cloud : witness  the  story  of  Christian 
at  this  place.”  * 

When  they  were  come  to  the  place  where 
Mistrust  and  Timorous  met  Christian  to  per- 
suade him  to  go  back  for  fear  of  the  lions, 
they  perceived  as  it  were  a stage,  and  before 
it,  towards  the  road,  a broad  plate,  with  a 
copy  of  verses  written  thereon,  and  under- 
neath, the  reason  of  raising  up  of  that  stage 
in  that  place  rendered.  The  verses  were — 

“ Let  him  that  sees  that  stage  take  heed, 

Upon  his  heart  and  tongue  : 

Lest  if  he  do  not,  here  he  speed 
As  some  have  long  agone.” 

The  words  underneath  the  verses  were — 
“This  stage  was  built  to  punish  some  upon, 
who,  through  timorousness  or  mistrust,  shall  be 
afraid  to  go  further  on  pilgrimage:  also  on 
this  stage  both  Mistrust  and  Timorous  were 
burnt  through  the  tongue  with  a hot  iron, 
for  endeavouring  to  hinder  Christian  on  his 
journey.”  f 

Then  said  Mercy,  This  is  much  like  to  the 
saying  of  the  Beloved,  “ What  shall  be  given 
unto  thee;  or  what  shall  be  done  unto  thee, 
thou  false  tongue ; sharp  arrows  of  the  mighty, 
with  coals  of  the  juniper.”  Ps.  cxx.  3,  4. 

So  they  went  on  till  they  came  within  sight 
of  the  lions.  Now  Mr.  Great-heart  was  a 
strong  man,  so  he  was  not  afraid  of  a lion: 
but  yet  when  they  were  come  up  to  the  place 

• Reader,  mind  this  well;  remember  it  often;  and  it 
will  do  thee  good. 

f Christians,  take  heed  to  your  tongues.  Oh  beware, 
beware,  lost  in  any  wise,  you  make  a false  report  of 
the  good  land,  through  fear  or  mistrust!  Tho  Lord 
notes  what  you  boldly  speak  for  his  ways,  and  to  his 
glory;  and  ho  marks  your  words  which  in  any  wise 
have  a contrary  tendency.  The  tongue  is  an  unruly  evil. 

J Who  is  this  Giant  Grim,  who  backs  the  lions,  and 


where  the  lions  were,  the  boys  that  went 
before  were  glad  to  cringe  behind,  for  they 
were  afraid  of  the  lions;  so  they  stept  back 
and  went  behind.  At  this  their  guide  smiled, 
and  said,  “How  now,  my  boys;  do  you  love 
to  go  before  when  no  danger  doth  approach, 
and  love  to  come  behind  so  soon  as  the  lions 
appear?” 

Now  as  they  w'ent  on,  Mr.  Great-heart  drew 
his  sword,  with  intent  to  make  a way  for  the 
pilgrims  in  spite  of  the  lions.  Then  there 
appeared  one,  that  it  seems  had  taken  upon 
him  to  back  the  lions;  and  he  said  to  the  pil- 
grims’ guide,  “ What  is  the  cause  of  your 
coming  hither?”  Now  the  name  of  that  man 
was  Grim,  or  Bloody-man,  because  of  his  slay- 
ing of  pilgrims ; and  he  was  of  the  race  of  the 
giants,  t 

Then  said  the  pilgrims’  guide,  These  women 
and  children  are  going  on  pilgrimage:  and 
this  is  the  way  they  must  go,  and  go  it  they 
shall,  in  spite  of  thee  and  the  lions. 

Grim.  This  is  not  their  way,  neither  shall 
they  go  therein.  I am  come  forth  to  with- 
stand them,  and  to  that  end  will  back  the 
lions. 

Now,  to  say  the  truth,  by  reason  of  the 
fierceness  of  the  lions,  and  of  the  grim  car- 
riage of  him  that  did  back  them,  this  way  had 
of  late  lain  much  unoccupied,  and  was  almost 
all  grown  over  with  grass. 

Then  said  Christiana,  Though  the  highways 
have  been  unoccupied  heretofore,  and  though 
the  travellers  have  been  made  in  times  past  to 
walk  through  by-paths,  it  must  not  be  so  now 
I am  risen ; “ Now  I am  risen  a mother  in 
Israel.”  Judges  v.  6,  7. 

Then  he  swore  by  the  lions,  but  it  should : 
and  therefore  bid  them  turn  aside,  for  they 
should  not  have  passage  there.  But  their 
guide  made  first  his  approach  unto  Grim,  and 
laid  so  heavily  on  him  with  his  sword,  that  he 
forced  him  to  retreat. 

Then  said  he  that  attempted  to  back  the 
lions,  “ Will  you  slay  me  upon  mine  own 
ground  ?” 

Great-heart.  It  is  the  King’s  highway  that 

terrifies  the  hearts  of  pilgrims,  with  a sense  of  danger 
in  the  right  way  to  the  kingdom?  It  is  an  evil  heart 
of  unbelief.  This  Great-heart  will  fight  with,  and 
conquer.  Oh  how  does  unbelief  multiply  dangers, 
and  magnify  difficulties,  call  up  fear,  and  deject 
our  hearts!  Unbelief  makes  every  danger  wear  a 
grim  and  terrible  aspect.  The  only  weapon  to  slay 
this  enemy  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
word  of  God.  Eph.  vi.  IT. 


200 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


we  are  in,  and  in  this  way  it  is  that  thou  hast 
placed  the  lions ; but  these  women  and  these 
children,  though  weak,  shall  hold  on  their 
way  in  spite  of  the  lions.  And  with  that  he 
gave  him  again  a downright  blow,  and  brought 
him  upon  his  knees.  With  this  blow  he  also 
broke  his  helmet,  and  with  the  next  cut  off  an 
arm.  Then  did  the  giant  roar  so  hideously, 
that  his  voice  frighted  the  women ; and  yet 
they  were  glad  to  see  him  lie  sprawling  upon 
the  ground.  Now  the  lions  were  chained,  and 
so  of  themselves  could  do  nothing.*  Where- 
fore, when  old  Grim  that  intended  to  back 
them,  was  dead,  Great-heart  said  to  the  pil- 
grims, “ Come  now,  and  follow  me,  and  no 
hurt  shall  happen  to  you  from  the  lions.” 
They  therefore  went  on,  but  the  women  trem- 
bled as  they  passed  by  them;  the  boys  also 
looked  as  if  they  would  die,  but  they  all  got 
by  without  further  hurt. 

Now,  when  they  were  within  sight  of  the 
porter’s  lodge,  they  soon  came  up  unto  it;  but 
they  made  the  more  haste  after  this  to  go 
thither,  because  it  is  dangerous  travelling  there 
in  the  night.  So  when  they  were  come  to  the 
gate,  the  guide  knocked,  and  the  porter  cried, 
“Who  is  there?”  But  as  soon  as  the  guide 
had  said,  “It  is  I,”  he  knew  his  voice,  and 
came  down,  (for  the  guide  had  oft  before  that 
come  thither  as  a conductor  of  pilgrims.) 
When  he  was  come  down,  he  opened  the  gate, 
and  seeing  the  guide  standing  just  before  it, 
(for  he  saw  not  the  women,  for  they  were  be- 
hind him,)  he  said  unto  him,  How  now,  Mr. 
Great-heart,  what  is  your  business  here  so  late 
at  night?  “I  have  brought,”  said  he,  “some 
pilgrims  hither,  where,  by  my  Lord’s  com- 
mandment, they  must  lodge  : I had  been  here 
some  time  ago,  had  I not  been  opposed  by  the 
giant  that  used  to  back  the  lions.  But  I,  after 
a long  and  tedious  combat  with  him,  have  cut 
him  off,  and  have  brought  the  pilgrims  hither 
in  safety.”  f 

Porter.  Will  not  you  go  in,  and  stay  till 
morning  ? 

Great-heart.  No.  I will  return  to  my  Lord 
to-night. 

Christiana.  Oh,  sir,  I know  not  how  to  he 

* How  often,  after  we  have  fought  with  the  courage 
of  faith  and  the  resolution  of  hope,  and  have  over- 
come a grim  enemy,  have  we  seen  the  fiercest  of  our 
enemies  chained  by  the  power  of  God,  so  as  not  to 
have  the  least  power  to  hurt  us!  0 pilgrim!  it  is 
sweet  to  reflect,  that  every  lion-like  foe  is  under  the 
control  of  thy  God,  and  cannot  come  one  link  of  their 
chain  nearer  to  thee  than  thy  Lord  will  permit. 


willing  you  should  leave  us  in  our  pilgrimage: 
you  have  been  so  faithful  and  so  loving  to  us 
you  have  fought  so  stoutly  for  us,  you  have 
been  so  hearty  in  counselling  of  us,  that  I shall 
never  forget  your  favour  towards  us. 

Then  said  Mercy,  Oh  that  we  might  have 
thy  company  to  our'  journey’s  end . How  can 
such  poor  women  as  we  hold  out  in  a way  so 
full  of  troubles  as  this  way  is,  without  a friend 
or  defender? 

Then  said  James,  the  youngest  of  the  boys, 
Pray,  sir,  be  persuaded  to  go  with  us,  and  help 
us,  because  we  are  so  weak,  and  the  way  so 
dangerou^  as  it  is. 

Great-heart.  I am  at  my  Lord’s  command- 
ment : if  he  shall  allot  me  to  be  your  guide 
quite  through,  T will  willingly  wait  upon  you. 
But  here  you  failed  at  first : for  when  he  bid 
me  come  thus  far  with  you,  then  you  should 
have  begged  me  of  him  to  have  gone  through 
with  you,  and  he  would  have  granted  your  re- 
quest. However,  at  present  I must  withdraw ; 
and  so,  good  Christiana,  Mercy,  and  .my  brave 
children,  adieu. 

Then  the  porter,  Mr.  Watchful,  asked  Chris- 
tiana of  her  country,  and  of  her  kindred : and 
she  said,  “ I came  from  the  city  of  Destruction ; 
I am  a widow  woman,  and  my  husband  is  dead ; 
his  name  was  Christian,  the  pilgrim.”  “ How !” 
said  the  porter,  “was  he  your  husband?” 
“Yes,”  said  she,  “and  these  his  children;  and 
this  (pointing  to  Mercy)  is  one  of  my  towns- 
women.” Then  the  porter  rang  his  bell,  as  at 
such  time  he  is  wont,  and  there  came  to  the 
door  one  of  the  damsels,  whose  name  was 
Humbl e-mind.  And  to  her  the  porter  said, 
“ Go  tell  it.  within,  that  Christiana,  the  wife  of 
Christian,  and  her  children,  are  come  hither 
on  pilgrimage.”  She  went  in,  therefore,  and 
told  it.  But  oh,  what  noise  for  gladness  was 
therein  when  the  damsel  did  but  drop  that  out 
of  her  mouth ! 

So  they  came  with  haste  to  the  poiter,  for 
Christiana  stood  still  at  the  door.  Then  some 
of  the  most  grave  said  unto  her,  “ Come  in, 
Christiana,  come  in,  thou  wife  of  that  good 
man ; come  in,  thou  blessed  woman,  come  in, 
with  all  that  are  with  thee.”  So  she  went  in, 
and  they  followed  her  that  were  her  children 


j"  How  mindful  is  our  Lord  of  us!  How  gracious  is 
be  to  us!  What  blessed  provisions  doth  he  make  for 
us!  If  pilgrims  are  attacked  by'  Giant  Grim,  and  ter- 
rified with  the  sight  of  lions,  they  may  be  sure  that  it 
is  only  a prelude  to  some  sweet  enjoyment  of  the  Lord’s 
love,  and  that  they  are  near  to  some  sweet  asy  lum, 
some  sanctuary  of  rest,  peace,  aud  comfort. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


201 


ami  her  companions.  Now  when  they  were 
gone  in,  they  were  had  into  a large  room,  and 
bid  to  sit  down ; so  they  sat  down,  and  the 
chief  of  the  house  were  called  to  see  and  wel- 
come the  guests.  Then  they  came  in,  and, 
understanding  who  they  were,  did  salute  eaeli 
other  with  a kiss,  and  said  “ Welcome,  ye  ves- 
sels of  the  grace  of  God,  welcome  unto  us  who 
are  your  faithful  friends.”  * 

Now,  because  it  was  somewhat  late,  and 
because  the  pilgrims  were  weary  with  their 
journey,  and  also  made  faint  with  the  sight  of 
the  light  and  the  terrible  lions,  they  desired,  as 
soon  as  might  be,  to  prepare  to  go  to  rest. 
“Nay,”  said  those  of  the  family,  “refresh 
yourselves  with  a morsel  of  meat:”  for  they 
had  prepared  for  them  a lamb,  with  the  ac- 
customed sauce  thereto. f Ex.  xii.  6:  For  the 
porter  had  heard  before  of  their  coming,  and 
had  told  it  to  them  within.  So  when  they  had 
supped,  and  ended  their  prayer  with  a psalm, 
they  desired  they  might  go  to  rest.  “ But  let 
us,”  said  Christiana,  “ if  we  may  be  so  bold  as 
to  choose,  be  in  that  chamber  that  was  my 
husband’s  when  he  was  here.”  So  they  had 
them  up  thither,  anil  they  all  lay  in  a room. 
John  i.  29.  When  they  were  at  rest,  Christiana 
and  Mercy  entered  into  discourse  about  things 
that  were  convenient. 

Christiana.  Little  did  I think  once,  when  my 
husband  went  on  pilgrimage,  that  I should 
ever  have  followed  him. 

Mercy.  And  you  os  little  thought  of  lying- 
in  his  bed  and  in  his  chamber  to  rest,  as  you 
do  now 4 

Christiana.  And  much  less  did  I ever  think 
of  seeing  his  face  with  comfort,  and  of  wor- 
shipping the  Lord  the  King  with  him;  and 
yet  now  1 believe  I shall. 

Mercy.  Hark!  don’t  you  hear  a noise? 

Christiana.  Yes,  ’tis,  as  I believe,  the  noise 
of  music,  for  joy  that  we  are  here. 

* Here  is  a blessed  mark  of  being  vessels  of  the 
grace  of  God,  when  we  delight  in  the  sight  of,  salute, 
and  welcome  others  in  the  way  to  Zion,  and  mutually 
have  our  hearts  and  affections  drawn  out  to  each  other 
in  love.  Oh  how  sweet  is  the  fellowship  of  pilgrims 
below!  what  must  it  be  above ! Infinitely  above  con- 
ception. Lord,  fire  our  souls  with  the  thought  of  ever 
being  with  thee  and  each  other  in  thy 'kingdom. 

f The  Lamb  is  the  food  of  pilgrims,  and  the  end  of 
their  conversation.  Reader,  can  you  feed  upon  Christ 
by  faith?  Is  the  Lamb  the  nourishment  of  thy  soul, 
and  the  portion  of  thy  heart?  Canst  thou  say,  from 
sweet  and  blessed  experience,  Ilis  flesh  is  meat  indeed, 
and  his  blood  is  drink  indeed?  Is  it  thy  delight  to 
tkiuk  of  him,  hear  of  him,  speak  of  him,  abide  in 


Mercy.  Wonderful ! Music  in  the  house, 
music  in  the  heart,  and  music  also  in  heaven, 
for  joy  that  we  tire  here ! || 

Thus  they  talked  awhile,  and  then  betook 
themselves  to  sleep.  So  hi  the  morning  when 
they  were  awaked,  Christiana  said  to  Mercy, 
“ What  was  the  matter  that  you  did  laugh  in 
your  sleep  to-night?  I suppose  you  were  in  a 
dream.” 

Mercy.  So  I was,  and  a sweet  dream  it  was ; 
but  are  you  sure  I laughed? 

Christiana.  Yes,  you  laughed  heartily;  but 
pr’ythce*  Mercy,  tell  me  thy  dream. 

Mercy.  I was  a-dreaming  that  1 sat  all  alone 
in  a solitary  place,  and  was  bemoaning  the 
hardness  of  my  heart.  Now  I had  not  sat 
there  long,  but  methought  many  were  gathered 
about  me  to  see  me,  and  to  hear  what  it  was 
that  I said.  So  they  hearkened,  and  I went  on 
bemoaning  the  hardness  of  my  heart.  At  this, 
some  of  them  laughed  at  me,  some  called  me 
fool,  and  some  began  to  thrust  me  about. 
With  that,  methought  I looked  up,  and  saw 
one  coming  with  wings  towards  me.  So  he 
came  directly  to  me,  and  said,  “Mercy,  what 
aileth  thee?”  Now  when  he  had  heard  me 
make  my  complaint,  he  said,  “Peace  be  to 
thee:”  he  also  wiped  mine  eyes  with  his 
handkerchief,  and  clad  me  in  silver  and  gold. 
He  put  a chain  upon  my  neck,  and  ear-rings 
in  mine  ears,  and  a beautiful  crown  upon  my 
head.  Ezek.  xvi.  8,  13.  Then  he  took  me  by 
the  hand,  and  said,  “Mercy,  come  after  me.” 
So  Ire  went  up,  and  I followed  till  we  came  at 
a golden  gate.  Then  he  knocked : and  when 
they  within  had  opened  the  man  went  in,  and 
I followed  him  up  to  a throne  upon  which  One 
sat,  and  he  said  to  me,  “ Welcome,  daughter.” 
The  place  looked  bright  and  twinkling,  like 
the  stars,  or  rather  like  the  sun,  and  I thought 
that  I saw  your  husband  there.  So  I awoke 
from  my  dream.  But  did  I laugh  ? \ 

him,  and  live  upon  him  ? Oh  bless  him,  and  praise 
him  for  his  mercy  ! 

J Pray,  mind  the  above  sweet  note,  “ Christ’s  bosom 
is  for  all  pilgrims.”  It  is  there  the  weary  find  rest 
and  the  burdened  soul  ease.  Oh  for  more  rcclinings 
of  soul  upon  the  precious  bosom  of  our  dear  Lord ! 
IV  c can  be  truly  happy  nowhere  else. 

||  Oh  what  precious  harmony  is  this!  how  joyful  to 
be  the  subjects  of  it,  and  to  join  in  it ! The  free 
sovereign  grace  of  God  is  the  delightful  theme;  and 
glory  to  God  in  the  highest  the  universal  chorus.  It 
is  the  wonder  and  joy  of  sinners  on  earth,  and  of 
angels  in  heaven. 

'i  Pray  observe  this  dream  : it  is  a most  precious 
one  indeed.  We  find  it  true  in  the  broad  day  of  sweet 


202 


JB UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Christiana.  Laugli ! ay,  and  well  you  might 
to  see  yourself  so  well.  For  you  must  give  me 
leave  to  tell  you,  that  it  was  a good  dream ; 
and  that  as  you  have  begun  to  find  the  first 
part  true,  so  you  shall  find  the  second  at  last. 
“God  speaks  once,  yea,  twice,  yet  man  per- 
ceiveth  it  not;  in  a dream,  in  a vision  of  the 
night,  when  deep  sleep  falleth  upon  men,  in 
slumbering  upon  the  bed.”  Job  xxxiii.  14-16. 
We  need  not,  when  abed,  to  lie  awake  to  talk 
with  God;  he  can  visit  us  while  we  sleep,  and 
cause  us  then  to  hear  his  voice.  Our  heart 
oftrzzn.es  wakes  when  we  sleep ; and  .God  can 
speak  to  that,  either  by  words,  by  proverbs,  by 
signs  and  similitudes,  as  well  as  if  one  was 
awake.* * 

Mercy.  Well,  I am  glad  of  my  dream,  for  I 
hope,  ere  long,  to  see  it  fulfilled,  to  the  making 
of  me  laugh  again. 

Christiana.  I think  it  is  now  high  time  to 
rise,  and  to  know  what  we  must  do. 

Mercy.  Pray,  if  they  advise  us  to  stay  awhile, 
let  us  willingly  accept  of  the  proffer.  I am 
the  willinger  to  stay  awhile  here,  to  grow  bet- 
ter acquainted  with  these  maids;  methinks, 
Prudence,  Piety,  and  Charity  have  very  comely 
and  sober  countenances. 

Christiana.  We  shall  see  what  they  will  do. 
So  when  they  were  up  and  ready,  they  came 
down,  and  they  asked  one  another  of  their  rest, 
and  if  it  was  comfortable  or  not. 

Very  good,  said  Mercy;  it  was  one  of  the 
best  night’s  lodgings  that  ever  I had  in  my  life. 

Then  said  Prudence  and  Piety,  If  you  will 
be  persuaded  to  stay  here  awhile,  you  shall 
have  what  the  house  will  afford. 

Ay,  and  that  with  a very  good  will,  said 
Charity.  So  they  consented,  and  stayed  there 
about  a month  or  above,  and  became  very 
profitable  one  to  another.  And  because  Pru- 
dence would  see  how  Christiana  had  brought 
up  her  children,  she  asked  leave  of  her  to  cat- 
echise them ; so  she  gave  her  free  consent. 
Then  she  began  with  the  youngest,  whose 
name  was  James.  And  she  said,  “Come, 
James,  canst  thou  tell  me  who  made  thee?” 

James.  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and 
God  the  Holy  Ghost. 


experience;  for  then  it  is  we  get  the  most  blessed  vis- 
its from  our  Lord,  when  wo  get  by  ourselves  and  be- 
moan the  deadness  of  our  poor  hearts.  True,  we  may 
be  laughed  at,  called  fools,  and  despised  by  the  pro- 
fane and  self-righteous,  who  do  not  feel  the  hardness 
of  their  hearts,  nor  bemoa-  themselves  for  it;  yet  the 
loving,  compassionate,  tender-hearted  Saviour  is  ever 
near  to  us,  he  feels  for  us,  sympathizes  with  us,  will 


Prudence.  Good  boy.  And  canst  thou  tell 
who  saved  thee? 

James.  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and 
God  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Prudence.  Good  boy  still.  But  how  doth 
God  the  Father  save  thee? 

James.  By  his  grace. 

Prudence.  How  doth  God  the  Son  save  thee? 

James.  By  his  righteousness,  and  blood,  and 
death,  and  life. 

Prudence.  And  how  doth  God  the  Holy 
Ghost  save  thee  ? 

James.  By  his  illumination,  by  his  renova- 
tion, and  by  his  preservation. 

Then  said  Prudence  to  Christiana,  You  are 
to  be  commended  for  tbps  bringing  up  your 
children.  I suppose  I need  not  ask  the  rest 
these  questions,  since  the  youngest  of  them 
can  answer  them  so  well.  I will  therefore  now 
apply  myself  to  the  next  youngest. 

Then  she  said,  Come,  Joseph,  (for  his  name 
was  Joseph,)  will  you  let  me  catechise  you? 

Joseph.  With  all  my  heart. 

Prudence.  What  is  man  ? 

Joseph.  A reasonable  creature,  made  so  by 
God,  as  my  brother  said. 

Prudence.  What  is  supposed  by  this  word — 
saved ? 

Joseph.  That  man  by  sin  has  brought  him- 
self into  a state  of  captivity  and  misery. 

Prudence.  What  is  supposed  by  his  being 
saved  by  the  Trinity? 

Joseph.  That  sin  is  so  great  and  mighty  a 
tyrant,  that  none  can  pull  us  out  of  its 
clutches  but  God  : and  that  God  is  so  good  and 
loving  to  man,  as  to  pull  him  indeed  out  of 
this  miserable  state. 

Prudence.  What  is  God’s  design  in  saving 
poor  man? 

Joseph.  The  glorifying  of  his  name,  of  his 
grace,  and  justice,  etc.,  and  the  everlasting 
happiness  of  his  creature. 

Prudence.  Who  are  they  that  must  be  saved? 

Joseph.  Those  that  accept  of  his  salvation. 

Prudence.  Good  boy,  Joseph ; thy  mother 
hath  taught  thee  well,  and  thoit  hast  hearkened 
to  what  she  has  said  unto  thee. 

Then  said  Prudence  to  Samuel,  (who  was 


manifest  himself  to  us,  and  revive  us  with  the  sense  of 
peace,  the  joy  of  hope,  and  the  comforts  of  love. 

* Oh  how  blessed  are  they  who  are  watching  and 
waiting  continually  to  hear  the  small  still  voice  of  the 
Spirit  speaking  rest  and  peace  to  their  souls  by  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb!  Oh  how  condescending  is  out 
Lord,  thus  to  visit  us,  and  converse  with  us  in  the  way 
to  his  kingdom ! 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


203 


tlio  oldest  son  but  one,)  Come,  Samuel,  are  you 
willing  that  I should  catechise  you  also? 

Samuel.  Yes,  forsooth,  if  you  please. 

Prudence.  Wluvt  is  heaven? 

Samuel.  A place  and  state  most  blessed,  be- 
cause God  dwelleth  there. 

Prudence.  What  is  hell? 

Samuel.  A place  and  state  most  woeful,  be- 
cause .it  is  the  dwelling-place  of  sin,  the  devil, 
and  death. 

Prudence.  Why  wouldst  thou  go  to  heaven  ? 

Samuel.  That  I may  see  God,  and  serve  him 
without  weariness;  that  I may  see  Christ,  ami 
love  him  everlastingly;  that  I may  have  that 
fulness  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  me  that  I can  by 
no  means  here  enjoy. 

Prudence.  A very  good  boy,  and  one  that 
has  learned  well.  Then  she  addressed  herself 
to  the  eldest,  whose  name  was  Matthew ; and 
she  said  to  him,  Come,  Matthew,  shall  I also 
catechise  you? 

Matthew.  With  a very  good  will. 

Prudence.  I ask  then,  if  there  was  ever  any- 
thing that  had  a being  antecedent  to  or  before 
God? 

Matthew.  No;  for  God  is  eternal;  nor  is  there 
anything,  excepting  himself,  that  had  a being 
until  the  beginning  of  the  first  day : “ For  in 
six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth,  the 
sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is.” 

Prudence.  What  do  you  think  of  the  Bible  ? 


Matthew.  It  is  the  holy  word  of  God. 

Prudence.  Is  there  nothing  written  there  but 
what  you  understand? 

Matthew.  Yes,  a great  deal. 

Prudence.  What  do  you  do  when  you  meet 
with  places  therein  that  you  do  not  under 
stand  ? 

Matthew.  I think  God  is  wiser  than  I.  1 
pray  also  that  he  will  please  to  let  me  know  all 
therein  that  lie  knows  will  be  for  my  good.* 

Prudence.  How  believe  you  as  touching  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead? 

Matthew.  I believe  they  shall  rise,  the  same 
that  was  buried;  the  same  in  nature,  though 
not  in  corruption.  And  I believe  this  upon  a 
double  account:  First,  because  God  has  prom- 
ised it;  secondly,  because  he  is  able  to  per- 
form it.f 

Then  said  Prudence  to  the  boys,  YTou  must 
still  hearken  to  your  mother,  for  she  can  learn 
you  more.  You  must  also  diligently  give  ear 
to  what  good  talk  you  shall  hear  from  others: 
for  your  sake  do  they  speak  good  things.  Ob- 
serve also,  and  that  with  carefulness,  what  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  do  teach  you:  but  es- 
pecially be  much  in  the  meditation  of  that 
book  that  was  the  cause  of  your  father’s  be- 
coming a pilgrim.  I,  for  my  part,  my  chil- 
dren, will  teach  you  what  I can  while  you  are 
here,  and  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  ask  me 
questions  that  tend  to  godly  edifying. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Mr.  Brisk  pays  liis  addresses  to  Mercy. — Matthew  taken  ill,  but  recovers,  &c. 


Now. by  that  these  pilgrims  had  been  at  this 
place  a week,  Mercy  had  a visitor  that  pre- 
tended some  good-will  unto  her,  and  his  name 
was  Mr,  Brisk,  a man  of  some  breeding,  and  that 
pretended  to  religion : but  a man  that  stuck 
very  close  to  the  world.  So  he  came  once  or 
twice,  or  more,  to  Mercy,  and  offered  love  unto 
her.  Now  Mercy  was  of  a fair  countenance, 
and  therefore  the  more  alluring.  Her  mind 
also  was,  to  be  always  busying  of  herself  in 
doing;  for  when  she  had  nothing  to  do  for 
herself,  she  would  be  making  of  hose  and  gar- 

® Though  this  is  answered  with  the  simplicity  of  a 
child,  yet  it  is,  and  ever  will  be,  the  language  of  every 
father  in  Christ.  Happy  those  whose  spirits  are  cast 
into  this  humble,  blessed  mould!  Oh  that  this  spirit 
may  accompany  us  in  all  our  researches,  in  all  our 
ways,  and  through  all  our  days ! 


inents  for  others,  and  would  bestow  them  upon 
them  that  had  need.  And  Mr.  Brisk,  not 
knowing  where  or  how  she  disposed  of  what 
she  made,  seemed  to  be  greatly  taken,  for  that 
he  found  her  never  idle.  “ I will  warrant  her 
a good  housewife,”  quoth  he  to  himself. 

Mercy  then  revealed  the  business  to  the 
maidens  that  were  of  the  house,  and  inquired 
of  them  concerning  him ; for  they  did  know 
him  better  than  she.  So  they  told  her,  that 
he  was  a very  busy  young  man,  and  one  that 
pretended  to  religion ; but  was,  as  they  feared, 

f Hero  is  the  foundation  of  faith  and  the  triumph 
of  hope,  God's  faithfulness  to  his  promise,  and  his 
power  to  pierform.  Having  these  to  look  to,  what 
should  stagger  our  faith  or  deject  our  hope  ? We 
may,  wo  ought  to  smile  at  all  carnal  objections,  and 
trample  upon  all  corrupit  reasonings. 


204 


13 UJS’ Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


a stranger  to  the  power  of  that  which  is 
good. 

Nay  then,  said  Mercy,  I will  look  no  more 
on  him ; for  I purpose  never  to  have  a clog 
to  my  soul.* 

Prudence  then  replied,  that  there  needed  no 
great  matter  of  discouragement  to  be  given  to 
him  ; for  continuing  so  as  she  had  begun,  to  do 
for  the  poor,  would  quickly  cool  his  courage. 

So  the  next  time  he  comes,  be  finds  her  at 
her  old  work,  a-making  of  things  for  the  poor. 
Then  said  he,  “ What,  always  at  it?”  “ Yes,” 
said  she,  “ either  for  myself  or  for  others.” 
“ And  what  canst  thou  earn  a day  ?”  quoth  he. 
“I  do  these  things,”  said  she,  “that  I may  be 
rich  in  good  works,  laying  a good  foundation 
against  the  time  to  come,  that  I may  lay  hold 
of  eternal  life.”  1 Tim.  vi.  17,  19.  “Why, 
pr’ythee,  what  dost  thou  do  with  them  ?”  said 
he.  “ Clothe  the  naked,”  said  she.  With  that 
his  countenance  fell.  So  he  forbore  to  come 
at  her  again.  And  when  he  was  asked  the 
reason  why,  he  said  that  Mercy  was  a pretty 
lass,  but  troubled  with  ill  conditions.! 

When  he  had  left  her,  Prudence  said,  Did  I 
not  tell  thee  that  Mr.  Brisk  would  soon  forsake 
thee?  yea,  he  will  raise  up  an  ill  report  of 
thee:  for,  notwithstanding  his  pretence  to  re- 
ligion, and  his  seeming  love  to  mercy,  yet 
mercy  and  he  are  of  tempers  so  different,  that 
I believe  they  will  never  come  together. 

Mercy.  I might  have  had  husbands  before 
now,  though  I spoke  not  of  it  to  any;  but 
they  were  such  as  did  not  like  my  conditions, 
though  never  did  any  of  them  find  fault  with 
my  person.  So  they  and  I could  not  agree. 

Prudence.  Mercy  in  our  days  is  but  little  set 
by,  any  further  than  as  to  its  name ; the  prac- 
tice which  is  set  forth  by  thy  conditions  there 
are  but  few  that  can  abide. 

Well,  said  Mercy,  if  nobody  will  have  me,  I 
will  die  a maid,  or  my  conditions  shall  be  to 

* Most  blessed  resolution!  Ah,  pilgrims,  if  you 
were  more  wary,  how  many  troubles  would  you  escape, 
and  how  much  more  happy  would  you  be,  in  your  pil- 
grimage! It  is  for  want  of  this  wisdom  that  many 
bring  evil  upon  themselves. 

f How  easily  are  the  best  of  characters  traduced, 
and  false  constructions  put  upon  the  best  of  actions! 
Reader,  is  this  your  lot  also?  Mind  your  duty.  Look 
to  your  Lord.  Persevere  in  his  works  and  ways  : and 
leave  your  character  with  Him  to  whom  you  can  trust 
your  soul.  For  if  God  be  for  us,  who  shall  be  against 
us  ? What  shall  harm  us,  if  we  be  followers  of  that 
which  is  good? 

± Though  we  are  to  beware  of  a censorious  spirit  in 
regard  to  professors,  yet  when  they  give  evidence  by 


me  as  a liusband,  for  I cannot  change  my  na- 
ture ; and  to  have  one  that  lies  cross  to  me  in 
this,  that  I purpose  never  to  admit  of  as  long 
as  I live.  I had  a sister,  named  Bountiful, 
that  was  married  to  one  of  these  churls,  but  he 
and  she  could  never  agree;  but  because  my 
sister  was  resolved  to  do  as  she  had  begun — 
that  is,  to  show  kindness  to  the  poor — there- 
fore her  husband  first  cried  her  down  at  the 
cross,  and  then  turned  her  out  of  his  doors. 

Prudence.  And  yet  he  was  a professor,  I 
warrant  you ! 

Mercy.  Yes,  such  a one  as  he  was,  and  of 
such  as  the  world  is  now  full ; but  I am  for 
none  of  them  all.  J 

Now  Matthew,  the  eldest  son  of  Christiana, 
fell  sick,  and  his  sickness  was  sore  upon  him, 
for  he  was  much  pained  in  his  bowels,  so  that 
he  was  with  it,  at  times,  pulled,  as  it  were, 
both  ends  together.  ||  There  dwelt  also  not  far 
from  thence  one  Mr.  Skill,  an  ancient  and 
well-approved  physician.  So  Christiana  de- 
sired it,  and  they  sent  for  him,  and  he  came : 
when  he  was  entered  the  room,  and  had  a little 
observed  the  boy,  he  concluded  that  he  was 
sick  of  the  gripes.  Then  he  said  to  his  mother, 
“ What  diet  has  Matthew  of  late  fed  upon  ?” 
“Diet!”  said  Christiana,  “nothing  but  what  is 
wholesome.”  The  physician  answered,  “ This 
boy  has  been  tampering  with  something  that 
lies  in'his  maw  undigested,  and  that  will  not 
away  without  means.  And  I tell  you  he  must 
be  purged,  or  else  he  will  die.” 

Then  said  Samuel,  Mother,  what  was  that 
which  my  brother  did  gather  up  and  eat  so  soon 
as  we  were  come  from  the  gate  that  is  at  the 
head  of  this  way?  You  know  that  there'  was 
an  orchard  on  the  left  hand,  on  the  other  side 
of  the  wall,  and  some  of  the  trees  hung  over 
the  wall,  and  my  brother  did  pluck  and  eat.? 

True,  my  child,  said  Christiana,  he  did  take 
thereof  and  did  eat,  naughty  boy  as  he- was.  I 
chid  him,  and  yet  he  would  eat  thereof. 

their  walk  that  they  are  not  what  they  profess  to  be, 
holy  followers  of  the  Lamb,  we  are  by  no  means  to  be 
deceived  by  them.  For  we  have  an  unerring  rule  laid 
down  by  our  Lord  to  judge  of  them,  “Ye  shall  know 
them  by  their  fruits,”  (Matt.  vii.  16;)  yea,  and  we 
ought  to  be  faithful  to  them  too,  by  reproving  them  in 
the  spirit  of  humility  and  love. 

||  See  the  effects  of  sin.  It  will  pinch  and  gripe  the 
conscience  and  make  the  heart  sick. 

? Observe  how  useful  pilgrims  are  to  each  other  in 
faithfully  reminding  them  of  their  conduct.  Though 
this  sin  was  committed  some  time  past,  and  neither 
Matthew  nor  his  mother  thought  of  it,  yet  it  must  be 
brought  to  light  and  repented  of. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


205 


Ski//.  I knew  lie  had  eaten  something  that 
was  not  wholesome  food ; and  that  food,  to  wit, 
that  fruit,  is  even  the  most  hurtful  of  all.  It 
is  the  fruit  of  Beelzebub’s  orchard.  I do  mar- 
vel that  none  did  warn  you  of  it;  many  have 
died  thereof.* 

Then  Christiana  began  to  cry;  and  she  said, 
“ 0 naughty  boy ! and  0 careless  mother ! what 
shall  I do  for  my  son?” 

Sliff.  Come,  do  not  be  too  much  dejected; 
the  boy  may  do  well  again,  but  he  must  purge 
and  vomit. 

Christiana.  Trav,  sir,  try  the  utmost  of  your 
skill  with  him,  whatever  it  costs. 

Skill.  Nay,  I hope  I shall  be  reasonable.  So 
lie  made  him  a purge,  but  it  was  too  weak ; it 
was  said  it  was  made  of  the  blood  of  a goat, 
the  ashes  of  a heifer,  and  with  some  of  the 
juice  of  hyssop,  &c.  Ileb.  ix.  13,  19;  x.  1,  4. 
When  Mr.  Skill  had  seen  that  that  purge  was 
too  weak,  he  made  him  one  to  the  purpose : it 
was  made  ex  came  et  sanguine  Christi, f (John 
vi.  54,  57;  Ileb.  ix.  14;)  you  know  physicians 
give  strange  medicines  to  their  patients : and  it 
was  made  up  into  pills,  with  a promise  or  two, 
and  a proportionable  quantity  of  salt.  Mark 
ix.  49.  Now  he  was  to  take  them  three  at  a 
time,  fasting,  in  half  a quarter  of  a pint  of  the 
tears  of  repentance.  Zech.  xii.  10.  When  this 
potion  was  prepared  and  brought  to  the  boy, 
he  was  loth  to  take  it,  though  torn  with  the 
gripes  as  if  he  should  be  pulled  in  pieces. 
“Come,  come,”  said  the  physician,  “you  must 
take  it.”  “ It  goes  against  my  stomach,”  said 
the  boy.  “ I must  have  you  take  it,”  said  his 
mother.  “ I shall  vomit  it  up  again,”  said  the 
boy.  “ Pray,  sir,”  said  Christiana  to  Mr.  Skill, 
“how  does  it  taste?”  “It  has  no  ill  taste,” 
says  the  doctor ; and  with  that  she  touched  one 
of  the  pills  with  the  tip  of  her  tongue.  “ Oh, 
Matthew,”  said  she,  “ this  potion  is  sweeter 

* Hero  is  conviction  for  the  mother  in  not  warning 
of  sin  and  chiding  for  it.  She  takes  it  home,  falls 
under  the  sense  of  it,  and  is  grieved  for  it.  A tender 
conscience  is  a blessed  sign  of  a gracious  heart.  Ye 
parents  who  know  the  love  of  Christ,  watch  over  your 
children ; see  to  it  lest  ye  smart  for  their  sins  in  not 
warning  and  teaching  them  that  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
is  to  depart  from  all  evil ; yea,  to  abstain  from  the 
very  appearance  of  it. 

f Mr.  Banyan's  great  modesty  and  humility  aro 
truly  admirable ; though  he  quotes  Latin,  yet,  as  he 
did  not  understand  it,  he  tells  us  in  the  margin,  “The 
Latin  I borrow.”  The  English  is,  “ Of  the  flesh  and 
of  the  blood  of  Christ.”  This  is  the  only  potion  for 
sin-sick  souls.  Feeding  upon  Christ's  flesh  and  blood 
by  faith  keeps  us  from  sinning,  anJ  when  sick  of  sin 


than  honey.  If  thou  lovest  thy  mother,  if 
thou  lovest  thy  brothers,  if  thou  lovest  Mercy, 
if  thou  lovest  thy  life,  take  it.”  So  with  much 
ado,  after  a short  prayer  for  the  blessing  of 
God  upon  it,  he  took  it,  and  it  wrought  kindly 
with  him.  It  caused  him  to  purge,  it  caused 
him  to  sleep,  and  to  rest  quietly;  it  put  him 
into  a fine  heat  and  breathing  sweat,  and  it 
quite  rid  him  of  his  gripes.J 

So  in  a little  time  he  got  up  and  walked 
about  with  a staff,  and  would  go  from  room  to 
room  and  talk  with  Prudence,  Piety,  and  Cha- 
rity of  his  distemper,  and  how  he  was  healed. 

So,  when  the  boy  was  healed,  Christiana 
asked  Mr.  Skill,  saying,  “Sir,  what  will  con- 
tent you  for  your  pains  and  care  to  and  of  my 
child?”  And  he  said,  “You  must  pay  the 
Master  of  the  College  of  Physicians  according 
to  rules  made  in  that  case  and  provided.” 
Hcb.  xiii.  11-15. 

But,  sir,  said  she,  what  is  this  pill  good  for 
else? 

Skill.  It  is  an  universal  pill;  it  is  good 
against  all  diseases  that  pilgrims  are  incident 
to;  and  when  it  is  well  prepared  will  keep 
good  time  out  of  mind. 

Christiana.  Pray,  sir,  make  me  up  twel  re 
boxes  of  them;  for  if  I can  get  these  I will 
never  take  other  physic. 

Skill.  These  pills  are  good  to  prevent  dis- 
eases, as  well  as  to  cure  when  one  is  sick. || 
Yea,  I dare  say  it,  and  stand  to  it,  that  if  a 
man  will  but  use  this  physic  as  he  should,  it 
will  make  him  live  for  ever.  John  vi.  58.  But, 
good  Christiana,  thou  must  give  these  pills  no 
other  way  but  as  I have  prescribed ; for  if  you 
do  they  will  do  no  good.  So  he  gave  unto 
Christiana  physic  for  herself  and  her  boys, 
and  for  Mercy,  and  bid  Matthew  take  lieed 
how  he  ate  any  more  green  plums,  and  kissed 
him  and  went  his  way. 

these,  and  nothing  but  these,  can  heal  and  restore  us. 
YTet  there  is  in  our  nature  an  unaccountable  reluctance 
to  receive  these  through  the  unbelief  which  works  iu 
us.  So  Matthew  found  it. 

J See  the  blessed  effects  of  receiving  Christ  when 
under  the  sense  of  sin  and  distress  for  sin.  Oh  what 
a precious  Saviour  is  Jesus!  what  efficacy  is  there  in 
his  blessed  flesh  and  precious  blood  to  purge  the  con- 
science from  guilt ! It  is  this  sense  of  Christ's  love 
and  grace  which  heals,  restores,  and  makes  our  hearts 
happy  and  joyful  in  God. 

II  9 pilgrims ! let  not  a day  pass  without  having  re- 
course to  the  life  and  death  of  the  Son  of  God,  and 
live  by  faith  upon  Him  who  shed  his  blood  to  save  us, 
and  gives  his  flesh  to  nourish  us,  and  who  says,  “ My 
flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed.” 


206 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


It  was  told  you  before  that  Prudence  bid 
the  boys  that  if  at  any  time  they  would  they 
should  ask  her  some  questions  that  might  be 
profitable,  and  she  would  say  something  to 
them. 

Then  Matthew,  who  had  been  sick,  asked 
her,  Why,  for  the  most  part,  physic  should  be 
bitter  to  our  palates  ? 

Prudence.  To  show  how  unwelcome  the  word 
of  God,  and  the  effects  thereof,  are  to  a carnal 
heart. 

Matthew.  Why  does  physic,  if  it  does  good, 
purge  and  cause  to  vomit? 

Prudence.  To  show  that  the  word,  when  it 
works  effectually,  cleansetli  the  heart  and 
mind.  For  look,  what  the  one  doth  to  the 
body  the  other  doth  to  the  soul. 

Matthew.  What  should  we  learn  by  seeing 
the  flame  of  our  fire  go  upwards,  and  by  see- 
ing the  beams  and  sweet  influences  of  the  sun 
strike  downwards? 

Prudence.  By  the  going  up  of  the  fire  we  are 
taught  to  ascend  to  heaven  by  fervent  and  hot 
desires.  And  by  the  sun  sending  his  heat, 
beams,  and  sweet  influences  downwards  we  are 
taught  that  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  though 
high,  reaches  down  with  his  grace  and  love  to 
us  below. 

Matthew.  Whence  have  the  clouds  their 
water  ? 

Prudence.  Out  of  the  sea. 

Matthew.  What  may  we  learn  from  that? 

Prudence.  That  ministers  should  fetch  their 
doctrine  from  God. 

Matthew.  Why  do  they  empty  themselves 
upon  the  earth? 

Prudence.  To  show  that  ministers  should 
give  out  what  they  know  of  God  to  the 
world. 

Matthew.  Why  is  the  rainbow  caused  by  the 
sun  ? 

Prudence.  To  show  that  the  covenant  of 
God’s  grace  is  confirmed  to  us  in  Christ. 

Matthew.  Why  do  the  springs  come  from  the 
sea  to  us  through  the  earth? 

Prudence.  To  show  that  the  grace  of  God 
comes  to  us  through  the  body  of  Christ. 

Matthew.  Why  do  some  of  the  springs  rise 
out  of  the  top  of  high  hills? 

Prudence.  To  show  that  the  spirit  of  grace 
shall  spring  up  in  some  that  are  great  and 
mighty,  as  well  as  in  many  that  are  poor  and 
low. 

Matthew.  Why  doth  the  fire  fasten  upon  the 
candlewick? 

Prudence.  To  show  that  unless  grace  doth 


kindle  upon  the  heart  there  will  be  no  true 
light  of  life  in  us. 

Matthew.  Why  is  the  wick,  and  tallow,  and 
all  spent  to  maintain  the  light  of  the  can- 
dle? 

Prudence.  To  show  that  body,  and  soul,  and 
all  should  be  at  the  service  of,  and  spend  them- 
selves to  maintain  in  good  condition,  that  grace 
of  God  that  is  in  us.. 

Matthew.  Why  doth  the  pelican  pierce  her 
own  breast  with  her  bill? 

Prudence.  To  nourish  her  young  ones 
with  her  blood,  and  thereby  to  show  that 
Christ  the  blessed  so  loved  his  young,  his 
people,  as  to  save  them  from  death  by  his 
blood. 

Matthew.  What  may  one  learn  by  hearing 
the  cock  to  crow? 

Prudence.  Learn  to  remember  Peter’s  sin 
and  Peter’s  repentance.  The  cock’s  crowing 
shows  also  that  day  is  coming  on ; let  then  the 
crowing  of  the  cock  put  thee  in  mind  of  that 
last  and  terrible  day  of  judgment. 

Now  about  this  time  their  month  was  out, 
wherefore  they  signified  to  those  of  the  house 
that  it  was  convenient  for  them  to  up  and  be 
going.  Then  said  Joseph  to  his  mother,  “It 
is  proper  that  you  forget  not  to  send  to  the 
house  of  Mr.  Interpreter,  to  pray  him  to  grant 
that  Mr.  Great-heart  should  be  sent  unto  us, 
that  he  may  be  our  conductor  for  the  rest  of 
the  way.”  “Good  boy!”  said  she,  “I  had  al- 
most forgot.”  So  she  drew  up  a petition,  and 
prayed  Mr.  Watchful,  the  porter,  to  send  it  by 
some  fit  man  to  her  good  friend  Mr.  Interpre- 
ter; who,  when  it  was  come  and  he  had  seen 
the  contents  of  the  petition,  said  to  the  mes- 
senger, “ Go  tell  them  that  I will  send 
him.” 

When  the  family  where  Christiana  was  saw 
that  they  had  a purpose  to  go  forward,  they 
called  the  whole  house  together  to  give  thanks 
to  their  King  for  sending  of  them  such  profit- 
able guests  as  these.  Which  done,  they  said 
unto  Christiana,  “ And  shall  we  not  show  thee 
something,  as  our  custom  is  to  do  to  pilgrims, 
on  which  thou  mayest  meditate  when  thou  art 
on  the  way?”  So  they  took  Christiana,  her 
children,  and  Mercy  into  the  closet  and  showed 
them  one  of  the  apples  that  Eve  ate  of,  and 
that  she  also  did  give  to  her  husband,  and  that 
for  the  eating  of  which  they  were  both  turned 
out  of  Paradise,  and  asked  her  what  she 
thought  that  was.  Then  Christiana  said,  “ It 
is  food  or  poison,  I know  not  which.”  So 
they  opened  the  matter  to  her,  and  she  held 


THE  riLC, RIM'S  rnOORESS. 


207 


lip  her  hands  and  wondered.*  Gen.  iii.  1,  G; 
Itom.  vii.  24. 

Then  they  had  her  to  a place  and  showed 
her  Jacob's  ladder.  Now  at  that  time  there 
were  some  angels  ascending  upon  it.  So 
Christiana  looked  and  looked,  to  see  the  angels 
go  up;  so  did  the  rest  of  the  company.  Gen. 
xxviii.  12.  Then  they  were  going  into  an- 
other place  to  show  them  something  else;  but 
James  said  to  his  mother,  “Pray  bid  them 
stay  here  a little  longer,  for  this  is  a curious 
sight.’’  So  they  turned  again,  and  stood  feed- 
ing their  eyes  with  this  so  pleasant  a prospect. 
After  this  they  had  them  into  a place  where 
did  hang  up  a golden  anchor;  so  they  bid 
Christiana  take  it  down ; for,  said  they,  you 
shall  have  it  with  you,  for  it  is  of  absolute 
necessity  that  you  should,  that  you  may  lay 
hold  of  that  within  the  veil  and  stand  stead- 
fast in  case  you  should  meet  with  turbulent 
weather:  so  they  were  glad  thereof.f  Joel  iii. 
1(> ; Heb.  vi.  19.  Then  they  took  them,  and 
had  them  to  the  mount  upon  which  Abraham, 
our  father,  offered  up  Isaac  his  son,  and  showed 
them  the  altar,  the  wood,  the  fire,  and  the 
knife;  for  they  remain  to  be  seen  to  this  very 
day.  When  they  had  seen  it  they  held  up 
their  hands  and  blessed  themselves,  and  said, 
“ Oh  what  a man  for  love  to  his  Master  and 
for  denial  to  himself  was  Abraham !’’  After 
they  had  showed  them  all  these  things,  Pru- 
dence took  them  into  a dining-room,  where 
stood  a pair  of  excellent  virginals;  so  she 
played  upon  them,  and  turned  what  she  had 
showed  them  into  this  excellent  song,  saying — 

“ Eve’s  apple  we  have  showed  you ; 

Of  that  be  you  aware; 

You  have  seen  Jacob’s  ladder  too, 

Upon  which  angels  arc: 

An  anchor  you  received  have; 

But  let  not  these  suffice, 

Until  with  Abra'm  you  have  gavo 
Your  best  for  sacrifice.” 

Nowr  about  this  time  one  knocked  at  the 

* It  is  not  enough  that  the  Holy  Spirit  convinces  us 
of  sin  previous  to  our  first  setting  out  on  pilgrimage, 
and  makes  us  sensible  of  our  want  of  Christ,  but  he 
also  koeps  up  a sight  and  a sense  of  the  evil  of  sin  in 
Its  original  nature,  as  well  as  our  actual  transgressions. 
This  often  makes  us  wonder  at  sin,  at  ourselves,  and 
at  the  love  of  Christ  in  becoming  a sacrifice  for  our  sins. 

f This  is  the  anchor  of  hope.  This  keeps  the  soul 
safe  and  steady  to  Jesus,  who  is  the  only  object  of  our 
hope.  Hope  springs  from  faith.  It  is  an  expectation 
of  the  fulfilment  of  those  things  that  are  promised  in 
the  word  of  truth  by  the  God  of  all  graoe.  Faith  re- 
ceives them,  trusts  in  them,  relies  upon  them,  and 


door:  so  the  porter  opened,  and  behold,  Mr. 
Great-heart  was  there.  Put  when  he  was 
come  in,  what  joy  was  there ! for  it  came  now 
afresh  again  into  their  minds  how  but  a 
while  ago  he  had  slain  old  Grim  Bloody-man, 
the  giant,  and  had  delivered  them  from  the 
lions. 

Then  said  Mr.  Great-heart  to  Christiana 
and  to  Mercy,  My  Lord  has  sent  each  orf  you 
a bottle  of  wine,  and  also  some  parched  corn, 
together  with  a couple  of  pomegranates;  he 
has  also  sent  the  boys  some  figs  and  raisins ; 
to  refresh  you  in  your  way 4 

Then  they  addressed  themselves  to  their 
journey,  and  Prudence  and  Piety  went  along 
with  them.  When  they  came  at  the  gate, 
Christiana  asked  the  porter  if  any  of  late 
went  by.  He  said,  No,  only  one,  some  time 
since,  who  also  told  me  that  of  late  there  had 
been  a great  robbery  committed  on  the  King’s 
highway  as  you  go ; but,  said  he,  the  thieves 
are  taken,  and  will  shortly  be  tried  for  their 
lives.  Then  Christiana  and  Mercy  were  afraid, 
but  Matthew  said,  Mother,  fear  nothing  as 
long  as  Mr.  Great-heart  is  to  go  with  us  aud 
to  be  our  conductor. 

Then  said  Christiana  to  the  porter,  Sir,  I 
am  much  obliged  to  you  for  all  the  kindnesses 
that  you  have  showed  to  me  since  I came 
hither;  and  also  for  that  you  have  been  so 
loving  and  kind  to  my  children  ; I know  not 
how  to  gratify  your  kindness:  wherefore  pray, 
as  a token  of  my  respects  to  you,  accept  of  this 
small  mite.  So  she  put  a gold  angel  ||  in  his 
hand,  and  he  made  her  a low  obeisance  and 
said,  “Let  thy  garments  be  always  white,  and 
let  thy  head  want  no  ointment.  Let  Mercy 
live  and  not  die,  and  let  not  her  works  be 
few.”  Aud  to  the  boys  he  said,  “ Do  you  fly 
youthful  lusts,  and  follow  after  godliness  with 
them  that  are  grave  and  wise;  so  shall  you 
put  gladness  into  your  mother’s  heart,  and 
obtain  praise  of  all  that  are  sober-minded.” 
So  they  thanked  the  porter  and  departed. 

Hope  waits  for  the  full  accomplishment  and  enjoy- 
ment of  them. 

J Oh  how  reviving  and  refreshing  are  those  love- 
tokens  from  our  Lord!  Great-heart  never  comes 
empty-handed.  He  always  inspires  with  courage 
and  confidence. 

||  No  wonder  that  the  pilgrims  were  thankful  for 
their  kind  entertainment,  or  that  they  testified  their 
esteem  of  the  Gospel  and  its  glorious  Author  by  the 
present  they  made  to  the  porter;  for  says  St.  Paul,  in 
behalf  of  the  ministers  of  the  word,  “ If  we  have  sowu 
unto  you  spiritual  things,  is  it  a great  thing  if  wo 
shall  reap  your  carnal  things  ?” 


208 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


CHAPTER,  VII. 


The  Pilgrims  pursue  their  journey,  and  pass 

Shadow 

Now  I saw  in  my  dream  that  they  went  for- 
ward until  they  were  come  to  the  brow  of  the 
hill,  where  Piety,  bethinking  herself,  cried 
out,  Alas ! I have  forgot  what  I intended 
to  bestow  upon  Christiana  and  her  compan- 
ions : I will  go  back  and  fetch  it.  So  she 
ran  and  fetched  it.  While  she  was  gone, 
Christiana  thought  she  heard  in  a grove,  a 
little  way  off,  on  the  right,  a most  curious 
melodious  note,  with  words  much  like  these: 

“ Through  all  my  life  thy  favour  is 
So  frankly  show’d  to  me 
That  in  thy  house  for  evermore 
My  dwelling-place  shall  be.” 

And  listening  still  she  thought  she  heard 
another  answer  it,  saying, 

“For  why?  The  Lord  our  God  is  good, 

His  mercy  is  forever  sure  : 

His  truth  at  all  times  firmly  stood, 

And  shall  from  age  to  age  endure.” 

So  Christian  asked  Prudence  what  it  was 
that  made  those  curious  notes.  They  are,  said 
she,  our  country  birds : they  sing  these  notes 
but  seldom,  except  it  be  at  the  spring,  when 
the  flowers  appear  and  the  sun  shines  warm, 
and  then  you  hear  them  all  the  day  long.  I 
often,  said  she,  go  to  hear  them : we  also  oft- 
times  keep  them  tame  in  our  house.  They  are 
very  fine  company  for  us  when  we  are  melan- 
choly ; also  they  make  the  woods,  and  groves, 
and  solitary  places,  places  desirous  to  be  in.* 
Bol.  Bong  ii.  11,  1 2. 

By  this  time  Piety  was  come  again ; so  she 
said  to  Christiana,  Look  here,  I have  brought 
thee  a scheme  of  all  those  things  that  tho.u  hast 

* You  see  these  joyful  notes  spring  from  a sense  of 
nearness  to  the  Lord  and  a firm  confidence  in  his  di- 
vine truth  and  everlasting  mercy.  Oh  when  the  Sun 
of  righteousness  shines  warmly  on  the  soul  and  gives 
us  clearly  to  see  these,  it  makes  the  pilgrims  sing  most 
sweetly  and  shout  most  joyfully  indeed.  These  songs 
approach  very  nearly  to  the  heavenly  music  in  the 
realms  of  glory. 

f After  being  thus  highly  favoured  with  sensible 
comforts  in  the  views  of  faith,  the  comforts  of  hope, 
and  the  joys  of  love,  see  the  next  step  those  pilgrims  are 
to  take ; it  is  down  the  hill  Difficulty,  into  the  Valley 
of  Humiliation.  What  doth  this  place  signify?  A 


through  the  Valley  of  Humiliation  and  cf  the 
f Death. 

seen  at  our  house,  upon  which  thou  mayest 
look  when  thou  findest  thyself  forgetful,  and 
call  those  things  again  to  remembrance  for  thy 
edification  and  comfort. 

Now  they  began  to  go  down  the  hill  to  the 
Valley  of  Humiliation.  It  was  a steep  hill 
and  the  way  was  slippery,  but  they  were  very 
careful ; so  they  got  down  pretty  well.  When 
they  were  down  in  the  valley, t Piety  said  to 
Christiana,  This  is  the  place  where  your  hus- 
band met  the  foul  fiend  Apollyon,  and  where 
they  had  the  great  fight  that  they  had : I know 
you  cannot  but  have  heard  thereof.  But  be  of 
good  courage ; as  long  as  you  have  Mr.  Great- 
heart  here  to  be  your  guide  and  conductor,  we 
hope  you  will  fare  the  better.  So  when  these 
two  had  committed  the  pilgrims  unto  the  con- 
duct of  their  guide,  he  went  forward  and  they 
went  after. 

Then  said  Mr.  Great-heart,  We  need  not  be 
so  afraid  of  this  valley,  for  here  is  nothing  to 
hurt  us  unless  we  procure  it  ourselves.  It  is 
true  Christian  did  meet  here  with  Apollyon, 
with  whom  he  had  also  a s'ore  combat;  but 
that  fray  was  the  fruit  of  those  slips  that  he 
got  in  going  down  the  hill,  for  they  that  get 
slips  there  must  look  for  combats  here.  And 
hence  it  is  that  this  valley  has  got  so  hard 
a name.  For  the  common  people,  when  they 
hear  that  some  frightful  thing  has  befallen  such 
an  one  in  such  a place,  are  of  opinion  that  that 
place  is  haunted  with  some  foul  fiend  or  evil 
spirit;  when,  alas!  it  is  for  the  fruit  of  their 
doing  that  such  things  do  befall  them  there. J 

This  Valley  of  Humiliation  is  of  itself  as 
fruitful  a place  as  any  the  crow  flies  over;  and 
I am  persuaded,  if  we  could  hit  upon  it,  we 
might  find  somewhere  hereabout  something 

deep  and  abiding  sight  and  sense  of  ourselves,  of  our 
ruined  state,  lost  condition,  and  desperate  circum- 
stances as  fallen  sinners. 

I What  a great  blessing  it  is  to  have  Great-heart  in 
the  Valley  of  Humility!  How  sad  it  is  for  pilgrims  to 
procure  evils  for  themselves  by  their  sin  and  folly ! 
How  joyful  is  it  to  know  that  “like  as  a father  pitieth 
his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  thorn  who  fear  him  !” 
Ps.  ciii.  13.  Yet  if  we  slip  we  shall  be  sure  to  smart. 
If  we  do  not  hold  fast  faith,  hope,  love,  and  obedience, 
Satan  will  attack,  distress  us  in  some  sort,  and  prevail 
against  us,  and  then  we  shall  bring  up  an  evil  report 
of  the  safe  and  fruitful  Valley  of  Humiliation. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


209 


that  might  give  us  an  account  why  Christian 
was  so  hardly  besot  in  this  place. 

Then  James  said  to  his  mother,  “Lo,  yon- 
der stands  a pillar,  and  it  looks  as  if  something 
was  written  thereon ; let  us  go  and  see  what  it 
is.”  So  they  went  and  found  there  written, 
“ Le.t  Christian’s  slips  before  he  came  hither, 
and  the  burden  that  he  met  with  in  this  place, 
be  a warning  to  those  that  come  after.”  “ Lo,” 
said  their  guide,  “did  I not  tell  you  that  there 
was  something  hereabouts  that  would  give  in- 
timation of  the  reason  why  Christian  was  so 
hard  beset  in  this  place?”  Then,  turning  to 
Christiana,  lie  said,  No  disparagement  to  Chris- 
tian, more  than  to  many  others  whose  hap  and 
lot  it  was.  For  it  is  easier  going  up  than  down 
this  hill,  and  that  can  be  said  but  of  few  hills 
in  all  these  parts  of  the  world.  But  we  will 
leave  the  good  man : he  is  at  rest ; he  also  had 
a brave  victory  over  his  enemy:  let  Him  that 
dwelleth  above  grant  that  we  fare  no  worse 
when  we  come  to  be  tried  than  he ! 

But  we  will  come  again  to  this  Valley  of  Hu- 
miliation. It  is  the  best  and  most  fruitful  piece 
of  ground  in  all  these  parts.  It  is  a fat  ground, 
and,  as  you  see,  consisteth  much  in  meadows; 
and  if  a man  was  to  come  here  in  the  summer- 
time, as  we  do  now,  if  he  knew  not  any  thing 
before  thereof,  and  if  he  also  delighted  himself 
in  the  sight  of  liis  eyes,  he  might  see  that  which 
would  be  delightful  to  him.  Behold  how  green 
this  valley  is,  also  how  beautiful  with  lilies. 
Sol.  Song  ii.  1;  James  iv.  6;  1 Pet.  v.  5.  I 
have  also  known  many  labouring  men  that 
have  got  good  estates  in  this  Valley  of  Hu- 
miliation, (for  “ God  resisteth  the  proud,  but 
giveth  more  grace  to  the  humble,”)  for  indeed 
it  is  a very  fruitful  soil,  and  doth  bring  forth 
by  handfuls.  Some  also  have  wished  that  the 
next  way  to  their  Father’s  house  were  here, 
that  they  might  be  troubled  no  more  with 
either  hills  or  mountains  to  go  over:  but  the 
way  is  the  way,  and  there  is  an  end.* 

Now,  as  they  were  going  along  and  talking, 
they  espied  a boy  feeding  his  father’s  sheep. 
The  boy  was  in  very  mean  clothes,  but  of  a 

• * Though  this  Valley  of  Humiliation  may  be  very 

terrifying  to  pilgrims  after  they  have  been  favoured 
with  peace  and  joy,  and  comforted  by  the  views  of 
faith  and  hope,  yet  it  is  a very  safe  place  ; and  though 
at  first  entering  into  it,  and  seeing  more  of  themselves 
than  was  ever  before  showed  them,  they  may  fear  and 
tremble,  yet  after  some  time  continuing  here  they  are 
more  reconciled  and  contented  ; for  here  they  find  the 
visits  of  their  Lord,  and  in  the  depths  of  their  hu- 
mility they  behold  the  heights  of  his  love  and  the 
depths  of  his  mercy,  and  cry  out,  Though  I am  emptied 
14 


fresh  and  well-favoured  countenance ; and  as  he 
sat  by  himself  he  sang.  Hark,  said  Mr.  Great- 
heart,  to  what  the  shepherd’s  boy  saith.  So 
they  hearkened,  and  he  said — 

“ lie  that  is  down  needs  fear  no  fall; 

He  that  is  low,  no  pride ; 

He  that  is  humble  ever  shall 
Have  God  to  be  his  guide. 

“ I am  content  with  what  I have, 

Little  be  it  or  much  : 

And,  Lord,  contentment  still  I crave, 

Because  thou  savest  such. 

“Fulness  to  such  a burden  is 
That  go  on  pilgrimage: 

Here  little,  and  hereafter  bliss, 

Is  best  from  age  to  age.”} 

Then  said  the  guide,  Do  you  hear  him  ? I 
will  dare  to  say  this  boy  lives  a merrier  life,  and 
wears  more  of  the  herb  called  heart’s  ease  in 
his  bosom,  than  he  that  is  clad  in  silk  and  vel- 
vet. But  we  will  proceed  in  our  discourse. 

In  this  valley  our  Lord  formerly  had  his 
country-house ; he  loved  much  to  be  here : he . 
loved  also  to  walk  in  these  meadows,  and  he 
found  the  air  was  pleasant.  Besides,  here  a 
man  shall  be  free  from  the  noise  and  from  the 
hurryings  of  this  life;  all  states  are  full  of 
noise  and  confusion,  only  the  Valley  of  Hu- 
miliation is  that  empty  and  solitary  place. 
Here  a man  shall  not  be  let  and  hindered  in 
his  contemplation,  as  in  other  places  he  is  apt 
to  be.  This  is  a valley  that  nobody  walks  in  but 
those  that  love  a pilgrim’s  life.  And  though 
Christian  had  the  hard  hap  to  meet  with  Apol- 
lyon  and  to  enter  with  him  a brisk  encounter, 
yet  I must  tell  you  that  in  former  times  men 
have  met  with  angels  here,  have  found  pearls 
here,  and  have  in  this  place  found  the  words 
of  life.}  Hos.  ii.  4,  5. 

Did  I say  our  Lord  had  here  in  former  days 
his  country-house,  and  that  he  loved  here  to 
walk?  I will  add  in  this  place,  that  to  the 
people  that  love  and  trace  these  grounds  he  has 
left  a yearly  revenue,  to  be  faithfully  paid  them 

of  all,  yet  I have  an  inexhaustible  fulness  in  Jesus,  to 
supply  me  with  all  I want  and  all  I hope, 
f Heb.  xiii.  5. 

} Ever  remember  the  word  of  our  gracious  Lord,  “ It 
is  enough  for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  Master.” 
If  your  Lord  made  it  his  chief  delight  to  be  in  this 
Valley  of  Humiliation,  learn  from  his  example  to  prize 
this  valley.  Though  you  may  meet  with  an  Apollyon  or 
a destroyer  here,  yet  you  are  safe  in  the  arms  and  under 
the  power  of  your  all-conquering  Lord;  for  though  the 
Lord  is  high,  yet  hath  he  respect  unto  the  lowly. 


210 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


at  certain  seasons  for  tlieir  maintenance  by  the 
way,  and  for  their  further  encouragement  to 
go  on  their  pilgrimage. 

Now,  as  they  went  on,  Samuel  said  to  Mr. 
Great-heart,  “ Sir,  I perceive  that  in  this  valley 
my  father  and  Apollyon  had  their  battle,  but 
whereabout  was  the  fight?  for  I perceive  this 
valley  is  large.” 

Great-heart.  Your  father  had  the  battle  with 
Apollyon  at  a place  yonder  before  us,  in  a nar- 
row passage,  just  beyond  Forgetful  Green. 
And  indeed  that  place  is  the  most  dangerous 
place  in  all  these  parts,  for  if  at  any  time  pil- 
grims meet  with  any  brunt,  it  is  when  they 
forget  what  favours  they  have  received  and 
how  unworthy  they  are  of  them.*  This  is  the 
place  also  where  others  have  been  hard  put  to 
it.  But  more  of  this  place  when  we  are  come 
to  it ; for  I persuade  myself  that  to  this  day 
there  remains  either  some  sign  of  the  battle, 
or  some  monument  to  testify  that  such  a battle 
was  there  fought. 

Then  said  Mercy,  I think  I am  as  well  in 
this  valley  as  I have  been  anywhere  else  in  all 
our  journey:  the  place,  methinks,  suits  with 
my  spirit.  I love  to  be  in  such  places  where 
there  is  no  rattling  with  coaches,  nor  rumbling 
with  wheels;  methinks,  here  one  may,  with- 
out much  molestation,  be  thinking  what  he 
is,  whence  he  came,  what  lie,  has  done;  and  to 
what  the  King  has  called  him  : here  one  may 
think,  and  break  at  heart  and  melt  in  one’s 
spirit,  until  one’s  eyes  become  as  “the  fish- 
pools  of  Heshbon.”  They  that  go  rightly 
through  this  “valley  of  Bacca”  make  it  a 
well;  the  rain  (that  God  sends  down  from 
heaven  upon  them  that  are  here)  “ also  filleth 
the  pools.”  This  valley  is  that  from  whence 
also  the  King  will  give  to  them  their  vineyards, 
(Song  Sol.  vii.  4;  Psalm  lxxxiv.  6;  Hos.  ii. 
15;)  and  they  that  go  through  it  shall  sing  as 
Christian  did,  for  all  he  met  with  Apollyon. 

It  is  true,  said  their  guide,  I h ave  gone  th  rough 
this  valley  many  a time,  and  never  was  better 
than  when  here.  I have  also  been  a conductor 
to  several  pilgrims,  and  they  have  confessed 
the  sain  ?;  “ To  this  man  will  I look,  (saith 

the  King,)  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a 


* 0 pilgrims,  attend  to  this.  Pride  and  ingratitude 
go  hand  in  hand.  Study,  ever  study,  the  favours  of 
your  Lord,  how  freely  they  are  bestowed  upon  you, 
and  how  utterly  unworthy  you  are  of  the  least  of  them. 
Beware  of  Forgetful  Green. 

f If  Satan  be  driven  back  from  one  attack,  prepare 
for  another.  Bless  God  for  your  armour.  Never  put 
it  off. 


contrite  spirit,  and  that  trembleth  at  my 
word.” 

Now  they  were  come  to  the  place  where  the 
aforementioned  battle  was  fought.  Then  said 
the  guide  to  Christiana,  her  children,  and 
Mercy,  This  is  the  place : on  this  ground  Chris- 
tian stood,  and  up  there  came  Apollyon  against 
him:  and  look  (did  not  I tell  you?)  here  is 
some  of  your  husband’s  blood  upon  these 
stones  to  this  day : behold,  also,  how  here  and 
there  are  yet  to  be.  seen  upon  the  place  some 
of  the  shivers  of  Apollyon’s  broken 'darts : see 
also  how  they  did  beat  the  ground  with  feet  as 
they  fought,  to  make  good  their  places  against 
each  other ; how  also,  with  their  by-blows,  they 
did  split  the  very  stones  in  pieces;  verily 
Christian  did  here  play  the  man,  and  showed 
himself  as  stout  as  Hercules  could,  had  he  been 
there,  even  he  himself.  When  Apollyon  was 
beat,  he  made  his  retreat  to  the  next  valley, 
that  is  called  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of 
Death,  unto  which  we  shall  come  anon.f  Lo, 
yonder  also  stands  a monument,  on  which  is 
engraven  this  battle  and  Christian’s  victory,  to 
his  fame  throughout  all  ages. 

So  because  it  stood  just  on  the  wayside  be- 
fore them,  they  stepped  to  it  and  read  the 
writing,  which  word  for  word  was  this  : 

“ Hard  by  here  was  a battle  fought, 

Most  strange  and  yet  most  true; 

Christian  and  Apollyon  sought 
Each  other  to  subdue. 

The  man  so  bravely  play'd  the  man 
He  made  the  fiend  to  fly; 

Of  which  a monument  I stand, 

The  same  to  testify  !”  J 

When  they  had  passed  by  this  place  they 
came  upon  the  borders  of  the  Shadow  of 
Death,  and  this  valley  was  longer  than  the 
other — a place  also  most  strongly  haunted  with 
evil  things,  as  many  are  abl^  to  testify ; but 
these  women  and  children  went  the  better 
through  it  because  they  had  daylight,  and  be- 
cause Mr.  Great-heart  was  their  conductor. 

When  they  were  entered  upon  this  valley 
they  thought  that  they  heard  a groaning  as  of 
dead  men  — a very  great  groaning;  They 
thought  also  that  they  did  hear  words  of  lam- 
entation, spoken  as  of  some  in  extreme  torment. 
These  things  made  the  boys  to  quake,  the 

J Monuments  of  victory  over  Satan  are  to  God's 
glory,  and  are  very  animating  and  encouraging  to 
those  who  come  after.  Proclaim,  0 Christians,  your 
mercies  with  thankfulness,  and  your  victories  with 
shouts  of  humility,  to  the  honour  of  the  Captain  of 
our  salvation. 


TIIE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


211 


women  also  looked  pale  and  wan,  but  their 
guide  bid  them  be  of  good  comfort. 

So  they  went  on  a little  farther,  and  they 
thought  that  they  felt  the  ground  begin  to 
shake  under  them,  as  if  some  hollow  place  was 
there;  they  heard  also  a kind  of  hissing,  as  of 
serpents,  but  nothing  as  yet  appeared.  Then 
said  the  boys,  “ Are  we  not  yet  at  the  end  of 
this  doleful  place?”  But  the  guide  bid  them 
be  of  good  courage  and  look  well  to  their  feet, 
lest  haply,  said  he,  you  be  taken  in  some  snare.* 

Now  James  began  to  be  sick,  but  I think 
the  cause  thereof  was  fear ; so  his  mother  gave 
him  some  of  that  glass  of  spirits  that  she  had 
given  her  at  the  Interpreter’s  house,  and  three 
of  the  pills  that  Mr.  Skill  had  prepared,  and 
the  boy  began  to  revive.  Thus  they  went  on 
till  they  came  to  about  the  middle  of  the  val- 
ley, and  then  Christiana  said,  “ ifethinks  I see 
something  yonder  upon  the  road  before  us — a 
thing  of  a shape  such  as  I have  not  seen.” 
Then  said  Joseph,  “ Mother,  what  is  it?”  “ An 
ugly  thing,  child,  an  ugly  thing,”  said  she. 
“ But,  mother,  what  is  it  like  ?”  said  he.  “ ’Tis 
like  I cannot  tell  what,”  said  she.  “ And  now 
it  is  but  a little  way  oft’.”  Then  said  she,  “ It 
is  nigh.” 

“ Well,  (said  Mr.  Great-heart,)  let  them  that 
are  most  afraid  keep  close  to  me.”  So  the 
fiend  came  on  and  the  conductor  met  it ; but 
when  it  was  just  come  to  him  it  vanished  to 
all  their  sights.  Then  remembered  they  what 
had  been  said  some  time  ago:  “Resist  the 
devil  and  he  will  flee  from  you.”  f 

They  went  therefore  on,  as  being  a little 
refreshed;  but  they  had  not  gone  far  before 
Mercy,  looking  behind  her,  saw,  as  she  thought, 
something  almost  like  a lion,  and  it  came  a 
great  padding  pace  after;  and  it  had  a hollow 
voice  of  roaring,  and  at  every  roar  that  it  gave 
it  made  the  valley  echo  and  all  their  hearts  to 
ache,  save  the  heart  of  him  that  was  their 

® None  know  the  distress,  anguish,  and  fear  that 
haunt  pilgrims  in  this  valley  but  those  who  have  been 
in  it.  The  hissings,  revilings,  and  injections  of  that 
old  serpent,  with  his  infernal  malice,  seem  to  be  let 
loose  upon  pilgrims  in  this  valley.  Asaph  seems  to 
be  walking  in  this  valley  when  he  says,  “ As  for  me, 
my  feet  were  almost  gone : my  steps  had  wellnigh 
slipt.”  Ps.  Ixxiii.  7. 

f Let  Satan  appear  in  what  shape  he  will,  we  ought 
ever  to  put  on  great  heart  and  good  courage,  for  the 
faith  of  what  Jesus  is  to  us  will  inspire  with  these. 
Let  us  ever  look  to  Christ  our  conqueror,  and  ever  re- 
sist our  adversary. 

} Satan  is  often  most  dreadful  at  a distance,  and 
» urageously  resisted  when  advanced  nearer.  This 


guide.  So  it  came  up,  and  Mr.  Great-heart 
went  behind  and  put  the  pilgrims  all  before 
him.  The  lion  also  came  on  apace,  and  Mr. 
Great-heart  addressed  himself  to  give  him  bat  - 
tle. But  when  he  saw  that  it  was  determined 
that  resistance  should  be  made,  he  also  drew 
back  and  came  no  further.}  1 Pet.  v.  8. 

Then  they  went  on  again,  and  their  con- 
ductor did  go  before  them,  till  they  came  at  a 
place  where  was  cast  up  a pit  the  whole 
breadth  of  the  way  ; and  before  they  could  be 
prepared  to  go  over  that  a great  mist  and 
darkness  fell  upon  them,  so  that  they  could 
not  see.  Then  said  the  pilgrims,  “ Alas ! now 
what  shall  we  do?”  But  their  guide  made 
answer,  “ Fear  not,  stand  still,  and  see  what  an 
end  will  be  put  to  this  also.”  So  they  stayed 
there,  because  their  path  was  marred.  They 
then  also  thought  they  did  hear  more  appa- 
rently the  noise  and  rushing  of  the  enemies; 
the  fire  also  and  smoke  of  the  pit  was  much 
easier  to  be  discerned. ||  Then  said  Christiana 
to  Mercy,  Now  I see  what  my  poor  husband 
went  through;  I have  heard  much  of  this 
place,  but  I never  was  here  before  now.  Poor 
man!  he  went  here  all  alone  in  the  night;  he 
had  night  almost  quite  through  the  way;  also 
these  fiends  were  busy  about  him  as  if  they 
would  have  torn  him  in  pieces.  Many  have 
spoke  of  it,  but  none  could  tell  what  the  Valley 
of  the  Shadow  of  Death  should  mean  until 
they  come  in  themselves.  “ The  heart  knows 
its  own  bitterness ; a stranger  intermeddleth  not 
with  its  joy.”  To  be  here  is  a fearful  thing.? 

Great-heart.  This  is  like  doing  business  in 
great  waters,  or  like  going  down  into  the  deep ; 
this  is  like  being  in  the  heart  of  the  sea,  and 
like  going  down  to  the  bottoms  of  the  moun- 
tains ; now  it  seems  as  if  the  earth  with  its  bars 
were  about  us  for  ever.  “ But  let  them  that 
walk  in  darkness  and  have  no  light  trust  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  and  stay  upon  their  God.”  7 

advice  is  ever  needful  : “ He  sober,  be  vigilant.”  These 
pilgrims  did  keep  up  their  watch  : Satan  did  not  come 
upon  them  unawares  : they  heard  his  approach  ; they 
. were  prepared  for  his  attack:  lo,  Satan  drew  back. 

|]  Awful  walking,  with  a pit  before  us  and  darkness 
around,  and  hell  seeming  to  move  from  beneath  to 
meet  us  ! Oh  what  an  unspeakable  mercy,  in  such  a 
distressing  season,  to  have  an  almighty  Saviour  to 
look  to  and  to  call  upon  for  safety  and  salvation  ! 
For  “he  will  hear  our  cry,  and  save  us.” 

§ To  hear  of  the  soul -distresses  of  others  is  oce 
thing:  to  experience  them  ourselves,  is  very  different. 

This  precious  text  (Isa.  1.  10)  has  been  a sheet- 
anchor  to  many  a soul  under  darkness  and  distress. 
Study  it  deeply. 


212 


RUNYAN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


For  my  part,  as  I have  told  you  already,  I 
have  gone  often  through  this  valley,  and  have 
been  much  harder  put  to  it  than  now  I am ; 
and  yet  you  see  I am  alive.  I would  not 
boast,  for  that  I am  not  my  own  saviour,  but  I 
trust  we  shall  have  a good  deliverance.  Come, 
pray  for  light  to  Him  that  can  lighten  our 
darkness,  and  can  rebuke  not  only  these,  but 
all  the  devils  in  hell. 

So  they  cried  and  prayed,  and  God  sent 
light  and  deliverance,  for  there  was  now  no 
let  in  their  way  ; no,  -not  there  where  but  now 
they  were  stopped  with  a pit.  Yet  they  were 
not  got  through  the  valley ; so  they  went  on 
still,  and  behold,  great  stinks  and  loathsome 
smells,  to  the  great  annoyance  of  them.  Then 
said  Mercy  to  Christiana,  There  is  not  such 
pleasant  being  here  as  at  .the  gate,  or  at  the 
Interpreter’s,  or  at  the  house  where  we  lay  last. 

Oh  but  (said  one  of  the  boys)  it  is  not  so 
bad  to  go  through  here  as  it  is  to  abide  here 
always ; and,  for  aught  I know,  one  reason  why 
we  must  go  this  way  to  the  house  prepared  for 
us  is  that  our  home  might  be  made  the  sweeter 
to  us.* 

Well  said,  Samuel,  quoth  the  guide;  thou 
hast  now  spoken  like  a man.  Why,  if  ever  I 
get  out  here  again,  said  the  boy,  I think  I 
shall  prize  light  and  good  way  better  than  ever 
I did  in  my  life.  Then  said  the  guide,  We 
shall  be  out  by  and  by. 

So  on  they  went,  and  Joseph  said,  Cannot 
we  see  to  the  end  of  this  valley  as  yet  ? Then 
said  the  guide,  Look  to  your  feet,  for  we  shall 
presently  be  among  the  snares.  So  they 
looked  to  their  feet,  and  went  on,  but  they 
were  troubled  much  with  the  snares.  Now 
when  they  were  come  among  the  snares  they 
espied  a man  cast  into  the  ditch  on  the  left 
hand,  with  his  flesh  all  rent  and  torn.  Then 
said  the  guide,  That  is  one  Heedless,  that  was 
going  this  way;  he  has  lain  there  a great 
while. f There  was  one  Take-heed  with  him 
when  he  was  taken  and  slain,  but  he  escaped 
their  hands.  You  cannot  imagine  how  many 
are  killed  hereabouts,  and  yet  men  are  so  fool-. 


* Precious  thought  under  the  worst  and  most  dis- 
tressing circumstances!  Think  of  this.  Their  con- 
tinuance is  short.  Their  appointment,  love.  And 
their  end  shall  be  crowned  with  glory. 

f Heedless  professors,  be  warned.  The  doctrines  of 
grace  were  never  intended  to  lull  any  to  sleep  in  car- 
nal security.  If  they  do  so  by  you,  it  is  a sure  sign 
that  what  should  have  been  for  your  health  proves  an 
occasion  of  your  falling. 

J Iiow  many  such  giants  have  we  in  the  present 


ishly  venturous  as  to  set  out  lightly  on  pil- 
grimage, and  to  come  without  a guide.  Poor 
Christian!  it  was  a wonder  that  he  here  es- 
caped, but  he  was  beloved  of  his  God : also  he 
had  a good  heart  of  his  own,  or  else  he  could 
never  have  done  it.  Now  they  drew  towards 
the  end  of  their  way,  and  just  there  where 
Christian  had  seen  the  cave  when  he  went  by, 
out  thence  came  forth  Maul,  a giant.  This 
Maul  did  used  to  spoil  young  pilgrims  with 
sophistry,  and  lie  called  Great-heart  by  his 
name,  and  said  unto  him,  How  many  times 
have  you  been  forbidden  to  do  these  things  ? 
Then  said  Mr.  Great-heart,  AVhat  things? 
What  things  ! quoth  the  giant ; you  know  what 
things;  but  I will  put  an  end  to  your  trade. J 
But  pray,  said  Mr.  Great-heart,  before  we  fall 
to  it  let  us  understand  wherefore  we  must 
fight.  (Now  the  women  and  children  stood 
trembling,  and  knew  not  what  to  do.)  Quoth 
the  giant,  You  rob  the  country,  and  rob  it  with 
the  worst  of  thieves.  These  are  but  generals, 
said  Mr.  Great-heart;  come  to  particulai's, 
man. 

Then  said  the  giant,  Thou  practisest  the 
craft  of  a kidnapper,  thou  gatlierest  up  women 
and  children,  and  carriest  them  into  a strange 
country,  to  the  weakening  of  my  master’s 
kingdom.  But  now  Great-heart  replied,  I am 
a servant  of  the  God  of  heaven  : my  business 
is  to  persuade  sinners  to  repentance:  I am 
commanded  to  do  my  endeavour  to  turn  men, 
women,  and  children  from  darkness  to  light, 
and  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God ; and  if 
this  be  indeed  the  ground  of  thy  quarrel,  let 
us  fall  to  it  as  soon  as  thou  wilt.  || 

Then  the  giant  came  up,  and  Mr.  Great- 
heart  went  to  meet  him,  and  as  he  went  he 
drew  his  sword,  but  the  giant  had  a club.  So 
without  more  ado  they  fell  to  it,  and  at  the 
first  blow  the  giant  struck  Mr.  Great-heart 
down  upon  one  of  his  knees ; with  that  the 
women  and  children  cried : so  Mr.  Great-heart 
recovering  himself,  laid  about  him  in  full  lusty 
manner,  and  gave  the  giant  a wound  in  his 
arm  ; thus  he  fought  for  the  space  of  an  hour, 
to  that  height  of  heat  that  the  breath  came 


day,  who  deceive  and  beguile  precious  souls  into  a 
false  and  fatal  security  by  their  smooth  lectures  on 
morality  and  their  avowed  opposition  to  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  and  the  way  to  his  kingdom  ! 

||  To  awaken  our  souls  and  lead  them  to  Christ  for 
life  and  salvation  is  the  blessed  work  of  faithful  min- 
isters. In  the  spirit  of  love  and  meekness  they  will 
contend  for  the  faith,  however  they  may  be  ill-treated 
for  their  work. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


out  of  tlic  giant’s  nostrils  as  the  heat  cloth  out 
of  a boiling  caldron. 

Then  they  sat  down  to  rest  them,  but  Mr. 
Great-heart  betook  himself  to  prayer;  also 
the  women  and  children  did  nothing  but 
sigh  and  cry  all  the  time  that  the  battle  did 
last* 

When  they  had  rested  them  and  taken 
breath,  they  both  fell  to  it  again,  and  Mr. 
Great-heart  with  a full  blow  fetched  the  giant 
down  to  the  ground.  Nay,  hold,  let  me  re- 
cover, quoth  he.  So  Mr.  Great-heart  let  him 
fairly  get  up : so  to  it  they  went  again,  and  the 
giant  missed  but  a little  of  breaking  Mr. 
Great-heart’s  skull  with  his  club. 

Mr.  Great-heart,  seeing  that,  runs  to  him  in 
the  full  heat  of  his  spirit,  and  pierced  him 
under  the  fifth  rib  ; with  that  the  giant  began 


213 

to  faint,  and  could  hold  up  his  club  no  longer. 
Then  Mr.  Great-heart  seconded  his  blow,  and 
smote  the  head  of  the  giant  from  his  shoulders. 
Then  the  women  and  children  rejoiced,  and 
Mr.  Great-heart  also  praised  God  for  the  de- 
liverance he  had  wrought.f 

When  this  was  done  they  among  themselves 
erected  a pillar,  and  fastened  the  giant’s  head 
thereon,  and  wrote  under  it,  in  letters  th  it 
passengers  might  read, 

Ho  that  did  wear  this  head  was  one 
That  pilgrims  did  misuse; 

He  stopped  their  way,  he  spared  none, 

But  did  them  all  abuse, 

Until  that  I,  Great-heart,  arose. 

The  pilgrims’  guide  to  be. 

Until  that  I did  him  oppose 
That  was  their  enemy. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Pilgrims  overtake  Mr.  Honest,  who  relates  his  own  experience  and  that  of  Mr.  Fearing. 


Now  I saw  that  they  went  to  the  ascent 
that  was  a little  way  off,  past  up  to  be  a pros- 
pect for  pilgrims,  (that  was  the  place  from 
whence  Christian  had  the  first  sight  of  Faith- 
ful his  brother.)  Wherefore  here  they  sat 
down  and  rested;  they  also  here  did  eat  and 
drink  and  make  merry  for  that  they  had 
gotten  deliverance  from  this  so  dangerous  an 
enemy.  As  they  sat  thus  and  did  eat  Chris- 
tiana asked  the  guide,  If  he  had  caught  no 
hurt  in  the  battle?  Then  said  Mr.  Great- 
heart,  No,  save  a little  on  my  flesh ; yet  that 
also  shall  be  so  far  from  being  to  my  detri- 
ment that  it  is  at  present  a proof  of  my  love 
to  my  Master  and  you,  and  shall  be  a means, 
by  grace,  to  increase  my  reward  at  last. 

s The  greatest  heart  cannot  withstand  without 
prayer,  nor  conquer  without  the  almighty  power  of 
God.  The  belief  of  this  will  excite  prayer. 

f Many  such  a battle  has  been  fought,  and  many 
such  a victory  obtained,  since  the  Reformation,  over 
the  enemies  of  our  most  holy  faith. 

The  furious  attack  made  by  Maul  the  giant  on  the 
conductor  is  to  show  us  that  lively  and  active  minis- 
ters of  the  Gospel  who  are  zealous  to  win  souls  must 
expect  the  opposition  of  Satan  and  his  emissaries. 
But  must  they  therefore  desist?  God  forbid!  The 
Lord  is  on  their  side.  Let  them  be  accounted  “ kid- 
nappers,” and  treated  as  enthusiasts : the  Master 
whom  they  serve  will  give  success  to  their  endeavours, 
hear  the  prayers  of  his  people,  and  make  them  more 
than  conquerors.  Thus  were  the  pilgrims  brought  out 


But  was  you  not  afraid,  good  sir,  when  yon 
saw  him  come  with  his  club?  J 

It  is  my  duty,  said  he,  to  mistrust  my  own 
ability,  that  I may  have  reliance  on  Him 
that  is  stronger  than  all.  But  what  did  you 
think  when  he  fetched  you  down  to  the 
ground  at  the  first  blow?  Why,  I thought, 
quoth  he,  that  so  my  Master  himself  was 
served,  and  yet  he  it  was  that  conquered  at 
last.  2 Cor.  iv. 

Matthew.  When  you  have  all  thought  what 
you  please,  I think  God  has  been  wonderful 
good  unto  us,  both  in  bringing  us  out  of  this 
valley  and  delivering  us  out  of  the  hand  of 
this  enemy;  for  my  part,  I see  no  reason  why 
we  should  distrust  our  God  any  more,  since 

of  the  valley,  while  danger  and  darkness  rend-red 
returning  light  and  the  thoughts  of  heaven  tho 
sweeter,  and  many  thanksgivings  redounded  to  the 
glory  of  God. 

By  glimm’ring  hopes  and  gloomy  fears 
We  trace  the  sacred  road  ; 

Through  dismal  deeps  and  dangerous  snares 
We  make  our  way  to  God. 

Long  nights  and  darkness  dwell  below. 

With  scarce  a twinkling  ray; 

But  the  bright  world  to  which  we  go 
Is  everlasting  day. 

J This  club  we  may  suppose  to  mean  human  power 
under  which  many  godly  ministers  in  the  last  century 
suffered  greatly.  Blessed  be  God,  we  have  nothing  of 
this  to  fear  in  our  day. 


214 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


he  has  now,  and  in  such  a place  as  this,  given 
us  such  testimony  of  his  love  as  this. 

Then  they  got  up  and  went  forward : now 
a little  before  them  stood  an  oak,  and  under 
it,  when  they  came  to  it,  they  found  an  old 
pilgrim  fast  asleep : they  knew  that  he  was  a 
pilgrim  by  his  clothes,  and  his  staff,  and  his 
girdle. 

So  the  guide,  Mr.  Great-heart,  awaked  him  ; 
and  the  old  gentleman,  as  he  lifted  up  his 
eyes,  cried  out,  What’s  the  matter?  Who 
are  yr  u ? And  what  is  your  business  here? * 

Gnat-heart.  Come,  man,  be  not  so  hot: 
here  is  none  but  friends.  Yet  the  old  man 
gets  up  and  stands  upon  his  guard,  and  Will 
know  of  them  what  they  were.  Then  said 
the  guide,  My  name  is  Great-heart.  I am  a 
guide  of  these  pilgrims,  which  are  going  to 
the  Celestial  Country. 

Then  said  Mr.  Honest,  I cry  you  mercy ; 
1 feared  that  you  had  been  of  the  company 
of  those  that  some  time  ago  did  rob  Little- 
faith  of  his  money,  but  now  I look  better 
about  me,  I perceive  you  are  honester  people. 

Great-heart.  Why,  what  would  or  could  you 
have  done  to  have  helped  yourself  if  we  in- 
deed had  been  of  that  company? 

Honest.  Done  ! Why  I would  have  fought 
as  long  as  breath  had  been  in  me  ; and  had  I 
so  done,  I am  sure  you  could  never  have 
given  me  the  worst  on’t ; for  a Christian  can 
never  be  overcome  unless  he  should  yield  of 
himself.f 

Great-heart.  Well  said,  father  Honest,  quoth 
the  guide;  for  by  this  I know  that  thou  art  a 
cock  of  the  right  kind,  for  thou  hast  said  the 
truth. 

Honest.  And  by  this  also  I know  that  thou 
knowest  what  true  pilgrimage  is,  for  all  others 
do  think  that  we  are  the  soonest  overcome  of 
any. 

Great-heart.  Well,  now  we  are  happily  met, 
pray  let  me  crave  your  name  and  the  name  of 
the  place  you  came  from  ? 

Honest.  My  name  I cannot,  hut  I came  from 


*•  A blessed  sign  of  a watchful  heart,  ever  alarmed 
at  the  fear  of  danger.  Though  he  was  found  sleeping, 
yet  he  could  say  with  the  Church,  “ My  heart  waketh.” 
Song  v.  2. 

| Mind  this — a Christian  can  never  be  overcome 
unless  he  yields  of  himself.  Then  be  most  jealous 
over  yourself,  and  most  watchful  against  giving 
way  to  carnal  reasonings,  natural  fears,  and  fleshly 
lusts. 

J Every  Christian  is  the  subject  of  honesty  and 
justice,  uprightness  and  sincerity;  yet  when  we  come 


the  town  of  Stupidity;  it  lietli  about  four 
degrees  beyond  the  city  of  Destruction. 

Great-heart.  Oh  ! are  you  that  countryman  ? 
Then  I deem  I have  half  a guess  of  you ; your 
name  is  Old  Honest,  is  it  not? 

So  the  old  gentleman  blushed,  and  said, 
Hot  honest  in  the  abstract,!  but  Honest  is 
my  name,  and  I wish  that  my  nature  maj 
agree  to  what  I am  called.  But,  sir,  said 
the  old  gentleman,  how  could  you  guess  that 
I am  such  a man,  since  I came  from  such  a 
place  ? 

Great-heart.  I had  heard  of  you  before,  by 
my  Master,  for  he  knows  all  things  that  are 
done  on  the  earth.  But  I have  often  won- 
dered that  any  should  come  from  your  place, 
for  your  town  is  worse  than  is  the  city  of 
Destruction  itself. 

Honest.  Yea,  we  lie  more  off  from  the  sun, 
and  so  are  more  cold  and  senseless;  hut  was  a 
man  in  a mountain  of  ice,  yet  if  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  will  arise  upon  him,  his  frozen 
heart  shall  feel  a thaw ; and  thus  it  has  been 
with  me.  || 

Great-heart.  I believe  it,  father  Honest,  I 
believe  it,  for  I know  the  thing  is  true. 

Then  the  old  gentleman  saluted  all  the  pil- 
grims with  a holy  kiss  of  charity,  and  asked 
them  of  their  names,  and  how  they  had  fared 
since  they  set  out  on  their  pilgrimage. 

Christiana.  Then  said  Christiana,  My  name, 
I suppose,  you  have,  heard  of : good  Christian 
was  my  husband,  and  these  four  were  his  chil- 
dren. But  can  you  think  how  the  old  gentle- 
man was  taken  when  she  told  him  who  she 
was ! He  skipped,  he  smiled,  and  blessed  them 
with  a thousand  good  wishes,  saying,  I have 
heard  much  of  your  husband,  and  of  his  travels 
and  wars  which  he  underwent  in  his  days.  Be 
it  spoken  to  your  comfort,  the  name  of  your 
husband  rings  all  over  these  parts  of  the  world ; 
his  faith,  his  courage,  his  enduring,  and  his  sin- 
cerity under  all  have  made  his  name  famous. 

Then  he  turned  to  the  boys  and  asked  them 
of  their  names,  which  they  told  him:  and 


to  describe  these  virtues  in  the  abstract,  or  what  they 
really  are  in  their  strict  purity  and  utmost  perfection, 
where  is  the  Christian  but  must  wear  the  conscien- 
tious blush  as  Honest  did  under  a sense  of  his 
imperfections  ? 

||  This  is  the  confession  of  an  honest  heart.  It  is 
never  afraid  of  ascribing  too  much  to  the  sovereignty 
of  grace,  nor  of  giving  all  th^  glory  to  the  Sun  of 
righteousness,  for  shining  upon,  and  melting  down  its 
hard,  frozen  soul.  Here  is  no  trimming  between  grace 
and  nature. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


215 


then  said  ho  unto  them,  Matthew,  be  thou  like 
Matthew  the  publican,  not  in  vice,  but  in  vir- 
tue. Matt.  x.  3.  Samuel,  saith  he,  be  thou  like 
Samuel  the  prophet,  a man  of  faith  and  prayer. 
Ps.  xeix.  6.  Joseph,  saith  he,  be  thou  like 
Joseph  in  Potiphar’s  house,  chaste,  and  one 
that  flecth  from  temptation.  Gen.  xxxix.  And, 
James,  be  thou  like  James  the  Just,  and  like 
James  the  brother  of  our  Lord.  Acts  i.  13,  14. 
Then  they  told  him  of  Mercy,  and  how  she 
had  left  her  town  and  her  kindred  to  come 
along  with  Christiana  (Ruth  i.  10,  17)  and 
with  her  sons.  At  that  the  old  honest  man 
said,  Mercy  is  thy  name:  by  mercy  shalt  thou 
be  sustained  and  carried  through  all  those  dif- 
ficulties that  shall  assault  thee  in  thy  way,  till 
thou  shalt  come  thither  where  thou  shalt  look 
the  Fountain  of  mercy  in  the  face  with  com- 
fort. 

All  this  while  the  guide,  Mr.  Great-heart, 
was  very  well  pleased,  and  smiled  upon  his 
companions. 

Now  as  they  walked  together  the  guide  asked 
the  old  gentleman  if  he  did  not  know  one  Mr. 
Fearing,  that  came  on  pilgrimage  out  of  his 
parts? 

Honest.  Yes,  very  well,  said  he.  He  was  a 
man  that  had  the  root  of  the  matter  in  him ; 
but  he  was  one  of  the  most  troublesome  pil- 
grims that  I ever  met  with  in  all  my  days.* 

Great-heart.  I perceive  you  knew  him,  for 
you  have  given  a very  right  character  of  him. 

Honest.  Knew  him!  I was  a great  com- 
panion of  his:  I was  with  him  most  an  end; 
when  he  first  began  to  think  of  what  would 
come  upon  us  hereafter  I was  with  him. 

Great-heart.  I was  his  guide  from  my  Mas- 
ter’s house  to  the  gate  of  the  Celestial  City. 

Honest.  Then  you  knew  him  to  be  a trouble- 
some one. 

Great-heart.  I did  so;  but  I could  very  well 
bear  it,  for  men  of  my  calling  are  oftentimes 
entrusted  with  the  conduct  of  such  as  lie  was. 

Honest.  Well,  then,  pray  let  us  hear  a little 
of  him,  and  how  he  managed  himself  under 
your  conduct. 

Great-heart.  Why  he  was  always  afraid  he 
should  come  short  whither  he  had  a desire  to 
go.  Every  thing  frighted  him  that  he  heard 
any  body  speak  of  that  had  but  the  least  ap- 
pearance of  opposition  in  it.  I heard  that  he 
lay  roaring  at  the  slough  of  Despond  for  above 

* Fearing  pilgrims,  though  perplexed  in  themselves 
and  troublesome  to  others,  are  yet  to  bo  cherished 
and  encouraged,  as  they  have  the  root  of  the  matter 
in  them — faith  in  Jesus,  hope  towards  God,  fear  of 


a month  together:  nor  durst  he,  for  all  lie  saw 
several  go  over  before  him,  venture,  though 
they,  many  of  them,  offered  to  lend  him  their 
hand.  He  would  not  go  back  again  neither. 
The  Celestial  City!  He  said  he  should  die  if 
he  came  not  to  it,  and  yet  was  dejected  at  every 
difficulty,  and  stumbled  at  every  straw  that 
any  body  cast  in  his  way.  Well,  after  he  had 
lain  at  the  slough  of  Despond  a great  while, 
as  I have  told  you,  one  sunshiny  morning,  I 
don’t  know  how,  he  ventured,  and  so  got  over; 
but  when  he  was  over  he  would  scarce  believe 
it.  He  had.  I think,  a slough  of  despond  in  his 
mind — a slough  that  he  carried  every  where 
with  him,  or  else  he  could  never  have  been  as 
he  was.  So  he  came  up  to  the  gate  (you  know 
what  I mean)  that  stands  at  the  head  of  this 
way;  and  there  also  he  stood  a good  while  be- 
fore he  would  venture  to  knock.  When  the 
gate  was  opened  he  would  give  back  and  give 
place  to  others,  and  say  that  he  was  not  worthy ; 
for  all  he  got  befope  some  to  the  gate,  yet  many 
of  them  went  in  before  him.  There  the  poor 
man  would  stand  shaking  and  shrinking;  I 
dare  say  it  would  have  pitied  one’s  heart  to 
have  seen  him;  nor  would  he  go  back  again. 
At  last  he  took  the  hammer  that  hanged  at  the 
gate  in  his  hand,  and  gave  a small  rap  or  two ; 
then  one  opened  to  him,  but  he  shrunk  back 
as  before.  He  that  opened  stepped  out  after 
him  and  said,  “Thou  trembling  one,  what 
wantest  thou?”  With  that  he  fell  to  the 
ground.  He  that  spake  to  him  wondered  to 
see  him  so  faint.  He  said  to  him,  “ Peace  be 
to  thee;  up,  for  I have  set  open  the  door  to 
thee;  come  in,  for  thou  art  blessed.”  With 
that  he  got  up  and  went  in  trembling;  and 
when  that  he  was  in  he  was  ashamed  to  show 
his  face.  Well,  after  that  he  had  been  enter- 
tained there  awhile,  (as  you  know  how  the 
manner  is,)  he  was  bid  to  go  on  his  way,  and 
also  told  the  way  he  should  take.  So  he  went 
till  he  came  to  our  house,  but  as  he  behaved 
himself  at  the  gate,  so  he  did  at  my  Master  the 
Interpreter’s  door.  He  lay  thereabout  in  the 
cold  a good  while  before  he  would  venture  to 
call,  yet  he  would  not  go  back;  and  the  nights 
were  long  and  cold  then.  Nay,  he  had  a note 
of  necessity  in  his  bosom  to  my  Master,  to  re- 
ceive him  and  grant  him  the  comfort  of  his 
house,  and  also  to  allow  him  a stout  and  valiant 
conductor,  because  he  was  himself  so  chicken- 
hearted  a man;  and  yet  for  all  that  he  was 

offending  him,  and  a desire  to  walk  in  his  ways  and 
please  him.  We  must  hear  the  burdens  of  suoh,  and 
so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ.  Gal.  vi.  2., 


216 


JBUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


afraid  to  call  at  the  door.  So  lie  lay  up  and 
down  thereabouts,  till,  poor  man ! he  was  al- 
most starved:  yea,  so  great  was  his  dejection 
that,  though  he  saw  several  others  for  knock- 
ing get  in,  yet  he  was  afraid  to  venture.  At 
last,  I think,  I looked  out  of  the  window,  and, 
perceiving  a man  to  be  up  aud  down  about  tbe 
door,  I went  out  to  him  and  asked  what  he  was ; 
but,  poor  man ! the  water  stood  in  his  eyes : so 
I perceived  what  he  wanted.  I went  therefore 
in  and  told  it  in  the  house,  and  we  showed  the 
things  to  our  Lord;  so  he  sent  me  out  again  to 
entreat  him  to  come  in : but  I dare  say  I had 
hard  work  to  do  it.  At  last  he  came  in ; and  I 
will  say  that  for  my  Lord,  he  carried  it  won- 
derful loving  to  him.  There  were  but  a few 
good  bits  at  the  table  but  some  of  them  was 
laid  upon  his  trencher.  Then  he  presented 
the  note;  and  my  Lord  looked  thereon  and 
said  his  desire  should  be  granted.  So,  when 
he  had  been  there  a good  while,  he  seemed  to 
get  some  heart  and  to  be  a little  more  com- 
forted. For  my  Master,  you  must  know,  is 
one  of  very  tender  bowels,  especially  to  them 
that  are  afraid : wherefore  he  carried  it  so  to- 
wards him  as  might  tend  most  to  his  encour- 
agement. Well,  when  he  had  a sight  of  the 
things  of  the  place,  and  was  ready  to  take  his 
journey  to  go  to  the  city,  my  Lord,  as  he  did  to 
Christian  before,  gave  him  a bottle  of  spirits 
and  some  comfortable  things  to  eat.  Thus  we 
set  forward,  and  I went  before  him;  but  the 
man  was  but  of  few  words,  only  he  would  sigh 
aloud. 

When  we  were  come  to  where  the  three  fel- 
lows were  hanged,  he  said  that  he  doubted 
that  that  would  be  his  end  also.  Only  he 
seemed  glad  when  he  saw  the  Cross  and  the 
Sepulchre.  There,  I confess,  he  desired  to  stay 
a little  to  look,  and  he  seemed  for  a while  after 
to  be  a little  comforted.  When  we  came  at 
the  hill  Difficulty  he  made  no  stick  at  that, 
nor  did  he  much  fear  the  lions : for  you  must 
know  that  his  trouble  was  not  about  such 
things  as  these ; his  fear  was  about  his  accept- 
ance at  last.* 

I got  him  in  at  the  house  Beautiful, ~I  think, 
before  he  was  willing ; also  when  he  was  in  I 
brought  him  acquainted  with  the  damsels  that 
were  of  the  place,  but  he  was  ashamed  to  make 

* See  all  through  this  character  what  a conflict  there 
was  between  fear  and  the  influence  of  grace.  Though 
it  may  not  be  the  most  comfortable,  yet  the  end  of  Mr. 
Fearing  was  very  joyful.  Oh  what  a godly  jealousy 
displayed  itself  all  through  his  life!  Better  this  than 
proud,  vain-glori#us  confidence. 


himself  much  for  company ; he  desired  much 
to  be  alone,  yet  he  always  loved  good  talk,  and 
often  would  get  behind  the  screen  to  hear  it : 
he  also  loved  much  to  see  ancient  things  and 
to  be  pondering  them  in  his  mind.  He  told 
me  afterward  that  he  loved  to  be  in  those  two 
houses  from  which  we  came  last — to  wit,  at  the 
gate  and  that  of  the  Interpreter — but  that  he 
durst  not  be  so  bold  as  to  ask. 

When  he  went  also  from  the  house  Beauti- 
ful down  the  hill  into  the  Valley  of  Humilia- 
tion, he  went  down  as  well  as  ever  I saw  a man 
in  my  life;  for  he  cared  not  how  mean  he  was, 
so  he  might  be  happy  at  last.  Yea,  I think 
there  was  a kind  of  sympathy  betwixt  that 
valley  and  him,  for  I never  saw  him  better  in 
all  his  pilgrimage  than  he  was  in  that  valley .f 

Here  he  would  lie  down,  embrace  the 
ground,  and  kiss  the  very  flowers  that  grew  in 
this  valley.  Lam.  iii.  27,  29.  He  would  now 
be  up  every  morning  by  break  of  day,  tracing 
and  walking  to  and  fro  in  the  valley.! 

But  when  he  was  come  to  the  entrance  of 
the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death  I thought 
I should  have  lost  my  man : not  for  that  he 
had  inclination  to  go  back,  (that  he  always  ab- 
horred,) but  he  was  ready  to  die  for  fear.  “ Oh, 
the  hobgoblins  will  have  me ! the  hobgoblins 
will  have  me !”  cried  he : and  I could  not  beat 
him  out  on’t.  He  made  such  a noise  and  such 
an  outcry  here  that,  had  they  but  heard  him, 
it  was  enough  to  encourage  them  to  come  and 
fall  upon  us.  But  this  I took  very  great  no- 
tice of,  that  this  valley  was  as  quiet  when  we 
went  through  it  as  ever  I knew  it,  before  or 
since.  I suppose  those  here  had  now  a spe- 
cial check  from  our  Lord,  and  a command  not 
to  meddle  until  Mr.  Fearing  was  passed  over 
it. 

It  would  be  too  tedious  to  tell  you  of  all ; we 
will  therefore  only  mention  a passage  or  two 
more.  When  he  was  come  to  Vanity  Fair  I 
thought  he  would  have  fought  with  all  the  men 
in  the  fair:  I feared  there  we  both  should  have 
been  knocked  on  the  head,  so  hot  was  he 
against  their  fooleries.  ||  Upon  the  Enchanted 
Ground  he  also  was  very  wakeful.  But  when 
he  was  come  at  the  river  where  was  no  bridge, 
there  again  he  was  in  a heavy  case:  “Now, 
now,”  he  said,  “he  should  be  drowned  for 

f The  Valley  of  Humiliation  suits  well  with  fearing 
hearts. 

I Fearing  souls  dwell  much,  early  and  late,  in  the 
Valley  of  Meditation. 

|i  Here  is  a glorious  display  of  a fearing  heart.  Full  of 
courage  against  evil,  and  fired  with  zeal  for  God’s  glory. 


T1IE  PILGRIM 

ever,  and  so  never  see  that  face  with  comfort 
chat  lie  had  come  so  many  miles  to  behold.” 
And  here  also  1 took  notice  of  what  was  very 
remarkable — the  water  of  that  river  was  lower 
at  this  time  than  ever  I saw  it  in  all  my  life: 
so  he  went  over  at  last  not  much  above  wet- 
shod.*  When  he  was  going  up  to  the  gate  I 
began  to  take  my  leave  of  him,  and  to  wish 
him  a good  reception  above ; so  lie  said,  “ I 
shall,  I shall.”  Then  parted  we  asunder,  and 
I saw  him  no  more. 

Honest.  Then  it  seems  he  was  well  at 
last. 

Great- heart.  Yes,  yes.  I never  had  a doubt 
about  him:  he  was  a man  of  a choice  spirit; 
only  he  was  always  kept  very  low,  and  that 
made  his  life  so  burdensome  to  himself  and  so 
very  troublesome  to  others.  Ps.  lxxxviii.  He 
was,  above  many,  tender  of  sin ; he  was  so 
afraid  of  doing  injuries  to  others  that  he  would 
often  deny  himself  of  that  which  was  lawful, 
because  he  would  not  offend. f ltom.  xiv.  11 ; 

1 Cor.  viii.  13. 

Honest.  But  what  should  he  the  reason  that 
such  a good  man  should  be  all  his  day's  so 
much  in  the  dark? 

Great-heart.  There  are  two  sorts  of  reasons 
for  it:  one  is,  The  wise  God  will  have  it  so ; 
some  must  pipe,  and  some  must  weep,  (Matt, 
xi.  16,  18;)  now  Mr.  Fearing  was  one  that 
played  upon  the  bass.  He  and  his  fellows 
sound  the  sackbut,  whose  notes  are  more  dole- 
ful than  the  notes  of  other  music  are ; though 
indeed  some  say  the  bass  is  the  ground  of 
music.  And  for  my  part,  I care  not  at  all  for 
that  profession  that  begins  not  in  heaviness  of 
mind.  The  first  string  that  the  musician 
usually  touches  is  the  bass  when  he  intends  to 
put  all  in  tune : God  also  plays  upon  this 
string  first  when  he  sets  the  soul  in  tune  for 
himself.  Only,  there  was  this  imperfection  of 
Mr.  Fearing  — he  could  play  upon  no  other 
music  but  this  till  towards  his  latter  end. 

[I  make  bold  to  talk  thus  metaphorically  for 
the  ripening  of  the  wits  of  young  i’eaders ; and 
because  in  the  book  of  Revelations  the  saved 
are  compared  to  a company  of  musicians,  that 


# Oil  how  glorious  is  our  Lord ! As  thy  day  is,  0 
pilgrim,  so  shall  thy  strength  be.  Even  the  river  of 
death,  though  there  he  no  bridge  to  go  over,  yet  faith 
makes  one  : and  the  Lord  of  faith  makes  the  waters 
low,  to  suit  the  state  of  his  beloved  ones. 

i Oh  this  is  a blessed  spirit ! Ye  who  are  strong  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might,  study  to  ex- 
cel herein. 

J Here  is  a very  striking  lesson  for  professors.  Talk 


'S  PROGRESS.  217 

play  upon  their  trumpets  and  harps  and  sing 
their  songs  before  the  throne.] 

Honest.  He  was  a very  zealous  man,  as  one 
may  see  by  what  relation  you  have  given  of 
him.  Difficulties,  lions,  or  Vanity  Fair  he 
feared  not  at  all:  it  was  only  sin,  death,  and 
hell  that  were  to  him  a terror;  because  he  had 
some  doubts  about  his  interest  in  that  Celestial 
Country.]: 

Great-heart.  You  say  right;  those  were  the 
things  that  were  his  troubles ; and  they,  as  you 
have  well  observed,  arose  from  the  weakness  of 
his  mind  thereabout,  not  from  weakness  of  spirit 
as  to  the  practical  part  of  a pilgrim’s  life.  I 
dare  believe  that  as  the  proverb  is,  “He  could 
have  bit  a fire-brand,  had  it  stood  in  his  way ; ” 
but  those  things  with  which  he  was  oppressed 
no  man  ever  yet  could  shake  off  with 
ease. 

Then  said  Christiana,  This  relation  of  Mr. 
Fearing  has  done  me  good:  I thought  nobody 
had  been  like  me ; but  I see  there  was  some  re- 
semblance betwixt  this  good  man  and  I ; only 
we  differ  in  two  things : his  troubles  were  so 
great  that  they  brake  out,  but  mine  I kept 
within.  His  also  lay  so  hard  upon  him  they 
made  him  that  he  could  not  knock  at  the  houses 
provided  for  entertainment;  but  my  troubles 
were  always  such  as  made  me  knock  the 
louder. 

Mercy.  If  I might  also  speak  my  mind,  I 
must  say  that  something  of  him  has  also  dwelt 
in  me;  for  I have  ever  been  more  afraid  of  the 
lake  and  the  loss  of  a place  in  paradise  than  I 
have  been  at  the  loss  of  other  things.  Oh, 
thought  I,  may  I have  the  happiness  to  have  a 
habitation  there,  it  is  enough  though  I part 
with  all  the  world  to  win  it. 

Then  said  Matthew,  Fear  was  one  thing  that 
made  me  think  that  I was  far  from  having  that 
within  me  that  accompanies  salvation ; but  if 
it  was  so  with  such  a good  man  as  he,  why  may 
it  not  also  go  well  with  me? 

No  fears,  no  grace,  said  James.  Though 
there  is  not  always  grace  where  there  is  the 
fear  of  hell,  yet,  to  be  sure,  there  is  no  grace 
where  there  is  no  fear  of  God. 


not  of  your  great  knowledge,  rich  experience,  som- 
fortable  frames  and  joyful  feelings:  all  are  vain  and 
delusive  if  the  Gospel  has  not  a holy  influence  upon 
your  practice.  On  the  other  hand,  he  not  dejected  if 
you  are  not  as  yet  favoured  with  these ; for  if  a holy 
fear  of  God  and  a godly  jealousy  over  yourselves  pos- 
sess your  heart,  verily  you  are  a partaker  of  the 
grace  of  Christ,  and  if  faithful,  soon  you  shall  exult 
in  the  sunshine  of  his  love. 


218 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Great- heart.  Well  said,  James;  thou  hast  hit 
the  mark ; for  “ the  fear  of  God  is  the  begin- 
ning of  wisdom ; ” and,  to  be  sure,  they  that 
want  the  beginning  have  neither  middle  nor 
end.  But  we  will  here  conclude  our  discourse 
of  Mr.  Fearing,  after  we  have  sent  after  him 
this  farewell : 


“ Much,  Master  Fearing,  thou  didst  fear 
Thy  God,  and  wast  afraid 
Of  doing  any  thing,  while  here, 

That  would  have  thee  betray’d: 

And  didst  thou  fear  the  lake  and  pit? 

Would  others  did  so  too  ! 

For  as  for  them  that  want  thy  wit, 
They  do  themselves  undo.” 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Character  of  Mr.  Self-will. 


Now  I saw  that  they  all  went  on  in  their 
talk,  for,  after  Mr.  Great-heart  had  made  an 
end  with  Mr.  Fearing,  Mr.  Honest  began  to 
tell  them  of  another,  but  his  name  was  Mr. 
Self-will.  He  pretended  himself  to  be  a pil- 
grim, said  Mr.  Honest;  but  I persuade  myself 
he  never  came  in  at  the  gate  that  stands  at  the 
head  of  the  way. 

Great-heart.  Plad  you  ever  any  talk  with  him 
about  it  ? 

Honest.  Yes,  more  than  once  or  twice : but 
he  would  always  be  like  himself,  self-willed. 
He  neither  cared  for  man,  nor  argument,  nor 
example;  what  his  mind  prompted  him  to, 
that  he  would  do,  and  nothing  else  could  he  be 
got  to.* 

Great-heart.  Pray,  what  principles  did  he 
hold  ? for  I suppose  you  can  tell. 

Honest.  He  held  that  a man  might  follow  the 
vices  as  well  as  the  virtues  of  the  pilgrims,  and 
that  if  he  did  both  he  should  be  certainly 
saved. 

Great-heart.  How,  if  he  had  said,  It  is  pos- 
sible for  the  best  to  be  guilty  of  the  vices  as 
well  as  partake  of  the  virtues  of  pilgrims,  he 
could  not  much  have  been  blamed.  For  in- 
deed we  are  exempted  from  no  vice  absolutely, 
but  on  condition  that  we  watch  and  strive.! 
But  this,  I perceive,  is  not  the  thing : but  if  I 
understand  you  right,  your  meaning  is  that  he 
was  of  that  opinion  that  it  was  allowable  so 
to  be. 

Honest.  Ay,  ay,  so  I mean;  and  so  he  be-, 
lieved  and  practised. 


* Self-will  ever  accompanies  ignorance  of  ourselves 
and  of  the  truth,  and  is  generally  attended  with  licen- 
tious principles  and  practices. 

f This  is  a solid  scriptural  definition  ; pray  mind  it. 
Here,  it  is  evident,  a condition  must  be  admitted  ; and 
happy  is  the  Christian  who  keeps  closest  to  these  con- 
ditions, in  order  to  enjoy  peace  of  conscience  and  joy 
of  heart  in  Christ. 


Great-heart.  But  what  grounds  had  he  for  so 
saying  ? 

Honest.  Why,  he  said  he  had  the  Scripture 
for  his  warrant. 

Great-heart.  Pr’ythee,  Mr.  Honest,  present 
us  with  a few  particulars. 

Honest.  So  I will.  He  said  to  have  to  do 
with  other  men’s  wives  had  been  practised  by 
David,  God’s  beloved ; and  therefore  he  could 
do  it.  He  said  to  have  more  women  than  one 
was  a thing  that  Solomon  practised ; and  there- 
fore he  could  do  it.  He  said  that  Sarah  and 
the  godly  midwives  of  Egypt  lied,  and  so  did 
Raliab ; and  therefore  he  could  do  it.  He  said 
that  the  disciples  went  at  the  bidding  of  their 
Master  and  took  away  the  owner’s  ass;  and 
therefore  he  could  do  so  too.  He  said  that 
Jacob  got  the  inheritance  of  his  father  in  a 
way  of  guile  and  dissimulation ; and  therefore 
he  could  do  so  too.J 

Great-heart.  High  base  indeed ! and  are 
you  sure  he  was  of  this  opinion  ? 

Honest.  I have  heard  him  plead  for  it,  bring 
Scripture  for  it,  bring  arguments  for  it,  &c. 

Great-heart.  An  opinion  that  is  not  fit  to  be 
with  any  allowance  in  the  world  ! 

Honest.  You  must  understand  me  rightly; 
he  did  not  say  that  any  man  might  do  this ; 
but  that  those  that  had  the  virtues  of  those 
that  did  such  things  might  also  do  the  same. 

Great-heart . But  what  more  false  than  such 
a conclusion?  for  this  is  as  much  as  to  say, 
that  because  good  men  heretofore  have  sinned 
of  infirmity,  therefore  he  had  allowance  to  do 
it  of  a presumptuous  mind;  or  if  because  a 
child,  by  the  blast  of  wind  or  for  that  it  sturn- 

J That  heart  which  is  under  the  teaching  and  influ- 
ence of  the  grace  of  God  will  detest  such  horrid  no- 
tions, and  cry  out  against  them.  God  forbid  that  ever 
I should  listen  one  moment  to  such  diabolical  senti- 
ments! for  they  are  hatched  in  hell  and  propagated 
on  earth  by  the  father  of  lies. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


219 


bled  at  a stone,  fell  down  and  defiled  itself  in 
mire,  therefore  lie  might  wilfully  lie  down  and 
wallow  like  a boar  therein.  Who  could  have 
thought  that  any  one  could  so  far  have  been 
blinded  by  the  power  of  lust?  But  what  is 
written  must  be  true:  “They  stumbled  at  the 
word,  being  disobedient;  wliereunto  also  they 
were  appointed.”  1 Pet.  ii.  8.  His  supposing 
that  such  may  have  the  godly  man’s  virtues 
who  addict  themselves  to  his  vices,  is  also  a 
delusion  as  strong  as  the  other.  “ To  eat  up 
the  sin  of  God’s  people”  (IIos.  iv.  8)  is  no 
sign  of  one  that  is  possessed  with  their  virtues. 
Nor  can  I believe  that  one  that  is  of  this  opin- 
ion can  at  present  have  faith  or  love  in  him. 
But  I know  you  have  made  strong  objections 
against  him ; pr’ythee  what  can  he  say  for  him- 
self? 

Honest.  Why,  he  says,  to  do  this  by  way  of 
opinion  seems  abundantly  more  honest  than  to 
do  it  and  yet  hold  contrary  to  it  in  opinion. 

Great-heart.  A very  wicked  answer;  for, 
though  to  let  loose  the  bridle  to  lusts  while 
our  opinions  arc  against  such  things  is  bad,  yet 
to  sin  and  plead  a toleration  so  to  do  is  worse : 
the  one  stumbles  beholders  accidentally,  the 
other  leads  them  into  the  snare. 

Honest.  There  are  many  of  this  man’s  mind 
that  have  not  this  man’s  mouth;  and  that 
makes  going  on  pilgrimage  of  so  little  esteem 
as  it  is. 

Great-heart.  You  have  said  the  truth,  and  it 
is  to  be  lamented ; but  he  that  feareth  the  King 
of  paradise  shall  come  out  of  them  all. 


Christiana.  There  arc  strange  opinions  in 
the  world:  I knowone  that  said  it  was  time 
enough  to  repent  when  he  came  to  die. 

Great-heart.  Such  are  not  over-wise : that 
man  would  have  been  loth,  might  he  have  had 
a week  to  run  twenty  miles  for  his  life,  to  have 
deferred  that  journey  to  the  last  hour  of  that 
week. 

Honest.  You  say  right ; and  yet  the  general- 
ity of  them  that  count  themselves  pilgrims  do 
indeed  do  thus.  I am,  as  you  see,  an  old  man, 
and  have  been  a traveller  in  this  road  many  a 
day,  and  I have  taken  notice  of  many  things.* 

I have  seen  some  that  set  out  as  if  they 
would  drive  all  the  world  afore  them,  who  yet 
have,  in  a few  days,  died  as  they  in  the  wilder- 
ness, and  so  never  got  sight  of  the  promised 
land.  I have  seen  some  that  have  promised 
nothing  at  first  setting  out  to  be  pilgrims,  and 
that  one  would  have  thought  could  not  have 
lived  another  day,  that  have  yet  proved  very 
good  pilgrims.  I have  seen  some  who  have 
run  hastily  forward,  that  again  have,  after  a 
little  time,  run  just  as  fast  back  again.  I have 
seen  some  who  have  spoken  very  well  of  a pil- 
grim’s life  at  first,  that,  after  a while,  have 
spoken  as  much  against  it.  I have  heard  some, 
when  they  first  set  out  for  paradise,  say  posi- 
tively, “ There  is  such  a place,”  who,  when 
they  have  been  almost  there,  have  come  back 
again  and  said,  “ There  is  none.”  I have  heard 
some  vaunt  what  they  would  do  in  case  they 
should  be  opposed,  that  have,  even  at  a false 
alarm,  fled  faith,  the  pilgrim’s  way,  and  all. 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Pilgrims  arrive  at  the  house  of  Gains,  where  they  are  hospitably  entertained. 


Now  as  they  were  thus  in  their  way  there 
came  one  running  to  meet  them,  and  said, 
“ Gentlemen,  and  you  of  the  weaker  sort,  if  you 
love  life  shift  for  yourselves,  for  the  robbers 
are  before  you.” 

Then  said  Mr.  Great-heart,  They  be  the 
three  that  set  upon  Little-faith  heretofore. 
Well,  said  he,  we  are  ready  for  them.  So  they 
went  on  their  way.  Now  they  looked  at  every 
turning  when  they  should  have  met  with  the 

* Pray,  attentively  mind  and  deeply  consider  the 
six  following  observations:  they  are  just;  they  are 
daily  confirmed  to  our  observations  in  the  conduct  of 
different  professors.  Study  and  pray  to  improve  them 
to  your  soul’s  profit. 


villains,  but  whether  they  heard  of  Mr.  Great- 
heart,  or  whether  they  had  some  other  game, 
they  came  not  up  to  the  pilgrims.! 

Christiana  then  wished  for  an  inn  for  herself 
and  her  children,  because  they  were  weary. 
Then  said  Mr.  Honest,  “ There  is  one  a little 
before  us,  where  a very  honourable  disciple, 
one  Gaius,  dwells.”  Rom.  xvi.  28.  So  they  all 
concluded  to  turn  in  thither,  and  the  rather 
because  the  old  gentleman  gave  him  so  good  a 
report.  So  when  they  came  to  the  door  they 

f It  is  a blessed  thing  to  take  every  alarm  and  to  be 
on  our  guard.  Hereby  many  dangers  are  avoided 
and  many  evils  prevented.  Watch ! is  the  word  of  the 
Captain  of  our  salvation. 


220 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


went  in,  not  knocking,  for  folks  use  not  to 
knock  at  the  door  of  an  inn.  Then  they  called 
for  the  master  of  the  house,  and  he  came  to 
them.  So  they  asked  if  they  might  lie  there 
that  night  ? 

Gains.  Yes,  gentlemen,  if  you  he  true  men, 
for  my  house  is  for  none  but  pilgrims.  Then 
was  Christiana,  Mercy,  and  the  boys  more  glad, 
for  that  the  inn-keeper  was  a lover  of  pilgrims. 
So  they  called  for  rooms,  and  he  showed  them 
one  for  Christiana  and  her  children  and  Mercy, 
and  another  for  Mr.  Great-heart  and  the  old 
gentleman. 

Then  said  Mr.  Great-heart,  Good  Gaius,  what 
hast  thou  for  supper  ? for  these  pilgrims  have 
come  far  to-day  and  are  weary. 

It  is  late,  said  Gaius,  so  we  cannot  conveni- 
ently go  out  to  seek  food,  but  such  as  I have 
you  shall  be  welcome  to,  if  that  will  content 
you. 

Great-heart.  We  will  be  content  with  what 
thou  hast  in  the  house,  for,  as  much  as  I have 
proved  thee,  thou  art  never  destitute  of  that 
which  is  convenient. 

Then  he  went  down  and  spake  to  the  cook, 
whose  name  was  Taste-that-whicli-is-good,  to 
get  ready  supper  for  so  many  pilgrims.  This 
done,  he  comes  up  again,  saying,  Come,  my 
good  friends,  you  are  welcome  to  me,  and  I am 
glad  that  I have  a house  to  entertain  you ; and 
while  supper  is  making  ready,  if  you  please, 
let  us  entertain  one  another  with  some  good 
discourse : so  they  all  said  content.* 

Then  said  Gaius,  Whose  wife  is  this  aged 
matron?  and  whose  daughter  is  this  young 
damsel  ? 

Great-heart.  The  woman  is  the  wife  of  one 
Christian,  a pilgrim  in  former  rimes ; and  these 
are  his  four  children.  The  maid  is  one  of  her 
acquaintance — one  that  she  hath  persuaded  to 
come  with  her  on  pilgrimage.  The  boys  take 
all  after  their  father,  and  covet  to  tread  in  his 
steps : yea,  if  they  do  but  see  any  place  where 
the  old  pilgrim  hath  lain  or  any  print  of  his 
foot,  it  ministereth  joy  to  their  hearts,  and 
they  covet  to  lie  or  tread  in  the  same. 

Then  said  Gaius,  Is  this  Christian’s  wife? 
and  are  these  Christian’s  children?  I knew 
your  husband’s  father,  yea,  also  his  father’s 
father.  Many  have  been  good  of  this  stock ; 
their  ancestors  first  dwelt  at  Antioch.  Acts  xi. 
26.  Christian’s  progenitors  (I  suppose  you 
have  heard  your  husband  talk  of  them)  were 


'*  How  does  this  reprove  many  professors  of  this 
day,  who  frequently  meet  together,  and  that  about 


very  worthy  men.  They  have,  above  any  that 
I know,  showed  themselves  men  of  great  virtue 
and  courage  for  the  Lord  of  the  pilgrims,  his 
ways,  and  them  that  loved  him.  I have  heard 
of  many  of  your  husband’s  relations  that  have 
stood  all  trials  for  the  sake  of  the  truth. 
Stephen,  that  was  one  of  the  first  of  the  family 
from  whence  your  husband  sprang,  was  knocked 
on  the  head  with  stones.  Acts  vii.  59,  60. 
James,  another  of  this  generation,  was  slain 
with  the  edge  of  the  sword.  Acts  xii.  2.  To 
say  nothing  of  Paul  and  Peter,  men  anciently 
of  the  family  from  whence  your  husband  came, 
there  was  Ignatius,  who  was  cast  to  the  lions ; 
Romanus,  whose  flesh  was  cut  by  pieces  from 
his  bones ; and  Polycarp,  that  played  the  man 
in  the  fire.  There  was  he  that  was  hanged  up 
in  a basket  in  the  sun  for  the  wasps  to  eat; 
and  he  whom  they  put  in  a sack  and  cast  him 
into  the  sea  to  be  drowned.  It  would  be  im- 
possible utterly  to  count  up  all  that  family  that 
have  suffered  injuries  and  death  for  the  love  of 
a pilgrim’s  life.  Nor  can  I but  be  glad  to  see 
that  thy  husband  has  left  behind  him  four  such 
boys  as  these.  I hope  they  will  bear  up  theii 
father’s  name,  and  tread  in  their  father’s  steps, 
and  come  to  their  father’s  end. 

Great-heart.  Indeed,  sir,  they  are  likely  lads; 
they  seem  to  choose  heartily  their  _ father’s 
ways. 

Gaius.  That  is  it  that  I said : wherefore 
Christian’s  family  is  like  still  to  spread  abroad 
upon  the  face  of  the  ground:  therefore  let 
Christiana  look  out  some  damsels  for  her  sons, 
to  whom  they  may  be  betrothed,  &c.,  that  the 
name  of  their  father  and  the  house  of  his  pro- 
genitors may  never  be  forgotten  in  the  world. 

Honest.  It  is  a pity  his  family  should  fall 
and  be  extinct. 

Gaius.  Fall  it  cannot,  but  be  diminished  it 
may ; but  let  Christiana  take  my  advice,  and 
that’s  the  way  to  uphold  it. 

And,  Christiana,  said  this  inn-keeper,  I ana 
glad  to  see  thee  and  thy  friend  Mercy  together 
here,  a lovely  couple.  And  if  I may  advise, 
take  Mercy  into  a nearer  relation  to  thee ; if 
she  will,  let  her  be  given  to  Matthew,  thy 
eldest  son : it  is  the  way  to  preserve  a posterity 
in  the  earth.  So  this  match  was  concluded, 
and  in  process  of  time  they  were  married ; but 
more  of  that  hereafter. 

Gaius  also  proceeded,  and  said,  I will  now 
speak  on  the  behalf  of  women,  to  take  away 


every  trifle,  but  have  not  one  word  to  speak  for  pre- 
cious Christ,  his  glorious  truths  and  holy  ways? 


THE  I' I LOR  M’S  PROGRESS. 


221 


their  reproach.  For  as  death  and  the  curse 
came  into  the  world  by  a woman,  so  also  did 
life  and  health : “ God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made 
of  a woman.”  Gen.  iii. ; Gal.  iv.  4.  Yea,  to 
show  how  much  those  that  came  after  did  ab- 
hor the  act  of  the  mother,  this  sex  in  the  Old 
Testament  coveted  children,  if  happily  this  or 
that  woman  might  be  the  mother  of  the  Saviour 
of  the  world.  I will  say  again,  that  when  the 
Saviour  was  come,  women  rejoiced  in  him,  be- 
fore either  man  or  angel.  Luke  ii.  I read  not 
that  ever  man  did  give  unto  Christ  so  much  as 
one  groat:  but  the  women  followed  him  and 
ministered  to  him  of  their  substance.  It  was 
a woman  that  washed  his  feet  with  tears,  and 
a woman  that  anointed  his  body  to  the  burial. 
They  were  women  that  wept  when  he  was 
going  to  the  cross,  and  women  that  followed 
him  from  the  cross,  and  that  sat  by  his  sepul- 
chre when  he  was  buried.  They  were  women 
that  were  first  with  him  at  his  resurrection- 
morn  ; and  women  that  brought  tidings  first  to 
his  disciples  that  he  was  risen  from  the  dead. 
Luke  vii.  37,  50;  viii.  2,  3;  xxiii.  27;  xxiv. 
22,  23;  John  ii.  3;  xi.  2;  Matt,  xxvii.  55,  61. 
Women  therefore  arc  highly  favoured,  and  show 
by  these  things  that  they  are  sharers  with  us 
in  the  grace  of  life. 

Now  the  cook  sent  up  to  signify  that  supper 
was  almost  ready,  and  sent  one  to  lay  the  cloth 
and  the  trenchers,  and  to  set  the  salt  and  bread 
in  order. 

Then  said  Matthew,  The  sight  of  this  cloth, 
and  of  this  forerunner  of  the  supper,  begetteth 
in  me  a greater  appetite  to  my  food  than  I had 
before. 

Qaius.  So  let  all  ministering  doctrines  in 
this  life  beget  in  thee  a greater  desire  to  sit  at 
the  supper  of  the  great  King  in  his  kingdom; 
for  all  preaching,  books,  and  ordinances  here 
arc  but  as  the  laying  of  the  trenchers  and  as 
setting  of  salt  upon  the  board,  when  compared 
with  the  feast  that  our  Lord  will  make  us 
when  we  come  to  his  house. 

So  supper  came  up ; and  first  a heave- 
shoulder  and  a wave-bread  were  set  on  the 
table  before  them ; to  show  them  that  they 
must  begin  the  meal  with  prayer  and  praise 
to  God.  Lev.  vii.  32,  34;  x.  14,  15  ; Ps.  xxv.  1 ; 
Heb.  xiii.  15.  The  heave-shoulder  David  lifted 
his  heart  up  to  God  with  ; and  with  the  wave- 
breast,  where  his  heart  lay,  with  that  he  used 

* Observe  here  the  feast  of  pilgrims  -was  attended 
with  joy.  Christians  may,  they  ought,  yea,  they 
have  the  greatest  reason  to,  rejoice;  but  then  it 
should  bo  spiritual  joy,  which  springs  from  spiritual 


to  lean  upon  his  harp  when  he  played.  These 
two  dishes  were  very  fresh  and  good,  and  they 
all  ate  heartily  thereof. 

The  next  they  brought  up  was  a bottle  of 
wine  as  red  as  blood.  So  Gaius  said  to  them, 
Drink  freely:  this  is  the  true  juice  of  the  vine 
that  makes  glad  the  heart  of  God  and  man. 
So  they  drank  and  were  merry.  Deut.  xxxii.  14 ; 
Judg.ix.13;  John  xv.  5.  The  next  was  a dish 
of  milk  well  crumbled:  but  Gaius  said,  Let 
the  boys  have  that,  that  they  may  “grow 
thereby.”  1 Pet.  ii.  1,  2.  Then  they  brought 
up  in  course  a dish  of  butter  and  honey. 
Then  said  Gaius,  Eat  freely  of  this,  for  this  is 
good  to  cheer  up  and  strengthen  your  judg- 
ments and  understandings.  This  was  our 
Lord’s  dish  when  he  was  a child:  “Butter 
and  honey  shall  he  eat,  that  he  may  know’  to 
refuse  the  evil  and  choose  the  good.”  Isa.  vii. 
17.  Then  they  brought  them  up  a dish  of 
apples,  and  they  were  very  good-tasted  fruit. 
Then  said  Matthew,  “May  we  eat  apples, 
since  they  were  such  by  and  with  which  the 
serpent  begui’ed  our  first  mother?” 

Then  said  Gaius, 

“ Apples  were  they  with  which  we  were  beguil'd, 

Yet  sin,  not  apples,  hath  our  souls  defil'd : 

Apples  forbid,  if  eat,  corrupt  the  blood; 

To  eat  such  when  commanded  does  us  good; 

Drink  of  his  flagons,  then,  thou  Church,  his  dove, 
And  eat  his  apples  who  are  sick  of  love.” 

Then  said  Matthew’,  I made  the  scruple  be- 
cause, a while  since,  I was  sick  with  eating  of 
fruit. 

Gaius.  Forbidden  fruit  will  make  you  sick, 
but  not  what  our  Lord  lias  tolerated. 

While  they  w’ere  thus  talking  they  were 
presented  with  another  dish,  and  it  was  a dish 
of  nuts.  Sol.  Songs  vi.  11.  Then  said  some  at 
the  table,  “Nuts  spoil  tender  teeth,  especially 
the  teeth  of  the  children.”  Which,  when 
Gaius  heard,  he  said, 

“ Hard  texts  are  nuts  (I  will  not  call  them  cheaters). 
Whose  shells  do  keep  the  kernels  from  the  eaters : 
Open  then  the  shells,  and  you  shall  have  the  meat; 
They  here  are  brought  for  you  to  ci’aek  and  eat.” 

Then  they  were  merry,  and  sat  at  the  table 
a long  time,  talking  of  many  things.*  Then 
said  the  old  gentleman,  My  good  landlord, 

views  and  spiritual  conversation.  Let  our  speech  be 
thus  seasoned  and  our  feasts  thus  tempered,  and  we 
shall  find  increasing  joy  and  gladness  of  heart  in  the 
Lord. 


222 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


while  ye  are  cracking  your  nuts,  if  you  please, 
do  ye  open  this  riddle : 

“ A man  there  was,  (though  some  did  count  him  mad,) 

The  more  he  oast  away,  the  more  he  had.” 

Then  they  all  gave  good  heed,  wondering 
what  good  Gaius  would  say ; so  he  sat  still 
awhile,  and  then  thus  replied : 

“He  who  thus  bestows  his  goods  upon  the  poor 
Shall  have  as  much  again,  and  ten  times  more.” 

Then  said  Joseph,  I dare  say,  sir,  I did  not 
think  you  could  have  found  it  out. 

Oh ! said  Gaius,  I have  been  trained  up  in 
this  way  a great  while;  nothing  teaches  like 
experience:  I have  learned  of  my  Lord  to  be 
kind,  and  have  found  by  experience  that  I 
have  gained  thereby.  “ There  is  that  scatter- 


ed, yet  increased;  and  there  is  that  with- 
holdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tended  to 
poverty ;”  “ There  is  that  maketh  himself  rich, 
yet  hath  nothing  ; there  is  that  maketh  him- 
self poor,  yet  hath  great  riches.”  Prov.  xi.  24 ; 
xiii.  7. 

Then  Samuel  whispered  to  Christiana  his 
mother,  and  said,  Mother,  this  is  a very  good 
man’s  house;  let  us  stay  here  a good  while, 
and  let  my  brother  Matthew  be  married  here 
to  Mercy,  before  we  go  any  further.* 

The  which  Gaius  the  host  overhearing,  said, 
With  a very  good  will,  my  child. 

So  they  stayed  here  more  than  a month,  and 
Mercy  was  given  to  Matthew  to  wife. 

While  they  stayed  here,  Mercy,  as  her  cus- 
tom was,  would  be  making  coats  and  garments 
to  give  to  the  poor,  by  which  she  brought  a 
very  good  report  upon  pilgrims. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Pilgrims  continue  at  the  house  of  Gaius ; from  whence  they  sally  out  and  destroy  Giant 
Slay-good,  a cannibal,  and  rescue  Mr.  Feeble-mind. 


But  to  return  again  to  our  story.  After 
supper  the  lads  desired  a bed,  for  they  were 
weary  with  travelling:  theu  Gaius  called  to 
show  them  their  chamber:  but  said  Mercy, 
I will  have  them  to  bed.  So  she  had  them  to 
bed,  and  they  slept  well : but  the  rest  sat  up 
all  night,  for  Gaius  and  they  were  such  suit- 
able company  that  they  could  not  tell  how  to 
part.  Then  after  much  talk  of  their  Lord, 
themselves,  and  their  journey,  old  Mr.  Honest 
(he  that  put  forth  the  riddle  to  Gaius)  began 
to  nod.  Then  said  Great-heart,  What,  sir, 
you  begin  to  be  drowsy ! come,  rub  up : now 
here  is  a riddle  for  you.f  Then  said  Mr. 
Honest,  Let  us  hear  it. 

Theu  said  Mr.  Great-heart, 

“ He  that  will  kill  must  first  be  overcome  : 

Who  live  abroad  would,  first  must  die  at  home.” 

Ha!  said  Mr.  Honest,  it  is  a hard  one — hard 
to  expound,  and  harder  to  practise.  But  come, 
landlord,  said  he,  I will,  if  you  please,  leave 

* Here  is  a genuine  discovery  of  a gracious  heart, 
when  it  is  delighted  with  spiritual  company  and  con- 
versation and  longs  for  its  continuance.  Is  it  so  with 
you,  reader? 

j-  Mind  this:  when  one  pilgrim  observes  that  a 
brother  is  inclined  to  be  drowsy,  it  is  his  duty,  and 
should  be  his  practice,  to  endeavour  to  awaken, 
quickou,  enliven,  and  stir  up  such  by  spiritual  hints. 


my  part  to  you ; do  you  expound  it,  and  I will 
hear  what  you  say. 

No,  said  Gaius,  it  was  put  to  you,  and  it  is 
expected  you  should  answer  it. 

Then  said  the  old  gentleman, 

“ He  first  by  grace  must  conquer’d  be 
That  sin  would  mortify: 

Who  that  he  lives  would  convince  me, 

Unto  himself  must  die.”  J 

It  is  right,  said  Gaius ; good  doctrine  and 
experience  teach  this.  For,  until  grace  dis- 
plays itself,  and  overcomes  the  soul  with  its 
glory,  it  is  altogether  without  heart  to  oppose 
sin : besides,  if  sin  is  Satan’s  cords  by  which 
the  soul  lies  bound,  how  should  it  make  resist- 
ance before  it  is  loosed  from  that  infirmity? 
Nor  will  any  that  knows  either  reason  or  grace 
believe  that  such  a man  can  be  a living  mon- 
ument of  grace  that  is  a slave  to  his  own  cor- 
ruption. And,  now  it  comes  in  my  mind,  I 
will  tell  you  a story  worth  the  hearing  : There 

Oh  that  this  was  more  practised ! Many  blessings 
would  be  consequent  upon  it. 

I Oh  this  dying  to  self,  to  self-righteous  pride,  vain- 
confidence,  self-love,  and  self-complacency,  is  hard 
work  to  the  old  man;  yea,  it  is  both  impracticable  and 
impossible  to  him.  It  is  only  grace  yielded  to  that 
can  conquer  and  subdue  him.  And  where  grace  reigns 
this  work  is  carried  on  day  by  day. 


TIIE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


223 


were  two  men  that  went  on  pilgrimage;  the 
one  began  when  he  was  young,  the  other  when 
ho  was  ohl;  the  young  man  had  strong  corrup- 
tions to  grapple  with,  the  old  man’s  were  weak 
with  the  decays  o('  nature:  the  young  man 
trod  his  steps  as  even  as  did  the  old  one,  and 
was  every  way  as  light  as  he:  who  now,  or 
which  of  them,  had  their  graces  shining  clear- 
est, since  both  seemed  to  be  alike? 

Honest.  The  young  man’s,  doubtless.  For 
that  which  heads  it  against  the  greatest  oppo- 
sition gives  best  demonstration  that  it  is 
strongest;  especially  when  it  also  holdeth  pace 
with  that  that  meets  not  with  half  so  much,  as 
to  be  sure  old  age  does  not.  Besides,  I have 
observed  that  old  men  have  blessed  themselves 
with  this  mistake — namely,  taking  the  decays 
of  nature  for  a gracious  conquest  over  corrup- 
tions, and  so  have  been  apt  to  beguile  them- 
selves. Indeed,  old  men  that  are  gracious  are 
best  able  to  give  advice  to  them  that  are  young, 
because  they  have  seen  most  of  the  emptiness 
of  things ; but  yet,  for  an  old  and  a young 
man  to  set  out  both  together,  the  young  one 
has  the  advantage  of  the  fairest  discovery  of  a 
work  of  grace  within  him,  though  the  old 
man’s  corruptions  are  naturally  the  weakest. 

Thus  they  sat  talking  till  break  of  day. 
Now  when  the  family  was  up,  Christiana  bid 
her  son  James  that  he  should  read  a chapter: 
so  he  read  the  fifty-third  of  Isaiah.  When  he 
had  done,  Mr.  Honest  asked  why  it  was  said 
that  the  Saviour  is  said  to  come  “ out  of  a dry 
ground,”  and  also  that  he  had  “ no  form  of 
comeliness  in  him?” 

Then  said  Mr.  Great-heart,  To  the  first  I an- 
swer, Because  the  church  of  the  Jews,  of  which 
Christ  came,  had  then  lost  almost  all  the  sap 
and  spirit  of  religion.  To  the  second  I say, 
The  words  are  spoken  in  the  person  of  unbe- 
lievers, who,  because  they  want  the  eye  that 
can  see  into  our  Prince’s  heart,  therefore  judge 
of  him  by  the  meanness  of  his  outside.  Just 
like  those  that  know  not  that  precious  stones 
arc  covered  over  with  a homely  crust,  who, 
when  they  have  found  one,  because  they  know 
not  what  they  have  found,  cast  it  again  away, 
as  men  do  a common  stone. 

Well,  said  Gaius,  now  you  are  here,  and 
since,  as  I know,  Mr.  Great-heart  is  good  at 
his  weapons,  if  you  please,  after  we  have  re- 
freshed ourselves,  we  will  walk  into  the  fields, 


to  see  if  we  can  do  any  good.  About  a mile 
from  hence  there  is  one  Slay-good,  a giant, 
that  docs  much  annoy  the  King’s  highway  in 
these  parts,  and  I know  whereabout  his  haunt 
is:  he  is  master  of  a number  of  thieves.  It 
would  be  well  if  we  could  clear  these  parts  of 
him.* 

So  they  consented  and  went,  Mr.  Great-heart 
with  his  sword,  helmet,  and  shield,  and  the 
rest  with  spears  and  staves. 

When  they  came  to  the  place  where  he  was, 
they  found  him  with  one  Feeble-mind  in  his 
hand,  whom  his  servants  had  brought  unto 
him,  having  taken  him  in  the  way ; now  the 
giant  was  rifling  him,  with  a purpose,  after 
that,  to  pick  his  bones,  for  he  was  of  the  na- 
ture of  flesh-eaters. 

Well,  so  soon  as  he  saw  Mr.  Great-heart  and 
his  friends  at  the  mouth  of  his  cave  with  their 
weapons,  he  demanded  what  they  wanted. 

Great-heart.  We  want  thee,  for  we  are  come 
to  revenge  the  quarrels  of  the  many  that  thou 
hast  slain  of  the  pilgrims,  when  thou  hast 
dragged  them  out  of  the  King’s  highway; 
wherefore  come  out  of  thy  cave.  So  he  armed 
himself  and  came  out;  and  to  the  battle  they 
went,  and  fought  for  above  an  hour,  and  then 
stood  still  to  take  wind. 

Then  said  the  giant,  Why  are  you  here  on 
my  ground  ? 

Great-heart.  To  revenge  the  blood  of  pil- 
grims, as  I also  told  thee  before.  So  they  went 
to  it  again,  and  the  giant  made  Mr.  Great-heart 
give  back ; but  he  came  up  again,  and  in  the 
greatness  of  his  mind  he  let  fly  with  such 
stoutness  at  the  giant’s  head  and  sides  that  he 
made  him  let  his  weapon  fall  out  of  his  hand ; 
so  he  smote  and  slew  him,  and  cut  off  his  head 
and  brought  it  away  to  the  inn.  He  also  took 
Feeble-mind,  the  pilgrim,  and  brought  him 
with  him  to  his  lodgings.  When  they  were 
come  home  they  showed  his.  head  to  the  fam- 
ily, and  set  it  up,  as  they  had  done  others  be- 
fore, for  a terror  to  those  that  shall  attempt  to 
do  as  he  hereafter. 

Then  they  asked  Mr.  Feeble-mind  how  he 
fell  into  his  hands  ? 

Then  said  the  poor  man,  I am  a sickly  man, 
as  you  see,  and  because  death  did  usually  once 
a day  knock  at  my  door,  I thought  I should 
never  be  well  at  home ; so  I betook  myself  to 
a pilgrim’s  life,  and  have  travelled  hither  from 
the  town  of  Uncertain,  where  I and  my  father 


* After  feeding,  pilgrims  are  to  prepare  for  fighting. 
They  are  not  to  eat  in  order  to  pamper  their  lusts,  hut 
to  strengthen  their  bodies  and  souls,  that  they  may  be 


stronger  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might  to 
fight  and  conquer  every  enemy. 


224 


B UK  TAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


were  born.  I am  a man  of  no  strength  at  all 
of  body,  nor  yet  of  mind ; but  would,  if  I 
could,  though  I can  but  crawl,  spend  my  life 
in  a pilgrim’s  way.*  When  I came  at  the 
gate  that  is  at  the  head  of  the  way,  the  Lord 
of  that  place  did  entertain  me  freely ; neither 
objected  he  against  my  weakly  looks  nor 
against  my  feeble  mind,  but  gave  me  such 
things  as  were  necessary  for  my  journey,  and 
bid  me  hope  to  the  end.  When  I came  to  the 
house  of  the  Interpreter,  I received  much 
kindness  there;  and  because  the  hill  of  Diffi- 
culty was  judged  too  hard  for  me,  I was  carried 
up  that  by  one  of  his  servants.  Indeed,  I have 
found  much  relief  from  pilgrims,  though  none 
were  willing  to  go  softly  as  I am  forced  to  do ; 
yet  still,  as  they  came  on,  they  bid  me  be  of 
good  cheer,  and  said  that  if  was  the  will  of 
their  Lord  that  “comfort”  should  be  given  to 
the  “feeble-minded,”  (1  Thess.  v.  14,)  and  so 
went  on  their  own  pace.  When  I was  come  to 
Assault-lane,  then  this  giant  met  with  me  and 
bid  me  prepare  for  an  encounter ; but,  alas ! 
feeble  one  that  I was,  I had  more  need  of  a 
cordial : so  he  came  up  and  took  me.  I con- 
ceited he  should  not  kill  me.  Also,  when  he 
had  got  me  into  his  den,  since  I went  not  with 
him  willingly,  I believed  I should  come  out 
alive  again ; for  I have  heard  that  not  any 
pilgrim  that  is  taken  captive  by  violent  hands, 
if  he  keeps  heart-whole  towards  his  Master,  is, 
by  the  laws  of  providence,  to  die  by  the  hand 
of  the  enemy.  Eobbed  I looked  to  be,  and 
robbed  to  be  sure  I am ; but  I am,  as  you  see, 
escaped  with  life,  for  the  which  I thank  my 
King  as  author  and  you  as  the  means.  Other 
brunts  I also  look  for,  but  this  I have  resolved 
on — to  wit,  to  run  when  I can.  to  go  when  I 
cannot  run,  and  to  creep  when  I cannot  go. 
As  to  the  main,  I thank  Him  that  loved  me, 
I am  fixed ; my  way  is  before  me,  my  mind  is 
beyond  the  river  that  has  no  bridge,  though  I 
am,  as  you  see,  but  of  a feeble  mind.f 

Then  said  old  Mr.  Honest,  Have  not  you 
some  time  ago  been  acquainted  with  one  Mr. 
Fearing,  a pilgrim? 

® All  pilgrims  are  not  alike  vigorous,  strong,  and 
lively.  Some  are  weak,  creep  and  crawl  on  in  the 
ways  of  the  Lord.  No  matter:  if  there  be  but  a pil- 
grim’s heart,  all  shall  be  well  at  last,  for  Omnipotence 
itself  is  for  us:  and  then  we  ma3'  boldly  ask  while 
we  are  obedient  to  the  truth,  Who  shall  be  against 
us  ? 

f What  a sweet,  simple  relation  is  here ! doth  it  not 
suit  many  a feeble-minded  Christian  ? Poor  soul,  weak 
as  he  was,  yet  his  Lord  provided  against  his  danger. 
He  sent  some  strong  ones  to  his  deliverance  and  to 


Feeble-viincl.  Acquainted  with  him!  yes:  he 
came  from  the  town  of  Stupidity,  which  lies 
four  degrees  northward  of  the  city  of  Destruc- 
tion, and  as  many  off  of  where  I was  born ; 
yet  we  were  well  acquainted,  for  indeed  he  was 
my  uncle,  my  father’s  brother;  he  and  I have 
been  much  of  a temper:  he  was  a little  shorter 
than  I,  but  yet  we  were  much  of  a complex- 
ion. 

Honest.  I perceive  you  know  him ; and  I am 
apt  to  believe  also  that  you  are  related  one  to 
another,  for  you  have  his  whitely  look,  a cast 
like  his  with  your  eye,  and  your  speech  is 
much  alike. 

Feeble-mind.  Most  have  said  so  that  have 
known  us  both ; and,  besides,  what  I have 
read  in  him  I have  for  the  most  part  found  in 
myself. 

Come,  sir,  said  good  Gaius,  be  of  good 
cheer;  you  are  welcome  to  me  and  to  my 
house,  and  what  thou  hast  a mind  to,  call  for 
freely;  and  what  thou  wouldst  have  my  serv- 
ants do  for  thee,  they  will  do  with  a ready  mind. 

Then  said  Mr.  Feeble-mind,  This  is  an  un- 
expected favour,  and  as  the  sun  shining  out  of 
a very  dark  cloud.  Did  Giant  Slay -good  in- 
tend me  this  favour  when  he  stopped  me  and 
resolved  to  let  me  go  no  further?  Did  he  in- 
tend that  after  he  had  rifled  my  pocket  I should 
go  to  “Gaius  mine  host?”  Yet  so  it  is.J 

Now,  just  as  Mr.  Feeble-mind  and  Gaius 
were  thus  in  talk,  there  comes  one  running 
and  called  at  the  door,  and  told  that  about  a 
mile  and  a half  off  there  was  one  Mr.  Not- 
right,  a pilgrim,  struck  dead  upon  the  place 
where  he  was,  with  a thunderbolt. 

'Alas ! said  Mr.  Feeble-mind,  is  he  slain? 
He  overtook  me  some  days  before  I came  so 
far  as  hither,  and  would  be  my  company- 
keeper;  he  also  was  with  me  when  Slay-good 
the  giant  took  me,  but  he  was  nimble  of  his 
heels  and  escaped  : but  it  seems  he  escaped  to 
die,  and  I was  taken  to  live.  [| 

“What  one  would  think  doth  seek  to  slay  outright 

Oft-times  delivers  from  the  saddest  plight. 

slay  his  enemy.  Mind  his  belief,  even  in  his  utmost 
extremity.  Learn  somewhat  from  this  Feeble-mind. 

I Oh  how  sweet  to  reflect  the  most  gigantic  enemies 
shall  bo  conquered,  and  their  most  malicious  designs 
shall  be  overruled  for  our  good  ! Yea,  what  they  in- 
tend for  our  ruin  shall  be  made  to  work  for  our  health 
and  prosperity. 

||  See  the  various  dealings  of  God,  and  more  and 
more  adore  him  in  all  his  ways  of  providence  and  grace. 

“Know  all  the  ways  of  God  to  men  are  just; 

And  where  you  can’t  unriddle  learn  to  trust.” 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


225 


That  very  providenoo  whoso  face  is  death 
Doth  ofttimos  to  the  lowly  life  bequeath. 

I taken  was.  he  did  escape  and  lloo ; 

Hands  cross'd  gave  death  to  him  and  life  to  mo.” 

Now  about  this  time  Matthew  and  Mercy 
were  married:*  also  Gains  gave  his  daughter 
Thebe  to  James,  Matthew’s  brother,  to  wife. 
After  which  time  they  stayed  about  ten  days 
at  Gaius’s  house,  spending  their  time  and  the 
seasons  like  as  pilgrims  used  to  do". 

When  they  were  to  depart,  Gaius  made  them 
a feast,  and  they  did  eat  and  drink  and  were 
merry.  Now  the  hour  was  come  -that  they 
must  be  gone;  wherefore  Mr.  Great-heart 
called  for  a reckoning.  Rut  Gaius  told  him 
that  at  his  house  it  was  not  the  custom  of  pil- 


grims to  pay  for  their  entertainment.  lie 
boarded  them  by  the  year,  but  looked  for  bis 
pay  from  the  Good  Samaritan,  who  had  prom- 
ised him,  at  his  return,  whatsoever  charge  he 
was  at  with  them,  faithfully  to  repay  him. 
Luke.  x.  34,  35.  Then  said  Mr.  Great-heart  to 
him,  “Beloved,  thou  doest  faithfully  whatso- 
ever thou  doest  to  the  brethren  and  to  stran- 
gers, which  have  borne  witness  of  thy  charity 
before  the  Church,  whom  if  thou  yet  bring 
forward  on  their  journey  after  a godly  sort, 
thou  shalt  do  well.”  3 John  5,  6. 

Then  Gaius  took  his  leave  of  them  all  and 
his  children,  and  particularly  of  Mr.  Feeble- 
mind:  he  also  gave  him  something  to  drink 
by  the  way. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Pilgrims  are  joined  by  Mr.  Ready-to-halt , and  proceed  to  the  town  of  Vanity,  where 
they  are  agreeably  lodged  by  Mr.  Mnason,  and  meet  with  agreeable  company. — They  en- 
counter a formidable  Monster. 


Now  Mr.  Fceble-mind,  when  they  were  go- 
ing out  at  the  door,  made  as  if  he  intended  to 
linger.  The  which  when  Mr.  Great-heart  es- 
pied, he  said,  “Come,  Mr.  Feeble-mind,  pray 
do  you  go  along  with  us.  I will  be  your  con- 
ductor, and  you  shall  fare  as  the  rest.” 

Feeble-mind.  Alas!  I want  a suitable  com- 
panion; you  are  all  lusty  and  strong;  but  I,  as 
you  see,  am  weak.  I choose  therefore  rather 
to  come  behind,  lest  by  reason  of  my  many  in- 
firmities, I should  be  both  a burden  to  myself 
and  to  you.  I am,  as  I said,  a man  of  a weak 
and  feeble  mind,  and  shall  be  offended  and 
made  weak  at.  that  which  others  can  bear.  I 
shall  like  no  laughing;  I shall  like  no  gay  at- 
tire; I shall  like  no  unprofitable  questions. 
Nay,'  I am  so  weak  a man  as  to  be  offended  at 
that  which  others  have  a liberty  to  do.  I do 
not  know  all  the  truth : I am  a very  ignorant 
Christian  man:  sometimes,  if  I hear  some  re- 
joice in  the  Lord,  it  troubles  me,  because  I 
cannot  do  so  too.  It  is  with  me  as  it  is  with  a 
weak  man  among  the  strong,  or  as  a lamp  de- 
spised. He  that  is  ready  to  slip  with  his  feet 

* The  reader  may  remember  that  Mercy  had  some 
time  before  refused  the  addresses  of  Mr.  Brisk,  alleg- 
ing that  she  was  determined  not  to  have  a clog  to  her 
soul;  but  now  the  Lord  provides  an  helpmeet  for  her 
in  Matthew,  a sincere  young  pilgrim.  Happy  is  the 
match  which  is  made  in  the  Lord,  and  tho  partners 
who  are  united  in  eternal  bonds ! 

f What  an  open,  ingenuous  oonfession  is  here ! 

15 


is  as  a lamp  despised  in  the  thought  of  him  that 
is  at  ease,  (Job  xii.  5;)  so  that  I know  not 
what  to  do.f 

But,  brother,  said  Mr.  Great-heart,  I have  it  * 
in  commission  to  "‘comfort  the  feeble-minded” 
and  to  support  the  weak.  You  must  needs  go 
along  with  us:  we  will  wait  for  you,  we  will 
lend  you  our  help,  we  will  deny  ourselves  of 
some  things,  both  opinionative  and  practical, 
for  your  sake;  we  will  not  enter  into  “doubt- 
ful disputations  ” before  you ; we  will  be  made 
all  things  to  you  rather  than  you  shall  be  left 
behind. t Rom.  xiv. ; 1 Cor.  viii.  9,  13;  ix. 

32. 

Now  all  this  while  they  were  at  Gaius’s  door; 
and  behold,  as  they  were  thus  in  the  heat  of 
their  discourse,  Mr.  Ready-to-halt  came  by 
with  his  crutches  in  his  hand,  and  he  also  was 
going  on  pilgrimage.  Ps.  xxxviii.  17. 

Then  said  Mr.  Feeble-mind  to  him,  How 
earnest  thou  hither?  I was  but  now  complain- 
ing that  I had  not  a suitable  companion,  but 
thou  art  according  to  my  wish.  Welcome, 
welcome,  good  Mr.  Ready-to-halt : I hope  thou 
and  I may  be  some  help. 

Though  feeble  in  mind,  he  was  strong  in  wisdom  and 
sound  judgment. 

J Oh  that  this  were  more  practised  among  Chris- 
tians of  different  standing,  degrees,  and  judgment! 

If  they  who  are  strong  were  thus  to  bear  with  the 
weak,  as  they  ought,  how  much  more  love,  peaoe,  and 
unanimity  would  prevail ! 


226 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Ready- to- half.  I shall  be  glad  of  thy  com- 
pany, said  the  other;  and,  good  Mr.  Feeble- 
mind,  rather  than  we  will  part,  since  we  are 
thus  happily  met,  I will  lend  thee  one  of  my 
crutches.  * 

Feeble-mind.  Nay,  said  he,  though  I thank 
thee  for  thy  good-will,  I am  not  inclined  to 
halt  before  I am  lame.  Howbeit,  I think, 
when  occasion  is,  it  may  help  me  against  a dog. 

Ready-to-halL  If  either  myself  or  my  crutches 
can  do  thee  a pleasure,  we  are  both  at  thy  com- 
mand, good  Mr.  Feeble-mind. 

Thus  therefore  they  went  on : Mr.  Great- 
heart  and  Mr.  Honest  went  before,  Christiana 
and  her  children  went  next,  and  Mr.  Feeble- 
mind  and  Mr.  Ready-to-halt  came  behind  with 
his  crutches.  Then  said  Mr.  Honest,  Pray, 
sir,  now  we  are  upon  the  road,  tell  us  some 
profitable  things  of  some  that  are  gone  on  pil- 
grimage before  us. 

Great-heart.  With  a good  will.  I suppose 
you  have  heard  how  Christian  of  old  did  meet 
with  Apollyon  in  the  Valley  of  Humiliation, 
and  also  what  hard  work  he  had  to  go  through 
the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death.  Also,  I 
think  you  cannot  but  have  heard  how  Faithful 
was  put  to  it  by  Madam  Wanton,  with  Adam 
the  First,  with  one  Discontent,  and  Shame; 
four  as  deceitful  villains  as  a man  can  meet 
with  upon  the  road. 

Honest.  Yes,  I believe  I heard  of  all  this: 
but  indeed  good  Faithful  was  hardest  put  to  it 
by  Shame;  he  was  an  unwearied  one. 

Great-heart.  Ay;  for,  as  the  pilgrim  well 
said,  he  of  all  men  had  the  wrong  name. 

Honest.  But  pray,  sir,  where  was  it  that 
Christian  and  Faithful  met  Talkative?  That 
same  was  a notable  one. 

Great-heart.  He  was  a confident  fool;  yet 
many  follow  his  ways. 

Honest.  Fie  bad  like  to  have  beguiled  Faith- 
ful. 

Great-heart.  Ay,  but  Christian  put  him  into 
a Avay  quickly  to  find  him  out. 

Thus  they  went  on  till  they  came  to  the 
place  where  Evangelist  met  with  Christian 
and  Faithful,  and  prophesied  to  them  what 
they  should  meet  with  at  Vanity  Fair. 


* Excellent!  See  the  nature  of  Christian  love;  ever 
to  be  ready  to  spare  to  a brother  what  we  ourselves 
have  occasion  for.  Love  looketh  not  at  the  things  of 
our  own,  but  to  provide  for  the  wants  of  others. 

f Nothing  more  profitable  than  conversing  on  the 
faith,  valour  and  success  of  those  who  have  gone  be- 
fore us,  with  their  trials,  enemies,  and  dangers,  yet 
how  gloriously  they  fought  their  way  through  all,  and 


Then  said  their  guide,  Hereabouts  did 
Christian  and  Faithful  meet  with  Evangelist, 
who  prophesied  to  them  of  what  troubles  they 
should  meet  with  at  Vanity  Fair. 

Honest.  Say  you  so?  I dare  say  it  was  a 
hard  chapter  that  then  he  did  read  unto  them. 

Great-heart.  It  was  so,  but  then  he  gave  them 
encouragement  withal.  But  what  do  we  talk 
of  them  ? they  were  a couple  of  lion-like  men ; 
they  had  set  their  faces  like  flints.  Do  not  you 
remember  how  undaunted  they  were  when  they 
stood  before  the  judge? 

Honest.  Well,  Faithful  bravely  suffered. 

Great-heart.  So  he  did,  and  as  brave  things 
came  on’t : for  Hopeful  and  some  others,  as  the 
story  relates,  were  converted  by  his  death. 

Honest.  Well,  but  pray  go  on;  for  you  are 
well  acquainted  with  things. f 

Great-heart.  Above  all  that  Christian  met 
with  after  he  bad  passed  through  Vanity  Fair, 
one  By-ends  was  the  arch  one. 

Honest.  By-ends ! What  was  he  ? 

Great-heart.  A very  arch  fellow,  a down- 
right hypocrite ; one  that  would  be  religious 
which  way  ever  the  world  went : but  so  cun- 
ning that  he  would  be  sure  never  to  lose  or 
suffer  for  it.  He  had  his  mode  of  religion  for 
every  fresh  occasion,  and  his  wife  was  as  good 
at  it  as  he.  He  would  turn  and  change  from 
opinion  to  opinion  : yea,  and  plead  for  so  doing 
too.  But,  as  far  as  I could  learn,  he  came  to 
an  ill  end  with  his  by-ends  ; nor  did  I ever  hear 
that  any  of  his  children  were  ever  of  any  es- 
teem with 'any  that  truly  fear  God. 

Now  by  this  time  they  were  come  within 
sight  of  the  town  of  Vanity,  where  Vanity 
Fair  is  kept.  So  when  they  saw  that  they  were 
so  near  the  town,  they  consulted  with  one  an- 
other how  they  should  pass  through  the  town, 
and  some  said  one  thing,  and  some  another. 
At  last  Mr.  Great-heart  said,  I have,  as  you 
may  understand,  often  been  a conductor  of 
pilgrims  through  this  town : now  I am  ac- 
quainted with  one  Mr.  Mnason,  a Cyprusian 
by  nation,  and  an  old  disciple,  at  whose  house 
we  may  lodge.  If  you  think  good,  said  he,  we 
will  turn  in  there.  J 

Content,  said  old  Honest ; Content,  said 


came  off  more  than  conquerors  over  all.  Pilgrims 
love  to  hear  these  things. 

J How  happy  to  find  a house  in  Vanity  Fair  whose 
Master  will  receive  and  entertain  pilgrims  ! Blessed 
be  God  for  the  present  revival  of  religion  in  our  day, 
and  for  the  many  houses  that  are  open  to  the  friends 
of  the  Lamb  ! The  hearts  of  the  masters  of  which  he 


opens. 


THE  riLORIM'S  PROGRESS. 


221 


Christiana;  Content,  said  Mr.  Feeble*  mi  ml ; 
and  so  they  said  all.  Now  you  must  think  it 
was  eventide  by  that  they  got  to  the  outside  of 
the  town,  but  Mr.  Great-heart  knew  the  way  to 
the  old  man’s  house.  So  thither  they  came ; 
and  he  called  at  the  door,  and  the  old  man 
within  knew  his  tongue  as  soon  as  ever  he 
heard  it;  so  he  opened  and  they  all  came  in. 
Then  said  Mnason  their  host,  “ How  far  have 
ye  come  to-day?”  So  they  said,  “From  the 
house  of  Gains  our  friend.”  “ I promise  you,” 
said  lie,  “ you  have  gone  a good  stitch ; you 
may  well  be  weary ; sit  down.”  So  they  sat  down. 

Then  said  their  guide,  “Come,  what  cheer, 
good  sirs?  I dare  say  you  are  welcome  to  my 
friend.” 

I also,  said  Mr.  Mnason,  do  bid  you  wel- 
come : and  whatever  you  want  do  but  say,  and 
we  will  do  what  we  can  to  get  it  for  you. 

Honest.  Our  great  want,  a while  since,  was 
harbour  and  good  company ; and  now  I hope 
we  have  both.* 

Mnason.  For  harbour,  you  see  what  it  is ; 
but  for  good  company,  that  will  appear  in  the 

trial. 

Well,  said  Mr.  Great-heart,  will  you  have 
the  pilgrims  into  their  lodgings? 

I will,  said  Mr.  Mnason.  So  he  had  them 
to  their  respective  places : and  also  showed 
them  a very  fair  dining-room,  where  they 
might  be  and  sup  together,  until  time  was 
come  to  go  to  rest. 

Now  when  they  were  set  in  their  places,  and 
were  a little  cheery  after  their  journey,  Mr. 
Honest  asked  his  landlord  if  there  were  any 
store  of  good  people  in  the  town? 

Mnason.  We  have  a few,  for  indeed  they  are 
but  a few  when  compared*  with  them  on  the 
other  side. 

Honest.  But  how  shall  we  do  to  see  some  of 
them  ? for  the  sight  of  good  men  to  them  that 
are  going  on  pilgrimage  is  like  to  the  appear- 
ing of  the  moon  and  stars  to  them  that  are 
going  a journey. f 

Then  Mr.  Mnason  stamped  with  his  foot, 
and  his  daughter  Grace  came  up;  so  he  said 
unto  her,  Grace,  go  you,  tell  my  friends,  Mr. 
Contrite,  Mr.  Holy-man,  Mr.  Love-saints,  Mr. 

* Under  all  our  wants  may  we  not  say,  with  our 
Father  Abraham,  God  will  provide?  Gen.  xxii.  S. 

f The  inquiry  of  disciples  after  suitable  company 
discovers  that  they,  with  David,  love  the  Lord's  saints, 
and  in  the  excellent  of  the  earth  is  all  their  delight. 
Ps.  xvi.  3.  A genuine  discovery  this  of  a gracious 
heart. 

J A precious  prayer  for  the  best  of  blessings. 


Darc-not-lie,  and  Mr.  Penitent,  that  I have  a 
friend  or  two  at  my  house  that  have  a mind 
this  evening  to  see  them. 

So  Grace  went  to  call  them,  and  they  came; 
and,  after  salutation  made  they  sat  down  to- 
gether at  the  table. 

Then  said  Mr.  Mnason,  their  landlord,  My 
neighbours,  I have,  as  you  see,  a company  of 
strangers  come  to  my  house:  they  are  pilgrims; 
they  come  from  afar  and  are  going  to  Mount 
Zion.  But  who,  quoth  he,  do  you  think  this 
is?  (pointing  his  fingers  at  Christiana.)  It  is 
Christiana,  the  wife  of  Christian,  that  famous 
pilgrim,  who,  with  Faithful  his  brother,  were 
so  shamefully  handled  in  our  town.  At  that 
they  stood  amazed,  saying,  We  little  thought 
to  see  Christiana  when  Grace  came  to  call  us: 
wherefore  this  is  very  comfortable  surprise. 
Then  they  asked  her  about  her  welfare,  and  if 
these  young  men  were  her  husband’s  sons. 
And  when  she  told  them  they  were,  they  said 
to  the  lads,  “ The  King  whom  you  love  and 
serve  make  you  as  your  father,  and  bring  you 
where  he  is  in  peace.”  + 

Then  Mr.  Honest,  when  they  were  all  sat 
down,  asked  Mr.  Contrite  and  the  rest  in  what 
posture  their  town  was  at  present. 

Contrite.  You  may  be  sure  we  are  full  of 
hurry  in  fair-time.  It  is  hard  keeping  our 
hearts  and  spirits  in  good  order,  when  we  are 
in  a cumbered  condition.  He  that  lives  in 
such  a place  as  this,  and  that  lias  to  do  with 
such  as  we  have,  has  need  of  an  item,  to  cau- 
tion him  to  take  heed  every  moment  of  the  day.|| 

Honest.  But  how  are  your  neighbours  now 
for  quietness? 

Contrite.  They  are  much  more  moderate  now 
than  formerly.  You  know  how  Christian  and 
Faithful  were  used  at  our  town  ; but  of  late,  I 
say,  they  have  been  far  more  moderate.  I think 
the  blood  of  Faithful  lieth  with  a load  upon 
them  till  now,  for  since  they  burned  him  they 
have  been  ashamed  to  burn  any  more ; in  those 
days  we  were  afraid  to  walk  the  streets,  but 
now  we  can  show  our  heads.  Then  the  name 
of  a professor  was  odious:  now,  especially  in 
some  parts  of  our  town,  (for  you  know  cur 
town  is  large,)  religion  is  counted  honourable.? 

||  Mind  tP is  hint.  May  it  kindle  a sense  of  danger, 
and  excite  caution. 

§ It  is  a merev,  when  open  persecution  for  the  word 
abates  and  religion  is  more  respected  : but  how  do  pro- 
fessors in  such  times  get  cold  and  dead,  grow  formal 
and  worldly  1 The  smiles  of  the  town  of  Vanity  often 
prove  more  injurious  than  its  frowns.  Be  on  your 
guard,  0 pilgrims  1 


228 


LUKYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Then  said  Mr.  Contrite  to  them,  Pray  how 
faretli  it  with  you  in  your  pilgrimage?  How 
stands  the  country  affected  towards  you  ? 

Honest.  It  happens  to  us  as  it  happeneth  to 
wayfaring  men : sometimes  our  way  is  clean, 
sometimes  foul,  sometimes  up  hill,  sometimes 
down  hill ; we  are  seldom  at  a certainty ; the 
wind  is  not  always  on  our  backs,  nor  is  every 
one  a friend  that  we  meet  with  in  the  way.  We 
have  met  with  some  notable  rubs  already,  and 
what  are  yet  behind  we  know  not ; but  for  the 
most  part  we  find  it  true  that  has  been  talked 
of  old : “ A good  man  must  suffer  trouble.” 

Contrite.  You  talk  of  rubs : what  rubs  have 
you  met  withal? 

Honest.  Nay,  ask  Mr.  Great-heart,  our  guide, 
for  be  can  give  the  best  account  of  that. 

Great-heart.  We  have  been  beset  two  or  three 
times  already.  First,  Christiana  and  her  chil- 
dren were  beset  with  two  ruffians  that,  they 
feared  would  take  away  their  lives.  We  were 
beset  with  Giant  Bloody-man,  Giant  Maul,  and 
Giant  Slay-good.  Indeed,  we  did  rather  beset 
the  last  than  were  beset  of  him.  And  thus  it 
was : After  we  had  been  some  time  at  the  house 
of  Gaius,  “mine  host,  and  of  the  whole 
Church,”  we  were  minded  upon  a time  to  take 
our  weapons  with  us,  and  to  go  see  if  we  could 
light  upon  any  of  those  that  were  enemies  of 
pilgrims ; for  we  heard  that  there  was  a nota- 
ble one  thereabouts.  Now  Gaius  knew  his 
haunt  better  than  I,  because  he  dwelt  there- 
about; so  we  looked  and  looked,  till  at  last  we 
discerned  the  mouth  of  his  cave;  then  were 
we  glad  and  plucked  up  our  spirits.  So  we  ap- 
proached up  to  his  den : and,  lo,  when  we  came 
there  he  had  dragged  by  mere  force  into  his 
net  this  poor  man,  Mr.  Feeble-mind,  and  was 
about  to  bring  him  to  his  end.  But  when  he 
saw  us,  supposing,  as  we  thought,  he  had  an- 
other prey,  he  left  the  poor  man  in  his  house 
and  came  out.  So  we  fell  to  it  full  sore,  and 
he  lustily  laid  about  him,  but  in  conclusion  he 
was  brought  down  to  the  ground  and  his  head 
cut  off,  and  set  up  by  the  wayside  for  a terror 
to  such  as  should  after  practise  such  ungodli- 
ness. That  I tell  you  the  truth  here  is  the 
man  himself  to  affirm  it,  who  was  as  a lamb 
taken  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion. 

Then  said  Mr.  Feeble-mind,  I found  this 
true  to  my  cost  and  comfort — to  my  cost,  when 
he  threatened  to  pick  my  bones  every  moment ; 
and  to  my  comfort,  when  I saw  Mr.  Great-heart 

* This  is  a sound  speech.  Lord,  grant  that  we,  who 
profess  thy  holy  name,  may  take  good  heed  to  this.  It 
is  a word  of  conviction  to  many. 


and  his  friends,  with  their  weapons,  approach 
so  near  for  my  deliverance. 

Then  said  Mr.  Holy-man,  There  are  two 
things  that  they  have  need  to  be  possessed  of 
that  go  on  pilgrimage — courage  and  an  unspotted 
life.  If  they  have  not  courage,  they  can  never 
hold  on  their  way;  and  if  their  lives  be  loose, 
they  will  make  the  very  name  of  a pilgrim 
stink.* 

Then  said  Mr.  Love-saint,  I hope  this  cau- 
tion is  not  needful  among  you : but  truly  there 
are  many  that  go  upon  the  road  that  rather  de- 
clare themselves  strangers  to  pilgrimage  than 
strangers  and  pilgrims  in  the  earth. 

Then  said  Mr.  Dare-not-lie,  It  is  true,  they 
neither  have  the  pilgrim’s  weed  nor  the  pil- 
grim’s courage : they  go  not  uprightly,  but  all 
awry  with  their  feet : one  shoe  goeth  inward, 
another  outward,  and  their  hosen  out  behind, 
here  a rag  and  there  a rent,  to  the  disparage- 
ment of  their  Lord.f 

These  things,  said  Mr.  Penitent,  they  ought 
to  be  troubled  for ; nor  are  the  pilgrims  like  to 
have  that  grace  upon  theyn  and  their  pilgrim’s 
progress  as  they  desire  until  the  way  is  cleared 
of  such  spots  and  blemishes. 

Thus  they  sat  talking  and  spending  the 
time  until  the  supper  was  set  upon  the  table. 
Upon  which  they  went  and  refreshed  their 
weary  bodies ; so  they  went  to  rest.  Now  they 
stayed  in  the  fair  a great  while  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Mnason,  who  in  process  of  time  gave 
his  daughter  Grace  unto  Samuel,  Christiana's 
son,  and  his  daughter  Martha  to  Joseph. 

The  time,  as  I said,  that  they  lay  here  was 
long,  for  it  was  not  now  as  in  former  times. 
Wherefore  the  pilgrims  grew  acquainted  with 
many  of  the  good  people  of  the  town,  and  did 
them  what  service  they  could.  Mercy,  as  she 
was  wont,  laboured  much  for  the  poor ; where- 
fore their  bellies  and  backs  blessed  her,  and  she 
was  there  an  ornament  to  her  profession.  And 
to  say  the  truth  for  Grace,  Phebe,  and  Martha, 
they  were  all  of  a very  good  nature,  and  did 
much  good  in  their  places.  They  were  also  all 
of  them  very  fruitful ; so  that  Christian’s  name, 
as  was  said  before,  was  like  to  live  in  the  world. 

While  they  lay  here  there  came  a monster 
out  of  the  woods  and  slew  many  of  the  people 
of  the  town.  It  would  also  carry  away  their 
children  and  teach  them  to  suck  its  whelps. 
Now  no  man  in  the  town  durst  so  much  as  face 
this  monster,  but  all  men  fled  when  they  heard 
the  noise  of  his  coming.  The  monster  was 

f An  excellent  observation  and  a just  reproof.  May 
it  carry  conviction  to  the  heart  of  those  it  suits ! 


TIIE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


229 


like  unto  one  boast  upon  the  earth:  its  body 
was  “ like  a dragon,  and  it  had  seven  heads  and 
ten  horns.”  llev.  xii.  3.  It  made  great  havoc 
of  children,  and  yet  it  was  governed  by  a wo- 
man. This  monster  propounded  conditions  to 
men,  and  such  men  asf  loved  their  lives  more 
than  their  souls  accepted  of  those  conditions. 

Now  Mr.  Great-heart,  together  with  those 
who  came  to  visit  the  pilgrims  at  Mr.  Mnason’s 
house,  entered  into  a covenant  to  go  and  en- 
gage this  beast,  if  perhaps  they  might  deliver 
the  people  of  this  town,  from  the  paws  and 
mouth  of  this  so  devouring  a serpent. 

Then  did  Mr.  Great-heart,  Mr.  Contrite,  Mr. 
Holy-man,  Mr.  Dare-not-lie,  and  Mr.  Peni- 
tent, with  their  weapons,  go  forth  to  meet 
him.  Now  the  monster,  at  first,  was  very 
rampant,  and  looked  upon  these  enemies 
with  great  disdain;  but  they  so  belaboured 
him,  being  sturdy  men-at-arms,  that  they 
made  him  make  a retreat;  so  they  came  home 
to  Mr.  Mnason’s  house  again. 


The  monster,*  you  must  know,  had  his  cer- 
tain seasons  to  come  out  in  and  to  make  his 
attempts  upon  the  children  of  the  people  of 
the  town:  also  these  seasons  did  these  valiant 
worthies  watch  him  in,  and  did  continually 
assault  him ; insomuch  that,  in  process  of 
time,  he  became  not  only  wounded,  but  lame ; 
also  he  had  not  made  the  havoc  of  the  towns- 
men’s children  as  formerly  he  had  done.  And 
it  is  verily  believed  by  some  that  this  beast 
will  certainly  die  of  his  wounds.  This  there- 
fore made  Mr.  Great-heart  and  his  fellows  of 
great  fame  in  this  town ; so  that  many  of  the 
people  that  wanted  their  taste  of  things  yet 
had  a reverent  esteem  and  respect  for  them. 
Upon  this  account  therefore  it  was  that  these 
pilgrims  got  not  much  hurt  here.  True, 
there  were  some  of  the  baser  sort  that  could 
see  no  more  than  a mole  nor  understand  no 
more  than  a beast, — these  had  no  reverence 
for  these  men,  nor  took  notice  of  their  valour 
and  adventures. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Pilgrims  kill  Giant  Despair  and  his  wife,  and  totally  demolish  his  castle. — They  pro- 
ceed to  the  Delectable  Mountains. 


Well,  the  time  drew  on  that  the  pilgrims 
must  go  on  their  way ; therefore  they  prepared 
for  their  journey.  They  sent  for  their  friends; 
they  conferred  with  them ; they  had  some  time 
set  apart  therein  to  commit  each  other  to  the 
projection  of  their  Prince.  There  were  again 
that  brought  them  of  such  things  as  they  had 
that  were  tit  for  the  weak  and  the  strong,  for 
the  women  and  the  men,  and  so  laded  them 
with  such  things  as  were  necessary.  Acts 
xxviii.  10.  Then  they  set  forward  on  their 
way,  and  their  friends  accompanying  them  so 
far  as  was  convenient,  they  again  committed 
each  other  to  the  protection  of  their  King, 
and  departed. 

They,  therefore,  that  were  of  the  pilgrims’ 
company  went  on,  and  Mr.  Great-heart  went 
before  them;  now  the  women  and  children 
being  weakly,  they  were  forced  to  go  as  they 

® Tl.i.  tefers  (observes  the  Rev.  Mr.  Scott)  to  the 
nrevaleuce  of  popery  for  some  time  before  the  Revo- 
lution in  168$,  by  which  many  nominal  Protestants 
were  drawn  aside,  and  numbers  of  children  educated 
in  the  principles  of  darkness  and  superstition.  The 
favour  and  frown  of  the  prince  and  his  party  operated 
sc  powerfully  that  worldly  men  in  general  yielded  to 


could  bear ; by  this  means  Mr.  Ready-to-halt 
and  Mr.  Feeble-mind  had  more  to  sympathize 
with  their  condition. 

When  they  were  gone  from  the  townsmen, 
and  when  their  friends  had  bid  them  farewell, 
they  quickly  came  to  the  place  where  Faithful 
was  put  to  death : therefore  they  made  a stand, 
and  thanked  Him  that  had  enabled  him  to 
bear  his  cross  so  well ; and  the  rather  because 
they  now  found  that  they  had  a benefit  by 
such  a man’s  sufferings  as  he  was.  They 
went  on,  therefore,  after  this,  a good  way 
further,  talking  of  Christian  and  Faithful, 
and  howr  Hopeful  joined  himself  to  Christian 
and  that  Faithful  was  dead. 

Now  they  were  come  up  the  hill  Lucre, 
w’here  the  silver  mine  was  which  took  Deinas 
off  from  his  pilgrimage,  and  into  which. t as 
some  think.  By-ends  fell  and  perished:  where- 

tbe  imposition  : but  several  persons  among  the  Non- 
conformists, as  well  as  in  the  Established  Church,  did 
eminent  service  at  this  crisis  by  their  preaching  and 
writings,  in  exposing  the  delusions  and  abominations  of 
the  adherents  to  the  papal  see  : and  these  endeavours 
were  eventually  the  means  of  overturning  the  plan 
formed  for  the  re-establishment  of  popery  in  Britain. 


230 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


fore  they  considered  that.  But  when  they 
were  come  to  the  old  monument  that  stood 
over  against  the  hill  Lucre — to  wit,  to  the 
pillar  of  salt  that  stood  also  within  the  view 
of  Sodom  and  its  stinking  lake — they  mar- 
velled, as  did  Christian  before,  that  men  of 
that  knowledge  and  ripeness  of  wit,  as  they 
were,  should  be  so  blind  as  to  turn  aside  here. 
Only  they  considered  again  that  nature  is  not 
affected  with  the  harms  that  others  have  met 
with,  especially  if  that  thing  upon  which  they 
lock  has  an  attracting  virtue  upon  the  foolish 
eye. 

I saw  now  that  they  went  on  till  they  came 
to  the  river  that  was  on  this  side  of  the  De- 
lectable Mountains — to  the  river  where  the 
fine  trees  grow  on  both  sides,  and  whose  leaves, 
if  taken  inwardly,  are  good  against  surfeits, 
(Ps.  xxiii. ;)  where  the  meadows  are  green  all 
the  year  long  and  where  they  might  lie  down 
safely.  By  this  river  side,  in  the  meadows, 
there  were  cotes  and  folds  for  sheep,  a house 
built  for  the  nourishing  and  bringing  up  those 
lambs,  the  babes  of  those  women  that  go  on 
pilgrimage.  Also  there  was  here  one  that  was 
entrusted  with  them,  who  could  have  compas- 
sion and  could  gather  these  lambs  with  his 
arm  and  carry  them  in  his  bosom,  and  that 
could  gently  lead  those  that  were  with  young. 
Heb.  v.  2;  Isa.  lxiii.  Now  to  the  care  of  this 
man  Christiana  admonished  her  four  daugh- 
ters to  commit  their  little  ones,  that  by  these 
waters  they  might  be  housed,  harboured,  suc- 
coured, and  nourished,  and  that  none  of  them 
might  be  lacking  in  time  to  come.  This  man, 
if  any  of  them  go  astray  or  be  lost,  will  bring 
them  back  again ; he  will  also  bind  up  that 
which  was  broken  and  will  strengthen  them 
that  are  sick.  Jer.  xiii.  4;  Ezek.  xxxiv.  11,  16. 
Here  they  will  never  want  meat,  drink,  and 
clothing;  here  they  will  be  kept  from  thieves, 
and  robbers;  for  this  man  will  die  before  one 
of  those  committed  to  his  trust  shall  be  lost. 
Besides,  here  they  shall  be  sure  to  have  good 
nurture  and  admonition:  and  shall  be  taught 
to  walk  in  right  paths ; and  that,  you  know,  is 
a favour  of  no  small  account. 

Also  here,  as  you  see,  are  delicate  waters, 
pleasant  meadows,  dainty  flowers,  variety  of 
trees,  and  such  as  bear  wholesome  fruit— fruit 
not  like  that  which  Matthew  eat  of,  that  fell  over 
the  wall  out  of  Beelzebub’s  garden ; but  fruit 


* Here  we  frequently  find  our  author  speaking  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  as  Man.  He  excels  in  this.  It 
were  to  be  wished  that  authors  and  preachers  wrote 


that  procureth  health  where  there  is  none,  and 
that  continuetli  and  increaseth  where  it  is.* 

So  they  were  content  to  commit  their  little 
ones  to  him ; and  that  which  was  also  an  en  • 
couragement  to  them  so  to  do  was,  that  all  this 
was  to  be  at  the  charge’of  the  King ; and  so 
was  an  hospital  to  young  children  and  orphans. 

Now  they  went  on:  and  when  they  were 
come  to  By-path  Meadow,  to  the  stile  over 
which  Christian  went  with  his  fellow  Plopeful, 
when  they  were  taken  by  Giant  Despair  and 
put  into  Doubting  Castle,  they  sat  down  and 
consulted  what  was  best  to  be  done ; to  wit, 
now  they  were  so  strong,  and  had  got  such  a 
man  as  Mr.  Great-heart  for  their  conductor, 
whether  they  had  not  best  to  make  an  attempt 
upon  the  giant,  demolish  his  castle,  and  if 
there  were  any  pilgrims  in  it  to  set  them  at 
liberty,  before  they  went  any  further.  So  one 
said  one  thing,  and  another  said  to  the  contrary. 
One  questioned  if  it  wTas  lawful  to  go  upon  un- 
consecrated ground ; another  said  they  might, 
provided  their  end  was  good.  But  Mr.  Great- 
heart  said,  Though  that  assertion  offered  last 
cannot  be  universally  true,  yet  I have  a com- 
mandment to  resist  sin,  to  overcome  evil,  to 
fight  the  good  fight  of  faith : and,  I pray,  with 
whom  should  I fight  this  good  fight  if  not  with 
Giant  Despair?  I will  therefore  attempt  the 
taking  away  of  his  life  and  the  demolishing  of 
Doubting  Castle.  Then  said  he,  “Who  will 
go  with  me  ?”  Then  said  old  Honest,  “ / will.” 
“And  so  we  will  too,”  said  Christiana’s  four 
sons,  Matthew,  Samuel,  James,  and  Joseph, 
for  they  were  young  men  and  strong.  1 John 
ii.  13,  14. 

So  they  left  the  women  on  the  road,  &nd 
with  them  Mr.  Feeble-mind  and  Mr.  Beady-to- 
halt  with  his  crutches,  to  be  their  guard  until 
they  came  back;  for  in  that  place,  though 
Giant  Despair  dwelt  so  near,  they  keeping  in 
the  road,  “a  little  child  might  lead  them.” 
Isa.  xi.  6. 

So  Mr.  Great-heart,  old  Honest,  and  the  four 
young  men  went  to  go  up  to  Doubting  Castle 
to  look  for  Giant  Despair.  When  they  came 
at  the  castle  gate  they  knocked  for  entrance 
with  an  unusual  noise.  With  that  the  old 
giant  comes  to  the  gate,  and  Diffidence  his  wife 
follows.  Then  said  he,  “ Who  and  what  is  he 
that  is  so  hardy  as  after  this  manner  to  molest 
the  Giant  Despair?  Mr.  Great-heart  replied, 


and  spake  more  frequently  of  the  manhood  of  Jesus, 
who  was  a perfect  Man,  like  unto  us  in  all  things  ex- 
cept sin. 


THE  PILGRIM’S  PROGRESS. 


231 


"It  is  T,  Great-heart,  one  of  the  King  of  the  I 
Celestial  Country’s  conductors  of  pilgrims  to  I 
their  place;  and  I demand  of  thee  that  thou 
open  thy  gates  for  my  entrance ; prepare  thy- 
self also  to  fight,  for  1 am  come  to  take  away 
thy  head  and  to  demolish  Doubting  Castle.” 
Now  Giant  Despair,  because  he  was  a giant, 
thought  no  man  could  overcome  him ; and 
again  thought  he,  “Since  heretofore  I have 
made  a conquest  of  angels,  shall  Great-heart 
make  me  afraid?”  So  he  harnessed  himself 
and  went  out : he  had  a cap  of  steel  upon  his 
head,  a breastplate  of  fire  girded  to  him,  and 
he  came  out  in  iron  shoes  with  a great  club  in 
his  hand.  Then  these  six  men  made  up  to 
him,  and  beset  him  behind  and  before:  also 
when  Diffidence,  the  giantess,  came  up  to  help 
him,  old  Mr.  Honest  cut  her  down  at  one  blow. 
Then  they  fought  for  their  lives,  and  Giant 
Despair  was  brought  down  to  the  ground,  but 
was  very  loth  to  die ; he  struggled  hard,  and 
had,  as  they  say,  as  many  lives  as  a cat;  but 
Great-heart  was  his  death,  for  he  left  him  not 
till  he  had  severed  his  head  from  his  shoulders.* 
Then  they  fell  to  demolishing  Doubting 
Castle ; and  that,  you  know,  might  with  case 
be  done,  since  Giant  Despair  was  dead.  They 
were  seven  days  in  destroying  of  that : and  in 
it,  of  pilgrims,  they  found  one  Mr.  Despond- 
ency, almost  starved  to  death,  and  one  Much- 
afraid,  his  daughter;  these  two  they  saved 
alive.  But  it  would  have  made  you  wonder  to 
have  seen  the  dead  bodies  that  lay  here  and 
there  in  the  castle-yard,  and  how  full  of  dead 
men’s  bones  the  dungeon  was. 

When  Mr.  Great-heart  and  his  companions 
had  performed  this  exploit,  they  took  Mr.  De- 
spondency, and  his  daughter  Much-afraid  into 
their  protection  ; for  they  were  honest  people, 
though  they  were  prisoners  in  Doubting  Castle 
to  that  Giant  Despair.  They  therefore,  I say, 
took  with  them  the  head  of  the  giant,  (for  his 
body  they  had  buried  under  a heap  of  stones,) 
and  down  to  the  road  and  to  their  companions 
they  came,  and  showed  them  what  they  had 
done.  Now  when  Feeble-mind  andReady-to- 
lialt  sa>v  that  it  was  the  head  of  Giant  Despair 


* What  cannot  Great-heart  do?  What  feats  not 
perform?  What  victories  not  gain  ? Who  can  stand 
before  Great-heart?  Diffidence  shall  fall  and  Giant 
Despair  be  slain  by  the  power  of  Great-heart  with 
the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God; 
(Eph.  vi.  17 ;)  even  Despondency,  though  almost 
starved,  shall  be  delivered,"  and  his  daughter,  Much- 
afraid,  shall  be  rescued.  Oh  for  more  of  Great-heart’s 
company ! 


indeed,  they  were  very  jocund  and  merry. 
Now  Christiana,  if  need  was,  could  play  upon 
the  viol,  and  her  daughter  Mercy  upon  the 
lute;  so,  since  they  were  so  merry  disposed, 
she  played  them  a lesson,  and  Ready-to-halt 
would  dance.  So  he  took  Despondency’s 
daughter,  named  Much-afraid,  by  the  hand, 
and  to  dancing  they  went  in  the  road.  True, 
he  could  not  dance  without  one  crutch  in  his 
hand ; but  I promise  you  he  footed  it  well ; 
also,  the  girl  was  to  be  commended,  for  she 
answered  the  music  handsomely. 

A"  for  Mr.  Despondency,  the  music  was  not 
much  to  him ; he  was  for  feeding  rather  than 
dancing,  for  that  he  was  almost  starved.  So 
Christiana  gave  him  some  of  her  bottle  of 
spirits  for  present  relief,  and  then  prepared 
him  something  to  eat ; and  in  a little  time  the 
old  gentleman  came  to  himself,  and  began  to 
be  finely  revived. 

Nowr  I saw  in  my  dream  when  all  these 
things  were  finished  Mr.  Great-heart  took  the 
head  of  Giant  Despair  and  set  it  upon  a pole  by 
the  highway  side,  right  over  against  a pillar 
that  Christian  erected  for  a caution  to  pilgrims 
that  came  after  to  take  heed  of  entering  into 
his  grounds. 

Then  he  writ  under  it,  upon  a marble  stone, 
these  verses  following : 

“ This  is  the  head  of  him  whose  name  only 
In  former  time  did  pilgrims  terrify, 
llis  castle’s  down,f  and  Diffidence,  his  wife. 

Brave  Master  Great-heart  has  bereft  of  life. 
Despondency,  his  daughter  Much-afraid, 
Great-heart  for  them  also  the  man  has  play’d 
Who  hereof  doubts,  if  he’ll  but  cast  his  eye 
Dp  hither,  may  his  scruples  satisfy. 

This  head  also,  when  doubting  cripples  dance, 
Doth  show  from  fear  they  have  deliverance.” 

When  those  men  had  thus  bravely  showed 
themselves  against  Doubting  Castle  and  had 
slain  Giant  Despair,  they  went  forward,  and 
went  on  till  they  came  to  the  Delectable  Moun- 
tains, where  Christian  and  Hopeful  refreshed 
themselves  with  the  varieties  of  the  place. 
They  also  acquainted  themselves  with  the 
shepherds  there,  who  welcomed  them,  as  they 

f The  following  lines  contain  an  important  truth, 
and  deserve  particular  regard: 

Though  Doubting  Castle  be  demolished. 

And  the  Giant  Despair  hath  lost  his  head, 

Sin  can  rebuild  the  castle,  make’t  remain, 

And  make  Despair  the  giant  live  again. 

Excellent  remark  ! pray  mind  it. 


232 


BUXYAX’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


had  done  Christian  before,  un'.o  the  Delectable 
Mountains. 

Now  the  shepherds  seeing  so  great  a train 
follow  Mr.  Great-heart,  (for  with  him  they 
were  well  acquainted,)  they  said  unto  him, 
“ Good  sir,  you  have  got  a goodly  company 
here;  pray  where  did  you  find  all  these  ?” 

Great-heart. 

“First,  here  is  Christiana  and-her  train, 

Her  sons  and  her  sons’  wives,  who,  like  the  wain 
Keep  by  the  Pole,  and  do  by  compass  steer 
From  sin  to  grace,  else  they  had  not  been  here. 
Next  here’s  old  Honest  come  on  pilgrimage; 
Ready-to-halt  too,  who,  I dare  engage, 
True-hearted  is,  and  so  is  Feeble-mind, 

Who  willing  was  not  to  be  left  behind. 
Despondency,  good  man,  is  coming  after, 

And  so  also  is  Much-afraid,  his  daughter; 

May  we  have  entertainment  here,  or  must 
We  further  go?  Let’s  know  whereon  to  trust.” 

Then  said  the  shepherds,  This  is  a comfort- 
able company ; you  are  welcome  to  us,  for  we 
have  for  the  feeble  as  for  the  strong:  our 
Prince  has  an  eye  to  what  is  done  to  the  least 
of  these,  (Matt.  xxv.  40;)  therefore  infirmity 
must  not  be  a block  to  our  entertainment.  So 
they  had  them  to  the  palace  doors,  and  then 
said  unto  them,  “ Come  in,  Mr.  Feeble-mind  ; 
come  in,  Mr.  Ready-to-halt;  come  in,  Mr.  De- 
spondency, and  Miss  Much-afraid,  his  daughter. 
These,  Mr.  Great-heart,”  said  the  shepherds  to 
the  guide,  “ we  call  in  by  name,  for  that  they 
are  most  subject  to  draw  back;  but  as  for  you 
and  the  rest  that  are  strong,  we  leave  you  to 
your  wonted  liberty.”  Then  said  Mr.  Great- 
heart,  “ This  day  I see  that  grace  doth  shine 
in  your  faces,  and  that  you  are  my  Lord’s 
shepherds  indeed:  for  that  you  have  not 
pushed  these  diseased  neither  with  side  nor 
shoulder,  but  have  rather  strewed  their  way 
into  the  palace  with  flowers,  as  you  should.” 
Ezek.  xxxiv.  21. 

So  the  feeble  and  weak  went  in,  and  Mr. 
Great-heart  and  the  rest  did  follow.  When 
they  were  also  set  down,  the  shepherds  said  to 
those  of  the  weaker  sort,  What  is  that  you 
would  have?  For,  said  they,  all  things  must 
be  managed  here  to  be  the  supporting  of  the 
weak  as  well  as  the  warning  of  the  unruly. 

So  they  made  them  a feast  of  things  easy  of 
digestion  and  that  were  pleasant  to  the  palate 
and  nourishing;  the  which  when  they  had  re- 
ceived, they  went  to  their  rest,  each  one  re- 
spectively unto  his  proper  place.  When  morn- 
ing was  come,  because  the  mountains  were 
high  and  the  day  clear,  and  because  it  was  the 


custom  of  the  shepherds  to  show  she  pilgrims, 
before  their  departure,  some  rarities,  therefore, 
after  they  were  ready  and  had  refreshed  them- 
selves, the  shepherds  took  them  out  into  the 
fields  and  showed  them  first  what  they  had 
showed  to  Christian  before. 

Then  they  had  them  to  some  new  places. 
The  first  was  Mount  Marvel,  where  they  looked 
and  beheld  a man  at  a distance  that  tumbled 
the  hills  about  with  words.  Then  they  asked, 
the  shepherds  what  that  should  mean?  so  they 
told  them  that  this  man  was  the  son  of  one  Mr. 
Great-grace,  [of  whom  you  read  in  the  first 
part  of  the  records  of  the  Pilgrim's,  Progress, \ 
and  he  is  set  there  to  teach  pilgrims  how  to 
believe  down  or  to  tumble  out  of  their  way 
what  difficulties  they  should  meet  with,  by 
faith.  Mark  xi.  23,  24.  Then  said  Mr.  Great- 
heart,  “ I know  him ; he  is  a man  above  many.” 

Then  they  had  them  to  another  place,  called 
Mount  Innocence : and  there  they  saw  a man 
clothed  in  white,  and  two  men,  Prejudice  and 
Ill-will,  continually  casting  dirt  upon  him. 
Now,  behold  the  dirt,  whatsoever  they  cast 
at  him,  would  in  a little  time  fall  off  again, 
and  his  garment  would  look  as  clear  as  if  no 
dirt  had  been  cast  thereat.  Then  said  the  pil- 
grims, What  means  this?  The  shepherds 
answered,  This  man  is  named  Godly-man,  and 
the  garment  is  to  show  the  innocency  of  his 
life.  Now,  those  that  throw  dirt  at  him  are 
such  as  hate  his  well-doing ; hut  as  you  see  the 
dirt  will  not  stick  upon  his  clothes,  so  it  shall 
be  with  him  that  lives  truly  innocent  in  the 
world.  Whoever  they  he  that  would  make 
such  men  dirty,  they  labour  all  in  vain ; for 
God,  by  that  a little  time  is  spent,  will  cause 
that  their  innocence  shall  break  forth  as  the 
light  and  their  righteousness  as  the  noonday. 

Then  they  took  them  and  had  them  to 
Mount  Charity,  where  they  showed  them  a 
man  that  had  a bundle  of  cloth  lying  before 
him,  out  of  which  he  cut  coats  and  garments 
for  the  poor  that  stood  about  him ; yet  his 
bundle  or  roll  of  cloth  was  never  the  less. 
Then  said  they,  What  should  this  be?  This 
is,  said  the  shepherds,  to  show  you  that  he  that 
has  a heart  to  give  of  his  labour  to  the  poor 
shall  never  want  wherewithal.  “ He  that 
watereth  shall  be  watered  himself.”  And  the 
cake  that  the  widow  gave  to  the  prophet  did  not 
cause  that  she  had  ever  the  less  in  her  barrel. 

They  had  them  also  to  the  place  where  they 
saw  one  Fool  and  one  Want-wit  washing  of 
an  Ethiopian,  with  an  intention  to  make  him 
white;  hut  the  more  they  washed  him  the 


TIIE  TIRO  RIM’S  PROGRESS. 


233 


blacker  lu'  was.  They  then  asked  the  shep- 
herds what  tlmt  should  mean?  So  they  told 
them,  saying',  Thus  shall  it  he  with  the  vile 
person  ; all  means  used  to  get  such  a one  a 
good  name  shall  in  conclusion  tend  but  to 
make  him  more  abominable.  Thus  it  was 
with  the  Pharisees,  and  so  it  shall  be  with  all 
hypocrites. 

Then  said  Mercy,  the  wife  of  Matthew,  to 
Christiana  her  mother,  I would,  if  it  might  be, 
sec  the  hole  in  the  hill,  or  that  commonly 
called  the  by-way  to  hell.  So  her  mother 
brake  her  mind  to  the  shepherds.  Then  they 
went  to  the  door,  (it  was  on  the  side  of  an  hill,) 
and  they  opened  it  and  bid  Mercy  hearken 
awhile.  So  she  hearkened  and  heard  one  say- 
ing, “Cursed  be  my  father  for  holding  of  my 
feet  back  from  the  way  of  peace  and  life!” 
And  another  said,  “ Oh  that  I had  been  torn 
in  pieces  before  I had,  to  save  my  life,  lost  my 
soul  I”  And  another  said,  “ If  I were  to  live 
again,  how  would  I deny  myself  rather  than 
come  to  this  place !”  Then  there  was  as  if  the 
very  earth  groaned  and  quaked  under  the  feet 
of  this  young  woman  for  fear,  so  she  looked 
white  and  came  trembling  away,  saying, 
“ Blessed  be  he  and  she  that  is  delivered  from 
this  place !” 

Now  when  the  shepherds  had  shown  them 
all  these  things,  then  they  had  them  back  to 
the  palace,  and  entertained  them  with  what 
the  house  would  afford : but  Mercy,  being  a 
young  and  breeding  woman,  longed  for  some- 
thing that  she  saw  there,  but  was  ashamed  to 
ask.  Her  mother-in-law  then  asked  what  she 
ailed,  for  she  looked  as  one  not  well.  Then 
said  Mercy,  There  is  a looking-glass  hangs  up 
in  the  dining-room,  off  which  I cannot  take 
my  mind;  if  therefore  I have  it  not,  I think  I 
shall  miscarry.  Then  said  her  mother,  I will 
mention  thy  wants  to  the  shepherds,  and  they 
will  not  deny  it  thee.  But  she  said,  I am 
ashamed  that  these  men  should  know  that  I 
longed.  Nay,  my  daughter,  said  she,  it  is  no 
shame,  but  a virtue,  to  long  for  such  a thing  as 
that.  So  Mercy  said,  Then,  mother,  if  you 
please,  ask  the  shepherds  if  they  are  willing 
to  sell  it. 

Now  the  glass  was  one  of  a thousand.  It 
would  present  a man,  one  way,  with  his  own 
features  exactly ; and  turn  it  but  another  way, 
and  it  would  show  one  the  very  face  and  si- 

*  Oh  what  a blessed  thing  it  is  to  long  for  the  word 
of  God,  so  as  not  to  be  satisfied  without  it,  and  to 
prize  it  above  and  beyond  all  other  things ! Lovo  to 
the  word  excites  the  soul  to  say  with  David,  “ I have 


militude  of  the  Prince  of  the  pilgrims  himself. 
Yes,  I have  talked  with  them  that  can  tell,  and 
they  have  said  that  they  have  seen  the  very 
crown  of  thorns  upon  his  head  by  looking  in 
that  ghtss;  they  have  therein  also  seen  the 
holes  in  his  hands,  in  his  feet,  and  his  side. 
Yea,  such  an  excellency  is  there  in  that  glass 
that  it  will  show  him  to  one  where  they  have 
a mind  to  see  him,  whether  liking  or  dead, 
whether  in  earth  or  in  heaven,  whether  in  a 
state  of  humiliation,  or  in  his  exaltation, 
whether  coming  to  suffer  or  coming  to  reign.* 
James  i.  23-25;  1 Cor.  xiii.  12;  2 Cor.  iii.  13. 

Christiana  therefore  went  to  the  shepherds 
apart,  (now  the  names  of  the  shepherds  were 
Knowledge,  Experience,  Watchful,  and  Sin- 
cere,) and  said  unto  them,  There  is  one  of  my 
daughters,  a breeding  woman,  that,  I think, 
doth  long  for  something  that  she  hath  seen  in 
this  house,  and  she  thinks  she  should  miscarry 
if  she  should  by  you  be  denied. 

Experience.  Call  her,  call  her:  she  shall 
assuredly  have  what,  we  can  help  her  to.  So 
they  called  her,  and  said  to  her,  Mercy,  what 
is  that  thing  thou  wouldst  have?-  Then  she 
blushed  and  said,  The  great  glass  that  hangs 
up  in  the  dining-room.  So  Sincere  ran  and 
fetched  it,  and  with  a joyful  consent  it  was 
given  her.  Then  she  bowed  her  head  and 
gave  thanks,  and  said,  By  this  I know  that  1 
have  obtained  favour  in  your  eyes. 

They  also  gave  to  the  other  young  women 
such  things  as  they  desired,  and  to  their  hus- 
bands great  commendations  for  that  they  had 
joined  with  Mr.  Great-heart  to  the  slaying  of 
Giant  Despair  and  the  demolishing  of  Doubt- 
ing Castle.f  About  Christiana’s  neck  the 
shepherds  put  a bracelet,  and  so  they  did 
about  the  necks  of  her  four  daughters ; also 
they  put  earrings  in  their  ears  and  jewels  on 
their  foreheads. 

When  they  were  minded  to  go  hence  they  let 
them  go  in  peace,  but  gave  not  to  tlierr  those 
certain  cautions  which  before  were  given  to 
Christian  and  his  companion.  The  reason  was 
for  that  these  had  Great-heart  to  be  their 
guide,  who  was  one  that  was  well  acquainted 
with  things,  and  so  could  give  them  their 
cautions  more  seasonable;  to  wit,  even  then 
when  the  danger  was  nigh  the  approaching. 
What  cautions  Christian  and  his  compan- 

longed  for  thy  salvation,  0 Lord.”  Ps.  exix.  174.  This 
is  a special  mark  of  a gracious  soul. 

f No  good  thing,  done  in  the  name  and  to  the  glory 
of  Christ,  shall  be  forgotten  of  him,  nor  go  unrewarded 
by  him. 


234 


a UN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


ion  had  received  of  the  shepherds  they  had 
also  lost  by  that  the  time  was  come  that  they 
had  need  to  put  them  in  practice.  Wherefore, 
here  was  the  advantage  that  this  company  had 
over  the  other. 

From  hence  they  went  on  singing,  and  they 
said — 


“ Behold,  how  fitly  are  the  stages  set 

For  their  relief  that  pilgrims  are  become, 

And  how  they  us  receive  without  one  let, 

That  make  the  other  life  the  mark  and  home ! 
What  novelties  they  have  to  us  they  give, 

That  we,  though  pilgrims,  joyful  lives  may  live. 
They  do  upon  us,  too,  such  things  bestow 
That  show  we  pilgrims  are  where’er  we  go.” 


. CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  company  joined  by  Mr.  Valiant-for-truth  and  Mr.  Standfast.  — They  pass  over  the 
Enchanted  Ground. — A description  of  Madam  Bubble. 


When  they  were  gone  from  the  shepherds 
they  quickly  came  to  the  place  where  Chris- 
tian met  with  one  Turn-away, . that  dwelt  in 
the  town  of  Apostacy.  Wherefore  of  him  Mr. 
Great-heart,  their  guide,  did  now  put  them  in 
mind,  saying,  This  is  the  place  where  Chris- 
tian met  with  one  Turn-away,  who  carried 
with  him  the  character  of  his  rebellion  at  his 
back.  And  this  I have  to  say  concerning  this 
man — he  would  hearken  to  no  counsel,  but 
once  a-falling,  persuasion  could  not  stop  him. 
When  he  came  to  the  place  where  the  cross 
and  the  sepulchre  was,  he  did  meet  with  one 
that  did  bid  him  look  there,  but  he  gnashed 
with  his  teeth  and  stamped,  and  said  he  was 
resolved  to  go  back  to  his  own  town.  Before 
he  came  to  the  gate  he  met  with  Evangelist, 
who  offered  to  lay  hands  on  him  to  turn  him 
into  the  way  again.  But  this  Turn-away  re- 
sisted him,  and  having  done  much  despite  unto 
him,  he  got  away  over  the  wall,  and  so  escaped 
his  hand. 

Then  they  went  on;  and  just  at  the  place 
where  Little-faith  formerly  was  robbed  there 
stood  a man  with  his  sword  drawn  and  his  face 
all  bloody.  Then  said  Mr.  Great-heart,  What 
art  thou?  The  man  made  answer,  saying,  I 
am  one  whose  name  is  Valiant-for-truth;  I am 
a pilgrim,  and  am  going  to  the  Celestial  City. 
Now,  as  I was  on  my  way  there  were  three 
men  that  did  beset  me,  and  propounded  unto 
me  these  three  things : Whether  I would  be- 
come one  of  them,  or  go  back  from  whence  I 
came,  or  die  upon  the  place?  To  the  first  I 
answered,  I had  been  a true  man  a long  season, 
and  therefore  it  could  not  be  expected  that  I 
should  now  cast  in  my  lot  with  thieves.  Prov. 
i.  10,  19.  Then  they  demanded  what  I would 

* Truth  will  make  a man  valiant:  and  valour  for 
truth  will  make  a pilgrim  fight  with  wild-headed,  in- 
considerate, and  pragmatic  opposers.  The  blood  he 


say  to  the  second?  So  I told  them  of  the  place 
from  whence  I came ; had  I not  found  incom- 
modity there,  I had  not  forsaken  it  at  all ; but 
finding  it  altogether  unsuitable  to  me  and  very 
unprofitable  for  me,  I forsook  it  for  this  way. 
Then  they  asked  what  I said  to  the  third? 
And  I told  them  my  life  cost  more  dear  far 
than  that  I should  lightly  give  it  away.  Be- 
sides, you  have  nothing  to  do  to  put  things  to 
my  choice ; wherefore  at  your  peril  be  it  if  you 
meddle.  Then  these  three — to  wit,  Wild-head, 
Inconsiderate,  and  Pragmatic — drew  upon  me, 
and  I also  drew  upon  them.  So  we  fell  to  it, 
one  against  three,  for  the  space  of  three  hours. 
They  have  left  upon  me,  as  you  see,  some  of 
the  marks  of  their  valour,  and  have  also  car- 
ried away  with  them  some  of  mine.  They  are 
but  just  now  gone:  I suppose  they  might,  as 
the  saying  is,  hear  your  horse  dash,  and  so 
they  betook  themselves  to  flight. 

Great-heart.  But  here  was  great  odds,  three 
against  one. 

Valiant-for-truth.  ’Tis  true : but  little  or 
more  are  nothing  to  him  that  has  the  truth  on 
his  side ; “ Though  an  host  should  encamp 
against  me,”  said  one,  “my  heart  shall  not 
fear:  though  war  shall  rise  against  me,  in  this 
will  I be  confident,”  &c.  Besides,  said  he,  I 
have  read  in  some  records  that  one  man  has 
fought  an  army:  and  how  many  did  Samson 
slay  with  the  jawbone  of  an  ass?* 

Then  said  the  guide,  Why  did  you  not  cry 
out,  that  some  might  have  come  in  for  your 
succour  ? • 

Valiant-for-truth.  So  I did  to  my  King,  who 
I knew  could  hear  me  and  afford  invisible 
help,  and  that  was  enough  for  me.f 

loses  in  such  a battle  is  his  honour,  the  scars  he  gets 
are  his  glory. 

f Enough  indeed.  He  who  is  engaged  for  God’s 
truth  shall  never  want  God’s  help. 


THE  riLORIM'S  PROGRESS. 


235 


Then  said  Groat-heart  to  Mr.  Valiant-for- 
truth,  Thou  hast  worthily  behaved  thyself;  let 
me  see  the  sword.  So  he  showed  it  him. 
When  lie  had  taken  it  into  his  hand  and 
looked  thereon  a while,  he  said,  Ha,  it  is  a 
right  Jerusalem  blade. 

Valiant-far- truth.  It  is  so.  Let  a man  have 
one  of  these  blades,  with  a hand  to  wield  it 
and  skill  to  use  it,  and  he  may  venture  upon 
an  angel  with  it.  He  need  not  fear  its  holding 
if  he  can  but  tell  how  to  lay  on.  Its  edge  will 
never  blunt.  It  will  cut  flesh  and  bones,  and 
soul  and  spirit,  and  all. 

Great- heart.  But  you  fought  a great  while ; 
I wonder  you  were  not  weary. 

Valiant-for-truth.  I fought  till  my  sword  did 
cleave  to  my  hand,  and  then  they  were  joined 
together,  as  if  a sword  grew  out  of  my  arm : 
and  when  the  blood  run  through  my  fingers, 
then  I fought  with  most  courage.* 

Great-heart.  Thou  hast  done  well ; thou  hast 
“ resisted  unto  blood,  striving  against  sin 
thou  slialt  abide  by  us  and  come  in  and  go  out 
with  us,  for  we  are  thy  companions. 

Then  they  took  him  and  washed  his  wounds, 
and  gave  him  of  what  they  had  to  refresh  him, 
and  so  they  went  together.  Now  as  they  went 
on,  because  Mr.  Great-heart  was  delighted  in 
him,  (for  he  loved  one  greatly  that  he  found  to 
be  a man  of  his  hands,)  and  because  there 
were  in  company  them  that  were  feeble  and 
weak,  therefore  he  questioned  with  him  about 
many  things ; as,  first,  what  countryman  he 
was  ? 

Valiant-for-truth.  I am  of  Dark-land,  for 
there  I was  born,  and  there  my  father  and 
mother  are  still. 

Dark-land ! said  the  guide;  doth  not  that  lie 
on  the  same  coast  with  the  city  of  Destruc- 
tion ? 

Valiant-for-truth.  Yes  it  doth.  Now  that 
which  caused  me  to  come  on  pilgrimage  was 
this:  we  had  Mr.  Toll-true  come  int^o  our 
parts,  and  he  told  us  about  what  Christian  had 
done  that  went  from  the  city  of  Destruction— 
namely,  how  he  had  forsaken  his  wife  and 
children,  and  had  betaken  himself  to  a pil- 


*  Blessed  fighting,  when  hand  and  heart  are  en- 
gaged, and  the  sword  grows  united  to  both  ! 0 ye 

trimmers  and  lukewarm  professors,  who  will  tamely 
givo  up  or  meanly  compound  for  peace  by  the  barter 
of  truth,  let  this  shame  and  confound  you ! 

j-  The  reason  why  so  many  professors  who  set  out 
go  on  for  a season,  but  fall  away  and  come  to  nothing 
at  last,  is  because  they  do  not  enter  into  the  pilgrim’s 
path  by  Christ,  who  is  the  gate.  They  do  not  see 


grim’s  life.  It  was  also  confidently  reported 
how  he  had  killed  a serpent  that  did  come  out 
to  resist  him  in  his  journey,  and  how  he  got 
through  to  whither  he  intended.  It  was  also 
told  what  welcome  he  had  to  all  his  Lord’s 
lodgings,  especially  when  he  came  to  the  gates 
of  the  Celestial  City ; for  there,  said  the  man, 
he  was  received  with  sound  of  trumpet,  by  a 
company  of  shining  ones.  He  told  it  also  how 
all  the  bells  in  the  city  did  ring  for  joy  at  his 
reception,  and  what  golden  garments  lie  was 
clothed  with ; with  many  other  things  that 
now  I shall  forbear  to  relate.  In  a word,  that 
man  so  told  the  story  of  Christian  and  his 
travels  that  my  heart  fell  into  a burning  heat 
to  be  gone  after  him : nor  could  father  or 
mother  stay  me.  So  I got  from  them,  and  am 
come  thus  far  on  my  way. 

Great-heart.  You  came  in  at  the  gate,  did 
you  not? 

Valiant-for-truth.  Yes,  yes;  for  the  same 
man  also  told  us  that  all  would  be  nothing  if 
we  did  not  begin  to  enter  this  way  at  the  gate.f 

Look  you,  said  the  guide  to  Christiana,  the 
pilgrimage  of  your  husband,  and  what  he  has 
gotten  thereby,  is  spread  abroad  far  and  near. 

Valiant-for-truth.  Why,  is  this  Christian’s 
wife? 

Great-heart.  Yes,  that  it  is;  and  these  are 
also  her  four  sons. 

Valiant-for-truth.  What!  and  going  on  pil- 
grimage too? 

Great-heart.  Yes  verily,  they  are  following 
after. 

Valiant-for-truth.  It  glads  me  at  heart ; good 
man ! how  joyful  will  he  be  when  he  shall  see 
them  that  would  not  go  with  him  to  enter  be- 
fore him  at  the  gates  into  the  Celestial  City! 

Great-heart.  Without  doubt  it  would  be  a 
comfort  to  him ; for,  next  to  the  joy  of  seeing 
himself  there,  it  will  be  a joy  to  meet  there 
his  wife  and  children. 

Valiant-for-truth.  But,  now  you  -are  upon 
that,  pray  let  me  hear  your  opinion  about  it. 
Some  make  a question  whether  we  shall  know 
one  another  when  we  are  there. 

Great-heart.  Do  they  think  they  shall  know 


themselves  quite  lost,  ruined,  hopeless  and  wretched; 
their  hearts  are  not  broken  for  sin  : therefore  they  do 
not  begin  by  receiving  Christ  as  the  only  Saviour  of 
such  miserable  sinners.  But  they  set  out  in  nature’s 
strength,  and  not  receiving  nor  living  upon  Christ, 
they  soon  fall  away.  This  is  the  reason  of  this  in- 
quiry, Did  you  come  in  at  the  gate?  A question  wo 
ought  to  put  to  ourselves  and  be  fully  satisfied 
about. 


236 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


themselves  then,  or  that  they  shall  rejoice  to 
see  themselves  in  that  bliss?  and  if  they  think 
they  shall  know  and  do  these,  why  not  know 
others,  and  rejoice  in  their  welfare  also?  Again, 
since  relations  are  our  second  self,  though  that 
state  will  be  dissolved,  yet  why  may  it  not  he 
rationally  concluded  that  we  shall  be  more 
glad  to  see  them  there  than  to  see  they  are 
wanting? 

Valiant-for-truth.  Well,  I perceive  where- 
abouts you  are  as  to  this.  Have  you  any  more 
things  to  ask  me  about  my  beginning  to  come 
on  pilgrimage?  * 

Great-heart.  Yes:  was  your  father  and 
mother  willing  that  you  should  become  a pil- 
grim ? 

Valiant-for-truth.  Oh  no;  they  used  all 
means  imaginable  to  persuade  me  to  stay  at 
home. 

Great-heart.  What  could  they  say  against 
it? 

Valiant-for-truth.  They  said  it  was  an  idle 
life;  and,  if  I myself  were  not  inclined  to  sloth 
and  laziness,  I would  never  countenance  a pil- 
grim’s condition. 

Great-heart.  And  what  did  they  say  else? 

Valiant-for-truth.  Why,  they  told  me  that  it 
was  a dangerous  way:  yea,  the  most  dangerous 
way  in  the  world,  say  they,  is  that  which  the 
pilgrims  go. 

Great-heart.  Did  they  show  you  wherein  this 
way  is  dangerous? 

Valiant-for-truth.  Yes;  and  that  in  many 
particulars. 

Great-heart.  Name  some  of  them. 

Valiant-for-truth.  They  told  me  of  the  slough 
of  Despond  wherein  Christian  was  wellnigh 
smothered.  They  told  me  that  there  were 
archers  standing  ready  in  Beelzebub  Castle  to 
shoot  them  who  should  knock  at  the  Wicket- 
gate  for  entrance.  They  told  me  also  of  the 
wood  and  dark  mountains,  of  the  hill  Diffi- 
culty, of  ,the  lions,  and  also  of  the  three 
giants,  Bloody-man,  Maul,  and  Slay-good; 
they  said,  moreover,  that  there  was  a foul 
fiend  haunted  the  Valley  of  Humiliation;  and 
that  Christian  was  by  him  almost  bereft  of 
life.  Besides,  said  they,  you  must  go  over  the 
Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death,  where  the 
hobgoblins  are,  where  the  light  is  darkness, 
where  the  way  is  full  of  snares,  pits,  traps, 
and  gins.  They  told  me  also  of  Giant  De- 
' spair,  of  Doubting  Castle,  and  of  the  ruin  the 
pilgrims  met  with  there.  Further,  they  said 


I must  go  over  the  Enchanted  Ground, 
which  was  dangerous.  And  that  after  all 
this  I should  find  a river,  over  which  I 
should  find  no  bridge;  and  that  that  river 
did  lie  betwixt  me  and  the  Celestial  Country. 

Great-heart..  And  was  this  all? 

Valiant-for-truth.  No : they  also  told  me  that 
this  way  was  full  of  deceivers,  and  of  persons 
that  lay  in  wait  there  to  turn  good  men  out  of 
their  path. 

Great-heart.  But  how  did  they  make  that 
out? 

Valiant-for-truth.  They  told  me  that  Mr. 
Worldly- wiseman  did  lie  there  in  wait  to  de- 
ceive. They  also  said  that  there  were  For- 
mality and  Hypocrisy  continually  on  the  road. 
They  said  also  that  By-ends,  Talkative,  or  De- 
mas  would  go  near  to  gather  me  up;  that  the 
Flatterer  would  catch  mein  his  net;  or  that, 
with  green-headed  Ignorance,  I would  presume 
to  go  on  to  the  gate,  from  whence  he  was  sent 
back  to  the  hole  that  was  in  the  side  of  the 
hill,  and  made  to  go  the  by-way  to  hell. 

Great-heart.  I promise  you  this  was  enough 
to  discourage  thee.  But  did  they  make  an  end 
there? 

Valiant-for-truth.  No — stay.  They  told  me 
also  of  many  that  tried  that  way  of  old,  and 
that  had  gone  a great  way  therein,  to  see  if 
they  could  find  something  of  the  glory  there 
that  so  many  had  so  much  talked  of  from  time 
to  time;  and  how  they  came  back  again  and 
befooled  themselves  for  setting  a foot  out  of 
doors  in  that  path,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
country.  And  they  named  several  that  did  so, 
as  Obstinate  and  Pliable,  Mistrust  and  Timor- 
ous, Turn-away  and  old  Atheist,  with  several 
more;  who,  they  said,  had  some  of  them  gone 
far  to  see  what  they  could  find,  but  not  one  of 
them  found  so  much  advantage  by  going  as 
amounted  to  the  weight  of  a feather. 

Great-heart.  Said  they  any  thing  more  to 
discourage  you  ? 

Valiant-for-truth.  Yes:  they  told  me  of  one 
Mr.  Fearing,  who  was  a pilgrim:  and  how  he 
found  his  way  so  solitary  that  he  never  had  a 
comfortable  hour  therein;  also  that  Mr.  De- 
spondency had  like  to  have  been  starved 
therein;  yea,  and  also  (which  I had  almost 
forgot)  Christian  himself,  about  whom  there 
has  been  such  a noise,  after  all  his  ventures 
for  a celestial  crown,  was  certainly  drowned  in 
the  black  river,  and  went  never  a foot  further, 
however  it  was  smothered  up. 


* A souml  Christian  is  not  afraid  to  bo  examined 
and  sifted  to  the  bottom,  for  he  can  give  a reason  of 


the  hope  that  is  in  him.  He  knows  why  and  where- 
fore ho  commenced  a pilgrim. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


237 


Great-heart.  And  did  none  of  those  things 
discourage  you? 

Vciliant-for-truth.  No : they  seemed  as  so 
many  nothings  to  me. 

Great-heart  How  came  that  about? 

Valiant -for-  truth.  Why,  I still  believed  what 
Mr.  Tell-true  had  said,  and  that  carried  me 
beyond  them  all. 

Great-heart.  Then  this  was  your  victory, 
even  your  faith. 

Va/iant-for-truth.  It  was  so : I believed,  and 
therefore  came  out,  got  into  the  way,  fought 
all  that  set  themselves  against  me,  and  by  be- 
lieving am  come  to  this  place.* 

“ Who  would  true  valour  soc, 

Let  him  como  hither; 

One  hero  will  constant  be, 

Como  wind,  como  weather; 

Thcro’s  no  discouragement 
Shall  make  him  onco  relent 
llis  first  avow’d  intent 
To  bo  a pilgrim. 

“ Whoso  beset  bim  round 
With  dismal  stories, 

Do  but  themselves  confound— 

His  strength  the  more  is ; 

No  lion  can  him  fright, 

He'll  with  a giant  fight, 

But  he  will  have  a right 
To  be  a pilgrim. 

“ Hobgoblin  nor  foul  fiend 
Can  daunt  his  spirit; 

He  knows  he  at  the  end 
Shall  life  inherit. 

Then,  fancies,  fly  away, 

He’ll  not  fear  what  men  say, 

He’ll  labour  night  and  day 
To  be  a pilgrim.” 

Bv  this  time  they  were  got  to  the  En- 
chanted Ground,  where  the  air  naturally 
tended  to  make  one  drowsy:  and  that  place 
was  all  grown  over  with  briers  and  thorns, 
excepting  here  and  there  where  was  an  en- 
chanted arbour,  upon  which  if  a man  sits,  or 
in  which  if  a man  sleeps,  ’tis  a question,  say 
some,  whether  ever  he  shall  rise  or  wake  again 
in  this  world.  Over  this  forest,  therefore,  they 
went,  both  one  and  another:  and  Mr.  Great- 

* Ilore  we  see  that  valiant  soldiers  of  Christ  ascribe 
all  to  the  exercise  of  faith.  They  set  out  with  faith, 
and  they  hold  on  and  hold  out  by  believing.  Thus 
they  give  all  the  glory  to  Christ,  who  is  the  object, 
author,  and  finisher  of  faith. 

f Old  pilgrims,  ye  who  have  set  out  well  and  go  on 
well  for  a long  soason,  consider  ye  are  yet  in  the 


heart  went  before,  for  that  he  was  the  guide, 
and  Mr.  Valiant-for-truth  came  behind,  being 
rear-guard,  for  fear  lest  peradventure  some 
fiend,  or  dragon,  or  giant,  or  thief  should  fall 
upon  their  rear,  and  so  do  mischief.  They 
went  on  here,  each  man  with  his  sword  drawn 
in  his  hand,  for  they  knew  it  was  a dangerous 
place.  Also  they  cheered  up  one  another  a3 
well  as  they  could;  Feeble-mind,  Mr.  Great- 
heart  commanded,  should  come  up  after  him, 
and  Mr.  Despondency  was  under  the  eye  of 
Mr.  Valiant. f 

Now  they  had  not  gone  far  but  a great  mist 
and  darkness  fell  upon  them  all,  so  that  they 
could  scarce,  for  a great  while,  one  see  the 
other;  wherefore  they  were  forced  for  some 
time  to  feel  for  one  another  by  words,  for  they 
walked  not  by  sight.J  But  any  one  must 
think  that  here  was  but  sorry  going  for  the 
best  of  them  all,  but  how  much  the  worse  was 
it  for  the  women  and  children,  who  both  of 
feet  and  heart  were  also  but  tender ! Yet 
nevertheless  so  it  was  that  through  the  en- 
couraging words  of  him  that  led  in  the 
front,  and  of  him  that  brought  them  up  be- 
hind, they  made  a pretty  good  shift  to  wag 
along. 

The  way  was  also  here  very  wearisome, 
through  dirt  and  slabbiness.  Nor  was  there 
on  all  this  ground  so  much  as  one  inn  or  vic- 
tualling-house wherein  to  refresh  the  feebler 
sort.  Here  therefore  was  grunting,  and  putt- 
ing, and  sighing:  while  one  tumbleth  over  a 
bush,  another  stieketh  fast  in  the  dirt ; and 
the  children,  some  of  them,  lost  their  shoes  in 
the  mire : while  one  cries  out,  “ I am  down  ;” 
and  another,  “ Ho ! where  are  you  ?”  and  a 
third,  “ The  bushes  have  got  such  fast  hold 
on  me,  I think  I cannot  get  away  from 
them.” 

Then  they  came  to  an  arbour,  warm  and 
promising  much  refreshing  to  the  pilgrims,  for 
it  was  finely  wrought  above  head,  beautified 
with  greens,  furnished  with  benches  and  set- 
tles. It  had  in  it  a soft  couch  where  the  weary 
might  lean.  This,  you  must  think,  all  things 
considered,  was  tempting,  for  the  pilgrims 
already  began  to  be  foiled  with  the  badness 
of  the  way ; but  there  was  not  one  of  them 

world,  which  is  enchanted  ground.  Know  your  dan- 
ger of  seeking  rest  here  or  sleeping  in  any  of  its  en- 
chauting  arbours. 

j Though  feelings  may  be  lost,  light  seem  to  fail, 
and  comforts  forsake  us,  yet  faith  shall  supply  the 
want  of  all.  Like  Moses,  we  shall  endure,  seeing  him 
who  is  invisible.  Heb.  xi.  27. 


238 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


that  made  so  much  as  a motion  to  stop  there. 
Yea,  for  aught  I could  perceive,  they  contin- 
ually gave  so  good  heed  to  the  advice  of  their 
guide,  and  he  did  so  faithfully  tell  them  of 
dangers,  and  of  the  nature  of  dangers  when 
they  were  at  them,  that  usually,  when  they 
were  nearest  to  them,  they  did  most  pluck  up 
their  spirits  and  hearten  one  another  to  deny 
the  flesh."  The  arbour  was  called  the  Sloth- 
ful’s Friend,  on  purpose  to  allure,  if  it  might 
be,  some  of  the  pilgrims  there  to  take  up  their 
rest  when  weary. 

I saw  then  in  my  dream  that  they  went  on 
in  this  their  solitary  ground  till  they  came  to 
a place  at  which  a man  is  apt  to  lose  his  way. 
Now,  though  when  it  was  light  their  guide 
could  well  enough  tell  how  to  miss  those  ways 
that  led  wrong,  yet  in  the  dark  he  was  put  to 
a stand : but  he  had  in  liis  pocket  a map  of  all 
ways  leading  to  or  from  the  Celestial  City; 
wherefore  he  struck  a light,  (for  he  never  goes 
also  without  his  tinder-box,)  and  takes  a view 
of  his  book  or  map,  which  bids  him  be  careful 
in  that  place  to  turn  to  the  right  hand.  And 
had  he  not  here  been  careful  to  look  in  his 
map  they  had  in  all  probability  been  smoth- 
ered in  the  mud ; for  just  a little  before  them, 
and  that  at  the  end  of  the  cleanest  way  too, 
was  a pit,  none  knows  how  deep,  full  of  noth- 
ing but  mud,  there  made  on  purpose  to  destroy 
the  pilgrims  in. 

Then  thought  I with  myself,  Who  that  goeth 
on  pilgrimage  but  would  have  one  of  these 
maps  about  him,  that  he  may  look  when  he  is 
at  a stand  which  is  the  way  he  must  take? 

They  went  on,  then,  in  this  Enchanted 
Ground  till  they  came  to  where  there  was  an- 
other arbour,  and  it  was  built  by  the  highway 
side.  And  in  that  arbour  there  lay  two  men, 
whose  names  were  Heedless  and  Too-bold. 
These  two  went  thus  far  on  pilgrimage ; and 
here,  being  wearied  with  their  journey,  sat 
down  to  rest  themselves,  and  so  fell  fast  asleep. 
When  the  pilgrims  saw  them  they  stood  still 
and  shook  their  heads,  for  they  knew  that  the 
sleepers  were  in  a pitiful  case.  Then  they  con- 
sulted what  to  do,  whether  to  go  on  and  leave 
them  in  their  sleep,  or  step  to  them  and  try 
to  awake  them.  So  they  concluded  to  go  to 

Deny  yourselves,”  is  the  word  of  Christ.  The 
slothfulness,  case,  and  desires  of  the  flesh  must  be  de- 
nied, or  danger  will  inevitably  ensue.  To  gratify  the 
flesh  is  to  destroy  the  Spirit’s  comfort,  if  not  the  soul’s 
salvation. 

f It  is  the  duty,  and  will  be  the  practice,  of  pil- 
grims to  strive  to  be  instrumental  to  the  good  of  others. 


them  and  awake  them — that  is,  if  they  could; 
but  with  this  caution,  namely,  to  take  heed 
that  themselves  did  not  sit  down  nor  embrace 
the  offered  benefit  of  that  arbour.f 

So  they  went  in  and  spake  to  the  men,  and 
called  each  by  his  name,  (for  the  guide,  it 
seems,  did  know  them,)  but  there  was  no  voice 
nor  answer.  Then  the  guide  did  shake  them 
and  do  what  he  could  to  disturb  them.  Then 
said  one  of  them,  “ I will  pay  you  when  I take 
my  money.”  At  which  .the  guide  shook  his 
head.  “ I will  fight  so  long  as  I can  hold  my 
sword  in  my  hand,”  said  the  other.  At  that 
one  of  the  children  laughed. 

Then  said  Christiana,  What  is  the  meaning 
of  this?  Then  the  guide  said,  They  talk  in 
their  sleep ; if  you  do  strike  them,  or  beat 
them,  or  whatever  else  you  do  unto  them,  they 
will  answer  you  after  this  fashion  ; or,  as  one 
of  them  said  in  old  time,  when  the  waves  of 
the  sea  did  beat  upon  him,  and  he  slept  as  one 
upon  the  mast  of  a ship,  “ When  I do  awake, 
I will  seek  it  yet  again.”  Prov.  xxiii.  34,  35. 
You  know  when  men  talk  in  their  sleep  they 
say  any  thing,  but  their  words  are  not  gov- 
erned either  by  faith  or  reason.  There  is  an 
incoherency  in  their  words  now,  even  as  there 
was  before  betwixt  their  going  on  pilgrimage 
and  their  sitting  down  here.  This  then  is  the 
mischief  on’t  when  heedless  ones  go  on  pil- 
grimage, twenty  to  one  but  they  are  served 
thus.  For  this  Enchanted  Ground  is  one  of 
the  last  refuges  that  the  enemy  to  pilgrims  has  ; 
wherefore  it  is,  as  you  see,  placed  almost  at  the 
end  of  the  way,  and  so  it  standeth  against  us 
with  the  more  advantage.  For  when,  thinks 
the  enemy,  will  these  fools  be  so  desirous  to  sit 
down  as  when  they  are  weary  ? And  at  what 
time  so  likely  for  to  be  weary  as  when  they  are 
almost  at  their  journey’s  end  ? Therefore  it  is, 
I say,  that  the  Enchanted  Ground  is  placed  so 
nigh  to  the  land  of  Beulah,  and  so  near  the  end 
of  their  race.  Wherefore,  let  pilgrims  look  to 
themselves,  lest  it  happens  to  them  as  it  hath 
done  to  these,  that,  as  you  see,  are  fallen  asleep, 
and  none  can  awake  them.J 

Then  the  pilgrims  desired,  with  trembling, 
to  go  forward ; only  they  prayed  their  guide  to 
strike  a light,  that  they  might  go  the  rest  of 

But  at  the  same  time  it  behooves  them  to  take  heed  to 
themselves  and  watch,  lest  they  catch  harm  from  them 
and  their  conduct. 

J What  a sound  sleep  of  infatuation  hath  this  en 
chanting  world  cast  many  a professor  into  ! They  are 
proof  against  all  warnings,  and  dead  as  to  any  means 
of  arousing  them. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


239 


their  way  by  the  help  of  the  light  of  a lantern. 
So  he  struck  a light,  and  they  went  by  the  help 
of  that  through  the  rest  of  this  way,  though  the 
darkness  was  very  great.*  2 Pet.  i.  19. 

But  the  children  began  to  he  sorely  weary, 
and  they  cried  out  unto  Him  that  loveth  pil- 
grims to  make  their  way  more  comfortable. 
So,  by  that  they  had  gone  a little  further,  a 
wind  arose  that  drove  away  the  fog;  so  the  air 
became  more  clear.  Yet  they  were  not  off,  by 
much,  of  the  Enchanted  Ground,  hut  only  now 
they  could  see  one  another  better,  and  also  the 
way  wherein  they  should  walk. 

Now,  when  they  were  almost  at  the  end  of 
this  ground  they  perceived  that  a little  before 
them  was  a solemn  noise  of  one  that  was  much 
concerned.  So  they  went  on  and  looked  before 
them ; and  behold,  they  saw,  as  they  thought, 
a man  upon  his  knees,  with  hands  and  eyes 
lifted  up,  and  speaking,  as  they  thought,  earn- 
estly to  one  that  was  above.  They  drew  nigh, 
but  could  not  tell  what  he  said ; so  they  went 
softly  till  he  had  done.  When  he  had  done, 
lie  got  up  and  began  to  run  towards  the  Celes- 
tial City.  Then  Mr.  Great-heart  called  after 
him,  saying,  “Soho,  friend,  let  us  have  your 
company,  if  you  go,  as  I suppose  you  do,  to 
the  Celestial  City.”  So  the  man  stopped,  and 
they  came  up  to  him  : but  so  soon  as  Mr.  Hon- 
est saw  him  he  said,  I know  this  man.  Then 
said  Mr.  Valiant-for-truth,  “ Pr’ythee,  who  is 
it  ?”  “ ’Tis  one  (said  he)  that  comes  from  where- 
abouts I dwelt ; his  name  is  Standfast ; he  is 
certainly  a right  good  pilgrim.” 

So  they  came  up  one  to  another ; and  pres- 
ently Mr.  Standfast  said  to  old  Honest,  “ Ho ! 
hither  Honest,  are  you  there?”  “Ay,  (said 
lie,)  that  I am,  as  sure  as  you  are  there.” 
“ Right  glad  am  I (said  Mr.  Standfast)  that  I 
have  found  you  on  this  road.”  “And  as  glad 
am  I (said  the  other)  that  I espied  you  on  your 
knees.”  Then  Mr.  Standfast  blushed  and  said, 
“But  why,  did  you  see  me?”  “Yes,  that  I 
did,  (quoth  the  other,)  and  with  my  heart  was 
1 glad  at  the  sight.”  “ Why,  what  did  you 
think?”  said  Standfast.  “Think!  (said  old 
Honest,)  what  should  I think?  I thought  we 
had  an  honest  man  upon  the  road,  therefore 
we  should  have  his  company  by  and  by.”  “ If 
you  thought  not  amiss,  how  happy  am  I ! but 
if  I be  not  as  I should,  ’tis  I alone  must  bear 
It.”  “That  is  true,  (said  the  other,)  but  your 

* The  word  of  God  is  the  only  light  to  direct  our 
steps.  He  who  neglects  this  is  a fool.  He  who  sets 
up  and  looks  for  any  other  light  to  direct  him  is  mad, 
and  kuows  not  what  he  does. 


fear  doth  further  confirm  me  that  things  are 
right  betwixt  the  Prince  of  pilgrims  and  your 
soul : for  he  saith,  ‘ Blessed  is  the  man  that  fear- 
eth  always.’  ” f 

Valiant-for-truth.  Well  but,  brother,  I pray 
thee  tell  us  what  was  it  that  was  the  cause  of 
thy  being  upon  thy  knees  even  now?  Was  it 
for  some  obligations  laid  by  sjiecial  mercies 
upon  thee,  or  how  ? 

Standfast.  Why,  we  arc,  as  you  see,  upon 
the  Enchanted  Ground ; and  as  I was  coming 
along  I was  musing  with  myself  of  what  a dan- 
gerous nature  the  road  in  this  place  was,  and 
how  many  that  had  come  even  thus  far  on 
pilgrimage  had  here  been  stopped  and  been 
destroyed.  I thought  also  of  the  manner  of 
death  with  which  this  place  destroyeth  men. 
Those  that  die  here  die  of  no  violent  distem- 
lier : the  death  which  such  do  die  is  not  grievous 
to  them ; for  he  that  goeth  away  in  a sleep  be- 
gins that  journey  with  desire  and  pleasure : 
yea,  such  acquiesce  in  the  will  of  that 
disease. 

Then  Mr.  Honest,  interrupting  of  him,  said, 
Did  you  see  the  two  men  asleep  in  the 
arbour  ? 

Standfast.  Ay,  ay,  I saw  Heedless  and  also 
Too-bold  there;  and  for  aught  I know,  that 
there  they  will  lie  until  they  rot,  (rrov.  x.  7 ;) 
but  let  me  go  on  with  my  tale:  As  I was  thus 
musing,  as  I said,  there  was  one  in  pleasant 
attire,  but  old,  who  presented  herself  unto  me, 
and  offered  me  three  things — to  wit,  her  body, 
her  purse,  and  her  bed.  Now  the  truth  is,  I 
was  both  weary  and  sleepy:  I am  also  as  poor 
as  an  owlet,  and  that  perhaps  the  witch  knew. 
Well,  I repulsed  her  once  and  twice;  but  she 
put  by  my  repulses  and  smiled.  Then  I began 
to  be  angry,  but  she  mattered  that  nothing  at 
all.  Then  she  made  offers  again,  and  said,  If 
I would  be  ruled  by  her  she  would  make  me 
great  and  happy : for,  said  she,  I am  the  mis- 
tress of  the  world,  and  men  are  made  happy 
by  me.  Then  I asked  her  name,  and  she  told 
me  it  was  Madam  Bubble.  This  set  me  fur- 
ther from  her,  but  she  still  followed  me  with 
enticements.  Then  I betook  me,  as  you  see, 
to  my  knees,  and  with  hands  lifted  up  and 
cries,  I prayed  to  Him  that  had  said  he  would 
help.  So  just  as  you  came  up  the  gentlewoman 
went  her  way.  Then  I continued  to  give 
thanks  for  this  great  deliverance,  for  I verily 

f He  who  feareth  always  will  pray  evermore.  The 
fear  of  the  heart  will  bring  pilgrims  on  their  knees. 
He  who  fears  to  be  or  go  wrong  will  pray  to  be  set 
right. 


240 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


believe  sbe  intended  no  good,  but  rather  sought 
to  make  a stop  of  me  in  my  journey.* 

Honest.  Without  doubt  her  designs  were 
bad.  But  stay,  now  you  talk  of  her  methinks 
I either  have  seen  her  or  have  read  some  story 
of  her. 

Standfast.  Perhaps  you  have  done  both. 

Honest.  Madam  Bubble!,  is  she  not  a tall, 
comely  dame,  something  of  a swarthy  com- 
plexion ? 

Standfast.  Bight,  you  hit  it ; she  is  just  such 
an  one. 

Honest.  Doth  she  not  speak  very  smoothly, 
and  give  you  a smile  at  the  end  of  every  sen- 
tence? 

Standfast.  You  fall  right  upon  it  again,  for 
these  are  her  actions. 

Honest.  Doth  she  not  wear  a great  purse  by 
her  side?  and  is  not  her  hand  often  in  it  finger- 
ing her  money,  as  if  that  was  her  heart’s  de- 
light? 

Standfast.  ’Tis  just  so : had  she  stood  by  all 
this  while  you  could  not  more  amply  have  set 
her  forth  before  me  and  have  better  described 
her  features. 

Honest.  Then  he  that  drew  her  picture  was  a 
good  limner,  and  he  that  wrote  of  her  said  true. 

Great-heart.  This  woman  is  a witch ; and  it 
is  by  virtue  of  her  sorceries  that  this  ground  is 
enchanted  : whoever  doth  lay  their  head  down 
in  her  lap  had  as  good  lay  it  down  upon  that 
block  over  which  the  axe  doth  hang ; and  who- 
ever lays  their  eyes  upon  her  beauty  are 
counted  the  'enemies  of  God.  James  iv.  4;  1 
John  ii.  14,  15.  This  is  she  that  maintaineth 
in  their  splendour  all  those  that  are  the  ene- 
mies of  pilgrims.  Yea,  this  is  she  that  hath 
brought  off  many  a man  from  a pilgrim’s  life. 
She  is  a great  gossipper;  she  is  always,  both 
she  and  her  daughters,  at  one  pilgrim’s  heels 
or  another,  now  commending  and  then  pre- 
ferring the  excellencies  of  this  life.  She  is  a 
bold  and  impudent  slut ; she  will  talk  with  any 
man.  She  always  laughs  poor  pilgrims  to 
scorn,  but  highly  commends  the  rich.  If  there 
be  one  cunning  to  get  money  in  a place,  she 
will  speak  well  of  him  from  house  to  house. 
She  loveth  banquetting  and  feasting  mainly 

* 0 pilgrims!  beware  of  this  Madam  Bubble.  Know 
and  consider  well  that  ye  have  a nature  exactly  suited 
to  accept  of  her  offers  and  to  fall  in  love  with  her 
promises.  The  riches,  honours,  and  pleasures  of  the 
world,  what  mortal  can  withstand  or  who  can  forego 
them?  No  one  but  he  who  sees  more  charms  in  Jesus, 
more  glory  in  his  cross,  and  more  comfort  in  the  en- 
joyment of  his  love  and  presence,  and  therefore  is 
continually  looking  and  crying  to  him,  “Turn  away 


well ; she  is  always  at  one  full  table  or  another. 
She  has  given  it  out  in  some  places  that  she  is 
a goddess,  and  therefore  some  do  worship  her. 
She  has  her  time  and  open  places  of  cheating ; 
and'  she  will  say,  and  avow  it,  that  none  can 
show  a good  comparable  to  hers.  She  prom- 
iseth  to  dwell  with  children’s  children  if  they 
would  but  love  and  make  much  of  her.  She 
will  cast  out  of  her  purse  gold  like  dust  in 
some  places  and  to  some  persons.  She  loves  to 
be  sought  after,  spoken  well  of,  and  to  lie  in 
the  bosoms  of  men.  She  is  never  weary  of 
commending  her  commodities,  and  she  loves 
them  most  that  think  best  of  her.  She  will 
promise  crowns  and  kingdoms  if  they  will  but 
take  her  advice ; yet  many  hath  she  brought  to 
the  halter,  and  ten  thousand  times  more  to  hell. 

Oh ! said  Standfast,  what  a mercy  it  is  that 
I did  resist  her ! for  whither  might  she  have 
drawn  me  ? f 

Great-heart.  Whither!  nay  none  but  God 
knows.  But,  in  general,  to  be  sure  she  would 
have  drawn  thee  into  “ many  foolish  and  hurt- 
ful lusts,  which  drown  men  in  destruction  and 
perdition.”  1 Tim.  vi.  9.  It  was  she  that  set 
Absalom  against  his  father,  and  Jeroboam 
against  his  master.  It  was  she  that  persuaded 
Judas  to  sell  his  Lord,  and  that  prevailed  with 
Demas  to  forsake  the  godly  pilgrim’s  life : none 
can  tell  of  the  mischief  that  she  doth.  She 
makes  variance  betwixt  rulers  and  subjects, 
betwixt  parents  and  children,  betwixt  neigh- 
bour and  neighbour,  betwixt  a man  and  his 
wife,  between  a man  and  himself,  betwixt  the 
flesh  and  the  spirit.  Wherefore,  good  master 
Standfast,  be  as  your  name  is,  and  “ when  you 
have  done  all,  stand.” 

At  this  discourse  there  was  among  the  pil- 
grims a mixture  of  joy  and  trembling;  but  at 
length  they  brake  out  and  sang — , 

“What  danger  is  the  pilgrim  in ! 

How  many  are  his  foes ! 

How  many  ways  there  are  to  sin 
No  living  mortal  knows. 

Some  in  the  ditch  spoil’d  are,  yea  can 
Lie  tumbling  in  the  mire  1 
Some,  though  they  shun  the  frying-pan, 

Do  leap  into  the  fire.” 

mine  eyes  from  beholding  vanity.  Instruct  my  Soul 
in  thy  way.  Keep  me  closely  following  thee.  Lord, 
thou  art  the  portion  of  my  soul  1” 

j-  In  the  experience  of  this  most  excellent  man  we 
see  verified  God’s  faithfulness  in  upholding  and  bring 
ing  off  more  than  conquerors  all  who  “ call  upon  him 
in  the  day  of  trouble  !”  Oh  for  an  increase  of  precious 
faith,  to  overcome  the  world,  and  to  pass  through  it,  in 
pursuit  of  a nobler  portion,  as  strangers  and  pilgrims! 


THE  Vila  RIM'S  PROGRESS. 


241 


CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Pilgrim  arrive  at  the  Land  of  Beulah,  where  they  wait  for  ilie  summons  of  their 
King. — Christiana  and  several  of  her  companions  pass  the  river,  and  are  admitted  into 
the  City  of  God. 


After  this  I beheld  until  they  were  come 
unto  the  hind  of  Beulah,  where  the  sun  shineth 
night  and  day.  Here,  because  they  were  weary, 
they  betook  themselves  a while  to  rest:  and 
because  this  country  was  common  for  pilgrims, 
and  because  these  orchards  and  vineyards  that 
were  here  belonged  to  the  King  of  the  Celestial 
Country,  therefore  they  were  licensed  to  make 
bold  with  any  of  his  things.  But  a little 
while  soon  refreshed  them  here,  for  the  bells 
did  so  ring,  and  the  trumpets  continually 
sounding  so  melodiously,  that  they  could  not 
sleep;  and  yet  they  received  as  much  refresh- 
ing as  if  they  slept  their  sleep  never  so  soundly. 
Here  also  all  the  noise  of  them  that  walked  in 
the  streets  was,  “ More  pilgrims  are  to  come  to 
town.”  And  another  would  answer,  saying, 
“ And  so  many  went  over  the  water  and  were 
let  iu  at  the  golden  gates  to-day.”  They  would 
cry  again,  “There  is  now  a legion  of  shining 
ones  just  come  to  town,  by  which  we  know 
that  there  are  more  pilgrims  upon  the  road; 
for  here  they  come  to  wait  for  them  and  com- 
fort them  after  their  sorrow.”  Then  the  pil- 
grims got  up  and  walked  to  and  fro : but  how 
were  their  eyes  now  filled  with  celestial  visions ! 
In  this  land  they  heard  nothing,  saw  nothing, 
felt  nothing,  smelt  nothing,  tasted  nothing  that 
was  offensive  to  their  stomach  or  mind;  only 
when  they  tasted  of  the  water  of  the  river  over 
which  they  were  to  go  they  thought  that  tasted 
a little  bitterish  to  the  palate,  but  it  proved 
sweet  when  it  was  down. 

In  this  place  there  was  a record  kept  of  the 
names  of  them  that  had  been  pilgrims  of  old, 
and  a history  of  all  the  famous  acts  that  they 
had  done.  It  was  here  also  much  discoursed 
how  the  river  to  some  has  its  flowings,  and 
what  ebbings  it  has  had  while  others  have  gone 
over.  It  has  been  in  a manner  dry  for  some, 
while  it  has  overflowed  its  banks  for  others. 

In  this  place  the  children  of  the  town  would 
go  into  the  King’s  gardens  and  gather  nosegays 
for  the  pilgrims,  and  bring  them  to  them  with 
affection.  Here  also  grew  camphire,  and  spike- 
nard, saffron,  calamus,  and  cinnamon,  with  all 
the  trees  of  frankincense,  myrrh,  and  aloes, 
with  all  chief  spices.  With  these  the  pilgrims’ 
chambers  were  perfumed  while  they  stayed 
16 


here,  and  with  these  were  their  bodies  anoint- 
ed to  prepare  them  to  go  over  the  river  when 
the  time  appointed  was  come. 

Now  while  they  lay  here  and  waited  for  the 
good  hour  there  was  a noise  in  the  town  that 
there  was  a post  come  from  the  Celestial  City 
with  matters  of  great  importance  to  one  Chris- 
tiana, the  wife  of  Christian  the  pilgrim.  Bo 
inquiry  was  made  for  her,  and  the  house  was 
found  out  where  she  was ; so  the  post  presented 
her  with  a letter;  the  contents  were,  “Hail, 
good  woman ! I bring  thee  tidings  that  the 
Master  calletli  for  thee,  and  expectcth  that 
thou  shouldest  stand  in  his  presence  in  clothes 
of  immortality  within  these  ten  days.” 

When  he  had  read  this  letter  to  her  he  gave 
her  therewith  a sure  token  that  he  was  a true 
messenger,  and  was  come  to  bid  her  make  haste 
to  be  gone.  The  token  was  an  arrow  sharp- 
ened with  love,  let  easily  into  her  heart,  which 
by  degrees  wrought  so  effectually  with  her  that 
at  the  time  appointed  she  must  be  gone. 

When  Christiana  saw  that  her  time  was 
come,  and  that  she  was  the  first  of  this  com- 
pany that  was  to  go  over,  she  called  for  Mr. 
Great-heart,  her  guide,  and  told  him  how 
matters  were.  So  he  told  her  he  was  heartily 
glad  of  the  news,  and  could  have  been  glad 
had  the  post  come  for  him.  Then  she  bid  that 
he  should  give  advice  how  all  things  should  be 
prepared  for  her  journey.  So  he  told  her, 
saying,  Thus  and  thus  it  must  be,  and  we  that 
survive  will  accompany  thee  to  the  river-side. 

Then  she  called  for  her  children  and  gave 
them  her  blessing,  and  told  them  that  she  had 
read  with  comfort  the  mark  that  was  set  in 
their  foreheads,  and  was  glad  to  see  them  with 
her  there,  and  that  they  had  kept  their  gar- 
ments so  white.  Lastly,  she  bequeathed  to  the 
poor  that  little  she  had,  and  commanded  her 
sons  and  daughters  to  be  ready  against  the 
messenger  should  come  for  them. 

When  she  had  spoken  these  words  to  her 
guide  and  to  her  children,  she  called  for  Mr. 
Yanant-for-truth  and  said  unto  him,  “ Sir,  you 
have  in  all  places  showed  yourself  true-hearted : 
be  faithful  unto  death,  and  my  King  will  give 
you  a crown  of  life.  I would  also  entreat  you 
to  have  an  eye  to  my  children,  and  if  at  any 


242 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


time  you  see  tliem  faint,  speak  comfortably  to 
them.  For  my  daughters,  my  sons’  wives,  they 
have  been  faithful,  and  a fulfilling  of  the  pro- 
mise upon  them  will  be  their  end.”  But  she 
gave  Mr.  Standfast  a ring. 

Then  she  called  for  old  Mr.  Honest,  and 
said  of  him,  “Behold  an  Israelite  indeed,  in 
whom  is  no  guile.”  Then  said  he,  “I  wish 
you  a fair  day  when  you  set  out  for  Mount 
Zion,  and  shall  be  glad  to  see  that  you  go  over 
the  river  dry-shod.”  But  she  answered,  “ Come\ 
wet,  come  dry,  I long  to  be  gone,  for  however 
the  weather  is  in  my  journey,  I shall  have  time 
enough  when  I come  there  to  sit  down  and  rest 
me  and  dry  me.” 

Then  came  in  that  good  man,  Mr.  Ready-to- 
halt,  to  see  her.  So  she  said  to  him,  “Thy 
travel  hitherto  has  been  with  difficulty,  but 
that  will  make  thy  rest  the  sweeter.  But 
watch  and  be  ready,  for  at  an  hour  when  thou 
thinkst  not,  the  messenger  may  come.” 

After  him  came  in  Mr.  Despondency  and 
his  daughter  Mucli-afraid;  to  whom  she  said, 
“You  ought  with  thankfulness  for  ever  to  re- 
member your  deliverance  from  the  hand  of 
Giant  Despair  and  out  of  Doubting  Castle. 
The  effect  of  that  mercy  is  that  you  are  brought 
with  safety  hither.  Be  yet  watchful  and  cast 
away  fear:  be  sober  and  hope  to  the  end.” 

Then  she  said  to  Mr.  Feeble-mind,  “Thou 
wast  delivered  from  the  mouth  of  Giant  Slay- 
good  that  thou  miglrtest  live  in  the  light  of 
the  living  for  ever,  and  see  the  King  with  com- 
fort: only  I advise  thee  to  repent  thee  of  thy 
aptness  to  fear  and  doubt  of  his  goodness,  be- 
fore he  sends  for  thee,  lest  thou  shouldst,  when 
he  comes,  be  forced  to  stand  before  him  for 
that  fault  with  blushing.” 

Now  the  day  drew  on  that  Christiana  must 
be  gone.  So  the  road  was  full  of  people  to 
see  her  take  her  journey.  But  behold  all  the 
banks  beyond  the  river  were  full  of  horses  and 
chariots,  which  were  come  down  from  above  to 
accompany  her  to  the  city  gate.  So  she  came 
forth,  and  entered  the  river  with  a beckon  of 
farewell  to  those  that  followed  her  to  the  river- 
side. The  last  words  that  she  was  heard  to 
say  were,  “I  come,  Lord,  to  be  with  thee,  and 
bless  thee.” 

So  her  children  and  friends  returned  to  their 

'*■  Oh  how  blessed  is  the  death  of  the  righteous  who 
die  in  the  Lord  ! Even  a wicked  Balaam  could  wish 
for  this.  But  it  will  be  granted  to  none  but  those  who 
have  lived  in  the  Lord,  whose  souls  have  been  quick- 
ened by  his  Spirit,  to  come  unto  Jesus,  believe  in  him, 
and  glory  of  him  as  their  righteousness  and  salvation, 


place,  for  that  those  that  waited  for  Chris- 
tiana had  carried  her  out  of  their  sight.  So 
she  went  and  called,  and  entered  in  at  the 
gate  with  all  the  ceremonies  of  joy  that  her 
husband  Christian  had  entered  with  before 
her. 

At  her  departure  the  children  wept.  But 
Mr.  Great-heart  and  Mr.  Valiant-for-truth 
played  upon  the  well-tuned  cymbal  and  harp 
for  joy.  So  all  departed  to  their  respective 
places.* 

In  process  of  time  there  came  a post  to  the 
town  again,  and  his  business  was  with  Mr. 
Ready-to-halt.  So  he  inquired  him  out,  and 
said,  “I  am  come  to  thee  in  the- name  of  Him 
whom  thou  hast  loved  and  followed,  though 
upon  crutches;  and  my  message  is  to  tell  thee 
that  he  expects  thee  at  his  table,  to  sup  with 
him  in  his  kingdom,  the  next  day  after  Easter; 
wherefore  prepare  thyself  for  thy  journey.” 
Then  he  also  gave  him  a token  that  he  was  a 
true  messenger,  saying,  “I  have  broken  the 
golden  bowl  and  loosed  the  silver  cord.” 
Eccles.  xii.  1,  7. 

After  this  Mr.  Ready-to-halt  called  for  his 
fellow-pilgrims,  and  told  them,  saying,  “I  am 
sent  for,  and  God  shall  surely  visit  you  also.” 
So  he  desired  Mr.  Valiant-for-truth  to  make 
his  will;  and  because  he  had  nothing  to  be- 
queath to  them  that  should  survive  him  but 
his  crutches  and  his  good  wishes,  therefore 
thus  he  said,  “These  crutches  I bequeath  to 
my  son  that  shall  tread  in  my  steps,  with  an 
hundred  warm  wishes  that  he  may  prove  better 
than  I have  been.” 

Then  he  thanked  Mr.  Great-heart  for  his 
conduct  and  kindness,  and  so  addressed  him- 
self to  his  journey.  When  he  came  to  'the 
brink  of  the  river,  he  said,  “Now  I shall  have 
no  more  need  of  these  crutches,  since  yonder 
arc  chariots  and  horses  for  me  to  ride  on.” 
The  last  words  he  was  heard  to  say  were, 
“Welcome,  life!”f  So  he  went  his  way. 

After  this  Mr.  Feeble-mind  had  tidings 
brought  him  that  the  post  sounded  his  horn  at 
his  chamber  door.  Then  he  came  in  and  told 
him,  saying,  “ I am  come  to  tell  thee  that  thy 
Master  hath  need  of  thee,  and  that  in  a very 
little  time  thou  must  behold  his  face  in  bright- 
ness. And  take  this  as  a token  of  the  truth 

and  desire  to  be  found  in  him,  in  life,  in  death,  and  at 
the  bar  of  judgment.  Oh  may  we  cry  to  the  Lord  to 
make  us  of  the  happy  number! 

f See  the  joyful  end  of  one  ready  to  halt  at  every 
step.  Take  courage  hence,  ye  lame,  halting  pil- 
grims. 


THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS. 


243 


of  my  message:  'Those  that  look  out  at  the 
windows,  shall  be  darkened.”’ 

Then  Mr.  Feeble-mind  called  for  his  friends, 
and  told  them  what  errand  had  been  brought 
unto  him,  and  what  token  he  had  received  of 
the  truth  of  the  message.  Then  he  said, 
“Since  I have  nothing  to  bequeath  to  any,  to 
what  purpose  should  I make  a will?  As  for 
my  feeble  mind,  that  I will  leave  behind,  for 
that  I have  no  need  of  it  in  the  place  whither 
I go,  nor  is  it  worth  bestowing  upon  the  poorest 
pilgrim;  wherefore  when  I am  gone  I desire 
that  you,  Mr.  Valiant-for-truth,  would  bury  it 
in  a dunghill.”  This  done,  and  the  day  being 
come  in  which  he  was  to  depart,  he  entered 
the  river  as  the  rest:  his  last  words  were, 
“llokl  out,  faith  and  patience.”  So  he  went 
over  to  the  other  side. 

When  days  had  many  of  them  passed  away, 
Mr.  Despondency  was  sent  for;  for  a post  was  ‘ 
come,  and  brought  this  message  to  him: 
“Trembling  man,  these  are  to  summon  thee 
to  be  ready  to  be  with  the  King  by  the  next 
Lord’s  day,  to  shout  for  joy  for  thy  deliverance  j 
from  all  thy  doubtings.”  And,  said  the  mes-  j 
senger,  that  my  message  is  true,  take  this  for  i 
a proof:  so  he  gave  “a  grasshopper  to  be  a 
burden  unto  him.”  Now  Mr.  Despondency’s 
daughter,  whose  name  was  Much-afraid,  said, 
when  she  had  heard  what  was  done,  that  she 
would  go  with  her  father.  Then  Mr.  Despond- 
ency said  to  his  friends,  “Myself  and  my 
daughter,  you  know  what  we  have  been,  and 
how  troublesomely  we  have  behaved  ourselves 
in  every  company ; my  will  and  my  daughter’s 
is,  that  our  desponds  and  slavish  fears  be  by 
no  man  ever  received  from  the  day  of  our 
departure  for  ever;  for  I know  that  after  my 
death  they  will  offer  themselves  to  others. 
For,  to  be  plain  with  you,  they  are  guests 
which  we  entertained  when  we  first  began  to 
be  pilgrims,  and  could  never  shake  them  off 
after;  and  they  will  walk  about  and  seek  en- 
tertainment of  the  pilgrims ; but  for  our  sakes 
shut  the  doors  upon  them.”  * 

When  the  time  was  come  for  them  to  depart 
they  went  up  to  the  brink  of  the  river.  The 
last  words  of  Mr.  Despondency  were,  “Fare- 


* Pilgrims,  mind  this.  It  is  as  much  your  duty  to 
strive  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  against  unreason- 
able doubts  as  slavish  fears  against  sin.  Nay,  are 
they  not,  in  their  own  nature,  the  worst  of  sins,  as 
they  spring  from  infidelity,  and  dishonour  God's  pre- 
oious  truth,  glorious  grace,  and  everlasting  salvation  ? 
Never,  never,  then,  cherish  or  give  way  to  them,  but 
resist  and  shut  the  door  of  your  hearts  against  them. 


well,  night!  Welcome,  day  !”  His  daughter 
went  through  the  river  singing,  but  none  could 
understand  what  she  said. 

Then  it  came  to  pass  a while  after  that  there 
was  a post  in  the  town  that  inquired  for  Mr. 
Honest.  ’So  he  came  to  his  house  where  be 
was,  and  delivered  to  his  hands  these  lines: 
“Thou  art  commanded  to  be  ready  against 
this  day  se’n-night,  to  present  thyself  before 
thy  Lord  at  his  Father’s  house.  And,  for  a 
token  that  my  message  is  true,  ‘ All  the 
daughters  of  music  shall  be  brought  low.’  ” 
Then  Mr.  Honest  called  for  his  friends,  and 
said  unto  them,  “ I die,  but  shall  make  no  will. 
As  for  my  honesty,  it  shall  go  with  me;  let  him 
that  comes  after  be  told  of  this.” 

When  the  day  that  he  was  to  be  gone  was 
come  lie.  addressed  himself  to  go  over  the  river. 
Now  the  river  at  that  time  overflowed  the 
banks  in  some  places ; but  Mr.  Honest  in  his 
lifetime  had  spoken  to  one  Good-conscience  to 
meet  him  there;  the  which  he  also  did,  and 
lent  him  his  hand,  and  so  helped  him  over. 
The  last  words  of  Mr.  Honest  were,  “ Grace 
reigns.”  So  he  left  the  world. f 

After  this  it  was  noised  about  that  Mr.  Val- 
iant-for-truth was  taken  with  a summons  by 
the  same  post  as  the  other,  and  had  this  for  a 
! token  that  the  summons  was  true,  that  “his 
| pitcher  was  broken  at  the  fountain.”  When 
he  understood  it  be  called  for  his  friends  and 
told  them  of  it.  Then  said  he,  “I  am  going 
to  my  Father’s;  and  though  with  great  diffi- 
culty I got  hither,  yet  now  I do  not  repent  me 
of  all  the  trouble  I have  been  at  to  arrive  where 
I am.  My  sword  I give  to  him  that  shall  suc- 
ceed me  in  my  pilgrimage,  and  my  courage  and 
skill  to  him  that  can  get  them.  My  marks  and 
scars  I carry  with  me,  to  be  a witness  for  me 
that  I have  fought  His  battles  who  will  now  be 
my  rewarder.” 

When  the  day  that  he  must  go  hence  was 
come  many  accompanied  him  to  the  river-side, 
into  which  as  he  went  he  said,  “Death,  where 
is  thy  sting?”  and  as  he  went  down  deeper,  he 
said,  “Grave,  where  is  thy  victory?”  So  he 
passed  over,  and  all  the  trumpets  sounded  for 
him  on  the  other  side.J 


f Oh  how  happy  to  die  under  a sweet  sense  of  the 
reign  of  grace!  Such  have  their  consciences  purified 
by  the  blood  and  made  good  by  the  faith  of  the  res- 
urrection of  Jesus.  And  they  shall  reign  with  him  in 
his  kingdom. 

J In  the  truth  of  Jesus  is  victory.  He  who  is  most 
valiant  for  it  shall  share  the  most  of  its  comforts  in 
life  and  in  death.  0 Lord,  increase  our  faith  in  the 


244 


BUXYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Then  there  came  forth  a summons  for  Mr. 
Standfast.  This  Mr.  Standfast  was  he  that  the 
pilgrims  found  upon  his  knees  in  the  En- 
chanted Ground,  and  the  post  brought  it  him 
open  in  his  hands : the  contents  whereof  were, 
that  he  must  prepare  for  a change  of  life,  for 
his  Master  was  not  willing  that  he  should  be 
so  far  from  him  any  longer.  At  this,  Mr. 
Standfast  was  put  into  a muse.  “ Nay,”  said 
the  messenger,  “you  need  not  doubt  of  the 
truth  of  my  message,  for  here  is  a token  of  the 
truth  thereof:  ‘Thy  wheel  is  broken  at  the 
cistern.’  ” Then  he  called  to  him  Mr.  Great- 
heart,  who  was  their  guide,  and  said  unto  him, 
“Sir,  although  it  was  not  my  hap  to  be  much 
in  your  good  company  in  the  days  of  my  pil- 
grimage, yet  since  the  time  I knew  you  you 
have  been  profitable  to  me.  When  I came 
from  home  I left  behind  me  a wife  and  five 
small  children ; let  me  entreat  you  at  your  re- 
turn (for  I know  that  you  go  and  return  to 
your  Master’s  house,  in  hopes  that  you  may  he 
a conductor  to  more  of  his  holy  pilgrims)  that 
you  send  to  my  family  and  let  them  be  ac- 
quainted with  all  that  hath  and  shall  happen 
unto  me.  Tell  them,  moreover,  of  my  happy 
arrival  at  this  place,  and  of  the  present  and 
fete  blessed  condition  that  I am  in.  Tell  them 
also  of  Christian  and  Christiana  his  wife,  and 
how  she  and  her  children  came  after  her  hus- 
band. Tell  them  also  of  what  a happy  end 
she  made,  and  whither  she  is  gone.  I have 
little  or  nothing  to  send  to  my  family,  except 
it  be  my  prayers  and  tears  for  them : of  which 
it  will  suffice  if  you  acquaint  them,  if  perad- 
venture  they  may  prevail.” 

When  Mr.  Standfast  had  thus  set  things  in 
order,  and  the  time  being  come  for  him  to  haste 
him  away,  he  also  went  down  to  the  river.  Now 
there  was  a great  calm  at  that  time  in  the  river ; 
wherefore  Mr.  Standfast,  when  lie  was  about 
half-way  in,  stood  awhile  and  talked  to  his 
companions  that  had  waited  upon  him  thither; 
and  he  said,  “This  river  has  been  a terror  to 
many ; yea,  the  thoughts  of  it  also  have  fright- 
ened me ; now,  methinks,  I stand  easy ; my 
foot  is  fixed  upon  that  on  which  the  feet  of  the 


never-failing  word  of  truth  and  grace,  for  thy  glory 
and  our  soul’s  triumph. 

* Oh  the  blessedness  and  joy  of  faith  ! How  does 
it  bring  near  and  realize  a view  of  Christ  in  glory  ! 
Do  we  indeed  see  Christby  the  eye  of  faith?  Is- he 
the  one  chief  object  of  our  souls?  Is  he  precious  to 
us?  Verily,  then,  we  shall  count  our  days  on  earth 
toilsome  ones,  and  long  for  the  full  fruition  of  him  in 
glory  I*  will  be  our  great  glory  to  see  Him  whose 


priests  that  bare  the  ark  of  the  covenant  stood 
while  Israel  went  over  this  Jordan.  Josh.  iii. 
17.  The  waters,  indeed,  are  to  the  palate  bit- 
ter and  to  the  stomach  cold  ; yet  the  thought 
of  wh'at  I am  going  to,  and  of  the  conduct  that 
waits  for  me  on  the  other  side,  does  lie  as  a 
glowing  coal  at  my  heart.  I see  myself  now 
at  the  end  of  my  journey  : my  toilsome  days 
are  ended.  I am  going  to  see  that  head  that 
was  crowned  with  thorns,  and  that  face  that 
was  spit  upon  for  me.* *  T have  formerly  lived 
by  hearsay  and  faith,  but  now  I go  where  I 
shall  live  by  sight,  and  shall  be  with  Him  in 
whose  company  I delight  myself.  I have 
loved  to  hear  my  Lord  spoken  of,  and  where- 
ever  I have  seen  the  print  of  his  shoe  in  the 
earth,  there  I have  coveted  to  set  my  foot  too.f 
His  name  has  been  to  me  as  a civet-box;  yea, 
sweeter  than  all  perfumes.  His  voice  to  me 
has  been  most  sweet,  and  his  countenance  I 
have  more  desired  than  they  that  have  most 
desired  the  light  of  the  sun.  His  words  I did 
use  to  gather  for  my  food,  and  for  antidotes 
against  my  faintings.  He  has  held  me  and 
hath  kept  me  from  mine  iniquities ; yea, 
my  steps  have  been  strengthened  in  his 
way.” 

Now,  while  he  was  thus  in  discourse  his 
countenance  changed ; his  “ strong  man  bowed 
under  him:”  and  after  he  had  said,  “Take  me, 
for  I am  come  unto  thee,”  he  ceased  to  he  seen 
of  them. 

But  glorious  it  vvas  to  see  how  the  open  re- 
gion was  filled  with  horses  and  chariots,  with 
trumpeters  and  pipers,  with  singers  and 
players  on  stringed  instruments,  to  welcome 
the  pilgrims  as  they  went  up  and  followed  , 
one  another  in  at  the  beautiful  gate  of  the 
city. 

As  for  Christiana’s  children,  the  four  hoys 
that  Christiana  brought,  with  their  wives 
and  children,  I did  not  stay  where  I was 
till  they  were  gone  over.  Also  since  I came 
away  I heard  one  say  they  were  yet  alive, 
and  so  would  be  for  the  increase  of  the 
Church  in  that  place  where  they  were  for  a 
time. 


blessed  head  was  crowned  with  thorns,  and  whose 
lovely  face  was  spit  upon  for  us;  till  then,  let  us  live 
by  faith  in  him,  constantly  crying,  “Come,  Lord  Je- 
sus, come  quickly.” 

f Can  you  say  this  ? Do  you  love  to  hear  of  the 
precious  name  of  Jesus?  Do  you  covet  to  follow  him 
and  to  tread  in  his  steps  ? Oh  what  has  grace 
wrought!  Be  humble  before  Jesus.  Be  joyful  in 
him  and  thankful  to  him. 


THE  riLG RIM'S  PROGRESS. 


245 


Shall  it  he  my  lot  to  go  that  way  again,  I 
may  give  those  that  desire  it  an  account  of 

* Who  cnn  read  this  chaptor  (observes  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Border)  without  exclaiming  in  words  onco  received 
from  heaven,"  Blessed  are  the  dead  whioli  dio  in  the 
Lord:  yea,  saith  tho  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from 
their  labours!”  In  tho  important  article  of  dentil  tho 
privileges  of  believers  appear  distinguishing  indeed. 
To  human  nature,  unassisted  by  grace,  death,  tho 
awful  punishment  of  sin,  is  " the  king  of  terrors.” 
Bitter  indeed,  and  insupportnbly  painful,  are  the 
thoughts  of  death  to  men  who  have  their  “portion  in 
this  life”  and  who  are  at  ease  in  their  possessions. 
How  horrible  to  be  torn  away  from  all  they  love,  and 
plunged  at  onco  into  the  unutterable  miseries  of  the 
damned ! How  enviable,  even  to  such,  is  the  calm  and 
serene  frame  of  a dying  saint!  Hero  the  monster 
seems  to  have  lost  his  sting,  having  left  it  in  the 
bleeding  body  of  Jesus.  Heath  has  changed  its  na- 
turo  and  its  namo.  Call  it  no  more  death ; it  is  tho 
sweet  sleep  of  tho  body,  deposited  in  its  earthly  bed, 
under  the  oye  of  tho  Redeemer,  till  the  morning  of  the 
resurrection. 


what  I am  here  silent  about;  mean  time,  1 bid 
my  reader  Farewell.* 

At  tho  close  of  this  excellent  book  (says  the  excel- 
lent Mr.  Mason)  let  me  address  one  word,  reader,  to 
your  soul  and  mine.  What  think  we  of  a pilgrim’s 
life  and  a pilgrim’s  death?  His  life  begins  with  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  and  ends  by  dying  in  him 
and  eternally  enjoying  of  him.  And  all  through 
life  the  pilgrim  looks  to  and  lives  upon  Christ. 
Blessed  beginning!  eomfortablo  living!  joyful  dy- 
ing! 

Now,  hnve  wo  part  and  lot  in  this  matter?  Is  Christ 
our  life — the  life  of  our  souls?  If  ho  is,  we  shall  live 
by  faith  upon  him,  rely  on  his  atonement,  glory  in  his 
rightoousness,  rejoice  in  his  salvation,  have  done  with 
all  sin,  and  be  dead  to  all  self-righteous  confidence, 
and  in  heart,  lip,  and  life  study  to  glorify  him  by  de- 
voting ourselves  to  him,  looking,  longing,  and  waiting 
for  his  coming  to  receive  us  to  himself,  that  where  he 
is  there  wo  may  be  also. 

As  many  as  live  by  this  faith  and  walk  according  to 
this  rule,  peaco  be  on  them  from  the  holy,  blessed, 
and  glorious  Trinity!  Amen. 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR: 

BEING 

THE  FRUITS  OF  TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 

TEACHING 

HUSBANDS,  WIVES,  PARENTS,  CHILDREN,  MASTERS,  SERVANTS,  ETC.,  HOW  TO  WALK  SO  AS 

TO  PLEASE  GOD. 

WITH 

A WORD  OF  DIRECTION  TO  ALL  BACKSLIDERS. 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  READER. 


Courteous  Reader  : 

Having  formerly  writ  some  small  matter 
teaching  the  doctrine  of  faith,  as  justification 
by  grace  through  the  faith  of  Christ’s  blood', 
&c.,  I do  here,  as  the  second  to  that  doctrine, 
present  tliee  with  a few  lines  touching  good 
works,  that  I might,  as  at  first  I showed  thee 
the  good  and  glory  of  the  one,  now  show  thee 
the  beauty  and  excellency  of  the  other:  “For 
though  we  are  justified  (Rom.  iii.  24,  &c.) 
freely  by  grace  through  Christ  before  God;  yet 
we  are  justified  before  men  (James  ii.  18)  by 
our  works.”  Nay,  a life  of  holiness,  flowing 
from  faith  in  us  that  are  saved  by  grace,  it 
doth  justify  that  grace  before  the  world  that 
justifies  us  before  God.  2 Cor.  vi.  2,  3;  ix.  12, 
13;  1 Pet.  ii.  11,  12. 

I have  here  not  only  in  general  treated  of 
this  doctrine  of  good  works,  but  particularly 
(after  some  discourse  about  works  flowing  from 
faith,  and  what  makes  it  true  and  gospelly 
good)  I discourse  of  them  as  we  stand  under 
our  several  relations  in  this  world  among  men. 

As  first,  The  duty  of  the  master  of  a family ; 
of  the  husband  to  his  wife,  and  of  hers  to 
him  ; of  the  duty  of  parents  to  their  children, 
and  of  children  to  their  parents ; of  masters 
also  to  their  servants,  and  of  the  servant 
again  to  his  master;  with  a brief  touch 
upon  good  neighbourhood,  and  a discovery 
of  c ovetousness,  pride,  and  uncleanness,  which 


are  great  obstructions  to  a truly  gospel  con- 
versation. 

I know  there  are  many  that  have  treated  of 
good  works  in  large  and  learned  discourses ; 
but  I doubt  all  have  not  so  gospelized  their 
discourse  as  becomes  them,  and  as  the  doctrine 
of  the  grace  of  God  calleth  for. 

However,  I thought  it  my  duty  to  add  this 
discourse  to  all  that  are  past;  and  that  for 
these  reasons: 

1.  To  take  away  those  aspersions  that  the 
adversaries  cast  upon  our  doctrine,  (Rom.  iii. 
8,  as  also  in  the  days  of  Paul,)  that  because 
we  preach  justification  without  the  works  of 
the  law,  therefore  they  pretend  we  plead  for 
looseness  of  life,  whose  damnation  is  just. 

2.  Because,  though  there  be  much  discourse 
about  works  in  general,  yet  a particular  dis- 
course of  them,  as  before  is  touched,  is  too 
much  neglected ; and  by  this  means  every  one 
too  much  left  at  uncertainties  (as  from  them) 
of  their  several  works  under  their  particular 
relations ; which  I think  is  one  reason  of  that 
disorder  iii  families  and  places  where  God’s 
people  live,  to  their  shame  and  the  dishonour 
of  God. 

3.  Because  these  few  books  that  do  par- 
ticularly treat  thus  of  good  works  are,  I 
think,  now  so  scarce  or  so  big  that  but  few 
have  them  and  few  buy  them,  if  they  may  be 
had,  especially  our  new  converts,  for  whose 

247 


248 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


sates  principally  this  short  discourse  is  in- 
tended ; and  indeed,  this  is  one  reason  of  my 
brevity,  that  the  price  might  neither  be  burden- 
some, nor  the  reading  long  and  tedious.  Mul- 
titude of  words  drown  the  memory;  and  an 
exhortation  in  few  words  may  yet  be  so  full 
that  the  reader  may  find  that  in  the  side  of  a 
sheet  which  some  are  forced  to  hunt  for  in  a 
whole  quire,  &c.  The  Lord  teach  us  this 
wisdom. 

4.  I have  written  this  book  to  show  that  I 
bear  a fellow  testimony  and  witness  (with  all 
that  know  God)  of  the  operation  that  grace 
hath  and  will  have  in  the  heart  that  hath 
savingly  received  it. 

Lastly.  I have  thus  written  because  it  is 
amiable  and  pleasant  to  God  when  Christians 
keep  their  rank,  relation,  and  station,  doing- 
all  as  become  their  quality  and  calling.  When 
Christians  stand  every  one  in  their  places, 
and  do  the  work  of  their  relations,  then  they 
are  like  the  flowers  in  the  garden,  that  stand 


and  grow  where  the  gardener  hath  planted 
them,  and  then  they  shall  both  honour  the 
garden  in  which  they  are  planted,  and  the 
gardener  that  hath  so  disposed  of  them.  From 
the  hyssop  in  the  wall  to  the  cedar  in  Leb- 
anon their  fruit  is  their  glory.  And  seeing 
the  flock  into-  which  we  are  planted  is  the 
fruitfullest  flock,  the  sap  conveyed  thereout 
the  fruitfullest  sap,  and  the  dresser  of  our 
souls  the  wisest  husbandman  (John  xv.  1), 
how  contrary  to  nature,  to  example,  and  ex- 
pectation should  we  be  if  we  should  not  be 
rich  in  good  works ! 

Wherefore  take  heed  of  being  painted  fire 
wherein  is  no  warmth,  and  painted  flowers 
which  retain  no  smell,  and  of  being  painted 
trees  whereon  is  no  fruit;  “Whoso  boasteth 
himself  of  a false  gift  is  like  clouds  and  wind 
without  rain.”  Prov.  xxv.  14.  Farewell. 

The  Lord  be  with  thy  spirit,  that  thou 
mayst  profit  for  time  to  come. 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR, 


That  being  justified  by  his  grace,  wo  should  be  made  heirs  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life. 

This  is  a faithful  saying,  and  these  things  I will  that  thou  affirm  constantly,  that  they  which  bare  believed 
In  God  might  bo  careful  to  maintain  good  works  : these  things  are  good  and  profitable  unto  men. — Tit.  iii.  7,  S. 


I shall  not  at  this  time  discourse  of  every 
particular  at  large  included  in  these  words,  but 
shall  briefly  fall  upon  those  things  that  I judge 
most  necessary  for  the  people  of  God.  Neither 
shall  I need  to  take  any  great  preamble  to  the 
words  for  their  explication,  they  themselves 
being  plain,  and  without  that  ambiguity  that 
calleth  for  such  a thing;  the  general  scope 
being  this,  That  they  which  have  believed  in 
God  should  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works. 

But  yet,  to  prosecute  what  I intend  with 
what  clearness  I may,  I shall  in  a word  or  two 
make  way  for  what  is  to  be  the  main  of  this 
book. 

“This  is  a faithful  saying.”  This — which? 
Why,  that  which  goetli  before,  namely,  “ That 
being  justified  by  grace,  we  should  be  made 
heirs  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life. 
This  is  a faithful  saying,  and  these  things  I 
will  that  thou  affirm  constantly.” 

Why  so  ? 

Why,  “That  they  which  have  believed  in 
God  might  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works.” 

The  meaning  is,  that  the  way  to  provoke 
others  to  good  works  is  constantly  (in  the  evi- 
dence and  demonstration  of  the  Spirit)  to  show 
them  the  certainty  of  their  being  by  grace 
made  heirs  of  eternal  life. 

From  this  Scripture  I do  gather  these  things 
observable : 

1.  That  good  works  do  flow  from  faith.  Yea, 
2.  That  every  one  that  believetli  should  be 
careful  that  their  works  be  good.  3.  That 
every  believer  should  not  only  be  careful  that 
their  works  be  good,  and  for  the  present  do 
them,  but  should  also  be  careful  to  maintain 
them ; that  is,  they  should  carefully  study  to 
keep  in  a constant  course  of  good  works. 

And  lastly,  that  the  best  way  to  provoke 
both  ourselves  and  others  to  this  work  is  to  be 
often  affirming  to  others  the  doctrine  of  justi- 


fication by  grace,  and  to  believe  it  ourselves : 
“ Tills  is  a faithful  saying,  and  these  things  I 
will  (saith  Paul)  that  thou  affirm  constantly, 
that  they  who  have  believed  in  God  might  be 
careful  to  maintain  good  works.” 

I.  I begin  with  the  first:  That  good  works 
do  flow  from  faith. 

This  is  evident  divers  ways:  1.  From  the 
impossibility  of  their  flowing  from  any  other 
thing — they  must  either  flow  from  faith  or  not 
at  all ; “ For  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin.” 
And  again,  “Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to 
please  him.”  Every  man  by  nature,  before 
faith,  is  an  evil  and  a corrupt  tree ; and  a cor- 
rupt tree  cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit:  “Do 
men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  this- 
tles?” Now  a man  is  made  good  by  faith,  and 
by  that  bringeth  forth  the  fruits  that  are  ac- 
ceptable to  God. 

Wherefore  sinners,  before  faith,  are  com- 
pared to  the  wilderness,  whose  fruits  are  briers 
and  thorns ; and  whose  hearts  are  the  habita- 
tion of  dragons — that  is,  of  devils. 

And  hence  again  it  is  that  they  are  said  to 
be  Godless,  Christless,  Spiritless,  faithless, 
hopeless ; without  the  covenant  of  grace,  with- 
out strength ; enemies  in  their  minds  by  wicked 
works,  and  possessed  by  the  spirit  of  wicked- 
ness as  a castle  by  a conqueror. 

Now,  these  things  being  thus,  it  is  impossi- 
ble that  all  the  men  under  heaven  that  are  un- 
converted should  be  able  to  bring  forth  one 
work  rightly  good ; even  as  impossible  as  for 
all  the  briers  and  thorns  under  heaven  to  bring 
forth  one  cluster  of  grapes  or  one  bunch  of 
figs;  for  indeed  they  want  the  qualification. 
A thorn  bringeth  not  forth  figs,  because  it 
wanteth  the  nature  of  the  fig  tree ; and  so  doth 
the  bramble,  the  nature  of  the  vine.  Good 
works  must  come  from  a good  heart. 

Now,  this  the  unbeliever  wanteth  because 

248 


250 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


lie  wanteth  faith ; for  it  is  that  which  purifieth 
the  heart.  Good  works  must  come  from  love 
to  the  Lord  Jesus;  but  this  the  unbeliever 
wanteth  also,  because  he  wanteth  faith  : “For 
faith  worketh  by  love,  and  by  that  means  doth 
good.” 

And  hence  again  it  is  that  though  the  carnal 
man  doth  never  so  much  which  he  calleth  good, 
yet  it  is  rejected,  slighted,  and  turned  as  dirt 
in  his  face  again  : his  prayers  are  abominable, 
his  ploughing  is  sin,  and  all  his  righteous- 
nesses as  filthy  rags.  Thus  you  see  that  with- 
out faith  there  are  no  good  works. 

hi  ow  then  to  show  you  that  they  flow  from 
faith.  And  that, 

For  that  faith  is  a principle  of  life,  by  which 
a Christian  lives — a principle  of  motion,  by 
which  he  walks  towards  heaven  in  the  way  of 
holiness.  It  is  also  a principle  of  strength,  by 
which  the  soul  opposeth  its  lust,  the  devil,  and 
this  world,  and  overcomes  them : “ This  is  your 
victory,  even  your  faith.”  Faith  in  the  heart 
of  a Christian  is  like  the  salt  that  was  thrown 
into  the  corrupt  fountain,  that  made  the 
naughty  waters  good  and  the  barren  land  fruit- 
ful. Faith,  when  it  is  wrought  in  the  heart,  is 
like  leaven  hid  in  the  meal,  or  like  perfume 
that  lighteth  upon  stinking  leather,  turning 
the  smell  of  the  leather  into  the  savour  of  the 
perfume ; it  being  then  planted  in  the  heart 
and  having  its  natural  inclination  to  holiness. 
Hence  it  is  that  there  followeth  an  alteration 
of  the  life  and  conversation,  and  so  bringeth 
forth  fruit  accordingly : “A  good  man,  out  of 
the  good  treasure  of  his  heart,  bringeth  forth 
good  fruit.”  Which  treasure,  I say,  is  this 
faith,  and  therefore  it  is  that  faith  is  called  the 
faith  according  to  godliness  and  the  most  holy 
faith. 

Good  works  must  needs  [flow  from  faith  or 
no  way,  because  that  alone  carrieth  in  it  an 
argument  sufficiently  prevalent  to  win  upon 
our  natures,  to  make  them  comply  with  holi- 
ness. 

Faith  showreth  us  that  God  loveth  us,  that 
he  forgiveth  us  our  sins,  that  he  accounteth  us 
foi  his  children,  having  freely  justified  us 
through  the  blood  of  his  Son. 

Faith  receiveth  the  promise,  embraceth  it, 
and  comforteth  the  soul  unspeakably  with  it. 

Faith  is  so  great  an  artist  in  arguing  and 
reasoning  with  the  soul  that  it  will  bring  over 
the  hardest  heart  that  it  hath  to  deal  with.  It 
will  bring  to  my  remembrance  at  once  both 
my  vileness  against  God  and  his  goodness  to- 
wards me;  it  will  show  me  that  though  I 


deserve  not  to  breathe  in  the  air,  yet  that  God 
will  have  me  an  heir  of  glory. 

Now,  there  is  no  argument  greater  than 
this.  This  will  make  a man  run  through  ten 
thousand  difficulties  to  answer  God  (though  he 
never  can)  for  the  grace  he  hath  bestowed  on 
him. 

Further,  faith  will  show  me  how  distin- 
guishing^ this  love  of  God  hath  set  itself  upon 
me:  it  will  show  me  that  though  Esau  was 
Jacob’s  brother,  yet  he  loved  Jacob;  that 
though  there  were  thousands  more  besides  me 
that  were  as  good  as  me,  yet  I must  be  the 
man  that  must  be  chosen. 

Now  this,  I say,  is  a marvellous  argument, 
and  unspeakably  prevaileth  with  the  sinner, 
as  saith  the  apostle  : “ For  the  love  of  Christ 
constrains  us,  because  we  thus  judge,  That  if 
one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead;  and  that 
he  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live  (that  is, 
by  faith)  should  not  henceforth  live  unto 
themselves,  but  to  Him  that  died  for  them  and 
rose  again.”  “Love  (saith  the  wise  man)  is 
strong  as  death ; many  wrnters  cannot  quench 
love,  neither  can  the  floods  drown  it.  If  a man 
■would  give  all  the  substance  of  his  house  for 
love,  it  would  be  utterly  contemned.” 

Oh ! wrhen  the  broken,  dying,  condemned 
soul  can  but  see,  by  faith,  the  love  of  a tender- 
hearted Saviour,  and  also  see  what  he  under- 
went to  deliver  it  from  under  that  death,  guilt, 
and  hell  that  nowr  it  feels  and  fears,  which  also 
it  knoweth  it  hath  most  justly  and  highly  de- 
served, “ Then  bless  the  Lord,  0 my  soul ; and 
what  shall  I render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  his 
benefits  ?” 

Thus  faith  is  a prevailing  argument  to  the 
sinner,  vdiereby  he  is  fetched  off  from  wrhat  he 
w7as,  and  constrained  to  bend  and  yield  to  u'liat 
before  he  neither  would  nor  could. 

And  hence  it  is  that  gospel-obedience  is 
called  the  obedience  of  faith,  as  well  as  obe- 
dience to  the  faith.  Rom.  xvi.  26.  For  it  must 
be  by  the  faith  of  Christ  in  my  heart  that  I 
submit  to  the  word  of  faith  in  the  Bible,  other- 
wise all  is  to  no  profit;  as  saith  the  apostle : 
“The  word  preached  did  not  profit  them,  it 
not  being  mixed  with  faith  in  them  that  heard 
it.”  Heb.  iv.  2.  For  faith  alone  can  see  the 
reality  of  what  the  Gospel  saith,  and  so,  I say, 
argue  over  the  heart  to  the  embracing  of  it. 

3.  Faith  is  such  a grace  as  will  represent  to 
the  soul  all  things  in  their  proper  colours.  Ii 
doth  not  (as  doth  unbelief  and  ignorance) 
show  us  all  things  out  of  order,  putting  dark- 
ness for  light,  and  bitter  for  sweet,  but  will  set 


CHRISTIAN  RRII A VIO UR. 


251 


everything  in  its  proper  place  before  our  eyes: 
God  and  Christ  shall  he  with  it  the  chicfest 
good,  the  most  lovely  and  amiable ; a heavenly 
life  shall  he  of  greater  esteem  and  more  desir- 
able than  all  the  treasures  of  Egypt.  Right- 
eousness and  sanctification  will  he  the  thing 
after  which  it  will  most  vehemently  press,  be- 
cause it  seeth  not  only  death  and  damnation 
ns  the  fruits  of  sin,  hut  sin  also  in  itself,  dis- 
tinct from  the  punishment  belonging  to  it,  a 
detestable,  horrible,  and  odious  thing. 

By  faith  we  see  this  world  hath  no  abiding 
in  it  for  us,  nor  no  satisfaction  if  it  were  other- 
wise; and  hence  it  is  that  the  people  of  God 
have  groaned  to  be  gone  from  hence  into  a 
state  that  is  both  sinless  and  temptationless ; 
and  hence  it  is  again  that  they  have  run 
through  so  many  trials,  afflictions,  and  adver- 
sities, even  because  of  that  love  to  holiness  of 
life  that  faith  being  in  their  hearts  did  prompt 
them  to,  by  showing  them  the  worth  and  dur- 
ableness of  that  which  was  good,  and  the  irk- 
someness and  evil  of  all  things  else. 

4.  Faith  layeth  hold  of  that  which  is  able  to 
help  the  soul  to  bring  forth  good  works:  it 
layeth  hold  of  and  engagetli  the  strength  of 
Christ,  and  by  that  overcometh  that  which  op- 
presseth : “ I can  do  all  things  through  Christ 
that  strengtheneth  me.” 

In  a word,  a life  of  holiness  and  godliness  in 
this  world  doth  so  inseparably  follow  a prin- 
ciple of  faith  that  it  is  both  monstrous  and 
ridiculous  to  suppose  the  contrary.  What! 
shall  not  he  that  hath  life  have  motion  ? 

He  that  hath  by  faith  received  the  spirit  of 
holiness,  shall  not  he  be  holy?  (Gal.  iii.  2;) 
and  he  that  is  called  to  glory  and  virtue,  shall 
not  he  add  to  his  faith  virtue?  2 Pet.  i.  4,  5. 
We  are  by  faith  made  good  trees,  and  shall  not 
we  bring  forth  good  fruit  ? Luke  vi.  43.  They 
that  believe  are  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
good  works ; and  God  hath,  before  the  world 
was,  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them : 
and  shall  both  our  second  creation  and  God’s 
foreordination  be  made  frustrate?  Besides, 
the  children  of  faith  are  the  children  of  light 
and  of  the  day — lights  upon  a hill  and  candles 
on  a candlestick — and  shall  not  they  shine? 
They  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  shall  not  they 
be  seasoning? 

The  believer  is  the  alone  man  by  whom 
God  showeth  to  the  world  the  power  of  his 
grace,'  the  operation  of  his  people’s  faith,  &c. 
The  unbelievers  read  indeed  of  the  power  of 
grace,  of  the  faith,  hope,  love,  joy,  peace,  and 
sanctification  of  the  heart  of  the  Christian, 


but  they  feel  nothing  of  that  sin-killing  oper- 
ation that  is  in  these  things:  these  are  to 
them  as  a story  of  Rome  or  Spain.  Where- 
fore, to  show  them  in  others  what  they  find 
not  in  themselves,  God  worketh  faith,  hope, 
love,  &c.,  in  a generation  that  shall  serve  him  ; 
and  by  them  they  shall  see  what  they  cannot 
find  in  themselves,  and  by  this  means  they 
shall  be  convinced  that  though  sin  and  the 
pleasures  of  this  life  be  sweet  to  them,  yet 
there  is  a people  otherwise  minded,  even  such 
a people  that  do  indeed  see  the  glory  of  that 
which  others  read  of,  and  from  that  light  take 
pleasure  in  those  things  which  they  are  most 
averse  unto.  To  this,  I say,  are  Christians 
called ; herein  is  God  glorified ; hereby  are 
sinners  convinced,  and  by  this  is  the  world 
condemned. 

Objection.  But  if  faith  doth  so  naturally 
cause  good  works,  what  then  is  the  reason 
that  God’s  people  find  it  so  hard  a matter  to 
be  faithful  in  good  works? 

I answer — 1.  God’s  people  are  fruitful  in 
good  works  according  to  the  proportion  of 
their  faith;  if  they  be  slender  in  good  works, 
it  is  because  they  are  weak  in  faith.  Little 
faith  is  like  small  candles  or  weak  fire,  which, 
though  they  shine  and  have  heat,  yet  have 
but  dim  shining  and  small  heat  when  com- 
pared with  bigger  candles  and  greater  fire. 
The  reason  why  Sardis  had  some  in  it  whose 
works  were  not  perfect  before  God  was,  be- 
cause they  did  not  hold  fast  by  faith  the  word 
that  they  had  formerly  heard  and  received. 

2.  There  may  be  a great  mistake  in  our 
judging  of  our  own  fruitfulness.  The  soul 
that  indeed  is  candid  and  right  at  heart  is 
taught  by  grace  to  judge  itself,  though  fruit- 
ful, yet  barren  upon  two  accounts:  1.  When  it 
compareth  its  life  to  the  mercy  bestowed  upon 
it;  for  when  a soul  doth  indeed  consider  the 
greatness  and  riches  of  the  mercy  bestowed 
upon  it,  then  it  must  needs  cry  out,  “ 0 
wretched  man  that  I am!”  for  it  seeth  itself 
wonderfully  to  fall  short  of  a conversation  be- 
coming one  who  hath  received  so  great  a bene- 
fit. 2.  It  may  also  judge  itself  barren  because 
it  falleth  so  far  short  of  that  it  would  attain 
unto;  it  cannot  do  the  thing  that  it  would. 
The  heart  of  a Christian  is  naturally  very 
barren  ; upon  which,  though  the  seed  of  grace 
(that  is,  the  fruitfullest  of  all  seeds)  be  sown, 
yet  the  heart  is  naturally  subject  to  bring  forth 
weeds. 

Now,  to  have  a good  crop  upon  such 
ground  doth  argue  the  fruitfulness  of  the 


252 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


seed.  Wherefore  I conclude  upon  these  three 
things : 

I.  That  the  seed  of  faith  is  a very  fruitful 
seed,  in  that  it  will  be  fruitful  in  so  barren  a 
soil.  2.  That  faith  is  not  beholden  to  the 
heart,  but  the  heart  to  it,  for  all  its  fruit- 
fulness. 3.  That  therefore  the  way  to  be  a 
more  fruitful  Christian  is  to  be  stronger  in 
believing. 

II.  Now  for  the  second  thing:  to  wit,  That 

everyone  that  believeth  should  be  careful  that 
their  works  be  good.  This  followeth  from 
what  went  just  before:  to  wit,  That  the  heart 
of  a Christian  is  a heart  subject  to  bring  forth 
weeds.  r. 

There  is  flesh  as  well  as  spirit  in  the  best 
of  saints ; and  as  the  spirit  of  grace  will  be 
always  putting  forth  something  that  is  good, 
so  the  flesh  will  be  putting  forth  continually 
that  which  is  evil. 

“ For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and 
the  spirit  against  the  flesh.” 

Now,  this  considered,  is  the  cause  why  you 
find  so  often  in  the  Scriptures  so  many  items 
and  cautions  to  the  Christians  to  look  to  their 
lives  and  conversation.  As,  “ Keep  thy  heart 
with  all  diligence;”  “Watch  ye,  stand  fast 
in  the  faith;  ’quit  you  like  men  ; be  strong;” 
“ Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked ; for 
whatever  a man  soweth,  that  shall  he  reap: 
for  he  that  soweth  to  the  flesh  shall  of  the 
flesh  reap  corruption  ; but  he  that  soweth 
to  the  spirit  shall  of  the  spirit  reap  life 
everlasting.” 

All  works  are  not  good  that  seem  to  be  so. 
It  is  one  thing  for  a man’s  ways  to  be  right  in 
his  own  eye,  and  another  for  them  to  be  right 
in  God’s.  Often  that  which  is  in  high  estima- 
tion with  men  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of 
God. 

Seeing  corruption  is  not  yet  out  of  our 
natures,  there  is  a proneness  in  us  to  build 
upon  the  right  foundation,  wood,  hay  and 
stubble,  instead  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  pre- 
cious stones.  How  was  David  the  king, 
Nathan  the  prophet,  and  Uzza  the  priest  de- 
ceived touching  good  works ! Peter  also,  in 
both  his  defending  his  Master  in  the  garden 
and  in  dissuading  him  from  his  sufferings, 
though  both  out  of  love  and  affection  to  his 
Master,  was  deceived  touching  good  works. 

Many  have  miscarried  both  as  to  doctrine, 
worship,  and  the  prosecution  of  each. 

1.  For  doctrine.  Christ  tells  the  Jews  that 
they  taught  for  the  doctrines  of  God  the  doc- 
trines and  traditions  of  men : as  also,  saith  the 


apostle,  “They  teach  things  they  ought  not, 
for  filthy  lucre’s  sake.” 

2.  Also  touching  worship,  we  find  how 
frequently  men  have  mistaken,  both  for  time, 
place,  and  matter,  with  which  they  wor- 
shipped. 

(1.)  For  time.  It  hath  been  that  which  man 
hath  devised,  not  that  which  God  hath  com- 
manded. They  change  the  ordinances,  saith 
Isaiah;  they  change  God’s  judgments  into 
wickedness,  saith  Ezekiel. 

(2.)  For  place.  When  they  should  have 
worshipped  at  Jerusalem,  they  worshipped  at 
Bethel,  at  Gilgal,  and  Dan,  in  gardens,  under 
poplars  and  elms. 

(3.)  For  the  matter  with  which  they  wor- 
shipped. Instead  of  bringing  according  to 
the  commandment,  they  brought  the  lame, 
torn,  and  the  sick  ; they  would  sanctify  them- 
selves in  gardens  with  swine’s  flesh  and  mice, 
w'hen  they  should  have  done  it  at  Jerusalem 
with  bullocks  and  lambs. 

Again,  touching  men’s  prosecuting  their  zeal 
for  their  worship,  &c.,  that  they  do  think  right 
how  hot  hath  it  been,  though  with  no  reason 
at  all.  Nebuchadnezzar  will  have  his  fiery 
furnace  and  Darius  his  lions’  den  for  non-con- 
formists. 

Again,  they  have  persecuted  men  even  to 
strange  cities,  have  laid  traps  and  snares  in 
every  corner  to  entrap  and  to  entangle  their 
words ; and  if  they  could  at  any  time  but  kill 
the  persons  that  dissented  from  them,  they 
would  think  they  did  God  good  service.  But 
what  need  we  to  look  so  far  from  home,  (were 
it  not  that  I would  seal  my  sayings  with  truth?) 
We  need  look  no  farther,  to  affirm  this  position, 
than  the  papists  and  their  companions.  How 
many  have  they  in  all  ages  hanged,  burned, 
starved,  drowned,  racked,  dismembered,  and 
murdered,  both  openly  and  in  secret ! and  all 
under  a pretence  of  God,  his  worship,  and 
good  works. 

Thus  you  see  how  wise  men  and  fools,  saints 
and  sinners,  Christians  and  heathen,  have  erred 
in  the  business  of  good  works ; wherefore  every 
one  should  be  careful  to  see  that  their  works 
be  good. 

Now7,  then,  to  prevent,  if  God  will,  miscar- 
riage in  this  matter,  I shall  propound  unto  you 
what  it  is  for  a work  to  be  rightly  good : 

1.  A good  work  must  have  the  word  for  its 
authority.  2.  It  must,  as  afore  was  said,  flow 
from  faith.  3.  It  must  be  both  rightly  timed 
and  rightly  placed.  4.  It  must  be  done  will- 
ingly, cheerfully,  &c. 


CHRISTIAN  BEHA  VI OUR. 


253 


1.  Tt  must  lutve  the  word  for  its  authority. 

Zeal  without  knowledge  is  like  a mottled 

horse  without  eyes  or  like  a sword  in  a mad- 
man’s hand,  and  there  is  no  knowledge  where 
there  is  not  the  word : for  if  they  reject  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  act  not  by  that,  what 
wisdom  is  in  them?  said  the  prophet.  Jer.  viii. 
9;  Isa.  viii.  20.  Wherefore  see  thou  have  the 
w ord  for  what  thou  dost. 

2.  As  there  must  he  the  word  for  the  author- 
izing of  what  thou  dost,  so  there  must  be  faith, 
from  which  it  must  flow,  as  I showed  thee  be- 
fore ; “for  whatever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin : and 
without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God.” 
Now  I say  without  the  word  there  is  no  faith, 
(Rom.  x.  17,)  as  without  faith  there  is  no  good, 
let  men’s  pretences  be  wliat  they  will. 

3.  As  it  must  have  these  two  aforenamed,  so 
also  it  must  have — 1.  right  time;  and  2.  right 
place. 

1st.  It  must  be  rightly  timed.  Every  work 
is  not  to  l*e  done  at  the  same  time,  every  time 
not  being  convenient  for  such  a work : “ There 
is  a time  for  all  things,  and  every  thing  is 
beautiful  in  its  time.”  Eceles.  iii.  11.  There 
is  a time  to  pray,  a time  to  hear,  a time  to  read, 
a time  to  confer,  a time  to  meditate,  a time  to 
do,  and  a time  to  suffer.  Now,  to  be  hearing 
when  we  should  be  preaching  and  doing — that 
is,  yielding  active  obedience  to  that  under 
which  we  ought  to  suffer — is  not  good.  Christ 
was  very  wary  that  both  his  doings  and  suffer- 
ings were  rightly  timed.  John  ii.  3,  4 and  xiii. 
1,  2.  And  herein  we  ought  to  follow  his  steps. 
To  be  at  plough  in  the  field  when  I should  be 
hearing  the  word  is  not  good;  and  to  be  talk- 
ing abroad  when  I should  be  instructing  my 
family  at  home  is  as  bad:  “Whoso  keepeth 
the  commandment  shall  feel  no  evil  thing: 
and  a wise  man’s  heart  disccrneth  both 
time  and  judgment.”  Eccles.  viii.  5.  Good 
things  mistimed  are  fruitless,  unprofitable,  and 
vain. 

2dly.  As  things  must  have  their  right  time, 
so  they  must  be  rightly  placed;  for  the  mis- 
placing of  any  work  is  as  bad  as  the  mistiming 
of  it. 

When  I say  things  if  good  must  be  rightly 
placed.  I mean  we  should  not  give  to  any  work 
more  than  the  word  of  God  alloweth  it,  neither 
should  we  give  it  less.  Mint,  anise,  and  cum- 
min are  not  so  weighty  matters  as  faith  and 
the  love  of  God,  as  in  Matt.  xxii.  23.  For  a 
pastor  to  be  exercising  the  office  of  a deacon 
instead  of  the  office  of  a pastor,  it  is  mispla- 
cing of  works.  Acts  vi.  2.  For  Martha  to  be 


making  outward  provision  for  Christ  when  she 
should  have  set  at  his  feet  to  hear  his  word 
was  the  misplacing  a work : and  her  sister  to 
have  done  it  at  her  request  (though  the  thing 
in  itself  was  good)  had  been  her  sin  also. 

Farther,  there  are  three  things  that  a man 
should  have  in  his  eye  in  every  work  he  doth  : 

1st.  The  honour  of  God.  2dly.  The  edifica- 
tion of  his  neighbour.  3dly.  The  expediency 
or  inexpediency  of  what  I am  to  do.  And 
always  observe  it  that  the  honour  of  God  is 
wrapped  up  in  the  edification  of  thy  neigh- 
bour; and  the  edification  of  thy  neighbour  in 
the  expediency  of  what  thou  dost. 

Again,  if  thou  wouldst  walk  to  the  edifica- 
tion of  thy  neighbour,  and  so  to  God’s  honour 
in  the  midst  of  thy  observers,  beware — 

1st.  That  thou  in  thy  words  and  carriages 
dost  so  demean  thyself  that  Christ  in  his  pre- 
vious benefits  may  be  with  clearness  spoken 
forth  by  thee;  and  take  heed  that  thou  dost 
not  enter  into  doubtful  points  with  them  that 
are  weak,  but  deal  chiefly,  lovingly,  and  wisely 
with  their  consciences  about  those  matters  that 
tend  to  their  establishment  in  the  faith  of  their 
justification  and  deliverance  from  death  and. 
hell : “ Comfort  the  feeble-minded,  confirm  the 
weak.” 

2dly.  If  thou  be  stronger  than  thy  brother, 
take  heed  that  thou  do  not  that  before  him 
that  may  offend  his  weak  conscience ; I mean 
things  that  to  themselves  may  be  lawful : “ All 
that  is  lawful  is  not  expedient ; all  that  is  law- 
ful edifietli  not.”  Wherefore  here  is  thy  wis- 
dom and  love,  that  thou  in  some  things  deny 
thyself  for  thy  brother’s  sake.  “ I will  not  eat 
meat  while  the  world  standeth,  (said  Paul,) 
lest  I make  my  brother  to  offend.  Wherefore 
have  this  faith  to  thyself  before  God.”  But  if 
thou  walk  otherwise,  know  thou  walkest  not 
charitably,  and  so  not  to  edification,  and  so 
not  to  Christ’s  honour,  but  dost  sin  against 
Christ  and  wound  thy  weak  brother,  for  whom 
Christ  died. 

But  I say  all  this  while  keep  thy  eye  upon 
the  word : take  heed  of  going  contrary  to  that 
under  any  pretence  whatever;  for  without  the 
word  there  is  nothing  to  God’s  glory  nor  thy 
brother’s  edification.  Wherefore,  walk  wisely 
in  a perfect  way. 

Having  thus,  in  few  words,  showed  you 
what  are  works  rightly  good,  I beseech  you  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  that  you 
put  yourselves  into  a conscientious  perform- 
ance of  them,  that  you  may,  while  you  live 
here,  be  vessels  of  honour,  fit  for  the  Master’s 


2o4 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


use  and  prepared  to  every  good  work.  Study 
to  approve  tilings  that  are  excellent,  that  you 
may  be  sincere  and  without  offence  until  the 
day  of  Christ:  covet  communion  with  God, 
covet  earnestly  the  best  gifts.  Ah ! we  that 
are  redeemed  from  among  men,  and  that  re- 
joice in  the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God — we  that 
look,  I say,  for  the  blessed  hope  and  the  glori- 
ous appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ — what  manner  of  persons  should 
we  be  in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness ! 

To  conclude,  for  your  further  edification, 
take  a plain  rehearsal  of  your  several  general 
duties  and  works,  to  which  God  engageth  you 
in  his  word,  according  to  your  places,  callings, 
and  relations  in  this  world. 

TOUCHING  THE  MASTER  OF  A FAMILY. 

If  thou  have  under  thee  a family,  then  thou 
art  to  consider  the  several  relations  thou  stand- 
est  under,  and  art  to  know  that  thou  in  each 
of  them  hast  a work  to  do  for  God,  and  that  he 
expecteth  thy  faithful  deportment  under  every 
one  of  them.  As, 

First,  then,  in  general:  He  that  is  the 
master  of  a family  hath,  as  under  that,  rela- 
tion, a work  to  do  for  God ; to  wit,  the  right 
governing  of  his  own  family.  And  his  work 
is  twofold. 

1.  Touching  the  spiritual  state  thereof.  2. 
Touching  the  outward. 

As  touching  the  spiritual  state  of  his  family, 
he  ought  to  be  very  diligent  and  circumspect, 
doing  his  utmost  endeavour  both  to  increase 
faith  where  it  is  begun  and  to  begin  it  where 
it  is  not. 

Wherefore,  to  this  .end,  he  ought  diligently 
and  frequently  to  lay  before  his  household  such 
things  of  God,  out  of  his  word,  as  are  suitable 
for  each  particular.  And  let  no  man  question 
his  rule  in  the  word  of  God  for  such  a prac- 
tice ; for  if  the  thing  itself  were  but  of  good 
report  and  a thing  tending  to  civil  honesty,  it 
is  within  the  compass  and  bounds  even  of  na- 
ture itself,  and  ought  to  be  done,  much  more 
things  of  a higher  nature  ; besides,  the  apostle 
exhorts  us  to  “ whatever  things  are  honest, 
whatever  things  are  true,  just,  and  of  good  re- 
port,” to  think  of  them,  that  is,  to  be  mindful 
to  do  them  ; but  to  be  conversant  in  this  godly 
exercise  in  our  family  is  very  worthy  of  praise, 
and  doth  much  become  all  Christians.  This  is 
one  of  the  things  for  which  God  so  highly  com- 
mended his  servant  Abraham,  and  that  with 
which  his  heart  was  so  much  affected : “ I 
know  Abraham,”  saitli  God;  “ I know  him  to 


be  a good  man  in  very  deed,  for  he  will  com- 
mand his  children,  and  his  household  after 
him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord.” 
This  was  a thing  also  which  good  Joshua  de- 
signed should  be  his  practice  as  long  as  he  had 
a breathing-time  in  this  world : “ As  for  me, 
(saith  he,)  I and  my  household,  we  will  serve 
the  Lord.” 

Further,  we  find  also  in  the  New  Testament 
that  they  are  looked  upon  as  Christians  of  an 
inferior  rank  that  have  not  a due  regard  to 
this  duty;  yea,  so  inferior  as  not  fit  to  be 
chosen  to  any  office  in  the  Church  of  God.  A 
pastor  must  be  one  that  ruleth  well  his  own 
house,  having  his  children  in  subjection  with 
all  gravity : For  if  a man  knoweth  not  how  to 
rule  his  own  house,  how  shall  he  take  care  of 
tire  Church  of  God?  “ The  deacon  also  (saith 
he)  must  be  the  husband  of  one  wife,”  ruling 
their  children  and  their  own  house  well.  Mark 
a little,  the  apostle  seems  to  lay  down  thus 
much,  that  a man  that  governs  his  family  well 
hath  one  qualification  belonging  to  a pastor  or 
deacon  in  the  house  of  God,  (for  he  that  know- 
eth not  how  to  rule  his  own  house,  how  shall 
he  take  care  of  the  Church  of  God?)  which 
thing  considered,  it  giveth  us  light  into  the 
work  of  the  master  of  a family  touching  the 
governing  of  his  house. 

1.  First,  then,  a pastor  must  be  sound  and 
uncorrupt  in  his  doctrine ; and  indeed  so  must 
the  masder  of  a family. 

2.  A pastor  should  be  apt  to  teach,  to  reprove, 
and  to  exhort ; and  so  should  the  master  of  a 
family. 

3.  A pastor  must  himself  be  exemplary  in 
faith  and  holiness ; and  so  also  should  the  mas- 
ter of  a family.  “I  (saith  David)  will  behave 
myself  in  a perfect  way ; I will  walk  in  (or 
before)  my  house  in  a perfect  way.” 

4.  The  pastor  is  for  getting  the  church  to- 
gether ; and  when  they  are  so  come  together, 
then  to  pray  among  them  and  to  preach  unto 
them:  this  is  also  commendable  in  Christ  an 
masters  of  families. 

Objection.  But  my  family  is  ungodly  and 
unruly  touching  all  that  is  good : what  shall 
I do? 

Ansiver.  I answer — 1.  Though  this  be  true, 
yet  thou  must  rule  them,  and  not  they  thee. 
Thou  art  set  over  them  of  God,  and  thou  art  to 
use  the  authority  which  God  hath  given  thee, 
both  to  rebuke  their  vice  and  to  show  them  the 
evil  of  their  rebelling  against  the  Lord.  This 
did  Eli,  though  not  enough;  and  thus  did 
David. 


CHRISTIA  N BE II A VIO  UR. 


255 


Also,  thou  must  toll  them  how  sad  thy  state 
was  when  .thou  wast  in  their  condition,  and  so 
labour  to  recover  them  out  of  the  snare  of  the 
devil. 

2.  Thou  oughtest  also  to  labour  to  draw 
them  forth  to  God’s  public  worship,  if  perad- 
venture  God  may  convert  their  souls.  Saith 
Jacob  to  his  household,  and  to  all  that  were 
about  him,  “ Let  us  arise  and  go  to  Bethel,  and 
I will  make  there  an  altar  to  God,  that  an- 
swered me  in  the  day  of  my  distress.” 

Hannah  would  carry  Samuel  to  Shiloh,  that 
he  might  abide  with  God  for  ever.  Indeed  a 
soul  rightly  touched  will  labour  to  draw  not  only 
their  families  but  a whole  city  after  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  If  they  are  obstinate,  and  will  not  go  forth 
with  thee,  then  do  thou  get  godly  and  sound 
men  to  thy  house,  and  there  let  the  word  of 
God  be  preached,  when  thou  hast,  as  Cornelius, 
gathered  thy  family  and  friends  together. 

You  know  that  the  jailer,  Lydia,  Crispus, 
Gains,  Stephanus,  and  others  had  not  only 
themselves  but  their  families  made  gracious  by 
the  word  preached,  and  that  some  of  them,  if 
not  all,  by  the  word  preached  in  their  houses. 
And  this,  for  aught  I know,  might  be  one 
reason  among  many  why  the  apostles  taught 
in  their  day,  not  only  publicly,  but  from  house 
to  house : I say,  that  they  might,  if  possible, 
bring  in  those  in  some  family  which  yet  re- 
mained unconverted  and  in  their  sins;  for 
some,  you  know,  how  usual  it  was  in  the  day 
of  Christ  to  invite  him  to  their  house  if  they 
had  any  afflicted  that  either  would  not  or 
could  not  come  unto  him. 

If  this  be  the  way  with  those  that  have  out- 
ward diseases  in  their  families,  how  much  more 
then  where  there  are  souls  that  have  need  of 
Christ  to  save  them  from  death  and  eternal 
damnation  ? 

4.  Take  heed  that  thou  dost  not  neglect  fam- 
ily duties  among  them  thyself,  as  reading  the 
word  and  prayer;  if  thou  hast  one  in  thy  fam- 
ily that  is  gracious,  take  encouragement;  nay, 
if  thou  art  alone,  yet  know  that  thou  hast  both 
liberty  to  go  to  God  through  Christ,  and  also 
art  at  that  time  in  a capacity  of  having  the 
universal  Church  join  with  thee  for  the  whole 
number  of  those  that  shall  be  saved. 

5.  Take  heed  that  thou  suffer  not  any  un- 
godly, profane,  or  heretical  books  or  discourse 
in  thy  house:  “Evil  communications  corrupt 
good  manners.”  I mean  such  profane  or  he- 
retical books,  &c.,  as  either  tend  to  provoke  to 
looseness  of  life  or  such  as  do  oppose  the  fun- 
damentals of  the  Gospel. 


I know  that  Christians  must  be  allowed 
their  liberty  as  to  things  indifferent;  but  for 
those  things  that  strike  either  at  faith  or  holi- 
ness, they  ought  to  be  abandoned  by  all  Chris- 
tians, and  especially  by  the  pastors  of  churches 
and  masters  of  families;  which  practice  was 
figured  out  by  Jacob’s  commanding  his  house 
and  all  that  was  with  him  to  put  away  the 
strange  gods  from  among  them  and  to  change 
their  garments. 

All  those  in  the  Acts  set  a good  example  for 
this,  who  took  their  curious  books  and  burned 
them  before  all  men,  though  they  were  worth 
five  thousand  pieces  of  silver. 

The  neglect  of  this  fourth  particular  hath 
occasioned  ruin  in  many  families  both  among 
children  and  servants.  It  is  easier  for  vain 
talkers  and  their  deceivable  works  to  subvert 
whole  households  than  many  are  afware  of. 

Thus  much  touching  the  spiritual  state  of 
thy  household.  And  now  to  its  outward. 

Touching  the  outward  state  of  thy  family, 
thou  art  to  consider  these  three  things : 

1.  That  it  lieth  upon  thee  to  care  for  them 
that  they  have  a convenient  livelihood : “ If 
any  man  provide  not  for  his  own,  and  espe- 
cially for  those  of  his  house,  he  hath  denied 
the  faith  and  is  worse  than  an  infidel.”  But 
mark  when  the  word  said,  “ Thou  art  to  pro- 
vide for  thy  house,”  it  giveth  thee  no  license 
to  distracting  carefulness;  neither  doth  it  al- 
low thee  to  strive  to  grasp  the  world  in  thy 
heart  or  coffers,  nor  to  take  care  for  years 
or  days  to  come,  but  so  to  provide  for  them 
that  they  may  have  food  and  raiment ; and  if 
either  they  or  thou  be  not  content  with  that, 
you  launch  out  beyond  the  rule  of  God. 
This  is  to  labour  that  you  may  have  where- 
with to  maintain  good  works  for  necessary 
uses. 

And  never  object  that  unless  you  reach 
farther  it  will  never  do;  for  that  is  hut  unbe- 
lief. The  word  saith,  “That  God  feedeth  the 
ravens,  careth  for  sparrows,  and  clothetli  the 
grass;  in  which  three,  to  feed,  clothe,  and  care 
for,  is  as  much  as  heart  can  wish. 

2.  Therefore,  though  thou  shouldst  provide 
for  thy  family,  yet  let  all  thy  labour  be  mixed 
with  moderation : “ Let  your  moderation  be 
known  unto  all  men.”  Take  heed  of  driving 
so  hard  after  this  world  as  to  hinder  thyself 
and  family  from  those  duties  towards  God 
which  thou  art  by  grace  obliged  to,  as  private 
prayer,  reading  the  Scriptures,  and  Christian 
conference.  It  is  a base  thing  for  men  so  to 
spend  themselves  and  families  after  this  world 


256 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


as  that  they  disengage  their  heart  to  God’s 
worship. 

Christians,  “ the  time  is  short.  It  remaineth 
1 % / 
then  that  they  that  have  wives  he  as  those 

that  have  none ; and  they  that  weep,  as  though 

they  wept  not;  and  they  that  rejoice,  as  those 

that  rejoice  not;  and  they  that  use  this  world, 

as  not  abusing  it ; for  the  fashion  of  this  world 

passeth  away.” 

Many  Christians  live  and  do  in  this  world  as 
if  religion  was  but  a by-business,  and  this 
world  the  one  thing  necessary ; when  indeed 
all  the  things  of  this  world  are  but  things  by 
the  by,  and  religion  only  the  one  thing  need- 
ful. 

3.  If  thou  wouldst  be  such  a master  of  a 
family  as  becomes  thee,  thou  must  see  that 
there  be  that  Christian  harmony  among  those 
under  thee  as  becomes,  that  house  where  one 
ruleth  that  feareth  God. 

(1.)  Thou  must  look  that  thy  children  and 
servants  be  under  subjection  to  the  word  of 
God ; for  though  it  is  of  God  only  to  rule  the 
heart,  yet  he  expecteth  that  thou  shouldst  rule 
their  outward  man ; which,  if  thou  doest  not, 
he  may  in  a short  time  cut  off  all  thy  stock. 
See  therefore  that  thou  keep  them  temperate 
in  all  things,  in  apparel,  in  language,  that  they 
be  not  gluttons  nor  drunkards;  nor  suffering 
either  thy  children  vaiuly  to  domineer  over 
thy  servants,  nor  they  again  to  carry  them- 
selves foolishly  towards  each  other. 

(2.)  Learn  to  distinguish  between  that  in- 
jury that  in  thy  family  is  done  to  thee  and 
that  which  is  done  to  God ; and  though  thou 
oughtest  to  be  very  zealous  for  the  Lord,  and  to 
bear  nothing  that  is  open  transgression  to  him, 
yet  here  will  be  thy  wisdom — -to  pass  by  per- 
sonal injuries  and  to  bury  them  in  oblivion  : 
“ Love  coveretlr  a multitude  of  sins.”  Be  not 
then  like  those  that' will  rage  and  stare  like 
madmen  when  they  are  injured,  and  yet  either 
laugh,  or  at  least  not  soberly  rebuke  and  warn, 
when  God  is  dishonoured. 

Rule  thy  own  house  well,  having  thy  chil- 
dren (with  others  in  thy  family)  in  subjection 
with  all  gravity. 

Solomon  was  so  excellent,  sometimes,  this 
way  that  he  made  the  eyes  of  his  beholders  to 
dazzle. 

But  to  break  off  from  this  general  and  come 
to  particulars : 

First,  Hast  thou  a wife?  Thou  must  con- 
sider how  thou  oughtest  to  behave  thyself 
under  that  relation ; and  to  do  this  aright 
thou  must  consider  .the  condition  of  thy  wife. 


whether  she  be  one  that'  indeed  belicveth  or 
not.  If  she  believeth,  then, 

1.  Thou  art  engaged  to  bless  God  for  her; 
“For  her  price  is  far  above  rubies,  and  she  is 
the  gift  of  God  unto  thee,  and  is  for  tby  adorn- 
ing and  glory.  Favour  is  deceitful,  and  beauty 
is  vain ; but  a woman  that  feareth  the  Lord, 
she  shall  be  praised.” 

2.  Thou  oughtest  to  love  her  under  a double 
consideration:  1.  As  she  is  thy  flesh  and  thy 
bone;  “For  never  man  yet  hated  his  own 
flesh.”  2.  As  she  is  together  with  thee  an  heir 
of  the  grace  of  life.  This,  I say,  should  en- 
gage thee  to  love  her  with  Christian  love;  to 
love  her  as  believing  you  both  are  dearly  be- 
loved of  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
as  those  that  must  be  together  with  him  in 
eternal  happiness. 

3.  Thou  oughtest  so  to  carry  thyself  to  and 
before  her  as  doth  Christ  to  and  before  his 
Church ; as  sai'th  the  apostle : “ So  ought  men 
to  love  their  wives,  even  as  Christ  loved  the 
Church  and  gave  himself  for  it.”  When  hus- 
bands behave  themselves  like  husbands  indeed, 
then  will  they  be  not  only  husbands,  but  such 
an  ordinance  of  God  to  the  wife  as  will  preach 
to  her  the  carriage  of  Christ  to  his  spouse. 
There  is  a sweet  scent  wrapped  up  in  the  rela- 
tions of  husbands  and  wives  that  believe : the 
wife,  I say,  signifying  the  Church,  and  the 
husband  the  head  and  Saviour  thereof.  “ For 
the  husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife,  even  as 
Christ  is  the  head  of  the  Church;”  and  he  is 
the  Saviour  of  the  body. 

This  is  one  of  God’s  chief  ends  in  instituting 
marriage,  that  Christ  and  his  Church,  under  a 
figure,  might  be  wherever  there  is  a couple 
that  believe  through  grace. 

Wherefore  that  husband  that  carrieth  it  un- 
discreetly  towards  his  wife,  he  doth  not  only 
behave  himself  contrary  to  the  rule,  but  also 
maketli  his  wife  lose  the  benefit  of  such  an 
ordinance,  and  crosseth  the  mystery  of  his  re- 
lation. Therefore,  I say,  “ So  ought  men  to 
love  their  wives  as  their  own  bodies : he  that 
loveth  his  wife,  lovetli  himself;  for  no  man 
ever  yet  hated  his  own  flesh,  but  nourisheth 
and  cherislieth  it,  even  as  the  Lord  the 
Church.”  Christ  laid  out  his  life  for  his 
Church,  covereth  her  infirmities,  communicates 
to  her  his  wisdom,  protectetli  her  and  helpeth 
her  in  her  employments  in  this  world;  and  so 
ought  men  to  do  for  their  wives. 

Solomon  and  Pharaoh’s  daughter  had  the 
art  of  thus  doing,  as  you  may  see  in  the  book 
of  the  Canticles. 


CHRIST  I A y n Ell  A VIO  UR. 


257 


Wherefore  hear  with  their  weaknesses,  help 
their  infirmities,  and  honour  them  as  the 
weaker  vessels  and  as  be.ng  of  a frailer  con- 
stitution. 

In  a word,  be  such  a husband  to  thy  believ- 
ing wife  that  she  may  say,  God  hath  not  only 
given  me  a husband,  but.  such  a husband  as 
preacheth  to  me  every  day  the  carriage  of 
Christ  to  his  Church. 

Secondly,  If  thy  wife  be  unbelieving  or  car- 
nal, then  thou  hast  also  a duty  lying  before 
theo,  which  thou  art  engaged  to  perform  under 
a double  engagement:  1.  For  that  she  lietli 
liable  every  moment  to  eternal  damnation:  2. 
That  she  is  thy  wife  that  is  in  this  evil  case. 

Oh  how  little  sense  of  the  worth  of  souls  is 
there  in  the  hearts  of  some  husbands,  as  is 
manifest  by  their  unchristian  carriage  to  and 
before  their  wives ! 

Now,  to  qualify  thee  for  a carriage  suitable, 

1.  Labour  seriously  after  a sense  of  her 
miserable  state,  that  thy  bowels  may  yearn 
towards  her  soul. 

2.  Beware  that  she  take  no  occasion  from 
any  unseemly  carriage  of  thine  to  proceed  in 
evil.  And  here  thou  hast  need  to  double  thy 
diligence,  for  she  lieth  in  thy  bosom,  and 
therefore  is  capable  of  espying  the  least  mis- 
carriage in  thee. 

3.  If  she  behave  herself  unseemly  and  un- 
ruly, as  she  is  subject  to  do,  being  Christless 
and  graceless,  then  labour  thou  to  overcome 
her  evil  with  thy  goodness,  her  frowardness  with 
thy  patience  and  meekness.  It  is  a shame  for 
thee,  who  hast  another  principle,  to  do  as 
she. 

4.  Take  fit  opportunities  to  convince  her. 
Observe  her  disposition,  and  when  she  is  most 
likely  to  hear,  then  speak  to  her  very  heart. 

5.  When  thou  speakest  speak  to  purpose. 
It  is  no  matter  for  many  words,  provided  they 
be  pertinent.  Job  in  a few  words  answers  his 
wife,  and  takes  her  oft'  from  her  foolish  talk- 
ing: “Thou  speakest  (saith  he)  like  one  of 
the  foolish  women : shall  we  receive  good  at 
the  hands  of  God,  and  shall  we  not  receive 
evil  ?” 

6.  Let  all  be  done  without  rancour  or  the 
least  appearance  of  anger : “ With  meekness 
instruct  those  that  oppose  themselves,  if  per- 
adventure  they  may  recover  themselves  out  of 
the  snare  of  the  devil  who  are  taken  captive 
by  him  at  his  will.” 

“And  knowest  thou,  0 man,  but  thou  may- 
est  save  thy  wife  ?” 

17 


TOUCHING  PARENTS. 

If  thou  art  a parent,  a father  or  a mother, 
then  thou  art  to  consider  thy  calling  under 
this  relation. 

Thy  children  have  souls,  and  they  must  be 
begotten  of  God  as  well  as  of  thee,  or  they 
perish. 

And  know  also  that  unless  thou  be  very  cir- 
cumspect in  thy  behaviour  to  and  before  them, 
they  may  perish  through  thee;  the  thoughts 
of  which  should  provoke  thee  both  to  instruct 
and  also  to  correct  them. 

1.  To  instruct  them  as  the  Scripture  saith, 
and  to  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord;  and  to  do  this 
diligently  when  thou  sittest  in  thy  house, 
when  thou  liest  down,  and  when  thou  risest 
up. 

Now  to  do  this  to  purpose, 

1.  Do  it  in  terms  and  words  easy  to  be  un- 
derstood: affect  not  high  expressions,  they  will 
drown  your  children.  Thus  God  spake  to  his 
children,  and  Paul  to  his. 

2.  Take  heed  of  filling  their  heads  with 
whimsies  and  unprofitable  notions,  for  this 
will  sooner  learn  them  to  be  malapert  and 
proud  than  sober  and  humble.  Open  there- 
fore to  them  the  state  of  man  by  nature ; dis- 
course with  them  of  sin,  of  death,  and  hell  ; 
of  a crucified  Saviour,  and  the  promise  of  life 
through  faith:  “Train  up  a child  in  the  way 
he  should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not 
depart  from  it.” 

3.  There  must  be  much  gentleness  and 
patience  in  all  thy  instructions,  lest  they  be 
discouraged. 

4.  Labour  to  convince  them  by  a conversa- 
tion answerable  that  the  things  of  which  thou 
instructest  them  are  not  fables,  but  realities, 
yea,  and  realities  so  far  above  what  can  be 
here  enjoyed  that  all  things,  were  they  a thou- 
sand times  better  than  they  are,  are  not  worthy 
to  be  compared  with  the  glory  and  worthiness 
of  these  things. 

Isaac  was  so  holy  before  bis  children  that 
when  Jacob  remembered  God,  he  remembered 
that  he  was  the  fear  of  his  father  Isaac. 

Ah ! when  children  can  think  of  their 
parents,  and  bless  God  for  that  instruction 
and  good  they  have  received  from  them,  this 
is  not  only  profitable  for  children,  but  hon- 
ourable and  comfortable  to  parents:  “The 
father  of  the  righteous  shall  greatly  rejoice ; 
and  he  that  begetteth  a wise  child  shall  have 
joy  of  him.” 


258 


B UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


TOUCHING  CORRECTION. 

1.  See  if  fair  words  will  win  them  from 
evft.  This  is  God’s  way  with  his  children. 

2.  Let  those  words  you  speak  to  them  in 
your  reproof  be  both  sober,  few,  and  perti- 
nent, adding  always  some  suitable  sentence  of 
the  Scripture  therewith;  as,  if  they  lie,  then 
such  as  Rev.  xxi.  8,  27 ; if  they  refuse  to  hear 
the  word,  such  as  2 Chron.  xxv.  14-16. 

3.  Look  to  them  that  they  be  not  compan- 
ions with  those  that  are  rude  and  ungodly, 
showing  with  soberness  a continual  dislike  of 
their  naughtiness ; often  crying  out  to  them, 
as  God  did  of  old  unto  his,  “ Oh  do  not  this 
abominable  thing  that  I hate.” 

Let  all  this  be  mixed  with  such  love,  pity, 
and  compunction  of  spirit  that  if  possible  they 
may  be  convinced  you  dislike  not  their  per- 
sons, but  their  sins.  This  is  God’s  way. 

5.  Be  often  endeavouring  to  fasten  on  their 
consciences  the  day  of  their  death  and  judg- 
ment to  come.  Thus  also  God  deals  with 
his. 

6.  If  thou  art  driven  to  the  rod,  then- — 1. 
Strike  advisedly,  in  cold  blood,  and  soberly 
show  them — 1.  their  fault ; 2.  how  much  it  is 
against  thy  heart  thus  to  deal  with  them ; 3. 
and  that  what  thou  dost  thou  dost  in  con- 
science to  God  and  love  to  their  souls ; 4. 
and  tell  them  that  if  fair  means  would  have 
done,  none  of  this  severity  should  have  been. 
This,  I have  proved  ■ it,  will  be  a means  to 
afflict  their  hearts  as  well  as  their  bodies; 
and  it  being  the  way  that  God  deals  with 
his,  it  is  the  most  likely  to  accomplish  its 
end. 

7.  Follow  all  this  with  prayer  to  God  for 
them,  and  leave  the  issue  to  him:  “Folly  is 
bound  up  in  the  heart  of  a child,  but  the  rod 
of  correction  will  fetch  it  out.” 

Lastly,  observe  these  cautions : 

(1.)  Take  heed  that  the  misdeeds  for  which 
Ihou  correctest  thy  children  be  not  learned 
them  by  thee.  Many  children  learn  that 
wickedness  of  their  parents  for  which  they 
beat  and  chastise  them. 

(2.)  Take  heed  thou  smile  not  upon  them 
to  encourage  them  in  small  faults,  lest  that 
thy  carriage  to  them  be  an  encouragement  to 
them  to  commit  greater. 

(3.)  Take  heed  thou  use  not  unsavoury  and 
unseemly  words  in  thy  chastising  of  them,  as 
railing,  miscalling,  and  the  like.  This  is 
devilish. 

(4.)  Take  heed  thou  do  not  use  them  to 
many  chiding  words  and  threatenings,  mixed 


with  lightness  and  laughter;  this  will  harden. 
Speak  not  much,  not  often,  but  pertinent  to 
them,  with  all  gravity. 

OF  MASTERS  TO  SERVANTS. 

Masters  also  have  a work  to  do  as  they 
stand  related  to  their  servants.  And, 

1.  If  possibly  they  can,  to  get  them  that  fear 
God:  “He  that  worketh  deceit  (said  David) 
shall  not  divell  within  my  house ; and  he  that 
telleth  lies  shall  not  tarry  in  my  sight.” 

2.  But  if  none  at  the  present  but  unbelievers 
can  be  got  to  do  thy  labour,  then, 

(1.)  Know  that  it  is  thy  duty  so  to  behave 
thyself  to  thy  servant  that  thy  service  may 
not  only  be  for  thy  good,  but  for  the  good  of 
thy  servant,  and  that  both  in  body  and  soul. 
Wherefore  deal  with  him,  as  to  admonition,  as 
with  thy  children ; give  him  the  same  bread 
of  God  thou  givest  to  them ; and  who  knows 
but  that  if  thou  with  spiritual  delicates  bring- 
est  up  thy  servant,  he  may  become  thy  spir- 
itual son  in  the  end. 

(2.)  Take  heed  thou  do  not  turn  thy  ser- 
vants into  slaves,  by  overcharging  them  in  thy 
work  through  thy  greediness.  To  make  men 
serve  with  rigour  is  more  like  to  Israel’s  en- 
emies than  Christian  masters. 

(3.)  Take  heed  thou  carry  not  thyself  to  thy 
servant  as  he  of  whom  it  is  said,  “ He  is  such 
a man  of  Belial  that  his  servants  could  not 
speak  to  him.” 

And  the  apostle  bids  you  forbear  to  threaten 
them,  “ because  you  also  have  a Master  in 
heaven.”  As  who  should  say,  Your  servants 
cannot  be  guilty  of  so  many  miscarriages 
against  you  as  you  are  guilty  of  against 
Christ : wherefore  do  with  and  to  your  ser- 
vants as  you  would  have  your  Master  do 
with  you. 

(4.)  Take  heed  that  thou  neither  circum- 
vent him  at  his  coming  to  thy  service  nor  at 
his  going  out. 

Servants  at  their  going  into  service  may  be 
beguiled  two  ways : 

1st.  By  their  masters  lying  unto  them,  say- 
ing their  work  is  so  small  and  so  easy,  when  it 
is  indeed,  if  not  too  burdensome,  yet  far  be- 
yond what  at  first  was  said  of  it.  This  is  be- 
guiling of  them. 

2dly.  The  other  way  is  when  masters  greed- 
ily seek  to  wire-draw  their  servants  to  such 
wages  as  indeed  is  too  little  and  inconsider- 
able for  such  work  and  labour.  Both  these 
the  apostle  opposeth  where  hesaith,  “Masters, 
give  to  your  servants  that  which  is  just — -just 


CHRISTIAN  BEIIA  VIO  UR. 


labour  and  just%agcs — knowing  that  you  also 
have  a Master  in  heaven.” 

As  servants  may  bo  circumvented  at  their 
coming  into  their  labour,  so  also  they  may  be 
at  their  going  out;  which  is  done  by  masters 
that  either  change  their  wages,  like  heathenish 
Laban,  or  keep  it  back,  like  those  against  whom 
God  will  be  a swift  witness. 

(3.)  Take  heed  that  thou  make  not  a gain 
of  thy  place,  because  thou  art  gracious  or 
livest  conveniently  for  the  means  of  grace. 

Servants  that  are  truly  godly,  they  care  not 
how  cheap  they  serve  their  masters,  provided 
they  may  get  into  private  families,  or  where 
they  may  be  convenient  for  the  word.  Ihit 
now,  if  a master  or  mistress  should  take  this 
opportunity  to  make  a prey  of  their  servants, 
this  is  abominable,  this  is  making  a gain  of 
godliness  and  merchandise  of  the  things  of 
God  and  of  the  soul  of  thy  brother. 

I have  heard  some  poor  servants  say  that  in 
some  carnal  families  they  have  had  more  lib- 
erty to  God’s  things  and  more  fairness  of  deal- 
ing than  among  professors;  but  this  stinketh. 
And  as  Jacob  said  concerning  the  cruelty  of 
his  two  sons,  so  may  I say  of  such  masters, 
they  make  religion  stink  before  the  inhabitants 
of  the  land. 

In  a word,  learn  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  carry 
yourselves  well  to  your  servants,  that  your  ser- 
vants also  may  learn  something  of  the  kind- 
ness of  Christ  by  your  deportment  to  them. 
Servants  are  goers  as  well  as  comers;  take  heed 
that  thou  give  them  no  occasion  to  scandal  the 
Gospel  when  they  are  gone  for  what  they  ob- 
served thee  unrighteously  to  do  when  they 
were  with  thee.  Then  masters  carry  it  rightly 
toward  their  servants  when  they  labour  both 
in  word  and  life  to  convince  them  that  the 
things  of  God  are  the  one  thing  necessary. 
That  which  servants  are  commanded  to  do 
touching  their  fear,  their  singleness  of  heart, 
their  doing  what  they  do  as  to  the  Lord,  and 
not  to  men,  the  master  is  commanded  to  do  the 
same  things  unto  them. 

TIIE  DUTY  OF  WIVES. 

But,  passing  the  master  of  the  family,  I shall 
speak  a word  or  two  to  those  that  are  under  him. 

And  first  to  the  wife.  The  wife  is  bound  by 
the  law  to  her  husband  so  long  as  her  husband 
liveth,  wherefore  she  also  hath  her  work  and 
place  in  the  family  as  well  sis  the  rest. 

Now  there  are  these  things  considerable  in 
the  carriage  of  a wife  toward  her  husband, 
which  she  ought  conscientiously  to  observe: 


259 

1.  That  she  look  upon  him  as  her  head  and 
lord.  The  head  of  the  woman  is  the  man, 
and  so  Sarah  called  Abraham  lord. 

2.  She  should  therefore  be  subject  to  him, 
as  is  fit  in  the  Lord.  The  apostle saith,  “That 
the  wife  should  submit  herself  to  her  husband, 
as  to  the  Lord.”  I told  you  before  that  if  the 
husband  doth  walk  towards  his  wife  as  becomes 
him,  he  will  therein  be  such  an  ordinance  of 
God  to  her,  besides  the  relation  of  an  husband, 
that  shall  preach  to  her  the  carriage  of  Christ 
to  his  Church.  And  now  I say  also  that  the 
wife,  if  she  walk  with  her  husband  as  becomes 
her,  she  shall  preach  the  obedience  of  the 
Church  to  her  husband.  Therefore  as  the 
Church  is  subject  to  Christ,  so  let  the  wives  be 
to  their  own  husbands  in  every  thing. 

Now,  for  thy  performing  of  this  work,  thou 
must  first  shun  these  evils: 

1.  The  evil  of  a wandering  and  a gossiping 
spirit;  this  is  evil  in  the  Church,  and  is  evil 
also  in  a wife,  who  is  the  figure  of  a Church. 
Christ  loveth  to  have  his  spouse  keep  at  home ; 
that  is,  to  be  with  him  in  the  faith  and  prac- 
tice of  his  things,  not  ranging  and  meddling 
with  the  things  of  Satan:  no  more  should 
wives  be  given  to  wander  and  gossip  abroad. 
You  know  that  Prov.  vii.  11  saith,  “She  is 
loud  and  stubborn,  her  feet  abide  not  in  her 
house.” 

Wives  should  be  about  their  own  husband’s 
business  at  home;  as  the  apostle  saith,  “Let 
them  be  discreet,  chaste,  keepers  at  home, 
good,  obedient  to  their  own  husband.”  And 
why?  Because  otherwise  the  word  of  God 
will  be  blasphemed. 

2.  Take  heed  of  an  idle,  talking,  or  wrang- 
ling tongue.  This  also  is  odious,  either  in 
maids  or  wives,  to  be  like  parrots,  not  bridling 
their  tongue;  whereas  the  wife  should  know, 
as  I said  before,  that  her  husband  is  her  lord, 
and  is  over  her,  as  Christ  is  over  the  Church. 
Do  you  think  it  is  seemly  for  the  Church  to 
parrot  it  against  her  husband?  Is  she  not  to 
be  silent  before  him,  and  to  look  to  his  laws 
rather  than  her  own  fictions?  Why  so,  saith 
the  apostle,  ought  the  wife  to  carry  it  towards 
her  husband.  Let  the  woman,  saith  Paul, 
learn  in  silence  with  all  subjection;  but  I suf- 
fer not  a woman  to  teach  or  to  usurp  authority 
over  the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence. 

It  is  an  unseemly  thing  to  see  a woman  so 
much  as  once  in  all  her  lifetime  to  offer  to 
overtop  her  husband ; she  ought  in  every  thing 
to  be  in  subjection  to  him  and  in  all  she  doth, 
as  having  her  warrant,  license,  and  authority 


260 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


from  him.  And  indeed  here  is  her  glory,  even 
to  he  under  him,  as  the  Church  is  under  Christ: 
“Now  she  openeth  her  mouth  in  wisdom,  and 
her  tongue  is  the  law  of  kindness.” 

3.  Take  heed  of  affecting  immodest  apparel 
or  a wanton  gait ; this  will  be  evil  both  abroad 
and  at  home;  abroad,  it  will  not  only  give  ill 
example,  but  also  tend  to  tempt  to  lust  and 
lasciviousness;  and  at  home  it  will  give  an  of- 
fence A a godly  husband,  and  be  cankering  to 
ungodly  children,  &c.  Wherefore,  as  saitli  the 
apostle,  “ Let  women’s  apparel  be  modest,  as 
becometh  women  professing  godliness  with 
good  works,”  “ not  with  broidered  hair,  or  gold, 
or  pearls,  or  costly  array.”  And  as  it  is  said 
again,  “ Whose  adorning,  let  it  not  be  that  out- 
ward adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wear- 
ing gold,  and  of  putting  on  of  apparel ; but  let  it 
be  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  in  that  which 
is  not  corruptible,  even  the  ornament  of  a 
meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  is  in  the  sight  of 
God  of  great  price;  for  after  this  manner  in 
old  time  the  holy  women  also,  who  trusted  in 
God,  adorned  themselves,  being  in  subjection 
to  their  own  husbands.” 

But  yet  do  not  think  that  by  the  subjection 
I have  here  mentioned  I do  intend  women 
should  be  their  husbands’  slaves.  Women  are 
their  husbands’  yoke-fellows,  their  flesh  and 
their  bones;  and  he  is  not  a man  that  hateth 
his  own  flesh  or  that  is  bitter  against  it. 
Wherefore  let  every  man  love  his  .wife  as  him- 
self, and  the  wife  see  that  she  reverence  her 
husband. 

The  wife  js  master  next  her  husband,  and  is 
to  rule  all  in  his  absence:  yea,  in  his  jwesence 
she  is  to  guide  the  house,  to  bring  up  the  chil- 
dren, provided  she  so  do  it  as  the  adversary  have 
no  occasion  to  speak  reproachfully.  “Who 
can  find  a virtuous  woman?  For  her  price  is 
far  above  rubies.  A gracious  woman  retain- 
eth  honour,  and  guideth  her  affairs  with  dis- 
cretion.” 

Objection.  But  my  husband  is  an  unbeliever: 
what  shall  I do  ? 

Answer.  If  so,  then  what  I have  said  before 
lieth  upon  thee  with  an  engagement  so  much 
the  stronger.  For — 1.  Thy  husband  being  in 
this  condition,  he  will  be  watchful  to  take  thy 
slips  and  infirmities,  to  throw  them  as  dirt  in 
the  face  of  God  and  thy  Saviour.  2.  He  will 
be  apt  to  make  the  worst  of  every  one  of  thy 
wc  rds,  carriages,  and  gestures.  3.  And  all  this 
doth  tend  to  the  possessing  his  heart  with 
more  hardness,  prejudice,  and  opposition  to  his 
own  salvation.  Wherefore,  as  Peter  saith, 


“Ye  wives,  be  in  subjection  t'o  your  own  hus- 
bands ; that  if  any  obey  not  the  word,  they  may 
also  without  the  word  be  won  by  the  conversa- 
tion of  their  wives,  while  they  behold  your 
chaste  conversation,  coupled  with  fear.”  Thy 
husband’s  salvation  or  damnation  lieth  much 
in  thy  deportment  and  behaviour  before  him  ; 
wherefore,  if  there  be  in  thee  any  fear  of  God 
or  love  to  thy  husband,  seek  by  a carriage  full 
of  meekness,  modesty,  and  holiness,  and  an 
humble  behaviour  before  him,  to  win  him  to 
the  love  of  his  own  salvation ; and  by  thus 
doing,  how  knowest  thou,  0 woman,  but  thou 
shalt  save  thy  husband? 

Objection.  But  my  husband  is  not  only  an 
unbeliever,  but  one  very  froward,  peevish,  and 
testy ; yea,  so  froward,  &c.,  that  I know  not 
how  to  speak  to  him,  to  behave  myself  before 
him. 

Answer.  I-ndeed  there  are  some  wives  in 
great  slavery  by  reason  of  their  ungodly  hus- 
bands, and  as  such  should  be  pitied  and  prayed 
for ; so  they  should  be  so  much  the  more 
watchful  and  circumspect  in  all  their  ways. 

1.  Therefore  be  thou  very  faithful  to  him 
in  all  the  things  of  this  life. 

2.  Bear  with  patience  his  unruly  and  un- 
converted behaviour;  thou  art  alive,  lie  is 
dead  : thou  art  principled  with  grace,  he  with 
sin.  Now  then,  seeing  grace  is  stronger  than 
sin,  and  virtue  than  vice,  be  not  overcome 
with  his  vileness,  but  overcome  that  with  thy 
virtues.  It  is  a shame  for  those  that  are  gra- 
cious to  be  as  lavishing  in  their  words,  &c.,  as 
those  that  are  graceless  : “ They  that  are  slow 
to  wrath  are  of  great  understanding;  but  they 
that  are  hasty  in  spirit  exalt  folly.” 

3.  Thy  wisdom,  therefore,  if  at  any  time 
thou  hast  desire  to  speak  to  thy  husband  for 
his  conviction  concerning  any  thing,  either 
good  or  evil,  it  is  to  observe  convenient  times 
and  seasons. 

“ There  is  a time  to  keep  silence  and  a time 
to  speak.” 

Now  for  the  right  timing  thy  intentions, 

1.  Consider  his  disposition,  and  take  him 
when  he  is  farthest  off  of  those  filthy  passions 
that  are  thy  afflictions.  Abigail  would  not 
speak  a word  to  her  churlish  husband  till  his 
wine  was  gone  from  him  and  he  in  a sober 
temper.  The  want  of  this  observation  is  the 
cause  why  so  much  is  spoken  and  so  little 
effected. 

2.  Take  him  at  those  times  when  he  hath 
his  heart  taken  with  thee,  and  when  he  show- 
etli  tokens  of  love  and  delight  in  thee.  Thus 


CHRISTIAN  UK II A VIOVR. 


2G1 


did  Esther  with  the  king  her  husband,  and 
prevailed. 

3.  Observe  when  convictions  seize  his  con- 
science, and  then  follow  them  with  sound  and 
grave  sayings  of  the  Scriptures.  Somewhat 
like  to  th is  dealt  Mnnoah’s  wife  with  her  hus- 
band. Yet  then, 

1 . Let  thy  words  be  few. 

2.  And  none  of  them  savouring  of  a lording 
it  over  him,  but  speak  thou  still  to  thy  head 
and  lord  by  way  of  entreaty  and  beseeching. 

3.  And  that  in  such  a spirit  of  sympathy 
and  bowels  of  affection  after  bis  good  that  the 
manner  of  thy  speech  and  behaviour  in  speak- 
ing may  be  to  him  an  argument  that  thou 
speakest  in  love,  as  being  sensible  of  his  mis- 
ery and  inflamed  in  thy  soul  with  desire  aftpr 
his  conversion. 

4.  And  follow  thy  words  and  behaviour  with 
prayers  to  God  for  his  soul. 

5.  Still  keeping  thyself  in  a holy,  chaste, 
and  modest  behaviour  before  him. 

Objection.  But  my  husband  is  a sot,  a fool, 
and  one  that  hath  not  wit  enough  to  follow  his 
outward  employment  in  the  world. 

Answer.  1.  Though  all  this  be  true,  yet  thou 
must  know  he  is  thy  head,  thy  lord,  and  thy 
husband. 

2.  Therefore  thou  must  take  heed  of  desiring 
to  usurp  authority  over  him.  He  was  not 
made  for  thee — that  is,  for  thee  to  have  domin- 
ion over  him — but  to  be  thy  husband  and  to 
rule  over  thee. 

3.  Wherefore,  though  in  truth  thou  must 
have  more  discretion  than  he,  yet  thou  ought- 
est to  know  that  thou,  with  all  that  is  thine,  is 
to  be  used  as  under  thy  husband,  even  every 
thing. 

Take  heed  therefore  that  what  thou  dost 
goes  not  in  thy  name,  but  bis ; not  to  thy  ex- 
altation, but  his;  carrying  all  tilings  so,  by  thy 
dexterity  and  prudence,  that  not  one  of  thy 
husband’s  weaknesses  be  discovered  to  others 
by  thee : “ A virtuous  woman  is  a crown  to  her 
husband ; but  she  that  causeth  shame  is  a rot- 
tenness to  his  bones.”  For  then,  as  the  wise 
man  saith,  she  will  do  him  good,  and  not  evil, 
all  the  days  of  her  life. 

4.  Therefore  act,  and  do  still,  as  being  under 
the  power  and  authority  of  thy  husband. 

Now,  touching  thy  carriage  to  thy  children 
and  servants. 

Thou  art  a parent  and  a mistress,  and  so 
thou  oughtest  to  demean  thyself. 

And  besides,  seeing  the  believing  woman  is 
a figure  of  the  Church,  she  ought,  as  the 


Church,  to  nourish  and  instruct  her  children 
and  servants  as  the  Church,  that  she  may  an- 
swer in  that  particular  also ; and  truly,  the 
wife  being  always  at  home,  she  hath  great  ad- 
vantage that  way ; wherefore  do  it,  and  the 
Lord  prosper  your  proceeding. 

OF  CHILDREN  TO  PARENTS. 

There  lieth  also  a duty  upon  children  to  their 
parents,  which  they  are  bound  by  the  law  of 
God  and  nature  conscientiously  to  observe; 
“Children,  obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord,  for 
this  is  right.”  And  again,  “Children,  obey 
your  parents  in  all  things,  for  this  is  well  pleas 
ing  to  the  Lord.” 

There  arc  these  general  things  in  which  chil 
dren  should  show  forth  that  honour  that  is  due 
to  their  parents  from  them : 

1.  They  should  always  count  them  better 
than  themselves.  I observe  a vile  spirit  among 
some  children,  and  that  is,  they  are  apt  to  look 
over  their  parents  and  to  have  slighting  and 
scornful  thoughts  of  them.  This  is  worse  than 
heathenish  ; such  a one  hath  got  just  the  heart 
of  a dog  or  a beast,  that  will  bite  those  that  be- 
got them  and  her  that  brought  them  forth. 

Objection.  But  my  father,  &c.,  is  now  poor  and 
I am  rich,  and  it  will  be  a disparagement,  or 
at  least  a hindrance  to  me,  to  show  that  respect 
to  him  as  otherwise  I might. 

Answer.  I tell  thee  that  thou  arguest  ljke  an 
atheist  and  a beast,  and  standest  in  this  full 
flat  against  the  Son  of  God. 

Must  a gift  and  a little  of  the  glory  of  the 
butterfly  make  thee  that  thou  slialt  not  do  for 
and  honour  to  thy  father  and  mother?  “A 
wise  son  maketh  a glad  father,  but  a foolish 
son  despiseth  his  motner.”  Though  thy  pa- 
rents be  never  so  low,  and  thou  thyself  never 
so  high,  yet  he  is  thy  father  and  she  thy  mother, 
and  they  must  be  in  thy  eye  in  great  esteem : 
“ The  eye  that  mocketh  at  his  father,  and  that 
despiseth  to  obey  his  mother,  the  ravens  of  the 
valley  shall  pick  it  out  and  the  young  eagles 
shall  eat  it.” 

2.  Thou  oughtest  to  show  thy  honour  to  thy 
parents  by  a willingness  to  help  them  with 
such  necessaries  and  accommodations  which 
they  need.  If  any  have  nephews  or  children, 
let  them  learn  to  show  pity  at  home,  and  to  re- 
quite their  parents,  saith  Paul,  for  that  is  good 
and  acceptable  before  God. 

And  this  rule  Joseph  observed  to  his  poor 
father,  though  he  himself  was  next  the  king 
in  Egypt. 

But  mark,  let  them  requite  their  parents. 


262 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


There  are  three  things  for  which,  as  long  as 
thou  livest,  thou  wilt  be  a debtor  to  thy  pa- 
rents : 

(1.)  For  thy  being  in  this  world;  they  are 
they  from  whom  immediately,  under  God,  thou 
didst  receive  it. 

(2.)  For  their  care  to  preserve  thee  when 
thou  wast  helpless  and  couldst  neither  care  for 
nor  regard  thyself. 

(3.)  For  the  pains  they  have  taken  with  thee 
to  bring  thee  up.  Until  thou  hast  children  of 
thy  own  thou  wilt  not  be  sensible  of  the  pains, 
watchings,  fears,  sorrows,  and  affliction  that 
they  have  gone  under  to  bring  thee  up;  and 
when  thou  knowest  it  thou  wilt  not  easily  yield 
that  thou  hast  recompensed  them  for  their 
favour  to  thee.  How  often  have  they  sus- 
tained thy  hunger,  clothed  thy  nakedness ! 
What  care  have  they  taken  that  thou  mightest 
have  wherewith  to  live  and  do  well  when  they 
■were  dead  and  gone!  They  possibly  have 
spared  it  from  their  own  belly  and  back  for 
thee,  and  have  also  impoverished  themselves 
that  thou  mightest  live  like  a man.  All  these 
things  ought  duly,  and  like  a man,  to  be  con- 
sidered by  thee ; and  care  ought  to  be  taken 
on  thy  part  to  requite  them.  The  Scripture 
saith  so,  reason  saith  so,  and  there  be  none  but 
dogs  and  beasts  that  deny  it.  It  is  the  duty  of 
parents  to  lay  up  for  their  children,  and  the 
duty  of  children  to  requite  their  parents. 

3.  Therefore  show  by  all  humble  and  son- 
like  carriage  that  thou  dost  to  this  day,  with 
thy  heart,  remember  the  love  of  thy  parents. 

Thus  much  for  obedience  to  parents  in 
general. 

Again,  if  thy  parents  be  godly  and  thou 
wicked,  (as  thou  art  if  thou  hast  not  a second 
work  or  birth  from  God  upon  thee,)  then  thou 
art  to  consider  that  thou  art  more  strongly  en- 
gaged to  respect  and  honour  thy  parents ; not 
now  only  as  a father'in  the  flesh,  but,  as  godly 
parents,  thy  father  and  mother  are  now  made 
of  God  thy  teachers  and  instructors  in  the  way 
of  righteousness.  Wherefore,  to  allude  to  that 
of  Solomon,  “ My  son,  hearken  to  the  law  of 
thy  father,  and  forsake  not  the  law  of  thy 
mother;  bind  them  continually  upon  thy  heart 
and  tie  them  about  thy  neck.” 

IS  ow  to  provoke  thee  hereto,  consider — - 

1.  That  this  hath  been  the  practice  always 
of  those  that  are  and  have  been  obedient  chil- 
dren: yea,  of  Christ  himself  to  Joseph  and 
Mary,  though  he  himself  was  God  blessed  for 
ever. 

2.  Thou  hast  also  the  severe  judgments  of 


God  upon  those  that  have  been  disobedient  to 
awe  thee;  as, 

(1.)  Ishmael,  for  but  mocking  at  one  good 
carriage  of  his  father  and  mother,  was  both 
thrust  out  of  his  father’s  inheritance  and  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  and  that  with  God’s  ap- 
probation. 

(2.)  Hophni  and  Phineas,  for  refusing  the 
good  counsel  of  their  father,  provoked  the 
great  God  to  be  their  enemy:  “They  heark- 
ened not  to  the  voice  of-  their  father,  because 
the  Lord  would  slay  them.” 

(3.)  Absalom  was  hanged,  as  I may  say,  by 
God  himself  for  rebelling  against  his  father. 

Besides,  little  dost  thou  know  how  heart- 
aching  a consideration  it  is  to  thy  parents  when 
they  do  but  suppose  thou  mayest  be  damned — 
how  many  prayers,  sighs,  and  tears  are  there 
wrung  from  their  hearts  upon  this  account. 

Every  miscarriage  of  thine  goeth  to  their 
heart,  for  fear  God  should  take  an  occasion 
thereat  to  shut  thee  up  in  hardness  for  ever. 

How  did  Abraham  groan  for  Ishmael  ? “Oh 
(saith  he  to  God)  that  Ishmael  might  live  be- 
fore thee ! ” 

How  was  Isaac  and  Rebekah  grieved  for  the 
miscarriage  of  Esau ! 

And  how  bitterly  did  David  mourn  for  his 
son,  who  died  in  his  wickedness ! 

Lastly,  And  can  any  imagine  but  that  all 
these  carriages  of  thy  godly  parents  will  be  to 
thee  the  increase  of  thy  torments  in  hell,  if 
thou  die  in  thy  sins  notwithstanding? 

Again,  If  thy  parents  and  thou  also  be  godly, 
how  happy  a thing  is  this ! How  shouldst  thou 
rejoice  that  the  same  faith  should  dwell  both 
in  thy  parents  and  thee ! Thy  conversion, 
possibly,  is  the  fruits  of  thy  parents’  groans 
and  prayers  for  thy  soul,  and  they  cannot 
choose  but  rejoice;  do  thou  rejoice  with  them. 
It  is  true  it  is  the  salvation  of  a natural  son 
which  is  mentioned  in  the  parable:  “This 
my  son  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again : was 
lost,  and  is  found:  and  they  began  to  be 
merry.” 

Let  therefore  the  consideration  of  this,  that 
thy  parents  have  grace  as  well  as  thee,  engage 
thy  heart  so  much  the  more  to  honour,  rever- 
ence, and  obey  them. 

Thou  art  better  able  now  to  consider  the 
pains  and  care  that  thy  friends  hath  been  at, 
both  for  thy  body  and  soul ; wherefore  strive 
to  requite  them.  Thou  hast  strength  to  answer 
in  some  measure  the  command ; wherefore  do 
not  neglect  it. 

It  is  a double  sin  in  a gracious  son  not  to 


CHRISTIAN  B Jiff  A VI 0 UR. 


2G3 


remember  the  commandment — yea,  the  first 
commandment  with  promise. 

Take  heed  of  giving  thy  sweet  parents  one 
snappish  word  or  one  unseemly  carriage.  Love 
them  because  they  are  thy  parents,  because  they 
are  godly,  and  because  thou  must  be  in  glory 
with  them. 

Again,  if  thou  be  godly  and  thy  parents 
wicked,  as  often  it  sadly  falls  out,  then, 

1.  Let  thy  bowels  yearn  towards  them;  it  is 
thy  parents  that  are  going  to  hell. 

2.  As  I said  before  to  the  wife  touching  her 
unbelieving  husband,  so  now  I say  to  thee, 
Take  heed  of  a parroting  tongue:  speak  to 
them  wisely,  meekly,  and  humbly ; do  for  them 
faithfully  without  repining,  and  bear  with  all 
child-like  modesty  their  reproaches,  their  rail- 
ing, and  evil-speaking.  Watch  fit  opportuni- 
ties to  lay  their  condition  before  them.  Oh ! 
how  happy  a thing  would  it  be  if  God  should 
use  a child  to  beget  his  father  to  the  faith ! 
Then  indeed  might  the  father  say,  With  the 
fruit  of  my  own  bowels  hath  God  converted 
my  soul.  The  Lord,  if  it  be  his  will,  convert 
our  poor  parents,  that  they,  with  us,  may  be 
the  children  of  God. 

CONCERNING  SERVANTS. 

Servants  also,  they  have  a work  to  do  for 
God  in  their  place  and  station  among  men. 

The  apostles  assert  masters  under  a threefold 
consideration : 

1.  The  believing  master.  2.  The  unbeliev- 
ing master.  3.  The  froward  master. 

For  all  which  servants  are  furnished  with 
counsel  and  advice  in  the  word,  for  the  de- 
meaning of  themselves  under  each  of  them. 

But  before  I speak  in  particular  to  any  of 
these,  I will  in  general  show  you  the  duty  of 
servants : 

1.  Thou  art  to  look  upon  thyself  as  thou  art, 
that  is,  as  a servant,  not  a child  nor  a wife; 
thou  art  inferior  to  these ; wherefore  count 
thyself  under  them,  and  be  content  with  that 
station : “ For  three  things  the  earth  is  dis- 
quieted, and  for  four  which  it  cannot  bear : one 
is  a servant  when  he  reigneth.” 

It  is  out  of  thy  place  either  to  talk  or  do  as 
one  that  reigneth. 

2.  Consider  that  thou  being  a servant,  what 
is  under  thy  hand  is  not  thine  own,  but  thy 
master’s.  Now,  because  it  is  not  thy  own,  thou 
oughtest  not  to  dispose  of  it,  but  because  it  is 
thy  master’s,  thou  oughtest  to  be  faithful. 
Thus  it  was  with  Joseph.  Gen.  xxxix.  7,  8,  9. 
But  if  thou  do  otherwise,  know  that  thou  shalt 


receive  of  God  for  the  wrong  that  thou  dost ; 
and  there  is  with  God  no  respect  of  persons. 

3.  Touching  thy  work  and  employment,  thou 
art  to  do  it  as  unto  the  Lord,  and  not  for  man ; 
and  indeed  then  servants  do  their  busincas  as 
becomes  them  when  they  do  all  in  obedience 
to  the  Lord,  as  knowing  that  the  place  in  which 
they  now  are  is  the  place  where  Christ  hath 
put  them,  and  in  which  he  expectetli  they 
should  be  faithful. 

Servants,  (saith  Paul,)  be  obedient  to  them 
that  are  your  masters — with  fear  and  trembling, 
in  singleness  of  heart,  as  unto  Christ  ; not  with 
eye-service  as  men-pleasers,  but  as  the  servants 
of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the 
heart. 

Observe  a little  the  word  of  God  to  servants: 

1.  Servants  must  be  obedient ; yea, 

2.  Not  with  that  obedience  that  will  serve 
man  only ; servants  must  have  their  eye  on  the 
Lord  in  the  work  they  do  for  their  masters. 

3.  That  their  work  in  this  service  is  the  will 
and  ordinance  of  God. 

• From  which  I conclude  that  thy  work  in  thy 
place  and  station,  as  thou  art  a servant,  is  as 
really  God’s  ordinance  and  as  acceptable  to 
him,  in  its  kind,  as  is  preaching  or  any  other 
work  for  God,  and  that  thou  art  as  sure  to  re- 
ceive a reward  for  thy  labour  as  he  that  hangs 
or  is  burnt  for  the  Gospel.  Wherefore,  saith 
the  apostle  to  servants,  “ Whatsoever  ye  do,  do 
it  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  men, 
knowing  that  of  the  Lord  you  shall  receive 
the  reward  of  inheritance;  for  ye  serve  the 
Lord  Christ.” 

And  now  touching  the  three  sorts  of  masters 
mentioned  before. 

1.  For  the  believing  masters.  Saith  Paul, 
“ They  that  have  believing  masters,  let  them 
not  despise  them  because  they  are  brethren, 
but  rather  do  them  service  because  they  are 
faithful  and  beloved,  and  partakers  (with  the 
servants)  of  the  heavenly  benefits.”  (Servants, 
if  they  have  not  a care  of  their  hearts,  will  be 
so  much  in  the  consideration  of  the  relation 
that  is  betwixt  their  masters  and  they  as  breth- 
ren, that  they  will  forget  the  relation  that  is 
between  them  as  masters  and  servants.  Now, 
though  they  ought  to  remember  the  one,  yet 
let  them  take  heed  of  not  forgetting  the  other. 
Know  thy  place  as  a servant  while  thou  con- 
sidercst  that  thy  master  and  thee  are  brethren : 
do  thy  work  for  him  faithfully  and  humbly, 
and  with  meekness,  because  he  is  a master 
faithful  and  beloved,  and  partaker  of  the 
heavenly  benefit.)  “ If  any  man  teach  other- 


264 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


wise,  (saith  the  apostle  Paul,)  and  consent  not 
to  wholesome  words,  even  the  words  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the  doctrine  which  is 
according  to  godliness,  he  is  proud,  knowing 
nothing,  but  doating  about  questions  and  strife 
of  words;  whereof  cometh  envy,  strife,  rail- 
ings, evil  surmisings,.  perverse  disputing^  of 
men  of  corrupt  minds  and  destitute  of  the 
truth,  supposing . that  gain  is  godliness : from 
such  withdraw  thyself.” 

2.  For  the  unbelieving  masters,  (for  of  them 
Paul  speaks  in  the.  first  verse  of  the  6th  of 
Timothy.)  “ Let  as  many  servants  (saith  he) 
as  be  under  the  yoke  count  their  own  masters 
worthy  of  all  honour,  that  the  word  of  God 
and  his  doctrine  be  not  blasphemed.” 

Servants  living  with  unbelieving  masters 
are  greatly  engaged  to  be  both  watchful, 
faithful,  and  trusty.  Engaged,  I say — (1.) 
From  the  consideration  of  the  condition  of 
their  master;  for  he,  being  unbelieving,  will 
have  an  evil  eye  upon  thee  and  upon  thy 
doings,  and  so  much  the  more  because  thou 
professest;  as  in  the  case  of  Saul  and  David. 
1 Sam.  xviii. 

(2.)  Thou  art  engaged  because  of  the  pro- 
fession thou  makest  of  the  word  of  God ; for 
by  thy  profession  thou  dost  lay  both  God  and 
his  word  before  thy  master,  and  he  hath  no 
other  wit  but  to  blaspheme  them  if  thou  be- 
have thyself  unworthily.  Wherefore  Paul  bids 
Titus,  “ Exhort  servants  to  be  obedient  to  their 
own  masters,  and  to  please  them  well  in  all 
things,  not  answering  again,  (not  giving  par- 
roting answers  or  such  as  are  cross  or  pro- 
voking,) not  purloining,  but  showing  all  good 
fidelity,  that  they  may  adorn  the  doctrine  of 
God  our  Saviour  in  all  things.” 

That  servant  who  in  an  unbeliever's  family 
doth  his  work  before  God  as  God’s  ordinance, 
he>shall  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God,  if  not  save 
his  master,  by  so  doing;  but  if  he  doth  other- 
wise, he  shall  both  stumble  the  unbeliever, 
dishonour  God,  offend  the  faithful,  and  bring 
guilt  upon  his  own  soul. 

3.  For  the  froward  master,  (though  I distin- 
guish him  from  the  unbeliever,  yet  it  is  not  be- 
cause he  may  not  be  such,  but  because  every 
believer  doth  not  properly  go  under  that  name.) 
Now,  with  this  froward  and  peevish  fellow 
thou  art  to  serve  as  faithfully  for  the  time 
thou  standest  bound  as  with  the  most  pleasant 
and  rational  master  in  the  world.  “Servants, 
(saith  Peter,)  be  subject  to  your  masters,  with 
all  fear,  not  only  to  the  good  and  gentle,  but 
also  to  the  froward.”  And  if  thy  peevish 


master  will  still  be  froward,  either  out  of 
spite  to  thy  religion  or  because  he  is  without 
reason  concerning  thy  labour,  (thou  to  the 
utmost  of  thy  power  labouring  faithfully,) 
God  then  reckoneth  thee  a sufferer  for  well- 
doing, as  truly  as  if  thou  wert  called  upon  the 
stage  of  this  world  before  men  for  the  matters 
of  thy  faith.  Wherefore  Peter  adds  this  en- 
couragement to  servants  to  the  exhortation 
he  gave  them  before:  “This  is  thankworthy, 
(saith  he,)  if  a man  for  conscience  toward 
God  endureth  grief,  suffering  wrongfully;  for 
what  glory  is  it  if,  when  ye  be  buffeted  for 
your  faults,  you  take  it  patiently?  But  if, 
when  you  do  well  and  suffer  for  it,  you  take  it 
patiently,  this  is  acceptable  with  God.” 

Wherefore  be  comforted  concerning  thy 
condition,  with  considering  that  God  looks 
upon  thee  as  on  Jacob  in  the  family  of  Laban, 
and  will  right  all  thy  wrongs,  and  recompense 
thee  for  thy  faithful,  wise,  and  godly  be- 
haviour before  and  in  the  service  of  thy 
froward  master. 

Wherefore,  be  patient,  I say,  and  abound 
in  faithfulness  in  thy  place  and  calling,  till 
God  make  a way  for  thy  escape  from  this 
place;  and  when  thou  mayest  be  made  free, 
use  it  rather. 

OF  NEIGHBOURS  EACH  TO  OTHER. 

Having  thus  in  few  words  showed  you 
what  is  duty  under  your  several  relations,  I 
shall  now  at  last  speak,  in  a word  or  two, 
touching  good  neighbourhood,  and  then  draw 
towards  a conclusion. 

Touching  neighbourhood,  there  are  these 
things  to  be  considered  and  practised  if  thou 
wilt  be  found  in  the  practical  part  of  good 
neighbourhood : 

1.  Thou  must  be  of  a good  and  sound  con- 
versation in  tliy  own  family,  place,  and  station, 
showing  to  all  the  power  that  the  Gospel  and 
the  things  of  another  world  have  in  thy  heart, 
“that  ye  may  be  blameless  and  harmless,  the 
sons  of  God,  without  rebuke  in  the  midst  of  a 
crooked  and  perverse  nation,  among  whom  ye 
shine  as  lights  in  the  world.” 

2.  As  persons  must  be  of  good  behaviour  at 
home  that  will  be  good  neighbours,  so  they 
must  be  full  of  courtesy  and  charity  to  them 
that  have  need  about  them. 

Right  good  neighbourhood  is  for  men  read- 
ily to  communicate,  as  of  their  spirituals,  so 
of  their  temporalities,  as  food,  raiment,  and 
help,  to  those  that  have  need;  to  be  giving  to 
the  poor  as  thou  seest  them  go  by  thee,  or  to 


CHRISTIAN  BEIIA  VIOUR. 


2G5 


inquire  after  their  condition,  and  according  to 
thy  capacity  to  send  unto  them. 

3.  Thou  must  bo  always  humble  and  meek 
among  them,  as  also  grave  and  gracious;  not 
light  and  frothy,  but  by  thy  words  and  car- 
riage ministering  grace  to  the  hearers. 

Thus  also  Job  honoured  God  among  his 
neighbours. 

4.  Thy  wisdom  will  be  rightly  to  discoun- 
tenance sin  and  to  reprove  thy  neighbour  for 
the  same,  denying  thyself  in  some  things  for 
the  preventing  an  injury  to  thy  neighbour, 
that  thou  xnayest  please  him  for  his  edi- 
fication. 

5.  If  thou  wouldst  be  a good  neighbour, 
take  heed  of  thy  tongue  upon  two  accounts : 

(1.)  That  thou  with  it  give  no  offensive  lan- 
guage to  thy  neighbour,  to  the  provoking  of 
him  to  anger.  Bear  much,  put  up  with 
wrongs,  and  say  little:  “It  is  an  honour  for 
a man  to  cease  from  strife,  but  every  fool  will 
be  meddling.”  And  again,  “He  loveth  trans- 
gression that  loveth  strife.” 

(2.)  And  as  thou  sliouldst  take  heed  that 
thou  be  not  the  original  of  contention  and 
anger,  so  also  take  heed  that  thou  be  not  an 
instrument  to  beget  it  between  parties  by  a 
tale-bearing  and  gossiping  spirit:  “He  that 
passeth  by  and  meddleth  with  strife  belonging 
not  to  him  is  like  one  that  taketh  a dog  by 
the  ears.  As  coals  are  to  burning  coals,  and 
wood  to  lire,  so  is  a contentious  man  to  kindle 
strife.” 

I do  observe  two  things  very  odious  in  many 
professors : the  one  is  a headstrong  and  stiff- 
necked spirit, that  will  have  its  own  way;  and 
the  other  is  a great  deal  of  tattling  and  talk 
about  religion,  and  but  a very  little,  if  any 
thing,  of  those  Christian  deeds  that  carry  in 
them  the  cross  of  a Christian  in  the  doing 
thereof  and  profit  to  my  neighbour. 

(1.)  When  I say  a headstrong  and  stiff- 
necked spirit,  I mean  they  are  for  pleasing 
themselves  and  their  own  fancies  in  things  of 
no  weight,  though  their  so  doing  be  as  the 
very  slaughter-knife  to  the  weak  conscience 
of  a brother  or  neighbour.  Now  this  is  base. 
Christians,  in  all  such  things  as  entrench  not 
on  matters  of  faith  and  worship,  should  be  full 
of  self-denial,  and  seek  to  please  others  rather 
than  themselves;  “giving  none  offence  to  the 
Jew,  nor  to  the  Greek,  nor  to  the  Church  of 
God;  not  seeking  their  own  profit,  but  the 
profit  of  many,  that  they  may  be  saved.” 

(2.)  And  the  second  is  as  bad,  to  wit,  when 
professors  arc  great  prattlers,  and  talkers,  and 


disputers,  but  do  little  of  any  thing  that  be- 
speaketh  love  to  the  poor  or  self-denial  in  out- 
ward things.  Some  people  think  religion  is 
made  up  of  words;  a very  wide  mistake. 
Words  without  deeds  is  but  a half-faced  re- 
ligion. “Pure  religion  and  undelilcd  before 
God  and  the  Father  is  this:  To  visit  the 
fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and 
to  keep  thyself  unspotted  from  the  world.” 
Again,  “If  a brother  or  a sister  be  destitute 
of  daily  food,  and  one  of  you  say  unto  them, 
Depart  in  peace,  be  wanned  and  filled,  (which 
are  very  fine  words,)  yet  if  you  give  them  not 
those  things  that  are  necessary  to  the  body, 
what  doth  it  profit?” 

Now,  then,  before  I go  any  further,  I will 
here  take  an  occasion  to  touch  a little  upon 
those  sins  that  are  so  rife  in  many  professors 
in  this  day;  and  they  are  covetousness,  pride, 
and-  unclcanncss.  I would  speak  a word  to 
them  in  this  place  the  rather  because  they  are 
they  which  spoil  both  Christian  brotherhood 
and  civil  neighbourhood  in  too  great  a meas- 
ure. 

First,  for  covetousness. 

1.  Covetousness,  it  is  all  one  with  desire;  he 
that  desires  covets,  whether  the  thing  he  de- 
sires be  evil  or  good.  Wherefore  that  which 
is  called  coveting  in  Ex.  xx.  17  is  called  desire 
in  Deut.  v.  21.  As  the  apostle  also  saith,  “I 
had  not  known  lust  except  the  law  had  said, 
Thou  shalt  not  covet.”  Rom.  vii.  7.  That  is,  I 
had  not  known  lust  to  be  a sin  unless  the  law 
had  forbid  it.  Wherefore,  though  lawful  de- 
sires are  good  (1  Cor.  xii.  31)  and  to  be  com- 
mended, yet  covetousness,  as  commonly  under- 
stood, is  to  be  fled  from  and  abhorred,  as  of  the 
devil. 

2.  Covetousness,  or  evil  desire,  it  is  the  first 
mover,  and  giveth  to  every  sin  its  call,  as  I 
may  say,  both  to  move  and  act;  as  was  said 
before,  The  apostle  had  not  known  sin  except 
the  law  had  said,  Thou  shalt  not  desire,  or 
covet,  for  where  there  is  no  desire  to  sin  there 
appears  no  sin. 

3.  Therefore  covetousness  carrieth  in  it  every' 
sin,  (we  speak  of  sins  against  the  second  table,) 
even  as  a serpent  carrieth  her  young  ones  in 
her  belly.  This  the  Scripture  affirms  where  it 
saith,  “Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour’s 
wife,  nor  his  man-servant,  nor  his  maid-ser- 
vant, nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  any  thing 
that  is  thy  neighbour’s.”  Covetousness  will 
meddle  with  any  thing. 

Now,  there  are  in  my  mind  at  present  these 
eight  notes  of  covetousness,  which  hinder  good 


266 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


works  and  a Christian  conversation  among 
men  wherever  they  are  harboured: 

1.  When  men  to  whom  God  hath  given  a 
comfortable  livelihood  are  yet  not  content 
therewith.  This  is  against  the  apostle,  where 
he  saith,  “Let  your  conversation  be  without 
covetousness,  and  be  content  with  such  things 
as  ye  have,  for  he  hath  said,  I will  never  leave 
thee  nor  forsake  thee.” 

2.  It  is  covetousness  in  the  seller  that  puts 
him  to  say  of  his  traffic  it  is  better  than  it  is, 
that  he  may  heighten  the  price  of  it;  and 
covetousness  in  the  buyer  that  prompts  him  to 
say  worse  of  the  thing  than  he  thinks  in  his 
conscience  it  is,  and  that  for  an  abatement  of 
a reasonable  price.  This  is  that  which  the 
apostle  forbids  under  the  name  of  defraud,  and 
that  which  Solomon  condemns. 

3.  It  is  through  covetousness  that  men  think 
much  of  that  which  goeth  beside  their  own 
mouth,  though  possibly  it  goeth  to  those  that 
have  more  need  than  themselves,  and  also  that 
better  deserve  it  than  they. 

4.  It  argueth  covetousness  when  men  will 
deprive  themselves  and  those  under  them  of 
the  privileges  of  the  Gospel  for  more  of  this 
World,  and  is  condemned  by  Christ. 

5.  It  argueth  covetousness  when  men  that 
have  it  can  go  by  or  hear  of  the  poor,  and 
shut  up  their  bowels  of  compassion  from  them. 

6.  Also,  when  men  are  convinced  it  is  their 
duty  to  communicate  to  such  and  such  that 
have  need,  yet  they  defer  it,  and  if  not  quite 
forget  it,  yet  linger  away  the  time,  as  being 
loth  to  distribute  to  the  necessities  of  those  in 
want.  This  is  forbidden  by  the  Holy  Ghost: 
“Withhold  not  good  from  them  to  whom  it  is 
due,  when  it  is  in  the  power  of  thy  hand  to  do 
it.”  Now,  it  is  due  from  thee  to  the  poor  by 
the  commandment  of  God,  if  they  want  and 
thou  hast  it:  “Say  not  then  to  thy  neighbour, 
Go,  and  come  again  to-morrow,  and  I will  give, 
when  thou  hast  it  by  thee.” 

7.  It  argueth  a greedy  mind  also  when,  after 
men  have  cast  in  their  minds  what  to  give, 
they  then  from  that  will  be  pinching  and 
clipping  and  taking  away;  whereas  the  Holy 
Ghost  saith,  “Every  one  as  he  purposeth  in 
his  heart  so  let  him  give,  not  grudgingly,  nor 
of  necessity ; for  Qod  loveth  a cheerful  giver.” 

Lastly.  It  argueth  a filthy,  greedy  heart  also 
when  a man,  after  he  hath  done  any  good, 
then  in  his  heart  to  repent  and  secretly  wish 
that  he  had  not  so  done,  or  at  least  that  he  had 
not  done  so  much : this  is  to  be  weary  of  well- 
doing, (I  speak  now  of  communicating,)  and 


carrieth  in  it  two  evils:  First,  it  spoiieth  the 
work  done;  and,  secondly,  it  (if  entertained) 
spoiieth  the  heart  for  doing  any  more  so.  The 
vile  person  shall  be  no  more  called  liberal,  nor 
the  churl  said  to  be  bountiful ; for  the  liberal 
deviseth  liberal  things,  and  by  liberal  things 
he  shall  stand. 

Now,  then,  to  dissuade  all  from  this  poison- 
ous sin,  observe  that  above  all  sins  in  the  New 
Testament  this  is  called  idolatry.  And  there- 
fore God’s  people  should  be  so  far  from  being 
taken  with  it  that  they  should  be  much  afraid 
of  the  naming  of  it  one  among  another,  lest  it 
should,  as  adulterous  thoughts,  infect  the  heart 
by  talking  of  it. 

Question.  But  why  is  covetousness  called 
idolatry  ? 

Answer.  Because  it  engageth  the  very  heart 
of  ih'an  in  it;  to  mind  earthly  things  it  gets 
our  love,  which  should  be  set  on  God,  and  sets 
it  upon  poor  empty  creatures ; it  puts  our  af- 
fections out  of  heaven,  where  they  should  be, 
and  sets  them  on  earth,  where  they  should  not 
be.  Thus  it  cliangeth  the  object  on  which  the 
heart  should  be  set,  and  setteth  it  on  that  on 
which  it  should  not.  It  makes  a man  forsake 
God,  “ the  fountain  of  living  water,  and  caus- 
eth  him  to  hew  to  himself  cisterns,  broken 
cisterns,  which  can  hold  no  water.” 

For,  2.  It  rejecteth  the  care,  government, 
and  providence  of  God  towards  us,  and  causeth 
us  to  make  of  our  care  and  industry  a god,  to 
whom,  instead  of  God,  we  fly  continually,  both 
for  the  keeping  what  we  have  and  for  getting 
more. 

This  was  Israel’s  idolatry  of  old,  and  the 
original  of  all  her  idolatrous  practices.  Hos.  ii. 
5.  “ For  their  mother  hath  played  the  harlot, 

(that  is,  committed  idolatry :)  she  that  con- 
ceived them  hath  done  shamefully ; for  she 
said,  I will  go  after  my  lovers,  that  gave  me 
my  bread  and  waters,  my  wool  and  my  flax, 
my  oil  and  my  drink.” 

3.  It  disalloweth  of  God’s  way  of  disposing 
his  creatures,  and  would  have  them  ordered 
and  disjmsed  of  otherwise  than  to  his  heavenly 
wisdom  seemeth  meet ; and  hence  ariseth  all 
discontents  about  God’s  dealings  with  us. 
Covetousness  never  yet  said,  It  is  the  Lord,  let 
him  do  what  he  pleaseth  ; but  is  ever  object- 
ing, like  a god,  against  every  thing  that  goeth 
against  it ; and  it  is  that  which,  like  a god, 
draweth  away  the  heart  and  soul  from  the  true 
God  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ : “ And  he  went 
away  sorrowful,  for  he  had  great  possessions.” 
Now,  then,  that  which  engageth  the  heart,  that 


CHRISTIAN 

rejecteth  tho  providence  of  God,  and  that  is 
for  ordering  and  disposing  of  things  contrary 
to  God,  and  for  breaking  with  God  upon  those 
terms  is  idolatry ; and  all  these  do  covetous- 
ness: “The  wicked  boasteth  of  his  heart’s  de- 
sire, and  blesseth  the  covetous,  whom  the  Lord 
abhorreth.”  l’s.  xx.  3.  Now  the  way  to  rem- 
edy this  disease  is  to  learn  the  lesson  which 
Paul  had  got  by  heart;  to  wit,  “ In  whatsoever 
state  you  are,  therewith  to  be  content.” 

I come,  in  the  second  jdacc,  to  speak  a word 
of  pride  and  loftiness  of  heart  and  life. 

1.  Pride  in  general  it  is  which  causeth  a 
man  to  think  of  man  and  his  things  above 
what  is  written.  1 Cor.  iv.  6. 

2.  It  hath  its  seat  in  the  heart  among  these 
enormities:  fornications,  adulteries,  lascivious- 
ness, murders,  deceit,  etc.,  and  skoweth  itself 
in  these  following  particulars  : 

(1.)  When  you  slight  this  or  that  person, 
though  gracious — that  is.  look  over  them  and 
shun  them  for  their  poverty  in  this  world,  and 
choose  rather  to  have  converse  with  others  that 
possibly  are  less  gracious,  because  of  their 
greatness  in  this  world — this  the  apostle  James 
writes  against  under  the  name  of  partiality : 
“for  indeed  the  fruits  of  a puffed-up  heart  is 
to  deal  in  this  manner  with  Christians.” 

Now  this  branch  of  pride  floweth  from  ig- 
norance of  the  vanity  of  the  creature  and  of 
the  worth  of  a gracious  heart : wherefore  get 
more  of  the  knowledge  of  these  two,  and, 
this  sprig  will  be  nipped  in  the  head,  and 
you  will  learn  to  condescend  to  men  of  low 
degree. 

(2.)  It  argues  pride  of  heart  when  men  will 
not  deny  themselves  in  things  that  they  may, 
for  the  good  and  profit  of  their  neighbours. 
And  it  arguetli  now  that  pride  has  got  so  much 
up  into  self-love  and  self-pleasing  that  they 
little  care  who  they  grieve  or  offend,  so  they 
may  have  their  way. 

(3.)  It  argueth  pride  of  heart  when  sober 
reproofs  for  sin  and  unbeseeming  carriages  will 
not  down  with  thee,  but  that  rather  thou  snuff- 
est,  and  givest  way  to  thy  spirit  to  be  peevish, 
and  to  retain  prejudice  against  those  that  thus 
reprove  thee.  Saith  the  prophet,  “Hear  ye 
and  give  ear,  Be  not  proud,  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoken that  is,  hear  the  reproofs  of  God  for 
your  sins,  and  break  them  off  by  repentance: 
“ But  if  you  will  not  hear,  ray  soul  shall  weep 
in  secret  for  your  pride,”  etc.  So  also  in 
Hosea,  “They  will  not  frame  their  doing  to 
turn  unto  their  God,  for  the  spirit  of  whoredom 
is  in  the  midst  of  them : they  have  not  known 


BEHAVIOUR.  2G7 

the  Lord,  and  the  pride  of  Israel  doth  testify 
to  his  face.” 

This  argueth  great  senselessness  of  God  and 
a heart  greatly  out  of  frame. 

Pride  also  there  is  in  outward  carriage,  be- 
haviour, and  gesture,  which  is  odious  for 
Christians  to  be  tainted  with ; and  this  pride 
is  discovered  by  mincing  words,  a made  car- 
riage, and  an  affecting  the  toys  and  baubles 
that  Satan  and  every  light-hearted  fool  bring- 
eth  into  the  world.  As  God  speaketh  of 
the  daughters  of  Zion,  “They  walked  with 
stretched-out  necks,  wanton  eyes,  mincing  as 
they  go,  and  making  a tinkling  with  their 
feet.”  A very  unhandsome  carriage  for  peo- 
ple that  profess  godliness,  and  that  used  to 
come  before  God  to  confess  their  sins,  and  to 
bemoan  themselves  for  what  they  have  done. 
How  can  a sense  of  thy  own  baseness,  of  the 
vileness  of  thy  heart,  and  of  the  holiness  of 
God  stand  with  such  a carriage? 

From  this  I gather  that  this  sin  is  a very 
predominant  and  master  sin,  easy  to  overtake 
the  sinner,  as  being  one  of  the  first  that  is 
ready  to  offer  itself  at  all  occasions  to  break 
the  law  of  God. 

2.  1 observe  that  this  sin  is  committed  un- 
awares to  many,  even  so  soon  as  a man  hath 
but  looked  upon  a woman:  “Isay  unto  you, 
(saith  Christ,)  that  whosoever  looketh  on  a 
woman  to  lust  or  desire  after  her,  he  hath 
already  committed  adultery  with  her  in  his 
heart.” 

This  sin,  I say,  is  a veiy  taking  sin ; it  is 
natural  above  all  sins  to  mankind;  as  it  is 
most  natural,  so  it  wants  not  tempting  occa- 
sions, having  objects  for  to  look  on  in  every 
corner:  wherefore  there  is  need  of  a double 
and  treble  watchfulness  in  the  soul  against  it. 
It  is  better  here  to  make  a covenant  with  our 
eyes,  like  Job,  than  to  let  them  wander  to 
God’s  dishonour  and  our  own  discomfort. 

My  friends,  I am  here  treating  of  good 
works,  and  persuading  you  to  fly  those  tilings 
that  are  hindrances  to  them ; wherefore  bear 
with  my  plainness  when  I speak  against  sin. 
I would  strike  it  through  with  every  word,  be- 
cause else  it  will  strike  us  through  with  many 
sorrows. 

I do  not  treat  of  good  works  as  if  the  doing 
of  them  would  save  us,  (for  we  are  justified  by 
his  grace,  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal 
life ;)  yet  your  sins  and  evil  works  will  lay  us 
obnoxious  to  the  judgments  both  of  God  and 
man.  He  that  walketh  not  uprightly,  accord- 
ing to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  is  like  to  have 


268 


LUKYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


his  peace  assaulted  often,  both  by  the  devil, 
the  law,  death,  and  bell ; yea,  and  is  like  to 
have  God  bide  bis  face  from  him  also  for  the 
iniquity  of  bis  covetousness. 

How  can  be  that  carrieth  himself  basely  in 
the  sight  of  men  think  be  yet  well  behaveth 
himself  in  the  sight  of  God  ? and  if  so  dim  a 
light  as  is  in  man  can  justly  count  thee  a trans- 
gressor, bow  shall  thy  sins  be  hid  from  Him 
whose  eyelids  try  the  children  of  men? 

It  is  true,  faith  without  works  justifies  us  be- 
fore God : yet  that  faith  that  is  alone  will  be 
found  to  leave  us  sinners  in  the  sight  both  of 
God  and  man.  Rom.  iii.  28.  And  though 
thou  addest  nothing  to  that  which  saveth  thee 
by  what  thou  canst  do,  yet  thy  righteousness 
may  profit  the  son  of  man,  as  also  saith  the 
text;  but  if  thou  shalt  be  so  careless  as  to  say, 
What  care  I for  being  righteous  to  profit 
others?  I tell  thee  that  the  love  of  God  is  not 
in  thee. 

Walk  therefore  in  God’s  ways,  and  do  them, 
for  this  is  your  wisdom  and  your  understand- 
ing in  the  sight  of  the  nations  which  shall 
hear  of  all  these  statutes,  and  say,  “ This  great 
nation  is  a wise  and  understanding  people.” 

III.  Every  believer  should  not  only  take 
heed  that  his  works  be  good,  and  so  for  the 
present  do  them,  but  should  carefully  study  to 
maintain  them  ; that  is,  to  keep  in  a continual 
exercise  of  them. 

It  is  an  easier  matter  to  begin  to  do  good 
than  it  is  to  continue  therein  ; and  the  reason 
is,  there  is  not  so  much  of  a Christian’s  cross 
in  the  beginning  of  a work  as  there  is  in  a 
continual,  hearty,  conscientious  practice  there- 
of. Therefore  Christians  have  need,  as  to  be 
pressed  to  do  good,  so  to  continue  the  work. 
Man,  by  nature,  is  rather  a hearer  than  a doer 
— Athenian-like,  continually  listening  after 
some  new  thing;  seeing  many  things,  but  ob- 
serving nothing.  It  is  observable  that  after 
Christ  had  divided  his  hearers  into  four  parts, 
he  condemned  three  of  them  for  fruitless 
hearers.  Luke  viii.  5-8.  Oh  it  is  hard  contin- 
uing believing,  continuing  loving,  continuing 
resisting  all  that  opposeth;  we  are  subject  to 
be  weary  of  well-doing.  To  pluck  out  right 
eyes,  to  cut  off  right  hands  and  feet,  is  no 
pleasant  thing  to  flesh  and  blood ; and  yet 
none  but  these  shall  have  the  promise  of  life, 
because  none  but  these  will  be  found  to  have 
the  effectual  work  of  God’s  grace  in  their 
souls:  “If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are 
you  my  disciples  [indeed.”]  And  hence  it  is, 
that  you  find  so  many  i/s  in  the  Scripture 


about  men’s  happiness ; as,  “ if  you  be  sons, 
then  heirs;”  and  “if  you  continue  in  the 
faith ;”  and  “ if  we  hold  the  beginning  of  our 
confidence  steadfast  to  the  end.”  Not  that 
their  continuing  in  the  way  of  God  is  the 
cause  of  the  work  being  right,  hut  the  work 
being  right  causetli  the  continuance  therein. 
As  John  saith  in  another  place,  “ They  went 
out  from  us,  because  they  were  not  of  us ; for 
had  they  been  of  us,  no  doubt,  saith  lie,  they 
would  have  continued  with  us.”  But,  I say, 
where  the  work  of  God  indeed  is  savingly  be- 
gun, even  there  is  flesh,  corruption,  and  the 
body  of  death  to  oppose  it : therefore  should 
Christians  take  heed,  and  look  that  against 
these  oj)posites  they  maintain  a continual 
course  of  good  works  among  men. 

Besides,  as  there  is  that  in  our  own  bowels 
that  opposeth  goodness,  so  there  is  the  tempter, 
the  wicked  one,  both  to  animate  these  lusts 
and  to  join  with  them  in  every  assault  against 
every  appearance  of  God  in  our  souls.  And 
hence  it  is  that  he  is  called  the  devil,  the 
enemy,  the  destroyer,  and  him  that  seeks  con- 
tinually to  devour  us.  I need  say  no  more  but 
this : He  that  will  walk  like  a Christian  in- 
deed, as  he  shall  find  it  is  requisite  that  he 
continue  in  good  works,  so  his  continuing 
therein  will  be  oj^posed ; if  therefore  he  will 
continue  therein,  he  must  make  it  his  business 
to  study  how  to  oppose  those  that  oppose  such 
a life,  that  he  may  continue  therein. 

IV.  Now,  then,  to  help  in  this,  here  fitly 
comes  in  the  last  observation,  to  wit:  That  the 
best  way  both  to  provoke  ourselves  and  others 
to  good  works  is  to  be  often  affirming  to  others 
the  doctrine  of  justification  by  grace,  and  to 
believe  it  ourselves.  This  is  a faithful  saying, 
“ And  these  things  I will  that  thou  affirm  con- 
stantly, that  those  which  have  believed  in  God 
might  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works.” 

I told  you  before  that  good  works  must  flow 
from  faith ; and  now  I tell  you  that  the  best 
way  to  be  fruitful  in  them  is  to  be  much  in  the 
exercise  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
grace,  and  they  both  agree ; for  as  faith  ani- 
mates to  good  works,  so  the  doctrine  of  grace 
animates  faith.  Wherefore,  the  way  to  be  rich 
in  good  works  is  to  be  rich  in  faith ; and  the 
way  to  be  rich  in  faith  is  to  be  conscientiously 
affirming  the  doctrine  of  grace  to  others,  and 
believing  it  ourselves. 

First,  To  be  constantly  affirming  it  to  others. 
Thus  Paul  tells  Timothy  that  if  he  put  the 
brethren  in  mind  of  the  truths  of  the  Gospel, 
he  himself  should  not  only  be  a good  minister 


CHRISTIAN  BEIIA  VIOUR. 


2G9 


of  Christ,  but  should  be  nourished  up  in  the 
words  of  faith  and  of  good  doctrine. 

It  is  the  ordinance  of  God  that  Christians 
should  be  often  asserting  the  things  of  God 
each  to  others,  and  that  by  their  so  doing  they 
should  edify  one  another. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  is  like  the  dew 
and  the  small  rain  that  distilleth  upon  the 
tender  grass,  wherewith  it  doth  flourish  and  is 
kept  green. 

Christians  are  like  the  several  flowers  in  a 
garden,  that  have  upon  each  of  them  the  dew 
of  heaven,  which  being  shaken  with  the  wind, 
they  let  fall  their  dew  at  each  other’s  roots, 
whereby  they  are  jointly  nourished  and  be- 
come nourishers  of  one  another ; for  Christians 
to  commune  savourly  of  God’s  matters  one 
with  another  is  as  if  they  opened  to  each 
other’s  nostrils  boxes  of  perfume.  Saitli  Paul 
to  the  church  at  Rome,  “ I long  to  see  you, 
that  I may  impart  unto  you  some  spiritual 
gift,  to  the  end  you  may  be  established ; that 
is,  that  I may  be  comforted  together  with  you 
by  the  mutual  faith  both  of  you  and  me.” 

Christians  should  be  often  affirming  the 
doctrine  of  grace  and  justification  by  it  one  to 
another. 

Secondly.  As  they  should  be  thus  doing,  so 
they  should  live  in  the  power  of  it  themselves; 
they  should  by  faith  suck  and  drink  in  this 
doctrine  as  the  good  ground  receiveth  the 
rain ; which  being  done,  forthwith  there  is 
proclaimed  good  works.  Paul  to  the  Colos- 
sians  said  thus,  “ We  give  thanks  to  God,  and 
the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  praying 
always  for  you,  since  we  heard  of  your  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  and  love  to  all  the  saints;  for 
the  hope  which  is  laid  up  in  heaven  for  you, 
whereof  ye  heard  before  in  the  word  of  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel,  which  is  come  unto  you, 
as  it  is  also  in  all  the  world,  and  bringeth  forth 
fruit,  as  it  doth  also  in  you.”  But  how  long 
ago?  Why,  since  the  day  ye  heard  it,  saith 
he,  and  knew  the  grace  of  God  in  truth. 

Apples  and  flowers  are  not  made  by  the 
gardener,  but  are  an  effect  of  the  planting  and 
watering.  Plant  in  the  sinner  good  doctrine, 
and  let  it  be  watered  with  the  word  of  grace; 
and  as  the  effect  of  that  there  is  the  fruits  of 
holiness  and  the  end  everlasting  life. 

Good  doctrine  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel, 
which  showeth  to  men  that  God  clothed  them 
with  the  righteousness  of  his  Son  freely,  and 
maketli  him  with  all  his  benefits  over  to  them, 
by  which  free  gift  the  sinner  is  made  righteous 
before  God;  and  because  he  is  so,  therefore 


there  is  infused  a principle  of  grace  into  the 
heart,  whereby  it  is  both  quickened  and  bring- 
eth forth  fruit. 

Now,  then,  seeing  good  works  do  flow  from 
faith,  and  seeing  faith  is  nourished  by  an 
affirming  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  &c., 
take  here  these  few  considerations  from  the 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel  for  the  support  of  thy 
faith,  that  thou  mayest  be  indeed  fruitful  and 
rich  in  good  works : 

1.  The  whole  Bible  was  given  for  this  very 
end,  that  thou  shouldst  both  believe  this  doc- 
trine, and  live  in  the  comfort  and  sweetness  of 
it;  for  whatever  things  were  written  aforetime 
were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures  might 
have  hope. 

2.  That  therefore  every  promise  in  the  Bible 
is  thine,  to  strengthen,  quicken,  and  encourage 
thy  heart  in  believing. 

3.  Consider  that  there  is  nothing  that  thou 
dost  can  so  please  God  as  believing:  “The 
Lord  takes  pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him,  in 
them  that  hope  in  his  mercy.” 

They  please  him,  because  they  embrace  his 
righteousness,  &c. 

4.  Consider  that  all  the  with  drawings  of 
God  from  thee  arc  not  for  the  weakening,  but 
for  the  trial  of  thy  faith ; and  also  that  what- 
ever he  suffers  Satan  or  thy  own  heart  to  do,  it 
is  not  to  weaken  faith. 

5.  Consider  that  believing  is  that  which  will 
keep  in  thy  view  the  things  of  heaven  and 
glory,  and  that  at  which  the  devil  will  be  dis- 
couraged, sin  weakened,  and  the  heart  quick- 
ened and  sweetened. 

Lastly.  By  believing  the  love  of  God  is  kept 
with  warmth  upon  the  heart,  and  that  this  will 
provoke  thee  continually  to  bless  God  for 
Christ,  for  grace,  for  faith,  hope,  and  all  these 
things,  either  in  God  or  thee,  that  doth  accom- 
pany salvation. 

1.  The  doctrine  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins 
received  by  faith  will  make  notable  work  in 
the  heart  of  a sinner  to  bring  forth  good  works. 

But,  secondly : Forasmuch  as  there  is  a body 
of  death  and  sin  in  every  one  that  hath  the 
grace  of  God  in  this  world,  and  because  this 
body  of  death  will  be  ever  opposing  that  which 
is  good,  as  the  apostle  saith,  therefore  take 
these  few  particulars  further  for  the  suppress- 
ing that  which  will  hinder  a fruitful  life : 

1.  Keep  a continual  watch  over  the  wretch- 
edness of  thy  own  heart,  (not  to  be  discouraged 
at  the  sight  of  thy  vileness,)  but  to  prevent  its 
wickedness ; for  that  will  labour  either  to  bin- 


270 


BUNT  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


der  thee  from  doing  good  works,  or  else  will 
hinder  thee  in  the  doing  thereof ; for  evil,  is 
present  with  thee  for  both  these  purposes. 
Take  heed,  then,  that  thou  do  not  listen  to 
that  at  any  time,  but  deny,  though  with  much 
struggling,  the  workings  of  sin  to  the  contrary. 

2.  Let  this  be  continually  before  thy  heart, 
that  God’s  eye  is  upon  thee,  and  seetli  every 
secret  turning  of  thy  heart,  either  to  or  from 
him:  “All  things  are  naked  and  bare  before 
the  eyes  of  Him  with  whom  we  have  to  do.” 

3.  If  thou  deny  to  do  that  good  which  thou 
oughtest  with  what  thy  God  hath  given  thee, 
then  consider  that  though  he  love  thy  soul, 
yet  he  can  chastise' — first,  thy  inward  man 
with  such  troubles  that  thy  life  shall  be  rest- 
less and  comfortless ; secondly,  and  can  also  so 
blow  upon  thy  outward  man  that  all  thou  get- 
test  shall  be  put  in  a bag  with  holes.  And 
should  he  license  but  one  thief  among  thy 
substance,  or  one  spark  of  fire  among  thy 
barns,  how  quickly  might  that  be  spent  ill  and 
against  thy  will  which  thou  shouldst  have 
spent  to  God’s  glory  and  with  thy  will ! And 
I tell  thee  further,  that  if  thou  want  a heart  to 
do  good  when  thou  hast  about  thee,  thou  may- 
est  want  comfort  in  such  things  thyself  from 
others  when  thine  is  taken  from  thee. 

4.  Consider  that  a life  full  of  good  works  is 
the  only  way,  on  thy  part,  to  answer  the  mercy 
of  God  extended  to  thee ; God  hath  had  mercy 
on  thee,  and  hath  saved  thee  from  all  thy  dis- 
tresses ; God  hath  not  stuck  to  give  thee  his 
Son,  his  Spirit,  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Saith  Paul,  “ I beseech  you  therefore,  by  the 
mercies  of  God,  that  you  present  your  bodies  a 
living  sacrifice  to  God,  holy,  acceptable,  which 
is  your  reasonable  service.” 

5.  Consider  that  this  is  the  way  to  convince 
all  men  that  the  jmwer  of  God’s  things  hath 
taken  hold  of  thy  heart,  (I  speak  to  them  that 
hold  the  head ;)  and  say  what  thou  wilt,  if  thy 
faith  be  not  accompanied  with  a holy  life  thou 
shalt  be  judged  a withered  branch,  a wordy 
professor,  salt  without  savour,  and  as  lifeless 
as  a sounding  brass  and  a tinkling  cymbal. 
For,  say  they,  show  us  your  faith  by  your 
works,  for  we  cannot  see  your  hearts.  But  I 
say  on  the  contrary,  if  thou  walk  as  becomes 
one  who  art  saved  by  grace,  then  thou  wilt 
witness  in  every  man’s  conscience  that  thou  art 


a good  tree ; now  thou  leavest  guilt  on  the 
heart  of  the  wicked ; now  thou  takest  off  oc- 
casion from  them  that  desire  occasion ; and 
now  thou  art  clear  from  the  blood  of  all  men. 
This  is  the  man  also  that  provoketh  others  to 
good  works : The  ear  that  heareth  such  a man 
shall  bless  him,  and  the  eye  that  seeth  him 
shall  bear  witness  to  him.  “Surely  (saith 
David)  he  shall  never  be  moved : the  right- 
eous shall  be  had  in  everlasting  remembrance.” 

6.  Again,  The  heart. that  is  fullest  of  good 
works  hath  in  it  least  room  for  Satan’s  tempta- 
tions ; and  this  is  the  meaning  of  Peter  where 
he  saith,  “ Be  sober,  be  vigilant : ” that  is,  be 
busying  thyself  in  faith  and  holiness,  “ for  the 
devil,  your  adversary,  goeth  about  like  a roar- 
ing lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour.”  He 
that  walketh  uprightly  walketh  safely  ; and  he 
that  adds  to  faith,  virtue ; to  virtue,  knowledge ; 
to  knowledge,  temperance ; to  temperamce, 
brotherly  kindness ; and  to  these  charity,  and 
that  abounds  therein,  he  shall  neither  be  bar- 
ren nor  unfruitful,  (he  shall  never  fall,)  but  so 
an  entrance  shall  be  ministered  to  him  abund- 
antly into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

7.  The  man  who  is  fullest  of  good  works  is 
fittest  to  live  and  fittest  to  die : “ I am  now  (at 
any  time)  ready  to  be  offered  up,”  saith  fruitful 
Paul.  Whereas  he  that  is  barren  is  neither  fit 
to  live  nor  fit  to  die : to  die,  he  himself  is  con- 
vinced he  is  not  fit:  and  to  live,  God  himself 
saith  he  is  not  fit ; “ cut  him  down,  why  doth 
he  cumber  the  ground  ?” 

Thus  have  I,  in  few  words,  written  to  you 
(before  I die)  a word  to  provoke  you  to  faith 
and  holiness,  because  I desire  that  you  may 
have  the  life  that  is  laid  up  for  all  them  that 
believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  and  love  one  another, 
when  I am  deceased.  ' Though  there  I shall 
rest  from  my  labours,  and  be  in  paradise,  as 
through  grace  I comfortably  believe,  yet  it 
is  not  there,  but  here,  I must  do  you  good. 
Wherefore,  I,  not  knowing  the  shortness  of  my 
life,  nor  the  hindrance  that  hereafter  I may 
have  of  serving  my  God  and  you,  have  taken 
this  opportunity  to  present  these  few  lines  unto 
you  for  your  edification. 

Consider  what  hath  been  said,  and  the  Lord 
give  you  understanding  in  all  things. 

Farewell. 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED; 


OR, 


GOSPEL  LIGHT  BROUGHT  OUT  OF  THE  TEMPLE  AT  JERUSALEM, 

TO  LET  US  MORE  FULLY  INTO  THE  GLORY  OF 


NEW  TESTAMENT  TRUTHS. 

Thnu  son  of  man,  show  tho  house  to  the  honso  of  Israel — show  the  form  of  the  house,  and  the  fashion  there, 
of,  and  tho  goings  out  thereof,  and  the  comings  in  thereof,  and  all  the  forms  thereof,  and  all  the  ordinances 
thereof,  and  all  tho  forms  thereof,  and  all  the  laws  thereof. — Ezek.  xliii.  10,  11. 


TO  TIIE  CHRISTIAN  READER. 


Courteous  Christian  Reader  : 

I have,  as  thou  by  this  little  book  mayest 
see,  adventured,  at  this  time,  to  do  my  en- 
deavour to  show  thee  something  of  the  gospel- 
glory  of  Solomon’s  Temple:  that  is,  of  what 
it,  with  its  utensils,  was  a type  of;  and,  as  such, 
how  instructing  it  was  to  our  fathers,  and  also 
is  to  us  their  children.  The  which,  that  I 
might  do  the  more  distinctly,  I have  handled 
particulars  one  by  one,  to  the  number  of  three- 
score and  ten  ; namely,  all  of  them  f could  call 
to  mind : because,  as  I believe,  there  was  not 
one  of  them  but  had  its  signification,  and  so 
something  profitable  for  us  to  know. 

For,  though  we  are  not  now  to  worship  God 
in  these  methods,  or  by  such  ordinances  as 
once  the  old  church  did,  yet  to  know  their 
methods,  and  to  understand  the  nature  and 
signification  of  their  ordinances,  when  com- 
pared with  the  Gospel,  may,  even  now,  when 
themselves,  as  to  what  they  once  enjoined  on 
others,  are  dead,  minister  light  unto  us.  And 
hence  the  New  Testament  ministers,  as  the 
apostles,  made  much  use  of  Old  Testament 
language  and  ceremonial  institutions  as  to 
their  signification,  to  help  the  faith  of  the  godly 
in  their  preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

I may  say  that  God  did  in  a manner  tie  up 
the  church  of  the  Jews  to  types,  figures,  and 
similitudes ; I mean,  to  be  butted  and  bounded 
by  them  in  all  external  parts  of  worship.  Yea, 
not  only  the  Levitical  law  and  temple,  but  as 


it  seems  to  me  the  whole  land  of  Canaan,  the 
place  of  their  lot  to  dwell  in.  was  to  them  a 
ceremonial  or  a figure.  Their  land  was  a type 
of  heaven,  their  passage  over  Jordan  into  it  a 
similitude  of  our  going  to  heaven  by  death. 
The  fruit  of  their  land  was  said  to  be  uncir- 
cumcised, as  being  at  their  first  entrance 
thither  unclean  ; in  which  their  land  was  also 
a figure  of  another  thing,  even  as  heaven  was 
a type  of  grace  and  glory. 

Again,  the  very  land  itself  was  said  to 
keep  sabbath,  and  so  to  rest  a holy  rest  even 
then  when  she  lay  desolate,  and  not  possessed 
of  those  to  whom  she  was  given  for  them  to 
dwell  in. 

Yea,  many  of  the  features  of  the  then 
Church  of  God  were  set  forth,  as  in  figures 
and  shadows,  so  by  places  and  things,  in  that 
land. 

1.  In  general,  she  is  said  to  be  beautiful 
as  Tirzah,  (Song  vi.  4,)  and  to  be  comely  as 
Jerusalem. 

2.  In  particular,  her  neck  is  compared  to 
the  tower  of  David,  builded  for  an  armoury, 
(Song  iv.4;)  her  eyes  to  the  fishpoolsof  Hesh- 
bon,  by  the  gate  of  Bethrabbim,  (chap.  vii.  4;) 
her  nose  is  compared  to  the  tower  of  Lebanon, 
which  looketh  toward  Damascus,  (chap.  iv.  1 ;) 
yea,  the  hair  of  her  head  is  compared  to  a 
flock  of  goats  which  come  up  from  Mount 
Gilead,  and  the  smell  of  her  garments  to  the 
smell  of  Lebanon.  Verse  11. 


271 


272 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Nor  was  this  land  altogether  void  of  shadows 
even  of  her  Lord  and  Saviour.  Hence  he  says 
of  himself,  “ I am  the  rose  of  Sharon  and  the 
lily  of  the  valleys.”  Song  ii.  1.  Also  she,  his 
beloved,  saith  of  him,  “ His  countenance  is  as 
Lebanon,  excellent  as  the  cedars.”  What 
shall  I say?  The  two  cities,  Sion  and  Jeru- 
salem, were  such  as  sometimes  set  forth  the 
two  churches,  (Gal.  iv.,)  the  true  and  the  false, 
and  their  seed,  Isaac  and  Ishmael. 

I might  also  here  show  you  that  even  the 
gifts  and  graces  of  the  true  Church  were  set 
forth  by  the  spices,  nuts,  grapes,  and  pome- 
granates that  the  land  of  Canaan  brought 
forth ; yea,  that  hell  itself  was  set  forth 
by  the  valley  of  the  sons  of  Hinnom  and 
Tophet,  places  in  this  country.  Indeed,  the 
whole,  in  a manner,  was  a typical  and  fig- 
urative thing. 

But  I have,  in  the  ensuing  discourse,  con- 
fined myself  to  the  temple,  that  immediate 
place  of  God’s  worship,  of  whose  utensils  in 
particular,  as  I have  said,  I have  spoken, 
(though  to  each  with  what  brevity  I could,) 
for  that  none  of  them  are  without  a spiritual, 
and  so  a profitable,  signification  to  us. 

And  here  we  may  behold  much  of  the  rich- 
ness of  the  wisdom  and  grace  of  God ; namely, 
that  he,  even  in  the  very  place  of  worship  of 
old,  should  ordain  visible  forms  and  repre- 
sentations for  the  rvorshippers  to  learn  to 
worship  him  by;  yea,  the  temple  itself  was, 
as  to  this,  to  them  a good  instruction. 

But  in  my  thus  saying  I give  no  encourage- 
ment to  any  now  to  fetch  out  of  their  own 
fancies  figures  of  similitudes  to  worship  God 
by.  What  God  provided  to  be  an  help  to  the 
weakness  of  his  people  of  old  was  one  thing, 
and  what  they  invented  without  his  com- 
mandment was  another.  For  though  they 
had  his  blessing  when  they  worshipped  him 
with  such  types,  shadows,  and  figures  which 
he  had  enjoined  them  for  that  purpose,  yet  he 
sorely  punished  and  plagued  them  when  they 
would  add  to  these  inventions  of  their  own. 
Yea,  he,  in  the  very  act  of  instituting  their 
way  of  worshipping  him,  forbade  their  giving 
(in  any  thing)  way  to  their  own  humours  or 
fancies,  and  bound  them  strictly  to  the  orders 
of  heaven. 

“Look,”  said  God  to  Moses,  their  first  great 
legislator,  “ that  thou  make  all  things  ac- 
cording to  the  pattern  showed  thee  in  the 
mount.” 

Nor  doth  our  apostle  but  take  the  same 
measures  when  he  saith,  “ If  any  man  think- 


eth  himself  a prophet  or  spiritual,  let  him 
acknowledge  that  the  things  that  I write  unto 
you  are  the  commandments  of  the  Lord.” 

When  Solomon  also  was  to  build  this  tem- 
ple for  the  worship  of  God,  though  he  was 
wiser  than  all  men,  yet  God  neither  trusted  to 
his  wisdom,  nor  memory,  nor  to  any  immedi- 
ate dictates  from  heaven  to  him,  as  to  how  he 
would  have  him  build  It.  No;  he  was  to  re- 
ceive the  whole  platform -thereof  in  writing  by 
the  inspiration  of  God.  . Nor  would  God  give 
this  platform  of  the  temple  and  of  the  utensils 
immediately  to  this  wise  man,  lest  perhaps  by 
others  his  wisdom  should  be  idolized,  or  that 
some  should  object  that  the  whole  fashion 
thereof  proceeded  of  his  fancy,  only  he  made 
pretensions  of  divine  revelation  as  a cover  for 
his  doings. 

Therefore,  I say,  not  to  him,  but  to  his 
father  David,  was  the  whole  pattern  of  it 
given  from  heaven,  and  so  by  David  to  Solo- 
mon his  son  in  writing.  “Then  David,”  says 
the  text,  “gave  to  Solomon  his  son,  the  pat- 
tern of  the  porch,  and  of  the  houses  thereof, 
and  of  the  treasures  thereof,  and  of  the  upper 
chambers  thereof,  and  of  the  inner  parlours 
thereof,  and  of  the  place  of  the  mercy-seat. 
And  the  pattern  of  all  that  he-  had  by  the 
Spirit,  of  the  courts  of  the  house  of  the  Lord, 
and  of  all  the  chambers  round  about,  and  of 
the  treasuries  of  the  house  of  God,  and  of  the 
treasuries  of  the  dedicated  things,  also  for  the 
courses  of  the  priests  and  Levites,  and  for  all 
the  work  of  the  service  of  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  and  for  all  the  vessels  of  service  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord.” 

Yea,  moreover,  he  had  from  heaven,  or  by 
divine  revelation,  what  the  candlesticks  must 
be  made  of,  and  also  how  much  was  to  go  to 
each ; the  same  order  and  commandment  he 
also  gave  for  the  making  of  the  tables,  flesh- 
hooks,  cups,  basons,  altar  of  incense,  with  the 
pattern  for  the  chariot  of  the  cherubims,  &c 
“ All  this,”  said  David,  “ the  Lord  made  me 
understand  by  writing  his  hand  upon  me, 
even  all  the  work  of  this  pattern.”  So,  I 
say,  he  gave  David  the  pattern  of  the  tem- 
ple; so  David  gave  Solomon  the  pattern 
of  the  temple;  and  according  to  that  pat- 
tern did  Solomon  build  the  temple,  and  not 
otherwise. 

True,  all  these  were  but  figures,  patterns,  and 
shadows  of  things  in  the  heavens,  and  not  the 
very  image  of  the  things : but,  as  was  said  be- 
fore, if  God  was  so  circumspect  and  exact  in 
these  as  not  to  leave  any  thing  to  the  dictates 


SOLOMON’S  TEMI’LE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


273 


of  the  godly  and  wisest  of  men,  what!  can  we 
suppose  lie  will  now  admit  of  the  wisdom  and 
contrivance  of  men  in  those  things  that  are,  in 
comparison  to  them,  the  heavenly  things  them- 
selves ? 

It  is  also  to  be  concluded  that  since  those 
shadows  of  things  in  the  heavens  are  already 
committed  by  God  to  sacred  story,  and  since 
that  sacred  story  is  said  to  be  able  to  make  the 
man  of  God  perfect  in  all  things,  (2  Tim.  iii. 
lb,  1G,  17,)  it  is  duty  in  us  to  leave  off  to  lean 
to  common  understandings,  and  to  inquire  and 
search  out  by  that  very  holy  writ,  and  naught 
else,  by  what  and  how  we  should  worship  God. 
David  was  for  inquiring  in  his  temple.  Ps. 
xxvii.  4. 

And  although  the  old  church  way  of  worship 
is  laid  aside  as  to  us  in  New  Testament  times, 
yet  since  those  very  ordinances  were  figures  of 
things  and  methods  of  worship,  now  we  may — 
yea,  we  ought  to — search  out  the  spiritual  mean- 
ing of  them,  because  they  serve  to  confirm  and 
illustrate  matters  to  our  understanding.  Yea, 
they  show  us  the  more  exactly  how  the  New 
and  Old  Testament,  as  to  the  spiritualness  of 
the  worship,  were  one  and  the  same ; only  the 
old  was  clouded  with  shadows,  but  ours  is  with 
more  open  face. 

18 


Features  to  the  life,  as  we  say,  set  out  by  a 
picture,  do  excellently  show  the  skill  of  the 
artist.  The  Old  Testament  had  but  the  shadow, 
nor  have  we  but  the  very  image;  both,  then, 
are  but  emblems  of  what  is  yet  behind.  We 
may  find  our  Gospel  clouded  in  their  ceremo- 
nies, and  our  spiritual  worship  set  out  some- 
what by  their  carnal  ordinances. 

Now  because,  as  I said,  there  lies,  as  wrapt  up 
in  a mantle,  much  of  the  glory  of  our  gospel- 
matters  in  this  temple  which  Solomon  built, 
therefore  I have  made,  as  well  as  I could,  by 
comparing  spiritual  things  with  spiritual,  this 
book  upon  this  subject. 

I dare  not  presume  to  say  that  I know  I have 
hit  right  in  every  thing,  but  this  I can  say,  1 
have  endeavoured  so  to  do.  True,  I have  not 
for  these  things  fished  in  other  men’s  waters ; 
my  Bible  and  Concordance  are  my  only  library 
in  my  writings.  Wherefore,  courteous  reader, 
if  thou  findcst  any  thing,  either  in  word  or 
matter,  that  thou  shalt  judge  doth  vary  from 
God’s  truth,  let  it  be  counted  uo  man’s  else  but 
mine.  Pray  God  also  to  pardon  my  fault : do 
thou  also  lovingly  pass  it  by,  and  receive  what 
thou  findcst  will  do  thee  good. 

Thy  servant  in  the  Gospel, 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


THE  GLORY  OF  THE  TEMPLE; 

OR, 

SOLOMON'S  TEMPLE,  AND  THE  MATERIALS  THEREOF,  SPIRITUALIZED. 


I.  Where  the  Temple  was  Built. 

The  temple  was  built  at  Jerusalem,  on  Mount 
Moriah,  in  the  threshing-floor  of  Arnon  the 
Jebusite;  whereabout  Abraham  offered  up 
Isaac ; there  where  David  met  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  when  he  came  with  his  sword  drawn  in 
his  hand  to  cut  off  the  people  of  Jerusalem 
for  the  sin  which  David  committed  in  his  dis- 
orderly numbering  of  the  people.  Gen.  xxii. 
3,  4,  5 ; 1 Chron.  xxi.  1 5 ; ch.  xxii.  1 ; 2 Chron. 
iii.  1. 

There  Abraham  received  his  son  Isaac  from 
the  dead;  there  the  Lord  was  entreated  by 
David  to  take  away  the  plague,  and  to  return 
to  Israel  again  in  mercy : from  whence  also 
David  gathered  that  there  God’s  temple  must 
be  built.-  “This,”  saith  he,  “is  the  house  of 
the  Lord  God,  and  this  is  the  altar  of  the 
burnt-offering  for  Israel.” 

This  Mount  Moriah,  therefore,  was  a type 
of  the  Son  of  God,  the  mountain  of  the  Lord’s 
house,  the  rock  against  which  the  gates  of  hell 
cannot  prevail. 

II.  Who  Built  the  Temple. 

The  temple  was  built  by  Solomon,  a man 
peaceable  and  quiet;  and  that  in  name,  by 
nature,  and  in  governing.  For  so  God  before 
told  David — namely,  that  such  a one  the  build- 
er of  the  temple  should  be. 

“ Behold,”  saith  he,  “ a son  shall  be  born 

unto  thee,  who  shall  be  a man  of  rest;  and  I 

/ 

will  give  him  rest  from  all  his  enemies  round- 
about: for  his  name  shall  be  called  Solomon, 
and  1 will  give  peace  and  quietness  to  Israel  in 
Ills  days.  He  shall  build  an  house  for  my  name, 
and  he  shall  be  my  son.  I will  be  his  father.” 
As,  therefore,  Mount  Moriah  was  a type  of 
Christ  as  the  foundation,  so  Solomon  was  a 
type  of  him  as  the  builder  of  his  Church.  The 
mount  was  signal,  for  that  thereon  the  Lord 
274 


God,  before  Abraham  and  David,  did  display 
his  mercy.  And  as  Solomon  built  this  temple, 
so  Christ  doth  build  his  house ; “ Yea,  ye  shall 
build  the  everlasting  temple,  and  ye  shall  bear 
the  glory.” 

And  in  that  Solomon  was  called  peaceable, 
it  was  to  show  with  what  peaceable  doctrine 
and  ways  Christ’s  house  and  Church  should  be 
built.  Isa.  ix.  6;  Mic.  vii.  2,  3,  4. 

III.  How  the  Temple  was  Built. 

The  temple  was  built  not  merely  by  the  dic- 
tates of  Solomon,  though  he  was  wiser  than 
Ethan,  and  Heman,  and  Calcol,  and  Darda, 
and  all  men,  (1  Kings  iv.  31,)  but  it  was  built 
by  rules  prescribed  by  or  in  a written  word, 
and  as  so  delivered  to  him  by  his  father 
David. 

For  when  David  gave  to  Solomon  his  son  a 
charge  to  build  the  temple  of  God,  with  that 
charge  he  gave  him  also  the  pattern  of  all  in 
writing;  even  a pattern  of  the  porch,  house, 
chambers,  treasuries,  parlours,  &c.,  and  of  the 
place  for  the  merev-seat,  which  pattern  David 
had  of  God,  nor  would  God  trust  his  memory 
with  it.  “ The  Lord  made  me,”  said  he,  “ un- 
derstand in  writing,  by  his  hand  upon  me, 
even  all  the  work  of  this  pattern.”  Thus 
therefore  David  gave  to  Solomon  his  son  the 
pattern  of  all ; and  thus  Solomon  his  son  built 
the  house  of  God.  • See  1 Chron.  xxviii.  9-20. 

And  answerable  to  this,  Christ  Jesus,  the 
Builder  of  his  own  house,  whose  house  are  we, 
doth  build  his  holy  habitation  for  him  to 
dwell  in,  even  according  to  the  commandment 
of  God  the  Father;  for,  saith  he,  “I  have 
not  spoken  of  myself,  but  the  Father  which 
sent  me.  lie  gave  a commandment  what  I 
should  speak.”  And  hence  it  is  said  God 
gave  him  the  revelation ; and  again,  that  he 
took  the  book  out  of  the  hand  of  Him  that 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPI 

sat  on  the  throne,  and  so  acted,  as  to  the 
building  up  of  his  Church.  John  xii.  40,  41 ; 
Rev.  i.  1 ; chap.  v.  5. 

IV.  Of  what  the  Temple  ivcis  Built. 

The  materials  with  which  the  temple  was 
built  were  such  as  were  in  their  own  nature 
common  to  that  which  was  left  behind — things 
that  naturally  were  not  lit,  without  art,  to  be 
laid  in  so  holy  a house.  And  this  shows  that 
those  of  whom  Christ  Jesus  designs  to  build 
his  Church  are  by  nature  no  better  than 
others ; but  as  the  trees  and  stones  of  which 
the  temple  was  built  were  first  hewed  and 
squared  before  they  wore  fit  to  be  laid  in  that 
house,  so  sinners,  of  which  the  Church  is  to  be 
built,  must  first  be  fitted  by  the  word  and  doc- 
trine, and  then  fitly  laid  in  their  place  in  the 
Church. 

For  though,  as  to  nature,  there  is  no  differ- 
ence betwixt  those  made  use  of  to  build  God’s 
house,  yet  by  grace  they  differ  from  others; 
even  as  those  trees  and  stones  that  are  hewed 
and  squared  for  building  by  art  are  made  to 
differ  from  those  which  abide  in  the  wood  or 
pit. 

The  Lord  Jesus,  therefore,  while  lie  seelceth 
materials  wherewith  to  build  his  house,  he 
findeth  them  the  clay  of  the  same  lump  that 
he  rejecteth  and  leaveth  behind.  “Are  we  bet- 
ter than  they?  No,  in  nowise.”  Nay,  I think 
if  any  be  best,  it  is  they  which  are  left  be- 
hind : “ He  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but 
sinners  to  repentance.”  And  indeed  in  this 
lie  doth  show  both  the  greatness  of  his  grace 
and  workmanship — liis  grace  in  taking  such, 
and  his  workmanship  in  that  he  makes  them 
meet  for  his  holy  habitation. 

This  the  current  of  Scripture  maketli  man- 
ifest, wherefore  it  is  needless  now  to  cite  par- 
ticulars; only  we  must  remember  that  none 
are  laid  in  this  building  as  they  come  out  of 
the  wood  or  pit,  but  as  they  first  pass  under  the 
hand  and  rule  of  this  great  Builder  of  the 
temple  of  God. 

V.  Who  was  to  Fell  those  Trees  and  to  Dig  those 

Stones  with  which  Solomon  Built  the  Temple. 

As  the  trees  were  to  be  felled  and  stones  to 
be  digged,  so  there  was  for  that  matter  select 
workmen  appointed. 

These  were  not  of  the  sons  of  Jacob  nor  of 
the  house  of  Israel ; they  were  the  servants  of 
Hiram,  king  of  Tyre,  and  the  Gibeonites ; 
namely,  their  children  that  made  a league  with 
Joshua  in  the  day  that  God  gave  the  land  of 


E SPIRITUALIZED.  275 

Canaan  to  his  people.  Josh.  ix.  22,  20;  1 Kings 
v. ; 2 Chron.  xxvii.  28. 

And  these  were  types  of  our  Gospel  minis- 
ters, who  are  the  men  appointed  by  Jesus 
Christ  to  make  sinners,  by  their  preaching, 
meet  for  the  house  of  God.  Wherefore,  as  he 
was  famous  of  old  who  was  strong  to  lift  up 
his  axe  upon  the  thick  houghs,  to  square  wood 
for  the  building  of  the  temple,  so  a minister  of 
the  Gospel  now  is  also  famous  if  much  used  by 
Christ  for  the  converting  of  sinners  to  himself, 
that  lie  may  build  him  a temple  with  them. 
Ps.  vii.  4,  5,  G;  Rom.  xvi.  7. 

But  why,  some  may  say,  do  you  make  so 
homely  a comparison?  I answer,  Because  I 
believe  it  is  true ; for  it  is  grace  not  gifts  that 
makes  us  sons  and  the  beloved  of  God.  Gifts 
make  a minister;  and  as  a minister  one  is  but 
a servant  to  hew  wood  and  draw  water  for  the 
house  of  my  God.  Yea  Paul,  though  a son, 
yet  counted  himself  not  a son,  but  a servant, 
purely  as  he  was  a minister — a servant  of  God, 
a servant  of  Christ,  a servant  of  the  Church, 
and  your  servant  for  Jesus’  sake.  Tit.  i.  1 ; 
Rom.  i.  1 ; 2 Cor.  iv.  5. 

A man  then  is  a son  as  he  is  begotten  and 
born  of  God  to  himself,  and  a servant  as  be  is 
gifted  for  work  in  the  house  of  his  Father ; and 
though  it  is  truth  the  servant  may  be  a son, 
yet  he  is  not  a son  because  he  is  a servant. 
Nor  doth  it  follow  that  because  all  sons  may 
be  servants,  therefore  all  servants  are  sons ; no, 
all  the  servants  of  God  are  not  sons;  and  there- 
fore when  time  shall  come  he  that  is  only  a 
servant  here  shall  certainly  be  put  out  of  the 
house,  even  out  of  that  house  himself  did  help 
to  build.  “ The  servant  abideth  not  in  the 
house  for  ever  ;”  the  servant,  that  is,  he  that  is 
only  so. 

So,  then,  as  a son  thou  art  an  Israelite;  as  a 
servant,  a Gibeonite.  The  consideration  of 
this  made  Paul  start ; he  knew  that  gifts  made 
him  not  a son.  1 Cor.  xii.  28,  29,  30,  31 ; and 
xiii.  1,  2. 

The  sum,  then,  is,  a man  may  be  a servant, 
and  a son — a servant,  as  he  is  employed  by 
Christ  in  his  house  for  the  good  of  others;  and 
a son,  as  he  is  a partaker  of  the  grace  of 
adoption : but  all  servants  are  not  sons : and 
let  this  be  for  a caution  and  a call  to  ministers 
to  do  all  acts  of  service  for  God  and  in  his 
house  with  reverence  and  godly  fear  ; and  with 
all  humility  let  us  desire  to  be  partakers  our- 
selves of  that  grace  we  preach  to  others.  1 
Cor.  ix.  25. 

This  is  a great  saying,  and  written  perhaps 


276 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  keep  ministers  humble:  “And  strangers 
shall  stand  and  feed  your  flocks,  and  the  sons 
of  the  alien  shall  be  your  ploughmen  and  your 
vine-dressers.” 

To  be  a ploughman  here  is  to  be  a preacher; 
and  to  be  a vine-dresser  here  is  to  be  a 
preacher. 

And  if  he  does  this  work  willingly  he  has  a 
reward;  if  not,  a dispensation  of  the  Gospel 
was  committed  to  him,  and  that  is  all.  1 Cor. 
ix.  17. 

VI.  In  what  condition  the,  Timber  and  Stones 

were  when  brought  to  be  laid  in  the  Building 

of  the  Temple. 

The  timber  and  stones  with  which  the  tem- 
ple was  built  were  squared  and  hewed  at  the 
wood  or  pit,  and  so  there  made  every  way  fit 
for  that  work,  even  before  they  were  brought 
to  the  place  where  the  house  was  set  up.  “So 
that  neither  hammer,  nor  axe,  nor  any  tool  of 
iron,  was  heard  in  the  house  while  it  was  in 
building.” 

And  this  shows,  as  was  said  before,  that  the 
materials  of  which  the  house  was  built  were 
(before  the  hand  of  the  workmen  touched 
them)  as  unfit  to  he  laid  in  the  building  as 
were  those  that  were  left  behind ; conse- 
quently, that  themselves  none  otherwise  but 
hv  the  art  of  others  were  ma^de  fit  to  be  laid 
in  this  building. 

To  this  our  New  Testament  temple  answers. 
For  those  of  the  sons  of  Adam  who  are  counted 
worthy  to  he  laid  in  this  building  are  not  by 
nature,  but  by  grace,  made  meet  for  it ; not  by 
their  own  wisdom,  hut  by  the  word  of  God. 
Hence  he  saith,  “I  have  hewed  them  by  the 
prophets.”  And  again,  ministers  are  called 
God’s  builders  and  labourers  even  as  to  this 
work.  Hos.  vi.  5 ; 1 Cor.  iii.  10 : 2 Cor.  vi.  1 : 
Col.  i.  28. 

No  man  will  lay  trees  as  they  come  from  the 
wood  for  beams  and  rafters  in  his  house,  nor 
stones  as  digged  in  the  walls.  No,  the  trees 
must  be  hewed  and  squared,  and  the  stones 
sawn  and  made  fit,  and  so  be  laid  in  his 
house. 

Yea,  they  must  be  so  sawn  and  so  squared 
that  in  coupling  they  may  be  joined  exactly; 
else  the  building  will  not  be  good,  nor  the 
workman  have  credit  of  his  doings. 

Hence  our  Gospel  Church,  of  which  the 
temple  was  a type,  is  said  to  be  fitly  formed, 
and  that  there  is  a fit  supply  of  every  joint  for 
the  securing  of  the  whole.  1 Pet.  iii.  4 ; Eph. 
iv.  20,  21;  iv.  16;  Col.  ii.  19. 


As  they  therefore  build  like  children  that 
build  with  wood  as  it  comes  from  the  wood  or 
forest,  and  with  stones  as  they  come  from  the 
pit,  even  so  do  they  who  pretend  to  build  God 
a house  of  unconverted  sinners,  unhewed,  un- 
squared, unpolished.  Wherefore  God’s  work- 
men, according  to  God’s  advice,  prepare  their 
work  without,  and  make  it  fit  for  themselves 
in  the  field,  and  afterwards  build  the  house. 
Prov.  xxiv.  27. 

Let  ministers  therefore  look  to  this,  and 
take  heed  lest  instead  of  making  their  notions 
stoop  to  the  word,  they  make  the  Scriptures 
stoop  to  their  notions. 

VII.  Of  the  Foundation  of  the  Temple. 

The  foundation  of  the  temple  is  that  upon 
which  it  stood : and  it  was  twofold — first,  the 
hill  Moriah,  and  then  those  great  stones  upon 
which  it  was  erected.  The  hill  Moriah,  as 
was  said  afore,  did  more  properly  typify  Christ. 
Hence  Moriah  is  called  “the  mountain  of  the 
house,”  it  being  the  rock  on  which  it  was  built. 
Those  great  stones,  called  “foundation  stones,” 
were  types  of  the  prophets  and  apostles.  Matt, 
xvi.  18 ; Eph.  ii.  20,  21 ; Heb.  xi.  10. 

Wherefore  these  stones  were  stones  of  the 
biggest  size,  stones  of  eight  cubits  and  stones 
of  ten  cubits.  1 Kings  vii.  10. 

Now,  as  the  temple  had  this  double  founda- 
tion, so  we  must  consider  it  respectively  and 
distinctly;  for  Christ  is  the  foundation  one 
way,  the  prophets  and  apostles  a foundation 
another.  Christ  is  the  foundation  personally 
and  meritoriously,  but  the  prophets  and  apos- 
tles, by  doctrine,  ministerially.  The  Church 
then,  which  is  God’s  New  Testament  temple, 
is  said  to  be  built  on  Christ  the  foundation  ; so 
none  other  is  the  foundation  but  he.  1 Cor.  iii. 
11.  But  as  it  is  said  to  be  built  upon  the 
apostles,  so  it  is  said  to  have  twelve  founda- 
tions, and  must  have  none  but  they.  Eev.  xxi. 
14. 

What  is  it,  then?  Why,  we  must  be  build- 
ing upon  Christ,  as  he  is  our  priest,  sacrifice, 
prophet,  king,  and  advocate,  and  upon  the 
others,  as  they  are  infallible  instructors  and 
preachers  of  him  ; not  that  any  may  be  an 
apostle  that  so  shall  esteem  himself,  nor  that 
any  other  doctrine  be  administered  but  what 
is  the  doctrine  of  the  twelve;  for  they  are  set 
forth  as  the  chief  and  last.  These  are  also 
they,  as  Moses,  which  are  to  look  over  all  the 
building,  and  to  see  that  all  in  this  house  be 
done  according  to  the  pattern  showed  them  in 
the  mount. 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


277 


Lot  us,  (lien,  keep  these  distinctions  clear, 
and  not  put  an  apostle  in  the  room  of  Christ, 
nor  Christ  in  the  place  of  one  of  those  apos- 
tles. Let  none  but  Christ  be  the  high  priest 
and  sacrifice  for 'your  souls  to  God;  and  none 
but  that  doctrine  which  is  apostolical  be  to 
you  as  the  mouth  of  Christ  for  instruction  to 
prepare  you,  and  to  prepare  materials  for  this 
temple  of  God,  and  to  build  them  upon  this 
foundation. 

VIII.  Of  the  Richness  of  the  Stones  which  were 
laid  for  the  Foundation  of  the  Temple. 

These  foundation  stones,  as  they  were  great, 
so  they  were  costly  stones;  though,  as  I said, 
themselves  of  no  more  worth  than  they  of 
their  nature  that  were  left  behind.  Their 
costliness,  therefore,  lay  in  those  additions 
which  they  received  from  the  king’s  charge. 

First,  in  that  labour  which  was  bestolved 
upon  them  in  sawing,  squaring,  and  carving. 
For  the  servants,  as  they  were  cunning  at  this 
work,  so  they  bestowed  much  of  their  art  and 
labour  upon  them,  by  which  they  put  them 
into  excellent  form,  and  added  to  their  big- 
ness, glory  and  beauty,  fit  for  stones  upon 
which  a goodly  fabric  was  to  be  built. 

Secondly,  these  stones  as  they  were  thus 
wrought  within  and  without,  so,  as  it  seems  to 
me,  they  were  inlaid  with  other  stones  more 
precious  than  themselves.  Inlaid,  I say,  with 
stones  of  divers  colours,  according  as  it  is 
written,  “ I will  lay  thy  foundation  with  sap- 
phires.” Not  that  the  foundations  were  sap- 
phires, but  they  were  laid  inlaid  with  them;  or, 
as  he  saith  in  another  place,  “They  were 
adorned  with  goodly  stones  and  gifts.” 

This  is  still  more  amplified  where  it  is  writ- 
ten of  the  New  Jerusalem,  (which  is  still  the 
testament  Church  on  earth,  and  so  the  same  in 
substance  with  what  is  now,)  “ The  foundations 
of  the  wall  of  the  city,”  saith  he,  “ were  gar- 
nished with  all  manner  of  precious  stones.” 
True,  these  there  are  called  “ the  foundations  of 
the  wall  of  the  city,”  but  it  has  respect  to  the 
matter  in  hand;  for  that  which  is  before  called 
a temple,  for  its  comparative  smallness,  is  here 
called  a city,  for  or  because  of  its  great  increase ; 
and  both  the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city, 
as  well  as  of  the  temple,  “ are  the  twelve  apos- 
tles of  the  Lamb ;”  for  these  carvings  and  inlay- 
ings, with  all  other  beautifications,  were  types 
of  the  extraordinary  gifts  and  graces  of  the  apos- 
tles. Hence  the  apostle  calls  such  gifts  signs 
of  apostleship.  Rom.  xv.  19 ; 2 Cor.  xii.  21 ; 
Ilcb.  ii.  4.  For  as  the  foundation  stones  of 


the  temple  were  thus  garnished,  so  were  the 
apostles  beautified  with  a call,  gifts,  and  graces 
peculiar  to  themselves.  I Ience  he  says,  “ First 
apostles,”  for  that  they  were  first  and  chief  in 
the  Church  of  Christ.  1 Cor.  xii.  28. 

Nor  were  these  stones  only  laid  for  a founda- 
tion for  the  temple;  for  the  great  court,  the 
inner  court,  as  also  the  porch  of  the  temple, 
had  round  about  them  “three  rows  of  these 
stones  for  their  foundation.” 

Signifying,  as  seems  to  me,  that  the  more 
outward  and  external  part,  as  well  as  that  more 
internal  worship  to  be  performed  to  God,  should 
be  grounded  upon  apostolical  doctrine  and  ap- 
pointments. 1 Cor.  iii.  10,  11,  12;  2 Thess.  ii. 
15;  iii.  6;  Ileb.  vi.  1-5. 

IX.  Wiich  way  the  Face  or  Front  of  the  Temple 

t stood. 

The  temple  was  built  with  its  face  or  front 
towards  the  east,  and  that,  perhaps,  because  the 
glory  of  the  God  of  “ Israel  was  to  come  from 
the  way  of  the  cast  unto  it.”  Wherefore,  in  that 
its  front  stood  towards  the  cast,  it  may  be  to 
show  that  the  true  Gospel  Church  would  have 
its  eye  to  and  expectation  from  the  Lord.  We 
look,  said  Paul,  but  whither?  “ We  have  our 
conversation,”  said  he,  “in  heaven,  from” 
whence  our  expectation  is. 

2.  It  was  set  also  with  its  face  towards  the 
east  to  keep  the  people  of  God  from  commit- 
ting of  idolatry — to  wit,  from  worshipping  the 
host  of  heaven  and  the  sun,  whose  rising  is 
from  the  east.  For  since  the  face  of  the  temple 
stood  towards  the  east,  and  since  the  worship- 
pers were  to  worship  at  or  with  their  faces 
towards  the  temple,  it  follows  that  both  in 
their  going  to  and  worshipping  God  towards 
that  place  their  faces  must  be  from  and  their 
backs  towards  the  sun.  The  thus  building  of 
the  temple,  therefore,  was  a snare  to  idolaters, 
and  a proof  of  the  zeal  of  those  1 hat  were  the 
true  worshippers,  as  also  to  this  day  the  true 
Gospel- instituted  worship  of  Jesus  Christ  is. 
Hence  he  is  said  to  idolaters  to  be  a snare  and 
a trap,  but  to  the  godly  a glory.  Isa.  viii.  14; 
ix.  19. 

3.  Do  but  see  how  God  catelied  the  idola- 
trous Jews,  by  this  means,  in  their  naughti- 
ness : “ And  he  brought  me,”  said  the  prophet, 
“ into  the  inner  court  of  the  Lord’s  house,  and 
behold,  at  the  door  of  the  temple  of  the  Lord, 
even  between  the  porch  and  the  altar,  were 
about  five  and  twenty  men,  with  their  backs 
towards  the  temple  of  the  Lord  and  their  faces 
towards  the  east.” 


278 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


It  was  therefore,  as  I said,  set  .with  its  face 
towards  the  east  to  prevent  false  worships  and 
detect  idolaters. 

4.  From  the  east  also  came  the  most  blasting 
winds — winds  that  are  destructive  to  man  and 
beasts,  to  fruit  and  trees,  and  ships  at  sea. 
Ex.  x.  13;  Job  xxvii.  21  ; Ezek.  xvii.  10;  and 
xix.  12;  Ps.  xlviii.  7 ; Ezek.  xxvii.  26. 

I say  the  east  wind,  or  that  which  comes  from 
thence,  is  the  most  hurtful ; yet  you  see  the 
temple  hath  set  her  face  against  it  to  show  that 
the  true  Church  cannot  be  blasted  or  made 
turn  back  by  any  affliction.  It  is  not  the  east 
winds,  nor  none  of  their  blastings,  that  can 
make  the  temple  turn  about.  Hence  he  saith 
that  Jacob’s  face  shall  not  wax  pale.  And 
again,  “ I have  made  thy  face  strong  against 
their  faces,  and  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it.”  Isa.  xxix.  22 ; Ezek.  iii.  8 ; 
Matt.  xvi.  18. 

5.  It  might  be  also  built  with  its  face  to- 
wards the  east  to  show'  that  the  true  Church 
looketh,  as  afore  I hinted,  for  her  Lord  and 
King  from  heaven,  knowing  that  at  his  com- 
ing he  will  bring  healing  in  his  wdngs ; for 
from  the  east  he  will  appear  when  he  comes 
the  second  time  without  sin  unto  salvation,  of 
w'hich  the  sun  gives  us  a memento  in  his  rising 
there  every  morning.  “For  as  the  lightning 
cometli  out  of  the  east,  and  shineth  unto  the 
W'est,  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of 
Man  be.” 

6.  Christ,  as  the  north  pole,  draws  those 
touched  with  the  loadstone  of  his  word,  wdth 
the  face  of  their  souls  tow'ards  him,  to  look  for 
and  hasten  to  his  coming.  And  this  also  is 
signified  by  the  temple  standing  with  its  face 
towards  the  east. 

X.  Of  the  Courts  of  the  Temple. 

I perceive  that  there  are  two  courts  belong- 
ing to  the  temple.  The  first  wras  called  the 
outw'ard  court.  Ezek.  xl.  17  ; xlvi.  21. 

1.  This  was  that  into  which  the  people  of 
necessity  first  entered  when  they  went  to  wor- 
ship in  the  temple ; consequent!)'  that  was  it  in 
and  by  which  the  people  did  first  show  their 
desires  to  be  the  worshippers  of  God.  And 
this  answers  to  those  badges  and  signs  .of  love 
to  religion  that  people  have  in  face  or  out- 
w'ard appearance.  Matt.  xxv.  27 ; 2 Cor.  x.  7. 

2.  In  this,  though  here  may  sometimes  be 
truth,  yet  oftener  lies  and  dissimulation ; 
wherefore  commonly  an  outward  appearance 
is  set  in  opposition  to  faith  and  truth,  as  the 
outward  is  in  opposition  to  the  inner  court, 


and  outward  to  the  inner  man ; and  that  is 
when  it  is  by  itself,  for  then  it  profits  nothing. 

3.  Hence,  though  the  outward  court  was 
something  to  the  Jews,  because  by  outward 
bodies  they  were  distinguished  from  the  Gen- 
tiles, yet  to  us  it  is  little,  for  now'  he  is  not  a 
Jew  wrho  is  one  only  outw'ardly.  Therefore  all 
the  time  of  the  beast’s  reign  this  court  is  given 
to  be  trodden  under  foot;  for,  as  I said,  out- 
ward show'  Will  avail  nothing  w'hen  the  beast 
comes  to  turn  and  toss  up  professors  with  his 
horns.  Rev.  xi.  12. 

4.  But  as  there  was  an  outward,  so  there  was 
an  inner  court — a court  that  stood  nearer  to 
the  temple,  and  so  to  the  true  practical  part  of 
worship,  than  that  outward  court  did. 

, 5.  This  inner  court  is  that  which  is  called 
“ the  court  of  the  priests,”  because  it  was  it  in 
which  they  boiled  the  trespass-offering,  and  in 
which  they  prepared  the  sin-offering  for  the 
people. 

6.  This  court,  therefore,  w'as  the  place  of 
practice  and  of  preparation  to  appear  before 
God,  which  is  the  first  true  token  of  a sincere 
and  honest  mind.  Wherefore  here,  and  not  in 
the  outw'ard  court,  stood  the  great  brazen  altar, 
which  w’as  a type  of  Christ,  by  whom  alone 
true  worshippers  make  their  approach  with 
acceptance  unto  God.  Also  here  stood  the 
great  brazen  scaffold,  on  which  the  king 
kneeled  w'hen  he  prayed  for  the  people,  a type 
of  Christ’s  prayers  for  his  when  he  was  in  the 
world.  2 Chron.  vi.;  John  xiii.  17. 

7.  Wherefore  this  court  w'as  a type  of  prac- 
tical w'orship,  and  so  of  our  praying,  hearing, 
and  eating  before  God.  There  belonged  to 
this  court  several  gates,  an  east,  a south,  and 
a north  gate;  and  when  the  people  of  the  land 
went  into  this  court  to  w'orship,  they  were  not 
to  go  out  at  the  gate  by  which  fliey  came  in, 
but  out  of  the  gate  over  against  it,  to  show 
that  true  Christians  should  persevere  right  on, 
and  not  turn  back,  whatever  they  meet  with 
in  the  wray.  “He  that  enteretli  in  by  the  way 
of  the  north  gate  to  worship  shall  go  out  by 
the  way  of  the  south  gate;  and  he  that  en- 
tereth  in  by  the  way  of  the  north  gate,  he  shall 
not  return  by  the  way  of  the  gate  w'hereby  he 
came  in,  but  shall  go  forth  over  against  it.” 

8.  These  courts  were  places  of  great  delight 
to  the  Jews,  as  both  feigned  and  sincere 
profession  is  to  those  that  practise  therein. 
Wherefore,  when  the  Jew's  did  enter  into  these, 
they  did  use  to  do  it  with  praise  and  pipe,  as  do 
both  hypocrites  and  sincere  ones.  So  then, 
w'hen  a man  shall  tread  in  both  these  courts, 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


279 


and  shall  turn  what  lie  seems  to  be  into  what 
he  should  be  in  reality,  then,  and  not  till  then, 
he  treads  them  as  he  should ; for  then  lie  makes 
the  outward  court,  and  his  treading  there,  but 
a passage  to  that  which  is  more  inward  and 
sincere.  But  he  that  stays  in  the  outward  one 
is  but  such  an  one  as  pleases  not  God,  for  that 
he  wants  the  practice  of  what  he  professes  with 
his  mouth. 

XI.  Of  the  great  Brazen  Altar  that  stood  in  the 
Inner  Court  of  the  Temple. 

In  the  inner  court  stood  the  great  brazen 
altar  which  Solomon  made.  This  is  evident, 
for  that  when  he  kneeled  upon  the  scaffold  to 
pray  he  kneeled  before  this  altar.  Sec  Ex.  xl. 
6,  29. 

2.  This  altar  seems  to  be  placed  about  the 
middle  of  this  court,  over  against  the  porch  of 
the  house ; and  between  it  and  the  temple  was 
the  place  where  Zechariah  was  slain.  This 
altar  was  called  “the  altar  of  burnt-offering,” 
and  therefore  it  was  a type  of  Christ  in  his 
dignity.  For  Christ’s  body  was  our  true  burnt- 
offering,  of  which  the  bodies  of  the  sacrificed 
beasts  were  a type : now  that  altar  upon  which 
his  body  was  offered  was  his  divinity  or  God- 
head, for  that,  and  that  only,  could  bear  up 
that  offering  in  the  whole  of  its  sufferings: 
and  that  therefore,  and  that  only,  was  to  re- 
ceive the  fat,  the  glory.  Hence  it  is  said,  “He 
through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  himself  with- 
out spot  to  God.” 

3.  For  Christ  is  priest,  and  sacrifice,  and 
altar,  and  all.  And  as  a priest  he  offered,  as  a 
sacrifice  he  suffered,  and  as  God  he  supported 
his  humanity  in  that  suffering  of  all  the  pains 
it  underwent.  Gal.  i.  4;  ch.  ii.  20;  1 Pet.  iii.  18; 
Heb.  ix.  14. 

4.  It  was  then  Christ’s  Godhead,  not  the  tree, 
that  was  the  altar  of  burnt-offering,  or  that  by 
which  Christ  offered  himself  an  offering  and  a 
sacrifice  to  God  for  a sweet-smelling  savour. 

5.  That  it  was  not  the  tree  is  evident,  for 
that  could  not  sanctify  the  gift,  to  wit,  his 
body;  but  Christ  afiirmeth  “that  the  altar 
sanctifieth  the  gift;”  and  by  so  saying  he  af- 
firmeth  that  the  altar  on  which  he  ottered  his 
offering  was  greater  than  the  offering  itself. 
Matt,  xxiii.  19. 

Now  the  body  of  Christ  was  the  gift;  for  so 
he  saith,  “ I give  my  flesh  for  the  life  of  the 
world.” 

But  now  what  thing  is  that  which  is  greater 
than  his  body  save  the  altar,  his  divinity,  on 
which  it  Wits  ottered?  The  tree,  then,  was  not 


the  altar  which  sanctifieth  this  gift  to  make  it 
of  virtue  enough  to  make  reconciliation  for  in- 
iquity. John  vi.  15. 

Now,  since  this  altar  of  burnt-offering  was 
thus  placed  in  the  inner  court,  it  teaches  us 
several  things: 

First.  That  those  that  come  only  into  the 
outward  court,  or  rest  in  a bare  appearance  of 
Christianity,  do  not,  by  so  doing,  come  to  Jesus 
Christ;  for  this  altar  stands  not  there.  Hence 
John  takes  notice  only  of  the  temple  and  this 
altar,  and  them  that  worship  therein,  and  leaves 
out  the  outward  court,  and  so  them  that  come 
no  farther.  Rev.  xi.  1,  2. 

Secondly.  This  teaches  us  also  that  we  are 
to  enter  into  that  temple  of  God  by  blood. 
The  altar,  this  altar  of  burnt-offering,  stood  as 
men  went  into  the  temple;  they  must  go  by 
it;  yea,  there  they  must  leave  their  ottering, 
and  so  go  in  and  worship,  even  as  a token  that 
they  came  thither  by  sacrifice  and  by  blood. 

Thirdly.  Upon  this  altar  Solomon  at  the 
dedication  of  the  temple  offered  thousands 
both  of  oxen  and  of  sheep,  to  signify  surely  the 
abundant  worth  and  richness  that  would  be  in 
the  blood  of  Christ  to  save  when  it  should  be 
shed  for  us.  “ For”  his  blood  is  spoken  of  with 
an  “ how  much  more.”  “ For  if  the  blood  of 
bulls  and  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer 
sprinkling  the  unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  puri- 
fying of  the  flesh,  how  much  more  shall  the 
blood  of  Christ,  who  through  the  eternal  Spirit 
offered  himself  without  spot  to  God,  purge 
your  conscience  from  dead  works,  to  serve  the 
living  God ! ” 

Let  them  not  dare  to  stop  or  stay  in  the  out- 
ward court,  for  there  is  not  this  altar.  Nor  let 
us  dare,  when  we  come  into  this  court,  to  be 
careless  whether  we  look  to  this  altar  or  no. 
For  it  is  by  blood  we  must  enter;  for  without 
shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission.  Let  us 
always  then,  when  we  come  hither,  wash  our 
hands  in  innocencv,  and  so  compass  this  holy 
altar,  for  that  by  Christ,  who  is  the  altar  in- 
deed, we  are  reconciled  to  God.  This  is  look- 
ing unto  Jesus ; this  is  coming  to  God  by  him, 
of  whom  this  altar  and  the  sacrifice  thereon 
was  a type. 

XII.  Of  the  Pillars  that  were  before  the  Porch 
of  the  Temple. 

There  were  divers  pillars  belonging  to  the 
temple,  but  in  this  place  we  are  confined  to 
speak  of  only  two — namely,  those  which  stood 
before  the  temple. 

These  pillars  stood  before  the  porch  or  en- 


280 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


trance  into  the  temple,  looking  towards  the 
altar,  the  court,  and  them  that  were  the  wor- 
shippers there : also  they  were  a grace  and  a 
beauty  to  the  front  of  the  house. 

1.  These  pillars  stood,  one  on  the  right  hand 
and  the  other  on  the  left,  at  the  door  of  the 
porch  of  the  temple,  and  they  had  names  given 
them  (you  may  be  sure)  to  signify  something. 
The  name  of  that  on  the  right  hand  was  called 
“ Jachin,”  (God  shall  establish ;)  and  the  name 
of  that  on  the  left  hand  was  “Boaz,”  (in  it  is 
strength.)  1 Kings  vii.  21 ; 2 Chron.  iii.  17. 

2.  These  two  jaillars  were  types  of  Christ’s 
apostles — of  the  apostles  of  circumcision,  and 
of  the  uncircumcision.  Therefore  the  apostle 
Paul  also  calleth  them  pillars,  (Gal.  ii.,)  and 
saith  that  the  pillar  on  the  right  hand  was  a 
type  of  himself  and  his  companions,  who  were 
to  go  to  the  uncircumcised  and  teach  the  Gen- 
tiles the  way  of  life.  When  James,  Cephas, 
and  John  saith,  “Ye  who  seemed  to  be  pillars 
perceived  the  grace  that  was  given  unto  me ; 
they  gave  unto  me  and  Barnabas  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship,  that  we  should  go  unto  the 
heathen,  and  they  unto  the  circumcision.” 

So,  then,  these  two  pillars  were  types  of  these 
two  orders  of  the  apostles  in  this  their  divers 
service  for  God. 

3.  And  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  signi- 
fied by  those  on  the  right  hand — to  wit,  to  be 
the  apostles  of  the  Gentiles — he  showetli  again 
where  he  saith,  “ I am  the  minister  of  Christ 
to  the  Gentiles,  ministering  the  grace  of  God, 
that  the  offering  up  of  the  Gentiles  might 
be  acceptable,  being  sanctified  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.” 

4.  And  since  the  name  of  this  pillar  was 
“Jachin,”  (God  shall  establish,)  as  it  showetli 
that  opposition  shall  attend  it,  so  also  that  God 
would  bless  his  word  preached  by  them  to  the 
Gentiles,  to  the  conversion  of  numbers  of  them, 
maugre  all  the  opposition  of  the  enemy. 

5.  This  is  further  implied  for  that  they  were 
made  of  brass ; as  he  saith  of  the  prophet,  “ I 
have  made  thee  a fenced  brazen  wall,  an  iron 
pillar;  and  their  fighting  against  thee  shall 
nothing  at  all  prevail.”  Wherefore  Paul  says 
of  himself,  “ I am  set  for  the  defence  of  the 
Gospel,  that  the  truth  thereof  might  continue 
with  you.”  Phil.  i.  17 ; Gal.  ii.  5. 

XIII.  Of  the  Height  of  these  Pillars  that  thus 

stood  before  the  Porch  of  the  Door  of  the  Tem- 
ple. 

The  pillars  were  eignteen  cubits  high  ajnece, 
and  that  is  as  high,  yea,  as  high  again,  as  the 


highest  giant  that  ever  we  read  of  in  the  world ; 
for  the  highest  of  which  we  read  was  but  six 
cubits  and  a span. 

True,  the  bedstead  of  Og  was  nine  cubits 
long,  but  I trow  the  giant  himself  was  shorter. 
Deut.  iii.  11 ; 2 Chron.  iii.  15.  But  put  the 
longest  to  the  longest,  and  set  the  one  upon 
the  shoulders  of  the  other,  and  yet  each  pillar 
was  higher  than  they. 

We  have  now,  as  I know  of,  but  few  that  re- 
main of  the  remnant  of -the  giants ; and  though 
they  boast  as  if  they  were  higher  than  Anak, 
yet  these  pillars  are  higher  than  they. 

These  pillars  are  the  highest;  you  may 
equal  them,  and  an  inch  above  is  worth  an  ell 
below.  The  height,  therefore,  of  these  pillars 
is  to  show  us  what  high  dignity  God  did  put 
upon  those  of  his  saints  whom  he  did  call  to 
be  apostles  of  the  Lamb ; for  their  office  and 
call  thereto  is  the  highest  in  the  Church  of 
God.  These  men,  I say,  were  made  thus  high 
by  their  being  cast  in  such  a mould.  Of  that 
which  added  yet  further  to  their  height  we  will 
speak  anon : we  only  speak  now  of  the  high  call 
by  which  they,  and  only  they,  were  made  capa- 
ble of  apostolical  authority.  The  apostles  were 
sent  immediately,  their  call  was  extraordinary, 
their  office  was  universal,  they  had  alike  p>ower 
in  all  churches,  and  their  doctrine  was  infal- 
lible. 

And  what  can  our  pretended  giants  do  or 
say  in  comparison  of  these  ? The  truth  is,  all 
other  men  to  these  are  drawfs,  are  low,  dark, 
weak,  and  beneath  them,  not  only  as  to  call 
and  office,  but  also  as  to  gifts  and  grace.  This 
sentence,  “ Paul,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,” 
drowneth  all.  What  now  are  all  other  titles  of 
grandeur  and  greatness  when  compared  with 
this  one  sentence  ? 

True,  the  men  were  but  mean  in  themselves ; 
for  what  is  Paul  or  Apollos,  or  what  was  James 
or  John  ? Yet  by  their  call  to  that  office  they 
were  made  highest  of  all  in  the  Church.  Christ 
did  raise  them  eighteen  cubits  high,  not  in  con- 
ceit— for  so  there  are  many  higher  than  they — 
but  in  office,  and  calling,  and  divine  authority. 

And  observe  it,  these  stand  at  the  door,  at 
the  entering  into  the  temple  of  God,  at  which 
they  enter  that  go  in  thither  to  worship  God,  to 
show  that  all  right  worship,  and  that  which 
will  be  acceptable  to  God,  is  by,  or  according 
to,  their  doctrine. 

XIY.  Of  the  Chapiters  of  the  Pillars  of  the 
Temple. 

There  were  also  two  chapiters  made  for  the 


SOLOMON'S  TKMl'LE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


281 


pillars  of  the  temple — for  each  one;  and  they 
were  five  cubits  high  apiece.  These  were  for 
the  adorning  of  the  pillars,  and  therefore  were 
types  and  shadows  of  that  abundance  of  grace 
which  God  did  put  upon  the  apostles  after  the 
resurrection  of  our  Lord.  Wherefore,  as  he 
saith  here  the  chapiters  were  upon  the  pillars, 
so  it  saith  that  great  grace  was  upon  all  the 
apostles.  Acts  iv.  33. 

These  chapiters  had  belonging  to  them  a 
bowl,  made  pumil-fashion,  and  it  was  placed 
upon  the  head  of  them,  perhaps  to  signify 
their  aptness  to  receive  and  largeness  to  con- 
tain of  the  dew  of  heaven,  that  shadow  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  which  doctrine  the 
apostles,  as  the  chief,  were  to  receive  and 
hold  forth  to  the  world  for  their  conversion. 
Hence,  as  the  bowls  were  capable  to  receive 
the  dew  of  heaven,  these  are  said  to  receive 
grace,  an  apostleship  for  obedience  to  the  faith 
among  all  nations  for  his  name. 

There  was  also  upon  these  chapiters  a net- 
work, or  nets  like  unto  chequer-work,  which 
still  added  to  their  lustre.  These  nets  were 
they  which  showed  for  what  intent  the  apos- 
tolical office  was  ordained;  namely,  that  by 
their  preaching  they  might  bring  many  souls 
to  God.  And  hence  Christ  calls  them  fisher- 
men, saying,  “ Ye  shall  catch  men.” 

The  world  is  compared  to  a sea,  men  to 
fishes,  and  the  Gospel  to  a net.  As  therefore 
men  catch  fish  with  a net,  so  the  apostles 
caught  men  by  their  word ; which  word,  as  I 
told  you,  to  me  is  signified  by  this  net-work 
upon  the  top  of  these  pillars.  See  therefore 
the  mystery  of  God  in  these  things. 

XV.  Of  the  Pomegranates  adjoined  to  these 
Nets  on  the  Chapiters. 

There  were  also  joined  to  these  nets  upon 
the  top  of  the  pillars  pomegranates  in  abun- 
dance, four  hundred  for  the  net-work.  Pome- 
granates, you  know,  are  beautiful  to  look  on, 
pleasant  to  the  palate,  comfortable  to  the 
stomach,  and  cheering  by  their  juice.  There 
were  to  be  two  rows  of  these  pomegranates  for 
one  net-work,  and  so  two  rows  of  them  for  the 
other. 

And  this  was  to  show  that  the  net  of  the 
Gospel  is  not  an  empty  thing,  but  is  suffi- 
ciently baited  with  such  varieties  as  are  apt  to 
allure  the.  world  to  be  catched  by  them.  The 
law  is  but  a sound  of  words,  but  the  Gospel  is 
not  so ; that  is  baited  with  pomegranates,  with 
variety  of  excellent  things.  Hence  it  is  called 
“ the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  Gospel 


of  the  grace  of  God,”  because  it  is,  as  it  were 
' baited  with  grace  and  glory,  that  sinners  may 
be  allured  and  may  be  taken  with  it,  to  their 
eternal  salvation.  Matt.  xxiv.  14;  Acts  xx.  24. 

Grace  and  glory,  grace  and  glory  ! these  are 
the  pomegranates  with  which  the  word  of  the 
Gospel  is  baited,  that  sinners  may  be  taken 
and  saved  thereby.  The  argument  of  old  was 
milk  and  honey;  that  was,  I say,  the  alluring 
bait  with  which  Moses  drew  six  hundred 
thousand  out  of  Egypt  into  the  wilderness  of 
old.  Ex.  iii.  8.  But  behold,  we  have  pome- 
granates, two  rows  of  pomegranates,  grace  and 
a kingdom,  as  the  bait  of  the  holy  Gospel ; no 
wonder  then  if,  when  men  of  skill  did  cast 
this  net  into  the  sea,  such  numbers  of  fish 
have  been  catched  even  by  one  sermon.  Acts 

ii.  They  baited  their  nets  with  taking  things 
— things  taking  to  the  eye  and  taste. 

Nets  are  truly  instruments  of  death,  but  the 
net  of  the  Gospel  doth  catch  to  draw  from 
death ; wherefore  this  net  is  contrary ; life 
and  immortality  is  brought  to  light  through 
this.  No  marvel  then  if  men  are  so  glad,  and 
that  for  gladness  they  leap  like  fishes  in  a net, 
when  they  see  themselves  catched  in  this  drag 
of  the  holy  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  They 
are  catched  from  death  and  hell,  catched  to 
live  with  God  in  glory. 

XVI.  Of  the  Chains  that  were  upon  these  Pillars 
that  stood  before  the  Temple. 

As  there  were  nets  to  catch,  and  pome- 
granates to  bait,  so  there  were  chains  belong- 
ing to  these  chapiters  on  these  pillars.  And 
he  made  chains,  as  in  the  oracle,  and  put 
them  upon  the  head  of  the  chapiters.  2 Chron. 

iii.  16. 

But  what  were  these  chains  a type  of?  I 
answer,  They  were  perhaps  a type  of  those 
bonds  which  attend  the  Gospel,  by  which 
souls  are  taken  and  tied  fast  to  the  horns  of 
the  altar.  Gospel  grace  and  Gospel  obliga- 
tions are  ties  and  binding  things : they  can 
hold  those  that  are  entangled  by  the  word. 
Love  is  strong  as  death— bands  of  love  and 
the  cords  of  a man,  and  chains  take  hold  on 
them  that  are  taken  by  the  Gospel.  Hos.  xi. ; 
Song  viii.  6. 

But  this  strength  to  bind  lieth  not  in  out- 
ward force,  but  in  a sweet  constraint  by  virtue 
of  the  displays  of  undeserved  love.  “ The  love 
of  Christ  constraineth  us.”  Wherefore  as  you 
find  the  nets,  so  the  chains  had  pomegranates 
on  them.  “And  he  made  an  hundred  pome- 
granates, and  put  them  upon  the  chains.” 


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RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


The  chains,  then,  had  baits,  as  well  as  the 
nets,  to  show  that  the  bands  of  the  Gospel 
are  unresistible  goodnesses,  such  with  which 
men  love  to  be  bound,  and  such  as  they  pray 
they  may  hold  fast  by.  He  binds  his  foal  to 
the  vine,  his  saint  unto  this  Saviour.  Gen. 
xlix.  11. 

By  these  chains  there  is  therefore  showed 
what  strength  there,  is  in  Gospel  charms,  if 
once  the  adder  doth  but  hear  them  ; never  man 
j et  was  able  to  resist  them  that  well  did  know 
the  meaning  of  them  ; they  are  mighty  to  make 
poor  men  obedient,  and  that  in  word  and  deed. 

These  chains  were  such  as  were  in  the 
oracle,  to  show  that  Gospel  bonds  are  strong 
as  the  joys  of  heaven,  and  as  the  glories  there 
can  make  them  chains  as  in  the  oracle,  as  in 
the  most  holy  place.  It  is  heaven  that  binds 
sinners  on  earth  to  the  faith  and  hope  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ. 

XVII.  Of  the  Lily-worJc  which  teas  upon  the 
Chapiters  that  were  upon  these  Pillars  of  the 
Temple. 

These  pillars  were  also  adorned  with  lily- 
work,  as  well  as  with  pomegranates  and  chains. 
“ Chapiters  also  which  were  upon  the  top  of 
the  pillars  were  of  lily-work : so  was  the  wrork 
of  the  pillars  finished.” 

This  lily-work  is  here  put  in  on  purpose, 
even  to  show  us  how  far  off  those  that  were  to 
be  the  true  apostles  of  the  Lamb  should  be 
from  seeking  carnal  things,  or  of  making  their 
preaching  a stalking-horse  to  worldly  greatness, 
and  that  preferment.  There  was  lily-work 
upon  them  ; that  is,  they  lived  upon  the  bounty 
and  care  of  God,  and  were  content  with  that 
glory  which  he  had  put  upon  them.  “The 
lilies,”  saith  Christ,  “ they  toil  not,  neither  do 
they  spin,  and  yet  Solomon  in  all  his  glory 
was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these.” 

Thus,  therefore,  these  pillars  show  that  as 
the  apostles  should  be  fitted  and  qualified  for 
their  work,  they  should  be  also  free  from  cares 
and  worldly  cumber;  they  should  be  content 
with  God’s  providing  for  them,  even  as  the 
goodly  lilies  are.  And  as  thus  prepared  they 
were  set  in  the  front  of  the  house  for  all  min- 
isters to  see  and  learn,  and  take  examples  of 
them  how  to  behave  themselves  as  to  this  world 
in  the  performing  of  their  office. 

And  that  which  gives  us  further  light  in  this 
is,  that  this  lily-work  is  said,  by  divine  insti- 
tution, to  be  placed  “ over  against  the  belly,” 
the  belly  of  the  pillars,  a type  of  ours.  1 Kings 
vii.  20. 


The  belly  is  a craving  thing ; and  these 
things,  saith  the  text,  were  placed  over  against 
the  belly,  to  teach  that  they  should  not  hu- 
mour, but  put  check  unto  the  desires  and  crav- 
ings of  the  belly,  or  to  show  that  they  need 
not  do  it,  for  that  he  that  calls  to  his  work  will 
himself  provide  for  the  belly.  It  is  said  of  the 
Church  that  “ her  belly  is  as  a heap  of  wheal 
set  about  with  lilies,”  to  show  that  she  should, 
without  covetousness,  have  sufficient,  if  she 
would  cast  all  her  care  upon  God,  her  great 
provider.  This  the  apostles  did,  and  this  is 
their  glory  to  this  day. 

“So  was  the  work  of  the  pillars  finished.” 
To  live  lily-lives,  it  seems,  is  the  glory  of  an 
apostle,  and  the  completing  of  his  office  and 
service  for  God.  But  this  is  directly  opposite 
to  the  belly,  over  against  the  belly,  and  this 
makes  it  the  harder  work.  But  yet  so  living' 
is  the  way  to  make  ail  that  is  done  sweet- 
scented  to  those  that  be  under  this  care.  Cov- 
etousness makes  a minister  smell  frowisli,  and 
look  more  like  a greedy  dog  than  an  apostle 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Judas  had  none  of  this  lily- 
work  ; so  his  name  stinks  to  this  day.  “ He 
that  grows  like  the  lily  shall  cast  forth  his 
scent  like  Lebanon,  his  branches  shall  spread, 
and  his  beauty  shall  be  as  the  olive  tree,  and 
his  smell  as  Lebanon.” 

Thus  lived  Christ  first ; and  thus  the  apostles 
next ; nor  can  any  other,  as  to  this,  live  like  or 
be  compared  to  them.  They  coveted  no  man’s 
silver  or  gold  or  apparel.  They  lived  like  lilies 
in  the  world,  and  did  send  forth  their  scent  as 
Lebanon. 

Thus  you  see  of  whom  these  pillars  were  a 
shadow,  and  what  their  height,  their  chapiters, 
their  bowls,  their  nets,  their  chains,  their 
pomegranates,  and  their  lily-work  did  signify, 
and  how  all  was  most  sweetly  answered  in  the 
antitype.  These  were  men  of  the  first  rate; 
the  apostles,  I mean,  were  such. 

XVIII.  Of  the  Fashion  of  the  Temple. 

Of  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  temple  I 
shall  say  nothing,  but  as  to  the  height  thereof 
there,  methinks,  I see  something.  The  temple 
was  higher  than  the  pillars,  and  so  is  the 
Church  than  her  officers ; I say,  consider  them 
singly  as  officers,  though  inferior  as  to  gifts 
and  office ; for  as  I said  before  of  ministers  in 
general,  so  now  I say  the  same  of  the  apostles, 
though  as  to  office  they  were  the  highest,  yet 
the  temple  is  above  them.  Gifts  and  office 
make  no  men  sons  of  God,  as  so  they  are  but 
servants  of  the  highest  form.  It  is  the  Church, 


SOLOMON’S  TKMl’LK  SPIRITUALIZED. 


283 


as  such,  that  is  the  lady,  a queen,  the  bride, 
the  Lamb’s  wife;  and  prophets,  apostles,  and 
ministers,  &c.,  are  but  servants,  stewards,  la- 
bourers for  her  good. 

As,  therefore,  the  lady  is  above  the  servant, 
the  queen  above  the  steward,  or  the  wife  above 
all  her  husband’s  officers,  so  is  the  Church,  as 
such,  above  these  officers.  The  temple  was 
higher  than  the  pillars. 

2.  Again,  as  the  temple  was  highest,  so  it 
enlarged  itself  still  upward;  for  as  it  ascended 
in  height,  so  it  still  was  wider  and  wider,  even 
from  the  lowest  chambers  to  the  top. 

The  first  chambers  were  but  five  cubits  broad, 
the  middle  ones  were  six,  but  the  highest  were 
seven  cubits.  1 Kings  vi.  5,  6.  The  temple 
therefore  was  round  about  some  cubits  wider 
than  it  was  below ; for  there  was  an  enlarging 
and  an  ascending  about  still  upward  to  the 
side  chambers,  for  the  winding  about  was  still 
upward  round  about  the  house ; therefore  the 
breadth  of  the  house  was  still  upward,  and  so 
increased  from  the  lowest  chamber  to  the  high- 
est, by  the  midst. 

And  this  was  to  show  us  that  God’s  true 
Gospel  temple,  which  is  hi's  Church,  should 
have  its  enlargedness  of  heart  still  upwards,  or 
most  for  spiritual  and  eternal  things ; where- 
fore he  saith,  “ Thy  heart  shall  fear  and  be  en- 
larged that  is,  be  most  affected  with  things 
above,  ‘‘where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand 
of  God.”  Indeed,  it  is  the  nature  of  grace  to 
enlarge  itself  still  upward,  and  to  make  the 
heart  widest  for  the  things  that  are  above. 

The  temple,  therefore,  was  narrowest  down- 
wards, to  show  that  a little  of  earth,  or  this 
world,  should  serve  the  Church  of  God.  And 
having  food  and  raiment,  let  us  be  therewith 
content. 

But  now,  upwards  and  as  to  heavenly  things, 
we  are  commanded  to  be  covetous  as  to  them, 
and  after  them  to  enlarge  ourselves,  both  by 
the  fashion  of  the  temple  as  well  as  by  express 
words. 

Since  then  the  temple  was  widest  upward, 
let  us  imitate  it  and  have  our  conversation  in 
heaven.  Let  our  eyes,  our  ears,  our  hands, 
and  hearts,  our  prayers,  and  groans,  be  most 
for  things  above.  Let  us  open  our  mouths  as 
the  ground  that  is  cliapt  doth  for  the  latter 
rain,  for  the  things  that  are  eternal.  Job  xxix. 
23  ; Ps.  Ixxxi.  10. 

Observe  again  that  the  lowest  parts  of  the 
temple  were  the  narrowest  parts  of  the  temple ; 
so  those  in  the  Church  who  are  nearest  or  most 
concerned  with  earth  are  the  most  narrow- 


spirited  as  to  the  things  of  God.  But  now  let 
even  such  a one  be  taken  up  higher,  to  above, 
to  the  uppermost  parts  of  the  temple,  and  there 
he  will  be  enlarged  and  have  his  heart  stretched 
out.  For  the  temple  you  sec  was  widest  up- 
wards; the  higher  the  more  it  is  enlarged. 
Paul  being  once  caught  up  into  paradise, 
could  not  but  be  there  enlarged.  2 Cor.  xii. 

One  may  say  of  the  fashion  of  the  temple, 
as  some  say  of  a lively  picture,  It  speaks.  I 
say,  its  form  and  fashion  speaks;  it  says  to  all 
saints,  to  all  the  churches  of  Christ,  Open  your 
hearts  for  heaven,  be  ye  enlarged  upwards. 

I read  not  in  Scripture  of  any  house  but 
this  that  was  thus  enlarged  upwards;  nor  is 
there  anywhere,  save  only  in  the  Church  of 
God,  that  which  doth  answer  this  similitude. 

All  other  are  widest  downward,  and  have 
the  largest  heart  for  earthly  things:  the  Church 
only  is  widest  upwards,  and  has  its  greatest 
enlargements  towards  heaven. 

XIX.  Of  the  Outward  Glory  of  the  Temple. 

I do  also  think  that  as  to  this  there  was  a 
great  expression  in  it:  I mean,  a voice  of  God, 
a voice  that  teaclieth  the  New  Testament 
Church  to  carry  even  conviction  in  her  out- 
ward usages,  that,  I say,  might  give  conviction 
to  the  world.  And  besides  this  of  its  enlarging 
upwards,  there  was  such  an  outward  beauty 
and  glory  put  upon  it  as  was  alluring  to  be- 
holders. The  stones  were  curiously  carved 
and  excellently  joined  together;  its  outward 
show  was  white  and  glittering,  to  the  dazzling 
of  the  eyes  of  the  beholders ; yea,  the  disciples 
themselves  were  taken  with  it,  it  was  so  ad- 
mirable to  behold.  Hence  it  is  said  they  came 
to  Christ  to  show  him  the  building  of  the 
temple : “ Master,”  said  they,  “ see  what  man- 
ner of  stones  and  what  buildings  are  here.” 
And  hence  it  is  said  that  kings  and  the  mighty 
of  the  earth  were  taken  with  the  glory  of  it : 
“ Because  of  thy  temple  at  Jerusalem  shall 
kings  bring  presents  unto  thee as  it  is,  Ps. 
lxviii.  29,  31. 

Kings,  Gentile  kings,  they  shall  be  so  taken 
with  the  sight  of  the  outward  glory  of  it,  for 
they  were  not  suffered  to  go  into  it ; no  uncir- 
cumcised were  admitted  in  thither.  It  was, 
therefore,  with  the  outward  glory  of  it  with 
which  the  beholders  were  thus  taken. 

Her  enlarging  upward,  as  that  was  to  show 
us  what  the  inward  affections  of  Christians 
should  be,  (Col.  iii.'l,  2,  3,)  so  her  curious  out- 
ward adorning  and  beauty  was  a figure  of  the 
beauteous  and  holy  conversation  of  the  godly. 


284 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


And  it  is  brave  when  the  world  are  made  to 
say  of  the  lives  and  conversation  of  the  saints, 
as  they  were  made  to  say  of  the  stones  and 
outward  building  of  the  temple,  Behold  what 
Christians  and  what  goodly  conversations  are 
here ! I say  it  is  brave  when  our  light  so  shines 
before  men  that  they,  seeing  our  good  works, 
shall  be  forced  to  glorify  our  Father  which  is 
in  heaven.  Matt.  v.  16. 

Hence  this  is  called  our  adorning  wherewith 
we  adorn  the  Gospel,  and  that  by  which  we 
beautify  it.  Tit.  ii.  10. 

This,  I say,  is  taking  to  beholders,  as  was 
this  goodly  outside  of  the  temple.  And  with- 
out this,  what  is  to  be  seen  in  the  Church  of 
God?  Her  inside  cannot  be  seen  by  the 
world,  but  her  outside  may.  Now,  her  out- 
side is  very  homely  and  without  all  beauty 
save  that  of  the  holy  life ; this  only  is  her  vis- 
ible goodliness.  This  puts  to  silence  the  ignor- 
ance of  foolish  men.  This  allures  others  to 
fall  in  love  with  their  own  salvation,  and 
makes  them  fall  in  with  Christ  against  the 
devil  and  his  kingdom. 

XX.  Of  the  Porch  of  the  Temple. 

We  come  next  to  the  porch  of  the  temple 
that  is  commonly  called  Solomon’s. 

1.  This  porch  was  in  the  front  of  the  house, 
and  so  became  the  common  way  into  the  tem- 
ple. 1 Kings  vi.  3;  2 Chron.  iii.  4. 

2.  This  porch,  therefore,  was  the  place  of 
reception  in  common  for  all,  whether  Jews  or 
religious  proselytes,  who  came  to  Jerusalem  to 
worship. 

3.  This  porch  had  a door  or  gate  belonging 
to  it,  but  such  as  was  seldom  shut,  except  in 
declining  times,  or  when  men  put  themselves 
into  a rage  against  those  better  than  them- 
selves. 

4.  This  gate  cf  this  porch  was  called  “ Beau- 
tiful,” even  the  beautiful  gate  of  the  temple, 
and  was  that  at  which  the  lame  man  lay  to 
beg  for  an  alms  of  them  that  went  in  thither 
to  worship.  Acts  iii.  1,  2,  10. 

Now,  then,  since  this  porch  was  the  common 
place  of  reception  for  all  worshipers,  and  the 
place  also  where  they  laid  the  beggars,  it  looks 
as  if  it  were  to  be  a type  of  the  Church’s 
bosom  for  charity.  Here  the  proselytes  were 
entertained,  here  the  beggars  were  relieved 
and  received  alms.  These  gates  were  seldom 
shut;  and  the  houses  of  Christian  comjjassion 
should  be  always  open.  This,  therefore,  beau- 
tified this  gate,  as  charity  beautifies  any  of  the 
churches.  Largeness  of  heart  and  tender  com- 


passion at  the  church  door  is  excellent ; it  is 
the  bond  of  jDerfectness.  1 Cor.  xii.  and  xiii. 

The  church  porch  to  this  day  is  a place  for 
beggars,  and  perhaps  this  practice  at  first  was 
borrowed  from  the  beggars  lying  at  the  temple 
gate.  This  porch  was  large,  and  so  should  the 
charity  of  the  churches  be.  It  was  for  length 
the  breadth  of  the  temple,  and  of  the  same 
size  with  the  holiest  of  all. 

The  first  might  be  to  teach  us  in  charity  we 
should  not  be  niggardly;  according  to  the 
breadth  of  our  ability  we  should  extend  it  to 
all  the  house;  and  that  in  our  so  doing  the 
very  emblem  of  heaveii  is  upon  us,  of  which 
the  holiest  was  a figure ; as  therefore  we  have 
opportunity,  let  us  do  good  to  all,  &c. 

It  is  a fine  ornament  to  a true  church  to 
have  a large  church  porch,  or  a wide  bosom, 
for  reception  of  all  that  come  thither  to  wor- 
ship. This  was  commanded  to  the  Jews,  and 
their  glory  shone  when  they  did  accordingly: 
“And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  in  what  place  the 
stranger  sojourneth,  there  shall  ye  give  him 
his  inheritance,  saitli  the  Lord  God.” 

This  porch  was,  as  I said,  not  only  for 
length  the  breadth  of  the  temple,  and  so  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  holiest,  but  it  was, 
if  I mistake  not,  for  height  far  higher  than 
them  both  ; for  the  holy  place  was  but  thirty 
cubits  high,  and  the  most  holy  but  twenty,  but 
the  porch  was  in  height  an  hundred  and  twenty 
cubits.  This  beautiful  porch,  therefore,  was 
four  times  as  high  as  the  temple  itself. 

One  excellent  ornament,  therefore,  of  this 
temple  was  for  that  it  had  a porch  so  high — 
that  is,  so  famous  for  height — so  high  as  to  be 
seen  afar  off.  Charity,  if  it  be  rich,  runs  up 
from  the  church  like  a steeple,  and  will  be 
seen  afar  off,  I say,  if  it  be  rich,  large,  and 
abounds.  Christ’s  charity  was  blazed  abroad ; 
it  was  so  high  no  man  could  hide  it:  and  the 
charity  of  the  churches  will  be  seen  from 
church  to  church,  yea,  and  will  be  spoken  of 
to  their  commendation  in  every  place,  if  it  be 
warm,  fervent,  and  high.  Mark  vii.  36. 

XXI.  Of  the  Ornaments  of  the  Porch  of  the 
Temple. 

There  were  three  things  belonging  to  the 
porch,  besides  its  height,  that  was  an  orna- 
ment unto  it : . 

1.  It  was  overlaid  within  with  gold. 

2.  It  had  the  pillars  adjoined  unto  it. 

3.  It  was  the  inlet  into  the  temple. 

First,  it  was  overlaid  with  gold.  Gold  oft- 
times  was  a type  of  grace,  and  particularly  of 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


285 


the  grace  of  love.  That  in  Solomon’s  chariot 
called  “gold”  is  yet  again  mentioned  by  the 
name  “love.”  Song  iii.  9,  10.  As  it  is  in  the 
Church,  the  grace  of  love  is  as  gold.  It  is  the 
greatest,  the  richest  of  graces,  and  that  which 
abides  for  ever.  Hence  they  that  show  much 
love  to  saints  are  said  to  be  rich.  1 Tim.  vi.  17, 
18,  19.  And  hence  charity  is  called  a treas- 
ure, a treasure  in  the  heavens.  Luke  xii.  33, 34. 
Love  is  a golden  grace;  lot  then  the  churches, 
as  the  porch  of  the  temple  was,  be  inlain  with 
love  as  gold. 

Secondly,  it  had  the  pillars  adjoined  to  it, 
the  which,  besides  their  stateliness,  seem  to  be 
there  typically  to  teach  example.  For  there 
was  seen,  by  the  space  of  four  cubits,  their 
lily-work  in  the  porch.  1 Kings  vii.  19. 

Of  their  lily-work  I spake  before.  Now  that 
they  were  so  placed  that  they  might  be  seen 
in  the  porch  of  the  house,  it  seems  to  be  for 
example  to  teach  the  Church  that  she  should 
live  without  worldly  care,  as  did  the  apostles, 
the  first  planters  of  the  Church.  And  let 
ministers  do  this  : they  are  now  the  pillars  of 
the  churches,  and  they  stand  before  the  porch 
of  the  house ; let  them  also  show  their  lily- 
work  to  the  house,  that  the  Church  may  learn 
of  them  to  be  without  carefulness  as  to  worldly 
things,  and  also  to  be  rich  in  love  and  charity 
towards  the  brethren. 

A covetous  minister  is  a base  thing,  a pillar 
more  symbolizing  Lot’s  wife  than  an  holy 
apostle  of  Jesus  Christ;  let  them,  since  they 
stand  at  the  door,  and  since  the  eyes  of  all  in 
the  porch  are  upon  them,  be  patterns  and  ex- 
amples of  good  works.  1 Tim.  vi.  10,  11,  12; 
Tit.  ii.  7. 

Thirdly,  another  ornament  unto  this  porch 
was,  that  it  was  an  inlet  into  the  temple. 

Charity  is  it  which  receiveth  orphans,  that 
receivetli  the  poor  and  afflicted  into  the 
Church.  Worldly  love,  or  that  which  is 
carnal,  shuts  up  bowels,  yea,  and  the  church 
doors  too,  against  the  poor  of  the  flock ; 
wherefore  look  that  this  kind  of  love  be  never 
countenanced  by  you.  Crave  that  rather 
which  is  a fruit  of  the  Spirit. 

0 churches,  let  your  ministers  be  beautified 
with  your  love,  that  they  may  beautify  you 
with  their  love,  and  also  be  an  ornament  unto 
you  and  to  that  Gospel  they  minister  to  you, 
for  Jesus  Christ’s  sake. 

XXII.  Of  the  Ascent  by  which  they  went  up 
into  the  Porch  of  the  Temple. 

1.  This  porch  also  had  certain  steps,  by 


which  they  went  up  into  the  house  of  the 
Lord.  I know  not  directly  the  number  of 
them,  though  Ezekiel  speaks  something  about 
it.  Ezek.  xl.  38,  39.  Hence,  when  men  went 
to  worship  into  the  temple  they  were  said 
to  go  up  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  Isa. 
xxxviii.  22. 

These  steps,  which  were  the  asepnt  to  the 
temple,  were  so  curiously  set  and  also  finely 
wrought  that  they  were  amazing  to  behold. 
Wherefore,  when  the  queen  of  Sheba,  who 
came  to  prove  Solomon’s  wisdom,  saw  the 
house.which  he  had  built,  and  his  ascent  by 
which  he  went  up  into  the  house  of  the  Lord, 
she  had  no  more  spirit  in  her.  She  was  by 
that  sight  quite  drowned  and  overcome.  1 
Kings  x.  4,  5. 

2.  These  steps,  whether  cedar,  gold,  or 
stone,  yet  that  which  added  to  their  adorn 
ment  was  the  wonderment  of  a queen.  And 
whatever  they  were  made  of,  to  be  sure  they 
were  a shadow  of  those  steps  which  we  should 
take  to  and  in  the  house  of  God.  Steps  of 
God.  Ps.  lxxxv.  13.  Steps  ordered  by  him. 
Ps.  xxxvii.  22.  Steps  ordered  in  his  word. 
Ps.  cxix.  133.  Steps  of  faith.  Rom  iv.  12. 
Steps  of  the  Spirit.  1 Cor.  xii.  18.  Steps  of 
truth.  3 John  4.  Steps  washed  with  butter. 
Job  xxix.  6.  Steps  taken  before  or  in  the 
presence  of  God.  Steps  butted  and  bounded 
by  a divine  rule.  These  are  steps  indeed. 

3.  There  are,  therefore,  no  such  steps  as 
these  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world.  A 
step  to  honour,  a step  to  riches,  a step  to 
worldly  glory,  these  are  everywhere ; but 
what  are  these  to  the  steps  by  which  men  do 
ascend  or  go  up  to  the  house  of  the  Lord ! 

He,  then,  that  entereth  into  the  house  of  the 
Lord  is  an  ascending  man;  as  it  is  said  of 
Moses,  he  went  up  into  the  mount  of  God.  It 
is  ascending  to  go  into  the  house  of  God.  The 
world  believe  not  this ; they  think  it  is  going 
downward  to  go  up  to  the  house  of  God,  but 
they  are  in  a horrible  mistake. 

The  steps,  then,  by  which  men  went  up  into 
the  temple  are,  and  ought  to  be,  opposed  to 
those  which  men  take  to  their  lusts  and  emptv 
glories.  Hence,  such  steps  are  said  not  only 
to  decline  from  God,  but  to  take  hold  of  the 
path  to  death  and  hell. 

The  steps,  then,  by  which  men  went  up  to 
the  house  of  the  Lord  were  significative  of 
those  steps  which  men  take  when  they  go  to 
God,  to  heaven,  and  glory;  for  these  steps  were 
the  way  to  God.  to  God  in  his  holy  temple. 

But  how  few  are  there  that,  as  the  queen  of 


286 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


the  South,  are  taken  with  these  goodly  steps  ! 
Do  not  most  rather  seek  to  push  away  our  feet 
from  taking  hold  of  the  path  of  life,  or  else 
lay  snares  for  us  in  the  way?  But,  all  these 
notwithstanding,  the  Lord  guide  us  in  the 
way  of  his  steps  : they  are  goodly  steps,  they 
are  the  best. 

XXIII.  Of  the  Gates  of  the  Porch  of  the 
Temple. 

L The  porch,  at  which  was  an  ascent  to  the 
temple,  had  a gate  belonging  to  it.  This  gate, 
according  to  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  was  six 
cubits  wide.  The  leaves  of  this  gate  were 
double,  one  folding  this  way,  the  other  folding 
that.  Ezek.  xl.  48. 

Now  here  some  may  object  and  say,  Since 
the  way  to  God  by  these  doors  was  so  wide, 
why  doth  Christ  say  the  way  and  gate  is 
narrow  ? 

Answer.  The  straitness,  the  narrowness  must 
not  be  understood  of  the  gate  simply,  but  be- 
cause of  that  cumber  that  some  men  carry  with 
them  that  pretend  to  be  going  to  heaven.  Six 
cubits ! What  is  sixteen  cubits  to  him  who 
would  enter  in  here  with  all  the  world  on  his 
back?  The  young  man  in  the  Gospel,  who 
made  such  a noise  for  heaven,  might  have 
gone  in  easy  enough,  for  in  six  cubits’  breadth 
there  is  room;  but,  poor  man,  he  was  not  for 
going  in  thither,  unless  he  might  carry  in  his 
houses  upon  his  shoulder  too,  and  so  the  gate 
was  strait.  Mark  x.  17-23. 

Wherefore  he  that  will  enter  in  at  the  gate 
of  heaven,  of  which  this  gate  into  the  temple 
was  a type,  must  go  in  by  himself,  and  not  with 
his  bundles  of  trash  on  his  back  ; and  if  he  will 

/ 

go  in  thus,  he  need  not  fear  there  is  room. 
“The  righteous  nation  that  keep  the  truth, 
they  shall  enter  in.” 

2.  They  that  enter  at  the  gate  of  the  inner 
court  must  be  clothed  in  fine  linen  ; how,  then, 
shall  they  go  into  the  temple  that  carry  the 
clogs  of  the  dirt  of  this  w'orld  at  their  heels? 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  “No  stranger  uncircum- 
cised in  heart  or  uncircumcised  in  flesh  shall 
enter  into  my  sanctuary.” 

3.  The  wideness  therefore  of  this  gate  is  for 
this  cause  here  made  mention  of — to  wit,  to 
encourage  them  that  would  gladly  enter  there- 
at according  to  the  mind  of  God,  and  not  to 
flatter  them  that  are  not  for  leaving  of  all  for 
God. 

4.  Wherefore  let  such  as  would  go  in  re- 
member that  here  is  room,  even  a gate  to  enter 
in  at,  six  cubits  wide.  We  have  been  all  this 


while  but  on  the  outside  of  the  temple,  even 
in  the  courts  of  the  house  Of  the  Lord,  to  see 
the  beauty  and  glory  that  is  there.  The 
beauty  hereof  made  men  cry  out,  and  say, 
“ How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  0 Lord  of 
hosts!  my  soul  longeth,  yea  fainteth,  for  the 
courts  of  the  Lord ;”  and  to  say,  “ A day  in 
thy  courts  is  better  than  a thousand.” 

XXIV.  Of  the  Pinnacles  of  the  Temple. 

1.  There  were  also  several  pinnacles  belong- 
ing to  the  temple.  These  pinnacles  stood  ou 
the  top  aloft  in  the  air,  and  were  sharp,  and  so 
difficult  to  stand  upon  : what  men  say  of  their 
number  and  length  I waive,  and  come  directly 
to  their  signification. 

2.  I therefore  take  these  pinnacles  to  be 
types  of  those  lofty,  airy  notions  with  which 
some  men  delight  themselves  while  they  hover 
like  birds  above  the  solid  and  godly  truths  of 
Christ.  Satan  attempted  to  entertain  Christ 
Jesus  with  this  type  and  antitype  at  once  when 
he  set  him  on  one  of  the  pinnacles  of  the 
temple,  and  offered  to  thrust  him  upon  a false 
confidence  in  God  by  a false  and  unsound  in- 
terpretation of  a text.  Matt.  iv.  5,  6 ; Luke 
iv.  9,  10,  11. 

3.  You  have  some  men  who  cannot  be  con- 
tent to  worship  in  the  temple,  but  must  be  aloft ; 
no  place  will  serve  them  but  pinnacles,  pinna- 
cles, that  they  may  be  speaking  in  and  to  the 
air,  that  they  may  be  promoting  their  heady  no- 
tions, instead  of  solid  truth ; not  considering 
that  now  they  are  where  the  devil  would  have 
them  be,  they  strut  upon  their  points,  their 
pinnacles;  but,  let  them  look  to  it,  there  is 
difficult  standing  upon  pinnacles;  their  neck, 
their  soul,  is  in  danger.  We  read,  God  is  in 
his  temple,  not  upon  these  pinnacles.  Ps.  xi. 
4;  Hab.  ii.  20. 

4.  It  is  true.  Christ  was  once  upon  one  of 
these,  but  the  devil  set  him  there,  with  intent 
to  dash  him  in  pieces  by  a fall ; and  yet  even 
then  told  him  if  he  would  venture  to  tumble 
down  he  should  be  kept  from  dashing  his  foot 
against  a stone.  To  be  there,  therefore,  was 
one  of  Christ’s  temptations,  consequently  one 
of  Satan’s  stratagems ; nor  went  he  thither 
of  his  own  accord,  for  he  knew  that  there 
was  danger;  he  loved  not  to  clamber  pin- 
nacles. 

5.  This  should  teach  Christians  to  be  low 
and  little  in  their  own  eyes,  and  to  forbear  to 
intrude  into  airy  and  vain  speculations,  and  to 
take  heed  of  being  puffed  up  with  a foul  and 
empty  mind. 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


2S7 


XXV.  Of  the  Porters  of  the  Temple. 

1.  There  were  porters  belonging  to  the  tem- 
ple. In  David’s  time  their  number  was  four 
thousand  men.  1 Chron.  xxiii.  5. 

2.  The  porters  were  of  the  Lcvites,  and 
their  work  was  to  watch  at  every  gate  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord — at  the  gate  of  the  outer 
court,  at  the  gates  of  the  inner  court,  and  at 
the  door  of  the  temple  of  the  Lord. 

3.  The  work  of  the  porters,  or  rather  the 
reason  of  their  watching,  was  to  look  that  none 
not  duly  qualified  entered  into  the  house  of  the 
Lord.  “ He  set,”  saith  the  text,  “ porters  at 
the  gates  of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  that  none 
which  was  unclean  in  any  thing  should  enter 
in.” 

4.  The  excellency  of  the  porters  lay  in  these 
three  things:  their  watchfulness,  diligence, 
and  valour  to  make  resistance,  to  those  that  as 
unfit  would  attempt  to  enter  those  courts  and 
the  house  of  God. 

5.  These  porters  were  types  of  our  Gospel 
ministers,  as  they  are  set  to  be  watchmen  in 
and  over  the  Church  and  the  holy  things  of 
God.  Therefore,  as  Christ  gives  to  every  man 
in  the  Church  his  work,  “so  he  commands  the 
porter  to  watch.”  Isa.  xxi.  11. 

6.  Sometimes  every  awakened  Christian  is 
said  to  be  a porter,  and  such  at  Christ’s  first 
knock  open  unto  him  immediately.  Luke  xii. 
30,  37,  38,  39. 

7.  The  heart  of  a Christian  is  also  sometimes 
called  the  porter,  for  that  when  the  true  Shep- 
herd comes  to  it,  to  him  this  porter  openeth  also. 
John  x.  3. 

8.  This  last  has  the  body  for  his  watch-house ; 
the  eyes  and  ears  for  his  portholes ; the  tongue 
wherewith  to  cry,  Who  comes  there?  as  also  to 
call  for  aid  when  any  thing  unclean  shall  at- 
tempt with  force  and  violence  to  enter  in  to  de- 
file the  house. 

XXVI.  Of  the  Charge  of  the  Porters  of  the 
Temple  more  particularly. 

1.  The  charge  of  the  porters  was,  to  keep 
their  watch  in  four  square  even  round  about 
the  temple  of  God.  Thus  it  was  ordained  by 
David,  before  him  by  Moses,  and  after  him  by 
Solomon  his  son. 

2.  The  porters  had,  some  of  them,  the  charge 
of  the  treasure-chambers;  some  of  them  had 
the  charge  of  the  ministering  vessels,  even  to 
bring  them  in  and  out  by  tale;  also  the  open- 
ing and  shutting  of  the  gates  of  the  house  of 
the  Lord  was  a part  of  their  calling  and  office. 

1.  I told  you  the  porters  were  types  of  our 


Gospel  ministers,  as  they  were  watchmen  in 
and  over  the  house  of  God;  and  therefore  in 
that  they  were  thus  to  watch  round  about  the 
temple,  what  is  it  but  to  show  how  diligent 
Satan  is,  to  see  if  he  may  get  in  somewhere, 
by  some  means,  to  defile  the  Church  of  God. 
He  goes  round  and  round  us,  to  see  if  he  an 
find  a hoghole  for  that  purpose. 

2.  This  also  showeth  that  the  Church  itself, 
without  its  watchmen,  is  a weak,  feeble,  and 
very  helpless  thing.  What  can  the  lady  or 
mistress  do  to  defend  herself  against  thieves 
and  sturdy  villains  if  there  be  none  but  she 
at  home?  It  is  said,  When  the  Shepherd  is 
smitten  the  sheep  will  be  scattered.  What 
could  the  temple  do  without  the  watchmen? 

3.  Again,  in  that  the  porters  had  charge  of 
the  treasure-chambers,  (as  it  is  1 Chron.  ix. 
26,)  it  is  to  intimate  that  the  treasures  of  the 
Gospel  are  with  the  ministers  of  our  God,  and 
that  the  Church,  next  to  Christ,  should  seek 
them  at  the  mouth.  “We  have  this  treasure 
in  earthen  vessels,”  saith  Paul,  and  they  are 
stewards  of  the  “manifold  mysteries  of  God.” 

4.  These  are  God’s  true  scribes,  and  bring 
out  of  their  treasury  things  new  and  old;  or, 
as  he  saith  in  another  place,  “At  our  gates” — 
that  is,  where  our  porters  watch — “are  all 
manner  of  pleasant  fruit,  .which  I have  laid  up 
for  thee,  0 my  beloved.” 

5.  Further,  some  of  them  had  charge  of  the 
ministering  vessels,  and  they  were  to  bring 
them  in  and  out  by  tale.  1 Chron.  ix.  18. 

1.  If  by  ministering  vessels  you  understand 
Gospel  ordinances,  then  you  see  who  has  the 
charge  of  them — to  wit,  the  watchmen  and 
ministers  of  the  word. 

2.  If  by  ministering  vessels  you  mean  the 
members  of  the  Church,  for  they  are  also 
ministering  vessels,  then  you  see  who  has  the 
care  of  them — to  wit,  the  pastors,  the  Gospel 
ministers.  Therefore  “obey  them  that  have 
the  rule  over  you,  for  they  watch  for  your 
souls  as  they  that  must  give  an  account;  that 
they  may  do  it  with  joy,  and  not  with  grief, 
for  that  is  unprofitable  to  you.” 

3.  The  opening  of  the  gates  did  also  belong 
to  the  porter,  to  show  that  the  power  of  the 
keys — to  wit,  of  opening  and  shutting,  of  let- 
ting in  and  keeping  out  of  the  Church — doth 
ministerially  belong  to  these  watchmen. 

4.  The  conclusion  is,  then,  Let  the  churches 
love  their  pastors,  hear  their  pastors,  be  ruled 
by  their  pastors,  and  suffer  themselves  to  be 
watched  over,  and  to  be  exhorted,  counselled, 
and  if  need  be  reproved  and  rebuked,  by  their 


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pastors.  And  let  the  ministers  not  sleep,  but 
be  watchful,  and  look  to  the  ordinances,  to  the 
souls  of  the  saints,  and  the  gates  of  the  churches. 
Watchmen,  watchmen,  watch! 

XXVII.  Of  the  Doors  of  the  Temple. 

Now  we  come  to  the  gate  of  the  temple — 
namely,  to  that  which  led  out  of  the  porch 
into  the  holy  place. 

1.  These  doors  or  gates  were  folding,  and 
they  opened  by  degrees.  First,  a quarter,  and 
then  a half,  after  that  three  quarters,  and  last 
of  all  the  whole.  These  doors  also  hanged 
upon  hinges  of  gold,  and  upon  posts  made  of 
the  goodly  olive  tree.  1 Kings  vi.  33, 34 ; Ezek. 
xli.  23,  24. 

2.  These  doors  did  represent  Christ,  as  he  is 
the  way  to  the  Father,  as  also  did  the  door  of 
the  tabernacle,  at  which  the  people  were  wont 
to  stand  when  they  went  to  inquire  of  God. 
Wherefore,  Christ  saith,  “I  am  the  door, 
(alluding  to  this:)  by  me,  if  any  man  enter,  he 
shall  be  saved,  and  shall  go  in  and  out  and 
find  pasture.” 

1.  “I  am  the  door.”  The  door  into  the 
court,  the  door  into  the  porch,  the  door  into 
the  temple,  the  door  into  the  holiest,  the  door 
to  the  Father.  But  now  we  are  at  the  door  of 
the  temple. 

2.  And  observe  it,  this  door  hy  Solomon  was 
not  measured,  as  the  door  of  the  porch  was; 
for  though  the  door  into  the  court  and  the 
door  into  the  porch  were  measured,  to  show 
that  the  right  to  ordinances  and  the  inlet  into 
the  Church  are  to  be  according  to  a prescript 
rule,  yet  this  door  was  not  measured,  to  show 
that  Christ,  as  he  is  the  inlet  to  saving- 
grace,  is  beyond  all  measure  and  unsearchable. 
Hence-  his  grace  is  called  unsearchable  riches, 
and  that  above  all  we  can  ask  or  think,  for 
that  it  passeth  knowledge.  Eph.  iii.  8,  19,  20. 

3.  It  is  therefore  convenient  that  we  put  a 
note  upon  this,  that  we  may  distinguish  rule 
and  duty  from  grace  and  pardoning  mercy; 
for,  as  I said,  though  Christ,  as  the  door  to  out- 
ward privileges,  is  set  forth  by  rule  and  meas- 
ure, yet,  as  he  is  the  door  to  grace  and  favour, 
never  a creature,  as  yet,  did  see  the  length  and 
breadth  of  him.  Eph.  iii.  17,  18,  19. 

4.  Therefore,  I say,  this  gate  was  not  meas- 
ured, for  what  should  a rule  do  here  where 
things  are  beyond  all  measure  ? 

5.  This  gate  being  also  to  open  hy  degrees 
is  of  signification  to  us ; for  it  will  be  opening 
first  by  one  fold,  then  by  another,  and  yet  will 
never  be  set  wide  open  until  the  day  of  judg- 


ment. For  then,  and  not  till  then,  will  the 
whole  of  the  matter  be  open.  “ For  now  we  see 
through  a glass  darkly,  but  then  face  to  face ; 
now  we  know  but  in  part,  but  then  shall  we 
know  even  as  we  are  known.” 

XXVIII.  Of  the  Leaves  of  this  Gate  of  the 
Temple. 

The  leaves  of  this  gate  or  door,  as  I told  you 
before,  were  folding,  and  so,  as  was  hinted, 
have  something  of  signification  in  them.  For 
by  this  means  a man,  especially  a young  disci- 
ple, may  easily  be  mistaken,  thinking  that  the 
whole  passage,  when  yet  but  a part,  was  open, 
whereas  three  parts  might  yet  be  kept  undis- 
covered to  him.  For  these  doors,  as  I said  be- 
fore, were  never  yet  so  wide  open,  I mean  in 
the  antitype ; never  man  yet  saw  all  the  riches 
and  fulness  which  is  in  Christ.  So  that,  I say, 
a newcomer,  if  he  judged  by  present  sight,  es- 
pecially if  he- saw  but  little,  might  easily  be  mis- 
taken ; wherefore  such,  for  the  most  part,  are 
most  horribly  afraid  that  they  shall  never  get 
in  thereat. 

How  sayest  thou,  young  comer? — -is  not  this 
the  case  with  thy  soul?  So  it  seems  to  thee 
that  thou  art  too  big,  being  so  great,  so  tun- 
bellied  a sinner.  But,  0 thou  sinner,  fear 
not:  the  doors  afe  folding  doors,  and  may  be 
opened  wider  and  wider  again  after  that; 
wherefore  when  thou  comest  to  this  gate,  and 
imaginest  there  is  not  space  enough  for  thee  to 
enter,  knock,  and  it  shall  be  wider  opened  unto 
thee,  and  thou  slialt  be  received.  Luke  xi.  9 ; 
John  ix.  37.  So,  then,  whoever  thou  art  that 
art  come  to  the  door  of  which  the  temple  door 
was  a type,  trust  not  to  thy  first  conceptions  of 
things,  but  believe  there  is  grace  abundant: 
thou  knowest  not  yet  what  Christ  can  do.  The 
doors  are  folding  doors : he  can  do  exceeding 
abundantly  above  all  that  we  can  ask  or  think. 
Eph.  iii.  20. 

The  hinges  on  which  these  doors  do  hang 
were,  as  I told  you,  gold,  to  signify  that  they 
both  turned  upon  motives  and  motions  of  love, 
and  also  that  the  openings  thereof  were  rich. 
Golden  hinges  the  gate  to  God  doth  turn  upon. 

The  posts  upon  which  these  doors  did  hang 
were  of  the  olive  tree,  that  fat  and  oily  tree, 
to  show  that  they  do  never  open  with  lothness 
or  sluggishness,  as  doors  do  whose  hinges 
wanteth  oil.  They  are  always  oily,  and  so 
open  easily  and  quickly  to  those  who  knock  at 
them.  Hence  you  read  that  he  that  dwells 
in  this  house  gives  freely,  loves  freely,  and 
doeth  us  good  with  all  his  heart.  Yea,  saith  he, 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


280 


“I  will  rejoice  over  them  to  do  them  good,  and 
I will  plant  them  in  this  land  assuredly  with 
my  whole  heart  and  with  my  whole  soul.” 

Wherefore  the  oil  of  grace,  signified  by  this 
oily  tree  or  these  olive  posts  on  which  these 
doors  do  hang,  causes  that  they  open  glibly  or 
frankly  to  the  soul. 

XXIX.  What  the  Doors  of  the  Temple  were 

made  of. 

1.  The  doors  of  the  temple  were  made  of 
fir,  that  is  so  sweet-scented  and  pleasant  to  the 
smell. 

2.  Mankind  is  also  often  compared  to  the  fir 
tree,  as  Isa.  xli.  19. 

3.  Now,  since  the  doors  of  the  temple  were 
made  of  the  same,  doth  it  not  show  that  the 
way  into  God’s  house  and  into  his  favour  is  by 
the  same  nature  which  they  are  of  that  thither 
enter,  even  through  the  veil  “his  flesh?”  Heb. 
x.  For  this  door,  I mean  the  antitype,  doth 
even  say  of  himself,  “ I am  as  a green  fir  tree, 
from  me  is  thy  fruit  found.” 

4.  This  fir  tree  is  Christ — Christ  as  man,  and 
so  as  the  way  to  the  Father.  The  doors  of  the 
temple  arc  also,  as  you  see  here,  made  of  the 
fir  tree,  even  of  that  tree  which  was  a type  of 
the  humanity  of  Jesus  Christ. 

5.  The  fir  tree  is  also  the  house  of  the  stork, 
that  unclean  bird,  even  as  Christ  is  the  harbour 
and  shelter  for  sinners.  As  for  the  stork,  saith 
the  text,  the  fir  tree  is  her  house:  and  Christ 
saith  to  the  sinners  that  see  their  want  of  shel- 
ter, Come  unto  me  and  I will  give  you  rest. 
He  is  a refuge  for  the  oppressed,  a refuge  in 
time  of  trouble. 

He  is,  as  the  doors  of  fir  of  the  temple,  the 
inlet  to  God’s  house,  to  God’s  presence,  and  to 
a partaking  of  his  glory.  Thus  God  did  of  old 
by  similitudes  teach  his  people  his  way. 

XXX.  I To  w the  Doors  of  the  Temple  were 

Adorned. 

And  Solomon  carved  upon  the  doors  cheru- 
bims,  palm  trees,  and  open  flowers,  and  over- 
laid them  all  with  gold.  1 Kings  vi.  35;  Ezek. 
xli.  15. 

He  carved  cherubims  thereon.  These  clieru- 
bims  were  figures  or  types  of  angels ; and  for- 
asmuch as  they  were  carved  here  upon  the 
door,  it  was  to  show — 

First,  What  delight  the  angels  take  in  wait- 
ing upon  the  Lord,  and  in  going  at  his  bidding, 
at  his  beck.  They  are  always  waiting  servants 
at  the  door  of  their  Lord’s  house. 

Secondly,  It  may  be  also  to  show  how  much 
19 


pleased  they  are  to  he  where  they  may  see  sin- 
ners come  to  God.  For  there  is  joy  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth  and  comes  to  God  by  Christ  for  mer- 
cy. Luke  xv.  10. 

Thirdly.  They  may  be  also  placed  here  to  be- 
hold with  what  reverence,  or  irreverence,  those 
that  come  hither  to  worship  do  behave  them- 
selves. Hence  Solomon  cautions  those  that 
come  to  God’s  house  to  worship  that  they  take 
heed  to  their  feet,  because  of  the  angels.  Paul 
also  says  women  must  take  heed  that  they  be- 
have themselves  in  the  church  as  they  should, 
and  that  because  of  the  angels. 

Fourthly.  They  may  also  be  carved  upon  the 
temple  door,  to  show  us  how  ready  they  are, 
so  soon  as  any  poor  creature  comes  to  Christ 
for  life,  to  take  the  care  and  charge  of  its  con- 
duct through  this  miserable  world.  “ Are  they 
not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minis- 
ter for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation?” 

Fifthly.  They  may  also  be  carved  here  to 
show  that  they  are  ready,  at  Christ’s  command, 
to  take  vengeance  for  him  upon  those  that  de- 
spise his  people  and  hate  his  person.  Hence 
he  bids  the  world  take  heed  what  they  do  to 
his  little  ones,  for  their  angels  behold  the  face 
of  their  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  and  are 
ready  at  the  door  to  run  at  his  bidding.  Matt, 
xviii.  10. 

Sixthly,  or  lastly.  They  may  be  carved  upon 
these  doors  to  show  that  Christ  Jesus  is  the 
very  supporter  and  upholder  of  angels,  as  well 
as  the  Saviour  of  sinful  man  ; for  as  he  is  be- 
fore all  things,  so  by  him  all  things  consist : 
angels  stand  by  Christ,  men  are  saved  by 
Christ,  and  therefore  the  very  cherubims 
themselves  were  carved  upon  these  doors,  to 
show  they  are  upheld  and  subsist  by  him. 

Secondly.  Again,  as  the  cherubims  are 
carved  here,  so  there  were  palm  trees  carved 
here  also.  The  palm  tree  is  upright,  it  twist- 
eth  not  itself  awry.  Jer.  x.  5. 

1.  Apply  this  to  Christ,  and  then  it  shows  us 
the  uprightness' of  his  heart,  word,  and  ways 
with  sinners.  “ Good  and  upright  is  the  Lord, 
therefore  will  he  teach  sinners  in  the  way” — 
in  at  the  door  to  life. 

2.  The  palm  or  palm  tree  is  also  a token  of 
victory,  and  as  placed  here  it  betokeneth  the 
conquest  that  Christ,  the  door,  should  get  over 
sin,  death,  the  devil,  and  hell  for  us.  Rom.  vii. 
24. 

3.  If  we  apply  the  palm  tree  to  the  Church 
— as  we  may,  for  she  is  also  compared  thereto, 
(Song  vii.  S,  9,  10,) — then  the  palm  tree  may 


290 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


be  carved  here  to  show  that  none  but  such  as 
are  upright  of  heart  and  life  shall  dwell  in  the 
presence  of  God.  “The  hypocrite,”  says  Job, 

shall  not  come  before  him.”  “ The  upright,” 
says  David,  “ shall  dwell  in  thy  presence.” 

They  are  they  that  are  clothed  in  Avhite 
robes,  which  signifies  uprightness  of  life,  that 
stand  before  the  Lamb  with  palms  in  their 
hands.  Rev.  vii.  9. 

Thirdly.  There  were  also  carved  upon  these 
doors  open  flowers;  and  that  to  teach  us  that 
here  is  the  sweet  scent  and  fragrant  smell, 
and  that  the  coming  soul  will  find  it  so  in 
Christ  this  door.  “I  am,”  saith  he,  “ the  rose 
of  Sharon,  and  the  lily  of  the  valleys.”  And 
again,  “ His  cheeks  are  as  beds  of  spices,  as 
sweet  flowers,  his  lips  like  lilies  drop  sweet- 
smelling myrrh.” 

Open  flowers.  Open  flowers  are  the  sweetest, 
because  full  grown,  and  because,  as  such,  they 
yield  their  fragrancy  most  freely.  Wherefore, 
when  he  saith,  “ upon  the  doors  are  open 
flowers,”  he  setteth  Christ  Jesus  forth  in  his 
good  savours  as  high  as  by  such  similitudes  he 
could,  and  that  both  in  name  and  office,  for 
open  flowers  lay,  by  their  thus  opening  them- 
selves before  us,  all  their  beauty  also  most 
plainly  before  our  faces.  There  are  varieties 
of  beauty  in  open  flowers,  the  which  they  also 
commend  to  all  observers.  Now  upon  these 
doors,  you  see,  are  open  flowers,  flowers  ripe, 
and  spread  before  us  to  show  that  his  name 
and  offices  are  savoury  to  them  that  by  him  do 
enter  his  house  to  God  his  Father.  Song  i.  1, 
2 3 4 

“ All  these  were  overlaid  with  fine  gold.” 
Gold  is  the  most  rich  of  all  metals ; and  here 
it  is  said  the  doors,  the  cherubims,  the  palm 
trees,  and  open  flowers  were  overlaid  there- 
with. And  this  shows  that  as  these  things  are 
rich  in  themselves,  even  so  they  should  be  to 
us. 

We  have  a golden  door  to  go  to  God  by,  and 
golden  angels  to  conduct  us  through  the  world : 
we  have  golden  palm  trees  as  tokens  of  our 
victory,  and  golden  flowers  to  smell  on  all  the 
way  to  heaven. 

XXXI.  Of  the  Wall  of  the  Temple. 

The  wall  of  the  temple  was  “ ceiled  with  fir, 
which  he  overlaid  with  fine  gold;  and  set 
thereon  palm  trees  and  chains.” 

The  Avails  Avcre  as  the  body  of  the  house, 
unto  Avhich  Christ  alluded  when  he  said,  “De- 
stroy this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I Avill  raise 
it  up.” 


Hence  to  be  and  worship  in  the  temple  was 
a type  of  being  in  Christ  and  worshipping  God 
by  him.  For  Christ,  as  Avas  said,  is  the  great 
temple  of  God,  in  the  Avhich  all  the  elect  meet, 
and  in  Avhorn  they  do  service  to  and  for  his 
Father. 

Hence  again,  the  true  worshippers  are  said 
to  be  in  him,  to  speak  in  him,  to  Avalk  in  him, 
to  obey  him.  2 Cor.  ii.  14;  chap.  xii.  19;  Col. 
ii.  6.  For  as  of  old  all  true  Avorship  Avas  to  be 
found  at  the  temple,  so  noAV  it  is  only  found 
Avith  Christ  and  Avith  them  that  are  in  him. 
The  promise  of  old  Avas  made  to  them  that 
Avorshipped  Avithin  these  Avails.  “ I Avill  give,” 
saith  he,  “to  them  in  my  house  and  Avithin  my 
Avails  (to  them  that  worship  there  in  truth)  a 
place  and  a name  better  than  that  of  sons  and 
daughters.” 

But  iioav,  in  New  Testament  times,  “ all  the 
promises  in  him  are  yea,  and  in  him  amen,” 
to  the  glory  of  God  by  us. 

This  is  yet  further  hinted  to  us  in  that  it  is 
said  these  Avails  are  ceiled  with  fir  ; which,  as 
Avas  shoAved  before,  Avas  a figure  of  the  hu- 
manity of  Jesus  Christ. 

A Avail  is  for  defence,  and  so  is  the  humanity 
of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is,  Avas,  and  Avill  be  our 
defence  for  ever.  For  it  Avas  that  Avhich  un- 
derwent and  overcame  the  curse  of  the  law, 
and  that  in  Avhich  our  everlasting  righteous- 
ness is  found.  Had  he  not  in  that  interposed 
Ave  had  perished  for  ever.  Hence  Ave  are  said 
to  be  reconciled  to  God  in  the  body  of  his  flesh 
through  death. 

Now,  this  Avail  was  overlaid  with  fine  gold. 
Gold  here  is  a figure  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  by  Avhich  Ave  are  justified  in  the  sight 
of  God.  Therefore,  you  read  that  his  Church, 
as  justified,  is  said  to  stand  at  his  right  hand 
in  cloth  of  gold.  “ Upon  the  right  hand  did 
stand  the  queen  in  gold  of  Ophir.”  And 
again,  “ Her  clothing  is  of  Avrought  gold.” 
This  the  Avail  Avas  overlaid  Avith,  this  the 
body  of  Christ  Avas  filled  with.  Men,  Avhile  in 
the  temple,  were  clothed  Avith  gold,  even  AA'ith 
the  gold  of  the  temple ; and  men  in  Christ  are 
clothed  Avith  righteousness,  the  righteousness 
of  Christ.  Wherefore  this  consideration  doth 
yet  more  illustrate  the  matter. 

In  that  the  palm  trees  Avere  set  on  this  wall, 
it  may  be  to  sIaoav  that  the  elect  are  fixed  in 
Jesus,  and  so  shall  abide  for  ever. 

Chains  were  also  carved  oir  these  Avails,  yea, 
and  they  Avere  golden  chains : there  Avere  chains 
on  the  pillars,  and  noAV  also  Ave  find  chains 
upon  the  Avails.  Phil.  i.  12,  13. 


SOLOMON'S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


201 


1.  Chains  were  used  to  hold  captives,  and 
such  Paul  did  wear  at  Rome,  but  lie  called 
them  “ his  bonds  in  Christ.” 

2.  Chains  sometimes  signify  great  afflictions, 
which  God  lays  on  us  for  our  sins.  Ps.  evii.  9. 
10,  11. 

3.  Chains  also  may  be  more  mystically  un- 
derstood as  of  those  obligations  which  the  love 
of  God  lays  upon  us  to  do  and  suffer  for  him. 
Acts  xx.  22. 

4.  Chains  do  sometimes  signify  beautiful 
and  comely  ornaments.  “ Thy  neck,”  saith 
Christ  to  his  spouse,  “ is  comely  with  chains 
of  gold.”  And  again,  “ I put  bracelets  upon 
thy  hands,  a chain  about  thy  neck.”  Song  i.  10. 

5.  Chains  also  do  sometimes  denote  great- 
ness and  honour,  such  as  Daniel  had  when  the 
king  made  him  the  third  ruler  in  the  kingdom. 
Dan.  v.  7,  16,  29. 

Now  all  these  arc  temple-chains,  and  are 
put  upon  us  for  good — some  to  prevent  our 
ruin,  some  to  dispose  our  minds  the  better,  and 
some  to  dignify  and  make  us  noble.  Temple- 
chains  arc  brave  chains.  None  but  temple- 
worshippers  must  wear  temple-chains. 

XXXII.  Of  the  Garnishing  the  Temple  with 
Precious  Stones. 

“And  he  garnished  the  house  with  precious 
stones  for  beauty.”  2 Chron.  iii.  6,  7. 

1.  This  is  another  ornament  to  the  temple 
of  the  Lord ; wherefore,  as  he  saith,  it  was  gar- 
nished with  them,  he  saith  it  was  garnished 
with  them  for  beauty.  The  line  saith  garnished, 
the  margin  saith  covered. 

2.  Wherefore,  I think,  they  were  fixed  as 
stars,  or  as  the  stars  in  the  firmament,  so  they 
were  set  in  the  ceiling  of  the  house  as  in  the 
heaven  of  the  holy  temple. 

3.  And  thus  fixed,  they  do  the  more  aptly 
tell  us  of  what  they  are  a figure ; namely ,*of 
the  ministerial  gifts  and  officers  in  the  Church. 
For  ministers,  as  to  their  gifts  and  office,  are 
called  stars  of  God,  and  are  said  to  be  in  the 
hand  of  Christ.  Rev.  i.  20. 

4.  Wherefore,  as  the  stars  glitter  and  twinkle 
in  the  firmament  of  heaven,  so  do  true  minis- 
ters in  the  firmament  of  his  Church. 

5.  So  that  it  is  said  again  these  gifts  come 
down  from  above,  as  signifying  they  distil 
their  dew  from  above.  And  hence,  again,  the 
ministers  are  said  to  be  set  over  us  in  the 
Lord,  as  placed  in  the  firmament  of  his  heaven 
to  give  a light  upon  his  earth.  “ There  is  gold 
and  a multitude  of  rubies,  but  the  lips  of 
knowledge  are  a precious  jewel.” 


Verily,  it  is  enough  to  make  a man  in  his 
house  look  always  upwards,  since  the  ceiling 
above  head  doth  thus  glitter  with  precious 
stones. 

Precious  stones,  all  manner  of  precious 
stones,  stones  of  all  colours  : “ For  there  are 
divers  gifts,  differences  of  administrations,  and 
diversities  of  operations:  but  it  is  the  same 
God  which  worketh  all  in  all.” 

Thus  had  the  ceiling  of  this  house  a pearl 
here,  and  there  a diamond  ; here  a jasper,  and 
there  a sapphire;  here  a sardius,  and  there  a 
jacinth;  here  a sardonius,  and  there  an  ame- 
thyst. “ For  to  one  is  given  by  the  Spirit  the 
word  of  wisdom,  to  another  the  word  of  know- 
ledge; to  one  the  gift  of  healing,  to  another 
faith ; to  this  man  to  work  miracles,  to  that  a 
spirit  of  prophecy  ; to  another  the  discerning 
of  spirits,  to  another  divers  kinds  of  tongues.” 

ITe  also  overlaid  the  house,  beams,  posts, 
walls,  doors,  &c.,  and  all  with  gold.  Oh  what 
a beautiful  house  the  temple  was!  how  full  of 
glory  was  it ! and  yet  all  was  but  a shadow,  a 
shadow  of  things  to  come,  and  which  was  to 
be  answered  in  the  Church  of  the  living  God, 
the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth,  by  better  things 
than  these. 

XXXIII.  Of  the  Windows  of  the  Temple. 

“And  for  the  house  he  made  windows  of 
narrow  lights.”  1 Kings  vi.  4.  There  were 
windows  of  this  house,  windows  for  the  cham- 
bers, and  windows  round  about.  Ezek.  iv. 

These  windows  were  of  several  sizes,  but  all 
narrow  — narrow  without,  but  wide  within; 
they  also  were  finely  wrought  and  beautified 
with  goodly  stones.  Isa.  liv.  14. 

1.  Windows,  as  they  are  to  an  house  an 
ornament,  so  also  to  it  they  are  a benefit. 
“Truly  the  light  is  good,  and  a pleasant  thing 
it  is  for  the  eye  to  behold  the  sun.”  The  win- 
dow is  that  which  Christ  looks  forth  at,  the 
window  is  that  which  the  sun  looks  in  at. 
Song  ii.  9. 

2.  By  the  light  which  shines  in  at  the  win- 
dow we  also  see  to  make  and  keep  the  house 
clean,  and  also  to  do  what  business  is  neces- 
sary there  to  be  done.  “ In  thy  light  we  see 
light” — light  to  do  our  duty,  and  that  both  to 
God  and  man. 

3.  These  windows,  therefore,  were  figures  of 
the  written  word,  by  and  through  which  Christ 
shows  himself  to  his,  and  by  which  also  we 
apprehend  him.  And  lienee  the  word  of  God 
is  compared  to  a glass,  through  which  the 
light  doth  come,  and  by  which  we  see  not  only 


292 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


the  beams  of  the  sun,  but  our  own  smutches 
also. 

4.  The  lights  indeed  were  narrow,  where- 
fore we  see  also  through  their  antitype  but 
darkly  and  imperfectly.  “ Now  Ave  see  through 
a glass  darkly,”  or  as  in  a riddle ; “ now  we 
know  but  in  part.” 

5.  Their  windows  and  their  light  are  but  of 
little  service  to  those  that  are  without;  the 
world  sees  but  little  of  the  beauty  of  the 
Church  by  the  light  of  the  written  word, 
though  the  Church  by  that  light  can  see  the 
dismal  state  of  the  world,  and  also  how  to 
avoid  it. 

XXXIV.  Of  the  Chambers  of  the  Temple. 

In  the  temple  Solomon  made  chambers.  1 
Kings  vi.  5. 

1.  The  chambers  were  for  several  sizes— 
some  little,  some  large ; some  higher,  some 
lower ; some  more  inward,  and  some  outward. 

2.  These  chambers  were  for  several  services : 
some  were  for  rest,  some  to  hide  in,  some  to 
lav  up  treasure  in,  and  some  for  solace  and  de- 
light. 

1.  They  were  for  resting-places:  here  the 
priests  and  porters  were  wont  to  lodge. 

2.  They  were  for  hiding-places : here  Jeho- 
shebah  hid  Joash  from.  Athaliah  the  term  of 
years. 

3.  They  were  also  to  lay  the  temple-treasure 
or  dedicated  things  in,  that  they  might  be 
safely  kept  there  for  the  worshippers. 

4.  And  some  of  them  were  for  solace  and 
delight,  and,  I must  add,  some  for  durable 
habitation.  Wherefore  in  some  of  them  some 
dwelt  always,  yea,  their  names  dwelt  there 
when  they  were  dead. 

1.  Those  of  them  which  were  for  rest  were 
types  of  that  rest  which  by  faith  we  have  in 
the  Son  of  God,  (Matt,  xi.,)  and  of  that  eternal 
rest  which  we  shall  have  in  heaven  by  him. 
Heb.  iv.  3. 

2.  Those  chambers  which  were  for  hiding 
and  security  were  types  of  that  safety  which 
we  have  in  Christ  from  the  rage  of  the  world. 
Isa.  xxvi.  20. 

3.  Those  chambers  which  were  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  treasure  and  dedicated  things 
were  types  of  Christ,  as  he  is  the  common 
storehouse  of  believers.  “For  it  pleased'  the 
Father  that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell, 
and  of  his  fulness  we  all  receive,  and  grace  for 
grace.” 

4.  Those  chambers  that  were  for  solace  and 
delight  were  types  of  those  retirements  and 


secret  meetings  of  Christ  with  the  soul,  where 
he  gives  her  his  embraces  and  delights  her  with 
his  bosom  and  ravishing  delights.  “ He  brought 
me,”  said  she,  “into  his  chambers,  into  the 
chamber  of  her  which  conceived  me,”  and  there 
he  gave  me  his  love.  The  chambers  which  were 
for  durable  dwelling-places  were  types  of  those 
eternal  dwelling-places  which  are  in  the  heav- 
ens, prepared  of  Christ  and  the  Father  for  them 
that  shall  be  saved.  John  xiv.  1-4;  2 Cor.  v. 
1-4. 

This  is  to  dwell  on  high  and  to  be  safe  from 
fear  of  evil.  Here  therefore  you  see  are  cham- 
bers for  rest,  chambers  for  safety,  chambers  for 
treasure,  chambers  for  solace,  and  chambers  for 
durable  habitations.  Oh  the  rest  and  peace 
that  the  chambers  of  God’s  high  house  will 
yield  to  its  inhabitants  in  another  world ! 
Here  they  will  rest  from  their  labours,  rest 
upon  their  beds,  rest  with  God,  rest  from  sin, 
temptation,  and  all  sorrow. 

God,  therefore,  then  shall  wipe  all  tears  from 
our  eyes,  even  when  he  comes  out  of  his  cham- 
bers as  a bridegroom  to  fetch  his  bride,  his 
wife,  unto  him  thither,  to  the  end  they  may 
have  eternal  solace  together. 

Oh  these  are  far  better  than  the  chambers  of 
the  south. 

XXXV.  Of  the  Stairs  by  which  they  went  up 
into  the  Chambers  of  the  Temple. 

There  were  stairs  by  which  men  went  up 
into  these  chambers  of  the  temple,  and  they 
were  but  one  jjair,  and  they  went  from  below 
to  the  first,  and  so  to  the  middle,  and  thence 
to  the  highest  chambers  in  the  temple.  1 Kings 
vi.  8 ; Ezek.  xli.  7. 

1.  These  stairs  were  winding,  so  that  they 
turned  about  that  did  go  up  them.  So,  then, 
he  that  essayed  to  go  into  these  chambers  must 
turn  with  the  stairs,  or  he  could  not  go  up,  no 
not  into  the  lowest  chambers. 

2.  These  stairs  thei'efore  were  a type  of  a 
twofold  repentance,  that  by  which  we  turn 
from  nature  to  grace,  and  by  which  we  turn 
from  the  imperfections  which  attend  a state  of 
grace  to  glory.  Hence  true  repentance,  or  the 
right  going  up  these  turning  stairs,  is  called 
repentance  to  salvation ; for  true  repentance 
stoppeth  not  at  the  reception  of  grace,  for  that 
is  but  a going  up  these  stairs  to  the  middle 
chambers.  2 Cor.  vii.  10. 

Thus,  therefore,  the  soul,  at  its  going  up 
these  stairs,  turns  and  turns  till  it  enters  the 
doors  of  the  highest  chambers. 

It  groans  though  in  a state  of  grace,  because 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


293 


that  is  not  the  state  of  glory.  I count,  then, 
that  from  the  first  to  the  middle  chambers  may 
be  a type  of  turning  from  nature  to  grace. 
Hut  from  the  middle  to  the  highest  these  stairs 
may  signify  a turning  still  from  the  imperfec- 
tions and  temptations  that  attend  a state  of 
grace  to  that  of  immortality  and  glory.  2 Cor. 
v.  1,  10. 

For  as  there  are  turning  stairs  from  the  low- 
est to  the  middle  chambers,  so  the  stairs  from 
thence  still  turn,  and  so  will  do,  till  you  come 
to  the  highest  chambers.  I do  not  say  that 
they  that  have  received  grace  do  repent  they 
have  received  grace,  but  I say  that  they  that 
have  received  grace  are  yet  sorry  that  grace  is 
not  consummate  in  glory,  and  hence  are  for 
going  up  thither  still  by  these  turning  stairs; 
yea,  they  cannot  rest  below,  as  they  would,  till 
they  ascend  to  the  highest  chambers.  “ O 
wretched  man  that  I am ! And  in  this  we 
groan  earnestly,”  is  the  language  of  gracious 
souls. 

True,  every  one  doth  not  do  thus  that  comes 
into  the  temple  of  God ; many  rest  below 
stairs:  they  like  not  to  go  turning  upward. 
Nor  do  I believe  that  all  that  bid  fair  for  as- 
cending to  the  middle  chambers  get  up  to  the 
highest  stories,  to  his  stories  in  the  heavens. 
Many  in  churches,  who  seem  to  be  turned  from 
nature  to  grace,  have  not  the  grace  to  go  up 
turning  still,  but  rest  in  that  show  of  things, 
and  so  die  below  a share  in  the  highest  cham- 
bers. 

All  these  things  are  true  in  the  antitype, 
and,  as  I think,  prefigured  by  these  turning 
stairs  to  the  chambers  of  the  temple.  But  this 
turning  and  turning  still  displeases  some  much ; 
they  say  it  makes  them  giddy  ; but  I say  there 
is  no  way  like  this  to  make  a man  stand  steady, 
steadfast  in  the  faith,  and  with  boldness  in  the 
day  of  judgment.  For  as  he  has  this  seated  in 
his  heart,  I went  up  the  turning  stairs  till  I 
came  to  the  highest  chambers.  A straight  pair 
of  stairs  are  like  that  ladder  by  which  men  as- 
cend to  the  gallows;  they  are  the  turning  ones 
that  lead  us  to  the  heavenly  mansion-houses. 
Look,  therefore,  you  that  come  into  the  temple 
of  God  to  worship,  that  you  stay  not  at  the 
foot  of  these  turning  stairs,  but  go  up  thence ; 
yea,  up  them,  and  up  them,  and  up  them,  till 
you  come  to  the  view  of  the  heavens ; yea,  till 
you  are  possessed  of  the  highest  chambers. 
Flow  many  times  has  God,  by  the  Scripture, 
called  upon  you  to  turn,  and  told  you  you 
must  turn  or  die ! and  now  here  he  has  added 
to  his  call  a figure,  by  placing  a pair  of  turn- 


ing stairs  in  his  temple,  to  convict  your  very 
senses  that  you  must  TURN  if  you  mean  to  go 
up  into  his  holy  chambers,  and  so  into  his  eter- 
nal mansion-houses;  and  look  that  you  turn  to 
purpose,  for  every  turning  will  not  serve. 
Some  turn,  but  not  to  the  Most  High,  and  so 
turn  to  no  purpose. 

XXXVI.  Of  the  Molten  Sea  that  was  in  the 
Temple. 

There  was  also  a molten  sea  in  the  temple  ; 
it  was  made  of  brass,  and  contained  three 
thousand  baths.  2 Chron.  iv.  2-9. 

This  sea  was  for  the  priests  to  wash  in 
when  they  came  into  the  temple  to  accom- 
plish the  service  of  God— to  wash  their  hands 
and  feet  at,  that  they  might  not  when  they 
came  thither  die  for  their  unpreparableness. 
The  laver  also  which  was  in  the  wilderness 
was  of  the  same  use  there.  Ex.  xxviii. 

1.  It  was,  as  may  be  supposed,  called  a sea_ 
for  that  it  was  large  to  contain,  and  a sea  of 
brass,  for  that  it  was  made  thereto.  It  is 
called  in  Revelations  “ a sea  of  glass,”  alluding 
to  that  in  the  wilderness,  which  was  made  of 
the  brazen  looking-glasses  of  the  women  that 
came  to  worship  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle. 
Rev.  iv.  6. 

2.  It  was  also  said  to  be  molten,  because  it 
was  made  of  that  fashion  by  fire,  and  its  anti- 
type is  therefore  said  to  be  a sea  of  glass  min- 
gled with  fire.  Rev.  xv.  2. 

1.  This  sea  was  a figure  of  the  word  of  the 
Gospel  in  the  cleansing  virtue  of  it,  which 
virtue  then  it  has  when  mingled  with  the 
fire  of  the  Floly  Ghost.  And  to  this  Christ 
alludes  when  he  saith,  “Now  ye  are  clean 
through  the  word  which  I have  spoken  unto 
you.” 

2.  It  was  a figure  of  the  word  without  mix- 
ture of  men’s  inventions : hence  it  is  called 
pure  water.  Having  your  “bodies  washed 
with  pure  water.”  And  again,  “He  sanc- 
tifies and  cleanseth  his  Church  with  the  wash- 
ing of  water  by  the  word.” 

All  these  places  are  an  allusion  to  the 
molten  sea  at  which  of  old  they  washed  when 
they  went  into  the  temple  to  worship.  “ There- 
fore,” saith  he,  “ being  washed,  let  us  draw  near 
to  God.” 

3.  This  sea  from  brim  to  brim  was  complete 
ten  cubits,  perhaps  to  show  there  is  as  much 
in  the  word  of  the  Gospel  to  save  as  there  is  in 
the  ten  words  to  condemn. 

4.  From  under  this  sea  round  about  ap- 
peared oxen,  ten  in  a cubit  did  compass  it 


294 


B TJX Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


round  about.  2 Chron  iv.  3.  Understand  by 
these  oxen  ministers,  for  to  them  they  are 
compared  in  1 Cor.  ix.  9.  And  then  we  are 
taught  whence  true  ministers  come — to  wit, 
from  under  the  power  of  the  Gospel,  for  this 
sea  breeds  Gospel  ministers  as  the  water  breeds 
fish. 

1.  It  is  also  said  in  the  text  that  these  oxen 
V;’ ere  cast  when  the  sea  was  cast;  insinuating 
that  when  God  ordained  a word  of  grace  to 
save  us,  he  also  in  his  decree  provided  minis- 
ters to  preach  it  to  us  to  that  end.  Paul  tells 
us  that  he  was  made  a minister  of  the  Gospel 
“ according  to  God’s  eternal  purpose,  which 
he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.” 
Eph.  iii. 

6.  This  sea  is  said  to  have  a brim  like  the 
brim  of  a cup,  to  invite  us  as  well  to  drink 
of  its  grace  as  to  wash  in  its  water.  For  the 
word  of  the  Spirit  when  mixed  had  not  only 
a cleansing  but  a saving  quality  in  it.  2 
Chron.  iv. 

7.  This  brim  was  wrought  with  lilies,  or  was 
like  a lily-flower,  to  show  how  they  should 
grow  and  flourish,  and  with  what  beautiful 
robes  they  should  be  adorned,  who  were 
washed  and  did  drink  of  this  holy  water; 
yea,  that  God  would  take  care  of  them,  as 
he  also  did  of  lilies,  and  would  not  fail  to 
bestow  upon  them  what  was  necessary  for 
the  body  as  well  as  for  the  soul.  Matt.  vi. 
28-34. 

XXXVII.  Upon  what  the  Molten  Sea  stood  in 
the  Temple. 

1.  This  molten  sea  stood  upon  the  backs  of 
twelve  brazen  bulls  or  oxen.  2 Chron.  iv.  4. 

2.  These  oxen,  as  they  thus  stood,  looked 
three  towards  the  north,  three  towards  the 
west,  three  towards  the  east,  and  three  to- 
wards the  south. 

3.  These  twelve  oxen  were  types  of  the 
twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb,  who,  as  these 
beasts,  stood  looking  into  the  four  corners  of 
the  earth,  and  were  bid  to  go  preach  the  Gos- 
pel in  all  the  world. 

4.  They  were  compared  to  oxen,  because 
they  were  clean,  for  the  ox  was  a clean 
beast.  Hence  the  apostles  are  called  holy. 
They  were  compared  to  oxen,  because  the  ox 
is  strong ; and  they  also  were  mighty  in  the 
word. 

5.  The  ox  will  not  lose  what  he  has  got  by 
drawing;  he  will  not  let  the  wheels  go  back; 
so  the  apostles  were  set  to  defend,  and  not  let 
that  doctrine  go  back  which  they  had  preached 


to  others ; nor  did  they ; they  delivered  it  pure 
to  us. 

6.  One  of  the  cherubs,  of  which  you  read  ' 
in  the  vision,  had  a face  like  an  ox,  to  show 
that  the  apostles,  these  men  of  the  first 
order,  are  most  like  the  angels  of  God.  Ezek. 

i.  10. 

7.  In  that  they  stood  with  their  faces  every 
way,  it  was,  as  I said,  to  show  how  the  apos- 
tles should  carry  the  Gospel  into  all  the 
world.  Matt,  xxviii.  19.' 

8.  And  observe,  just  as  these  oxen  were 
placed,  looking  in  the  temple  every  way,  even 
so  stand  open  the  gates  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem to  receive  those  that  by  their  doctrine 
should  be  brought  into  it.  “ And  they  shall 
come  from  the  east,  and  from  the  west,  and 
from  the  north,  and  from  the  south,  and  shall 
sit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  God.” 

9.  These  oxen  bear  this  molten  sea  upon 
their  backs,  to  show  that  they  should  be  the 
foundation  workmen  of  the  Gospel,  and  that  it 
ought  not  to  be  removed,'  as  was  the  molten 
sea  of  old,  from  that  basis  to  another. 

10.  It  is  also  said  concerning  those  oxen 
that  thus  did  bear  this  molten  sea  that  all 
their  hinder  parts  were  inwards — that  is,  cov- 
ered by  that  sea  that  was  set  upon  their  backs ; 
their  hinder  parts,  or,  as  the  apostle  has  it, 

“ our  uncomely  parts.” 

11.  And  indeed  it  becomes  a Gospel  minis- 
ter to  have  his  uncomely  parts  covered  with 
that  grace  which  by  the  Gospel  he  preacheth 
unto  others.  As  Paul  exhorts  Timothy  to 
take  heed  unto  himself  and  to  his  doctrine.  1 
Tim.  iv.  6. 

12.  But,  alas ! there  are  too  many  who,  can 
they  but  have  their  heads  covered  with  a few 

, Gospel  notions,  care  not  though  their  hinder 
parts  are  seen  of  all  the  world.  But  such  are 
false  ministers ; the  prophet  calls  them  the  tail. 
The  prophet  that  speaketh  lies,  either  by  word 
or  with  his  feet,  he  is  the  tail.  Isa.  ix.  1. 

13.  But  what  a shame  is  it  to  hide  his  head 
under  this  molten  sea  while  his  hinder  parts 
hang  out!  Such  an  one  is  none  of  Christ’s 
oxen;  for  they,  with  honour  to  their  Master, 
show  their  heads  before  all  the  world,  for  that 
their  hinder  parts  are  inward,  covered. 

14.  Look  to  thy  hinder  parts,  minister,  lest 
while  thy  mouth  doth  preach  the  Gospel  thy 
nakedness  and  shame  be  seen  of  those  which 
hear  thee. 

For  they  that  do  not  observe  to  learn  this 
lesson  themselves  will  not  teach  others  to  be- 
lieve the  word  nor  to  live  a holy  life;  they  will 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


295 


learn  of  them  to  show  their  shame,  instead 
of  learning  to  be  holy. 

XXXVIII.  Of  the  Lavers  of  the  Temple. 

Besides  this  molten  sea  there  were  ten  la- 
yers in  the  temple,  five  of  which  were  put  on 
the  right  side,  and  five  on  the  left.  1 Chron. 
iv.  6. 

1.  Of  their  fashion  and  their  furniture  you 
may  see  in  1 Kings  vii.  These  layers,  as  the 
molten  sea,  were  vessels  which  contained  water, 
but  they  were  not  of  the  same  use  with  it. 
True,  they  were  both  to  wash  in,  the  sea  to 
wash  the  worshippers,  but  the  layers  to  wash 
the  sacrifice.  “ He  made  the  ten  layers  to  wash 
in  them  such  things  as  they  offered  for  burnt- 
oflering,  but  the  sea  was  for  the  priests  to  wash 
in.” 

2.  The  burnt-offering  was  a type  of  the 
body  of  Christ  which  lie  once  offered  for  our 
sins ; and  the  fire  on  which  the  sacrifice  was 
burned  a type  of  the  curse  of  the  law,  which 
seized  on  Christ  when  he  gave  himself  a ran- 
som for  us.  For,  therefore,  that  under  the 
law  was  called  the  burnt-offering  because  of. 
the  burning  upon  the  altar.  Lev.  vi.  8. 

But  what  then  must  we  understand  by  these 
lavers,  and  by  this  sacrifice  being  washed  in 
them  in  order  to  its  being  burned  upon  the 
altar? 

I answer,  verily  I think  that  the  ten  lavers 
were  a figure  of  the  ten  commandments:  in 
the  purity  and  perfection  of  Christ’s  obedience 
to  which  he  became  capable  of  being  made  a 
burnt-offering  acceptable  to  God  for  the  sins 
of  the  people.  Christ  was  made  under  the 
law,  and  all  his  acts  of  obedience  to  God  for 
us  were  legal  ; and  his  living  thus  a perfect 
legal  life  was  his  washing  his  offering  in  these 
ten  lavers,  in  order  to  his  presenting  it  upon 
the  altar  for  our  sins.  The  lavers  went  upon 
wheels,  to  signify  walking  feet ; and  Christ 
walked  in  the  law,  and  so  became  a clean  off- 
ering to  God  for  us.  The  wheels  were  of  the 
very  same  as  were  the  lavers,  to  show  that 
Christ’s  obedience  to  the  law  was  of  the  same, 
as  to  length  and  breadth,  with  its  commands 
and  demands,  to  their  utmost  tittle  and  extent. 
The  inwards  and  legs  of  the  burnt-offering 
were  to  be  washed  in  these  lavers,  to  show  that 
Christ  should  be  pure  and  clean  in  heart  and 
life. 

We  know  that  obedience,  whether  Christ’s 
or  ours,  is  called  “a  walking  in  the  way,”  typ- 
ified by  the  lavers  walking  upon  their  wheels. 
But  I mean  not  by  Christ,  his  washing  of  his 


offering,  that  he  had  any  filthiness  cleaving  to 
his  nature  or  obedience;  yet  this  1 say, that  so 
far  as  our  guilt  laid  upon  him  could  impede,  so 
far  he  wiped  it  off  by  washing  in  these  lavers. 
For  his  offering  was  to  be  without  blemish  and 
without  spot  to  God.  Hence  it  is  said  he 
sanctified  himself  in  order  to  his  suffering; 
“and  being  made  perfect,  he  became  the 
author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that 
obey  him.” 

For,  albeit  he  came  holy  into  the  world,  yet 
that  holiness  was  but  preparatory  to  that  by 
which  he  sanctified  himself  in  order  to  his 
suffering  for  sin.  That,  then,  which  was  his 
immediate  preparation  for  his  sufferings  was 
his  obedience  to  the  law,  his  washing  in  these 
lavers.  He  then  first  yielded  complete  obedi- 
ence to  the  law  on  our  behalf,  and  then,  as  so 
qualified,  offered  his  washed  sacrifice  for  our 
sins  without  spot  to  God. 

Thus,  therefore,  he  was  our  burnt-offering 
washed  in  the  ten  lavers,  that  he  might,  ac- 
cording to  law,  be  accepted  of  the  Lord. 

“And  he  set  five  of  the  lavers  on  the  right 
side  of  the  house,  and  five  of  them  on  the 
left.”  Thus  were  the  ten  divided,  as  the  tables 
of  the  law  ; one  showing  our  duty  towards  our 
God,  and  the  other  our  duty  towards  our 
neighbour;  in  both  which  the  burnt-offering 
was  washed,  that  it  might  be  clean  in  both 
respects. 

They  might  also  be  thus  placed  the  better 
to  put  the  people  in  mind  of  the  necessity  of 
the  sanction  of  Christ  according  to  the  law,  in 
order  to  his  offering  of  himself  an  offering  to 
God  for  us. 

XXXIX.  Of  the  Tables  in  the  Temple. 

“He  made  also  ten  tables,  and  placed  them 
in  the  temple,  five  on  the  right  hand,  and  five 
on  the  left.” 

Some,  if  not  all  of  these  tables,  so  far  as  1 
can  see,  were  they  on  which  the  burnt-offering 
was  to  be  cut  in  pieces,  in  order  to  its  burning. 

These  tables  were  made  of  stone,  of  hewn 
stones,  on  which  this  work  was  done.  Ezek. 
xl.  40-44. 

Now  since  the  burnt-oflering  was  a figure  of 
the  body  of  Christ,  the  tables  on  which  this 
sacrifice  was  slain  must  needs,  I think,  be  a 
type  of  a heart,  the  stony  heart  of  the  Jews ; 
for  had  they  not  had  hearts  as  hard  as  ada- 
mant they  could  not  have  done  that  thing. 

Upon  these  tables,  therefore,  was  the  death 
of  Christ  contrived  and  this  horrid  murder 
acted,  even  upon  these  tables  of  stone. 


296 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


In  that  they  are  called  tables  of  hewn  stone 
it  may  be  to  show  that  all  this  cruelty  was 
acted  under  smooth  pretences,  for  hewn  stones 
are  smooth.  - The  tables  were  finely  wrought 
with  tools,  even  as  the  hearts  of  the  Jews  were 
with  hypocrisy.  But,  alas ! they  were  stone 
still — that  is,  hard  and  cruel — else  they  could 
not  have  been  an  anvil  for  Satan  to  forge  such 
horrid  barbarisms  upon.  The  tables  were  in 
number  the  same  with  the  lavers,  and  were  set 
by  them,  to  show  what  are  the  fruits  of  being 
devoted  to  the  lawr,  as  the  Jews  were  in  oppo- 
sition to  Christ  and  his  holy  Gospel : there 
flows  nothing  but  hardness  and  a stony  heart 
from  thence.  This  was  showed  in  its  first 
writing;  it  was  writ  on  the  tables  of  stone, 
figures  of  the  heart  of  man  ; and  on  the  same 
tables,  or  hearts,  was  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ 
compassed. 

One  would  think  that  the  meekness,  gentle- 
ness, or  good  deeds  of  Jesus  Christ  might 
have  procured  in  them  some  relentings  when 
they  were  about  to  take  away  his  life;  but, 
alas ! their  hearts  were  tables  of  stone.  What 
feeling  or  compassion  can  a stone  be  sensible 
of?  Here  were  stony  hearts,  stony  thoughts, 
stony  counsels,  stony  contrivances,  a stony  law, 
and  stony  hands;  and  what  could  be  expected 
hence  but  barbarous  cruelty  indeed?  “ If  I ask 
you,”  said  Christ,  “you  will  not  answer  me, 
neither  will  you  let  me  see.” 

In  that  the  stony  tables  were  placed  about 
the  temple,  it  supposetli  that  they  were  temple- 
men,  priests,  scribes,  rulers,  lawyers,  &e.,  that 
were  to  be  the  chief  on  wdiose  hearts  this 
murder  was  to  be  designed,  and  by  them  en- 
acted to  their  own  damnation  without  repent- 
ance. 

XL.  Of  the  Instruments  wherewith  this  Sacrifice 

was  slam,  and  of  the  Four  Tables  they  were  laid 

on  in  the  Temple. 

The  instruments  that  were  laid  upon  the 
tables  in  the  temple  were  not  instruments  of 
music,  but  those  with  which  the  burnt-offering 
was  slain. 

“And  the  four  tables  were  of  hewn  stone 
for  the  burnt-offering:  whereon  also  they  laid 
the  instruments  wherewith  they  slew  the  burnt- 
offering  and  the  sacrifice.” 

1.  Here  we  are  to  take  notice  that  the  tables 
were  the  same,  and  some  of  them  of  which  we 
spake  before. 

2.  That  the  instruments  with  which  they 
%lew  the  sacrifice  were  laid  upon  these  tables. 

The  instruments  with  which  they  slew  the 


sacrifices,  what  were  they  hut  a bloody  axe, 
bloody  knives,  bloody  hooks,  and  bloody  hands? 
For  these  we  need  no  proof — matter  of  fact  de- 
clares it. 

But  what  were  those  instruments  a type 
of? 

Answer.  Doubtless  they  were  a type  of  our 
sins.  They  were  the  bloody  axe,  the  knife, 
and  bloody  hands  that  shed  his  precious  blood. 
They  were  the  meritorious  ones  without  which 
he  could  not  have  died:  When  I say  ours,  I 
mean  the  sins  of  the  world.  Though  then  the 
hearts  of  the  Jews  were  the  immediate  con- 
trivers, yet  they  were  our  sins  that  were  the 
bloody  tools  or  instruments  which  slew  the 
Son  of  God. 

“ He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he 
died  for  our  sins.”  Isa.  liii. 

Oh  the  instruments  of  us  churls,  by  which 
this  poor  man  was-  taken  from  off  the  earth ! 
Isa.  xxxii.  7. 

The  whip,  thebuffetings,  the  crown  of  thorns, 
the  nails,  the  cross,  the  spear,  with  the  vinegar 
and  gall,  were  all  nothing  in  comparison  to  our 
sins.  “For  the  transgressions  of  my  people 
was  he  stricken.”  Nor  were  the  flouts,  taunts, 
mocks,  scorns,  derisions,  &c.,  with  which  they 
followed  him  from  the  garden  to  the  cross  such 
cruel  instruments  as. these.  They  were  our  sins, 
then,  our  cursed  sins,  by,  with,  and  for  the  sake 
of  Vvhich  the  Lord  Jesus  became  a bloody  sac- 
rifice. 

But  why  must  the  instruments  be  laid  upon 
the  tables? 

1.  Take  the  tables  for  the  hearts  of  the  mur- 
derers and  the  instruments  for  their  sins,  and 
what  place  more  fit  for  such  instruments  to  be 
laid  upon?  It  is  God’s  command  that  these 
things  should  be  laid  to  heart,  and  he  complains 
of  those  that  do  not  do  it. 

2.  Nor  are  men  ever  like  to  come  to  good 
until  these  instruments  with  which  the  Iron  of 
God  was  slain  indeed  be  laid  to  heart.  And 
they  were  eminently  laid  to  heart  even  by 
them  soon  after;  the  effect  of  which  was  the 
conversion  of  thousands  of  them.  Acts.  ii.  36, 
37. 

3.  Wherefore  when  it  says  these  instruments 
must  be  laid  upon  the  stony  tables,  he  insinu- 
ates that  God  would  take  a time  to  charge  the 
murder  of  his  Son  home  upon  the  consciences 
of  them  that  did  the  murder,  either  to  conver- 
sion or  condemnation.  And  is  it  not  reason 
that  they  who  did  this  horrid  villainy  should 
have  their  doings  laid  before  their  faces  upon 
the  tables  of  their  heart,  “that  they  may  look 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


297 


upon  him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and 
mount  ?” 

4.  But  these  instruments  were  laid  but  upon 
some  of  the  tables,  and  not  upon  all  the  ten, 
to  show  that  not  all,  but  some  of  those  so 
horrid,  should  find  mercy  of  the  Lord. 

5.  But  we  must  not  coniine  these  tables  only 
to  the  hearts  of  the  bloody  Jews;  they  were 
our  sins  for  the  which  he  died.  Wherefore 
the  instruments  should  be  laid  upon  our  tables 
too,  and  the  Lord  lay  them  there  for  good, 
that  we  also  may  see  our  horrid  doings  and 
come  bending  to  him  for  forgiveness. 

6.  These  instruments  thus  lying  on  the  ta- 
bles in  the  temple  became  a continual  motive 
to  God’s  people  to  repentance;  for  so  oft  as 
they  saw  these  bloody  and  cruel  instruments 
they  were  put  in  mind  how  their  sins  should 
be  the  cause  of  the  death  of  Christ. 

7.  It  would  be  well  also  if  these  instruments 
were  at  all  times  laid  upon  our  tables,  for  our 
more  humbling  for  our  sins  in  every  thing  we 
do,  especially  upon  the  Lord’s  table  when  we 
come  to  eat  and  drink  before  him.  I am  sure 
the  Lord  Jesus  doth  more  than  intimate  that 
he  expects  that  we  should  do  so,  where  he 
saith,  “When  ye  eat  that  bread,  and  drink 
that  cup,  do  this  in  remembrance  of  me” — in 
remembrance  that  I died  for  your  sins,  and 
consequently  that  they  were  the  meritorious 
cause  of  the  shedding  of  my  blood. 

To  conclude:  Let  all  men  remember  that 
these  cruel  instruments  are  laid  upon  the  table 
of  their  hearts,  whether  they  see  them  or  no. 
“The  sin  of  Judah  is  written  with  a pen  of 
iron  and  with  the  point  of  a diamond  upon  the 
tables  of  their,  heart.” 

A pen  of  iron  will  make  letters  upon  a table 
made  of  stone,  and  the  point  of  a diamond 
will  make  letters  upon  glass.  Wherefore  in 
this  saying  God  informs  us  that  if  we  shall 
forbear  to  read  these  lines  to  our  conversion, 
God  will  one  day  read  them  against  us  to  our 
condemnation. 

XLI.  Of  the  Candlesticks  of  the  Temple. 

“And  he  made  ten  candlesticks  of  gold,  ac- 
cording to  the  form,  and  he  set  them  in  the 
temple,  five  on  the  right  hand,  and  five  on 
the  left.” 

1.  These  candlesticks  were  made  of  gold,  to 
show  the  worth  and  value  of  them. 

2.  They  were  made  after  the  form  or  exact, 
according  to  rule,  like  those  that  were  made 
in  the  tabernacle,  or  according  to  the  pattern 
which  David  gave  to  Solomon  to  make  them 


by.  Observe,  there  was  great  exactness  in 
these;  and  need  there  was  of  this  hint,  that 
men  might  see  that  every  thing  will  not  pass 
for  a right-ordered  candlestick  with  God. 

These  candlesticks  are  said  sometimes  to  be 
ten,  sometimes  seven,  and  sometimes  one:  ten 
here,  seven  in  Rev.  i.,  and  one  in  Zecli.  iv. 
Ten  is  a note  of  multitude,  and  seven  a note 
of  perfection,  and  one  a note  of  unity. 

Now  as  the  precious  stones  with  which  the 
house  was  garnished  were  a type  of  minis- 
terial gifts,  so  these  candlesticks  were  a type 
of  those  that  were  to  be  the  churches  of  the 
New  Testament;  wherefore  lie  says,  “The 
candlesticks  which  thou  sawest  are  the  seven 
churches.” 

1.  The  candlesticks  were  here  in  number 
ten,  to  show  that  Christ  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment would  have  many  Gospel  churches. 
“And  I,  if  I be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,” 
saith  he,  “will  draw  all  men  unto  me;”  that 
is,  abundance.  “For  the  children  of  the 
desolate” — that  is,  of  the  New  Testament 
Church — “ shall  be  many  more  than  they  of 
the  Jews  were.” 

2.  In  that  the  candlesticks  were  set  by  the 
layers  and  stony  tables,  it  might  be  to  show 
us  that  Christ’s  churches  should  be  much  in 
considering  that  Christ,  though  he  was  right- 
eous, yet  died  for  our  sins';  though  his  life  was 
according  to  the  holy  law,  yet  our  stony  hearts 
caused  him  to  die.  Yea,  and  that  the  candle- 
sticks are  placed  there,  it  is  to  show  us  also 
that  we  should  be  much  in  looking  on  the  sins 
by  which  we  caused  him  to  die ; for  the  can- 
dlesticks were  set  by  those  tables  whereon  they 
laid  the  instruments  with  which  they  slewT  the 
sacrifice. 

3.  The  candlesticks  being  made  according 
to  form,  seems  not  only  to  be  exact  as  to 
fashion,  but  also  as  to  work ; for  that  in  Ex- 
odus, with  its  furniture,  was  made  precisely 
of  one  talent  of  gold,  perhaps  to  show  that 
Christ’s  true  spouse  is  not  to  be  a grain  more 
nor  a dram  less,  but  just  the  number  of  God’s 
elect.  This  is  Christ’s  completeness,  his  ful- 
ness; one  more,  one  less,  would  make  his  body 
a monster. 

4.  The  candlesticks  were  to  hold  the  light, 
and  to  show  it  to  all  the  house ; and  the 
Church  is  to  let  her  light  shine  that  they 
without  may  see  the  light. 

5.  To  this  end  the  candlesticks  were  sup- 
plied with  oil-olive,  a type  of  the  supply  that 
the  Church  hath,  that  her  light  may  shine, 
even  of  the  Spirit  of  grace. 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


298 

XLII.  Of  the  Lamps  belonging  to  the  Candle- 
sticks of  the  Temple. 

To  these  candlesticks  belonged  several 
lamps,  with  their  flowers  and  their  knops. 
2 Chron.  v.  21. 

1.  These  lamps  were  types  of  that  pro- 
fession that  the  members  of  the  Church  do 
make  of  Christ,  whether  such  members  have 
saving  grace  or  not.  Matt.  xxv.  1-7. 

2.  These  lamps  were  beautified  with  knops 
and  flowers,  to  show  how  comely  and  beautiful 
that  professor  is  that  adorns  his  profession 
with  a suitable  life  and  conversation. 

8.  We  read  that  the  candlestick  in  Zecha- 
riah  had  seven  lamps  belonging  to  it,  and  a 
bowl  of  golden  oil  on  the  top ; and  that  by 
golden  pipes  this  golden  oil  emptied  itself  into 
the  lamps,  and  all,  doubtless,  that  the  lamps 
might  shine.  Zech.  iv. 

4.  Christ,  therefore,  who  is  the  high  priest, 
and  to  whom  it  belongs  to  dress  the  lamps, 
doth  dress  them  accordingly.  But  now  there 
are  lamp-carriers  of  two  sorts — such  as  have 
only  oil  in  their  lamps,  and  such  as  have 
oil  in  their  lamps  and  vessels  too ; and  both 
these  belong  to  the  Church,  and  in  both  these 
Christ  wrill  be  glorified ; and  they  should 
have  their  proper  places  at  last.  They  that 
have  the  oil  of  grace  in  their  hearts,  as  well  as 
a profession  of  Christ  in  their  hands,  they 
shall  go  in  with  him  to  the  wedding;  but  they 
who  only  make  a profession,  and  have  not  oil 
in  their  vessels,  will  surely  miscarry  at  last. 
Matt.  xxv. 

5.  Wherefore,  0 thou  professor ! thou  lamp- 
carrier  ! have  a care  and  look  to  thyself ; con- 
tent not  thyself  with  that  only  that  will  main- 
tain thee  in  a profession,  for  that  may  be  done 
without  saving  grace.  But  I advise  thee  to  go 
to  Aaron,  to  Christ,  the  trimmer  of  our  lamps, 
and  beg  thy  vessel  full  of  oil  of  him,  (that  is 
grace,)  for  the  seasoning  of  thy  heart,  that 
thou  mayest  have  wherewith  not  only  to  bear 
thee  up  now,  but  at  the  day  of  the  Bride- 
groom’s coming,  when  many  a lamp  will  go 
out  and  many  a professor  be  left  in  the  dark ; 
for  that  will  to  such  be  a woeful  day. 

Some  there  are  that  are  neither  for  lamps 
uor  oil  for  themselves,  neither  are  they  pleased 
if  they  think  they  see  it  in  others.  But  they 
that  have  lamps,  and  they  that  have  none, 
and  they  which  blow  out  other  folks’  light, 
must  shortly  appear  to  give  an  account  of  all 
their  doings  to  God.  And  then  they  shall  see 
what  it  is  to1  have  oil  in  their  vessels  and 
lamps,  and  what  it  is  to  be  without  it  in  their 


vessels,  though  it  is  in  their  lamps,  and  what 
a dismal  thing  it  is  to  he  a malignant  to 
either ; but  at  present  let  this  suffice. 

XLIII.  Of  the  Shew-bread  on  the  Golden  Table 
in  the  Temple. 

There  was  also  shew-bread  set  upon  a 
golden  table  in  the  temple.  1 Kings  vii.  48. 

The  shew-bread  consisted  of  twelve  cakes 
made  of  fine  flour ; “ two  tenths  deals  were  to 
go  to  one  cake,  and  they  were  to  be  set  in 
order  in  two  rows  upon  the  pure  table.”  Ex. 
xxix.  33. 

These  twelve  loaves  to  me  do  seem  to  he 
a type  of  the  twelve  tribes  under  the  law,  and 
of  the  children  of  God  under  the  Gospel,  as 
they  present  themselves  before  God,  in  and 
by  his  ordinances  through  Christ.  Hence 
the  apostle  says,  “For  we  being  many  are 
one  bread,”  &c.  For  so  were  the  twelve 
cakes,  though  twelve;  and  so  are  the  Gospel 
saints,  though  many : “ for  we  being  many 
are  one  body  in  Christ.” 

2.  But  they  were  a type  of  the  true  Church, 
not  of  the  false.  For  Ephraim,  who  was  the 
head  of  the  ten  tribes  in  their  apostacy,  is  re- 
jected as  a cake  not  turned.  Indeed  he  is 
called  a cake,  as  a false  church  may  be  called 
a church;  but  he  is  called  a cake  not  turned, 
as  a false  church  is  not  prepared  for  God,  nor 
fit  to  be  set  on  the  golden  table  before  him. 
Hos.  vii.  8. 

3.  These  cakes  or  shew-bread  were  to  have 
frankincense  strewed  upon  them  as  they  stood 
upon  the  golden  table,  which  was  a type  of  the 
sweet  perfumes  of  the  sanctification  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  to  which  I think  Paul  alludes 
when  he  says,  “The  offering  up  of  the  Gentiles 
is  acceptable  to  God,  being  sanctified  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.” 

4.  They  were  to  be  set  upon  the  pure  table 
new  and  hot,  to  show  that  God  delighteth  in 
the  company  of  new  and  warm  believers.  “ I 
remember  thee,  the  kindness  of  thy  youth; 
when  Israel  was  a child  I loved  him.”  Men 
at  first  conversion  are  like  to  a cake  well  baked 
and  new  taken  from  the  oven  ; they  are  warm 
and  cast  forth  a very  fragrant  scent,  especially 
when  as  warm  sweet  incense  is  strewed  upon 
them.  Jer.  ii. ; Hos.  xi. 

5.  When  the  shew-bread  was  old  and  stale 
it  was  to  he  taken  away  and  new  and  warm 
put  in  its  place,  to  show  that  God  has  but  little 
delight  in  the  service  of  his  own  people  when 
their  services  grow  stale  and  mouldy.  There- 
fore he  removed  his  old,  stale,  mouldy  Church 


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209 


of  the  Jews  from  before  him,  and  set  in  their 
rooms  upon  the  golden  table  the  warm  Church 
of  the  Gentiles. 

6.  The  show-bread,  by  an  often  remove  and 
renewing,  was  continually  to  stand  before  the 
Lord  in  his  house,  to  show  us  that  always,  as 
long  as  ordinances  shall  he  of  use,  God  will 
have  a new,  warm,  and  sanctified  people  to 
worship  him. 

7.  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  to  eat  the  old 
shew-bread,  to  show  that  when  saints  have 
lived  in  the  world  as  long  as  living  is  good  for 
them,  and  when  they  can  do  no  more  service 
for  God  in  the  world,  they  shall  yet  be  ac- 
cepted of  Jesus  Christ;  and  that  it  shall  be  as 
meat  and  drink  to  him  to  save  them  from  all 
their  unworthiness. 

8.  The  new  shew-bread  was  to  be  set  even 
on  the  sabbath  before  the  Lord,  to  show  with 
what  warmth  of  love  and  affection  God’s  ser- 
vants should  approach  his  presence  upon  his 
holy  day. 

XLIY.  Of  the  Snuffers  belonging  to  the  Candle- 
sticks and  Lamps  of  the  Temple. 

As  there  were  candlesticks  and  lamps,  so 
there  were  snuffers  also  prepared  for  these  in 
the  temple  of  the  Lord.  “And  the  snuffers 
were  snuffers  of  gold.” 

1.  Snuffers.  The  use  of  snuffers  is  to  trim 
the  lamps  and  candles,  that  tlicir  lights  may 
shine  the  brighter. 

2.  Snuffers,  you  know,  are  biting,  pinching 
things,  but  use  them  well,  and  they  will  prove 
not  only  beneficial  to  those  within  the  house, 
but  profitable  to  the  lights. 

Snuffers,  you  may  say,  of  what  were  they  a 
type  ? 

Answer.  If  our  snuffs  are  our  superfluities  of 
naughtiness,  our  snuffers,  then,  are  those  right- 
eous reproofs,  rebukes,  and  admonitions  which 
Christ  has  ordained  to  be  in  his  house  for  good ; 
or,  as  the  apostle  hath  it,  for  our  edification ; 
and  perhaps  Paul  alludes  to  these  when  he  bids 
us  rebuke  the  Cretans  sharply,  that  they 
might  be  found  in  the  faith.  Tit.  i.  12,  13. 

As  who  should  say,  They  must  use  the  snuf- 
fers of  the  temple  to  trim  their  lights  withal, 
if  they  burn  not  well.  These  snuffers,  there- 
fore, are  of  great  use  in  the  temple  of  God, 
only,  as  I said,  they  must  needs  be  used  wisely. 
It  is  not  for  every  fool  to  handle  snuffers  at  or 
about  the  candles,  lest  perhaps,  instead  of 
mending  the  light  he  put  the  candle  out.  And 
therefore  Paul  bids  them  that  are  spiritual  do 
it  Gal.  vi.  i. 


My  reason  tells  me  that  if  I use  these  snuf- 
fers as  I should,  I must  not  only  endeavour  to 
take  the  superfluous  snuff  away,  but  so  to  do  it 
that  the  light  thereby  may  be  mended;  which 
then  is  done  if,  as  the  apostle  saith,  “I  use 
sharpness  to  edification,  and  not  for  destruc- 
tion.” 

Are  not  the  seven  churches  in  Asia  called  by 
the  name  of  candlestick?  And  why  candle- 
stick if  they  were  not  to  hold  the  candles?  And 
candles  must  have  snuffers  therewith  to  trim 
the  lights.  And  Christ,  who  is  our  true  Aaron, 
in  those  rebukes  which  lie  gave  those  churches, 
alluding  to  these  snuffers,  did  it  that  their 
lights  might  shine  the  brighter.  Rev.  ii.  3. 

Wherefore,  as  he  used  them,  he  did  it  still 
with  caution  to  their  light,  that  it  might  not 
be  impaired.  For,  as  he  still  thus  trimmed 
these  lamps,  he  vet  encouraged  what  he  saw 
would  shine  if  helped.  He  only  nipped  the 
snuff  away. 

Thus  therefore  he  came  to  them  with  these 
snuffers  in  his  hand,  and  trimmed  their  lamps 
and  candlesticks.  Rev.  ii.  4,  20;  chap.  iii.  2, 15. 

This  should  teach  ministers,  to  whom  it  be- 
longs under  Christ,  to  use  these  snuffers  well. 
Strike  at  the  snuff,  not  at  the  light,  in  all  your 
rebukes  and  admonitions;  snuff’ not  your  lamps 
of  a private  revenge,  but  of  a design  to  nourish 
grace  and  gifts  in  churches.  Thus  our  Lord 
himself  says  he  did  in  his  using  of  these  snuf- 
fers about  these  candlesticks.  “ As  many,” 
saith  he,  “ as  I love,  I rebuke  and  chasten ; be 
zealous,  therefore,  and  repent.” 

To  conclude:  Watchmen,  watch,  and  let  not 
your  snuffs  be  too  long,  nor  pull  them  off  with 
your  fingers  or  carnal  reasonings,  but  with 
godly  admonitions,  &c.  Use  your  snuffers 
graciously,  curb  vice,  nourish  virtue;  so  you 
will  use  them  well,  and  so  your  light  will  shine 
to  the  glory  of  God. 

XLV.  Of  the  Snuff-dishes  that  were  with  the 
Snuffers  in  the  Temple. 

As  there  were  snuffers,  so  there  were  also 
snuff-dishes  in  the  temple;  “and  they  were 
also  made  of  gold.”  Ex.  xxv.  2S;  xxxvii.  23; 
Num.  iv.  9.  The  snuff-dishes  were  those  in 
which  the  snuff’s  were  put  when  snuffed  off, 
and  by  which  they  were  carried  forth  of  the 
temple.  They,  therefore,  as  the  snuffers  are, 
are  of  great  use  in  the  temple  of  God. 

1.  By  them  the  golden  floor  of  the  temple  is 
j kept  from  being  daubed  by  the  snuffs. 

2.  By  them  also  the  clean  hands  of  those 
I that  worship  there  are  kept  from  being  defiled. 


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3.  By  them  also  the  stinks  of  the  snuffs  are 
soonest  suppressed  in  the  temple,  and  conse- 
quently the  tender  noses  of  them  that  worship 
there  preserved  from  being  offended. 

Snuffs,  you  know,  are  daubing  things,  stink- 
ing things,  nauseous  things  ; therefore  we  must 
take  heed  that  they  touch  not  this  floor  on 
which  we  walk,  nor  defile  the  hands  which  we 
lift  up  to  God  when  we  come  to  worship  him. 
But  how  must  this  be  done  but  as  we  take 
them  off  with  the  snuffers  and  put  them  in 
their  snuff-dishes  ? 

Some  are  for  being  at  the  snuffs  with  their 
fingers,  and  will  also  cast  them  at  their  feet, 
and  daub  the  floor  of  God’s  holy  house;  but 
usually  such  do  burn  as  well  as  defile  them- 
selves. But  is  it  not  a shame  for  a man  to 
defile  himself  with  that  vice  which  he  rebuketh 
in  another?  Let  us,  then,  while  we  are  taking 
away  the  snuffs  of  others,  hate  even  the  gar- 
ment spotted  by  the  flesh,  and  labour  to  carry 
such  stink  with  the  snuff-dishes  out  of  the 
temple  of  God. 

Snuff-dishes,  you  may  say,  what  are  they  ? 

I answer,  if  sins  are  the  snuffs,  and  rebukes 
and  admonitions  the  snuffers,  then  inethinks 
repentance — or,  in  case  that  be  wanting,  the 
censures  of  the  Church — should  be  the  snuff- 
dishes. 

Hence  repentance  is  called  a Church-cleans- 
ing grace,  and  the  censures  of  the  Church  a 
purging  out  cf  the  old  leaven  and  making  it  a 
new  lump. 

Ah ! were  these  snuff-dishes  more  of  use  in 
the  churches,  we  should  not  have  this  man’s 
snuff  defile  that  man’s  fingers  as  it  doth.  Nor 
would  the  temple  of  God  be  so  besmeared  with 
these  snuffs  and  be  daubed  as  it  is. 

Ah ! snuffs  pulled  off  lie  still  in  the  temple 
floor,  and  there  stink  and  defile  both  feet  and 
fingers,  both  the  callings  and  conversations  of 
temple-worshippers,  to  the  disparaging  of  re- 
ligion and  the  making  of  religious  worship  but 
of  low  esteem  with  men  ; and  all,  I say,  for 
want  of  the  due  use  of  these  snuffers  and  their 
snuff-dishes  there. 

Nay,  are  not  whole  churches  now  defiled 
with  those  very  snuffs  that  long  since  were 
plucked  off,  and  all  for  want  of  the  use  of  these 
snuff-dishes  according  to  the  Lord’s  command- 
ment? For  you  must  know  that  reproofs  and 
admonitions  are  but  of  small  use  where  repent- 
ance or  Church  censures  are  not  thereto  an- 
nexed. When  ministers  use  the  snuffers  the 
people  should  hold  the  snuff-dishes. 

Bound  reproofs  for  sin,  when  they  light 


upon  penitent  hearts,  then  brave  woik  is 
done  in  the  Church ; then  the  snuff  is  not  only 
pulled  away,  but  carried  out  of  the  temple  of 
God  aright,  &c. 

And  now  the  worship  and  worshippers  shine 
like  gold.  “As  an  earring  of  gold  and  an 
ornament  of  fine  gold,  so  is  a wise  reprover 
upon  an  obedient  ear.  ” 

Ministers,  it  appertains  to  you  to  use  the 
snuffers,  and  to  teach  the  people  to  hold  the 
snuff-dishes  right.  Acts  xx.  20,  21 ; 1 Tim  iv. 
2.  We  must  often  be  snuffed  with  those  snuf- 
fers, or  our  light  will  burn  but  dimly,  our 
candle  will  also  waste : pray,  therefore,  0 men 
of  God,  look  diligently  to  your  people.  Snuff 
them  as  you  see  there  is  need,  but  touch  not 
their  snuff  with  your  white  fingers;  a little 
smutch  on  you  will  be  seen  a great  way.  Be- 
member  also  that  you  leave  them  nowhere 
but  with  those  snuff-dishes,  that  the  temple 
may  be  cleared  of  them. 

Do  with  the  snuff  as  the  neat  housewife  doth 
with  the  toad  which  she  finds  in  her  garden. 
She  takes  the  fork  or  a>  pair  of  tongs,  and 
therewith  doth  throw  it  over  the  pales.  Cast 
them  away,  I say,  with  fear,  zeal,  care,  revenge, 
and  with  great  indignation.  2 Cor.  vii.  11. 
And  then  your  Church,  your  conversation, 
your  fingers,  and  all  will  be  kept  white  and 
clean. 

XLYI.  Of  the  Golden  Tongs  belonging  to  the 
Temple. 

There  were  also  tongs  of  gold  used  in  the 
temple  of  old.  1 Kings  vii.  49. 

1.  These  tongs  were  used  about  the  altar  to 
order  the  fire  there. 

2.  They  were  used  too  about  the  candlestick, 
and  therefore  called  his  tongs. 

3.  Perhaps  there  were  tongs  for  both  these 
services,  but  of  that  the  word  is  silent. 

But  what  were  they  used  about  the  candle- 
stick to  do  ? 

Answer.  To  take  holy  fire  from  off  the  altar 
to  light  the  lamps  withal.  For  the  fire  of  the 
temple  was  holy  fire,  such  as  at  first  was  kin- 
dled from  heaven,  and,  when  kindled,  main- 
tained by  the  priests,  and  of  that  the  lamps 
were  lighted.  Lev.  ix.  24. 

Nor  was  there  upon  pain  of  death  any  other 
fire  to  be  used  there.  Lev.  x.  1.  These  tongs, 
therefore,  were  used  to  take  fire  from  off  the 
altar  to  light  the  lamps  and  candlesticks  withal. 
For  to  trim  the  lights  and  to  dress  the  lamps 
was  Aaron’s  work  day  by  day.  “He  shall 
light  and  order  the  lamps  upon  the  pure  can- 


SOLOMON'S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUAL  I ZED. 


30: 


dlestick  before  the  Lord,  and  Aaron  did  so : 
he  lighted  the  seven  lamps  thereof,  as  the 
Lord  commanded  Moses.” 

What  is  a lamp  .or  candlestick  to  us  if  there 
be  not  light  thereon?  and  how  lighted  without 
fire?  and  how  shall  we  take  up  coals  to  light 
the  lamps  withal  if  we  have  not  tongs  pre- 
pared for  that  purpose? 

With  these  tongs  fire  also  was  taken  from  off 
the  altar  and  put  into  the  censers  to  burn  sweet 
incense  with  before  the  Lord.  The  tongs, 
then,  were  of  great  use  in  the  temple  of  the 
Lord. 

But  what  were  the  tongs  a type  of? 

The  altar  was  a type  of  Christ,  the  fire  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ; and  these  tongs  were  a type 
of  that  holy  hand  of  God’s  grace  by  which  the 
coals,  or  several  dispensations  and  gifts  of  this 
Holy  Ghost,  are  taken  and  given  to  the  Church 
and  to  her  members  for  her  work  and  profit  in 
this  world. 

Tongs,  we  know,  are  used  instead  of  fingers; 
wherefore  Aaron’s  golden  tongs  were  a type  of 
Christ’s  golden  fingers.  Song  v.  14. 

Isaiah  saith,  That  one  of  the  seraphims  flew 
to  him  with  a live  coal  in  his  hand,  which  he 
had  taken  with  the  tongs  from  off  the  altar. 
Here  the  type  and  antitype — to  wit,  tongs  and 
hand — are  put  together.  Isa.  vi.  But  the 
prophet  Ezekiel,  treating  of  like  matters,  quite 
waives  the  type,  the  tongs,  and  speaketh  only 
of  this  holy  hand.  “ And  he  spake  to  the  man 
clothed  with  linen,  and  said,  Go  in  between 
the  wheels  under  the  cherub,  (where  the  mer- 
cy-seat stood,  where  God  dwelt,)  and  fill  thy 
hand  with  coals  of  fire  from  between  the  clieru- 
bims.” 

Thus  you  see  our  golden  tongs  arc  now  turned 
into  a golden  hand — into  the  golden  hand  of 
the  man  clothed  in  linen,  which  is  Jesus  Christ, 
who  at  his  ascension  received  of  God  the  Father 
the  Spirit  in  all  fulness,  to  give,  as  his  divine 
wisdom  knew  was  best,  the  several  coals  or 
dispensations  thereof  unto  this  Church,  for  his 
praise  and  her  edification.  Matt.  iii.  11 ; Acts  ii. 

It  is  by  Ihis  hand  also  that  this  holy  fire  is 
put  into  our  censers.  It  is  this  hand  also  that 
takes  this  coal  wherewith  to  touch  the  lips  of 
ministers,  that  their  words  may  warm  like  fire ; 
and  it  is  by  this  hand  that  the  Spirit  is  given 
to  the  churches  as  returns  of  their  holy  prayers. 

It  was  convenient  that  fire  in  the  temple 
should  be  disposed  of  by  golden  tongs,  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  by  the  golden  hand  of  Christ’s 
grace,  for  that  can  wittingly  dispose  of  it,  ac- 
cording as  men  and  things  are  placed,  and  to 


do  and  be  done  in  the  churches.  Wherefore  he 
adds,  “And  one  cherub  stretched  forth  his 
hand  from  between  the  cherubims  unto  the 
fire  that  was  between  the  cherubims,  and  took 
thereof  and  put  it  into  the  hands  of  him  that 
was  clothed  with  linen,  who  took  it  and  went 
out.” 

By  this  hand,  then,  by  this  man’s  hand,  the 
coals  of  the  altar  are  disposed  of,  both  to  the 
lamps,  the  candlesticks,  the  censers,  and  the 
lips  of  ministers  according  to  his  own  good 
pleasure.  And  of  all  this  were  the  tongs  in 
the  temple  a type. 

XLVII.  Of  the  Altar  of  Incense  in  the  Temple. 

The  altar  of  incense  was  made  first  for  the 
tabernacle,  and  that  of  shittim  wood,  but  it 
was  made  for  the  temple  of  cedar;  and  it  was 
to  be  set  before  the  veil,  that  is,  by  the  ark 
of  the  testimony,  before  the  mercy-seat,  that 
is,  at  the  entering  of  the  holiest,  but  not  with- 
in. And  the  priest  was  to  approach  it  every 
morning,  which,  as  to  the  holiest,  he  might  not 
do.  Besides,  when  he  went  in  to  make  an  atone- 
ment, lie  was  to  take  fire  from  off  that  altar  to 
burn  his  incense  within  the  holy  place.  Ex. 
xxx.  4-11. 

It  was  called  the  “golden  altar,”  because  it 
was  overlaid  with  pure  gold.  This  altar  was 
not  for  burnt-offering,  as  the  brazen  altar  was, 
not  for  the  meat-offering,  nor  the  drink-offer- 
ing, but  to  burn  incense  thereon,  (ver.  7,)  which 
sweet  incense  was  a type  of  the  grace  of  prayer. 
Ps.  cxii.  2. 

2.  Incense,  or  that  called  incense  here,  was 
not  a simple,  but  a compound,  made  up  of 
sweet  spices  called  “ Stacte,”  “ Onyclia,”  and 
“ Galbanum.”  These  three  may  answer  to 
these  three  parts  of  this  duty — to  wit,  prayer, 
supplication,  and  intercession. 

3.  This  incense  was  to  be  burned  upon  the 
altar  every  morning — upon  that  altar  which 
was  called  “ the  altar  of  incense,”  which  was 
before  the  veil — to  show  that  it  is  our  duty 
every  morning  to  make  our  prayer  to  God  by 
Jesus  Christ  before  the  veil — that  is,  before  the 
door  of  heaven,  and  there  to  seek,  knock,  and 
ask  for  what  we  need,  according  to  the  word. 
Luke  xi. 

4.  This  incense  was  to  be  kindled  every 
morning,  to  show  how  he  eontinueth  interced- 
ing for  us,  and  also  that  all  true  praise  of  men 
to  God  is  by  the  work,  the  renewed  work,  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  upon  our  hearts.  Bom.  viii.  26. 

5.  Incense,  as  you  sec,  was  made  of  sweet 
«pices,  such  as  were  gummy,  and  so  apt  t(  burn 


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BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


with  a smoke,  to  show  that  not  cold  and  flat, 
but  hot  and  fervent,  is  the  prayer  that  flows 
from  the  Spirit  of  faith  and  grace. 

6.  The  smoke  of  this  incense  was  very  sweet 
and  savoury,  like  pleasant  perfume,  to  show 
how  delightful  and  acceptable  the  very  sound 
and  noise  of  right  prayer  is  unto  the  nostrils 
of  the  living  God,  because  from  a broken  heart. 
Ps.  li.  17 ; Song  ii.  14. 

7.  This  incense  was  to  be  offered  upon  the 
golden  altar,  to  show  us  that  no  prayer  is  ac- 
cepted but  what  is  directed  to  God  in  the  name 
of  his  holy  and  blessed  Son  our  Saviour.  1 Pet. 
ii.  5;  Heb.  xiii.  15. 

8.  They  were  commanded  to  burn  incense 
every  morning  upon  this  altar,  to  show  that 
God  is  never  weary  of  the  godly  prayers  of  his 
people.  It  also  showeth  that  we  need  every 
day  to  go  to  God  for  fresh  supplies  of  grace  to 
carry  us  through  this  evil  world. 

9.  This  altar,  though  it  stood  without  the 
veil,  to  teach  us  to  live  by  faith,  and  to  make 
use  of  the  name  of  Christ,  as  we  find  it  re- 
corded in  the  first  temple,  yet  was  placed  so 
nigh  unto  the  holiest  that  the  smell  of  the 
smoke  might  go  in  thither,  to  show  that  it  is 
not  distance  of  place  that  can  keep  the  voice 
of  true  prayer  from  our  God,  the  God  of  heav- 
en, but  that  he  will  be  taken  with  what  we  ask 
for  according  to  his  word. 

It  stood,  I say,  nigh  the  veil,  nigh  the  holi- 
est ; and  he  that  burnt  incense  there  did  make 
his  approach  to  God.  Hence  the  Psalmist, 
when  he  speaks  of  praying,  saith,  “ It  is  good 
for  me  to  draw  nigh  unto  God.” 

10.  This  altar  thus  placed,  did  front  the  ark 
within  the  veil,  to  put  us  in  mind  that  the  law 
is  kept  therein  from  hurting  us ; to  let  us  know 
also  that  the  mercy-seat  is  above,  upon  the 
ark,  and  that  God  doth  sit  thereon,  with  his 
pardon  in  his  hand  to  save  us.  Oh  what  speak- 
ing things  are  types,  shadows,  and  parables,  had 
we  but  eyes  to  see,  had  we  but  ears  to  hear ! 

He  that  did  approach  the  altar  with  incense 
of  old  aright  (and  then  he  did  so  when  he  ap- 
proached it  by  Aaron,  his  high  priest)  pleased 
God ; how  much  more  shall  we  have  both  per- 
son and  prayers  accepted,  and  a grant  of  what 
we  need,  if  indeed  we  come  as  we  should  to 
God  by  Jesus  Christ ! 

But  take  heed  you  approach  not  to  a wrong 
altar ; take  heed  also  that  you  come  not  with 
strange  fire,  for  they  are  dangerous  things,  and 
cause  the  worshippers  to  miss  of  what  they 
would  enjoy.  But  more  of  this  in  the  next 
particular. 


XLVIII.  Of  the  Golden  Censers  belonging  to 
the  Temple. 

There  was  also  golden  censers  belonging 
to  the  temple,  and  they  were  either  such  as 
belonged  to  the  sons  of  Levi  in  general,  or 
that  were  for  Aaron  and  his  sons  in  special,  as 
Num.  xvi.  16,  17,  18. 

The  censers  of  the  Levites  wrere  a type  of 
ours,  but  the  censer  of  Aaron  was  a type  of 
Christ’s. 

The  censers,  as  was  hinted  before,  were  for 
this  use  in  the  temple:  namely,  to  hold  the 
holy  fire  in  on  which  incense  was  to  be  burned 
before  the  Lord.  Lev.  x.  1. 

The  censers  were  then  types  of  hearts. 
Aaron’s  golden  one  was  a type  of  Christ’s 
golden  heart,  and  the  censers  of  the  Levites 
were  types  of  other  worshippers’  hearts. 

The  fire  also  which  was  put  therein  was  a 
type  of  the  spirit  by  which  we  pray,  and  the 
incense  that  burnt  thereon  a type  of  our  desires. 

Of  Christ’s  censer  we  read  in  Rev.  viii., 
which  is  always  filled  with  much  incense — that 
is,  with  continual  intercessions  which  he  offereth 
to  God  for  us;  and  from  whence  also  there 
always  goes  a cloud  of  sweet  savour,  covering 
the  mercy-seat. 

But  to  speak  of 'the  censers,  and  fire,  and  in- 
cense of  the  worshippers ; for  albeit  they  were 
all  put  under  one  rule,  that  is,  to  be  according 
to  law ; yet  oftentimes  as  were  the  worshippers 
such  were  the  censers,  fire,  and  incense. 

1.  Hence  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  censei's 
with  which  Korah  and  his  company  offered 
are  called  the  censers  of  sinners : for  they  came 
with  wicked  hearts  there  to  burn  incense  be- 
fore the  Lord.  Num.  xvi.  17,  37. 

2.  Again,  as  the  censers  of  these  men  were 
called  the  censers  of  sinners,  showing  they 
came  at  that  time  to  God  with  naughty  hearts, 
so  the  fire  that  was  in  Nadab  and  Abihu’s  cen- 
sers is  called  strange  fire,  which  the  Lord  com- 
manded them  not.  Lev.  x.  1. 

3.  This  strange  fire  was  a type  of  that  strange 
spirit,  opposed  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  and  by 
which,  notwithstanding,  some  adventure  to 
perform  worship  to  God. 

4.  Again,  as  these  censers  are  called  the  cen- 
sers of  sinners,  and  this  fire  called  strange  fire, 
so  the  incense  of  such  is  also  called  strange, 
and  it  is  said  to  be  an  abomination  unto  God. 
Ex.  xxx.  9. 

Thus  you  see  that  both  the  censers,  fire,  and 
incense  of  some  is  rejected,  even  as  the  heart, 
spirit,  and  prayer  of  sinners  are  an  abomina- 
tion unto  God. 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPI, 

But  there  were  besides  these,  true  censers, 
holy  fire,  and  sweet  incense  among  the  wor- 
shippers in  the  temple,  and  their  service  was 
accepted  by  Aaron  their  high  priest;  for  that 
was  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  these  were 
a type  of  our  true  Gospel  worshippers,  who 
come  with  holy  hearts,  the  holy  spirit,  and 
holy  desires  before  their  God  by  their  Redeem- 
er. These  are  a perfume  in  his  nose.  “ The 
prayers  of  the  upright  is  his  delight.  David’s 
prayer  went  up  like  incense,  and  the  lifting  up 
of  his  hands  as  the  evening  sacrifice.” 

Let  them,  then,  that  pretend  to  worship  be- 
fore God  in  his  holy  temple,  look  to  it  that 
both  their  censers,  fire,  and  incense,  heart, 
spirit  and  desires  be  such  as  the  word  requires, 
lest,  instead  of  receiving  of  gracious  returns 
from  the  God  of  heaven,  their  censers  be  laid 
up  against  them ; lest  the  fire  of  God  devour 
them,  and  their  incense  become  an  abomina- 
tion to  him,  as  it  happened  to  those  made 
mention  of  before. 

But  it  is  said  the  censers  of  Korah  and  his 
company  were  hallowed. 

Answer.  So  is  God’s  worship,  which  is  so  his 
by  ordination,  yet  even  that  very  worship  may 
be  spoiled  by  man’s  transgressions.  Prayer  is 
God’s  ordinance,  but  all  prayer  is  not  accepted 
of  God.  We  must  then  distinguish  between 
the  thing  commanded  and  our  using  of  that 
thing.  The  temple  was  God’s  house,  but  was 
abused  by  the  irreverence  of  these  that  wor- 
shipped there,  even  to  the  demolishing  of  it. 

A golden  censer  is  a gracious  heart,  heavenly 
fire  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  sweet  incense  the 
effectual,  fervent  prayer  of  faith.  Have  you 
these  ? These  God  expects,  and  these  you  must 
have  if  ever  your  persons  or  performances  be 
of  God  accepted. 

XLIX.  Of  the  Golden  Spoons  of  the  Temple. 

1.  The  golden  spoons  belonging  to  the  tem- 
ple were  in  number,  according  to  Moses,  twelve, 
answering  to  the  twelve  tribes.  But  when  the 
temple  was  built  I suppose  there  were  more, 
because  of  the  number  of  the  basons.  Num. 
vii. 

2.  These  spoons,  as  I suppose,  w’ere  for  the 
worshippers  in  the  temple  to  eat  that  broth 
withal  wherein  the  trespass-offerings  were  boil- 
ed ; for  which  purpose  there  were  several  cal- 
drons hanged  in  the  cornel's  of  that  court  called 
the  priests’  to  boil  them  in. 

3.  Now  in  that  he  saith  here  were  spoons, 
what  is  it  but  that  there  are  also  babes  in  the 
temple  of  the  Lord.  There  was  broth  for  babes 


E SPIRITUALIZED.  303 

as  well  as  meat  for  men,  and  spoons  to  eat  the 
broth  withal. 

4.  True,  the  Gospel  being  more  excellent 
than  the  law,  doth  change  the  term,  and,  in- 
stead of  broth,  saith  there  is  milk  for  babes. 
But  in  that  lie  saith  milk,  he  insinuates  there 
are  spoons  for  children  in  the  Church. 

5.  “I  could  not,”  saith  Paul  to  them  at 
Corinth,  “ speak  to  you  as  unto  spiritual,  but 
as  unto  carnal,  even  as  unto  babes  in  Christ. 
I have  fed  you  with  milk  and  not  with  meat; 
for  hitherto  ye  were  not  able  to  bear  it,  neither 
yet  now  are  ye  able.” 

6.  See,  here  were  need  of  spoons.  Milk  is 
spoon  meat ; for  here  were  those  which  could 
not  feed  themselves  with  milk;  let  them  then 
that  are  men  eat  the  strong  meat.  “ For  every 
one  that  usetli  milk  is  unskilful  in  the  word  of 
righteousness,  for  lie  is  a babe.  For  strong 
meat  belongeth  to  them  that  are  of  full  age, 
who  by  reason  of  use  have  their  senses  exer- 
cised to  discern  both  good  and  evil.” 

7.  Spoons,  you  know,  are  to  feed  us  with 
weak  and  thin  food,  even  with  that  which 
best  suiteth  with  weak  stomachs  or  with  a 
babyish  temper.  Hence  as  the  strong  man  is 
opposed  to  the  weak,  so  the  milk  is  opposed  to 
the  strong  meat. 

8.  So,  then,  though  the  babe  in  Christ  is 
weaker  than  the  man  in  Christ,  yet  is  he  not 
by  Christ  left  unprovided  for;  for  here  is  milk 
for  babes,  and  spoons  to  eat  it  with.  All  this 
is  taught  us  by  the  spoons;  for  what  need  is 
here  of  spoons  where  there  is  nothing  to  eat 
but  strong  meat? 

9.  Babes,  you  know,  have  not  only  babyish 
stomachs,  but  also  babyish  tricks,  and  must  be 
dealt  withal  as  babes;  their  childish  talk  and 
froward  carriages  must  be  borne  withal. 

10.  Sometimes  they  cry  for  nothing,  yea, 
and  count  them  for  their  foes  which  rebuke 
their  childish  toys  and  ways.  All  which  the 
Church  must  bear,  because  they  are  God’s 
babes;  yea,  they  must  feed  them  too:  for  if  he 
has  found  them  milk  and  spoons,  it  is  that 
they  may  be  fed  therewith,  and  live:  yea, 
grown  ministers  are  God’s  nurses,  wherefore 
they  must  have  a lap  to  lay  them  in,  and  knees 
to  dandle  them  upon,  and  spoons  to  feed  them 
with. 

11.  Nor  are  the  babes  without  their  use  in 
the  Church  of  God;  for  he  commands  that 
they  be  brought  to  cry  with  the  congregation 
before  the  Lord  for  mercy  for  the  land.  Joel 
ii.  16. 

12.  Incense,  I told  you,  was  a type  of 


304 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


prayers,  and  the  spoons,  in  the  time  of  Moses, 
were  presented  at  the  temple  full  of  it;  per- 
haps to  show  that-  God  will,  with  the  milk 
which  he  has  provided  for  them,  give  it  to 
them  as  a return  for  their  crying  to  him,  even 
as  the  nurse  gives  the  child  the  teat  and  milk. 

13.  You  know  the  milk  is  called  for  when 
the  child  is  crying,  as  wre  say  to  stop  its  mouth 
writh  it.  0 babes,  did  you  but  cry  soundly, 
God  would  give  you  yet  more  milk. 

14.  But  what  were  these  golden  spoons  a 
type  of? 

I answer,  If  the  milk  is  the  juice  and  con- 
solation of  the  word,  then  the  spoons  must  be 
those  soft  sentences  and  golden  conclusions 
with  which  the  ministers  feed  their  souls  by 
it.  I have  fed  you,  saith  Paul,  with  the  milk 
of  the  word:  saith  Peter,  even  as  you  have 
been  able  to  bear  it. 

15.  And  this  is  the  way  to  strengthen  the 
weak  hands  and  to  confirm  the  feeble  knees. 
This  is  the  way  to  make  them  grow  to  be  men 
who  now  are  but  as  infants  of  days.  Thus  a 
little  one  may  become  a thousand,  and  a small 
one  a strong  nation.  Yea,  thus  in  time  you 
may  make  a little  child  to  jostle  it  with  a 
leopard,  yea,  to  take  a lion  by  the  head ; yea, 
thus  you  may  embolden  him  to  put  his  hand 
to  the  hole  of  the  asp  and  to  play  before  the 
den  of  the  cockatrice.  Isa.  xi.  6,  7,  8. 

Who  is  most  stout  was  once  a babe;  he  that 
can  now  eat  meat  was  sometimes  glad  of  milk 
and  to  be  fed  with  the  spoon.  Babes  in  Christ 
therefore  must  not  be  despised  nor  overlooked; 
God  has  provided  them  milk  and  spoons  to  eat 
it  with,  that  they  may  grow  up  to  be  men  be- 
fore him. 

L.  Of  the  Bowls  and  Basons  belonging  to  the 
Temple. 

As  there  were  spoons,  so  there  were  bowls 
and  basons  belonging  to  the  temple:  some  of 
these  were  of  gold  and  some  of  silver;  and 
when  they  were  put  together  their  number  was 
four  hundred  and  forty.  These  you  read  of  in 
Ezra  i.  10.  The  bowls  or  basons  were  not  to 
wash  in,  as  was  the  sea  and  lavers  of  the  tem- 
ple; they  were  rather  to  hold  the  messes  in 
which  the  priests  at  their  holy  feasts  did  use 
to  set  before  the  people.  This  being  so,  they 
were  types  of  that  portion  of  faith  by  which, 
or  by  the  measure  of  which,  every  man  re- 
ceives of  the  holy  food  for  the  nourishment 
of  his  soul.  For  as  a man,  had  he  a thousand 
messes  set  before  him,  he  eating  for  his  health, 
cannot  go  beyond  what  his  stomach  will  bear, 


so  neither  can  the  child  of  God,  when  he  come 
to  ivorship  in  the  temple  of  God,  receive  the 
good  things  that  are  there  beyond  the  “por- 
tion of  his  faith,”  or,  as  it  is  in  another  place, 
“according  to  the  ability  which  God  givetb.” 

And  hence  it  is  at  the  selfsame  ordinance 
some  receive  three  times  as  much  as  others  do, 
for  that  their  bowl — I mean  their  faith — is 
able  to  receive  it.  Yea,  Benjamin’s  mess  was 
five  times  as  big  as  was  the  mess  of  any  of  his 
brethren;  and  so  it  is  with  some  saints  while 
they  eat  with  their  brother  Joseph  in  the 
house  of  the  living  God. 

There  are  three  go  to  the  same  ordinance, 
and  are  all  of  them  believers,  who,  when  they 
come  and  compare  notes,  do  find  their  receiv- 
ings are  not  of  the  same  quantity. 

One  says,  I got  but  little;  the  other  says,  It 
was  a pretty  good  ordinance  to  me ; the  third 
says,  I was  exceeding  well  there.  Why  to  be 
sure,  he  that  had  but  little  there  had  there  but 
little  faith,  but  great  faith  in  him  would  have 
received  more.  He  had  it  then  according  to 
the  largeness  of  his  bowl,  even  “according  to 
his  faith,  even  as  God  hath  dealt  to  every  man 
the  measure  of  faith.”  Mark,  faith  is  a cer- 
tain measure,  and  that  not  only  as 'to  its  de- 
gree, but  for  that  it  can  receive,  retain,  or  hold 
what  is  put  in  it. 

So,  then,  here  it  is  no  matter  how  much  milk 
or  holy  broth  there  is,  but  how  big  is  thy  bowl, 
thy  faith.  Little  bowds  hold  but  little,  nor 
canst  thou  receive  but  as  thy  faith  will  bear, 
(I  speak  now  of  God’s  ordinary  dealing  with 
his  people;)  for  so  he  saith  in  his  word,  “Ac- 
cording to  thy  faith  be  it  unto  thee.” 

If  a man  goeth  to  the  ocean  for  water,  let 
him  carry  but  an  egg-shell  with  him,  and  with 
that  he  shall  not  bring  a gallon  home.  I know 
indeed  that  our  little  pots  have  a promise  of 
being  made  like  the  bowls  of  the  altar;  but 
still  our  mess  must  be  according  to  our  meas- 
ure, be  that  small  or  be  it  great.  The  same 
prophet  saith  again,  The  saints  shall  be  filled 
like  bowls,  as  the  corners  of  the  altar;  which, 
though  it  supposes  an  enlargement,  yet  it  must 
be  confined  to  the  measure  of  faith  which  is 
provided  for  its  reception.  Zech.  ix.  15 ; xiv.  2. 
And  suppose  these  bowls  should  signify  the 
promises,  though  the  saints,  not  the  promises, 
are  compared  to  them,  because  they,  not  prom- 
ises, are  the  subjects  of  faith ; yet  it  is  the 
promise  by  our  measure  of  faith  in  that  that  is 
nourishing  to  our  souls. 

When  Ahasuerus  made  a feast  to  his  sub- 
jects they  drank  their  wine  in  bowls.  They 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


305 


did  not  drink  it  by  tho  largeness  of  the  vessel 
whence  they  drew  it,  but  according  to  their 
health  and  as  their  stomachs  would  so  receive 
it.  Esth.  i. 

Thy  faith,  then,  is  one  of  the  bowls  or  basons 
of  the  temple,  by,  or  according  to  which,  thou 
reccivedst  thy  mess  when  sitting  feasting  at 
the  table  of  God. 

And  observe,  all  the  bowls  were  not  made  of 
gold,  as  all  faith  is  not  of  a saving  sort.  It  is 
the  golden  faith  that  is  right ; the  silver  bowls 
yvere  of  an  inferior  sort.  Rev.  iii.  18. 

Some,  I say,  have  golden  faith ; all  faith  is 
not  so.  Wherefore  look  to  it,  soul,  that  thy 
bowl,  thy  faith,  be  golden  faith,  or  of  the  best 
kind.  Look,  I say,  after  a good  faith  and 
great,  for  a great  faith  receives  a great  mess. 

Of  old,  beggars  did  use  to  carry  their  bowls 
in  their  laps  when  they  went  to  a door  for 
alms.  Consequently,  if  their  bowls  were  but 
little,  they  ofttiines  came  off  by  the  loss,  though 
the  charity  of  the  giver  was  large.  Yea,  the 
greater  the  charity  the  larger  the  loss,  because 
the  beggar’s  bowl  was  too  little.  Mark  it  well, 
it  is  ofttiines  thus  in  the  matters  of  our  God. 

Art  thou  a beggar,  a beggar  at  God’s  door, 
be  sure  thou  gettest  a great  bowl,  for  as  thy 
bowl  is,  so- will  be  thy  mess.  “According  to 
thy  faith,”  saitli  he,  “ be  it  unto  thee.” 

LI.  Of  the  Flagons  and  Cups  of  the  Temple. 

The  next  things  to  be  considered  are  the 
flagons  and  cups  of  the  temple ; of  these  we 
read  in  1 Chron.  xxviii.  17;  Jer.  Iii.  19. 

These  were  of  great  use  among  the  Jews, 
especially  on  their  feasting-days,  as  their  sab- 
baths, new  moons,  and  the  like.  Lev.  xxiii.  13. 

For  instance,  the  day  that  David  danced  be- 
fore the  ark  he  dealt  among  all  the  people, 
even  to  the  whole  multitude  of  Israel,  as  well 
to  the  women  as  to  the  men,  to  every  man  a 
cake  of  bread,  a good  piece  of  flesh,  and  a 
flagon  of  wine.  2 Sam.  vi.  19. 

“In  this  mountain” — that  is,  in  the  temple 
typically — saitli  the  prophet,  “ shall  the  Lord 
of  hosts  make  unto  all  people  a feast  of  fat 
things,  a feast  of  wine  on  the  lees,  of  fat  things 
full  of  marrow,  of  wine  on  the  lees  well  re- 
fined.” 

These  are  feasting-times,  the  times  in  which 
our  Lord  used  to  have  his  spouse  into  his  wine 
cellar,  and  in  which  he  used  to  display  with 
delight  his  banner  over  her  head  in  love. 
Song  ii.  5. 

The  Church  of  Christ,  alas!  is  of  herself  a 
very  sickly,  puling  thing,  a woman,  a weaker 
20 


vessel ; but  bow  much  more  must  she  needs  be 
so  weak  when  she  is  sick  of  love ! Then  she 
indeed  has  need  of  a draught,  for  she  now 
sinks,  and  will  not  else  be  supported:  “Stay 
me  with  flagons,”  saitli  she,  “and  comfort  me 
with  apples,  for  I am  sick  of  love.” 

These  flagons,  therefore,  were  types  of  those 
feastings  and  of  those  large  draughts  of  divine 
love  that  the  Lord  Jesus  draweth  for  and 
givctli  to  his  spouse  in  those  days  that  he  feast- 
eth  with  her;  for  then  he  saitli,  “Drink,  yea, 
drink  abundantly,  O beloved.”  This  he  does 
to  cheer  her  up  under  the  hours  of  sadness  and 
dejection ; for  now  “ new  corn  makes  young 
men  cheerful,  and  new  wine  the  maids.”  Prov. 
xxxi.  <3,  7. 

As  there  were  flagons,  so  there  were  cups ; 
and  they  are  called  cups  of  consolation  and 
cups  of  salvation,  because,  as  I said,  they  were 
they  by  which  God,  at  his  feastings  with  his 
people,  or  when  he  suppeth  with  them,  givetli 
out  the  more  large  draughts  of  his  love  unto 
his  saints,  to  revive  the  spirits  of  the  humble 
and  to  revive  the  hearts  of  the  contrite  ones. 
At  these  times  God  made  David’s  cup  run 
over.  For  we  are  now  admitted,  if  our  faith 
will  bear  it,  to  drink  freely  into  his  grace,  and 
to  be  merry  with  him.  Ps.  xxiii.  5;  Luke  xv. 
22,  24. 

This  is  that  to  which  the  apostle  alludcth 
when  he  saitli,  “ Be  not  drunk  with  wine, 
wherein  is  excess,  but  be  ye  filled  with  the 
Spirit  ; speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms  and 
hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  and  making 
melody  in  your  hearts  unto  the  Lord.” 

For  the  cups,  as  to  their  use  in  the  general, 
understand  them  as  of  the  bowls  made  mention 
of  before.  For  assurances  are  the  blooms  and 
flowers  of  faith,  not  always  on  it,  though 
usually  on  feasting-days  it  is  so.  So  the  de- 
grees of  the  one  is  still  according  to  the  meas- 
ure of  the  other.  Epli.  v.  18;  James  v. ; Rom. 
xv.  13. 

LII.  Of  the  Chargers  of  the  Temple. 

In  the  tabernacle  they  had  but  twelve  of 
them,  and  they  were  made  of  silver ; but  in  the 
temple  they  had  in  all  a thousand  and  thirty. 
The  thirty  were  made  of  gold,  and  the  rest 
were  made  of  silver.  Num.  vii.  7. 

These  chargers  were  not  for  uses  common  or 
profane,  but,  as  I take  it,  they  were  those  in 
which  the  passover  and  other  meat-offerings 
were  dressed  up  when  the  people  came  to  eat 
before  God  in  his  holy  temple. 

The  meat,  you  know,  I told  you,  was  oppo- 


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BZJNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


site  to  milk ; and  so  are  these  chargers  to  the 
bowls,  and  cups,  and  flagons  of  the  temple. 

The  meat  was  of  two  sorts,  roast  or  boiled. 
Of  that  which  was  roasted  was  the  passover ; 
and  of  that  which  was  boiled  were  the  trespass- 
offerings.  Wherefore,  concerning  the  pass- 
over  he  saith,  “ Eat  not  of  it  raw,  nor  sodden 
at  all  in  water,  but  roast  with  fire;  his  head 
with  his  legs,  and  with  the  purtenance  thereof.” 

This  roast  meat  was  a type  of  the  body  of 
Christ  as  suffering  for  our  sins,  the  which, 
when  it  was  roast,  was  and  is  dressed  up  in 
chargers,  and  set  before  the  congregations  of 
the  saints. 

But  what  were  the  chargers  a type  of? 

I also  ask,  In  what  chargers  our  Gospel 
passover  is  now  dressed  up  and  set  before  the 
people?  Is  it  not  in  the  evangelists,  the 
prophets,  and  epistles  of  the  apostles?'  They 
therefore  are  the  chargers  and  the  ordinance 
of  the  supper ; in  these  also  are  the  trespass- 
offerings,  with  what  is  fried  in  pans,  mystically 
prepared  for  the  children  of  the  Highest. 

And  why  might  they  not  be  a type  of  Gos- 
pel sermons  ? I answer,  I think  not  so  fitly, 
for,  alas ! the  best  of  sermons  in  the  world  are 
but  as  thin  slices  cut  out  of  those  large  dishes. 
Our  ministers  are  the  carvers,  good  doctrine  is 
the  meat,  and  the  chargers  in  which  this  meat 
is  found  are  the  holy  canonical  Scriptures,  &c., 
though,  as  I said,  most  properly  the  New  Tes- 
tament of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

There  is  in  these  chargers  not  only  meat, 
but  sauce  (if  you  like  it)  to  eat  the  meat 
withal;  for  the  passover  t-here  are  bitter  herbs 
or  sound  repentance;  and  for  other,  as  the 
thank-offerings,  there  is  holy  cheerfulness  and 
prayers  to  God  for  grace.  All  these  are  set 
forth  before  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  and  pre- 
sented to  us  thereby  as  in  the  golden  chargers 
of  the  temple.  He  that  will  scoff  at  this,  let 
him  scoff.  The  chargers  were  a type  of  some- 
thing ; and  he  that  can  show  a fitter  antitype 
than  is  here  proposed  to  consideration,  let  him 
do  it  and  I will  be  thankful  to  him. 

Christians,  here  is  your  meat  before  you; 
and  this  know,  the  deeper  you  dip  it  in  the 
sauce  the  better  it  will  relish.  But  let  not  un- 
belief teach  you  such  manners  as  to  make  you 
leave  the  best  bits  behind  you.  For  your  lib- 
erty is  to  eat  freely  of  the  best,  of  the  fat,  and 
of  the  sweet. 

LIII.  Of  the  Goings  Out  of  the  Temple. 

As  to  the  comings  into  the  temple,  of  them 
we  have  spoken  already — namely,  of  the  outer 


and  inner  court,  as  also  of  the  doors  of  the 
porch  and  temple.  The  coming  in  was  but 
one  strait  course,  and  that  a type  of  Jesus 
Christ,  but  the  goings  out  were  many.  John  x. 
9;  xiv.  6. 

Now,  as  I said,  it  is  insinuated  that  the 
goings  out  are  many,  answerable  to  the  many 
ways  which  the  children  of  men  have  invented 
to  apostatize  in  from  God.  Christ  is  the  way 
into,  but  sin  the  way  out  of,  the  temple  of 
God.  True,  I read  not  of  a description  of  the 
goings  out  of  his  house  as  I read  of  the 
comings  in.  Only  when  they  had  Athaliah 
out  thence,  she  is  said  to  go  out  by  the  way 
by  which  horses  come  into  the  king’s  stables, 
and  there  she  was  slain,  as  it  were  upon  the 
horse  dunghill. 

When  Uzziah  also  went  out  of  his  house  for 
his  transgression,  he  was  cast  out  of  all  society, 
and  made  to  dwell  in  a kind  of  pest-house 
even  to  the  day  of  his  death.  2 Chron.  xxvi. 
20,  21. 

Thus,  therefore,  though  these  goings  out 
are  not  particularly  described,  the  judgments 
that  followed  them  that  have  for  their  trans- 
gressions  been  thrust  out  thence  have  been 
both  remarkable  and  tremendous;  for  to  die 
upon  a dunghill  or  in  a pest-house,  and  that 
for  wicked  actions,  is  a shameful,  a disgrace- 
ful thing.  And  God  will  still  be  spreading 
dung  upon  the  faces  of  such;  no  greatness 
shall  prevent  it;  “Yea,  and  will  take  them 
away  with  it.  I will  drive  them  out  of  my 
house,”  says  he;  “ I will  love  them  no  more.” 

But  what  are  we  to  understand  in  Gospel 
days  by  going  out  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  for 
or  by  sin  ? 

I answer,  If  it  be  done  voluntarily,  then 
sin  leads  you  out : if  it  be  done  by  the  holy 
compulsion  of  the  Church,  then  it  is  done  by 
the  judicial  judgment  of  God:  that  is,  +hey 
are  cut  off  and  cast  out  from  thence  as  a just 
reward  for  their  transgressions. 

Well,  but  whither  do  they  go  that  are 
thus  gone  out  of  the  temple  or  Church  of 
God? 

I answer,  Not  to  the  dunghill  with  Athaliah, 
nor  to  the  pest-house  with  Uzziah,  but  to  the 
devil;  that  is  the  first  step,  and  so  to  hell, 
without  repentance.  But  if  their  sin  be  not 
unpardonable,  they  may  by  repentance  be  re- 
covered and  in  mercy  tread  these  courts  again. 
Now  the  way  to  this  recovery  is  to  think  seri- 
ously what  they  have  done,  or  by  what  way 
they  went  out  of  the  house  of  God.  Hence 
the  prophet  is  bid  to  show  to  the  rebellious 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


307 


house  first  the  goings  out  of  the  house,  and 
then  the  goings  in.  But,  I say,  first  he  bids 
show  them  the  goings  out  thereof.  Ezek.  xliii. 
10,  11. 

And  this  is  of  absolute  necessity  for  the 
recovering  of  the  sinner;  for  until  he  that 
has  sinned  himself  out  of  God's  house  shall 
see  what  danger  he  has  incurred  to  himself  by 
this  his  wicked  going  out,  he  will  not  unfeign- 
fdly  desire  to  come  in  thither  again. 

There  is  another  thing  as  to  this  point  to 
be  taken  notice  of.  There  is  a way  by  which 
God  also  doth  depart  from  this  house,  and 
that  also  by  sin  as  the  occasion.  The  sin  of  a 
man  will  thrust  him  out,  and  the  sin  of  men 
will  drive  God  out  of  his  own  house.  Of  this 
ydu  read  in  Ezek.  xi.  22,  23.  For  this  he 
saith,  “I  have  forsaken  mine  house,  I have 
left  mine  heritage.  I have  given  the  dearly 
beloved  of  my  soul  into  the  hand  of  her 
enemies.” 

And  this  also  is  dreadful : the  great  sen- 
tence of  Christ  upon  the  Jews  lay  much  in 
these  words:  “Your  house  is  left  unto  you 
desolate;”  that  is,  God  has  left  you  to  bare 
walls  and  to  lifeless  traditions. 

Consider,  therefore,  of  this  going  out  also. 
Alas!  a church,  a true  church,  is  but  a poor 
thing  if  God  leaves,  if  God  forsakes  it.  By  a 
true  church  I mean  one  that  is  congregated 
according  to  outward  rule,  that  has  sinned 
God  away,  as  she  had  almost  quite  done  that 
was  of  Laodicea.  Rev.  iii. 

He  that  sins  himself  out  can  find  no  good 
in  the  world;  and  they  that  have  sinned  God 
out  can  find  no  good  in  the  Church.  A church 
that  has  sinned  God  away  from  it  is  a sad 
lump  indeed.  You,  therefore,  that  are  in 
God’s  Church  take  heed  of  sinning  yourselves 
out  thence ; also  take  heed  that  while  you 
keep  in  you  sin  not  God  away,  for  henceforth 
no  good  is  there.  “ Yea,  woe  unto  them  when 
T depart  from  them,”  saith  God. 

LTV.  Of  the  Singers  belonging  to  the  Temple. 

Having  thus  far  passed  through  the  temple, 
I come  now  to  the  singers  there.  The  singers 
were  many,  but  all  of  the  Church,  either  Jews 
or  proselytes;  nor  was  there  any,  as  I know 
of,  under  the  Old  Testament  worship,  admitted 
to  sing  the  songs  of  the  Church,  and  to  cele- 
brate that  part  of  worship  with  the  saints,  but 
they  who,  at  least  in  appearance,  were  so.  The 
songs  of  Moses,  of  Deborah,  and  of  those  who 
danced  before  David,  with  others  that  you 
read  of,  they  were  all  performed,  either  by 


Jews  by  nature  or  by  such  as  were  proselyted 
to  their  religion.  Ex.  xv.  1.  And  such  worship 
then  was  occasioned  by  God’s  appearance  for 
them  against  the  power  of  the  Gentiles,  their 
enemies. 

But  we  arc  confined  to  the  songs  of  the  tem- 
ple, a more  distinct  type  of  ours  in  the  Church 
under  the  Gospel. 

1.  The  singers  then  were  many,  but  the 
chief  of  them  in  the  days  of  David  were — 
David  himself,  Asaph,  Jeduthan,  and  Heman, 
and  their  sons. 

2.  In  David’s  time  the  chief  of  these  singers 
were  two  hundred  three  score  and  eight. 
1 Chron  xxv. 

These  singers  of  old  were  to  sing  their  songs 
over  the  burnt-offering,  which  was  a type  of 
the  sacrificed  body  of  Christ;  a memorial  of 
which  offering  we  have  at  the  Lord’s  table,  the 
consummation  of  which  Christ  and  his  disci- 
ples celebrated  with  a hymn.  Matt.  xxvi.  30. 

And  as  of  old  they  were  the  Church  that  did 
sing  in  the  temple,  according  to  institution,  to 
God,  so  also  they  are  by  God’s  appointment  to 
be  sung  by  the  Church  in  the  new.  Hence, 

1.  They  are  said  to  be  the  redeemed  that 
sing. 

2.  The  songs  that  they  sing  are  said  to  be 
the  “songs  of  their  redemption.”  Rev.  v.  9,  10. 

3.  They  were  and  are  songs  that  no  man  can 
sing  but  they. 

But  let  us  run  a little  in  the  parallel : 

1.  They  were  of  old  appointed  to  sing  that 
were  cunning  and  skilful  in  songs.  And  an- 
swerable to  that  it  is  said  that  no  man  could 
learn  our  New  Testament  songs  but  the  hun- 
dred and  forty  and  four  thousand  which  were 
redeemed  from  the  earth. 

2.  These  songs  were  sung  with  harps,  psal- 
teries, cymbals,  and  trumpets — a type  of  our 
singing  with  spiritual  joy  from  grace  in  our 
hearts.  1 Chron.  xxv.  6. 

3.  The  singers  of  old  were  to  be  clothed  in 
fine  linen,  which  fine  linen  was  a type  of  in- 
nocency  and  an  upright  conversation.  Hence 
the  singers  under  the  New  Testament  are  said 
to  be  virgins,  such  in  whose  mouth  was  no 
guile,  and  that  were  without  fault  before  the 
throne  of  God.  1 Chwm.  xv.  27  and  Rev.  xiv. 
1-6. 

4.  The  songs  sung  in  the  temple  were  new, 
or  such  as  were  compiled  after  the  manner  of 
repeated  mercies  that  the  Church  of  God  has 
received  or  were  to  receive.  And  answerable 
to  this  is  the  Church  to  sing  now  new  songs, 
with  new  hearts,  for  new  mercies. 


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RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


New  songs,  I say,  are  grounded  on  new  mat- 
ter, new  occasions,  new  mercies,  new  deliver- 
ances, new  discoveries  of  God  to  the  soul,  or 
for  new  frames  of  heart ; and  are  such  as  are 
most  taking,  most  pleasing,  and  most  refresh- 
ing to  the  soul. 

5.  These  songs  of  old,  to  distinguish  them 
from  heathenish  ones,  were  called  God’s  songs, 
the  Lord’s  songs,  because  taught  by  him  and 
learned  of  him,  and  enjoining  them  to  he  sung 
to  his  praise.  Hence  David  said,  “ God  had 
put  a new  song  into  his  mouth,  even  praises  to 
our  God.” 

6.  These  songs  also  were  called  songs  of  Sion 
and  the  songs  of  the  temple.  Ps.  cxxxvii.  3. 

And  they  are  so  called  as  they  were  theirs  to 
sing  there,  I say,  of  them,  of  Zion  and  the  wor- 
shippers of  the  temple — I say,  to  sing  in  the 
Church,  by  the  Church,  to  him  who  is  the  God 
of  the  Church,  for  the  mercies,  benefits,  and 
blessings  which  she  has  received  from  him. 
Sion  songs,  temple  songs,  must  be  sung  by 
Sion’s  sons  and  temple-worshippers. 

“The  redeemed  of  the  Lord  shall  return  and 
come  to  Zion  with  songs  and  everlasting  joy 
upon  their  heads ; they  shall  obtain  joy  and 
gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee 
away.  Therefore  they  shall  come  and  sing  in 
the  height  or  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion ; 
and  shall  flow  together  thither,  to  the  goodness 
of  the  Lord.  Break  forth  into  singing,  ye 
mountains,  and  let  the  inhabitants  of  the  rock 
sing.” 

To  sing  to  God  is  the  highest  worship  we 
are  capable  of  performing  in  heaven  ; and  it  is 
much  if  sinners  on  earth,  without  grace, 
should  be  capable  of  performing  it,  according 
to  his  institution,  acceptably.  I pray  God 
it  be  done  by  all  those  that  now-a-days  get 
into  churches,  in  spirit  and  with  understand- 
ing. 

LV.  Of  the  Union  of  the  Holy  and  Most  Holy 
Temple. 

That  commonly  called  the  temple  of  God  at 
Jerusalem,  considered  as  standing  of  two  parts, 
was  called  the  outward  and  inward  temple,  or 
the  holy  and  most  holy  place.  They  were 
built  upon  one  and*the  same  foundation; 
neither  could  one  go  into  the  holiest  hut  as 
through  the  holy  place.  1 Kings  iii.  1. 

The  first  house  — namely,  that  which  we 
have  been  speaking  of — was  a type  of  the 
Church  militant,  and  the  place  most  holy  a 
type  of  the  Church  triumphant — I say  of  the 
Church  triumphant,  as  it  is  now. 


So,  then,  the  house  standing  of  these  two 
parts  was  a shadow  of  the  Church  both  in 
heaven  and  earth.  And  for  that  they  are 
joined  together  by  one  and  the  same  founda- 
tion, it  was  to  show  that  they  above  and  we  be- 
low are  yet  one  and  the  selfsame  house  of  God. 
Hence  they  and  -we  together  are  called  “ the 
whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth.” 

And  hence  it  is  said  again  that  we  who  be- 
lieve on  earth  “ are  come  to  Mount  Sion,  to  the 
city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusa- 
lem, and  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels. 
To  the  general  assembly  and  Church  of  the 
first-born,  which  are  written  in  heaven,  and  to 
the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to 
God  the  judge  of  all,  and  to  Jesus  the  media- 
tor of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of 
sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better  things  than 
that  of  Abel.” 

The  difference,  then,  betwixt  us  and  them  is, 
not  that  we  are  really  two,  but  one  body  in 
Christ  in  divers  places.  True  we  are  below 
stairs,  and  they  above  ; they  in  their  holiday, 
and  we  in  our  working-day  clothes;  they  in 
harbour,  but  we  in  the  storm ; they  at  rest,  but 
we  in  the  wilderness;  they  singing,  as  crowned 
with  joy;  we  crying,  as  crowned  with  thorns. 
But  I say,  we  are  all  of  one  house,  one  family, 
and  are  all  the  children  of  one  Father. 

This  therefore  we  must  not  forget,  lest  we 
debar  ourselves  of  much  of  that  which  other- 
wise, while  here,  we  have  a right  unto.  Let 
us  therefore,  I say,  remember,  that  the  temple 
of  God  is  but  one,  though  divided,  as  one  may 
say,  into  kitchen  and  hall,  above  and  below, 
or  holy  and  most  holy  place.  For  it  stands 
upon  the  same  foundation,  and  is  called  but 
one,  the  temple  of  God,  which  is  built  upon 
the  Lord  our  Saviour. 

I told  you  before  that  none  of  old  could  go 
into  the  most  holy  but  by  the  holy  place,  even 
by  the  veil  that  made  the  partition  between. 
Ex.  xxvi.  33. 

Wherefore,  they  are  deceived  that  think  to 
go  into  the  holiest,  which  is  in  heaven,  when 
they  die,  who  yet  abandon  and  hate  the  holy 
place  while  they  live. 

Nay,  sirs,  the  way  into  the  holiest  is  through 
the  holy  place ; the  way  into  heaven  is  through 
the  Church  on  earth,  for  that  Christ  is  there 
by  his  word  to  be  received  by  faith  before  he 
can  by  us  in  person  be  received  in  the  bea- 
tifical vision.  The  Church  on  earth  is  as  the 
house  of  the  women  spoken  of  in  the  book  of 
Esther,  where  we  must  be  dieted,  perfumed, 
and  made  fit  to  go  into  the  Bridegroom’s 


SOLOMON'S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


309 


chamber,  or,  as  Paul  says,  “made' meet  to  be 
partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light.”  Esth.  iii;  Col.  i.  12. 

LVI.  Of  the  Holiest  or  Inner  Temple. 

The  most  holy  place  was,  as  I said,  a figure 
of  heaven  itself,  consequently  a type  of  that 
where  the  most  special  presence  of  God  is,  and 
where  his  face  is  most  clearly  seen  and  the 
glances  of  his  countenance  most  enjoyed. 
Hob.  ix.  23,  24;  Ex.  xxv.  22;  Num.  vii.  89. 

The  most  holy  place  was  dark : it  had  no 
windows  in  it,  though  there  were  such  round 
the  chambers;  the  more  special  presence  of 
God  too  on  Mount  Sinai  was  in  the  thick  dark- 
ness there. 

1.  This  holiest  therefore  -being  thus  made, 
was  to  show  that  God,  as  in  heaven,  to  us  on 
earth  is  altogether  invisible,  and  not  to  be 
reached  otherwise  than  by  faith.  For  I say 
in  that  this  house  had  no  windows,  nothing 
therein  could  be  seen  by  the  highest  light  of 
this  world.  Things  there  were  only  seen  by 
the  light  of  the  fire  of  the  altar,  which  was  a 
type  of  the  shillings  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  1 
Cor.  ii.  And  lienee  it  is  said,  notwithstanding 
the  darkness,  “Hedwelleth  in  the  light  which 
no  man  can  approach  unto ; none  but  the 
high  priest,  Christ.”  1 Tim.  vi.  10 ; 1 Pet.  iii. 
21,  22. 

2.  The  holiest  therefore  was  thus  built  to  show 
how  different  our  state  in  heaven  will  be  from 
this  our  state  on  earth.  We  walk  here  by  our 
light,  by  the  light  of  a written  word ; for  that 
is  now  a light  to  our  feet  and  a lantern  to  our 
path.  But  that  place,  where  there  will  be  no 
written  word  nor  ordinances  as  here,  will  yet 
to  us  shine  more  light  and  clear  than  if  all  the 
lights  that  are  in  the  world  were  put  together 
to  light  one  man:  “For  God  is  light,  and  in 
him  is  no  darkness  at  all;”  and  in  his  light, 
and  in  the  light  of  the  Lamb  immediately,  we 
shall  live  and  walk  and  rejoice  all  the  days  of 
eternity. 

3.  This  also  was  ordained  thus,  to  show  that 
we,  while  in  the  first  temple,  should  live  by 
faith  as  to  what  there  was  or  as  to  what  was 
done  in  the  second.  Hence  it  is  said  as  to 
that  we  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight.  2 Cor. 
v.  9. 

The  things  that  are  there  we  are  told  of, 
even  of  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  and  mercy- 
seat,  and  the  cherubims  of  glory,  and  the 
presence  of  Christ  and  of  God ; we  are,  I say, 
told  of  them  by  the  word,  and  believe,  and  are 
taken  therewith,  and  hope  to  go  to  them  here- 


after ; but  otherwise  we  see  them  not.  There- 
fore we  are  said  to  “look  not  at  the  things 
which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are 
not  seen  ; for  the  things  that  are  seen  are  tem- 
poral, but  the  things  that  are  not  seen  are 
eternal.” 

4.  The  people  of  old  were  not  to  look  into 
the  holiest,  lest  they  died,  (Num.  xvii.  13,) 
save  only  their  high  priest,  he  might  go  into 
it;  to  show  that  we  while  here  must  have  a 
care  of  vain  speculations,  for  there  is  nothing 
to  be  seen  by  us,  while  here,  in  heaven,  other- 
wise than  by  God’s  eternal  testament:  true, 
we  may  now  come  to  the  holiest,  cveu  as  nigh 
as  the  first  temple  will  admit  us  to  come,  but 
it  must  be  by  blood  and  faith,  not  by  vain  im- 
agination, sense,  or  carnal  reason. 

5.  This  holiest  of  all  was  four  square  every 
way,  both  as  to  the  height,  length,  and  breadth. 
To  be  thus  is  a note  of  perfection,  as  I showed 
elsewhere;  wherefore  it  wras  on  purpose  thus 
built  to  show  us  that  all  fulness  of  blessedness 
is  there,  both  as  to  the  nature,  degree,  and 
duration.  “So  when  that  which  is  perfect  is 
come,  that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done 
away.” 

LVII.  Of  the  Veil  of  the  Temple. 

The  veil  of  the  temple  tvas  a hanging  made 
of  “blue,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  and  white 
linen,  and  there  were  cherubims  wrought 
thereon.” 

1.  This  veil  was  one  partition  betwixt  the 
holy  and  most  holy  place;  and  I take  it  it  was 
to  keep  from  the  sight  of  the  worshippers  the 
things  most  holy  when  the  high  priest  went  in 
thither  to  accomplish  the  service  of  God.  Ex. 
xxvi.  33. 

2.  The  veil  was  a type  of  two  things. 

1.  Of  the  visible  heavens  through  which 
Christ  passed  when  he  went  to  make  an  inter- 
cession for  us.  And  as  by  the  veil  the  high 
priest  went  out  of  the  sight  of  the  people 
when  he  went  into  the  holiest  of  all,  so  Jesus 
Christ,  when  he  ascended,  was  by  the  heavens, 
that  great  and  stretehed-out  curtain,  received 
out  of  the  sight  of  his  people  here.  Also  by 
the  same  curtain,  since  it  is  become  as  a tent 
for  him  to  dwell  in,  he  is  still  received,  and 
still  kept  out  of  our  sight ; for  now  we  see  him 
not,  nor  shall  until  these  heavens  be  rolled  to- 
gether as  a scroll  and  pass  away  like  a thing 
rolled  together.  Isa.  xl.  22. 

3.  This  is  that  veil  through  which,  the  apos- 
tle saith,  Jesus,  as  the  forerunner  for  us,  en- 
tered into  the  presence  of  God.  For  by  the 


310 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


veil  here  also  must  be  meant  the  heavens  or 
the  outspread  firmament  thereof ; as  both  Mark 
and  Peter  say,  “ He  is  gone  into  heaven,  and 
is  on  the  right  hand  of  God.” 

3.  The  veil  of  the  temple  was  made  of  blue, 
the  very  colour  of  the  heaven — of  purple,  and 
crimson,  and  scarlet  also,  which  are  the  colour 
of  many  of  the  clouds,  because  of  the  reflec- 
tions of  the  sun.  But  again  : 

4.  The  veil  was  also  a type  of  the  body  of 
Christ.  For  as  the  veil  of  the  temple  when 
whi  le  kept  the  view  of  things  of  the  holiest 
from  us,  but  when  rent  gave  place  to  man  to 
look  into  them,  even  so  the  body  of  Christ 
while  whole  kept  the  things  of  the  holiest 
from  that  view  we,  since  he  was  pierced,  have 
of  them.  Hence  we  are  said  to  enter  into  the 
holiest  by  faith  through  the  veil — that  is  to 
say,  his  flesh.  Heb.  x. 

But  yet,  I say,  all  is  by  faith ; and  indeed 
the  rending  of  the  veil  that  day  that  Christ 
was. crucified  did  loudly  preach  this  to  us.  For 
no  sooner  was  the  body  of  Christ  pierced  but 
the  veil  of  the  temple  rent  in  twain  from  the 
top  to  the  bottom ; and  so  a way  was  made  for 
a clearer  sight  of  what  was  there  beyond  it,  both 
in  the  type  and  antitype. 

Thus  you  see  that  the  veil  of  the  temple  was 
a type  of  these  visible  heavens,  and  also  of  the 
body  of  Christ ; of  the  first,  because  he  passed 
through  it  unto  the  Father ; of  the  second,  be- 
cause we  by  it  have  boldness  to  come  to  the 
Father. 

I read  also  of  two  other  veils,  as  of  that 
spread  over  the  face  of  Moses,  to  the  end  that 
the  children  of  Israel  should  not  steadfastly 
behold,  and  of  the  first  veil  of  the  tabernacle. 
But  of  these  I shall  not  in  this  place  speak. 

Upon  the  veil  of  the  temple  there  were  also 
the  figures  of  cherubims  wrought,  that  is,  of 
angels ; to  show,  that  as  the  angels  are  with  us 
here,  and  wait  upon  us  all  the  days  of  our  pil- 
grimage in  this  world,  so  when  we  die  they 
stand  ready,  even  at  the  veil,  at  the  door  of 
these  heavens,  to  come,  when  bid,  to  fetch  us 
and  carry  us  away  into  “ Abraham’s  bosom.” 
Luke  xvi.  22. 

The  veil,  then,  thus  understood,  teaches  us 
first  where  Jesus  is — namely,  not  here,  but  gone 
into  heaven,  from  whence  we  should  wait  for 
him.  It  also  teaches  us  that  if  we  would  even 
now  discern  the  glories  that  are  in  the  holiest 
of  all,  we  must  look  through  Jesus  to  them, 
even  through  the  veil — that  is  to  say,  “his 
flesh.”  Yea,  it  teaches  us  that  we  may,  by 
faith  through  him,  attain  to  a kind  of  a pres- 


ence) at  least,  of  the  beauty  and  sweetness  of 
them. 

LVIII.  Of  the  Doors  of  the  Inner  Temple. 

1.  Besides  the  veil,  there  was  a door  to  the 
inner  temple,  and  that  door  was  made  of  olive 
tree ; “ and  for  the  entering  in  of  the  oracle, 
he  made  doors  of  olive  tree.  The  two  doors 
also  of  the  olive  tree,  and  he  carved  upon  them 
cherubims,  and  palm  trees,  and  flowers,  and 
overlaid  them  with  gold,  and  spread  gold  upon 
the  cherubims  and  upon  the  palm  tree.” 

2.  These  doors  were  a type  of  the  gate  of 
heaven,  even  of  that  which  lets  into  the  eter- 
nal mansion-house  that  is  beyond  that  veil.  I 
told  you  before  that  the  veil  was  a type  of  the 
visible  heavens  which  God  spread  out  as  a cur- 
tain, and  through  which  Christ  went  when  he 
ascended  to  the  right  hand  of  the  Father. 

3.  Now,  beyond  this  veil,  as  I said,  I find  a 
door,  a gate  opening  with  twro  leaves,  as  afore 
we  found  at  the  door  of  the  outward  temple. 
These  are  they  which  the  Psalmist  calls  to 
when  he  saith,  “ Lift  up  your  heads,  0 ye  gates, 
and  be  ye  lift  up,  ye  everlasting  doors,  and  the 
King  of  glory  shall  come  in.” 

4.  The  doors  of  the  temple  -were  made  of  fir, 
but  these,  as  you  see,  were  made  of  olive,  to 
show  us  by  that  fat  tree,  that  rich  type,  with 
what  glory  we  shall  meet  who  shall  be  counted 
worthy  to  enter  at  these  gates.  The  olive  tree 
lias  its  name  from  the  oil  and  fatness  of  its  na- 
ture, and  the  doors  that  let  into  the  holiest 
were  made  of  this  olive  tree. 

5.  Cherubims  were  also  carved  upon  these 
doors,  to  show  that  as  the  angels  met  us  at  the 
temple  door,  aiid  as  they  wait  upon  us  in  the 
temple,  and  stand  also  ready  at  the  veil,  so 
even  at  the  gate  of  the  mansion-house  they 
will  be  also  ready  to  give  us  a welcome  thither, 
and  to  attend  us  into  the  presence-chamber. 

6.  Palm  trees  also,  as  they  were  carved  upon 
the  temple  doors,  so  we  also  find  them  here  be- 
fore the  oracle,  upon  the  doors  that  let  in 
thither,  to  show  that  as  Christ  gave  us  the  vic- 
tory at  our  first  entering  into  faith,  so  he  will 
finish  that  victory  by  giving  of  us  eternal  sal- 
vation. Thus  he  is  the  author  and  finisher  of 
our  faith.  For  as  sure  as  at  first  we  received 
the  palm  branch  by  faith,  so  surely  shall  we 
wear  it  in  our  hands,  as  a token  of  his  faith- 
fulness in  the  heaven  of  heavens,  for  ever. 
Rev.  vii.  9. 

7.  Open  flowers  are  also  carved  here,  to  show 
that  Christ,  who  is  the  door  to  glory  as  well  as 
the  door  to  grace,  will  be  precious  to  us  at  our 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


entering  in  thither,  ns  well  ns  nt  the  first  step 
we  took  thitherward  in  a sinful,  miserable 
world.  Christ  will  never  lose  his  sweet  scent 
in  the  nostrils  of  his  Church.  He  is  most 
sweet  now,  will  be  so  at  death,  and  sweetest  of 
all  when  by  him  we  shall  enter  into  that  man- 
sion-house prepared  for  us  in  heaven. 

8.  The  palm  tree  and  open  flowers  may  also 
bo  a type  of  the  precious  ones  of  God  who 
shall  be  counted  worthy  of  his  kingdom — the 
one  of  the  uprightness  of  their  hearts,  the  other 
of  the  good  savour  of  their  lives.  “The  up- 
right shall  dwell  in  thy  presence;  and  to  him 
that  ordercth  his  conversation  aright  I will 
show  the  salvation  of  God.”  Ps.  cxl.  13. 

9.  Thus  sweet  in  earth,  sweet  in  heaven ; 
and  he  that  yields  the  fruit  of  the  Gospel  here 
shall  find  it  for  himself  and  his  eternal  com- 
fort at.  the  gates  of  glory. 

10.  All  these  were  overlaid  with  gold,  as  you 
may  say,  and  so  they  were  at  the  door  of  the 
first  house.  True,  but  observe  here  we  have 
an  addition.  Here  is  gold  upon  gold.  Gold 
laid  on  them,  and  then  gold  spread  upon  that. 
He  overlaid  them  with  gold,  and  then  spread 
gold  upon  them.  The  Lord  gives  grace  and 
glory.  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11.  Gold  and  gold.  Gold 
spread  upon  gold.  Grace  is  gold  in  the  leaf, 
and  glory  is  gold  in  plates.  Grace  is  thin  gold, 
glory  is  gold  that  is  thick.  Here  is  gold  laid 
on,  and  gold  spread  on  that,  and  that  both 
upon  the  palm  trees  and  the  cherubims.  Gold 
upon  the  palm  trees — that  is,  on  the  saints ; 
gold  upou  the  cherubims — that  is,  upon  the 
angels.  For,  I doubt  not  but  that  the  angels 
themselves  shall  receive  additional  glory  for 
the  service  with  which  they  have  served  Christ 
and  his  Church  on  earth. 

11.  The  angels  are  God’s  harvest-men,  and 
doubtless  he  will  give  them  good  wages,  even 
glory  upon  their  glory  then.  Matt.  xiii.  3S,  39; 
xxiv.  31 ; John  iv.  36. 

12.  You  know  harvest-men  used  to  be  paid 
well  for  gathering  in  the  corn,  and  I doubt  not 
but  so  shall  these  when  the  great  ingathering 
is  over.  But  what  an  entrance  into  life  is 
here ! Here  is  gold  upon  gold  at  the  door,  at 
our  first  step  into  the  kingdom. 

LIX.  Of  the  Golden  Nails  of  the  Inner  Temple. 

I shall  not  concern  myself  with  all  the  nails 
of  the  temple,  as  of  those  made  with  iron,  &c., 
(1  Chron.  xxii.  3,)  but  only  with  golden  ones, 
of  which  you  read,  (2  Chron.  iii.  4,)  where  he 
saith,  “ And  the  weight  of  the  nails  was  fifty 
shekels  of  gold.”  These  nails,  as  I conceive, 


.‘111 

were  all  fastened  to  the  place  most  holy,  and 
of  form  most  apt  to  that  of  which  they  were  a 
figure. 

1.  Some  of  them  represented  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord  as  fixed  in  his  mediatory  office  in  the 
heavens ; wherefore  in  one  place,  when  the 
Holy  Ghost  speaks  of  Christ  as  he  sprang  from 
Judah  to  be  a mediator,  saith,  “Out  of  him 
came  the  corner,  (the  corner-stone,)  out  of  him 
the  nails.” 

Now,  since  he  is  here  compared  to  a nail,  a 
golden  nail,  it  is  to  show  that  as  a nail,  by 
driving,  is  fixed  in  his  place,  so  Christ  by  God’s 
oath  is  made  an  everlasting  priest.  Heb.  vii. 
25.  Therefore,  as  he  saith  again,  the  nail,  the 
Aaron  ical  priesthood,  that  was  fastened  in  a 
sure  place,  should  be  removed,  be  cut  down, 
and  fall,  so  he  who  has  the  key  of  David, 
which  is  Christ,  (Rev.  iii.  7,)  shall  by  God, 
“as  a nail  fastened  in  a sure  place,  abide;” 
therefore  he  says  again,  “ And  he  shall  be  for 
a glorious  throne  or  mercy-seat  to  his  Father’s 
house.”  And  moreover,  “ That  they  shall 
hang  on  him,”  as  on  a nail,  “ all  the  glory  of 
his  Father’s  house,  the  offspring,  and  the  issue, 
all  vessels  of  small  quantity,  from  the  vessels 
of  cups,  even  to  the  vessels  of  flagons ;”  accord- 
ing to  that  which  is  written,  “ And  they  sang 
a new  song  to  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  saying, 
Thou  art  worthy,”  &c. 

And  therefore  it  is  again  that  Christ,  under 
the  similitude  of  a nail,  is  accounted  by  saints 
indeed  their  great  pledge  or  hope,  as  he  is  in 
heaven,  of  their  coming  thither.  Hence  they 
said  of  old,  “ God  has  given  us  a nail  in  his 
holy  place” — “a  nail,”  says  the  line;  “a  pin, 
a constant  and  sure  abode,”  says  the  margin. 
Now,  this  nail  in  his  holy  place,  as  was  showed 
before,  is  Christ — Christ  as  possessed  of  heaven, 
and  as  abiding  and  ever  living  therein  for  us. 

Hence  he  is  called,  as  there,  our  head,  our 
life,  and  our  salvation ; and  also  we  are  said 
there  to  be  set  down  together  in  him.  Eph.  i. 
23;  Col.  iii.  3;  Eph.  ii.  5,  6. 

2.  Some  of  these  nails  were  types  of  the  holy 
words  of  God,  which  for  ever  are  settled  in 
heaven.  Types,  I say,  of  their  yea  and  amen. 
Hence  Solomon,  in  another  place,  compares 
the  words  of  the  wise  God,  to  “goads  and  nails 
fastened  by  the  masters  of  the  assemblies  which 
are  given  from  one  shepherd.” 

They  are  called  “goads,”  because  as  such 
prick  the  oxen  on  in  their  drawing,  so  God’s 
words  prick  Christians  on  in  their  holy  duties. 
They  are  called  “nails”  to  show  that  as  nails, 
when  fastened  well  in  a sure  place,  are  not 


312 


JBUKYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


easily  removed,  so  God’s  words  by  bis  will 
stand  firm  for  ever.  The  masters  of  the  assem- 
blies are,  first,  the  apostles.  The  one  Shepherd 
is  Jesus  Christ.  Hence  the  Gospel  of  Christ 
is  said  to  be  everlasting,  to  abide  for  ever,  and 
to  be  more  steadfast  than  heaven  and  earth. 

The  Lord  Jesus  then,  and  his  holy  words, 
are  the  golden  nails  of  the  temple,  and  the 
fixing  of  these  nails  in  the  temple  was  to  show 
that  Christ  is  the  same  'to-day,  yesterday,  and 
for  ever,  and  that  his  words  abide  and  remain 
the  same  for  ever  and  ever.  He  then  that 
hath  Christ  hath  a nail  in  the  holiest : he  that 
hath  a promise  of  salvation  hath  also  a nail  in 
heaven,  a golden  nail  in  heaven. 

LX.  Of  the  Floor  and  Walls  of  the  Inner 
Temple. 

1.  The  floor  of  the  oracle  was  overlaid  with 
cedar,  and  so  also  were  the  walls  of  this  house. 
“He  built  twenty  cubits  on  the  sides  of  the 
house,  both  the  floor  and  the  walls  with  boards 
of  cedar.  He  even  built  for  it  within,  for  the 
oracle,  for  the  most  holy  place.” 

2.  In  that  he  doth  tell  us  with  what  it  was 
ceiled,  and  doth  also  thus  repeat,  saying,  “for 
the  oracle,  for  it  within,  even  for  the  most  holy 
place,”  it  is  because  he  woidd  have  it  noted 
that  this  only  is  the  place  that  thus  was  done. 

3.  Twenty  cubits — that  was  the  length,  and 
breadth,  and  height  of  the  house ; so  that  by 
his  thus  saying  he  teachetli  that  thus  it  was 
built  round  about. 

4.  The  cedar  is,  if  I mistake  not,  the  highest 
of  the  trees.  Ezek.  xxxi.  3-8. 

Now  in  that  it  is  said  the  house,  the  oracle, 
“was  ceiled  round  about  therewith,”  it  may 
be  to  show  that  in  heaven,  and  nowhere  else, 
is  the  height  of  all  perfection. 

Perfection  is  in  the  Church  on  earth,  but 
not  such  as  is  in  heaven. 

1.  There  is  a natural  perfection,  and  so  a 
penny  is  as  natural  silver  as  is  a shilling. 

2.  There  is  a comparative  perfection,  and  so 
one  thing  may  be  perfect  and  imperfect  at  the 
same  time,  as  a half  crown  is  more  than  a 
shilling,  yet  less  than  a crown. 

3.  There  is  also  that  which  we  call  the  ut- 
most perfection,  and  that  is  it  which  cannot  be 
added  to  or  taken  from  him ; and  so  God  only 
is  perfect. 

Now  heavenly  glory  is  that  which  goes  be- 
yond all  perfection  on  the  earth,  as  the  cedar 
goes  beyond  all  trees  for  height.  Hence  God, 
when  he  speaks  of  his  own  excellency,  sets  it 
forth  by  its  height — the  high  God,  the  most 


High,  and  the  high  and  lofty  one,  and  the 
Highest. 

These  terms  also  are  ascribed  to  this  house, 
for  that  it  was  the  place  where  utmost  perfec- 
tion dwelt. 

I take,  therefore,  the  cedar  in  this  place  to 
be  a note  of  perfection,  even  the  cedar  with 
which  this  house  was  ceiled. 

For  since  it  is  the  wisdom  of  God  to  speak 
to  us  ofttimes  by  trees,  gold,  silver,  stones, 
beasts,  fowls,  fishes,  spiders,  ants,  frogs,  flies, 
lice,  dust,  &c.,  and  here  by  wood,  how  should 
we  by  them  understand  his  voice  if  we  count 
there  is  no  meaning  in  them  ? 

“ And  the  cedar  of  the  house  within  was 
carved  with  knops  and  flowers.”  All  was 
cedar;  there  was  no  stone  seen.  1 Kings 
ix.  18. 

Knops  and  flowers  were  they  with  which  the 
golden  candlestick  was  adorned,  as  you  read 
in  Ex.  xxv. 

The  candlestick  was  a type  of  the  Church, 
and  the  knops  and  flowers  a type  of  her  orna- 
ments. But  what!  must  heaven  be  hanged 
round  about  with  the  ornaments  of  saints, 
with  the  fruits  of  their  graces?  Well,  it  is 
certain  that  something  more  than  ordinary 
must  be  done  with  them,  since  they  are 
“admitted  to  follow  them  into  the  holy  place,” 
and  since  it  is  said  they  shall  have  a far  more 
exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  be- 
stowed on  them  for  them  in  the  heavens.  2 
Cor.  iv.  16,  17. 

“ All  was  cedar;  there  was  no  stone  seen.” 
Take  stone  in  the  type  for  that  which  was 
really  so,  and  in  the  antitype  for  that  which  is 
so  mystically,  and  then  it  may  import  to  us 
that  in  heaven,  the  antitype  of  this  holiest, 
there  shall  never  be  any  thing  of  hardness  of 
heart  in  them  that  possess  it  for  ever.  All 
imperfection  ariseth  from  the  badness  of  the 
heart,  but  there  will  be  no  bad  hearts  in  glory. 
No  shortness  in  knowledge,  no  crossness  of  dis- 
position, no  workings  of  lusts  or  corruptions 
will  be  there — no,  not  throughout  the  whole 
heavens.  Here,  alas ! they  are  seen,  and  that 
in  the  best  of  saints,  because  here  our  light  is 
mixed  with  darkness ; but  there  will  be  no 
night  nor  any  stone  seen. 

“ And  the  floor  of  the  house  was  overlaid 
with  gold.”  1 Kings  vi.  30.  This  is  like  that 
of  which  we  read  of  the  New  Jerusalem  that 
is  to  come  from  God  out  of  heaven — says  the 
text,  “ The  street  of  the  city  was  pure  gold  ” — 
and  like  that  of  which  yon  read  in  Exodus. 
“ They  saw  under  the  feet  of  the  God  of  Israel 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


313 


ns  it  were  a paved  work  of  sapphire  stone, 
and  as  it  were  the  body  of  the  heaven  in  its 
clearness.” 

All  the  visions  were  rich,  but  this  the 
richest,  that  the  floor  of  the  house  should  be 
covered  or  overlaid  with  gold.  The  floor  and 
street  are  walking-places,  and  how  rich  will 
our  steps  be  then!  Alas!  here  we  sometimes 
step  into  the  mire,  and  then  again  stumble 
upon  blocks  and  stones.  Here  we  sometimes 
fall  into  the  holes,  and  have  our  heel  often 
catehed  in  a snare ; but  there,  there  will  be 
none  of  these  I Gold!  gold!  all  will  be  gold 
and  golden  perfections  when  we  come  into  the 
holy  placet  Job  at  best  took  but  his  steps  in 
butter,  but  we  then  shall  take  all  our  steps ‘in 
the  gold  of  the  sanctuary. 

LXI.  Of  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  which  was 
placed  in  the  Inner  Temple. 

In  the  word  I read  of  three  arks:  to  wit, 
Noah’s  ark,  that  in  which  Moses  was  hid,  and 
the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  God.  Gen.  vi.  14; 
Ex.  ii.  3,  5.  But  it  is  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
of  which  I shall  now  speak. 

“ The  ark  was  made  of  sliittim  wood ; two 
cubits  and  a half  was  the  length  thereof,  and 
one  cubit  and  a half  the  breadth  thereof,  and 
a cubit  and  a half  the  height  thereof.  It  was 
overlaid  with  pure  gold  within  and  without, 
and  a crown  of  gold  was  made  for  it  round 
about.” 

1.  This  ark  was  called  “ the  ark  of  the 
covenant,”  as  the  first  that  you  read  of  was 
called  Noah’s,  because  as  he  in  that  was  kept 
from  being  drowned,  so  the  tables  of  the  cove- 
nant were  kept  in  this  from  breaking. 

2.  This  ark  in  this  was  a type  of  Christ,  for 
that  in  him  only,  and  not  in  the  hand  of 
Moses,  these  tables  were  kept  whole.  Moses 
brake  them,  the  ark  keeps  them. 

3.  Not  only  that  wrote  on  two  tables  of 
stone,  but  that  also  called  “ the  ceremonial,” 
was  put  into  the  ark  to  be  kept.  The  two 
tables  were  put  into  the  midst  of  the  ark  to 
answer  to  this,  Thy  law  is  within  my  heart  to 
do  it.  But  the  ceremonial  was  put  into  the 
sipe  of  the  ark,  to  show  that  out  of  the  side 
of  Christ  must  come  that  which  must  answer 
that;  for  out  thence  came  blood  and  water — 
blood,  to  answer  the  purifyings  and  rinsings 
of  that  law. 

The  ceremonies  therefore  were  lodged  in  the 
side  of  the  ark,  to  show  that  they  should  be 
answered  out  of  the  side  of  Jesus  Christ.  Ex. 
xxv.  16,  17. 


4.  The  ark  had  the  name  of  God  put  upon 
it;  yea,  it  was  called  “the  strength  of  God 
and  his  glory,”  though  made  of  wood.  And 
Christ  is  God  both  in  name  and  nature,  though 
made  flesh  ; “yea  more,  made  to  be  sin  for  us.” 

2 Sam.  vii.  2. 

5.  The  ark  was  carried  upon  men’s  shoulders 
this  way  and  that,  to  show  how  Christ  should 
be  carried  and  preached  by  his  apostles  and 
ministers  into  all  parts  of  the  world.  Ex. 
xxv.  14. 

6.  The  ark  had  these  testimonies  of  God’s 
presence  accompanying  it,  as  had  no  other 
ceremony  of  the  law;  and  Christ  had  those 
signs  and  tokens  of  his  presenc’e  with  him,  as 
never  had  man  cither  in  Law  or  Gospel.  This 
is  so  apparent  it  needs  no  proof.  And  now  for 
a few  comparisons  more : 

1.  It  was  at  that  that  God  answered  the 
people  when  they  were  wont  to  come  to  in- 
quire of  him  ; and  in  these  last  days  God  has 
spoken  to  us  by  his  Son. 

2.  At  the  presence  of  the  ark  the  waters  of 
Jordan  stood  still  till  Israel,  the  ransomed  of 
the  Lord,  passed  over  from  the  wilderness  to 
Canaan ; and  it  is  by  the  power  and  presence 
of  Christ  that  we  pass  over  death,  Jordan’s 
antitype,  from  the  wilderness  of  this  world  to 
heaven. 

3.  Before  the  ark  the  walls  of  Jericho  fell 
down ; and  at  the  presence  of  Christ  shall  all 
high  towers,  and  strongholds,  and  hiding-places 
for  sinners  be  razed  and  dissolved  at  liis  com- 
ing. Isa.  vi.  20. 

4.  Before  the  ark  Dagon  fell,  that  idol  of 
the  Philistines;  and  before  Christ  Jesus  devils 
fell,  those  gods  of  all  those  idols.  And  he 
must  reign  till  all  his  enemies  be  put  under 
his  feet,  and  until  they  be  made  his  footstool. 
1 Sam.  v.  1-4. 

5.  The  Philistines  were  also  plagued  for 
meddling  with  the  ark  while  they  abode  un- 
circumcised; and  the  wicked  will  one  day  be 
most  severely  plagued  for  their  meddling  with 
Christ  with  their  uncircumcised  hearts.  1 Sam. 
v.  6-13. 

6.  God’s  blessing  was  upon  those  that  enter- 
tained the  ark  as  they  should ; and  much  more 
is  and  will  his  blessing  be  upon  those  that  so 
embrace  and  entertain  his  Christ  and  profess 
his  name  sincerely.  2 Sam.  vi.  11. 

7.  When  Uzza  put  forth  his  hand  to  stay  the 
ark  when  the  oxen  shook  it,  as  despairing  of 
God’s  protection  of  it  without  a human  help, 
he  died  before  the  Lord;  even  so  will  all  those 
do  (without  repentance)  who  use  unlawful 


314 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


means  to  promote  Christ’s  religion  and  to  sup- 
port it  in  the  world.  1 Chron.  xiii.  9,  10. 

8.  The  ark,  though  thus  dignified,  was  of 
itself  but  low — but  a cubit  and  a half  high: 
also  Christ,  though  he  was  the  glory  of  heaven 
and  of  God,  yet  made  himself  of  no  reputa- 
tion and  was  found  in  the  likeness  of  a man. 

9.  The  ark  had  a crown  of  gold  round  about 
upon  it,  to  show  how  Christ  is  crowned  by  his 
saints  by  faith,  and  shall  be  crowned  by  them 
in  glory,  for  all  the  good  he  hath  done  for 
them;  as  also  how  all  crowns  shall  one  day 
stoop  to  him  and  be  set  upon  his  head.  This 
is  showed  in  the  type  (Zech.  vi.  11,  14)  and  in 
the  antitype.  Rev.  iv.  10. 

10.  The  ark  was  overlaid  with  gold  within 
and  without,  to  show  that  Christ  was  perfect 
in  inward  grace  and  outward  life,  in  spirit  and 
righteousness.  John  i. 

11.  The  ark  was  placed  under  the  mercy- 
seat,  to  show  that  Jesus  Christ,  as  Redeemer, 
brings  and  bears,  as  it  were  upon  his  shoulders, 
the  mercy  of  God  to  men,  even  “in  the  body 
of  his  flesh,  through  death.” 

12.  When  the  ark  was  removed  far  from  the 
people  the  godly  went  mourning  after  it;  and 
when  Christ  is  hid  or  taken  from  us,  “then  we 
mourn  in  those  days.” 

13.  All  Israel  had  the  ark  again  after  their 
mourning  time  was  over;  and  Christ,  after  his 
people  have  sorrowed  for  him  a while,  will  see 
them  again,  “and  their  hearts  shall  rejoice.” 

By  all  these  things,  and  many  more  that 
might  be  mentioned,  it  is  most  evident  that 
the  ark  of  the  testimony  was  a type  of  Jesus 
Christ;  and  take  notice  a little  of  that  which 
follows,  namely,  that  the  ark  at  last  arrived  at 
the  place  most  holy.  Heb.  ix.  3,  4. 

That  is,  after  its  wanderings ; for  the  ark  was 
first  made  to  wander  like  a non-inhabitant 
from  place  to  place;  now  hither,  and  then 
thither;  now  in  the  hands  of  enemies,  and 
then  abused  by  friends;  yea,  it  was  caused  to 
rove  from  place  to  place,  as  that  of  which  the 
world  was  weary.  I need  instance  to  you,  for 
proof,  none  other  place  than  the  5th,  6th,  and 
7th  chapters  of  the  first  book  of  Samuel;  and, 
answerable  to  this,  was  our  dear  Lord  Jesus 
posted  backwards  and  forwards  hither  and 
thither,  by  the  force  of  the  rage  of  his  ene- 
mies. 

1.  He  was  hunted  into  Egypt  so  soon  as  he 
was  born.  Matt.  ii. 

2.  Then  he  was  driven  to  live  in  Galilee  fhe 
6pace  of  many  years. 

3.  Also,  when  he  showed  himself  to  Israel, 


they  drove  him  sometimes  into  the  wilderness, 
sometimes  into  the  desert,  sometimes  into  the 
sea,  and  sometimes  into  the  mountains;  and 
still  in  every  one  of  these  places  he  was  either 
haunted  or  hunted  by  new  enemies. 

And,  last  of  all,  the  Pharisees  plot  for  his 
life;  Judas  sells  him,  the  priests  buy  him, 
Peter  denies  him,  his  enemies  mock,  scourge, 
buffet,  and  much  abuse  him.  In  fine,  they  get 
him  condemned,  and  crucified,  and  buried; 
but,  at  last,  God  commanded  and  took  him  to 
his  place,  even  within  the  veil,  and  sets  him 
to  bear  up  the  mercy-seat,  where  he  is  to  this 
very  day;  being  our  ark  to  save  us,  as  Noah’s 
did  him,  as  Moses’  did  him;  yea,  better,  as 
none  but  Christ  doth  save  his  own. 

LXII.  Of  the  placing  of  the  ArJc  in  the  Holiest  or 
’ „ Inner  Temple. 

1.  The  ark,  as  we  have  said,  and  as  the.  text 
declares,  when  carried  to  its  rest,  was  placed 
in  the  inner  temple,  or  in  the  most  holy  place, 
even  under  the  “wings  of  the  cherubims.” 
“And  the  priests  brought  in  the  ark  of  the 
covenant  of  the  Lord  unto  his  place,  to  the 
oracle  of  the  house,  unto  the  most  holy  place, 
even  under  the  wing  of  the  cherubims.” 

2.  Before  this,  as  was  said  afore,  the  ark  was 
carried  from  place  to  place,  and  caused  to 
dwell  in  a tent  under  curtains,  as  all  our 
fathers  did;  to  show  that  Christ,  as  we,  was 
made  for  a time  to  wander  in  the  world,  in 
order  to  his  being  possessed  of  glory. 

3.  But  now,  when  the  ark  was  brought  into 
the  holiest,  it  is  said  to  be  brought  into  its 
place.  This  world,  then,  was  not  Christ’s 
place;  he  was  not  from  beneath,  he  came  from 
his  Father’s  house;  wherefore  while  here  he 
was  not  at  his  place,  nor  could  be  until  he  as- 
cended up  where  he  was  before.  John  viii.  23. 

4.  Christ’s  proper  place,  therefore,  is  the 
holiest — his  proper  place  as  God,  as  Priest,  as 
Prophet,  as  King,  and  as  the  Advocate  of  his 
people.  Here,  with  us,  he  has  no  more  to  do, 
in  person,  as  mediator.  If  he  were  on  earth 
he  should  not  be  a priest,  &c.  His  place  and 
work  is  now  above  with  his  Father  and  before 
the  angels. 

5.  It  is  said  the  ark  was  brought  to  the 
oracle  of  the  house;  Solomon  was  content  to 
say  it  was  brought  into  the  holiest;  but  he 
saith  his  place  was  the  oracle,  the  holy  oracle 
— that  is,  the  place  of  hearing:  for  he,  when 
he  ascended,  had  somewhat  to  say  to  God  on 
the  behalf  of  his  people.  To  the  oracle— that 
is,  to  the  place  of  revealing;  for  he  also  was 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


there  to  receive,  and  from  thence  to  reveal  to 
his  Church  on  earth,  something  that  could  not 
be  made  manifest  but  from  this  holy  oracle. 
There,  therefore,  be  is  with  the  two  tables  of 
testimony  in  his  heart,  as  perfectly  kept;  he 
also  is  there  with  the  whole  fulfilling  of  the 
ceremonial  law  in  his  side,  showing  and  plead- 
ing the  perfection  of  his  righteousness  and  the 
merit  of  his  blood  with  his  Father;  and  to  re- 
ceive and  to  do  us  good,  who  believe  in  him, 
how  well  phased  the  Father  is  with  what  he 
has  done  in  our  behalf. 

6.  “ Into  the  most  holy  place.”  By  these 
words  is  showed  whither  also  the  ark  went  when 
it  went  to  take  up  its  rest.  And  in  that  this 
ark  was  a type  of  Christ  in  this,  it  is  to  show 
or  further  manifest  that  what  Christ  doth  now 
in  heaven,  he  doth  it  before  his  Father’s  face. 
Yea,  it  intimates  that  Christ  even  there  makes 
his  appeals  to  God  concerning  the  worth  of 
what  he  did  on  earth — to  God  the  Judge  of  all : 
I say,  whether  he  ought  not,  for  his  suffering’s 
sake,  to  have  granted  to  him  his  whole  desire 
as  Priest  and  Advocate  for  his  people. 

“ Wilt  thou,”  said  Festus  to  Paul,  “ go  up  to 
Jerusalem,  and  there  be  judged  of  these  things 
before  me?”  Why,  this  our  blessed  Jesus  was 
willing,  when  here,  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  to 
be  judged;  and  being  misjudged  there,  he 
made  his  appeal  to  God;  and  is  now  gone 
thither,  even  into  the  holy  place,  even  to  him 
that  is  judge  of  all,  for  his  verdict  upon  his 
doing,  and  whether  the  souls  for  whom  he  be- 
came undertaker,  to  bring  them  to  glory,  have 
not  by  him  a right  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 

7.  '‘Under  the  wings  of  the  cherubims.” 
This  doth  further  confirm  our  words;  for, 
having  appealed  from  earth  to  heaven,  as  the 
ark  was  set  under  the  wings  of  the  cherubims, 
so  he,  in  his  interceding  with  God  and  pleading 
his  merits  for  us,  doth  it  in  the  presence  and 
hearing  of  all  the  angels  in  heaven. 

And  thus  much  of  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
aud  of  its  antitype.  We  come  next  to  speak 
of  the  mercy-seat. 

LXIII.  Of  the  Mercy-Seat , and  how  it  teas placed 
in  the  Holy  Temple.  , 

The  mercy-seat  was  made  in  the  wilderness, 
but  brought  up  by  Solomon  after  the  temple 
was  built,  with  the  rest  of  the  holy  things.  2 
Chron.  v.  2-10. 

The  mercy-seat,  as  I have  showed  of  the 
ark,  was  but  low : “ Two  cubits  and  a half  was 
the  length,  and  a cubit  and  a half  the  breadth 


315 

thereof;”  but  the  height  thereof  “was  without 
measure.” 

1.  The  length  and  breadth  of  the  mercy-seat 
is  the  same  with  that  of  the  ark,  perhaps  to 
show  us  that  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
mercy  of  God  to  his  elect  is  the  same  with  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  merits  of  Christ. 
Ex.  xxv.  10,  17. 

Therefore,  we  are  said  to  be  justified  in  him, 
blessed  in  him,  even  according  to  the  purpose 
which  God  purposed  in  him. 

2.  But  in  that  the  mercy-seat  is  without 
measure  as  to  the  height,  it  is  to  show  that 
would  God  extend  it,  it  is  able  to  reach  even 
them  that  fall  from  heaven,  and  to  save  all  that 
ever  lived  on  earth,  even  all  that  are  now  in 
hell.  For  there  is  not  only  bread  enough  for 
them  that  shall  be  saved,  but  bread  enough 
and  to  spare.  Luke  xv.  17. 

“ And  thou  shalt,”  says  God,  “ put  the  merey- 
seat  above  upon  the  ark.”  Thus  he  said  to 
Moses,  and  this  was  the  place  which  David  as- 
signed for  it. 

Now,  its  being  by  God’s  ordinance  placed 
thus,  doth  teach  us  many  things: 

1.  That  mercy’s  foundation  to  us  is  Christ. 
The  mercy-seat  was  set  upon  the  ark  of  the 
testimony,  and  there  it  rested  to  us-ward. 
Justice  would  not,  could  not,  have  suffered  us 
to  have  had  any  benefit  by  mercy  had  it  not 
found  an  ark,  a Christ,  to  rest  upon.  “ Deliver 
them,”  saith  God,  “ from  going  down  into  the 
pit:  I have  found  a ransom.” 

2.  In  that  it  was  placed  above  it  doth  show 
also  that  Christ  was  of  mercies  ordaining  a 
fruit  of  mercy.  Mercy  is  above,  is  the  ordain- 
er ; God  is  love,  and  sent  of  love  his  Son  to  be 
the  Saviour  and  propitiation  for  our  sins.  John 
iii.  16 ; 1 John  iv.  10. 

3.  In  that  the  mercy-seat  and  ark  were  thus 
joined  together,  it  also  shows  that  without 
Christ  mercy  doth  not  act.  Hence,  when  the 
priest  came  of  old  to  God  for  mercy,  he  did 
use  to  come  into  the  holy  place  with  blood; 
yea,  and  did  use  to  sprinkle  it  upon  the  merev- 
seat,  and  before  it,  seven  times.  Take  away 
the  ark,  and  the  mercy-seat  will  fall,  or  come 
greatly  down  at  least;  so  take  away  Christ, 
and  the  floodgate  of  mercy  is  let  down  and  the 
current  of  mercy  stopt.  This  is  true;  for  so 
soon  as  Christ  shall  leave  off  to  mediate  will 
come  the  eternal  judgment. 

4.  Again,  in  that  the  mercy-seat  was  set 
above  upon  the  ark,  it  teacheth  us  to  know  that 
mercy  can  look  down  from  heaven,  though  the 
law  stand  by  and  looks  on ; but  then  it  must 


316 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


be  in  Christ,  as  kept  there  and  fulfilled  by  him 
for  us.  The  law  out  of  Christ  is  terrible  as  a 
lion ; the  law  in  him  is  meek  as  a lamb.  The 
reason  is  for  that  it  finds  in  him  enough  to  an- 
swer for  all  their  faults  that  come  to  God  for 
mercy  by  him.  “ Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law 
for  righteousness and  if  that  be  true,  the  law 
for  that  can  look  no  further,  whoever  comes  to 
God  by  him.  The  law  did  use  to  sentence 
terribly,  until  it  was  put  into  the  ark  to  be 
kept ; but  after  it  was  said,  “ It  is  there  to  be 
kept,”  we  read  not  of  it  as  afore. 

5.  Let  them  then  that  come  to  God  for  mercy 
be  sure  to  come  to  him  by  the  ark,  Christ.  For 
grace,  as  it  descends  to  us  from  above  the 
mercy-seat,  so  that  mercy-seat  doth  rest  upon 
the  ark.  Wherefore,  sinner,  come  thou  for 
mercy  that  way,  for  there,  if  thou  meetest  with 
the  law,  it  can  do  thee  no  harm ; nor  can 
mercy,  shouldst  thou  elsewhere  meet  it,  do  thee 
good. 

Come,  therefore,  and  come  boldly  to  the 
throne  of  grace,  this  mercy-seat,  thus  borne  up 
by  the  ark,  and  “ obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace 
to  help  in  time  of  need.” 

Wherefore,  the  thus  placing  of  things  in  the 
holiest  is  admirable  to  behold  in  the  word  of 
God ; for  that  indeed  is  the  glass  by  and  through 
which  we  must  behold  this  glory  of  the  Lord. 
Here  we  see  the  reason  of  things ; here  we  see 
how  a just  God  can  have  to  do,  and  that  in  a 
way  of  mercy,  with  one  that  has  sinned  against 
him : it  is  because  the  law  has  been  kept  by 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  for,  as  you  see,  the 
mercy-seat  stands  upon  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant, and  there  God  acts  in  a way  of  grace  to- 
wards us. 

LXIV.  Of  the  Living  Waters  of  the  Inner 
Temple. 

Although,  in  the  holy  relation  of  the  build- 
ing of  the  temple,  no  mention  is  made  of  these 
waters,  but  only  of  the  mount  on  which,  and 
of  the  materials  with  which,  the  king  did  build 
it,  yet  it  seems  to  me  that  in  that  mount,  and 
there  too  where  the  temple  was  built,  there  was 
a spring  of  living  water.  This  seems  more 
than  probable  by  Ezek.  xlvii.  1,  where  he 
saith,  “ Fie  brought  me  to  the  door  of  the 
house,  and  behold  waters  issued  out  from 
under  the  threshold  of  the  house  eastward ; 
for  the  fore-front  of  the  house  stood  toward 
the  east,  and  the  waters  came  down  from 
under,  from  the  right  side  of  the  house,  at  the 
south  side  of  the  altar.” 

So  again  Joel  iii.  18  : “ And  a fountain  shall 


come  forth  of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  shall 
water  the  valley  of  Shittim.”  Nor  was  the 
spring,  wherever  was  the  first  appearance  of 
these  holy  waters,  but  in  the  sanctuary,  which 
is  the  holiest  of  all,  (Ezek.  xlvii.  12,)  where 
the  mercy-seat  stood,  which  in  Revelations  is 
called  “ The  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb.” 
Ch.  xxii.  1,  2. 

This  also  is  that  which  the  prophet  Zech- 
ariah  means  when  he  says,  “ Living  waters 
shall  go  forth  from  Jerusalem,  half  of  them 
toward  the  former  sea,  and  half  of  them  toward 
the  hinder  sea,”  &c.  They  are  said  to  go  forth 
from  Jerusalem,  because  they  came  down  to 
the  city  from  out  of  the  sanctuary,  which  stood 
in  Jerusalem. 

This  is  that  which,  in  another  place,  is  called 
a river  of  water  of  life,  because  it  comes  forth 
from  the  throne,  and  because  it  was  at  the 
head  of  it,  as  I supposed,  used  in  and  about 
temple  worship.  It  was  with  this,  I think, 
that  the  molten  sea  and  the  ten  lavers  were 
filled,  and  in  which  the  priests  washed  their 
hands  and  feet  when  they  went  into  the  temple 
to  do  service ; and  that  also  in  which  they 
washed  the  sacrifices  before  they  offered  them 
to  God ; yea,  I presume  all  the  washings  and 
rinsings  about  their  worship  was  with  this 
water, 

This  water  is  said,  in  Ezekiel  and  Revela- 
tions, to  have  the  tree  of  life  grow  on  the  banks 
of  it,  (Ezek.  xlvii. ; Rev.  xxii.,)  and  was  a type 
of  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God,  by  which  both 
Christ  himself  sanctified  himself  in  order  to 
his  worship  as  high  priest;  and  also  this  water 
is  that  which  heals  all  those  that  shall  be  saved, 
and  by  which,  they  being  sanctified  thereby 
also,  do  all  their  works  of  worship  and  service 
acceptably,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

This  water,  therefore,  is  said  to  go  forth  into 
the  sea,  the  world,  and  to  heal  its  fish,  the  sin- 
ners, therein  ; yea,  this  is  that  water  of  which 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  saith,  “ Whosoever  shall 
drink  thereof  shall  live  for  ever.” 

LXV.  Of  the  Chains  which  were  in  the  Oracle 
or  Inner  Temple. 

As  there  were  chains  on  the  pillars  that 
stood  before  the  porch  of  the  temple  and  in 
the  first  house,  so  like  unto  them  there  were 
chains  in  the  holiest,  here  called  the  oracle. 

These  chains  were  not  chains  in  show,  or  as 
carved  on  wood,  &c.,  but  chains  indeed,  and 
that  of  gold ; and  they  were  prepared  to  make 
a partition  “ before  the  oracle  within.”  1 Kings 
vi.  21 ; 2 Chron.  iii.  16. 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


317 


I told  you  before  that  the  holiest  was  called 
the  oracle ; not  because,  in  a strict  sense,  the 
whole  of  it  was  so,  but  because  such  answer  of 
God  was  there  as  was  not  in  the  outward  tem- 
ple ; but  I think  that  the  ark  and  mercy -seat 
was,  indeed,  more  especially  that  called  the 
oracle;  “ for  there  will  I meet  with  thee,”  saith 
God,  “and  from  above  that  will  I commune 
with  thee.”  When  David  said,  “ I lift  my 
hands  towards  thy  holy  oracle,”  he  meant  not 
bo  much  towards  the  holiest  house  as  towards 
the  mercy-scat  that  was  therein.  Or,  as  he 
saith  in  the  margin,  “Toward  the  oracle  of  thy 
sanctuary.” 

1.  When,  therefore,  he  saith  “before  the  or- 
acle,” he  means  these  chains  were  put  in  the 
most  holy  place,  before  the  ark  and  mercy-seat, 
to  give  Aaron  and  his  sons  to  understand  that 
an  additional  glory  was  there  ; for  the  ark  and 
mercy-seat  were  preferred  before  that  holy 
house  itself,  even  as  Christ  and  the  grace  of 
God  is  preferred  before  the  highest  heavens. 
“ The  Lord  is  high  above  all  nations,  and  his 
glory  is  above  the  heavens.” 

So,  then,  the  partition  that  was  made  in  this 
house  by  these  chains,  these  golden  chains, 
was  not  so  much  to  divide  the  holy  from  the 
place  most  holy,  as  to  show  that  there  is  in  the 
holiest  house  that  which  is  yet  more  worthy 
than  it. 

The  holiest  was  a type  of  heaven,  but  the 
ark  and  mercy-seat  were  a type  of  Christ,  and 
of  the  mercy  of  God  to  us  by  him ; and  I trow 
any  man  will  conclude,  if  he  knows  what  he 
says,  that  the  God  and  Christ  of  heaven  are 
more  excellent  than  the  hou«e  they  dwell  in. 
Hence  David  said  again,  “ Whom  have  I in 
heaven  but  thee?”  For  thou  art  more  excel- 
lent than  they. 

For  though  that  which  is  called  heaven 
would  serve  some,  yet,  though  God  himself 
was  out  of  it,  yet  none  but  the  God  of  heaven 
will  satisfy  a truly  gracious  man:  it  is  God 
that  the  soul  of  this  man  thirsteth  for;  it  is 
God  that  is  his  exceeding  joy. 

These  chains,  then,  as  they  made  the  parti- 
tion in  the  most  holy  place,  may  teach  us  that 
when  we  shall  be  glorified  in  heaven  we  shall 
yet,  even  then  and  there,  know  that  there  will 
continue  an  infinite  disproportion  between  God 
and  us.  The  golden  chains  that  are  there  will 
then  distinguish  the  Creator  from  the  creature. 

For  we,  even  we  which  shall  be  saved,  shall 
yet  retain  our  own  nature,  and  shall  still  con- 
tinue finite  beings ; yea,  and  shall  there  also 
see  a disproportion  between  our  Lord,  our 


head,  and  us ; for  though  now  we  are,  and  also 
then  shall  be,  like  him  as  to  his  manhood,  yea, 
and  shall  be  like  him  also  as  being  glorified 
with  his  glory,  yet  he  shall  transcend,  and  go 
beyond  us,  as  to  degree  and  splendour,  as  far 
as  ever  the  highest  king  on  earth  did  shine 
above  the  meanest  subject  that  dwelt  in  his 
kingdom. 

Chains  have  of  old  been  made  use  of  as 
notes  of  distinction,  to  show  us  who  are  bond- 
men  and  who  free;  yea,  they  shall  at  the  day 
of  judgment  be  a note  of  distinction  of  bad  and 
good,  even  as  here  they  will  distinguish  the 
heavens  from  God,  and  the  creature  from  the 
Creator.  2 Pet.  ii.  4;  Jude  G. 

True,  those  are  chains  of  sin  and  wrath,  but 
these  chains  of  gold;  yet  these  chains,  even 
these  chains  also,  will  keep  creatures  in  their 
place,  that  the  Creator  may  have  his  glory, 
and  receive  those  acknowledgments  there  from 
them  which  is  due  unto  his  majesty.  Rev.  iv. ; 
v.  11-15. 

LX VI.  Of  the  High  Priest,  and  of  his  Office  in 
the  Inner  Temple. 

When  things  were  thus  ordained  in  the 
house  most  holy,  then  went  the  high  priest  in 
thither,  according  as  he  was  appointed  to  do 
his  office,  which  was  to  burn  incense  in  his 
golden  censer,  and  to  sprinkle  with  his  finger 
the  blood  of  his  sacrifice  for  the  people  upon 
and  above  the  mercy-seat.  Ex.  xxx.  7,  10. 

Now  for  this  special  work  of  his  he  had  pe- 
culiar preparations: 

1.  He  was  to  be  washed  in  water. 

2.  Then  he  was  to  put  on  his  holy  garments. 

3.  After  that  he  was  to  be  anointed  with 
holy  oil. 

4.  Then  an  offering  was  to  be  offered  for 
him,  for  the  further  fitting  of  him  for  his  office. 

5.  The  blood  of  this  sacrifice  must  be  put, 
some  of  it  upon  his  right  ear,  some  on  the 
thumb  of  his  right  hand,  and  some  on  the 

I great  toe  of  his  right  foot. 

This  done,  some  more  of  the  blood,  with  the 
anointing  oil,  must  be  sprinkled  upon  him  and 
upon  his  garment,  for  after  this  manner  must 
he  be  consecrated  to  his  work  as  high  priest. 
Ex.  xxix. 

His  being  washed  in  water  was  to  show  the 
purity  of  Christ’s  humanity. 

His  curious  robes  were  a type  of  all  the  per- 
fections of  Christ’s  righteousness. 

The  holy  oil  that  was  poured  on  his  head 
was  to  show  howT  Christ  was  anointed  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  unto  his  work  as  priest. 


318 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


The  sacrifice  of  his  consecration  was  a type 
of  that  offering  Christ  offered  in  the  garden, 
when  he  mixed  his  sweat  with  his  own  blood, 
and  tears,  and  cries — when  “ he  prayed  to  Him 
that  was  able  to  save  him,  and  was  heard  in 
that  he  feared;”  for  with  his  blood,  as  was 
Aaron  with  the  blood  of  the  bullock  that  was 
slain  for  him,  was  this  blessed  one  besmeared 
from  head  to  foot,  when  his  sweat,  as  great 
drops  or  dodders  of  blood,  fell  down  from  head, 
and  face,  and  whole  body  to  the  ground. 
Luke  xxii.  44 ; Heb.  x.  20. 

When  Aaron  was  thus  prepared,  then  he 
offered  his  offering  for  the  people  and  carried 
the  blood  within  the  veil.  Lev.  xvi.  The  which ' 
Christ  Jesus  also  answered  when  he  offered  his 
own  body  without  the  gate,  and  then  carried 
his  blood  into  the  heavens  and  sprinkled  it 
before  the  mercy-seat.  Heb.  xiii.  11,  12. 

For  Aaron  was  a type  of  Christ;  his  offering 
a type  of  Christ’s  offering  his  body ; the  blood 
of  the  sacrifice,  a type  of  the  blood  of  Christ ; 
his  garments,  a type  of  Christ’s  righteousness ; 
the  mercy-seat,  a type  of  the  throne  of  grace ; 
the  incense,  a type  of  Christ’s  praise;  and  the 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice  upon 
the  mercy-seat,  a type  of  Christ’s  pleading  the 
virtue  of  his  sufferings  for  us  in  the  presence 
of  God  in  heaven. 

“ Wherefore,  holy  brethren,  partakers  of  the 
heavenly  calling,  consider  the  apostle  and  high 
priest  of  our  profession,  Christ  Jesus;  and 
seeing  we  have  a great  high  priest,  that  is 
passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus  the  Son  of  God, 
let  us  hold  fast  our  profession  ; for  we  have  not 
an  high  priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with 
the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  but  was  in  all 
points  tempted  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin. 
Let  us,  therefore,  come  boldly  to  the  throne 
of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy  and  find 
grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.  For  every  high 
priest  taken  from  among  men  is  ordained  for 
men  in  things  pertaining  to  God,  that  he  may 
offer  both  gifts  and  sacrifices  for  sin  ; who  can 
have  compassion  on  the  ignorant  and  on  them 
that  are  out  of  the  way,  for  that  he  himself 
also  is  compassed  with  infirmity. 

“This  then  is  our  high  priest ; and  he  was 
made  so,  not  after  the  law  of  a carnal  com- 
mandment, but  after  the  power  of  an  endless 
life : for  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  made  priests 
without  an  oath,  but  this  with  an  oath  by  Him 
that  said  unto  him,  The  Lord  sware  and  will 
not  repent:  thou  art  a priest  for  ever  after  the 
order  of  Melchisedec. 

“ By  so  much  was  Jesus  made  the  surety  of 


a better  testament ; and  they  truly  were  many 
priests,  because  they  were  not  suffered  to  con- 
tinue by  reason  of  death,  but  this  man,  be- 
cause he  continueth  ever,  hath  an  unchangeable 
priesthood.  Wherefore  he  is  able  to  save  them 
to  the  uttermost  that  come  to  God  by  him, 
seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for 
them. 

“For  such  an  high  priest  became  us,  who  is 
holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate  from  sin- 
ners, and  made  higher  than  the  heavens;  who 
needeth  not  daily,  as  those  high  priests,  to 
offer  up  sacrifice,  first  for  his  own  sins,  and 
then  for  the  sins  of  the  people;  for  this  he  did 
once  when  he  offered  up  himself.  For  the  -aw 
maketh  men  high  priests  which  have  infirm- 
ities ; but  the  word  of  an  oath,  which  was  since 
the  law,  maketh  the  Son,  who  is  consecrated 
for  evermore. 

“Now  of  the  things  which  we  have  spoken 
this  is  the  sum : We  have  such  an  high  priest 
who  is  set  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
throne  of  the  Majesty  in  the  heavens ; a minis- 
ter of  the  sanctuary  and  of  the  new  tabernacle, 
which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man.  For 
every  high  priest  is  ordained  to  offer  sacrifices ; 
wherefore  it  is  of  necessity  that  this  man  have 
somewhat  also  to  offer.  For  if  he  were  on 
earth,  he  should  not  be  an  high  priest;  seeing 
that  there  are  priests  that  offer  gifts  according 
to  the  law,  who  serve  unto  the  example  and 
shadow  of  heavenly  things,  as  Moses  was  ad- 
monished when  he  was  about  to  make  the 
tabernacle : for,  See,  saith  he,  that  thou  make 
all  things  according  to  the  pattern  showed 
thee  in  the  mount. 

“But  Christ  being  an  high  priest  of  good 
things  to  come  by  a greater  and  more  perfect 
tabernacle,  that  is  to  say,  not  of  this  building, 
neither  by  the  blood  of  bulls  and  calves,  but 
by  his  own  blood,  he  entered  in  once  into  the 
holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemp- 
tion for  us.  For  if  the  blood  of  goats,  bulls, 
and  ashes  of  an  heifer  sprinkling  the  unclean, 
sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh,  how 
much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who 
through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  himself 
without  spot  to  God,  purge  your  consciences 
from  dead  works  to  serve  the  living  God? 

“ For  Christ  is  not  entered  into  the  holy 
places  made  with  hands,  which  are  the  figures 
of  the  true ; but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to  ap- 
pear in  the  presence  of  God  for  us.  Nor  yet 
that  he  should  offer  himself  often,  as  the  high 
priest  entered  into  the  holiest  every  year  with 
the  blood  of  others,  for  then  must  he  often 


SOLOMON'S  TEMPLE  SPIRITUALIZED. 


31 D 


have  suffered  since  the  foundation  of  the 
world;  but  now  once  in  the  end  of  the  world 
hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacri- 
fice of  himself.  And  as  it  is  appointed  to 
men  once  to  die  and  after  this  the  judgment, 
so  Christ  was  once  offered  to  hear  the  sins  of 
many.  And  to  them  that  look  for  him  shall 
he  appear  the  secoud  time  without  sin  unto 
salvation.” 

LXVir.  Of  the  High  Priest’s  going  into  the 
Holiest  alone. 

As  it  was  the  privilege  of  the  high  priest  to 
go  into  the  holiest  alone,  so  there  was  some- 
thing of  mystery  also,  to  which  I shall  speak 
a little:  “There  shall,”  saith  God,  “be  no 
man  in  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation 
when  Aaron  goeth  in  to  make  an  atonement 
in  the  holy  place,  until  he  comes  out  and 
have  made  an  atonement  for  himself,  and  for 
his  household,  and  for  all  the  congregation  of 
Israel.” 

The  reason  is,  for  that  Christ  is  mediator 
alone;  he  trod  the  wine-press  alone;  and  of 
the  people  there  was  none  with  him  to  help 
him  there.  Isa.  lxiii. ; 1 Tim.  ii.  5. 

Of  the  people  there  was  none  to  help  him 
to  hear  his  cross,  or  in  the  management  of  the 
first  part  of  his  priestly  office;  why  then 
should  there  be  any  share  with  him  in  his 
executing  of  the  second  part  thereof?  Be- 
sides, he  that  helps  an  intercessor  must  him- 
self be  innocent,  or  in  favour  upon  some 
grounds  not  depending  on  the  worth  of  the 
intercessor.  But  as  to  the  intercession  of 
Christ,  who  can  come  in  to  help  upon  the 
account  of  such  innocency  or  worth  ? Not  the 
highest  angel,  for  there  is  none  such  but  one, 
wherefore  he  must  do  that  alone.  Hence  it  is 
said  he  went  in  alone,  is  there  alone,  and  there 
intercedes  alone.  And  this  is  manifest  not 
only  in  the  type  Aaron,  but  in  the  antitype 
Christ  Jesus. 

I do  not  say  there  is  no  man  in  heaven  but 
Jesus  Christ,  but  I say  he  is  there  to'  make  in- 
tercession for  us  alone.  Yea,  the  holy  text  says 
more. 

“ I go,”  saith  Christ,  “ to  prepare  a place  for 
you ; and  if  I-  go  and  prepare  a place  for  you, 
I will  come  again  and  take  you  to  myself,  that 
where  I am,  there  ye  may  be  also.”  This  text 
seems  to  insinuate  that  Christ  is  in  the  holiest 
or  highest  heavens  alone;  and  that  he  there 
alone  must  be  until  he  has  finished  his  work 
of  intercession ; for  not  till  then  he  comes 
again  to  take  us  to  himself. 


Let  us  grant  Christ  the  pre-eminence  in 
this,  as  also  in  all  other  things,  for  he  is  inter- 
cessor for  his  Church,  and  makes  it  for  them 
in  the  holiest  alone.  ’Tis  said  he  is  the  light 
that  no  man  can  approach  unto. 

LX VI II.  Of  the  High  Priest  going  in  thither 
but  Once  a Year. 

As  the  high  priest  went  into  the  holiest, 
when  he  went  in  thither,  alone,  so  to  do  that 
work  he  wrent  in  thither  but  once  a year. 
“ Thou  shalt  not  come  at  all  times,”  saith  Gtd 
to  him,  “into  the  holy  place  within  the  veil, 
before  the  mercy-seat,  which  is  upon  the  ark, 
that  thou  die  not.” 

And  as  he  was  to  go  in  thither  but  once  a 
year,  so  not  then,  neither,  unless  clothed  and 
adorned  with  his  Aaronical  holy  robes.  Then 
he  was  to  be  clothed,  as  I hinted  before,  with 
the  holy  robes,  the  frontlet  of  gold  upon  his 
forehead,  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  upon 
his  breast,  and  the  jingling  bells  upon  the 
skirts  of  his  garment;  nor  wrould  all  this  do 
unless  he  went  in  thither  with  blood.  Ex. 
xxviii.;  Lev.  xvi. 

Now,  this  once  a year  the  apostle  taketh 
special  notice  of  and  makes  great  use  of  it. 
“ Once  a year,”  saith  he,  “ this  high  priest 
went  in  thither ; once  a year — that  is,  to  show 
that  Christ  should  once  in  the  end  of  the 
wrorld  go  into  heaven  itself  to  make  interces- 
sion there  for  us.  For  by  this  word  “year” 
he  shows  the  term  and  time  of  the  world  is 
meant;  and  by  “once”  in  that  year  he  means 
once  in  the  end  of  the  world. 

“ Not,”  saith  he,  “ that  he  should  offer  him- 
self often,  as  the  high  priest  entered  into  the 
holy  place  every  year  with  the  blood  of 
others;  for  then  must  he  often  have  suf- 
fered since  the  foundation  of  the  world.  But 
nowr  once  in  the  end  of  the  world  hath  he 
appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of 
himself.” 

And  having  thus  once  offered  his  sacrifice 
without  the  veil,  he  is  now  gone  into  the 
holiest  to  perfect  his  work  of  mediation  for 
us;  not  in  the  holy  places  made  with  hands, 
which  are  the  figures  of  the  true,  but  into 
heaven  itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  presence 
of  God  for  us. 

Nowt,  if  our  Lord  Jesus  is  gone  indeed  now 
to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us,  and 
if  this  now  be  the  once  a year  that  the  type 
speaks  of,  the  once  in  the  end  of  the  world,  as 
our  apostle  says,  then  it  follows  that  the  people 
of  God  should  all  stand  waiting  for  his  bene- 


320 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


diction,  that  to  them  he  shall  bring  with  him 
when  he  shall  return  from  thence.  Where- 
fore he  adds,  “ Christ  was  once  offered  to  bear 
the  sins  of  many,  and  to  them  that  look  for 
him  shall  he  appear  the  second  time  without 
sin  unto  salvation.” 

This  therefore  shows  us  the  greatness  of  the 
work  that  Christ  has  to  do  at  the  right  hand 
of  God,  for  that  he  stays  there  so  long.  He 
accomplished  all  the  first  part  of  his  priest- 
hood in  less  than  forty  years,  if  you  take  in 
the  making  of  his  holy  garments  and  all ; but 
about  this  second  part  thereof  he  has  been 
above  in  heaven  above  sixteen  hundred  years, 
and  yet  has  not  done. 

This  therefore  calls  for  faith  and  patience  in 
saints,  and  by  this  he  also  tries  the  world ; so 
that  they,  in  mocking  manner,  begin  to  say 
already,  “ Where  is  the  promise  of  his  com- 
ing ?” 

But  I say  again,  ‘‘We  must  look  and  wait.” 

If  the  people  waited  for  Zecharias,  and 
wondered  that  he  stayed  so  long,  because  he 
stayed  in  the  holy  place  somewhat  longer  than 
they  expected,  no  marvel  if  the  faith  of  the 
world  about  Christ’s  coming  is  fled  and  gone 
long  ago,  yea,  and  that  the  children  also  are 
put  to  wait,  since  a Scripture  “little  while” 
doth  prove  so  long.  For  that  which  the  apos- 
tle saith,  “ yet  a little  while,”  doth  prove  to 
some  to  be  a very  long  while. 

True,  Zecharias  had  then  to  do  with  angels, 
and  that  made  him  stay  so  long.  Oh,  but  Je- 
sus is  with  God,  before  him,  in  his  presence, 
talking  with  him,  swallowed  up  in  him  and 
with  his  glory,  and  that  is  one  cause  he  stays 
so  long.  He  is  there  also  pleading  his  blood 
for  his  tempted  ones,  and  interceding  for  all 
his  elect,  and  waits  there  till  all  his  be  fitted 
for  and  ready  to  enter  into  glory.  I say  he  is 
there,  and  there  must  be  till  then ; and  this  is 
another  reason  why  he  doth  stay  the  time  we 
count  so  long. 

And  indeed  it  is  a wonder  to  me  that  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord  should  once  think,  now  he  is 
there,  of  returning  hither  again,  considering 
the  ill-treatment  he  met  with  here  before.  But 
what  will  not  love  do?  Surely  he  would  never 
touch  the  ground  again  had  he  not  a people 
here  that  cannot  be  made  perfect  but  by  his 
coming  to  them.  He  also  is  made  judge  of 
quick  and  dead,  and  will  get  him  glory  in  the 
ruin  of  them  that  hate  him. 

His  people  are  as  himself  to  him.  Can  a 
loving  husband  abide  to  be  always  from  a be- 
loved spouse  ? Besides,  as  -I  said,  he  is  to  pay 


the  wicked  off  for  all  their  wickedness,  and 
that  in  that  very  plat  where  they  have  com- 
mitted it.  Wherefore  the  day  appointed  for 
this  is  set,  and  he  will  and  shall  come  quickly 
to  do  it. 

For  however  the  time  may  seem  long  to  us, 
yet,  according  to  the  reckoning  of  God,  it  is 
but  a little  while  since  he  went  into  the  holiest 
to  intercede.  “A  thousand  years  with  the 
Lord  is  but  as  one  day ;”  and  after  this  man- 
ner of  counting  he  has  not  been  gone  yet  full 
two  days  into  the  holiest.  “ The  Lord  is  not 
slack  concerning  his  promise,  as  some  men 
count  slackness;  he  will  come  quickly,  and 
will  not  tarry.” 

LXIX.  Of  the  Cherubinis,  and  of  their  being 

placed  over  the  Mercy-seat-  in  the  Inner  Tem- 
ple. 

There  were  also  cherubims  in  the  most  holy 
place,  which  were  set  on  high  above  the  mercy- 
seat.  See  1 Kings  vi. 

1.  These  are  called  by  the  apostles  “the 
cherubims  of  glory,  covering  the  mercy-seat.” 
Heb.  ix.  5. 

2.  These  cherubims  were  figures  of  the 
angels  of  God,  as  in  other  places  we  have 
proved. 

3.  It  is  said  these  cherubims  were  made  of 
image-work,  and  that  in  such  a manner  as  that 
they  could,  as  some  think,  move  their  wings 
by  art,  wherefore  it  is  said  they  stretched  forth 
their  wings ; the  wings  of  the  “ cherubims 
spread  themselves;”  and  that  the  “ cherubims 
spread  forth  their  wings  over  the  place  of  the 
ark,  and  the  staves  thereof  above.” 

4.  I read  also  of  these  cherubims  that  they 
had  chariots  and  wheels,  by  which  is  taught 
us  horv  ready  and  willing  the  angels  are  to 
fetch  us  when  commanded  unto  the  paradise 
of  God ; for  these  chariots  were  types  of  the 
bosoms  of  the  angels,  and  these  wheels  of  the 
quickness  of  their  motion  to  come  for  us  when 
sent.  “The  chariots  of  God  are  twenty 
thousand,  even  thousands  of  angels ; the  Lord 
is  among  them,  as  in  Sinai,  in  the  holy  place.” 
1 Chron.  xx.  48 ; Ezek.  xvi.  9. 

5.  What  difference,  if  any  there  is,  between 
cherubims  and  seraphims,  into  that  I shall  now 
inquire,  though  I believe  that  there  are  diverse 
orders  and  degrees  of  angels  in  the  heavens,  as 
there  are  degrees  and  diverse  orders  among 
men  in  the  world.  But  that  these  cherubims 
were  figures  of  the  holy  angels  their  being 
thus  placed  in  the  holy  oracle  doth  declare; 
for  their  dwelling-place  is  in  heaven,  though 


SOLOMON’S  TEMPL 

they,  for  our  salces,  nro  conversant  in  the 
world.  Ilob.  i. 

(5.  It  is  said  that  these  chcrubims  in  this  holy 
place  did  stand  upon  their  feet,  to  show — 

1.  That  the  angels  of  heaven  are  not  fallen 
from  their  station,  as  the  other  angels  are. 

2.  To  show  also  that  they  are  always  ready, 
at  God’s  bidding,  to  run  with  swiftness  to  do 
his  pleasure. 

3.  To  show  also  that  they  shall  continue  in 
their  station,  being  therein  confirmed  by  Jesus 
Christ,  “ by  whom  all  things  exist.” 

7.  It  is  said  their  (aces  were  inward,  looking 
one  to  another,  yet  withal  somewhat  ascend- 
ing, to  show  that  the  angels  both  behold  and 
wonder  at  the  mysteries  of  grace  as  it  is  dis- 
played to  us-ward  from  off  the  mercy-seat. 
“The  laces  of  the  chcrubims  shall  look  one  to 
another;  toward  the  mercy -seat shall  the  faces 
of  the  cherubims  be.” 

1.  “Towards  the  mercy-seat.”  They  are 
desirous  to  see  it,  and  how  from  hence,  I say, 
mercy  doth  look  towards  us. 

2.  “They  look  one  towards  another,”  to 
show  that  they  agree  to  rejoice  in  the  salva- 
tion of  our  souls.  Luke  xx.  10. 

3.  They  are  said  to  stand  above  the  mercy- 
scat,  perhaps  to  show  that  the  angels  have  not 
need  of  those  acts  of  mercy  and  forgiveness  as 
we  have,  who  stand  below  and  are  sinners. 
They  stand  above  it — they  are  holy.  I do  not 
say  they  have  no  need  that  the  goodness  of 
God  should  be  extended  to  them,  for  it  is  by 
that  they  have  been  and  are  preserved ; but 
they  need  not  to  be  forgiven,  for  they  have 
committed  no  iniquity. 

4.  They  stand  there  also  with  wings  stretched 
out,  to  show  how  ready,  if  need  be,  the  angels 
are  to  come  from  heaven  to  preach  this  Gos- 
pel to  the  world.  Luke  ii.  9-14. 

5.  It  is  said  in  this  that,  thus  standing,  their 
wings  did  reach  from  wall  to  wall,  from  one 
side  of  this  holy  house  to  the  other,  to  show 
that  all  the  angels  within  the  boundaries  of  the 
heavens,  with  one  consent  and  one  mind,  are 
ready  to  come  down  to  help,  and  serve,  and  do 
for  God’s  elect  at  his  command. 

It  is  said  also  that  their  wings  are  stretched 
out  on  high,  to  show  that  they  are  only  delighted 
in  those  duties  which  are  enjoined  them  by 
the  high  and  lofty  One,  and  not  inclined,  no 
not  to  serve  the  saints  in  their  sensual  or  fleshly 
designs.  It  may  be  also  to  show  that  they  are 
willing  to  take  their  flight  from  one  end  of 
heaven  to  the  other,  to  serve  God  and  his 
Church  for  good.  Matt.  xiii.  48,  49 ; xxiv.  31. 

21 


E SPIRITUALIZED.  321 

LXX.  Of  the  Figures  that  were  upon  the  Walls 
of  the  Inner  Temple. 

The  wall  of  the  inner  temple,  which  was  a 
type  of  heaven,  was,  as  I have  already  told  you, 
ceiled  with  cedar  from  the  bottom  to  the  top. 
Now  by  the  vision  of  Ezekiel  it  is  said  this 
wall  was  carved  with  cherubims  and  palm  trees. 
“So  that  a palm  tree  was  between  a cherub,  and 
every  cherub  had  two  faces ; so  that  the  face  of 
a man  was  toward  the  palm  tree  on  the  one 
side,  and  the  face  of  a young  lion  toward  the 
palm  tree  on  the  other  side.  It  was  made 
through  all  the  house  round  about:  from  the 
ground  to  above  the  door  were  the  cherubims 
and  the  palm  trees  made.” 

1.  As  to  these  cherubims  and  palm  trees,  I 
have  already  told  you  what  I think  them  to  be 
figures  of.  The  chcrubims  are  figures  of  the 
holy  angels  and  the  palm  trees  of  upright  ones : 
we  therefore  here  are  to  discourse  only  of  the 
placing  of  them  in  the  heavens. 

2.  Now  you  see  the  palm  trees  in  the  holiest 
are  placed  between  a cherub  and  a cherub, 
round  about  the  house,  which  methinks  should 
be  to  signify  that  the  saints  shall  not  there  live 
by  faith  and  hope,  as  here,  but  in  the  imme- 
diate enjoyment  of  God ; for  to  be  placed  be- 
tween the  cherubims  is  to  be  placed  where  God 
dwells,  for  holy  writ  says  plainly,  He  dwells 
between  the  cherubims,  even  where,  here  it  is 
said,  these  palm  trees  or  upright  ones  are 
placed. 

The  Church  on  earth  is  called  God’s  house, 
and  he  will  dwell  in  it  for  ever;  and  heaven 
itself  is  called  God’s  house,  and  we  shall  dwell 
in  it  for  ever,  and  that  between  the  cherubims. 
This  is  more  than  grace:  this  is  grace  and 
glory,  glory  indeed. 

3.  To  dwell  between  the  cherubims  may  also 
be  to  show  that  there  we  shall  be  equal  to  the 
angels.  Mark,  here  is  a palm  tree  and  a 
cherub,  a palm  tree  and  a cherub.  Here  we 
are  a little  lower,  but  there  we  shall  not  be  a 
whit  behind  the  very  chief  of  them.  A palm 
tree  and  a cherub,  an  upright  one  between  the 
cherubs,  will  then  be  round  about  the  house ; 
we  shall  be  placed  in  the  same  rank ; “ neither 
can  they  die  any  more,  for  they  are  equal  to 
the  angels.” 

4.  The  palm  trees  thus  placed  may  be  also 
to  show  us  that  the  elect  of  God  shall  there 
take  up  the  vacancies  of  the  fallen  angels ; 
they  for  sin  were  east  down  from  the  holy 
heavens,  and  we  by  grace  shall  be  caught  up 
thither,  and  be  placed  between  a cherub  and  a 
cherub.  When  I say  their  places,  I do  not 


322 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


mean  the  fickleness  of  that  state  that  they  for 
want  of  electing  love  did  stand  in  while  in 
glory ; for  the  heavens  by  the  blood  of  Christ 
are  now  to  us  become  a purchased  possession  ; 
wherefore,  as  we  shall  have  redeeming  blood, 
we  shall  there  abide,  and  go  no  more  out,  for 
by  that  means  that  kingdom  will  stand  to  us 
unshaken. 

5.  These  palm  trees,  I say,  seem  to  take  their 
places  who  for  sin  were  cast  from  thence.  The 
elect  therefore  take  that  place  in  possession, 
but  a better  crown  for  ever.  Thus  “ Israel  pos- 
sessed that  of  the  Canaanites,”  and  David, 
Saul’s  kingdom,  and  Matthias  the  apostleship 
of  Judas.  Acts  i.  22-26. 

6.  Nor  were  the  habitations  which  the  fallen 
angels  lost,  excepting  that  which  was  excepted 
before,  at  all  inferior  to  theirs  that  stood ; for 
their  captain  and  prince  is  called  son  of  the 
morning,  for  he  was  the  antitype  thereof.  Isa. 
xiv.  12. 

7.  Thus  you  see  they  were  placed  from  the 
ground  up  to  above  the  door  ; that  is,  from  the 
lowest  to  the  highest  angel  there ; for  as  there 
are  great  saints  and  small  ones  in  the  Church 
on  earth,  so  there  are  angels  of  divers  degrees 
in  heaven,  some  greater  than  some;  but  the 
smallest  saint,  when  he  gets  to  heaven,  shall 
have  an  angel’s  dignity,  an  angel’s  place ; from 
the  ground  you  shall  find  a palm  tree  between 
a cherub  and  a cherub. 

8.  And  every  cherub  had  two  faces ; so  here, 
but  I read  in  chapter  x.  that  they  had  four 
faces  apiece : the  first  was  the  face  of  a cheru- 
bim, the  second  the  face  of  a man,  the  third 
the  face  of  a lion,  and  the  fourth  the  face  of  an 
eagle. 

9.  They  had  two  faces  apiece ; not  to  show 
that  they  were  of  a double  heart,  “for  their 


appearance  and  themselves  was  the  same,  and 
they  went  every  one  straight  forward.” 

These  two  faces,  then,  were  to  show  here  the 
quickness  of  their  apprehension  and  their  ter- 
ribleness to  execute  the  mind  of  God.  The 
face  of  a man  signifies  them  masters  of  reason , 
the  face  of  a lion,  “the  terribleness  of  their 
presence.” 

In  another  place  I read  of  their  wheels ; yea, 
that  themselves,  their  whole  bodies,  their  backs, 
their  hands,  their  wings,  and  their  wheels 
“ were  full  of  eyes  round  about.” 

And  this  is  to  show  us  how  knowing  and 
quicksighted  they  are  in  all  providences  and 
dark  dispensations,  and  how  nimble  in  appre- 
hending the  mischievous  designs  of  the  ene- 
mies of  God’s  Church,  and  so  how  able  they 
are  to  undermine  them.  And  forasmuch  also 
as  they  have  the  face  of  a lion,  we  by  that  are 
showed  how  full  of  power  they  are  to  kill  and 
to  destroy  when  God  says,  Go  forth  and  do  so. 

Now  with  these  we  must  dwell  and  cohabit, 
a palm  tree  and  a cherub : a palm  tree  and  a 
cherub  must  be  from  the  ground  to  above  the 
door,  round  about  the  house,  the  heavens. 

“ So  that  the  face  of  a man  was  toward  the  palm 
tree  on  the  one  side,  and  the  face  of  a young 
lion  toward  the  palm  tree  on  the  other  side.” 
By  these  two  faces  may  also  be  showed  that 
we  in  the  heavens  shall  have  glory  sufficient 
to  familiarize  us  to  the  angels.  Their  lion- 
like looks,  with  which  they  used  to  fright  the 
biggest  saint  on  earth,  as  you  have  it,  (Gen. 
xxxii.  30;  Judg.  xiii.  15,  22,)  shall  then  be 
accompanied  with  the  familiar  looks  of  a man. 
Then  angels  and  men  shall  be  fellows,  and 
have  to  do  with  each  as  such. 

Thus  you  see  something  of  that  little  I have 
found  in  the  temple  of  God. 


THE 


JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED; 

OR, 

GOOD  NEWS  FOR  THE  VILEST  OF  MEN. 

BEING  AN  HELP  FOR  DESPAIRING  SOULS:  SHOWING  THAT  JESUS  CHRIST 
WOULD  HAVE  MERCY  IN  THE  FIRST  PLACE  OFFERED  TO  THE  BIGGEST 
SINNERS. 

TO  WHICH  IS  ADDED, 


AN  ANSWER  TO  THOSE  GRAND  OBJECTIONS  THAT  LIE  IN  THE  WAY  OF  THEM  THAT  WOULD 
BELIEVE,  FOR  THE  COMFORT  OF  THOSE  THAT  FEAR  THEY  HAVE  SINNED  AGAINST  THE 
HOLY  GHOST. 


TO  THE 

Courteous  Reader: 

One  reason  which  moved  me  to  write  and 
print  this  little  book  was,  because  though 
there  are  many  excellent,  heart-affecting  dis- 
courses in  the  world  that  tend  to  convert  the 
sinner,  yet  I had  a desire  to  try  this  simple 
method  of  mine;  wherefore  I make  bold  thus 
to  invite  and  encourage  the  worst  to  come  to 
Christ  for  life. 

I have  been  vile  myself,  hut  have  obtained 
mercy ; and  I woul’d  have  my  companions  in 
sin  partake  of  mercy  too,  and  therefore  I have 
writ  this  little  book. 

The  nation  doth  swarm  with  vile  ones  now, 
as  ever  it  did  since  it  was  a nation.  My  little 
book  in  some  places  can  scarce  go  from  house 
to  house  but  it  will  find  a suitable  subject  to 
spend  itself  upon.  Now,  since  Christ  Jesus  is 
willing  to  save  the  vilest,  why  should  they  not 
by  name  be  somewhat  acquainted  with  it,  and 
bid  come  to  him  under  that  name? 

A great  sinner  when  converted  seems  a 
booty  to  Jesus  Christ  he  gets  by  saving  such 
an  one:  why,  then,  should  Jesus  lose  his  glory 
and  the  sinner  lose  his  soul  at  once,  and  that 
for  want  of  an  invitation? 

I have  found,  through  God’s  grace,  good 
success  in  preaching  upon  this  subject,  and 
perhaps  so  I may  in  writing  upon  it  too.  I 
have,  as  you  see,  let  down  this  net  for  a draught ; 


READER. 

the  Lord  catch  some  great  fishes  by  it  for  the 
magnifying  of  his  truth ! There  are  some 
most  vile  in  men’s  eyes,  and  some  are  so  in 
their  own  eyes  too ; but  some  have  their  paint- 
ings to  shroud  their  vileness  under,  yet  they 
are  naked  and  open  unto  the  eyes  of  Him  with 
whom  we  have  to  do ; and  for  all  these  God 
hath  sent  a Saviour  Jesus,  and  to  all  these  the 
door  is  opened. 

Wherefore,  prithee,  profane  man,  give  this 
little  book  the  reading.  Come,  pardon  and  a 
part  in  heaven  and  glory  cannot  be  hurtful 
to  thee.  Let  not  thy  lusts,  and  folly  drive 
thee  beyond  the  door  of  mercy,  since  it  is  not 
locked  nor  bolted  up  against  thee.  Manasseh 
was  a bad  man,  and  Magdalen  a bad  woman, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  thief  upon  the  cross  or 
of  the  murderers  of  Christ,  yet  they  obtained 
mercy:  Christ  willingly  received  them. 

And  dost  thou  think  that  those,  once  so  bad, 
now  they  are  in  heaven  repent  them  there  be- 
cause they  left  their  sins  for  Christ  when  they 
were  in  the  world  ? I cannot  believe  but  that 
thou  thinkest  they  have  verily  got  the  best  of 
it.  Why,  sinner,  do  thou  likewise.  Christ,  at 
heaven’s  gate,  says  to  thee,  Come  hither ; and 
the  devilj  at  the  gates  of  hell,  does  call  thee  to 
come  to  him.  Sinner,  what  sayest  thou? 
whither  wilt  thou  go?  Don’t  go  into  the  fire; 
there  thou  wilt  be  burned.  Do  not  let  Jesus 


323 


824 


B UN  Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


lose  liis  longing,  since  it  is  for  thy  salvation; 
but  come  to  him  and  live. 

One  word  more,  and  so  I have  done.  Sin- 
ner, here  thou  dost  hear  of  love;  prithee,  do 
not  provoke  it  by  turning  it  into  wantonness. 
He  that  dies  for  slighting  love  sinks  deepest 

* The  unbelieving  and  the  abominable,  who  refuse 
to  accept  the  loving  invitation  of  the  heavenly  Charm- 
er, the  meek  Lamb  of  God,  now,  will  ere  long  be 


into  hell,  and  will  there  be  tormented  by  the 
remembrance  of  that  evil,  more  than  by  the 
deepest  cogitation  of  all  his  other  sins.*  Take 
heed,  therefore;  do  not  make  love  thy  tor- 
mentor, sinner. 

Farewell. 


forced  to  endure  his  wrath,  when  he  puts  on  the  fierce- 
ness of  a roaring  lion  at  the  great  and  terrible  day  of 
his  appearing. 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED; 

OR, 

GOOD  NEWS  FOR  THE  VILEST  OF  MEN. 


Beginning  at  Jerusalem. — Luke  xxiv.  47. 


The  whole  verse  runs  thus : “ And  that  re- 
pentance and  remission  of  sins  should  he 
preached  in  his  name  among  all  nations,  be- 
ginning at  Jerusalem.” 

The  words  were  spoken  by  Christ  after  he 
rose  from  the  dead,  and  they  are  here  rehearsed 
after  an  historical  manner,  but  do  contain  in 
them  a formal  commission,  with  a special  clause 
therein.  The  commission  is,  as  you  see,  for 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and  is  very  dis- 
tinctly inserted  in  the  holy  record  by  Matthew 
and  Mark : “ Go  teach  all  nations,”  &c. ; “ Go 
ye  into  all  the  word,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to 
every  creature.”  Matt,  xxviii.  19;  Mark  xvi. 
15.  Only  this  clause  is  in  special  mentioned 
by  Luke,  who  saith  that  as  Christ  would  have 
the  doctrine  of  repentance  and  remission  of 
sins  preached  in  his  name  among  all  nations, 
so  he  would  have  the  people  of  J erusalem  to 
have  the  first  proffer  thereof.  Preach  it,  saith 
Christ,  in  all  nations,  but  begin  at  Jerusalem. 

The  apostles,  then,  though  they  had  a com- 
mission so  large  as  to  give  them  warrant  to  go 
and  preach  the  Gospel  in  all  the  world,  yet  by 
this  clause  they  were  limited  as  to  the  begin- 
ning of  their  ministry : they  were  to  begin  this 
work  at  Jerusalem.  “Beginning  at  Jerusa- 
lem.” 

Before  I proceed  to  an  observation  upon 
these  words,  I must  (but  briefly)  touch  upon 
two  things,  namely — 

1.  Show  you  what  Jerusalem  now  was. 

2.  Show  what  it  was  to  preach  the  Gospel  to 
them. 

I.  For  the  first,  Jerusalem  is  to  be  considered 
either — 

s The  Jews,  now  dispersed  throughout  the  whole 
earth,  as  foretold,  arc  standing  monuments  of  God's 
dreadful  vengeance  against  sin,  and  particularly  the 
damning  sin  of  unbelief  in  rejecting  the  Lord  Christ, 


1.  With  respect  to  the  descent  of  her  peo- 
pie;  or, 

2.  With  respect  to  her  preference  of  exalta- 
tion; or, 

3.  With  respect  to  her  present  state,  as  to 
her  decays. 

1.  As  to  her  descent.  She  was  from  Abra- 
ham, the  sons  of  Jacob,  a people  that  God 
singled  out  from  the  rest  of  the  nations  to  set 
his  love  upon  them. 

2.  As  to  her  preference  of  exaltation,  she 
was  the  place  of  God’s  worship,  and  that  which 
had  in  and  with  her  the  special  tokens  and 
signs  of  God’s  favour  and  presence  above  any 
other  people  in  the  world.  Hence  the  tribes 
went  up  to  Jerusalem  to  worship ; there  was 
God’s  house,  God’s  high  priest,  God’s  sacrifices 
accepted,  and  God’s  eye  and  God’s  heart  per- 
petually. Ps.  lxxvi.  1,  2;  exxii.  1,  9;  1 Kings 
ix.  3.  But, 

3.  We  are  to  consider  Jerusalem  also  in  her 
decays ; for  as  she  is  so  considered  she  is  the 
proper  object  of  our  text,  as  will  be  further 
showed  by  and  by. 

Jerusalem,  as  I told  you,  was  the  place  and 
seat  of  God’s  worship,  but  now  decayed,  de- 
generated, and  apostatized.*  The  word,  the 
rule  of  worship,  was  rejected  of  them,  and  in 
its  place  they  had  put  and  set  up  their  own 
traditions;  they  had  rejected  also  the  most 
weighty  ordinances,  and  put  in  the  room 
thereof  their  own  little  things.  Matt.  xv. ; 
Mark  vii.  Jerusalem  was  therefore  now  great- 
ly backslidden,  and  become  the  place  where 
truth  and  true  religion  was  much  defaced. 

It  was  also  now  become  the  very  sink  of  sin 
and  seat  of  hypocrisy,  and  gulf  where  true  re- 
in whom  alone  is  salvation.  The  Lord  give  us  grace 
to  prize  and  improve  Gospel  privileges,  lest  we  also 
be  cut  otf  through  unbelief! 


325 


326 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


ligion  was  drowned.  Here  also  now  reigned 
presumption  and  groundless  confidence  in  God, 
which  is  the  bane  of  souls.  Amongst  its  rulers, 
doctors,  and  leaders,  envy,  malice,  and  blas- 
phemy vented  themselves  against  the  power 
of  godliness  in  all  places  where  it  was  espied, 
as  also  against  the  promoters  of  it : yea,  their 
Lord  and  Maker  could  not  escape  them. 

In  a word,  Jerusalem  was  now  become  the 
shambles,  the  very  slaughter-shop  for  saints. 
This  was  the  place  wherein  the  prophets, 
Christ,  and  his  people  were  most  horribly  per- 
secuted and  murdered.  Yea,  so  hardened  at 
this  time  was  this  Jerusalem  in  her  sins  that 
she  feared  not  to  commit  the  biggest,  and  to 
bind  herself  by  wish  under  the  guilt  and 
damning  evil  of  it;  saying,  when  she  had 
murdered  the  Son  of  God,  “His  blood  be 
upon  us  and  our  children.” 

And  though  Jesus  Christ  did,  both  by  doc- 
trine, miracles,  and  holiness  of  life,  seek  to 
put  a stop  to  their  villainies,  yet  they  shut 
their  eyes,  stopped  their  ears,  and  rested  not 
till,  as  was  hinted  before,  they  had  driven  him 
out  of  the  world.  Yea,  that  they  might,  if 
possible,  have  extinguished  his  name  and  ex- 
ploded his  doctrine  out  of  the  ’world,  they, 
against  all  argument  and  in  despite  of  Heaven, 
its  mighty  hand,  and  undeniable  proof  of  his 
resurrection,  did  hire  soldiers  to  invent  a lie, 
saying,  “His  disciples  stole  him  away  from 
the  grave,”  on  purpose  that  men  might  not 
count  him  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  nor  trust 
in  him  for  the  remission  of  sins. 

They  were,  saith  Paul,  contrary  to  all  men ; 
for  they  did  not  only  shut  up  the  door  of  life 
against  themselves,  but  forbad  that  it  should 
be  opened  to  any  else.  “Forbidding  us,”  saith 
he,  “to  preach  to  the  Gentiles  that  they  might 
be  saved,  to  fill  up  their  sin  always.”  Matt, 
xxiii.  35;  xv.  7-9;  Markvii.  6-8;  Matt.  iii.  7- 
9;  John  viii.  33-41 ; Matt,  xxvii.  18;  Mark  iii. 
30 ; Luke  ii.  5,  6 ; Matt,  xxiii.  37 ; Luke  xiii. 
33,  34;  Ps.  ii.  22,  23;  iv.  10;  Matt,  xxvii.  25; 
xx.  11-16;  1 Thess.  ii.  14-16. 

This  is  the  city  and  these  are  the  people; 
this  is  their  character  and  these  are  their  sins; 
nor  can  there  be  produced  their  parallel  in  all 
this  world.  Nay,  what  world,  what  people, 
what  nation,  for  sin  and  transgression  could  or 
can  be  compared  to  Jerusalem,*  especially  if 
you  join  to  the  matter  of  fact  the  light  they 
sinned  against  and  the  patience  which  they 

* God’s  ancient  people  were  favoured  with  high  pre- 
rogatives and  advantages  above  any  other  nation  under 
heaven ; to  them  “pertained  the  adoption,  the  glory,  the 


abused?  Infinite  was  the  wickedness  upon 
this  account  which  they  committed. 

After  all  their  abusings  of  wise  men  and 
prophets,  God  sent  unto  them  John  Baptist  to 
reduce  them,  and  then  his  Son  to  redeem  them, 
but  they  would  be  neither  reduced  nor  re- 
deemed, but  persecuted  both  to  the  death. 
Nor  did  they,  as  I said,  stop  here;  the  holy 
apostles  they  afterwards  persecuted  also  to 
death,  even  so  many  as  they  could;  the  rest 
they  drove  from  them  unto  the  utmost  corners. 

II.  I come  now  to  show  you  what  it  was  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  them.  It  was,  saith 
Luke,  to  preach  to  them  “ repentance  and  re- 
mission of  sins  in  Christ’s  name;”  or,  as  Mark 
has  it,  “to  bid  them  repent  and  believe  the 
Gospel.”  Mark  i.  15.  Not  that  repentance  is  a 
cause  of  remission,  but  a sign  of  our  hearty 
reception  thereof.  Repentance  is  therefore 
here  put  to  intimate  that  no  pretended  faith 
of  the  Gospel  is  good  that  is  not  accompanied 
with  it ; and  this  he  doth  on  purpose,  because 
he  would  not  have  them  deceive  themselves ; 
for  with  what  faith  can  he  expect  remission  of 
sins  in  the  name  of  Christ  that  is  not  heartily 
sorry  for  them?  Or  how  shall  a man  be  able 
to  give  to  others  a satisfactory  account  of  his 
unfeigned  subjection  to  the  Gospel  that  yet 
abides  in  his  impenitency? 

Wherefore  repentance  is  here  joined  with 
faith  in  the  way  of  receiving  the  Gospel. 
Faith  is  that  without  which  it  cannot  be  re- 
ceived at  all,  and  repentance  that  without 
which  it  cannot  be  received  unfeignedly. 
When  therefore  Christ  says  he  would  have 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins  preached  in 
his  name  among  all  nations,  it  is  as  much  as 
to  say,  “I  will  that  all  men  everywhere  be 
sorry  for  their  sins,  and  accept  of  mercy  at 
God’s  hand  through  me,  lest  they  fall  under 
his  wrath  in  the  judgment.”  For,  as  I had 
said,  without  repentance  what  pretence  soever 
men  have  of  faith,  they  cannot  escape  the 
wrath  to  come.  Wherefore  Paul  saith,  “God 
commands  all  men  everywhere  to  repent  ” in 
order  to  their  salvation,  “because  he  hath  ap- 
pointed a day  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the 
world  in  righteousness  by  that  Man  whom  he 
hath  ordained.”  Acts  xvii.  30. 

And  now  we  come  to  this  clause:  “Begin- 
ning at  Jerusalem;”  that  is,  that  Christ  would 
have  Jerusalem  have  the  first  offer  of  the 
Gospel. 

covenants,  the  law,  the  service  of  God,  the  promises,  the 
fathers,  yea,  Christ  himself;”  but,  alas  ! the  glory  is  now 
departed.  Professors,  “ be  not  high-minded,  but  fear.” 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


327 


1.  This  cannot  bo  so  commanded,  because 
they  had  not  now  any  more  right  of  themselves 
thereto  than  had  any  of  the  nations  of  the 
world,  for  their  sins  had  divested  them  of  all 
self-deservings. 

2.  Nor  yet  because  they  stood  upon  the  ad- 
vance ground  with  the  worst  of  the  sinners  of 
the  nations;  nay,  rather  the  sinners  of  the  na- 
tions had  the  advanced  ground  of  them.  For 
Jerusalem  was,  long  before  she  had  added  this 
iniquity  to  her  sin,  worse  than  the  very  na- 
tions that  God  cast  out  before  the  children  of 
Israel.  2 Chron.  xxxiii. 

3.  It  must  therefore  follow  that  this  clause, 
“Begin  at  Jerusalem,”  was  put  into  his  com- 
mission of  mere  grace  and  compassion,  even 
from  the  overflowings  of  the  bowels  of  mercy ; 
for  indeed  they  were  the  worst,  and  so  in  the 
most  deplorable  condition  of  any  people  under 
the  heavens.* 

Whatever,  therefore,  their  relation  was  to 
Abraham,  Isaac,  or  Jacob,  however  they  for- 
merly had  been  the  people  among  whom  God 
had  placed  his  name  and  worship,  they  were 
now  degenerated  from  God  more  than  the  na- 
tions were  from  their  idols,  and  were  become 
guilty  of  the  highest  sins  which  the  people  of 
the  world  were  capable  of  committing.  Nay, 
none  can  be  capable  of  committing  of  such  un- 
pardonable sins  as  they  committed  against  their 
God  when  they  slew  his  Son  and  persecuted  his 
name  and  word. 

From  these  words,  therefore,  thus  explained, 
we  gain  this  observation  : 

That  Jesus  Christ  would  have  mercy  offered 
in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners. 

That  these  Jerusalem  sinners  were  the  big- 
gest sinners  that  ever  were  in  the  world  I 
think  none  will  deny  that  believes  that  Christ 
was  the  best  man  that  ever  was  in  the  world, 
and  also  was  their  Lord  God.  And  that  they 
were  to  have  the  first  offer  of  his  grace  the  text 
is  as  clear  as  the  sun ; for  it  saith,  “ Begin  at 
Jerusalem.”  “ Preach,”  said  he,  “ repentance 
and  remission  of  sins  to  the  Jerusalem  sin- 
ners;”  to  the  Jerusalem  sinners  in  the  first 
place. 

One  would  have  thought,  since  the  Jeru- 
salem sinners  were  the  worst  and  greatest  sin- 


*  The  higher  a people  rise  under  the  means,  the  lower 
will  be  their  fall  if  they  slight  them;  they  that  have 
been  nearest  to  conversion,  and  yet  not  converted, 
shall  have  the  greatest  condemnation  when  judged.  0 
highly-favoured  England  ! Tyre  and  Sidon,  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  will  have  a milder  hell  than  thy  carnal, 
hypocritical,  Ckristless  children. 


ners,  Christ’s  greatest  enemies,  and  those  that 
not  only  despised  his  person,  doctrine,  and 
miracles,  but  that  a little  before  had  had  their 
hands  up  to  the  elbows  in  his  heart-blood,  that 
he  should  rather  have  said,  Go  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins  among  all  nations ; and  after  that  offer 
the  same  to  Jerusalem.  Yea,  it  had  been  in- 
finite grace  if  he  had  said  so.  But  what  grace 
is  this,  or  what  name  shall  we  give  it,  when  he 
commands  that  this  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins,  which  is  designed  to  be  preached 
in  all  nations,  should  first  be  offered  to  Jeru- 
salem— in  the  first  place  to  the  worst  of 
sinners? 

Nor  was  this  the  first  time  that  the  grace 
which  was  in  the  heart  of  Christ  thus  showed 
itself  to  the  world.  For  while  he  was  yet 
alive,  even  while  he  was  yet  in  Jerusalem, 
and  perceived  even  among  these  Jerusalem 
sinners  which  was  the  most  vile  amongst 
them,  he  still  in  his  preaching  did  signify 
that  he  had  a desire  that  the  worst  of  these 
worst  should  in  the  first  place  come  unto 
him.f  The  which  he  showeth  where  he  saith 
to  the  better  sort  of  them,  “ The  publicans 
and  harlots  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God 
before  you.”  Matt.  xxi.  31. 

Also,  when  he  compared  Jerusalem  with 
the  sinners  of  the  nations,  then  he  commands 
that  the  Jerusalem  sinners  should  have  the 
Gospel  at  present  confined  to  them.  “Go 
not,”  saith  he,  “into  the  way  of  the  Gentiles, 
and  into  any  of  the  cities  of  the  Samaritans 
enter  ye  not ; but  go  rather  to  the  lost  sheep 
of  the  house  of  Israel,”  (Matt.  x.  5,  6 ; xxiii. 
37 ;)  but  go  rather  to  them,  for  they  were  in 
the  most  fearful  plight. 

These,  therefore,  must  have  the  cream  of 
the  Gospel — namely,  the  first  offer  thereof  in 
his  lifetime.  Yea,  when  he  departed  out  of 
the  world  he  left  this  as  part  of  his  last  will 
with  his  preachers,  that  they  also  should  offer 
it  first  to  Jerusalem.  He  had  a mind,  a care- 
ful mind,  as  it  seems,  to  privilege  the  worst  of 
sinners  with  the  first  offer  of  mercy,  and  to 
take  from  among  them  a people  to  be  the  first- 
fruits  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb. 

The  15th  of  Luke  also  is  famous  for  this, 
where  the  Lord  Jesus  takes  more  care,  as 

f The  grace  of  Christ  is  sovereign  and  almighty ; 
and  his  Gospel  is  infinitely  valuable  and  excellent,  in- 
asmuch as  it  proclaims  pardon  to  condemned  malefac- 
tors, peace  to  proclaimed  and  avowed  enemies,  liberty 
to  enslaved  captives,  cure  to  diseased  sinners.  Blessed 
be  God  for  Jesus  Christ! 


328 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


appears  there  by  three  parables,  for  the  lost 
sheep,  lost  groat,  and  the  prodigal  son,  than 
for  the  other  sheep,  the  other  pence,  or  for 
the  son  that  said  he  had  never  transgressed. 
Yea,  he  shows  that  there  is  joy  in  heaven 
among  the  angels  of  God  at  the  repentance 
of  one  sinner,  more  than  over  ninety  and 
nine  just  persons  which  need  no  repentance. 
Luke  xv. 

After  this  manner,  therefore,  the  mind  of 
Christ  w as  set  on  the  salvation  of  the  biggest 
sinners  in  his  lifetime.  But  join  to  this  this 
clause,  which  he  carefully  put  into  the  apos- 
tles’ commission  to  preach  when  he  departed 
hence  to  the  Father,  and  then  you  shall  see 
that  his  heart  was  vehemently  set  upon  it,  for 
these  were  part  of  his  last  words  with  them : 
“Preach  my  Gospel  to  all  nations,  but  see 
that  you  begin  at  Jerusalem.” 

Nor  did  the  apostles  overlook  this  clause 
when  their  Lord  was  gone  into  heayen.  They 
went  first  to  them  of  Jerusalem,  and  preached 
Christ’s  Gospel  to  them  : they  abode  also  there 
for  a season  and  time,  and  preached  it  to  no- 
body else,  for  they  had  regard  to  the  com- 
mandment of  their  Lord. 

And  it  is  to  be  observed — namely,  that  the 
first  sermon  which  they  preached  after  the 
ascension  of  Christ,  it  was  preached  to  the 
very  worst  of  these  Jerusalem  sinners,  even  to 
those  that  were  the  murderers  of  Jesus  Christ, 
(Acts  ii.  28;)  for  these  are  part  of  the  ser- 
mon : “ Ye  took  him,  and  by  wicked  bands 
have  crucified  and  slain  him.”  Yea,  the  next 
sermon,  and  the  next,  and  also  the  next  to 
that,  was  preached  to  the  self-same  mur- 
derers, to  the  end  they  might  be  saved. 
Acts  iii.  14,  15,  16;  iv.  10,  11;  v.  30;  vii.  52. 

But  we  will  return  to  the  first  sermon  that 
was  preached  to  these  Jerusalem  sinners,  by 
which  will  be  manifest  more  than  great  grace 
if  it  be  duly  considered. 

For  after  that  Peter  and  the  rest  of  the 
apostles  bad,  in  their  exhortation,  persuaded 
these  wretches  to  believe  that  they  had  killed 
the  Prince  of  life,  and  after  they  had  duly 
fallen  under  the  guilt  of  their  murder,  saying, 
“Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do?”  he 
replies,  by  an  universal  tender  to  them  all  in 
general,  considering  them  as  Christ’s  killers, 
that  if  they  were  sorry  for  what  they  had 
done,*  and  would  be  baptized  for  the  re- 

*•  Evangelical  repentance  is  a gift  and  grace  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  it  consists  of  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  flee- 
ing to  Christ  as  the  only  refuge  from  its  guilt,  power 
and  condemnation,  and  is  accompanied  with  belief  in 


mission  of  their  sins  in  his  name,  they  should 
receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Acts  ii. 
37,  38. 

This  he  said  to  them  all,  though  he  knew 
that  they  were  such  sinners.  Yea,  he  said  it 
without  the  least  stick,  or  stop,  or  pause  of 
spirit,  as  to  whether  he  had  best  to  say  so  or 
no.  Nay,  so  far  off  was  Peter  from  making  an 
objection  against  one  of  them  that  by  a par- 
ticular clause  in  his  exhortation  he  endeavours 
that  not  one  of  them  may  escape  the  salvation 
offered.  “ Repent,”  saith  he,  “ and  be  bap- 
tized, every  one  of  you.”  I shut  out  never  a 
one  of  you.  For  I am  commanded  by  my 
Lord  to  deal  with  you,  as  it  were,  one  by  one, 
by  the.  word  of  his  salvation.  But  why  speaks 
he  so  particularly  ? Oh  ! there  was  reason  for 
it.  The  people  with  whom  the  apostles  were 
now  to  deal,  as  they  were  murderers  of  our 
Lord  and  to  be  charged  in  the  general  with 
his  blood,  so  they  had  tlieir  various  and  par- 
ticular acts  of  villainy  in  the  guilt  thereof  now 
lying  upon  their  consciences.  And  the  guilt 
of  these  their  various  and  particular  acts  of 
wickedness  could  not  perhaps  be  reached  to  a 
removal  thereof  but  by  this  particular- appli- 
cation. Repent,  every  one  of  you;  be  bap- 
tized, every  one  of  you,  in  his  name  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins,  and  you  shall,  every  one  of 
you,  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Objection.  But  I was  one  of  them  that  plotted 
to  take  away  his  life : May  I be  saved  by  him  ? 

Peter.  Every  one  of  you. 

Objection.  But  I was  one  of  them  that  bare 
false  witness  against  him:  Is  there  grace  for 
me? 

Peter.  For  every  one  of  you. 

Objection.  But  I was  one  of  them  that  cried 
out,  Crucify,  crucify  him;  and  that  desired 
that  Barabbas  the  murderer  might  live,  rather 
than  him : What  will  become  of  me,  think  you  ? 

I am  to  preach  repentance  and  remission  of 
sins  to  every  one  of  you,  says  Peter. 

Objection.  But  I was  one  of  them  that  did 
spit  in  liis  face  when  he  stood  before  his  ac- 
cusers ; I also  was  one  that  mocked  him  when 
in  anguish  he  hanged  bleeding  on  the  tree : Is 
there  room  for  me? 

For  every  one  of  you,  says  Peter. 

Objection.  But  I was  one  of  them  that  in  his 
extremity  said,  Give  him  gall  and  vinegar  to 
drink : Why  may  I not  expect  the  same  when 
anguish  and  guilt  is  upon  me  ? 

him,  and  life-living  virtue  from  him;  all  which  ia 
evident  by  bringing  forth  much  rich  and  ripe  fruit  to 
the  glory  of  God’s  grace. 


TIIE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


029 


Peter.  Repent  of  these  your  wickednesses, 
and  here  is  remission  of  sins  for  every  one  of 
you. 

Objection.  But  I railed  on  him,  I reviled  him, 
I hated  him,  I rejoiced  to  see  him  mocked  at 
by  others : Can  there  be  hopes  for  me? 

Peter.  There  is  for  every  one  of  you.*  “ Re- 
pent and  be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.”  Oh  ! \vhat  a blessed  Every  one  of  you 
is  here ! llow  willing  was  Peter,  and  the  Lord 
Jesus  by  his  ministry,  to  catch  these  murder- 
ers with  the  word  of  the  Gospel,  that  they 
might  be  made  monuments  of  the  grace  of 
God  ! How  unwilling,  I say,  was  he  that  any 
of  these  should  escape  the  hand  of  mercy  1 
Yea,  what  an  amazing  wonder  is  it  to  think 
that,  above  all  the  world  and  above  everybody 
in  it,  these  should  have  the  first  offer  of  mercy ! 
“ Beginning  at  Jerusalem.” 

But  was  there  not  something  of  moment  in 
this  clause  of  the  commission  ? Did  not  Peter, 
think  you,  see  a great  deal  in  it,  that  lie  should 
thus  begin  with  these  men,  and  thus  offer,  so 
particularly,  this  grace  to  each  particular  man 
of  them?. 

But,  as  I have  told  you,  this  is  not  all ; these 
Jerusalem  sinners  must  have  this  offer  again 
and  again  ; every  one  of  them  must  be  offered 
it  over  and  over.  Christ  would  not  take  their 
first  rejection  for  a denial,  nor  their  second 
repulse  for  a denial,  but  he  will  have  grace 
offered  once,  and  twice,  and  thrice  to  these 
Jerusalem  sinners.  Is  not  this  amazing  grace? 
Christ  will  not  be  put  off ; these  are  the  sinners 
that  are  sinners  indeed.  They  are  sinners  of 
the  biggest  sort ; consequently  such  as  Christ 
can,  if  they  convert  apd  be  saved,  best  serve 
his  ends  and  designs  upon.  Of  which  more 
anon. 

But  what  a pitch  of  grace  is  this!  Christ 
is  minded  to  amaze  the  world,  and  to  show 
that  he  acteth  not  like  the  children  of  ipen. 
This  is  that  which  he  said  of  old,  “ I will  not 
execute  the  fierceness  of  wrath,  I will  not  re- 
turn to  destroy  Ephraim ; for  I am  God  and 
not  man.”  Hos.  xi.  9.  This  is  not  the  manner 
of  men ; men  are  shorter-winded ; men  are  soon 
moved  to  take  vengeance,  and  to  right  thern- 

* All  the  objections  are  on  the  sinner’s  side,  through 
unbelief.  Christ,  in  his  Gospel  of  peaee,  answers 
them  all  in  one  word,  “ Whosoever  will, .let  him  come 
and  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely;”  and  “whosoever 
eorneth  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  Lord,  put  forth 
thy  power  and  give  the  will. 


selves  in  a way  of  wrath  and  indignation. 
But  God  is  full  of  grace,  full  of  patience,  ready 
to  forgive,  and  one  that  delights  in  mercy. 
All  this  is  seen  in  our  text.  The  biggest  sin- 
ners must  first  be  offered  mercy ; they  must,  I 
say,  have  the  cream  of  the  Gospel  offered  unto 
them. 

But  we  will  a little  proceed.  In  the  third 
chapter  we  find  that  they  who  escaped  con- 
verting by  the  first  sermon  are  called  upon 
again  to  accept  of  grace  and  forgiveness  for 
their  murder  committed  upon  the  Son  of  God. 
You  have  killed,  yea,  “you  have  denied,  the 
Holy  One  and  the  Just,  and  desired  a mur- 
derer to  be  granted  unto  you  ; and  killed  the 
Prince  of  life.”  Mark,  he  falls  again  upon  the 
very  men  that  actually  were,  as  you  have  it  in 
the  chapters  following,  his  very  betrayers  and 
murderers, f (Acts  iii.  14,  15,)  as  being  loth 
that  they  should  escape  the  mercy  of  forgive- 
ness, and  exhorts  them  again  to  repent,  “that 
their  sins  might  be  blotted  out.”  Ver.  19,  20. 

Again,  in  the  fourth  chapter  he  charges  them 
afresh  with  this  murder,  (ver.  10,)  but  withal 
tells  them,  “ Salvation  is  in  no  other.”  Then, 
like  a heavenly  decoy,  he  puts  himself  also 
among  them,  to  draw  them  the  better  under 
the  net  of  the  Gospel,  saying,  “ There  is  none, 
other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men 
whereby  we  must  be  saved.”  Ver.  12. 

In  the  filth  chapter  you  find  them  railing  at 
him  because  he  continued  preaching  among, 
them  salvation  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  But  he 
tells  them  that  that  very  Jesus  whom  they  had 
slain  and  hanged  on  a tree,  him  God  had 
raised  up  and  exalted  to  be  a Prince  and  a 
Saviour,  to  give  repentance  to  Israel  and  for- 
giveness of  sins.  Ver.  29,  30,  31.  Still  insinu- 
ating that  though  they  had  killed  him,  and  to 
this  day  rejected  him,  yet  his  business  was  to 
bestow  upon  them  repentance  and  forgiveness 
of  sins. 

It  is  true,  after  they  began  to  kill  again,  and 
when  nothing  but  killing  would  serve  their 
turn,  then  they  that  were  scattered  abroad 
went  everywhere  preaching  the  word.  Yet 
even  some  of  them  so  hankered  after  the  con- 
version of  the  Jews  that  they  preached  the 
Gospel  only  to  them.  Also  the  apostles  still 

f This  is  the  awful  case  of  every  unconverted  per- 
son : we  are  all  born  in  sin,  children  of  wrath,  and 
heirs  of  hell;  like  sill}-  sheep  gone  astray,  we  know  not 
which  way  to  return  till  we  hear  the  Shepherd's  voice. 
“ Can  these  dry  bones  live  ?”  Lord,  put  life  and  spirit 
into  them.  Raise  the  dead,  be  eyes  to  the  blind,  ears 
to  the  deaf,  aud  feet  to  the  lame. 


330 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


made  their  abode  at  Jerusalem,  in  hopes  that 
they  might  yet  let  down  their  net  for  another 
draught  of  these  Jerusalem  sinners.  Neither 
did  Paul  and  Barnabas,  who  were  the  minis- 
ters of  God  to.  the  Gentiles,  but  offer  the  Gos- 
pel, in  the  first  place,  to  those  of  them  that  for 
their  wickedness  were  scattered  like  vagabonds 
among  the  nations : yea,  and  when  they  ren- 
dered rebellion  and  blasphemy  for  their  se-vice 
and  love,  they  replied,  “ It  was  necessary  that 
the  word  of  God  should  first  have  been  spoken 
to  them.”  Acts  i.  8 ; xiii.  46,  47. 

Nor  was  this  their  preaching  unsuccessful 
among  these  people;  but  the  Lord  Jesus  so 
wrought  with  the  word  thus  spoken  that  thou- 
sands of  them  came  flocking  to  him  for  mercy. 
Three  thousand  of  them  closed  with  him  at 
the  first,  and  afterwards  two  thousand  more  ; 
for  now  they  were  in  number  about  five  thou- 
sand ; whereas  before  sermons  were  preached 
to  these  murderers  the  number  of  the  disciples 
“ was  not  above  a hundred  and  twenty.”  Acts 
i.  15  ; ii.  41 ; iv.  4. 

Also  among  these  people  that  thus  flocked 
to  him  for  mercy  there  was  a “great  company 
of  priests.”  Acts  vi.  7.  Now  the  priests  were 
they  that  were  the  greatest  of  these  biggest 
sinners;  they  were  the  ringleaders,  they  were 
the  inventors  and  ringleaders  in  the  mischief. 
It  was  they  that  set  the  peo23le  against  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  that  was  the  cause  why  the 
uproar  increased  until  Pilate  had  given  sen- 
tence upon  him.  “The  chief  priests  and 
elders,”  says  the  text,  “ persuaded  (the  people) 
the  multitude  that  they  should  ask  Barabbas 
and  destroy  Jesus.”  Matt,  xxvii.  20.  And 
yet  behold  the  priests,  yea  a great  company  of 
the  priests,  became  obedient  to  the  faith.* 

Oh  the  greatness  of  the  grace  of  Christ, 
that  he  should  be  thus  in  love  with  the  souls 
of  Jerusalem  sinners!  that  he  should  be  thus 
delighted  with  the  salvation  of  the  Jerusalem 
sinners ! that  he  should  not  only  will  that  his 
Gospel  should  be  offered  them,  but  that  it 
should  be  offered  unto  them  first,  and  before 
other  sinners  were  admitted  to  a hearing  of  it ! 
“Begin  at  Jerusalem.” 

Was  this  doctrine  well  believed,  where  would 
there  be  a place  for  a doubt  or  a fear  of  the 
damnation  of  the  soul  if  the  sinner  be  peni- 


*'  The  truth  of  God,  when  clothed  with  his  divine 
Spirit  and  power,  is  irresistible;  having  the  strength 
of  God  in  it,  armed  error  must  fall  before  it.  This 
was  exemplified  in  the  conversion  of  many  of  those 
bitter  enemies  to  Christ,  the  priests.  An  arrow  dipt 


tent,  how  bad  a life  soever  he  has  lived,  now 
many  soever  in  number  are  his  sins  ? 

But  this  grace  is  hid  from  the  eyes  of  men : 
the  devil  hides  it  from  them,  for  he  knows  it 
is  alluring,  he  knows  it  has  an  attracting  vir- 
tue in  it;  for  this  is  it  that  above  all  argu- 
ments can  draw  the  soul  to  God. 

I cannot  help  it,  but  must  let  drop  another 
word.  The  first  Church,  the  Jerusalem  Church, 
from  -whence  the  Gospel  was  to  be  sent  into  all 
the  world,  was  a church  made  up  of  Jerusa- 
lem sinners.  These  great  sinners  were  here 
the  most  shining  monuments  of  the  exceeding 
grace  of  God. 

Thus  you  see  I have  proved  the  doctrine, 
and  that  not  only  by  showing  you  that  this 
was  the  practice  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
his  lifetime,  but  his  last  will  -when  he  went  up 
to  God,  saying,  “ Begin  to  preach  at  Jerusa- 
lem.” 

Yea,  it  is  yet  further  manifested  in  that 
when  his  ministers  first  began  to  preach  there 
he  joined  his  power  to  the  word,  to  the  con- 
verting of  thousands  of  his  betrayers  and 
murderers,  and  also  many  of  the  ringleading 
priests  to  the  faith. 

I shall  now  proceed,  and  shall  show  you — 

1 . The  reason  of  the  point ; 

2.  And  then  make  some  application  of  the 
whole. 

The  observation,  you  know,  is  this:  Jesus 
Christ  would  have  mercy  offered  in  the  first 
place  to  the  biggest  sinners,  to  the  Jerusalem 
sinners.  “Preach  repentance -and  remission 
of  sins  in  my  name  among  all  nations,  begin- 
ning at  Jerusalem.” 

The  reasons  of  the  points  are — 

First,  Because  the  biggest  sinners  have  most 
need  thereof.  He  that  has  the  most  need, 
reason  says,  should  be  helped  first.  I mean 
when  a helping  hand  is  offered,  and  now  it  is, 
for  the  Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  is  sent  to 
help  the  world.  Acts  xvi.  9.  But  the  biggest 
sinner  has  most  need:  therefore,  in  reason, 
when  mercy  is  sent  down  from  heaven  to  men, 
the  worst  of  men  should  have  the  first  offer  of 
it.  “ Begin  at  Jerusalem.”  This  is  the  reason 
which  the  Lord  Christ  himself  renders  why  in 
his  lifetime  he  left  the  best  and  turned  him 
to  the  worst — why  he  sat  so  loose  from  the 
righteous  and  stuck  so  close  to  the  wdckcd.f 

in  the  blood  of  Jesus  will  subdue  the  most  obdurate 
heart  it  reaches. 

! The  soul  is  mortally  wounded  by  sin  ; happy  only 
they  who  both  know  and  feel  it ! Christ  is  appointed 
in  the  council  of  heaven  for  the  cure  of  it ; but  such 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


331 


“The  whole,”  saith  he,  “ have  no  need  of  the 
physician,  but  the  sick.  I came  not  to  call 
the  righteous,  but  sinners,  to  repentance.” 
Mark  ii.  15,  16,  17. 

Above  you  read  that  the  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees said  to  his  disciples,  “ How  is  it  that  he 
eateth  and  drinketli  with  publicans  and  sin- 
ners?” Alas!  they  did  not  know  the  reason  ; 
but  the  Lord  renders  them  one,  and  such  an 
one  as  is  both  natural  and  cogent,  saying, 
These  have  need,  most  need.  Their  great  ne- 
cessity requires  that  I should  be  most  friendly 
and  show  my  grace  first  to  them. 

Not  that  the  others  were  sinless,  and  so  had 
no  need  of  a Saviour,  but  the  publicans  and 
their  companions  were  the  biggest  sinners ; 
they  were,  as  to  view,  worse  than  the  scribes, 
and  therefore  in  reason  should  be  helped  first, 
because  they  had  most  need  of  a Saviour. 

Men  that  are  at  the  point  to  die  have  more 
need  of  the  physician  than  they  that  are  but 
now  and  then  troubled  with  an  heart-fainting 
qualm.  The  publicans  and  sinners  were,  as  it 
were,  in  the  mouth  of  death ; death  was  swal- 
lowing of  them  down,  and  therefore  the  Lord 
Jesus  receives  them  first,  offers  them  mercy 
first.  “ The  whole  have  no  need  of  the  physi- 
cian, but  the  sick.  I came  not  to  call  the  right- 
eous, but  sinners,  to  repentance.”  The  sick, 
as  I said,  is  the  biggest  sinner,  whether  he  sees 
his  disease  or  not.  He  is  stained  from  head  to 
foot,  from  heart  to  life  and  conversation.  This 
man,  in  every  man’s  judgment,  has  most  need 
of  mercy.  There  is  nothing  attends  him  from 
bed  to  board,  and  from  board  to  bed  again,  but 
the  visible  characters  and  obvious  symptoms 
of  eternal  damnation.  This  therefore  is  the 
man  that  has  need,  most  need,  and  therefore 
in  reason  should  be  helped  in  the  first  place. 
Thus  it  was  with  the  people  concerned  in  the 
text;  they  were  the  worst  of  sinners,  Jerusa- 
lem sinners,  sinners  of  the  biggest  size,  and 
therefore  such  as  had  the  greatest  need ; where- 
fore they  must  have  mercy  offered  to  them  be- 
fore it  be  offered  anywhere  else  in  the  world. 
“ Begin  at  Jerusalem,”  offer  mercy  first  to  a 
Jerusalem  sinner.  This  man  has  most  need, 
he  is  farthest  from  God,  nearest  to  hell,  and  so 
one  that  has  most  need.  This  man’s  sins  are 
in  number  the  most,  in  cry  the  loudest,  in 

sinners  as  think  themselves  in  a healthy  state  will 
desire  no  physician’s  help.  “Jesus  came  not  to 
call  the  (opinionative)  righteous,  but  the  (sensible) 
sinner  to  repentance.”  llis  blood  cleanseth  from  all 

sin. 

v * Such  were  David,  Manasseh,  Magdalen,  Peter, 


weight  the  heaviest,  and  consequently  will  sink 
him  soonest;  wherefore  he  has  most  need  of 
mercy.  This  man  is  shut  up  in  Satan’s  hand, 
fastest  bound  in  the  cords  of  his  sins,  one  that 
justice  is  whetting  his  sword  to  cut  off,  and 
therefore  has  most  need,  not  only  of  mercy, 
but  that  it  should  be  extended  to  him  in  the 
first  place. 

But  a little  further,  to  show  you  the  true  na- 
ture of  this  reason — to  wit,  that  Jesus  Christ 
would  have  mercy  offered  in  the  first  place  to 
the  biggest  sinners.* 

First,  Mercy  ariseth  from  bowels  and  com- 
passion, from  pity,  and  from  a feeling  of  the 
condition  of  those  in  misery.  “ In  his  love 
and  in  his  pity  he  saveth  us.”  And  again, 

“ The  Lord  is  pitiful,  very  pitiful,  and  of  great 
mercy.”  Isa.  lxiii.  9;  James  v.  11. 

Now,  where  pity  and  compassion  is,  there  is 
yearning  of  the  bowels;  and  where  there  is 
that,  there  is  readiness  to  help.  And  I say 
again,  the  more  deplorable  and  dreadful  the 
condition  is,  the  more  directly  doth  bowels  and 
compassion  turn  themselves  to  such  and  offer 
help  and  deliverance.  All  this  flows  from  our 
first  Scripture  proof,  “ I came  to  call  them  that 
have  need ;”  to  call  them  first,  while  the  rest 
look  on  and  murmur. 

“ How  shall  I give  thee  up,  Ephraim  ?” 
Ephraim  was  a revolter  from  God,  a man  that 
had  given  himself  up  to  devilism — a company 
of  men,  the  ten  tribes,  that  had  worshipped 
devils,  while  Judah  kept  with  his  God.  “But 
how  shall  I give  thee  up,  Ephraim?  How 
shall  I deliver  thee,  Israel?  How  shall  I 
make  thee  as  Admah?  How  shall  I set  thee 
as  Zeboim?  (and  yet  thou  art  worse  than  they; 
nor  has  Samaria  committed  half  thy  sins.)” 
Ezek.  xvi.  46,  51.  “ My  heart  is  turned  with- 

in me,  and  my  repentings  are.  kindled  to- 
gether.” Hos.  xi.  8. 

. But  where  do  you  find  that  ever  the  Lord 
did  thus  rowl  in  his  bowels  for  and  after  any 
self-righteous  man?  No,  no;  they  are  the 
publicans  and  harlots,  idolaters  and  Jerusalem 
sinners,  for  whom  his  bowels  yearn  and  thus 
tumble  about  within  him ; for,  alas ! poor 
worms,  they  have  most  need  o.f  mercy. 

Had  not  the  good  Samaritan  more  compas- 
sion for  that  man  that  fell  among  thieves 

Paul,  and  many  others,  who,  having  been  grievous  of- 
fenders, blasphemers,  and  persecutors,  became  at 
length  eminent  examples  of  Christ's  clemency,  grace 
and  pardoning  mercy  : and  (blessings  on  him  !)  he  is 
still  able  and  willing  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  whe 
come  unto  God  by  him. 


332 


JBUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


(though  that  fall  was  occasioned  by  his  going 
from  the  place  where  they  worshipped  God  to 
Jericho,  the  cursed  city)  than  we  read  he  had 
for  any  other  besides  ? His  wine  was  for  him, 
his  oil  was  for  him,  his  beast  for  him ; his 
penny,  his  care,  and  his  swaddling-band  for 
him:  for,  alas!  wretch,  he  had  most  need. 
Luke  x.  30-35. 

Zaocheus  the  publican,  the  chief  of  the  pub- 
licans.-one  that  had  made  himself  the  richer 
by  wronging  of  others, — the  Lord  at  that  time 
singleth  him  out  from  all  the  rest  of  his 
brother  publicans,  and  that  in  the  face  of 
many  Pharisees,  and  proclaimed  in  the  aud- 
ience of  them  all  that  that  day  salvation  wras 
come  to  his  house.  Luke  xix.  1-8. 

The  woman  also  that  had  been  bound  down 
by  Satan  for  eighteen  years  together,  his  com- 
panions putting  him  upon  it  he  loosed  her, 
though  those  that  stood  by  snarled  at  him  for 
so  doing.  Luke  iii.  11-13. 

And  why  the  woman  of  Sarepta,  and  why 
Naaman  the  Syrian,  rather  than  widows  and 
lepers  in  Israel,  but  because  their  conditions 
were  more  deplorable,*  for  that  they  were  most 
forlorn  and  farthest  from  help?  Luke  iv.  25,  27. 

But,  I say,  why  all  these  thus  named?  Why 
have  we  not  a catalogue  of  some  holy  men  that 
were  so  in  their  own  eyes  and  in  the  judgment 
of  the  world?  Alas!  if  at  any  time  any  of 
them  are  mentioned,  how  seemingly  coldly 
doth  the  record  of  Scripture  present  them  to 
us  ? Nicodemus,  a night  professor,  and  Simon 
the  Pharisee  with  his  fifty  pence,  and  their 
great  ignorance  of  the  methods  of  grace,  we 
have  now  and  then  touched  upon. 

Mercy  seems  to  be  out  of  its  proper  channel 
when  it  deals  with  self-righteous  men ; but 
then  it  runs  with  a full  stream  when  it  extends . 
itself  to  the  biggest  sinners.  As  God’s  mercy 
is  not  regulated  by  man’s  goodness,  nor  ob- 
tained by  man’s  worthiness,  so  not  much  set 
out  by  saving  of  any  such.  But  more  of  this 
anon. 

And  here  let  me  ask  my  readers  a question: 
Suppose  that,  as  thou  art  walking  by  some 
pond  side,  thou  shouldst  espy  in  it  four  or 
five  children  all  in  danger  of  drowning,  and 
one  in  more  danger  than  all  the  rest:  judge 

* These  were  the  objects  of  discriminating  grace; 
by  divine  illumination  they  saw  and  groaned  under 
their  ignorance,  rebellion,  apostacy,  and  utter  in- 
ability to  return  to  God  : this  being  humbly  confessed, 
Christ  steps  in  to  their  relief  with,  “I  will;  be  thou 
clean.”  Luke  v.  13.  Then  follows  peace  and  joy  in 
believing. 


which  has  most  need  to  be  helped  uut  first? 
I know  thou  wilt  say,  He  that  is  nearest 
drowning.  Why,  this  is  the  case : the  bigger 
sinner,  the  nearer  drowning;  therefore  the 
bigger  sinner,  the  more  need  of  mercy;  yea, 
of  help  by  mercy  in  the  first  place.  And  to 
this  our  text  agrees  when  it  saith,  “ Beginning 
at  Jerusalem.”  Let  the  Jerusalem  sinner,  says 
Christ,  have  the  first  offer,  the  first  invitation, 
the  first  tender  of  my  grace  and  mercy,  for 
he  is  the  biggest  sinner,  and  so  has  most  need 
thereof. 

Secondly,  Christ  Jesus  would  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sin- 
ners, because  when  they,  any  of  them,  re- 
ceive it,  it  redounds  most  to  the  fame  of  his 
name. 

Christ  Jesus,  as  you  may  perceive,  has  put 
himself  under  the  term  of  a physician,  a doc- 
tor for  curing  of  diseases ; and  you  know  that 
applause  and  a fame  is  a thing  that  physicians 
much  desire.  That  is  it  that  helps  them  to 
patients,  and  that  also  that  will  help  their 
patients  to  commit  themselves  to.  their  skill 
for  cure  with  the  more  confidence  and  repose 
of  spirit.  And  the  best  way  for  a doctor  or 
physician  to  get  themselves  a name  is,  in  the 
first  place,  to  take  in  hand  and  cure  some 
such  as  all  others  have  given  up  for  lost  and 
dead.  Physicians  get  neither  name  nor  fame 
by  pricking  of  wheals,  or  picking  out' thistles, 
or  by  laying  of  plasters  to  the  scratch  of  a 
pin  : every  old  woman  can  do  this.  But  if 
they  would  have  a name  and  a fame,  if  they 
will  have  it  quickly,  they  must,  as  I said,  do 
some  great  and  desperate  cures.  Let  them 
fetch  one  to  life  that  was  dead ; let  them  re- 
cover one  to  his  wits  that  was  mad;  let  them 
make  one  that  was  born  blind  to  see ; or  let 
them  give  ripe  wits  to  a fool : these  are  notable 
cures,  and  he  that  can  do  thus,  and  if  he  doth 
thus  first,  he  shall  have  the  name  and  fame  he 
desires  ; he  may  lay  abed  till  noon. 

Why,  Christ  Jesus . forgiveth  sins  for  a 
name,  and  so  begets  of  himself  a good  report 
in  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  men.f  And 
therefore  in  reason  he  must  be  willing,  as  also 
he  did  command,  that  his  mercy  should  be 
offered  first  to  the  biggest  sinners. 

“I  will  forgive  their  sins,  iniquities,  and 

j-  Such  as  truly  know  Christ,  and  have  tasted  sweet- 
ness in  him,  will  count  all  things  else  but  dung  and 
dross  in  comparison  of  his  love;  they  will  moreover 
be  forward  to  invite  and  draw  others  to  a saving 
acquaintance  with  Him  whom  they  esteem  altogether 
lovely. 


THE  TER  USA  LEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


333 


transgressions,”  says  lie ; “ and  it  shall  turn 
to  nic  for  a name  of  joy,  and  a praise,  and  an 
honour  before  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.” 
Jer.  xxxiii.  8,  9. 

And  hence  it  is  that  at  his  first  appearing 
he  took  upon  him  to  do  such  mighty  works: 
he  got  a fame  thereby ; he  got  a name  thereby. 
Matt.  iv.  23,  24. 

When  Christ  had  cast  the  legion  of  devils 
out  of  the  man  of  whom  you  read  in  Mark  v., 
he  bid  him  go  home  to  his  friends  and  tell  it. 
“Go  home,”  saith  he,  “to  thy  friends,  and  tell 
them  how  great  things  God  has  done  for  thee, 
and  hast  had  compassion  on  thee.”  Mark  v. 
19.  Christ  Jesus  seeks  a name  and  desireth 
a fame  in  the  world ; and  therefore,  or  the 
better  to  obtain  that,  he  commands  that 
mercy  should  first  be  proffered  to  the  biggest 
sinners,  because  by  the  saving  of  one  of  them 
he  makes  all  men  marvel,  as  it  is  said  of  the 
man  last  mentioned,  whom  Christ  cured  to- 
wards the  beginning  of  his  ministry.  “And 
he  departed,”  says  the  text,  “and  began  to 
publish  in  Decapolis  how  great  things  Jesus 
had  done  for  him ; and  all  men  did  marvel.” 
Ver.  20. 

When  John  told  Christ  that  they  saw  one 
casting  out  devils  in  his  name,  and  they  for- 
bade him,  because  he  followed  not  with  them, 
what  is  the  answer  of  Christ?  “Forbid  him 
not,  for  there  is  no  man  which  shall  do  a mira- 
cle in  my  name  that  can  lightly  speak  evil  of 
me.”  No : they  will  rather  cause  his  praise 
to  be  heard  and  his  name  to  be  magnified,  and 
so  put  glory  on  the  head  of  Christ. 

But  we  will  follow  a little  our  metaphor. 
Christ,  as  I said,  has  put  himself  under  the 
term  of  a physician  ; consequently  he  desireth 
that  his  fame  as  to  the  salvation  of  sinners 
may  spread  abroad,  that  the  world  may  see 
what  he  can  do.  And  to  this  end  he  has  not 
only  commanded  that  the  biggest  sinners 
should  have  the  first  offer  of  his  mercy,  but 
has,  as  physicians  do,  put  out  his  bills  and 
published  his  doings,  that  things  may  be  read 
and  talked  of.  Yea,  he  has  moreover,  in  these 
his  blessed  bills — the  holy  Scriptures  I mean 
— inserted  the  very  names  of  persons,  the 
places  of  their  abode,  and  the  great  cures  that 
by  the  means  of  his  salvation  he  has  wrought 
upon  them  to  this  very  end.  Here  is,  item, 
Such  a one,  by  my  grace  and  redeeming 
blood,  was  made  a monument  of  everlasting 


life;  and  such  a one,  by  my  perfect  obedi- 
ence, became  an  heir  of  glory.*  And  then  he 
produceth  their  names: 

Item.  I saved  Lot  from  the  guilt  and  damna- 
tion that  he  had  procured  to  himself  by  his 
incest. 

Item.  I saved  David  from  the  vengeance  that 
belonged  to  him  for  committing  of  adultery 
and  murder. 

Here  is  also  Solomon,  Manasseh,  Peter, 
Magdalen,  and  many  others  made  mention 
of  in  this  book.  Yea,  here  are  their  names, 
their  sins,  and  their  salvations  recorded  to- 
gether, that  you  may  read  and  know  what  a 
Saviour  he  is,  and  do  him  honour  in  the 
world.  For  why  are  these  things  thus  re- 
corded but  to  show  to  sinners  what  he  can  do, 
to  the  praise  and  glory  of  his  grace  ? 

And  it  is  observable,  as  I said  before,  we 
have  but  very  little  of  the  salvation  of  little 
sinners  mentioned  in  God’s  book,  because  that 
would  not  have  answered  the  design — to  wit, 
to  bring  glory  and  fame  to  the  name  of  the 
Son  of  God. 

What  should  be  the  reason,  think  you,*  why 
Christ  should  so  easily  take  a denial  of  the 
great  ones  that  were  the  grandeur  of  the  world, 
and  struggle  so  -hard  for  hedge-creepers  and 
highwaymen,  (as  that  parable  in  Luke  xiv. 
seems  to  import  he  doth,)  but  to  show  forth 
the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  grace  to  his 
praise  ? This,  I say,  is  one  reason  to  be  sure. 

They  that  had  their  grounds,  their  yoke  of 
oxen,  and  their  marriage  joys  were  invited  to 
come,  but  they  made  their  excuse,  and  that 
served  the  turn.  But  when  he  comes  to  deal 
with  the  worst,  he  saith  to  his  servants,  Go  ye 
out  and  bring  them  in  hither.  “ Go  out  quickly, 
and  bring  in  hither  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the 
halt,  and  the  blind.  And  they  did  so.”  And 
he  said  again,  “ Go  out  into  the  highways  and 
hedges,  and  compel  them  to  come  in,  that  my 
house  may  be  filled.”  Luke  xiv.  18,  19,  20. 
These  poor  lame,  maimed,  blind  hedge-creep- 
ers and  highwaymen  must  come  in,  must  be 
forced  in.  These,  if  saved,  will  make  his 
merits  shine. 

When  Christ  was  crucified  and  hanged  up 
between  the  earth  and  heavens,  there  were  two 
thieves  crucified  with  him;  and  behold,  he 
lays  hold  of  one  of  them,  and  will  have  him 
away  with  him  to  glory.  Was  not  this  a 
strange  act  and  a display  of  unthought-of  grace  ? 


* God's  regenerated  and  adopted  ones,  whose  names 
are  registered  in  heaven,  who  are  really  members  of 
the  Gospel  Church,  have  a right,  by  the  promises,  to 


all  that  God  has  provided  and  Christ  has  purchased, 
even  to  the  whole  inheritance  of  grace  here  and  glory 
in  heaven. 


334 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Were  there  none  but  thieves  there,  or  were  the 
rest  of  that  company  out  of  his  reach  ? Could 
he  not,  think  you,  have  stooped  from  the  cross 
to  the  ground,  and  have  laid  hold  on  some 
honester  man  if  he  would?  Yes,  doubtless. 
Oh ! but  then  he  would  not  have  displayed  his 
grace,  nor  so  have  pursued  his  own  designs — ■ 
namely,  to  get  himself  a praise  and  a name ; 
but  now  he  has  done  it  to  purpose.  For  who 
that  shall  read  this  story  but  must  confess  that 
the  Son  of  God  is  full  of  grace : for  a proof  of 
the  riches  thereof  he  left  behind  him  when 
upon  the  cross  he  took  the  thief  away  with 
him  to  glory.  Nor  can  this  one  act  of  his  be 
buried ; it  will  be  talked  of  to  the  end  cf  the 
world  to  his  praise.*  “ Men  shall  speak  of  the 
might  of  thy  terrible  acts,  and  will  declare  thy 
greatness.  They  shall  abundantly  utter  the 
memory  of  thy  great  goodness,  and  shall  sing 
of  thy  righteousness.  They  shall  speak  of  the 
glory  of  thy  kingdom  and  talk  of  thy  power, 
to  make  known  to  the  sons  of  men  his  mighty 
acts  and  the  glorious  majesty  of  his  kingdom.’' 
Ps.  cxiv.  6,  12. 

When  the  word  of  God  came  among  the  con- 
jurers and  those  soothsayers  that  you  read  of 
in  Acts  xix.,  and  had  prevailed  with  some  of 
them  to  accept  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  the  Holy 
Ghost  records  it  with  a boast,  for  that  it  would 
redound  to  his  praise,  saying, 

“ And  many  of  them  that  used  curious  arts 
brought  their  books  together  and  burned  them 
before  all  men,  and  counted  the  price  of  them, 
and  found  it  fifty  thousand  pieces  of  silver ; so 
mightily  grew  the  word  of  God,  and  prevailed.” 
Acts  xix.  19,  20.  It  wrenched  out  of  the 
clutches  of  Satan  some  of  those  of  whom  he 
thought  himself  most  sure.  “So  mightily 
grew  the  word  of  God.”  It  grew  mightily ; it 
encroached  upon  the  kingdom  of  the  devil ; it 
pursued  him  and  took  the  prey ; it  forced  him 
to  let  go  his  hold ; it  brought  away  captive,  as 
prisoners  taken  by  force  of  arms,  some  of  the 
most  valiant  of  his  army ; it  fetched  back  from, 
as  it  were,  the  confines  of  hell,  some  of  those 
that  were  his  most  trusty,  and  that  with  hell 
had  been  at  an  agreement : it  made  them  come 
and  confess  their  deeds  and  burn  their  books 
before  all  men : “ So  mightily  grew  the  word 
of  God,  and  prevailed.” 

* This  was  truly  a miracle  of  grace  and  sovereign 
mercy.  It  was  effected  by  the  mighty  power  of  God 
the  Holy  Ghost,  who  enlightens  the  eyes  of  the  sin- 
ner’s understanding,  to  see  his  own  deplorable  misery, 
the  excellency  of  Christ,  and  the  alone-sufficiency  and 
all-sufficiency  of  his  grace  for  salvation. 


Thus,  therefore,  you  see  why  Christ  will  have 
mercy  offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest 
sinners ; they  have  most  need  thereof  ; and  this 
is  the  most  ready  way  to  extol  His  name  that 
rideth  upon  the  heavens  to  our  help.  But, 

Thirdly,  Christ  Jesus  would  have  mere] 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners, 
because  by  their  forgiveness  and  salvation 
others,  hearing  of  it,  will  be  encouraged  the 
more  to  come  to  him  for  life. 

For  the  physician  by-curing  the  most  des- 
perate at  the  first  doth  not  only  get  himself  a 
name,  but  begets  encouragement  in  the  minds 
of  other  diseased  folks  to  come  to  him  for  help. 
Hence  you  read  of  our  Lord  that  after,  through 
his  tender  mercy,  he  had  cured  many  of  great 
diseases,  his  fame  was  spread  abroad : “ They 
brought  unto  him  all  sick  people  that  were 
taken  with  divers  diseases  and  torments,  and 
those  which  were  possessed  with  devils,  and 
those  which  were  lunatic,  and  those  that  had 
the  palsy,  and  he  healed  them ; and  there  fol- 
lowed him  great,  multitudes  of  people  from 
Galilee,  and  Decapolis,  and  -Jerusalem,  and 
Judea,  and  from  beyond  Jordan.”  Matt.  iv. 
24,  25. 

See  here,  he  first  by  working  gets  himself  a 
fame,  a name,  and  renown,  and  now  men  take 
encouragement,  and  bring  from  all  quarters 
their  diseased  to  him,  being  helped,  by  what 
they  had  heard,  to  believe  that  their  diseased 
should  be  healed. 

Now,  as  he  did  with  those  outward  cures, 
so  he  does  in  the  proffers  of  his  grace  and 
mercy ; he  proffers  that  in  the  first  place  to  the 
biggest  sinners,  that  others  may  take  heart  to 
come  to  him  to  be  saved. f I will  give  you  a 
Scripture  or  two.  I mean  to  show  you  that 
Christ,  by  commanding  that  his  mercy  should 
in  the  first  place  be  offered  to  the  biggest  of 
sinners,  has  a design  thereby  to  encourage  and 
provoke  others  to  come  also  to  him  for  mercy. 

“God,”  saith  Paul,  “who  is  rich  in  mercy, 
for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even 
when  we  were  dead  in  our  sins,  hath  quickened 
us  together  with  Christ,  (by  grace  ye  are  saved, ) 
and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us 
sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus.” 
But  why  did  he  do  all  this  ? “ That  in  the  ages 

to  come  he  might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of 

f None  will  be  disposed  to  come  to  the  Saviour  till 
they  have  been  so  far  awakened  by  the  threatenings 
of  God’s  wrath  to  a sight  of  tlfeir  misery  as  to  make 
them  see  their  need  of  Christ  held  out  in  the  promise, 
and  to  flee  for  refuge  to  the  only  hope  set  before  them 
in  the  Gospel. 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


335 


his  grace  in  his  kindness  towards  us  through 
Christ  Jesus.”  Eph.  ii.  4-7. 

See,  here  is  a design : God  lets  out  his  mercy 
to  Ephesus  of  design,  even  to  show  to  the  ages 
to  come  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in 
his  kindness  to  them  through  Christ  Jesus. 
And  why  to  show  by  these  the  exceeding  riches 
of  his  grace  to  the  ages  to  come  through  Christ 
Jesus  but  to  allure  them  and  their  children 
also  to  come  to  him,  and  to  partake  of  the 
same  grace  through  Christ  Jesus? 

But  what  was  Paul  and  the  Ephesian  sinners? 
(Of  Paul  we  will  speak  anon.)  These  Ephe- 
sian sinners,  they  were  men  dead  in  sins,  men 
that  walked  according  to  the  dictates  and 
motions  of  the  devil ; worshippers  of  Diana, 
that  effeminate  goddess ; men  far  off  from  God, 
aliens  and  strangers  to  all  good  things ; such 
as  were  far  off  from  that,  as  I said,  and  conse- 
quently in  a most  deplorable  condition.  As 
the  Jerusalem  sinners  were  of  the  highest  sort 
among  the  Jews,  so  these  Ephesian  sinners 
were  of  the  highest  sort  among  the  Gentiles. 
Eph.  ii.  1,  2,  3;  Acts  xix.  35;  Eph.  ii.  11,  12. 

Wherefore,  as  by  the  Jerusalem  sinners,  in 
saving  them  first,  he  had  a design  to  provoke 
others  to  come  to  him  for  mercy,  so  the  same 
design  is  here  set  on  foot  again  in  his  calling 
and  converting  the  Ephesian  sinners,  that  in 
the  ages  to  come  he  might  show  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace,  says  he,  “ in  his  kindness 
towards  us  through  Christ  Jesus.”  There  is 
yet  one  hint  behind.  It  is  said  that  God  saved 
these  “ for  his  love ;”  that  is,  as  I think,  for  the 
setting  forth,  for  the  commendation  of  his  love, 
for  the  advance  of  his  love,  in  the  hearts  and 
minds  of  them  that  should  come  after.  As 
who  should  say,  God  has  had  mercy  upon  and 
been  gracious  to  you,  that  he  might  show  to 
others,  for  their  encouragement,  that  they  have 
ground  to  come  to  him  to  be  saved.  When 
God  saves  one  great  sinner,  it  is  to  encourage 
another  great  sinner  to  come  to  him  for  mercy. 

He  saved  the  thief,  to  encourage  thieves  to 
come  to  him  for  mercy;  he  saved  Magdalen, 
to  encourage  other  Magdalens  to  come  to  him 
for  mercy ; he  saved  Saul,  to  encourage  Sauls 
to  come  to  him  for  mercy;  and  this  Paul  him- 
self doth  say.  “For  this  cause,”  saith  lie,  “I 
obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  first  Jesus  Christ 
might  show  forth  all  long-suffering,  for  a pat- 
tern to  them  which  should  hereafter  believe  on 
him  to  life  everlasting.”  1 Tim.  i.  16. 

* 0 sinner,  beseech  the  Lord  to  enable  you  to  wel- 
come the  grace  that  is  welcoming  you ; then  you  shall 
find,  in  the  Lord’s  time,  that  you  shall  be  made  as 


IIow  plain  are  the  words ! Christ  in  saving 
of  me  has  given  to  the  world  a pattern  of  his 
grace,  that  they  might  see  and  believe,  and 
come  and  be  saved — that  they  that  are  to  be 
born  hereafter  might  believe  on  Jesus  Christ 
to  life  everlasting.* 

But  what  was  Paul?  Why,  he  tells  you 
himself.  “I  am,”  says  he,  “the  chief  of  sin- 
ners ; I was,”  says  he,  “ a blasphemer,  a .per- 
secutor, an  injurious  person;  but  I obtain- 
ed mercy.”  1 Tim.  i.  14,  15.  Ay,  that  is  well 
for  you,  Paul ; but  what  advantage  have  we 
thereby  ? Oh,  very  much,  saith  he ; for  “ for 
this  cause  I obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  first 
Jesus  Christ  might  show  all  long-suffering,  for 
a pattern  to  them  which  shall  believe  on  him 
to  life  everlasting.” 

Thus,  therefore,  you  see  that  this  third  rea- 
son is  of  strength— namely,  that  Jesus  Christ 
would  have  mercy  offered  in  the  first  place  to 
the  biggest  sinners,  because  by  their  forgive- 
ness and  salvation,  others  hearing  of  it,  will 
be  encouraged  the  more  to  come  to  him  for 
mercy. 

It  may  well  therefore  be  said  to  God,  “ Thou 
delightest  in  mercy,  and  mercy  pleases  thee.” 
Mic.  vii.  18. 

But  who  believes  that  this  was  God’s  design 
in  showing  mercy  of  old? — namely,  that  we 
that  come  after  might  take  courage  to  come  to 
him  for  mercy;  or  that  Jesus  Christ  would 
have  mercy  offered  in  the  first  place  to  the 
biggest  sinners,  to  stir  up  others  to  come  to 
him  for  life?  This  is  not  the  manner  of  men_ 
0 God ! 

But  David  saw  this  betimes;  therefore  he 
makes  this  one  argument  with  God,  that  he 
would  blot  out  his  transgressions,  that  he 
would  forgive  his  adultery,  his  murders,  and 
horrible  hypocrisy.  “ Do  it,  0 Lord,”  saith 
he,  do  it,  and  “ then  will  I teach  transgressors 
thy  ways,  and  sinners  shall  be  converted  unto 
thee.”  Ps.  Ii.  7-13. 

He  knew  that  the  conversion  of  sinners 
would  be  a work  highly  pleasing  to  God,  as 
being  that  which  he  had  designed  before  he 
made  mountain  or  hill.  Wherefore  he  comes, 
and  he  saith,  Save  me,  O Lord ; if  thou  wilt 
but  save  me  I will  fall  in  with  thy  design ; I 
will  help  to  bring  what  sinners  to  thee  I can. 
And,  Lord,  I am  willing  to  be  made  a preacher 
myself,  for  that  I have  been  a horrible  sinner. 
Wherefore,  if  thou  slialt  forgive  my  great  trans- 

kindly  welcome  as  ever  a sinner  was  since  Adam’s 
fall,  and  as  ever  any  sinners  were  that  are  now  glori- 
fied saints. 


336 


JB  UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


gressions,  I shall  be  a fit  man  to  tell  of  tliy 
wondrous  grace  to  others.  Yea,  Lord,  I dare 
promise  that  if  thou  wilt  have  mercy  upon  me, 
it  shall  tend  to  the  glory  of  thy  grace,  and  also 
to  the  increase  of  thy  kingdom ; for  I will  tell 
it,  and  sinners  will  hear  of  it.  And  there  is 
nothing  so  suiteth  with  the  hearing  sinner  as 
mercy,  and  to  he  informed  that  God  is  willing 
tc  bestow  it  upon  him.  “ I will  teach  trans- 
gressors thy  ways,  and  sinners  shall  he  con- 
verted unto  thee.” 

Nor  will  Christ  Jesus  miss  of  his  design  in 
proffering  of  mercy  in  the  first  place  to  the 
biggest  sinners.  You  know  what  work  the 
Lord,  by  laying  hold  of  the  woman  of  Samaria, 
made  among  the  people  there.*  They  knew 
that  she  was  a town-sinner,  an  adulteress,  yea, 
one  that  after  the  most  audacious  manner  lived 
in  uncleanness  with  a man  that  was  not  her 
husband ; but  when  she,  from  a turn  upon  her 
heart,  went  into  the  city  and  said  to  her  neigh- 
bours, Come,  oh  how  they  came ! how  they 
flocked  out  of  the  city  to  Jesus  Christ ! “ Then 
they  went  out  of  the  city  and  came  to  him, 
and  many  of  the  Samaritans  (people  perhaps 
as  had  as  herself)  believed  on  him,  for  the 
saying  of  the  woman,  which  testified,  saying, 
He  told  me  all  that  ever  I did.”  John  iv.  39. 

That  word,  “ He  told  me  all  that  ever  I did,” 
was  a great  argument  with  them  ; for  by  that 
they  gathered  that  though  he  knew  her  to  be 
vile,  yet  he  did  not  despise  her,  nor  refuse  to 
show  how  willing  he  was  to  communicate  his 
grace  unto  her ; and  this  fetched  over,  first 
her,  then  them. 

This  woman,  as  I said,  was  a Samaritan  sin- 
ner, a sinner  of  the  worst  complexion,  for  the 
Jews  abhorred  to  have  aught  to  do  with  them, 
(ver.  9;)  wherefore  none  more  fit  than  she  to 
be  made  one  of  the  decoys  of  heaven,  to  bring 
others  of  the  Samaritan  wild  fowls  under  the 
net  of  the  grace  of  Christ.  And  she  did  the 
work  to  purpose.  Many  and  many  more  of 
the  Samaritans  believed  on  him.  Ver.  40,  41, 
42.  The  heart  of  man,  though  set  in  sin,  will, 
when  it  comes  once  to  a persuasion  that  God  is 
willing  to  have  mercy  upon  us,  incline  to  come 
to  Jesus  Christ  for  life.  Witness  those  turn- 
aways  from  God  that  you  also  read  of  in  Jere- 

*  It  is  ignorance  of  the  worth  of  Christ,  and  the 
not  being  sensible  of  the  want  of  him,  that  makes 
persons  so  indifferent  in  their  desires  after  him,  and 
so  remiss  in  using  the  means  of  grace  to  obtain  him; 
but  the  promise  is,  “They  that  seek  shall  find;  they 
that  ask  shall  receive;  and  to  them  that  knock  the 
door  of  mercy  and  peace  shall  be  opened.” 


miah ; for  after  they  had  heard  three  or  four 
times  over  that  God  had  mercy  for  backsliders, 
they  broke  out  and  said,  “Behold,  we  come 
unto  thee,  for  thou  art  the  Lord  our  God.” 
Or  as  those  in  Hosea  did,  “ For  in  thee  the 
fatherless  find.”  Jer.  iii.  22;  Hos.  xiv.  1,  2,  3. 

. Mercy,  and  the  revelation  thereof,  is  the 
only  antidote  against  sin.  It  is  of  a thawing 
nature ; it  will  loose  the  heart  that  is  frozen 
up  in  sin  : yea,  it  will  make  the  unwilling  will- 
ing to  come  to  Jesus  Christ  for  life. 

Wherefore,  do  you  think,  was  it  that  Jesus 
Christ  told  the  adulterous  woman,  and  that  be- 
fore so  many  sinners,  that  he  had  not  con- 
demned her,  but  to  allure  her,  with  them  there 
present,  to  hope  to  find  favour  at  his  hands  ? 
(As  he  also  saith  in  another  place,)  “I  came 
not  to  judge,  but  to  save  the  world.”!  For 
might  they  not  thence  most  rationally  con- 
clude that  if  Jesus  Christ  had  rather  save  than 
damn  an  harlot,  there  was  encouragement  for 
them  to  como  to  him  for  mercy  ? 

I heard  once  a story  from  a soldier  who  with 
his  company  had  laid  siege  against  a fort,  that 
so  long  as  the  besieged  were  persuaded  their 
foes  would  show  them  no  favour  they  fought 
like  madmen ; but  when  they  saw  one  of  their 
fellows  taken  and  received  to  favour,  they  all 
came  tumbling  down  from  their  fortress,  and 
delivered  themselves  into  their  enemies’  hands. 

I am  persuaded,  did  men  believe  that  there 
is  that  grace  and  willingness  in  the  heart  of 
Christ  to  save  sinners  as  the  word  imports 
there  is,  they  would  come  tumbling  into-  his 
arms ; but  Satan  has  blinded  their  minds  that 
they  cannot  see  this  thing.  Howbeit,  the 
Lord  Jesus  has,  as  I said,  that  others  might 
take  heart  and  come  to  him,  given  out  a com- 
mandment that  mercy  should  in  the  first  place 
be  offered  to  the  biggest  sinners.  “ Begin,” 
saith  he,  “ at  Jerusalem.”  And  thus  I end  the 
third  reason. 

Fourthly,  Jesus  Christ  would  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners, 
because  that  is  the  way,  if  they  receive  it,  most 
to  weaken  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  and  to  keep 
it  lowest  in  every  age  of  the  world.  The  big- 
gest sinners,  they  are  Satan’s  colonels  and 
captains,  the  leaders  of  his  people,  and  they 
that  most  stoutly  make  head  against  the  Son 
of  God.  Wherefore  let  these  first  be  con- 

f The  design  of  Christ’s  first  coining  into  the  world 
was  to  save  miserable  sinners;  the  end  of  his  second 
coming  will  be  to  judge  the  unbelieving  part  of  it ; for 
the  sin  of  unbelief  binds  all  other  sins  upon  the  sin- 
ner) and  consigns  him  over  to  damnation. 


THE  JERUSALEM  SIN  EE  R SAVED. 


337 


quered,  ftnd  his  kingdom  will  be  weak.  When 
Ishboshoth  had  lost  his  Abner,  his  kingdom 
was  made  weak,  nor  did  he  sit  hut  tottering 
then  upon  his  throne.  So  when  Satan  loseth 
his  strong  men,  them  that  are  mighty  to  work 
iniquity,  and  dexterous  to  manage  others  in 
the  same,  then  is  his  kingdom  weak.  2 Sam. 
iii.  Therefore,  I say,  Christ  doth  offer  mercy 
in  the  first  place  to  such  the  more  to  weaken 
ji is  kingdom.  Christ  Jesus  was  glad  to  see 
Satan  fall  like  lightning  from  heaven,  that  is 
suddenly  or  headlong;  and  it  was  surely  by 
casting  of  him  out  of  strong  possessions  and 
by  recovering  of  some  notorious  sinners  out  of 
his  clutches.  Luke  x.  17,  18,  19. 

Samson,  when  he  would  pull  down  the  Phil- 
istines’ temple,  took  hold  of  the  two  main 
pillars  of  it,  and,  breaking  them,  down  came 
the  house.  Christ  came  to  destroy  the  works 
of  the  devil,  and  to  destroy  by  converting 
grace  as  well  as  by  redeeming  blood.  Now  sin 
swarms,  and  lieth  by  legions  and  whole  armies 
in  the  souls  of  the  biggest  sinners,  as  in  gar- 
risons; wherefore  the  way,  the  most  direct 
way,  to  destroy  it  is  first  to  deal  with  such  sin- 
ners by  the  word  of  his  Gospel  and  by  the 
merits  of  his  passion.* 

For  example,  though  I shall  give  you  but  a 
homely  one : Suppose  a family  to  be  very  lousy, 
and  on.e  or  two  of  the  family  to  be  in  chief  the 
breeders ; the  way,  the  quickest  way,  to  clear 
that  family,- or  at  least  to  weaken  the  so  swarm- 
ing of  those  vermin,  is,  in  the  first  place,  to 
sweeten  the  skin,  head,  and  clothes  of  the 
chief  breeders ; and  then,  though  all  the  family 
should  be  apt  to  breed  them,  the  number  of 
them,  and  so  the  greatness  of  that  plague  there, 
will  be  the  more  impaired. 

Why,  there  are  some  people  that  are  in  chief 
the  devil’s  sin-breeders  in  the  towns  and  places 
where  they  live.  The  place,  town,  or  family 
where  they  live  must  needs  be  horribly  lousy, 
and,  as  it  were,  eaten  up  with  vermin.  Now, 
let  the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  first  place  cleanse 
these  great  breeders,  and  there  will  be  given  a 
nip  to  those  swarms  of  sins  that  used  to  be 
committed  in  such  places  throughout  the  town, 
house,  cr  family  where  such  sin-breeding  per- 
sons used  to  be. 

I speak  by  experience:  I was  one  of  those 

* Christ’s  meritorious  life  and  sufferings  were  ap- 
pointed in  order  to  bring  those  rebels  and  apostates 
for  whom  he  died  unto  God:  having  satisfied  justice, 
and  fulfilled  the  law,  every  obstacle  is  removed,  and 
the  way  to  supreme  happiness  is  made  plain  by  the 
word  and  Spirit  of  God. 

22 


lousy  ones,  one  of  these  great  sin-breeders;  I 
infected  all  the  youth  of  the  town  where  I was 
born  with  till  manner  of  youthful  vanities.  The 
neighbours  counted  me  so ; my  practice  proved 
me  so;  wherefore  Christ  Jesus  took  me  first, 
and  taking  me  first,  the  contagion  was  much 
allayed  all  the  town  over.  When  God  made 
me  sigh,  they  would  hearken  and  inquiringly 
say,  What  is  the  matter  with  John?  They 
also  gave  their  various  opinions  of  me.  But, 
as  I said,  sin  cooled  and  failed  as  to  his  full 
career.  When  I went  out  to  seek  the  bread 
of  life  some  of  them  would  follow,  and  the  rest 
be  put  into  a muse  at  home.  Yea,  almost  the 
town,  at  first,  at  times,  would  go  out  to  hear  at 
the  place  where  I found  good ; yea,  young  and 
old  for  a while  had  some  reformation  on  them ; 
also  some  of  them,  perceiving  that  God  had 
mercy  upon  me,  came  crying  to  him  for  mercy 
too. 

But  what  need  I give  you  an  instance  of 
poor  I?  I will  come  to  Manasseh  the  king. 
So  long  as  he  was  a ringleading  sinner,  the 
great  idolater,  and  chief  of  devilism,  the 
whole  land  flowed  with  wickedness;  “For  he 
made  them  to  sin,”  and  do  worse  than  the 
heathen  that  dwelt  round  about  them,  or  that 
was  cast  out  from  before  them ; but  when  God 
converted  him  the  whole  land  was  reformed. 
Down  went  the  groves,  the  idols,  and  altars  of 
Baal,  and  up  went  true  religion  in  much  of  the 
power  and  purity  of  it.  You  will  say,  The 
king  reformed  by  power.  I answer,  Doubt- 
less, and  by  example  too,  for  people  observe 
their  leaders;  as  their  fathers  did.  so  did  they. 
2 Chron.  xxxiii.;  2 Kings  xvii.  41. 

This,  therefore,  is  another  reason  why  Jesus 
would  have  mercy  offered  in  the  first  place  to 
the  biggest  sinners,  because  that  is  the  best 
way,  if  they  receive  it,  most  to  weaken  the 
kingdom  of  Satan  and  to  keep  it  poor  and  low. 

And  do  you  not  think  now  that  if  God  would 
but  take  hold  of  the  hearts  of  some  of  the 
most  notorious  in  your  town,  in  your  family, 
or  country,  that  this  thing  would  be  verified 
before  your  faces?  It  would,  it  would,  to  the 
joy  of  you  that  are  godly,  to  the  making  of 
hell  to  sigh,  to  the  great  suppression  of  sin, 
the  glory  of  Christ,  and  the  joy  of  the  angels 
of  God.f  And  ministers  should  therefore, 

f It'  the  recovery  of  one  lost  sinner  by  repentance 
is  matter  of  exceeding  joy  to  Christ  the  great  Shep- 
herd, to  all  the  blessed  company  in  heaven,  and  to 
saints  on  earth,  what  rejoicing  must  there  be  at  the 
glorification  of  the  innumerable  throng  when  assem- 
bled together  in  the  realms  of  bliss  above ! 


338 


EUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


that  this  work  might  go  on,  take  advantage  to' 
persuade  with  the  biggest  sinners  to  come  into 
Christ,  according  to  my  text  and  their  com- 
mission, “beginning  at  Jerusalem.” 

Fifthly,  Jesus  Christ  would  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners, 
because  such,  when  converted,  are  usually  the 
best  helps  in  the'  Church  against  temptations, 
and  fittest  for  the  support  of  the  feeble-minded 
there.  Hence,  usually  you  have  some  such  in 
the  first  plantation  of  churches,  or  quickly 
upon  it.  Churches  would  do  but  sorrily  if 
Christ  Jesus  did  not  put  such  converts  among 
them:  they  are  the  monuments  and  mirrors 
of  mercy.  The  very  sight  cf  such  a sinner  in 
God’s  house— yea,  the  very  thought  of  him 
where  the  sight  of  him  cannot  be  had — is 
ofttimes  greatly  for  the  help  of  the  faith  of 
the  feeble. 

“When  the  churehes  (saith  Paul)  that  were 
in  Judea  heard  this  concerning  me,  that  he 
which  persecuted  them  in  time  past  now 
preached  the  faith  which  once  he  destroyed, 
they  glorified  God  in  me.”  Gal.  i.  20-24. 

“Glorified  God.”  How  is  that?  Why, 
they  praised  him,  and  took  courage  to  believe 
the' more  in  the  mercy  of  God,  for  that  he  had 
had  mercy  on  such  a great  sinner  as  he.  They 
glorified  God  “in  me,”  they  wondered  that 
grace  should  be  so  rich  as  to  take  hold  of  such 
a wretch  as  I was ; and  for  my  sake  believe  in 
Christ  the  more. 

There  are  two  things  that  great  sinners  are 
acquainted  with,  when  they  come  to  divulge 
them  to  the  saints,  that  are  a great  relief  to 
their  faith : 

1.  The  contests  that  they  usually  have  with 
the  devil  at  their  parting  with  him. 

2.  Their  knowledge  of  his  secrets  in  his 
workings. 

For  the  first : The  biggest  sinners  have 
usually  great  contests  with  the  devil  at  their 
partings ; and  this  is  an  help  to  saints,  for  or- 
dinary saints  find  afterwards  what  the  vile 
ones  find  at  first ; but  when  at  the  opening  of 
hearts  the  one  finds  himself  to  be  as  the  othe-r, 
the  one  is  a comfort  to  the  other.  The  lesser 
sort  of  sinners  find  but  little  of  this  till  after 
they  have  been  some  time  in  profession : but 
the  vile  man  meets  with  his  at  the  beginning. 
Wherefore  he,  when  the  other  is  down,  is 
ready  to  tell  that  he  has  met  with  the  same 
before ; for,  I say,  he  has  had  it  before.  Satan 

* The  devil  harasses  some  with  horrid,  filthy,  blas- 
phemous thoughts,  that  they  may  think  their  sins  too 
great  to  be  forgiven,  though  commonly  such  thoughts 


is  loth  to  part  with  a great  sinner.  What,  my 
true  servant,  (quoth  lie,)  my  old  servant,  wilt 
thou  forsake  me  now?  Having  so  often  sold 
thyself  to  me  to  work  wickedness,  wilt  thou 
forsake  me  now?  Thou  horrible  wretch,  dost 
not  know  that  thou  hast  sinned  thyself  beyond 
the  reach  of  grace,  and  dost  think  to  find 
mercy  now?*  Art  not  thou  a murderer,  a 
thief,  a harlot,  a witch,  a sinner  of  the  greatest 
size,  and  dost  thou  look  for  mercy  now?  Host 
thou  think  that  Christ  will  foul  his  fingers  with 
thee?  It  is  enough  to  make  angels  blush,  saith 
Satan,  to  see  so  vile  a one  knock  at  heaven- 
gates  for  mercy,  and  wilt  thou  be  so  abomina- 
bly bold  to  do  it?  Thus  Satan  dealt  with  me, 
says  the  great  sinner,  when  at  first  I came  to 
Jesus  Christ.  And  what  did  you  reply?  saith 
the  tempted.  Why,  I granted  the  whole  charge 
to  be  true,  says  the  other.  And  what,  did  you 
despair,  or  how?  No,  (saith  he,)  I said,  I am 
Magdalen,  I am  Magdalen;  I am  Zaccheus,  I 
am  the  thief,  I am  the  harlot,  I am  the  publi- 
can, I am  the  prodigal,  and  one  of  Christ’s 
murderers ; yea,  worse  than  any  of  these ; and 
yet  God  was  so  far  off  from  rejecting  of  me 
(as  I found  afterwards)  that  there  was  music 
and  dancing  in  his  house  for  me,  and  for  joy 
that  I was  come  home  unto  him.  Oh  blessed 
be  God  for  his  grace!  (says  the  other,)  for 
then  I hope  there  is  favour  for  me.  Yea,  as  I 
told  you,  such  a one  is  a continual  spectacle  in 
the  Church  for  every  one  to  behold  God’s  grace 
and  wonder  by. 

Secondly.  And  as  for  the  secrets  of  Satan, 
such  as  are  suggestions  to  question  the  being 
of  God,  the  truth  of  his  word,  and  to  be  an- 
noyed with  devilish  blasphemies,  none  more 
acquainted  with  these  than  the  biggest  sinners 
at  their  conversion ; wherefore  thus  also  they 
are  prepared  to  be  helps  in  the  Church  to  re- 
lieve and  comfort  the  other. 

I might  also  here  tell  you  of  the  contests  and 
battles  that  such  are  engaged  in,  wherein  they 
find  the  besettings  of  Satan,  above  any  other 
of  the  saints.  At  which  times  Satan  assaults 
the  soul  with  darkness,  fears,  frightful  thoughts 
of  apparitions ; now  they  sweat,  pant,  cry  out, 
and  struggle  for  life. 

The  angels  now  come  down  to  behold  the 
sight,  and  rejoice  to  see  a bit  of  dust  and  ashes 
to  overcome  principalities  and  powers  and 
might  and  dominions.  But,  as  I said,  when 
these  come  a little  to  be  settled,  they  are  pre- 

are  the  least  of  the  sins  of  those  who  are  pestered 
with  them,  and  l-ather  the  devil's,  who  injects  them, 
than  theirs.  See  Matt.  xii.  31. 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


339 


pared  for  helping  others,  and  arc  great  com- 
forts unto  them.  Their  great  sins  give  great 
encouragement  to  the  devil  to  assault  them; 
and  by  these  temptations  Christ  takes  advan- 
tage to  make  them  the  more  helpful  to  the 
churches. 

The  biggest  sinner,  when  he  is  converted 
and  comes  into  the  Church,  says  to  them  all  by 
his  very  coming  in,  Behold  me,  all  you  that 
are  men  and  women  of  a low  and  timorous 
spirit,  yoi'.  whose  hearts  are  narrow,  for  that 
you  never  had  the  advantage  to  know,  because 
your  sins  are  few,  the  largeness  of  the  grace 
of  God, — behold,  I say,  in  me  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace!*  I am  a pattern  set  forth 
before  your  faces,  on  whom  you  may  look  ai*d 
take  heart.  This,  I say,  the  great  sinner  can 
say,  to  the  exceeding  comfort  of  all  the  rest. 

Wherefore,  as  I have  hinted  before,  when 
Gods  intends  to  stock  a place  with  saints,  and 
to  make  that  place  excellently  to  flourish  with 
the  riches  of  his  grace,  he  usually  begins  with 
the  conversion  of  some  of  the  most  notorious 
thereabouts,  and  lays  them  as  an  example  to 
allure  others  and  to  build  up  when  they  are 
converted. 

Paul  must  go  to  the  Gentiles,  because  Paul 
was  the  most  outrageous  of  all  the  apostles  in 
the  time  of  his  unregeneracy ; yea,  Peter  must 
be  he  that  after  his  horrible  fall  was  thought 
fittest,  when  recovered  again,  to  comfort  and 
strengthen  his  brethren.  See  Luke  xxii.  31, 
32. 

Some  must  be  pillars  in  God’s  house ; and 
if  they  be  pillars  of  cedar,  they  must  stand 
while  they  are  stout  and  sturdy  sticks  in  the 
forest,  before  they  are  cut  down  and  planted 
or  placed  there. 

• No  man,  when  he  buildeth  his  house,  makes 
the  principal  parts  thereof  of  weak  or  feeble 
timber — for  how  could  such  bear  up  the  rest? — 
but  of  great  and  able  wood.  Christ  Jesus  also 
goeth  this  way  to  work ; lie  makes  of  the  big- 
gest sinners  bearers  and  supporters  to  the  rest. 
This,  then,  may  serve  for  another  reason  why 
Jesus  Christ  gives  out  in  commandment  that 
mercy  should,  in  the  first  place,  be  offered  to 
the  biggest  sinners,  because  such,  when  con- 
verted, are  usually  the  best  helps  in  the  Church 
against  temptations,  and  fittest  for  the  support 
of  the  feeble-minded  there. 

* The  Lord  shows  his  grace  nowhere  so  much  as  in 
the  predestination  of  his  children,  and  in  what  he 
hath  predestined  them  unto ; all  his  attributes  shine 
conspicuously  herein,  but  the  glory  of  his  grace  with 
superior  lustre  above  the  rest. 


Sixthly,  Another  reason  why  Jesus  Christ 
would  have  mercy  offered  in  the  first  place  to 
the  biggest  sinners  is,  because  they,  when  con- 
verted, are  apt  to  love  him  most. 

This  agrees  both  with  Scripture  and  reason. 
Scripture  says  so : “ To  whom  much  is  forgiven, 
the  same  loveth  much.  To  whom  little  is  for- 
given, the  same  loveth  little.”  Luke  vii.  47. 
Reason  says. so;  for  as  it  would  be  the  unrea- 
sonablest  thing  in  the  world  to  render  hatred 
for  love  and  contempt  for  forgiveness,  so  it 
would  be  as  ridiculous  to  think  that  the  recep- 
tion of  a little  kindness  should  lay  the  same 
obligations  upon  the  heart  to  love  as  the  recep- 
tion of  a great  deal.  I would  not  disparage 
the  love  of  Christ;  I know  the  least  drachm 
of  it,  when  it  reaches  to  forgiveness,  is  great 
above  all  the  world ; but  comparatively,  there 
are  greater  extensions  of  the  love  of  Christ  to 
one  than  to  another.  He  that  has  most  sin, 
if  forgiven,  is  partaker  of  the  greatest  love,  of 
the  greatest  forgiveness. 

I know  also  that  there  are  some  that  from 
this  very  doctrine  say,  “ Let  us  do  evil,  that 
good  may  come,”  aud  that  turn  the  grace  of 
our  God  into  lasciviousness.  But  I speak  not 
of  these ; these  will  neither  be  ruled  by  grace 
nor  reason.  Grace  would  teach  them,  if  they 
knew  it,  to  deny  ungodly  courses ; and  so 
would  reason  too  if  it  could  truly  sense  the 
love  of  God.  2 Tim.  ii.  11,  12;  Rom.  xi.  1. 

Doth  it  look  like  what  hath  any  coherence 
with  reason  or  mercy  for  a man  to  abuse  his 
friend?  Because  Christ  died  for  men  shall  I 
therefore  spit  in  his  face?  The  bread  and 
water  that  was  given  by  Elisha  to  his  enemies 
that  came  into  the  land  of  Israel  to  take  him 
had  so  much  influence  upon  their  minds, 
though  heathens,  that  they  returned  to  their 
homes  without  hurting  him,  yea,  it  kept  them 
from  coming  again  in  a hostile  manner  into 
the  coasts  of  Israel.  2 Kings  vi.  19,  20,  21,  22, 
23. 

But,  to  forbear  to  illustrate  till  anon,  one 
reason  why  Christ  Jesus  shows  mercy  to  sin- 
ners is,  that  he  might  obtain  their  Love,  that 
he  may  remove  their  base  affections  from  base 
objects  to  himself,  f Now,  if  he  loves  to  be 
loved  a little,  he  loves  to  be  loved  much,  but 
there  is  not  any  that  are  capable  of  loving 
much  save  those  that  have  much  forgiven 

f All  objects  are  base  when  compared  with  Christ, 
who  is  the  fulness  of  Him  who  filleth  all  in  all.  The 
love  of  anything,  how  excellent  soever,  above  him,  is 
the  idolatry  of  the  heart.  They  that  know  him  most 
will  love  him  best,  and  not  turn  aside  to  lying  vanities. 


340  ' 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


them.  Hence  it  said  of  Paul  that  he  laboured 
more  than  them  all — to  wit,  with  a labour  of 
love— because  he  had  been  by  sin  more  vile 
against  Christ  than  they  all.  1 Cor.  xv.  He 
it  was  that  persecuted  the  Church  of  God  and 
wasted  it.  Gal.  i.  13.  He,  of  them  all,  was  the 
only  raving  bedlam  against  the  saints:  “And 
being  exceeding  mad,”  says  he,  “ against  them, 
I persecuted  them,  even  to  strange  cities.”  Acts 
xxvi.  11. 

This  raving  bedlam,  that  once  was  so,  is  he 
that  r ow  says,  I laboured  more  than  them  all, 
more  for  Christ  than  them  all. 

But,  Paul,  what  moved  thee  thus  to  do? 
The  love  of  Christ,  says  he.  It  was  not  I,  but 
the  grace  of  God  that  was  with  me.  As  who 
should  say,  0 grace ! It  was  such  grace  to  save 
me ! It  was  such  marvellous  grace  for  God  to 
look  down  from  heaven  upon  me,  and  that  se- 
cured me  from  the  wrath  to  come,  that  I am 
captivated  with  the  sense  of  the  riches  of  it. 
Hence  I act,  hence  I labour;  for  how  can  I 
otherwise  do,  since  God  not  only  separated  me 
from  my  sins  and  companions,  but  separated 
all  the  powers  of  my  soul  and  body  to  his  ser- 
vice? I am  therefore  prompted  on  by  this 
exceeding  love  to  labour  as  I have  done;  yet 
not  I,  hut  the  grace  of  God  with  me. 

Oh,  I shall  never  forget  his,  love,  nor  the 
circumstances  under  which  I was  vdien  his  love 
laid  hold  upon  me.  I was  going  to  Damascus 
with  letters  from  the  high  priest  to  make 
havoc  of  God’s  people  there,  as  I had  made 
havoc  of  them  in  other  places.  These  bloody 
letters  were  not  imposed  upon  me.  1 went  to 
the  high  priest  and  desired  them  of  him,  (Acts 
ix.  1,  2,)  and  yet  he  saved  me!  I was  one  of 
the  men,  of  the  chief  men,  that  had  a hand 
in  the  blood  of  his  martyr  Stephen ; yet  he 
had  mercy  on  me  ! When  I was  at  Damascus 
I stunk  so  horribly  like  a blood-sucker  that  I 
became  a terror  to  all  thereabout.  AYa,  An- 
anias, good  man,  made  intercession  to  my 
Lord  against  me ; yet  he  would  have  mercy 
upon  me!  Yea,  joined  mercy  to  mercy,  until 
he  had  made  me  a monument  of  grace.  He 
made  a saint  of  me,  and  persuaded  me  that  my 
transgressions  were  forgiven  me. 

When  I began  to  preach,  those  that  heard 
me  were  amazed,  and  said,  “Is  not  this  he  that 
destroyed  them  that  called  on  this  name  in 
Jerusalem,  and  came  hither  for  that  intent, 
that  he  might  bring  them  bound  to  the  high 

* The  quickening  Spirit  of  God  convinces  us  of  sin  ; 
and  the  belief  of  God’s  pardoning  and  accepting  grace 
in  Christ  is  a necessary  means  to  bring  us  to  an  in- 


priest?”  Hell  doth  know  that  I was  a sinner; 
heaven  doth  know  that  I was  a sinner  ; the 
world  also  knows  that  I was  a sinner,  a sinner 
of  the  greatest  size;  but  I obtained  mercy.* 
Acts  ix.  20,  21. 

Shall  not  this  lay  obligation  upon  me?  Is 
not  love  of  the  greatest  force  to  oblige?  Is  it 
not  strong  as  death,  cruel  as  the  grave,  and 
hotter  than  the  coals  of  juniper  ? Hath  it  not 
a most  vehement  flame  ? can  the  waters  quench 
it?  can  the  floods  drown  it?  I am  under  the 
force  of  it,  and  this  is  my  continual  cry,  What 
shall  I render  to  the  Lord  for  all  the  benefits 
which  he  has  bestowed  upon  me  ? 

Ay,  Paul,  this  is  something ; thou  speakest 
like  a man,  like  a man  affected  and  carried 
away  with  the  love  and  grace  of  God.  Now 
this  sense,  and  this  affection,  and  this  labour 
give  to  Christ  the  love  that  he  looks  for.  But 
he  might  have  converted  twenty  little  sinners, 
and  yet  not  found,  for  grace  bestowed,  so 
much  love  in  them  all. 

I wonder  how  far  a man  might  go  among 
the  converted  sinners  of  the  smaller  size  before 
one  could  find  one  that  so  much  as  look  any 
thing  this-wayward.  Where  is  he  that  is  thus 
under  pangs  of  love  for  the  grace  bestowed 
upon  him  by  Jesus  Christ?  Excepting  only 
some  few,  you  may  walk  to  the  world’s  end 
and  find  none.  But,  as  I said,  some  there  are, 
and  so  there  have  been  in  every  age  of  the 
Church,  great  sinners,  that  have  had  much 
forgiven  them,  and  they  love  much  upon  this 
account. 

Jesus  Christ  therefore  knows  what  he  doth 
when  he  lays  hold  on  the  hearts  of  sinners  of 
the  biggest  size.  Pie  knows  that  such  an  one 
will  love  more  than  many  that  have  not  sinned 
half  their  sins. 

I will  tell  you  a story  that  I have  read  of 
Martha  and  Mary:  the  name  of  the  book 
I have  forgot — I mean  of  the  book  in  which . 
I found  the  relation — but  the  thing  was 
thus : 

Martha,  saith  my  author,  was  a very  holy 
woman,  much  like  Lazarus  her  brother,  but 
Mary  was  a loose  and  wanton  creature.  Mar- 
tha did  seldom  miss  good  sermons  and  lec- 
tures when  she  could  come  at  them  in  Jeru- 
salem, but  Mary  would  frequent  the  houses  of 
sports  and  the  company  of  the  vilest  of  men 
for  lust.  And  though  Martha  had  often  de- 
sired that  her  sister  would  go  with  her  to  hear 

genuous  confession  of  it.  If  you  would  freely  confess 
your  sins,  believe  first  that  “ God  is  faithful  aDd  just 
to  forgive  your  sins,’’  through  Christ.  1 John  l.  9. 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


341 


her  preachers,  yea,  had  often  entreated  her 
with  tears  to  do  it,  yet  she  could  never  pre- 
vail ; for  still  Mary  would  make  her  excuse,  or 
reject  her  with  disdain  for  her  zeal  and  pre- 
ciseness in  religion.* 

After  Martha  had  waited  long,  tried  many 
ways  to  bring  her  sister  to  good,  and  all 
proved  ineffectual,  at  last  she  comes  upon  her 
thus:  Sister,  quoth  she,  I pray  thee  go  with 
me  to  the  temple  to-day  to  hear  one  preach  a 
sermon.  What  kind  of  preacher  is  he?  said 
she.  Martha  replied,  It  is  one  Jesus  of 
Nazareth ; he  is  the  handsomest  man  you 
ever  saw  with  your  eyes.  Oh ! he  shines  in 
beauty  and  is  a most  excellent  preacher. 

Now,  what  docs  Mary,  after  a little  pause, 
but  go  up  into  her  chamber,  and  with  her 
pins  and  her  clouts  decks  up  herself  as  fine  as 
her  fingers  could  make  her.  This  done,  away 
she  goes — not  with  her  sister  Martha,  but  as 
much  unobserved  as  she  could — to  the  sermon, 
or  rather  to  see  the  preacher. 

The  hour  and  preacher  being  come,  and 
she  having  observed  whereabout  the  preacher 
would  stand,  goes  and  sits  herself  so  in  the 
temple  that  she  might  be  sure  to  have  the  full 
view  of  this  excellent  person.  So  he  comes  in 
and  she  looks,  and  the  first  glimpse  of  his  per- 
son pleaseth  her.  Well,  Jesus  addresseth  him- 
self to  his  sermon,  and  she  looks  earnestly  on 
him. 

Now  at  that  time,  saith  my  author,  Jesus 
preached  about  the  lost  sheep,  the  lost  groat, 
and  the  prodigal  child.  And  when  he  came  to 
show  what  care  the  shepherd  took  for  one  lost 
sheep,  and  how  the  woman  swept  to  find  her 
piece  which  was  lost,  and  what  joy  there  was 
at  their  finding,  she  began  to  be  taken  by  the 
ears,  and  forgot  what  she  came  about,  musing 
what  the  preacher  would  make  of  it.  But 
when  he  came  to  the  application,  and  showed 
that  by  the  lost  sheep  was  meant  a great  sin- 
ner, by  the  shepherd’s  care  was  meant  God’s 
love  for  great  sinners,  and  that  by  the  joy  of 
the  neighbours  was  showed  what  joy  there  was 
among  the  angels  in  heaven  over  one  great 
sinner  that  repenteth,  she  began  to  be  taken 
by  the  heart.  And  as  he  spake  these  last 
words  she  thought  he  pitched  his  innocent 

* You  may  as  well  kill  a carnal  man  as  confiue 
him  to  prayer  and  preaching:  he  knows  not  what  it 
is  to  take  real  pleasure  in  spiritual  and  heavenly 
work;  then  how  could  ho  love  heaven  itself'?  He 
could  not.  delight  in  heaven  any  more  than  a sow  in  a 
palace,  or  a profane  debauchee  in  a company  that  are 
praying  to  and  praising  God  spiritually. 


eyes  just  upon  her,  and  looked  as  if  he  spake 
what  was  now  said  to  her;  wherefore  her  heart 
began  to  tremble,  being  shaken  with  affection 
and  fear;  then  her  eyes  ran  down  with  tears 
apace;  wherefore  she  was  forced  to  hide  her 
face  with  her  handkerchief,  and  so  sat  sobbing 
and  crying  all  the  rest  of  the  sermon. 

Sermon  being  done,  up  she  gets  and  away 
she  goes,  and  withal  inquired  where  this  Jesus 
the  preacher  dined  that  day?  and  one  told  her 
at  the  house  of  Simon  the  Pharisee.  So  away 
goes  she,  first  to  her  chamber,  and  there  strips 
herself  of  her  wanton  attire;  then  falls  upon 
her  knees  to  ask  God  forgiveness  of  all  her 
wicked  life.  This  done,  in  a modest  dress,  she 
goes  to  Simon’s  house,  where  she  finds  Jesus 
sat  at  dinner.  So  she  gets  behind  him  and 
weeps,  and  drops  her  tears  upon  his  feet  like 
rain  and  washes  them,  and  wipes  them  with 
the  hair  of  her  head.  She  also  kissed  his  feet 
with  her  lips,  and  anointed  them  with  oint- 
ment. When  Simon  the  Pharisee  perceived 
what  the  woman  did,  and  being  ignorant  of 
what  it  was  to  be  forgiven  much,  (for  he  never 
was  forgiven  more  than  fifty  pence,)  he  began 
to  think  within  himself  that  he  had  been  mis- 
taken about  Jesus  Christ,  because  he  suffered 
such  a sinner  as  this  woman  was  to  touch  him.f 
Surely,  quoth  he,  this  man,  if  he  were  a prophet, 
would  not  let  this  woman  come  near  him,  for 
she  is  a town-sinner,  (so  ignorant  are  all  self- 
righteous  men  of  the  way  of  Christ  with  sin- 
ners.) But  lest  Mary  should  be  discouraged 
with  some  clownish  carriage  of  this  Pharisee, 
and  so  desert  her  good  beginnings  and  her  new 
steps  which  she  now  had  began  to  take  towards 
eternal  life,  Jesus  began  thus  with  Simon. 
“ Simon,”  saith  he,  “ I have  somewhat  to  say 
unto  thee.  And  he  saith,  Master,  say  on. 
There  was,  saith  Jesus,  a certain  creditor  had 
two  debtors;  the  one  owed  him  five  hundred 
pence,  and  the  other  fifty.  And  when  they 
had  nothing  to  pay,  lie  frankly  forgave  them 
both.  Tell  me,  therefore,  which  of  them  will 
love  him  most?  Simon  answered  and  said,  I 
suppose  he  to  whom  he  forgave  most.  And  he 
said  unto  him,  Thou  hast  rightly  judged.  And 
he  turned  to  the  woman  and  said  unto  Simon, 
Seest  thou  this  woman?  I entered  into  thy 
house,  thou  gavest  me  no  water  for  my  feet ; 

f There  is  not  a stream,  not  a drop  of  grace,  to  be 
had  but  from  Jesus  Christ;  he,  as  God-man,  has  it  all 
in  himself:  he  communicates  a fulness  of  light  and 
life,  sense  and  understanding,  love  and  joy,  yea,  every 
spiritual  blessing,  to  his  members,  who  must  depend 
on  him  at  all  times. 


342 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


but  she  has  washed  my  feet  with  tears,  and 
wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head.  Thou 
gavest  me  no  kiss  ; but  this  woman,  since  the 
time  I came  in,  hath  not  ceased  to  kiss  my 
feet.  My  head  with  oil  thou  didst  not  anoint, 
but  this  woman  hath  anointed  my  feet  with 
ointment.  Wherefore  I say  unto  thee,  Her 
sins,  which  are  many,  are  forgiven,  for  she 
loved  much ; but  to  whom  little  is  forgiven, 
the  s„me  lovetli  little.  And  he  said  unto  her, 
Thy  sins  are  forgiven.”  Luke  vii.  36,  50. 

Thus  you  have  the  story.  If  I come  short 
in  any  circumstance,  I beg  pardon  of  those 
that  can  correct  me.  It  is  three  or  four  and 
twenty  years  since  I saw  the  book ; yet  I have, 
as  far  as  my  memory  will  admit,  given  you  the 
relation  of  the  matter.  However,  Luke,  as 
you  see,  doth  here  present  you  with  the  sub- 
stance of  the  whole. 

Alas ! Christ  Jesus  has  but  little  thanks  for 
the  saving  of  little  sinners.  “ To  whom  little 
is  forgiven,  the  same  loveth  little.”  He  gets 
no  water  for  his  feet  by  his  saving  of  such  sin- 
ners. There  are  abundance  of  dry-eyed  Chris- 
tians in  the  world,  and  abundance  of  dry-eyed 
duties  too — duties  that  never  were  wetted  with 
the  tears  of  contrition  and  repentance,  nor 
ever  sweetened  with  the  great  sinner’s  box  of 
ointment.  And  the  reason  is,  such  sinners 
have  not  great  sins  to  be  saved  from ; or,  if 
they  have,  they  look  upon  them  in  the  dimin- 
ishing glass  of  the  holy  law  of  God.  But  I 
rather  believe  that  the  professors  of  our  days 
want  a due  sense  of  what  they  are ; for  verily, 
for  the  generality  of  them,  both  before  and 
since  conversion,  they  have  been  sinners  of  a 
lusty  size.  But  if  their  eyes  be  holden,  if  con- 
victions are  not  shown,  if  their  knowledge  of 
their  sins  is  but  like  to  the  eyesight  in  twilight, 
the  heart  cannot  be  affected  with  that  grace 
that  has  laid  hold  on  the  man  ; and  so  Christ 
Jesus  sows  much  and  has  little  coming  in.* 

Wherefore  his  way  is  ofttimes  to  step  out  of 
the  way,  to  Jericho,  to  Samaria,  to  the  country 
of  the  Gadarenes,  to  the  coasts  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon,  and  also  to  Mount  Calvary,  that  he  may 
lay  hold  of  such  kind  of  sinners  as  will  love 
him  to  his  liking.  Luke  xix.  1-11 ; John  iv. 
3-1 1 ; Mark  v.  1-21 ; Matt.  xv.  21-29 ; Luke 
xxiii.  33M4. 


* “ Herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  says  the  blessed 
Jesus,  if  ye  bear  much  fruit.”  Christians  live  below 
their  privileges  ; they  should  be  always  pressing  for- 
ward to  obtain  more  faith,  hope,  love,  joy,  godly  fear, 
patience — to  be  shining  lights  and  glorify  their  God 
and  Saviour  in  all  things. 


But  this  much  for  the  sixth  reason  why 
Christ  Jesus  would  have  mercy  offered  in  the 
first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners ; to  wit,  be- 
cause such  sinners,  when  converted,  are  apt  to 
love  him  most.  The  Jerusalem  sinners  were 
they  that  outstripped,  when  they  were  con- 
verted, in  some  things,  all  the  churches  of  the 
Gentiles.  “ They  were  of  one  heart  and  of  one 
soul,  neither  said  any  of  them  that  aught  of 
the  things  that  lliey  possessed  was  their  own ; 
neither  was  there  any  nmong  them  that  lacked, 
for  as  many  as  were  possessors  of  lands  or 
houses,  sold  them  and  brought  the  price  of  the 
things  that  were  sold,  and  laid  them  down  at 
the  apostles’  feet,”  &c.  Acts  iv.  32-35.  Now, 
show  me  such  another  pattern  if  you  can.  But 
why  did  these  do  thus?  Oh,  they  were  Jeru- 
salem sinners.  These  were  the  men  that  but  a 
little  before  had  killed  the  Prince  of  life ; and 
to  those  who  did  that,  notwithstanding,  he 
sent  the  first  offer  of  grace  and  mercy.  And 
the  sense  of  this  took  them  up  betwixt  the 
earth  and  the  heaven,  and  carried  them  on  in 
such  ways  and  methods  as  could  never  be 
trodden  by  any  since.  They  talk  of  the  church 
at  Borne,  and  set  her,  in  her  primitive  state, 
as  a pattern  and  mother  of  churches ; when  the 
truth  is,  they  were  the  Jerusalem  sinners,  when 
converts,  that  outdid  all  the  churches  that  ever 
was. 

Seventhly,  Christ  Jesus  would  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners, 
because  grace,  when  it  is  received  by  such,  finds 
matter  to  kindle  upon  more  freely  than  it  finds 
in  other  sinners.  Great  sinners  are  like  the 
dry  wood  or  like  great  candles,  which  burn  best 
and  shine  with  biggest  light.  I lay  not  this 
down,  as  I did  those  reasons  before,  to  show 
that  when  great  sinners  are  converted  they  will 
be  encouragement  to  others,  though  that  is 
true,  but  to  show  that  Christ  has  a delight  to 
see  grace,  the  grace  we  receive  to  shine. f We 
love  to  see  things  that  bear  a good  gloss ; yea, 
we  choose  to  buy  such  kind  of  matter  to  work 
upon  as  will,  if  wrought  up  to  what  we  intend, 
cast  that  lustre  that  we  desire.  Candles  that 
burn  not  bright  we  like  not;  wood  that  is 
green  will  rather  smother,  and  sputter,  and 
smoke,  and  crack,  and  flounce  than  cast  a 
brave  light  and  a pleasant  heat;  wherefore 

j-  The  children  of  light  should  reflect  the  rays  of 
God’s  goodness  to  others,  and,  that  they  may  do  so, 
should  pray  for  a constant  supply  of  the  Spirit,  that 
in  all  their  dealings  it  may  appear  that  they  have  been 
with  Jesus,  and  that  his  most  amiable  life  and  ex- 
ample is  ever  before  their  eyes. 


TIIE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


343 


groat  folks  caro  not  much,  not  so  much  for 
such  kind  of  things,  as  for  them  that  will  bet- 
ter answer  their  ends. 

Hence  Christ  desires  the  biggest  sinners ; in 
him  there  is  matter  to  work  by — to  wit,  a great 
deal  of  sin;  for  as  by  the  tallow  of  the  candle 
the  fire  takes  occasion  to  burn  the  brighter,  so 
by  the  sin  of  the  soul  grace  takes  occasion  to 
shine  the  clearer.  Little  candles  shine  but 
little,  for  there  wanteth  matter  for  the  fire  to 
work  upon ; but  in  the  great  sinner  here  is 
more  matter  for  grace  to  work  by.  Faith 
shines,  when  it  worketh  towards  Christ,  through 
the  sides  of  many  and  great  transgressors,  and 
so  docs  love,  for  that  much  is  forgiven.  And 
what  matter  can  be  found  in  the  soul  for  hu- 
mility to  work  by  so  well  as  by  a 'sight  that  I 
have  been  and  am  an  abominable  sinner  ? And 
the  same  is  to  be  said  of  patience,  meekness,  gen- 
tleness, self-denial,  or  any  other  grace.  Grace 
takes  occasion  by  the  vileness  of  the  man  to 
shine  the  more,  even  as  by  the  ruggedness  of  a 
very  strong  distemper  of  disease  the  virtue  of 
the  medicine  is  best  made  manifest.  “ Where 
sin  abounds,  grace  much  more  abounds.”  Rom. 
v.  20.  A black  string  makes  the  neck  look 
whiter;  great  sins  make  grace  burn  clear. 
Some  say,  When  grace  and  a good  nature 
meet  together  they  do  make  shining  Christians ; 
but  I say,  When  grace  and  a great  sinner  meet, 
and  grace  shall  subdue  that  great  sinner  to  itself, 
and  shall  operate  after  its  kind  in  the  soul  of 
that  great  sinner,  then  we  have  a shining  Chris- 
tian : witness  all  of  those  of  whom  mention 
was  made  before. 

Abraham  was  among  the  idolaters  when  in 
the  land  of  Assyria,  and  served  idols  with  his 
kindred  on  the  other  side  of  the  flood.  Josh, 
xxiv.  2;  Gen.  xi.  31.  But  who,  when  called, 
was  there  in  the  world  in  whom  grace  shone  so 
bright  as  in  him? 

The  Thessalonians  were  idolaters  before  the 
word  of  God  came  to  them ; but  when  they 
had  received  it  they  became  examples  to  all 
that  did  believe  in  Macedonia  and  Achaia.  1 
Thess.  i.  6-10. 

God  the  Father,  and  Jesus  Christ  his  Son, 
are  for  having  things  seen,  for  having  the  word 
of  life  held  forth.  They  light  not  a -Candle 
that  it  might  be  put  under  a bushel  or  under  a 
bed,  but  on  a candlestick,  that  all  that  come  in 
may  see  the  light.  Matt.  v.  15 ; Mark  iv.  21. 

* The  devil,  who  is  the  god  of  this  world,  knows 
how  necessary  it  is  for  our  salvation  to  discern  all  the 
glory  and  excellency  of  Christ;  and  therefore  where 
the  Gospel  is  preached  he  labours  to  eclipse  the  glory 


And  I say,  as  I said  before,  in  whom  is  it 
like  so  to  shine  as  in  the  souls  of  great  sinners? 

When  the  Jewish  Pharisees  dallied  with  the 
Gospel,  Christ  threatened  to  take  it  from  them 
and  to  give  it  to  the  barbarous  heathens  and 
idolaters.  Why  so?  For  they,  saith  he,  will 
bring  forth  the  fruits  thereof  in  their  season: 
“Therefore,  I say  unto  you,  The  kingdom  of 
God  shall  be  taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a 
nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof.”  Matt, 
xxi.  41,  42. 

I have  often  marvelled  at  our  youth,  and 
said  in  my  heart,  What  should  be  the  reason 
that  they  should  be  so  generally  at  this  day  de- 
bauched as  they  are?  For  they  are  now  pro- 
fane to  amazement;  and  sometimes  I have 
thought  one  thing  and  sometimes  another ; that 
is,  why  God  should  suffer  it  so  to  be.  At  last 
I have  thought  of  this:  How  if  God,  whose 
ways  are  past  finding  out,  should  suffer  it  so  to 
be  now  that  he  might  make  of  some  of  them 
the  more  glorious  saints  hereafter.  I know  sin 
is  of  the  devil,  but  it  cannot  work  in  the  world 
without  permission ; and  if  it  happens  to  be  as 
I have  thought,  it  will  not  be  the  first  time  that 
God  the  Lord  hath  caught  Satan  in  his  own 
design.*  For  my  part,  I believe  that  the  time 
is  at  hand  that  we  shall  see  better  saints  in 
the  world  than  have  been  seen  in  it  this  many  a 
day.  And  this  vileness  that  at  present  does  so 
much  swallow  up  our  youth  is  one  cause  of  my 
thinking  so ; for  out  of  them,  for  from  among 
them,  when  God  sets  to  his  hand  as  of  old,  you 
shall  see  what  penitent  ones,  what  trembling 
ones,  and  what  admirers  of  grace  will  be  found 
to  profess  the  Gospel  to  the  glory  of  God  by 
Christ. 

Alas ! we  are  a company  of  worn-out  Chris- 
tians, our  moon  is  in  the  wane  ; we  are  much 
more  black  than  white,  more  dark  than  light ; 
we  shine  but  a little ; grace  in  the  most  of  us 
is  decayed.  But  1 say,  when  they  of  these  de- 
bauched ones  that  are  to  be  saved  shall  be 
brought  in,  when  these  that  look  more  like 
devils  than  men  shall  be  converted  to  Christ, 
(and  I believe  several  of  them  will,)  then  will 
Christ  be  exalted,  grace  adored,  the  word  prized, 
Zion’s  paths  better  trodden,  and  men  in  the 
pursuit  of  their  own  salvation  to  the  amazement 
of  them  that  are  left  behind. 

Just  before  Christ  came  into  the  flesh  the 
world  was  degenerated  as  it  is  now ; the  gene- 
rality of  men  in  Jerusalem  were  become  either 

of  Christ  in  the  ministry,  and  to  blind  the  minds  of 
the  people,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of 
Christ  should  shine  unto  them.  2 Cor.  iv.  4. 


344 


BUK  YAK’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


high  and  famous  for  hypocrisy  or  filthy  base  in 
their  lives.  The  devil  also  was  broke  loose  in 
a hideous  manner,  and  had  taken  possession  of 
many;  yea,  I believe  that  there  was  never 
generation  before  nor  since  that  could  produce 
so  many  possessed  with  devils,  deformed,  lame, 
blind,  and  infected  with  monstrous  diseases,  as 
that  generation  could.  But  what  was  the  rea- 
son thereof?  I mean  the  reason  from  God. 
Why  one  (and  we  may  sum  up  more  in  that 
answer  that  Christ  gave  to  his  disciples  con- 
cerning him  that  was  born  blind)  was,  that  the 
works  of  God  might  be  made  manifest  in  them, 
and  that  the  Son  of  God  might  be  glorified 
thereby.  John  ix.  2,  3;  xi.  4. 

Now  if  these  devils  and  diseases,  as  they 
possessed  men  then,  were  to  make  way  and 
work  for  an  approaching  Christ  in  person  and 
for  the  declaring  of  his  power,  why  may  we 
not  think  that  now,  even  now  also,  he  is  ready 
to  come  by  his  Spirit  in  the  Gospel  to  heal 
many  of  the  debaucheries  of  our  age?  I can- 
not believe  that  grace  will  take  them  all,  for 
there  are  but  few  that  are  saved;  but  yet  it 
will  take  some,  even  some  of  the  worst  of  men, 
and  make  blessed  ones  of  them*  But  oh  how 
these  ringleaders  in  vice  will  then  shine  in 
virtue!  They  will  be  the  very  pillars  in 
churches,  they  will  be  as  an  ensign  in  the 
land;  “The  Lord  their  God  shall  save  them 
in  that  day  as  the  flock  of  his  people,  for  they 
shall  be  as  the  stones  of  a crown,  lift  up  as  an 
ensign  upon  the  land.”  Zech.  ix.  16.  But  who 
are  these?  Even  idolatrous  Ephraim  and 
backsliding  Judah.  Yer.  13. 

I know  there  is  ground  to  fear  that  the  in- 
iquity of  this  generation  will  be  pursued  with 
heavy  judgments;  but  that  will  not  hinder 
what  we  have  supposed : God  took  him  a glori- 
ous Church  out'of  bloody  Jerusalem,  yea,  out 
of  the  chief  of  the  sinners  there,  and  left  the 
rest  to  be  taken  and  spoiled,  and  sold  thirty 
for  a penny  in  the  nations  where  they  were 
captives.  The  Gospel  working  gloriously  in  a 
place,  to  the  seizing  upon  many  of  the  ring- 
leading sinners  thereof,  promises  no  security 
to  the  rest,  but  rather  threateneth  them  with 
the  heaviest  and  smartest  judgments,  as  in  the 
instance  now  given  we  have  a full  demonstra- 
tion; but  in  defending  the  Lord  will  defend 
his  people,  and  in  saving  he  will  save  his  in- 
heritance. 

* Divine  grace  is  almighty  in  its  operation  : it  con- 
vinces the  sinner  of  the  total  blindness  of  his  under- 
standing God-ward,  the  rebellion  of  his  will  and  en- 
mity of  his  heart  against  God,  his  abominable  life, 


Nor  does  this  speak  any  great  comfort  to  a 
decayed  and  backsliding  sort  of  Christians; 
for  the  next  time  God  rides  post  with  his  Gos- 
pel he  will  leave  such  Christians  behind  him. 
But  I say,  Christ  is  resolved  to  set  up  his  light  in 
the  world ; yea,  he  is  delighted  to  see  his  graces 
shine;  and  therefore  he  commands  that  his 
Gospel  should  to  that  end  be  offered,  in  the 
first  place,  to  the  biggest  sinners,  for  by  great 
sins  it  sliinetli  most ; therefore  he saith,  “Begin 
at  Jerusalem.” 

Eighthly  and  lastly.  Christ  Jesus  will  have 
mercy  to  be  offered  in  the  first  place  to  the 
biggest  sinners,  for  that  by  that  means  the  im- 
penitent that  are  left  behind  will  be  at  the 
judgment  the  more  left  without  excuse. 

God’s  word  has  two  edges ; it  can  cut  back- 
stroke  and  fore-stroke ; if  it  doth  thee  no  good, 
it  will  do  thee  hurt;  it  is  the  savour  of  life 
unto  life  to  those  that  receive  it,  but  of  death 
unto  death  to  them  that  refuse  it.  2 Cor.  ii.  15, 
16..  But  this  is  not  all ; the  tender  of  grace  to 
the  biggest  sinners  in  the  first  place  will  not 
only  leave  the  rest,  or  those  that  refuse  it,  in  a 
deplorable  condition,  but  will  also  stop  their 
mouths  and  cut  off  all  pretence  to  excuse  at 
that  day.  “If  I had  not  come  and  spoken  to 
them,”  saith  Christ,  “ they  had  not  had  sin ; 
but  now  they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin,”  for 
their  sin  of  persevering  in  impenitence.  John 
xv.  22. 

But  what  did  he  speak  to  them  ? Why,  even 
that  which  I have  told  you  ; to  wit,  that  he  has 
in  special  a delight  in  saving  the  biggest  sin- 
ners. He  spake  this  in  the  way  of  his  doctrine, 
he  spake  this  in  the  way  of  his  practice,  even 
to  the  pouring  out  of  his  last  breath  before 
them.  Luke  xxiii.  34. 

Now,  since  this  is  so,  what  can  the  con- 
demned at  the  judgment  say  for  themselves 
why  sentence  of  death  should  not  be  passed 
upon  them?  I say,  what  excuse  can  they 
make  for  themselves  when  they  shall  be  asked 
why  they  did  not  in  the  day  of  salvation  cpme 
to  Christ  to  be  saved  ? Will  they  have  ground 
to  say  to  the  Lord,  Thou  wast  only  for  saving 
of  little  sinners,  and  therefore  because  they 
were  great  ones  they  durst  not  come  unto  him? 
or  that,  Thou  hadst  not  compassion  for  the  big- 
gest sinners,  therefore  I died  in  despair?! 
Will  these  be  excuses  for  them  as  the  case  now 
standeth  with  them  ? Is  there  not  everywhere 

guijt  and  condemnation  by  God's  righteous  law;  and 
then  brings  him  to  the  foot  of  the  cross  for  pardon, 
peace,  and  salvation  by  Christ. 

j-  An  evil  and  guilty  conscience,  whereby  we  judge 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SA  VED. 


345 


in  God’s  book  u flat  contradiction  to  this  in 
multitudes  of  promises,  of  invitations,  of  ex- 
amples and  the  like?  Alas,  alas!  there  will 
then  he  there  millions  of  souls  to  confute  this 
pica;  ready,  I say,  to  stand  up,  and  say,  0 
leceivcd  world,  heaven  swarms  with  such  as 
were,  when  they  were  in  the  world,  to  the  full 
as  bad  as  you. 

Now,  this  will  kill  all  plea  or  excuse  why 
they  should  perish  in  their  sins  ; yea,  the  text 
says  they  shall  see  them  here.  “There  shall 
be  weeping  when  you  shall  see  Abraham,  and 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  and  you  yourselves  thrust 
out.  And  they  shall  come  from  the  east,  and 
from  the  west,  and  from  the  north,  and  from 
the  south,  and  shall  sit  down  in  the  king- 
dom of  God.”  Luke  xiii.  28,  29.  Out  of 
which  company  it  is  easy  to  pick  such  as 
sometimes  were  as  bad  people  as  any  who  now 
breathe  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  What  think 
you  of  the  first  man,  by  whose  sins  there  are 
millions  now  in  hell?  And  so  I may  say, 
What  think  you  of  ten  thousand  more  besides? 

But  if  the  world  will  not  stifle  and  gag  them 
up — I speak  now  for  amplification-sake— the 
view  of  those  who  are  saved  shall. 

There  comes  an  incestuous  person  to  the 
bar  and  pleads  that  the  bigness  of  his  sins 
was  a bar  to  his  receiving  the  promise.  But 
will  not  his  mouth  be  stopped  as  to  that 
when  Lot  and  the  incestuous  Corinthian  shall 
be  set  before  him?  Gen.  xix.  33-37;  1 Cor.  v. 
1,  2. 

There  comes  a thief  and  says,  Lord,  my  sin 
of  theft,  I thought,  was  such  as  could  not  be 
pardoned  by  thee.  But  when  he  shall  see  the 
thief  that  was  saved  on  the  cross  stand  by,  as 
clothed  with  beauteous  glory,  what  further 
can  he  be  able  to  object?  Yea,  the  Lord  will 
produce  ten  thousand  of  his  saints  at  his 
coming,  who  shall  after  this  manner  execute 
judgment  upon  all,  “ and  so  convince  all  that 
are  ungodly  among  them  of  all  their  hard 
speeches  which  ungodly  sinners  have  spoken 
against  him.”  Jude  15.  And  these  are  hard 
speeches  against  him,  to  say  that  he  was  not 
able  or  willing  to  save  men  because  of  the 
greatness  of  their  sins,  or  to  say  that  they 

that  God  is  our  enemy,  and  that  his  justice  is  against 
us  to  our  everlasting  condemnation  by  reason  of  our 
heinous  sins,  tends  strongly  to  maintain  and  increase 
in  us  the  dominion  of  sin,  causes  the  soul  to  hate  God, 
and  produces  atheistical  thoughts  to  escape  wrath  ; all 
which  are  the  dreadful  effects  of  unbelief,  which  dis- 
honours God,  and  would  make  him  a liar. 


were  discouraged  by  his  word  from  repent- 
ance because  of  the  heinousness  of  their 
offences.* 

These  things,  I say,  shall  then  be  confuted. 
He  comes  with  ten  thousand  of  his  saints  to 
confute  them,  and  to  stop  their  mouths  from 
making  objections  against  their  own  eternal 
damnation. 

Here  is  Adam,  the  destroyer  of  the  world; 
here  is  Lot,  that  lay  with  both  his  daughters ; 
here  is  Abraham,  that  was  sometimes  an  idol- 
ater, and  Jacob,  that  was  a supplanter,  and 
Beuben,  that  lay  with  his  father’s  concubine, 
and  Judah,  that  lay  with  his  daughter-in-law, 
and  Levi  and  Simeon,  that  wickedly  slew  the 
Sheehemites,  and  Aaron,  that  made  an  idol  to 
be  worshipped  and  that  proclaimed  a religious 
feast  unto  it.  Here  is  also  Bahab  the  harlot, 
and  Bathsheba  that  bare  a bastard  to  David. 
Here  is  Solomon,  that  great  backslider,  and 
Manasseh,  that  man  of  blood  and  a witch. 
Time  would  fail  to  tell  you  of  the  woman  of 
Canaan’s  daughter,  of  Mary  Magdalen,  of 
Matthew  the  publican,  and  of  Gideon  and 
Samson,  and  many  thousands  more. 

Alas,  alas!  I say,  what  will  those  sinners  do 
that  have,  through  their  unbelief,  eclipsed  the 
glorious  largeness  of  the  mercy  of  God,  and 
given  way  to  despair  of  salvation  because  of 
the  bigness  of  their  sins? 

For  all  these,  though  now  glorious  saints  in 
light,  were  sometimes  sinners  of  the  biggest 
size,  who  had  sins  that  were  of  a notorious 
hue ; but  now,  I say,  they  are  in  their  shining 
and  heavenly  robes  before  the  throne  of  God 
and  of  the  Lamb,  blessing  for  ever  and  ever 
that  Son  of  God  for  their  salvation  who  died 
for  them  upon  the  tree;  admiring  that  ever  it 
should  come  into  their  hearts  once  to  think 
of  coming  to  God  by  Christ;  but,  above  all, 
blessing  God  for  granting  of  them  light  to 
see  those  encouragements  in  his  testament 
without  which,  without  doubt,  they  had  been 
daunted  and  sunk  down  under  guilt  of  sin 
and  despair,  as  their  fellow-sinners  have  done. 

But  now  they  also  are  all  witnesses  for  God 
and  for  his  grace  against  an  unbelieving 
world ; for,  as  I said,  they  shall  come  to  con- 
vince the  world  of  their  speeches,  their  hard 

* It  is  no  affront  to  Christ,  or  slighting  and  con- 
temning the  holiness  and  justice  of  God,  to  come  to 
Christ  while  we  are  polluted  sinners  : but  it  is  rather 
an  affronting  and  contemning  the  saving  grace,  merit 
and  fulness  of  Christ  if  we  endeavour  to  make  our- 
selves righteous  and  holy  before  we  receive  Christ  him- 
self, and  all  righteousness  and  holiness  in  him  by  faith. 


346 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  unbelieving  words,  that  they  have  spoken 
concerning  the  mercy  of  God  and  the  merits 
of  the  passion  of  his  blessed  Son  Jesus 
Christ. 

But  will  it  not,  think  you,  strangely  put  to 
silence  all  such  thoughts,  and  words,  and  rea- 
sonings of  the  ungodly  before  the  har  of  God  ? 
Doubtless  it  will ; yea,  and  will  send  them 
away  from  his  presence  also  with  the  greatest 
guilt  that  possibly  can  fasten  upon  the  con- 
sciences of  men.* 

For  what  will  sting  like  this? — I have, 
through  mine  own  foolish,  narrow,  unworthy, 
undervaluing  thoughts  of  the  love  and  ability 
of  Christ  to  save  me,  brought  myself  to  ever- 
lasting ruin.  It  is  true,  I was  a horrible  sin- 
ner ; not  one  in  a hundred  did  live  so  vile  a 
life  as  I ; but  this  should  not  have  kept  me 
from  closing  with  Jesus  Christ:  I see  now  that 
there  are  abundance  in  glory  that  once  were 
as  bad  as  I have  been  ; but  they  were  saved  by 
faith,  and  I am  damned  by  unbelief. 

Wretch  that  I am!  why  did  not  I give 
glory  to  the  redeeming  blood  of  Jesus?  Why 
did  I not  humbly  cast  my  soul  at  his  blessed 
footstool  for  mercy?  Why  did  I judge  of  his 
ability  to  save  me  by  the  voice  of  my  shallow 
reason  and  the  voice  of  a guilty  conscience? 
Why  betook  not  I myself  to  the  holy  word  of 
God  ? Why  did  I not  read  and  pray  that  I 
might  understand,  since  now  I perceive  that 
God  said  then,  “ He  giveth  liberally  to  them 
that  pray,  and  upbraidetli  not?”  James  i.  5. 

It  is  rational  to  think  that  by  such  cogita- 
tions as  these,  the  unbelieving  world  will  be 
torn  in  pieces  before  the  judgment  of  Christ, 
especially  those  that  have  lived  where  they 
did  or  might  have  heard  the  Gospel  of  the 
grace  of  God.  Oh  that  saying,  “ It  shall  be 
more  tolerable  for  Sodom  at  the  judgment 
than  for  them,”  will  be  better  understood. 
See  Luke  x.  8-12. 

This  reason,  therefore,  standeth  fast;  namely, 
that  Christ,  by  offering  mercy  in  the  first  place 
to  the  biggest  sinners,  now  will  stop  all  mouths 
of  the  impenitent  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and 
cut  off  all  excuse  that  shall  be  attempted  to  be 
made  (from  the  thoughts  of  the  greatness  of 
their  sins)  why  they  came  not  to  him. 

I have  often  thought  of  the  day  of  judgment, 

* Oh  remember  that  till  we  are  enabled  to  believe  in 
Christ  we  continue  under  the  power  of  sin  and  Satan, 
and  under  the  wrath  of  God,  and  there  is  nothing  but 
the  breath  in  our  nostrils  between  hell  and  us!  Lin- 
ger not  therefore  in  this  spiritual  Sodom,  but  ask 
faith  of  God,  who  giveth  liberally. 


and  how  God  will  deal  with  sinners  at  that 
day;  and  I believe  it  will  be  managed  with 
that  sweetness,  with  that  equitableness,  with 
that  excellent  righteousness,  as  to  every  sin, 
and  circumstance,  and  aggravation  thereof, 
that  men  that  are  damned,  before  the  judg- 
ment is  over,  shall  receive  such  conviction  of 
the  righteous  judgment  of  God  upon  them, 
and  of  their  deserts  of  hell-fire,  that  they  shall 
in  themselves  conclude  that  there  is  all  the 
reason  in  the  world  that  they  should  be  shut 
out  of  heaven  and  go  to  hell-fire;  “These 
shall  go  away  into  everlasting  fire.”  Matt, 
xxv.  46. 

Only  this  will  tear  them,  that  they  have 
missed  of  mercy  and  glory  and  obtained  ever- 
lasting damnation  through  their  unbelief.  But 
it  will  tear  but  themselves,  but  their  own  souls; 
they  will  gnash  upon  themselves;  for  in  that 
mercy  was  offered  to  the  chief  of  them  in  the 
first  place,  and  yet  they  were  damned  for  re- 
jecting it,  they  were  damned  for  forsaking 
what  they  had  a sort  of  propriety  in,  for  for- 
saking their  own  mercy. 

And  thus  much  for  the  reasons.  I will  con- 
clude with  a word  of  application. 

The  Application. 

First.  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sin- 
ners? Then  this  shows  us  how  to  make  a 
right  judgment  of  the  heart  of  Christ  to  men. 
Indeed,  we  have  advantage  to  guess  at  the 
goodness  of  his  heart  by  many  things,  as  by 
his  taking  our  nature  upon  him,  his  dying  for 
us,  his  sending  his  word  and  ministers  to  us, 
and  all  that  we  might  be  saved.  But  this  of 
beginning  to  offer  mercy  to  Jerusalem  is  that 
which  heightens  all  the  rest ; for  this  doth  not 
only  confirm  to  us  that  love  was  the  cause  of 
his  dying  for  us,  but  it  shows  us  yet  more  the 
depth  of  that  love.f  He  might  have  died  for 
us,  and  yet  have  extended  the  benefit  of  his 
death  to  a few,  as  one  might  call  them,  of  the 
best-conditioned  sinners — to  those  who,  though 
they  were  weak  and  could  not  but  sin,  yet 
made  not  a trade  of  sinning — to  those  that 
sinned  not  lavishingly.  There  are  in  the 
world,  as  one  may  call  them,  the  moderate 
sinners;  the  sinners  that  mix  righteousness 

f The  word  of  God  abundantly  declares  and  dis- 
covers that  the  Lord  is  desirous  poor  sinners  should 
be  made  sensible  that  he  has  first  loved  them,  and 
washed  them  from  their  sins  by  the  blood  of  Christ, 
that  they  may  offer  up  the  sacrifices  of  praise  and  all 
good  works  to  God,  even  the  Father,  by  Jesus  Christ. 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


317 


with  their  pollutions;  the  sinners  that,  though 
they  be  sinners,  do  what  on  their  part  lies 
(some  that  are  blind  would  think  so)  that  they 
might  be  saved.  I say,  it  had  been  love,  great 
love,  if  he  had  died  for  none  but  such,  and 
sent  his  love  to  such;  but  that  he  should  send 
out  conditions  of  peace  to  the  biggest  sinners, 
yea,  that  they  should  be  offered  to  them  first 
of  all,  (for  so  he  means  when  lie  says,  “Begin 
at  Jerusalem,”)  this  is  wonderful!  this  shows 
his  heart  to  purpose,  as  also  the  heart  of  God 
his  Father,  who  sent  him  to  do  thus. 

There  is  nothing  more  incident"  to  men  that 
are  awake  in  their  souls  than  to  have  wrong 
thoughts  of  God — thoughts  that  are  narrow, 
and  that  pinch  and  pen  up  his  mercy  to  scanty 
and  beggarly  conclusions  and  rigid  legal  con- 
dition— supposing  that  it  is  rude  and  entrench- 
ing upon  his  majesty  to  come  ourselves  or  to 
invite  others  until  we  have  scraped  and  washed 
and  rubbed  off  as  much  of  our  dirt  from  us  as 
we  think  is  convenient  to  make  us  somewhat 
orderly  and  handsome  in  his  sight.  Such 
never  knew  what  these  words  meant,  “Begin 
at  Jerusalem.”  Yea,  such  in  their  hearts  have 
compared  the  Father  and  his  Son  to  niggardly 
rich  men,  whose  money  comes  from  them  like 
drops  of  blood.  True,  says  such,  God  has 
mercy,  but  is  loth  to  part  with  it;  you  must 
please  him  well  if  you  get  any  from  him;  he 
is  not  so  free  as  many  suppose,  nor  is  he  so 
willing  to  save  as  some  pretended  Gospellers 
imagine.  But  I ask  such,  If  the  Father  and 
Son  be  not  unspeakably  free  to  show  mercy, 
why  was  this  clause  put  into  our  commission 
to  preach  the  Gospel?  Yea,  why  did  he  say, 
“Begin  at  Jerusalem”?  For  when  men, 
through  the  Weakness  of  their  wits,  have 
attempted  to  show  other  reasons  why  they 
should  have  the  first  proffer  of  mercy,  yet  I 
can  prove  by  many  undeniable  reasons  that 
they  of  Jerusalem  (to  whom  the  apostles  made 
the  first  offer,  according  as  they  were  com- 
manded) were  the  biggest  sinners  that  ever 
breathed  upon  the  face  of  God’s  earth,  (set  the 
unpardonable  sin  aside,)  upon  which  my  doc- 
trine stands  like  a rock,  that  Jesus  the  Son  of 
God  would  have  mercy,  in  the  first  place,  of- 
fered to  the  biggest  sinners;  and  if  this  doth 
not  show  the  heart  of  the  Father  and  the  Son 
to  be  infinitely  free  in  bestowing  forgiveness 
of  sins,  I confess  myself  mistaken. 

Neither  is  there  (set  this  aside)  another  ar- 
gument like  it  to  show  us  the  willingness  of 

* The  design  of  God  is  to  show  the  exceeding  riches 
of  his  grace  in  our  salvation,  (Eph.  ii.  7,)  which  is 


Christ  to  save  sinners;  for,  as  was  said  before, 
all  the  rest  of  the  signs  of  Christ’s  merciful- 
ness might  have  been  limited  to  sinners  that 
are  so  qualified;  but  when  he  says,  “Begin  at 
Jerusalem,”  the  line  is  stretched  out  to  the 
utmost;  no  man  can  imagine  beyond  it;  and 
it  is  folly  here  to  pinch  and  pare,  to  narrow, 
and  seek  to  bring  it  within  scanty  bounds;  for 
he  plainly  saith,  “ Begin  at  Jerusalem.”  The 
biggest  sinner  is  the  biggest  sinner;  the  biggest 
is  the  Jerusalem  sinner.* 

It  is  true,  he  saith,  that  “repentance  and  re- 
mission of  sins  must  go  together;”  but  yet  re- 
mission is  sent  to  the  chief,  the  Jerusalem  sin- 
ner; nor  doth  repentance  lessen  at  all  the  Je- 
rusalem sinner’s  crimes;  it  diminisheth  none 
of  his  sins,  nor  causes  that  there  should  be  so 
much  as  half  a one  the  fewer:  it  only  puts  a 
stop  to  the  Jerusalem  sinner’s  course,  and 
makes  him  willing  to  be  saved  freely  by  grace, 
and  for  time  to  come  to  be  governed  by  that 
blessed  word  that  has  brought  the  tidings  of 
good  things  to  him. 

Besides,  no  man  shows  himself  willing  to  be 
saved  that  repenteth  not  of  his  deeds ; for  he 
that  goes  on  still  in  his  trespasses  declares  that 
he  is  resolved  to  pursue  his  own  damnation 
further. 

Learn,  then,  to  judge  of  the  largeness  of 
God’s  heart,  and  of  the  heart  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  by  the  word.  Judge  not  thereof  by 
feeling  nor  by  the  reports  of  thy  conscience; 
conscience  is  oftentimes  here  befooled  and 
made  to  go  quite  beside  the  word.  It  was 
judging  without  the  word  that  made  David 
say,  I am  cast  off  from  God’s  eyes,  and  shall 
perish  one  day  by  the  hand  of  Saul.  Ps.  xxi. 
22 ; 1 Sam.  xxvii.  1. 

The  word  had  told  him  another  thing — 
namely,  that  he  should  be  king  in  his  stead. 
Our  text  says  also  that  Jesus  Christ  bids 
preachers,  in  their  preaching  repentance  and 
remission  of  sins,  “Begin  first  at  Jerusalem;” 
thereby  declaring  most  truly  the  infinite  large- 
ness of  the  merciful  heart  of  God  and  his  Son 
to  the  sinful  children  of  men. 

Judge  thou,  I say,  therefore,  of  the  goodness 
of  the  heart  of  God  and  his  Son  by  this  text, 
and  by  the  other  of  the  same  import ; so  thou 
shalt  not  dishonour  the  grace  of  God,  nor 
needlessly  fright  thyself,  nor  give  away  thy 
faith,  nor  gratify  the  devil,  nor  lose  the  benefit 
of  his  word.  I speak  now  to  weak  believers. 

Secondly,  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 

most  glorified  by  pardoning  the  greatest  sinners  and 
raising  monuments  of  praise  to  the  glory  jf  bis  grace. 


348 


B UN  Y AN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners, 
to  the  Jerusalem  sinners  ? Then  by  this  also 
you  must  learn  to  judge  of  the  sufficiency  of 
the  merits  of  Christ ; not  that  the  merits  of 
Christ  can  be  comprehended,  for  they  are 
beyond  the  conceptions  of  the  whole  world, 
being  called  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ, 
but  yet  they  may  be  apprehended  to  a consid- 
erable degree.  Now,  the  way  to  apprehend 
them  most  is  to  consider  what  offers,  after  his 
resurrection,  he  makes  of  his  grace  to  sinners; 
for  to  be  sure  he  will  not  offer  beyond  the  vir- 
tue of  his  merits ; because,  as  grace  is  the 
cause  of  his  merits,  so  his  merits  are  the  basis 
and  bounds  upon  and  by  which  his  grace 
stands  good  and  is  let  out  to  sinners.*  Doth 
he  then  command  that  his  mercy  should  be 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners? 
It  declares  that  there  is  sufficiency  in  his  blood 
to  save  the  biggest  sinners.  The  blood  of  Je- 
sus Christ  cleanseth  from  ail  sin.  And  again, 
“ Be  it  known  unto  you,  men  and  brethren, 
that  through  this  man  (this  man’s  merits)  is 
preached  to  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and 
by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all 
things  from  which  they  could  not  be  justified 
by  the  law  of  Moses.”  Acts  xiii.  38. 

Observe,  then,  thy  rule  to  make  judgment 
of  the  sufficiency  of  the  blessed  merits  of  thy 
Saviour.  If  he  had  not  been  able  to  have  re- 
conciled the  biggest  sinners  to  his  Father  by 
his  blood,  he  would  not  have  sent  to  them — 
have  sent  to  them,  in  the  first  place,  the  doc- 
trine of  remission  of  sins;  for  remission  of 
sins  is  through  faith  in  his  blood.  We  are 
justified  freely  by  the  grace  of  God,  through 
the  redemption  that  is  in  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Upon  the  square,  as  I may  call  it,  of  the 
worthiness  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  grace  acts 
and  offers  forgiveness  of  sin  to  men.  Eph.  i.  7 ; 
ii.  13,  14;  Col.  i.  20,  21,  22. 

Hence,  therefore,  we  must  gather  that  the 
blood  of  Christ  is  of  infinite  value,  for  that  he 
offereth  mercy  to  the  biggest  of  sinners.  Nay, 
further,  since  he  offereth  mercy  in  the  first 
place  to  the  biggest  sinners,  considering  also 
that  this  first  act  of  his  is  that  which  the  world 
will  take  notice  of  and  expect  it  should  be 
continued  unto  the  end,  also  it  is  a disparage- 
ment to  a man  that  seeks  his  own  glory  in 


* Christ  and  all  his  salvation  is  bestowed  as  a free 
gift  upon  those  that  do  not  work  to  procure  any  right 
or  title  to  him,  but  only  believe  on  Him  that  justifieth 
the  ungodly.  Conditions  and  qualifications  will  ever 
be  a partition-wall  betwixt  the  soul  and  Christ  the 
tomplete  Saviour. 


what  he  undertakes  to  do  that  for  a spurt 
which  he  cannot  continue  and  hold  out  in. 
This  is  our  Lord’s  own  argument,  “He  began 
to  build,”  saith  he,  “ but  was  not  able  to  fin- 
ish.” Luke  xiv.  28,  29,  30. 

Shouldst  thou  hear  a man  say,  I am  resolved 
to  be  kind  to  the  poor,  and  should  begin  giv- 
ing with  handfuls  of  guineas,  you  would  con- 
clude that  either  he  is  wonderful  rich,  or  must 
straiten  his  hand,  or  will  soon  be  at  the  bottom 
of  his  riches.  Why  this  is  the  case : Christ 
at  his  resurrection  gave  it  out  that  he  would 
be  good  to  the  world,  and  first  sends  to  the 
biggest  sinners  with  an  intent  to  have  mercy 
on  them. 

Now,  the  biggest  sinners  cannot  be  saved 
but  by  abundance  of  grace ; it  is  not  a little 
that  will  save  great  sinners.  Rom.  v.  17.  And 
I say  again,  since  the  Lord  Jesus  mounts  thus 
high  at  the  first,  and  sends  to  the  Jerusalem 
sinners,  that  they  may  come  first  to  partake  of 
his  mercy,  it  follows  that  either  he  has  un- 
searchable riches  of  grace  and  worth  in  him- 
self, or  else  he  must  straiten  his  hand,  or  his 
grace  and  merits  will  be  spent  before  the  world 
is  at  an  end.  But  let  it  be  believed,  as  surely 
as  spoken,  he  is  still  as  full  as  ever ; he  is  not 
a jot  the  poorer  for  all  the  forgiveness  that  he 
has  given  away  to  great  sinners.  Also  he  is 
still  as  free  as  at  first;  for  he  never  yet  called 
back  this  word,f  “ Begin  at  the  Jerusalem  sin- 
ners.” And,  as  I said  before,  since  his  grace 
extended  according  to  the  worth  of  his  merits, 
J conclude  that  there  is  the  same  virtue  in  his 
merits  to  save  now  as  there  was  at  the  very 
beginning. 

Oh  the  riches  of  the  grace  of  Christ ! Oh 
the  riches  of  the  blood  of  Christ  1 

Thirdly,  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners  ? 
Then  here  is  encouragement  for  you  that 
think,  for  wicked  hearts  and  lives,  you  have 
not  your  fellows  in  the  world,  yet  to  come  to 
him. 

There  is  a people  that  therefore  fear  lest  they 
should  be  rejected  of  Jesus  Christ  because  of 
the  greatness  of  their  sins,  when,  as  you  see 
here,  such  are  sent  to,  sent  to  by  J esus  Christ, 
to  come  to  him  for  mercy,  “Begin  at  Jerusa- 


t Oh  what  a Saviour  is  Jesus  Christ!  He  is  ever- 
lastingly and  unchangeably  faithful  and  true — his 
salvation  infinitely  and  inexhaustibly  free  and  full ! 
He  is  the  faithful  and  true  witness;  holy,  and  cannot 
lie;  righteous,  and  cannot  deceive;  wise,  and  cannot 
be  deceived.  0 Israel,  trust  in  the  Lord  Jehovah 
Jesus!  Rev.  iii. ; Isa.  xvi.  4. 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


349 


lem.”  Never  did  one  thing  answer  another 
more  fitly  in  this  world  than  this  text  fitteth 
such  kind  of  sinners.  As  face  answereth  face 
in  a glass,  so  this  text  answereth  the  necessi- 
ties of  such  sinners.  What  can  a man  say 
more  but  that  he  stands  in  the  rank  of  the  big- 
gest sinners?  Let  him  stretch  himself  whither 
he  can,  and  think  of  himself  to  the  utmost,  he 
can  but  conclude  himself  to  be  one  of  the  big- 
gest sinners.  And  what  then?  Why  the  text 
meets  him  in  the  very  face,  and  saith,  Christ 
offercth  mercy  to  the  biggest  sinners,  to  the 
very  Jerusalem  sinners.  What  more  can  be 
objected?  Nay,  he  doth  not  only  offer  to  such 
his  mercy,  but  to  them  it  is  commanded  to  be 
offered  in  the  first  place ; “ Begin  at  Jerusa- 
lem.” Breach  repentance  and  remission  of 
sins  among  all  nations,  “Beginning  at  Jerusa- 
lem.” Is  not  here  encouragement  for  those 
that  think,  for  wicked  hearts  and  lives,  they 
have  not  their  fellows  in  the  world? 

Objection.  But  I have  a heart  as  hard  as  a rock. 

Answer.  Well,  but  this  doth  but  prove  thee 
a bigger  sinner. 

Objection.  But  my  heart  continually  frets 
against  the  Lord. 

Answer.  Well,  this  doth  but  prove  thee  a 
bigger  sinner. 

Objection.  But  I have  been  desperate  in  sin- 
ful courses. 

Answer.  Well,  stand  thou  with  the  number 
of  the  biggest  sinners. 

Objection.  But  my  gray  head  is  found  in  the 
way  of  wickedness. 

Answer.  Well  thou  art  in  the  rank  of  the 
biggest  sinners. 

Objection.  But  T have  not  only  a base  heart, 
but  I have  lived  a debauched  life. 

Answer.  Stand  thou  also  among  those  that 
are  called  the  biggest  sinners.  And  what 
then?  Why  the  text  swoops  you  all ; you  can- 
not object  yourselves  beyond  the  text.  It  has 
a particular  message  to  the  biggest  sinners.  I 
say  it  swoops  you  all. 

Objection.  But  I am  a reprobate. 

Answer.  Now  thou  talkest  like  a fool  and  of 
that  thou  understandest  not:  no  sin  but  the 
sin  of  final  impenitence  can  prove  a man  a 
reprobate ; and  I am  sure  thou  hast  not  arrived 
as  yet  unto  that ; therefore  thou  understandest 
not  what  thou  sayest,  and  makest  groundless 
conclusions  against  thyself.  Say  thou  art  a 
sinner,  and  I will  hold  with  thee ; say  thou  art 
a great  sinner,  and  I will  say  so  too ; yea,  say 
thou  art  one  of  the  biggest  sinners,  and  spare 
not ; for  the  text  yet  is  beyond  thee,  is  yet  be- 


twixt hell  and  thee.  “Begin  at  Jerusalem” 
has  yet  a smile  upon  thee  ; and  thou  talkest  as 
if  thou  wast  a reprobate,  and  that  the  greatness 
of  thy  sins  do  prove  thee  so  to  be,  when  yet 
they  of  Jerusalem  were  not  such  ; whose  sins, 
I dare  say,  were  such,  both  for  bigness  and 
heinousness,  as  thou  art  not  capable  of  com- 
mitting beyond  them,  unless  now,  after  thou 
hast  received  conviction  that  the  Lord  Jesus  is 
the  only  Saviour  of  the  world,  thou  shouldst 
wickedly  and  despitefully  turn  thyself  from 
him,  and  conclude  he  is  not  to  be  trusted  to 
for  life,  and  so  crucify  him  for  a cheat  afresh. 
This,  I must  confess,  will  bring  a man  under 
the  black  rod  and  set  him  in  danger  of  eternal 
damnation.  Heb.  vi.  G ; x.  29.  This  is  tramp- 
ling under  foot  the  Son  of  God  and  counting 
his  blood  an  unholy  thing.  This  did  they  of 
Jerusalem,  but  they  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbe- 
lief, and  so  were  yet  capable  of  mercy.  But  to 
do  this  against  professed  light,  and  to  stand  to 
it,  puts  a man  beyond  the  text  indeed.  Acts  iii. 
14-17  ; 1 Tim.  i.  13. 

But  I say,  what  is  this  to  him  that  would 
fain  be  saved  by  Christ?  His  sins  did,  as 
to  greatness,  never  yet  reach  to  the  nature 
of  the  sins  that  the  sinners  intended  by  the 
text  had  made  themselves  guilty  of.  He  that 
would  be  saved  by  Christ  has  an  honourable 
esteem  of  him,  but  they  of  Jerusalem  preferred 
a murderer  before  him  ; but  as  for  him,  they 
cried,  Away,  away  with  him ! it  is  not  fit  that 
he  should  live.  Perhaps  thou  wilt  object  that 
thyself  hast  a thousand  times  preferred  a stink- 
ing lust  before  him : I answer,  be  it  so : it  is 
but  what  is  common  to  men  to  do;  nor  doth 
the  Lord  Jesus  make  such  a foolish  life  a bar 
to  thee  to  forbid  thy  coming  to  him,  or  a bond 
to  his  grace  that  it  might  be  kept  from  thee, 
but  admits  of  thy  repentance,  and  offereth 
himself  unto  thee  freely  as  thou  standest 
among  the  Jerusalem  sinners. 

Take  therefore  encouragement,  man.  Mercy 
is,  by  the  text,  held  forth  to  the  biggest  sin- 
ners; yea,  put  thyself  into  the  number  of  the 
worst,  by  reckoning  that  thou  rnayest  be  one 
of  the  first,  and  rnayest  not  be  put  off  till  the 
biggest  sinners  are  served,  for  the  biggest  sin- 
ners are  first  invited;  consequently,  if  they 
come  they  are  like  to  be  the  first  that  shall  be 
served.  It  was  so  with  Jerusalem : Jerusalem 
sinners  were  they  that  were  first  invited,  and 
those  of  them  that  came  first,  (and  there  came 
three  thousand  of  them  the  first  day  they  were 
invited;  how  many  came  afterwards  none  can 
toll,)  they  were  first  served. 


350 


SUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Put  in  thy  name,  man,  among  the  biggest, 
lest  thou  art  made  to  wait  till  they  are  served. 
You  have  some  men  that  think  themselves 
very  cunning  because  they  put  up  their  names 
in  their  prayers  among  them  that  feign  it,  say- 
ing, God,  I thank  thee  I am  not  so  bad  as  the 
worst.  But  believe  it,  if  they  be  saved  at  all 
they  shall  be  saved  in  the  last  place.  The  first 
in  their  own  eyes  shall  be  saved  last,  and  the 
last  or  worst  shall  be  first.  The  text  insin- 
uates it:  “Begin  at  Jerusalem;”  and  reason 
backs  it,  for  they  have  most  need.  Behold  ye, 
therefore,  how  God’s  ways  are  above  ours ; we 
are  for  serving  the  worst  last ; God  is  for  serv- 
ing the  worst  first.  The  man  at  the  pool  that 
to  my  thinking  was  longest  in  his  disease,  and 
t most  helpless  as  to  his  cure,  was  first  healed : 
yea,  he  only  was  healed ; for  we  read  that 
Christ  healed  him,  but  we  read  not  then  that 
he  healed  one  more  there.  John  v.  1,  10. 

Wherefore,  if  thou  wouldst  soonest  be  served 
put  in  thy  name  among  the  very  worst  of  sin- 
ners. Say,  when  thou  art  upon  thy  knees, 
Lord,  here  is  a Jerusalem  sinner,  a sinner  of 
the  biggest  size ; one  whose  burden  is  of  the 
greatest  bulk  and  heaviest  weight;  one  that 
cannot  stand  long  without  sinking  into  hell 
without  thy  supporting  hand.  “ Be  not  thou 
far  from  me,  0 Lord : 0 my  strength,  haste 
thou  to  help  me.” 

I say,  put  in  thy  name  with  Magdalen,  with 
Manasseh,  that  thou  mayest  fare  as  the  Mag- 
dalen and  the  Manasseh  sinners  do.  The  man 
in  the  Gospel  made  the  desperate  condition  of 
his  child  an  argument  with  Christ  to  haste  his 
cure.  “Sir,  come  down,”  saith  he,  “ere  my 
child  die,”  (John  iv.  49,)  and  Christ  regarded 
his  haste,  saying,  “Go  thy  way,  thy  son  liveth.” 
Yer.  50.  Haste  requires  haste.  David  was 
for  speed;  deliver  me  speedily,  hear  me  speed- 
ily, answer  me  speedily.  Ps.  xxxi.  2 ; Ixix.  17 ; 
cii.  3.  But  why  speedily  ? I am  in  the  net,  I 
am  in  trouble,  my  days  consume  like  smoke. 
Ps.  xxxi.  4 : lxix.  17 ; cii.  3.  Deep  calleth 
unto  deep,  necessity  calls  for  help — great  neces- 
sity for  present  help. 

Wherefore,  I say,  be  ruled  by  me  in  this 
matter ; feign  not  thyself  another  man  if  thou 
hast  been  a filthy  sinner,  but  go  in  thy  colours 
to  Jesus  Christ,  and  put  thyself  among  the 
most  vile,  and  let  him  alone  to  put  thee  among 
the  children.  Jer.  iii.  19.  Confess  all  that 
thou  knowest  of  thyself ; I know  thou  wilt  find 
it  hard  work  to  do  thus,  especially  if  thy  mind 
be  legal ; but  do  it,  lest  thou  stay  and  be  de- 
ferred with  the  little  sinners  until  the  great 


ones  have  had  their  alms.  What  do  you  think 
David  intended  when  he  said  his  wounds  stunk 
and  were  corrupted,  but  to  hasten  God  to  have 
mercy  upon  him  and  not  to  defer  his  cure? 
“ Lord,”  says  he,  “ I am  troubled,  I am  bowed 
down  greatly,  I go  mourning  all  the  day  long; 
I am  feeble  and  sore  broken  by  reason  of  the 
disquietment  of  my  heart.”  Ps.  xxxviii.  3-7. 

David  knew  what  he  did  by  all  this;  he 
knew  that  his  making  the  worst  of  his  case  was 
the  way  to  speedy  help,  and  that  a feigning 
and  dissembling  the  matter  with  God  was  the 
next  way  to  a demur  as  to  his  forgiveness. 

I have  one  thing  more  to  offer  for  thy  en- 
couragement who  deemest  thyself  one  of  ihe 
biggest  sinners,  and  that  is,  thou  art  as  it  were 
called  by  thy  name,  in  the  first  place,  to  come 
in  for  mercy.  Thou  man  of  Jerusalem,  hearken 
to  thy  call ; men  do  so  in  courts  of  judicature, 
and  presently  cry  out,  Here,  sir,  and  then 
shoulder  and  cfowd,  and  say,  Pray  give  way,  I 
am  called  into  the  court.  Why,  this  is  the 
case,  thou  great,  thou  Jerusalem  sinner;  be  of 
good  cheer,  he  calleth  thee.  Mark  x.  46-49. 
Why  sittest  thou  still  ? Arise.  Why  standest 
thou  still?  Come,  man,-  thy  call  should  give 
thee  authority  to  come.  “ Begin  at  Jerusalem  ” 
is  thy  call  and  authority  to  come ; wherefore 
up  and  shoulder  it,  man ; say,  Stand  away, 
devil,  Christ  calls  me;  stand  away,  unbelief, 
Christ  calls  me ; stand  away,  all  ye  my  dis- 
couraging apprehensions,  for  my  Saviour  calls 
me  to  him  to  receive  of  his  mercy.  Men  will 
do  thus,  as  I said,  in  courts  below,  and  why 
shouldst  not  thou  approach  thus  to  the  court 
above?  The  Jerusalem  sinner  is  first  in 
thought,  first  in  commission,  first  in  the  record 
of  names,  and  therefore  should  give  attendance 
with  expectation  that  he  is  first  to  receive 
mercy  of  God. 

Is  not  this  an  encouragement  to  the  biggest 
sinners  to  make  their  application  to  Christ  for 
mercy  ? “ Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour 
and  are  heavy  laden,”  doth  also  confirm  this 
thing ; that  is,  that  the  biggest  sinner,  and  he 
that  has  the  biggest  burden,  is  he  who  is  first 
invited.  Christ  pointeth  over  the  heads  of 
thousands,  as  he  sits  on  the  throne  of  grace, 
directly  to  such  a man,  and  says,  Bring  in 
hither  the  maimed,  the  halt,  and  the  blind; 
let  the  Jerusalem  sinner  that  stands  there  be- 
hind come  to  me.  Wherefore,  since  Christ 
says,  Come,  to  thee,  let  the  angels  make  a lane, 
and  let  all  men  give  place,  that  the  Jerusalem 
sinner  may  come  to  Jesus  Christ  for  mercy. 

Fourthly,  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


351 


offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners? 
Then  come,  thou  profane  wretch,  and  let  me  a 
little  enter  into  an  argument  with  thee.  Why 
wilt  thou  not  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  since  thou 
art  a Jerusalem  sinner?  How  canst  thou  find 
in  thy  heart  to  set  thy  self  against  grace,  against 
such  grace  as  offereth  mercy  to  thee?  What 
spirit  possesseth  thee  and  holds  thee  back  from 
a sincere  closure  with  thy  Saviour?  Behold 
God  groaningly  complains  of  thee,  saying, 
“ But  Israel  would  none  of  me.  When  I 
called  none  did  answer.”  Ps.  lxxxi.  11 ; Isa. 
lxvi.  4. 

Shall  God  enter  this  complaint  against  thee? 
Why  dost' thou  put  him  off?  Why  dost  thou 
stop  thine  car?  Canst  thou  defend  thyself? 
When  thou  art  called  to  an  account  for  thy 
neglects  of  so  great  salvation,  what  canst  thou 
answer?  Or  dost  thou  think  thou  slialt  escape 
the  judgment?  Hcb.  ii.  3. 

No  more  such  Christs ! There  will  be  no 
more  such  Christs,  sinner!  Oh,  put  not  off 
the  day  of  grace  away  from  thee!  If  it  be 
once  gone,  it  will  never  come  again,  sinner. 

But  what  is  it  that  has  got  thy  heart  and 
that  keeps  it  from  thy  Saviour?  “ Who  in  the 
heavens  can  be  compared  unto  the  Lord? 
Who  among  the  sons  of  the  mighty  can  be 
likened  unto  the  Lord?”  Ps.  lxxxix.  6.  Hast 
thou,  thinkest  thou,  found  any  thing  so  good 
as  Jesus  Christ?  Is  there  any  among  thy  sins, 
thy  companions,  aud  foolish  delights  that  like 
Christ  can  help  thee  in  the  day  of  thy  distress? 
Behold,  the  greatness  of  thy  sins  cannot  hinder ; 
let  not  the  stubbornness  of  thy  heart  hinder 
thee,  sinner. 

Objection.  But  I am  ashamed. 

Answer.  Oh,  do  not  be  ashamed  to  be  saved, 
sinner. 

Objection.  But  my  old  companions  will  mock 
me. 

Ansiver.  Oh,  do  not  be  mocked  out  of  eternal 
life,  sinner. 

Thy  stubbornness  affects,  afflicts  the  heart 
of  thy  Saviour.  Carest  thou  not  for  this  ? Of 
old  he  beheld  the  city  and  wrept  over  it.  Canst 
thou  hear  this  and  not  be  concerned?  Luke 
xix.  41,  42.  Shall  Christ  weep  to  see  thy  soul 
going  on  to  destruction,  and  wilt  thou  sport 
thyself  in  that  way  ? Yea,  shall  Christ,  that 
can  be  eternally  happy  without  thee,  be  more 
afflicted  at  the  thoughts  of  the  loss  of  thy  soul 
than  thyself,  who  art  certainly  eternally  mis- 
erable if  thou  neglectest  to  come  to  him  ? 

Those  things  that  keep  thee  and  thy  Sa- 
viour, on  thy  part,  asunder  are  but  bubbles  ; 


the  least  prick  of  an  affliction  will  let  out,  as 
to  thee,  what  now  thou  thinkest  is  worth  the 
venture  of  heaven  to  enjoy. 

Hast  thou  not  reason?  Canst  thou  not  so 
much  as  once  soberly  think  of  thy  dying  hour, 
or  of  whither  thy  sinful  life  will  drive  thee 
then?  Hast  thou  no  conscience?  or,  having 
one,  is  it  rocked  so  fast  asleep  by  sin,  or  made 
so  weary  with  an  unsuccessful  calling  upon 
thee,  that  it  is  laid  down  and  cares  for  thee  no 
more  ? Poor  man ! tliy  state  is  to  be  lamented. 
Hast  no  judgment?  Art  not  able  to  conclude 
that  to  be  saved  is  better  than  to  burn  in  hell, 
and  that  eternal  life  with  God’s  favour  is  better 
than  a temporal  life  in  God’s  displeasure  ? Hast 
no  affection  but  what  is  brutish  ? What ! none 
at  all  ? no  affection  for  the  God  that  made  thee  ? 
what ! none  for  his  loving  Son  that  has  showed 
his  love  and  died  for  thee?  Is  not  heaven 
worth  thy  affection?  0 poor  man,  which  is 
strongest,  thinkest  thou,  God  or  thee  ? If  thou 
art  not  able  to  overcome  him,  thou  art  a fool 
for  standing  out  against  him.  Matt.  v.  25,  26. 
“ It  is  a fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  living  God.”  He  will  gripe  hard,  his  fist 
is  stronger  than  a lion’s  paw ; take  heed  of  him ; 
he  will  be  angry  if  you  despise  his  Son ; and 
will  you  stand  guilty  in  your  trespasses  when  he 
offereth  you  his  grace  and  favour?  Ex.  xxxiv. 
6,  7 ; Heb.  x.  29-31. 

Now  we  come  to  the  text,  “Beginning  at 
Jerusalem.”  This  text,  though  it  be  now  one 
of  the  brightest  stars  that  shineth  in  the  Bible, 
because  there  is  in  it  as  full,  if  not  the  fullest 
offer  of  grace  that  can  be  imagined  to  the  sons 
of  men,  yet  to  them  that  shall  perish  from 
under  this  word,  even  this  text  will  be  to  such 
one  of  the  hottest  coals  in  hell. 

This  text,  therefore,  will  save  thee  or  sink 
thee;  there  is  no  shifting  of  it;  if  it  saves 
thee,  it  will  set  thee  high ; if  it  sinks  thee,  it 
will  set  thee  low. 

But,  I say,  why  so  unconcerned?  Hast  no 
soul?  or  dost  think  thou  mayest  lose  thy  soul 
and  save  thyself?  Is  it  not  pity,  had  it  other- 
wise been  the  will  of  God,  that  ever  thou  wast 
made  a man,  for  that  thou  settest  so  little  by 
thy  soul  ? 

Sinner,  take  the  invitation  ; thou  art  called 
upon  to  come  to  Christ;  nor  art  thou  called 
upon  but  by  order  from  the  Son  of  God,  though 
thou  shouldst  happen  to  come  of  the  biggest 
sinners,  for  he  has  bid  us  offer  mercy,  as  to  all 
the  world  in  general,  so,  in  the  first  place,  to 
the  sinners  of  Jerusalem  or  to  the  biggest 
sinners. 


f 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


352 

Fifthly,  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy  of- 
fered in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners? 
Then  this  shows  how  unreasonable  a thing  it 
is  for  men  to  despair  of  mercy.  For  those 
that  presume,  I shall  say  something  to  them 
afterward. 

I now  speak  to  them  that  despair. 

There  are  four  sorts  of  despair.  There  is 
the  despair  of  devils ; there  is  the  despair  of 
souls  in  hell ; there  is  the  despair  that  is 
grounded  upon  men’s  deficiency;  and  there  is 
the  despair  that  they  are  perplexed  with  that 
are  willing  to  be  saved,  but  are  too  strongly 
borne  down  with  the  burden  of  their  sins. 

The  despair  of  devils,  the  damned’s  despair, 
and  that  despair  that  a man  has  of  attaining 
of  life  because  of  his  own  deficiency,  are  all 
reasonable.  Why  should  not  devils  and  damn- 
ed souls  despair  ? Y ea,  why  should  not  man 
despair  of  getting  to  heaven  by  his  own  abili- 
ties? I therefore  am  concerned  only  with  the 
fourth  sort  of  despair — to  wit,  with  the  despair 
of  those  that  would  be  saved,  but  are  too 
strongly  borne  down  with  the  burden  of  their 
sins. 

I say,  therefore,  to  thee  that  art  thus,  And 
why  despair?  Thy  despair,  if  it  were  reason- 
able, should  flow  from  thee  because  found  in  the 
land  that  is  beyond  the  grave,  or  because  thou 
certainly  knowest  that  Christ  will  not  or  can- 
not save  thee. 

But  for  the  first,  thou  art  yet  in  the  land  of 
the  living ; and  for  the  second,  thou  hast  ground 
to  believe  the  quite  contrary.  Christ  is  able 
to  save  to  the  uttermost  them  that  come  to  God 
by  him ; and  if  he  were  not  willing  he  would 
not  have  commanded  that  mercy,  in  the  first 
place,  should  be  offered  to  the  biggest  sinners. 
Besides,  he  hath  said,  “ And  let  him  that  is 
athirst  come,  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  take 
the  water  of  life  freely ; ” that  is,  with  all  my 
heart.  What  ground  now  is  here  for  despair? 
If  thou  sayest,  The  number  and  burden  of  my 
sins,  I answer,  Hay,  that  is  rather  a ground  for 
faith ; because  such  an  one,  above  all  others, 
is  invited  by  Christ  to  come  unto  him,  yea, 
promised  rest  and  forgiveness  if  they  come. 
Matt.  xi.  28.  What  ground,  then,  to  despair? 
Verily,  none  at  all.  Thy  despair,  then,  is  a 
thing  unreasonable,  and  without  footing  in  the 
word. 

But  I have  no  experience  of  God’s  love; 
God  hath  given  me  no  comfort  or  ground  of 
hope,  though  I have  waited  upon  him  for  it 
many  a day. 

Thou  hast  experience  of  God’s  love  for  that 


he  has  opened  thine  eyes  to  see  thy  sins,  and 
for  that  he  hath  given  thee  desires  to  be  saved 
by  Jesus  Christ.  For  by  thy  sense  of  sin  thou 
art  made  to  see  thy  poverty  of  spirit,  and  that 
has  laid  thee  under  a sure  ground  to  hope  that 
heaven  shall  be  thine  hereafter. 

Also  thy  desires  to  be  saved  by  Christ  have 
put  thee  under  another  promise,  so  there  is 
two  to  hold  thee  tip  in  them,  though  thy  pres- 
ent burden  be  never  so  heavy.  Matt.  v.  3,  6. 
As  for  what  thou  sayest  as  to  God’s  silence  to 
thee,  perhaps  he  has  spoken  to  thee  once  or 
twdce  already,  but  thou  hast  not  perceived  it. 
Job  xxxiii.  14,  15. 

However,  thou  hast  Christ  crucified  set  forth 
before  thine  eyes  in  the  Bible,  and  an  invita- 
tion to  come  unto  him,  though  thou  be  a Je- 
rusalem sinner,  though  thou  be  the  biggest 
sinner ; and  so  no  ground  to  despair.  What  if 
God  will  be  silent  to  thee : is  that  ground  of 
despair?  Not  at  all,  so  long  as  there  is  a 
promise  in  the  Bible  that  God  will  in  nowise 
cast  away  the  coming  sinner,  and  so  long  as  he 
invites  the  Jerusalem  sinner  to  come  unto 
him.  John  vi.  37. 

Build  not  therefore  despair  upon  these 
things;  they  are  no  sufficient  foundation  for 
it,  such  plenty  of  promises  being  in  the 
Bible,  and  such  a discovery  of  his  mercy  to 
great  sinners  of  old;  especially  since  we  have 
withal  a clause  in  the  commission  given  to 
ministers  to  preach  that  they  should  begin 
with  the  Jerusalem  sinners  in  their  offering  of 
mercy  to  the  world. 

Besides,  God  says,  “They  that  wait  upon 
the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength,  they 
shall  mount  up  with  wings'  like  eagles ;”  but 
perhaps  it  may  be  long  first.  “ I waited  long,” 
saitli  David,  “ and  did  seek  the  Lord ;”  and  at 
length  his  cry  was  heard : wrherefore  he  bids 
his  soul  wait  on  God,  and  says  for  it  is  good 
so  to  do  before  thy  saints.  Ps.  xl.  1 ; lxii.  5 ; 
lii.  9. 

And  what  if  thou  waitest  upon  God  all  thy 
days?  Is  it  below  thee?  And  what  if  God 
will  cross  his  book  and  blot  out  the  hand- 
writing that  is  against  thee,  and  not  let  thee 
know  it  as  yet?  Is  it  fit  to  say  unto  God, 
Thou  art  hard-hearted?  Despair  not;  thou 
hast  no  ground  to  despair  so  long  as  thou 
livest  in  this  world.  It  is  a sin  to  begin  to 
despair  before  one  sets  his  foot  over  the 
threshold,  of  hell-gates.  For  them  that  are 
there,  let  them  despair  and  spare  not,  but  as 
for  thee,  thou  hast  no  ground  for  to  do  it. 
What!  despair  of  bread  in  a land  that  is 


THE  JKIl  USA  LEM  SINE  Eli  SA  VET). 


353 


full  of  corn?  .despair  of  mercy  when  our  God 
i«  full  of  mercy?  despair  of  mercy  when  God 
goes  about  by  his  ministers  beseeching  of  sin- 
ners to  be  reconciled  unto  him?  2 Cor.  v. 
18-20. 

Thou  scrupulous  fool ! where  const  thou  find 
that  God  was  ever  false  to  his  promise,  or  that 
he  ever  deceived  the  soul  that  ventured  itsell 
upon  him?  He  often  calls  upon  sinners  to 
trust  him,  though  they  walk  in  darkness  and 
have  no  light.  Isa.  1.  10. 

They  have  his  promise  and  oath  for  their 
salvation  that  flee  for  refuge  to  the  hope  set 
before  them.  Heb.  vi.  17,  18. 

Despair  1 when  we  have,  a God  of  mercy 
and  a redeeming  Christ  alive ! For  shame, 
forbear!  Let  them  despair  that  dwell  where 
there  is  no  God,  and  that  are  confined  to  those 
chambers  of  death  which  can  be  reached  by 
no  redemption. 

A living  man  despair  when  he  is  chid  for 
murmuring  and  complaining  I Lam.  iii.  39. 
Oh,  so  long  as  we  are  where  promises  swarm, 
where  mercy  is  proclaimed,  where  grace  reigns, 
and  where  Jerusalem  sinners  are  privileged 
with  the  first  offer  of  mercy,  it  is  a base  thing 
to  despair. 

Despair  undervalues  the  promise,  under- 
values the  invitation,  undervalues  the  proffer 
of  grace.  Despair  undervalues  the  ability 
of  God  the  Father  and  the  redeeming  blood 
of  Christ  his  Son.  0 unreasonable  despair! 

Despair  makes  man  God’s  judge;  it  is  a 
controller  of  the  promise,  a contradicter  of 
Christ  in  his  large  offers  of  mercy,  and  one 
that  undertakes  to  make  unbelief  the  great 
manager  of  our  reason  and  judgment  in  de- 
termining about  what  God  can  and  will  do  for 
sinners. 

Despair!  It  is  the  devil’s  fellow,  the  devil’s 
master,  yea,  the  chains  with  which  he  is  cap- 
tivated and  held  under  darkness  for  ever ; and 
to  give  way  thereto  in  a land,  in  a state  and 
time  that  flows  with  milk  and  honey  is  an  un- 
comely thing. 

I would  say  to  my  soul,  0 my  soul!  this  is 
not  the  place  of  despair ; this  is  not  the  time 
to  despair  in.  As  long  as  mine  eyes  can  find 
a promise  in  the  Bible,  as  long  as  there  is  the 
least  mention  of  grace,  as  long  as  there  is  a 
moment  left  me  of  breath  or  life  in  this  world, 
so  long  will  I wait  or  look  for  mercy,  so  long 
will  I fight  against  unbelief  and  despair. 

This  is  the  way  to  honour  God  and  Christ; 
this  is  the  way  to  set  the  crown  on  the  prom- 
ise ; this  is  the  way  to  welcome  the  invitation 
23 


and  inviter;  and  this  is  the  way  to  thrust  thy- 
self under  the  shelter  and  protection  of  the 
word  of  grace.  Never  despair  so  long  as  our 
text  is  alive,  for  that  doth  sound  it  out  that 
mercy  by  Christ  is  offered,  in  the  first  place,  to 
the  biggest  sinner. 

Despair  is  an  unprofitable  thing;  it  will 
make  a man  weary  of  waiting  upon  God,  (2 
Kings  vi.  33;)  it  will  make  a man  forsake 
God,  and  seek  his  heaven  in  the  good  things 
of  this  world.  Gen.  iv.  13-18.  It  will  make  a 
man  his  own  tormentor,  and  flounce  and  fling 
like  a wild  beast  in  a net.  Isa.  li.  20. 

Despair!  It  drives  a man  to  the  study  of 
his  own  ruin,  and  brings  him  at  last  to  be  his 
own  executioner.  2 Sam.  xvii.  23 ; Matt,  xxvii. 
3,  4,  5. 

Besides,  I am  persuaded  also  that  despair  is 
the  cause  that  there  are  so  many  that  would 
fain  be  atheists  in  the  world ; for  because  they 
have  entertained  a conceit  that  God  will  never 
be  merciful  to  them,  therefore  they  labour  to 
persuade  themselves  that  there  is  no  God  at 
all,  as  if  their  misbelief  would  kill  God  or 
cause  him  to  cease  to  be.  A poor  shift  for  an 
immortal  soul,  for  a soul  who  liketh  not  to  re- 
tain God  in  its  knowledge ! If  this  be  the  best 
that  despair  can  do,  let  it  go,  man,  and  betake 
thyself  to  faith,  to  prayer,  to  wait  for  God, 
and  to  hope  in  despite  of  ten  thousand  doubts. 
And  for  thy  encouragement  take  yet  (as  an 
addition  to  what  has  already  been  said)  these 
following  Scriptures : “The  Lord  takes  pleas- 
ure in  them  that  fear  him,  in  them  that  hope 
in  his  mercy.”  Ps.  cxlvii.  11. 

Whence  note,  they  fear  not  God  that  hope 
not  in  his  mercy  ; also  God  is  angry  with  them 
that  hope  not  in  his  mercy,  for  he  only  taketh 
pleasure  in  them  that  hope.  He  that  believeth 
or  hath  received  his  testimony  “ hath  set  to 
his  seal  that  God  is  true,”  (John  iii.  33,)  but 
he  that  receiveth  it  not  hatlr  made  him  a liar, 
and  that  is  a very  unworthy  thing.  1 John  v. 
10,  11.  “ Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  ways,  and 
the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ; and  let  him 
return  to  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  on 
him  ; and  to  our  God,  for  he  w ill  abundantly 
multiply  pardon.”  Isa.  Iv.  7.  Perhaps  thou 
art  weary  of  thy  ways,  but  art  not  wreary  of  thy 
thoughts,  of  thy  unbelieving  and  despairing 
thoughts.  Nowr,  God  also  would  have  thee 
cast  away  these,  thoughts,  as  such  which  he 
dcserveth  not  at  thy  hands,  for  he  will  have 
mercy  upon  thee,  and  he  will  abundantly 
pardon. 

“0  fools!  and  slowT  of  heart  to  believe  all 


354 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


that  the  prophets  haye  spoken  !”  Luke  xxiv. 
25.  Mark  you  here,  slowness  to  believe  is  a 
piece  of  folly.  Ay,  but  sayest  thou,  I do  be- 
lieve some,  and  I believe  what  can  make 
against  me.  Ay,  but,  sinner,  Christ  Jesus 
here  calls  thee  fool  for  not  believing  all.  Be- 
lieve all,  and  despair  if  thou  canst.  He  that 
believes  all  believes  that  text  that  saith  Christ 
would  have  mercy  preached  first  to  the  Jeru- 
salem sinners.  He  that  believeth  all  be- 
lieveth  all  the  promises  and  consolations  of 
the  word ; and  the  promises  and  consolations 
of  the  word  weigh  heavier  than  do  all  the 
curses  and  threatenings  of  the  law,  and  mercy 
rejoiceth  against  judgment.  Wherefore  be- 
lieve all,  and  mercy  will  to  thy  conscience 
weigh  judgment  down,  and  so  minister  com- 
fort to  thy  soul.  The  Lord  take  the  yoke 
from  off  thy  jaws  since  he  has  set  meat  before 
thee,  (Hos.  xi.  4,)  and  help  thee  to  remember 
that  he  is  pleased  in  the  first  place  to  offer 
mercy  to  the  biggest  sinners. 

Sixthly.  Since  Jesus  Christ  would  have 
mercy  offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest 
sinners,  let  souls  see  that  they  lay  right  hold 
thereof,  lest  they,  notwithstanding,  indeed 
come  short  thereof.  Faith  only  knows  how  to 
deal  with  mercy;  wherefore  put  not  in  the 
place  thereof  presumption.  I have  observed 
that  as  there  are  herbs  and  flowers  in  our 
gardens,  so  there  are  counterfeits  in  the  field, 
only  they  are  distinguished  from  the  other  by 
the  name  of  wild  ones.  Why,  there  is  faith 
and  wild  faith;  and  wild  faith  is  this  presump- 
tion. I call  it  wild  faith,  because  God  never 
placed  it  in  his  garden,  his  Church;  it  is  only 
to  be  found  in  the  field,  the  world.  I also  call 
it  wild  faith  because  it  only  grows  up  and  is 
nourished  where  other  wild  notions  abound. 
Wherefore  take  heed  of  this,  and  all  may  be 
well,  for  this  presumptuousness  is  a very  hei- 
nous thing  in  the ’eyes  of  God.  “This  soul,” 
saith  he,  “ that  shall  do  aught  presumptuously, 
(whether  born  in  the  land  or  a stranger,)  the 
same  reproacheth  the  Lord;  and  that  soul 
shall  be  cut  off  from  among  his  people.”  Hum. 
xv.  30. 

The  thoughts  of  this  made  David  tremble 
and  pray,  “That  God  would  hold  him  back 
from  presumptuous  sins,  and  not  strffer  them 
to  have  dominion  over  him.”  Ps.  xix.  13. 

Now  this  presumption,  then,  puts  itself  in 
the  place  of  faith  when  it  tampereth  with  the 
promise  for  life  while  the  soul  is  a stranger  to 
repentance.  Wherefore  you  have  in  the  text, 
to  prevent  doing  thus,  both  repentance  and  re- 


mission of  sins  to  he  offered  to  Jerusalem;  not 
remission  without  repentance,  for  all  that  re- 
pent not  shall  perish,  let  them  presume  on 
grace  and  the  promise  while  they  will.  Luke 
xiii.  1,  2,  3. 

Presumption,  then,  is  that  which  severeth 
faith  and  repentance,  concluding  the  soul  shall 
be  saved  by  grace,  though  the  man  was  never 
made  sorry  for  his  sins  nor  the  love  of  the 
heart  turned  therefrom.  This  is  to  be  self- 
willed,  as  Peter  has  it;  and  this  is  a despising 
the  word  of  God,  for  that  has  put  repentance 
and  faith  together.  Mark  i.  15.  “And  because 
he  has  despised  the  word  of  the  Lord  and 
hath  broken  the  commandment,  that  soul 
shall  utterly  be  cut  off;  his  iniquities  shall  be 
upon  him.”  Num.  xv.  31. 

Let  such  therefore  look  to  it  who  yet  are 
and  abide  in  their  sins;  for  such,  if  they  hope 
they  are  to  be  saved,  presume  upon  the  grace 
of  God.  Wherefore  presumption  and  not 
hearkening  to  God’s  word  are  put  together. 
Deut.  xvii.  12. 

Again:  Then  men  presume  when  they  are 
resolved  to  abide  in  their  sins,  and  yet  expect 
to  be  • saved  by  God’s  grace  through  Christ. 
This  is  as  much  as  to  say,  God  liketh  of  sin  as 
well  as  I do,  and  careth  not  how  men  live  if 
so  be  they  lean  upon  his  Son.  Of  this  sort 
are  they  that  build  up  Zion  with  blood  and 
Jerusalem  with  iniquity,  “that  judge  for  re- 
ward, and  teach  for  hire,  and  divine  for 
money,  and  lean  upon  the  Lord.”  Mic.  ii.  10, 
11.  This  is  doing  things  with  an  high  hand 
against  the  Lord  our  God,  and  a taking  him, 
as  it  were,  at  the  catch ! This  is,  as  we  say 
among  men,  to  seek  to  put  a trick  upon  God, 
as  if  he  had  not  sufficiently  fortified  his  pro- 
posals of  grace  by  his  holy  word  against  all 
such  kind  of  fools  as  these.  But  look  to  it. 

Such  will  be  found  at  the  day  of  God  not 
among  that  great  company  of  Jerusalem  sin- 
ners that  shall  be  saved  by  grace,  but  among 
those  that  have  been  the  great  abusers  of  the 
grace  of  God  in  the  world.  Those  that  say, 
Let  us  sin  that  grace  may  abound,  and  let  us 
do  evil  that  good  may  come,  their  damnation 
is  just.  And  if  so,  they  are  a great  way  off 
of  that  salvation  that  is  by  Jesus  Christ  pre- 
sented to  the  Jerusalem  sinnez’s. 

I have  therefore  these  things  to  pi'opound 
to  that  Jerusalem  sinner  that  would  know  if 
he  may  be  so  bold  to  venture  himself  upon 
this  grace : 

1.  Dost  thou  see  thy  sins? 

2.  Art  thou  weary  of  them  ? 


TIIE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


355 


3.  Wouldst  thou  with  all  thy  heart  be  saved 
by  Jesus  Christ?  I dare  say  no  less,  I dare 
say  no  more.  But  if  it  be  truly  thus  with 
thee,  how  great  soever  thy  sins  have  been, 
how  bad  soever  thou  l'eclcst  thy  heart,  how 
far  soever  thou  art  from  thinking  that  God 
has  mercy  for  thee,  thou  art  the  man,  the  Je- 
rusalem sinner,  that  the  word  of  God  has  con- 
quered, and  to  whom  it  offereth  free  remission 
of  sins  by  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus 
Christ. 

When  the  jailer  cried  out,  “Sirs,  what  must 
I do  to  be  saved?”  the  answer  was,  “Believe 
on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved.”  He  that  sees  his  sins  aright  is  brought 
to  his  wits’  end  by  them,  and  he  that  is  so  is 
willing  to  part  from  them  and  to  be  saved  by 
the  grace  of  God. 

If  this  be  thy  case,  fear  not,  give  no  way  to 
despair;  thou  presumest  not  if  thou  believest 
to  life  everlasting  in  Jesus  Christ:  yea,  Christ 
is  prepared  for  such  as  thou  art. 

Therefore  take  good  courage  and  believe. 
The  design  of  Satan  is  to  tell  the  presumptu- 
ous that  their  presuming  on  mercy  is  good, 
but  to  persuade  the  believer  that  his  believing 
is  impudent,  bold  dealing  with  God.  I never 
heard  a presumptuous  man  in  my  life  say  that 
he  was  afraid  that  he  presumed;  but  I have 
heard  many  an  honest,  humble  soul  say  that 
they  have  been  afraid  that  their  faith  has  been 
presumption.  Why  should  Satan  molest  those 
whose  ways  he  knows  will  bring  them  to  him  ? 
And  who  can  think  that  he  should  be  quiet 
when  men  take  the  right  course  to  escape  his 
hellish  snares?  This  therefore  is  the  reason 
why  the  truly  humble  is  opposed,  while  the 
presumptuous  goes  on  by  wind  and  tide.  The 
truly  humble  Satan  hates,  but  he  laughs  to  see 
the  foolery  of  the  other. 

Does  thy  hand  and  heart  tremble?  Upon 
thee  the  promise  smiles.  “ To  this  man  will  I 
look,”  says  God,  “ even  to  him  that  is  poor  and 
of  a contrite  spirit,  and  trembles  at  my  word.” 
Isa.  lxvi.  2. 

What,  therefore,  I have  said  of  presumption 
concerns  not  the  humble  in  spirit  at  all.  I 
therefore  am  for  gathering  up  the  stones  and 
for  taking  the  stumbling-blocks  out  of  the  way 
of  God’s  people,  and  forewarning  of  them  that 
they  lay  the  stumbling-block  of  their  iniquity 
before  their  faces,  and  that  for  presuming  upon 
God’s  mercy ; and  let  them  look  to  themselves. 
Ezek.  xiv.  6,  7,  8. 

Also  our  text  stands  firm  as  ever  it  did,  and 
our  observation  is  still  of  force,  that  Jesus 


Christ  would  have  mercy  offered  in  the  first 
place  to  the  biggest  sinners.  So,  then,  let  nono 
despair,  let  none  presume.  Let  none  despair 
that  arc  sorry  for  their  sins,  and  would  be  saved 
by  Jesus  Christ;  let  none  presume  that  abide 
in  the  liking  of  their  sins,  though  they  seem 
to  know  the  exceeding  grace  of  Christ;  for 
though  the  door  stands  wide  open  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  penitent,  yet  it  is  fast  enough 
barred  and  bolted  against  the  presumptuous 
sinner.  Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked ; 
whatsoever  a man  sows,  that  he  shall  reap.  If 
cannot  be  that  God  should  be  wheedled  out  of 
his  mercy,  or  prevailed  upon  by  lips  of  dis- 
simulation ; he  knows  them  that  trust  in  him 
and  that  sincerely  come  to  him  by  Christ  for 
mercy.  Nah.  i.  7. 

It  is,  then,  not  the  abundance  of  sins  com- 
mitted, but  the  not  coming  heartily  to  God  by 
Christ  for  mercy,  that  shuts  men  out  of  doors. 
And  though  their  not  coming  heartily  may  be 
said  to  be  but  a sin,  yet  it  is  such  a sin  as 
eauseth  that  all  thy  other  sins  abide  upon  them 
unforgiven. 

God  complains  of  this:  “They  have  not 
cried  unto  me  with  their  heart : they  turned, 
but  not  to  the  Most  High.  They  turned 
feignedly.” 

Thus  doing  his  soul  hates ; but  the  penitent, 
humble,  broken-hearted  sinner,  be  his  trans- 
gressions red  as  scarlet,  red  like  crimson,  in 
number  as  the  sand,  though  his  transgressions 
cry  to  heaven  against  him  for  vengeance,  and 
seem  there  to  cry  louder  than  do  his  prayers  or 
tears  or  groans  for  mercy,  yet  he  is  safe.  “To 
this  man  God  will  look.” 

Seventhly.  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners? 
Then  here  is  ground  for  those  that  as  to  prac- 
tice have  not  been  such  to  come  to  him  for 
mercy. 

Although  there  is  no  sin  little  of  itself,  be- 
cause it  is  a contradiction  of  the  nature  ami 
majesty  of  God,  yet  we  must  admit  of  divers 
numbers  and  also  of  aggravations.  Two  sins 
are  not  so  many  as  three ; nor  are  three  that 
are  done  in  ignorance  so  big  as  one  that  is  done 
against  light,  against  knowledge  and  conscience. 
Also  there  is  the  child  in  sin,  and  a man  in  sin 
that  has  his  hairs  gray  and  his  skin  wrinkled 
for  very  age.  And  we  must  put  a difference 
betwixt  these  sinners  also.  For  can  it  be  that 
a child  of  seven  or  ten  or  sixteen  years  old 
should  be  such  a sinner,  a sinner  so  vile  in  the 
eye  of  the  law,  as  he  who  has  walked  according 
to  the  course  of  this  world  forty,  fifty,  sixty,  or 


?M 


BUN Y AN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


seventy  years?  Now,  tlie  youth,  this  stripling, 
though  he  is  a sinner,  is  but  a little  sinner 
when  compared  with  such. 

Now,  I say,  if  there  be  room  for  the  first  sort, 
for  those  of  the  biggest  size,  certainly  there  is 
room  for  the  lesser  size.  If  there  be  a door 
wide  enough  for  a giant  to  go  in  at,  there  is 
certainly  room  for  a dwarf.  If  Christ  Jesus 
h is  grace  enough  to  save  great  sinners,  he  has 
surely  grace  enough  to  save  little  ones.  If  he 
can  forgive  five  hundred  pence,  for  certain  he 
can  forgive  fifty. 

But  you  said  before  that  the  little  sinners 
must  stand  by  until  the  great  ones  have  receiv- 
ed their  grace,  and  that’s  discouraging. 

I answer,  There  are  two  sorts  of  little  sin- 
ners— such  as  are  so,  .such  as  feign  themselves 
so.  They  are  those  that  feign  themselves  so 
that  I intend  there,  and  not  those  that  are  in- 
deed comparatively  so.  Such  as  feign  them- 
selves so  may  wait  long  enough  before  they 
obtain  forgiveness. 

But  again,  a sinner  may  be  comparatively  a 
little  sinner  and  sensibly  a great  one.  There 
are  then  two  sorts  of  greatness  in  sin — great- 
ness by  reason  of  number,  greatness  by  reason 
of  thoroughness  of  conviction  of  the  horrible 
nature  of  sin.  In  this  last  sense  he  that  has 
but  one  sin,  if  such  a one  could  be  found,  may 
in  his  own  eyes  find  himself  the  biggest  sinner 
in  the  world.  Let  this  man  or  this  child, 
therefore,  put  himself  among  the  great  sinners, 
and  plead  with  God  as  great  sinners  do,  and 
expect  to  be  saved  with  the  great  sinners,  and 
as  soon  and  as  heartily  as  they. 

Yea,  a little  sinner,  that  comparatively  is 
truly  so,  if  he  shall  graciously  give  way  to  con- 
viction, and  shall  in  God’s  light  diligently 
weigh  the  horrible  nature  of  his  own  sins,  may 
yet  sooner  obtain  forgiveness  for  them  at  the 
hands  of  the  heavenly  Father  than  he  that  has 
ten  times  his  sins,  and  so  cause  to  cry  ten  times 
harder  to  God  for  mercy. 

Foi  the  grievousness  of  the  cry  is  a great 
thing  with  God ; for  if  he  will  hear  the  widow 
if  she  cries  at  all,  how  much  more  if  she  cries 
most  grievously?  Ex.  xxii.  22,  23. 

It  is  not  the  number,  but  the  true  sense  of 
the  abominable  nature  of  sin,  that  makes  the 
cry  for  pardon  lamentable.  He,  as  I said,  that 
has  many  sins  may  not  cry  so  loud  in  the  ears 
of  God  as  he  that  has  far  fewer;  he  in  our 
present  sense  that  is  in  his  own  eyes  the  biggest 
sinner  is  he  that  soonest  findeth  mercy. 

The  offer,  then,  is  to  the  biggest  sinner,  to 
the  biggest  sinner  first ; and  the  mercy  is  first 


obtained  by  him  that  first  confesseth  himself 
to  be  such  an  one. 

There  are  men  that  strive  at  the  throne  of 
grace  for  mercy  by  pleading  the  greatness  of 
their  necessity.  Now,  their  plea,  as  to  the 
prevalency  of  it,  lieth  not  in  the  counting  up 
of  the  number,  but  in  the  sense  of  the  great- 
ness of  their  sins  and  in  the  vehemency  of 
their  cry  for  pardon.  And  it  is  observable 
that  though  the  birthright  was  Beuben’s,  and 
for  his  foolishness  given  to  the  sons  of  Joseph, 
yet  Judah  prevailed  above  his  brethren,  and  of 
him  came  the  Messiah.  1 Chron.  v.  1,  2. 

There  is  a heavenly  subtilty  to  be  managed 
in  this  matter.  “Thy  brother  came  with  sub- 
tilty and  hath  taken  away  thy  blessing.”  The 
blessing  belonged  to  Esau,  but  Jacob  by  his 
diligence  made  it  his  own.  Gen.  xxvii.  35. 
The  offer  is  to  the  biggest  sinner,  to  the  biggest 
sinner  first;  but  if  he  forbears  to  cry,  the  sin- 
ner that  is  a sinner  less  by  far  than  he,  both 
as  to  the  number  and  the  nature  of  his  trans- 
gressions, may  get  the  blessing  first  if  he  shall 
have  grace  to  bestir  himself  well;  for  the 
loudest  cry  is  heard  farthest,  and  the  most  la- 
mentable pierces  soonest. 

I therefore  urge  this  head,  not  because  I 
would  have  little  sinners  go  and  tell  God  that 
they  are  little  sinners,  thereby  to  think  to  ob- 
tain mercy;  for  verily  so  they  are  never  like 
to  have  it.  For  such  words  declare  that  such 
an  one  hath  no  true  sense  at  all  of  the  nature 
of  his  sins. 

Sin,  as  I said,  in  the  nature  of  it  is  horrible, 
though  it  be  but  one  single  sin  as  to  act,  yea, 
though  it  be  but  a sinful  thought,  and  so 
worthily  calls  for  the  damnation  of  the  soul. 

The  comparison,  then,  of  little  and  great 
sinners  is  to  go  for  good  sense  among  men. 
But  to  plead  the  fewness  of  thy  sins  or  the 
comparative  harmlessness  of  their  quality  be- 
fore God,  argueth  no  sound  knowledge  of  the 
nature  of  thy  sin,  and  so  no  true  sense  of  the 
nature  or  need  of  mercy. 

Little  sinner,  when  therefore  thou  goest  to 
God,  though  thou  knowest  in  thy  conscience 
that  thou,  as  to  acts,  art  no  thief,  no  murderer, 
no  whore,  no  liar,  no  false  swearer,  or  the  like, 
and  in  reason  must  needs  understand  that  thus 
thou  art  not  so  profanely  vile  as  others,  yet 
when  thou  goest  to  God  for  mercy  know  no 
man’s  sins  but  thine  own,  make  mention  of  no 
man’s  sins  but  thine  own.  Also  labour  not 
to  lessen  thine,  own,  but  magnify  and  greaten 
them  by  all  just  circumstances,  and  be  as  if 
there  was  never  a sinner  in  the  world  but  thy- 


TIIE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


357 


self.  Also  cry  out  as  if  thou  wast  the  only 
undone  man ; and  that  is  the  way  to  obtain 
God’s  mercy. 

It  is  one  of  the  comeliest  sights  in  the  world 
to  see  a little  sinner  commenting  upon  the 
greatness  of  his  sins,  multiplying  and  multi- 
plying them  to  himself,  till  he  makes  them  in 
his  own  eyes  bigger  and  higher  than  he  seeth 
any  other  man’s  sins  to  be  in  the  world ; and 
as  base  a thing  it  is  to  see  a man  do  otherwise, 
and  as  basely  will  come  on  it. 

As  therefore  I said  to  the  great  sinner  be- 
fore, Let  him  take  heed  lest  he  presume,  I say 
now  to  the  little  sinner,  Let  him  take  heed 
that  he  do  not  dissemble;  for  there  is  as  great 
an  aptness  in  the  little  sinner  to  dissemble  as 
there  is  in  the  great  one.  “ He  that  hideth  his 
sins  shall  not  prosper,”  be  he  a sinner  little  or 
great. 

Eighthly,  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners'? 
Then  this  shows  the  true  cause  why  Satan 
makes  such  a head  as  he  doth  against  him. 

The  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are  well 
spoken  of  by  all  deluders  and  deceived  per- 
sons. Christ  only  is  the  rock  of  offence. 
“Behold,  I lay  in  Zion  a stumbling-stone  and 
a rock  of  offence.”  Not  that  Satan  careth  for 
the  Father  or  the  Spirit  more  than  he  careth 
for  the  Son,  but  he  can  let  men  alone  with 
their  notions  of  the  Father  and  the  Spirit;  for 
he  knows  they  shall  never  enjoy  the  Father  or 
the  Spirit  if  indeed  they  receive  not  the  merits 
of  the  Son.  “ He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life ; 
lie  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God  hath  not 
life,”  however  they  may  boast  themselves  of 
the  Father  and  the  Spirit.  Again,  Whosoever 
transgresseth  and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine 
of  Christ  hath  not  God : he  that  abideth  in 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  hath  both  the  Father 
and  the  Son. 

Christ,  and  Christ  only,  is  he  that  can  make 
us  capable  to  enjoy  God  with  life  and  joy  to 
all  eternity.  Hence  he  calls  himself  “ the  way 
to  the  Father,  and  the  true  and  living  way.” 
For  we  cannot  come  to  the  Father  but  by  him. 
Satan  knows  this,  therefore  he  hates  him. 
Deluded  persons  are  ignorant  of  this,  and 
therefore  they  are  so  led  up  and  down  by  Sa- 
tan by  the  nose  as  they  are. 

There  are  many  things  by  which  Satan  has 
taken  occasion  to  greaten  his  rage  against  Je- 
sus Christ. 

As,  first,  his  love  to  man,  and  then  the 
many  expressions  of  that  love.  He  hath  taken 
man’s  nature  upon  him ; he  hath  in  that  na- 


ture fulfilled  the  law  to  bring  in  righteousness 
for  man,  and  hath  spilt  his  blood  for  the  re- 
conciling of  man  to  God ; he  hath  broken  the 
neck  of  death,  put  away  sin,  destroyed  the 
works  of  the  devil,  and  got  into  his  own  hands 
the  keys  of  death;  and  all  these  are  heinous 
things  to  Satan.  He  cannot  abide  Christ  for 
this.  Besides,  he  hath  eternal  life  in  himself, 
and  that  to  bestow  upon  us;  and  we  in  all 
likelihood  are  to  possess  the  very  places  from 
which  Satan  by  transgression  fell,  if  not 
places  more  glorious.  Wherefore  he  must 
needs  be  angry.  And  is  it  not  a vexatious 
thing  to  him  that  we  should  be  admitted  to 
the  throne  of  grace  by  Christ,  while  he  stands 
bound  over  in  chains  of  darkness  to  answer 
for  his  rebellions  against  God  and  his  Son  -at 
the  terrible  day  of  judgment?  Yea,  we  poor 
dust  and  ashes  must  become  his  judges,  and 
triumph  over  him  for  ever;  and  all  this  along 
of  Jesus  Christ,  for  he  is  the  meritorious  cause 
of  all  this. 

Now,  though  Satan  seeks  to  be  revenged  for 
this,  yet  he  knows  it  is  in  vain  to  attack  the 
person  of  Christ:  he  has  overcome  him;  there- 
fore he  tampers  with  a company  of  silly  men 
that  he  may  vilify  him  by  them.  And  they, 
bold  fools  as  they  are,  will  not  spare  to  spit  in 
his  face.  They  will  rail  at  his  person,  and 
deny  the  very  being  of  it:  they  will  rail  at  his 
blood,  and  deny  the  merit  and  worth  of  it. 
They  will  deny  the  very  end  why  he  accom- 
plished the  law,  and  by  jigs,  and  tricks,  and 
quirks,  which  he  helpeth  them  to,  they  set  up 
fond  names  and  images  in  his  place,  and  give 
the  glory  of  a Saviour  to  them.  Thus  Satan 
worketh  under  the  name  of  Christ,  and  his 
ministers  under  the  name  of  the  ministers  of 
righteousness. 

And  by  his  wiles  and  stratagems  he  undoes 
a world  of  mep  ; but  there  is  a seed,  and  they 
shall  serve  him,  and  it  shall  be  counted  to  the 
Lord  for  a generation.  These  shall  see  their 
sins  and  that  Christ  is  the  way  to  happiness. 
These  shall  venture  themselves  both  body  and 
soul  upon  his  worthiness. 

All  this  Satan  knows,  and  therefore  his  rage 
is  kindled  the  more.  Wherefore,  according  to 
his  ability  and  allowance,  he  assaulteth,  tempt- 
eth,  abuseth,  and  stirs  up  what  he  can  to  be 
hurtful  to  these  poor  people,  that  he  may. 
while  his  time  shall  last,  make  it  as  hard  and 
difficult  for  them  to  go  to  eternal  glory  as  he 
can.  Oftentimes  he  abuses  them  with  wrong 
apprehensions  of  God  and  with  wrong  appre- 
hensions of  Christ.  He  also  casts  them  .into 


358 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


tlie  mire,  to  the  reproach  of  religion,  the 
shame  of  their  brethren,  the  derision  of  the 
world,  and  dishonour  of  God.  He  holds  our 
hands  while  the  world  buffets  us ; he  puts  bear- 
skins upon  us,  and  then  sets  the  dogs  at  us. 
He  bedaubeth  us  with  his  own  foam,  and  then 
tempts  us  to  believe  that  that  bedaubing  comes 
from  ourselves. 

Oh  the  rage  and  the  roaring  of  this  lion, 
and  the  L itred  that  he  manifests  against  the 
Loid  Jesus,  and  against  them  that  are  pur- 
chased with  his  blood ! But  yet  in  the  midst 
of  all  this  the  Lord  Jesus  sends  forth  his  her- 
ald to  proclaim  in  the  nations  his  love  to  the 
world,  and  to  invite  them  to  come  in  to  him 
for  life;  yea,  his  invitation  is  so  large  that  it 
offereth  his  mercy,  in  the  first  place,  to  the 
biggest  sinners  of  every  age,  which  augments 
the  devil’s  rage  the  more. 

Wherefore,  as  I said  before,  fret  he,  fume 
he,  the  “ Lord  Jesus  will  divide  the  spoil  with 
this  great  one : yea,  he  shall  divide  the  spoil 
with  the  strong,  because  he  hath  poured  out 
his  soul  unto  death,  and  was  numbered  with 
the  transgressors,  and  bare  the  sin  of  many, 
and  made  intercession  for. the  transgressors.” 

Ninthly,  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners? 
Let  the  tempted  harp  upon  this  string  for 
their  help  and  consolation.  The  tempted, 
wherever  he  dwells,  always  thinks  himself  the 
biggest  sinner,  one  most  unworthy  of  eternal 
life. 

This  is  Satan’s  master  argument : Thou  art' 
a horrible  sinner,  a hypocrite,  one  that  has  a 
profane  heart,  and  one  that  is  an  utter  stranger 
to  a work  of  grace.  I say,  this  is  his  maul,  his 
club,  his  masterpiece;  he  doth  with  this  as 
some  do  by  their  most  enchanting  songs,  sing 
them  everywhere.  I believe  there  are  but  few 
saints  in  the  world  that  have  not  had  this 
temptation  sounding  in  their  ears.  But,  were 
tiny  but  aware,  Satan  by  all  this  does  but 
drive  them  to  the  gate  out  at  which  they 
should  go,  and  so  escape  his  roaring. 

Saith  he,  Thou  art  a great  sinner,  a horrible 
sinner,  a jjrofane-hearted  wretch,  one  that  can- 
not be  matched  for  a vile  one  in  the  country. 

And  all  this  while  Christ  says  to  his  minis- 
ters, Offer  mercy  in  the  first  place  to  the  big- 
gest sinners.  So  that  this  temptation  drives 
thee  directly  into  the  arms  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Was  therefore  the  tempted  but  aware  he 
might  say,  Ay,  Satan,  so  I am,  I am  a sinner 
of  the  biggest  size,  and  therefore  I have  most 
need  of  Jesus  Christ;  yea,  because  I am  such 


a wretch,  therefore  Jesus  Christ  calls  me;  yea, 
he  calls  me  first ; the  first  proffer  of  the  Gospel 
is  to  be  made  to  the  Jerusalem  sinner;  I am 
he : wherefore  stand  back,  Satan,  make  a lane; 
my  right  is  first  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 

This  now  will  be  like  for  like.  This  would 
foil  the  devil ; this  would  make  him  say,  I 
must  not  deal  with  this  man  thus,  for  then  I 
put  a sword  into  his  hand  to  cut  off  my  head. 

And  this  is  the  meaning  of  Peter  when  he 
saith,  “Resist  him  steadfast  in  the  faith,”  and 
of  Paul  when  he  saith,  “Take  the  shield  of 
faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all 
the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked.” 

Wherefore  is  it  said,  “Begin  at  Jerusalem,” 
if  the  Jerusalem  sinner  is  not  to  have  the  ben- 
efit of  it?  And  if  I am  to  have  the  benefit  of 
it,  let  me  call  it  to.  mind  when  Satan  haunts 
me  with  the  continual  remembrance  of  my 
sins,  of  my  Jerusalem  sins.  Satan  and  my 
conscience  say  I am  the  biggest  sinner;  Christ 
offereth  mercy  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest 
sinners.  Nor  is  the  manner  of  the  offer  other 
but  such  as  suiteth  with  my  mind.  I am  sorry 
for  my  sin ; yea,  sorry  at  my  heart  that  ever 
sinful  thought  did  enter  or  find  the  least  en- 
tertainment in  my  wicked  mind ; and  might  I 
obtain  my  wish  I would  never  more  that  my 
heart  should  be  a place  for  aught  but  the  grace 
and  Spirit  and  faith  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

I speak  not  this  to  lessen  my  wickedness ; I 
would  not  for  all  the  world  but  be  placed  by 
mine  own  conscience  in  the  very  front  of  the 
biggest  sinners,  that  I might  be  one  of  the  first 
that  are  beckoned  by  the  gracious  hand  of 
Jesus  the  Saviour  to  come  to  him  for  mercy. 

Well,  sinner,  thou  now  speak est  like  a 
Christian,  but  say  thus  in  a strong  spirit  in  the 
hour  of  temptation,  and  then  thou  wilt,  to  thy 
commendation  and  comfort,  quit  thyself  well. 

This  improving  of  Christ  in  dark  hours  is 
the  life  though  the  hardest  j)art  of  our  Chris- 
tianity. We  should  neither  stop  at  darkness 
nor  at  the  raging  of  our  lusts,  but  go  on  in  a 
way  of  venturing  and  casting  the  whole  of  our 
affair  for  the  next  world  at  the  foot  of  Jesus 
Christ.  This  is  the  way  to  make  the  darkness 
light,  and  also  to  allay  the  raging  of  our  cor- 
ruption. 

The  first  time  the  passover  was  eaten  was  in 
the  night ; and  when  Israel  took  courage  to  go 
forward,  though  the  sea  stood  in  their  way  like 
a devouring  gulf,  and  the  hosts  of  the  Egypt- 
ians followed  them  at  their  heels,  yet  the  sea 
gave  place,  and  their  enemies  were  as  still  as 
a stone  till  they  were  gone  over. 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


359 


There  is  nothing  like  faith  to  help  at  a 
pinch ; faith  dissolves  doubts  as  the  sun  drives 
away  the  mists.  And  that  you  may  not  be 
put  out,  know  your  time,  as  I said,  of  believing 
is  always.  There  are  times  when  some  graces 
may  be  out  of  use,  but  there  is  no  time  wherein 
faith  can  be  said  to  be  so;  wherefore  faith 
must  be  always  in  exercise. 

Faith  is  the  eye,  is  the  mouth,  is  the  hand, 
and  one  of  these  is  of  use  all  day  long.  Faith 
is  to  sec,  to  receive,  to  work,  or  to  eat ; and  a 
Christian  should  be  seeing,  or  receiving,  or 
working,  or  feeding  all  day  long.  Let  it  rain, 
lot  it  blow,  let  it  thunder,  let  it  lighten,  a 
Christian  must  still  believe.  “At  what  time 
I am  afraid,”  said  the  good  man,  “ I will  trust 
in  thee.” 

Nor  can  we  have  a better  encouragement  to 
do  this  than  is  by  the  text  set  before  us,  even 
an  open  heart  for  a Jerusalem  sinner.  And  if 
for  a Jerusalem  sinner  to  come,  then  for  such 
an  one  when  come.  If  such  a one  to  be  saved, 
then  for  such  an  one  that  is  saved.  If  for 
such  an  one  to  be  pardoned  his  great  trans- 
gressions, then  for  such  an  one  who  is  par- 
doned these — to  come  daily  to  Jesus  Christ, 
too,  to  be  cleansed  and  set  free  from  his  com- 
mon infirmities  and  from  the  iniquities  of  his 
holy  things. 

Therefore  let  the  poor  sinner  that  would  be 
saved  labour  for  skill  to  make  the  best  im- 
provement of  the  grace  of  Christ  to  help  him 
against  the  temptations  of  the  devil  and  his 
sins. 

Tenthly,  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sin- 
ners? I mt  those  men  consider  this  that  have 
or  may  in  a day  of  trial  have  spoken  or  done 
what  their  profession  or  conscience  told  them 
they  should  not,  and  that  have  the  guilt  and 
burden  thereof  upon  their  consciences. 

Whether  a thing  be  wrong  or  right,  guilt 
may  pursue  him  that  doth  contrary  to  his  con- 
science. But  suppose  a man  should  deny  his 
God  or  his  Christ,  or  relinquish  a good  pro- 
fession and  be  under  the  real  guilt  thereof, 
shall  he  therefore  conclude  he  is  gone  for 
ever?  Let  him  come  again  with  Peter’s  tears, 
and  no  doubt  but  he  shall  obtain  Peter’s  for- 
giveness, for  the  text  includes  the  biggest 
sinners. 

And  it  is  observable  that  before  this  clause 
was  put  into  this  commission  Peter  was  par- 
doned his  horrible  revolt  from  his  master. 
Pie  that  revoltcth  in  the  day  of  trial,  if  he  is 
not  shot  quite  dead  upon  the  place,  but  is  sen- 


sible of  his  wound  and  calls  out  for  a surgeon, 
shall  find  his  Lord  at  hand  to  pour  wine 
and  oil  into  his  wounds,  that  he  may  again  be 
healed,  and  to  encourage  him  to  think  that 
there  may  be  mercy  for  him.  Besides  what 
we  find  recorded  of  Peter,  you  read  in  the 
Ads  some  were  through  the  violence  of  their 
trials  compelled  to  blaspheme,  and  yet  are 
called  sinners. 

Hence  you  have  a promise  or  two  that 
speaks  concerning  such  kind  of  men,  to  en- 
courage us  to  think  that  at  least  some  of  them 
shall  come  off  back  to  the  Lord  their  God. 
“Shall  they  fall,”  saith  he,  “and  not  arise? 
Shall  they  turn  away,  and  not  return?” 
“And  in  that  day  I will  assemble  her  that 
halteth,  and  I will  gather  her  that  was  driven 
out,  and  her  that  I have  afflicted.  And  I will 
make  her  that  halteth  a remnant,  and  her  that 
was  cast  off  a strong  nation.  And  the  Lord 
shall  reign  over  them  in  Mount  Zion  for 
ever.”  What  we  are  to  understand  by  her 
that  halteth  is  best  expressed  by  the  prophet 
Elijah.  Mic.  iv.  6,  7. 

I will  conclude,  then,  that  for  them  that 
have  halted  or  may  halt  the  Lord  has  mercy 
in  the  bank,  and  is  willing  to  accept  them  if 
they  return  to  him  again. 

Perhaps  they  may  never  be  after  that  of  any 
great  esteem  in  the  house  of  God,  but  if  the 
Lord  will  admit  them  to  favour  and  forgive- 
ness, oh  exceeding  and  undeserved  mercy ! 

Thou,  then,  that  mayst  be  the  man,  remem- 
ber this,  that  there  is  mercy  also  for  thee,  and 
who  will  do  thee  good. 

But  perhaps  thou  wilt  say,  He  doth  not 
save  all  revolters,  and  therefore  perhaps  not 
me. 

Answer.  Art  thou  returning  to  God?  If 
thou  art  returning,  thou  art  the  man;  “Ke- 
turn,  ye  backsliding  children,  and  I will  heal 
your  backslidings.” 

Some,  as  I said,  that  revolt  are  shot  dead 
upon  the  place;  and  for  them,  \^ho  can  help 
them?  But  for  them  that  cry  out  of  their 
wounds,  it  is  a sign  they  are  yet  alive,  and  if 
they  use  the  means  in  time  doubtless  they  may 
be  healed. 

Christ  Jesus  has  bags  of  mercy  that  were 
never  yet  broken  up  or  unsealed.  Hence  it  is 
said  he  has  goodness  laid  up,  things  re- 
served in  heaven  for  his.  And  if  he  breaks 
up  one  of  these  bags,  who  can  tell  what  he 
can  do? 

Hence  his  love  is  said  to  be  such  as  passeth 
knowledge,  and  that  his  riches  are  unsearch- 


360 


JBUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


able.  He  has  nobody  knows  what,  for  nobody 
knows  who ; he  has  by  him  in  store  for  such  as 
seem,  in  the  view  of  all  men,  to  be  gone  be- 
yond recovery.  For  this  the  text  is  plain. 
What  man  or  angel  could  have  thought  that 
the  Jerusalem  sinners  had  been  yet  on  this 
side  of  an  impossibility  of  enjoying  life  and 
mercy?  Hadst  thou  seen  their  actions,  and 
what  horrible  things  they  did  to  the  Son  of 
God,  yea,  how  stoutly  they  backed  what  they 
did  with  resolves  and  endeavours  to  per- 
severe, w7hen  they  had  killed  his  person, 
against  his  name  and  doctrine,  and  that  there 
was  not  found  amopg  them  all  that  while, 
as  we  read  of,  the  least  remorse  or  regret 
for  these  their  doings,  couidst  thou  have 
imagined  that  mercy  would  ever  have  took 
hold  of  them,  at  least  so  soon? — nay,  that 
they  should,  of  all  the  world,  be  counted  those 
only  meet  to  have  it  offered  to  them  in  the 
very  first  place?  For  so  my  text  commands, 
saying,  “ Preach  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins  among  all  nations,  beginning  at 
Jerusalem.” 

I tell  you  the  thing  is  a wonder,  and  must 
for  ever  stand  for  a wonder  among  the  sons  of 
men.  It  stands  also  for  an  everlasting  invita- 
tion and  allurement  to  the  biggest  sinners  to 
come  to  Christ  for  mercy. 

Now  since,  in  the  opinion  of  all  men,  the 
revolter  is  such  an  one,  if  he  has,  as  I said 
before,  any  life  in  him,  let  him  take  encour- 
agement to  come  again,  that  he  may  live  by 
Christ; 

Eleventhly,  Would  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sin- 
ners ? Then  let  God’s  ministers  tell  them  so. 
There  is  an  incidence  in  us,  I know  not  how 
it  doth  come  about,  when  we  are  converted, 
to  contemn  them  that  are  left  behind.  Poor 
fools  as  we  are,  we  forget  that  we  ourselves 
were  so ! 

But  would  it  not  become  us  better,  since  we 
have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,  to  carry 
it  towards  them  so  that  we  may  give  them  con- 
vincing ground  to  believe  that  we  have  found 
that  mercy  which  also  sets  open  the  door  for 
them  to  come  and  partake  with  us? 

Ministers,  I say,  should  do  thus,  both  by 
their  doctrine  and  in  all  other  respects. 

Austerity  doth  not  become  us,  neither  in 
doctrine  nor  in  conversation.  We  ourselves 
live  by  grace ; let  us  give  as  we  receive,  and 
labour  to  persuade  our  fellow-sinners,  which 
God  has  left  behind  us,  to  follow  after,  that 
they  may  partake  with  us  of  grace.  We  are 


saved  by  grace ; let  us  live  like  them  that  are 
gracious;  let  all  our  things  (to  the  world)  be 
done  in  charity  towards  them— pity  them,  pray 
for  them,  be  familiar  with  them  for  their  good. 
Let  us  lay  aside  our  foolish,  worldly,  carnal 
grandeur ; let  us  not  walk  the  streets  and  have 
such  behaviours  as  signify  we  are  scarce  for 
touching  of  the  poor  ones  that  are  left  behind 
— no,  not  with  a pair  of  tongs.  It  becomes  us 
not  thus  to  do. 

Remember  your  Lord  ; he  was  familiar  with 
publicans  and  sinners  to  a proverb.  “ Behold 
a gluttonous  man  and  a wine-bibber,  a friend 
of  publicans  and  sinners.”  The  first  part,  con- 
cerning his  gluttonous  eating  and  drinking,  to 
be  sure,  was  an  horrible  slander,  but  for  the 
other,  nothing  was  ever  spoke  truer  of  him  by 
the  world.  Now  why  should  we  lay  hands 
cross  on  this  text — that  is,  choose  good  victuals 
and  love  the  sweet  wine  better  than  the  salva- 
tion of  the  poor  publican?  Why  not  familiar 
with  sinners',  provided  we  hate  their  spots  and 
blemishes,  and  seek  that  they  may  be  healed 
of  them? 

Why  not  fellowly  with  our  carnal  neigh- 
bours, if  we  do  take  occasion  to  do  so,  that  we 
may  drop  and  be  yet  distilling  some  good  doc- 
trine upon  their  souls  ? Why  not  go  to  the 
poor  man’s  house  and  give  him  a penny  and  a 
Scripture  to  think  upon  ? Why  not  send  for 
the  poor  to  fetch  away,  at  least,  the  fragments 
of  thy  table,  that  the  bowels  of  thy  fellow-sin- 
ner may  be  refreshed  as  well  as  thine? 

Ministers  should  be  exemplary,  but  I am  an 
inferior  man,  and  must  take  heed  of  too  much 
meddling.  But,  might  I,  I would  meddle  with 
them,  with  their  wives,  and  with  their  children 
too.  I mean  not  this  of  all,  but  of  them  that 
deserve  it,  though  I may  not  name  them. 

But  I say,  let  ministers  follow  the  steps  of 
their  blessed  Lord,  who  by  word  and  deed 
showed  his  love  to  the  salvation  of  the  world 
in  such  a carriage  as  declared  him  to  prefer 
their  salvation  before  his  own  private  concern. 
For  we  are  commanded  to  follow  Flis  steps 
“ who  did  no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in 
his  mouth.” 

And  as  I have  said  concerning  ministers,  so 
I say  to  all  the  brethren,  Carry  it  so  that  all 
the  world  may  see  that  indeed  you  are  the 
sons  of  love. 

Love  your  Saviour;  yea,  show  one  to  another 
that  you  love  him,  not  only  by  a seeming  love 
of  affection,  but  with  the  love  of  duty.  Prac- 
tical love  is  best.  Many  love  Christ  with 
nothing  but  the  lick  of  the  tongue.  Alas  I 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


361 


Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  must  not  be  put  off  thus. 
“ He  that  hath  my  commandments  and  keepeth 
them,”  saith  lie,  “ he  it  is  that  loveth  me.” 

Practical  love,  which  stands  in  self-denial, 
in  charity  to  my  neighbour,  and  a patient  en- 
during of  affliction  for  his  name,  this  is  counted 
love. 

Right  love  to  Christ  is  that  which  carries  in 
it  a provoking  argument  to  others  of  the 
brethren.  Heb.  x.  24. 

Should  a man  ask  me  how  he  should  know 
that  he  loveth  the  children  of  God,  the  best 
answer  I could  give  him  would  be  in  the  words 
of  the  apostle  John.  “ By  this,”  saith  be,  “ we 
know  we  love  the  children  of  God,  when  we 
love  God  and  keep  his  commandments.”  1 
John  v.  2. 

Love  to  God  and  Christ  is  then  shown  when 
we  are  tender  of  his  name ; and  then  we  show 
ourselves  tender  of  his  name  when  we  are 
afraid  to  break  any  the  least  of  his  command- 
ments. And  when  we  are  here,  then  do  we 
show  our  love  to  our  brother  also. 

Now,  we  have  obligation  sufficient  thus  to 
do,  for  that  our  Lord  loved  us  and  gave  him- 
self for  us,  to  deliver  us  from  death,  that  we 
might  live  through  him. 

The  world,  when  they  hear  the  doctrine  that 
I have  asserted  and  handled  in  this  little  book 
— to  wit,  that  Jesus  Christ  would  have  mercy 
offered  in  the  first  place  to  the  biggest  sinners 
— will  be  apt,  because  themselves  are  unbe- 
lievers, to  think  that  this  is  a doctrine  that 
leads  to  looseness  and  that  gives  liberty  to  the 
flesh;  but  if  you  that  believe  love  your 
brethren  and  your  neighbours  truly  and  as 
you  should,  you  will  put  to  silence  the  ignor- 
ance of  such  foolish  men,  and  stop  their 
mouths  from  speaking  evil  of  you. 

And  I say,  let  the  love  of  Christ  constrain 
us  to  this.  Who  deserveth  our  heart,  our 
mouth,  our  life,  our  goods  so  much  as  Jesus 
Christ,  who  has  bought  us  to  himself  by  his 
blood  to  this  very  end,  that  we  should  be  a pe- 
culiar people,  zealous  of  good  works? 

There  is  nothing  more  seemly  in  this  world 
than  to  see  a Christian  walk  as  becomes  the 
Gospel,  nor  anything  more  unbecoming  a rea- 
sonable creature  than  to  hear  a man  say,  I be- 
lieve in  Christ,  and  yet  see  in  his  life  debauch- 
ery and  profaneuess.  Might  I,  such  men 
should  be  counted  the  basest  of  men;  such 
men  should  be  counted  by  all  unworthy  of  the 
name  of  a Christian,  and  should  be  shunned 
by  every  good  man  as  such  who  are  the  very 
plague  of  profession. 


For  so  it  is  written  we  should  carry  it 
towards  them.  Whoso  have  a form  of  godli- 
ness and  deny  the  power  thereof,  from  such  wo 
must  turn  away. 

It  has  ofttimes  come  into  my  mind  to  ask, 
By  what  means  is  it  that  the  Gospel  profession 
should  be  so  taunted  with  loose  and  carnal 
Gospellers?  and  I could  never  arrive  to  better 
satisfaction  in  the  matter  than  this  : Such  men 
are  made  professors  by  the  devil,  and  so  by 
him  put  among  the  rest  of  the  godly.  A cer- 
tain man  had  a fruitless  fig  tree  planted  in  his 
vineyard,  but  by  whom  was  it  planted  there? 
even  by  him  that  sowed  the  tares,  his  own 
children,  among  the  wheat,  (Luke  xiii.  6; 
Matt.  xiii.  37-40,)  and  that  was  the  devil.  But 
why  doth  the  devil  do  thus?  Not  of  love  to 
them,  but  to  make  of  them  offences  and  stum- 
bling-blocks to  others;  for  he  knows  that  a 
loose  professor  in  the  Church  does  more  mis- 
chief to  religion  than  ten  can  do  to  it  that  are 
in  the  world. 

Was  it  not,  think  you,  the  devil  that  stirred 
up  the  damsel  that  you  read  of  in  Acts  xvi.  to 
cry  out,  “ These  are  the  servants  of  the  most 
high  God,  that  show  unto  us  the  way  of  salva- 
tion?” Yes  it  was,  as  is  evident,  for  Paul  was 
grieved  to  hear  it.  But  why  did  the  devil  stir 
up  her  to  cry  so  but  because  that  was  the  rvay 
to  blemish  the  Gospel,  and  to  make  the  world 
think  that  it  came  from  the  same  hand  as  did 
her  soothsaying  and  witchery?  Ver.  16,  17, 18. 
“Holiness,  0 Lord,  becomes  thy  house  for 
ever.” 

Let  therefore  whoever  they  be  that  profess 
the  name  of  Christ  take  heed  that  they  scan- 
dal not  that  profession  which  they  make  of 
him,  since  he  has  so  graciously  offered  us,  as 
we  are  sinners  of  the  biggest  size,  in  the  first 
place,  his  grace  to  save  us. 

Having  thus  far  spoken  of  the  riches  of  the 
grace  of  Christ,  and  of  the  freeness  of  his 
heart  to  embrace  the  Jerusalem  sinners,  it  may 
not  be  amiss  to  give  you,  yet  as  a caution,  an 
intimation  of  one  thing — namely,  that  this 
grace  and  freeness  of  his  heart  are  limited  to 
time  and  day,  the  which  whoso  overstandeth 
shall  perish  notwithstanding. 

For  as  a king  who  of  grace  sendeth  out  to 
his  rebellious  people  an  offer  of  pardon  if  they 
accept  thereof  by  such  a day,  yet  beheadeth  or 
hangeth  those  that  come  not  in  for  mercy 
until  the  day  or  time  be  past,  so  Christ  Jesus 
has  set  the  sinner  a day,  a day  of  salvation, 
an  acceptable  time,  but  he  who  standeih 
out  or  goeth  on  in  rebellion  beyond  that 


362 


BTJNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


time  is  like  to  come  off  with  the  loss  of  his 
soul. 

Since,  therefore,  things  are  thus,  it  may  he 
convenient  here  to  touch  a little  upon  these 
particulars : 

1.  That  this  day  or  time  thus  limited,  when 
it  is  considered  with  reference  to  this  or  that 
man,  is  ofttimes  undiscerned  by  the  person 
concerned  therein,  and  always  is  kept  secret  as 
to  the  shutting  up  thereof. 

And  this,  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  is  thus : to 
the  end  no  man,  when  called  upon,  should  put 
off  turning  to  God  to  another  time.  Now  and 
to-day  is  that,  and  only  that,  which  is  revealed 
in  holy  writ. 

And  this  shows  us  the  desperate  hazards 
which  those  men  run  who,  when  invitation  or 
conviction  attends  them,  put  off  turning  to 
God  to  be  saved  till  another,  and,  as  they 
think,  a more  fit  season  and  time.  For  many 
by  so  doing,  defer  this  to  do  till  the  day  of 
God’s  patience  and  long-suffering  is  ended ; 
and  then  for  their  prayers  and  cries  after  mercy 
they  receive  nothing  but  mocks,  and  are 
laughed  at  by  the  God  of  heaven. 

2.  Another  thing  to  be  considered  is  this — 
namely,  that  the  day  of  God’s  grace  with  some 
men  begins  sooner,  and  also  sooner  ends,  than 
it  doth  with  others.  Those  at  the  first  hour  of 
the  day  had  their  call  sooner  than  they  who 
were  called  upon  to  turn  to  God  at  the  sixth 
hour  of  the  day ; yea,  and  they  who  were 
hired  at  the  third  hour  had  their  call  sooner 
than  they  who  were  called  at  the  eleventh. 

1st.  The  day  of  God’s  patience  began  with 
Ishmael,  and  also  ended,  before  he  was  twenty 
years  old.  At  thirteen  years  of  age  he  was 
circumcised ; the  next  year  after  Isaac  was  born, 
and  then  Ishmael  was  fourteen  years  old.  Now 
that  day  that  Isaac  was  weaned,  that  day  was 
Ishmael  rejected;  and  suppose  that  Isaac  was 
three  years  old  before  he  was  weaned,  that  was 
but  the  seventeenth  year  of  Ishmael ; where- 
fore the  day  of  God’s  grace  was  ended  with 
him  betimes. 

2dly.  Cain’s  days  ended  with  him  betimes; 
for  after  God  had  rejected  him  he  lived  to  be- 
get many  children,  and  build  a city,  and  to  do 
many  other  things.  But,  alas ! all  that  while 
he  was  a fugitive  and  a vagabond ; nor  carried 
he  anything  with  him,  after  the  day  of  his  re- 
jection was  come,  but  this  doleful  language  in 
his  conscience : “From  God’s  face  shall  I be 
hid.” 

3dly.  Esau  through  his  extravagancies  would 
needs  go  to  sell  his  birthright,  not  fearing  (as 


other  confident  fools)  but  that  yet  the  blessing 
would  still  be  his ; after  which  he  lived  many 
years,  but  all  of  them  under  the  wrath  of  God, 
as  was,  when  time  came,  made  to  appear  to  his 
destruction ; for  “ when  he  would  have  inher- 
ited the  blessing  he  was  rejected,  for  he  found 
•no  place  of  repentance,  though  he  sought  it 
carefully  with  tears.” 

Many  instances  might  be  given  as  to  such 
tokens  of  the  displeasure  of  God  against  such 
as  fool  away,  as  the  wise  man  has  it,  the  prize 
which  is  put  into  their  hand.  Prov.  xvii.  16. 

Let  these  things  therefore  be  a further  cau- 
tion to  those  that  sit  under  the  glorious  sound 
of  the  Gospel,  and  hear  of  the  riches  of  the 
grace  of  God  in  Christ  to  poor  sinners. 

To  slight  grace,  to  despise  mercy,  and  to 
stop  the  ear  when  God  speaks,  when  he  speaks 
such  great  things,  so  much  to  our  profit,  is  a 
great  provocation. 

He  offereth,  he  calls,  he  woos,  he  invites,  he 
prays,  he  beseeches  us,  in  this  day  of  his  grace, 
to  be  reconciled  to  him ; yea,  and  has  pro- 
vided us  the  means  of  reconciliation  himself. 
Now  this  despising  must  needs  be  provoking, 
and  it  is  a fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands 
of  the  living  God. 

But  some  man  may  say  unto  me,  Fain  I 
would  be  saved,  fain  I would  be  saved  by 
Christ,  but  I fear  his  day  of  grace  is  past,  and 
that  I shall  perish,  notwithstanding  the  exceed- 
ing riches  of  the  grace  of  God. 

Answer.  To  this  doubt  I would  answer  sev-  . 
eral  things. 

First,  With  respect  to  the  day — that  is, 
whether  it  be  ended  with  a man  or  no. 

1.  Art  thou  jogged,  and  shaken,  and  mo- 
lested at  the  hearing  of  the  word?  Is  thy 
conscience  awakened  and  convinced,  then,  that 
thou  art  at  present  in  a perishing  state,  and 
that  thou  hast  need  to  cry  to  God  for  mercy  ? 
This  is  a hopeful  sign  that  his  day  of  grace  is 
not  j)ast  with  thee  ; for  usually  they  that  are 
past  grace  are  also  in  their  conscience  past 
feeling,  being  “seared  with  an  hot  iron.” 

Consequently  those  past  grace  must  be  such 
as  are  denied  the  awakening  fruits  of  the  word 
preached.  “ The  dead  that  hear,”  says  Christ, 

“ shall  live,”  at  least  while  Christ  has  not  quite 
done  with  them;  the  day  of  God’s  patience  is 
not  at  an  end  with  them. 

2.  Is  there  in  thy  more  retired  condition 
arguings,  stragglings,  and  strivings  with  thy 
spirit  to  persuade  thee  of  the  vanity  of  what 
vain  things  thou  lovest,  and  to  win  thee  in  thy 
soul  to  a choice  of  Christ  Jesus  and  his  heav- 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


363 


enly  things?  Take  heed  and  rebel  not,  for  the 
day  of  God’s  grace  and  patience  will  not  be 
past  with  thee  till  lie  saitli,  “llis  Spirit  shall 
strive  no  more  with  thee for  then  the  woe 
comes,  when  “ he  shall  depart  from  them,”  and 
when  he  says  to  the  means  of  grace,  “ Let 
them  alone.” 

3.  Art  thou  visited  in  the  night-seasons  with 
dreams  about  thy  state  and  that  thou  art  in 
danger  of  being  lost  ? Hast  thou  heart-shaken 
apprehensions  when  deep  sleep  is  upon  thee  of 
hell,  death,  and  judgment  to  come?  These 
are  signs  that  God  has  not  wholly  left  thee  or 
cast  thee  behind  his  back  for  ever.  “ For  God 
speaks  once,  yea  twice,  yet  man  perceiveth  it 
not.  In  a dream,  in  a vision  of  the  night, 
when  deep  sleep  falleth  upon  men,  in  slumber- 
ings  upon  the  bed ; then  he  openeth  the  ears 
of  men  and  sealetli  their  instruction,  that  he 
may  withdraw  man  from  his  purpose,”  (his 
sinful  purpose,)  “and  hide  pride  from  man.” 

All  this  while  God  has  not  left  the  sinner, 
nor  is  come  to  the  end  of  his  patience  towards 
him,  but  stands  at  least  with  the  door  of  grace 
ajar  in  his  hand,  as  being  loth  as  yet  to  bolt  it 
against  him. 

4.  Art  thou  followed  with  affliction,  and  dost 
thou  hear  God’s  angry  voice  in  thy  afflictions  ? 
Doth  he  send  with  thy  affliction  an  interpreter 
to  show  thee  thy  vileness,  and  why  or  where- 
fore the  hand  of  God  is  upon  thee  and  upon 
what  thou  hast — to  wit,  that  it  is  for  thy  sin- 
ning against  him,  and  that  thou  mightest  be 
turned  to  him?  If  so,  thy  summer  is  not  quite 
ended,  thy  harvest  is  not  quite  over  and  gone. 
Take  heed,  stand  out  no  longer,  lest  he  cause 
darkness,  and  lest  thy  feet  stumble  upon  the 
dark  mountains,  and  lest,  while  you  look  for 
light,  he  turn  it  into  the  shadow  of  death  and 
make  it  gross  darkness. 

5.  Art  thou  cross,  disappointed,  and  way- 
laid, and  overthrown  in  all  thy  foolish  ways 
and  doings  ? This  is  a sign  God  has  not  quite 
left  thee,  but  that  he  still  waits  upon  thee  to 
turn  thee.  Consider,  I say,  has  he  made  a 
hedge  and  a wall  to  stop  thee  ? Has  he  crossed 
thee  in  all  thou  puttest  thy  hand  unto  ? Take 
it  as  a call  to  turn  to  him,  for  by  his  thus  doing 
he  shows  he  has  a mind  to  give  thee  a better 
portion.  For  usually,  when  God  gives  up  men 
and  resolves  to  let  them  alone  in  the  broad 
way,  he  gives  them  rope,  and  lets  them  have 
their  desires  in  all  hurtful  things. 

Therefore  take  heed  to  this  also,  that  thou 
strive  not  against  this  hand  of  God,  but  betake 
thyself  to  a serious  inquiry  into  the  causes  of 


this  hand  of  God  upon  thee,  and  incline  to 
think  it  is  because  the  Lord  would  have  thee 
look  to  that  which  is  better  than  what  thou 
wouldst  satisfy  thyself  withal.  When  God 
had  a mind  to  make  the  prodigal  go  home  to 
his  father,  he  sent  a famine  upon  him  and  de- 
nied him  a bellyful  of  the  husks  which  the 
swine  did  eat.  And  observe  it,  now  he  was  in 
his  strait  he  betook  him  to  consideration  of  the 
good  that  there  was  in  his  father’s  house ; yea, 
lie  resolved  to  go  home  to  his  father,  and  his 
father  dealt  well  with  him;  lie  received  him 
with  music  and  dancing  because  he  had  re- 
ceived him  safe  and  sound. 

6.  Hast  thou  any  enticing  touches  of  the 
word  of  God  upon  thy  mind?  Doth,  as  it 
w'ere,  some  holy  word  of  God  give  a glance 
upon  thee,  cast  a smile  upon  thee,  let  fall, 
though  it  be  but  one  drop,  of  his  favour  upon 
thy  spirit ; yea,  though  it  stays  but  one  moment 
with  thee  ? Oh,  then  the  day  of  grace  is  not 
past,  the  gate  of  heaven  is  not  shut,  nor  God’s 
heart  and  bowels  withdrawn  from  thee  as  yet. 
Take  heed  therefore,  and  beware  that  thou 
make  much  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  of  that 
good  word  of  God  of  the  which  he  has  made 
thee  taste.  Beware,  I say,  and  take  heed; 
there  may  be  a falling  away  for  all  this ; but,  I 
say,  as  yet  God  has  not  left  thee,  as  yet  he  has 
not  cast  thee  off. 

Secondly,  With  respect  to  thy  desires,  what 
are  they  ? Wouldst  thou  be  saved  ? Wouldst 
thou  be  saved  with  a thorough  salvation? 
Wouldst  thou  be  saved  from  guilt  and  filth  too? 
Wouldst  thou  be  the  servant  of  thy  Saviour  ? 
Art  thou  indeed  weary  of  the  service  of  thy 
old  master  the  devil,  sin,  and  the  world?  And 
has  these  desires  put  thy  soul  to  the  flight? 
Hast  thou  through  desires  betaken  thyself  to 
thy  heels?  Dost  fly  to  him  that  is  a Saviour 
from  the  wrath  to  come  for  life  ? If  these  be 
thy  desires,  and  if  they  be  unfeigned,  fear  not. 
Thou  art  one  of  those  runaways  which  God 
has  commanded  our  Lord  to  receive,  and  not 
to  send  thee  back  to  the  devil  thy  master  again, 
but  to  give  thee  a place  in  his  house,  even  the 
place  which  liketh  thee  best.  “ Thou  shalt  not 
deliver  to  his  master,”  says  he,  “ the  servant 
which  is  escaped  from  his  master  unto  thee. 
He  shall  dwffll  with  thee,  even  among  you  in 
that  place  which  he  shall  choose,  in  one  of  thy 
gates  where  it  liketh  him  best ; thou  slialt  not 
oppress  him.” 

This  is  a command  to  the  Church,  conse- 
quently to  the  Head  of  the-  Church ; for  all 
commands  from  God  come  to  her  through  her 


364 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Head : whence  I conclude  that  as  Israel  of  old 
was  to  receive  the  runaway  servant  who  escaped 
from  a heathen  master  to  them,  and  should  not 
dare  to  send  him  back  to  his  master  again,  so 
Christ’s  Church  now,  and  consequently  Christ 
himself,  may  not,  will  not,  refuse  that  soul  that 
has  made  his  escape  from  sin,  Satan,  the  world, 
and  hell  unto  him,  but  .will  certainly  let  him 
dwell  in  his  house  among  his  saints,  in  that 
place  which  he  shall  choose,  even  where  it 
liketh  him  best.  For  he  says  in  another  place, 
“ And  him  that  cometli  to  me  I will  in  nowise 
cast  out.”  “In  nowise;”  let  his  crimes  be 
what  they  will,  either  for  nature,  multitude,  or 
the  attendance  of  aggravating  circumstances. 

Wherefore  if  thy  desires  be  firm,  sound  and 
unfeigned  to  become  the  saved  of  Christ  and 
his  servant,  fear  not;  he  will  not,  he  will  in 
nowise,  put  thee  away,  or  turn  thee  over  to  thy 
old  master  again. 

Thirdly,  As  to  thy  fears,  whatever  they  are, 
let  that  be  supposed  which  is  supposed  before, 
and  they  are  groundless,  and  so  of  no  weight. 

Objection.  But  I am  afraid  I am  not  elect  or 
chosen  to  salvation,  though  you  called  me  a 
fool  a little  before  for  so  fearing. 

Answer.  Though  election  is  in  order  before 
calling  as  to  God,  yet  the  knowledge  of  calling 
must  go  before  the  belief  of  my  election  as  to 
myself.  Wherefore  souls  that  doubt  of  the 
truth  of  their  effectual  calling  do  but  q>lunge 
themselves  into  a deeper  labyrinth  of  confu- 
sion that  concern  themselves  with  their  elec- 
tion; I mean,  while  they  labour  to  know  it 
before  they  prove  their  calling.  “ Make  your 
calling  and  (so  your)  election  sure.” 

Wherefore,  at  present  lay  the  thoughts  of 
thy  election  by,  and  ask  thyself  these  ques- 
tions: Do  I see  my  lost  condition?  Do  I see 
salvation  is  nowhere  but  in  Christ?  Would  I 
share  in  this  salvation  by  faith  in  him?  And 
would  I,  as  was  said  afore,  be  thoroughly  saved 
— to  wit,  from  the  filth  as  from  the  guilt?  Do 
I love  Christ,  his  Father,  his  saints,  his  words, 
and  his  ways?  This  is  the  way  to  prove  we 
are  elect.  Wherefore,  sinner,  when  Satan  or 
thine  own  heart  seeks  to  puzzle  thee  with  elec- 
tion, say  thou,  I cannot  ’tend  to  talk  of  this 
point  now,  but  stay  till  I know  that  I am  called 
of  God  to  the  fellowship  of  his  Son,  and  then 
I will  show  you  that  I am  elect,  and  that  my 
name  is  written  in  the  book  of  life. 

If  poor  distressed  souls  will  observe  this 
order  they  might  save  themselves  the  trouble 
of  an  unprofitable  labour  under  these  unreason- 
able and  soul-sinking  doubts. 


Let  us  therefore,  upon  the  sight  of  our 
wretchedness,  fly  and  venturously  leap  into 
the  arms  of  Christ,  which  are  now  open  to 
receive  us  unto  his  bosom,  as  they  were  when 
nailed  to  the  cross.  This  is  coming  to  Christ 
for  life  aright:  this  is  right  running  away 
from  thy  master  to  him,  as  was  said  before. 
And  for  this  we  have  a multitude  of  Scrip- 
tures to  support,  encourage,  and  comfort  us  in 
our  so  doing. 

But  now  let  him  that  doth  thus  be  sure  to 
look  for  it,  for  Satan  will  be  with  him  to-mor- 
row, to  see  if  he  can  get  him  again  to  his  old 
service;  and  if  he  cannot  do  that,  then  will  he 
enter  into  dispute  with  him — to  wit,  about 
whether  he  be  elect  to  life,  and  called  indeed 
to  partake  of  this  Christ  to  whom  he  fled  for 
succour,  or  whether  he  comes  to  him  of  his 
own  presumptuous  mind.  Therefore  we  are 
bid  so  to  come,  so  to  arm  ourselves  with  that 
armour  which  God  has  provided,  that  we  may 
resist,  quench,  stand  against,  and  withstand  all 
the  fiery  darts  of  the  devil. 

If  therefore  thou  findest  Satan  in  this  order 
to  march  against  thee,  remember  then  thou 
hadst  this  item  about  it,  and  betake  thyself  to 
faith  and  good  courage  and  be  sober,  and  hope 
to  the  end. 

Objection.  But  how  if  I should  have  sinned 
the  sin  unpardonable,  or  that  called  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost? 

Answer.  If  thou  hast,  thou  art  lost  for  ever; 
but  yet  before  it  is  concluded  by  thee  that  thou 
hast  so  sinned,  know  that  they  that  would  be 
saved  by  Jesus  Christ  through  faith  in  his 
blood  cannot  be  counted  for  such. 

1.  Because  of  the  promise,  for  that  must  not 
be  frustrate;  and  that  says,  “And  him  that 
cometh  to  Christ  he  will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 
And  again  “ Whoso  will,  let  him  take  of  the 
water  of  life  freely.” 

But  I say,  How  can  these  Scriptures  be  ful- 
filled if  he  that  would  indeed  be  saved,  as  be- 
fore, has  sinned  the  sin  unpardonable?  The 
Scriptures  must  not  be  made  void  nor  their 
truth  be  cast  to  the  ground.  Here  is  a promise 
and  here  is  a sinner — a promise  that  says  he 
shall  not  be  cast  out  that  comes;  and  the  sinner 
comes,  wherefore  he  must  be  received:  conse- 
quently, he  that  comes  to  Christ  for  life  has 
not,  cannot  have,  sinned  that  sin  for  which 
there  is  no  forgiveness. 

And  this  might  suffice  for  an  answer  to  any 
coming  soul  that  fears,  though  he  comes,  that 
he  has  sinned  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

2.  But  again,  he  that  has  sinned  the  sin 


THE  JERUSALEM  SINNER  SAVED. 


against  the  Holy  Ghost  cannot  come,  1ms  no 
heart  to  come,  can  by  no  means  be  made  will- 
ing to  come,  to  Jesus  Christ  for  life,  for  that 
he  has  received  such  an  opinion  of  him  and 
of  his  things  as  deters  and  holds  him  back. 

1st.  He  counteth  this  blessed  person,  this 
Son  of  God,  a magician,  a conjurer,  a witch, 
or  one  that  did,  when  he  was  in  the  world, 
what  he  did  by  the  power  and  spirit  of  the 
devil.  Now  he  that  has  this  opinion  of  this 
Jesus  cannot  be  willing  to  cast  himself  at  his 
feet  for  life,  or  to  come  to  him  as  the  only  way 
to  God  and  to  salvation.  And  hence  it  is  said 
again  that  such  an  one  puts  him  to  open  shame 
and  treadeth  him  underfoot;  that  is,  by  con- 
temning, reproaching,  vilifying,  and  despising 
of  him,  as  if  he  were  the  vilest  one  or  the 
greatest  cheat  in  the  world;  and  has  therefore, 
as  to  his  esteem  of  him,  called  him  accursed, 
crucified  him  to  himself,  or  counted  him  one 
hanged  as  one  of  the  worst  of  malefactors. 

2dlv.  His  blood,  which  is  the  meritorious 
cause  of  man’s  redemption,  even  the  blood  of 
the  everlasting  covenant,  he  counteth  an  un- 
holy thing,  or  that  which  lias  no  more  virtue 
in  it  to  save  a soul  from  sin  than  has  the  blood 
of  a dog.  For  when  the  apostle  says  he  counts 
it  an  unholy  thing,  he  means  he  makes  it  of 
less  value  than  that  of  a sheep  or  a cow,  which 
were  clean  according  to  the  law;  and  there- 
fore must  mean  that  his  blood  was  of  no  more 
worth  to  him  in  his  account  than  was  the  blood 
of  a dog,  an  ass,  or  a swine,  which  always  was, 
as  to  sacrifice,  rejected  by  the  God  of  heaven 
as  unholy  or  unclean. 

Now,  he  who  has  no  better  esteem  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  of  his  death  and  blood  will  not  be 
persuaded  to  come  to  him  for  life  or  to  trust  in 
him  for  salvation. 

3dly.  But  further,  all  this  must  be  done 
against  manifest  tokens  to  prove  the  contrary, 
or  after  the  shining  of  Gospel  light  upon  the 
soul,  or  some  considerable  profession  of  him 
as  the  Messias,  or  that  he  was  the  Saviour  of 
the  world. 

1st.  It  must  be  done  against  manifest  tokens 
to  prove  the  contrary ; and  thus  the  reprobate 
Jews  committed  it  when  they  saw  the  works 
of  God  which  put  forth  themselves  in  him, 
and  called  them  the  works  of  the  devil  and 
Beelzebub. 

2dly.  It  must  be  done  against  some  shining 
light  of  the  Gospel  upon  them.  And  thus  it 
was  with  Judas,  and  with  those  who,  after  they 
were  enlightened  and  had  tasted  and  had  felt 
something  of  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come, 


365 

fell  away  from  the  faith  of  him  and  put  him 
to  open  shame  and  disgrace. 

3dly.  It  must  also  be  done  after  and  in  op- 
position to  one’s  own  open  profession  of  him. 
“For  if  after  they  have  escaped  the  pollution 
of  the  world  through  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  they  are  again 
entangled  therein  and  overcome,  the  latter  end 
is  worse  with  them  than  the  beginping;  for  it 
had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have  known 
the  way  of  righteousness  than  after  they  have 
known  it  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandment 
(which  is  the  word  of  faith)  delivered  unto 
them.” 

4thly.  All  this  must  be  done  openly,  before 
witnesses,  in  the  face,  sight,  and  view  of  the 
world,  by  word  and  act.  This  is  the  sin  that 
is  unpardonable ; and  he  that  hath  thus  done 
can  never,  it  is  impossible  he  ever  should,  bo 
renewed  again  to  repentance ; and  that  for  a 
double  reason,  for  such  an  one  doth  say  he 
will  not,  and  of  him  God  says  lie  shall  not, 
have  the  benefit  of  salvation  by  him. 

Objection.  But  if  this  be  the  sin  unpardon- 
able, why  is  it  called  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  not  rather  the  sin  against  the  Son 
of  God? 

Answer.  It  is  called  “the  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost”  because  such  count  the  works 
which  he  did,  which  were  done  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  the  works  of  the  spirit  of  the  devil.  Also 
because  all  such  as  so  reject  Christ  Jesus  the 
Lord,  they  do  it  in  despite  of  that  testimony 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  has  given  of  him  in 
the  holy  Scriptures ; for  the  Scriptures  are  the 
breathings  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  in  all  other 
things,  so  in  that  testimony  they  bear  of  the 
person,  of  the  works,  sufferings,  resurrection, 
and  ascension  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Sinner,  this  is  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost.  What  sayest  thou?  Hast  thou  com- 
mitted it  ? Nay,  I know  thou  hast  not  if  thou 
wouldst  be  saved  by  Christ ; yea,  it  is  impossi- 
ble thou  shouldst  have  done  it  if  indeed  thou 
wouldst  be  saved  by  him. 

No  man  can  desire  to  be  saved  by  Him  whom 
lie  yet  judgeth  to  be  an  impostor,  a magician, 
a witch.  No  man  can  hope  for  redemption  by 
that  blood  which  he  yet  counteth  an  unholy 
thing.  Nor  will  God  ever  suffer  such  an  one 
to  repent  who  has,  after  light  and  profession 
of  him,  thus  horribly  and  devil-like  contemned 
and  trampled  upon  him. 

True,  words,  and  wars,  and  blasphemies 
against  this  Son  of  man  are  pardonable,  but 
then  they  must  be  done  ignorantly  and  in  un- 


366 


BTJNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


belief.  Also  all  blasphemous  thoughts  are 
likewise  such  as  may  be  passed  by,  if  the  soul 
afflicted  with  them  indeed  is  sorry  for  them. 

All  but  this,  sinner,  all  but  this!  If  God 
had  said  he  will  forgive  one  sin,  it  had  been 
undeserved  grace ; but  when  he  says  he  will 
pardon  all  but  one,  this  is  grace  to  the  height, 
nor  is  that  one  unpardonable  otherwise  but 
because  the  Saviour  that  should  save  them  is 
rejected  and  put  away. 

We  read  of  Jacob’s  ladder;  Christ  is  Jacob’s 


ladder  that  reacheth  up  to  heaven,  and  he 
that  refuses  to  go  by  this  ladder  thither  will 
scarce  by  other  means  get  up  so  high.  There 
is  none  other  name  given  under  heaven  among 
men  whereby  we  must  be  saved.  There  is 
none  other  sacrifice  for  sin  than  his ; he  also, 
and  he  only,  is  the  Mediator  that  recon- 
cileth  men  to  God.  And,  sinner,  if  thou 
wouldst  be  saved  by  him,  his  benefits  are  thine ; 
yea,  though  thou  art  a great  and  Jerusalem 
transgressor. 


OLY  WAR, 

MADE  BY 

SHADDAI  UPON  DIABOLUS, 

FOR  THE 

REGAINING  THE  METROPOLIS  OF  THE  WORLD ; 

OR  THE 

LOSING  AND  TAKING  AGAIN  OF  THE  TOWN  OF  MANSOUL. 

I have  used  similitudes. — Hosea  xii.  10. 


TITE  II 


THE  AUTHOR’S  PREFACE. 


Some  say  the  Pilgrim’s  Progress  is  not  mine, 
Insinuating  as  if  I would  shine 
In  name  and  fame  by  the  worth  of  another, 

Like  some  made  rich  by  robbing  of  their  brother; 
Or,  that  so  fond  I am  of  being  sire, 

I’ll  father  bastards ; or,  if  need  require, 

I’ll  tell  a lie  in  print  to  get  applause. 

I scorn  it:  John  such  dirt-heap  never  was 
Since  God  converted  him.  Let  this  suffice 
To  show  why  I my  Pilgrim  patronize. 

It  came  from  mine  own  heart,  so  to  my  head, 
And  thence  into  my  fingers  trickled; 

Then  to  my  pen,  from  whence  immediately 
On  paper  I did  dribble  it  daintily. 

Manner  and  matter  too  was  all  mine  own, 

Nor  was  it  unto  any  mortal  known 
Till  I had  done  it.  Nor  did  any  then, 

By  books,  by  wits,  by  tongues,  or  hand,  or  pen, 
Add  five  words  to  it,  or  write  half  a line 
Thereof:  the  whole  and  every  whit  is  mine. 

Also  for  this  thine  eye  is  now  upon, 

The  matter  in  this  manner  came  from  none 
But  the  same  heart  and  head,  fingers  and  pen 
As  did  the  other.  Witness  all  good  men : 

For  none  in  all  the  world,  without  a lie, 

Can  say  that  this  is  mine,  excepting  I. 

I write  not  this  of  any  ostentation, 

Nor  ’cause  I seek  of  men  their  commendation ; 

I do  it  to  keep  them  from  such  surmise, 

As  tempt  them  will  my  name  to  scandalize. 


TO  THE  EEADEE. 

■’Tis  strange  to  me  that  they  that  love  to  tell 
Things  done  of  old,  yea,  and  that  do  excel 
Their  equals  in  historiology, 

Speak  not  of  Mansoul’s  wars,  but  let  them  lie 
Dead  like  old  tables,  or  such  worthless  things 
That  to  the  reader  no  advantage  brings; 

When  men,  let  them  make  what  they  will  their 
own, 

Till  they  know  this  are  to  themselves  unknown. 

Of  stories  I well  know  there’s  divers  sorts ; 
Some  foreign,  some  domestic ; and  reports 
Are  thereof  made  as  fancy  leads  the  writers, 

(By  books  a man  may  guess  at  the  inditers.) 

Some  will  again  of  that  which  never  was, 

Nor  will  be,  feign  (and  that  without  a cause) 
Such  matter,  raise  such  mountains,  tell  such  things 
Of  men,  of  laws,  of  countries  and  of  kings, 

And  in  their  story  seem  to  be  so  sage, 

And  with  such  gravity  clothe  every  page, 

That  though  their  frontispiece  says  all  is  vain, 
Yet  to  their  way  disciples  they  obtain. 

But,  readers,  I have  somewhat  else  to  do 
Than  with  vain  stories  tlrus  to  trouble  you ; 

What  here  I say  some  men  do  know  so  well 
They  can  with  tears  and  joy  the  story  tell. 

The  town  of  Mansoul  is  well  known  to  many, 
Nor  are  her  troubles  doubted  of  by  any 
That  are  acquainted  with  those  histories 
That  Mansoul  and  her  wars  anatomize. 

367 


368 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Then  lend  thine  ear  to  what  I do  relate 
Touching  the  town  of  Mansoul  and  her  state ; 
How  she  was  lost,  took  captive,  made  a slave, 
And  how  against  him  set  that  should  her  save. 
Yea,  how  by  hostile  ways  she  did  oppose 
Her  Lord,  and  with  his  enemy  did  close. 

For  they  are  true ; him  that  will  them  deny 
Must  needs  the  best  of  records  vilify. 

For  my  part,  I myself  was  in  the  town, 

Both  when  ’twas  set  up  and  when  pulling  down ; 

I saw  Diabolus  in  his  possession, 

And  Mansoul  also  under  his  oppression. 

Yea,  I was  there  when  she  owned  him  for  lord, 
And  to  him  did  submit  with  one  accord. 

When  Mansoul  trampled  upon  things  divine, 
And  wallowed  in  filth  as  doth  a swine, 

When  she  betook  herself  unto  her  arms, 

Fought  her  Emmanuel,  despis’d  his  charms, 

Then  I was  there,  and  did  rejoice  to  see 
Diabolus  and  Mansoul  so  agree. 

Let  no  man  then  count  me  a fable-maker, 

Nor  make  my  name  or  credit  a partaker 
Of  their  derision  : what  is  here  in  view 
Of  mine  own  knowledge  I dare  say  is  true. 

I saw  the  Prince’s  armed  men  come  down 
By  troops,  by  thousands,  to  besiege  the  town. 

I saw  the  captains,  heard  the  trumpets  sound, 

And  how  his  forces  covered  all  the  ground. 

Yea,  how  they  set  themselves  in  battle-’ray 
I shall  remember  to  my  dying  day. 

I saw  the  colours  waving  in  the  wind, 

And  they  within  to  mischief  how  combin’d 
To  ruin  Mansoul,  and  to  make  away 
ILer  prirnum  mobile  without  delay. 

I saw  the  mounts  cast  up  against  the  town, 

And  how  the  slings  were  placed  to  beat  it  down  ; 
I heard  the  stones  fly  whizzing  by  mine  ears, 
(What’s  longer  kept  in  mind  than  got  in  fears?) 

I heard  them  fall,  and  saw  what  work  they  made, 
And  how  old  Mars  did  cover  with  his  shade 
The  face  of  Mansoul ; and  I heard  her  cry, 

Woe  worth  the  day ! in  dying  I shall  die. 

I saw  the  battering-rams,  and  how  they  play’d 
To  bext  ope  Ear-gate,  and  I was  afraid, 

Not  only  Ear-gate,  but  the  very  town, 

Would  by  those  battering-rams  be  beaten  down. 

I saw  the  fights,  and  heard  the  captains’  shout, 
And  in  each  battle  saw  who  faced  about ; 

I saw  who  wounded  were,  and  who  were  slain, 
And  who  when  dead  would  come  to  life  again. 

I heard  the  cries  of  those  that  wounded  were, 
(While  others  fought  like  men  bereft  of  fear ;) 
And  while  the  cry,  Kill,  kill!  was  in  mine  ears 
The  gutters  ran  not  so  with  blood  as  tears. 

Indeed  the  captains  did  not  always  fight, 

But  then  they  would  molest  us  day  and  night : 
Their  cry,  Up,  fall  on,  let  us  take  the  town  ! 

Kept  us  from  sleeping  or  from  lying  down. 


I was  there  when  the  gates  were  broken  ope, 
And  saw  how  Mansoul  then  was  stript  of  hope. 

I saw  the  captains  march  into  the  town, 

How  there  they  fought  and  did  their  foes  cut  down. 

I heard  the  Prince  bid  Boanerges  go 
Up  to  the  castle  and  there  seize  his  foe  ; 

And  saw  him  and  his  fellows  bring  him  down, 

In  chains  of  great  contempt,  quite  through  the 
town. 

I saw  Emmanuel  when  he  possess’d 
His  town  of  Mansoul,  and  how  greatly  bless’d 
A town  this  gallant  town  of  Mansoul  was 
When  she  receiv’d  his  pardon,  lov’d  his  laws. 

When  the  Diabolonians  were  caught, 

When  tried,  and  when  to  execution  brought, 

Then  I was  there ; yea,  I was  standing  by 
When  Mansoul  did  the  rebels  crucify. 

H also  saw  Mansoul  clad  all  in  white, 

And  heard  her  Prince  call  her  his  heart’s  delight; 
I saw  him  put  upon  her  chains  of  gold, 

And  rings  and  bracelets,  goodly  to  behold. 

What  shall  I say  ? I heard  the  people’s  cries, 
And  saw  the  Prince  wipe  tears  from  Mansoul’s 
eyes ; 

I heard  the  groans  and  saw  the  joy  of  many. 

Tell  you  of  all  I neither  will  nor  can  I ; 

But  by  what  here  I say  you  well  may  see 
That  Mansoul’s  matchless  wars  no  fables  be. 

Mansoul  the  desire  of  both  princes  was — 

One  keep  his  gain  would,  t’other  gain  his  loss : 
Diabolus  would  cry,  The  town  is  mine ; 
Emmanuel  would  plead  a right  divine 
Unto  his  Mansoul;  then  to  blows  they  go, 

And  Mansoul  cries,  These  wars  will  me  undo. 

Mansoul ! her  wars  seemed  endless  in  her  eyes ; 
She’s  lost  by  one,  becomes  another’s  prize, 

And  he  again  that  lost  her  last  would  swear, 

Have  her  I will,  or  her  in  pieces  tear. 

Mansoul ! it  was  the  very  seat  of  war, 
Wherefore  her  troubles  greater  were  by  far 
Than  only  where  the  noise  of  war  is  heard, 

Or  where  the  shaking  of  a sword  is  fear’d, 

Or  only  where  small  skirmishes  are  fought, 

Or  where  the  fancy  fighteth  with  a thought. 

She  saw  the  swords  of  fighting-men  made  red, 
And  heard  the  cries  of  those  with  them  wounded  : 
Must  not  their  frights  then  be  much  more  by  far 
Than  theirs  who  to  such  doings  strangers  are, 

Or  theirs  that  hear  the  beating  of  a drum, 

But  not  made  fly  for  fear  from  house  or  home? 

Mansoul  not  only  heard  the  trumpets  sound, 
But  saw  her  gallants  gasping  on  the  ground ; 
Wherefore  we  must  not  think  that  she  could  rest 
With  them  whose  greatest  earnest  is  but  jest; 

Or  where  the  blust’ring  threat’ning  of  great  wars 
Do  end  in  parleys  or  in  wordy  jars. 

Mansoul ! her  mighty  wars  they  did  portend 
Ller  weal  or  woe,  and  that  world  without  end ; 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


3G9 


Wherefore  she  must  be  more  concern’d  than  they 
Whose  fears  begin  and  end  the  selfsame  day, 

Or  where  none  other  harm  doth  come  to  him 
That  is  engag’d  but  loss  of  life  or  limb, 

As  all  must  needs  confess  that  now  do  dwell 
In  Universe,  and  can  this  story  tell. 

Count  me  not  then  with  them  that  to  amaze 
The  people  set  them  on  the  stars  to  gaze, 
Insinuating  with  much  confidence 
That  each  of  them  is  now  the  residence 
Of  some  brave  creatures;  yea,  a world  they  will 
Have  in  each  star,  though  it  be  past  their  skill 
To  make  it  manifest  to  any  man 
That  reason  hath  or  tell  his  fingers  can. 

24 


But  I have  too  long  lit  Id  thee  in  the  porch, 
And  kept  thee  from  the  sunshine  with  a torch. 
Well,  now,  go  forward,  step  within  the  door, 

And  there  behold  five  hundred  times  much  more 
Of  all  sorts  of  such  inward  rarities 
As  please  the  mind  will,  and  will  feed  the  eyes ; 
With  those  which,  if  a Christian,  thou  wilt  see 
Not  small,  but  things  of  greatest  moment  be. 

Nor  do  thou  go  to  work  without  my  key, 

(In  mysteries  men  soon  do  lose  their  way ;) 

And  also  turn  it  right,  if  thou  wouldst  know 
My  riddle,  and  wouldst  with  my  heifer  plough. 

It  lies  there  in  the  window : fare  thee  well ; 

My  next  may  be  to  ring  thy  passing  bell. 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


Iff  my  travels,  as  I walked  through  many  re- 
gions and  countries,  it  was  my  chance  to  hap- 
pen into  that  famous  continent  of  Universe. 
A very  large  and  spacious  country  it  is.  It 
lieth  between  the  two  poles,  and  just  amidst 
the  four  points  of  the  heavens.  It  is  a place 
well  watered  and  richly  adorned  with  hills  and 
valleys,  bravely  situate;  and  for  the  most  part 
(at  least  where  I was)  very  fruitful,  also  well 
peopled  and  a very  sweet  air. 

The  people  are  not  all  of  one  complexion, 
nor  yet  of  one  language,  mode,  or  way  of  re- 
ligion ; but  differ  as  much,  it  is  said,  as  do  the 
planets  themselves.  Some  are  right,  and  some 
are  wrong,  even  as  it  happeneth  to  be  in  lesser 
regions. 

In  this  country,  as  I said,  it  was  my  lot  to 
travel,  and  there  travel  I did,  and  that  so  long, 
even  till  I learned  much  of  their  mother 
tongue,  together  with  the  customs  and  man- 
ners of  them  among  whom  I was.  And  to 
speak  the  truth,  I was  much  delighted  to  see 
and  hear  many  things  which  I saw  and  heard 
among  them ; yea,  I had,  to  he  sure,  even  lived 
and  died  among  them  (so  was  I taken  with 
them  and  their  doings)  had  not  my  Master 
sent  for  me  home  to  his  house,  there  to  do  busi- 
ness for  him  and  to  oversee  business  done. 

Now  there  is  in  this  gallant  country  of  Uni- 
verse a fair  and  delicate  town,  a corporation, 
called  Mansoul — a town  for  its  buildings  so 
curious,  for  its  situation  so  commodious,  for  its 
privileges  so  advantageous — -I  mean  with  ref- 
erence to  its  original — that  I may  say  of  it,  as 
was  said  before  of  the  continent  in  which  it  is 
placed,  there  is  not  its  equal  under  the  whole 
heaven. 

As  to  the  situation  of  this  town,  it  lieth  just 
between  the  two  worlds,  and  the  first  founder 
and  builder  of  it,  so  far  as  by  the  best  and 
most  authentic  records  I can  gather,  was  one 
Shaddai,  and  he  built  it  for  his  own  delight. 
He  made  it  the  mirror  and  glory  of  all  that 
he  made,  even  the  top-piece  beyond  anything 
else  that  he  did  in  that  country : yea,  so  goodly 
370 


a town  was  Mansoul  when  it  was  first  built 
that  it  is  said  by  some  the  gods,  at  the  setting 
up  thereof,  came  down  to  see  it  and  sang  for 
joy.  And  as  he  made  it  goodly  to  behold,  so 
also  mighty  to  have  dominion  over  all  the 
country  round  about.  Yea,  all  were  com- 
manded to  acknowledge  Mansoul  for  their 
metropolitan;  all  were  enjoined  to  do  homage 
to  it;  ay,  the  town  itself  had  positive  commis- 
sion and  power  from  her  King  to  demand  ser- 
vice of  all,  and  also  to  subdue  any  that  any- 
wise denied  to  do  it. 

There  was  reared  up  in  the  midst  of  this 
town  a most  famous  and  stately  palace ; for 
strength  it  might  he  called  a castle ; for  pleas- 
antness, a paradise ; for  largeness,  a place  so 
copious  as  to  contain  all  the  world.  This  jjlace 
the  King  Shaddai  intended  for  himself  alone, 
and  not  another  with  him  ; partly  because  of 
his  own  delights,  and  partly  because  he  would 
not  that  the  terror  of  strangers  should  be  upon 
the  town.  This  place  Shaddai  made  also  a 
garrison  of,  but  committed  the  keeping  of  it 
only  to  the  men  of  the  town. 

The  wall  of  the  town  was  well  built ; yea,  so 
fast  and  firm  was  it  knit  and  compact  together 
that  had  it  not  been  for  the  townsmen  them- 
selves, they  could  not  have  been  shaken  ot 
broken  for  ever. 

For  here  lay  the  excellent  wisdom  of  him 
that  built  Mansoul,  that  the  walls  could  never 
be  broken  down  nor  hurt  by  the  most  mighty 
adverse  potentates  unless  the  townsmen  gave 
consent  thereto. 

This  famous  town  of  Mansoul  had  five  gates 
in  at  which  to  come,  out  at  which  to  go ; and 
these  were  made  likewise  answerable  to  the 
walls — to  wit,  impregnable,  and  such  as  could 
never  be  opened  or  forced  hut  by  the  will  and 
leave  of  those  within.  The  names  of  the  gates 
were  these : Ear-gate,  Eye-gate,  Mouth-gate, 
Nose-gate,  and  Feet-gate. 

Other  things  there  were  that  belonged  to 
the  town  of  Mansoul,  which  if  you  adjoin  to 
these  will  yet  give  further  demonstration  to 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


371 


nil  of  the  glory  niul  strength  of  the  place.  It 
had  always  a sufficiency  of  provisions  within 
its  walls ; it  had  the  best,  most  wholesome 
and  excellent  law  that  then  was  extant  in  the 
world.  There  was  not  a rascal,  rogue,  or 
traitorous  person  then  within  its  walls;  they 
were  all  true  men,  and  fast  joined  together, 
and  this,  you  know,  is  a great  matter.  And 
to  all  these  it  had  always  (so  long  as  it  had 
the  goodness  to  keep  true  to  Shaddai  the  King) 
his  countenance,  his  protection,  and  it  was  his 
delight,  Sic. 

Well,  upon  a time  there  was  one  Diabolus, 
a mighty  giant,  made  an  assault  upon  this 
famous  town  of  Mansoul  to  take  it  and  make 
it  his  own  habitation.  This  giant  was  king 
of  the  dark  regions,  and  a most  raving  prince 
he  was.  We  will,  if  you  please,  first  dis- 
course of  the  original  of  this  Diabolus,  and 
then  of  his  taking  of  this  famous  town  of 
Mansoul. 

This  Diabolus  is  indeed  a grand  and  mighty 
prince,  aud  yet  both  poor  and  beggarly.  As 
to  his  original,  he  was  at  first  one  of  the  ser- 
vants of  King  Shaddai,  made,  and  taken,  and 
put  by  him  into  most  high  and  mighty  place; 
yea,  was  put  into  such  principalities  as  be- 
longed to  the  best  of  his  territories  and  do- 
minions. This  Diabolus  was  made  son  of  the 
morning,  and  a brave  place  he  had  of  it;  it 
brought  him  much  glory  and  gave  him  much 
brightness,  an  income  that  might  have  con- 
tented his  Luciferian  heart,  had  it  not  been 
insatiable  and  enlarged  as  hell  itself. 

Well,  he  seeing  himself  thus  exalted  to 
greatness  and  honour,  and  raging  in  his  mind 
for  higher  state  and  degree,  what  doth  he  but 
begin  to  think  with  himself  how  he  might  be 
set  up  as  Lord  over  all,  and  have  the  sole 
power  under  Shaddai.  (Now  that  did  the 
King  reserve  for  his  Son,  yea,  and  had  al- 
ready bestowed  it  upon  him.)  Wherefore,  he 
first,  consults  with  himself  what  had  best  to 
be  done,  and  then  breaks  his  mind  to  some 
other  of  his  companions,  to  the  which  they 
also  agreed.  So  in  fine  they  came  to  this 
issue,  that  they  should  make  an  attempt  upon 
the  King’s  Son  to  destroy  him,  that  the  in- 
heritance might  be  theirs.  Well,  to  be  short, 
the  treason,  as  I said,  was  concluded,  the  time 
appointed,  the  word  given,  the  rebels  ren- 
dezvoused, and  the  assault  attempted.  Now 
the  King  and  his  Son,  being  all  and  always 
eye,  could  not  but  discern  all  passages  in  his 
dominions ; and  he  having  always  love  for  his 
Son  as  for  himself,  could  not,  at  what  he  saw, 


but  be  greatly  provoked  and  offended ; where 
fore  what  does  lie  but  takes  them  in  the  very 
nick,  and  the  first  trip  that  they  made  toward 
tlicir  design  convicts  them  of  their  treason, 
horrid  rebellion,  and  conspiracy  that  they  had 
devised  and  now  attempted  to  put  into  prac- 
tice, and  casts  them  all  together  out  of  all 
place  of  trust,  benefit,  honour,  and  preferment. 
This  done,  he  banishes  them  the  court,  turns 
them  down  into  the  horrible  pits,  as  fast  bound 
in  chains,  never  more  to  expect  the  least 
favour  from  his  hands,  but  to  abide  the  judg- 
ment that  he  had  appointed,  and  that  for  ever 
and  ever. 

Now,  they  being  thus  cast  out  of  all  place 
of  trust,  profit,  and  honour,  and  also  knowing 
that  they  had  lost  their  prince’s  favour  for 
ever,  being  banished  his  courts  and  cast  down 
to  the  horrible  pits,  you  may  be  sure  they 
would  now  add  to  their  former  pride  what 
malice  and  rage  against  Shaddai,  and  against 
his  Son,  they  could.  Wherefore,  roving  and 
ranging  in  much  fury  from  place  to  place,  (if 
perhaps  they  might  find  something  that  was 
the  King’s,  to  revenge,  by  spoiling  of  that, 
themselves  on  him,)  at  last  they  happened 
into  this  spacious  country  of  Lhiiverse,  and 
steer  their  course  towards  the  town  of  Man- 
soul ; and  considering  that  that  town  was  one 
of  the  chief  works  and  delights  of  King  Shad- 
dai, what  do  they  but,  after  counsel  taken, 
make  an  assault  upon  that : I say,  they  knew 
that  Mansoul  belonged  unto  Shaddai,  for  they 
were  there  when  he  built  it  and  beautified  it 
for  himself.  So  when  they  bad  found  the 
place  they  shouted  horribly  for  joy,  and 
roared  oh  it  as  a lion  upon  the  prey,  saying, 
Now  we  have  found  the  prize  and  how  to  be 
revenged  on  King  Shaddai  for  what  he  hath' 
done  to  us.  So  they  sat  down  and  called  a 
council  of  war,  and  considered  with  them- 
selves what  ways,  and  methods  they  had  best 
to  engage  in  for  the  winning  to  themselves 
this  iamous  town  of  Mansoul;  and  these  four 
things  were,  then  propounded  to  be  consid- 
ered of : 

1.  Whether  they  had  best,  all  of  them,  to 
show  themselves  in  this  design  to  the  town  of 
Mansoul  ? 

2.  Whether  they  had  best  to  go  and  sit 
down  against  Mansoul  in  their  now  ragged 
and  beggarly  guise? 

3.  Whether  they  had  best  show  to  Mansoul 
their  intentions  and  what  design  they  came 
about,  or  whether  to  assault  it  with  words  and 
ways  of  deceit? 


372 


PUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


4.  Whether  they  had  not  best,  to  some  of 
their  companions,  give  out  private  orders  to 
take  the  advantage,  if  they  see  one  or  more  of 
the  principal  townsmen,  to  shoot  them,  if 
thereby  they  should  judge  their  cause  and 
design  will  the  better  be  promoted? 

It  was  answered  to  the  first  of  these  pro- 
posals in  the  negative — to  wit,  that  it  would 
not  be  best  that  all  should  show  themselves 
before  the  town,  because  the  appearance  of 
many  of  them  might  alarm  and  fright  the 
town  ; whereas  a few',  or  but  one  of  them,  was 
not  likely  to  do  it.  And  to  enforce  this  advice 
to  take  place,  it  was  added  further  that  if 
Mansoul  was  frightened  or  did  take  the  alarm, 
it  is  impossible,  said  Diabolus,  (for  he  spake 
now,)  that  we  should  take  the  town,  for  that 
none  can  enter  into  it  without  its  own  con- 
sent. Let  therefore  but  few  or  but  one 
assault  Mansoul,  and  in  mine  opinion,  said 
Diabolus,  let  me  be  he.  Wherefore  to  this 
they  all  agreed  ; and 

Then  to  the  second  proposal  they  came — 
namely,  Whether  they  had  best  to  go  and  sit 
dowm  before  Mansoul  in  their  now  ragged  and 
beggarly  guise?  To  which  it  was . answered 
also  in  the  negative,  By  no  means ; and  that 
because,  though  the  town  of  Mansoul  had 
been  made  to  know,  and  to  have  to  do  before 
now,  with  things  that  are  invisible,  they  did 
never  as  yet  see  any  of  their  fellow- creatures 
in  so  sad  and  rascally  a condition  as  they. 
And  this  was  the  advice  of  that  tierce  Alecto. 
Then  said  Apollyon,  The  advice  is  pertinent; 
for  even  one  of  us,  appearing  to  them  as  we 
are  now,  must  needs  both  beget  and  multiply 
such  thoughts  in  them  as  will  both  put  them 
into  a consternation  of  spirit,  and  necessitate 
-them  to  put  themselves  upon  their  guard;  and 
if  so,  said  he,  then,  as  my  Lord  Alecto  said 
but  now,  it  is  in  vain  for  us  to  think  of  taking 
the  town.  Then  said  that  mighty  giant  Beel- 
zebub, The  advice  that  already  is  given  is  safe, 
for  though,  the  men  of  Mansoul  have  seen  such 
things  as  we  once  w'ere,  yet  hitherto  they  did 
never  behold  such  things  as  we  now  are;  and 
it  is  best,  in  mine  opinion,  to  come  upon  them 
in  such  a guise  as  is  common  to  and  most  fa- 
miliar among  them.  To  this  when  they  had 
consented,  the  next  thing  to  be  considered 
was,  in  what  shape,  hue,  or  guise  Diabolus 
had  best  to  show  himself  when  he  went  about 
to  make  Mansoul  his  own.  Then  one  said 
one  thing,  and  another  the  contrary;  at  last, 
Lucifer  answered  that  in  his  opinion  it  was 
best  that  his  lordship  should  assume  the  body 


of  some  of  those  creatures  that  they  of  tne 
town  had  dominion  over;  for,  quoth  he,  these 
are  not  only  familiar  to  them,  but  being  under 
them  they  will  never  imagine  that  an  attempt 
should  by  them  be  made  upon  the  town  ; and 
to  blind  all,  let  him  assume  the  body  of  one 
of  those  beasts  that  Mansoul  deems  to  be 
wiser  than  any  of  the  rest.  This  advice  was 
applauded  of  all;  so  it  w'as  determined  that 
the  giant  Diabolus  should  assume  the  dragon, 
for  that  he  was  in  those  days  as  familiar  with 
the  town  of  Mansoul  as  now  is  the  bird  with 
the  boy.  For  nothing  that  was  in  its  primi- 
tive state  was  at  all  amazing  to  them. 

Then  they  proceeded  to  the  third  thing, 
which'  was,  Whether  they  had  best  to  show 
their  intentions  or  the  design  of  his  coming 
to  Mansoul  or  no  ? This  also  was  answered  in 
the  negative,  because  of  the  weight  that  was 
in  the  former  reasons — to  wit,  for  that  Man- 
soul were  a strong  people,  a strong  people  in  a 
strong  town,  whose  wall  and  gates  were  im- 
pregnable, (to  say  nothing  of  their  castle,)  nor 
can  they  by  any  means  be  won  but  by  their 
own  consent.  Besides,  said  Legion,  (for  he 
gave  answer  to  this,)  a discovery  of  our  inten- 
tions may  make  them  send  to  their  King  for 
aid,  and  if  that  be  done  I know  quickly  what 
time  of  day  it  will  be  with  us.  Therefore  let 
us  assault  them  in  all  pretended  fairness,  cov- 
ering of  our  intentions  with  all  manner  of  lies, 
flatteries,  delusive  words,  feigning  of  things 
that  never  will  be,  and  promising  of  that  to 
them  that  they  shall  never  find.  This  is  the 
way  to  win  Mansoul,  and  to  make  them  of 
themselves  to  open  their  gates  to  us ; yea,  and 
to  desire  us  too  to  come  in  to  them.  And  the 
reason  why  I think  that  this  project  will  do 
is,  because  the  people  of  Mansoul  now  are  every 
one  simple  and  innocent,  and  all  honest  and 
true ; nor  do  they  as  yet  know  what  it  is  to  be  as- 
saulted with  fraud,  guile  and  hypocrisy.  They 
are  strangers  to  lying  and  dissembling  lips ; 
wherefore  we  cannot,  if  thus  we  be  disguised, 
by  them  at  all  be  discerned ; our  lies  shall  go 
for  true  sayings,  and  our  dissimulations  for  up- 
right dealings.  What  we  promise  them  they 
will  in  that  believe  us,  especially  if  in  all  our 
lies  and  feigned  words  we  pretend  great  love  to 
them,  and  that  our  design  is  only  their  advan- 
tage and  honour.  Now  there  was  not  one  bit 
of  reply  against  this;  this  went  as  current 
down  as  doth  the  water  down  a steep  descent. 

Wherefore  they  go  to  consider  of  the  last 
proposal,  which  was,  AVhether  they  had  not 
best  to  give  out  orders  to  some  of  their  com- 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


373 


puny  to  shoot  some  one  or  more  of  the  princi- 
pal of  the  townsmen,  if  they  judge  that  their 
cause  may  be  promoted  thereby?  This  was 
carried  in  the  ailirmative,  and  the  man  that 
was  designed  by  this  stratagem  to  be  destroyed 
was  one  Mr.  Resistance,  otherwise  called  Cap- 
tain Resistance.  And  a great  man  in  Mansoul 
tins  Captain  Resistance  was,  and  a man  that 
the  giant  Diabolus  and  his  band  more  feared 
than  they  feared  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul 
besides.  Now  who  should  be  the  actor  to  do 
the  murder?  That  was  the  next : and  they  ap- 
pointed one  Tisiphone,  a fury  of  the  lake,  to 
do  it. 

They  thus  having  ended  their  council  of  war, 
rose  up  and  assayed  to  do  as  they  had  deter- 
mined: they  marched  towards  Mansoul,  but 
all  in  a manner  invisible,  save  one,  only  one; 
nor  did  he  approach  the  town  in  his  own  like- 
ness, but  under  the  shape  and  in  the  body  of  a 
dragon.  So  they  drew  up  and  set  down  before 
Ear-gate,  for  that  was  the  place  of  hearing  for 
all  without  the  town,  as  Eye-gate  was  the  place 
of  perspectiou.  So,  as  I said,  he  came  up  with 
his  train  to  the  gate,  and  laid  his  ambuscado 
for  Captain  Resistance  within  bowshot  of  the 
town.  This  done,  the  giant  ascended  up  close 
to  the  gate  and  called  to  the  town  of  Mansoul 
for  audience.  Nor  took  he  any  with  him  but 
one  Ill-pause,  who  was  his  orator  in  all  diffi- 
cult matters.  Now,  as  I said,  he  being  come 
up  to  the  gate,  (as  the  manner  of  those  times 
was,)  sounded  his  trumpet  for  audience.  At 
which  the  chief  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  such 
as  my  Lord  Innocent,  my  Lord  Will-be-will, 
my  lord  mayor,  Mr.  Recorder,  and  Captain 
Resistance,  came  down  to  the  wall  to  see  who 
was  there  and  what  was  the  matter.  And  my 
Lord  Will-be-will,  when  he  had  looked  over 
and  saw  who  stood  at  the  gate,  demanded 
what  he  was,  wherefore  he  was  come,  and  why 
he  roused  the  town  of  Mansoul  with  so  unusual 
a sound  ? 

Diabolus  then,  as  if  he  had  been  a lamb, 
began  his  oration  and  said  : Gentlemen  of  the 
famous  town  of  Mansoul,  I am,  as  you  may 
perceive,  no  far  dweller  from  you,  but  near, 
and  one  that  is  bound  by  the  King  to  do  you 
my  homage  and  what  service  I can ; wherefore, 
that  I may  be  faithful  to  myself  and  to  you,  I 
have  somewhat  of  concern  to  impart  unto  you. 
Wherefore  grant  me  your  audience  and  hear 
me  patiently.  And  first,  I will  assure  you,  it 
is  not  myself,  but  you ; not  mine,  but  your  ad- 
vantage that  I seek  by  what  I now  do,  as  will 
full  well  be  made  manifest  by  that  I have 


opened  my  mind  unto  you.  For,  gentlemen, 

I am,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  come  to  show  you 
how  you  may  obtain  great  and  ample  deliver- 
ance from  a bondage  that,  unawares  to  your- 
selves, you  are  captivated  and  en  laved  under. 

At  this  the  town  of  Mansoul  began  to  prick 
up  its  ears:  And  what  is  it,  pray,  what  is  it? 
thought  they.  And  he  said,  I have  somewhat 
to  say  to  you  concerning  your  King,  concern- 
ing his  law,  and  also  touching  yourselves. 
Touching  your  King,  I know  he  is  a great  and 
potent,  but  yet  all  that  he  hath  said  to  you  is 
neither  true  nor  yet  for  your  advantage.  1.  It 
is  not  true,  for  that  wherewith  he  hath  hitherto 
awed  you  shall  not  come  to  pass  nor  be  ful- 
filled, though  you  do  the  thing  that  he  hath 
forbidden.  But  if  there  was  danger,  what  a 
slavery  it  is  to  live  always  in  fear  of  the  great- 
est of  punishments  for  doing  so  small  and  trivial 
a thing  as  eating  of  a little  fruit  is ! 2.  Touch- 

ing his  laws,  this  I say  further,  they  are  both 
unreasonable,  intricate,  and  intolerable — un- 
reasonable, as  was  hinted  before,  for  that  the 
punishment  is  not  proportioned  to  the  offence. 
There  is  great  difference  and  disproportion  be- 
twixt the  life  and  an  apple,  yet  the  one  must 
go  for  the  other  by  the  law  of  your  Shaddai. 
But  it  is  also  intricate,  in  that  he  saith,  first, 
you  may  eat  of  all,  and  yet  after  forbids  the 
eating  of  one.  And  then,  in  the  last  place,  it 
must  needs  be  intolerable,  forasmuch  as  that 
fruit  which  you  are  forbidden  to  eat  of  (if  you 
are  forbidden  any)  is  that,  and  that  alone, 
which  is  able  by  your  eating  to  minister  to  you 
a good  as  yet  unknow'n  by  you.  This  is  mani- 
fest by  the  very  name  of  the  tree ; it  is  called 
“ the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil ; ” 
and  have  you  that  knowledge  as  yet  ? No,  no, 
nor  can  you  conceive  how  good,  how  pleasant, 
and  howT  much  to  be  desired  to  make  one  wise 
it  is,  so  long  as  you  stand  by  your  King’s  com- 
mandment. Why  should  yon  be  holden  i n 0 
ignorance  and  blindness?  Why  should  you 
not  be  enlarged  in  knowledge  and  understand- 
ing? And  now,  ah ! ye  inhabitants  of  the 
famous  town  of  Mansoul,  to  speak  more  par- 
ticularly to  yourselves,  you  are  not  a free  peo- 
ple : you  are  kept  both  in  bondage  and  slavery, 
and  that  by  a grievous  threat,  no  reason  being 
annexed  but  So  I w ill  have  it,  so  it  shall  be. 
And  is  it  not  grievous  to  think  on,  that  that 
very  thing  that  you  are  forbidden  to  do,  might 
you  but  do  it,  would  yield  you  both  wisdom 
and  honour?  for  then  your  eyes  will  be  opened 
and  you  shall  be  as  gods.  Now,  since  this  is 
thus,  quoth  he,  can  you  be  kept  by  any  prince 


374 


1] UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


in  more  slavery  and  in  greater  bondage  than 
you  are  under  this  day?  You  are  made  un- 
derlings and  are  wrapt  up  in  inconveniences, 
as  I have  well  made  appear.  For  what  bond- 
age greater  than  to  be  kept  in  blindness? 
Will  not  reason  tell  you  that  it  is  better  to 
have  eyes  than  to  be  without  them,  and  so  be 
at  liberty  to  be  better  than  to  be  shut  up  in  a 
dark  and  stinking  cave? 

And  just  now,  while  Diabolus  was  speaking 
these  words  to  Mansoul,  Tisiphone  shot  at 
Captain  Resistance  where  he  stood  on  the  gate, 
and  mortally  wounded  him  in  the  head;  so 
that  he  to  the  amazement  of  the  townsmen 
and  the  encouragement  of  Diabolus,  fell  down 
quite  dead  over  the  wall.  Now,  when  Captain 
Resistance  was  dead,  (and  he  was  the  only 
man  of  war  in  the  town,)  poor  Mansoul  was 
left  wholly  naked  of  courage,  nor  had  she  now 
any  heart  to  resist.  But  this  was  as  the  devil 
would  have  it.  Then  he,  Mr.  Ill-pause,  that 
Diabolus  brought  with  him,  who  was  his  ora- 
tor, addressed  himself  to  speak  to  the  town  of 
Mansoul ; the  tenor  of  whose  speech  here  fol- 
lows : 

Gentlemen,  quoth  he,  it  is  my  master’s  hap- 
piness that  he  hath  this  day  a quiet  and  teach- 
able auditory,  and  it  is  hoped  by  us  that  we 
shall  prevail  with  you  not  to  cast  off  good 
advice.  My  master  has  a very  great  love  for 
you,  and  although,  as  he  very  well  knows,  that 
he  runs  the  hazard  of  the  anger  of  King  Shadr 
dai,  yet  love  to  you  will  make  him  do  more 
than  that.  Nor  doth  there  need  that  a word 
more  should  be  spoken  to  confirm  for  truth 
what  he  hath  said;  there  is  not  a word  but 
carries  in  it  self-evidence  in  its  bowels : the 
very  name  of  the  tree  may  put  an  end  to  all 
controversy  in  this  matter.  I therefore  at  this 
time  shall  only  add  this  advice  to  you,  under 
and  by  the  leave  of  my  lord,  (and  with  that  he 
made  Diabolus  a very  low  congee.)  Consider 
* his  words,  look  on  the  tree  and  the  promising 
fruit  thereof;  remember  also  that  yet  you 
know  but  little,  and  that  this  is  the  way  to 
know  more;  and  if  your  reasons  be  not  con- 
quc  red  to  accept  of  such  good  counsel,  you  are 
not  the  men  that  I took  you  to  be. 

But  when  the  townsfolk  saw  that  the  tree 
vs  as  good  for  food,  and  that  it  was  pleasant  to 
the  eye,  and  a tree  to  be  desired  to  make  one 
wise,  they  did  as  old  Ill-pause  advised ; they 
took  and  did  eat  thereof.  Now  this  I should 
have  told  you  before,  that  even  then,  when 
this  Ill-pause  was  making  of  his  speech  to  the 
townsmen,  my  Lord  Innocency,  whether  by  a 


shot  from  the  camp  of  the  giant,  or  from  a 
sinking  qualm  that  suddenly  took  him,  or 
rather  by  the  stinking  breath  of  that  treach- 
erous villain  old  Ill-pause,  (for  so  I am  most 
apt  to  think,)  sunk  down  in  the  place  where 
he  stood,  nor  could  he  be  brought  to  life  again. 
Thus  these  two  brave  men  died.  Brave  men  I 
call  them,  for  they  were  the  beauty  and  glory 
of  Mansoul  so  long  as  they  lived  therein ; nor 
did  there  now  remain  any  more  a noble  spirit 
in  Mansoul;  they  all  fell  down  and  yielded 
obedience  to  Diabolus,  and  became  his  slaves 
and  vassals  as  you  shall  hear. 

Now,  these  being  dead,  what  do  the  rest  of 
the  townsfolk  but  as  men  that  had  found  a 
fool’s  paradise?  They  presently,  as  afore  was 
hinted,  fell  to  prove  the  truth  of  the  giant’s 
words;  and  first  they  did  as  Ill-pause  had 
taught  them ; they  looked,  they  considered, 
they  were  taken  with  the  forbidden  fruit,  they 
took  thereof,  and  did  eat ; and  having  eaten, 
they  became  immediately  drunken  therewith; 
so  they  opened  the  gate,  both  Ear-gate  and 
Eye-gate,  and  let  in  Diabolus  with  all  his 
bands,  quite  forgetting  their  good  Shaddai,  his 
law,  and  the  judgment  that  he  had  annexed 
with  solemn  threatening  to  the  breach  thereof. 

Diabolus  having  now  obtained  entrance  in  at 
the  gates  of  the  town,  marches  up  to  the  mid- 
dle thereof,  to  make  his  conquest  as  sure  as  he 
could  ; and  finding  by  this  time  the  affections 
of  the  people  warmly  inclining  to  him,  he,  as 
thinking  it  was  best  striking  while  the  iron 
was  hot,  made  this  further  deceivable  speech 
unto  them,  saying,  Alas ! my  poor  Mansoul ! I 
have  done  thee  indeed  this  service  as  to  pro- 
mote thee  to  honour  and  to  greaten  thy  liberty ; 
but,  alas ! alas ! poor  Mansoul ! thou  wantest 
now  one  to  defend  thee;  for  assure  thyself  that 
when  Shaddai  shall  hear  what  is  done  he  will 
come;  for  sorry  will  he  be  that  thou  hast 
broken  his  bonds  and  cast  his  cords  away  from 
thee.  What  wilt  thou  do?  Wilt  thou,  after 
enlargement,  suffer  thy  privileges  to  be  in- 
vaded and  taken  away  ? or  what  wilt  thou  re- 
solve with  thyself?  Then  they  all  with  one 
consent  said  to  this  bramble,  “ Do  thou  reign 
over  us.”  So  he  accepted  the  motion,  and  be- 
came king  of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  This  being 
done,  the  next  thing  was  to  give  him  possession 
of  the  castle,  and  so  of  the  whole  strength  of 
the  town.  Wherefore  into  the  castle  he  goes, 
(it  was  that  which  Shaddai  built  in  Mansoul 
for  his  own  delight  and  pleasure;)  this  now 
was  become  a den  and  hold  for  the  giant 
Diabolus. 


T1IE  HOLY  WAR. 


.375 


Now,  having  got  possession  of  this  stately 
palace  or  castle,  what  doth  he  but  make  it  a 
garrison  for  himself,  and  strengthens  and  forti- 
fies it  with  all  sorts  of  provision  against  the 
King  Shaddai,  or  those  that  should  endeavour 
the  regaining  of  it  to  him  and  his  obedience 
again. 

This  done,  but  not  thinking  himself  yet 
secure  enough,  in  the  next  place  he  bethinks 
himself  of  new  modelling  the  town ; and  so  he 
docs,  setting  up  one  and  putting  down  another 
at  pleasure.  Wherefore  my  lord  mayor,  whose 
name  was  my  Lord  Understanding,  and  Mr. 
Recorder,  whose  name  was  Mr.  Conscience, 
those  he  puts  out  of  place  and  power. 

As  for  my  lord  mayor,  though  he  was  an 
understanding  man,  and  one  too  that  had  com- 
plied with  the  rest  of  the  town  of  Mansoul  in 
admitting  the  giant  into  the  town,  yet  Diabolus 
thought  not  fit  to  let  him  abide  in  his  former 
lustre  and  glory,  because  he  was  a seeing  man. 
Wherefore  he  darkened  it,  not  only  by  taking 
from  him  his  office  and  power,  but  by  building 
of  an  high  and  strong  tower  just  behind  the 
sun’s  reflections  and  the  windows  of  my  lord’s 
palace ; by  which  means  his  house  and  all,  and 
the  whole  of  his  habitation,  was  made  as  dark 
as  darkness  itself;  and  thus,  being  alienated 
from  the  light,  he  became  as  one  that  was  born 
blind.  To  this  his  house  my  lord  was  confined 
as  to  a prison,  nor  might  he  upon  his  parole 
go  farther  than  within  his  own  bounds.  And 
now,  had  he  an  heart  to  do  for  Mansoul,  what 
could  lie  do  for  it,  or  wherein  could  he  be 
profitable  to  her '?  So,  then,  so  long  as  Man- 
soul was  under  the  power  and  government  of 
Diabolus,  (and  so  long  it  was  under  him  as  it 
was  obedient  to  him,  which  was  eveu  until  by 
a war  it  was  rescued  out  of  his  hand,)  so  long 
my  lord  mayor  was  rather  an  impediment  in 
than  an  advantage  to  the  famous  town  of  Man- 
soul. 

As  for  Mr.  Recorder,  before  the  town  was 
taken  he  was  a man  well  read  in  the  laws  of 
his  King,  and  also  a man  of  courage  and  faith- 
fulness to  speak  truth  at  every  occasion ; and 
lie  had  a tongue  as  bravely  hung  as  he  had  an 
head  filled  with  judgment.  Now  this  man 
Diabolus  could  by  no  means  abide,  because, 
though  he  gave  his  consent  to  his  coming  into 
the  town,  yet  he  could  not,  by  all  wiles,  trials, 
and  devices  that  he  could  use,  make  him 
wholly  his  own.  True,  he  was  much  degene- 
rated from  liis  former  King,  and  also  much 
pleased  with  many  of  the  giant’s  laws  and  ser- 
vice. But  all  this  would  not  do,  forasmuch  as 


he  was  not  wholly  bis.  JTo  would  now  and 
then  think  upon  Shaddai,  and  have  dread  of 
his  law  upon  him,  and  then  he  would  speak 
with  a voice  as  great  against  Diabolus  as  when 
a lion  roareth;  yea,  and  would  also  at  certain 
times,  when  his  fits  were  upon  him,  (for  you 
must  know  that  sometimes  he  had  terrible 
fits,)  make  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul  shake 
with  his  voice.  And  therefore  the  new  king 
of  Mansoul  could  not  abide  him. 

Diabolus  therefore  feared  the  recorder  more 
than  any  that  was  left  alive  in  the  town  of 
Mansoul,  because,  as  I said,  his  words  did 
shake  the  whole  town;  they  were  like  the 
rattling  thunder  and  also  like  thunderclaps. 
Since,  therefore,  the  giant  could  not  make 
him  wholly  his  own,  what  doth  he  do  but 
studies  all  that  he  could  to  debauch  the  old 
gentleman,  and  by  debauchery  to  stupefy  his 
mind  and  more  harden  his  heart  in  ways  of 
vanity.  And  as  he  attempted,  so  he  accom- 
plished his  design.  He  debauched  the  man, 
and  by  little  and  little  so  drew  him  into  sin 
and  wickedness  that  at  last  he  was  not  only 
debauched  as  at  first,  and  so  by  consequence 
defiled,  but  was  almost  (at  last,  I say)  past  all 
conscience  of  sin.  And  this  was  the  farthest 
Diabolus  could  go.  Wherefore  he  bethinks 
him  of  another  project,  and  that  was,  to  per- 
suade the  men  of  the  town  that  Mr.  Recorder 
was  mad,  and  so  not  to  be  regarded.  And  for 
this  he  urged  his  fits,  and  said,  If  he  be  him- 
self, why  doth  he  not  do  thus  always  ? But, 
quoth  he,  as  all  mad  folks  have  their  fits  and 
in  them  their  raving  language,  so  hath  this 
old  and  doating  gentleman.  Thus  by  one 
means  or  another  he  quickly  got  Mansoul  to 
slight,  neglect,  and  despise  whatever  Mr.  Re- 
corder could  say ; for,  besides  what  already  you 
have  heard,  Diabolus  had  a way  to  make  the 
old  gentleman  when  he  was  merry  unsay  and 
deny  what  he  in  his  fits  had  affirmed.  And 
indeed  this  was  the  next  way  to  make  himself 
ridiculous,  and  to  cause  that  no  man  should 
regard  him.  Also  now  he  never  spake  freely 
for  King  Shaddai,  but  always  by  force  and 
constraint.  Besides,  he  would  at  one  time  be 
hot  against  that  at  which  at  another  he  would 
hold  his  peace,  so  uneven  was  he  now  in  his 
doings.  Sometimes  he  would  be  as  if  fast 
asleep,  and  again  sometimes  as  dead,  even 
then  when  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul  was  in 
her  career  after  vanity  and  in  her  dance  after 
the  giant’s  pipe. 

Wherefore,  sometimes  when  Mansoul  did 
use  to  be  frighted  with  the  thundering  voice  of 


376 


BUN  FAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


the  recorder  that  was,  and  when  they  did  tell 
Diabolus  of  it,  he  would  answer,  That  what 
the  old  gentleman  said  was  neither  of  love  to 
him  nor  pity  to  them,  but  of  a foolish  fondness 
that  he  had  to  be  prating ; and  so  would  hush, 
still,  and  put  all  to  quiet  again.  And  that  he 
might  leave  no  argument  unurged  that  might 
tend  to  make  them  secure,  he  said,  and  said  it 
often,  O Mansoul ! consider  that  notwithstand- 
ing the  old  gentleman’s  rage  and  the  rattle  of 
his  high  and  thundering  words,  you  hear 
nothing  of  Sliaddai  himself;  when,  liar  and 
deceiver  that  he  was,  every  outcry  of  Mr.  Re- 
corder against  the  sin  of  Mansoul  was  the  voice 
of  God  in  him  to  them.  But  he  goes  on  and 
says,  You  see  that  he  values  not  the  loss  nor 
rebellion  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  nor  will  he 
trouble  himself  with  calling  of  his  town  to  a 
reckoning  for  their  giving  up  themselves  to 
me.  He  knows  that  though  ye  were  his,  now 
you  are  lawfully  mine ; so,  leaving  us  one  to 
another,  he  now  hath  shaken  his  hands  of  us. 

Moreover,  0 Mansoul!  quoth  he,  consider 
how  I have  served  you,  even  to  the  utmost  of 
my  power,  and  that  with  the  best  that  I have, 
could  get,  or  procure  for  you  in  all  the  world. 
Besides,  I dare  say  that  the  laws  and  customs 
that  you  now  are  under,  and  by  which  you  do 
homage  to  me,  do  yield  you  more  solace  and 
content  than  did  the  paradise  that  at  first  you 
possessed.  Your  liberty  also,  as  yourselves  do 
very  well  know,  has  been  greatly  Avidened  and 
enlarged  by  me.  Whereas  I found  you  a pent- 
up  people,  I have  not  laid  any  restraint  upon 
you ; you  have  no  la\Ar,  statute,  or  judgment  of 
mine  to  fright  you ; I call  none  of  you  to  ac- 
count for  your  doings,  except  the  madman— 
you  know  Avho  I mean : I have  granted  you  to 
live,  each  man,  like  a prince  in  his  OAvn,  even 
with  as  little  control  from  me  as  I myself  have 
from  you. 

And  thus  Avould  Diabolus  hush  up  and  quiet 
the  toAvn  of  Mansoul  Avhen  the  recorder  that 
was  did  at  times  molest  them;  yea,  and  with 
such  cursed  orations  as  these  would  he  set  the 
whole  toAvn  in  a rage  and  fury  against  the  old 
gentleman ; yea,  the  rascal  creAv  at  some  times 
Avould  be  for  destroying  of  him.  They  have 
often  wished  (in  my  hearing)  that  he  had  lived 
a thousand  miles  off  from  them ; his  company, 
his  Avords,  yea  the  sight  of  him,  and  especially 
when  they  remembered  hoAv  in  old  times  he 
did  use  to  threaten  and  condemn  them,  (for  all 
he  Avas  now  so  debauched,)  did  terrify  and 
afflict  them  sore. 

But  all  Avishes  Avere  in  vain;  for  I do  not 


knoAV  how,  unless  by  the  poAver  of  Sliaddai 
and  his  wisdom,  he  was  preserved  in  being 
amongst  them.  Besides,  his  house  was  as 
strong  as  a castle,  and  stood  hard  to  a strong- 
hold of  the  toAvn.  Moreover,  if  at  any  time 
any  of  the  crew  or  rabble  attempted  to  make 
him  away,  he  could  pull  up  the  si  dices  and  let 
in  such  floods  as  would  drown  all  round  about 
him. 

But  to  leave  Mr.  Recorder,  and  to  come  to 
my  Lord  Will-be-Avill,  another  of  the  gentry 
of  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul.  This  Will- 
be-Avill  Avas  as  high  born  as  any  man  in  Man- 
soul,  and  Avas  as  much,  if  not  more,  a freeholder 
than  many  of  them  Avere.  Besides,  if  I re- 
member my  tale  aright,  he  had  some  privilege 
peculiar  to  himself  in  the  famous  toAvn  of 
Mansoul.  Noav,  together  Avitli  these,  he  Avas  a 
man  of  great  strength,  resolution,  and  courage, 
nor  in  his  occasion  could  any  turn  him  away. 
But  I say,  whether  he  was  proud  of  his  estate, 
privileges,  strength,  or  Avliat,  (hut  sure  it  Avas 
through  pride  of  something,)  he  scorns  noAvto 
be  a slave  in  Mansoul,  and  therefore  resolves 
to  bear  office  under  Diabolus,  that  he  might 
(such  an  one  as  he  was)  be  a petty  ruler  and 
governor  in  Mansoul.  And  (headstrong  man 
that  he  Avas)  thus  he  began  betimes ; for  this 
man,  Avlien  Diabolus  did  make  his  oration  at 
Ear-gate,  Avas  one  of  the  first  that  Avas  for  con- 
senting to  his  Avords  and  for  accepting  of  his 
counsel  as  Avholesome,  and  that  Avas  for  the 
opening  of  the  gate  and  for  letting  him  into 
the  town.  Wherefore  Diabolus  had  a kindness 
for  him,  and  therefore  he  designed  for  him  a 
place ; and  perceiving  the  valour  and  stoutness 
of  the  man,  he  coveted  to  have  him  for  one  of 
the  great  ones,  to  act  and  do  in  matters  of  the 
highest  concern. 

So  he  sent  for  him,  and  talked  Avith  him  of 
that  secret  matter  that  lay  in  his  jreast.  But 
there  needed  not  much  persuasion  in  the  case, 
for  as  at  first  he  Avas  willing  that  Diabolus 
should  be  let  into  the  toAvn,  so  now  he  Avas  as 
Avilling  to  serve  him  there.  When  the  tyrant, 
therefore,  perceived  the  Avillingness  of  my  lord 
to  serve  him,  and  that  his  mind  stood  bending 
that  Avay,  he  forthwith  made  him  the  captain 
of  the  castle,  governor  of  the  A\rall,  and  keeper 
of  the  gates  of  Mansoul.  Yea,  there  was  a' 
clause  in  his  commission  that  nothing  Avithout 
him  should  be  done  in  all  the  town  of  Man- 
soul.  So  that  iioav,  next  to  Diabolus  himself, 
aa’Iio  but  my  Lord  Will-be-Avill  in  all  the  town 
of  Mansoul  ? Nor  could  anything  now  be  done 
but  at  his  Avill  and  pleasure  throughout  the 


TI1E  UGLY  WAR. 


377 


town  of  Mansoul.  lie  had  also  one  Mr.  Mind 
for  his  clerk,  a man  to  speak  on  every  way  like 
his  master  ; for  ho  and  his  lord  were  in  prin- 
ciple one,  and  in  practice  not  far  asunder. 
And  now  was  Mansoul  brought  under  to  pur- 
pose, and  made  to  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  will 
and  of  the  mind. 

But  it  will  not  be  out  of  my  thoughts  what 
a desperate  one  this  Will-be-will  was  when 
power  was  put  into  his  hand.  First,  he  flatly 
denied  that  he  owed  any  suit  or  service  to  his 
former  prince  and  liege  lord.  This  done,  in 
the  next  place  he  took  an  oath  and  swore 
fidelity  to  his  great  master  Diabolus ; and  then, 
being  seated  and  settled  in  his  places,  offices, 
advancements  and  preferments,  oh  you  cannot 
think,  unless  you  had  seen  it,  the  strange  work 
that  this  workman  made  in  the  town  of  Man- 
soul. 

First,  he  maligned  Mr.  Recorder  to  death; 
he  would  neither  endure  to  see  him  nor  to  hear 
the  words  of  his  mouth;  he  would  shut  his 
eyes  when  he  saw  him  and  stop  his  ears  when 
he  heard  him  speak ; also  he  could  not  endure 
that  so  much  as  a fragment  of  the  law  of  Shad- 
dai  should  be  anywhere  seen  in  the  town.  For 
example,  his  clerk,  Mr.  Mind,  had  some  old 
rent  and  torn  parchments  of  the  law  of  good 
Shaddni  in  his  house,  but  when  Will-be-will 
saw  them  he  cast  them  behind  his  back.  True, 
Mr.  Recorder  had  some  of  the  laws  in  his  study, 
but  my  lord  could  by  no  means  come  at  them, 
lie  also  thought  and  said  that  the  windows  of 
my  old  lord  mayor’s  house  were  always  too 
light  for  the  profit  of  the  town  of  Mansoul. 
The  light  of  a candle  he  could  not  endure. 
Now  nothing  at  all  pleased  Will-be-will  but 
what  pleased  Diabolus  his  lord. 

There  was  none  like  him  to  trumpet  about 
the  streets  the  brave  nature,  the  wise  conduct, 
and  great  glory  of  the  king  Diabolus.  He 
would  range  and  rove  throughout  the  streets 
of  Mansoul  to  cry  up  his  illustrious  lord,  and 
would  make  himself  even  as  an  abject  among 
the  base  and  rascal  crew  to  cry  up  his  valiant 
prince.  And  I say,  when  and  wheresoever  he 
found  these  vassals,  he  would  even  make  him- 
self as  one  of  them.  In  all  ill  courses  he 
would  act  without  bidding  and  do  mischief 
with  on  t com  m an  dmen  t. 

The  Lord  Will-be-will  had  also  a deputy 
under  him,  and  his  name  was  Mr.  Affection; 
one  that  was  also  greatly  debauched  in  his 
principles,  and  answerable  thereto  in  his  life: 
he  was  wholly  given  to  the  flesh,  and  therefore 
they  called  him  Vile-affection.  Now  there  was 


lie  and  one  Carnal-lust,  the  daughter  of  Mr. 
Mind,  (like  to  like,  quoth  the  devil  to  the  col- 
lier,) that  fell  in  love  and  made  a match,  and 
were  married ; and  as  I take  it  they  had  sev- 
eral children,  as  Impudent,  Black-mouth,  and 
llale-reproof ; these  three  were  black  boys; 
and  besides  these  they  had  three  daughters, 
as  Scorn-truth,  Slight-God,  and  the  name  of 
the  youngest  was  Town ; and  also  begot  and 
yielded  Bad-revenge;  these  were  all  married," 
and  the  brats  were  too  many  to  be  here  in- 
serted. But  to  pass  by  this. 

When  the  giant  had  thus  engarrisoned  him- 
self in  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and  had  put  down 
and  set  up  whom  he  thought  good,  he  betakes 
himself  to  defacing.  Now  there  was  in  the 
market-place  in  Mansoul,  and  also  upon  the 
gates  of  the  castle,  an  image  of  the  blessed 
King  Shaddai;  this  image  was  so-  exactly  en- 
graven (and  it  was  engraved  in  gold)  that  it 
did  the  most  resemble  Shaddai  himself  of  any 
thing  that  then  was  extant  in  the  world.  This 
he  basely  commanded  to  be  defaced,  and  it 
was  as  basely  done  by  the  hand  of  Mr.  No- 
truth.  Now  you  must  know  that  as  Diabolus 
had  commanded,  and  that  by  the  hand  of  Mr. 
No-truth,  the  image  of  Shaddai  was  defaced, 
he  likewise  gave  order  that  the  same  Mr.  No- 
truth should  set  up  in  its  stead  the  horrid  and 
formidable  image  of  Diabolus,  to  the  great 
contempt  of  the  former  King,  and  the  debas- 
ing of  his  town  of  Mansoul. 

Moreover,  Diabolus  made  havoc  of  all  re- 
mains of  the  laws  and  statutes  of  Shaddai  that 
could  be  found  in  the  town  of  Mansoul;  to 
wit,  such  as  contained  either  doctrines  or 
morals,  with  all  civil  and  natural  documents. 
Also  relative  duties  he  sought  to  extinguish. 
To  be  short,  there  was  nothing  of  the  remains 
of  good  in  Mansoul  which  he  and  Will-be-will 
sought  not  to  destroy,  for  their  design  was  <o 
turn  Mansoul  into  a brute,  and  to  make  it  like 
to  the  sensual  sow  by  the  hand  of  Mr.  No-t.  nth. 

When  he  had  destroyed  what  law  and  good 
order  he  could,  then  further  to  effect  his  de- 
sign— namely,  to  alienate  Mansoul  from  Shad- 
dai her  King — he  commands  and  they  set  up 
his  own  vain  edicts,  statutes,  and  command- 
ments in  all  places  of  resort  or  concourse  in 
Mansoul ; to  wit,  such  as  gave  liberty  to  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh,  the  lusts  of  the  eye,  and  the 
pride  of  life,  which  are  not  of  Shaddai,  but 
of  the  world.  He  encouraged,  countenanced, 
and  prompted  lasciviousness  and  all  ungod- 
liness there.  Yea,  much  more  did  Diabolus 
to  encourage  wickedness  in  the  town  of  Man- 


378 


B UN  Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


soul ; he  promised  them  peace,  content,  joy 
and  bliss  in  doing  his  commands,  and  that 
they  should  never  be  called  to  an  account  for 
their  not  doing  the  contrary.  And  let  this 
serve  to  give  a taste  to  them  that  love  to  hear 
tell  of  what  is  done  beyond  their  knowledge, 
afar  oft'  in  other  countries. 

Now,  Mansoul  being  wholly  at  his  beck,  and 
brought  wholly  to  his  bow,  nothing  was  heard 
or  seen  therein  but  that  which  tended  to  set 
him  up. 

But  now,  he  having  disabled  the  lord  mayor 
and  Mr.  Recorder  from  bearing  of  office  in 
Mansoul,  a,nd  seeing  that  the  town  before  he 
came  to  it  was  the  most  ancient  of  corporations 
in  the  world,  and  fearing  if  he  did  not  main- 
tain greatness,  they  at  any  time  should  object 
that  he  had  done  them  an  injury — therefore,  I 
say,  (that  they  might  see  that  he  did  not  in- 
tend to  lessen  their  grandeur,  or  to  take  from 
them  any  of  their  advantageous  things,)  he  did 
choose  for  them  a lord  mayor  and  a recorder 
himself,  and  such  as  contented  them  at  the 
heart,  and  such  also  as  pleased  him  wondrous 
well. 

The  name  of  the  mayor  that  was  of  Diab- 
olus’s  making  was  the  Lord  Lustings,  a man 
that  had  neither  eyes  nor  ears ; all  that  he  did, 
whether  as  a man  or  an  officer,  he  did  it  nat- 
urally, as  doth  the  beast.  And  that  which 
made  him  yet  the  more  ignoble,  though  not  to 
Mansoul,  yet  to  them  that  beheld  and  were 
grieved  for  its  ruin,  was,  that  he  never  could 
favour  good,  but  evil. 

The  recorder  was  one  whose  name  was  For- 
get-good,  and  a very  sorry  fellow  he  was.  He 
could  remember  nothing  but  mischief,  and  to 
do  it  with  delight.  He  was  naturally  prone  to 
do  things  that  were  hurtful,  even  hurtful  to 
the  town  of  Mansoul  and  to  all  the  dwellers 
there.  These  two,  therefore,  by  their  power 
and  practice,  examples  and  smiles  upon  evil, 
did  much  more  mischief,  and  settled  the  com- 
mon people  in  hurtful  ways  ; for  who  doth  not 
perceive  but  when  those  that  sit  aloft  are  vile 
and  corrupt  themselves,  they  corrupt  the  whole 
region  and  country  where  they  are? 

Besides  these,  Diabolus  made  several  bur- 
gesses and  aldermen  in  Mansoul,  such  as  out 
of  whom  the  town,  when  it  needed,  might 
choose  them  officers,  governors,  and  magis- 
trates ; and  these  are  the  names  of  the  chief 
of  them : Mr.  Incredulity,  Mr.  Haughty,  Mr. 
Swearing,  Mr.  Whoring,  Mr.  Hard-heart,  Mr. 
Pitiless,  Mr.  Fury,  Mr.  No-truth,  Mr.  Stand- 
to-lies,  Mr.  False-peace,  Mr.  Drunkenness,  Mr. 


Cheating,  Mr.  Atheism — thirteen  in  all.  Mr, 
Incredulity  was  the  eldest,  and  Mr.  Atheism 
the  youngest  of  the  company. 

There  was  also  an  election  of  common  coun- 
cilmen  and  others,  as  bailiff's,  serjeants,  con- 
stables, and  others ; but  all  of  them,  like  to 
those  aforenamed,  being  either  fathers,  bro- 
thers, cousins,  or  nephews  to  them  whose 
names,  for  brevity’s  sake,  I omit  to  mention. 

When  the  giant  had  thus  far  proceeded  in 
his  work,  in  the  next  place  he  betook  him  to 
build  some  strongholds  in  the  town.  And  he 
built  three  that  seemed  to  be  impregnable. 
The  first  he  called  the  hold  of  Defiance,  be- 
cause it  was  made  to  command  the  whole  town 
and  to  keep  it  from  the  knowledge  of  its  ancient 
King.  The  second  he  called  Midnight-hold, 
because  it  was  built  on  purpose  to  keep  Man- 
soul from  the  true  knowledge  of  itself.  The 
third  was  called  Sweet-sin-hold,  because  by 
that  he  fortified  Mansoul  against  all  desires 
of  good.  The  first  of  these  holds  stood  close 
by  Eye-gate,  that  as  much  as  might  be  light 
might  be  darkened  there.  The  second  was 
built  hard  by  the  old  castle,  to  the  end  that  it 
might  be  made  more  blind  if  possible.  And 
the  third  stood  in  the  market-place. 

He  that  Diabolus  made  governor  over  the 
first  of  these  was  one  Spite-God,  a most  blas- 
phemous wretch.  He  came  with  the  whole 
rabble  of  them  that  came  against  Mansoul  at 
first,  and  was  himself  one  of  themselves.  He 
that  was  made  the  governor  of  Midnight-hold 
was  one  Love-no-light;  he  was  also  of  them 
that  came  first  against  the  town.  And  he  that 
was  made  the  governor  of  the  hold  called 
Sweet-sin -hold  was  one  whose  name  was  Love- 
flesh  ; he  was  also  a very  lewd  fellow,  but  not 
of  that  country  where  the  others  are  bound. 
This  fellow  could  find  more  sweetness  when 
he  stood  sucking  of  a lust  than  he  did  in  all 
the  paradise  of  God. 

And  now  Diabolus  thought  himself  safe;  he 
had  taken  Mansoul;  he  had  engarrisoned  him- 
self therein  ; he  had  put  down  the  old  officers 
and  had  set  up  new  ones ; he  had  defaced  the 
image  of  Sliaddai  and  set  up  his  own ; he 
had  spoiled  the  old  law-books  and  promoted 
his  own  vain  lies;  he  had  made  him  new 
magistrates  and  set  up  new  aldermen  ; he  had 
built  him  new  holds  and  had  manned  them 
for  himself.  And  all  this  he  did  to  make  him- 
self secure,  in  case  the  good  Shaddai  or  his 
Son  should  come  and  make  an  incursion  upon 
him. 

Now  you  may  well  think  that  long  before 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


379 


this  time  word,  by  some  or  other,  could  not 
but  be  carried  to  the  good  King  Shaddai  how 
his  Mansoul  in  the  continent  of  Universe  was 
lost;  and  that  the  runagate  giant  Diabolus, 
once  one  of  his  Majesty’s  servants,  had,  in  re- 
bellion against  the  King,  made  sure  thereof 
for  himself;  yea,  tidings  were  carried  and 
brought  to  the  King  thereof,  and  that  to  a 
very  circumstance. 

As,  first,  how  Diabolus  came  upon  Mansoul 
(they  being  a simple  people  and  innocent) 
with  craft,  subtlety,  lies,  and  guile.  Item, 
That  he  had  treacherously  slain  the  right 
noble  and  valiant  captain,  their  Captain  Ke- 
sistance,  as  he  stood  upon  the  gate  with  the 
rest  of  the  townsmen.  Item,  How  my  brave 
Lord  Innocent  fell  down  dead  (with  grief, 
some  say,  or  with  being  poisoned  with  the 
stinking  breath  of  one  Ill-pause,  as  say  others) 
at  the  hearing  of  his  just  Lord  and  rightful 
Prince  Shaddai  so  abused  by  the  mouth  of  so 
filthy  a Diabolian  as  that  varlet  Ill-pause  was. 
The  messenger  further  told  that  after  this  Ill- 
pause  had  made  a short  oration  to  the  towns- 
men in  behalf  of  Diabolus  his  master-,  the  sim- 
ple town,  believing  that  what  was  said  was 
true,  with  one  consent  did  open  Ear-gate,  the 
chief  gate  of  the  corporation,  and  did  let  him, 
with  his  cretv,  into  a possession  of  the  famous 
tow’n  of  Mansoul.  He  further  showed  how 
Diabolus  had  served  the  lord  mayor  and  Mr. 
Recorder — to  wit,  that  he  had  put  them  from 
all  place  of  power  and  trust.  Item,  He  showed 
also  that  my  Lord  Will-be-will  W’as  turned  a 
very  rebel  and  runagate,  and  that  so  w7as  one 
Mr.  Mind,  his  clerk,  and  that  they  two  did 
range  and  revel  it  all  the  town  over  and  teach 
the  wicked  ones  their  way.  He  said,  more- 
over, that  this  Will-be-will  was  put  into  great 
(rust,  and  particularly  that  Diabolus  had  put 
into  Will-be-will’s  hand  all  the  strong  places 
in  Mansoul ; and  that  Mr.  Affection  was  made 
my  Lord  Will-be-will’s  deputy  in  his  most 
rebellious  affairs.  Yea,  said  the  messenger, 
this  monster,  Lord  Will-be-will,  has  openly 
disavowed  his  King  Shaddai,  and  hath  horri- 
bly given  his  faith  and  plighted  his  troth  to 
Diabolus. 

Also,  said  the  messenger,  besides  all  this, 
the  new  king,  or  rather  rebellious  tyrant,  over 
the  once  famous  but  nowr  perishing  towm  of 
Mansoul,  has  set  up  a lord  mayor  and  a re- 
corder of  his  own.  For  mayor  he  has  set  up 
one  Mr.  Lustings,  and  for  recorder,  Mr.  For- 
get-good,  two  of  the  vilest  of  all  the  town  of 
Mansoul.  This  faithful  messenger  also  pro- 


ceeded and  told  what  sort  of  new  burgesses 
Diabolus  had  made;  also  that  he  had  built 
several  strong  forts,  towers,  and  strongholds  in 
Mansoul.  He  told  too  (the  which  I had  almost 
forgot)  how  Diabolus  had  put  the  town  of 
Mansoul  into  arms,  the  better  to  capacitate 
them  on  his  behalf  to  make  resistance  against 
Shaddai  their  King,  should  he  come  to  reduce 
them  to  their  former  obedience. 

Now  this  tidings-teller  did  not  deliver  his 
relation  of  things  in  private,  but  in  open  court, 
the  King  and  his  Son,  high  lords,  chief  cap- 
tains, and  nobles  being  all  there  present  to 
hear.  But  by  that  they  had  heard  the  whole 
of  the  story,  it  would  have  amazed  one  to  have 
seen,  had  he  been  there  to  behold  it,  what  sor- 
row and  grief  and  compunction  of  spirit  there 
was  among  all  sorts,  to  think  that  famous  Man- 
soul was  now  taken ; only  the  King  and  his 
Son  foresaw  all  this  long  before,  yea,  and  suf- 
ficiently provided  for  the  relief  of  Mansoul, 
though  they  told  not  everybody  thereof:  yet, 
because  they  also  would  have  a share  in  con- 
doling of  the  misery  of  Mansoul,  therefore 
they  also  did,  and  that  at  the  rate  of  the  high- 
est degree,  bewail  the  losing  of  Mansoul.  The 
King  said  plainly  that  it  grieved  him  at  the 
heart;  arid  you  may  be  sure  that  his  Son  was 
not  a whit  behind  him.  Thus  gave  they  con- 
viction to  all  about  them  that  they  had  love 
and  compassion  for  the  famous  town  of  Man- 
soul. 

Well,  when  the  King  and  his  Son  had  re- 
tired into  the  privy-chamber,  there  they  again 
consulted  about  what  they  had  designed  be- 
fore ; to  wit,  that  as  Mansoul  should  in  time 
be  suffered  to  be  lost,  so  as  certainly  it  should 
be  recovered  again — recovered,  I say,  in  such 
a way  as  that  both  the  King  and  his  Son 
should  get  themselves  the  fame  and  glory 
thereby.  Wherefore  after  this  consultation, 
the  Son  of  Shaddai,  (a  sweet  and  comely  per- 
son, and  one  that  had  always  great  affection 
for  those  that  were  in  affliction,  but  one  that 
had  mortal  enmity  in  his  heart  against  Diab- 
olus, because  he  was  designed  for  it,  and  be- 
cause he  sought  his  crown  and  dignity;) — this 
Son  of  Shaddai,  I say,  having  stricken  hands 
with  his  father,  and  promised  that  he  would 
be  his  servant  to  recover  his  Mansoul  again, 
stood  by  his  resolution,  nor  would  he  repent 
of  the  same.  The  purport  of  which  agree- 
ment was  this ; to  wit,  that  at  a certain  time 
prefixed  by  both  the  King’s  Son  should  take 
a journey  into  the  country  of  Universe ; and 
there,  in  a way  of  justice  and  equity,  by 


380 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


making  of  amends  for  the  follies  of  Man- 
soul,  he  should  lay  a foundation  of  her  per- 
fect deliverance  from  Diabolus  and  from  his 
tyranny. 

Moreover,  Emmanuel  resolved  to  make,  at  a 
time  convenient,  a war  upon  the  giant  Diab- 
olus, even  while  he  was  possessed  of  the  town 
of  Mansoul ; and  that  he  would  fairly,  by 
strength  of  hand,  drive  him  out  of  his  hold, 
his  nest,  and  take  it  to  himself  to  be  his  hab- 
itation. 

This  now  being  resolved  upon,  order  was 
given  to  the  lord  chief  secretary  to  draw  up 
a fair  record  of  what  was  determined,  and  to 
cause  that  it  should  be  published  in  all  the 
corners  of  the  kingdom  of  Universe.  A short 
breviat  of  the  contents  thereof  you  may,  if 
you' please,  take  here  as  follows: 

“Let  all  men  know  who  are  concerned  that 
the  Son  of  Shaddai,  the  great  King,  is  engaged 
by  covenant  to  his  Father  to  bring  his  Man- 
soul  to  him  again;  yea,  and  to  put  Mansoul 
too,  through  the  power  of  his  matchless  love, 
into  a far  better  and  more  happy  condition 
than  it  was  in  before  it  was  taken  by  Diab- 
olus.” 

These  papers,  therefore,  were  published  in 
several  places,  to  the  no  little  molestation  of 
the  tyrant  Diabolus ; for  now,  thought  he,  I 
shall  be  molested,  and  my  habitation  will  be 
taken  from  me. 

But  when  this  matter — I mean  this  purpose 
of  the  King  and  his  Son — did  at  first  take  air 
at  court,  who  can  tell  how  the  high  lords,  chief 
captains,  and  noble  princes  that  were  there 
were  taken  with  the  business?  First,  they 
whispered  it  one  to  another,  and  after  that  it 
began  to  ring  throughout  the  King’s  palace,  all 
wondering  at  the  glorious  design  that  between 
the  King  and  his  Son  was  on  foot  for  the  mis- 
erable town  of  Mansoul.  Yea,  the  courtiers 
could  scarce  do  ’anything,  either  for  the  King 
or  kingdom,  but  they  would  mix  with  the 
doing  thereof  a noise  of  the  love  of  the  King 
and  his  Son  that  they  had  for  the  town  of 
Mansoul. 

Nor  could  these  lords,  high  captains,  and 
princes  be  content  to  keep  this  his  news  at 
court;  yea,  before- the  records  thereof  were 
perfected  themselves  came  down  and  told  it  in 
the  Universe.  At  last  it  came  to  the  ears,  as 
I said,  of  Diabolus,  to  his  no  little  discontent. 
For  you  must  think  it  would  perplex'  him  to 
hear  of  such  a design  against  him.  Well,  but 
after  a few  casts  in  his  mind  he  concluded  on 
these  four  things : 


First,  That  this  good  news,  this  good  tidings 
if  possible,  should  be  kept  from  the  ears  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul ; for,  said  he,  if  they  shall 
once  come  to  the  knowledge  that  Shaddai, 
their  former  King,  and  Emmanuel  his  Son,  are 
contriving  of  good  for  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
what  can  be  expected  by  me  but  that  Mansoul 
will  make  a revolt  from  under  my  hand  and 
government  and  return  again  to  him? 

Now,  to  accomplish  this  his  design,  he  re- 
news his  flattery  with  the  L'ord  Will-be-will, 
and  also  gives  him  strict  charge  and  command 
that  he  should  keep  watch  by  day  and  by  night 
at  all  the  gates  of  the  town,  especially  Ear- 
gate  and  Eye-gate ; for  I hear  of  a design, 
quoth  he — a design  to  make  us  all  traitors,  and 
that  Mansoul  will  be  reduced  to  its  first  bond- 
age again.  I hope  they  are  but  flying  stories, 
quoth  he;  however,  let  no  such  news  by  any 
means  be  let  into  Mansoul,  lest  the  people  be 
dejected  thereat.  I think,  my  lord,  it  can  be 
no  welcome  news  to  you:  I am  sure  it  is  none 
to  me.  And  I think  that  at  this  time  it  should 
be  all  our  wisdom  and  care  to  nip  the  head  of 
all  such  rumours  as  shall  tend  to  trouble  our 
people ; wherefore,  I desire,  my  lord,  that  you 
will  in  this  matter  do  as  I say : let  there  be 
strong  guards  daily  kept  at  every  gate  of  the 
town.  Stop  also  and  examine  from  whence 
such  come  that  you  perceive  do  from  far  come 
hither  to  trade;  nor  let  them  by  any  means  be 
admitted  into  Mansoul  unless  you  shall  plainly 
perceive  that  they  are  favourers  of  our  excel- 
lent government.  I command,  moreover,  said 
Diabo.lus,  that  there  be  spies  continually  walk- 
ing up  and  down  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and  let 
them  have  power  to  suppress  and  destroy  any 
that  they  shall  perceive  to  be  plotting  against 
us,  or  that  shall  prate  of  what  by  Shaddai  and 
Emmanuel  is  intended. 

This  therefore  was  accordingly  done : my 
Lord  Will-be-will  hearkened  to  his  lord  and 
master,  went  willingly  after  the  command- 
ment, and  with  all  the  diligence  he  could  kept 
any  that  would  from  going  out  abroad,  or  that 
sought  to  bring  these  tidings  to  Mansoul  from 
coming  into  the  town. 

Secondly,  This  done,  in  the  next  place  Dia- 
bolus, that  he  might  make  Mansoul  as  sure  as 
he  could,  frames  and  imposes  a new  oath  and 
horrible  covenant  upon  the  townsfolk. 

To  wit : “ That  they  should  never  desert  him 
nor  his  government,  nor  yet  betray  him  nor 
seek  to  alter  his  laws;  but  that  they  should 
own,  confess,  stand  by,  and  acknowledge  him 
for  their  rightful  king,  in  defiance  to  any  that 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


.381 


do  or  lioreiiftcr  shall,  by  any  pretence,  law,  or 
title  whatever,  lay  claim  to  the  town  of  Man- 
soul;”  thinking,  belike,  that  Shaddai  had  not 
power  to  absolve  them  from  this  covenant  with 
death  and  agreement  with  hell.  Nor  did  the 
silly  Mansoul  stick  or  boggle  at  all  this  most 
monstrous  engagement,  but,  as  if  it  had  been 
a sprat  in  the  mouth  of  a whale,  they  swal- 
lowed it  without  any  chewing.  Were  they 
troubled  at  it?  Nay,  they  rather  bragged  and 
boasted  of  their  so  brave  fidelity  to  the  tyrant, 
their  pretended  king,  swearing  that  they  would 
never  be  changelings,  nor  forsake  their  old  lord 
for  a new. 

Thus  did  Diabolus  tie  poor  Mansoul  fast; 
but  jealousy,  that  never  thinks  itself  strong 
enough,  put  him  in  the  next  place  upon 
another  exploit,  which  was  yet  more,  if  possi- 
ble, to  debauch  this  town  of  Mansoul.  Where- 
fore he  caused,  by  the  hand  of  one  Mr.  Filth, 
an  odious,  nasty,  lascivious  piece  of  beastli- 
ness to  be  drawn  up  in  writing  and  to  be  set 
upon  the  castle-gates;  whereby  he  granted  and 
gave  license  to  all  his  true  and  trusty  sons  in 
Mansoul  to  do  whatsoever  their  lustful  appe- 
tites prompted  them  to,  and  that  no  man  was 
to  let,  hinder,  or  control  them,  upon  pain  of 
incurring  the  displeasure  of  their  prince. 

Now  this  he  did  for  these  reasons: 

1.  That  the  town  of  Mansoul  might  be  yet 
made  weaker  and  weaker,  and  so  more  unable, 
should  tidings  come  that  their  redemption  was 
designed,  to  believe,  hope,  or  consent  to  the 
truth  thereof.  For  reason  says,  The  bigger 
the  sinner  the  less  grounds  of  hope  of  mercy. 

2.  The  second  reason  was,  If  perhaps  Em- 
manuel, the  Son  of  Shaddai  their  King,  by 
seeing  the  horrible  and  profane  doings  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul,  might  repent,  though  entered 
into  a covenant  of  redeeming  them,  of  pursu- 
ing that  covenant  of  their  redemption ; for  he 
knew  that  Shaddai  was  holy,  and  that  his  Son 
Emmanuel  was  holy;  yea,  he  knew  it  by  woe- 
ful experience;  for,  for  the  iniquity  and  sin  of 
Diabolus  was  Jie  cast  from  the  highest  orbs. 
Wherefore,  what  more  rational  than  for  him 
to  conclude  that  thus  for  sin  it  might  fare  with 
Mansoul?  But  fearing  also  lest  this  knot 
should  break,  he  bethinks  himself  of  another, 
to  wit: 

3.  To  endeavour  to  possess  all  hearts  in  the 
town  of  Mansoul  that  Shaddai  was  raising  of 
an  army  to  come  to  overthrow  and  utterly  to 
destroy  this  town  of  Mansoul,  (and  this  he  did 
to  forestall  any  tidings  that  might  come  to  their 
ears  of  their  deliverance;)  for,  thought  he,  if 


T'first  bruit  this,  the  tidings  that  shall  come 
after  will  all  be  swallowed  up  of  this;  for  what 
else  will  Mansoul  say,  when  they  shall  hear 
that  they  must  be  delivered,  but  that  the  true 
meaning  is,  Shaddai  intends  to  destroy  them? 
Wherefore  he  summons  the  whole  town  into 
the  market-place,  and  there  with  deceitful 
tongue  thus  addresses  himself  unto  them: 

Gentlemen  and  my  very  good  friends,  you  • 
are  all,  as  you  know,  my  legal  subjects  and  men 
of  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul;  you  know 
how,  from  the  first  day  that  I have  been  with 
you  until  now,  I have  behaved  myself  among 
you,  and  what  liberty  and  great  privileges  you' 
enjoyed  under  my  government— I hope  to  your 
honour  and  mine,  and  also  to  your  content  and 
delight.  Now,  my  famous  Mansoul,  a noise  of 
trouble  there  is  abroad — of  trouble  to  the  town 
of  Mansoul ; sorry  am  I thereof  for  your  sakes. 
For  I have  received  but  now  by  the  post  from 
my  Lord  Lucifer  (and  he  useth  to  have  good 
intelligence)  that  your  old  King  Shaddai  is 
raising  of  an  army  to  come  against  you,  to  de- 
stroy you  root  and  branch ; and  this,  O Man- 
soul, is  now  the  cause  that  at  this  time  I have 
called  you  together — namely,  'to  advise  what  in 
this  juncture  is  best  to  be  done:  for  my  part, 
I am  but  one,  and  can  with  ease  shift  for  my- 
self, did  I list  to  seek  mine  own  ease  and  to 
leave  my  Mansoul  in  all  the  danger;  but  my 
heart  is  so  firmly  united  to  you,  and  so  unwill- 
ing am  I to  leave  you,  that  I am  willing  to 
stand  and  fall  with  you  to  the  utmost  hazard 
that  shall  befall  me.  What  say  you,  O my 
Mansoul?  Will  you  now  desert  your  old 
friend,  or  do  you  think  of  standing  by  me? 
Then,  as  one  man,  with  one  mouth,  they  cried 
out  together,  Let  him  die  the  death  that  will  not. 

Then  said  Diabolus  again,  It  is  in  vain  for 
us  to  hope  for  quarter,  for  this  King  knows 
not  how  to  show  it.  True,  perhaps  he,  at  his 
first  setting  down  before  us,  will  talk  of  and 
pretend  to  mercy,  that  thereby,  with  the  more 
ease  and  less  trouble,  he  may  again  make  him- 
self the  master  of  Mansoul.  Whatever,  there- 
fore, he  shall  say,  believe  not  one  syllable  or 
tittle  of  it,  for  all  such  language  is  but  to  over- 
come us,  and  to  make  us,  while  we  wallow  in 
our  blood,  the  trophies  of  his  merciless  victory. 
My  mind  is,  therefore,  that  we  resolve  to  the 
last  man  to  resist  him,  and  not  to  believe  him 
upon  any  terms,  for  in  at  that  door  will  come 
our  danger.  But  shall  we  be  flattered  out  of 
our  lives?  I hope  you  know  more  of  the  rudi- 
ments of  politics  than  to  suffer  yourselves  so 
pitifully  to  be  served. 


382 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


But  suppose  1 .e  should,  if  he  gets  us  to  yield, 
save  some  of  our  lives,  or  the  lives  of  some  of 
them  that  are  underlings  in  Mansoul,  what 
help  will  that  he  to  you  who  are  the  chief  of 
the  town ; especially  to  you  whom  I have  set 
up,  and  whose  greatness  has  been  procured  by 
you  through  your  faithful  sticking  to  me? 
And  suppose,  again,  that  he  should  give 
quarter  to  every  one  of  you,  be  sure  he  will 
bring  you  into  that  bondage  under  which  you 
were  captivated  before,  or  a worse;  and  then 
what  good  will  your  lives  do  you?  Shall  you 
with  him  live  in  pleasure  as  you  do  now?  No, 
no;  you  must  be  bound  by  laws  that  will  pinch 
you,  and  be  made  to  do  that  which  at  present 
is  hateful  to  you;  I am  for  you  if  you  are  for 
me;  and  it  is  better  to  die  valiantly  than  to 
hive  like  pitiful  slaves.  But  I say,  the  life  of 
a slave  will  be  counted  a life  too  good  for  Man- 
soul,  now;  blood,  blood,  nothing  but  blood,  is 
in  every  blast  of  Shaddai’s  trumpet  against 
poor  Mansoul  now.  Pray  be  concerned.  I 
hear  he  is  coming  up,  and  stand  to  your  arms, 
that  now,  while  you  have  any  leisure,  I may 
learn  you  some  feats  of  war.  Armour  for  you 
I have,  and  by  me  it  is;  yea,  and  it  is  suffi- 
cient for  Mansoul  from  top  to  toe ; nor  can  you 
be  hurt  by  what  his  force  can  do  if  you  shall 
keep  it  well  girt  and  fastened  about  you:  come, 
therefore,  to  my  castle  and  welcome,  and  har- 
ness yourselves  for  the  war.  There  is  helmet 
breastplate,  sword  and  shield,  and  what  not, 
that  will  make  you  fight  like  men. 

1.  My  helmet,  otherwise  called  an  heacl-piece, 
is  hope  of  doing  well  at  last,  what  lives  soever 
you  live:  this  is  that  which  they  had  who  said 
that  they  should  have  peace  though  they 
walked,  in  the  wickedness  of  their  heart,  to 
add  drunkenness  to  thirst.  A piece  of  ap- 
proved armour  this  is,  and  whoever  has  it,  and 
can  hold  it,  so  long  no  arrow,  dart,  sword  or 
shield  can  hurt  him;  this  therefore  keep  on 
and  thou  wilt  keep  off  many  a blow,  my  Man- 
soul. 

2.  My  breastplate  is  a breastplate  of  iron ; I 
had  it  forged  in  mine  own  country,  and  all  my 
soldiers  are  armed  therewith : in  plain  lan- 
guage, it  is  an  hard  heart,  an  heart  as  hard  as 
iron,  and  as  much  past  feeling  as  a stone,  the 
which  if  you  get  and  keep  neither  mercy  shall 
win  you  nor  judgment  fright  you.  This,  there- 
fore, is  a piece  of  armour  most  necessary  for  all 
to  put  on  that  hate  Shaddai,  and  that  would 
fight  against  him  under  my  banner. 

3.  My  sword  is  a tongue  that  is  set  on  fire 
of  hell,  and  that  can  bend  itself  to  speak  evil 


of  Shaddai,  his  Son,  his  ways,  and  people. 
Use  this : it  has  been  tried  a thousand  times 
twice  told ; whoever  hath  it,  keeps  it,  and 
makes  that  use  of  it  as  I would  have  him,  can 
never  be  conquered  by  mine  enemy. 

4.  My  shield  is  unbelief,  or  calling  into 
question  the  truth  of  the  word,  or  all  the  say- 
ings that  speak  of  the  judgment  that  Shaddai 
has  appointed  for  wicked  men.  Use  this 
shield ; many  attempts  he  has  made  upon  it, 
and  sometimes,  it  is  true,  it  has  been  bruised; 
but  they  that  have  writ  of  the  wars  of  Emman- 
uel against  my  servants  have  testified  that  he 
could  do  no  mighty  work  there  because  of 
their  unbelief.  Now,  to  handle  this  weapon 
of  mine  aright,  it  is  not  to  believe  things  be- 
cause they  are  true,  of  what  sort  or  by  whom- 
soever asserted;  if  he  speaks  of  judgment,  care 
not  for  it ; if  he  speaks  of  mercy,  care  not  for 
it ; if  he  promises,  if  he  swears,  that  he  would 
do  to  Mansoul,  if  it  turns,  no  hurt,  but  good, 
regard  not  what  is  said,  question  the  truth  of 
all ; for  this  is  to  wield  the  shield  of  unbelief 
aright,  and  as  my  servants  ought  and  do;  and 
he  that  doth  otherwise  loves  me  not,  nor  do  I 
count  him  but  an  enemy  to  me. 

5.  Another  part  or  piece,  said  Diabolus,  of 
mine  excellent  armour  is  a dumb  and  prayer- 
less spirit — a spirit  that  scorns  to  cry  for 
mercy.  Wherefore,  be  you,  my  Mansoul,  sure 
that  you  make  use  of  this.  What!  cry  for 
quarter ! Never  do  that  if  you  would  be  mine. 
I know  that  you  are  stout  men,  and  am  sure 
that  I have  clad  you  with  that  which  is  armour 
of  proof;  wherefore  to  cry  to  Shaddai  for 
mercy,  let  that  be  far  from  you.  Besides  all 
this,  I have  a maul,  firebrands,  arrows,  and 
death,  all  good  hand-weapons  and  such  as  will 
do  execution. 

After  he  had  thus  furnished  his  men  with 
armour  and  arms,  he  addressed  himself  to  them 
in  such  like  words  as  these : Bemember,  quoth 
he,  that  I am  your  rightful  king,  and  that  you 
have  taken  an  oath  and  entered  into  covenant 
to  be  true  to  me  and  my  cause.  I say,  remem- 
ber this,  and  show  yourselves  stout  and  valiant 
men  of  Mansoul.  Bemember,  also,  the  kind- 
ness which  I have  always  showed  to  you,  and 
that  without  your  petition.  I have  granted 
to  you  external  things;  wherefore  the  privi- 
leges, grants,  immunities,  profits,  and  honours 
wherewith  I endowed  you  do  call  for  at  your 
hands  returns  of  loyalty,  my  lion-like  men  of 
Mansoul ; and  when  so  fit  a time  to  show  it  as 
when  another  shall  seek  to  take  my  dominion 
over  you. into  their  own  hands?  One  word 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


383 


more  and  T have  done : can  we  but  stand  and 
overcome  this  one  shock  or  brunt,  I doubt  not 
but  in  little  time  all  the  world  will  be  ours; 
and  when  that  day  comes,  my  true  hearts,  I 
will  make  you  kings,  princes,  and  captains; 
and  what  brave  days  shall  we  have  then  ! 

Diabolus  having  thus  armed  and  forearmed 
his  servants  and  vassals  in  Mansoul  against 
their  good  and  lawful  King  Bhaddai,  in  the 
next  place  he  doubleth  his  guards  at  the  gates 
of  the  town,  and  he  takes  himself  to  the  castle 
which  was  his  stronghold;  his  vassals  also,  to 
show  their  wills  and  supposed  (but  ignoble) 
gallantry,  exercise  themselves  in  their  arms 
every  day,  and  teach  one  another  feats  of  war : 
they  also  defied  their  enemies  and  sang  up  the 
praises  of  their  tyrant;  they  threatened  also 
what  men  they  would  be  if  ever  things  should 
rise  so  high  as  a war  between  Shaddai  and 
their  king. 

Now  all  this  time  the  good  King,  the  King 
Shaddai,  was  preparing  to  send  an  army  to 
recover  the  town  of  Mansoul  again  from  under 
the  tyranny  of  their  pretended  king  Diabolus; 
but  he  thought  good  at  the  first  not  to  send 
them  by  the  hand  and  conduct  of  brave  Em- 
manuel his  Son,  but  under  the  hand  of  some 
of  his  servants,  to  see  first  by  them  the  temper 
of  Mansoul,  and  whether  by  them  they  would 
be  won  to  the  obedience  of  their  King.  The 
army  consisted  of  above  forty  thousand,  all 
true  men ; for  they  came  from  the  King’s  own 
court,  and  were  those  of  his  own  choosing. 

They  came  to  Mansoul  under  the  conduct 
of  four  stout  generals,  each  man  being  a cap- 
tain of  ten  thousand  men,  and  these  were  their 
names  and  their  signs : the  name  of  the  first 
was  Boanerges;  the  name  of  the  second  was 
Captain  Conviction  ; the  name  of  the  third  was 
Captain  Judgment ; and  the  name  of  the  fourth 
was  Captain  Execution.  These  were  the  cap- 
tains that  Shaddai  sent  to  regain  Mansoul. 

These  four  captains,  as  was  said,  the  King 
thought  fit,  in  the  first  place,  to  send  to  Man- 
soul to  make  an  attempt  upon  it ; for  indeed, 
generally  in  all  his  wars,  he  did  use  to  send 
these  four  captains  in  the  van ; for  they  were 
very  stout  and  rough-hewn  men,  men  that 
were  fit  to  break  the  ice  and  to  make  their  way 
by  dint  of  sword;  and  their  men  were  like 
themselves. 

To  each  of  these  captains  the  King  gave  a 
banner  that  it  might  be  displayed,  because  of 
the  goodness  of  his  cause  and  because  of  the 
right  that  he  had  to  Mansoul. 

First,  to  Captain  Boanerges,  for  he  was  the 


chief:  to  him,  I say,  was  given  ten  thousand 
men.  His  ensign  was  Mr.  Thunder;  he  bare 
the  black  colours,  and  his  escutcheon  was 
three  burning  thunderbolts. 

The  second  captain  was  Captain  Conviction  : 
to  him  was  also  given  ten  thousand  men.  His 
ensign’s  name  was  Mr.  Sorrow ; he  did  bear  the 
pale  colours,  and  his  escutcheon  was  the  book 
of  the  law  wide  open,  from  whence  issued  a 
flame  of  fire. 

The  third  captain  was  Captain  Judgment:  to 
him  was  given  ten  thousand  men.  His  ensign’s 
name  was  Mr.  Terror ; he  bare  the  red  colours, 
and  his  escutcheon  was  a burning,  fiery  fur- 
nace. 

The  fourth  captain  was  Captain  Execution  : 
to  him  was  given  ten  thousand  men.  His  en- 
sign was  one  Mr.  Justice ; he  also  bare  the  red 
colours,  and  his  escutcheon  was  a fruitless  tree, 
with  an  axe  lying  at  the  root  thereof. 

These  four  captains,  as  I said,  had  every  one 
of  them  under  his  command  ten  thousand  men, 
all  of  good  fidelity  to  the  King,  and  stout  at 
their  military  actions. 

Well,  the  captains  and  their  forces,  their 
men  and  under-officers,  being  had  upon  a day 
by  Bhaddai  into  the  field,  and  there  called  all 
over  by  their  names,  were  then  and  there  put 
into  such  harness  as  became  their  degree  and 
that  service  that  now  they  were  going  about 
for  their  King. 

Now  when  the  King  had  mustered  his  forces, 
(for  it  is  he  that  mustereth  the  host  to  the  bat- 
tle,) he  gave  unto  the  captains  their  several 
commissions,  with  charge  and  commandment, 
in  the  audience  of  all  the  soldiers,  that  they 
should  take  heed  faithfully  and  courageously 
to  do  and  execute  the  same.  Their  commis- 
sions were,  for  the  substance  of  them,  the  same 
in  form,  though  as  to  name,  title,  place,  and 
degree  of  the  captains  there  might  be  seme 
(but  very  small)  variation.  And  here  let  me 
give  you  an  account  of  the  matter  and  sum 
contained  in  their  commission : 

A commission  from  the  great  Shaddai,  King  of 

Mansoul,  to  his  trusty  and  noble  captain,  the 

Captain  Boanerges,  for  his  making  war  tipon 

the  town  of  Mansoul. 

“ 0 thou  Boanerges,  one  of  my  stout  and 
thundering  captains  over  one  ten  thousand  of 
my  valiant  and  faithful  servants,  go  thou  in  my 
name  with  this  thy  force  to  the  miserable  town 
of  Mansoul ; and  when  thou  comest  thither 
offer  them  first  conditions  of  peace,  and  com- 
mand them  that,  casting  off  the  yoke  and  tyr- 


384 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


anny  of  the  wicked  Diabolus,  they  now  turn 
to  me  their  rightful  Prince  and  Lord.  Com- 
mand them  also  that  they  cleanse  themselves 
from  all  that  is  his  in  the  town  of  Mansoul ; 
and  look  to  thyself  that  thou  hast  good  satis- 
faction touching  the  truth  of  their  obedience. 
Thus  when  thou  hast  commanded  them,  if 
they  in  truth  submit  thereto,  then  do  thou  to 
the  uttermost  of  thy  power  what  in  thee  lies 
to  set  for  me  a garrison  in  the  famous  town  of 
Mansoul.  Nor  do  thou  hurt  the  least  native 
that  moveth  or  breatheth  therein  if  they  will 
submit  themselves  to  me,  but  treat  thou  such 
as  if  they  were  thy  friend  or  brother,  for  all 
such  I love,  and  they  shall  be  dear  unto  me ; 
and  tell  them  that  I will  take  a time  to  come 
unto  them  and  to  let  them  know  that  I am 
merciful. 

“ But  if  they  shall,  notwithstanding  thy 
summons  and  the  producing  of  thy  authority, 
resist,  stand  out  against  thee,  and  rebel,  then 
do  I command  thee  to  make  use  of  all  thy 
cunning,  power,  might,  and  force  to  bring  them 
under  by  strength  of  hand.  Farewell.” 

Thus  you  see.  the  sum  of  their  commissions ; 
for,  as  I said  before,  for  the  substance  of  them, 
they  were  the  same  that  the  rest  of  the  noble 
captains  had. 

Wherefore  they  having  received,  each  com- 
mander, his  authority  at  the  hand  of  their 
King,  the  day  being  appointed,  and  the  place 
of  their  rendezvous  prefixed,  each  commander 
appeared  in  such  gallantry  as  became  his  cause 
and  calling.  So,  after  a new  entertainment 
from  Shaddai,  with  flying  colours  they  set  for- 
ward to  march  towards  the  famous  town  of 
Mansoul.  Captain  Boanerges  led  the  van; 
Captain  Conviction  and  Captain  Judgment 
made  up  the  main  body ; and  Captain  Execu- 
tion brought  up  the  rear.  They  then,  having 
a great  way  to  go,  (for  the  town  of  Mansoul 
was  far  off  from  the  court  of  Shaddai,)  marched 
through  the  regions  and  countries  of  many 
people,  not  hurting  or  abusing  any,  but  bless- 
ing wherever  they  came.  They  also  lived  upon 
the  King’s  cost  all  the  way  they  went. 

Having  travelled  thus  for  many  days,  at 
last  they  came  within  sight  of  Mansoul;  the 
which  when  they  saw  the  captains  could  for 
their  hearts  do  no  less  than  for  awhile  bewail 
the  condition  of  the  town,  for  they  quickly 
saw  how  that  it  was  prostrate  at  the  feet  of 
Diabolus  and  to  his  ways  and  designs. 

Well,  to  be  short,  the  captains  came  up  be- 
fore the  town,  marched  up  to  Ear-gate,  and  sat. 
down  there,  for  that  was  the  place  of  hearing. 


So  when  they  had  pitched  their  tents  and  en- 
trenched themselves,  they  addressed  themselves 
to  make  their  assault. 

Now  the  townsfolk,  at  first  beholding  so  gal- 
lant a company,  so  bravely  accoutred,  hnd  so 
excellently  disciplined,  having  on  their  glit- 
tering armour  and  displaying  of  their  flying 
colours,  could  not  but  come  out  of  their  houses 
and  gaze.  But  the  cunning  fox  Diabolus, 
fearing  that  the  people  after  this  sight  should, 
on  a sudden  summons,  -open  the  gates  to  the 
captains,  came  down  with  all  haste  from  the 
castle  and  made  them  retire  into  the  body  of 
the  town ; who,  when  he  had  them  there,  made 
this  lying  and  deceivable  speech  unto  them. 

Gentlemen,  quoth  he,  although  you  are  my 
trusty  and  well-belovecl  friends,  yet  I cannot 
but  a little  chide  you  for  your  late  uncircum- 
spect  action  in  going  out  to  gaze  on  that  great 
and  mighty  force  that  but  yesterday  sat  down 
before,  and  have  now  entrenched  themselves 
in  order  to  the  maintaining  of  a siege  against, 
the  famous  town  of  Mansoul.  Do  you  know 
who  they  are,  whence  they  come,  and  what  is 
their  purpose  in  setting  down  before  the  town 
of  Mansoul  ? They  are  they  of  whom  I have 
told  you  long  ago,  that  they  would  come  to  de- 
stroy this  town,  and  against  whom  I have  been 
at  the  cost  to  arm  you  cap-a-pie  for  your 
body,  besides  great  fortifications  for  your  mind. 
Wherefore  then  did  you  not  rather,  even  at 
the  first  appearance  of  them,  cry  out,  fire  the 
beacons,  and  give  the  whole  town  an  alarm 
concerning  them,  that  we  might  all  have  been 
in  a posture  of  defence,  and  been  ready  to  re- 
ceive them  with  the  highest  acts  of  defiance? 
Then  had  you  showed  yourselves  men  to  my 
liking,  whereas  by  what  you  have  done  you 
have  made  me  half  afraid — I say  half  afraid — 
that  when  they  and  we  shall  come  to  push  a 
pike  I shall  find  you  want  courage  to  stand  it 
out  any  longer.  Wherefore  have  I commanded 
a watch  and  that  you  should  double  your 
guards  at  the  gates  ? Wherefore  have  I en- 
deavoured to  make  you  as  hard  as  iron  and 
your  hearts  as  a piece  of  the  nether  millstone  ? 
Was  it,  think  you,  that  you  might  show  your- 
selves women,  and  that  you  might  go  out  like 
a company  of  innocents  to  gaze  on  your  mor- 
tal foes?  Fie,  fie!  put  yourselves  into  a pos- 
ture of  defence,  beat  up  the  drum,  gather  to- 
gether in  warlike  manner,  that  our  foes  may 
know  that  before  they  shall  conquer  this  cor- 
poration there  are  valiant  men  in  the  town  of 
Mansoul. 

I will  leave  off  now  to  chide,  and  will  not 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


385 


further  rebuke  you ; but  T charge  you  that 
henceforward  you  lot  me  see  no  more  such  ac- 
tions. Let  not  henceforward  a man  of  you, 
without  order  first  obtained  from  me,  so  much 
as  show  his  head  over  the  wall  of  the  town  of 
M unsold.  You  have  now  heard  me:  do  as  I 
have  commanded,  and  you  shall  cause  me  that 
I dwell  securely  with  you,  and  that  I take  care 
as  for  myself,  so  for  your  safety  and  honour  also. 
Farewell. 

Now  were  the  townsmen  strangely  altered; 
they  were  as  men  stricken  with  a panic  fear; 
they  ran  to  and  fro  through  the  streets  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul,  crying  out,  Help,  help ! The 
men  that  turn  the  world  upside-down  are  come 
hither  also.  Nor  could  any  of  them  be  quiet 
after,  but  still  as  men  bereft  of  wit  they  cried 
out,  The  destroyers  of  our  peace  and  people 
are  come.  This  went  down  with  Diabolus. 
Ah!  quoth  he  to  himself,  this  I like  well; 
now  it  is  as  I would  have  it;  now  you  show 
your  obedience  to  your  prince ; hold  you  but 
here,  and  then  let  them  take  the  town  if  they 
can. 

Well,  before  the  King’s  forces  had  set  before 
Mansoul  three  days,  Captain  Boanerges  com- 
manded his  trumpeter  to  go  down  to  Ear-gate, 
and  there,  in  the  name  of  the  great  Slmddai, 
to  summon  Mansoul  to  give  audience  to  the 
message  that  he  in  his  Master’s  name  was  to 
them  commanded  to  deliver.  So  the  trumpeter, 
whose  name  was  Take-heed-what-you-hear, 
went  up  as  he  was  commanded  to  Ear-gate, 
and  there  sounded  his  trumpet  for  a hearing: 
but  there  was  none  that  appeared  that  gave 
answer  or  regard,  for  so  had  Diabolus  com- 
manded. So  the  trumpeter  returned  to  his 
captain,  and  told  him  what  he  had  done  and 
also  how  he  had  sped ; whereat  the  captain  was 
grieved,  but  bid  the  trumpeter  go  to  his  tent. 

Again  Captain  Boanerges  sendeth  liis  trum- 
peter to  Ear-gate,  to  sound  as  before  for  an 
hearing.  But  they  again  kept  close,  came  not 
out,  nor  would  they  give  him  an  answer;  so 
observant  were  they  of  the  command  of  Diab- 
olus their  king. 

Then  the  captains  and  other  field-officers 
called  a counsel  of  war,  to  consider  what  fur- 
ther was  to  be  done  for  the  gaining  of  the  town 
of  Mansoul ; and  after  some  close  and  thorough 
debate  upon  the  contents  of  their  commissions, 
they  concluded  yet  to  give  to  the  town,  by  the 
hand  of  the  forenamed  trumpeter,  another 
summons  to  hear;  but  if  that  should  be  re- 
fused, said  they,  and  that  the  town  shall  stand 
it  out  still,  they  then  determined,  and  bid  the 
25 


trumpeter  tell  them  so,  that  they  would  en- 
deavour, by  what  means  they  could,  to  compel 
them  by  force  to  the  obedience  of  their  King. 
So  Captain  Boanerges  commanded  his  trum- 
peter to  go  up  to  Ear-gate* again,  and  in  the 
name  of  the  great  King  Shaddai  to  give  it  a 
very  loud  summons  to  come  down  without  de- 
lay to  Ear-gate,  there  to  give  audience  to  the 
King’s  most  noble  captains.  So  the  trumpeter 
went  and  did  as  he  was  commanded.  He  went 
up  to  Ear-gate  and  sounded  his  trumpet,  and 
gave  a third  summons  to  Mansoul.  He  said, 
moreover,  that  if  this  they  should  still  refuse 
to  do,  the  captains  of  his  Prince  would  with 
might  come  down  upon  them  and  endeavour  to 
reduce  them  to  their  obedience  by  force. 

Then  stood  up  my  Lord  Will-be-will,  who 
was  the  governor  of  the  town  (this  Will-be- 
will  was  that  apostate  of  whom  mention  was 
made  before)  and  the  keeper  of  the  gates  of 
Mansoul.  He  therefore,  with  big  and  ruffling 
words,  demanded  of  the  trumpeter  who  he  was, 
whence  he  came,  and  what  was  the  cause  of 
his  making  so  hideous  a noise  at  the  gate  and 
speaking  such  insufferable  words  against  the 
town  of  Mansoul? 

The  trumpeter  answered : “ I am  servant  to 
the  most  noble  captain,  Captain  Boanerges, 
general  of  the  forces  of  the  great  King  Shad- 
dai, against  whom  both  thyself  and  the  whole 
town  of  Mansoul  have  rebelled  and  lifted  up 
the  heel ; and  my  master,  the  captain,  hath  a 
special  message  to  this  town,  and  to  thee  as  a 
member  thereof ; the  which,  if  you  of  Mansoul 
will  peaceably  hear,  so ; and  if  not,  you  must 
take  what  follows.” 

Then  said  the  Lord  Will-be-will,  “I  will 
carry  thy  words  to  my  lord,  and  will  know 
what  he  will  say.” 

But  the  trumpeter  soon  replied,  saying, 
“ Our  message  is  not  to  the  giant  Diabolus,  but 
to  the  miserable  town  of  Mansoul.  Nor  shall 
we  at  all  regard  what  answer  by  him  is  made, 
nor  yet  by  any  for  him.  We  are  sent  to  this 
town  to  recover  it  from  under  his  cruel  tyranny, 
and  to  persuade  it  to  submit,  as  in  former  times 
it  did,  to  the  most  excellent  King  Shaddai.” 

Then  said  the  Lord  Will-be-will,  “ I will  do 
your  errand  to  the  town.” 

The  trumpeter  then  replied,  “ Sir,  do  not  de- 
ceive us,  lest  in  so  doing  you  deceive  yourselves 
much  more.”  He  added,  moreover,  “ For  we 
are  resolved,  if  in  peaceable  manner  you  do 
not  submit  yourselves,  then  to  make  a war  upon 
you  and  to  bring  you  under  by  force.  And  of 
the  truth  of  what  I now  say,  this  shall  be  a 


386 


RUNYAN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


sign  unto  you:  you  shall  see  the  black  flag, 
with  its  hot  burning  thunderbolts,  set  upon  the 
mount  to-morrow,  as  a token  of  defiance  against 
your  prince  and  of  our  resolution  to  reduce 
you  to  your  Lord  and  rightful  King.” 

So  the  said  Lord  Will-be-will  returned  from 
off  the  wall  and  the  trumpeter  came  into  the 
camp.  When  the  trumpeter  was  come  into 
the  camp  the  captains  and  officers  of  the 
mighty  King  Shaddai  came  together  to  know 
if  he  had  obtained  a hearing,  and  what  was 
the  effect  of  his  errand.  So  the  trumpeter  told, 
saying,  “ When  I had  sounded  my  trumpet  and 
had  called  aloud  to  the  town  for  hearing,  my 
Lord  Will-be-will,  the  governor  of  the  town 
and  he  that  hath  charge  of  the  gates,  came  up 
when  he  heard  me  sound,  and  looking  over  the 
wall  he  asked  me  what  I was,  whence  I came, 
and  what  was  the  cause  of  my  making  this 
noise  ? So  I told  him  my  errand  and  by  whose 
authority  I brought  it.  Then  said  he,  I will 
tell  it  to  the  governor  and  to  Mansoul.  And 
then  I returned  to  my  lords.” 

Then  said  the  brave  Boanerges,  “ Let  us  for 
a while  lie  still  within  our  trenches  and  see 
what  these  rebels  will  do.”  Now,  when  the 
time  drew  nigh  that  audience  by  Mansoul 
was  to  be  given  to  the  brave  Boanerges  and 
his  companions,  it  was  commanded  that  all 
the  men  of  war  throughout  the  whole  camp 
of  Shaddai  should,  as  one  man,  stand  to  their 
arms  and  make  themselves  ready,  if  the  town 
of  Mansoul  shall  hear,  to  receive  it  forthwith 
to  mercy,  but  if  not,  to  force  a subjection.  So 
the  day  being  come,  the  trumpeters  sounded, 
and  that  throughout  the  whole  camp,  that  the 
men  of  war  might  be  in  readiness  for  that 
which  then  should  be  the  work  of  the  day. 
But  when  they  that  were  in  the  town  of  Man- 
soul heard  the  sound  of  the  trumpets  through- 
out the  camp  of  Shaddai,  and  thinking  no 
other  than  that  it  must  be  in  order  to  storm 
the  corporation,  they  at  first  were  put  to  great 
consternation  of  spirit ; but  after  they  were  a 
little  settled  again,  they  also  made  what  jwep- 
aration  they  could  for  a war  if  they  did 
storm  ; else  to  secure  themselves. 

Well,  when  the  utmost  time  was  come, 
Boanerges  was  resolved  to  hear  their  answer; 
wherefore  he  sent  out  his  trumpeter  again  to 
summon  Mansoul  to  a hearing  of  the  message 
that  they  had  brought  from  Shaddai.  So  he 
went  and  sounded,  and  the  townsmen  came 
up,  but  made  Ear-gate  as  sure  as  they  could. 
Now,  when  they  were  come  up  to  the  top  of 
the  wall,  Captain  Boanerges  desired  to  see  the 


lord  mayor,  but  my  Lord  Incredulity  was  then 
lord  mayor,  for  he  came  in  the  room  of  my 
Lord  Lustings.  So  Incredulity,  he  came  up 
and  showed  himself  over  the  wall ; but  when 
the  Captain  Boanerges  had  set  his  eyes  upon 
him,  he  cried  out  aloud,  “This  is  not  he; 
where  is  my  Lord  Understanding,  the  ancient 
lord  mayor  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  for  to  him 
I would  deliver  my  message?” 

Then  said  the  giant,  (for  Diabolus  was  also 
come  to  the  captain,)  “Mr.  Captain,  you  have 
by  your  boldness  given  to  Mansoul  at  least 
four  summonses  to  subject  herself  to  your 
King;  by  whose  authority  I know  not,  nor 
will  I dispute  that  now.  I ask  therefore  what 
is  the  reason  of  all  this  ado,  or  what  would 
you  be  at,  if  you  know  yourselves  ?” 

Then  Captain  Boanerges,  whose  was  the 
black  colours  and  whose  escutcheon  was  the 
three  burning  thunderbolts,  (taking  no  notice 
of  the  giant  or  of  his  speech,)  thus  addressed 
himself  to  the  town  of  Mansoul : “ Be  it  known 
unto  you,  O unhappy  and  rebellious  Mansoul, 
that  the  most  gracious  King,  the  great  King 
Shaddai,  my  Master,  hath  sent  me  unto  you 
with  commission  (and  so  he  showed  to  the 
town  his  broad  seal)  to  reduce  you  to  his  obe- 
dience; and  he  hath  commanded  me,  in  case 
you  yield  upon  my  summons,  to  carry  it  to 
you  as  if  you  were  my  friend  and  brother ; but 
he  also  hath  bid  that  if,  after  summons  to  sub- 
mit, you  stand  out  and  rebel,  we  should  en- 
deavour to  take  you  by  force.” 

Then  stood  forth  Captain  Conviction,  and 
said,  (his  was  the  pale  colours,  and  for  an 
escutcheon  he  had  the  book  of  the  law  wide 
open,  &c.,)  “Hear,  0 Mansoul!  Thou,  O 
Mansoul,  was  once  famous  for  innocency,  but 
now  thou  art  degenerated  into  lies  and  deceit. 
Thou  hast  heard  what  my  brother  the  Captain 
Boanerges  hath  said ; and  it  is  your  wisdom 
and  will  be  your  happiness  to  stoop  to  and 
accept  of  conditions  of  peace  and  mercy  when 
offered,  especially  when  offered  by  one  against 
whom  thou  hast  rebelled,  and  one  who  is  of 
power  to  tear  thee  in  pieces ; for  so  is  Shaddai 
our  King;  nor,  when  he  is  angry,  can  any 
one  stand  before  him.  If  you  say  you  have 
not  sinned  nor  acted  rebellion  against  our 
King,  the  whole  of  your  doings  since  the  day 
that  you  castoff  his  service  (and  there  was  the 
beginning  of  your  sin)  will  sufficiently  testify 
against  you.  What  else  means  your  hearken- 
ing to  the  tyrant  and  your  receiving  him  for 
your  king?  What  mea,ns  else  your  rejecting 
of  the  laws  of  Shaddai  and  your  obeying  of 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


387 


Diabolus?  Yea,  wliat  means  tliisyour  taking 
up  of  arms  against  and  the  shutting  of  your 
gates  upon  us,  the  faithful  servants  of  your 
King?  Be  ruled,  then,  and  accept  of  my 
brother’s  invitation,  and  overstand  not  the 
time  of  mercy,  hut  agree  with  thine  adver- 
sary quickly.  Ah,  Mansoull  suffer  not  thy- 
self to  he  kept  from  mercy,  and  to  be  run  into 
a thousand  miseries  by  the  flattering  wiles  of 
Diabolus.  Perhaps  that  piece  of  deceit  may 
attempt  to  make  you  believe  that  we  seek  our 
own  profit  in  this  our  service  ; but  know  it  is 
obedience  to  our  King  and  love  to  your  happi- 
ness that  is  the  cause  of  this  undertaking  of 
ours. 

“ Again,  I say  to  thee,  0 Mansoul ! con- 
sider if  it  be  not  amazing  grace  that  Shaddai 
should  so  humble  himself  as  he  doth.  Now, 
he  by  us  reasons  with  you  in  a way  of  en- 
treaty and  sweet  persuasions  that  you  would 
subject  yourselves  to  him.  Has  he  that  need 
of  you  that  we  are  sure  you  have  of  him? 
No,  no,  but  he  is  merciful,  and  will  not  that 
Mansoul  should  die,  but  turn  to  him  and 
live.” 

Then  stood  forth  Captain  Judgment,  (whose 
was  the  red  colours,  and  for  an  escutcheon  he 
had  the  burning  fiery  furnace;)  and  he  said, 
“ 0 ye,  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Man- 
soul,  that  have  lived  so  long  in  rebellion  and 
acts  of  treason  against  the  King  Shaddai, 
know  that  we  come  not  to-day  to  this  place, 
in  this  manner,  with  our  message  of  our  own 
minds  or  to  revenge  our  own  quarrel ; it  is  the 
King  my  Master  that  hath  sent  us  to  reduce 
you  to  your  obedience  to  him,  the  which  if  you 
refuse  in  a peaceable  way  to  yield,  we  have 
commission  to  compel  you  thereto.  And 
never  think  of  yourselves,  not  yet  suffer  the 
tyrant  Diabolus  to  persuade  you  to  think, 
that  our  King  by  his  power  is  not  able  to 
bring  you  down  and  to  lay  you  under  his  feet; 
for  he  is  the  former  of  all  things,  and  if  he 
touches  the  mountains  they  smoke.  Nor  will 
the  gate  of  the  King’s  clemency  stand  always 
open  ; for  the  day  that  shall  burn  like  an  oven 
is  before  him,  yea,  it  hasteth  greatly,  it  slum- 
bereth  not. 

“0  Mansoul!  is  it  little  in  thine  eyes  that 
our  King  doth  offer  thee  mercy,  and  that  after 
so  many  provocations  ? Yea,  he  still  holdeth 
out  his  golden  sceptre  to  thee,  and  will  not  yet 
suffer  his  gate  to  be  shut  against  thee.  Wilt 
thou  provoke  him  to  do  it?  If  so,  consider  of 
what  Isay:  to  thee  it  is  opened  no  more  for. 
ever.  If  thou  sayest  thou  shaft  not  see  him,  I 


yet  judgment  is  before  him;  therefore  trust 
thou  in  him  : yea,  because  there  fs  wrath,  be- 
ware lest  he  take  thee  away  with  bis  stroke; 
then  a great  ransom  cannot  deliver  thee.  Will 
he  esteem  thy  riches?  No,  not  gold  nor  all 
the  forces  of  strength.  lie  hath  prepared  his 
throne  for  judgment,  for  he  will  come  with 
fire  and  with  his  chariots,  like  a whirlwind,  to 
render  his  anger  with  fury  and  his  rebukes 
with  flames  of  fire.  Therefore,  O Mansoul, 
take  heed  lest,  after  thou  hast  fulfilled  the 
judgment  of  the  wicked,  justice  and  judgment 
should  take  hold  of  thee.”  Now,  while  the 
Captain  Judgment  was  making  of  this  oration 
to  the  town  of  Mansoul,  it  was  observed  by 
some  that  Diabolus  trembled ; but  he  proceeded 
in  his  parable,  and  said,  “ 0 thou  woeful  town 
of  Mansoul ! wilt  thou  not  yet  set  open  thy 
gate  to  receive  us,  the  deputies  of  thy  King, 
and  those  that  would  rejoice  to  see  thee  live? 
Can  thy  heart  endure  or  can  thy  hands  be 
strong  in  the  day  that  he  shall  deal  in  judg- 
ment with  thee?  I say,  canst  thou  endure  to 
be  forced  to  drink,  as  one  would  drink  sweet 
wine,  the  sea  of  wrath  that  our  King  has  pre- 
pared for  Diabolus  and  his  angels?  Consider 
betimes,  consider.” 

Then  stood  forth  the  fourth  captain,  the 
noble  Captain  Execution,  and  said,  “ 0 town 
of  Mansoul ! — once  famous,  but  now  like  the 
fruitless  bough;  once  the  delight  of  the  high 
ones,  but  now  a den  for  Diabolus — hearken 
also  to  me,  and  to  the  words  that  I shall  speak 
to  thee  in  the  name  of  the  great  Shaddai. 
Behold,  the  axe  is  laid  to  the  root  of  the  trees ; 
every  tree,  therefore,  that  bringeth  not  forth 
good  fruit,  is  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the 
fire. 

“ Thou,  0 town  of  Mansoul ! hast  hitherto 
been  this  fruitless  tree;  thou  bearest  naught 
but  thorns  and  briers.  Thy  evil  fruit  bespeaks 
thee  not  to  be  a good  tree:  thy  grapes  are 
grapes  of  gall,  thy  clusters  are  bitter.  Thou 
hast  rebelled  against  thy  King;  and  lo ! we, 
the.power  and  force  of  Shaddai,  are  the  axe  that 
is  laid  to  thy  roots.  What  sayest  thou,  wilt 
thou  turn?  I say  again,  tell  me  before  the 
first  blow  is  given,  wilt  thou  turn?  Oh  turn, 
turn  ! Our  axe  must  first  be  laid  to  thy  root, 
before  it  be  laid  at  thy  root ; it  must  first  be 
laid  to  thy  root  in  a way  of  threatening,  before 
it  is  laid  at  thy  root  by  way  of  execution  ; and 
between  these  two  is  required  thy  repentance, 
and  this  is  all  the  time  that  thou  hast.  What 
wilt  thou  do?  Wilt  thou  turn,  or  shall  I 
smite?  If  I fetch  my  blow,  Mansoul,  down 


388 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


yon  go  ; for  I have  commission  to  lay  my  axe 
at,  as  well  as  to,  thy  roots  ; nor  will  any  thing 
but  yielding  to  our  King  prevent  doing  of  ex- 
ecution. What  art  thou  fit  for,  0 Mansoul! 
if  mercy  prevent  not,  but  to  be  hewn  down 
and  cast  into  the  fire  and  burned? 

“0  Mansoul!  patience  and  forbearance  do 
not  act  for  ever ; a year,  or  two,  or  three  they 
may,  but  if  thou  provoke  by  a three  years’  re- 
bellion, (and  thou  hast  already  done  more  than 
this,)  then  what  follows  but  cut  it  down  ? Nay, 
after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down.  And  dost 
thou  think  that  these  are  but  threatenings,  or 
that  our  King  has  not  power  to  execute  his 
words?  O Mansoul!  thou  wilt  find  that,  in 
the  words  of  our  King,  when  they  are  by  sin- 
ners made  little  or  light  of,  there  is  not  only 
threatening  but  burning  coals  of  fire. 

“Thou  hast  been  a cumber-ground  long 
already,  and  wilt  thou  continue  so  still  ? Thy 
sin  has  brought  this  army  to  thy  walls,  and 
shall  bring  it  in  judgment  to  do  execution  into 
thy  town.  Thou  hast  heard  what  the  captains 
have  said,  but  as  yet  thou  shuttest  thy  gates. 
Speak  out,  Mansoul;  wilt  thou  do  so  still?  or 
wilt  thou  accept  of  conditions  of  peace?” 

These  brave  speeches  of  these  four  noble 
captains  the  town  of  Mansoul  refused  to  hear, 
yet  a sound  thereof  did  beat  against  Ear-gate, 
though  the  force  thereof  could  not  break  it  open. 
In  fine,  the  town  desired  a time  to  prepare 
their  answer  to  these  demands.  The  captains 
then  told  them  that  if  they  would  throw  out  to 
them  one  Ill-pause  that  was  in  the  town,  that 
they  might  reward  him  according  to  his  works, 
then  they  would  give  them  time  to  consider; 
but  if  they  would  not  cast  him  to  them  over 
the  wall  of  Mansoul,  then  they  would  give 
them  none;  for,  said  they,  we  know  that  so 
long  as  Ill-pause  draws  breath  in  Mansoul,  all 
good  consideration  will  be  confounded  and 
nothing  but  mischief  will  come  thereon. 

Then  Diabolus,  who  was  there  present,  be- 
ing loth  to  lose  his  Ill-pause,  because  he  was 
his  orator,  (and  yet  be  sure  he  had,  could^the 
captains  have  laid  their  fingers  on  him,)  was 
resolved  at  this  instant  to  give  them  answer  by 
himself;  but  then,  changing  his  mind,  he 
commanded  the  then  lord  mayor,  the  Lord  In- 
credulity, to  do  it;  saying,  “My  lord,  do  you 
give  these  runagates  an  answer,  and  speak  out, 
that  Mansoul  may  hear  and  understand  you.” 

So  Incredulity,  at  Diabolus’s  command,  be- 
gan and  said,  “ Gentlemen,  you  have  here,  as 
we  do  behold,  to  the  disturbance  of  our  prince 
and  the  molestation  of  the  town  of  Mansoul, 


camped  against  it ; but  from  whence  you  come 
we  will  not  know,  and  what  you  are  we  will 
not  believe.  Indeed,  you  tell  us  in  your  ter- 
rible speeches  that  you  have  this  authority 
from  Shaddai,  but  by  what  right  he  commands 
you  to  do  it,  of  that  we  shall  yet  be  ignorant. 

“ You  have  also,  by  the  authority  aforesaid, 
summoned  this  town  to  desert  her  lord,  and 
for  protection  to  yield  up  herself  to  the  great 
Shaddai,  your  King,  flatteringly  telling  her 
that  if  she  will  do  it,  he  will  pass  by  and  not 
charge  her  with  her  past  offences. 

“ Further,  you  have  also,  to  the  terror  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul,  threatened  with  great  and 
sore  destruction  to  punish  this  corporation  if 
she  consents  not  to  do  as  your  wills  would  have 
her. 

“Now,  captains,  from  whencesoever  you 
come,  and  though  your  designs  be  never  so 
right,  yet  know  ye  that  neither  my  Lord  Diab- 
olus, nor  I his  servant  Incredulity,  nor  yet 
our  brave  Mansoul,  doth  regard  either  your 
persons,  message,  or  the  King  that  you  say 
hath  sent  you.  His  power,  his  greatness,  his 
vengeance  we  fear  not,  nor  will  we  yield  at  all 
to  your  summons. 

“As  for  the  war  that  you  threaten  to  make 
upon  us,  w7e  must  therein  defend  ourselves  as 
well  as  we  can  ; and  know  ye  that  we  are  not 
without  wherewithal  to  hid  defiance  to  you. 
And,  in  short,  for  I will  not  be  tedious,  I tell 
you  that  we  take  you  to  be  some  vagabond 
runagate  crew  that,  having  shaken  off  all  obe- 
dience to  your  King,  have  gotten  together  in 
tumultuous  manner,  and  are  ranging  from 
place  to  place,  to  see  if,  through  the  flatteries 
you  are  skilled  to  make  on  the  one  side,  and 
threats  wherewith  you  think  to  fright  on  the 
other,  to  make  some  silly  town,  city,  or  coun- 
try to  desert  their  place  and  leave  it  to  you  ; 
but  Mansoul  is  none  of  them. 

“ To  conclude,  wd  dread  you  not,  we  fear  you 
not,  nor  will  we  obey  your  summons : our  gates 
we  will  keep  shut  upon  you,  our  place  we  will 
keep  you  out  of;  nor  will  we  long  thus  suffer 
you  to  sit  down  before  us.  Our  people  must 
live  in  quiet;  your  appearance  doth  disturb 
them;  w'herefore  arise  with  bag  and  baggage 
and  begone,  or  we  will  let  fly  from  the  walls 
against  you.” 

This  oration,  made  by  old  Incredulity,  was 
seconded  by  desperate  Will-be-will  in  words 
to  this  effect:  “Gentlemen,  we  have  heard 
your  demands  and  the  noise  of  your  threats, 
and  we  have  heard  the  sound  of  your  summons ; 
but  we  fear  not  your  force,  we  regard  not  your 


T1IE  HOLY  WAR. 


380 


threats,  bat  will  still  abide  as  you  found  us. 
And  we  command  you  that  in  three  days’ 
time  you  cease  to  appear  in  these  parts,  or  you 
shall  know  what  it  is  once  to  dare  offer  to 
rouse  the  lion  Diabolus  when  asleep  in  his 
town  of  Mansoul.” 

The  recorder,  whose  name  was  Forget-good, 
he  also  added  as  followeth : “Gentlemen,  my 
lords,  as  you  see,  have  with  mild  and  gentle 
words  answered  your  rough  and  angry  speeches ; 
they  have  moreover,  in  my  hearing,  given  you 
leave  quietly  to  depart  as  you  came.  Where- 
fore take  their  kindness  and  begone;  we  might 
have  come  out  with  force  upon  you,  and  have 
caused  you  to  feel  the  dint  of  our  swords ; but 
as  we  love  ease  and  quiet  ourselves,  so  we  love 
not  to  hurt  or  molest  others.” 

Then  did  the  town  of  Mansoul  shout  for  joy, 
as  if,  by  Diabolus  and  his  crew,  some  great 
advantage  had  been  gotten  of  the  captains. 
They  also  rang  the  bells  and  made  merry,  and 
danced  upon  the  walls. 

Diabolus  also  returned  to  the  castle,  and  the 
lord  mayor  and  recorder  to  their  place ; but 
the  Lord  Will-be-will  took  special  care  that 
the  gates  should  be  secured  with  double  guards, 
double  bolts,  and  double  locks  and  bars.  And 
that  Ear-gate  especially  might  the  better  be 
looked  to — for  that  was  the  gate  in  at  which 
the  King’s  forces  sought  most  to  enter — the 
Lord  Will-be-will  made  one  old  Mr.  Prejudice 
(an  angry  and  ill-conditioned  fellow)  captain 
of  the  ward  at  that  gate,  and  put  under  his 
power  sixty  men,  called  Deaf-men — men  ad- 
vantageous for  that  service,  forasmuch  as  they 
mattered  no  words  of  the  captains  nor  of  their 
soldiers. 

Now,  when  the  captains  saw  the  answer  of 
the  great  ones,  that  they  could  not  get  an  hear- 
ing from  the  old  natives  of  the  town,  and  that 
Mansoul  was  resolved  to  give  the  King’s  army 
battle,  they  prepared  themselves  to  receive 
them  and  to  try  it  out  by  the  power  of  the  arm. 
And  first  they  made  their  forces  more  formid- 
able against  Ear-gate.  For  they  knew  that 
unless  they  could  penetrate  that  no  good  could 
be  done  upon  the  town.  This  done,  they  put 
the  rest  of  their  men  in  their  places.  After 
which  they  gave  out  the  word,  which  was, 
“ Ye  must  be  born  again.”  Then  they  sounded 
the  trumpet ; then  they  in  the  town  made  them 
answer  with  shout  against  shout,  charge  against 
charge,  and  so  the  battle  began.  Now  they  in 
the  town  had  planted  upon  the  tower  over 
Ear-gate  two  great  guns,  the  one  called  High- 
mind,  and  the  other  Heady.  Under  these  two 


guns  they  trusted  much  ; they  were  cast  in  the 
castle  by  Diabolus’s  founder,  whose  name  was 
Mr.  Puff-up,  and  mischievous  pieces  they  were. 
Put  so  vigilant  and  watchful  when  the  cap- 
tains saw  them  were  they  that  though  some- 
times their  shot  would  go  by  their  ears  with  a 
whiz,  yet  they  did  them  no  harm.  By  these 
two  guns  the  townsfolk  made  no  question  but 
greatly  to  annoy  the  camp  of  Shaddai  and  well 
enough  to  secure  the  gate,  but  they  had  not 
much  cause  to  boast  of  what  execution  they 
did,  as  by  what  follows  will  be  gathered. 

The  famous  Mansoul  had  also  some  other 
small  pieces  in  it,  of  the  which  they  made  use 
against  the  camp  of  Shaddai. 

They  from  the  camp  also  did  as  stoutly,  and 
with  as  much  of  that  as  may,  in  truth,  be  called 
valour  let  fly  as  fast  at  the  town  and  at  Ear- 
gate  ; for  they  saw  that  unless  they  could  break 
open  Ear-gate  it  would  be  but  in  vain  to  batter 
the  wall.  Now  the  King’s  captains  had  brought 
with  them  several  slings  and  two  or  three  bat- 
tering-rams; with  their  slings  therefore  they 
battered  the  houses  and  people  of  the  town, 
and  with  their  rams  they  sought  to  break  Ear- 
gate  open. 

The  camp  and  the  town  had  several  skir- 
mishes and  brisk  encounters,  while  the  captains 
with  their  engines  made  many  brave  attempts 
to  break  open  or  beat  down  the  tower  that  was 
over  Ear-gate,  and  at  the  said  gate  to  make 
their  entrance.  But  Mansoul  stood  it  out  so 
lustily,  through  the  rage  of  Diabolus,  the  val- 
our of  the  Lord  Will-be-will,  and  the  conduct 
of  old  Incredulity  the  mayor,  and  Mr.  Forget- 
good  the  recorder,  that  the  charge  and  expense 
of  that  summer’s  wars  (on  the  King’s  side) 
seemed  to  be  almost  quite  lost,  and  the  advan- 
tage to  return  to  Mansoul.  But  when  the 
captains  saw  how  it  was  they  made  a fair  re- 
treat, and  entrenched  themselves  in  their 
winter  quarters.  Now,  in  this  war,  you  must 
needs  think,  there  was  much  loss  on  both  sides, 
of  which  be  pleased  to  accept  of  this  brief  ac- 
count following. 

The  King’s  captains,  when  they  marched 
from  the  court  to  come  up  against  Mansoul  to 
war,  as  they  came  crossing  over  the  country, 
they  happened  to  light  upon  three  young  fel- 
lows that  had  a mind  to  go  for  soldiers ; proper 
men  they  were,  and  men  of  courage  and  skill 
to  appearance.  Their  names  were,  Mr.  Tradi- 
tion, Mr.  Human-wisdom,  and  Mr.  Man’s-in- 
vention.  So  they  came  up  to  the  captains  and 
proffered  their  services  to  Shaddai.  The  cap- 
tains then  told  them  of  their  design,  and  bid 


390 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


them  not  to  be  rash  in  their  offers ; but  the 
young  men  told  them  they  had  considered  the 
thing  before,  and  that,  hearing  they  were  upon 
their  march  for  such  a design,  came  hither  on 
purpose  to  meet  them,  that  they  might  be 
listed  under  their  excellencies.  Then  Captain 
Boanerges,  for  that  they  were  men  of  courage, 
listed  them  into  his  company,  and  so  away  they 
went  to  the  war. 

Now,  when  the  Avar  Avas  begun,  in  one  of 
the  briskest  skirmishes,  so  it  Avas  that  a com- 
pany of  the  Lord  Will-be-Avill’s  men  sallied 
out  of  the  sally-port  or  postern  of  the  town, 
and  fell  in  upon  the  rear  of  Captain  Boaner- 
ges’ men,  Avhere  these  three  felloAA's  happened 
to  be;  so  they  took  them  prisoners  and  aAvay 
they  carried  them  into  the  toAvn,  Avhere  they 
had  not  laid  long  in  durance  but  it  began  to  be 
noised  about  the  streets  of  the  toAvn  Avhat  three 
notable  prisoners  the  Lord  Will-be-will’s  men 
had  taken  and  brought  in  prisoners  out  of  the 
camj)  of  Shaddai.  At  length  tidings  thereof 
Avas  carried  to  Diabolus  to  the  castle — to  Avit, 
Avhat  my  Lord  Will-be-Avill’s  men  had  done, 
and  whom  they  had  taken  prisoners. 

Then  Diabolus  called  for  Will-be-Avill  to 
knoAV  the  certainty  of  this  matter.  So  he 
asked  him  and  he  told  him  ; then  did  the  giant 
send  for  the  prisoners,  and,  Avhen  they  Avere 
come,  demanded  of  them  who  they  Avere, 
Avhence  they  came,  and  Avhat  they  did  in  the 
camp  of  Shaddai?  and  they  told  him.  Then 
he  sent  them  to  ward  again.  Not  many  days 
after  he  sent  for  them  to  him  again,  and  then 
asked  them  if  they  Avould  be  willing  to  serve 
him  against  their  former  captains?  They  then 
told  him  that  they  did  not  so  much  live  by 
religion  as  by  the  fates  of  fortune,  and  that, 
since  his  lordship  Avas  willing  to  entertain 
them,  they  should  be  willing  to  serve  him. 

Now  Avhile  things  Avere  thus  in  hand  there 
was  one  Captain  Anything,  a great  doer  in  the 
toAvn  of  Mansoul,  and  to  this  Captain  Any- 
thing did  Diabolus  send  these  men,  Avith  a 
note  under  his  hand  to  receive  them  into  his 
company;  the  contents  of  Avliich  letter  Avere 
thus : 

“ Anything,  my  darling,  the  three  men  that 
are  the  bearers  of  this  letter  have  a desire  to 
serve  me  in  the  Avar,  nor  k'nib.w  I better  to 
whose  conduct  to  commit  them  than  to  thine. 
Deceive  them,  therefore,  in  my  name,  and  as 
need  shall  require  make  use  of  them  against 
Shaddai  and  his  men.  Farewell.”  So  they 
came,  and  he  received  them,  and  he  made 
two  of  them  sergeants,  but  he  made  Mr.  Man’s- 


invention  his  ancient-bearer.  But  thus  much 
for  this,  ahd  noAv  to  return  to  the  camp. 

They  of  the  camp  did  also  some  execution 
upon  the  toAvn ; they  did  beat  doAvn  the  roof 
of  the  old  lord  mayor’s  house,  and  so  laid  him 
more  open  than  he  Avas  before.  They  had 
almost  with  a sling  slain  my  Lord  Will-be-will 
outright,  but  he  made  a shift  to  recover  again. 
But  they  made  a notable  slaughter  among  the 
aldermen,  for  Avith  one  only  shot  they  cut  off 
six  of  them— to  wit,  Mr.  Swearing,  Mr.  Whor- 
ing, Mr.  Fury,  Mr.  Stand-to-lies,  Mr.  Drunk- 
enness, and  Mr.  Cheating. 

They  also  dismounted  the  tAvo  guns  that 
stood  upon  the  toAver  over  Ear-gate,  and  laid 
them  flat  in  the  dirt.  I told  you  before  that 
the  King’s  noble  captains  had  draAvn  off  to 
their  Avinter  quarters,  and  had  there  entrenched 
themselves  and  their  carriages,  so  as,  Avith  the 
best  advantage  to  their  King  and  the  greatest 
annoyance  to  the  enemy,  they  might  give  sea- 
sonable and  Avarm  alarms  to  the  town  of  Man- 
soul.  And  this  design  of  them  did  so 'hit 
that,  I may  say,  they  did  almost  Avhat  they 
would  to  the  molestation  of  the  corporation. 

For  noAv  could  not  Mansoul  sleep  securely 
as  before,  nor  could  they  hoav  go  to  their  de- 
baucheries with  that  quietness  as  in  times  past. 
For  they  had  from  the  camp  of  Shaddai  such 
frequent,  Avarm,  and  terrifying  alarms,  first  at 
one  gate,  and  then  at  another,  and  again  at  all 
the  gates  at  once,  that  they  Avere  broken  as  to 
former  peace.  Yea,  they  had  their  alarms  so 
frequently,  and  that  Avhen  the  nights  Avere  at 
longest,  the  Aveather  coldest,  and  so  conse- 
quently the  season  most  unseasonable,  that 
that  winter  Avas  to  the  toAvn  of  Mansoul  a Avin- 
ter  by  itself.  Sometimes  the  trumpets  Avould 
sound,  and  sometimes  the  slings  Avould  Avhirl 
the  stones  into  the  toAvn.  Sometimes  ten  thou- 
sand of  the  King’s  soldiers  Avould  be  running 
round  the  Avails  of  Mansoul  at  midnight,  shout- 
ing and  lifting  up  the  voice  for  the  battle. 
Sometimes,  again,  some  of  them  in  the  toAvn 
Avould  be  Avounded,  and  their  cry  and  lament- 
able voice  would  be  heard,  to  the  great  moles- 
tation of  the  hoav  languishing  toAvn  of  M:  n- 
soul.  Yea,  so  distressed  Avith  those  that  laid 
siege  against,  them  Avere  they  that  I dare  say 
Diabolus  their  king  had  in  these  days  his  rest 
much  broken. 

In  these  days,  as  I was  informed,-  neAV 
thoughts — and  thoughts  that  began  to  run 
counter  one  to  another — began  to  possess  the 
minds  of  the  men  of  the  toAvn  of  Mansoul. 
Some  Avould  say,  “ There  is  no  living  thus.” 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


391 


Olivers  would  tlven  reply,  “This  will  be  over 
shortly.”  Then  would  a third  stand  up  and 
answer,  “Let  us  turn  to  the  King  Shaddai,  and 
so  put  an  end  to  these  troubles.”  And  a fourth 
would  come  in  with  a fear,  saying,  “ I doubt 
he  will  not  receive  us.”  The  old  gentleman, 
too,  the  recorder,  that  was  so  before  Diabolus 
took  Mansoul,  he  also  began  to  talk  aloud ; 
and  his  words  were  now  to  the  town  of  Man- 
soul  as  if  they  were  great  claps  of  thunder. 
No  noise  now  so  terrible  to  Mansoul  as  was 
his,  with  the  noise  of  the  soldiers  and  shout- 
ings of  the  captains. 

Also  things  began  to  grow  scarce  in  Man- 
soul, now  the  things  that  her  soul  lusted  after 
were  departing  from  her.  Upon  all  her  pleas- 
ant things  there  was  a blast  and  burning  in- 
stead of  beauty.  Wrinkles  now  and  some 
shows  of  the  shadow  of  death  were  upon  the 
inhabitants  of  Mansoul.  And  now,  oh  how 
glad  would  Mansoul  have  been  to  have  en- 
joyed quietness  and  satisfaction  of  mind, 
though  joined  with  the  meanest  condition  in 
the  world! 

The  captains  also,  in  the  depth  of  the  winter, 
did  send  by  the  mouth  of  Boanerges’  trumpeter 
a summons  to  Mansoul  to  yield  up  herself  to 
the  King,  the  great  King  Shaddai.  They  said 
it  once,  and  twice,  and  thrice;  not  knowing 
but  that  at  sometimes  there  might  be  in  Man- 
soul some  willingness  to  surrender  up  them- 
selves unto  him,  might  they  but  have  the 
colour  of  an  invitation  to  do  it  under.  Yea, 
so  far  as  I could  gather,  the  town  had  been 
surrendered  up  to  them  before  now  had  it  not 
been  for  the  opposition  of  old  Incredulity  and 
the  fickleness  of  the  thoughts  of  my  Lord 
Will-be-will.  Diabolus  also  began  to  rave, 
wherefore  Mansoul  as  to  yielding  was  not  yet 
all  of  one  mind ; therefore  they  still  lay  dis- 
tressed under  these  perplexing  fears. 

I told  you  but  now  that  they  of  the  King’s 
army  had  this  winter  sent  three  times  to  Man- 
soul to  submit  herself. 

The  first  time  the  trumpeter  went  he  went, 
with  words  of  peace,  telling  them  that  the 
captains,  the  noble  captains  of  Shaddai,  did 
pity  anc.  bewail  the  misery  of  the  now  perish- 
ing town  of  Mansoul,  and  were  troubled  to  see 
them  so  much  at  a stand  in  the  way  of  their 
own  deliverance.  He  said,  moreover,  that  the 
captains  bid  him  tell  them  that  if  now  poor 
Mansoul  would  humble  herself  and  turn,  her 
former  rebellions  and  most  notorious  trea- 
sons should  by  their  merciful  King  be  for- 
given them,  yea,  and  forgotten  too.  And 


having  bid  them  beware  that  they  stood  not 
in  their  own  way,  that  they  opposed  not  them- 
selves, nor  made  themselves  their  own  losers, 
he  returned  again  into  the  camp. 

The  second  time  the  trumjveter  went  he  did 
treat  them  a little  roughly.  For  after  sound- 
ing the  trumpet,  he  told  them  that  their  con- 
tinuing in  their  rebellion  did  but  chafe  and 
heat  the  spirit  of  the  captains,  and  that  they 
were  resolved  to  make  a conquest  of  Mansoul 
or  to  lay  their  bones  before  the  town-walls. 

He  went  again  the  third  time,  and  dealt  with 
them  yet  more  roughly,  telling  them  that  now, 
since  they  had  been  so  horribly  profane,  he  did 
not  certainly  know  whether  the  captains  were 
inclined  to  mercy  or  judgment;  only,  said  lie. 
they  commanded  me  to  give  you  a summons  to 
open  the  gates  unto  them.  So  he  returned  and 
went  into  the  camp. 

These  three  summons,  and  especially  the  two 
last,  did  so  distress  the  town  that  they  presently 
called  a consultation,  the  result  of  which  was 
this:  that  my  Lord  Will-be-will  should  go  up 
to  Ear-gate,  and  there  with  sound  of  trumpet 
call  to  the  captains  of  the  camp  for  a parley. 
AVell,  the  Lord  Will-be-will  sounded  upon  the 
wall,  so  the  captains  came  up  in  their  harness, 
with  their  ten  thousands  at  their  feet.  The 
townsmen  then  told  the  captains  that  they  had 
heard  and  considered  their  summons,  and  would 
come  to  an  agreement  with  them,  and  with  their 
King  Shaddai,  upon  such  certain  terms,  articles, 
and  propositions  as,  with  and  by  the  order  of 
their  prince,  they  to  them  were  appointed  to 
propound — to  wit,  they  would  agree  upon  these 
grounds  to  be  one  people  with  them : 

“ 1.  If  that  those  of  their  own  company,  as 
the  new  lord  mayor  and  their  Mr.  Forget- 
good,  with  their  brave  Lord  Will-be-will, 
might  under  Shaddai  be  still  the  governors  of 
the  town,  castle,  and  gates  of  Mansoul. 

“ 2.  Provided  that  no  man  that  now  serveth 
under  their  great  giant  Diabolus  be  by  Shaddai 
cast  out  of  house,  harbour,  or  the  freedom  that 
he  hath  hitherto  enjoyed  in  the  famous  town 
of  Mansoul. 

“ 3.  That  it  shall  be  granted  them  that  they 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul  shall  enjoy  certain  of 
their  rights  and  privileges — to  wit,  such  as 
have  formerly  been  granted  them,  and  that 
they  have  loug  lived  in  the  enjoyment  of, 
under  the  reign  of  their  king  Diabolus,  that 
now  is  and  long  has  been  their  only  lord  and 
great  defender. 

“4.  That  no  new  law,  officer,  or  executioner 
of  law  or  office  shall  have  any  power  over 


392 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


them  without  their  own  choice  and  con- 
sent.” 

These  be  our  propositions  or  conditions  of 
peace,  and  upon  these  terms,  said  they,  we 
will  submit  to  your  king. 

But  when  the  captains  had  heard  this  weak 
and  feeble  offer  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and 
their  high  and  bold  demands,  they  made  to 
them  again  by  their  noble  captain,  the  Cap- 
tain Boanerges,  this  speech  following: 

“ 0 ye  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Mansoul ! 
when  I heard  your  trumpet  sounded  for  a 
parley  with  us  I can  truly  say  I was  glad;  but 
when  you  said  you  were  willing  to  submit 
yourselves  to  your  King  and  Lord,  then  I was 
yet  more  glad ; but  when,  by  your  silly  provi- 
soes and  foolish  cavils,  you  lay  the  stumbling- 
block  of  your  iniquity  before  your  own  faces, 
then  was  my  gladness  turned  into  sorrows,  and 
my  hopeful  beginnings  of  your  return  into 
languishing,  fainting  fears. 

“I  count  that  old  Ill-pause,  the  ancient 
enemy  of  Mansoul,  did  draw  up  those  pro- 
posals that  now  you  present  us  with  as  terms 
of  an  agreement,  but  they  deserve  not  to  be 
admitted  to  sound  in  the  ear  of  any  man  that 
pretends  to  have  service  for  Sliaddai.  We  do 
therefore  jointly,  and  that  with  the  highest 
disdain,  refuse  and  reject  such  things  as  the 
greatest  of  iniquities. 

“But,  O Mansoul,  if  you  will  give  your- 
selves into  our  hands,  or  rather  into  the  hands 
of  our  King,  and  will  trust  him  to  make  such 
terms  with  and  for  you  as  shall  seem  good  in 
his  eyes,  (and  I dare  say  they  shall  be  such  as 
you  shall  find  to  be  most  profitable  to  you,) 
then  we  will  receive  you  and  be  at  peace  with 
you ; but  if  you  like  not  to  trust  yourselves  in 
the  arms  of  Sliaddai  our  King,  then  things  are 
but  where  they  were  before,  and  we  know  also 
what  we  have  to  do.” 

Then  cried  out  old  Incredulity,  the  lord 
mayor,  and  said,  “ And  who,  being  out  of  the 
hands  of  their  enemies,  as  you  see  we  are  now, 
will  be  so  foolish  as  to  put  the  staff  out  of  their 
own  hands  into  the  hands  of  they  know  not 
who?  I,  for  my  part,  will  never  yield  to  so 
unlimited  a proposition.  Do  we  know  the 
manner  and  temper  of  their  King?  It  is  said 
by  some  that  he  will  be  angry  with  his  sub- 
jects if  but  the  breadth  of  an  hair  they  chance 
to  step  out  of  the  way.  And  of  others  that  he 
requireth  of  them  much  more  than  they  can 
perform.  Wherefore  it  seems,  0 Mansoul,  to 
be  thy  wisdom  to  take  good  heed  what  thou 
dost  in  this  matter ; for  if  you  once  yield  you 


give  up  yourselves  to  another,  and  so  you  are 
no  more  your  own ! Wherefore,  to  give  up 
yourselves  to  an  unlimited  power  is  the  great- 
est folly  in  the  world,  for  now  you  indeed  may 
repent,  but  can  never  justly  complain.  But 
do  you  indeed  know,  when  you  are  his,  which 
of  you  he  will  kill  and  which  of  you  he  will 
save  alive,  or  whether  he  will  not  cut  off  every 
one  of  us,  and  send  out  of  his  own  country 
another  new  people  and  cause  them  to  inhabit 
this  town  ?” 

This  speech  of  the  lord  mayor  undid  all, 
and  threw  flat  to  the  ground  their  hopes  of  an 
accord;  wherefore  the  captains  returned  to 
their  trenches,  to  their  tents,  and  to  their  men 
as  they  were,  and  the  mayor  to  the  castle  and 
to  his  king. 

Now  Diabolus  had  waited  for  his  return,  for 
he  had  heard  that  they  had  been  at  their 
points.  So  when  he  was  come  into  the  cham- 
ber of  state,  Diabolus  saluted  him  with,  “ Wel- 
come, my  lord  ; how  went  matters  betwixt  you 
to-day?”  So  the  Lord  Incredulity  (with  a low 
congee)  told  him  the  whole  matter,  saying, 
“Thus  and  thus  said  the  captains  of  Sliaddai, 
and  thus  said  I.”  The  which  when  it  was  told 
to  Diabolus,  he  was  very  glad  to  hear  it,  and 
said,  “ My  lord  mayor,  my  faithful  Incredul- 
ity, I have  proved  thy  fidelity  above  ten  times 
already,  but  never  yet  found  thee -false.  I do 
promise  thee,  if  we  rub  over  this  brunt,  to 
prefer  thee  to  a place  of  honour,  a place  far 
better  than  to  be  lord  mayor  of  Mansoul.  I 
will  make  thee  my  universal  deputy,  and 
thou  slialt,  next  to  me,  have  all  nations 
under  thy  hand;  yea,  and  thou  shalt  lay 
hands  upon  them  that  they  may  not  resist 
thee ; nor  shall  any  of  our  vassals  walk  more 
at  liberty,  but  those  that  shall  be  content  to 
walk  in  thy  fetters.” 

Now  came  the  lord  mayor  out  from  Diab- 
olus as  if  he  had  obtained  a favour  indeed; 
wherefore  to  his  habitation  he  goes  in  great 
state,  and  thinks  to  feed  himself  well  enough 
with  hopes  until  the  time  came  that  his  great- 
ness should  be  enlarged. 

But  now,  though  the  lord  mayor  and  Diab- 
olus did  thus  well  agree,  yet  this  repulse  to 
the  brave  captains  put  Mansoul  into  a mu- 
tiny. For  while  old  Incredulity  went  into  the 
castle  to  congratulate  his  lord  with  what  had 
passed,  the  old  lord  mayor  that  was  so  before 
Diabolus  came  to  the  town — to  wit,  my  Lord 
Understanding  and  the  old  recorder,  Mr.  Con- 
science-— getting  intelligence  of  what  had 
passed  at  Ear-gate,  (for  you  must  know  that 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


303 


they  might  not  be  suffered  to  be  at  that  de- 
bate, lest  they  should  then  have  mutinied  for 
the  captains ;)  but  I say  they  got  intelligence 
what  had  passed  there,  and  were  much  con- 
cerned therewith ; wherefore  they,  getting 
some  of  the  town  together,  began  to  possess 
them  with  the  reasonableness  of  the  noble 
captains’  demands,  and  with  the  bad  conse- 
quences that  would  follow  upon  the  speech 
of  old  Incredulity,  the  lord  mayor — to  wit, 
how  littlp  reverence  he  showed  therein,  either 
to  the  captains  or  to  their  King,  also  how  he 
implicitly  charged  them  with  unfaithfulness 
and  treachery ; for  what  less,  quoth  they, 
could  be  made  of  his  words  when  he  said  he 
would  not  yield  to  their  propositions,  and 
added,  moreover,  a supposition  that  he  would 
destroy  11s  when  before  he  had  sent  us  word 
that  he  would  show  us  mercy?  The  multi- 
tude, being  now  possessed  with  the  conviction 
of  the  evil  that  old  Incredulity  had  done,  began 
to  run  together  by  companies  in  all  places  and 
in  every  corner  of  the  streets  of  Mansoul ; and 
first  they  began  to  mutter,  then  to  talk  openly, 
and  after  that  they  run  to  and  fro,  and  cried 
as  they  run,  ”0  the  brave  captains  of  Shad- 
dai  1 would  we  were  under  the  government  of 
the  captains  and  of  Shaddai  their  King.” 
When  the  lord  mayor  had  intelligence  that 
Mansoul  was  in  an  uproar,  down  he  comes  to 
appease  the  people,  and  thought  to  have 
quashed  their  heat  with  the  bigness  and  the 
show  of  his  countenance.  But  when  they  saw 
him,  they  came  running  upon  him,  and  had 
doubtless  done  him  a mischief  had  he  not 
betaken  himself  to  home.  However,  they 
strongly  assaulted  the  house  Where  he  was, 
to  have  pulled  it  down  about  his  ears,  but 
the  place  was  too  strong;  so  they  failed  of 
that.  So  he,  taking  some  courage,  addressed 
himself  out  a window  to  the  people  in  this 
manner : 

“ Gentlemen,  what  is  the  reason  that  there 
is  here  such  an  uproar  to-day?” 

Then  answered  my  Lord  Understanding: 
“ It  is  even  because  that  thou  and  thy  master 
have  carried  it  not  rightly  and  as  you  should 
to  the  captains  of  Shaddai;  for  in  three  things 
you  are  faulty : First,  in  that  you  would  not 
let  Mr.  Conscience  and  myself  be  at  the  hear- 
ing of  your  discourse.  Secondly,  in  that  you 
propounded  such  terms  of  peace  to  the  cap- 
tains that  by  no  means  could  be  granted 
unless  they  had  intended  that  their  Shaddai 
should  have  been  only  a titular  prince,  and 
that  Mansoul  should  still  have  had  power,  by 


law,  to  have  lived  in  all  lewdness  and  vanity 
before  him,  and  so,  by  consequence,  Diab- 
olus  should  still  here  be  king  in  power,  and 
the  other  only  king  in  name.  Thirdly,  for 
that  thou  didst  thyself,  after  the  captains  had 
showed  us  upon  what  conditions  they  would 
have  received  us  to  mercy,  even  undo  all 
again  with  thy  unsavoury,  and  unseasonable, 
and  ungodly  speech.” 

When  old  Incredulity  had  heard  this  speech, 
he  cried  out,  “ Treason  1 treason  1 To  your 
arms,  to  your  arms,  O ye  trusty  friends  of 
Diabolus  in  Mansoul  1” 

Understanding.  “Sir,  you  may  put  upon  my 
words  what  meaning  you  please,  but  I am  sure 
that  the  captains  of  such  an  high  Lord  as 
theirs  is  deserved  a better  treatment  at  your 
hands.” 

Then  said  old  Incredulity,  “ This  is  but  little 
better.  But,  sir,  quoth  he,  what  I spake,  I 
spake  for  my  prince,  for  his  government,  and 
the  quieting  of  the  people,  whom  by  your  un- 
lawful actions  you  have  this  day  set  to  mutiny 
against  us.” 

Then  replied  the  old  recorder,  whose  name 
was  Mr.  Conscience,  and  said,  “Sir,  you  ought 
not  thus  to  retort  upon  what  my  Lord  Under- 
standing hath  said.  It  is  evident  enough  that 
he  hath  spoken  the  truth,  and  that  you  are  an 
enemy  to  Mansoul ; be  convinced  then  of  the 
evil  of  your  saucy  and  malapert  language,  and 
of  the  grief  that  you  have  put  the  captains  to ; 
yea,  and  of  the  damages  that  you  have  done  to 
Mansoul  thereby.  Had  you  accepted  of  the 
conditions,  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  and  the 
alarm  of  war  had  now  ceased  about  the  town 
of  Mansoul;  but  that  dreadful  sound  abides, 
and  your  want  of  wisdom  in  your  speech  has 
been  the  cause  of  it.” 

Then  said  old  Incredulity,  “ Sir,  if  I live  I 
will  do  your  errand  to  Diabolus,  and  then  you 
shall  have  an  answer  to  your  words.  Mean- 
while we  will  seek  the  good  of  the  town,  and 
not  ask  counsel  of  you.” 

Understanding.  “Sir,  your  prince  and  you 
are  both  foreigners  to  Mansoul,  and  not  the 
natives  thereof.  And  who  can  tell  but  that 
when  you  have  brought  us  into  greater  straits 
(when  you  also  shall  see  that  yourselves  can 
be  safe  by  no  other  means  than  by  flight)  you 
may  leave  us  and  shift  for  yourselves,  or  set 
us  on  fire  and  go  away  in  the  smoke  or  by  the 
light  of  the  burning,  and  so  leave  us  in  our 
ruins.” 

Incredulity.  “Sir,  you  forget  that  you  are 
under  a governor,  and  that  you  ought  to  de- 


394 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


mean  yourself  like  a subject;  and  know  ye 
when  my  lord  the  king  shall  hear  of  this  day’s 
work  he  will  give  you  but  little  thanks  for 
your  labour.” 

Now,  while  these  gentlemen  were  thus  in 
their  chiding  words,  down  comes  from  the 
walls  and  gates  of  the  town  the  Lord  Will-be- 
will,  Mr.  Prejudice,  old  Ill-pause,  and  several 
of  the  new-made  aldermen  and  burgesses,  and 
they  asked  the  reason  of  the  hubbub  and  tu- 
mult. And  with  that  every  man  began  to  tell 
his  own  tale,  so  that  nothing  could  be  heard 
distinctly.  Then  was  a silence  commanded, 
and  the  old  fox  Incredulity  began  to  speak. 
“My  lord,”  quoth  he,  “here  are  a couple  of 
peevish  gentlemen  that  have,  as  a fruit  of  their 
dispositions,  and,  as  I fear,  through  the  advice 
of  one  Mr.  Discontent,  tumultuously  gathered 
this  company  against  me  this  day,  and  also 
attempted  to  run  the  town  into  acts  of  rebellion 
against  our  prince.” 

Then  stood  up  all  the  Diabolonians  that 
were  present  and  affirmed  these  things  to  be 
true. 

Now,  when  they  that  took  part  with  my 
Lord  Understanding  and  with  Mr.  Conscience 
perceived  that  they  were  like  to  come  to  the 
worst,  for  that  force  and  power  were  on  the 
other  side,  they  came  in  for  their  help  and  re- 
lief, so  a great  company  was  on  both  sides. 
Then  they  on  Incredulity’s  side  would  have 
had  the  two  old  gentlemen  presently  away  to 
prison,  but  they  on  the  other  side  said  they 
should  not.  Then  they  began  to  cry  up  parties 
again;  the  Diabolonians  cried  up  old  Incre- 
dulity, Forget-good,  the  new  aldermen,  and 
their  great  one  Diabolus ; and  the  other  party, 
they  as  fast  cried  up  Shaddai,  the  captains,  his 
laws,  their  mercifulness,  and  applauded  their 
conditions  and  ways.  Thus  the  bickerment 
went  a while;  at  last  they  passed  from  words 
to  blows,  and  now  there  were  knocks  on  both 
sides.  The  good  old  gentleman  Mr.  Con- 
science was  knocked  down  twice  by  one  of  the 
Diabolonians,  whose  name  was  Mr.  Benumb- 
ing. And  my  Lord  Understanding  had  like 
to  have  been  slain  with  an  harquebus,  but  that 
he  that  had  shot  wanted  to  take  his  aim  right. 
Nor  did  the  other  side  wholly  escape,  for  there 
was  one  Mr.  Bash-head,  a Diabolonian,  that 
had  his  brains  beaten  out  by  Mr.  Mind,  the 
Lord  Will-be-will’s  servant ; and  it  made  me 
laugh  to  see  how  old  Mr.  Prejudice  was  kicked 
and  tumbled  about  in  the  dirt.  For  though 
a while  since  he  was  made  captain  of  a com- 
pany of  the  Diabolonians,  to  the  hurt  and 


damage  of  the  town,  yet  now  .hey  had  got  him 
under  their  feet,  and  I will  assure  you  he  had, 
by  some  of  the  Lord  Understanding’s  party, 
his  crown  soundly  cracked  to  boot.  Mr.  Any- 
thing also,  he  became  a brisk  man  in  the  broil, 
hut  both  sides  were  against  him  because  he 
was  true  to  none.  Yet  he  had,  for  his  mala- 
pertness, one  of  his  legs  broken,  and  he  that 
did  it  wished  it  had  been  his  neck.  Much 
harm  more  was  done  on  both  sides ; but  this 
must  not  be  forgotten : it  was  now  a wonder  to 
see  my  Lord  Will-be-will  so  indifferent  as  he 
was ; he  did  not  seem  to  take  one  side  more 
than  another,  only  it  was  perceived  that  he 
smiled  to  see  how  old  Prejudice  was  tumbled 
up  and  down  in  the  dirt.  Also  when  Caj)tain 
Anything  came  halting  up  before  him,  he 
seemed  to  take  but  little  notice  of  him. 

Now  when  the  uproar  was  over,  Diabolus 
sends  for  my  Lord  Understanding  and  Mr! 
Conscience,  and  claps  them  both  up  in  prison, 
as  the  ringleaders  and  managers  of  this  most 
heavy  riotous  rout  in  Mansoul.  Now  the  town 
began  to  be  quiet  again  and  the  prisoners  were 
used  hardly;  yea,  he  thought  to  have  made 
them  away,  but  that  the  present  juncture  did 
not  serve  for  that  purpose,  for  that  war  w'as  in 
all  their  gates. 

But  let  us  return  again  to  our  story.  The 
captains,  when  they  were  gone  back  from  the 
gate  and  were  come  into  the  camp  again,  called 
a council  of  war  to  consult  what  was  further 
for  them  to  do.  New  some  said,  Let’s  go  up 
presently  and  fall  upon  the  town,  but  the  great- 
est part  thought  rather  better  it  would  be  to 
give  them  another  summons  to  yield;  and  the 
reason  why  they  thought  this  to  be  best  was, 
because  that,  so  far  as  could  be  perceived,  the 
town  of  Mansoul  now  was  more  inclinable  than 
heretofore.  And  if,  said  they,  while  some  of 
them  are  in  a way  of  inclination  we  should  by 
ruggedness  give  them  distaste,  we  may  set 
them  further  from  closing  with  our  summons 
than  we  would  he  willing  they  should. 

Wherefore  to  this  advice  they  agreed,  and 
called  a trumpeter,  put  words  into  his  mouth, 
set  him  his  time,  and  hid  him  God  speed. 
Well,  many  hours  were  not  expired  before  the 
trumpeter  addressed  himself  to  his  journey. 
Wherefore,  coming  up  to  the  wall  of  the  town, 
he  steereth  his  course  to  Ear-gate  and  there 
sounded  as  he  w'as  commanded.  They  then 
that  were  within  came  out  to  see  what  was  the 
matter,  and  the  trumpeter  made  them  this 
speech  following:  . 

“0  hard-hearted  and  deplorable  town  of 


THE  HOLY  WA  R. 


Mansoul!  how  long  wilt  tliou  love  thy  sinful, 
sinful  simplicity,  anil  ye  fools  delight  in  your 
scorning?  As  yet  despise  you  the  offers  of 
peace  and  deliverance?  As  yet  will  ye  refuse 
the  golden  offers  of  Shaddai,  and  trust  to  the 
lies  and  falsehoods  of  Diabolus?  Think  you, 
when  Shaddai  should  have  conquered  you, 
that  the  remembrance  of  these  your  carriages 
towards  him  will  yield  you  peace  and  comfort, 
or  that  by  ruffling  language  you  can  make  him 
afraid  as  a grasshopper?  Doth  he  entreat  you 
for  fear  of  you  ? Do  you  think  you  are  stronger 
than  he?  Look  to  the  heavens,  and  behold 
and  consider  the  stars,  how  high  are  they? 
Can  you  stop  the  sun  from  running  its  course, 
and  hinder  the  moon  from  giving  her  light? 
Can  you  count  the  number  of  the  stars,  or  stay 
the  bottles  of  heaven?  Can  you  call  for  the 
waters  of  the  sea,  and  cause  them  to  cover  the 
face  of  the  ground?  Can  you  behold  every 
one  that  is  proud,  and  abase  him,  and  bind 
their  faces  in  secret?  Yet  these  are  some  of 
the  works  of  our  King,  in  whose  name,  this 
day,  we  come  up  unto  you,  that  you  may  be 
brought  under  his  authority.  In  his  name, 
therefore,  I summon  you  again  to  yield  up 
yourselves  to  his  captains.” 

At  this  summons  the  Mansoulians  seemed  to 
be  at  a stand,  and  knew  not  what  answer  to 
make.  Wherefore  Diabolus  forthwith  ap- 
peared, and  took  upon  him  to  do  it  himself ; 
and  thus  he  begins,  but  turns  his  speech  to 
them  of  Mansoul. 

“Gentlemen,”  quoth  he,  “and  my  faithful 
subjects,  if  it  is  true  what  this  summoner  hath 
said  concerning  the  greatness  of  their  King, 
by  his  terror  you  will  always  be  kept  in  bond- 
age, and  so  be  made  to  sneak ; yea,  how  can 
you  now,  though  he  is  at  a distance,  endure 
to  think  of  such  a mighty  one?  And  if  not 
to  think  of  him  while  at  a distance,  how  can 
you  endure  to  be  in  his  presence?  I,  your 
prince,  am  familiar  with  you,  and  you  may 
play  with  me  as  you  would  with  a grasshopper. 
Consider,  therefore,  what  is  for  your  protit, 
and  remember  the  immunities  that  I have 
granted  you. 

“Farther,  if  all  be  true  that  this  man  hath 
said,  how  comes  it  to  pass  that  the  subjects  of 
Shaddai  are  so  enslaved  in  all  places  where 
they  come  ? None  in  the  Universe  so  unhappy 
as  they,  none  so  trampled  upon  as  they. 

“•Consider,  my  Mansoul.  Would  thou  wert 
as  loth  to  leave  me  as  I am  loth  to  leave 
thee ! But  consider,  I say,  the  ball  is  yet  at 
thy  foot ; liberty  you  have,  if  you  know  how  to 


395 

use  it;  yea,  a king  you  have  too,  if  you  can  tell 
how  to  love  and  obey  him.” 

Upon  this  speech  the  town  of  Mansoul  did 
again  harden  their  hearts  yet  more  against  the 
captains  of  Shaddai.  The  thoughts  of  his 
greatness  did  quite  quash  them,  and  the 
thoughts  of  his  holiness  sunk  them  in  despair. 
Wherefore,  after  a short  consultation,  they  (of 
the  Diabolonian  party  they  were)  sent  back  this 
word  by  the  trumpeter:  That  for  their  parts 
they  were  resolved  to  stick  to  their  king,  but 
never  to  yield  to  Shaddai.  So  it  was  but  ia 
vain  to  give  them  any  further  summons,  for 
they  had  rather  die  upon  the  place  than  yield. 

And  now  things  seemed  to  be  gone  quite 
back,  and  Mansoul  to  be  out  of  reach  or  call  ; 
yet  the  captains,  who  knew  what  their  Lord 
could  do,  would  not  yet  be  beat  out  of  heart. 
They  therefore  sent  them  another  summons, 
more  sharp  and  severe  than  the  last;  but  the 
oftener  they  were  sent  unto  to  be  reconciled  to 
Shaddai,  the  further  off  they  were.  As  they 
called  them,  so  they  went  from  them,  yea, 
though  they  called  them  to  the  Most  High. 
So  they  ceased  that  way  to  deal  with  them  any 
more,  and  inclined  to  think  of  another  way. 
The  captains  therefore  did  gather  themselves 
together  to  have  free  conference  among  them- 
selves, to  know  what  was  yet  to  be  done  to 
gain  the  town  and  to  deliver  it  from  the  tyr- 
anny of  Diabolus.  And  one  said  after  this 
manner,  and  another  after  that.  Then  stood 
up  the  right  noble  the  Captain  Conviction,  and 
said,  “My  brethren,  mine  opinion  is  this: 

“ First,  That  we  continually  play  our  slings 
into  the  town  and  keep  it  in  a continual  alarm, 
molesting  of  them  day  and  night;  by  thus 
doing  we  shall  stop  the  growth  of  their  rampant 
spirit.  For  a lion  may  be  tamed  by  continual 
molestations. 

“ Secondly,  This  done,  I advise  that  in  the 
next  place  we  with  one  consent  draw  up  a pe- 
tition to  our  Lord  Shaddai;  by  which,  after 
we  have  showed  our  King  the  condition  of 
Mansoul  and  of  affairs  here,  and  have  begged 
his  pardon  for  our  no  better  success,  we  will 
earnestly  implore  his  Majesty’s  help,  and  that 
he  will  please  to  send  us  more  force  and  power, 
and  some  gallant  and  well-spoken  commander 
to  head  them ; that  so  his  Majesty  may  not 
lose  the  benefit  of  these  his  good  beginnings, 
but  may  complete  his  conquest  upon  the  town 
of  Mansoul.” 

To  this  speech  of  the  noble  Captain  Con- 
viction they  as  one  man  consented,  and  agreed 
that  a petition  should  forthwith  be  drawn  up 


396 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  sent  by  a fit  man  away  to  Sliaddai  witli 
speed.  The  contents  of  the  petition  were 
thus : 

“ Most  gracious  and  g-lorious  King,  the  Lord 
of  the  best  world  and  the  builder  of  the  town 
of  Mansoul ! we  have,  dread  Sovereign,  at  thy 
commandment,  put  our  lives  in  jeopardy,  and 
at  thy  bidding  made  a war  upon  the  famous 
town  of  Mansoul.  When  we  went  up  against 
it,  we  did,  according  to  our  commission,  first 
offer  conditions  of  peace  unto  it;  but  they, 
great  King,  set  light  by  our  counsel  and  would 
none  of  our  reproof ; they  were  for  shutting  of 
their  gates  and  for  keeping  us  out  of  the  town. 

“ They  also  mounted  their  guns,  they  sallied 
out  upon  us,  and  have  done  us  what  damage 
they  could,  but  we  pursued  them  with  alarm 
upon  alarm,  requiting  of  them  with  such  ret- 
ribution as  was  meet,  and  have  done  some  exe- 
cution upon  the  town. 

“ Diabolus,  Incredulity,  and  Will-be-will  are 
the  great  doers  against  us ; now  we  are  in  our 
winter  quarters,  but  so  as  that  we  do  yet  with 
an  high  hand  molest  and  distress  the  town. 

“Once,  as  we  think,  had  we  had  but  one 
substantial  friend  in  the  town,  such  as  would 
but  have  seconded  the  sound  of  our  summons 
as  they  ought,  the  people  might  have  yielded 
themselves;  but  there  were  none  but  enemies 
there,  nor  any  to  speak  in  behalf  of  our  Lord 
to  the  town  ; wherefore,  though  we  have  done 
as  we  could,  yet  Mansoul  abides  in  a state  of 
rebellion  against  thee. 

“Now,  King  of  kings,  let  it  please  thee  to 
pardon  the  unsuccessfulness  of  thy  servants, 
who  have  been  no  more  advantageous  in  so 
desirable  a work  as  the  conquering  of  Man- 
soul is ; and  send,  Lord,  as  we  now  desire, 
more  forces  to  Mansoul,  that  it  may  be  sub- 
dued, and  a man  to  head  them  that  the  town 
may  both  love  and  fear. 

“ We  do  not  thus  sjreak  because  we  are  will- 
ing to  relinquish  the  wars,  (for  we  are  for  lay- 
ing of  our  bones  against  the  place,)  but  that 
the  towu  of  Mansoul  may  be  won  for  thy 
Majesty.  We  also  pray  thy  Majesty,  for  ex- 
pedition in  this  matter,  that  after  their  con- 
quest we  may  be  at  liberty  to  be  sent  about 
other  thy  gracious  designs.  Amen.” 

The  petition,  thus  drawn  up,  was  sent  away 
with  haste  to  the  King  by  the  hand  of  that 
good  man,  Mr.  Love-to-Mansoul. 

When  this  petition  was  come  to  the  palace 
of  the.  King,  who  should  it  be  delivered  to  but 
to  the  King’s  Son?  So  he  took  and  read  it, 
and  because  the  contents  of  it  jdeased  him 


well,  he  mended  it,  and  also  in  some  things 
added  to  the  petition  himself.  So  after  he 
had  made  such  amendments  and  additions  as 
he  thought  convenient,  with  his  own  baud  he 
carried  it  in  to  the  King;  to  whom,  when  he 
had  with  obeisance  delivered  it,  he  put  on 
authority,  and  spake  to  it  himself. 

Now  the  King,  at  the  sight  of  the  petition, 
was  glad,  but  how  much  more  think  you, 
when  it  was  seconded  by  his  Sou  ! It  pleased 
him  also  to  hear  that  his  servants  that  had 
camped  at  Mansoul  were  so  hearty  in  their  work 
and  so  steadfast  in  their  resolves,  and  that  they 
had  already  got  some  ground  upon  the  famous 
town  of  Mansoul. 

Wherefore  the  King  called  to  him  Emman- 
uel his  Son,  who  said,  Here  am  I,  my  Father. 
Then  said  the  King,  Thou  knowest,  as  I do 
m3'self,  the  condition  of  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
and  what  we  have  purposed,  and  what  thou 
hast  done  to  redeem  it.  Come  now,  therefore, 
my  Son,  and  prepare  thyself  for  the  war,  for 
thou  shalt  go  to  my  camp  at  Mansoul.  Thou 
shalt  also  there  prosper  and  prevail,  and  con- 
quer the  town  of  Mansoul. 

Then  said  the  King’s  Son,  Thy  law  is  within 
my  heart.  I delight  to  do  thy  will.  This  is 
the  day  that  I have  longed  for,  and  the  work 
that  I have  waited  for  all  this  while.  Grant 
me,  therefore,  what  force  thou  shalt  in  thy 
wisdom  think  meet,  and  I will  go,  and  will 
deliver  from  Diabolus  and  from  his  power  thy 
perishing  town  of  Mansoul.  My  heart  has 
been  often  pained  within  me  for  the  miserable 
town  of  Mansoul;  but  now  it  is  rejoiced,  but 
now  it  is  glad ; and  with  that  he  leaped  over 
the  mountains  for  joy,  saying, 

“I  have  not,  in  my  heart,  thought  any 
thing  too  dear  for  Mansoul ; the  day  of  ven- 
geance is  in  my  heart  for  thee,  my  Mansoul; 
and  glad  am  I that  thou  my  Father  hast  made 
me  the  Captain  of  their  salvation  ; and  I will 
now  begin  to  plague  all  those  that  have  been 
a plague  to  my  town  of  Mansoul,  and  will  de- 
liver it  from  their  hand.” 

When  the  King’s  Son  had  said  thus  to  his 
Father,  it  presently  flew  like  lightning  round 
about  at  court ; yea,  it  there  became  the  only 
talk  what  Emmanuel  was  to  go  to  do  for  the 
famous  town  of  Mansoul.  But  you  cannot 
think  how  the  courtiers  too  were  taken  with 
the  design  of  the  Prince.  Yea,  so  affected 
were  they  with  this  work  and  with  the  just- 
ness of  the  war  that  the  highest  lord  and 
greatest  peer  of  the  kingdom  did  covet  to 
| have  commissions  under  Emmanuel  to  go  to 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


397 


help  to  recover  again  to  Shaddai  the  miser- 
able town  of  Mansoul. 

Then  it  was  concluded  that  some  should  go 
and  carry  tidings  to  the  camp  that  Emmanuel 
was  to  come  to  recover  Mansoul,  and  that  he 
would  bring  along  with  him  so  mighty  and 
impregnable  a force  that  he  could  not  be  re- 
sisted. But  oh  how  ready  were  the  high  ones 
at  court  to  run  like  lackeys  to  carry  these 
tidings  to  ihe  camp  that  was  at  Mansoul ! 
Now  when  the  captains  perceived  that  the 
King  would  send  Emmanuel  his  Son,  and 
that  it  also  delighted  the  Son  to  be  sent  on 
this  errand  by  the  great  Shaddai  his  Father, 
they  also,  to  show  how  they  were  pleased 
at  the  thoughts  of  his  coming,  gave  a shout 
that  made  the  earth  rend  at  the  sound  there- 
of ; yea,  the  mountains  did  answer  again 
by  echo,  and  Diabolus  himself  did  totter  and 
shake. 

For  you  must  know  that  though  the  town 
of  Mansoul  itself  was  not  much,  if  at  all,  con- 
cerned with  the  project,  (for,  alas  for  them! 
they  were  woefully  besotted,  for  they  chiefly 
regarded  their  pleasure  and  their  lusts,)  yet 
Diabolus  their  governor  was,  for  he  had  his 
^pies  continually  abroad,  who  brought  him 
intelligence  of  all  things;  and  they  told  him 
what  was  doing  at  court  against  him,  and 
that  Emmanuel  would  certainly  come  with  a 
power  to  invade  him.  Nor  was  there  any 
man  -at  court  nor  peer  of  the  kingdom  that 
Diabolus  so  feared  as  this  Prince.  For  if 
you  remember  I showed  you  before  that  Diab- 
olus had  felt  the  weight  of  his  hand  already. 
So  since  it  was  he  that  was  come,  this  made 
him  the  more  afraid.  Well,  you  see  how  I 
have  told  you  that  the  King’s  Son  was  en- 
gaged to  come  from  the  court  to  save  Man- 
soul, and  that  his  Father  had  made  him  cap- 
tain of  the  forces.  The  time  therefore  of  his 
setting  forth  being  now  expired,  he  addressed 
himself  for  his  march,  and  taketh  with  him,  for 
his  power,  five  noble  captains  and  their  forces. 

The  first  was  that  famous  captain,  the  noble 
Captain  Credence;  his  were  the  red  colours, 
and  Mr.  Promise  bare  them ; and  for  a scut- 
cheon he  had  the  holy  lamb  and  golden 
shield.  .And  he  had  ten  thousand  men  at 
his  feet. 

The  second  was  that  famous  captain,  the 
Captaiu  Good -hope;  his  were  blue  colours. 
His  standard-bearer  was  Mr.  Expectation, 
and  for  a scutcheon  he  had  the  three  golden 
anchors.  And  he  had  ten  thousand  men  at 
his  feet. 


The  third  captain  was  that  valiant  captain, 
the  Captain  Charity,  whose  standard-bearer  was 
Mr.  Pitiful.  His  were  the  green  colours,  and 
for  his  scutcheon  he  had  three  naked  orphans 
embracing  the  bosom.  And  he  had  ten  thou- 
sand men  at  his  feet. 

The  fourth  was  that  gallant  commander,  the 
Captain  Innocent,  whose  standard-bearer  was 
Mr.  Harmless.  His  were  the  white  colours, 
and  for  his  scutcheon  he  had  the  golden 
doves. 

The  fifth  was  the  truly  loyal  and  well-be- 
loved captain,  the  Captain  Patience,  whose 
standard-bearer  was  Mr.  Suflbr-long.  His 
were  the  black  colours,  and  for  a scutcheon  he 
had  three  arrows  through  the  golden  heart. 

These  were  Emmanuel’s  captains,  these  their 
standard-bearers,  their  colours,  and  their  scut- 
cheons, and  these  the  men  under  their  com- 
mand. So,  as  was  said,  the  brave  Prince  took 
his  march  to  go  to  the  town  of  Mansoul.  Cap- 
tain Credence  led  the  van,  and  Captain  Patience 
brought  up  the  rear.  So  the  other  three  with 
their  men  made  up  the  main  body,  the  Prince 
himself  riding  in  his  chariot  at  the  head  of 
them. 

But  when  they  set  out  for  their  march,  oh 
how  the  trumpets  sounded,  their  armour  glit- 
tered, and  how  the  colours  waved  in  the  wind! 
The  Prince’s  armour  was  all  of  gold,  and  it 
shone  like  the  sun  in  the  firmament.  The 
captains’  armour  was  of  proof,  and  was  in  ap- 
pearance like  the  glittering  stars.  There  were 
also  sotru?  from  the  court  that  rode  reformades, 
for  the  love  that  they  had  to  the  King  Shaddai 
and  for  the  happy  deliverance  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul. 

Emmanuel  also,  when  he  had  thus  set  for- 
ward to  go  to  recover  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
took  with  him,  at  the  commandment  of  his 
Father,  fifty-four  battering-rams,  and  twelve 
slings  to  whirl  stones  withal.  Every  one  of 
these  was  made  of  pure  gold,  and  these  they 
carried  with  them  in  the  heart  and  body  of 
their  army  all  along  as  they  went  to  Mansoul. 

So  they  marched  till  they  came  within  les9 
than  a league  of  the  town,  and  there  they  lay 
till  the  first  four  captains  came  thither  to  ac- 
quaint him  with  matters.  Then  they  took 
their  journey  to  go  to  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
and  unto  Mansoul  they  came.  But  when  the 
old  soldiers  that  were  in  the  camp  saw  that 
they  had  new  forces  to  join  with,  they  again 
gave  such  a shout  before  the  walls  of  the  town 
of  Mansoul  that  it  put  Diabolus  into  another 
fright.  So  they  sat  down  before  the  town,  not 


398 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


now  as  the  other  four  captains  did — to  wit, 
against  the  gates  of  Mansoul  only — but  they 
environed  it  round  on  every  side  and  beset  it 
behind  and  before,  that  so  now  let  Mansoul 
look  which  way  it  would,  it  saw  force  and 
power  lie  in  siege  against  it.  Besides,  there 
were  mounts  cast  up  against  it. 

The  Mount  Gracious  was  on  the  one  side, 
and  Mount  Justice  on  the  other.  Farther, 
there  were  several  small  banks  and  advance 
grounds,  as  Plain-truth-hill  and  No-sin-banks, 
where  many  of  the  slings  were  placed  against 
the  town.  Upon  Mount  Gracious  were  planted 
four,  and  upon  Mount  Justice  were  placed  as 
many ; and  the-  rest  were  conveniently  placed 
in  several  parts  round  about  the  town.  Five 
of  the  best  battering-rams — that  is,  of  the 
biggest  of  them — were  placed  upon  Mount 
Flearken,  a mount  cast  up  hard  by  Ear-gate, 
with  intent  to  break  that  open. 

Now,  when  the  men  of  the  town  saw  the 
multitude  of  the  soldiers  that  were  come  up 
against  the  place,  and  the  rams  and  slings,  and 
the  mounts  on  which  they  were  planted,  to- 
gether with  the  glittering  of  the  armour  and 
the  waving  of  their  colours,  they  were  forced 
to  shift,  and  shift,  and  again  to  shift  their 
thoughts ; but  they  hardly  changed  for 
thoughts  more  stout,  but  rather  for  thoughts 
more  faint.  For  though  before  they  thought 
themselves  sufficiently  guarded,  yet  now  they 
began  to  think  that  no  man  knew  what  would 
he  their  hap  or  lot. 

When  the  good  Prince  Emmanuel'  had  thus 
beleaguered  Mansoul,  in  the  first  place  he 
hangs  out  the  white  flag,  which  he  caused  to 
be  set  up  among  the  golden  slings  that  were 
planted  upon  Mount  Gracious.  And  this  he 
did  for  two  reasons  : 1.  To  give  notice  to  Man- 
soul that  he  could  and  would  yet  he  gracious 
if  they  turned  to  him.  2.  And  that  he  might 
leave  them  the  more  without  excuse  should  he 
destroy  them,  they  continuing  in  their  rebel- 
lion. 

So  the  white  flag,  with  the  three  golden 
doves  in  it,  was  hanged  out  for  two  days  to- 
gether, to  give  them  time  and  space  to  con- 
sider. But  they,  as  was  hinted  before,  as  if 
they  were  unconcerned,  made  no  reply  to  the 
favourable  signal  of  the  Prince. 

Then  he  commanded  and  they  set  the  red 
flag  upon  the  mount  called  Mount  Justice.  It 
was  the  red  flag  of  Captain  Judgment,  whose 
scutcheon  was  the  burning  fiery  furnace.  And 
this  also  stood  waving  before  them  in  the  wind 
for  several  dsvs  together.  But  look  ! how  they 


carried  it  under  the  white  flag  when  that  was 
hanged  out,  so  they  did  also  when  the  red  one 
was ; and  yet  he  took  no  advantage  of  them. 

Then  he  commanded  again  that  his  servant 
should  hang  out  the  black  flag  of  defiance 
against  them,  whose  scutcheon  was  the  three 
burning  thunderbolts.  But  as  unconcerned 
was  Mansoul  at  this  as  at  those  that  went  be- 
fore; But  when  the  Prince  saw  that  neither 
mercy  nor  judgment,  nor  execution  of  judg- 
ment would  or  could  come  near  the  heart  of 
Mansoul,  he  was  touched  with  much  compunc- 
tion, and  said,  Surely  this  strange  carriage  of 
the  town  of  Mansoul  doth  rather  arise  from 
ignorance  of  the  manner  and  feats  of  war, 
than  from  a secret  defiance  of  us  and  abhor- 
rence of  their  own  lives ; or,  if  they  know  the 
manner  of  the  war  of  their  own,  yet  not  the 
rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  war  in  which  we 
are  concerned  when  I make  wars  upon  mine 
enemy  Diabolus. 

Therefore  he  sent  to  the  town  of  Mansoul 
to  let  them  know  what  he  meant  by  those 
signs  and  ceremonies  of  the  flag ; and  also  to 
know  of  them  which  of  the  things  they  would 
choose,  whether  grace  and  mercy,  or  judgment 
and  the  execution  of  judgment.  All  this 
while  they  kept  their  gates  shut  with  locks, 
bolts,  and  bars,  as  fast  as  they  could.  Their 
guards  also  were  doubled,  and  their  watch 
made  as  strong  as  they  could.  Diabolus  also 
did  pluck  up  what  heart  he  could  to  encour- 
age the  town  to  make  resistance. 

The  townsmen  also  made  answer  to  tire 
Prince’s  messenger  in  substance  according  to 
that  which  follows : 

“ Great  sir,  as  to  what  by  your  messenger 
you  have  signified  to  us — whether  we  will  ac- 
cept of  your  mercy  or  fall  by  your  justice? — 
we  are  bound  by  the  law  and  custom  of  this 
place,  and  can  give  you  no  positive  answer. 
For  it  is  against  the  law,  government,  and  the 
prerogative-royal  of  our  king  to  make  either 
peace  or  war  without  him.  But  this  we  will 
do : we  will  petition  that  our  prince  will  come 
down  to  the  wall,  and  there  give  you  such 
treatment  as  he  shall  think  fit  and  profitable 
for  us.” 

When  the  good  Prince  Emmanuel  heard 
this  answer,  and  saw  the  slavery  and  bondage 
of  the  people,  and  how  much  content  they 
were  to  abide  in  the  chains  of  the  tyrant  Diab- 
olus, it  grieved  him  at  the  heart.  And  in- 
deed when  at  any  time  he  perceived  that  any 
were  contented  under  the  slavery  of  the  giant, 
he  would  be  affected  with  it. 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


399 


But,  to  return  again  to  our  purpose.  After 
the  town  had  carried  this  news  to  Diabolus, 
and  had  told  him  moreover  that  the  Prince 
that  lay  in  the  leaguer  without  the  wall  waited 
upon  them  for  an  answer,  he  refused  arid  huffed 
as  well  as  he  could,  but  in  heart  he  was  afraid. 

Then,  said  he,  I will  go  down  to  the  gates  _ 
myself  and  give  him  such  an  answer  as  I think 
lit.  So  lie  went  down  to  Mouth-gate,  and  here 
addressed  himself  to  speak  to  Emmanuel,  (but 
in  such  language  as  the  town  understood  not,) 
the  contents  whereof  were  as  follow : 

“ 0 thou  great  Emmanuel,  Lord  of  all  the 
world ! 1 know  thee  that  thou  art  the  Son  of 
the  great  Shaddai.  Wherefore  art  thou  come 
to  torment  me  and  to  cast  me  out  of  my  pos- 
session ? This  town  of  Mansoul,  as  thou  very 
well  knowest,  is  mine,  and  that  by  a twofold 
right:  1.  It  is  mine  by  right  of  conquest;  I 
won  it  in  the  open  field.  And  shall  the  prey 
be  taken  from  the  mighty,  or  the  lawful  captive 
be  delivered?  2.  This  town  of  Mansoul  is 
mine  also  by  their  subjection.  They  have 
opened  the  gates  of  their  town  unto  me.  They 
have  sworn  fidelity  to  me,  and  have  openly 
^Chosen  me  to  be  their  king.  They  have  also 
given  their  castle  into  my  hands;  yea,  they 
have  put  the  whole  strength  of  Mansoul  under 
me. 

“ Moreover,  this  town  of  Mansoul  hath  dis- 
avowed thee ; yea,  they  have  cast  thy  law,  thy 
name,  thy  image,  and  all  that  is  thine  behind 
their  back;  and  have  accepted  and  set  up  in 
■ their  room  my  law,  my  name,  my  image,  and 
all  that  ever  is  mine.  Ask  else  thy  captains, 
and  they  will  tell  thee  that  Mansoul  hath,  in 
answer  to  all  their  summons,  shown  love  and 
loyalty  to  me,  but  always  disdain,  despite,  con- 
tempt, and  scorn  to  thee  and  thine.  Now  thou 
art  the  Just  One  aud  the  holy,  (and  shouldst 
do  no  iniquity ;)  depart  then,  I pray  thee,  there- 
fore, from  me,  and  leave  me  to  my  just  inher- 
itance peaceably.” 

This  oration  was  made  in  the  language  of 
Diabolus  himself.  For  although  he  can,  to 
every  man,  speak  in  their  own  language,  (else 
he  could  not  tempt  them  all  as  he  does,)  yet 
he  has  a language  proper  to  himself,  and  it  is 
the  language  of  the  infernal  cave  or  black  pit. 

Wherefore  the  town  of  Mansoul  (poor 
hearts !)  understood  him  not,  nor  did  they  see 
how  he  crouched  and  cringed  while  he  stood 
before  Emmanuel  their  Prince. 

Yea,  they  all  this  while  took  him  to  be  one 
of  that  power  and  force  that  by  no  means  could 
be  resisted.  Wherefore,  while  he  was  thus 


entreating  that  he  might  have  yet  his  residonce 
there,  and  that  Emmanuel  would  not  take  it 
from  him  by  force,  the  inhabitants  boasted  even 
of  his  valour,  saying,  Who  is  able  to  make  war 
with  him? 

Well,  when  this  pretended  king  had  made 
an  end  of  what  lie  would  say,  Emmanuel,  the 
golden  Prince,  stood  up  and  spake ; the  con- 
tents of  whose  words  follow  : 

“Thou  deceiving  one,”  said  he,  “I  have,  in 
my  Father’s  name,  in  my  own  name,  and  on 
the  behalf  and  for  the  good  of  this  wretched 
town  of  Mansoul,  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee. 
Thou  pretendest  a right,  a lawful  right,  to  the 
deplorable  town  of  Mansoul,  when  it  is  most 
apparent  to  all  my  Father’s  court  that  the  en- 
trance which  thou  hast  obtained  in  at  the  gates 
of  Mansoul  was  through  thy  lies  and  falsehood. 
Thou  beliedst  my  Father  and  thou  beliedst  his 
law,  and  so  deceivedst  the  people  of  Mansoul. 
Thou  pretendest  that  the  people  have  accepted 
thee  for  their  king,  their  captain,  and  right 
liege  lord,  but  that  also  was  by  the  exercise  of 
deceit  and  guile.  Now,  if  lying,  wiliness,  sin- 
ful craft,  and  all  manner  of  horrible  hypocrisy 
will  go  in  my  Father’s  court  (in  which  court 
thou  must  be  tried)  for  equity  and  right,  then 
will  I confess  unto  thee  that  thou  hast  made  a 
lawful  conquest.  But,  alas ! what  thief,  what 
tyrant,  what  devil  is  there  that  may  not  con- 
quer after  this  sort  ? But  I can  make  it  appear, 
0 Diabolus,  that  thou,  in  all  thy  pretences  to 
a conquest  of  Mansoul,  hast  nothing  of  truth 
to  say.  Thinkest  thou  this  to  be  right,  that 
thou  didst  put  the  lie  upon  my  Father,  and 
madest  him  to  Mansoul  the  greatest  deluder  in 
the  world?  And  what  sayest  thou  to  thy  per- 
verting, knowingly,  the  right  purport  and  in- 
tent of  the  law  ? Was  it  good  also  that  thou 
madest  a prey  of  the  innocency  and  simplicity 
of  the  now  miserable  town  of  Mansoul?  Yea, 
thou  didst  overcome  Mansoul  by  promising  to 
them  happiness  in  their  transgressions  against 
my  Father’s  law,  when  thou  knowest,  and 
couldest  not  but  know  hadst  thou  consulted 
nothing  but  thine  own  experience,  that  that 
was  the  way  to  undo  them.  Thou  hast  also 
thyself,  (0  thou  master  of  enmity !)  of  despite, 
defaced  my  Father’s  image  in  Mansoul,  and 
set  up  thy  own  in  its  place,  to  the  great  con- 
tempt of  my  Father,  the  heightening  of  thy 
sin,  and  to  the  intolerable  damage  of  the  per- 
ishing town  of  Mansoul. 

“ Thou  hast  moreover  (as  if  all  these  were  but 
little  things  with  thee)  not  only  deluded  and 
undone  this  place,  but  by  thy  lies  and  fraud- 


400 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


alent  carriage  hast  set  them  against  their  own 
deliverance.  How  hast  thou  stirred  them  up 
against  my  Father’s  captains,  and  made  them 
to  fight  against  those  that  were  sent  of  him  to 
deliver  them  from  their  bondage!  All  these 
things,  and  very  many  more,  thou  hast  done 
against  thy  light,  and  in  contempt  of  my  Father 
and  of  his  law ; yea,  and  with  design  to  bring 
under  his  displeasure  for  ever  the  miserable 
town  of  Mansoul.  I am  therefore  come  to 
avenge  the  wrong  that  thou  hast  done  to  my 
Father,  and  to  deal  with  thee  for  the  blasphe- 
mies wherewith  thou  hast  made  poor  Mansoul 
blaspheme  his  name.  Yea,  upon  thy  head, 
thou  prince  of  the  infernal  cave,  will  I require 
it. 

As  for  myself,  0 Diabolus,  I am  come  against 
thee  by  lawful  power,  and  to  take  by  strength 
of  hand  this  town  of  Mansoul  out  of  thy  burn- 
ing fingers.  For  this  town  of  Mansoul  is 
mine,  O Diabolus,  and  that  by  undoubted 
right,  as  all  shall  see  that  will  diligently  search 
the  most  ancient  and  most  authentic  records ; 
and  I will  j>lead  my  title  to  it  to  the  confusion 
of  thy  face. 

First,  For  the  town  of  Mansoul,  my  Father 
built  and  did  fashion  it  with  his  hand.  The 
palace  also  that  is  in  the  midst  of  that  town  he 
built  it  for  his  own  delight.  This  town  of 
Mansoul,  therefore,  is  my  Father’s,  and  that 
by  the  best  of  titles ; and  he  that  gainsays  the 
truth  of  this  must  lie  against  his  soul. 

Secondly,  0 thou  master  of  the  lie,  this  town 
of  Mansoul  is  mine — 

1.  For  that  I am  my  Father’s  heir,  his  first- 
born, and  the  only  delight  of  his  heart.  I am 
therefore  come  up  against  thee  in  mine  own 
right,  even  to  recover  mine  own  inheritance 
out  of  thine  hand. 

2.  But,  further : as  I have  right  and  title  to 
Mansoul  by  being  my  Father’s  heir,  so  I have 
also  by  my  Father’s  donation.  His  it  was,  and 
he  gave  it  me ; nor  have  I at  any  time  offended 
my  Father  that  he  should  take  it  from  me  and 
give  it  thee.  Nor  have  I been  forced,  by  play- 
ing the  bankrupt,  to  sell,  or  set  to  sale  to  thee, 
my  beloved  town  of  Mansoul.  Mansoul  is  my 
desire,  my  delight,  and  the  joy  of  my  heart. 
But, 

3.  Mansoul  is  mine  by  right  of  purchase.  I 
have  bought  it,  (0  Diabolus,)  I have  bought  it 
to  myself.  Now,  since  it  was  my  Father’s  and 
mine,  as  I was  his  heir,  and  since  also  I have 
made  it  mine  by  virtue  of  a great  purchase,  it 
followeth  that  by  all  lawful  right  the  town  of 
Mansoul  is  mine,  and  that  thou  art  an  usurper, 


a tyrant  and  traitor  in  thy  holding  possession 
thereof.  Now  the  cause  of  my  purchasing  of 
it  was  this : Mansoul  had  trespassed  against 
my  Father.  Now  my  Father  had  said  that  in 
the  day  that  they  broke  his  law  they  should 
die.  Now  it  is  more  possible  for  heaven  and 
earth  to  pass  away  than  for  my  Father  to  break 
his  word.  Wherefore,  when  Mansoul  had 
sinned  indeed  by  hearkening  to  thy  lie,  I put 
in  and  became  a surety  to  my  Father,  body  for 
body,  and  soul  for  soul,  that  I would  make 
amends  for  Mansoul’s  transgressions ; and  my 
Father  did  accept  thereof.  So  when  the  time 
appointed  was  come  I gave  body  for  body,  soul 
for  soul,  life  for  life,  blood  for  blood,  and  so  re- 
deemed my  beloved  Mansoul. 

4.  Nor  did  I do  this  to  the  halves;  my 
Father’s  law  and  justice,  that  were  both  con- 
cerned in  the  threatening  upon  transgression, 
are  both  now  satisfied  and  very  well  content 
that  Mansoul  should  be  delivered. 

5.  Nor  am  I come  out  this  day  against  thee 
but  by  commandment  of  my  Father  ; it  was  he 
that  said  unto  me,  Go  down  and  deliver  Man- 
soul. 

Wherefore  be  it  known  unto  thee,  0 thou 
fountain  of  deceit,  and  be  it  also  known  to  the 
foolish  town  of  Mansoul,  that  I am  not  come 
against  thee  this  day  without  my  Father. 

“And  now”  (said  the  golden-headed  Prince) 
“ I have  a word  to  the  town  of  Mansoul.”  But 
as  soon  as  mention  was  made  that  he  had  a 
word  to  speak  to  the  besotted  town  of  Mansoul 
the  gates  were  double  guarded,  and  all  men 
commanded  not  to  give  him  audience.  So  he 
proceeded,  and  said : “ 0 unhappy  town  of 
Mansoul ! I cannot  but  be  touched  with  pity 
and  compassion  for  thee.  Thou  hast  accepted  of 
Diabolus  for  thy  king,  and  art  become  a nurse 
and  minister  of  Diabolonians  against  thy  Sov- 
ereign Lord.  Thy  gates  thou  hast  opened  to 
him,  but  hast  shut  them  fast  against  me ; thou 
hast  given  him  a hearing,  but  hast  stopped 
thine  ears  at  my  cry ; he  brought  to  thee  thy 
destruction,  and  thou  didst  receive  both  him 
and  it;  I am  come  to  thee  bringing  salvation, 
but  thou  regardest  me  not.  Besides,  thou 
hast,  as  with  sacrilegious  hands,  taken  thyself, 
with  all  that  was  mine  in  thee,  and  hast  given 
all  to  my  foe  and  to  the  greatest  enemy  my 
Father  has.  You  have  bowed  and  subjected 
yourselves  to  him ; you  have  vowed  and  sworn 
yourselves  to  be  his.  Poor  Mansoul ! what 
shall  I do  unto  thee?  Shall  I save  thee? 
Shall  I destroy  thee  ? What  shall  I do  unto 
thee?  Shall  I fall  upon  thee  and  grind  thee 


TIIE  HOLY  WAR. 


401 


to  powder,  or  make  thee  a monument  of  the 
richest  grace?  What  shall  I do  unto  thee? 
Hearken,  therefore,  thou  town  of  Mansoul — 
hearken  to  my  word  and  tliou  shalt  live.  I 
am  merciful,  Mansoul,  and  thou  shalt  find  me 
so.  Shut  me  not  out  of  thy  gates. 

“0  Mansoul ! neither  is  my  commission  nor 
inclination  to  do  thee  any  hurt ; why  fliest 
thru  so  fast  from  thy  friend,  and  stickest  so 
close  to  thine  enemy?  Indeed  I would  have 
thee,  because  it  becomes  thee,  to  be  sorry  for 
thy  sin  ; but  do  not  despair  of  life:  this  great 
force  is  not  to  hurt  thee,  but  to  deliver  thee 
from  thy  bondage  and  to  reduce  thee  to  thy 
obedience. 

“ My  commission  indeed  is  to  make  a war 
upon  Diabolus  tby  king,  and  upon  all  Diab- 
olonians  with  him ; for  he  is  the  strong  man 
armed  that  keeps  the  bouse,  and  I will  have 
him  out;  his  spoils  I must  divide,  his  armour 
I must  take  from  him,  his  hold  I must  cast 
him  out  of,  and  make  it  an  habitation  for  my- 
self. And  this,  O Mansoul,  shall  Diabolus 
know,  when  lie  shall  be  made  to  follow  me  in 
chains,  and  when  Mansoul  shall  rejoice  to  see 
it  so. 

“ I could,  would  I now  put  forth  my  might, 
cause  that  forthwith  he  should  leave  you  and 
depart;  but  I have  it  in  my  heart  so  to  deal 
with  him  as  that  the  justice  of  the  war  that  I 
shall  make  upon  him  may  be  seen  and  ac- 
knowledged by  all.  He  hath  taken  Mansoul 
by  fraud,  and  keeps  it  by  violence  and  deceit, 
and  I will  make  him  bare  and  naked  in  the 
eyes  of  all  observers. 

“All  my  words  are  true;  I am  mighty  to 
save,  and  will  deliver  my  Mansoul  out  of  his 
hand.” 

This  speech  was  intended  chiefly  for  Man- 
soul, hut  Mansoul  would  not  have  the  hearing 
of  it.  They  shut  up  Ear-gate,  they  barrica- 
doed  it  up,  they  kept  it  locked,  and  bolted; 
they  set  a guard  thereat,  and  commanded  that 
no  Mansoulian  should  go  out  to  him,  nor  that 
any  from  the  camp  should  be  admitted  into 
the  town.  All  this  they  did,  so  horribly  had 
Diabolus  enchanted  them  to  do  and  seek  to  do 
for  him  against  their  rightful  Lord  and  Prince; 
wherefore  no  man,  nor  voice,  nor  sound  of  man 
that  belonged  to  the  glorious  host  was  to  come 
into  the  town. 

So  when  Emmanuel  saw  that  Mansoul  was 
thus  involved  in  sin,  he  calls  his  army  to- 
gether, since  now  also  his  words  were  despised, 
and  gave  out  a commandment  throughout  all 
liis  host  to  be  ready  against  the  time  appointed. 

26 


Now,  forasmuch  as  there  was  no  way  lawfully 
to  take  the  town  of  Mansoul  but  to  get  in  by 
the  gates,  and  at  Ear-gate  as  the  chief,  there- 
fore he  commanded  his  captains  and  com- 
manders to  bring  their  rams,  their  slings,  and 
their  men,  and  to  place  them  at  Eye-gate  and 
Ear-gate,  in  order  to  his  taking  the  town. 

When  Emmanuel  had  put  all  things  in  a 
readiness  to  give  Diabolus  battle,  he  sent  again 
to  know  of  the  town  of  Mansoul  if  in  a peace- 
able manner  they  would  yield  themselves,  or 
whether  they  were  yet  resolved  to  put  him  to 
try  the  utmost  extremity.  Then  they,  together 
with  Diabolus  their  king,  called  a council  of 
war,  and  resolved  upon  certain  propositions 
that  should  be  offered  to  Emmanuel,  if  he 
would  accept  thereof;  so  they  agreed,  and 
then  the  next  was,  Who  should  be  sent  on  this 
errand?  Now  there  was  in  the  town  of  Man- 
soul an  old  man,  a Diabolonian,  and  his  name 
was  Mr.  Lotli-to-stoop,  a stiff  man  in  his  way, 
and  a great  doer  for  Diabolus:  him  therefore 
they  sent,  and  put  into  his  mouth  what  he 
should  say.  So  he  went  and  came  to  the  camp 
to  Emmanuel ; and  when  he  was  come  a time 
■was  appointed  to  give  him  audience.  So  at 
the  time  he  came,  and  after  a Diabolonian 
ceremony  or  two,  he  thus  began  and  said: 
“Great  sir,  that  it  may  be  known  unto  all  men 
how  good-natured  a prince  my  master  is,  he 
hath  sent  me  to  tell  your  lordship  that  he  is 
very  willing,  rather  than  go  to  war,  to  deliver 
up  into  your  hands  one-half  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul.  I am  therefore  to  know  if  your 
Mightiness  will  accept  of  this  proposition.” 

Then  said  Emmanuel,  “The  whole  is  mine 
by  gift  and  purchase,  wherefore  I will  never 
lose  one-half.” 

Then  said  Mr.  Loth-to-stoop,  “Sir,  my 
master  hath  said  that  he  will  be  content  that 
you  shall  be  the  nominal  and  titular  Lord  of 
all,  if  he  may  possess  but  a part.” 

Then  Emmanuel  answered,  “The  whole  is 
mine  really,  not  in  name  and  word  only; 
wherefore  I will  be  the  sole  Lord  and  pos- 
sessor of  all,  or  of  none  at  all,  of  Mansoul.” 

Then  Mr.  Loth-to-stoop  said  again,  “Sir,  be- 
hold the  condescension  of  my  master ! He  says 
that  he  will  be  content  if  he  may  but  have  as- 
signed to  him  some  place  in  Mansoul  as  a place 
to  live  privately  in,  and  you  shall  be  Lord  of 
all  the  rest.” 

Then  said  the  golden  Prince,  “All  that  the- 
Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me;  and  of  all 
that  he  hath  given  me  I will  lose  nothing,  no, 
not  a hoof  nor  a hair.  I will  not  therefore 


402 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


grant  him,  no,  not  the  least  corner  in  Mansoul 
to  dwell  in ; I will  have  all  to  myself.” 

Then  Loth-to-stoop  said  again,  “But,  sir, 
suppose  that  my  Lord  should  resign  the  whole 
town  to  you,  only  with  this  proviso,  that  he 
sometimes,  when  he  comes  into  this  country, 
may,  for  old  acquaintance’  sake,  be  entertained 
as  a wayfaring  man  for  two  days,  or  ten  days, 
or  a month,  or  so?  May  not  then  this  small 
matter  be  granted?” 

Then  said  Emmanuel,  “No:  he  came  as  a 
wayfaring  man  to  David,  nor  did  he  stay  long 
with  him,  and  yet  it  had  like  to  have  cost 
David  his  soul.  I will  not  consent  that  he 
ever  should  have  any  harbour  more  there.” 
Then  said  Mr.  Loth-to-stoop,  “ Sir,  you  seem 
to  be  very  hard.  Suppose  my  master  should 
yield  to  all  that  your  Lordship  hath  said,  pro- 
vided that  his  friends  and  kindred  in  Mansoul 
may  have  liberty  to  trade  in  the  town  and  to 
enjoy  their  present  dwellings?  May  not  that 
be  granted,  sir?” 

Then  said  Emmanuel,  “No;  that  is  contrary 
to  my  Father’s  will;  for  all  and  all  manner  of 
Diabolonians  that  now  are  or  that  at  any  time 
shall  be  found  in  Mansoul  shall  not  only  lose 
their  lands  and  liberties,  but  also  their  lives.” 
Then  said  Mr.  Loth-to-stoop  again,  “But, 
sir,  may  not  my  master  and  great  lord,  by  let- 
ters, by  passengers,  by  accidental  opportuni- 
ties, and  the  like,  maintain,  if  he  shall  deliver 
up  all  unto  thee,  some  kind  of  old  friendship 
with  Mansoul?” 

Emmanuel  answered,  “No,  by  no  means, 
forasmuch  as  any  such  fellowship,  friendship, 
intimacy,  or  acquaintance,  in  what  way,  sort,  or 
mode  soever  maintained,  will  tend  to  the  cor- 
rupting of  Mansoul,  the  alienating  of  their  af- 
fections from  me,  and  the  endangering  of  their 
peace  with  my  Father.” 

Mr.  Loth-to-stoop  yet  added  further,  saying, 
But,  great  sir,  since  my  master  hath  many 
friends,  and  those  that  are  dear  to  him,  in 
Mansoul,  may  he  not,  if  he  shall  depart  from 
them,  even  of  his  bounty  and  good  nature  be- 
stow upon  them,  as  he  sees  fit,  some  tokens  of 
his  love  and  kindness  that  he  had  for  them,  to 
the  end  that  Mansoul,  when  he  is  gone,  may 
look  upon  such  tokens  of  kindness  once  re- 
ceived from  their  old  friend,  and  remember 
him  who  was  once  their  king,  and  the  merry 
times  that  they  sometimes  enjoyed  one  with 
another  while  he  and  they  lived  in  peace  to- 
gether?” 

Then  said  Emmanuel,  “ No ; for  if  Mansoul 
come  to  be  mine  I shall  not  admit  of  nor  con- 


sent that  there  should  be  the  least  scrap,  shred, 
or  dust  of  Diabolus  left  behind  as  tokens  or 
gifts  bestowed  upon  any  in  Mansoul,  thereby 
to  call  to  remembrance  the  horrible  communion 
that  was  betwixt  them  and  him.” 

“ Well,  sir,”  said  Mr.  Loth-to-stoop,  “ I have 
one  thing  more  to  propound,  and  then  I am 
got  to  the  end  of  my  commission : Suppose 
that  when  my  master  is  gone  from  Mansoul 
any  that  yet  shall  live  in  the  town  should  have 
such  business  of  high  concerns  to  do  that  if 
they  be  neglected  the  party  shall  be  undone; 
and  suppose,  sir,  that  nobody  can  help  in  that 
case  so  well  as  my  master  and  lord  ? May  not 
now  my  master  be  sent  for  upon  so  urgent  an 
occasion  as  this?  Or  if  he  may  not  be  ad- 
mitted into  the  town,  may  not  he  and  the 
person  concerned  meet  in  some  of  the  villages 
near  Mansoul,  and  there  lay  their  heads  to- 
gether and  there  consult  of  matters?” 

This  was  the  last  of  those  ensnaring  proposi- 
tions that  Mr.  Loth-to-stoop  had  to  propound 
to  Emmanuel  on  behalf  of  his  master  Diab- 
olus; but  Emmanuel  would  not  grant  it,  for 
he  said,  “ There  can  be  no  case,  or  thing,  or 
matter  fall  out  in  Mansoul,  when  thy  master 
shall  be  gone,  that  may  not  be  solved  by  my 
Father ; besides,  it  will  be  a great  disparage- 
ment to  my  Father’s  wisdom  and  skill  to 
admit  any  from  Mansoul  to  go  out  to  Diabolus 
for  advice,  when  they  are  bid  before,  in  every- 
thing, by  prayer  and  supplication  to  let  their 
request  be  made  known  to  my  Father.  Further, 
this,  should  it  be  granted,  would  be  to  grant 
that  a door  should  be  set  open  for  Diabolus 
and  the  Diabolonians  in  Mansoul  to  hatch  and 
plot  and  bring  to  pass  treasonable  designs,  to 
the  grief  of  my  father  and  me,  and  to  the  utter 
destruction  of  Mansoul.” 

When  Mr.  Loth-to-stoop  had  heard  this  an- 
swer, he  took  his  leave  of  Emmanuel  and 
departed,  saying  that  he  would  carry  his  word 
to  his  master  concerning  this  whole  affair.  So 
he  departed,  and  came  to  Diabolus  to  Mansoul, 
and  told  him  the  whole  of  the  matter,  and  how 
Emmanuel  would  not  admit,  no  not  by  any 
means,  that  he,  when  he  was  once  gone  out, 
should  for  ever  have  any  thing  more  to  do 
either  in  or  with  any  that  are  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul.  When  Mansoul  and  Diabolus  had 
heard  this  relation  of  things,  they  with  one 
consent  concluded  to  use  their  best  endeavours 
to  keep  Emmanuel  out  of  Mansoul,  and  sent 
old  Ill-pause,  of  whom  you  have  heard  before, 
to  tell  the  Prince  and  his  captains  so.  So  the 
old  gentleman  came  up  to  the  top  of  Ear-gate, 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


•403 


ami  called  to  the  camp  for  a hearing ; to  whom, 
when  they  gave  audience,  lie  said,  “ I have  in 
commandment  from  my  high  lord  to  bid  you 
to  tell  it  to  your  Prince  Emmanuel  that  Man- 
soul  and  their  king  are  resolved  to  stand  and 
fall  together,  and  that  it  is  in  vain  for  your 
Prince  to  think  of  ever  having  of  Mansoul  in 
his  hand,  unless  he  can  take  it  by  force.”  So 
some  went  and  told  to  Emmanuel  what  old 
Ill-pause,  a Diabolonian  in  the  town  of  Man- 
soul,  had  said.  Then  said  the  Prince,  “ I must 
try  the  power  of  my  sword,  for  I will  not,  for 
all  th.e  rebellions  and  repulses  that  Mansoul 
has  made  against  me,  raise  my  siege  and  de- 
part, but  will  assuredly  take  my  Mansoul  and 
deliver  it  from  the  hand  of  her  enemy.”  And 
with  that  he  gave  out  a commandment  that 
Captain  Boanerges,  Captain  Conviction,  Cap- 
tain Judgment,  and  Captain  Execution  should 
forthwith  march  up  to- Ear-gate,  with  trumpets 
sounding,  colours  flying,  and  with  shouting 
for  the  battle.  Also  he  would  that  Captain 
Credence  should  join  himself  with  them.  Em- 
manuel moreover  gave  orders  that  Captain 
Good-hope  and  Captain  Charity  should  draw 
themselves  up  before  Eye-gate.  He  bid  also 
that  the  rest  of  his  captains  and  their  men 
should  place  themselves,  for  the  best  of  their 
. advantage  against  the  enemy,  round  about  the 
town ; and  all  was  done  as  he  had  commanded. 
Then  he  bid  that  the  word  should  be  given 
forth,  and  the  word  was  at  that  time  Emman- 
uel. Then  was  an  alarm  sounded,  and  the 
battering-rams  were  played,  and  the  slings  did 
whirl  stones  into  the  town  amain  ; and  thus  the 
battle  began.  Now  Diabolus  himself  did  man- 
age the  townsmen  in  the  war,  and  that  at  every 
gate ; wherefore  their  resistance  was  the  more 
forcible,  hellish,  and  offensive  to  Emmanuel. 
Thus  was  the  good  Prince  engaged  and  enter- 
tained by  Diabolus  in  Mansoul  for  several 
days  together.  And  a sight  worth  seeing  it 
•was  to  behold  how  the  captains  of  Shaddai 
behaved  themselves  in  this  war. 

And  first,  for  Captain  Boanerges,  (not  to 
undervalue  the  rest,)  he  made  three  most  fierce 
assaults,  one  after  another,  upon  Ear-gate,  to 
the  shaking  of  the  posts  thereof.  Captain 
Conviction,  he  also  made  up  as  fast  with 
Boanerges  as  possibly  he  could,  and  both  dis- 
cerning that  the  gate  began  to  yield,  they  com- 
manded that  the  rams  should  still  be  played 
against  it.  Now  Captain  Conviction,  going  up 
very  near  to  the  gate,  was  with  very  great 
force  driven  back,  and  received  three  wounds 
in  the  mouth.  And  those  that  rode  reform- 


ades,  they  went  about  to  encourage  the  cap- 
tains. 

For  the  valour  of  the  two  captains  made 
mention  of  before,  the  Prince  sent  for  them  to 
his  pavilion,  and  commanded  that  awhile  they 
should  rest  themselves,  and  that  with  some- 
what they  should  be  refreshed.  Care  was  also 
taken  for  Captain  Conviction  that  he  should 
be  healed  of  his  wounds.  The  Prince  also 
gave  to  each  of  them  a chain  of  gold,  and  bid 
them  yet  be  of  good  courage. 

Nor  did  Captain  Good-hope  nor  Captain  ‘ 
Charity  come  behind  in  this  most  desperate 
fight,  for  they  so  well  did  behave  themselves 
at  Eye-gate  that  they  had  almost  broken  it 
quite  open.  These  also  had  a reward  from 
their  Prince,  as  also  had  the  rest  of  the  cap- 
tains, because  they  did  valiantly  around  about 
the  town. 

In  this  engagement  several  of  the  officers  of 
Diabolus  were  slain,  and  some  of  the  townsmen 
wounded.  For  among  the  officers  there  was 
one  Captain  Boasting  slain.  This  Boasting 
thought  that  nobody  could  have  shaken  the 
posts  of  Ear-gate  nor  have  shaken  the  heart 
of  Diabolus.  Next  to  him  there  was  one 
Captain  Secure  slain : this  Secure  used  to  say 
that  the  blind  and  lame  in  Mansoul  were  able 
to  keep  the  gates  of  the  town  against  Emman- 
uel’s army.  This  Captain  Secure  did  Captain 
Conviction  cleave  down  the  head  with  a two- 
handed  sword,  when  he  received  himself  three 
wounds  in  his  mouth. 

Besides  these  there  was  one  Captain  Brag- 
man,  a very  desperate  fellow,  and  he  was  cap- 
tain over  a band  of  those  that  threw  fire- 
brands, arrows  and  death ; he  also  received  by 
the  hand  of  Captain  Good-hope  at  Eye-gate  a 
mortal  wound  ip  the  breast. 

There  was  moreover  one  Mr.  Feeling,  but 
he  was  no  captain,  but  a great  stickler  to  en- 
courage Mansoul  to  rebellion : he  received  a 
wound  in  the  eye  by  the  hand  of  one  of  Boa- 
nerges’ soldiers,  and  had  by  the  captain  him- 
self been  slain  but  that  he  made  a sudden 
retreat. 

But  I never  saw  Will-be-will  so  daunted 
in  all  my  life:  he  was  not  able  to  do  as  he 
was  wont,  and  some  say  that  he  also  re- 
ceived a wound  in  the  leg,  and  that  some  of 
the  men  in  the  Prince’s  army  have  certainly 
seen  him  limp  as  he  afterwards  walked  on  the 
wall. 

I shall  not  give  you  a particular  account 
of  the  names  of  the  soldiers  that  were  slain 
in  the  town,  for  many  were  maimed,  and 


404 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


wounded,  and  slain ; for  when  they  saw  that 
the  posts  of  Ear-gate  did  shake  and  Eye-gate 
was  wellnigh  broken  open,  and  also  that  their 
captains  were  slain,  this  took  away  the  hearts  of 
many  of  theDiabolonians ; they  fell  also  by  the 
force  of  the  shot  that  were  sent  by  the  golden 
slings  into  the  midst  of  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

Of  the  townsmen  there  was  one  Love-no- 
good; he  was  a townsman,  but  a Diabolo- 
nian:  he  also  received  his  mortal  w’ound  in 
Mansoul,  but  he  died  not  very  soon. 

Mr.  Ill-pause  also,  who  was  the  man  that 
came  along  with  Diabolus  when  at  first  he 
attempted  the  taking  of  Mansoul,  he  also  re- 
ceived a grievous  wound  in  the  head ; some 
say  that  his  brain-pan  was  cracked ; this  I 
have  taken  notice  of,  that  he  was  never  after 
this  able  to  do  that  mischief  to  Mansoul  as  he 
had  done  in  times  past.  Also,  old  Prejudice 
and  Mr.  Anything  fled. 

Now  when  the  battle  was  over  the  Prince 
commanded  that  yet  once  more  the  white  flag 
should  be  set  upon  Mount  Gracious  in  sight 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  to  show  that  yet  Em- 
manuel had  grace  for  the  wretched  town  of 
Mansoul. 

When  Diabolus  saw  the  white  flag  hanged 
out  again,  and  knowing  that  it  was  not  for 
him,  but  Mansoul,  he  cast  in  his  mind  to  play 
another  prank— to  wit,  to  see  if  Emmanuel 
would  raise  his  siege  and  be  gone  upon  a 
promise  of  reformation.  So  he  comes  down 
to  the  gate  one  evening,  a good  while  after 
the  sun  was  gone  down,  and  calls  to  speak 
with  Emmanuel,  who  presently  comes  down 
to  the  gate,  and  Diabolus  said  unto  him : 

“ Forasmuch  as  thou  makest  it  appear  by 
thy  white  flag  that  thou  art  wholly  given  to 
peace  and  quiet,  I thought  meet  to  acquaint 
thee  that  we  are  ready  to  accept  thereof  upon 
terms  which  thou  mayest  admit. 

“ I know  that  thou  art  given  to  devotion, 
and  that  holiness  pleases  thee ; yea,  that  thy 
great  end  in  making  war  upon  Mansoul  is  that 
it  may  be  an  holy  habitation.  Well,  draw  off 
thy  forces  from  the  town  and  I will  bend  Man- 
soul to  thy  bow. 

“ First,  I will  lay  down  all  acts  of  hostility 
against  thee,  and  will  be  willing  to  become 
thy  deputy,  and  will,  as  I have  formerly  been 
against  thee,  now  serve  thee  in  the  town  of 
Mansoul.  And  more  particularly, 

“ 1.  I will  persuade  Mansoul  to  receive  thee 
for  their  Lord,  and  I know  that  they  will  do  it 
sooner  when  they  shall  understand  that  I am 
thy  deputy. 


“2.  I will  show  them  wherein  they  have 
erred,  and  that  transgression  stands  in  the  way 
to  life. 

“3.  I will  show  them  the  holy  law  unto 
which  they  must  conform,  even  that  which 
they  have  broken. 

“4.  I will  press  upon  them  the  necessity  of 
a reformation  according  to  law. 

“5.  And  moreover,  that  none  of  these 
things  may  fail,  I myself,  at  my  own  proper 
cost  and  charge,  will  set  up  and  maintain 
a sufficient  ministry,  besides  lectures,  in 
Mansoul. 

“6.  Thou  shalt  receive  as  a token  of  oui 
subjection  to  thee,  continually  year  by  year, 
what  thou  shalt  think  fit  to  lay  and  levy  upon 
us  in  token  of  such  subjection  to  thee.” 

Then  said  Emmanuel  to  him,  “ 0 full  of 
deceit,  how  movable  are  thy  ways ! How 
often  hast  thou  changed  and  rechanged,  if  so 
be  thou  mightest  still  keep  possession  of  my 
Mansoul,  though,  as  has  been  plainly  declared 
before,  I am  the  right  heir  thereof!  Often 
hast  thou  made  thy  proposals  already,  nor  is 
this  last  a whit  better  than  they.  And  failing 
to  deceive  when  thou  showedst  thyself  in  thy 
black,  thou  hast  now  transformed  thyself  into 
an  angel  of  light,  and  wouldst,  to  deceive,  be 
now  as  a minister  of  righteousness. 

“ But  know  thou,  0 Diabolus,  that  nothing 
must  be  regarded  that  thou  canst  propound, 
for  nothing  is  done  by  thee  but  to  deceive; 
thou  neither  hast  conscience  to  God  nor  love 
to  the  town  of  Mansoul ; whence,  then,  should 
these  thy  sayings  arise  but  from  sinful  craft 
and  deceit?  He  that  can  list  and  will  pro- 
pound what  he  pleases,  and  that  therewith  he 
may  destroy  them  that  believe  him,  is  to  be 
abandoned,  with  all  that  he  shall  say.  But 
if  righteousness  be  such  a beauty-spot  in  thine 
eyes  now,  how  is  it  that  wickedness  was  so 
closely  stuck  to  by  thee  before?  But  this  by 
the  by. 

“ Thou  talkest  now  of  a reformation  in 
Mansoul,  and  that  thou  thyself,  if  I please, 
will  be  at  the  head  of  that  reformation,  all 
the  while  knowing  that  the  greatest  profici- 
ency that  man  can  make  in  the  law,  and  the 
righteousness  thereof,  will  amount  to  no  more 
for  the  taking  away  of  the  curse  from  Mansoul 
than  just  nothing  at  all ; for  a law  being 
broken  by  Mansoul,  that  had  before,  upon  a 
supposition  of  the  breach  thereof,  a curse  pro- 
nounced against  it  for  it  of  God,  can  never,  by 
its  obeying  the  law,  deliver  itself  therefrom, 
(to  say  nothing  of  what  a reformation  is  like 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


405 


to  be  set  up  in  Munsoul  when  the  devil  is  be- 
come the  corrector  of  vice.)  Thou  knowest 
that  all  that  thou  hast  now  said  in  this  matter 
is  nothing  but  guile  and  deceit,  and  as  it  was 
the  first,  so  is  it  the  last  card  that  thou  hast  to 
play.  Many  there  be  that  discern  thee  when 
thou  showest  them  thy  cloven  foot,  but  in  thy 
white,  thy  light,  and  in  thy  transformation 
thou  art  seen  but  of  a few.  But  thou  shalt 
not  do  thus  with  my  Mansoul,  0 Diabolus,  for 
I do  still  love  my  Mansoul. 

“ Besides,  I am  not  come  to  put  Mansoul 
upon  works  to  live  thereby,  (should  I do  so,  I 
should  be  like  unto  thee,)  but  I am  come  that 
by  me,  and  by  what  I have  and  shall  do  for 
Mansoul,  they  may  to  my  Father  be  reconciled, 
though  by  their  sin  they  have  provoked  him  to 
anger,  and  though  by  the  law  they  cannot  ob- 
tain mercy. 

“ Thou  talkest  of  subjecting  this  town  to 
good  when  none  desireth  it  at  thy  hands.  I 
am  sent  by  my  Father  to  possess  it  myself,  and 
to  guide  it  by  the  skilfulness  of  my  hands  into 
such  a conformity  to  him  as  shall  be  pleasing 
in  his  sight.  I will  therefore  possess  it  my- 
self. I will  dispossess  and  cast  thee  out.  I 
will  set  up  mine  own  standard  in  the  midst 
of  them.  I will  also  govern  them  by  new  laws, 
new  officers,  new  motives,  and  new  ways ; yea, 
I will  pull  down  this  town  and  build  it  again, 
and  it  shall  be  as  though  it  had  not  been,  and 
it  shall  be  the  glory  of  the  whole  universe.” 

When  Diabolus  heard  this,  and  perceived 
that  he  was  discovered  in  all  his  deceits,  he 
was  confounded  and  utterly  put  to  a nonplus ; 
but  having  in  himself  the  fountains  of  iniq- 
uity, rage,  and  malice  against  both  Shaddai 
and  his  Son,  and  the  beloved  town  of  Mansoul, 
what  doth  he  but  strengthen  himself  what  he 
could  to  give  fresh  battle  to  the  noble  Prince 
Emmanuel?  So,  then,  now  we  must  have 
another  fight  before  the  town  of  Mansoul  is 
taken.  Come  up,  then,  to  the  mountains,  you 
that  love  to  see  military  actions,  and  behold  by 
both  sides  how  the  fatal  blow  is  given,  while 
one  seeks  to  hold  and  the  other  seeks  to  make 
himself  master  of  the  famous  town  of  Man- 
soul. 

Diabolus  therefore  withdrew  himself  from 
the  walls  to  his  fort  .that  was  in  the  heart  of 
the  town  of  Mansoul ; Emmanuel  also  re- 
turned to  the  camp,  and  both  of  them,  after 
their  divers  ways,  put  themselves  into  a pos- 
ture fit  to  give  battle  one  to  another. 

Diabolus,  as  filled  with  despair  of  retaining 
in  his  hands  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul,  re- 


solved to  do  what  mischief  he  could  (if  indeed 
he  could  do  any)  to  the  army  of  the  Prince 
and  to  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul,  (for,  alas  I 
it  was  not  the  happiness  of  the  silly  town  of 
Mansoul  that  was  designed  by  Diabolus,  but 
the  utter  ruin  and  overthrow  thereof,)  its  now 
is  enough  in  view.  Wherefore  he  commands 
his  officers  that  they  should  then,  when  they 
saw  that  they  could  hold  the  town  no  longer, 
do  it  what  harm  and  mischief  they  could, 
rending  and  tearing  men,  women,  and  children. 
For,  said  he,  we  had  better  quite  demolish  the 
place  and  leave  it  a ruinous  heap  than  that  it 
should  be  an  habitation  for  Emmanuel. 

Emmanuel,  again  knowing  that  the  next 
battle  would  issue  in  his  being  made  master  of 
the  place,  gave  out  a royal  commandment  to 
all  his  officers,  high  captains,  and  men  of  war 
to  be  sure  and  show  themselves  men  of  war 
against  Diabolus  and  all  Diabolonians,  but 
favourable,  merciful  and  meek  to  all  the  old 
inhabitants  of  Mansoul.  Bend  therefore,  said 
the  noble  Prince,  the  hottest  front  of  the  bat- 
tle against  Diabolus  and  his  men. 

So  the  day  being  come,  the  command  was 
given,  and  the  Prince’s  men  did  bravely  stand 
to  their  arms,  and  did,  as  before,  bend  their 
forces  against  Ear-gate  and  Eye-gate.  The 
word  was  then,  “Mansoul  is  won.”  So  they 
made  their  assault  upon  the  town.  Diabolus, 
also,  as  fast  as  he  could  with  the  main  of  his 
power,  made  resistance  from  within,  and  his 
high  lords  and  chief  captains  for  a time  fought 
very  cruelly  against  the  Prince’s  army. 

But  after  three  or  four  notable  charges  by  the 
Prince  and  his  noble  captains,  Ear-gate  was 
broken  open,  and  the  bars  and  bolts  wherewith 
it  was  used  to  be  fast  shut  up  against  the  Prince 
were  broken  into  a thousand  pieces.  Then  did 
the  Prince’s  trumpets  sound,  the  captains  shout, 
the  town  shake,  and  Diabolus  retreat  to  his 
hold.  Well,  when  the  Prince’s  forces  had 
broken  open  the  gate,  himself  came  up,  and 
did  set  up  his  throne  in  it;  also  he  set  his 
standard  upon  a mount  that  his  men  had  be- 
fore cast  up  to  place  the  mighty  slings  thereon. 
The  mount  was  called  Mount  Plear-well ; there, 
therefore,  the  Prince  abode — to  wit,  hard  by 
the  going  in  at  the  gate.  He  commanded  also 
that  the  golden  slings  should  yet  be  played 
upon  the  town,  especially  against  the  castle, 
because  for  shelter  thither  was  Diabolus  re- 
treated. Now  from  Ear-gate  the  street  was 
straight,  even  to  the  house  of  him  who  was  re- 
corder before  Diabolus  took  the  town ; and 
hard  by  his  house  stood  the  castle,  which  Dial)- 


4.06 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


olus  for  a long  time  had  made  his  irksome 
den.  The  captains  therefore  did  quickly  clear 
that  street  by  the  use  of  their  slings,  so  that 
way  was  made  up  to  the  heart  of  the  town. 
Then  did  the  Prince  command  that  Captain 
Boanerges,  Captain  Conviction,  and  Captain 
Judgment  should  forthwith  march  up  the  town 
to  the  old  gentleman’s  gate.  Then  did  the 
captains  in  most  warlike  manner  enter  into 
the  town  of  Mansoul,  and  marching  in  with 
flying  colours  they  came  up  to  the  recorder’s 
house,  (and  that  was  almost  as  strong  as  the 
castle.)  Battering-rams  they  took  also  with 
them  to  plant  against  the  castle-gates.  When 
they  were  come  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Conscience, 
they  knocked  and  demanded  entrance.  Now 
the  old  gentleman,  not  knowing  as  yet  fully 
their  design,  kept  his  gates  shut  all  the  time  of 
this  fight.  Wherefore  Boanerges  demanded  en- 
trance at  his  gates,  and  no  man  making  answer, 
he  gave  it  one  stroke  with  the  head  of  a ram,  and 
this  made  the  old  gentleman  to  shake  and  his 
house  to  tremble  and  totter.  Then  came  Mr. 
Recorder  down  to  the  gate,  and,  as  well  as  lie 
could  with  quivering  lipis,  he  asked,  Who  was 
there?  Boanerges  answered,  We  are  the  captains 
and  commanders  of  the  great  Shaddai  and  of 
the  blessed  Emmanuel  his  Son,  and  we  demand 
possession  of  your  house  for  the  use  of  our 
noble  Prince.  And  with  that  the  battering- 
ram  gave  the  gate  another  shake : this  made 
the  old  gentleman  tremble  the  more,  yet  he 
durst  not  but  open  the  gate : then  the  King’s 
forces  marched  in — namely,  the  three  brave 
captains  mentioned  before.  Now  the  record- 
er’s house  was  a place  of  much  convenience 
for  Emmanuel,  not  only  because  it  was  near  to 
the  castle  and  strong,  but  also  because  it  was 
large  and  fronted  the  castle,  the  den  where 
now  Diabolus  was ; for  he  was  now  afraid  to 
come  out  of  his  hold.  As  for  Mr.  Recorder, 
the  captains  carried  it  very  reservedly  to  him ; 
as  yet  he  knew  nothing  of  the  great  designs  of 
Emmanuel,  so  that  he  did  not  know  what  judg- 
ment to  make  nor  what  would  be  the  end  of 
such  thundering  beginnings.  It  was  also 
noised  in  the  town  how  the  recorder’s  house 
was  possessed,  his  rooms  taken  up,  and  his 
palace  made  the  seat  of  war;  and  no  sooner 
was  it  noised  abroad  but  they  took  the  alarm 
as  warmly,  and  gave  it  out  to  others  of  his 
friends,  (and  as  you  know  a snowball  loses 
nothing  by  rolling ;)  so  in  little  time  the  whole 
town  was  possessed  that  they  must  expect 
nothing  from  the  Prince  but  destruction;  and 
the  ground  of  the  business  was  this : The  re- 


corder was  afraid,  the  recorder  trembled,  and 
the  captains  carried  it  strangely  to  the  re- 
corder. So  many  came  to  see,  but  when  they 
with  their  own  eyes  did  behold  the  captains  in 
the  palace,  and  their  battering-rams  ever  play- 
ing at  the  castle-gates  to  beat  them  down,  they 
were  riveted  in  their  fears  and  it  made  them 
all  in  amaze.  And,  as  I said,  the  man  of  the 
house  Would  increase  all  this ; for,  whoever 
came  to  him  or  discoursed  with  him,  nothing 
would  he  talk  of,  tell  them,  or  hear  but  that 
death  and  destruction  now  attended  Mansoul. 

For,  quoth  the  old  gentleman,  you  are  all  of 
you  sensible  that  we  all  have  been  traitors  to 
that  once  despised  but  now  famously  victorious 
and  glorious  Prince  Emmanuel.  For  he  now, 
as  you  see,  doth  not  only  lie  in  close  siege  about 
us,  but  hath  forced  his  entrance  in  at  our  gates : 
moreover  Diabolus  flies  before  him,  and  he 
hath,  as  you  behold,  made  of  my  house  a gar- 
rison against  the  castle  where  he  is.  I,  for  my 
part,  have  transgressed  greatly,  (and  he  that  is 
clean  it  is  well  for  him)— but,  I say,  I have 
transgressed  greatly  in  keeping  silence  when  I 
should  have  spoken,  and  in  perverting  justice 
when  I should  have  executed  the  same.  True, 
I have  suffered  something  at  the  hands  of 
Diabolus  for  taking  part  with  the  laws  of  King 
Shaddai,  but  that,  alas!  what  will  that  do?_ 
Will  that  make  compensation  for  the  rebellions 
and  treasons  that  I have  done,  and  have  suffer- 
ed without  gainsaying  to  be  committed,  in  the 
town  of  Mansoul?  Oh  I tremble  to  think 
what  will  be  the  end  of  this  so  dreadful  and 
so  ireful  a beginning ! 

Now  while  these  brave  captains  were  thus 
busy  in  the  house  of  the  old  recorder,  Captain 
Execution  was  as  busy  in  other  parts  of  the 
town  in  securing  the  back  streets  and  the  walls. 
He  also  hunted  the  Lord  Will-be-will  sorely, 
and  suffered  him  not  to  rest  in  any  corner.  He 
pursued  him  so  hard  that  he  drove  his  men 
from  him,  and  made  him  glad  to  thrust  his 
head  into  a hole.  Also  this  mighty  warrior 
did  cut  three  of  the  Lord  Will-be-will’s  officers 
down  to  the  ground:  one  was  old  Mr.  Preju- 
dice, he  that  had  his  crown  cracked  in  the 
mutiny;  this  man  was  made  by  my  Lord  Will- 
be-will  keeper  of  Ear-gate,  and  fell  by  the 
hand  of  Captain  Execution.  There  was  also 
one  Mr.  Backward-to-all-but-naught,  and  he 
also  was  one  of  Lord  Will-be-wilPs  officers, 
and  was  the  captain  of  the  two  guns  that  once 
were  mounted  on  the  top  of  Ear-gate ; he  also 
was  cut  down  to  the  ground  by  the  hands  of 
Captain  Execution.  Besides  these  two  there 


T1IE  HOLY  WAR. 


4t>7 


t\  us  another,  a third,  and  his  name  was  Captain 
Treacherous:  a vile  man  this  was,  but  one  that 
Will  bo-will  did  put  a great  deal  of  confidence 
in;  but  him  also  did  this  Captain  Execution 
cut  down  to  the  ground  with  the  rest. 

lie  also -made  a very  great  slaughter  among 
my  Lord  Will-bc-will’s  soldiers,  killing  many 
that  were  stout  and  sturdy,  and  wounding  of 
many  that  for  Diabolus  were  nimble  and  active. 
But  all  these  were  Diabolonians : there  was 
not  a man,  a native  of  Mansoul,  hurt. 

Other  feats  of  war  were  also  likewise  per- 
formed by  other  of  the  captains,  as  at  Eye- 
gate,  where  Captain  Good-hope  and  Captain 
Charity  had  a charge,  was  great  execution 
done;  for  Captain  Good-hope  with  his  own 
hand  slew  one  Captain  Blind-fold,  the  keeper 
of  that  gate;  this  Blind-fold  was  captain  of  a 
thousand  men,  and  they  were  they  that  fought 
with  mauls ; ' he  also  pursued  his  men,  slew 
many  and  wounded  more,  and  made  the  rest 
hide  their  heads  in  corners. 

There  was  also  at  that  gate  Mr.  Ill-pause,  of 
whom  you  have  heard  before;  he  was  an  old 
man,  and  had  a beard  that  reached  down  to  his 
girdle;  the  same  was  he  that  was  orator  to 
Diabolus : he  did  much  mischief  in  the  town 
of  Mansoul,  and  fell  by  the  hand  of  Captain 
Good-hope. 

What  shall  I say : The  Diabolonians  in  these 
days  lay  dead  in  every  corner,  though  too  many 
were  yet  alive  in  Mansoul. 

Now  the  old  recorder  and  my  Lord  Under- 
standing, with  some  o fliers  of  the  chief  of  the 
town — to  wit,  such  as  knew  they  must  stand  or 
fall  with  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul — came 
together  upon  a day,  and  after  consultation  had 
did  jointly  agree  to  draw  up  a petition  and  to 
send  it  to  Emmanuel,  now  while  he  sat  in  the 
gate  of  Mansoul.  So  they  drew  up  their  pe- 
tition to  Emmanuel,  the  contents  whereof  were 
these : “ That  they,  the  old  inhabitants  of  the 
deplorable  town  of  Mansoul,  confessed  their 
sins,  and  were  sorry  that  they  had  offended  his 
princely  Majesty,  and  prayed  that  he  would 
spare  their  lives.” 

Upon  this  petition  he  gave  no  answer  at  all, 
and  that  did  trouble  them  yet  so  much  the 
more.  Now  all  this  while  the  captains  that 
were  in  the  recorder’s  house  were  playing  with 
the  battering-rams  at  the  gates  of  the  castle  to 
beat  them  down.  So,  after  some  time,  labour, 
and  travail,  the  gate  of  the  castle  that  was  call- 
ed Impregnable  was  beaten  open  and  broken 
into  several  splinters,  and  so  a way  made  to  go 
up  to  the  hold  in  which  Diabolus  had  hid  him- 


self. Then  were  tidings  sent  down  to  Ear- 
gate,  for  Emmanuel  still  abode  there,  to  let 
him  know  that  a way  was  made  in  at  the  gates 
of  the  castle  of  Mansoul.  But  oh  how  the 
trumpets  at  the  tidings  sounded  throughout, 
the  Prince’s  camp,  for  that  now  the  war  was  so 
near  an  end,  and  Mansoul  itself  of  being  set 
free  I 

Then  the  Prince  arose  from  the  place  where 
he  was,  and  took  with  him  such  of  his  men  of 
war  as  were  fittest  for  the  expedition,  and 
marched  up  the  street  of  Mansoul  to  the  old 
recorder’s  house. 

Now  the  Prince  himself  was  clad  all  in  ar- 
mour of  gold,  and  so  he  marched  up  the  town 
with  his  standard  borne  before  him ; but  he 
kept  his  countenance  much  reserved  all  the  way 
as  he  went,  so  that  the  people  could  not  tell 
how  to  gather  to  themselves  love  or  hatred  by 
his  looks.  Now  as  he  marched  up  the  street 
the  townsfolk  came  out  at  every  door  to  see, 
and  could  not  but  be  taken  with  his  person 
and  the  glory  thereof,  but  wondered  at  the  re- 
servedness of  his  countenance;  for  as  yet  he 
spake  more  to  them  by  bis  actions  and  works 
than  he  did  by  words  or  smiles.  But  also  poor 
Mansoul  (as  in  such  cases  all  are  apt  to  do) 
interpreted  the  carriage  of  Emmanuel  to  them, 
as  did  Joseph’s  brethren  his  to  them,  even  all 
the  quite  contrary  way ; for,  thought  they,  if 
Emmanuel  loved  us  he  would  show  it  to  us  by 
word  or  carriage,  but  none  of  these  he  doth, 
therefore  Emmanuel  hates  us.  Now  if  Em- 
manuel hates  us,  Mansoul  shall  be  slain,  then 
Mansoul  shall  become  a dunghill.  They  knew 
that  they  had  transgressed  his  Father’s  law, 
and  that  against  him  they  had  been  in  league 
with  Diabolus  his  enemy.  They  also  knew 
that  the  Prince  Emmanuel  knew  all  this,  for 
they  were  convinced  that  he  was  an  angel  of 
God,  to  know  all  things  that  are  done  in  the 
earth.  And  this  made  them  think  that  their 
condition  was  miserable,  and  that  the  good 
Prince  would  make  them  desolate. 

And,  thought  they,  what  time  so  fit  to  do 
this  in  as  now,  when  he  has  the  bridle  of 
Mansoul  in  his  hand.  And  this  I took  special 
notice  of,  that  the  inhabitants  (notwithstand- 
ing all  this)  could  not — no,  they  could  not 
when  they  saw  him  march  through  the  town — 
but  cringe,  bow,  bend,  and  were  ready  to  lick 
the  dust  off  his  feet.  They  also  wished  a 
thousand  times  over  that  he  would  become 
their  Prince  and  captain,  and  would  become 
their  protector.  They  would  also  one  to  an- 
other talk  of  the  comeliness  of  his  person,  and 


408 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


how  much  for  glory  and  valour  he  outstripped 
the  great  opes  of  the  world.  But,  poor  hearts ! 
as  to  themselves,  their  thoughts  would  change 
and  go  upon  all  manner  of  extremes ; vea, 
through  the  working  of  them  backward  and 
forward  Mansoul  became  as  a ball  tossed  and 
as  a rolling  thing  before  the  whirlwind. 

Now  when  he  was  come  to  the  castle-gates 
he  commanded  Diabolus  to  appear  and  to  sur- 
render himself  into  his  hands.  But  oh  how 
loth  was  the  beast  to  appear ! Plow  he  stuck 
at  it ! How  he  shrunk ! How  he  cringed ! 
Yet  out  he  came  to  the  Prince.  Then  Em- 
manuel commanded,  and  they  took  Diabolus 
and  bound  him  fast  in  chains,  the  better  to 
reserve  him  to  the  judgment  that  he  had  ap- 
pointed for  him ; but  Diabolus  stood  up  to 
entreat  for  himself  that  Emmanuel  would  not 
send  him  into  the  deep,  but  suffer  him  to 
depart  out  of  Mansoul  in  peace. 

When  Emmanuel  had  taken  him  and  bound 
him  in  chains,  he  led  him  into  the  market- 
place, and  there,  before  Mansoul,  stripped  him 
of  his  armour  in  which  he  boasted  so  much 
before.  This  now  was  one  of  the  acts  of  tri- 
umph of  Emmanuel  over  his  enemy ; and  all 
the  while  that  the  giant  was  stripping  the 
trumpets  of  the  golden  Prince  did  sound 
amain ; the  captains  also  shouted  and  the 
soldiers  did  sing  for  joy. 

Then  was  Mansoul  called  upon  to  behold 
the  beginning  of  Emmanuel’s  triumph  over 
him  in  whom  they  so  much  had  trusted,  and 
of  whom  they  so. much  had  boasted  in  the 
days  when  he  had  flattered  them. 

Thus,  having  made  Diabolus  naked  in  the 
eyes  of  Mansoul  and  before  the  commanders 
of  the  Prince,  in  the  next  place  he  commands 
that  Diabolus  should  be  bound  with  chains  to 
his  chariot  wheels.  Then  leaving  some  of  his 
forces — to  wit,  Captain  Boanerges  and  Captain 
Conviction — as  a guard  for  the  castle-gates, 
that  resistance  might  be  made  on  his  behalf, 
(if  any  that  heretofore  followed  Diabolus  should 
make  an  attempt  to  possess  it,)  he  did  ride  in 
triumph  over  him  quite  through  the  town  of 
Mansoul,  and  so  out  at  and  before  the  gate 
ealled  Eye-gate,  to  the  plain  where  was  his 
camp. 

But  you  cannot  think,  unless  you  had  been 
there  as  I was,  what  a shout  there  was  in  Em- 
manuel’s camp  when  they  saw  the  tyrant 
bound  by  the  hand  of  their  noble  Prince  and 
tied  to  his  chariot  wheels. 

And  they  said,  He  hath  led  captivity  cap- 
dive ; he  hath  spoiled  principalities  and  pow- 


ers ; Diabolus  is  subjected  to  the  power  of  his 
sword  and  made  the  object  of  all  derision ! 

Those  also  that  rode  reformades,  and  that. 
. came  down  to  see  the  battle,  they  shouted  with 
that  greatness  of  voice  and  sung  with  such 
melodious  notes  that  they  caused  them  that 
dwell  in  the  highest  orbs  to  open  their  win- 
dows, put  out  their  heads,  and  look  down  to 
see  the  cause  of  that  glory. 

The  townsmen  also,  so  many  of  them  as  saw 
this  sight,  were  as  it  were  astonished  while 
they  looked  betwixt  the  earth  and  the  heavens. 
True,  they  could  not  tell  what  would  be  the 
issue  of  things  as  to  them,  but  all  things  were 
done  in  such  excellent  methods ; and  I cannot 
tell  how  but  things  in  the  management  of 
them  seemed  to  cast  a smile  towards  the  town ; 
so  that  their  eyes,  their  heads,  their  hearts, 
and  their  minds,  and  all  that  they  had,  were 
taken  and  held  while  they  observed  Emman- 
uel’s order. 

So,  when  the  brave  Prince  had  finished  this 
part  of  his  triumph  over  Diabolus  his  foe,  he 
turned  him  up  in  the  midst  of  his  contempt 
and  shame,  having  given  hifh  a charge  no 
more  to  be  a possessor  of  Mansoul.  Then 
went  he  from  Emmanuel,  and  out  of  the  midst 
of  his  camp,  to  inherit  the  parched  places  in 
a salt  land,  seeking  rest,  but  finding  none. 

Now,  Captain  Boanerges  and  Captain  Con- 
viction were  both 'of  them  men  of  very  great 
majesty;  their  faces  were  like  the  faces  of 
lions,  and  their  words  like  the  roaring  of  the 
sea ; and  they  still  quartered  in  Mr.  Con- 
science’s house,  of  whom  mention  was  made 
before.  When  therefore  the  high  and  mighty 
Prince  had  thus  far  finished  his  triumph  over 
Diabolus,  the  townsmen  had  more  leisure  to 
view  and  to  behold  the  actions  of  these  noble 
captains.  But  the  captains  carried  it  with  that 
terror  and  dread  in  all  that  they  did  (and  you 
may  be  sure  that  they  had  private  instructions 
so  to  do)  that  they  kept  the  town  under  con- 
tinual heart-aching,  and  caused  (in  their  ap- 
prehension) the  well-being  of  Mansoul  for  the 
future  to  hang  in  doubt  before  them,  so  that 
(for  some  considerable  time)  they  neither  knew 
what  rest,  or  ease,  or  peace,  or  hope  meant. 

Nor  did  the  Prince  himself,  as  yet,  abide  in 
the  town  of  Mansoul,  but  in  his  royal  pavilion 
in  the  camp  and  in  the  midst  of  his  Father’s 
forces.  So  at  a time  convenient  he  sent  special 
orders  to  Captain  Boanerges  to  summons  Man- 
soul, the  whole  of  the  townsmen,  into  the  castle 
yard,  and  then  and  there  before  their  faces  to 
take  my  Lord  Understanding,  Mr.  Conscience, 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


409 


and  that  notable  one,  the  Lord  Will-be-will, 
and  put  them  all  three  in  ward,  and  that  they 
should  set  a strong  guard  upon  them  there 
until  his  pleasure  concerning  them  were 
further  known.  The  which  orders,  when  the 
captains  had  put  them  in  execution,  made  no 
small  addition  to  the  fears  of  the  town  of  Man- 
soul  ; for  now,  to  their  thinking,  were  their  former 
fears  of  the  ruin  of  Mansoul  confirmed.  Now, 
what  death  they  should  die  and  how  long  they 
should  he  in  dying  was  that  which  most  per- 
plexed their  heads  and  hearts;  yea,  they  were 
afraid  that  Emmanuel  would  command  them 
all  into  the  deep,  the  place  that  the  prince 
Diaholus  was  afraid  of ; for  they  knew  that 
they  had  deserved  it:  also  to  die  by  the  sword, 
in  the  face  of  the  town  and  in  the  open  way 
of  disgrace,  from  the  hand  of  so  good  and  so 
holy  a Prince,  that  too  troubled  them  sore. 
The  town  was  also  greatly  troubled  for  the 
men  that  were  committed  to  ward,  for  that  they 
were  their  stay  and  their  guide,  and  for  that 
they  believed  that  if  those  men  were  cut  off, 
their  execution  would  be  hut  the  beginning  of 
the  ruin  of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  Wherefore, 
what  do  they  hut,  together  with  the  men  in 
prison,  draw  up  a petition  to  the  Prince  and 
send  it  to  Emmanuel  by  the  hand  of  Mr. 
Would-live?  So  he  went  and  came  to  the 
Prince’s  quarters,  and  presented  the  petition, 
the  sum  of  which  was  this:  “Great  and  won- 
derful Potentate,  victor  over  Diaholus,  and 
conqueror  of  the  town  of  Mansoul:  We,  the 
miserable  inhabitants  of  that  most  woeful  cor- 
poration, do  humbly  beg  that  we  may  find 
favour  in  thy  sight,  and  remember  not  against 
us  former  transgressions,  nor  yet  the  sins  of 
the  chief  of  our  town,  hut  spare  us  according 
to  the  greatness  of  thy  mercy,  and  let  us  not 
die,  but  live  in  thy  sight;  so  shall  we  be  will- 
ing to  be  thy  servants,  and,  if  thou  shalt  think 
fit,  to  gather  our  meat  under  thy  table. 
Amen.” 

So  the  petitioner  went,  as  was  said,  with  this 
petition  to  the  Prince,  and  the  Prince  took  it 
at  his  hand,  hut  sent  him  away  with  silence. 
This  still  afflicted  the  town  of  Mansoul;  hut 
yet,  considering  that  now  they  must  either 
petition  or  die,  for  now  they  could  not  do  any 
thing  else,  therefore  they  consulted  again  and 
sent  another  petition,  and  this  petition  was 
much  after  the  form  and  method  of  the 
former. 

But  when  the  petition  was  drawn  up,  by 
whom  should  they  send  it  was  the  next  ques- 
tion ; for  they  would  not  send  this  by  him  by 


whom  they  sent  the  first,  (for  they  thought  that 
the  Prince  had  taken  some  offence  at  the  man- 
ner of  his  deportment  before  him,)  so  they  at- 
tempted to  make  Captain  Conviction  their 
messenger  witli  it;  hut  he  said  that  he  neither 
durst  nor  would  petition  Emmanuel  for  trai- 
tors, nor  be  to  the  Prince  an  advocate  for 
rebels.  Yet  withal,  said  he,  our  Prince  is 
good,  and  you  may  adventure  to  send  it  by  the 
hand  of  one  of  your  town,  provided  he  went 
with  a rope  about  his  head  and  pleaded  noth- 
ing but  mercy. 

Well,  they  made  through  fear  their  delays  as 
long  as  they  could,  and  longer  than  delays  were 
good;  hut  fearing  at  last  the  dangerousness  of 
them,  they  thought,  but  with  many  a fainting 
in  their  minds,  to  send  their  petition  by  Mr. 
Desires-awake ; so  they  sent  for  Mr.  Desires- 
awake.  Now  he  dwelt  in  a very  mean  cottage 
in  Mansoul,  and  he  came  at  his  neighbours’ 
request.  So  they  told  him  what  they  had 
done,  and  what  they  would  do  concerning 
petitioning,  and  that  they  did  desire  of  him 
that  he  would  go  therewith  to  the  Prince. 

Then  said  Mr.  Desires-awake,  “ Why  should 
not  I do  the  best  I can  to  save  so  famous  a 
town  as  Mansoul  from  deserved  destruction?” 
They  therefore  delivered  the  petition  to  him, 
and  told  him  how  he  must  address  himself  to 
the  Prince,  and  wished  him  ten  thousand 
good-speeds.  So  lie  comes  to  the  Prince’s 
pavilion,  as  the  first,  and  asked  to  speak  with 
his  Majesty;  so  word  was  carried  to  Emmanuel, 
and  the  Prince  came  out  to  the  man.  When 
Mr.  Desires-awake  saw  the  Prince  he  fell  flat 
with  his  face  to  the  ground  and  cried  out, 
“Oh  that  Mansoul  might  live  before  thee!” 
And  with  that  he  presented  the  petition ; the 
which  when  the  Prince  had  read,  he  turned 
away  for  awhile  and  wept,  but  refraining  him- 
self, he  turned  again  to  the  man  (who  all  this 
while  lay  crying  at  his  feet  as  at  the  first)  and 
said,  “Go  thy  way  to  thy  place,  and  I will  con- 
sider of  thy  requests.” 

Now  you  may  think  that  they  of  Mansoul 
that  had  sent  him,  what  with  guilt  and  what 
with  fear  lest  their  petition  should  be  rejected, 
could  not  but  look  with  many  a long  look,  and 
that  too  with  many  strange  workings  of  heart, 
to  see  what  would  become  of  their  petition ; 
at  last  they  saw  their  messenger  coming  back; 
so  when  he  was  come  they  asked  him  lrow  he 
fared,  what  Emmanuel  said,  and  what  was  be- 
come of  the  petition?  But  he  told  them  that 
he  would  be  silent  till  he  came  to  the  prison 
to  my  lord  mayor,  my  Lord  Will-be-will,  and 


410 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Mr.  Recorder.  So  he  went  forward  towards 
the  prison-house,  where  the  men  of  Mansoul 
lay  bound.  But  oh  what  a multitude  flocked 
after  to  hear  what  the  messenger  said!  So 
when  he  was  come  and  had  shown  himself  at 
the  gate  of  the  prison,  my  lord  mayor  himself 
looked  as  white  as  a clout,  the  recorder  also 
did  quake,  but  they  asked  and  said,  “Come, 
good  sir,  what  did  the  great  Prince  say  to  you?” 
Then  said  Mr.  Deskes-awake,  “ When  I came 
to  my  Lord’s  pavilion,  I called  and  he  came 
ffrth;  so  I fell  prostrate  at  his  feet  and  de- 
livered to  him  my  petition,  (for  the  greatness 
of  his  person  and  the  glory  of  his  countenance 
would  not  suffer  me  to  stand  upon  my  legs.) 
Now  as  he  received  the  petition  I cried,  Oh 
that  Mansoul  might  still  live  before  thee!  So 
when  for  a while  he  had  looked  thereon,  he 
turned  him  about  and  said  to  his  servant,  ‘ Go 
thy  way  to  thy  place  again,  and  I will  consider 
of  thy  requests.’  ” The  messenger  added,  more- 
over, and  said,  “The  Prince  to  whom  you  sent 
me  is  such  a one  for  beauty  and  glory  that 
whoso  sees  him  must  both  love  and  fear  him: 
I,  for  my  part,  can  do  no  less ; but  I know  not 
what  will  be  the  end  of  these  things.”  At  this 
answer  they  were  all  at  a stand,  both  they  in 
prison  and  they  that  followed  the  messenger 
thither  tr>  hear  the  news;  nor  knew  they  what 
or  what  manner  of  interpretation  to  put  upon 
what  the  Prince  had  said.  Now  when  the 
prison  was  cleared  of  the  throng  the  prisoners 
among  themselves  began  to  comment  upon 
Emmanuel’s  words.  My  lord  mayor  said  that 
the  answer  did  not  look  with  a rugged  face ; 
but  Will-be-will  said  it  betokened  evil;  and 
the  recorder,  that  it  was  a messenger  of  death. 
Now,  they  that  were  left  and  that  stood  be- 
hind, and  so  could  not  so  well  hear  what  the 
prisoners  said,  some  of  them  catched  hold  of 
one  piece  of  a sentence  and  some  on  a bit  of 
another;  some  took  hold  of  what  the  messen- 
ger said,  and  some  of  the  prisoners’  judgment 
thereon ; so  none  had  the  right  understanding 
of  things;  but  you  cannot  imagine  what  work 
these  people  made  and  what  a confusion  there 
was  in  Mansoul  now. 

For  presently  they  that  had  heard  what  was 
said  flew  about  the  town,  one  crying  one 
thing,  and  another  the  quite  contrary,  and 
both  were  sure  enough  they  told  true ; for 
they  did  hear,  they  said,  with  their  ears  what 
was  said,  and  therefore  could  not  be  deceived. 
One  would  say,  “ We  must  all  be  killed ;”  an- 
other would  say,  “ We  must  all  be  saved ;” 
and  a third  would  say,  “That  the  Prince 


would  not  be  concerned  with  Mansoul and 
a fourth,  “ That  the  prisoners  must  be  sud- 
denly put  to  death.”  And,  as  I said,  every 
one  stood  to  it  that  he  told  his  tale  the  Tight- 
est, and  that  all  others  but  he  were  out. 
Wherefore  Mansoul  had  now  molestation  upon 
molestation,  nor  could  any  man  know  on  what 
to  rest  the  sole  of  his  foot ; for  one  would  go 
by  now,  and  as  he  went,  if  he  heard  his  neigh- 
bour tell  his  tale,  to  be  sure  he  would  tell  the 
quite  contrary,  and  both  would  stand  in  it 
that  he  told  the  truth.  Nay,  some  of  them 
had  got  this  story  by  the  end,  “That  the 
Prince  did  intend  to  put  Mansoul  to  the 
sword.”  And  now  it  began  to  be  dark ; 
wherefore  poor  Mansoul  was  in  sad  per- 
plexity all  that  night  until  the  morning. 

But,  so  far  as  I could  gather  by  the  best 
information  that  I could  get,  all  this  hubbub 
came  through  the  words  that  the  recorder  said 
when  he  told  them  that  in  his  judgment  the 
Prince’s  answer  was  a messenger  of  death.  It 
was  this  that  fired  the  town  and  that  began 
the  fright  in  Mansoul ; for  Mansoul,  in  former 
times,  did  use  to  count  that  Mr.  Recorder  was 
a seer,  and  that  his  sentence  was  equal  to  the 
best  of  oracles;  and  thus  was  Mansoul  a 
terror  to  itself. 

And  now  did  they  begin  to  feel  what  was 
the  effects  of  stubborn  rebellion  and  unlawful 
resistance  against  their  Prince.  I say  they 
now  began  to  feel  the  effects  thereof  by  guilt 
and  fear,  that  now  had  swallowed  them  up; 
and  who  more  involved  in  the  one  but  they 
that  were  most  in  the  other — to  wit,  the  chief 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul? 

To  be  brief,  when  the  fame  of  the  fright 
was  out  of  the  town,  and  the  prisoners  had  a 
little  recovered  themselves,  they  take  to  them- 
selves some  heart  and  think  to  jxetition  the 
Prince  for  life  again.  So  they  did  draw  up 
a third  petition,  the  contents  whereof  were 
these : 

“ Prince  Emmanuel  the  Great,  Lord  of  all 
worlds  and  Master  of  mercy,  we,  thy  poor, 
wretched,  miserable,  dying  town  of  Mansoul, 
do  confess  unto  thy  great  and  glorious  Ma- 
jesty that  we  have  sinned  against  thy  Father 
and  thee,  and  are  no  more  worthy  to  be  called 
thy  Mansoul,  but  rather  to  be  cast  into  the 
pit.  If  thou  wilt  slay  us,  we  have  deserved  it. 
If  thou  wilt  condemn  us  to  the  deep,  we  can- 
not but  say  thou  art  righteous.  We  cannot 
complain  whatever  thou  dost  or  however  thou 
carriest  it  towards  us.  But  oh  let  mercy  reign, 
and  let  it  be  extended  to  us ! Oh  let  mercy 


THE  HOLY  II’. IT?. 


take  hold  upon  us  ami  free  us  from  our  trans- 
gressions, and  we  will  sing  of  thy  mercy  and 
of  thy  judgment.  Amen.” 

This  petition,  when  drawn  up,  was  designed 
to  be  sent  to  the  Prince,  as  the  first;  but  who 
should  carry  it?  that  was  the  question.  Some 
said,  “Let  him  do  it  that  went  with  the  first;” 
but  others  thought  not  good  to  do  that,  and 
that  because  he  sped  no  better.  Now  there 
was  an  old  man  in  the  town,  and  his  name 
was  Mr.  Good-deed,  a man  that  bare  only  the 
name,  but  had  nothing  of  the  nature  of  the 
thing:  now’ some  were  for  sending  him,  but 
the  recorder  was  by  no  means  for  that;  “For,” 
said  he,  “wre  now  stand  in  need  of  and  are 
pleading  for  mercy ; wherefore  to  send  our 
petition  by  a man  of  this  name  will  seem  to 
cross  the  petition  itself.  Should  we  make  Mr. 
Good-deed  our  messenger  when  our  position 
cries  for  mercy  ? 

“ Besides,”  quoth  the  old  gentleman,  “ should 
the  Prince,  now’  as  he  receives  the  petition,  ask 
him  and  say,  What  is  thy  name?  as  nobody 
knows  but  he  will,  and  he  should  say,  Old 
Good-deed  ; what  think  you  would  Emmanuel 
say  but  this,  Ay ! is  old  Good-deed  yet  alive 
in  Mansoul?  Then  let  old  Good-deed  save 
you  from  your  distresses.  And  if  he  says  so, 
I am  sure  wre  are  iost,  nor  can  a thousand  of 
old  Good-deeds  save  Mansoul.” 

After  the  recorder  had  given  in  his  reasons 
why  old  Good-deed  should  not  go  with  this 
petition  to  Emmanuel,  the  rest  of  the  prison- 
ers and  chief  of  Mansoul  opposed  it  also ; and 
so  old  Good-deed  was  laid  aside,  and  they 
agreed  to  send  Mr.  Desires-awake  again ; so 
they  sent  for  him,  and  desired  him  that  he 
would  a second  time  go  with  their  petition  to 
the  Prince,  and  he  readily  told  them  he  would. 
But  they  bid  him  that  in  anywise  lie  would 
take  heed  that  in  no  word  or  carriage  he  gave 
offence  to  the  Prince;  For  by  doing  so,  for 
aught  we  can  tell,  you  may  bring  Mansoul 
into  utter  destruction,  said  they. 

Now’  Mr.  Desires-awake,  when  he  saw  that 
he  must  go  of  this  errand,  besought  that  they 
would  grant  that  Mr.  Wet-eyes  might  go  with 
him.  Now'  this  Wet-eyes  was  a near  neigh- 
bour of  Mr.  Desires,  a poor  man,  a man  of  a 
broken  spirit,  yet  one  that  could  speak  well  to 
a petition.  So  they  granted  that  he  should  go 
with  him.  Wherefore  they  addressed  them- 
selves to  their  business : Mr.  Desires  put  a rope 
upon  his  head,  and  Mr.  Wet-eyes  went  with 
hands  wringing  together.  Thus  they  went  to 
the  Prince’s  pavilion. 


411 

Now  when  they  went,  to  petition  this  third 
time  they  w’ere  not  without  thoughts  that  by 
often  coming  they  might  be  a burden  to  the 
Prince.  Wherefore,  when  they  were  come  to 
the  door  of  his  pavilion,  they  first  made  their 
apology  for  themselves  and  for  their  coming  to 
trouble  Emmanuel  so  often,  and  they  said 
that  they  came  not  hither  to-day  for  that  they 
delighted  in  being  troublesome,  or  for  that 
they  delighted  to  hear  themselves  talk,  but  for 
that  necessity  caused  them  to  come  to  his 
Majesty;  they  could,  they  said,  have  no  rest 
day  nor  night  because  of  their  transgressions 
against  Shaddai  and  against  Emmanuel  his 
Son.  They  also  thought  that  some  misbe- 
haviour of  Mr.  Desires-awake  the  last  time 
might  give  distaste  to  his  Highness,  and  so 
caused  that  he  returned  from  so  merciful  a 
Prince  empty  and  without  countenance.  So 
when  they  had  made  this  apology,  Mr.  Desires- 
aw’ake  cast  himself  prostrate  upon  the  ground 
as  at  first,  at  the  feet  of  the  mighty  Prince, 
saying,  “ Oh  that  Mansoul  might  live  before 
thee!”  and  so  he  delivered -his  petition.  The 
Prince  then,  having  read  the  petition,  turned 
aside  aw'liile  as  before,  and  coming  again  to 
the  place  where  the  petitioner  lay  on  the 
ground,  he  demanded  what  his  name  was,  and 
of  what  esteem  in  the  account  of  Mansoul,  for 
that  he,  above  all  the  multitude  of  Mansoul, 
should  be  sent  to  him  upon  such  an  errand  ? 
Then  said  the  man  to  the  Prince,  “ Oh  let  not 
my  Lord  be  angry,  and  why  inquirest  thou 
after  the  name  of  such  a dead  dog  as  I am? 
Pass  by,  I pray  thee,  and  take  no  notice  of 
who  I am,  because  there  is,  as  thou  very  well 
knowest,  so  great  a disproportion  between  me 
and  thee.  Why  the  townsmen  chose  to  send 
me  on  this  errand  to  my  Lord  is  best  known 
to  themselves ; but  it  could  not  be  for  that  they 
thought  that  I had  favour  with  my  Lord.  For 
my  part,  I am  out  of  charity  with  myself: 
who  then  should  be  in  love  with  me?  Vet 
live  I W’Ould,  and  so  would  I that  my  towns- 
men should ; and  because  both  they  and  my- 
self are  guilty  of  great  transgressions,  therefore 
they  have  sent  me,  and  I am  come  in  their 
names  to  beg  of  my  Lord  for  mercy.  Let  it 
please  thee  therefore  to  incline  to  mercy,  but 
ask  not  what  thv  servants  are.” 

Then  said  the  Prince,  “ And  what  is  he  that 
is  become  thy  companion  in  so  weighty  a mat- 
ter?” So  Mr.  Desires  told  Emmanuel  that  he 
was  a poor  neighbour  of  his  and  one  of  his 
most  intimate  associates,  and  his  name,  said 
he,  may  it  please  your  most  excellent  Majesty, 


412 


EUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WOEKS. 


is  Wet-eyes,  of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  I know 
that  there  are  many  of  that  name  that  are 
naught;  hut  I hope  it  will  be  no  offence  to  my 
Lord  that  I have  brought  my  poor  neighbour 
with  me. 

Then  Mr.  Wet-eyes  fell  on  his  face  to  the 
ground,  and  made  this  apology  for  his  coming 
with  his  neighbour  to  my  Lord. 

“ 0 my  Lord,  (quoth  he,)  what  I am  I know 
not  myself,  nor  whether  my  name  be  feigned 
or  true,  especially  when  I begin  to  think  what 
some  have  said— namely,  that  this  name  was 
given  me  because  Mr.  Repentance  was  my 
father.  Good  men  have  bad  children,  and  the 
sincere  do  oftentimes  beget  hypocrites.  My 
mother  also  called  me  by  this  name  from  my 
cradle,  but  whether  because  of  the  moistness 
of  my  brain,  or  because  of  the  softness  of  my 
heart,  I cannot  tell.  I see  dirt  in  mine  own 
tears  and  filthiness  in  the  bottom  of  my  prayers. 
But  I pray  thee  (and  all  this  Avhile  the  gentle- 
man wept)  that  thou  wouldst  not  remember 
against  us  our  transgressions,  nor  take  offence 
at  the  unqualifiedness  of  thy  servants,  but 
mercifully  pass  by  the  sin  of  Mansoul,  and 
refrain  from  the  glorifying  of  thy  grace  no 
longer.” 

So  at  his  bidding  they  arose  and  both  stood 
trembling  before  him,  and  he  spake  to  them  to 
this  purpose : 

“ The  town  of  Mansoul  hath  grievously  re- 
belled against  my  Father,  in  that  they  have 
rejected  him  from  being  their  King,  and  did 
choose  to  themselves  for  their  captain  a liar, 
a murderer,  and  a runagate  slave.  For  this 
Diabolus  and  your  pretended  prince,  though 
one  so  highly  accounted  of  by  you,  made  re- 
bellion against,  my  Father  and  me,  even  in  our 
palace  and  the  highest  court  there,  thinking 
to  become  a prince  and  king.  But  being  there 
timely  discovered  and  apprehended,  and  for 
his  wickedness  bound  in  chains  and  separated 
to  the  pit  with  those  that  were  his  companions, 
he  offered  himself  to  you,  and  you  have  re- 
ceived him. 

“ Now  this  is,  and  for  a long  time  hath  been, 
an  high  affront  to  my  P'ather;  wherefore  my 
Father  sent  to  you  a powerful  army  to  reduce 
you  to  your  obedience.  But  you  know  how 
those  men,  their  captains  and  their  counsels 
were  esteemed  of  you,  and  what  they  received 
at  your  hand.  You  rebelled  against  them,  you 
shut  your  gates  upon  them,  you  bid  them  bat- 
tle, you  fought  them,  and  fought  for  Diabolus 
against  them.  So  they  sent  to  my  Father  for 
more  power,  and  I with  my  men  am  come  to 


subdue  you.  But  as  you  treated  the  servants, 
so  you  treated  their  Lord.  You  stood  up  in 
hostile  manner  against  me ; you  shut  up  your 
gates  against  me ; you  turned  a deaf  ear  to  me 
and  resisted  as  long  as  you  could ; but  now  I 
have  made  a conquest  of  you.  Did  you  cry 
me  mercy  so  long  as  you  had  hopes  that  you 
might  prevail  against  me?  But  now  I have 
taken  the  town,  you  cry ; but  why  did  you  not 
cry  before,  when  the  white  flag  of  mercy,  and 
the  red  flag  of  justice,  and  the  black  flag  that 
threatened  execution  were  set  up  to  cite  you  to 
it?  Now  I have  conquered  your  Diabolus, 
you  come  to  me  for  favour ; but  why  did  you 
not  help  me  against  the  mighty  ? Yet  I will 
consider  your  petition,  and  will  answer  it  so  as 
will  be  for  my  glory. 

“ Go  bid  Captain  Boanerges  and  Captain 
Conviction  bring  the  prisoners  out  to  me  into 
the  camp  to-morrow  ; and  say  you  to  Captain 
Judgment  and  Captain  Execution,  Stay  you  in 
the  castle,  and  take  good  heed  to  yourselves 
that  you  keep  all  quiet  in  Mansoul  until  you 
shall  hear  further  from  me.”  And  with  that 
he  turned  himself  from  them  and  went  to  his 
royal  pavilion  again. 

So  the  petitioners,  having  received  this  an- 
swer from  the  Prince,  returned,  as  at  first,  to 
go  to  their  companions  again.  But  they  had 
not  gone  far  but  thoughts  began  to  work  in 
their  minds  that  no  mercy  as  yet  was  intended 
by  the  Prince  to  Mansoul.  So  they  went  to 
the  place  where  the  prisoners  lay  bound;  but 
these  workings  of  mind  about  what  would  be- 
come of  Mansoul  had  such  strong  power  over 
them  that  by  that  they  were  come  unto  them 
that  sent  them  they  were  scarce  able  to  deliver 
their  message. 

But  they  came  at  length  to  the  gates  of  the 
town,  (now  the  townsmen  with  earnestness 
were  Avaiting  for  their  return,)  Avhere  many 
met  them  to  knoAV  Avliat  answer  Avas  made  to 
the  petition.  Then  they  cried  out  to  those 
that  Avere  sent,  “ What  neAVS  from  the  Prince? 
and  what  hath  Emmanuel  said?”  But  they 
said  that  they  must,  as  before,  go  up  to  the 
prison  and  there  deliver  their  message.  So 
aAvay  they  Avent  to  the  prison,  Avith  a multitude 
at  their  heels.  Noav,  Avhen  they  Avere  come  to 
the  gates  of  the  prison  they  told  the  first  part 
of  Emmanuel’s  speech  to  the  prisoners — to  Avit, 
Iaoav  he  reflected  upon  their  disloyalty  to  his 
Father  and  himself,  and  Iioav  they  had  chosen 
and  closed  Avith  Diabolus,  had  fought  for  him, 
hearkened  to  him,  and  been  ruled  by  him,  but 
had  despised  him  and  his  men.  This  made 


THE  IIOLY  WAR. 


413 


the  prisoners  look  pale;  but  the  messengers 
proceeded  and  said,  “ He,  the  Prince,  said 
moreover  that  yet  he  would  consider  your  pe- 
tition and  give  such  answer  thereto  as  would 
stand  with  his  glory.”  And  as  these  words 
were  spoken,  Mr.  Wet-eyes  gave  a great  sigh. 
At  this  they  were  all  of  them  struck  into 
their  dumps,  and  could  not  tell  what  to  say. 
Fear  also  possessed  them  in  a marvellous 
manner,  and  death  seemed  to  sit  upon  some  of 
their  eyebrows.  Now,  there  was  in  the  com- 
pany a notable  sharp-witted  fellow,  a mean 
man  of  estate,  and  his  name  was  old  Inquis- 
itive; this  man  asked  the  petitioners  if  they 
had  told  out  every  whit  of  what  Emmanuel 
said.  And  they  answered,  “ Verily,  no.”  Then 
said  Inquisitive,  “ I thought  so  indeed.  Pray 
what  was  it  more  that  he  said  unto  you?” 
Then  they  paused  awhile,  but  at  last  they 
brought  out  all,  saying,  “ The  Prince  ordered 
us  to  bid  Captain  Boanerges  and  Captain  Con- 
viction bring  the  prisoners  down  to  him  to- 
morrow, and  that  Captain  Judgment  and  Cap- 
tain Execution  should  take  charge  of  the  castle 
and  town  till  they  should  hear  further  from 
him.”  They  said  also  that  when  the  Prince 
had  commanded  them  thus  to  do,  he  immedi- 
ately turned  his  back  upon  them  and  went  into 
his  royal  pavilion. 

But  oh  how  this  return,  and  especially  this 
last  clause  of  it,  that  the  prisoners  must  go  out 
to  the  Prince  into  the  camp,  broke  all  their 
loins  in  pieces ! Wherefore  with  one  voice  they 
set  up  a cry  that  reached  up  to  the  heavens. 
This  done,  each  of  the  three  prepared  himself 
to  die,  (and  the  recorder  said  unto  them,  “This 
was  the  thing  that  I feared,”)  for  they  concluded 
that  to-morrow,  by  that  the  sun  went  down, 
they  should  be  tumbled  out  of  the  world.  The 
whole  town  also  counted  of  no  other  but  that 
in  their  time  and  order  they  must  all  drink 
of  the  same  cup.  Wherefore  the  town  of  Man- 
soul  spent  that  night  in  mourning,  and  sack- 
cloth, and  ashes.  The  prisoners  also,  when 
the  time  was  come  for  them  to  go  down  before 
the  Prince,  dressed  themselves  in  mourning  at- 
tire, with  ropes  upon  their  necks.  The  whole 
town  of  Mansoul  also  showed  themselves  upon 
the  wall,  all  clad  in  mourning  weeds,  if  per- 
haps the  Prince  with  the  sight  thereof  might 
be  moved  with  compassion.  But  oh  how  the 
busybodies  that  were  in  the  town  of  Mansoul 
did  now  concern  themselves ! They  ran  here 
and  there  through  the  streets  of  the  town  by 
companies,  crying  out  as  they  ran  in  tumult- 
uous-wise, one  after  one  manner,  and  another 


the  quite  contrary,  to  the  almost  utter  distrac- 
tion of  Mansoul. 

Well,  the  time  is  come  that  the  prisoners 
must  go  down  to  the  camp  and  appear  before 
the  Prince.  And  thus  was  the  manner  of  their 
going  down  : Captain  Boanerges  went  with  a 
guard  before  them,  and  Captain  Conviction 
came  behind,  and  the  prisoners  went  down 
bound  in  chains  in  the  midst;  so  I say  the 
prisoners  went  in  the  midst,  and  the  guard 
went  with  flying  colours  behind  and  before, 
but  the  prisoners  went  with  drooping  spirits. 

Or,  more  particularly,  thus  : 

The  prisoners  went  down  all  in  mourning ; 
they  put  ropes  upon  themselves ; they  went  on 
smiting  of  themselves  on  the  breast,  but  durst 
not  lift  up  their  eyes  to  heaven.  Thus  they 
went  out  at  the  gate  of  Mansoul  till  they  came 
into  the  midst  of  the  Prince’s  army,  the  sight 
and  glory  of  which  did  greatly  heighten  their 
affliction.  Nor  could  they  now  longer  forbear 
but  cry  out  aloud,  O unhappy  men!  0 
wretched  men  of  Mansoul  1 Their  chains, 
still  mixing  their  dolorous  notes  with  the  cries 
of  the  prisoners,  made  the  noise  more  lament- 
able. 

So,  when  they  were  come  to  the  door  of  the 
Prince’s  pavilion,  they  cast  themselves  pros- 
trate upon  the  place.  Then  one  went  in  and 
told  the  Lord  that  the  prisoners  were  come 
down.  The  Prince  then  ascended  a throne  of 
state,  and  sent  for  the  prisoners  in  ; who,  when 
they  came,  did  tremble  before  him  ; also  they 
covered  their  faces  with  shame.  Now  as  they 
drew  nearer  to  the  place  where  he  sat  they 
threw  themselves  down  before  him.  Then 
said  the  Prince  to  the  Captain  Boanerges,  Bid 
the  prisoners  stand  upon  their  feet.  They  then 
stood  trembling  before  him,  and  he  said,  Are 
you  the  men  that  heretofore  were  the  servants 
of  Shaddai?  And  they  said,  Yes,  Lord,  yes. 
Then  said  the  Prince  again,  Are  you  the  men 
that  did  suffer  yourselves  to  be  corrupted  and 
defiled  by  that  abominable  one,  Diabolus? 
And  they  said,  We  did  more  than  suffer  it, 
Lord,  for  we  chose  it  of  our  own  mind.  The 
Prince  asked  further,  saying,  Could  you  have 
been  content  that  your  slavery  should  have 
continued  under  his  tyranny  as  long  as  you 
had  lived?  Then  said  the  prisoners,  Yes, 
Lord,  yes,  for  his  ways  were  pleasing  to  our 
flesh,  and  we  were  grown  aliens  to  a better 
state.  And  did  you,  said  he,  when  I came  up 
against  this  town  of  Mansoul,  heartily  wish 
that  I might  not  have  the  victory  over  you? 
Yes,  Lord,  yes,  said  they.  Then  said  the 


414 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Prince,  And  wliat  punishment  is  it,  think  you, 
that  you  deserve  at  my  hand  for  these  and 
other  your  high  and  mighty  sins?  And  they 
said,  Both  death  and  the  deep,  Lord,  for  we 
have  deserved  no  less.  He  asked  again,  If 
they  had  aught  to  say  for  themselves  why  the 
sentence  that  they  confessed  that  they  had  de- 
served should  not  be  passed  upon  them?  And 
they  said,  We  can  say  nothing,  Lord  ; thou  art 
just,  for  we  have  sinned.  Then  said  the 
Prince,  And  for  what  are  these  ropes  on  your 
necks  ? The  prisoners  answered,  These  ropes 
are  to  bind  us  withal  to  the  place  of  execution, 
if  mercy  be  not  pleasing  in  thy  sight.  So  he 
further  asked,  If  all  the  men  in  the  town  of 
Mansoul  were  in  this  confession  as  they?  And 
they  answered.  All  the  natives,  Lord ; but  for 
the  Diabolonians  that  came  into  our  town 
tvhen  the  tyrant  got  posses^m  of  us,  we  can 
say  nothing  of  them. 

Then  the  Prince  commanded  that  an  herald 
should  be  called,  and  that  he  should  in  the 
midst  and  throughout  the  camp  of  Emmanuel 
proclaim,  and  that  with  sound  of  trumpet, 
that  the  Prince,  the  Son  of  Shaddai,  had  in 
his  Father’s  name  and  for  his  Father’s  glory, 
gotten  a perfect  conquest  and  victory  over  Man- 
soul,  and  that  the  prisoners  should  follow  him 
and  say,  Amen.  So  this  was  done  as  he  had 
commanded.  And  presently  the  music  that 
was  in  the  upper  regions  sounded  melodiously. 
The  captains  that  were  in  the  camp  shouted, 
and  the  soldiers  did  sing  songs  of  triumph  to 
the  Prince,  the  colours  waved  in  the  wind, 
and  great  joy  was  everywhere;  only  it  was 
wanting  as  yet  in  the  hearts  of  the  men  of 
Mansoul. 

Then  the  Prince  called  for  the  prisoners  to 
come  and  to  stand  again  before  him  ; and  they 
came  and  stood  trembling.  And  he  said  unto 
them,  The  sins,  trespasses,  iniquities  that  you, 
with  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul.  have  from 
time  to  time  committed  against  my  Father 
and  me, ' I have  power  and  commandment 
from  my  Father  to  forgive  to  the  town  of 
Mansoul ; and  do  forgive  you  accordingly. 
And  having  so  said,  he  gave  them,  written  in 
parchment  and  sealed  with  several  seals,  a 
large  and  general  pardon,  commanding  both 
my  lord  mayor,  my  Lord  Will-be-will,  and 
Mr.  Recorder  to  proclaim  and  cause  it  to  be 
proclaimed  to-morrow,  by  that  the  sun  is  up, 
throughout  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul.  More- 
over, the  Prince  stripped  the  prisoners  of  their 
mourning  weeds,  and  gave  them  beauty  for 
ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  and  the 


garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heavi- 
ness. 

Then  he  gave  to  each  of  the  three  jewels  of 
gold  and  precious  stones,  and  took  away  their 
ropes,  and  put  chains  of  gold  about  their 
necks  and  ear-rings  in  their  ears.  Now  the 
prisoners,  when  they  did  hear  the  gracious 
words  of  Prince  Emmanuel,  and  had  beheld 
all  that  was  done  unto  them,  fainted  almost 
quite  away ; for  the  grace,  the  benefit,  the 
pardon  were  so  sudden,  so  glorious,  and  so 
big  that  they  were  not  able,  without  stagger- 
ing, to  stand  up  under  it.  Yea,  my  Lord 
Will-be-will  swooned  outright,  but  the  Prince 
stept  to  him,  put  his  everlasting  arms  under 
him,  embraced  him,  kissed  him,  and  bid  him 
be  of  good  cheer,  for  all  should  be  performed 
according  to  his  word.  He  also  did  kiss  and 
embvace  and  smile  upon  the  other  two  that 
were  Will-be-will’s  companions,  saying,  Take 
these  as  further  tokens  of  my  love,  favour  and 
compassion  to  you ; and  I charge  you  that 
you,  Mr.  Recorder,  tell  in  the  town  of  Mansoul 
what  you  have  heard  and  seen. 

Then  were  their  fetters  broken  to  pieces 
before  their  faces  and  cast  into  the  air,  and 
their  steps  were  enlarged  under  them.  Then 
they  fell  doAvn  at  the  feet  of  the  Prince,  and 
kissed  his  feet  and  Avetted  them  Avith  tears; 
also  they  cried  out  Avith  a mighty  strong 
voice,  saying,  Blessed  be  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  from  this  place ! So  they  Avere  bid 
rise  up,  and  go  to  the  town,  and  tell  to  Man- 
soul what  the  Prince  had  done.  He  com- 
manded also  that  one  Avith  a pipe  and  tabour 
should  go  and  play  before  them  all  the  Avay 
into  the  toAA’n  of  Mansoul.  Then  was  fulfilled 
Avhat  they  neATer  looked  for,  and  they  were 
made  to  possess  that  Avhich  they  never  dreamed 
of.  The  Prince  also  called  for  the  noble  Cap- 
tain Credence,  and  commanded  that  he  and 
some  of  his  officers  should  march  before  the 
noblemen  of  Mansoul  with  flying  Colours  into 
the  tOAvn.  He  gave  also  unto  Captain  Cre- 
dence a charge  that  about  the  time  that  the  re- 
corder did  read  the  general  pardon  in  the 
town  of  Mansoul,  that  at  that  very  time  he 
should,  Avith  flying  colours,  march  in  at  Eve- 
gate  Avith  his  ten  thousand  at  his  feet,  and 
that  he  should  so  go  until  he  came  by  the 
high  street  of  the  tOAvn  up  to  the  castle-gates, 
and  that  himself  should  take  possession  there- 
of against  his  Lord  came  thither.  He  com- 
manded, moreover,  that  he  should  bid  Cap- 
tain Judgment  and  Captain  Execution  to 
leave  the  stronghold  to  him,  and  to  withdratv 


TIIE  HOLY  WAR. 


from  Mansoul,  and  to  return  into  the  camp 
with  speed  unto  the  Prince. 

And  now  was  the  town  of  Mansoul  also  de- 
livered from  the  terror  of  the  first  four  cap- 
tains and  their  men. 

Well,  I told  you  before  how  the  prisoners 
were  entertained  by  the  noble  Prince  Emman- 
uel, and  how  they  behaved  themselves  before 
him,  and  how  he  sent  them  away  to  their 
home  with  pipe  and  tabour  going  before  them. 
And  now  you  must  think  that  those  of  the 
town  that  had  all  this  while  waited  to  hear  of 
their  death  could  not  but  be  exercised  with 
sadness  of  mind  and  with  thoughts  that 
pricked  like  thorns.  Nor  could  their  thoughts 
be  kept  to  any  one  point.  The  wind  blew 
them  all  this  while  at  great  uncertainties ; 
yea,  their  hearts  were  like  a balance  that  had 
been  disquieted  with  a shaken  hand.  But  at 
last  as  they,  with  many  a long  look,  looked 
over  the  wall  of  Mansoul,  they  thought  that 
they  saw  some  returning  to  the  town;  and 
thought  again,  Who  should  they  be  too,  who 
should  they  be?  At  last  they  discerned  that 
they  were  the  prisoners  ; but  can  you  imagine 
how  their  hearts  were  surprised  with  wonder, 
especially  when  they  perceived  also  in  what 
equipage  and  with  what  honour  they  were 
sent  home ! They  went  down  to  the  camp  in 
black,  but  they  came  back  to  the  town  in 
white ; they  went  down  to  the  camp  in  ropes, 
they  came  back  in  chains  of  gold ; they  went 
down  to  the  camp  with  their  feet  in  fetters, 
but  came  back  with  their  steps  enlarged  under 
them  ; they  went  also  to  the  camp  looking  for 
death,  but  they  came  back  from  thence  with 
assurance  of  life ; they  went  down  to  the  camp 
with  heavy  hearts,  but  came  back  again  with 
pipe  and  tabour  playing  before  them.  As 
soon  as  they  were  come  to  Eye-gate,  the  poor 
and  tottering  town  of  Mansoul  adventured  to 
give  a shout ; and  they  gave  such  a shout  as 
made  the  captains  in  the  Prince’s  army  leap 
at  the  sound  thereof. 

Alas  for  them,  poor  hearts!  who  could  blame 
them,  since  their  dead  friends  were  come  to 
life  again?  for  it  was  to  them  as  life  from  the 
dead  to  see  the  ancients  of  the  town  of  Man- 
soul shine  in  such  splendour.  They  looked 
for  nothing  but  the  axe  and  the  block,  but 
behold  joy  and  gladness,  comfort  and  consola- 
tion, and  such  melodious  notes  attending  them 
as  were  sufficient  to  make  a sick  man  well. 
So  when  they  came,  up  they  saluted  each  other 
with  Welcome,  welcome,  and  blessed  be  He 
that  has  spared  you ! They  added  also,  We 


4 In 

see  it  is  well  with  you,  but  how  must  it.  go 
with  the  town  of  Mansoul?  and  will  it  go  well 
with  the  town  of  Mansoul?  said  they.  Then 
answered  them  the  recorder,  and  my  lord 
mayor,  Oh,  tidings  ! glad  tidings!  good  tidings 
of  good  and  of  great  joy  to  poor  Mansoul ! 
Then  they  gave  another  shout  that  made  the 
earth  to  ring  again.  After  this  they  inquired 
yet  more  particularly  how  things  went  in  the 
camp,  and  what  message  they  had  from  Em- 
manuel to  the  town.  So  they  told  them  all  the 
passages  that  had  happened  to  them  at  the 
camp,  and  everything  that  the  Prince  did  to 
them.  This  made  Mansoul  wonder  at  the  wis- 
dom and  grace  of  the  Prince  Emmanuel;  then 
they  told  them  what  they  had  received  at  his 
hands  for  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul ; and  the 
recorder  delivered  it  in  these  words:  Pardon, 
Pardon,  Pardon  for  Mansoul ! and  this  shall 
Mansoul  know  to-morrow.  Then  he  com- 
manded, and  they  went  and  summoned  Man- 
soul  to  meet  together  in  the  market-place  to- 
morrow, there  to  hear  their  general  pardon 
read. 

But  who  can  think  what  a turn,  what  a 
change,  what  an  alteration,  this  hint  of  things 
did  make  in  the  countenance  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul!  No  man  of  Mansoul  could  sleep 
that  night  for  joy;  in  every  house  there  was 
joy  and  music,  singing  and  making  merry ; 
telling  and  hearing  of  Manscul’s  happiness 
was  then  all  that  Mansoul  had  to  do ; and  this 
was  the  burden  of  all  their  song : Oh,  more  of 
this  at  the  rising  of  the  sun ! more  of  this  to- 
morrow ! Who  thought  yesterday,  would  one 
say,  that  this  day  would  have  been  such  a day 
to  us?  And  who  thought  that  saw  our  prison- 
ers go  down  in  irons  that  they  would  have 
returned  in  chains  of  gold?  Yea,  they  that 
judged  themselves  as  they  went  to  be  judged 
of  their  judge  were  by  his  mouth  acquitted, 
not  for  that  they  were  innocent,  but  of  the 
Prince’s  mercy,  and  sent  home  with  pipe  and 
tabour. 

But  is  this  the  common  custom  cf  princes? 
do  they  use  to  show  such  kind  of  favours  to 
traitors?  No!  This  is  only  peculiar  to  Shad- 
dai  and  unto  Emmanuel  his  Son. 

Now  morning  drew  on  apace,  wherefore  the 
lord  mayor,  the  Lord  Will-be-will,  and  Mr. 
Recorder  came  down  to  the  market-place  at 
the  time  the  Prince  had  appointed,  where  the 
townsfolk  were  waiting  for  them ; and  when 
they  came  they  came  in  that  attire  and  in  that 
I glory  that  the  Prince  had  put  them  into  the 
I day  before,  and  the  street  was  lightened  with 


416 


B UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


their  glory.  So  the  mayor,  recorder,  and  my 
Lord  Will-be-will  drew  down  to  Mouth-gate, 
which  was  at  the  lower  end  of  the  market- 
place, because  that  of  old  time  was  the  place 
where  they  used  to  read  public  matters. 
Thither,  therefore,  they  came  in  their  robes, 
and  their  tabour  went  before  them.  Now  the 
eagerness  of  the  people  to  know  the  full  of  the 
matter  was  great. 

Then  the  recorder  stood  up  upon  his  feet, 
and  first  beckoning  with  his  hand  for  a silence, 
he  read  out  with  a loud  voice  the  pardon.  But 
when  he  came  to  these  words,  The  Lord,  the 
Lord  God,  is  merciful  and  gracious,  pardoning 
iniquity,  transgressions,  and  sins,  and  to  them 
all  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  for- 
given, &c.,  they  could  not  forbear  but  leap  for 
joy.  For  this  you  must  know  that  there  was 
conjoined  herewith  every  man’s  name  in  Man- 
soul  ; also  the  seals  of  the  pardon  made  a brave 
show. 

When  the  recorder  had  made  an  end  of 
reading  the  pardon,  the  townsmen  ran  upon 
the  walls  of  the  tow'n  and  leaped  and  skipped 
thereon  for  joy,  and  bowed  themselves  seven 
times  with  their  faces  towards  Emmanuel’s 
pavilion,  and  shouted  out  aloud  for  joy,  and 
said,  Let  Emmanuel  live  for  ever!  Then 
order  was  given  to  the  young  men  in  Mansoul 
that  they  should  ring  the  bells  for  joy.  So  the 
bells  did  ring,  and  the  people  sing,  and  the 
music  played  in  every  house  in  Mansoul. 

When  the  prince  had  sent  home  the  three 
prisoners  of  Mansoul  with  joy  and  pipe  and 
tabour,  he  commanded  his  captains,  with  all 
the  field-officers  and  soldiers  throughout  his 
army,  to  be  ready  on  the  morning  that  the 
recorder  should  read  the  pardon  in  Mansoul  to 
do  his  further  pleasure.  So  the  morning,  as  I 
have  showed,  being  come,  just  as  the  recorder 
had  made  an  end  of  reading  the  pardon,  Em- 
manuel commanded  that  all  the  trumpets  in 
the  camp  should  sound,  that  the  colours  should 
be  displayed,  half  of  them  upon  Mount  Gra- 
cious, and  half  of  them  upon  Mount  Justice. 
He  commanded  also,  that  all  the  captains 
should  show  themselves  in  their  complete 
harness,  and  that  the  soldiers  should  shout  for 
joy.  Nor  was  Captain  Credence,  though  in  the 
castle,  silent  on  such  a day ; but  he,  from  the 
top  of  the  hold,  showed  himself  with  sound  of 
trumpet  to  Mansoul  and  to  the  Prince’s  camp. 

Thus  have  I shown  you  the  manner  and  way 
that  Emmanuel  took  to  recover  the  town  of 
Mansoul  from  under  the  hand  and  power  of 
the  tyrant  Diabolus. 


Now  when  the  Prince  had  completed  these 
outward  ceremonies  of  his  joy,  he  again  com- 
manded that  his  captains  and  soldiers  should 
show  unto  Mansoul  some  feats  of  war.  So 
they  presently  addressed  themselves  to  this 
work.  But  oh  with  what  agility,  nimbleness, 
dexterity,  and  bravery  did  these  military  men 
discover  their  skill  in  feats  of  war  to  the  now 
gazing  town  of  Mansoul ! 

They  marched,  they  countermarched,  they 
opened  to  the  right  and  left,  they  divided  and 
subdivided,  they  closed,  they  wheeled,  made 
good  their  front  and  rear  with  their  right  and 
left  wings,  and  twenty  things  more,  with  that 
aptness,  and  then  were  all  as  they  were  again, 
that  they  took,  yea,  ravished,  the  hearts  that 
were  in  Mansoul  to  behold  it.  But  add  to  this 
the  handling  of  their  arms,  the  managing  of 
their  weapons  of  war  were  marvellous  taking 
to  Mansoul  and  me. 

When  this  action  was  over  the  whole  town 
of  Mansoul  came  out  as  one  man  to  the  Prince 
in  the  camp  to  thank  him  and  praise  him  for 
his  abundant  favour,  and  to  beg  that  it  would 
please  his  Grace  to  come  unto  Mansoul  with 
his  men,  and  there  to  take  up  their  quarters  for 
ever.  And  this  they  did  in  most  humble  man- 
ner, bowing  themselves  seven  times  to  the 
ground  before  him.  Then  said  he,  “ All  peace 
be  to  you ! ” so  the  town  came  nigh,  and  touch- 
ed with  the  hand  the  top  of  his  golden  sceptre, 
and  they  said,  Oh  that  the  Prince  Emmanuel, 
with  his  captains  and  men  of  war,  would  dwell 
in  JMansoul  for  ever,  and  that  his  battering- 
rams  and  slings  might  be  lodged  in  her  for  the 
use  and  service  of  the  Prince  and  for  the  help 
and  strength  of  Mansoul ! For,  said  they,  we 
have  room  for  thee,  we  have  also  room  for  thy 
men,  we  have  also  room  for  thy  weapons  of 
war,  and  a place  to  make  a magazine  for  thy 
carriages.  Do  it,  Emmanuel,  and  thou  shalt 
be  king  and  captain  in  Mansoul  for  ever.  Yea, 
govern  thou  also  according  to  all  the  desire  of 
thy  soul,  and  make  thou  governors  and  princes 
under  thee  of  thy  captains  and  men  of  war, 
and  we  will  become  thy  servants  and  thy  laws 
shall  be  our  direction. 

They  added,  moreover,  and  prayed  his 
Majesty  to  consider  thereof;  for,  said  they,  if 
now  after  all  this  grace  bestowed  upon  us  thy 
miserable  town  of  Mansoul,  thou  shouldest 
withdraw,  thou  and  thy  captains  from  us,  the 
town  of  Mansoul  will  die.  Yea,  said  they,  our 
blessed  Emmanuel,  if  thou  shouldest  depart 
from  us  now,  after  thou  hast  done  so  much 
good  for  us  and  showed  so  much  mercy  unto 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


417 


us,  what  will  follow  but  that  our  joy  will  be  as 
if  it  had  not  been,  and  our  enemies  will  a 
second  time  come  upon  us  with  more  rage  than 
at  the  first?  Wherefore  we  beseech  thee,  O 
thou  the  desire  of  our  eyes  and  the  strength 
and  life  of  our  poor  town,  accept  of  this  motion 
that  now  we  have  made  unto  our  Lord,  and 
come  and  dwell  in  the  midst  of  us,  and  let  us 
be  thy  people.  Besides,  Lord,  we  do  not  know 
but  that  to  this  day  many  Diabolonians  may 
be  yet  lurking  in  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and 
they  will  betray  us,  when  thou  shalt  leave  us, 
into  the  hand  of  Diabolus  again ; and  who 
knows  what  designs,  plots,  or  contrivances  have 
passed  betwixt  them  about  these  things  already  ? 
Loth  we  are  to  fall  again  into  his  horrible  hands. 
Wherefore  let  it  please  thee  to  accept  of  our 
palace  for  thy  place  of  residence,  and  of  the 
houses  of  the  best  men  in  our  town  for  the  re- 
ception of  thy  soldiers  and  their  furniture. 

Then  said  the  Prince,  “ If  I come  to  your 
town,  will  you  suffer  me  further  to  prosecute 
that  which  is  in  mine  heart  against  mine 
enemies  and  yours?  yea,  will  you  help  me  in 
such  undertakings?” 

They  answered,  We  know  not  what  we  shall 
'do.  We  did  not  think  once  that  we  should 
have  been  such  traitors  to  Shaddai  as  we  have 
proved  to  be;  what  then  shall  we  say  to  our 
Lord?  Let  him  put  no  trust  in  his  saints ; let 
the  Prince  dwell  in  our  castle,  and  make  of  our 
town  a garrison ; let  him  set  his  noble  captains 
and  his  warlike  soldiers  over  us.  Yea,  let  him 
conquer  with  his  love  and  overcome  us  with 
his  grace,  and  help  us,  as  he  did  that  morning 
our  pardon  was  read  unto  us ; so  shall  we  com- 
ply with  this  our  Lord  and  with  his  ways,  and 
fall  in  with  his  word  against  the  mighty. 

One  word  more,  and  thy  servants  have  done, 
and  in  this  will  trouble  our  Lord  no  more. 
We  know  not  the  depth  of  the  wisdom  of  thee, 
our  Prince.  Who  could  have  thought,  that 
had  been  ruled  by  his  reason,  that  so  much 
sweet  as  we  do  now  enjoy  should  have  come 
out  of  those  bitter  trials  wherewith  we  were 
tried  at  the  first  ? but,  Lord,  let  light  go  before, 
and  let  love  come  after;  yea,  take  us  by  the 
hand  and  lead  us  by  thy  counsels,  and  let  this 
always  abide  upon  us,  that  all  things  shall  be 
for  the  best  for  thy  servants,  and  come  to  our 
Mansoul  and  do  as  it  pleaseth  thee.  0 Lord, 
come  to  our  Mansoul ; do  what  thou  wilt,  so 
thou  keepest  us  from  sinning  and  makest  us 
serviceable  to  thy  Majesty. 

Then  said  the  Prince  to  the  town  of  Mansoul 
again,  “ Go,  return  to  your  houses  in  peace.  I 
27 


will  willingly  in  this  comply  with  your  desires. 
I will  remove  my  royal  pavilion,  I will  draw 
up  my  forces  before  Eye-gate  to-morrow,  and 
so  will  march  forwards  into  the  town  of  Man- 
soul. I will  possess  myself  of  your  castle  of 
Mansoul,  and  will  set  my  soldiers  over  you; 
yea,  I will  yet  do  things  in  Mansoul  that  can- 
not be  paralleled  in  any  nation,  country,  and 
kingdom  under  heaven.” 

Then  did  the  men  of  Mansoul  give  a shout, 
and  returned  unto  their  houses  in  peace;  they 
also  told  to  their  kindred  and  friends  the  good 
that  Emmanuel  had  promised  to  Mansoul. 
And  to-morrow,  said  they,  he  will  march  into 
our  town  and  take  up  his  dwelling,  he  and  his 
men,  in  Mansoul. 

Then  went  out  the  inhabitants  of  the  town 
of  Mansoul  with  haste  to  the  green  trees  and 
to  the  meadows  to  gather  boughs  and  flowers, 
wherewith  to  strew  the  streets  against  their 
Prince,  the  Son  of  Shaddai,  should  come; 
they  also  made  garlands  and  other  fine  works, 
to  betoken  how  joyful  they  were  and  should 
be  to  receive  their  Emmanuel  into  Mansoul ; 
yea,  they  strewed  the  street  quite  from  Eve- 
gate  to  the  castle-gate,  the  place  where  the 
Prince  should  be.  They  also  prepared  for  his 
coming  wh&t  music  the  town  of  Mansoul  could 
afford,  that  they  might  play  before  him  to  the 
palace,  his  habitation. 

So  at  the  time  appointed  he  makes  his  ap- 
proach to  Mansoul,  and  the  gates  were  set  open 
for  him  ; there  also  the  ancients  and  elders  of 
Mansoul  met  him  to  salute  him  with  a thou- 
sand welcomes.  Then  he  arose  and  entered 
Mansoul,  he  and  all  his  servants.  The  elders 
of  Mansoul  did  also  go  dancing  before  him  till 
he  came  to  the  castle-gates.  And  this  was  the 
manner  of  his  going  up  thither:  He  was  clad 
in  his  golden  armour,  he  rode  in  his  royal 
chariot,  the  trumpets  sounded  about  him,  the 
colours  were  displayed,  his  ten  thousands  went 
up  at  his  feet,  and  the  elders  of  Mansoul 
danced  before  him.  And  now  were  the  walls 
of  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul  filled  with  the 
tramplings  of  the  inhabitants  thereof,  who 
went  up  thither  to  view  the  approach  of  the 
blessed  Prince  and  his  royal  army.  Also  the 
casements,  windows,  balconies  and  tops  of  the 
houses  were  all  now  filled  with  persons  of  all 
sorts,  to  behold  how  their  town  was  to  be  filled 
with  good. 

Nowr,  when  he  was  come  so  far  into  the  town 
as  to  the  recorder’s  house  he  commanded  that 
one  should  go  to  Captain  Credence,  to  know 
whether  the  castle  of  Mansoul  was  prepared 


418 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  entertain  his)  Royal  Presence,  (for  the  prep- 
aration of  that  was  left  to  that  captain  ; ) and 
word  was  brought  that  it  was.  Then  was 
Captain  Credence  commanded  also  to  come 
forth  with  his  power  to  meet  the  Prince;  the 
which  was,  as  he  had  commanded,  done,  and 
he  conducted  him  into  the  castle.  This  done, 
the  Prince  that  night  did  lodge  in  the  castle 
with  his  mighty  captains  and  men  of  war,  to 
the  joy  of  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

Now  the  next  care  of  the  townsfolk  was,  how 
the  captains  and  soldiers  of  the  Prince’s  army 
should  be  quartered  among  them;  and  the  care 
was  not  how  they  should  shut  their  hands  of 
them,  but  how  they  should  fill  their  houses 
with  them ; for  every  man  in  Mansoul  now  had 
that  esteem  of  Emmanuel  and  his  men  that 
nothing  grieved  them  more  than  because  they 
were  not  enlarged  enough,  every  one  of  them, 
to  receive  the  whole  army  of  the1  Prince;  yea, 
they  counted  it  their  glory  to  be  waiting  upon 
them,  and  would  in  those  days  run  at  their 
bidding  like  lackeys.  At  last  they  came  to 
this  result : 

1.  That  Captain  Innocency  should  quarter 
at  Mr.  Reason’s. 

2.  That  Captain  Patience  should  quarter  at 
Mr.  Mind’s.  This  Mr.  Mind  was  formerly  the 
Lord  Will-be-will’s  clerk,  in  time  of  the  late 
rebellion. 

3.  It  was  ordered  that  Captain  Charity  should 
quarter  at  Mr.  Affection’s  house. 

4.  That  Captain  Good-hope  should  quarter 
at  my  lord  mayor’s.  Now  for  the  house  of 
the  recorder,  himself  desired,  because  his 
house  was  next  to  the  castle,  and  because  from 
him  it  was  ordered  by  the  Prince  that  if  need 
be  the  alarm  should  be  given  to  Mansoul, — it 
was,  I say,  desired  by  him  that  Captain 
Boanerges  and  Captain  Conviction  should  take 
up  their  quarters  with  him,  even  they  and  all 
their  men. 

5.  As  for  Captain . Judgment  and  Captain 
Execution,  my  Lord  Will-be-will  took  (hem 
and  their  men  to  him,  because  he  was  to  rule 
under  the  Prince  for  the  good  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul  now,  as  he  had  before  under  the  ty- 
rant Diabolus  for  the  hurt  and  damage  there- 
of. 

6.  And  throughout  the  rest  of  the  town  were 
quartered  Emmanuel’s  forces,  but  Captain 
Credence  with  his  men  abode  still  in  the  castle. 
So  the  Prince,  his  captains,  and  his  soldiers 
were  lodged  in  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

Now  the  ancients  and  elders  of  the  towm  of 
Mansoul  thought  that  they  never  should  have 


enough  of  the  Prince  Emmanuel ; his  person, 
his  actions,  his  words,  and  behaviour  w'ere  so 
pleasing,  so  taking,  so  desirable  to  them. 
Wherefore  they  prayed  him  that  though  the 
castle  of  Mansoul  was  his  place  of  residence, 
(and  they  desired  that  he  might  dwell  there 
for  ever,)  yet  that  he  would  often  visit  the 
streets,  houses,  and  people  of  Mansoul;  for 
said  they,  Dread  Sovereign,  thy  presence,  thy 
looks,  thy  smiles,  thy  words  are  the  life,  and 
strength,  and  sinews  of  the  town  of  Man- 
soul. 

Besides  this,  they  craved  that  they  might 
have,  without  difficulty  or  interruption,  con- 
tinual access  unto  him,  (so  for  that  very  pur- 
pose he  commanded  that  the  gates  should 
stand  open,)  that  they  might  there  see  the 
maimer  of  his  doings,  the  fortifications  of  the 
place,  and  the  royal  mansion-house  of  the 
Prince. 

When  he  spake  they  all  stopped  their 
mouths  and  gave  audience ; and  when  he 
walked  it  was  their  delight  to  imitate  him  in 
his  goings. 

Nowq  upon  a time  Emmanuel  made  a feast 
for  the  towm  of  Mansoul,  and  upon  the  feast- 
ing-day  the  townsfolk  were  come  to  the  castle 
to  partake  of  his  banquet.  And  he  feasted 
them  with  all  manner  of  outlandish  food — food 
that  grew  not  in  the  fields  of  Mansoul  nor  in 
all  the  whole  kingdom  -of  Universe.  It  was 
food  that  came  from  his  Father’s  court.  And 
so  there  was  dish  after  dish  set  before  them, 
and  they  were  commanded  freely  to  eat.  But 
still,  when  a fresh  dish  was  set  before  them, 
they  would  whisperingly  say  to  each  other, 
What  is  it?  for  they  wist  not  what  to  call  it. 
They  drank  also  of  the  water  that  wras  made 
wine,  and  were  very  merry  with  him.  There 
was  music  also,  all  the  while  at  the  table,  and 
man  did  eat  angel’s  food,  and  had  honey  given 
him  out  of  the  rock.  So  Mansoul  did  eat  the 
food  that  was  peculiar  to  the  court ; yea,  they 
had  now  thereof  to  the  full. 

I must  not  forget  to  tell  you  that  as  at  this 
table  there  were  musicians,  so  they  were  not 
those  of  the  country  nor  yet  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul  ; but  they  were  the  masters  of  the 
songs  that  were  sung  at  the  court  of  Shaddai. 

Now,  after  the  feast  was  over  Emmanuel  was 
for  entertaining  the  town  of  Mansoul  'with 
some  curious  riddles  of  secrets  drawn  up  by 
his  Father’s  secretary,  by  the  skill  and  wisdom 
of  Shaddai : the  like  to  these  there  is  not  in 
any  kingdom.  These  riddles  were  made  upon 
the  King  Shaddai  himself,  and  upon  Em- 


TIIE  HOLY  TIM R. 


419 


manuel  his  Son,  and  upon  his  wars  and  doings 
with  Mansoul. 

Emmanuel  also  expounded  unto  them  some 
of  those  riddles  himself;  hut  oh  how  they 
were  lightened ! They  saw  what  they  never 
saw ; they  could  not  have  thought  that  such 
rarities  could  have  been  couched  in  so  few  and 
such  ordinary  words.  I told  you  before  whom 
these  riddles  did  concern,  and  as  they  were 
opened  the  people  did  evidently  see  it  was  so. 
Yea,  they  did  gather  that  the  things  themselves 
were  a kind  of  portraiture,  and  that  of  Em- 
manuel himself;  for  when  they  read  in  the 
scheme  where  the  riddles  were  writ,  and  looked 
in  the  face  of  the  Prince,  things  looked  so  like 
the  one  to  the  other  that  Mansoul  could  not 
forbear  but  say,  “This  is  the  Lamb;  this  is 
the  sacrifice ; this  is  the  rock ; this  is  the  red 
cow ; this  is  the  door ; and  this  is  the  way  ; ” 
with  a great  many  other  things  more. 

And  thus  he  dismissed  the  town  of  Man- 
soul. But  can  you  imagine  how  the  people  of 
the  corporation  were  taken  with  this  enter- 
tainment? Oh,  they  were  transported  with 
joy,  they  were  drowned  with  wonderment, 
while  they  saw,  and  understood,  and  considered 
what  their  Emmanuel  entertained  them  withal, 
and  what  mysteries  lie  opened  to  them ; and 
when  they  were  at  home  in  their  houses,  and  in 
their  most  retired  places,  they  could  not  but 
sing  of  him  and  of  his  actions.  Yea,  so  taken 
were  the  townsmen  now  with  their  Prince  that 
they  would  sing  of  him  in  their  sleep. 

Now,  it  was  in  the  heart  of  Prince  Emmanuel 
to  new-model  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and  to  put 
it  into  such  a condition  as  might  be  more 
pleasing  to  him,  and  that  might  best  stand 
with  the  profit  and  security  of  the  now  flour- 
ishing town  of  Mansoul.  He  provided  also 
against  insurrections  at  home  and  invasions 
from  abroad,  such  love  had  he  for  the  famous 
town  of  Mansoul. 

Wherefore  he  first  of  all  commanded  that 
the  great  slings  that  were  brought  from  his 
Father’s  court  when  he  came  to  the  war  of 
Mansoul  should  be  mounted,  some  upon  the 
battlements  of  the  castle,  some  upon  the 
towers,  for  there  were  towers  in  the  town  of 
Mansoul — towers  new  built  by  Emmanuel  since 
he  came  thither.  There  was  also  an  instru- 
ment invented  by  Emmanuel  that  was  to  throw 
stones  from  the  castle  of  Mansoul  out  at  Moutli- 
gate  ; an  instrument  that  could  not  be  resisted, 
nor  that  would  miss  of  execution  ; wherefore, 
for  the  wonderful  exploits  that  it  did  when 
used,  it  went  without  a name,  and  it  was  com- 


mitted to  the  care  of  and  to  be  managed  by 
that  brave  captain,  the  Captain  Credence,  in 
case  of  war. 

This  done,  Emmanuel  called  the  Lord  Will- 
be-will  to  him,  and  gave  him  in  commandment 
to  take  care  of  the  gates,  the  wall  and  towers 
in  Mansoul ; also  the  Prince  gave  him  the 
militia  into  his  hand,  and  a special  charge  to 
withstand  all  insurrections  and  tumults  that 
might  be  made  in  Mansoul  against  the  peace 
of  our  Lord  the  King  and  the  peace  and  tran- 
quillity of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  Pie  also 
gave  him  in  commission  that  if  he  found  any 
of  the  Diabolonians  lurking  in  any  corner  of 
the  famous  town  of  Mansoul,  he  should  forth- 
with apprehend  them,  and  stay  them  or  com- 
mit them  to  safe  custody,  that  they  might  bo 
proceeded  against  according  to  law. 

Then  he  called  unto  him  the  Lord  Under- 
standing, who  was  the  old  lord  mayor,  he  that 
was  put  out  of  place  when  Diabolus  took  the 
town,  and  put  him  into  his  former  office  again  ; 
and  it  became  his  place  for  his  lifetime.  He 
bid  him  also  that  he  should  build  him  a palace 
near  Eye-gate,  and  that  he  should  build  it  in 
fashion  like  a tower  for  defence.  He  bid  him 
also  that  he  should  read  in  the  revelation  of 
mysteries  all  the  days  of  his  life,  that  he  might 
know  how  to  perform  his  office  aright. 

He  also  made  Mr.  Knowledge  the  recorder; 
not  of  contempt  to  old  Mr.  Conscience,  who 
had  been  recorder  before,  but  for  that  it  was  in 
his  princely  mind  to  confer  upon  Mr.  Con- 
science another  employ,  of  which  he  told  the 
old  gentleman  he  should  know  more  hereafter. 

Then  he  commanded  that  the  image  of  Diab- 
olus should  be  taken  down  from  the  place 
where  it  was  set  up,  and  that  they  should  de- 
stroy it  utterly,  beating  of  it  into  powder  and 
casting  it  into  the  wind  without  the  town  wall ; 
and  that  the  image  of  Shaddai  his  Father 
should  be  set  up  again,  with  his  own,  upon  the 
castle-gates;  and  that  it  should  be  more  fairly 
drawn  than  ever,  forasmuch  as  both  his  Father 
and  himself  were  come  to  Mansoul  in  more 
grace  and  mercy  than  heretofore.  He  would 
also  that  his  name  should  be  fairly  engraven 
upon  the  front  of  the  town,  and  that  it  should 
be  done  in  the  best  of  gold,  for  the  honour  of 
the  town  of  Mansoul. 

After  this  was  done  Emmanuel  gave  out  a 
commandment  that  those  three  great  Diabolo- 
nians should  be  apprehended — namely,  the  two 
late  lord  mayors,  to  wit,  Mr.  Incredulity,  Mr. 
Lustings,  and  Mr.  Forget-good,  the  recorder. 
Besides  these,  there  were  some  of  them  that 


420 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Diabolus  made  burgesses  and  aldermen  in  the 
town  of  Mansoul  that  were  committed  to  ward 
by  the  hand  of  the  now  valiant  and  now  right 
noble,  the  brave  Lord  Will-be-will. 

And  these  were  their  names:  Alderman 
Atheism,  Alderman  Hard-heart,  and  Aider- 
man  False-peaee ; the  burgesses  were,  Mr.  No- 
truth,  Mr.  Pitiless,  Mr.  Haughty,  with  the 
like.  These  were  committed  to  close  custody ; 
and  the  jailer’s  name  was  Mr.  True-man : this 
True-man  was  one  of  those  that  Emmanuel 
brought  with  him  from  his  Father’s  court 
when  at  the  first  he  made  a war  upon  Diabolus 
in  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

After  this  the  Prince  gave  a charge  that  the 
three  strongholds  that  at  the  command  of  Diab- 
olus the  Diabolonians  had  built  in  Mansoul 
should  be  demolished  and  utterly  pulled  down  ; 
of  which  holds  and  their  names,  with  their  cap- 
tains and  governors,  you  read  a little  before. 
But  this  was  long  in  doing,  because  of  the 
largeness  of  the  places,  and  because  the  stoues, 
the  timber,  the  iron,  and  all  rubbish  were  to  be 
carried  without  the  town. 

When  this  was  done  the  Prince  gave  order 
that  the  lord  mayor  and  aldermen  of  Mansoul 
should  call  a court  of  judicature  for  the  trial 
and  execution  of  the  Diabolonians  in  the  cor- 
poration, now  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  True- 
man the  jailer. 

Now  when  the  time  was  come  and  the  court 
set,  commandment  was  sent  to  Mr.  True-man 
the  jailer  to  bring  the  prisoners  down  to  the 
bar.  Then  were  the  prisoners  brought  down 
pinioned  and  chained  together,  as  the  custom 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul  was.  So,  when  they 
were  presented  before  the  lord  mayor,  the  re- 
corder, and  the  rest  of  the  honourable  bench, 
first  the  jury  was  empannelled  and  then  the 
witnesses  sworn.  The  names  of  the  jury  were 
these : Mr.  Belief,  Mr.  True-heart,  Mr.  Upright, 
Mr.  Hate-bad,  Mr.  Love-good,  Mr.  See-truth, 
Mr.  Heavenly-mind,  Mr.  Moderate,  Mr.  Thank- 
ful, Mr.  Good-work,  Mr.  Zeal-for-God,  and  Mr. 
Humble. 

The  names  of  the  witnesses  were  Mr.  Know- 
all,  Mr.  Tell-true,  Mr.  Hate-lies,  with  my  Lord 
Will-be-will  and  his  man,  if  need  were. 

So  the  prisoners  were  set  to  the  bar.  Then 
said  Mr.  Do-riglit,  (for  he  was  the  town-clerk,) 
Set  Atheism  to  the  bar,  jailer.  So  he  was  set 
to  the  bar.  Then  said  the  clerk,  Atheism, 
hold  up  thy  hand.  Thou  art  here  indicted  by 
the  name  of  Atheism,  (an  intruder  upon  the 
town  of  Mansoul,)  for  that  thou  hast  perni- 
ciously and  doltisbly  taught  and  maintained 


that  there  is  no  God,  and  so  no  heed  to  be 
taken  to  religion.  This  thou  hast  done  against 
the  being,  honour,  and  glory  of  the  King,  and 
against  the  peace  and  safety  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul.  What  sayest  thou  ? — art  thou  guilty 
of  this  indictment  or  not? 

Atheism.  Not  guilty. 

Crier.  Call  Mr.  Know-all,  Mr.  Tell-true,  and 
Mr.  Hate-lies  into  the  court. 

So  they  were  called,  and  they  appeared. 

Then  said  the  clerk,  You,  the  witnesses  for 
the  King,  look  upon  the  prisoner  at  the  bar; 
do  you  know  him  ? 

Then  said  Mr.  Know-all,  Yes,  my  lord,  we 
know  him ; his  name  is  Atheism : he  has  been 
a very  pestilent  fellow  for  many  years  iu  the 
miserable  town  of  Mansoul. 

Clerk.  You  are  sure  you  know  him? 

Know-all.  Know  him?  Yes,  my  lord:  I 
have  heretofore  too  often  been  in  his  company 
to  be  at  this  time  ignorant  of  him.  He  is  a 
Diabolonian,  the  son  of  a Diabolonian : I knew 
his  grandfather  and  his  father. 

Clerk.  Well  said;  he  standeth  here  indicted 
by  the  name  of  Atheism,  &c.,  and  is  charged 
that  he  hath  maintained  and  taught  that  there 
is  no  God,  and  so  no  heed  need  be  taken  to  any 
religion.  What  say  you,  the  King’s  witnesses, 
to  this  ? Is  he  guilty  or  not  ? 

Know-all.  My  lord,  I and  he  were  once  in 
Villain’s-lane  together,  and  he  at  that  time 
did  briskly  talk  of  divers  opinions,  and  then 
and  there  I heard  him  say  that  for  bis  part  he 
did  believe  that  there  was  no  God.  But,  said 
he,  I can  profess  one,  and  be  religious  too,  if 
the  company  I am  in  and  the  circumstances 
of  other  things,  said  he,  shall  put  me  upon  it. 

Clerk.  You  are  sure  you  heard  him  say  thus? 

Know-all.  Upon  mine  oath  I heard  him  say 
thus. 

Then  said  the  clerk,  Mr.  Tell-true,  what  say 
you  to  the  King’s  judges  touching  the  prisoner 
at  the  bar  ?' 

Tell-true.  My  lord,  I formerly  was  a great 
companion  of  his,  (for  the  which  I now  repent 
me,)  and  I have  often  heard  him  say,  and  that 
with  very  great  stomachfulness,  that  he  be- 
lieved there  was  neither  God,  angel,  nor  spirit. 

Clerk.  Where  did  you  hear  him  say  so  ? 

Tell-true.  In  Blackmouth-lane  and  in  Blas- 
pliemer’s-row,  and  in  many  other  places  be- 
sides. 

Clerk.  Have  you  much  knowledge  of  him  ? 

Tell-true.  I know  him  to  be  a Diabolonian, 
the  son  of  a Diabolonian,  and  an  horrible  man 
to  deny  a Deity;  his  father’s  name  was  Never- 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


-121 


be-good,  and  he  had  more  children  than  this 
Atheism.  I have  no  more  to  say. 

Clerk.  Mr.  Ilate-lies,  look  upon  the  prisoner 
al  the  bar;  do  you  know  him? 

Hate-lies.  My  lord,  this  Atheism  is  one  of 
the  vilest  wretches  that  ever  I came  near  or 
had  to  do  with  in  my  life.  I have  heard  him 
say  that  there  is  no  God;  I have  heard  him 
say  that  there  is  no  world  to  come,  no  sin,  nor 
punishment  hereafter;  and,  moreover,  I have 
heard  him  say  that  it  was  as  good  to  go  to  a 
whore-house  as  to  hear  a sermon. 

Clerk.  Where  did  you  hear  him  say  these 
things? 

Hate-lies.  In  Drunkard’s-row,  just  at  Rascal- 
lane’s  end,  at  a house  in  which  Mr.  Impiety 
lived. 

Clerk.  Set  him  by,  jailer,  and  set  Mr.  Lust- 
ings  to  the  bar.  Mr.  Lustings,  thou  art  here 
indicted  by  the  name  of  Lustings,  (an  intruder 
upon  the  town  of  Mansoul,)  for  that  thou  hast 
devilishly  and  traitorously  taught  by  practice 
and  filthy  words  that  it  is  lawful  and  profitable 
to  man  to  give  way  to  his  carnal  desires ; and 
that  thou,  for  thy  part,  hast  not,  nor  never  will, 
deny  thyself  of  any  sinful  delight  as  long  as 
thy  name  is  Lustings.  How  sayest  thou? — art 
thou  guilty  of  this  indictment  or  not? 

Then  said  Mr.  Lustings,  My  lord,  I am  a 
man  of  high  birth,  and  have  been  used  to 
pleasures  and  pastimes  of  greatness.  I have 
not  been  wont  to  be  snubbed  for  my  doings, 
but  have  been  left  to  follow  my  will  as  if  it 
were  law.  And  it  seems  strange  to  me  that  I 
should  this  day  be  called  into  question  for  that 
which  not  only  I,  but  also  all  men,  do  either 
secretly  or  openly  countenance,  love,  and  ap- 
prove of. 

Clerk.  Sir,  we  concern  not  ourselves  with 
your  greatness,  though  the  higher  the  better 
you  should  have  been  ; but  we  are  concerned, 
atid  so  are  you  now,  about  an  indictment  pre- 
ferred against  you.  How  say  you? — are  you 
guilty  of  it  or  not? 

Lustings.  Not  guilty. 

Clerk.  Crier,  call  upon  the  witnesses  to 
stand  forth  and  give  their  evidence. 

Crier.  Gentlemen,  you  the  witnesses  for  the 
King,  come  in  and  give  in  your  evidence  for 
our  Lord  the  King  against  the  prisoner  at  the 
bar. 

Clerk.  Come,  Mr.  Know-all,  look  upon  the 
prisoner  at  the  bar  ; do  you  know  him  ? 

Know-all.  Yes,  my  lord,  I know  him. 

Clerk.  What  is  his  name  ? 

Know-all.  His  name  is  Lustings : he  was  the 


son  of  one  Beastly,  and  his  mother  bare  him 
in  Flesh-street;  she  was  one  Evil-concupis- 
cence’s daughter.  I knew  all  the  generation 
of  them. 

Clerk.  Well  said  1 You  have  here  heard 
his  indictment:  what  say  you  to  it?— is  he 
guilty  of  the  things  charged  against  him  or 
not? 

Know-all.  My  lord,  he  has,  as  he  saith, 
been  a great  man  indeed,  and  a greater  in 
wickedness  than  by  pedigree,  more  than  a 
thousand-fold. 

Clerk.  But  what  do  you  know  of  his  partic- 
ular actions,  and  especially  with  reference  to 
this  indictment? 

Know-all.  I know  him  to  be  a swearer,  a 
liar,  a sabbath-breaker;  I know  him  to  be 
a fornicator  and  an  unclean  person ; I know 
him  to  be  guilty  of  abundance  of  evils.  He 
has  been  to  my  knowledge  a very  filthy  man. 

Clerk.  But  where  did  he  use  to  commit  his 
wickedness — in  some  private  corners,  or  more 
open  and  shamelessly? 

Know-all.  All  the  town  over,  my  lord. 

Clerk.  Come,  Mr.  Tell-true,  what  have  you 
to  say  for  our  Lord  the  King  against  the  pris- 
oner at  the  bar  ? 

Tell-true.  My  lord,  all  that  the  first  witness 
has  said  I know  to  be  true,  and  a great  deal 
more  besides. 

Clerk.  Mr.  Lustings,  do  you  hear  what  these 
gentlemen  say? 

Lustings.  I was  ever  of  opinion  that  the 
happiest  life  that  a man  could  live  on  earth 
was  to  keep  himself  back  from  nothing  that 
he  desired  in  the  world ; nor  have  I been 
false  at  any  time  to  this  opinion  of  mine, 
but  have  lived  in  the  love  of  my  notions  ’ 
all  my  days.  Nor  was  I ever  so  churlish, 
having  found  such  sweetness  in  them  myself, 
as  to  keep  the  commendations  of  them  from 
others. 

Then  said  the  court,  There  hath  proceeded 
enough  from  his  own  mouth  to  lay  him  open 
to  condemnation;  wherefore. set  him  by,  jailer, 
and  set  Mr.  Incredulity  to  the  bar. 

Then  was  Incredulity  set  to  the  bar. 

Clerk.  Mr.  Incredulity,  thou  art  here  in- 
• dieted  by  the  name  of  Incredulity,  (an  in- 
truder upon  the  town  of  Mansoul,)  for  that 
thou  hast  feloniously  and  wickedly,  and  that 
when  thou  wert  an  officer  in  the  town  of 
Mansoul,  made  head  against  the  captains  of 
the  great  King  Shaddai  when  they  came  and 
demanded  possession  of  Mansoul ; yea,  thou 
didst  bid  defiance  to  the  name,  forces,  and 


422 


£ UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


cause  of  the  King,  and  didst  also,  as  did 
Diabolus  thy  captain,  stir  up  and  encourage  the 
town  of  Mansoul  to  make  head  against  and  resist 
the  said  force  of  the  King.  What  sayest  thou 
to  this  indictment? — art  thou  guilty  or  not? 

Then  said  Incredulity,  I know  not  Shaddai: 
I love  my  old  prince;  I thought  it  my  duty  to 
be  true  to  my  trust,  and  to  do  what  I could  to 
possess  the  minds  of  the  men  of  Mansoul  to 
do  their  utmost  to  resist  strangers  and  foreign- 
ers, and  with  might  to  fight  against  them. 
Nor  have  I,  nor  shall  I,  change  my  opinion 
for  fear  of  trouble,  though  you  at  present  are 
possessed  of  place  and  power. 

Then  said  the  court:  The  man,  as  you  see, 
is  incorrigible ; he  is  fok  maintaining  his  vil- 
lainies by  stoutness  of  words  and  his  rebellion 
with  impudent  confidence;  and  therefore  set 
him  by,  jailer,  and  set  Mr.  Forget-good  to  the 
bar. 

Forget-good  was  then  set  to  the  bar. 

Clerk.  Mr.  Forget-good,  thou  art  here  in- 
dicted by  the  name  of  Forget-good,  (an  in- 
truder upon  the  town  of  Mansoul,)  for  that 
thou,  when  the  whole  affairs  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul  were  in  thy  hand,  didst  utterly  for- 
get to  serve  them  in  what  was  good,  and  didst 
fall  in  with  the  tyrant  Diabolus  against  Shad- 
dai the  King,  against  his  captains,  and  all  his 
host,  to  the  dishonour  of  Shaddai,  the  breach 
of  his  law,  and  the  endangering  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul.  What 
sayest  thou  to  this  indictment? — art  thou 
guilty  or  not  guilty? 

Then  said  Forget-good,  Gentlemen,  and  at 
this  time  my  judges,  as  to  the  indictment  by 
which  I stand  of  several  crimes  accused  before 
you,  pray  attribute  my  forgetfulness  to  mine 
age,  and  not  to  my  wilfulness;  to  the  crazi- 
ness of  my  brain,  and  not  to  the  carelessness 
of  my  mind ; and  then  I hope  I may,  by  your 
charity,  be  excused  from  great  punishment, 
though  I be  guilty. 

Then  said  the  court,  Forget-good,  Forget- 
good,  thy  forgetfulness  of  good  was  not  sim- 
ply of  frailty,  but  of  purpose,  and  for  that 
thou  didst  loth  to  keep  virtuous  things  in 
thy  mind.  What  was  bad  thou  couldst  re- 
tain, hut  what  was  good  thou  couldst  not 
abide  to  think  of;  thy  age  therefore,  and  thy 
pretended  craziness,  thou  makest  use  of  to 
blind  the  court  withal,  and  as  a cloak  to  cover 
thy  knavery.  But  let  us  hear  what  the  wit- 
nesses have  to  say  for  the  King  against  the 
prisoner  at  the  bar.  Is  he  guilty  of  this  in- 
dictment or  not? 


Hate-lies.  My  lord,  I have  heard  this  For- 
get-good  say  that  he  could  never  abide  to 
think  of  goodness,  no  not  for  a quarter  of  an 
hour. 

Clerk.  Where  did  you  hear  him  say  so? 

Hate-lies.  In  All-base-lane,  at  a house  next 
door  to  the  sign  of  the  Conscience-seared-with- 
an-hot-iron. 

Clerk.  Mr.  Know-all,  what  can  you  say  for 
our  Lord  the  King  against  the  prisoner  at  the 
bar? 

Know-all.  My  lord,  I know  this  man  well : 
he  is  a Diabolonian,  the  son  of  a Diabolonian ; 
his  father’s  name  was  Love-naught;  and  for 
him,  I have  often  heard  him  say  that  he 
counted  the  very  thoughts  of  goodness  the 
most  burdensome  thing  in  the  world. 

Clerk.  Where  have  you  heard  him  say  these 
words  ? 

Know-all.  In  Flesh-lane,  right  opposite  the 
church. 

Then  said  the  clerk,  Come,  Mr.  Tell-true, 
give  in  your  evidence  concerning  the  prisoner 
at  the  bar,  about  that  for  which  he  stands  here, 
as  you  see,  indicted  before  this  honourable 
court. 

Tell-true.  My  lord,  I have  heard  him  often 
say  he  had  rather  think  of  the  vilest  thing 
than  of  what  is  contained  in  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures. 

Clerk.  Where  did  you  hear  him  say  such 
grievous  words? 

Tell-true.  Where?  In  a great  many  places; 
particularly  in  Nauseous-street,  in  the  house 
of  one  Shameless,  -and  in  Filth-lane,  at  the 
sign  of  the  Reprobate,  next  door  to  the  De- 
scent-into-the-pit. 

Court.  Gentlemen,  you  have  heard  the  in- 
dictment, his  plea,  and  the  testimony  of  the 
witnesses.  Jailer,  set  Mr.  IJard-heart  to  the 
bar. 

Hard-heart  was  then  set  to  the  bar. 

Clerk.  Mr.  Hard-heart,  thou  art  here  in- 
dicted by  the  name  of  Hard-heart,  (an  in- 
truder upon  the  town  of  Mansoul,)  for  that 
thou  didst  most  desperately  and  wickedly  pos- 
sess the  town  of  Mansoul  with  impenitency 
and  obdurateness,  and  didst  keep  them  from 
> remorse  and  sorrow  for  their  evils,  all  the  time 
of  their  apostacy  from  and  rebellion  against 
the  blessed  King  Shaddai.  What  sayest  thou 
to  this  indictment?— art  thou  guilty  or  not 
guilty? 

Hard-heart.  My  lord,  I never  knew  what  re- 
morse or  sorrow  meant  in  all  my  life : I am  im- 
penetrable; I care  for  no  man,  nor  can  I be 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


pierced  with  men’s  grief;  their  groans  will 
not  enter  into  my  heart;  whomsoever  I mis- 
chief, whomsoever  I wrong,  to  me  it  is  music 
when  to  others  mourning. 

Court.  You  sec  the  man  is  a right  Diabolo- 
nian,  and  has  convicted  himself.  Set  him  by, 
jailer,  and  set  Mr.  False-pcace  to  the  bar. 

Then  was  False-peace  set  to  the  bar. 

Court.  Mr.  False-peace,  thou  art  here  in- 
dicted by  the  name  of  False-peace,  (an  intruder 
upon  the  town  of  Mansoul,)  for  that  thou  didst 
most  wickedly  and  satanically  bring,  hold, 
and  keep  the  town  of  Mansoul,  both  in  her 
apostacy  and  in  her  hellish  rebellion,  in  a false, 
groundless,  and  dangerous  peace  and  damnable 
security,  to  the  dishonour  of  the  King,  the 
transgression  of  his  law,  and  the  great  damage 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  What  sayest  thou? 
— art  thou  guilty  of  this  indictment  or  not? 

Then  said  Mr.  False-peace,  Gentlemen,  and 
you  now  appointed  to  be  my  judges,  I acknow- 
ledge that  my  name  is  Mr.  Peace,  but  that  my 
name  is  False-peace  I utterly  deny.  If  your 
honours  should  please  to  send  for  any  that  do 
intimately  know  me,  or  for  the  midwife  that 
laid  my  mother  of  me,  or  for  the  gossips  that 
were  at  my  christening,  they  will  any  or  all  of 
them  prove  that  my  name  is  not  False-peace, 
but  Peace.  Wherefore,  I cannot  plead  to  this 
indictment,  forasmuch  as  my  name  is  not  in- 
serted therein;  and  as  is  my  true  name,  so 
also  are  my  conditions.  I was  always  a man 
that  loved  to  live  at  quiet,  and  what  I loved 
myself,  that  I thought  others  might  love  also. 
Wherefore,  when  I saw  any  of  my  neighbours 
to  labour  under  a disquieted  mind,  I endeav- 
oured to  help  them  what  I could;  and  in- 
stances of  this  good  temper  of  mine  many  I 
could  give.  As, 

1.  When  at  the  beginning  our  town  of  Man- 
soul did  decline  the  ways  of  Shaddai,  some  of 
them  afterwards  began  to  have  disquieting  re- 
flections upon  themselves  for  what  they  had 
done;  but  I,  as  one  troubled  to  see  them  dis- 
quieted, presently  sought  out  means  to  get 
them  quiet  again. 

2.  When  the  ways  of  the  old  world  and  of 
Sodom  were  in  fashion,  if  any  thing  happened 
to  molest  those  that  were  for  the  customs  of 
the  present  times,  I laboured  to  make  them 
quiet  again  -and  to  cause  them  to  act  without 
molestation. 

3.  To  come  nearer  home:  When  the  wars 
fell  out  between  Shaddai  and  Diabolus,  if  at 
any  time  I saw  any  of  the  town  of  Mansoul 
afraid  of  destruction,  I often  used  by  some 


423 

way,  device,  invention,  or  other  to  labour  to 
bring  them  to  peace  again. 

Wherefore,  since  I have  been  always  the 
man  of  so  virtuous  a temper,  as  some  say  a 
peace-maker  is,  and  if  a peace-maker  be  so  de- 
serving a man  as  some  have  been  bold  to  attest 
he  is,  then  let  me,  gentlemen,  be  accounted  by 
you,  who  have  a great  name  for  justice  and 
equity  in  Mansoul,  for  a man  that  deserveth 
not  this  inhuman  way  of  treatment,  but  liberty, 
and  also  a license  to  seek  damage  of  those  that 
have  been  my  accusers. 

Then  said  the  clerk,  Crier,  make  proclama- 
tion. 

Crier.  “Oh  yes;  Forasmuch  as  the  prisoner 
at  the  bar  hath  denied  his  name  to  be  that 
which  is  mentioned  in  the  indictment,  the 
court  requireth  that  if  any  there  be  in  this 
place  that  can  give  information  to  the  court 
of  the  original  and  right  name  of  the  prisoner, 
they  would  come  forth  and  give  in  their  evi- 
dence; for  the  prisoner  stands  upon  his  own 
innocence.” 

Then  came  two  into  the  court  and  desired 
that  they  might  have  leave  to  speak  what 
they  knew  concerning  the  prisoner  at  the  bar; 
the  name  of  the  one  was  Search-truth,  and 
the  name  of  the  other  Vouch-truth.  So  the 
court  demanded  of  these  men  if  they  knew 
the  prisoner,  and  what  they,  could  say  concern- 
ing him ; for  he  stands,  said  they,  upon  his  own 
vindication. 

Then  said  Mr.  Search-truth,  My  lord,  I — 

Court.  Hold ! give  him  his  oath.  Then  they 
sware  him.  So  he  proceeded. 

Search-truth.  My  lord,  I know  and  have 
known  this  man  from  a child,  and  can  attest 
that  his  name  is  False-peace.  I knew  his 
father:  his  name  was  Mr.  Flatterer,  and  his 
mother  before  she  was  married  was  called  by 
the  name  of  Mrs.  Sooth-up,  and  these  two, 
when  they  came  together,  lived  not  long  with- 
out this  son ; and  when  he  was  born  they 
called  his  name  False-peace.  I was  his  play- 
fellow/only I was  somewhat  older  than  he; 
and  when  his  mother  did  use  to  call  him  home 
from  play,  she  used  to  say,  “ False-peace,  False- 
peace,  come  home  quick,  or  I’ll  fetch  you.” 
Yea,  I knew  him  when  he  sucked;  and  though 
I was  then  but  little,  yet  I can  remember  that 
when  his  mother  did  use  to  sit  at  the  door 
with  him,  or  did  play  .with  him  in  her  arms, 
she  would  call  him  twenty  times  together, 
“My  little  False-peace,  my  pretty  False-peace, 
and  oh  my  sweet  rogue,  False-peace;”  and 
I again,  “Oh  my  little  bird,  False-peace;  and 


424 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


how  do  I love  my  child  l”  The  gossips  also 
know  it  is  thus,  though  he  has  the  face  to 
deny  it  in  open  court. 

Then  Mr.  Vouch -truth  was  called  upon  to 
speak  what  he  knew  of  him.  So  they  sware 
him. 

Then  said  Mr.  Vouch-truth,  My  lord,  all 
that  the  former  witness  hath  said  is  true ; his 
name  is  False-peace,  the  son  of  Mr.  Flatterer 
and  of  Mrs.  Sooth-up  his  mother.  And  I have 
in  former  times  seen  him  angry  with  those  who 
have  called  him  anything  else  but  False-peace ; 
for  he  would  say  that  all  such  did  mock  and 
nickname  him  ; but  this  was  in  the  time  when 
Mr.  False-peace  was  a great  man,  and  when 
the  Diabolonians  were  the  brave  men  in  Man- 
soul. 

Court.  Gentlemen,  you  have  heard  what 
these  two  men  have  sworn  against  the  prisoner 
at  the  bar;  and  now,  Mr.  False-peace,  to  you. 
You  have  denied  your  name  to  be  False-peace, 
yet  you  see  that  these  honest  men  have  sworn 
that  this  is  your  name.  As  to  your  plea,  in 
that  you  are  quite  beside  the  matter  of  your 
indictment ; you  are  not  by  it  charged  for  evil- 
doing  because  you  are  a man  of  peace  or  a 
peacemaker  among  your  neighbours,  but  for 
that  you  did  wickedly,  satanically,  bring,  keep, 
and  hold  the  town  of  Mansoul,  both  under  its 
apostacy  from  and  in  its  rebellion  against  its 
King,  in  a false,  lying,  and  damnable  peace, 
contrary  to  the  law  of  Shaddai,  and  likewise 
to  the  hazard  of  the  destruction  of  the  then 
miserable  town  of  Mansoul.  All  that  you 
have  pleaded  for  yourself  is  that  you  have  de- 
nied your  name,  &c.,  but  here  you  see  we  have 
witnesses  to  prove  that  you  are  the  man. 

For  the  peace  that  you  so  much  boast  of 
making  among  your  neighbours,  know  that 
the  peace  that  is  not  a companion  of  truth  and 
holiness,  but  which  is  without  this  foundation, 
is  grounded  upon  a lie,  and  is  both  deceitful 
and  damnable;  as  also  the  great  Shaddai  hath 
said ; thy  plea  therefore  has  not  delivered  thee 
from  what  by  the  indictment  thou  art  charged 
with,  but  rather  it  doth  fasten  all  upon  thee. 

But  thou  slialt  have  very  fair  play : let  us 
call  the  witnesses  that  are  to  testify  as  to  mat- 
ter of  fact,  and  see  what  they  have  to  say  for 
our  Lord  the  King  against  the  prisoner  at  the 
bar. 

Clerk.  Mr.  Know-all,  what  say  you  for  our 
Lord  the  King  against  the  prisoner  at  the 
bar? 

Know-all.  My  lord,  this  man  hath  of  a long 
time  made  it,  to  my  knowledge,  his  business  to 


keep  the  town  of  Mansoul  in  a sinful  quietness 
in  the  midst  of  all  her  lewdness,  filthiness,  ana 
turmoils ; and  hath  said,  and  that  in  my  hear- 
ing, Come,  come,  let  us  fly  from  all  trouble,  on 
what  ground  soever  it  comes,  and  let  us  be  for 
a quiet  and  peaceable  life,  though  it  wanteth  a 
good  foundation. 

Clerk.  Come,  Mr.  Hate-lies,  what  have  you 
to  say? 

Hate-lies.  My  lord,  I have  heard  him  say 
that  peace,  though  in  a way  of  unrighteous- 
ness, is  better  than  trouble  with  truth. 

Clerk.  Where  did  you  hear  him  say  this? 

Plate-lies.  I heard  him  say  it  in  Folly-yard, 
at  the  house  of  one  Mr.  Simple,  next  door  to 
the  sign  of  the  Self-deceiver.  Yea,  he  hath 
said  this  to  my  knowledge  twenty  times  .in  that 
place. 

Clerk.  We  may  spare  further  witness;  this 
evidence  is  plain  and  full.  Set  him  by,  jailer, 
and  set  Mr.  No-truth  to  the  bar. 

Mr.  No-trutli,  thou  art  here  indicted  by  the 
name  of  No-truth,  (an  intruder  upon  the  town 
of  Mansoul,)  for  that  thou  hast  always,  to  the 
dishonour  of  Shaddai  and  to  the  endangering 
of  the  utter  ruin  of  the  famous  town  of  Man- 
soul, set  thyself  to  deface  and  utterly  to  spoil 
all  the  remainders  of  the  law  and  image  of 
Shaddai  that  have  been  found  in  Mansoul  after 
her  deep  apostacy  from  her  King  to  Diabolus, 
that  envious  tyrant.  What  sayest  thou? — art 
thou  guilty  of  this  indictment  or  not? 

No-truth.  Not  guilty,  my  lord. 

Then  the  witnesses  were  called,  and  Mr. 
Know-all  did  first  give  in  his  evidence  against 
him. 

Know-all.  My  lord,  this  man  was  at  the  pull- 
ing down  of  the  image  of  Shaddai ; yea,  this  is 
he  that  did  it  with  his  own  hands.  I myself 
stood  by  and  saw  him  do  it,  and  he  did  it  at 
the  commandment  of  Diabolus.  Yea,  this  Mr. 
No-trutli  did  more  than  this : he  did  also  set 
up  the  horned  image  of  the  beast  Diabolus  in 
the  same  place.  This  also  is  he  that  at  the  bid- 
ding of  Diabolus  did  rend  and  tear,  and  cause 
to  be  consumed,  all  that  he  could  of  the  re- 
mainders of  the  law  of  the  King,  even  what- 
ever he  could  lay  his  hands  on  in  Mansoul. 

Clerk.  Who  saw  him  do  this  besides  your- 
self? 

IPate-lies.  I did,  my  lord,  and  so  did  many 
others  besides;  for  this  was  not  done  by 
stealth  or  in  a corner,  but  in  the  open  view 
of  all ; yea,  he  chose  himself  to  do  it  publicly, 
for  he  delighted  in  doing  it. 

Clerk.  Mr.  No-truth,  how  could  you  have 


THE  1IOLY  WAR. 


425 


the  face  to  plead  not  guilty  when  you  were  so 
manifestly  the  doer  of  all  this  wickedness? 

No-truth.  Sir,  I thought  I must  say  soine- 
thing,  and  as  my  name  is  so  I speak;  I have 
been  advantaged  thereby  before  now,  and  did 
not  know  but  by  speaking  no  truth  I might 
have  reaped  the  same  benefit  now. 

Clerk.  Set  him  by,  jailer,  and  set  Mr.  Piti- 
less to  the  bar.  Mr.  Pitiless,  thou  art  here  in- 
dieted  by  the  name  of  Pitiless,  (an  intruder 
upon  the  town  of  Mansoul,)  for  that  thou  didst 
most  traitorously  and  wickedly  shut  up  all 
bowels  of  compassion,  and  wouldst  not  suffer 
poor  Mansoul  to  condole  her  own  misery  when 
site  had  apostatized  from  her  rightful  King, 
but  didst  evade  and  at  all  times  turn  her  mind 
away  from  those  thoughts  that  had  in  them  a 
tendency  to  lead  her  to  repentance.  What 
sayest  thou  to  this  indictment? — guilty  or  not 
guilty? 

Pitiless.  Not  guilty  of  pitilessness.  All  I 
did  was  to  cheer  up,  according  to  my  name, 
for  my  name  is  not  Pitiless,  but  Cheer-up ; and 
I could  not  abide  to  see  Mansoul  incline  to 
melancholy. 

Clerk.  How ! Do  you  deny  your  name,  and 
say  it  is  not  Pitiless,  but  Cheer-up  ? Call  for 
the  witnesses ; what  say  you,  the  witnesses,  to 
this  plea? 

Know-all.  My  lord,  his  name  is  Pitiless ; so 
he  hath  writ  himself  in  all  papers  of  concern 
wherein  he  has  had  to  do.  But  these  Diab- 
olonians  love  to  counterfeit  their  names : Mr. 
Covetousness  covers  himself  with  the  name  of 
Good-husbandry,  or  the  like;  Mr.  Pride  can, 
when  need,  call  himself  Mr.  Neat,  Mr.  Hand- 
some, or  the  like,  and  so  of  all  the  rest  of 
them. 

Clerk.  Mr.  Tell-true,  what  say  you? 

Tell-true.  His  name  is  Pitiless,  my  lord;  I 
have  known  him  from  a child,  and  he  hath  done 
all  that  wickedness  wherew  ith  he  stands  charg- 
ed in  the  indictment ; but  there  is  a company 
of  them  that  are  not  acquainted  with  the 
danger  of  damning,  therefore  they  call  all 
those  melancholy  that  have  serious  thoughts 
how  that  state  should  be  shunned  by  them. 

Clerk.  Set  Mr.  Haughty  to  the  bar,  jailer. 
Mr.  Haughty,  thou  art  here  indicted  by  the 
name  of  Haughty,  (an  intruder  upon  the  town 
of  Mansoul,)  for  that  thou  didst  most  traitor- 
ously and  devilishly  teach  the  town  of  Mansoul 
to  carry  it  loftily  and  stoutly  against  the  sum- 
monses that  were  given  them  by  the  captains 
of  the  King  Shaddai.  Thou  didst  also  teach 
the  town  of  Mansoul  to  speak  contemptuously 


and  vilifyingly  of  their  great  King  Shaddai; 
and  didst  moreover  encourage,  both  by  words 
and  examples  Mansoul  to  take  up  arms  both 
against  the  King  and  his  Son  Emmanuel. 
How  sayest  thou? — art  thou  guilty  of  this  in- 
dictment or  not? 

Haughty.  Gentlemen,  I have  always  been  a 
man  of  courage  and  valour,  and  have  not  used, 
when  under  the  greatest  clouds,  to  sneak  or 
hang  down  the  head  like  a bullrush;  nor  did 
it  please  me  at  all  at  any  time  to  see  men  veil 
their  bonnets  to  those  that  have  opposed  them ; 
yea,  though  their  adversaries  seemed  to  have 
ten  times  the  advantage  of  them. 

I did  not  use  to  consider  who  was  my  foe, 
nor  what  the  cause  was  in  which  I was  engaged. 
It  was  enough  to  me  if  I carried  it  bravely, 
fought  like  a man,  and  came  off  a victor. 

Court.  Mr.  Haughty,  you  are  not  here  in- 
dicted for  that  you  have  been  a valiant  man, 
nor  for  your  courage  and  stoutness  in  times  of 
distress,  but  for  that  you  have  made  use  of  this 
your  pretended  valour  to  draw  the  town  of 
Mansoul  into  acts  of  rebellion  both  against  the 
great  King  and  Emmanuel  his  Son.  This  is 
the  crime  and  the  thing  wherewith  thou  art 
charged  in  and  by  the  indictment. 

But  he  made  no  answer  to  that. 

Now  when  the  court  had  thus  far  proceeded 
against  the  prisoners  at  the  bar,  then  they  put 
them  over  to  the  verdict  of  their  jury,  to  whom 
they  did  apply  themselves  after  this  manner. 

Court.  Gentlemen  of  the  jury,  you  have  been 
here,  and  have  seen  these  men ; you  have  heard 
their  indictments,  their  pleas,  and  what  the 
witnesses  have  testified  against  them.  Now 
what  remains  is,  that  you  do  forthwith  with- 
draw yourselves  to  some  place,  where,  without 
confusion,  you  may  consider  of  what  verdict, 
in  a way  of  truth  and  righteousness,  you  ought 
to  bring  in  for  the  King  against  them,  and 
bring  it  in  accordingly. 

Then  the  jury — to  wit,  Mr.  Belief,  Mr.  True- 
heart,  Mr.  Upright,  Mr.  Hate-bad,  Mr.  Love- 
good,  Mr.  See-truth,  Mr.  Heavenly-mind,  Mr. 
Moderate,  Mr.  Thankful,  Mr.  Humble,  Mr. 
Good-work,  and  Mr.  Zeal-for-God — withdrew 
themselves  in  order  to  their  work.  Now  when 
they  were  shut  up  by  themselves,  they  fell  to 
discourse  among  themselves  in  order  to  the 
drawing  up  of  their  verdict. 

And  thus  Mr.  Belief  (for  he  was  the  fore- 
man) began;  “Gentlemen,”  quoth  he,  “for 
the  men,  the  prisoners  at  the  bar,  for  my  part 
I believe  they  all  deserve  death.”  “Very 
right,”  said  Mr.  True-heart ; “ I am  wholly  of 


126 


JBUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


your  opinion.”  “ Oh  wliat  a mercy  is  it,”  said 
Mr.  Plate-had,  “ that  such  villains  as  these  are 
apprehended !”  “ Ay,  ay,”  said  Mr.  Love-good ; 
“ this  is  one  of  the  joy  fullest  days  that  ever  I 
saw  in  my  life.”  Then  said  Mr.  See-truth,  “ I 
know  that  if  we  judge  them  to  death,  our  ver- 
dict shall  stand  before  Shaddai  himself.”,  “ Nor 
do  I at  all  question  it,”  said  Mr.  Heavenly- 
mind;  he  said  moreover,  “When  all  such 
beasts  as  these  are  cast  out  of  Mansoul,  what  a 
goodly  town  will  it  be  then  !”  Then  said  Mr. 
Moderate,  “ It  is  not  my  manner  to  pass  my 
judgment  with  rashness;  but  for  these,  their 
crimes  are  so  notorious  and  the  witness  so 
palpable  that  that  man  must  be  wilfully  blind 
who  saith  the  prisoners  ought  not  to  die.” 
“Blessed  be  God,”  said  Mr.  Thankful,  “that 
the  traitors  are  in  safe  custody !”  “ And  I join 

with  you  in  this  upon  my  bare  knees,”  said 
Mr.  Humble.  “ I am  glad  also,”  said  Mr. 
Good-work.  Then  said  the  warm  man  and 
true-hearted  Mr.  Zeal-for-God,  “ Cut  them  off ; 
they  have  been  the  plague  and  have  sought 
the  destruction  of  Mansoul.” 

Thus  therefore  being  all  agreed  in  their  ver- 
dict, they  came  instantly  into  the  court. 

Clerk.  Gentlemen  of  the  jury,  answer  all  to 
your  names.  Mr.  Belief,  one ; Mr.  True-heart, 
two;  Mr. Upright,  three ; Mr.  Hate-bacl, four ; 
Mr.  Love-good,  live ; Mr.  See-truth,  six ; Mr. 
Heavenly-mind,  seven;  Mr.  Moderate,  eight; 
Mr.  Thankful,  nine;  Mr.  Humble,  ten;  Mr. 
Good-work,  eleven ; and  Mr.  Zeal-for-God, 
twelve.  Good  men  and  true,  stand  together  in 
your  verdict.  Are  you  all  agreed? 

Jury.  Yes,  my  lord. 

Clerk.  Who  shall  speak  for  you? 

Jury.  Our  foreman. 

Clerk.  You,  the  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  being 
empannelled  for  our  Lord  and  King,  to  serve 
here  in  a matter  of  life  and  death,  have  heard 
the  trials  of  each  of  these  men,  the  prisoners 
at  the  bar : what  say  you  ? — are  they  guilty  of 
that  and  those  crimes  for  which  they  stand 
here  indicted,  or  are  they  not  guilty  ? 

Foreman.  Guilty,  my  lord. 

Clerk.  Look  to  your  prisoners,  jailer. 

This  was  done  in  the  morning,  and  in  the 
afLernoou  they  received  the  sentence  of  death 
according  to  the  law. 

The  jailer,  therefore,  having  received  such 
a charge,  put  them  all  in  the  inward  prison, 
to  preserve  them  there  till  the  day  of  execu- 
tion, which  was  to  be  the  next  day  in  the 
morning. 

But  now  to  see  how  it  happened:  one  of 


the  prisoners.  Incredulity  by  name,  in  the 
interim  betwixt  the  sentence  and  the  day 
of  execution  brake  prison  and  made  his 
escape,  and  gets  him  away  quite  out  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul,  and  lay  lurking  in  such 
places  and  holds  as  he  might,  until  he  should 
again  have  opportunity  to  do  the  town  of 
Mansoul  a mischief  for  their  thus  handling 
of  him  as  they  did. 

Now  when  Mr.  True-man,  the  jailer,  per- 
ceived that  he  had  lost  his  prisoner  he  was  in 
a heavy  taking,  because  that  prisoner  we 
speak  of,  he  was  the  very  worst  of  the  whole 
gang;  wherefore  first  he  goes  and  acquaints 
my  lord  mayor,  Mr.  Becorder,  and  my  Lord 
Will-be-will  with  the  matter,  and  to  get  of 
them  an  order  to  make  search  for  him 
throughout  the  town  of  Mansoul.  So  an 
order  he  got  and  search  was  made,  but  no 
such  man  could  now  be  found  in  all  the  town 
of  Mansoul. 

All  that  could  be  gathered  was,  that  he  had 
lurked  awhile  about  the  outside  of  the  town, 
and  that  here  and  there  one  or  other  had  a 
glimpse  of  him  as  he  made  his  escape  out  of 
Mansoul ; one  or  two  also  did  affirm  that  they 
saw  him  without  the  town  going  apace  quite 
over  the  plain.  Now  when  he  was  quite 
gone  it  was  affirmed  .by  one  Mr.  Did-see  that 
he  ranged  all  over  dry  places  till  he  met 
with  Diabolus  his  friend  ; and  where  should 
they  meet  one  another  but  just  upon  Hell- 
gate-hill  ! 

But  oh  what  a lamentable  story  did  the 
old  gentleman  tell  to  Diabolus  concerning 
what  sad  alterations  Emmanuel  had  made  in 
Mansoul. 

As  first,  how  Mansoul  had,  after  some  de- 
lays, received  a general  pardon  at  the  hands 
of  Emmanuel,  and  that  they  had  invited  him 
into  the  town,  and  that  they  had  given  him 
the  castle  for  his  possession.  He  said,  more- 
over, that  they  had  called  his  soldiers  into  the 
town,  and  coveted  who  should  quarter  the 
most  of  them ; they  also  entertained  him  with 
the  timbrel,  song,  and  dance.  “ But  that,” 
said  Incredulity,  “ that  is  the  sorest  vexation 
to  me,  he  hath  pulled  dowm,  0 father,  thy 
image  and  set  up  his  own — pulled  dowm  thy 
officers  and  set  up  his  own.  Yea,  and  Will- 
be-will,  that  rebel,  w'ho,  one  would  have 
thought,  should  never  have  turned  from  us, 
he  is  now  in  as  great  favour  with  Emmanuel 
as  ever  he  w'as  with  thee.  But  besides  all  this, 
this  Will-be-will  has  received  a special  com- 
mission from  his  Master  to  search  for,  to  ap- 


TI1E  HOLY  JIM/?. 


427 


pnfliend,  anti  to  put  to  doath  all  and  all  man- 
ner of  Oiabolonians  that  he  shall  find  in 
Mansoul.  Yea,  and  this  Will-be-will  has 
taken  and  committed  to  prison  already  eight 
of  my  lord’s  most  trusty  friends  in  Mansoul. 
Nay,  further,  my  lord,  with  grief  I speak  it, 
they  have  been  all  arraigned,  condemned,  and 
I doubt  not  before  this  time  executed  in  Man- 
soul. I told  my  lord  of  eight,  and  myself  was 
the  ninth,  who  should  assuredly  have  drunk 
of  the  same  cup  but  that  through  craft  I, 
as  thou  scest,  have  made  mine  escape  from 
them.” 

When  Diabolus  had  heard  this  lament- 
able story  he  yelled  and  snuffed  up  the  wind 
like  a dragon,  and  made  the  sky  to  look 
dark  with  roaring.  He  also  sware  that  he 
would  try  to  be  revenged  on  Mansoul  for 
this.  So  they  concluded  to  enter  into  con- 
sultation how  they  might  get  the  town  of 
Mansoul  again. 

Now,  before  this  time  the  day  was  come  in 
which  the  prisoners  in  Mansoul  were  to  be  ex- 
ecuted. So  they  were  brought  to  the  cross, 
and  that  by  Mansoul  in  most  solemn  manner; 
for  the  Prince  said  that  this  should  be  done  by 
the  hand  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  that  I may 
see,  said  he,  the  forwardness  of  my  now  re- 
deemed Mansoul  to  keep  my  word  and  to  do 
my  commandments,  and  that  I may  bless 
Mansoul  in  doing  this  deed.  Proof  of  sin- 
cerity pleases  me  well;  let  Mansoul  therefore 
first  lay  their  hands  upon  these  Diabolonians 
to  destroy  them. 

So  the  town  of  Mansoul  slew  them  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  their  Prince.  But  when 
the  prisoners  were  brought  to  the  cross  to  die, 
you  can  hardly  believe  what  troublesome  work 
Mansoul  had  of  it  to  put  the  Diabolonians  to 
death ; for  the  men  knowing  that  they  must 
die,  aud  all  of  them  having  implacable  enmity 
in  their  heart  to  Mansoul,  what  did  they  but 
took  courage  at  the  cross  and  there  resisted 
the  men  of  the  town  of  Mansoul?  Where- 
fore the  men  of  Mansoul  were  forced  to  cry 
out  for  help  to  the  captains  and  men  of  war. 
Now  the  great  Shaddai  had  a secretary  in  the 
town,  and  he  was  a great  lover  of  the  men  of 
Mansoul,  and  he  was  at  the  place  of  execution 
also;  so  he,  hearing  the  men  of  Mansoul  cry 
out  against  the  stragglings  and  unruliness 
of  the  prisoners,  rose  up  from  his  place  and 
came  and  put  his  hands  upon  the  hands  of  the 
men  of  Mansoul.  So  they  crucified  the  Diab- 
olonians that  had  been  a plague,  a grief,  and 
an  offence  to  the  town  of  Mansoul. 


Now,  when  this  good  work  was  done  the 
Prince  came  down  to  see,  to  visit,  and  to 
speak  comfortably  to  the  men  of  Mansoul, 
and  to  strengthen  their  hands  in  such  work 
And  lie  said  to  them  that  by  this  act  of  theirs 
he  had  proved  them,  and  found  them  to  fie 
lovers  of  his  person,  observers  of  his  laws,  and 
such  as  also  had  respect  to  his  honour.  Ho 
said  moreover  (to  show  them  that  they  by 
this  should  not  be  the  losers,  nor  their  town 
weakened  by  the  loss  of  them)  that  he  would 
make  them  another  captain,  and  that  one 
of  themselves;  and  that  this  captain  should 
be  a ruler  of  a thousand,  for  the  good 
and  benefit  of  the  now  flourishing  town  of 
Mansoul. 

So  he  called  one  whose  name  was  Waiting, 
and  bid  him  go  quickly  up  to  the  castle-gate, 
and  inquire  there  for  one  Mr.  Experience,  that 
waiteth  upon  that  noble  captain,  the  Captain 
Credence,  and  bid  him  come  hither  to  me. 
So  the  messenger  that  waiteth  upon  the  good 
Prince  Emmanuel  went  and  said  as  he  was 
commanded.  Now,  the  young  gentleman  was 
waiting  to  see  the  captain  train  and  muster 
his  men  in  the  castle-yard.  Then  said  Mr. 
Waiting  to  him,  “Sir,  the  Prince  would  that 
you  should  come  down  to  his  Highness  forth- 
with.” So  he  brought  him  down  to  Emman- 
uel, and  he  came  and  made  obeisance  before 
him.  Now  the  men  of  the  town  knew  Mr. 
Experience  well,  for  he  was  born  and  bred 
in  Mansoul ; they  also  knew  him  to  be  a man 
of  conduct,  of  valour,  and  a person  prudent 
in  matters;  he  was  also  a comely  person, 
well  spoken,  and  very  successful  in  his  un- 
dertakings. 

Wherefore  the  hearts  of  the  townsmen  were 
transported  with  joy  when  they  saw  that  the 
Prince  himself  was  taken  so  with  Mr.  Experi- 
ence that  he  needs  would  make  him  a captain. 

So  with  one  consent  they  bowed  the  knee 
before  Emmanuel,  and  with  a shout  said,  “Let 
Emmanuel  live  for  ever!”  Then  said  the 
Prince  to  the  young  gentleman  whose  name 
was  Mr.  Experience,  “ I have  thought  good  to 
confer  upon  thee  a place  of  trust  and  honour 
in  this  my  town  of  Mansoul.”  Then  the 
young  man  bowed  his  head  and  worshipped. 
“ It  is,”  said  Emmanuel,  “ that  thou  shouldst 
be  a captain,  a captain  over  a thousand  men 
in  my  beloved  town  of  Mansoul.”  Then  said 
the  captain,  “ Let  the  King  live !”  So  the 
Prince  gave  out  orders  forthwith  to  the  King’s 
secretary  that  he  should  draw  up  for  Mr.  Ex- 
perience a commission  to  make  him  a captain 


428 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


over  a thousand  men,  and  let  it  be  brought  to 
me,  said  he,  that  I may  set  to  it  my  seal.  So 
it  was  done  as  it  was  commanded : the  com- 
mission was  drawn  up,  brought  to  Emmanuel, 
and  he  set  his  seal  thereto ; then  by  the  hand 
of  Mr.  Waiting  he  sent  it  away  to  the  captain. 

Now  as  soon  as  the  captain  had  received  his 
commission  he  sounded  his  trumpet  for  volun- 
teers, and  young  men  came  to  him  apace ; yea, 
the  greatest  and  chiefest  men  in  the  town  sent 
their  sons  to  be  listed  under  his  command. 
Thus  Captain  Experience  came  under  com- 
mand to  Emmanuel  for  the  good  of  the  town 
of  Mansoul.  He  had  for  his  lieutenant  one 
Mr.  Skilful,  and  for  his  cornet  one  Mr.  Mem- 
ory. His  under-officers  I need  not  name. 
His  colours  were  the  white  colours  for  the 
town  of  Mansoul,  and  his  escutcheon  was  the 
dead  lion  and  the  dead  bear.  So  the  Prince 
returned  to  his  royal  palace  again. 

Now,  when  he  was  returned  thither  the  el- 
ders of  the  town  of  Mansoul — to  wit,  my  lord 
mayor,  the  recorder,  and  the  Lord  Will-be- 
will — went  to  congratulate  him,  and  in  special 
way  to  thank  him  for  his  love,  care,  and  tender 
compassion  which  he  showed  to  his  ever- 
obliged  town  of  Mansoul.  So  after  a while, 
and  some  sweet  communion  between  them,  the 
townsmen,  having  solemnly  ended  their  cere- 
mony, returned  to  their  place  again. 

Emmanuel  also  at  this  time  appointed  them 
a day  wherein  he  would  renew  their  charter, 
yea,  wherein  he  would  renew  and  enlarge  it, 
mending  several  faults  therein,  that  Mansoul’s 
yoke  might  be  yet  more  easy.  And  this  he 
did  without  any  desire  of  theirs,  even  of  his 
own  frankness  and  noble  mind.  So  when  he 
had  sent  for  and  seen  their  old  one,  he  laid  it 
by  and  said,  “Now  that  which  decayeth  and 
waxeth  old  is  ready  to  vanish  away.”  He 
said  moreover,  “The  town  of  Mansoul  shall 
have  another,  a better,  a new  one,  more  steady 
and  firm  by  far.”  An  epitome  whereof  take  as 
follows : 

“ T,  Emmanuel,  Prince  of  Peace,  and  a 
great  lover  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  do  in  the 
name  of  my  Father  and  of  mine  own  clem- 
ency, give,  grant,  and  bequeath  to  my  beloved 
town  of  Mansoul — 

“1.  Free,  full,  and  everlasting  forgiveness 
of  all  wrongs,  injuries,  and  offences  done  by 
them  against  my  Father,  me,  their  neighbours, 
or  themselves. 

“ 2.  I do  give  them  the  holy  law  and  my 
testament,  with  all  that  therein  is  contained, 
for  their  everlasting  comfort  and  consolation. 


“3.  I do  also  give  them  a portion  of  fhe» 
selfsame  grace  and  goodness  that  dwells  in 
my  Father’s  heart  and  mine. 

“4.  I do  give,  grant,  and  bestow  upon  them 
freely  the  world,  and  what  is  therein  for  their 
good ; and  they  shall  have  that  power  over  it 
as  shall  stand  with  the  honour  of  my  Father, 
my  glory,  and  their  comfort;  yea,  I grant  them 
the  benefits  of  life  and  death,  and  of  things 
present  and  things  to  come.  This  privilege 
no  other  city,  town,  or  corporation  shall  have, 
but  my  Mansoul  only. 

“ 5.  I do  give  and  grant  them  leave  and  free 
access  to  me  in  my  palace,  at  all  seasons,  there 
to  make  known  their  wants  to  me.  And  I 
give  them  moreover  a promise  that  I will  hear 
and  redress  all  their  grievances. 

“6.  I do  give,  grant  to,  and  invest  the  town 
of  Mansoul  with  full  power  and  authority  to 
seek  out,  take,  enslave,  and  destroy  all  and  all 
manner  of  Diabolonians  that  at  any  time, 
from  whencesoever,  shall  be  found  straggling 
in  or  about  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

“ 7.  I do  further  grant  to  my  beloved  'town 
of  Mansoul  that  they  shall  have  authority  not 
to  suffer  any  foreigner  or  stranger,  or  their 
seed,  to  be  free  in  and  of  the  blessed  town  of 
Mansoul,  nor  to  share  in  the  excellent  privi- 
leges thereof.  But  that  all  the  grants,  privi- 
leges, and  immunities  that  I bestow  upon  the 
famous  town  of  Mansoul  shall  he  for  those  the 
old  natives  and  true  inhabitants  thereof;  to 
them,  I say,  and  to  their  right  seed  after 
them. 

“ But  all  Diabolonians,  of  what  sort,  birth, 
country,  or  kingdom  soever,  shall  be  debarred 
a share  therein.” 

So  when  the  town  of  Mansoul  had  received 
at  the  hand  of  Emmanuel  their  gracious  char- 
ter, (which  in  itself  is  infinitely  more  large  than 
by  this  lean  epitome  is  set  before  you,)  they 
carried  it  to  audience — that  is,  to  the  market- 
place— -and  there  Mr.  Recorder  read  it  in  the 
presence  of  all  the  people.  This  being  done, 
it  was  had  back  to  the  castle-gates,  and  there 
fairly  engraven  upon  the  doors  thereof  and 
laid  in  letters  of  gold,  to  the  end  that  the  town 
of  Mansoul,  with  all  the  people  thereof,  might 
have  it  always  in  their  view,  or  might  go 
where  they  might  see  what  a blessed  freedom 
their  Prince  had  bestowed  upon  them,  that 
their  joy  might  be  increased  in  themselves 
and  their  love  renewed  to  their  great  and  good 
Emmanuel. 

But  what  joy,'  what  comfort,  what  consola- 
tion, think  you,  did  now  possess  the  hearts  of 


THE  IIOLY  WAR. 


429 


the  men  of  Mansoul ! The  bells  rung,  the 
minstrels  played,  the  captains  shouted,  the 
colours  waved  in  the  wind,  and  the  silver 
trumpets  sounded,  and  all  the  Diabolonians 
now  were  glad  to  hide  their  heads. 

When  this  was  over  the  Prince  sent  again 
for  the  elders  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and 
communed  with  them  about  a ministry  that  he 
intended  to  establish  among  them — such  a 
ministry  that  might  open  unto  them  and  in- 
struct them  in  the  things  that  did  concern 
their  present  and  future  state. 

For,  said  he,  you  of  yourselves,  without  you 
have  teachers  and  guides,  will  not  be  able  to 
know,  and  if  not  to  know  to  be  sure  not  to  do, 
the  will  of  my  Father. 

At  this  news,  when  the  ciders  of  Mansoul 
brought  it  to  the  people,  the  whole  town  came 
running  together,  (for  it  pleased  them  well,  as 
whatever  the  Prince  now  did  pleased  the  peo- 
ple,) and  all  with  one  consent  implored  his 
Majesty  that  ho  would  forthwith  establish  such 
a ministry  among  them  as  might  teach  them 
both  law  and  judgment,  statute  and  command- 
ment, that  they  might  be  documented  in  all 
good  and  wholesome  things.  So  he  told  them 
that  he  would  grant  them  their  request,  and 
would  establish  two  among  them — one  that 
was  of  his  Father’s  court,  and  one  that  was  a 
native  of  Mansoul. 

lie  that  is  from  the  court,  said  he,  is  a per- 
son of  no  less  quality  and  dignity  than  is  my 
Father  and  I,  and  he  is  the  lord  chief  secretary 
of  my  Father’s  house;  for  he  is  and  always 
has  been  the  chief  dictator  of  all  my  Father’s 
laws — a person  altogether  well  skilled  in  all 
mysteries  and  knowledge  of  mysteries,  as  is  my 
Father  or  as  myself  is.  Indeed  he  is  one  with 
us  in  nature,  and  also  as  to  loving  of  and 
being  faithful  to  and  in  the  eternal  concerns 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

And  this  is  he,  said  the  Prince,  that  must  be 
your  chief  teacher ; for  it  is  he,  and  he  only, 
that  can  teach  you  clearly  in  all  high  and 
supernatural  things.  He,  and  lie  only,  it  is 
that  knows  the  ways  and  methods  of  my 
Father  at  court;  nor  can  any  like  him  show 
how  the  heart  of  my  Father  is  at  all  times,  in 
all  things,  upon  all  occasions,  towards  Man- 
soul ; for  as  no  man  knows  the  things  of  a man 
but  the  spirit  of  a man  which  is  in  him,  so 
the  things  of  my  Father  knows  no  man  but 
this  his  high  and  mighty  secretary.  Nor  can 
any  as  he  tell  Mansoul  how  and  what  they 
shall  do  to  keep  themselves  in  the  love  of  my 
Father.  He  also  it  is  that  can  bring  lost 


things  to  your  remembrance,  and  that  can  tell 
you  things  to  come.  This  teacher  therefore 
must  of  necessity  have  pre-eminence  (both  in 
your  affections  and  judgment)  before  your 
other  teacher;  his  personal  dignity,  the  excel- 
lency of  his  teaching,  also  the  great  dexterity 
that  he  hath  to  assist  you  to  make  and  draw 
up  petitions  to  my  Father  for  your  help  and 
to  his  pleasing,  must  lay  obligations  upon  you 
to  love  him,  fear  him,  and  to  take  heed  that 
you  grieve  him  not. 

This  person  can  put  life  and  vigour  into  all 
he  says;  yea,  and  can  also  put  it  into  your 
hearts.  This  person  can  make  seers  of  you, 
and  can  make  you  tell  what  shall  be  hereafter. 
By  this  person  yrou  must  frame  all  your  peti- 
tions to  my  Father  and  me;  and  without  his 
advice  and  counsel  first  obtained  let  nothing 
enter  into  the  town  or  castle  of  Mansoul,  for 
that  may  disgust  and  grieve  this  noble  person. 

Take  heed,  I say,  that  you  do  not  grieve  this 
minister,  for  if  you  do  he  may  fight  against 
you  ; and  should  he  once  be  moved  by  you  to 
set  himself  against  you  in  battle  array,  that 
will  distress  you  more  than  if  twelve  legions 
should  from  my  Father’s  court  be  sent  to  make 
war  upon  you. 

But,  as  I said,  if  you  shall  hearken  unto  him, 
and  shall  love  him,  if  you  shall  devote  your- 
selves to  his  teaching,  and  shall  seek  to  have 
converse  and  to  maintain  communion  with  him, 
you  shall  find  him  ten  times  better  than  is  the 
whole  world  to  any;  yea,  he  will  shed  abroad 
the  love  of  my  Father  in  your  hearts,  and 
Mansoul  will  be  the  wisest  and  most  blessed 
of  all  people. 

Then  did  the  Prince  call  unto  him  the  old 
gentleman  who  before  had  been  the  recorder 
of  Mansoul,  Mr.  Conscience  by  name,  and  told 
him  that  forasmuch  as  he  was  well  skilled  in 
the  law  and  government  of  the  town  of  Man- 
soul, and  was  also  well  spoken,  and  could  per- 
tinently deliver  to  them  his  Master’s  will  in 
all  terreue  and  domestic  matters,  therefore  he 
would  make  him  a minister  for,  in,  and  to  the 
goodly  town  of  Mansoul  in  all  the  laws,  stat- 
utes and  judgments  of  the  famous  town  of 
Mansoul.  And  thou  must,  said  the  Prince, 
confine  thyself  to  the  teaching  of  moral  vir- 
tues, to  civil  and  natural  duties;  but  thou 
must  not  attempt  or  presume  to  be  a revealer 
of  those  high  and  supernatural  mysteries  that 
are  kept  close  in  the  bosom  of  Shaddai  my 
Father;  for  those  things  knoweth  no  man,  nor 
can  any  reveal  them  but  my  Father’s  secretary 
only. 


430 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Thou  art  a native  of  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
but  the  lord  secretary  is  a native  with  my 
Father;  wherefore,  as  thou  hast  knowledge  of 
the  laws  and  customs  of  the  corporation,  so  he 
of  the  things  and  will  of  my  Father;  where- 
fore, Mr.  Conscience,  although  I have  made 
thee  a minister  and  a preacher  in  the  town  of 
Mansoul,  yet  as  to  the  things  which  the  lord 
secretary  knoweth  and  shall  teach  to  this  peo- 
ple, there  thou  must  be  his  scholar  and  a 
learner,  even  as  the  rest  of  Mansoul  are. 

Thou  must  therefore,  in  all  high  and  super- 
natural things,  go  to  him  for  information  and 
knowledge;  for  though  there  be  a spirit  in 
man,  this  person’s  inspiration  must  give  him 
understanding.  Wherefore,  0 thou  Mr.  Re- 
corder, keep  low  and  be  humble,  and  remember 
that  the  Diabolonians  that  kept  not  their  first 
charge,  but  left  their  own  standing,  are  now 
made  prisoners  in  the  pit ; be  therefore  con- 
tent with  thy  station. 

I have  made  thee  my  Father’s  vicegerent  on 
earth  in  such  things  of  which  I have  made 
mention  before ; and  take  thou  power  to  teach 
them  to  Mansoul,  yea,  and  to  impose  them 
with  whips  and  chastisements  if  they  shall  not 
willingly  hearken  to  do  thy  commandments. 

And,  Mr.  Recorder,  because  thou  art  old  and 
feeble,  therefore  I give  thee  leave  and  license 
to  go  when  thou  wilt  to  my  fountain,  my  con- 
duit, and  there  to  drink  freely  of  the  blood  of 
my  grape,  for  my  conduit  doth  always  run 
wine.  Thus  doing,  thou  shalt  drive  from  thy 
heart  and  stomach  all  foul,  gross,  and  hurtful 
humours.  It  will  also  lighten  thine  eyes,  and 
will  strengthen  thy  memory  for  the  reception 
and  keeping  of  all  that  the  King’s  most  noble 
secretary  teacheth. 

When  the  Prince  had  thus  put  Mr.  Recorder 
(that  once  so  was)  into  the  place  and  office  of 
a minister  of  Mansoul,  and  the  man  had  thank- 
fully accepted  thereof,  then  did  Emmanuel 
address  himself  to  the  townsmen  themselves. 

“Behold  (said  the  Prince  to  Mansoul)  my 
love  and  care  towards  you.  I have  added  to  all 
that  is  past  this  mercy  to  appoint  you  preach- 
ers— the  most  noble  secretary  to  teach  you  in 
all  high  and  sublime  mysteries,  and  this  gen- 
tleman (pointing  to  Mr.  Conscience)  is  to  teach 
you  in  all  things  human  and  domestic,  for 
therein  lieth  his  work.  He  is  not,  by  what  I 
have  said,  debarred  of  telling  to  Mansoul  any- 
thing that  he  hath  heard  and  received  at  the 
mouth  of  the  lord  high  secietary  ; only  he  shall 
not  attempt  or  presume  to  be  a revealer  of 
those  high  mysteries  himself;  for  the  breaking 


of  them  up,  and  the  discovery  of  them  to  Man- 
soul, lieth  only  in  the  power,  authority,  and 
skill  of  the  lord  high  secretary  himself.  Talk 
of  them  he  may ; and  so  may  the  rest  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul,  as  they  have  opportunity, 
press  them  upon  each  other  for  the  benefit  of 
the  whole.  These  things,  therefore,  I woujd 
have  you  observe  and  do,  for  it  is  for  your  life 
and  lengthening  of  your  days. 

“ And  one  thing  more  to  my  beloved  town 
of  Mansoul : You  must  not  dwell  in  nor  stay 
upon  anything  of  that  which  he  hath  in  com- 
mission to  teach  you  as  to  your  trust  and 
expectation  of  the  next  world;  of  the  next 
world,  I say.  for  I purpose  to  give  another  to 
Mansoul  when  this  with  them  is  worn  out; 
but  for  that  you  must  wholly  and  solely  have 
recourse  to  and  make  stay  upon  this  doctrine, 
which  is  your  teacher  after  the  first  order. 
Yea,  Mr.  Recorder  himself  must  not  look  for 
life  from  that  which  he  himself  revealeth ; his 
dependence  for  that  must  be  founded  in  the 
doctrine  of  the  other  preacher.  Let  Mr.  Re- 
corder also  take  heed  that  he  receive  not  any 
doctrine  or  point  of  doctrine  that  is  not  com- 
municated to  him  by  his  superior  teacher,  nor 
yet  within  the  precincts  of  his  own  formal 
knowledge.” 

Now  after  the  Prince  had  thus  settled  things 
in  the  famous  t-own  of  Mansoul,  he  proceeded 
to  give  to  the  elders  of  the  corporation  a neces- 
sary caution— to  wit,  how  they  should  carry  it 
to  the  high  and  noble  captains  that  lie  had 
from  his  Father’s  court  sent  or  brought  with 
him  to  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul. 

“ These  captains  (said  he)  do  love  the  town 
of  Mansoul,  and  they  are  picked  men,  picked 
out  of  abundance  as  men  that  best  suit,  and 
that  will  most  faithfully  serve  in  the  wars  of 
Sliaddai  against  the  Diabolonians  for  the 
preservation  of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  I charge 
you,  therefore,  (said  he,)  0 ye  inhabitants  of 
the  now  flourishing  town  of  Mansoul,  that  ycu 
carry  it  not  ruggedly  or  untowardly  to  my 
captains  or  their  men,  since,  as  I said,  they  are 
picked  and  choice  men,  men  chosen  out  of 
many  for  the  good  of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  I 
say,  I charge  you  that  you  carry  it  not  rug- 
gedly or  untowardly  to  them  ; for  though  they 
have  the  hearts  and  faces  of  lions  when  at  any 
time  they  shall  be  called  forth  to  engage  and 
fight  with  the  King’s  foes  and  the  enemies  of 
the  town  of  Mansoul,  yet  a little  discounte- 
nance cast  upon  them  from  the  town  of  Man- 
soul will  deject  and  cast  down  their  faces,  will 
weaken  and  take  away  their  courage.  Do  not, 


THE  1I0LY  WAR. 


431 


therefore,  0 my  beloved,  carry  it  unkindly  to 
my  valiant  captains  and  courageous  men  of 
war,  but  love  them,  nourish  them,  succour 
them,  and  lay  them  in  your  bosoms,  and  they 
will  not  only  fight  for  you,  but  cause  to  fly 
from  you  all  those  the  Diabolonians  that  seek 
and  will,  if  possible,  be  your  utter  destruction. 

“If  therefore  any  of  them  should,  at  any 
time,  be  sick  or  weak,  and  so  not  able  to  per- 
form that  office  of  love  which  with  all  their 
hearts  they  are  willing  to  do,  (and  will  do  also 
when  well  and  in  health,)  slight  them  not  nor 
despise  them,  but  rather  strengthen  them  and 
encourage  them,  though  weak  and  ready  to 
die;  for  they  are  your  fence  and  your  guard, 
your  walls,  gates,  locks  and  bars.  And  although 
when  they  are  weak  they  can  do  but  little,  but 
rather  need  to  be  helped  by  you  than  that  you 
should  then  expect  great  things  from  them, 
yet  when  well  you  know  what  exploits,  what 
feats  and  warlike  achievements  they  are  able 
to  do  and  will  perform  for  you. 

“Besides,  if  they  be  weak,  the  town  of  Man- 
soul  cannot  be  strong;  if  they  be  strong,  then 
Mansoul  cannot  be  weak ; your  safety  there- 
fore doth  lie  in  their  health  and  in  your  coun- 
tenancing of  them.  Remember  also  that  if 
they  be  sick,  they  catch  that  disease  of  the  town 
of  Mansoul  itself. 

“ These  things  I have  said  unto  you  because 
I love  your  welfare  and  your  honour.  Ob- 
serve, therefore,  0 my  Mansoul,  to  be  punctual 
in  all  things  that  I have  given  in  charge  unto 
you,  aud  that  not  only  as  a town  corporate, 
and  so  to  your  officers  and  guard  and  guides  in 
chief,  but  to  you  as  a people,  whose  well-being 
as  single  persons  depends  on  the  observation 
of  the  orders  and  commandments  of  their  Lord. 

“Next,  0 my  Mansoul,  I do  warn  you  of 
that  of  which,  notwithstanding  the  reformation 
which  that  at  present  is  wrought  among  you, 
you  have  need  to  be  warned  about;  wherefore 
hearken  diligently  unto  me.  I am  now  sure, 
and  you  will  know  hereafter,  that  there  are 
yet  some  of  the  Diabolonians  remaining  in 
the  town  of  Mansoul — Diabolonians  that  are 
sturdy  and  implacable,  and  that  do,  already, 
while  I am  yet  with  you,  and  that  will  yet 
more  when  I am  from  you,  study,  plot,  con- 
trive, invent,  and  jointly  attempt  to  bring  you 
to  desolation,  so  to  a state  far  worse  than  that 
of  Egyptian  bondage.  They  are  the  avowed 
friends  of  Diabolus,  therefore  look  about  you ; 
they  used  therefore  to  lodge  with  their  prince 
in  the  castle  when  Incredulity  was  lord  mayor 
of  this  town,  but  since  my  coining  hither,  they 


lie  more  in  the  outsides  and  walls,  and  have 
made  themselves  dens,  and  caves,  and  holes, 
and  strongholds  therein.  Wherefore,  0 Man- 
soul, thy  work  as  to  this  will  be  so  much  the 
more  difficult  and  hard — that  is,  to  take,  mor- 
tify, and  put  them  to  death,  according  to  the 
will  of  my  Father.  Nor  can  you  utterly  lid 
yourselves  of  them  unless  you  should  pull 
down  the  walls  of  your  town,  the  which  I am 
by  no  means  willing  you  should.  Do  you  ask 
me,  What  shall  we  do  then?  Why,  be  you  dil- 
igent, and  quit  you  like  men ; observe  their 
holds,  find  out  their  haunts,  assault  them,  and 
make  no  peace  with  them.  Wherever  they 
haunt,  lurk,  or  abide,  and  what  terms  of  peace 
soever  they  offer  you,  abhor,  and  all  shall  be 
well  betwixt  you  and  me.  And,  that  you  may 
the  better  know  them  from  those  that  arc  the 
natives  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  I will  give  you 
this  brief  schedule  of  the  names  of  the  chief 
of  them ; and  they  are  these  that  follow : The 
Lord  Fornication,  the  Lord  Adultery,  the 
Lord  Murder,  the  Lord  Anger,  the  Lord  Las- 
civiousness, the  Lord  Deceit,  the  Lord  Evil- 
eye,  Mr.  Drunkenness,  Mr.  Revelling,  Mr. 
Idolatry,  Mr.  Witchcraft,  Mr.  Variance,  Mr. 
Emulation,  Mr.  Wrath,  Mr.  Strife,  Mr.  Sedi- 
tion, and  Mr.  Heresy.  These  are  some  of  the 
chief,  O Mansoul,  of  those  that  will  seek  to 
overthrow  thee  for  ever.  These,  I say,  are  the 
shucklers  in  Mansoul,  but  look  thou  well  into 
the  law  of  thy  King,  and  there  thou  shalt  find 
their  physiognomy  and  such  other  character- 
istical  notes  of  them  by  whiclj  they  certainly 
may  bfc  known. 

“ These,  0 my  Mansoul,  (and  I would  gladly 
that  you  should  know  it,)  if  they  are  suffered 
to  run  and  range  about  the  town  at  will,  will 
quickly,  like  vipers,  eat  out  your  bowels,  yea, 
poison  your  captains,  cut  the  sinews  of  your 
soldiers,  break  the  bars  and  bolts  of  your  gates, 
and  turn  your  now  most  flourishing  Mansoul 
into  a barren  and  desolate  wilderness,  a ruin- 
ous heap.  Wherefore,  that  you  may  take 
courage  to  yourselves  to  apprehend  these  vil- 
lains wherever  you  find  them,  I give  to  you, 
my  lord  mayor,  my  Lord  Will-be-will,  and 
Mr.  Recorder,  with  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul,  full  power  and  commission 
to  seek  out,  to  take,  and  cause  to  be  put  to 
death  by  the  cross,  all  manner  of  Diabolo- 
nians, wherever  you  shall  find  them  to  lurk 
within  or  to  range  without  the  walls  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul. 

“ I told  you  before  that  I had  placed  a stand- 
ing ministry  among  you;  not  that  you  have 


432 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


but  these  with  you,  for  my  four  first  captains 
who  came  against  the  master  and  lord  of  the 
Diabolonians  that  was  in  Mansoul,  they  can, 
and  if  need  be  will,  not  only  privately  inform 
but  publicly  preach  to  the  corporation  both 
good  and  wholesome  doctrine,  and  such  as 
shall  lead  you  in  the  way.  Yea,  they  will  set 
up  a w’eeklv,  yea,  if  need  be  a daily,  lecture 
in  thee,  0 Mansoul ! and  will  instruct  thee  in 
such  profitable  lessons  that  if  heeded  will  do 
thee  good  at  the  end.  And  take  good  heed 
that  you  spare  not  the  men  that  you  have  a 
commission  to  take  and  crucify. 

“Now,  as  I have  set  before  your  eyes  the  va- 
grants and  runagates  by  name,  so  I will  tell 
you  that  among  yourselves  some  of  them  shall 
creep  in  to  beguile  you,  even  such  as  would 
seem,  and  that  in  appearance,  are  very  ripe  and 
hot  for  religion.  And  they,  if  you  watch  not, 
will  do  you  a mischief — such  an  one  as  at 
present  you  do  not  think  of. 

“These,  as  I said,  will  show  themselves  to 
you  in  another  hue  than  those  under  descrip- 
tion before.  Wherefore,  Mansoul,  watch  and 
be  sober,  and  suffer  not  thyself  to  be  be- 
trayed.” 

When  the  Prince  had  thus  far  new-modelled 
the  towm  of  Mansoul,  and  had  instructed  them 
in  such  matters  as  were  profitable  for  them  to 
know,  then  he  appointed  another  day,  in  which 
he  intended,  when  the  townsfolk  came  together, 
to  bestow  a further  badge  of  honour  upon  the 
town  of  Mansoul — a badge  that  should  distin- 
guish them  from  all  people,  kindreds  and 
tongues  that  dwell  in  the  kingdom  ®f  Uni- 
verse. Now  it  was  not  long  before  the  day 
appointed  was  come,  and  the  Prince  and  his 
people  met  in  the  King’s  palace,  where  first 
Emmanuel  made  a short  speech  unto  them, 
and  then  did  for  them  as  he  had  said,  and  unto 
them  as  he  had  promised. 

“My  Mansoul,”  said  he,  “that  which  I now 
am  about  to  do  is  to  make  you  known  to  the 
world  to  be  mine,  and  to  distinguish  you  also 
in  your  own  eyes  from  all  false  traitors  that 
may  creep  in  among  you.” 

Then  he  commanded  that  those  that  waited 
upon  him  should  go  and  bring  forth  out  of  his 
treasury  those  white  glittering  robes  that  I, 
said  he,  have  provided  and  laid  up  in  store  for 
my  Mansoul.  So  the  white  garments  were 
fetched  out  of  his  treasury,  and  laid  forth  to 
the  eyes  of  the  people.  Moreover  it  was 
granted  to  them  that  they  should  take  them 
and  put  them  on.  So  the  people  were  put  into 
white,  into  fine  linen,  white  and  clean.  • 


Then  said  the  Prince  unto  them,  “This,  0 
Mansoul,  is  my  livery,  and  the  badge  by  which 
mine  are  known  from  the  servants  of  others. 
Yea,  it  is  that  which  I grant  to  all  that  are 
mine,  and  without  which  no  man  is  permitted 
to  see  my  face.  Wear  them,  therefore,  for  my 
sake,  who  gave  them  unto  you,  and  also  if  you 
would  be  known  by  the  world  to  be  mine.” 

But  now  can  you  think  how  Mansoul  shone! 
It  was  fair  as  the  sun,  clear  as  the  moon,  and 
terrible  as  an  army  with  banners.  The  Prince 
added  further,  and  said,  “No  prince,  potentate, 
or  mighty  one  of  the  Universe  giveth  this 
livery  but  myself.  Behold,  therefore,  as  I 
said  before,  you  shall  be  known  by  it  to  be 
mine. 

“And  now,”  said  he,  “I  have  given  you  my 
livery,  let  me  give  you  also  in  commandment 
concerning  them;  and  be  sure  that  you  take 
good  heed  to  my  words: 

“1.  Wear  them  daily,  day  by  day,  lest  you 
should  at  sometimes  appear  to  others  as  if  you 
were  none  of  mine. 

“2.  Keep  them  always  white,  for  it  is,  if 
they  be  soiled,  dishonour  to  me. 

“3.  Wherefore  gird  them  up  from  the 
ground,  and  let  them  not  be  soiled  with  dust 
and  dirt. 

“ 4.  Take  heed  that  you  lose  them  not,  lest 
you  walk  naked  and  they  see  your  shame. 

“5.  But  if  you  should  sully  them,  if  you 
should  defile  them,  (the  which  I am  greatly 
unwilling  you  should,  and  the  prince  Diabolus 
would  be  glad  if  you  would,)  then  speed  you 
to  do  that  which  is  written  in  my  law,  that  yet 
you  may  stand,  and  not  fall  before  me  and  be- 
fore my  throne.  Also  this  is  the  way  to  cause 
that  I may  not  leave  you  nor  forsake  you  while 
here,  but  may  dwell  in  this  town  of  Mansoul 
for  ever.” 

And  now  was  Mansoul  and  the  inhabitants 
of  it  as  the  signet  upon  Emmanuel’s  right 
hand.  Where  was  there  now  a town,  a city,  a 
corporation  that  could  compare  with  Mansoul? 
— a towm  redeemed  from  the  hand  and  from 
the  power  of  Diabolus ; a towm  that  the  King 
Sliaddai  loved,  and  that  he  sent  Emmanuel  to 
regain  from  the  Prince  of  the  infernal  cave ; 
yea,  a town  that  Emmanuel  loved  to  dwell  in, 
and  that  he  chose  for  his  royal  habitation ; a 
towm  that  he  fortified  for  himself,  and  made 
strong  by  the  force  of  his  army.  What  shall 
I say?  Mansoul  has  now’  a most  excellent 
Prince,  golden  captains  and  men  of  war, 
weapons  proved,  and  garments  white  as  snow. 
Nor  are  these  benefits  to  be  counted  little,  but 


T1IE  ITOLY  WAR. 


433 


groat.  Can  the  town  of  Mansoul  esteem  them 
so,  and  improve  them  to  that  end  and  purpose 
for  the  which  they  arc  bestowed  upon  them? 

When  the  Prince  had  thus  completed  the 
modelling  of  the  town,  to  show  that  he  had 
great  delight  in  the  work  of  his  hands,  and 
took  pleasure  in  the  good  that  he  had  wrought 
for  the  famous  and  flourishing  Mansoul,  lie 
commanded  and  they  set  his  standard  upon  the 
battlements  of  the  castle.  And  then, 

1.  He  gave  them  frequent  visits.  Not  a day 
now  but  the  elders  of  Mansoul  must  come  to 
him  or  he  to  them,  into  his  palace.  Now  they 
must  walk  and  talk  together  of  all  the  great 
things  that  he  had  done  and  yet  further  prom- 
ised to  do  for  the  town  of  Mansoul.  Thus 
would  he  often  do  with  the  lord  mayor,  my 
Lord  Will-be-will,  and  the  honest  subordinate 
preacher,  Mr.  Conscience  and  Mr.  Recorder. 
But  oh  how  graciously,  how  lovingly,  how 
courteously,  and  tenderly  did  this  blessed 
Prince  now  carry  it  towards  the  town  of  Man- 
soul! In  all  the  streets,  gardens,  orchards, 
and  other  places  where  he  came,  to  be  sure  the 
poor  should  have  his  blessing  and  benediction  ; 
yea,  he  would  kiss  them,  and  if  they  were  ill 
he  would  lay  hands  on  them  and  make  them 
well.  The  captains  also  he  would  daily,  yea 
sometimes  hourly,  encourage  with  his  presence 
and  goodly  words.  For  you  must  know  that  a 
smile  from  him  upon  them  would  put  more 
vigour,  more  life  and  stoutness  into  them  than 
would  anything  else  under  heaven. 

The  Prince  would  now  also  feast  them  and 
be  with  them  continually.  Hardly  a week 
would  pass  but  a banquet  must  be  had  betwixt 
him  and  them.  You  may  remember  that- some 
pages  before  we  made  mention  of  one  feast 
that  they  had  together,  but  now  to  feast  them 
was  a thing  more  common:  every  day  with 
Mansoul  was  a feast-day  now.  Nor  did  he, 
when  they  returned  to  their  places,  send  them 
empty  away ; either  they  must  have  a ring,  a 
gold  chain,  a bracelet,  a white  stone,  or  some- 
thing, so  dear  was  Mansoul  to  him  now7,  so 
lovely  was  Mansoul  in  his  eyes. 

2.  When  the  elders  and  townsmen  did  not 
come  to  him,  he  would  send  in  such  plenty  of 
provision'  unto  them,  meat  that  came  from 
court,  wine  and  bread  that  were  prepared  for 
his  Father’s  table,  yea,  such  delicacies  would 
he  send  unto  them,  and  therewith  would  so 
cover  their  table,  that  whoever  saw  it  confessed 
that  the  like  could  not  be  seen  in  any  king- 
dom. 

3.  If  Mansoul  did  not  frequently  visit  him 

28 


as  he  desired  they  should,  he  would  walk  out 
to  them,  knock  at  their  doors,  and  desire  en- 
trance, that  amity  might  be  maintained  be- 
twixt them  and  him ; if  they  did  hear  and 
open  to  him,  as  commonly  they  would  if  they 
were  at  home,  then  would  he  renew7  his  former 
love,  and  confirm  it  too  with  some  new  tokens 
and  signs  of  continual  favour. 

And  was  it  not  now  amazing  to  behold  that 
in  that  very  place  where  sometimes  Diabolus 
had  his  abode  and  entertained  his  Diabolo- 
nians  to  the  almost  utter  destruction  of  Man- 
soul, the  Prince  of  princes  should  sit  eating 
and  drinking  with  them,  while  all  his  mighty 
captains,  men  of  war,  trumpeters,  with  the 
singing  men  and  singing  women  of  his  Father, 
stood  round  about  to  wait  upon  them?  Now 
did  Mansoul’s  cup  run  over,  now7  did  her  con- 
duits run  swreet  wine,  now  did  she  eat  the 
finest  of  the  wheat,  and  drink  milk  and  honey 
out  of  the  rock.  Now  she  said,  How7  great  is 
his  goodness,  for  since  I found  favour  in  his 
eyes  how7  honourable  have  I been  ! 

The  blessed  Prince  did  also  order  a new7  of- 
ficer in  the  tow7n,  and  a goodly  person  he  was: 
his  name  was  Mr.  God’s-peace ; this  man  was 
set  over  my  Lord  Will-be-will,  my  lord  mayor, 
Mr.  Recorder,  the  subordinate  preacher,  Mr. 
Mind,  and  over  all  the  natives  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul.  Himself  w7as  not  a native  of  it,  but 
came  with  the  Prince  Emmanuel  from  the 
court.  He  w7as  a great  acquaintance  of  Cap- 
tain Credence  and  Captain  Good-hope;  some 
say  they  were  akin,  and  I am  of  that  opinion 
too.  This  man,  as  I said,  was  made  governor 
of  the  town  in  general,  especially  over  the 
castle,  and  Captain  Credence  was  to  help  him 
there.  And  I made  great  observation  of  it 
that  so  long  as  all  things  went  in  Mansoul  as 
this  sweet-natured  gentleman  would,  the  town 
was  in  most  happy  condition.  Now7  there  wrere 
no  jars,  no  chiding,  no  intenenngs,  no  unfaith- 
ful  doings  in  all  the  town  of  Mansoul : every 
man  in  Mansoul  kept  close  to  his  own  employ- 
ment. The  gentry,  the  officers,  the  soldiers, 
and  all  in  the  place,  observed  their  order.  And 
as  for  the  women  and  children  of  the  tow7n, 
they  followed  their  business  joyfully;  they 
would  work  and  sing  from  morning  till  night; 
so  that  quite  through  the  town  of  Mansoul 
now7  nothing  was  to  be  found  but  harmony, 
quietness,  joy,  and  health.  And  this  lasted  all 
that  summer. 

But  there  w7as  a man  in  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
and  his  name  wras  Mr.  Carnal-security.  This 
man  did,  after  all  this  mercy  bestowed  on  this 


434 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


corporation,  bring  the  town  of  Mansoul  into 
great  ancl  grievous  slavery  and  bondage.  A 
brief  account  of  him  and  of  his  doings  take 
as  followeth. 

When  Diabolus  at  first  took  possession  of 
the  town  of  Mansoul  he  brought  thither  with 
himself  a great  number  of  Diabolonians,  men 
of  his  own  conditions.  Now  among  these  there 
was  one  whose  name  was  Mr.  Self-conceit,  and 
a notable  brisk  man  he  was  as  any  that  did  in 
those  days  possess  the  town  of  Mansoul.  Diab- 
olus, then,  perceiving  this  man  to  be  active  and 
bold,  sent  him  upon  many  desperate  designs, 
the  which  he  managed  better  and  more  to  the 
pleasing  of  his  lord  than  most  that  came  with 
him  from  the  dens  could  do.  Wherefore,  find- 
ing of  him  so  fit  for  his  purpose,  he  preferred 
him  and  made  him  next  to  the  great  Lord 
Will-be-will,  of  whom  we  have  written  so 
much  before.  Now  the  Lord  Will-be-will, 
being  in  those  days  very  well  pleased  with 
him  and  with  his  achievements,  gave  him  his 
daughter,  the  Lady  Fear-nothing,  to  wife. 
Now  of  my  Lady  Fear-nothing  did  this  Mr. 
Self-conceit  beget  this  gentleman,  Mr.  Carnal- 
security.  Wherefore,  there  being  then  in  Man- 
soul those  strange  kinds  of  mixtures,  it  was 
hard  for  them  in  some  cases  to  find  out  who 
were  natives  and  who  not ; for  Mr.  Carnal-se- 
curity sprang  from  my  Lord  Will-be-will  by 
his  mother’s  side,  though  he  had  for  his  father  a 
Diabolonian  by  nature. 

Well,  this  Carnal-security  took  much  after 
his  father  and  mother ; he  was  self-conceited, 
he  feared  nothing,  he  was  also  a very  busy 
man;  nothing  of  news,  nothing  of  doctrine, 
nothing  of  alteration  or  talk  of  alteration  could 
at  any  time  be  on  foot  in  Mansoul  but  be  sure 
Mr.  Carnal-security  would  be  at  the  head  or 
tail  of  it ; but  to  be  sure  he  would  decline  those 
that  he  deemed  tpr  weakest,  and  stood  always 
with  them  (in  his  way  of  standing)  that  he 
supposed  was  the  strongest  side. 

Now,  when  Shaddai  the  mighty  and  Em- 
manuel his  Son  made  war  upon  Mansoul  to 
take  it,  this  Mr.  Carnal-security  was  then  in 
town,  and  was  a great  doer  among  the  people, 
encouraging  them  in  their  rebellion,  putting 
of  them  upon  hardening  themselves  in  their 
resisting  of  the  King’s  forces ; but  when  he 
saw  that  the  town  of  Mansoul  was  taken  and 
converted  to  the  use  of  the  glorious  Prince 
Emmanuel,  and  when  he  also  saw  what  was 
become  of  Diabolus,  and  how  he  was  unroosted 
and  made  to  quit  the  castle  in  the  greatest  con- 
tempt and  scorn,  and  that  the  town  of  Mansoul 


was  well  lined  with  captains,  engines  of  war 
and  men,  and  also  provisions,  what  doth  he  but 
slyly  wheel  about  also ; and  as  he  had  served 
Diabolus  against  the  good  Prince,  so  he  feigned 
that  he  would  serve  the  Prince  against  his 
foes. 

And  having  got  some  little  smattering  of 
Emmanuel’s  things  by  the  end,  being  bold,  he 
ventures  himself  into  the  company  of  the 
townsmen,  and  attempts  also  to  chat  among 
them.  Now  he  knew  that  the  powei  and 
strength  of  the  town  of  Mansoul  was  great, 
and  that  it  could  not  but  be  pleasing  to  the 
people  if  he  cried  up  their  might  and  their 
glory.  AVherefore  he  beginnetli  his  tale  with 
the  power  and  strength  of  Mansoul,  and  affirm- 
ed that  it  was  impregnable — now  magnifying 
their  captains,  and  their  slings,  and  their  rams, 
then  crying  up  their  fortifications  and  strong- 
holds, and  lastly  the  assurance  that  they  had 
from  their  Prince  that  Mansoul  should  be 
happy  for  ever.  But  when  he  saw  that  some 
of  the  men  of  the  town  were  tickled  and  taken 
with  his  discourse,  he  makes  it  his  business, 
and  walking  from  street  to  street,  house  to 
house,  and  man  to  man,  he  at  last  brought 
Mansoul  to  dance  after  his  pipe,  and  to  grow 
almost  as  carnally  secure  as  himself;  so  from 
talking  they  went  to  feasting,  and  from  feasting 
to  sporting,  and  so  to  some  other  matters, 
(now  Emmanuel  was  yet  in  the  town  of  Man- 
soul,  and  he  wisely  observed  their  doings.)  My 
lord  mayor,  my  Lord  Will-be-will,  and  Mr. 
Recorder  were  also  all  taken  with  the  words 
of  this  tattling  Diabolonian  gentleman,  for- 
getting that  their  Prince  had  given  them  warn- 
ing before  to  take  heed  that  they  were  not 
beguiled  with  any  Diabolonian  sleight ; he  had 
further  told  them  that  the  security  of  the  now 
flourishing  town  of  Mansoul  did  not  so  much 
lie  in  her  present  fortifications  and  force,  as  in 
her  so  using  of  what  she  had  as  might  oblige 
her  Emmanuel  to  abide  within  her  castle. 
For  the  right  doctrine  of  Emmanuel  was,  that 
the  town  of  Mansoul  should  take  heed  that 
they  forgat  not  his  Father’s  love  and  his ; also 
that  they  should  so  demean  themselves  as  to 
continue  to  keep  themselves  therein.  Now 
this  was  not  the  way  to  do  it — namely,  to  fall 
in  love  with  one  of  the  Diabolonians,  and  with 
such  an  one,  too,  as  Mr.  Carnal-security  was, 
to  be  led  up  and  down  by  the  nose  by  him. 
They  should  have  heard  their  Prince,  feared 
their  Prince,  loved  their  Prince,  and  have 
stoned  this  naughty  pack  to  death,  and  took 
care  to  have  walked  in  the  ways  of  their 


THE  JTOLY  JIM/?. 


Prince’s  prescribing;,  for  then  should  their 
peace  have  been  as  a river,  when  their  right- 
eousness had  been  like  the  waves  of  the  sea. 

Now  when  Emmanuel  perceived  that  through 
the  policy  of  Mr.  Carnal-security  the  hearts  of 
the  men  of  Mansoul  were  chilled  and  abated 
in  their  practical  love  to  him — 

First,  lie  bemoans  them  and  condoles  their 
state  with  the  secretary,  saying,  “ Oh  that  my 
people  had  hearkened  unto  me,  and  that  Man- 
soul  had  walked  in  my  ways ! I would  have 
fed  them  with  the  finest  of  the  wheat,  and 
with  honey  out  of  the  rock  would  I have  sus- 
tained them.”  This  done,  he  said  in  his  heart, 
“ I will  return  to  the  court  and  go  to  my  place, 
till  Mansoul  shall  consider  and  acknowledge 
their  offence.”  And  he  did  so,  and  the  cause 
and  manner  of  his  going  away  from  them  was 
thus : 

The  cause  was  for  that — 

First,  Mansoul  declined  him,  as  is  manifest 
in  these  particulars : 

1.  They  left  off  their  former  way  of  visiting 
of  him ; they  came  not  to  his  royal  palace  as 
afore. 

2.  They  did  not  regard  nor  yet  take  notice 
that  he  came  or  came  not  to  visit  them. 

3.  The  love-feasts  that  had  wont  to  be  be- 
tween their  Prince  and  them,  though  he  made 
them  still  and  called  them  to  them,  yet  they 
neglected  to  come  to  them  or  to  be  delighted 
with  them. 

4.  They  waited  not  for  his  counsels,  but 
began  to  be  headstrong  and  confident  in 
themselves,  concluding  that  now  they  were 
strong  and  invincible,  and  that  Mansoul 
was  secure  and  beyond  all  reach  of  the  foe — 
that  her  state  must  needs  be  unalterable  for 
ever. 

Now,  as  was  said,  Emmanuel  perceiving 
that  by  the  craft  of  Mr.  Carnal-security  the 
town  of  Mansoul  was  taken  off  from  tlieir  de- 
pendence upon  him  and  upon  his  Father  by 
him,  and  set  upon  what  by  them  was  bestowed 
upon  it,  he  first,  as  I said,  bemoaned  their 
state,  then  he  used  means  to  make  them 
understand  that  the  way  they  went  on  in  was 
dangerous.  For  he  sent  my  lord  high  secre- 
tary to  them  to  forbid  them  such  ways;  but 
twice  when  he  came  to  them  he  found  them 
at  dinner  in  Mr.  Carnal-security’s  parlour, 
and  perceiving  also  that  they  were  not  will- 
ing to  reason  about  matters  concerning  their 
good,  lie  took  grief  and  went  his  way.  The 
which  when  he  had  told  to  the  Prince  Em- 
manuel, he  took  offence  aud  was  grieved 


436 

also,  and  so  made  provision  to  return  to  his 
Father’s  court. 

Now  the  methods  of  his  withdrawing,  as  I 
was  saying  before,  were  thus: 

1.  Even  while  he  was  yet  with  them  in 
Mansoul  he  kept  himself  close  and  more  re- 
tired than  formerly. 

2.  His  speech  was  not  now,  if  he  came  in 
their  company,  so  pleasant  and  familiar  as 
formerly. 

3.  Nor  did  he,  as  in  times  past,  send  to 
Mansoul  from  his  table  those  dainty  bit3 
which  he  was  wont  to  do. 

4.  Nor,  when  they  came  to  visit  him,  as 
now  and  then  they  would,  would  he  be  so 
easily  spoken  with  as  they  found  him  to  be  in 
times  past.  They  might  knock  once,  yea 
twice,  but  he  would  seem  not  at  all  to  regard 
them  ; whereas  formerly,  at  the  sound  of  their 
feet,  he  would  up  and  run  and  meet  them  half- 
way, and  take  them  too  and  lay  them  in  his 
bosom. 

But  thus  Emmanuel  carried  it  now,  and  by 
this  his  carriage  he  thought  to  make  them  be- 
think themselves  and  return  to  him.  But, 
alas ! they  did  not  consider,  they  did  not  know 
his  ways,  they  regarded  not,  they  were  not 
touched  with  these  nor  with  the  true  remem- 
brance of  former  favours.  Wherefore,  what 
does  he  but  in  private  manner  withdraw  him- 
self, first  from  his  palace,  then  to  the  gate  of 
the  town,  and  so  away  from  Mansoul  he  goes, 
till  they  should  acknowledge  - their  offence 
and  more  earnestly  seek  his  face.  Mr.  God’s- 
peace^  also  laid  down  his  commission,  and 
w'ould  for  the  present  act  no  longer  in  the 
town  of  Mansoul. 

Thus  they  walked  contrary  to  him,  and  he 
again,  by  way  of  retaliation,  walked  contrary 
to  them.  But,  alas!  by  this  time  they  were 
so  hardened  in  their  way,  and  had  so  drunk 
in  the  doctrine,  of  Mr.  Carnal-security,  that 
the  departing  of  their  Prince  touched  them 
not,  nor  was  he  remembered  by  them  when 
gone;  and  so  of  consequence  his  absence  not 
condoled  by  them. 

Now’  there  wms  a day  wherein  this  old  gen- 
tleman, Mr.  Carnal-security,  did  again  make 
a feast  for  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and  there 
wms  at  that  time  in  the  town  one  Mr.  Godlv- 
fear,  one  now  but  little  set  by,  though  for- 
merly one  of  great  request.  This  man  old 
Carnal-security  had  a mind,  if  possible,  to 
gull,  and  debauch,  and  abuse  as  he  did  the 
rest,  and  therefore  he  now’  bids  him  to  the 
feast  with  his  neighbours;  so  the  day  being 


436 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


come,  they  prepare,  and  he  goes  and  appears 
with  the  rest  of  the  guests,  and  being  all  set 
at  the  table,  they  did  eat  and  drink  and  were 
merry,  even  all  but  this  one  man.  For  Mr. 
Godly-fear  sat  like  a stranger,  and  did  neither 
eat  nor  was  merry.  The  which,  when  Mr. 
Carnal-security  perceived,  he  presently  ad- 
dressed himself  in  a speech  thus  to  him  : 

Mr  Godly-fear,  are  you  not  well?  You 
seem  to  be  ill  of  body  or  mind,  or  both.  I 
have  a cordial  of  Mr.  Forget-good’s  making, 
the  which,  sir,  if  you  will  take  a dram  of, 
I hope  it  may  make  you  bonny  and  blithe, 
and  so  make  you  more  fit  for  us  feasting 
companions. 

Unto  whom  the  old  gentleman  discreetly 
replied:  Sir,  I thank  you  for  all  things  cour- 
teous and  civil,  but  for  your  cordial  I have  no 
list  thereto.  But  a word  to  the  natives  of 
Mansoul : You,  the  elders  and  chiefs  of  Man- 
soul,  to  me  it  is  strange  to  see  you  so  jocund 
and  merry  when  the  town  of  Mansoul  is  in 
such  woeful  case. 

Then  said  Mr.  Carnal-security,  You  want 
sleep,  good  sir,  I doubt.  If  you  please,  lie 
down  and  take  a nap,  and  we  meanwhile  will 
be  merry. 

Then  said  the  good  man  as  follows : Sir,  if 
you  were  not  destitute  of  an  honest  heart,  you 
could  not  do  as  you  have  done  and  do. 

Then  said  Mr.  Carnal-security,  Why? 

Godly-fear.  Nay,  pray  interrupt  me  not.  It 
is  true  the  town  of  Mansoul  was  strong  and 
(with  a proviso)  impregnable,  but  you  the 
townsmen  have  weakened  it,  and  it  now  lies 
obnoxious  to  its  foes.  Nor  is  it  a time  to 
flatter  or  be  silent.  It  is  you,  Mr.  Carnal- 
security,  that  have  wilily  stripped  Mansoul 
and  driven  her  glory  from  her ; you  have 
pulled  down  her  towers,  you  have  broken 
down  her  gates,  you  have  spoiled  her  locks 
and  bars. 

And  now  to  explain  myself : From  that 
time  that  my  lords  of  Mansoul  and  you,  sir, 
grew  so  great,  from  that  time  the  Strength 
of  Mansoul  has  been  offended,  and  now  he  is 
risen  and  gone.  If  any  shall  question  the 
truth  of  my  words,  I will  answer  him  by  this 
and  such  questions:  Where  is  the  Prince  Em- 
manuel? When  did  a man  or  woman  in 
Mansoul  see  him  ? When  did  you  hear  from 
him  or  taste  any  of  his  dainty  bits?  You  are 
now  a-feasting  with  this  Diabolonian  mon- 
ster, but  he  is  not  your  Prince.  I say  there- 
fore, though  enemies  from  without,  had  you 
taken  heed,  could  not  have  made  a prey  of 


you,  yet  since  you  have  sinned  against  your 
Prince,  your  enemies  within  have  been  too 
hard  for  you. 

Then  said  Mr.  Carnal-security,  Fie,  fie,  Mr. 
Godly-fear,  fie ! Will  you  never  shake  off 
your  timorousness?  Are  you  afraid  of  being 
sparrow-blasted?  Who  hath  hurt  you?  Be- 
hold I am  on  your  side,  only  you  are  for 
doubting  and  I am  for  being  confident.  Be- 
sides, is  this  a time  to  be*sad  in?  A feast  is 
made  for  mirth;  why  then  do  you  now,  to 
your  shame  and  our  trouble,  break  out  into 
such  passionate,  melancholy  language,  when 
you  should  eat  and  drink  and  be  merry? 

Then  said  Mr.  Godly-fear  again,  I may  well 
be  sad,  for  Emmanuel  is  gone  from  Mansoul. 
I say  again  he  is  gone,  and  you,  sir,  are  the 
man  that  has  driven  him  away.  Yea,  he  is 
gone  without  so  much  as  acquainting  the  no- 
bles of  Mansoul  with  his  going;  and  if  that 
is  not  a sign  of  his  anger,  I am  not  acquainted 
with  the  methods  of  godliness. 

And  now,  my  lords  and  gentlemen — for  my 
speech  is  still  to  you — your  gradual  declining 
from  him  did  provoke  him  to  depart  from  you  ; 
the  which  he  did  gradually,  if  perhaps  you 
would  have  been  made  sensible  thereby,  and 
have. been  renewed  by  humbling  of  yourselves ; 
but  when  he  saw  that  none  would  regard  nor 
lay  these  fearful  beginnings  of  his  anger  and 
judgment  to  heart,  he  went  away  from  this 
place;  and  this  I saw  with  mine  own  eyes. 
Wherefore,  now  while  you  boast  your  Strength 
is  gone ; you  are  like  the  man  that  had  lost 
his  locks  that  before  did  wave  about  his 
shoulders.  You  may  with  this  lord  of  your 
feast  shake  yourselves  and  conclude  to  do  as  at 
other  times ; but  since  without  him  you  can  do 
nothing,  and  he  is  dej>arted  from  you,  turn 
your  feast  into  a sigh  and  your  mirth  into 
lamentations. 

Then  the  subordinate  preacher,  old  Mr. 
Conscience,  by  name,  he  that  of  old  was  re- 
corder of  Mansoul,  being  startled  at  what  was 
said,  began  to  second  it  thus. 

Indeed,  my  brethren,  quoth  he,  I fear  that 
Mr.  Godly-fear  tells  us  true.  I for  my  part 
have  not  seen  my  Prince  for  a long  season.  I 
cannot  remember  the  day,  for  my  part,  Nor 
can  I answer  Mr.  Godly-fear’s  question.  1 am 
afraid  that  all  is  naught  with  Mansoul. 

Godly-fear.  Nay,  I know  that  you  should 
not  find  him  in  Mansoul,  for  he  is  departed 
and  gone ; yea,  and  gone  for  the  faults  of  the 
elders,  and  for  that  they  rewarded  his  grace 
with  unsufferable  unkindnesses. 


T1IK  IIOI.Y  WALL 


437 


Then  did  the  subordinate  preacher  look  as 
if  ho  would  fall  down  dead  at  the  table;  also 
all  there  present  except  the  man  of  the  house 
began  to  look  pale  and  wan.  But  having  a 
little  recovered  themselves,  and  jointly  agree- 
ing to  believe  Mr.  Godly-fear  and  his  sayings, 
they  began  to  consult  what  was  best  to  bo 
done  (now  Mr.  Carnal-security  was  gone  into 
his  withdrawing  room,  for  he  liked  not  such 
dumpish  doings)  both  to  the  man  of  the  house 
for  drawing  them  into  evil,  and  also  to  recover 
Emmanuel’s  love. 

Then  the  saying  of  their  Prince  came  very  hot 
into  their  minds  concerning  the  false  proph- 
ets that  should  arise  to  delude  the  town  of 
Mansoul.  So  they  took  Mr.  Carnal -security 
(concluding  that  lie  was  the  person)  and  burnt 
his  house  upon  him  with  fire,  for  lie  also  was  a 
Diabolonian  by  nature. 

When  this  was  past  and  over  they  besped 
themselves  to  look  for  Emmanuel  their  Prince, 
and  they  sought  him,  but  found  him  not. 
Then  were  they  more  confirmed  in  the  truth 
of  Mr.  Godlv-fear’s  sayings,  and  began  also 
severely  to  reflect  upon  themselves  for  their  so 
vile  and  ungodly  doings,  for  they  concluded 
now  it  was  through  them  that  their  Prince  had 
left  them. 

Then  they  agreed  and  went  to  my  lord  sec- 
retary, (whom  before  they  refused  to  hear  and 
had  grieved  with  their  doings)  to  know  of 
him,  for  he  was  a seer,  and  could  tell  where 
Emmanuel  was  and  how  they  might  direct  a 
petition  to  him.  But  the  lord  secretary  would 
not  admit  them  to  a conference  about  this 
matter,  nor  would  admit  them  to  his  royal 
palace,  nor  come  out  to  them  to  show  them  his 
face  or  intelligence. 

And  now  it  was  a day  gloomy  and  dark,  a 
day  of  clouds  and  of  thick  darkness  with  Man- 
soul.  Now  they  saw  that  they  had  been  fool- 
ish, and  began  to  perceive  what  the  company 
and  prattle  of  Mr.  Carnal-security  had  done, 
and  what  desperate  damage  his  swaggering 
words  had  brought  poor  Mansoul  into.  But 
what  further  it  was  like  to  cost  them,  that  they 
were  ignorant  of.  Now  Mr  Godly-fear  began 
again  to  be  in  repute  with  the  men  of  the 
town ; yea,  they  were  ready  to  look  upon  him 
as  a prophet. 

Well,  when  the  sabbatli-day  was  come,  they 
went  to  hear  their  subordinate  preacher ; but 
oh  how  it  did  thunder  and  lighten  this  day ! 
His  text  was  that  in  the  prophet  Jonah, 
“ They  that  observe  lying  vanities  forsake 
their  own  mercies.”  But  there  was  then  such 


power  and  authority  in  that  sermon,  and  such 
a dejection  seen  in  the  countenances  of  the 
people  that  day,  that  the  like  had  seldom  been 
heard  or  seen.  The  people,  when  the  sermon 
was  done,  were  scarce  able  to  go  to  their 
homes,  or  betake  themselves  to  their  employs 
the  week  after:  they  were  so  sermon-smitten, 
and  also  so  sermon-sick,  that  they  knew  not 
what  to  do. 

He  not  only  showed  Mansoul  their  sin,  but 
trembled  before  them  under  a sense  of  his 
own,  still  crying  out  of  himself  as  he  preached 
to  them,  “ Unhappy  man  that  I am!  that  I 
should  do  so  wicked  a thing!  — that  I,  a 
preacher  whom  the  Prince  did  set  up  to  teach 
to  Mansoul  his  law,  should  myself  live  sense- 
less and  sottishly  here,  and  be  one  of  the  first 
found  in  transgression ! This  transgression 
also  fell  within  my  precincts.  I should  have 
cried  out  against  the  wickedness,  but  I let 
Mansoul  lie  wallowing  in  it  until  it  bad  driven 
Emmanuel  from  its  borders.”  With  these 
things  he  also  charged  all  the  lords  and  gentry 
of  Mansoul,  to  the  almost  distracting  of  them. 

About  this  time  also  there  was  a great  sick- 
ness in  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and  most  of  the 
inhabitants  were  greatly  afflicted;  yea,  the 
captains  also  and  men  of  war  were  brought 
thereby  to  a languishing  condition,  and  that 
for  a long  time  together;  so  that  in  case  of 
an  invasion  nothing  could  to  purpose  now 
have  been  done  either  by  the  townsmen  or 
field-officers.  Oh  how  many  pale  faces,  weak 
hands,  feeble  knees,  and  staggering  men  were 
now  seen  to  walk  the  streets  of  Mansoul ! 
Here  were  groans,  there  pants,  and  yonder  lay 
those  that  were  ready  to  faint. 

The  garments  too  which  Emmanuel  bad 
given  them  were  but  in  a sorry  case;  some 
were  rent,  some  were  torn,  and  all  in  a nasty 
condition ; some  also  hung  so  loosely  upon 
them  that  the  next  bush  they  came  at  was 
ready  to  pluck  them  off. 

After  some  time  spent  in  this  sad  and  des 
olate  condition,  the  subordinate  preacher 
called  for  a day  of  fasting  and  to  humble  them- 
selves for  being  so  wicked  against  the  great 
Shaddai  and  his  Son.  And  he  desired  that 
Captain  Boanerges  would  preach.  So  he  con- 
sented to  do  it ; and  the  day  was  come,  and  bis 
text  was  this,  “ Cut  it  down,  why  cumbereth  it 
the  ground?”  and  a very  smart  sermon  he 
made  upon  the  place.  First,  he  showed  what 
was  the  occasion  of  the  words — to  wit,  because 
the  fig-tree  was  barren  ; then  he  showed  what 
was  contained  in  the  sentence — to  wit,  repent- 


438 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


anee  or  utter  desolation.  He  then  showed 
also  by  whose  authority  this  sentence  was  pro- 
nounced; and  that  was  by  Shaddai  himself. 
And  lastly,  he  showed  the  reasons  of  the 
point,  and  then  concluded  his  sermon.  But 
he  was  very  pertinent  in  the  application,  inso- 
much that  he  made  poor  Mansoul  tremble. 
For  this  sermon,  as  well  as  the  former,  wrought 
much  upon  the  hearts  of  the  men  of  Mansoul ; 
yea,  it  greatly  helped  to  keep  awake  those 
that  were  roused  by  the  preaching  that  went 
before.  So  that  now,  throughout  the  whole 
town,  there  was  little  or  nothing  to  he  heard 
or  seen  but  sorrow,  and  mourning,  and  woe. 

Now  after  the  sermon  they  got  together  and 
consulted  what  was  best  to  be  done.  But,  said 
the  subordinate  preacher,  I will  do  nothing  of 
mine  own  head  without  advising  with  my 
neighbour,  Mr.  Godly-fear.  So  they  called 
and  sent  for  Mr.  Godly-fear,  and  he  forthwith 
appeared;  then  they  desired  that  he  would 
further  show  his  opinion  about  what  they  had 
best  to  do.  Then  said  the  old  gentleman  as 
followeth : “ It  is  my  opinion  that  this  town 
of  Mansoul  should,  in  this  day  of  her  distress, 
draw  up  and  send  an  humble  petition  to  their 
offended  Prince  Emmanuel,  that  he,  in  his 
favour  and  grace,  will  turn  again  unto  you 
and  not  keep  anger  for  ever.” 

When  the  townsmen  had  heard  this  speech, 
they  did  with  one  consent  agree  to  his  advice ; 
so  they  presently  did  draw  up  their  request ; 
and  the  next  question  was,  But  who  shall  carry 
it?  At  last  they  did  all  agree  to  send  it  by 
my  lord  mayor.  So  he  accepted  of  the  service 
and  addressed  himself  to  his  journey,  and  went 
and  came  to  the  court  of  Shaddai,  whither 
Emmanuel  the  Prince  of  Mansoul  was  gone. 
But.  the  gate  was  shut,  and  strict  watch  kept 
thereat,  so  that  the  petitioner  was  forced  to 
stand  without  for  a great  while  together.  Then 
he  desired  that  some  would  go  in  to  the  Prince 
and  tell  him  who  stood  at  the  gate  and  what 
his  business  was.  So  one  went,  and  told  to 
Shaddai  and  to  Emmanuel  his  Son  that  the 
lord  mayor  of  the  town  of  Mansoul  stood  with- 
out at  the  gate  of  the  King’s  court,  desiring  to 
be  admitted  into  the  presence  of  the  Prince, 
the  King’s  Son.  He  also  told  what  was  the 
lord  mayor’s  errand,  both  to  the  King  and  his 
Son  Emmanuel.  But  the  Prince  would  not 
come  down,  nor  admit  that  the  gate  should  be 
opened  to  him ; but  sent  him  an  answer  to  this 
effect : “ They  have  turned  their  back  unto 
me,  and  not  their  face;  but  now,  in  the  time 
of  their  trouble,  they  say  unto  me,  Arise,  and 


save  us.  But  can  they  not  now  go  to  Mr. 
Carnal-security,  to  whom  they  went  when  they 
turned  from  me,  and  make  him  their  leader, 
their  lord,  and  their  protector  now  in  their 
trouble  ? Why  now  in  their  trouble  do  they 
visit  me,  since  in  their  prosperity  they  went 
astray  ?” 

This  answer  made  my  lord  mayor  look  black 
in  the  face ; it  troubled,  it  perplexed,  it  rent 
him  sore.  And  now  he  began  again  to  see 
what  it  was  to  be  familiar  with  Diabolonians, 
such  as  Mr.  Carnal-security  was.  When  he 
saw  that  at  court,  as  yet,  there  was  little  help 
to  be  expected  either  for  himself  or  friends  in 
Mansoul,  he  smote  upon  his  breast  and  re- 
turned weeping,  and  all  the  way  bewailing  the 
lamentable  state  of  Mansoul. 

Well,  when  he  was  come  within  sight  of  the 
town,  the  elders  and  chief  of  the  people  of 
Mansoul  went  out  at  the  gate  to  meet  him  and 
to  salute  him,  and  to  know  how  he  sped  at 
court.  But  he  told  them  his  tale  in  so  doleful 
a manner  that  they  all  cried  out,  and  mourned, 
and  wept.  Wherefore  they  threw  ashes  and 
dust  upon  their  heads,  and  put  sackcloth  upon 
their  loins,  and  went  crying  out  through  the 
town  of  Mansoul ; the  which  when  the  rest  of 
the  townsfolk  saw,  they  all  mourned  and  wept. 
This  therefore  was  a day  of  rebuke,  and  of 
trouble,  and  of  anguish  to  the  town  of  Man- 
soul, and  also  of  great  distress. 

After  some  time,  when  they  had  somewhat 
refrained  themselves,  they  came  together  to 
consult  again  what  by  them  was  yet  to  he 
done ; and  they  asked  advice,  as  they  did  be- 
fore, of  that  Rev.  Mr.  Godly-fear,  who  told 
them  that  there  was  no  way  better  than  to  do 
as  they  had  done,  nor  would  he  that  they 
should  be  discouraged  at  all  with  what  they 
had  met  with  at  coui't;  yea,  though  several  of 
their  petitions  should  be  answered  with  naught 
hut  silence  or  rebuke;  for,  said  he,  it  is  the 
way  of  the  wise  Shaddai  to  make  men  wait  and 
to  exercise  patience ; and  it  should  be  the  way 
of  them  in  want  to  be  willing  to  stay  his 
leisure. 

Then  they  took  courage,  and  sent  again,  and 
again,  and  again  ; for  there  was  not  a day  nor 
an  hour  that  went  over  Mansoul’s  head  where- 
in a man  might  not  have  met  upon  the  road 
one  or  other  riding  posts  from  Mansoul  to  the 
court  of  King  Shaddai,  and  all  with  letters 
petitionary  in  behalf  of  and  for  the  Prince’s 
return  to  Mansoul. 

The  road,  I say,  was  now  full  of  messengers 
going  and  returning,  and  meeting  one  another, 


THE  JIOLY  WAR. 


439 


sonic  from  the  court,  anti  some  from  Mansoul ; 
ami  this  was  the  work  of  the  miserable  town 
of  Mansoul  all  that  long,  that  sharp,  that  cold 
and  tedious  winter. 

Now,  you  may  remember  that  I told  you  be- 
fore that  after  Emmanuel  had  taken  Mansoul, 
yea,  and  after  he  had  new-modelled  the  town, 
there  remained  in  several  lurking-places  of 
the  corporation  many  of  the  old  Diabolonians, 
that  either  came  with  the  tyrant  when  he  in- 
vaded and  took  the  town,  or  that  had  there  (by 
reason  of  unlawful  mixtures,  their  birth  in 
breeding,  and  bringing  up)  their  holes,  dens, 
and  lurking-places  in,  under,  or  about  the  wall 
of  the  town.  Some  of  their  names  are— the 
Lord  Fornication,  the  Lord  Adultery,  the  Lord 
Murder,  the  Lord  Anger,  the  Lord  Lascivious- 
ness, the  Lord  Deceit,  the  Lord  Evil-eye,  the 
Lord  Blasphemy,  and  that  horrible  villain,  the 
old  and  dangerous  Lord  Covetousness.  These, 
with  many  more,  had  yet  their  abode  in  the 
town  of  Mansoul  after  Emmanuel  had  driven 
their  prince  Diabolus  out  of  the  castle. 

Against  these  the  good  Prince  did  grant  a 
commission  to  the  Lord  Will-be-will  and 
others,  yea,  to  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul,  to 
seek,  take,  secure,  and  destroy  any  or  all  that 
they  could  lay  hands  on,  for  that  they  were 
Diabolonians  by  nature,  enemies  to  the  Prince, 
and  those  who  sought  to  ruin  the  blessed  town 
of  Mansoul.  But  Mansoul  did  not  pursue  this 
warrant,  but  neglected  to  look  after,  to  appre- 
hend, to  secure,  and  to  destroy  these  Diabolo- 
nians. Wherefore,  what  do  these  villains  but 
by  degrees  take  courage  to  show  themselves  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  town;  yea,-  and,  as  I 
was  told,  some  of  the  men  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul  grew  too  familiar  with  several  of 
them,  to  the  sorrow  of  the  corporation,  as  you 
will  hear  more  of  in  time  and  place. 

Well,  when  the  Diabolonian  lords  that  were 
left  perceived  that  Mansoul  had,  through  sin- 
ning, offended  Emmanuel  their  Prince,  and  that 
he  had  withdrawn  himself  and  was  gone,  what 
do  they  but  plot  the  ruin  of  the  town  of  Man- 
soul. So  upon  a time  they  met  together  at 
the  hold  of  one  Mr.  Mischief,  (who  also  was  a 
Diabolonian,)  and  there  consulted  how  they 
might  deliver  up  Mansoul  into  the  hands  of 
Diabolus  again.  Now  some  advised  one  way, 
and  some  another,  every  man  according  to  his 
own  liking.  At  last  my  Lord  Lasciviousness 
proposed  that  some  of  the  Diabolonians  in 
Mansoul  should  offer  themselves  for  servants 
to  some  of  the  natives  of  the  town;  For,  said 
he,  if  they  so  do,  and  Mansoul  shall  accept  of 


them,  they  may  for  us,  and  for  Diabolus  our 
lord,  make  the  taking  of  the  town  of  Mansoul 
more  easy  than  otherwise  it  would  be.  But 
then  stood  up  the  Lord  Mprder,  and  said, 
This  may  not  be  done  at  this  time,  for  Man- 
soul is  now  in  a kind  of  rage  because  by  our 
friend  Mr.  Carnal-security  she  hath  been  once 
ensnared  already  and  made  to  offend  against 
her  Prince;  and  how  shall  she  reconcile  her- 
self unto  her  Lord  again  but  by  the  heads  of 
these  men  ? Besides,  wc  know  that  they  have 
in  commission  to  take  and  slay  us  wherever 
they  shall  find  us ; let  us,  therefore,  be  wise  as 
foxes;  when  we  are  dead  we  can  do  them  no 
hurt,  but  while  we  live  we  may.  Thus,  when 
they  had  tossed  the  matter  to  and  fro,  they 
jointly  agreed  that  a letter  should  forthwith  be 
sent  away  to  Diabolus  in  their  name,  by  which 
the  state  of  the  town  of  Mansoul  should  be 
showed  him,  and  how  much  it  was  under  the 
frowns  of  their  Prince:  We  may  also,  said 
some,  let  him  know  our  intentions,  and  ask  of 
him  his  advice  in  the  case. 

So  this  letter  was  presently  framed,  the  con- 
tents of  which  were  these: 

To  our  great  lord,  the  prince  Diabolus,  dwelling 

below  in  the  infernal  cave  : 

0 great  father  and  mighty  prince  Diabolus  1 
We,  the  true  Diabolonians  yet  remaining  in 
the  rebellious  town  of  Mansoul,  having  re- 
ceived our  beings  from  thee  and  our  nourish- 
ment at  thy  hands,  cannot  with  content  and 
quiet  endure  to  behold,  as  we  do  this  day,  how 
thou  art  dispraised,  disgraced,  and  reproached 
among  the  inhabitants  of  this  town;  nor  is 
thy  long  absence  at  all  delightful  to  us,  be- 
cause greatly  to  our  detriment. 

The  reason  of  this  our  writing  unto  our  lord 
is,  for  that  we  are  not  altogether  without  hope 
that  this  town  may  become  thy  habitation 
again ; for  it  is  greatly  declined  from  its  Prince 
Emmanuel,  and  he  is  uprisen  and  is  departed 
from  them;  yea,  and  though  they  send,  and 
send,  and  send,  and  send  after  him  to  return 
to  them,  yet  can  they  not  prevail,  nor  get  good 
words  from  him. 

There  has  been  also  of  late,  and  is  yet  re- 
maining, a very  great  sickness  and  fainting 
among  them,  and  that  not  only  upon  the 
poorer  sort  of  the  town,  but  upon  the  lords, 
captains,  and  chief  gentry  of  the  place,  (we 
only,  who  are  Diabolonians  by  nature,  remain 
well,  lively,  and  strong;)  so  that  through  their 
great  transgression  on  the  one  hand,  and  their 
dangerous  sickness  on  the  other,  we  judge 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


440 

they  lie  open  to  thy  hand  and  power.  If, 
therefore,  it  shall  stand  with  thy  horrible  cun- 
ning, and  with  the  cunning  of  the  rest  of  the 
princes  with  thee,  to  come  and  make  an  at- 
tempt to  take  Mansoul  again,  send  us  word, 
and  we  shall,  to  our  utmost  powder,  be  ready  to 
deliver  it  into  thy  hand;  or  if  what  we  have 
said  shall  not  by  thy  fatherhood  be  thought 
best  and  most  meet  to  be  done,  send  us  thy 
mind  in  a few  words,  and  we  are  all  ready  to 
follow  thy  counsel,  to  the  hazarding  of  our 
lives  and  what  else  we  have. 

Given  under  our  hands  this  day  and  date 
above  written,  after  a close  consultation 
at  the  house  of  Mr.  Mischief,  who  is  yet 
alive  and  hath  his  place  in  our  desirable 
town  of  Mansoul. 

When  Mr.  Profane  (for  he  was  the  carrier) 
was  come  with  his  letter  to  Hell-gate-liill,  he 
knocked  at  the  brazen  gates  for  entrance. 
Then  did  Cerberus  the  j>orter  (for  he  is  the 
keeper  of  that  gate)  open  to  Mr.  Profane;  to 
whom  he  delivered  his  letter  which  he  had 
brought  from  the  Diabolonians  in  Mansoul. 
So  he  carried  it  in  and  presented  it  to  Diab- 
olus  his  lord,  and  said,  Tidings,  my  lord, 
from  Mansoul — from  our  trusty  friends  in 
Mansoul. 

Then  came  together,  from  all  places  of  the 
den,  Beelzebub,  Lucifer,  Apollyon,  with  the 
rest  of  the  rabblement  there,  to  hear  what 
news  from  Mansoul.  So  the  letter  was  broken 
and  read,  and  Cerberus  stood  by.  When  the 
letter  was  openly  read,  and  the  contents 
thereof  spread  into  all  corners  of  the  den, 
command  was  given  that  without  let  or  stop 
Deadman’s  bell  should  be  rung  for  joy.  So 
the  bell  was  rung,  and  the  princes  rejoiced 
that  Mansoul  was  like  to  come  to  ruin.  Now 
the  clapper  of  the  bell  went,  The  town  of 
Mansoul  is  coming  to  dwell  with  us:  make 
room  for  the  town  of  Mansoul!  This  bell, 
therefore,  they  rang  because  they  hoped  that 
they  should  have  Mansoul  again. 

Now  when  they  had  performed  this  their 
horrible  ceremony,  they  got  together  again  to 
consult  what  answer  to  send  to  their  friends  in 
Mansoul ; and  some  advised  one  thing  and 
some  another;  but  at  length,  because  the 
business  required  haste,  they  left  the  whole 
business  to  the  prince  Diabolus,  judging  him 
the  most  proper  lord  of  the  place.  So  he 
drew  up  a letter,  as  lie  thought  fit,  in  answer 
to  what  Mr.  Profane  had  brought,  and  sent  it 
to  the  Diabolonians  in  Mansoul  by  the  same 


hand  that  had  brought  theirs  to  him;  and 
these  were  the  contents  thereof : 

To  our  offspring,  the  high  and  mighty  Diabolo- 
nians that  yet  dwell  in  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
Diabolus,  the  great,  prince  of  Mansoul,  wisheth 
a prosperous  issue  and  conclusion  of  those  many 
brave  enterprises,  conspiracies  and  designs  that 
you,  of  your  love  and  respect  to  our  honour, 
have  in  your  hearts  to  attempt  to  do  against 
Mansoul. 

Beloved  children  and  disciples,  my  Lord 
Fornication,  Adultery,  and  the  rest:  We  have 
here,  in  our  desolate  den,  received,  to  our 
highest  joy  and  content,  your  welcome  letter 
by  the  hand  of  our  trusty  Mr.  Profane  ; and  to 
show  how  acceptable  your  tidings  were  we 
rang  out  our  bell  for  gladness,  for  we  rejoiced 
as  much  as  we  could  when  we  perceived  that 
yet  we  had  friends  in  Mansoul,  and  such  as 
sought  our  honour  and  revenge  in  the  ruin  of 
the  town  of  Mansoul.  We  also  rejoice  to 
hear  that  they  are  in  a degenerate  condition, 
have  offended  their  Prince,  and  that  he  is 
gone.  Their  sickness  also  pleaseth  us,  as 
doth  also  your  health,  might,  and  strength. 
Glad  also  would  we  be,  right  horribly  beloved, 
could  we  get  this  town  into  our  clutches  again. 
Nor  will  we  be  sparing  of  our  wit,  our  cun- 
ning, our  craft,  and  hellish  inventions  to 
bring  to  a wished  conclusion  this  your  brave 
beginning. 

And  take  this  for  your  comfort,  (our  birth 
and  our  offspring,)  that  if  we  again  surprise 
and  take  it,  we  will  attempt  to  put  all  your 
foes  to  the  sword,  and  will  make  you  the  great 
lords  and  captains  of  the  place.  Nor  need 
you  fear  (if  ever  we  get  it  again)  that  we,  after 
that,  shall  be  cast  out  any  more;  for  we  will 
come  with  more  strength,  and  so  take  faster 
hold  than  at  the  first  we  did.  Besides,  it  is 
the  law  of  that  Prince  which  now  they  own 
that  if  we  get  them  a second  time  they  shall 
be  ours  for  ever. 

Do  you  therefore,  our  trusty  Diabolonians, 
yet  more  pry  into  and  endeavour  to  spy  out 
the  weakness  of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  We 
also  would  that  you  yourselves  do  attempt  to 
weaken  them  more  and  more.  Send  us  word, 
also,  by  what  means  we  had  best  to  attempt 
the  regaining  thereof— to  wit,  whether  by  per* 
suasion  to  a vain  and  loose  life,  or  whether  by 
tempting  them  to  doubt  and  despair,  or  whether 
by  blowing  up  the  town  by  the  gunpowder  of 
pride  and  self-conceit.  Do  you  also,  0 ye  brave 
Diaboloniaus  and  true  sons  of  the  pit,  be 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


always  in  readiness  to  make  a most  horrid 
assault  within  when  we  shall  be  ready  to 
storm  it  without.  Now  speed  you  in  your 
project  and  we  in  our  desires  to  the  utmost 
power  of  our  gates;  which  is  the  wish  of  your 
great  Diabolus,  Mansoul’s  enemy,  and  him 
that  trembles  when  he  thinks  of  judgment  to 
come.  All  the  blessings  of  the  pit  be  upon 
you ; and  so  we  close  up  our  letter. 

Given  at  the  pit’s  mouth,  by  the  joint  con- 
sent of  all  the  princes  of  darkness,  to  be 
sent  (to  the  force  and  power  that  we  have 
yet  remaining  in  Mansoul)  by  the  hand 
of  Mr.  Profane.  By  me, 

Diabolus. 

This  letter  was  sent  to  the  Diabolonians 
that  yet  remained  in  Mansoul,  and  that  yet 
inhabited  the  wall,  from  the  dark  dungeon  of 
Diabolus,  by  the  hand  of  Mr.  Profane,  by 
whom  they  also  in  Mansoul  sent  theirs  to  the 
pit.  Now,  when  this  Mr.  Profane  had  made 
his  return,  and  was  come  to  Mansoul  again, 
lie  went  and  came  as  he  was  wont  to  the  house 
of  Mr.  Mischief,  for  there  was  the  conclave 
and  the  place  where  the  contrivers  were  met. 
Now,  when  they  saw  that  their  messenger  was 
returned  safe  and  sound,  they  were  -greatly 
glad  thereat.  Then  he  presented  them  his 
letter  which  ho  had  brought  from  Diabolus 
for  them  ; the  which,  when  they  had  read  and 
considered,  did  much  augment  their  gladness. 
They  asked  him  after  the  welfare  of  their 
friends,  as  how  their  Lords  Diabolus,  Lucifer, 
and  Beelzebub  did,  with  the  rest  of  those  of 
the  den.  To  which  this  Profane  made  an- 
swer, Weil,  well,  my  lords ; they  are  well,  even 
as  well  as  can  be  in  their  place.  They  also, 
said  he,  did  ring  for  joy  at  the  reading  of  your 
letter,  as  you  will  perceive  by  this  when  you 
read  it. 

Now,  as  was  said,  when  they  had  read  their 
letter,  and  perceived  that  it  encouraged  them 
in  their  work,  they  fell  to  their  way  of  con- 
triving again  how  they  might  complete  their 
Diabolonian  design  upon  Mansoul.  And  the 
first  thing  that  they  agreed  upon  was,  to  keep 
all  things  from  Mansoul  as  close  as  they  could. 
Let  it  not  be  known,  let  not  Mansoul  be  ac- 
quainted with  what  we  design  against  it.  The 
next  thing  was  how  or  by  what  means  they 
should  try  to  bring  to  pass  the  ruin  and  over- 
throw of  Mansoul ; and  one  said  after  this 
manner,  and  another  after  that.  Then  stood 
up  Mr.  Deceit  and  said,  My  right  Diabolo- 
niau  friends,  our  lords  and  the  high  ones  of 


441 

the  deep  dungeons  do  propound  unto  us  these 
three  ways : 

1.  Whether  we  had  best  to  seek  its  ruin  by 
making  of  Mansoul  loose  and  vain  ; 

2.  Or  by  driving  them  to  doubt  and  despair; 

3.  Or  by  endeavouring  to  blow  them  up 
with  the  gunpowder  of  pride  and  self-conceit. 

Now,  I think  if  we  shall  tempt  them  to 
pride,  that  may  do  something,  and  if  we  tempt 
them  to  wantonness,  that  may  help.  But,  in 
my  mind,  if  we  could  drive  them  into  des- 
peration, that  would  knock  the  nail  on  the 
head ; for  then  we  should  have  them,  in  the  first 
place,  question  the  truth  of  the  love  of  the 
heart  of  their  Prince  towards  them  ; and  that 
will  disgust  him  much.  This,  if  it  works  well, 
will  make  them  leave  off  quickly  their  way  of 
sending  petitions  to  him;  then  farewell  earn- 
est solicitations  for  help  and  supply ; for  then 
this  conclusion  lies  naturally  before  them,  As 
good  do  nothing  as  do  to  no  purpose.  So  to 
Mr.  Deceit’s  plan  they  unanimously  did  con- 
sent. 

Then  the  next  question  was,  But  how  shall 
we  do  to  bring  this  our  project  to  pass?  And 
it  was  answered  by  the  same  gentleman  that 
this  might  be  the  best  way  to  do  it : Even  let, 
quoth  he,  so  many  of  our  friends  as  are  willing 
to  venture  themselves  for  the  promoting  of 
their  prince’s  cause  disguise  themselves  with 
apparel,  change  their  names,  and  go  into  the 
market  like  far-countrymen,  and  proffer  to  let 
themselves  for  servants  to  the  famous  town  of 
Mansoul,  and  let  them  pretend  to  do  for  their 
masters  as  beneficially  as  may  be ; for  by  so 
doing  they  may,  if  Mansoul  shall  hire  them, 
in  little  time  so  corrupt  and  defile  the  corpora- 
tion that  her  now  Prince  shall  be  not  only 
further  offended  with  them,  but  in  conclusion 
shall  spew  them  out  of  his  mouth.  And  when 
this  is  done  our  prince  Diabolus  shall  prey 
upon  them  with  ease;  yea,  of  themselves  they 
shall  fall  into  the  mouth  of  the  eater. 

This  project  was  no  sooner  propounded  but 
was  as  readily  accepted,  and  forward  were  all 
Diabolonians  now  to  engage  in  so  delicate  an 
enterprise ; but  it  was  not  thought  fit  that  all 
should  do  thus,  wherefore  they  pitched  upon 
two  or  three — namely,  the  Lord  Covetousness, 
the  Lord  Lasciviousness,  and  the  Lord  Anger. 
The  Lord  Covetousness  called  himself  by  the 
name  of  Prudent-thrifty  ; the  Lord  Lascivious- 
ness called  himself  by  the  name  of  Harmless- 
mirth  ; and  the  Lord  Anger  called  himself  by 
the  name  of  Good-zeal. 

So,  upon  a market-day,  they  came  into  the 


442 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


market-place.  Three  lusty  fellows  they  were 
to  look  on,  and  they  were  clothed  in  sheep’s 
russet,  which  was  also  now  in  a manner  as 
white  as  were  the  white  robes  of  the  men  of 
Mansoul.  Now  the  men  could  speak  the  lan- 
guage of  Mansoul  well.  So  when  they  were 
come  into  the  market-place,  and  had  offered  to 
let  themselves  to  the  townsmen,  they  were 
presently  taken  up,  for  they  asked  but  little 
wages  and  promised  to  do  their  masters  great 
service. 

Mr.  Mind  hired  Prudent-thrifty,  and  Mr. 
Godly-fear  hired  Good-zeal.  True,  that  fellow, 
Harmless-mirth,  did  hang  a little  in  hand,  and 
could  not  so  soon  get  him  a master  as  the 
others  did,  because  the  town  of  Mansoul  was 
now  in  Lent;  but  after  a while,  because  Lent 
was  almost  out,  the  Lord  Will-be-will  hired 
Harmless-mirth,  to  be  both  his  waiting-man 
and  lackey ; and  thus  they  got  them  masters. 

These  villains  now  being  got  thus  far  into 
the  houses  of  the  men  of  Mansoul,  quickly 
began  to  do  great  mischief  therein ; for,  being 
filthy,  arch,  and  sly,  they  quickly  corrupted 
the  families  where  they  were ; yea,  they  tainted 
their  masters  much,  especially  this  Prudent- 
thrifty  and  him  they  call  Harmless-mirth. 
True,  he  that  went  under  the  vizor  of  Good- 
zeal  was  not  so  well  liked  of  his  master,  for  he 
quickly  found  that  he  was  but  a counterfeit 
rascal ; the  which  when  the  fellow  perceived 
with  speed  he  made  his  escape  from  the  house, 
or  I doubt  not  but  his  master  had  hanged 
him. 

Well,  when  these  vagabonds  had  thus  far 
carried  on  their  design,  and  had  corrupted  the 
town  as  much  as  they  could,  in  the  next  place 
they  considered  with  themselves  at  what  time 
their  prince  Diabolus  without  and  themselves 
within  the  town  should  make  an  attempt  to 
seize  upon  Mansoul ; and  they  all  agreed  upon 
this,  that  a market-day  should  be  best  for  that 
work ; for  why  ? Then  will  the  townsmen  be 
busy  in  their  ways ; and  always  take  this  for  a 
rule,  When  people,  are  most  busy  in  the  world 
they  least  fear  a surprise.  We  also  then,  said 
they,  shall  be  able  with  less  suspicion  to  gather 
ourselves  together  for  the  work  of  our  friends 
and  lords ; yea,  on  such  a day,  if  we  shall  at- 
tempt our  work  and  miss  it,  we  may,  when 
they  shall  give  us  the  rout,  the  better  hide  our- 
selves in  the  crowd  and  escape. 

These  things  being  thus  far  agreed  upon  by 
them,  they  wrote  another  letter  to  Diabolus, 
and  sent  it  by  the  hand  of  Mr.  Profane;  the 
contents  of  which  were  these : 


The  Lord-s  of  Looseness  send  to  the  gre't  and 

high  Diabolus,  from  our  dens,  caves,  holes,  and 

strongholds  in  and  about  the  wall  of  the  town 

of  Mansoul,  greeting  : 

Our  great  lord  and  the  nourish er  of  our 
lives,  Diabolus ! How  glad  we  were  when  we 
heard  of  your  fatherhood’s  readiness  to  comply 
with  us  and  help  forward  our  design  in  our  at- 
tempt to  ruin  Mansoul  none  can  tell  but  those 
who,  as  we  do,  set  themselves  against  all  ap- 
pearance of  good  when  and  wheresoever  we 
find  it. 

Touching  the  encouragement  that  your 
greatness  is  pleased  to  give  us  to  continue  to 
devise,  contrive  and  study  the  utter  desolation 
of  Mansoul,  that  we  are  not  solicitous  about, 
for  we  know  right  well  that  it  cannot  but  be 
pleasing  and  profitable  to  us  to  see  our  ene- 
mies and  them  that  seek  our  lives  die  at  our 
feet  or  fly  before  us.  We  therefore  are  still 
contriving,  and  that  to  the  best  of  our  cunning, 
to  make  this  work  most  facile  and  easy  to  your 
lordship  and  to  us. 

First,  we  considered  of  that  most  hellishly 
cunuing,  compacted  threefold  project  that  by 
you  was  propounded  to  us  in  your  last ; and 
have  concluded  that  though  to  blow  them  up 
with  the  gunpowder  of  pride  would  do  well, 
and  to  do  it  by  tempting  them  to  be  loose  and 
vain  would  help  on,  yet  to  contrive  to  bring 
them  into  the  gulf  of  desperation,  we  think, 
will  do  best  of  all.  Now  we,  who  are  at  your 
beck,  have  thought  of  two  ways  to  do  this: 
first,  we,  for  our  parts,  will  make  them  as  vile 
as  we  can,  and  then  you  with  us,  at  a time  ap- 
pointed, shall  be  ready  to  fall  upon  them  with 
the  utmost  force.  And  of  all  the  nations  that 
are  at  your  whistle,  we  think  that  an  army  of 
Doubters  may  be  the  most  likely  to  attack  and 
overcome  the  town  of  Mansoul.  Thus  we  shall 
overcome  these  enemies,  else  the  pit  shall  open 
her  mouth  upon  them,  and  desperation  shall 
thrust  them  down  into  it.  We  have  also,  to 
effect  this  so-much-wished  design,  sent  already 
three  of  our  trusty  Diabolonians  among  them  ; 
they  are  disguised  in  garb,  they  have  changed 
their  names,  and  are  now  accepted  of  them — to 
wit,  Covetousness,  Lasciviousness,  and  Anger. 
The  name  of  Covetousness  is  changed  to  Pru- 
dent-thrifty, and  him  Mr.  Mind  has  hired,  and 
is  almost  become  as  bad  as  our  friend. 

Lasciviousness  has  changed  his  name  to 
Harmless-mirth,  and  he  is  got  to  be  the  Lord 
Will -be- will’s  lackey,  but  he  has  made  his 
master  very  wanton.  Anger  changed  his  name 
into  Good-zeal,  and  was  entertained  by  Mr. 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


443 


Godly-fear,  but  the  peevish  old  gentleman  took 
pepper  in  his  nose  and  turned  our  companion 
out  of  his  house.  Nay,  he  has  informed  ns 
since  that  he  ran  away  from  him,  or  else  his 
old  master  had  hanged  him  up  for  his  labour. 

Now  these  have  much  helped  -forward  our 
work  and  design  upon  Mansoul ; for,  notwith- 
standing the  spite  and  quarrelsome  temper  of 
the  old  gentleman  last  mentioned,  the  other 
two  ply  their  business  well  and  are  like  to 
ripen  the  work  apace. 

Our  next  project  is,  that  it  be  concluded  that 
you  come  upon  the  town  upon  a market-day, 
and  that  when  they  arc  upon  the  heat  of  their 
business;  for  then,  to  be  sure,  they  will  be 
most  seeure,  and  least  think  that  an  assault 
will  be  made  upon  them.  They  will  also  at 
such  a time  be  less  able  to  defend  themselves 
and  to  offend  you  in  the  prosecution  of  our  de- 
sign. And  we,  your  trusty  (and  we  are  sure 
your  beloved)  ones,  shall,  when  you  make 
your  furious  assault  without,  be  ready  to  second 
the  business  within.  So  shall  we,  in  all  like- 
lihood, be  able  to  put  Mansoul  to  utter  confu- 
sion, and  to  swallow  them  up  before  they  can 
come  to  themselves.  If  your  serpentine  heads, 
most  subtle  dragons  and  our  highly  esteemed 
lords,  can  find  out  a better  way  than  this,  let 
us  quickly  know  your  minds. 

To  the  monsters  of  the  infernal  cave,  from 
the  house  of  Mr.  Mischief  in  Mansoul,  by 
the  hand  of  Mr.  Profane. 

Now,  all  the  while  that  the  raging  runagates 
and  hellish  Diabolouians  were  thus  contriving 
the  ruin  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  they— to  wit, 
the  poor  town  itself— were  in  a sad  and  woeful 
case';  partly  because  they  had  so  grievously 
offended  Shaddai  and  his  Son,  and  partly  be- 
cause that  the  enemies  thereby  got  strength 
within  them  afresh  ; and  also  because,  though 
they  had  by  many  petitions  made  suit  to  the 
Prince  Emmanuel,  and  to  his  Father  Shaddai 
by  him,  for  their  pardon  and  favour,  yet  hith- 
erto obtained  they  not  one  smile ; but  contrari- 
wise, through  the  craft  and  subtility  of  the 
domestic  Diabolouians,  their  cloud  was  made 
to  grow  blacker  and  blacker  and  their  Em- 
manuel to  stand  at  further  distance. 

The  sickness  also  still  greatly  raged  in  Man- 
soul, both  among  the  captains  and  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  town:  their  enemies,  and  their  en- 
emies only,  were  now  lively  and  strong,  and  like 
to  become  the  head  whilst  Mansoul  was  made 
the  tail. 

Bv  this  time  the  letter  last  mentioned,  that 


was  written  by  the  Diabolonians  that  yet 
lurked  in  the  town  of  Mansoul,  was  conveyed 
to  Diabolus  in  the  black  den  by  the  hand  of 
Mr.  Profane.  He  carried  the  letter  by  Hell- 
gate-hill,  as  afore,  and  conveyed  it  by  Cerberus 
to  his  lord. 

But  when  Cerberus  and  Mr.  Profane  mot 
they  were  presently  as  great  as  beggars,  and 
thus  they  fell  into  discourse  about  Mansoul 
and  about  the  project  against  her. 

Ah ! old  friend,  quoth  Cerberus,  art  thou 
come  to  Hell-gate-hill  again  ! By  St.  Mary,  I 
am  glad  to  see  thee. 

Profane.  Yes,  my  lord,  I am  come  again 
about  the  concerns  of  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

Cerberus.  Prithee  tell  me  what  condition  is 
that  town  of  Mansoul  in  at  present? 

Profane.  In  a brave  condition,  my  lord,  for 
us  and  for  my  lords  the  lords  of  this  place,  I 
trow ; for  they  are  greatly  decayed  as  to  godli- 
ness, and  that  is  as  well  as  our  hearts  can  wish ; 
their  Lord  is  greatly  out  with  them,  and  that 
doth  also  please  us  well.  We  have  already 
also  a foot  in  their  dish,  for  our  Diabolonian 
friends  are  laid  in  their  bosoms,  and  what  do 
we  lack  but  to  be  masters  of  the  place  ? 

Besides,  our  trusty  friends  in  Mansoul  are 
daily  plotting  to  betray  it  to  the  lords  of  this 
town ; also  the  sickness  rages  bitterly  among 
them,  and,  that  which  makes  up  all,  we  hope 
at  last  to  prevail. 

Then  said  the  dog  of  Hell-gate,  No  time 
like  this  to  assault  them : I wish  that  the  en- 
terprise be  followed  close,  and  that  the  success 
desired  may  be  soon  effected.  Yea,  I wish  it 
for  the  poor  Diabolouians’  sakes  that  live  in 
the  continual  fear  of  their  lives  in  the  traitor- 
ous town  of  Mansoul. 

Profane.  The  contrivance  is  almost  finished ; 
the  lords  in  Mansoul  that  are  Diabolonians 
are  at  it  day  and  night,  and  the  others  are  like 
silly  doves  that  want  heart  to  be  concerned 
with  their  state  and  to  consider  that  ruin  is  at 
hand.  Besides,  you  may,  yea,  must  think, 
when  you  put  all  things  together,  that  there 
are  many  reasons  that  prevail  with  Diabolus  to 
make  what  haste  he  can. 

Cerberus.  Thou  hast  said  as  it  is : I am  glad 
things  are  at  this  pass.  Go  in,  my  brave  Pro- 
fane, to  my  lords ; they  will  give  thee  for  thy 
welcome  as  good  a coranto  as  this  kingdom  will 
afford.  I have  sent  thy  letter  in  already. 

Then  Mr.  Profane  went  into  the  den,  and 
his  lord  Diabolus  met  him  and  saluted  him  with, 
“Welcome,  my  trusty  servant ! I have  been 
made  glad  with  thy  letter.”  The  rest  of  the 


444 


RUE  YAK’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


lords  of  the  pit  gave  him  also  their  salutations. 
Then  Profane,  after  obeisance  made  to  them 
all,  said,  “ Let  Mansoul  be  given  to  my  lord 
Diabolus,  and  let  him  be  her  king  for  ever.” 
And  with  that  the  yawning  gorge  of  hell  gave 
so  loud  and  hideous  a groan  (for  that  is  the 
music  of  that  place)  that  it  made  the  moun- 
tains about  it  totter  as  if  they  would  fall  in 
pieces. 

Now  after  they  had  read  and  considered  the 
letter,  they  consulted  what  answer  to  return ; 
and  the  first  that  spake  to  it  was  Lucifer. 

Then  said  lie,  The  first  project  of  the  Diab- 
olonians  in  Mansoul  is  like  to  be  lucky  and  to 
take — to  wit,  that  they  will,  by  all  the  means 
they  can,  make  Mansoul  yet  more  vile  and 
filthy  ; no  way  to  destroy  a soul  like  this ; our 
old  friend  Balaam  went  this  way,  and  pros- 
pered many  years  ago;  let  this  therefore  stand 
with  us  for  a maxim,  and  be  to  Diabolonians 
for  a general  rule  in  all  ages,  for  nothing  can 
make  this  to  fail  but  grace,  in  which  I would 
hope  that  this  town  has  no  share.  But 
whether  to  fall  upon  them  on  a market-day 
because  of  their  cumber  in  business,  that  I 
would  should  be  under  debate.  And  there  is 
more  reason  why  this  head  should  be  debated 
than  why  some  other  should,  because  upon 
this  will  turn  the  whole  of  what  we  shall  at- 
tempt. If  we  time  not  our  business  well,  our 
whole  project  may  fail.  Our  friends  the  Diab- 
olonians say  that  a market-day  is  best,  for  then 
will  Mansoul  be  most  busy  and  have  fewest 
thoughts  of  a surprise.  But  what  if  they 
should  double  their  guards  on  those  days? 
(and  methinks  nature  and  reason  would  teach 
them  to  do  it,)  and  what  if  they  should  keep 
sucli  a watch  on  those  days  as  the  necessity  of 
their  present  case  doth  require?  Yea,  what  if 
their  men  should  be  always  in  arms  on  those 
days?  Then  you  may,  my  lords,  be  disap- 
pointed in  your  attempts,  and  may  bring  our 
friends  in  the  town  to  utter  danger  of  unavoid- 
able ruin. 

Then  said  the  great  Beelzebub,  There  is 
something  in  what  my  lord  hath  said,  but  his 
conjecture  may  or  may  not  fall  out.  Nor  hath 
my  lord  laid  it  down  as  that  which  must  not 
be  receded  from,  for  I know  that  he  said  it 
only  to  provoke  to  a warm  debate  thereabout. 
Therefore  we  must  understand,  if  we  can, 
whether  the  town  of  Mqnsoul  has  such  sense 
and  knowledge  of  her  decayed  state,  and  of  the 
design  that  we  have  on  foot  against  her,  as 
doth  provoke  her  to  set  watch  and  ward  at  her 
gates  and  to  double  them  on  market-days. 


But  if,  after  inquiry  made,  it  shall  be  found 
that  they  are  asleep,  then  any  day  will  do,  but 
a market-day  is  best ; aud  this  is  my  judgment 
in  this  case. 

Then  quoth  Diabolus,  How  should  we  know 
this?  Aud  it  was  answered,  Inquire  about  it 
at  the  mouth  of  Mr.  Profane.  So  Profane  was 
called  in  and  asked  the  question,  and  he  made 
his  answer  as  follows : 

My  lords,  so  far  as  I can  gather,  this  is  at 
present  the  condition  of  the  town  of  Mansoul : 
they  are  decayed  in  their  faith  and  love;  Em- 
manuel their  Prince  has  given  them  the  back; 
they  send  often  by  petition  to  fetch  him  again, 
but  he  maketh  not  haste  to  answer  their  re- 
quest ; nor  is  there  much  reformation  among 
them. 

Diabolus.  I am  glad  that  they  are  backward 
to  a reformation,  but  yet  I am  afraid  of  their 
petitioning.  However,  their  looseness  of  life 
is  a sign  that  there  is  not  much  heart  in  what 
they  do,  and  without  the  heart  things  are  little 
worth.  But  go  on,  my  masters : I will  divert 
you,  my  lords,  no  longer. 

Beelzebub.  If  the  case  be  so  with  Mansoul  as 
Mr.  Profane  has  described  it  to  be,  it  will  be 
no  great  matter  .what  day  we  assault  it;  nor 
their  prayers  nor  their  power  will  do  them 
much  service. 

When  Beelzebub  had  ended  his  oration, 
then  Apollyon  did  begin.  My  opinion,  said 
he,  concerning  this  matter  is,  that  we  go  on 
fair  and  softly,  not  doing  things  in  a hurry. 
Let  our  friends  in  Mansoul  go  on  still  to  pol- 
lute and  defile  it,  by  seeking  to  draw  it  yet 
more  into  sin,  for  there  is  nothing  like  sin  to 
devour  Mansoul.  If  this  be  done,  and  it  takes 
effect,  Mansoul  of  itself  will  leave  off'  to  watch, 
to  jmtition,  or  any  thing  else  that  should  tend 
to  her  security  and  safety;  for  she  will  forget 
her  Emmanuel,  she  will  not  desire  his  com- 
pany ; and  can  she  be  gotten  thus  to  live,  her 
Prince  will  not  come  to  her  in  haste.  Our 
trusty  friend,  Mr.  Carnal-security,  with  one  cf 
his  tricks,  did  drive  him  out  of  the  town,  and 
why  may  not  my  Lord  Covetousness  and  my 
Lord  Lasciviousness,  by  what  they  may  do, 
keep  him  out  of  the  town?  And  this  I will 
tell  you,  (not  because  you  know  it  not,)  that 
two  or  three  Diabolonians,  if  entertained  and 
countenanced  by  the  town  of  Mansoul,  will  do 
more  to  the  keeping  of  Emmanuel  from  them, 
and  towards  making  of  the  town  of  Mansoul 
your  own,  than  can  an  army  of  a legion  that 
should  be  sent  out  from  us  to  withstand  him. 

Let,  therefore,  this  first  project  that  our 


THE  IIOLY  WAR. 


445 


friends  in  Mansoul  lmveacton  foot  be  strongly 
and  diligently  carried  on  with  all  cunning  and 
craft  imaginable;  and  let  them  send  contin- 
ually, under  one  guise  or  another,  more  and 
other  of  their  men  to  play  with  the  people  of 
Mansoul ; and  then  perhaps  we  shall  not  need 
to  be  at  the  charge  of  making  a war  upon 
them ; or  if  that  must  of  necessity  be  done,  yet 
the  more  sinful  they  are,  the  less  able,  to  be 
sure,  they  will  be  to  resist  us,  and  then  the 
more  easily  we  shall  overcome  them.  And 
besides,-  suppose  (and  that  is  the  worst  that 
can  be  supposed)  that  Emmanuel  should  come 
to  them  again,  why  may  not  the  same  means, 
or  the  like,  drive  him  from  them  once  more? 
Yea,  why  may  he  not,  by  their  lapse  into  that 
sin  again,  be  driven  from  them  for  ever  for  the 
sake  of  which  he  was  at  the  first  driven  from 
them  for  a season  ? And  if  this  should  happen, 
then  away  go  with  him  his  rams  and  his 
slings,  his  captains,  his  soldiers,  and  lie  leav- 
eth  Mansoul  naked  and  bare.  Yea,  will  not 
this  town,  when  she  sees  herself  utterly  for- 
saken of  her  Prince,  of  her  own  accord  open 
her  gates  again  unto  you  ? But  this  must  be 
done  by  time;  a few  days  will  not  effect  so 
great  a work  as  this. 

So  soon  as  Apollyon  had  made  an  end  of 
speaking,  Diabolus  began  to  blow  out  his  own 
malice  and  to  plead  his  own  cause ; and  he 
said : My  lords  and  powers  of  the  cave,  my  true 
and  trusty  friends,  I have  with  much  impa- 
tience, as  becomes  me,  given  ear  to  your  long 
and  tedious  orations.  But  my  furious  gorge 
and  empty  paunch  so  lusteth  after  a repos- 
session of  my  famous  town  of  Mansoul  that, 
whatever  comes  on’t,  I can  wait  no  longer  to 
see  the  events  of  lingering  projects.  I must, 
and  that  without  further  delay,  seek  by  all 
means  I can  to  fill  my  insatiable  gulf  with  the 
soul  and  body  of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  There- 
fore lend  me  your  heads,  your  hearts,  and  your 
help,  now  I am  going  to  recover  my  town  of 
Mansoul. 

When  the  lords  and  princes  of  the  pit  saw7 
the  flaming  desire  that  was  in  Diabolus  to  de- 
vour the  miserable  town  of  Mansoul,  they  left 
oft'  to  raise  any  more  objections,  but  consented 
to  lend  him  what  strength  they  could ; though, 
had  Apollyon’s  advice  been  taken,  they  had  far 
more  fearfully  distressed  the  town  of  Mansoul. 
But,  I say,  they  were  willing  to  lend  him  what 
strength  they  could,  not  knowing  what  need 
they -anight  have  of  him  when  they  should  en- 
gage for  themselves  as  he.  Wherefore  they 
fell  to  advising  about  the  next  thing  propound- 


ed— to  wit,  what  soldiers  there  were,  and  also 
how  many,  with  whom  Diabolus  should  go 
against  the  town  of  Mansoul  to  take  it;  and 
after  some  debate  it  was  concluded,  according 
as  in  the  letter  the  Diabolonians  had  suggest- 
ed, that  none  was  more  fit  for  that  expedition 
than  an  army  of  torrible  Doubters.  They 
therefore  concluded  to  send  against  Mansoul 
an  army  of  sturdy  Doubters.  The  number 
thought  fit  to  be  employed  in  that  service  was 
between  twenty  and  thirty  thousand.  So,  then, 
the  result  of  that  great  council  of  those  high 
and  mighty  lords  was,  that  Diabolus  should, 
even  now,  out  of  hand,  beat  up  his  drum  for 
men  in  the  land  of  Doubting,  (which  land  lieth 
upon  the  confines  of  the  place  called  Hell  gate- 
hill,} — for  men  that  might  be  employed  by 
him  against  the  miserable  town  of  Mansoul. 
It  rvas  also  concluded  that  these  lords , them- 
selves should  help  him  in  the  war,  and  that 
they  would,  to  that  end,  head  and  manage  his 
men.  So  they  drew7  up  a letter,  and  sent  it 
back  to  the  Diabolonians  that  lurked  in  Man- 
soul, and  that  waited  for  the  back  coming  of 
Mr.  Profane,  to  signify  to  them  into  what 
method  and  forwardness  they  at  present  had 
put  their  design ; the  contents  whereof  follow : 

From  the  dark  and  horrible  dungeons  of  Hell, 
Diabolus,  with  all  the  society  of  the  princes  of 
darkness,  sends  to  our  trusty  ones  in  and  about 
the  ivalls  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  now  im- 
patiently waiting  for  our  most  devilish  answer 
to  their  venomous  and  most  poisonous  design 
against  the  town  of  Mansoul: 

Our  native  ones,  in  whom  from  day  to  day 
we  boast,  and  in  whose  actions  all  the  year 
long  we  do  greatly  delight  ourselves ! we  re- 
ceived your  welcome  because  highly  esteemed 
letter  at  the  hand  of  our  trusty  and  greatly 
beloved,  the  old  gentleman  Mr.  Profane,  and 
do  give  you  to  understand  that  when  we  had 
broken  it  up,  and  had  read  the  contents  thereof, 
(to  your  amazing  memory  be  it  spoken,)  our 
yawning,  hollow-bellied  place  where  we  are 
made  so  hideous  and  yelling  a noise  for  joy 
that  the  mountains  that  stand  round  about 
Hell-gate-liill  had  like  to  have  been  shaken  to 
pieces  at  the  sound  thereof. 

We  could  also  do  no  less  than  admire  your 
faithfulness  to  us,  with  the  greatness  of  that 
subtlety  that  now  hath  showed  itself  to  be  in 
your  heads  to  serve  against  the  town  of  Man- 
soul. For  you  have  invented  for  us  so  excel- 
lent a method  for  our  proceeding  against  that 
rebellious  people  that  a more  effectual  cannot 


446 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


be  thought  of  by  all  the  wits  of  hell.  The 
proposals  therefore  which  now  at  last  you  have 
sent  us,  since  we  saw  them,  we  have  done  little 
else  but  highly  approve  aud  admire  them. 

Nay,  we  shall,  to  encourage  you  in  the  pro- 
fundity of  your  craft,  let  you  know  that  at  a 
full  assembly  and  conclave  of  our  princes  and 
principalities  of  this  place  your  project  was 
discoursed  and  tossed  from  one  side  of  our  cave 
to  the  other  by  their  mightinesses ; but  a better 
and,  as  was  by  themselves  judged,  a more  fit 
and  proper  way  by  all  their  wits  could  not  be 
invented  to  surprise,  take,  and  make  our  own 
the  rebellious  town  of  Mansoul. 

Wherefore,  in  fine,  all  that  was  said  that 
varied  from  what  you  had  in  your  letter  pro- 
pounded fell  of  itself  to  the  ground,  and  yours 
only  was  stuck  to  by  Diabolus  the  prince ; yea, 
his  gaping  gorge  and  yawning  paunch  were 
on  fire  to  put  your  invention  into  execution. 

We  therefore  give  you  to  understand  that 
our  stout,  furious,  and  unmerciful  Diabolus  is 
raising  for  your  relief  and  the  ruin  of  the  re- 
bellious town  of  Mansoul  more  than  twenty 
thousand  Doubters  to  come  against  that  people. 
They  are  all  stout  and  sturdy  men,  and  men 
that  of  old  have  been  accustomed  to  war.  I 
say  he  is  doing  of  this  work  of  his  with  all  the 
speed  he  can,  for  his  heart  and  spirit  are  en- 
gaged in  it.  We  desire,  therefore,  that  as  you 
have  hitherto  stuck  to  us,  and  given  us  both 
advice  and  encouragement,  that  you  still  will 
prosecute  our  design ; nor  shall  you  lose,  but 
be  gainers  thereby ; yea,  we  intend  to  make 
you  the  lords  of  Mansoul. 

One  thing  may  not  by  any  means  be  omitted : 
that  is,  those  with  us  desire  that  every  one  of 
you  that  are  in  Mansoul  would  still  use  all 
your  power,  cunning,  and  skill,  with  delusive 
persuasions,  yet  to  draw  the  town  of  Ma'nsoul 
into  more  sin  and  wickedness,  even  that  sin 
may  be  finished  and  bring  forth  death. 

For  thus  it  is  concluded  with  us : that  the 
more  vile,  sinful,  and  debauched  the  town  of 
Mansoul  is,  the  more  backward  will  be  their 
Emmanuel  to  come  to  their  help,  either  by 
presence  or  other  relief ; yea,  the  more  sinful, 
the  more  weak,  and  so  the  more  unable,  will 
they  be  to  make  resistance  when  we  shall  make 
our  assault  upon  them  to  swallow  them  up ; 
yea,  they  may  cause  that  their  mighty  Shaddai 
himself  may  cast  them  out  of  his  protection, 
yea,  and  send  for  his  captains  and  soldiers 
home  with  his  slings  and  rams,  and  leave  them 
naked  and  bare;  and  then  the  town  of  Man- 
soul will  of  itself  open  to  us,  and  fall  as  the 


fig  into  the  mouth  of  the  eater ; yea,  to  be  sure 
that  we  then  with  a great  deal  of  ease  shall 
come  upon  her  and  overcome  her. 

As  to  the  time  of  our  coming  upon  Mansoul, 
we  as  yet  have  not  fully  resolved  upon  that, 
though  at  present  some  of  us  think  as  you  that 
a market-day,  or  a market-day  at  night,  will 
certainly  be  the  best.  However,  do  you  be 
ready,  and  when  you  shall  hear  our  roaring 
drum  without,  do  you  be  as  busy  to  make  the 
most  horrible  confusion  within.  So  shall 
Mansoul  certainly  be  distressed  before  and  be- 
hind, and  shall  not  know  which  way  to  betake 
herself  for  help.  My  Lord  Lucifer,  my  Lord 
Beelzebub,  my  Lord  Apollyon,  my  Lord  Le- 
gion, with  the  rest,  salute  you,  as  does  also  my 
Lord  Diabolus;  and  we  wish  both  you,  with 
all  that  you  do  or  shall  possess,  the  very  self- 
same fruit  and  success  for  their  doing  as  we  at 
present  enjoy  for  ours. 

From  our  dreadful  confines  in  the  most  fear- 
ful pit  we  salute  you,  and  so  do  those  many 
legions  here  with  us,  wishing  you  may  be 
as  hellishly  prosperous  as  we  desire  to  be 
ourselves.  By  the  letter-carrier,  Mr.  Pro- 
fane. 

4 

Then  Mr.  Profane  addressed  himself  for  liis 
return  to  Mansoul  with  his  errand  from  the 
horrible  pit  to  the  Diabolonians  that  dwelt  in 
that  town.  So  he  came  up  the  stairs  from  the 
deep  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave  where  Cerberus 
was.  Now  when  Cerberus  saw  him,  he  asked 
how  matters  went  below  about  and  against  the 
town  of  Mansoul. 

Profane.  Things  go  as  well  as  we  can  expect. 
The  letter  that  I carried  thither  was  highly  ap- 
proved and  well  liked  by  all  my  lords,  and  I 
am  returning  to  tell  our  Diabolonians  so.  I 
have  an  answer  to  it  here  in  my  bosom  that  I 
am  sure  will  make  our  masters  that  sent  me 
glad ; for  the  contents  thereof  are  to  encourage 
them  to  pursue  their  design  to  the  utmost,  and 
to  be  ready  also  to  fall  on  within  when  they 
shall  see  my  Lord  Diabolus  beleaguering  the 
town  of  Mansoul. 

Cerberus.  But  does  he  intend  to  go  against 
them  himself? 

Profane.  Does  he!  Ay,  and  he  will  take 
along  with  him  more  than  twenty  thousand, 
all  sturdy  Doubters  and  men  of  war — picked 
men  from  the  land  of  Doubting — to  serve  him 
in  the  expedition. 

Then  was  Cerberus  glad,  and  said,  And  are 
there  such  brave  preparations  a-making  to 
go  against  the  miserable  town  of  Mansoul? 


TIIE  HOLY  WAR. 


Would  I might  be  put  at  the  head  of  a thou- 
sand of  them,  that  I might  also  show  my  valour 
against  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul ! 

Profane.  Your  wish  may  come  to  pass;  you 
look  like  one  that  has  mettle  enough,  and  my 
lord  will  have  with  him  those  that  are  valiant 
and  stout.  But  my  business  requires  haste. 

Cerberus.  Ay,  so  it  does.  Speed  thee  to  the 
town  of  Mansoul  with  all  the  deepest  mischiefs 
that  this  place  can  afford  thee.  And  when 
thou  shalt  come  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Mischief, 
the  place  where  the  Diabolonians  meet  to  plot, 
tell  them  that  Cerberus  doth  wish  them  his 
service,  and  that  if  he  may  he  will  with  the 
army  come  up  against  the  famous  town  of 
Mansoul. 

Profane.  That  I will.  And  I know  that  my 
lords  that  are  there  will  be  glad  to  hear  it  and 
to  see  you  also. 

So  after  a few  more  of  such  kind  of  compli 
ments,  Mr.  Profane  took  leave  of  his  friend 
Cerberus,  and  Cerberus  again,  with  a thousand 
of  their  pit-wishes,  bid  him  haste  with  all 
speed  to  his  masters;  the  which  when  he  had 
heard  he  made  obeisance,  and  began  to  gather 
up  his  heels  to  run. 

Thus  therefore  he  returned  and  came  to 
Mansoul,  and  going  as  afore  to  the  house  of 
Mr.  Mischief,  there  he  found  the  Diabolonians 
assembled  and  waiting  for  his  return.  Now, 
when  he  was  come  and  had  presented  himself, 
he  delivered  to  them  his  letter,  and  adjoined 
this  compliment  to  them  therewith:  “My 
lords,  from  the  confines  of  the  pit  the  high 
and  mighty  principalities  and  powers  of  the 
den  salute  you  here,  the  true  Diabolonians  of 
the  town  of  Mansoul;  wishing  you  always  the 
most  proper  of  their  benedictions  for  the  great 
service,  high  attempts,  and  brave  achievements 
that  you  have  put  yourselves  upon  for  the  re- 
storing to  our  prince  Diabolus  the  famous  town 
of  Mansoul.” 

This  was  therefore  the  present  state  of  the 
miserable  town  of  Mansoul ; she  had  offended 
her  Prince,  and  he  was  gone;  she  had  encour- 
aged the  powers  of  hell,  by  her  foolishness,  to 
come  against  her  to  seek  her  utter  destruc- 
tion. 

True,  the  town  of  Mansoul  was  somewhat 
made  sensible  of  her  sin,  but  the  Diabolonians 
were  gotten  into  her  bowels;  she  cried,  but 
Emmanuel  was  gone,  and  her  cries  did  not 
fetch  him  as  yet  again.  Besides,  she  knew  not 
whether  ever  or  never  he  would  return  and 
come  to  his  Mansoul  again;  nor  did  they  know 
the  power  and  industry  of  the  enemy,  nor  how 


447 

forward  they  were  to  put  in  execution  that  plot 
of  hell  that  they  had  devised  against  her. 

They  did  indeed  still  send  petition  after  pe- 
tition to  the  Prince,  but  lie  answered  all  with 
silence.  They  did  neglect  reformation,  and 
that  was  as  Diabolus  would  have  it;  for  lie 
knew  if  they  regarded  iniquity  in  their  heart 
their  King  would  not  hear  their  prayer;  they 
therefore  still  grew  weaker  and  weaker,  and 
were  as  a rolling  thing  before  the  whirlwind. 
They  cried  to  their  King  for  help,  and  laid 
Diabolonians  in  their  bosoms.  What  there- 
fore should  a King  do  to  them?  Yea,  there 
seemed  now  to  be  a mixture  in  Mansoul ; the 
Diabolonians  and  the  Mansoulians  would  walk 
the  streets  together.  Yea,  they  began  to  seek 
their  peace,  for  they  thought  that  since  the 
sickness  had  been  so  mortal  in  Mansoul,  it  was 
in  vain  to  go  to  handy-gripes  with  them.  Be- 
sides, the  weakness  of  Mansoul  was  the 
strength  of  their  enemies,  and  the  sins  of 
Mansoul  the  advantage  of  the  Diabolonians. 
The  foes  of  Mansoul  also  now  began  to  promise 
themselves  the  town  for  a possession ; there  was 
no  great  difference  now  betwixt  Mansoulians 
and  Diabolonians;  both  seemed  to  be  masters 
of  Mansoul.  Yea,  the  Diabolonians  increased 
and  grew,  but  the  town  of  Mansoul  diminished 
greatly.  There  was  more  than  eleven  thou- 
sand of  men,  women,  and  children  that  died  by 
the  sickness  in  Mansoul. 

But  now,  as  Shaddai  would  have  it,  there 
was  one  whose  name  was  Mr.  Pry-well,  a great 
lover  of  the  people  of  Mansoul ; and  he,  as 
his  manner  was,  did  go  listening  up  and  down 
in  Mansoul,  to  see  and  to  hear,  if  at  any  time 
he  might,  whether  there  was  any  design  against 
it  or  no.  For  he  was  always  a jealous  man, 
and  feared  some  mischief  sometimes  would 
befall  it,  either  from  the  Diabolonians  within  or 
from  some  power  without.  Now  upon  a time 
it  so  happened,  as  Mr.  Pry-well  went  listening 
here  and  there,  that  he  lighted  upon  a place 
called  Vile-hill  in  Mansoul,  where  Diabolo- 
nians used  to  meet ; so,  hearing  a muttering, 
(you  must  know  that  it  was  in  the  night,)  he 
softly  drew  near  to  hear;  nor  had  he  stood 
long  under  the  house-end,  (for  there  stood  a 
house  there,)  but  he  heard  one  confidently  af- 
firm that  it  was  not  or  would  not  be  long  be- 
fore Diabolus  should  possess  himself  again  of 
Mansoul,  and  that  then  the  Diabolonians  did 
intend  to  put  all  Mansoulians  to  the  sword, 
and  would  kill  and  destroy  the  King’s  captains 
and  drive  all  his  soldiers  out  of  the  town. 

He  said,  moreover,  that  he  knew  there  were 


448 


B TJNYA  N ’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


about  twenty  thousand  fighting  men  prepared 
by  Diabolus  for  the  accomplishing  of  this  de- 
sign : and  that  it  would  not  be  months  before 
they  all  should  see  it.  When  Mr.  Pry-well 
had  heard  this  story,  he  did  quickly  believe  it 
was  true;  wherefore  he  went  forthwith  to  my 
lord  mayor’s  house  and  acquainted  him  there- 
with ; who,  sending  for  the  subordinate 
preacher,  brake  the  business  to  him,  and  he  as 
soon  gave  the  alarm  to  the  town,  for  he  was 
now  the  chief  preacher  in  Mansoul,  because  as 
yet  my  lord  secretary  was  ill  at  ease.  And 
this  was  the  way  that  the  subordinate  preacher 
did  take  to  alarm  the  town  therewith : The  same 
hour  he  caused  the  lecture-bell  to  be  rung; 
so  the  people  came  together;  he  gave  them 
then  a short  exhortation  to  watch  fulness,  and 
made  Mr.  Pry-well’s  news  the  argument  there- 
of. For,  said  he,  an  horrible  plot  is  contrived 
against  Mansoul,  even  to  massacre  us  all  in  a 
day ; nor  is  this  story  to  be  slighted,  for  Mr. 
Pry-well  is  the  author  thereof.  Mr.  Pry-well 
was  always  a lover  of  Mansoul,  a sober  and 
judicious  man,  a man  that  is  no  tattler,  no 
raiser  of  false  reports,  but  one  that  loves  to 
look  into  the  bottom  of  matters,  and  talks 
nothing  of  news  but  by  very  solid  arguments. 

I will  call  him,  and  you  shall  hear  him 
your  ownselves.  So  he  called  him,  and  he 
came  and  told  his  tale  so  punctually,  and  af- 
firmed its  truth  with  such  ample  grounds,  that 
Mansoul  fell  presently  under  a conviction  of 
the  truth  of  what  he  said.  The  preacher  also 
backed  him,  saying,  “Sirs,  it  is  not  irrational 
for  us  to  believe  it,  for  we  have  provoked 
Shaddai  to  anger  and  have  sinned  Emmanuel 
out  of  the  town.  We  have  had  too  much  cor- 
respondence with  Diabolonians,  and  have  for- 
saken our  former  mercies ; no  marvel  then  if 
the  enemy  both  within  and  without  should 
design  and  plot  our  ruin ; and  what  time  like 
this  to  do  it  ? The  sickness  is  now  in  the  town, 
and  we  have  been  made  weak  thereby.  Many 
a good-meaning  man  is  dead,  and  the  Diabolo- 
nians of  late  grow  stronger  and  stronger. 

“ Besides,”  quoth  the  subordinate  preacher, 
“I  have  received  from  this  good  truth-teller 
this  one  inkling  further,  that  he  understood 
by  those  that  he  overheard  that  several  letters 
have  lately  passed  between  the  furies  and  the 
Diabolonians  in  order  to  our  destruction.” 
When  Mansoul  heard  all  this,  and  not  being 
able  to  gainsay  it,  they  lifted  up  their  voice 
and  wept.  Mr.  Pry-well  also,  in  the  presence 
of  the  townsmen,  confirmed  all  that  their  sub- 
ordinate preacher  had  said.  Wherefore  they 


now  set  afresh  to  bewail  their  folly,  and  to  a 
doubling  of  petitions  to  Shaddai  and  his  Son. 
They  also  brake  the  business  to  the  captains, 
high  commanders,  and  men  of  war  in  the  town 
of  Mansoul,  entreating  them  to  use  the  means 
to  be  strong  and  to  take  good  courage,  and 
that  they  would  look  after  their  harness  and 
make  themselves  ready  to  give  Diabolus  bat- 
tle by  night  and  by  day,  should  he  come,  as 
they  were  informed  he  would,  to  beleaguer  the 
town  of  Mansoul. 

When  the  captains  heard  this,  they  being 
always  true  lovers  of  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
what  do  they  but  like  so  many  Samsons  they 
shake  themselves,  and  come  together  to  consult 
and  contrive  how  to  defeat  those  bold  and 
hellish  contrivances  that  were  upon  the  wheel, 
by  the  means  of  Diabolus  and  his  friends, 
against  the  now  sickly,  weakly,  and  much  im- 
poverished town  of  Mansoul ; and  they  agreed 
upon  the  following  particulars : 

1.  That  the  gates  of  Mansoul  should  he  kept 
shut  and  made  fast  with  bars  and  locks  ; and 
that  all  persons  that  went  out  or  came  in 
should  be  very  strictly  examined  by  the  cap- 
tains of  the  guards,  to  the  end,  said  they,  that 
those  that  are  managers  of  the  plot  among  us 
may.  either  coming  or  going,  be  taken,  and 
that  wre  may  also  find  out  who  are  the  great 
contrivers,  amongst  us.  of  our  ruin. 

2.  The  next  thing  was,  that  a strict  search 
should  be  made  for  all  kinds  of  Diabolonians 
throughout  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul,  and 
that  every  man’s  house  from  top  to  bottom 
should  be  looked  into,  and  that,  too,  house  by 
house,  that  if  possible  a further-  discovery 
might  be  made  of  all  such  among  them  as  had 
a hand  in  these  designs. 

3.  It  was  further  concluded  upon  that  where- 
soever or  with  whomsoever  any  of  the  Diabo- 
lonians were  found,  that  even  those  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul  that  had  given  them  house 
and  harbour  should  to  their  shame  and  the 
warning  of  others  make  penance  in  the  open 
place. 

4.  It  was  moreover  resolved  by  the  famous 
town  of  Mansoul  that  a public  fast  and  a day 
of  humiliation  should  be  kept  throughout  the 
whole  corporation,  to  the  justifying  of  their 
Prince,  the  abasing  of  themselves  before  him 
for  their  transgressions  against  him  and  against 
Shaddai  his  Father.  It  was  further  resolved 
that  all  such  in  Mansoul  as  did  not  that  day 
endeavour  to  keep  that  fast  and  to  humble 
themselves  for  their  faults,  but  should  mind 
their  worldly  employs  or  be  found  wandering 


THE  1I0LY  WAR. 


449  * 


up  and  down  the  streets,  should  he  taken  for 
Diabolonians,  and  should  suffer  as  Diabolo- 
nians  for  such  their  wicked  doings. 

5.  It  was  further  concluded  then  that  with 
what  speed  and  with  what  warmth  of  mind 
they  could  they  would  renew  their  humil- 
iation for  sin,  and  their  petitions  to  Shaddai 
for  help ; they  also  resolved  to  send  tidings  to 
the  court  of  all  that  Mr.  Pry-well  had  told 
them. 

6.  It  was  also  determined  that  thanks  should 
be  given  by  the  town  of  Mansoul  to  Mr.  Pry- 
well  for  his  diligent  seeking  of  the  welfare  of 
their  town;  and  further,  forasmuch  as  he  was 
naturally  inclined  to  seek  their  good  and  also 
to  undermine  their  foes,  they  gave  him  a com- 
mission of  scoutmaster-general,  for  the  good 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

When  the  corporation,  with  their  captains, 
had  thus  concluded,  they  did  as  they  had 
said:  they  shut  up  their  gates;  they  made 
for  Diabolonians  strict  search ; they  made 
those  with  whom  any  were  found  to  do  pen- 
ance in  the  open  place;  they  kept  their  fast 
and  renewed  their  petitions  to  their  Prince ; 
and  Mr.  Pry-well  managed  his  charge  and  the 
trust  that  Mansoul  had  put  in  his  hands  with 
great  conscience  and  good  fidelity;  for  he  gave 
himself  wholly  up  to  his  employ,  and  that  not 
only  within  the  town,  but  he  went  out  to  pry, 
to  see,  and  to  hear. 

And  .not  many  days  after  he  provided  for 
his  journey  and  went  towards  Hell-gate-hill, 
into  the  country  where  the  Doubters  were, 
where  he  heard  of  all  that  had  been  talked  of 
in  Mansoul,  and  he  perceived  also  that  Diab- 
olus  was  almost  ready  for  his  march,  &c. ; so 
he  came  back  with  speed,  and  calling  the  cap- 
tains and  elders  of  Mansoul  together,  he  told 
them  where  he  had  been,  what  he  had  heard, 
and  what  he  had  seen. 

Particularly  he  told  them  that  Diabolus 
was  almost  ready  for  his  march,  and  that  he 
had  made  old  Mr.  Incredulity,  that  once 
brake  prison  in  Mansoul,  the  general  of  his 
army;  that  the  army  consisted  all  of  Doubt- 
ers, and  that  their  number  was  above  twenty 
thousand.  He  told,  moreover,  that  Diabolus 
did  intend  to  bring  with  him  the  chief  princes 
of  the  infernal  pit,  and  that  he  would  make 
them  chief  captains  over  his  Doubters.  He 
told  them,  moreover,  that  it  was  certainly 
true  that  several  of  the  black  den  would,  with 
Diabolus,  ride  reformades  to  reduce  the  town 
of  Mansoul  to  the  obedience  of  Diabolus 
their  prince. 

29 


He  said,  moreover,  that  he  understood  by 
the  Doubters,  among  whom  he  had  been, 
that  the  reason  why  old  Incredulity  was  made 
general  of  the  whole  army  was  because  none 
truer  than  he  to  the  tyrant,  and  because  he 
had  an  implacable  spite  against  the  welfare 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  Besides,  said  he. 
he  remembers  the  affronts  that  Mansoul  has 
given,  and  he  is  resolved  to  be  revenged  of 
them. 

But  the  black  princes  shall  be  made  high 
commanders,  only  Incredulity  shall  be  over 
them  all,  because  (which  I had  almost  forgot) 
he  can  more  easily  and  more  dextrously  be- 
leaguer the  town  of  Mansoul  than  can  any  of 
the  princes  besides. 

Now,  when  the  captains  of  Mansoul,  with 
the  elders  of  the  town,  had  heard  the  tidings 
that  Mr.  Pry-well  brought,  they  thought  it 
expedient,  without  further  delay,  to  put  into 
execution  the  laws  against  the  Diabolonians 
which  their  Prince  had  made  and  given  them 
in  commandment  to  manage  against  them. 
Wherefore,  forthwith  a diligent  and  impartial 
search  was  made  in  all  houses  in  Mansoul  for 
all  and  all  manner  of  Diabolonians.  Now,  in 
the  house  of  Mr.  Mind  and  in  the  house  of  the 
great  Lord  Will-be-will  were  two  Diabolo- 
nians found.  In  Mr.  Mind’s  house  was  one 
Lord  Covetousness  found,  but  he  had  changed 
his  name  to  Prudent-thrifty.  In  my  Lord 
Will-be-will’s  house  one  Lasciviousness  was 
found,  but  he  had  changed  his  name  to  Harm- 
less-mirth. These  two  the  captains  and  elders 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul  took,  and  committed 
them  to  the  custody  of  Mr.  True-man  the 
jailer ; and  this  man  handled  them  so  severely, 
and  loaded  them  so  well  with  irons,  that  in 
time  they  fell  into  a very  deep  consumption 
and  died  in  the  prison-house;  their  masters 
also,  according  to  the  agreement  of  the  cap- 
tains and  elders,  were  brought  to  do  penance 
in  the  open  place,  to  their  shame  and  as 
a warning  to  the  rest  of  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

Now  this  was  the  manner  of  penance  in 
those  days : The  persons  offending,  being 
made  sensible  of  the  evil  of  their  doings, 
were  enjoined  open  confession  of  their  faults 
and  a strict  amendment  of  their  lives. 

After  this  the  captains  and  elders  of  Man- 
soul sought  yet  to  find  out  more  Diabolonians 
wherever  they  lurked,  whether  in  dens,  caves, 
holes,  vaults,  or  where  else  they  could,  in  or 
about  the  wall  or  the  town  of  Mansoul.  But 
though  they  could  plainly  see  their  footing, 
and  so  follow  them  by  their  track  and  smell 


450 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  their  holds,  even  to  the  mouths  of  their 
caves  and  dens,  yet  take  and  do  justice  upon 
them  they  could  not,  their  ways  were  so 
crooked,  their  holds  so  strong,  and  they  so 
quick  to  take  sanctuary  there. 

But  Mansoul  ruled  now  with  so  stiff  an 
hand  over  the  Diabolonians  that  were  left 
that  they  were  glad  to  shrink  into  corners. 
Time  was  when  they  durst  walk  openly  and 
in  the  day,  but  now  they  were  forced  to  em- 
brace privacy  and  in  the  night.  Time  was 
when  a Mansoulian  was  their  companion, 
hut  now  they  counted  them  deadly  enemies. 
This  good  change  did  Mr.  Pry-weil’s  intel- 
ligence make  in  the  famous  town  of  Man- 
soul. 

By  this  time  Diabolus  had  finished  his 
army,  which  he  intended  to  bring  with  him 
for  the  ruin  of  Mansoul,  and  had  set  over  them 
captains  and  other  field-officers  such  as  liked 
his  furious  stomach  best;  himself  was  lord 
paramount,  and  Incredulity  was  general  of  his 
army.  Their  highest  captains  shall  be  named 
afterwards,  but  now  for  their  officers,  colours, 
and  escutcheons : 

1.  Their  first  captain  was  Captain  Rage:  he 
was  captain  over  the  Election-doubters;  his 
were  red  colours,  his  standard-bearer  was  Mr. 
Destructive,  and  the  great  red  dragon  he  had 
for  his  escutcheon. 

2.  The  second  captain  was  Captain  Fury: 
he  w’as  captain  over  the  Vocation-doubters; 
his  standard-bearer  was  Mr.  Darkness,  his 
colours  were  those  that  were  pale,  and  he  had 
for  his  escutcheon  the  fiery  flying  serpent. 

3.  The  third  captain  was  Captain  Damna- 
tion : he  was  captain  over  the  Grace-doubters ; 
his  were  the  red  colours,  Mr.  No-life  bore 
them,  and  he  had  for  his  escutcheon  the  black 
den. 

4.  The  fourth  captain  was  Captain  Insati- 
able: he  was  captain  over  the  Faith-doubters; 
his  were  the  red  colours,  Mr.  Devourer  bore 
them,  and  he  had  for  an  escutcheon  the  yawn- 
i.ig  jaws. 

5.  The  fifth  captain  was  Captain  Brimstone : 
he  was  captain  over  the  Perseverance-doubt- 
ers ; his  also  were  the  red  colours,  Mr.  Burning 
bore  them,  and  his  escutcheon  was  the  blue 
and  stinking  flame. 

6.  The  sixth  captain  was  Captain  Torment: 
he  was  captain  over  the  Resurrection-doubt- 
ers ; his  colours  were  those  that  were  pale,  Mr. 
Gnaw  was  his  standard-bearer,  and  he  had  the 
black  worm  for  his  escutcheon. 

7.  The  seventh  captain  was  Captain  No- 


ease : he  was  captain  over  the  Salvation-doubt- 
ers; his  were  the  red  colours,  Mr.  Restless 
bore  them,  and  his  escutcheon  was  the  ghastly 
pucture  of  death. 

8.  The  eighth  captain  was  the  Captain  Sep- 
ulchre: he  was  captain  over  the  Glory-doubt- 
ers ; his  also  were  the  pale  colours,  Mr.  Cor- 
ruption was  his  standard-bearer,  and  he  had 
for  his  escutcheon  a skull  and  dead  men's 
boues. 

9.  The  ninth  captain  was  Captain  Past- 
hope:  he  was  captain  of  those  that  are  called 
the  Felicity-doubters;  his  standard-bearer  wras 
Mr.  Despair,  his  also  were  the-red  colours,  and 
his  escutcheon  \vas  the  hot-iron  and  the  hard 
heart. 

These  were  his  captains,  and  these  were  their 
forces,  these  were  their  ancients,  these  were 
their  colours,  and  these  were  their  escutcheons. 
Now  over  these  did  the  great  Diabolus  make 
superior  captains,  and  they  were  in  number 
seven ; as  namely,  the  Lord  Beelzebub,  the  Lord 
Lucifer,  the  Lord  Legion,  the  Lord  Apollyon, 
the  Lord  Python,  the  Lord  Cerberus,  and  Lord 
Belial;  these  seven  he  set  over  the  captains, 
and  Incredulity  was  lord  general  and  Diabolus 
was  king. 

The  reformades  also,  such  as  were  like  them- 
selves, were  made  some  of  them  captains  of 
hundreds,  and  some  of  them  captains  of  more; 
and  thus  was  the  army  of  Incredulity  com- 
pleted. 

So  they  set  out  at  Hell-gate-liill,  (for  there 
they  had  their  rendezvous,)  from  whence  they 
came  with  a straight  course  upon  their  march 
toward  the  town  of  Mansoul.  Now,  as  was 
hinted  before,  the  town  had,  as  Shaddai  would 
have  it,  received  from  the  mo’uth  of  Mr.  Pry- 
well  the  alarm  of  their  coming  before.  Where- 
fore they  set  a strong  watch  at  the  gates,  and 
had  also  doubled  their  guards;  they  also 
mounted  their  slings  in  good  places,  where 
they  might  conveniently  cast  out  their  great 
stones  to  the  annoyance  of  the  furious  enemy. 

Nor  could  those  Diabolonians  that  were  in 
the  town  do  that  hurt  as  -was  designed  they 
should,  for  Mansoul  was  now  awake.  But, 
alas,  poor  people ! they  were  sorely  affrighted 
at  the  first  appearance  of  their  foes,  and  at 
their  sitting  down  before  the  town,  especially 
when  they  heard  the  roaring  of  their  drum. 
This,  to  speak  truth,  was  amazingly  hideous  to 
hear:  it  frighted  all  men  seven  miles  round 
if  they  were  but  awake  and  heard  it.  The 
streaming  of  their  colours  was  also  terrible  and 
dejecting  to  behold. 


TIIE  HOLY  WAR. 


451 


When  Diabolus  was  come  up  against  the 
town,  first  he  made  his  approach  to  Ear-gate, 
and  gave  it  a furious  assault,  supposing,  as  it 
seems,  that  his  friends  in  Mansoul  had  been 
ready  to  do  the-  work  within,  but  care  was 
taken  of  that  before  by  the  vigilance  of  the 
captains.  Wherefore,  missing  of  the  help  that 
he  expected  from  them,  and  finding  his  army 
warmly  attacked  with  the  stones  that  the 
slingers  did  sling,  (for  that  I will  say  for  the 
captains,  that,  considering  the  weakness  that 
yet  was  upon  them  by  reason  of  the  long  sick- 
ness that  had  annoyed  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
they  did  gallantly  behave  themselves,)  he  was 
forced  to  make  some  retreat  from  Mansoul, 
and  to  entrench  himself  and  his  men  in  the 
field,  without  the  reach  of  the  slings  of  the 
town. 

Now,  having  entrenched  himself,  he  did  cast 
up  four  mounts  before  the  town;  the  first  he 
called  Mount  Diabolus,  putting  his  own  name 
thereon,  the  more  to  affright  the  town  of  Man- 
soul; the  other  three  he  called  thus — Mount 
Alecto,  Mount  Megara,  and  Mount  Tisiphane, 
for  these  are  the  names  of  the  dreadful  furies 
of  hell.  Thus  be  began  to  play  his  game  with 
Mansoul,  and  to  serve  it  as  doth  the  lion  his 
prey,  even  to  make  it  fall  before  his  terror. 
But,  as  I said,  the  captains  and  soldiers  resisted 
so  stoutly,  and  did  so  much  execution  with 
their  stones,  that  they  made  him,  though 
against  stomach,  to  retreat;  wherefore  Man- 
soul began  to  take  courage. 

Now  upon  Mount  Diabolus,  which  was 
raised  on  the  north  side  of  the  town,  there  did 
the  tyrant  set  up  his  standard,  and  a fearful 
thing  it  was  to  behold;  for  he  had  wrought  in 
it  by  devilish  art,  after  the  manner  of  an  es- 
cutcheon, a flaming  flame  fearful  to  behold, 
and  the  picture  of  Mansoul  burning  in  it. 

When  Diabolus  had  thus  done,  he  com- 
manded that  his  drummer  should  every  night 
approach  the  walls  of  the  town  of  Mansoul 
and  beat  a parley ; the  command  was  to  do  it 
at  nights,  for  in  daytime  they  annoyed  him 
with  their  slings ; for  the  tyrant  said  that  he 
had  a mind  to  parley  with  the  now  trembling- 
town  of  Mansoul;  and  he  commanded  that  the 
drum  should  beat  every  night,  that  through 
weariness  they  might  at  last  (if  possibly  at  the 
first  they  were  unwilling  yet)  be  forced  to  do 
it. 

So  this  drummer  did  as  commanded ; he 
arose  and  did  beat  his  drum.  But  when  his 
drum  did  go,  if  one  looked  towards  the  town 
of  Mansoul,  behold  darkness  and  sorrow,  and 


the  light  was  darkened  in  the  heaven  thereof. 
No  noise  was  ever  heard  upon  earth  more  ter- 
rible, except  the  voice  of  Shaddai  when  he 
speaketh.  But  how  did  Mansoul  tremble ! It 
now  looked  for  nothing  but  forthwith  to  be 
swallowed  up. 

When  this  drummer  had  beaten  for  a parley, 
he  made  this  speech  to  Mansoul : My  master 
has  bid  me  tell  you  that  if  you  will  willingly 
submit  you  shall  have  the  good  of  the  earth, 
but  if  you  shall  be  stubborn  he  is  resolved  to 
take  you  by  force.  But  by  that  the  fugitive 
had  done  beating  of  his  drum  the  people  of 
Mansoul  had  betaken  themselves  to  the  cap- 
tains that  were  in  the  castle;  so  that  there 
was  none  to  regard  nor  to  give  this  drummer 
an  answer;  so  he  proceeded  no  further  that 
night,  but  returned  again  to  his  master  to  the 
camp. 

When  Diabolus  saw  that  by  drumming  he 
could  not  work  out  Mansoul  to  his  will,  the 
next  night  he  sendetli  his  drummer  without 
his  drum,  still  to  let  the  townsmen  know  that 
he  had  a mind  to  parley  with  them.  But 
when  all  came  to  all,  his  parley  was  turned 
into  a summons  to  the  town  to  deliver  up 
themselves ; but  they  gave  him  neither  heed 
nor  hearing,  for  they  remembered  what  at  first 
it  cost  them  to  hear  him  a few  words. 

The  next  night  he  sends  again,  and  then 
who  should  be  his  messenger  to  Mansoul  but 
the  terrible  Captain  Sepulchre;  so  Captain 
Sepulchre  came  up  to  the  walls  of  Mansoul 
and  made  this  oration  to  the  town : 

“ 0 ye  inhabitants  of  the  rebellious  town  of 
Mansoul!  I summon  you,  in  the  name  of  the 
prince  Diabolus,  that  without  any  more  ado 
you  set  open  the  gates  of  your  town  and  admit 
the  great  lord  to  come  in.  But  if  you  shall 
still  rebel,  when  we  have  taken  to  us  the  town 
by  force  we  will  swallow  you  up  as  the  grave. 
Wherefore  if  you  will  hearken  to  my  summons, 
say  so,  and  if  not,  then  let  me  know. 

“ The  reason  of  this  my  summons  (quoth  he) 
is  for  that  my  lord  is  your  undoubted  prince 
and  lord,  as  you  yourselves  have  formerly 
owned.  Nor  shall  that  assault  that  was  given 
to  my  lord  when  Emmanuel  dealt  so  dishon- 
ourably by  him  prevail  with  him  to  lose  his 
right  and  to  forbear  to  attempt  to  recover  his 
own.  Consider  then,  0 Mansoul ! with  thy- 
self; wilt  thou  show  thyself  peaceable  or  no? 
If  thou  shalt  quietly  yield  up  thyself,  then  our 
old  friendship  shall  be  renewed ; but  if  thou 
slialt  yet  refuse  and  rebel,  then  expect  nothing 
but  fire  and  sword.” 


452 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


When  the  languishing  town  of  Mansoul  had 
heard  this  summoner  and  his  summons,  they 
were  yet  more  put  to  their  dumps,  but  made 
the  captain  no  answer  at  all ; so  away  he  went 
as  he  came. 

But  after  some  consultation  among  them- 
selves, as  also  with  some  of  their  captains,  they 
applied  themselves  afresh  to  the  lord  secretary 
for  counsel  and  advice  from  him,  for  this  lord 
secretary  was  their  chief  preacher,  (as  also  is 
mentioned  some  pages  before,)  only  now  he 
was  ill  at  ease ; and  of  him  they  begged  favour 
in  these  two  or  three  things : 

1.  That  he  would  look  comfortably  upon 
them,  and  not  keep  himself  so  much  retired 
from  them  as  formerly.  Also  that  he  would 
be  prevailed  with  to  give  them  a hearing  while 
they  should  make  known  their  miserable  con- 
dition to  him.  But  to  this  he  told  them,  as 
before,  that  as  yet  he  was  but  ill  at  ease,  and 
therefore  could  not  do  as  he  had  formerly  done. 

2.  The  second  thing  that  they  desired  was, 
that  he  would  be  pleased  to  give  them  his  ad- 
vice about  their  now  so  important  affairs,  for 
that  Diabolus  was  come  and  set  down  before 
the  town  with  no  less  than  twenty  thousand 
Doubters.  They  said,  moreover,  that  both  he 
and  his  captains  were  cruel  men,  and  that  they 
were  afraid  of  them.  But  to  this  he  said,  You 
must  look  to  the  law  of  your  Prince,  and  there 
see  what  is  laid  upon  you  to  do. 

3.  Then  they  desired  that  his  highness  would 
help  them  to  frame  a petition  to  Shaddai  and 
unto  Emmanuel  his  Son,  and  that  he  would 
set  his  own  hand  thereto,  as  a token  that  he 
was  one  with  them  in  it;  for,  said  they,  My 
lord,  many  a one  have  we  sent,  but  can  get  no 
answer  of  peace ; but  now  surely  one  with  thy 
hand  unto  it  may  obtain  good  for  Mansoul. 

But  all  the  answer  that  he  gave  to  this  was, 
That  they  had  offended  their  Emmanuel,  and 
had  also  grieved  himself,  and  that  therefore 
they  must  as  yet  partake  of  their  own  devices. 

This  answer  of  the  lord  secretary  fell  like  a 
millstone  upon  them ; yea,  it  crushed  them  so 
that  they  could  not  tell  what  to  do ; yet  they 
durst  not  comply  with  the  demands  of  Diabolus 
nor  with  the  demands  of  his  captains.  So  then 
here  were  the  straits  that  the  town  of  Mansoul 
was  betwixt  when  the  enemy  came  upon  her : 
her  foes  were  ready  to  swallow  her  up,  and 
her  friends  did  forbear  to  help  her. 

Then  stood  up  my  lord  mayor,  whose  name 
was  my  Lord  Understanding,  and  he  began  to 
pick  and  pick,  until  he  had  picked  comfort  out 
of  that  seemingly  bitter  saying  of  the  lord 


secretary;  for  thus  he  descanted  upon  it 
First,  said  he,  this  unavoidably  follows  upon 
the  saying  of  my  lord,  that  we  must  yet  suffer 
for  our  sins.  Second,  But,  quoth  he,  the  words 
yet  sound  as  if  at  last  we  should  be  saved  from 
our  enemies,  and  that  after  a few  more  sor- 
rows Emmanuel  will  come  and  be  our  help. 
Now  the  lord  mayor  was  the  more  critical  in 
his  dealing  with  the  secretary’s  words  because 
my  lord  was  more  than  a prophet,  and  because 
none  of  his  words  were  such  but  that  at  all 
times  they  were  most  exactly  significant,  and 
the  townsmen  were  allowed  to  pry  into  them 
and  to  expound  them  to  their  best  advantage. 

So  they  took  their  leaves  of  my  lord,  and 
returned  and  went  and  came  to  the  captains, 
to  whom  they  did  tell  what  my  lord  high  secre- 
tary had  said ; who,  when  they  had  heard  it, 
were  all  of  the  same  opinion  as  my  lord  mayor 
himself;  the  captains  therefore  began  to  take 
some  courage  unto  them,  and  to  prepare  to 
make  some  brave  attempt  upon  the  camp  of 
the  enemy,  and  to  destroy  all  that  were  Diab- 
olonians,  with  the  roving  Doubters  that  the 
tyrant  had  brought  with  him  to  destroy  the 
poor  town  of  Mansoul. 

So  all  betook  themselves  forthwith  to  their 
places — the  captains  to  theirs,  the  lord  mayor 
to  his,  the  subordinate  preacher  to  his,  and  my 
Lord  Will-be-will  to  his.  The  captains  longed 
to  be  at  some  work  for  their  Prince,  for  they 
delighted  in  warlike  achievements.  The  next 
day  therefore  they  came  together  and  con- 
sulted, and  after  a consultation  had  they  re- 
solved to  give  an  answer  to  the  captain  of 
Diabolus  with  slings ; and  so  they  did  at  the 
rising  of  the  sun  on  the  morrow,  for  Diabolus 
had  adventured  to  come  nearer  again,  but  the 
sling-stones  were  to  him  and  his  like  hornets. 
For  as  there  is  nothing  to  the  town  of  Mansoul 
so  terrible  as  the  roaring  of  Diabolus’  drum, 
so  there  is  nothing  to  Diabolus  so  terrible  as 
the  well  playing  of  Emmanuel’s  slings.  Where- 
fore Diabolus  was  forced  to  make  another  re- 
treat yet  farther  off  from  the  famous  town  of 
Mansoul.  Then  did  the  lord  mayor  of  Man- 
soul cause  the  bells  to  be  rung,  and  that 
thanks  should  be  sent  to  the  lord  high  secre- 
tary by  the  mouth  of  the  subordinate  preacher 
for  that  by  his  words  the  captains  and  elders 
of  Mansoul  had  been  strengthened  against 
Diabolus. 

When  Diabolus  saw  that  his  captains  and 
soldiers,  high  lords  and  renowned,  were  fright- 
ened and  beaten  down  by  the  stones  that  came 
from  the  golden  slings  of  the  Prince  of  the 


town  of  Mansoul,  lie  bethought  himself  and 
said,  I will  try  to  catch  them  by  fawning;  I 
will  try  to  flatter  them  into  my  net. 

Wherefore,  after  a while  he  came  down 
again  to  the  wall,  not  now  with  his  drum  nor 
with  Captain  Sepulchre,  but  having  all  so  bc- 
sugared  his  lips  that  lie  seemed  to  be  a very 
sweet-mouthed,  peaceable  prince,  designing 
nothing  for  honour’s  sake,  nor  to  be  revenged 
on  Mansoul  for  injuries  by  them  done  to  him; 
but  the  welfare  and  good  and  advantage  of  the 
town  and  people  therein  were  now,  as  he  said, 
his  only  design.  Wherefore  after  he  had  called 
for  audience,  and  desired  that  the  townsfolk 
would  give  it  to  him,  he  proceeded  in  his  ora- 
tion and  said : 

“ Oh  the  desire  of  my  heart,  the  famous  town 
of  Mansoul  1 How  many  nights  have  I watched, 
and  how  many  weary  steps  have  I taken,  if 
perhaps  I might  do.thee  good!  Far  be  it,  far 
be  it  from  me  to  desire  to  make  a war  upon 
you  if  ye  will  but  willingly  and  quietly  deliver 
up  yourselves  unto  me.  You  know  that  you 
were  mine  of  old.  Remember  also  that  so 
long  as  you  enjoyed  me  for  your  lord,  and  that 
I enjoyed  you  for  my  subjects,  you  wanted  for 
nothing  of  all  the  delights  of  the  earth  that  I, 
your  lord’ and  prince,  could  get  for  you,  or  that 
I could  invent  to  make  you  bonny  and  blithe 
withal.  Consider  you  never  had  so  many 
hard,  dark,  troublesome,  and  heart-afflicting 
hours  while  you  were  mine  as  you  have  had 
since  you  revolted  from  me;  nor  shall  you 
ever  have  peace  again  until  you  and  I become 
one  as  before.  Be  but  prevailed  with  to  em- 
brace me  again,  and  I will  grant,  yea,  enlarge 
your  old  charter  with  abundance  of  privileges, 
so  that  your  license  and  liberty  shall  be  to  take, 
hold,  enjoy,  and  make  your  own  all  that  is 
pleasant  from  the  east  to  the  west.  Nor  shall 
any  of  those  incivilities  wherewith  you  have 
offended  me  be  ever  charged  upon  you  by  me 
so  long  as  the  sun  and  moon  endureth.  Nor 
shall  any  of  those  dear  friends  of  mine  that 
now,  for  the  fear  of  you,  lie  lurking  in  dens, 
and  holes,  and  caves  in  Mansoul,  be  hurtful  to 
you  any  more ; yea,  they  shall  be  your  servants, 
and  shall  minister  unto  you  of  their  substance 
and  of  whatever  shall  come  to  hand.  I need 
speak  no  more:  you  know  them,  and  have 
some  time  since  been  much  delighted  in  their 
company ; why  then  should  we  abide  at  such 
odds?  Let  us  renew  our  old  acquaintance  and 
friendship  again. 

“Bear  with  your  friend;  I take  the  liberty 
at.  this  time  to  speak  thus  freely  unto  you. 


The  love  that  I have  to  you  presses  me  to  do 
it,  as  also  does  the  zeal  of  my  heart  for  my 
friends  with  you ; put  me  not  therefore  to 
further  trouble,  nor  yourself  to  further  fear 
and  frights.  Have  you  I will,  in  a way  of 
peace  or  war;  nor  do  you  flatter  yourselves 
with  the  power  and  force  of  your  captains,  or 
that  your  Emmanuel  will  shortly  come  in  to 
your  help,  for  such  strength  will  do  you  no 
pleasure. 

“ I am  come  against  you  with  a stout  and 
valiant  army,  and  all  the  chief  princes  of  the 
den  are  even  at  the  head  of  it.  Besides,  my 
captains  are  swifter  than  eagles,  stronger  than 
lions,  and  more  greedy  of  prey  than  are  the 
evening  wolves.  What  is  Og  of  Bashau,  what 
is  Goliah  of  Gath,  and  what  is  an  hundred 
more  of  them  to  one  of  the  least  of  my  cap- 
tains? • How,  then,  shall  Mansoul  think  to  es- 
cape my  hand  and  force  ? ” 

Diabolus  having  thus  ended  his  flattering, 
fawning,  deceitful,  and  lying  speech  to  the 
famous  town  of  Mansoul,  the  lord  mayor  re- 
plied unto  him  as  follows : 

“ 0 Diabolus,  prince  of  darkness  and  master 
of  all  deceit ! thy  lying  flatteries  we  have  had 
and  made  sufficient  probation  of,  and  have 
tasted  too  deeply  of  that  destructive  cup  al- 
ready ; should  we,  therefore,  again  hearken  unto 
thee,  and  so  break  the  commandment  of  our 
great  Shaddai  to  join  affinity  with  thee,  would 
not  our  Prince  reject  us  and  cast  us  off  for  ever? 
and  being  cast  off  by  him,  can  the  place  that 
he  has  prepared  for  thee  be  a place  of  rest  for 
us?  Besides,  0 thou  that  art  empty  and  void 
of  all  truth  ! we. are  rather  ready  to  die  by  thy 
hand  than  to  fall  in  with  thy  flattering  and 
lying  deceits.” 

When  the  tyrant  saw  that  there  was  little  to 
be  got  by  parleying  with  my  lord  mayor,  he 
fell  into  an  hellish  rage,  and  resolved  that 
again  with  his  army  of  Doubters  he  would 
another  time  assault  the  town  of  Mansoul. 

So  he  called  for  his  drummer,  who  beat  up 
for  his  men  (and  while  he  did  beat,  Mansoul 
did  shake)  to  be  in  readiness  to  give  battle  to 
the  corporation ; then  Diabolus  drew  near 
with  his  army,  and  thus  disposed  of  his  men : 
Captain  Cruel  and  Captain  Torment,  these  he 
drew  up  and  placed  against  Feel-gate,  and 
commanded  them  to  sit  down  there  for  the 
war.  And  he  also  appointed  that,  if  need 
were,  Captain  No-ease  should  come  in  to  theii 
relief. 

At  Nose-gate  he  placed  the  Captain  Brim- 
stone and  Captain  Sepulchre,  and  bid  them 


454 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


look  well  to  tlieir  ward  on  that  side  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul.  But  at  Eye-gate  he  placed 
that  grimfaced  one,  the  Captain  Past-hope,  and 
there  also  now  did  he  set  up  his  terrible  standard. 

Now  the  Captain  Insatiable  was  to  look  to 
the  carriages  of  Diabolus,  and  was  also  ap- 
pointed to»take  into  custody  that  or  those  per- 
sons and  things  that  should  at  any  time  as 
prey  be  taken  from  the  enemy. 

Now  Mouth-gate  the  inhabitants  of  Mansoul 
kept  for  a sally-port ; wherefore  that  they  kept 
strong,  for  that  was  it  by  and  out  at  which  the 
townsfolk  did  send  their  petitions  to  Em- 
manuel their  Prince;  that  also  was  the  gate 
from  the  top  of  which  the  captains  did  play 
their  slings  at  the  enemies ; for  that  gate  stood 
somewhat  ascending,  so  that  the  placing  of 
them  there  and  the  letting  of  them  fly  from 
that  place  did  much  execution  against  the 
tyrant’s  army ; wherefore,  for  these  causes  with 
others,  Diabolus  sought,  if  possible,  to  stop  up 
Mouth-gate  with  dirt. 

Now,  as  Diabolus  was  busy  and  industrious 
in  preparing  to  make  his  assault  upon  the 
town  of  Mansoul  without,  so  the  captains  and 
soldiers  in  the  corporation  were  as  busy  in 
preparing  within  ; they  mounted  their  slings, 
they  set  up  their  banners,  they  sounded  their 
trumpets,  and  put  themselves  in  such  order  as 
was  judged  most  for  the  annoyance  of  the 
enemy  and  for  the  advantage  of  Mansoul,  and 
gave  their  soldiers  orders  to  be  ready  at  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet  for  war.  The  Lord  Will- 
be-will  also,  he  took  the  charge  of  watching 
against  the  rebels  within,  and  to  do  what  he 
could  to  take  them  while  without,  or  to  stifle 
them  within  their  caves,  dens,  and  holds  in 
the  town-wall  of  Mansoul.  And,  to  speak  the 
truth  of  him,  ever  since  he  took  penance  for 
his  fault  he  had  showed  as  much  honesty 
and  bravery  of  spirit  as  any  he  in  Mansoul ; 
for  he  took  one  Jolly  and  his  brother  Grig- 
gish,  the  two  sons  of  his  servant  Harmless- 
mirth,  (for  to  that  day,  though  the  father  was 
committed  to  ward,  the  sons  had  a dwelling  in 
the  house  of  my  lord;) — I say,  he  took  them 
and  with  his  own  hands  put  them  to  the  cross. 
And  this  was  the  reason  why  he  hanged  them 
up  : After  their  father  was  put  into  the  hands 
of  Mr.  True-man,  the  jailer,  his  sons  began  to 
play  his  pranks,  and  to  be  tickling  and  toying 
with  the  daughters  of  their  lord ; nay,  it  was 
jealousied  that  they  were  too  familiar  with 
them,  the  which  was  brought  to  his  lordship’s 
ear.  Now  his  lordship  being  unwilling  unad- 
visedly to  put  any  man  to  death,  did  not  sud- 


denly fall  upon  them,  but  set  watch  and  spies 
to  see  if  the  thing  was  true;  of  the  which  he 
was  soon  informed,  for  his  two  servants,  whose 
names  were  Find-all  and  Tell-all,  eatched  them 
together  in  uncivil  manner  more  than  once  or 
twice,  and  went  and  told  their  lord.  So  when 
my  Lord  Will-be-will  had  sufficient  ground  to 
believe  the  thing  was  true,  he  takes  the  two 
young  Diabolonians — for.  such  they  were,  for 
their  father  was  a Diabolonian  born — and  has 
them  to  Eye-gate,  wherehe  raised  a very  high 
cross  just  in  the  face  of  Diabolus  and  of  his 
army,  and  there  he  hanged  the  young  villains 
in  defiance  of  Captain  Past-hope  and  of  the 
horrible  standard  of  the  tyrant. 

Now,  this  Christian  act  of  the  brave  Lord 
Will-be-will  did  greatly  abash  Captain  Past- 
hope,  discourage  the  army  of  Diabolus,  put 
fear  into  the  Diabolonian  runagates  in  Man- 
soul, and  put  strength  and  courage  into  the  cap- 
tains that  belonged  to  Emmanuel  the  Prince  ; 
for  they  without  did  gather,  and  that  by  this 
very  act  of  my  lord,  that  Mansoul  was  re- 
solved to  fight,  and  that  the  Diabolonians 
within  the  town  could  not  do  such  things  as 
Diabolus  had  hopes  they  would.  Nor  was 
this  the  only  proof  of  the  brave  Lord  Will-be- 
will’s  honesty  to  the  town  nor  of  his  loyalty 
to  his  Prince,  as  will  afterwards  appear. 

Now  when  the  children  of  Prudent-thrifty, 
who  dwelt  with  Mr.  Mind,  (for  Thrifty  left 
children  with  Mr.  Mind  when  he  was  also 
committed  to  prison,  and  their  names  were 
Gripe  and  Rake-all;  these  he  begat  of  Mr. 
Mind’s  bastard  daughter,  whose  name  was 
Mrs.  Holdfast-bad  ;■)  — I say,  when  his  chil- 
dren perceived  how  the  Lord  Will-be-will  had 
served  them  that  dwelt  with  him,  what  do  they 
but  (lest  they  should  drink  of  the  same  cup) 
endeavour  to  make  their  escape.  But  Mr. 
Mind,  being  wary  of  it,  took  them  and  put 
them  in  hold  in  his  house  till  morning,  (for 
this  was  done  over  night,)  and  remembering 
that  by  the  law  of  Mansoul  all  Diabolonians 
were  to  die,  and  to  he  sure  they  were  at  least 
by  father’s  side  such,  and  some  say  by  mother’s 
side  too,  what  does  he  but  takes  them  and 
puts  them  in  chains,- and  carries  them  to  the 
selfsame  place  where  my  lord  hanged  his  two 
before,  and  there  he  hanged  them. 

The  townsmen  also  took  great  encourage- 
ment at  this  act  of  Mr.  Mind,  and  did  what 
they  could  to  have  taken  some  more  of  these 
Diabolonian  troublers  of  Mansoul ; but  at 
that  time  the  rest  lay  so  close  that  they 
could  not  be  apprehended ; so  they  set  against 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


them  a diligent  watch,  an  I went  every  man  to 
his  place. 

I told  you  a little  before  that  Diabolus  and 
bis  army  were  somewhat  abashed  and  dis- 
mayed at  the  sight  of  what  my  Lord  Will-be- 
will  did  when  he  hanged  up  those  two  young 
Diabolonians;  but  his  discouragement  quickly 
turned  itself  into  furious  madness  and  rage 
against  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and  fight  it  he 
would.  Also  the  townsmen  and  captains 
within,  they  had  their  hopes  and  their  ex- 
pectations heightened,  believing  at  last  the 
day  would  be  theirs;  so  they  feared  them  the 
less.  Their  subordinate  preacher  too  made 
a sermon  about  it,  and  he  took  that  theme  for 
his  text Gad,  a troop  shall  overcome  him, 
but  he  shall  overcome  at  last;”  whence  lie 
showed  that  though  Mansoul  should  be  sorely 
put  to  it  at  the  first,  yet  the  victory  should 
most  certainly  be  Mansoul’s  at  the  last. 

So  Diabolus  commanded  that  his  drummer 
should  beat  a charge  against  the  town,  and  the 
captains  also  that  were  in  the  town  sounded  a 
charge  against  them,  but  they  had  no  drum  : 
they  were  trumpets  of  silver  with  which  they 
sounded  against  them.  Then  they  which  were 
of  the  camp  of  Diabolus  came  down  to  the 
town  to  take  it,  and  the  captains  in  the  castle, 
W'itlx  the  slingers  at  Mouth-gate,  played  upon 
them  amain.  And  now  there  was  nothing 
heard  in  the  camp  of  Diabolus  but  horrible 
rage  and  blasphemy,  but  in  the  town  good 
words,  prayer,  and  singing  of  psalms:  the 
enemy  replied  with  horrible  objections  and  the 
terribleness  of  their  drum,  but  the  town  made 
answer  with  slapping  of  their  slings  and  the 
melodious  noise  of  their  trumpets.  And  thus 
the  fight  lasted  for  several  days  together ; only 
now  and  then  they  had  some  small  intermis- 
sion, in  the  which  the  townsmen  refreshed 
themselves  and  the  captains  made  ready  for 
another  assault. 

The  captains  of  Emmanuel  were  clad  in 
silver  armour,  and  the  soldiers  in  that  which 
was  of  proof;  the  soldiers  of  Diabolus  were 
clad  in  iron,"  which  was  made  to  give  place  to 
Emmanuel’s  engine-shot.  In  the  town  some 
were  hurt  and  some  were  greatly  wounded. 
Now  the  worst  of  it  was,  a surgeon  was  scarce 
in  Mansoul,  for  that  Emmanuel  at  this  time 
was  absent.  Howbeit,  with  the  leaves  of  a 
tree  the  wounded  were  kept  from  dying ; yet 
their  wounds  did  greatly  putrefy,  and  some 
did  grievously  stink.  Of  the  townsmen  these 
Were  wounded,  to  wit : 

My  Lord  Reason,  he  was  wounded  in  the  head. 


455 

Another  that  was  wounded  wras  the  brave 
lord  mayor,  he  was  wounded  in  the  eye. 

Another  that  was  wounded  was  Mr.  Mind, 
he  received  his  wound  about  the  stomach. 

The  honest  subordinate  preacher  also,  he  re- 
ceived a shot  not  far  off  from  the  heart,  but 
none  of  these  were  mortal. 

Many  also  of  the  inferior  sort  were  not  only 
wounded,  but  slain  outright. 

Now  in  the  camp  of  Diabolus  were  wounded 
and  slain  a considerable  number.  For  in- 
stance : 

Captain  Rage,  he  was  wounded,  and  so  was 
Captain  Cruel. 

Captain  Damnation  was  made  to  retreat  and 
to  entrench  himself  further  off  of  Mansoul ; 
the  standard  also  of  Diabolus  was  beaten  down, 
and  his  standard-bearer,  Captain  Much-hurt, 
had  his  brains  beat  out  with  a sling-stone,  to 
the  no  little  grief  and  shame  of  his  prince 
Diabolus. 

Many  also  of  the  Doubters  were  slain  out- 
right, though  enough  of  them  were  left  alive 
to  make  Mansoul  shake  and  totter.  Now  the 
victory  that  day  being  turned  to  Mansoul,  did 
put  great  valour  into  the  townsmen  and  cap- 
tains, and  did  cover  Diabolus’  camp  with  a 
cloud,  but  withal  it  made  them  far  more  furi- 
ous. So  the  next  day  Mansoul  rested,  and 
commanded  that  the  bells  should  be  rung ; the 
trumpets  also  joyfully  sounded  and  the  captains 
shouted  round  the  town. 

My  Lord  Will-be-will  also  was  not  idle,  but 
did  notableservice  within  against  the  domestics, 
or  the  Diabolonians  that  were  in  the  town,  not 
only  by  .keeping  of  them  in  awe ; for  he  lighted 
on  one  at  last  whose  name  was  Mr.  Anything, 
a fellow  of  whom  mention  was  made  before, 
for  it  was  he,  if  you  remember,  that  brought 
the  three  fellows  to  Diabolus  whom  the  Diab- 
olonians took  out  of  Captain  Boanerges’  com- 
pany, and  that  persuaded  them  to  list  them- 
selves under  the  tyrant  to  fight  against  the 
army  of  Shaddai;  my  Lord  Will-be-will  did 
also  take  a notable  Diabolonian  whose  name 
was  Loose-foot ; this  Loose-foot  was  a scout  to 
the  vagabonds  in  Mansoul,  and  that  did  use  to 
carry  tidings  out  of  Mansoul  to  the  camp,  and 
out  of  the  camp  to  those  of  the  enemies  in 
Mansoul ; both  these  my  lord  sent  away  safe 
to  Mr.  True-man  the  jailer,  with  a command- 
ment to  keep  them  in  irons,  for  he  intended 
then  to  have  them  out  to  be  crucified  when  it 
would  be  for  the  best  to  the  corporation  and 
most  for  the  discouragement  of  the  camp  of 
the  enemies. 


456 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


My  lord  mayor  also,  though  he  could  not 
stir  about  so  much  as  formerly,  because  of  the 
wound  that  he  lately  received,  yet  gave  he  out 
orders  to  all  that  were  the  natives  in  Mansoul 
to  look  to  their  watch  and  stand  upon  their 
guard,  and  as  occasion  should  offer  to  prove 
themselves  men. 

Mr.  Conscience,  the  preacher,  he  also  did 
his  utmost  to  keep  all  his  good  documents 
alive  upon  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  Man- 
soul. 

Well,  awhile  after  the  captains  and  stout 
ones  of  the  town  of  Mansoul  agreed  and  re- 
solved upon  a time  to  make  a sally  out  upon 
the  camp  of  Diabolus,  and  this  must  be  done 
in  the  night ; and  there  was  the  folly  of  Man- 
soul, (for  the  night  is  always  the  best  for  the 
enemy,  but  the  worst  for  Mansoul  to  fight  in;) 
but  yet  they  would  do  it,  their  courage  was  so 
high ; their  last  victory  also  still  stuck  in  their 
memories. 

So  the  night  appointed  being  come,  the 
Prince’s  brave  captains  cast  lots  who  should 
lead  the  van  in  this  new  and  desperate  expe- 
dition against  Diabolus  and  against  his  Diab- 
olonian  army;  and  the  lot  fell  to  Captain 
Credence,  to  Captain  Experience,  and  to  Cap- 
tain Good-hope  to  lead  the  forlorn  hope.  (This 
Captain  Experience  the  Prince  created  such 
when  himself  did  reside  in  the  town  of  Man- 
soul.) So,  as  I said,  they  made  their  sally  out 
upon  the  army  that  lay  in  the  siege  against 
them,  and  their  hap  was  to  fall  in  with  the 
main  body  of  their  enemy.  Now,  Diabolus 
and  his  men  being  expertly  accustomed  to 
night  work,  took  the  alarm  presently,  and  were 
as  ready  to  give  them  battle  as  if  they  had  sent 
him  word  of  their  coming.  Wherefore  to  it 
they  went  amain,  and  blows  were  hard  on  every 
side;  the  hell-drum  also  beat  furiously  while 
the  trumpets  of  the  Prince  most  sweetly  sound- 
ed. And  thus  the  battle  was  joined,  and  Cap- 
tain Insatiable  looked  to  the  enemy’s  carriages, 
and  waited  when  he  should  receive  some  prey. 

The  Prince’s  captains  fought  it  stoutly,  be- 
yond what,  indeed,  could  be  expected  they 
should : they  wounded  many ; they  made  the 
whole  army  of  Diabolus  to  make  a retreat. 
But  I cannot  tell  how,  but  as  the  brave  Cap- 
tain Credence,  Captain  Good-hope,  and  Cap- 
tain Experience,  they  were  upon  the  pursuit, 
cutting  down  and  following  hard  after  the 
enemy  in  the  rear,  Captain  Credence  stumbled 
and  fell,  by  which  fall  he  caught  so  great  a 
hurt  that  he  could  not  rise  till  Captain  Ex- 
perience did  help  him  up,  at  which  their  men 


were  put  in  disorder ; the  captain  also  was  so 
full  of  pain  that  he  could  not  forbear  but 
aloud  to  cry  out;  at  this  the  other  two  captains 
fainted,  supposing  that  Captain  Credence  had 
received  his  mortal  wound;  their  men  also 
were  more  disordered  and  had  no  list  to  fight. 
Now,  Diabolus  being  very  observing,  though 
at  this  time  as  yet  he  was  put  to  the  worst, 
perceiving  that  an  halt  was  made  among  the 
men  that  were  the  pursuers,  what  does  he  but 
take  it  for  granted  that  the  captains  were 
either  wounded  or  dead : he  therefore  makes 
at  first  a stand,  then  faces  about,  and  so  comes 
up  upon  the  Prince’s  army  with  as  much  of 
his  fury  as  hell  could  help  him  to ; and  his  hap 
was  to  fall  in  just  among  the  three  captains, 
Captain  Credence,  Captain  Good-hope,  and 
Captain  Experience,  and  did  cut,  wound,  and 
pierce  them  so  dreadfully  that,  what  through 
discouragement,  what  through  disorder,  and 
what  through  the  wounds  that  now  they  had 
received,  and  also  the  loss  of  much  blood,  they 
scarce  were  able,  though  they  had  for  their 
power  the  three  best  hands  in  all  Mansoul,  to 
get  safe  into  the  hold  again. 

Now  when  the  body  of  the  Prince’s  army 
saw  how  these  three  captains  were  put  to  the 
worst,  they  thought  it  their  wisdom  to  make 
as  safe  and  good  a retreat  as  they  could,  and 
so  returned  by  the  sally-port  again;  and  so 
there  was  an  end  of  this  present  action.  But 
Diabolus  was  so  flushed  with  this  night’s  work 
that  he  promised  himself  in  a few  days  an 
easy  and  complete  conquest  over  the  town  of 
Mansoul.  Wherefore,  on  the  day  following 
he  comes  up  to  the  sides  thereof  with  great 
boldness,  and  demands  entrance  and  that 
forthwith  they  deliver  themselves  up  to  his 
government.  The  Diabolonians,  too,  that 
were  within,  they  began  to  be  somewhat  brisk, 
as  we  shall  show  afterward. 

But  the  valiant  lord  mayor  replied  that  what 
he  got  he  must  get  by  force ; for  as  long  as 
Emmanuel  their  Prince  was  alive  (though  he 
at  present  was  not  so  with  them  as  they 
wished)  they  should  never  consent  to  yield  up 
Mansoul  to  another. 

And  with  that  the  Lord  Will-be-will  stood 
up  and  said,  “ Diabolus,  thou  master  of  the 
den  and  enemy  to  all  that  is  good ! we  poor 
inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Mansoul  are  too 
well  acquainted  with  thy  rule  and  government, 
and  with  the  end  of  those  things  that  for  cer- 
tain will  follow  submitting  to  thee,  to  do  it, 
Wherefore,  though  while  we  were  without 
knowledge  we  suffered  thee  to  take  us,  (as  the 


T1IE  HOLY  WAR. 


457 


bird  that  saw  not  the  snare  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  fowler,)  yet  since  we  have  been  turned 
from  darkness  to  light  we  have  also  been 
turned  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God.  And 
though  through  thy  subtlety,  and  the  subtlety 
of  the  Diabolonians  within,  we  have  sustained 
much  loss,  and  also  plunged  ourselves  into 
much  perplexity,  yet  give  up  ourselves,  lay 
down  our  arms,  and  yield  to  so  horrid  a tyrant 
as  thou,  we  will  not;  die  upon  the  place  we 
choose  rather  to  do.  Besides,  we  have  hopes 
that  in  time  deliverance  will  come  from  court 
unto  us,  and  therefore  we  will  yet  maintain  a 
war  against  thee.” 

This  brave  speech  of  the  Lord  Will-be-will, 
with  that  also  of  the  lord  mayor,  did  some- 
what abate  the  boldness  of  Diabolus,  though 
it  kindled  the  fury  of  his  rage.  It  also  en- 
couraged the  townsmen  and  captains,  yea,  it 
was  as  a plaster  to  the  brave  Captain  Cre- 
dence’s wound ; for  you  must  know  that  a 
brave  speech  now,  when  the  captains  of  the 
town  with  their  men  of  war  came  home  routed, 
and  when  the  enemy  took  courage  and  bold- 
ness at  the  success  that  he  had  obtained  to 
draw  up  to  the  walls  and  demand  entrance, 
as  he  did,  was  in  season,  and  also  advan- 
tageous. 

The  Lord  Will-be-will  also  did  play  the 
man  within ; for  while  the  captains  and  sol- 
diers were  in  the  field  he  was  in  arms  in  the 
town,  and  wherever  by  him  there  was  a Diab- 
olonian  found,  they  were  forced  to  feel  the 
weight  of  his  heavy  hand  and  also  the  edge 
of  his  penetrating  sword  : many  therefore  of 
the  Diabolonians  he  wounded,  as  the  Lord 
Cavil,  the  Lord  Brisk,  the  Lord  Pragmatic,  and 
the  Lord  Murmur ; several  also  of  the  meaner 
sort  he  did  sorely  maim,  though  there  cannot 
at  this  time  an  account  be  given  of  any  that 
he  slew  outright.  The  cause,  or  rather  the 
advantage,  that  my  Lord  Will-be-will  had  at 
this  time  to  do  thus  was  for  that  the  captains 
were  gone  out  to  fight  the  enemy  in  the  field. 
For  now,  thought  the  Diabolonians  within,  is 
our  time  to  stir  and  make  an  uproar  in  the 
town.  What  do  they,  therefore,  but  quickly 
get  themselves  into  a body,  and  fall  forthwith 
to  hurrieaning  in  Mansoul,  as  if  now  nothing 
but  whirlwind  and  tempest  should  be  there? 
Wherefore,  as  I said,  he  takes  this  opportunity 
to  fall  in  among  them  with  his  men,  cutting 
and  slashing  with  courage  that  was  undaunted ; 
at  which  the  Diabolonians  with  all  haste  dis- 
persed themselves  to  their  holds,  and  my  lord 
to  his  place  as  before. 


This  brave  act  of  my  lord  did  somewhat  re- 
venge the  wrongs  done  by  Diabolus  to  the 
captains,  and  also  did  let  them  know  that 
Mansoul  was  not  to  be  parted  with  for  the  loss 
of  a victory  or  two ; wherefore  the  wing  of  the 
tyrant  was  clipped  again — as  to  boasting,  I 
mean — in  comparison  of  what  lie  would  have 
done  if  the  Diabolonians  had  put  the  town  to 
the  same  plight  to  which  he  had  put  the  cap- 
tains. 

Well,  Diabolus  yet  resolved  to  have  the 
other  bout  with  Mansoul;  For,  thought  he, 
since  I beat  them  once,  I may  beat  them  twice. 
Wherefore  he  commanded  his  men  to  be  ready 
at  such  an  hour  of  the  night  to  make  a fresh 
assault  upon  the  town,  and  he  gave  out  in 
special  that  they  should  bend  all  their  force 
against  Feel-gate,  and  attempt  to  break  into 
the  town  through  that.  The  word  that  then 
he  did  give  his  officers  and  soldiers  was  Hell- 
fire.  And,  said  he,  if  we  break  in  upon  them, 
as  I wish  we  do,  either  with  some  or  with  all 
our  force,  let  them  that  break  in  look  to  it  that 
they  forget  not  the  word.  And  let  nothing  be 
heard  in  the  town  of  Mansoul  but  ITell-fire! 
Hell-fire!  Hell-fire!  The  drummer  was  also 
to  beat  without  ceasing,  and  the  standard- 
bearers  were  to  display  their  colours  ; the  sol- 
diers too  were  to  put  on  what  courage  they 
could,  and  to  see  that  they  played  manfully 
their  parts  against  the  town. 

So  the  night  was  come,  and  all  things  by  the 
tyrant  made  ready  for  the  work  : he  suddenly 
makes  his  assault  upon  Feel-gate,  and  after  he 
had  a while  struggled  there,  he  throws  the 
gates  wide  open,  for  the  truth  is,  those  gates 
were  but.  weak,  and  so  most  easily  made  to 
yield.  When  Diabolus  had  thus  far  made  his 
attempt,  he  placed  his  captains — to  wit.  Tor- 
ment and  No-ease — there;  so  he  attempted  to 
press  forward,  but  the  Prince’s  captains  came 
down  upon  him  and  made  his  entrance  more 
difficult  than  he  desired.  And,  to  speak  truth, 
they  made  what  resistance  they  could ; but  t ie 
three  of  the  best  and  most  valiant  captains 
being  wounded,  and  by  their  wounds  made 
much  incapable  of  doing  the  town  that  service 
they  would,  (and  all  the  rest  having  more  than 
their  hands  full  of  Doubters  and  their  captains 
that  did  follow  Diabolus,)  they  were  overpow- 
ered with  force,  nor  could  they  keep  them  out 
of  the  town.  Wherefore  the  Prince’s  men  and 
their  captains  betook  themselves  to  the  castle, 
as  the  stronghold  of  the  town ; and  this  they 
did  partly  for  the  security  of  the  town,  and 
partly,  or  rather  chiefly,  to  preserve  to  Em- 


458 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


manuel  the  prerogative-royal  of  Mansoul,  for 
so  was  the  castle  of  Mansoul. 

The  captains  therefore  being  fled  into  the 
castle,  the  enemy,  without  much  resistance,  pos- 
sessed themselves  of  the  rest  of  the  town,  and 
spreading  themselves  as  they  went  into  every 
corner,  they  cried  out  as  they  marched,  accord- 
ing to  the  command  of  the  tyrant,  Hell-fire! 
Hell-fire ! so  that  nothing  for  awhile  through- 
out the  town  of  Mansoul  could  be  heard  but 
the  dreadful  noise  of  Hell-fire,  together  with 
the  roaring  of  Diabolus’  drum.  And  now  did 
the  clouds  hang  black  over  Mansoul,  nor  to 
reason  did  any  thing  but  ruin  seem  to  attend 
it.  Diabolus  also  quartered  his  soldiers  in  the 
houses  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Man- 
soul. Yea,  the  subordinate  preacher’s  house 
was  as  full  of  these  outlandish  Doubters  as 
ever  it  could  hold;  and  so  were  my  lord 
mayor’s  and  my  'Lord  Will-be-wilPs  also. 
Yea,  where  was  there  a corner,  a cottage,  a 
barn,  or  a liogsty,  that  were  not  full  of  these 
vermin?  Yea,  they  turned  the  men  of  the 
town  out  of  their  houses,  and  would  lie  in 
their  beds  and  sit  at  their  tables  themselves. 
Ah  poor  Mansoul ! now  thou  feelest  the  fruits 
of  sin,  and  what  venom  was  in  the  flattering 
words  of  Mr.  Carnal-security.  They  made 
great  havoc  of  whatever  they  laid  their  hands 
on ; yea,  they  fired  the  town  in  several  places  ; 
many  young  children  also  were  by  them  dashed 
in  pieces ; yea,  those  that  were  yet  unborn  they 
destroyed  in  their  mothers’  wombs;  for  you 
must  needs  think  that  it  could  not  be  other- 
wise, for  what  conscience,  what  pity,  what 
bowels  of  compassion  can  any  expect  at  the 
hands  of  outlandish  Doubters?  Many  in 
Mansoul  that  were  women,  both  young  and 
old,  they  forced,  ravished,  and  beast-like 
abused,  so  that  they  swooned,  miscarried,  and 
many  of  them  died,  and  so  lay  at  the  top  of 
every  street  and  in  all  by-places  of  the  town. 

And  now  did  Mansoul  seem  to  be  nothing 
but  a den  of  dragons,  an  emblem  of  hell,  and 
a place  of  total  darkness.  Now  did  Mansoul 
lie  almost  like  the  barren  wilderness ; nothing 
but  nettles,  briers,  thorns,  weeds,  and  stinking 
things  seemed  now  to  cover  the  face  of  Man- 
soul. I told  you  before  how  that  these  Diabo-  • 
Ionian  Doubters  turned  the  men  of  Mansoul 
out  of  their  beds;  and  now  I will  add  they 
wounded  them,  they  mauled  them,  yea,  and  al- 
most brained  many  of  them.  Many,  did  I 
say?  Yea,  most  if  not  all  of  them.  Mr. 
Conscience  they  so  wounded,  yea,  and  his 
wounds  so  festering,  that  he  could  have  no  I 


ease  day  or  night,  but  lay  as  if  continually 
upon  a rack,  (but  that  Shaddai  rules  all  cer- 
tainly they  had  slain  him  outright;)  my  lord 
mayor  they  so  abused  that  they  almost  put  out 
his  eyes;  and  had  not  my  Lord  Will-be-will 
got  into  the  castle,  they  intended  to  have 
chopped  him  all  to  pieces,  for  they  did  look 
upon  him  (as  his  heart  now  stood)  to  be  one 
of  the  very  worst  that  was  in'  Mansoul  against 
Diabolus  and  his  crew.  And  indeed  he  showed 
himself  a man,  and  more  of  his  exploits  you 
will  hear  of  afterwards. 

Now  a man  might  have  walked  for  days  to- 
gether in  Mansoul  and  scarce  have  seen  one 
in  the  town  that  looked  like  a religious  man. 
Oh  the  fearful  state  of  Mansoul  now!  Now 
every  corner  swarmed  with  outlandish  Doubt- 
ers ; red-coats  and  black-coats  walked  the  town 
by  clusters,  aud  filled  up  all  the  houses  with 
hideous  noises,  vain  songs,  lying  stories,  and 
blasphemous  language  against  Shaddai  and  his 
Son.  Now  also,  those  Diabolonians  that  lurked 
in  the  walls,  and  dens,  and  holes  that  were  in 
the  town  of  Mansoul  came  forth  and  showed 
themselves,  yea,  walked  with  open  face  in 
company  with  the  Doubters  that  were  in 
Mansoul.  Yea,  they  had  more  boldness  now 
to  walk  the  streets,  to  haunt  the  houses,  and 
to  show  themselves  abroad  than  had  any  of 
the  honest  inhabitants  of  the  now  woeful  town 
of  Mansoul. 

But  Diabolus  and  his  outlandish  men  were 
not  at  peace  in  Mansoul,  for  they  were  not 
there  entertained  as  were  the  captains  and 
forces  of  Emmanuel ; the  townsmen  did  brow- 
beat them  what  they  could;  nor  did  they  par- 
take or  make  destruction  of  any  of  the  neces- 
saries of  Mansoul  but  that  which  they  seized 
on  against  the  townsmen’s  will;  what  they 
could  they  hid  from  them,  and  what  they  could 
not  they  had  with  an  ill-will.  They,  poor 
hearts ! had  rather  have  had  their  room  than 
their  company,  but  they  were  at  present  their 
captives,  and  their  captives  for  the  present 
they  were  forced  to'  be.  But,  I say,  they  dis- 
countenanced them  as  much  as  they  were 
able,  and  showed  them  all  the  dislike  that  they 
could. 

The  captains  also  from  the  castle  did  hold 
them  in  continual  play  with  their  slings,  to 
the  chafing  and  fretting  of  the  minds  of 
the  enemies.  True,  Diabolus  made  a great 
many  attempts  to  have  broken  open  the 
gate  of  the  castle;  but  Mr.  Godly-fear  was 
made  keeper  of  that,  and  he  was  a man 
of  that  courage,  conduct,  and  valour  that  it 


Til  E HOLY  WAR. 


was  in  vain,  us  long  us  life  lusted  within  him, 
to  think  to  do  thut  work,  though  mostly  de- 
sired; wherefore  nil  the  attempts  thut  Diab- 
olus  made  against  him  were  fruitless.  (I  have 
wished  sometimes  thut  the  man  had  the  whole 
rule  of  the  town  of  Mansoul.) 

Well,  this  was  the  condition  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul  for  about  two  years  and  a half:  the 
body  of  the  town  was  the  seat  of  war;  the 
people  of  the  town  were  driven  into  holes,  and 
the  glory  of  Mansoul  was  laid  in  the  dust;  what 
rest,  then,  could  be  to  the  inhabitants,  what 
peace  could  Mansoul  have,  and  what  sun  could 
shine  upon  it?  Had  the  enemy  lain  so  long 
without  in  the  plain  against  the  town,  it  had 
been  enough  to  have  famished  them ; but  now 
when  they  shall  be  within,  when  the  town 
shall  be  their  tent,  their  trench,  and  fort 
against  the  castle  that  was  in  the  town,  when 
the  town  shall  be  against  the  town,  and  shall 
serve  to  be  a fence  to  the  enemies  of  her 
strength  and  life;— I say,  when,  they  shall 
make  use  of  the  forts  and  townholds  to  secure 
themselves  in,  even  till  they  shall  take,  spoil, 
and  demolish  the  castle,  this  was  terrible,  and 
yet  this  was  now  the  state  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul. 

After  the  town  of  Mansoul  had  been  in  this 
sad  and  lamentable  condition  for  so  long  a 
time  as  I have  told  you,  and  no  petitions  that 
they  presented  their  Prince  with  (all  this 
while)  could  prevail,  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town — to  wit,  the  elders  and  chiefs  of  Mansoul 
— gathered  together,  and  after  some  time  spent 
in  condoling  their  miserable  state  and  this 
miserable  judgment  coining  upon  them,  they 
agreed  together  to  draw  up  yet  another  peti- 
tion, and  to  send  it  away  to  Emmanuel  for 
relief.  But  Mr.  Godly-fear  stood  up  and  an- 
swered that  he  knew  that  his  Lord  the  Prince 
never  did  nor  ever  would  receive  a petition  for 
these  matters  from  the  hand  of  any  whoever 
unless  the  lord  secretary’s  hand  was  to  it,  (and 
this,  quoth  he,  is  the  reason  that  you  prevailed 
not  all  this  while.)  Then  they  said  they  would 
draw  up  one  and  get  the  lord  secretary’s  hand 
to  it.  But  Mr.  Godly-fear  answered  again  that 
he  knew  also  that  the  lord  secretary  would  not 
set  his  hand  to  any  petition  that  himself  had 
not  an  hand  in  composing  and  drawing  up; 
and  besides,  saith  he,  the  Prince  doth  know 
my  lord  secretary’s  hand  from  all  the  hands  in 
the  world,  wherefore  he  cannot  be  deceived  by 
any  pretence  whatever;  wherefore  my  advice 
is,  that  you  go  to  my  lord  and  implore  him  to 
lend  you  his  aid,  (now  he  did  yet  abide  in  the 


459 

castle  where  all  the  captains  and  men  at  arms 
were. ) 

So  they  heartily  thanked  Mr.  Godly-fear, 
took  his  counsel,  and  did  as  he  had  bidden 
them ; so  they  went  and  came  to  my  lord  and 
made  known  the  cause  of  their  coming  to  him 
— to  wit,  that  since  Mansoul  was  in  so  deplor- 
able a condition,  his  highness  would  be  pleased 
to  undertake  to  draw  up  a petition  for  them  to 
Emmanuel,  the  Son  of  the  mighty  Shaddai, 
and  to  their  King  and  his  Father  by  him. 

Then  said  the  secretary  to  them,  What  peti- 
tion is  it  that  you  would  have  me  draw  up  for 
you?  But  they  said,  Our  lord  knows  best  the 
state  and  condition  of  the  town  of  Mansoul, 
and  how  we  are  backslidden  and  degenerate 
from  the  Prince;  thou  also  k no  west  who  is 
come  up  to  war  against  us,  and  how  Mansoul 
is  now  the  scat  of  war.  My  lord  knows  more- 
over what  barbarous  usages  our  men,  women, 
and  children  have  suffered  at  their  hands,  and 
how  our  homebred  Diabolonians  do  walk  now 
with  more  business  than  dare  the  townsmen  in 
the  streets  of  Mansoul.  Let  our  lord  there- 
fore, according  to  the  wisdom  of  God  that  is  iu 
him,  draw  up  a petition  for  his  poor  servants 
to  our  Prince  Emmanuel.  Well,  said  the  lord 
secretary,  I will  draw  up  a petition  for  you, 
and  will  also  set  my  hand  thereto.  Then  said 
they,  But  when  shall  we  call  for  it  at  the  hands 
of  our  lord?  But  he  answered,  Yourselves 
must  be  present  at  the  doing  of  it ; yea,  you 
must  put  your  desires  to  it.  True,  the  hand 
and  pen  shall  be  mine,  but  the  ink  and  paper 
must  be  yours,  else  how  can  you  say  it  is  your 
petition?  Nor  have  I need  to  petition  for 
myself,  because  I have  not  offended. 

He  also  added  as  followetli,  No  petition 
goes  from  me  in  my  name  to  the  Prince,  and 
so  to  his  Father  by  him,  but  when  the  people 
that  are  chiefly  concerned  therein  do  join  in 
heart  and  soul  in  the  matter,  for  that  must  be 
inserted  therein. 

So  they  did  heartily  agree  with  the  sentence 
of  the  lord,  and  a petition  was  forthwith  drawn 
up  for  them.  But  how  who  should  carry  it  ? 
that  was  next.  But  the  secretary  advised  that 
Captain  Credence  should  carry  if,  for  he  was  a 
well-spoken  man.  They  therefore  called  for 
him  and  propounded  to  him  the  business. 
Well,  said  the  captain,  I gladly  accept  of  the 
motion ; and  though  I am  lame,  I will  do  this 
business  for  you  with  as  much  speed  and  as 
well  as  I cant 

The  contents  of  the  petition  were  to  this 
purpose : 


460 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


0 our  Lord  and  Sovereign  Prince  Emman- 
uel, the  potent,  the  long-suffering  Prince ! 
grace  is  poured  into  thy  lips,  and  to  thee  be- 
longs mercy  and  forgiveness,  though  we  have 
rebelled  against  thee.  We,  who  are  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  Mansoul,  nor  yet  fit  to 
partake  of  common  benefits,  do  beseech  thee, 
and  thy  Father  by  thee,  to  do  away  our  trans- 
gressions. We  confess  that  thou  mightest  cast 
us  away  for  them,  but  do  it  not  for  thy  name’s 
sake  ; let  the  Lord  rather  take  an  opportunity 
at  our  miserable  condition  to  let  out  his  bowels 
and  compassion  to  us;  we  are  compassed  on 
every  side : Lord,  our  own  backslidings  reprove 
us ; our  Diabolonians  within  our  town  fright 
us,  and  the  army  of  the  angel  of  the  bottom- 
less pit  distresses  us.  Thy  grace  can  be  our 
salvation,  and  whither  to  go  but  to  thee  we 
know  not. 

Furthermore,  0 gracious  Prince,  we  have 
weakened  our  captains,  and  they  are  discour- 
aged, sick,  and  of  late  some  of  them  grievously 
worsted  and  beaten  out  of  the  field  by  the 
power  and  force  of  the  tyrant.  Yea,  even 
those  of  our  captains  in  whose  valour  we  did 
formerly  use  to  put  most  of  our  confidence, 
they  are  as  wounded  men.  Besides,  Lord,  our 
enemies  are  lively,  and  they  are  strong ; they 
vaunt  and  boast  themselves,  and  do  threaten 
to  part  us  among  themselves  for  a booty.  They 
are  fallen  also  upon  us,  Lord,  with  many  thou- 
sand Doubters,  such  as  with  whom  we  cannot 
tell  what  to  do ; they  are  all  grim-looking  and 
unmerciful  ones,  and  they  bid  defiance  to  us 
and  thee. 

Our  wisdom  is  gone,  our  power  is  gone,  be- 
cause thou  art  departed  from  us,  nor  have  we 
what  we  may  call  ours,  but  sin,  shame,  and 
confusion  of  face  for  sin.  Take  pity  upon  us, 
O Lord,  take  pity  upon  us  thy  miserable  town 
of  Mansoul,  and  save  us  out  of  the  hands  of 
our  enemies.  Amen. 

This  petition,  as  was  touched  afore,  was 
handed  by  the  lord  secretary  and  carried  to 
the  court  by  the  brave  and  most  stout  Captain 
Credence.  Now  he  carried  it  out  at  Mouth- 
gate,  for  that,  as  I said,  was  the  sally-port  of 
the  town ; ancf  he  went  and  came  to  Emmanuel 
with  it.  Now  how  it  came  out,  I do  not  know, 
but  for  certain  it  did,  and  that  so  far  as  to 
reach  the  ears  of  Diabolus.  Thus  I conclude 
because  that  the  tyrant  had  it  presently  by  the 
end,  and  charged  the  town  of  Mansoul  with  it, 
saying,  Thou  rebellious  and  stubborn-hearted 
Mansoul,  I will  make  thee  to  leave  off  petition- 
ing ; art  thou  yet  for  petitioning  ? I will  make 


thee  to  leave.  Yea,  he  also  knew  who  the 
messenger  was  that  carried  the  petition  to  the 
Prince,  and  it  made  him  both  to  fear  and  rage. 

Wherefore  he  commanded  that  his  drum 
should  be  beat  again,  a thing  that  Mansoul 
could  not  abide  to  hear ; but  when  Diabolus 
will  have  his  drum  beat,  Mansoul  must  abide 
the  noise.  Well,  the  drum  was  beat  and  the 
Diabolonians  were  gathered  together. 

Then  said  Diabolus,  0 ye  stout  Diabolo- 
nians, be  it  known  unto  you  that  there  is 
treachery  hatched  against  us  in  the  rebellious 
town  of  Mansoul ; for  albeit  the  town  is  in 
our  possession,  as  you  see,  yet  these  miserable 
Mansoulians  have  attempted  to  dare  and  have 
been  so  hardy  as  yet  to  send  to  the  court  to 
Emmanuel  for  help.  This  I give  you  to  un- 
derstand that  ye  may  yet  know  how  to  carry  it 
to  the  wretched  town  of  Mansoul.  Wherefore, 

0 my  trusty  Diabolonians,  I command  that 
yet  more  and  more  ye  distress  this  town  of 
Mansoul  and  vex  it  with  your  wiles,  ravish 
their  women,  deflower  their  virgins,  slay  their 
children,  brain  their  ancients,  fire  their  town, 
and  what  other  mischief  you  can ; and  let  this 
be  the  reward  of  the  Mansoulians  from  me  for 
their  desperate  rebellions  against  me. 

This  you  see  was  the  charge,  but  something 
stepped  in  betwixt  that  and  execution,  for  as 
yet  there  was  but  little  more  done  than  to 
rage. 

Moreover,  when  Diabolus  had  done  thus  he 
went  the  next  day  up  to  the  castle-gates,  and 
demanded  that,  upon  pain  of  death,  the  gates 
should  be  opened  to  him,  and  that  entrance 
should  be  given  him  and  his  men  that  followed 
after.  To  whom  Mr.  Godly-fear  replied  (for 
he  it  was  that  had  the  charge  of  that  gate)  that 
the  gate  should  not  be  opened  unto  him  nor  to 
the  men  that  followed  after  him.  He  said, 
moreover,  that  Mansoul,  when  she  had  suffered 
awhile,  should  be  made  perfect,  strengthened, 
settled. 

Then  said  Diabolus,  Deliver  me  then  the 
men  that  have  petitioned  against  me,  especially 
Captain  Credence,  that  carried  it  to  your 
Prince ; deliver  that  varlet  into  my  hands,  and 

1 will  depart  from  the  town. 

Then  up  starts  a Diabolonian,  whose  name 
was  Mr.  Fooling,  and  said,  My  lord  offereth 
you  fair ; it  is  better  for  you  that  one  man  per- 
ish than  that  your  whole  Mansoul  should  be 
undone. 

But  Mr.  Godly-fear  made  him  this  reply: 
How  long  will  Mansoul  be  kept  out  of  the 
dungeon  when  she  hath  given  up  her  faith  to 


TIIF.  1I0LY  WAR. 


461 


Diabolus?  As  good  lose  the  town  as  lose  Cap- 
tain Credence,  for  if  one  be  gone  the  other 
must  follow.  But  to  that  Mr.  Fooling  said 
nothing. 

Then  did  my  lord  mayor  reply,  and  said,  O 
thou  devouring  tyrant ! be  it  known  unto  thee 
we  shall  hearken  to  none  of  thy  words : we  are 
resolved  to  resist  thee  as  long  as  a captain,  a 
man,  a sling,  and  a stone  to  throw  at  thee  shall 
be  found  in  the  town  of  Mansoul.  But  Diab- 
olus answered,  Do  you  hope,  do  you  wait,  do 
you  look  for  help  and  deliverance?  You  have 
sent  to  Emmanuel,  but  your  wickedness  sticks 
too  close  in  your  skirts  to  let  innocent  prayers 
come  out  of  your  lips.  Think  you  that  you 
shall  be  prevailers  and  prosper  in  this  design  ? 
You  will  fail  in  your  wish,  you  will  fail  in 
your  attempts ; for  it  is  not  only  I,  but  your 
Emmanuel,  is  against  you.  Yea,  it  is  he  that 
hath  sent  me  against  you  to  subdue  you;  for 
what  then  do  you  hope,  or  by  what  means  will 
you  escape? 

Then  said  the  lord  mayor,  We  have  sinned 
indeed,  but  that  shall  be  no  help  to  thee,  for 
our  Emmanuel  hath  said  it,  and  that  in  great 
faithfulness,  “And  him  that  cometh  to  me  I 
will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  He  hath  also  told 
us,  0 thou  our  enemy ! that  all  manner  of  sin 
and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  to  the  sons 
of  men.  Therefore  we  dare  not  despair,  but 
will  look  for,  wait  for,  and  hope  for  deliver- 
ance still. 

Now  by  this  time  Captain  Credence  was 
come  from  the  court  from  Emmanuel  to  the 
castle  of  Mansoul;  and  he  returned  to  them 
with  a packet.  So  my  lord  mayor,  hearing 
that  Captain  Credence  was  come,  withdrew 
himself  from  the  noise  of  the  roaring  of  the 
tyrant,  and  left  him  to  yell  at  the  wall  of  the 
town  or  against  the  gates  of  the  castle.  So  he 
came  up  to  the  captain’s  lodgings,  and  saluting 
him  he  asked  him  of  his  welfare,  and  what  was 
the  best  news  at  court?  But  when  he  asked 
Captain  Credence  that,  the  water  stood  in  his 
eyes.  Then  said  the  captain,  Cheer  up,  my 
lord,  for  all  will  be  well  in  time : and  with  that 
he  first  produced  his  packet  and  laid  it  by, 
but  that  the  lord  mayor  and  the  rest  of  the 
captains  took  for  a sign  of  good  tidings.  Now 
a season  of  grace  being  come,  he  sent  for  all 
the  captains  and  elders  of  the  town  that  were 
here  and  there  in  their  lodgings  in  the  castle 
and  upon  their  guard,  to  let  them  know  that 
Captain  Credence  was  returned  from  the  court, 
and  that  he  had  something  in  general  and 
something  in  special  to  communicate  to  them. 


So  they  all  came  up  to  him  and  saluted  him, 
and  asked  him  concerning  his  journey,  and 
what  was  the  best  news  at  court?  And  he  an- 
swered them,  as  he  had  done  the  lord  mayor 
before,  that  all  would  be  well  at  last.  Now 
when  the  captain  had  thus  saluted  them,  he 
opened  his  packet  and  thence  did  draw  out 
his  several  notes  for  those  that  he  had  sent 
for. 

And  the  first  note  was  for  my  lord  mayor, 
wherein  was  signified  that  the  Prince  Emman- 
uel had  taken  it  well  that  my  lord  mayor  had 
been  so  true  and  trusty  in  his  office  and  the 
great  concerns  that  lay  upon  him  for  the  town 
and  people  of  Mansoul.  Also  he  bid  him  to 
know  that  he  took  it  well  that  he  had  been  so 
bold  for  his  Prince  Emmanuel,  and  had  en- 
gaged so  faithfully  in  his  cause  against  Diab- 
olus. He  also  signified  at  the  close  of  his  let- 
ter that  he  should  shortly  receive  his  reward. 

The  second  note  that  came  out  was  for  the 
noble  Lord  Will-be-will,  wherein  there  was 
signified  that  his  Prince  Emmanuel  did  well 
understand  how  valiant  and  courageous  he 
had  been  for  the  honour  of  his  Lord,  now7  in 
his  absence  and  when  his  name  was  under  con- 
tempt by  Diabolus.  There  was  signified  also 
that  his  Prince  had  taken  it  well  that  he  had 
been  so  faithful  to  the  town  of  Mansoul,  in  his 
keeping  so  strict  a hand  and  eye  over  and  so 
strict  a rein  upon  the  necks  of  the  Diabolo- 
nians  that  did  still  lie  lurking  in  their  several 
holes  in  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul. 

He  signified,  moreover,  liowT  that  he  under- 
stood that  my  lord  had  with  his  own  hand 
done  great  execution  upon  some  of  the  chief 
of  the  rebels  there,  to  the  great  discourage- 
ment of  the  adverse  party  and  to  the  good 
example  of  the  w'hole  town  of  Mansoul; 
and  that  shortly  his  lordship  should  have  his 
reward. 

The  third  note  came  out  for  the  subordinate 
preacher,  wherein  was  signified  that  his  Prince 
took  it  w7ell  from  him  that  he  had  so  honestly 
and  so  faithfully  performed  his  office  and  ex- 
ecuted the  trust  Committed  to  him  by  his  Lord, 
wThile  he  exhorted,  rebuked,  and  forewarned 
Mansoul  according  to  the  laws  of  the  town. 
He  signified,  moreover,  that  he  took  it  well 
at  his  hand  that  lie  called  to  fasting,  to  sack- 
cloth, and  ashes  when  Mansoul  was  under  her 
revolt.  Also  that  he  called  for  the  aid  of  the 
Captain  Boanerges  to  help  in  so  weighty  a 
work.  And  that  shortly  he  also  should  re- 
ceive his  reward. 

The  fourth  note  came  out  for  Mr.  Godly 


162 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WOBICS. 


fear,  wherein  his  Lord  thus  signified : that  his 
Lordship  observed  that  he  was  the  only  man 
in  Mansoul  that  detected  Mr.  Carnal-security 
as  the  only  one,  that  through  his  subtlety  and 
cunning,  had  obtained  for  Diabolus  a defec- 
tion and  decay  of  goodness  in  the  blessed 
town  of  Mansoul.  Moreover,  his  Lord  gave 
him  to  understand  that  he  still  remembered 
his  tears  and  mourning  for  the  state  of  Man- 
soul. It  was  also  observed  by  the  same  note 
that  his  Lord  took  notice  of  his  detecting  of 
this  Mr.  Carnal-security  at  his  own  table  among 
the  guests  in  his  own  house,  and  that  in  the 
midst  of  his  jolliness,  even  while  he  was  seek- 
ing to  perfect  his  villainies  against  the  town 
of  Mansoul.  Emmanuel  also  took  notice  that 
this  reverend  person,  Mr.  Godly-fear,  stood 
stoutly  to  it  at  the  gates  of  the  castle  against 
all  the  threats  and  attempts  of  the  tyrant,  and 
that  he  put  the  townsmen  in  a way  to  make 
their  petition  to  their  Prince,  so  as  that  he 
might  accept  thereof,  and  as  that  they  might 
obtain  an  answer  of  peace ; and  that  therefore 
shortly  he  should  receive  his  reward. 

After  all  this  there  was  yet  produced  a note 
which  -was  written  to  the  whole  town  of  Man- 
soul, whereby  they  perceived  that  their  Lord 
took  notice  of  their  so  often  repeating  of  peti- 
tions to  him,  and  that  they  should  see  more 
of  the  fruits  of  such  their  doings  in  time  to 
come.  Their  Prince  did  also  therein  tell  them 
that  he  took  it  well  that  their  heart  and  mind 
now  at  last  abode  fixed  upon  him  and  his 
ways,  though  Diabolus  had  made  such  inroads 
upon  them  ; and  that  neither  flatteries  on  the 
one  hand  nor  hardships  on  the  other  could 
make  them  yield  to  serve  his  cruel  designs. 
There  was  also  inserted  at  the  bottom  of  this 
note  that  his  Lordship  had  left  the  town  of 
Mansoul  in  the  hands  of  the  lord  secretary 
and  under  the  conduct  of  Captain  Credence, 
saying,  Beware,  that  you  yet  yield  yourselves 
under  their  governance,  and  in  due  time  you 
shall  receive  your  reward. 

So  after  the  brave  Captain  Credence  had 
delivered  his  notes  to  those  to  whom  they  be- 
longed, he  retired  himself  to  my  lord  secre- 
tary’s lodgings,  and  there  spent  time  in  con- 
versing with  him ; for  they  two  were  very 
great  one  with  another,  and  did  indeed  know 
more  how  things  would  go  with  Mansoul  than 
did  all  the  townsmen  besides.  The  lord  secre- 
tary also  loved  the  Captain  Credence  dearly ; 
yea,  many  a good  bit  was  sent  him  from  my 
lord’s  table;  also  he  might  have  a show  of 
countenance  when  the  rest  of  Mansoul  lay 


under  the  clouds.  So  after  some  time  for  con- 
verse was  spent  the  captain  betook  himself  to 
his  chambers  to  rest.  But  it  was  not  long 
after  but  my  lord  did  send  for  the  captain 
again;  so  the  captain  came  to  him,  and  they 
greeted  one  another  with  usual  salutations. 
Then  said  the  captain  to  the  lord  secretary, 
What  hath  my  lord  to  say  to  his  servant? 
So  the  lord  secretary  took  him  and  had  him 
aside,  and  after  a sign  or  two  of  more  favour 
he  said,  I have  made  thee  the  Lord’s  lieutenant 
overall  the  forces  in  Mansoul;  so  that  from 
this  day  forward  all  men  in  Mansoul  shall  be 
at  thy  word,  and  thou  shalt  be  he  that  shal' 
lead  in  and  that  shall  lead  out  Mansoul. 
Thou  shalt  therefore  manage,  according  to 
thy  place,  the  war  for  thy  Prince  and  for  the 
town  of  Mansoul  against  the  force  and  power 
of  Diabolus,  and  at  thy  command  shall  the 
rest  of  the  captains  be. 

Now  the  townsmen  began  to  perceive  what 
'interest  the  captain  had  both  with  the  court 
and  also  with  the  lord  secretary  in  Mansoul ; 
for  no  man  before  could  so  speed  when  sent, 
nor  bring  such  good  news  from  Emmanuel  as 
he.  Wherefore  what  do  they,  after  some 
lamentation  that  they  made  no  more  use  of 
him  in  their  distresses,  but  send  by  their  sub- 
ordinate preacher  to  the  lord  secretary  to  de- 
sire him  that  all  that  ever  they  were  and  had 
might  be  put  under  the  government,  care, 
custody  and  conduct  of  Captain  Credence. 

So  their  preacher  went  and  did  his  errand, 
and  received  this  answer  from  the  mouth 
of  his  lord:  That  Captain  Credence  should  be 
the  great  doer  in  all  the  King’s  army  against 
the  King’s  enemies,  and  also  for  the  welfare 
of  Mansoul.  So  he  bowed  to  the  groom  and 
thanked  his  lordship,  and  returned  and  told 
his  news  to  the  townsfolk.  But  all  this  was 
done  with  all  imaginable  secresy,  because  the 
foes  had  yet  great  strength  in  the  town. 

But  to  return  to  our  story  again  : When 
Diabolus  saw  himself  thus  boldly  confronted 
by  the  lord  mayor,  and  perceived  the  stoutness 
of  Mr.  Godly-fear,  he  fell  into  a rage  and 
forthwith  called  a council  of  war,  that  he 
might  be  revenged  on  Mansoul.  So  all  the 
princes  of  the  pit  came  together,  and  old  In- 
credulity at  the  head  of  them,  with  all  the  cap- 
tains of  his  army.  So  they  consulted  what  to 
do.  Now  the  effect  and  conclusion  of  the 
council  that  day  was,  how  they  might  take 
the  castle,  because  they  could  not  conclude 
themselves  masters  of  the  town' so  long  as  that 
was  in  the  possession  of  their  enemies.  So 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


463 


one  advised  this  way,  and  another  advised 
that;  but  when  they  could  not  agree  in  their 
verdict,  Apollyon,  the  president  of  the  council, 
stood  up,  and  thus  lie  began:  My  brotherhood, 
quoth  he,  I have  two  things  to  propound  unto 
you,  and  my  first  is  this:  Let  us  withdraw 
ourselves  from  the  town  into  the  plain  again, 
for  our  presence  here  will  do  us  no  good,  be- 
cause the  castle  is  yet  in  our  enemies’  hands; 
nor  is  it  possible  that  we  should  take  that  so 
long  as  so  many  brave  captains  are  in  it,  and 
that  this  bold  fellow,  Godly-fear,  is  made  the 
keeper  of  the  gates  of  it.  Now  when  we  have 
withdrawn  ourselves  into  the  plain,  they  of 
their  own  accord  will  be  glad  of  some  little 
ease,  and  it  may  be  of  their  own  accord  they 
again  may  begin  to  be  remiss;  and  even  their 
so  being  will  give  them  a bigger  blow  than  we 
can  possibly  give  them  ourselves.  But  if  that 
should  fail,  our  going  forth  of  the  town  may 
draw  the  captains  out  after  us,  and  you  know 
what  it  cost  them  when  we  fought  them  in  the 
field  before.  Besides,  can  we  but  draw  them 
out  into  the  field,  we  may  lay  an  ambush  be- 
hind the  town,  which  shall,  when  they  are 
come  forth  abroad,  rush  in  and  take  posses- 
sion of  the  castle. 

But  Beelzebub  stood  up  and  replied,  saying, 
It  is  impossible  to  draw  them  all  off'  from  the 
castle;  some,  you  may  be  sure,  will  lie  there 
to  keep  that;  wherefore  it  will  be  but  in  vain 
thus  to  attempt  unless  we  were  sure  that  they 
will  all  come  out.  He  therefore  concluded 
that  what  was  done  must  be  done  by  some 
other  means.  And  the  most  likely  means  that 
the  greatest  of  their  heads  could  invent  was 
that  which  Apollyon  had  advised  before — to 
wit,  to  get  the  townsmen  again  to  sin.  For, 
said  he,  it  is  not  our  being  in  the  town,  nor  in 
the  field,  nor  our  fighting,  nor  our  killing  of 
their  men,  that  can  make  us  the  masters  of 
Mansoul ; for  so  long  as  one  in  the  town  is 
able  to  lift  up  his  finger  against  us,  Emmanuel 
will  take  their  parts ; and  if  he  shall  take  their 
parts,  we  know  what  time  of  day  it  will  be 
with  us.  Wherefore,  for  my  part,  quoth  he, 
there  is  in  my  judgment  no  way  to  bring  them 
into  bondage  to  us  like  inventing  a way  to 
make  them  sin.  Had  we,  said  lie,  left  all  our 
Doubters  at  home,  we  had  done  as  well  as  we 
have  done  now,  unless  we  could  have  made 
them  the  masters  and  governors  of  the  castle ; 
for  Doubters  at  a distance  are  but  like  objec- 
tions repelled  with  arguments.  Indeed,  can 
we  but  get  them  into  the  hold  and  make  them 


possessors  of  that,  the  day  will  be  our  own. 
Let  us  therefore  withdraw  ourselves  into  the 
plain,  (not  expecting  that  the  captains  in  Man- 
soul  should  follow  us,)  but  yet,  I say,  let  us  do 
this,  and  before  we  so  do  let  us  advise  again 
with  our  trusty  Diabolonians  that  are  yet  in 
their  holds  of  Mansoul,  and  set  them  to  work 
to  betray  the  town  to  us ; for  they  indeed  must 
do  it  or  it  will  be  left  undone  for  ever.  By 
these  sayings  of  Beelzebub  (for  I think  it  was 
lie  that  gave  his  counsel)  the  whole  conclave 
was  forced  to  be  of  his  opinion — to  wit,  that 
the  way  to  get  the  castle  was  to  get  the  town 
to  sin.  Then  they  fell  to  inventing  by  what 
means  to  do  this  thing. 

Then  Lucifer  stood  up  and  said,  The  coun- 
sel of  Beelzebub  is  pertinent ; now  the  way  to 
bring  this  to  pass,  in  mine  opinion,  is  this: 
Let  us  withdraw  our  force  from  the  town  of 
Mansoul ; let  us  do  this,  and  let  us  terrify  them 
no  more,  either  with  summons  or  threats,  or 
with  the  noise  of  our  drum,  or  any  other  awa- 
kening means.  Only  let  us  lie  in  the  field  at 
a distance,  and  be  as  if  we  regarded  them  not, 
(for  frights,  I see,  do  but  awaken  them  and 
make  them  stand  more  to  their  arms.)  I have 
also  another  stratagem  in  my  head.  You  know 
Mansoul  is  a market-town,  and  a town  that  de- 
lights in  commerce;  what  therefore  if  some 
of  our  Diabolonians  shall  feign  themselves  far- 
countrymen,  and  shall  go  out  and  bring  to  the 
market  of  Mansoul  some  of  our  wares  to  sell  ? 
and  what  matter  at  what  rates  they  sell  their 
wares,  though  it  be  but  for  half  the  worth? 
Now,  let  'those  that  thus  shall  trade  in  their 
market  be  those  that  are  witty  and  true  to  us, 
and  I will  lay  my  crown  to  pawn  it  will  do. 
There  are  two  that  are  come  to  my  thoughts 
already  that  I think  will  be  arch  at  this  work, 
and  they  are  Mr.  Penny-wise-pound-foolish, 
and  Mr.  Get-i’-tlie-hundred-and-lose-i’-the- 
shire;  nor  is  this  man  with  the  long  name  at 
all  inferior  to  the  other.  What  also  if  you 
join  with  them  Mr.  Sweet-world  and  Mr.  Px-es- 
ent-good? — they  are  men  that  are  civil  and 
cunning,  but  our  true  friends  and  helpers. 
Let  these,  with  as  many  more,  engage  in  this 
business  for  us,  and  let  Mansoul  be  taken  up 
in  much  business,  and  let  them  grow  full  and 
rich,  and  this  is  the  way  to  get  ground  of  them  : 
remember  ye  not  that  thus  we  prevailed  upon 
Laodicea,  and  how  many  at  present  we  do  hold 
in  this  snare?  Now,  when  they  begin  to  grow 
full  they  will  forget  their  misery ; and  if  we 
shall  not  affright  them  they  may  happen  to 


464 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


fall  asleep,  and  so  be  got  to  neglect  tbeir  town- 
watch,  their  castle-watch,  as  well  as  their 
watch  at  the  gates. 

Yea,  may  we  not  by  this  means  so  cumber 
Mansoul  with  abundance  that  they  shall  be 
forced  to  make  of  their  castle  a warehouse  in- 
stead of  a garrison  fortified  against  us  and  a 
receptacle  for  men  of  war?  Thus,  if  we  get 
our  goods  and  commodities  thither,  I reckon 
that  the  castle  is  more  than  half  ours.  Be- 
sides, could  we  so  order  it  that  it  should  be 
filled  with  such  kind  of  wares,  then  if  we  made 
a sudden  assault  upon  them  it  would  be  hard 
for  the  captains  to  take  shelter  there.  Do  you 
know  that  of  the  parable,  “ The  deceitfulness 
of  riches  choke  the  world ; ” and  again,  “ When 
the  heart  is  overcharged  with  surfeiting  and 
drunkenness  and  the  cares  of  this  life,  all  mis- 
chief comes  upon  them  at  unawares.” 

Furthermore,  my  lords,  quoth  he,  you  very 
well  know  that  it  is  not  easy  for  a people  to  be 
filled  with  our  things  and  not  to  have  some  of 
our  Diabolonians  as  retainers  to  their  houses 
and  services.  Where  is  there  a Mansoulian 
that  is  full  of  this  world  that  has  not  for  his 
servant  and  waiting-man  Mr.  Profuse,  or  Mr. 
Prodigality,  or  some  other  of  our  Diabolonian 
gang,  as  Mr.  Voluptuous,  Mr.  Pragmatical, 
Mr.  Ostentation,  or  the  like?  Now  these  can 
take  the  castle  of  Mansoul,  or  blow  it  up,  or 
make  it  unfit  for  a garrison  for  Emmanuel; 
and  any  of  these  will  do.  Yea,  these,  for 
aught  I know,  may  do  it  for  us  sooner  than  an 
army  of  twenty  thousand  men.  Wherefore, 
to  end  as  I began,  my  advice  is,  that  we  quietly 
withdraw  ourselves,  not  offering  any  further 
force  or  forcible  attempts  upon  the  castle,  at 
least  at  this  time,  and  let  us  set  on  foot  our 
new  project,  and  let  us  see  if  that  will  not 
make  them  destroy  themselves. 

This  advice  was  highly  applauded  by  them 
all,  and  was  accounted  the  very  masterpiece 
of  hell : to  wit,  to  choke  Mansoul  with  a ful- 
ness of  this  world,  and  to  surfeit  her  heart  with 
the  good  things  thereof.  But  see  how  things 
meet  together!  Just  as  this  Diabolonian 
council  was  broken  up,  Captain  Credence  re- 
ceived a letter  from  Emmanuel,  the  contents 
of  which  were  these : That  upon  the  third  day 
he  would  meet  him  in  the  field  in  the  plains 
about  Mansoul.  Meet  me  in  field ! quoth  the 
captain  ; what  meaneth  my  Lord  by  this?  I 
know  not  what  he  meaneth  by  meeting  of  me 
in  the  field.  So  he  took  the  note  in  his  hand 
and  did  carry  it  to  my  lord  secretary  to  ask  his 
thoughts  thereupon,  (for  my  lord  was  a seer  in 


all  matters  concerning  the  King  and  also  for 
the  good  and  comfort  of  the  town  of  Mansoul.) 
So  he  showed  my  lord  the  note,  and  desired 
his  opinion  thereof.  For  my  part,  quoth  Cap- 
tain Credence,  I know  not  the  meaning  thereof* 
So  my  lord  did  take  and  read  it,  and  after  a 
little  pause  he  said,  “ The  Diabolonians  have 
had  against  Mansoul  a great  consultation  to- 
day ; they  have,  I say,  this  day  been  contriving 
the  utter  ruin  of  the  town ; and  the  result  of 
the  council  is,  to  set  Mansoul  into  such  a way 
which,  if  taken,  will  surely  make  her  destroy 
herself.  And  to  this  end  they  are  making 
ready  for  their  own  departure  out  of  the  town, 
intending  to  betake  themselves  to  the  field 
again,  and  there  to  lie  till  they  shall  see 
whether  this  their  project  will  take  or  no.  But 
be  thou  ready  with  the  men  of  thy  Lord,  for 
on  the  third  day  they  will  be  in  the  plain, 
there  to  fall  upon  the  Diabolonians ; for  the 
Prince  will  by  that  time  be  in  the  field,  yea, 
by  that  it  is  break  of  day,  sun-rising,  or  before, 
and  that  with  a mighty  force  against  them. 
So  he  shall  be  before  them,  and  thou  shalt  be 
behind  them,  and  betwixt  you  both  their  army 
shall  be  destroyed.” 

When  Captain  Credence  heard  this,  away 
he  goes  to  the  rest  of  the  captains,  and  tells 
them  what  a note  he  had  awhile  since  received 
from  the  hand  of  Emmanuel;  and,  said  he, 
that  which  was  dark  therein,  has  my  lord  the 
lord  secretary  expounded  unto  me.  He  told 
them,  moreover,  what  by  himself  and  by  them 
must  be  done  to  answer  the  mind  of  their 
Lord.  Then  were  the  captains  glad;  and 
Captain  Credence  commanded  that  all  the 
King’s  trumpeters  should  ascend  to  the  battle- 
ments of  the  castle,  and  there,  in  the  audience 
of  Diabolus  and  of  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul, 
make  the  best  music  that  heart  could  invent. 
Then  the  trumpeters  did  as  they  were  com- 
manded. They  got  themselves  up  to  the  top 
of  the  castle,  and  thus  they  began  to  sound. 
Then  did  Diabolus  start,  and  said,  “What  can 
be  the  meaning  of  this  ? They  neither  sound 
boot-and-saddle,  nor  horse-and-away,  nor  a 
charge.  What  do  these  madmen  mean,  that 
they  should  be  so  merry  and  glad?”  Then 
answered  him  one  of  themselves,  and  said, 
“ This  is  for  joy  that  their  Prince  Emmanuel 
is  come  to  relieve  the  town  of  Mansoul- — that 
to  this  end  he  is  at  the  head  of  an  army,  and 
that  this  relief  is  near.” 

The  men  of  Mansoul  were  also  greatly  con- 
cerned at  this  melodious  charm  of  the  trump- 
ets : they  said,  yea,  they  answered  one  another, 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


465 


saying,  “This  can  bo  no  harm  to  us;  surely 
this  can  bo  no  harm  to  us.”  Then  said  the 
Diabolonians,  “What  had  wo  best  to  do?” 
And  it  was  answered  it  was  best  to  quit  the 
town ; and  that,  said  one,  ye  may  do  so  in  pur- 
suance of  your  last  council,  and  by  so  doing 
also  bo  better  able  to  give  the  enemy  battle 
should  an  army  from  without  come  upon  us. 
So  on  the  second  day  they  withdrew  themselves 
from  Mansoul  and  abode  in  the  plains  without, 
but  they  encamped  themselves  before  Eye-gate, 
in  what  terrene  and  terrible  manner  they 
could.  The  reason  why  they  could  not  abide 
in  the  town  (besides  the  reasons  that  were  de- 
bated in  the  last  conclave)  was,  for  that  they 
were  not  possessed  of  the  stronghold,  and  be- 
cause, said  they,  we  shall  have  more  conve- 
nience to  fight,  and  also  to  fly,  if  need  be,  when 
we  are  encamped  in  the  open  plains.  Besides, 
the  town  would  have  been  a pit  for  them, 
rather  than  a place  of  defence,  had  the  Prince 
come  up  and  enclosed  them  fast  therein. 
Therefore  they  betook  themselves  to  the  field, 
that  they  might  also  be  out  of  the  reach  of  the 
slings,  by  which  they  were  much  annoyed  all 
the  while  that  they  were  in  the  town. 

Well,  the  time  that  the  captains  were  to  fall 
upon  the  Diabolonians  being  come,  they  eagerly 
prepared  themselves  for  action ; for  Captain 
Credence  having  told  the  captains  over  night 
that  they  should  meet  their  Prince  in  the  field 
to-morrow  was  like  oil  to  a flaming  fire,  for  of 
a long  time  they  had  been  at  a distance ; they 
therefore  were  for  this  the  more  earnest  and 
desirous  of  the  work.  So,  as  I said,  the  hour 
being  come,  Captain  Credence,  with  the  rest 
of  the  men  of  war,  drew  out  their  forces  before 
it  was  day  by  the  sally-port  of  the  town.  And 
being  all  ready,  Captain  Credence  went  up  to 
the  head  of  the  army  and  gave  to  the  rest  of 
the  captains  the  word,  and  they  to  their  under- 
officers  and  soldiers;  the  word  was,  “The 
sword  of  the  Prince  Emmanuel  and  the  shield 
of  Captain  Credence!”  which  is  in  the  Man- 
soulian  tongue,  “ The  word  of  God  and  faith.” 
Then  the  captains  fell  on,  and  began  roundly 
to  front  and  flank  and  rear  Diabolus’s  camp. 

Now  they  left  Captain  Experience  in  the 
town,  because  he  was  yet  ill  of  his  Wounds 
which  the  Diabolonians  had  given  him  in  the 
last,  fight.  But  when  he  perceived  that  the 
captains  were  at  it,  what  does  he  but,  calling 
for  his  crutches  with  haste,  gets  up,  and  away 
he  goes  to  the  battle,  saying,  “Shall  I lie  here 
while  my  brethren  are  in  the  fight,  and  when 
Emmanuel  the  Prince  will  show  himself  in 
30 


the  field  to  his  servants?”  But  when  the  enemy 
saw  the  man  come  with  his  crutches,  they  were 
daunted  yet  the  more;  for,  thought  they,  what 
spirit  has  possessed  these  Mansoulians  that 
they  fight  us  upon  their  crutches!  Well,  the 
captains,  as  I said,  fell  on,  and  did  bravely 
handle  their  weapons,  still  crying  out  and 
shouting  as  they  laid  on  blows,  “ The  sword  of 
the  Prince  Emmanuel  and  the  shield  of  Cap- 
tain Credence !” 

Now  when  Diabolus  saw  that  the  captains 
were  come  out,  and  that  so  valiantly  they  sur- 
rounded his  men,  he  concluded  that  for  the 
present  nothing  from  them  was  to  be  looked 
for  but  blows  and  the  dints  of  their  two-edged 
swords. 

Wherefore  he  also  falls  upon  the  Prince’s 
army  with  all  his  deadly  force.  So  the  battle 
was  joined.  Now,  who  was  it  that  at  first 
Diabolus  met  with  in  the  fight  but  Captain 
Credence  on  the  one  hand,  and  Lord  Will-be- 
will  on  the  other?  Now,  Will-be-will’s  blows 
were  like  the  blows  of  a giant;  for  that  man 
had  a strong  arm,  and  he  fell  in  upon  the 
Election-doubters,  for  they  were  the  lifeguard 
of  Diabolus,  and  he  kept  them  in  play  a good 
while,  cutting  and  battering  shrewdly.  Now, 
when  Captain  Credence  saw  my  lord  engaged, 
he  did  stoutly  fall  on,  on  the  other  hand,  upon 
the  same  company  also ; so  they  put  them  to 
great  disorder.  Now  Captain  Good-hope  had 
engaged  the  Vocation-doubters,  and  they  were 
sturdy  men,  but  the  captain  was  a valiant 
man ; Captain  Experience  did  also  send  him 
some  aid,  so  he  made  the  Vocation-doubters 
to  retreat.  The  rest  of  the  armies  were  hotly 
engaged,  and  that  on  every  side,  and  the 
Diabolonians  did  fight  stoutly.  Then  did  my 
lord  secretary  command  that  the  slings  from 
the  castle  should  be  played,  and  his  men  could 
throw  stones  at  an  hair’s  breadth.  But  after  a 
while  those  that  were  made  to  fly  before  the 
captains  of  the  Prince  did  begin  to  rally  again, 
and  they  came  up  stoutly  upon  the  rear  of  the 
Prince’s  army;  wherefore  the  Prince’s  army 
began  to  faint,  but  remembering  that  they 
should  see  the  face  of  their  Prince  by  aud  by, 
they  took  courage,  and  a very  fierce  battle  was 
fought.  Then  shouted  the  captains,  saying, 
“The  sword  of  the  Prince  Emmanuel  and  the 
shield  of  Captain  Credence!”  and  with  that 
Diabolus  gave  back,  thinking  that  more  aid 
had  been  come.  But  no  Emmanuel  had  as  yet 
appeared.  Moreover,  the  battle  did  hang  in 
doubt,  and  they  made  a little  retreat  on  both 
sides.  Now  in  the  time  of  respite  Captain 


466 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Credence  bravely  encouraged  bis  men  to  stand 
to  it,  and  Diabolus  did  tbe  like  as  well  as  be 
could.  But  Captain  Credence  made  a brave 
speech  to  his  soldiers,  tbe  contents  whereof 
here  follow : 

Gentlemen  soldiers  and  my  brethren  in  this 
design,  it  rejoiceth  me  much  to  see  in  the  field 
foi  our  Prince  this  day  so  stout  and  so  valiant 
an  army  and  such  faithful  lovers  of  Mansoul. 
You  have  hitherto,  as  hath  become  you,  shown 
yourselves  men  of  truth  and  courage  against 
the  Diabolonian  forces,  so  that  for  all  their 
boasts  they  have  not  yet  much  cause  to  boast 
of  their  gettings.  Now,  take  to  yourselves 
your  wonted  courage,  and  show  yourselves  men 
even  this  once  only,  for  in  a few  minutes  after 
the  next  engagement  this  time  you  shall  see 
your  Prince  show  himself  in  the  field ; for  we 
must  make  this  second  assault  upon  this  ty- 
rant Diabolus,  and  then  Emmanuel  comes. 

No  sooner  had  the  captain  made  this  speech 
to  his  soldiers  but  one  Mr.  Speedy  came  post 
to  the  captain  from  the  Prince  to  tell  him  that 
Emmanuel  was  at  hand.  This  news,  when 
the  captain  had  received,  he  communicated  to 
the  other  field-officers,  and  they  again  to  their 
soldiers  and  men  of  war.  Wherefore,  like 
men  raised  from  the  dead,  so  the  captains  and 
their  men  arose,  made  up  to  the  enemy,  and 
cried  as  before,  “The  sword  of  the  Prince 
Emmanuel  and  the  shield  of  Captain  Cre- 
dence!” 

The  Diabolonians  also  bestirred  themselves, 
and  made  resistance  as  well  as  they  could  ; but 
in  this  last  engagement  the  Diabolonians  lost 
their  courage,  and  many  of  the  Doubters  fell 
down  dead  to  the  ground.  Now  when  they 
had  been  in  the  heat  of  battle  about  an 
hour  more,  Captain  Credence  lift  up  his  eyes 
and  saw  and  beheld  Emmanuel  coming  ; and 
he  came-with  colours  flying,  trumpets  sound- 
ing, and  the  feet  of  his  men  scarce  touched  the 
ground,  they  hasted  with  that  celerity  towards 
the  captains  that  were  engaged.  Then  Cap- 
tain Credence  wheeled  with  his  men  to  the 
town-ward  and  gave  to  Diabolus  the  field.  So 
Emmanuel  came  ujron  him  on  the  one  side, 
and  the  enemy’s  place  was  betwixt  them  both  ; 
then  again  they  fell  to  it  afresh,  and  after  a 
little  while  Emmanuel  and  Captain  Credence 
met,  still  trampling  down  the  slain  as  they 
came. 

But  when  the  captains  saw  that  the  Prince 
was  come,  and  that  he  fell  upon  the  Diabolo- 
nians on  the  other  side,  and  that  Captain  Cre- 
dence and  his  Highness  had  got  them  up  be- 


twixt them,  they  shouted,  (they  so  shouted 
that  the  ground  rent  again,)  saying,  “The 
sword  of  Emmanuel  and  the  shield  of  Cap- 
tain Credence !”  Now  when  Diabolus  saw 
that  he  and  his  forces  were  so  hard  beset  by 
the  Prince  and  his  princely  army,  what  doth 
he  and  the  lords  ■ of  the  pit  that  were  with 
him  but  make  their  escape,  and  forsake  their 
army  and  leave  them  to  fall  by  the  hand  of 
Emmanuel  and  of  his  noble  Captain  Cre- 
dence ? So  they  fell  • all  down  slain  before 
them,  before  the  Prince  and  before  his  royal 
army;  there  was  not  left  so  much  as  one 
Doubter  alive;  they  lay  spread  upon  the 
ground  dead  men,  as  one  would  spread  dung 
upon  the  land. 

When  the  battle  was  over  all  things  came 
into  order  in  the  camp ; then  the  captains  and 
elders  of  Mansoul  came  together  to  salute 
Emmanuel  while  without  the  corporation ; so 
they  saluted  him  and  welcomed  him,  and  that 
with  a thousand  welcomes,  for  that  he  was 
come  to  the  borders  of  Mansoul  again ; so  he 
smiled  upon  them  and  said,  Peace  be  to  you ! 
Then  they  addressed  themselves  to  go  to  the 
town ; they  went  then  to  go  up  to  Mansoul— 
they,  the  Prince,  and  all  the  new  forces  that 
now  he  had  brought  with  him  to  the  war. 
Also  all  the  gates  of  the  town  were  set  open 
for  his  reception,  so  glad  were  they  of  his 
blessed  return.  And  this  was  the  manner  and 
order  of  going  into  Mansoul : 

1.  As  I said,  all  the  gates  of  the  town  were 
set  open,  yea,  the  gates  of  the  castle  also;  the 
elders  too  of  the  town  of  Mansoul  placed  them- 
selves at  the  gates  of  the  town  to  salute  him  at 
his  entrance  thither;  and  so  they  did,  for  as  he 
drew  near  and  approached  towards  the  gates, 
they  said,  “ Lift  up  your  heads,  .0  ye  gates, 
and  be  ye  lift  up,  ve  everlasting  doors,  and 
the  King  of  glory  shall  come  in.”  And  they 
answered  again,  “Who  is  the  King  of  glory?” 
And  they  made  return  to  themselves,  “The 
Lord  strong  and  mighty,  the  Lord  mighty  in 
battle.  Lift  up  your  heads,  0 ye  gates,  even 
lift  them  up,  ye  everlasting  doors,”  &c. 

2.  It  was  ordered  also  by  those  of  Mansoul 
that  all  the  way  from  the  town-gates  to  those 
of  the  castle  his  blessed  Majesty  should  be  en- 
tertained with  the  song  by  them  that  had  the 
best  skill  in  music  in  all  the  town  of  Mansoul; 
then  did  the  elders  and  the  rest  of  the  men  of 
Mansoul-  answer  one  another  as  Emmanuel 
entered  the  town,  till  he  came  at  the  castle- 
gates,  with  songs  and  sound  of  trumpets,  say- 
ing, They  have  seen  thy  goings,  O God,  even 


TILE  HOLY  WAR. 


4G7 


the  goings  of  my  God,  my  King,  in  the  sanc- 
tuary. So  the  singers  went  before,  the  players 
on  instruments  followed  after,  and  among  them 
were  the  damsels  playing  on  timbrels. 

8.  Then  the  captains,  (for  I would  speak  a 
word  of  them,)  in  their  order,  waited  on  the 
Prince  as  he  entered  into  the  gates  of  Mansoul. 
Captain  Credence  went  before,  and  Captain 
Good-hope  with  him;  Captain  Charity  came 
behind  with  other  of  his  companions,  and 
Captain  Patience  followed  after  all;  and  the 
rest  of  the  captains,  some  on  the  right  hand 
and  some  on  the  left,  accompanied  Emmanuel 
into  Mansoul.  And  all  the  while  the  colours 
were  displayed,  the  trumpets  sounded,  and 
continual  shoutings  were  among  the  soldiers. 
The  Prince  himself  rode  into  the  town  in  his 
armour,  which  was  all  of  beaten  gold,  and  in 
his  chariot;  the  pillars  of  it  were  of  silver, 
the  bottom  thereof  of  gold,  the  covering  of  it 
was  of  purple,  the  midst  thereof  being  paved 
with  love  for  the  daughters  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul. 

4.  When  the  Prince  was  come  to  the  en- 
trance of  Mansoul  he  found  all  the  streets 
strewed  with  lilies  and  flowers,  curiously 
decked  with  boughs  and  branches  from  the 
green  trees  that  stood  round  about  the  town. 
Every  door  also  was  filled  with  persons  who 
had  adorned  every  one  their  fore-part  against 
their  house  with  something  of  variety  and 
singular  excellency  to  entertain  him  withal  as 
he  passed  in  the  streets;  they  also  themselves, 
as  Emmanuel  passed  by,  did  welcome  him 
with  shouts  and  acclamations  of  joy,  saying, 
Blessed  be  the  Prince  that  cometh  in  the  name 
of  his  Father  Shaddai! 

5.  At  the  castle-gates  the  elders  of  Man- 
soul— to  wit,  the  lord  mayor,  the  Lord  Will- 
be-will,  the  subordinate  preacher,  Mr.' Know- 
ledge, and  Mr.  Mind,  with  other  of  the  gentry 
of  the  place — saluted  Emmanuel  again.  They 
bowed  before  him,  they  kissed  the  dust  of  his 
feet,  they  thanked,  they  blessed,  and  praised 
his  Higlmess  for  not  taking  advantage  against 
them  for  their  sins,  but  rather  had  pity  upon 
them  in  their  misery,  and  returned  to  them 
with  mercies  and  to  build  up  their  Mansoul 
for  ever.  Thus  was  he  had  up  straightway  to 
the  castle — for  that  was  the  royal  palace  and 
the  place  where  his  honour  was  to  dwell — 
which  was  ready  prepared  for  his  Highness  by 
the  presence  of  the  lord  secretary  and  the 
work  of  Captain  Credence.  So  he  entered  in. 

6.  Then  the  people  and  commonalty  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul  came  tn  him  into  the  castle 


to  mourn,  and  to  weep,  and  to  lament  for 
their  wickedness,  by  which  they  had  forced 
him  out  of  the  town.  So  they,  when  they 
were  come,  bowed  themselves  to  the  ground 
seven  times:  they  also  wept,  they  wept  aloud, 
and  asked  forgiveness  of  the  Prince,  and 
prayed  that  he  would  again,  as-of  old,  confirm 
his  love  to  Mansoul. 

To  the  which  the  great  Prince  replied,  Weep 
not,  but  go  your  way,  eat  the  fat  and  drink 
the  sweet,  and  send  portions  to  them  for  whom 
naught  is  prepared,  for  the  joy  of  your  Lord 
is  your  strength.  I am  returned  to  Mansoul 
with  mercies,  and  my  name  shall  be  set  up, 
exalted  and  magnified  by  it.  He  also  took 
these  inhabitants  and  kissed  them,  and  laid 
them  to  his  bosom. 

Moreover,  he  gave  to  the  elders  of  Mansoul 
and  to  each  town  officer  a chain  of  gold  and  a 
signet.  He  also  sent  to  their  wives  ear-rings, 
and  jewels,  and  bracelets,  and  other  things. 
He  also  bestowed  upon  the  true-born  children 
of  Mansoul  many  precious  things. 

When  Emmanuel  the  Prince  had  done  all 
these  things  for  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul, 
then  he  said  unto  them,  first,  Wash  your  gar- 
ments, then  put  on  your  ornaments,  and  then 
come  to  me  into  the  castle  of  Mansoul.  So 
they  went  to  the  fountain  that  was  open  for 
Judah  and  Jerusalem  to  wash  in;  and  there 
they  washed  and  there  they  made  their  gar- 
ments white,  and  came  again  to  the  Prince 
into  the  castle,  and  thus  they  stood  before  him. 

And  now  there  was  music  and  dancing 
throughout  the  whole  town  of  Mansoul,  and 
that  because  their  Prince  had  again  granted  to 
them  his  presence  and  the  light  of  his  counte- 
nance; the  bells  also  did  ring,  and  the  sun 
shone  comfortably  upon  them  for  a great  while 
together. 

The  town  of  Mansoul  did  also  now  more 
thoroughly  seek  the  destruction  and  ruin  of 
all  remaining  Diabolonians  that  abode  in  the 
walls  and  the  dens  that  they  had  in  the  town 
of  Mansoul;  for  there  was  of  them  that  had 
to  this  day  escaped  with  life  and  limb  from 
the  hands  of  their  oppressors  in  the  famous 
town  of  Mansoul. 

But  the  Lord  Will-be-will  was  a greater 
terror  to  them  now  than  ever  he  had  been  be- 
fore, forasmuch  as  his  heart  was  yet  more  fully 
bent  to  seek,  contrive,  and  pursue  them  to 
death;  he  pursued  them  night  and  day,  and 
did  put  them  now  to  sore  distress,  as  will  after- 
wards appear. 

After  things  were  thus  far  put  into  order  in 


468 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


the  famous  town  of  Mansoul,  care  was  taken 
and  orders  given  by  the  blessed  Prince  Em- 
manuel that  the  townsmen  should,  without 
further  delay,  appoint  some  to  go  forth  into 
the  plain  to  bury  the  dead  that  were  there — 
the  dead  that  fell  by  the  sword  of  Emmanuel 
and  by  the  shield  of  the  Captain  Credence — 
lest  the  fumes  and  ill  savours  that  would  arise 
from  them  might  infect  the  air,  and  so  annoy 
the  famous  town  of  Mansoul.  This  also  was 
a reason  of  this  order — to  wit,  that  as  much  as 
in  Mansoul  lay  they  might  cut  oif  the  name, 
and  being,  and  remembrance  of  those  enemies 
from  the  thought  of  the  famous  town  of  Man- 
soul and  its  inhabitants. 

So  order  was  given  out  by  the  lord  mayor, 
that  wise  and  trusty  friend  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul,  that  persons  should  be  employed 
about  this  necessary  business ; and  Mr.  Godly- 
fear  and  one  Mr.  Upright  were  to  be  overseers 
about  this  matter ; so  persons  were  put  under 
them  to  work  in  the  fields  and  to  bury  the 
slain  that  lay  dead  in  the  plains.  And  these 
were  their  places  of  employment : some  were 
to  make  the  graves,  some  to  bury  the  dead, 
and  some  were  to  go  to  and  fro  in  the  plains, 
and  also  round  about  the  borders  of  Mansoul, 
to  see  if  a skull,  or  a bone,  or  a piece  of  a bone 
of  a Doubter  was  yet  to  be  found  above  ground 
anywhere  near  the  corporation ; and  if  any 
were  found,  it  was  ordered  that  the  searchers 
that  searched  should  set  up  a mark  thereby 
and  a sign,  that  those  that  were  appointed  to 
bury  them  might  find  it  and  bury  it  out  of 
sight,  that  the  name  and  remembrance  of  a 
Diabolonian  Doubter  might  be  blotted  out 
from  under  heaven,  and  that  the  children,  and 
they  that  were  to  be  born  in  Mansoul,  might 
not  know  (if  possible)  what  a skull,  what  a 
bone,  or  a piece  of  a bone  of  a Doubter,  was. 

So  the  buriers  and  those  that  were  appointed 
for  that  purpose  did  as  they  were  commanded; 
they  buried  the  Doubters,  and  all  the  skulls, 
and  bones,  and  pieces  of  bones  of  Doubters 
wherever  they  found  them,  and  so  they  cleansed 
the  plains.  Now  also  Mr.  God’s-peace  took  up 
his  commission  and  acted  again  as  in  former 
days. 

Thus  they  buried  in  the  plains  about  Man- 
soul,  the  Election-doubters,  the  Vocation- 
doubters,  the  Grace-doubters,  the  Persever- 
ance-doubters, the  Resurrection-doubters,  the 
Salvation-doubters  and  the  Glory-doubters, 
whose  captains  were  Captain  Rage,  Captain 
Cl  del,  Captain  Damnation,  Captain  Insatiable, 
Captain  Brimstone,  Captain  Torment,  Captain 


No-ease,  Captain  Sepulchre,  and  Captain  Past- 
hope  ; and  old  Incredulity  was  under  Diabolus 
their  general.  There  were  also  seven  heads 
of  their  army,  and  they  were  the  Lord  Beelze- 
bub, the  Lord  Lucifer,  the  Lord  Legion,  the 
Lord  Apollyon,  the  Lord  Python,  the  Lord 
Cerberus,  and  the  Lord  Belial.  But  the  princes 
and  the  captains,  with  old  Incredulity  their 
general,  did  all  of  them  make  their  escape ; so 
their  men  fell  down  slain  by  the  power  of  the 
Prince’s  forces  and  by- the  hands  of  the  men 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul.  They  also  were 
buried  as  before  related,  to  the  exceeding  great 
joy  of  the  now  famous  town  of  Mansoul. 
They  that  buried  them  buried  also  with  them 
their  arms,  which  were  cruel  instruments  of 
death,  (their  weapons  were  arrows,  darts, 
mauls,  firebrands,  and  the  like;)  they  buried 
also  their  armour,  their  colours,  banners,  with 
the  standard  of  Diabolus,  and  what  else  soever 
they  could  find  that  did  but  smell  of  a Diab- 
olonian Doubter. 

Now,  when  the  tyrant  had  arrived  at  Hell- 
gate-hill  with  his  old  friend  Incredulity,  they 
immediately  descended  the  den,  and  having 
there  with  their  fellows  for  a while  condoled 
their  misfortunes  and  the  great  loss  that  they 
sustained  against  the  town  of  Mansoul,  they 
fell  at  length  into  a passion,  and  revenged  they 
would  be  for  the  loss  that  they  sustained  before 
the  town  of  Mansoul ; wherefore  they  presently 
called  a council  to  contrive  yet  further  what 
was  to  be  done  against  the  famous  town  of 
Mansoul,  for  their  yawning  paunches  could 
not  wait  to  see  the  result  of  their  Lord  Luci- 
fer’s and  their  Lord  Apollyon’s  counsel  that 
they  had  given  before,  (for  their  raging  gorge 
thought  every  day  even  as  long  as  a short  for 
ever  until  they  were  filled  with  the  body  and 
soul,  with  the  flesh  and  bones,  and  with  all  the 
delicacies  of  Mansoul.)  They  therefore  re- 
solved to  make  another  attempt  upon  the  town 
of  Mansoul,  and  that  by  an  army  mixed  and 
made  up  partly  of  Doubters  and  partly  of 
Blood-men.  A more  particular  account  now 
take  of  both. 

The  Doubters  are  such  as  have  their  name 
from  their  nature,  as  well  as  from  the  land  and 
kingdom  where  they  are  born ; their  nature  is 
to  put  a question  upon  every  one  of  the  truths 
of  Emmanuel,  and  their  country  is  called  the 
land  of  Doubting ; and  fhat  land  lieth  off  and 
farthest  remote  to  the  north,  between  the  land 
of  Darkness  and  that  called  the  Valley  of  the 
Shadow  of  Death.  For  though  the  land  of 
Darkness  and  that  called  the  Valley  of  the 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


4 09 


Shadow  of  Death  bo  sometimes  called  as  if 
they  were  one  and  the  selfsame  place,  yet  in- 
deed they  are  two,  lying  but  a little  way  asunder, 
and  the  land  of  Doubting  points  in  and  lieth 
between  them.  This  is  the  land  of  Doubting, 
and  these  that  came  with  Diabolus  to  ruin  the 
town  of  Mansoul  are  the  natives  of  that 
country. 

The  Blood-men  arc  a people  that  have  their 
name  derived  from  the  malignity  of  their 
nature,  and  from  the  fury  that  is  in  them  to 
execute  it  upon  the  town  of  Mansoul ; their 
land  lieth  under  the  Dog-star,  and  by  that  they 
are  governed  as  to  their  intellectuals. 

The  name  of  their  country  is  the  Province 
of  Loath-good  ; the  remote  parts  of  it  are  far 
distant  from  the  land  of  Doubting,  yet  they  do 
both  butt  and  bound  upon  the  hill  called  Hell- 
gate-hill.  These  people  are  always  in  league 
with  the  Doubters,  for  they  jointly  do  make 
question  of  the  faith  and  fidelity  of  the  men 
of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  and  so  are  both  alike 
qualified  for  the  service  of  their  prince. 

Now  of  these  two  countries  did  Diabolus,  by 
the  beating  of  his  drum,  raise  another  army 
against  the  town  of  Mansoul,  of  five  aud 
twenty  thousand  strong.  There  were  ten 
thousand  Doubters  and  fifteen  thousand  Blood- 
men,  and  they  were  put  under  several  captains 
for  the  war;  and  old  Incredulity  was  again 
made  general  of  the  army. 

As  for  the  Doubters,  their  captains  were  five 
of  the  seven  that  were  heads  of  the  last  Diab- 
olonian  army;  and  these  are  their  names: 
Captain  Beelzebub,  Captain  Lucifer,  Captain 
Apollyon,  Captain  Legion,  and  Captain  Cer- 
berus ; and  the  captains  that  they  had  before 
were  some  of  them  made  lieutenants  and  some 
ensigns  of  the  army. 

But  Diabolus  did  not  count  that  in  this  ex- 
pedition of  his  these  Doubters  would  prove 
his  principal  men,  for  their  manhood  had 
been  tried  before,  also  the  Mansoulians  had 
put  them  to  the  worst;  only  he  did  bring 
them  to  multiply  a number,  and  to  help,  if 
need  was,  at  a pinch ; but  his  trust  he  put  in 
the  Blood-men,  for  that  they  were  all  rugged 
villains,  and  he  knew  that  they  had  done  feats 
heretofore. 

As  for  the  Blood-men,  they  also  were  under 
command,  and  the  names  of  their  captains 
were— Captain  Cain,  Captain  Nimrod,  Cap- 
tain Ishmael,  Captain  Esau,  Captain  Saul, 
Captain  Absalom,  Captain  Judas,  and  Cap- 
tain Pope. 

1.  Captain  Cain  was  over  two  bands:  to 


wit,  the  zealous  and  the  angry  Blood-men ; 
his  standard-bearer  bore  the  red  colours,  and 
his  escutcheon  was  the  murdering  club. 

2.  Captain  Nimrod  was  captain  over  two 
bands:  to  wit,  the  tyrannical  and  encroaching 
Blood-men  ; his  standard-bearer  bore  the  red 
colours,  and  his  escutcheon  was  the  gieat 
bloodhound. 

3.  Captain  Ishmael  was  captain  over  two 
bands:  to  wit,  the  mocking  and  scornful 
Blood-men  ; his  standard-bearer  bore  the  red 
colours,  and  his  escutcheon  was  one  mocking 
at  Abraham’s  Isaac. 

4.  Captain  Esau  was  captain  over  two 
bands:  to  wit,  the  Blood-men  that  grudged 
that  another  should  have  the  blessing;  also 
over  the  Bloodonen  that  are  for  executing 
their  private  revenge  upon  others  ; his  stand- 
ard-bearer bore  the  red  colours,  and  his  es- 
cutcheon was  one  privately  lurking  to  murder 
Jacob. 

5.  Captain  Saul  was  captain  over  two 
bands : to  wit,  the  groundlessly  jealous  and 
the  devilishly  furious  Blood-men;  his  stand- 
ard-bearer bore  the  red  colours,  and  his  es- 
cutcheon was  three  bloody  darts  cast  at  harm- 
less David. 

6.  Captain  Absalom  was  captain  over  two 
bands : to  wit,  over  the  Blood-men  that  will 
kill  a father  or  a friend  for  the  glory  of  this 
world ; also  over  those  Blood-men  that  will 
hold  one  fair  in  hand  with  words  till  they 
shall  have  pierced  him  with  their  swords ; 
his  standard-bearer  bore  the  red  colours,  and 
his  escutcheon  was  the  sou  pursuing  the  father's 
blood. 

7.  Captain  Judas  was  over  two  bands : to 
wit,  the  Blood-men  that  will  sell  a man’s  life 
for  money,  and  those  also  that  will  betray 
their  friend  with  a kiss ; his  standard-bearer 
bore  the  red  colours,  and  his  escutcheon  was 
thirty  pieces  of  silver  and  the  halter. 

8.  Captain  Pope  was  captain  over  one  band, 
for  all  these  spirits  are  joined  in  one  under 
him ; his  standard-bearer  bore  the  red  colours, 
and  his  escutcheon  was  the  stake,  the  flame, 
and  the  good  man  in  it. 

Now  the  reason  why  Diabolus  did  so  soon 
rally  another  force  after  he  had  been  beaten 
out  of  the  field  was,  for  that  he  put  mighty 
confidence  in  his  army  of  Blood-men ; for  he 
put  a great  deal  more  trust  in  them  than  he 
did  before  in  his  army  of  Doubter's,  though 
they  had  also  often  done  great  service  for  him 
in  the  strengthening  of  him  in  his  kingdom  ; 
but  these  Blood-men  he  had  often  proved. 


170 


B UN  Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  their  sword  did  seldom  return  empty. 
Besides,  he  knew  that  these,  like  mastiffs, 
would  fasten  upon  any — upon  father,  mother, 
brother,  sister,  prince,  or  governor ; yea,  upon 
the  Prince  of  princes.  And  that  which  en- 
couraged him  the  more  was  for  that  they  did 
once  force  Emmanuel  out  of  the  kingdom 
of  Universe;  and  why,  thought  he,  may 
they  not  also  drive  him  from  the  town  of 
Mansoul  ? 

So  this  army  of  five-and-twenty  thousand 
strong  was  by  their  general,  the  great  Lord 
Incredulity,  led  up  against  the  town  of  Man- 
soul.  Now  Mr.  Pry-well,  the  scoutmaster-gen- 
eral, did  himself  go  out  to  spy,  and  he  did 
bring  Mansoul  tidings  of  their  coming.  Where- 
fore they  shut  up  their  gates,  and  put  them- 
selves in  a posture  of  defence  against  these 
new  Diabolonians  that  came  up  against  the 
town. 

So  Diabolus  brought  up  his  army  and  be- 
leaguered the  town  of  Mansoul ; the  Doubters 
were  placed  about  Feel-gate,  and  the  Blood- 
men  set  down  before  Eye-gate  and  Ear-gate. 

Now  when  this  army  had  thus  encamped 
themselves,  Incredulity,  in  the  name  of  Diab- 
olus, his  own  name,  and  in  the  name  of  the 
Blood-men  and  the  rest  that  were  with  him, 
sent  a summons  as  hot  as  a red-hot  iron  to 
Mansoul  to  yield  to  their  demands,  threaten- 
ing that  if  they  still  stood  it  out  against  them 
they  would  presently  burn  down  Mansoul  with 
fire.  For  you  must  know  that  as  for  the  Blood- 
men,  they  were  not  so  much  that  Mansoul 
should  be  surrendered,  as  that  Mansoul  should 
be  destroyed  and  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the 
living.  True,  they  sent  to  them  to  surrender, 
but  should  they  so  do,  that  would  not  stanch 
or  quench  the  thirsts  of  these  men  ; they  must 
have  blood,  the  blood  of  Mansoul,  else  they 
die;  and  it  is  from  hence  that  they  have  their 
name.  Wherefore  these  Blood-men  he  re- 
served till  now,  that  they  might,  when  all 
his  engines  proved  ineffectual,  as  his  last  and 
sure  card,  be  played  against  the  town  of 
Mansoul. 

Now  when  the  townsmen  had  received  this 
red-hot  summons,  it  begat  in  them  at  present 
some  changing  and  interchanging  of  thoughts ; 
but  they  jointly  agreed  in  less  than  half  an 
hour  to  carry  the  summons  to  the  Prince, 
the  which  they  did  when  they  had  writ  at  the 
bottom  of  it,  “Lord,  save  Mansoul  from 
bloody  men !” 

So  he  took  it,  and  looked  upon  it  and  con- 
sidered it,  and  took  notice  also  of  that  short 


petition  that  the  men  of  Mansoul  had  written 
at  the  bottom  of  it ; and  called  to  him  the  noble 
Captain  Credence,  and  bid  him  go  and  take 
Captain  Patience  with  him,  and  go  and  take 
care  of  that  side  of  Mansoul  that  was  be- 
leaguered by  the  Blood-men.  So  they  went 
and  did  as  they  were  commanded ; the  Cap- 
tain Credence  went  and  took  Captain  Patience, 
and  they  both  secured  that  side  of  Mansoul 
that  was  besieged  by  the  Bloocl-men. 

Then  he  commanded  that  Captain  Good- 
hope,  and  Captain  Charity,  and  my  Lord 
Will-be-will  should  take  charge  of  the  other 
side  of  the  town  ; and  I,  said  the  Prince,  will 
set  my  standard  upon  the  battlements  of  jjour 
castle,  and  do  you  three  watch  against  the 
Doubters.  This  done,  he  again  commanded 
that  the  brave  captain,  the  Captain  Experi- 
ence, should  draw  up  his  men  in  the  market- 
place, and  that  there  he  should  exercise  them 
day  by  day  before  the  peojde  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul.  Now  this  siege  was  long,  and  many 
a fierce  attempt  did  the  enemy,  especially  those 
called  Blood-men,  make  upon  the  town  of 
Mansoul ; and  many  a shrewd  brush  did  some 
of  the  townsmen  meet  with  from  them,  espe- 
cially Captain  Self-denial,  who,  I should  have 
told  you  before,  was  commanded  to  take  the 
care  of  Ear-gate  and  Eye-gate  now  against  the 
Blood-men.  This  Captain  Self-denial  was  a 
young  man,  but  stout,  and  a townsman  in 
Mansoul,  as  Captain  Experience  also  was.  And 
Emmanuel,  at  his  second  return  to  Mansoul, 
made  him  a captain  over  a thousand  of  the 
Mansoulians  for  the  good  of  the  corporation. 
This  captain  therefore,  being  an  hardy  man 
and  a man  of  great  courage,  and  willing  to 
venture  himself  for  the  good  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul,  would  now  and  then  sally  out  upon 
the  Blood-men  and  give  them  many  notable 
alarms,  and  entered  several  brisk  skirmishes 
with  them,  and  also  did  some  execution  upon 
them  ; but  you  must  think  that  this  could  not 
so  easily  be  done  but  he  must  meet  with 
brushes  himself,  for  he  carried  several  of  their 
marks  in  his  face,  yea,  and  some  in  some  other 
parts  of  his  body. 

So  after  some  time  spent  for  the  trial  of  the> 
faith,  and  hope,  and  love  of  the  town  of  Man- 
soul, the  Prince  Emmanuel  upon  a day  calls 
his  captains  and  men  of  war  together  and  di- 
vides them  into  two  companies ; this  done,  he 
commands  them  at  a time  appointed,  and  that 
in  the  morning  very  early,  to  sally  out  upon 
the  enemy,  saying,  “Let  half  of  you  fall  upon 
the  Doubters,  and  half  of  you  fall  upon  the 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


471 


Blood-men.  Those  of  you  that  go  out  against 
the  Doubters  kill  and  slay  and  cause  to  perish 
so  many  of  them  as  by  any  means  you  can  lay 
hands  on  ; but  for  you  that  go  out  against  the 
Blood-men,  slay  them  not,  but  take  them 
alive.” 

So  at  the  time  appointed,  betimes  in  the 
morning,  the  captains  went  out  as  they  were 
commanded  against  the  enemies:  Captain 
Good-hope,  Captain  Charity,  and  those  that 
were  joined  with  them,  as  Captain  Innocent 
and  Captain  Experience,  went  out  against  the 
Doubters;  and  Captain  Credence  and  Captain 
Patience,  with  Captain  Self-denial  and  the  rest 
that  were  to  join  with  them,  went  out  against 
the  Blood-men. 

Now  those  that  went  out  against  the  Doubt- 
ers drew  up  into  a body  before  the  plain,  and 
marched  on  to  bid  them  battle;  but  the  Doubt- 
ers, remembering  their  last  success,  made  a re- 
treat, not  daring  to  stand  the  shock,  but  fled 
from  the  Prince’s  men ; wherefore  they  pursued 
them,  and  in  their  pursuit  slew  many,  but  they 
could  not  catch  them  all.  Now  those  that  es- 
caped went,  some  of  them  home,  and  the  rest 
by  fives,  nines,  and  seventeens,  like  wanderers, 
went  straggling  up  and  down  the  country, 
where  they  upon  the  barbarous  people  showed 
and  exercised  many  of  their  Diabolonian  ac- 
tions; nor  did  these  people  rise  up  in  arms 
against  them,  but  suffered  themselves  to  be  en- 
slaved by  them.  They  would  also  after  this 
show  themselves  in  companies  before  the  town 
of  Mansoul,  but  never  to  abide  it ; for  if  Cap- 
tain Credence,  Captain  Good-hope,  or  Captain 
Experience  did  but  show  themselves,  they 
fled. 

Those  that  went  out  against  the  Blood-men 
did  as  they  were  commanded ; they  forbore  to 
slay  any,  but  sought  to  compass  them  about. 
But  the  Blood-men,  when  they  saw  that  no 
Emmanuel  was  in  the  field,  concluded  also  that 
no  Emmanuel  was  in  Mansoul ; wherefore, 
they  looking  upon  what  the  captains  did  to  be, 
as  they  call  it,  a fruit  of  the  extravagancy  of 
their  wild  and  foolish  fancies,  rather  despised 
them  than  feared  them ; but  the  captains, 
minding  their  business,  at  last  did  compass 
them  around : they  also  that  had  routed  the 
Doubters  came  in  amain  to  their  aid ; so,  in 
fine,’ after  some  little  struggling — for  the 
Blood-men  also  would  have  run  for  it,  only 
now  it  was  too  late  (for  though  they  are  mis- 
chievous and  cruel  where  they  can  overcome, 
yet  all  Blood-men  are  chicken-hearted  men 
when  they  once  come  to  see  themselves 


matched  and  equalled,) — so  the  captains  toot 
them  and  brought  them  to  the  Prince. 

Now  when  they  were  taken,  had  before  the 
Prince,  and  examined,  he  found  them  to  be  of 
three  several  counties,  though  they  all  came 
of  one  land. 

1.  One  sort  of  them  came  out  of  Blindman- 
shire,  and  they  were  such  as  did  ignorantly 
what  they  did. 

2.  Another  sort  of  them  came  out  of  Blind- 
zealshire,  and  they  did  superstitiously  what 
they  did. 

3.  The  third  sort  of  them  came  out  of  the 
town  of  Malice,  in  the  county  of  Envy,  and 
they  did  what  they  did  out  of  spite  and  im- 
placableness. 

For  the  first  of  these — to  wit,  they  that  came 
out  of  Blindmanshire — when  they  saw  where 
they  were  and  against  whom  they  had  fought, 
they  trembled  and  cried  as  they  stood  before 
him ; and  as  many  of  these  as  asked  him 
mercy,  he  touched  their  lips  with  his  golden 
sceptre. 

They  that  came  out  of  Blindzealsliire,  they 
did  not  as  their  fellows  did ; for  they  pleaded 
that  they  had  a right  to  do  what  they  did,  be- 
cause Mansoul  was  a town  whose  laws  and  cus- 
toms were  diverse  from  all  that  dwelt  there- 
about ; very  few  of  these  could  be  brought  to 
see  their  evil,  but  those  that  did  and  asked 
mercy,  they  also  obtained  favour. 

Now  they  that  came  out  of  the  town  of 
Malice,  that  is  in  the  county  of  Envy,  they 
neither  wept,  nor  disputed,  nor  repented,  but 
stood  gnawing  of  their  tongues  before  him  for 
anguish  and  madness  because  they  could  not 
have  their  will  upon  Mansoul.  Now  these 
last,  with  all  those  of  the  other  two  sorts  that 
did  not  unfeignedly  ask  pardon  for  their  faults, 
those  he  made  to  enter  into  sufficient  bond  to 
answer  for  what  they  had  done  against  Man- 
soul and  against  her  King,  at  the  great  and 
general  assizes  to  be  liolden  for  our  Lord  the 
King,  where  he  himself  should  appoint,  for  the 
country  and  kingdom  of  Universe. 

So  they  became  bound,  each  man  for  him- 
self, to  come  in  when  called  upon,  to  answer 
before  our  Lord  the  King  for  what  they  had 
done,  as  before. 

And  thus  much  concerning  this  second  army 
that  was  sent  by  Diabolus  to  overthrow'  Man- 
soul. 

But  there  were  three  of  those  that  came 
from  the  land  of  Doubting  who,  after  they 
had  wandered  and  ranged  the  country  awhile 
and  perceived  that  they  had  escaped,  were 


472 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


so  hardy  as  to  thrust  themselves,  knowing 
that  yet  there  were  in  the  town  some  who 
took  part  with  Diabolus — I say,  they  were  so 
hardy  as  to  thrust  themselves  into  Mansoul. 
(Three,  did  I say?  I think  there  were  four.) 
Now  to  whose  house  should  these  Doubters  go 
but  to  the  house  of  an  old  Diabolonian  in 
Mansoul,  whose  name  was  Evil-questioning ; a 
very  great  enemy  he  was  to  Mansoul,  and  a 
great  doer  among  Diabolonians  there.  Well, 
to  this  Evil-questioning’s  house,  as  was  said, 
did  these  Diabolonians  come,  (you  may  be  sure 
that  they  had  directions  how  to  find  the  way 
thither;)  so  he  made  them  welcome,  pitied 
their  misfortune,  and  succored  them  with  the 
best  that  he  had  in  his  house.  Now,  after  a 
little  acquaintance,  (and  it  was  hot  long  be- 
fore they  had  that,)  this  old  Evil-questioning 
asked  the  Doubters  if  they  were  all  of  a town ; 
he  knew  that  they  were  all  of  one  kingdom. 
And  they  answered,  No,  nor  of  one  shire, 
neither ; for  I,  said  one,  am  an  Election-doubt- 
er ; I,  said  another,  am  a Vocation-doubter ; then 
said  the  third,  I am  a Salvation-doubter ; and 
the  fourth  said  he  was  a Grace-doubter.  Well, 
quoth  the  old  gentleman,  be  of  what  shire  you 
will,  I am  persuaded  that  you  are  town-boys ; 
you  have  the  very  length  of  my  foot,  are  one 
with  my  heart,  and  shall  be  welcome  to  me. 
So  they  thanked  him,  and  were  glad  that  they 
had  found  themselves  an  harbour  in  Mansoul. 
Then  said  Evil-questioning  to  them,  How 
many  of  your  company  might  there  be  that 
came  with  you  to  the  siege  of  Mansoul  ? And 
they  answered,  There  were  but  ten  thousand 
Doubters  in  all,  for  the  rest  of  the  army  con- 
sisted of  fifteen  thousand  Blood-men.  These 
Blood-men,  quoth  they,  border  upon  our  coun- 
try, but,  poor  men ! as  we  hear  they  were  every 
oue  taken  by  Emmanuel’s  forces.  Ten  thou- 
sand ! quoth  the  old  gentleman : I’ll  promise 
you  that  is  a round  company.  But  how  came 
it  to  pass,  since  you  were  so  mighty  a number, 
that  you  fainted  and  durst  not  fight  your  foes? 
Our  general,  said  they,  was  the  first  man  that 
did  run  for  it.  Pray,  quoth  their  landlord, 
who  was  that  your  cowardly  general?  Pie  was 
once  the  lord  mayor  of  Mansoul,  said  they. 
But  pray  call  him  not  a cowardly  general,  for 
whether  any  from  the  east  to  the  west  had  done 
more  service  for  our  Prince  Diabolus  than  has 
my  IiOrd  Incredulity  will  be  a hard  question 
for  you  to  answer.  But  had  they  catclied  him, 
they  would  for  certain  have  hanged  him,  and 
we  promise  you  hanging  is  but  a bad  business. 
Then  said  the  old  gentleman,  I would  that  all 


the  ten  thousand  Doubters  were  now  well  armed 
in  Mansoul,  and  myself  at  the  head  of  them : 
I would  see  what  I could  do.  Ay,  said  they, 
that  would  be  well  if  we  could  see  that ; but 
wishes,  alas ! what  are  they  ? and  these  words 
were  spoken  aloud.  Well,  said  old  Evil-ques- 
tioning, take  heed  that  you  talk  not  too  loud : 
you  must  be  squat  and  close,  and  must  take 
care  of  yourselves  while  you  are  here,  or  I’ll 
assure  you  you  will  be  snapped. 

Why?  quoth  the  Doubters. 

Why ! quoth  the  old  gentleman.  Why,  be- 
cause both  the  Prince  and  the  lord  secretary, 
and  their  captains  and  soldiers,  are  all  at  pres- 
ent in  town ; yea,  the  town  is  as  full  of  them 
as  ever  it  can  hold.  And  besides,  there  is  one 
whose  name  is  Will-be-will,  a most  cruel  ene- 
my of  ours,  and  him  the  Prince  has  made 
keeper  of  the  gates,  and  has  commanded  him 
that  with  all  the  diligence  he  can  he  should 
look  for,  search  out,  and  destroy  all  and  all 
manner  of  Diabolonians.  And  if  he  lighted 
upon  you,  down  you  go,  though  your  heads 
were  made  of  gold. 

And  now  to  see  how  it  happened.  One  of 
the  Lord  Will-be-will’s  faithful  soldiers,  whose 
name  was  Mr.  Diligence,  stood  all  this  while 
listening  under  old  Evil-questioning’s  eaves, 
and  heard  all  the  talk  that  had  been  betwixt 
him  and  the  Doubters  that  he  entertained 
under  his  roof. 

The  soldier  was  a man  that  my  lord  had 
much  confidence  in,  and  that  he  loved  dearly, 
and  that  both  because  he  was  a man  of  cour- 
age and  also  a man  that  was  unwearied  in  seek- 
ing after  Diabolonians  to  apprehend  them. 

Now  this  man,  as  I told  you,  heard  all  the 
talk  that  was  betwixt  old  Evil-questioning  and 
these  Diabolonians;  wherefore  what  does  he 
but  goes  to  his  lord  and  tells  him  what  he  had 
heard?  And  sayest  thou  so,  my  trusty?  quoth 
my  lord.  Ay,  quoth  Diligence,  that  I do,  and 
if  your  lordship  will  be  pleased  to  go  with  me, 
you  shall  find  it  as  I have  said.  And  are  they 
there  ? quoth  my  lord : I know  Evil-question- 
ing well,  for  he  and  I were  great  in  the  time 
of  our  apostacy.  But  I know  not  now  where 
he  dwells.  But  I do,  said  this  man ; and  if 
your  lordship  will  go,  I will  lead  you  the  way 
into  his  den.  Go  ! quoth  my  lord ; that  I will. 
Come,  my  Diligence,  let  us  go  find  them  out. 
So  my  lord  and  his  man  went  together  the 
direct  way  to  his  house.  Now  his  man  went 
before  to  show  him  his  way,  and  they  went  till 
they  came  even  under  old  Mr.  Evil-question- 
ing’s wall.  Then  said  Diligence,  Hark,  my 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


473 


lord ! do  you  know  the  old  gentleman’s  tongue 
when  you  hear  it?  Yes,  said  my  lord,  I know 
it  well,  hut  I have  not  seen  him  many  a day. 
This  I know,  he  is  cunning;  I wish  he  doth 
not  give  us  the  slip.  Let  me  alone  for  that, 
said  his  servant  Diligence.  But  how  shall  we 
find  the  door?  quoth  my  lord.  Let  me  alone 
for  that  too,  said  his  man.  So  he  had  my  Lord 
Will-hc-will  about  and  showed  him  the  way 
to  the  door.  Then  my  lord  without  more  ado 
broke  open  the  door,  rushed  into  the  house, 
and  caught  them  all  five  together,  even  as 
Diligence,  his  man,  had  told  him.  So  my 
lord  apprehended  them  and  led  them  away, 
and  committed  them  to  the  hand  of  Mr.  True- 
man the  jailer,  and  commanded  and  he  did 
put  them  in  ward.  This  done,  my  lord  mayor 
was  acquainted  in  the  morning  with  what  my 
Lord  Will-be-will  had  done  over  night,  and 
his  lordship  rejoiced  much  at  the  news,  not 
only  because  there  were  Doubters  apprehended, 
but  because  that  old  Evil-questioning  was 
taken ; for  he  had  been  a very  great  trouble  to 
Mansoul,  and  much  affliction  to  my  lord  mayor 
himself.  He  had  also  been  sought  for  often, 
but  no  hand  could  ever  be  laid  upon  him  till 
now. 

Well,  the  next  thing  was  to  make  prepara- 
tion to  try  these  five  that  by  my  lord  had  been 
apprehended,  and  that  were  in  the  hands  of 
Mr.  True-man  the  jailer.  So  the  day  was  set 
and  the  court  called  and  come  together,  and 
being  seated,  the  prisoners  were  brought  to  the 
bar.  My  Lord  Will-be-will  had  power  to  have 
slain  them  when  at  first  he  took  them,  and 
that  without  any  more  ado,  but  he  thought  it 
at  this  time  more  for  the  honour  of  the  Prince, 
the  comfort  of  Mansoul,  and  the  discourage- 
ment of  the  enemy  to  bring  them  forth  to 
public  judgment. 

But,  I say,  Mr.  True-man  brought  them  in 
chains  to  the  bar,  to  the  town-hall,  for  that 
was  tli  e place  of  j udgment.  So,  to  be  short,  the 
jury  was  pannellcd,  the  witnesses  sworn,  and 
the  prisoners  tried  for  their  lives : the  jury  was 
the  same  that  tried  Mr.  No-truth,  Pitiless, 
Haughty,  and  the  rest  of  their  companions. 

And  first,  old  Questioning  himself  was  set 
to  the  bar,  for  he  was  the  receiver,  the  enter- 
tainer and  comforter  of  these  Doubters,  that 
by  nation  were  outlandish  men ; then  he  was 
bid  to  hearken  to  his  charge,  and  was  told  that 
he  had  liberty  to  object  if  he  had  aught  to  say 
for  himself.  So  his  indictment  wa§  read ; the 
manner  and  form  here  follows : 

Mr.  Questioning,  thou  art  here  indicted  by 


the  name  of  Evil-questioning,  (an  intruder 
upon  the  town  of  Mansoul,)  for  that  thou  art 
a Diabolonian  by  nature,  and  also  a hater  of 
the  Prince  Emmanuel,  and  one  that  hast 
studied  the  ruin  of  the  town  of  Mansoul. 
Thou  art  also  here  indicted  for  countenancing 
the  King’s  enemies,  after  wholesome  laws 
made  to  the  contrary.  For,  1.  Thou  hast 
questioned  the  truth  of  her  doctrine  and  state; 
2.  In  wishing  that  ten  thousand  Doubters  were 
in  her ; 3.  In  receiving,  in  entertaining,  and 
encouraging  of  her  enemies  that  came  from 
their  army  unto  thee.  What  sayest  thou  to 
this  indictment? — art  thou  guilty  or  not  guilty? 

My  lord,  quoth  he,  I know  not  the  meaning 
of  this  indictment,  forasmuch  as  I am  not  the 
man  concerned  in  it;  the  man  that  standeth 
by  this  charge,  accused  before  this  bench,  is 
called  by  the  name  of  Evil-questioning,  which 
name  I deny  to  be  mine,  mine  being  Honest- 
inquiring.  The  one  indeed  sounds  like  the 
other;  but  I trow  your  lordship  knows  that 
between  these  two  there  is  a wide  difference; 
for  I hope  that  a man,  even  in  the  worst  of 
times,  and  that  too  amongst  the  worst  of  men, 
may  make  an  honest  inquiry  after  things  with- 
out running  the  danger  of  death. 

Then  spake  my  Lord  Will-be-will,  for  he 
was  one  of  the  witnesses : My  lord,  and  you 
the  honourable  bench  and  magistrates  of  the 
town  of  Mansoul,  you  all  have  heard  with  your 
ears  that  the  prisoner  at  the  bar  has  denied 
his  name,  and  so  thinks  to  shift  from  the 
charge  of  the  indictment.  But  I know  him  to 
be  the  man  concerned,  and  that  his  proper 
name  is  Evil-questioning.  I have  known  him, 
my  lord,  above  this  thirty  years,  for  he  and  I 
(a  shame  it  is  for  me  to  speak  it)  were  great 
acquaintance  when  Diabolus,  that  tyrant,  had 
the  government  of  Mansoul ; and  I testify  that 
he  is  a Diabolonian  by  nature,  an  enemy  to 
our  Prince,  and  hater  of  the  blessed  town  of 
Mansoul.  He  has  in  times  of  rebellion  been 
at  and  lain  in  my  house,  my  lord,  not  so  little 
as  twenty  nights  together ; and  we  did  use  to 
talk  then  (for  the  substance  of  talk)  as  he  and 
his  Doubters  have  talked  of  late ; true,  I have 
not  seen  him  many  a day.  I suppose  that  the 
coming  of  Emmanuel  to  Mansoul  has  made 
him  to  change  his  lodgings,  as  this  indictment 
has  driven  him  to  change  his  name ; but  this 
is  the  man,  my  lord. 

Then  said  the  court  unto  him,  Hast  thou 
any  more  to  say  ? 

Yes,  quoth  the  old  gentleman,  that  I have; 
for  all  that  as  yet  has  been  said  against  me  is 


474 


bunyan;s  complete  wopjcs. 


but  by  the  mouth  of  one  witness,  and  it  is  not 
lawful  for  the  famous  town  of  Mansoul  at  the 
mouth  of  one  witness  to  put  any  man  to  death. 

Then  stood  forth  Mr.  Diligence  and  said, 
My  lord,  as  I was  upon  my  watch  such  a night, 
at  the  head,  of  Bad-street  in  this  town,  I 
chanced  to  hear  a muttering  within  this  gen- 
tleman’s house ; then  thought  I,  What  is  to  do 
here  ? So  I went  up  close  but  very  softly  to 
the  side  of  the  house  to  listen,  thinking,  as 
indeed  it  fell  out,  that  there  I might  light 
upon  some  Diabolonian  conventicle.  So,  as  I 
said,  I drew  nearer  and  nearer,  and  when  I 
was  got  up  close  to  the  wall,  it  was  but  a while 
before  I perceived  that  there  were  outlandish 
men  in  the  house,  but  I did  well  understand 
their  speech,  for  I have  been  a traveller  my- 
self. Nowr  hearing  such  language,  in  such  a 
tottering  cottage  as  this  old  gentleman  dwelt 
in,  I clapt  mine  ear  to  a hole  in  the  window, 
and  there  heard  them  talk  as  followeth.  This 
old  Mr.  Questioning  asked  these  Doubters 
what  they  were,  whence  they  came,  and  what 
was  their  business  in  these  parts?  And  they 
told  him  to  all  these  questions,  yet  he  did  en- 
tertain them.  He  also  asked  what  numbers 
there  were  of  them,  and  they  told  him  ten 
thousand  men.  He  then  asked  them  why  they 
made  no  more  manly  assault  upon  Mansoul, 
and  they  told  him ; so  he  called  their  general 
coward  for  marching  off  when  he  should  have 
fought  for  his  prince.  Further,  this  old  Evil- 
questioning wished,  and  I heard  him  wish, 
Would  all  the  ten  thousand  Doubters  were 
now  in  Mansoul,  and  himself  at  the  head  of 
them ! He  bid  them  also  to  take  heed  and  lie 
quiet,  for  if  they  were  taken  they  must  die, 
although  they  had  heads  of  gold. 

Then  said  the  court : Mr.  Evil-questioning, 
here  is  now  another  witness  against  you,  and 
his  testimony  is  full.  1.  He  swears  that  you 
did  receive  these  men  into  your  house,  and 
that  you  did  nourish  them  there,  though  you 
kr.ew  that  they  were  Diabolonians  and  the 
King’s  enemies.  2.  He  swears  that  you  did 
wish  ten  thousand  of  them  in  Mansoul.  3.  He 
swears  that  you  did  give  them  advice  to  be 
quiet  and  close,  lest  they  should  be  taken  by 
the  King’s  servants.  All  which  manifesteth 
that  thou  art  a Diabolonian,  for  liadst  thou 
been  a friend  to  the  King  thou  wouldst  have 
apprehended  them. 

Then  said  Evil-questioning : To  the  first  of 
these  I answer,  The  men  that  came  into  mine 
house  were  strangers,  and  I took  them  in,  and 
is  it  now  become  a crime  in  Mansoul  for  a man 


to  entertain  strangers?  That  I did  also  nour- 
ish them  is  true,  and  why  should  my  charity 
be  blamed?  As  for  the  reason  why  I wished 
ten  thousand  of  them  in  Mansoul,  I never  told 
it  to  the  witnesses  nor  to  themselves.  I might 
wish  them  to  be  taken,  and  so  my  wish  might 
mean  well  to  Mansoul  for  aught  that  any  yet 
knows.  I did  also  bid  them  take  heed  that 
they  fell  not  into  the  captains’  hands,  but  that 
might  be  because  I api  unwilling  that  any  man 
should  be  slain,  and  not  because  I would  have 
the.  King’s  enemies,  as  such,  escape. 

My  lord  mayor  then  replied  that  though  it 
was  a virtue  to  entertain  strangers,  yet  it  was 
treason  to  entertain  the  King’s  enemies.  And 
for  what  else  thou  hast  said,  thou  dost  by 
words  but  labour  to  evade  and  defer  the  exe- 
cution of  judgment.  But  could  there  be  no 
more  proved  against  thee  but  that  thou  art  a 
Diabolonian,  thou  must  for  that  die  the  death 
by  the  law ; but  to  be  a receiver,  a nourisher, 
a countenancer,  and  a harbourer  of  others  of 
them,  yea,  of  outlandish  Diabolonians — of 
them  that  come'  from  far  on  purpose  to  cut 
off  and  destroy  our  Mansoul — this  must  not 
be  borne. 

Then  said  Evil-questioning,  I see  how  the 
game  will  go;  I must  die  for  my  name  and 
for  my  charity.  And  so  he  held  his  peace. 

Then  they  called  the  outlandish  Doubters  to 
the  bar;  and  the  first  of  them  that  was  ar- 
raigned was  the  Election-doubter;  so  his  in- 
dictment was  read,  and  because  he  was  an 
outlandish  man,  the  substance  of  it  was  told 
him  by  an  interpreter — to  wit,  that  he  was 
there  charged  with  being  an  enemy  of  Em- 
manuel the  Prince,  a hater  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul,  and  an  opposer  of  her  most  whole- 
some doctrine. 

Then  the  judge  asked  him  if  he  would 
plead?  But  he  said  only  this,  that  he  con- 
fessed that  he  was  an  Election-doubter,  and 
that  was  the  religion  that  he  had  ever  been 
brought  up  in.  He  said,  moreover,  If  I must 
die  for  my  religion,  I trow  I shall  die  a mar- 
tyr, and  so  I care  the  less. 

Then  the  judge  replied:  To  question  elec- 
tion is  to  overthrow  a great  doctrine  of  the 
Gospel — to  wit,  the  omniscience,  and  power, 
and  will  of  God ; to  take  away  the  liberty  of 
God  with  his  creature;  to  stumble  the  faith  of 
the  town  of  Mansoul;  and  to  make  salvation 
to  depend  upon  works,  and  not  upon  grace.  It 
also  belies  the  word,  and  disquiets  the  minds 
of  the  men  of  Mansoul ; therefore  by  the  best 
of  laws  he  must  die. 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


475 


Then  was  the  Vocation-doubter  called  and 
set  to  the  bar;  and  his  indictment  for  sub- 
stance  was  the  same  with  the  other,  only  be 
was  particularly  charged  with  denying  the 
calling  of  Mansoul. 

The  judge  asked  him  also  what  lie  had  to 
say  for  himself? 

So  he  replied  that  he  never  believed  that 
there  was  any  such  thing  as  a distinct  and 
powerful  call  of  God  to  Mansoul.  otherwise 
than  by  the  general  voice  of  the  word ; nor  by 
that  neither,  otherwise  than  as  it  exhorted 
them  to  forbear  evil  and  to  do  that  which  is 
good ; and  in  so  doing  a promise  of  happiness 
is  annexed. 

Then  said  the  judge:  Thou  art  a Diabolo- 
nian,  and  hast  denied  a great  part  of  one  of 
the  most  experimental  truths  of  the  Prince  of 
the  town  of  Mansoul ; for  he  has  called,  and 
she  has  heard  a most  distinct  and  powerful 
call  of  her  Emmanuel,  by  which  she  has  been 
quickened,  awakened,  and  possessed  with  heav- 
enly grace  to  desire  to  have  communion  with 
her  Prince,  to  serve  him,  and  do  his  will,  and 
to  look  for  her  happiness  merely  of  his  good 
pleasure.  And  for  thine  abhorrence  of  this 
good  doctrine  thou  must  die  the  death. 

Then  the  Grace-doubter  was  called  and  his 
indictment  read  ; and  he  replied  thereto  that 
though  he  was  of  the  land  of  Doubting,  his 
father  was  the  offspring  of  a Pharisee,  and 
lived  in  good  fashion  among  his  neighbours; 
and  that  he  taught  him  to  believe,  and  believe 
it  he  did  and  would,  that  Mansoul  shall  never 
be  saved  freely  by  grace. 

Then  said  the  judge:  Why,  the  law  of  the 
Prince  is  plain— 1.  Negatively,  Not  of  works. 
2.  Positively,  By  grace  you  are  saved.  And 
thy  religion  settletli  in  and  upon  the  works  of 
the  flesh,  for  the  works  of  the  law  are  the  works 
of  the  flesh.  Besides,  in  saying  as  thou  hast 
done  thou  hast  robbed  God  of  his  glory  and 
given  it  to  a sinful  man ; thou  hast  robbed 
Christ  of  the  necessity  of  his  undertaking  and 
the  sufficiency  thereof,  and  hast  given  both 
these  to  the  works  of  the  flesh.  Thou  hast 
despised  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  hast 
magnified  the  will  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
legal  mind.  Thou  art  a Diabolonian,  the  son 
of  a Diabolonian,  and  for  thy  Diabolonian 
principles  thou  must  die. 

The  court  then  having  proceeded  thus  far 
with  them,  sent  out  the  jury,  who  forthwith 
brought  them  in  guilty  of  death.  Then  stood 
up  the  recorder  and  addressed  himself  to  the 
7 risoners : You,  the  prisoners  at  the  bar,  you 


have  been  here  indicted  and  proven  guilty  of 
high  crimes  against  Emmanuel  our  Prince, 
and  against  the  welfare  of  the  famous  town  of 
Mansoul — crimes  for  which  you  must  be  put 
to  death  ; and  die  ye  accordingly. 

So  they  were  sentenced  to  the  death  of  the 
cross.  The  place  assigned  them  for  execution 
was  that  where  Diabolusdrew  up  his  last  army 
against  Mansoul,  save  only  that  old  Evil-ques- 
tioning was  hanged  at  the  top  of  Bad-street, 
just  over  against  his  own  door. 

When  the  town  of  Mansoul  had  thus  far  rid 
themselves  of  their  enemies  and  of  the  troub- 
les of  their  peace,  in  the  next  place  a strict 
commandment  was  given  out  that  yet  my  Lord 
Will-be-will  should,  with  Diligence  his  man, 
search  for  and  do  his  best  to  apprehend  what 
Diabolonians  were  yet  left  alive  in  Mansoul. 
The  names  of  several  of  them  were  Mr.  Fool- 
ing, Mr.  Let-good-slip,  Mr.  Slavish-fear,  Mr. 
No-love,  Mr.  Mistrust,  Mr.  Flesh,  and  Mr. 
Sloth.  It  was  also  commanded  that  lie  should 
apprehend  Mr.  Evil-questioning’s  children 
that  he  left  behind  him,  and  that  they  should 
demolish  his  house.  The  children  that  he  left 
behind  were  these:  Mr.  Doubt,  and  he  was  his 
eldest  son;  the  next  to  him  was  Legal-life, 
Unbelief,  Wrong-thoughts-of-Christ,  Clip- 
promise,  Carnal-sense,  Live-by-feeling,  Self- 
love.  All  these  he  had  by  one  wife,  and  her 
name  was  No-liope;  she  was  the  kinswoman 
of  old  Incredulity,  for  he  was  her  uncle,  and 
when  her  father,  old  Dark,  was  dead,  he  took 
her  and  brought  her  up,  and  when  she  was 
marriageable  he  gave  her  to  this  old  Evil- 
questioning to  wife. 

Now  the  Lord  Will-be-will  did  put  into 
execution  his  commission,  with  good  Diligence 
his  man.  He  took  Fooling  in  the  streets  and 
hanged  him  up  in  Want-wit-alley,  over  against 
his  own  house.  This  Fooling  was  he  that 
would  have  had  the  town  of  Mansoul  deliver 
up  Captain  Credence  into  the  hands  of  Diab- 
olus,  provided  that  then  he  would  have  with- 
drawn his  force  out  of  the  town.  He  also 
took  Mr.  Lct-good-slip  one  day  as  he  was  busy 
in  the  market,  and  executed  him  according  to 
law.  Now  there  was  an  honest,  poor  man  in 
Mansoul,  and  his  name  was  Mr.  Meditation — 
one  of  no  great  account  in  the  days  of  apos- 
tacy,  but  now  of  repute  with  the  best  of  the 
town.  This  man  therefore  they  were  willing 
to  prefer ; now  Mr.  Let-good-slip  had  a great 
deal  of  wealth  heretofore  in  Mansoul,  and  at 
Emmanuel’s  coming  it  was  sequestered  to  the 
use  of  the  Prince;  this  therefore  was  now 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


given  to  Mr.  Meditation,  to  improve  for  the 
common  good,  and  after  him  to  his  son,  Mr. 
Think-well ; this  Think-well  he  had  by  Mrs. 
Piety  his  wife,  and  she  was  the  daughter  of 
Mr.  Recorder. 

After  this  my  lord  apprehended  Clip-prom- 
ise ; now,  because  he  was  a notorious  villain, 
(for  by  his  doings  much  of  the  King’s  coin 
was  abused,)  therefore  he  was  made  a public 
example.  He  was  arraigned  and  judged  to  be 
first  set  in  the  pillory,  then  to  be  whipped  by 
all  the  children  and  servants  in  Mansoul,  and 
then  to  be  hanged  till  he  was  dead. 

He  also  apprehended  Carnal-sense  and  put 
him  in  hold,  but  how  it  came  about  I cannot 
tell,  but  he  brake  prison  and  made  his  escape. 
Yea,  and  the  hold  villain  will  not  yet  quit  the 
town,  but  lurks  in  the  Diabolonian  dens  in  the 
daytime,  and  haunts  like  a ghost  honest  men’s 
houses  at  nights.  Wherefore  there  was  a 
proclamation  set  up  in  the  marketplace  in 
Mansoul,  signifying  that  whosoever  could  dis- 
cover Carnal-sense,  and  apprehend  him  and 
slay  him,  should  be  admitted  daily  to  the 
Prince’s  table  and  should  be  made  keeper  of 
the  treasure  of  Mansoul.  Many  therefore  did 
bend  themselves  to  do  this  thing,  but  take  him 
and  slay  him  they  could  not,  though  often  he 
was  discovered. 

But  my  lord  took  Mr.  Wrong-thoughts-of- 
Christ  and  put  him  into  prison,  and  he  died 
there,  though  it  was  long  first,  for  he  died  of  a 
lingering  consumption. 

Self-love  was  also  taken  and  committed  to 
custody,  but  there  were  many  that  were  allied 
to  him  in  Mansoul,  so  his  judgment  was  de- 
ferred ; but  at  last  Mr.  Self-denial  stood  up  and 
said,  If  such  villains  as  these  may  be  winked 
at  in  Mansoul,  I will  lay  down  my  commission. 
He  also  took  him  from  the  crowd  and  had  him 
among  his  soldiers,  and  there  he  was  brained. 
But  some  in  Mansoul  muttered  at  it,  though 
none  durst  speak  plainly,  because  Emmanuel 
was  in  town.  But  this  brave  act  of  Captain 
Self-denial  came  to  the  Prince’s  ears ; so  he 
sent  for  him  and  made  him  a lord  in  Mansoul. 

Then  my  Lord  Self-denial  took  courage,  and 
set  to  the  pursuing  the  Diabolonians  with  my 
Lord  Will-be-will ; and  they  took  Live-by- 
feeling  and  they  took  Legal-life,  and  put  them 
in  hold  till  they  died.  But  Mr.  Unbelief  was 
a nimble  jack;  him  they  could  never  lay  hold 
of,  though  they  attempted  to  do  it  often.  He 
therefore,  and  some  few  more  of  the  Diabo- 
lonian tribe,  did  yet  remain  in  Mansoul  to  the 
time  that  Mansoul  left  off  to  dwell  any  longer 


in  the  kingdom  of  Universe.  But  they  kept 
them  to  their  dens  and  holes;  if  one  of  them 
did  appear,  or  happen  to  be  seen  in  any  of  the 
streets  of  the  town  of  Mansoul,  the  whole  town 
would  be  up  in  arms  after  them  ; yea,  the  very 
children  in  Mansoul  would  cry  out  after  them 
as  after  a thief,  and  would  wish  that  they 
might  stone  them  to  death  with  stones.  And 
now  did  Mansoul  arrive  to  some  good  degree 
of  peace  and  quiet ; her  Prince  also  did  abide 
within  her  borders ; her  captains  also  and  her 
soldiers  did  their  duties,  and  Mansoul  minded 
her  trade  that  she  had  with  the  country  that 
was  afar  off;  also  she  was  busy  in  her  manu- 
facture. 

When  the  town  of  Mansoul  had  thus  far  rid 
themselves  of  so  many  of  their  enemies  and 
the  troublers  of  their  peace,  the  Prince  sent  to 
them  and  appointed  a day  wherein  he  would 
at  the  market-place  meet  the  whole  people, 
and  there  give  them  in  charge  concerning  some 
further  safety  and  comfort,  and  to  the  con- 
demnation and  destruction  of  their  home-bred 
Diabolonians.  So  the  day  appointed  was  come, 
and  the  townsmen  met  together;  Emmanuel 
also  came  down  in  his  chariot,  and  all  his  cap- 
tains in  their  state  attending  of  him  on  the 
right  hand  and  on  the  left.  Then  was  an  “ 0 
ye”  made  for  silence;  and  after  some  mutual 
carriages  of  love  the  Prince  began  and  thus 
proceeded : 

You,  my  Mansoul,  and  the  beloved  of  mine 
heart,  many  and  great  are  the  privileges  that 
I have  bestowed  upon  you ; I have  singled  you 
out  from  others  and  have  chosen  you  to  myself, 
not  for  your  worthiness,  but  for  mine  own 
sake.  I have  also  redeemed  you,  not  only  from 
the  dread  of  my  Father’s  law,  but  from  the 
hand  of  Diabolus.  This  I have  done  because 
I have  loved  you,  and  because  I have  set  my 
heart  upon  you  to  do  you  good.  I have  also, 
that  all  things  that  might  hinder  thy  way  to 
the  pleasures  of  paradise  might  be  taken  out 
of  the  way,  laid  down  for  thee,  for  thy  soul,  a 
plenary  satisfaction,  and  have  bought  thee  to 
myself — a price  not  of  corruptible  things  as  of 
silver  and  gold,  but  a price  of  blood,  mine  own 
blood,  which  I have  freely  spilt  upon  the 
ground  to  make  thee  mine.  So  I have  recon- 
ciled thee,  0 my  Mansoul ! to  my  Father,  and 
interested  thee  in  the  mansion-houses  that  are 
with  my  Father,  in  the  royal  city,  where 
things  are,  0 my  Mansoul  1 that  eye  hath  not 
seen,  nor  hath  entered  into  the  heart  of  man 
•to  conceive. 

Besides,  0 my  Mansoul ! thou  seest  what  I 


THE  IIOLY  WAR. 


477 


!u\ vc  done,  and  how  I have  taken  thee  out  of 
the  hands  of  thine  enemies,  unto  whom  thou 
hast  deeply  revolted  from  my  Father,  and  by 
whom  thou  wast  content  to  be  possessed  and 
also  to  be  destroyed.  I came  to  thee  first  by 
my  law,  and  then  by  my  Gospel,  to  awaken 
thee  and  show  thee  my  glory.  And  thou  know- 
est  what  thou  wast,  what  thou  saidest,  what 
thou  didst,  and  how  many  times  thou  rebel- 
ledst  against  my  Father  and  me;  yet  I left  thee 
not,  as  thou  seest  this  day,  but  came  to  thee, 
have  borne  thy  manners,  have  waited  upon 
thee,  and  after  all  accepted  of  thee,  even  of 
my  mere  grace  and  favour,  and  would  not 
suffer  thee  to  be  lost,  as  thou  most  willingly 
wouldst  have  been. 

Thou  seest,  moreover,  my  Mansoul,  how  I 
have  passed  by  thy  backslidings  and  have 
healed  thee.  Indeed  I was  angry  with  thee, 
but  I have  turned  mine  anger  away  from  thee, 
because  I loved  thee  still,  and  mine  anger  and 
mine  indignation  is  ceased  in  the  destruction 
of  thine  enemies,  0 Mansoul ! Nor  did  thy 
goodness  fetch  me  again  unto  thee  after  that  I 
for  thy  transgressions  had  hid  my  face  and 
withdrawn  my  presence  from  thee.  The  way 
of  backsliding  was  thine,  but  the  way  and 
means  of  thy  recovery  was  mine.  I invented 
the  meaus  of  tliy  return.  It  was  I that  made 
an  hedge  and  a wall  when  thou  wast  begin- 
ning to  turn  to  things  in  which  I delighted  not. 
It  was  I that  made  thy  sweet  bitter,  thy  day 
night,  thy  smooth  way  thorny,  and  that  also 
confounded  all  that  sought  thy  destruction.  It 
was  I that  set  Mr.  Godly-fear  to  work  in  Man- 
soul. It  was  I that  stirred  up  thy  conscience 
and  understanding,  thy  will  and  thy  affections, 
after  thy  great  and  woeful  decay.  It  was  I 
that  put  life  into  thee,  0 Mansoul ! to  seek  me 
that  thou  miglitest  find  me,  and  in  thy  finding 
find  thine  own  health,  and  happiness,  and  sal- 
vation. It  was  I that  fetched  the  second  time 
the  Diabolonians  out  of  Mansoul,  and  it  was  I 
that  overcame  them  and  that  destroyed  them 
before  thy  face. 

And  now,  my  Mansoul,  I am  returned  to 
thee  in  peace,  and  thy  transgressions  against 
me  are  as  if  they  had  not  been.  Nor  shall  it 
be  with  thee  as  in  former  days,  but  I will  do 
better  for  thee  than  at  thy  beginning.  For  yet 
a little  while,  O my  Mansoul ! even  after  a few 
more  times  are  gone  over  thy  head,  I will  (but 
be  not  troubled  at  what  I say)  take  down  this 
famous  town  of  Mansoul,  stick  and  stone,  to 
the  ground,  and  I will  carry  the  stones  thereof, 
and  the  timber  thereof,  and  the  walls  thereof, 


and  the  dust  thereof,  and  the  inhabitants  there- 
of, into  mine  own  country,  even  into  a king- 
dom of  my  Father;  and  will  there  set  it  up  in 
such  strength  and  glory  as  it  never  did  see  in 
the  kingdom  where  now  it  is  placed.  I will 
even  there  set  it  up  for  my  Father’s  habitation, 
for  for  that  purpose  it  was  at  first  erected  in 
the  kingdom  of  Universe;  and  there  will  I 
make  it  a spectacle  of  wonder,  a monument  of 
mercy,  and  tire  admirer  of  its  own  mercy. 
There  shall  the  natives  of  Mansoul  see  all 
that  of  which  they  have  seen  nothing  here; 
there  shall  they  be  equal  to  those  unto  whom 
they  have  been  inferior  here.  And  there  thou 
shalt,  O my  Mansoul!  have  such  communion 
with  me,  with  my  Father,  and  with  your  lord 
secretary  as  is  not  possible  here  to  be  enjoyed, 
nor  ever  could  be,  sliouldst  thou  live  in  Uni- 
verse the  space  of  a thousand  years. 

And  there,  0 my  Mansoul!  thou  shalt  be 
afraid  of  murderers  no  more — of  Diabolonians 
and  their  threats  no  more.  There  shall  be  no 
more  plots,  nor  contrivances,  nor  designs 
against  thee,  O my  Mansoul!  There  thou 
shalt  no  more  hear  the  evil  tidings  or  the 
noise  of  the  Diabolonian  drum.  There  thou 
shalt  not  see  the  Diabolonian  standard-bearers, 
nor  yet  behold  Diabolus’s  standard.  No  Diab- 
olonian mount  shall  be  cast  up  against  thee 
there,  nor  shall  there  the  Diabolonian  standard 
be  set  up  to  make  thee  afraid.  There  thou 
shalt  not  need  captains,  engines,  soldiers  and 
men  of  war.  There  thou  shalt  meet  with  no 
sorrow  nor  grief,  nor  shall  it  be  possible  that 
any  Diabolonian  should  again,  for  ever,  be 
able  to  creep  into  thy  skirts,  burrow  in  thy 
walls,  or  be  seen  again  within  thy  borders,  all 
the  days  of  eternity.  Life  shall  there  last 
longer  than  here  you  are  able  to  desire  it 
should,  aud  yet  it  shall  always  be  sweet  and 
new,  nor  shall  any  impediment  attend  it  for 
ever. 

There,  O Mansoul ! thou  shalt  meet  with 
many  of  those  that  have  been  like  thee,  and 
that  have  been  partakers  of  thy  sorrows ; even 
such  as  I have  chosen,  and  redeemed,  and  set 
apart,  as  thou,  for  my  Father’s  court  and  city 
royal.  All  they  will  be  glad  in  thee,  and  thou, 
when  thou  seest  them,  shalt  be  glad  in  thine 
heart. 

There  are  things,  0 Mansoul! — even  things 
of  thy  Father’s  providing  and  mine  — that 
never  were  seen  since  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  and  they  are  laid  up  with  my  Father, 
and  sealed  up  among  his  treasures  for  thee,  till 
thou  shalt  come  thither  to  enjoy  them. 


478 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


And  thus,  0 my  Mansoul ! I have  showed 
unto  thee  what  shall  he  done  to  thee  hereafter 
if  thou  canst  hear,  if  thou  canst  understand  ; 
and  now  I will  tell  thee  wrhat  at  present  must 
be  thy  duty  and  practice  until  I come  and  fetch 
thee  to  myself,  according  as  is  related  in  the 
Scriptures  of  truth. 

First,  I charge  thee  that  thou  dost  hereafter 
keep  more  white  and  clean  the  liveries  which 
I gave  thee  before  my  last  withdrawing  from 
thee. 

When  your  garments  are  white  the  world 
will  count  you  mine.  Also  when  your  gar- 
ments are  white,  then  I am  delighted  in  your 
ways ; for  then  your  goings  to  and  fro  will  be 
like  a flash  of  lightning,  that  those  that  are 
present  must  take  notice  of,  also  their  eyes  will 
be  made  to  dazzle  thereat.  Deck  thyself, 
therefore,  according  to  my  bidding,  and  make 
thyself  by  my  law  straight  steps  for  thy  feet, 
so  shall  thy  King  greatly  desire  thy  beauty, 
for  he  is  thy  Lord,  #.nd  worship  thou  him. 

Now  that  thou  mayest  keep  them  as  I bid 
thee,  I have,  as  I before  told  thee,  provided  for 
thee  an  open  fountain  to  wash  thy  garments 
in.  Look  therefore  that  thou  wash  often  in 
my  fountain  and  go  not  in  defiled  garments  ; 
for  as  it  is  to  my  dishonour  and  my  disgrace, 
so  it  will  be  to  thy  discomfort,  when  you 
shall  walk  in  filthy  garments.  Keep  thy  gar- 
ments always  white,  and  let  thy  head  lack  no 
ointment. 

My  Mansoul,  I have  ofttimes  delivered  thee 
from  the  designs,  plots,  attempts,  and  conspir- 
acies of  Diabolus,  and  for  all  this  I ask  thee 
nothing  hut  that  thou  render  not  to  me  evil 
for  my  good,  but  that  thou  bear  in  mind  my 
love  and  the  continuation  of  my  kindness  to 
my  beloved  Mansoul,  so  as  to  provoke  thee  to 
walk,  in  thy  measure,  according  to  the  bene- 
fits bestowed  on  thee.  Of  old  the  sacrifices 
were  hound  with  cords  to  the  horns  of  the 
golden  altar.  Consider  what  is  said  to  thee, 
O my  blessed  Mansoul ! 

0 my  Mansoul ! I have  lived,  I have  died,  I 
live  and  will  die  no  more,  for  thee.  I live 
that  thou  mayest  not  die.  Because  I live 
thou  shalt  live  also.  I reconciled  thee  to  my 
Father  by  the  blood  of  my  cross,  and,  being 
reconciled,  thou  shalt  live  through  me.  I will 
pray  for  thee,  I will  fight  for  thee,  I will  yet 
do  thee  good. 

Nothing  can  hurt  thee  but  sin  ; nothing  can 
grieve  me  but  sin;  nothing  can  make  thee 
base  before  thy  foes  but  sin ; take  heed  of  sin, 
my  Mansoul. 


And  dost  thou  know  why  I at  first,  and  do 
still,  suffer  Diabolonians  to  dwell  in  thy  walls, 
0 Mansoul  ? It  is  to  keep  thee  waiting,  to  try 
thy  love,  to  make  thee  watchful,  and  to  cause 
thee  yet  to  prize  my  noble  captains,  their  sol- 
diers, and  my  mercy. 

It  is  also  that  yet  thou  mayest  be  made  to 
remember  what  a deplorable  condition  thou 
once  wast  in.  I mean,  when  not  some,  but 
all,  did  dwell,  not  in  thy  walls,  but  in  thy  cas- 
tle and  in  thy  stronghold,  O Mansoul ! 

0 my  Mansoul ! should  I slay  all  them 
within,  many  there  be  without  that  would 
bring  thee  into  bondage;  for  were  all  those 
within  cut  off,  those  without  would  find  thee 
sleeping,  and  then  as  in  a moment  they  would 
swallow  up  my  Mansoul.  I therefore  let  them 
live  in  thee,  not  to  do  thee  hurt,  (the  which 
they  yet  wall  if  thou  hearken  to  them  and 
serve  them,)  but  to  do  thee  good,  the  which 
they  must  if  thou  watch  and  fight  against 
them.  Know,  therefore,  that  whatever  they 
shall  tempt  thee  to,  my  design  is  that  they 
should  drive  thee,  not  further  off,  but  nearer 
to  my  Father,  to  learn  thee  war,  to  make  peti- 
tioning desirable  to  thee,  and  to  make  thee 
little  in  thine  own  eyes.  Hearken  diligently 
to  this,  my  Mansoul. 

Show  me  then  thy  love,  my  Mansoul,  and 
let  not  those  that  are  within  thy  walls  take 
thy  affections  off  from  Him  that  hath  re- 
deemed thy  soul.  Yea,  let  the  sight  of  a 
Diabolonian  heighten  thy  love  to  me.  I 
came  once,  and  twice,  and  thrice  to  save  thee 
from  the  poison  of  those  arrows  that  would 
have  wrought  thy  death.  Stand  for  me,  my 
friend,  my  Mansoul,  against  the  Diabolonians, 
and  I will  stand  for  thee  before  my  Father 
and  all  his  court.  Love  me  against  tempta- 
tion, and  I will  love  thee  notwithstanding 
thine  infirmities. 

0 my  Mansoul!  remember  what  my  cap- 
tains, my  soldiers,  and  mine  engines  have 
borne  for  thee;  they  have  fought  for  thee, 
they  have  suffered  by  thee,  they  have  borne 
much  at  thy  hands  to  do  thee  good.  Hadst 
thou  not  had  them  to  help  thee,  Diabolus  had 
certainly  made  an  end  of  thee.  Nourish  them, 
therefore,  my  Mansoul.  When  thou  dost  well, 
they  will  be  well;  when  thou  dost  ill,  they 
will  he  ill,  and  sick,  and  weak.  Make  not  my 
captains  sick,  0 Mansoul ! for  if  they  be  sick, 
thou  canst  not  be  well ; if  they  be  weak,  thou 
canst  not  be  strong;  if  they  be  faint,  thou 
canst  not  be  stout  and  valiant  for  thy  King,  O 
Mansoul!  Nor  must  thou  think  always  to 


THE  HOLY  WAR. 


479 


live  by  sense ; thou  must  live  upon  my  word. 
Thou  must  believe,  O my  Mansoul!  when  I 
am  from  thee,  that  yet  I love  thee  and  bare 
thee  upon  mine  heart  for  ever. 

Remember,  therefore,  0 my  Mansoul!  that 
thou  art  beloved  of  me.  As  I have  therefore 
taught  thoo  to  watch,  to  fight,  to  pray,  and  to 


make  war  against  my  foes,  so  now  I command 
thee  to  believe  that  my  love  is  constant  to 
thee.  O my  Mansoul!  how  have  I set  my 
heart,  my  love  upon  thee  I Watch  ! Behold, 
I lay  none  other  burden  upon  thee  than 
what  thou  hast  already.  Hold  fast  till  I 
come. 


THE 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BADMAN. 


PRESENTED  TO  THE  WORLD  IN  A FAMILIAR  DIALOGUE  BETWEEN  MR. 
WISEMAN  AND  MR.  ATTENTIVE. 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


Courteous  Reaper  : 

As  I was  considering  with  myself  what  I 
had  written  concerning  the  progress  of  the 
Pilgrim  from  this  world  to  glory,  and  how  it 
had  been  acceptable  to  many  in  this  nation,  it 
came  again  into  my  mind  to  write  as  then  of 
him  that  was  going  to  heaven,  so  now  of  the 
life  and  death  of  the  ungodly,  and  of  their 
travel  from  this  world  to  hell.  The  which  in 
this  I have  done,  and  have  put  it,  as  thou  seest, 
under  the  name  and  title  of  Mr.  Badman,  a 
name  very  proper  for  such  a subject;  I have 
also  put  it  in  the  form  of  a dialogue,  that  I 
might  with  more  case  to  myself  and  pleasure 
to  the  reader  perform  the  work. 

And  although,  as  I said,  I have  put  it  forth 
in  this  method,  yet  have  I,  as  little  as  may  he, 
gone  out  of  the  road  of  mine  own  observation 
of  things.  Yea,  I think  I may  truly  say  that 
to  the  best  of  my  remembrance  all  the  things 
that  here  I discourse  of,  I mean  as  to  matter 
of  fact,  have  been  acted  upon  the  stage  of  the 
world,  even  many  times  before  mine  eyes. 

Here,  therefore,  courteous  reader,  I present 
thee  with  the  life  and  death  of  Mr.  Badman 
indeed ; yea,  I do  trace  him  in  his  life,  from 
his  childhood  to  his  death,  that  thou  mayest, 
as  in  a glass,  behold  with  thine  own  eyes  the 
steps  that  take  hold  of  hell ; and  also  discern, 
while  thou  art  reading  of  Mr.  Badman’s  death, 
whether  thou  thyself  art  treading  in  his  path 
thereto. 

And  let  me  entreat  thee  to  forbear  quirking 
and  mocking  for  that  Mr.  Badman  is  dead,  but 
rather  gravely  inquire  concerning  thyself  by 
the  word  whether  thou  art  one  of  his  lineage 
or  no ; for  Mr.  Badman  has  left  many  of  his 
relations  behind  him ; yea,  the  very  world  is 
31 


overspread  with  his  kindred.  True,  some  of 
his  relations,  as  he,  are  gone  to  their  place  and 
long  home,  but  thousands  of  thousands  are  left 
behind,  as  brothers,  sisters,  cousins,  nephews, 
besides  innumerable  of  his  friends  and  asso- 
ciates. 

I may  say,  and  yet  speak  nothing  but  too 
much  truth  in  so  saying,  that  there  is  scarce  a 
fellowship,  a community,  or  fraternity  of  men 
in  the  world  but  some  of  Mr.  Badman’s  rela- 
tions are  there;  yea,  rarely  can  we  find  a 
family  or  a household  in  a town  where  he  has 
not  left  behind  him  a brother,  nephew,  or 
friend. 

The  butt,  therefore,  that  at  this  time  I shoot 
at  is  wide,  and  it  will  be  as  impossible  for  this 
book  to  go  into  several  families  and  not  to  ar- 
rest some,  as  for  the  king’s  messenger  to  rush 
into  an  house  full  of  traitors  and  find  none  but 
honest  men  there. 

I cannot  but  think  that  this  shot  will  light 
upon  many,  since  our  fields  are  so  full  of  this 
game ; but  how  many  it  will  kill  to  Mr.  Bad- 
man’s course  and  make  alive  to  the  Pilgrim’s 
progress,  that  is  not  in  me  to  determine ; this 
secret  is  with  the  Lord  our  God  only,  and  he 
alone  knows  to  whom  he  will  bless  it  to  so 
good  and  so  blessed  an  end.  However,  I have 
put  fire  to  the  pan,  and  doubt  not  but  the  re- 
port will  quickly  be  heard. 

I told  you  before  that  Mr.  Badman  had  left 
many  of  his  friends  and  relations  behind  him, 
but  if  I survive  them  (and  that’s  a great  ques- 
tion to  me)  I may  also  write  of  their  lives; 
however,  whether  my  life  be  longer  or  shorter, 
this  is  my  prayer  at  present — that  God  will  stir 
up  witnesses  against  them  that  may  either  con- 
vert or  confound  them ; for  wherever  they  live 

4S1 


482 


LUKYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  roll  in  their  wickedness  they  are  the  pest 
and  plague  of  that  country. 

England  shakes  and  totters  already  by  rea- 
son of  the  burden  that  Mr.  Badman  and  his 
friends  have  wickedly  laid  upon  it;  yea,  our 
earth  reels  and  staggereth  to  and  fro  like  a 
drunkard;  the  transgression  thereof  is  heavy 
upon  it. 

Courteous  reader,  I will  treat  thee  now,  even 
at  the  door  and  threshold  of  this  house,  but 
only  with  this  intelligence,  that  Mr.  Badman 
lies  dead  within.  Be  pleased,  therefore,  (if 
(hy  leisure  will  serve  thee,)  to  enter  in,  and 
behold  the  state  in  which  he  is  laid  betwixt 
his  deathbed  and  the  grave.  He  is  not  buried 
as  yet,  nor  doth  he  stink,  as  is  designed  he 
shall  before  he  lies  down  in  oblivion. 

Now,  as  others  have  had  their  funerals 
solemnized  according  to  their  greatness  and 
grandeur  in  the  world,  so  likewise  Mr.  Badman 
(forasmuch  as  he  deservetli  not  to  go  down  to 
his  grave  with  silence)  has  his  funeral  state 
according  to  his  deserts. 

Four  things  are  usual  at  great  men’s  funerals, 
which  we’ will  take  leave,  and  I hope  without 
offence,  to  allude  to  in  the  funeral  of  Mr.  Bad- 
man. 

First.  They  are  sometimes,  when  dead,  pre- 
sented to  their  friends,  by  their  comjdetely 
wrought  images,  as  lively  as  by  cunning  men’s 
hands  they  can  be,  that  the  remembrance  of 
them  may  be  renewed  to  their  survivors,  the 
remembrance  of  them  and  their  deeds;  and 
this  I have  endeavoured  to  answer  in  my  dis- 
course of  Mr.  Badman ; and  therefore  I have 
drawn  him  forth  in  his  features  and  actions 
from  his  childhood  to  his  gray  hairs.  Here, 
therefore,  thou  hast  him  lively  set  forth  as  in 
cuts,  both  as  to  the  minority,  flower,  and  seni- 
ority of  his  age,  together  with  those  actions  of 
his  life  that  he  was  most  capable  of  doing,  in 
and  under  those  present  circumstances  of  time, 
place,  strength,  and  the  opportunities  that  did 
attend  him  in  these. 

Secondly.  There  is  also  usual  at  great  men’s 
funerals  those  badges  and  escutcheons  of  their 
honour  that  they  have  received  from  their  an- 
cestors or  have  been  thought  worthy  of  for  the 
deeds  and  exploits  they  have  done  in  their  life; 
and  here  Mr.  Badman  has  his,  but  such  as  vary 
from  all  men  of  worth,  but  so  much  the  more 
agreeing  with  the  merit  of  his  doings ; they  all 
have  descended  in  state,  he  only  as  an  abomin- 
able branch.  His  deserts  are  the  deserts  of 
sin ; and  therefore  the  escutcheons  of  honour 
that  he  has  are  only  that  he  died  without  hon- 


our and  at  his  end  became  a fool.  Tlicu  shale 
not  be  joined  with  them  in  burial.  The  seed 
of  evil-doers  shall  never  be  renowned. 

The  funeral  pomp,  therefore,  of  Mr.  Badman 
is  to  wear  upon  his  hearse  the  badges  of  a dis- 
honourable and  wicked  life,  since  his  bones  are 
full  of  the  sins  of  his  youth,  which  shall  lie 
down,  as  Job  says,  in  the  dust  with  him ; nor 
is  it  fit  that  any  should  be  his  attendants,  now 
at  his  death,  but  such  as  with  him  conspired 
against  their  owrn  souls  in  their  life — persons 
whose  transgressions  have  made  them  infamous 
to  all  that  have  or  shall  know  wrliat  they  have 
done. 

Some  notice,  therefore,  I have  also  here  in 
this  little  discourse  given  the  reader  of  them 
who  were  his  confederates  in  his  life  and  at- 
tendants at  his  death;  with  a hint  either  of 
some  high  villainy  committed  by  them,  as  also 
of  those  judgments  that  have  overtaken  and 
fallen  upon  them  from  the  just  and  avenging 
hand  of  God.  All  which  are  things  either 
fully  known  by  me,  as  being  eye  and  ear  wit- 
ness thereto,  or  that  I have  received  from  such 
hands  whose  relations,  as  to  this,  I am  bound 
to  believe.  And  that  the  reader  may  know 
them  from  other  things  and  passages  herein 
contained,  I have  pointed  at  them  with  a 
finger,  thus  J6@“. 

Thirdly.  The  funerals  of  persons  of  quality 
have  been  solemnized  with  some  suitable  ser- 
mon at  the  time  and  place  of  their  burial ; and 
that  I am  not  come  to  as  yet,  having  got  no 
further  than  to  Mr.  Badman’s  death ; but  for- 
asmuch as  he  must  be  buried  after  he  hath  be- 
come polluted  before  his  beholders,  I doubt  not 
but  some  such  that  we  read  are  appointed  to 
be  at  the  burial  of  Gog  will  do  this  work  in 
my  stead,  such  as  shall  leave  him  neither  skin 
nor  bone  above  ground,  but  shall  set  a sign  by 
it  till  the  buriers  have  buried  it  in  the  valley 
of  Hamongog.  Ezek.  xxxix. 

Fourthly.  At  funerals  there  did  use  to  be 
mourning  and  lamentations,  but  here  also  Mr. 
Badman  differs  from  others ; his  familiars  can- 
not lament  his  departure,  for  they  have  not 
sense  of  his  damnable  state ; they  rather  ring 
him  and  sing  him  to  hell  in  the  sleep  of  death 
in  which  he  goes  thither.  Good  men  count 
him  no  loss  to  the  world;  his  place  can  well 
be  without  him ; his  loss  is  only  his  owm,  and 
it  is  too  late  for  him  to  recover  that  damage  or 
loss  by  a sea  of  bloody  tears,  could  he  shed 
them.  Yea,  God  has  said  he  will  laugh  at  his 
destruction ; who,  then,  shall  lament  for  him, 
saying,  Ah ! my  brother?  He  wras  but  a stink- 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  DA  DM  AN. 


483 


ing  weed  in  his  life,  nor  was  he  better  at  all  in 
his  death.  Such  may  well  be  thrown  over  the 
wall  without  sorrow  when  once  God  has  pluck- 
ed them  up  by  the  roots  in  his  wrath. 

Reader,  if  thou  art  of  the  race,  lineage, 
stock,  or  fraternity  of  Mr.  Badman,  I tell  thee, 
before  thou  readest  this  book,  thou  wilt  neither 
brook  the  author  nor  it,  because  lie  hath  writ 
of  Mr.  Badman  as  he  has.  For  he  that  con- 
demnetli  the  wicked  that  die  so  passetli  also 
the  sentence  upon  the  wicked  that  live.  I 
therefore  expect  neither  credit  of  nor  counten- 
ance from  thee  for  this  narration  of  thy  kins- 
man’s life. 

For  thy  old  love  to  thy  friend,  his  ways, 
doings,  &c.,  will  stir  up  in  thee  enmity  rather, 
in  thy  very  heart,  against  me.  I shall  there- 
fore incline  to  think  of  thee  that  thou  wilt 
rend,  burn,  or  throw  it  away  in  contempt; 
yea,  and  wish  also  that  for  writing  so  notorious 
a truth  some  mischief  may  befall  me.  I look 
also  to  be  loaded  by  thee  with  disdain,  scorn 
and  contempt ; yea,  that  thou  shouldest  rail- 
inglv  and  vilifying  say  I lie,  and  am  a bespat- 
terer  of  honest  men’s  lives  and  deaths.  For 
Mr.  Badman,  when  himself  was  alive,  could 
not  abide  to  be  counted  a knave,  (though  his 
actions  told  all  that  went  by  that  indeed  he 
was  such  an  one.)  How,  then,  should  his 
brethren  that  survive  him,  and  that  tread  in 
his  very  steps,  approve  of  the  sentence  that  by 
this  book  is  pronounced  against  him?  Will 
they  not  rather  imitate  Korah,  Datlian,  and 
Abiram’s  friends — even  rail  at  me  for  con- 
demning him,  as  they  did  at  Moses  for  doing 
execution  ? 

I know  it  is  ill  puddling  in  the  cockatrice’s 
den,  and  that  they  run  hazards  that  hunt  the 
wild  boar.  The  man  also  that  writeth  Mr. 
Badman’s  life  had  need  be  fenced  with  a coat 
of  mail  and  with  the  staff"  of  a spear,  for  that 
his  surviving  friends  will  know  what  he  doth; 
but  I have  ventured  to  do  it,  and  to  play,  at 
this  time,  at  the  hole  of  these  asps;  if  they 
bite,  they  bite;  if  they  sting,  they  sting. 
Christ  sends  his  lambs  into  the  midst  of 
wolves,  not  to  do  like  them,  but  to  suffer  by 
them  for  bearing  plain  testimony  against  their 
bad  deeds ; but  had  one  not  need  to  walk  with 
a guard  and  to  have  a sentinel  stand  at  one’s 
door  for  this?  Verily,  the  flesh  would  be 
glad  of  such  help ; yea,  a spiritual  man,  could 
he  tell  how  to  get  it.  Acts  xxiii.  But  I am 
stripped  naked  of  these,  and  yet  am  com- 
manded to  be  faithful  in  my  service  for  Christ. 
Well,  then,  I have  spoken  what  I have  spoken, 


and  now  come  on  me  what  will.  Job  xii.  13. 
True,  the  text  says,  “Rebuke  a scorner,  and 
he  will  hate  thee;  and  that  he  that  reproveth 
a wicked  man,  getteth  himself  a blot  and 
shame;”  but  what  then?  Open  rebuke  is 
better  than  secret  love,  and  he  that  receives  it 
shall  find  it  so  afterwards. 

So,  then,  whether  Mr.  Badman’s  friends 
shall  rage  or  laugh  at  what  I have  writ,  I 
know  the  better  end  of  the  staff  is  mine.  My 
endeavour  is  to  stop  an  hellish  course  of  life 
and  to  save  a soul  from  death,  (James  v. ;)  and 
if  for  so  doing  I meet  with  envy  from  them 
from  whom  in  reason  I should  have  thanks,  I 
must  remember  the  man  in  the  dream  that 
cut  his  way  through  his  armed  enemies,  and 
so  got  into  the  beauteous  palace; — I must,  I 
say,  remember  him,  and  do  myself  likewise. 

Yet  four  things  I will  propound  to  the  con- 
sideration of  Mr.  Badman’s  friends  before  I 
turn  my  back  upon  them : 

1.  Suppose  that  there  be  a hell  in  very 
deed — not  that  I do  question  it,  any  more 
than  I do  whether  there  be  a sun  to  shine, 
but  I suppose  it  for  argument’s  sake  with  Mr. 
Badman’s  friends — I say,  suppose  there  be  an 
hell,  and  that,  too,  such  an  oue  as  the  Scrip- 
ture speaks  of — one  at  the  remotest  distance 
from  God  and  life  eternal — one  where  the 
worm  of  a guilty  conscience  never  dies,  and 
where  the  fire  of  the  wrath  of  God  is  not 
quenched. 

Suppose,  I say,  that  there  is  such  an  hell, 
prepared  of  God  (as  there  is  indeed)  for  the 
body  and  soul  of  the  ungodly  world  after  this 
life  to  be  tormented  in ; — I say,  do  but  with 
thyself  suppose  it,  and  then  tell  me,  is  it  not 
prepared  for  thee,  thou  being  a wicked  man? 
Let  thy  conscience  speak,  I say ; is  it  not  pre- 
pared for  thee,  thou  being  an  ungodly  man? 
And  dost  thou  think,  wast  thou  there  now, 
that  thou  art  able  to  wrestle  with  the  judg- 
ment of  God?  Why  then  do  the  fallen  angels 
tremble  there?  Thy  hands  cannot  be  strong 
nor  can  thy  heart  endure  in  that  day  when 
God  shall  deal  with  thee.  Ezek.  xxii.  14. 

2.  Suppose  that  some  one  that  is  now  a soul 
in  hell  for  sin  was  permitted  to  come  hither 
again  to  dwell,  and  that  they  had  a grant  also 
that  upon  amendment  of  life  next  time  they 
die  to  change  that  place  for  heaven  and  glory, 
what  sayest  thou,  0 wicked  man?  Would 
such  an  one  (thinkest  thou)  run  again  into  the 
same  course  of  life  as  before,  and  venture  the 
damnation  that  for  sin  he  had  already  been  in? 
Would  he  choose  again  to  lead  that  cursed 


484 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


life  that  afresh  would  kindle  the  flames  of 
hell  upon  him,  and  that  would  hind  him  under 
the  heavy  wrath  of  God?  Oh  he  would  not, 
he  would  not ; the  16th  of  Luke  insinuates  it ; 
yea,  reason  itself,  awake,  would  abhor  it,  and 
tremble  at  such  a thought. 

3.  Suppose,  again,  that  thou  that  livest  and 
rollest  in  thy  sin,  and  that  as  yet  hast  known 
nothing  but  the  pleasure  thereof,  shouldest  be 
an  angel  conveyed  to  some  place  where,  with 
convenience  from  thence,  thou  mightest  have 
a view  of  heaven  and  hell — of  the  joys  of  the 
one,  and  the  torments  of  the  other; — I say, 
suppose  that  from  thence  thou  mightest  have 
such  a view  thereof  as  would  convince  thy 
reason  that  both  heaven  and  hell  are  such 
realities  as  by  the  word  they  are  declared  to  be, 
wouldest  thou  (thinkest  thou?)  when  brought 
to  thy  home  again,  choose  to  thyself  thy 
former  life — to  wit,  to  return  to  thy  folly 
again?  No;  if  belief  of  what  thou  sawest  re- 
mained with  thee,  thou  wouldest  eat  fire  and 
brimstone  first. 

4.  I will  propound  again.  Suppose  that 
there  was  amongst  us  such  a law  (and  such  a 
magistrate  to  inflict  the  penalty)  that  for  every 
open  wickedness  committed  by  thee  so  much 
of  thy  flesh  should,  with  burning  pincers,  be 
plucked  from  thy  bones ; wouldest  thou  then 
go  on  in  thy  open  way  of  lying,  swearing,  and 
whoring  as  thou  with  delight  doest  now? 
Surely,  surely  no.  The  fear  of  the  punish- 
ment would  make  thee  forbear,  yea,  would 
make  thee  tremble,  even  when  thy  lusts  were 
powerful,  to  think  what  a punishment  thou 
wast  sure  to  sustain  so  soon  as  the  pleasure 
was  over.  But  oh  the  folly,  the  madness,  the 
desperate  madness,  that  is  in  the  hearts  of  Mr. 
Badman’s  friends,  who,  in  despite  of  the 
threatenings  of  an  holy  and  sin-avenging  God, 
and  of  the  outcries  and  warning  of  all  good 
men,  yea,  that  will  in  despite  of  the  groans 
and  torments  of  those  that  are  now  in  hell  for 
sin,  (Luke  xiv.  24,  28,)  go  on  in  a sinful  course 
of  life,  yea,  though  every  sin  is  also  a step  of 
descent  down  to  that  infernal  cave ! Oh  how 
true  is  that  saying  of  Solomon! — “The  heart 
of  the  sons  of  men  is  full  of  evil,  and  mad- 
ness is  in  their  heart  while  they  live,  and  after 
that  they  go  to  the  dead.”  Eccles.  ix.  3.  To 
the  dead!  that  is,  to  the  dead  in  hell,  to  the 
damned  dead — the  place  to  which  those  that 
have  died  bad  men  are  gone,  and  that  those 
that  live  bad  men  are  like  to  go  to,  when  a 
little  more  sin,  like  stolen  waters,  hath  been 
imbibed  by  their  sinful  souls. 


That  which  has  made  me  publish  this  book 
is — 

1.  For  that  wickedness  like  a flood  is  like  to 
drown  our  English  world;  it  begins  already  to 
be  above  the  tops  of  the  mountains;  it  has  al- 
most swallowed  up  all ; our  youth,  our  middle 
age,  old  age,  and  all,  are  almost  carried  away 
of  this  flood.  0 debauchery,  debauchery, 
what  hast  thou  done  in  England ! Thou  hast 
corrupted  our  young  men,  hast  made  our  old 
men  beasts ; thou  hast  deflowered  our  virgins 
and  hast  made  matrons  bawds ; thou  hast  made 
our  earth  to  reel  to  and  fro  like  a drunkard;  it 
is  in  danger  to  be  removed  like  a cottage;  yea, 
it  is,  because  transgression  is  so  heavy  upon  it, 
like  to  “fall  and  rise  no  more.”  Isa.  xxiv.  20. 

Oh  that  I could  mourn  for  England,  and  for 
the  sins  that  are  committed  therein,  even 
while  I see  that,  without  repentance,  the  men 
of  God’s  wrath  are  about  to  deal  with  us,  each 
having  his  slaughtering  weapon  in  his  hand. 
Ezek.  ix.  1,  2.  Well,  I have  written,  and  by 
God’s  assistance  shall  pray  that  this  flood  may 
abate  in  England ; and  could  I but  see  the 
tops  of  the  mountains  above  it,  I should  think 
that  these  waters  were  abating. 

2.  It  is  the  duty  of  those  that  can  to  cry  out 
against  this  deadly  plague;  yea,  to  lift  up  their 
voice  as  with  a trumpet  against  it,  that  men 
may  be  awakened  about  it,  fly  from  it,  as  from 
that  which  is  the  greatest  of  evils.  Sin  pulled 
angels  out  of  heaven,  pulls  men  down  to  hell 
and  overthroweth  kingdoms.  Who  that  sees 
an  house  on  fire  will  not  give  the  alarm  to 
them  that  dwell  therein?  Who  that  sees  the 
land  invaded  will  not  set  the  beacons  on  a 
flame?  Who  that  sees  the  devils,  as  roaring 
lions,  continually  devouring  souls,  will  not 
make  an  outcry?  But,  above  all,  when  we  see 
sin,  sinful  sin,  swallowing  up  a nation,  sinking 
of  a nation,  and  bringing  its  inhabitants  to 
temporal,  spiritual,  a.nd  eternal  ruin,  shall  we 
not  cry  out' and  cry,  “They  are  drunk,  but  not 
with  wine ; they  stagger,  but  not  with  strong 
drink ;”  they  are  intoxicated  with  the  deadly 
poison  of  sin,  which  will,  if  its  malignity  be 
not  by  wholesome  means  allayed,  bring  soul 
and  body,  and  estate  and  country,  and  all,  to 
ruin  and  destruction  ? 

3.  In  and  by  this  my  outcry  I shall  deliver 
myself  from  the  ruins  of  them  that  perish ; for 
a man  can  do  no  more  in  this  matter — I mean 
as  man  in  rpy  capacity — than  to  detect  and 
condemn  the  wickedness,  warn  the  evil-doer 
of  the  judgment,  and  fly  therefrom  myself. 
But  oh  that  I might  not  only  deliver  myself! 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADM  AN. 


485 


Oh  that  many  would  hour  and  turn  at  this  cry 
from  sin,  that  they  may  be  secured  from  the 
death  and  judgment  that  attend  it  I 

Why  I have  handled  the  matter  in  this 
method  is  best  known  to  myself ; and  why  I 
have  concealed  most  of  the  names  of  the  per- 
sons whose  sins  or  punishments  I here  and 
there  in  this  book  make  relation  of,  is — 

1.  For  that  neither  the  sins  nor  judgments 
were  all  alike  open;  the  sins  of  some  were 
committed  and  the  judgments  executed  for 
them  only  in  a corner.  Not  to  say  that  I 
could  not  learn  some  of  their  names,  for  could 
I,  I should  not  have  made  them  public,  for  this 
reason : 

2.  Because  I would  not  provoke  those  of 
their  relations  that  survive  them  ; I would  not 
justly  provoke  them ; and  yet,  as  I think  I 
should,  should  I have  entailed  their  punish- 
ment to  their  sins,  and  both  to  their  names, 
and  so  have  turned  them  into  the  world. 

3.  Nor  would  I lay  them  under  any  disgrace 
and  contempt,  which  would,  as  I think,  un- 
avoidably have  happened  unto  them,  had  I 
withal  inserted  their  names. 

As  for  those  whose  names  I mention,  their 
crimes  or  judgments  were  manifest — public 
almost  as  anything  of  that  nature  that  hap- 
peneth  to  mortal  men.  Such  therefore  have 
published  their  own  shame  by  their  sin,  and 
God  his  anger  by  taking  of  open  vengeance. 

As  Job  says,  “God  has  struck  them  as 
wicked  men  in  the  open  sight  of  others.”  Job 
xxxiv.  26.  So  that  I cannot  conceive,  since 
their  judgment  was  so  conspicuous,  that  my 
admonishing  thereof  should  turn  to  their  det- 
riment; for  the  publishing  of  these  things  are, 
so  far  as  relation  is  concerned,  intended  for 
remembrances,  that  they  may  also  bethink 
themselves,  repent,  and  turn  to  God,  lest  the 
judgments  of  their  sins  should  prove  heredi- 
tary. For  the  God  of  heaven  hath  threatened 
to  visit  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the 
children,  if  they  hate  him,  to  the  third  and 
fourth  generation.  Ex.  xx.  5. 

Nebuchadnezzar’s  punishment  for  his  pride, 
(for  he  was  for  his  sin  driven  from  his  kingly 
dignity,  and  from  among  men  too,  to  eat  grass 
like  an  ox  and  to  company  with  the  beasts,) 
Daniel  did  not  stick  to  tell  Belshazzar,  his  son, 
to  his  face  thereof,  nor  to  publish  it,  that  it 
might  be  read  and  remembered  by  the  gener- 
ations to  come.  The  same  may  be  said  of 
Judas  and  Ananias,  etc.,  for  their  sin  and 
punishment  were  known  to  all  the  dwellers  at 
Jerusalem.  Acts  v.  1. 


Nor  is  it  a sign  but  of  a desperate  impen- 
itence and  hardness  of  heart  when  the  offspring 
or  relations  of  those  who  have  fallen  by  open, 
fearful,  and  prodigious  judgments  for  their  sin 
shall  overlook,  forget,  pass  by,  or  take  no  no- 
tice of  such  outgoings  of  God  against  them 
and  their  house.  Thus  Daniel  aggravates 
Belshazzar’s  crime  for  that  he  hardened  his 
heart  in  pride,  though  he  knew  that  for  that 
very  sin  and  transgression  his  father  was 
brought  down  from  his  height  and  made  to  be 
a companion  for  asses.  “ And  thou  his  son, 
0 Belshazzar,”  says  he,  “hast  not  humbled 
thy  heart,  though  thou  knewest  all  this.”  Dan. 
v.  A home  reproof  indeed,  but  home  is  most 
fit  for  an  open  and  continued  transgression. 

Let  those,  then,  that  arc  the  offspring  or  re- 
lations of  such  who  by  their  own  sin  and  the 
dreadful  judgments  of  God  are  made  to  be- 
come a sign,  (Dcut.  xvi.  9,  10,)  having  been 
swept  as  dung  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth, 
beware,  lest  when  judgment  knocks  at  their 
door  for  their  sins,  as  it  did  before  at  the  door 
of  their  progenitors,  it  falls  also  with  as  heavy 
a stroke  as  on  them  that  went  before  them ; 
lest,  I say,  they  in  that  day,  instead  of  finding 
mercy,  find,  for  their  high,  daring  and  judg- 
ment-affronting sins,  judgment  without  mercy. 

To  conclude:  Let  those  that  would  not  die 
Mr.  Badman’s  death  take  heed  of  Mr.  Bad- 
man’s  ways,  for  his  ways  bring  to  his  ends; 
wickedness  will  not  deliver  him  that  is  given 
to  it,  though  he  should  cloak  all  with  a pro- 
fession of  religion. 

If  it  was  a transgression  of  old  for  a man  to 
wear  a woman’s  apparel,  surely  it  is  a trans- 
gression now  for  a sinner  to  wear  a Christian 
profession  for  a cloak.  Wolves  in  sheep’s 
clothing  swarm  in  England  this  day — wolves 
both  as  to  doctrine  and  as  to  practice  too. 
Some  men  make  a profession,  I doubt  not,  on 
purpose  that  they  may  twist  themselves  into  a 
trade  and  thence  into  an  estate,  yea,  and  if 
need  be,  into  an  estate  knavishly  bv  the  ruin 
of  their  neighbour.  Let  such  take  heed,  for 
those  that  do  such  things  have  the  greater 
damnation. 

Christian,  make  thy  profession  shine  by  a 
conversation  according  to  the  Gospel,  or  else 
thou  wilt  damnify  religion,  bring  scandal  to 
thy  brethren,  and  give  offence  to  the  enemies ; 
and  it  would  be  better  that  a millstone  was 
hanged  about  thy  neck,  and  that  thou,  so 
adorned,  was  cast  into  the  bottom  of  the  sea, 
than  so  to  do. 

Christian,  a profession  according  to  the 


486 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Gospel  is  in  these  days  a rare  thing;  seek, 
then,  after  it,  put  it  on,  and  keep  it  without 
spot  and  (as  becomes  thee)  white  and  clean, 
and  thou  shalt  be  a rare  Christian. 

The  prophecy  of  the  last  time  is  that  pro- 
fessing men  (for  so  I understand  the  text) 
shall  be  many  of  them  base,  (2  Tim.  iii. ;)  but 
continue  thou  in  the  things  that  thou  hast 
learned,  not  of  wanton  men  nor  of  licentious 
times  but  of  the  word  and  doctrine  of  God — 


that  is,  according  to  godliness — and  thou  shalt 
walk  with  Christ  in  white. 

Now,  God  Almighty  give  his  people  grace, 
not  to  hate  or  malign  sinners,  nor  yet  to 
choose  any  of  their  ways,  but  to  keep  them- 
selves pure  from  the  blood  of  all  men,  by 
speaking  and  doing  according  to  that  name 
and  those  rules  that  they  profess  to  know  and 
love,  for  Jesus  Christ’s  sake.  • 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BADMAN. 


Wiseman.  Good-morrow,  my  good  neigh- 
bour, Mr.  Attentive;  whither  are  you  walking 
60  early  this  morning?  Metliinks  you  look  as 
if  you  were  concerned  about  something  more 
than  ordinary.  Have  you  lost  any  of  your 
cattle,  or  what  is  the  matter? 

Attentive.  Good  sir,  good-morrow  to  you.  I 
have  not  as  yet  lost  aught,  but  yet  you  give  a 
right  guess  of  me,  for  I am,  as  you  say,  con- 
cerned in  my  heart,  but  it  is  because  of  the 
badness  of  the  times.  And,  sir,  you,  as  all 
our  neighbours  know,  are  a very  observing 
man ; pray,  therefore,  what  do  you  think  of 
them  ? 

Wiseman.  Why,  I think,  as  you  say — to  wit, 
that  they  are  had  times,  and  bad  they  will  be 
until  men  are  better,  for  they  are  bad  men 
that  make  bad  times ; if  men  therefore  should 
mend,  so  would  the  times.  It  is  a folly  to  look 
for  good  days  so  long  as  sin  is  so  high  and 
those  that  study  its  nourishment  so  many. 
God  bring  it  down,  and  those  that  nourish 
it  to  repentance,  and  then,  my  good  neigh- 
bour, you  will  be  concerned  not  as  you  are 
now.  Now  you  are  concerned  because  times 
are  so  bad,  but  then  you  will  be  so  because 
times  are  so  good;  now  you  are  concerned  so 
as  to  be  perplexed,  but  then  you  will  be  con- 
cerned so  as  to  lift  up  your  voice  with  shout- 
ing; for  I dare  say,  could  you  see  such  days, 
they  would  make  you  shout. 

Attentive.  Ay,  so  they  would ; such  times  I 
have  longed  for,  such  times  I have  prayed  for, 
but  I fear  they  will  be  worse  before  they  he 
better. 

Wiseman.  Make  no  conclusion,  man,  for  He 
that  hath  the  hearts  of  men  in  his  hand  can 
change  them  from  worse  to  better,  and  so  bad 
times  into  good.  God  gives  long  life  to  them 
that  are  good,  and  especially  to  those  of  them 
that  are  capable  of  doing  him  service  in  the 
world.  The  ornament  and  beauty  of  this 
lower  world,  next  to  God  and  his  wonders,  are 
the  men  that  spangle  and  shine  in  godliness. 


Now  as  Mr.  Wiseman  said  this  he  gave  a 
great  sigh. 

Attentive.  Amen,  amen  ! But  why,  good  sir, 
do  you  sigh  so  deeply?  Is  it  for  aught  else 
than  that  for  the  which,  as  you  have  perceived, 
I myself  am  concerned? 

Wiseman.  I am  concerned  with  you  for  the 
badness  of  the  times,  but  that  was  not  the 
cause  of  that  sigh,  of  which,  I see,  you  take 
notice.  I sighed  at  the  remembrance  of  the 
death  of  that  man  for  whom  the  bell  tolled  at 
our  towm  yesterday. 

Attentive.  Why,  I trow  Mr.  Goodman,  your 
neighbour,  is  not  dead?  Indeed,  I did  hear 
that  he  had  been  sick. 

Wiseman.  No,  no,  it  is  not  he.  Had  it  been 
he,  I could  not  but  have  been  concerned,  but 
yet  not  as  I am  concerned  now.  If  he  had 
died,  I should  only  have  been  concerned  that 
the  world  had  lost  a light,  but  the  man  that  I 
am  concerned  for  now  was  one  that  never  was 
good ; therefore  such  a one  who  is  not  dead 
only,  but  damned.  He  died  that  he  might 
die,  he  went  from  life  to  death,  and  then  from 
death  to  death,  from  death  natural  to  death 
eternal.  And  as  he  spake  this  the  water  stood 
in  his  eyes. 

Attentive.  Indeed  to  go  from  a deathbed  to 
hell  is  a fearful  thing  to  think  on.  But,  good 
neighbour  Wiseman,  be  pleased  to  tell  me 
who  this  man  was,  and  why  you  conclude  him 
so  terrible  in  his  death. 

Wiseman.  Well,  if  you  can  stay,  I will  tell 
you  who  he  was  and  why  I conclude  thus  con- 
cerning him. 

Attentive.  My  leisure  will  admit  me  to  stay, 
and  I am  willing  to  hear  you  out.  And  I 
pray  God  your  discourse  may  take  hold  on  my 
heart,  that  I may  be  bettered  thereby. 

So  they  agreed  to  sit  down  under  the  tree. 
Then  Mr.  Wiseman  proceeded  as  followeth. 

Wiseman.  The  man  that  I mean  is  one  Mr. 
Badman ; he  has  lived  in  our  town  a great 
while,  and  now,  as  I said,  he  is  dead.  But  the 

4S7 


488 


B UN  Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


reason  of  my  being  concerned  at  bis  death  is 
not  for  that  he  was  at  all  related  to  me,  or  for 
that  any  good  conditions  died  with  him,  for  he 
was  far  from  them,  hut  for  that,  as  I greatly 
fear,  he  hath,  as  was  hinted  before,  died  two 
deaths  at  once. 

Attentive.  I perceive  what  you  mean  by  two 
deaths  at  once ; and  to  speak  truth  it  is  a fear- 
ful thing  thus  to  have  ground  to  think  of  any; 
for  although  the  death  of  the  ungodly  and  sin- 
ners is  laid  to  heart  but  of  few,  yet  to  die  in 
such  a state  is  more  dreadful  and  fearful  than 
any  mau  can  imagine.  Indeed,  if  a man  had 
no  soul,  if  bis  state  was  not  truly  immortal, 
the  matter  would  not  be  so  much  ; but  for  a 
man  to  be  so  disposed  of  by  his  Maker  as  to  be 
appointed  a sensible  being  for  ever,  and  for 
him  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  avenging  justice, 
that  will  be  always,  to  the  utmost  extremity 
that  his  sin  deserveth,  punishing  of  him  in  the 
dismal  dungeon  of  hell,  this  must  needs  be 
unutterably  sad  and  lamentable. 

Wiseman.  There  is  no  man,  I think,  that  is 
sensible  of  the  worth  of  one  soul  but  must, 
when  he  hears  of  the  death  of  unconverted 
men,  be  stricken  with  sorrow  and  grief,  be- 
cause, as  you  said  well,  that  man’s  state  is  such 
that  he  has  a sensible  being  for  ever.  For  it 
is  sense  that  makes  punishment  heavy.  But 
yet  sense  is  not  all  that  the  damned  have ; they 
have  sense  and  reason  too;  so  then,  as  sense 
receiveth  punishment  with  sorrow,  because  it 
feels  and  bleeds  under  the  same,  so  by  reason, 
and  the  exercise  thereof  in  the  midst  of  tor- 
ment, all  present  affliction  is  aggravated,  and 
that  three  manner  of  ways : 

1.  Reason  will  consider  thus  with  himself : 
For  what  am  I thus  tormented?  And  will 
easily  find  it  is  for  nothing  but  that  base  and 
filthy  thing,  sin;  and  now  will  vexation  be 
mixed  with  punishment,  and  that  will  greatly 
heighten  the  affliction. 

2.  Reason  will  consider  thus  with  himself : 
How  long  must  this  be  my  state  ? And  will 
soon  return  to  himself  this  answer:  This  must 
be  my  state  for  ever  and  ever.  Now  this  will 
greatly  increase  the  torment.  • 

3.  Reason  will  consider  thus  with  himself : 
What  have  I lost  more  than  present  ease  and 
quiet  by  my  sins  that  I have  committed?  And 
will  quickly  return  himself  this  answer : I have 
lost  communion  with  God,  Christ,  saints  and 
angels,  and  a share  in  heaven  and  eternal  life. 
And  this  also  must  needs  greatly  add  to  the 
misery  of  poor  damned  souls.  And  this  is  the 
case  of  Mr.  Badman. 


Attentive.  I feel  my  heart  even  shake  at  the 
thoughts  of  coming  into  such  a state.  Hell ! 
who  knows  that  is  yet  alive  what  the  torments 
of  hell  are  ? This  word  hell  gives  a very  dread- 
ful sound. 

Wiseman.  Ay,  so  it  does  in  the  ears  of  him 
that  has  a tender  conscience.  But  if,  as  you 
say,  and  that  truly,  the  very  name  of  hell  is  so 
dreadful,  what  is  the  place  itself,  and  what  are 
the  punishments  that  are  there  inflicted,  and 
that  without  the  least  intermission,  upon  the 
souls  of  damned  men  for  ever  and  ever ! 

Attentive.  Well,  but  passing  this,  my  leisure 
will  permit  me  to  stay,  and  therefore  pray  tell 
me  what  it  is  that  makes  you  think  that  Mr. 
Badman  is  gone  to  hell  ? 

Wiseman.  I will  tell  you.  But  first,  do  you 
know  which  of  the  Badmans  I mean  ? 

Attentive.  Why,  was  there  more  of  them 
than  one? 

Wiseman.  Oh  yes,  a great  many,  both  broth- 
ers and  sisters,  and  yet  all  of  them  the  chil- 
dren of  godly  parents — the  more,  a great  deal, 
is  the  j>ity. 

Attentive.  Which  of  them,  therefore,  was  it 
that  died? 

Wiseman.  The  eldest,  old  in  years  and  old 
in  sin ; but  the  sinner  that  dies  an  hundred 
years  old  shall  be  accursed. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  what  makes  you  think 
he  is  gone  to  hell  ? 

Wiseman.  His  wicked  life  and  fearful  death, 
especially  since  the  manner  of  his  death  was 
so  corresponding  with  his  life. 

Attentive.  Pray  let  me  know  the  manner  of 
his  death  if  yourself  did  perfectly  know  it. 

Wiseman.  I was  there  when  he  died,  but  I 
desire  not  to  see  another  such  man,  while  I 
live,  die  in  such  sort  as  he  did. 

Attentive.  Pray  therefore  let  me  hear  it. 

Wiseman.  You  say  you  have  leisure  and  can 
stay,  and  therefore,  if  you  please,  we  will  dis- 
course even  orderly  of  him.  First,  we  will 
begin  with  his  life,  and  then  proceed  to  his 
death,  because  a relation  of  the  first  may  the 
more  affect  you  when  you  shall  hear  of  the 
second. 

Attentive.  Did  you  then  so  well  know  his 
life? 

Wiseman.  I knew  him  of  a child.  I was  a 
man  when  he  was  but  a boy ; and  I made  a 
special  observation  of  him  from  first  to  last. 

Attentive.  Pray  then  let  me  hear  from  you 
an  account  of  his  life,  but  be  as  brief  as  you 
can,  for  I long  to  hear  of  the  manner  of  his 
death. 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BADMAN. 


489 


Wiseman.  I will  endeavour  to  answer  your 
desires;  and  first,  I will  tell  you  that  from  a 
child  he  was  very  bad ; his  very  beginning  was 
ominous,  and  presaged  that  no  good  end  was 
in  likelihood  to  follow  thereupon.  There  were 
several  sins  that  he  was  given  to  when  he  was 
but  a little  one,  that  manifested  him  to  be 
notoriously  infected  with  original  corruption  ; 
for  I dare  say  ho  learned  none  of  them  of  his 
father  and  mother,  nor  was  he  admitted  to  go 
much  abroad  among  other  children  that  were 
vile,  to  learn  to  sin  of  them  ; nay,  contrariwise, 
if  at  any  times  he  did  get  abroad  amongst 
others,  he  would  be  as  the  inventor  of  bad 
words  and  an  example  in  bad  actions.  To 
them  all  he  used  to  be,  as  we  say,  the  ring- 
leader and  master  sinner  from  a child. 

Attentive.  This  was  a bad  beginning  indeed, 
and  did  demonstrate  that  lie  was,  as  you  say, 
polluted,  very  much  polluted,  with  original 
corruption.  For,  to  speak  my  mind  freely,  I 
do  confess  that  it  is  mine  opinion  that  children 
come  polluted  with  sin  into  the  world,  and 
that  ofttimes  the  sins  of  their  youth,  especially 
while  they  are  very  young,  are  rather  by  vir- 
tue of  indwelling  sin  than  by  examples  that 
are  set  before  them  by  others;  not  but  that 
they  learn  to  sin  by  example  too,  but  example 
is  not  the  root,  but  rather  the  temptation  to 
wickedness.  The  root  is  sin  within ; for  from 
within,  out  of  the  heart  of  man,  proceedetli  sin. 

Wiseman.  I am  glad  to  hear  that  you  are 
of  this  opinion,  and  to  confirm  what  you  have 
said  by  a few  hints  from  the  word : Man  in 
his  birth  is  compared  to  an  ass  (an  unclean 
beast)  and  to  a wretched  infant  in  its  blood; 
besides,  all  the  first-born  of  old  that  were  of- 
fered unto  the  Lord  were  to  be  redeemed  at 
the  age  of  a month,  and  that  was  before  they 
were  sinners  by  imitation.  The  Scripture  also 
affirmeth  that  by  the  sin  of  one  judgment  came 
upon  all ; and  renders  this  reason,  “ for  that 
all  have  sinned  ; ” nor  is  that  objection  worth  a 
rush,  that  Christ  by  his  death  has  taken  away 
original  sin.  First,  Because  it  is  scriptureless. 
Secondly,  Because  it  makes  them  incapable  of 
salvation  by  Christ,  for  none  but  those  that  in 
their  own  persons  are  sinners  are  to  have  sal- 
vation by  him.  Many  other  things  might  be 
added,  but  between  persons  so  well  agreed  as 
you  and  I are  these  may  suffice  at  present ; but 
when  an  antagonist  comes  to  deal  with  us  about 
this  matter,  then  we  have  for  him  often  other 
strong  arguments  if  he  be  an  antagonist  worth 
the  taking  notice  of. 

Attentive.  But,  as  was  hinted  before,  he  used 


to  be  ringleading  sinner  or  the  master  of  mis- 
chief among  other  children,  yet  these  are  but 
generals;  pray  therefore  tell  me  in  particulai 
what  were  the  sins  of  his  childhood? 

Wiseman.  I will  so.  When  lie  was  but  a 
child  lie  was  so  addicted  to  lying  that  his  pa- 
rents scarce  knew  when  to  believe  he  spake 
true;  yea,  lie  would  invent,  tell,  and  stand  to 
the  lies  that  he  invented  and  told,  and  that 
with  such  an  audacious  face  that  one  might 
even  read  in  his  very  countenance  the  symp- 
toms of  an  hard  and  desperate  heart  this 
way. 

Attentive.  This  was  an  ill  beginning  indeed, 
and  argucth  that  lie  began  to  harden  himself 
in  sin  betimes.  For  a lie  cannot  be  knowingly 
told  and  stood  in  (and  I perceive  that  this  was 
his  manner  of  way  in  lying)  but  he  must,  as  it 
were,  force  his  own  heart  unto  it.  Yea,  he 
must  make  liis  heart  hard  and  bold  to  do  it ; 
yea,  he  must  be  arrived  to  an  exceeding  pitch 
of  wickedness  thus  to  do,  since  all  this  he  did 
against  that  good  education  that  before  you 
seemed  to  hint  he  had  from  his  father  and 
mother. 

Wiseman.  The  want  of  a good  education,  as 
you  have  intimated,  is  many  times  a cause  why 
children  do  so  easily  so  soon  become  bad,  es- 
pecially when  there  is  not  only  a want  of  that, 
but  bad  examples  enough,  as,  the  more  is  the 
pity,  there  is  in  many  families ; by  virtue  of 
which  poor  children  are  trained  up  in  sin  and 
nursed  therein  for  the  devil  and  hell.  But  it 
was  otherwise  with  Mr.  Badman,  for  to  my 
knowledge  this  his  way  of  lying  was  a great 
grief  to  his  parents,  for  their  hearts  were  much 
dejected  at  this  beginning  of  their  son ; nor 
did  there  want  counsel  and  correction  from 
them  to  him  if  that  would  have  made  him 
better.  He  wanted  not  to  be  told  in  my  hear- 
ing, and  that  over  and  over  and  over,  “ That 
all  liars  should  have  their  part  in  the  lake  that 
burns  with  fire  and  brimstone,”  and  that  who- 
soever loveth  and  maketli  a lie  should  not  have 
any  part  in  the  new  and  heavenly  Jerusalem; 
but  all  availed  nothing  with  him.  When  a 
fit  or  an  occasion  to  lie  came  upon  him,  he 
would  invent,  tell,  and  stand  to  his  lie  as  stead- 
fastly as  if  it  had  been  the  biggest  of  truths 
that  he  told,  and  that  with  that  hardening  of 
his  heart  and  face  that  it  would  be  to  those 
who  stood  by  a wonder.  Nay,  and  this  he 
would  do  when  under  the  rod  of  correction, 
which  is  appointed  by  God  for  parents  to  use, 
that  thereby  they  plight  keep  their  children 
from  hell. 


490 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Attentive.  Truly  it  was,  as  I said,  a bad  be- 
ginning, be  served  the  devil  betimes ; yea,  he 
became  nurse  to  one  of  his  brats,  for  a spirit 
of  lying  is  the  devil’s  brat;  “For  he  is  a liar, 
and  the  father  of  it.” 

Wiseman.  Right!  he  is  the  father  of  it  in- 
deed. A lie  is  begot  by  the  devil  as  the  father, 
and  is  brought  forth  by  the  wicked  heart  as  the 
mother ; wherefore  another  Scripture  also  saith, 
“ Why  hath  Satan  filled  thy  heart  to  lie?”  &c. 
Yea,  he  calleth  the  heart  that  is  big  with  a lie 
an  heart  that  hath  conceived — that  is,  by  the 
devil.  “ Why  hast  thou  conceived  this  thing 
in  thy  heart?  Thou  hast  not  lied  unto  men, 
but  unto  God.”  True,  his  lie  was  a lie  of  the 
highest  nature,  but  every  lie  hath  the  same 
father  and  mother  as  had  the  lie  last  spoken 
of ; “ For  he  is  a liar,  and  the  father  of  it.” 
A lie,  then,  is  a brat  of  hell,  and  it  cannot  be 
in  the  heart  before  the  person  has  committed 
a kind  of  spiritual  adultery  with  the  devil. 
That  soul,  therefore,  that  telleth  a known  lie 
has  lain  with  and  conceived  it  by  lying  with 
the  devil,  the  only  father  of  lies.  For  a lie 
has  only  one  father  and  mother,  the  devil  and 
the  heart.  No  marvel,  therefore,  if  the  hearts 
that  hatch  and  bring  forth  lies  be  so  much  of 
complexion  with  the  devil.  Yea,  no  marvel 
though  God  and  Christ  have  so  bent  their  word 
against  liars ; a liar  is  wedded  to  the  devil  him- 
self. 

Attentive.  It  seems  a marvellous  thing  in 
mine  eyes  that  since  a lie  is  the  offspring  of 
the  devil,  and  since  a lie  brings  the  soul  to  the 
very  den  of  devils — to  wit,  the  dark  dungeon 
of  hell — that  men  should  be  so  desperately 
wicked  as  to  accustom  themselves  to  so  hor- 
rible a thfng. 

Wiseman.  It  seems  also  marvellous  to  me, 
especially  when  I observe  for  how  little  a mat- 
ter some  men  will  study,  contrive,  make,  and 
tell  a lie.  You  shall  have  some  that  will  lie 
it  over  and  over,  and  that  for  a penny  profit ; 
yea,  lie,  and  stand  in  it,  although  they  know 
that  they  lie ; yea,  you  shall  have  some  men 
that  will  not  stick  to  tell  lie  after  lie,  though 
themselves  get  nothing  thereby.  They  will 
tell  lies  in  their  ordinary  discourse  with  their 
neighbours ; also  their  news,  their  jests,  and 
their  tales  must  needs  be  adorned  with  lies,  or 
else  they  seem  to  bear  no  good  sound  to  the 
■ear,  nor  show  much  to  the  fancy  of  him  to 
whom  they  are  told.  But,  alas!  what  will 
these  liars  do  when  for  their  lies  they  shall  be 
'tumbled  down  into  hell,  to  that  devil  that  did 
■ beget  those  lies  in  their  heart,  and  so  be  tor- 


mented by  fire  and  brimstone  with  him,  and 
that  for  ever  and  ever,  for  their  lies  ? 

Attentive.  Can  you  not  give  one  some  ex- 
amples of  God’s  judgments  upon  liars,  that 
one  may  tell  them  to  liars  when  one  hears 
them  lie,  if  perhaps  they  may  by  the  hearing 
thereof  be  made  afraid  and  ashamed  to  lie? 

Wiseman.  Examples!  Why,  Ananias  and 
his  wife  are  examples  enough  to  put  a stop, 
one  would  think,  to  a spirit  addicted  thereto, 
for  they  both  were  stricken  down  dead  for  tell- 
ing a lie,  and  that  by  God  himself,  in  the  midst 
of  a company  of  people.  But  if  God’s  threat- 
ening of  liars  with  hell-fire  and  with  the  loss 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  will  not  prevail 
with  them  to  leave  off  to  lie  and  make  lies,  it 
cannot  be  imagined  that  a relation  of  temporal 
judgments  that  have  swept  liars  out  of  the 
world  heretofore  should  do  it.  Now,  as  I said, 
this  lying  was  one  of  the  first  sins  that  Mr. 
Badman  was  addicted  to,  and  he  could  make 
them  and  tell  them  fearfully. 

Attentive.  I am  sorry  to  hear  this  of  him, 
and  so  much  the  more  because,  as  I fear,  this 
sin  did  not  reign  in  him  alone;  for  usually  one 
that  is  accustomed  to  lying  is  also  accustomed 
to  other  evils  besides;  and  if  it  were  not  so 
also  with  Mr.  Badman,  it  would  indeed  be  a 
wonder. 

Wiseman.  You  say  true:  the  liar  is  a cap- 
tive slave  of  more  than  the  spirit  of  lying; 
and  therefore  this  Mr.  Badman,  as  he  was  a 
liar  from  a child,  so  he  was  also  much  given 
to  pilfer  and  steal:  so  that  what  he  could,  as 
we  say,  handsomely  lay  his  hands  on,  that  was 
counted  his  own,  whether  they  were  the  things 
of  his  fellow-children,  or  if  he  could  lay  hold 
of  any  thing  at  a neighbour’s  house  he  would 
take  it  away;  you  must  understand  me  of 
trifles,  for,  being  yet  but  a child,  he  attempted 
no  great  matter,  especially  at  first.  But  yet  as 
he  grew  up  in  strength  and  ripeness  of  wit,  so 
he  attempted  to  pilfer  and  steal  things  still  of 
more  value  than  at  first.  He  took  at  last  great 
pleasure  in  robbing  of  gardens  and  orchards, 
and  as  he  grew  up  to  steal  pullen  from  the 
neighbourhood;  yea,  what  was  his  father’s 
could  not  escape  his  fingers ; all  was  fish  that 
came  to  his  net,  so  hardened  at  last  was  he  in 
this  mischief  also. 

Attentive.  You  make  me  wonder  more  and 
more.  What!  play  the  thief  too!  What! 
play  the  thief  so  soon!  He  could  not  but 
know,  though  he  was  but  a child,  that  what  he 
took  from  others  was  none  of  his  own.  Be- 
sides, if  his  father  was  a good  man,  as  you  say, 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BA  DM  AN. 


491 


it  could  not  be  but  lie  must  also  hear  from  him 
that  to  steal  was  to  transgress  the  law  of  God, 
and  so  to  run  the  hazard  of  eternal  damnation. 

Wiseman.  Ilis  father  was  not  wanting  to  use 
the  means  to  reclaim  him,  often  urging,  as  I 
have  been  told,  that  saying  in  the  law  of 
Moses,  “Thou  shalt  not  steal;”  and  also  that, 
“ That  is  the  curse  that  gocth  forth  over  the  face 
of  the  whole  earth,  for  every  one  that  stealeth 
shall  be  cut  oil’”  &c.  The  light  of  nature  also, 
though  ho  was  little,  must  needs  show  him 
that  what  he  took  from  others  was  not  his  own, 
and  that  he  would  not  willingly  have  been 
served  so  himself.  But  all  was  to  no  purpose ; 
let  father  and  conscience  say  what  they  would 
to  him,  he  would  go  on,  he  was  resolved  to  go 
on,  in  his  wickedness. 

Attentive.  But  his  father  would,  as  you  inti- 
mate, sometimes  rebuke  him  for  his  wicked- 
ness; pray  how  would  he  carry  it  then? 

Wiseman.  How!  why,  like  a thief  that  is 
found.  He  would  stand  gloating  and  hanging 
down  his  head  in  a sullen,  pouching  manner, 
(a  body  might  read,  as  we  used  to  say,  the  pic- 
ture of  ill  luck  in  his  face,)  and  when  his 
father  did  demand  his  answer  to  such  ques- 
tion concerning  his  villainy,  he  would  grum- 
ble and  mutter  at  him,  and  that  should  be  all 
that  he  could  get. 

Attentive.  But  you  said  that  he  would  also 
rob  his  father;  methinks  that  was  an  unnatural 
thing. 

Wiseman.  Natural  or  unnatural,  all  is  one  to 
a thief.  Besides,  you  must  think  that  he  had 
likewise  companions  to  whom  he  was,  for  the 
wickedness  that  he  saw  in  them,  more  firmly 
knit  than  either  to  father  or  mother.  Yea, 
and  what  had  he  cared  if  father  and  mother 
had  died  of  grief  for  him?  Their  death  would 
have  been,  as  he  would  have  counted,  great 
release  and  liberty  to  him;  for  the  truth  is, 
they  and  their  counsel  was  his  bondage;  yea, 
and  if  I forget  not,  I have  heard  some  say 
that  when  he  was  at  times  among  his  com- 
panions he  would  greatly  rejoice  to  think  that 
his  parents  were  old  and  could  not  live  long, 
and  then,  quoth  he,  I shall  be  mine  own  man, 
to  do  what  I list  without  their  control. 

Attentive.  Then  it  seems  he  counted  that 
robbing  of  his  parents  was  no  crime? 

Wiseman.  None  at  all;  and  therefore  he  fell 
directly  under  that  sentence,  “Whoso  robbeth 
his  father  or  his  mother,  and  saith  it  is  no 
transgression,  the  same  is  the  companion  of  a 
destroyer.”  And  for  that  he  set  so  light  by 
them  as  to  their  persons  and  counsels,  it  was  a 


sign  that  at  present  he  was  of  a very  abom- 
inable spirit,  and  that  some  judgment  awaited 
to  take  hold  of  him  in  time  to  come. 

Attentive.  But  can  you  imagine  what  it  was — 
I mean,  in  his  conceit,  (for  I speak  not  now  of 
the  suggestions  of  Satan,  by  which  doubtless 
lie  was  put  on  to  do  these  things,) — I say,  what 
it  should  be  in  his  conceit  that  should  make 
him  think  that  this  his  manner  of  pilfering  and 
stealing  was  no  great  matter? 

Wiseman.  It  was  for  that  the  things  that  he 
stole  were  small:  to  rob  orchards  and  gar- 
dens, and  to  steal  pullen  and  the  like,  these  he 
counted  tricks  of  youth,  nor  would  he  be  beat 
out  of  it  by  all  that  his  friends  could  say. 
They  would  tell  him  that  he  must  not  covet  or 
desire  (and  yet  to  desire  is  less  than  to  take) 
even  any  thing,  the  least  thing,  that  was  his 
neighbour’s,  and  that  if  he  did  it  would  be  a 
transgression  of  the  law;  but  all  was  one  to 
him;  what  through  the  wicked  talk  of  his 
companions  and  the  delusion  of  his  own  cor- 
rupt heart,  he  would  go  on  in  his  pilfering 
course,  and  where  he  thought  himself  secure 
would  talk  of  and  laugh  at  it  when  he  had 
done. 

Attentive.  Well,  I heard  a man  once, 
when  he  was  upon  the  ladder  with  a rope  about 
his  neck,  confess  (when  ready  to  be  turned  off' 
by  the  hangman)  that  that  which  had  brought 
him  to  that  end  was  his  accustoming  of  him- 
self, when  young,  to  pilfer  and  steal  small 
things.  To  my  best  remembrance  he  told  us 
that  he  began  the  trade  of  a thief  by  stealing 
of  pins  and  of  points ; and  therefore  did  fore- 
warn all  the  youth  that  then  were  gathered 
together  to  see  him  die  to  take  heed  of  begin- 
ning, though  but  with  little  sins,  because  by 
tampering  at  first  with  little  ones  way  is  made 
for  the  commission  of  bigger. 

Wiseman.  Since  you  are  entered  upon  stories, 
I also  will  tell  you  one ; the  which,  though  I 
heard  it  not  with  mine  own  ears,  yet  my  author 
I dare  believe.  It  is  concerning  one  old  Tod, 
that  was  hanged  about  twenty  years  ago  or 
more  at  Hertford  for  being  a thief.  The  story 
is  this : 

At  a summer  assizes  holden  at  Hertford, 
while  the  judge  was  sitting  upon  the  bench, 
comes  this  old  Tod  into  the  court,  clothed  in  a 
green  suit,  with  his  leathern  girdle  in  his  hand, 
his  bosom  open,  and  all  on  a muck  of  sweat,  as 
if  he  had  run  for  his  life ; and  being  come  in, 
he  spake  aloud  as  follows.  My  lord,  said  he, 
here  is  the  veriest  rogue  that  breathes  upon 
the  face  of  the  earth.  I have  been  a thief 


492 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


from  a child ; when  I was  hut  a little  one  I 
gave  myself  to  rob  orchards  and  to  do  other 
such  like  wicked  things,  and  I have  continued 
a thief  ever  since.  My  lord,  there  has  not 
been  a robbery  committed  these  many  years, 
within  so  many  miles  of  this  place,  but  I have 
either  been  at  it  or  privy  to  it. 

-The  judge  thought  this  fellow  was  mad,  but 
after  some  conference  with  some  of  the  justices 
they  agreed  to  indict  him ; and  so  they  did  of 
several  felonious  actions,  to  all  which  he 
heartily  confessed  guilty,  and  so  was  hanged 
with  his  wife  at  the  same  time. 

Attentive.  This  is  a remarkable  story  indeed, 
and  you  think  it  is  a true  one  ? 

Wiseman.  It  is  not  only  remarkable,  but  pat 
to  our  purpose.  This  thief,  like  Mr.  Badman, 
began  his  trade  betimes ; he  began,  too,  where 
Mr.  Badman  began,  even  at  robbing  of  orchards 
and  other  such  things,  which  brought  him,  as 
you  may  perceive,  from  sin  to  sin,  till  at  last  it 
brought  him  to  the  public  shame  of  sin,  which 
is  the  gallows. 

As  for  the  truth  of  this  story,  the  relater 
told  me  that  he  was  at  the  same  time  himself 
in  the  court,  and  stood  within  less  than  two 
yards  of  old  Tod  when  he  heard  him  aloud  to 
utter  the  words. 

Attentive.  These  two  sins  of  lying  and  steal- 
ing were  a bad  sign  of  an  evil  end. 

Wiseman.  So  they  were ; and  yet  Mr.  Bad- 
man came  not  to  his  end  like  old  Tod,  though 
I fear  to  as  bad,  nay,  worse  than  was  that 
death  of  the  gallows,  though  less  discerned  by 
spectators ; but  more  of  that  by  and  by.  But 
you  talk  of  these  two  sins  as  if  these  were  all 
that  Mr.  Badman  was  addicted  to  in  his  youth. 
Alas,  alas ! he  swarmed  with  sins,  even  as  a 
beggar  does  with  vermin,  and  that  when  he 
was  a hoy. 

Attentive.  Why,  what  other  sins  was  he 
addicted  to — I mean  while  he  was  but  a 
child? 

Wiseman.  You  need  not  ask  to  what  other 
sins  was  he,  but  to  what  other  sins  was  he  not, 
addicted — that  is,  of  such  as  suited  with  his 
age;  for  a man  may  safely  say  that  nothing 
that  was  vile  came  amiss  to  him  if  he  was  but 
capable  to  do  it.  Indeed,  some  sins  there  be 
that  childhood  knows  not  howto  be  tampering 
with ; but  I speak  of  sins  that  he  was  capable 
of  committing,  of  which  I will  nominate  two 
or  three  more. 

And,  first.  He  could  not  endure  the  Lord’s 
day,  because  of  the  holiness  that  did  attend  it ; 
the  beginning  of  that  day  was  to  him  as  if  he 


was  going  to  prison,  (except  he  could  get  out 
from  his  father  and  mother,  and  lurk  in  by- 
holes among  his  companions  until  holy  duties 
were  over.)  Beading  the  Scriptures,  hearing 
sermons,  godly  conference,  repeating  of  ser- 
mons and  prayer  were  things  that  he  could  not 
away  with ; therefore,  if  his  father  on  such 
days  (as  often  he  did,  though  sometimes  not- 
withstanding his  diligence  he  would  be  sure  to 
give  him  the  slip)  did  keep  him  strictly  to  the 
observation  of  the  day',  he  would  plainly  show 
by  all  carriages  that  he  was  highly  discontent 
therewith;  he  would  sleep  at  duties,  would 
talk  vainly  with  his  brothers,  and,  as  it  were, 
think  every  godly  opportunity  seven  times  as 
long  as  it  was,  grudging  till  it  was  over. 

Attentive.  This  his  abhorring  of  that  day  was 
not,  I think,  for  the  sake  of  the  day  itself,  for 
as  it  is  a day  it  is  nothing  else  but  as  other 
days  of  the  week ; but  I suppose  that  the  rea- 
son of  his  loathing  of  it  was  for  that  God  hath 
put  sanctity  and  holiness  upon  it,  also  because 
it  is  the  day  above  all  the  days  of  the  week 
that  ought  to  be  spent  in  holy  devotion,  in  re- 
membrance of  our  Lord’s  resurrection  from 
the  dead. 

Wiseman.  Yes,  it  was  therefore  that  he  was 
such  an  enemy  to  it,  even  because  more  re- 
straint was  laid  upon  him  on  that  day  from  his 
own  ways  than  were  possible  should  be  laid, 
upon  him  on  all  others. 

Attentive.  Doth  not  God,  by  instituting  of  a 
day  unto  holy  duties,  make  great  proof  how  the 
hearts  and  inclinations  of  poor  people  do  stand 
to  holiness  of  heart  and  a conversation  in  holy 
duties? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  doubtless ; and  a man  shall 
show  his  heart  and  his  life,  what  they  are,  more 
by  one  Lord’s  day  than  by  all  the  days  of  the 
week  besides;  and  the  reason  is,  because  on  the 
Lord’s  day  there  is  a special  restraint  laid  upon 
man,  as  to  thoughts  and  life,  more  than  upon 
other  days  of  the  week  besides.  Also,  men 
are  enjoined  on  that  day  to  a stricter  perform- 
ance of  holy  duties,  and  restraint  of  worldly 
business,  than  upon  other  days  they  are; 
wherefore,  if  their  hearts  incline  not  naturally 
to  good,  now  they  will  show  it,  now  they  will 
appear  what  they  are.  The  Lord’s  day  is  a 
kind  of  an  emblem  of  the  heavenly  Sabbath 
above,  and  it  makes  manifest  how  the  heart 
stands  to  the  perpetuity  of  holiness,  more  than 
to  be  found  in  a transient  duty  does. 

On  other  days  a man  may  be  in  and  out  of 
holy  duties,  and  all  in  a quarter  of  an  hour ; 
but  now,  the  Lord’s  day  is,  as  it  were,  a day 


LIFE  AND  DEATH 

that  enjoins  to  one  perpetual  duty  of  holiness 
— “ Remember  that  thou  keep  holy  the  Sab- 
bath-day,”  (which  by  Christ  is  not  abrogated, 
but  changed  into  the  first  of  the  week;)  not  as 
it  was  given  in  particular  to  the  Jews,  but  as 
it  was  sanctified  by  him  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world — and  therefore  is  a great  proof  of 
the  frame  and  temper  of  a man’s  heart,  and 
does  more  make  manifest  to  what  he  is  in- 
clined than  doth  his  other  performance  of 
duties;  therefore  God  puts  great  difference 
between  them  that  truly  call  (and  walk  in) 
this  day  as  holy  and  count  it  honourable,  upon 
the  account  that  now  they  have  an  opportu- 
nity to  show  how  they  delight  to  honour  him, 
in  that  they  have  not  only  an  hour,  but  a 
whole  day  to  show  it  in  ; — I say,  he  puts  great 
difference  between  these  and  that  other  sort 
that  say,  When  will  the  Sabbath  be  gone,  that 
we  may  be  at  Our  worldly  business ? The  first 
he  calleth  a blessed  man,  but  brandeth  the 
other  for  an  unsanctified  worldling.  And  in- 
deed, to  delight  ourselves  in  God’s  service 
upon  his  holy  days  gives  a better  proof  of  a 
sanctified  nature  than  to  grudge  at  the  coming 
and  to  be  weary  of  the  holy  duties  of  such 
days,  as  Mr.  Badman  did. 

Attentive.  There  may  be  something  in  what 
you  say,  for  he  that  cannot  abide  to  keep  one 
day  holy  to  God,  to  be  sure  he  hath  given  a 
sufficient  proof  that  he  is  an  unsanctified 
man;  and  as  such  what  should  he  do  in 
heaven,  that  being  the  place  where  a per- 
petual sabbath  is  to  be  kept  to  God? — I say, 
to  be  kept  for  ever  and  ever.  And  for  aught 
I know,  one  reason  why  one  day  in  seven 
hath  been  by  our  Lord  set  apart  unto  holy 
duties  for  men  may  be  to  give  them  convic- 
tion that  there  is  enmity  in  the  hearts  of  sin- 
ners to  the  God  of  heaven,  for  he  that  hateth 
holiness  hateth  God  himself.  They  pretend 
to  love  God,  and  yet  love  not  a holy  day,  and 
yet  love  not  to  spend  that  day  in  one  continued 
act  of  holiness  to  the  Lord ; they  had  as  good 
say  nothing  as  to  call  him,  Lord,  Lord ! and 
yet  not  do  the  things  that  he  says.  And  this 
Mr.  Badman  was  such  a one;  he  could  not 
abide  this  day  nor  any  of  the  duties  of  it. 
Indeed,  when  he  could  get  from  his  friends, 
and  so  spend  it  in  all  manner  of  idleness  and 
profaneness,  then  he  would  be  pleased  well 
enough ; but  what  was  this  but  a turning  the 
day  into  night,  or  other  than  taking  an  opportu- 
nity, at  God’s  forbidding  to  follow  our  callings, 
to  solace  and  satisfy  our  lusts  and  delights  of 
the  flesh  ? I take  the  liberty  to  speak  thus  of 


OF  MR.  IiA  DMA  N.  493 

Mr.  Badman,  upon  a confidence  of  what  you, 
sir,  have  said  of  him  is  true. 

Wiseman.  You  need  not  to  have  made  that 
apology  for  your  censuring  of  Mr.  Badman, 
for  all  that  knew  him  will  confirm  what  you 
say  of  him  to  be  true.  He  could  not  abide 
cither  that  day  or  any  thing  else  that  had 
the  stamp  or  image  of  God  upon  it.  Sin, 
sin,  and  to  do  the  thing  that  was  naught,  was 
that  which  he  delighted  in,  and  that  from  a 
little  child. 

Attentive.  I must  say  again,  I am  sorry  to 
hear  it,  and  that  for  his  own  sake,  and  also  for 
the  sake  of  his  relations,  who  must  needs  be 
broken  to  pieces  with  such  doings  as  these ; 
for,  for  these  things’  sake  comes  the  wrath  of 
God  upon  the  children  of  disobedience;  and 
doubtless  he  must  be  gone  to  hell  if  he  died 
without  repentance ; and  to  beget  a child  for 
hell  is  sad  for  parents  to  think  on. 

Wiseman.  Of  his  dying,  as  I told  you,  I 
will  give  you  a relation  anon ; but  now  we 
are  upon  his  life,  and  upon  the  manner  of  his 
life  in  his  childhood,  even  of  the  sins  that 
attended  him  then,  some  of  which  I have 
mentioned  already;  and  indeed  I have  men- 
tioned but  some,  for  yet  there  are  more  to  fol- 
low, and  those  not  at  all  inferior  to  what  you 
have  already  heard. 

Attentive.  Pray  what  were  they? 

Wiseman.  Why,  he  was  greatly  given,  and 
that  while  a lad,  to  grievous  swearing  and 
cursing;  yea,  he  then  made  no  more  of  swear- 
ing and  cursing  than  I do  of  telling  my  fin-* 
gers ; yea,  he  would  do  it  without  provocation 
thereto.  Pie  counted  it  a glory  to  swear  and 
curse,  and  it  was  as  natural  to  him  as  to  eat, 
and  drink,  and  sleep. 

Attentive.  Oh  what  a young  villain  was  this ! 
Here  is,  as  the  apostle  says,  a yielding  of 
members  as  instruments  of  unrighteousness 
unto  sin  indeed : this  is  proceeding  from  evil 
to  evil  with  a witness;  this  argueth  that  he 
was  a black-mouthed  young  wretch  indeed. 

Wiseman.  He  was  so;  and  yet,  as  I told  you, 
he  counted  above  all  this  kind  of  sinning  to  be 
a badge  of  his  honour;  he  reckoned  himself  a 
man’s  fellow  when  he  had  learned  to  swear 
and  curse  boldly. 

Attentive.  I am  persuaded  that  many  do 
think,  as  you  have  said,  that  to  swear  is  a 
thing  that  does  bravely  become  them,  and  that 
it  is  the  best  way  for  a man,  when  he  would 
put  authority  or  terror  to  his  words,  to  stuff 
them  full  of  the  sin  of  swearing. 

iTfVe/aan.  You  say  right,  else,  as  I am  per 


494 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


suaded,  men  would  not  so  usually  belch  out 
their  blasphemous  oaths  as  they  do ; they  take 
a pride  in  it;  they  think  that  to  swear  is  gen- 
tlemanlike; and  having  once  accustomed 
themselves  unto  it,  they  hardly  leave  it  all 
the  days  of  their  lives. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  now  we  are  upon  it, 
pray  show  me  the  difference  between  swearing 
and  cursing ; for  there  is  a difference,  is  there 
not? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  there  is  a difference  between 
swearing  and  cursing — swearing,  vain  swear- 
ing, such  as  young  Badinan  accustomed  him- 
self unto.  Now  vain  and  sinful  swearing  is  a 
light  and  wicked  calling  of  God,  &c.,  to  wit- 
ness to  our  vain  and  foolish  attesting  of  things, 
and  those  things  are  of  two  sorts : 

1.  Things  that  we  swear  are  or  shall  be 
done. 

2.  Things  so  sworn  to,  true  or  false. 

1.  Things  that  we  swear  are  or  shall  be  done. 
Thou  swearest  thou  hast  done  such  a thing, 
that  such  a thing  is  so  or  shall  he  so ; for  it  is 
no  matter  which  of  these  it  is  that  men  swear 
about : if  it  be  done  lightly,  and  wickedly,  and 
groundlessly  it  is  vain,  because  it  is  a sin 
against  the  third  commandment,  which  says, 
“Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord 
thy  God  in  vain.”  For  this  is  a vain  using  of 
that  holy  and  sacred  name,  and  so  a sin  for 
which,  without  sound  repentance,  there  is  not 
nor  can  be  rightly  expected  forgiveness. 

Attentive.  Then  it  seems  though  as  to  the 
matter  of  fact  a man  swears  truly,  yet  if  he 
sweareth  lightly  and  groundlessly  his  oath  is 
evil,  and  he  by  it  under  sin  ? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  a man  may  say,  “The  Lord 
liveth,”  and  that  is  true,  and  yet  in  so  saying 
swear  falsely,  because  he  sweareth  vainly, 
needlessly,  and  without  a ground.  To  swear 
groundedly  and  necessarily,  (which  then  a man 
does  when  he  swears  as  being  called  thereto  of 
God,)  that  is  tolerated  by  the  word  ; but  this 
was  none  of  Mr.  Badman’s  swearing,  and 
therefore  that  which  now  we  are  not  concerned 
about.  * 

Attentive.  I perceive  by  the  prophet  that  a 
man  inay  sin  in  swearing  to  the  truth ; they 
therefore  must  needs  most  horribly  sin  that 
swear  to  confirm  their  jests  and  lies,  and,  as 
they  think,  the  better  to  beautify  their  foolish 
talking. 

Wiseman.  They  sin  with  an  high  hand,  for 
they  presume  to  imagine  that  God  is  as  wicked 
as  themselves — to  wit,  that  he  is  an  avoucher 
of  lies  to  be  true.  For,  as  I said  before,  to 


swear  is  to  call  God  to  witness ; and  to  sweai 
to  a lie  is  to  call  God  to  witness  that  that  lie  is 
true.  This  therefore  must  needs  offend,  for  it 
puts  the  highest  affront  upon  the  holiness  and 
righteousness  of  God;  therefore  his  wrath  must 
sweep  them  away.  This  kind  of  swearing  is 
put  in  with  lying,  and  killing,  and  stealing, 
and  committing  adultery,  and  therefore  must 
not  go  unpunished ; for  if  “ God  will  not  hold 
him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain,” 
which  a man  may  do  when  he  swears  to  a 
truth,  (as  I have  showed  before,)  how  can  it  be 
imagined  that  he  should  hold  such  guiltless 
who  by  swearing  will  appeal  to  God  if  lies  be 
not  true,  or  that  swear  out  of  their  frantic  and 
bedlam  madness?  It  would  grieve  and  pro- 
voke a sober  man  to  wrath  if  one  should  swear 
to  a notorious  lie,  and  avouch  that  that  man 
would  attest  it  for  a truth,  and  yet  thus  do  men 
deal  with  the  holy  God.  They  tell  their  jest- 
ings,  tales,  and  lies,  and  then  swear  by  God 
that  they  are  true.  Now  this  kind  of  swearing 
was  as  common  with  young  Badman  as  it  was 
to  eat  when  he  was  an  hungered  or  to  go  to  bed 
when  it  was  night. 

Attentive.  I have  often  mused  in  my  mind 
what  it  should  be  that  should  make  men  so 
common  in  the  use  of  the  sin  of  swearing,  since 
those  that  be  wise  will  believe  them  never  the 
sooner  for  that.  ' 

Wiseman.  It  cannot  be  anything  that  is 
good,  you  may  be  sure,  because  the  thing  itself 
is  abominable.  1.  Therefore  it  must  be  from 
promptings  of  the  spirit  of  the  devil  within 
them.  2.  Also  it  flows  sometimes  from  hellish 
rage,  when  the  tongue  hath  set  on  fire  of  hell 
even  the  whole  course  of  nature.  3.  But, 
commonly,  swearing  flows  from  that  daring 
boldness  that  biddeth  defiance  to  the  law  that 
forbids  it.  4.  Swearers  think  also  that  by 
their  belching  of  their  blasphemous  oaths  out 
of  their  black  and  polluted  mouths  they  show 
themselves  the  more  valiant  men.  5.  And  im- 
agine also  that  by  these  outrageous  kind  of 
villainies  they  shall  conquer  those  that  at  such 
a time  they  have  to  do  with,  and  make  them 
believe  their  lies  to  be  true.  They  also  swear 
frequently  to  get  gain  thereby,  and  when  they 
meet  with  fools  they  overcome  them  this  way. 
But,  if  I might  give  advice  in  this  matter,  no 
buyer  should  lay  out  one  farthing  with  him 
that  is  a conimon  swearer  in  his  calling,  espe- 
cially with  such  an  oath-master  that  endeav- 
oureth  to  swear  away  his  commodity  to 
another,  and  that  would  swear  his  chapman’s 
money  into  his  own  pocket. 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADM AN. 


495 


Attentive.  All  these  causes  of  swearing,  so 
far  as  I can  perceive,  flow  from  the  same  root 
as  do  the  oaths  themselves,  even  from  a hard- 
ened and  desperate  heart.  But  pray  show  me 
now  how  wicked  cursing  is  to  he  distinguished 
from  this  kind  of  swearing. 

Wiseman.  Swearing,  as  I said,  hath  imme- 
diately to  do  with  the  name  of  God,  and  it 
calls  upon  him  to  be  witness  of  the  truth  of 
what  is  said — that  is,  if  they  that  swear,  swear 
by  him.  Some  indeed  swear  by  idols,  as  by 
the  mass,  by  Our  Lady,  by  saints,  beasts,  birds, 
and  other  creatures,  but  the  usual  .way  of  our 
profane  ones  in  England  is  to  swear  by  God, 
Christ,  faith,  and  the  like.  But  however  or  by 
whatever  they  swear,  cursing  is  distinguished 
from  swearing  thus : 

To  curse,  to  curse  profanely,  it  is  to  sentence 
another  or  ourself  for  or  to  evil,  or  to  wish  that 
some  evil  might  happen  to  the  person  or  thing 
under  the  curse  unjustly. 

1.  It  is  to  sentence  for  or  to  evil — that  is, 
without  a cause;  thus  Shimei  cursed  David; 
he  sentenced  him  for  and  to  evil  unjustly  when 
he  said  to  him,  “ Come  out,  come  out,  thou 
bloody  man,  and  thou  man  of  Belial.  The  Lord 
hath  returned  upon  thee  all  the  blood  of  the 
house  of  Saul,  in  whose  stead  thou  hast 
reigned,  and  the  Lord  hath  delivered  the  king- 
dom into  the  hand  of  Absalom  thy  son ; and 
behold  thou  art  taken  in  thy  mischief,  because 
thou  art  a bloody  man.”  This  David  calls  a 
grievous  curse.  “ And  behold,”  saith  he  to 
Solomon  his  son,  “ thou  hast  with  thee  Shimei, 
a Bcnjamitc,  which  cursed  me  with  a grievous 
curse  when  I went  to  Mahanaim.” 

But  what  was  this  curse?  Why — 1.  It  was 
a wrong  sentence  passed  upon  David  ; Shimei 
called  him  “bloody  man,  man  of  Belial,” 
when  he  was  not.  2.  He  sentenced  him  to  the 
evil  that  at  present  was  upon  him  for  being  a 
bloody  man — that  is,  against  the  house  of  Saul 
— when  that  present  evil  overtook  David  for 
quite  another  thing. 

And  we  may  thus  apply  it  to  the  profane 
ones  of  our  times,  who  in  their  rage  and  envy 
have  little  else  in  their  mouths  but  a sentence 
against  their  neighbour  for  and  to  evil  un- 
justly'. How  common  it  is  with  many,  when 
they  are  but  a little  offended  with  one,  to  cry, 
Hang  him  ! Damn  him,  rogue ! This  is  both 
a sentencing  of  him  for  and  to  evil,  and  is  in 
itself  a grievous  curse. 

2.  The  other  kind  of  cursing  is  to  wish  that 
some  evil  might  happen  to  and  overtake  this 
or  that  person  or  thing;  and  this  kind  of 


cursing  Job  counted  a grievous  sin.  “ I have 
not  suffered,”  says  he,  “ my  mouth  to  sin  by 
wishing  a curse  to  his  soul,”  or  consequently 
to  body  or  estate.  This,  then,  is  a wicked 
cursing,  to  wish  that  evil  might  either  befall 
another  or  ourselves;  and  this  kind  of  cursing 
young  Badman  accustomed  himself  unto. 

1.  lie  would  wish  that  evil  might  befall 
others;  he  would  wish  their  necks  broken,  or 
that  their  brains  were  out,  or  that  the  pox  or 
the  plague  was  upon  them,  and  the  like;  all 
which  is  a devilish  kind  of  cursing,  and  is  be- 
come one  of  the  common  sins  of  our  age. 

2.  He  would  also  as  often  wish  a curse  to 
himself,  saying,  Would  I might  be  hanged,  or 
burned,  or  that  the  devil  might  fetch  me,  if  it 
be  not  so  or  the  like.  We  count  the  Damn- 
me  blades  to  be  great  swearers,  but  when  in 
their  hellish  fury  they  say,  God  damn  me  1 
God  perish  me  1 or  the  like,  they  rather  curse 
than  swear;  yea,  curse  themselves,  and  that 
with  a wish  that  damnation  might  light  upon 
themselves;  which  wish  and  curse  of  theirs  in 
a little  time  they  will  see  accomplished  upon 
them,  even  in  hell-fire,  if  they  repent  them 
not  of  their  sins. 

Attentive.  But  did  this  young  Badman  ac- 
custom himself  to  such  filthy  kind  of  language? 

Wiseman.  I think  I may  say  that  nothing 
was  more  frequent  in  his  mouth,  and  that  upon 
the  least  provocation.  Yea,  he  was  so  versed 
in  such  kind  of  language  that  neither  father, 
nor  mother,  nor  brother,  nor  sister,  nor  ser- 
vant, no,  nor  the  very  cattle  that  his  father 
had,  could  escape  these  curses  of  his.  I say, 
that  even  the  brute  beasts  when  he  drove  them 
or  rid  upon  them,  if  they  pleased  not  his 
humour,  they  must  be  sure  to  partake  of  his 
curse.  He  would  wish  their  necks  broke,  their 
legs  broke,  their  guts  out,  or  that  the  devil 
might  fetch  them,  or  the  like ; and  no  marvel, 
for  he  that  is  so  hardy  as  to  wish  damnation 
or  other  bad  curses  to  himself  or  dearest  rela- 
tions, would  not  stick  to  wish  evil  to  the  silly 
beasts  in  his  madness. 

Attentive.  Well,  I see  still  that  this  Badman 
was  a desperate  villain.  But  pray,  sir,  since 
you  have  gone  thus  far,  now  show  me  whence 
this  evil  of  cursing  ariseth,  and  also  what  dis- 
honour it  bringeth  to  God,  for  I easily  discern 
that  it  doth  bring  damnation  to  the  soul. 

Wiseman.  This  evil  of  cursing  ariseth,  in 
general,  from  the  desperate  wickedness  of  the 
heart,  but  particularly  from — 1.  Envy,  which 
is,  as  I apprehend,  the  leading  sin  to  witch- 
craft. 2.  It  also  ariseth  from  pride,  which  was 


496 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


the  sin  of  the  fallen  angels.  3.  It  ariseth  too 
from  scorn  and  contempt  of  others.  4.  But 
for  a man  to  curse  himself  must  needs  arise 
from  desperate  madness. 

The  dishonour  that  it  bringeth  to  God  is 
this : It  taketh  away  from  him  his  authority, 
in  whose  power  it  is  only  to  bless  and  curse  ; 
not  to  curse  wickedly,  as  Mr.  Badman,  but 
justly,  righteously,  giving  by  his  curse  to  those 
that  are  wicked  the  due  reward  of  their 
deeds. 

Besides,  these  wicked  men,  in  their  wicked 
cursing  of  their  neighbour,  &c.,  do  even  curse 
God  himself  in  his  handiwork.  Man  is  God’s 
image,  and  to  curse  wickedly  the  image  of  God 
is  to  curse  God  himself.  Therefore,  as  when 
men  wickedly  swear  they  rend  and  tear  God’s 
name,  and  make  him,  as  much  as  in  them  lies, 
the  avoucher  and  approver  of  all  their  wicked- 
ness, so  he  that  curseth  'and  condemneth  in 
this  sort  his  neighbour,,  or  that  wisheth  him 
evil,  curseth  and  condemneth  and  wisheth  evil 
to  the  image  of  God,  and  consequently  judgeth 
and  condemneth  God  himself. 

Suppose  that  a man  should  say  with  his 
mouth,  I wish  that  the  king’s  picture  was 
burned,  would  not  this  man’s  so  saying  render 
him  as  an  enemy  to  the  person  of  the  king? 
Even  so  it  is  with  them  that  by  cursing  wish 
evil  to  their  neighbour  or  to  themselves ; they 
contemn  the  image,  even  the  image  of  God 
himself. 

Attentive.  But  do  you  think  that  the  men 
that  do  thus  do  think  that  they  do  so  vilely,  so 
abominably  ? 

Wiseman.  The  question  is  not  what  men  do 
believe  concerning  their  sin,  but  what  God’s 
word  says  to  it.  If  God’s  word  says  that  swear- 
ing and  cursing  are  sins,  though  men  should 
■count  them  for  virtues,  their  reward  will  be  a 
reward  for  sin — to  wit,  the  damnation  of  the 
■soul. 

To  curse  another  and  to  swear  vainly  and 
falsely  are  sins  against  the  light  of  nature. 

1.  To  curse  is  so,  because  whoso  curseth  an- 
other knows  that  at  the  same  time  he  would 
not  be  so  served  himself. 

2.  To  swear  also  is  a sin  against  the  same 
law,  for  nature  will  tell  me  that  I should  not 
lie,  and , therefore  much  less  swear  to  confirm 
it.  Yea,  the  heathens  have  looked  upon  swear- 
ing to  be  a solemn  ordinance  of  God,  and 
therefore  not  to  be  lightly  or  vainly  used  by 
men,  though  to  confirm  a matter  of  truth. 

Attentive.  But  I wonder,  since  cursing  and 
■swearing  are  such  evils, in  the  eyes  of  God, 


that  he  doth  not  make  some  examples  to  others 
for  their  committing  such  wickedness. 

Wiseman.  Alas ! so  he  has  a thousand  times 
twice  told,  as  may  be  easily  gathered  by  any 
observing  people  in  every  age  and  country.  I 
could  present  you  with  several  myself,  but 
waiving  the  abundance  that  might  be  men- 
tioned, I will  here  present  you  with  two : One 
was  that  dreadful  judgment  of  God  upon  one 
N.  P.  at  Wimbledon,  in  Surrey,  who,  after  a 
horrible  fit  of  swearing  at  and  cursing  of  some 
persons  that  did  not  please  him,  suddenly  fell 
sick  and  iij  a little  time  died,  raving,  cursing, 
and  swearing. 

But,  above  all,  take  that  dreadful  story  of 
Dorothy  Mately,  an  inhabitant  of  Ashover  in 
the  county  of  Derby. 

This  Dorothy  Mately,  said  the  relater,  was 
noted  by  the  people  of  the  town  to  be  a great 
swearer,  and  curser,  and  liar,  and  thief,  (just 
like  Mr.  Badman ;)  and  the  labour  that  she 
usually  did  follow  was  to  wash  the  rubbish 
that  came  forth  of  the  lead  mines,  and  there 
to  get  sparks  of  lead  ore ; and  her  usual  way 
of  asserting  of  things  was  with  these  kind  of 
imprecations:  I would  I might  sink  into  the 
earth  if  it  be  not  so,  or  I would  God  would 
make  the  earth  open  and  swallow  me  up. 
Now  upon  the  23d  of  March,  1660,  this  Doro- 
thy was  washing  of  ore  upon  the  top  of  a 
steep  hill,  about  a quarter  of  a mile  from 
Ashover,  and  was  there  taxed  by  a lad  for  tak- 
ing of  two  single  pence  out  of  his  pocket,  (for 
he  had  laid  his  breeches  by  and  was  at  work 
in  his  drawers,)  but  she  violently  denied  it, 
wishing  that  the  ground  might  swallow  her  up 
if  she  had  them.  She  also  used  the  same 
wicked  words  on  several  other  occasions  that 
day. 

Now,  one  George  Hodgkinson  of  Ashover, 
a man  of  good  report  there,  came  accidentally 
by  where  this  Dorothy  was,  and  stood  still  a 
while  to  talk  with  her  as  she  was  washing  her 
ore ; there  stood  also  a little  child  by  her  tub- 
side,  and  another  a distance  from  her,  call- 
ing aloud  to  her  to  come  away  ; wherefore  the 
said  George  took  the  girl  by  the  hand  to  lead 
her  away  to  her  that  called  her:  but  behold, 
they  had  not  gone  above  ten  yards  from  Dor- 
othy but  they  heard  her  crying  out  for  help; 
so,  looking  back,  he  saw  the  woman  and  her 
tub  and  sieve  twirling  round  and  sinking  into 
the  ground.  Then  said  the  man,  Pray  to  God 
to  pardon  thy  sin,  for  thou  art  never  like  to  be 
seen  alive  any  longer.  So  she  and  her  tub 
twirled  round  and  round,  till  they  sunk  about 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADMAN. 


497 


three  yards  into  the  earth,  and  then  for  awhile 
stayed.  Then  she  called  for  help  agnin,  think- 
ing, as  she  said,  that'she  should  stay  there. 
Now  the  man,  though  greatly  amazed,  did  be- 
gin to  think  which  way  to  help  her;  but  im- 
mediately a great  stone,  which  appeared  in  the 
earth,  fell  upon  her  head  and  broke  her  skull, 
and  then  the  earth  fell  in  upon  her  and  covered 
her.  She  was  afterwards  digged  up,  and  found 
about  four  yards  within  ground,  with  the  boy’s 
two  single  pence  in  her  pocket,  but  her  tub 
and  sieve  could  not  be  found. 

Attentive.  You  bring  to  my  mind  a sad  story, 
the  which  I will  relate  unto  you.  The  thing 
is  this:  About  a bowshot  from  where  I once 
dwelt  there  was  a blind  alehouse,  and  the  man 
that  kept  it  had  a son  whose  name  was  Ed- 
ward. This  Edward  was,  as  it  were,  an  half 
fool,  both  in  his  words  and  manner  of  beha- 
viour. To  this  blind  alehouse  certain  jovial 
companions  would  once  or  twice  a week  come, 
and  this  Ned  (for  so  they  called  him)  his  fa- 
ther would  entertain  his  guests  withal — to  wit, 
by  calling  for  him  to  make  them  sport  by  his 
foolish  words  and  gestures.  So  when  these 
boon-blades  came  to  this  man’s  house,  the  fa- 
ther would  call  for  Ned ; Ned  therefore  would 
come  forth,  and  the  poor  wretch  was  devilishly 
addicted  to  cursing,  yea,  to  cursing  his  father 
and  mother  and  any  one  else  that  crossed  him. 
And  because  (though  he  was  an  half  fool)  he 
saw  that  his  practice  was  pleasing,  he  would 
do  it  with  the  more  audaciousness. 

Well,  when  these  brave  fellows  did  come  at 
their  times  to  this  tippling-house  (as  they  call 
it)  to  fuddle  and  make  merry,  then  must  Ned 
be  called  out;  and  because  his  father  was  best 
acquainted  with  Ned,  and  best  knew  how  to 
provoke  him,  therefore  he  would  usually  ask 
him  such  questions  or  command  him  such 
business  as  would  be  sure  to  provoke  him  in- 
deed. Then  would  he  (after  his  foolish  man- 
ner) curse  his  father  most  bitterly;  at  which 
the  bid  man  would  laugh,  (aud  so  would  the 
rest  of  the  guests,  as  at  that  which  pleased 
them  best,)  still  continuing  to  ask  that  Ned 
might  be  provoked  to  curse,  that  they  might 
still  be  provoked  to  laugh.  This  was  the 
mirth  with  which  the  old  man  did  use  to  en- 
tertain his  guests. 

The  curses  wherewith  this  Ned  did  use  to 
curse  his  father,  and  at  which  the  old  man 
would  laugh,  were  these  and  such  like : The 
devil  take  you ! The  devil  fetch  you ! He 
would  also  wish  him  plagues  and  destructions 
many.  Well,  so  it  came  to  pass,  through  the 
32 


righteous  judgment  of  God,  that  Ned’s  wishes 
and  curses  were  in  a little  time  fulfilled  upon 
his  father ; for  not  many  months  passed  be- 
tween them  after  this  manner  but  the  devil  did 
indeed  take  him,  possess  him,  and  also  in  a few 
days  carried  him  out  of  this  world  by  death. 

I say,  Satan  did  take  him  and  possess  him  ; I 
mean,  so  it  was  judged  by  those  that  knew 
him  and  had  to  do  with  him  in  that  his  la- 
mentable condition.  He  could  feel  him  like 
a live  thing  go  up  and  down  in  his  body,  but 
when  tormenting-time  was  come,  (as  he  had 
often  tormenting  fits,)  then  he  would  lie  like 
an  hard  lump  in  the  soft  place  of  his  chest,  (I 
mean  I saw  it  so,)  and  would  so  rend  and  tear 
him  and  make  him  roar  till  he  died  away. 

I told  you  before  that  I was  an  ear  and  eye 
witness  of  what  I here  say,  and  so  I was.  I 
have  heard  Ned  in  his  roguery  cursing  his  fa- 
ther, and  his  father  laughing  thereat  most 
heartily,  still  provoking  Ned  to  curse,  that  his 
mirth  might  be  increased.  I saw  his  father 
also  when  be  was  possessed  ; I saw  him  in  one 
of  his  fits,  and  saw  his  flesh  (as  it  was  thought) 
by  the  devil  gathered  up  on  an  heap  about  the 
bigness  of  an  half  egg,  to  the  unutterable  tor- 
ture and  affliction  of  the  old  man.  There 
was  also  one  Freeman  (who  was  more  than  an 
ordinary  doctor)  sent  for  to  cast  out  this  devil, 
and  I was  there  when  he  attempted  to  do  it ; 
the  manner  thereof  was  this:  They  had  the 
possessed  into  an  outer  room,  and  laid  him  ou 
his  belly  upon  a form,  with  his  head  hanging 
over  the  form’s  end  : then  they  bound  him 
down  thereto;  which  done,  they  set  a pan  of 
coals  under  his  mouth,  and  put  something 
therein  which  made  a great  smoke,  by  this 
means  (as  it  was  said)  to  fetch  out  the  devil. 
There,  therefore,  they  kept  the  man  till  he  was 
almost  smothered  in  the  smoke,  but  no  devil 
came  out  of  him;  at  which  Freeman  was 
somewhat  abashed,  the  man  greatly  afflicted, 
and  I made  to  go  away  wondering  and  fearing. 
In  a little  time,  therefore,  that  which  possessed 
the  man  carried  him  out  of  the  world,  accord- 
ing to  the  cursed  wishes  of  his  son.  And  this 
was  the  end  of  this  hellish  mirth. 

Wiseman.  These  were  all  sad  judgments. 

Attentive.  These  were  dreadful  judgments 
indeed. 

Wiseman.  Ay,  and  they  look  like  the  threat- 
enings  of  that  text,  (though  chiefly  it  con- 
cerned Judas,)  “ As  he  loved  cursing,  so  let  it 
come  unto  him ; as  he  delighted  not  in  bless- 
ing, so  let  it  be  far  from  him ; as  he  clothed 
himself  with  cursing  as  with  a garment,  so  let 


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RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


it  come  into  his  bowels  like  water  and  as  oil 
into  his  bones.” 

Attentive.  It  is  a fearful  thing  for  youth 
to  be  trained  up  in  a way  of  cursing  and 
swearing. 

Wiseman.  Trained  up  in  them ! That  I 
cannot  say  Mr.  Badman  was,  for  his  father 
hath  ofttimes  in  my  hearing  bewailed  the 
badness  of  his  children,  and  of  this  naughty 
boy  in  particular.  I believe  the  wickedness 
of  his  children  made  him,  in  the  thoughts  of 
it,  go  many  a night  with  a heavy  heart  to  bed, 
and  with  as  heavy  a one  to  rise  in  the  morn- 
ing. But  all  was  one  to  his  graceless  son ; 
neither  wholesome  counsel  nor  fatherly  sor- 
row would  make  him  mend  his  manners. 

There  are  some  indeed  that  do  train  up 
their  children  to  swear,  curse,  lie,  and  steal, 
and  great  is  the  misery  of  such  poOr  children 
whose  hard  hap  it  is  to  be  ushered  into  the 
world  by,  and  to  be  under  the  tuition  too,  of 
such  ungodly  parents.  It  had  been  better  for 
such  parents  had  they  not  begat  them,  and 
better  for  such  children  had  they  never  been 
born.  Oh,  methinks  for  a father  or  mother  to 
train  up  a child  in  that  very  way  that  leadeth 
to  hell  and  damnation,  what  thing  so  horri- 
ble ! But  Mr.  Badman  was  not  by  his  parents 
so  brought  up. 

Attentive.  But  methinks,  since  this  young 
Badman  would  not  be  ruled  at  home,  his 
father  should  have  tried  what  good  could 
have  been  done  of  him  abroad  by  putting 
him  out  to  some  man  of  his  acquaintance  that 
he  knew  to  be  able  to  command  him  and  to 
keep  him  pretty  hard  to  some  employ ; so 
should  he  at  least  have  been  prevented  of 
time  to  do  those  wickednesses  that  could  not 
be  done  without  time  to  do  them  in. 

Wiseman.  Alas ! his  father  did  so ; he  put 
him  out  betimes  to  one  of  his  own  acquaint- 
ance, and  entreated  him  of  all  love  that  he 
would  take  care  of  his  son  and  keep  him  from 
extravagant  ways.  His  trade  also  was  honest 
and  commodious ; he  had  besides  a full  employ 
therein,  so  that  this  young  Badman  had  no 
vacant  seasons  nor  idle  hours  yielded  him  by 
his  calling,  therein  to  take  opportunities  to  do 
badly ; but  all  was  one  to  him : as  he  had 
begun  to  be  vile  in  his  father’s  house,  even  so 
he  continued  to  be  when  he  was  in  the  house 
of  his  master. 

Attentive.  I have  known  some  children  who, 
though  they  have  been  very  bad  at  home,  yet 
have  altered  much  when  they  have  been  put 
out  abroad,  especially  when  they  have  fallen 


into  a family  where  the  governors  thereof 
have  made  conscience  of  maintaining  the 
worship  and  service  of  God  therein  ; but  per- 
haps that  might  be  wanting  in  Mr.  Badman’s 
master's  house. 

Wiseman.  Indeed  some  children  do  greatly 
mend  when  put  under  other  men’s  roofs,  but, 
as  I said,  this  naughty  boy  did  not  so,  tor  did 
his  badness  continue  because  he  wanted  a 
master  that  both  could  and  did  correct  it,  for 
his  master  was  a very  good  man,  a very  devout 
person,  one  that  frequented  the  best  soul- 
means,  that  set  up  the  worship  of  God  in  his 
family,  and  also  that  walked  himself  there- 
after. He  was  also  a man  very  meek  and 
merciful,  one  that  did  never  outdrive  young 
Badman  in  business,  nor  that  kept  him  at  it  at 
unseasonable  hours. 

Attentive.  Say  you  so  ? This  is  rare.  I,  for 
my  part,  can  see  but  few  that  can  parallel  in 
these  things  with  Mr.  Badman’s  master. 

Wiseman.  Nor  I neither,  (yet  Mr.  Badman 
had  such  an  one,)  for,  for  the  most  part,  mas- 
ters are  now-a-days  such  as  mind  nothing  but 
their  worldly  concerns,  and  if  apprentices  do 
but  answer  their  commands  therein,  soul  and 
religion  may  go  whither  they  will.  Yea,  I 
much  fear  that  there  have  been  many  to- 
wardly  lads  put  out  by  their  parents  to  such 
masters  that  have  quite  undone  them  as  to  the 
next  world. 

Attentive.  The  more  is  the  pity.  But  pray, 
now  you  have  touched  upon  this  subject,  show 
me  how  many  ways  a master  may  be  the  ruin 
of  his  poor  apprentice. 

Wiseman.  Nay,  I cannot  tell  you  of  all  the 
ways,  yet  some  of  them  I will  mention. 

Suppose  then  a towardly  lad  be  put  to  be  an 
apprentice  with  one  that  is  reputed. to  be  a 
godly  man,  yet  that  lad  may  be  ruined  many 
ways — that  is,  if  his  master  be  not  circumspect 
in  all  things  that  respect  both  God  and  man, 
and  that  before  his  apprentice. 

1.  If  he  be  not  moderate  in  the  use  of  his 
apprentice ; if  he  drive  him  beyond  his 
strength ; if  he  holds  him  to  work  at  un- 
seasonable hours ; if  he  will  not  allow  him 
convenient  time  to  read  the  word,  to  pray, 
&c. : this  is  the  way  to  destroy  him — that  is, 
in  those  tender  beginnings  of  good  thoughts 
and  good  beginnings  about  spiritual  things. 

2.  If  he  suffers  his  house  to  be  scattered 
with  profane  and  wicked  books,  such  as  stir 
up  to  lust,  to  wantonness,  such  as  teach  idle, 
wanton,  lascivious  discourse,  and  such  as  have 
a tendency  to  provoke  to  profane  drollery  and 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADMAN. 


499 


jesting;  and,  lastly,  such  as  tend  to  corrupt 
and  pervert  the  doctrine  of  faith  and  holiness. 
All  these  things  will  eat  as  doth  a canker,  and 
will  quickly  spoil  in  youth,  &c.,  those  good  be- 
ginnings that  maybe  putting  forth  themselves 
in  them. 

3.  If  there  be  a mixture  of  servants — that  is, 
if  some  very  bad  be  in  the  same  place — that  is 
a way  also  to  undo  such  tender  lads ; for  they 
that  are  bad  and  sordid  servants  will  be  often 
(and  they  have  an  opportunity  to  be)  distilling 
and  fomenting  of  their  profane  and  wicked 
words  and  tricks  before  them,  and  these  will 
easily  stick  in  the  flesh  and  minds  of  youth, 
to  the  corrupting  of  them. 

4.  If  the  master  have  one  guise  for  abroad 
and  another  for  home — that  is,  if  his  religion 
hangs  in  his  house  as  liis  cloak  does,  and  he 
be  seldom  in  it  except  he  be  abroad — this 
young  beginners  will  take  notice  of  and  stum- 
ble at.  We  say  hedges  have  eyes  and  little 
pitchers  have  ears ; and  indeed  children  make 
a greater  inspection  into  the  lives  of  fathers, 
masters,  &e.,  than  ofttimes  they  are  aware  of; 
and  therefore  should  masters  be  careful,  else 
they  may  soon  destroy  good  beginnings  in 
their  servants. 

5.  If  the  master  be  unconscionable  in  his 
dealing  and  trades  with  lying  words,  or  if  bad 
commodities  be  avouched  to  be  good,  or  if  he 
seeks  after  unreasonable  gain  or  the  like,  his 
servant  sees  it,  and  it  is  enough  to  undo  him. 

‘ Eli’s  sons  being  bad  before  the  congregation 
made  men  despise  the  sacrifice  of  the  Lord.” 

But  these  things  by  the  by  ; only  they  may 
serve  for  a hint  to  masters  to  take  heed  that 
they  take  not  apprentices  to  destroy  their 
souls.  But  young  Badman  had  none  of  these 
hindrances;  his  father  took  care  and  provided 
well  for  him  as  to  this ; he  had  a good  master, 
he  wanted  not  good  books,  nor  good  instruc- 
tions, nor  good  sermons,  nor  good  examples, 
nor  good  fellow-servants  neither ; but  all  would 
not  do. 

Attentive.  It  is  a wonder  that  in  such  a 
family,  amidst  so  many  spiritual  helps,  noth- 
ing should  take  hold  of  his  heart.  What ! not 
good  books,  nor  good  instructions,  nor  good 
sermons,  nor  good  examples,  nor  good  fellow- 
servants,  nor  nothing  do  him  good? 

IVtsmaa.  He  minded  none  of  these  things; 
nay,  all  these  were  abominable  to  him. 

1.  For  good  books,  they  might  lie  in  his 
master’s  house  till  they  rotted,  for  him ; he 
would  not  regard  to  look  into  them,  but,  con- 
trariwise, would  get  all  the  bad  and  abominable 


books  that  he  could,  as  beastly  romances  and 
books  full  of  ribaldry,  even  such  as  tended  to 
set  all  fleshly  lusts  on  fire.  True,  he  durst  not 
be  known  to  have  any  of  these  to  his  master; 
therefore  would  he  never  let  them  be  seen  by 
him,  but  would  keep  them  in  close  places,  and 
peruse  them  at  such  times  as  yielded  him  fit 
opportunities  thereto. 

2.  For  good  instruction,  he  liked  that  much 
as  he  liked  good  books ; his  care  was  to  hear 
but  little  thereof,  and  to  forget  what  he  had 
heard  as  soon  as  it  was  spoken ; yea,  I have 
heard  some  that  knew  him  then  say  that  one 
might  evidently  discern  by  the  show  of  his 
countenance  and  gestures  that  good  counsel 
was  to  him  like  little  ease,  even  a continual 
torment  to  him  ; nor  did  he  ever  count  himself 
at  liberty  but  when  farthest  off  of  wholesome 
words.  He  would  hate  them  that  rebuked 
him,  and  count  them  his  deadly  enemies. 

3.  For  good  example,  which  was  frequently 
set  him  by  his  master  both  in  religious  and 
civil  matters,  these  young  Badman  would 
laugh  at,  and  would  also  make  a by-word  of 
them  when  he  came  in  place  where  he  with 
safety  could. 

4.  His  master  indeed  would  make  him  go 
with  him  to  sermons,  and  that  where  lie 
thought  the  best  preachers  were,  but  this  un- 
godly young  man — what  shall  I say? — was,  I 
think,  a master  of  art  in  all  mischief ; he  had 
these  wicked  ways  to  hinder  himself  of  hearing, 
let  the  preacher  thunder  never  so  loud. 

1.  His  way  was,  when  come  into  the  place 
of  hearing,  to  sit  dowu  in  some  corner  and 
then  to  fall  fast  asleep ; 

2.  Or  else  to  fix  adulterous  eyes  upon  some 
beautiful  object  that  was  in  the  place,  and  so 
all  sermon-while  wherewith  be  feeding  his 
fleshly  lusts  ; 

3.  Or  if  he  could  get  near  to  some  that  he 
observed  would  fit  his  humour,  he  would  be 
whispering,  giggling,  and  playing  with  them 
till  such  time  as  sermon  was  done. 

Attentive.  Why  he  was  grown  to  a prodigious 
height  of  wickedness ! 

Wise>nan.  He  was  so;  and  that  which  aggra- 
vates all  was,  this  was  his  practice  as  soon  as 
he  came  to  his  master;  he  was  ready  at  all 
these  things,  as  if  he  had,  before  he  came  to 
his  master,  served  an  apprenticeship  to  learn 
them. 

Attentive.  There  could  not  but  be  added,  as 
you  relate  them,  rebellion  to  his  sin.  Methinks 
it  is  as  if  he  had  said,  I will  not  hear,  I will 
not  regard,  I will  not  mind  good,  I will  not 


500 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


mend,  I will  not  turn,  I will  not  be  con- 
verted. 

Wiseman.  You  say  true,  and  I know  not  to 
whom  more  fitly  to  compare  him  than  to  that 
man  who,  when  I myself  rebuked  him  for  his 
wickedness,  in  this  great  huff  replied,  What 
would  the  devil  do  for  company  if  it  was  not 
for  such  as  I ? 

Attentive.  Why,  did  you  ever  hear  any  man 
say  so? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  that  I did;  and  this  young 
Badman  was  as  like  him  as  an  egg  is  like  an 
egg.  Alas ! the  Scripture  makes  mention  of 
many  that  by  their  actions  speak  the  same: 
“ They  say  unto  God,  Depart  from  us,  for  we 
desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways.”  Again  : 
“ They  refuse  to  hearken,  and  pull  away  their 
shoulder,  and  stop  their  ears ; yea,  they  make 
their  hearts  hard  as  an  adamant  stone,  lest 
they  should  hear  the  law,  and  the  words  that 
the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  sent.”  What  are  all 
these  but  such  as  Badman,  and  such  as  the 
young  man  but  now  mentioned  ? That  young 
man  was  my  playfellow  when  I was  solacing 
myself  in  my  sins;  I may  make  mention  of 
him  to  my  shame;  but  he  has  a great  many 
fellows. 

Attentive.  Young  Badman  w’as  like  him  in- 
deed, and  he  trod  his  steps  as  if  wickedness 
had  been  his  very  copy ; I mean,  as  to  his  des- 
perateness, for  had  he  not  been  a desperate 
one,  he  would  never  have  made  you  such  a 
reply  when  you  was  rebuking  of  him  for  his 
sin.  But  when  did  you  give  him  such  a re- 
buke? 

Wiseman.  Awhile  after  God  had  parted  him 
and  I,  by  calling  of  me,  as  I hope,  by  his 
grace,  still  leaving  him  in  his  sins ; and  so  far 
as  I could  ever  gather,  as  he  lived  so  he  died, 
even  as  Mr.  Badman  did;  but  we  will  leave 
him  and  return  again  to  our  discourse. 

Attentive.  Ha!  poor  obstinate  sinners!  Do 
they  think  that  God  cannot  be  even  with 
them  ? 

Wiseman.  I do  not  know  what  they  think, 
but  I know  what  God  has  said — that  as  “ he 
cried  and  they  would  not  hear,  so  they  shall 
cry,  and  I will  not  hear,  saith  the  Lord.” 
Doubtless  there  is  a time  coming  when  Mr. 
Badman  shall  cry  for  this. 

Attentive.  But  I wonder  that  he  should  be  so 
expert  in  wickedness  so  soon.  Alas ! he  was 
but  a stripling ; I suppose  he  was  as  yet  not 
twenty. 

Wiseman.  No,  nor  eighteen,  neither,  but  (as 
with  Ishmael,  and  with  the  children  that 


mocked  the  prophet)  the  seeds  of  sin  did  put 
forth  themselves  betimes  in  him. 

Attentive.  Well,  he  was  as  wicked  a young 
man  as  commonly  one  shall  hear  of. 

Wiseman.  You  will  say  so  when  you  know 
all. 

Attentive.  All!  I think  here  is  a great  all, 
but  if  there  is  more  behind,  pray  let  us  hear 
it. 

Wiseman.  Why  then  T will  tell  you  that  he 
had  not  been  with  his  master  much  above  a 
year  and  a half  but  he  came  acquainted  with 
three  young  villains,  who  here  shall  be  name- 
less, that  taught  him  to  add  to  his  sin  much  of 
like  kind,  and  he  as  aptly  received  their  in- 
structions. One  of  them  was  chiefly  given  to 
uncleanness,  another  to  drunkenness,  and  the 
third  to  purloining  or  stealing  from  his  master. 

Attentive.  Alas,  poor  wretch ! he  was  bad 
enough  before,  but  these,  I suppose,  made  him 
much  worse. 

Wiseman.  That  they  made  him  worse  you 
may  be  sure  of,  for  they  taught  him  to  be  an 
arch,  a chief  one  in  all  their  ways. 

Attentive.  It  was  an  ill  hap  that  he  ever  came 
acquainted  with  them. 

Wiseman.  You  must  rather  word  it  thus:  It 
was  the  judgment  of  God  that  he  did;  that  is, 
he  came  acquainted  with  them  through  the 
anger  of  God.  He  had  a good  master,  and 
before  him  a good  father;  by  these  he  had 
good  counsel  given  him  for  months  and  years 
together,  but  his  heart  was  set  upon  mischief; 
he  loved  wickedness  more  than  to  do  good, 
even  until  his  iniquity  came  to  be  hateful; 
therefore  from  the  anger  of  God  it  was  that 
these  companions  of  his  and  he  did  at  last  so 
acquaint  together.  Says  Paul,  “They  did  not 
like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge;”  and 
what  follows  ? — “ wherefore  God  gave  them  over 
(or  up)  to  their  own  hearts’  lusts.”  And  again, 
“As  for  such  as  turn  aside  to  their  own  crooked 
ways,  the  Lord  shall  lead  them  forth  with  the 
workers  of  iniquity.”  This  therefore  was 
God’s  hand  upon  him,  that  he  might  be  de- 
stroyed, be  damned,  because  he  received  not 
the  love  of  the  truth  that  he  might  be  saved. 
He  chose  his  delusions  and  deluders  for  him, 
even  the  company  of  base  men,  of  fools,  that 
he  might  be  destroyed. 

Attentive.  I cannot  but  think  indeed  that  it 
is  a great  judgment  of  God  for  a man  to  be 
given  up  to  the  company  of  vile  men ; for 
what  are  such  but  the  devil’s  decoys,  even 
those  by  whom  he  draws  the  simple  into  his 
net?  A whoremaster,  a drunkard,  a thief,  what 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BAD  MAN. 


001 


arc  they  but  the  devil’s  baits,  by  which  be 
catclieth  others? 

Wiseman.  You  say  right;  but  this  young 
Badman  was  no  simple  one,  if  by  simple  you 
mean  one  uninstructed,  for  be  had  often  good 
counsel  given  him;  but  if  by  simple  you  mean 
him  that  is  a fool  as  to  the  true  knowledge  of 
and  faitli  in  Christ,  then  he  was  a simple  one 
indeed,  for  he  chose  death  rather  than  life,  and 
to  live  in  continual  opposition  to  God  rather 
than  to  be  reconciled  unto  him;  according  to 
that  saying  of  the  wise  man,  “The  fools  hated 
knowledge,  and  did  not  choose  the  fear  of  the 
Lord.”  And  what  judgment  more  dreadful 
can  a fool  be  given  up  to  than  to  be  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  such  men,  that  have  skill  to 
do  nothing  but  to  ripen  sin  and  hasten  its  fin- 
ishing unto  damnation?  And  therefore  men 
should  be  afraid  of  offending  God,  because  lie 
can  in  this  manner  punish  them  for  their  sins. 

I knew  a man  that  once  was,  as  I thought, 
hopefully  awakened  about  his  condition ; yea, 
I knew  two  that  were  so  awakened;  but  in 
time  they  began  to  draw  back  and  to  incline 
again  to  their  lusts;  wherefore  God  gave  them 
up  to  the  company  of  three  or  four  men  that 
in  less  than  three  years’  time  brought  them 
roundly  to  the  gallows,  where  they  were 
hanged  like  dogs,  because  they  refused  to  live 
like  honest  men. 

Attentive.  But  such  men  do  not  believe  that 
thus  to  be  given  up  of  God  is  in  judgment  and 
anger;  they  rather  take  it  to  be  their  liberty, 
and  do  count  it  their  happiness;  they  are  glad 
that  their  cord  is  loosed  and  that  the  reins  are 
on  their  neck ; they  are  glad  that  they  may  sin 
without  control,  and  that  they  may  choose  such 
companions  as  can  make  them  more  expert  in 
an  evil  way. 

Wiseman.  Their  judgment  is  therefore  so 
much  the  greater,  because  thereto  is  added 
blindness  of  mind  and  hardness  of  heart  in  a 
wicked  way.  They  are  turned  up  to  the  way 
of  death,  but  must  not  see  to  what  place  they 
are  going.  “ They  must  go  as  the  ox  to  the 
slaughter,  and  as  the  fool  to  the  correction  of 
the  stocks,  till  a dart  strike  through  their  liver, 
not  knowing  that  it  is  for  their  life.”  This,  I 
say,  makes  their  judgment  double;  they  are 
given  up  of  God  for  awhile  to  sport  them- 
selves with  that  which  will  assuredly  make 
them  mourn  at  last,  when  their  flesh  and  their 
body  is  consumed.  These  are  those  that  Peter 
speaks  of,  that  shall  utterly  perish  in  their  own 
corruptions;  these,  I say,  who  count  it  pleasure 
to  riot  in  the  daytime,  and  that  sport  them- 


selves with  their  own  deceiving,  as  natural 
brute  beasts  made  to  be  taken  and  destroyed. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  I pray  now  concerning 
these  three  villains  that  were  young  Badman’s 
companions;  tell  me  more  particularly  how  he 
carried  it  then. 

Wiseman.  IIow  he  carried  it!  Why,  lie  did 
as  they.  I intimated  so  much  before  when  I 
said  they  made  him  an  arch,  a chief  one  in 
their  ways. 

First,  He  became  a frequenter  of  taverns 
and  tippling-houses,  and  would  stay  there 
until  he  was  even  as  drunk  as  a beast.  And 
if  it  was  so  that  lie  could  not  get  out  by  day, 
he  would,  be  sure,  get  out  by  night.  Y’ea,  he 
became  so  common  a drunkard  at  last  that  he 
was  taken  notice  of  to  be  a drunkard  even  by 
all. 

Attentive.  This  was  swinish,  for  drunkenness 
is  so  beastly  a sin,  a sin  so  much  against  na- 
ture, that  I wonder  that  any  that  have  but  the 
appearance  of  men  can  give  up  themselves  to 
so  beastly,  yea,  worse  than  a beastly,  thing. 

Wiseman.  It  is  a swinish  vanity  indeed.  I 
will  tell  you  another  story.  There  was  a gen- 
tleman that  had  a drunkard  to  be  his  groom, 
and  coming  home  one  night  very  much  abused 
with  beer,  his  master  saw  it.  Well,  quoth  his 
master  within  himself,  I will  let  thee  alone  to- 
night, but  to-morrow  morning  I will  convince 
thee  that  thou  art  worse  than  a beast  by  the 
behaviour  of  my  horse.  So  when  morning 
was  come  he  bids  his  man  go  and  water  bis 
horse,  and  so  he  did ; but  coming  up  to  his 
master,  he  commands  him  to  water  him  again ; 
so  the  fellow  rid  into  the  water  the  second 
time,  but  bis  master’s  horse  would  now  drink 
no  more ; so  the  fellow  came  up  and  told  his 
master.  Then  said  his  master,  Thou  drunken 
sot ! thou  art  far  worse  than  my  horse ; he  will 
drink  but  to  satisfy  nature,  but  thou  wilt  drink 
to  the  abuse  of  nature ; be  will  drink  but  to  re- 
fresh himself,  but  thou  to  thy  hurt  and  dam- 
age; he  will  drink  that  he  maybe  more  ser- 
viceable to  his  master,  but  thou  till  thou  art 
incapable  of  serving  either  God  or  man.  0 
thou  beast ! how  much  art  thou  worse  than 
the  horse  that  thou  ridest  on  ! 

Attentive.  Truly,  I think  that  his  master 
served  him  right,  for  in  doing  as  he  did  he 
showed  him  plainly,  as  he  said,  that  he  had 
not  so  much  government  of  himself  as  his 
horse  had  of  himself,  and  consequently  that 
his  beast  did  live  more  according  to  the  law  of 
bis  nature  by  far  than  did  bis  man.  But  pray 
go  on  with  what  you  have  further  to  say. 


502 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Wiseman.  Why,  I say  that  there  are  four 
things  which,  if  they  are  well  considered, 
would  make  drunkenness  to  he  abhorred  in  the 
thoughts  of  the  children  of  men  : 

1.  It  greatly  tendeth  to  impoverish  and  beg- 
gar a man.  “ The  drunkard,”  says  Solomon, 
“ shall  come  to  poverty.”  Many  that  have  be- 
gun the  world  with  plenty  have  gone  out  of  it 
in  rags  through  drunkenness.  Yea,  many 
children  that  have  been  born  to  good  estates 
have  yet  been  brought  to  a flail  and  a rake 
thrergh  this  beastly  sin  of  their  parents. 

2.  The  sin  of  drunkenness,  it  bringeth  upon 
tlie  body  many  great  and  incurable  diseases,  by 
which  men  do  in  little  time  come  to  their  end, 
and  none  can  help  them.  So  because  they  are 
overmuch  wicked,  therefore  they  die  before 
their  time. 

3.  Drunkenness  is  a sin  that  is  oftentimes 
attended  with  abundance  of  other  evils:  “Who 
hath  woe?  who  hath  sorrow?  who  hath  con- 
tentions? who  hath  babblings?  who  hath 
wounds  without  cause?  who  hath  redness  of 
eyes?  They  that  tarry  long  at  the  wine,  they 
that  go  to  seek  mixed  wine;”  that  is,  the 
drunkard. 

4.  By  drunkenness  men  do  oftentimes  shorten 
their  days,  go  out  of  the  alehouse  drunk,  and 
break  their  necks  before  they  come  home.  In- 
stances not  a few  might  be  given  of  this,  but 
this  is  so  manifest  that  a man  need  say  noth- 
ing. 

Attentive.  But  that  which  is  worse  than  all 
is,  it  also  prepares  men  for  everlasting  burn- 
ings. 

Wiseman.  Yea,  and  it  so  stupefies  and  besots 
the  soul  that  a man  that  is  far  gone  in  drunk- 
enness is  hardly  ever  recovered  to  God.  Tell 
me,  when  did  you  see  an  old  drunkard  con- 
verted? No,  no  ; such  an  one  will  sleep  till  he 
dies,  though  he  sleeps  on  the  top  of  a mast ; 
let  his  dangers  be  never  so  great,  and  death 
and  damnation  never  so  near,  he  will  not  be 
awaked  out  of  his  sleep.  So  that  if  a man 
have  any  respect  either  to  credit,  health,  life, 
or  salvatiofl  he  will  not  be  a drunken  man. 
But  the  truth  is,  where  this  sin  gets  the  upper 
hand  men  are,  as  I said  before,  so  intoxicated 
and  bewitched  with  the  seeming  pleasures  and 
sweetness  thereof  that  they  have  neither  heart 
nor  mind  to  think  of  that  which  is  better  in 
itself,  and  would,  if  embraced,  do  them  good. 

Attentive.  You  said  that  drunkenness  tends 
to  poverty,  yet  some  make  themselves  rich  by 
drunken  bargains. 

Wiseman.  I said  so  because  the  word  says  so. 


And  as  to  some  men’s  getting  thereby,  that  is 
indeed  but  rare  and  base;  yea,  and  base  will 
be  the  end  of  such  gettings.  The  word  of  God 
is  against  such  ways,  and  the  curse  of  God  will 
be  the  end  of  such  doings.  An  inheritance 
may  sometimes  thus  be  hastily  gotten  at  the 
beginning,  but  the  end  thereof  shall  not  be 
blessed.  Hark  what  the  prophet  saith : “ Woe 
to  him  that  coveteth  an  evil  covetousness, 
that  sets  his  nest  on  high !”  whether  he  makes 
drunkenness  or  aught  else  the  engine  or  decoy 
to  get  it,  for  that  man  doth  but  consult  the 
shame  of  his  own  house,  the  spoiling  of  his 
family,  and  the  damnation  of  his  soul;  for  that 
which  he  getteth  by  working  of  iniquity  is  but 
a getting  by  the  devices  of  hell ; therefore  he 
can  be  no  gainer,  neither  for  himself  or  family, 
that  gains  by  an  evil  course.  But  this  was  one 
of  the  sins  that  Mr.  Badman  was  addicted  to 
after  he  came  acquainted  with  these  three  fel- 
lows, nor  could  all  that  his  master  could  do 
break  him  of  this,  beastly  sin. 

Attentive.  But  where,  since  he  was  but  an 
apprentice,  could  he  get  money  to  follow  this 
practice,  for  drunkenness,  as  you  have  inti- 
mated, is  a very  costly  sin  ? 

Wiseman.  His  master  paid  for  all.  For,  as  I 
told  you  before,  as  he  learned  of  these  three 
villains  to  be  a beastly  drunkard,  so  he  learned 
of  them  to  pilfer  and  steal  from  his  master. 
Sometimes  he  would  sell  off  his  master’s  goods, 
but  keep  the  money — that  is,  when  he  could; 
also  sometimes  he  would  beguile  his  master  by 
taking  out  of  his  cash-box ; and  when  he  could 
do  neither  of  these  he  would  convey  away  of 
his  master’s  wares  what  he  thought  would  be 
least  missed,  and  send  or  carry  them  to  such 
and  such  houses,  where  he  knew  they  would 
be  laid  up  to  his  use,  and  then  appoint  set 
times  there  to  meet  and  make  merry  with 
these  fellows. 

Attentive.  This  was  as  bad,  nay,  I think 
worse,  than  the  former,  for  by  thus  doing,  he 
did  not  only  run  himself  under  the  wrath  of 
God,  but  he  endangered  the  undoing  of  his 
master  and  his  family. 

Wiseman.  Sins  go  not  alone,  but  follow  one 
the  other  as  do  the  links  of  a chain  ; he  that 
will  be  a drunkard  must  have  money,  either  of 
his  own  or  of  some  other  man’s;  either  of  his 
father’s,  mother’s,  master’s,  or  at  the  highway, 
or  some  way. 

Attentive.  I fear  that  many  an  honest  man  is 
undone  by  Isuch  kind  of  servants. 

Wiseman.  I am  of  the  same  mind  with  you, 
but  this  should  make  the  dealer  the  more  wary 


LIFE  AND  DEATH 

what  kind  of  servants  he  keeps  and  what  kind 
of  apprentices  he  takes.  It  should  also  teach 
him  to  look  well  to  his  shop  himself;  also  to 
take  a strict  account  of  all  things  that  are 
bought  and  sold  by  his  servants.  The  master’s 
neglect  herein  may  embolden  his  servant  to  be 
bad,  and  may  bring  him  too  in  a short  time  to 
rags  and  a morsel  of  bread. 

Attentive.  I am  afraid  that  there  is  much  of 
this  kind  of  pilfering  amongst  servants  in  these 
bad  days  of  ours. 

Wiseman.  Now,  while  it  is  in  my  mind, 

I will  tell  you  a story.  When  I was  in  prison 
there  came  a woman  to  me  that  was  under  a 
great  deal  of  trouble.  So  I asked  her  (she 
being  a stranger  to  me)  what  she  had  to  say  to 
me.  She  said  she  was  afraid  she  should  be 
damned.  I asked  her  the  cause  of  those  fears. 
She  told  me  that  she  had  some  time  since  lived 
with  a shopkeeper  at  Wellingborough,  and  had 
robbed  his  box  in  the  shop  several  times  of 
money,  to  the  value  of  more  than  now  I will 
say ; and,  Pray,  says  she,  tell  me  what  I shall 
do.  I told  her  I would  have  her  go  to  her 
master  and  make  him  satisfaction.  She  said 
she  was  afraid.  I asked  her  why  ? She  said  she 
doubted  lie  would  hang  her.  I told  her  that  I 
would  intercede  for  her  life,  and  would  make 
use  of  other  friends  too  to  do  the  like,  but  she 
told  me  she  durst  not  venture  that.  Well,  said 
I,  shall  I send  to  your  master,  while  you  abide 
out  of  sight,  and  make  your  peace  with  him 
before  be  sees  you?  And  with  that  I asked 
her  master’s  name.  But  all  that  she  said  in 
answer  to  this  was,  Pray  let  it  alone  till  I come 
to  you  again.  So  away  she  went,  and  neither 
told  me  her  master’s  name  nor  her  own.  This 
is  about  ten  or  twelve  years  since,  and  I never 
saw  her  again.  I tell  you  this  story  for  this 
cause,  to  confirm  your  fears  that  of  such  kind 
of  servants  too  many  there  be,  and  that  God 
makes  them  sometimes  like  old  Tod,  of  whom 
mention  was  made  before,  (through  the  terrors 
that  he  lays  upon  them,)  to  betray  them- 
selves. 

I could  tell  you  of  another  that  came  to  me 
with  a like  relation  concerning  herself  and  the 
•robbing  of  her  mistress,  but  at  this  time  let 
this  suffice.  » 

Attentive.  But  what  was  that  other  villain 
addicted  to? — I mean  young  Badman’s  third 
companion? 

Wiseman.  Uncleanness;  I told  you  before, 
but  it  seems  you  forgot. 

Attentive.  Right,  it  was  uncleanness;  un- 
cleanness also  is  a filthy  sin. 


OF  MR.  BA  DM  AN.  503 

Wiseman.  Tt  is  so,  and  yet  it  is  one  of  the 
most  reigning  sins  in  our  day. 

Attentive.  So  they  say,  and  that  too  among 
those  that  one  would  think  had  more  wit,  even 
among  the  great  ones. 

Wiseman.  The  more  is  the  pity,  for  usually 
examples  that  are  set  by  them  that  are  great 
and  chief  spread  sooner  and  more  universally 
than  do  the  sins  of  other  men  ; yea,  and  when 
such  men  are  at  the  head  in  transgressing,  sin 
walks  with  a bold  face  through  the  land.  As 
Jeremiah  saith  of  the  prophets,  so  may  it  be 
said  of  such : “ From  them  is  profaneness  gone 
forth  into  all  the  land ;”  that  is,  with  bold  and 
audacious  face. 

Attentive.  But  pray  let  us  return  again  to  Mr. 
Badman  and  his  companions.  You  say  one  of 
them  was  very  vile  in  the  commission  of  un- 
cleanness. 

Wiseman.  Yes,  so  I say  ; not  but  that  he  was 
a drunkard  and  also  thievish,  but  he  was  most 
arch  in  this  sin  of  uncleanness ; this  roguery 
was  his  masterpiece,  for  he  was  a ringleader  to 
them  all  in  the  beastly  sin  of  whoredom.  He 
was  also  best  acquainted  with  such  houses 
where  they  were,  and  so  could  readily  lead  the 
rest  of  his  gang  unto  them.  The  strumpets  also, 
because  they  knew  this  young  villain,  would 
at  first  discover  themselves  in  all  their  whorish 
pranks  to  those  that  he  brought  with  him. 

Attentive.  That  is  a deadly  thing ; I mean,  it 
is  a deadly  thing  to  young  men  when  such 
beastly  queans  shall,  with  words  and  carriages 
that  are  openly  tempting,  discover  themselves 
unto  them ; it  is  hard  for  such  to  escape  their 
snare. 

Wiseman.  That  is  true,  therefore  the  wise 
man’s  counsel  is  the  best : “ Come  not  near  the 
door  of  her  house ;”  for  they  are  (as  you  say) 
very  tempting,  as  is  seen  by  her  in  the  Pro- 
verbs : “ I looked,”  says  the  wise  man,  “ through 
my  casement,  and  behold  among  the  simple 
ones  I discerned  a young  man  void  of  under- 
standing passing  through  the  streets  near  her 
corner,  and  he  went  the  way  to  her  house,  in 
the  twilight,  in  the  evening,  in  tli£  black  and 
dark  night;  and  behold,  there  met  him  a 
woman  with  the  attire  of  an  harlot,  and  subtle 
of  heart,  (she  is  lewd  and  stubborn ; her  feet 
abide  not  in  her  house;  now  is  she  without, 
now  is  she  in  the  streets,  and  lieth  in  wait  at 
every  corner.)  So  she  caught  him,  and  kissed 
him,  and  with  an  impudent  face  said  unto  him, 
I have  peace-offerings  with  me ; this  day  have 
I paid  my  vows.  Therefore  came  I forth  to 
meet  thee,  diligently  to  seek  thy  face,  and  I 


/ 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


504 

have  found  thee.  I have  decked  my  bed  with 
coverings  of  tapestry,  with  carved  works,  with 
fine  linen  of  Egypt.  I have  perfumed  my  bed 
with  myrrh,  aloes,  and  cinnamon.  Come,  let 
us  take  our  fill  of  love  until  the  morning,  let 
us  solace  ourselves  with  loves.”  Here  was  a 
bold  beast ; and  indeed,  the  very  eyes,  hands, 
words,  and  ways  of  such  are  all  snares  and 
bands  to  youthful,  lustful  fellows;  and  with 
these  was  young  Badman  greatly  snared. 

Attentive.  This  sin  of  uncleanness  is  mightily 
cried  out  against  both  by  Moses,  the  prophets, 
Christ,  and  his  apostles,  and  yet,  as  we  see,  for 
all  that,  how  men  run  headlong  to  it ! 

Wiseman.  You  have  said  the  truth,  and  I 
will  add  that  God,  to  hold  men  back  from  so 
filthy  a sin,  has  set  such  a stamp  of  his  indig- 
nation upon  it,  and  commanded  such  evil  effects 
to  follow  it,  that  were  not  they  that  use  it  bereft 
of  all  fear  of  God  and  love  to  their  own  health 
they  could  not  but  stop  and  be  afraid  to  com- 
mit it.  For  besides  the  eternal  damnation 
that  doth  attend  such  in  the  next  world,  (for 
those  “ have  no  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  and  of  God,”  Eph.  v.,)  the  evil  effects 
thereof  in  this  world  are  dreadful.  This  sin 
is  such  a snare  to  the  soul  that  unless  a miracle 
of  grace  prevents,  it  unavoidably  perishes  in 
the  enchanting  and  bewitching  pleasures  of  it. 
This  is  manifest  by  these  and  such  like  texts: 
“ The  adulteress  will  hunt  for  the  precious  life. 
Whoso  committeth  adultery  with  a woman 
lacketli  understanding;  and  he  that  doth  it 
destroyeth  his  own  soul.  An  whore  is  a deep 
ditch,  and  a strange  woman  is  a narrow  pit. 
Her  house  inclines  to  death,  and  her  paths  unto 
the  dead.  None  that  go  in  unto  her  return 
again,  neither  take  they  hold  of  the  path  of 
life.  She  hath  cast  down  many  wounded ; yea, 
many  strong  men  have  been  slain  by  her ; her 
house  is  the  way  to  hell,  going  down  to  the 
chambers  of  death.” 

Attentive.  These  are  dreadful  sayings,  and  do 
show  the  dreadful  state  of  those  that  are  guilty 
of  this  sin. 

Wiseman.  Verily,  so  they  do.  But  yet  that 
which  makes  the  whole  more  dreadful  is,  that 
men  are  given  up  to  this  sin  because  they 
are  abhorred  of  God ; and  because  abhorred, 
therefore  they  shall  fall  into  the  commission 
of  it  and  shall  live  there : “ The  mouth  (that 
is,  the  flattering  lips)  of  a strange  woman  is  a 
deep  pit,  the  abhorred  of  the  Lord  shall  fall 
therein.”  Therefore  it  saith  again  of  such, 
that  they  “have  none  inheritance  in  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  and  of  God.” 


Attentive.  But  all  together,  and  it  is  a dread- 
ful thing  to  live  and  die  in  this  transgression. 

Wiseman.  True ; but  suppose  that  instead  of 
all  these  judgments  this  sin  had  attending  of 
it  all  the  felicities  of  this  life,  and  no  bitter- 
ness, shame  or  disgrace  mixed  with  it,  yet  one 
hour  in  hell  will  spoil  all.  Oh  this  hell,  hell- 
fire,  damnation  in  hell ! it  is  such  an  inconceiv- 
able punishment  that  were  it  but  thoroughly 
believed  it  would  nip  this  sin,  with  others,  in 
the  head.  But  here  is  the  mischief:  those 
that  give  up  themselves  to  these  things  do  so 
harden  themselves  in  unbelief  and  atheism 
about  the  things,  the  punishments  that  God 
bath  threatened  to  inflict  upon  the  committers 
of  them,  that  at  last  they  arrive  to  almost  an 
absolute  and  firm  belief  that  there  is  no  judg- 
ment to  come  hereafter,  else  they  would  not, 
they  could  not,  no  not  attempt  to,  commit  this 
sin  by  such  abominable  language  as  some  do. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  I wonder,  if  young  Bad- 
man’s  master  knew  him  to  be  such  a wretch, 
that  he  would  suffer  him  in  his  house? 

Wiseman.  They  liked  one  another  even  as 
fire  and  water  do.  Young  Badman’s  ways  were 
odious  to  his  master,  and  his  master’s  ways  were 
such  as  young  Badman  could  not  endure.  Thus 
in  these  two  were  fulfilled  that  saying  of  the 
Holy  Ghost:  “An  unjust  man  is  an  abomina- 
tion to  the  just;  and  he  that  is  upright  in  the 
way  is  an  abomination  to  the  wicked.” 

The  good  man’s  ways  Mr.  Badman  could  not 
abide,  nor  could  the  good  man  abide  the  bad 
ways  of  his  base  apprentice.  Yet  would  his 
master,  if  he  could,  have  kept  him  and  also 
have  learned  him  his  trade. 

Attentive.  If  he  could!  Why  he  might  if  he 
would,  might  he  not? 

Wiseman.  Alas  ! Badman  ran  away  from  him 
once  and  twice,  and  would  not  at  all  be  ruled. 
So  the  next  time  he  did  run  away  from  him  he 
did  let  him  go  indeed,  for  he  gave  him  no  oc- 
casion to  run  away,  except  it  was  by  holding 
of  him  as  much  as  he  could  (and  that  he  could 
do  but  little)  to  good  and  honest  rules  of  life. 
And  bad  it  been  one’s  own  case  one  should 
have  let  him  go.  For  what  should  a man  do 
that  had  either  regard  to  his  own  peace,  his  chil- 
dren’^ good,  or  the  jweservation  of  the  rest  of 
his  servants  from  evil,  but  let  him  go?  Had 
he  stayed,  the  house  of  correction  had  been 
most  fit  for  him,  but  thither  his  master  was 
loth  to  send  him,  because  of  the  love  that  he 
bore  to  his  father.  An  house  of  correction,  I 
say,  had  been  the  fittest  place  for  him,  but  his 
master  let  him  go. 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADM  AN. 


505 


Attentive.  He  ran  away,  you  say ; but  whither 
did  he  run? 

Wiseman.  Why,  to  one  of  his  own  trade  and 
also  like  himself.  Thus  the  wicked  joined 
hand  in  hand,  and  there  he  served  out  his 
time. 

Attentive.  Then  sure  lie  had  his  heart’s  de- 
sire when  he  was  with  one  so  like  himself. 

Wiseman.  Yes,  so  he  had,  but  God  gave  it 
him  in  his  anger. 

Attentive.  How  do  you  mean? 

Wiseman.  I mean  as  before,  that  for  a wicked 
man  to  be,  by  the  providence  of  God,  turned 
out  of  a good  man’s  doors  into  a wicked  man’s 
house  to  dwell  is  a sign  of  the  anger  of  God. 
For  God  by  this  and  such  judgments  says  thus 
to  such  an  one : “ Thou  wicked  one,  thou  lovest 
not  me,  my  ways,  nor  my  people ; thou  castest 
my  law  and  good  counsel  behind  thy  back: 
come,  I will  dispose  of  thee  in  my  wrath ; thou 
shalt  be  turned  over  to  the  ungodly,  thou  slialt 
be  put  to  school  to  the  devil ; I will  leave  thee 
to  sink  and  swim  in  sin  till  I shall  visit  thee 
with  death  and  judgment.”  This  was  there- 
fore another  judgment  that  did  come  upon  this 
young  Badinan. 

Attentive.  You  have  said  the  truth,  for  God 
by  such  a judgment  as  this  in  effect  says  so  in- 
deed ; for  he  takes  them  out  of  the  hand  of 
the  just,  and  binds  them  up  in  the  hands  of 
the  wicked,  and  whither  they  then  shall  be  car- 
ried a man  may  easily  imagine. 

Wiseman.  It  is  one  of  the  saddest  tokens  of 
God’s  anger  that  happens  to  such  kind  of  per- 
sons, and  that  for  several  reasons : 

1.  Such  an  one,  by  this  judgment,  is  put  out 
of  the  way  and  from  under  the  means  which  or- 
dinarily are  made  use  of  to  do  good  to  the  soul. 
For  a family  where  godliness  is  professed  and 
practised  is  God’s  ordinance,  the  place  which 
he  has  appointed  to  teach  young  ones  the  way 
and  fear  of  God.  Now  to  be  put  out  of  such 
a family,  into  a bad,  a wicked  one,  as  Mr. 
Badman  was,  must  needs  be  in  judgment  and 
a sign  of  the  anger  of  God.  For  in  ungodly 
families  men  learn  to  forget  God,  to  hate  good- 
ness, and  to  estrange  themselves  from  the  ways 
of  those  that  are  good. 

2.  In  bad  families  they  have  continually 
fresh  examples  and  also  incitements  to  evil, 
and  fresh  encouragements  to  it  too.  Yea, 
moreover,  in  such  places  evil  is  commended, 
praised,  well  spoken  of,  and  they  that  do  it  are 
applauded ; and  this,  to  be  sure,  is  a drowning 
judgment. 

3.  Such  places  are  the  very  haunts  and  walks 


of  the  infernal  spirits,  who  are  continually 
poisoning  the  cogitations  and  minds  of  one  or 
other  in  such  families,  that  they  be  able  to 
poison  others.  Therefore  observe  it : usually 
in  wicked  families  some  one  or  two  are  more 
arch  for  wickedness  than  are  any  others  that 
are  there.  Now,  such  are  Satan’s  conduit- 
pipes,  for  by  them  he  conveys  the  spawn  of 
hell,  through  their  being  crafty  in  wickedness, 
into  the  ears  and  souls  of  their  companions; 
yea,  and  when  they  have  once  conceived  wick- 
edness, they  travail  with  it,  as  doth  a woman 
with  child,  till  they  have  brought  it  forth: 
“ Behold,  he  travaileth  with  iniquity,  and  hath 
conceived  mischief  and  brought  forth  false- 
hood.” Some  men,  as  here  is  intimated  in  the 
text,  and  as  was  hinted  also  before,  have  a 
mind  of  mystical  but  hellish  copulation  with 
the  devil,  who  is  the  father  and  their  soul  the 
mother  of  sin  and  wickedness ; and  they,  so 
soon  as  they  have  conceived  by  him,  finish  by 
bringing  forth  sin,  both  it  and  their  own  dam- 
nation. 

Attentive.  How  much  then  doth  it  concern 
those  parents  that  love  their  children  to  see 
that  if  they  go  from  them  they  be  put  into  such 
families  as  be  good,  that  they  may  learn  there 
betimes  to  eschew  evil  and  to  follow  that  which 
is  good ! 

Wiseman.  It  doth  concern  them  indeed ; and 
it  doth  also  concern  them  that  take  children 
into  their  families  to  take  heed  what  children 
they  receive.  For  a man  may  soon  by  a bad 
boy  be  damaged  both  in  his  name,  estate,  and 
family,  and  also  hindered  in  his  peace  and 
peaceable  pursuit  after  God  and  godliness ; I 
say,  by  one  such  vermin  as  a wicked  and  filthy 
apprentice. 

Attentive.  True,  for  one  sinner  destroyeth 
much  good,  and  a poor  man  is  better  than  a 
liar.  But  many  times  a man  cannot  help  it, 
for  such  as  at  the  beginning  promise  very  fair 
are  by  a little  time  proved  to  be  very  rogues, 
like  young  Badman. 

Wiseman.  That  is  true  also;  but  when  a 
man  has  done  the  best  he  can  to  help  it  he 
may  with  the  more  confidence  expect  the 
blessing  of  God  to  follow7,  or  he  shall  have  the 
more  peace  if  things  go  contrary  to  his  desire. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  did  Mr.  Badmau  and  his 
master  agree  so  w7ell  ? I mean  his  last  master, 
since  they  were  birds  of  a feather;  I mean 
since  they  vrere  so  vTell  met  for  wickedness. 

Wiseman.  This  second  master  was,  as  before 
I told  you,  bad  enough,  but  yet  he  would  often 
fall  out  wTith  young  Badmau,  his  servant,  and 


506 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


chide,  yea,  and  sometimes  beat  him  too,  for 
his  naughty  doings. 

Attentive.  What ! for  all  he  was  so  bad  him- 
self! This  is  like  the  proverb,  The  devil  cor- 
rects vice. 

Wiseman.  I will  assure  you  it  is  as  I say,  for 
you  must  know  that  Badman’s  ways  suited  not 
with  his  master’s  gains.  Could  he  have  done 
as  the  damsel  that  we  read  of  (Acts  xvi.)  did 
— to  wit,  fill  his  master’s  purse  with  his  bad- 
ness— he  had  certainly  been  his  white  boy; 
but  it  was  not  so  with  young  Badman,  and 
therefore,  though  his  master  and  he  did  suit 
well  enough  in  the  main,  yet  in  this  and  that 
point  they  differed.  Young  Badman  was  for 
neglecting  of  his  master’s  business,  for  going 
to  the  whorehouse,  for  beguiling  of  his  master, 
for  attempting  to  debauch  his  daughters,  and 
the  like.  No  marvel,  then,  if  they  disagreed 
in  their  points.  Not  so  much  for  that  his 
master  had  an  antipathy  against  the  fact  it- 
self— for  he  could  do  so  when  he  was  an  ap- 
prentice— but  for  that  his  servant,  by  his  sin, 
made  spoil  of  his  commodities,  &c.,  and  so 
damnified  his  master. 

Had  (as  I said  before)  young  Badman’s 
wickedness  only  a tendency  to  his  master’s 
advantages,  as  could  he  have  sworn,  lied,  coz- 
ened, cheated,  and  defrauded  customers  for  his 
master,  (and  indeed  sometimes  he  did  so,)  but 
had  that  been  all  that  he  had  done  he  had  not 
had,  no,  not  a wry  word  from  his  master;  but 
this  was  not  always  Mr.  Badman’s  way. 

Attentive.  That  was  well  brought  in,  even 
the  maid  that  we  read  of  in  the  Acts,  and  the 
distinction  was  as  clear  betwixt  the  wicked- 
ness and  wickedness  of  servants. 

Wiseman.  Alas ! men  that  are  wicked  them- 
selves yet  greatly  hate  it  in  others,  not  simply 
because  it  is  wickedness,  but  because  it  op- 
poseth  their  interest.  Do  you  think  that  that 
maid’s  master  would  have  been  troubled  at  the 
loss  of  her  if  he  had  not  lost  with  her  his  gain  ? 
No,  I’ll  warrant  you ; she  might  have  gone  to 
the  devil  for  him.  But  when  her  master  saw 
“that  the  hope  of  his  gain  was  gone,”  then, 
then  he  fell  to  persecuting  Paul.  But  Mr. 
Badman’s  master  did  sometimes  lose  by  Mr. 
Badman’s  sins,  and  then  Badman  and  his 
master  were  at  odds. 

Attentive.  Alas,  poor  Badman ! Then  it 
seems  thou  couldst  not  at  all  times  please  thy 
like? 

Wiseman.  No,  he  could  not,  and  the  reason 
I have  told  you. 

Attentive.  But  do  not  bad  masters  condemn 


themselves  in  condemning  the  badness  of  their 
servants  ? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  in  that  they  condemn  that 
in  another  which  they  either  have  or  do  allow 
in  themselves.  And  the  time  will  come  when 
that  very  sentence  that  hath  gone  out  of  their 
own  mouths  against  the  sins  of  others,  them- 
selves living  and  taking  pleasure  in  the  same, 
shall  return  with  violence  upon  their  own 
pates.  The  Lord  pronounced  judgment  against 
Baasba,  as  for  all  his  evils  in  general,  so  for 
this  in  special,  because  he  was  “ like  the  house 
of  Jeroboam,  and  yet  killed  him.”  This  is 
Mr.  Badman’s  master’s  case,  and  he  is  like  his 
man,  and  yet  he  beats  him ; he  is  like  his 
man,  and  yet  he  rails  at  him  for  being  bad. 

Attentive.  But  why  did  not  young  Badman 
run  away  from  his  master,  as  he  ran  away  from 
the  other? 

Wiseman.  He  did  not.  And,  if  I be  not 
mistaken,  the  reason  why  was  this : There  was 
godliness  in  the  house  of  the  first,  and  that 
young  Badman  could  not  endure.  For  fare, 
for  lodging,  for  work,  and  time  he  had  better 
and  more  by  his  master’s  allowance  than  ever 
he  had  by  his  last ; but  all  this  would  not  con- 
tent because  godliness  was  promoted  there. 
He  could  not  abide  this  praying,  this  reading 
of  Scriptures,  and  hearing  and  repeating  of 
sermons ; he  could  not  abide  to  be  told  of  his 
transgressions  in  a sober  and  godly  manner. 

Attentive.  There  is  a great  deal  in  the  man- 
ner of  reproof;  wicked  men  both  can  and  can- 
not abide  to  hear  their  transgressions  spoken 
against. 

Wiseman.  There  is  a great  deal  of  difference 
indeed ; this  last  master  of  Mr.  Badman  would 
tell  Mr.  Badman  of  his  sins  in  Mr.  Badman’s 
own  dialect;  he  would  swear,  and  curse,  and 
damn  when  he  told  him  of  his  sins;  and  this 
he  could  bear  better  than  to  be  told  of  them 
after  a godly  sort.  Besides,  that  last  master 
would,  when  his  passions  and  rage  was  over, 
laugh  at  and  make  merry  with  the  sins  of  his 
servant  Badman  ; and  that  would  please  young 
Badman  well.  Nothing  offended  Badman  but 
blows,  and  those  he  had  but  few  of  now,  be- 
cause he  was  pretty  well  grown  up.  For  the 
most  part,  when  his  master  did  rage  and  swear, 
he  would  give  him  oath  for  oath,  and  curse  for 
curse,  at  least  secretly,  let  him  go  on  so  long 
as  he  would. 

Attentive.  This  was  hellish  living. 

Wiseman.  It  was  hellish  living  indeed  ; and 
a man  might  say  that  with  this  master  young 
Badman  completed  himself  yet  more  and  more 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  I!  ADM  AN. 


507 


in  wickedness  ns  well  ns  in  l»is  trndc ; for  by 
that  he  cnmo  out  of  his  time,  what  with  his 
own  inclination  to  sin,  what  with  his  acquaint- 
ance with  his  three  companions,  and  what  with 
this  last  master  and  the  wickedness  he  saw  in 
him,  he  became  a sinner  in  grain.  I tldnk  he 
had  a bastard  laid  to  his  charge  before  he  came 
out  of  his  time. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  it  seems  he  did  live  to 
come  out  of  his  time;  but  what  did  he 
then  ? 

Wiseman.  Why,  he  went  home  to  his  father, 
and  he,  like  a loving  and  tender-hearted  fa- 
ther, received  him  into  his  house. 

Attentive.  And  how  did  he  carry  it  there? 

Wiseman.  Why,  the  reason  why  he  went 
home  was  for  money  to  set  up  for  himself.  He 
stayed  but  a little  at  home,  but  that  little  while 
that  he  did  stay  he  refrained  himself  as  well 
as  he  could,  and  did  not  so  much  discover 
himself  to  be  base,  for  fear  his  father  should 
take  distaste,  and  so  should  refuse  or  for  awhile 
forbear  to  give  him  money. 

Yet  even  then  he  would  have  his  times  and 
companions,  and  the  fill  of  his  lusts  with  them, 
but  he  used  to  blind  all  with  this : he  was  glad 
to  see  his  old  acquaintance,  and  they  as  glad  to 
see  him,  and  lie  could  not,  in  civility,  but  ac- 
commodate them  with  a bottle  or  two  of  wine 
or  a dozen  or  two  of  drink. 

Attentive.  And  did  the  old  man  give  him 
money  to  set  up  with  ? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  about  two  hundred  pounds. 

Attentive.  Therein,  I think,  the  old  man  was 
out.  Had  I been  his  father,  I would  have  held 
him  a little  at  stavesend  till  I had  had  for  bet- 
ter proof  of  his  manners  to  be  good,  (for  I 
perceived  that  his  father  did  know  what  a 
naughty  boy  he  had  been,  both  by  what  he 
used  to  do  at  home,  and  because  he  changed  a 
good  master  for  a bad,  &c.)  He  should  not, 
therefore,  have  given  him  money  so  soon. 
What  if  he  had  pinched  a little  and  gone  to 
journey-work,  for  a time,  that  he  might  have 
known  what  a penny  was  by  his  earning  of 
it?  Then,  in  all  probability,  he  had  known 
better  how  to  have  spent  it ; yea,  and  by  that 
time,  perhaps,  have  better  considered  with 
himself  how  to  have  lived  in  the  world.  Ay, 
and  who  knows  but  he  might  come  to  himself 
with  the  prodigal,  and  have  asked  God  and 
his  father  forgiveness  for  the  villainies  that  he 
had  committed  against  them  ? 

Wiseman.  If  his  father  could  also  have 
blessed  his  manner  of  dealing  to  him,  and 
have  made  it  effectual  for  the  ends  that  you 


have  propounded,  then  I should  have  thought 
as  you.  But  alas,  alas  I you  talk  as  if  you 
never  knew,  or  had  at  this  present  forgot,  what 
the  bowels  and  compassions  of  a father  are. 
Why  did  you  not  serve  your  own  son  so  ? But  it 
is  evident  enough  that  we  are  better  at  giving 
good  counsel  to  others  than  we  are  at  taking 
good  counsel  ourselves.  But,  mine  honest 
neighbour,  suppose  that  Mr.  Badinan’s  father 
had  done  as  you  say,  and  by  so  doing  had 
driven  his  son  to  ill  courses,  what  had  he 
bettered  either  himself  or  his  son  in  so  doing? 

Attentive.  That  is  true ; but  it  doth  not  fol- 
low that  if  the  father  had  done  as  I said  the 
son  would  have  done  as  you  suppose.  But  if 
he  had  done  as  you  have  supposed,  what  had 
he  done  worse  than  he  had  done  already  ? 

Wiseman.  He  had  done  bad  enough,,  that  is 
true.  But  suppose  his  father  had  given  him 
no  money,  and  suppose  that  young  Badman 
had  taken  a pet  thereat,  and  in  anger  had  gone 
beyond  sea,  and  his  father  had  never  seen  him 
nor  heard  of  him  more  ; or  suppose  that,  of  a 
mad  and  headstrong  stomach  he  had  gone  to 
the  highway  for  money,  and  so  had  brought 
himself  to  the  gallows  and  his  father  and  fam- 
ily to  great  contempt;  or,  if  by  so  doing  he 
had  not  brought  himself  to  that  end,  yet  he 
had  added  to  all  his  wickedness  such  and  such 
evils  besides, — what  comfort  could  his  father 
have  had  in  this? 

Besides,  when  his  father  had  done  for  him 
what  he  could,  with  desire  to  make  him  an 
honest  man,  he  would  then,  whether  his  son 
had  proved  honest  or  no,  have  laid  down  his 
head  with  far  more  peace  than  if  he  had  taken 
your  counsel. 

Attentive.  Nay,  I think  I should  not  have 
been  forward  to  have  given  advice  in  the  case; 
but  truly  you  have  given  me  such  an  account 
of  his  villainies  that  the  hearing  thereof  has 
made  me  angry  with  him. 

Wiseman.  In  an  angry  mood  we  may  soon 
outshoot  ourselves ; but,  poor  wretch  as  he  is ! 
he  is  gone  to  his  place.  But,  as  I said,  when 
a good  father  hath  done  what  he  can  for  a bad 
child,  and  that  child  shall  prove  never  the  bet- 
ter, he  will  lie  down  with  for  more  peace  than 
if  through  severity  he  had  driven  him  to  in- 
conveniences. 

I remember  that  I have  heard  of  a good 
woman  that  had  (as  this  old  man)  a bad  and 
ungodly  son,  and  she  prayed  for  him,  coun- 
selled him,  and  carried  it  motherly  to  him  for 
several  years  together,  but  still  he  remained 
bad.  At  last,  upon  a time,  after  she  had  been 


508 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


at  prayer,  as  she  was  wont,  for  his  conversion, 
she  comes  to  him,  and  thus,  or  to  this  effect, 
begins  again  to  admonish  him.  Son,  said  she, 
thou  hast  been  and  art  a wicked  child;  thou 
hast  cost  me  many  a prayer  and  tear,  and  yet 
thou  remainest  wicked  ; well,  I have  done  my 
duty,  I have  done  what  I can  to  save  thee; 
now  I am  satisfied  that  if  I shall  see  thee 
damned  at  the  day  of  judgment  I shall  be  so 
far  off  from  being  grieved  for  thee  that  I shall 
rejoice  to  hear  the  sentence  of  thy  damnation 
at  that  day.  And  it  converted  him. 

I tell  you,  that  if  parents  carry  it.  lovingly 
towards  their  children,  mixing  their  mercies 
with  loving  rebukes,  and  their  loving  rebukes 
with  fatherly  and  motherly  compassions,  they 
are  more  likely  to  save  their  children  than  by 
being  churlish  and  severe  towards  them.  But 
if  they  do  not  save  them,  if  their  mercy  do 
them  no  good,  yet  it  will  greatly  ease  them  at 
the  day  of  death  to  consider,  “ I have  done  by 
love  as  much  as  I could  to  save  and  deliver 
my  child  from  hell.” 

Attentive.  Well,  I yield.  But  pray  let  us 
return  again  to  Mr.  Badman.  You  say  that 
his  father  gave  him  a piece  of  money  that  he 
might  set  up  for  himself. 

Wiseman.  Yes,  his  father  did  give  him  a 
piece  of  money,  and  he  did  set  up,  and  almost 
as  soon  set  down  again ; for  he  was  not  long- 
set  up  but  by  his  ill  managing  of  his  matters 
at  home,  together  with  his  extravagant  ex- 
penses abroad,  he  was  got  so  far  in  debt  and 
had  so  little  in  his  shop  to  pay  that  he  was 
hard  put  to  it  to  keep  himself  out  of  prison. 
But  when  his  creditors  understood  that  he  was 
about  to  marry,  and  in  a fair  way  to  get  a rich 
wife,  they  said  among  themselves,  “We  will 
not  be  hasty  with  him ; if  he  gets  a rich  wife, 
he  will  pay  us  all.” 

Attentive.  But  how  could  he  so  quickly  run 
out,  for  I perceive  it  was  in  little  time  by  what 
you  say? 

Wiseman.  It  was  in  little  time  indeed;  I 
think  he  was  not  above  two  years  and  a half 
in  doing  of  it ; but  the  reason  is  apparent,  for 
he  being  a wild  young  man,  and  now  having 
the  bridle  loose  before  him,  and  being  wholly 
subjected  to  his  lusts  and  vices,  he  gave  him- 
self up  to  the  way  of  his  heart  and  to  the  sight 
of  his  eye,  forgetting  that  for  all  these  things 
God  would  bring  him  to  judgment;  and  he 
that  doth  thus,  you  may  be  sure,  shall  not  be 
able  long  to  stand  on  his  legs. 

Besides,  he  had  now  an  addition  of  new 
companions — companions,  you  must  think, 


most  like  himself  in  manners,  and  so  such 
that  cared  not  who  sunk,  so  they  themselves 
might  swim.  These  would  often  be  haunting 
of  him  and  of  his  shop  too  when  he  was  absent. 
They  would  commonly  egg  him  to  the  ale- 
house, but  yet  make  him  Jack-pay-for-all: 
they  would  also  be  borrowing  money  of  him, 
but  take  no  care  to  pay  again,  except  it  was 
with  more  of  their  company,  which  also  he 
liked  very  well;  and  so  his  poverty  came 
“ like  one  that  travaileth,”  and  his  “ want 
like  an  armed  man.” 

But  all  the  while  they  studied  his  temper; 
he  loved  to  be  flattered,  praised,  and  com- 
mended for  wit,  manhood,  and  personage; 
and  this  was  like  stroking  him  over  the  face. 
Thus  they  colleagued  with  him,  and  yet  got 
more  and  more  into  him,  and  so  (like  horse- 
leeches) they  drew  away  that  little  that  his 
father  had  given  him,  and  brought  him 
quickly  down  almost  to  dwell  next  door  to 
the  beggar. 

Attentive.  Then  was  the  saying  of  the  wise 
man  fulfilled:  “He  that  keepeth  company 
with  harlots  and  is  a companion  of  fools  shall 
be  destroyed.” 

Wiseman.  Ay,  and  that  too,  “A  companion 
of  riotous  persons  shameth  his  father;”  for  he, 
poor  man,  hath  both  grief  and  shame  to  see 
how  his  son  (now  at  his  own  hand)  behaved 
himself  in  the  enjoyment  of  those  good  things 
in  and  under  the  lawful  use  of  which  he  might 
have  lived  to  God’s  glory,  his  own  comfort, 
and  credit  among  his  neighbours.  “But  he 
that  followeth  vain  persons  shall  have  poverty 
enough.”  The  way  that  he  took  led  him 
directly  into  this  condition,  for  who  can  ex- 
pect other  things  of  one  that  follows  such 
courses?  Besides,  when  he  was  in  his  shop 
he  could  not  abide  to  be  doing;  he  was  natu- 
rally given  to  idleness ; he  loved  to  live  high, 
but  his  hands  refused  to  labour;  and  what 
else  can  the  end  of  such  an  one  be  but  that 
which  the  wise  man  saitli  ? — “ The  drunkard 
and  the  glutton  shall  come  to  poverty,  and 
drowsiness  shall  clothe  a man  with  rags.” 

Attentive.  But  now,  methinks,  when  he  was 
brought  thus  low,  he  should  have  considered 
the  hand  of  God  that  was  gone  out  against 
him,  and  should  have  smote  upon  the  breast 
and  have  returned. 

Wiseman.  Consideration,  good  consideration, 
was  far  from  him;  he  was  as  stout  and  proud 
now  as  ever  in  all  his  life,  and  was  as  high  too 
in  the  pursuit  of  his  sin  as  when  he  was  in 
the  midst  of  his  fulness ; only  he  went  now 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  D ADM  AN. 


509 


like  a tired  jade;  the  devil  had  ridden  him 
almost  off  his  legs. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  what  did  he  do  when 
all  was  almost  gone? 

Wiseman.  Two  things  were  now  his  play: 
1.  He  bore  all  in  hand  by  swearing,  and 
cracking,  and  lying  that  he  was  as  well  to 
pass  as  he  was  the  first  day  he  set  up  for  him- 
Belf,  yea,  that  he  had  rather  got  than  lost; 
and  he  had  at  his  beck  some  of  his  com- 
panions that  would  swear  to  confirm  it  as  fast 
as  he. 

Attentive.  This  was  double  wickedness;  it 
was  a sin  to  say  it,  and  another  to  swear  to  it. 

Wiseman.  That  is  true;  but  what  evil  is  that 
that  he  will  not  do  that  is  left  of  God_  as  I be- 
lieve Mr.  Badman  was? 

Attentive.  And  what  was  the  other  thing? 

Wiseman.  Why,  that  which  I hinted  before 
— he  was  for  looking  out  for  a rich  wife;  and 
now  I am  come  to  some  more  of  his  invented, 
devised,  designed,  and  abominable  roguery, 
such  as  will  yet  declare  him  to  be  a most 
abominable  sinner. 

The  thing  was  this:  a wife  he  wanted,  or 
rather  money,  for,  as  for  a woman,  he  could 
have  whores  enough  at  his  whistle.  But,  as  I 
said,  he  wanted  money,  and  that  must  be  got 
by  a wife  or  no  way;  nor  could  he  so  easily 
get  a wife,  neither,  except  he  became  an  artist 
at  the  way  of  dissembling;  nor  would  dissem- 
bling do  among  that  people  that  could  dissem- 
ble as  well  as  he.  But  there  dwelt  a maid  not 
far  from  him  that  was  both  godly  and  one  that 
had  a good  portion  ; but  how  to  get  her,  there 
lay  all  the  craft.  Well,  he  calls  a council 
of  some,  of  his  most  trusty  and  cunning  com- 
panions and  breaks  his  mind  to  them — to  wit, 
that  he  had  a mind  to  marry,  and  he  also  told 
them  to  whom.  But,  said  he,  how  shall  I ac- 
complish my  end?  She  is  religious  and  I am 
not.  Then  oneof  them  made  reply,  saying,  Since 
she  is  religious,  you  must  pretend  to  be  so  like- 
wise, and  that  for  some  time  before  you  go  to 
her ; mark  therefore  whither  she  goes  daily  to 
hear,  and  do  you  go  thither  also ; but  there  you 
must  be  sure  to  behave  yourself  soberly,  and 
make  as  if  you  liked  the  word  wonderful  well ; 
stand  also  where  she  may  see  you,  and  when 
you  come  home  be  sure  that  you  walk  the 
Btreets  very  soberly  and  go  within  sight  of 
her;  this  done  for  awhile,  then  go  to  her  and 
first  talk  of  how  sorry  you  are  for  your  sins, 
and  show  great  love  to  the  religion  that  she  is 
of,  still  speaking  well  of  her  preachers  and  of 
her  godly  acquaintance,  bewailing  your  hard 


hap  that  it  was  not  your  lot  to  be  acquainted 
with  her  and  her  fellow-professors  sooner;  and 
this  is  the  way  to  get  her.  Also  you  must 
write  down  sermons,  talk  of  Scriptures,  and 
protest  that  you  came  a- wooing  to  her  only  be- 
cause she  is  godly,  and  because  you  should 
count  it  your  greatest  happiness  if  you  might 
but  have  such  a one;  as  for  her  money,  slight 
it,  it  will  never  be  the  further  off;  that  is  the 
way  to  come  soonest  at  it,  for  she  will  be  jeal- 
ous at  first  that  you  come  for  her  money ; you 
know  what  she  has,  but  make  not  a word  about 
it.  Do  this,  and  you  shall  see  if  you  do  not 
entangle  the  lass. 

Thus  the  snare  was  laid  for  this  poor,  hPnest 
maid,  and  she  was  quickly  catched  in  the  pit. 

Attentive.  Why,  did  he  take  this  counsel  ? 

Wiseman.  Did  he!  Yea,  after  awhile  went 
as  boldly  to  her,  and  that  under  a vizard  of  re- 
ligion, as  if  he  had  been  for  honesty  and  god- 
liness one  of  the  most  sincere  and  upright- 
hearted  in  England.  He  observed  all  his 
points  and  followed  the  advice  of  his  counsel- 
lors, and  quickly  obtained  her  too,  for  natural 
parts  he  had:  he  was  tall  and  fair,  and  had 
plain  but  very  good  clothes  on  his  back ; and 
his  religion  was  the  more  easily  attained,  for  he 
had  seen  something  in  the  house  of  his  lather 
and  first  master,  and  so  could  the  more  readily 
put  himself  into  the  form  and  show  thereof. 

So  he  appointed  a day  and  went  to  her,  a3 
that  he  might  easily  do,  for  she  had  neither 
father  nor  mother  to  oppose.  Well,  when  he 
was  come,  and  had  given  her  a civil  compli 
ment  to  let  her  understand  why  he  was  come, 
then  he  began  and  told  her  that  he  had  found 
in  his  heart  a great  deal  of  love  to  her  person, 
and  that  of  all  the  damsels  in  the  world  he  had 
pitched  upon  her,  if  she  thought  fit,  to  make 
her  his  beloved  wife.  The  reasons,  as  he  told 
her,  why  he  had  pitched  upon  her  were  her  re- 
ligious and  personal  excellencies,  and  there- 
fore entreated  her  to  take  his  condition  into 
her  tender  and  loving  consideration.  As  for 
the  world,  quoth  he,  I have  a very  good  trade, 
and  can  maintain  myself  and  family  well  while 
my  wife  sits  still  on  her  seat ; I have  got  thus 
and  thus  much  already,  and  feel  money  come 
in  every  day ; but  that  is  not  the  thing  that  I 
aim  at ; it  is  an  honest  and  godly  wife.  Then 
he  would  present  her  with  a good  book  or  two, 
pretending  how  much  good  he  had  got  by 
them  himself.  He  would  also  be  often  speak- 
ing well  of  godly  ministers,  especially  of  those 
that  he  perceived  she  liked  and  loved  most. 
Besides,  he  would  be  often  telling  of  her  what 


510 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


a godly  fatlier  lie  had,  and  what  a new  man  he 
was  also  become  himself;  and  thus  did  this 
treacherous  dealer  deal  with  this  honest  and 
good  girl,  to  her  great  grief  and  sorrow,  as  af- 
terward you  shall  hear. 

Attentive.  But  had  the  maid  no  friend  to  look 
after  her? 

Wiseman.  Her  father  and  mother  were  dead, 
and  that  he  knew  well  enough,  and  so  she  was 
the  more  easily  overcome  by  his  naughty,  lying- 
tongue.  But  if  she  had  never  so  many  friends 
she  might  have  been  beguiled  by  him.  It  is 
too  much  the  custom  of  young  peojile  now  to 
think  themselves  wise  enough  to  make  their 
own  choice,  and  that  they  need  not  ask  coun- 
sel of  those  that  are  elder  and  also  wiser  than 
they;  but  this  is  a great  fault  in  them,  and 
many  of  them  have  paid  dear  for  it.  Well,  to 
be  short,  in  a little  time  Mr.  Badman  obtains 
his  desire,  gets  this  honest  girl  and  her  money, 
is  married  to  her,  brings  her  home,  makes  a 
feast,  entertains  her  royally,  but  her  portion 
must  pay  for  all. 

Attentive.  This  was  wonderful  deceitful  do- 
ings : a man  shall  seldom  hear  of  the  like. 

Wiseman.  By  this  his  doing  he  showed  how 
little  he  feared  God  and  what  little  dread  he 
had  of  his  judgments.  For  all  this  carriage 
and  all  these  words  were  by  him  premeditated 
evil ; he  knew  he  lied,  he  knew  he  dissembled ; 
yea,  he  knew  that  he  made  use  of  the  name  of 
God,  of  religion,  good  men  and  good  books  but 
as  a stalking-horse,  thereby  the  better  to  catch 
his  game.  In  all  this  his  glorious  pretence  of 
religion  he  was  but  a glorious  painted  hypo- 
crite, and  hypocrisy  is  the  highest  sin  that  a 
poor  carnal  wretch  can  attain  unto ; it  is  also 
a sin  that  most  dareth  God  and  that  also  bring- 
eth  the  greater  damnation.  Now  wras  he  a 
whited  wall,  now  was  he  a painted  sepulchre, 
now  was  he  a grave  that  appeared  not,  for  this 
poor  honest,  godly  damsel  little  thought  that 
both  her  peace,  and  comfort,  and  estate,  and 
liberty,  and  person,  and  all  were  going  to  her 
burial  when  she  was  going  to  be  married  to 
Mr.  Badman ; and  yet  so  it  was,  she  enjoyed 
herself  but  little  afterwards ; she  was  as  if  she 
was  dead  and  buried  to  what  she  enjoyed  be- 
fore. 

Attentive.  Certainly  some  wonderful  judg- 
ment of  God  must  attend  and  overtake  such 
wicked  men  as  these. 

Wiseman.  You  may  he  sure  that  they  shall 
have  judgment  to  the  full  for  all  these  things 
when  the  day  of  judgment  is  come.  But  as 
for  judgment  upon  them  in  this  life,  it  doth 


not  always  come — no,  not  upon  those  that  are 
worthy  thereof:  “They  that  tempt  God  are 
delivered,  and  they  that  work  wickedness  are 
set  up;”  but  they  are  reserved  to  the  day  of 
wrath,  and  then,  for  their  wickedness,  God 
will  repay  them  to  their  faces.  “The  wicked 
is  reserved  to  the  day  of  destruction;  they 
shall  be  brought  forth  to  the  day  of  wrath. 
Who  shall  declare  his  way  to  his  face?  and 
who  shall  repay  him  what  he  hath  done?  Yet 
shall  he  be  brought  to  the  grave,  and  remain 
in  the  tomb ;”  that  is,  ordinarily  they  escape 
God’s  hand  in  this  life,  save  only  a few  ex- 
amples are  made  that  others  may  be  cautioned 
and  take  warning  thereby,  but  at  the  day  of 
judgment  they  must  be  rebuked  for  their  evil 
with  the  lashes  of  devouring  fire. 

Attentive.  Can  you  give  me  no  example  of 
God’s  wrath  upon  men  that  have  acted  this 
tragical  wicked  deed  of  Mr.  Badman? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  Hamor  and  Shechem  and  all 
the  men  of  their  city,  for  attempting  to  make 
God  and  religion  the  stalking-horse  to  get 
Jacob’s  daughter  to  wife,  were  together  slain 
with  the  edge  of  the  sword — a judgment  of 
God  upon  them,  no  doubt,  for  their  dissem- 
bling in  that  matter.  All  manner  of  lying  and 
dissembling  is  dreadful,  but  to  make  God  and 
religion  a disguise,  therewith  to  blind  thy  dis- 
simulation from  others’  eyes,  is  highly  provok- 
ing to  the  Divine  Majesty. 

I knew  one  that  dwelt  not  far  off  from 
our  town  that  got  him  a wife  as  Mr.  Badman 
got  his,  but  he  did  not  enjoy  her  long;  for  one 
night,  as  he  was  riding  home  from  his  com- 
panions, wdiere  he  had  been  at  a neighbouring 
town,  his  horse  threw  him  to  the  ground, 
where  he  was  found  dead  at  break  of  day, 
frightfully  and  lamentably  mangled  with  his 
fall  and  besmeared  with  his  own  blood. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  pray  return  again  to  Mr. 
Badman : how  did  he  carry  it  to  his  wife  after 
he  was  married  to  her? 

Wiseman.  Nay,  let  us  take  things  along  as 
we  go.  He  had  not  been  married  but' a little 
while  but  his  creditors  came  upon  him  for 
their  money.  He  deferred  them  a little  while, 
but  at  last  things  were  come  to  that  point  that 
pay  he  must  or  must  do  worse;  so  he  appointed 
them  a time  and  they  came  for  their  money, 
and  he  paid  them  down  with  her  money,  be- 
fore her  eyes,  for  those  goods  that  he  had  pro- 
fusely spent  among  his  whores  long  before,  be- 
sides the  portion  that  his  father  gave  him  to 
the  value  of  two  hundred  pounds. 

Attentive.  This  beginning  was  bad,  but  what 


LIFE  AND  DEATH 

shall  I say?  It  was  like  Mr.  Badman  himself. 
Poor  woman!  this  was  but  a bad  beginning  for 
her;  I fear  it  filled  her  with  trouble  enough, 
as  I think  such  a beginning  would  have  done 
one  perhaps  much  stronger  than  she. 

Wiseman.  Trouble!  Ay,  you  may  be  sure 
of  it,  but  now  it  was  too  late  to  repent ; she 
should  have  looked  better  to  herself  when  be- 
ing wary  would  have  done  her  good;  her 
harms  may  be  an  advantage  to  others  that 
will  learn  to  take  heed  thereby;  but  for  her- 
self she  must  take  what  follows,  even  such  a 
life  now  as  Mr.  Badman  her  husband  will  lead 
her,  and  that  will  be  bad  enough. 

Attentive.  This  beginning  was  bad,  and  yet  I 
fear  it  was  but  the  beginning  of  bad'. 

Wiseman.  You  may  be  sure  that  it  was  but 
the  beginning  of  badness,  for  other  evils  came 
on  apace,  as  for  instance:  It  was  but  a little 
while  after  he  was  married  but  he  hangs  his 
religion  upon  the  hedge,  or  rather  dealt  with 
it  as  men  deal  with  their  okl  clothes,  who 
cast  them  oft’  or  leave  them  to  others  to 
wear;  for  his  part,  he  would  be  religious  no 
longer. 

Now,  therefore,  he  had  pulled  off1  his  vizard 
and  began  to  show  himself  in  his  old  shape,  a 
base,  wicked,  debauched  fellow,  and  now  the 
poor  woman  saw  that  she  was  betrayed  indeed ; 
now  also  his  old  companions  began  to  flock 
about  him  and  to  haunt  his  house  and  shop  as 
formerly;  and  who  with  them  but  Mr.  Bad- 
man? and  who  with  him  again  but  they? 

Now,  those  good  people  that  used  to  com- 
pany with  his  wife  began  to  be  amazed  and 
discouraged;  also  he  would  frown  and  glout 
upon  them,  as  if  he  abhorred  the  appearance 
of  them;  so  that  in  little  time  he  drove  all 
good  company  from  her,  and  made  her  sit 
solitary  by  herself.  He  also  began  now  to  go 
out  o’  nights  to  those  drabs  who  were  his 
familiars  before,  with  whom  he  would  stay 
sometimes  till  midnight,  and  sometimes  till 
almost  morning,  and  then  would  come  home 
drunk  as  a swine;  and  this  was  the  course  of 
Mr.  Badman. 

Now  when  he  came  home  in  this  case,  if  his 
wife  did  but  speak  a word  to  him  about  where 
he  had  been  and  why  he  had  abused  himself, 
though  her  words  were  spoken  in  never  so 
much  meekness  aud  love,  then  she  was  a 
whore,  and  bitch,  and  jade,  and  it  was  well  if 
she  missed  his  fingers  and  heels.  Sometimes 
also  he  would  bring  his  punks  home  to  his 
house,  and  woe  be  to  his  wife  when  they  were 
gone  if  she  did  not  entertain  them  with  all 


OF  MR.  BADMAN.  611 

varieties  possible,  and  also  carry  it  lovingly  to 
them. 

Thus  this  good  woman  was  made  by  Bad- 
man, her  husband,  to  possess  nothing  but  dis- 
appointments as  to  all  that  he  had  promised 
her  or  that  she  hoped  to  have  at  his  hands. 

But  that  that  added  pressing  weight  to  all 
her  sorrow  was,  that  as  he  had  cast  away  all 
religion  himself,  so  he  attempted  if  possible 
to  make  her  do  so  too.  He  would  not  suffer 
her  to  go  out  to  the  preaching  of  the  word  of 
Christ,  nor  to  the  rest  of  his  appointments  for 
the  health  and  salvation  of  her  soul.  He 
would  now  taunt  at  and  reflectingly  speak  of 
her  preachers,  and  would  receive,  yea,  raise 
scandals  of  them,  to  her  very  great  grief  and 
affliction. 

Now  she  scarce  dare  go  to  an  honest  neigh- 
bour’s house  or  have  a good  book  in  her  hand, 
especially  when  he  had  his  companions  in  his 
house  or  had  got  a little  drink  in  his  head. 
He  would  also,  when  he  perceived  that  she 
was  dejected,  speak  tauntingly  and  mockingly 
to  her  in  the  presence  of  his  companions, 
calling  of  her  his  religious  wife,  his  demure 
dame,  and  the  like;  also  he  would  make  a 
sport  of  her  among  his  wanton  ones  abroad. 

If  she  did  ask  him,  as  sometimes  she  would, 
to  let  her  go  out  to  a sermon,  he  would  in  a 
currish  manner  reply,  Keep  at  home,  keep  at 
home,  and  look  to  your  business ; we  cannot 
live  by  hearing  of  sermons.  If  she  still  urged 
that  he  would  let  her  go,  then  he  would  say  to 
her,  Go  if  you  dare.  He  would  also  charge 
her  with  giving  of  what  he  had  to  her  minis- 
ters, when,  vile  wretch  ! he  had  spent  it  on  his 
vain  companions  before. 

This  was  the  life  that  Mr.  Badman’s  good 
wife  lived  within  few  months  after  he  had 
married  her. 

Attentive.  This  was  a disappointment  indeed. 

Wiseman.  A disappointment  indeed,  as  ever, 
I think,  poor  woman  had.  One  would  think 
that  the  knave  might  a little  let  her  have  had 
her  will,  since  it  was  nothing  but  to  be  honest, 
and  since  she  brought  him  so  sweet,  so  lump- 
ing a portion,  for  she  brought  hundreds  into 
his  house ; I say,  one  would  think  he  should 
have  let  her  had  her  own  will  a little,  since 
she  desired  it  only  in  the  service  and  worship 
of  God  ; but  could  she  win  him  to  grant  her 
that?  No,  not  a bit  if  it  would  have  saved 
her  life.  True,  sometimes  she  would  steal  out 
when  he  was  from  home,  or  on  a journey,  or 
among  his  drunken  companions,  but  with  all 
privacy  imaginable ; and,  poor  woman ! this 


512 


1 3 UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


advantage  she  had  : she  carried  it  so  to  all  her 
neighbours  that  though  many  of  them  were 
but  carnal,  yet  they  would  not  betray  her,  or 
tell  of  her  going  out  to  the  world  if  they  saw 
it,  but  would  rather  endeavour  to  hide  it  from 
Mr.  Badman  himself. 

Attentive.  This  carriage  of  his  to  her  was 
enough  to  break  her  heart. 

Wiseman.  It  was  enough  to  do  it;  indeed  it 
did  effectually  do  it.  It  killed  her  in  time, 
yea,  it  was  all  the  time  a-killing  of  her.  She 
would  oftentimes,  when  she  sat  by  herself,  thus 
mournfully  bewail  her  condition  : “ Woe  is  me 
that  I sojourn  in  Meshec,  and  that  I dwell  in 
the  tents  of  Kedar ! My  soul  hath  long  time 
dwelt  with  him  that  hateth  peace.  Oh  what 
shall  be  given  unto  thee,  thou  deceitful 
tongue?  or  what  shall  be  done  unto  thee, 
thou  false  tongue?”  I am  a woman  grieved 
in  spirit ; my  husband  has  bought  me  and 
sold  me  for  his  lusts ; it  was  not  me,  but  my 
money  that  he  wanted ; oh  that  he  had  had  it, 
so  I had  had  my  liberty  ! 

This  she  said,  not  of  contempt  of  his  per- 
son, but  of  his  conditions ; and  because  she 
saw  that  by  his  hypocritical  tongue  he  had 
brought  her  not  only  almost  to  beggary,  but 
robbed  her  of  the  word  of  God. 

Attentive.  It  is  a deadly  thing,  I see,  to  be 
unequally  yoked  with  unbelievers.  If  this 
woman  had  had  a good  husband,  how  happily 
might  they  have  lived  together ! Such  an  one 
would  have  prayed  for  her,  taught  her,  and 
also  would  have  encouraged  her  in  the  faith 
and  ways  of  God;  but  now,  poor  creature! 
instead  of  this,  there  is  nothing  but  quite  the 
contrary. 

Wisernan.  It  is  a deadly  thing  indeed,  and 
therefore  by  the  word  of  God  his  people  are 
forbid  to  be  joined  in  marriage  with  them. 
“ Be  not,”  saith  he,  “ unequally  yoked  together 
with  unbelievers ; for  what  fellowshijt  hath 
righteousness  with  unrighteousness?  and  what 
communion  hath  light  with  darkness?  and 
what  concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial?  or 
what  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an  in- 
fidel? and  what  agreement  hath  the  temple 
of  God  with  idols?”  There  can  be  no  agree- 
ment where  such  matches  are  made;  even 
God  himself  hath  declared  the  contrary  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world.  “ I,”  says  he, 
“ will  put  enmity  betwixt  thee  and  the  woman, 
betwixt  thy  seed  and  her  seed.”  Therefore  he 
saith  in  another  place,  “ They  can  mix  no  bet- 
ter than  iron  and  clay.”  I say,  they  cannot 
agree,  they  cannot  be  one,  and  therefore  they 


should  be  aware  at  first  and  not  lightly  re- 
ceive such  into  their  affections.  God  ha3 
often  made  such  matches  bitter,  especially  to 
his  own.  Such  matches  are,  as  God  said  of 
Eli’s  sons  that  were  spared,  “ to  consume  the 
eyes  and  to  grieve  the  heart.”  Oh  the  wailing 
and  lamentation  that  they  have  made  that 
have  been  thus  yoked,  especially  if  they  were 
such  as  would  be  so  yoked  against  their  light 
and  good  ^counsel  to  the  contrary ! 

Attentive.  Alas ! he  deluded  her  with  his 
tongue,  and  feigned  reformation. 

Wiseman.  Well,  well ; she  should  have  gone 
more  warily  to  work;  what  if  she  had  ac- 
quainted some  of  her  best,  most  knowing,  and 
godly  friends  therewith?  What  if  she  had  en- 
gaged a godly  minister  or  two  to  have  talked 
with  Mr.  Badman?  Also,  what  if  she  had 
laid  wait  round  about  him,  to  espy  if  he  was 
not  otherwise  behind  .her  back  than  he  was 
before  her  face?  And  besides,  I verily  think 
(since  in  the  multitude  of  counsellors  there  is 
safety)  that  if  she  had  acquainted  the  congre- 
gation with  it,  and  desired  them  to  spend  some 
time  in  prayer  to  God  about  it,  and,  if  she 
must  have  had  him,  to  have  received  him  as 
to  his  godliness  upon  the  judgment  of  others 
rather  than  her  own,  (she  knowing  them  to  be 
godly,  and  judicious,  and  unbiassed  men,)  she 
had  had  more  peace  all  her  life  after  than  to 
trust  to  her  own  poor,  raw,  womanish  judg- 
ment, as  she  did.  Love  is  blind,  and  will  see 
nothing  amiss  where  others  may  see  an  hun- 
dred faults.  Therefore,  I say,  she  should  not 
have  trusted  to  her  own  thoughts  in  the  mat- 
ter of  his  goodness. 

As  to  his  person,  there  she  was  fittest  to 
judge,  because  she  was  to  be  the  person 
pleased;  but  as  to  his  godliness,  there  the 
word  was  the  fittest  judge,  and  they  that  could 
best  understand  it,  because  God  was  thereiu  to 
be  pleased.  I wish  that  all  young  maidens 
would  take  heed  of  being  beguiled  with  flat- 
tering words,  with  feigning  and  lying  speeches, 
and  take  the  best  way  to  preserve  themselves 
from  being  bought  and  sold  by  wicked  men, 
as  she  was,  lest  they  repent  with  her,  when,  as 
to  this,  repentance  will  do  them  no  good,  but 
for  their  unadvisedness  go  sorrowing  to  their 
graves. 

Attentive.  Well,  things  are  past  with  this 
poor  woman,  and  cannot  be  called  back;  let 
others  beware,  by  her  misfortunes,  lest  they 
also  fall  into  her  distress. 

Wiseman.  That  is  the  thing  that  I say ; let 
them  take  heed,  lest  for  their  unadvisedness 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BA  DMA  N. 


613 


they  smart  ns  this  poor  woman  has  clone.  And 
ah  I methinks  that  they  that  yet  arc  single 
persons,  and  that  arc  tempted  to  marry  to  such 
as  Mr.  Badman,  would  do  well  to  inform  and 
warn  themselves  in  this  matter  before  they 
entangle  themselves,  but  go  to  some  that  are 
already  in  the  snare,  and  ask  them  how  it  is 
with  them  as  to  the  suitable  or  unsuitableness 
of  their  marriage,  and  desire  their  advice. 
Surely  they  would  ring  such  a peal  in  their 
ears  about  the  inequality,  unsuitableness,  dis- 
advantages, and  disquietments,  and  sins  that 
attend  such  marriages  that  would  make  them 
beware  as  long  as  they  live.  But  the  bird  in 
the  air  knows  not  the  notes  of  the  bird  in  the 
snare  until  she  comes  thither  herself.  Besides, 
to  make  up  such  marriages,  Satan,  and  carnal 
reason,  and  lust,  or  at  least  ineonsiderateness, 
has  the  chiefest  hand ; and  where  these  things 
bear  sway,  designs,  though  never  so  destruc- 
tive, will  go  headlong  on  ; and  therefore  I fear 
that  but  little  warning  will  be  taken  by  young 
girls  at  Mr.  Badman’s  wife’s  affliction. 

Attentive.  But  are  there  no  dissuasive  argu- 
ments to  lay  before  such  to  prevent  their  future 
misery? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  there  is  the  law  of  God,  that 
forbiddeth  marriage  with  unbelievers.  These 
kind  of  marriages  also  are  condemned  even  by 
irrational  creatures.  It  is  forbidden  by  the 
law  of  God,  both  in  the  Old  Testament  and  in 
the  New.  1.  In  the  Old : “ Thou  shalt  not 
make  marriages  with  them ; thy  daughter  thou 
shalt  not  give  unto  his  son,  nor  his  daughter 
shalt  thou  take  unto  thy  son.”  Dcut.  vii.  4,  5. 
2.  In  the  New  Testament  it  is  forbidden  : “Be 
not  unequally  yoked  together  with  unbelievers ; 
let  them  marry  to  whom  they  will,  only  in  the 
Lord.” 

Here  now  is  a prohibition  plainly  forbidding 
the  believer  to  marry  with  the  unbeliever ; 
therefore  they  should  not  do  it.  Again,  these 
unwarrantable  marriages  are,  as  I may  so  say, 
condemned  by  irrational  creatures,  who  will 
not  couple  but  with  their  own  sort.  Will  the 
sheep  couple  with  the  dog?  the  partridge  with 
a crow?  or  the  pheasant  with  an  owl?  No; 
they  will  strictly  tie  up  themselves  to  those  of 
their  own  sort  only ; yea,  it  sets  all  the  world  a- 
wondering  when  they  see  or  hear  the  contrary. 
Man  only  is  most  subject  to  wink  at  and  allow 
of  these  unlawful  mixtures  of  men  and  women. 
Because  man  only  is  a sinful  beast,  a sinful 
bird,  therefore  he,  above  all,  will  take  upon 
him  by  rebellious  actions  to  answer,  or  rather 
to  oppose  and  violate,  the  law  of  God  and  his 
33 


Creator;  nor  shall  these,  or  other  interroga- 
tories, what  fellowship,  what  concord,  what 
agreement,  what  communion  can  there  be  in 
such  marriages?  be  counted  of  weight  or 
thought  worth  the  answering  by  him. 

But  further,  the  dangers  that  such  do  com- 
monly run  themselves  into  should  be  to  others 
a dissuasive  argument  to  stop  them  from  doing 
the  like;  for  besides  the  distresses  of  Mr.  Bad- 
man’s wife,  many  that  have  had  very  hopeful 
beginnings  for  heaven  have,  by  virtue  of  the 
mischiefs  that  have  attended  these  unlawful 
marriages,  miserably  and  fearfully  miscarried. 
Soon  after  such  marriages  conviction  (the  first 
step  towards  heaven)  hath  ceased;  prayers 
(the  next  step  towards  heaven)  have  ceased; 
hungerings  and  Burstings  after  salvation  (an- 
other step  towards  the  kingdom  of  heaven) 
have  ceased.  In  a word,  such  marriages  have 
estranged  them  from  the  word,  from  their 
godly  and  faithful  friends,  and  have  brought 
them  again  into  carnal  company,  among  carnal 
friends,  and  also  into  carnal  delights,  where 
and  with  whom  they  have  both  sinfully  abode 
and  miserably  perished. 

And  this  is  one  reason  why  God  hath  for- 
bidden this  kind  of  unequal  marriages.  “ For 
they,”  saith  he,  (meaning  the  ungodly,)  “ will 
turn  away  thy  son  from  following  me,  that 
they  may  serve  other  gods ; so  will  the  anger 
of  the  Lord  be  kindled  against  you  and  destroy 
you  suddenly.”  Now  mark,  there  were  some 
in  Israel  that  would,  notwithstanding  this  pro- 
hibition, venture  to  marry  to  the  heathens  and 
unbelievers ; but  what  followed  ? They  served 
their  idols,  they  sacrificed  their  sons  and  their 
daughters  unto  devils.  Thus  were  they  defiled 
with  their  own  works,  and  went  a-whoring 
with  their  own  inventions:  therefore  was  the 
wrath  of  the  Lord  kindled  against  his  people, 
insomuch  that  he  abhorred  his  own  inheritance. 

Attentive.  But  let  us  return  again  to  Mr. 
Badman : had  he  any  children  by  his  wife  ? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  seven. 

Attentive.  I doubt  they  were  but  badly 
brought  up. 

Wiseman.  One  of  them  loved  its  mother 
dearly,  and  would  constantly  hearken  to  her 
voice.  Now  that  child  she  had  the  opportunity 
to  instruct  in  the  principles  of  the  Christian 
religion,  and  it  became  a very  gracious  child. 
But  that  child  Mr.  Badman  could  not  abide; 
he  would  seldom  afford  it  a pleasant  word,  but 
would  scold  and  frown  upon  it,  speak  churl- 
ishly and  doggedly  to  it;  and  though,  as  to 
nature,  it  was  the  most  feeble  of  the  seven,  yet 


514 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


it  oftenest  felt  the  weight  of  its  father’s  fingers. 
Three  of  his  children  did  directly  follow  their 
father’s  steps,  and  began  to  be  as  vile  as  (in 
his  youth)  he  was  himself.  The  others  that 
remained  became  a kind  of  mongrel  professors, 
not  so  bad  as  their  father,  nor  so  good  as  their 
mother,  but  betwixt  them  both.  They  had 
their  mother’s  notions  and  their  father’s  ac- 
tions, and  were  much  like  those  you  read  of 
in  the  book  of  Neliemiah:  “These  children 
spake  half  of  Ashdod,  and  could  not  speak  in 
the  Jews’  language,  but  according  to  the  lan- 
guage of  each  people.” 

Attentive.  What  you  say  in  this  matter  is 
observable ; and,  if  I take  not  my  mark  amiss, 
it  often  happeneth  after  this  manner  where 
such  unlawful  marriages  are  contracted. 

Wiseman.  It  sometimes  doth  so ; and  the  rea- 
son with  respect  to  their  parents  is  this : Where 
the  one  of  their  parents  is  godly  and  the  other 
ungodly  and  vile,  they  strive  for  their  children 
when  they  are  born.  The  godly  parent  strives 
for  the  child,  and  by  prayers,  counsel,  and  good 
examples  labours  to  make  it  holy  in  body  and 
soul,  and  so  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; but 
the  ungodly  would  have  it  like  himself,  wicked, 
and  base,  and  sinful ; and  so  they  both  give  in- 
structions accordingly.  Instructions,  did  I say  ? 
yea,  and  examples  too,  according  to  their  minds. 
Thus  the  godly,  as  Hannah,  is  presenting  her 
Samuel  unto  the  Lord,  but  the  ungodly,  like 
them  that  went  before  them,  are  for  offering 
their  children  to  Moloch,  to  an  idol,  to  sin,  to 
the  devil,  and  to  hell.  Thus  one  hearkenetli  to 
the  law  of  their  mother,  and  is  preserved  from 
destruction,  but  as  for  the  other,  as  their  fath- 
ers did  so  do  they.  Thus  did  Mr.  Badman  and 
his  wife  part  some  of  their  children  betwixt 
them ; but  as  for  the  other  three  that  were  as 
it  were  mongrels  betwixt  both,  they  were  like 
unto  those  that  you  read  of  in  Kings : “ They 
heard  the  Lord,  but  served  their  own  idols.” 
They  had,  as  I said,  their  mother’s  notions, 
and,  I will  add,  profession  too,  but  their  fath- 
er’s lusts,  and  something  of  his  life.  Now, 
their  father  did  not  like  them  because  they 
bad  their  mother’s  tongue,  and  the  mother 
did  not  like  them  because  they  had  still  their 
father’s  heart  and  life;  nor  were  they  indeed 
fit  company  for  good  or  bad.  The  good  would 
not  trust  them  because  they  were  bad ; the  bad 
would  not  trust  them  because  they  were  good  ; 
viz.,  the  good  would  not  trust  them  because 
they  were  bad  in  their  lives,  and  the  bad  would 
not  trust  them  because  they  were  good  in  their 
words;  so  they  were  forced  with  Esau  to  join 


in  affinity  with  Islimael— to  wit,  to  look  out  a 
people  that  were  hypocrites  like  themselves, 
and  with  them  they  matched  and  lived  and 
died. 

Attentive.  Poor  woman ! she  could  not  but 
have  much  perplexity. 

Wiseman.  Yea,  and  poor  children ! that  ever 
they  were  sent  into  the  world  as  the  fruit  of 
the  loins  and  under  the  government  of  suen  a 
father  as  Mr.  Badman. 

Attentive.  You  say  right,  for  such  children 
lie  almost  under  all  manner  of  disadvantages; 
but  we  must  say  nothing,  because  this  also  is 
the  sovereign  will  of  God. 

Wiseman.  We  may  not  by  any  means  object 
against  God,  yet  we  may  talk  of  the  advantages 
and  disadvantages  that  children  have  by  hav- 
ing for  their  parents  such  as  are  either  godly 
or  the  contrary. 

Attentive.  You  say  right,  we  may  so;  and 
pray  now,  since  we  are  about  it,  speak  some- 
thing in  brief  unto  it — that  is,  unto  this  : What 
advantage  those  children  have  above  others 
that  have  for  their  parents  such  as  indeed  are 
godly. 

Wiseman.  So  I will;  only  I must  first  pre- 
mise these  two  or  three  things : 

1.  They  have  not  the  advantage  of  election 
for  their  father’s  sake. 

2.  They  are  born,  as  others,  the  children  of 
wrath,  though  they  come  of  godly  parents. 

3.  Grace  comes  not  unto  them  as  an  inherit- 
ance because  they  have  godly  parents.  These 
things  premised,  I shall  now  proceed  : 

1.  The  children  of  godly  parents  are  the 
children  of  many  prayers;  they  are  prayed 
for  before  and  prayed  for  after  they  are  born ; 
and  the  prayers  of  a godly  father  and  godly 
mother  do  much. 

2.  They  have  the  advantage  of  what  restraint 
is  possible  from  what  evils  their  parents  see 
them  inclined  to ; and  that  is  a second  mercy. 

3.  They  have  the  advantage  of  godly  instruc- 
tion, and  of  being  told  which  be  and  which  be 
not  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord. 

4.  They  have  also  those  ways  commended 
unto  them  and  spoken  well  of  in  their  hearing 
that  are  good. 

5.  Such  are  also  what  may  be  kept  out  of 
evil  company,  from  evil  books,  and  from  being 
taught  the  way  of  swearing,  lying,  and  the  like, 
as  sabbath-breaking  and  mocking  at  good  men 
and  good  things;  and  this  is  a very  great 
mercy. 

6.  They  have  also  the  benefit  of  a godly  life 
set  before  them  doctrinally  by  their  parents, 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADM  AN. 


515 


and  that  doctrine  hacked  with  a godly  and 
holy  example;  and  these  are  very  great  ad- 
vantages. 

Now  all  those  advantages  the  children  of 
ungodly  parents  want,  and  so  are  more  in  dan- 
ger of  being  carried  away  with  the  error  of  the 
wicked.  For  ungodly  parents  neither  pray 
for  their  children,  nor  do  nor  can  they  heartily 
instruct  them.  They  do  not  after  a godly 
manner  restrain  them  from  evil,  nor  do  they 
keep  them  from  evil  company.  They  are  not 
grieved  at,  nor  yet  do  they  forewarn  their 
children  to  beware  of,  such  evil  actions  that 
are  an  abomination  to  God  and  to  all  good 
men.  They  let  their  children  break  the  sab- 
bath, swear,  lie,  be  wicked  and  vain.  They 
commend  not  to  their  children  an  holy  life, 
nor  set  a good  example  before  their  eyes.  No, 
they  do  in  all  things  contrary,  estranging  then- 
children  what  they  can  from  the  love  of  God 
and  all  good  men  so  soon  as  they  are  born. 
Therefore  it  is  a very  great  judgment  of  God 
upon  children  to  be  the  offspring  of  base  and 
ungodly  men. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  before  we  leave  Mr. 
Badman’s  wife  and  children,  I have  a mind, 
if  you  please,  to  inquire  a little  more  after  one 
thing,  the  which  I am  sure  you  can  satisfy 
me  in. 

Wiseman.  What  is  that? 

Attentive.  You  said  awhile  ago  that  this  Mr. 
Badman  would  not  suffer  his  wife  to  go  out  to 
hear  such  godly  ministers  as  she  liked,  but 
said  if  she  did  she  had  as  good  never  come 
home  any  more.  Did  he  often  carry  it  thus 
to  her  ? 

Wiseman.  He  did  say  so ; he  did  often  say 
so.  This  I told  you  then,  and  had  also  then 
told  you  more,  but  that  other  things  put  me 
out. 

Attentive.  Well  said;  pray  therefore  now- 
go  on. 

Wiseman.  So  I will.  Upon  a time  she  was  on 
a Lord’s  day  for  going  to  hear  a sermon,  and 
Mr.  Badman  was  unwilling  she  should;  but 
she  at  that  time,  as  it  seems,  did  put  on  more 
courage  than  she  was  wont;  and  therefore, 
after  she  had  spent  upon  him  a great  many 
fair  words  and  entreaties  if  perhaps  she  might 
have  prevailed  by  them,  but  all  to  no  purpose 
at  all, — at  last  she  said  she  would  go,  and  ren- 
dered this  reason  for  it : I have  an  husband, 
but  also  a God ; my  God  has  commanded  me, 
and  that  upon  pain  of  damnation,  to  be  a con- 
tinual worshipper  of  him,  and  that  in  the  way 
of  his  own  appointment ; I have  an  husband, 


but  also  a soul,  and  my  soul  ought  to  be  more 
unto  me  than  all  the  world  besides.  This  soul 
of  mine  I will  look  after,  care  for,  and  if  1 can 
provide  it  an  heaven  for  its  habitation.  You 
are  commanded  to  love  me  as  you  love  your 
own  body,  and  so  do  I love  you  ; but  I tell  you 
true,  I prefer  my  soul  before  all  the  world,  and 
its  salvation  I will  seek. 

At  this,  first  he  gave  her  an  ugly  wish,  and 
then  fell  into  a fearful  rage,  and  swore  more- 
over that  if  she  did  go  he  would  make  both 
her  and  all  her  damnable  brotherhood  (for  so 
he  was  pleased  to  call  them)  to  repent  their 
coming  thither. 

Attentive.  But  what  should  he  mean  by 
that? 

Wiseman.  You  may  easily  guess  what  he 
meant:  he  meant  he  would  turn  informer,  and 
so  either  weary  out  those  that  she  loved  from 
meeting  together  to  worship  God,  or  make 
them  pay  dearly  for  their  so  doing;  the  which, 
if  he  did,  he  knew  it  would  vex  every  vein  of 
her  tender  heart. 

Attentive.  But  do  you  think  Mr.  Badman 
would  have  been  so  base? 

Wiseman.  Truly  he  had  malice  and  enmity 
enough  in  his  heart  to  do  it,  only  he  was  a 
tradesman  ; also  he  knew  that  he  must  live  by 
his  neighbours,  and  so  he  had  that  little  wit  in 
his  anger  that  he  refrained  himself  and  did  it 
not.  But,  as  I said,  he  had  malice  and  envy 
enough  in  his  heart  to  have  made  him  to  do 
it,  only  he  thought  it  would  worst  him  in  his 
trade ; yet  these  three  things  he  would  be  doing : 

1.  He  would  be  putting  of  others  on  to  mo- 
lest and  abuse  her  friends; 

2.  He  would  be  glad  when  he  heard  that 
any  mischief  befell  them; 

3.  And  would  laugh  at  her  when  he  saw  her 
troubled  for  them.  And  now  I have  told  you 
Mr.  Badman’s  way  as  to  this. 

Attentive.  But  was  he  not  afraid  of  the  judg- 
ments of  God  that  did  fiv  about  at  that  time? 

Wiseman.  He  regarded  not  the  judgment 
nor  mercy  of  God,  for  had  he  at  all  done  that 
he  could  not  have  done  as  he  did.  But  what 
judgments  do  you  mean? 

Attentive.  Such  judgments  that  if  Mr.  Bad- 
man himself  had  taken  but  sober  notice  of, 
they  might  have  made  him  hang  down  his 
ears. 

Wiseman.  Why,  have  you  heard  of  any  such 
persons  that  the  judgments  of  God  have  over- 
taken ? 

Attentive.  Yes,  and  so,  I believe,  have  you 
too,  though  you  make  so  strange  about  it. 


516 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Wiseman.  I have  so  indeed,  to  my  astonish- 
ment and  wonder. 

Attentive.  Pray,  therefore,  if  you  please, 
tell  me  what  it  is,  as  to  this,  that  you  know, 
and  then  perhaps  I may  also  say  something 
to  you  of  the  same. 

Wiseman.  In  our  town  there  was  one 
W.  S.,  a man  of  a very  wicked  life ; and  he, 
when  there  seemed  to  be  countenance  given  to 
it,  would  needs  turn  informer.  Well,  so  he 
did,  and  was  as  diligent  in  his  business  as  most 
of  them  could  be ; he  would  watch  of  nights, 
climb  trees,  and  range  the  woods  of  days,  if 
possible  to  find  out  the  meeters,  for  then  they 
were  forced  to  meet  in  the  fields;  yea,  he 
would  curse  them  bitterly,  and  swear  most 
fearfully  what  he  would  do  to  them  when  he 
found  them.  Well,  after  he  had  gone  on  like 
a bedlam  in  his  course  awhile,  and  had  done 
some  mischiefs  to  the  people,  he  was  stricken 
by  the  hand  of  God,  and  that  in  this  terrible 
manner: 

1.  Although  he  had  his  tongue  naturally  at 
will,  now  he  was  taken  with  a faltering  in  his 
speech,  and  could  not  for  weeks  together  speak 
otherwise  than  just  like  a man  that  was 
drunk. 

2.  Then  he  was  taken  with  a drawling  or 
slabbering  at  his  mouth,  which  slabber  some- 
times would  hang  at  his  mouth  wellnigh  half 
way  down  to  the  ground. 

3.  Then  he  had  such  a weakness  in  the  back 
sinews  of  his  neck  that  ofttimes  he  could  not 
look  up  before  him,  unless  he  clapped  his  hand 
hard  upon  his  forehead  and  held  up  his  head 
that  way  by  strength  of  hand. 

4.  After  this  his  speech  went  quite  away, 
and  he  could  speak  no  more  than  a swine  or  a 
bear.  Therefore,  like  one  of  them,  he  would 
gruntle  and  make  an  ugly  noise,  according  as 
he  was  offended  or  pleased,  or  would  have  any 
thing  done.  &c. 

In  this  posture  he  continued  for  the  space  of 
half  a year  or  thereabouts,  all  the  while  other- 
wise well  and  could  go  about  his  business,  save 
once  that  he  had  a fall  from  the  bell  as  it 
hangs  in  our  steeple,  which  it  was  a wonder  it 
did  not  kill  him  ; but  after  that  he  also  walked 
about  until  God  had  made  a sufficient  spec- 
tacle of  his  judgment  for  his  sin,  and  then  on 
a sudden  he  was  stricken  and  died  miser- 
ably ; and  so  there  was  an  end  of  him  and  his 
doings. 

I’ll  tell  you  of  another.  About  four 
miles  from  St.  Neot’s  there  was  a gentleman 
had  a man,  and  he  would  needs  be  an  in- 


former ; and  a lusty  young  man  he  was.  Well, 
an  informer  he  was,  and  did  much  distress 
some  people,  and  had  perfected  his  information 
so  effectually  against  some  that  there  was 
nothing  further  to  do  but  for  the  constables  to 
make  distress  on  the  people,  that  he  might 
have  their  money  or  goods ; and,  as  I heard, 
he  hastened  them  muoh  to  do  it.  Now  while 
he  was  in  the  heat  of  his  work,  as  he  stood 
one  day  by  the  fireside,  he  had  (it  should  seem) 
a mind  to  a sop  in  the  pan,  (for  the  spit  was 
then  at  the  fire,)  so  he  went  to  make  one;  but 
behold  a dog  (some  say  his  own  favourite  dog) 
took  distaste  at  something  and  immediately  hit 
his  master  by  the  leg;  the  which  bite,  not- 
withstanding all  the  means  that  was  used  to 
cure  him,  turned  (as  was  said)  to  a gangrene; 
however,  that  wrnund  was  his  death,  and  that  a 
dreadful  one  too,  for  my  relater  said  that  he 
lay  in  such  a condition  by  this  bite  (at  the  be- 
ginning) till  his  flesh  rotted  from  off  him  be- 
fore he  went  out  of  the  world.  But  what  need 
I instance  in  particular  persons,  when  the 
judgment  of  God  against  this  kind  of  people 
was  made  manifest,  I think  I may  say,  if  not 
in  all,  yet  in  most  of  the  counties  in  England 
where  such  poor  creatures  were?  But  I would, 
if  it  had  been  the  will  of  God,  that  neither  I 
nor  anybody  else  could  tell  you  more  of  these 
stories — true  stories  that  are  neither  lie  nor 
romance. 

Attentive.  Well,  I also  heard  of  both  of  these 
myself,  and  of  more  too  as  remarkable  in  their 
kind  as  these,  if  I had  any  list  to  tell  them ; 
but  let  us  leave  those  that  are  behind  to  others 
or  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  who  then  will 
justify  or  condemn  them  as  the  merit  of  their 
work  shall  require;  or,  if  they  repented  and 
found  mercy,  I shall  be  glad  when  I know  it, 
for  I wish  not  a curse  to  the  soul  of  mine 
enemy. 

Wiseman.  There  can  be  no  pleasure  in  the 
telling  of  such  stories,  though  to  hear  of  them 
may  do  us  a pleasure;  they  may  put  us  in 
mind  that  there  is  a God  that  judgeth  in  the 
earth,  and  that  doth  not  always  forget  nor  def hr 
to  hear  the  cry  of  the  destitute;  they  also  carry 
along  with  them  both  caution  and  counsel  to 
those  that  are  the  survivors  of  such.  Let  us 
tremble  at  the  judgments  of  God,  and  be  afraid 
of  sinning  against  him,  and  it  shall  be  our  pro- 
tection. It  shall  go  well  with  them  that  fear 
God,  that  fear  before  him. 

Attentive.  Well,  sir,  as  you  have  intimated, 
so  I think  we  have  in  this  place  spoken  enough 
about  these  kind  of  men ; if  you  please,  let  us 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BA I) MAN. 


517 


return  again  to  Mr.  Batlman  himself,  if  you 
have  any  more  to  say  of  him. 

Wiseman.  Morel  We  have  yet  scarce  thor- 
oughly began  with  any  thing  that  we  have 
said.  All  the  particulars  are  in  themselves  so 
full  of  badness  that  we  have  rather  only  looked 
in  them  than  indeed  said  anything  to  them ; 
but  we  will  pass  them  and  proceed.  You  have 
heard  of  the  sins  of  his  youth,  of  his  appren- 
ticeship, and  how  he  set  up  and  married,  and 
what  a life  he  hath  led  his  wife;  and  now  I 
will  tell  you  more  of  his  pranks,  lie  had  the 
very  knack  of  knavery.  Had  he,  as  I said  be- 
fore, been  bound  to  serve  an  apprenticeship  to 
all  these  things, -he  could  not  have  been  more 
cunning,  he  could  not  have  been  more  artificial 
at  it. 

Attentive.  Nor  perhaps  so  artificially  either ; 
for  as  none  can  teach  goodness  like  to  God 
himself,  so  concerning  sin  and  knavery  none 
can  teach  a man  it  like  the  devil,  to  whom,  as 
I perceive,  Mr.  Badman  went  to  school  from 
his  childhood  to  the  end  of  his  life.  But  pray, 
sir,  make  a beginning. 

Wiseman.  Well,  so  I will.  You  may  re- 
member that  I told  you  what  a condition  he 
was  in  for  money  before  he  did  marry,  and 
how  he  got  a rich  wife,  with  whose  money  he 
paid  his  debts.  Now  when  he  had  paid  his 
debts,  he  having  some  money  left,  he  sets  up 
again  as  briskly  as  ever,  keeps  a great  shop, 
drives  a great  trade,  and  runs  again  a great 
way  into  debt;  but  now,  not  into  the  debt  of 
one  or  two,  but  into  the  debt  of  many,  so  that 
at  last  lie  came  to  owe  some  thousands  of 
pounds ; and  thus  he  went  on  for  a long  time. 
And  to  pursue  his  ends  the  better,  he  began 
now  to  study  to  please  all  men  and  to  suit 
himself  to  any  company;  he  could  now  be  as 
they,  say  as  they — that  is,  if  he  listed;  and 
then  he  would  list  when  he  perceived  that  by 
so  doing  he  might  either  make  them  his  cus- 
tomers or  his  creditors  for  his  commodities. 
If  he  dealt  with  honest  men,  (as  with  some 
honest  men  he  did,)  then  he  would  be  as  they; 
talk  as  they;  seem  to  be  sober  as  they;  talk 
of  justice  and  religion  as  they;  and  against 
debauchery  as  they ; yea,  and  would  seem  to 
show  a dislike  of  them  that  said,  did,  or  were 
otherwise  than  honest. 

Again,  when  he  did  light  among  those  that 
were  bad,  then  he  would  be  as  they,  but  yet 
more  close  and  cautiously,  except  he  were  sure 
of  his  company ; then  he  would  carry  it  openly, 
be  as  they ; say  Damn  them ! and,  Sink  them ! 
as  they.  If  they  railed  on  good  men,  so  could 


he;  if  they  railed  on  religion,  so  could  he;  if 
they  talked  beastly,  vainly,  idly,  so  would  he; 
if  they  were  for  drinking,  swearing,  whoring, 
or  any  the  like  villainies,  so  was  he.  This  was 
now  the  path  that  he  trod  in,  and  could  do  all 
as  artificially  as  any  man  alive.  And  now  he 
thought  himself  a perfect  man  ; he  thought  ho 
was  always  a boy  till  now.  What  think  you 
now  of  Mr.  Badman  ? 

Attentive.  Think  I Why,  I think  he  was  an 
atheist,  for  no  man  but  an  atheist  can  do  this. 
I say,  it  cannot  be  but  that  the  man  that  is 
such  as  this  Mr.  Badman  must  be  a rank  and 
vile  atheist,  for  he  that  believes  that  there  is 
either  God  or  devil,  heaven  or  hell,  or  death 
and  judgment  after,  cannot  do  as  Mr.  Badman 
did.  I mean,  if  lie  could  do  these  things  with- 
out reluctancy  and  check  of  conscience — yea, 
if  he  had  not  sorrow  and  remorse  for  such 
abominable  sins  as  these. 

Wiseman.  Nay,  he  was  so  far  off  from  the 
reluctancies  and  remorse  . of  conscience  for 
these  things  that  he  counted  them  the  excel- 
lency of  his  attainments,  the  quintessence  of 
his  wit,  his  rare  and  singular  virtues,  such  as 
but  few  besides  himself  could  be  the  master  of. 
Therefore,  as  for  those  that  made  boggle  and 
stop  at  things,  and  that  could  not  in  conscience 
and  for  fear  of  death  and  judgment  do  such 
things  as  he,  he  would  call  them  fools  and 
noddies,  and  charge  them  for  being  frighted 
with  the  talk  of  unseen  bugbears ; and  would 
encourage  them,  if  they  would  be  men  indeed, 
to  labour  after  the  attainment  of  this  his  ex- 
cellent art.  He  would  oftentimes  please  him- 
self with  the  thoughts  of  what  he  could  do  in 
this  matter,  saying,  within  himself,  I can  be 
religious  and  irreligious;  I can  be  any  thing 
or  nothing;  I can  swear  and  speak  against 
swearing;  I can  lie  and  speak  against  lying; 
I can  drink,  be  unclean,  and  defraud,  and  not 
be  troubled  for  it ; now  I enjoy  myself  and  am 
master  of  mine  own  ways,  and  not  they  of  me. 
This  I have  attained  with  much  study,  great 
care,  and  more  pains.  But  this  his  talk  should 
be  only  with  himself,  to  his  wife,  who  he  knew 
durst  not  divulge  it,  or  among  his  intimates, 
to  whom  he  knew  he  might  say  any  thing. 

Attentive.  Did  I call  him  before  an  atheist? 
I may  call  him  now  a devil,  or  a man  pos- 
sessed with  one  if  not  with  many.  I think 
that  there  cannot  be  found  in  every  corner 
such  a one  as  this.  True,  it  is  said  of  King 
Ahaz,  “That  he  sinned  more  and  more;”  aud 
of  Ahab,  “ That  he  sold  himself  to  work  wick- 
edness;” and  of  the  men  of  Sodom,  “That 


518 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


they  were  sinners  exceedingly  before  the 
Lord.” 

Wiseman.  An  atheist  he  was  no  doubt,  if 
there  be  such  a thing  as  an  atheist  in  the 
world ; but  for  all  his  brags  of  perfection  and 
security  in  his  wickedness,  I believe  that  at 
times  God  did  let  down  fire  from  heaven  into 
his  conscience.  True,  I believe  he  would 
quickly  put  it  out  again,  and  grow  more  des- 
perate and  wicked  afterward,  but  this  also 
turned  to  his  destruction,  as  afterward  you 
may  hear. 

But  I am  not  of  your  mind  to  think  that 
there  are  but  few  such  in  the  world,  except  you 
meau  as  to  the  degree  of  wickedness  unto 
which  he  had  attained.  For  otherwise,  no 
doubt,  there  are  abundance  of  such  as  he — 
men  of  the  same  mind,  of  the  same  principles, 
and  of  the  same  conscience,  too,  to  put  them 
into  practice.  Yea,  I believe  that  there  are 
many  that  are  endeavouring  to  attain  to  the 
same  pitch  of  wickedness ; and  all  of  them  are 
such  as  he  in  the  judgment  of  the  law,  nor  will 
their  want  of  hellish  wit  to  attain  thereto  ex- 
cuse them  at  the  day  of  judgment.  You  know 
that  in  all  science  some  are  more  arch  than 
others ; and  so  it  is  in  the  art,  as  well  as  in  the 
practice,  of  wickedness ; some  are  twofold  and 
some  sevenfold  more  the  children  of  hell  than 
others,  (and  yet  all  the  children  of  hell,)  else 
they  would  all  be  masters,  and  none  scholars, 
in  the  school  of  wickedness.  But  there  must 
be  masters,  and  there  must  be  learners;  Mr. 
Badman  was  a master  in  this  art,  and  there- 
fore it  follows  that  he  must  be  an  arch  and 
chief  one  in  that  mystery. 

Attentive.  You  are  in  the  right,  for  I per- 
ceive that  some  men,  though  they  desire  it, 
cannot  be  so  arch  in  the  practice  thereof  as 
others,  but  are  (as  I suppose  they  call  them) 
fools  and  dunces  to  the  rest;  their  heads  and 
capacities  will  not  serve  them  to  act  and  do  so 
wickedly.  But  Mr.  Badman  wanted  not  a 
wicked  head  to  contrive,  as  well  as  a wicked 
heart  to  do,  this  wickedness. 

Wiseman.  True;  but  yet,  I say,  such  men 
shall  at  the  day  of  judgment  be  judged,  not 
only  for  what  they  are,  but  also  for  what  they 
would  be ; for  if  the  thought  of  foolishness  is 
sin,  doubtless  the  desire  of  foolishness  is  more 
sin,  and  if  the  desire  be  more,  the  endeavour 
after  it  must  needs  be  more  and  more.  He, 
then,  that  is  not  an  artificial  atheist  and  trans- 
gressor, yet  if  he  desires  to  be  so,  if  he  endeav- 
oureth  to  be  so,  he  shall  be  judged  and  con- 
demned to  hell  for  such  au  one ; for  the  law 


judgeth  men,  as  I said,  according  to  what  they 
would  be.  “ He  that  looketh  upon  a woman 
to  lust  after  her,  hath  committed  adultery  with 
her  already  in  his  heart.”  By  the  same  rule, 
he  that  would  steal,  doth  steal;  he  that  would 
cheat,  doth  cheat;  he  that  would  swear,  doth 
swear ; and  he  that  would  commit  adultery,  doth 
do  so;  for  God  judgeth  men  according  to  the 
working  of  their  minds;  and  saith,  “As  he 
thinketh,  so  he  is.”  That  is,  so  he  is  in  his 
heart,  in  his  intentions',  in  his  desires,  in  his 
endeavours ; and  God’s  law,  I say,  lays  hold  of 
the  desires,  intentions,  and  endeavours,  even 
as  it  lays  hold  of  the  act  of  wickedness  itself. 
A man,  then,  that  desires  to  be  as  bad  as  Mr. 
Badman,  (and  desires  to  be  so  wicked  have 
many  in  their  hearts,)  though  he  never  attains 
to  that  proficiency  in  wickedness  as  he,  shall 
yet  be  judged  for  as  bad  a man  as  he,  because 
it  was  his  in  his  desires  to  be  such  a wicked 
one. 

Attentive.  But  this  height  of  wickedness  in 
Mr.  Badman  will  not  get  out  of  my  mind. 
This  hard,  desperate,  or — what  shall  I call  it? 
— diabolical  frame  of  heart  was  in  him  a foun- 
dation, a groundwork  to  all  acts  and  deeds  that 
were  evil. 

Wiseman.  The  heart,  and  the  desperate  wick- 
edness of  it,  is  the  foundation  and  groundwork 
of  all.  Atheism  professed  and  practical  both 
spring  out  of  the  heart,  yea,  and  all  manner  of 
evil  besides.  For  they  be  not  bad  deeds  that 
make  a bad  man,  but  he  is  already  a bad  man 
that  doth  bad  deeds.  A man  must  be  wicked 
before  he  can  do  wickedness.  “Wickedness 
proceedeth  from  the  wicked.  It  is  an  evil 
tree  that  bears  evil  fruit.  Men  gather  no 
grapes  of  thorns ; the  heart,  therefore,  must  be 
evil  before  the  man  can  do  evil,  and  good  be- 
fore the  man  doth  good.” 

Attentive.  Now  I see  the  reason  why  Mr. 
Badman  was  so  base  as  to  get  a wife  by  dis- 
simulation, and  to  abuse  her  so  like  a villain 
when  he  had  got  her ; it  was  because  he  was 
before,  by  a wicked  heart,  prepared  .to  act 
wickedness. 

Wiseman.  You  may  be  sure  of  it ; “ for  from 
within,  out  of  the  heart  of  man,  proceedeth 
evil  thoughts,  adulteries,  fornications,  murders, 
thefts,  covetousness,  wickedness,  deceit,  lasciv- 
iousness, au  evil  eye,  blasphemy,  pride,  foolish- 
ness ; all  these  things  come  from  within,  and 
defile  a man.”  And  a man,  as  his  naughty 
mind  inclines  him,  makes  use  of  these,  or  any 
of  these,  to  gratify  his  lusts,  to  promote  his 
designs,  to  revenge  his  malice,  to  enrich  or  to 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BA I) MAN. 


519 


wallow  himself  in  the  foolish  pleasures  and 
pastimes  of  this  life;  and  all  these  did  Mr. 
Badman  do,  even  to  the  utmost,  if  either  oppor- 
tunity, or  purse,  or  perfidiousness  would  help 
him  to  the  obtaining  of  his  purpose. 

Attentive.  Purse!  Why,  ho  could  not  .but 
have  a purse  to  do  almost  what  he  would, 
having  married  a wife  with  so  much  money. 

Wiseman.  Hold  you  there!  Some  of  Mr. 
Badman’s  sins  were  costly,  as  his  drinking  and 
lewdness,  and  keeping  other  bad  company, 
though  he  was  a man  that  had  ways  too  many 
to  get  money,  as  well  as  ways  too  many  to 
spend  it. 

Attentive.  Had  he  then  such  a good  trade, 
for  all  he  was  such  a bad  man  ? Or  was  his 
calling  so  gainful  to  him  as  always  to  keep  his 
purse  full,  though  he  was  himself  a great 
spender ? 

Wiseman.  No ; it  was  not  his  trade  that  did 
it,  though  he  had  a pretty  trade  too.  He  had 
another  way  to  get  money,  and  that  by  the 
hatful  and  the  pocketful  at  a time. 

Attentive.  Why,  I trow  he  was  no  highway- 
man, was  he? 

Wiseman.  I will  be  sparing  in  my  speech  as 
to  that,  though  some  have  muttered  as  if  he 
could  ride  out  now  and  then,  about  nobody  but 
himself  knew  what,  over  night,  and  come  home 
all  dirty  and  weary  next  morning.  But  this  is 
not  the  thing  I aim  at. 

Attentive.  Pray  let  me  know  it,  if  you  think 
it  convenient  that  I should. 

Wiseman.  I will  tell  you.  It  was  this:  he 
had  an  art  to  break,  and  get  hats  full  of 
money  by  breaking. 

Attentive.  But  what  do  you  mean  by  Mr. 
Badman’s  breaking  ? You  speak  mystically, 
do  you  not  ? 

Wiseman.  No,  no ; I speak  plainly ; or,  if 
you  will  have  it  in  plainer  language, it  is  this: 
When  Mr.  Badman  had  swaggered  and  thrown 
away  most  of  his  wife’s  portion,  he  began  to 
feel  that  he  could  not  much  longer  stand  upon 
his  legs  in  this  course  of  life  and  keep  up  his 
trade  and  repute  (such  as  he  had)  in  the 
world,  but  by  the  new  engine  of  breaking. 
Wherefore,  upon  a time  he  gives  a great  and 
sudden  rush  into  several  men’s  debt,  to  the 
value  of  about  four  or  five  thousand  pounds, 
driving,  at  the  same  time,  a very  great  trade 
by  selling  many  things  for  less  than  they  cost 
him,  to  get  him  custom,  therewith  to  blind  his 
creditors’  eyes.  His  creditors,  therefore,  see- 
ing that  he  had  a great  employ,  and  dreaming 
that  it  must  needs  at  length  turn  to  a very 


good  account  to  them,  trusted  him  freely  with- 
out mistrust,  and  so  did  others  too,  to  the  value 
of  what  was  mentioned  before.  Well,  when 
Mr.  Badman  had  well  feathered  his  nest  with 
other  men’s  goods  and  money,  after  a little 
time  he  breaks.  And  by  and  by  it  is  noised 
abroad  that  Mr.  Badman  had  shut  up  his 
shop,  was  gone,  and  could  trade  no  longer. 
Now,  by  the  time  his  breaking  had  come  to 
his  creditors’  ears  he  had  by  craft  and  knavery 
made  so  sure  of  what  he  had  that  his  creditors 
could  not  touch  a penny.  Well,  when  he  had 
done,  he  sent  his  mournftil,  sugared  letters  to 
his  creditors  to  let  them  understand  what  had 
happened  unto  him,  and  desired  them  not  to 
be  severe  with  him,  for  he  bore  towards  all 
men  an  honest  mind,  and  would  pay  so  far  as 
he  was  able.  Now  he  sends  his  letters  by  a 
man  confederate  with  him,  who  could  make 
both  the  worst  and  the  best  of  Mr.  Badman’s 
case — the  best  for  Mr.  Badman  and  the  worst 
for  his  creditors.  So  when  he  comes  to  them 
he  both  bemoans  them  and  condoles  Mr.  Bad- 
man’s condition  ; telling  of  them  that  without 
a speedy  bringing  of  things  to  a conclusion, 
Mr.  Badman  would  be  able  to  make  them  no 
satisfaction,  but  at  present  he  both  could  and 
would,  and  that  to  the  utmost  of  his  power; 
and  to  that  end  he  desired  that  they  would 
come  over  to  him.  Well,  his  creditors  appoint 
him  a time  and  come  over;  and  he  meanwhile 
authorizes  another  to  treat  with  them,  but  will 
not  be  seen  himself,  unless  it  was  on  a Sunday, 
lest  they  should  snap  him  with  a writ.  So  his 
deputed  friend  treats  with  them  about  their 
concerns  with  Mr.  Badman,  first  telling  them 
of  the  great  care  that  Mr.  Badman  took  to  sat- 
isfy them  and  all  men  for  whatsoever  he  owed 
as  far  as  in  him  lay,  and  how  little  he  thought 
awhile  since  to  be  in  this  low  condition.  He 
pleaded  also  the  greatness  of  his  charge,  the 
greatness  of  taxes,  the  badness  of  the  times, 
and  the  great  losses  that  he  had  by  many  of 
his  customers,  some  of  which  died  in  his  debt, 
others  were  run  away,  and  as  for  many  that 
were  alive,  he  never  expected  a farthing  from 
them.  Yet  nevertheless  he  would  show  him- 
self an  honest  man,  and  would  pay  as  far  as  he 
was  able;  and  if  they  were  willing  to  come  to 
terms,  he  would  make  a composition  with 
them,  for  he  was  not  able  to  pay  them  all. 
The  creditors  asked  what  he  wouid  give.  It 
was  replied,  Half  a crown  in  the  pound ; at 
this  they  began  to  huff,  and  he  to  renew  his 
complaint  and  entreaty;  but  the  creditors 
would  not  hear,  and  so  for  that  time  their 


520 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


meeting  without  success  broke  up.  But  after 
his  creditors  were  in  cool  blood  and  admitting 
of  second  thoughts,  and  fearing  lest  delays 
should  make  them  lose  all,  they  admit  of  a 
second  debate,  come  together  again,  and  by 
many  words  and  great  ado  they  obtain  five 
shillings  in  the  pound.  So  the  money  was  pro- 
duced, releases  and  discharges  drawn,  signed, 
and  sealed,  books  crossed,  and  all  things  con- 
firmed; and  then  Mr.  Badman  can  put  his 
head  out  of  doors  again,  and  be  a better  man 
than  when  he  shut  up  shop  by  several  thou- 
sands of  pounds. 

Attentive.  And  did  he  do  thus  indeed? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  once  and  again.  I think  he 
broke  twice  or  thrice. 

Attentive.  And  did  he  do  it  before  he  had 
need  to  do  it? 

Wiseman.  Need!  What  do  you  mean  by 
need?  There  is  no  need  at  any  time  for  a 
man  to  play  the  knave.  He  did  it  of  a wicked 
mind,  to  defraud  and  beguile  his  creditors;  he 
had  wherewithal  of  his  father,  and  also  by  his 
wife,  to  have  lived  upon,  with  lawful  labour, 
like  an  honest  man.  He  had  also  when  he 
made  this  wicked  break  (though  he  had  been 
a profuse  and  prodigal  spender)  to  have  paid 
his  creditors  their  own  to  a farthing.  But 
had  he  done  so  he  had  not  done  like  himself, 
like  Mr.  Badman ; had  he,  I say,  dealt  like  an 
honest  man,  he  had  then  gone  out  of  Mr.  Bad- 
man’s  road.  He  did  it,  therefore,  of  a dishon- 
est mind  and  to  a wicked  end — to  wit,  that  he 
might  have  wherewithal,  howsoever  unlaw- , 
fully  gotten,  to  follow  his  cups  and  queans, 
and  to  live  in  the  swing  of  his  lusts,  even  as 
he  did  before. 

Attentive.  Why,  this  was  a mere  cheat. 

Wiseman.  It  was  a cheat  indeed.  This  way 
of  breaking  is  nothing  else  but  a more  neat 
way  of  thieving,  of  picking  of  pockets,  of 
breaking  open  of  shops,  and  of  taking  from 
men  what  one  has  nothing  to  do  with.  But 
though  it  seems  easy,  it  is  hard  to  learn ; 
no  man  that  hath  conscience  to  God  or  man 
can  ever  be  his  craftmaster  in  this  hellish 
art. 

Attentive.  Oh,  sir,  what  a wicked  man  was 
this ! 

Wiseman.  A wicked  man  indeed.  By  this 
art  he  could  tell  how  to  make  men  send  their 
goods  to  his  shop,  and  then  be  glad  to  take  a 
penny  for  that  which  he  had  promised,  before 
it  came  thither,  to  give  them  a groat ; I say  he 
could  make  them  glad  to  take  a crown  for  a 
pound’s  worth,  and  a thousand  for  that  for 


which  he  had  promised  before  to  give  them 
four  thousand  pounds. 

Attentive.  This  argueth  that  Mr.  Badman 
had  but  little  conscience. 

Wiseman.  This  argueth  that  Mr.  Badman 
had  no  conscience  at  all ; for  conscience,  the 
last  spark  of  a good  conscience,  cannot  endure 
this. 

Attentive.  Before  we  go  any  further  in  Mr. 
Badman’s  matters,  let  me  desire  you,  if  you 
please,  to  give  me  an  answer  to  these  two  ques- 
tions : 

1.  What  do  you  find  in  the  word  of  God 
against  such  a practice  as  this  of  Mr.  Bad- 
man’s is  ? 

2.  What  would  you  have  a man  do  that  is 
in  his  creditor’s  debt,  and  can  neither  }3ay  him 
what  he  owes  him  nor  go  on  in  a trade  any 
longer  ? 

Wiseman.  I will  answer  you  as  well  as  I can. 
And  first  to  the  first  of  your  questions — to  wit, 
What  I find  in  the  word  of  God  against  such  a 
practice  as  this  of  Mr.  Badman’s  is  ? 

Answer.  The  word  of  God  doth  forbid  this 
wickedness,  and  to  make  it  the  more  odious  in 
our  eyes  it  joins  it  with  theft  and  robbery: 
“Thou  shalt  not,”  says  God,  “defraud  thy 
neighbour,  nor  rob  him.”  Thou  shalt  not  de- 
fraud— that  is,  deceive  or  beguile.  Now,  thus 
to  break  is  to  defraud,  deceive  and  beguile, 
which  is,  as  you  see,  forbidden  by  the  God  of 
heaven.  “ Thou  shalt  not  defraud  thy  neigh- 
bour, nor  rob  him.”  It  is  a kind  of  theft  and 
robbery  thus  to  defraud  and  beguile.  It  is  a 
vile  robbing  of  his  shop  and  picking  of  his 
2>ocket;  a thing  odious  to  reason  and  con- 
science and  contrary  to  the  law  of  nature.  It 
is  a designed  piece  of  wickedness,  and  there- 
fore a double  sin.  A man  cannot  do  this  great 
wickedness  on  a sudden  and  through  a violent 
assault  of  Satan.  He  that  will  commit  this 
sin  must  have  time  to  deliberate,  that  by  in- 
vention he  may  make  it  formidable  md  that 
with  lies  and  high  dissimulation.  He  that 
commits  this  wickedness  must  first  hatch  it 
upon  his  bed,  beat  his  head  about  it,  and  lay 
his  plot  strong ; so  that  to  the  completing  of 
such  a wickedness  there  must  be  adjoined 
many  sins,  and  that  they  too  must  .go  hand  in 
hand  until  it  be  -completed.  But  what  saith 
the  Scripture  ? — “ Let  no  man  go  beyond  and 
defraud  his  brother  in  any  matter,  because  the 
Lord  is  the  avenger  of  all  such.”  But  this 
kind  of  breaking  is  a going  beyond  my 
brother;  this  is  a compassing  of  him  about, 
that  I may  catch  him  in  my  net,  and,  as  I said, 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  DAD  MAN. 


521 


an  art  to  rob  my  brother  and  to  pick  his  pocket, 
and  that  with  his  consent,  which  doth  not 
therefore  mitigate,  but  so  much  the  more  mag- 
nify and  make  odious  the  offence.  For  men 
that  are  thus  wilily  abused  cannot  help  them- 
selves: they  are  taken  in  a deceitful  net.  But 
God  will  here  concern  himself;  he  will  be  the 
avenger,  he  will  be  the  avenger  of  all  such, 
either  here  or  in  another  world. 

And  this  the  apostle  testifies  where  hesaith, 
“But  he  thatdoeth  wrong  shall  receive  for  the 
wrong  which  he  hath  done;  and  there  is  no 
respect  of  persons;”  that  is,  there  is  no  man, 
be  he  what  be  will,  if  he  be  guilty  of  this  sin 
of  going  beyond,  of  beguiling  of,  and  doing- 
wrong  to  bis  brother,  but  God  will  call  him  to 
an  account  for  it,  and  will  pay  him  with 
vengeance  for  it  too,  for  there  is  no  respect  of 
persons. 

I might  add  that  this  sin  of  wronging,  of 
going  beyond  and  defrauding  of  my  neighbour 
is  like  that  first  prank  that  the  devil  played 
with  our  first  parents,  (as  the  altar  that  Uriah 
built  for  Ahaz  was  taken  from  the  fashion  of 
that  that  stood  at  Damascus,  to  be  the  very 
pattern  of  it.)  The  serpent  beguiled  me,  says 
Eve;  Mr.  Badman  beguiles  his  creditors.  The 
serpent  beguiled  Eve  with  lying  promises  of 
gain ; so  did  Mr.  Badman  beguile  his  creditors. 
The  serpent  said  one  thing  and  meant  another 
when  he  beguiled  Eve ; and  so  did  Mr.  Bad- 
man when  lie  beguiled  his  creditors. 

That  man,  therefore,  that  doth  thus  deceive 
and  beguile  his  neighbour  imitateth the  devil; 
he  taketh  his  examples  from  him,  and  not  from 
God,  the  word,  or  good  men ; and  this  did  Mr. 
Badman. 

And  now  to  your  second  question — to  wit, 
What  I would  have  a man  do  that  is  in  his 
creditor’s  debt,  and  that  can  neither  pay  him 
nor  go  on  in  a trade  any  longer? 

Answer.  First  of  all,  if  this  be  his  case,  and 
he  knows  it,  let  him  not  run  one  penny  further 
in  his  creditor’s  debt,  for  that  cannot  be  done 
with  good  conscience.  He  that  knows  he  can- 
not pay,  and  yet  will  run  into  debt,  does  know- 
ingly wrong  and  defraud  his  neighbour,  and 
falls  under  that  sentence  of  the  word  of  God, 
“The  wicked  borroweth,  and  payeth  not 
again ;”  yea,  worse,  he  borrows,  though  at  the 
very  same  time  he  knows  that  he  cannot  pay 
again.  He  doth  also  craftily  take  away  what 
is  his  neighbour’s.  That  is  therefore  the  first 
thing  that  I would  propound  to  such,  Let  him 
not  run  any  further  into  his  creditor’s  debt. 

Secondly.  After  this  let  him  consider  how 


and  by  what  means  he  was  brought  into  such 
a condition  that  he  could  not  pay  bis  just 
debts — to  wit,  whether  it  was  by  bis  own  re- 
missness  in  his  calling,  by  living  too  high  in 
diet  or  apparel,  by  lending  too  lavishly  that 
which  was  none  of  his  own,  to  his  loss,  or 
whether  by  the  immediate  hand  and  judgment 
of  God. 

If  by  searching  he  finds  that  this  is  come 
upon  him  through  remissness  in  bis  calling, 
extravagancies  in  his  family  or  the  like,  let 
him  labour  for  a sense  of  his  sin  and  wicked- 
ness, for  he  has  sinned  against  the  Lord — first, 
in  his  being  slothful  in  business,  and  in  not 
providing,  to  wit,  of  his  own,  by  the  sweat  of 
his  brows  or  other  honest  ways,  for  those  of  his 
own  house.  And  secondly,  in  being  lavishing 
in  diet  and  apparel  in  the  family,  or  in  lending 
to  others  that  which  was  none  of  his  own. 
This  cannot  be  done  with  good  conscience;  it 
is  both  against  reason  and  nature,  and  there- 
fore must  be  a sin  against  God.  I say  therefore, 
if  thus  this  debtor  hath  done,  if  ever  he  would 
live  quietly  in  conscience  and  comfortably  in 
his  condition  for  the  future,  let  him  humble 
himself  before  God  and  repent  of  this  his 
wickedness;  for  “he  that  is  slothful  in  his 
work  is  brother  to  him  that  is  a great  waster.” 
To  be  slothful  and  a waster  too  is  to  be,  as  it 
were,  a double  sinner. 

But  again,  as  this  man  should  inquire  into 
these  things,  so  he  should  also  into  this  : How 
came  I into  this  way  of  dealing  in  which  I 
have  now  miscarried?  Is  it  a way  that  my 
parents  brought  me  up  in,  put  me  apprentice 
to,  or  that  by  Providence  I was  first  thrust 
into?  Or  is  it  a way  into  which  I have  twisted 
myself,  as  not  being  contented  with  my  first 
lot  that  by  God  and  my  parents  I was  cast 
into?  This  ought  duly  to  be  considered;  and 
if  upon  a search  a man  shall  find  that  he  is  out 
of  the  place  and  calling  into  which  he  was  put 
by  his  parents  or  the  providence  of  God,  and 
has  miscarried  in  a new  way,  which,  through 
pride  and  dislike  of  his  first  state,  he  has  chose 
rather  to  embrace,  his  miscarriage  is  his  sin, 
the  fruit  of  his  pride,  and  a token  of  the  judg- 
ment of  God  upon  him  for  his  leaving  of  his 
first  state.  And  for  this  he  ought,  as  for  the 
former,  to  be  humble  and  penitent  before  the 
Lord. 

But  if  by  search  he  finds  that  his  poverty 
came  by  none  of  these— if  by  honest  search 
he  finds  it  so,  and  can  say  with  good  con- 
science, I went  not  out  of  my  place  and  state  in 
which  God  by  his  providence  had  put  me,  but 


522 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


have  abode  with  God  in  the  calling  wherein  I 
was  called,  and  have  wrought  hard  and  fared 
meanly,  been  civilly  apparelled,  and  have  not 
directly  or  indirectly  made  away  with  my 
creditors’  goods — then  has  his  fall  come  upon 
him  by  the  immediate,  hand  of  God,  whether 
by  visible  or  invisible  ways.  For  sometimes 
it  comes  by  visible  ways — to  wit,  by  fire,  by 
thieves,  by  loss  of  cattle,  or  the  wickedness  of 
sinful  dealers,  &c.,  and  sometimes  by  means 
invisible,  and  then  no  man  knows  how ; we 
only  see  things  are  going,  but  cannot  see  by 
what  way  they  go.  Well,  now  suppose  that  a 
man  by  the  immediate  hand  of  God  is  brought 
to  a morsel  of  bread,  what  must  he  do  now? 

I answer,  his  surest  way  is  still  to  think  that 
this  is  the  fruit  of  some  sin  ; though  possibly 
not  sin  in  the  management  of  his  calling,  yet 
of  some  other  sin.  “ God  castetli  away  the 
substance  of  the  wicked.”  Therefore  let  him 
still  humble  himself  before  his  God,  because 
his  hand  is  upon  him,  and  say,  What  sin  is 
this  for  which  the  hand  of  God  is  upon  me? 
And  let  him  be  diligent  to  find  it  out,  for  some 
sin  is  the  cause  of  this  judgment;  for  God  “doth 
not  willingly  grieve  nor  afflict  the  children  of 
men.”  Either  thy  heart  is  too  much  set  upon 
the  world,  or  religion  is  too  much  neglected  in 
thy  family,  or  something.  There  is  a snake  in 
the  grass,  a worm  in  the  gourd,  some  sin  in 
thy  bosom,  for  the  sake  of  which  God  doth 
thus  deal  with  thee. 

Thirdly.  This  thus  done,  let  that  man  again 
consider  thus  with  himself:  Perhaps  God  is 
now  changing  of  my  condition  and  state  in  the 
world;  he  has  let  me  live  in  fashion,  in  ful- 
ness, and  abundance  of  worldly  glory,  and  I 
did  not  to  his  glory  improve  as  I should  that 
his  good . dispensation  to  me.  But  when  I 
lived  in  full  and  fat  pasture  I did  there  lift  up 
the  heel.  Therefore  he  will  now  turn  me  into 
hard  commons,  that  with  leanness,  and  hunger, 
and  meanness,  and  want  I may  spend  the  rest 
of  my  days.  But  let  him  do  this  without 
murmuring  and  repining;  let  him  do  it  in  a 
godly  manner,  submitting  himself  to  the  judg- 
ment of  God.  “Let  the  rich  rejoice  in  that 
he  is  made  low.” 

This  is  duty,  and  it  may  be  privilege,  to 
those  that  are  under  this  hand  of  God.  And 
for  thy  encouragement  to  this  hard  work  (for 
this  is  a hard  work)  consider  of  these  four 
things: 

1.  This  is  right  lying  down  under  God’s 
hand,  and  the  way  to  be  exalted  in  God’s  time; 
when  God  would  have  Job  embrace  the  dung- 


hill, he  embraces  it  and  says,  “The  Lord  giv- 
eth,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away,  blessed  be 
the  name  of  the  Lord.” 

2.  Consider  that  there  are  blessings  also  that 
attend  a low  condition,  more  than  all  the  world 
are  aware  of.  A poor  condition  has  prevent- 
ing mercy  attending  of  it.  The  poor,  because 
they  are  poor,  are  not  capable  of  sinning 
against  God  as  the  rich  man  does. 

3.  The  poor  can  more  clearly  see  himself 
preserved  by  the  providence  of  God  than  the 
rich,  for*  he  trusteth  in  the  abundance  of  his 
riches. 

4.  It  may  be  God  has  made  thee  poor  be- 
cause he  would  make  thee  rich:  “Hearken, 
my  beloved  brethren,  hath  not  God  chosen  the 
poor  of  this  world,  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of 
a kingdom  which  God  hath  promised  to  them 
that  love  him  ?” 

I am  persuaded  if  men  upon  whom  this 
hand  of  God  is  would  thus  quietly  lie  down 
and  humble  themselves  under  it,  they  would 
find  more  peace,  yea,  more  blessing  of  God, 
attending  them  in  it  than  the  most  of  men  are 
aware  of.  But  this  is  an  hard  chapter,  and 
therefore  I do  not  expect  that  many  should 
either  read  it  with  pleasure  or  desire  to  take 
my  counsel. 

Having  thus  spoken  to  the  broken  man  with 
reference  to  his  own  self,  I will  now  speak  to 
him  as  he  stands  related  to  his  creditors. 

In  the  next  place,  therefore,  .let  him  fall 
upon  the  most  honest  way  of  dealing  with  his 
creditors,  and  that  I think  must  be  this  : 

First.  Let  him  timely  make  them  acquainted 
with  his  condition,  and  also  to  do  them  these 
three  things : 

1.  Let  him  heartily  and  unfeignedlv  ask 
them  forgiveness  for  the  wrong  that  he  has 
done  them. 

2.  Let  him  proffer  them  all,  and  the  whole 
all,  that  ever  he  has  in  the  world ; let  him  hide 
nothing,  let  him  strip  himself  to  his  raiment 
for  them ; let  him  not  keep  a ring,  a spoon,  or 
any  thing  from  them. 

3.  If  none  of  these  two  will  satisfy  them,  let 
him  proffer  them  his  body  to  be  at  their  dis- 
posal— to  wit,  either  to  abide  imprisonment  at 
their  pleasure  or  to  be  at  their  service,  till  by 
labour  and  travail  he  hath  made  them  such 
amends  as  they  in  reason  think  fit;  only  re- 
serving something  for  the  succour  of  his  poor, 
distressed  family  out  of  his  labour,  which  in 
reason,  and  conscience,  and  nature  he  is  bound 
also  to  take  care  of.  Thus  shall  he  make  them 
what  amends  he  is  able  for  the  wrong  that  he 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  D ADMAN. 


523 


hath  dona  them  in  wasting  and  spending  their 
estates. 

By  thus  doing  he  submits  himself  to  God’s 
rod,  commits  himself  to  the  disposal  of  his 
providence  ; yea,  by  thus  doing  he  casteth  the 
lot  of  bis  present  and  future  condition  into  the 
lap  of  his  creditors,  and  leaves  the  whole  dis- 
posal thereof  to  the  Lord,  even  as  he  shall 
order  and  incline  their  hearts  to  do  witli  them. 
And  let  that  be  either  to  forgive  him  or  to  take 
that  which  he  hath  for  satisfaction,  or  to  lay 
his  body  und  :r  affliction,  this  way  or* that,  ac- 
cording to  law — can  he,  I say,  thus  leave  the 
whole  to  God,  let  the  issue  be  what  it  will, 
that  man  shall  have  peace  in  his  mind  after- 
wards. And  the  comforts  of  that  state  (which 
will  be  the  comforts  that  attend  equity,  justice, 
and  duty)  will  be  more  unto  him,  because 
more  according  to  godliness,  than  can  be  the 
comforts  that  are  the  fruits  of  injustice,  fraud- 
ulency,  and  deceit.  Besides,  this  is  the  way  to 
engage  God  to  favour  him  by  the  sentence  of 
his  creditors,  (for  he  can  entreat  them  to  use 
him  kindly,)  and  he  will  do  it  when  his  ways 
are  pleasing  in  his  sight:  “When  a man’s 
ways  please  the  Lord,  his  enemies  shall  be  at 
peace  with  him.”  And  surely  for  a man  to 
seek  to  make  restitution  for  wrongs  done  to 
the  utmost  of  his  power,  by  what  he  is,  has, 
and  enjoys  in  this  world,  is  the  best  way,  in 
that  capacity  and  with  reference  to  that  thing, 
that  a man  can  at  this  time  be  found  active  in. 

But  he  that  doth  otherwise  abides  in  his  sin, 
refuses  to  be  disposed  of  by  the  providence  of 
God.  chooseth  an  high  estate,  though  not  at- 
tained in  God’s  way,  when  God’s  will  is  that 
he  should  descend  into  a low  one ; yea,  he  des- 
perately saith  in  his  heart  and  actions,  I will 
be  mine  own  chooser,  and  that  in  mine  own 
way,  whatever  happens  or  follows  thereupon. 

Attentive.  You  have  said  well,  in  my  mind. 
But  suppose,  now,  that  Mr.  Badman  was  here, 
could  he  not  object  as  to  what  you  have  said, 
saying,  Go  and  teach  your  brethren  that  are 
professors  this  lesson,  for  they,  as  I am,  are 
guilty  of  breaking,  yea,  I am  apt  to  think,  of 
that  which  you  call  my  knavish  way  of  break- 
ing— to  wit,  of  breaking  before  they  have  need 
to  break.  But  if  not  so,  yet  they  are  guilty  of 
neglect  in  their  call,  of  living  higher,  both  in 
fare  and  apparel,  than  their  trade  or  income 
will  maintain.  Besides,  that  they  do  break  all 
the  world  very  well  knows ; and  that  they  have 
the  art  to  plead  for  a composition  is  very  well 
known  to  men  ; and  that  it  is  usual  with  them 
to  hide  their  linen,  their  plate,  their  jewels 


(and,  it  is  to  be  thought,  sometimes  money  and 
goods  besides)  is  as  common  as  four  eggs  a 
penny.  And  thus  they  beguile  men,  debauch 
their  consciences,  sin  against  their  profession, 
and  make,  it  is  to  be  feared,  their  lusts  in  all 
this,  and  the  fulfilling  of  them  their  end.  I 
say,  if  Mr.  Badman  was  here  to  object  thus 
unto  you,  what  would  be  your  reply? 

Wiseman.  What!  Why  I would  say,  I hope 
no  good  man,  no  man  of  good  conscience,  no 
man  that  either  fearctli  God,  regardeth  the 
credit  of  religion,  the  peace  of  God’s  people,  or 
the  salvation  of  his  own  soul,  will  do  thus. 

Professors,  such  perhaps  there  may  be,  and 
who  upon  earth  can  help  it?  Jades  there  be 
of  all  colours.  If  men  will  profess,  and  make 
their  profession  a stalking-horse  to  beguile 
their  neighbours  of  their  estates,  as  Mr.  Bad- 
man himself  did  when  he  beguiled  her  that 
now  is  with  sorrow  his  wife,  who  can  help  it? 
The  churches  of  old  were  pestered  with  such, 
and  therefore  no  marvel  if  these  perilous,  diffi- 
cult times  be  so.  But  mark  how  the  apostle 
words  it : “ Nay,  you  do  wrong  and  defraud, 
and  that  your  brethren.  Know  ye  not  that 
the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom 
of  God  ? Be  not  deceived ; neither  fornicators, 
nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate, 
nor  abusers  of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor 
thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  re- 
vilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the  king- 
dom of  God.” 

None  of  these  shall  be  saved  in  this  state, 
nor  shall  profession  deliver  them  from  the 
censure  of  the  godly  when  they  shall  be  mani- 
fest such  to  be.  But  their  profession  we  can- 
not help ; how  can  we  help  it  if  men  should 
ascribe  to  themselves  the  title  of  holy  ones, 
godly  ones,  zealous  ones,  self-denying  ones,  or 
any  other  such  glorious  titles?  And  while 
they  thus  call  themselves,  should  they  be  the 
veriest  rogues  for  all  evil,  sin,  villainy  imagin- 
able, who  can  help  it?  True,  they  are  a scan- 
dal to  religion,  a grief  to  the  honest-hearted, 
an  offence  to  the  world,  and  a stumbling-stone 
to  the  weak ; and  these  offences  have  come,  do 
come,  and  will  come,  do  what  all  the  world 
can,  “ but  woe  be  to  them  through  whom  they 
come.”  Let  such  professors,  therefore,  be  dis- 
owned by  all  true  Christians,  and  let  them  be 
reckoned  among  those  base  men  of  the  world 
which  by  such  actions  they  most  resemble. 
They  are  Mr.  Badman’s  kindred. 

For  they  are  a shame  to  religion ; I say, 
these  slithy,  rob-shop,  pickpocket  men,  they 
are  a shame  to  religion,  and  religious  meu 


524 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


should  be  ashamed  of  them.  God  puts  such 
au  one  among  the  fools  of  the  world ; therefore 
let  not  Christians  put  them  among  those  that 
are  wise  for  heaven : “ As  the  partridge  sitteth 
on  eggs  and  hatcheth  them  not,  so  he  that  get- 
teth  riches,  and  not  by  right,  shall  leave  them 
in  the  midst  of  his  days,  and  at  his  end  shall 
be  a fool.”  And  the  man  under  consideration 
is  one  of  these,  and  therefore  must  look  to  fall 
by  this  judgment.  * 

A professor,  and  practise  such  villainies  as 
these ! Such  an  one  is  not  worthy  to  hear  that 
name  any  longer.  We  may  say  to  such,  as  the 
prophet  spake  to  their  like — to  wit,  to  the  re- 
bellious that  were  in  the  house  of  Israel — “Go 
ye,  serve  every  man  his  idols,”  if  you  will  not 
hearken  to  the  law  and  testament  of  God  to 
lead  your  lives  hereafter,  “but  pollute  God’s 
holy  name  no  more  with  your  gifts  and  with 
your  idols.” 

Go,  professors,  go  ; leave  off  profession,  un- 
less you  will  lead  your  lives  according  to  your 
profession.  Better  never  profess  than  make 
profession  a stalking-horse  to  sin,  deceit,  to  the 
devil,  and  hell. 

The  ground  and  rules  of  religion  allow  hot 
any  such  thing.  “Receive  us,”  says  the  apos- 
tle: “ we  have  wronged  no  man,  we  have  cor- 
rupted no  man,  we  have  defrauded  no  man 
intimating  that  those  that  are  guilty  of  wrong- 
ing, corrupting,  or  defrauding  of  any  should 
not  be  admitted  to  the  fellowship  of  saints,  no, 
nor  into  the  common  catalogue  of  brethren 
with  them. 

Nor  can  men,  with  all  their  rhetoric  and 
eloquent  speaking,  prove  themselves  fit  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  or  men  of  good  conscience 
on  earth.  Oh  that  godly  plea  of  Samuel ! 
“ Behold  here  I am,”  says  he : “ witness  against 
me,  before  the  Lord,  and  before  his  anointed, 
whose  ox  have  I taken,  or  whose  ass  have  I 
taken  ; or  whom  have  I defrauded,  whom  have 
I oppressed,”  &c.  This  was  to  do  like  a man 
of  good  conscience  indeed ; and  in  this  his  ap- 
peal he  was  so  justified  in  the  consciences  of 
the  whole  congregation  that  they  could  not  but 
with  one  voice,  as  with  one  mouth,  break  out 
jointly  and  say,  “ Thou  hast  not  defrauded  us, 
nor  oppressed  us.” 

A professor,  and  defraud ! Away  with  him ! 
A professor  should  not  owe  any  man  any  thing 
but  love.  A professor  should  provide  things 
not  of  other  men’s,  but  of  his  own,  of  his  own 
honest  getting,  and  that  not  only  in  the  sight 
of  God,  but  of  all  men,  that  he  may  adorn  the 
doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things. 


Attentive.  But  suppose  God  should  blow  u pon 
a professor  in  his  estate  and  calling,  and  he 
should  be  run  out  before  he  is  aware,  must  he 
be  accounted  to  be  like  Mr.  Badman,  and  he 
under  the  same  reproach  as  he? 

Wiseman.  No,  if  he  hath  dutifully  done  what 
he  could  to  avoid  it.  It  is  possible  for  a ship 
to  sink  at  sea  notwithstanding  the  most  faith- 
ful endeavour  of  the  most  skilful  pilot  under 
heaven.  And  thus,  as  I suppose,  it  was  w'ith 
the  prophet  that  left  his  wife  in  debt,  to  the 
hazarding  the  slavery  of  her  children  by  the 
creditors.  He  was  no  profuse  man,  nor  one 
that  was  given  to  defraud,  for  the  text  says, 
“ he  feareth  the  Lord,”  yet,  as  I said,  he  was 
run  out  more  than  he  could  pay. 

If  God  would  blow  upon  a man,  who  can 
help  it  ? And  he  will  do  so  sometimes,  because 
he  will  change  dispensations  with  men,  and 
because  he  will  try  their  graces;  yea,  also  be- 
cause he  will  overthrow  the  wicked  with  his 
judgments;  and  all  these  things  are  seen  in 
Job.  But  then  the  consideration  of  this  should 
bid  men  have  a care  that  they  be  honest,  lest 
this  comes  upon  them  for  their  sin.  It  should 
also  bid  them  beware  of  launching  further  into 
the  world  than  in  an  honest  way  by  ordinary 
means  they  can  godlily  retreat ; for  the  further 
in  the  greater  the  fall.  It  should  also  teach 
them  to  beg  of  God  his  blessing  upon  their 
endeavours.  And  it  should  put  upon  them  a 
diligent  looking  to  their  steps,  that  if  in  their 
going  they  should  hear  the  ice  crack  they  may 
timely  go  back  again. 

These  things  considered  and  duly  put  in 
practice,  if  God  will  blow  upon  a man,  then 
let  him  be  content,  and  with  Job  embrace  the 
dunghill ; let  him  give  unto  all  their  dues,  and 
not  fight  against  the  providence  of  God,  but 
humble  himself  rather  under  his  mighty  hand, 
which  comes  to  strip  him  naked  and  bare;  for 
he  that  doth  otherwise  fights  against  God,  and 
declares  that  he  is  a stranger  to  that  of  Paul : 
“ I know  both  how  to  be  abased,  and  I know 
how  to  abound ; everywhere  and  in  all  things 
I am  instructed  both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry, 
both  to  abound  and  to  suffer  need.” 

Attentive.  But  Mr.  Badman  would  not,  I be- 
lieve, have  put  this  difference  betwixt  things 
feigned  and  those,  that  fall  of  necessity. 

Wiseman.  If  he  will  not,  God  will,  conscience 
will ; and  that  not  thine  own  only,  but  the  con- 
sciences of  all  those  that  have  seen  the  way  and 
that  have  known  the  truth  of  the  condition  of 
such  an  one. 

Attentive.  Well,  let  us  at  this  time  leave 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BAD  MAN. 


625 


this  matter,  and  return  again  to  Mr.  Bad- 
man. 

Wiseman.  With  all  my  heart  will  I proceed 
to  give  you  a relation  of  what  is  yet  behind  of 
his  life,  in  order  to  our  discourse  of  his  death. 

Attentive.  But  pray  do  it  with  as  much  brev- 
ity as  you  can. 

Wiseman.  Why,  arc  you  weary  of  my  re- 
lating of  things? 

Attentive.  No,  but  it  pleases  me  to  hear  a 
great  deal  in  a few  words. 

Wiseman.  I profess  myself  not  an  artist  in 
that  way,  but  yet,  as  briefly  as  I can,  I will  pass 
through  what  of  his  life  is  behind ; and  again 
I shall  begin  with  his  fraudulent  dealing  (as 
before  I have  showed  with  his  creditors,  so 
now)  with  his  customers,  and  those  that  he 
had  otherwise  to  deal  withal. 

lie  dealt  by  deceitful  weights  and  measures. 
He  kept  weights  to  buy  by  and  weights  to  sell 
by ; measures  to  buy  by  and  measures  to  sell 
by ; those  he  bought  by  were  too  big,  those 
that  he  sold  by  were  too  little. 

Besides,  he  could  use  a thing,  called  sleight 
of  hand,  if  he  had  to  do  with  other  men’s 
weights  and  measures,  and  by  that  means  make 
them,  whether  he  did  buy  or  sell,  yea,  though 
his  customer  or  chapman  looked  on,  turn  to  his 
own  advantage. 

Moreover,  he  had  the  art  to  misreckon  men 
in  their  accounts,  whether  by  weight,  or 
measure,  or  money,  and  would  often  do  it  to 
his  worldly  advantage  and  their  loss ; what  say 
you  to  Mr.  Badman  now? 

And  if  a question  was  made  of  his  faithful 
dealing,  he  had  his  servants  ready,  that  to  his 
purpose  he  had  brought  up,  that  would  avouch 
and  swear  to  his  book  or  word ; this  was  Mr. 
Badman’s  practice;  what  think  you  of  Mr. 
Badman  now? 

Attentive.  Think ! Why  I can  think  no  other 
but  that  he  was  a man  left  to  himself,  a naughty 
man;  for  these,  as  his  other,  were  naughty 
things;  if  the  tree,  as  indeed  it  may,  ought  to 
be  judged  what  it  is  by  its  fruits,  then  Mr. 
Badman  must  needs  be  a bad  tree.  But  pray, 
for  my  further  satisfaction,  show  me  now  by 
the  word  of  God  the  evil  of  this  his  practice ; 
and  first,  of  his  using  false  weights  and  mea- 
sures. 

Wiseman.  The  evil  of  that ! Why  the  evil 
of  that  appears  to  every  eye ; the  heathens, 
that  live  like  beasts  and  brutes  in  many  things, 
do  abominate  and  abhor  such  wickedness  as 
this.  Let  a man  but  look  upon  these  things  as 
ire  goes  by,  and  he  shall  see  enough  in  them 


from  the  light  of  nature  to  make  him  loatheso 
base  a practice,  although  Mr.  Badman  loved  it. 

Attentive.  But  show  me  something  out  of  the 
word  against  it,  will  you? 

Wiseman.  I will  willingly  do  it.  And  first, 
look  into  the  Old  Testament:  “You  shall,” 
saith  God  there,  “ do  no  unrighteousness  in 
judgment,  in  metre-yard,  in  weights,  or  in 
measures;  a just  balance,  a just  weight,  a just 
ephah,  and  a just  hin  shall  you  have.”  This 
is  the  law  of  God,  and  that  which  all  men,  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  the  land,  ought  to  obey. 
So  again : “ Ye  shall  have  just  balances  and  a 
just  ephah,”  &c. 

Now,  having  showed  you  the  law,  I will  also 
show  you  how  God  takes  swerving  therefrom  : 
“ A false  balance  is  not  good  ; a false  balance 
is  an  abomination  to  the  Lord.”  Some  have 
just  weights,  but  false  balances;  and  by  vir- 
tue, of  these  false  balances,  by  these  just 
weights,  they  deceive  the  country.  Where- 
fore, God  first  of  all  commands  that  the  bal- 
ance be  made  just.  A just  balance  shalt  thou 
have,  else  they  may  be,  as  ye  are,  deceivers, 
notwithstanding  their  just  weights. 

Now,  having  commanded  that  men  have  a 
just  balance,  and  testifying  that  a false  one  is 
an  abomination  to  the  Lord,  he  proceedeth 
also  unto  weight  and  measure. 

“Thou  shalt  not  have  in  thy  bag  divers 
weights,  a great  and  small;”  that  is,  one  to 
buy  by  and  another  to  sell  by,  as  Mr.  Badman 
had.  “ Thou  shalt  not  have  in  thy  house  di- 
vers measures,  a great  and  a small ; ” and  these 
had  Mr.  Badman  also;  “but  thou  shalt  have 
a perfect  and  a just  weight;  a perfect  and  a 
just  measure  shalt  thou  have,  that  thy  days 
may  be  lengthened  in  the  laud  which  the  Lord 
thy  God  givetli  thee.  For  all  that  do  such 
things” — that  is,  that  use  false  weights  and 
measures — “and  all  that  do  unrighteously,  are 
abomination  to  the  Lord.”  See  now  both  how 
plentiful  and  how  punctual  the  Scripture  is  in 
this  matter.  But  perhaps  it  may  be  objected 
that  all  this  is  old  law,  and  therefore  hath 
nothing  to  do  with  us  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment. (Not  that  I think  you,  neighbour,  will 
object  thus.)  Well,  to  this  foolish  objection  let 
us  make  an  answer : First,  he  that  makes  this 
objection,  if  he  doth  it  to  overthrow  the  au- 
thority of  those  texts,  discovereth  that  he  is 
first  cousin  to  Mr.  Badman,  for  a just  man  is 
willing  to  speak  reverently  of  those  commands. 
That  man  therefore  hath,  I doubt,  but  little 
conscience,  if  any  at  all  that  is  good,  that  thus 
objecteth  against  the  text ; but  let  us  look  into 


526 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


the  New  Testament,  and  there  we  shall  see 
how  Christ  confirmeth  the  same,  where  he 
commandeth  that  men  make  to  others  good 
measure,  including  also  that  they  make  good 
weight ; telling  such  that  do  thus  or  those  that 
do  it  not,  that  they  may  be  encouraged  to  do 
it,  “ Good  measure,  pressed  down,  shaken  to- 
gether and  running  over,  shall  men  give  into 
your  bosom ; for  the  same  measure  that  ye 
mete  withal,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you 
again;”  to  wit,  both  from  God  and  man. 
For  as  God  will  show  his  indignation  against 
the  false  man  by  taking  away  even  that  he 
hath,  so  he  will  deliver  up  the  false  man  to 
the  oppressor,  and  the  extortioner  shall  catch 
from  him  as  well  as  he  hath  catched  from  his 
neighbour ; therefore  another  Scripture  saith, 
“ When  thou  shalt  cease  to  deal  treacherously, 
they  shall  deal  treacherously  with  thee.”  That 
the  New  Testament  hath  an  inspection  .also 
into  men’s  trading,  yea,  even  with  their  weights 
and  measures,  is  evident  from  these  general 
exhortations : “ Defraud  not ; lie  not  one  to 
another ; let  no  man  go  beyond  his  brother  in 
any  matter,  for  God  is  the  avenger  of  all  such ; 
whatsoever  you  do,  do  it  heartily  as  unto  the 
Lord,  doing  all  in  his  name  to  his  glory ; ” and 
the  like.  All  these  injunctions  and  command- 
ments do  respect  our  life  and  conversation 
among  men  with  reference  to  our  dealing, 
trading,  and  so  consequently  they  forbid  false, 
deceitful,  yea,  all  other  doings  that  are  cor- 
rupt. 

Having  thus  in  a word  or  two  showed  you 
that  these  things  are  bad,  I will  next,  for  the 
conviction  of  those  that  use  them,  show  you 
where  they  are  to  be  found: 

1.  They  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  house  of 
the  good  and  godly  man,  for  he,  as  his  God, 
abhors  them ; but  they  are  to  be  found  in  the 
house  of  evil-doers,  such  as  Mr.  Badman’s  is. 
“ Are  there,”  saith  the  jorophet,  “ yet  the  treas- 
ures of  wickedness  in  the  house  of  the  wicked, 
and  scant  measure  that  is  an  abomination?” 
Are  they  there  yet,  notwithstanding  God’s  for- 
bidding, notwithstanding  God’s  token  of  anger 
against  those  that  do  such  things  ? Oh  how 
loth  is  a wicked  man  to  let  go  a sweet,  a gain- 
ful sin  when  he  hath  hold  of  it!  They  hold 
fast  deceit,  they  refuse  to  let  it  go. 

2.  These  deceitful  weights  and  measures  are 
not  to  be  found  in  the  house  of  the  merciful, 
but  in  the  house  of  the  cruel,  in  the  house  of 
them  that  love  to  oppress:  “ The  balances  of 
deceit  are  in  his  hand ; he  loveth  to  oppress.” 
He  is  given  to  oppression  and  cruelty,  there- 


fore he  useth  such  wicked  things  in  his  calling. 
Yea,  he  is  a very  cheat;  and,  as  was  hinted 
before  concerning  Mr.  Badman’s  breaking,  so 
I say  now  concerning  his  using  these  deceitful 
weights  and  measures,  it  is  as  bad,  as  base  as  to 
take  a purse  or  pick  a pocket,  for  it  is  a plain 
robbery ; it  takes  away  from  a man  that  which 
is  his  own,  even  the  price  of  his  money. 

3.  The  deceitful  weights  and  measures  are 
not  to  be  found  in  the  house  of  such  as  relieve 
the  belly  and  that  cover  the  loins  of  the  poor, 
but  of  such  as  indeed  would  swallow  them  up. 
“ Hear  ye  this,  ye  that  swallow  up  the  needy, 
and  that  make  the  poor  of  the  land  to  fail, 
saying,  When  will  the  new  moon  be  gone,  that 
we  may  sell  corn  ? and  the  sabbath,  that  we 
may  set  forth  wheat,  making  the  ephah  small 
and  the  shekel  great,  (making  the  measure 
small  and  the  price  great,)  and  falsifying  the 
balances  by  deceit,  that  ye  may  buy  the  poor 
for  silver  and  the  needy  for  a pair  of  shoes, 
and  sell  the  refuse  of  the  wdieat?  The  Lord 
hath  sworn  by  the  excellency  of  Jacob,  Surely 
I will  not  forget  any  of  their  works.”  So  de- 
testable and  vile  a thing  is  this  in  the  sight  of 
God. 

4.  God  abominates  the  thought  of  calling  of 
those  that  use  false  weights  and  measures  by 
any  other  term  than  that  they  be  impure  ones 
or  the  like : “ Shall  I count  them  pure  (saith 
he)  with  the  bag  of  deceitful  weights?”  No, 
by  no  means ; they  are  impure  ones,  their  hands 
are  defiled,  deceitful  gain  is  in  their  houses; 
they  have  gotten  what  they  have  by  coveting 
an  evil  covetousness,  and  therefore  must  and 
shall  be  counted  among  the  impure,  among  the 
wicked  of  the  world. 

Thus  you  see  how  full  and  plain  the  word 
of  God  is  against  this  sin,  and  them  that  use 
it.  And  therefore  Mr.  Badman,  for  that  he 
used  by  these  things  thus  to  rook  and  cheat 
his  neighbours,  is  rightly  rejected  from  having 
his  name  in  and  among  the  catalogue  of  the 
godly. 

Attentive.  But  I am  persuaded  that  the  using 
of  these  things,  and  the  doing  by  them  thus 
deceitfully,  is  not  counted  so  great  an  evil  by 
some. 

Wiseman.  Whether  it  be  counted  an  evil  or 
a virtue  by  men,  it  mattereth  not;  you  see  by 
the  Scriptures  the  judgment  of  God  upon  it. 
It  was  not  counted  an  evil  by  Mr.  Badman, 
nor  is  it  by  any  that  still  are  treading  in  his 
steps.  But  I say  it  is  no  matter  how  men 
esteem  of  things — let  us  adhere  to  the  judg- 
ment of  God.  And  the  rather  because,  when 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BAD  MAN. 


527 


we  ourselves  have  clone  weighing  and  measur- 
ing to  others,  then  God  will  weigh  and  meas- 
ure both  us  and  our  actions.  And  when  he 
doth  so,  as  he  will  do  shortly,  then  woe  be  to 
him  of  whom  and  of  whose  actions  it  shall  be 
thus  said  by  him:  “Tekel,  thou  art  weighed 
in  the  balance  and  art  found  wanting.”  God 
will  then  recompense  their  evil  of  deceiving 
upon  their  own  head,  when  lie  shall  have  shut 
them  out  of  his  presence,  favour  and  kingdom 
for  ever  and  ever. 

Attentive.  But  it  is  a wonder  that  since  Mr. 
Badmau’s  common  practice  was  to  do  thus, 
some  one  or  more  did  not  find  him  out  and 
blame  him  for  this  his  wickedness. 

Wiseman.  For  the  generality  of  people  he 
went  away  clever  with  his  knavery.  For  what 
with  his  balance,  his  false  balance  and  good 
weight,  and  what  with  his  sleight  of  hand  to 
boot,  he  beguiled,  sometimes  a little  and  some- 
times more,  most  that  he  had  to  deal  with ; be- 
sides, those  that  use  this  naughty  trade  are 
either  such  as  blind  men  by  show  of  religion 
or  by  hectoring  of  the  buyer  out  of  words.  I 
must  confess  Mr.  Badman  was  not  so  arch  at 
the  first — that  is,  to  do  it  by  show  of  religion — 
for  he  now  began  to  grow  threadbare,  (though 
some  of  his  brethren  are  arch  enough  this 
way,  yea,  and  of  his  sisters  too;  for  I told  you 
at  first  that  there  were  a great  many  of  them, 
and  never  a one  of  them  good;)  but  for  hector- 
ing, for  swearing,  for  lying,  if  these  things 
would  make  weight  and  measure,  they  should 
not  be  wanting  to  Mr.  Badman’s  customers. 

Attentive.  Then  it  seems  he  kept  good 
weights  and  a bad  balance;  well,  that  was 
better  than  that  both  should  be  bad. 

Wiseman.  Not  at  all.  There  lay  the  depth 
of  his  deceit;  for  if  any  at  any  time  found 
fault  that  he  used  them  hardly,  and  that  they 
wanted  their  weight  of  things,  he  would  reply, 
Why,  did  you  not  see  them  weighed?  will  you 
not  believe  your  own  eyes?  If  you  question 
my  weights,  pray  carry  them  whither  you  will, 
I will  maintain  them  to  be  good  and  just. 
The  same  he  would  say  of  his  scales.  So  he 
blinded  all  by  his  balance. 

Attentive.  This  is  cunning  indeed;  but,  as 
you  say,  there  must  be  also  something  done  or 
said  to  blind  wherewith;  and  this  I perceive 
Mr.  Badman  had. 

Wiseman.  Yes,  he  had  many  ways  to  blind; 
but  he  was  never  clever  at  it  by  making  a show 
of  religion,  though  he  cheated  his  wife  there- 
with; for  he  was,  especially  by  those  that 
dwelt  near  him,  too  well  known  to  do  that, 


though  he  would  bungle  at  it  as  well  as  he 
could.  But  there  are  some  that  are  arch  vil- 
lains this  way;  they  shall,  to  view,  live  a 
whole  life  religiously,  and  yet  shall  be  guilty 
of  these  most  horrible  sins,  ar.d  yet  religion 
in  itself  is  never  the  worst,  nor  yet  the  profes- 
sors of  it.  But  as  Luther  says,  In  the  name 
of  God  begins  all  mischief.  For  the  hypocrites 
have  no  other  way  to  bring  their  evils  to  ma- 
turity but  by  using  and  mixing  the  name  of 
God  and  religion  therewith.  Thus  they  be- 
come whited  walls,  for  by  this  white,  the 
white  of  religion,  the  dirt  of  their  actions  is 
hid.  Thus  also  they  become  graves  that  ap- 
pear not,  and  they  that  go  over  them,  (that 
have  to  do  with  them.)  they  are  not  aware  of 
them,  but  suffer  themselves  to  be  deluded  by 
them ; yea,  if  there  shall,  as  there  will  some- 
times, rise  a doubt  in  the  heart  of  the  buyer 
about  the  weight  and  measure  he  should  have, 
why  he  suffereth  his  very  senses  to  be  also  de- 
luded by  recalling  of  his  chapman’s  religion 
to  mind,  and  thinks  verily  that  not  his  good 
chapman  but  himself  is  out,  for  he  dreams 
not  that  his  chapman  can  deceive.  But  if  the 
buyer  shall  find  it  out,  and  shall  make  it  ap- 
parent that  he  is  beguiled,  then  shall  he  be 
healed  by  having  amends  made,  and  perhaps 
fault  shall  be  laid  upon  servants,  &c. ; and  so 
Master  Cheat  shall  stand  for  a right  honest 
man  in  the  eye  of  his  customer,  though  the 
next  time  he  shall  pick  his  pocket  again. 

Some  plead  custom  for  their  cheat,  as  if 
that  could  acquit  them  before  the  tribunal  of 
God;  and  others  say  it  came  to  them  for  so 
much,  and  therefore  another  must  take  it  for 
so  much,  though  there  is  wanting  both  as  to 
weight  and  measure;  but  in  all  these  things 
there  are  juggles,  or  if  not,  such  must  know 
that  that  which  is  “ altogether  just  they  must 
do.”  Suppose  that  I be  cheated  myself  with  a 
brass  half  crown,  must  I therefore  cheat  another 
therewith?  If  this  be  bad  in  the  whole,  it  is 
also  bad  in  the  parts.  Therefore,  however 
thou  art  dealt  withal  in  thy  buying,  yet  thou 
must  deal  justly  in  selling,  or  thou  sinnest 
against  thy  soul  and  art  become  as  Mr.  Bad- 
man. And  know  that  a pretence  to  custom 
is  nothing  worth.  It  is  not  custom,  but  good 
conscience,  that  will  help  at  God’s  tribunal. 

Attentive.  But  I am  persuaded  that  that 
which  is  gotten  by  men  this  way  doth  them 
but  little  good. 

Wiseman.  I am  of  your  mind  for  that,  but 
this  is  not  considered  by  those  thus  minded; 
for  if  they  can  get  it,  though  they  thus  get,  as 


528 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


we  say,  the  devil  and  all  by  their  getting,  yet 
they  are  content,  and  count  that  their  getting 
is  much. 

Little  good!  Why,  do  you  think  they 
consider  that?  No;  no  more  than  they  con- 
sider what  they  shall  do  in  judgment,  at  the 
day  of  God  Almighty,  for  their  wrong  getting 
of  what  they  get,  and  that  is  just  nothing  at  all. 

But  to  give  you  a more  direct  answer.  This 
kind  of  getting  is  so  far  off  from  doing  them 
little  good  that  it  doth  them  no  good  at  all, 
because  thereby  they  lose  their  own  souls. 
“What  shall  it  profit  a man  if  he  shall  gain 
the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul?”  He 
loseth  then,  he  loseth  greatly,  that  getteth  after 
this  fashion.  This  is  the  man  that  is  penny- 
wise and  pound-foolish  ; this  is  he  that  loseth 
his  good  ship  for  a halfpenny  worth  of  tar, 
that  loseth  a soul  for  a little  of  the  world. 
And  then  what  doth  he  get  thereby  but  loss 
and  damage  ? Thus  he  getteth,  or  rather 
loseth,  about  the  world  to  come ; but  what 
doth  he  get  in  this  world  more  than  travail 
and  sorrow,  vexation  of  spirit,  and  disappoint- 
ment? Men  aim  at  blessedness  in  getting — I 
mean  at  temporal  blessedness — but  the  man 
that  thus  getteth  shall  not  have  that.  For 
though  an  inheritance  after  this  manner  may 
be  hastily  gotten  at  the  beginning,  yet  the  end 
thereof  shall  not  be  blessed.  They  gather  it 
indeed,  and  think  to  keep  it  too;  but  what 
says  Solomon?  “God  casteth  it  away.  The 
Lord  will  not  suffer  the  soul  of  the  righteous 
to  famish,  but  he  casteth  away  the  substance 
of  the  wicked.” 

The  time,  as  I said,  that  they  do  enjoy  it,  it 
shall  do  them  no  good  at  all;  but  long,  to  be 
sure,  they  must  not  have  it.  For  God  will 
either  take  it  away  in  their  lifetime  or  else  in 
the  generation  following,  according  to  that  of 
Job : “ He  (the  wicked)  may  prepare  it,  but 
the  just  shall  put  it  on  and  the  innocent  shall 
divide  the  silver.” 

Consider  that  also  which  is  written  in  the 
Proverbs:  “A  good  man  leaveth  an  inherit- 
ance to  his  children’s  children,  and  the  wealth 
of  the  sinner  is  laid  up  for  the  just.”  What 
then  doth  he  get  thereby  that  getteth  by  dis- 
honest means?  Why,  he  getteth  sin  and 
wrath,  hell  and  damnation ; and  now  tell  me 
how  much  he  doth  get? 

This,  I say,  is  his  getting ; so  that  as  David 
says  we  may  be  bold  to  say  too:  “I  beheld 
the  wicked  in  great  prosperity,  and  presently  I 
cursed  his  habitation  ;”  for  it  cannot  prosper 
with  him.  Fluster,  and  huff,  and  make  ado 


for  awhile  he  may,  but  God  hath  determined 
that  both  he  and  it  shall  melt  like  grease ; and 
any  observing  man  may  see  it  so.  Behold 
the  unrighteous  man,  in  a way  of  injustice, 
getteth  much  and  loadeth  himself  with  thick 
clay,  but  anon  it  withereth,  it  decayeth,  and 
even  he,  or  the  generation  following,  decline 
and  return  to  beggary. 

And  thus  Mr.  Badman,  notwithstanding  his 
cunning  and  crafty  tricks  to  get  money,  did 
die,  nobody  can  tell  whether  worth  a farthing 
or  no. 

Attentive.  He  had  all  the  bad  tricks,  I think, 
that  it  was  possible  for  a man  to  have  to  get 
money;  one  would  think  that  he  should  have 
been  rich. 

Wiseman.  You  reckon  too  fast  if  you  count 
these  all  his  bad  tricks  to  get  money,  for  he 
had  more  besides. 

If  his  customers  were  in  his  books,  (as  it 
should  go  hard  but  he  would  have  them  there, 
at  least  if  he  thought  he  could  make  any  ad- 
vantage of  them,)  then  he  would  be  sure  to  im- 
pose upon  them  his  worst,  even  very  bad  com- 
modity, yet  set  down  for  it  the  price  that  the 
best  was  sold  at : like  those  that  sold  the  re- 
fuse wheat  or  the  worst  of  the  wheat,  making 
the  shekel  great,  yet  hoisting  up  the  price; 
this  was  Mr.  Badman’s  way.  He  would  sell 
goods  that  cost  him  not  the  best  price  by  far 
for  as  much  as  he  sold  his  best  of  all.  He  had 
also  a trick  to  mingle  his  commodity,  that 
that  which  was  bad  might  go  off  with  the 
least  distrust. 

Besides,  if  his  customers  at  any  time  paid 
him  money,  let  them  look  to  themselves  and 
to  their  acquittances,  for  he  would  usually  at- 
tempt to  call  for  that  payment  again,  especially 
if  he  thought  that  there  were  hopes  of  making 
a prize  thereby ; and  then  to  be  sure  if  they 
could  not  produce  good  and  sufficient  ground 
of  payment,  a hundred  to  one  but  they  pay  it 
again.  Sometimes  the  honest  chapman  would 
appeal  to  his  servants  for  proof  of  the  payment 
of  money,  but  they  were  trained  up  by  him  to 
say  after  his  mind,  right  or  wrong;  so  that  re- 
lief that  way  he  could  get  none. 

Attentive.  It  is  a bad,  yea,  an  abominable 
thing,  for  a man  to  have  such  servants,  for  by 
such  means  a poor  customer  may  be  undone, 
and  not  know  how  to  help  himself.  Alas ! if 
the  master  be  so  unconscionable,  as  I perceive 
Mr.  Badman  was,  to  call  for  his  money  twice, 
and  if  his  servant  will  swear  that  it  is  a due 
debt,  where  is  any  help  for  such  a man  ? He 
must  sink,  there  is  no  remedy. 


LIFE  A ND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BARMAN. 


529 


Wiseman.  This  is  very  bad,  but  this  has 
been  a practice,  and  that  hundreds  of  years 
ago.  But  wlmt  saitli  the  word  of  God? — “I 
will  punish  all  those  that  leap  upon  the  thres- 
hold, which  fdl  their  masters’ houses  with  vio- 
lence and  deceit.” 

Mr.  Badman  also  had  this  art,  could  he  get 
a man  at  advantage — that  is,  if  his  chapman 
durst  not  go  from  him,  or  if  the  commodity  he 
wanted  could  not  for  the  present  he  conveni- 
ently had  elsewhere — then  let  him  look  to  him- 
self; lie  would  surely  make  his  purse-strings 
crack  ; he  would  exact  upon  him  without  any 
pity  or  conscience. 

Attentive.  That  was  extortion,  was  it  not?  I 
pray  let  me  hear  your  judgment  of  extortion, 
what  it  is,  and  when  committed? 

Wiseman.  Extortion  is  a screwing  from  men 
more  than  by  the  law  of  God  or  man  is  right; 
and  it  is  committed  sometimes  by  them  in 
office  about  fees,  rewards,  and  the  like,  but  it 
is  most  commonly  committed  by  men  of  trade, 
who,  without  all  conscience  when  they  have 
the  advantage,  will  make  a prey  of  their 
neighbour.  And  thus  was  Mr.  Badman  an 
extortioner,  for  although  he  did  not  exact  and 
force  away  as  bailiffs  and  clerks  used  to  do,  yet 
he  had  his  opportunities,  and  such  cruelty  to 
make  use  of  them  that  he  would  often,  in  his 
way,  be  extorting  and  forcing  of  money  out  of 
his  neighbour’s  pocket.  For  every  man  that 
makes  a prey  of  his  advantage  upon  his  neigh- 
bour’s necessities,  to  force  from  him  more  than 
in  reason  and  conscience,  according  to  the 
present  price  of  things,  such  commodity  is 
worth,  may  very  well  be  called  an  extortioner, 
and  judged  for  one  that  hath  no  inheritance  in 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

Attentive.  Well,  this  Badman  was  a sad 
wretch. 

Wiseman.  Thus  you  have  often  said  before. 
But  now  we  are  in  discourse  of  this,  give  me 
leave  a little  to  go  on.  We  have  a great  many 
people  in  the  country  too  who  live  all  their 
days  in  the  practice,  and  so  under  the  guilt, 
of  extortion ; people,  alas ! that  scorn  to  be  so 
accounted. 

As  for  example : There  is  a poor  body  that 
dwells,  we  will  suppose,  so  many  miles  from 
the  market ; and  this  man  wants  a bushel  of 
grain,  a pound  of  butter,  or  a cheese  for  him- 
self, his  wife,  and  poor  children ; but  dwelling 
so  for  from  the  market,  if  he  goes  thither  he 
shall  lose  a day’s  work,  which  shall  be  eight  or 
ten  pence  damage  to  him,  and  that  is  some- 
thing for  a poor  man.  So  he  goeth  to  one  of 
34 


his  masters  or  dames  for  what  he  wanteth,  and 
asks  them  to  help  him  with  such  a thing. 
Ye^  say  they,  you  may  have  it;  but  withal 
they  will  give  him  a gripe,  perhaps  make  him 
pay  as  much  or  more  for  it  at  home  than  they 
can  get  when  they  have  carried  it  five  miles  to 
a market;  yea,  and  that  too  for  the  refuse  of 
their  commodity.  But  in  this  the  women  are 
especially  faulty  in  the  sale  of  their  butter  and 
cheese,  &c.  Now  this  is  a kind  of  extortion, 
it  is  a making  a prey  of  the  necessity  of  the 
poor,  it  is  a grinding  of  their  faces,  a buying 
and  selling  of  them. 

But  above  all,  your  hucksters,  that  buy  the 
poor  man’s  victuals  by  wholesale  and  sell  it  to 
him  again  for  unreasonable  gains  by  retail, 
and,  as  we  call  it,  by  piecemeal,  they  are  got 
into  a way  after  a stinging  rate  to  play  their 
game  upon  such  by  extortion.  I mean  such 
who  buy  up  butter,  cheese,  eggs,  bacon,  &c., 
by  wholesale,  and  sell  it  again,  as  they  call  it, 
by  penny-worths,  twopenny- worths,  a half- 
pennyworth, or  the  like,  to  the  poor,  all  the 
week  after  the  market  is  past. 

These,  though  I will  not  condemn  them  all, 
do  many  of  them  bite  and  pinch  the  poor  by 
this  kind  of  evil  dealing.  These  destroy  the 
poor  because  he  is  poor,  and  that  is  a, grievous 
sin.  “ He  that  oppresseth  the  poor  to  increase 
his  riches,  and  that  giveth  to  the  rich,  shall 
surely  come  to  want.”  Therefore  he  saitli 
again,  “ Bob  not  the  poor  because  he  is  poor, 
neither  oppress  the  afflicted  in  the  gate;  for 
the  Lord  will  plead  their  cause,  and  spoil  the 
soul  of  them  that  spoil  them.” 

Oh,  that  he  that  gripetli  and  grindeth  the 
face  of  the  poor  would  take  notice  of  these  two 
Scriptures ! Here  is  threatened  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  estate,  yea,  and  of  the  soul  too,  of 
them  that  oppress  the  poor.  Their  soul ! we 
shall  better  see  where  and  in  what  condition 
that  is  in  when  the  day  of  doom  is  come ; but 
for  the  estates  of  such,  they  usually  quickly 
moulder,  and  that  sometimes  all  men,  and 
sometimes  no  man,  knows  how. 

Besides,  these  are  usurers ; yea,  they  take 
usury  for  victuals,  which  thing  the  Lord  has 
forbidden.  And  because  they  cannot  so  well 
do  it  on  the  market-day,  therefore  they  do  it, 
as  I said,  when  the  market  is  over,  for  then 
the  poor  fall  into  their  mouths,  and  are  neces- 
sitated to  have  as  they  can  for  their  need,  and 
they  are  resolved  they  shall  pay  soundly  for  it. 
Perhaps  some  will  find  fault  for  my  meddling 
thus  with  other  folks’  matters,  and  for  my  thus 
prying  into  the  secrets  of  their  iniquity.  But 


530 


BTJNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  such  I would  say,  Since  such  actions  are 
evil,  it  is  time  they  were  hissed  out  of  the 
world ; for  all  that  do  such  things  offend 
against  God,  wrong  their  neighbour,  and,  like 
Mr.  Badman,  do  provoke  God  to  judgment. 

Attentive.  God  knows  that  there  is  abun- 
dance of  deceit  in  the  world ! 

Wiseman.  Deceit!  Ay,  but  I have  not  told 
you  a thousandth  part  of  it,  nor  is  it  my  busi- 
ness now  to  rake  to  the  bottom  of  that  dung- 
hill. What  would  you  say  if  I should  anatom- 
ize some  of  those  villainous  wretches  called 
pawn-brokers,  that  lend  money  and  goods  to 
poor  people  who  are  by  necessity  forced  to 
such  an  inconvenience,  and  will  make  by  one 
trick  or  other  the  interest  of  what  they  so  lend 
amount  to  thirty,  forty,  yea,  sometimes  fifty, 
pound  by  the  year,  notwithstanding  the  prin- 
cipal is  secured  by  a sufficient  pawn,  which 
they  will  keep  too  at  last  if  they  can  find  any 
shift  to  cheat  the  wretched  borrower? 

Attentive.  Say ! Why  such  miscreants  are  the 
pest  and  vermin  of  the  commonwealth,  not  fit 
for  the  society  of  men.  But  metliinks  by  some 
of  those  things  you  discoursed  before  you  seem 
to  import  that  it  is  not  lawful  for  a man  to 
make  the  best  of  his  own. 

Wiseman.  If  by  making  the  best  you  mean 
to  sell  for  as  much  as  by  hook  or  crook  he  can 
get  for  his  commodity,  then  I say  it  is  not  law- 
ful. And  if  I should  say  the  contrary,  I should 
justify  Mr.  Badman  and  all  the  rest  of  that 
gang ; but  that  I shall  never  do,  for  the  word 
of  God  condemns  them.  But  that  it  is  not 
lawful  for  a man  at  all  times  to  sell  his  com- 
modity for  as  much  as  he  can,  I prove  by 
these  reasons : 

1.  If  it  be  lawful  for  me  always  to  sell  my 
commodity  as  dear  or  for  as  much  as  I can, 
then  it  is  lawful  for  me  to  lay  aside  in  my 
dealing  with  others  good  conscience  to  them 
and  to  God ; but  it  is  not  lawful  for  me  in  my 
dealing  with  others  to  lay  aside  good  con- 
science, &c.  Therefore  it  is  not  lawful  for  me 
always  to  sell  my  commodity  as  dear  or  for  as 
much  as  I can. 

That  it  is  not  lawful  to  lay  aside  good  con- 
science in  our  dealings  has  already  been  proved 
in  the  former  part  of  our  discourse,  but  that  a 
man  must  lay  it  aside  that  will  sell  his  com- 
modity always  as  dear  or  for  as  much  as  he  can 
is  plainly  manifest  thus  : 

(1.)  He  that  will  (as  is  mentioned  afore)  sell 
his  commodity  as  dear  as  he  can  must  some- 
times make  a prey  of  the  ignorance  of  his 
neighbour;  but  that  he  cannot  do  with  a good 


conscience,  for  that  is  to  overreach  and  to  gc 
beyond  his  neighbour,  and  is  forbidden.  1 
Thess.  iv.  6.  Therefore  he  that  will  sell  his 
commodity,  as  afore,  as  dear  or  for  as  much  as 
he  can,  must  of  necessity  lay  aside  a good  con- 
science. 

(2.)  He  that  will  sell  his  commodity  always 
as  dear  as  he  can  must  needs  sometimes  make 
a prey  of  his  neighbour’s  necessity ; but  that 
he  cannot  do  with  a goodv  conscience,  for  that 
is  to  go  beyond  and  defraud  his  neighbour, 
contrary  to  1 Thess.  iv.  6.  Therefore,  he  that 
will  sell  his  commodity,  as  afore,  as  dear  or  for 
as  much  as  he  can  must  needs  cast  off  and  lay 
aside  a good  conscience. 

(3.)  He  that  will,  as  afore,  sell  his  commod- 
ity as  dear  or  for  as  much  as  he  can  must,  if 
need  be,  make  a prey  of  his  neighbour’s  fond- 
ness; but  that  a man  cannot  do  with  a good 
conscience,  for  that  is  still  going  beyond  him, 
contrary  to  1 Thess.  iv.  6.  Therefore,  he  that 
will  sell  his  commodity  as  dear  or  for  as  much 
as  he  can  must  needs  cast  off  and  lay  aside  a 
good  conscience.  The  same  also  may  be  said 
for  buying.  No  man  may  always  buy  as  cheap 
as  he  can,  but  must  also  use  good  conscience  in 
buying ; the  which  he  can  by  no  means  use 
and  keep  if  he  buys  always  as  cheap  as  he  can, 
and  that  for  the  reasons  urged  before.  For 
such  will  make  a prey  of  the  ignorance,  ne- 
cessity, and  fondness  of  their  neighbour,  the 
which  they  cannot  do  with  a good  conscience. 

When  Abraham  would  buy  a burying-place 
of  the  sons  of  Heth,  thus  he  said  unto  them : 
“ Entreat  for  me  to  Ephron  the  son  of  Zoliar 
that  he  may  give  me  the  cave  of  Machpelali, 
which  he  hath  in  the  end  of  his  field;  for  as 
much  as  it  is  worth  shall  he  give  it  me.”  Gen. 
xxiii.  8,  9.  He  would  not  have  it  under  foot; 
he  scorned  it,  he  abhorred  it;  it  stood  not 
with  his  religion,  credit,  nor  conscience.  So 
also  when  David  would  buy  a field  of  Oman 
the  Jebusite,  thus  he  said  unto  him,  “ Grant 
me  the  place  of  the  threshing-floor,  that  I may 
build  an  altar  there  unto  the  Lord ; thou  shalt 
give  it  me  for  the  full  price.”  He  also,  as 
Abraham,  made  conscience  of  this  kind  of 
dealing;  he  would  not  lie  at  catch  to  go  be 
yond,  no  not  the  Jebusite,  but  would  give  him 
his  full  price  for  this  field ; for  he  knew  that 
there  was  wickedness,  as  in  selling  too  dear,  so 
in  buying  too  cheap;  therefore  he  would  not 
do  it. 

There  ought  therefore  to  be  good  conscience 
used,  as  in  selling,  so  in  buying;  for  it  is  also 
unlawful  for  a man  to  go  beyond  or  to  defraud 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BA  DM  AN. 


531 


his  neighbour  in  buying;  yea,  it  is  unlawful 
to  do  it  in  any  matter,  and  God  will  plenti- 
fully avenge  that  wrong,  as  I also  before  have 
warned  and  testified.  But, 

2.  If  it  be  lawful  for  me  always  to  sell  my 
commodity  as  dear  or  for  as  much  as  I can, 
then  it  is  lawful  for  me  to  deal  with  my 
neighbour  without  the  use  of  charity;  but  it 
is  not  lawful  for  me  to  lay  it  aside,  or  to  deal 
with  my  neighbour  without  the  use  of  charity ; 
therefore  it  is  not  lawful  for  me  always  to  sell 
my  commodity  to  my  neighbour  for  as  much 
as  I can.  A man  in  dealing  should  as  really 
design  bis  neighbour’s  good,  profit,  and  advan- 
tage as  his  own,  for  this  is  to  exercise  charity 
in  his  dealing. 

That  I should  thus  use  or  exercise  charity 
towards  my  neighbour  in  my  buying  and  sell- 
ing, &c.,  with  him,  is  evident  from  the  general 
command,  “Let  all  your  things  be  done  in 
charity;”  but  that  that  man  cannot  live  in  the 
exercise  of  charity  that  selleth,  as  afore,  as  dear 
or  that  buyeth  as  cheap  as  he  can  is  evident 
by  these  reasons: 

(1.)  He  that  sells  his  commodity  as  dear  or 
for  as  much  money  always  as  he  can  seeks 
himself,  and  himself  only,  (but  charity  seeketh 
not  her  own,  nor  her  own  only;)  so  then  he 
that  seeks  himself,  and  himself  only,  as  he 
that  sells,  as  afore,  as  dear  as  he  can,  maketh 
not  use  of  nor  doth  he  exercise  charity  in  so 
dealing. 

(2.)  He  that  selleth  his  commodity  always 
for  as  much  as  he  can  get  hardeneth  his 
heart  against  all  reasonable  entreaties  of  the 
buyer;  but  he  that  doth  so  cannot  exercise 
charity  in  his  dealing,  therefore  it  is  not  law- 
ful for  a man  to  sell  his  commodity  as  dear  as 
he  can. 

(3.)  If  it  be  lawful  for  me  to  sell  my  com- 
modity as  dear  as  I can,  then  there  can  be  no 
sin  in  my  trading,  how  unreasonably  soever  I 
manage  my  calling,  whether  by  lying,  swear- 
ing, cursing,  or  cheating;  for  all  this  is  but  to 
sell  my  commodity  as  dear  as  I can;  but  that 
there  is  sin  in  these  is  evident,  therefore  I may 
not  sell  my  commodity  always  as  dear  as  I can. 

(4.)  He  that  selleth  as  dear  as  he  can  ofifer- 
eth  violence  to  the  law  of  nature;  for  that 
saith,  “ Do  unto  all  men  even  as  ye  would 
that  they  should  do  unto  you.”  Nowr,  was  the 
seller  a buyer,  he  would  not  that  he  of  whom 
he  buys  should  sell  to  him  always  as  dear  as 
he  can ; therefore  he  should  not  sell  so  him- 
self when  it  is  his  lot  to  sell  and  others  to  buy 
of  him. 


(5.)  He  that  selleth,  as  afore,  as  dear  as  he 
can  makes  use  of  that  instruction  that  God 
hath  not  given  to  others,  but  sealed  up  in  bis 
hand,  to  abuse  his  law  and  to  wrong  his 
neighbour  withal ; which  indeed  is  contrary 
to  God.  God  hath  given  thee  more  skill,  more 
knowledge  and  understanding  in  thy  com- 
modity than  he  hath  given  to  him  that  would 
buy  of  thee.  But  what!  canstthou  think  that 
God  hath  given  thee  this  that  thou  mightest 
thereby  make  a prey  of  thy  neighbour?  that 
thou  mightest  thereby  go  beyond  and  beguile 
thy  neighbour?  No,  verily;  but  he  hath 
given  thee  it  for  his  help,  that  thou  mightest 
in  this  be  eyes  to  the  blind,  and  save  thy 
neighbour  from  that  damage  that  his  ignor- 
ance, or  necessity,  or  fondness  would  betray 
him  into  the  hands  of. 

(6.)  In  all  that  a man  does  he  should  have 
an  eye  to  the  glory  of  God,  but  that  he 
cannot  have  that  sells  his  commodity  always 
for  as  much  as  he  can,  for  the  reasons  urged 
before. 

(7.)  All  that  a man  does  he  should  do  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — that  is, 
as  being  commanded  and  authorized  to  do  it 
by  him — but  he  that  selleth  always  as  dear 
as  he  can  cannot  so  much  as  pretend  to  this 
without  horrid  blaspheming  of  that  name,  be- 
cause commanded  by  him  to  do  otherwise. 

(8.)  And  lastly,  in  all  that  a man  does  he 
should  have  an  eye  to  the  day  of  judgment, 
and  to  the  consideration  of  howr  his  actions 
will  be  esteemed  in  that  day : therefore  there 
is  not  any  man  that  can  or  ought  to  sell 
always  as  dear  as  he  can,  unless  he  will,  yea, 
he  must  say  in  so  doing,  I will  run  the  hazard 
of  the  trial  of  that  day. 

“ If  thou  sell  aught  unto  thy  neighbour,  or 
buyest  aught  of  thy  neighbour,  ye  shall  not 
oppress  one  another.” 

Attentive.  But  why  do  you  put  in  these  cau- 
tionary words,  They  must  not  sell  always  as 
dear  nor  buy  always  as  cheap  as  they  can? 
Do  you  not  thereby  intimate  that  a man  may 
sometimes  do  so? 

Wiseman.  I do  indeed  intimate  that  some- 
times the  seller  may  sell  as  dear  and  the  buyer 
buy  as  cheap  as  he  can,  but  this  is  allowable 
only  in  these  cases:  vfhen  he  that  sells  is  a 
knave,  and  lays  aside  all  good  conscience  in 
selling,  or  when  the  buyer  is  a knave,  and  lays 
aside  all  good  conscience  in  buying.  If  the 
buyer,  therefore,  lights  of  a knave,  or  if  the 
seller  lights  of  a knave,  then  let  them  look  to 
themselves;  but  yet  so  as  not  to  lay  aside  con- 


532 


1]  UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


science  because  be  that  thou  dealest  with  doth 
so ; but  how  vile  or  base  soever  the  chapman 
is,  do  thou  keep  thy  commodity  at  a reasonable 
price ; or  if  thou  buyest,  offer  reasonable  gain 
for  the  thing  thou  wouldst  have ; and  if  this 
will  not  do  with  the  buyer  or  seller,  then  seek 
thee  a more  honest  chapman.  If  thou  object- 
est,  But  I have  not  skill  to  know  when  a 
pennyworth  is  before  me,  get  some  that  have 
more  skill  than  thyself  in  that  affair,  and  let 
them  in  that  matter  dispose  of  thy  money.  But 
if  there  were  no  knaves  in  the  world  these  ob- 
jections need  not  be  made. 

And  thus,  my  very  good  neighbour,  have  I 
given  you  a few  of  my  reasons  why  a man  that 
hath  it  should  not  always  sell  too  dear  nor  buy 
as  cheap  as  he  can,  but  should  use  good  con- 
science to  God  and  charity  to  his  neighbour  in 
both. 

Attentive.  But  were  some  men  here  to  hear 
you,  I believe  they  would  laugh  you  to 
scorn. 

Wiseman.  I question  not  that  at  all,  for,  so 
Mr.  Badman  used  to  do  when  any  man  told 
him  of  his  faults ; he  used  to  think  himself 
wiser  than  any,  and  would  count,  as  I have 
hinted  before,  that  he  was  not  arrived  to  a 
manly  spirit  that  did  stick  or  boggle  at  any 
wickedness.  But  let  Mr.  Badman  and  his  fel- 
lows laugh  ; I will  bear  it,  and  still  give  them 
good  counsel.  But  I will  remember  also,  for 
my  further  relief  and  comfort,  that  thus  they 
that  were  covetous  of  old  served  the  Son  of 
God  himself.  It  is  their  time  to  laugh  now, 
that  they  may  mourn  in  time  to  come.  And, 
I say  again,  when  they  have  laughed  out  their 
laugh,  he  that  useth  not  good  conscience  to 
God  and  charity  to  his  neighbour  in  buying 
and  selling  dwells  next  door  to  an  infidel,  and 
is  near  of  kin  to  Mr.  Badman. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  wdiat  will  you  say  to  this 
question  ? You  know  that  there  is  no  settled 
price  set  by  God  upon  any  commodity  that  is 
bought  or  sold  under  the  sun,  but  all  things 
that  we  buy  and  sell  do  ebb  and  flow,  as  to 
price,  like  the  tide ; how,  then,  shall  a man  of 
a tender  conscience  do  neither  to  wrong  the 
seller,  buyer,  nor  himself  in  buying  and  sell- 
ing of  commodities? 

Wiseman.  This  question  is  thought  to  be 
frivolous  by  all  that  are  of  Mr.  Badman’s  way : 
it  is  also  difficult  in  itself;  yet  I will  endeav- 
our to  shape  you  an  answer,  and  that  first  to 
the  matter  of  the  question — to  wit,  How  a 
tradesman  should  in  trading  keep  a good  con- 
science, (a  buyer  or  seller  either.)  Secondly, 


How  he  should  prepare  himself  to  this  work 
and  live  in  the  practice  of  it. 

For  the  first:  He  must  observe  what  has 
been  said  before — to  wit,  he  must  have  con- 
science to  God,  charity  to  bis  neighbour,  and,  I 
will  add,  much  moderation  in  dealing.  Let 
him  therefore  keep  within  the  bounds  of  the 
affirmative  of  those  eight  reasons  that  before 
were  urged  to  prove  that  men  ought  not  in 
their  dealing  but  to  do  justly  and  mercifully 
betwixt  man  and  man,  and  then  there  will  be 
no  great  fear  of  wronging  the  seller,  buyer,  or 
himself. 

But  particularly  to  prepare  or  instruct  a 
man  to  this  work : 

1.  Let  the  tradesman  or  others  consider  that 
there  is  not  that  in  great  gettings  and  in  abun- 
dance which  the  most  of  men  do  suppose;  for 
all  that  a man  has  over  and  above  what  serves 
for  his  present  necessity  and  supply  serves  only 
to  feed  the  lusts  of  the  eye : “ For  what  good 
is  there  to  the  owners  thereof,  save  the  behold- 
ing of  them  with  their  eyes  ?”  Men  also,  many 
times,  in  getting  of  riches  get  therewith  a 
snare  to  their  soul,  but  few  get  good  by  getting 
of  them.  But.  this  consideration  Mr.  Badman 
could  not  abide. 

2.  Consider  that  the  getting  of  wealth  dis- 
honestly (as  he  does  that  getteth  it  without 
good  conscience  and  charity  to  his  neighbour) 
is  a great  offence  against  God.  Hence  he  says, 
“I  have  smitten  mine  hand  at  thy  dishonest 
gain  which  thou  hast  made.”  It  is  a manner 
of  speech  that  shows  anger  in  the  very  mak- 

ving  of  mention  of  the  crime.  Therefore, 

3.  Consider  that  a little  honestly  gotten, 
though  it  may  yield  thee  but  a dinner  of  herbs 
at  a time,  will  yield  more  peace  therewith  than 
with  a stalled  ox  ill  gotten : “ Better  is  a little 
with  righteousness  than  great  revenues  without 
right.” 

4.  Be  thou  confident  that  God’s  eyes  are 
upon  all  thy  ways  and  that  he  ponderetli  all 
thy  goings,  and  also  that  he  marks  them,  writes 
them  down,  and  seals  them  up  in  a bag  against 
the  time  to  come. 

5.  Be  thou  sure  that  thou  rememberest  that 
thou  knowest  not  the  day  of  thy  death.  Re- 
member also  that  when  death  comes,  God  will 
give  thy  substance,  for  the  which  thou  hast  la- 
boured, and  for  the  which  perhaps  thou  hast 
hazarded  thy  soul,  to  one,  thou  knowest  not 
who,  nor  whether  he  shall  be  a wise  man  or  a 
fool.  And  then  “ what  profit  hath  he  that  la- 
boureth  for  the  wind?” 

Besides,  thou  shalt  have  nothing  that  thou 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BAD  MAN. 


mnyost  so  much  as  carry  away  in  tliiiic  hand. 
Guilt  shall  go  with  thee  if  thou  hast  got  it  dis- 
honestly, and  they  also  to  whom  thou  shalt 
leave  it  shall  receive  it  to  their  hurt. 

These  things  duly  considered,  and  made  use 
of  hy  thee  to  the  preparing  of  thy  heart  to  thy 
calling  of  buying  or  selling,  I conic,  in  the 
next  place,  to  show  thee  how  thou  shouldest 
live  in  the  practical  part  of  this  art.  -Art  thou 
to  buy  or  sell  ? 

] . If  thou  sellcst,  do  not  commend,  if  thou 
buyest,  do  not  dispraise,  any  otherwise  but  to 
give  the  thing  that  thou  hast  to  do  with  its 
just  value  and  worth;  for  thou  eanst  not  do 
otherwise  knowingly- but  of  a covetous  and 
wicked  mind.  Wherefore  else  are  commodities 
overvalued  by  the  seller  and  also  undervalued 
by  the  buyer?  “ It  is  naught,  it  is  naught,  says 
the  buyer,  but  when  he  hath  got  his  bargain  he 
boasteth  thereof.”  What  hath  this  man  done 
now  but  lied  in  the  dispraising  of  his  bargain? 
And  why  did  he  dispraise  it  but  of  a covetous 
mind,  to  wrong  and  beguile  the  seller? 

2.  Art  thou  a seller,  and  do  things  grow 
dear?  Set  not  thy  hand  to  help  or  hold  them 
up  higher;  this  cannot  be  done  without  wicked- 
ness neither,  “ for  this  is  a making  of  the  shekel 
great.”  Art  thou  a buyer,  and  do  things  grow 
dear?  Use  no  cunning  or  deceitful  language 
to  pull  them  down,  for  that  cannot  he  done 
but  wickedly  too.  What  then  shall  we  do, 
will  you  say?  Why  I answer,  Leave  things  to 
the  providence  of  God,  and  do  thou  with  mod- 
eration submit  to  his  hand.  But  since,  when 
they  are  growing  dear,  the  hand  that  upholds 
the  price  is,  for  the  time,  more  strong  than 
that  which  would  pull  it  down — that  being  the 
hand  of  the  seller,  who  loveth  to  have  it  dear, 
especially  if  it  shall  rise  in  his  hand — therefore, 
I say,  do  thou  take  heed  and  have  not  a hand 
in  it.  The  which  thou  mayest  have  to  thine 
own  and  thy  neighbour’s  hurt  these  three 
ways : 

1.  By  crying  out,  Scarcity,  scarcity!  beyond 
the  truth  and  state  of  things;  especially  take 
heed  of  doing  this  by  way  of  a prognostic  for 
time  to  come.  It  was  for  this  for  which  he 
was  trodden  to  death  in  the  gate  of  Samaria 
that  you  read  of  in  the  book  of  Kings.  This 
sin  has  a double  evil  in  it:  1.  It  belieth  the 
present  blessing  of  God  among  us;  and,  2.  It 
undervalueth  the  riches  of  his  goodness,  which 
can  make  all  good  things  to  abound  towards 
us. 

2.  This  wicked  thing  may  be  done  by  hoard- 
ing up  when  the  hunger  and  necessity  of  the 


coo 

0 <j'j 

poor  call  for  it.  Now  that  God  may  show  his 
dislike  against  this,  he  doth,  as  it  were,  license 
the  people  to  curse  such  an  hoarder-up:  “He 
that  withholdeth  corn,  the  people  shall  curse 
him,  but  blessing  shall  be  upon  the  head  of 
him  that  selleth  it.” 

3.  But  if  things  will  rise,  do  thou  be  grieved ; 
be  also  moderate  in  all  thy  sellings,  and  be 
sure  let  the  poor  have  a pennyworth,  and  sell 
thy  corn  to  those  in  necessity;  which  then 
thou  wilt  do  when  thou  showest  mercy  to  the 
poor  in  thy  selling  to  him,  and  when  thou  for 
his  sake,  because  he  is  poor,  undersellest  the 
market.  This  is  to  buy  and  sell  with  good 
conscience:  thy  buyer  thou  wrongest  not,  thy 
conscience  thou  wrongest  not,  thyself  thou 
wrongest  not,  for  God  will  surely  recompense 
thee. 

I have  spoken  concerning  corn,  but  thy  duty 
is  to  let  thy  moderation  in  all  things  be  known 
unto  all  men ; the  Lord  is  at  hand. 

Attentive.  Well,  sir,  now  I have  heard  enough 
of  Mr.  Badman’s  naughtiness;  pray  now  pro- 
ceed to  his  death. 

Wiseman.  Why,  sir,  the  sun  is  not  so  low; 
we  have  three  hours  to  night. 

Attentive.  Nay,  I am  not  in  any  great  haste, 
but  I thought  you  had  even  now  done  with  his 
life. 

Wiseman.  Done!  No,  I have  yet  much  more 
to  say. 

Attentive.  Then  he  has  much  more  wicked- 
ness than  I thought  he  had. 

Wiseman.  That  may  be.  But  let  us  proceed. 
This  Mr.  Badmau  added  to  all  his  wickedness 
this : he  was  a very  proud  man ; he  was  exceed- 
ing proud  and  haughty  in  mind;  he  looked 
that  what  he  said  ought  not,  must  not,  be  con- 
tradicted or  opposed.  He  counted  himself  as 
wise  as  the  wisest  in  the  country,  as  good  as 
the  best,  and  as  beautiful  as  he  that  had  most 
of  it.  He  took  great  delight  in  praising  of 
himself,  and  as  much  in  the  praises  that  others 
gave  him.  He  could  not  abide  that  any  should 
think  themselves  above  him,  or  that  their  wit 
or  personage  should  by  others  be  set  before 
his.  He  had  scarce  a fellowly  carriage  for  his 
equals,  but  for  those  that  were  of  an  inferior 
rank,  he  would  look  over  them  in  great  con- 
tempt; and  if  at  any  time  he  had  any  remote 
occasion  of  having  to  do  with  them,  he  would 
show  great  height  and  a very  domineering 
spirit.  So  that  in  this  it  may  be  said  that 
Solomon  gave  a characteristical  note  of  him 
when  he  said,  “ Proud  and  haughty  scorner  is 
his  name,  who  dealeth  in  proud  wrath.”  He 


534 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


never  thought  his  diet  well  enough  dressed, 
nis  clothes  fine  enough  made,  or  his  praise 
enough  refined. 

Attentive.  This  pride  is  a sin  that  sticks  as 
close  to  nature,  I think,  as  most  sins.  There 
is  uncleanness  and  pride:  I know  not  of  any 
two  gross  sins  that  stick  closer  to  men  than 
they.  They  have,  as  I may  call  it,  an  interest 
in  nature;  it  likes  them,  because  they  most 
suit  its  lusts  and  fancies;  and  therefore  no 
marvel  though  Mr.  Badman  was  tainted  with 
pride,  since  he  had  so  wickedly  given  up  him- 
self to  work  all  iniquity  with  greediness. 

Wiseman.  You  say  right;  pride  is  a sin  that 
sticks  close  to  nature,  and  is  one  of  the  first 
follies  wherein  it  shows  itself  to  be  polluted. 
For  even  in  childhood,  even  in  little  children, 
pride  will  first  of  all  show  itself;  it  is  a hasty, 
an  early  appearance  of  the  sin  of  the  soul. 
It,  as  I may  say,  is  that  corruption  that  strives 
for  predominancy  in  the  heart,  and  therefore 
usually  comes  out  first.  But  though  children 
are  so  incident  to  it,  yet  methinks  those  of 
more  years  should  be  ashamed  thereof.  I 
might  at  the  first  have  begun  with  Mr.  Bad- 
man’s  pride,  only  I think  it  is  not  the  pride  in 
infancy  that  begins  to  make  a difference  be- 
twixt one  and  another,  as  did  and  do  those 
things  wherewith  I began  my  relation  of  his 
life;  therefore  I passed  it  over;  but  now, 
since  he  had  no  more  consideration  of  him- 
self and  of  his  vile  and  sinful  state  but  to  be 
proud  when  come  to  years,  I have  taken  the 
occasion  in  this  place  to  make  mention  of  his 
pride. 

Attentive.  But  pray,  if  you  can  remember 
them,  tell  me  of  some  places  of  Scripture  that 
speak  against  pride.  I the  rather  desire  that 
because  that  pride  is  now  a reigning  sin, 
and  I happen  sometimes  to  fall  into  the  com- 
pany of  them  that  in  my  conscience  are  proud, 
very  much,  and  I have  a mind  also  to  tell 
them  of  their  sin.  Now,  when  I tell  them  of 
it,  unless  I bring  God’s  word  too,  I doubt  they 
will  laugh  me.  to  scorn. 

Wiseman.  Laugh  you  to  scorn ! The  proud 
man  will  laugh  you  to  scorn,  bring  to  him  what 
text  you  can,  except  God  shall  smite  him  in 
his  conscience  by  the  word.  Mr.  Badman  did 
use  to  serve  them  so  that  did  use  to  tell  him  of 
his.  And  besides,  when  you  have  said  what 
you  can  they  will  tell  you  they  are  not  proud, 
and  that  you  are  rather  the  proud  man,  else 
you  would  not  judge  nor  so  malapertly  meddle 
with  other  men’s  matters  as  you  do.  Never- 
theless, since  you  desire  it,  I will  mention  two 


or  three  texts;  they  are  these:  “Pride  and 
arrogancy  do  I hate.”  “ A man’s  pride  shall 
bring  him  low.”  “And  he  shall  bring  down 
their  pride.”  “ And  all  the  proud,  and  all  that 
do  wickedly  shall  be  as  stubble,  and  the  day 
that  comes  shall  burn  them  up.”  This  last  is 
a dreadful  text;  it  is  enough  to  make  a proud 
man  shake ; God,  he  saith,  will  make  the  proud 
ones  as  stubble;  that  is,  as  fuel  for  the  fire; 
and  the  day  that  cometh  shall  be  like  a burn- 
ing oven,  and  that  day  shall  burn  them  up, 
saith  the  Lord.  But  Mr.  Badman  could  never 
abide  to  hear  pride  spoken  against,  nor  that 
any  should  say  of  him,  He  is  a proud  man. 

Attentive.  What  should.be  the  reason  of  that? 

Wiseman.  He  did  not  tell  me  the  reason,  but 
I suppose  it  to  be  that  which  is  common  to  all 
vile  persons.  They  love  this  vice,  but  care  not 
to  bear  its  name.  The  drunkard  loves  the  sin, 
but  loves  not  to  be  called  a drunkard.  The 
thief  loveth  to  steal,  but  cannot  abide  to  be 
called  a thief ; and  so  Mr.  Badman  loved  to  be 
proud,  but  could  not  abide  to  be  called  a proud 
man.  The  sweet  of  sin  is  desirable  to  a pol- 
luted and  corrupted  man,  but  the  name  thereof 
is  a blot  in  his  escutcheon. 

Attentive.  It  is  true  that  you  have  said ; but 
pray  how  many  sorts  of  pride  are  there  ? 

Wiseman.  There  are  two  sorts  of  pride — 
pride  of  spirit  and  pride  of  body.  The  first 
of  these  is  thus  made  mention  of  in  the  Scrip- 
tures : “ Every  one  that  is  proud  in  heart  is  an 
abomination  to  the  Lord.  A high  look,  and  a 
proud  heart,  and  the  ploughing  of  the  wicked, 
is  sin.  The  patient  in  spirit  is  better  than  the 
proud  in  spirit.”  Bodily  pride  the  Scripture 
mentions : “ In  that  day  the  Lord  shall  take 
away  the  bravery  of  their  tinkling  ornaments 
about  their  feet,  and  their  cauls,  and  their 
round  tires  like  the  moon,  the  chains,  and  the 
bracelets,  and  the  mufflers,  the  bonnets,  and 
the  ornaments  of  the  legs,  and  the  headbands, 
and  the  tablets,  and  the  ear-rings,  the  rings 
and  the  nose-jewels;  the  changeable  suits  of 
apparel,  and  the  mantles,  and  the  wimples,  and 
the  crisping-pins,  the  glasses  and  the  fine  linen, 
and  the  hoods  and  the  veils.”  By  these  ex- 
pressions it  is  evident  that  there  is  a pride  of 
body  as  well  as  a pride  of  spirit,  and  that  both 
are  sin,  and  so  abominable  to  the  Lord.  But 
these  texts  Mr.  Badman  could  never  abide  to 
read;  they  were  to  him  as  Micaiah  was  to 
Ahab,  they  never  spoke  good  of  him,  but  evil. 

Attentive.  I suppose  that  it  was  not  Mr.  Bad- 
man’s  case  alone  even  to  malign  those  texts 
that  speak  against  their  vices,  for  I believe  that 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BAD  MAN. 


DdO 


moat  ungodly  men  where  the  Scriptures  arc 
have  a secret  antipathy  against  those  words  of 
God  that  do  most  plainly  and  fully  rebuke 
them  for  their  sins. 

Wiseman.  That  is  out  of  doubt ; and  by  that 
antipathy  they  show  that  sin  and  Satan  are 
more  welcome  to  them  than  are  the  more 
wholesome  instructions  of  life  and  godliness. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  not  to  go  off  from  our 
discourse  of  Mr.  Badman,  you  say  he  was 
proud,  but  will  you  show  me  now  some  symp- 
toms of  one  that  is  proud  ? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  that  I will;  and  first  I will 
show  you  some  symptoms  of  pride  of  heart. 
Pride  of  heart  is  seen  by  outward  things,  as 
pride  of  body  in  general  is  a sign  of  pride  of 
heart,  for  all  proud  gestures  of  the  body  flow 
from  pride  of  heart;  therefore  Solomon  saith, 
“ There  is  a generation,  oh  how  lofty  are  their 
eyes!  and  their  eyelids  are  lifted  up.”  And 
again : “ There  is  that  exaltetli  their  gait,”  their 
going.  Now  these  lofty  eyes  and  this  exalting 
of  the  gait  is  a sign  of  a proud  heart,  for  both 
these  actions  come  from  the  heart,  for  out  of 
the  heart  comes  pride  in  all  the  visible  appear- 
ances of  it.  But  more  particularly— 

1.  Heart  pride  is  discovered  by  a stretched- 
out  neck  and  by  mincing  as  they  go.  For  the 
wicked,  the  proud  have  a proud  neck,  a proud 
foot,  a proud  tongue,  by  which  this  their  going 
is  exalted.  This  is  that  which  makes  them 
look  scornfully,  speak  ruggedly,  and  carry  it 
huflingly  among  their  neighbours. 

2.  A proud  heart  is  a persecuting  one : “The 
wicked,  through  his  pride,  doth  persecute  the 
poor.” 

3.  A prayerless  man  is  a proud  man. 

4.  A contentious  man  is  a proud  man. 

5.  The  disdainful  man  is  a proud  man. 

6.  The  man  that  oppresses  his  neighbour  is 
a proud  man. 

7.  He  that  hearkeneth  not  to  God’s  word 
with  reverence  and  fear  is  a proud  man. 

S.  And  he  that  calls  the  proud  happy  is,  be 
sure,  a proud  man.  All  these  are  proud  in 
heart,  and  this  their  pride  of  heart  doth  thus 
discover  itself. 

As  to  bodily  pride,  it  is  discovered — that  is, 
something  of  it — by  all  the  particulars  men- 
tioned before ; for  though  they  are  said  to  be 
symptoms  of  pride  of  heart,  yet  they  are 
symptoms  of  that  pride  by  their  showing  of 
themselves  in  the  body.  You  know  diseases 
that  are  within  are  seen  ofttimes  by  outward 
and  visible  signs,  yet  by  these  very  signs  even 
the  outside  is  defiled  also.  So  all  those  visible 


signs  of  heart  pride  are  signs  of  bodily  pride 
also.  But  to  come  to  more  outward  signs. 
The  putting  on  of  gold,  and  pearls,  and  costly 
array,  the  plaiting  of  the  hair,  the  following 
of  fashions,  the  seeking  by  gestures  to  imitate 
the  proud,  either  by  speech,  looks,  dresses, 
goings,  or  other  fool’s  baubles,  of  which,  at 
this  time,  the  world  is  full,  all  these,  and  many 
more,  are  signs  as  of  a proud  heart,  so  of  bodily 
pride  also. 

But  Mr.  Badman  would  not  allow,  by  any 
means,  that  this  should  be  called  pride,  but 
rather  neatness,  handsomeness,  comeliness 
cleanliness,  &c. ; neither  would  he  allow  that 
following  of  fashions  was  any  thing  else  but 
because  he  would  not  be  proud,  singular,  and 
esteemed  fantastical  by  his  neighbours. 

Attentive.  But  I have  been  told  that  when 
some  have  been  rebuked  for  their  pride  they 
have  turned  it  again  upon  the  brotherhood  of 
those  by  whom  they  have  been  rebuked,  saying, 
Physician,  heal  thy  friends;  look  at  home 
among  your  brotherhood,  even  among  the 
wisest  of  you,  and  see  if  you  yourselves  be 
clear,  even  your  professors ; for  who  is  prouder 
than  your  professors  ? Scarce  the  devil  him- 
self. 

Wiseman.  My  heart  aches  at  this,  because 
there  is  too  much  cause  for  it.  This  very  an- 
swer would  Mr.  Badman  give  his  wife,  when 
she,  as  she  would  sometimes,  reproved  him  for 
his  pride.  We  shall  have,  says  he,  great 
amendments  in  living  now,  for  the  devil  is 
turned  a corrector  of  vice,  for  no  sin  reign eth 
more  in  the  world,  quoth  he,  than  pride  among 
professors.  And  who  can  contradict  him? 
Let  us  give  the  devil  his  due,  the  thing  is  too 
apparent  for  any  man  to  deny.  , 

And  I doubt  not  but  the  same  answer  is 
ready  in  the  mouths  of  Mr.  Badman’s  friends, 
for  they  may  and  do  see  pride  display  itself  in 
the  apparel  and  carriages  of  professors,  one 
may  say,  almost  as  much  as  among  any  people 
in  the  land;  the  more  is  the  pity.  Ay,  and  I 
fear  that  even  their  extravagancies  in  this 
have  hardened  the  heart  of  manv  an  one,  as  I 

I * 

perceive  it  did  somewhat  the  heart  of  Mr. 
Badman  himself. 

For  my  own  part,  I have  seen  many  myself, 
and  those  church  members  too,  so  decked  and 
bedaubed  with  their  tansies  and  tovs,  and  that 
when  they  have  been  at  the  solemn  appoint- 
ments of  God  in  the  way  of  his  worship,  that 
I have  wondered  with  what  face  such  painted 
persons  could  sit  in  the  place  where  they  were 
without  swooning.  But  certainly  the  holiness 


536 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


of  God,  and  also  the  pollution  of  themselves  by 
sin,  must  needs  be  very  far  out  of  the  minds  of 
such  people,  what  profession  soever  they  make. 

I have  read  of  an  whore’s  forehead,  and  I 
have  read  of  Christian  shamefacedness ; I have 
read  of  costly  array,  and  of  that  which  becom- 
eth  women  professing  godliness  with  good 
works ; but,  if  I might  speak,  I know  what  I 
know,  and  could  say,  and  yet  do  no  wrong, 
that  which  would  make  some  professors  trem- 
ble in  their  places;  but  I forbear. 

Attentive.  Sir,  you  seem  greatly  concerned  at 
this  ; but  what  if  I shall  say  more?  It  is  whis- 
pered that  some  good  ministers  have  counte- 
nanced their  people  in  their  light  and  wanton 
apparel;  yea,  have  pleaded  for  their  gold  and 
pearls  and  costly  array. 

Wiseman.  I know  not  what  they  have  pleaded 
for ; but  it  is  easily  seen  that  they  tolerate,  or 
at  least  wink  and  connive  at,  such  things,  both 
in  their  wives  and  children.  “And  so  from 
the  prophets  of  Jerusalem  is  profaneness  gone 
forth  into  all  the  land.”  And  when  the  hands 
of  the  rulers  are  chief  in  a trespass,  who  can 
keep  their  people  from  being  drowned  in  that 
trespass  ? 

Attentive.  This  is  a lamentation,  and  must 
stand  for  a lamentation. 

Wiseman.  So  it  is  and  so  it  must.  And  I 
will  add,  it  is  a shame,  it  is  a reproach,  it  is  a 
stumbling-block  to  the  blind  ; for  though  men 
be  as  blind  as  Mr.  Badman  himself,  yet  they 
can  see  the  foolish  lightness  that  must  needs 
be  the  bottom  of  all  these  apish  and  wanton 
extravagancies.  But  many  have  their  excuses 
ready — to  wit,  their  parents,  their  husbands, 
and  their  breeding  call  for  it,  and  the  like; 
y,ea,  the  examples  of  good  people  prompt  them 
to  it ; but  all  these  will  be  but  the  spider’s  web 
when  the  thunder  of  the  word  of  the  great  God 
shall  rattle  from  heaven  against  them,  as  it 
will  at  death  or  judgment;  but  I wish  it  might 
do  it  before.  But,  alas ! these  excuses  are  but 
bare  pretences;  these  proud  ones  love  to  have 
it  so.  I once  talked  with  a maid,  by  way  of 
reproof,  for  her  fond  and  gaudy  garment.  But 
she  told  me  the  tailor  would  make  it  so,  when, 
alas,  poor  proud  girl ! she  gave  orders  to  the 
tailor  so  to  make  it.  Many  make  parents,  and 
husbands,  and  tailors,  &c.,  the  blind  to  others; 
but  their  naughty  hearts  and  their  giving  way 
{hereto,  that  is  the  original  cause  of  all  these 
evils. 

Attentive.  Now  you  are  speaking  of  the  cause 
of  pride,  pray  show  me  yet  further  why  pride 
is  now  so  much  in  request. 


Wiseman.  I will  show  you  what  1 think  ar6 
the  reasons  of  it  : 

The  first  is  because  such  persons  are  led  by 
their  own  hearts,  rather  than  by  the  word  of 
God.  I told  you  before  that  the  original  foun- 
tain of  pride  is  the  heart.  For  out  of  the 
heart  comes  pride;  it  is  therefore  because  they 
are  led  by  their  hearts,  which  naturally  tend 
to  lift  them  up  in  pride.  This  pride  of  heart 
tempts  them,  and  by  its  deceit  overcometh 
them ; yea,  it  doth  put  a 'bewitching  virtue  into 
their  peacock’s  feathers,  and  then  they  are 
swallowed  up  with  the  vanity  of  them. 

2.  Another  reason  why  professors  are  so 
proud  (for  those  we  are  talking  of  now)  is,  be- 
cause they  are  more  apt  to  take  example  by 
those  that  are  of  the  world  than  they  are  to 
take  example  of  those  that  are  saints  indeed. 
Pride  is  of  the  world.  “ For  all  that  is  of  the 
world,  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the 
eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  are  not  of  the  Father, 
but  of  the  world.”  Of  the  world,  therefore, 
professors  learn  to  be  proud.  But  they  should 
not  take  them  for  example.  It  will  be  objected, 
No,  nor  you  saints  neither,  for  you  are  as 
proud  as  others.  Well,  let  them  take  shame 
that  are  guilty.  But  when  I say  professors 
should  take  example  for  their  life  by  those 
that  are  saints  indeed,  I mean  as  Peter  says. 
They  should  take  example  of  those  that  were 
in  old  time  the  saints;  for  saints  of  old  time 
were  the  best,  therefore  to  these  he  directed  us 
for  our  pattern : “ Let  the  wives’  conversation 
be  chaste,  and  also  coupled  with  fear.  Whose 
adorning,  (saith  Peter,)  let  it  not  be  that  out- 
ward adorning,  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of 
wearing  of  gold,  or  of  putting  on  of  apparel  ; 
but  let  it  be  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart, 
in  that  which  is  not  corruptible,  even  the 
ornament  of  a meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which 
is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price.  For 
after  this  manner,  in  the  old  time,  the  holy 
women  also,  who  trusted  in  God,  adorned 
themselves,  being  in  subjection  to  their  own 
husbands.” 

3.  Another  reason  is,  because  they  Lave  for- 
gotten the  pollution  of  their  nature.  For  the 
remembrance  of  that  must  needs  keep  us  hum- 
ble, and  being  kept  humble  we  shall  be  at  a 
distance  from  pride.  The  proud  and  the  hum- 
ble are  set  in  opposition : “ God  resisteth  the 
proud,  but  giveth  grace  to  the  humble.”  And 
can  it  be  imagined  that  a sensible  Christian 
should  be  a proud  one?  Sense  of  baseness 
tends  to  lay  us  low,  not  to  lift  us  up  with  pride, 
not  with  pride  of  heart  nor  pride  of  life ; but 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADM  AN. 


537 


when  iv  man  begins  to  forget  what  he  is,  he 
then,  if  ever,  begins  to  be  proud. 

Methinks  it  is  one  of  the  most  senseless  and 
ridiculous  things  in  the  world  that  a man 
should  be  proud  of  that  which  is  given  him 
on  purpose  to  cover  the  shame  of  his  naked- 
ness. 

4.  Persons  that  are  proud  have  gotten  God 
and  his  holiness  out  of  their  sight.  If  God 
was  before  them,  as  he  is  behind  their  back, 
and  if  they  saw  him  in  his  holiness,  as  he 
sees  them  in  their  sins  and  shame,  they  would 
take  but  little  pleasure  in  their  apish  knacks. 
The  holiness  of  God  makes  the  angels  cover 
their  faces,  crumbles  Christians,  when  they  be- 
hold it,  into  dust  and  ashes ; and  as  his  Ma- 
jesty is.  such  is  his  word ; therefore  they  abuse 
it  that  bring  it  to  countenance  pride. 

Lastly.  Hut  what  can  be  the  end  of  those 
that  are  proud  in  the  decking  of  themselves 
after  their  antic  manner?  Why  are  they -for 
going  with  their  naked  shoulders,  for  painting 
their  faces,  for  stretching  out  their  necks,  and 
for  putting  themselves  unto  all  the  formalities 
which  proud  fancy  leads  them  to?  Is  it  be- 
cause they  would  honour  God,  because  they 
would  adorn  the  Gospel,  because  they  would 
beautify  religion,  and  make  sinners  to  fall  in 
love  with  their  own  salvation?  No,  no;  it  is 
rather  to  please  their  lusts,  to  satisfy  their  wild 
and  extravagant  fancies. 

Attentive.  I like  what  you  say  very  well,  and 
I wish  that  all  proud  professors  were  within 
the  reach  and  sound  of  your  words. 

Wiseman.  What  I have  said  I believe  is  true ; 
but  as  for  the  proud  dames  in  England  that 
profess,  they  have  Moses  and  the  prophets; 
and  if  they  will  not  hear  them,  how  then  can 
we  hope  that  they  should  receive  good  by  such 
a dull-sounding  ram’s  horn  as  I am?  How- 
ever, I have  said  my  mind ; and  now,  if  you 
will,  we  will  proceed  to  some  other  of  Mr. 
Badman’s  doings. 

Attentive.  No;  pray  before  you  show  me  any 
thing  else  of  Mr.  Badman,  show  me  yet  more 
particularly  the  evil  effects  of  this  sin  of  pride. 

]\'iveman.  With  all  my  heart  I will  answer 
your  request : 

1.  Then : It  is  pride  that  makes  poor  man  so 
depraved  that  he  cannot  in  it  be  known  to  be 
the  image  and  similitude  of  God.  The  angels, 
when  they  became  devils,  it  was  through  their 
being  lifted  or  puffed  up  with  pride.  It  is  pride 
also  that  lifteth  or  puffeth  up  the  heart  of  the 
sinner,  and  makes  him  +o  bear  the  very  image 
of  the  devil. 


2.  Pride  makes  a man  so  odious  in  the  sight 
of  God  that  he  shall  not,  must  not,  come  nigh 
his  Majesty:  “Though  the  Lord  be  high,  yet 
hath  he  respect  to  the  lowly ; but  the  proud  he 
knows  afar  off."  Pride  sets  God  and  the  soul 
at  a distance;  pride  will  not  let  a man 'come 
nigh  God,  nor  God  will  not  let  a proud  man 
come  nigh  unto  him ; now  this  is  a dreadful 
thing. 

3.  As  pride  sets,  so  it  keeps,  God  and  the 
soul  at  a distance.  God  resisteth  the  proud — 
resists,  that  is,  he  opposes  him,  he  thrusts  him 
from  him,  he  contemneth  his  person  and  all 
his  performances.  Come  into  God’s  ordin- 
ances the  proud  man  may,  but  come  into  his 
presence,  have  communion  with  him  or  bless- 
ing from  him,  he  shall  not,  for  the  high  God 
doth  resist  him. 

4.  The  word  saith  that  “ the  Lord  will  de- 
stroy the  house  of  the  proud;”  he  will  destroy 
his  house;  it  maybe  understood  he  will  de- 
stroy him  and  his.  So  lie  destroyed  proud 
Pharaoh,  so  he  destroyed  proud  Korali,  and 
many  others. 

5.  Pride,  where  it  comes  and  is  entertained, 
is  a certain  forerunner  of  some  judgment  that 
is  not  far  behind.  When  pride  goes  before, 

*shame  and  destruction  will  follow  after. 
“ When  pride  cometh,  then  comcth  shame. 
Pride  goetli  before  destruction,  and  a haughty 
spirit  before  a fall.” 

6.  Persisting  in  pride  makes  the  condition 
of  a poor  man  as  remediless  as  is  that  of  the 
devils  themselves. 

And  this  I fear  was  Mr.  Badman’s  condition, 
and  that  was  the  reason  that  he  died  so  as  he 
did;  as  I shall  show  you  anon. 

But  what  need  I thus  talk  of  the  particular 
actions,  or  rather  the  prodigious  sins,  of  Mr. 
Badman,  when  his  whole  life  and  all  his  ac- 
tions went  as  it  were  to  the  making  up  one 
massy  body  of  sin?  Instead  of  believing  that 
there  was  a God,  his  mouth,  his  life  and  actions 
declared  that  he  believed  no  such  thing;  “ His 
transgression  said  within  his  heart  that  there 
was  no  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes.”  Instead 
of  honouring  of  God,  and  of  giving  glory  to 
him  for  any  of  his  mercies  or  under  any  of  his 
good  providences  towards  him,  (for  God  is  good 
to  all,  and  lets  his  sun  shine  and  his  rain  fall 
upon  the  unthankful  and  unholy,)  he  would 
ascribe  the  glory  to  other  causes.  If  they  were 
mercies,  he  would  ascribe  them  (if  the  open 
face  of  the  providence  did  not  give  him  the 
lie)  to  his  own  wit,  labour,  care,  industry, 
cunning  or  the  like;  if  they  were  crosses,  he 


538 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


would  ascribe  them  or  count  them  the  offspring 
of  fortune,  ill-luck,  chance,  the  ill  manage- 
ment of  matters,  the  ill-will  of  neighbours,  or 
to  his  wife’s  being  religious  and  spending,  as 
he  called  it,  too  much  time  in  reading,  praying, 
or  the  like.  It  was  not  in  his  way  to  ac- 
knowledge God  (that  is  graciously)  or  his 
hand  in  things ; but  as  the  prophet  saith,  “ Let 
favour  be  showed  to  the  wicked,  yet  will  he 
not  learn  righteousness.”  And  again,  “They 
returned  not  to  him  that  smote  them,  nor 
did  they  seek  the  Lord  of  hosts.”  This  was 
Mr.  Badman’s  temper;  neither  mercies  nor 
judgment  would  make  him  seek  the  Lord. 
Nay,  as  another  Scripture  says,  “He  would 
not  see  the  works  of  God  nor  regard  the  opera- 
tions of  his  hands,  either  in  mercies  or  in  judg- 
ments.” But  further,  when  hy  providence  he 
has  been  cast  under  the  best  means  for  his 
soul,  (for,  as  was  showed  before,  he  having  had 
a good  master,  and  before  him  a good  father, 
and  after  all  a good  wife,  and  being  sometimes 
upon  a journey,  and  cast  under  the  hearing  of 
a good  sermon,  as  he  would  sometimes,  for 
novelty’s  sake,  go  to  hear  a good  preacher,) -he 
was  always  without  heart  to  make  use  thereof; 
“In  this  land  of  righteousness  he  would  deal 
unjustly,  and  would  not  behold  the  majesty  of  • 
the  Lord.” 

Instead  of  reverencing  the  word  when  he 
heard  it  preached,  read,  or  discoursed  of,  he 
would  sleep,  talk  of  other  business,  or  else  ob- 
ject against  the  authority,  harmony,  and  wis- 
dom of  the  Scriptures;  saying,  How  do  you 
know  them  to  be  the  word  of  God?  How  do 
you  know  that  these  sayings  are  true  ? The 
Scriptures,  he  would  say,  were  as  a nose  of 
wax,  and  a man  may  turn  them  whithersoever 
he  lists;  one  Scripture  says  one  thing,  and 
another  says  quite  the  contrary;  besides,  they 
make  mention  of  a thousand  impossibilities; 
they  are  the  cause  of  all  dissensions  and  dis- 
cords that  are  in  the  land ; therefore  you  may 
(would  he  say)  still  think  what  you  will,  but 
in  my  mind  they  are  best  at  ease  that  have 
least  to  do  with  them. 

Instead  of  loving  and  honouring  of  them 
that  did  bear  in  their  foreheads  the  name  and 
in  their  lives  the  image  of  Christ,  they  should 
be  his  song,  the  matter  of  his  jests,  and  the 
object  of  his  slanders.  He  would  either  make 
a mock  at  their  sober  deportment,  their  gra- 
cious language,  quiet  behaviour,  or  else  des- 
perately swear  that  they  did  all  in  deceit  and 
hypocrisy.  He  would  endeavour  to  render 
godly  men  as  odious  and  contemptible  as  he 


could  ; any  lies  that  were  made  by  any  to  their 
disgrace,  those  he  would  avouch  for  truth,  and 
would  not  endure  to  be  controlled.  He  was 
much  like  those  that  the  prophet  speaks  of, 
“ that  would  sit  and  slander  his  mother’s  son,” 
yea,  he  would  speak  reproachfully  of  his  wife, 
though  his  conscience  told  him,  and  many 
would  testify,  that  she  was  a very  virtuous  wo- 
man. He  would  also  raise  slander  of  his  wife’s 
friends  himself,  affirming  that  their  doctrine 
tended  to  lasciviousness,'  and  that  in  their  as- 
semblies they  acted  and  did  unbeseeming  men 
and  women,  &c.  He  was  much  like  those  that 
affirmed  the  apostle  should  say,  “ Let  us  do 
evil  that  good  may  come;”  or  like  those  of 
whom  it  is  thus  written:  “Report,  say  they, 
and  we  will  report  it.”  And  if  he  could  get 
any  thing  by  the  end  that  had  scandal  in  it,  if 
it  did  but  touch  professors,  how  falsely  soever 
reported,  oh  then  he  would  glory,  laugh,  and 
be  glad,  and  lay  it  upon  the  whole  party,  say- 
ing, Hang  them,  rogues  ! there  is  not  a barrel 
better  herring  of  all  the  holy  brotherhood  of 
theta ; like  to  like,  quoth  the  devil  to  the  col- 
lier : this  is  your  precise  crew ! And  then  he 
would  send  all  home  with  a curse. 

Attentive.  If  those  that  make  professions  of 
religion  be  wise,  Mr.  Badman’s  watchings  and 
words  will  make  them  the  more  wary  and 
careful  in  all  things. 

Wiseman.  You  say  true;  for  when  we  see 
men  do  watch  for  our  halting,  and  rejoice  to 
see  us  stumble  and  fall,  it  should  make  us  the 
more  careful. 

I do  think  it  was  as  delightful  to  Mr.  Bad- 
man  to  hear,  raise,  and  tell  lies  and  lying 
stories  of  tljem  that  fear  the  Lord,  as  it  was 
for  him  to  go  to  bed  when  weary.  But  we  will 
at  this  time  let  these  things  pass.  For  as  he 
was  in  these  things  bad  enough,  so  he  added 
to  these  many  more  of  the  like. 

He  was  an  angry,  wrathful,  envious  man,  a 
man  that  knew  not  what  meekness  or  gentle- 
ness meant,  nor  did  he  desire  to  learn.  His 
natural  temper  was  to  be  surly,  huffy,  and  rug- 
ged, and  morose;  and  he  so  gave  way  to  his 
temper  as  to  this  that  it  brought  him  to  be 
furious  and  outrageous  in  all  things,  especially 
against  goodness  itself,  and  against  other 
things  too,  when  he  was  displeased. 

Attentive.  Solomon  saith,  “ He  is  a fool  that 
rageth.” 

Wiseman.  He  doth  so;  and  says  moreover 
that  “anger  rests  in  the  bosom  of  fools.” 
And  truly,  if  it  be  a sign  of  a fool  to  have 
anger  rest  in  his  bosom,  then  was  Mr.  Badman, 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BAD  MAN. 


530 


notwithstanding  the  conceit  that  he  had  of  his 
own  abilities,  a fool  of  no  small  size. 

Attentive.  Fools  are  mostly  most  wise  in  their 
own  eyes. 

Wiseman.  True;  but  I was  a-saying  that  if 
it  be  a sign  that  a man  is  a fool  when  anger 
rests  in  his  bosom,  then  what  is  it  a sign  of, 
think  you,  when  malice  and  envy  rest  there? 
For,  to  my  knowledge,  Mr.  Badman  was  as 
malicious  and  as  envious  a man  as  commonly 
y can  hear  of. 

Attentive.  Certainly ‘malice  and  envy  flow 
from  pride  and  arrogancy,  and  they  again  from 
ignorance,  and  ignorance  from  the  devil ; and 
I thought  that  since  you  spake  of  the  pride  of 
Mr.  Badman  before,  we  should  have  something 
of  these  before  we  had  done. 

Wiseman.  Envy  flows  from  ignorance  in- 
deed ; and  this  Mr.  Badman  was  so  envious  an 
one  where  lie  set  against  that  he  would  swell 
with  it  as  a toad,  as  we  say,  swells  with  poison. 
He  whom  he  maligned  might  at  any  time  even 
read  envy  in  his  face  wherever  he  met  with 
him  or  in  whatever  he  had  to  do  with  him. 

Ilis  envy  was  so  rank  and  strong  that  if  it 
at  any  time  turned  its  head  against  a man  it 
would  hardly  ever  be  pulled  in  again ; he 
would  watch  over  that  man  to  do  him  mis- 
chief as  the  cat  watches  over  the  mouse  to 
destroy  it;  yea,  he  would  wait  seven  years  but 
he  would  have  an  opportunity  to  hurt  him,  and 
when  he  had  it  he  would  make  him  feel  the 
weight  of  his  envy. 

Envy  is  a devilish  thing;  the  Scripture  in- 
timates that  none  can  stand  before  it:  “A 
stone  is  heavy,  and  the  sand  weighty;  but  a 
fool’s  wrath  is  heavier  than  them  both.  Wrath 
is  cruel,  and  anger  is  outrageous ; but  who  can 
stand  before  envy  ?” 

This  envy,  for  the  foulness  of  it,  is  reckoned 
among  the  foulest  villainies  that  are,  as  adul- 
tery, murder,  drunkenness,  revellings,  witch- 
crafts, heresies,  seditions,  &c.  Yea,  it  is  so 
malignant  a corruption  that  it  rots  the  very 
bones  of  him  in  whom  it  dwells:  “A  sound 
heart  is  life  to  the  flesh,  but  , envy  the  rotten- 
ness of  the  bones.” 

Attentive.  This  envy  is  the  very  father  and 
mother  of  a great  many  hideous  and  prodig- 
ious wickednesses ; I say,  it  is  the  very  father 
and  mother  of  them ; it  both  begets  them  and 
also  nourishes  them  up  till  they  come  to  their 
cursed  maturity  in  the  bosom  of  him  that  en- 
tertains them. 

Wiseman.  You  have  given  it  a very  right 
description  in  calling  of  it  the  father  and 


mother  of  a great  many  other  prodigious 
wickednesses;  for  it  is  so  venomous  and  vile 
a thing  that  it  puts  the  whole  course  of  nature 
out  of  order,  and  makes  it  fit  for  nothing  but 
confusion  and  a hold  for  every  evil  thing: 
“For  where  envy  and  strife  is,  there  is  confu- 
sion and  every  evil  work.”  Wherefore  I say 
you  have  rightly  called  it  the  very  father  and 
mother  of  a great  many  other  sins.  And  now, 
for  our  further  edification,  I will  reckon  up 
some  of  the  births  of  envy: 

1.  Envy,  as  I told  you  before,  it  rotteth  the 
very  bones  of  him  that  entertains  it.  And, 

2.  As  you  have  also  hinted,  it  is  heavier 
than  a stone,  than  sand;  yea,  and  I will 
add  it  falls  like  a millstone  upon  the  head. 
Therefore, 

3.  It  kills  him  that  throws  it,  and  him  at 
whom  it  is  thrown.  “Envyslayeth  the  silly 
one;”  that  is,  him  in  whom  it  resides  and  him 
who  is  its  object. 

4.  It  was  that  also  that  slew  Jesus  Christ 
himself,  for  his  adversaries  persecuted  him 
through  their  envy. 

5.  Envy  was  that  by  virtue  of  which  Joseph 
w’as  sold  by  his  brethren  into  Egypt. 

6.  It  is  envy  that  hath  the  hand  in  making 
of  variance  among  God’s  saints. 

7.  It  is  envy  in  the  hearts  of  sinners  that 
stirs  them  up  to  thrust  God’s  ministers  out  of 
their  coasts. 

8.  What  shall  I say  ? It  is  envy  that  is  the 
very  nursery  of  whisperings,  debates,  back- 
bitings, slanders,  reproaches,  murders,  &c. 

It  is  not  possible  to  repeat  all  the  particular 
fruits  of  this  sinful  root.  Therefore,  it  is  no 
marvel  that  Mr.  Badman  was  such  an  ill-na- 
tured man,  for  the  great  roots  of  all  manner 
of  wickedness  were  in  him  unmortified,  un- 
manned, untouched. 

Attentive.  But  it  is  a rare  case,  even  this 
of  Mr.  Badman,  that  he  should  never  in  all 
his  life  be  touched  with  remorse  for  his  ill- 
spent  life. 

Wiseman.  Remorse  I cannot  say  he  ever 
had,  if  by  remorse  you  mean  repentance  for 
his  evils.  Yet  twice  I remember  he  was 
under  some  trouble  of  mind  about  his  con- 
dition— once  when  he  broke  his  leg  as  he 
came  home  drunk  from  the  alehouse;  and 
another  time  when  he  fell  sick  and  thought 
he  should  die ; besides  these  twTo  times,  I do 
not  remember  any  more. 

Attentive.  Did  he  break  his  leg,  then? 

TFiseman.  Yes;  once  as  he  came  home 
drunk  from  the  alehouse. 


540 


B UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Attentive.  Pray  how  did  he  break  it? 

Wiseman.  Why,  upon  a time  he  was  at  an 
alehouse,  that  wicked  house  about  two  or 
three  miles  from  home,  and  having  there 
drank  hard  the  greatest  part  of  the  day,  when 
night  was  come  he  would  stay  no  longer,  hut 
calls  for  his  horse,  gets  up,  and  like  a madman 
(as  drunken  persons  usually  ride)  away  he 
goes,  as  hard  as  horse  could  lay  legs  to  the 
ground.  Thus  he  rid  till  coming  to  a dirty 
place,  where  his  horse,  flouncing  in,  fell, 
threw  his  master,  and  with  his  fall  broke  his 
leg ; so  there  he  lay.  But  you  would  not 
think  how  he  swore  at  first.  But  after  a 
while,  he,  coming  to  himself  and  feeling  by 
his  pain  and  the  uselessness  of  his  leg  what 
case  he  was  in,  and  also  fearing  that  this  bout 
might  he  his  death,  he  began  to  cry  out  after 
the  manner  of  such,  Lord,  help  me ! Lord, 
have  mercy  upon  me!  Good  God,  deliver 
me!  and  the  like.  So  there  he  lay,  till  some 
came  by,  took  him  up,  carried  him  home, 
where  he  lay  for  some  time  before  he  could  go 
abroad  ^igain. 

Attentive.  And  then  you  say  he  called  upoit 
God? 

Wiseman.  Tie  cried  out  In  his  pain,  and 
would  say,  0 God!  and  0 Lord,  help  me!  but 
whether  it  was  that  his  sin  might  be  pardoned 
and  his  soul  saved,  or  whether  to  be  rid  of  his 
pain,  I will  not  positively  determine,  though  I 
fear  it  was  but  for  the  last,  because,  when  his 
pain  was  gone  and  he  had  got  hopes  of  mend- 
ing, even  before  he  could  go  abroad,  he  cast 
off  prayer,  and  began  his  old  game — to  wit,  to 
be  as  bad  as  he  was  before.  He  then  would 
send  for  his  old  companions ; they  indeed 
would  come  to  his  house  to  see  him,  and  with 
them  he  would  be,  as  well  as  he  could  for  his 
lame  leg,  as  vicious  as  they  could  be  for  their 
hearts. 

Attentive.  It  was  a wonder  he  did  not  break 
his  neck. 

Wiseman.  His  neck  had  gone  instead  of  his 
leg,  but  that  God  was  long-suffering  towards 
him ; he  had  deserved  it  ten  thousand  times 
over.  There  have  been  many,  as  I have 
heard,  and  as  I have  hinted  to  you  before, 
that  have  taken  their  horses  when  drunk  as 
he,  but  they  have  gone  from  the  cup  to  the 
grave;  for  they  have  broken  their  necks  be- 
twixt the  alehouse  and  home. 

BstP"  One  hard  by  us  also  drank  himself 
dead  ; he  drank,  and  died  in  his  drink. 

Attentive.  It  is  a sad  thing  to  die  drunk. 

Wiseman.  So  it  is,  but  yet  I wonder  that  no 


more  do  so.  For,  considering  the  heinousness 
of  that  sin,  and  with  how  many  others  it  is 
accompanied,  as  with  oaths,  blasphemies,  lies, 
revellings,  brawlings,  &c.,  it  is  a wonder  to  me 
that  any  that  live  in  that  sin  should  escape 
such  a blow  from  heaven  as  should  tumble 
them  into  their  graves.  Besides,  when  I con- 
sider also  how,  when  they  are  as  drunk  as 
beasts,  they,  without  all  fear  of  danger,  will 
ride  like  bedlams  and  madmen,  even  as  if  they 
did  dare  God  to  meddle  with  them  if  he  durst, 
for  their  being  drunk,— I say,  I wonder  that 
he  doth  not  withdraw  his  protecting  provi- 
dences from  them,  and  leave  them  to  those 
dangers  and  destructions  that  by  their  sin 
they  have  deserved,  and  that  by  their  bedlam 
madness  they  would  rush  themselves  into; 
only  I consider  again,  that  he  hath  appointed 
a day  wherein  he  will  reckon  with  them,  and 
doth  also  commonly  make  examples  of  some, 
to  show  that  he  takes  notice  of  their  sin,  ab- 
hors their  way,  and  will  count  with  them  for  it 
at  the  set.  time. 

Attentive.  It  is  worthy  of  our  remark  to  take 
notice  how  God,  to  show  his  dislike  of  the  sins 
of  men,  strikes  some  of  them  down  with  a 
blow;  as  the  breaking  of  Mr.  Badman’s  leg, 
for  doubtless  that  was  a stroke  from  heaven. 

Wiseman.  It  is  worth  our  remark,  indeed. 
It  was  an  open  stroke,  it  fell  upon  him  while 
he  was  in  the  height  of  his  sin  ; and  it  looks 
much  like  to  that  in  Job : “ Therefore  he  know- 
eth  their  works,  and  overturneth  them  in  the 
night,  so  that  they  are  destroyed.  He  striketh 
them  as  wicked  men  in  the  open  sight  of 
others,”  or,  as  the  margin  reads  it,  “in  the 
place  of  beholders.”  He  lays  them  with  his 
stroke  in  the  place  of  beholders.  There  was 
Mr.  Badman  laid;  his  stroke  was  taken  notice 
of  by  every  one ; his  broken  leg  was  at  this 
time  the  town  talk.  Mr.  Badman  has  broke 
his  leg,  says  one.  How  did  he  break  it  ? says 
another.  As  he  came  home  drunk  from  such 
an  alehouse,  said  a third.  A judgment  of  God 
upon  him,  said  a fourth.  Thus  his  sin,  his 
shame,  and  punishment  are  all  made  conspic- 
uous to  all  that  are  about  him.  I will  here 
tell  you  another  story  or  two. 

I have  read  in  Mr.  Clark’s  “ Looking-glass 
for  Sinners  ” that  upon  a time  a certain  drunken 
fellow  boasted  in  his  cups  that  there  was  neither 
heaven  nor  hell ; also  he  said  he  believed  that 
man  had  no  soul,  and  that,  for  his  own  part, 
lie  would  sell  his  soul  to  any  that  would  buy 
it.  Then  did  one  of  his  companions  buy  it  of 
him  for  a cup  of  wine,  and  presently  the  devil 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADMAN. 


541 


in  man’s  shape  bought  it  of  that  man  again  at 
the  same  price  ; and  so  in  the  presence  of  them 
all  laid  hold  on  the  soul-seller  and  carried  him 
away  through  the  air,  so  that  he  was  never 
more  heard  of. 

He  tells  us  also  that  there  was  one  at  Salis- 
bury in  the  midst  of  his  health,  drinking  and 
carousing  in  a tavern  ; and  he  drank  a health 
to  the  devil,  saying  that  if  the  devil  would  not 
come  and  pledge  him  he  would  not  believe 
that  there  was  either  God  or  devil.  Where- 
upon his  companions,  stricken  with  fear,  has- 
tened out  of  the  room  ; and  presently  after, 
hearing  a hideous  noise  and  smelling  a stinking 
savour,  the  vintner  ran  up  into  lus  chamber, 
and  coming  in  he  missed  his  guest,  and  found 
the  window  broken,  the  iron  bar  in  it  bowed 
and  all  bloody,  but  the  man  was  never  heard 
of  afterwards. 

Again,  he  tells  us  of  a bailiff  of  Headley, 
who  upon  a Lord’s  day,  being  drunk  at  Mcl- 
ford,  got  upon  his  horse  to  ride  through  the 
streets,  saying  that  his  horse  would  carry  him 
to  the  devil.  And  presently  his  horse  threw 
him  and  broke  his  neck.  These  things  are 
worse  than  the  breaking  of  Mr.  Badman’s  leg, 
and  should  be  a caution  to  all  of  his  friends 
that  are  living,  lest  they  also  fall  by  their  sin 
into  these  sad  judgments  of  God. 

But,  as  I said,  Mr.  Badman  quickly  forgot 
all ; his  conscience  was  choked  before  his  leg 
was  healed.  And  therefore,  before  he  was 
well  of  the  fruit  of  one  sin,  he  tempts  God  to 
send  another  judgment  to  seize  upon  him;  and 
so  he  did  quickly  after.  For  not  many  months 
after  his  leg  was  well  he  had  a very  dangerous 
fit  of  sickness,  insomuch  that  now  he  began  to 
think  that  he  must  die  in  very  deed. 

Attentive.  Well,  and  what  did  he  think  and 
do  then? 

Wiseman.  He  thought  he  must  go  to  hell ; 
this  I know,  for  he  could  not  forbear  but  say 
so.  To  my  best  remembrance  he  lay  crying 
out  all  one  night  for  fear,  and  at  times  he  would 
so  tremble  that  he  would  make  the  very  bed 
shake  under  him.  But  oh  how  the  thoughts 
of  death,  of  hell-fire,  and  of  eternal  judgment 
did  then  rack  his  conscience!  Fear  might  be 
seen  in  his  face  and  in  his  tossings  to  and  fro ; 
it  might  also  be  heard  in  his  words  and  be  un- 
derstood by  his  heavy  groans. 

He  would  often  cry,  I am  undone,  I am  un- 
done ! my  vile  life  has  undone  me ! 

Attentive.  Then  his  former  atheistical  thoughts 
and  principles  were  too  weak  now  to  support 
. him  from  the  fears  of  eternal  damnation  ? 


Wiseman.  Ay,  they  were  too  weak  indeed. 
They  may  serve  to  stifle  conscience  when  a 
man  is  in  the  midst  of  his  prosperity,  and  to 
harden  the  heart  against  all  good  counsel  when 
a man  is  left  of  God  and  given  up  to  his  repro- 
bate mind.  But,  alas!  atheistical  thoughts, 
notions,  and  opinions  must  shrink  and  melt 
away  when  God  sends,  yea,  comes  with  sick- 
ness to  visit  the  soul  of  such  a sinner  for  his 
sin.  There  was  a man  dwelt  about  ten  miles 
off  from  us  that  had  so  trained  up  himself  in 
his  atheistical  notions  that  at  last  he  attempted 
to  write  a book  against  Jesus  Christ  and 
against  the  divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures. 
(But  I think  it  was  not  printed.)  Well,  after 
many  days  God  struck  him  with  sickness, 
whereof  he  died.  So  being  sick,  and  musing 
upon  his  former  doings,  the  book  that  he  had 
written  came  into  his  mind,  and  with  it  such  a 
sense  of  his  evil  in  writing  of  it  that  it  tore  his 
conscience  as  a lion  would  tear  a kid.  He  lay 
therefore  upon  his  deathbed  in^ad  case  and 
much  affliction  of  conscience ; some  of  my 
friends  also  went  to  see  him,  and  as  they  were 
in  his  chamber  one  day  he  hastily  called  for  a 
pen,  ink,  and  paper,  which  when  it  was  given 
him  lie  took  it  and  writ  to  this  purpose:  I,  such 
a one,  in  such  a town,  must  go  to  hell-fire  for 
writing  a book  against  Jesus  Christ  and  against 
the  holy  Scriptures.  And  would  also  have 
leaped  out  of  the  window  of  his  house  to  have 
killed  himself,  but  was  by  them  prevented  of 
that ; so  he  died  in  his  bed,  such  a death  as  it 
was.  It  will  be  well  if  others  take  warning 
by  him. 

Attentive.  This  is  a remarkable  story. 

Wiseman.  It  is  as  true  as  remarkable ; I had 
it  from  them  that  I dare  believe,  who  also 
themselves  were  eye  and  ear  witnesses,  and 
also  that  catched  him  in  their  arms  and  saved 
him  when  he  would  have  leaped  out  of  his 
chamber  window  to  have  destroyed  himself. 

Attentive.  Well,  you  have  told  me  what  were 
Mr.  Badman’s  thoughts,  now  being  sick,  of  his 
condition ; pray  tell  me  also  what  he  then  did 
when  he  was  sick. 

Wiseman.  Did ! He  did  many  things  which 
I am  sure  he  never  thought  to  have  done,  and 
which,  to  be  sure,  were  not  looked  for  of  his 
wife  and  children. 

In  this  fit  of  sickness  his  thoughts  were  quite 
altered  about  his  wife  ; I say  his  thoughts,  so 
far  as  could  be  judged  by  his  words  and  ear- 
. riages  to  her.  For  she  was  his  good  wife,  his 
! godly  wife,  his  honest  wife,  his  duck  and  dear, 

! and  all.  Now  he  told  her  that  she  had  the 


542 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


best  of  it,  she  having  a good  life  to  stand  by 
her,  while  his  debaucheries  and  ungodly  life 
did  always  stare  him  in  the  face.  Now  he 
told  her  the  counsel  that  she  often  gave  him 
was  good,  though  he  was  so  bad  as  not  to  take 
it. 

Now  he  would  hear  her  talk  to  him,  and  he 
would  lie  sighing  by  her  while  she  so  did. 
Now  he  would  bid  her  pray  for  him  that  he 
might  be  delivered  from  hell. 

He  would  also  now  consent  that  some  of  her 
good  ministers  might  come  to  him  to  comfort 
him ; and  he  would  seem  to  show  them  kind- 
ness when  they  came,  for  he  would  treat  them 
kindly  with  words  and  hearken  diligently  to 
what  they  said,  only  he  did  not  care  that  they 
should  talk  much  of  his  ill-spent  life,  because 
his  conscience  was  clogged  with  that  already  ; 
he  cared  not  now  to  see  his  old  companions, 
the  thoughts  of  them  were  a torment  to  him ; 
and  he  could  speak  kindly  to  that  child  of  his 
that  took  after  its  mother’s  steps,  though  he 
could  not  at  all  abide  it  before. 

He  also  desired  the  prayers  of  good  people 
that  God  of  his  mercy  would  spare  him  a little 
longer,  promising  that  if  God  would  but  let 
him  recover  this  once  what  a new,  what  a pen- 
itent man  he  would  be  towards  God,  and  what 
a loving  husband  he  would  be  to  his  wife; 
what  liberty  he  would  give  her;  yea,  Iioav  he 
would  go  with  her  himself  to  hear  her  minis- 
ters, and  how  they  should  go  hand  in  hand  the 
way  to  heaven  together. 

Attentive.  Here  was  a fine  show  of  things'; 
I’ll  warrant  you  his  wife  was  glad  for  this. 

Wiseman.  His  wife ! Ay,  and  a good  many 
people  besides ; it  was  noised  all  over  the  town 
what  a great  change  there  was  wrought  upon 
Mr.  Badman ; how  sorry  he  was  for  bis  sins, 
how  he  began  to  love  his  wife,  how  he  desired 
good  men  should  pray  to  God  to  spare  him, 
and  what  promises  he  now  made  to  God  in  his 
sickness  that  if  ever  he  should  raise  him  from 
his  sickbed  to  health  again,  what  a new,  pen- 
itent man  he  would  be  towards  God,  and  what 
a loving  husband  to  his  good  wife. 

Well,  ministers  prayed  and  good  people  re- 
joiced, thinking  verily  that  they  now  had  got- 
ten a man  from  the  devil ; nay,  some  of  the 
weaker  sort  did  not  stick  to  say  that  God  had 
begun  a work  of  grace  in  his  heart ; and  his 
wife,  poor  woman  ! you  cannot  think  how  apt 
she  was  to  believe  it  so;  she  rejoiced  and  she 
hoped  as  she  would  have  it.  But  alas ! alas  !• 
in  little  time  things  all  proved  otherwise. 

After  he  had  kept  his  bed  awhile  his  distem- 


per began  to  abate  and  he  to  feel  himself  bet 
ter ; so  he  in  a little  time  was  so  finely  mended 
that  he  could  walk  about  the  house,  and  also 
obtained  a very  fine  stomach  to  his  food;  and 
now  did  his  wife  and  her  good  friends  stand 
gaping  to  see  Mr.  Badman  fulfil  his  promise 
of  becoming  new  towards  God  and  loving  to 
his  wife;  but  the  contrary  only  showed  itself. 
For  as  soon  as  ever  he  had  hopes  of  mending, 
and  found  that  his  strength  began  to  renew, 
his  trouble  began  to  go  off  his  heart,  and  he 
grew  as  great  a stranger  to  his  frights  and  fears 
as  if  he  had  never  had  them. 

But  verily  I am  apt  to  think  that  one  reason 
of  his  no  more  regarding  or  remembering  of 
his  sickbed  fears,  and  of  being  no  better  for 
them,  was  some  words  that  the  doctor  that 
supplied  him  with  physic  said  to  him  when  he 
was  mending.  For  as  soon  as  Mr.  Badman 
began  to  mend  the  doctor  comes  and  sits  him 
down  by  him  in  his  house,  and  there  fell  into 
discourse  with  him  about,  the  nature  of  his  dis- 
ease; and  among  other  things  they  talked  of 
Mr.  Badman’s  trouble,  and  how  he  would  cry 
out,  tremble,  and  express  his  fears  of  going  to 
hell  when  his  sickness  lay  pretty  hard  upon 
him.  To  which  the  doctor  replied  that  those 
fears  and  outcries  did  arise  from  the  height  of 
his  distemper,  for  that  disease  was  often  at- 
tended with  lightness  of  the  head,  by  reason 
the  sick  party  could  not  sleep  and  for  that  the 
vapours  disturbed  tjie  brain.  But  you  see,  sir, 
quoth  he,  that  so  soon  as  you  got  asleep  and 
betook  yourself  to  rest,  you  quickly  mended 
and  your  head  settled,  and  so  those  frenzies 
left  you. 

And  was  it  so  indeed?  thought  Mr.  Bad- 
man ; were  my  troubles  only  the  effect  of  my 
distemper  and  because  ill  vapours  got  up  into 
my  brain?  Then  surely,  since  my  physician 
was  my  saviour,  my  lusts  again  shall  be  my 
god.  So  he  never  minded  religion  more,  but 
betook  himself  again  to  the  world,  his  lusts, 
and  wicked  companions ; and  there  was  an  end 
of  Mr.  Badman’s  conversion. 

Attentive.  I thought,  as  you  told  me  of  him, 
that  this  would  be  the  result  of  the  whole;  for 
I discerned  by  your  relating  of  things  that  the 
true  symptoms  of  conversion  were  wanting  in 
him,  and  that  those  that  appeared  to  be  any 
thing  like  them  were  only  such  as  the  repro- 
bate may  have. 

Wiseman.  You  say  right,  for  there  wanted  in 
him,  when  he  was  most  sensible,  a sense  of  the 
pollution  of  his  nature ; he  only  had  guilt  for 
his  sinful  actions,  the  which  Cain,  and  Pha- 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BAD  MAN. 


543 


raoh,  and  Saul,  and  Judas,  those  reprobates, 
have  had  before  him. 

Besides,  the  great  things  that  he  desired 
were  to  be  delivered  from  going  to  hell,  (and 
who  would  willingly?)  and  that  his  life  might 
be  lengthened  in  this  world.  We  find  not  by 
all  that  he  said  or  did  that  Jesus  Christ  the 
Saviour  was  desired  by  him,  from  a sense  of 
his  need  of  his  righteousness  to  clothe  him, 
and  of  his  Spirit  to  sanctify  him. 

His  own  strength  was  whole  in  him ; he  saw 
nothing  of  the  treachery  of  his  own  heart,  for 
had  he,  he  would  never  have  been  so  free  to 
make  promises  to  God  of  amendment.  He 
would  rather  have  been  afraid  that  if  he  had 
mended  he  should  have  turned  with  the  dog 
to  his  vomit,  and  have  begged  prayers  of  saints 
and  assistance  from  heaven  upon  that  account, 
that  he  might  have  been  kept  from  doing  so. 
It  is  true  he  did  beg  prayers  of  good  people, 
and  so  did  Pharoah  of  Moses  and  Aaron,  aud 
Simon  Magus  of  Simon  Peter. 

His  mind  also  seemed  to  be  turned  to  his 
wife  and  child ; but,  alas ! it  was  rather  from 
conviction  that  God  had  given  him  concerning 
their  happy  state  over  his  than  for  that  lie  had 
any  true  love  to  the  work  of  God  that  was  in 
them.  True,  some  shows  of  kindness  he 
seemed  to  have  for  them,  and  so  had  rich 
Dives  when  he  was  in  hell  to  his  five  brethren 
that  were  yet  in  the  world ; yea,  he  had  such 
love  as  to  wish  them  in  heaven,  that  they 
might  not  come  thither  to  be  tormented. 

Attentive.  Sickbed  repentance  is  seldom  good 
for  any  thing. 

Wiseman.  You  say  true;  it  is  very  rarely 
good  for  any  thing  indeed.  Death  is  unwel- 
come to  nature;  and  usually  when  sickness 
and  death  visit  the  sinner,  the  first  taking  of 
him  by  the  shoulder,  and  the  second  standing 
at  the  bed-chamber  door  to  receive  him,  then 
the  sinner  begins  to  look  about  him  and  to  be- 
think with  himself,  These  will  have  me  away 
before  God;  and  I know  that  my  life  has  not 
been  as  it  should ; how  shall  I do  to  appear  be- 
fore God?  Or,  if  it  be  more,  the  sense  of  the 
punishment  of  sinners  that  also  is  startling  to 
a defiled  conscience,  now  roused  by  Death’s 
lumbering  at  the  door. 

And  hence  usually  is  sickbed  repentance, 
and  the  matter  of  it — to  wit,  to  be  saved  from 
hell  and  from  death,  and  that  God  will  restore 
them  again  to  health  till  they  mend,  conclud- 
ing that  it  is  in  their  power  to  mend,  as  is  evi- 
dent from  their  large  and  lavishing  promises 
to  do  it. 


I have  known  many  that  when  they  have 
been  sick  have  had  large  measures  of  this  kind 
of  repentance,  and  while  it  has  lasted  the  noise 
and  the  sound  thereof  has  made  the  town  to 
ring  again.  But,  alas ! how  long  has  it  lasted  ? 
Ofttimes  scarce  so  long  as  the  party  now  sick 
has  been  well.  It  has  passed  away  like  a mist 
or  a vapour,  it  has  been  a thing  of  no  contin- 
uance. But  this  kind  of  repentance  is  by  God 
compared  to  the  howling  of  a dog : “ And  they 
have  not  cried  unto  me  with  their  heart  when 
they  howled  upon  their  beds.” 

Attentive.  Yet  one  may  see  by  this  the  des- 
perateness of  man’s  heart ; for  what  is  it  but 
desperate  wickedness  to  make  promise  to  God 
of  amendment  if  he  will  but  spare  them,  and 
yet  so  soon  as  they  are  recovered,  or  quickly 
after,  fall  to  sin  as  they  did  before,  and  never 
to  regard  their  promise  more? 

Wiseman.  It  is  a sign  of  desperateness  in- 
deed, yea,  of  desperate  madness;  for  surely 
they  must  needs  think  that  God  took  notice 
of  their  promise,  that  he  heard  the  words  that 
they  spake,  and  that  he  hath  laid  them  up 
against  the  time  to  come,  and  will  then  bring 
out  and  testify  to  their  faces  that  they  flattered 
him  with  their  mouth  and  lied  unto  him  with 
their  tongue  when  they  lay  sick,  to  their  think- 
ing, upon  their  deathbed,  and  promised  him 
that  if  he  would  recover  them  they  would  re- 
pent and  amend  their  ways.  But  thus,  as  I 
have  told  you,  Mr.  Badman  did.  He  made 
great  promises  that  he  would  be  a new  man, 
that  he  would  leave  his  sins  and  become  a 
convert,  that  he  would  love,  &c.,  his  godly 
wife,  &c.  Yea,  many  fine  words  had  Mr.  Bad- 
man in  his  sickness,  but  no  good  actions  when 
he  was  well. 

Attentive.  And  how  did  his  good  “wife  take 
it  when  she  saw  that  he  had  no  amendment, 
but  that  he  returned  with  the  dog  to  his  vomit, 
to  his  old  courses  again  ? 

Wiseman.  Why,  it  broke  her  heart ; it  was  a 
worse  disappointment  to  her  than  the  cheat 
that  he  gave  her  in  marriage ; at  least  she  laid 
it  more  to  heart,  and  could  not  so  well  grap- 
ple with  it.  You  must  think  that  she  had 
put  up  many  a prayer  to  God  for  him  before, 
even  all  the  time  that  he  had  carried  it  so 
badly  to  her ; and  now,  when  he  was  so  af- 
frighted in  his  sickness,  and  so  desired  that  he 
might  live  and  mend,  poor  woman ! she 
thought  that  the  time  was  come  for  God  to 
answer  her  prayers;  nay, she  did  not  let  with 
gladness  to  whisper  it  out  amongst  her  friends 
that  it  was  so ; but  when  she  saw  herself  dis- 


544 


SUNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


appointed  by  lier  husband  turning  rebel  again, 
she  could  not  stand  up  under  it,  but  falls  into 
a languishing  distemper,  and  in  a few  weeks 
gave  up  the  ghost. 

Attentive.  Pray  how  did  she  die? 

Wiseman.  Die!  She  died  bravely,  full  of 
comfort  of  the  faith  of  her  interest  in  Christ, 
and  by  him  of  the  world  to  come.  She  had 
many  brave  expressions  in  her  sickness,  and 
gave  to  those  that  came  to  visit  her  many  signs 
of  her  salvation.  The  thoughts  of  the  grave, 
but  especially  of  her  rising  again,  were  sweet 
thoughts  to  her.  She  would  long  for  death, 
because  she  knew  it  would  be  her  friend.  She 
delivered  herself  like  to  some  that  were  mak- 
ing ready  to  go  to  meet  their  bridegroom. 
Now,  said  she,  I am  going  to  rest  from  my 
sorrows,  my  tears,  my  mournings  and  com- 
plaints ; I have  heretofore  longed  to  be  among 
the  saints,  but  might  by  no  means  be  suffered 
to  go;  but  now  I am  going  (and  no  man  can 
stop  me)  to  the  great  meeting.  “ to  the  gen- 
eral assembly  and  Church  of  the  first-born 
which  are  written  in  heaven.”  There  I shall 
have  my  heart’s  desire;  there  I shall  worship 
without  temptation  or  other  impediment ; there 
I shall  see  the  face  of  my  Jesus,  whom  I have 
loved,  whom  I have  served,  and  who  now,  I 
know,  will  save  my  soul.  I have  prayed  often 
for  my  husband  that  he  might  be  converted, 
but  there  has  been  no  answer  to  God  in  that 
matter.  Are  my  prayers  lost?  are  they  for- 
gotten? are  they  thrown  over  the  bar?  No; 
they  are  hanged  upon  the  horns  of  the  golden 
altar,  and  I must  have  the  benefit  of  them  my- 
self that  moment  that  I shall  enter  into  the 
gates,  in  at  which  the  righteous  nation  that 
keepeth  truth  shall  enter ; I say  I shall  have 
the  benefit  of  them.  I can  say  as  holy  David ; 
I say  I can  say  of  my  husband  as  he  could  of 
his  enemies:  “As  for  me,  when  they  were 
sick  my  clothing  was  of  sackcloth  ; I humbled 
my  soul  with  fasting,  and  my  prayer  returned 
into  my  bosom.”  My  prayers  are  not  lost ; my 
tears  are  yet  in  God’s  bottle ; I would  have 
had  a crown  and  glory  for  my  husband,  and 
for  those  of  my  children  that  follow  his  steps, 
but,  so  far  as  I can  see  yet,  I must  rest  in  the 
hope  of  having  all  myself. 

Attentive.  Did  she  talk  thus  openly  ? 

Wiseman.  No;  this  she  spake  but  to  one  or 
two  of  her  most  intimate  acquaintance,  who 
were  permitted  to  come  and  see  her  when  she 
lay  languishing  upon  her  deathbed. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  pray  go  on  in  your  rela- 
tion. This  is  good  ; I am  glad  to  hear  it ; this 


is  a cordial  to  my  heart  while  we  sit  thus  talk- 
ing under  this  tree. 

Wiseman.  When  she  drew  near  her  end  she 
called  for  her  husband,  and  when  he  was  come 
to  her  she  told  him  that  now  he  and  she  must 
part;  and  said  she,  God  knows,  and  thou  slialt 
know,  that  I have  been  a loving,  faithful  wife 
unto  thee;  my  prayers"  have  been  many  for 
thee ; and  as  for  all  the  abuses  that  I have  re- 
ceived at  thy  hand,  those  I freely  and  heartily 
forgive,  and  still  shall  pray  for  thy  conversion, 
even  as  long  as  I breathe  in  this  world.  But, 
husband,  I am  going  thither  where  no  bad 
man  shall  come ; and  if  thou  dost  not  repent 
and  reform  thou  wilt  never  see  me  more  with 
comfort.  Let  not  my  plain  words  offend  thee ; 
I am  thy  dying  wife,  and  of  my  faithfulness 
to  thee  would  leave  this  exhortation  with  thee: 
Break  off  thy  sins,  fly  to  God  for  mercy  while 
mercy’s  gate  stands  open ; remember  that  the 
day  is  coming  when  thou,  though  now  lusty 
and  well,  must  lie  at  the  gates  of  death  as  I do ; 
and  what  wilt  thou  then  do  if  thou  shaft  be 
found  with  a naked  soul  to  meet  with  the 
cherubims  with  their  flaming  swords?  Yea, 
what  wilt  thou  then  do  if  death  and  hell  shall 
come  to  visit  thee,  and  thou  in  thy  sins  and 
under  the  curse  of  the  law  ? 

Attentive.  This  was  honest  and  plain.  But 
what  said  Mr.  Badman  to  her  ? 

Wiseman.  He  did  what  he  coirld  to  divert 
her  talk  by  throwing  in  other  things ; he  also 
showed  some  kind  of  pity  to  her  now,  and 
would  ask  her  what  she  would  have,  and  with 
various  kinds  of  words  put  her  out  of  her 
talk;  for  when  she  saw  that  she  was  not  re- 
garded she  fetched  a deep  sigh  and  lay  still. 
So  he  went  down,  and  then  she  called  for  her 
children  and  began  to  talk  to  them.  And  first 
she  spake  to  those  that  were  rude,  and  told 
them  the  danger  of  dying  before  they  had 
grace  in  their  hearts.  She  told  them  also  that 
death  might  be  nearer  than  they  were  aware 
of,  and  bid  them  look  when  they  went  through 
the  churchyard  again  if  there  were  not  little 
graves  there.  And  ah ! children,  said  she, 
will  it  not  be  dreadful  to  you  if  we  only  shall 
meet  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  then  part 
again  and  never  see  each  other  more?  And 
with  that  she  wept;  the  children  also  wept. 
So  she  held  on  her  discourse.  Children,  said 
she,  I am  going  from  you ; I am  going  to  Jesus 
Christ,  and  with  him  there  is  neither  sorrow, 
nor  sighing,  nor  pain,  nor  tears,  nor  death. 
Thither  would  I have  you  go  also,  but  I can 
neither  carry  you  nor  fetch  you  thither ; but  if 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADM  AN. 


545 


you  shall  turn  from  your  sins  to  God,  and  shall 
beg  mercy  at  his  hands  by  Jesus  Christ,  you 
shall  follow  me,  and  shall,  when  you  die,  come 
to  the  place  where  I am  going,  that  blessed 
place  of  rest ; and  then  we  shall  be  for  ever  to- 
gether, beholding  the  face  of  our  Redeemer,  to 
our  mutual  and  eternal  joy.  So  she  bid  them 
remember  the  words  of  a dying  mother  when 
she  was  cold  in  Uie  grave  and  themselves  were 
hot  in  their  sins,  if  perhaps  her  words  might 
put  a check  to  their  vice  and  that  they  might 
remember  and  turn  to  God. 

Then  they  all  went  down  but  her  darling — 
to  wit,  the  child  that  she  had  most  love  for, 
because  it  followed  her  tfays.  So  she  addressed 
herself  to  that.  Come  to  me,  said  she,  my 
sweet  child,  thou  art  the  child  of  my  joy;  I 
have  lived  to  see  thee  a servant  of  God ; thou 
shalt  have  eternal  life.  I,  my  sweetheart,  shall 
go  before  and  thou  shalt  follow'  after,  if  thou 
shalt  hold  the  beginning  of  thy  confidence 
steadfast  to  the  end.  When  I am  gone  do  thou 
still  remember  my  words ; love  thy  Bible,  fol- 
low my  ministers,  deny  ungodliness,  and  if 
troublesome  times  shall  come  set  an  higher 
price  upon  Christ,  his  word  and  ways,  and  the 
testimony  of  a good  conscience,  than  upon  all 
the  world  besides.  Carry  it  kindly  and  duti- 
fully to  thy  father,  but  choose  none  of  his 
ways.  If  thou  mayest  go  to  service,  choose 
that  rather  than  stay  at  home;  but  then  be 
sure  to  choose  a service  where  thou  mayest  be 
helped  forwards  in  the  way  to  heaven ; and 
that  thou  mayest  have  such  a service  speak  to 
my  minister ; he  will  help  thee,  if  possible,  to 
such  an  one. 

I would  have  thee  also,  my  dear  child,  to 
love  thy  brothers  and  sisters,  but  learn  none 
of  their  naughty  tricks : “ Have  no  fellowship 
with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  but 
rather  reprove  them.”  Thou  hast  grace,  they 
hav,e  none;  do  thou  therefore  beautify  the 
way  of  salvation  before  their  eyes  by  a godly 
life  and  comfortable  conversation  to  the  re- 
vealed will  of  God,  that  thy  brothers  and  sisters 
may  see  and  be  the  more  pleased  with  the  good 
ways  of  the  Lord. 

If  thou  shalt  live  to  marry,  take  heed  of 
being  served  as  I wras — that  is,  of  being  beguil- 
ed with  fair  words  and  the  flatteries  of  a lying- 
tongue.  But  first  be  sure  of  godliness,  yea,  as 
sure  as  it  is  possible  for  one  to  be  in  this  world ; 
trust  not  thine  own  eyes  nor  thine  own  judg- 
ment; I mean  as  to  that  person’s  godliness 
that  thou  art  invited  to  marry.  Ask  counsel 
of  good  men,  and  do  nothing  therein,  if  he 
35 


lives,  without  my  minister’s  advice.  I have 
also  myself  desired  him  to  look  after  thee. 
Thus  she  talked  to  her  children  and  gave  them 
counsel ; and  after  she  had  talked  to  this  a 
little  longer  she  kissed  it  and  bid  it  go  down. 

Well,  in  short,  her  time  drew  on  and  the  day 
that  she  must  die.  So  she  died  with  a soul 
full  of  grace,  an  heart  full  of  comfort,  and  by 
her  death  ended  a life  full  of  trouble.  Her 
husband  made  a funeral  for  her,  perhaps  be- 
cause he  was  glad  he  was  rid  of  her ; but  we 
will  leave  that  to  be  manifest  at  judgment. 

Attentive.  This  woman  died  well.  And  now, 
we  are  talking  of  the  dying  of  Christians,  I 
will  tell  you  a story  of  one  that  died  some 
time  since  in  our  town.  The  man  was  a godly 
old  Puritan,  for  so  the  godly  were  called-  in 
time  past.  This  man,  after  a long  and  godly 
life,  fell  sick  of  the  sickness  whereof  he  died. 
And  as  he  lay  drawing  on,  the  woman  that 
looked  to  him  thought  she  heard  music,  and 
that  the  sweetest  that  she  ever  heard  in  her 
life,  which  continued  until  he  gave  up  the 
ghost.  J3ST  Now  when  his  soul  departed  from 
him  the  music  seemed  to  withdraw  and  go 
farther  and  farther  off  from  the  house,  and  so 
it  went  until  the  sound  was  quite  gone  out  of 
hearing. 

Wiseman.  What  do  you  think  that  might  be? 

Attentive.  For  aught  I know  the  melodious 
notes  of  angels  that  were  sent  of  God  to  fetch 
him  to  heaven. 

Wiseman.  I cannot  say  but  that  God  goes 
out  of  his  ordinary  road  with  us  poor  mortals 
sometimes.  I cannot  say  this  of  this  woman, 
but  yet  she  had  better  music  in  her  heart  than 
sounded  in  this  woman’s  ears. 

Attentive.  I believe  so;  but  pray  tell  me,  did 
any  of  her  other  children  hearken-  to  her 
words,  so  as  to  be  bettered  in  their  souls  there- 
by? 

Wiseman.  One  of  them  did,  and  became  a 
very  hopeful  young  man,  but  for  the  rest  I can 
say  nothing. 

Attentive.  And  what  did  Mr.  Badman  do 
after  his  wife  was  dead? 

Wiseman.  Why,  even  as  he  did  before:  he 
scarce  mourned  a fortnight  for  her,  and  his 
mourning  then  was,  I doubt,  more  in  fashion 
than  in  heart. 

Attentive.  Would  he  not  sometimes  talk  of 
his  wife  when  she  was  dead? 

Wiseman.  Yes,  when  the  fit  took  him;  and 
could  commend  her  too,  extremely,  saying  she 
was  a good,  godly,  virtuous  woman.  But  this 
is  not  a thing  to  be  wondered  at ; it  is  common 


546 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


with  wicked  men  to  hate  God’s  servants  while 
alive  and  to  commend  them  when  they  are 
dead.  So  served  the  Pharisees  the  prophets; 
those  of  the  prophets  that  were  dead  they 
commended,  and  those  that  were  alive  they 
condemned. 

Attentive.  But  did  not  Mr.  Badman  marry 
again  quickly? 

Wiseman.  No,  not  for  a good  while  after,  so 
villainous,  so  abominable  did  he  continue  with 
vile  women  for  some  time  after  the  death  of 
his  wife.  Yet  at  last  there  was  one  too  hard 
for  him ; for,  getting  of  him  to  her  upon  a 
time  and  making  of  him  sufficiently  drunk, 
she  was  so  cunning  as  to  get  a promise  of 
marriage  of  him,  and  so  held  him  to  it  and 
forced  him  to  marry  her.  And  she,  as  the 
saying  is,  was  as  good  as  he  at  all  his  vile  and 
ranting  tricks;  she  had  her  companions  as 
well  as  he  had  his,  and  she  would  meet  them 
too  at  the  tavern  and  alehouse  more  commonly 
than  he  was  aware  of.  She  could  fit  him  also 
with  cursing  and  swearing,  for  she  could  give 
him  oath  for  oath  and  curse  for  curse. 

And  their  railing,  and  cursing,  and  swearing 
ended  not  in  words ; they  would  fight  and  fly 
at  each  other,  and  that  like  cats  and  dogs. 
But  it  must  be  looked  upon  as  the  hand  and 
judgment  of  God  upon  him  for  his  villainy; 
he  had  an  honest  woman  before,  but  she  would 
not  serve  his  turn,  and  therefore  God  took  her 
away  and  gave  him  one  as  had  as  himself. 
Thus  that  measure  that  he  meted  to  his  wife 
this  last  did  mete  to  him  again.  And  this  is 
a punishment  wherewith  sometimes  God  will 
punish  wicked  men.  So  said  Amos  to  Ama- 
ziah : “ Thy  wife  shall  be  an  harlot  in  the  city.” 
With  this  last  wife  Mr.  Badman  lived  a pretty 
while,  but,  as  I told  you  before,  in  a most  sad 
and  hellish  manner.  And  now  he  would  be- 
wail his  first  wife’s  death — not  of  love  that  he 
had  to  her  godliness,  for  that  he  could  never 
abide,  but  for  that  she  used  always  to  keep  at 
home,  whereas  this  would  go  abroad;  his  first 
wife  was  also  honest  and  true  to  that  relation, 
but  this  last  was  a vile  woman ; the  first  woman 
loved  to  keep  things  together,  but  this  last 
would  whirl  them  about  as  well  as  he;  the  first 
would  be  silent  when  he  chid,  and  would  take 
it  patiently  when  he  abused  her,  but  this  would 
give  him  word  for  word,  blow  for  blow,  curse 
for  curse;  so  that  now  Mr.  Badman  had  met 
with  his  match.  God  had  a mind  to  make 
him  see  the  baseness  of  his  own  life  in  the 
wickedness  of  his  wife’s.  But  all  would  not 
do  with  Mr.  Badman ; he  would  be  Mr.  Bad- 


man still.  This  judgment  did  not  work  any 
reformation  upon  him,  no,  not  to  God  nor  man. 

Attentive.  Pray  of  what  disease  did  Mr.  Bad- 
man die?  for  now  I perceive  we  are  come  up  to 
his  death. 

Wiseman.  I cannot  so  properly  say  that  ho 
died  of  one  disease,  for  there  were  many  that 
had  consented  and  laid  their  heads  together  to 
bring  him  to  this  end.  He  was  dropsical,  he 
was  consumptive,  he  was  surfeited  and  gouty. 
Yet  the  captain  of  all  these  men  of  death  that 
came  against  him  to  take  him  away  was  the 
consumption,  for  it  was  that  that  brought  him 
down  to  the  grave. 

Attentive.  Although  I will  not  say  but  the 
best  men  may  die  of  a consumption,  a dropsy, 
or  a surfeit,  yea,  that  these  may  meet  upon  a 
man  to  end  him,  yet  I will  say  again  that  many 
times  these  diseases  come  through  a man’s  in- 
ordinate use  of  things.  Much  drinking  brings 
dropsies,  consumptions,  surfeits,  and  many 
other  diseases;  and  I doubt  that  Mr.  Badman’s 
death  did  come  by  this  abuse  of  himself  in 
the  use  of  lawful  or  unlawful  things.  I 
ground  this  my  sentence  upon  that  report  of 
his  life  that  you  at  large  have  given  me. 

Wiseman.  I think  verily  that  you  need  not 
call  back  your  sentence;  for  it  is  thought  that 
by  his  cups  and  his  queans  he  brought  himself 
to  this  his  destruction.  He  was  not  an  old 
man  when  he  died,  nor  was  he  naturally  very 
feeble,  but  strong  and  of  a healthy  complexion ; 
yet,  as  I said,  he  mouldered  away,  and  went, 
when  set  a-going,  rotten  to  his  grave.  And 
that  which  made  him  foul  in  his  name  and 
fame  was,  that  he  died  with  the  spice  of  the 
foul  disease  upon  him — a man  whose  life  was 
full  of  sin,  and  whose  death  was  without  re- 
pentance. 

Attentive.  These  were  blemishes  sufficient  to 
make  him  vile  indeed. 

Wiseman.  They  were  so,  and  they  did  do  it. 
No  man  could  speak  well  of  him  when  he  was 
gone.  His  name  rotted  above  ground  as  Lis 
carcass  rotted  under.  And  this  is  accordirg 
to  the  saying  of  the  wise  man  : “ The  memoiy 
of  the  just  is  blessed,  but  the  name  of  the 
wicked  shall  rot.” 

This  text,  in  both  the  parts  of  it,  was  ful- 
filled upon  him  and  the  woman  that  he  mar- 
ried first;  for  her  name  still  did  flourish, 
though  she  had  been  dead  almost  seventeen 
years,  but  his  began  to  sink  and  rot  before  he 
had  been  buried  seventeen  days. 

Attentive.  That  man  that  dieth  with  a life 
full  of  sin  and  with  an  heart  void  of  repent- 


LIFE  AND  DEATH 

nnce,  although  ho  should  die  of  the  most 
golden  disease,  (if  there  were  any  that  might 
be  so  called,)  I warrant  him  his  name  shall 
be  abhorred,  and  that  in  heaven  and  earth. 

Wiseman.  You  say  true;  and  therefore  is 
tho  name  of  Cain,  Pharaoh,  Saul,  Judas,  and 
the.  Pharisees,  though  dead  thousands  of  years 
ago,  as  offensive  in  the  nostrils  of  the  world  as 
if  they  were  but  just  dead. 

Attentive.  I do  fully  acquiesce  with  you  in 
this.  But,  sir,  since  you  have  charged  him 
with  dying  impenitent,  pray  let  me  see  how 
you  will  prove  it.  Not  that  I altogether  doubt 
it,  because  you  have  affirmed  it,  but  yet  I love 
to  have  a proof  of  what  men  say  in  such 
weighty  matters. 

Wiseman.  When  I said  he  died  without  re- 
pentance, I meant  so  far  as  those  that  knew 
him  could  judge  when  they  compared  his  life, 
the  word,  and  his  death  together. 

Attentive.  Well  said;  they  went  the  right 
way  to  find  out  whether  he  had — that  is,  did 
manifest  that  he  had — repentance  or  no.  Now, 
then,. show  me  how  they  did  prove  he  had 
none. 

Wiseman.  So  I will ; and  first,  this  was 
urged  to  prove  it:  He  had  not  in  all  the 
time  of  his  sickness  a sight  and  sense  of  his 
sins,  but  was  as  secure  and  as  much  at  quiet 
as  if  he  had  never  sinned  in  all  his  life. 

Attentive.  I must  needs  confess  that  this  is 
a sign  he  had  none.  For  how  can  a man  re- 
pent of  that  of  which  he  hath  neither  sight 
nor  sense?  But  it  is  strange  that  he  had 
neither  sight  nor  sense  of  sin  now,  when  he 
had  got  such  a sight  and  sense  of  his  evil 
before ; I mean  when  he  was  sick  before. 

Wiseman.  He  was,  as  I said,  as  secure  now 
as  if  he  had  been  as  sinless  as  an  angel,  though 
all  men  knew  what  a sinner  he  was,  for  he 
carried  his  sins  in  his  forehead.  His  debauched 
life  was  read  and  known  of  all  men,  but  his 
repentance  was  read  and  known  of  no  man, 
for,  as  I said,  he  had  none.  And  for  aught  I 
know  the  reason  why  he  had  no  sense  of  his 
sins  now  was,  because  he  profited  not  by  that 
sense  that  he  had  of  them  before.  He  liked 
not  to  retain  that  knowledge  of  God  then  that 
caused  his  sins  to  come  to  remembrance. 
Therefore  God  gave  him  up  now  to  a repro- 
bate mind,  to  hardness  and  stupidity  of 
spirit ; and  so  was  that  Scripture  fulfilled  upon 
him,  “ He  hath  blinded  their  eyes ;”  and 
that,  “Let  their  eyes  be  darkened  that  they 
may  not  see.”  Oh  for  a man  to  live  in  sin, 
and  to  go  out  of  the  world  without  repentance ! 


OF  MR.  B ADMAN.  547 

for  it  is  the  saddest  judgment  that  can  over- 
take a man. 

Attentive.  But,  sir,  although  both  you  and  1 
have  consented  that  without  a sight  and  sense 
of  sin  there  can  be  no  repentance,  yet  that  is 
but  our  bare  say-so;  let  us  therefore  now  see 
if  by  the  Scripture  we  can  make  it  good. 

Wiseman.  That  is  easily  done.  The  three 
thousand  that  were  converted  (Acts  ii.)  re- 
pented not  until  they  had  sight  and  sense 
of  their  sins ; Paul  repented  not  till  he  had 
sight  and  sense  of  his  sins;  the  jailer  repented  { 
not  till  he  had  sight  and  sense  of  his  sins ; nor 
could  they.  For  of  what  should  a man  re- 
pent? The  answer  is.  Of  sin.  What  is  it  to 
repent  of  sin  ? The  answer  is,  To  be  sorry  for 
it,  to  turn  from  it.  But  how  can  a man  be 
sorry  for  it  that  has  neither  sight  nor  sense  of 
it?  David  did  not  only  commit  sins,  but 
abode  impenitent  for  them  until  Nathan  the 
prophet  was  sent  from  God  to  give  him  a 
sight  and  sense  of  them ; and  then,  and  not 
till  then,  he  indeed  repented  of  them.  Job, 
in  order  to  his  repentance,  cries  unto  God, 
“Show  me  wherefore  thou  contendest  with 
me.”  And  again,  “That  which  I see  not 
teach  thou  me;  I have  borne  chastisement; 

I will  not  offend  any  more ;”  that  is,  not  in 
what  I know,  for  I will  repent  of  it ; nor  yet 
in  what  I know  not  when  thou  shalt  show 
me  it. 

Also  Ephraim’s  repentance  was  after  he 
was  turned  to  the  sight  and  sense  of  his  s;ns, 
and  after  he  was  instructed  about  the  evil  of 
them. 

Attentive.  These  are  good  testimonies  of  this 
truth,  and  do  prove  indeed  (if  matter  of  fact 
with  which  Mr.  Badman  is  charged  be  true,) 
that  he  did  not  repent ; but  as  he  lived,  so  he 
died  in  his  sin,  for  without  repentance  a man 
is  sure  to  die  in  his  sin ; for  they  will  lie 
down  in  the  dust  with  him,  rise  at  the  judg- 
ment with  him,  hang  about  his  neck  like 
cords  and  chains  when  he  standeth  at  the  bar 
of  God’s  tribunal,  and  go  with  him  too  when 
he  goes  away  from  the  judgment-seat,  with  a 
“ Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting 
fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels;” 
and  there  shall  fret  and  gnaw  his  conscience, 
because  they  will  be  to  him  a never-dying 
worm. 

Wiseman.  You  say  well ; and  I will  add  a 
word  or  two  more  to  what  I have  said.  Re- 
pentance, as  it  is  not  produced  without  a sight 
and  sense  of  sin,  so  every  sight  and  sense  of 
sin  cannot  produce  it;  I mean  every  sight 


548 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  sense  of  sin  cannot  produce  that  repent- 
ance— that  is,  repentance  unto  salvation — re- 
pentance never  to  be  repented  of.  For  it  is 
yet  fresh  before  us  that  Mr.  Badman  had  a 
sight  and  sense  of  sin  in  that  lit  of  sickness 
that  he  had  before,  but  it  died  without  procur- 
ing any  such  godly  fruit,  as  was  manifest  by 
his  so  soon  returning  with  the  dog  to  his 
vomit.  Many  people  think  also  that  repent- 
ance stands  in  confession  of  sin  only,  but  they 
are  very  much  mistaken ; for  repentance,  as 
was  said  before,  is  a being  sorry  for  and  re- 
turning from  transgression  to  God  by  Jesus 
Christ.  Now,  if  this  be  true,  that  every  sight 
and  sense  of  sin  will  not  produce  repentance, 
then  repentance  cannot  be  produced  there 
where  there  is  no  sight  and  sense  of  sin. 
That  every  sight  and  sense  of  sin  will  not 
produce  repentance — to  wit,  the  godly  re- 
pentance that  we  are  speaking  of — is  manifest 
in  Cain,  Pharaoh,  Saul,  and  Judas,  who  all 
of  them  had  great  sense  of  sin,  but  none  of 
them  repentance  unto  life. 

Now  I do  conclude  that  Mr.  Badman  did  die 
impenitent,  and  so  a death  most  miserable. 

Attentive.  But  pray  now,  before  we  conclude 
our  discourse  of  Mr.  Badman,  give  me  another 
proof  of  his  dying  in  his  sins. 

Wiseman.  Another  proof  is  this : he  did  not 
desire  a sight  and  sense  of  his  -sins,  that  lie 
might  have  repentance  for  them.  Did  I say 
he  did  not  desire  it?  I will  add,  he  greatly 
desired  to  remain  in  his  security ; and  that  I 
shall  prove  by  what  follows:  First,  he  could 
not  endure  that  any  man  now  should  talk  to 
him  of  his  sinful  life,  and  yet  that  was  the  way 
to  beget  a sight  and  sense  of  sin,  and  so  of  re- 
pentance from  it,  in  his  soul;  but  I say  he 
could  not  endure  such  discourse.  Those  men 
that  did  offer  to  talk  unto  him  of  his  ill-spent 
life,  they  were  as  little  welcome  to  him  in  the 
time  of  his  last  sickness  as  was  Elijah  when 
he  went  to  meet  with  Ahab  as  he  went  down  to 
take  possession  of  Naboth’s  vineyard.  “Hast 
thou  found  me,”  said  Ahab,  “ 0 mine  enemy  ?” 
So  would  Mr.  Badman  say  in  his  heart  too, 
and  of  those  that  thus  did  come  to  him,  though 
indeed  they  came  even  of  love  to  convince 
him  of  his  evil  life,  that  he  might  have  repent- 
ance thereof  and  have  obtained  mercy. 

Attentive.  Did  good  men  then  go  to  see  him 
in  his  last  sickness? 

Wiseman.  Yes ; those  that  were  his  first 
wife’s  acquaintance,  they  went  to  see  him,  and 
to  talk  with  him  and  to  pray  with  him,  if 


perhaps  he  might  now,  at  last,  bethink  him- 
self and  cry  to  God  for  mercy. 

Attentive.  They  did  well  to  try  now  at  last  if 
they  could  save  his  soul  from  hell ; but  pray 
how  can  you  tell  that  he  did  not  care  for  the 
company  of  such? 

Wiseman.  Because  of  the  differing  carriage 
that  he  had  towards  them  from  what  be  had 
when  his  old  carnal  companions  came  to  see 
him;  when  his  old  companions  came  to  see  him 
he  would  stir  up  himself  as  much  as  he  could, 
both  by  words  and  looks,  to  signify  they  were 
welcome  to  him ; he  would  also  talk  with  them 
freely,  and  look  pleasantly  upon  them,  though 
the  talk  of  such  could  be  none  other  but  such 
as  David  said  carnal  men  would  offer  to  him 
when  they  came  to  visit  him  in  his  sickness : 
“If  he  comes  to  see  me,”  says  be,  “he  speak- 
eth  vanity,  his  heart  gathereth  iniquity  to  it- 
self.” But  these  kinds  of  talks,  I say,  Mr.  Bad- 
man better  brooked  than  he  did  the  company 
of  better  men. 

But  I will  more  particularly  give  you  a cha- 
racter of  his  carriage  to  good  men  and  good 
talk  when  they  came  to  see  him : 

1.  When  they  were  come  he  would  seem  to 
fail  in  his  spirits  at  the  sight  of  them. 

2.  He  would  not  care  to  answer  them  to  any 
of  those  questions  that  they  would  at  times  put 
to  him  to  feel  what  sense  he  had  of  sin,  death, 
hell,  and  judgment,  but  would  either  say  noth- 
ing or  answer  them  by  way  of  evasion,  or  else 
be  telling  of  them  he  was  so  weak  and  spent 
that  he  could  not  speak  much. 

3.  He  would  never  show  forwardness  to  speak 
or  to  talk  with  them,  but  was  glad  when  they 
held  their  tongues.  He  would  ask  them  no 
questions  about  his  state  and  another  world,  or 
how  he  should  escape  that  damnation  that  he 
had  deserved. 

4.  He  had  got  a haunt  at  last  to  bid  his  wife 
and  keeper,  when  these  good  people  attempted 
to  come  and  see  him,  to  tell  them  that  he  was 
asleep  or  inclining  to  sleep,  or  so  weak  for  want 
thereof  that  he  could  not  abide  any  noise. 
And  so  they  would  serve  them,  time  after  time, 
till  at  last  they  were  discouraged  from  coming 
to  see  him  any  more. 

5.  He  was  so  hardened  now,  in  this  time  of 
his  sickness,  that  he  would  talk,  when  his  com- 
panions came  unto  him,  to  the  disparagement 
of  those  good  men  (and  of  their  good  doctrine 
too)  that  of  love  did  come  to  see  him  and  that 
did  labour  to  convert  him. 

6.  When  these  good  men  went  away  from 


LIFE  A ED  DEATH  OF  MR.  It  A DM  AN. 


549 


him  he  would  never  say,  Pray,  when  will  you 
be  pleased  to  come  again,  for  I have  a desire 
for  more  of  your  company  and  to  hear  more 
of  your  good  instruction  ? No,  not  a word  of 
that,  but  when  they  were  going  would  scarce 
bid  them  drink,  or  say,  Thank  you  for  your 
good  company  and  good  instruction. 

7.  His  talk  in  his  sickness  with  his  com- 
panions would  be  of  the  world,  as  trades, 
houses,  lands,  great  men,  great  titles,  great 
places,  outward  prosperity  or  outward  adver- 
sity, or  some  such  carnal  thing. 

By  all  which  I conclude  that  he  did  not  de- 
sire a sense  and  sight  of  his  sin,  that  he  might 
repent  and  be  saved. 

Attentive.  It  must  needs  be  so  as  you  say  if 
these  things  be  true  that  you  have  asserted  of 
him.  And  I do  the  rather  believe  them  be- 
cause I think  you  dare  not  tell  a lie  of  the 
dead. 

Wiseman.  I was  one  of  them  that  went  to 
him,  and  that  beheld  his  carriage  and  manner 
of  way,  and  this  is  a true  relation  of  it  that  I 
have  given  you. 

Attentive.  I am  satisfied;  but  pray,  if  you 
can,  show  me  now  by  the  word  what  sentence 
God  doth  pass  upon  such  men. 

Wiseman.  Why,  the  man  that  is  thus  averse 
to  repentance,  that  desires  not  to  hear  of  his 
sins  that  he  might  repent  and  be  saved,  is  said 
to  be  a man  that  saitli  unto  God,  “ Depart  from 
me,  for  I desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy 
ways.”  He  is  a man  that  says  in  his  heart  and 
with  his  actions,  “I  have  loved  strangers,” 
(sins,)  “ and  after  them  I will  go.”  He  is  a 
man  that  shuts  his  eyes,  stops  his  ears,  and 
that  turneth  his  spirit  against  God.  Yea,  he 
is  the  man  that  is  at  enmity  with  God,  and  that 
abhors  him  with  his  soul. 

Attentive.  What  other  sign  can  you  give  that 
Mr.  Badman  died  without  repentance? 

Wiseman.  Why,  he  never  did  heartily  cry  to 
God  for  mercy  all  the  time  of  his  affliction. 
True,  when  sinking  fits,  stitches,  or  pains  took 
hold  upon  him,  then  he  would  say,  as  other 
carnal  men  used  to  do,  Lord  help  me ! Lord 
strengthen  me ! Lord  deliver  me ! and  the 
like;  but  to  cry  to  God  for  mercy,  that  he  did 
not,  but  lay,  as  I hinted  before,  as  if  he  never 
had  sinned. 

Attentive.  That  is  another  bad  sign  indeed, 
for  crying  to  God  for  mercy  is  one  of  the  first 
signs  of  repentance.  When  Paul  lay  repent- 
ing of  his  sins  upon  his  bed  the  Holy  Ghost 
said  of  him,  “ Behold,  he  prays.”  But  he  that 
hath  not  the  first  signs  of  repentance,  it  is  a 


sign  that  he  hath  none  other,  and  so  indeed 
none  at  all.  I do  not  say  but  there  may  be 
crying  where  there  may  be  no  sign  of  repent- 
ance: “ They  cried,”  says  David,  “ to  the  Lord, 
but  he  answered  them  not ;”  but  that  he  would 
have  done  if  their  cry  had  been  the  fruit  of 
repentance.  But,  I say,  if  men  may  cry  and 
yet  have  no  repentance,  be  sure  they  have 
none  that  cry  not  at  all.  It  is  said  in  Job, 
“ They  cry  not  when  he  bindeth  them  ;”  that 
is,  because  they  have  no  repentance:  no  re- 
pentance, no  cries ; false  repentance,  false  cries; 
true  repentance,  true  cries. 

Wiseman.  I know  that  it  is  as  impossible  for 
a man  to  forbear  crying  that  hath  repentance 
as  it  is  for  a man  to  forbear  groaning  that  feel- 
eth  deadly  pain.  He  that  looketh  into  the 
book  of  Psalms  (where  repentance  is  set  forth, 
even  in  its  true  and  proper  effects)  shall  there 
find  that  crying,  strong  crying,  hearty  crying, 
great  crying,  and  incessant  crying  hath  been 
the  fruits  of  repentance,  but  none  of  this  had 
this  Mr.  Badman ; therefore  he  died  in  his  sins. 

That  crying  is  an  inseparable  effect  of  re- 
pentance is  seen  in  these  Scriptures:  “Have 
mercy  upon  me,  0 God ; according  to  the  mul- 
titude of  thy  tender  mercies  blot  out  my  trans- 
gressions. 0 Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  thine 
anger,  neither  chasten  me  in  thy  hot  displeas- 
ure. Have  mercy  upon  me,  0 Lord,  for  I am 
weak;  0 Lord,  heal  me,  for  my  bones  are 
vexed.  My  soul  is  also  vexed,  but  thou,  0 
Lord,  how  long?  Return,  O Lord,  deliver 
my  soul ; oh  save  me  for  thy  mercies’  sake.  0 
Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  thy  wrath,  neither 
chasten  me  in  thy  hot  displeasure;  for  thine 
arrows  stick  fast  in  me,  and  thine  hand  press- 
eth  me  sore.  There  is  no  soundness  in  my 
flesh,  because  of  thine  anger;  neither  is  there 
any  rest  in  my  bones,  because  of  my  sin.  For 
mine  iniquities  are  gone  over  mine  head ; a* 
an  heavy  burden  they  are  too  heavy  for  me. 
My  wounds  stink  and  are  corrupt,  because  of 
my  foolishness.  I am  troubled,  I am  bowed 
down  greatly,  I go  mourning  all  the  day  long. 
My  loins  are  filled  with  a loathsome  disease, 
and  there  is  no  soundness  in  my  flesh.  I am 
feeble  and  sore  broken ; I have  roared  by  reason 
of  the  disquietness  of  my  heart.” 

I might  give  you  a great  number  more  of 
the  holy  sayings  of  good  men,  whereby  they 
express  how  they  were,  what  they  felt,  and 
whether  they  cried  or  no  when  repentance  was 
wrought  in  them.  Alas,  alas ! it  is  as  impossi- 
ble for  a man,  when  the  pangs  of  guilt  are 
upon  him,  to  forbear  praying  as  it  is  for  a 


550 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


woman  when  pangs  of  travail  are  upon  her  to 
forbear  crying.  If  all  the  world  should  tell 
me  that  such  a man  hath  repentance,  yet  if  he 
is  not  a praying  man  I should  not  be  persuaded 
to  believe  it. 

Attentive.  I know  no  reason  why  you  should, 
for  there  is  nothing  can  demonstrate  that  such 
a man  hath  it.  But  pray,  sir,  what  other  sign 
have  you  by  which  you  can  prove  that  Mr. 
Badman  died  in  his  sins,  and  so  in  a state  of 
damnation  ? 

Wiseman.  I have  this  to  prove  it : Those  who 
were  his  old  sinful  companions  in  the  time  of 
his  health  were  those  whose  company  and 
carnal  talk  he  most  delighted  in  in  the  time 
of  his  sickness.  I did  occasionally  hint  of  this 
before,  but  now  I make  it  an  argument  of  his 
want  of  grace ; for  where  there  is  indeed  a work 
of  grace  in  the  heart,  that  work  doth  not  only 
change  the  heart,  thoughts,  and  desires,  but 
the  -conversation  also ; yea,  conversation  and 
company  too.  When  Paul  had  a work  of 
grace  in  his  soul  he  essayed  to  join  himself  to 
the  disciples.  He  was  for  his  old  companions 
■ in  their  abominations  no  longer;  he  was  now 
a disciple,  and  was  for  the  company  of  disci- 
ples ; “ And  he  was  with  them  coming  in  and 
going  out  of  Jerusalem.” 

Attentive.  I thought  something  when  I heard 
you  make  mention  of  it  before.  Thought  I, 
This  is  a shrewd  sign  that  he  had  not  grace  in 
his  heart.  Birds  of  a feather,  thought  I,  will 
flock  together.  If  this  man  was  one  of  God’s 
children  he  would  herd  with  God’s  children, 
his  delight  would  be  with  and  in  the  company 
of  God’s  children ; as  David  said : “ I am  a 
companion  of  all  them  that  fear  thee  and  of 
them  that  keep  thy  precepts.” 

Wiseman.  You  say  well,  for  what  fellowship 
hath  he  that  believeth  with  an  infidel?  And 
although  it  be  true  that  all  that  join  to  the 
gochy  are  not  godly,  yet  they  that  shall  in- 
wardly choose  the  company  of  the  ungodly  and 
open  profane,  rather  than  the  company  of  the 
godly,  as  Mr.  Hadman  did,  surely  are  not  godly 
men,  but  profane.  He  was,  as  I told  you,  out 
of  his  element  wheig  good  men  did  come  to 
visit  him,  but  then  he  was  where  he  would  be 
when  he  had  his  vain  companions  about  him. 
Alas ! grace,  as  I said,  alteretii  all,  heart,  life, 
company,  and  all ; for  by  it  the  heart  of  man  is 
made  new,  and  a new  heart  and  a new  man 
must  have  objects  of  delight  that  are  new  and 
like  himself:  “Old  things  are  passed  away 
Why?  “For  all  things  are  become  new.” 
Now,  if  all  things  are  become  new — to  wit, 


heart,  mind,  thoughts,  desires,  and  delights  - 
it  followeth,  by  consequence,  that  the  com- 
pany must  be  answerable;  hence  it  is  said 
that  “ they  that  believe  were  together ;”  that 
“they  went  to  their  own  company;”  that 
“they  were  added  to  the  Church  ;”  that  “they 
were  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul;”  and  the 
like.  Now,  if  it  be  objected  that  Mr.  Badman 
was  sick,  and  so  could  not  go  to  the  godly,  yet 
he  had  a tongue  in  liis  head,  and  could,  had 
he  had  an  heart,  have  spoken  to  some  to  call 
or  send  for  the  godly  to  come  to  him.  Yea, 
he  would  have  done  so ; yea,  the  company  of 
all  others,  especially  his  fellow-sinners,  would, 
even  in  every  appearance  of  them  before  him, 
have  been  a burden  and  a grief  unto  him.  His 
heart  and  affection  standing  bent  to  good,  good 
companions  would  have  suited  him  bestf.  But 
his  companions  were  his  old  associates : his 
delight  was  in  them  ; therefore  his  heart  and 
soul  were  yet  ungodly. 

Attentive.  Pray,  how  was  he  when  he  drew 
near  his  end,  for  I perceive  that  what  you  say 
of  him  now  hath  reference  to  him  and  to  his 
actions  at  the  beginning  of  his  sickness?  Then 
he  could  endure  company  and  much  talk ; be- 
sides, perhaps  then  he  thought  he  should  re- 
cover, and  not  die,  as  afterwards  he  had  cause 
to  think  when  he  was  quite  wasted  with  pining 
sickness,  when  he  was  at  the  grave’s  mouth. 
But  how  was  he,  I say,  when  he  was  (as  we 
say)  within  a step  of  death  ? when  he  saw  and 
knew,  and  could  not  but  know,  that  shortly  he 
must  die  and  appear  before  the  judgment  of 
God? 

Wiseman.  Why,  there  was  not  any  other  al- 
teration in  him  than  what  was  made  by  his 
disease  upon  his  body.  Sickness,  you  know, 
will  alter  the  body ; also  pains  and  stitches 
will  make  men  groan ; but  for  his  mind,  he  had 
no  alteration  there;  his  mind  was  .the  same, 
his  heart  was  the  same ; he  was  the  selfsame 
Mr.  Badman  still,  not  only  in  name,  but  con- 
ditions, and  that  to  the  very  day  of  his  death ; 
yea,  so  far  as  could  be  gathered,  to  the  very 
moment  in  which  he  died. 

Attentive.  Pray,  how  was  he  in  his  death? 
Was  death  strong  upon  him  ? or  did  he  die 
with  ease,  quietly? 

Wiseman.  As  quietly  as  a lamb.  There 
seemed  not  to  be  in  it,  to  standers-by,  so  much 
as  a strong  struggle  of  nature ; and  as  for  his 
mind,  it  seemed  to  be  wholly  at  quiet.  But 
pray,  why  do  you  ask  me  this  question? 

Attentive.  Not  for  my  own  sake,  but  for 
others.  For  there  is  such  an  opinion  as  this 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  BA  DM  AN. 


551 


among  the  ignorant:  that  if  a man  dies,  as 
they  call  it,  like  a lamb— that  is,  quietly,  and 
without  that  consternation  of  mind  that  others 
show  in  their  death — they  conclude,  and  that 
beyond  all  doubt,  that  such  a one  is  gone  to 
heaven,  and  is  certainly  escaped  the  wrath  to 
come. 

Wiseman.  There  is  no  judgment  to  be  made 
by  a quiet  death  of  the  eternal  state  of  him 
that  so  dieth.  Suppose  one  man  should  die 
quietly,  another  should  die  suddenly,  and  a 
third  should  die  under  great  consternation  of 
spirit;  no  man  can  judge  of  their  eternal  con- 
dition by  the  manner  of  any  of  these  kinds  of 
deaths.  He  that  dies  quietly,  suddenly,  or 
under  consternation  of  spirit  may  go  to  heaven 
or  may  go  to  hell : no  man  can  tell  whither  a 
man  goes  by  any  such  manner  of  death.  The 
judgment,  therefore,  that  we  make  of  the  eter- 
nal condition  of  man  must  be  gathered  from 
another  consideration — to  wit,  Did  the  man 
die  in  his  sins?  Did  he  die  in  unbelief?  Did 
he  die  before  he  was  born  again?  Then  he  is 
gone  to  the  devil  and  hell,  though  he  died 
never  so  quietly.  Again,  Was  the  man  a good 
man?  Had  he  faith  and  holiness ? Was  he  a 
lover  and  a worshipper  of  God  by  Christ,  ac- 
cording to  his  word?  Then  he  is  gone  to  God 
and  heaven,  how  suddenly  or  in  what  conster- 
nation of  mind  soever  he  died.  But  Mr.  Bad- 
man  was  naughty,  his  life  was  evil,  his  ways 
were  evil,  evil  to  his  end ; therefore  he  went  to 
hell  and  to  the  devil,  how  quietly  soever  he 
died. 

Indeed  there  is  in  some  cases  a judgment  to 
be  made  of  a man’s  eternal  condition  by  the 
manner  of  the  death  he  dieth.  As  suppose 
now  a man  should  murder  himself  or  live  a 
wicked  life,  and  after  that  die  in  utter  d espai r ; 
these  men,  without  doubt,  do  both  of  them  go 
to  hell.  And  here  I will  take  occasion  to 
speak  of  two  of  Mr.  Badman’s  brethren,  (for 
you  know  I told  you  before  that  he  had 
brethren,)  and  of  the  manner  of  their  death. 
One  of  them  killed  himself,  and  the  other, 
after  a wicked  life,  died  in  utter  despair.  Now 
I should  not  be  afraid  to  conclude  of  both 
these  that  they  went  by  and  through  their 
death  to  hell. 

Attentive.  Pray  tell  me  concerning  the  first, 
how  he  made  away  with  himself? 

Wiseman.  Why,  he  took  a knife  and  cut  his 
own  throat,  and  immediately  gave  up  the  ghost 
and  died.  Now,  what  can  we  judge  of  such  a 
man’s  condition,  since  the  Scripture  saith,  “No 
murderer  hath  eternal  life,”  &c.,  but  that  it 


must  be  concluded  that  such  a one  is  gone  to 
hell?  He  was  a murderer,  a self-murderer, 
and  he  is  the  worst  murderer,  ono  that  slays  his 
own  body  and  soul;  nor  do  we  find  mention 
made  of  any  but  cursed  ones  that  do  sucN  kind 
of  deeds;  I say  no  mention  made  in  holy  writ 
of  any  others  but  such  that  murder  them- 
selves. 

And  this  is  a sore  judgment  of  God  upon 
men,  when  God  shall,  for  the  sins  of  such,  give 
them  up  to  be  their  own  executioners,  or  rather 
to  execute  his  judgment  and  anger  upon  them- 
selves. And  let  me  earnestly  give  this  caution 
to  sinners : Take  heed,  sirs,  break  off  yonr  sins, 
lest  God  serve  you  as  he  served  Mr.  Badman’s 
brother — that  is,  lest  he  give  you  up  to  be  your 
own  murderers. 

Attentive.  This  is  a dreadful  story,  and  I 
would  to  God  that  it  might  be  a warning  to 
others  to  instruct  them  to  fear  before  God,  and 
pray  lest  he  gives  them  up  to  do  as  he  hath 
done.  For  surely  self-murderers  cannot  go  to 
heaven ; and  therefore,  as  you  have  said,  he 
that  dieth  by  his  own  hands  is  certainly  gone 
to  hell.  But  speak  a word  or  two  of  the  other 
man  you  mentioned. 

Wiseman.  What ! of  a wicked  man  dying  in 
despair? 

Attentive.  Yes,  of  a wicked  man  dying  in 
despair. 

Wiseman.  Well,  then : This  Mr.  Badman’s 
other  brother  was  a very  wicked  man,  both  in 
heart  and  life ; I say  in  heart,  because  he  was 
so  in  life,  nor  could  anything  reclaim  him, 
neither  good  men,  good  books,  good  examples, 
nor  God’s  judgments.  Well,  after  he  had  lived 
a great  while  in  his  sins  God  smote  him  with 
a sickness  of  which  he  died.  Now  in  his  sick- 
ness  his  conscience  began  to  be  awakened,  and 
he  began  to  roar  out  of  his  ill-spent  life,  inso- 
much that  the  town  began  to  ring  of  him. 
Now,  when  it  was  noised  about  many  of  his 
neighbours  came  to  see  him  and  to  read  by 
him,  as  is  the  common  way  with  some ; but  all 
that  they  could  do  could  not  abate  his  terror, 
but  he -would  Beg*  lie  in  his  bed  gnashing  of 
his  teeth  and  wringing  of  his  wrists,  conclud- 
ing upon  the  damnation  of  his  soul ; and  in 
that  horror  and  despair  he  died,  not  calling 
upon  God,  but  distrusting  in  his  mercy  and 
blaspheming  of  his  name. 

B@“  Attentive.  This  brings  to  my  mind  a 
man  that  a friend  of  mine  told  me  of.  He 
had  been  a wicked  liver ; so  when  he  came  to 
die  he  fell  into  despair,  and  having  concluded 
that  God  had  no  mercy  for  him,  he  addressed 


552 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


himself  to  the  devil  for  favour,  saying,  Good 
devil,  be  good  unto  me. 

Wiseman.  This  is  almost  like  Saul,  who 
being  forsaken  of  God  went  to  the  witch  of 
Endor,  and  so  to  the  devil,  for  help.  But, 
alas  ! should  I set  myself  to  collect  these 
dreadful  stories  it  would  be  easy  in  little  time 
to  present  you  with  hundreds  of  them.  But  I 
will  conclude  as  I began  : they  that  are  their 
own  murderers,  or  that  die  in  despair  after 
they  have  lived  a life  of  wickedness,  do  surely 
go  to  hell. 

And  here  I would  put  in  a caution : Every 
one  that  dieth  under  consternation  of  spirit — 
that  is,  under  amazement  and  great  fear — do 
not  therefore  die  in  despair,  for  a good  man 
may  have  this  for  his  bands  in  his  death,  and 
yet  go  to  heaven  and  glory.  For,  as  I said 
before,  he  that  is -a  good  man,  a man  that  hath 
faith  and  holiness,  a lover  and  worshipper  of 
God  by  Christ  according  to  his  word,  may  die 
in  consternation  of  spirit;  for  Satan  will  not 
be  wanting  to  assault  good  men  upon  their 
deathbed,  but  they  are  secured  by  the  word 
and  power  of  God ; yea,  and  are  also  helped, 
though  with  much  agony  of  spirit,  to  exer- 
cise themselves  in  faith  and  prayer,  the  which 
he  that  dieth  in  despair  can  by  no  means 
do.  But  let  us  return  to  Mr.  Badman,  and 
enter  into  further  discourse  of  the  manner  of 
his  death. 

Attentive.  I think  you  and  I are  both  of  a 
mind,  for  just  now  I was  thinking  to  call  you 
back  to  him  also.  And  pray,  now,  since  it  is 
your  own  motion  to  return  again  to  him,  let 
us  discourse  a little  more  of  his  quiet  and  still 
death. 

Wiseman.  With  all  my  heart.  You  know 
we  were  speaking  before  of  the  manner  of 
Mr.  Badman’s  death,  how  that  he  died  still 
and  quietly,  upon  which  you  made  observa- 
tion that  the  common  people  concluded  that 
if  a man  dies  quietly,  and,  as  they  call  it,  like 
a lamb,  he  is  certainly  gone  to  heaven,  when, 
alas!  if  a wicked  man  dies  quietly,  if  a man 
that  has  all  his  days  lived  in  notorious  sin 
dieth  quietly,  his  quiet  dying  is  so  far  off  from 
being  a sign  of  his  being  saved  that  it  is 
an  uncontrollable  proof  of  his  damnation. 
This  was  Mr.  Badman's  case;  he  lived  wick- 
edly. even  to  the  last,  and  then  went  quietly 
out  of  the  world ; therefore  Mr.  Badman  is 
gone  to  hell. 

Attentive.  Well,  but  since  you  are  upon  it, 
and  also  so  confident  in  it — to  wit,  that  a 
man  that  lives  a wicked  life  till  he  dies,  and 


then  dies  quietly,  is  gone  to  hell — let  me  see 
what  show  of  proof  you  have  for  this  your 
opinion  ? 

Wiseman.  My  first  argument  is  drawn  from 
the  necessity  of  repentance.  No  man  can  be 
saved  except  he  repents,  nor  can  he  repent 
that  sees  not,  that  knows  not,  that  he  is  a sin- 
ner; and  he  that  knows  himself  to  be  a sinner 
will,  I warrant  him,  be  molested  for  the  time 
by  that  khowdedge.  This,  as  it  is  testified  by 
all  the  Scriptures,  so  it  is  testified  by  Christian 
experience.  He  that  knows  himself  to  be  a 
sinner  is  molested,  especially  if  that  know- 
ledge comes  not  to  him  until  he  is  cast  upon 
his  deathbed — molested,  I say,  before  lie  can 
die  quietly;  yea,  he  is  molested,  dejected,  and 
cast  down ; he  is  also  made  to  cry  out,  to  hun- 
ger and  thirst  after  mercy  by  Christ ; and  if  at 
all  he  shall  indeed  come  to  die  quietly — I mean 
with  that  quietness  that  is  begotten  by  faith 
and  hope  in  God’s  mercy  (to  the  which  Mr. 
Badman  and  his  brethren  were  utter  stran- 
gers)— his  quietness  is  distinguished,  by  all 
judicious  observers,  by  what  went  before  it, 
by  what  it  flows  from,  and  also  by  what  is  the 
fruit  thereof. 

I must  confess  I am  no  admirer  of  sickbed 
repentance,  for  I think  verily  it  is  seldom  good 
for  any  thing;  but  I say,  he  that  hath  lived 
iu  sin  and  profaneness  all  his  days,  as  Mr. 
Badman  did,  and  yet  shall  ‘die  quietly — that 
is,  without  repentance  steps  in  betwixt  his 
life  and  death — he  is  assuredly  gone  to  hell, 
and  is  damned. 

Attentive.  This  does  look  like  an  argument' 
indeed ; for  repentance  must  come  or  else  we 
must  go  to  hell-fire ; and  if  a lewd  liver  shall 
(I  mean  that  so  continues  till  the  day  of  his 
death)  yet  go  out  of  the  world  quietly,  it  is  a 
sign  that  he  died  without  .repentance,  and  so  a 
sign  that  he  is  damned. 

Wiseman.  I am  satisfied  in  it  for  my  part, 
and  that  from  the  necessity  and  nature  of  re- 
pentance. It  is  necessary,  because  God  calls 
for  it  and  will  not  pardon  sin  without  it: 
“Except  ye  repent  ye  shall  all  likewise 
perish.”  This  is  that  which  God  hath  said, 
and  he  will  prove  but  a foolhardy  man  that 
shall  yet  think  to  go  to  heaven  and  glory 
without  it.  “Repent,  for  the  axe  is  laid  to 
the  root  of  the  tree ; every  tree  therefore  that 
bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit”  (but  no  good 
fruit  can  be  where  there  is  no  sound  repent- 
ance) “ shall  be  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the 
fire.”  This  was  Mr.  Badman’s  case;  he  had 
attending  of  him  a sinful  life,  and  that  to  the 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  RAI) MAN. 


553 


very  last,  and  yet  died  quietly — that  is,  with- 
out repentance;  ho  is  gone  to  hell,  and  is 
damned.  For  the  nature  of  repentance,  I 
have  touched  upon  that  already,  and  showed 
that  it  never  was  where  a quiet  death  is  the 
immediate  companion  of  a sinful  life;  and 
therefore  Mr.  Badman  is  gone  to  hell. 

2.  My  second  argument  is  drawn  from  that 
blessed  word  of  Christ:  “While  the  strong 
man  armed  keeps  the  house  his  goods  are  in 
peace  till  a stronger  than  he  comes ;”  but  the 
strong  man  armed  kept  Mr.  Badman’s  house 
— that  is,  his  heart  and  soul,  and  body — for  he 
went  from  a sinful  life  quietly  out  of  this 
world.  The  stronger  did  not  disturb  by  inter- 
cepting with  sound  repentance  betwixt  his 
sinful  life  and  his  quiet  death;  therefore  Mr. 
Badman  is  gone  to  hell. 

The  strong  man  armed  is  the  devil,  and 
quietness  is  his  security.  The  devil  never 
fears  losing  of  the  sinner  if  he  can  but  keep 
him  quiet.  Can  he  but  keep  him  quiet  in  a 
sinful  life  and  quiet  in  liis  death,  he  is  his 
own.  Therefore  he  saitli,  his  goods  are  in 
peace;  that  is,  out  of  danger.  There  is  no 
fear  of  the  devil’s  losing  such  a soul,  I say,  be- 
cause Christ,  who  is  the  best  judge  in  this 
matter,  saitli,  His  goods  are  at  peace,  in  quiet, 
and  out  of  danger. 

Attentive.  This  is  a good  one  too;  for  doubt- 
less peace  and  quiet  with  sin  is  one  of  the 
greatest  signs  M a damnable  state. 

Wiseman.  So  it  is;  therefore,  when  God 
would  show  the  greatness  of  his  anger  against 
sin  and  sinners  in  one  word,  he  saith,  “ They 
are  joined  to  idols,  let  them  alone.”  Let  them 
alone — that  is,  disturb  them  not;  let  them  go 
on  without  control ; let  the  devil  enjoy  them 
peaceably;  let  him  carry  them  out  of  the 
world  unconverted,  quietly.  This  is  one  of 
the  sorest  of  judgments,  and  bespeaketh  the 
burning  anger  of  God  against  sinful  men.  See 
also  when  you  come  home,  Hosea  iv.  14,  “ I 
will  not  punish  your  daughters  when  they 
commit  whoredom.”  I will  let  them  alone, 
they  shall  live  and  die  in  their  sins.  But, 

3.  My  third  argument  is  drawn  from  that 
saying  of  Christ,  “ He  hath  blinded  their  eyes 
and  hardened  their  hearts,  that  they  should 
not  sec  with  their  eyes  nor  understand  with 
their  hearts,  and  be  converted,  and  I should 
heal  them.” 

There  are  three  things  that  I will  take  notice 
of  from  these  words : 

The  first  is,  that  there  can  he  no  conversion 
to  God  where  the  eye  is  darkened  and  the  heart 


hardened.  The  eye  must  first  be  made  to  see 
and  the  heart  to  break  and  relent  under  and 
for  sin,  or  else  there  can  be  no  conversion. 
“He  hath  blinded  their  eyes  and  hardened 
their  hearts,  lest  they  should  see  and  under- 
stand, and  so  be  converted.”  And  this  was 
clearly  Mr.  Badman’s  case:  he  lived  a wicked 
life,  and  also  died  with  his  eyes  shut  and  heart 
hardened,  as  is  manifest  in  that  a sinful  life 
was  joined  with  a quiet  death;  and  all  for  that 
he  should  not  he  converted,  but  partake  of  the 
fruit  of  his  sinful  life  in  hell-fire. 

The  second  thing  that  I take  notice  of  from 
these  words  is,  that  this  is  a dispensation  and 
manifestation  of  God’s  anger  against  a man  for 
his  sin.  When  God  is  angry  with  men — I 
mean,  when  he  is  so  angry  with  them — this, 
among  many,  is  one  of  the  judgments  that  he 
giveth  them  up  unto — to  wit,  to  blindness  of 
mind  and  hardness  of  heart,  which  he  also 
sufieretli  to  accompany  them  till  they  enter  in 
at  the  gates  of  death.  And  then  and  there, 
and  not  short  of  then  and  there,  their  eyes 
come  to  be  opened.  Hence  it  is  said  of  the 
rich  man  mentioned  in  Luke,  “ He  died,  and 
in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,”  implying  that  he 
did  not  lift  them  up  before;  he  neither  saw 
what  he  had  done  nor  whither  he  was  going 
till  he  came  to  the  place  of  execution,  even 
into  hell.  He  died  asleep  in  his  soul ; he  died 
besotted,  stupefied,  and  so  consequently  for 
quietness  like  a child  or  lamb,  even  as  Mr. 
Badman  did ; this  was  a sign  of  God’s  anger ; 
he  had  a mind  to  damn  him  for  his  sins,  and 
therefore  would  not  let  him  see  nor  have  an 
heart  to  repent  for  them,  lest  he  should  con 
vert,  and  his  damnation,  which  God  hath  ap- 
pointed, should  be  frustrate : “ Lest  they  should 
be  converted  and  I should  heal  them.” 

The  third  thing  I take  notice  of  from  hence 
is,  that  a sinful  life,  and  quiet  death  annexed 
to  it,  is  the  ready,  the  open,  the  beaten,  the 
common  highway  to  hell ; there  is  no  surer 
sign  of  damnation  than  for  a man  to  die  quietly 
after  a sinful  life.  I do  not  say  that  all  wicked 
men  that  are  molested  at  their  death  with  a 
sense  of  sin  and  fear's  of  hell  do  therefore  go  to 
heaven,  for  some  are  also  made  to  see  and  are 
left  to  despair,  (not  converted  by  seeing,)  that 
they  might  go  roaring  out  of  this  world  to  their 
place;  but  I say  there  is  no  surer  sign  of  a 
man’s  damnation  than  to  die  quietly  after  a 
sinful  life,  than  to  sin  and  die  with  his  eyes 
shut,  than  to  sin  and  die  with  an  heart  that 
cannot  repent ; “ He  hath  blinded  their  eyes 
and  hardened  their  heart,  that  they  should  not 


554 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


see  with  their  eyes  nor  understand  wdth  their 
heart,”  (no,  not  so  long  as  they  are  in  this 
world,)  “lest  they  should  see  with  their  eyes 
and  understand  with  their  heart,  and  should 
be  converted,  and  I should  heal  them.” 

God  has  a judgment  for  wicked  men ; God 
will  be  even  with  wicked  men;  God  knows 
how  to  reserve  the  ungodly  to  the  day  of  judg- 
ment to  be  punished;  and  this  is  one  of  his 
ways  by  which  he  doth  it.  Thus  it  was  with 
Mr.  Badman. 

i.  It  is  said  in  the  book  of  Psalms  concern- 
ing the  wicked,  “There  are  no  bands  in  their 
death,  but  their  strength  is  firm.”  By  no 
bands  he  means  no  troubles,  no  gracious  chas- 
tisements, no  such  corrections  for  sin,  as  fall  to 
be  the  lot  of  God’s  people  for  theirs ; yea,  that 
many  times  fall  to  be  theirs  at  the  time  of  their 
death.  Therefore  he  adds  concerning  the 
wicked,  “They  are  not  troubled”  then  “like 
other  men,  neither  are  they  plagued  like  other 
men,”  but  go  as  securely  out  of  the  world  as  if 
they  had  never  sinned  against  God  and  put 
their  own  soids  in  danger  of  damnation 
“ There  are  no  bands  in  their  death.”  They 
seem  to  go  unbound  and  set  at  liberty  out  of 
this  world,  though  they  have  lived  notoriously 
wicked  all  their  days  in  it.  The  prisoner  that 
is  to  die  at  the  gallows  for  his  wdckedness  must’ 
first  have  his  irons  knocked  off  his  legs ; so  he 
seems  to  go  most  at  liberty  when  indeed  he  is 
going  to  be  executed  for  his  transgressions. 
Wicked  men  also  have  no  bands  in  their  death ; 
they  seem  to  be  more  at  liberty  when  they  are 
even  at  the  wind-up  of  their  sinful  life  than  at 
any  time  besides. 

Hence  you  shall  have  them  boast  of  their 
faith  and  hope  in  God’s  mercy  when  they  lie 
upon  their  deathbed ; yea,  you  shall  have  them 
speak  as  confidently  of  their  salvation  as  if 
they  had  served  God  all  their  days,  when  the 
truth  is,  the  bottom  of  this  their  boasting  is 
because  they  have  no  bands  in  their  death. 

Their  sin  and  base  life  come  not  into  their 
mind  to  correct  them  and  bring  them  to  repent- 
ance, but  presumptuous  thoughts  and  an  hope 
and  faith  of  the  spider’s  (the  devil’s)  making 
possesseth  their  soul,  to  their  own  eternal  un- 
doing. 

Hence  wicked  men’s  hope  is  said  to  die,  not 
before,  but  with  them ; they  give  up  the  ghost 
together.  And  thus  did  Mr.  Badman.  His 
sins  and  his  hope  went  with  him  to  the  gate, 
but  there  his  hope  left  him,  because  it  died  there ; 
but  his  sins  went  in  with  him,  to  be  a worm  to 
gnaw  him  in  conscience  for  ever  and  ever. 


The  opinion,  therefore,  of  the  common  peo- 
ple concerning  this  kind  of  dying  is  frivolous 
and  vain ; for  Mr.  Badman  died  like  a lamb, 
or,  as  they  call  it,  like  a chrisom  child,  quietly 
and  without  fear.  I speak  not  this  with  ref- 
erence to  the  struggling  of  nature  with  death, 
but  as  to  the  struggling  of  the  conscience  with 
the  judgment  of  God.  I know  that  nature  will 
struggle  with  death;  I have  seen  a dog  and 
sheep  die  hardly ; and  thus  may  a wicked  man 
do,  because  there  is  an  antipathy  bexwixt  na- 
ture and  death.  But  even  while,  even  then, 
when  death  and  nature  are  struggling  for  mas- 
tery, the  soul,  the  conscience,  may  be  as  be- 
sotted, as  benumbed,  as  senseless  and  .igno- 
rant of  its  miserable  state  as  the  block  or  bed 
on  which  the  sick  lies;  and  thus  they  may  die 
like  a chrisom  child  in  show,  but  indeed  like 
one  who  by  the  judgment  of  God  is  bound 
over  to  eternal  damnation,  and  that  also  by  the 
same  judgment  is  kept  from  seeing  wdiat  they 
are  and  whither  they  are  going  till  they  plunge 
down  among  the  flames. 

And  as  it  is  a very  great  judgment  of  God 
on  wicked  men  that  so  die,  (for  it  cuts  them 
off  from  all  possibility  of  repentance,  and  so 
of  salvation,)  so  it  is  as  great  a judgment  upon 
those  that  are  their  companions  that  survive 
them ; for  by  the  manner  of  their  death,  they 
dying  so  quietly,  so  like  unto  chrisom  children 
as  they  call  it,  they  are  hardened  and  take 
courage  to  go  on  in  their  course. 

For  comparing  their  life  with  their  death, 
their  sinful,  cursed  lives  with  their  child-like, 
lamb-like  death,  they  think  that  all  is  well, 
that  no  damnation  is  happened  to  them ; though 
they  lived  like  devils  incarnate,  yet  they  died 
like  harmless  ones;  there  was  no  whirlwind, 
no  tempest,  no  band  nor  plague  in  their  death ; 
they  died  as  quietly  as  the  most  godly  of  them 
all,  and  had  as  great  faith  and  hope  of  salva- 
tion, and  would  talk  as  boldly  of  salvation  as 
if  they  had  assurance  of  it.  But  as  wrns  their 
hope  in  life,  so  was  their  death;  their  hope 
was  without  trial,  because  it  was  none  of  God's 
working,  and  their  death  was  without  molesta- 
tion, because  so  was  the  judgment  of  God  con- 
cerning them. 

But,  I say,  at  this  their  survivors  take  heart 
to  tread  their  steps,  and  to  continue  to  live  in  t 
the  breach  of  the  law  of  God ; yea,  they  carry 
it  stately  in  their  villainies,  for  so  it  follows  in 
the  Psalm : “ There  are  no  bands  in  their 
death,  but  their  strength  is  firm,  &c.  There- 
fore pride  compasseth  them”  (the  survivors) 

“ about  as  a chain,  violence  covereth  them  as  a 


LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  MR.  B ADMAN. 


555 


garment.”  Therefore  they  take  courage  to  do 
evil,  therefore  they  pride  themselves  in  their 
iniquity.  Therefore!  Wherefore?  Why, be- 
cause their  fellows  died,  after  they  had  lived 
long  in  a most  profane  and  wicked  life,  as 
quietly  and  as  like  to  lambs  as  if  they  had 
been  innocent. 

Yea,  they  are  bold,  by  seeing  this,  to  conclude 
that  God  either  does  not  or  will  not  take  notice 
of  their  sins.  “They  speak  wickedly,  they 
speak  loftily.”  They  speak  wickedly  of  sin, 
for  that  they  make  it  better  than  by  the  word 
it  is  pronounced  to  be.  They  speak  wickedly 
concerning  oppression,  that  they  commend  and 
count  it  a prudent  act.  They  also  speak  loft- 
ily ; “ They  set  their  mouth  against  the  heav- 
en,” &c.  “ And  they  say,  How  doth  God  know  ? 
and  is  there  knowledge  in  tho  Most  High?” 
And  all  this,  so  far  as  I can  see,  arisetli  in  their 
hearts  from  their  beholding  of  the  quiet  and 
lamb-like  death  of  their  companions.  “ Be- 
hold, these  are  the  ungodly  that  prosper  in  the 
world,”  (that  is,  by  wicked  ways;)  “they  in- 
crease in  riches.” 

This,  therefore,  is  a great  judgment  of  God 
both  upon  that  man  that  dieth  in  his  sins  and 
also  upon  his  companion  that  beholdeth  him 
so  to  die.  He  sinneth,  he  dieth  in  his  sins,  and 
yet  dieth  quietly.  What  shall  his  companion 
say  to  this?  What  judgment  shall  he  make 
how  God  will  deal  with  him  by  beholding  the 
lamb-like  death  of  his  companion?  Be  sure 
he  cannot,  as  from  such  a sight,  say,  Woe  be 
to  me  I for  judgment  is  before  him.  He  can- 
not gather  that  sin  is  a dreadful  and  bitter 
thing  by  the  cliild-like  death  of  Mr.  Badman, 
but  must  rather,  if  he  judgetli  according  to 
what  he  sees  or  according  to  his  corrupted 
reason,  conclude  with  the  wicked  ones  of  old, 
“That  every  one  that  doth  evil  is  good  in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord,  and  he  delighteth  in  them ; 
or  where  is  the  God  of  judgment?” 

Yea,  this  is  enough  to  puzzle  the  wisest 
man.  David  himself  was  put  to  a stand  by 
beholding  the  quiet  death  of  ungodly  men. 
“ Verily,”  says  he,  “ I have  cleansed  my  heart 
in  vain,  and  have  washed  my  hands  in  inno- 
cency.”  P3.  lxxiii.  13.  They,  to  appearance, 
fare  better  by  far  than  I ; “ Their  eyes  stand 
out  with  fatness,  they  have  more  than  heart 
can  wish ; but  all  the  day  long  have  I been 
plagued  and  chastened  every  morning.”  This, 
I say,  made  David  wonder,  yea,  and  Job  and 
Jeremiah  too ; but  he  goetli  into  the  sanctuary, 
and  then  he  understands  their  end,  nor  could 
he  understand  it  before.  “I  went  into. the 


sanctuary  of  God.”  What  place  was  that? 
Why,  there  where  he  might  inquire  of  God, 
and  by  him  be  resolved  of  this  matter.  “ Then,” 
says  he,  “understood  I their  end.”  Then  1 
saw  that  “ thou  hast  set  them  in  slippery 
places,”  and  that  “ thou  castest  them  down 
to  destruction.”  Castest  them  down — that 
is,  suddenly,  or,  as  the  next  words  say,  “ As 
in  a moment  they  are  utterly  consumed  with 
terrors;”  which  terrors  did  not  seize  them 
on  their  sickbed,  for  they  had  no  bands  in 
their  death.  The  terrors,  therefore,  seized 
them  there  where  also  they  are  holden  in  them 
for  ever.  This  he  found  out,  I say,  but  not 
without  great  painfulness,  grief,  and  pricking 
in  his  reins,  so  deep,  so  hard,  and  so  difficult 
did  he  find  it  rightly  to  come  to  a determina- 
tion in  this  matter. 

And  indeed  this  is  a deep  judgment  of  God 
towards  ungodly  sinners;  it  is  enough  to  stag- 
ger a whole  world ; only  the  godly  that  are  in 
the  world  have  a sanctuary  to  go  to,  where  the 
oracle  and  word  of  God  is,  by  which  his  judg- 
ments, and  a reason  of  many  of  them  are  made 
known  to  and  understood  by  them. 

Attentive.  Indeed  this  is  a staggering  dispen- 
sation ; it  is  full  of  the  wisdom  and  anger  of 
God;  and  I believe,  as  you  have  said,  that  it 
is  full  of  judgment  to  the  world.  Who  would 
have  imagined  that  had  not  known  Mr.  Badman 
and  yet  had  seen  him  die  but  that  he  had  been 
a man  of  an  holy  life  and  conversation,  since 
he  died  so  stilly,  so  quietly,  so  like  a lamb  or 
a chrisom  child  ? Would  they  not,  I say,  have 
concluded  that  he  was  a righteous  man  ? Or 
that  if  they  had  known  him  and  his  life,  yet 
to  see  him  die  so  quietly,  would  they  not  have 
concluded  that  he  had  made  his  peace  with 
God?  Nay,  further,  if  some  had  known  that 
he  had  died  in  his  sins,  and  yet  that  he  died 
so  like  a lamb,  would  they  not  have  concluded 
that  either  God  doth  not  know  our  sins,  or 
that  he  likes  them,  or  that  he  wants  power,  or 
will,  or  heart,  or  skill  to  punish  them,  since 
Mr.  Badman  himself  went  from  a sinful  life 
so  quietly,  so  peaceable,  and  so  like  a lamb  as 
he  did? 

W 'iseman.  Without  controversy  this  is  an 
heavy  judgment  of  God  upon  wicked  men : 
one  goes  to  hell  in  peace,  another  goes  to  hell 
in  trouble ; one  goes  to  hell,  being  sent  thither 
by  the  hand  of  his  companion;  one  goes 
thither  with  his  eyes  shut,  and  another  goes 
thither  with  his  eyes  open : one  goes  thither 
roaring,  and  another  goes  thither  boasting  of 
heaven  and  happiness  all  the  way  he  goes ; one 


556 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


goes  thither  like  Mr.  Badman  himself,  and  oth- 
ers go  thither  as  did  his  brethren.  But  above 
all,  Mr.  Badman’s  death,  as  to  the  manner  of 
dying,  is  the  fullest  of  snares  and  traps  of 
wicked  men ; therefore  they  that  die  as  he  are 
the  greatest  stumble  to  the  world ; they  go  and 
go;  they  go  on  peaceably  from  youth  to  old  age, 
and  thence  to  the  grave,  and  so  to  hell,  with- 
out noise.  “ They  go  as  an  ox  to  the  slaughter, 
and  as  a fool  to  the  correction  of  the  stocks 
that  is,  both  senselessly  and  securely.  Oh, 
but  being  come  at  the  gates  of  hell ! oh,  but 
when  they  see  those  gates  set  open  for  them  ! 
oh,  but  when  they  see  that  that  is  their  home, 
and  that  they  must  go  in  thither ! Then  their 
peace  and  quietness  flee  away  for  ever ; then 
they  roar  like  lions,  yell  like  dragons,  howl 
like  dogs,  and  tremble  at  their  judgment,  as  do 
the  devils  themselves.  Oh,  when  they  see 
they  must  shoot  the  gulf  and  throat  of  hell ! 
when  they  shall  see  that  hell  hath  shut  her 
ghastly  jaws  upon  them ! when  they  shall 
open  their  eyes  and  find  themselves  within  the 
belly  and  bowels  of  hell ! then  they  will  mourn 
and  weep,  and  hack,  and  gnash  their  teeth  for 
pain.  But  this  must  not  be  (or,  if  it  must,  yet 


very  rarely)  till  they  are  gone  out  of  the  sight 
and  hearing  of  those  mortals  whom  they  do 
leave  behind  them  alive  in  the  world. 

Attentive.  Well,  my  good  neighbour  Wise- 
man, I perceive  that  the  sun  grows  low,  and 
that  you  have  come  to  a conclusion  with  Mr. 
Badman’s  life  and  death,  and  therefore  I will 
take  my  leave  of  you.  Only  first  let  me  tell 
you  I am  glad  that  I have  met  with  you  to- 
day, and  that  our  hap.  was  to  fall  in  with  Mr. 
Badman’s  state.  I also  thank  you  for  your  free- 
dom with  me  in  granting  of  me  your  reply  to 
all  of  my  questions.  I would  only  beg  your 
prayers  that  God  will  give  me  much  grace, 
that  I may  neither  live  nor  die  as  did  Mr. 
Badman. 

Wiseman.  My  good  neighbour  Attentive,  I 
wish  your  welfare  in  soul  and  body;  and  if 
aught  that  I have  said  of  Mr.  Badman’s  life 
and  death  may  be  of  benefit  unto  you,  I shall 
be  heartily  glad;  only  I desire  you  to  thank 
God  for  it,  and  to  pray  heartily  for  me  that  I, 
with  you,  may  be  kept  by  the  power  of  God 
through  faith  unto  salvation. 

Attentive.  Amen!  Farewell. 

Wiseman.  I wish  you  heartily  farewell. 


CHRIST’S  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT 


Matthew,  Ciiap.  V. 

And  Jesus,  seeing  the  multitudes,  ascended 
Up  to  a mount,  where  sitting,  and  attended 
By  his  disciples,  he  began  to  preach  ; 

And  on  this  manner  following  did  them  teach: 
Blessed  are  all  such  as  are  poor  in  spirit, 

For  they  the  heavenly  kingdom  do  inherit. 
Blessed  arc  they  that  mourn  ; for  in  the  stead 
Thereof  shall  comfort  be  administered. 

Blessed  are  they,  whose  meekness  doth  excel : 
For  on  the  earth  their  portion  is  to  dwell. 
Blessed  are  they,  who  after  righteousness 
Hunger  and  thirst;  for  they  shall  it  possess. 
Blessed  are  they,  for  they  shall  mercy  find, 
Who  to  do  mercifully  are  inclin’d. 

Blessed  are  all  such  as  are  pure  in  heart  ; 

For  God  his  presence  shall  to  them  impart. 
Blessed  are  they  that  do  make  peace;  for  why? 
They  shall  be  call’d  the  sons  of  the  Most  High. 
Blessed  are  they  which  suffer  for  the  sake 
Of  righteousness:  for  they  of  heav’n  partake. 
Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  falsely  speak 
All  kind  of  ill  against  you  for  my  sake, 

And  shall  revile,  and  persecute  you  sore ; 
Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad  therefor : 

For  your  reward  in  heav’n  will  be  great: 

For  thus  of  old  they  did  the  prophets  treat. 

Ye  are  the  salt  o’  th’  earth ; but  wherewith  must 
The  earth  be  season’d  when  the  savour’s  lost? 
I is  from  thenceforth  good  for  nothing,  but 
1 be  cast  out,  and  trodd’n  under  foot. 

Ye  are  the  light  o’  th’  world ; a city  set 
Upon  a hill  cannot  be  hid;  nor  yet 
Do  men  a candle  with  a bushel  cover, 

But  set  it  where  it  lights  the  whole  house  over. 
So  shine  your  light,  your  good  works  seen 
thereby 

Men  may  your  heavenly  Father  glorify. 

Think  not  that  to  destroy  the  law  I came, 

Or  prophets ; no,  but  to  fulfil  the  same. 

For  till  the  heav’n  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
One  jot  or  tittle  from  the  law,  I say, 

Shall  never  pass,  till  all  shall  be  complete. 
Whoso  therefore  presumes  to  violate 


One  of  these  least  commands,  and  teachcth  so, 
Shall  in  God’s  kingdom  be  accounted  low. 

But  he  that  doth,  and  teaclieth  them  likewise, 
Shall  in  God’s  kingdom  have  great  dignities. 
For  I declare  unto  you,  that  unless 
You  shall  exceed  the  scribe  and  Pharisees 
In  righteousness ; you  shall  on  no  condition, 
Into  the  heavenly  kingdom  gain  admission. 
Ye’ve  heard  ’twas  said  of  old,  “Thou  shalt  not 
kill:” 

And  he  incurs  the  judgment  who  shall  spill 
His  brother’s  blood : but  I to  you  declare, 
That  he  that’s  wroth  without  a cause,  shall 
bear 

The  judgment.  Likewise  of  the  council  he 
That  sayeth  ‘ racha’  shall  in  danger  be. 

But  whosoe’er  shall  say,  Thou  fool,  the  same 
Shall  be  in  danger  of  eternal  flame. 

When  therefore  to  the  altar  thou  dost  bring 
Thy  gift,  and  there  rememb’rest  anything 
Thy  brother  hast  against  thee : leave  it  there 
Before  the  altar,  and  come  thou  not  near 
Till  thou  hast  first  made  reconciliation, 

Then  may’st  thou  come  and  offer  thine  obla- 
tion. 

Make  an  agreement  with  thine  adversary 
Whilst  thou  art  in  the  way,  and  do  not  tarry ; 
Lest  he  at  any  time  deliver  thee 
Unto  the  judge,  and  by  the  judge  thou  be 
Unto  the  officer  forthwith  resign’d, 

And  in  imprisonment  thou  be  confin’d; 

I do  affirm  thou  shalt  not  be  enlarg’d, 

Till  thou  the  utmost  farthing  hast  discharg’d. 
Ye’ve  heard  that  they  of  old  did  testify, 

That  men  should  not  commit  adultery : 

But  I pronounce  him  an  adulterer, 

Who  views  a woman  to  lust  after  her. 

And  if  thy  right  eye  shall  offensive  be, 

Pluck  thou  it  out  and  cast  the  same  from 
thee ; 

For  it  is  better  lose  one,  than  that  all 
Thy  members  should  into  hell  torments  fall. 
And  if  thy  right  hand  doth  offend,  cut  off  it, 
And  cast  it  from  thee,  for  it  will  thee  profit 

557 


558 


BTJNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Much  rather  that  one  of  thy  members  fell, 
Than  that  they  should  be  all  condemned  to 
hell. 

It  hath  been  said,  whoso  away  shall  force 
His  wife,  shall  give  her  a bill  of  divorce : 

But  whosoe’er  shall  put  his  wife  away, 

Except  for  fornication’s  sake,  I say, 

Makes  her  adult’ress,  and  who  marries  her, 

So  put  awray,  is  an  adulterer. 

Again:  Ye’ve  heard,  Thou  shalt  not  be  for- 
sworn, 

Was  ancient  doctrine,  but  thou  shalt  perform 
Unto  the  Lord  thine  oaths:  But  I declare, 
That  thou  shalt  not  at  all  presume  to  swear ; 
Neither  by  heaven,  for  it  is  God’s  throne ; 

Nor  by  the  earth,  for  his  foot  stands  thereon  : 
Neither  swear  by  Jerusalem,  for  why? 

It  is  the  city  of  the  King  Most  High : 

Nor  swear  thou  by  thine  head,  for  thou  canst 
make 

No  hair  thereof  to  be  or  white  or  black: 

But  let  yea,  yea;  nay,  nay,  in  speech  suffice, 
For  what  is  more  from  evil  doth  arise. 

Ye’ve  heard,  it  hath  been  said,  Eye  for  an  eye, 
And  tooth  for  tooth  : But  I do  testify, 

That  you  shall  not  resist ; but  let  him  smite 
Thy  left  cheek  also,  who  assaults  thy  right. 
And  if  that  any  by  a lawsuit  shall 
Demand  thy  coat,  let  them  have  cloak  and 
all. 

And  whosoe’er  compelleth  thee  to  go 
A mile,  refuse  not  to  go  with  him  two. 

Give  him  that  asketh,  and  from  him  that  may 
Have  need  to  borrow,  turn  not  thou  away. 
Ye’ve  heard,  ’twas  said,  That  thou  shalt  love 
thy  friend 

And  hate  thy  foe : But  let  your  love  extend 
Hnto  your  enemies : thus  I declare, 

Bless  them  that  curse,  do  good  to  them  that 
bear 

Ill-will,  and  for  your  persecutors  pray, 

And  them  that  do  reproach  you;  that  you 
may 

Be  children  of  your  Father  that’s  in  heaven ; 
For  he  on  good  and  bad  alike  hath  given 
His  sun  to  rise,  and  in  like  manner  doth 
Send  rain  upon  the  just  and  unjust  both. 

For  what  is  your  reward,  if  you  love  them 
That  love  you?  Do  not  publicans  the  same? 
And  if  your  brethren  only  you  salute, 

What  more  than  they  do  ye?  They  also  do’t. 
I will  therefore  that  you  be  perfect,  ev’n 
As  is  your  Father  perfect  that’s  in  heaven. 

* These  lines,  and  those  on  the  next  page,  ‘ The 
eye’s  the  light  o’  th’  body,’  remind  one  of  Bunyan's 
style  in  his  Apology  for  the  Pilgrim’s  Progress — 


Chap.  VI. 

Take  heed  you  do  not  your  alms-deeds  bestow 
Before  men,  purposely  to  make  a show ; 

For  then  there  will  no  recompense  be  given 
Unto  you  of  your  Father  that’s  in  heaven: 
With  sound  of  trumpet  do  not  thou  therefore 
Proclaim  what  thou  art  giving  to  the  poor ; 

As  is  the  manner  of  the  hypocrites 
To  do  i’  th’  synagogues,  and  in  the  streets;* 
That  men  may  give  them  praises.  Verily 
They  have  their  recompense,  I testify. 

But  when  thou  dost  alms,  let  thy  left  hand  know 
Not  what  thy  right  hand  is  about  to  do  : 

That  giving  secretly,  thy  Father  may, 

Who  sees  in  secret,  openly  repay. 

And  when  thou  prav’st  be  not  as  hypocrites; 
For  they  love  in  the  corners  of  the  streets, 
And  in  the  synagogues  to  stand  and  pray, 
There  to  be  seen : they’ve  their  reward,  I say. 
But  thou,  when  thou  dost  make  thy  pray’r,  go 
thee 

Into  thy  closet,  shut  thy  door  unto  thee, 

And  there  in  secret  to  thy  Father  cry, 

Who  seeing  thee  shall  reward  thee  openly. 

But  when  ye  pray  use  not  vain  repetitions, 

As  heathens  do,  for  they  think  their  petitions 
Prevail ; when  they  the  same  do  multiply: 

Be  ye  not  like  to  them  therefore ; for  why  ? 
Your  Father  knows  what  things  you  need  be- 
fore 

You  ask  him,  on  this  wise  pray  ye  therefore : 

Our  Father  which  art  in  heav’n,  thy  name 
alone 

Be  hallowed.  Thy  glorious  kingdom  come. 
Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  ’tis  in  heaven. 
Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.  And  ev’n 
As  we  remit  our  debtors,  grant  remission 
To  us.  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation, 
But  from  all  evil  do  thou  us  deliver; 

For  th’  kingdom,  power  and  glory’s  thine 
for  ever.  Amen. 

For  if  you  do  forgive  men  that  offend, 

Your  heavenly  Father  will  to  you  extend  ' 
Forgiveness;  but  if  not,  nor  will  ho  sparfe, 

At  any  time  when  you  offenders  are. 

Moreover,  when  you  fast  beware  lest  you 
Look  sad,  as  hypocrites  are  wont  to  do ; 

For  they  disguise  their  faces,  that  they  may 
Appear  to  fast : they’ve  their  reward,  I say. 
But  thou,  when  thou  dost  fast,  anoint  thine 
head 

And  wash  thy  face,  that  undiscovered 

“Dost  thou  love  picking  meat?  Or  would’st  thou  see 
A man  i’  th’  clouds,  and  hear  him  speak  to  thee  ?”- — Ed. 


CITRIST ’S  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT. 


559 


Thy  fasting  may  bo  unto  men,  but  rather 
That  thou  be  seen  in  secret  of  thy  Father: 
And  then  thy  Father,  who  in  secresy 
Beholds  thee,  shall  reward  thee  openly. 

Lay  not  up  treasure  for  yourselves  in  store 
Upon  the  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  devour, 
And  where  by  thieves  you  may  be  quite  be- 
reaven. 

But  lay  up  treasure  for  yourselves  in  heaven, 
Where  neither  moth,  nor  rust,  nor  thieves  can 
enter : 

For  where’s  your  treasure  there  your  hearts 
will  centre. 

The  eye’s  the  light  o’  th’  body,  which  if  right 
Then  thy  whole  body  will  be  full  of  light: 
But  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  then  there  will 
A total  darkness  thv  whole  body  fill. 

If  therefore  all  the  light  that  is  in  thee 
Be  darkness,  how  great  must  that  darkness 
be? 

No  man  can  serve  two  masters,  either  he 
Will  hate  one,  and  love  t’other,  or  will  be 
Faithful  to  one,  and  t’other  will  forego. 

Ye  cannot  serve  both  God  and  mammon  too. 
Take  no  thought  therefore  for  your  life,  I say, 
What  you  shall  eat  or  drink ; or  how  you  may 
Your  bodies  clothe.  Is  not  the  life  much  more 
Than  meat ; Is  not  the  body  far  before 
The  clothes  thereof?  Behold  the  fowls  o’  th’ 
air, 

Nor  sow  nor  reap,  nor  take  they  any  care 
How  they  provision  into  barns  may  gather; 
Yet  they  are  nourish’d  by  your  heavenly 
Father : 

Are  ye  not  worth  much  more?  Which  of  you 
can 

By  taking  thought  add  to  his  height  one  span? 
And  why  for  raiment  are  ye  taking  thought? 
See  howr  the  lilies  grow ; they  labour  not, 

Nor  do  they  spin  ; yet  Solomon,  I say, 

In  all  his  pomp,  had  no  such  gay  array. 

If  in  the  field  God  so  doth  clothe  the  grass, 
Which  is  to-day,  and  doth  to-morrow  pass 
Into  the  oven,  shall  he  not  therefore, 

O ye  of  little  faith,  clothe  you  much  more? 
Take  no  thought  therefore,  saying,  What  shall 
we  eat, 

Or  drink,  or  where  shall  we  our  raiment  get : 
(For  thus  the  heathen  people  used  to  do;) 

For  that  you  need  them  doth  your  Father 
know. 

But  seek  God’s  kingdom,  and  his  righteousness 
First,  and  then  all  these  things  you  shall  pos- 
sess. 

Be  not  then  exercis’d  with  care  and  sorrow, 

In  making  preparation  for  the  morrow; 


The  morrow'  shall  things  for  itself  prepare: 
Sufficient  to  the  day  is  each  day’s  care. 


Chap.  YII. 

Judge  nat,  that  you  may  not  be  judg’d;  for 
even 

As  you  pass  judgment,  judgment  shall  be 
giv’n : 

And  with  such  measure  as  you  mete  to  men, 

It  shall  be  measured  unto  you  again. 

And  why  dost  thou  take  notice  of  the  mote 
That’s  in  thy  brother’s  eye;  but  dost  not  note 
The  beam  that’s  in  thine  own  ? How  wilt  thou 
say 

Unto  thy  brother,  Let  me  take  away 
The  mote  that’s  in  thine  eye,  when  yet  ’tis 
plain 

The  beam  that’s  in  thine  ow'n  doth  still  re- 
main ? 

First  cast  away  the  beam,  thou  hypocrite, 
From  thine  own  eye,  so  shall  thy  clearer  sight 
The  better  be  enabled  to  descry, 

And  pluck  the  mote  out  of  tliy  brother’s  eye. 
Give  not  to  dogs  the  things  that  are  divine, 
Neither  cast  ye  your  pearls  before  the  swine 
Lest  that  they  should  their  feet  them  trample 
under, 

And  turn  upon  you,  and  rend  you  asunder. 
Ask,  and  obtain ; seek,  and  ye  shall  find ; 
do  ye 

Knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  ye : 

For  he  that  seeks,  shall  find;  that  asks,  ob- 
tain, 

And  he  that  knocks,  shall  an  admittance  gain. 
Or  what  man  is  there  of  you,  if  his  son 
Shall  ask  him  bread,  will  he  give  him  a stone? 
Or  if  he  ask  a fish,  will  he  bestow 
A serpent?  If  then  ye  being  evil  know' 

To  give  your  children  good  gifts,  how  much 
rather 

To  them  that  ask  him  shall  your  heav’nly 
Father ! 

Then  what  you  would  men  should  to  you, 
so  do 

To  them : for  that’s  the  lawr  and  prophets  too. 
Enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  for  the  road 
That  doth  unto  destruction  lead,  is  broad; 

And  wide  the  gate ; and  many  there  be  that 
Enter  therein : because  strait  is  the  gate, 

And  narrow  is  the  way  that  is  inclin’d 
To  life,  and  which  there  are  but  few  that  find. 
False  prophets  shun,  who  in  sheep’s  clothes 
appear, 

But  imvardly  devouring  w'olves  they  are : 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


560 

Ye  by  their  fruits  shall  know  them.  Do  men 
either 

Pluck  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles 
. gather  ? 

Even  so  each  good  tree  good  fruit  will  pro- 
duce ; 

But  a corrupt  tree  fruit  unfit  for  use: 

A good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil  food, 

Nor  can  an  evil  tree  bear  fruit  that’s  good  : 
Each  tree  that  bears  not  good  fruit’s  hewn 
down 

And  burnt,  thus  by  their  fruits  they  shall  be 
known. 

Not  every  one  that  saith,  Lord,  Lord,  but  he 
That  doth  my  heav’nly  Father’s  will  shall  be 
An  heir  of  heaven  : many  in  that  day 
Will  call,  Lord,  Lord,  and  thus  to  me  will  say: 
Idave  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name? 

Cast  devils  out,  done  wonders  in  the  same? 
And  then  will  I profess  I know  you  not; 
Depart  from  me,  ye  that  have  evil  wrought. 


Whoso  therefore  these  sayings  of  mine  doth 
hear, 

And  doth  them,  to  a wise  man  I’ll  compare, 
The  which  upon' a rock  his  building  founded, 
The  rain  descended  and  the  floods  surrounded, 
The  winds  arose,  and  gave  it  many  a shock, 
And  it  fell  not,  being  founded  on  a rock. 

And  ev’ry  one  that  hears  these  sayings  of 
mine, 

And  not  to  do  them  .doth  his  heart  incline, 
Unto  a foolish  man  shall  be  compar’d; 

Who  his  foundation  on  the  sand  prepar’d: 

The  rain  descended  and  the  floods  were  great. 
The  winds  did  blow,  and  vehemently  beat 
Against  that  house;  and  down  the  building 
came, 

And  mighty  was  the  downfall  of  the  same. 
And  now  when  Jesus  thus  had  finished 
His  sayings,  the  people  were  astonished 
Thereat:  for  not  as  do  the  scribes  taught  he 
Them,  but  as  one  that  had  authority. 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST; 

OR, 

A PLAIN  AND  PROFITABLE  DISCOURSE  ON  JOHN  VI.  37. 


SHOWING  TIIE  CAUSE,  TRUTH,  AND  MANNER  OF  THE  COMING  OF  A SINNER  TO  JESUS 
CHRIST;  WITH  HIS  HAPPY  RECEPTION  AND  BLESSED  ENTERTAINMENT. 


And  they  sb/fll  come  which  were  ready  to  perish. — Isa.  xxvii.  13. 

All  that  tho  Father  giveth  mo  shall  come  to  me;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out. — 
John  vi.  37. 


A LITTLE  before,  in  this  chapter,  you  may 
read  that  the  Lord  Jesus  walked  on  the  sea  to 
go  to  Capernaum,  having  sent  his  disciples 
before  in  a ship ; but  the  wind  was  contrary, 
by  which  means  the  ship  was  hindered  in  her 
passage.  Now  about  the  fourth  watch  of  the 
night  Jesus  came  walking  on  the  sea  and  over- 
took them;  at  the  sight  of  whom  they  were 
afraid. 

Note.  When  providences  are  black  and  terri- 
ble to  God’s  people  the  Lord  Jesus  shows  him- 
self to  them  in  a wonderful  manner ; the  which 
sometimes  they  can  as  little  bear  as  they  can 
the  things  that  were  terrible  to  them.  They 
were  afraid  of  the  wind  and  water ; they  were 
also  afraid  of  their  Lord  and  Saviour  when  he 
appeared  to  them  in  that  state. 

But  lie  said,  “Be  not  afraid,  it  is  I.” 

Note.  That  the  end  of  the  appearing  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  unto  his  people  (though  the  man- 
ner of  his  appearance  be  never  so  terrible)  is 
to  allay  their  fears  and  perplexities. 

Then  they  received  him  into  the  ship,  and 
immediately  the  ship  was  at  the  land  whither 
it  went. 

Note.  When  Christ  is  absent  from  his  people 
they  go  on  but  slowly  and  with  great  difficulty, 
but  when  he  joineth  himself  unto  them,  oh 
how  fast  they  steer  their  course ! how  soon  are 
they  at  their  journey’s  end! 

The  people  now  among  whom  he  last 
preached,  when  they  saw  that  both  Jesus  was 
gone  and  his  disciples,  they  also  took  shipping 
and  came  to  Capernaum  seeking  for  Jesus. 
And  when  they  had  found  him,  they,  wonder- 
36 


ing,  asked  him,  Rabbi,  when  earnest  thou 
hither?  But  the  Lord  Jesus,  slighting  their 
compliment,  answered,  “Verily,  verily,  ye 
seek  me,  not  because  ye  saw  the  miracles,  but 
because  ye  did  eat  of  the  loaves  and  were 
filled.” 

Note.  A people  may  follow  Christ  far  for  base 
ends,  as  these  went  after  him  beyond  sea  for 
loaves.  A man’s  belly  will  carry  him  a great 
way  in  religion ; yea,  a man’s  belly  will  make 
him  venture  far  for  Christ. 

Note  again.  They  are  not  feigning  compli- 
ments, but  gracious  intentions,  that  crown  the 
work  in  the  eyes  of  Christ;  or  thus,  it  is  not 
the  toil  and  business  of  professors,  but  their 
love  to  him,  that  makes  him  approve  of  them. 

Note  again.  When  men  shall  look  for  friendly 
entertainment  at  Christ’s  hand,  if  their  hearts 
be  rotten,  even  then  will  they  meet  with  a 
check  and  rebuke.  “ Ye  seek  me,  not  because 
ye  saw  the  miracles,  but  because  ye  did  eat  of 
the  loaves  and  were  filled.” 

Yet  observe  again.  He  doth  not  refuse  to 
give,  even  to  these,  good  counsel:  he  bids  them 
to  labour  for  the  meat  that  endureth  to  eternal 
life.  Oh  how  willingly  would  Jesus  have 
even  those  professors,  that  come  to  him  with 
pretences  only,  come  to  him  sincerely,  that 
they  may  be  saved  ! 

The  text,  you  will  find,  is  after  much  more 
discourse  with  and  about  this  people,  and  it  is 
uttered  by  the  Lord  Jesus  as  the  conclusion 
of  the  whole,  and  intimatetli  that  since  they 
were  professors  in  pretence  only,  and  therefore 
such  as  his  soul  could  not  delight  in  as  such, 

561 


562 


B UNY AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


that  he  would  content  himself  with  a remnant 
that  his  Father  had  bestowed  upon  him.  As 
who  should  say,  “I  am  not  like  to  he  hon- 
oured in  that  salvation ; but  the  Father  has 
bestowed  upon  me  a people,  and  they  shall 
come  to  me  in  truth,  and  in  them  will  I be 
satisfied.”  The  text  before  may  he  called 
Christ’s  repose;  in  the  fulfilling  thereof  he 
resteth  himself  content  after  much  labour  and 
many  sermons  spent,  as  it  were,  in  vain.  As 
he  saith  by  the  prophet,  “I  have  laboured  in 
vain,  I have  spent  my  strength  for  naught  and 
in  vain.”  Isa.  xlix.  4. 

But  as  there  he  saith,  “My  judgment  is 
with  the  Lord,  and  my  work  with  God,”  so  in 
the  text  he  saith,  “All  that  the  Father  giveth 
me  shall  come  to  me;  and  him  that  cometh  to 
me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  By  these  words, 
therefore,  the  Lord  Jesus  comforteth  himself 
under  the  consideration  of  the  dissimulation 
of  some  of  his  followers.  He  also  thus  betook 
himself  to  rest  under  the  consideration  of  the 
little  effect  that  his  ministry  had  in  Capernaum, 
Chorazin,  and  Bethsaida:  “I  thank  thee,  0 
Father,”  said  he,  “Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
because  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the 
wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  to 
babes;  even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good 
in  thy  sight.”  Matt.  xi.  25;  Luke  x.  21. 

The  text,  in  general,  consists  of  two  parts, 
and  hath  special  respect  to  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  as  also  their  joint  management  of  the 
salvation  of  the  people.  “All  that  the  Father 
givetn  me  shall  come  to  me;  and  him  that 
cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

The  first  part'  of  the  text,  as  is  evident,  re- 
spected the  Father  and  his  gift;  the  other  part 
the  Son  and  his  reception  of  that  gift. 

First.  For  the  gift  of  the  Father,  there  is  this 
to  be  considered,  to  wit: 

The  gift  itself;  and  that  is  the  gift  of  cer- 
tain persons  to  the  Son.  The  Father  giveth, 
and  that  gift  shall  come:  “And  him  that 
cometh.”  The  gift  then  is  of  persons;  the 
Father  giveth  persons  to  Jesus  Christ. 

Secondly.  Next  you  have  the  Son’s  reception 
of  this  gift,  and  that  showeth  itself  in  these 
particulars : 

1.  In  his  hearty  acknowledgment  of  it  to  he 
a gift:  “The  Father  giveth  me.” 

2.  In  his  taking  notice,  after  a solemn  man- 
ner, of  all  and  every  part  of  the  gift:  “All 
that  the  Father  giveth  me.” 

3.  In  his  resolution  to  bring  them  to  him- 
self: “All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall 
come  to  me.” 


4.  And  in  his  determining  that  not  any  thing 
shall  make  him  dislike  them  in  their  coming: 
“ And  him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise 
cast  out.” 

These  things  might  be  spoken  to  at  large,  as 
they  are  in  this  method  presented  to  view,  but 
I shall  choose  to  speak  to  the  words — 

1.  By  way  of  explication. 

2.  By  way  of  observation. 

First,  Byway  of  explication:  “ All  that  i he 
Father  giveth  me.”  This  word  all  is  often 
used  in  Scripture,  and  is  to  be  taken  more 
largely  or  more  strictly  even  as  the  truth  or 
argument  for  the  sake  of  which  it  is  made  use 
of  will  bear.  Wherefore,  that  we  may  better 
understand  the  mind  of  Christ  in  the  use  of  it 
here,  we  must  consider  that  it  is  limited  and 
restrained  only  to  those  that  shall  be  saved — • 
to  wit,  to  those  that  shall  come  to  Christ,  even 
to  those  whom  he  will  “ in  nowise  cast  out.” 
Thus  also  the  phrase  “all  Israel”  is  sometimes 
to  be  taken,  though  sometimes  it  is  taken  for 
the  whole  family  of  Jacob.  And  so  “all 
Israel  shall  be  saved.”  Rom.  xi.  By  “all 
Israel”  here  he  intendeth  not  all  of  Israel,  in 
the  largest  sense,  for  they  are  not  all  Israel 
which  are  of  Israel,  “neither  because  they  are 
the  seed  of  Abraham  are  they  all  children; 
but  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called — that  is, 
they  who  are  the  children  of  the  flesh,  these 
are  not  the  children  of  God,  but  the  children 
of  the  promise  are  counted  fpr  their  seed.” 
Rom.  ix.  6,  7,  8. 

This  word  all,  therefore,  must  be  limited  and 
enlarged  as  the  truth  and  argument  for  the 
sake  of  which  it  is  used  will  bear,  else  we 
shall  abuse  Scriptures,  and  readers,  and  our- 
selves, and  all.  “And  I,  if  I be  lifted  up 
from  the  earth,”  said  Christ,  “will  draw  all 
men  after  me.”  John  xii.  32.  Can  any  one  im- 
agine that  by  all  in  this  place  he  should  mean 
all  and  every  individual  man  in  the  world, 
and  not  rather  that  all  that  is  consonant  to 
the  scope  of  the  place?  And  if  by  being 
“lifted  up  from  the  earth”  he  means,  as  he 
should  seem,  his  being  taken  up  into  heaven, 
and  if  by  “drawing  all  men  after  him”  he 
meant  a drawing  them  into  the  place  of  glory, 
then  must  he  mean  by  all  men  those,  and  only 
those,  that  shall  in  truth  he  eternally  saved 
from  the  wrath  to  come:  “For  God  hath  con- 
cluded them  all  in  unbelief,  that  he  might 
have  mercy  upon  all.”  Rom.  xi.  32.  Here 
again  you  have  all  and  all — two  alls  ; but  yet  a 
greater  disparity  between  the  all  made  men- 
tion of  in  the  first  place,  and  that  all  made 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


563 


mention  of  in  the  second.  Those  intended  in 
this  text  are  the  Jews,  even  all  of  them,  by 
t he  iirst  all  that  you  find  in  the  words.  The 
second  all  doth  also  intend  the  same  people, 
hut  yet  only  so  many  of  them  as  God  will 
have  mercy  upon,  “lie  hath  concluded  them 
all  in  unbelief,  that  he  might  have  mercy  upon 
all.”  The  all  also  in  the  text  is  likewise  to  be 
limited  to  the  saved,  and  them  only. 

But  again:  The  word  giveth,  or  hath  given, 
must  be  restrained,  after  the  same  manner,  to 
the  same  limited  number:  “all  that  the  Father 
giveth  me.”  Not  all  that  are  given,  if  you 
take  the  gift  of  the  Father  to  the  Son  in  the 
largest  sense,  for  in  that  sense  there  are  many 
given  to  him  that  shall  never  come  unto  him; 
yea,  many  were  given  unto  him  that  “lie  will 
cast  out.”  I shall  therefore  first  show  you  the 
truth  of  this,  and  then  in  what  sense  the  gift 
in  the  text  must  be  taken. 

First,  That  all  that  are  given  to  Christ,  if 
you  take  the  gift  of  the  Father  to  him  in  the 
largest  sense,  cannot  be  intended  in  the  text,  is 
evident — 

1.  Because  then  all  the  men,  yea,  all  the 
things  in  the  world,  must  be  saved.  “All 
things,”  said  he,  “arc  delivered  unto  me  by 
the  Father.”  Matt.  xi.  27.  This,  I think,  no 
rational  man  in  the  world  will  conclude. 
Therefore  the  gift  intended  in  the  text  must  be 
restrained  to  some — to  a gift  that  is  given  by  way 
of  specialty  by  the  Father  to  the  Son. 

2.  It  must  not  be  taken  for  all  that  in  any 
sense  are  given  by  the  Father  to  him,  because 
the  Father  hath  given  some,  yea,  many,  to 
him  to  be  dashed  in  pieces  by  him.  “Ask  of 
me,”  said  the  Father  to  him,  “and  I will  give 
thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and 
the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  posses- 
sion.” But  what  must  be  done  with  them? 
Must  he  save  them  all?  No.  “Thou  shalt 
break  them  with  a rod  of  iron;  thou  shalt 
dash  them  in  pieces  like  a potter’s  vessel.” 
Ps.  ii.  This  method  he  useth  not  with  them 
that  he  saveth  by  his  grace,  but  those  that 
himself  and  saints  shall  rule  over  in  justice 
and  severity,  (Rev.  ii.  26,  27 ;)  yet,  as  you  see, 
they  are  given  to  him;  therefore  the  gift  in- 
tended in  the  text  must  be  restrained  to  some, 
to  a gift  that  is  given  by  way  of  specially  by 
the  Father  to  the  Son. 

In  Psalm  xi.  he  saith  plainly  that  some  are 
given  to  him  that  he  might  destroy  them: 
“ Thou  hast  given  me  the  necks  of  mine  en- 
emies, that  I might  destroy  them  that  hate 
me.”  Ver.  40.  These  therefore  cannot  be  of 


the  number  of  those  that  are  said  to  be  given 
in  tjie  text ; for  those,  even  all  of  them,  shall 
come  to  him,  and  “ he  will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

3.  Some  are  given  to  Christ,  that  he  by 
them  might  bring  about  some  of  his  high  and 
deep  designs  in  the  world.  Thus  Judas  was 
given  to  Christ — to  wit,  that  by  him,  even  as 
he  was  determined  before,  he  might  bring' 
about  his  death,  and  so  the  salvation  of  hit 
elect  by  his  blood.  Yea,  and  Judas  must  so 
manage  this  business  as  that  he  must  Ices 
himself  for  ever  in  bringing  it  to  pass.  There-4 
fore  the  Lord  Jesus,  even  in  his  losing  of 
Judas,  applies  himself  to  the  judgment  of  his 
Father  if  he  had  not  in  that  thing  done  that 
which  was  right,  even  in  suffering  of  Judas  so 
to  bring  about  his  Master’s  death  as  that  he 
might  by  so  doing  bring  about  his  own  eternal 
damnation  also. 

“Those,”  said  he,  “that  thou  gavest  me 
have  I kept,  and  none  of  them  is  lost  but  the 
son  of  perdition,  that  the  Scriptures  might  be 
fulfilled.”  John  xvii.  12.  Let  us,  then,  grant 
that  Judas  was  given  to  Christ,  but  not  aS 
others  are  given  to  him,  nor  as  those  made 
mention  of  iu  the  text;  for  then  he  should 
not  have  failed  to  have  been  so  received  by 
Christ  and  kept  to  eternal  life.  Indeed  he 
was  given  to  Christ,  but  he  was  given  to  him 
to  lose  him  in  the  way  that  I have  mentioned 
before;  he  was  given  to  Christ,  that  he  by 
him  might  bring  about  his  own  death,  as  was 
before  determined,  and  that  in  the  overthrow 
of  him  that  did  it.  Yea,  he  must  bring  about 
his  dying  for  us  in  the  loss  of  the  instrument 
that  betrayed  him,  that  he  might  even  fulfil 
the  Scripture  in  his  destruction  as  well  as  iu 
the  salvation  of  the  rest.  “ And  none  of  them 
is  lost  but  the  son  of  perdition,  that  the  Scrip- 
ture might  be  fulfilled.” 

The  gift,  therefore,  in  the  text  must  not  be 
taken  in  the  largest  sense,  but  even  as  the 
words  will  bear — to  wit,  for  such  a gift  as  he 
accepteth,  and  promiseth  to  be  an  effectual 
means  of  eternal  salvation  too.  “Ail  that 
the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me;  and 
him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast 
out.”  Mark ! They  shall-  come  that  are  in 
special  given  unto  me,  and  they  shall  by  no 
means  be  rejected ; for  this  is  the  substance 
of  the  text. 

Those,  therefore,  intended  as  the  gift  in  the 
text  are  those  that  are  given  by  covenant  to 
the  Son — those  that  in  other  places  are  called 
the  elect,  the  chosen,  the  sheep,  and  the  children 
of  the  promise,  &e. 


564 


B U NY  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


These  be  they  that  the  Father  hath  given 
to  Christ  to  keep  them,  those  that  Clyist 
hath  promised  eternal  life  unto,  those  to 
whom  he  hath  given  his  word,  and  that  he 
will  have  with  him  in  his  kingdom  to  behold 
his  glory. 

“This  is  the  will  of  the  Father  that  hath 
sent  me,  that  of  all  that  he  hath  given  me  I 
should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise  it  up 
again  at  the  last  day.  And  I give  unto  them 
eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish ; 
neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my 
hand.  My  Father  that  gave  them  me  is 
greater  than  all ; and  no  man  is  able  to  pluck 
them  out  of  my  Father’s  hand.  As  thou  hast 
given  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he  should 
give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given 
him.  Thine  they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them 
me,  and  they  have  kept  thy  word ; I pray  for 
them ; I pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  those 
that  thou  hast  given  me,  for  they  are  thine. 
And  all  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine; 
and  I am  glorified  in  them.” 

“ Keep  through  thine  own  name  those 
whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may 
be  one  as  we  are.  Father,  I will  that  those 
whom  thou  hast  given  me  may  be  with  me 
where  I am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory 
which  thou  hast  given  me ; for  thou  lovedst 
me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.”  John 
ii.  39;  x.  28;  xvii.  1,  6,  9,  10,  24. 

All  these  sentences  are  of  the  same  import 
with  the  text;  and  the  alls  and  the  many, 
those , they,  &c.,  in  these  several  sayings  of 
Christ  are  the  same  with  all  the  given  in  the 
text:  “All  that  the  Father  giveth.” 

So  that,  as  I said  before,  the  word  all,  as 
also  other  words,  must  not  be  taken  in  such 
sort  as  our  foolish  fancies  or  groundless  opin- 
ions will  prompt  us  to,  but  do  admit  of  an  en- 
largement or  a restriction  according  to  the 
true  meaning  and  intent  of  the-  text.  We 
must  therefore  diligently  consult  the  meaning 
of  the  text  by  comparing  it  with  the  other 
sayings  of  God;  so  shall  we  be  better  able  to 
find  out  the  mind  of  the  Lord  in  the  word 
which  he  has  given  us  to  know  it  by. 

“All  that  the  Father  giveth.”  By  this 
■word  Father  Christ  describetli  the  person 
giving,  by  which  we  may  learn  several  useful 
things:  1.  That  the  Lord  God  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  concerned  with  the 
Son  in  the  salvation  of  his  people.  True,  his 
acts  to  our  salvation  are  diverse  from  those  of 
the  Son  ; he  was  not  capable  of  doing  that  or 
those  things  for  us  as  did  the  Son ; he  died 


not,  he  spilt  not  blood  for  our  redemption,  as 
the  Son ; but  yet  he  hath  a hand,  a great 
hand,  in  our  salvation  too.  As  Christ  saith, 
“ The  Father  himself  loveth  you,”  and  his 
love  is  manifest  in  choosing  of  us,  in  giving 
of  us  to  his  Son,  yea,  and  in  giving  his  Son 
also  to  be  a ransom  for  us.  Hence  he  is  called 
“the  Father  of  all  mercies  and  the  God  of  all 
comfort.”  For  even  the  Father  hath  himself 
found  out  and  made  way  for  his  grace  to  come 
to  us  through  the  sides  and  the  heart-blood  of 
his  well-beloved  Son.  Col.  i.  12.  The  Father 
therefore  is  to  be  remembered  and  adored  as 
one  having  a chief  hand  in  the  salvation  of 
sinners.  “ We  ought  to  give  thanks  to  the 
Father,  who  hath  made  us  meet  to  be  par- 
takers of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light ; for  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.”  Col.  i.  12;  1 John  iv. 
14.  As  also  we  see  in  the  text,  the  Father 
giveth  the  sinner  to  save  him. 

2.  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  by  this  word  Fa- 
ther, would  familiarize  this  giver  to  us.  Nat- 
urally the  name  of  God  is  dreadful  to  us, 
especially  when  he  is  discovered  to  us  by  those 
names  that  declare  his  justice,  holiness,  power, 
and  glory ; but  now  this  word  Father  is  a fa- 
miliar word;  it  frighteth  not  the  sinner,  but 
rather  inclineth  his  heart  to  love  and  be 
pleased  with  the  remembrance  of  him.  Hence 
Christ  also,  when  he  would  have  us  to  pray 
with  godly  boldness,  puts  this  word  Father  into 
our  mouths,  saying,  “when  ye  pray,  Our  Fa- 
ther, which  art  in  heaven ;”  concluding  there- 
by that  by  the  familiarity  that  by  such  a 
word  is  intimated  the  children  of  God  may 
take  more  boldness  to  pray  for  and  ask  great 
things.  I myself  have  often  found  that  when 
I can  say  but  this  word  Father  it  doth  me  more 
good  than  if  I called  him  by  any  other  Scrip- 
ture name.  It  is  worth  your  noting  that  to 
call  God  by  his  relative  title  was  rare  among 
the  saints  in  Old  Testament  times.  Seldom  do 
you  find  him  called  by  this  name,  no,  some- 
times not  in  three  or  four  books ; but  now  in 
New  Testament  times  he  is  called  by  no  name 
so  often  as  this,  both  by  the  Lord  Jesus  him- 
self and  by  the  apostles  afterwards.  Indeed 
the  Lord  Jesus  was  he  that  first  made  this 
name  common  among  the  saints,  and  that 
taught  them,  both  in  their  discourses,  their 
prayers,  and  in  their  writings,  so  much  to  use 
it,  it  being  more  pleasing  to  and  discovering 
more  plainly  our  interest  in  God  than  any 
other  expression ; for  by  this  one  name  we 
are  made  to  understand  that  all  our  mercies 


COM/':  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CUIIIST. 


are  the  offspring  of  Goil,  and  that  wo  also  that 
are  called  are  his  children  by  adoption. 

“ All  that  the  Father  givctli.”  This  word 
giveth  is  out  of  Christ’s  ordinary  dialect,  and 
scemeth  to  intimate,  at  the  first  sound,  as  if 
the  Father’s  gift  to  the  Son  was  not  an  act 
that  is  past,  but  one  that  is  present  and  con- 
tinuing; when  indeed  this  gift  was  bestowed 
upon  Christ  when  the  covenant,  the  eternal 
covenant,  was  made  between  them  before  all 
worlds  Wherefore  in  those  other  places 
where  this  gift  is  mentioned  it  is  still  spoken 
of  as  an  act  that  is  past,  as  “All  that  lie  hath 
given  me “ to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given 
me “ thou  gavest  them  me,”  “ and  these 
which  thou  hast  given  me.”  Therefore  of  ne- 
cessity this  must  be  the  first  and  chief  sense 
of  the  text — I mean  of  this  giveth — otherwise 
the  doctrine  of  election  and  of  the  eternal 
covenant  which  was  made  between  the  Father 
and  the  Son  (in  which  covenant  this  gift  of 
the  Father  is  most  certainly  comprised)  will 
be  shaken,  or  at  leastwise  questionable  by  er- 
roneous and  wicked  men ; for  they  may  say 
that  the  Father  gave  not  all  those  to  Christ 
that  shall  be  saved  before  the  world  was  made, 
for  that  this  act  of  giving  is  an  act  of  contin- 
uation. 

lint  again,  this  word  giveth  is  not  to  be  re- 
jected, for  it  hath  its  proper  use,  and  may  sig- 
nify to  us — 

1.  That  though  the  act  of  giving  among 
men  doth  admit  of  the  time  past  or  the  time 
to  come,  and  is  to  be  spoken  of  with  reference 
to  such  time,  yet  with  God  it  is  not  so.  Things 
past  or  things  to  come  are  always  present 
with  God  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ:  “He 
ealleth  things  that  are  not” — that  is,  to  us — 
“ as  though  they  were.”  And  again,  “ Known 
unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world.”  All  things  to  God  are 
present,  and  so  the  gift  of  the  Father  to  the 
Son,  although  to  us,  as  is  manifest  by  the  word, 
it  is  an  act  that  is  past.  Rom.  iv.  17 ; xv.  10. 

5.  Christ  may  express  himself  thus  to  show 
that  the  Father  hath  not  only  given  him  this 
portion  in  the  lump  before  the  world  was,  but 
that  those  that  he  had  -so  given  he  will  give 
him  again — that  is,  will  bring  them  to  him  at 
the  time  of  their  conversion — for  “the  Father 
bringeth  them  to  Christ.”  John  vi.  41. 

As  it  is  said,  “She  shall  be  brought  unto 
the  king  in  raiment  of  needlework that  is, 
in  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  for  it  is  God 
imputeth  that  to  those  that  are  saved.  Ps.  xlv. 
14;  1 Cor.  i. 


5G5 

A man  giveth  his  daughter  to  such  a man 
first  in  order  to  marriage,  and  this  respects  the 
time  past;  and  he  givctli  her  again  at  the  day 
appointed  in  marriage.  And  in  this  last  sense 
perhaps  the  text  may  have  a meaning;  that  is, 
that  all  that  the  Father  hath  (before  the  world 
was)  given  to  Jesus  Christ  he  giveth  them 
again  to  him  in  the  day  of  their  espousals. 

Things  that  are  given  among  men  are 
ofttimes  best  at  first — to  wit,  when  they  are 
new ; and  the  reason  is,  because  all  earthly 
things  wax  old;  but  with  Christ  it  is  not  so. 
This  gift  of  the  Father  is  not  old,  and  de- 
formed, and  unpleasant  in  his  eyes,  and  there- 
fore to  him  it  is  always  new.  When  the  Lord 
spake  of  giving  the  land  of  Canaan  to  the 
Israelites,  he  saith  not  that  he  had  given  or 
would  give  it  to  them,  but  thus:  “The  Lord 
tliy  God  giveth  thee  this  land.”  Deut.  xi.  13. 
Not  but  that  he  had  given  it  to  them  while 
they  were  in  the  loins  of  their  fathers  hun- 
dreds of  years  before.  Yet  he  saith  noiv  he 
giveth  it  to  them,  as  if  they  were  now  also  in 
the  very  act  of  taking  possession,  when  as  yet 
they  were  on  the  other  side  of  Jordan.  What 
then  should  be  the  meaning?  Why,  I take  it 
to  be  this : that  the  land  should  be  to  them 
always  as  new — as  new  as  if  they  were  taking 
possession  thereof  but  now.  And  so  is  the 
gift  of  the  Father  mentioned  in  the  text  to  the 
Son ; it  is  always  new,  as  if  it  were  always 
new. 

“All  that  the  Father  giveth  me.”  In  these 
words  you  find  mention  made  of  two  persons, 
the  Father  and  the  Sou — the  Father  giving 
and  the  Son  receiving  or  accepting  of  this  gift. 
This,  then,  in  the  first  place,  clearly  demon- 
strateth  that  the  Father  and  the  Son,  though 
they,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  one  and  the 
same  eternal  God,  yet  as  to  their  personality 
are  distinct.  The  Father  is  one,  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  one.  But  because  there  is  in  this  text 
mention  made  but  of  two  of  the  three,  there- 
fore a word  about  these  two.  The  giver  and 
receiver  cannot  be  the  same  person  in  a proper 
sense  in  the  same  act  of  giving  and  receiving. 
He  that  giveth  giveth  not  to  himself,  but  to 
another:  the  Father  giveth  not  to  the  Father 
— to  wit,  to  himself— but  to  the  Son;  the  Son 
receiveth  not  of  the  Son — to  wit,  of  himself- — 
but  of  the  Father;  so  when  the  Father  giveth 
commandment,  he  giveth  it  not  to  himself,  but 
to  another  ; as  Christ  saith,  He  hath  given  me 
a commandment.  John  xii.  4t>.  So  again,  “ I 
am  one  that  beareth  witness  of  myself,  and  the 
Father  that  sent  me  beareth  witness  of  me.” 


566 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Further,  here  is  something  implied  that  is 
not  expressed — to  wit,  that  the  Father  hath 
not  given  all  men  to  Christ ; that  is,  in  that 
sense  as  is  intended  in  the  text,  though  in  a 
larger,  as  was  said  before,  he  hath  given  him 
every  one  of  them,  for  then  all  should  be 
saved  : he  hath  therefore  disposed  of  some  an- 
other way.  He  gives  some  up  to  idolatry ; he 
gives  some  up  to  uncleanness,  to  vile  affections, 
and  to  a reprobate  mind.  Now  these  he  dis- 
poseth  of  in  his  anger  for  their  destruction, 
(Acts  vii.  42;  Rom.  i.  24,  20,  28,)  that  they  may 
reap  the  fruit  of  their  doings  and  be  filled  with 
the  reward  of  their  own  ways.  But  neither 
hath  he  thus  disposed  of  all  men ; he  hath 
even  of  mercy  reserved  some  from  these  judg- 
ments, and  those  are  they  that  he  will  pardon, 
as  he  saith : “For  I will  pardon  them  whom 
I reserve.”  Jer.  I.  20.  Now  these  he  hath 
given  to  Jesus  Christ  by  will,  as  a legacy  and 
portion.  Hence  the  Lord  Jesus  says,  “ This 
is  the  Father’s  will  which  hath  sent  me,  that 
of  all  which  he  hath  given  me  I should  lose 
nothing,  but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the 
last  day.” 

The  Father  therefore,  in  giving  of  them  to 
him  to  save  them,  must  needs  declare  unto  us 
these  following  things : 

1.  That  he  is  able  to  answer  this  design  of 
God — viz.,  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  sin, 
the  uttermost  temptation,  &c.  Heb.  vii.  25. 
Hence  he  is  said  to  “ lay  help  on  one  that  is 
mighty,  mighty  to  save and  hence  it  is  again 
that  God  did  even  of  old  promise  to  send  his 
people  a Saviour,  a great  one.  Ps.  lxxxix.  19 ; 
Isa.  lxiii.  1.  To  save  is  a great  work,  and 
calls  for  almightiness  in  the  undertaker;  hence 
he  is  called  the  “Mighty  God,  the  Wonderful 
Counsellor,”  &c.  Sin  is  strong,  Satan  is  also 
strong,  death  and  the  grave  are  strong,  and  so 
is  the  curse  of  the  law;  therefore  it  follows 
that  this  Jesus  must  needs  be  by  God  the 
Father  accounted  almighty,  in  that  he  hath 
given  his  elect  to  him  to  save  them  and  deliver 
them  from  these,  and  that  in  despite  of  all 
their  force  and  power. 

And  he  gave  us  testimony  of  this  his  might 
when  ho  was  employed  in  that  part  of  our  de- 
liverance that  called  for  a declaration  of  it. 
He  abolished  death ; he  destroyed  him  that 
had  the  power  of  death  ; he  had  finished  sin, 
and  made  an  end  of  it  as  to  its  damning  effect 
upon  the  persons  that  the  Father  hath  given 
him  ; he  hath  vanquished  the  curse  of  the  law, 
nailed  it  to  his  cross,  and  made  a show  of  these 
things  openly.  2 Tim.  i.  10;  Heb.  ii.  14,  15; 


Hos.  xiii.  14;  Dan.  ix.  24;  Gal.  iii.  13;  Col.  ii. 
14,  15. 

Yea,  and  even  now,  as  a sign  of  his  triumph 
and  conquest,  he  is  alive  from  the  dead,  and 
hath  the  keys  of  death  and  hell  in  his  own 
keeping.  Rev.  i.  18. 

2.  The  Father’s  giving  of  them  to  him  to 
save  them  declares  unto  them  that  he  is  and 
will  be  faithful  in  his  office  of  Mediator,  and 
that  therefore  they  shall  be  secured  from  the 
fruit  and  wages  of  their  sins,  which  is  eternal 
damnation,  by  his  faithful  execution  of  it. 
And  indeed  it  is  said,  even  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
himself,  “that  he  is  faithful  to  him  that  ap- 
pointed him;”  that  is,  to  this  work  of  saving 
those  that  the  Father  hath  given  him  for  that 
purpose,  as  “Moses  was  faithful  in  all  his 
house.”  Yea,  and  more  faithful  too,  for  Moses 
was  faithful  in  God’s  house  but  as  a servant, 
“but  Christ  as  a Son  over  his  own  house.” 
Heb.  iii. 

And  therefore  this  man  is  counted  worthy 
of  more  glory  than  Moses,  even  upon  this  ac- 
count, because  more  faithful  than  he,  as  well 
as  because  of  the  dignity  of  his  person.  There- 
fore in  him,  and  in  his  truth  and  faithfulness, 
God  rested  well  pleased,  and  put  all  the  gov- 
ernment of  his  jrnople  upon  his  shoulders, 
knowing  that  nothing  shall  be  wanting  in  him 
that  may  any  way  perfect  the  design.  And  of 
this  he — to  wit,  the  Son — hath  already  given  a 
proof;  for  when  the  time  was  come  that  his 
blood  was  by  divine  justice  required  for  their 
redemption,  washing,  and  cleansing,  he  as 
freely  poured  it  out  of  his  heart  as  if  it  had 
been  water  out  of  a vessel,  not  sticking  to  part 
with  his  own  life  that  the  life  which  was  laid 
up  for  his  people  in  heaven  might  not  fail  to 
be  bestowed  on  them.  And  upon  this  account, 
as  well  as  upon  any  other,  it  is  that  God  calleth 
him  the  “righteous  servant.”  Isa.  liii.  For 
his  righteousness  could  never  have  been  com- 
plete if  he  had  not  been  to  the  uttermost  faith- 
ful to  the  work  he  undertook ; it  is  also  because 
he  is  faithful  and  true  that  in  righteousness 
he  doth  judge  and  make  work  for  his  people’s 
deliverance.  He  will  faithfully  perform  this 
trust  reposed  in  him.  The  Father  knows  this, 
and  hath  therefore  given  his  elect  unto  him. 

3.  The  Father  giving  of  them  to  him  to 
save  them  declares  that  he  is  and  will  be  gentle 
and  patient  towards  them  under  all  their  pro- 
vocations and  miscarriages.  It  is  not  to  be 
imagined  the  trials  and  provocations  that  the 
Son  of  God  hath  all  along  had  with  these 
people  that  hath  been  given  to  him  to  save; 


CO  MI':  AM)  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


567 


indeed  lip  is  said  to  ho  a tried  stone,  for  he  has 
been  Hed,  not  only  by  the  devil,  guilt  of  sin, 
death,  and  the  curse  of  the  law,  but  also  by  his 
people’s  ignorance,  unruliness,  falls  into  sin, 
and  declining  to  errors  in  life  and  doctrine. 
Were  we  hut  capable  of  seeing  how  the  Lord 
Jesus  had  been  tried  even  by  his  people  ever 
since  there  was  one  of  them  in  the  world,  we 
should  he  amazed  at  his  patience  and  gentle 
carriages  to  them.  It  is  said  indeed,  “The 
Lord  is  very  pitiful,  slow  to  anger,  and  of 
great  mercy;”  and  indeed  if  he  had  not  been 
so  lie  could  never  have  endured  their  man- 
ners as  he  has  done  from  Adam  hitherto. 
Therefore  is  his  pity  and  bowels  towards  his 
Church  preferred  above  the  pity  and  bowels  of 
a mother  towards  her  child.  “ Can  a woman 
forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not’ 
have  compassion  on  the  son  of  her  womb? 
Yea,  they  may  forget,  yet  I will  not  forget 
thee,  saith  the  Lord.”  Isa.  xlix.  15. 

God  did  once  give  Moses,  as  Christ’s  servant, 
a handful  of  his  people  to  carry  them  in  his 
bosom,  but  no  farther  than  from  Egypt  to  Ca- 
naan ; and  this  Moses,  as  is  said  of  him  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  was  the  meekest  man  that  was 
then  to  be  found  on  the  earth;  yea,  and  he 
loved  the  people  at  a very  great  rate ; yet 
neither  would  his  meekness  nor  love  hold  out 
in  this  work ; he  failed  and  grew  passionate, 
even  to  provoking  his  God  to  anger  under  this 
work.  “And  Moses  said  unto  the  Lord,  Where- 
fore hast  thou  afflicted  thy  servant?”  But 
what  was  the  affliction?  Why,  the  Lord  had 
said  unto  him,  “Carry  this  people  in  thy 
bosom,  as  a nursing  father  beareth  his  sucking 
child,  unto  the  land  that  I sware  unto  their 
fathers.”  And  how  then  ? “ Not  I,”  says 

Moses ; “ I am  not  able  to  bear  all  this  people 
alone,  because  it  is  too  heavy  for  me.  If  thou 
deal  thus  with  me,  kill  me,  I pray  thee,  out  of 
hand,  if  I have  found  favour  in  thy  sight,  and 
let  me  not  see  my  wretchedness.”  Nuin.  xi.  11, 
12,  13,  14.  God  gave  them  to  Moses,  that  he 
might  carry  them  in  his  bosom,  that  he  might 
show  gentleness  and  patience  towards  them 
under  all  the  provocations  wherewith  they 
would  provoke  him  from  that  time  till  he  had 
brought  them  to  their  land;  but  he  failed  in 
the  work,  he  could  not  exercise  it,  because  he 
had  not  that  sufficiency  of  patience  towards 
them.  But  now  it  is  said  of  the  person  speak- 
ing in  the  text,  that  “ he  shall  gather  his 
lambs  with  his  arm,  and  shall  carry  them  in 
his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  them  that  are 
with  young,”  (Isa.  xl.  10,  11,)  intimating  that 


this  was  one  of  the  qualifications  that  God 
looked  for,  and  knew  was  in  him,  when  he 
gave  his  elect  to  him  to  save  them. 

4.  The  Father  giving  of  them  to  him  to  save 
them  declares  that  he  hath  a sufficiency  of 
wisdom  to  wage  with  all  those  difficulties  that 
would  attend  him  in  his  bringing  of  his  sons 
and  daughters  unto  glory.  1 Cor.  i.  30.  “He 
hath  made  him  to  us  to  be  wisdom ;”  yea,  he 
is  called  wisdom  itself.  And  God  said  more- 
over that  “ he  shall  deal  prudently.”  Isa.  lii. 
13.  And  indeed  he  that  shall  take  upon  him 
to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  people  had  need  be 
wise,  because  their  adversaries  are  subtle  above 
any.  Here  they  are  to  encounter  with  the  ser- 
pent who  for  his  subtlety  outwitted  our  father 
and  mother  when  their  wisdom  was  at  the 
highest.  Gen.  iii.  But  if  we  talk  of  wisdom, 
our  Jesus  is  wise,  wiser  than  Solomon,  wiser 
than  all  men,  wiser  than  all  angels ; he  is  even 
the  wisdom  of  God.  “ Christ  is  the  wisdom 
of  God.”  Col.  i.  1.  And  hence  it  is  that  he 
turneth  sin,  temptations,  persecutions,  falls, 
and  all  things  for  good  unto  his  people.  Bom. 
viii. 

Now  these  things,  thus  concluded  on,  do 
show  us  also  the  great  and  wonderful  love  of 
the  Father,  in  that  he  should  choose  out  one 
every  way  so  well  prepared  for  the  work  of 
man’s  salvation. 

Herein  indeed  perceive  we  the  love  of  God. 
Hiram  gathered  that  God  loved  Israel  because 
he  had  given  them  such  a king  as  Solomon, 
(2  Chron.  ii.  11 ;)  but  how  much  more  may  we 
behold  the  love  that  God  hath  bestowed  upon 
us  in  that  he  hath  given  us  to  his  Son,  and 
also  given  his  Son  for  us. 

“All  that  the  Father  giveth  me”  shall  come. 
In  these  last  words  there  is  closely  inserted  an 
answer  unto  the  Father’s  end  in  giving  of  his 
elect  unto  Jesus  Christ.  The  Father’s  end 
was,  that  they  might  come  to  him  and  be  saved 
by  him ; and  that,  says  the  Son,  shall  be  done; 
neither  sin  nor  Satan,  neither  flesh  nor  world, 
neither  wisdom  nor  folly,  shall  hinder  their 
coming  to  me.  “ They  shall  come  to  me,  and 
him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast 
out.” 

Here  therefore  the  Lord  Jesus  positively  de- 
termineth  to  put  forth  such  a sufficiency  of  all 
grace  as  shall  effectually  perform  this  promise. 
“They  shall  come;”  that  is,  he  shall  cause 
them  to  come  by  infusiug  of  an  effectual  bless- 
ing into  all  the  means  that  shall  be  used  to 
that  end.  As  was  said  to  the  evil  spirit  that 
was  sent  to  persuade  Ahab  to  go  and  fall  at 


568 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Ramoth-gilead,  “ Go : thou  shalt  persuade  him 
and  prevail  also;  go  forth  and  do  so,”  (1  Kings 
xxii.  22,)  so  will  Jesus  Christ  say  to  the  means 
that  shall  be  used  for  the  bringing  of  those  to 
him  that  the  Father  hath  given  him.  I say, 
he  will  bless  it  effectually  to  this  very  end ; it 
shall  persuade  them,  and  shall  prevail  also; 
else,  as  I said,  the  Father’s  end  would  be  frus- 
trate, for  the  Father’s  will  is  that  “of  all  that 
he  hath  given  him  he  should  lose  nothing,  but 
should  raise  it  up  at  the  last  day”  in  order 
next  unto  himself — Christ  the  first-fruits,  af- 
terwards those  that  are  his  at  his  coming. 
1 Cor.  xv.  But  this  cannot  be  done  if  there 
should  fail  to  be  a work  of  grace  effectually 
wrought,  though  but  in  any  one  of  them.  But 
this  shall  not  fail  to  be  wrought  in  them,  even 
in  all  the  Father  hath  given  him  to  save.  “All 
that  the  Father  hath  given  me  shall  come  unto 
me,”  &c. 

But  to  speak  more  distinctly  to  the  words, 
“they  shall  come,”  two  things  I would  show 
you  from  these  words:  1.  What  it  is  to  come 
to  Christ.  2.  What  force  there  is  in  this  prom- 
ise to  make  them  come  to  him. 

1st.  I would  show  you  what  it  is  to  come  to 
Christ.  This  word  come  must  be  understood 
spiritually,  not  carnally ; for  many  come  to 
him  carnally  or  bodily  that  had  no  saving  ad- 
vantage by  him : multitudes  did  thus  come 
unto  him  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  yea,  innum- 
erable companies.  There  is  also  at  this  day  a 
formal  customary  coming  to  his  ordinances  and 
way  of  worship,  which  availeth  not  anything  ; 
but  with  them  I shall  not  now  meddle,  for  they 
are  not  intended  in  the  text.  The  coming, 
then,  intended  in  the  text  is  to  be  understood 
of  the  comjng  of  the  mind  to  him,  even  the 
moving  of  the  heart  towards  him ; T say,  the 
moving  of  the  heart  towards  him  from  a sound 
•sense  of  the  absolute  want  that  a man  hath  of 
him  for  his  justification  and  salvation. 

This  description  of  coming  to  Christ  divideth 
itself  into  two  heads : 1.  That  coming  to  Christ 
is  a moving  of  the  mind  towards  him ; 2.  That 
it  is  a moving  of  the  mind  towards  him  from  a 
sound  sense  of  the  absolute  want  that  a man 
hath  of  him  for  his  justification  and  salvation. 

To  speak  to  the  first — That  it  is  a moving  of 
the  mind  towards  him.  This  is  evident,  be- 
cause coming  hither  or  thither,  if  it  be  volun- 
tary, is  by  an  act  of  the  mind  or  will ; so  com- 
ing to  Christ  is  through  the  inclining  of  the 
will.  “ Thy  people  shall  be  willing.”  Ps.  cxl.  3. 
This  willingness  of  heart  it  is  which  sets  the 
mind  a-moving  after  or  towards  him.  The 


Church  expresseth  this  moving  of  her  mind 
towards  Christ  by  the  moving  of  her  bowels : 
“ My  beloved  put  in  his  hand  by  the  hole  of 
the  door,  and  my  bowels  were  moved  for  him.” 
Song  Sol.  v.  4.  “ My  bowels,”  the  passions  of 

my  mind  and  affections,  which  passions  of  the 
affections  are  expressed  by  the  yearning  and 
sounding  of  the  bowels,  the  yearning  and  pas- 
sionate working  of  them,  the  sounding  of  them 
or  their  making  a noise  for  him.  Gen.  xliii.  30 ; 
1 Kings  iii.  26 ; Isa.  xvi.  11. 

This,  then,  is  the  coming  to  Christ,  even  a 
moving  towards  him  with  the  mind.  “ And  it 
shall  come  to  pass  that  every  thing  that  liveth, 
which  moveth  whithersoever  the  water  shall 
come,  shall  live.” 

The  water  in  this  text  is  the  grace  of  God  in 
the  doctrine  of  it.  The  living  things  are  the 
children  of  men,  to  whom  the  grace  of  God, 
by  the  gospel,  is  preached.  Now,  saith  he, 
“ every  living  thing  which  moveth  whitherso- 
ever the  water  shall  come,  shall  live.”  And 
see  how  this  word  “ moveth  ” is  expounded  by 
Christ  himself  in  the  book  of  Revelation : 
“ The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come ; and  let 
him  that  heareth  say,  Come.  And  let  him 
that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will, 
(that  is,  willing,)  let  him  take  of  the  water  of 
life  freely.”  Rev.  xxii.  17. 

So  that  to  move  in  thy  mind  and  will  after 
Christ  is  to  be  coming  to  him.  There  are  many 
poor  souls  that'are  coming  to  Christ  that  yet 
cannot  tell  how  to  believe  it,  because  they  think 
that  coming  to  him  is  some  strange  and  won- 
derful thing ; and  indeed  so  it  is.  But  I mean 
they  overlook  the  inclination  of  their  will,  the 
moving  of  their  mind,  and  the  sounding  of 
their  bowels  after  him,  and  count  these  none 
of  his  strange  and  wonderful  thing,  when  in- 
deed it  is  a work  of  the  greatest  wonder  in 
this  world  to  see  a man  who  is  sometimes  dead 
in  sin  possessed  of  the  devil,  an  enemy  to 
Christ  and  all  things  spiritually  good — I say,  to 
see  this  man  moving  with  his  mind  after  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  one  of  the  highest  won- 
ders in  the  world. 

2d.  It  is  a moving  of  the  mind  towards  him 
from  a sound  sense  of  the  absolute  want  that  a 
man  hath  of  him  for  his  justification  and  sal- 
vation. Indeed,  without  this  sense  of  a lost 
condition  without  him  there  will  be  no  moving 
of  the  mind  towards  him.  A moving  of  their 
mouth  there  may  be : “ With  their  mouth  they 
show  much  love.”  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31.  Such  a 
people  as  this  will  come  as  the  true  people 
corneth — that  is,  in  show  and  outward  appear- 


CO  MI':  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CIIIIIST. 


5G9 


once.  A ml  they  will  sit  before  God’s  ministers 
ns  his  people  sit  before  them;  and  they  will 
hear  his  words  too,  but  they  will  not  do  them; 
that  is,  will  not  come  inwardly  with  their 
minds:  “For  with  their  mouth  they  show 
much  love,  but  their  heart  (or  mind)  goeth 
after  their  covetousness.”  Now  all  this  be- 
cause they  want  an  effectual  sense  of  the  misery 
of  their  state  by  nature,  for  not  till  they  have 
that  will  they  in  their  mind  move  after  him. 
Therefore  thus  it  is  said  concerning  the  true- 
comers : “ At  that  day  the  great  trumpet  shall 
be  blown,  and  they  shall  come  which  were 
ready  to  perish  in  the  land  of  Assyria  and  the 
outcasts  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  shall  wor- 
ship the  Lord  in  his  holy  mountain  at  Jerusa- 
lem.” Isa.  xxvii.  13.  They  are  then  (as  you 
see)  the  outcasts  and  those  that  are  ready  to 
perish  that  indeed  have  their  minds  effectually 
moved  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ.  This  sense  of 
things  was  that  which  made  the  three  thousand 
come,  that  made  Saul  come,  that  made  the 
jailer  come,  and  that  indeed  makes  all  others 
come  that  come  effectually.  Acts  ii.  2,  16. 

Of  the  true  coming  to  Christ  the  three  lepers 
were  a famous  semblance,  of  whom  you  read 
in  2 Kings  vii.  3,  &c.  The  famine  in  those 
days  was  sore  in  the  land,  there  was  no  bread 
for  the  people,  and  as  for  that  sustenance  that 
was,  which  was  asses’  flesh  and  doves’  dung, 
that  was  only  in  Samaria;  and  of  these  the 
lepers  had  no  share,  for  they  were  thrust  with- 
out the  city.  Well,  now  they  sat  in  the  gate 
of  the  city,  and  the  hunger  was,  as  I may  say, 
making  his  last  meal  of  them ; and  being 
therefore  half  dead  already,  what  do  they 
think  of  doing?  Why,  first  they  display  the 
dismal  colours  of  death  before  each  other’s 
faces,  and  then  resolve  what  to  do,  saying, 
“ If  we  say  we  will  go  into  the  city,  then  the 
famine  is  in  the  city,  and  we  shall  die  there; 
if  we  sit  still  here  we  die  also.  Now  therefore 
come,  let  us  fall  into  the  host  of  the  Syrians ; 
if  they  save  us  alive  we  shall  live ; if  they  kill 
us  we  shall  but  die.”  Here  now  was  necessity 
at  work,  and  this  necessity  drove  them  to  go 
thither  for  life  whither  else  they  would  never 
have  gone  for  it.  Thus  it  is  with  them  that  in 
truth  come  to  Jesus  Christ:  death  is  before 
them ; they  sec  it  and  fbel  it ; he  is  feeding 
upon  them,  and  will  eat  them  quite  up  if  they 
come  not  to  Jesus  Christ;  and  therefore  they 
come,  even  of  necessity,  being  forced  thereto 
by  that  sense  they  have  of  their  being  utterly 
and  everlastingly  undone  if  they  find  not  safety 
in  him. 


These  are  they  that  will  come:  indeed,  these 
are  they  that  arc  invited  to  come : “ Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and 
I will  give  you  rest.”  Matt.  xi.  28. 

Take  two  or  three  tilings  to  make  this  more 
plain — to  wit,  that  coming  to  Christ  floweth 
from  a sound  sense  of  the  absolute  need  that  a 
man  hath  of  him,  as  afore. 

(1.)  “They  shall  come  with  weeping,  and 
with  supplication  will  I lead  them  ; I will  cause 
them  to  walk  by  rivers  of  waters  in  a plain  way, 
wherein  they  shall  not  stumble.”  Jer.  xxxi.  9. 
Mind  it!  they  come  with  weeping  and  suppli- 
cation ; they  come  with  prayers  and  tears. 
Now  prayers  and  tears  are  the  effects  of  a right 
sense  of  the  need  of  mercy.  Thus,  a senseless 
sinner  cannot  come,  he  cannot  pray,  he  cannot 
cry,  he  cannot  come  sensible  of  what  he  secs 
not  nor  feels.  “ In  those  days  and  at  that  time 
the  children  of  Israel  shall  come;  they  and 
the  children  of  Judah  together,  going  and 
weeping ; they  shall  seek  the  Lord  their  God ; 
they  shall  ask  their  way  to  Zion,  with  their 
faces  thitherward,  saying,  Come  and  let  us  join 
ourselves  to  the  Lord  in  a perpetual  covenant 
that  shall  not  be  forgotten.”  Jer.  1.  4,  5. 

(2.)  This  coming  to  Christ  is  called  a run- 
ning to  him,  a flying  to  him — a flying  to  him 
from  wrath  to  come.  By  all  which  terms  is 
set  forth  the  sense  of  the  man  that  comes — to 
wit,  that  he  is  affected  with  the  sense  of  his 
sin,  and  the  death  due  thereto;  that  he  is  sen- 
sible that  the  avenger  of  blood  pursues  him, 
and  that  therefore  lie  is  cut  off  if  he  makes 
not  speed  to  the  Son  of  God  for  life.  Matt, 
iii.  7;  Ps.  cxliii.  9.  Flying  is  the  last  work  of 
a man  in  danger;  all  that  are  in  danger  do 
not  fly;  no,  not  all  that  see  themselves  in 
danger,  all  that  hear  of  danger,  will  not  fly. 
Men  will  consider  if  there  be  no  other  way  of 
escape  before  they  fly.  Therefore,  as  I said, 
flying  is  the  last  thing.  When  all  refuge  fails, 
and  a man  is  made  to  see  that  there  is  nothing 
left  him  but  sin,  death,  and  damnation  unless 
he  flics  to  Christ  for  life,  then  he  flies,  and  not 
till  then. 

(3.)  That  the  true  coming  is  from  a sense  of 
an  absolute  need  of  Jesus  Christ  to  save,  Ac., 
is  evident  by  the  outcry  that  is  made  by  them 
to  come  even  as  they  are  coming  to  him.  Matt, 
xiv.  30;  Acts  ii.  37;  Actsxvi.  30.  “Lord,  save 
me,  or  I perish;”  “Men  and  brethren,  what 
shall  we  do?”  “Sirs,  what  must  I do  to  be 
saved?”  aud  the  like.  This  language  doth 
sufficiently  discover  that  the  truly  coming 
souls  are  souls  sensible  of  their  need  of  salva- 


574 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


much  faster  than  did  Mephibosheth,  but  yet 
his  heart  was  not  so  upright  in  him  to  David 
as  was  his.  It  is  true,  Mephibosheth  had  a 
check  from  David,  for  said  he,  “ Why  wentest 
thou  not  with  me,  Mephibosheth  ?”  But  when 
David  came  to  remember  that  Mephibosheth 
was  lame,  (for  that  was  his  plea,  “ thy  servant 
is  lame,”)  he  was  content,  and  concluded  he 
would  have  come  after  him  faster  than  he  did ; 
and  Mephibosheth  appealed  to  David,  who 
was  in  those  days  an  angel  of  God  to  know  all 
things  that  are  done  in  the  earth,  if  he  did  not 
believe  that  the  reason  of  his  backwardness 
lay  in  his  lameness  and  not  in  his  mind.  Why, 
poor  coming  sinner,  thou  canst  not  come  to 
Christ  with  that  outward  swiftness  of  career  as 
many  others  do,  but  doth  the  reason  of  thy 
backwardness  lie  in  thy  mind  and  will,  or  in 
the  sluggishness  of  the  flesh?  Canst  thou  say 
sincerely,  “ The  spirit  truly  is  willing,  but  the 
flesh  is  weak?”  Yea,  canst  thou  appeal  to  the 
Lord  Jesus,  who  knoweth  perfectly  the  very 
inmost  thought  of  thy  heart,  that  this  is  true?. 
Then  take  this  for  thy  comfort : he  hath  said, 
“ I will  assemble  her  that  halteth,  I will  make 
her  that  halteth  a remnant,  and  I will  save  her 
that  halteth.”  What  canst  thou  have  more 
from  the  sweet  lips  of  the  Son  of  God?  But, 

7thly.  I read  of  some  that  are  to  follow  Christ 
in  chains ; I say,  to  come  after  him  in  chains. 
“Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  labour  of  Egypt, 
and  the  merchandise  of  Ethiopia,  and  the 
Sabeans,  men  of  stature,  shall  come  over  unto 
thee,  and  they  shall  be  thine ; they  shall  come 
after  thee ; in  chains  shall  they  come  over,  and 
they  shall  fall  down  unto  thee.  They  shall 
make  supplication  unto  thee,  saying,  Surely 
there  is  none  else  to  .save.”  Isa.  xl.  14.  Surely 
they  that  come  after  Christ  in  chains  come  to 
him  m great  difficulty,  because  their  steps  by 
the  chains  are  straitened. 

And  what  chain  so  heavy  as  those  that  dis- 
courage thee  ? Thy  chain  which  is  made  of 
guilt  and  filth  is  heavy ; it  is  a wretched  band 
about  thy  neck,  by  which  thy  strength  doth 
fail.  Lam.  i.  14;  iii.  17.  But  come,  though 
thou  comest  in  chains;  it  is  glory  to  Christ 
that  a sinner  comes  after  him  in  chains.  The 
clankings  of  thy  chains,  though  troublesome 
to  thee,  are  not  nor  can  be  obstruction  to  thy 
salvation ; it  is  Christ’s  work  and  glory  to  save 
thee  from  thy  chains,  to  enlarge  thy  steps,  and 
set  thee  at  liberty.  The  blind  man,  though 
called,  surely  could  not  come  apace  to  Jesus 
Christ,  but  Christ  could  stand  still  and  stay  for 
him.  True,  “he  rideth  upon  the  wings  of  the 


wind,”  but  yet  he  is  long-suffering,  and  hi3 
long-suffering  is  salvation  to  him  that  corneth 
to  him. 

8thly.  Hadst  thou  seen  those  that  came  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  how 
slowly,  how  hobblingiy  they  came  to  him  by 
reason  of  their  infirmities,  and  also  how  friend- 
ly, and  kindly,  and  graciously  he  received 
them  and  gave  them  the  desire  of  their  hearts, 
thou  wouldst  not,  as  thou  dost,  make  such 
objections  against  thyself  in  thy  coming  to 
Jesus  Christ. 

Objection  5.  But  (says  another)  I fear  I come 
too  late ; I doubt  I have  stayed  too  long;  I am 
afraid  the  door  is  shut. 

Answer.  Thou  canst  never  come  too  late  to 
Jesus  Christ  if  thou  dost  come.  This  is  mani- 
fest by  two  instances : 

1st.  By  the  man  that  came  to  him  at  the 
eleventh  hour.  This  man  was  idle  all  the  day 
long  ; he  had  a whole  gospel-day  to  come  in, 
and  he  played  it  all  away  save  only  the  last 
hour  thereof ; but  at  last,  at  the  eleventh  hour, 
he  came  and  went  into  the  vineyard  to  work 
with  the  rest  of  the  labourers,  that  had  borne 
the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day.  Well,  but 
how  was  he  received  by  the  lord  of  the  vine- 
yard? Why,  when  pay-day  came  he  had  even 
as  much  as  the  rest;  yea,  had  money  first. 
True,  the  others  murmured  at  him,  but  what 
did  the  Lord -Jesus  answer  them? — “Is  thine 
eye  evil  because  mine  is  good?  I will  give 
unto  this  last  even  as  unto  thee.” 

2dly.  The  other  instance  is  the  thief  upon 
the  cross ; he  came  late  also,  even  as  at  an  hour 
before  his  death ; yea,  he  strayed  from  Jesus 
Christ  as  long  as  he  had  liberty  to  be  a thief, 
and  longer  too;  for  could  he  have  deluded  the 
judge,  and  by  lying  words  escaped  his  just 
condemnation,  f~r  aught  I know  he  had  not 
come  as  yet  to  his  Saviour;  but  being  con- 
victed and  condemned  to  die,  yea,  fastened  to 
the  cross  that  he  might  die  like  a rogue,  as  he 
was  in  his  life,  behold  the  Lord  Jesus,  when 
this  wicked  one,  even  now,  desireth  mercy  at 
his  hands,  tells  him,  and  that  without  the  least 
reflection  upon  him  for  his  former  misspent  life, 
“To-day  thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  paradise.”  j 

Let  no  man  turn  the  grace  of  God  into  wan- 
tonness. My  design  is  now  to  encourage  the 
coming  soul. 

Objection.  But  is  not  the  door  of  mercy  shut 
against  some  before  they  die  ? 

Answer.  Yea;  and  God  forbids  that  prayers 
should  be  made  to  him  for  them.  Jer.  vii.  16 ; 
Jude  22. 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


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Question.  Then  why  mny  not  I doubt  that  I 
nmy  be  one  of  these? 

Answer.  By  no  means  if  thou  art  coming  to 
Jesus  Christ,  because  when  God  shuts  the  door 
upon  men  he  gives  them  no  heart  to  come  to 
Jesus  Christ.  “ None  come  but  those  to  whom 
it  is  given  of  the  Father.”  But  thou  contest, 
therefore  it  is  given  to  thee  of  the  Father. 

Be  sure,  therefore,  if  the  Father  hath  given 
thee  a heart  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ  the  gate 
of  mercy  yet  stands  open  to  thee,  for  it  stands 
not  with  the  wisdom  of  God  “ to  give  strength 
to  come  to  the  birth,  and  yet  to  shut  up  the 
womb,”  (Isa.  lxvi.  9;)  to  give  grace  to  come  to 
Jesus  Christ,  and  yet  shut  up  the  door  of  his 
mercy  upon  thee.  “ Incline  thine  ear,”  saith 
he,  “and  come  unto  me.  Hear,  and  your  souls 
shall  live,  and  I will  make  an  everlasting  cov- 
enant with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of 
David.”  Isa.  lv.  3. 

Objection.  But  it  is  said  that  some  knocked 
when  the  door  was  shut? 

Answer.  Yes,  but  the  texts  in  which  these 
knockers  arc  mentioned  are  to  be  referred  unto 
the  day  of  judgment,  and  not  to  the  coming  of 
the  sipner  to  Christ  in  this  life.  See  the  texts. 
Matt,  xxvr  11 ; Luke  xiii.  24,  25. 

These,  therefore,  concern  thee  nothing  at  all ; 
thou  art  coming  to  Jesus  Christ ; thou  art  com- 
ing now  ! “ Now  is  the  acceptable  time,  be- 
hold now  is  the  day  of  salvation.”  2 Cor.  vi.  2. 
Now  God  is  upon  the  mercy-seat;  now  Christ 
Jesus  sits  by,  continually  pleading  the  victory 
of  his  blood  for  sinners ; and  now,  even  as  long 
as  this  world  lasts,  this  word  of  the  text  shall 
still  be  free  and  fully  fulfilled:  “And  him  that 
cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.'” 

Sinner,  the  greater  sinner  thou  art  the 
greater  need  of  mercy  thou  hast,  and  the  more 
will  Christ  be  glorified  thereby.  Come  then, 
come  and  try ; come  taste  and  see  how  good 
the  Lord  is  to  an  undeserving  sinner. 

Objection  6.  But  (says  another)  I am  fallen 
since  I began  to  come  to  Christ ; therefore  I 
fear  I did  not  come  aright,  and  so,  conse- 
quently, that  Christ  will  not  receive  me. 

Answer.  Falls  are  dangerous,  for  they  dis- 
honour Christ,  wound  the  conscience,  and 
cause  the  enemies  of  God  to  speak  reproach- 
fully. But  it  is  no  good  argument — I am 
fallen,  therefore  I was  not  coming  aright  to 
Jesus  Christ.  If  David,  and  Solomon,  and 
Peter  had  thus  objected  against  themselves, 
they  had  added  to  their  griefs,  and  yet  they 
had  at  least  as  much  cause  as  thou.  A man 
whose  steps  are  ordered  by  the  Lord,  and 


whose  goings  the  Lord  delights  in,  may  yet  be 
overtaken  with  a temptation  that  may  cause 
him  to  fall.  Ps.  xxxvii.  23,  24.  Did  not  Aaron 
fall?  yea,  and  Moses  himself?  What  shall  we 
say  of  Hezekiah  and  Jehoshaphat?  There 
are  therefore  falls  and  falls — falls  pardonable 
and  falls  unpardonable.  Falls  unpardonable 
are  falls  against  light,  from  the  faith  to  the  de 
spising  of  and  trampling  upon  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  blessed  undertaking.  Ilcb.  vi.  2,  3,  4, 
5 ; x.  28,  29.  Now  as  for  such  there  remains 
no  more  sacrifice  for  sin,  indeed  they  have  no 
heart,  no  mind,  no  desire  to  come  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  life,  therefore  they  must  perish. 
Nay,  says  the  Holy  Ghost,  “ it  is  impossible 
they  should  be  renewed  again  unto  repent- 
ance.” Therefore  these  God  hath  no  compas- 
sion for.  neither  ought  we ; but  for  other  falls, 
though  they  be  dreadful,  (and  God  will  chas- 
tise his  people  for  them,)  they  do  not  prove 
thee  a graceless  man,  one  not  come  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  life. 

It  is  said  of  the  child  in  the  gospel  that 
“ while  he  was  yet  a-coming  the  devil  threw 
him  down  and  tore  him.” 

Dejected  sinner,  it  is  no  wonder  that  thou 
hast  caught  a fall  in  coming  to  Jesus  Christ ; is 
it  not  rather  to  be  wondered  at  that  thou  bast 
not  caught  before  this,  a thousand  times,  a 
thousand  tails  ? — considering, 

1st.  What  fools  we  are  by  nature. 

2dly.  What  weaknesses  are  in  us. 

3dlv.  What  mighty  powers  the  fallen  angels, 
our  implacable  enemies,  are. 

4thly.  Considering  also  how  often  the  com- 
ing man  is  benighted  in  his  journey,  and  also 
what  stumbling-blocks  do  lie  in  his  way. 

5thly.  Also  his  familiars  (that  were  so  before) 
now  watch  for  his  halting,  and  seek  by  what 
means  they  may  cause  him  to  fall  by  the  hand 
of  their  strong  ones. 

What  then?  Must  we,  because  of  these 
temptations,  incline  to  fall  ? No.  Must  we 
not  fear  falls?  Yes.  “ Let  him  that  thinketh 
he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall,”  (1  Cor.  x. 
12,)  yet  let  him  not  utterly  be  cast  down. 
“ The  Lord  upholdeth  all  that  fall,  and  raiseth 
up  those  that  are  bowed  down.”  Make  not 
light  of  falls;  yet  hast  thou  fallen?  “Ye 
have,”  said  Samuel,  “ done  all  this  wicked- 
ness; yet  turn  not  aside  from  following  the 
Lord,  but  serve  him  with  a perfect  heart,  and 
turn  not  aside;  for  the  Lord  will  not  forsake 
his  people,”  (and  he  counted  the  coming  sin- 
ner one  of  them,)  “because  it  hath  pleased 
the  Lord  to  make  you  his  people.” 


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BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


“ Shall  come  to  me.”  Now  we  come  to  show 
what  force  there  is  in  this  promise  to  make 
them  come  to  him.  “All  that  the  Father 
giveth  me  shall  come  to  me.” 

I will  speak  to  this  promise — 

First,  In  general. 

Secondly,  In  particular. 

In  general. — This  word  shall  is  confined  to 
these  all  that  are  given  to  Christ:  “All  that 
the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me.” 
Hence  I conclude — 

1.  That  coining  to  Jesus  Christ  aright  is  an 
effect  of  their  being,  of  God,  given  to  Christ 
before.  Mark!  they  shall  come.  Who?  Those 
that  are  given.  They  come  then,  because  they 
were  given : “Thine  they  were,  and  thou  gav- 
est  them  me.”  Now  this  is  indeed  a singular 
comfort  to  them  that  are  a-coming  in  truth  to 
Christ,  to  think  that  the  reason  why  they  come 
is  because  they  were  given  of  the  Father  be- 
fore to  him.  Thus,  then,  may  the  coming  soul 
reason  with  himself  as  he  comes : Am  I com- 
ing indeed  to  Jesus  Christ?  This  coming  of 
mine  is  not  to  be  attributed  to  me  or  my  good- 
ness, but  to  the  grace  and  gift  of  God  to  Christ. 
God  gave  first  my  person  to  him,  and  therefore 
hath  now  given  me  a heart  to  come. 

2.  These  words,  shall  come,  make  thy  coming 
not  only  the  fruit  of  the  gift  of  the  Father, 
but  also  of  the  purpose  of  the  Son,  for  these 
words  are  a divine  purpose;  they  show  us  the 
heavenly  determination  of  the  Son.  “The 
Father  hath  given  them  to  me,  and  they 
shall” — yea,  they  shall — “come  to  me.”  Christ 
is  as  fully  in  his  resolution  to  save  those  given 
to  him  as  is  the  Father  in  giving  of  them. 
Christ  prized  the  gift  of  his  Father — he  will 
lose  nothing  of  it ; he  is  resolved  to  save  it  every 
whit  by  his  blood,  and  to  raise  it  up  again 
at  the  last  day ; and  thus  he  fulfils  his  Father’s 
will  and  accomplisheth  his  own  desires. 

3.  These  words,  shall  come,  make  thy  coming 
to  be  also  the  effect  of  an  absolute  promise : 
coming  sinner,  thou  art  concluded  in  a prom- 
ise ; thy  coming  is  the  fruit  of  the  faithfulness 
of  an  absolute  promise.  It  was  this  promise 
by  the  virtue  of  which  thou  at  first  receivedst 
strength  to  come;  and  this  is  the  promise  by 
the  virtue  of  which  thou  shalt  be  effectually 
brought  to  him.  It  was  said  to  Abraham, 
“ At  this  time  I will  come,  and  Sarah  shall 
have  a son.”  This  son  was  Isaac.  Mark ! 
Sarah  shall  have  a son;  there  is  the  promise; 
and  Sarah  had  a son  ; there  was  the  fulfilling 
of  the  promise ; and  therefore  was  Isaac  called 
the  child  of  the  promise. 


Sarah  shall  have  a son.  But  how  if  Sarah 
be  past  age  ? Why  still  the  promise  continues 
to  say,  Sarah  shall  have  a son.  But  how  if 
Sarah  be  barren?  Why  still  the  promise  says, 
Sarah  shall  have  a son.  But  Abraham’s  body 
is  now  dead ! Why  the  promise  is  still  the 
same,  Sarah  shall  have  a son.  Thus  you  see 
what  virtue  there  is  in  an  absolute  promise;  it 
carrietli  enough  in  its  own  bowels  to  accom- 
plish the  thing  promised,  whether  there  be 
means  or  no  in  us  to  effect  it.  Wherefore 
this  promise  in  the  text,  being  an  absolute 
promise,  by  virtue  of  it,  not  by  virtue  of  our- 
selves or  by  our  own  inducements,  do  we  come 
to  Jesus  Christ;  for  so  are  the  words  of  the 
text:  “All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall 
come  to  me.” 

Therefore  is  every  sincere  comer  to  Jesus 
Christ  called  also  a child  of  the  promise. 
“Now  we,  brethren,  as  Isaac  was,  are  the  chil- 
dren of  the  promise;”  that  is,  we  are  the  chil- 
dren that  God  hath  promised  to  Jesus  Christ 
and  given  to  him,  yea,  the  children  that  Jesus 
Christ  hath  promised  shall  come  to  him.  “All 
that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come.” 

4.  These  words,  shall  come,  engage  Christ  to 
communicate  all  manner  of  grace  to  those  thus 
given  him  to  make  them  effectually  come  to 
him.  They  shall  come;  that  is,  not  if  they 
will,  but  if  grace,  all  grace,  if  power,  wisdom, 
a new  heart,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  all 
joining  together,  can  make  them  come.  I say 
these  words,  shall  come,  being  absolute,  have 
no  dependence  upon  our  own  will,  or  power, 
or  goodness,  but  they  engage  for  us  even  God 
himself,  Christ  himself,  the  Spirit  himself. 
When  God  had  made  the  absolute  promise  to 
Abraham  that  Sarah  should  have  a son,  Abra- 
ham did  not  at  all  look  at  any  qualifications  in 
himself,  because  the  promise  looked  at  none ; 
but  as  God  had  by  the  promise  absolutely 
promised  him  a son,  so  he  considered  now  not 
his  own  body  now  dead,  nor  yet  the  barrenness 
of  Sarah’s  womb.  “ He  staggered  not  at  the 
promise  of  God  through  unbelief,  but  was 
strong. in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God,  being  fully 
persuaded  that  what  he  had  promised  he  was 
able  to  perform.”  He  had  prdmised,  and 
promised  absolutely,  Sarah  shall  have  a son : 
therefore  Abraham  looks  that  he — to  wit, 
God — must  fulfil  the  condition  of  it.  Neither 
is  this  expectation  of  Abraham  disapproved  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  but  accounted  good  and 
laudable,  it  being  that  by  which  he  gives  glory 
to  God.  The  Father  also  hath  given  to  Christ 
a certain  number  of  souls  for  him  to  save,  and 


COMIC  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


577 


ho  himself  hath  said,  “ 'I'lioy  shall  como  to 
him.”  Let  t ho  Church  of  God,  then,  live  in 
a joyful  expectation  of  the  utmost  accomplish- 
ment of  this  promise,  for  assuredly  it  shall 
ho  fulfilled,  and  not  one-thousandth  part  of  a 
tittle  thereof  shall  fail.  They  shall  come  to 
me. 

And  now,  before  I go  any  farther,  I will 
more  particularly  inquire  into  the  nature  of  an 
absolute  promise: 

1.  We  call  that  an  absolute  promise  that  is 
made  without  any  condition,  or  more  fully 
thus:  That  is  an  absolute  promise  of  God  or 
of  Christ  which  maketh  over  to  this  or  that 
man  any  saving  spiritual  blessing,  without  a 
condition  to  be  done  on  our  part  for  the  ob- 
taining thereof.  And  this  we  have  in  hand  is 
such  a one.  Let  the  best  master  of  arts  on 
earth  show  me,  if  be  can,  any  condition  in 
this  text  depending  upon  any  qualification  in 
us  which  is  not  by  the  same  promise  concluded 
shall  be  by  the  Lord  Jesus  effected  in  us. 

2.  An  absolute  promise  therefore  is,  as  we 
say,  without  if  or  and;  that  is,  it  requireth 
nothing  of  us  that  itself  may  be  accomplished. 
It  saith  not,  They  shall  if  they  will,  but,  They 
shall : not,  They  shall  if  they  use  the  means, 
but,  They  shall.  You  may  say  that  a will 
and  the  use  of  the  means  is  supposed,  though 
not  expressed.  But  I answer,  No,  by  no 
means;  that  is,  as  a condition  of  this  prom- 
ise: if  they  be  at  all  included  in  the  promise, 
they  are  included  there  as  the  fruit  of  the 
absolute  promise ; not  as  if  it  expected  the 
qualification  to  arise  from  us.  “ Thy  people 
shall  be”  willing  “in  the  day  of  thy  power.” 
Ps.  cx.  3.  That  is  another  absolute  promise ; 
but  doth  that  promise  suppose  a willingness 
in  us  as  a condition  of  God’s  making  us  will- 
ing? They  shall  be  willing  if  they  are  will- 
ing; or,  They  shall  be  willing  if  they  will  be 
willing.  This  is  ridiculous;  there  is  nothing 
of  this  supposed.  The  promise  is  absolute  as 
to  us ; all  that  it  engagetli  for  its  own  accom- 
plishment is  the  mighty  power  of  Christ  and 
his  faithfulness  to  accomplish. 

The  difference  therefore  betwixt  the  abso- 
lute and  conditional  promise  is  this : 

1.  They  differ  in  their  terms.  The  absolute 
promises  say,  I will  and  you  shall:  the  other, 
I will  if  you  will ; or,  Do  this  and  thou  shalt 
live.  Jer.  xxxi.  32,  34;  Ezek.  xxxiv.  24-34; 
Heb.  viii.  7-12;  Jer.  iv.  1;  Ezek.  xviii.  30,  31, 
32;  Matt.  xix.  21. 

2.  They  differ  in  their  way  of  communi- 
cating of  good  things  to  men : the  absolute 

87 


ones  communicate  things  freely  only  of  grace; 
the  other,  if  there  be  that  qualification  in  us 
that  the  promise  calls  for,  not  else. 

3.  The  absolute  promises  therefore  engage 
God,  the  others  engage  us;  I mean  God  only, 
us  only. 

4.  Absolute  promises  must  be  fulfilled  ; con- 
ditional may  or  may  not  be  fulfilled.  The  ab- 
solute ones  must  be  fulfilled  because  of  the 
faithfulness  of  God;  the  other  may  not,  be- 
cause of  the  unfaithfulness  of  men. 

5.  The  absolute  promises  have  therefore  a 
sufficiency  in  themselves  to  bring  about  their 
own  fulfilling;  the  conditional  have  not  so. 
The  absolute  promise  is  therefore  a big-bellied 
promise,  because  it  hath  in  itself  a fulness  of 
all  desired  things  for  us;  and  will,  when  the 
time  of  that  promise  is  come,  yield  to  us  mor- 
tals that  which  will  verily  save  Its;  yea,  and 
make  us  capable  of  answering  of  the  demands 
of  the  promise  that  is  conditional.  Where- 
fore, though  there  be  a real,  yea,  an  eternal 
difference  in  these  things  (with  others)  be- 
twixt the  conditional  and  the  absolute  prom- 
ise, yet  again,  in  other  respects,  there  is  a 
blessed  harmony  betwixt  them,  as  may  be 
seen  in  these  particulars : 

1.  The  conditional  promise  calls  for  repent- 
ance, the  absolute  promise  gives  it.  Acts  v. 
30,  31. 

2.  The  conditional  promise  calls  for  faith, 
the  absolute  promise  gives  it.  Zeph.  iii.  12 ; 
Rom.  xv.  12. 

3.  The  conditional  promise  calleth  for  a 
new  heart,  the  absolute  promise  gives  it. 
Ezek.  xxxvi. 

4.  The  conditional  promise  calleth  for  holy 
obedience,  the  absolute  promise  giveth  it  or 
causeth  it.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27. 

And  as  they  harmoniously  agree  in  this,  so 
again  the  conditional  promise  blesseth  the 
man  who  by  the  absolute  promise  is  endued 
with  its  fruits ; as,  for  instance, 

1.  The  absolute  promise  maketh  men  up- 
right, and  then  the  conditional  follows,  say- 
ing, “Blessed  are  the  undefiled  in  the  way, 
who  walk  in  the  way  of  the  Lord.”  Ts.  cxix.  1. 

2.  The  absolute  promise  giveth  to  this  man 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  then  the  conditional 
followeth,  saying,  “ Blessed  is  every  one  that 
feareth  the  Lord.”  Ps.  cxviii.  1. 

3.  The  absolute  promise  giveth  faith,  and 
then  this  conditional  follows,  saying,  “ Blessed 
is  he  that  believetk.”  Zeph.  iii.  12 ; Luke 
i.  45. 

4.  The  absolute  promise  brings  free  forgive- 


57S 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


ness  of  sms,  and  then  says  the  conditional, 
“ Blessed  are  they  whose  transgressions  are 
forgiven  and  whose  sin  is  covered.”  Horn.  iv. 
7,  8. 

5.  The  absolute  promise  says  that  God’s 
elect  should  hold  out  to  the  end,  then  the 
conditional  follows  with  his  blessings,  “Pie 
that  shall  endure  to  the  end,  the  same  shall 
he  saved.”  1 Pet.  i.  4,  5,  7 ; Matt.  xxiv. 

Thus  do  the  promises  gloriously  serve  one 
another  and  us  in  this  their  harmonious 
agreement. 

Now  the  promise  under  consideration  is  an 
absolute  promise  : “ All  that  the  Father  giveth 
me  shall  come  to  me.” 

This  promise  therefore,  is,  as  it  is  said,  a 
big-bellied  promise,  and  hath  in  itself  all 
those  things  to  bestow  upon  us  that  the  con- 
ditional calleth  for  at  our  hands.  They  shall 
cornel  Shall  they  come?  Yes,  they  shall 
come!  But  how  if  they  want  those  things, 
those  graces,  power,  and  heart,  without  which 
they  cannot  come  ? Why,  “ shall  come  ” an- 
«wereth  all  this,  and  all  things  else  that  may 
in  this  matter  be  objected.  'And  here  I will 
take  the  liberty  to  amplify  things. 

Objection  1.  But  they  are  dead,  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins : how  shall  they  then  come? 

Answer.  Why,  “shall  come”  can  raise  them 
from  this  death:  “The  hour  is  coming,  and 
now  is,  that  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of 
the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall 
live.”  Thus,  therefore,  is  this  impediment  by 
“ shall  come”  removed  out  of  the  way.  They 
shall  hear,  they  shall  live. 

Objection  2.  But  they  are  Satan’s  captives; 
he  takes  them  captive  at  his  will,  and  he  is 
stronger  than  they:  how  then  can  they  come? 

Answer.  Why,  “ shall  come  ” hath  also  pro- 
vided a help  for  this.  Satan  hath  bound  that 
daughter  of  Abraham  so  that  she  could  by  no 
means  lift  up  herself,  but  yet  “shall  come” 
set  her  free  both  in  body  and  soul.  Christ 
will  have  them  turned  from  the  power  of 
Satan  to  God.  But  what!  Must  it  be  if  they 
turn  themselves  or  do  somewhat  to  merit  .of 
him  to  turn  them?  No,  he  will  do  it  freely, 
of  his  own  good-will.  Alas!  man,  whose  soul 
is  possessed  by  the  devil,  is  turned  whitherso- 
ever that  governor  listeth,  is  taken  captive  by 
him,  notwithstanding  his  natural  powers,  at 
his  will;  but  what  will  he  do?  Will  he  hold 
him  when  “shall  come”  puts  forth  itself  (will 
he  then  let  him?)  for  coming  to  Jesus  Christ? 
No,  that  cannot  be.  His  power  is  but  the 
power  of  a fallen  angel,  but  “shall  come”  is 


the  word  of  God;  therefore  “shall  come” 
must  be  fulfilled,  “ and  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail  against  him.” 

There  were  seven  devils  in  Mary  Magdalen, 
too  many  for  her  to  get  from  under  the  power 
of;  but  when  the  time  was  come  that  “shall 
come”  was  to  be  fulfilled  upon  her,  they  give 
place,  fly  from  her,  and  she  comes  indeed  to 
Jesus  Christ,  according  as  it  is  written,  “ All 
that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me.” 

The  man  that  was  possessed  with  a legion 
(Mark  v.)  was  too  much  by  them  captivated 
for  him  by  human  force  to  come ; yea,  had  he 
had,  to  boot,  all  the  men  under  heaven  to  help 
him,  had  He  who  said,  “he  shall  come,”  with- 
held his  mighty  power  ; but  when  this  promise 
was  to  be  fulfilled  upon  him,  then  he  comes, 
nor  could  all  their  power  hinder  his  coming. 
It  was  also  this  (“shall  come”)  that  preserved 
him  from  death  when  by  these  evil  spirits  he 
was  hurled  hither  and  thither;  and  it  was  by 
the  virtue  of  “shall  come”  that  he  was  at  last 
set  at  liberty  from  them  and  enabled  indeed  to 
come  to  Christ.  “All  that  the  Father  giveth 
me  shall  come  to  me.” 

Objection  3.  They  shall,  you  say,  but  how 
if  they  will  not?  and  if  so,  then  what  can 
“ shall  come  ” do  ? 

Answer.  True,  there  are  some  men  who  say, 
“ We  are  lords,  we  will  come  no  more  under 
thee.”  Jer.  ii.  3J.  But  as  God  says  in  another" 
case,  (if  they  are  concerned  in  “shall  come” 
to  me,)  “They  shall  know  whose  words  shall 
stand,  mine  or  theirs.”  Jer.  xliv.  28.  Here, 
then,  is  the  case : we  must  now  see  who  will 
be  the  liar;  he  that  saith,  I will  not;  or  He 
that  saith,  He  shall  come  to  me.  Arou  shall 
come,  says  God;  I will  not  come,  saith  the 
sinner.  Now  as  sure  as  he  is  concerned  in 
this  “shall  come,”  God  will  make  that  man 
eat  his  own  words ; for  “ I will  not”  is  the  un- 
advised conclusion  of  a crazy-headed  sinner, 
but  “shall  come”  was  spoken  by  Him  that  is 
of  power  to  perform  his  word.  “ Son,  go  work 
to-day  in  my  vineyard,”  said  the  father,  but 
he  answered  and  said,  I will  not  come.  What 
now!  will  he  be  able  to  stand  to  his  refusal? 
will  he  pursue  his  desperate  denial?  No,  “he 
afterwards  repented  and  went.”  But  how 
came  he  by  that  repentance?  Why,  it  was 
wrapped  up  for  him  in  the  absolute  promise, 
and  therefore,  notwithstanding  he  said,  I will 
not,  “ he  afterwards  repented  and  went.”  By 
this  parable  Jesus  Christ  sets  forth  the  obsti- 
nacy of  the  sinners  of  the  world,  as  touching 
their  coming  to  him;  they  will  not  come, 


COME  AND,  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  ('II IllST. 


070 


though  threatened,  yen,  though  life  l>c  offered 
them  upon  condition  of  coining. 

But  now,  when  “shall  come,”  the  absolute 
promise  of  God,  comes  to  be  fulfilled  upon 
them,  then  they  come,  because  by  that  promise 
a cure  is  provided  against  the  rebellion  of 
their  will : “ Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the 
day  of  thy  power.”  Thy  people ! what  people? 
Why,  the  people  that  the  Father  hath  given 
thee.  The  obstinacy  and  plague  that  is  in  the 
will  of  that  people  shall  be  taken  away,  and 
they  shall  be  made  willing;  “shall  come”  will 
make  them  willing  to  come  to  thee. 

He  that  had  seen  Paul  in  the  midst  of  bis 
outrages  against  Christ,  bis  gospel,  and  people 
would  hardly  have  thought  that  he  would  ever 
have  been  a follower  of  Jesus  Christ,  especially 
since  he  went  not  against-his  conscience  in  his 
persecuting  of  them.  lie  thought  verily  that 
he  ought  to  do  what  lie  did.  But  we  may  see 
what  “shall  come”  can  do  when  it  comes  to 
be  fulfilled  upon  the  soul  of  a rebellious  sinner; 
he  was  a chosen  vessel,  given  by  the  Father  to 
the  Son,  and  now  the  time  being  come  that 
“shall  come”  was  to  take  him  in  hand,  behold 
he  is  overmastered,  astonished,  and  with  trem- 
bling and  reverence  in  a moment  becomes 
willing  to  be  Obedient  to  the  heavenly  call. 
Acts  ix. 

And  were  not  they  far  gone  (that  you  read 
of  in  Acts  ii.)  who  had  their  hands  and  hearts 
in  the  murder  of  the  Son  of  GOd,  and  to  show 
their  resolvedness  never  to  repent  of  that  hor- 
rid fact,  said,  “His  blood  be  on  us  and  our 
children?”  But  must  their  obstinacy  rule? 
Must  they  be  bound  to  their  own  ruin  by  the 
rebellion  of  their  stubborn  wills?  No,  not 
those  of  these  the  Father  gave  to  Christ ; where- 
fore, at  the  times  appointed  “shall  come” 
breaks  in  among  them : the  absolute  promise 
takes  them  in  hand,  and  then  they  come  in- 
deed, crying  out  to  Peter  and  the  rest  of  the 
apostles,  “ Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we 
do  ?”  No  stubbornness  of  men’s  will  can  stand 
when  God  hath  absolutely  said  the  contrary ; 
“shall  come”  can  make  them  come  as  doves  to 
their  windows  that  had  afore  resolved  never  to 
come  to  him. 

The  Lord  spake  unto  Manasseh  and  to  his 
people  by  the  prophets,  but  would  he  hear? 
No,  he  would  not.  But  shall  Manasseh  come 
off  thus?  No,  he  shall  not.  Therefore,  he 
being  also  one  of  those  whom  the  Father  hath 
given  to  the  Son,  and  so  falling  within  the 
bounds  and  reach  of  “shall  come,”  at  last 
“shall  come”  takes  him  in  hand,  and  then  he 


comes  indeed.  He  came  bowing  and  bending; 
lie  bumbled  himself  greatly,  and  made  suppli- 
cation to  the  Lord,  and  prayed  unto  him  ; and 
be  was  entreated  of  him,  and  had  mercy  upon 
him.  2 Chron.  iii.  33. 

The  thief  upon  the  cross  at  first  did  rail 
with  bis  fellow  upon  Jesus  Christ,  but  he  was 
one  that  the  Father  had  given  to  him,  and 
therefore  “shall  come”  must  handle  him  and 
his  rebellious  will.  And  behold,  so  soon  as  he 
is  dealt  withal  by  virtue  of  that  absolute  prom- 
ise, how  soon  lie  buckleth,  leaves  his  railing, 
and  falls  to  supplicating  of  the  Son  of  God  for 
mercy  ! “ Lord,”  saith  he,  “ remember  me 

when  thou  comcst  into  thy  kingdom.”  Matt, 
xxvii.  44;  Luke  xxiii.  40.  ■ 

Objection  4.  They  come,  say  you,  but  how 
if  they  be  blind  and  see  not  the  way?  For 
sonre  aro  kept  off  from  Christ,  not  only  by  the 
obstinacy  of  their  will,  but  by  the  blindness 
of  their  mind.  Now,  if  they  be  blind,  how 
shall  they  come? 

Answer.  The  question  is  not,  Are  they  blind? 
but,  Are  they  within  the  reach  and  power  of 
“shall  come?”  If  so,  that  Christ  that  said 
they  shall  come  will  find  them  eyes  or  a guide, 
or  both,  to  bring  them  to  himself.  “Must  is 
for  the  King.”  If  they  shall  come,  they  shall 
come:  no  impediment  shall  hinder. 

The  Thessalonians’  darkness  did  not  hinder 
them  from  being  the  children  of  light.  “ I am 
come,”  saith  Christ,  “that  they  that  see  not 
might  see.”  And  if  he  saith,  “See,  ye  blind 
that  have  no  eyes,”  who  shall  hinder  it? 

This  promise  therefore  is,  as  I said,  a big- 
bellied  promise,  having  in  the  bowels  of  it  all 
things  that  shall  concur  to  the  complete  ful- 
filling of  itself.  “They  shall  come.”  But  it 
is  objected  that  they  are  blind.  Well,  “shall 
come”  is  still  the  same,  and  continueth  to  say, 
“They  shall  come  to  me.”  Therefore  he  saith 
again,  “I  will  bring  the  blind  by  a way  that 
they  know  not.  I will  lead  them  in  paths  that 
they  know  not.  I will  make  darkness  light  be- 
fore them,  and  crooked  things  straight  ; these 
things  will  I do  unto  them,  and  not  forsake 
them.” 

Mark ! I will  bring  them,  though  they  be 
blind;  I will  bring  them  by  a way  they  know 
not : I will,  I will : and  therefore  “ they  shall 
come  to  me.” 

Objection  5.  But  how  if  they  have  exceeded 
many  in  sin,  and  so  made  themselves  far  more 
abominable?  They  are  the  ringleading  sin- 
ners in  the  country,  the  town,  or  family. 

Answer.  What  then?  Shall  that  hinder  the 


580 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


execution  of  “ shall  come  ” ? It  is  not  transgres- 
sions, nor  sins,  nor  all  their  transgression  in 
all  their  sins.,  if  they  by  the  Father  arejjiven 
to  Christ  to  save  them,  that  shall  hinder  this 
promise  that  it  should  not  be  fulfilled  upon 
them.  “ In  those  days  and  at  that  time,”  saith 
the  Lord,  “the  iniquities  of  Israel  shall  be 
sought  for,  and  there  shall  be  none;  and  the 
sins  of  Judah,  and  they  shall  not  be  found.” 
Not  that  they  had  none,  for  they  abounded  in 
transgression,  but  God  would  pardon,  cover, 
hide,  and  put  them  away  by  virtue  of  his  ab- 
solute promise,  by  which  they  are  given  to 
Christ  to  save  them.  “And  I will  cleanse 
them  from  all  their  iniquity  whereby  they 
have  transgressed  against  me.  And  it  shall 
be  to  me  for  a name  of  joy,  a praise,  and  an 
honour  before  all  the  nations  of  the  earth, 
which  shall  hear  of  all  the  good  I do  Unto 
them  ; and  they  shall  fear  and  tremble  for  all 
the  goodness  and  all  the  prosperity  that  I pro- 
cure'in  it.” 

Objection  6.  But  how  if  they  have  not  faith 
and  repentance?  How  shall  they  come 
then? 

Ansvjer.  Why,  he  that  saith,  “They  shall 
come,”  shall  he  not  mate  it  good?  If  they 
shall  come,  they  shall  come;  and  he  that  hath 
said  they  shall  come,  if  faith  and  repentance 
be  the  way  to  come,  as  indeed  they  are,  then 
fifth  and  repentance  shall  be  given  to  them, 
for  “shall  come”  must  be  fulfilled  on  them. 

1.  Faith  shall  be  given  them.  “I  will  also 
leave  in  the  midst  of  thee  an  afflicted  and  poor 
•people,  and  they  shall  trust  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord.  There  shall  be  a root  of  Jesse,  and  he 
shall  rise  to  reign  over  the  Gentiles;  and  in 
him  shall  the  Gentiles  trust.” 

2.  They  shall  have  repentance.  He  is  ex- 
alted to  give  repentance:  “They  shall  come 
weeping,  and  seeking  the  Lord  their  God.” 
And  again,  “with  weeping  and  supplication 
will  I lead  them.” 

I told  you  before  that  an*  absolute  promise 
hath  all  conditional  ones  in  the  belly  of  it, 
and  also  provision  to  answer  all  those  quali- 
fications that  they  propound  to  Him  that 
seeketh  for  their  benefit.  And  it  must  be  so, 
for  if  “shall  come”  be  an  absolute  promise, 
as  indeed  it  is,  then  it  must  be  fulfilled  upon 
every  one  of  those  concerned  therein.  I say, 
it  must  be  fulfilled  if  God  can  by  grace  and' 
his  absolute  will  fulfil  it.  Besides,  since  com- 
ing and  believing  is  all  one,  “He  that  cometh 
to  me  shall  never  hunger,  and  he  that  believeth 
in  me  shall  never  thirst.” 


Then  when  he  saith,  They  “shall  come,”  it 
is  as  much  as  to  say.  They  shall  believe,  and 
consequently  repent  to  the  saving  of  the  soul 
So,  then,  the  present  want  of  faith  and  re- 
pentance cannot  make  the  promise  of  God  of 
none  effect,  because  that  this  promise  hath  in 
it  to  give  what  others  call  for  and  expect.  1 
will  give  them  an  heart,  I will  give  them  re- 
pentance, I will  give  them  faith. 

Mark  these  words:  “If  any  man  be  in 
Christ,  he  is  a new  creature.”  But  how  came 
he  to  be  a new  creature,  since  none  can  create 
but  God?  Why,  God  indeed  doth  make  new 
creatures.  “Behold,”  saith  he,  “I  make  all 
things  new.”'  And  hence  it  follows  even  after 
he  had  said  they  are  new  creatures,  and  all 
things  are  of  God ; that  is,  all  these  new  crea- 
tures stand  in  the  several  operations  and 
special  workings  of  the  Spirit  of  grace,  who 
is  God. 

Objection  7.  But  how  shall  they  escape  all 
those  dangerous  and  damnable  opinions  that 
like  rocks  and  quicksands  are  in  the  way  in 
which  they  are.  going. 

Answer.  Indeed  this  age  is  an  age  of  errors, 
if  ever  there  was  an  age  of  errors  in  the  world ; 
but  yet  the  gift  of  the  Father,  laid  claim  to  by 
the  Son  in  the  text,  must  needs  escape  them 
and  in  conclusion  come  to  him.  There  are  a 
company  of  “shall  comes”  in  the  Bible  that 
doth  secure  them ; not  but  that  they  may  be 
assaulted  by  them,  yea,  and  also  for  the  time 
entangled  and  detained  by  them  from  the 
Bishop  of  their  souls;  but  these  “shall  comes” 
will  break  those  chains  and  fefters  that  those 
given  to  Christ  are  entangled  in,  and  they 
shall  come  because  he  hath  said  they  shall 
come  to  him. 

Indeed,  errors  are  like  that  whore  of  whom 
you  read  in  the  Proverbs,  that  sitteth  in  her 
seat  in  the  high  places  of  the  city,  “to  call 
passengers  who  go  on  their  right  way.”  But 
the  persons,  as  I said,  that  by  the  Father  are 
given  to  the  Son  to  save  them,  are  fit  one  time 
or  other,  secured  by  “shall  come  to  me.” 

And  therefore  of  such  it  is  said,  God  will 
guide  them  with  his  eye,  with  his  counsel,  by 
his  Spirit,  and  that  in  the  way  of  peace,  by 
the  springs  of  water,  and  into  all  truth.  So, 
then,  he  that  hath  such  a guide,  (and  all  that 
the  Father  giveth  to  Christ  shall  have  it,)  he 
shall  escape  those  dangers;  he  shall  not  .err  in 
the  way;  yea,  though  he  be  a fool  he  shall  not 
err  therein,  for  of  every  such  an  one  it  is  said, 
“Thine  ears  shall  hear  a word  behind  thee, 
saying,  This  is  the  way,  walk  in  it,  when  ye 


COME  A XI)  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


581 


turn  to  the  right  hand  and  when  ye  turn  to 
the  loft.” 

There  were  thieves  and  robbers  before  Christ’s 
coming,  as  there  aro  also  now,  but  saith  he, 
“The  sheep  did  not  hear  them.” 

And  why  did  they  not  hear  them  but  because 
they  were  under  the  power  of  “shall  come,” 
that  absolute  promise  that  had  that  grace  in 
itself  to  bestow  upon  them  as  could  make  them 
able  rightly  to  distinguish  of  voices : “ My 
sheep  hear  my  voice.”  But  how  came  they  to 
hear  it?  Why,  to  them  it  is  given  to  know 
and  to  hear,  and  that  distinguishingly.  John 
x.  8,  16 ; v.  25 ; Eph.  v.  14. 

Further,  the  very  plain  sentence  of  the  text 
makes  provision  against  all  these  things,  for 
saith  it,  “All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall 
come  to  me;”  that  is,  shall  not  be  stopped  or 
be  allured  to  take  up  anywhere  short  of  me, 
nor  shall  they  turn  aside  to  abide  with  any 
besides  me. 

Shall  come  to  me — to  me.  By  these  words 
there  is  further  insinuated,  though  not  ex- 
pressed, a double  cause  for  their  coming  to 
him : 

1.  There  is  in  Christ  a fulness  of  all-suffi- 
ciency of  that,  even  of  all  that,  which  is  need- 
ful to  make  us  happy. 

2.  Those  that  indeed  come  to  him  do  there- 
fore come  to  him  that  they  may  receive  it  at 
his  hand. 

For  the  first  of  these  there  is  in  Christ  a ful- 
ness of  all-sufficiency  of  all  that,  even  of  all 
that,  which  is  needful  to  make  us  happy. 
Hence  it  is  said,  “For  it  pleased  the  Father 
that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell.”  And 
again,  “Of  his  fulness  all  we  have  received, 
and  grace  for  grace.”  Col.  i.  19;  John  i.  16. 
It  is  also  said  of  him  that  his  riches  are  un- 
searchable, “ the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.” 
Eph.  iii.  8.  Hear  what  he  saith  of  himself: 
“ Riches  and  honour  are  with  me,  even  durable 
riches  and  righteousness.  My  fruit  is  better 
than  gold,  yea,  than  fine  gold,  and  my  revenue 
than  choice  silver : I lead  in  the  way  of  right- 
eousness, in  the  midst  of  the  paths  of  judgment, 
that  I may  cause  them  that  love  me  to  inherit 
substance.  And  I will  fill  their  treasures.” 
Prov.  viii.  19-21. 

This  in  general,  but  more  particular/!/  : 

1.  There  is  that  light  in  Christ  that  is  suffi- 
cient to  lead  them  out  of  and  from  all  that 
darkness  in  the  midst  of  which  all  others  but 
them  that  come  to  him  stumble,  and  fall,  and 
perish.  “ I am  the  light  of  the  world,”  saith 
he ; “ he  that  followeth  me  shall  not  abide  in 


darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life.” 
Man  by  nature  is  in  darkness  and  walketh  in 
darkness,  and  knows  not  whither  he  goes,  for 
darkness  hath  blinded  his  eyes;  neither  can 
any  thing  but  Jesus  Christ  lead  men  out  of 
this  darkness.  Natural  conscience  cannot  do  it : 
this  prerogative  belongs  only  to  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  There  is  life  in.Christ  that  is  to  be  found 
nowhere  else — life  as  a principle  in  the  soul, 
by  which  it  shall  be  acted  and  enabled  to  do 
that  which,  through  him,  is  pleasing  to  God. 

“ He  that  believeth  in  (or  cometh  to)  me,’”' 
saith  lie,  as  the  Scriptures  have  said,  “ out  of 
his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water.”- 
Without  this  life  a man  is  dead,  whether  he  be 
bad  or  whether  he  be  good ; that  is,  good  in 
his  own  and  other  men’s  esteem.  There  is  no 
true  and  eternal  life  but  what  is  in  the  Me  that 
speaketh  in  the  text. 

There  is  also  life  for  those  that  come  to  him, 
to  be  had  by  faith  in  his  flesh  and  blood.  “ He 
that  eateth  me  shall  live  by  me.” 

And  this  is  a Jife  against  that  death  that 
comes  by  the  guilt  of  sin  and  the  curse  of  the 
law,  under  which  all  men  are  and  for  ever  must 
be,  unless  they  eat  the  Me  that  speaks  in  the 
text.  “ Whoso  findeth  me,”  saith  he,  “ findeth 
life,”  deliverance  from  the  everlasting  death 
and  destruction  that,  without  me,  he  shall  be 
devoured  by. 

Nothing  is  more  desirable  than  life  to  him  . 
that  hath  in  himself  the  sentence  of  condem- 
nation : and  here  only  is  life  to  be  found.  This 
life — to  wit,  eternal  life — this  life  is  in  his  Son ; 
that  is,  in  him  that  saith  in  the  text,  “ All  that 
the  Father  hath  given  me  shall  come  to  me.” 

3.  The  person  speaking  in  the  text  is  He 
alone  by  whom  poor  sinners  have  admittance 
to  and  acceptance  with  the  Father,  because  of 
the  glory  of  his  righteousness,  by  and  in  which 
he  presenteth  them  amiable  and  spotless  in 
his  sight;  neither  is  there  any  way  besides 
him  so  to  come  to  the  Father.  “I  am  the 
way,”  saith  he,  “the  truth,  and  the  life;  no 
man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  me.”  All 
other  ways  to  God  are  dead  and  damnable ; the 
destroying  clierubims  stand  with  flaming 
swords,  turning  every  way,  to  keep  all  others 
from  his  presence.  I say,  all  others  but  them 
that  come  by  him. 

“ I am  the  door ; by  me,”  saith  he,  “ if  any 
man  shall  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved.” 

The  person  speaking  in  the  text  is  He.  and 
only  He,  that  can  give  stable  and  everlasting 
peace ; therefore,  saith  he,  “ My  peace  I give 
unto  you  ” — my  peajee,  which  is  a peace  with 


582 


BUN  YAK’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


God,  peace  of  conscience,  and  that  of  an  ever- 
lasting duration.  My  peace,  peace  that  cannot 
be  matched,  “not  as  the  world  giveth,  give  I 
unto  you ; ” for  the  world’s  peace  is  hut  carnal 
and  transitory,  hut  mine  is  divine  and  eternal. 
Hence  it  is  called  the  peace  of  God,  that 
passeth  all  understanding. 

4.  The  person  speaking  in  the  text  hath 
enough  of  all  things  truly  spiritually  good  to 
satisfy  the  desire  of  every  longing  soul.  “ And 
Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying,  If  any  man 
thirst,  let  him  come  to  me  and  drink.  And  to 
him  that  is  athirst  I will  give  of  the  fountain 
of  the  water  of  life  freely.” 

5.  With  the  person  speaking  in  the  text  is 
power  to  perfect,  and  defend,  and  deliver  those 
that  come  to  him  for  safeguard.  “ All  power,” 
saith  he,  “ in  heaven  and  earth  are  given  unto 
me.” 

Thus  might  I multiply  instances  in  this  na- 
ture in  abundance.  But, 

Secondly.  They  that  in  truth  do  come  to 
him  do  therefore  come  to  him  that  they  may 
receive  it  at  his  hand.  They  come  for  light, 
they  come  for  life,  they  come  for  reconciliation 
with  God ; they  also  come  for  peace,  they  come 
that  their  souls  may  be  satisfied  with  spiritual 
good,  and  that  they  may  be  protected  by  him 
against  all  spiritual  and  eternal  damnation ; and 
he  alone  is  able  to  give  them  all  this,  to  the 
fulfilling  of  their  joy  to  the  full,  as  they  also 
find  when  they  come  to  him. 

This  is  evident — 

1.  From  the  plain  declaration  of  those  that 
already  are  come  to  him.  “Being  justified  by 
faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  also  we  have  ac- 
cess with  boldness  into  this  grace,  wherein  we 
stand  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.” 

2.  It  is  evident  also  in  that  while  they  keep 
their  eyes  upon  him  they  never  desire  to 
change  him  for  another,  or  to  add  to  them- 
selves some  other  thing,  together  with  him,  to 
make  up  their  spiritual  joy.  “God  forbid,” 
said  Paul,  “that  I should  glory,  save' in  the 
cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Yea,  and  I 
count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  for 
whom  I have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things, 
and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I may  win 
Christ  and  be  found  in  him  : not  having  mine 
own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but 
that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith.” 

3.  It  is  evident  also  by  their  earnest  desires 
that  others  might  be  made  partakers  of  their 


blessedness.  “Brethren,”  said  Paul,  “my 
heart’s  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is, 
that  they  might  be  saved ; ” that  is,  that  way 
that  he  expected  to  be  saved  himself ; as  he 
saith  also  to  the  Galatians.  “ Brethren,”  saith 
he,  “I  beseech  you,  be  as  I am,  for  I am  as  yi 
are ; ” that  is,  I am  a sinner  as  ye  are.  Now, 
I beseech  you,  seek  for  life  as  I am  seeking  for 
it;  as  who  should  say,  For  there  is  a sufficiency 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  both  for  me  and  you. 

4.  It  is  evident  also  by  the  triumph  that 
such  men  make  over  all  their  enemies,  both 
bodily  and  ghostly.  “ Now  thanks  be  to  God,” 
said  Paul,  “ who  causeth  us  always  to  triumph 
in  Jesus  Christ !”  “ And  who  shall  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  Christ  our  Lord?”  And 
again,  “ 0 death,  where  is  thy  sting?  O grave, 
where  is  thy  victory  ? The  sting  of  death  is 
sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law;  but 
thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Ghrist!” 

5.  It  is  evident  also  for  that  they  are  made 
by  the  glory  of  that  which  they  have  found  in 
him  to  suffer  and  endure  what  the  devil  and 
hell  itself  hath  or  could  invent  as  a means  to 
separate  them  from  him.  Again  : “ Who  shall 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  Shall 
tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  fam- 
ine, or  nakedness,  orperil,  orsword?  (as  is  writ- 
ten, For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day 
long,  we  are  counted  as  sheep  for  the  slaught- 
er.) Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than 
conquerors,  through  Him  that  loved  us ; for  I 
am  persuaded  that  neither  death  nor  life,  nor 
angels  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor 
things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height, 
nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature  shall  he  able 
to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is 
•in  Christ  Jesus.” 

“ Shall  come  to  me.”  Oh  the  heart-attract- 
ing glory  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ  (when  he  is 
discovered)  to  draw  those  to  him  that  are  given 
to  him  of  the  Father!  Therefore  those  that 
came  of  old  rendered  this  as  the  cause  of  their 
coming  to  him:  “And  we  beheld  the  glory  as 
of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father.”  And  the 
reason  why  others  come  not,  hut  perish  in  their 
sins,  is  for  want  of  a sight  of  his  glory.  “If 
our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are 
lost,  in  whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath 
blinded  the  minds  of  them  that  believe  not, 
lest  the  glorious  light  of  the  gospel  of  Christ 
who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto 
them.” 

There  is,  therefore,  heart-pulsing  glory  in 
Jesus  Christ,  which,  when  discovered,  draws 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JEHUS  CHRIST. 


Ml 


the  men  to  him ; wherefore,  by  “shall  come  to 
me”  Christ  may  mean  when  his  glory  is  dis- 
covered then  they  must  come,  then  they  shall 
come,  to  me.  Therefore,  ns  the  truc-comers 
come  with  weeping  and  relenting,  as  being 
sensible  of  their  own  vileness,  so  again  it  is 
said,  “That  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  re- 
turn, and  come  to  Zion  with  singing  and  ever- 
lasting joy  upon  their  heads;  they  shall  ob- 
tain joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing 
shall  fly  away;”  that  is,  at  the  sight  of  the 
glory  of  that  grace  that  shows  itself  to  them 
now  in  the  face  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
iu  the  hopes  that  they  now  have  of  being  with 
him  in  the  heavenly  tabernacles.  Therefore 
it  saith  again,  “ With  gladness  and  rejoicing 
shall  they  be  brought;  they  shall  enter  into 
the  King’s  palace.” 

There  is,  therefore,  heart-attracting  glory  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which,  when  discovered, 
subjects  the  heart  to  the  word  and  makes  us 
come  to  him. 

It  is  said  of  Abraham  that  when  he  dwelt  in 
Mesopotamia  the  God  of  glory  appeared  unto 
him,  saying,  “Get  thee. out  of  thy  country.” 
And  what  then?  Why,  away  he  went  from 
his  house  and  friends,  and  all  the  world,  could 
not  stay  him.  “Now,”  as  the  Psalmist  says, 
“Who  is  the  King  of  glory?”  he  answers, 
“The  Lord,  mighty  in  battle.”  And  who  was 
that  but  He  that  spoiled  principalities  and 
powers  when  he  did  hang  upon  the  tree,  tri- 
umphing over  them  thereon  ? And  who  was 
that  but  Jesus  Christ,  even  the  person  speak- 
ing in  the  text?  Therefore  he  saith  of  Abra- 
ham, “ He  saw  his  day.”  “ Yea,”  saith  he  to 
the  Jews,  “your  father  Abraham  rejoiced  to 
sec  my  day,  and  he  saw  it  and  was  glad.” 

Indeed  the  carnal  man  says,  at  last,  in  his 
heart,  “There  is  no  form  or  comeliness  in 
Christ,”  and  when  we  shall  see  him,  “ there  is 
no  beauty  that  we  should  desire  him ; ” but  he 
lies : this  he  speaks  as  having  never  seen  him. 
But  they  that  stand  in  his  house,  and  look 
upon  him  through  the  glass  of  his  word  by 
the  help  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  they  will  tell  you 
other  things.  “ But  we,”  say  they,  “ all  with 
open  face,  beholding,  as  in  a glass,  the  glory 
of  the  Lord,  and  changed  into  the  same  image, 
from  glory  to  glory.”  They  see  glory  in  his 
person,  glory  in  his  understanding,  glory  in  the 
merit  of  his  blood,  and  glory  in  the  perfec- 
tion of  his  righteousness ; yea,  heart-affecting, 
heart-sweetening,  and  heart-changing  glory ! 

Indeed  his  glory  is  veiled,  and  cannot  be 
seen  but  as  discovered  by  the  Father.  It  is 


veiled  with  flesh,  with  meanness  of  descent 
from  the  flesh,  and  with  that  ignominy  and 
shame  that  attended  him  in  the  flesh  ; but 
they  that  cun,  in  God’s  light,  sec  through 
these  things,  they  shall  see  glory  in  him  ; yea, 
such  glory  as  will  draw  and  pull  their  hearts 
unto  him. 

Moses  was  the  adopted  sou  of  Pharaoh’s 
daughter,  and,  for  aught  I know,  had  been 
king  at  last  had  he  conformed  to  the  present 
vanities  that  were  there  at  court ; but  he  could 
not,  he  would  not  do  it.  Why,  what  was  the 
matter?  Why,  he  saw  more  in  the  worst  of 
Christ  (bear  with  the  expression)  than  he  saw 
in  the  best  of  all  the  treasures  of  the  land  of 
Egypt.  He  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of 
Pharaoh’s  daughter,  choosing  rather  to  suffer 
affliction  with  the  people  of  God  than  to  enjoy 
the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a season,  esteeming 
the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the 
treasures  of  Egypt,  for  he  had  respect  to  the 
recompense  of  reward.  He  forsook  Egypt, 
not  fearing  the  wrath  of  the  king.  But  what 
emboldened  him  to  do  this?  Why,  he  en- 
dured, for  he  had  a sight  of  the  person  speak- 
ing in  the  text,  “He  endured,  as  seeing  Him 
who  is  invisible.”  But  I say,  would  a sight 
of  Jesus  have  thus  taken  away  Moses’s  heart 
from  a crown  and  a kingdom,  Ac.,  had  he  not 
by  that  sight  seen  more  in  him  than  was  to  be 
seen  in  them? 

Therefore  when  he  saith,  “ shall  come  to 
me,”  lie  means  they  shall  have  a discovery  of 
the  glory  of  the  grace  that  is  in  him;  and  the 
beauty  and  glory  of  that  is  of  such  virtue 
that  it  constraiueth  and  forceth,  with  a blessed 
violence,  the  hearts  of  those  that  are  given  to 
him. 

Moses,  of  whom  we  spake  before,  was  no 
child  when  he  was  thus  taken  with  the  beau- 
teous glory  of  the  Lord : he  was  forty  years 
old,  and  so,  consequently,  was  able,  being  a 
man  of  that  wisdom  and  opportunity  as  he 
was,  to  make  the  best  judgment  of  the  things 
and  of  the  goodness  of  them  that  were  before 
him  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  But  he,  even  he 
it  was,  that  set  that  low  esteem  upon  the  glory 
of  Egypt  to  count  it  not  worth  the  meddling 
with  when  he  had  a sight  of  this  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  This  wicked  world  thinks  that  the 
fancies  of  a heaven  and  happiness  hereafter 
may  serve  well  enough  to  take  the  heart  of 
such  as  either  have  not  the  world’s  good 
things  to  delight  in,  or  that  are  fools  and 
know  not  how  to  delight  themselves  therein. 
But  let  them  know  again  that  we  have  had 


584 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


men.  of  all  ranks  and  qualities  that  have  been 
taken  with  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  and 
have  left  all  to  follow  him ; as  Abel,  Seth, 
Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses, 
Samuel,  David,  Solomon,  and  who  not  that 
had  either  wit  or  grace  to  savour  heavenly 
things?  Indeed,  none  can  stand  off  from 
him,,  nor  any  longer  hold  out  against  him,  to 
whom  he  reveals  the  glory  of  his  grace. 

“And  him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  no- 
wise cast  out.”  By  those  words  our  Lord 
Jesus  doth  set  forth  yet  more  amply  the  great 
goodness  of  his  nature  towards  the  coming 
sinner.  Before,  he  said,  “They  shall  come,” 
and  he  declareth,  “that  with  heart  and  affec- 
tions he  will  receive  them.” 

But,  by  the  way,  let  me  speak  one  word  or 
two  to  the  seeming  conditionality  of  this 
promise  with  which  now  I have  to  do  : “And 
him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast 
out;”  where  it  is  evident  (may  some  say) 
that  Christ’s  receiving  us  to  mercy  depends 
upon  our  coming,  and  so  our  salvation  by 
Christ  is  conditional.  If  we  come,  we  shall 
be  received;  if  not,  we  shall  not;  for  that  is 
fully  intimated  by  the  words.  The  promise 
of  reception  is  only  to  him  that  cometh : 
“ And  him  that  cometh.”  I answer  that  the 
coming  in  these  words  mentioned  as  a condi- 
tion of  being  received  to  life  is  that  which  is 
promised,  yea,  concluded  to  be  effected  in  us, 
by  the  promise  going  before.  In  those  latter 
words  coming  to  Christ  is  implicitly  required 
of  us;  and  in  the  words  before,  that  grace  that 
can  make  us  come  is  positively  promised  to 
us.  “ All  that  the  Father  giveth  to  me  shall 
come  to  me,  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I 
will  in  nowise  cast  out  thence.”  We  come  to 
Christ,  because  it  is  said  wre  “shall  come;” 
because  it  is  given  to  us  to  come  ; so  that  the 
condition  which  is  expressed  by  Christ  in 
these  latter  words  is  absolutely  promised  in 
the  words  before.  And  indeed  the  coming 
here  intended  is  nothing  else  but  the  effect  of 
“ shall  come  to  me.  They  shall  come,  and  I 
will  not  cast  them  out.” 

“ And  him  that  cometh.”  He  saith  not, 
And  him  that  is  come , but  “him  that  cometh.'” 

To  speak  to  these  words— 

1.  In  general. 

2.  More  particularly. 

In  general. — They  suggest  unto  us  these 
four  things : 

1.  That  Jesus  Christ  doth  build  upon  it 
that  since  the  Father  gave  his  people  to  him 
they  shall  be . enabled  to  come  unto  him. 


“And  him  that  cometh;”  as  wdio  should  say 
I know  that  since  they  are  given  to  me,  they 
shall  be  enabled  to  come  unto  me.  He  saith 
not,  If  they  come,  or,  I suppose  they  will 
come — but,  And  him  that  cometh.  By 
these  words,  therefore,  he  shows  that  he  ad- 
dresseth  himself  to  the  receiving  of  them 
whom  the  Father  gave  to  him  to  save  them  ; 
I say,  he  addresseth  himself  or  prepareth  him- 
self to  receive  them ; by  which,  as  I said,  he 
concludeth  or  buildeth  upon  it  that  they  shall 
indeed  come  to  him.  He  looketh  that  the 
Father  should  bring  them  into  his  bosom,  and 
so  stands  ready  to  embrace  them. 

2.  Christ  also  suggesteth  by  these  words 
that  he  very  well  knoweth  who  are  given  to 
him ; not  by  their  coming  to  him,  but  by  their 
being  given  to  him.  “All  that  the  Father 
giveth  me  shall  come  to  me;  and  him  that 
cometh,”  &c.  This  him  he  knoweth  to  be-one 
of  them  that  the  Father  hath  given  him,  and 
therefore  he  receiveth  him,  even  because  the 
Father  hath  given  him  to  him.  “I  know  my 
sheep,”  saith  he ; not  only  those  that  already 
have  knowledge  of  him,  but  those  too  that 
yet  are  ignorant  of  him.  “Other  sheep  have 
I,”  said  he,  “which  are  not  of  this  fold;”  not 
of  the  Jewish  Church,  but  those  that  lie  in 
their  sins,  even  the  rude  and  barbarous  Gen- 
tiles. Therefore,  when  Paul  was  afraid  to 
stay  at  Corinth  from  a supposition  that  some 
mischief  might  befall  him  there,  “ Be  not 
afraid,”  said  the  Lord  Jesus  to  him,  “ but 
speak,  and  hold  not  thy  peace,  for  I have 
much  people  in  this  city.”  The  people  that 
the  Lord  here  speaks  of  were  not  at  this  time 
accounted  his  by  reason  of  a work  of  conver- 
sion that  already  had  passed  upon  them,  but 
by  virtue  of  the  gift  of  the  Father,  for  he  had 
given  them  unto  him.  Therefore  was  Paul 
to  stay  here,  to  speak  the  word  of  the  Lord 
to  them,  that  by  his  speaking  the  floly 
Ghost  might  effectually  work  over  their  souls, 
to  the  causing  them  to  come  to  Him  who 
was  also  ready  with  heart  and  soul  to  receive 
them. 

3.  Christ  by  these  words  also  suggesteth 
that  no  more  come  unto  him  than  indeed  are 
given  him  of  the  Father;  for  the  him  in  this 
place  is  one  of  the  all  that  by  Christ  was  men- 
tioned before : “ All  that  the  Father  giveth  me, 
shall  come  to  me,”  and  every  him  of  that  all 
“I  will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  This  the  apostle 
insinuateth  where  he  saith,  “He  gave  some 
apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some  evan- 
gelists, and  some  pastors  and  teachers,  for  the 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


585 


perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ,  till  we  all  come,  in  the  unity  of  faith 
and  of  tlie  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto 
a perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature 
of  the  fulness  of  Christ.” 

Mark,  as  in  the  text,  so  here  he  spenketh  of 
all — “ Until  we  all  come.”  We  all ! All  who? 
Doubtless,  “all  that  the  Father  givetli  to 
Christ.”  This  is  farther  insinuated,  because 
he  calleth  this  all  the  body  of  Christ,  the 
measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ, 
by  which  he  means  the  universal  number 
given — to  wit,  the  true  elect  Church,  which  is 
said  to  be  his  body  and  fulness. 

4.  Christ  Jesus  by  these  words  farther  sug- 
gested that  he  is  well  content  with  this  gift 
of  the  Father  to  him.  “All  that  the  Father 
giveth  me  shall  come  to  me,  and  him  that 
cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  I 
will  heartily,  willingly,  and  with  great  con- 
tent of  mind  receive  him. 

They  show  us  also  that  Christ’s  love  in  re- 
ceiving is  as  large  as  his  Father’s  love  in  giving, 
and  no  larger.  Hence  he  thanks  him  for  his 
gift,  and  also  thanks  him  for  hiding  of  him 
and  his  things  from  the  rest  of  the  wicked. 

But,  secondly,  and  more  particularly,  “ xYnd 
him  that  cometh.”  And  him!  This  word 
him : by  it  Christ  looked  back  to  the  gift  of 
the  Father,  not  only  to  the  lump  and  whole 
of  the  gift,  but  to  the  every  him  of  that  lump. 
As  who  should  say,  I do  not  only  accept  of  the 
gift  of  my  Father  in  the  general,  but  have  a 
special  regard  to  every  of  them  in  particular; 
and  will  secure  not  only  some  or  the  greatest 
part,  but  every  him,  every  dust ; not  an  hoof  of 
all  shall  be  lost  or  left  behind.  And  indeed  in 
this  he  consented  to  his  Fader’s  will,  which 
is  that  of  all  that  he  hath  given  him  he  should 
lose  nothing. 

“ And  him.”  Christ  Jesus  also,  by  his  thus 
dividing  the  gift  of  his  Father  into  hims,  and 
by  his  speaking  of  them  in  the  singular  num- 
ber, shows  what  a particular  work  shall  be 
wrought  in  each  one  at  the  time  appointed  of 
the  Father.  “And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in 
that  day,”  said  the  prophet,  “ that  the  Lord 
shall  beat  oft'  from  the  channel  of  the  river  to 
the  stream  of  Egypt ; and  ye  shall  be  gathered 
one  by  one,  O ye  children  of  Israel.”  Here 
are  the  him  one  by  one,  to  be  gathered  to  him 
by  the  Father. 

He  shows  also  hereby  that  no  lineage,  kin- 
dred, or  relation  can  at  all  be  profited  by  any 
outward  or  carnal  union  with  the  person  that 


the  Father  hath  given  to  Christ.  It  is  only 
him,  the  given  him,  the  coming  him,  that  lie 
intends  absolutely  to  secure.  Men  make  great 
ado  with  the  children  of  believers;  and  oh  the 
children  of  believers!  But  if  the  child  of  the 
believer  is  not  the  him  concerned  in  this  abso- 
lute promise,  it  is  not  these  men’s  great  cry, 
nor  yet  what  the  parent  or  child  can  do,  that 
can  interest  him  in  this  promise  of  the  Lord 
Christ,  this  absolute  promise. 

“And  him.”  There  are  divers  sorts  of  per- 
sons that  the  Father  hath  given  to  Jesus 
Christ;  they  are  not  all  of  one  rank,  of  one 
quality ; some  are  high,  some  are  low ; some 
arc  wise,  some  fools  ; some  arc  more  civil  and 
complying  with  the  law ; some  more  profane 
and  averse  to  him  and  his  gospel.  Now,  since 
those  that  are  given  to  him  are  in  some  sense 
so  diverse,  and  again,  since  he  yet  saith,  “ And 
him  that  cometh,”  &c.,  he  by  that  doth  give 
us  to  understand  that  he  is  not,  as  men,  for 
picking  and  choosing,  to  take  a best  and  leave 
a worst,  but  lie  is  for  him  that  the  Father  hath 
given  him  and  that  cometli  to  him.  “ He  will 
not  alter  nor  change  it,  a good  for  a bad,  or  a 
bad  for  a good,”  but  will  take  him  as  he  is, 
and  will  save  his  soul.  » 

There  is  many  a sad  wretch  given  by  the 
Father  to  Jesus  Christ,  but  not  one  of  them  all 
is  despised  or  slighted  by  him. 

It  is  said  of  those  that  the  Father  hath  given 
to  Christ  that  they  have  done  worse  than  the 
heathen,  that  they  were  murderers,  thieves, 
drunkards,  unclean  persons,  and  what  not ; but 
he  has  received  them,  washed  them,  ami  saved 
them.  A fit  emblem  of  this  sort  is  that  wretched 
instance  mentioned  in  the  16th  of  Ezekiel,  that 
was  cast  out  in  a stinking  condition,  to  the 
loathing  of  its  person  in  the  day  that  it  was 
born  ; a creature  in  such  a wretched  condition 
that  no  eye  pitied  to  do  any  of  the  things  there 
mentioned  unto  it,  or  to  have  compassion  upon 
it;  no  eye  but  His  that  speaketh  in  the  text. 

“ And  him.”  Let  him  be  as  red  as  blood, 
let  him  be  as  red  as  crimson:  some  men  are 
blood-red  sinners,  crimson  sinners,  sinners  of 
a double  dye,  dipped  and  dipped  again  before 
they  come  to  Jesus  Christ.  Art  thou  that 
readest  these  lines  such  a one?  Speak  out, 
man ! Art  thou  such  a one?  and  art  thou  now 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ  for  the  mercy  of  justi- 
fication, that  thou  miglitest  be  made  white  in 
his  blood  and  be  covered  with  his  righteous- 
ness? Fear  not,  forasmuch  as  this  thy  coming 
betokeneth  that  thou  art  of  the  number  of 
them  that  the  Father  hath  given  to  Christ,  for 


586 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


he  will  in  nowise  cast  thee  out.  “ Come  now,” 
saith  Christ,  “ and  let  us  reason  together ; 
though  your  sins  he  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be 
white  as  snow;  though  they  be  red  like  crim- 
son, they  shall  be  as  wool.” 

“And  him.”  There  was  many  a strange  him 
came  to  Jesus  Christ  in  the  days  of  his  flesh, 
hut  he  received  them  all,  without  turning  any 
away.  “ Speaking  unto  them  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  healing  such  as  had  need  of  heal- 
ing.” These  words,  “ and  him,”  are  therefore 
words  to  be  wondered  at,  that  not  one  of  them 
who  by  virtue  of  the  Father’s  gift  and  drawing 
are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ — I say,  that  not  one 
of  them,  whatever  they  have  been,  whatever 
they  have  done,  should  he  rejected  or  set  by, 
hut  admitted  to  a share  in  his  saving  grace.  It 
is  said  in  Luke  that  the  people  “wondered  at 
the  gracious  words  that  proceeded  out  of  his 
mouth.”  Now  this  is  one  of  his  gracious 
words;  these  words  are  like  drops  of  honey,  as 
it  is  said,  “Pleasant  words  are  as  an  honey- 
comb, sweet  to  the  soul  and  health  to  the 
hones.”  These  are  gracious  words  indeed,  even 
as  full  as  a faithful  and  merciful  high  priest 
could  speak  them.  Luther  saith,  “ When 
Christ  speaketh  he  hath  a mouth  as  wide  as 
heaven  and  earth ;”  that  is,  to  speak  fully  to 
the  encouragement  of  every  sinful  lain  that  is 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ.  And  that  this  word 
is  certain,  hear  how  he  himself  confirms  it: 
“Heaven  and  earth,”  saith  he,  “shall  pass 
away,  but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away.” 

It  is  also  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  the 
four  evangelists,  who  gave  faithful  relation  of 
his  loving  reception  of  all  sorts  of  coming  sin- 
ners, whether  they  were  publicans,  harlots, 
thieves,  possessed  of  devils,  bedlams,  and  what 
not. 

This,  then,  shows  us — - 

1.  The  greatness  of  the  merits  of  Christ. 

2.  The  willingness  of  his  heart  to  impute 
them  for  life  to  the  great,  if  but  coming, 
sinners. 

1.  This  shows  us  the  greatness  of  the  merits 
of  Christ,  for  it  must  not  he  supposed  that  his 
words  are  bigger  than  his  worthiness.  He  is 
strong  to  execute  his  word : he  can  do  as  well 
as  speak.  “Lie  can  do  exceeding  abundantly 
more  than  we  ask  or  think,”  even  to  the  utter- 
most and  outside  of  his  word. 

Now,  then,  since  he  includeth  any  coming 
him,  it  must  be  concluded  that  he  can  save  to 
the  uttermost  sin  any  coming  him. 

Do  you  think,  I say,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  did 
not  think  before  he  spake?  He  speaks  all  in 


righteousness,  and  therefore, by  his  woid  we  are 
to  judge  how  mighty  he  is  to  save. 

He  spake  in  righteousness,  in  very  faithful- 
ness, when  he  began  to  build  this  blessed  gos- 
pel fabric;  he  first  sat  down  and  counted  the 
cost,  and  knew  he  was  able  to  finish  it.  What, 
Lord!  any  him?  any  him  that  cometh  to  thee? 
This  is  a Christ  worth  looking  after;  this  is  a 
Christ  worth  coming  to. 

This,  then,  should  learn  us  diligently  to  con- 
sider the  natural  force  of  every  word  of  God, 
and  to  judge  of  Christ’s  ability  to  save,  not  by 
our  sins  or  by  our  shallow  apprehensions  of 
his  grace,  but  by  his  word,  which  is  the  true 
measure'  of  grace. 

And  if  we  do  not  judge  thus  we  shall  dis- 
honour his  grace,  lose  the  benefit  of  his  word, 
and  needlessly  fright  ourselves  into  many  dis- 
couragements through  coming  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Him,  any  him  that  cometh,  hath  sufficient  from 
this  word  of  Christ  to  feed  himself  with  hopes 
of  salvation.  As  thou  art  therefore  coming,  O 
thou  coming  sinner,  judge  whether  Christ  can 
save  thee  by  the  true  sense  of  his  words : judge, 
coming  sinner,  of  the  efficacy  of  his  blood,  of 
the  perfection  of  his  righteousness,  and  of  the 
prevalency  of  his  intercession  by  Ills  word. 
“And  him,”  saith  he,  “that  cometh  to  me  I 
Avill  in  nowise  cast  out.”  In  nowise:  that  is 
for  no  sin:  judge,  therefore,  by  his  word  how 
able  he  is  to  save  thee.  It  is  said  of  God’s 
sayings  to  the  children  of  Israel,  “ There  failed 
not  aught  of  any  good  thing  which  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  to  the  house  of  Israel ; all  came 
to  pass.”  And  again,  “Not  one  thing  hath 
failed  of  all  the  good  things  which  the  Lord 
your  God  spake  concerning  you ; all  are  come 
to  pass  unto  you,  and  not  one  thing  hath  failed 
thereof.” 

Coming  sinner,  what  promise  thou  findest  in 
the  word  of  Christ,  strain  it  whether  thou  canst, 
so  thou  dost  not  corrupt  it,  and  his  blood  and 
merits  will  answer  all ; what  the  word  saith,  or 
any  true  consequence  that  is  drawn  therefrom, 
that  we  may  boldly  venture  upon  ; as  here  in 
the  text  he  saith,  “And  him  that  cometh,”  in- 
definitely, without  the  least  intimation  of  the 
rejection  of  any,  though  never  so  great,  if  he 
be  a coming  sinner.  Take  it  then  for  granted 
that  thou,  whoever  thou  art,  if  coming,  art  in- 
tended in  these  words;  neither  shall  it  injure 
Christ  at  all  if,  as  Benhadad’s  servants  served 
Aliah,  thou  slialt  catch  him  at  his  word. 
“Now,”  saith  the  text,  “the  man  did  dil- 
igently observe  whether  anything  would  come 
from  him  ”■ — to  wit,  any  word  of  grace — “ and 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


did  hastily  catch  it.”  Anil  it  happened  that 
Ahab  had  called  Benhadad  his  brother.  The 
man  replied  therefore,  “Thy  brother  Benha- 
dad !”  catching  him  at  his  word.  Sinner,  com- 
ing sinner,  serve  Jesus  Christ  thus,  and  he  will 
take  it  kindly  at  thy  hands.  When  he,  in  his 
argument,  called  the  Canaan itish  woman  dog, 
she  catehed  him  at  it  and  said,  “Truth,  Lord, 
yet  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  that  fall  from 
their  master’s  table.”  I say,  she  catehed  him 
thus  in  his  words,  and  he  took  it  kindly,  say- 
ing, “ 0 woman,  great  is  thy  faith  ; be  it  unto 
thee  even  as  thou  wilt.”  Catch  him,  coining 
sinner,  catch  him  in  his  word ; surely  he  will 
take  it  kindly  and  will  not  be  offended  at  thee. 

2.  The  other  thing  that  I told  you  is  showed 
from  these  words  is  this:  the  willingness  of 
Christ’s  heart  to  impute  his  mercies  for  life  to 
the  great,  if  coming,  sinner.  “ And  him  that 
cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

The  awakened,  coming  sinner  doth  not  so 
easily  question  the  power  of  Christ  as  his  will- 
ingness to  save  him  : “ Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou 
canst,”  said  one.  He  did  not  put  the  if  upon 
his  power,  but  upon  his  will : he  concluded  he 
could,  but  he  was  not  as  fully  of  persuasion 
that  he  would;  but  we  have  the  same  ground 
to  believe  he  will  as  we  have  to  believe  he 
can ; and  indeed  ground  for  both  is  the  word 
God.  If  he  was  not  willing,  why  did  he  prom- 
ise? Why  did  he  say  he  would  receive  the 
coming  sinner?  Coming  sinner,  take  notice 
of  this;  we  use  to  plead  practices  with  men, 
and  why  not  with  God  likewise?  I am  sure 
we  have  no  more  ground  for  one  than  the 
other,  for  we  have  to  plead  the  promise  of  a 
faithful  God.  Jacob  took  him  there.  “ Thou 
saidst,”  said  he,  “ I will  surely  do  thee  good.” 
For  from  this  promise  he  concluded  that  it 
followed  in  reason  he  must  be  willing. 

The  text  also  gives  some  ground  for  us  to 
draw  the  same  conclusion.  “And  him  that 
cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  Here 
is  his  willingness  asserted,  as  well  as  his  power 
suggested.  It  is  worth  your  observation  that 
Abraham’s  faith  considered  rather  God’s  power 
than  his  willingness;  that  is,  he  drew  his  con- 
clusion, “ I shall  have  a child,”  from  the  power 
that  was  in  God  to  fulfil  the  promise  to  him; 
for  he  concluded  he  was  willing  to  give  him 
one,  else  he  would  not  have  promised  one. 
“ He  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God 
through  unbelief,  but  was  strong  in  faith,  giv- 
ing glory  to  God,  being  fully  persuaded  that 
what  he  had  promised  he  was  able  to  perform.” 
But  was  not  his  faith  exercised  or  tried  about 


587 

his  willingness  loo?  No;  there  was  no  show 
of  reason  for  that,  because  lie  had  promised  it: 
indeed,  had  he  not  promised  it  he  might  law- 
fully have  doubted  it,  but  since  lie  had  promised 
it,  there  was  left  no  ground  at  all  for  doubting, 
because  his  willingness  to  give  a son  was  dem- 
onstrated in  his  promising  him  a son.  These 
words,  therefore,  arc  sufficient  ground  to  cn 
courage  any  coming  sinner  that  Christ  is  will 
ing  to  his  power  to  receive  him  ; and  since  hfl 
hath  power  also  to  do  what  he  will,  there  is  no 
ground  at  all  left  to  the  coming  sinner  any 
more  to  doubt,  but  to  come  in  full  hope  of  ac- 
ceptance and  of  being  received  unto  grace  and 
mercy.  “And  him  that  cometh.”  He  saitli 
not,  And  him  that  is  come,  but,  “and  him  that 
cometh ;”  that  is,  And  him  whose  heart  be- 
gins to  move  after  me,  who  is  leaving  all  for 
my  sake ; him  who  is  looking  out,  who  is  on 
his  journey  to  me.  We  must  therefore  distin- 
guish betwixt  coming  and  being  come  to  Jesus 
Christ.  He  that  is  come  to  him  has  attained 
of  him  more  sensibly  what  he  felt  before  he 
wanted  than  he  has  that  but  yet  is  coming  to 
him. 

A man  that  is  come  to  Christ  has  the  ad- 
vantage of  him  that  is  but  coming  to  him  ; and 
that  in  seven  things : 

1.  He  that  is  come  to  Christ  is  nearer  to 
him  than  he  that  is  but  coming  to  him  ; for  he 
that  is  but  coming  to  him  is  yet,  in  some  sense, 
at  a distance  from  him,  as  it  is  said  of  the 
coming  prodigal,  “ And  while  he  was  yet  a 
great  way  off.”  Now,  he  that  is  nearer  to  him 
hath  the  best  sight  of  him,  and  so  is  able  to 
make  the  best  judgment  of  his  wonderful 
grace  anil  beauty ; as  God  saith,  “ Let  them 
come  near  and  let  them  speak.”  And  as  the 
apostle  John  saith,  “ And  we  have  seen  and 
do  testify  that  God  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  Sa- 
viour of  the  world.”  He  that  is  not  yet  come, 
though  he  is  coming,  is  not  fit,  not  being  in- 
deed capable,  to  make  that  judgment  of  the 
worth  and  glory  of  the  grace  of  Christ  as  he 
is  that  is  come  to  him  and  hath  seen  and  be- 
held it.  Therefore,  sinner,  suspend  thy  judg- 
ment till  thou  art  come  nearer. 

2.  He  that  is  come  to  Christ  has  the  advan- 
tage of  him  that  is  but  coming,  in  that  he  is 
eased  of  his  burden,  for  he  that  is  but  coming 
is  not  eased  of  his  burden.  He  that  is  come 
has  cast  his  burden  upon  the  Lord.  By  frith 
he  hath  seen  himself  released  thereof;  but  he 
that  is  but  coming  hath  it  yet,  as  to  sense  and 
feeling,  upon  his  own  shoulders.  “ Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  ladeu,” 


588 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


implies  that  their  burden,  though  they  are 
coming,  is  yet  upon  them,  and  so  will  be  till 
indeed  they  are  come  to  him. 

3.  He  that  is  come  to  Christ  hath  the  ad- 
vantage of  him  that  is  but  coming  in  this  also 
— namely,  he  hath  drunk  of  the  sweet  and 
soul-refreshing  water  of  life;  but  he  that  is 
but  coming  hath  not.  “ If  any  man  thirst,  let 
him  come  unto  me  and  drink.” 

Mark ! he  must  come  to  him  before  he 
drinks,  according  to  that  of  the  prophet,  “Ho ! 
every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters.”  He  drinketh  not  as  he  cometh,  but 
when  he  is  come  to  the  water. 

4.  He  that  is  come  to  Christ  has  the  advan- 
tage of  him  that  as  yet  is  but  coming  in  this 
also — to  wit,  he  is  not  terrified  with  the  noise, 
and,  as  I may  call  it,  hue  and  cry,  which  the 
avenger  of  blood  makes  at  the  heels  of  him 
that  yet  is  but  coming  to  him.  When  the 
slayer  was  on  his  flight  to  the  city  of  his  re- 
fuge he  had  the  noise  or  fear  of  the  avenger 
of  blood  at  his  heels,  but  when  he  was  come 
to  the  city  and  was  entered  thereinto  the  noise 
ceased:  even  so  it  is  with  him  that  is  coming 
to  Jesus  Christ:  he  heareth  many  a dreadful 
sound  in  his  ear — sounds  of  death  and  damna- 
tion, which  he  that  is  come  is  at  present  freed 
from.  Therefore  he  saith,  “ Come,  and  I will 
give  you  rest:”  and  so  he  saith  again,  “We 
that  have  believed  do  enter  into  rest,”  as  he 
said,  &c. 

5.  He,  therefore  that  is  come  to  Christ  is  not 
so  subject  to  those  dejections  and  castings 
down',  by  reason  of  the  rage  and  assaults  of 
the  evil  one,  as  is  the  man  that  is  but  coming 
to  Jesus  Christ,  though  he  has  temptations 
too.  “And  whilst  he  was  yet  coming  the 
devil  threw  him  down  and  tore  him.”  For  he 
has,  though  Satan  still  roareth  upon  him,  those 
experimental  comforts  and  refreshments — to 
wit,  in  his  treasury- — to  present  himself  yith 
in  times  of  temptation  and  conflict,  which  he 
that  is  but  coming  has  not. 

6.  He  that  is  come  to  Christ  has  the  advan- 
tage of  him  that  is  but  coming  to  him  in  this 
also — -to  wit,  he  hath  upon  him  the  wedding- 
garment,  &c.,  but  he  that  is  coming  has  not. 
The  prodigal,  when  coming  home  to  his  fa- 
ther, was  clothed  with  nothing  but  rags,  and 
was' tormented  with  an  empty  belly ; but  when 
he  was  come  the  best  robe  is  brought  out,  also 
the  gold  ring  and  the  shoes;  yea,  they  are  put 
upon  him,  to  his  great  rejoicing.  The  fatted 
calf  was  killed  for  him,  the.  music  was  struck 
up  to  make  him  merry ; and  thus  also  the  fa- 


ther himself  sang  of  him,  “ This  my  son  wTas 
dead  and  is  alive  again;  was  lost  and  13 
found.” 

7.  In  a word,  he  that  is  come  to  Christ,  his 
groans  and  tears,  his  doubts  and  fears,  are 
turned  into  songs  and  praises  for  that  he  hath 
now  received  the  atonement  and  the  earnest 
of  his  inheritance;  but  he  that  is  but  yet  a 
coming  hath  not  those  praises  nor  songs  of 
deliverance  with  hint,  nor  has  he  as  yet  re- 
ceived the  atonement  and  earnest  of  his  inher- 
itance, which  is  the  sealing  testimony  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  through  the  sprinkling  of  the 
blood  of  Christ  upon  his  conscience ; for  he  is 
not  come. 

“ And  him  that  cometh There  is  further 
to  be  gathered  from  this  word  cometh  these 
following  particulars : 

1.  That  Jesus  Christ  hath  his  eye  upon  and 
takes  notice  of  the  first  moving  of  the  heart  of 
a sinner  after  him.  Coming  sinner,  thou  canst 
not  move  with  desires  after  Christ  but  he  sees 
the  working  of  those  desires  in  thy  heart. 
“All  my  desires,”  said  David,  “are  before 
thee,  and  my  groanings  are  not  hid  from  thee.” 
This  he  spake  as  he  was  coming  (after  he  had 
backslidden)  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is 
said  of  the  prodigal,  “ that  while  he  w'as  yet  a 
great  way  off  his  father  saw  him,”  had  his  eye 
upon  him,  and  upon  the  going  out  of  his  heart 
after  him. 

When  Nathaniel  was  come  to  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Lord  said  to  them  that  stood  before  him, 
“ Behold  au  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  there  is 
no  guile.”  But  Nathaniel  answered  him, 
“Whence  knowest  thou  me?”  Jesus  an- 
swered, “ Before  that  Philip  called  thee,  when 
thou  wast  under  the  fig  tree,  I saw  thee.” 
There,  I suppose,  Nathaniel  was  pouring  out 
of  his  soul  to  God  for  mercy,  or  that  he  would 
give  him  good  understanding  about  the  Mes- 
siah to  come;  and  Jesus  saw  all  the  workings 
of  his  honest  heart  at  that  time. 

Zaccheus  also  had  some  secret  movings  of 
heart,  such  as  they  were,  towards  Jesus  Christ, 
when  he  ran  before  and  climbed  up  the  tree  to 
see  him,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  had  his 
eye  upon,  him ; therefore,  when  he  was  come 
to  the  place  he  looked  up  to  him,  bids  him 
come  down,  “for  to-day,”  said  he,  “I  must 
abide  at.  thy  house” — to  wit,  in  order  to  the 
further  completing  the  work  of  grace  in  his 
soul.  Remember  this,  coming  sinner. 

2.  As  Jesus  hath  his  eye  upon,  so  he  hath 
his  heart  open  to  receive,  the  coming  sinner. 
This  is  verified  by  the  text : “ And  him  that 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


589 


comcth  to  OH'  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  This 
is  also  discovered  hy  his  preparing  of  the  way, 
in  his  making  of  it  easy  (as  it  may  he)  to  the 
coining  sinner ; which  preparation  is  manifest 
by  these  blessed  words,  “ 1 will  in  nowise  cast 
out,”  of  which  more  when  we  come  to  the 
place.  “ And  while  lie  was  yet  a great  way 
off  his  fa  her  saw  him  and  had  compassion  on 
him,  and  ran  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed 
him.”  All  these  expressions  do  strongly  prove 
that  the  heart  of  Christ  is  open  to  receive  the 
coming  sinner. 

3.  As  Jesus  Christ  hath  liis  eye  upon,  and 
his  heart  open  to  receive,  so  he  hath  resolved 
already  that  nothing  shall  alienate  his  heart 
from  receiving,  the  coming  sinner.  No  sins 
of  the  coming  sinner,  nor  the  length  of  the 
time  that  he  hath  abode  in  them,  shall  by  any 
means  prevail  with  Jesus  Christ  to  reject  him. 
Coming  sinner,  thou  art  coming  to  a loving 
Lord  Jesus. 

4.  These  words,  therefore,  dropped  from  his 
blessed  mouth  on  purpose  that  the  coming 
sinner  might  take  encouragement  to  continue 
on  his  journey  until  lie  be  come  indeed  to  Jesus 
Christ.  It  was  doubtless  a great  encourage- 
ment to  blind  Bartimeus  that  Jesus  Christ 
stood  still  and  called  him  when  lie  was  crying, 
“Jesus,  thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  upon 
me:”  therefore  it  is  said,  “he  cast  away  his 
garment,  rose  up  and  came  to  Jesus.”  Now, 
if  a call  to  come  hath  such  encouragement  in 
it,  what  is  a promise  of  receiving  such  but  an 
encouragement  much  more?  And  observe  it, 
though  he  had  a call  to  come,  yet  not  having 
a promise,  his  faith  was  forced  to  work  upon  a 
mere  consequence,  saying,  He  calls  me;  and 
surely,  since  he  calls  me,  lie  will  grant  me  my 
desire.  Ah  but,  coming  sinner,  thou  hast  no 
need  to  go  so  for  about  as  to  draw  in  this  mat- 
ter consequences,  because  thou  hast  plain  prom- 
ises: “And  him  that  cometli  to  me  I will  in 
nowise  cast  out.”  Here  is  full,  plain,  yea, 
what  encouragement  one  can  desire ; for  sup- 
pose thou  wert  admitted  to  make  a promise 
thyself,  and  Christ  should  attest  that  he  would 
fulfil  it  upon  the  sinner  that  cometli  to  him, 
eouldst  thou  make  a better  promise?  couldst 
thou  invent  a more  full,  free,  or  larger  promise 
— a promise  that  looks  at  the  first  moving  of 
the  heart  after  Jesus  Christ;  a promise  that 
declares,  yea,  that  engageth  Christ  Jesus  to 
open  his  heart  to  receive  the  coming  sinner ; 
yea,  farther,  a promise  that  demonstrateth  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  is  resolved  freely  to  receive, 
and  will  in  nowise  cast  out,  nor  means  to  re- 


ject the  soul  of,  the  coming  sinner.  For  all 
this  lieth  fully  in  this  promise,  and  doth  natu- 
rally flow  therefrom.  Here  thou  needst  not 
make  use  of  far-fetched  consequences,  nor  strain 
thy  wits  to  force  encouraging  arguments  from 
the  text.  Coming  sinners,  the  words  are  plain : 
“And  him  that  comcth  to  me  I will  in  nowise 
cast  out.” 

“ And  him  that  comcth.”  There  are  two 
sorts  of  sinners  that  are  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ. 

1.  Him  that  hath  never,  until  of  late,  at  all 
begun  to  come. 

2.  Him  that  came  formerly,  and  after  that 
went  back,  but  hath  since  bethought  himself 
and  is  now  coming  again. 

Both  these  sorts  of  sinners  are  intended  by 
the  him  in  the  text,  as  is  evident,  because  both 
are  now  the  coming  sinners. 

For  the  first  of  these.  The  sinner  that  hath 
never,  until  of  late,  begun  to  come,  his  way  is 
more  easy — I do  not  say  more  plain  and  open 
to  come  to  Christ  than  is  the  other,  (those  lost 
having  the  clod  of  a guilty  conscience  of  the 
sin  of  backsliding  hanging  at  their  heels.) 
But  all  the  encouragement  of  the  gospel,  with 
what  invitations  are  herein  contained  to  coming 
sinners,  are  as  free  and  as  open  to  the  one  as 
the  other;  so  that  they  may  with  the  same 
freedom  and  liberty,  as  from  the  word,  both 
alike  claim  interest  in  the  promise.  “All 
things  arc  ready” — all  things  for  the  coming 
backslider,  as  well  as  for  the  others : “ Come 
to  the  wedding,  and  let  him  that  is  athirst 
come.” 

But  having  spoke  of  the  first  of  these 
already,  I shall  here  pass  it  by,  and  shall 
speak  a word  or  two  to  him  that  is  coming, 
after  backsliding,  to  Jesus  Christ  for  life. 

Thy  way,  0 thou  sinner  of  a double  dye ! — 
thy  way  is  Open  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ;  I 
mean  thee  whose  heart,  after  long  back- 
sliding, doth  think  of  turning  to  him  again. 
Thy  way,  I say,  is  open  to  him,  as  is  the  way 
of  the  other  sorts  of  comers,  as  appears  by 
what  follows : 

1.  Because  the  text  makes  no  exception 
against  thee:  it  doth  not  say,  And  any  him 
but  a backslider  — any  him  but  him.  The 
text  doth  not  thus  object,  but  indefinitely 
openetli  wide  its  golden  arms  to  every  coming 
soul,  without  the  least  exception  ; therefore 
thou  mayest  come.  And  take  heed  that  thou 
shut  not  that  door  against  thy  soul  by  unbe- 
lief which  God  has  opened  by  his  grace. 

2.  Nay,  the  text  is  so  far  from  excepting 


590 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


against  thy  coming  that  it  strongly  suggesteth 
that  thou  art  one  of  the  souls  intended,  0 thou 
coming  backslider,  else  what  need  that  clause 
have  been  so  inserted,  “I  will  in  nowise  cast 
out?”  As  who  should  say,  Though  those  that 
now  come  are  such  as  have  formerly  back- 
slidden, I will  in  nowise  cast  away  the  fornica- 
tor, the  covetous,  the  railer,  the  drunkard,  or 
other  common  sinners,  nor  yet  the  backslider 
neither. 

3.  That  the  backslider  is  intended  is  evi- 
dent— 

1st.  For  that  he  is  sent  to  by  name,  “Go 
tell  his  disciples,  and  Peter.”  But  Peter  was 
a godly  man.  True,  but  he  was  also  a back- 
slider, yea,  a desperate  backslider:  he  had 
denied  his  Master  once,  twice,  thrice,  cursing 
and  swearing  that  he  knew  him  not.  If  this 
was  not  backsliding,  if  this  was  not  a high 
and  eminent  backsliding,  yea,  a higher  back- 
sliding than  thou  art  capable  of,  I have  thought 
amiss. 

Again,  when  David  had  backslidden,  and 
had  committed  adultery  and  murder  in  his 
backsliding,  he  must  be  sent  to  by  name. 
“ And,”saith  the  text,  “the  Lord  sent  Nathan 
to  David.”  And  he  sent  him  to  tell  him,  after 
he  had  brought  him  to  unfeigned  acknowledg- 
ment, “The  Lord  hath  also  put  away  (or  for- 
given) thy  sins.” 

This  man  was  also  far  gone : he  took  a 
man’s  wife  and  killed  her  husband,  and  en- 
deavoured to  cover  all  with  wicked  dissimula- 
tion. Pie  did  this,  I say,  after  God  exalted 
him  and  showed  him  great  favour;  wherefore 
his  transgression  was  greatened  also  by  the 
prophet  with  mighty  aggravations : yet  he 
was  accepted,  and  that  with  gladness,  at  the 
first  step  he  took  in  his  returning  to  Christ; 
for  the  first  step  of  the  backslider’s  return  is 
to  say,  sensibly  and  uuf'eignedly,  “I  have 
sinned ;”  but  he  had  no  sooner  said  thus  but  a 
pardon  was  pronounced,  yea,  thrust  into  his 
bosom.  “And  Nathan  said  unto  David,  The 
Lord  hath  also  put  away  thy  sin.” 

2dly.  As  the  person  of  the  backslider  is 
mentioned  by  name,  so  also  is  his  sin,  that, 
if  possible,  thy  objections  against  thy  return- 
ing to  Christ  may  be  taken  out  of  the  way ; — 
I say,  thy  sin  also  is  mentioned  by  name,  and 
mixed,  as  mentioned,  with  words  of  grace  and 
favour.  “ I will  heal  their  backslidings  and 
love  them  freely.”  What  sayest  thou  now, 
backslider? 

3dlv.  Nay,  farther,  thou  art  not  only  men- 
tioned by  name,  and  thy  sin  by  the  nature  of 


it,  but  thou  thyself,  who  art  a returning  back- 
slider, put— 

(1.)  Amongst  God’s  Israel.  “Return,  0 
backsliding  Israel,  saith  the  Lord,  and  I will 
not  cause  mine  anger  to  fall  upon  you,  for  I 
am  merciful,  saith  the  Lord,  and  will  not 
keep  anger  for  ever.” 

(2.)  Thou  art  put  among  his  children, 
among  his  children  to  whom  he  is  married 
“Turn,  0 backsliding  children,  for  I am  mar 
ried  unto  you.” 

(3.)  Yea,  after  all  this,  as  if  his  heart  was' 
so  full  of  grace  for  them  that  he  was  pressed 
until  he  had  uttered  it  before  them,  he  adds, 
“Return,  ye  backsliding  children,  and  I will 
heal  your  backsliding.” 

(4.)  Nay,  farther,  the  Lord  hath  considered 
that  the  shame  of  thy  sin  hath  stopped  thy 
mouth  and  made  thee  almost  a prayerless 
man,  and  therefore  he  saith  unto  thee,  “ Take 
with  you  words  and  turn  unto  the  Lord,  and 
say  unto  him,  Take  away  all  iniquity  and  re- 
ceive us  graciously.”  See  his  grace  that  him- 
self should  put  words  of  encouragement  into 
the  heart  of  a backslider ! As  he  saith  in  an- 
other place,  “ I taught  Ephraim  to  go,  taking 
him  by  the  arms.”  This  is  teaching  him  to 
go  indeed,  to  hold  him  up  by  the  arms — by 
the  chin,  as  we  say. 

From  what  has  been  said  I conclude,  even 
as  I said  before,  that  the  him  in  the  text  and 
“him  that  cometli”  ineludeth  both  these  sorts 
of  sinners,  and  therefore  both  should  freely 
come. 

Question.  But  where  doth  Jesus  Christ  in 
all  the  words  of  the  New  Testament  expressly 
speak  to  a returning  backslider  with  words  of 
grace  and  peace?  for  what  you  have  urged  as 
yet  from  the  New  Testament  is  nothing  but 
consequences  drawn  from  this  text.  Indeed, 
it  is  a full  text  for  carnal,  ignorant  sinners 
that  come,  but  to  me,  who  am  a backslider,  it 
yieldeth  but  little  relief. 

Answer  \.  How!  but  little  encouragement 
from  the  text  when  it  is  said,  “I  will  in  no- 
wise cast  out!”  What  more  could  have  been 
said?  What  is  here  omitted  that  might  have 
been  inserted  to  make  the  promise  more  full 
and  free?  Nay,  take  all  the  promises  in  the 
Bible,  all  the  freest  promises,  with  all  the 
variety  of  expressions,  of  what  nature  or  ex- 
tent soever,  and  they  can  but  amount  to  the 
expressions  of  fliis  very  promise,  “ I will  in 
nowise  cast  out” — will  for  nothing,  by  no 
means,  upon  no  account,  however  they  have, 
sinned,  however  they  have  backslidden,  liow-% 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


591 


ever  they  have  provoked,  east  out  the  coming 
sinner.  Rut, 

2.  Thou  sayest,  Where  doth  Jesus  Christ, 
in  all  the  words  of  the  Now  Testament,  speak 
to  a returning  backslider  with  words  of  grace 
and  peace — that  is,  under  the  name  of  a back- 
slider? 

Answer.  Whore  there  is  such  plenty  of  ex- 
amples in  receiving  backsliders,  there  is  the 
less  need  for  express  words  to  that  intent:  one 
promise,  as  the  text  is,  with  those  examples 
that  are  annexed,  is  instead  of  many  promises. 
And  besides,  I reckon  that  the  act  of  receiving 
is  as  so  much,  if  not  of  more,  encouragement 
than  is  a bare  promise  to  receive;  for  receiving 
is  as  the  promise  to  receive;  for  receiving  is  as 
the.  promise  and  the  fulfilling  of  it  too;  so  that 
in  the  Old  Testament  thou  hast  the  promise, 
and  in  the  New  the  fulfilling  of  it,  and  that  in 
divers  examples. 

1.  In  Peter.  Peter  denied  his  Master  once, 
twice,  thrice,  and  that  with  an  open  oath,  yet 
Christ  receives  him  again  without  any  the 
least  hesitation  or  stick.  Yea,-  he  slips,  stum- 
bles, falls  again  in  downright  dissimulation, 
and  that  to  the  hurt  and  fall  of  many  others ; 
but  neither  of  this  doth  Christ  make  a bar  to 
his  salvation,  but  receives  him  again  at  his  re- 
turn as  if  he  knew  nothing  of  the  fault. 

2.  The  rest  of  his  disciples,  even  all  of  them, 
did  backslide,  and  leave  the  Lord  Jesus  in  his 
greatest  straits.  “Then  all  the  disciples  for- 
sook him  and  fled:  they  returned  (as  he  had 
foretold)  every  one  to  his  own,  and  left  him 
alone;”  but  this  also  he  passes  over  as  a very 
light  matter:  not  that  it  was  so  indeed  in  it- 
self, but  the  abundance  of  grace  that  was  in 
him  did  lightly  roll  it  away ; for  after  his  res- 
urrection, when  first  he  appeared  unto  them, 
he  gives  them  not  the  least  check  for  their 
perfidious  dealings  with  him,  but  salutes  them 
with  words  of  grace,  saying,  “All  hail!  Re 
not  afraid,  peace  be  to  you,  all  power  in 
heaven  and  earth  is  given  unto  me.”  True, 
he  rebuked  them  for  their  unbelief,  for  the 
which  also  thou  deservest  the  same,  for  it  is 
unbelief  that  alone  puts  Christ  and  his  bene- 
fits from  us. 

3.  The  man  that  after  a large  profession  lay 
with  his  father’s  wife  committed  a high  trans- 
gression, even  such  a-  one  that  at  that  day  was 
not  heard  of,  no  not  among  the  Gentiles. 
Wherefore  this  was  a desperate  backsliding, 
yet  at  his  return  he  was  received  and  accepted 
again  to  mercy. 

4.  The  thief  that  stole  was  bid  to  steal  no 


more,  not  nt  all  doubting  but  that  Christ  was 
ready  to  forgive  him  this  act  of  backsliding. 

Now  all  these  are  examples,  particular  in- 
stances, of  Christ’s  readiness  to  receive  the 
backsliders  to  mercy;  and  observe  it,  ex- 
amples and  proofs  that  he  hath  done  so  are  to 
our  unbelieving  hearts  stronger  encourage- 
ments than  hare  promises  that  so  he  will  do. 
Rut  again  the  Lord  Jesus  hath  added  to  these, 
for  the  encouragement  of  returning  back- 
sliders to  come  to  him — 

1.  A call  to  come  and  he  will  receive  them. 
Wherefore  New  Testament  backsliders  have 
encouragement  to  come. 

2.  A declaration  of  readiness  to  receive  them 
that  come,  as  here  in  the  text  and  in  many 
other  places,  is  plain;  therefore,  “Set  thee  up 
these  marks,  make  thee  those  high  heaps,  (of 
the  golden  grace  of  the  gospel,)  set  thine  heart 
towards  the  highway,  even  the  way  that  thou 
wentest  (when  thou  didst  backslide;)  turn 
again,  0 virgin  of  Israel,  turn  again  to  these 
thy  cities.” 

“And  him  that  cometh.”  lie  saith  not, 
And  him  that  talketh,  that  professeth,  that 
maketh  a show,  a noise  or  the  like,  but  “him 
that  cometh.”  Christ  will  take  leave  to  judge 
who  among  the  many  that  make  a noise  they 
be  that  indeed  are.  coming  to  him.  It  is  not 
him  that  saith  he  comes,  nor  him  of  whom 
others  affirm  that  lie  conies,  but  him  that 
Christ  himself  shall  say  doth  come,  that  is 
concerned  in  this  text.  When  the  woman 
that  had  a bloody  issue  came  to  him  for  cure, 
there  were  others  as  well  as  she  that  made  a 
great  bustle  about  him,  that  touched,  yea, 
thronged  him.  Ah,  but  Christ  could  dis- 
tinguish this  woman  from  them  all.  “And 
lie  looked  round  about  upon  them  all,  to  see 
her  that  had  done  this  thing.” 

He  was  not  concerned  with  the  thronging  cr 
touching  of  the  rest,  for  theirs  were  but  acci- 
dental, or  at  best  void  of  that  which  made  her 
touch  acceptable.  Wherefore,  Christ  must  be 
judge  who  they  be  that  in  truth  are  coming  to 
him.  “ Every  man’s  ways  are  right  in  his  own 
eyes,  but  the  'Lord  weiglieth  the  spirits.”  It 
standeth  therefore  every  one  in  hand  to  be 
certain  of  their  coming  to  Jesus  Christ,  for  as 
thy  coming  is,  so  shall  thy  salvation  be;  if 
thou  eomest  indeed,  thy  salvation  shall  be  in- 
deed; but  if  thou  eomest  but  in  outward  ap- 
pearance, so  shall  thy  salvation  be.  Rut  of 
coming  see  before,  as  also  afterwards,  in  the  use 
and  application. 

“ And  him  that  cometh  to  me.”  These  words 


592 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  me  are  also  to  be  well  heeded,  for  by  them, 
as  he  secureth  those  that  come  to  him,  so  also 
he  shows  himself  unconcerned  with  those  that 
in  their  coming  rest  short  to  turn  aside  to 
others;  for  you  must  know  that  every  one 
that  comes  comes  not  to  Jesus  Christ;  some 
that  come  come  to  Moses  and  to  his  law,  and 
there  take  up  for  life;  with  these  Christ  is  not 
concerned,  with  these  his  promise  has  not  to 
do.  “Christ  is  become  of  none  effect  unto 
you,  whoso  of  you  are  justified  by  the  law;  ye 
are  fallen  from  grace.”  Again,  some  that 
come  come  no  farther  than  the  gospel  ordi- 
nances, and  there  stay;  they  come  not  through 
them  to  Christ;  with  these  neither  is  he  con- 
cerned, nor  will  their  “Lord,  Lord!”  avail 
them  any  thing  in  the  great  and  dismal  day. 
A man  may  come  to,  and  also  go  from,  the 
place  and  ordinances  of  worship,  and  yet  not 
be  remembered  by  Christ.  “So  I saw  the 
wicked  buried,”  said  Solomon,  “who  had  come 
and  gone  from  the  place  of  the  Holy,  and 
they  were  forgotten  in  the  city  where  they  had 
so  done;  this  is  also  vanity.” 

“To  me.”  These  words,  therefore,  are  by 
Jesus  Christ  very  warily  put  in,  and  serve  for 
caution  and  encouragement — for  caution,  lest 
we  take  up  in  our  coming  any  thing  short  of 
Christ;  and  for  encouragement  to  those  that 
shall  in  their  coming  come  past  all  till  they 
come  to  Jesus  Christ:  “And  him  that  cometh 
to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

Reader,  if  thou  lovest  thy  soul,  take  this 
caution  kindly  at  the  hands  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Thou  seest  thy  sickness,  thy  wound,  thy  neces- 
sity of  salvation  ; well,  go  not  to  King  J areb, 
for  he  cannot  heal  thee  nor  cure  thee  of  thy 
wound.  Take  the  caution,  I say,  lest  Christ, 
instead  of  being  a Saviour  unto  thee,  becomes 
a lion,  a young  lion  to  tear  thee,  and  go  away. 

There  is  a coming,  but  not  to  the  Most 
High ; there  is  a coming,  but  not  with  the 
whole  heart,  but  as  it  were  feignedly ; therefore 
take  the  caution  kindly. 

“ And  him  that  cometh  to  me.”  Christ,  as  a 
Saviour,  will  stand  alone,  because  his  own  arm 
alone  hath  brought  salvation  unto  him : he 
will  not  be  joined  with  Moses,  nor  suffer  John 
Baptist  to  be  tabernacled  by  him:  I say  they 
must  vanish,  for  Christ  will  stand  alone ; yea, 
God  the  Father  will  have  it  so ; therefore,  they 
must  be  parted  from  him,  and  a voice  from 
heaven  must  come  to  bid  the  disciples  hear 
only  the  beloved  Son.  Christ  will  not  suffer 
any  law  or  ordinance,  statute  or  judgment  to 
be  partners  with  him  in  the  salvation  of  the 


sinner.  Nay,  he  saith  not,  And  him  that 
cometh  to  my  word,  but,  And  him  that  cometh 
to  me.  The  words  of  Christ,  even  his  most 
blessed  and  free  promises,  such  as  this  in  the 
text,  are  not  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  for  that 
is  Christ  himself,  Christ  himself  only.  'The 
promises,  therefore,  are  but  to  encourage  com- 
ing sinners  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  to 
rest  in  them  short  of  salvation  by  men.  “ And 
him  that  cometh  to  me.”  The  man,  therefore, 
that  comes  aright  casts  all  things  behind  his 
back  and  looketh  at  (nor  hath  his  expectations 
from  aught  but)  the  Son  of  God  alone ; and 
David  said,  “My  soul,  wait  thou  only  upon 
God : for  my  expectation  is  from  him  : he  only 
is  my  rock  and  my  salvation ; he  is  my  defence, 
I shall  not  be  moved.”  His  eye  is  to  Christ, 
his  heart  is  to  Christ,  and  his  expectation  is 
from  him,  from  him  only. 

Therefore  the  man  that  comes  to  Christ  is 
one  that  hath  had  deep  considerations  of  his 
own  sins,  slighting  thoughts  of  his  own  right- 
eousness, and  high  thoughts  of  the  blood  and 
righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ;  yea,  he  sees,  as 
I have  said,  more  virtue  in  the  blood  of  Christ 
to  save  him  than  there  is  in  all  his  sins  to 
damn  him.  He  therefore  settetli  Christ  before 
his  eyes;  there  is  nothing  in  heaven  or  earth, 
he  knows,  that  can  save  his  soul  and  secure 
him  from  the  wrath  of  God  but  Christ ; that  is, 
nothing  but  his  personal  righteousness  and 
blood. 

“ And  him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  no- 
wise cast  out.”  “ In  nowise :”  by  these  words 
there  is  something  expressed  and  something 
implied. 

1.  That  which  is  expressed  is  Jesus  Christ, 
his  unchangeable  resolution  to  save  the  coming 
sinner:  I will  in  nowise  reject  him,  or  deny 
him  the  benefit  of  my  death  and  righteousness 
This  word,  therefore,  is  like  that  which  he 
speaks  of  the  everlasting  damnation  of  the 
sinner  in  hell-fire : “ He  shall  by  no  means 
depart  thence ;”  that  is,  never,  never  come  out 
again ; no,  not  to  all  eternity.  So  that  as  he 
that  is  condemned  into  hell-fire  hath  no  ground 
of  hope  for  his  deliverance  thence,  so  him  that 
cometh  to  Christ  hath  no  ground  to  fear  he 
shall  ever  be  cast  in  thither. 

Thus  saith  the  Lord,  “ If  heaven  above  can 
be  measured,  or  the  foundation  of  the  earth 
searched  out  beneath,  I will  also  cast  away  all 
the  seed  of  Israel  for  all  that  they  have  done, 
saith  the  Lord.” 

Thus  saith  the  Lord,  “If  my  covenant  be 
not  with  day  and  night,  and  if  I have  not  ap- 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


pointed  the  ordinances  of  heaven  and  earth, 
then  will  I east  away  the  seed  of  Jacob.”  But 
heaven  cannot  he  measured,  nor  the  founda- 
tions of  the  earth  searched  out  beneath;  his 
covenant  is  also  with  day  and  night,  and  he 
hath  appointed  the  ordinances  of  heaven; 
therefore  ho  will  not  cast  away  the  seed  of 
Jacob,  who  are  the  coming  ones,  but  will  cer- 
tainly save  them  from  the  dreadful  wrath  to 
come.  By  this,  therefore,  it  is  manifest  that  it 
was  not  the  greatness  of  sin,  nor  the  long  con- 
tinuance in  it,  no,  nor  yet  the  backsliding  nor 
the  pollution  of  thy  nature,  that  can  put  a bar 
in  against  or  be  a hindrance  of  the  salvation 
of  the  coming  sinner;  for  if  indeed  this  could 
be,  then  would  this  solemn  and  absolute  de- 
termination of  the  Lord  Jesus  of  itself  fall  to 
the  ground  and  be  made  of  none  effect.  “ But 
his  counsel  shall  stand,  and  he  will  do  all  his 
pleasure;”  that  is,  his  pleasure  is  this,  for  his 
promise,  as  to  this  irreversible  conclusion, 
arises  of  his  pleasure ; he  will  stand  to  it  and 
will  fulfil  it,  because  it  is  his  pleasure. 

Suppose  that  one  man  had  the  sins  or  as 
many  sins  as  a hundred,  and  another  should 
have  a hundred  times  as  many  as  he,  yet  if 
they  come,  these  words,  “ I will  in  nowise  cast 
out,”  secure  them  both  alike. 

Suppose  a man  has  a desire  to  be  saved,  and 
for  that  purpose  is  coming  in  truth  to  Jesus 
Christ,  but  he,  by  his  debauched  life,  has 
damned  many  in  hell ; why,  the  door  of  hope 
is  by  these  words  set  as  open  for  him  as  it  is 
for  him  that  has  not  the  thousandth  part  of 
his  transgressions.  “ And  him  that  cometh  to 
me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

Suppose  a man  is  coming  to  Christ  to  be 
saved,  and  hath  nothing  but  sin  and  an  ill- 
spent  life  to  bring  with  him;  why,  let  him 
Come  and  welcome  to  Jesus  Christ,  “and  he 
will  in  nowise  cast  him  out.”  Is  not  this  love 
that  passetli  knowledge?  and  is  not  this  love 
the  wonderment  of  angels?  and  is  not  this  love 
worthy  of  all  acceptation  at  the  hands  and 
hearts  of  all  coming  sinners? 

2.  That  which  is  implied  in  the  words  is — 
1st.  The  coming  souls  have  those  that  con- 
tinually lie  at  Jesus  Christ  to  cast  them  off. 

2dly.  The  coming  souls  are  afraid  that  those 
will  prevail  with  Christ  to  cast  them  off. 

For  these  words  are  spoken  to  satisfy  us  and 
to  stay  up  our  spirits  against  these  two  dan- 
gers : “ I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

1st.  For  the  first,  coming  souls  have  those 
that  continually  lie  at  Jesus  Christ  to  cast 
them  off. 


593 

And  there  are  three  things  that  thus  bend 
themselves  against  the  coming  sinner: 

(1.)  There  is  the  devil,  the  accuser  of  the 
brethren,  that  accuses  them  before  God  day 
and  night.  This  prince  of  darkness  is  un- 
wearied in  this  work:  he  doth  it,  as  you  see, 
day  and  night — that  is,  without  ceasing.  He 
continually  puts  in  his  caveats  against  thee,  if 
so  be  he  may  prevail.  How  did  he  play  it 
against  that  good  man  Job,  if  possibly  he 
might  have  obtained  his  destruction  in  hell- 
fire?  11c  objected  against  him  that  he  served 
not  God  for  naught,  and  tempted  God  to  put 
forth  his  hand  against  him,  urging  that  if  he 
did  it  he  would  curse  him  to  his  face;  and  all 
this,  as  God  witnesseth,  “ he  did  without  a 
cause.”  How  did  he  play  it  with  Christ  against 
Joshua  the  high  priest?  “ And  he  showed 
me  Joshua,”  saith  the  prophet,  “the  high 
priest,  standing  before  the  angel  of  the  Lord, 
and  Satan  standing  at  his  right  hand  to  resist 
him.” 

“To  resist  him” — that  is,  to  prevail  with 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  resist  him,  objecting 
the  uncleanness  and  unlawful  marriage  of  his 
sons  with  the  Gentiles ; for  that  was  the  crime 
that  Satan  laid  against  them.  Yea,  and  for 
aught  I know,  Joshua  was  also  guilty  of  the 
fact,  but  if  not  of  that,  of  crimes  no  whit  in- 
ferior, for  he  was  clothed  with  filthy  garments 
as  he  stood  before  the  angel.  Neither  had  he 
one  word  to  say  in  vindication  of  himself 
against  all  that  this  wicked  one  had  to  say 
against  him.  But  notwithstanding  that,  he 
came  off  well ; but  he  might  for  it  thank  a 
good  Lord  Jesus,  because  he  did  not  resist 
him,  but,  contrariwise,  took  up  his  cause, 
pleaded  against  the  devil,  excusing  his  in- 
firmity, and  put  justifying  robes  upon  him 
before  his  adversary’s  face. 

“ And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan,  The  Lord 
rebuke  thee,  0 Satan,  even  the  Lord  that 
hath  chosen  Jerusalem  rebuke  thee.  Is  not 
this  a brand  plucked  out  of  the  fire?  And 
he  answered  and  spake  to  those  that  stood 
before  him,  saying,  Take  away  the  filthy  gar- 
ment from  him ; and  to  him  he  said,  Behold 
I have  caused  thine  iniquities  to  pass  from 
thee,  and  will  clothe  thee  with  a change  of 
raiment.” 

Again  : how  did  Satan  ply  it  against  Peter 
when  he  desired  to  have  him  that  he  might 
sift  him  as  wheat ! — that  is,  if  possible,  sever 
all  grace  from  his  heart,  and  leave  him  noth- 
ing but  flesh  and. filth,  to  the  end  that  he 
might  make  the  Lord  Jesus  loathe  and  abhor 


38 


594 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


him.  “Simon,  Simon,”  said  Christ,  “Satan 
hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  might  sift 
you  as  wheat.”  But  did  he  prevail  against 
him  ? No.  “ But  I have  prayed  for  thee, 
that  thy  faith  fail  not.”  As  who  should  say, 
Simon,  Satan  hath  desired  me  that  I would 
give  thee  up  to  him,  and  not  only  thee,  but  all 
the  rest  of  thy  brethren,  (for  that  the  word 
you  imports;)  but  I will  not  leave  thee  in  his 
hand:  I have  prayed  for  thee,  thy  faith  shall 
not  fail.  I will  secure  thee  to  the  heavenly 
inheritance. 

(2.)  As  Satan,  so  every  sin  of  the  coming 
sinner  comes  in  with  a voice  against  him,  if 
perhaps  they  may  prevail  with  Christ  to  cast 
off  the  soul.  When  Israel  was  coming  out  of 
Egypt  to  Canaan  how  many  times  had  their 
sins  thrown  them  out  of  the  mercy  of  God  had 
not  Moses,  as  a type  of  Christ,  stood  in  the 
breach  to  turn  away  his  wrath  from  them! 
Our  iniquities  testify  against  us,  and  would 
certainly  prevail  against  us,  to  our  utter  rejec- 
tion and  damnation,  had  we  not  an  advocate 
with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous. 

The  sins  of  the  old  world  cried  them  down 
to  hell ; the  sins  of  Sodom  fetched  upon  them 
fire  from  heaven,  which  devoured  them;  the 
sins  of  the  Egyptians  cried  them  down  to  hell, 
because  they  came  not  to  Jesus  Christ  for  life. 
Coming  sinner,  thy  sins  are  no  whit  less  than 
any ; nay,  perhaps  they  are  as  big  as  all  theirs. 
Why  is  it,  then,  that  thou  livest  when  they 
are  dead,  and  that  thou  hast  a promise  of 
pardon  when  they  had  not?  Why,  thou 
art  coming  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  therefore  sin 
shall  not  be  thy  ruin. 

(3.)  As  Satan  and  sin,  so  the  law  of  Moses, 
as  it  is  a perfect  holy  law,  hath  a voice  against 
you  before  the  face  of  God.  “ There  is  one 
that  accuseth  you,  even  Moses’s  law.”  Yea,  it 
accuseth  all  men  of  transgression  that  have 
sinned  against  it,  for  as  long  as  sin  is  sin 
there  will  be  a law  to  accuse  for  sin.  But 
this  accusation  shall  not  prevail  against  the 
coming  sinner,  because  it  is  Christ  that  died 
and  that  ever  lives  to  make  intercession  for 
them  that  “ come  to  God  by  him.” 

These  things,  I say,  do  accuse  us  before 
Christ  Jesus ; yea,  and  also  to  our  own  faces, 
if  perhaps  they  might  prevail  against  us.  But 
these  words,  “ I will  in  nowise  cast  out,”  se- 
cureth  the  coming  sinner  from  them  all. 

The  coming  sinner  is  notsaved  because  there 
is  none  that  comes  in  against  him,  but  because 
the  Lord  Jesus  will  not  hear  their  accusations, 
will  not  cast  out  the  coming  sinner. 


When  Sliimei  came  down  to  meet  King 
David  and  to  ask  pardon  for  his  rebellion,  up 
starts  Abishai  and  puts  in  his  caveat,  saying, 
Shall  not  Shimei  die  for  this?  This  is  the 
case  of  him  that  comes  to  Christ : he  hath  this 
Abishai  and  that  Abishai  that  presently  steps 
in  against  him,  saying,  Shall  not  this  rebel’s 
sin  destroy  him  in  hell?  Read  farther:  “But 
David  answered,  What  have  I to  do  with  you, 
ye  sons  of  Zeruiah,’  that  you  should  this 
day  be  adversaries  to  me?  Shall  there  any 
man  be  put  to  death  this  day  in  Israel,  for 
do  I not  know  that  I am  king  this  day  over 
Israel?” 

That  is  Christ’s  answer  by  the  text  to  all 
that  accuse  the  coming  Shimeis : What  have 
I to  do  with  you  that  accuse  the  coming  sin- 
ners to  me  ? I count  you  adversaries  that  are 
against  my  showing  mercy  to  them.  Do  not  I 
know  that  I am  exalted  this  day  to  be' King 
of  righteousness  and  King  of  peace?  “I  will 
in  nowise  cast  them  out.” 

2dly.  But  again : these  words  do  closely  im- 
ply that  the  coming  souls  are  afraid  that  these 
accusers  will  prevail  against  them,  as  is  evi- 
dent, because  the  text  is  spoken  for  their  re- 
lief and  succour ; for  that  need  not  be  if  they 
that  are  coming  are  not  subject  to  fear  and 
despond  upon  this  account.  Alas ! there  is 
guilt,  and  the  curse  lies  upon  the  conscience 
of  the  coming  sinner. 

Besides,  he  is  conscious  to  himself  what  a 
villain,  what  a wretch  he  hath  been  against 
God  and  Christ.  Also  he  now  knows,  by  woe- 
ful experience,  how  he  hath  been  at  Satan's 
beck  and  at  the  motion  of  every  lust.  He 
hath  now  also  new  thoughts  of  the  holiness 
and  justice  of  God:  also  he  feels  that  he  can- 
not forbear  sinning  against  him  : “for  the  mo- 
tions of  sin,  which  are  by  the  law,  do  still 
work  in  his  members,  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto 
death.”  But  none  of  this  need  discourage, 
since  we  have  so  good,  so  tender-hearted,  and 
so  faithful  a Jesus  to  come  to,  who  will  rather 
overthrow  heaven  and  earth  than  suffer  a tittle 
of  this  text  to  fail : “ And  him  that  ccrneth  to 
me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

Now  we  have  yet  to  inquire  into  two  things 
that  lie  in  the  words  to  which  there  hath  been 
nothing  said;  as,  1.  What  it  is  to  cast  out:  2. 
How  it  appears  that  Christ  hath  power  to  save 
or  cast  out. 

For  the  first  of  these — What  it  is  to  cast  out. 
To  this  I will  speak — 1.  Generally;  2.  More 
particularly. 

1.  To  cast  out  is  to  slight,  and  despise,  and 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CUEIST. 


695 


contemn,  as  it  in  said  of  Saul’s  shield,  “it  was 
vilely  cast  away” — that  is,  slighted  and  con- 
temned. Thus  it  is  with  the  sinners  that  come 
not  to  Jesus  Christ ; he  slights,  despises,  and 
contemns  them — that  is,  “casts  them  away.” 

2.  Things  cast  away  are  reputed  as  the  dirt 
of  the  street.  And  thus  it  shall  be  with  the 
men  that  come  not  to  Jesus  Christ;  they  shall 
be  counted  as  the  dirt  in  the  streets. 

3.  To  he  cast  out  or  oil'  is  to  be  abhorred, 
not  to  be  pitied,  but  to  be  put  to  a perpetual 
shame. 

Hut  more  particularly  to  come  to  the  text. 
The  casting  out  here  mentioned  is  not  limited 
to  this  or  the  other  evil ; therefore  it  must  be 
extended  to  the  most  extreme  and  utmost  mis- 
ery. Or  thus : 

lie  that  cometli  to  Christ  shall  not  want 
anything  that  may  make  him  gospelly-happy 
in  this  world  or  that  which  is  to  come,  nor 
shall  he  want  anything  that  cometh  not  that 
may  make  him  spiritually  and  eternally  mis- 
erable. 

But  further:  as  it  is  to  be  generally  taken, 
so  it  respecteth  things  that  shall  be  hereafter. 

For  the  things  that  are  now,  they  are  either 
— 1.  More  general ; 2.  Or  more  particular. 

First,  more  general,  thus: 

1.  It  is  to  be  cast  out  of  the  presence  and  fa- 
vour of  God. 

Thus  was  Cain  cast  out:  “thou  hast  driven” 
(or  cast)  “ me  out  this  day ; from  thy  face” 
(that  is,  from  thy  favour)  “shall  I be  hid.”  A 
dreadful  complaint!  but  the  effect  of  a more 
dreadful  judgment. 

2.  “ To  be  cast  out”  is  to  be  cast  out  of  God’s 
sight.  God  will  look  after  them  no  more,  care 
for  them  no  more,  nor  will  he  watch  over  them 
any  more  for  good.  Now  they  that  are  so  are 
left,  like  blind  men,  to  wander  and  fall  into  the 
pit  of  hell.  This  therefore  is  also  a sad  judg- 
ment; therefore  here  is  the  mercy  of  him  that 
cometh  to  Christ.  He  shall  not  be  left  to  wan- 
der at  uncertainties.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
will  keep  him  as  a shepherd  doth  his  sheep. 
“ Him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast 
out.” 

3.  “ To  be  cast  out”  is  to  be  denied  a place 
in  God’s  house,  and  to  be  left  as  fugitives  and 
vagabonds,  to  pass  a little  time  away  in  this 
miserable  life,  and  after  that  to  go  down  to  the 
dead.  Therefore  here  is  the  benefit  of  him 
that  cometh  to  Christ,  he  shall  not  be  denied  a 
place  in  God’s  house.  They  shall  not  be  left 
like  vagabonds  in  the  world.  “ Him  that  com- 
eth to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 


4.  In  a .word,  “to  be  cast  out”  is  to  be  re- 
jected as  are  the  fallen  angels,  for  their  eter- 
nal damnation  began  at  their  being  cast  down 
from  heaven  to  hell.  So,  then,  “ not  to  be  cast 
out”  is  to  have  a place,  a house  and  habitation 
there,  and  to  have  a share  in  the  privileges  of 
elect  angels. 

These  words,  therefore,  “ I will  not  cast  out,” 
will  prove  great  words  one  day  to  them  that 
come  to  Jesus  Christ. 

Secondly,  and  more  particularly : 

1.  Christ  hath  everlasting  life  for  him  that 
cometh  to  him,  and  he  shall  never  perish,  “for 
he  will  in  nowise  cast  him  out;”  but  for  the 
rest,  they  are  rejected,  cast  out,  and  must  be 
damned. 

2.  Christ  hath  everlasting  righteousness  to 
clothe  them  with  that  come  to  him,  and  they 
shall  be  covered  with  it  as  with  a garment; 
but  the  rest  shall  be  found  in  the  filthy  rags  of 
their  own  stinking  pollutions,  and  shall  be 
wrapped  up  in  them  as  in  a winding-sheet, 
and  so  bear  their  shame  before  the  Lord  and 
also  before  the  angels. 

3.  Christ  hath  precious  blood,  that,  like  an 
open  fountain,  stands  free  for  him  to  wash  in 
that  comes  to  him  for  life,  “ and  he  will  in  no- 
wise cast  him  out;”  but  they  that  come  not  to 
him  are  rejected  from  a share  therein,  and  are 
left  to  ireful  vengeance  for  their  sins. 

4.  Christ  hath  precious  promises,  and  they 
shall  have  a share  in  them  that  come  to  him 
for  life,  “ for  he  will  in  nowise  cast  them  out;” 
but  they  that  come  not  can  have  no  share  in 
them,  because  they  are  true  only  in  him  ; for 
in  him,  and  only  in'  him,  all  the  promises  are 
yea  and  amen.  Wherefore  they  that  come  not 
to  him  are  no  whit  the  better  for  them. 

5.  Christ  hath  also  fulness  of  grace  in  him- 
self for  them  that  come  to  him  for  life,  “and 
he  will  in  nowise  cast  them  out ;”  but  those 
that  come  not  unto  him  are  left  in  their  grace- 
less state,  and  as  Christ  leaves  them,  death, 
hell,  and  judgment  finds  them.  “ He  that 
findeth  me,”  saith  Christ,  “ findeth  life,  and 
shall  obtain  favour  of  the  Lord;  but  he  that 
sinneth  against  me  wrongeth  his  own  soul.  All 
that  hate  me  love  death.” 

6.  Christ  is  an  intercessor,  and  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  them  that  come  to  God 
by  him;  “but  their  sorrows  shall  be  multi- 
plied that  hasten  after  another”  (or  other) 
“ gods,”  (their  sins  and  lusts.)  “ Their  drink- 
offerings  will  he  not  suffer,  nor  take  up  their 
names  into  his  lips.” 

7.  Christ  hath  wonderful  love,  bowels,  and 


596 


£ UNY AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


compassion  for  those  that  come  to  him,  for 
“he  will  in  nowise  cast  them  out;”  but  the 
rest  will  find  him  a lion  rampant ; he  will  one 
day  tear  them  all  to  pieces.  “Now  consider 
this,”  saith  he,  “ye  that  forget  God,  lest  I tear 
you  in  pieces,  and  there  be  none  to  deliver 
you.” 

8.  Christ  is  known  by,  and  for  his  sake  those 
that  come  to  him  have  their  persons  and  per- 
formances accepted  of,  the  Father,  “ and  he 
will  in  nowise  cast  them  out;”  but  the  rest 
must  fly  to  the  rocks  and  mountains  for  shelter, 
but  all  in  vain,  to  hide  them  from  his  face  and 
wrath. 

But  again:  these  words,  cast  out,  have  a 
special  look  to  what  will  be  hereafter,  even  at 
the  day  of  judgment;  for  then,  and  not  till 
then,  will  be  the  great  anathema  and  casting  out 
made  manifest,  even  manifest  by  execution. 
Therefore  here  to  speak  to  this,  and  that  under 
these  two  heads;  as,  1.  Of  the  casting  out 
itself;  2.  Of  the  place  .into  which  they  shall 
be  cast  that  shall  then  be  cast  out. 

First.  The  casting  out  itself  standeth  in 
two  things : 

1.  In  a preparatory  work. 

2.  In  the  manner  of  executing  the  act. 

The  preparatory  work  standeth  in  these 

three  things: 

1.  It  standeth  in  their  separation  that  have 
not  come  to  him  from  them  that  have  at  that 
day.  Or  thus : at  the  day  of  the  great  casting 
out  those  that  have  not  now  come  to  him  shall 
be  separated  from  them  that  have,  for  them 
that  have  “ he  will  not  cast  out.”.  “ When  the 
Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all 
his  holy  angels  with  him,  then  he  shall  sit 
upon  the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  before  him 
shall  be  gathered  all  nations,  and  he  shall  sep- 
arate them  one  from  another,  as  a shepherd 
divideth  the  sheep  from  the  goats.” 

This  dreadful  separation,  therefore,  shall 
then  be  made  betwixt  them  that  now  come  to 
Christ  and  them  that  come  not;  and  good 
reason,  for  since  they  would  not  with  us  come 
to  him  now  they  have  time,  why  should  they 
stand  with  us  when  judgment  is  come? 

2.  They  shall  be  placed  before  him  accord- 
ing to  their  condition  : they  that  have  oome  to 
him  in  great  dignity,  even  at  his  right  hand, 
“ for  he  will  in  nowise  cast  them  out ;”  but  the 
rest  shall  be  set  at  his  left  hand,  the  place  of 
disgrace  and  shame,  for  they  did  not  come  to 
him  for  life. 

Distinguished  also  shall  they  be  by  fit  terms : 
those  that  come  to  him  he  calleth  the  sheep, 


but  the  rest  are  frowish  goats,  “and  he  shall 
separate  them  one  from  another,’ as  the  shep- 
herd divideth  the  sheep  from  the  goats  ; and 
the  sheep  will  be  set  on  the  right  hand,”  (next 
heaveu-gate,  for  they  came  to  him,)  “but  the 
goats  on  the  left,”  to  go  from  him  into  hell, 
because  they  are  not  of  his  sheep. 

3.  Then  will  Christ  jn'oceed  to  conviction  of 
those  that  came  not  to  him,  and  will  say,  “ I 
was  a stranger,  and  ye  took  me  not  in,”  or  did 
not  come  unto  me.  Their  excuse  of  them- 
selves he  will  slight  as  dirt,  and  proceed  to 
their  final  judgment. 

Now  when  these  wretched  rejecters  of  Christ 
shall  thus  be  set  before  him  in  their  sins  and 
convicted,  this  is  the  preparatory  work  upon 
which  follows  the  manner  of  executing  the  act 
which  will  be  done  : 

1.  In  the  presence  of  all  the  holy  angels. 

2.  In  the  presence  of  all  them  that  in  their 
lifetime  came  to  him,  by  saying  unto  them, 
“ Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting 
fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels,” 
with  the  reason  annexed  to  it : for  you  were 
cruel  to  me  and  mine,  particularly  discovered 
in  these  words:  “ For  I was  an  hungered,  and 
ye  gave  me  no  meat ; thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me 
no  drink;  I was  a stranger,  and  ye  took  me 
not  in;  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me  not;  sick 
and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me  not.” 

Secondly.  Now  it  remains  that  we  speak 
of  the  place  into  which  these  shall  be  cast, 
which  in  the  general  you  have  heard  already 
— to  wit,  the  fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and 
his  angels.  But,  in  particular,  it  is  thus  de- 
scribed : 

1.  It  is  called  Tophet.  “ For  Tophet  is  or- 
dained of  old.  yea,  for  the  king,”  the  Lucifer, 
“it  is  prepared;  he  hath  made  it  deep  and 
large,  the  pile  thereof  is  fire  and  much  wood  ; 
the  breath  of  the  Lord  like  a stream  of  brim- 
stone doth  kindle  it.” 

2.  It  is  called  hell.  “ It  is  better  for  thee  to 
enter  into  life  halt  or  lame,  than,  having  two 
feet,  to  be  cast  into  hell.” 

3.  It  is  called  “the  wine-press  of  the  wrath 
of  God.”  And  the  angel  thrust  in  his  sickle 
into  the  earth,  and  gathered  the  vine  of  the 
earth,  (that  is,  them  that  did  not  come  to 
Christ,)  and  cast  them  out  into  the  great  wine- 
press of  the  wrath  of  God.  Rev.  xiv.  19. 

4.  It  is  called  a “lake  of  fire.”  And 
whatsoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book 
of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  Rev.  xx. 
15. 

5.  It  is  called  a pit.  “Thou  hast  said  in 


COMIC  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


597 


thy  heart,  I will  ascend  to  heaven,  I will  exalt 
my  tli  roue  above  the  stars  of  God,  I will  sit 
also  upon  the  mount  of  the  congregation,  in 
the  sides  of  the  north.  Yet  thou  shalt  be 
brought  down  to  hell,  to  the  sides  of  the  pit.” 

G.  It  is  called  “a  bottomless  pit,  out  of 
which  the  smoke  and  the  locust  came,  and  into 
which  the  great  dragon  was  cast;”  and  it  is 
called  bottomless,  to  show  the  endlessness  of 
the  fall  that  they  will  have  into  it  that  come 
not  in  the  acceptable  time  to  Jesus  Christ. 

7.  It  is  called  “outer  darkness.”  “Bind 
him  hand  and  foot,  and  cast  him  into  outer 
darkness,  and  cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant 
into  outer  darkness;  there  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth.” 

8.  It  is  called  “a  furnace  of  fire.”  As 
therefore  the  tares  are  gathered  and  burned  in 
the  fire,  so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  this  world: 
the  Sen  of  man  shall  send  forth  his  angels, 
and  he  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all 
things  that  offend  and  them  that  do  iniquity, 
and  shall  cast  them  into  a furnace  of  fire; 
there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 
And  again:  So  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  the 
world ; the  angels  shall  come  forth  and  sever 
the  wicked  from  among  the  just,  and  shall 
cast  them  into  a furnace  of  fire;  there  shall  be 
wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  Matt.  xiii.  41- 
51. 

Lastly.  It  may  not  be  amiss  if  in  the  con- 
clusion of  this  I show  in  a few  words  to  what 
the  things  that  torment  them  in  this  state  are 
compared.  Indeed  some  of  them  have  been 
occasionally  mentioned  already,  as  that  they 
are  compared — 

1.  To  wood  that  burneth. 

2.  To  fire. 

3.  To  fire  and  brimstone.  But, 

4.  It  is  compared  to  a worm,  a gnawing 
worm,  a never-dying,  gnawing  worm : “ They 
are  cast  into  hell,  where  their  worm  dieth  not.” 

5.  It  is  called  “ unquenchable  fire : ” “ He 
will  gather  his  wheat  into  his  garner,  but  will 
burn  up  the  chaff  with  unquenchable  fire.” 

G.  It  is  called  “ everlasting  destruction.” 
The  Lord  Jesus  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  his  mighty  angels  in  flaming  fire,  taking 
vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and 
that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting 
destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and 
from  the  glory  of  his  power.  2 Thess.  i.  7,  8. 

7.  It  is  called  “wrath  without  mixture,” 
and  is  given  them  in  the  cup  of  his  indigna- 
tion. “ If  any  man  worship  the  beast  and  his 


image,  and  receive  the  mark  in  bis  forehead  or 
in  his  hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the  wrath 
of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture 
in  the  cup  of  his  indignation,  and  he  shall  be 
tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the 
presence  of  the  holy  angels  and  in  the  presence 
of  the  Lamb.” 

8.  It  is  called  “ the  second  death.”  “ And 
death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire; 
this  is  the  second  death.  Blessed  and  holy  is 
he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection  ; on 
such  the  second  death  hath  no  power.” 

9.  It  is  called  “eternal  damnation.”  “But 
he  that  shall  blaspheme  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  never  forgiveness,  but  is  in  danger 
of  eternal  damnation.” 

Oh  these  three  words ! 

“ Everlasting  punishment!” 

“ Eternal  damnation  1” 

And  “For  ever  and  ever !” 

IIow  will  they  gnaw  and  eat  up  all  the  ex- 
pectation of  the  end  of  the  misery  of  the  cast- 
away sinners!  “And  the  smoke  of  their  tor- 
ment ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever,  and  they 
have  no  rest  day  nor  night,”  &c.  • 

Their  behaviour  in  hell  is  set  forth  by  four 
things,  as  I know  of — 1.  By  calling  for  help 
and  relief  in  vain ; 2.  By  weeping ; 3.  By 
wailing;  4.  By  gnashing  of  teeth. 

And  now  we  come  to  the  second  thing  that 
is  to  be  inquired  into — namely,  How  it  appears 
that  Christ  hath  power  to  save  or  to  cast  out, 
for  by  these  words,  “ I will  in  nowise  cast  out,” 
he  declareth  that  he  hath  power  to  do  both. 

Now  this  inquiry  admits  us  to  search  into 
two  things — 1.  How  it  appears  that  he  hath 
power  to  save ; 2.  How  it  appears  that  he  hath 
power  to  cast  out. 

That  he  hath  power  to  save  appears  by  that 
which  follows : 

1.  To  speak  only  of  him  as  he  is  Mediator : 
he  was  authorized  to  this  blessed  work  by  his 
Father  before  the  world  began.  Hence  the 
apostle  said,  “ He  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,”  with  all  those 
things  that  effectually  will  produce  our  salva- 
tion. Read  the  same  chapter,  with  2 Tim.  i.  9. 

2.  He  was  promised  to  our  first  parents,  that 
he  should,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  bruise  the 
serpent’s  head,  and,  as  Paul  expounds  it,  re- 
deem them  that  were  under  the  law;  hence 
since  that  time  lie  hath  been  reckoned  as  slain 
for  our  sins.  By  which  means  all  the  fathers 
under  the  first  testament  were  secured  from 
the  wrath  to  come ; lienee  he  is  called,  “ The 
Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.” 


5S8 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


3.  Moses  gave  testimony  of  him  by  the  types 
and  shadows  and  bloody  sacrifices  that  he  com- 
manded from  the  mouth  of  God  to  be  in  use 
to  the  support  of  his  people’s  faith  until  the 
time  of  reformation,  which  was  the  time  of 
this  Jesus  his  death.  Heb.  ix.  and  x. 

4.  At  the  time  of  his  birth  it  was  testified  of 
him  by  the  angel  “that  he  should  save  his 
people  from  their  sins.” 

5.  It  is  testified  of  him  in  the  days  of  his 
flesh  that  he  had  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins. 

6.  It  is  testified  also  of  him  by  the  Apostle 
Peter,  “that  God  hath  exalted  him  with  his 
own  right  hand  to  be  a Prince  and  a Saviour, 
to  give  repentance  to  Israel  and  forgiveness  of 
sins.” 

7.  In  a word,  this  is  everywhere  testified  of 
him,  both  in  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New. 

And  good  reason  that  he  should  be  acknow- 
ledged and  trusted  in  as  a Saviour. 

1.  He  came  down  from  heaven  to  be  a Sa- 
viour. 

2.  He  was  anointed  when  on  earth  to  be  a 
Saviour. 

3.  He  did. the  works  of  a Saviour.  As — 

(1.)  He  fulfilled  the  law  and  became  the 

end  of  it  for  righteousness  for  them  that  be- 
lieve in  him. 

(2.)  He  laid  down  his  life  as  a Saviour;  he 
gave  his  life  as  a ransom  for  many. 

(3)  He  hath  abolished  death,  destroyed  the 
devil,  put  away  sin,  got  the  keys  of  hell  and 
death,  ascended  into  heaven,  is  there  accepted 
of  God,  and  did  sit  at  the  right  hand  as  a 
Saviour ; and  that  because  his  sacrifice  for  sins 
pleased  God. 

(4.)  God  hath  sent  out  and  proclaimed  him 
as  a Saviour,  and  tells  the  world  that  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  that  he  will 
justify  us  if  we  believe  in  his  blood,  and  that 
he  can  faithfully  and  justly  do  it.  Yea,  God 
doth  beseech  us  to  be  reconciled  to  him  by  his 
Son,  which  could  not  be  if  he  were  not  anoint- 
ed by  him  to  this  very  end,  and  also  if  his 
works  and  undertakings  were  not  accepted  of 
him  considered  as  a Saviour. 

God  hath  already  received  millions  of  souls 
into  his  paradise  because  they  have  received 
this  Jesus  for  a Saviour,  and  is  resolved  to  cut 
them  off  and  to  cast  them  out  of  his  presence 
that  will  not  take  him  for  a Saviour. 

I intend  brevity  here ; therefore  a word  to 
the  second,  and  so  conclude. 

How  it  appears  that  he  hath  power  to  cast 
out. 

This  appears  also  by  what  follows: 


1.  The  Father  (for  the  service  that  he  had 
done  him  as  a Saviour)  hath  made  him  Lord 
of  all,  even  Lord  of  quick  and  dead.  “ For 
to  this  end  Christ  both  died  and  rose  and  re- 
vived, that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead 
and  living.” 

2.  The  Father  hath  left  it  with  him  to  quick- 
en whom  he  will — to  wit,  with  saving  grace — 
and  to  cast  out  whom  he  will  for  their  rebel- 
lion against  him. 

3.  The  Father  hath  made  him  judge  of  quick 
and  dead,  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto 
the  Son,  and  appointed  that  all  should  honour 
the  Son  even  as  they  honour  the  Father. 

4.  God  will  judge  the  world  by  this  man : 
the  day  is  appointed  for  judgment,  and  he  is 
appointed  for  judge.  “ He  hath  appointed  a 
day  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness  by  that  man.” 

Therefore  we  must  all  appear  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may 
receive  for  the  things  done  in  the  body  accord- 
ing to  what  they  have  done.  If  they  have 
closed  with  him,  heaven  and  salvation ; if  they 
have  not,  hell  and  damnation. 

And  for  these  reasons  he  must  be  judge  : 

1.  Because  of  his  humiliation : because  of 
his  Father’s  word  he  humbled  himself,  and  he 
became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of 
the  cross ; “ Therefore  God  hath  highly  exalted 
him,  and  given  him  a Dame  above  every  name, 
that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should 
bow,  both  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  on 
earth,  and  things  under  the  earth;  and  that 
every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.” 

This  hath  respect  to  his  being  judge  and  his 
sitting  in  judgment  upon  angels  and  men. 

2.  That  all  men  might  honour  the  Son  even 
as  they  honour  the  Father.  “For  the  Father 
judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all  judg- 
ment unto  the  Son,  that  all  men  should  honour 
the  Son  even  as  they  honour  the  Father.” 

3.  Because  of  his  righteous  judgment:  this 
work  is  fit  for  no  creature ; it  is  only  fit  for  the 
Son  of  God.  For  he  will  reward  every  man 
according  to  his  ways. 

4.  Because  he  is  the  Son  of  man.  He  hath 
given  him  authority  to  execute  judgment  also, 
because  he  is  the  Son  of  man. 

Thus  have  I in  brief  passed  through  this 
text  by  way  of  explication.  My  next  work  is 
to  speak  to  it  by  way  of  observation,  but  I 
shall  be  also  as  brief  in  that  as  the  nature  of 
the  thing  will  admit. 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


599 


“All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  conic 
to  me,  and  him  that  comcth  to  me  I will  in  no- 
wise cast  out.” 

Ami  now  I come  to  some  observations,  and  a 
little  briefly  to  speak  to  them,  and  then  con- 
clude the  whole. 

The  words  thus  explained  afford  us  many, 
some  of  which  arc  these: 

1.  That  God  the  Father  and  Christ  his  Son 
are  two  distinct  persons  in  the  Godhead. 

2.  That  by  them  (not  excluding  the  Holy 
Ghost)  is  contrived  and  determined  the  salva- 
tion of  fallen  mankind. 

S.  That  this  contrivance  resolved  itself  into 
a covenant  between  these  persons  and  the  God- 
head, which  standeth  in  giving  on  the  Father’s 
part  and  receiving  on  the  Son’s.  “All  that 
the  Father  giveth  me,”  &c. 

4.  That  every  one  that  the  Father  hath  given 
to  Christ  (according  to  the  mind  of  God  in  the 
text)  shall  certainly  come  to  him. 

5.  That  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  is  therefore 
not  by  the  will,  wisdom,  or  power  of  man,  but 
by  the  gift,  promise,  and  drawing  of  the  Fath- 
er: “All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall 
come.” 

6.  That  Jesus  Christ  will  be  careful  to  re- 
ceive, and  will  not  in  any  wise  reject,  those 
that  come  or  are  coming  to  him.  “And  him 
that  comcth  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

There  are,  besides  these,  some  other  truths 
implied  in  the  words.  As — 

7.  They  that  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  are 
ofttimes  heartily  afraid  that  he  will  not  receive 
them. 

S.  Jesus  Christ  would  not  have  them  that  in 
truth  are  coming  to  him  once  think  that  he 
will  cast  them  out. 

These  observations  lie  all  of  them  in  the 
words,  and  are  plentifully  confirmed  by  the 
Scriptures  of  truth;  but  I shall  not  at  this 
time  speak  to  them  all,  but  shall  pass  by  the 
first,  second,  third,  fourth,  and  sixth,  partly  be- 
cause I design  brevity,  and  partly  because  they 
are  touched  upon  in  the  explicatory  part  of  the 
text.  I shall  therefore  begin  with  the  fifth  ob- 
servation, and  so  make  that  the  first  in  order 
in  the  following  discourse : 

I.  First,  then.  Coming  to  Christ  is  not  by  the 
will,  wisdom,  or  power  of  man,  but  by  the  gift, 
promise  and  drawing  of  the  Father.  This  ob- 
servation standeth  of  two  parts : 

(1.)  The  coming  to  Christ  is  not  by  the  will, 
wisdom,  or  power  of  man ; 

(2.)  But  by  the  gift,  promise,  and  drawing 
of  the  Father. 


That  the  textenrrieth  this  truth  in  its  bosom 
you  will  find  if  you  look  into  the  explication 
of  the  first  part  thereof  before;  I shall  there- 
fore here  follow  the  method  propounded — viz., 
show — 

1.  That  coming  to  Christ  is  not  by  the  will, 
wisdom,  or  power  of  man.  This  is  true,  be- 
cause the  word  doth  positively  say  it  is  not. 

First.  It  denieth  it  to  be  the  will  of  man. 
“Not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh, 
nor  of  the  will  of  man.”  And  again,  “It  is 
not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  run- 
neth.” 

Second.  It  denieth  it  to  be  of  the  wisdom 
of  man,  as  is  manifest  from  these  considera- 
tions : 

(1.)  In  the  wisdom  of  God  it  pleased  him 
that  the  world  hy  wisdom  should  not  know 
him.  Now,  if  by  their  wisdom  they  cannot 
know  him,  it  follows  that  by  wisdom  they  can- 
not come  unto  him,  for  coming  to  him  is  not 
before  but  after  some  knowledge  of  him. 

(2.)  The  wisdom  of  man,  in  God’s  account, 
as  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ  is  reckoned  fool- 
ishness. “ Hath  not  God  made  foolish  the 
wisdom  of  this  world?”  and  again,  “The  wis- 
dom of  this  world  is  foolishness  with  God.” 

If  God  hath  made  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this 
world,  and  again,  if  the  wisdom  of  this  world 
is  foolishness  with  him,  then  verily,  it  is  not 
likely  that  by  that  a sinner  shall  become  so 
prudent  as  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  especially 
if  you  consider — 

(3.)  That  the  doctrine  of  a crucified  Christ, 
and  so  of  salvation  by  him,  is  the  very  thing 
that  is  counted  foolishness  to  the  wisdom  of 
the  world.  Now,  if  the  very  doctrine  of  a 
crucified  Christ  be  counted  foolishness  by  the 
wisdom  of  this  world,  it  cannot  be  that  by  that 
wisdom  a man  should  be  drawn  out  in  his  soul 
to  come  to  him. 

(4.)  God  counted  the  wisdom  of  this  world 
one  of  his  greatest  enemies;  therefore  by  that 
wisdom  no  man  can  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 
For  it  is  not  likely  that  one  of  God’s  greatest 
enemies  should  draw  a man  to  that  which  best 
of  all  pleaseth  God,  as  coming  to  Christ  doth. 
Now,  that  God  counteth  the  wisdom  of  this 
world  one  of  his  greatest  enemies  is  evident — 

(1.)  For  that  it  casteth  the  greatest  con- 
tempt upon  his  Son's  undertaking  afore  is 
proved,  in  that  it  counts  his  crucifixion  foolish- 
ness, though  that  be  one  of  the  highest  demon- 
strations of  divine  wisdom. 

(2.)  Because  God  hath  threatened  to  destroy 
it,  and  bring  it  to  naught,  and  cause  it  to  per- 


600 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


ish — which  surely  he  would  not  do  was  it  not 
an  enemy — would  it  direct  men  to  and  cause 
them  to  close  with  Jesus  Christ? 

(3.)  He  hath  rejected  it  from  helping  in  the 
ministry  of  his  word  as  a fruitless  business  and 
a thing  that  comes  to  naught. 

(4.)  Because  it  causeth  to  perish  those  that 
seek  it  and  pursue  it. 

(5.)  And  God  hath  proclaimed  that  if  any 
man  will  be  wise  in  this  world  he  must  be  a 
fool  in  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  and  that  is 
the  way  to  be  wise  in  the  wisdom  of  God. 
“ If  any  man  will  be  wise  in  this  world,  let 
him  become  a fool,  that  he  may  be  wise.  For 
the  wisdom  of  this  world  is  foolishness  with 
God.” 

Thirdly.  Coming  to  Christ  is  not  by  the 
power  of  man.  This  is  evident,  partly — 

(1.)  From  that  which  goeth  before;  for  man’s 
power,  in  the  putting  forth  of  it  in  this  mat- 
ter, is  either  stirred  up  with  love  or  sense  of 
necessity ; but  the  wisdom  of  this  world  neither 
gives  man  love  to  or  sense  of  a need  of  Jesus 
Christ:  therefore  his  power  lieth  still  as  from 
that. 

(2.)  What  power  has  he  that  is  dead,  as 
every  natural  man  spiritually  is,  even  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins? — dead,  even  a,s  dead  to 
God’s  New  Testament  things  as  he  that  is  in 
his  grave  is  dead  to  the  things  of  this  world. 
What  power  has  he,  then,  whereby  to  come  to 
Jesus  Christ? 

(3.)  God  forbids  the  mighty  man’s  glory  in 
his  strength,  and  says  positively,  “ By  strength 
shall  no  man  prevail;”  and  again,  “Not  by 
might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith 
the  Lord.” 

(4.)  Paul  acknowledgeth  that  man,  nay, 
converted  man,  of  himself,  hath  not  a suffi- 
ciency of  power  in  himself  to  think  a good 
thought,  if  not  to  do  that  which  is  least,  for  to 
think  is  less  than  to  come ; no  man  by  his  own 
power  can  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 

(5.)  Hence  we  are  said  to  be  made  willing 
to  come  by  the  power  of  God;  to  be  raised 
from  a state  of  sin  to  a state  of  grace  by  the 
power  of  God ; and  to  believe — that  is,  to  come 
— through  the  exceeding  working  of  his  mighty 
power. 

But  this  needeth  not  if  either  men  had  power 
or  will  to  come,  or  so  much  as  graciously  to 
think  of  being  willing  to  come  (of  themselves) 
to  Jesus  Christ. 

I should  now  come  to  the  power  of  the 
second  part  of  the  observation,  but  that  is 
occasionally  done  already  in  the  explicatory 


part  of  the  text,  to  which  I refer  the  reader ; 
for  I shall  here  only  give  thee  one  or  two  more 
to  the  same  purpose,  and  so  come  to  the  use 
and  application : 

1.  It  is  expressly  said,  “No  man  can  come 
unto  me  except  the  Father,  which  hath  sent 
me,  draw  him.”  By  this  text  there  is  not  only 
insinuated  that  in-  men  is  want  of  power,  but 
of  will,  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ:  they  must  be 
drawn ; they  come  not  if  they  be  not  drawn. 
And  observe,  it  is  not  man,  no,  nor  all  the 
angels  of  heaven,  that  can  draw  one  sinner  to 
Jesus  Christ.  “ No  man  cometh  to  me  except 
the  Father,  which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him.” 

2.  Again,  “No  man  can  come  to  me  except 
it  were  given  him  of  my  Father.”  It  is  an 
heavenly  gift  that  maketh  man  come  to  Jesus 
Christ. 

3.  Again,  “It  is  written  in  the  prophets, 
They  shall  be  all  taught  of  God ; every  one 
therefore  that  hath  heard  and  learned  of-  the 
Father  cometh  to  me.” 

I shall  not  enlarge,  but  shall  make  some  use 
and  application,  and  so  come  to  the  next  ob- 
servation. 

1.  Is  it  so?  Is  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  not 
by  the  will,  wdsdom,  or  power  of  man,  but  by 
the  gift,  promise,  and  drawing  of  the  Father? 
Then  they  are  to  blame  that  cry  up  the  will, 
wisdom,  and  power  of  man  as  things  sufficient 
to  bring  men  to  Christ. 

There  are  some  men  who  think  they  may 
not  be  contradicted  when  they  plead  for  the 
will,  wisdom,  and  power  of  man  in  reference 
to  the  things  that  are  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ ; 
but  I will  say  to  such  a man,  .lie  never  yet 
came  to  understand  that  himself  is  what  the 
Scripture  teacheth  concerning  him ; neither 
did  he  ever  know  what  coming  to  Christ  is  by 
the  teaching,  gift,  and  drawing  of  the  Father. 
He  is  such  a one  that  hath  set  up  God’s  enemy 
in  opposition  to  him,  and  that  continueth  in 
such  acts  of  defiance  * and  what  his  end  with- 
out a new  birth  will  be  the  Scripture  teacheth 
also ; but  we  will  pass  this. 

2.  Is  it  so?  Is  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  by 
the  gift,  promise,  and  drawing  of  the  Father? 
Then  let  saints  here  learn  to  ascribe  their 
coming  to  Christ  to  the  gift,  promise,  and 
drawing  of  the  Father.  Christian  man,  bless 
God,  who  hath  given  thee  to  Jesus  Christ  by 
promise ; and  again  bless  God  for  that  he  hath 
drawn  thee  to  him.  And  why  is  it  thee? 
Why  not  another?  Oh  that  the  glory  of  elect- 
ing love  should  rest  upon  thy  head,  and  that 
the  glory  of  the  exceeding  grace  of  God  should 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


601 


take  hold  of  thy  heart  and  bring  theo  to  Jesus 
Christ ! 

8.  Is  it  so  that  coining  to  Jesus  Christ  is  by 
the  Father,  as  aforesaid?  Then  this  should 
teach  us  to  set  a high  esteem  upon  them  that 
are  indeed  coming  to  Jesus  Christ — I say,  a 
high  esteem  on  them,  for  the  sake  of  Him  by 
virtue  of  whose  grace  they  arc  made  to  come 
to  Jesus  Christ. 

We  see  that  when  men  by  the  help  of  human 
abilities  do  arrive  at  the  knowledge  of  and 
bring  to  pass  that  which,  when  done,  is  a 
wonder  to  the  world,  how  he  that  did  it  is  es- 
teemed and  commended  ; yea,  how  are  his  wits, 
parts,  industry,  and  unweariedness  in  all  ad- 
mired; and  yet  the  man,  as  to  this,  is  but  of 
the  world,  and  his  work  the  effect  of  natural 
ability;  the  things  also  attained  by  him  end 
in  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit.  Further, 
perhaps  in  the  pursuit  of  these  his  achieve- 
ments, he  sins  against  God,  wastes  his  time 
vainly,  and  at  long  run  loses  his  soul  by  ne- 
glecting of  better  things,  yet  he  is  admired. 
Rut  I say,  if  this  man’s  parts,  labour,  diligence, 
and  the  like  will  bring  him  to  such  applause 
and  esteem  in  the  world,  what  esteem  should 
we  have  of  such  an  one  that  is,  by  the  gift, 
promise,  and  power  of  God,  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ  ? 

(1.)  This  is  a man  with  whom  God  is,  in 
whom  God  works  and  walks — a man  whose 
motion  is  governed  and  steered  by  the  mighty 
hand  of  God  and  the  effectual  working  of  liis 
power:  here’s  a man! 

(2.)  This  man,  by  the  power  of  God’s  might, 
which  worketh  in  him,  is  able  to  cast  a whole 
world  behind  him,  with  all  the  lusts  and  pleas- 
ures of  it,  and  to  charge  through  all  the  diffi- 
culties that  men  and  devils  can  set  against 
him:  here’s  a man! 

(8.)  This  man  is  travelling  to  Mount  Zion, 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  the  living 
God,  and  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels 
and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  to  God 
the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  Jesus:  here’s  a man ! 

(4.)  This  man  can  look  upon  death  with 
comfort,  can  laugh  at  destruction  when  it 
cometh,  and  long  to  hear  the  sound  of  the  last 
trump,  and  to  see  the  Judge  coming  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven:  here’s  a man  indeed! 

Let  Christians  then  esteem  each  other  as 
such : I know  you  do,  but  do  it  more  and 
more.  And  that  you  may,  consider  these  two 
or  three  things — 

(1.)  These  are  the  objects  of  Christ’s  esteem. 
Matt.  xii.  4S;  xv.  22-29;  Luke  vii.  9. 


(2.)  These  are  the  objects  of  tin  esteem  of 
angels.  Dan.  ix.  12;  x.  1 1 ; xii.  4;  Heb.  i.  14. 

(3.)  These  have  been  the  objects  of  the  es- 
teem of  heathens  when  but  convinced  about 
them.  Dan.  v.  10;  Acts  v.  15;  1 Cor.  xiv.  24, 
25. 

“ Let  each  of  you  then  esteem  each  other 
better  than  themselves.”  Phil.  iii.  2. 

4.  Again.  Is  it  so  that  no  man  comes  to  Je- 
sus Christ  by  the  will,  wisdom,  and  power  of 
man,  but  by  the  gift,  power,  and  drawing  of 
the  Father?  Then  this  shows  us  how  horribly 
ignorant  of  this  such  are  who  make  the  men 
that  are  coming  to  Christ  the  object  of  their 
contempt  and  rage.  These  are  also  unreason- 
able and  wicked  men — “ men  in  whom  is  no 
faith.”  1 Thess.  iii.  2. 

Sinners,  did  you  but  know  what  a blessed 
thing  it  is  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  by 
the  help  and  drawing  of  the  Father  they  do 
indeed  come  to  him,  you  would  hang  and  burn 
in  hell  a thousand  years  before  you  would  turn 
your  spirits,  as  you  do,  against  him  that  God 
is  drawing  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  also  against 
the  God  that  draws  him. 

But,  faithless  sinner,  let  us  a little  expostu- 
late the  matter.  What  hath  this  man  done 
against  thee  that  is  coming  to  Jesus  Christ? 
Why  dost  thou  make  him  the  object  of  thy 
scorn  ? Doth  his  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  of- 
fend thee?  Doth  his  pursuing  of  his  own  sal- 
vation offend  thee?  Doth  his  forsaking  of  his 
sins  and  pleasures  offend  thee? 

Poor  coming  man!  “Thou  sacrificetli  the 
abominations  of  the  Egyptians  before  their 
eyes,  and  will  they  not  stone  thee?” 

But  I say,  Why  offended  at  this?  Is  he  ever 
the  worse  for  coming  to  Jesus  Christ,  or  for 
loving  and  serving  of  Jesus  Christ?  or  is  he 
ever  the  more  a fool  for  flying  from  that 
which  will  drown  thee  in  hell-fire,  and  for 
seeking  eternal  life?  Besides,  pray,  sirs,  con- 
sider it:  this  he  doth  not  of  himself,  but  by 
the  drawing  of  the  Father.  Come,  let  me  tell 
thee  in  thine  ear,  thou  that  wilt  not  come  to 
him  thyself,  and  him  that  would  thou  liin- 
dcrest — 

(1.)  Thou  shalt  be  judged  for  one  that  hath 
hated,  maligned,  and  reproached  Jesus  Christ, 
to  whom  this  poor  sinner  is  coming. 

(2.)  Thou  shalt  be  judged,  too,  for  one  that 
hath  hated  the  Father,  by  whose  powerful 
drawing  the  sinner  doth  come. 

(3.)  Thou  shalt  be  taken  and  judged  for  one 
that  hath  done  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace 
in  him  that  is  by  its  help  coming  to  Jesus 


602 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Christ.  What  sayest  thou  now?  AVilt  thou 
stand  by  thy  doings?  Wiit  thou  continue  to 
contemn  and  reproach  the  living  God?  Thick- 
est tliou  that  thou  shalt  weather  it  out  well 
enough  at  the  day  of  judgment?  “Can  thy 
heart  endure,  or  can  thy  hands  be  strong,  in 
the  day  that  I shall  deal  with  thee?  saith  the 
Lord.” 

5.  Is  it  so  that  no  man  comes  to  Jesus  Christ 
by  the  will,  wisdom,  and  power  of  man,  but  by 
the  gift,  promise,  and  drawing  of  the  Father? 
Then  this  showeth  us  how  it  comes  to  pass 
that  weak  means  are  so  powerful  as  to  bring 
men  out  of  their  sins  to  a hearty  pursuit  after 
Jesus  Christ.  When  God  bid  Moses  speak  to 
the  people,  he  said,  “ I will  speak  with  thee.” 
When  God  speaks,  wdien  God  works,  who  can 
let  it?  None,  none;  then  the  work  goes  on. 
Elias  threw  his  mantle  upon  the  shoulders  of 
Elisha,  and  what  a wonderful  work  followed! 
When  Jesus  fell  in  with  the  crowing  of  acock, 
what  work  was  there!  Oh,  when  God  is  the 
means,  then  shall  that  means,  be  it  never  so 
weak  and  contemptible  in  itself,  work  wonders. 
1 Kings  xix,  19;  Matt.  xxvi.  74,  75;  Mark 
xiv.  71,  72 ; Luke  xxii.  61,  62. 

The  world  understood  not  nor  believed  that 
the  walls  of  Jericho  should  fall  at  the  sound 
of  rams’  horns,  but  when  God  will  work  the 
means  must  be  effectual.  A word  weakly 
spoken,  spoken  with  difficulty,  in  temptation, 
and  in  the  midst  of  great  contempt  and  scorn, 
works  wonders  if  the  Lord  thy  God  will  say 
so  too. 

6.  Is  it  so?  Doth  no  man  come  to  Jesus 
Christ  by  the  will,  wisdom,  and  power  of 
man,  but  by  the  gift,  promise,  and  drawing 
of  the  Father?  Then  here  is  room  for  Chris- 
tians to  stand  and  wonder  at  the  effectual 
working  of  God’s  providence  that  he  hath 
made  use  of  as  means  to  bring  them  to  Jesus 
Christ. 

For  although  men  are  drawn  to  Christ  by 
the  power  of  the  Father,  yet  that  power  put- 
teth  forth  itself  in  the  use  of  means;  and 
these  means  are  diverse,  sometimes  this,  some- 
times that,  for  God  is  at  liberty  to  work  by 
which,  and  when,  and  how  he  will ; but  let 
the  means  be  what  they  will,  and  as  con- 
temptible as  may  be,  yet  God,  that  com- 
manded the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 
and  that  out  of  weakness  can  make  strong, 
can,  nay,  doth  oftentimes,  make  use  of  very 
unlikely  means  to  bring  about  the  conversion 
and  salvation  of  his  people.  Therefore,  you 
that  are  come  to  Christ,  (and  by  unlikely 


means,)  stay  yourselves  and  wonder,  and,  won- 
dering, magnify  almighty  power,  by  the  work 
of  which  the  means  hath  been  made  effectual 
to  bring  you  to  Jesus  Christ. 

What  was  the  providence  of  God  made  use 
of,  as  a means  either  remote  or  m'ore  near,  to 
bring  thee  to  Jesus  Christ?  Was  it  the  re- 
moving of  thy  habitation,  the  change  of  thy 
condition,  the  loss  of  relations,  estate,  or  the 
like?  Was  it  the  casting  of  thine  eye  upon 
some  good  book,  the  hearing  of  thy  neigh- 
bours talk  of  heavenly  things,  the  beholding 
of  God’s  judgment  as  executed  upon  others,  or 
thine  own  deliverance  from  them,  or  thy  being 
strangely  cast  under  the  ministry  of  some 
godly  man  ? Oh  take  notice  of  such  provi- 
dence or  providences ! They  were  sent  and 
managed  by  mighty  power  to  do  thee  good. 
God  himself,  I say,  hath  joined  himself  to 
this  chariot,  yea,  and  so  blessed  it  that  it 
failed  not  to  accomplish  the  thing  for  which 
he  sent  it. 

God  blesseth  not  to  every  one  his  provi- 
dence in  this  manner.  How  many  thousands 
are  there  in  this  world  that  pass  every  day 
under  the  same  providences!  but  God  is  not 
in  them  to  do  that  work  by  them  as  he  hath 
done  for  thy  poor  soul  by  bis  effectually 
working  with  them.  Oh  that  Jesus  Christ 
should  meet  thee  in  this  providence,  that 
dispensation,  or  the  other  ordinance ! This  is 
grace  indeed ! At  this,  therefor^,  it  will  be  thy 
wisdom  to  admire,  and  for  this  to  bless  God. 

Give  me  leave  to  give  you  a taste  of  some 
of  those  providences  that  have  been  effectual, 
through  the  management  of  God,  to  bring  sal- 
vation to  the  souls  of  his  people: 

(1.)  The  first  shall  be  that  of  the  woman  of 
Samaria.  It  must  happen  that  she  must  needs 
go  out  of  the  city  to  draw  water  (not  before  or 
after,  but)  just  when  Jesus  Christ  her  Saviour 
was  come  from  far  and  sat  to  rest  him  (being 
weary)  uppn  the  well.  What  a blessed  provi- 
dence was  this ! — even  a providence  managed 
by  the  almighty  wisdom  and  almighty  power 
to  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  this  poor 
creature.  For  by  this  providence  was  this 
poor  creature  and  her  Saviour  brought  to- 
gether, that  a blessed  work  might  be  fulfilled 
upon  the  -woman,  according  to  the  purpose 
before  determined  of  the  Father.  John  iv. 

(2.)  What  providence  was  it  that  there 
should  be  a tree  in  the  way  for  Zaecheus  to 
climb,  thereby  to  give  Jesus  opportunity  to 
call  that  chief  of  the  publicans  home  to  him- 
self, even  before  he  came  down  therefrom ! 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


603 


(8.)  AVaa  it  not  wonderful  that  the  thief 
which  you  read  of  in  the  Gospel  should,  by 
the  providence  of  God,  be  cast  into  prison,  to 
be  condemned,  even  at  that  sessions  that 
Christ  himself  was  to  die,  nay,  and  that  it 
should  happen  too  that  they  must  be  hanged 
together,  that  the  thief  might  be  in  hearing 
and  observing  of  Jesus  in  his  last  words,  that 
he  might  be  converted  by  him  before  his 
death?  Luke  xxii. 

(4.)  What  a strange  providence  was  it,  and 
ae  strangely  managed  by  God,  that  Onesimus, 
when  he  was  run  away  from  his  master,  should 
be  taken,  as  I think,  and  cast  into  that  very 
prison  where  Paul  lay  bound  for  the  word  of 
the  gospel,  that  he  might  there  be  by  him 
converted,  and  then  sent  home  again  to  his 
master  Philemon!  “Behold,  all  things  work 
together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God, 
to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to  his 
purpose.” 

Nay,  I have  myself  known  some  that  have 
been  made  to  go  to  hear  the  word  preached 
against  their  wills;  others  have  gone  not  to 
hear,  but  to  see  and  be  seen,  nay,  to  jeer  and 
flout  others,  as  also  to  catch  and  carp  at 
things;  some  also  to  feed  their  adulterous 
eyes  with  the  sight  of  beautiful  objects;  and 
yet  God  hath  made  use  of  even  these  things, 
and  even  of  the  wicked  and  sinful  proposals 
of  sinners,  to  bring  them  under  the  grace  that 
might  save  their  souls. 

7.  Doth  no  man  come  to  Jesus  Christ  but 
by  the  drawing,  &c.,  of  the  Father?  Then  let 
me  here  caution  those  poor  sinners  that  are 
spectators  of  the  change  that  God  hath  wrought 
in  them  that  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  not  to 
attribute  this  work  and  change  to  other  things 
and  causes. 

There  arc  some  poor  sinners  in  the  world 
that  plainly  see  a change,  a mighty  change, 
in  their  neighbours  and  relations  that  are 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ.  But,  as  I said,  they 
being  ignorant,  and  not  knowing  whence  it 
comes  and  whither  it  goes,  “ for  so  is  every 
one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit,”  therefore  they 
attribute  this  change  to  other  causes;  as — 1. 
Melancholy;  2.  To  sitting  alone;  3.  To  over- 
much reading ; 4.  To  their  going  to  too  many 
sermons;  5.  To  too  much  studying  and  musing 
on  what  they  hear. 

Also,  they  conclude  on  the  other  side — 

1.  That  it  is  for  want  of  merry  company. 

2.  For  want  of  physic,  and  therefore  they 
advise  them  to  leave  ofl'  reading,  going  to  ser- 
mons, the  company  of  sober  people,  and  to  be 


merry  and  go  a-gossiping,  to  busy  themselves 
in  the  things  of  this  world,  not  set  musing 
alone,  &c. 

But  come,  poor  ignorant  sinner,  let  me  deal 
with  thee.  It  seems  thou  art  turned  coun- 
sellor for  Satan:  I tell  thee,  thou  k nowest  not 
what  thou  dost.  Take  heed  of  spending  thy 
judgment  after  this  manner;  thou  judgest 
foolishly,  and  sayest  in  this,  to  every  one  that 
passeth  by,  thou  art  a fool. 

What!  count  convictions  for  sin,  mourning 
for  sin,  and  repentance  for  sin,  melancholy! 
This  is  like  those  that  on  the  other  side  said, 
“These  men  are  drunk  with  new  wine,”  &c. 
Or,  as  he  hath  said,  Paul  was  mad.  Acts  ii.  23; 
xxvi.  24. 

Poor  ignorant  sinner!  canst  thou  judge  no 
better?  What!  is  sitting  alone,  pensive  under 
God’s  hand,  reading  the  Scriptures,  and  hear- 
ing of  sermons,  &c.,  the  way  to  be  undone? 
The  Lord  open  thine  eyes  and  make  thee  to 
see  thine  error : thou  bast  set  thyself  against 
God,  thou  hast  despised  the  operation  of  his 
hands,  thou  attemptest  to  murder  souls.  What ! 
canst  thou  give  no  better  counsel  touching  those 
whom  God  hath  wounded  than  to  send  them  to 
the  ordinances  of  hell  for  help?  Thou  biddest 
them  be  merry  and  lightsome,  but  dost  thou 
not  know  that  “the  heart  of  fools  is  in  the 
house  of  laughter?” 

Thou  biddest  them  shun  the  hearing  of 
thundering  preachers,  “but  is  it  not  better  to 
hear  the  rebuke  of  the  wise  than  for  a man  to 
hear  the  song  of  fools?”  Thou  biddest  them 
busy  themselves  in  the  things  of  this  world, 
but  dost  thou  not  know  that  the  Lord  bids, 
“first  seek  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the 
righteousness  thereof?” 

Poor  ignorant  sinner!  hear  the  counsel  of 
God  to  such,  and  learn  thyself  to  be  wiser: 
“ Is  any  afflicted?  let  him  pray.  Is  any  merry? 
let  him  sing  psalms.  Blessed  is  he  that  heareth 
me,  and  heareth  for  time  to  come.  Save  your- 
selves from  this  untoward  generation.  Search 
the  Scriptures;  give  attendance  to  reading. 
It  is  better  to  go  to  the  house  of  mourning.” 

And  wilt  thou  judge  him  that  doth  thus? 
Art  thou  almost  like  Elvmas  the  sorcerer,  that 
sought  to  turn  the  deputy  from  the  faith? 
Thou  seekest  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of  the 
Lord:  take  heed  lest  some  heavy  judgment 
overtake  thee.  Acts  xiii.  8-13. 

What!  teach  men  to  quench  convictions; 
take  men  off  from  a serious  consideration  of 
the  evil  of  sin,  of  the  terrors  of  the  world  to 
come,  and  how  they  shall  escape  the  same ! 


604 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


What!  teacli  men  to  put  God  and  his  word 
out  of  their  minds  by  running  to  merry  com- 
pany, by  running  to  the  world,  by  gossipping, 
&c. ! This  is  as  much  as  to  bid  them  say  to 
God,  Depart  from  us,  for  we  desire  not  the 
knowledge  of  thy  ways;  or,  What’s  the  Al- 
mighty, that  we  should  serve  him?  or,  What 
profit  have  we  if  we  keep  his  ways?  Here  is 
a devil  in  grain!  What!  bid  a man  walk  “ac- 
cording to  the  course  of  this  world,  according 
to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit 
that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience!” 

Objection.  But  we  do  not  know  that  such  are 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ;  truly  we  wonder  at 
them  and  think  they  are  fools. 

Answer  1.  Do  you  not  know  they  are  com- 
ing to  Jesus  Christ?  Then  they  may  be  com- 
ing to  him,  for  aught  you  know,  and  why  will 
you  be  worse  than  the  brute,  to  speak  evil  of 
the  things  you  know  not?  What!  are  you 
made  to  be  taken  and  destroyed?  must  ye 
utterly  perish  in  your  own  corruptions? 

2.  Do  you  not  know  them?  Let  them  alone, 
then.  If  you  cannot  speak  good  of  them,  speak 
not  bad.  “Refrain  from  these  men,  and  let 
them  alone;  for  if  this  counsel  or  this  work 
be  of  men,  it  will  come  to  naught;  but  if  it 
be  of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it,  lest  haply 
ye  be  found  even  to  fight  against  God.” 

3.  But  why  do  you  wonder  at  a work  of  con- 
viction and  conversion?  Know  you  not  that 
this  is  the  judgment  of  God  upon  you,  ye  de- 
spisers,  “to  behold,  and  wonder,  and  perish?” 

4.  But  why  wonder  and  think  they  are  fools? 
Is  the  way  of  the  just  an  abomination  to  you? 
See  that  passage  and  be  ashamed:  “ He  that  is 
upright  iu  the  way  .is  an  abomination  to  the 
wicked.” 

5.  Your  wondering  at  them  argues  that  you 
are  strangers  to  yourselves,  to  conviction  for 
sin,  and  to  hearty  desires  to  be  saved,  as  also 
coining  to  Jesus  Christ. 

Objection.  But  how  shall  we  know  that  such 
men  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ? 

Answer.  Who  can  make  them  see  that  Christ 
has  made  blind?  Nevertheless,  because  I en- 
deavour thy  conviction,  conversion,  and  salva- 
tion, consider — 

1.  Do  they  cry  out  of  sin,  b.eing  burdened 
with  it  as  an  exceeding  bitter  thing? 

2.  Do  they  fly  from  it  as  from  the  face  of  a 
deadly  serpent? 

3.  Do  they  cry  out  of  the  insufflciency  of 
their  own  righteousness  as  to  justification  in 
the  sight  of  God  ? 


4.  Do  they  cry  out  after  the  Lord  Jesus  to 
save  them  ? 

5.  Do  they  see  more  worth  and  merit  in  one 
drop  of  Christ’s  blood  to  save  them  than  in  all 
the  sins  of  the  world  to  damn  them? 

6.  Are  they  tender  of  sinning  against  Jesus 
Christ? 

7.  Is  his  name,  person,  and  understanding 
more  precious  to  them  than  is  the  glory  of  the 
world  ? 

8.  Is  this  world  more  dear  unto  them  ? 

9.  Is  faith  in  Christ  (of  which  they  are  con- 
vinced by  God’s  Spirit  of  the  want  of,  and  that 
without  it  they  can  never  close  with  Christ) 
precious  to  them? 

10.  Do  they  favour  Christ  in  this  world,  and 
do  they  leave  all  the  world  for  his  sake?  And 
are  they  willing  (God  helping  them)  to  run 
hazards  for  his  name,  for  the  love  they  bear  to 
him? 

11.  Are  his  saints  precious  to  them? 

If  these  things  be  so,  whether  thou  seest 
them  or  no,  these  men  are  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ. 

II.  I come  now  to  the  second  observation 
propounded  to  be  spoken  to — to  wit,  that  they 
that  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  are  ofttimes 
heartily  afraid  that  Jesus  Christ  will  not  re- 
ceive them. 

I told  you  that  this  observation  is  implied  in 
the  text;  and  I gather  it — 1.  From  the  large- 
ness and  openness  of  the  promise,  “ I will  in 
nowise  cast  out.”  For  had  there  not  been  a 
proneness  in  us  to  fear  casting  out,  Christ 
needed  not  to  have,  as  it  were,  waylaid  our 
fear,  as  he  doth  by  this  great  and  strange  ex- 
pression, “in  nowise;”  “and  him  that  cometh 
to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  There  need- 
ed not,  as  I may  say,  such  a promise  to  be  in- 
vented by  the  wisdom  of  heaven  and  worded 
at  such  a rate,  as  it  were  on  purpose  to  dash  in 
pieces  at  one  blow  all  the  objections  of  coming 
sinners,  if  they  were  not  prone  to  admit  of 
such  objections  to  the  discouraging  of  their 
own  souls.  For  these  words,  in  nowise,  cut  the 
throat  of  all  objections ; and  they  were  dropped 
by  the  Lord  Jesus  for  that  very  end,  and  to 
help  the  faith  that  is  mixed  with  unbelief. 

And  it  is,  as  it  were,  the  sum  of  all  promises ; 
neither  can  any  objection  be  made  upon  the 
unworthiness  that  thou  findest  in  thee  that 
this  promise  will  not  assoil. 

But  I am  a great  sinner,  sayest  thou. 

“ I will  in  nowise  cast  out,”  says  Christ. 

But  I am  an  old  sinner,  sayest  thou. 

“ I will  in  nowise  cast  out,”  says  Christ. 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


605 


But  I am  an  hard-hearted  sinner,  sayest 
thou. 

“ I will  in  nowise  east  out,”  says  Christ. 

But  I am  a backsliding  sinner,  sayest  thou. 

“ I will  in  nowise  cast  out,”  says  Christ. 

But  I have  served  Satan  all  my  days,  sayest 
thou. 

“ I will  in  nowise  cast  out,”  says  Christ. 

But  I have  sinned  against  light,  sayest  thou. 

“I  will  in  nowise  cast  out,”  says  Christ. 

But  I have  sinned  against  mercy,  sayest 
thou. 

“ I will  in  nowise  cast  out,”  says  Christ. 

But  I have  no  good  thing  to  bring  with  me, 
sayest  thou. 

“ I will  in  nowise  cast  out,”  says  Christ. 

Thus  I might  go  on  to  the  end  of  things  and 
show  you  that  still  this  promise  was  provided 
to  answer  all  objections,  and  doth  answer  them. 
But  I say,  what  need  it  be  if  they  that  are 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ  are  not  sometimes,  yea, 
oftentimes,  heartily  afraid  “that  Jesus  Christ 
will  cast  them  out?” 

2.  I will  give  you  now  two  instances  that 
seem  to  imply  the  truth  of  this  observation. 

In  the  9th  of  Matthew,  at  the  second  verse, 
you  read  of  a man  that  was  sick  of  the  palsy, 
and  lie  was  coming  to  Jesus  Christ,  being  borne 
upon  a bed  by  his  friends ; he  was  also  coming 
himself,  and  that  upon  another  account  than 
any  of  his  friends  were  aware  of — even  for  the 
pardon  of  sins  and  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 
Now,  so  soon  as  ever  he  was  come  into  the 
presence  of  Christ,  Christ  bids  him  “ be  of  good 
cheer.”  It  seems,  then,  his  heart  was  fainting, 
but  what  was  the  cause  of  his  fainting?  Not 
his  bodily  infirmity,  for  the  cure  of  which  his 
friends  did  bring  him  to  Christ,  but  the  guilt 
and  burden  of  his  sins,  for  the  pardon  of  which 
himself  did  come  to  him : therefore  he  pro- 
ceeds, “ Be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  be  forgiven 
thee.” 

I say,  Christ  saw  him  sinking  in  his  mind 
about  how  it  would  go  with  his  most  noble 
part,  and  therefore  first  he  applies  himself  to 
him  upon  that  account.  For  though  his  friends 
had  faith  enough  sis  to  the  cure  of  the  body, 
yet  he  himself  had  little  enough  as  to  the  cure 
of  his  soul ; therefore  Christ  takes  him  up  as 
a man  falling  down,  saying,  “Son,  be  of  good 
cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.” 

That  about  the  prodigal  seems  pertinent  also 
in  this  matter : “ When  he  was  come  to  him- 
self he  said,  How  many  hired  servants  of  my 
father  have  bread  enough  and  to  spare,  and  I 
perish  for  hunger ! I will  arise  now  and  go  to 


my  father.”  Heartily  spoken,  but  how  did  he 
perform  his  promise?  I think  not  so  well  as 
lie  promised  to  do,  and  my  ground  for  my 
thoughts  is,  because  his  father,  so  soon  as  lie 
was  come  to  him,  fell  upon  his  neck  and  kissed 
him;  implying,  methinks,  as  if  the  prodigal  at 
this  time  was  dejected  in  his  mind,  and  there- 
fore his  father  gives  the  most  sudden  and 
familiar  token  of  reconciliation. 

And  kisses  were  of  old  time  often  used  to 
remove  doubts  and  fears.  Thus  Laban  and 
Esau  kissed  Jacob;  thus  Joseph  kissed  his 
brethren;  and  thus  also  David  kissed  Ab- 
salom. Gen.  xxxv.  55;  xxxiii.  1-7;  xlviii.  9, 
10 ; 2 Sam.  xiv.  33. 

It  is  true,  as  I said,  at  first  setting  out  ho 
spake  heartily,  as  sometimes  sinners  also  do  in 
their  beginning  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  but 
might  not  he,  yea,  in  all  probability  he  had, 
(between  the  first  step  he  took  and  the  last  by 
which  he  accomplished  that  journey,)  many  a 
thought,  both  this  way  and  that,  as  whether  his 
father  would  receive  him  or  no?  As  thus: 
“ I said,  I would  go  to  my  father.  But  how  if 
when  I came  to  him  he  should  ask  me,  Where 
I have  all  this  while  been?  What  shall  I say 
then?  Also  if  he  ask  me,  What  is  become  of 
the  portion  of  goods  that  he  gave  me?  What 
shall  I say  then?  If  he  ask  me,  Who  have 
been  my  companions  ? "What  shall  1 say  then  ? 
If  he  also  should  ask  me,  What  hath  been  my 
preferment  in  all  the  time  of  my  absence  from 
him?  What  shall  I say  then?  Yea,  and  if  he 
ask  me,  Why  I came  home  no  sooner?  What 
shall  I say  then  ?”  Thus,  I say,  might  he  rea- 
son with  himself ; and  being  conscious  to  him- 
self that  he  could  give  but  a very  bad  answer 
to  any  of  these  interrogatories,  no  marvel  if  he 
stood  in  need  first  of  all  of  a kiss  from  his 
father’s  lips.  For  had  he  answered  the  first  in 
truth,  he  must  say,  I have  been  a haunter  of 
taverns  and  alehouses;  and  as  for  my  portion, 
I spent  it  in  riotous  living;  my  companions 
were  whores  and  drabs ; as  for  my  preferment, 
the  highest  was  that  I became  a hogherd ; and 
as  for  my  not  coming  home  till  now,  could  I 
have  made  shift  to  stay  abroad  any  longer  I 
had  not  been  at  thy  feet  for  mercy  now. 

I say  these  things  considered,  and  consider- 
ing again  how  prone  poor  men  are  to  give  way, 
when  truly  awakened,  to  despondings  and 
heart-misgivings,  no  marvel  if  he  did  sink  in 
his  mind  between  the  time  of  his  first  setting 
out,  and  that  of  his  coming  to  his  father. 

3.  But,  thirdly,  methinks  I have,  for  the 
confirmation  of  this  truth,  the  consent  of  all 


606 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


the  saints  that  are  under  heaven — to  wit,  that 
they  that  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  are  oft- 
times  heartily  afraid  that  he  will  not  receive 
them. 

Question.  But  what  should  be  the  reason  ? 

I will  answer  to  this  question  thus : 

1.  It  is  not  for  want  of  the  revealed  will  of 
God  that  manifesteth  grounds  for  the  contrary, 
for  of  that  there  is  a sufficiency ; yea,  the  text 
itself  hath  laid  a sufficient  foundation  for  en- 
couragement for  them  that  are  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ : “ And  him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in 
nowise  cast  out.” 

2.  It  is  not  for  want  of  any  invitation  to 
come,  for  that  is  full  and  plain  : “ Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and 
I will  give  you  rest.” 

3.  Neither  is  it  for  want  of  manifestation  of 
Christ’s  willingness  to  receive,  as  those  texts 
above  named,  with  that  which  follows,  declare: 
“ If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and 
drink.” 

4.  It  is  not  for  want  of  exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises  to  receive  them  that  come  : 
“ Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them  and 
be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not 
the  unclean  thing,  and  I will  receive  you,  and 
I will  be  a Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Al- 
mighty.” 

5.  It  is  not  for  want  of  solemn  oath  and  en- 
gagement to  save  them  that  come : “ For  be- 
cause he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  he  swore 
by  himself,  That  by  two  immutable  things,  in 
which  it  was  impossible  that  God  should  lie, 
we  might  have  strong  consolation  who  have 
fled  for  refuge,  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  be- 
fore us.” 

6.  Neither  is  it  for  want  of  great  examples 
of  God’s  mercy  that  have  come  to  Jesus  Christ, 
of  which  we  read  most  plentifully  in  the  word. 

Therefore  it  must  be  concluded  it  is  for  want 
of  that  which  follows : 

1.  It  is  for  want  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ. 
Thou  knowest  but  little  of  the  grace  and  kind- 
ness that  is  in  the  heart  of  Christ ; thou  know- 
est but  little  of  the  virtue  and  merit  of  his 
blood  ; thou  knowest  but  little  of  the  willing- 
ness that  is  in  his  heart  to  save  thee;  and  this 
is  the  reason  of  the  fear  that  arisetli  in  thy 
neart,  and  that  causetli  thee  to  doubt  that 
Christ  will  not  receive  thee.  Unbelief  is  the 
daughter  of  ignorance.  Therefore  Christ  saith, 
“O  fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe.” 

Slowness  of  heart  to  believe  flows  from  thy 
foolishness  in  the  things  of  Christ:  this  is 


evident  to  all  that  are  acquainted  with  them- 
selves and  are  seeking  after  Jesus  Christ.  The 
more  ignorance,  the  more  unbelief : the  more 
knowledge  of  Christ,  the  more  faith.  “ They 
that  know  thy  name  will  put  their  trust  in 
thee.”  He  therefore  that  began  to  come  to 
Christ  but  the  other  day,  and  hath  yet  but  little 
knowledge  of  him,  he  fears  that  Christ  will 
not  receive  him.  But  he  that  hath  been  longer 
acquainted  with  him,  he  is  “strong  and  hath 
overcome  the  wdcked  one.” 

When  Joseph’s  brethren  came  into  Egypt  to 
buy  corn,  it  is  said,  “Joseph  knew'  his  breth- 
ren, but  his  brethren  knew  not  him.”  What 
follows?  Why,  great  mistrust  of  heart  about 
their  speeding  well,  especially  if  Joseph  did 
but  answer  them  roughly,  calling  them  spies 
and  questioning  their  truth,  and  the  like.  And 
observe  it,  so  long  as  their  ignorance  about 
their  brother  remained  with  them,  whatsoever 
Joseph  did,  still  they  put  the  worst  sense  upon 
it.  For  instance,  Joseph  upon  a time  bids  the 
steward  of  his  house  bring  them  home  to  dine 
with  him,  to  dine  even  in  Joseph’s  house. 
And  how  is  this  resented  by  them?  Why, 
they  are  afraid:  “And  the  men  w'ere  afraid, 
because  they  were  brought  unto”  (their  broth- 
er) “Joseph’s  house.”  And  they  said,  “He 
seeketh  occasion  against  us,  and  will  fall  upon 
us  and  take  us  for  bond-men,  and  our  asses.” 
What ! afraid  to  go  to  Joseph’s  house ! He 
was  their  brother : he  intended  to  feast  them — 
to  feast  them  and  to  feast  with  them.  Ah  ! but 
they  were  ignorant  that  he  w'as  their  brother, 
and  so  long  as  their  ignorance  lasted,  so  long 
their  fear  terrified  them.  Just  thus  it  is  with 
the  sinner  that  but  of  late  is  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ:  he  is  ignorant  of  the  love  and  poity 
that  is  in  Christ  to  coming  sinners,  therefore 
he  doubts,  therefore  he  fears,  therefore  his 
heart  misgives  him. 

Coming  sinner,  Christ  inviteth  thee  to  dine 
and  sup  with  him  : he  inviteth  thee  to  a ban- 
quet of  wine,  yea  to  come  into  his  wine-cellar, 
and  his  banner  over  thee  shall  be  love.  Bev. 
xxx.  20;  Song  Sol.  ii.  5.  But  I doubt  it,  says 
the  sinner  ; but  it  is  answ’ered,  He  calls  thee, 
invites  thee  to  his  banquet,  flagons,  apples,  to 
his  wine,  and  to  the  juice  of  his  pomegranate. 
Oh  I fear,  I doubt,  I mistrust,  I tremble,  in 
expectation  of  the  contrary.  Come  out  of  the 
man,  thou  dastardly  ignorance ! Be  not  afraid, 
sinner,  only  believe.  “ He  that  cometh  to 
Christ  he  will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

Let  the  coming  sinner  therefore  seek  after 
more  of  the  good  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ, 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


G07 


press  after  it,  seek  it  as  silver,  and  dig  for  it 
as  for  bid  treasure.  This  will  embolden  thee, 
this  will  make  tbcc  wax  stronger  and  stronger. 

1 know  whom  1 have  believed : “ I know  bim,” 
saitli  l’aul;  and  what  follows?  Why,  “ I am 
persuaded  that  be  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I 
have  committed  to  him  against  that  day.” 

What  had  Paul  committed  to  Jesus  Christ? 
The  answer  is,  He  had  “committed  to  bim  bis 
soul.”  Put  why  did  be  commit  bis  soul  to 
him  ? 1 Ie  knew  bim  to  be  faithful,  to  be  kind : 
be  knew  be  would  not  fail  him  nor  forsake 
bim,  and  therefore  be  laid  bis  soul  down  at  bis 
feet,  and  committed  it  to  him  to  keep  against 
that  day.  But — 

2.  Thy  fears  that  Christ  will  not  receive  tbee 
may  be  also  a consequent  of  thy  earnest  and 
strong  desires  after  tby  salvation  by  him.  For 
this  I observe,  that  strong  desires  to  have  are 
attended  with  strong  fears  of  missing.  What 
man  most  sets  bis  heart  upon,  and  what  bis  de- 
sires are  most  after,  be  (ofttimes)  most  fears  be 
shall  not  obtain.  So  the  man,  ruler  of  the 
synagogue,  bad  a great  desire  that  bis  daughter 
should  live ; and  that  desire  was  attended  with 
fear  that  she  should  not : therefore  Christ  saitb 
unto  him,  “ Be  not  afraid.” 

Suppose  a young  man  should  have  bis 
heart  much  set  upon  a virgin  to  have  her  to 
wife:  if  ever  be  fears  be  shall  not  obtain  her 
it  is  when  be  begins  to  love.  Now,  thinks  be, 
somebody  will  step  in  betwixt  my  love  and 
the  object  of  it:  either  they  will  find  fault 
with  my  person,  my  estate,  my  condition,  or 
something. 

Now  thoughts  begin  to  work : She  doth  not 
like  me,  or  something.  And  thus  it  is  with 
the  soul  at  first  coming  to  Jesus  Christ;  thou 
lovest  him,  and  tby  love  produces  jealousy, 
and  that  jealousy  ofttimes  begets  fears. 

Now  thou  fearest  the  sins  of  thy  youth,  the 
sins  of  thine  old  age,  the  sins  of  tby  calling, 
the  sins  of  thy  Christian  duties,  the  sins  of 
thine  heart,  or  something;  thou  thinkest 
something  or  other  will  alienate  the  heart 
and  affections  of  Jesus  Christ  from  thee;  thou 
thinkest  he  sees  something  in  thee  for  the  sake 
of  which  he  will  refuse,  thy  soul. 

But  be  content;  a little  more  knowledge  of 
him  will  make  thee  take  better  heart;  thy 
earnest  desires  shall  not  be  attended  with 
such  burning  fears;  thou  shalt  hereafter  say, 
“This  is  my  infirmity.” 

Thou  art  sick  of  love,  a very  sweet  disease ; 
and  yet  every  disease  has  some  weakness  at- 
tending of  it;  yet  I wish  this  distemper  (if  it 


be  lawful  to  call  it  so)  was  more  epidemical. 
Dio  of  this  disease  I would  gladly  do:  it  is 
better  than  life  itself,  though  it  be  attended 
with  fears.  But  thou  criest  out,  I cannot  ob- 
tain : well,  be  not  too  hasty  to  make  conclu- 
sions. ' If  Jesus  Christ  had  not  put  his  finger 
in  at  the  hole  of  the  lock,  thy  bowels  would 
not  have  been  troubled  for  him.  Song  v. 
Mark  how  the  prophet  hath  it : “ They  shall 
walk  after  the  Lord : he  shall  roar  like  a lion  : 
when  he  shall  roar  the  children  shall  tremble 
from  the  west,  they  shall  tremble  like  a bird 
out  of  Egypt,  and  as  a dove  out  of  the  land 
of  Assyria.” 

When  God  roars  (as  ofttimes  the  coming 
soul  hears  him  roar)  what  man  that  is  coming 
can  do  otherwise  than  tremble?  But  trem- 
bling he  comes.  “ lie  sprang  in  and  came 
trembling,  and  fell  down  before  Paul  and 
Silas.” 

Should  you  ask  him  that  we  mentioned  but 
now,  How  long  is  it  since  you  began  to  fear 
you  should  miss  of  this  damsel  you  love  so? 
the  answer  will  be,  Ever  since  I began  to  love 
her.  But  did  you  not  fear  it  before?  No,  nor 
should  I fear  now  but  that  I vehemently  love 
her.  Come, sinner,  let  us  apply  it:  How  long 
is  it  since  thou  began  to  fear  that  Jesus  Christ 
will  not  receive  thee  ? The  answer  is,  Ever 
since  I began  to  desire  that  he  would  save  my 
soul.  I began  to  fear  when  I began  to  come, 
and  the  more  my  heart  burns  in  desires  after 
him,  the  more  1 feel  my  heart  fear  I should 
not  be  saved  by  him. 

See,  now,  did  I not  tell  thee  that  thy  fears 
were  but  the  consequence  of  strong  desires? 
Well,  fear  not,  coming  sinner;  thousands  of 
coming  souls  are  in  thy  condition,  and  yet 
they  will  get  safe  into  Christ’s  bosom.  “ Say,” 
says  Christ,  “to  them  that  are  of  a fearful 
heart,  Be  strong,  fear  not!  Your  God  will 
come  and  save  you.” 

3.  Thy  fear  that  Christ  will  not  receive 
thee  may  arise  from  a sense  of  thine  own  un- 
worthiness. Thou  seest-  what  a poor,  sorry, 
wretched,  worthless  creature  thou  art.  And 
seeing  this,  thou  fearest  Christ  will  not  re- 
ceive thee.  Alas!  sayest  thou,  I am  the 
vilest  of  all  men ; a town  sinner,  a ringleading 
sinner.  I am  not  only  a sinner  myself,  but 
have  made  others  twofold  worse  the  children 
of  hell  also.  Besides,  now  I am  under  some 
awakenings  and  stirrings  of  mind  after  salva- 
tion, even  now  I find  my  heart  rebellious,  car- 
nal, hard,  treacherous,  desperate,  prone  to  un- 
belief, to  despair:  it  forgetteth  the  word;  it 


608 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


wandereth ; it  runnetli  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth.  There  is  not,  I am  persuaded,  one  iu 
all  the  world  that  hath  such  a desperate 
wicked  heart  as  mine  is.  My  soul  is  careless 
to  do  good,  but  none  more  earnest  to  do  that 
which  is  evil. 

Can  such  a one  as  I am  live  in  glory  ? Can 
a holy,  a just,  and  a righteous  God  once  think 
(with  honour  to  his  name)  of  saving  such  a 
vile  creature  as  I am?  I fear  it.  Will  he 
show  wonders  to  such  a dead  dog  as  I am?  I 
doubt  it. 

I am  cast  out  to  the  loathing  of  my  person, 
yea,  I loathe,  myself : I stink  in  my  own  nos- 
trils. How  can  I then  be  accepted  by  a holy 
and  sin-abhorring  God?  Ps.  xxxviii.  5,  6,  7 ; 
Ezek.  x. ; xx.  42,  43,  44.  Saved  I would  be ; 
and  who  is  there  that  would  not,  were  they 
in  my  condition?  Indeed,  I wonder  at  the 
madness  and  folly  of  others  when  I see  them 
leap  and  skip  so  carelessly  about  the  mouth 
of  hell.  Bold  sinner,  how  darest  thou  tempt 
God  by  laughing  at  the  breach  of  his  holy 
law?  But,  alas!  they  fare  not  so  bad  one 
way  but  I am  worse  another : I wish  myself 
were  anybody  but  myself ; and  yet  here  again 
I know  not  what  to  wish.  When  I see  such 
as  I believe  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ,  oh 
I bless  them.  But  am  I confounded  in  my- 
self to  see  how  unlike,  as  I think,  I am  to 
a very  good  many  in  the  world.  They  can 
read,  hear,  pray,  remember,  repent,  be  hum- 
ble, do  every  thing  better  than  so  vile  a wretch 
as  I. 

I,  vile  wretch,  am  good  for  nothing  but  to 
burn  in  hell-fire,  and  when  I think  of  that  I 
am  confounded  too. 

Thus  the  sense  of  unworthiness  creates  and 
heightens  fears  in  the  hearts  of  them  that  are 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ;  but  indeed  it  should 
not,  for  who  needs  the  physician  but  the  sick? 
or  who  did  Christ  come  into  the  world  to  save 
but  the  chief  of  sinners?  Mark  i.  17 ; 1 Tim. 
i.  15.  Wherefore  the  more  thou  seest  thy 
sius,  the  faster  fly  thou  to  Jesus  Christ.  And 
let  the  sense  of  thine  own  unworthiness  pre- 
vail with  thee  yet  to  go  faster.  As  it  is  with 
the  man  that  carrieth  his  broken  arm  in  a 
sling  to  the  bone-setter,  still  as  he  thinks  of 
his  broken  arm,  and  as  he  feels  the  pain  and 
anguish,  he  hastens  his  pace  to  the  man ; and 
if  Satan  meets  thee  and  asketh,  AVhither  goest 
thou?  tell  him  thou  art  maimed  and  art  going 
to  the  Lord  Jesus.  If  he  objects  thine  own 
unworthiness,  tell  him  that  even  as  the  sick 
seeketh  the  physician,  as  he  that  hath  broken 


bones  seeks  him  that  can  set  them,  so  thou  art 
going  to  Jesus  Christ  for  cure  and  healing  for 
thy  sinsiclc  soul. 

But  it  ofttimes  happeneth  to  him  that  flies 
for  his  life,  he  despairs  of  escaping,  and  there- 
fore delivers  himself  up  into  the  hand  of  the 
pursuer.  But  up,  up,  sinner ; be  of  good  cheer; 
Christ  came  to  save  the  unworthy  one ; be  not 
faithless,  but  believe.  Come  away,  man ; the 
Lord  Jesus  calls  thee,  saying,  “And. him  that 
corneth  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

4.  Thy  fear  that  Christ  will  not  receive  thee 
may  arise  from  a sense  of  the  exceeding  mercy 
of  being  saved.  Sometimes  salvation  is  in  the 
eyes  of  him  that  desires  so  great,  so  huge,  so 
wonderful  a thing  that  the  very  thoughts  of 
the  excellency  of  it  engenders  unbelief  about 
obtaining  it  in  the  heart  of  those  that  unfeign- 
edly  desire  it.  “Seemeth  it  to  you  (saith 
David)  a light  thing  to  be  a king’s  son-in-law?” 
1 Sam.  xviii.  26.  So  the  thought  of  the  great- 
ness and  glory  of  the  thing  propounded,  as 
heaven,  eternal  life,  eternal  glory,  to  be  with 
God,  and  Christ,  and  angels,  these  are  great 
things,  things  too  good,  (saith  the  soul  that  is 
little  in  his  own  eyes,)  things  too  rich,  (saith 
the  soul  that  is  truly  poor  in  spirit,)  for  me. 

Besides,  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  a way  to 
greaten  heavenly  things  to  the  understanding 
of  the  coming  sinner,  yea,  and  at  the  very 
same  time  to  greaten  too  the  sin  and  unwor- 
thin'ess  of  that  sinner.  Now  the  soul  stagger- 
ingly wonders,  saying,  What!  to  he  made  like 
angels,  like  Christ,  to  live  in  eternal  bliss,  joy, 
and  felicity ! This  is  for  angels,  and  for  them 
that  can  walk  like  angels. 

If  a prince,  a duke,  an  earl,  should  send  (by 
the  hand  of  his  servant)  for  some  poor,  sorry, 
beggarly  scrub  to  take  her  for  his  master  to 
wife,  and  the  servant  should  come  and  say,  My 
lord  and  master  Such-a-one  hath  sent  me  to 
thee  to  take  thee  to  him  to  wife : he  is  rich, 
beautiful,  and  of  excellent  qualities ; he  is  lov- 
ing, meek,  humble,  well-spoken,  &c.,  what 
now  would  this  poor,  sorry,  beggarly  creature 
think?  What  would  she  say?  or  how  would 
she  frame  an  answer?  When  King  David 
sent  to  Abigail  upon  this  account,  and  though 
she  was  a rich  woman,  yet  she  said,  “ Behold, 
let  thine  handmaid  be  a servant  to  wash  the 
feet  of  the  servants  of  my  lord.”  She  was 
confounded,  she  could  not  well  tell  what  to 
say,  the  offer  was  so  great,  beyond  what  in 
reason  could  be  expected. 

But  suppose  this  great  person  should  second 
his  suit,  and  send  to  this  sorry  creature  again, 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CUEIST. 


♦509 


what  would  sin1  say  now?  Would  she  not  say, 
You  mock  me?  Hut  what  if  he  uflinns  that 
he  is  in  good  earnest,  and  that  his  lord  must 
have  her  to  wife — yea,  suppose  he  should  pre- 
vail upon  her  to  credit  his  message  and  to 
address  herself  for  her  journey — yet,  behold, 
every  thought  of  her  pedigree  confounds  her, 
also  her  sense  of  want  of  beauty  makes  her 
ashamed;  and  if  she  doth  but  think  of  being 
embraced,  the  unbelief  that  is  mixed  with  that 
thought  whirls  her  into  tremblings  ; and  now 
she  calls  herself  fool  for  believing  live  messen- 
ger, and  thinks  not  to  go : if  she  thinks  of 
being  bold,  she  blushes;  and  the  least  thought 
that  she  shall  be  rejected  when  she  comes  at 
him  makes  her  look  as  if  she  would  give  up 
the  ghost. 

And  is  it  a wonder,  then,  to  see  a soul  that  is 
drowned  in  the  sense  of  glory  and  a sense  of 
its  own  nothingness  to  be  confounded  in  itself, 
and  to  fear  that  the  glory  apprehended  is  too 
great,  too  good,  and  too  rich  for  such  an  one? 

That  thing,  heaven  and  eternal  glory,  is  so 
great  and  I that  would  have  it  so  small,  so 
sorry  a creature,  that  the  thoughts  of  obtaining 
it  confounds  me. 

Thus,  I say,  doth  the  greatness  of  the  things 
desired  quite  dash  and  overthrow  the  mind  of 
the  desire.  Oh  it  is  too  big,  it  is  too  big,  it  is 
too  great  a mercy ! 

But,  coming  sinner,  let  me  reason  with  thee. 
Thou  sayest,  It  is  too  big,  too  great.  Well, 
will  things  that  arc  less  gatisfy  thy  soul  ? Will 
a less  thing  than  heaven,  than  glory  and  eter- 
nal life,  answer  thy  desires?  No,  nothing  less, 
and  yet  I fear  they  are  too  big  and  too  good  for 
me  ever  to  obtain.  Well,  as  big  and  as  good 
as  they  are,  God  giveth  them  to  such  as  thou ; 
they  are  not  too  big  for  God  to  give ; no,  not 
too  big  to  give  freely  ; be  content,  let  God  give 
like  himself:  he  is  that  eternal  God,  and  giveth 
like  himself.  When  kings  give,  they  do  not 
use  to  give  as  poor  men  do.  Hence  it  is  said 
that  Nabal  made  a feast  in  his  house  like  the 
feast  of  a king;  and  again,  “All  these  things 
did  Araunah,  as  a king,  give  unto  David.” 
Now,  God  is  a great  King,  let  him  give  like  a 
king;  nay,  let  him  give  like  himself,  and  do 
thou  receive  like  thyself.  He  hath  all  and 
thou  hast  nothing.  God  told  his  people  of  old 
that  he  would  save  them  in  truth  and  in  right- 
eousness, and  that  they  should  return  to  and 
enjoy  the  land  which  before,  for  their  sins,  had 
spewed  them  out;  and  then  adds,  under  the 
supposition  of  tlieir  counting  the  mercy  too 
good  or  too  big,  “ If  it  be  marvellous  in  the 
89 


eyes  of  the  remnant  of  this  people  in  those 
days,  should  it  also  be  marvellous  in  mine 
eyes?  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.” 

As  who  should  say,  They  are  now  in  cap- 
tivity and  little  in  their  own  eyes ; therefore 
they  think  the  mercy  of  returning  to  Canaan 
is  a mercy  too  marvellously  big  for  them  to  en- 
joy ; but  if  it  be  so  in  their  eyes,  it  is  not  so 
in  mine:  I will  do  for  them  like  God,  if  they 
will  but  receive  my  bounty  like  sinners. 

Coming  sinner,  God  can  give  his  heavenly 
Canaan  and  the  glory  of  it  unto  thee;  yea, 
none  ever  had  them  but  as  a gift,  a free  gift. 
He  hath  given  us  his  Son,  “ How  shall  he  not, 
then,  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things?” 
It  was  not  the  worthiness  of  Abraham,  or 
Moses,  or  David,  or  Peter,  or  Paul,  but  the 
mercy  of  God,  that  made  them  inheritors  of 
heaven.  If  God  thinks  thee  worthy,  judge  not 
thyself  unworthy,  but  take  it  and  be  thankful. 
And  it  is  a good  sign  he  intends  to  give  thee 
if  he  hath  drawn  out  thy  heart  to  ask.  “ 0 
Lord,  thou  bast  beard  the  desire  of  the  hum- 
ble ; thou  wilt  prepare  their  hearts ; thou  wilt 
incline  thine  ear.” 

When  God  is  said  to  incline  bis  ear,  it  im- 
plies an  intention  to  bestow  the  mercy  desired. 
Take  it  therefore ; thy  wisdom  will  be  to  re- 
ceive, not  sticking  at  thy  own  unworthiness. 
It  is  said,  “ He  raiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the 
dust,  and  liftetli  up  the  beggar  from  the  dung- 
hill, to  set  them  among  princes,  and  to  make 
them  inherit  the  throne  of  glory.”  Again. 
“ He  raiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and 
liftetli  the  needy  out  of  the  dunghill,  that  he 
may  set  them  with  the  princes,  even  with  the 
pi-inces  of  his  people.” 

You  see  also  when  God  made  a wedding  for 
his  Son,  be  called  not  the  great,  nor  the  rich, 
nor  the  mighty,  but  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the 
halt,  and  the  blind. 

5.  Thy  fears  that  Christ  will  not  receive  thee 
may  arise  from  the  hideous  roaring  of  the 
devil,  who  pursues  thee.  He  that  hears  him 
roar  must  be  a mighty  Christian  if  he  can  at 
that  time  deliver  himself  from  fear.  He  is 
called  a roaring  lion;  and  then  to  allude  to 
that  in  Isaiah,  “ If  one  look  into  them,  they 
have  darkness  and  sorrow,  and  the  light  is 
darkness  in  their  very  hfaven.” 

There  are  two  things,  among  many,  that 
Satan  useth  to  roar  out  after  them  that  are 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ — 1.  That  they  are  not. 
elected;  2.  That  they  have  sinned  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

To  both  these  I answer  briefly — 


610 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


First.  Touching  election,  out  of  which  thou 
fearest  thou  art  excluded.  Why,  coming  sin- 
ner, even  the  text  itself  affordeth  thee  help 
against  this  doubt,  and  that  by  a double  argu- 
ment: 

1st.  That  coming  to  Christ  is,  by  virtue  of 
the  gift,  promise,  and  drawing  of  the  Father  ; 
but  thou  art  a-coming;  therefore  God  hath 
given  thee,  promised  thee,  and  is  drawing 
thee  to  Jesus  Christ.  Coming  sinner,  hold  to 
this,  and  when  Satan  heginneth  to  roar  again, 
answer,  But  I feel  my  heart  moving  after 
Jesus  Christ;  but  that  would  not  be  if  it  were 
not  given  by  promise  and  drawing  to  Christ 
by  the  power  of  the  Father. 

2dly.  Jesus  Christ  hath  promised  “ that  him 
that  cometh  to  him  he  will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 
And  if  he  hath  said  it,  will  he  not  make  it 
good,  I mean  even  thy  salvation?  For,  as  I 
have  said  already,  not  to  cast  out  is  to  receive 
and  admit  to  the  benefit  of  salvation.  If  then 
the  Father  hath  given  thee,  as  is  manifest  by 
thy  coming,  and  if  Christ  will  receive  thee, 
thou  coming  soul,  as  it  is  plain  he  will,  because 
he  hath  said,  “ He  will  in  nowise  cast  out,” 
then  be  confident,  and  let  these  conclusions,  that 
as  naturally  flow  from  the  text  as  light  from 
the  sun  or  water  from  the  fountain,  stay  thee. 

If  Satan  therefore  objecteth,  But  thou  art 
not  elected,  answer,  But  I am  coming,  Satan,  I 
am  coining  ; and  that  I could  not  be  but  that 
the  Father  draws  me;  and  I am  coming  to 
such  a Lord  Jesus  as  will  in  nowise  cast  me 
out.  Further,  Satan,  were  I not  elect  the 
Father  would  not  draw  me,  nor  would  the  Son 
so  graciously  open  his  bosom  to  me.  I am 
persuaded  that  not  one  of  the  non-elect  shall 
ever  be  able  to  say,  no,  not  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, I did  sincerely  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Come  they  may,  feignedly,  as  Judas  and  Simon 
Magus  did,  but  that  is  not  our  question.  There- 
fore, 0 thou  honest-hearted,  coming  sinner,  be 
not  afraid,  but  come. 

As  to  the  second  part  of  the  objection,  about 
sinning  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
same  argument  overthrows  that  also.  But  I 
will  argue  thus : 

1st.  Coming  to  Christ  is  by  virtue  of  a special 
gift  of  the  Father;  but  the  Father  giveth  no 
such  gift  to  them  that  have  sinned  that  sin  ; 
therefore  thou  that  art  coming  hast  not  com- 
mitted that  sin.  That  the -Father  giveth  no 
such  gift  to  them  that  have  sinned  that  sin  is 
evident — 

(1.)  Because  they  have  sinned  themselves 
:Dut  of  God’s  favour,  “they  shall  never  have 


forgiveness.”  But  it  is  a special  favour  of 
God  to  give  unto  a man  to  come  unto  Jesus 
Christ,  because  thereby  he  obtained  forgive- 
ness. Therefore  he  that  cometh  hath  not 
sinned  that  sin. 

(2.)  They  that  have  sinned  the  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost  have  sinned  themselves  out  of 
an  interest  in  the  sacrifice  of  Christ’s  body  and 
blood ; “ There  remains  for  such  no  more  sacri- 
fice for  sin.”  But  God  giveth  not  grace  to  any 
of  them  to  come  to  Christ  that  have  no  share 
in  the  sacrifice  of  his  body  and  blood.  There- 
fore thou  that  art  coming  to  him  hast  not 
sinned  that  sin.  Heb.  x.  26. 

2dly.  Coming  to  Christ  is  by  the  special 
drawing  of  the  Father;  “No  man  cometh  to 
me  except  the  Father,  wdiich  hath  sent  me, 
draw  him.”  But  the  Father  drawreth  not  him 
to  Christ  for  wdiom  he  hath  not  allotted  for- 
giveness by  his  blood ; therefore  they  that  are 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ  have  not  committed 
that  siu,  because  he  hath  allotted  them  for- 
giveness by  his  blood.  John  vi.  44. 

That  the  Father  cannot  draw  them  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  whom  he  hath  not  allotted  forgive- 
ness of  sins,  is  manifest  to  sense ; for  that  would 
be  a plain  mockery,  a flam,  neither  becoming 
his  wisdom,  justice,  holiness,  nor  goodness. 

3dly.  Coming  to  Jesus  Christ  lays  a man 
under  the  promise  of  forgiveness  and  salvation  ; 
but  it  is  impossible  that  he  that  hath,  sinned 
that  sin  should  ever  be  put  under  a promise  of 
these.  Therefore  he  that  hath  sinned  that  sin 
can  never  have  heart  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 

4thly.  Coming  to  Jesus  Christ  lays  a man 
under  his  intercession,  “for  he  ever  liveth 
to  make  intercession  for  them  that  come.” 
Therefore  he  that  is  coming  to  Jesus  Christ 
cannot  have  sinned  that  sin. 

Christ  has  forbid  his  people  to  pray  for  them 
that  have  sinned  that  sin ; therefore  he  will 
not  pray  for  them  himself ; but  he  prays  for 
them  that  come. 

5thly.  He  that  hath  sinned  that  sin,  Christ 
is  to  him  of  no  more  w-orth  than  is  a man  that 
is  dead  ; “ for  he  hath  crucified  to  himself  the 
Son  of  God ; yea,  and  hath  also  counted  his 
precious  blood  as  the  blood  of  an  unholy 
thing.”  Now,  he  that  hath  this  low  esteem  of 
Christ  will  never  come  to  him  for  life ; but  the 
coming  man  has  an  high  esteem  of  his  person, 
blood,  and  merits.  Therefore  he  that  is  com- 
ing has  not  committed  that  sin. 

Gthly.  If  he  that  has  sinned  this  sin  might 
yet  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  then  must  the  truth 
of  God  be  overthrown ; which  saith  in  one 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


Oil 


place,  “lie  hath  never  forgiveness, ” and  in 
another,  “I  will  in  nowise  cast  him  out.” 
Therefore,  that  he  may  never  have  forgiveness 
he  shall  never  have  heart  to  conic  to  Jesus 
Christ.  “ It  is  impossible  that  such  an  one 
should  be  renewed  either  to  or  by  repentance.” 
Wherefore,  never  trouble  thy  head  nor  heart 
about  this  matter;  lie  that  cometh  to  Jesus 
Christ  cannot  have  sinned  against  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

(5.  Thy  fears  that  Christ  will  not  receive  thee 
may  arise  from  thine  own  folly  in  inventing, 
yea,  in  thy  chalking  out  to  God,  a way  to  bring 
thee  home  to  Jesus  Christ.  Some  souls  that 
arc  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  are  great  tormentors 
of  themselves  upon  this  account;  they  conclude 
that  if  their  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  is  right, 
they  must  needs  be  brought  home  thus  and 
thus;  as  to  instance : 

(1.)  Says  one,  If  God  be  bringing  of  me  to 
Jesus  Christ,  then  will  lie  load  me  with  the 
guilt  of  sin  till  lie  makes  me  roar  again. 

(2.)  If  God  be  indeed  bringing  me  home  to 
Jesus  Christ,  then  must  I be  assaulted  with 
dreadful  temptations  of  the  devil. 

(3.)  If  God  be  indeed  bringing  me  to  Jesus 
Christ,  then  even  when  I come  at  him  I shall 
have  wonderful  revelations  of  him. 

This  is  the  way  that  some  sinners  appoint 
for  God,  but  perhaps  he  will  not  walk  therein ; 
yet  will  lie  bring  them  to  Jesus  Christ.  But 
now,  because  they  come  not  the  way  of  their 
own  chalking  out,  therefore  they  are  at  a loss. 
They  look  for  a heavy  load  and  burden,  but 
perhaps  God  gives  them  a sight  of  their  lost 
condition,  and  addeth  not  that  heavy  weight 
and  burden.  They  look  for  fearful  temptations 
of  Satan,  but  God  sees  that  yet  they  are  not  fit 
for  them,  nor  is  the  time  come  that  he  should 
be  honoured  by  them  in  such  a condition. 
They  look  for  great  and  glorious  revelations  of 
Christ,  grace,  and  mercy,  but  perhaps  God  only 
takes  the  yoke  from  off  their  jaws,  and  lays 
meat  before  them.  And  now  again  they  are  at 
a loss,  yet  a-coming  to  Christ.  “ I drew  them,” 
saith  God,  “with  the  cords  of  a man,  with  the 
bands  of  love ; I took  the  yoke  from  off  their 
jaws,  and  laid  meat  unto  them.” 

Now,  I say,  if  God  brings  thee  to  Christ, 
and  not  by  the  way  that  thou  hast  appointed, 
then  thou  art  at  a loss ; and  for  thy  being  at  a 
loss  thou  mayest  thank  thyself.  God  hath 
more  ways  than  thou  knowest  of  to  bring  a 
sinner  to  Jesus  Christ,  but  he  will  not  give 
thee  beforehand  an  account  by  which  of  them 
he  will  bring  thee  to  Christ. 


Sometimes  he  hath  his  ways  in  the  whirlwind, 
but  sometimes  the  Lord  is  not  there. 

If  God  will  deal  more  gently  with  thee  than 
with  others  of  his  children,  grudge  not  at  it; 
refuse  not  the  waters  that  go  softly,  lest  lie 
bring  up  to  thee  the  waters  of  the  rivers  strong 
and  many,  even  these  two  smoking  firebrands, 
the  devil  and  guilt  of  sin.  He  saith  to  Peter, 
“ Follow  me.”  And  what  thunder  did  Zaccheus 
hear  or  see?  “Zaccheus,  come  down,”  saith 
Christ,  “and  he  came  down,”  (says  Luke,) 
“and  received  him  joyfully.” 

But  had  Peter  or  Zaccheus  made  the  objec- 
tion that  thou  hast  made,  and  directed  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  as  thou  hast  done,  they 
might  have  looked  long  enough  before  they 
had  found  themselves  coming  to  Jesus  Christ. 

Besides,  I will  tell  thee  that  the  greatness 
of  the  sense  of  sin,  the  hideous  roaring  of  the 
devil,  yea,  abundance  of  revelations,  will  not 
prove  that  God  is  bringing  thy  soul  to  Jesus 
Christ,  as  Balaam,  Cain,  Judas,  and  others  can 
witness. 

Further,  consider  that  what  thou  hast  not  of 
these  things  here  thou  mayest  have  another 
time,  and  that  to  thy  distraction.  Wherefore, 
instead  of  being  discontent  because  thou  art 
not  in  the  fire,  because  thou  hearest  not  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet  and  alarm  of  war,  “ pray 
that  thou  enter  not  into  temptation;”  yea, 
come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  obtain 
mercy  and  find  grace  to  help  in  that  time  of 
need.  Ps.  lxxxviii.  15 ; Matt.  xi.  41 ; Heb.  iv. 
16. 

Poor  creature ! thou  criest,  If  I were  tempted 
I could  come  faster  and  with  more  confidence 
to  Jesus  Christ.  Thou  sayest  thou  knowest 
not  what.  What  says  Job? — “Withdraw  thy 
hand  from  me,  and  let  not  thy  dread  make  me 
afraid.  Then  call  thou,  and  I will  answer,  or 
let  me  speak,  and  answer  thou  me.”  It  is  not 
the  over-heavy  load  of  sin,  but  the  discovery 
of  mercy,  not  the  roaring  of  the  devil,  but  the 
drawing  of  the  Father,  that  makes  a man 
come  to  Jesus  Christ ; I myself  know  all  these 
things. 

True,  sometimes,  yea,  most  an  end,  they  that 
come  to  Jesus  Christ  come  the  way  that  thou 
desirest,  the  loading,  tempted  way;  but  the 
Lord  also  leads  some  by  the  waters  of  comfort. 
If  I was  to  choose  when  to  go  a long  journey — 
to  wit,  whether  I would  go  it  in  the  dead  of 
winter  or  in  the  pleasant  spring,  (though  if  it 
was  a very  profitable  journey,  as  that  of  com- 
ing to  Christ  is,  I would  choose  to  go  it  through 
fire  and  water  before  I would  lose  the  bene- 


612 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


fit;) — but  I say,  if  I might  choose  the  time  I 
would  choose  to  go  it  in  the  pleasant  spring, 
because  the  way  would  be  more  delightsome, 
the  days  longer  and  warmer,  the  nights  shorter 
and  not  so  cold.  And  it  is  observable  that 
very  argument  that  thou  usest  to  weaken  thy 
strength  in  the  way,  that  very  argument  Christ 
Jesus  useth  to  encourage  his  beloved  to  come 
to  him : “ Arise,”  saith  he,  “ my  love,  my  fair 
one,  and  come  away ; (why  ?)  for,  lo,  the  winter 
is  past,  the  rain  is  oyer  and  gone,  the  flowers 
appear  in  the  earth,  the  time  of  the  singing  of 
birds  is  come,  and  the  voice  of  the  turtle  is 
heard  in  the  land.  The  fig  tree  puttetli  forth 
her  green  figs,  and  the  vine,  with  her  tender 
grapes,  giveth  a good  smell.  Arise,  my  love, 
my  fair  one,  and  come  away.” 

Trouble  not  thyself,  coming  sinner ; if  thou 
seest  thy  lost  condition  by  original  and  actual 
sin,  if  thou  seest  thy  need  of  the  spotless 
righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ,  if  thou  art  will- 
ing to  be  found  in  him  and  to  take  up  thy 
cross  and  follow  him,  then  pray  for  a fair  wind 
and  good  weather,  and  come  away.  Stick  no 
longer  in  a muse  and  doubt  about  things,  but 
come  away  to  Jesus  Christ.  Do  it,  I say,  lest 
thou  tempt  God  to  lay  the  sorrows  of  a travail- 
ing woman  upon  thee.  Thy  folly  in  this  thing 
may  make  him  do  it.  Mind  what  follows : 
“ The  sorrows  of  a travailing  woman  shall 
come  upon  him.  (Why?)  He  is  an  unwise 
son  ; so  he  should  not  stay  long  in  the  place  of 
the  breaking  forth  of  children.” 

7.  Thy  fears  that  Christ  will  not  receive  tliee 
may  rise  from  those  decays  that  thou  findest  in 
thy  soul,  even  while  thou  art  coming  to  him. 
Some  even  as  they  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ 
do  find  themselves  grow  worse  and  worse ; and 
this  is  indeed  a sore  trial  to  the  poor  coming 
sinner. 

To  explain  myself:  There  is  such  an  one 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ  who,  when  at  first  he 
began  to  look  out  after  him,  was  sensible,  af- 
fectionate, and  broken  in  spirit,  but  now  is 
grown  dark,  senseless,  hard-hearted,  and  in- 
clining to  neglect  spiritual  duties,  &c.  Be- 
sides, he  now  finds  in  himself  inclinations  to 
unbelief,  atheism,  blasphemy,  and  the  like; 
now  he  finds  he  cannot  tremble  at  God’s  word, 
Iris  judgments,  nor  at  the  apprehension  of 
hell-fire:  neither  can  he,  as  he  thinketh,  be 
sorry  for  these  things.  Now  this  is  a sad  dis- 
pensation. The  man  under  the  sixth  head 
complaineth  for  want  of  temptations,  but  thou 
hast  enough  of  them ; art  thou  glad  of  them, 
tempted,  coming  sinner?  They  that  never 


were  exercised  with  them  may  think  it  a fin? 
thing  to  be  within  the  rage,  but  he  that  is  there 
is  ready  to  sweat  blood  for  sorrow  of  heart  and 
to  howl  for  vexation  of  spirit. 

This  man  is  in  the  wilderness  among  wild 
beasts.  Here  he  sees  a bear,  there  a lion, 
yonder  a leopard,  a wolf,  a dragon ; devils  of 
all  sorts,  doubts  of  all  sorts,  fears  of  all  sorts 
haunt  and  molest  his  soul.  Here  he  sees 
smoke,  yea,  some  fire  and  brimstone,  scattered 
upon  his  secret  places;  he  hears  the  sound  of 
an  horrible  tempest. 

O my  friends,  even  the  Lord  Jesus,  that 
knew  all  things,  even  he  saw  no  pleasure  in 
temptations,  nor  did  he  desire  to  be  with  them  ; 
wherefore  one  text  saith,  “he  was  led,”  and 
another,  “he  was  driven,”  of  the  Spirit  into 
the  wilderness  to  be  tempted  of  the  devil. 

But  to  return : Thus  it  hajrpeneth  some- 
times to  them  that  are  coining  to  Jesus  Christ. 
A sad  hap  indeed!  One  would  think  that  he 
that  is  flying  from  wrath  to  come  has  little 
need  of  such  clogs  as  these;  and  yet  so  it  is, 
and  woeful  experience  proves  it.  The  Church 
of  old  complained  that  her  enemies  overtook 
her  between  the  straits,  just  between  hope  and 
fear,  heaven  and  hell. 

This  man  feeleth  the  infirmity  of  his  flesh; 
he  findeth  a proneness  in  himself  to  be  despe- 
rate. Now  he  chides  with  God,  flings  and 
tumbles  like  a wild  bull  in  a net,  and  still  the 
guilt  of  all  returns  upon. himself,  to  the  crush- 
ing of  him  to  pieces.  Yet  he  feeleth  his  heart 
so  hard  that  he  can  find,  as  he  thinks,  no  kind 
falling  under  any  of  his  miscarriages.  Now 
he  is  a lump  of  confusion  in  his  own  eyes, 
whose  spirit  and  actions  are  without  order. 

Temptations  serve  Christians  as  the  shep- 
herd’s dog  serveth  the  silly  sheep;  that  is, 
coming  behind  the  flock,  he  runs  upon  it, 
pulls  it  down,  worries  it,  wounds  it,  and  griev- 
ously bedabbleth  it  with  dirt  and  wet  in  the 
lowest  places  of  the  furrows  of  the  field,  and 
not  leaving  it  until  it  is  half  dead,  nor  then 
neither,  except  God  rebuke. 

Here  is  now  room  for  fears  of  being  cast 
away.  Now  I see  I am  lost,  says  the  sinner. 
This  is  not  coming  to-  Jesus  Christ,  says  the 
sinner:  such  a desperate,  hard,  and  wretched 
heart  as  mine  is  cannot  be  a gracious  one, 
saith  the  sinner.  And  bid  such  an  one  be 
better,  he  says,  I cannot,  no,  I cannot. 

Question.  But  what  will  you  say  to  a soul  in 
this  condition? 

Answer.  I will  say  that  temptations  have  at- 
tended the  best  of  God’s  people:  I will  say 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


G13 


that  temptations  come  to  do  us  good;  and  I 
will  say  also  that  there  is  a difference  betwixt 
growing  worse  and  worse,  and  thy  seeing  more 
clearly  how  bad  thou  art. 

There  is  a man  of  an  ill-favoured  counte- 
nance who  hath  too  high  a conceit  of  his 
beauty,  and  wanting  the  benefit  of  a glass,  lie 
still  stands  in  his  own  conceit;  at  last  a limner 
is  sent  unto  him  who  draweth  his  ill-favoured 
face  to  the  life;  now,  looking  thereon,  he  begins 
to  be  convinced  that  he  is  not  half  so  hand- 
some as  he  thought  he  was.  Coming  sinner, 
thy  temptations  are  these  painters;  they  have 
drawn  out  thy  ill-favoured  heart  to  the  life 
and  have  set  it  before  thine  eyes,  and  now 
thou  seest  how  ill-favoured  thou  art. 

Hezekiah  was  a good  man,  yet  when  he  lay 
sick  (for  aught  I know)  lie  had  somewhat  too 
good  an  opinion  of  his  heart;  and,  for  aught  I 
know  also,  the  Lord  might  upon  his  recovery 
leave  him  to  a temptation,  that  he  might  better 
know  all  that  was  in  his  heart. 

Alas!  we  are  sinful  out  of  measure,  but  see 
it  not  to  the  full  until  an  hour  of  temptation 
comes.  But  when  it  comes,  it  doth  as  the 
painter  doth,  draw  out  our  heart  to  the  life; 
yet  the  sight  of  what  we  are  should  not  keep 
us  from  coming  to  Jesus  Christ. 

There  are  two  ways  by  which  God  lets  a man 
into  a sight  of  the  naughtiness  of  his  heart: 
one  is  by  the  light  of  the  word  and  Spirit  of 
God,  the  other  is  by  the  temptations  of  the 
devil.  But  by  the  first  we  see  our  naughti- 
ness one  way,  and  by  the  second,  another. 
By  the  light  of  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God 
thou  hast  a sight  of  thy  naughtiness,  and  by 
the  light  of  the  sun  thou  hast  a sight  of  the 
spots  and  defilements  that  are  in  thy  house  or 
raiment;  which  light  gives  thee  to  see  a neces- 
sity of  cleansing,  but  maketli  not  the  blemishes 
to  spread  more  abominably.  But  when  Satan 
comes,  when  he  tempts,  he  puts  life  and  rage 
into  our  sins,  and  turns  them,  as  it  were,  into 
so  many  devils  within  us.  Now,  like  prison- 
ers, they  attempt  to  break  through  the  prison 
of  our  body:  they  will  attempt  to  get  out  at 
our  eyes,  mouth,  ears,  any  ways,  to  the  scandal 
of  the  gospel  and  reproach  of  religion,  to  the 
darkening  of  our  evidences  and  damning  of 
our  souls. 

But  I shall  say,  as  I said  before,  this  has  oft- 
times  been  the  lot  of  God’s  people.  And  “no 
temptation  hath  overtaken  thee  but  such  as  is 
common  to  man;  and  God  is  faithful,  who 
will  not  suffer  thee  to  be  tempted  above  what 
thou  art  able.”  See  the  book  of  Job,  the 


book  of  Psalms,  and  that  of  the  Lamentations. 
And  remember,  farther,  that  Christ  himself 
was  tempted  to  blaspheme,  to  worship  the 
devil,  and  to  murder  himself,  (temptations 
worse  than  which  thou  canst  hardly  be  over- 
taken with.)  But  he  was  sinless,  that  is  true. 
And  he  is  thy  Saviour,  and  that  is  as  true. 
Yea,  it  is  as  true  also  that  by  his  being  tempted 
he  became  the  conqueror  of  the  tempter  and  a 
succourer  of  those  that  are  tempted. 

Question.  But  what  should  be  the  reason 
that  some  that  are  coming  to  Christ  should  be 
so  lamentably  cast  down  and  buffeted  with 
temptations? 

Answer.  It  may  be  for  several  causes. 

1.  Some  that  are  coming  to  Christ  cannot  be 
persuaded  until  the  temptation  comes  that 
they  are  so  vile  as  the  Scripture  saith  they 
are.  True,  they  see  so  much  of  their  wretch- 
edness as  to  drive  them  to  Christ,  but  there 
is  an  over  and  above  of  wickedness  which 
they  see  not.  Peter  little  thought  that  he  had 
had  cursing,  and  swearing,  and  lying,  and  an 
inclination  in  his  heart  to  deny  his  Master, 
before  the  temptation  came,  but  when  that  in- 
deed came  upon  him,  then  he  found  it  there 
to  his  sorrow. 

2.  Some  that  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  are 
too  much  affected  with  their  own  graces,  and 
too  little  taken  with  Christ’s  person ; where- 
fore God,  to  take  them  oft' from  doting  on  their 
own  jewels,  and  that  they  might  look  more  to 
the  person,  undertaking,  and  merits  of  his  Son, 
p>lunges  them  into  the  ditch  by  temptations. 
And  this  I take  to  be  the  meaning  of  Job. 
“If  I wash  me,”  saith  he,  “with  snow-water, 
and  make  myself  never  so  clean,  yet  wilt  thou 
plunge  me  in  the  ditch,  and  mine  own  clothes 
shall  abhor  me.”  Job  had  been  a'  little  too 
much  tampering  with  his  own  graces,  and  set- 
ting his  excellencies  a little  too  high.  But  by 
that  the  temptations  were  ended  you  fiud  him 
better  taught. 

Yea,  God  doth  ofttimes,  even  for  this  thing, 
as  it  were,  take  our  graces  from  us,  and  so 
leave  us  almost  quite  to  ourselves  and  to  the 
tempter,  that  we  may  learn  not  to  love  the 
picture  more  than  the  person  of  his  Son.  See 
how  he  dealt  with  them  in  the  16th  of  Ezekiel 
and  the  2d  of  Hosea. 

3.  Perhaps  thou  hast  been  given  too  much 
to  judge  thy  brother,  to  condemn  thy  brother, 
because  a poor  tempted  man;  and  God,  to 
bring  down  the  pride  of  thy  heart,  letteth  the 
tempter  loose  upon  thee,  that  thou  also  mayest 
feel  thyself  weak.  “For  pride  goeth  before 


614 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


destruction,  and  an  haughty  spirit  before  a 
fall.” 

4.  It  may  be  thou  hast  dealt  a little  too 
roughly  with  those  that  God  hath  this  way 
wounded,  not  considering  thyself  lest  thou  also 
be  tempted;  and  therefore  God  hath  suffered 
it  to  come  unto  thee. 

5.  It  may  be  thou  wast  given  to  slumber  and 
sleep,  and  therefore  these  temptations  were 
sent  to  awake  thee.  You  know  that  Peter’s 
temptation  came  upon  him  after  his  sleeping; 
then,  instead  of  watching  and  praying,  then 
he  denied,  and  denied,  and  denied  his  Master. 

6.  It  may  be  thou  hast  presumed  too  far  and 
stood  too  much  in  thine  own  strength,  and 
therefore  is  a time  of  temptation  come  upon 
thee.  This  was  also  one  cause  why  it  came 
upon  Peter:  “Though  all  men  forsake  thee, 
yet  will  not  I.”  Ah ! that  is  the  way  to  be 
tempted  indeed! 

7.  It  may  be  God  intends  to  make  thee  wise 
to  speak  a word  in  season  to  others  that  are 
afflicted,  and  therefore  he  suffereth  thee  to  be 
tempted.  Christ  was  tempted  that  he  might 
be  able  to  succour  them  that  are  tempted. 

8.  It  may  be  Satan  hath  dared  God  to  suffer 
him  to  tempt  thee,  promising  himself  that  if 
he  will  but  let  him  do  it  thou  wilt  curse  him  to 
his  face.  Thus  he  obtained  leave  against  Job ; 
wherefore  take  heed,  tempted  soul,  lest  thou 
provest  the  devil’s  saying  true. 

9.  It  may  be  thy  graces  must  be  tried  in  the 
fire,  that  that  rust  that  cleaveth  to  them  may 
be  taken  away,  and  themselves  proved,  both 
before  angels  and  devils,  to  be  far  better  than 
the  gold  that  perisheth  ; it  may  be  also  that  thy 
graces  are  to  receive  special  praises,  and  hon- 
our, and  glory  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus (to  judgment)  for  all  the  exploits  that  thou 
hast  acted  by  them  against  hell  and  its  infer- 
nal crew  in  the  day  of  thy  temptation. 

10.  It  may  be  God  would  have  others  learn 
by  thv  sighs,  groans,  and  complaints  under 
temptations  to  beware  of  those  sins  for  the 
sake  of  which  thou  art  at  present  delivered  to 
the  tormentors. 

But  to  conclude  this:  put  the  worst  to  the 
worst,  (and  then  things  will  be  bad  enough  ; ) 
suppose  that  thou  art  to  this  day  w'ithout  the 
grace  of  God,  yet  thou  art  but  a miserable 
creature,  a sinner  that  has  need  of  a blessed 
Saviour  ; and  the  text  presents  thee  with  One 
as  good  and  kind  as  heart  can  wish,  who 
also  for  thy  encouragement  saith,  “and  him 
that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast 
out.” 


To  come  therefore  to  a word  of  application. 

Is  it  so  that  they  that  are  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ  are  ofttimes  heartily  afraid  that  Jesus 
Christ  will  not  receive  them?  Then  this 
teacheth  us  these  things  : 

1.  That  faith  and  doubting  may  at  the  same 
time  have  their  residence  in  the  same  soul. 
“ 0 thou  of  little  faith ! wherefore  didst  thou 
doubt?”  Pie  saith  not,  0 thou  of  no  faith! 
but  O thou  of  little  faith ! because  he  had  a 
little  faith  in  the  midst  of  his  many  doubts. 
The  same  is  true  even  of  many  that  are  com- 
ing to  Jesus  Christ  : they  come,  and  fear  they 
come  not,  and  doubt  they  come  not.  When 
they  look  upon  the  promise  or  a word  of  en- 
couragement by  faith,  then  they  come;  when 
they  look  upon  themselves  or  the  difficulties 
that  lie  before  them,  then  they  doubt.  Bid 
me  come,  said  Peter ; Come,  said  Christ.  So 
he  went  out  of  the  ship  to  go  to  Jesus,  hut 
his  hap  was  to  go  to  him  upon  the  water; 
there  was  the  trial.  So  it  was  with  the  poor 
desiring  soul.  Bid  me  come,  says  the  sinner  ; 
Come,  says  Christ,  and  I will  in  nowise  cast 
thee  out.  So  he  comes,  but  his  hap  is  to  come 
upon  the  water,  upon  drowning  difficulties ; if 
therefore  the  wind  of  temptation  blows,  the 
waves  of  doubts  and  fears  will  presently  arise, 
and  this  coming  sinner  will  begin  to  sink  if  he 
has  but  little  faith. 

But  you  shall  find  here  in  Peter’s  little  faith 
a twofold  act — to  wit,  coming  and  crying. 
Little  faith  cannot  come  all  the  way  without 
crying.  So  long  as  its  holy  boldness  lasts,  so 
long  it  can  come  with  peace,  but  when  it  is  so 
it  can  come  no  farther,  it  will  go  the  rest  of  the 
way  with  crying.  Peter  went  as  far  as  his  little 
faith  would  carry  him : he  also  cried  as  far  as 
his  little  faith  would  help,  “ Lord,  save  me,  I 
perish  !”  And  so,  with  coming  and  crying,  he 
was  kept  from  sinking,  though  he  had  but  a lit- 
tle faith.  “ Jesus  stretched  forth  his  hand,  and 
caught  him,  and  said  unto  him,  O thou  of  little 
faith!  wherefore  didst  thou  doubt?” 

2.  Is  it  so  that  they  that  are  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ  are  ofttimes  heartily  afraid  that  Jesus 
Christ  will  not  receive  them  ? Then  this  shows 
us  a reason  of  that  dejection  and  those  castings 
down  that  very  often  we  perceive  to  be  in  them 
that  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ.  Why,  it  is 
because  they  are  afraid  that  Jesus  Christ  will 
not  receive  them.  The  poor  world,  they  mock 
us  because  we  are  a dejected  people — I mean, 
because  we  are  sometimes  so — but  they  do 
not  know  the  cause  of  our  dejection.  Could  we 
be  persuaded,  even  then  when  we  are  dejected, 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


that  Jesus  Christ  would  indeed  receive  us,  it 
would  make  us  fly  over  their  heads,  and  would 
put  more  gladness  into  our  hearts  than  in  the 
time  in  which  their  corn,  wine,  and  oil  in- 
creases. Fs.  iv. 

3.  Is  it  so  that  they  that  arc  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ  are  ofttimes  heartily  afraid  that  he  will 
not  receive  them?  Then  this  shows  that  they 
that  are  coming  to  Jesus  Christ  arc  an  awaken- 
ed, sensible,  considering  people,  for  fear  cometh 
from  sense  and  consideration  of  things.  They 
are  sensible  of  sin,  sensible  of  the  curse  due 
thereto ; they  are  also  sensible  of  the  glorious 
majesty  of  God,  and  of  what  a blessed,  blessed 
thing  it  is  to  be  received  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
glory  of  heaven  and  the  evil  of  sin,  these 
things  they  consider  and  are  sensible  of. 
“ When  I remember  I am  afraid : when  I con- 
sider I am  afraid.” 

These  things  dash  their  spirits,  being  awake 
and  sensible.  Were  they  dead,  like  other 
men,  they  would  not  be  afflicted  with  fear  as 
they  are ; for  dead  men  fear  not,  feel  not,  care 
not,  but  the  living  and  sensible  man,  he  it  is 
that  is  ofttimes  heartily  afraid  that  Jesus  Christ 
will  not  receive  him.  I say,  the  dead  and 
senseless  are  not  distressed:  they  presume, 
they  are  groundlessly  confident.  Who  so  bold 
as  blind  Bayard?  These  indeed  should  fear 
and  be  afraid  because  they  are  not  coming  to 
Jesus  Christ.  Oh  the  hell,  the  fire,  the  pit, 
the  wrath  of  God,  and  torment  of  hell  that  are 
prepared  for  poor  neglecting  sinners ! “ ITow 

shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salva- 
tion?” But  they  want  sense  of  things,  and 
cannot  fear. 

Is  it  so  that  they  that  are  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ  are  ofttimes  heartily  afraid  that  he  will 
not  receive  them?  Then  this  should  teach  old 
Christians  to  pity  and  pray  for  young  comers. 
You  know  the  heart  of  a stranger,  for  you 
yourselves  were  strangers  in  the  land  of  Egypt. 
You  know  the  fears,  the  doubts,  the  terrors  that 
take  hold  on  them,  for  that  they  sometimes 
took  hold  on  you.  Wherefore  pity  them,  pray 
for  them,  encourage  them ; they  need  all  this : 
guilt  hath  overtaken  them ; fear  of  the  wrath 
of  God  hath  overtaken  them;  perhaps  they 
are  within  the  sight  of  hell-fire,  and  the  fear  of 
going  thither  is  burning  hot  within  their  hearts. 

You  may  know  how  strangely  Satan  is  sug- 
gesting his  devilish  doubts  unto  them,  if  pos- 
sibly he  may  sink  and  drown  them  with  his 
multitude  and  weight  of  them.  Old  Chris- 
tians, mend  up  the  path  for  them,  take  the 
stumbling-blocks  out  of  the  way,  lest  that 


615 

which  is  feeble  and  weak  be  turned  aside,  but 
let  it  rather  be  healed. 

III.  I come  now  to  the  next  observation, 
and  shall  speak  a little  to  that — to  wit,  that 
Jesus  Christ  would  not  have  them  that  in  truth 
are  coming  to  him  once  think  that  he  will  cast 
them  out. 

The  text  is  full  of  this.  “And  him  that 
cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  Now 
if  he  saith,  I will  not,  he  would  not  have  us 
think  he  will. 

This  is  yet  farther  manifest  by  these  con- 
siderations : 

1.  Christ  Jesus  did  forbid  even  them  that  as 
yet  were  not  coming  to  him  once  to  think  him 
such  an  one.  “ Do  not  think,”  said  he,  “ that 
I will  accuse  you  to  the  Father.” 

These,  as  I said,  were  such  that  as  yet  were 
not  coming  to  him,  for  he  saith  of  them  a little 
before,  And  ye  will  not  come  to  me ; for  the 
respect  they  had  to  the  honour  of  men  kept 
them  back.  Yet,  I say,  Jesus  Christ  gives 
them  to  understand  that  though  he  might 
justly  reject  them,  yet  he  would  not,  but  bids 
them  not  once  to  think  that  he  would  accuse 
them  to  the  Father.  Now,  not  to  accuse  (with 
Christ)  is  to  plead  for,  for  Christ  in  these 
things  stands  not  neuter  between  the  Father 
and  sinners.  So,  then,  if  Jesus  Christ  would 
not  have  them  think  that  yet  will  not  come  to 
him  that  he  will  accuse  them,  then  he  would 
not  that  they  should  think  so  that  in  truth  are 
coming  to  him:  “And  him  that  cometh  to  me 
I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

2.  When  the  woman  taken  in  adultery  (even 
in  the  very  act)  was  brought  before  Jesus 
Christ,  he  so  carried  it  both  by  words  and  ac- 
tions that  he  evidently  enough  made  it  mani- 
fest that  condemning  and  casting  out  were  such 
things  for  the  doing  of  which  he  came  not  into 
the  world. 

Wherefore,  when  they  had  set  her  before 
him,  and  had  laid  to  her  charge  the  heinous 
fact,  he  stooped  down  and  with  his  finger 
wrote  upon  the  ground  as  though  he  heard 
them  not.  Now  what  did  he  do  by  this  car- 
riage but  testify  plainly  that  he  was  not  for  re- 
ceiving accusations  against  poor  sinners,  who- 
ever accused  by?  And  observe,  though  they 
continued  asking,  thinking  at  last  to  force  him 
to  condemn  her,  yet  then  he  so  answered  as 
that  he  drove  all  condemning  persons  from 
her.  And  then  he  adds,  for  her  encourage- 
ment to  come  to  him,  “ Neither  do  I condemn 
thee ; go  and  sin  no  more.” 

Not  but  that  he  indeed  abhorred  the  fact,  but 


616 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


he  would  not  condemn  the  woman  for  the  sin, 
because  that  was  not  his  office.  “ He  was  not 
sent  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world, 
but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be 
saved.”  Now  if  Christ,  though  urged  to  it, 
would  not  condemn  the  guilty  woman,  though 
she  was  far  at  present  from  coming  to  him,  he 
would  not  that  they  should  once  think  that  he 
will  cast  them  out  that  in  truth  are  coming  to 
him : “ And  him  that  cometh  to  me  I will  in 
nowise  cast  out.” 

3.  Christ  plainly  bids  the  turning  sinner 
come  and  forbids  him  to  entertain  any  such 
thoughts  as  that  he  will  cast  him  out.  “ Let 
the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unright- 
eous man  his  thoughts,  and  let  him  turn  unto 
the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him, 
and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly 
pardon.” 

The  Lord,  by  bidding  the  unrighteous  for- 
sake his  thoughts,  doth  in  special  forbid,  as  I 
have  said — viz.,  those  thoughts  that  hinder  the 
coming  man  in  his  progress  to  Jesus  Christ — 
his  unbelieving  thoughts. 

Therefore  he  bids  them  not  only  forsake  his 
ways,  but  his  thoughts ; “ Let  the  sinner  for- 
sake his  ways,  and  the  unrighteous  man 
his  thoughts.”  It  is  not  enough  to  forsake 
one  if  thou  wilt  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  because 
the  other  will  keep  thee  from  him.  Sup- 
pose a man  forsake  his  wicked  ways,  his  de- 
bauched and  filthy  life,  yet  if  these  thoughts 
that  Jesus  Christ  will  not  receive  him  be  en- 
tertained and  nourished  in  his  heart,  these 
thoughts  will  keep  him  from  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ. 

Sinner,  coming  sinner,  art  thou  for  coming 
to  Jesus  Christ?  Yes,  says  the  sinner.  For- 
sake thy  wicked  ways  then.  So  I do,  says  the 
sinner.  Why  coinest  thou  then  so  slowly? 
Because  I am  hindered.  What  hinders?  Has 
God  forbidden  thee  ? No.  Art  thou  not  will- 
ing to  come  faster?  Yes,  yet  I cannot.  Well, 
prithee  be  plain  with  me,  and  tell  me  the 
reason  and  ground  of  thy  discouragement. 
Why,  says  the  sinner,  though  God  forbids  me 
not,  and  though  I am  willing  to  come  faster, 
yet  there  naturally  ariseth  this  and  that  and 
the  other  thought  in  my  heart,  that  hinders 
rny  speed  to  Jesus  Christ.  Sometimes  I think 
I am  not  chosen  ; sometimes  I think  I am  not 
called  ; sometimes  I think  I am  come  too  late; 
and  sometimes  I think  I know  not  what  it  is 
to  come.  Also  one  while  I think  I have  no 
grace;  and  then,  again,  that  I cannot  pray; 
and  then,  again,  I think  I am  a very  hypo- 


crite. And  these  things  keep  me  from  coming 
to  Jesus  Christ. 

Look  ye  now,  did  I not  tell  you  so?  There 
are  thoughts  yet  remaining  in  the  heart,  even 
of  those  who  have  forsaken  their  wicked  ways ; 
and  with  those  thoughts  they  are  more  plagued 
than  with  any  thing  else,  because  they  hinder 
their  coming  to  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  sin  of 
unbelief  (which  is  the  original  of  all  these 
thoughts)  is  that  which  .besets  a coming  sinner 
more  easily  than  do  his  ways. 

But  now,  since  Jesus  Christ  commands  thee 
to  forsake  these  thoughts,  forsake  them, 
coming  sinner;  and  if  thou  forsake  them  not, 
thou  transgressest  the  commands  of  Christ, 
and  abidest  thine  own  tormentor,  and  keep- 
est  thyself  from  establishment  in  grace.  “ If 
ye  will  not  believe,  ye  shall  not  be  estab- 
lished.” 

Thus  you  see  how  Jesus  Christ  setteth  him- 
self against  such  thoughts  that  any  way  dis- 
courage the  coming  sinner,  and  thereby  truly 
vindicates  the  doctrine  we  have  in  hand— 
to  wit,  that  Jesus  Christ  would  not  have 
them  that  in  truth  are  coming  to  him  once 
think  that  he  will  cast  them  out.  “ And  him 
that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

I come  now  to  the  reasons  of  the  obser- 
vation : 

1.  If  Jesus  Christ  should  allow  thee  once  to 
think  that  he  will  cast  thee  out,  he  must  allow 
thee  to  think  that  he  will  falsify  liis  word,  for 
he  hath  said,  “I  will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  But 
Christ  would  not  that  thou  shouldst  count 
him  as  one  that  will  falsify  his  word,  for  he 
saitli  of  himself,  “ I am  the  truth ;”  therefore 
he  would  not  that  any  that  in  truth  are  coming 
to  him  should  once  think  that  he  will  cast 
them  out. 

2.  If  Jesus  Christ  should  allow  the  sinner 
that  in  truth  is  coming  to  him  once  to  think 
that  he  will  cast  them  out,  then  he  must 
allow,  and  so  countenance,  the  first  appear- 
ance of  unbelief;  the  which*  he  counteth  his 
greatest  enemy,  and- against  which  he  has  bent 
even  his  holy  Gospel.  Therefore  Jesus  Christ 
would  not  that  they  that  in  truth  are  coming 
to  him  should  once  think  that  he  will  cast 
them  out. 

3.  If  Jesus  Christ  should  allow  the  coming 
sinner  once  to  think  that  he  will  cast  him  out, 
then  he  must  allow  him  to  make  a question 
whether  he  is  willing  to  receive  his  Father’s 
gift,  for  the  coming  sinner  is  his  Father’s 
gift;  as  also  says  the  text;  but  he  testifieth, 
“ All  that  the  Father  giveth  him  shall  come 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


C17 


to  him;  and  him  that  eomcth  he  will  in  no- 
wise cast  out.”  Therefore  Jesus  Christ  would 
not  have  him  that  in  truth  is  coming  to  him 
once  to  think  that  he  will  cast  him  out. 

4.-  If  Jesus  Christ  should  allow  them  once  to 
think  that  indeed  are  coming  to  him  that  he 
will  cast  them  out,  he  must  allow  them  to 
think  that  lie  will  despise  and  reject  the 
drawing  of  his  Father  ; for  no  man  can  come 
to  him  but  whom  the  Father  draweth.  But  it 
would  be  high  blasphemy  and  damnable  wick- 
edness once  to  imagine  thus.  Therefore,  Jesus 
Christ  would  not  have  him  that  cometh  once 
think  that  he  will  cast  him  out. 

5 If  Jesus  Christ  should  allow  those  that 
indeed  are  coming  to  him  once  to  think  that 
he  will  cast  them  out,  he  must  allow  them  to 
think  that  lie  will  be  unfaithful  to  the  trust 
and  charge  that  his  Father  hath  committed  to 
him;  which  is  to  save  and  not  to  lose  any- 
thing of  that  which  lie  hath  given  unto  him 
to  save.  But  the  Father  hath  given  him 
a charge  to  save  the  coming  sinner;  therefore 
it  cannot  be  that  he  should  allow  that  such 
an  one  should  once  think  that  he  will  cast 
him  out. 

6.  If  Jesus  Christ  should  allow  that  they 
should  once  think  that  are  coming  to  him  that 
he  will  cast  them  out,  then  he  must  allow 
them  to  think  that  he  will  be  unfaithful  to 
his  office  of  priesthood ; for  as  by  the  first 
part  of  it  he  paid  price  for  and  ransomed 
souls,  so  by  the  second  part  thereof  he  con- 
tinually maketh  intercession  to  God  for  them 
that  come.  But  he  cannot  allow  us  to  ques- 
tion his  faithful  execution  of  his  priesthood, 
therefore  he  cannot  allow  us  once  to  think 
that  the  coming  sinner  shall  be  cast  out. 

7.  If  Jesus  Christ  should  allow  us  once  to 
think  that  the  coming  sinner  shall  be  cast  out, 
then  he  must  allow  us  to  question  his  will,  or 
power,  or  merit  to  save.  But  he  cannot  allow 
us  once  to  question  any  of  these;  therefore  not 
once  to  think  that  the  coming  sinner  shall  be 
cast  out. 

(1.)  lie  cannot  allow  us  to  question  his  will, 
for  he  saith  in  the  text,  “ I will  in  nowise  cast 
out.” 

(2.)  He  cannot  allow  us  to  question  his 
power,  for  the  Holy  Ghost  saith  he  i's  able  to 
save  to  the  uttermost  them  that  come. 

(3.)  He  cannot  allow  us  to  question  his 
merit,  for  the  blood  of  Christ  cleanseth  the 
comer  from  all  sin  ; therefore  he  cannot  allow 
that  he  that  is  coming  to  him  should  once 
think  that  he  will  cast  them  out. 


8.  If  Jesus  Christ  would  allow  the  coming 
sinner  once  to  think  that  he  will  cast  him  out, 
he  must  allow  him  to  give  the  lie  to  the  man- 
ifest testimony  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit; 
yea,  to  the  whole  Gospel  contained  in  Moses, 
the  Prophets,  the  book  of  Psalms,  and  that 
commonly  called  the  New  Testament.  But  he 
cannot  allow  of  this;  therefore  not  that  the 
coming  sinner  should  once  think  he  will  cast 
him  out. 

!).  Lastly,  if  Jesus  Christ  should  allow  him 
that  is  coming  to  him  once  to  think  that  he 
will  cast  him  out,  he  must  allow  him  to  ques- 
tion his  Father’s  oath,  which  he  in  truth  and 
righteousness  hath  taken,  that  they  might  have 
a strong  consolation  who  have  fled  for  refuge 
to  Jesus  Christ.  But  he  cannot  allow  this; 
therefore  he  cannot  allow  that  the  coming  sin- 
ner should  once  think  that  he  will  cast  him  out. 

I come  now  to  make  some  general  use  and 
application  of  the  whole,  and  so  to  draw 
towards  a conclusion : 

I.  The  first  use,  a use  of  information  ; and  it 
informeth  us  that  men  by  nature  are  far  off 
from  Christ. 

Let  me  a little  improve  this  use  by  speaking 
to  these  three  questions : 

1.  Where  is  he  that  is  not  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ? 

2.  What  is  he  that  is  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ? 

3.  Whither  is  he  to  go  that  cometh  not  to 
Jesus  Christ? 

First.  Where  is  he? 

Armver.  1.  lie  is  far  from  God,  he  is  without 
him,  even  alienated  from  him,  both  in  his  un- 
derstanding, will,  affections,  and  conscience. 

2.  He  is  far  from  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the 
only  deliverer  of  men  from  hell-fire. 

3.  He  is  far  from  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  work  of  regeneration  and  a second 
creation,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

4.  He  is  far  from  being  righteous — that 
righteousness  that  should  make  him  accept- 
able in  God’s  sight. 

5.  He  is  under  the  power  and  dominion  of 
sin  ; sin  reigneth  in  and  over  him  ; it  dwelleth 
in  every  faculty  of  his  soul  and  member  of  his 
body,  so  that  from  head  to  foot  there  is  no 
place  clean. 

6.  He  is  in  the  pest-house  with  Uzziah,  and 
excluded  the  camp  of  Israel  with  the  lepers. 

7.  His  life  is  among  the  unclean : “ He  is  in 
the  gall  of  bitterness  and  in  the  bond  of  in- 
iquity.” 


618 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


8.  He  is  in  sin,  in  the  flesh,  in  death,  in  the 
snare  of  the  devil,  and  is  taken  captive  by  him 
at  his  will. 

9.  He  is  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  the 
devils  dwell  in  him  and  have  the  mastery  of 
him. 

10.  He  is  in  darkness,  and  walketh  in  dark- 
ness', and  knows  not  whither  he  goes,  for  dark- 
ness has  blinded  his  eyes. 

11.  He  is  in  the  broad  way  that  leadetli  to 
destruction,  and,  holding  on,  he  will  assuredly 
go  in  at  the  broad  gate,  and  so  go  down  the 
stairs  to  hell. 

Secondly.  What  is  he  that  cometh  not  to 
Jesus  Christ? 

1.  He  is  counted  one  of  God’s  enemies. 

2.  He  is  a child  of  the  devil  and  of  hell ; for 
the  devil  begat  him  as  to  his  sinful  nature,  and 
hell  must  swallow  him  at  last,  because  he  com- 
eth not  to  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  He  is  a child  of  wrath,  an  heir  of  it;  it  is 
his  portion,  and  God  will  repay  it  him  to  his 
face. 

4.  He  is  a self-murderer;  he  wrongeth  his 
own  soul,  and  is  one  that  loveth  death. 

5.  He  is  a companion  for  devils  and  damned 
men. 

Thirdly.  Where  is  he  like  to  go  that  cometh 
not  to  Jesus  Christ? 

1.  He  that  cometh  not  to  him  is  like  tp  go 
farther  from  him,  for  every  sin  is  a step  farther 
from  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  As  he  is  in  darkness,  so  he  is  like  to  go 
on  in  it;  for  Christ  is  the  Light  of  the  world, 
and  he  that  comes  not  to  him  walketh  in  dark- 
ness. 

3.  He  is  like  to  be  removed  at  last  as  far 
from  God  and  Christ,  and  heaven,  and  all  fe- 
licity as  an  infinite  God  can  remove  him. 

But,  secondly.  This  doctrine  of  coming  to 
Christ  informeth  us  where  poor  destitute  sin- 
ners may  find  life  for  their  souls,  and  that  is  in 
Christ.  This  life  is  in  his  Son ; he  that  hath 
the  Son  hath  life.  And  again,  “ Whoso  find- 
eth  me  findeth  life,  and  shall  obtain  favour  of 
the  Lord.”  ' 

Now,  for  further  enlargement,  I will  also 
here  propound  three  more  questions: 

1.  What  life  is  in  Christ? 

2.  Who  may  have  it? 

3.  Upon  what  terms? 

First.  What  life  is  in  Jesus  Christ? 

1.  There  is  justifying  life  in  Christ.  Man 
by  sin  is  dead  in  law,  and  Christ  only  can  de- 
liver him  by  his  righteousness  and  blood  from 
this  death  into  a state  of  life;  “For  God  sent 


his  Son  into  the  world,  that  we  might  live 
through  him;”  that  is,  through  the  righteous- 
ness which  he  should  accomplish  and  the 
death  that  he  should  die. 

2.  There  is  eternal  life  in  Christ — life  that 
is  endless,  life  for  ever  and  for  ever.  “He 
hath  given  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in 
his  Son.” 

Now,  justification  and  eternal  salvation 
being  both  in  Christ,  and  nowhere  else  to  be 
had  for  men,  who  would  not  come  to  Jesus 
Christ  ? 

Secondly.  Who  may  have  this  life  ? 

I answer,  poor,  helpless,  miserable  sinners. 
Particularly — 

1.  Such  as  are  willing  to  have  it:  “Whoso- 
ever will,  let  him  take  of  the  water  of  life.” 

2.  He  that  thirstetlr  for  it:  “I  will  give  him 
that  is  athirst  of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of 
life.” 

3.  He  that  is  weary  of  his  sins : “ This  is  the 
rest  whereby  you  may  cause  the  weary  to  rest, 
and  this  is  the  refreshing.” 

4.  He  that  is  poor  and  needy:  “He  shall 
spare  the  poor  and  needy,  and  shall  save  the 
souls  of  the  needy.” 

5.  He  that  followeth  after  him,  crieth  for 
life : “ He  that  follows  me  shall  not  walk  in 
darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life.” 

Thirdly.  Upon  what  terms  may  he  have 
this  life? 

Answer.  Freely.  Sinner,  dost  thou  hear? 
Thou  mayest  have  it  freely.  Let  him  take  of 
the  water  of  life  freely.  I will  give  him  of  the 
fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely ; “ And 
When  they  had  nothing  -to  pay,  he  freely  for- 
gave them  both.” 

Freely,  without  money  or  without  price. 
“ Ho ! every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters  ; and  he  that  hath  no  money,  come,  buy 
and  eat : yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk,  with- 
out money  and  without  price.” 

Sinner,  art  thou  thirsty?  art  thou  weary? 
art  thou  willing?  Come,  then,  and  regard  not 
your  stuff,  for  all  the  good  that  is  in  Christ  is 
offered  to  the  coming  sinner  without  money 
and  without  price.  He  has  life  to  give  away  to 
such  as  want  it  and  that  have  not  a penny  to 
purchase  it ; and  he  will  give  it  freely.  Oh, 
what  a blessed  condition  is  the  coming  sin- 
ner in ! 

But,  thirdly.  This  doctrine  of  coming  to 
Jesus  Christ  for  life  informeth  us  that  it  is  to 
be  had  nowhere  else.  Might  it  be  had  any- 
where else,  the  text  and  Him  that  spoke  it 
would  be  but  little  set  by ; for  what  great  mat- 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


619 


tor  is  there  in  “I  will  in  nowise  cast  out”  if 
another  stood  by  that  would  rcceivo  thorn? 
Ihit  here  appears  the  glory  of  Christ,  that  none 
hut  lie  can  save.  And  hero  appears  his  love, 
that  though  none  can  save  but  lie,  yet  he  is 
not  coy  in  saving.  “ But  him  that  cometh  to 
mo,”  saith  he,  “ I will  in  nowise  cast  out.” 

That  none  can  save  but  Jesus  Christ  is  evi- 
dent from  Acts  iv.  12:  “Neither  is  there  sal- 
vation in  any  other;  and  he  hath  given  us 
eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son.”  If 
life  could  have  been  had  anywhere  else,  it 
should  have  been  in  the  law ; but  it  is  not  in 
the  law,  for  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  no  man 
living  shall  be  justified — then  no  life. 

Therefore  life  is  nowhere  to  be  had  but  in 
Jesus  Christ. 

Question.  But  why  would  God  so  order  it 
that  life  should  be  had  nowhere  else  but  in 
Jesus  Christ? 

Answer.  There  is  reason  for  it,  and  that  both 
with  respect  to  God  and  us. 

First,  with  respect  to  God. 

1.  That  it  might  be  in  a way  of  justice  as 
well  as  mercy:  and  in  a way  of  justice  it  could 
not  have  been  if  it  had  not  been  by  Christ, 
because  he,  and  he  only,  was  able  to  answer 
the  demand  of  the  law,  and  give  for  sin  what 
the  justice  thereof  required.  All  angels  had 
been  crushed  down  to  hell  for  ever  had  that 
curse  been  laid  upon  them  for  our  sins  which 
was  laid  upon  Jesus  Christ ; but  it  was  laid 
upon  him,  and  he  bare  it  and  answered  the 
penalty,  and  redeemed  his  people  from  under 
it,  with  that  satisfaction  to  divine  justice  that 
God  himself  doth  now  proclaim  that  he  is 
faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  if  by  faith  we 
shall  venture  to  Jesus,  and  trust  to  what  he 
has  done  for  life. 

2.  Life  must  be  by  Jesus  Christ,  that  God 
might  be  adored  and  magnified  for  finding  out 
this  way.  This  is  the  Lord’s  doings,  that  in 
all  things  he  might  be  glorified  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord. 

3.  It  must  be  by  Jesus  Christ,  that  life  might 
be  at  God’s  dispose,  who  hath  great  pity  for 
the  poor,  the  lowly,  the  meek,  the  broken  in 
heart,  and  for  them  that  others  care  not  for. 

4.  Life  must  be  in  Christ,  to  cut  off  boasting 
from  the  lips  of  men.  This  also  is  the  apos- 
tle’s reason. 

Secondly,  life  must  be  in  Jesus  Christ  with 
respect  to  us. 

1.  That  we  might  have  it  upon  the  easiest 
terms — to  wit,  freely,  as  a gift,  not  as  wages. 
Was  it  in  his  Moses’s  hand  we  should  hardly 


come  at  it.  Was  it  in  the  people’s  hand  we 
should  pay  soundly  for  it.  But,  thanks  be  to 
God ! it  is  in  Christ,  laid  up  in  him,  and  by 
him  to  be  communicated  to  sinners  upon  easy 
terms,  even  to  receiving,  accepting,  and  em- 
bracing with  thanksgiving,  as  the  Scriptures 
plainly  declare. 

2.  Life  is  in  Christ  for  us,  that  it  might  not 
be  upon  so  brittle  a foundation  as  indeed  it 
would  had  it  been  anywhere  else.  The  law 
itself  is  weak  because  of  us  as  to  this;  but 
Christ  is  a tried  stone,  a sure  foundation,  one 
that  will  not  fail  to  bear  thy  burden  and  to 
receive  thy  soul,  coming  sinner. 

3.  Life  is  in  Christ,  that  it  might  be  sure  to 
all  the  seed.  Alas ! the  best  of  us,  was  life  left 
in  our  hands,  to  be  sure  we  should  forfeit  it 
over,  and  over,  and  over;  or,  was  it  in  any 
other  hand,  we  should,  by  our  often  backslid- 
ings,  so  offend  him  that  at  last  he  would  shut 
up  his  bowels  in  everlasting  displeasure  against 
us.  But  now  it  is  in  Christ;  it  is  with  one 
that  can  pity,  pray  for,  pardon,  yea,  multiply 
pardons ; it  is  with  one  that  can  have  compas- 
sion upon  us  when  we  are  out  of  the  way,  with 
one  that  hath  a heart  to  fetch  us  again  when 
we  are  gone  astray,  with  one  that  can  pardon 
without  upbraiding.  Blessed  be  God  that  life 
is  in  Christ!  for  now  it  is  sure  to  all  the  seed. 

But,  fourthly,  this  doctrine  of  coming  to 
Jesus  Christ  for  life  informs  us  of  the  evil  of 
unbelief,  that  wicked  thing  that  is  the  only  or 
chief  hindrance  to  the  coming  sinner.  Doth 
the  text  say,  Come?  Doth  it  say,  “And  him 
that  cometh  to  me  I will  in  nowise  cast  out?” 
Then  what  an  evil  is  that  that  keepeth  sinners 
from  coming  to  Jesus  Christ!  And  that  evil 
is  unbelief;  for  by  faith  we  come,  by  unbelief 
we  keep  away.  Therefore  it  is  said  to  be  that 
by  which  a soul  is  said  to  depart  from  God, 
because  it  was  that  which  at  first  caused  the 
world  to  go  oil’  from  him,  and  that  also  that 
keeps  them  from  him  to  this  day.  And  it  doth 
it  the  more  easily  because  it  doth  it  with  a wile. 

This  sin  may  be  called  the  white  devil,  for  it 
ofttimes,  in  its  mischievous  doing  in  the  soul, 
shows  as  if  it  were  an  angel  of  light,  yea,  it 
actetli  like  a counsellor  of  heaven.  Therefore, 
a little  to  discourse  of  this  evil  disease: 

1.  It  is  that  sin,  above  all  others,  that  hath 
some  show  of  reason  in  its  attempts:  for  it 
keeps  the  soul  from  Christ  by  pretending  its 
present  unfitness  and  unpreparedness,  as  want 
of  more  sense  of  sin,  want  of  more  repentance, 
want  of  more  humility,  want  of  a more  broken 
heart. 


620 


JBUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


2.  It  is  the  sin  that  most  suitetb  with  the 
conscience.  The  conscience  of  the  coming 
sinner  tells  him  that  he  hath  nothing  good; 
that  he  stands  indictable  for  ten  thousand 
talents ; that  he  is  a very  ignorant,  blind,  and 
hard-hearted  sinner,  unworthy  to  be  once 
taken  notice  of  by  Jesus  Christ;  and  will  you, 
says  Unbelief,  in  such  a case  as  you  now  are, 
presume  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ? 

3.  It  is  the  sin  that  most  suiteth  with  our 
sense  of  feeling.  The  coming  sinner  feels  the 
workings  of  sin,  of  all  manner  of  sin  and 
wretchedness  in  his  flesh : he  also  feels  the 
wrath  and  judgment  of  God  due  to  sin,  and 
ofttimes  staggers  under  it.  Now,  says  Unbe- 
lief, you  may  see  you  have  no  grace,  for  that 
which  works  in  you  is  corruption.  You  may 
also  perceive  that  God  doth  not  love  you,  be- 
cause the  sense  of  his  wrath  abides  upon  you. 
Therefore,  how  can  you  have  the  face  to  come 
to  Jesus  Christ? 

4.  It  is  that  sin,  above  all  others,  that  most 
suiteth  the  wisdom  of  our  flesh.  The  wisdom 
of  our  flesh  thinks  it  prudence  to  question 
awhile,  to  stand  back  awhile,  to  hearken  to 
both  sides  awhile,  and  not  to  be  rash,  sudden, 
or  unadvised  in  too  bold  a presuming  upon  Je- 
sus Christ.  And  this  wisdom  Unbelief  falls 
in  with. 

5.  It  is  the  sin,  above  all  others,  that  contin- 
ually is  whispering  the  soul  in  the  ear  with 
mistrusts  of  the  faithfulness  of  God  in  keeping 
promise  to  them  that  come  to  Jesus  Christ  for 
life.  It  also  suggests  mistrusts  about  Christ’s 
willingness  to  receive  it  and  save  it.  And  no 
sin  can  do  this  so  artificially  as  Unbelief. 

6.  It  is  also  that  sin  which  is  always  at  hand 
to  enter  an  objection  against  this  or  that 
promise  that  by  the  Spirit  of  God  is  brought 
to  our  heart  to  comfort  us;  and  if  the  poor 
coming  sinner  is  not  aware  of  it,  it  will,  by 
some  exaction,  sleight,  trick,  or  cavil,  quickly 
wrest  from  him  the  promise  again,  and  he  shall 
have  but  little  benefit  of  it. 

7.  It  is  that  above  all  other  sins  that  weak- 
ens our  prayers,  our  faith,  our  love,  our  dili- 
gence, our  hope,  and  expectations : it  even 
taketh  the  heart  away  from  God  in  duty. 

8.  Lastly,  this  sin,  as  I have  said  even  now, 
appears  in  the  soul  with  so  many  sweet  pre- 
tences to  safety  and  security  that  it  is,  as  it 
were,  counsel  sent  from  heaven,  bidding  the 
soul  to  be  wise,  wary,  considerate,  well-advised, 
and  to  take  heed  of  too  rash  a venture  upon 
believing.  Be  sure,  first,  that  God  loves  you ; 
take  hold  of  no  promise  until  you  are  forced 


by  God  unto  it ; neither  be  you  sure  of  your 
salvation;  doubt  it  still,  though  the  testimony 
of  the  Lord  has  been  often  confirmed  in  you. 
Live  not  by  faith,  but  by  sense  ; and  when  you 
can  neither  see  nor  feel,  then  fear  and  mistrust, 
then  doubt  and  question  all.  This  is  the  dev- 
ilish counsel  of  Unbelief,  which  is  so  covered 
over  with  specious  pretences  that  the  wisest 
Christian  can  hardly  shake  off  these  reason- 
ings. 

But  to  be  brief:  let  me  here  give  the  Chris- 
tian reader  a more  particular  description  of 
the  qualities  of  unbelief,  by  opposing  faith 
unto  it,  in  these  twenty-five  particulars : 

1.  Faith  believeth  the  word  of  God,  but 
unbelief  questioneth  the  certainty  of  the  same. 

2.  Faith  believeth  the  word,  because  it  is 
true,  but  unbelief  doubteth  thereof,  because  it 
is  true. 

3.  Faith  sees  more  in  a promise  of  God  to 
help  than  in  all  other  things  to  hinder,  but 
unbelief,  notwithstanding  God’s  promise,  saith, 
How  can  these  things  be? 

4.  Faith  will  make  thee  see  love  in  the  heart 
of  Christ  when  with  his  mouth  he  giveth  re- 
proofs, but  unbelief  will  imagine  wrath  in  his 
heart  when  with  his  mouth  and  word  he  saith 
he  loves  us. 

5.  Faith  will  help  the  soul  to  wait,  though 
God  defers  to  give,  but  unbelief  will  take  snuff 
and  throw  up  all  if  God  makes  any  tarrying. 

6.  Faith  will  give  comfort  in  the  midst  of 
fears,  but  unbelief  causeth  fears  in  the  midst 
of  comforts. 

7.  Faith  will  suck  sweetness  out  of  God’s 
rod,  but  unbelief  can  find  no  comfort  in  its 
greatest  mercies. 

8.  Faith  maketh  great  burdens  light,  but 
unbelief  maketh  light  ones  intolerably  heavy. 

9.  Faith  lielpeth  us  when  we  are  down,  but 
unbelief  throws  us  down  when  we  are  up. 

10.  Faith  bringeth  us  near  to  God  when  we 
are  far  from  him,  but  unbelief  puts  us  far  from 
God  when  we  are  near  to  him. 

11.  Where  faith  reigns,  it  declareth  them  to 
be  the  friends  of  God,  but  where  unbelief 
reigns,  it  declareth  them  to  be  his  enemies. 

12.  Faith  putteth  a man  under  grace,  but 
unbelief  holdeth  him  under  wrath. 

13.  Faith  purifieth  the  heart,  but  unbelief 
keepeth  it  polluted  and  impure. 

14.  By  faith  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is 
imputed  to  us,  but  by  unbelief  we  are  shut  up 
under  the  law  to  perish. 

15.  Faith  maketh  our  work  acceptable  to 
God  through  Christ,  but  whatsoever  is  of  un- 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CUlilST. 


belief  is  sin,  for  without  faith  it  is  impossible 
to  pleast  him. 

16.  Faith  giveth  us  peace  and  comfort  in 
our  soum,  but  unbelief  worketh  trouble  and 
tossings  like  the  restless  waves  of  the  sea. 

17.  Faith  maketh  us  see  preciousness  in 
Christ,  but  unbelief  sees  no  form,  beauty,  or 
comeliness  in  him. 

18.  By  faith  we  have  our  life  in  Christ’s 
fulness,  but  by  unbelief  we  starve  and  pine 
away. 

19.  Faith  gives  us  the  victory  over  the  law, 
sin,  death,  the  devil,  and  all  evils,  but  unbe- 
lief layeth  us  obnoxious  to  them  all. 

20.  Faith  will  show  us  more  excellency  in 
things  not  seen  than  in  them  that  are,  but  un- 
lief  sees  more  of  things  that  are  than  in 
things  that  will  be  hereafter. 

21.  Faith  makes  the  ways  of  God  pleasant 
and  admirable,  but  unbelief  maketh  them 
heavy  and  hard. 

22.  By  faith  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob 
possessed  the  land  of  promise,  but  because  of 
unbelief  neither  Aaron,  nor  Moses,  nor  Miriam 
could  get  thither. 

23.  By  faith  the  children  of  Israel  passed 
through  the  Red  Sea,  but  by  unbelief  the  gen- 
erality of  them  perished  in  the  wilderness. 

24.  By  faith  Gideon  did  more  with  three 
hundred  men  and  a few  empty  pitchers  than 
all  the  twelve  tribes  could  do,  because  they 
believed  not  God. 

25.  By  faith  Peter  walked  on  the  water,  but 
by  unbelief  he  began  to  sink. 

Thus  might  many  more  be  added,  which,  for 
brevity’s  sake,  I omit,  beseeching  every  one 
that  thinketh  he  hath  a soul  to  save  or  be 
damned  to  take  heed  of  unbelief,  lest,  seeing 
there  is  a promise  left  us  of  entering  into  his 
rest,  any  of  us  by  unbelief  should  indeed  come 
short  of  it. 

II.  The  second  use : a use  of  examination. 

We  come  to  a use  of  examination.  Sinner, 
thou  hast  heard  of  the  necessity  of  coming  to 
Christ,  also  of  the  willingness  of  Christ  to 
receive  the  coming  soul,  together  with  the 
benefit  that  they  by  him  shall  have  that  in- 
deed come  to  him.  Put  thyself  now  upon 
this  serious  inquiry,  Am  I indeed  come  to 
Jesus  Christ? 

Motives  plenty  I might  here  urge  to  prevail 
with  thee  to  a conscientious  performance  of 
this  duty — as, 

1.  Thou  art  in  sin,  in  the  flesh,  in  death,  in 
the  snare  of  the  devil,  and  under  the  curse  of 
the  law  if  you  are  not  coming  to  Jesus  Christ. 


G21 

2.  There  is  no  way  to  be  delivered  from 
these  but  by  coming  to  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  If  thou  comest,  Jesus  Christ  will  receive 
thee  and  will  in  nowise  cast  thee  out. 

4.  Thou  wilt  not  repent  it  in  the  day  of 
judgment  if  thou  now  comest  to  Jesus  Christ. 

5.  But  thou  wilt  surely  mourn  at  last  if 
now  thou  shalt  refuse  to  come.  And, 

6.  Lastly.  Now  thou  hast  been  invited  to 
come;  now  will  thy  judgment  be  greater  and 
thy  damnation  more  fearful  if  thou  shalt  yet 
refuse  than  if  thou  hast  never  heard  of  coming 
to  Christ. 

Objection.  But  we  hope  we  are  come  to 
Jesus  Christ. 

Answer.  It  is  well  if  it  proves  so.  But  lest, 
thou  shouldest  speak  without  ground,  and  so 
fall  unawares  into  hell-fire,  let  us  examine  a 
little. 

First.  Art  thou  indeed  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ?  What  hast  thou  left  behind  thee? 
What  didst  thou  come  away  from  in  thy 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ? 

When  Lot  came  out  of  Sodom  he  left  the 
Sodomites  behind  him. 

When  Abraham  came  out  of  Chaldea  he 
left  his  country  and  kindred  behind. 

When  Ruth  came  to  put  her  trust  under  the 
wings  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  she  left  her 
father  and  mother,  her  gods,  and  the  land  of 
her  nativity  behind  her. 

When  Peter  came  to  Christ  he  left  his  nets 
behind  him. 

When  Zacclieus  came  to  Christ  he  left  the 
receipt  of  custom  behind  him. 

When  Paul  came  to  Christ  he  left  his  own 
righteousness  behind  him. 

When  those  that  used  curious  arts  came  to 
JesuS  Christ  they  took  their  curious  books  and 
burned  them,  though  in  another  man’s  eye 
they  were  counted  worth  fifty  thousand  pieces 
of  silver. 

What  sayest  thou,  man?  Hast  thou  left 
thy  darling  sins,  thy  Sodomitisli  pleasures, 
thy  acquaintance  and  vain  companions,  thy 
unlawful  gain,  thy  idol  gods,  thy  righteous- 
ness, and  thy  unlawful  curious  arts  behind 
thee?  If  any  of  these  be  with  thee,  and  thou 
with  them  in  thy  heart  and  life,  thou  art  not 
yet  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 

Secondly.  Art  thorn  come  to  Jesus  Christ  ? 
Prithee,  tell  me  what  moved  thee  to  come  to 
Jesus  Christ?  Men  do  not  usually  come  or 
go  to  this  or  that  place  before  they  have  a 
moving  cause,  or  rather  a cause  moving  them 
thereto : no  more  do  they  come  to  Jesus  Christ 


622 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


(I  do  not  say  before  they  have  a cause,  but) 
before  that  cause  moveth  them  to  come.  What 
sayest  thou?  Hast  thou  a catise  moving  thee 
to  come  ? To  be  at  present  in  a state  of  con- 
demnation is  cause  sufficient  for  men  to  come 
to  Jesus  Christ  for  life,  but  that  will  not  do 
except  the  cause  moves  them,  the  which  it 
will  never  do  until  their  eyes  be  opened  to  see 
themselves  in  that  condition.  For  it  is  not  a 
man’s  being  under  wrath,  but  his  seeing  it, 
that  moveth  him  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Alas ! all  men  by  sin  are  under  wrath,  yet  but 
few  of  that  all  come  to  Jesus  Christ;  and  the 
reason  is,  because  they  do  not  see  their  condi- 
tion. “Who  hath  warned  you  to  flee  from 
the  wrath  to  come?”  Until  men  are  warned, 
and  also  receive  the  warning,  they  will  not 
come  to  Jesus  Christ. 

Take  three  or  four  instances  for  this : 

1.  Adam  and  Eve  came  not  to  Jesus  Christ 
until  they  received  the  alarm,  the  conviction 
of  their  undone  state  by  sin. 

2.  The  children  of  Israel  cried  not  out  for  a 
mediator  before  they  saw  themselves  in  danger 
of  death  by  the  law. 

3.  Before  the  publican  came  he  saw  himself 
lost  and  undone. 

4.  The  prodigal  came  not  until  he  saw  death 
at  the  door  ready  to  devour  him. 

5.  The  three  thousand  men  came  not  until 
they  knew  not  what  to  do  to  be  saved. 

6.  Paul  came  not  until  he  saw  himself  lost 
and  undone. 

7.  Lastly.  Before  the  jailer  came  he  saw 
himself  undone.  And  I tell  thee,  it  is  an 
easier  thing  to  persuade  a well  man  to  go  to 
the  physician  for  cure,  or  a man  without  hurt 
to  seek  a plaster  to  cure  him,  than  it  is  to  per- 
suade a man  that  sees  not  his  soul-disease  to 
come  to  Jesus  Christ.  The  whole  have  no 
need  of  a physician ; then  why  should  they  go 
to  him?  The  full  pitcher  can  hold  no  more  ; 
then  why  should  it  go  to  the  fountain  ? And 
if  thou  comest  full,  thou  comest  not  aright, 
and  be  sure  Christ  will  send  thee  empty  away, 
“ but  he  healeth  the  broken  in  heart,  and 
bindeth  up  their  wounds.” 

Thirdly.  Art  thou  coming  to  Jesus  Christ? 
Prithee,  tell  me  what  seest  thou  in  him  to 
allure  thee  to  forsake  all  the  world  to  come  to 
him?  I say,  what  hast  thou  seen  in  him? 
Men  must  see  somewhat  in  Jesus  Christ,  else 
they  will  not  come  to  him. 

1.  What  comeliness  hast  thou  seen  in  his 
person?  Thou  comest  not  if  thou  seest  no 
form  nor  comeliness  in  him. 


2.  Until  those  mentioned  in  the  Song  were 
convinced  that  there  was  more  beauty,  comeli- 
ness, and  desirableness  in  Christ  than  in  ten 
thousand  they  did  not  so  much  as  ask  where 
he  was  nor  incline  to  turn  aside  after  him. 

There  be  many  things  on  this  side  heaven 
that  can  and  do  carry  away  the  heart,  and  so 
will  do  so  long  as  thou  livest,  if  thou  shalt  be 
kept  blind  and  not  be  admitted  to  see  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

Fourthly.  Art  thou  come  to  the  Lord  Jesus? 
What  hast  thou  found  in  him  since  thou 
earnest  to  him? 

Peter  found  with  him  the  word  of  eternal 
life. 

They  that  Peter  makes  mention  of  found 
him  a living  stone,  even  such  a living  stone  as 
communicated  life  to  them. 

He  saith  himself  they  that  come  to  him,  &c.. 
shall  find  rest  unto  their  souls;  hast  thou  found 
rest  in  him  for  thy  soul? 

Let  us  go  back  to  the  times  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. 

1.  Abraham  found  that  in  him  that  made 
him  leave  his  country  for  him,  and  become 
for  his  sake  a pilgrim  and  a stranger  in  the 
earth. 

2.  Moses  found  that  in  him  that  made  him 
forsake  a crown,  a kingdom,  for  him  too. 

3.  David  found  so  much  in  him  that  he 
counted  to  be  in  his  house  one  day  was  better 
than  a thousand;  yea,  to  be  a doorkeeper 
therein  was  better  in  his  esteem  than  to  dwell 
in  the  tents  of  wickedness. 

4.  What  did  Daniel  and  the  three  children 
find  in  him  to  make  them  run  the  hazards  of 
the  fiery  furnace  and  the  den  of  lions  for  his 
sake? 

Let  us  come  down  to  martyrs. 

1.  Stephen  found  that  in  him  that  made 
him  joyful,  and  quietly  yield  up  his  life  for 
his  name. 

2.  Ignatius  found  that  in  him  that  made  him 
choose  to  go  through  the  torments  of  the  devil 
and  hell  itself,  rather  than  not  to  have  him. 
(Acts  and  Monuments,  vol.  iv.,  page  25.) 

3.  What  saw  Romanus  in  Christ  when  he 
said  to  the  raging  emperor  who  threatened 
him  with  fearful  torments,  Thy  sentence,  0 
emperor,  I joyfully  embrace,  and  refuse  not  to 
be  sacrificed  by  as  cruel  torments  as  thou  canst 
invent?  (Page  116.) 

4.  What  saw  Menas  the  Egyptian  in  Christ 
when  he  said,  under  most  cruel  torments, 
There  is  nothing  in  my  mind  that  can  be  com- 
pared to  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  neither  is 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


G23 


nil  tlio  world,  if  it  was  weighed  in  a balance, 
to  bo  preferred  with  the  price  of  one  soul? 
Who  is  ablo  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord?  And  I have  learned 
of  my  Lord  and  King  not  to  fear  them  that 
kill  the  body,  &c.  (Page  117.) 

5.  What  did  Kulaliah  see  in  Christ  when 
she  said,  as  they  were  pulling  her  one  joint 
from  another,  Behold,  0 Lord,  I will  not 
forget  thee?  What  a pleasure  is  it  for  them, 
O Christ ! that  remember  thy  triumphant  vic- 
tory! (P.  121.) 

6.  What  think  you  did  Agnes  see  in  Christ 
when  rejoicingly  she  went  to  meet  the  soldier 
that  was  appointed  to  be  her  executioner?  I 
will  willingly,  said  she,  receive  into  my  paps 
the  length  of  this  sword,  and  into  my  breast 
will  draw  the  force  thereof,  even  to  the  hilts, 
that  thus  I,  being  married  to  Christ  my  Spouse, 
may  surmount  and  escape  all  the  darkness  of 
this  world!  (P.  122.) 

7.  What  do  you  think  did  Julitta  see  in 
Christ  when,  at  the  emperor’s  telling  of  her  that 
except  she  would  worship  the  gods  she  should 
never  have  protection,  laws,  judgments,  nor  life, 
she  replied,  Farewell,  life,  welcome,  death ; fare- 
well, riches,  welcome,  poverty?  All  that  I have, 
if  it  were  a thousand  times  more,  would  T give 
rather  than  to  speak  one  wicked  and  blasphe- 
mous word  against  my  Creator.  (P.  123.) 

8.  What  did  Marcus  Arethusius  see  in 
Christ  when,  after  his  enemies  did  cut  his 
flesh,  anointed  it  with  honey,  and  hanged  him 
up  in  a basket  for  flies  and  bees  to  feed  on,  he 
would  not  give  (to  uphold  idolatry)  one  half- 
penny to  save  his  life?  (P.  110.) 

9.  What  did  Constantine  see  in  Christ  when 
he  used  to  kiss  the  wounds  of  them  that  suf- 
fered for  him?  (P.  135.) 

10.  But  what  need  I give  thus  particular  in- 
stances of  words  and  smaller  actions  when,  by 
their  lives,  their  blood,  their  enduring  hunger, 
sword,  fire,  pulling  asunder,  and  all  torments 
that  the  devil  and  hell  could  devise,  they 
showed  their  love  to  Christ  after  they  were 
come  to  him? 

What  hast  thou  found  in  him,  sinner? 

What!  come  to  Christ  and  find  nothing  in 
him,  when  all  things  that  are  worth  looking 
for  are  in  him ! or,  if  any  thing,  yet  not  enough 
to  wean  thee  from  thy  sinful  delights  and 
fleshly  lusts!  Away!  thou  art  not  coming  to 
Jesus  Christ. 

He  that  is  come  to  Jesus  Christ  hath  found 
in  him  that,  as  I said,  that  is  not  to  be  found 
anywhere  else;  as — 


1.  He  that  is  come  to  Christ  hath  found  God 
in  him  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not 
imputing  their  trespasses  to  them;  and  so 
God  is  not  to  be  found  in  heaven  and  earth 
besides. 

2.  He  that  is  come  to  Christ  hath,  found 
found  in  him  a fountain  of  grace,  sufficient 
not  only  to  pardon  sin,  but  to  sanctify  the 
soul  and  to  preserve  it  from  falling  in  this  evil 
world. 

3.  He  that  is  come  to  Jesus  Christ  hath 
virtue  in  him — that  virtue  that  if  he  does  but 
touch  thee  with  his  words  or  thou  him  by  faith, 
life  is  forthwith  conveyed  into  thy  soul ; it 
makes  thee  wake  as  one  that  is  waked  out  of 
his  sleep ; it  awakes  all  the  powers  of  the  soul. 

4.  Art  thou  come  to  Jesus  Christ?  Thou 
hast  found  glory  in  him — glory  that  surmounts 
and  goes  beyond.  “Thou  art  more  glorious 
than  the  mountains  of  prey.” 

5.  What  shall  I say?  Thou  hast  found 
righteousness  in  him;  thou  hast  found  rest, 
peace,  delight,  heaven,  glory,  and  eternal  life. 

Sinner,  be  advised;  ask  thy  heart  again, 
saying,  Am  I come  to  Jesus  Christ?  for  upon 
this  one  question,  Am  I come  or  am  I not? 
hang  heaven  and  hell  as  to  thee.  If  thou 
canst  say,  I am  come,  and  God  shall  approve 
that  saying,  happy,  happy,  happy  man  art 
thou ; but  if  thou  art  not  come,  what  can 
make  thee  happy  ? Y ca,  what  can  make  that 
man  happy  that  for  his  not  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  life  must  be  damned  in  hell? 

III.  The  third  use : a use  of  encouragement. 

Coming  sinner,  I have  now  a word  for  thee : 
Be  of  good  comfort.  “ He  will  in  nowise  cast 
out.”  Of  all  men  thou  art  the  blessed  of  the 
Lord ; the  Father  hath  prepared  his  Son  to  be 
a sacrifice  for  thee,  and  Jesus  Christ,  thy  Lord, 
is  gone  to  prepare  a place  for  thee. 

What  shall  I say  to  thee?  Thou  comest  to 
a full  Christ;  thou  canst  not  want  any  thing, 
for  soul  or  body,  for  this  world  or  that  to  come, 
but  it  is  to  be  had  in  or  by  Jesus  Christ. 

As  it  is  said  of  the  land  that  the  Danites 
went  to  possess,  so  and  with  much  more  truth 
it  may  be  said  of  Christ:  he  is  such  an  one 
with  whom  there  is  no  want  of  any  good  thing 
that  is  in  heaven  or  earth. 

A full  Christ  is  thy  Christ. 

1.  He  is  full  of  grace.  Grace  is  sometimes 
taken  for  love;  never  any  loved  like  Jesus 
Christ.  Jonathan’s  love  went  beyond  the  love 
of  women,  but  the  love  of  Christ  passes  know- 
ledge. It  is  beyond  the  love  of  all  the  earth, 
of  all  creatures,  even  of  men  and  angels.  His 


624 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


love  prevailed  with  him  to  lay  aside  his  glory, 
to  leave  the  heavenly  place,  to  clothe  himself 
with  flesh,  to  be  born  in  a stable,  to  be  laid  in 
a manger,  to  live  a poor  life  in  the  world,  to 
take  upon  him  our  sickness,  infirmities,  sins, 
curse,  death,  and  the  wrath  that  was  due  to 
man.  And  all  this  he  did  for  a base,  undeserv- 
ing, unthankful  people ; yea,  for  a people  that 
were  at  enmity  with  him.  “For,  when  we 
were  yet  without  strength,  in  due  time  Christ 
died  for  the  ungodly.  For  scarcely  for  a right- 
eous man  will  one  die,  yet  peradventure  for  a 
good  man  some  would  even  dare  to  die.  But 
God  commended  his  love  toward  us  in  that 
while  we  were  yet  sinners  Christ  died  for  us. 
Much  more,  then,  being  now  justified  by  his 
blood,  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life.  For  if 
when  we  were  enemies  we  were  reconciled  to 
God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more,  being- 
reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life.” 

2.  Fie  is  full  of  truth,  full  of  grace  and 
truth.  Truth — that  is,  faithfulness  in'  keeping 
promise,  even  this  of  the  text,  (with  all  others,) 
“ I will  in  nowise  cast  out.”  Hence  it  is  said 
that  his  words  are  true,  and  that  he  is  the 
faithful  God  that  keepeth  covenants.  And 
hence  it  is  also  that  his  promises  are  called 
truth:  “Thou  wilt  fulfil  thy  truth  unto  Jacob, 
and  thy  mercy  unto  Abraham,  which  thou 
hast  sworn  unto  our  fathers  from  the  days  of 
old.”  Therefore  it  is  said  again  that  both 
himself  and  words  are  truth : “ I am  the  truth,” 
“ the  Scriptures  of  truth,”  “ thy  word  is  truth,” 
“ thy  law  is  truth,”  “ and  my  mouth,”  saith 
he,  “ shall  speak  truth.” 

Now  I say  his  word  is  truth,  and  he  is  full 
of  truth  to  fulfil  his  truth,  even  to  a thousand 
generations.  Coming  sinner,  he  will  not  de- 
ceive thee;  come  boldly  to  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  He  is  full  of  wisdom : he  is  made  unto  us 
of  God  wisdom — wisdom  to  manage  the  affairs 
of  his  Church  in  general,  and  the  affairs  of 
every  coming  sinner  in  particular.  And  upon 
this  account  he  is  said  to  be  “head  over  all 
things,”  because  he  manages  all  things  that 
are  in  the  world  by  his  wisdom  for  the  good  of 
his  Church : all  men’s  actions,  all  Satan’s 
temptations,  all  God’s  providences,  and  crosses, 
and  disappointments,  all  things  whatever,  are 
under  the  hand  of  Christ,  (who  is  the  wisdom 
of  God,)  and  he  ordereth  them  all  for  good  to 
his  Church.  And,  can  Christ  help  it,  (and  be 
sure  he  can,)  nothing  shall  happen  or  fall  out 
in  the  world  but  it  shall,  in  despite  of  all  oppo- 
sition, have  a good  tendency  to  his  Church  and 
people. 


He  is  full  of  the  Spirit  to  communicate  it 
to  the  coming  sinner;  he  hath  therefore  re- 
ceived it  without  measure,  that  he  may  com- 
municate it  to  every  member  of  his  body, 
according  as  every  man’s  measure  thereof  is 
allotted  him  by  the  Father.  Wherefore  he 
saith  that  he  that  comes  to  him,  “ out  of  his 
belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water.” 

5.  Fie  is  indeed  a store-house  full  of  all  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit.  “ Of  his  fulness  have  all 
we  received,  and  grace  for  grace.”  Here  is 
more  faith,  more  love,  more  sincerity,  more 
humility,  more  of  every  grace ; and  of  this, 
even  more  of  this,  he  giveth  to  every  lowly, 
humble,  penitent,  coming  sinner;  wherefore, 
coming  soul,  thou  comest  not  to  a barren  wil- 
derness when  thou  comest  to  Jesus  Christ. 

6.  He  is  full  of  bowels  of  compassion,  and 
they  shall  feel  and  find  it  so  that  come  to  him 
for  life.  He  can  bear  with  thy  weakness,  he 
can  pity  thy  ignorance,  he  can  be  touched  with 
the  feeling  of  thy  infirmities,  he  can  affection- 
ately forgive  thy  transgressions,  he  can  heal 
thy  backslidings  and  love  thee  freely.  His 
compassions  fail  not ; “and  he  will  not  break 
a bruised  reed  nor  quench  the  smoking  flax : 
he  can  pity  them  that  no  eye  pities,  and  be 
afflicted  in  all  thy  afflictions.” 

7.  Coming  soul,  the  Jesus  that  thou  art 
coming  to  is  full  of  might  and  terribleness. 
For  thy  advantage  he  can  suppress  all  thine 
enemies ; he  is  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the 
earth ; he  can  bow  all  men’s  designs  for  thy 
help ; he  can  break  all  snares  laid  for  thee  in 
the  way ; he  can  lift  thee  out  of  all  difficulties 
wherewith  thou  mayest  be  surrounded ; he  is 
wise  in  heart  and  mighty  in  power.  Every 
life  under  heaven  is  in  his  hand ; yea,  the 
fallen  angels  tremble  before  him.  And  he 
will  save  thy  life,  coming  sinner. 

8.  Coming  sinner,  the  Jesus  to  whom  thou 
art  coming  is  lowly  in  heart,  he  despiseth  not 
any.  It  is  not  thy  outward  meanness  nor  thy 
inward  weakness ; it  is  not  because  thou  art 
poor,  or  base,  or  deformed,  or  a fool  that  he 
will  despise  thee : he  hath  chosen  the  foolish, 
the  base,  and  despised  things  of  this  world  to 
confound  the  wise  and  mighty.  He  will  bow 
his  ear  to  thy  stammering  prayers;  he  will 
pick  out  the  meaning  of  thy  inexpressible 
groans ; he  will  respect  thy  weakest  offering  if 
there  be  in  it  but  thy  heart. 

Now  is  not  this  a blessed  Christ,  coming  sin- 
ner? Art  thou  not  like  to  fare  well  when  thou 
hast  embraced  him,  coming  sinner? 

But,  secondly.  Thou  hast  yet  another  ad- 


COME  AND  WELCOME  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 


vantage  l>y  Jesus  Christ  in  thou  art  coming  to 
him,  for  he  is  not  only  full  but  free.  He  is 
not  sparing  of  what  he  has ; lie  is  open-hearted 
and  open-handed.  Let  me  in  a few  particulars 
show  thee  this: 

1.  This  is  evident  because  he  calls  thee;  he 
calls  upon  thee  to  come  unto  him  ; the  which 
he  would  not  do  was  he  not  free  to  give;  yea, 
he  bids  thee,  when  come,  ask,  seek,  knock, 
and  for  thy  encouragement  adds  to  every  com- 
mand a promise,  “ Seek,  and  ye  shall  find  ; ask, 
and  ye  shall  have;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you.”  If  the  rich  man  should 
say  thus  to  the  poor,  would  not  he  be  reckoned 
a free-hearted  man  ? I say,  should  he  say  to 
the  poor,  Come  to  my  door,  ask  at  my  door, 
knock  at  my  door,  and  you  shall  find  and 
have,  would  lie  not  be  counted  liberal?  Why 
thus  doth  Jesus  Christ.  Mind  it,  coming  sin- 
ner. 

2.  He  doth  not  only  bid  thee  come,  but  tells 
thee  he  will  heartily  do  thee  good ; yea,  he  will 
do  it  with  rejoicing : “ I will  rejoice  over  them, 
to  do  them  good  with  my  whole  heart  and  with 
my  whole  soul.” 

3.  It  appears  that  he  is  free  because  he  giv- 
eth  without  twitting.  “ He  gives  to  all  men 
liberally,  and  upbraideth  not.”  There  are  some 
that  will  not  deny  to  do  the  poor  a pleasure, 
but  they  will  mix  their  mercies  with  so  many 
twits  that  the  persons  on  whom  they  bestow 
their  charity  shall  find  but  little  sweetness  in 
it.  But  Christ  doth  not  do  so,  coming  sinner  : 
he  casteth  all  thine  iniquities  behind  his  back : 
thy  sins  and  iniquities  he  will  remember  no 
more. 

4.  That  Christ  is  free  is  manifest  by  the 
complaints  that  he  makes  against  them  that 
will  not  come  to  him  for  mercy.  I say  he  com- 
plains, saying,  “ 0 Jerusalem,  Jerusalem  ! how 
often  would  I have  gathered  thy  children  to- 
gether, as  a hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under 
her  wings,  and  ye  would  not!”  I say  he 
speaks  it  by  way  of  complaint,  ne  saith  also 
in  another  place,  “ But  thou  hast  not  called 
upon  me,  0 Jacob.”  Coming  sinner,  see  here 
the  willingness  of  Christ  to  save;  see  here  how 
free  he  is  to  communicate  life  and  all  good 
things  to  such  as  thou  art : he  complains  if 
thou  comest  not;  he  is  displeased  if  thou  call- 
est  not  upon  him. 

Hark,  coming  sinner,  once  again : when 
Jerusalem  would  not  come  to  him  for  safe- 
guard, he  beheld  the  city  and  wept  over  it, 
saying,  “ If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at 
least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong 
40 


G25 

unto  thy  peace!  but  now  they  are  hid  from 
thine  eyes.” 

5.  Lastly.  lie  is  open  and  free-hearted  to  do 
thee  good,  as  is  seen  by  the  joy  and  rejoicing 
that  he  manifesteth  at  the  coming  home  of 
poor  prodigals.  He  receives  the  lost  sheep 
with  rejoicing,  the  lost  goat  with  rejoicing; 
yea,  when  the  prodigal  came  home,  what  joy 
and  mirth,  what  music  and  dancing,  were  in 
his  father’s  house! 

Thirdly.  Coming  sinner,  I will  add  another 
encouragement  for  thy  help. 

1.  God  hath  prepared  a mercy-seat,  a throne 
of  grace  to  sit  on,  that  thou  mayest  come 
thither  to  him,  and  that  he  may  from  thence 
hear  thee  and  receive  thee:  “I  will  commune 
with  thee,”  saith  he,  “ from  above  the  mercy- 
scat.” 

As  who  shall  say,  sinner,  When  thou  comest 
to  me  thou  shalt  find  me  upon  the  mercy-seat, 
where  also  I am  always  found  of  the  undone 
coming  sinner.  Thither  I bring  my  pardon ; 
there  I hear  and  receive  their  petitions  and  ac- 
cept them  to  my  favour. 

2.  God  hath  also  prepared  a golden  altar  for 
thee  to  offer  thy  prayers  and  tears  upon.  A 
golden  altar!  It  is  called  a rj olden  altar  to 
show  what  worth  it  is  of  in  God’s  account;  for 
this  golden  altar  is  Jesus  Christ;  this  altar 
sanctifies  thy  gift  and  makes  thy  sacrifice  ac- 
ceptable. This  altar  then  makes  thy  groans 
golden  groans,  thy  tears  golden  tears,  and  thy 
prayers  golden  prayers,  in  the  eye  of  that  God 
thou  comest  to,  coming  sinner. 

3.  God  hath  strewed  all  the  way  (from  the 
gate  of  hell,  where  thou  wast,  to  the  gate  of 
heaven,  whither  thou  art  going)  with  flowers 
out  of  his  own  garden.  Behold  how  the  prom- 
ises, invitations,  calls,  and  encouragements, 
like  lilies,  lie  round  about  thee ! (take  heed 
thou  dost  not  tread  them  under  foot,  sinner.) 
With  promises,  did  I say?  Yea,  he  hath 
mixed  all  those  with  his  own  name,  his  Son’s 
name,  also  with  the  name  of  mercy,  goodness, 
compassion,  love,  pity,  grace,  forgiveness,  par- 
don, and  what  not  that  may  encourage  the 
coming  sinner. 

4.  He  hath  also  for  thy  encouragement  laid 
up  the  names  and  set  forth  the  sins  of  those 
that  have  been  saved.  In  his  book  they  are 
fairly  written,  that  thou  through  patience 
and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures  mightest  have 
hope. 

1st.  In  this  book  is  recorded  Noah’s  name 
and  sin,  and  how  God  had  mercy  upon  him. 

2dlv.  In  this  record  is  fairly  written  the 


626 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


name  of  Lot,  and  the  nature  of  his  sin,  and 
how  the  Lord  had  mercy  upon  him. 

3dly.  In  this  record  thou  hast  also  fairly 
written  the  names  of  Moses,  Aarou,  Gideon, 
Samson,  David,  Solomon,  Peter,  Paul,  with 
the  nature  of  their  sins,  and  how  God  had 
mercy  upon  them;  and  all  to  encourage  thee, 
coming  sinner. 

Fourthly,  I will  add  yet  another  encourage- 
ment for  the  man  that  is  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ.  Art  thou  coming?  Art  thou  coming 
iudeed '?  Why, 

1.  This  thy  coming  is  by  virtue  of  God’s  call. 
Thou  art  called.  Calling  goes  before  coming  : 
coming  is  not  of  works,  but  of  Him  that  calleth. 
He  went  up  into  a mountain  and  called  to  him 
whom  he  would,  and  they  came  to  him. 

2.  Art  thou  coming?  This  is  also  by  the 
virtue  of  illumination : God  has  made  thee  see, 
and  therefore  thou  art  coming.  So  long  as 
thou  wast  darkness,  thou  lovedst  darkness  and 
couldst  not  abide  to  come,  because  thy  deeds 
were  evil,  but  being  now  illuminated  and  made 
to  see  what  and  where  thou  art,  and  also  what 
and  where  thy  Saviour  is,  now  thou  art  coming 
to  Jesus  Christ;  “Blessed  art  thou,  Simon 
Barjona,  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed 
it  unto  thee,”  saith  Christ,  “but  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.” 

3.  Art  thou  coming?  This  is  because  God 
has  inclined  thine  heart  to  come.  God  hath 
called  thee,  illuminated  thee,  and  inclined  thy 
heart  to  come,  and  therefore  thou  comest  to 
Jesus  Christ.  It  is  God  that  worketh  in  thee 
to  will  and  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ.  Coming 
sinner,  bless  God  for  that  he  hath  given  thee 
a will  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  a sign 
that  thou  belongest  to  Jesus  Christ,  because 
God  has  made  thee  willing  to  come  to  him. 
Bless  God  for  slaying  the  enemy  of  thy  mind ; 
had  he  not  done  it  thou  wouldst  as  yet  have 
hated  thine  own  salvation. 

4.  Art  thou  coming  to  Jesus  Christ?  It  is 
God  that  giveth  thee  power : power  to  pursue 
(by  will  in  matters  of  thy  salvation  is  the  gift 


of  God.  “ It  is  God  that  worketh  in  you  both 
to  will  and  to  do.”  Not  that  God  worketh  will 
to  come  where  he  gives  no  power,  but  that  thou 
shouldst  take  notice  that  power  is  an  addi- 
tional mercy.  The  Church  saw  that  will  and 
power  were  two  things  when  she  cried,  'Draw 
me,  and  we  will  run  after  thee,”  and  so  did 
David  too  when  he  said,  “ I will  run  the  ways 
of  thy  commandments  when  thou  shalt  enlarge 
my  heart.”  Will  to  come  and  power  to  pursue 
thy  will  is  double  mercy,  coming  sinner. 

5.  All  thy  strange,  passionate,  sudden  rustl- 
ings forward  after  Jesus  Christ,  (coming  sin- 
ners know  what  I mean,)  they  also  are  thy 
helps  from  God.  Perhaps  thou  feelest,  at 
some  times  more  than  at  others,  strong  stirrings 
up  of  heart  to  fly  to  Jesus  Christ ; now  thou 
hast  at  this  time  a sweet  and  stiff  gale  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  filling  thy  sails  with  the  fresh 
gales  of  his  good  Spirit,  and  thou  ridest  at 
those  times  as  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind, 
being  carried  out  beyond  thyself,  beyond  the 
most  of  thy  prayers,  and  also  above  all  thy 
fears  and  temptations. 

6.  Coming  sinner,  hast  thou  not  now  and 
then  a kiss  of  the  sweet  lips  of  Jesus  Christ  ? — 
I mean  some  blessed  word  dropping  like  a 
honeycomb  upon  thy  soul  to  revive  thee  when 
thou  art  in  the  midst  of  thy  dumps. 

7.  Does  not  Jesus  Christ  sometimes  give 
thee  a glimpse  of  himself,  though  perhaps  thou 
seest  him  not  so  long  a time  as  while  one  may 
tell  twenty  ? 

8.  Hast  thou  not  sometimes  as  it  wrnre  the 
very  warmth  of  his  wings  overshadowing  the 
face  of  thy  soul,  that  gives  thee  as  it  were  a 
gload  upon  thy  spirit,  as  the  bright  beams  of 
the  sun  do  upon  thy  body  when  it  suddenly 
breaks  out  of  a cloud,  though  presently  all  is 
gone  away  ? 

Well,  all  these  things  are  the  good  hand  of 
thy  God  upon  thee,  and  they  are  upon  thee  to 
constrain,  to  provoke,  and  to  make  thee  willing 
and  able  to  come,  coming  sinner,  that  thou 
mightest  in  the  end  be  saved. 


THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE; 

OR, 

THE  DOOM  AND  DOWNFALL  OF  THE  FRUITLESS  PROFESSOR: 


THAT  THE  DAY  OF  GRACE  MAY  BE  PAST  WITH  HIM  LONG  BEFORE  IIIS  LIFE  IS  ENDED: 
THE  SIGNS,  ALSO,  BY  WHICH  SUCH  MISERABLE  MORTALS  MAY  BE  KNOAVN. 


TO  THE  READER. 


Courteous  Reader  : 

I have  written  to  thee  now  about  the  barren 
fig  tree,  or  how  it  will  fare  with  the  fruitless 
professor  that  standeth  in  the  vineyard  of  God. 

Of  what  complexion  thou  art  I cannot  cer- 
tainly divine,  but  the  parable  tells  thee  that 
the  cumber-ground  must  be  cut  down. 

A cumber-ground  professor  is  not  only  a 
provocation  to  God,  a stumbling-block  to  the 
world,  and  a blemish  to  religion,  but  a snare 
to  his  own  soul  also.  “ Though  his  excellency 
mount  up  to  the  heavens,  and  his  head  reach 
unto  the  clouds,  yet  he  shall  perish  for  ever, 
like  his  own  dung ; they  that  have  seen  him 
shall  say,  Where  is  he?” 

Now  they  count  it  pleasure  to  riot  in  the 
daytime.  But  what  will  they  do  when  the  axe 
is  fetched  out? 

The  tree  whose  fruit  withereth  is  reckoned 
a tree  without  fruit,  a tree  twice  dead,  one  that 
must  be  plucked  up  by  the  roots. 

0 thou  cumber-ground,  God  expects  fruit — 
God  will  come  seeking  fruit  shortly. 

My  exhortation  therefore  is  to  professors, 
that  they  look  to  it  that  they  take  heed. 

The  barren  fig  tree  in  the  vineyard  and  the 
bramble  in  the  wood  are  both  prepared  for  the 
• fire. 

Profession  is  not  a covert  to  hide  from  the 
eye  of  God,  nor  will  it  palliate  the  revengeful 
threatening  of  his  justice ; he  will  command 
to  cut  it  down  shortly. 


The  Church  and  a profession  are  the  best  of 
places  for  the  upright,  but  the  worst  in  the 
world  for  the  cumber-ground ; he  must  be  cast, 
as  profane,  out  of  the  mount  of  God — cast,  I 
say,  over  the  wall  of  the  vineyard,  there  to 
wither,  thence  to  be  gathered  and  burned.  It 
had  been  better  for  them  that  they  had  not 
known  the  way  of  righteousness.  And  yet  if 
they  had  not,  they  had  been  damned,  but  it  is 
better  to  go  to  hell  without  than  in  or  from 
under  a profession.  These  shall  receive  greater 
damnation. 

If  thou  be  a professor,  read  and  tremble; 
if  thou  be  profane,  do  so  likewise.  “ For  if 
the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall 
the  ungodly  and  sinners  appear?”  Cumber- 
ground,  take  heed  of  the  axe ; barren  fig  tree, 
beware  of  the  fire. 

But  I will  keep  thee  no  longer  out  of  the 
book.  Christ  Jesus,  the  dresser  of  the  vine- 
yard, take  care  of  thee,  dig  about  thee,  and 
dung  thee,  that  thou  mayest  bear  fruit,  that 
when  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  cometh  with 
his  axe  to  seek  for  fruit  or  pronounce  the  sen- 
tence of  damnation  on  the  barren  fig  tree,  thou 
mayest  escape  that  judgment.  The  cumber- 
ground  must  to  the  wood-pile,  and  thence  to 
the  fire.  Farewell. 

Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord 
Jesus  in  sincerity ! Amen. 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


627 


THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE. 


A certain  man  had  a fig  tree  planted  in  his  vineyard;  and  he  came  and  sought  fnjit  thereon,  and  found 
none.  Then  said  he  unto  the  dresser  of  his  vineyard,  Behold,  these  three  years  I come  seeking  fruit  on  this 
fig  tree,  and  find  none ; cut  it  down  ; why  cumbereth  it  the  ground  ? And  he  answering,  said  unto  him,  Lord, 
let  it  alone  this  year  also,  till  I shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it;  and  if  it  bear  fruit,  well;  and  if  not,  then 
after  that  thou  skalt  cut  it  down. — Luke  xiii.  6-9. 


At  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  we  read 
how  some  of  the  Jews  came  to  Jesus  Christ  to 
tell  him  of  the  cruelty  of  Pontius  Pilate  in 
mingling  the  blood  of  the  Galileans  with  their 
sacrifices — an  heathenish  and  prodigious  act; 
for  therein  he  showed  not  only  his  malice 
against  the  Jewish  nation,  but  also  against 
their  worship,  and  consequently  their  God — an 
action,  I say,  not  only  heathenish,  but  pro- 
digious also;  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  paraphrasing 
upon  this  fact  of  his,  teacheth  the  Jews  that 
without  repentance  “ they  should  all  likewise 
perish ’’—likewise,  that  is,  by  the  hand  and 
rage  of  the  Roman  empire.  Neither  should 
they  he  more  able  to  avoid  the  stroke  than 
were  those  eighteen  upon  whom  the  tower  of 
Siloam  fell  and  slew  them ; the  fulfilling  of 
which  prophecy,  for  their  hardness  of  heart 
and  impenitency,  was  in  the  days  of  Titus,  son 
of  Vespasian,  about  forty  years  after  the  death 
of  Christ.  Then,  I say,  were  these  Jews  and 
their  city  both  environed  round  on  every  side, 
wherein  both  they  and  it  to  amazement  were 
miserably  overthrown.  God  gave  them  sword 
and  famine,  pestilence  and  blood  for  their  out- 
rage against  the  Son  of  his  love;  so  “wrath 
came  on  them  to  the  uttermost.” 

Now  to  prevent  their  old  and  foolish  salvo, 
which  they  always  had  in  readiness  against 
such  prophecies  and  denunciations  of  judg- 
ment, the  Lord  Jesus  presents  them  with  this 
parable,  in  which  he  emphatically  shows  them 
that  their  cry  of  being  the  temple  of  the  Lord, 
and  of  their  being  the  children  of  Abraham, 
&c.,  and  their  being  the  Church  of  God,  would 
not  stand  them  in  any  stead.  As  who  should 
say,  It  may  be  you  think  to  help  yourselves 
against  this  my  prophecy  of  your  utter  and 
unavoidable  overthrow  by  the  interest  which 
628 


you  have  in  your  outward  privileges,  hut  all 
these  will  fail  you;  for  what  think  you,  “A 
certain  man  had  a fig  tree  planted  in  his  vine- 
yard, and* he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon, 
and  found  none.”  This  is  your  case.  The 
Jewish  land  is  God’s  vineyard,  I know  it;  and 
I know  also  that  you  are  the  fig  trees.  But 
behold,  there  wanteth  the  main  thing,  fruit, 
for  the  sake  and  in  expectation  of  which  he 
set  this  vineyard  with  trees.  Now,  seeing  the 
fruit  is  not  found  amongst  you — -the  fruit,  I 
say,  for  the  sake  of  which  he  did  at  first  plant 
this  vineyard — what  remains  but  that  in  jus- 
tice he  command  to  cut  you  down  as  those  that 
cumber  the  ground,  that  he  may  plant  himself 
another  vineyard?  “Then  said  he  to  the 
dresser  of  his  vineyard,  Behold,  these  three 
years  I come  seeking  fruit  on  this  fig  tree,  and 
find  none;  cut  it  down  ; why  cumbereth  it  the 
ground?”  This  therefore  must  be  your  end. 
although  you  are  planted  in  the  garden  of  God; 
for  the  barrenness  and  unfruitful  ness  of  your 
hearts  and  lives  you  must  be  cut  off,  yea, 
rooted  up  and  cast  out  of  the  vineyard. 

In  parables  there  are  two  things  to  be  taken 
notice  of  and  to  be  inquired  into  of  them  that 
read : 

First.  The  metaphors  made  use  of. 

Secondly.  The  doctrine  or  mysteries  couched 
under  such  metaphors. 

The  metaphors  in  this  parable  are — 1.  A 
certain  man ; 2.  A vineyard ; 3.  A fig  tree, 
barren  or  fruitless;  4.  A dresser;  5.  Three 
years;  6.  Digging  and  dunging,  &c. 

The  doctrine  or  mystery  couched  under 
these  words  is  to  show  us  what  is  like  to  be- 
come of  a fruitless  or  formal  professor.  For — 

1.  By  the  man  in  the  parable  (Luke  xv.  11) 
is  meant  God  the  Father. 


THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE. 


G29 


2.  By  the  vineyard,  (Isa.  v.  7,)  his  Church. 

3.  By  the  fig  tree,  a professor. 

4.  By  the  dresser,  the  Lord  Jesus. 

f».  By  the  fig  tree’s  barrenness,  the  pro- 
fessor’s fruitlessness. 

0.  By  the  three  years,  the  patience  of  God 
that  for  a time  he  extendeth  to  barren  pro- 
fessors. 

7.  This  calling  to  the  dresser  of  the  vineyard 
to  cut  it  down  is  to  show  the  outcries  of  justice 
against  fruitless  professors. 

8.  The  dresser’s  interceding  is  to  show  how 
the  Lord  Jesus  steps  in  and  takes  hold  of  the 
head  of  his  Father’s  axe,  to  stop,  or  at  least  to 
defer,  present  execution  of  a barren  fig  tree. 

9.  The  dresser’s  desire  to  try  to  make  the  fig 
tree  fruitful  is  to  show  you  how  unwilling  he 
is  that  ever  a barren  fig  tree  should  yet  be 
barren  and  perish. 

10.  llis  digging  about  it  and  dunging  of  it 
is  to  show  his  willingness  to  apply  gospel  helps 
to  this  barren  professor,  if  haply  he  may  be 
fruitful. 

11.  The  supposition  that  the  fig  tree  may  yet 
continue  fruitless  is  to  show  that  when  Christ 
Jesus  hath  done  all  there  are  some  professors 
will  abide  barren  and  fruitless. 

12.  The  determination  upon  this  supposition 
at  last  to  cut  it  down  is  a certain  prediction  of 
such  professors’  unavoidable  and  eternal  dam- 
nation. 

But  to  take  this  parable  into  pieces  and  to 
discourse  more  particularly,  though  with  all 
brevity,  upon  all  the  parts  thereof. 

A certain  man  had  a fig  tree  planted  in  his  vine- 
yard. 

The  man,  I told  you,  is  to  represent  to  us 
God  the  Father,  by  which  similitude  he  is 
often  set  out  in  the  New  Testament. 

Observe,  then,  that  it  is  no  new  thing  if  you 
find  in  God’s  Church  barren  fig  trees,  fruitless 
professors,  even  as  here  you  see  is  a tree,  a 
fruitless  tree,  a fruitless  fig  tree  in  the  vineyard. 
Fruit  is  not  so  easily  brought  forth  as  a pro- 
fession is  got  into;  it  is  easy  for  a man  to 
clothe  himself  with  a fair  show  in  the  flesh,  to 
word  it,  and  say,  Be  thou  warmed  and  filled 
with  the  best.  It  is  no  hard  thing  to  do  these 
with  other  things,  but  to  be  fruitful,  to  bring 
forth  fruit  to  God,  this  doth  not  every  tree,  no 
not  every  fig  tree  that  stands  in  the  vineyard 
of  God.  Those  words  also,  “ Every  branch  in 
me  that  beareth  not  fruit  he  taketli  away,” 
assert  the  same  thing.  There  are  branches  in 
Christ,  in  Christ's  body  mystical,  (which  is  his 


Church,  his  vineyard,)  that  bear  not  fruit, 
wherefore  the  hand  of  God  is  to  take  them 
away.  “I  looked  for  grapes,  and  it  brought 
forth  wild  grapes;”  that  is,  no  fruit  at  all  that 
was  acceptable  with  God.  Again,  “Israel  is 
an  empty  vine,  he  bringeth  forth  fruit  unto 
himself,”  none  to  God ; he  is  without  fruit  to 
God.  All  these,  with  many  more,  show  us  the 
truth  of  the  observation,  and  that  God’s  Church 
may  be  cumbered  with  fruitless  fig  trees,  with 
barren  professors. 

Had  a fig  tree. 

Although  there  be  in  God’s  Church  that  be 
barren  and  fruitless,  yet,  as  I said,  to  look 
upon  they  arc  like  the  rest  of  the  trees,  even  a 
fig  tree : it  was  not  an  oak,  nor  a willow,  nor  a 
thorn,  nor  a bramble,  but  a fig  tree.  “They 
come  before  thee  as  thy  people  cometh ;” 
“They  delight  to  know  my  ways,  as  a nation 
that  did  righteousness  and  forsook  not  the 
ordinances  of  their  God;  they  ask  of  me  the 
ordinances  of  justice,  they  take  delight  in  ap- 
proaching to  God,”  and  yet  but  barren,  fruit- 
less and  unprofitable  professors.  Judas  also 
was  one  of  the  twelve,  a disciple,  an  apostle,  a 
preacher,  an  officer,  yea,  and  such  a one  as 
none  of  the  eleven  mistrusted,  but  preferred 
before  themselves,  each  one  crying  out,  “ Is  it 
I?  Is  it  I?”  None  of  them,  as  we  read  of, 
mistrusted  Judas,  yet  he,  in  Christ’s  eye,  was 
the  barren  fig  tree,  a devil,  a fruitless  professor. 
The  foolish  virgins  also  went  forth  of  the  world 
with  the  other,  had  lamps  and  light,  and  were 
awakened  with  the  other;  yea,  had  boldness  to 
go  forth,  when  the  midnight  cry  was  made, 
with  the  other,  and  thought  that  they  could 
have  looked  Christ  in  the  face  when  he  sat 
upon  the  throne  of  judgment,  with  the  other, 
and  yet  but  foolish,  but  barren  fig  trees,  but 
fruitless  professors.  “Many,”  saith  Christ, 
“will  say  unto  me  in  that  day”  this  and  that, 
and  will  also  talk  of  many  wonderful  works ; 
yet  behold,  he  finds  nothing  in  them  but  the 
fruits  of  unrighteousness : they  were  altogether 
barren  and  fruitless  professors. 

Had  a fig  free  planted. 

This  word  planted  doth  also  reach  far;  it 
supposeth  one  taken  out  of  its  natural  soil,  or 
removed  from  the  place  it  grew  once ; one  that 
seemed  to  be  called,  awakened,  and  not  only 
so,  but  by  strong  hand  carried  from  this  world 
to  the  Church,  from  nature  to  grace,  from  sin 
to  godliness.  Fs.  lxxx.  8.  “ Thou  hast  brought 
a vine  out  of  Egypt ; thou  hast  cast  out  the 


630 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


heathen,  and  planted  it.”  Of  some  of  the 
branches  of  this  vine  were  there  unfruitful 
professors. 

It  must  he  concluded,  therefore,  that  this 
professor  that  remaineth,  notwithstanding, 
fruitless,  is,  as  to  the  view  and  judgment  of 
the  Church,  rightly  brought  in  thither — to  wit, 
by  confession  of  faith,  of  sin,  and  a show  of 
repentance  and  regeneration  : thus  false  breth- 
ren creep  in  unawares.  All  these  tilings  this 
word  planteth  intimateth;  yea,  further,  that  the 
Church  is  satisfied  with  them,  consents  they 
should  abide  in  the  garden,  and  counteth  them 
sound  as  the  rest ; but  before  God,  in  the  sight 
of  God,  they  are  graceless  professors,  barren 
and  fruitless  fig  trees. 

Therefore,  it  is  one  thing  to  be  in  the  Church 
or  in  a profession,  and  another  to  be  of  the 
Church  and  to  belong  to  that  kingdom  that  is 
prepared  for  the  saint  that  is  so  indeed.  Other- 
wise, “being  planted,  shall  it  prosper?  shall  it 
not  utterly  wither  when  the  east  wind  touch- 
eth  it?  It  shall  wither  in  the  furrows  where 
it  grew.” 

Had  a fig  tree  planted  in  his  vineyard. 

In  his  vineyard.  Hypocrites  with  rotten 
hearts  are  not  afraid  to  come  before  God  in 
Zion.  These  words,  therefore,  suggest  unto  us 
a prodigious  kind  of  boldness  and  hardened 
fearlessness ; for  what  presumption  higher  and 
what  attempt  more  desperate  than  for  a man 
that  wanteth  grace  and  a true  knowledge  of 
God  to  crowd  himself,  in  that  condition,  into 
the  house  or  Church  of  God,  or  to  make  pro- 
fession of  and  desire  that  the  name  of  God 
should  be  called  upon  him  ? 

For  the  man  that  maketli  a profession  of  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  man  hath,  as  it 
were,  put  the  name  of  God  upon  himself,  and 
is  called  and  reckoned  now  (how  fruitless  so- 
ever before  God  or  men)  the  man  that  hath  to 
do  with  God,  the  man  that  God  owneth  and 
will  stand  for.  This  man,  I say,  by  his  pro- 
fession, suggesteth  this  to  all  that  know  him  to 
be  such  a professor.  Men  merely  natural — I 
mean,  men  that  have  not  got  the  devilish  art 
cf  hypocrisy — are  afraid  to  think  of  doing 
thus : “ And  of  the  rest  durst  no  man  join 
himself  to  them,  but  the  people  magnified 
them.”  And  indeed  it  displeaseth  God : 
“They  have  brought,”  saitli  he,  “men  uncir- 
cumcised into  my  sanctuary.”  And  again, 
(Isa.  i.  12 :)  “ When  you  come  to  appear  before 
me,  who  hath  required  this  at  your  hand,  to 
tread  my  courts?1’  saitli  God.  They  have 


therefore  learned  this  boldness  of  none  in  the 
visible  world ; they  only  took  it  of  the  devil, 
for  he,  and  he  only,  with  these  his  disciples, 
attempt  to  present  themselves  in  the  Church 
before  God.  “ The  tares  are  the  children  of 
the  wicked  one” — the  tares,  that  is,  the  hypo- 
crites, that  are  Satan’s  brood,  the  generation 
of  vipers,  that  cannot  escape  the  damnation 
of  hell. 

Had  a fig  tree  planted  in  his  vineyard. 

He  doth  not  say,  He  planted  a fig  tree,  but 
there  was  a fig  tree  there;  he  had  or  found  a 
fig  tree  planted  in  his  vineyard. 

The  great  God  will"  not  acknowledge  the 
barren  fig  tree  or  barren  professor  to  be  his 
workmanship  or  a tree  of  his  bringing  in  ; 
only  the  text  saith  he  had  one  there.  This  is 
much  like  that  in  Matt.  xv.  13:  “Every  plant 
which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted 
shall  be  rooted  up.”  Here  again  are  plants  in 
his  vineyard  which  God  will  not  acknowledge 
to  be  of  his  planting;  and  he  seems  to  sug- 
gest that  in  his  vineyard  are  many  such. 
Every  plant,  or  all  those  plants  or  professors 
that  are  got  into  the  assembly  of  the  saints  or 
into  the  profession  of  their  religion  without 
God  and  his  grace,  “shall  be  rooted  up.” 

“ And  when  the  King  came  in  to  see  the 
guests,  he  saw  there  a man  that  had  not  on  a 
wedding  garment.  And  he  said  unto  him, 
Friend,  how  earnest  thou  in  hither,  not  having 
on  a wedding-garment?”  Here  is  one  so  cun- 
ning and  crafty  that  he  beguiled  all  the 
guests : he  got  and  kept  in  the  Church,  even 
until  the  King  himself  came  in  to  see  the 
guests.  But  his  subtilty  got  him  nothing; 
it  did  not  blind  the  eyes  of  the  King  ; it  did 
not  pervert  the  judgment  of  the  righteous. 
“Friend,  how  earnest  thou  in  hither?”  did 
overtake  him  at  last,  even  a public  rejection  ; 
the  King  discovered  him  in'  the  face  of  all 
present.  “ How  earnest  thou  in  hither?”  My 
Father  did  not  bring  thee  hither;  I did  not 
bring  thee  hither;  my  Spirit  did  not  bring 
thee  hither;  thou  art  not  of  the  heavenly 
Father’s  planting;  “how  earnest  thou  in 
hither?”  “He  that  cometh  not  in  by  the 
door,  but  climbeth  up  some  other  way,  the 
same  is  a thief  and  a robber.”  This  text  is 
full  and  plain  also  to  our  purpose,  for  this 
man  came  not  in  by  the  door,  yet  got  into  the 
Church;  he  got  in  by  climbing;  he  broke  in 
at  the  windows;  he  got  something  of  the 
light  and  glory  of  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  his  head,  and  so  (hardy  wretch 


THE  BARREN  FIO  TREE. 


631 


that  he  was)  ho  presumed  to  crowd  himself 
among  the  children.  But  how  is  this  re- 
sented? What  saith  the  King  of  him  ? Why, 
this  is  his  sign:  “ the  same  is  a thief  and  a 
robber.”  See  ye  here  also  if  all  they  be 
owned  as  the  planting  of  God  that  get  into 
his  Church  or  make  profession  of  his  name. 

Had  a fig  tree — had  one  without  a wed- 
ding-garment had  a thief  in  his  garden,  at 
his  wedding,  in  his  house.  These  climbed  up 
some  other  way.  There  are  many  ways  to  get 
into  the  Church  of  God  and  profession  of  his 
name  besides,  and  without  an  entering  by  the 
door. 

1.  There  is  the  way  of  lying  and  dissem- 
bling; and  at  this  gap  the  Gibeonites  got  in. 
Josh.  ix.  3,  4,  &c. 

2.  There  is  sometimes  falseness  amongst 
some  pastors,  either  for  the  sake  of  carnal 
relations  or  the  like ; at  this  hole  Tobiah  the 
enemy  of  God  got  in.  Neh.  xiii.  4,  5,  6. 

3.  There  is  sometimes  negligence  and  too 
much  uncircumspectness  in  the  whole  Church  ; 
thus  the  uncircumcised  get  in.  Ezek.  xliv. 
7,  8. 

4.  Sometimes  again,  let  the  Church  be  never 
so  circumspect,  yet  these  have  so  much  help 
from  the  devil  that  they  beguile  them  all,  and 
so  get  in.  These  are  of  that  sort  of  thieves 
that  Paul  complains  of : “ false  brethren  are 
brought  unawares.”  Jude  also  cries  out  of 
these,  “Certain  men  crept  in  unawares.” 
Crept  in  ! What!  What,  were  they  so  lowly? 
A voluntary  humility,  a neglecting  of  the 
body,  not  in  any  humour.  Oh  how  seem- 
ingly self-denying  are  some  of  these  creeping 
things,  that  yet  are  to  be  held  (as  we  shall 
know  them)  an  abomination  to  Israel ! Lev. 
xi.  43,  44. 

“ But  in  a great  house  there  are  not  only 
vessels  of  gold  and  of  silver,  but  also  of  wood 
and  of  earth ; and  some  to  honour  and  some 
to  dishonour.”  By  these  words  the  apostle 
seems  to  take  it  for  granted  that  as  there  hath 
been,  so  there  still  will  be,  these  kind  of  fig 
trees,  these  barren  professors  in  the  house, 
when  all  men  have  done  what  they  can ; even 
as  in  a great  house  there  are  always  vessels  to 
dishonour,  as  well  as  those  to  honour  and 
glory ; vessels  of  wood  and  of  earth,  as  well  as 
of  silver  and  of  gold.  So  then  there  must  be 
wooden  professors  in  the  garden  of  God,  there 
must  be  earthly,  earthen  professors  in  his  vine- 
yard; but  that  meth inks  is  the  biting  word, 
“ and  some  to  dishonour.”  That  to  the  Romans 
is  dreadful,  (Rom.  ix.  21,  22,)  but  this  seems 


to  go  beyond  it;  that  speaks  but  of  the  repro- 
bate in  general,  but  this  of  such  and  such  in 
particular;  that  speaks  of  their  hardening  but 
in  the  common  way,  but  this  that  they  must 
be  suffered  to  creep  into  the  Church,  there  to 
fit  themselves  for  their  place,  their  own  place, 
(Acts  i.  25,)  the  place  prepared  for  them  of 
this  sort  only ; as  the  Lord  Jesus  said  once 
of  the  Pharisees,  “ These  shall  receive  greater 
damnation.” 

Barren  fig  tree,  fruitless  professor,  hast  thou 
heard  all  these  things?  Hast  thou  considered 
that  this  fig  tree  is  not  acknowledged  of  God 
to  be  his,  but  is  denied  to  be  of  his  planting 
and  of  his  bringing  unto  his  wedding?  Dost 
thou  not  see  that  thou  art  called  a thief  and  a 
robber,  that  hast  either  climbed  up  to  or 
crept  in  at  another  place  than  the  door? 
Dost  thou  not  hear  that  there  will  be  in  God’s 
house  wooden  and  earthly  professors,  and  that 
no  place  will  serve  to  fit  those  for  hell  but  the 
house,  Church,  the  vineyard  of  God?  Barren 
fig  tree,  fruitless  Christian,  do  not  thine  ears 
tingle  ? 

And  he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon. 

When  a man  hath  got  a profession,  and  i3 
crowded  into  the  Church  and  house  of  God, 
the  question  is  not  now,  Hath  he  life,  hath  he 
right  principles?  but,  Hath  he  fruit?  He 
came  seeking  fruit  thereon.  It  mattereth  not 
who  brought  thee  in  hither,  whether  God  or 
the  devil,  or  thine  own  vain-glorious  heart; 
but  hast  thou  fruit?  Dost  thou  bring  forth 
fruit  unto  God  ? “ And  let  every  one  that 
nameth  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  de- 
part from  iniquity.”  He  doth  not  say.  And' 
let  every  one  that  hath  grace,  or,  Let  those 
that  have  the  Spirit  of  God  ; but,  “ Let  every 
one  that  nameth  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  depart  from  iniquity.” 

What  do  men  meddle  with  religion  for? 
Why  do  they  call  themselves  by  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  if  they  have  not  the  grace  of 
God,  if  they  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ? 
God  therefore  expecteth  fruit.  What  do  they 
do  in  the  vineyard?  Let  them  work  or  get 
them  out;  the  vineyard  must  have  labourers 
in  it:  “Son,  go  work  to-day  in  my  vineyard.” 
Wherefore  want  of  grace  and  want  of  spirit 
will  not  keep  God  from  seeking  fruit:  “And 
he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon.”  He  re- 
quired that  which  he  seemeth  to  have;  every 
man  in  the  vineyard  and  house  of  God  prom- 
iseth  himself,  professeth  to  others,  and  would 
have  all  men  take  it  for  granted,  that  an 


632 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


heavenly  principle  is  in  him;  why  then  should 
not  God  seek  fruit? 

As  for  them,  therefore,  that  will  retain  the 
name  of  Christians,  fearing  God,  and  yet  make 
conscience  of  bringing  forth  fruit  to  him,  he 
saith  to  them,  “Away!  As  for  you,  go  ye, 
serve  every  one  his  idols,  and  hereafter  also, 
if  ye  will  not  hearken  unto  me,”  &c.  Barren 
fig  tree,  dost  thou  hear?  God  expecteth  fruit, 
God  calls  for  fruit,  yea,  God  will  shortly  come 
seeking  fruit  on  this  barren  fig  tree.  • Barren 
fig  tree,  either  bear  fruit  or  go  out  of  the  vine- 
yard; and  yet  then  thy  case  will  be  unspeak- 
ably damnable.  Yea,  let  me  add,  if  they 
shall  neither  bear  fruit  nor  depart,  God  “will 
take  his  name  out  of  their  mouth.”  He  will 
have  fruit.  And  I say  further,  if  thou  wilt  do 
neither,  yet  God  in  justice  and  righteousness 
will  still  come  for  fruit.  And  it  will  be  in 
vain  for  thee  to  count  this  austerity.  He  will 
“reap  where  lie  hath  not  sown,  and  gather 
where  he  hath  not  strewed.”  Barren  fig  tree, 
dost  thou  hear? 

Question.  What  if  a man  have  no  grace? 

Answer.  Yet  he  hath  a profession. 

And  he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon. 

A Church,  then,  and  a profession  are  not 
places  where  the  workers  of  iniquity  may 
hide  themselves  and  sins  from  God.  Some  of 
old  thought  that  because  they  could  cry,  “ The 
temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord!” 
that  therefore  they  were  delivered,  or  had  a 
dispensation  to  do  the  abominations  which 
they  committed;  as  some  in  our  days.  For 
who  (say  they)  have  a right  to  the  creatures 
if  not  Christians,  if  not  professors,  if  not 
Church  members?  And  from  this  conclusion 
let  go  the  reins  of  their  inordinate  affections 
after  pride,  ambition,  gluttony,  pampering 
themselves  without  fear,  (Jude  12,)  daubing 
themselves  with  the  lust-provoking  fashions 
of  the  times;  to  walk  with  stretched-out  necks, 
naked  breasts,  frizzled  foretops,  wanton  ges- 
tures, in  gorgeous  apparel,  mixed  with  gold 
and  pearl  and  costly  array.  I will  not  here 
make  inspection  unto  their  lives,  their  car- 
riages at  home,  in  their  corners,  and  secret 
holes;  but  certainly  persons  thus  spirited, 
thus  principled,  and  thus  inclined  have  but 
empty  boughs — boughs  that  want  the  fruit 
that  God  expects,  and  that  God  will  come 
down  to  seek. 

Barren  fig  tree,  thou  art  not  licensed  by  thy 
profession  nor  by  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  to 
bear  these  clusters  of  Gomorrah;  neither  shall 


the  vineyard  nefr  thy  being  crowded  among 
the  trees  there  shelter  thee  from  the  sight  of 
the  eye  of  God.  Many  make  religion  their 
cloak  and  Christ  their  stalking-horse,  and  by 
that  means  cover  themselves  and  hide  their 
own  wickedness  from  men;  but  God  seeth 
their  heart,  hath  his  print  upon  the  heels  of 
their  feet,  and  pondereth  all  their  goings;  and 
at  last,  when  their  iniquity  is  found  to  be 
hateful,  he  will  either  smite  them  with  hard- 
ness of  heart,  and  so  leave  them,  or  awaken 
them  to  bring  forth  fruit.  Fruits  he  looks  for, 
seeks  and  expects,  barren  fig  tree ! 

But  what!  Come  into  the  presence  of  God 
to  sin!  What!  come  into  the  presence  of 
God  to  hide  thy  sin ! Alas,  man ! the  Church 
is  God’s  garden,  and  Christ  Jesus  is  the  great 
Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  profession. 
What!  come  into  the  house  that  is  called  by 
my  name!  into  the  place  where  mine  honour 
dwelleth,  (Ps.  xxxvi.  8,)  where  mine  eyes  and 
heart  are  continually!  1 Kings  ix.  3.  What! 
come  there  to  sin,  to  hide  thy  sin,  to  cloak  thy 
sin!  His  plants  are  an  orchard  with  pleasant 
fruits,  (Song  iv.  13.)  and  every  time  he  goeth 
into  his  garden  it  is  “to  see  the  fruits  of  the 
valley,”  and  to  “see  if  the  vines  flourish  and 
if  the  pomegranates  bud.” 

Yea,  saith  he,  he  came  seeking  fruit  on  this 
fig  tree.  The  Church  is  the  place  of  God’s  de- 
light, where  he  ever  desires  to  be:  there  he  is 
night  and  day.  He  is  there  to  seek  for  fruit 
— to  seek  for  fruit  of  all  and  every  tree  in  the 
garden.  Wherefore,  assure  thyself,  0 fruit- 
less one,  that  thy  ways  must  needs  be  open  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  the  Lord.  One  black  sheep  is 
soon  espied,  although  in  company  with  many 
— that  is,  taken  with  the  first  cast  of  the  eye; 
its  different  colour  still  betrays  it.  I say, 
therefore,  a Church  and  a profession  are  not 
places  where  the  workers  of  iniquity  may  hide 
themselves  from  God,  that  seeks  for  fruit.  “ My 
vineyard,”  saith  God,  “which  is  mine,  is  be- 
fore me.” 

And  he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon , and  found 
none. 

Barren  fig  tree,  hearken : thy  continual  non- 
bearing of  fruit  is  a dreadful  sign  that  thou  art 
come  to  a dreadful  end,  as  the  winding  up  of 
this  parabie  concludeth. 

“And  found  none.”  None  at  all,  or  none  to 
God’s  liking;  for  when  he  saith,  “He  came 
seeking  fruit  thereon,”  he  means  “fruit  meet 
for  God,”  pleasant  fruit,  fruit  good  and  sweet. 

Alas!  it  is  not  any  fruit  will  serve;  bad  fruit 


THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE. 


633 


is  counted  none:  “ Every  tree  that  bringeth  not 
forth  jrood  fruit  is  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the 
fire.” 

1.  There  is  a fruit  among  professors  that 
withers,  and  so  never  comes  to  be  ripe;  a fruit 
that  is  smitten  in  the  growth,  and  comes  not  to 
maturity,  and  this  is  reckoned  no  fruit:  this 
fruit  those  professors  bear  that  have  many  fair 
beginnings  or  blossoms,  that  make  many  fair 
offers  of  repentance  and  amendment,  that  be- 
gin to  pray,  to  resolve,  and  to  break  off  their 
sins  b\  righteousness,  but  stop  at  those  begin- 
nings, and  bring  no  fruit  forth  to  perfection. 
This  man’s  fruit  is  withered,  wrinkled,  smitten 
fruit,  and  is  in  effect  no  fruit  at  all. 

2.  There  is  a hasty  fruit,  such  as  is  the  “ corn 
upon  the  house-top”  or  that  which  springs 
up  on  the  dung-hill,  that  runs  up  suddenly, 
violently,  with  great  stalks  and  big  show,  and 
yet  at  last  proves'  empty  of  kernel.  This  fruit 
is  to  be  found  in  those  professors  that  on  sud- 
den are  so  awakened,  so  convinced,  and  so  af- 
fected with  their  condition  that  they  shake  the 
whole  family,  the  endship,  the  whole  town. 
For  awhile  they  cry  hastily,  vehemently,  dole- 
fully, mournfully,  yet  all  is  but  a pang,  an  agony, 
a fit;  they  bring  not  forth  fruit  with  patience. 
These  are  called  those  hasty  fruits  that  “ shall 
be  a fading  flower.” 

3.  There  is  a fruit  that  is  vile  and  ill-tasted, 
(Jer.  xxiv.,)  how  long  soever  it  be  in  growing; 
the  root  is  dried,  and  cannot  convey  a suffi- 
ciency of  sap  to  the  branches  to  ripen  the  fruit. 
These  are  the  fruit  of  such  professors  whose 
hearts  are  estranged  from  communion  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  whose  fruit  groweth  from  them- 
selves, from  their  parts,  gifts,  strength  of  wit, 
natural  or  moral  principles.  These,  notwith- 
standing they  bring  forth  fruit,  are  called  empty 
vines,  such  as  bring  not  forth  fruit  to  God. 

“ Their  root  is  dried  up,  they  shall  bear  no 
fruit:  yea,  though  they  bring  forth,  yet  will  I 
slay  even  the  beloved  fruit  of  their  womb.” 

4.  There  is  a fruit  that  is  wild:  “I  looked 
for  grapes,  and  it  brought  forth  wild  grapes.” 
I observe  that  as  there  are  trees  and  herbs  that 
are  wholly  right  and  noble,  fit  indeed  for  the 
vineyard,  so  there  are  also  their  semblance, 
but  wild,  not  right,  but  ignoble.  There  is  the 
grape,  and  the  wild  grape;  the  vine,  and  the 
wild  vine;  the  rose,  and  canker  rose;  flow- 
ers, and  wild  flowers;  the  apple,  and  the  wild 
apple,  which  we  call  the  crab.  Now,  fruit  from 
these  wild  things,  however  they  may  please  the 
children  to  play  with,  yet  the  prudent  and 
grave  count  them  of  little  or  no  value.  There 


are  also  in  the  world  a generation  of  professors 
that  notwithstanding  their  profession  are  wild 
by  nature ; yea,  such  as  were  never  cut  out 
or  off  from  the  wild  olive  tree,  nor  never  yet 
planted  into  the  good  olive  tree.  Now,  these 
can  bring  nothing  forth  but  wild  olive  berries ; 
they  cannot  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God.  Such 
are  all  those  that  have  lightly  taken  up  a pro- 
fession, and  crept  into  the  vineyard  without  a 
new  birth  and  the  blessing  of  regeneration. 

5.  There  is  also  untimely  fruit:  “Even  as 
a fig  tree  casteth  forth  her  untimely  figs” — 
fruit  out  of  season,  and  so  no  fruit  to  God’s 
liking. 

There  are  two  sorts  of  professors  subject  to 
bring  forth  untimely  fruit — 1.  They  that  bring 
forth  fruit  too  soon  ; 2.  They  that  bring  forth 
fruit  too  late. 

(1.)  They  that  bring  forth  too  soon.  They 
are  such  as  at  present  receive  the  word  with 
joy.:  anon,  before  they  have  root  downwards, 
they  thrust  forth  upwards,  but  having  no  root, 
when  the  sun  ariseth  they  are  smitten,  and 
miserably  die  without  fruit.  These  professors 
are  those  light  and  inconsiderate  ones  that 
think  nothing  but  peace  will  attend  the  Gospel, 
and  so  anon  rejoice  at  the  tidings,  without  fore- 
seeing the  evil ; wherefore,  when  the  evil  comes, 
being  unarmed,  and  so  not  able  to  stand  any 
longer,  they  die  and  are  withered,  and  bring 
forth  no  fruit:  “He  that  received  the  seed  in 
stony  places,  the  same  is  he  that  heareth  the 
word,  and  anon  with  joy  receiveth  it ; yet  hath 
he  not  root  in  himself,  but  duretli  for  awhile; 
for  when  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  be- 
cause of  the  word,  by  and  by  they  are  offend- 
ed.” There  is  in  Isa.  xxviii.  4 mention  made 
of  some  “ whose  glorious  beauty  shall  be  a 
fading  flower,”  because  it  is  fruit  before  sum- 
mer. Both  these  are  untimely  fruit. 

(2.)  They  also  bring  forth  untimely  fruit  that 
stay  till  the  season  is  over.  God  will  have  his 
fruit  in  his  season ; I say,  he  will  receive  them 
of  such  men  as  shall  render  them  to  him  in 
their  season.  The  missing  of  the  season  is 
dangerous ; staying  till  the  door  is  shut  is  dan- 
gerous. Many  there  be  that  come  not  till  the 
flood  of  God’s  anger  is  raised  and  too  deep  for 
them  to  wade  through,  “Surely  in  the  floods 
of  great  waters  they  shall  not  come  nigh  unto 
him.”  Esau’s  (afterwards)  is  fearful;  “For 
ye  know  that  afterward,  when  he  would  have 
inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  rejected;  for  he 
found  no  place  of  repentance,  though  he  sought 
it  carefully  with  tears.” 

So  the  children  of  Israel,  they  brought  to 


634 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


God  the  fruits  of  obedience  too  late : their  “ Lo, 
we  be  here,”  came  too  late;  their  “We  will 
go  up,”  came  too  late:  the  Lord  had  sworn 
before  “ that  they  should  not  possess  the  land.” 
All  these  are  such  as  bring  forth  untimely 
fruit.  It  is  the  hard  hap  of  the  reprobate  to 
do  all  things  too  late,  to  be  sensible  of  his 
want  of  grace  too  late,  to  be  sorry  for  sin  too 
late,  to  seek  repentance  too  late,  to  ask  for 
mercy  and  to  desire  to  go  to  glory  too  late. 

Thus  you  see  that  fruit  smitten  in  the  growth, 
that  withereth,  and  that  comes  not  to  maturity, 
is  no  fruit;  that  hasty  fruit,  such  as  the  “ corn 
upon  the  house-top,”  withereth  also  before  it 
groweth  up,  and  is  no  fruit;  that  the  fruit  that 
is  vile  and  ill-tasted  is  no  fruit;  that  wild 
fruit,  wild  grapes  are  no  fruit;  that  untimely 
fruit,  such  as  comes  too  soon  or  that  comes  too 
late,  such  as  come  not  in  their  season,  are  no 
fruit. 

And  he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon,  and  found 
none. 

Nothing  will  do  but  fruit ; he  looked  for 
grapes;  when  the  time  of  fruit  grew  near  he 
sent  his  servants  to  the  husbandmen,  that  they 
might  receive  the  fruit  of  it. 

Question.  But  what  fruit  doth  God  expect? 

Answer.  Good  fruit.  “ Every  tree  that  bring- 
eth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down.”  Now, 
before  the  fruit  can  be  good  the  tree  must  be 
good,  for  good  fruit  makes  not  a good  tree, 
“ but  a good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit.  Do 
men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  this- 
tles?” A man  must  be  good,  else  he  can  bring 
forth  no  good  fruit ; he  must  have  righteous- 
ness imputed,  that  he  may  stand  good  in  God’s 
sight  from  the  curse  of  his  law ; he  must  have 
a principle  of  righteousness  in  his  soul,  else 
how  should  he  bring  forth  good  fruits?  and 
hence  it  is  that  a Christian’s  fruits  are  called 
“ the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  the  fruits  of  right- 
eousness, which  are  by  Jesus  Christ.”  The 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  therefore  the  Spirit  must 
bo  there;  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  there- 
fore righteousness'  must  first  be  there.  But  to 
particularize  in  a few  things  briefly: 

1.  God  expecteth  fruit  that  will  answer  and 
be  worthy  of  the  repentance  which  thou  feign- 
est  thyself  to  have.  Every  one  in  a jwofession 
and  that  hath  crowded  into  the  vineyard  pre- 
tendeth  to  repentance : now  of  every  such  soul 
God  expecteth  that  the  fruits  of  repentance  be 
found  to  attend  them.  “ Bring  forth  fruits, 
therefore,  meet  for  repentance,”  or  answerable 
to  thy  profession  of  the  doctrine  of  repentance. 


Barren  fig  tree,  seeing  thou  art  a professor  and 
art  got  into  the  vineyard,  thou  standest  before 
the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  as  one  of  the  trees 
of  the  garden ; wherefore  he  looketh  for  fruit 
from  thee  as  from  the  rest  of  the  trees  in  the 
vineyard — fruit,  I say,  and  such  as  may  declare 
thee  in  heart  and  life  one  that  hath  sound 
profession  of  repentance.  By  thy  profession 
thou  hast  said,  I am  sensible  of  the  evil  of  sin. 
Now,  then,  live  such  a life  as  declares  that 
thou  art  sensible  of  the  evil  of  sin.  By  thy 
profession  thou  hast  said,  I am  sorry  for  my 
sin.  Why,  then,  live  such  a life  as  may  declare 
this  sorrow.  By  thy  profession  thou  hast  said, 
“ I am  ashamed  of  my  sin.”  Yea,  but  live 
such  a life  that  men  by  that  may  “see  thy 
shame  for  sin.”  By  thy  profession  thou  sayest, 
I have  turned  from,  let  off,  and  am  become  an 
enemy  to  every  appearance  of  evil.  Ah ! but 
doth  thy  life  and  conversation  declare  thee  to 
be  such  an  one?  Take  heed,  barren  fig  tree, 
lest  thy  life  should  give  thy  profession  the  lie ; 
I say  again,  take  heed,  for  God  himself  will 
come  for  fruit ; “ and  he  sought  fruit  thereon.” 

You  have  some  professors  that  are  only  saints 
before  men  when  they  are  abroad,  but  are 
devils  and  vipers  at  home — saints  by  profes- 
sion, but  devils  by  practice — saints  in  word, 
but  sinners  in  heart  and  life.  These  men  may 
have  the  inofession,  but  they  want  the  fruits 
that  become  repentance. 

Barren  fig  tree,  can  it  be  imagined  that  those 
that  paint  themselves  did  ever  repent  of  their 
pride?  or  that  those  that  pursue  this  world  did 
ever  repent  of  their  covetousness  ? or  that  those 
that  walk  with  wanton  eyes  did  ever  repent  of 
their  fleshly  lusts?  Where,  barren  fig  tree,  is 
the  fruit  of  these  people’s  repentance?  Nay, 
do  they  not  rather  declare  to  the  world  that 
they  have  repented  of  their  profession  ? Their 
fruits  look  as  if  they  had.  Their  pride  saith 
they  have  repented  of  their  humility;  their 
covetousness  declaretli  that  they  are  weary  of 
depending  upon  God ; and  doth  not  thy  wanton 
actions  declare  that  thou  abhorrest  charity? 
Where  is  thy  fruit,  barren  fig  tree?  Bepent- 
ance  is  not  only  a sorrow  and  a shame  for,  but 
a turning  from,  sin  to  God.  In  Heb  iv.  it  is 
called  “ repentance  from  dead  works.”  Hast 
thou  that  godly  sorrow  that  worketh  “ repent- 
ance to  salvation,  never  to  be  repented  of?” 
How  dost  thou  show  thy  carefulness  and  clear- 
ing of  thyself,  thy  indignation  against  sin,  thy 
fear  of  offending,  thy  vehement  desire  to  walk 
with  God,  thy  zeal  for  his  name  and  glory  in 
the  world?  And  what  revenge  hast  thou  in 


THE  BARKEN  FIG  TREE. 


thy  heart  against  every  thought  of  disobe- 
dience? 

But  where  is  the  fruit  of  this  repentance? 
Where  is  thy  watching,  thy  fasting,  thy  pray- 
ing against  the  remainders  of  corruption? 
Where  is  thy  self-abhorrence,  thy  blushing 
before  God,  for  the  sin  that  is  yet  behind? 
Where  is  thy  tenderness  of  the  name  of  God 
and  his  ways?  Where  is  thy  self-denial  and 
contentment?  How  dost  thou  show  before 
men  the  truth  of  thy  turning  to  God?  “ Hast 
thou  renounced  the  hidden  things  of  dishon- 
esty, not  walking  in  craftiness?”  Canst  thou 
commend  thyself  “ to  every  man’s  conscience 
in  the  sight  of  God?” 

2.  God  expecteth  fruit  that  shall  answer  that 
faith  which  thou  makest  profession  of.  The 
professor  that  is  got  into  the  vineyard  of  God 
doth  feign  that  he  hath  the  faith  the  most 
holy,  the  faith  of  God’s  elect.  Ah  ! but  where 
are  thy  fruits,  barren  fig  tree?  The  faith  of 
the  Romans  was  spoken  of  throughout  the 
wholo  world,  and  the  Thessalonians’  faith 
grew  exceedingly. 

Thou  profossest  to  believe  thou  hast  peace 
in  another  world ; hast  thou  let  go  this,  barren 
fig  tree?  Thou  professest  thou  believest  in 
Christ;  is  he  the  joy  and  the  life  of  thy  soul? 
Yea,  what  conformity  unto  him,  to  his  sorrows 
and  sufferings?  What  resemblance  hath  his 
crying,  and  groaning,  and  bleeding,  and  dying 
wrought  in  thee?  Dost  thou  “bear  in  thy 
body  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus?”  and  is 
also  “ the  life  of  Jesus  made  manifest  in  thy 
mortal  body  ?”  Barren  fig  tree,  “ show  me  thy 
faith  by  thy  works.”  “Show  out  of  a good 
conversation  thy  works  with  meekness  of 
heart.” 

What  fruit,  barren  fig  tree,  what  degree  of 
heart-holiness?  for  “faith  purifies  the  heart.” 
What  love  to  the  Lord  Jesus  ? for  “ faith  work- 
eth  by  love.” 

3.  God  expecteth  fruits  according  to  the  sea- 
sons of  grace  thou  art  under,  according  to  the 
rain  that  cometh  upon  thee.  Perhaps  thou  art 
planted  in  a good  soil,  bv  great  waters,  that 
thou  mightest  bring  forth  branches  and  bear 
fruit,  that  thou  mightest  be  a goodly  vine  or  fig 
tree.  Shall  he  not  therefore  seek  for  fruit,  for 
fruit  answerable  to  the  means?  Barren  fig 
tree,  God  expects  it,  and  will  find  it  too  if 
ever  he  bless  thee.  “ For  the  earth  which 
drinketh  in  the  rain  that  comes  oft  upon  it, 
and  bringeth  forth  herbs  meet  for  him  by 
whom  it  is  dressed,  receives  blessing  for  God ; 
but  that  which  beareth  thorns  and  briers  is  re- 


635 

jeeted,  and  is  nigh  unto  cursing,  whose  end 
is  to  be  burned.” 

Barren  soul,  how  many  showers  of  grace, 
how  many  dews  from  heaven,  how  many  times 
have  the  silver  streams  of  the  city  of  God  run 
gliding  by  thy  roots,  to  cause  thee  to  bring 
forth  fruit?  These  showers  and  streams,  and 
the  drops  that  hang  upon  thy  boughs,  will  all 
be  accounted  for;  and  will  they  not  testify 
against  thee  that  thou  oughtest  of  right  to  be 
burned?  Hear  and  tremble,  0 thou  barren 
professor!  Fruits  that  become  thy  profession 
of  the  gospel  the  God  of  heaven  expecteth. 
The  gospel  hath  in  it  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  eternal  life;  but 
what  fruit  hath  thy  profession  of  a belief  of 
these  things  put  forth  in  thy  heart  and  life? 
Hast  thou  given  thyself  to  the  Lord?  and  is 
all  that  thou  hast  to  be  ventured  for  bis  name 
in  this  world?  Dost  thou  walk  like  one  that 
is  bought  with  a price,  even  with  the  price  of 
precious  blood  ? 

4.  The  fruit  that  God  expecteth  is  such  as  is 
meet  for  himself — fruit  that  may  glorify  God. 
God’s  trees  “ are  trees  of  righteousness,  the 
planting  of  the  Lord,  that  he  may  be  glori- 
fied ;”  fruit  that  tasteth  of  heaven,  abundance 
of  such  fruit.  “ For  herein,”  saith  Christ,  “ is 
my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bring  forth  much 
fruit” — fruits  of  all  kinds,  new  and  old : the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  is  iu  all  goodness,  and  right- 
eousness, and  truth.  Fruits  before  the  world, 
fruits  before  the  saints,  fruits  before  God,  fruits 
before  angels. 

0 my  brethren,  “what  manner  of  persons 
ought  we  to  be”  who  have  subscribed  to  the 
Lord  and  have  called  ourselves  by  the  name  of 
Israel  ? “ One  shall  say,  I am  the  Lord’s ; and 
another  shall  call  himself  by  the  name  of 
Jacob;  and  another  shall  subscribe  with  his 
hand  unto  the  Lord,  and  surname  himself  by 
the  name  of  Israel.”  Barren  fig  tree,  hast 
thou  subscribed,  bast  thou  called  thyself  by 
the  name  of  Jacob,  and  surnamed  thyself  by 
the  name  of  Israel?  All  this  thou  pretendest 
to  who  art  got  into  the  vineyard,  who  art 
placed  among  the  trees  of  the  garden  of  God. 
God  doth  therefore  look  for  such  fruit  as  is 
worthy  of  his  name,  as  is  meet  for  him ; as  the 
apostle  saith,  “we  should  walk  worthy  of 
God ;”  that  is,  so  as  we  may  show  in  every 
place  that  the  presence  of  God  is  with  us,  his 
fear  in  us,  and  his  majesty  and  authority  upon 
our  actions.  Fruits  meet  for  him,  such  a de- 
pendence upon  him,  such  trust  in  his  word, 
such  satisfaction  in  his  presence,  such  a trust- 


636 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


ing  of  him  with  all  my  concerns,  and  such  de- 
lights in  the  enjoyment  of  him  that  may  de- 
monstrate that  his  fear  is  in  my  heart,  that  my 
soul  is  wrapped  up  in  his  things,  and  that  my 
body,  and  soul,  and  estates,  and  all  are  in 
truth,  through  his  grace,  at  his  dispose — fruit 
meet  for  him  Hearty  thanks  and  blessing 
God  for  Jesus  Christ,  for  his  good  word,  for  his 
free  grace,  for  the  discovery  of  himself  in 
Christ  to  the  soul,  secret  longing  after  another 
world — fruit  meet  for  him.  Liberality  to  the 
poor  saint,  to  the  poor  world;  a life  in  word 
and  deed  exemplary ; a patient  and  quiet  en- 
during of  all  things,  till  I have  done  and  suf- 
fered the  whole  will  of  God  which  he  hath  ap- 
pointed for  me.  “ That  on  the  good  ground 
are  they  which  in  honest  and  good  heart,  hav- 
ing heard  the  word,  keep  it,  and  bring  forth 
fruit  with  patience.”  This  is  bringing  forth 
fruit  unto  God;  “having  our  fruit  unto  holi- 
ness, and  our  end  everlasting  life.” 

5.  The  Lord  expects  fruit  becoming  the  vine- 
yard of  God.  The  vineyard,  saith  he,  “ is  a 
very  fruitful  hill;”  witness  the  fruit  brought 
forth  in  all  ages.  The  most  barren  trees  that 
ever  grew  in  the  wood  of  this  world,  when 
planted  in  this  vineyard  by  the  God  of  heaven, 
what  fruit  to  God-ward  have  they  brought 
forth ! “ Abraham  offered  the  more  excellent 

sacrifice.”  “ Enoch  walked  with  God  for  three 
hundred  years.”  “ Noah,  by  his  life  of  faith, 
condemned  the  world,  and  became  heir  of  the 
righteousness  that  is  by  faith.”  “ Abraham 
left  his  country  and  went  out  after  God,  not 
knowing  whither  he  went.”  Moses  left  a 
kingdom  and  ran  the  hazard  of  the  wrath  of 
the  king  for  the  love  he  had  to  God  and  Christ. 
What  shall  I say  of  them  who  had  trials,  not 
accepting  deliverance,  that  they  might  obtain 
a better  resurrection  ? “ They  were  stoned, 

they  were  sawn  asunder ; were  tempted;  were 
slain  with  the  sword;  they  wandered  in  sheep- 
skins and  goat-skins,  being  destitute,  afflicted, 
tormented.”  Peter  left  his  father,  his  nets. 
Paul  turned  off  from  the  feet  of  Gamaliel. 
Men  brought  their  goods  and  possessions  (the 
price  of  them)  and  cast  it  down  at  the  apostles’ 
feet;  and  other  brought  their  books  together 
and  burnt  them — curious  books,  though  they 
were  worth  fifty  thousand  pieces  of  silver.  I 
could  add  how  many  willingly  offer  themselves 
in  all  ages,  and  their  all,  for  the  worthy  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  be  racked,  starved, 
hanged,  burned,  drowned,  pulled  in  pieces, 
and  a thousand  calamities!  Barren  fig  tree, 
the  vineyard  of  God  hath  been  a fruitful  place.  I 


What  dost  thou  there?  What  dost  thou  bear? 
God  expects  fruit  according  to  or  becoming 
the  soil  of  the  vineyard. 

6.  The  fruit  which  God  expecteth  is  such  as 
becometh  God’s  husbandry  and  labour.  The 
vineyard  is  God’s  husbandry  or  tillage.  " I am 
the  vine,”  saith  Christ,  “and  my  Father  is  the 
husbandman.”  And  again,  “Ye  are  God’s 
husbandry,  ye  are  God’s  building.”  The  vine- 
yard, God  fences  it,  God  gathereth  out  the 
stones,  God  builds  the  .tower,  and  the  wine- 
press in  the  midst  thereof.  Here  is  labour, 
here  is  protection,  here  is  removing  of  hin- 
drances, here  is  convenient  purgation,  and  all 
that  there  might  be  fruit. 

Barren  fig  tree,  what  fruit  hast  thou?  Hast 
thou  fruit  becoming  the  care  of  God,  the  pro- 
tection of  God,  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  pa- 
tience and  husbandry  of  God?  It  is  the  fruit 
• of  the  vineyard  that  is  either  the  shame  or  the 
praise  of  the  husbandman.  “ I went  by  the 
field  of  the  slothful,”  saith  Solomon,  “ and  by 
the  vineyard  of  the  man  void  of  understand- 
ing; and  lo,  it  was  grown  over  with  thorns, 
and  nettles  had  covered  the  face  thereof.” 

Barren  fig  tree,  if  men  should  make  a judg- 
ment of  the  care,  and  pains,  and  labour  of  God 
in  his  Church  by  the  fruit  that  thou  bringest 
forth,  what  might  they  say  ? — Is  he  not  sloth- 
ful, is  he  not  careless,  is  he  not  without  discre  - 
tion ? Oh  thy  thorns,  thy  nettles,  the  barren 
heart  and  barren  life  is  a continual  provoca- 
tion to  the  eyes  of  his  glory,  as  likewise  a dis- 
honour to  the  glory  of  his  grace. 

Barren  fig  tree,  hast  thou  heard  all  these 
things  ? I will  add  yet  once  more, 

And  he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon. 

The  question  is  not  now  what  thou  thinkest 
of  thyself,  nor  what  all  the  people  of  God  think 
of  thee,  but  what  thou  slialt  be  found  in  that 
day  when  God  shall  search  thy  boughs  for 
fruit.  When  Sodom  was  to  be  searched  for 
righteous  men,  God  would  not,  in  that  man- 
ner, trust  his  faithful  servant  Abraham,  but 
still  as  Abraham  interceded,  God  answered, 
“If  I find  fifty  or  forty  and  five  there,  I will 
not  destroy  the  city.”  Barren  fig  tree,  what 
sayest  thou?  God  will  come  down  to  see,  God 
will  make  search  for  fruit  himself. 

“And  he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon, 
and  found  none.  Then  said  he  to  the  dresser 
of  the  vineyard,  Behold,  these  three  years  I 
come  seeking  fruit  on  this  fig  tree,  and  find 
none ; cut  it  down ; why  cumbereth  it  the 
ground  ?” 


TEE  BARREN  F 10  TREE. 


637 


These  words  arc  the  effect  of  God’s  search 
into  the  boughs  of  a barren  fig  tree  ; lie  sought 
fruit  and  found  none — none  to  his  liking,  none 
pleasant  and  good.  Therefore  first  he  coin- 
plains  of  the  want  thereof  to  the  dresser,  calls 
him  to  come  and  see  and  take  notice  of  the 
tree;  then  signifieth  his  pleasure:  he  will 
have  it  removed,  taken  away,  cut  down  from 
cumbering  the  ground. 

Observe,  the  barren  fig  tree  is  the  object  of 
God’s  displeasure;  God  cannot  bear  with  a 
fruitless  professor. 

Then  said  he,  &c. 

Then,  after  this  provocation ; then,  after  he 
had  sought  and  found  no  fruit — then.  This 
word  then  doth  show  us  a kind  of  inward  dis- 
quietness; as  he  saitli  also  in  another  place, 
upon  a like  provocation,  “Then  the  anger 
of  the  Lord  and  his  jealousy  shall  smoke 
against  that  man,  and  all  the  curses  that  are 
written  in  this  book  shall  lie  upon  him,  and 
the  Lord  shall  blot  out  his  name  from  under 
heaven.” 

Then  intimateth  that  he  was  now  come  to 
a point,  to  a resolution,  what  to  do  with  this 
fig  tree.  “ Then  said  he  to  the  dresser  of 
this  vineyard” — that  is,  to  Jesus  Christ — 
“behold;”  as  much  as  to  say,  Come  hither; 
here  is  a fig  tree  in  my  vineyard,  here  is  a 
professor  in  my  Church,  that  is  barren,  that 
heareth  no  fruit. 

Observe,  however  the  barren  professor  thinks 
of  himself  on  earth,  the  Lord  cries  out  in 
heaven  against  him:  “And  now  go  to,  I will 
tell  you  what  I will  do  to  my  vineyard : I will 
take  away  the  hedge  thereof,  and  it  shall  be 
eaten  up ; and  I will  break  down  the  wall 
thereof,  and  it  shall  be  trodden  down.” 

Behold  these  three  years  I come  seeking  fruit,  &c. 

Observe,  “ these  three  years.”  ' God  cries 
out  that  his  patience  is  abused,  that  his  for- 
bearance is  abused:  behold,  these  three  years 
I have  waited,  forborne — these  three  years  I 
have  deferred  mine  anger : “ Therefore  will  I 
stretch  out  my  hand  against  thee,  and  destroy 
thee:  I am  weary  with  repenting.” 

“ These  three  years.”  Observe,  God  layeth 
up  all  the  time,  I say,  a remembrance  of  all 
the  time  that  a barren  fig  tree  or  a fruitless 
professor  misspendeth  from  this  world.  As 
he  saith  also  of  Israel  of  old,  “ forty  years  long 
was  I grieved  with  this  generation.” 

“ These  three  years,”  &c.  These  three  sea- 
sons. Observe,  God  remembers  how  many 


seasons  thou  hast  misspent,  for  these  three 
signify  so  many  seasons.  “And  when  the 
time  of  fruit  drew  nigh  ;”  that  is,  about  the 
season  they  begin  to  be  ripe,  or  that  according 
to  the  season  might  so  have  been.  Barren  fig 
tree,  thou  hast  had  time,  seasons,  ministers, 
afflictions,  judgments,  mercies,  and  what  not, 
and  yet  hast  not  been  fruitful.  Thou  hast  had 
awakenings,  reproofs,  threatenings,  comforts, 
and  yet  hast  not  been  fruitful.  Thou  hast  had 
patterns,  examples,  citations,  provocations, 
and  yet  hast  not  been  fruitful.  Well,  God 
hath  laid  up  thy  three  years  with  himself. 
He  remembers  every  time,  every  season,  every 
sermon,  every  minister,  afiliction,  judgment, 
mercy,  awakening,  pattern,  example,  citation, 
provocation : he  remembers  all.  As  he  said 
of  Israel  of  old,  “They  have  tempted  me 
these  ten  times,  and  have  not  hearkened  to 
my  voice.”  And  again,  “ I remember  all  their 
wickedness.” 

“ These  three  years,”  &c.  He  seeks  for  the 
fruit  of  every  season : he  will  not  that  any  of 
his  sermons,  ministers,  afflictions,  judgments, 
or  mercies  should  be  lost  or  stand  for  insig- 
nificant things : he  will  have  acoording  to 
the  benefit  bestowed.  He  hath  not  done 
without  a cause  all  that  he  hath  done,  and 
therefore  he  looketh  for  fruit.  Look  to  it, 
barren  fig  tree. 

I come  seeking  fruit. 

Observe,  this  word  seeking  signifies  a narrow 
search;  for  when  a man  seeks  for  fruit  on  a 
tree,  he  goes  round  it  and  round  it,  now  look- 
ing into  this  bough  and  then  into  that;  he 
peeps  into  the  inmost  boughs  and  the  lower- 
most boughs,  if  perhaps  fruit  may  be  thereon. 

Barren  fig  tree,  God  will  look  into  all  thy 
houghs:  he  will  be  with  thee  in  thy  bed 
fruits,  thy  midnight  fruits,  thy  closet  fruits, 
thy  family  fruits,  thy  conversation  fruits,  to 
see  if  there  he  any  among  all  these  that  are  fit 
for  or  worthy  of  the  name  of  the  God  of 
heaven.  He  sees  what  the  children  of  Israel 
do  in  the  dark.  “All  things  are  open  unto 
the  eyes  of  Him  with  whom  we  have  to  do.” 

Seeking  fruit  on  this  fig  tree. 

I told  you  before  that  he  keeps  in  remem- 
brance the  times  and  seasons  that  the  barren 
professor  had  wickedly  misspent.  Now,  foras- 
much as  he  also  pointetli  out  the  fig  tree, 
“this  fig  tree,”  it  slioweth  that  the  barren 
professor,  above  all  professors,  is  a continual 
odium  in  the  eye  of  God.  This  fig  tree,  this 


638 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


man  Coniah.  Jer.  xxii.  28.  This  people  draw 
nigh  to  me  with  their  mouth,  but  have  re- 
moved their  hearts  far  from  me.  God  knows 
who  they  are  among  all  the  thousands  of 
Israel  that  are  the  barren  and  fruitless  pro- 
fessors; his  lot  will  fall  upon  the  head  of 
Achar.,  though  he  be  hid  amongst  six  hundred 
thousand  men.  And  he  brought  his  house- 
hold, man  by  man,  and  Achan.  the  son  of 
Carmi,  the  son  of  Zubdi,  the  son  of  Zerah,  of 
the  tribe  of.  Judah,  was  taken.  Josh.  vii.  17, 
18.  This  is  the  Achan,  this  is  the  fig  tree, 
this  is  the  barren  professor. 

There  is  a man  hath  an  hundred  trees  in 
his  vineyard,  and  at  the  time  of  the  season  he 
walketh  into  his  vineyard  to  see  how  the  trees 
flourish ; and  as  he  goes  and  views  and  pries 
and  observes  how  they  are  hanged  with  fruit, 
behold  he  cometh  to  one  where  he  findeth 
naught  but  leaves.  Now  he  makes  a stand, 
looks  upon  it  again  and  again;  he  looks  also 
here  and  there,  above  and  below;  and  if  after 
all  this  seeking  he  finds  nothing  but  leaves 
thereon,  then  he  begins  to  cast  in  his  mind 
how  he  may  know  this  tree  next  year — what 
stands  next  it  or  how  far  it  is  off  the  hedge ; 
but  if  there  be  nothing  there  that  may  be  as  a 
mark  to  know  it  by,  then  he  takes  his  hook 
and  giveth  it  a private  mark,  (“And  the  Lord 
set  a mark  upon  Cain,”)  saying,  Go  thy  way, 
fruitless  fig  tree,  thou  hast  spent  this  season  in 
vain. 

Yet  doth  he  not  now  cut  it  down  ; I will  try 
it  another  year ; maybe  this  was  not  a hitting 
season.  Therefore  he  comes  again  next  year, 
to  see  if  now  it  have  fruit;  but  as  he  found  it 
before,  so  he  finds  it  now,  barren,  barren,  every 
year  barren  ; he  looks  again,  but  finds  no  fruit. 
Now  he  begins  to  have  second  thoughts.  How ! 
neither  hit  last  year  nor  this?  Surely  the  bar- 
renness is  not  in  the  season,  sure  the  fault  is  in 
the  tree;  however,  I will  spare  it  this  year 
also,  but  will  give  it  a second  mark;  and  it 
may  be  he  toucheth  it  with  :a  hot  iron,  because 
he  begins  to  be  angry. 

Well,  at  the  third  season  he  comes  again  for 
fruit,  but  the  third  year  is  like  the  first  and 
second — no  fruit  yet;  it  only  cumbereth  the 
ground.  What  now  must  be  done  with  this 
fig  tree?  Why,  the  Lord  will  lop  its  boughs 
with  terror ; yea,  the  thickest  of  those  profes- 
sors with  iron.  I have  waited,  saith  God,  these 
three  years ; I have  missed  of  fruit  these  three 
years.;  it  hath  been  a cumber-ground  these 
three  years  ; cut  it  down.  Precept  hath  been 
upon  precept,  and  line  upon  line,  one  year 


after  another,  for  these  three  years,  but  no 
fruit  can  be  seen  : I find  none.  Fetch  out  the 
axe : I am  sure  this  is  the  fig  tree ; I know  it 
from  the  first  year;  barrenness  was  its  sign 
then,  barrenness  is  its  sign  now ; make  it  fit  for 
the  fire.  “ Behold,  the  axe  is  laid  to  the  root 
of  the  trees ; every  tree  therefore  that  bringeth 
not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down  and  cast 
into  the  fire.” 

Observe,  my  brethren,  God’s  heart  cannot 
stand  towards  a barren  fig  tree.  You  know 
thus  it  is  with  yourselves.  If  you  have  a tree 
in  your  orchard  or  vineyard  that  doth  only 
cumber  the  ground,  you  cannot  look  upon  that 
tree  with  pleasure,  with  complacency  and  de- 
light. No;  if  you  do  but  go  by  it,  if  you  do 
but  cast  your  eye  upon  it,  yea,  if  you  do  but 
think  of  that  tree,  you  threaten  it  in  your 
heart,  saying,  I will  hew  thee  down  shortly,  I 
will  to  the  fire  with  thee  shortly  : and  it  is  in 
vain  for  any  to  think  of  persuading  of  you  to 
show  favour  to  the  barren-  fig  tree ; and  if  they 
should  persuade  your  auswer  is  irresistible : It 
yields  me  no  profit,  it  takes  up  room,  and  does 
no  good ; a better  may  grow  in  its  room. 

Cut  it  down. 

Thus  when  the  godly  among  the  Jews  (Jer. 
xiv.  17)  made  prayers  that  rebellious  Israel 
might  not  be  cast  out  of  the  vineyard,  what 
saith  the  answer  of  God? — “Though  Moses 
and  Samuel  stood  before  me,  yet  could  not  my 
mind  be  towards  this  people ; wherefore  cast 
them  out  of  my  presence,  and  let  them  go 
forth.” 

What  a resolution  is  here!  Moses  and 
Samuel  could  do  almost  anything  with  God  in 
prayer.  How  many  times  did  Moses  by  prayer 
turn  away  God’s  judgments  from  even  Pharaoh 
himself!  yea,  how  many  times  did  he  by  prayer 
preserve  Israel,  when  in  the  wilderness,  (Ps. 
cvi.  23,)  from  the  anger  and  wrath  of  God ! 
Samuel  is  reckoned  excellent  this  way,  yea,  so 
excellent  that  when  Israel  had  done  that  fear- 
ful thing  as  to  reject  the  Lord  and  choose  them 
another  king,  he  prayed,  and  the  Lord  spared 
and  forgave  them.  But  yet  neither  Moses  nor 
Samuel  can  save  a barren  fig  tree.  No ; though 
Moses  and  Samuel  stood  before  me — that  is, 
pleading,  arguing,  interceding,  supplicating, 
and  beseeching — yet  could  they  not  iucline 
mine  heart  to  this  people. 

Cut  it  down. 

Ay,  but.  Lord,  it  is  a fig  tree,  a fig  tree ! If 
it  was  a thorn,  or  a bramble,  or  a thistle,  the 


THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE. 


630 


matter  would  not  be  much  ; but  it  is  a fig  tree 
or  a vine.  Well,  but  mark  the  answer  of  God: 
“Son  of  man,  what  is  the  vine  tree  more  than 
any  tree,  or  than  a branch  that  is  among  the 
trees  of  the  forest?  Shall  wood  be  taken 
thereof  to  do  any  work?  or  will  men  take  a 
pin  of  it  to  hang  any  vessel  thereon?”  If 
trees  that  arc  set  or  planted  for  fruit  bring  not 
forth  that  fruit,  there  is  betwixt  them  and  the 
trees  of  the  forest  no  betterment  at  all,  unless 
the  betterment  lioth  in  the  trees  of  the  wood, 
for  they  are  fit  to  build  withal;  but  a fig  tree 
or  a vine,  if  they  bring  not  forth  fruit,  yea, 
good  fruit,  they  are  fit  for  nothing  at  all  but  to 
be  cut  down  and  prepared  for  the  fire;  and  so 
the  prophet  goes  on,  “Behold,  it  is  cast  into 
the  fire  for  fuel.”  If  it  serve  not  for  fruit,  it 
will  serve  for  fuel,  and  so  “ the  fire  devoureth 
both  the  ends  of  it,  and  the  middle  of  it  is 
burnt.” 

Ay,  but  these  fig  trees  and  vines  are  church- 
members,  inhabiters  of  Jerusalem.  So  was  the 
fig  tree  mentioned  in  the  text.  But  what  an- 
swer hath  God  prepared  for  these  objections? 
Why,  “ Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  As  the  vine 
tree  among  the  trees  of  the  forest,  which  I have 
given  to  the  fire  for  fuel,  so  will  I give  the  in- 
habitants of  Jerusalem  ; and  I will  set  my  face 
against  them ; they  shall  go  out  from  one  fire, 
and  another  fire  shall  devour  them.” 

Cut.  it  dovm. 

The  wohian  that  delighteth  in  her  garden, 
if  she  have  a slip  there,  suppose  (if  it  was 
fruitful)  she  would  not  take  five  pounds  for  it, 
yet  if  it  bear  no  fruit,  if  it  wither  and  dwindle 
and  die,  and  turn  cumber-ground  only,  it  may 
not  stand  in  her  garden.  Gardens  and  vine- 
yards are  places  for  fruit — for  fruit  according 
to  the  nature  of  the  plant  or  flowers.  Suppose 
such  a slip  as  I told  you  of  before  should  be  in 
your  garden  and  there  die,  would  you  let  it 
abide  in  your  garden?  No;  away  with  it, 
away  with  it!  The  woman  comes  into  her 
garden  towards  the  spring,  when  first  she  gives 
it  a slight  cast  with  her  eye,  then  she  sets  to 
gathering  out  the  weeds  and  nettles  and  stones ; 
takes  a besom  and  sweeps  the  walks ; this  done, 
she  falls  to  prying  into  her  herbs  and  slips,  to 
see  if  they  live,  to  see  if  they  are  likely  to  grow. 

Now,  if  she  comes  to  one  that  is  dead,  that 
she  is  confident  will  not  grow,  up  she  pulls 
that,  and  makes  to  the  heap  of  rubbish  with 
it,  where  she  despisingly  casts  it  down,  and 
valueth  it  no  more  than  a nettle  or  a weed,  or 
than  the  dust  she  hath  swept  out  of  her  walks. 


Yes,  if  any  that  see  her  should  say,  Why  do 
you  so?  the  answer  is  ready,  It  is  dead,  it 
is  dead  at  root ; if  I had  let  it  stand  it  would 
but  have  cumbered  the  ground.  The  strange 
slips,  (and  also  the  dead  ones,)  “ they  must  be 
a heap  in  the  day  of  grief  and  of  desperate 
sorrow.” 

Cut  it  down. 

There  are  two  ways  of  cutting  down — 1. 
When  a man  is  cast  out  of  the  vineyard ; 2. 
When  a man  is  cast  out  of  the  world. 

1.  When  a man  is  cast  out  of  the  vineyard. 

And  that  is  done  two  ways — 1.  By  an  im- 
mediate hand  of  God ; 2.  By  the  Church’s  due 
execution,  of  the  laws  and  censures  which 
Christ  for  that  purpose  hath  left  with  his 
Church. 

1st.  God  cuts  down  the  barren  fig  tree  by  an 
immediate  hand,  smiting  his  roots,  blasting  his 
branches,  and  so  takes  him  away  from  among 
his  people.  “Every  branch,”  saith  Christ, 
“*hat  beareth  not  fruit  in  me,  he  (my  Father) 
taketh  away.”  He  taketh  him  out  of  the 
Church,  he  taketh  him  away  from  the  godly. 

There  are  two  things  by  which  God  taketh 
the  barren  professor  from  among  the  children 
of  God — 1.  Strong  delusions;  2.  Open  pro- 
faneness. 

(1.)  By  strong  delusions,  such  as  beguile  the 
soul  with  damnable  doctrines  that  swerve  from 
faith  and  godliness.  “ They  have  chosen  their 
own  ways,”  saith  God,  “and  their  soul  delight- 
eth in  their  abominations.  I also  will  choose 
their  delusions,  and  will  bring  their  fears  upon 
them.”  I will  smite  them  with  blindness,  and 
hardness  of  heart,  and  failing  of  eyes,  and  will 
also  suffer  the  tempter  to  tempt  and  effect  his 
hellish  designs  upon  them.  “God  will  send 
them  strong  delusions,  that  they  .may  believe 
a lie ; that  they  all  may  be  damned  who  be- 
lieve not  the  truth,  but  have  pleasure  in  un- 
righteousness.” 

(2.)  Sometimes  God  takes  away  a barren 
professor  by  open  profaneness.  There  is  one 
hath  taken  up  a profession  of  that  worthy 
name,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  this  profes- 
sion is  but  a cloak : he  secretly  practiseth 
wickedness.  He  is  a glutton,  a drunkard,  or 
covetous,  or  unclean.  Well,  saith  God,  I will 
loose,  the  reins  of  this  professor:  I will  give 
him  up  to  his  vile  affections ; I will  loose  the 
reins  of  his  lusts  before  him;  he  shall  be  en- 
tangled with  his  beastly  lusts ; he  shall  be 
overcome  of  ungodly  company.  Thus  they 
that  turn  aside,  to  their  own  crooked  ways, 


640 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


“the  Lord  shall  lead  them  forth  with  the 
workers  of  iniquity.”  This  is  God’s  hand  im- 
mediately ; God  is  now  dealing  with  this  man 
himself.  Barren  fig  tree,  hearken.  Thou  art 
crowded  into  a profession,  art  got  among  the 
godly,  and  there  art  a scandal  to  the  holy  and 
glorious  gospel,  but  withal  so  cunning  that, 
like  the  sons  of  Zeruiah,  thou  art  too  hard  for 
the  Church  : she  knows  not  how  to  deal  with 
thee.  Well,  saith  God,  I will  deal  with  that 
man  myself.  I will  answer  that  man  my- 
self.” He  that  sets  up  his  idols  in  his  heart, 
and  puts  the  stumbling-block  of  his  iniquity 
before  his  face,  and  yet  comes  and  appears  be- 
fore me,  “ I will  set  my  face  against  that  man, 
and  will  make  him  a sign  and  a proverb  ; and 
I will  cut  him  off  from  the  midst  of  my  peo- 
ple,-and  he  shall  know  that  I am  the  Lord.” 
But,  2dly.  God  doth  sometimes  cut  down  the 
barren  fig  tree  by  the  Church,  by  the  Church’s 
due  execution  of  the  law  and  censures  which 
Christ  for  that  purpose  hath  left  with  his 
Church.  This  is  the  meaning  of  that  in  Matt, 
xviii. ; 1 Cor.  v.,  and  that  in  1 Tim.  i.  20,  upon 
which  now  I shall  not  enlarge.  But  which 
way  soever  God  dealeth  with  thee,  0 thou  bar- 
ren fig  tree — whether  by  himself  immediately 
or  by  his  Church — it  amounts  to  one  and  the 
same;  for  if  timely  repentance  prevent  not, 
the  end  of  that  soul  is  damnation.  They  are 
blasted  and  withered,  and  gathered  by  men, 
God’s  enemies,  and  at  last  being  cast  into  the 
fire,  burning  must  be  their  end:  “That  which 
beareth  briers  and  thorns  is  nigh  unto  cursing, 
whose  end  is  to  be  burned.” 

2.  Again,  sometimes  by  “cut  it  down,”  God 
means,  Cast  it  out  of  the  world.  Thus  he  cut 
down  Nadab  and  Abiliu  when  he  burned  them 
up  with  fire  from  heaven.  Thus  he  cut  down 
Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram  when  he  made  the 
earth  to  swallow  them  up.  Thus  he  cut  down 
Saul  when  he  gave  him  up  to  fall  against  the 
edge  of  his  own  sword,  and  died.  Thus  he  cut 
down  Ananias  with  Sapphira  his  wife  when 
be  struck  them  down  dead  in  the  midst  of  the 
congregation.  I might  here  also  discourse  of 
Absalom,  Ahithophel,  and  Judas,  who  were  all 
three  hanged — the  first  by  God’s  revenging 
hand;  the  others  were  given  up  of  God  to  be 
their  own  executioners.  These  were  barren 
and  unprofitable  fig  trees,  such  as  God  took 
no  pleasure  in,  therefore  he  commanded  to  cut 
them  down.  The  Psalmist  saith,  “He  shall 
take  them  away  as  with  a whirlwind,  both  liv- 
ing, and  in  his  wrath.” 

Barren  fig  tree,  hearken.  God  calls  for  the 


axe,  his  sword:  Bring  it  hither,  here  is  a bar 
ren  professor;  “Cut  him  down;  why  cumber 
eth  he  the  ground?” 

Why  cumber  eth  it  the  ground? 

By  these  words  the  Lord  suggestetlr  reason? 
of  his  displeasure  against  the  barren  fig  tree; 
it  cumbereth  the  ground.  The  Holy  Ghost 
doth  not  only  take  an  argument  from  its  bar- 
renness, but  because  it  is  a cumber-ground, 
therefore  cut  it  down;  wherefore  it  must  needs 
be  a provocation — 

1.  Because  as  much  as  in  him  lieth  he  dis- 
appointeth  the  design  of  God  in  planting  his 
vineyard ; “ I looked  that  it  should  bring  forth 
fruit.” 

2.  It  hath  also  abused  his  patience,  his  long- 
suffering,  his  three  years’  patience. 

3.  It  hath  also  abused  his  labour,  his  pains, 
his  care,  and  providence  of  protection  and 
preservation,  for  he  hedges  his  vineyard,  and 
walls  it  about.  Cumber-ground,  all  these 
things  thou  abuseth.  He  waters  his  vineyard 
and  looks  to  it  night  and  day,  but  all  these 
things  thou  hast  abused. 

Further,  there  are  other  reasons  of  God’s 
displeasure;  as — 

1.  A cumber-ground  is  a very  mock  and  re- 
proach to  religion,  a mock  and  reproach  to  the 
ways  of  God,  to  the  people  of  God,  to  the 
word  of  God,  and  to  the  name  of  religion.  It 
is  expected  of  all  hands  that  all  the  trees  in 
the  garden  of  God  should  be  fruitful : God  ex- 
pects fruit,  the  Church  expects  fruit,  the  world, 
even  the  world,  concludes  that  professors  should 
be  fruitful  in  good  works;  I say,  the  very  world 
expecteth  that  professors  should  be  better  than 
themselves.  But,  barren  fig  tree,  thou  disap- 
pointest  all ; nay,  hast  thou  not  learned  the 
wicked  ones  thy  ways?  Hast  thou  not  learned 
them  to  be  more  wicked  by  thy  example? 
(But  that  is  by  the  by.)  Barren  fig  tree,  thou 
hast  disappointed  others,  and  must  be  disap- 
pointed thyself:  “cut  it  down;  why  cumbereth 
it  the  ground?” 

2.  The  barren  fig  tree  takes  up  the  room 
where  a better  might  stand;  I say,  it  takes  up 
the  room;  it  keeps,  so  long  as  it  stands  where 
it  doth,  a fruitful  tree  out  of  that  place,  and 
therefore  it  must  be  cut  down.  Barren  fig- 
tree,  dost  thou  hear?  Because  the  Jews  stood 
fruitless  in  the  vineyard,  therefore  saith  God, 
“the  kingdom  of  heaven  shall  be  taken  from 
you,  and  shall  be  given  to  a nation  that  shall 
render  him  their  fruits  in  their  season.”  The 
Jews  for  their  barrenness  were  cut  down,  and 


THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE. 


G41 


more  fruitful  people  put  in  their  room.  As 
Samuel  also  said  to  barren  Saul,  “The  Lord 
hath  rent  the  kingdom  from  thee,  and  hath 
given  it  to  thy  neighbour,  who  is  better  than 
thou;”  the  unprofitable  servant  must  be  cast 
out,  must  be  cut  down. 

Cumber-ground,  how  many  hopeful,  inclina- 
ble, forward  people  hast  thou  by  thy  fruitless 
and  unprofitable  life  kept  out  of  the  vineyard 
of  God!  For  thy  sake  have  the  people  stum- 
bled at  religion;  by  thy  life  have  they  been 
kept  from  the  love  of  their  own  salvation. 
Thou  hast  been  also  a means  of  hardening 
others  and  of  quenching  and  killing  weak  be- 
ginnings. Well,  barren  fig  tree,  look  to  thy- 
self; thou  wilt  not  go  to  heaven  thyself,  and 
them  that  would  thou  hinderest;  thou  must  not 
always  cumber  the  ground,  nor  always  hinder 
the  salvation  of  others.  Thou  shall  be  cut 
down,  and  another  shall  be  planted  in  thy 
room. 

3.  The  cumber-ground  is  a sucker;  he  draws 
away  the  heart  and  nourishment  from  the  other 
trees.  We're  the  cumber-ground  cut  down,  the 
others  would  be  more  fruitful ; he  draws  away 
that  fatness  of  the  ground  to  himself  that  would 
make  the  others  more  hearty  and  fruitful : “ One 
sinner  destroyeth  much  good.” 

The  cumber-ground  is  a very  drone  in  the 
hive,  that  eats  up  the  honey  that  should  feed 
the  labouring  bee;  he  is  a thief  in  the  candle, 
that  wasteth  the  tallow,  but  giveth  no  light; 
he  is  the  unsavoury  salt,  that  is  fit  for  naught 
but  the  dunghill.  Look  to  it,  barren  fig  tree. 

And  he  answering,  said  unto  him,  Lord,  let  it 
alone  this  year  also,  till  I shall  dig  about  it, 
and  dung  it;  and  if  it  bear  fruit,  well ; and 
if  not,  then  after  that  thou  shall  cut  it  down. 
These  are  the  words  of  the  dresser  of  the 
vineyard,  who,  I told  you,  is  Jesus  Christ,  (for 
he  made  intercession  for  the  transgressors.) 
And  they  contain  a petition  presented  to  an 
offended  justice,  praying  that  a little  more 
time  and  patience  might  be  exercised  towards 
the  barren,  cumber-ground  fig  tree. 

In  this  petition  there  are  six  things  consid- 
erable— 

1.  That  justice  might  be  deferred.  “Lord, 
let  it  alone,”  &c.,  awhile  longer. 

2.  Here  is  time  prefixed,  as  a space,  to  try  if 
more  means  will  cure  a barren  fig  tree.  “ Lord, 
let  it  alone  this  year  also.” 

3.  The  means  to  help  it  are  propounded. 
“Until  I shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it.” 

4.  Here  is  also  an  insinuation  of  a supposi- 

41 


tion  that  by  thus  doing  God’s  expectations 
may  be  answered.  “And  if  it  bear  fruit,  well.” 

5.  Here  is  a supposition  that  the  barren  fig 
tree  may  yet  abide  barren  when  Christ  hath 
done  what  he  will  unto  it.  “And  if  it  bear 
fruit,”  &c. 

G.  Here  is  at  last  a resolution  that  if  thou 
continue  barren  hewing  days  will  come  upon 
thee.  “And  if  it  bear  fruit,  well;  and  if  not, 
then  after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down.” 

But  to  proceed,  according  to  my  former 
method,  by  way  of  exposition. 

Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year  also. 

Here  is  astonishing  grace  indeed! — astonish- 
ing grace,  I say,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  should 
concern  himself  with  a barren  fig  tree,  that  he 
should  step  in  to  stop  the  blow  from  a barren 
fig  tree!  True,  he  stopped  the  blow  but  for  a 
time,  but  why  did  he  stop  it  at  all?  Why  did 
he  not  fetch  out  the  axe?  Why  did  he  not  do 
execution?  Why  did  not  he  cut  it  down? 
Barren  fig  tree,  it  is  well  for  thee  that  there  is 
a Jesus  at  God’s  right  hand — a Jesus  of  that 
largeness  of  bowels  as  to  have  compassion  for 
a barren  fig  tree — else  justice  had  never  let 
thee  alone  to  cumber  the  ground  as  thou  hast 
done.  When  Israel  also  had  sinned  against 
God,  down  they  had  gone  but  that  “Moses 
stood  in  the  breach.”  “Let  me  alone,”  said 
God  to  him,  “ that  I may  consume  them  in  a 
moment,  and  I will  make  of  thee  a great  na- 
tion.” Barren  fig  tree,  dost  thou  hear?  Thou 
knowest  not  how  oft  the  hand  of  Divine  jus- 
tice had  been  up  to  strike,  and  how  many 
years  since  thou  hadst  been  cut  down  had  not 
Jesus  caught  hold  of  his  Father’s  axe.  Let 
me  alone,  let  me  fetch  my  blow,  or  “cut  it 
down;  why  cumbereth  it  the  ground?”  Wilt 
thou  not  hear  yet,  barren  fig  tree?  Wilt  thou 
provoke  still?  Thou  hast  wearied  men  and 
provoked  the  justice  of  God:  “And  wilt  thou 
weary  my  God  also?” 

Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year. 

Look  a little  longer ; let  us  not  lose  a soul  for 
want  of  means.  I will  try,  I will  see  if  I can 
make  it  fruitful ; I will  not  beg. a long  life,  nor 
that  it  might  still  be  barren,  and  so  provoke 
thee.  I beg  for  the  sake  of  the  soul,  the  im- 
mortal soul.  Lord,  spare  it  one  year  only,  one 
year  longer,  this  year  also : if  I do  any  good  to 
it,  it  will  be  in  little  time.  Thou  shalt  not  be 
overwearied  with  waiting ; one  year  and — then. 

Barren  fig  tree,  dost  thou  hear  what  a striv- 
ing there  is  between  the  Vine-dresser  and  the 


642 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Husbandman  for  thy  life?  “Cut  it  down,” 
says  one;  “Lord,  spare  it,”  saitli  the  other. 
It  is  a cumber-ground,  saith  the  Father;  One 
year  longer,  prays  the  Son.  “ Let  it  alone  this 
year  also.” 

Till  I shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it. 

The  Lord  Jesus  by  these  words  supposeth 
two  things  as  causes  of  the  want  of  fruit  in  a 
barren  fig  tree,  and  two  things  he  supposeth  as 
a remedy. 

The  things  that  are  a cause  of  want  of  fruit 
are — 1.  It  is  earth-bound.  Lord,  the  fig  tree 
is  earth-bound.  2.  A want  of  warmer  means, 
of  fatter  means. 

Wherefore  accordingly  he  propoundeth — 

1.  To  loosen  the  earth : to  dung  about  it. 

And  then  to  supply  it  with  dung : “ To  dig 
about  it,  and  dung  it.”  “ Lord,  let  it  alone 
this  year  also,  until  I shall  dig  about  it.”  I 
doubt  it  is  too  much  ground-bound;  “the  love 
of  this  world  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches” 
lie  too  close  to  the  roots  of  the  heart  of  this 
professor.  The  love  of  riches,  the  love  of  hon- 
ours, the  love  of  pleasures  are  the  thorns  that 
choke  the  word.  “ For  all  that  is  in  the  world, 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  the  lusts  of  the  eye,  and 
the  pride  of  life,  are  not  of  the  Father,  but  en- 
mity to  God ;”  how  then  (where  these  things 
bind  up  the  heart)  can  there  be  fruit  brought 
forth  to  God?  Barren  fig  tree,  see  how  the 
Lord  Jesus  by  these  very  words  suggesteth  the 
cause  of  thy  fruitfulness  of  soul.  The  things 
of  this  world  lie  too  close  to  thy  heart ; the 
earth  with  its  things  have  bound  up  thy  roots; 
thou  art  an  earth-bound  soul,  thou  art  wrapped 
up  in  thick  clay.  “ If  any  man  love  the  world, 
the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him ;”  how 
then  can  he  be  fruitful  in  the  vineyard?  This 
kept  Judas  from  the  fruit  of  caring  for  the 
poor.  This  kept  Demas  from  the  fruit  of  self- 
denial.  And  this  kept  Ananias  and  Sapphira 
his  wife  from  the  goodly  fruit  of  sincerity  and 
truth.  What  shall  I say?  “ These  are  foolish 
and  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in  destruc- 
tion and  perdition ; for  the  love  of  money  is 
the  root  of  all  evil.”  How  then  can  good  fruit 
grow  from  such  a root,  the  root  of  all  evil? 
“ Which  while  some  covet  after,  they  have 
erred  from  the  faith,  and  pierced  themselves 
through  with  many  arrows.”  It  is  an  evil 
root,  nay,  it  is  the  root  of  all  evil.  How  then 
can  the  professor  that  hath  such  a root,  or  a 
root  wrapped  up  in  such  earthly  things  as  the 
lusts,  and  pleasures,  and  vanities  of  this  world, 
bring  forth  fruit  to  God? 


Till  I shall  dig  about  it. 

Lord,  I will  loose  his  roots,  I will  dig  up 
this  earlh,  I will  lay  his  roots  bare;  my  hand 
shall  be  upon  him  by  sickness,  by  disappoint- 
ments, by  cross  providences;  I will  dig  about 
him  until  he  stands  shaking  and  tottering, 
until  he  be  ready  to  fall ; then,  if  ever,  he  will 
seek  to  take  faster  hold.  Thus,  I say,  deals 
the  Lord  Jesus  ofttimes  with  the  barren  pro- 
fessor; he  diggeth  about  him,  he  smitetli  one 
blow  at  his  heart,  another  blow  at  his  lusts,  a 
third  at  his  pleasures,  a fourth  at  his  comforts, 
another  at  his  self-conceitedness.  Thus  he 
diggeth  about  him;  this  is  the  way  to  take  bad 
earth  from  the  roots  and  to  loosen  his  roots 
from  the  earth.  Barren  fig  tree,  see  here  the 
care,  the  love,  the  labour,  and  way  which  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  dresser  of  the  vineyard,  is  fain 
to  take  with  thee  if  haply  thou  mayest  be 
made  fruitful. 

Till  I shall  dig  about  it,  and.  dung  it. 

As  the  earth,  by  binding  the  roots  too  closely, 
may  hinder  the  tree’s  being  fruitful,  so  the 
want  of  better  means  may  be  also  a cause 
thereof.  And  this  is  more  than  intimated  by 
the  dresser  of  the  vineyard : “ Until  I shall  dig 
about  it,  and  dung  it.”  I will  supply  it  with 
a more  fruitful  ministry,  with  a warmer  word ;' 
I will  give  them  pastors  after  mine  own  heart; 
I will  dung  them.  You  know  dung  is  a more 
warm,  more  fat,  more  hearty,  and  succouring 
matter  than  is  commonly  the  place  in  which 
trees  are  planted. 

“I  will  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it;”  I will 
bring  it  under  an  heart-awakening  ministry 
the  means  of  grace  shall  be  fat  and  good:  1 
will  also  visit  it  with  heart-awakening,  heart- 
warming, heart-encouraging  considerations ; I 
will  apply  warm  dung  to  his  roots  ; I will  strive 
with  him  by  my  Spirit,  and  give  him  some 
tastes  of  the  heavenly  gift  and  the  power  of  the 
world  to  come.  I am  loth  to  lose  him  for  want 
of  digging.  “ Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year  aim, 
until  I shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it.” 

And  if  it  bear  fruit,  well. 

And  if  the  fruit  of  all  my  labour  doth  make 
this  fig  tree  fruitful,  I shall  count  my  time,  my 
labour,  and  my  means  well  bestowed  upon  it ; 
and  thou  also,  O my  God,  shall  be  therewith 
much  delighted;  for  thou  art  gracious,  and 
merciful,  and  repentest  thee  of  the  evil  which 
thou  threatenest  to  bring  upon  a people. 

These  words,  therefore,  inform  us  that  if  a 
barren  fig  tree,  a barren  professor,  shall  now  at 


THE  BARREN  FIO  TREE. 


613 


last  bring  forth  fruit  to  God,  it  shall  go  well 
with  that  professor,  it  shall  go  well  with  that 
poor  soul.  J l is  former  barrenness,  his  former 
tempting  of  God,  his  abuse  of  God’s  patience 
and  long-suffering,  his  misspending  year  after 
year,  shall  now  be  all  forgiven  him.  Yea,  God 
the  Father  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  now 
pass  by  and  forget  all,  and  say,  Well  done ! at 
the  last.  When  I say  to  the  wicked,  0 wicked 
man,  thou  shalt  surely  die,  if  he  then  do  that 
which  is  lawful  and  right,  if  he  walk  in  the 
statutes  of  life,  without  committing  iniquity, 
he  shall  surely  live,  he  shall  not  die.  Ezek. 
iii.  3. 

Barren  fig  tree,  dost  thou  hear  ? The  axe  is 
laid  to  thy  roots,  the  Lord  Jesus  prays  God  to 
spare  thee.  Hath  he  been  digging  about  thee? 
Hath  he  been  dunging  of  thee  ? 0 barren  fig 
tree,  now  thou  art  come  to  the  point:  if  thou 
shalt  now  become  good,  if  thou  shalt,  after  a 
gracious  manner,  suck  in  the  gospel  nourish- 
ment, and  if  thou  shalt  bring  forth  fruit  unto 
God,  well ; but  if  not,  the  fire  is  the  last;  fruit 
or  the  fire,  fruit  or  the  fire,  barren  fig  tree. 
“If  it  bear  fruit,  well.” 

And  if  not,  then  after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down. 

“ And  if  not,”  &c.  The  Lord  Jesus  by  this 
if  givetli  us  to  understand  that  there  is  a gen- 
eration of  professors  in  the  world  that  are  in- 
curable— that  will  not,  that  cannot  repent,  nor 
he  profited  by  the  means  of  grace — a genera- 
tion, I say,  that  will  retain  a profession,  but 
will  not  bring  forth  fruit;  a generation  that 
will  wear  out  the  patience  of  God,  time  and 
tide,  threatenings  and  intercessions,  judgments 
and  mercies,  and  after  all  will  be  unfruitful. 

Oh  the  desperate  wickedness  that  is  in  thy 
heart ! Barren  professor,  dost  thou  hear  ? The 
Lord  Jesus  stands  yet  in  doubt  about  thee; 
there  is  an  if  stands  yet  in  the  way.  I say, 
the  Lord  Jesus  stands  yet  in  doubt  about  thee, 
whether  or  no  at  last  thou  wilt  be  good,  whether 
he  may  not  labour  in  vain,  whether  his  digging 
and  dunging  will  come  to  more  than  lost  la- 
bour. “I  gave  her  space  to  repent,  but  she 
repented  not ; ” I digged  about  it,  I dunged  it ; 
I gained  time,  and  supplied  it  with  means ; but 
1 laboured  here  in  vain,  and  spent  my  strength 
for  naught  and  in  vain.  Dost  thou  hear,  bar- 
ren fig  tree?  There  is  yet  a question  whether 
it  will  be  well  with  thy  soul  at  last. 

And  if  not,  then  after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  doicn. 

There  is  nothing  more  exasperating  to  the 
mind  of  a man  than  to  find  all  his  kindness  and 


favour  slighted ; neither  is  the  Lord  Jesus  so 
provoked  with  any  thing  as  when  sinners  abuse 
his  means  of  grace.  If  it  he  barren  and  fruit- 
less under  my  Gospel,  if  it  turn  my  grace  into 
wantonness,  if  after  digging,  and  dunging,  and 
waiting,  it  yet  remain  unfruitful,  I will  let 
thee  cut  it  down. 

Gospel-means  applied  is  the  last  remedy  for 
a barren  professor:  if  the  Gospel,  if  the  grace 
of  the  Gospel,  will  not  do,  there  can  be  noth- 
ing expected  but  cut  it  down;  “Then  after 
that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down.” 

“ 0 Jerusalem,  Jerusalem  ! thou  that  killest 
the  prophets,  and  stonest  them  that  are  sent 
unto  thee ! how  often  would  I have  gathered 
thy  children  together,  as  a hen  gathereth  her 
chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not  l 
Therefore  your  houses  are  left  unto  you  deso- 
late.” Yet  it  cannot  be  but  this  Lord  Jesus, 
avIio  at  first  did  put  a stop  to  the  execution  of 
liis  Father’s  justice,  because  he  desired  to  try 
more  means  with  the  fig  tree — I say,  it  cannot 
be  but  that  a heart  so  full  of  compassion  as  his 
is  should  be  touched  to  behold  this  professor 
must  now  be  cut  down.  “ And  when  he  was 
come  near,  he  beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over 
it,  saying,  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at 
least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  that  belong  to 
thy  peace ! but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine 
eyes.” 

After  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  doion. 

When  Christ  giveth  thee  over  there  is  no 
intercessor  or  mediator,  no  more  sacrifice  for 
sin  ; all  is  gone  but  judgment,  but  the  axe,  but 
“ a certain  fearful  looking-for  of  judgment  and 
fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour  the  ad- 
versaries.” 

Barren  fig  tree,  take  heed  that  thou  comest 
not  to  these  last  words,  for  these  words  are  a 
give-up,  a cast-lip,  a cast-up  of  a castaway; 
“ After  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down.”  They 
are  as  much  as  if  Christ  had  said,  Father,  I 
begged  for  more  time  for  this  barren  profes- 
sor ; I begged  until  I should  dig  about  it,  and 
dung  it;  but  now,  Father,  the  time  is  out,  the 
year  is  ended,  the  summer  is  ended,  and  no 
good  done.  I have  also  tried  with  my  means, 
with  the  Gospel ; I have  digged  about  it ; I 
have  laid  also  the  fat  and  hearty  dung  of  the 
Gospel  to  it,  but  all  comes  to  nothing.  Father, 
I deliver  up  this  professor  to  thee  again.  I 
have  done,  I have  done  all ; I have  done  pray- 
ing and  endeavouring;  I will  hold  the  head 
of  thine  axe  no  longer.  Take  him  into  the 
hands  of  justice;  do  justice,  do  the  law ; 1 


644 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


will  never  beg  for  him  more.  “ After  that  thou 
shalt  cut  it  down.”  “ Woe  unto  them  when  I 
depart  from  them!”  Now  is  this  professor 
left  naked  indeed — naked  to  God,  naked  to 
Satan,  naked  to  sin,  naked  to  the  law,  naked 
to  death,  naked  to  hell,  naked  to  judgment, 
and  naked  to  the  gripes  of  a guilty  conscience, 
and  to  the  torment  of  that  worm  that  never 
dies,  and  to  that  fire  that  never  shall  he 
quenched.  “See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that 
speaketh.  For  if  they  escape  not  who  refused 
him  that  spake  on  earth,  much  more  shall  not 
we  escape  if  we  turn  away  from  Him  that 
speaketh  from  heaven.” 

From  this  brief  pass  through  this  parable, 
you  have  these  two  general  observations : 

1.  That  even  then,  when  the  justice  of  God 
cries  out,  I cannot  endure  to  wait  on  this  bar- 
ren professor  any  longer,  then  Jesus  Christ  in- 
tercedes for  a little  more  patience  and  a little 
more  striving  with  this  professor,  if  possibly 
he  may  make  him  a fruitful  professor : “ Lord, 
let  it  alone  this  year  also,  until  I shall  dig 
about  it,  and  dung  it;  and  if  it  bear  fruit, 
well,”  &c. 

2.  There  are  some  professors  whose  day  of 
grace  will  end  with,  Cut  it  down,  with  judgment 
— when  Christ  by  his  means  hath  been  used  for 
their  salvation. 

The  first  of  these  observations  I shall  pass, 
and  not  meddle  at  all  therewith,  but  shall 
briefly  speak  to  the  second,  to  wit : 

That  there  are  some  professors  whose  day  of 
grace  will  end  with,  Cut  it  down,  with  judg- 
ment— when  Christ  by  his  means  hath  been 
used  for  their  salvation. 

This  the  apostle  showeth  in  that  third  chap- 
ter of  his  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  where  he 
tells  us  that  the  people  of  the  Jews,  after  a 
forty  years’  patience,  and  endeavour  to  do 
them  good  by  the  means  appointed  for  that 
purpose,  their  end  was  to  be  cut  down,  or  ex- 
cluded the  land  of  promise  for  their  final  in- 
credulity : “ So  we  see  they  could  not  enter  in, 
because  of  unbelief.”  Wherefore  saith  he,  “ I 
was  grieved  with  that  generation,  and  said, 
They  do  always  err  in  their  hearts  and  they 
have  not  known  my  ways ; so  I swear  in  my 
wrath,  They  shall  not  enter  into  my  rest.”  As 
who  should  say,  I would  they  should  have  en- 
tered in,  and  for  that  purpose  I brought  them 
out  of  Egypt,  led  them  through  the  sea,  and 
taught  them  in  the  wilderness,  but  they  did 
not  answer  my  work  or  designs  in  that  mat- 
ter; wherefore  they  shall  not,  I swear  they 
shall  not:  “I  swear  in  my  wrath, They  should 


not  enter  into  my  rest.”  Here  is  cutting  down 
with  judgment.  So  again  he  saith,  “As  I 
have  sworn  in  my  wrath,  If  they  shall  enter 
into  my  rest,  although  the  works  were  fin- 
ished from  the  foundation  of  the  world.”  This 
word  if  is  the  same  with  they  shall  not  in  the 
chapter  before.  And  where  he  saith,  “Al- 
though the  works  were  finished  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world,”  he  giveth  us  to  un- 
derstand that  what  preparations  soever  are 
made  for  the  salvation  of  sinners,  and  of  how 
long  continuance  soever  they  are,  yet  the  God- 
tempting,  God-provokihg,  and  fruitless  pro- 
fessor is  like  to  go  without  a share  theiein: 
“although  the  works  were  finished  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world.  I will  therefore  put 
you  in  remembrance,  though  ye  once  knew 
this,  how  that  the  Lord  having  saved  the 
people  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  afterward 
destroyed  them  that  believed  not.  And  the 
angels  that  kept  not  their  first  estate,  but  left 
their  own  habitation,  he  hath  reserved  in  ever- 
lasting chains  under  darkness,  unto  the  judg- 
ment of  the  great  day.”  Here  is  an  instance 
to  purpose,  an  instance  of  men  and  angels — 
men  saved  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  in 
their  journey  towards  Canaan,  the  type  of 
heaven,  cut  down  ; angels  created  and  placed 
in  the  heavens  in  great  estate  and  principal- 
ity; yet  both  these,  because  unfruitful  to  God 
in  their  places,  were  cut  down,  the  men  de- 
stroyed by  God,  (for  so  saith  the  text,)  “and 
the  angels  reserved  in  everlasting  chains 
under  darkness,  to  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day.” 

Now,  in  my  handling  of  this  point  I shall 
discourse  of  the  cutting  down,  or  the  judg- 
ment here  denounced,  as  it  respecteth  the 
doing  of  it  by  God’s  hand  immediately,  and 
that,  too,  with  respect  to  his  easting  them  out 
of  the  world,  and  not  as  it  respecteth  an  act 
of  the  Church,  &c.  And  as  to  this  cutting 
down,  or  judgment,  it  must  be  concluded  that 
it  cannot  be  before  the  day  of  grace  be  past 
with  the  fig  tree,  but  according  to  the  observa- 
tion, there  are  some  professors  whose  day  of 
grace  will  end  with,  Cut  it  down ; and  accord- 
ing to  the  words  of  the  text,  “ Then,  after  that, 
thou  shalt  cut  it  down.”  After  that;  that  is, 
after  all  my  attempts  aud  endeavours  to  make 
it  fruitful,  after  I have  left  it,  given  it  over, 
done  with  it,  and  have  resolved  to  bestow  no 
more  days  of  grace,  opportunities  of  grace,  and 
means  of  grace  upon  it — then,  after  that,  thou 
shalt  cut  it  down. 

Besides,  the  giving  up  of  the  fig  tree  is 


THE  BARREN  FIO  THEE. 


646 


before  the  execution.  Execution  is  not  nlvvaya 
presently  upon  the  sentence  given ; for  after 
that  a convenient  time  is  thought  on,  and 
then  is  cutting  down.  And  so  it  is  here  in 
the  text.  The  decree  that  it  shall  perish  is 
gathered  from  its  continuing  fruitless  quite 
through  the  last  year,  from  its  continuing 
fruitless  at  the  end  of  all  endeavours.  But 
cutting  down  is  not  yet,  for  that  comes  with 
an  afterward:  “Then,  after  that,  thou  shalt 
cut  it  down.” 

So  then,  that  I may  orderly  proceed  with 
the  observation,  I must  lay  down  these  two 
propositions : 

JProp.  1.  That  the  day  of  grace  ends  with 
some  men  before  God  takes  them  out  of  this 
world;  and, 

Prop.  2.  The  death,  or  cutting  down  of  such 
men,  will  be  dreadful.  For  this  cut  it  down, 
when  it  is  understood  in  the  largest  sense,  (as 
here  indeed  it  ought,)  it  showeth  not  only  the 
wrath  of  God  against  a man’s  life  in  this 
world,  but  his  wrath  against  him,  body  and 
soul ; and  is  as  much  as  to  say,  Cut  him  of!' 
from  all  the  privileges  and  benefits  that  come 
by  grace,  both  in  this  world  and  that  which  is 
to  come. 

But  to  proceed : the  day  of  grace  ends  with 
some  men  before  God  taketh  them  out  of  the 
world.  I shall  give  you  some  instances  of  this, 
and  so  go  on  to  the  last  proposition. 

1.  I shall  instance  Cain.  Cain  was  a pro- 
fessor, a sacrifice)-,  a worshipper  of  God ; yea, 
the  first  worshipper  that  we  read  of  after  the 
Fall ; but  his  grapes  were  wild  ones ; his  works 
were  evil ; he  did  not  do  what  he  did  from 
true  gospel  motives;  therefore  God  disallowed 
his  work.  At  this  his  countenance  falls ; 
wherefore  he  envies  his  brother,  disputes  him, 
takes  his  opportunity  and  kills  him.  Now  in 
that  day  that  lie  did  this  act  were  the  heavens 
closed  up  against  him;  and  that  himself  did 
smartingly  and  fearfully  feel  when  God  made 
inquisition  for  the  blood  of  Abel.  “ And  now 
cursed”  (said  God)  “shalt  thou  be  from  the 
earth,  which  hath  opened  her  mouth  to  re- 
ceive thy  brother’s  blood  from  thy  hand.  And 
Cain  said,  My  punishment  is  greater  than  I 
can  bear.  Mine  iniquity  is  greater  than  that 
it  may  be  forgiven.  Behold,  thou  hast  driven 
me  out  this  day  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and 
from  thy  face  shall  I be  hid.”  Now  thou  art 
cursed,  saith  God.  Thou  hast  driven  me  out 
’liis  day,  saith  Cain,  and  from  thy  face  shall  I 
be  hid;  I shall  never  more  have  hope  in  thee, 
smile  from  thee,  nor  expect  mercy  at  thy  hand. 


Thus  therefore  Cain’s  day  of  grace  ended,  and 
the  heavens,  with  God’s  own  heart,  were  shut 
up  against  him ; yet  after  this  lie  lived  long. 
Cutting  down  was  not  come  yet;  after  this 
he  lived  to  marry  a wife,  to  beget  a cursed 
brood,  to  build  a city,  (and  what  else  I know 
not;)  all  which  could  not  be  quickly  done; 
wherefore  Cain  might  live  after  the  day  of 
grace  was  past  with  him  several  hundreds  of 
years. 

2.  I shall  instance  Ishmael.  Ishmael  was 
a professor,  was  brought  up  in  Abraham’s 
family,  and  was  circumcised  at  thirteen  years 
of  age.  But  he  was  the  son  of  the  bond- 
woman  ; he  brought  not  forth  good  fruit ; he 
was  a wild  professor.  For  all  his  religion,  he 
would  scoff  at  those  that  were  better  than  him- 
self.  Well,  upon  a day  his  brother  Isaac  was 
weaned,  at  which  time  his  father  made  a least 
and  rejoiced  before  the  Lord,  for  that  he  had 
given  him  the  promised  son:  at  this  Ishmael 
mocked  them,  tl’ieir  son,  and  godly  rejoicing. 
Then  came  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  Sarah,  and 
she  cried,  “Cast  him  out,  cast  out  this  bond- 
woman  and  her  son  ; for  the  son  of  this  bond- 
woman  shall  not  be  heir  with  my  son,  with 
Isaac.”  Now  Paul  to  the  Galatians  makes 
this  casting  out  to  be  not  only  a casting  out 
of  Abraham’s  family,  but  a casting  out  also 
from  a lot  with  the  saints  in  heaven.  Also 
Moses  giveth  us  a notable  proof  thereof  in 
saying  that  when  he  died  he  was  gathered  to 
his  people — his  people  by  his  mother’s  side, 
for  he  was  reckoned  from  her,  the  son  of 
Hagar,  the  son  of  the  bond-woman.  Now 
she  came  of  the  Egyptians;  so  that  he  was 
gathered  when  he  died,  notwithstanding  his 
profession,  to  the  place  that  rharaoh  and  his 
host  were  gathered,  who  were  drowned  in  the 
Red  Sea : these  were  his  people,  and  he  was 
of  them,  both  by  nature  and  disposition,  by 
persecuting  as  the)-  did.  But  now,  when  did 
the  day  of  grace  end  with  this  man?  Ob- 
serve, and  I will  show  you.  Ishmael  was 
thirteen  years  old  when  he  was  circumcised, 
and  then  was  Abraham  ninety  years  old  and 
nine;  the  next  year  Isaac  was  born;  so  that 
Ishmael  was  now  fourteen  years  of  age.  Now 
when  Isaac  was  weaned,  (suppose  he  sucked 
four  years,)  by  that  account  the  day  of  grace 
must  be  ended  with  Ishmael  by  the  time  he 
was  eighteen  years  old.  For  that  day  he 
mocked,  that  day  it  was  said,  Cast  him  out; 
and  of  that  casting  out,  the  apostle  makes 
what  I have  said.  Beware,  ye  young  barren 
professors.  Now  Ishmael  lived  an  hundred 


646 


BUN  FAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  nineteen  years  after  this,  in  great  tran- 
quillity and  honour  with  men ; after  this  he 
also  begat  twelve  princes,  even  after  his  day 
of  grace  was  past. 

3.  I shall  instance  Esau.  He  also  was  a 
professor,  he  was  born  unto  Isaac,  and  circum- 
cised according  to  the  custom.  But  Esau  was 
a gamesome  professor,  a huntsman,  a man  of 
the  field : also  he  was  wedded  to  his  lusts, 
which  he  did  also  venture  to  keep  rather  than 
the  birthright.  Well,  upon  a day,  when  he 
came  from  hunting  and  was  faint,  he  sold  his 
birthright  to  Jacob  his  brother.  Now  the 
birthright,  in  those  days,  had  the  promise  and 
blessing  annexed  to  it.  Yea,  they  Were  so  en- 
tailed in  this  that  the  one  could  not  go  without 
th§  other;  wherefore  the  apostle’s  caution  is 
here  of  weight.  “ Take  heed,”  saith  he,  “ lest 
there  be  among  you  a fornicator  or  profane 
person,  as  Esau,  who  for  one  morsel  of  meat 
sold  his  birthright;  for  ye  know  how  that 
afterwards,  when  he  would  have  inherited  the 
blessing,  he  was  rejected;  for  he  found  no 
place  of  repentance,  though  he  sought  it  care- 
fully with  tears.”  Now  the  ending  of  Esau’s  day 
of  grace  is  to  be  reckoned  from  his  selling  of 
his  birthright ; for  there  the  apostle  points  it, 
Lest  there  be  among  you  any  that,  like  Esau, 
sells  his  birthright;  for  then  goes  hence  the 
blessing  also. 

But  Esau  sold  his  birthright  long  before  his 
death.  Twenty  years  after  this  Jacob  was  with 
Laban,  and  when  he  returned  home  his  brother 
Esau  met  him.  Further,  after  this,  when  Jacob 
dwelt  again  some  time  with  his  father,  then 
Jacob  and  Esau  buried  him.  I suppose  he 
might  live  about  forty — yea,  for  aught  I know, 
above  fourscore — years  after  he  had  sold  his 
birthright,  and  so  consequently  had  put  him- 
self out  of  the  grace  of  God. 

Three  things  I would  further  note  upon 
these  three  professors  : 

1.  Cain,  an  angry  professor,  Ishmael,  a mock- 
ing one,  Esau,  a lustful,  gamesome  one — three 
symptoms  of  a barren  professor,  for  he  that 
can  be  angry,  and  that  can  mock,  and  that 
can  indulge  his  lusts  cannot  bring  forth  fruit 
to  God. 

2.  The  day  of  grace  ended  with  these  pro- 
fessors at  that  time  when  they  committed  some 
grievous  sin.  Cain’s,  when  he  killed  his  bro- 
ther ; Ishmael’s,  when  he  mocked  at  Isaac,  &c., 
&c. ; and  Esau’s,  when  out  of  love  to  his  lusts, 
he  despised  and  sold  his  birthright.  Beware, 
barren  professor ; thou  mayest  do  that  in  half 
a quarter  of  an  hour  from  the  evil  of  which 


thou  mayest  not  be  delivered  for  ever  and 
ever. 

3.  Yet  these  three,  after  their  day  of  grace 
was  over,  lived  better  lives,  as  to  outward 
things,  than  ever  they  did  before.  Cain,  after 
this,  was  lord  of  a city;  Ishmael  was,  after 
this,  father  of  twelve  princes ; and  Esau,  after 
this,  told  his  brother,  I have  enough,  my  bro- 
ther; keep  that  thou  hast  to  thyself.  Ease 
and  peace,  and  a prosperous  life  in  outwards, 
is  no  sign  of  the  favour  of  God  to  a barren  and 
fruitless  professor,  but  rather  of  his  wrath,  that 
thereby  he  may  be  capable  to  treasure  up  more 
wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation 
of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God. 

Let  this  much  serve  for  the  proof  of  the  first 
proposition — namely,  that  the  day  of  grace 
ends  with  some  men  before  God  takes  them 
out  of  this  world. 

Now,  then,  to  show  you  by  some  signs  how 
you  may  know  that  the  day  of  grace  is  ended, 
or  near  to  ending,  with  the  barren  professor, 
and  after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down. 

First.  He  that  hath  stood  it  out  against  God, 
and  that  hath  withstood  all  those  means  for 
fruit  that  God  hath  used  for  the  making  of 
him  (if  it  might  have  been)  a fruitful  tree  in 
his  garden,  he  is  in  this  danger;  and  this  in- 
deed is  the  sum  of  the  parable.  The  fig  tree 
here  mentioned  was  blessed  with  the  appli- 
cation of  means,  had  time  allowed  it  to  receive 
the  nourishment;  but  it  outstood,  withstood, 
overstood  all — all  that  the  husbandman  did,  all 
that  the  vine-dresser  did. 

SIGNS  OP  BEING  PAST  GRACE. 

But  a little  distinctly  to  particularize  in  four 
or  five  particulars. 

First  sign.  The  day  of  grace  is  like  to  be 
past  when  a professor  hath  withstood,  abused, 
and  worn  out  God’s  patience;  then  he  is  in 
danger ; this  is  a provocation ; then  God  cries, 
“Cut  it  down.”  There  are  some  men  that 
steal  into  a profession,  nobody  knows  how, 
even  as  this  fig  tree  was  brought  into  the  vine- 
yard— by  other  hands  than  God’s;  and  there 
they  abide,  lifeless,  graceless,  careless,  and  with- 
out any  good  conscience  to  God  at  all.  Perhaps 
they  came  in  for  the  loaves,  for  a trade,  for  credit, 
for  a blind,  or  it  may  be  to  stifle  and  choke  the 
checks  and  grinding  pangs  of  an  awakened 
and  disquieted  conscience.  Now,  having  ob- 
tained their  purpose,  like  the  sinner  of  Zion 
they  are  at  ease  and  secure,  saying,  like  A gag, 
“Surely  the  bitterness  of  death  is  past.”  I 
am  well,  shall  be  saved,  and  go  to  heaven. 


THE  BARREN  FIO  TREE. 


647 


Thus  in  these  vain  conceits  they  spend  a year, 
two,  or  three,  not  remembering  that  at  every 
season  of  grace  and  at  every  opportunity  of 
the  gospel  the  Lord  comes  seeking  fruit.  Well, 
sinner,  well,  barren  fig  tree,  this  is  but  a coarse 
beginning:  God  comes  for  fruit.  What  have 
1 here,  saith  God?  What  a fig  tree  is  this, 
that  hath  stood  this  year  in  my  vineyard  and 
brought  me  forth  no  fruit?  I will  cry  unto 
him  : Professor,  barren  fig  tree,  be  fruitful ! I 
look  for  fruit,  I expect  fruit,  I must  have  fruit; 
therefore  bethink  thyself.  At  these  the  pro- 
fessor pauses;  but  these  are  wotds,  not  blows; 
therefore  off  goes  this  consideration  from  the 
heart.  When  God  comes  the  next  year,  he 
finds  him  still  as  he  was,  a barren,  fruitless 
cumber-ground.  And  now  again  he  com- 
plains: Here  are  two  years  gone,  and  no  fruit 
appears;  well,  I will  defer  mine  anger  for  my 
name’s  sake.  I will  defer  mine  anger  for  my 
praise ; I will  refrain  from  thee,  that  I cut  thee 
not  off,  (as  yet.)  I will  wait,  I will  yet  wait  to 
be  gracious.  But  this  helps  not,  this  hath  not 
the  least  influence  upon  the  barren  fig  tree. 
Tush,  saith  he,  here  is  no  threatening ; God  is 
merciful,  he  will  defer  his  anger,  he  waits  to 
be  gracious.  I am  not  yet  afraid.  Oh,  how 
ungodly  men,  that  arc  at  unawares  crept  into 
the  vineyard,  how  do  they  turn  the  grace  of 
our  God  into  lasciviousness ! Well,  he  comes 
the  third  year  for  fruit,  as  he  did  before,  but 
still  he  finds  but  a barren  fig  tree;  no  fruit.  Now 
he  cries  out  again,  O thou  dresser  of  my  vine- 
yard, come  hither ; here  is  a fig  tree  hath  stood 
these  three  years  in  my  vineyard,  and  hath 
at  every  season  disappointed  my  expectation, 
for  I have  looked  for  fruit  in  vain.  Cut  it 
down ; my  patience  is  worn  out,  I . shall  wait 
on  this  fig  tree  no  longer. 

And  now  he  begins  to  shake  the  fig  tree 
with  his  threatenings:  Fetch  out  the  axe. 
Now  the  axe  is  death ; death  therefore  is  called 
for;  Death,  come  smite  me  this  fig  tree.  And 
withal  the  Lord  shakes  this  sinner,  and  whirls 
him  upon  a sickbed,  saying,  Take  him,  death; 
he  hath  abused  my  patience  and  forbearance, 
not  remembering  that  it  should  have  led  iiin 
to  repentance  and  to  the  fruits  thc-oor.  Death, 
fetch  away  this  fig  tree  to  rIie  fire,  fetch  this 
barren  professor  to  hell.  At  this,  death  comes 
with  grim  looks  to  the  chamber,  yea,  and  hell 
follows  with  him  to  the  bedside,  and  both  stare 
this  professor  in  the  face,  yea,  begin  to  lay 
hands  upon  him— one  smiting  him  with  pains 
in  his  body,  with  headache,  heartache,  back- 
ache, shortness  of  breath,  fainting  qualms, 


trembling  at  joints,  stopping  at  the  chest,  and 
almost  all  the  symptoms  of  a man  past  all  re- 
covery. Now,  while  death  is  thus  tormenting 
the  body,  hell  is  doing  with  the  mind  and  con- 
science— striking  them  with  its  pains,  casting 
sparks  of  fire  in  thither,  wounding  with  sor- 
rows and  fears  of  everlasting  damnation  the 
spirit  of  this  poor  creature.  And  now  he  be- 
gins to  bethink  himself  and  to  cry  to  God  for 
mercy : Lord,  spare  me ; Lord,  spare  me.  Nay, 
saith  God,  you  have  been  a provocation  to  me 
these  three  years.  How  many  times  have  you 
disappointed  me ! How  many  seasons  have 
you  spent  in  vain  ! How  many  sermons  and 
other  mercies  did  I of  my  patience  afford  you ! 
but  to  no  purpose  at  all.  Take  him,  death.  O 
good  Lord,  saith  the  sinner,  spare  me  but  this 
once,  raise  me  but  this  once.  Indeed  I have 
been  a barren  professor,  and  have  stood  to  no 
purpose  at  all  in  thy  vineyard.  But  spare,  oh 
spare  this  one  time,  I beseech  thee,  and  I will 
be  better.  Away,  away!  you  will  not:  I have 
tried  you  these  three  years  already ; you  are 
naught;  if  I should  recover  you  again,  you 
would  be  as  bad  as  you  were  before.  (And  all 
this  talk  is  while  death  stands  by.)  The  sin- 
ner cries  again:  Good  Lord,  try  me  this  once, 
let  me  get  up  again  this  once,  and  see  if  I do 
not  mend.  But  will  you  promise  me  to  mend? 
Yes  indeed,  Lord,  and  vow  it  too ; I will  nevei 
be  so  bad  again,  I will  be  better.  "Well,  saith 
God,  death,  let  this  professor  alone  for  this  time ; 
I will  try  him  awhile  longer ; he  hath  promised, 
he  hath  vowed  that  he  will  mend  his  ways. 
It  may  be  he  will  mind  to  keep  his  promises. 
Vows  are  solemn  things ; it  may  be  he  may- 
fear  to  break  his  vows.  Arise  from  off  thy 
bed.  And  now  God  lays  down  his  axe.  At 
this  the  poor  creature  is  very  thankful,  praises 
God,  and  fawns  upon  him,  shows  as  if  he  did 
it  heartily,  and  calls  to  others  to  thank  him 
too.  He  therefore  riseth,  as  one  would  think, 
to  be  a new  creature  indeed.  But  by  that  he 
hath  put  on  his  clothes,  is  come  down  from  his 
bed,  and  ventured  into  the  yard  or  shop,  and 
tliore  sees  how  all  things  are  gone  to  sixes  and 
sevens,  he  begins  to  have  second  thoughts,  and 
says  to  his  folks,  What  have  you  all  been  do- 
ing? How  are  all  things  out  of  order!  I am, 
I cannot  tell  what,  behindhand.  One  may 
see,  if  a man  be  but  a little  to  a side,  that  you 
have  neither  wisdom  nor  prudence  to  order 
things.  And  now,  instead  of  seeking  to  spend 
the  rest  of  his  time  to  God,  he  doubleth  his 
diligence  after  this  world.  Alas!  all  must  not 
be  lost,  we  must  have  provident  care.  And, 


648 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


thus,  quite  forgetting  the  sorrows  of  death,  the 
pains  of  hell,  the  promises  and  vows  which  he 
made  to  God  to  be  better,  because  judgment 
was  not  (now)  speedily  executed,  therefore  the 
heart  of  this  poor  creature  is  fully  set  in  him 
to  do  evil. 

These  things  proving  ineffectual,  God  takes 
hold  of  his  axe  again,  sends  death  to  a wife, 
to  a child,  to  his  cattle.  (“Your  young  men 
have  I slain,  and  taken  away  your  horses.”)  I 
will  blast  him,  cross  him,  disappoint  him,  and 
cast  him  down,  and  will  set  myself  against  him 
in  all  that  he  putteth  his  hand  unto.  At  this 
the  poor  barren  professor  cries  out  again.  Lord, 
I have  sinned  ; spare  me  once  more,  I beseech 
thee.  Oh  take  not  away  the  desire  of  mine 
eyes,  spare  my  children,  bless  me  in  my  la- 
bours, and  I will  mend  and  be  better.  No, 
saith  God;  you  lied  to  me  last  time;  I will 
trust  you  in  this  no  longer;  and  withal  he 
tumbleth  the  wife,  the  child,  the  estate  into  a 
grave,  and  then  returns  to  his  place  till  this 
professor  more  unfeignedly  acknowledgeth  his 
offence. 

At  this  the  poor  creature  is  afflicted  and  dis- 
tressed, rends  his  clothes,  and  begins  to  call 
the  breaking  of  his  promise  and  vows  to  mind ; 
he  mourns  and  prays,  and  like  Ahab  awhile 
walks  softly  at  the  remembrance  of  the  justice 
of  the  hand  of  God  upon  him.  And  now  he 
renews  his  promises : Lord,  try  me  this  one 
time  more;  take  off  thy  hand  and  see;  they  go 
far  that  never  turn.  Well,  God  sparetli  him 
again,  sets  down  his  axe  again.  “ Many  times 
he  did  deliver  them,  but  they  provoked  him 
with  their  counsels,  and  were  brought  low  for 
their  iniquities.”  Now  they  seem  to  be  thank- 
ful again,  and  are  as  if  they  were  resolved  to 
be  godly  indeed.  Now  they  read,  they  pray, 
they  go  to  meetings,  and  seem  to  be  serious  a 
pretty  while,  but  at  last  they  forget.  Their 
lusts  prick  them,  suitable  temptations  present 
themselves.  Wherefore  they  turn  to  their  own 
crooked  ways  again.  “ When  he  slew  them, 
then  they  sought  him,  and  returned  early  after 
God ; nevertheless  they  did  flatter  him  -with 
their  mouth,  and  lied  unto  him  with  their 
tongue.” 

Yet  again  the  Lord  will  not  leave  this  pro- 
fessor, but  will  take  up  his  axe  again,  and  will 
put  him  under  a more  heart-searching  minis- 
try— a ministry  that  shall  search  him  and  turn 
him  over  and  over;  a ministry  that  shall  meet 
with  him  as  Elijah  met  with  Ahab  in  all  his 
acts  of  wickedness,  (and  now  the  axe  is  laid  to 
the  roots  of  the  trees.)  Besides,  this  ministry 


doth  not  only  search  the  heart,  but  presenteth 
the  sinner  with  the  golden  rays  of  the  glorious 
gospel ; now  is  Christ  Jesus  set  forth  evidently ; 
now  is  grace  displayed  sweetly ; now,  now  are 
the  promises  broken  like  boxes  of  ointment,  to 
the  perfuming  of  the  whole  room.  But,  alas ! 
there  is  yet  no  fruit  on  this  fig  tree.  While 
his  heart  is  searching,  he  wrangles ; while  the 
glorious  grace  of  the  gospel  is  unveiling,  this 
professor  wags  and  is  wanton  ; gathers  up  some 
scraps  thereof ; “ tastes  the  good  word  of  God, 
and  the  power  of  the  world  to  come;  drinketh 
in  the  rain  that  comes  oft  upon  him,”  but 
bringeth  not  forth  fruit  meet  for  Him  whose 
gospel  it  is ; takes  no  heed  to  walk  in  the  law 
of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  with  all  his  heart, 
but  counteth  that  the  glory  of  the  gospel  con- 
sisteth  in  talk  and  show,  and  that  our  obe- 
dience thereto  is  a matter  of  speculation — that 
good  works  lie  in  good  words,  and  if  they  can 
finely  talk  they  think  they  bravely  please  God. 
They  think  the  kingdom  of  God  consisteth 
only  in  word,  not  in  power;  and  thus  proveth 
ineffectual  this  fourth  means  also. 

Well,  now  the  axe  begins  to  be  heaved 
higher,  for  now  indeed  God  is  ready  to  smite 
the  sinner;  yet  before  he  will  strike  the  stroke 
he  will  try  one  way  more  at  last,  and,  if  that 
misseth,  down  goes  the  fig  tree.  Now  this  last 
way  is  to  tug  and  strive  with  this  professor  by 
his  Spirit.  Wherefore  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
is  now  come  to  him,  but  not  always  to  strive 
with  man ; yet  awhile  he  will  strive  with  him, 
he  will  awaken,  he  will  convince,  he  will  call 
to  remembrance  former  sins,  former  judgments, 
the  breach  of  former  vows  and  promises,  the 
misspending  of  former  days ; he  will  also  pre- 
sent persuasive  arguments,  encouraging  prom- 
ises, dreadful  judgments,  the  shortness  of  time 
to  repent  in,  and  that  there  is  hope  if  he  come. 
Further,  he  will  show  him  the  certainty  of 
death  and  of  the  judgment  to  come;  yea,  he 
will  pull  and  strive  with  this  sinner;  but  be- 
hold the  mischief  now  lies  here — here  is  tug- 
ging and  striving  on  both  sides.  The  Spirit 
convinces,  the  man  turns  a deaf  ear  to  God ; 
ttio  Spirit  saith,  Receive  my  instruction  and 
live,  but  man  pulls  away  his  shoulder;  the 
Spirit  shows  him  wKither  he  is  going,  but  the 
man  closeth  his  eyes  against  it, ; the  Spirit  of- 
fereth  violence,  the  man  strives  and  resists; 
they  have  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of 
grace.  The  Spirit  parleyeth  the  second  time, 
and  urgeth  reasons  of  a new  nature,  but  the 
sinner  answereth,  No,  I have  loved  strangers, 
and  after  them  I will  go.  At  this  God’s  furv 


T1IE  BARREN  FIG  TREE. 


G ID 


comes  up  into  his  face;  now  he  comes  out  of 
his  holy  place  and  is  terrible ; now  he  sweareth 
in  his  wrath  t hey  shall  never  enter  into  his 
rest.  I exercised  towards  you  my  patience, 
yet  you  have  not  turned  unto  me,  saith  the 
Lord.  I smote  you  in  your  person,  in  your  re- 
lations, in  your  estate,  yet  you  have  not  re- 
turned unto  me,  saith  the  Lord.  In  thy  filthi- 
ness is  lewdness:  because  I have  purged  thee, 
and  thou  wast  not  purged,  thou  shalt  not  be 
purged,  from  thy  filthiness  any  more  till  I 
cause  my  fury  to  rest  upon  thee.  Cut  it  down  ; 
why  doth  it  cumber  the  ground? 

The  second  sign  that  such  a professor  is 
almost  (if  not  quite)  past  grace  is,  when  God 
hath  given  him  over  or  lets  him  alone,  and 
suffers  him  to  do  anything,  and  that  without 
control — hclpeth  him  not  either  in  works  of 
holiness  or  in  straits  and  difficulties;  “Ephraim 
is  joined  to  idols,  let  him  alone.”  “ Woe  be  to 
them  when  I depart  from  them ! I will  laugh 
at  their  calamities,  and  mock  when  their  fear 
cometh.” 

Barren  fig  tree,  thou  hast  heretofore  been 
digged  about,  and  dunged  ; God’s  mattock  hath 
heretofore  been  at  thy  roots : gospel  dung  hath 
heretofore  been  applied  to  thee;  thou  hast 
heretofore  been  striven  with,  convinced,  awa- 
kened, made  to  taste  and  see,  and  cry,  Oh  the 
blessedness ! Thou  hast  heretofore  been  met 
with  under  the  word  ; thy  heart  hath  melted, 
thy  spirit  hath  fallen,  thy  soul  hath  trembled, 
and  thou  hast  felt  something  of  the  power  of 
the  gospel.  But  thou  hast  sinned,  thou  hast 
provoked  the  eyes  of  his  glory,  thy  iniquity  is 
found  to  be  hateful,  and  now  perhaps  God 
hath  left  thee,  given  thee  up  and  lets  thee 
alone. 

Heretofore  thou  wast  tender ; thy  conscience 
startled  at  the  temptation  to  wickedness,  for 
thou  wert  taken  off  from  the  pollution  of  the 
world  through  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ;  but  that  very  vomit  that 
once  thou  wert  turned  from,  now  thou  lappest 
up  (with  the  dog  in  the  proverb)  again,  and 
that  very  mire  that  once  thou  seemedst  to  be 
washed  from,  in  that  very  mire  thou  now  art 
tumbling  afresh. 

But,  to  particularize,  there  are  three  signs  of 
a man’s  being  given  over  of  God: 

1.  When  he  is  let  alone  in  sinning,  when 
the  reins  of  his  lusts  are  loosed,  and  he  given 
up  to  them.  “And  even  as  they  did  not  like 
to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge,  God  gave 
them  over  to  a reprobate  mind,  to  do  those 
things  which  are  not  convenient,  being  filled 


with  all  unrighteousness.”  Scest  thou  a man 
that  heretofore  had  the  knowledge  of  God,  and 
that  had  some  awe  of  Majesty  upon  him — I 
say,  scest  thou  such  an  one,  sporting  himself 
in  his  own  deceivings,  “turning  the  grace  of 
our  God  into  lasciviousness,  and  walking  after 
his  own  ungodly  lusts?  His  judgment  now  of 
a long  time  lingereth  not,  and  his  damnation 
slumbereth  not.”  Dost  thou  hear,  barren  pro- 
fessor. It  is  astonishing  to  see  how  those  that 
once  seemed  sons  of  the  morning,  and  were 
making  preparations  for  eternal  life,  now,  at 
last,  for  the  rottenness  of  their  hearts,  by  the 
just  judgment  of  God,  to  be  permitted,  being 
past  feeling,  “to  give  themselves  over  unto 
lasciviousness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with 
greediness.”  A great  number  of  such  were  in 
the  first  gospel  days;  against  whom  Peter  and 
Jude  couple  them  with  the  fallen  angels,  and 
John  forbids  that  prayer  be  made  for  them,  be- 
cause that  is  happened  unto  them  that  hath 
happened  to  the  fallen  angels  that  fell — “ who, 
forsaking  their  first  estate,  and  for  leaving 
their  own  habitation,  arc  reserved  in  chains 
under  everlasting  darkness,  unto  the  judgment 
of  the  great  day.”  Barren  fig  tree,  dost  thou 
hear? 

1.  These  are  beyond  all  mercy. 

2.  These  are  beyond  all  promises. 

3.  These  are  beyond  all  hopes  of  repentance. 

4.  These  have  no  intercessor,  nor  any  more 
share  in  a sacrifice  for  sin. 

5.  For  these  there  remains  nothing  but  a 
fearful  looking-for  of  judgment. 

1.  Wherefore  these  are  the  true  fugitives 
and  vagabonds,  that,  being  left  of  God,  of 
Christ,  of  grace,  and  of  the  promise,  and  be- 
yond all  hope,  wander  and  straggle  to  and  fro, 
even  as  the  devil,  their  associate,  till  the  time 

J shall  come  to  die  or  until  they  descend  in  bat- 
tle and  perish. 

2.  Wherefore  they  are  let  alone  in  hearing. 
If  these  at  any  time  come  under  the  word, 
there  is  for  them  no  God,  no  savour  of  the 
means  of  grace,  no  stirrings  of  heart,  no  pity 
for  themselves,  no  love  to  their  own  salvation. 
Let  them  look  on  this  hand  or  that,  there  they 
see  such  effects  of  the  word  in  others  as  pro- 
duccth  signs  of  repentance  and  love  to  God  and 
his  Christ.  These  men  only  have  their  backs 
bowed  down  alway ; these  men  have  only  the 
spirit  of  slumber,  eyes  that  they  should  not 
see,  and  ears  that  they  should  not  hear,  to  this 
very  day.  Wherefore  as  they  go  to  the  place 

' of  the  Holy,  so  they  come  from  the  place  of 
the  Holy,  aud  soon  are  forgotten  in  the  place 


650 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


where  they  so  did ; only  they  reap  this  damage, 
“they  treasure  up  wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judg- 
ment of  God.”  Look  to  it,  barren  professor. 

3.  If  he  be  visited  after  the  common  way  of 
mankind,  either  with  sickness,  distress,  or  any 
kind  of  calamity,  still  no  God  appeareth,  no 
sanctifying  hand  of  God,  no  special  mercy  is 
mixed  with  the  affliction.  But  he  falls  sick 
and  grows  well  like  the  beast,  or  is  under  dis- 
tress as  Saul,  who,  when  he  was  engaged  by 
the  Philistines,  was  forsaken  and  left  of  God. 
“ And  the  Philistines  gathered  themselves  to- 
gether, and  came  and  pitched  in  Shunem,  and 
Saul  gathered  all  Israel  together,  and  they 
pitched  in  Gilboa.  And  when  Saul  saw  the 
host  of  the  Philistines,  he  was  afraid  and  his 
heart  greatly  trembled.  And  when  Saul  in- 
quired of  the  Lord,  the  Lord  answered  him  no 
more,  neither  by  dreams,  nor  by  Urim,  nor  by 
prophets.”  The  Lord  answered  him  no  more ; 
he  had  done  with  him,  cast  him  off,  and  re- 
jected him,  and  left  him  to  stand  and  fall  with 
his  sins  by  himself.  But  of  this  more  in  the 
conclusion  ; therefore  I here  forbear. 

These  men  may  go  whither  they  will,  do 
what  they  will ; they  may  range  from  opinion 
to  opinion,  from  notion  to  notion,  from  sect  to 
sect,  but  are  steadfast  nowhere ; they  are  left 
to  their  own  uncertainties,  they  have  not  grace 
to  establish  their  hearts ; and  though  some  of 
them  have  boasted  themselves  of  this  liberty, 
yet  Jude  calls  them  wandering  stars,  to  whom 
is  reserved  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever. 
They  are  left,  as  I told  you  before,  to  be  fugi- 
tives and  vagabonds  on  the  earth,  to  wander 
everywhere,  but  to  abide  nowhere,  until  they 
shall  descend  to  their  own  place  with  Cain  and 
Judas,  men  of  the  same  fate  with  themselves. 

A third  sign  that  such  a professor  is  quite 
past  grace  is,  when  his  heart  is  grown  so  hard, 
so  stony,  and  impenetrable  that  nothing  will 
pierce  it.  Barren  fig  tree,  dost  thou  consider? 
A hard  and  impenitent  heart  is  the  curse  of 
God.  A heart  that  cannot  repent  is  instead  of 
all  plagues  at  once ; and  hence  it  is  that  God 
said  of  Pharaoh,  when  he  spake  of  delivering 
him  up  in  the  greatness  of  his  anger,  “ I will 
at  this  time,”  saith  he,  “ send  all  my  plagues 
upon  thy  heart.” 

To  some  men  that  have  grievously  sinned 
under  a profession  of  the  gospel,  God  giveth 
this  token  of  his  displeasure : they  are  denied 
the  power  of  repentance,  their  heart  is  bound, 
they  cannot  repent ; it  is  impossible  that  they 
should  ever  repent  should  they  live  a thousand 


years.  It  is  impossible  for  those  fallaways  to 
be  renewed  again  unto  repentance,  seeing  they 
crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh, 
and  put  him  to  open  shame.  Now,  to  have 
the  heart  so  hardened,  so  judicially  hardened, 
this  is  as  a bar  put  in  by  the  Lord  God  against 
the  salvation  of  this  sinner.  This  was  the 
burden  of  Spira’s  complaint : I cannot  do  it ; 
oh  now  I cannot  do  it. 

This  man  sees  what  he  hath  done,  what 
should  help  him,  and  what  will  become  of 
him,  yet  he  cannot  repent;  he  pulled  away  his 
shoulder  before,  he  shut  up  his  eyes  before, 
and  in  that  very  posture  God  left  him,  and  so 
he  stands  to  this  very  day.  I have  had  a 
fancy  that  Lot’s  wife,  when  she  was  turned 
into  a pillar  of  salt,  stood  yet  looking  over  her 
shoulder,  or  else  with  her  face  towards  Sodom  ; 
as  the  judgment  caught  her,  so  it  bound  her, 
and  left  her  a monument  of  God’s  anger  to 
after  generations. 

We  read  of  some  that  are  seared  with  a hot 
iron,  and  that  are  past  feeling,  for  so  seared 
persons  in  seared  parts  are : their  conscience  is 
seared.  The  conscience  is  the  thing  that  must 
be  touched  with  feeling,  fear,  and  remorse  if 
any  good  be  done  to  those  whose  conscience  is 
■worse  than  that — that  is,  fast  asleep  in  sin. 
For  that  conscience  that  is  fast  asleep  may  yet 
be  effectually  awakened  and  saved,  but  that 
conscience  that  is  seared,  dried,  as  it  were,  into 
a cinder,  can  never  have  sense,  feeling,  or  the 
least  regret  in  this  world.  Barren  fig  tree, 
hearken! — judicial  hardening  is  dreadful. 
There  is  a difference  betwixt  that  hardness  of 
heart  that  is  incident  to  all  men,  and  that 
which  comes  upon  some  as  a special  judgment 
of  God.  And  although  all  kind  of  hardness 
of  heart,  in  some  sense,  may  be  called  a judg- 
ment, yet  to  be  hardened  with  this  second 
kind  is  a judgment  peculiar  only  to  them  that 
perish — a hardness  that  is  sent  as  a punish- 
ment for  the  abuse  of  light  received,  for  a re- 
ward of  apostacy. 

This  judicial  hardness  is  discovered  from 
that  which  is  incident  to  all  men  in  these  par- 
ticulars : 

1.  It  is  a hardness  that  comes  after  some 
great  light  received,  because  of  some  great  sin 
committed  against  that  light  and  the  grace 
that  gave  it — such  hardness  as  Pharaoh  had 
after  the  Lord  had  wrought  wonderously  be- 
fore him;  such  hardness  as  the  Gentiles  had — 
a hardness  which  darkened  the  heart,  a hard- 
ness which  made  their  minds  reprobate.  This 
hardness  is  also  the  same  with  that  the  He- 


THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE. 


651 


brews  arc  cautioned  to  beware  of — a hardness 
that  is  caused  by  unbelief  and  a departing 
from  the  living  God;  a hardness  completed 
through  the  deceitfulness  of  sin;  such  as  that 
in  the  provocation,  of  whom  God  sware  that 
they  should  not  enter  into  his  rest.  It  was 
this  kind  of  darkness  also  that  both  Cain  and 
Ishmael  and  Esau  were  hardened  with  after 
they  had  committed  their  great  transgressions. 

2.  It  is  the  greatest  kind  of  hardness,  and 
hence  they  are  said  to  be  harder  than  a rock 
or  than  adamant — that  is,  harder  than  Hint; 
so  hard  that  nothing  can  enter. 

3.  It  is  a hardness  given  in  much  anger,  and 
to  hind  the  soul  up  in  an  impossibility  of  re- 
pentance. 

4.  It  is  a hardness,  therefore,  which  is  incu- 
rable, of  which  a man  must  die  and  be  damned. 
Barren  professor,  hearken  to  this. 

A fourth  sign  that  such  a professor  is  quite 
past  grace  is  when  he  fortifies  his  hard  heart 
against  the  tenor  of  God’s  word.  This  is 
called  hardening  themselves  against  God,  and 
turning  of  the  Spirit  against  him;  as  thus, 
when  after  a profession  of  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  of  the  doctrine  that  is  according  to 
godliness,  they  shall  embolden  themselves  in 
courses  of  sin  by  promising  themselves  that 
they  shall  have  life  and  salvation  notwith- 
standing. Barren  professor,  hearken  to  this. 
This  man  is  called  a root  that  beareth  gall  and 
wormwood,  or  a poisonous  herb — such  an  one 
as  is  abominated  of  God,  yea,  the  abhorred  of 
his  soul.  For  this  man  saith,  I shall  have 
peace,  though  I walk  in  the  imagination  or 
stubbornness  of  my  heart,  to  add  drunkenness 
to  thirst — an  opinion  flat  against  the  whole 
word  of  God,  yea,  against  the  very  nature  of 
God  himself.  Wherefore  lie  adds,  “Then  the 
anger  of  the  Lord,  and  his  jealousy,  shall 
smoke  against  that  man,  and  all.  the  curses 
that  are  written  in  God’s  book  shall  lie  upon 
him,  and  God  shall  blot  out  his  name  from 
under  heaven.” 

Yea,  that  man  shall  not  fail  to  be  effectually 
destroyed,  saith  the  text.  “ The  Lord  shall 
separate  that  man  unto  evil,  out  of  all  the 
tribes  of  Israel,  according  to  all  the  curses  of 
the  covenant.” 

He  shall  separate  him  unto  evil;  he  shall 
give  him  up,  he  shall  leave  him  to  his  heart; 
he  shall  separate  him  to  that  or  those  that  will 
assuredly  be  too  hard  for  him. 

Now  this  judgment  is  much  effected  when 
God  hath  given  a man  up  unto  Satan,  and 
hath  given  Satan  leave,  without  fail,  to  com- 


plete his  destruction — I say,  when  God  hath 
given  Satan  leave  effectually  to  complete  his 
destruction;  for  all  that  are.  delivered  up  unto 
Satan  have  not  and  do  not  come  to  this  end. 
But  that  is  the  man  whom  God  shall  separate 
to  evil,  and  shall  leave  in  the  hands  of  Satan, 
to  complete  without  fail  his  destruction. 

Thus  he  served  Ahab,  a man  that  sold  him- 
self to  work  wickedness  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord.  “And  the  Lord  said,  Who  shall  per- 
suade Ahab,  that  he  may  go  up  and  fall  at 
Ramoth-gilead?  And  one  said  on  this  man- 
ner, and  another  said  on  that  manner;  and 
there  came  forth  a spirit  and  stood  before  the 
Lord,  and  said,  I will  persuade  him.  And  the 
Lord  said  unto  him,  Wherewith?  And  he 
said,  I will  go  forth  and  be  a lying  spirit  in 
the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets.  And  he  said, 
Thou  shalt  persuade  him,  and  prevail  also ; go 
forth  and  do  so.”  Thou  shalt  persuade  him, 
and  prevail:  do  thy  will,  I leave  him  in  thine 
hand,  go  forth,  and  do  so. 

Wherefore  in  these  judgments  the  Lord 
doth  much  concern  himself  for  the  manage- 
ment thereof,  because  of  the  provocation 
wherewith  they  have  provoked  him.  This 
is  the  man  whose  ruin  he  contrivetli,  and 
bringeth  to  pass  by  his  own  contrivance.  “I 
will  choose  their  delusions  for  them;  I will 
bring  their  fears  upon  them.”  I will  choose 
their  devices  or  the  wickedness  that  their 
hearts  are  contriving.  I,  even  I,  will  cause 
them  to  be  accepted  of  and  delightful  to  them. 
But  who  are  they  that  must  thus  be  seared? 
Why,  those  among  professors  that  have  chosen 
their  own  ways,  those  whose  soul  delighteth  in 
their  abominations. 

Because  they  receive  not  the  love  of  the 
truth,  that  they  might  be  saved,  for  this  cause 
God  shall  send  them  strong  delusions,  that 
they  should  believe  a lie,  that  they  all  might 
be  damned  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but 
had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness. 

“God  shall  send  them.”  It  is  a great  word. 
Yea,  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusions — 
delusions  that  shall  do,  that  shall  make  them 
believe  a lie.  Why  so?  “ That  they  all  might 
be  damned,  every  one  of  them  who  believed  not 
the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteous- 
ness.” 

There  is  nothing  more  provoking  to  the 
Lord  than  for  a man  to  promise  when  God 
threateneth ; for  a man  to  be  light  of  conceit 
that  he  shall  be  safe,  and  yet  to  be  more  wicked 
than  in  former  days.  This  man’s  soul  abhor- 
reth  the  truth  of  God;  no  marvel,  therefore, 


652 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


if  God’s  soul  abhorreth  him : he  hath  invented 
a way  contrary  to  God,  to  bring  about  his  own 
salvation ; no  marvel,  therefore,  if  God  invent 
a way  to  bring  about  this  man’s  damnation ; 
and  seeing  that  these  rebels  are  at  this  point, 
we  shall  have  peace;  God  will  see  whose  word 
shall  stand,  his  or  theirs. 

A fifth  sign  of  a man  being  past  grace  is 
when  he  shall  at  this  scoff,  and  inwardly  grin, 
and  fret  against  the  Lord,  secretly  purposing 
to  continue  his  course  and  put  all  to  the  ven- 
ture, despising  the  messengers  of  the  Lord. 
“ He  that  despised  Moses’s  law  died  without 
mercy ; of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  sup- 
pose ye,  shall  he  be  thought  worthy  who  hath 
trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God  !”  &c. 

Wherefore  against  these  despisers  God  hath 
set  himself,  and  foretold  that  they  shall  not 
believe,  but  perish.  Behold,  ye  despisers, 
and  wonder  and  perish  ; for  I work  a work  in 
your  days  which  ye  shall  in  nowise  believe, 
though  a man  declare  it  unto  you.” 

Thus  far  we  have  treated  of  the  barren  fig 
tree  or  fruitless  professor,  with  some  signs  to 
know  him  by,  whereto  is  added  also  some  signs 
of  one  who  neither  will  nor  can,  by  any  means, 
be  fruitful,  but  they  must  miserably  perish. 
Now  being  come  to  the  time  of  execution,  I 
shall  speak  a word  to  that  also : “ After  that 
thou  shalt  cut  it  down.”  Christ  at  last  turns 
the  barren  fig  tree  over  to  the  justice  of  God, 
shakes  his  hands  off  him,  and  gives  him  up  to 
the  fire  for  his  unprofitableness. 

A fter  that  thou  shaft  cut  it  down. 

Two  things  are  here  to  be  considered  : 

1.  The  executioner;  thou,  the  great,  the 
dreadful,  the  eternal  God.  These  words, 
therefore,  as  I have  already  said,  signify  that 
Christ  the  Mediator,  through  whom  alone  sal- 
vation comes,  and  by  whom  alone  execution 
hath  been  deferred,  now  givetli  up  the  soul, 
forbears  to  speak  one  syllable  more  for  him, 
or  to  do  the  least  act  of  grace  further  to  try 
for  his  recovery,  but  delivereth  him  up  to  that 
fearful  dispensation,  “ to  fall  into  the  hand  of 
the  living  God.” 

2.  The  second  to  be  considered  is,  the  in- 
strument by  which  this  execution  is  done,  and 
that  is  death,  compared  here  to  an  axe ; and 
forasmuch  as  the  tree  is  not  felled  at  one  blow, 
therefore  the  strokes  are  here  continued  till 
all  the  blows  be  struck  at  it  that  are  requisite 
for  its  felling,  for  now  cutting  time  and  cutting 
work  is  come ; cutting  must  be  his  portion  till 
he  be  cut  down.  “ After  that  thou  shalt  cut  it 


down.”  Death,  I say,  is  the  axe,  which  God 
often  useth,  therewith  to  take  the  barren  fig 
tree  out  of  the  vineyard,  out  of  a profession, 
and  also  out  of  the  world  at  once.  But  this 
axe  is  now  new  ground ; it  cometh  well  edged  to 
the  roots  of  this  barren  fig  tree.  It  hath  been 
whetted  by  sin,  by  the  law,  and  by  a formal 
profession,  and  therefore  must  and  will  make 
deep  gashes,  not  only  in  the  natural  life,  but 
in  the  heart  and  conscience  also  of  this  pro- 
fessor. “ The  wages  of  sin  is  death,  the  sting 
of  death  is  sin.”  Wherefore  death  comes  not 
to  this  man  as  he  doth  to  saints,  muzzled  or 
without  his  sting,  but  with  open  mouth,  in  all 
his  strength ; yea,  he  sends  his  first-born, 
which  is  guilt,  to  devour  his  strength  and  to 
bring  him  to  the  king  of  terrors. 

But  to  give  you,  in  a few  particulars,  the 
manner  of  this  man’s  dying. 

1.  Now  he  hath  his  fruitless  fruit  beleaguer 
him  round  his  bed,  together  with  all  the  bands 
and  legions  of  his  other  wickedness.  His  own 
iniquities  shall  take  the  wicked  himself,  and 
he  shall  be  holden  in  the  cords  of'  his  sins. 

2.  Now  some  terrible  discovery  of  God  is 
made  out  unto  him,  to  the  perplexing  and  ter- 
rifying of  his  guilty  conscience.  God  shall 
cast  upon  him  and  not  spare,  and  he  shall  be 
afraid  of  that  which  is  high. 

3.  The  dark  entry  he  is  to  go  through  will 
be  a sore  amazement  to  him;  “for  fear  shall 
be  in  the  way;”  yea,  terrors  will  take  hold  on 
him  when  he  shall  see  the  yawning  jaws  of 
death  to  gape  upon  him,  and  the  doors  of  the 
shadow  of  death  open  to  give  him  passage  out 
of  the  world.  Now,  who  will  meet  me  in  this 
dark  entry?  How  shall  I pass  through  this 
dark  entry  into  another  world? 

4.  For  by  reason  of  guilt  and  a shaking  con- 
science his  life  will  hang  in  continual  doubt 
before  him.,  and  he  shall  be  afraid  day  and 
night,  and  shall  have,  no  assurance  of  his 
life. 

5.  Now  also  want  will  come  up  against  him; 
it  will  come  up  like  an  armed  man.  This  is  a 
terrible  army  to  him  that  is  graceless  in  heart 
and  fruitless  in  life.  This  want  will  contin- 
ually cry  in  thy  ears,  Here  is  a new  birth 
wanting,  a new  heart  and  a new  spirit  want- 
ing; here  is  faith  wanting,  here  is  love  and 
repentance  wanting,  here  is  the  fear  of  God 
wanting,  and  a good  conversation.  “Thou 
art  weighed  in  the  balance,  and  art  found 
wanting.” 

6.  Together  with  these  stand eth  by  the  com- 
panions of  death,  death  and  hell,  death  and 


TI1E  EAR  REN  FIO  TREE. 


653 


devils,  dentil  and  endless  torment  in  the  ever- 
lasting flames  of  devouring  fire.  When  God 
shall  come  up  unto  the  people  he  will  invade 
them  with  his  troops. 

But  how  will  this  man  die?  Can  his  heart 
now  endure  or  can  his  hands  be  made  strong? 

1.  God,  and  Christ,  and  pity  have  left  him. 
Sin  against  light,  against  mercy,  and  the  long- 
sufl'ering  of  God  is  come  up  against  him;  his 
h ipe  and  confidence  now  is  dying  by  him,  and 
his  conscience  totters  and  shakes  continually 
within  him. 

2.  Death  is  at  work,  cutting  of  him  down, 
hewing  both  bark  and  heart,  both  body  and 
soul  asunder : the  man  groans,  but  death  hears 
him  not:  he  looks  ghastly,  carefully,  deject- 
edly ; he  sighs,  he  sweats,  he  trembles,  death 
matters  nothing. 

3.  Fearful  cogitations  haunt  him,  misgiv- 
ings, direful  apprehensions  of  God  terrify  him. 
Now  lie  hath  time  to  think  what  the  loss  of 
heaven  will  be,  and  what  the  torments  of  hell 
will  be;  now  he  looks  no  way  but  he  is 
frighted. 

4.  Now  would  he  live,  but  may  not;  he 
would  live,  though  it  were  but  the  life  of  a 


bedrid  man,  but  must  not.  He  that  cuts  him 
down  sways  him  as  the  feller  of  wood  sways 
the  tottering  tree,  now  this  way,  then  that; 
at  last  a root  breaks,  an  heart-string,  an  eye- 
string snaps  asunder. 

5.  And  now,  could  the  soul  be  annihilated 
or  brought  to  nothing,  how  happy  would  it 
count  itself!  But  it  sees  that  may  not  be. 
Wherefore  it  is  put  to  a wonderful  strait;  stay 
in  the  body  it  may  not,  go  out  of  the  body  it 
dares  not.  Life  is  going,  the  blood  settles  in 
the  flesh,  and  the  lungs  being  no  more  able  to 
draw  breath  through  the  nostrils,  at  last  out 
goes  the  weary,  trembling  soul,  who  is  imme- 
diately seized  by  devils,  who  lay  lurking  in 
every  hole  in  the  chamber  for  that  very  pur- 
pose. His  friends  take  care  of  the  body,  wrap 
it  up  in  the  sheet  or  coffin,  but  the  soul  is  out 
of  their  thought  and  reach,  going  down  to  the 
chambers  of  death. 

I had  thought  to  have  enlarged,  but  I for- 
bear. God,  who  teaches  man  to  profit,  bless 
this  brief  and  plain  discourse  to  thy  soul  who 
yet  standest  a professor  in  the  land  of  the 
living,  amongst  the  trees  of  his  garden  I 
Ameu. 


A DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER 


WnEREIN  AltE  BRIEFLY  DISCOVERED — 

1.  WHAT  PRAYER  IS.— II.  WIIAT  IT  IS  TO  PRAY  WITH  THE  SPIRIT.— III.  WHAT  IT  IS 
TO  PRAY  WITH  THE  SPIRIT,  AND  WITH  THE  UNDERSTANDING  ALSO. 


For  we  know  not  what  wo  should  pray  for  as  we  ought ; only  the  Spirit  hclpeth  our  infirmities. — Rom.  viii.  26. 
I will  pray  with  the  Spirit,  and  1 will  pray  with  the  understanding  also. — 1 Cor.  xiv.  lo. 


Prayer  is  an  ordinance  of  God,  and  that  to 
be  used  both  in  public  and  private ; yea,  such 
an  ordinance  as  brings  those  that  have  the 
spirit  of  supplication  into  great  familiarity 
with  God ; and  is  also  so  prevalent  an  action 
that  it  getteth  of  God,  both  for  the  person 
that  prayeth  and  for  them  that  are  prayed  for, 
great  things.  It  is  the  opener  of  the  heart  to 
God,  and  a means  by  which  the  soul,  though 
empty,  is  filled.  By  prayer  the  Christian  can 
open  his  heart  to  God  as  to  a friend,  and  ob- 
tain fresh  testimony  of  God’s  friendship  to 
him.  I might  spend  many  words  in  distin- 
guishing between  public  and  private  prayer, 
as  also  between  that  in  the  heart  and  that 
with  the  vocal  voice.  Something  also  might 
be  spoken  to  distinguish  between  the  gifts 
and  graces  of  prayers;  but,  eschewing  this 
method,  my  business  shall  be  at  this  time 
only  to  show  you  the  very  heart  of  prayer, 
without  which  all  your  lifting  up  both  of 
hands  and  eyes  and  voices  will  be  to  no  pur- 
pose at  all.  “ I will  pray  with  the  Spirit.” 

The  method  that  I shall  go  on  in  at  this 
time  shall  be — 1.  To  show’  you  what  true 
prayer  is ; 2.  To  show  you  what  it  is  to  pray 
with  the  Spirit ; 3.  What  it  is  to  pray  with 
the  Spirit  and  understanding  also ; and  so,  4. 
To  make  some  short  use  and  application  of 
what  shall  be  spoken. 

I.  What  prayer  is. 

Prayer  is  a sincere,  sensible,  affectionate 
pouring  out  of  the  heart  or  soul  to  God, 
through  Christ,  in  the  strength  and  assist- 
ance of  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  such  things  as 
God  hath  promised  or  according  to  the  word, 
for  the  good  of  the  Church,  with  submission, 
in  faith,  to  the  will  of  God. 


In  this  description  are  these  seven  things: 
1.  It  is  sincere;  2.  A sensible;  3.  An  affec- 
tionate pouring  out  of  the  soul  to  God, 
through  Christ ; 4.  By  the  strength  or  assist- 
ance of  the  Spirit ; 5.  For  such  things  as  God 
hath  promised,  or  according  to  his  word;  6. 
For  the  good  of  the  Church ; 7.  With  sub- 
mission in  faith  to  the  will  of  God. 

1.  For  the  first  of  these,  it  is  a sincere  pour- 
ing out  of  the  soul  to  God.  Sincerity  is  such 
a grace  as  runs  through  all  the  graces  of  God 
in  us,  and  through  all  the  actings  of  a Chris- 
tian, and  hath  the  sway  in  them  too,  or  else 
their  actings  are  not  any  thing  regarded  of 
God,  and  so  of  and  in  prayer,  of  which  par- 
ticularly David  speaks  when  he  mentions 
prayer:  “I  cried  unto  the  Lord  with  my 
mouth,  and  he  wras  extolled  with  my  tongue. 
If  I regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord 
will  not  hear  my  prayer.”  Part  of  the  exer- 
cise of  prayer  is  sincerity,  without  which  God 
looks  not  upon  it  as  prayer  in  a good  sense: 
“Then  shall  you  seek  and  find  me,  when  you 
shall  search  for  me  with  your  whole  heart.” 
The  want  of  this  made  the  Lord  reject  their 
prayers  in  Hosea  vii.  14,  where  he  saith, 
“They  have  not  cried  unto  me  with  their 
heart  (that  is,  in  sincerity)  when  they  howled 
upon  their  beds.”  But  for  a pretence,  for  a 
show  in  hypocrisy,  to  be  seen  of  men  and  ap- 
plauded for  the  same,  they  pray.  Sincerity 
was  that  which  Christ  commended  in  Na- 
thaniel when  he  was  under  the  fig  tree,  “Be- 
hold an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  there  is  no 
guile.”  Probably  this  good  man  was  pouring 
out  of  his  soul  to  God  in  prayer  under  the  fig 
tree,  and  that  in  a sincere  and  unfeigned 
spirit  before  the  Lord.  The  prayer  that  hath 

C55 


65G 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


this  in  it  as  one  of  the  principal  ingredients 
is  the  prayer  that  God  looks  at.  Thus,  “ the 
prayer  of  the  upright  is  his  delight.” 

And  why  must  sincerity  be  one  of  the  essen- 
tials of  prayer  which  is  accepted  of  God,  but 
because  sincerity  carries  the  soul  in  all  sim- 
plicity to  open  its  heart  to  God,  and  to  tell 
him  the  case  plainly,  without  equivocation;  to 
condemn  itself  plainly,  without  dissembling ; 
to  cry  to  God  heartily,  without  compliment- 
ing: “I  have  surely  heard  Ephraim  bemoan- 
ing himself  thus,  Thou  hast  chastised  me,  and 
I was  chastised,  as  a bullock  unaccustomed  to 
the  yoke?”  Sincerity  is  the  same  in  a corner 
alone  as  it  is  before  the  face  of  all  the  world. 
It  knows  not  how  to  wear  two  vizards — one 
for  an  appearance  before  men,  and  another 
for  a short  snatch  in  a corner;  but  it  must 
have  God,  and  be  with  him  in  the  duty  of 
prayer.  It  is  not  a lip-labour  that  it  doth  re- 
gard, for  it  is  the  heart  that  God  looks  at, 
and  that  which  prayer  comes  from,  if  it 
be  that  prayer  which  is  accompanied  with 
sincerity. 

2.  It  is  a sincere  and  sensible  pouring  out  of 
the  heart  or  soul.  It  is  not,  as  many  take  it 
to  be,  even  a few  babbling,  prating,  compli- 
mentary expressions,  but  a sensible  feeling 
there  is  in  the  heart.  Prayer  hath  in  it  a sen- 
sibleness of  divers  things ; sometimes  sense  of 
sin,  sometimes  of  mercy  received,  sometimes 
of  the  readiness  of  God  to  give  mercy,  &c. 

(1.)  A sense  of  the  want  of  mercy  by  reason 
of  the  danger  of  sin.  The  soul,  I say,  feels, 
and  from  feeling  sighs,  groans,  and  breaks  at 
the  heart ; for  right  prayer  bubbletli  out  of  the 
heart  when  it  is  overpressed  with  grief  and  bit- 
terness, as  blood  is  forced  out  of  the  flesh  by 
reason  of  some  heavy  burden  that  lieth  upon 
it.  David  roars,  cries,  weeps,  faints  at  heart, 
fails  at  the  eyes,  loseth  his  moisture,  &c.  Hez- 
ekiah  mourns  like  a dove ; Ephraim  bemoans 
himself ; Peter  weeps  bitterly ; Christ  hath 
strong  cryings  and  tears;  and  all  this  from  a 
sense  of  the  justice  of  God,  the  guilt  of  sin, 
the  pains  of  hell  and  destruction.  “ The  sor- 
rows of  death  compassed  me  about,  the  pains 
of  hell  gat  hold  upon  me,  and  I found  trouble 
and  sorrow.  Then  cried  I unto  the  Lord.” 
And  in  another  place,  “My  sore  ran  in  the 
night.”  Again,  “I  am  bowed  down  greatly; 
I go  mourning  all  the  day  long.”  In  all  these 
instances,  and  in  hundreds  more  that  might  be 
named,  you  may  see  that  prayer  carrieth  in  it 
a sensible,  feeling  disposition,  and  that  first 
from  a sense  of  sin. 


(2.)  Sometimes  there  is  a sweet  sense  of  mercy 
received — encouraging,  comforting,  strength- 
ening, enlivening,  enlightening  mercy,  &c. 
Thus  David  pours  out  his  soul  to  bless  and 
praise  and  admire  the  great  God  for  his  loving- 
kindness to  such  poor  vile  wretches : “ Bless 
the  Lord,  0 my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within 
me,  bless  his  holy  name.  Bless  the  Lord,  0 
my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  his  benefits ; who 
forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities,  who  healeth  all 
thy  diseases,  and  crowneth  thee  with  loving- 
kindness and  tender  mercies ; who  redeemeth 
thy  life  from  destruction,  who  satisfieth  thy 
mouth  with  good  things,  so  that  thy  youth  is 
renewed  as  the  eagle’s.”  And  thus  is  the 
prayer  of  saints  sometimes  turned  into  praise 
and  thanksgiving,  and  yet  are  prayers  still. 
This  is  a mystery ; God’s  people  pray  with 
their  praises,  as  it  is  written,  “Be  careful  for 
nothing,  but  in  every  thing,  by  prayer,  with 
supplication  and  thanksgiving,  let  your  re- 
quests be  made  known  to  God.”  A sensible 
thanksgiving  for  mercy  received  is  a mighty 
prayer  in  the  sight  of  God;  it  prevails  with 
him  unspeakably. 

(3.)  In  prayer  there  is  sometimes  in  the  soul 
a sense  of  mercy  to  be  received.  This  again 
sets  the  soul  all  on  a flame : “ Thou,  0 Lord 
God,  (said  David,)  hast  revealed  to  thy  ser- 
vant, saying,  I will  build  thee  an  house ; there- 
fore hath  thy  servant  found  in  his  heart  to 
pray  unto  thee.”  This  provoked  Jacob,  David, 
Daniel,  with  others,  even  to  a sense  of  mercies 
to  be  received ; which  caused  them,  not  by  fits 
and  starts,  nor  yet  in  a foolish,  frothy  way,  to 
babble  over  a few  words  written  in  a paper, 
but  mightily,  fervently,  and  continually  to 
groan  out  their  conditions  before  the  Lord,  as 
being  sensible — sensible,  I say — of  their  wants, 
their  misery,  and  the  willingness  of  God  to 
show  mercy. 

A good  sense  of  sin  and  the  wrath  of  God, 
with  some  encouragement  from  God  to  come 
unto  him,  is  a better  common  prayer-book 
than  that  which  is  taken  out  of  the  papistical 
mass-book,  being  the  scraps  and  fragments  of 
the  devices  of  some  popes,  some  friars,  and  I 
wot  not  what. 

3.  Prayer  is  a sincere,  sensible,  and  affec- 
tionate pouring  out  of  the  soul  to  God.  Oh 
the  heat,  strength,  life,  vigour,  and  affection 
that  is  in  right  prayer!  “As  the  hart  pant- 
eth  after  the  water-brooks,  so  longeth  my  soul 
after  thee,  O God.  I have  longed  for  thy  pre- 
cepts; I have  longed  after  thy  salvation.  My 
soul  longeth,  yea,  faintetli,  for  the  courts  of  the 


A DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER. 


657 


Lord ; my  heart  and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for 
the  living  God.  My  soul  breaketh  for  the 
longing  that  it  hath  unto  thy  judgments  at  all 
times.”  Mark  ye  here,  “ My  soul  longeth  ; ” it 
longeth,  &c.  Oh  what  affection  is  here  discov- 
ered in  prayer ! The  like  you  have  in  Daniel : 
“ O Lord,  hear ; 0 Lord,  forgive ; O Lord,  heark- 
en and  do ; defer  not  for  thy  name’s  sake,  O my 
God.”  Every  syllable  carrieth  a mighty  ve- 
hemency  in  it.  This  is  called  the  fervent  or 
the  working  prayer  by  James.  And  so  again  : 
“ And  being  in  an  agony,  he  prayed  more  earn- 
estly,” or  had  his  affections  more  and  more 
drawn  out  after  God  for  his  helping  hand.  Oh 
how  wide  arc  the  most  of  men  with  their  pray- 
ers from  this  prayer — that  is,  prayer  in  God’s 
account ! Alas ! the  greatest  part  of  men  make 
no  conscience  at  all  of  the  duty;  and  as  for 
them  that  do,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  many  of 
them  arc  very  great  strangers  to  a sincere,  sen- 
sible, and  affectionate  pouring  out  their  hearts 
or  souls  to  God,  but  even  content  themselves 
with  a little  lip-labour  and  bodily  exercise, 
mumbling  over  a few  imaginary  prayers. 
When  the  affections  are  indeed  engaged  in 
prayer,  then  the  whole  man  is  engaged,  and 
that  in  such  sort  that  the  soul  will  spend  itself 
to  nothing,  as  it  were,  rather  than  it  will  go 
without  that  good  desired,  even  communion 
and  solace  with  Christ.  And  hence  it  is  that 
the  saints  have  spent  their  strength  and  lost 
their  lives,  rather  than  go  without  the  blessing. 

All  this  is  too  evident  by  the  ignorance,  pro- 
faneness, and  spirit  of  envy  that  reigns  in  the 
hearts  of  those  men  that  are  so  hot  for  the 
forms  and  not  the  power  of  praying.  Scarce 
one  of  forty  among  them  know  what  it  is  to 
be  born  again,  to  have  communion  with  the 
Father  through  the  Son,  to  feel  the  power  of 
grace  sanctifying  their  hearts;  but,  for  all 
their  prayers,  they  still  lived  cursed,  drunken, 
vhorish,  and  abominable  lives,  full  of  malice, 
envy,  deceit,  persecuting  of  the  dear  children 
of  God.  Oh  what  a dreadful  after-clap  is  com- 
ing upon  them!  which  all  their  hypocritical 
assembling  themselves  together,  with  all  their 
prayers,  shall  never  be  able  to  help  them 
against  or  shelter  them  from. 

Again,  it  is  a pouring  out  of  the  heart  or 
soul.  There  is  in  prayer  an  unbosoming  of  a 
man’s  self,  an  opening  of  the  heart  to  God,  an 
affectionate  pouring  out  of  the  soul  in  requests, 
sighs,  and  groans:  “All  my  desires  are  before 
thee,  (saith  David,)  my  groanings  are  not  hid 
from  thee.”  And  again,  “ My  soul  thirsteth 
for  God,  even  for  the  living  God.  When  shall 
42 


I come  and  appear  before  God?  When  I re- 
member these  things,  I pour  out  my  soul  in 
me.”  Mark,  “I  pour  out  my  soul!”  It  is  an 
expression  signifying  that  in  prayer  there 
goeth  the  very  life  and  whole  strength  to  God. 
As  in  another  place:  “Trust  in  him  at  all 
times,  ye  people;  pour  out  your  hearts  before 
him.”  This  is  the  prayer  to  which  the  prom- 
ise is  made  for  the  delivering  of  a poor  creature 
out  of  captivity  and  thraldom.  If  from  thence 
thou  shalt  seek  the  Lord,  thou  shalt  find  him 
if  thou  seekest  him  “with  all  thy  heart  and 
with  all  thy  soul.” 

Again,  it  is  a pouring  out  of  the  heart  or 
soul  to  God.  This  showeth  also  the  excellency 
of  the  spirit  of  prayer : it  is  the  great  God  to 
which  it  retires : “ When  shall  I come  and  ap- 
pear before  God  ?”  And  it  argueth  that  the 
soul  that  thus  prayeth  indeed  sees  an  empti- 
ness in  all  things  under  heaven — that  in  God 
alone  there  is  rest  and  satisfaction  for  the  soul. 
Now  she  that  is  a widow  and  desolate  trusteth 
in  God.  So  saith  David,  “ In  thee,  0 Lord, 
do  I put  my  trust;  let  me  never  be  put  to  con- 
fusion. Deliver  me  in  thy  righteousness,  and 
cause  me  to  escape;  incline  thine  ear  to  me, 
and  save  me.  I3e  thou  my  strong  habitation, 
whereunto  I may  continually  resort.  For  thou 
art  my  rock  and  my  fortress ; deliver  me,  O 
God,  out  of  the  hand  of  the  unrighteous  and 
cruel  man  ; for  thou  art  my  hope,  O Lord  my 
God,  thou  art  my  trust  from  my  youth.” 
Many  in  a wording  way  speak  of  God,  but  a 
right  prayer  makes  God  his  hope,  stay,  and  all. 
Right  prayers  see  nothing  substantial  and 
worth  the  looking  after  but  God.  And  that 
(as  I said  before)  they  do  in  a sincere,  sensible, 
and  affectionate  way. 

Again,  it  is  a sincere,  sensible,  affectionate 
pouring  out  of  the  heart  or  soul  to  God,  through 
Christ.  This  through  Christ  must  needs  be 
added,  or  else  it  is  to  be  questioned  whether  it 
be  prayer,  though  in  appearance  it  be  never  so 
eminent  and  eloquent. 

Christ  is  the  way  through  whom  the  soul 
hath  admittance  to  God,  and  without  whom  it 
is  impossible  that  so  much  as  one  desire  should 
come  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth : “ If 
you  ask  anything  in  my  name,  whatsoever  you 
ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  I will  do  it.” 
This  was  Daniel’s  way  in  praying  for  the 
people  of  God ; he  did  it  in  the  name  of  Christ : 
“ Now  therefore,  0 our  God ! hear  the  prayer 
of  thv  servant,  and  his  supplications,  and  cause 
thy  face  to  shine  upon  thy  sanctuary  that  is 
desolate,  for  the  Lord’s  sake.”  And  so  David, 


658 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


“ For  thy  name  sake  (that  is,  for  thy  Christ’s 
sake)  pardon  mine  iniquity,  for  it  is  great.” 
But  now  it  is  not  every  one  that  maketh  men- 
tion of  Christ’s  name  in  prayer  that  doth  in- 
deed and  in  truth  effectually' pray  to  God  in 
the  name  of  Christ  or  through  him.  This 
coming  to  God  through  Christ  is  the  hardest 
part  that  is  found  in  prayer.  A man  may 
more  easily  be  sensible,  of  his  works,  ay,  and 
sincerely  too  desire  mercy,  and  yet  not  be  able 
to  come  to  God  by  Christ.  That  man  that 
comes  to  God  by  Christ  must  first  have  the 
knowledge  of  him,  for  he  that  comes  to  God 
must  believe  that  he  is.  And  so  he  that  comes 
to  God  through  Christ  must  be  enabled  to 
know  Christ:  “Lord,  (saith  Moses,)  show  me 
thy  way,  that  I may  know  thee.” 

This  Christ  none  but  the  Father  can  reveal. 
And  to  come  through  Christ  is  for  the  soul  to 
be  enabled  of  God  to  shroud  itself  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  a man  shroudeth 
himself  under  a thing  for  safeguard.  Hence 
it  is  that  David  so  often  terms  Christ  his  shield, 
buckler,  tower,  fortress,  rock  of  defence,  &c. 
Not  only  because  by  him  he  overcame  his 
enemies,  hut  because  through  him  he  found 
favour  with  God  the  Father.  And  so  he  saith 
to  Abraham,  “ Fear  not,  I am  thy  shield,”  &c. 
The  man,  then,  that  comes,  to  God  through 
Christ  must  have  faith,  by  which  he  puts  on 
Christ,  and  in  him  appears  before  God.  Now 
he  that  hath  faith  is  born  of  God,  born  again, 
and  so  becomes  one  of  the  sons  of  God ; by 
virtue  of  which  he  is  joined  to  Christ  and 
made  a member  of  him.  And  therefore,  sec- 
ondly, he,  as  a member  of  Christ,  comes  to 
God  ; I say,  as  a member  of  him,  so  that  God 
looks  on  that  man  as  part  of  Christ — part  of 
his  body,  flesh,  and  bones,  united  to  him  by 
election,  conversion,  illumination,  the  Spirit 
being  conveyed  into  the  heart  of  that  poor  man 
by  God.  So  that  now  he  comes  to  God  in 
Christ’s  merits,  in  his  blood,  righteousness, 
victory,  intercession,  and  so  stands  before  him, 
being  accepted  in  his  Beloved.  And  because 
this  poor  creature  is  thus  a member  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  under  this  consideration  hath 
admittance  to  come  to  God,  therefore,  by  vir- 
tue of  this  union,  also  is  the  Holy  Spirit  con- 
veyed into  him,  whereby  he  is  able  to  pour  out 
himself  .(to  wit,  his  soul)  before  God,  with  his 
audience.  And  this  leads  me  to  the  next  or 
fourth  particular. 

4.  Prayer  is  a sincere,  sensible,  affectionate 
pouring  < ut  of  the  heart  or  soul  to  God  through 
Christ,  by  the  strength  or  assistance  of  the 


Spirit.  For  these  things  do  so  depend  one 
upon  another  that  it  is  impossible  that  it 
should  be  prayer  without  there  being  a joint 
concurrence  of  them ; for  though  it  be  never  so 
famous,  yet  without  these  things  it  is  only 
such  prayer  as  is  rejected  of  God.  For  with- 
out a sincere,  sensible,  affectionate  pouring 
out  of  the  heart  to  God  it  is  but  lip-labour; 
and  if  it  be  not  through  Christ,  it  falleth  far 
short  of  ever  sounding  well  in  the  ears  of  God. 
So  also,  if  it  be  not  in  the  strength  and  assist- 
ance of  the  Spirit,  it  is  hut  like  the  sons  of 
Aaron  offering  with  strange  fire.  But  I shall 
speak  more  to  this  under  the  second  head ; and 
therefore,  in  the  mean  time,  that  which  is  not 
petitioned  through  the  teaching  and  assistance 
of  the  Spirit,  it  is  not  possible  that  it  should 
be  according  to  the  will  of  God. 

5.  Prayer  is  a sincere,  sensible,  affectionate 
pouring  out  of  the  heart  or  soul  to  God,  through 
Christ,  in  the  strength  and  assistance  of  the 
Spirit,  for  such  things  as  God  hath  promised, 
&c.  Prayer  it  is  when  it  is  within  the  com- 
pass of  God’s  word,  and  it  is  blasphemy,  or  at 
best  vain  babbling,  when  the  petition  is  beside 
the  book.  David  therefore  still,  in  his  prayer, 
kept  his  eye  on  the  word  of  God:  “My 
soul  (saith  he)  cleaveth  to  the  dust;  quicken 
me  according  to  thy  word ;”  and  again,  “ My 
soul  melteth  for  heaviness ; strengthen  me  ac- 
cording to  thy  word;”  and,  “remember  thy 
word  unto  thy  servant,  on  which  thou  hast 
caused  me  to  hope.”  And  indeed  the  Holy 
Ghost  doth  not  immediately  quicken  and  stir 
up  the  heart  of  the  Christian  without,  but  by, 
with,  and  through  the  word,  by  bringing  that 
to  the  heart,  and  by  opening  of  that,  whereby 
the  man  is  provoked  to  go  to  the  Lord,  and  to 
tell  him  how  it  is  with  him,  and  also  to  argue 
and  supplicate  according  to  the  word.  Thus  it 
was  with  Daniel,  that  mighty  prophet  of  the 
Lord,  he  understanding  by  books  that  the  cap- 
tivity of  the  children  of  Israel  was  hard  at  an 
end ; then  according  unto  that  word,  he  maketh 
his  prayer  to  God : “ I,  Daniel,  (saith  he,) 
understood  by  books  (viz.,  the  writings  of 
Jeremiah)  the  number  of  the  years  whereof 
the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  Jeremiah,  that 
he  would  accomjdish  seventy  years  on  the  deso- 
lation of  Jerusalem.  And  I set  my  face  to  the 
Lord  God,  to  seek  by  prayer  and  supplication, 
with  fasting,  and  sackcloth,  and  ashes.”  So 
that,  I say,  as  the  Spirit  is  the  helper  and  the 
governor  of  the  soul  when  it  prayeth  accord- 
ing to  the  will  of  God,  so  it  guideth  by  and 
according  to  the  word  of  God  and  his  promise. 


a nrscouRSE  on  prayer. 


659 


Hence  it  is  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self did  make  a stop,  although  his  life  lay 
at  stake  for  it:  “I  could  now  pray  to  my 
Father,  and  he  should  give  more  than  twelve 
legions  of  angels;  but  how  then  must  the 
Scripture  be  fulfilled,  that  thus  it  must  be?” 
As  who  should  say,  Were  there  hut  a word  for 
it  in  Scripture,  I should  soon  he  out  of  the  hands 
of  mine  enemies,  I should  be  helped  by  angels ; 
but  the  Scripture  will  not  warrant  this  kind 
of  praying,  for  that  saith  otherwise.  It  is  a 
praying,  then,  according  to  the  word  and 
promise.  The  Spirit  by  the  word  must  direct, 
as  well  in  the  manner  as  in  the  matter  of 
prayer.  I will  pray  with  the  Spirit,  and  I will 
pray  with  the  understanding  also.  But  there 
is  no  understanding  without  the  word ; for  if 
they  reject  the  word  of  the  Lord,  what  wisdom 
is  in  them? 

6.  For  the  good  of  the  Church.  This  clause 
reacheth  in  whatsoever  tendeth  either  to  the 
honour  of  God,  Christ’s  advancement,  or  his 
people’s  benefit.  For  God,  and  Christ,  and  his 
people  are  so  linked  together  that  if  the  good 
of  one  be  prayed  for — to  wit,  the  Church — 
the  glory  of  God  and  advancement  of  Christ 
must  needs  be  included.  For  as  Christ  is  in 
the  Father,  so  the  saints  are  in  Christ;  and  he 
that  toucheth  the  saints  toucheth  the  apple  of 
God's  eye ; and  therefore  pray  for  the  peace  of 
Jerusalem,  and  you  pray  for  all  that  is  required 
of  you.  For  Jerusalem  will  never  be  in  per- 
fect peace  until  she  be  in  heaven ; and  there 
is  nothing  that  Christ  doth  more  desire  than 
to  have  her  there.  That  also  is  the  place  that 
God  through  Christ  hath  given  her.  He  then 
that  prayeth  for  the  peace  and  good  of  Zion, 
or  the  Church,  doth  ask  that  in  prayer  which 
Christ  hath  purchased  with  his  blood,  and  also 
that  which  the  Father  hath  given  to  him  as  the 
price  thereof  Now  he  that  prayeth  for  this 
must  pray  for  abundance  of  grace  for  the 
Church,  for  help  against  all  its  temptations; 
that  God  would  let  nothing  be  too  hard  for  it; 
that  all  things  might  work  together  for  its 
good ; that  God  would  keep  them  blameless 
and  harmless,  the  sons  of  God,  to  his  glory,  in 
the  midst  of  a crooked  and  perverse  nation. 
And  this  is  the  substance  of  Christ’s  own 
prayer  in  John  xvii.  And  all  Paul’s  prayers 
did  run  that  way,  as  one  of  his  prayers  doth 
eminently  show : “ And  this  I pray,  that  your 
love  may  abound  yet  more  and  more  in  all 
knowledge  and  all  judgment;  that  ye  may 
approve  things  that  are  excellent;  that  ye 
may  be  sincere  and  without  offence,  until  the 


day  of  Christ.  Being  filled  with  the  fruits  of 
righteousness,  which  arc  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the 
glory  and  praise  of  God.”  But  a short  prayer, 
you  sec,  and  yet  full  of  good  desires  for  the 
Church  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  that  it 
may  stand  and  go  on,  and  that  in  the  most  ex- 
cellent frame  of  spirit,  even  without  blame, 
sincere  and  without  offence,  until  the  day  of 
Christ,  let  its  temptations  or  persecution  be 
what  they  will. 

7.  And  because,  as  I said,  prayer  doth  sub- 
mit to  the  will  of  God,  and  say,  Thy  will  he 
done,  as  Christ  hath  taught,  therefore  the 
people  of  the  Lord,  in  all  humility,  are  to  lay 
themselves  and  their  prayers,  and  all  that  they 
have,  at  the  foot  of  their  God,  to  be  disposed 
of  by  him  as  he  in  his  heavenly  wisdom  seeth 
best,  yet  not  doubting  but  God  will  answer  the 
desire  for  his  people  that  way  that  shall  be 
most  for  their  advantage  and  his  glory.  When 
the  saints  therefore  do  pray  with  submission 
to  the  will  of  God,  it  doth  not  argue  that  they 
are  to  doubt  or  question  God’s  love  and  kind- 
ness to  them,  but  because  they  at  all  times  are 
not  so  wise  but  that  sometimes  Satan  may  get 
advantage  of  them,  as  to  tempt  them  to  pray 
for  that  which,  if  they  had  it,  would  neither 
prove  to  God’s  glory  nor  his  people’s  good ; 
yet  this  is  the  confidence  we  have  in  him,  that 
if  we  ask  anything  according  to  his  will  he 
heareth  us;  and  if  we  know  that  he  heareth 
us  whatsoever  we  ask,  we  know  that  we  have 
the  petition  that  we  ask  of  him — that  is,  we 
asking  in  the  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication. 
For,  as  I said  before,  that  petition  that  is  not 
put  up  in  and  through  the  Spirit  is  not  to  be 
answered,  because  it  is  beside  the  will  of  God; 
for  the  Spirit  only  knoweth  that,  and  so  con- 
sequently knoweth  how  to  pray  according  to 
that  will  of  God.  “ For  what  man  knoweth 
the  things  of  a man,  save  the  spirit  of  a man 
that  is  in  him?  Even  so  the  things  of  God 
knoweth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit  of  God.”  But 
more  of  this  hereafter. 

Thus  you  see,  first,  what  prayer  is.  Now  to 
proceed : 

II.  I will  pray  with  the  Spirit. 

Now  to  pray  with  the  Spirit — for  that  is  the 
praying  man,  and  none  else,  so  as  to  be  ac- 
cepted of  God — it  is  for  a man  (as  aforesaid) 
sincerely  and  sensibly,  with  affection,  to  come 
to  God  through  Christ,  &c. ; which  sincere, 
sensible,  and  affectionate  coming  must  be  by 
the  working  of  God’s  Spirit. 

There  is  no  man  nor  Church  in  the  world 
that  can  come  to  God  in  prayer  but  by  the 


660 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


assistance  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; “ for  through 
Christ  we  all  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto 
the  Father.” 

Wherefore  Paul  saith,  “ We  know  not  what 
we  shall  pray  for  as  we  ought;  but  the  Spirit 
itself  maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groan- 
ings  which  cannot  be  uttered.  And  He  that 
search eth  the  heart  knoweth  the  meaning  of 
the  Spirit,  because  he  maketh  intercession  for 
the  saints  according  to  the  will  of  God.”  And 
because  there  is  in  this  Scripture  so  full  a dis- 
covery of  the  spirit  of  prayer,  and  of  man’s  in- 
ability to  pray  without  it,  therefore  I shall  in 
a few  words  comment  upon  it. 

“ For  we.”  Consider  first  the  person  speak- 
ing, even  Paul,  and  in  his  person  all  the  apos- 
tles. We  apostles,  we  extraordinary  officers, 
the  wise  master-builders,  that  have  some  of  us 
been  caught  up  into  Paradise— “ We  know  not 
what  we  should  pray  for.” 

Surely  there  is  no  man  but  will  confess 
that  Paul  and  his  companions  were  as  able 
to  have  done  any  work  for  God  as  any  pope 
or  proud  prelate  in  the  Church  of  Pome,  and 
could  as  well  have  made  a common  prayer- 
book  as  those  who  at  first  composed  this,  as 
being  not  a whit  behind  them  either  in  grace 
or  gifts. 

“ For  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray 
for.”  We  know  not  the  matter  of  the  things 
for  which  we  should  pray,  neither  the  object 
to  whom  we  pray,  nor  the  medium  by  or 
through  whom  we  pray;  none  of  these  things 
know  we  but  by  the  help  and  assistance  of  the 
Spirit.  Should  we  pray  for  communion  with 
God  through  Christ?  Should  we  pray  for 
faith,  for  justification  by  grace,  and  a truly 
sanctified  heart?  None  of  these  things  know 
we:  “For  as  no  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a 
man,  save  the  spirit  of  a man  that  is  in  him, 
even  so  the  things  of  God  knows  no  man,  but 
the  Spirit  of  God.”  But  here,  alas ! the  apos- 
tles speak  of  inward  and  spiritual  things, 
which  the  world  knows  not. 

Again,  as  they  know  not  the  matter,  &c., 
of  prayer  without  the  help  of  the  Spirit,  so 
neither  know  they  the  manner  thereof  with- 
out the  same;  and  therefore  he  adds:  “We 
know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we 
ought;  but  the  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities 
with  sighs  and  groans  which  cannot  be  ut- 
tered.” Mark  here:  they  could  not  so  well 
and  so  fully  come  off  in  the  manner  of  per- 
forming this  duty  as  these  in  our  days  think 
they  can. 

The  apostles,  when  they  were  at  the  best, 


yea,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  assisted  them,  yet 
then  they  were  fain  to  come  off  with  sighs 
and  groans,  falling  short  of  expressing  their 
mind,  but  with  sighs  and  groans  which  can- 
not be  uttered. 

But  here,  now,  the  wise  men  of  our  days  are 
so  well  skilled  as  that  they  have  both  the 
manner  and  matter  of  their  prayers  at  their 
finger-ends,  setting  such  a prayer  for  such  a 
day,  and  that  twenty  years  before  it  comes — ■ 
one  for  Christmas,  another  for  Easter,  and  six 
days  after  that.  They  have  also  bounded 
how  many  syllables  must  be  said  in  every 
one  of  them.  For  each  Saint’s  day  also  they 
have  them  ready  for  the  generations  yet  un- 
born to  say.  They  can  tell  you  also  when 
you  shall  kneel,  when  you  shall  stand,  when 
you  shall  abide  in  your  seats,  when  you  should 
go  up  into  the  chancel,  and  what  you  should 
do  when  you  come  there.  All  which  the 
apostles  came  short  of,  as  not  being  able  to 
compose  so  profound  a manner;  and  that  for 
this  reason  included  in  the  Scripture — be- 
cause the  fear  of  God  tied  them  to  pray  as 
they  ought. 

“ For  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for 
as  we  ought.”  Mark  this : “ as  we  ought.” 
For  the  not  thinking  of  this  word,  or  at  least 
the  not  understanding  it  in  the  spirit  and 
truth  of  it,  hath  occasioned  these  men  to  de- 
vise, as  Jeroboam  did,  another  way  of  wor- 
ship, both  for  matter  and  manner,  than  is  re- 
vealed in  the  word  of  God.  But,  saith  Paul 
we  must  pray  as  we  ought;  and  this  we  can- 
not do  by  all  the  art,  skill,  cunning,  and  de- 
vice of  men  or  angels;  “For  we  know  not 
what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought,”  but 
the  Spirit;  nay  farther,  it  must  be  the  Spirit 
itself  that  helpeth  our  infirmities;  not  the 
Spirit  and  man’s  lust.  What  man  of  his  own 
brain  may  imagine  and  devise  is  oue  thing, 
and  what  they  are  commanded  and  ought  to 
do  is  another.  Many  ask  and  have  not,  be- 
cause they  ask  amiss,  and  so  are  never  the 
nearer  the  enjoying  of  those  things  they  peti- 
tion for.  It  is  not  to  pray  at  random  that  will 
put  off  God  or  cause  him  to  answer.  While 
prayer  is  making,  God  is  searching  the  heart, 
to  see  from  what  root  and  spirit  it  doth  arise. 
And  He  that  searcheth  the  heart  knoweth 
(that  is,  approveth  only)  the  meaning  of  the 
Spirit,  because  he  maketh  intercession  for  the 
saints  according  to  the  will  of  God.  For  in 
that  which  is  according  to  his  will  only  he 
hearetli  us,  and  in  nothing  else.  And  it  is 
the  Spirit  only  that  can  teacn  us  so  to  ask,  it 


A DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER. 


GG 1 


only  being  able  to  search  out  all  things,  even 
the  deep  tilings  of  God.  Without  which 
Spirit,  though  we  had  a thousand  common 
prayer-books, yet  we  know  not  what  we  should 
pray  for  as  we  ought,  being  accompanied  with 
those  infirmities  that  make  us  absolutely  in- 
capable of  such  a work;  which  infirmities, 
although  it  is  a hard  thing  to  name  them  all, 
yet  some  of  them  are  these  that  follow  : 

1.  Without  the  Spirit,  man  is  so  infirm  that 
he  cannot  with  all  other  means  whatsoever  be 
enabled  to  think  one  right  saving  thought  of 
God,  of  Christ,  or  of  his  blessed  things;  and 
therefore  he  saith  of  the  wicked,  “God  is  not 
in  all  their  thoughts,”  unless  it  be  that  they 
imagine  him  altogether  such  a one  as  them- 
selves; “for  every  imagination  of  the  thought 
of  their  heart  is  only  evil,  and  that  contin- 
ually.” They  then,  not  being  able  to  conceive 
aright  of  God  to  whom  they  pray,  of  Christ 
through  whom  they  pray,  nor  of  the  things  for 
which  they  pray,  as  is  before  showed,  how 
shall  they  be  able  to  address  themselves  to 
God  without  the  Spirit  help  this  infirmity? 
Peradventure  you  will  say,  By  the  help  of  the 
common  prayer-book ; but  that  cannot  do  it, 
unless  it  can  open  the  eyes  and  reveal  to  the 
soul  all  these  things  before  touched ; which 
that  it  cannot  it  is  evident,  because  that  is  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  only.  The  Spirit  itself  is 
the  revealer  of  these  things  to  poor  souls,  and 
that  which  doth  give  us  to  understand  them  ; 
wherefore  Christ  tells  his  disciples,  when  he 
promised  to  send  the  Spirit,  the  Comforter, 
“ He  shall  take  of  mine  and  show  unto  you ;” 
as  if  he  had  said,  I know  you  are  naturally 
dark  and  ignorant  as  to  the  understanding  any 
of  my  things;  though  ye  try  this  course  and 
the  other,  yet  your  ignorance  will  still  remain; 
the  veil  is  spread  over  your  heart,  and  there  is 
none  can  take  away  the  same  nor  give  you 
spiritual  understanding  but  the  Spirit.  The 
common  prayer-book  will  not  do  it,  neither 
can  any  man  expect  that  it  should  be  instru- 
mental that  way,  it  being  none  of  God’s  ordi- 
nances, but  a thing  since  the  Scriptures  were 
written,  patched  together,  one  piece  at  one 
time,  and  another  at  that ; a mere  human  in- 
vention and  institution,  which  God  is  so  far 
from  owning  of,  that  he  expressly  forbids  it, 
with  any  other  such  like,  and  that  by  manifold 
sayings  in  his  most  holy  and  blessed  word. 
For  right  prayer  must,  as  well  in  the  outward 
part  of  it,  in  the  outward  expression,  as  in  the 
inward  intention,  come  from  what  the  soul 
doth  apprehend  in  the  light  of  the  Spirit; 


Otherwise  it  is  condemned  as  vain  and  an 
abomination,  because  the  heart  and  tongue  do 
not  go  along  jointly  in  the  same;  neither  in- 
deed can  they  unless  the  Spirit  help  our  infirm- 
ities. And  this  David  knew  full  well,  which 
did  make  him  cry,  “Lord,  open  thou  my  lips, 
and  my  mouth  shall  show  forth  thy  praise.” 
I suppose  there  is  none  can  imagine  but  that 
David  could  speak  and  express  himself  as  well 
as  others,  nay  as  any  in  our  generation,  as  is 
clearly  manifested  by  his  word  and  his  works; 
nevertheless,  when  this  good  man,  this  prophet, 
comes  into  God’s  worship,  then  the  Lord  must 
help  or  he  can  do  nothing:  “Lord,  open  thou 
my  lips,  and  then  my  mouth  shall  show  forth 
thy  praise.”  lie  could  not  speak  one  right 
word  except  the  Spirit  itself  gave  utterance. 
“ For  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for 
as  we  ought,  but  the  Spirit  itself  helpeth  our 
infirmities.”  But, 

2.  It  must  be  praying  with  the  Spirit — that 
is,  the  effectual  praying — because  without  that, 
as  men  are  senseless,  so  hypocritical,  cold,  and 
unseemly  in  their  prayers,  so  they,  with  their 
prayers,  are  both  rendered  abominable  to  God. 
It  is  not  the  excellency  of  the  voice,  nor  the 
seeming  affection  and  earnestness  of  him  that 
prayeth,  that  is  in  anything  regarded  of  God 
without  it.  For  man,  as  man,  is  so  full  of  all 
manner  of  wickedness  that  as  lie  cannot  keep 
a word  or  thought,  so  much  less  a piece  of 
prayer,  clean  and  acceptable  to  God  through 
Christ;  and  for  this  cause  the  Pharisees,  with 
their  prayers,  were  rejected.  No  question  but 
they  were  excellently  able  to  express  them- 
selves in  words,  and  also  for  length  of  time  too 
they  were  very  notable;  but  they  had  not  the 
Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ  to  help  them,  and  there- 
fore they  did  what  they  did  with  their  infirmi- 
ties or  weaknesses  only,  and  so  fell  short  of  a 
sincere,  sensible,  affectionate  pouring  out  of 
their  souls  to  God  through  the  strength  of  the 
Spirit.  That  is  the  prayer  that  goeth  to 
heaven  that  is  sent  thither  in  the  strength  of 
the  Spirit.  For, 

3.  Nothing  but  the  Spirit  can  show  a man 
clearly  his  misery  by  nature,  and  so  put  a man 
into  a posture  of  prayer.  Talk  is  but  talk,  as 
we  use  to  say,  and  so  it  is  but  mouth-worship 
if  there  be  not  a sense  of  misery,  and  that 
effectually  too.  Oh  the  cursed  hypocrisy  that 
is  in  most  hearts,  and  that  accouipanieth  many 
thousands  of  praying  men  that  would  be  so 
looked  upon  in  this  day,  and  all  for  want  of  a 
sense  of  their  misery ! But  now  the  Spirit — 
that  will  sweetly  show  the  soul  its  misery, 


662 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


where  it  is,  and  what  is  like  to  become  of  it, 
also  the  intolerableness  of  that  condition  ; for 
it  is  the  Spirit  that  doth  effectually  convince 
of  sin  and  misery  without  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
so  puts  the  soul  into  a sweet,  serious,  sensible, 
affectionate  way  of  praying  to  God  according 
to  his  word. 

4.  If  men  did  see  their  sins,  yet  without  the 
help  cf  the  Spirit  they  would  not  pray.  For 
they  would  run  away  from  God  with  Cain  and 
Judas,  and  utterly  despair  of  mercy,  were  it 
not  for  the  Spirit.  When  a man  is  indeed 
sensible  of  his  sin  and  God’s  curse,  then  it  is  a 
hard  thing  to  persuade  him  to  pray ; for,  saith 
his  heart,  There  is  no  hope,  it  is  in  vain  to  seek 
God;  I am  so  vile,  so  wretched,  and  so  cursed 
a creature  that  I shall  never  be  regarded.  Now 
here  comes  the  Spirit  and  stayeth  the  soul, 
lielpetli  it  to  hold  up  its  face  to  God,  by  letting 
into  the  heart  some  small  sense  of  mercy  to 
encourage  it  to  go  to  God,  and  hence  it  is 
called  the  Comforter. 

5.  It  must  be  in  or  with  the  Spirit,  for  with- 
out that  no  man  can  know  how  he  should 
come  to  God  the  right  way.  Men  may  easily 
say  they  come  to  God  in  his  Son,  but  it  is  the 
hardest  thing  of  a thousand  to  come  to  God 
aright  and  in  his  own  way  without  the  Spirit. 
It  is  the  Spirit  that  searcheth  all  things,  yea, 
the  deep  things  of  God.  It  is  the  Spirit  that 
must  show  us  the  way  of  coming  to  God,  and 
also  what  there  is  in  God  that  makes  him  de- 
sirable. “I  beseech  thee,  (saith  Moses,)  show 
me  the  way  that  I may  know  thee.”  “ He 
shall  take  of  mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you.” 

6.  Because  without  the  Spirit,  though  a man 
did  see  his  misery,  and  also  the  way  to  come 
to  God,  yet  he  would  never  be  able  to  claim  a 
share  in  either  God,  Christ,  or  mercy  without 
God’s  approbation.  Oh  how  great  a task  is  it 
for  a poor  soul  that  comes  sensible  of  sin  and 
the  wrath  of  God  to  say  in  faith  but  this  one 
word,  Father ! I tell  you,  however  hypocrites 
think,  yet  the  Christian  that  is  so  indeed  finds 
all  the  difficulty  in  this  very  thing — -it  cannot 
say  God  is  its  Father.  Oh,  saith  he,  I dare 
not  call  him  Father;  and  hence  it  is  that  the 
Spirit  must  be  sent  into  tbe  hearts  of  God’s 
jDeople  for  this  very  thing— to  cry  Father;  it 
being  too  great  a work  for  any  man  to  do 
knowingly  and  believingly  without  it.  When 
I say  knowingly,  I mean  knowing  what  it  is  to 
be  a child  of  God  and  to  be  born  again.  And 
when  I say  believingly,  I mean  for  the  soul  to 
believe,  and  that  from  good  experience,  that 
the  work  of  grace  is  wrought  in  him.  This  is 


the  right  calling  of  God,  Father  ; and  not,  as 
many  do,  to  say  in  a babbling  way  the  Lord’s 
Prayer  (so  called)  by  heart,  as  it  lieth  in  the 
words  of  the  book.  No,  here  is  the  life  of 
prayer,  when  in  or  with  the  Spirit,  a man 
being  made  sensible  of  sin  and  how  to  come 
to  the  Lord  for  mercy,  he  comes,  I say,  in 
the  strength  of  the  Spirit  and  crieth,  Father. 
That  one  word  spoken  in  faith  is  better  than  a 
thousand  prayers,  as  men  call  them,  written 
and  read  in  a formal,  cold,  lukewarm  way.  Oh 
how  far  short  are  the  people  of  being  sensible 
of  this  who  count  it  enough  to  teach  them- 
selves and  children  to  say  the  Lord’s  Prayer, 
the  creed,  with  other  sayings,  when,  as  God 
knows,  they  are  senseless  of  themselves,  their 
misery,  or  what  it  is  to  be  brought  to  God 
through  Christ ! Ah,  poor  soul ! study  your 
misery,  and  cry  to  God  to  show  you  your  con- 
fused blindness  and  ignorance,  before  you  be 
too  rife  in  calling  God  your  Father,  or  learn- 
ing your  children  either  so  to  say.  And  know 
that  to  say  God  is  your  Father  in  a way  of 
prayer  or  conference,  without  an  experiment 
of  the  work  of  grace  on  your  souls,  it  is  to  say 
you  are  Jews  and  are  not,  and  so  to  lie.  You 
say,  Our  Father;  God  saith,  You  blaspheme. 
You  say  you  are  Jews,  that  is  true  Christians; 
God  saith,  You  lie.  Behold,  I will  make  them 
of  the  synagogue  of  Satan  which  say  they  are 
Jews  and  are  not,  but  do  lie.  And  I know  the 
blasphemy  of  them  that  say  they  are  Jews  and 
are  not,  but  are  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan. 
And  so  much  the  greater  the  sin  is  by  how 
much  the  more  the  sinner  boasts  it  with  a pre- 
tended sanctity,  as  the  Jews  did  to  Christ,  in 
the  8th  of  John,  which  made  Christ,  even  in 
plain  terms,  to  tell  them  their  doom,  for  all 
their  hypocritical  pretences.  And  yet  forsooth 
every  cursed  whoremaster,  thief  and  drunkard, 
swearer  and  perjured  person,  they  that  have 
not  only  been  such  in  times  past,  but  are  even 
so  still — these,  I say,  by  some  must  be  counted 
the  only  honest  men,  and  all  because  with 
their  blasphemous  throats  and  hypocritical 
hearts  they  will  come  to  church  and  say,  Our 
Father.  Nay  further,  these  men,  though 
every  time  they  say  to  God,  Our  Father,  do 
most  abominably  blaspheme,  yet  they  must  be 
compelled  thus  to  do.  And  because  others 
that  are  of  more  sober  principles  scruple  the 
truth  of  such  vain  traditions,  therefore  they 
must  be  looked  upon  to  be  the  only  enemies  of 
God  and  the  nation ; whereas  it  is  their  own 
cursed  superstition  that  doth  set  the  great  God 
against  them,  and  cause  him  to  count  them  for 


A DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER. 


GG3 


his  enemies.  And  yet,  just  like  to  Bonner, 
that  blood-red  persecutor,  they  commend,  I 
say,  these  wretches,  although  never  so  vile,  (if 
they  close  in  with  their  tradition,)  to  be  good 
Churchmen  and  honest  subjects,  while  God’s 
people  are,  as  it  hath  always  been,  looked 
upon  to  be  a turbulent,  seditious,  and  fac- 
tious people. 

Therefore  give  me  leave  a little  to  reason 
with  thee,  thou  poor,  blind,  ignorant  sot.  (1.) 
It  may  be  thy  great  prayer  is  to  say,  “ Our 
Father,  which  art  in  heaven,”  &c.  Dost  thou 
know  the  meaning  of  the  very  first  words  of 
this  prayer?  Canst  thou  indeed,  with  the  rest 
of  the  saints,  cry,  Our  Father?  Art  thou  truly 
born  again  ? Hast  thou  received  the  Spirit  of 
adoption?  Dost  thou  see  thyself  in  Christ, 
and  canst  thou  come  to  God  as  a member  of 
him?  Or  art  thou  ignorant  of  these  tilings, 
and  yet  darest  thou  say,  Our  Father?  Is  not 
the  devil  thy  father,  and  dost  thou  not  do  the 
deeds  of  the  flesh,  and  yet  darest  thou  say  to 
God,  Our  Father?  Nay,  art  thou  not  a des- 
perate persecutor  of  the  children  of  God? 
Hast  thou  not  cursed  them  in  thine  heart  many 
a time?  And  yet  dost  thou,  out  of  thy  blas- 
phemous throat,  suffer  these  words  to  come, 
even  Our  Father?  He  is  their  Father  whom 
thou  hatest  and  persecutest.  But  as  the  devil 
presented  himself  amongst  the  sons  of  God 
when  they  were  to  present  themselves  before 
the  Father,  even  our  Father,  so  it  is  now,  be- 
cause the  saints  are  commanded  to  say,  Our 
Father,  therefore  all  the  blind,  ignorant  rabble 
in  the  world,  they  must  also  use  the  same 
words.  Our  Father. 

(2.)  And  dost  thou  indeed  say,  Hallowed  be 
thy  name,  with  thy  heart  ? Dost  thou  study, 
by  all  honest  and  lawful  ways,  to  advance  the 
name,  holiness,  and  majesty  of  God?  Doth 
thy  heart  and  conversation  agree  with  this  pas- 
sage? Dost  thou  strive  to  imitate  Christ  in 
all  the  works  of  righteousness  which  God  doth 
command  of  thee  and  prompt  thee  forward  to? 
It  is  so  if  thou  be  one  that  can  truly  with  God’s 
allowance  cry,  Our  Father.  Or  is  it  not  the 
least  of  thy  thoughts  all  the  day?  And  dost 
thou  not  clearly  make  it  appear  that  thou  art 
a cursed  hypocrite,  by  condemning  that  with 
thy  daily  practice  which  thou  pretendest  in 
thv  praying  with  thy  dissembling  tongue  ? 

(3.)  Wouldst  thou  have  the  kingdom  of  God 
come  indeed,  and  also  his  will  to  be  done  in 
earth  as  it  is  done  in  heaven?  Nay,  notwith- 
standing thou,  according  to  the  form,  sayest, 
Thy  kingdom  come,  yet  would  it  not  make 


thee  ready  to  run  mad  to  hear  the  trumpet 
sound,  to  see  the  dead  arise,  and  thyself  just 
now  to  go  and  appear  before  God,  to  reckon 
for  all  the  deeds  thou  hast  done  in  the  body? 
Nay,  are  not  the  very  thoughts  of  it  altogether 
displeasing  to  thee?  And  if  God’s  will  should 
be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven,  must  it  not 
be  thy  ruin  ? There  is  never  a rebel  in  heaven 
against  God,  and  if  lie  should  so  deal  on  earth 
must  he  not  whirl  thee  down  to  hell?  And  so 
of  the  rest  of  the  petitions.  Ah ! how  sadly 
would  even  these  men  look,  and  with  what 
terror  would  they  walk  up  and  down  the 
world,  if  they  did  but  know  the  lying  and 
blaspheming  that  proceedeth  out  of  their 
mouth,  even  in  their  most  pretended  sanctity  1 
The  Lord  awaken  you,  and  learn  you,  poor 
souls ! in  all  humility,  to  take  heed  that  you 
be  not  rash  and  unadvised  with  your  heart, 
and  much  more  with  your  mouth ; when  you 
appear  before  God,  (as  the  wise  man  saith,)  be 
not  rash  with  thy  mouth,  and  let  not  thine 
heart  be  hasty  to  utter  anything,  especially  to 
call  God,  Father,  without  some  blessed  expe- 
rience, when  thou  comest  before  God.  But  I 
pass  this. 

7.  It  must  be  a prayer  with  the  Spirit  if  it 
be  accepted,  because  there  is  nothing  but  the 
Spirit  that  can  lift  up  the  soul  or  heart  to  God 
in  prayer:  “The  preparation  of  the  heart  in 
man  and  the  answer  of  the  tongue  is  from  the 
Lord.”  That  is,  in  every  work  for  God,  (and 
especially  in  prayer,)  if  the  heart  run  with  the 
tongue,  it  must  be  prepared  by  the  Spirit  of 
God.  Indeed  the  tongue  is  very  apt  (of  itself) 
to  run  without  either  fear  or  wisdom ; but  when 
it  is  the  answer  of  the  heart,  and  that  such 
an  heart  as  is  prepared  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
then  it  speaks  so  as  God  commands  and  doth 
desire. 

They  are  mighty  words  of  David  where  he 
saith  that  he  lifteth  his  heart  and  his  soul  to 
God.  It  is  a great  work  for  any  man  without 
the  strength  of  the  Spirit  ; and  therefore  I con- 
ceive that  this  is  one  of  the  great  reasons  why 
the  Spirit  of  God  is  called  a Spirit  of  suppli- 
cation, because  it  is  that  which  lielpeth  the 
heart  when  it  supplicates  indeed  to  do  it;  and 
therefore  saith  Paul,  “ Praying  with  all  prayer 
and  supplication  in  the  Spirit;”  and  so  in  my 
text,  “I  will  pray  with  the  Spirit.” 

Prayer,  without  the  heart  be  in  it,  is  like  a 
sound  without  life,  and  an  heart,  without  it  be 
lifted  up  of  the  Spirit,  will  never  pray  to  God. 

8.  As  the  heart  must  be  lifted  up  by  the 
Spirit  if  it  pray  aright,  so  also  it  must  be  held 


664 


BTJNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


by  the  Spirit  when  it  is  up  if  it  continue  to 
pray  aright.  I do  not  know  what  or  how  it  is 
with  others’  hearts,  whether  they  be  lifted  up 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  so  continued,  or  no, 
but  this  I am  sure  of : 

First,  that  it  is  impossible  that  all  the 
prayer-books  that  men  have  made  in  the  world 
should  lift  up  or  prepare  the  heart;  that  is  the 
work  of  the  great  God  himself. 

And  in  the  second  place,  I am  sure  that 
they  are  as  far  from  keeping  it  up  when  it  is 
up.  And  indeed  here  is  the  life  of  prayer,  to 
have  the  heart  kept  with  God  in  the  duty.  It 
was  a great  matter  for  Moses  to  keep  his  hands 
lifted  up  to  God  in  prayer,  but  how  much  more 
then  to  keep  the  heart  in  it! 

The  want  of  this  is  that  which  God  com- 
plains of — that  “they  draw  nigh  to  him  with 
their  mouth  and  know  him  with  their  lips,  but 
their  hearts  were  far  from  him (but  chiefly) 
they  that  walk  after  the  commandments  and 
traditions  of  men,  as  the  scope  of  Matt.  xv.  8, 
9 doth  testify.  And  verily,  may  I but  speak 
my  own  experience,  and  from  that  tell  you  the 
difficulty  of  praying  to  God  as  I ought,  it  is 
enough  to  make  you  poor,  blind,  carnal  men 
to  entertain  strange  thoughts  of  me.  For  as 
for  my  heart,  when  I go  to  pray  I find  it  loth 
to  go  to  God,  and  when  it  is  with  him  so  loth 
to  stay  with  him  that  many  times  I am  forced 
in  my  prayers,  first  to  beg  of  God  that-  he 
would  take  mine  heart  and  set  it  on  himself 
in  Christ,  and  when  it  is  there  that  he  would 
keep  it  there.  Nay,  many  times  I know  not 
what  to  pray  for,  I am  so  blind,  nor  how  to 
pray,  I am  so  ignorant;  only,  blessed  he  grace! 
the  Spirit  helps  our  infirmities. 

Oh  the  starting-holes  that  the  heart  hath 
in  the  time  of  prayer!  None  know  how  many 
by-ways  the  heart  hath,  and  back  lanes,  to  slip 
away  from  the  presence  of  God;  how  much 
pride  also  if  enabled  with  expressions;  how 
much  hypocrisy  if  before  others;  and  how 
little  conscience  is  there  made  of  prayer  be- 
tween God  and  the  soul  in  secret,  unless  the 
Spirit  of  supplication  be  there  to  help. 

When  the  Spirit  gets  into  the  heart,  then 
-here  is  prayer  indeed,  and  not  till  then. 

9.  The  soul  that  doth  rightly  pray,  it  must 
be  in  and  with  the  help  and  strength  of  the 
Spirit,  because  it  is  impossible  that  a man 
should  express  himself  in  prayer  without  it. 
When  I say  it  is  impossible  for  a man  to  ex- 
press himself  in  prayer  without  it,  I mean 
that  it  is  impossible  that  the  heart  in  a sincere 
and  sensible,  affectionate  way  should  pour  out 


itself  before  God  with  those  groans  and  sighs 
that  come  from  a truly  praying  heart  without 
the  assistance  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  not  the 
mouth  that  is  the  main  thing  to  be  looked  at 
in  prayer,  but  whether  the  heart  be  so  full  of 
affection  and  earnestness  in  prayer  with  God 
that  it  is  impossible  to  express  their  sense  and 
desire.  For  then  a man  desires  indeed  when 
his  desires  are  so  strong,  many,  and  mighty 
that  all  the  words,  tears,  and  groans  that  can 
come  from  the  heart  cannot  utter  them:  “The 
Spirit  helps  our  infirmities,  and  makes  inter- 
cession for  us  with  sighs  and  groans  that  can- 
not be  uttered.” 

That  is  but  poor  prayer  which  is  only  dis- 
covered in  so  many  words. 

A man  that  truly  prays  one  prayer  shall 
after  that  never  he  able  to  express  with  his 
mouth  or  pen  the  unutterable  desires,  sense, 
affection,  and  longing  that  went  to  God  in  that 
prayer. 

The  best  prayers  have  often  more  groans 
than  words;  and  those  words  that  it  hath  are 
but  a lean  and  shallow  representation  of  the 
heart,  life,  and  spirit  of  that  prayer.  You  do 
not  find  any  words  of  prayer,  that  we  read  of, 
come  out  of  the  mouth  of  Moses  when  he  was 
gone  out  of  Egypt  and  was  followed  by  Pha- 
raoh, and  yet  he  made  heaven  ring  again  with 
his  cry,  but  it  was  the  inexpressible  and  un- 
searchable groans  and  cryings  of  his  soul  in 
and  with  the  Spirit.  God  is  the  God  of 
spirits,  and  his  eyes  look  farther  than  at  the 
outside  of  any  duty  whatsoever.  I doubt  this 
is  but  little  thought  ou  by  the  most  of  them 
that  would  be  looked  upon  as  a praying 
people. 

The  nearer  a man  comes  in  any  work  that 
God  commands  him  to  the  doing  of  it  accord- 
ing to  his  will,  so  much  the  more  hard  and 
difficult  it  is ; and  the  reason  is,  because  man, 
as  man,  is  not  able  to  do  it.  But  prayer  (as 
aforesaid)  is  not  only  a duty,  but  one  of  the 
most  eminent  duties,  and  therefore  so  much 
the  more  difficult:  therefore  Paul  knew  not 
what  he  said  when  he  said,  “I  will  pray  with 
the  Spirit.”  He  knew  well  it  was  not  what 
others  writ  or  said  that,  could  make  him  a 
praying  person;  nothing  less  than  the  Spirit 
could  do  it. 

10.  It  must  be  with  the  Spirit,  or  else,  as 
there  will  be  a failing  in  the  act  itself,  so  there 
will  be  a failing,  yea,  a fainting,  in  the  pros- 
ecution of  the  work.  Prayer  is  an  ordinance 
of  God,  that  must  continue  with  a soul  so  long 
as  it  is  on  this  side  glory.  But,  as  I said  be- 


A DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER. 


665 


fore,  ns  it  is  not  possible  for  a man  to  get  up 
his  heart  to  God  in  prayer,  so  it  is  as  difficult 
to  keep  it  there  without  the  assistance  of  the 
Spirit.  And  if  so,  then  for  a man  to  continue 
some  time  in  prayer  with  God,  it  must  of  ne- 
cessity be  with  tlie  Spirit. 

Christ  tells  us  that  men  ought  always  to 
pray,  and  not  to  faint;  and  again  tells  us  that 
this  is  one  definition  of  an  hypocrite,  that 
either  he  will  not  continue  in  prayer,  or  else, 
if  he  do  it,  it  will  not  be  in  the  power— that 
is,  in  the  spirit— of  prayer,  but  in  the  form, 
for  a pretence  only.  It  is  the  easiest  thing  of 
an  hundred  to  kll  from  the  power  to  the  form, 
but  it  is  the  hardest  thing  of  many  to  keep  in 
the  life,  spirit  and  power  of  any  one  duty, 
especially  prayer;  that  is,  such  a work  that  a 
man  without  the  help  of  the  Spirit  cannot  so 
much  as  pray  once,  much  less  continue,  with- 
out in  a sweet  praying  frame,  and  in  praying 
so  to  pray  as  to  have  his  prayers  ascend  into 
the  cars  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaotli. 

Jacob  did  not  only  begin,  but  held  it:  “I 
will  not  let  thee  go  unless  thou  bless  me.”  So 
did  the  rest  of  the  godly.  But  this  could  not 
be  without  the  spirit  of  prayer:  “ It  is  through 
the  Spirit  that  we  have  access  to  the  Father.” 

That  same  is  a remarkable  place  in  Jude 
when  he  stirreth  up  the  saints,  by  the  judg- 
ment of  God  upon  the  wicked,  to  stand  fast, 
and  continue  to  hold  out.  in  the  faith  of  the 
Gospel,  as  one  excellent  means  thereto,  with- 
out which  he  knew  they  would  never  be  able 
to  do  it,  Saith  be,  “Build  up  yourselves  in 
your  most  holy  faith,  praying  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.”  As  if  he  had  said,  Brethren,  as  eter- 
nal life  is  laid  up  for  the  persons  that  hold  out 
only,  so  you  canilot  hold  out  unless  you  con- 
tinue praying  in  the  Spirit.  The  great  cheat 
that  the  devil  and  Antichrist  deludes  the  world 
withal,  it  is  to  make  them  continue  in  the 
form  of  any  duty,  the  form  of  preaching,  of 
hearing,  of  praying.  &c.  These  are  they  that 
have  a form  of  godliness,  but  deny  the  power; 
from  such  turn  away. 

Here  followeth  the  third  thing — to  wit: 

III.  What  it  is  to  pray  with  the  Spirit  and 
with  the  understanding. 

And  now  to  the  next  thing,  what  it  is  to 
pray  with  the  Spirit,  and  to  pray  with  the  un- 
derstanding also.  For  the  apostle  puts  a clear 
distinction  between  praying  with  the  Spirit 
ind  praying  with  the  Spirit  and  understand- 
ing. Therefore  when  he  saith  be  “ will  pray 
with  the  Spirit,”  he  adds,  “ and  will  pray  with 
the  understanding  also.”  This  distinction  was 


occasioned  through  the  Corinthians  not  ob- 
serving that  it  was  their  duty  to  do  what  they 
did  to  the  edification  of  themselves  and  others 
too,  whereas  they  did  it  for  their  own  com- 
mendation. So  I judge,  for  many  of  them 
having  extraordinary  gifts,  as  to  speak  with 
divers  tongues,  &c.,  therefore  they  were  more 
for  those  mighty  gifts  than  they  were  for  the 
edifying  of  their  brethren,  which  was  the 
cause  that  Paul  wrote  this  chapter  to  them,  to 
let  them  understand  that  though  extraordinary 
gifts  were  excellent,  yet  to  do  what  they  did 
for  the  edification  of  the  Church  was  more 
excellent.  For  if  I will  pray  in  an  unknown 
tongue  my  spirit  praveth,  but  my  understand- 
ing (and  also  the  understanding  of  others)  is 
unfruitful.  Therefore  “I  will  pray  with  the 
Spirit,  and  I will  pray  with  the  understanding 
also.” 

It  is  expedient,  then,  that  the  understanding 
should  be  occupied  in  prayer,  as  well  as  the 
heart  and  mouth  : “ I will  pray  with  the  Spirit, 
and  I will  pray  with  the  understanding  also.” 
That  which  is  done  with  understanding  is 
done  more  effectually,  sensibly,  and  heartily, 
as  I shall  show  farther  anon,  than  that  which 
is  done  without  it.  Which  made  the  apostle 
pray  for  the  Colossians  “that  God  would  fill 
them  with  the  knowledge  of  his  will,  and  iu 
all  wisdom  and  spiritual  understanding.”  And 
for  the  Ephesians,  “ that  God  would  give  unto 
them  the  spirit  of  tvisdom  and  revelation  in 
the  knowledge  of  him.”  And  so  for  the  Phil- 
ippians,  “ that  God  would  make  them  abound 
in  knowledge  and  in  all  judgment.”  A suit- 
able understanding  is  good  in  every  thing  a 
man  undertakes,  either  civil  or  spiritual,  and 
therefore  it  must  be  desired  by  all  them  that 
would  be  a praying  people.  In  my  speaking 
to  this  I shall  show  you  what  it  is  to  pray  with 
understanding. 

Understanding  is  to  be  taken  both  for 
speaking  in  our  mother-tongue  and  also  ex- 
perimentally. 

I pass  the  first,  and  treat  only  on  the 
second. 

For  the  making  of  right  prayers,  it  is  to  be 
required  that  there  should  be  a good  or  spirit- 
ual understanding  in  all  them  who  pray  to 
God. 

1.  To  pray  with  understanding  is  to  pray  as 
being  instructed  by  the  Spirit  in  the  under- 
standing of  the  want  of  those  things  which 
the  soul  is  to  pray  for.  Though  a man  be  in 
never  so  much  need  of  pardon  of  sin  and  de- 
liverance from  wrath  to  come,  yet  if  he  under- 


666 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


stand  not  this  he  will  either  not  desire  them  at 
all,  or  else  be  so  cold  and  lukewarm  in  his 
desires  after  them  that  God  will  even  loathe 
their  frame  of  spirit  in  asking  for  them.  Thus 
it  was  with  the  Church  of  Laodiceans ; they 
wanted  knowledge  of  spiritual  understanding; 
they  knew  not  that  they  were  poor,  wretched, 
blind,  and  naked.  The  cause  whereof  made 
them  aud  all  their  services  so  loathsome  to 
Christ  that  he  threatens  to  spew  them  out  of 
his  mouth.  Men  without  understanding  may 
say  the  same  words  in  prayer  as  others  do,  but 
if  there  be  an  understanding  in  the  one  and 
none  in  the  other,  there  is,  oh  there,  is  a mighty 
difference  in  speaking  the  very  same  words ! — 
the  one  speaking  from  a spiritual  understand- 
ing of  those  things  that  he  in  words  desires, 
and  the  other  words  it  only,  and  there  is  all. 

2.  Spiritual  understanding  espieth  in  the 
heart  of  God  a readiness  and  willingness  to 
give  those  things  to  the  soul  that  it  stands 
in  need  of.  David  by  this  could  guess  at  the 
very  thoughts  of  God  towards  him.  And  thus 
it  was  with  the  woman  of  Canaan ; she  did  by 
faith  and  a right  understanding  discern  (be- 
yond all  the  rough  carriage  of  Christ)  tender- 
ness and  willingness  in  his  heart  to  save,  which 
caused  her  to  be  vehement  and  earnest,  yea, 
restless,  until  she  did  enjoy  the  mercy  she  stood 
in  need  of. 

An  understanding  of  the  willingness  that  is 
in  the  heart  of  God  to  save  sinners:  there  is 
nothing  will  press  the  soul  more  to  seek  after 
God  and  to  cry  for  pardon  than  it.  If  a man 
should  see  a pearl  worth  an  hundred  pounds 
lie  in  a ditch,  yet  if  he  understood  not  the 
value  of  it  he  would  lightly  pass  it  by;  but  if 
he  once  get  the  knowledge  of  it  he  would 
■venture  up  to  the  neck. for  it.  So  it  is  with 
souls  concerning  the  things  of  God:  if  a man 
once  get  an  understanding  of  the  worth  of 
ihem,  tken  his  heart,  nay,  the  very  strength 
of  his  soul,  runs  after  them,  and  he  will  never 
leave  crying  till  he  have  them.  The  two 
blind  men  in  the  Gospel,  because  they  did 
certainly  know  that  Jesus,  who  was  going  by 
them,  was  both  able  and  willing  to  heal  such 
infirmities  as  they  were  afflicted  with,  there- 
fore they  cried,  and  the  more  they  were  re- 
buked the  more  they  cried. 

3.  The  understanding  being  spiritually  en- 
lightened, hereby  there  is  the  way  (as  afore- 
said) discovered  through  which  the  soul  should 
come  unto  God ; which  gives  great  encourage- 
ment unto  it. 

It  is  else  with  a poor  soul  as  with  one  wdio 


hath  a work  to  do,  and  if  it  be  not  done  the 
danger  is  great;  if  it  be  done,  so  is  the  advan- 
tage. But  he  knows  not  how  to  begin  nor  how 
to  proceed,  and  so,  through  discouragement, 
lets  all  alone  and  runs  the  hazard. 

4.  The  enlightened  understanding  sees  large- 
ness enough  in  the  promises  to  encourage  it  to 
pray,  which  still  adds  to  it  strength  to  strength. 
As  when  men  promise  such  and  such  things  to 
all  that  will  come  for  them,  it  is  great  encour- 
agement to  those  that  know  what  promises  are 
made  to  come  and  ask  for  them. 

5.  The  understanding  being  enlightened, 
way  is  made  for  the  soul  to  come  to  God 
with  suitable  arguments,  sometimes  in  a way 
of  expostulation,  as  Jacob,  sometimes  in  a 
way  of  supplication  ; yet  not  in  a verbal  way 
only,  but  even  from  the  heart  there  is  forced 
by  the  Spirit,  through  the  understanding,  such 
effectual  arguments  as  moveth  the  heart  of 
God.  When  Ephraim  gets  a right  under- 
standing of  his  own  unseemly  carriages  to- 
wards the  Lord,  then  he  begins  to  bemoan 
himself;  and  in  bemoaning  of  himself,  he 
uses  such  arguments  with  the  Lord  that  it 
affects  his  heart,  draws'  out  forgiveness,  and 
makes  Ephraim  pleasant  in  his  eyes  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord : “ I have,  surely  heard 
Ephraim  bemoaning  himself  thus,  (saith  God,) 
Thou  hast  chastised  me,  and  I was  chastised  ; 
as  a bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke  turn 
thou  me,  and  I shall  be  turned ; for  thou  art 
the  Lord  my  God.  Surely  after  I was  turned 
I repented,  and  after  I was  instructed  (or  had 
a right  understanding  of  myself)  I smote 
upon  my  thigh ; I was  ashamed,  yea,  even 
confounded,  because  I did  bear  the  reproach 
of  my  youth.”  These  be  Ephraim’s  complaint 
and  bemoanings  of  himself,  at  which  the  Lord 
breaks  forth  into  these  heart-in elting  expres- 
sions, saying,  “ Is  Ephraim  my  dear  son  ? Is 
he  a pleasant  child?  For  since  I spake  unto 
him  I do  earnestly  remember  him  still ; there- 
fore my  bowels  are  troubled  for  him  ; I will 
surely  have  mercy  upon  him,  saith  the  Lord.” 
Thus  you  see  that  as  it  is  required  to  pray  with 
the  Spirit,  so  it  is  to  pray  with  the  under- 
standing also.  And  to  illustrate  what  hath 
been  spoken  by  a similitude.  Set  the  case: 
there  should  come  two  a-begging  to  your 
door;  the  one  is  a poor,  lame,  wounded,  and 
almost  starved  creature ; the  other  is  a health- 
ful, lusty  person.  These  two  use  the  same 
words  in  their  begging;  the  one  saith  he  is 
almost  starved,  so  doth  the  other;  but  yet  the 
man  that  is  indeed  the  poor,  lame,  or  maimed 


A DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER. 


6G7 


person,  he  speaks  with  more  sense,  feeling, 
and  understanding  of  the  misery  that  is  men- 
tioned in  their  begging  than  the  other  can  do; 
and  it  is  discovered  more  by  his  affectionate 
speaking,  his  bemoaning  himself.  His  pain 
and  poverty  make  him  speak  more  in  a spirit 
of  lamentation  than  the  other,  and  lie  shall 
be  pitied  sooner  than  the  other  by  all  those 
that  have  the  least  drachm  of  natural  affection 
or  pity.  Just  thus  it  is  with  God;,  there  are 
some  who  out  of  custom  and  formality  go  and 
pray ; there  are  others  who  go  in  the  bitter- 
ness of  their  spirits;  the  one,  be  prays  out  of 
bar  £ notion  and  naked  knowledge;  the  other 
hath  his  words  forced  from  him  by  the  anguish 
of  his  soul.  Surely  that  is  the  man  that  God 
will  look  at,  “even  him  that  is  of  an  humble 
and  contrite  spirit,  and  that  trembleth  at  his 
words.” 

6.  An  understanding  well  enlightened  is  of 
admirable  use  also  both  as  to  the  matter  and 
manner  of  prayer.  He  that  hath  his  under- 
standing well  exercised  to  discern  between 
good  and  evil,  and  in  it  placed  a sense  either 
of  the  misery  of  man  or  the  mercy  of  God,  that 
soul  hath  no  need  of  the  writings  of  other  men 
to  teach  him  by  forms  of  prayer;  for  as  he 
that  feels  the  pain  needs  not  to  be  learned  to 
cry  Oh  ! even  so  he  that  hath  his  understand- 
ing opened  by  the  Spirit  needs  not  so  to  be 
taught  of  other  men’s  prayers  as  that  he  can- 
not pray  without  them ; the  present  sense, 
feeling,  and  pressure  lie  upon  his  spirit,  and 
provoke  him  to  groan  out  his  requests  unto 
the  Lord.  When  David  had  the  pains  of  hell 
catching  hold  on  him  and  the  sorrows  of  hell 
compassing  him  about,  he  needs  not  a bishop 
in  a surplice  to  learn  him  to  say,  “ 0 Lord,  I 
beseech  thee,  deliver  my  soul  1”  or  to  look 
into  a book  to  teach  him  in  a form  to  pour 
out  his  heart  before  God.  It  is  the  nature  of 
the  heart  of  sick  men,  in  their  pain  and  sick- 
ness, to  vent  itself  for  ease  by  dolorous  groans 
and  complainings  to  them  that  stand  by. 
Thus  it  was  with  David.  And  thus,  blessed 
be  the  Lord ! it  is  with  them  that  are  endued 
with  the  grace  of  God. 

7.  It  is  necessary  that  there  be  an  enlight- 
ened understanding,  to  the  end  that  the  soul  be 
kept  in  a continuation  of  the  duty  of  prayer. 

The  people  of  God  are  not  ignorant  how 
many  wiles,  tricks,  and  temptations  the  devil 
hath  to  make  a poor  soul  who  is  truly  will- 
ing to  have  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  that 
upon  Christ’s  terms  too — I say,  to  tempt  that 
soul  to  be  weary  of  seeking  the  face  of  God, 


and  to  think  that  God  is  not  willing  to  have 
mercy  on  such  a one  as  him.  Ay,  saith  Satan, 
thou  mayest  pray  indeed,  but  thou  shalt  not  pre- 
vail. Thou  seest  thine  heart  is  hard,  cold,  dull, 
and  dead;  thou  dost  not  pray  with  the  Spirit, 
thou  dost  not  pray  in  good  earnest,  thy  thoughts 
are  running  after  other  things  when  thou  pre- 
tendest  to  pray  to  God.  Away,  hypocrite!  go 
no  further;  it  is  but  in  vain  to  strive  any 
longer.  Here  now,  if  the  soul  be  not  well  in- 
formed in  its  understanding,  it  will  presently 
cry  out,  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my 
God  hath  forgotten  me.  Whereas  the  soul 
rightly  informed  and  enlightened  saith,  “ Well, 
I will  seek  the  Lord,  and  wait:  I will  not 
leave  off,  though  the  Lord  keep  silence  and 
speak  not  one  word  of  comfort.”  He  loved 
Jacob  dearly,  and  yet  he  made  him  wrestle 
before  he  had  the  blessing.  Seeming  delays 
in  God  are  no  tokens  of  bis  displeasure ; be 
may  hide  his  face  from  his  dearest  saints.  He 
loves  to  keep  his  people  praying,  and  to  find 
them  ever  knocking  at  the  gate  of  heaven.  It 
may  be,  says  the  soul,  the  Lord  tries  me,  or  he 
loves  to  hear  me  groan  out  my  condition  before 
him.  The  woman  of  Canaan  would  not  take 
seeming  denials  for  real  ones;  she  knew  the 
Lord  was  gracious,  and  the  Lord  will  avenge 
his  people,  though  he  bear  long  with  them. 
The  Lord  hath  waited  longer  upon  me  than  I 
have  waited  upon  him ; and  thus  it  was  with 
David:  “I  waited  patiently,”  saith  he;  that 
is,  It  was  long  before  the  Lord  answered  me, 
though  at  the  last  he  inclined  his  ear  unto 
me  and  heard  my  cry.  And  the  most  excel- 
lent remedy  for  this  is  an  understanding  well 
informed  and  enlightened.  Alas  ! how  many 
poor  souls  are  there  in  the  world  that  truly 
fear  the  Lord,  who,  because  they  are  not  well 
informed  in  their  understanding,  are  oft  ready 
to  give  up  all  for  lost  upon  almost  every  trick 
and  temptation  of  Satan!  The  Lord  pity 
them,  and  help  them  to  pray  with  the  Spirit, 
and  with  the  understanding  also ! Much  of 
mine  own  experience  could  I here  discover 
when  I have  been  in  my  fits  of  agonies  of 
spirit.  I have  been  strongly  persuaded  to 
leave  off  and  seek  the  Lord  no  longer,  but 
being  made  to  understand  what  great  sinners 
the  Lord  hath  had  mercy  on,  and  how  large 
his  promises  were  still  to  sinners,  and  that  it 
was  not  the  wdiole  but  the  sick,  not  the  right- 
eous but  the  sinner,  not  the  full  but  the  empty, 
that  he  extended  his  grace  and  mercy  unto, 
this  made  me,  through  the  assistance  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  to  cleave  to  him,  to  hang  upon 


668 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


him,  and  yet  to  cry,  though  for  the  present  he 
made  no  answer;  and  the  Lord  help  all  his 
poor,  tempted,  and  afflicted  people  to  do  the 
like,  and  to  continue,  though  it  be  long, 
according  to  the  saying  of  the  prophet,  and 
to  help  them  (to  that  end)  to  pray,  not  by 
the  inventions  of  men  and  their  stinted 
forms,  but  with  the  Spirit  and  with  under- 
standing also. 

And  now  to  answer  a query  or  two,  and  so 
to  pass  on  to  the  next  thing. 

Query  1.  But  what  would  you  have  us  poor 
creatures  to  do  that  cannot  tell  how  to  pray? 
The  Lord  knows  I know  not  either  how  to 
pray  or  what  to  pray  for. 

Answer.  Poor  heart ! thou  canst  not,  thou 
complainest,  pray ; canst  thou  see  thy  misery? 
Hath  God  showed  thee  that  thou  art  by  nature 
under  the  curse  of  his  law?  If  so,  do  not  mis- 
take; I know  thou  dost  groan,  and  that  most 
bitterly.  I am  persuaded  thou  canst  scarcely 
be  found  doing  any  thing  in  thy  calling  but 
prayer  breaketh  from  thy  heart.  Have  not 
thy  groans  gone  up  to  heaven  from  every  cor- 
ner of  thy  house?  I know  it  is  thus,  and  so 
also  doth  thine  own  sorrowful  heart  witness 
thy  tears,  thy  forgetfulness  of  thy  calling,  &c. 
Is  not  thy  heart  so  full  of  desires  after  the 
things  of  another  world  that  many  times  thou 
dost  even  forget  the  things  of  this  world? 
Prithee  read  the  Scripture  in  Job  xxiii.  12. 

Query  2.  Yea,  but  when  I go  into  secret, 
and  intend  to  pour  out  my  soul  before  God,  I 
can  scarce  say  any  thing  at  all. 

Answer.  Ah,  sweet  soul ! it  is  not  thy  words 
that  God  so  much  regards  as  that  he  will  not 
mind  thee  except  thou  comest  before  him  with 
some  eloquent  oration.  His  eye  is  on  the  bro- 
kenness of  thine  heart,  and  that  it  is  that 
makes  the  very  bowels  of  the  Lord  run  over : 
“ A broken  and  a contrite  heart,  0 God,  thou 
wilt  not  despise.” 

2.  The  stopping  of  thy  words  may  arise  from 
overmuch  trouble  in  thy  heart.  David  was  so 
troubled  sometimes  that  he  could  not  speak. 
But  this  may  comfort  all  such  sorrowful  hearts 
as  thou  art,  that  though  thou  canst  not  through 
the  anguish  of  thy  spirit  speak  much,  yet  the 
Holy  Spirit  stirs  up  in  thine  heart  groans  and 
sighs  so  much  the  more  vehement;  when  the 
mouth  is  hindered,  yet  the  Spirit  is  not. 

Moses  (as  aforesaid)  made  heaven  so  ring 
again  with  his  prayers  (that  we  read  of)  not 
one  word  came  out  of  his  mouth.  But, 

3.  If  thou  wouldest  more  fully  express  thy- 
self before  the  Lord,  study,  first,  thy  filthy 


estate;  secondly,  God’s  promises ; thirdly,  the 
heart  of  Christ,  which  thou  mayest  know  or 
discern — 1.  By  his  condescension  and  blood- 
shed. 2.  By  the  mercy  he  hath  extended  to 
great  sinners  formerly,  and  plead  thine  own 
vileness  by  way  of  bemoaning  Christ’s  blood, 
by  way  of  expostulation ; and  in  thy  prayers 
let  the  mercy  that  he  hath  extended  to  other 
great  sinners,  together  with  his  rich  promises 
of  grace,  be  much  upon  thy  heart.  Yet  let  me 
counsel  thee — 1.  Take  heed  that  thou  content 
not  thyself  with  words.  2.  That  thou  do  not 
think  that  God  looks  only  at  them.  But,  3. 
However,  whether  thy  words  be  few  or  many, 
let  thine  heart  go  with  them  ; and  then  shalt 
thou  seek  him,  and  find  him  when  thou  slialt 
seek  him  with  thy  whole  heart. 

Objection.  But  though  you  have  seemed  to 
speak  against  any  other  way  of  praying  but  by 
the  Spirit,  yet  here  you  yourself  can  give  di- 
rection how  to  pray. 

Answer..  We  ought  to  prompt  one  another 
forward  to  prayer,  though  we  ought  not  to  make 
for  each  other  forms  of  prayer. 

To  exhort  to  pray  with  Christian  direction 
is  one  thing,  and  to  make  stinted  forms  for  the 
tying  up  the  Spirit  of  God  to  them  is  another 
thing. 

The  apostle  gives  them  no  form  to  pray 
withal,  yet  directs  to  prayer. 

Let  no  man  therefore  conclude  that  because 
we  may  with  allowance  give  instructions  and 
directions  to  pray,  therefore  it  is  lawful  to 
make  for  each  other  forms  of  prayer. 

Objection.  But  if  we  do  not  use  forms  of 
prayer,  how  shall  we  teach  our  children  to 
pray  ? 

Answer.  My  judgment  is,  that  men  go  the 
wrong  way  to  learn  their  children  to  pray  in 
going  about  so  soon  to  learn  them  any  set 
company  of  words,  as  is  the  common  use  of 
poor  creatures  to  do. 

For  to  me  it  seems  to  be  a better  way  for 
people  betimes  to  tell  their  children  what  curs 
ed  creatures  they  are,  and  how  they  are  under 
the  wrath  of  God  by  reason  of  original  and 
actual  sin,  also  to  tell  them  the  nature  of  God’s 
wrath  and  the  duration  of  the  misery ; which 
if  they  conscientiously  do,  they  would  sooner 
learn  their  children  to  pray  than  they  do. 
The  way  that  men  learn  to  pray,  it  is  by  con- 
viction for  sin,  and  this  is  the  way  to  make 
our  sweet  babes  do  so  too.  But  the  other 
way — namely,  to  be  busy  in  learning  children 
forms  of  prayer  before  they  know  any  thing 
else — it  is  the  next  way  to  make  them  cursed 


A DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER. 


G69 


hypocrites  and  to  puff  them  up  with  pride. 
Learn  therefore  your  children  to  know  their 
wretched  state  and  condition,  tell  them  of  hell- 
fire  and  their  sins,  of  damnation  and  salva- 
tion, the  way  to  escape  the  one  and  to  enjoy 
the  other,  (if  you  know  yourselves;)  and  this 
will  make  tears  run  down  your  sweet  babes’ 
eyes  and  hearty  groans  flow  from  their  hearts; 
and  then  also  you  may  tell  them  to  whom  they 
should  pray,  and  through  whom  they  should 
pray ; you  may  tell  them  also  of  God’s  prom- 
ises, and  his  former  grace  extended  to  sinners 
according  to  the  word. 

Ah ! poor  sweet  babes,  the  Lord  open  their 
eyes  and  make  them  holy  Christians ! Saith 
David,  “ Come,  ye  children,  hearken  unto  me ; 
I will  teach  you  the  fear  of  the  Lord.” 

He  doth  not  say,  I will  muzzle  you  up  in  a 
form  of  prayer,  but,  “ I will  teach  you  the  fear 
of  the  Lord ;”  which  is,  to  see  their  sad  state 
by  nature,  and  to  be  instructed  in  the  truth  of 
the  Gospel,  which  doth  through  the  Spirit  be- 
get prayer  in  every  one  that  in  truth  learns  it. 
And  the  more  you  learn  them  this  the  more 
will  their  hearts  run  out  to  God  in  prayer. 

God  never  did  account  Paul  a praying  man 
until  he  was  a convinced  and  converted  man ; 
no  more  will  it  be  with  any  one  else. 

Objection.  But  we  find  that  the  disciples  de- 
sired that  Christ  would  teach  them  to  pray,  as 
John  also  taught  his  disciples,  and  that  there- 
upon he  taught  them  that  form  called  the 
Lord’s  Prayer. 

Answer  1.  To  be  taught  by  Christ  is  that 
which  not  only  they  but  we  desire ; and  seeing 
he  is  not  here  in  his  person  to  teach  us,  the 
Lord  teach  us  by  his  word  and  Spirit ; for  the 
Spirit  it  is  which  he  hath  said  he  would  send 
to  supply  in  his  room  when  he  went  away,  as 
it  is  in  John  xiv.  16  and  xvi.  7. 

2.  As  to  that  called  a form,  I cannot  think 
that  Christ  intended  it  as  a stinted  form  of 
prayer — 

(1.)  Because  he  himself  layeth  it  down  di- 
versely, as  it  is  to  be  seen  if  you  compare  Matt, 
vi.  and  Luke  ix.  Whereas,  if  he  intended  it 
as  a set  form,  it  must  not  have  been  so  laid 
down,  for  a set  form  is  so  many  words  and  no 
more. 

(2.)  We  do  not  find  that  the  apostles  did 
ever  observe  it  as  such,  neither  did  they  ad- 
monish others  so  to  do.  Search  all  their  epis- 
tles, yet  surely  they,  both  for  knowledge  to 
discern  and  faithfulness  to  practice,  were  as 
eminent  as  any  one  ever  since  in  the  world 
which  would  impose  it. 


But,  in  a word,  Christ  by  those  words,  “Our 
Father,”  &c.,  doth  instruct  his  people  what 
rules  they  should  observe  in  their  prayers  tc 
God— 

(1.)  That  they  should  pray  in  faith.  (2.) 
To  God  in  the  heavens.  (3.)  For  such  things 
as  are  according  to  his  will,  &c.  Pray  thus  or 
after  this  manner. 

Objection.  But  Christ  bids  pray,  for  the  Spirit ; 
this  implies  that  men  without  the  Spirit  may, 
notwithstanding,  pray  and  be  heard. 

Answer  1.  The  speech  of  Christ  there  is 
directed  to  his  own.  Yer.  1. 

2.  Christ,  in  telling  of  them  that  God  would 
give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him,  is 
to  be  understood  of  giving  more  of  the  Holy 
Spirit;  for  still  they  are  the  disciples  spoken 
to,  which  had  a measure  of  the  Spirit  already  ; 
for  he  saith,  “ When  ye  pray,  say,  Our  Father,” 
(ver.  2;)  “I  say  unto  you,”  (ver.  8;)  “And  I 
say  unto  you,”  (ver.  9;)  “If  ye  then,  being 
evil,  know  how  to  give  good  things  to  your 
children,  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly 
Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him?”  Christians  ought  to  pray  for  the 
Spirit — that  is,  more  of  it — though  God  hath 
endued  them  with  it  already. 

Question.  Then  would  you  have  none  pray 
but  those  that  know  they  are  disciples  of 
Christ  ? 

Answer.  Yes. 

1.  Let  every  soul  that  would  be  saved  pour 
out  itself  to  God,  though  it  cannot  through 
temptation  conclude  itself  a child  of  God. 
And  2.  I know  if  the  grace  of  God  be  in  thee 
it  will  be  as  natural  to  thee  to  groan  out  thy 
condition  as  it  is  for  a sucking  child  to  cry  for 
the  breast.  Prayer  is  one  of  the  first  things 
that  discovers  a man  to  be  a Christian.  But 
yet,  if  it  be  right,  it  is  such  a prayer  as  fol- 
loweth : 

(1.)  To  desire  God  in  Christ,  for  himself,  for 
his  holiness,  love,  wisdom,  and  glory.  For 
right  prayer,  as  it  runs  on  to  God  through 
Christ,  so  it  centres  in  him,  and  in  him  alone : 
“Whom  have  I in  heaven  but  thee?  And 
there  is  none  in  earth  that  I desire  (long  for 
or  seek  after)  besides  thee.” 

(2.)  That  the  soul  might  enjoy  continually 
communion  with  him,  both  here  and  hereafter: 
“ I shall  be  satisfied  when  I awake  with  thine 
image  or  in  thy  likeness.”  “For  in  this  we 
groan  earnestly,”  &c. 

(3.)  Eight  prayer  is  accompanied  with  a 
continual  labour  after  that  which  is  prayed 
J for : “ My  soul  waiteth  for  the  Lord,  more  than 


G70 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


they  that  watch  for  the  morning.”  “I  will 
arise  now  and  seek  Him  whom  my  soul  loveth.” 
For  mark,  I beseech  you,  there  are  two  things 
that  provoke  to  prayer : the  one  is  a detestation 
to  sin  and  the  things  of  this  life ; the  other  is 
a longing  desire  after  communion  with  God  in 
an  holy  and  undefiled  state  and  inheritance. 
Compare  but  this  one  thing  with  most  of  the 
prayers  that  are  made  by  men,  and  you  shall 
find  them  but  mock  prayers  and  the  breathings 
of  an  abominable  spirit ; for  even  the  most  of 
men  either  not  pray  at  all,  or  else  only  en- 
deavour to  mock  God  and  the  world  by  so 
doing;  for  do  but  compare  their  prayer  and 
the  course  of  their  lives  together,  and  you  may 
easily  see  that  the  thing  included  in  their 
prayer  is  the  least  looked  after  by  their  lives. 
0 sad  hypocrites ! 

Thus  have  I briefly  showed  you — 1.  What 
prayer  is;  2.  What  it  is  to  pray  with  the 
Spirit;  3.  What  it  is  to  pray  with  the  Spirit 
and  with  the  understanding  also. 

IV.  I shall  now  speak  a word  or  two  of  ap- 
plication, and  so  conclude  with — 1.  A>word  of 
information;  2.  A word  of  encouragement;  3. 
A word  of  rebuke. 

Use  1.  A word  of  information. 

For  the  first  to  inform  you : As  prayer  is  the 
duty  of  every  one  of  the  children  of  God,  and 
carried  on  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the  soul, 
so  every  one  that  doth  but  offer  to  take  upon 
him  to  pray  to  the  Lord  had  need  to  be  very 
wary,  and  go  about  that  work  especially  with 
the  dread  of  God,  as  well  as  with  hopes  of  the 
mercy  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ. 

Prayer  is  an  ordinance  of  God  in  which  a 
man  draws  very  near  to  God,  and  therefore  it 
calletlr  for  so  much  the  more  of  the  assistance 
of  the  grace  of  God  to  help  a soul  to  pray  as 
becomes  one  that  is  in  the  presence  of  him. 
It  is  a shame  for  a man  to  behave  himself 
irreverently  before  a king,  but  a sin  to  do  so 
before  God.  And  as  a king  (if  wise)  is  not 
pleased  with  an  oration  made  up  with  un- 
seemly words  and  gestures,  so  God  takes  no 
pleasure  in  the  sacrifice  of  fools.  It  is  not 
long  discourses  nor  eloquent  tongues  that  are 
the  things  which  are  pleasing  in  the  ears  of 
the  Lord,  but  a humble,  broken,  and  contrite 
heart  that  is  sweet  in  the  nostrils  of  the  heav- 
enly Majesty.  Therefore,  for  information, 
know  that  there  are  these  five  things  that  are 
obstructions  to  prayer,  and  even  make  void  the 
requests  of  the  creature : 

1.  When  men  regard  iniquity  in  their  hearts 
at  the  time  of  their  prayers  before  God : “ If  I 


regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not 
hear  my  prayer.”  When  there  is  a secret  love 
to  that  very  thing  which  thou  with  thy  dis- 
sembling lips  dost  ask  for  strength  against ; for 
this  is  the  wickedness  of  man’s  heart,  that  it 
will  even  love  and  hold  fast  that  which  with 
the  mouth  it  prays  against ; and  of  this  sort  are 
they  “ that  honour  God  with  their  mouth,  but 
their  heart  is  far  from  him.”  Oh  how  ugly 
would  it  be  in  our  eyes  if  we  should  see  a beg- 
gar ask  an  alms  with  an  intention  to  throw  it 
to  the  dogs,  or  that  should  say  with  one  breath, 
Pray  bestow  this  upon  me,  and  with  the  next, 
I beseech  you  give  it  me  not!  And  yet  thus 
it  is  with  these  kind  of  persons;  with  their 
mouth  they  say,  Thy  will  be  done,  and  with 
their  hearts  nothing  less;  with  their  mouth 
say,  Hallowed  be  thy  name,  and  with  their 
hearts  and  lives  they  delight  to  dishonour  him 
all  the  day  long.  These  be  the  prayers  that 
become  sin,  and  though  they  put  them  often, 
yet  the  Lord  will  never  answer  them. 

2.  When  men  pray  for  show,  to  be  heard 
and  thought  somebody  in  religion,  and  the 
like. 

These  prayers  also  fall  short  of  God’s  appro- 
bation, and  are  never  like  to  be  answered  in 
reference  to  eternal  life. 

There  are  twro  sorts  of  men  that  pray  to  this 
end : 

(1.)  Your  trencher-chaplains,  that  thrust 
themselves  into  great  men’s  families,  pretend- 
ing the  worship  of  God,  when  in  truth  the 
great  business  is  their  own  bellies ; these  were 
notably  pointed  out  by  Ahab’s  prophets,  and 
also  Nebuchadnezzar’s,  who,  though  they  pre- 
tended great  devotion,  yet  their  lusts  and  their 
bellies  were  the  great  things  aimed  at  by  them 
in  all  their  pieces  of  devotion. 

(2.)  Them  also  that  seek  repute  and  ap- 
plause for  their  eloquent  terms,  and  seek  more 
to  tickle  the  ears  and  heads  of  their  hearers 
than  anything  else.  These  be  they  “that pray 
to  be  heard  of  men,  and  have  all  their  reward 
already.” 

These  persons  are  discovered  thus : 1.  They 
eye  only  their  auditory  in  their  expressions. 
2,  They  look  for  commendation  when  they 
have  done.  3.  Their  hearts  either  rise  or  fall 
according  to  their  praise  or  enlargement.  4. 
The  length  of  their  prayer  pleaseth  them,  and 
that  it  might  be  long  they  will  vainly  repeat 
things  over  and  over ; they  study  for  enlarge- 
ments, but  look  not.  from  what  heart  they 
come ; they  look  for  returns,  but  it  is  the  windy 
applause  of  men;  and  therefore  they  love  not 


A DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER. 


671 


to  bo  in  their  chamber,  hut  among  company; 
and  it'  at  any  time  conscience  thrusts  them 
into  their  closet,  yet  hypocrisy  will  cause  them 
to  be  heard  in  the  streets;  and  when  their 
months  have  done  going  their  prayers  are 
ended,  for  they  wait  not  to  hearken  what  the 
Lord  will  say. 

3.  A third  sort  of  prayer  that  will  not  be 
accepted  of  God  it  is  when  either  they  pray 
for  wrong  things,  or  if  for  right  things,  yet 
that  the  tilings  prayed  for  might  be  spent  upon 
their  lusts  and  laid  out  to  wrong  ends:  “Some 
have  not,  because  they  ask  not,  (saith  James,) 
and  others  ask  and  have  not,  because  they  ask 
amiss,  that  they  may  consume  it  on  their 
lusts.”  Ends  contrary  to  God’s  will  is  a great 
argument  with  God  to  frustrate  the  petitions 
presented  before  him.  Hence  it  is  that  so 
many  pray  for  this  and  that,  and  yet  receive  it 
not.  God  answers  them  only  with  silence ; 
they  have  their  words  for  their  labour ; that 
is  all. 

Objection.  But  God  hears  some  persons, 
though  their  hearts  be  not  right  with  him,  as 
he  did  Israel  in  giving  quails,  though  they 
spent  them  on  their  lusts. 

Answer.  If  he  doth,  it  is  in  judgment,  not  in 
mercy.  He  gave  them  their  desire  indeed,  but 
they  had  better  have  been  without,  for  he  sent 
leanness  into  their  souls.  Woe  be  to  that  man 
that  God  answereth  thus ! 

4.  Another  sort  of  prayers  there  are  that  are 
not  answered ; and  those  are  such  as  are  made 
by  men  and  presented  to  God  in  their  own 
persons  only,  without  their  appearing  in  the 
Lord  Jesus.  For  though  God  hath  appointed 
prayer,  and  promised  to  hear  the  prayer  of  the 
creature,  yet  not  the  prayer  of  any  creature 
that  comes  not  in  Christ : “ If  you  ask  any- 
thing in  my  name.  And  whether  ye  eat  or 
drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.”  If  you  ask  any- 
thing in  my  name,  &c.  Though  you  be  never 
so  devout,  zealous,  earnest,  and  constant  in 
prayer,  yet  it  is  in  Christ  only  that  you  must 
be  heard  and  accepted.  But,  alas ! the  most 
of  men  know  not  what  it  is  to  come  to  him  in 
the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  which  is  the  reason 
they  live  wicked,  pray  wicked,  and  also  die 
wicked;  or  else,  2,  that  they  attain  to  nothing 
else  but  what  a mere  natural  man  may  attain 
unto,  as  to  be  exact  in  word  and  deed  betwixt 
man  and  man,  and  only  with  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  law  to  appear  before  God. 

5.  The  last  tiling  that  hindereth  prayer  is 
the  form  of  it.  without  the  power.  It  is  an 


easy  thing  for  men  to  be  very  hot  for  such 
things  as  forms  of  prayer  as  they  are  written 
in  a book,  but  yet  they  are  altogether  forgetful 
to  inquire  with  themselves  whether  they. have 
the  spirit  and  power  of  prayer.  These  men 
arc  like  a painted  man,  and  their  prayers  like 
a false  voice:  they  in  person  appear  as  hypo- 
crites, and  their  prayers  are  an  abomination. 
When  they  say  they  have  been  pouring  out 
their  souls  to  God,  he  saith  they  have  been 
howling  like  dogs. 

When  therefore  thou  intendest  or  art  minded 
to  pray  to  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  con- 
sider these  following  particulars: 

(1.)  Consider  seriously  what  thou  wantest. 
Do  not  as  many  who  in  their  word  only  beat 
the  air,  and  ask  for  such  things  as  indeed  they 
do  not  desire  nor  see  that  they  stand  in  need 
thereof. 

(2.)  When  thou  seest  what  thou  wantest, 
keep  to  that,  and  take  heed  that  thou  prayest 
sensibly. 

Objection.  But  I have  a sense  of  nothing; 
then,  by  your  argument,  I must  not  pray  at  all. 

Answer  1.  If  thou  findest  thyself  senseless 
in  some  sad  measure,  yet  thou  canst  not  com- 
plain of  that  senselessness  but  by  being 
sensible.  There  is  a sense  of  senselessness. 
According  to  thy  sense,  then,  that  thou  hast 
of  the  need  of  any  thing,  so  pray,  and  if  thou 
art  sensible  of  thy  senselessness,  pray  the 
Lord  to  make  thee  sensible  of  whatever  thou 
findest  thy  heart  senseless  of.  This  was  the 
usual  practice  of  the  holy  men  of  God: 
“Lord,  make  nie  to  know  my  end.”  “Lord, 
open  to  us  this  parable,”  said  the  disciples. 

And  to  this  is  annexed  the  promise,  “Call 
upon  me  and  I will  hear  thee  and  show  thee 
great  and  mighty  things  that  thou  knowest 
not,”  that  thou  art  not  sensible  of.  But, 

2.  Take  heed  that  thy  heart  go  to  God  as 
well  as  thy  mouth.  Let  not  thy  mouth  go  any 
further  than  thou  strivest  to  draw  thine  heart 
along  with  it.  David  would  lift  his  heart  and 
soul  to  the  Lord,  and  good  reason ; for  so  far 
as  a man’s  mouth  goeth  not  along  with  his 
heart,  so  far  it  is  but  lip-labour  only;  and 
though  God  calls  for  and  accepteth  the  calves 
of  the  lips,  yet  the  lips  without  the  heart 
arguetli  not  only  senselessness,  but  our  being 
without  sense  of  our  senselessness ; and  there- 
fore, if  thou  hast  a mind  to  enlarge  in  prayer 
before  God,  see  that  it  be  with  thy  heart. 

3.  Take  heed  of  affecting  expressions,  and 
so  to  please  thyself  with  the  use  of  them  that 
thou  forget  not  the  life  of  prayer. 


672 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


I shall  conclude  this  use  with  a caution  or 
two. 

And  the  first  is,  take  heed  you  do  not  throw 
off  prayer  through  sudden  persuasions  that 
thou  hast  not  the  Spirit,  neither  prayest 
thereby.  It  is  the  great  work  of  the  devil 
to  do  his  best,  or  rather  worst,  against  the 
best  prayers.  He  will  flatter  your  false,  dis- 
sembling hypocrites,  and  feed  them  with  a 
thousand  fancies  of  well-doing,  when  their 
very  duties  of  prayer  and  all  others  stink  in 
the  nostrils  of  God  when  he  stands  at  a poor 
Joshua’s  hand  to  resist  him — that  is,  to  per- 
suade him  that  neither  his  person  nor  perform- 
ances are  accepted  of  God.  Take  heed,  there- 
fore, of  such  false  conclusions  and  groundless 
discouragements;  and  though  such  persuasions 
do  come  in  upon  thy  spirit,  be  so  far  from  be- 
ing discouraged  by  them  that  thou  use  them 
to  put  thee  upon  further  sincerity  and  restless- 
ness of  spirit  in  thy  approaching  to  God. 

Secondly.  As  such  sudden  temptations  should 
not  stop  thee  from  prayer  and  pouring  out 
thy  soul  to  God,  so  neither  should  thine  own 
heart’s  corruption  hinder  thee.  It  may  be 
thou  mayest  find  in  thee  all  those  things  be- 
fore mentioned,  and  that  they  will  be  endeav- 
ouring to  put  forth  themselves  in  thy  praying 
to  him.  Thy  business  then  is,  to  judge  them, 
to  pray  against  them,  and  lay  thyself  so  much 
the  more  at  the  foot  of  God  in  a sense  of  thy 
own  vileness,  and  rather  make  an  argument 
from  thy  vileness  and  corruption  of  heart  to 
plead  with  God  for  justifying  and  sanctifying 
grace  than  an  argument  of  discouragement 
and  despair.  David  went  this  way:  “0  Lord, 
(saith  he,)  pardon  mine  iniquity,  for  it  is 
great.” 

Use  2.  A word  of  encouragement. 

And  therefore,  secondly,  (to  speak  a word 
by  way  of  encouragement  to  the  poor  tempted 
and  cast-down  soul,)  to  pray  to  God  through 
Christ.  Though  all  prayer  that  is  accepted  of 
God  in  reference  to  eternal  life  must  be  in  the 
Spirit,  for  that  only  inaketh  intercession  for  us 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  yet  because  many 
a poor  soul  may  have  the  Holy  Spirit  working 
on  them  and  stirring  of  them  to  groan  'unto 
the  Lord  for  mercy,  though  through  unbelief 
they  do  not,  and  for  the  present  cannot,  be- 
lieve that  they  are  the  people  of  God,  such  as 
he  delights  in,  yet  forasmuch  as  the  truth  of 
grace  may  be  in  them,  therefore  I shall,  to  en- 
courage them,  lay  down  further  these  few  par- 
ticulars : 

1.  That  Scripture  in  Luke  xi.  8 is  very  en- 


couraging to  any  poor  soul  that  doth  hunger 
after  Christ  Jesus.  In  the  5th,  6th,  and  7th 
verses  he  speaketh  a parable  of  a man  that 
went  to  his  friend  to  borrow  three  loaves,  who 
because  he  was  in  bed,  denied  him;  yet  for  his 
importunity’s  sake,  he  did  arise  and  give  him; 
clearly  signifying  that  though  poor  souls, 
through  the  weakness  of  their  faith,  cannot 
see  that  they  are  the  friends  of  God,  yet  they 
should  never  leave  asking  and  knocking  at 
God’s  door  for  mercy.  “Mark,  (saith  Christ,) 
I say  unto  you,  although  he  will  not  arise  and 
give  him  because  he  is  his  friend,  yet  because 
of  his  importunity  (of  restless  desires)  he  will 
arise  and  give  him  as  many  as  he  needeth.” 
Poor  heart!  thou  criest  out  that  God  will  not 
regard  thee,  thou  dost  not  find  that  thou  art  a 
friend  to  him,  but  rather  an  enemy  in  thine 
heart  by  wicked  works ; and  thou  art  as  though 
thou  didst  hear  the  Lord  saying  to  thee,  “ Trou- 
ble me  not,  I cannot  give  unto  thee,”  as  he  in 
the  parable;  yet,  I say,  continue  knocking, 
crying,  moaning,  and  bewailing  thyself : I tell 
thee,  though  he  will  not  arise  and  give  thee 
because  thou  art  his  friend,  yet  because  of  thy 
importunity  he  will  arise  and  give  thee  as 
many  as  thou  needest.  The  same  in  effect  you 
have  discovered  in  the  parable  of  the  unjust 
judge  and  the  poor  widow:  her  importunity 
prevailed  with  him.  And  verily  mine  own  ex- 
perience tells  me  that  there  is  nothing  that 
doth  more  prevail  with  God  than  importunity. 
Is  it  not  so  with  you  in  respect  of  your  beg- 
gars that  come  to  your  door?  Though  you 
have  no  heart  to  give  them  any  thing  at  their 
first  asking,  yet  if  they  follow  you,  bemoaning 
themselves,  and  will  take  no  nay  without  an 
alms,  you  will  give  them,  for  their  continual 
begging  overcometh  you.  Is  there  bowels  in 
you  that'  are  wicked,  and  will  they  be  wrought 
upon  by  an  importuning  beggar?  Go  thou 
and  do  the  like.  It  is  a prevailing  motive, 
and  that  by  experience;  he  will  arise  and  give 
thee  as  many  as  thou  needest. 

2.  Another  encouragement  for  a poor,  trem- 
bling, convinced  soul  is,  to  consider  the  place, 
throne,  or  seat  on  which  the  great  God  hath 
placed  himself  to  hear  the  petitions  and 
prayers  of  poor  creatures;  and  that  is  a 
throne  of  grace,  the  mercy-seat,  which  sig- 
nifieth  that  in  the  days  of  the  Gospel  God 
hath  taken  up  his  seat,  his  abiding-place  in 
mercy  and  forgiveness ; and  from  thence  he 
doth  intend  to  hear  the  sinner  and  to  com- 
mune with  him,  as  he  saith,  (speaking  before 
of  the  mercy-seat,)  “And  there  will  I meet 


4 DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER. 


673 


with  thee.”  Mark,  it  is  upon  the  mercy-seat: 
“There  will  I meet  with  thee,  and  there  will 
I commune  with  thee,  from  above  the  mercy- 
seat.”  Poor  souls ! they  are  very  apt  to  enter- 
tain strange  thoughts  of  God  and  his  carriage 
towards  them;  and  suddenly  conclude  that 
God  will  have  no  regard  unto  them,  when  yet 
he  is  upon  the  mercy-seat,  and  hath  taken  up 
his  place  on  purpose  there,  to  the  end  he  may 
hear  and  regard  the  prayers  of  poor  creatures. 
If  he  had  said,  I will  commune  with  thee  from 
my  throne  of  judgment,  then  indeed  you  might 
have  trembled  and  fled  from  the  face  of  the 
great  and  glorious  Majesty ; but  when  he 
saitli  he  will  hear  and  commune  with  souls 
upon  the  throne  of  grace,  or  from  the  mercy- 
seat,  this  should  encourage  thee  and  cause 
thee  to  hope,  nay,  “ to  come  boldly  to  the 
throne  of  grace,  that  thou  mayest  obtain 
mercy  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.” 

3.  There  is  yet  another  encouragement  to  con- 
tinue in  prayer  with  God,  and  that  is  this: 

As  there  is  a mercy-seat  from  whence  God 
is  willing  to  communicate  with  poor  sinners, 
so  there  is  also  by  this  mercy-seat  Jesus 
Christ,  who  continually  besprinkleth  it  with 
his  blood.  Hence  it  is  called  the  blood  of 
sprinkling.  When  the  high  priest  under  the 
law  was  to  go  into  the  holiest,  where  the 
mercy-seat  was,  he  might  not  go  in  without 
blood. 

Why  so?  Because,  though  God  was  upon 
the  mercy-seat,  yet  he  was  perfectly  just  as 
well  as  merciful.  Now  the  blood  was  to  stop 
justice  from  running  out  upon  the  persons 
concerned  in  the  intercession  of  the  high 
priest,  as  in  Lev.  xvi.  13-17,  to  signify  that 
all  thine  unworthiness  that  thou  fearest  should 
not  hinder  thee  from  coming  to  God  in  Christ 
for  mercy.  Thou  criest  out  that  thou  art 
vile,  and  therefore  God  will  not  regard  thy 
prayer ; it  is  true  if  thou  delight  in  thy  vile- 
ness and  come  to  God  out  of  a mere  pretence. 
But  if  from  a sense  of  thy  vileness  thou  do 
pour  out  thy  heart  to  God,  desiring  to  be 
saved  from  the  guilt  and  cleansed  from  the 
filth  with  all  thy  heart,  fear  not.  thy  vileness 
will  not  cause  the  Lord  to  stop  his  ear  from 
hearing  of  thee.  The  value  of  the  blood  of 
Christ  which  is  sprinkled  upon  the  mercy-seat 
stops  the  course  of  justice,  and  opens  a flood- 
gate for  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  extended 
unto  thee.  Thou  hast  therefore,  as  aforesaid, 
boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus,  that  hath  made  a new  and  living 
way  for  thee;  thou  shalt  not  die. 

43 


Besides,  Jesus  is  there,  not  only  to  sprinkle 
the  mercy-seat  with  his  blood,  but  he  speaks 
and  his  blood  speaks;  he  hath  audience  and 
his  blood  hath  audience,  insomuch  that  God 
saith  when  he  doth  but  see  the  blood,  “ he 
will  pass  over  you,  and  the  plague  shall  not 
be  upon  you,”  &c. 

I shall  not  detain  you  any  longer.  Be  sobei 
and  humble;  go  to  the  Father  in  the  name  of 
the  Son,  and  tell  him  your  case,  in  the  assist- 
ance of  the  Spirit,  and  you  will  then  feel  the 
benefit  of  praying  with  the  Spirit  and  the  un- 
derstanding also. 

Use  3.  A word  of  reproof. 

1.  This  speaks  sadly  to  you  who  never  pray 
at  all. 

I will  pray,  saith  the  apostle,  and  so  saith 
the  heart  of  them  that  are  Christians.  Thou, 
then,  art  not  a Christian  that  art  not  a pray- 
ing person.  The  promise  is,  “That  every  one 
that  is  righteous  shall  pray.”  Thou,  then, 
art  a wicked  wretch  that  prayest  not.  Jacob 
got  the  name  of  Israel  by  wrestling  with  God, 
and  all  his  children  bear  that  name  with  him. 
But  the  people  that  forget  prayer,  that  call 
not  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  they  have  prayer 
made  for  them,  but  it  is  such  as  this,  “ Pour 
out  thy  fury  upon  the  heathen,  0 Lord,  and 
upon  the  people  that  call  not  upon  thy  name.” 
How  likest  thou  this,  0 thou  that  art  so  far 
off  from  pouring  out  thine  heart  before  God 
that  thou  goest  to  bed  like  a dog  and  risest 
like  an  hog  or  a sot,  and  forgettest  to  call  upon 
him?  What  wilt  thou  do  when  thou  shalt  be 
damned  in  hell  because  thou  couldst  not  find 
in  thine  heart  to  ask  for  heaven?  Who  will 
grieve  for  thy  sorrow  that  didst  not  count 
mercy  worth  asking  for?  I tell  thee  the 
ravens,  the  dogs,  &c.,  shall  rise  up  in  judg- 
ment against  thee,  for  they  will,  according  to 
their  kind,  make  signs  and  a noise  for  some- 
thing to  refresh  them  when  they  want  it;  but 
thou  hast  not  the  heart  to  ask  for  heaven, 
though  thou  must  eternally  perish  in  hell  if 
thou  hast  it  not. 

2.  This  rebukes  you  that  make  it  your  busi- 
ness to  slight,  mock  at,  and  undervalue  the 
Spirit,  and  praying  by  that.  What  will  you 
do  when  God  shall  come  to  reckon  for  these 
things?  You  count  it  high  treason  to  speak 
but  a word  against  the  king,  nay,  you  tremble 
at  the  thoughts  of  it,  and  yet  in  the  mean  time 
you  will  blaspheme  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  Is 
God  indeed  to  be  dallied  with,  and  will  the 
end  be  pleasant  unto  you  ? Did  God  send  his 
Holy  Spirit  into  the  hearts  of  his  people  to 


674 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


that  end  that  you  should  taunt  at  it?  Is  this 
to  serve  God,  and  doth  this  demonstrate  the 
reformation  of  your  Church?  Nay,  is  it  not 
the  mark  of  implacable  reprobates?  O fear- 
ful ! can  you  not  be  content  to  be  damned  for 
your  sins  against  the  law,  but  you  must  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost? 

Must  the  holy,  harmless,  and  undefiled 
Spirit  of  grace,  the  nature  of  God,  the  promise 
of  Christ,  the  Comforter  of  his  children,  that 
without  which  no  man  can  do  any  service  ac- 
ceptable to  the  Father — must  this,  I say,  be 
the  harden  of  your  song,  to  taunt,  deride,  and 
mock  at?  If  God  sent  Korah  and  his  com- 
pany headlong  to  hell  for  speaking  against 
Moses  and  Aaron,  do  you  that  mock  at  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  think  to  escape  unpunished? 
Did  you  ever  read  what  God  did  to  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  for  telling  but  one  lie  against  it? 
Also  to  Simon  Magus  for  but  undervaluing  of 
it?  And  will  thy  sin  be  a virtue  or  go  unre- 
warded with  vengeance  that  maketh  it  thy 
business  to  rage  against  and  oppose  its  office, 
service,  and  help  that  it  giveth  to  the  children 
of  God?  It  is  a fearful  thing  to  do  despite 
unto  the  Spirit  of  grace.  Compare  Matt.  xii. 
31  with  Mark  iii.  20. 

3.  As  this  is  the  doom  of  those  who  do 
openly  blaspheme  the  Holy  Ghost  in  a way  of 
disdain  and  reproach  to  its  office  and  service, 
so  also  it  is  sad  for  you  who  resist  this  Spirit 
of  prayer  by  a form  of  man’s  inventing.  A 
very  juggle  of  the  devil,  that  the  traditions  of 
men  should  be  of  better  esteem  and  more  to 
be  owned  than  the  Spirit  of  prayer ! What  is 
this  less  than  that  accursed  abomination  of 
Jeroboam,  which  kept  many  from  going  to 
Jerusalem,  the  place  and  way  of  God’s  ap- 
pointment, to  worship,  and  by  that  means 
brought  such  displeasure  from  God  upon  them 
as  to  this  day  is  not  appeased?  One  would 
think  that  God’s  judgments  of  old  upon  the 
hypocrites  of  that  day  should  make  them  that 
have  heard  of  such  things  take  heed  and  fear 
to  do  so.  Yet  the  doctors  of  our  day  are  so 
far  from  taking  warning  by  the  punishment  of 
others  that  they  do  most  desperately  rush  into 
the  same  transgression — viz.,  to  set  up  an  in- 
stitution of  man,  neither  commanded  nor  com- 
mended of  God — and  whosoever  will  not  obey 
therein,  they  must  be  driven  either  out  of  the 
land  or  the  world. 

Hath  God  required  these  things  at  your 
hands?  If  he  hath,  show  us  where.  If  not, 
(as  I am  sure  he  has  not,)  then  what  cursed 
presumption  is  it  in  any  pope,  bishop,  or  other 


to  command  that  in  the  worship  of  God  which 
he  hath  not  required?  Nay,  further,  it  is  not 
that  part  only  of  the  form  which  is  several 
texts  of  Scripture  that  we  are  commanded  to 
say,  but  even  all  must  be  confessed  as  the 
divine  worship  of  God,  notwithstanding  those 
absurdities  contained  therein,  which,  because 
they  are  at  large  discovered  by  others,  I omit 
the  rehearsal  of  them.  Again,  though  a man 
be  willing  to  live  never  so  peaceably,  yet  be- 
cause he  cannot  for  conscience’  sake  own  that 
for  one  of  the  most  eminent  parts  of  God’s 
worship  which  he  never  commanded,  therefore 
must  that  man  be  looked  upon  factious,  sedi- 
tious, erroneous,  heretical,  a disparagement  to 
the  Church,  a seducer  of  the  people,  and  what 
not?  Lord,  what  will  be  the  fruit  of  these 
things  when  for  the  doctrine  of  God  there  is 
imposed  (that  is,  more  than  taught)  the  tradi- 
tions of  men?  Thus  is  the  Spirit  of  prayer 
disowned  and  the  form  imposed ; the  Spirit 
debased  and  the  form  extolled;  they  that  pray 
with  the  Spirit,  though  never  so  humble  and 
holy,  counted  fanatics,  and  they  that  pray  with 
the  form,  though  with  that  only,  counted  the 
virtuous?  And  how  will  the  favourites  of 
such  a practice  answer  that  Scripture  which 
commandeth  that  the  Church  should  turn 
away  from  such  as  have  a form  of  godliness 
and  deny  the  power  thereof?  And  if  I should 
say  that  men  that  do  these  things  aforesaid  do 
advance  a form  of  prayer  of  other  men’s  mak- 
ing above  the  Spirit  of  prayer,  it  would  not 
take  longtime  to  prove  it.  For  he  that  ad- 
vancetli  the  book  of  common  prayer  above  the 
Spirit  of  prayer,  he  doth  advance  a form  of 
men’s  making  above  it.  But  this  do  all  those 
who  banish,  or  desire  to  banish,  them  that  pray 
with  the  Spirit  of  prayer,  while  they  hug  and 
embrace  them  that  pray  by  that  form  only,  and 
that  because  they  do  it.  Therefore  they  love 
and  advance  the  form  of  their  own  or  others’ 
inventing  before  the  Spirit  of  prayer,  which  is 
God’s  special  and  gracious  appointment. 

If  you  desire  the  clearing  of  the  minor,  look 
into  the  jails  in  England  and  into  the  ale- 
houses of  the  same,  and  I trow  you  will  find 
those  that  plead  for  the  Spirit  of  prayer  in  the 
jail,  and  them  that  look  after  the  form  of 
men’s  inventions  only  in  the  alehouse.  It  is 
evident  also  by  the  silencing  of  God’s  dear 
ministers,  though  never  so  powerfully  enabled 
by  the  Spirit  of  prayer,  if  they  in  conscience 
cannot  admit  of  that  form  of  common  prayer. 
If  this  be  not  an  exalting  the  common  prayer- 
book  above  either  praying  by  the  Spirit  or 


A DISCOURSE  ON  PRAYER. 


675 


preaching  the  word,  I have  taken  my  mark 
amiss.  It  is  not  pleasant  for  mo  to  dwell  on 
this.  The  Lord  in  mercy  turn  the  hearts  of 
the  people  to  seek  more  after  the  Spirit  of 
prayer,  and  in  the  strength  of  that  to  pour  out 
their  souls  before  the  Lord  ! Only  let  me  say, 
it  is  a sad  sign  that  that  which  is  one  of  the 
most  eminent  parts  of  the  pretended  worship 
of  God  is  antichristian  when  it  hath  nothing 
but  the  tradition  of  men  and  the  strength  of 
persecution  to  uphold  or  plead  for  it. 

I shall  conclude  this  discourse  with  this 
word  of  advice  to  all  God’s  people:  1.  Believe 
that  as  sure  as  you  arc  in  the  way  of  God  you 
must  meet  with  temptations.  2.  The  first  day 


therefore  that  thou  dost  enter  Christ’s  congre- 
gation look  for  them.  3.  When  they  do  come, 
beg  of  God  to  carry  thee  through  them.  4. 
Be  jealous  of  thine  own  heart,  that  it  deceive 
thee  not  in  thy  evidences  for  heaven  nor  in 
thy  walking  with  God  in  this  world.  5.  Take 
heed  of  the  flatteries  of  false  brethren.  6. 
Keep  in  the  life  and  power  of  truth.  7.  Look 
most  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen.  8.  Take 
heed  of  little  sins.  9.  Keep  the  promise  warm 
upon  thy  heart.  10.  llenew  thy  acts  of  faith 
in  the  blood  of  Christ.  11.  Consider  the  work 
of  thy  regeneration.  12.  Count  to  run  with 
the  foremost  therein. 

Grace  be  with  you  1 


i 


A RELATION 


OF  THE 

IMPRISONMENT  OF  MR.  JOHN  BUNYAN, 

MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSREL  AT  BEDFORD,  IN  NOVEMBER,  1660. 

HIS  EXAMINATION  BEFORE  THE  JUSTICES,  HIS  CONFERENCE  WITH  THE  CLERK  OF  THE 
TEACE,  WHAT  PASSED  BETWEEN  THE  JUDGES  AND  IIIS  WIFE  WHEN  SHE  PRESENTED  A 
PETITION  FOR  IIIS  DELIVERANCE,  Ac. 

WRITTEN  BY  HIMSELF. 

Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted  for  righteousness’  sake,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you 
falsely,  for  my  name’s  sake. 

Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven,  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets  which 
were  before  you. — Matt.  v.  10,  11,  12. 


The  relation  of  my  imprisonment  in  the  month  of 
November,  1660,  when,  by  the  good  hand  of  my 
God,  I had  for  five  or  six  years  together,  with- 
out any  great  interruption,  freely  preached  the 
blessed  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
had  also,  through  his  blessed  grace,  some  en- 
couragement by  his  blessing  thereupon:  the 
Devil,  that  old  enemy  of  man’s  salvation,  took 
his  opportunity  to  inflame  the  hearts  of  his 
vassals  against  me,  insomuch  that  at  the  last  I 
was  laid  out  for  by  the  warrant  of  a justice, 
and  was  taken  and  committed  to  pr  ison.  The 
relation  thereof  is  as  followcth. 

Upon  the  12th  of  this  instant,  November, 
1660,  I was  desired  by  some  of  the  friends  in 
the  country  to  come  to  teach  at  Samsell,  by 
Harlington,  in  Bedfordshire ; to  whom  I made 
a promise,  if  the  Lord  permitted,  to  be  with 
them  on  the  time  aforesaid.  The  justice,  hear- 
ing thereof,  (whose  name  is  Mr.  Francis  Win- 
gate,) forthwith  issued  out  his  warrant  to  take 
me  aud  bring  me  before  him,  and  in  the  mean 
time  to  keep  a very  strong  watch  about  the 
house  where  the  meeting  should  be  kept,  as  if 
we  that  were  to  meet  together  in  that  place 
did  intend  to  do  some  fearful  business,  to  the 
destruction  of  the  country,  when,  alas!  the 


constable,  when  he  came  in,  found  us  only 
with  our  Bibles  in  our  hands,  ready  to  speak 
and  hear  the  word  of  God,  for  we  were  just 
about  to  begin  our  exercise.  Nay,  we  had  be- 
gun in  prayer  for  the  blessing  of  God  upon  our 
opportunity,  intending  to  have  preached  the 
word  of  the  Lord  unto  them  there  present,  hut 
the  constable’s  coming  in  prevented  us.  So 
that  I was  taken  and  forced  to  depart  the 
room. 

But  had  I been  minded  to  have  played  the 
coward,  I could  have  escaped  and  kept  out  of 
his  hands ; for  when  I was  come  to  my  friend’s 
house  there  was  whispering  that  that  day  I 
should  be  taken,  for  there  was  a warrant  out  to 
take  me ; which  when  my  friend  heard,  he 
being  somewhat  timorous,  questioned  whether 
we  had  best  have  our  meeting  or  not,  and 
whether  it  might  not  be  better  for  me  to  depart, 
lest  they  should  take  me  and  have  me  before 
the  justice,  and  after  that  send  me  to  prison, 
(for  he  knew  better  than  I what  spirit  they 
were  of,  living  by  them.)  To  whom  I said, 
No,  by  no  means  ; I will  not  stir,  neither  will 
I have  the  meeting  dismissed  for  this.  Gome, 
be  of  good  cheer,  let  us  not  be  daunted ; our 
cause  is  good,  we  need  not  be  ashamed  of  it; 
to  preach  God’s  word,  it  is  so  good  a work  that 

677 


678 


LUKYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


we  shall  be  well  rewarded  if  we  suffer  for  that; 
or  to  this  purpose.  But  as  for  my  friend,  I 
think  he  was  more  afraid  of  me  than  of  himself. 
After  this  I walked  into  the  close,  where,  I 
somewhat  seriously  considering  the  matter, 
this  came  into  my  mind : That  I had  showed 
myself  hearty  and  courageous  in  my  preach- 
ing, and  had,  blessed  be  grace!  made  it  my 
business  to  encourage  others;  therefore  thought 
I,  If  I should  now  run  and  make  an  escape,  it 
will  be  of  a very  ill  favour  in  the  country  ; for 
what  will  my  weak  and  newly-converted  breth- 
ren think  of  it  but  that  I was  not  so  strong  in 
deed  as  I was  in  word  ? Also  I feared  that  if  I 
should  run  now  there  was  a warrant  out  for 
me,  I might  by  so  doing  make  them  afraid 
to  stand  when  great  words  only  should  be 
spoken  to  them.  Besides,  I thought  that  seeing 
God  of  his  mercy  should  choose  me  to  go  upon 
the  forlorn  hope  in  this  country — that  is,  to  be 
the  first  that  should  be  opposed  for  the  Gospel 
— if  I should  fly  it  might  be  a discouragement 
to  the  whole  body  that  might  follow  after. 
And  further,  I thought  the  world  thereby  would 
take  occasion  at  my  cowardliness  to  have  blas- 
phemed the  Gospel,  and  to  have  had  some 
grounds  to  suspect  worse  of  me  and  my  profes- 
sion than  I deserved.  These  things  with 
others,  considered  by  me,  I came  in  again  to 
the  house,  with  a full  resolution  to  keep  the 
meeting  and  not  to  go  away,  though  I could 
have  been  gone  about  an  hour  before  the  offi- 
cer apprehended  me;  but  I would  not,  for  I 
was  resolved  to  see  the  utmost  of  what  they 
could  say  or  do  unto  me ; for,  blessed  be  the 
Lord!  I knew  of  no  evil  that  I had  said  or 
done.  And  so,  as  aforesaid,  I begun  the  meet- 
ing, but,  being  prevented  by  the  constable’s 
coming  in  with  his  warrant  to  take  me,  I could 
not  proceed ; but  before  I went  away  I spake 
some  few  words  of  counsel  and  encouragement 
to  the  people,  declaring  to  them  that  they  saw 
we  were  prevented  of  our  opportunity  to  speak 
and  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  were  like  to 
suffer  for  the  same;  desiring  them  that  they 
should  not  be  discouraged,  for  it  was  a mercy 
to  suffer  upon  so  good  account,  for  we  might 
have  been  apprehended  as  thieves  or  murder- 
ers, or  for  other  wickedness;  but,  blessed  be 
God ! it  was  not  so,  but  we  suffer  as  Christians 
for  well-doing,  and  we  had  better  be  the  per- 
secuted than  the  persecutors,  &c.  But  the 
constable  and  the  justice’s  man,  waiting  on  us, 
would  not  be  at  quiet  till  they  had  me  away 
and  that  we  departed  the  house;  but  because 
the  justice  was  not  at  home  that  day,  there  was 


a friend  of  mine  engaged  for  me  to  bring  me  to 
the  constable  on  the  morrow  morning;  other- 
wise the  constable  must  have  charged  a watch 
with  me,  or  have  secured  me  some  other  way,  my 
crime  was  so  great.  So  on  the  next  morning 
we  went  to  the  constable,  and  so  to  the  justice. 
He  asked  the  constable  what  he  did  where  we 
were  met  together,  and  what  we  had  with  us. 
I trow  he  meant  whether  we  had  armour  or 
not;  but  when  the  constable  told  him  that 
there  were  only  met  a few  of  us  together  to 
preach  and  hear  the  word,  and  no  sign  of  any 
thing  else,  he  could  not  well  tell  what  to  say ; 
yet  because  he  had  sent  for  me,  he  did  adven- 
ture to  put  out  a few  proposals  to  me,  which 
were  to  this  effect:  namely,  what  I did  there? 
and  why  I did  not  content  myself  with  follow- 
ing my  calling,  for  it  was  against  the  law  that 
such  as  I should  be  admitted  to  do  as  I did? 

To  which  I answered  that  the  intent  of  my 
coming  thither  and  to  other  places  was  to  in- 
struct and  counsel  people  to  forsake  their  sins 
and  close  in  with  Christ,  lest  they  did  misera- 
bly perish,  and  that  I could  do  both  these  with- 
out confusion — to  wit,  follow  my  calling  and 
preach  the  word  also. 

At  which  words  he  was  in  a chafe,  as  it  ap- 
peared, for  he  said  that  he  would  break  the 
neck  of  our  meetings. 

I said,  It  may  be  so.  Then  he  wished  me 
to  get  me  sureties  to  be  bound  for  me,  or  else 
he  would  send  me  to  the  jail. 

My  sureties  being  ready,  I called  them  in, 
and  when  the  bond  for  my  appearance  was 
made,  he  told  them  that  they  were  bound  to 
keep  me  from  preaching,  and  that  if  I did 
preach  their  bonds  would  be  forfeited.  To 
which  I answered  that  then  I should  break 
them,  for  I should  not  leave  speaking  the  word 
of  God,  even  to  counsel,  comfort,  exhort,  and 
teach  the  people  among  whom  I came ; and  I 
thought  this  to  be  a work  that  had  no  hurt  in 
it,  but  was  rather  worthy  of  commendation 
than  blame. 

Wingate.  Whereat  he  told  me  that  if  they 
would  not  be  so  bound,  my  mittimus  must  be 
made  and  I sent  to  the  jail,  there  to  lie  to  the 
quarter  sessions. 

Now  while  my  mittimus  was  a making  the 
justice  was  withdrawn,  and  in  comes  an  old 
enemy  to  the  truth,  Dr.  Lindale,  who,  when  he 
was  come  in,  fell  to  taunting  at  me  with  many 
reviling  terms. 

Bunyan.  To  whom  I answered  that  I did  not 
come  thither  to  talk  with  him,  but  with  the 
justice.  Whereat  he  supposed  that  I had 


IMPRISONMENT  OF  JOHN  11  UN Y A N. 


679 


nothing  to  say  for  myself,  triumphed  as  if  he 
had  got  the  victory,  charging  and  condemning 
me  for  meddling  with  that  for  which  I could 
show  no  warrant,  and  asked  me  if  I had  taken 
the  oaths,  and  if  I had  not  it  was  pity  but  that 
I should  be  sent  to  prison,  &c. 

I told  him  that  if  I was  minded  I could  an- 
swer to  any  sober  question  that  he  should  put 
to  me.  He  then  urged  me  again  how  I could 
prove  it  lawful  for  me  to  preach,  with  a great 
deal  of  confidence  of  the  victory. 

But  at  last,  because  he  should  sec  that  I 
could  answer  him  if  I listed,  I cited  him  to 
that  in  Peter,  which  saith,  “ As  every  man 
hath  received  the  gift,  even  so  let  him  minister 
the  same,”  &c. 

Lindale.  Ay,  saith  lie,  to  whom  is  that 
spoken  ? 

Banyan.  To  whom?  said  I,  why  to  every 
man  that  hath  received  a gift  from  God. 
“Mark,”  saith  the  apostle,  “As  every  man 
that  hath  received  a gift  from  God,”  &c.  And 
again,  “ You  may  all  prophesy,  one  by  one.” 
Whereat  the  man  was  a little  stopt  and  went  a 
softlier  pace;  but  not  being  willing  to  lose  the 
day,  he  began  again,  and  said: 

Lindale.  Indeed  I do  remember  that  I have 
read  of  one  Alexander,  a coppersmith,  who  did 
much  oppose  and  disturb  the  apostles,  (aiming, 
it  is  like,  at  me,  because  I was  a tinker.) 

Banyan.  To  which  I answered  that  I also 
had  read  of  very  many  priests  and  Pharisees 
that  had  their  hands  in  the  blood  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

Lindale.  Ay,  saith  he,  and  you  are  one  of 
those  scribes  and  Pharisees,  for  you,  with  a 
pretence,  make  long  prayers  to  devour  widows’ 
houses. 

Banyan.  I answered  that  if  he  had  got  no 
more  by  preaching  and  praying  than  I had 
done,  he  would  not  be  so  rich  as  now  he  was. 
But  that  Scripture  coming  into  my  mind, 
“ Answer  not  a fool  according  to  his  folly,”  I 
was  as  sparing  of  my  speech  as  I could  without 
prejudice  to  truth. 

Now  by  this  time  my  mittimus  was  made, 
and  I committed  to  the  constable,  to  be  sent  to 
the  jail  in  Bedford,  &c. 

But  as  I was  going  two  of  my  brethren  met 
with  me  by  the  way,  and  desired  the  constable 
to  stay,  supposing  that  they  should  prevail 
with  the  justice,  through  the  favour  of  a pre- 
tended friend,  to  let  me  go  at  liberty.  So  we 
did  stay  while  they  went  to  the  justice,  and 
after  much  discourse  with  him  it  came  to  this 
—that  if  I would  come  to  him  again  and  say 


some  certain  words  to  him,  I should  be  re- 
leased ; which  when  they  told  me  I said  if  the 
words  were  such  that  might  be  said  with  a 
good  conscience,  I should,  or  else  I should  not. 
So  through  their  importunity  I went  back 
again,  but  not  believing  that  I should  be  de- 
livered. For  I feared  their  spirit  was  too  full 
of  opposition  to  the  truth  to  let  me  go,  unless 
I should  in  something  or  other  dishonour  my 
God  and  wound  my  conscience.  Wherefore 
as  I went  I lift  up  my  heart  to  God  for  light 
and  strength  to  be  kept,  that  I might  not  do 
anything  that  might  either  dishonour  him,  or 
wrong  my  own  soul,  or  be  a grief  or  discour- 
agement to  any  that  were  inclining  after  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Well,  when  I came  to  the  justice  again,  there 
was  Mr.  Foster  of  Bedford,  who  coming  out  of 
another  room,  and  seeing  of  me  by  the  light  of 
the  candle,  (for  it  was  dark  night  when  I went 
thither,)  he  said  unto  me,  Who  is  there?  John 
Bunyan?  with  such  seeming  affection  as  if  he 
would  have  leaped  on  my  neck  and  kissed  me; 
which  made  me  somewhat  wonder  that  such  a 
man  as  he,  with  whom  I had  so  little  acquaint- 
ance, and,  besides,  that  had  ever  been  a close 
opposer  of  the  ways  of  God,  should  carry  him- 
self so  full  of  love  to  me;  but  afterwards,  when 
I saw  what  he  did,  it  caused  me  to  remember 
those  sayings : “ Their  tongues  arc  smoother 
than  oil,  but  their  words  are  drawn  swords.” 
And  again,  “ Beware  of  men,”  &c.  When  1 
had  answered  him  that,  blessed  be  God!  I was 
well,  he  said,  What  is  the  occasion  of  your 
being  here?  or  to  that  purpose.  To  whom  I 
answered  that  I was  at  a meeting  of  people  a 
little  way  off,  intending  to  speak  a word  of 
exhortation  to  them ; the  justice  hearing 
thereof,  said  I,  was  pleased  to  send  his  warrant 
to  fetch  me  before  him,  &c. 

Foster.  So,  said  he,  I understand ; but  well, 
if  you  will  promise  to  call  the  people  no  more 
together,  you  shall  have  your  liberty  to  go 
home,  for  my  brother  is  very  loth  to  send  you 
to  prison  if  you  will  be  but  ruled. 

Banyan.  Sir,  said  I,  pray  what  do  you  mean 
by  calling  the  people  together?  My  business 
is  not  anything  among  them  when  they  are 
come  together  but  to  exhort  them  to  look  after 
the  salvation  of  their  souls,  that  they  may  be 
saved,  &c. 

Foster.  Saith  he,  We  must  not  enter  into 
explication  or  dispute  now ; but  if  you  will  say 
you  will  call  the  people  no  more  together,  you 
may  have  your  liberty ; if  not,  you  must  be 
sent  away  to  prison. 


680 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Banyan.  Sir,  said  I,  I shall  not  force  or 
compel  any  man  to  hear  me,  but  yet  if  I come 
into  any  place  where  there  is  a people  met 
together,  I should,  according  to  the  best  of  my 
skill  and  wisdom,  exhort  and  counsel  them  to 
seek  out  after  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  the 
salvation  of  their  souls. 

Foster.  He  said  that  was  none  of  my  work ; 
I must  follow  my  calling;  and  if  I would  but 
leave  off  preaching  and  follow  my  calling,  I 
should  have  the  justice’s  favour  and  be  ac- 
quitted presently. 

Runyan.  To  whom  I said  that  I could  follow 
my  calling  and  that  too — namely,  preaching 
the  word — and  I did  look  upon  it  as  my  duty 
to  do  them  both  as  I had  an  opportunity. 

Foster.  He  said  to  have  any  such  meetings 
was  against  the  law,  and  therefore  he  would 
have  me  leave  off,  and  say  I would  call  the 
people  no  more  together. 

Rimy  an.  To  whom  I said  that  I durst  not 
make  any  further  promise,  for  my  conscience 
would  not  suffer  me  to  do  it.  And  again,  I 
did  look  upon  it  as  my  duty  to  do  as  much 
good  as  I could,  not  only  in  my  trade,  but  also 
in  communicating  to  all  people  wheresoever 
I came  the  best  knowledge  I had  in  the 
word. 

Foster.  He  told  me  that  I was  the  nearest 
the  Papists  of  any,  and  that  he  would  convince 
me  of  immediately. 

Runyan.  I asked  him  wherein. 

Foster.  He  said,  In  that  we  understood  the 
Scriptures  literally. 

Runyan.  I told  him  that  those  that  were  to 
be  understood  literally,  we  understood  them 
so,  but  for  those  that  were  to  be  understood 
otherwise,  we  endeavoured  to  understand 
them. 

Foster.  He  said,  Which  of  the  Scriptures  do 
you  understand  literally? 

Runyan.  I said  this : “ He  that  believes  shall 
be  saved.”  This  was  to  he  understood  just  as 
it  is  spoken,  that  whosoever  believetli  in  Christ 
shall,  according  to  the  plain  and  simple  words 
of  the  text,  he  saved. 

Foster.  He  said  that  I was  ignorant  and  did 
not  understand  the  Scriptures ; for  how,  said 
he,  can  you  understand  them  when  you  know 
not  the  original  Greek?  &c. 

Runyan.  To  whom  I said  that  if  that  was 
his  opinion,  that  none  could  understand  the 
Scriptures  but  those  that  had  the  orignal 
Greek,  &c.,  then  but  a very  few  of  the  poorest 
sort  should  he  saved,  (this  is  harsh,)  yet  the 
Scripture  saith  “that  God  hides  his  things 


from  the  wise  and  prudent,  (that  is,  from  the 
learned  of  the  world,)  and  reveals  them  to 
babes  and  sucklings.” 

Foster.  He  said  there  were  none  that  heard 
me  but  a company  of  foolish  people. 

Runyan.  I told  him  that  there  were  the  wise 
as  well  as  the  foolish  that  do  hear  me;  and 
again,  those  that  are  most  commonly  counted 
foolish  by  the  world  are  the  wisest  before  God. 
Also,  that  God  had  rejected  the  wise  and 
mighty  and  noble,  and  chosen  the  foolish  and 
the  base. 

Foster.  He  told  me  that  I made  people  neg- 
lect their  calling,  and  that  God  hath  com- 
manded people  to  work  six  days,  and  serve 
him  on  the  seventh. 

Runyan.  I told  him  that  it  was  the  duty  of 
people  (both  rich  and  poor)  to  look  out  for 
their  souls  on  those  days  as  well  as  for  their 
bodies,  and  that  God  would  have  his  people 
exhort  one  another  daily  while  it  is  called  to- 
day. 

Foster.  He  said  again  that  there  were  none 
hut  a company  of  poor,  simple,  ignorant  people 
that  came  to  hear  me. 

Runyan.  I told  him  that  the  foolish  and  the 
ignorant  had  most  need  of  teaching  and  infor- 
mation, and  therefore  it  would  be  profitable 
for  me  to  go  on  in  that  work. 

Foster.  Well,  said  he,  to  conclude,  but  will 
you  promise  that  you  will  not  call  the  people 
together  any  more,  and  then  you  may  he  re- 
leased and  go  home  ? 

Runyan.  I told  him  that  I durst  say  no  more 
than  I had  said,  for  I durst  not  leave  off  that 
work  which  God  had  called  me  to. 

So  he  withdrew  from  me,  and  then  came 
several  of  the  justice’s  servants  to  me  and  told 
me  that  • I stood  too  much  upon  a nicety. 
Their  master,  they  said,  was  willing  to  let  me 
go ; and  if  I would  but  say  I would  call  the 
people  no  more  together,  I might  have  my 
liberty,  &c. 

Runyan.  I told  them  there  were  more  ways 
than  one  in  which  a man  might  he  said  to 
call  the  people  together.  As,  for  instance,  if  a 
man  get  upon  the  market-place,  and  there 
read  a book  or  the  like,  though  he  do  not  say 
to  the  people,  Sirs,  come  hither  and  hear ; yet 
if  they  come  to  him  because  he  reads,  he  by 
his  very  reading  may  be  said  to  call  them  to- 
gether, because  they  would  not  have  been  there 
to  hear  if  he  had  not  been  there  to  read ; and 
seeing  this  might  he  termed  a calling  the 
people  together,  I durst  not  say  I would  not 
call  them  together,  for  then,  by  the  same  argu- 


IMPRISONMENT  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


68  J 


ment,  my  preaching  might  he  said  to  call  them 
together. 

Wingate  and  Foster.  Then  came  the  justice 
and  Mr.  Foster  to  mo  again,  (we  had  a little 
more  discourse  about  preaching,  but  because 
the  method  of  it  is  out  of  my  mind  I pass  it,) 
and  when  they  saw  that  I was  at  a point,  and 
would  not  be  moved  nor  persuaded, 

Mr.  Foster*  told  the  justice  that  then  he 
must  send  me  away  to  prison,  and  that  he 
would  do  well  also  if  lie  would  present  all 
them  that  were  the  cause  of  my  coming  among 
them  to  meetings.  Thus  we  parted. 

And  verily,  as  I was  going  forth  of  the  doors, 
I had  much  ado  to  forbear  saying  to  them  that 
I carried  the  peace  of  God  along  with  me ; but 
I held  my  peace,  and,  blessed  be  the  Lord ! 
went  away  to  prison  with  God’s  comfort  in  my 
poor  soul. 

After  I had  lain  in  the  jail  five  or  six  days 
the  brethren  sought  means  again  to  get  me  out 
by  bondsmen,  (for  so  run  my  mittimus,  that  I 
should  lie  there  till  I could  find  sureties.) 
They  went  to  a justice  at  Elstow,  one  Mr. 
Crumpton,  to  desire  him  to  take  bond  for  my 
appearing  at  the  quarter  sessions.  At  the  first 
he  told  them  he  would,  but  afterwards  he 
made  a demur  at  the  business,  and  desired 
first  to  see  my  mittimus,  which  run  to  this 
purpose:  That  I went  about  to  several  con- 
venticles in  this  country,  to  the  great  dispar- 
agement of  the  government  of  the  Church  of 
England,  &c.  When  he  had  seen  it  he  said 
that  there  might  be  something  more  against 
me  than  was  expressed  in  my  mittimus,  and 
that  he  was  but  a young  man ; therefore  he 
durst  not  do  it.  This  my  jailer  told  me. 
Whereat  I was  not  at  all  daunted,  but  rather 
glad,  and  saw  evidently  that  the  Lord  had 
heard  me;  for  before  I went  down  to  the  jus- 
tice I begged  of  God  that  if  I might  do  more 
good  by  being  at  liberty  than  in  prison,  that 
then  I might  be  set  at  liberty,  but  if  not,  his 
will  be  done ; for  I was  not  altogether  without 
hopes  but  that  my  imprisonment  might  be  an 
awakening  to  the  saints  in  the  country ; there- 
fore I could  not  tell  well  which  to  choose,  only 
I in  that  manner  did  commit  the  thing  to  God. 
And  verily  at  my  return  I did  meet  my  God 
sweetly  in  the.  prison  again,  comforting  of  me 
and  satisfying  of  me  that  it  was  his  will  and 
mind  that  I should  be  there. 

When  I came  back  again  to  prison,  as  I was 


* This  is  the  man  that  did  at  the  first  express  so 
much  love  to  me. 


musing  at  the  slender  answer  of  the  justice, 
this  word  dropped  in  upon  my  heart  with  some 
life : “ For  he  knew  that  for  envy  they  had  de- 
livered him.” 

Thus  have  I in  short  declared  the  manner 
and  occasion  of  my  being  in  prison,  where  I 
lie  waiting  the  good  will  of  God,  to  do  with 
me  as  he  pleaseth,  knowing  that  not  one  hair 
of  my  head  can  fall  to  the  ground  without  the 
will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  Let 
the  rage  and  malice  of  men  be  never  so  great, 
they  can  do  no  more  nor  go  no  farther  than 
God  permits  them;  but  when  they  have  done 
their  worst,  we  know  all  things  shall  work 
together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God. 
Farewell ! 

Here  is  the  sum  of  my  Examination  before  Jus- 
tice Keelin,  Justice  Chester,  Justice  Blundale, 

Justice  Beecher,  and  Justice  Snagg,  dec. 

After  I had  lain  in  prison  above  seven 
weeks  the  quarter  sessions  were  to  be  kept  in 
Bedford  for  the  county  thereof,  unto  which 
place  I was  to  be  brought;  and  when  my  jailer 
had  set  me  before  those  justices,  there  was  a 
bill  of  indictment  preferred  against  me.  The 
extent  thereof  was  as  followeth:  That  John 
Bunyan,  of  the  town  of  Bedford,  labourer,  be- 
ing a person  of  such  and  such  conditions,  he 
hath  (since  such  a time)  devilishly  and  per- 
niciously abstained  from  coming  to  church  to 
hear  divine  service,  and  is  a common  upholder 
of  several  unlawful  meetings  and  conventi- 
cles, to  the  great  disturbance  and  distraction 
of  the  good  subjects  of  this  kingdom,  contrary 
to  the  laws  of  our  sovereign  lord  the  king,  &c. 

The  CM;.  When  this  was  read,  the  clerk  of 
the  sessions  said  unto  me,  What  say  you  to 
this? 

Bunyan.  I said  that,  as  to  the  first  part  of  it,. 
I was  a common  frequenter  of  the  Church  of 
God,  and  was  also,  by  grace,  a member  with 
those  people  over  whom  Christ  is  the  Head. 

Keelin.  But  saith  Justice  Iveelin,  (who  was 
the  judge  in  that  court,)  Do  you  come  to 
church,  (you  know  what  I mean,)  to  the  parish 
church,  to  hear  divine  service? 

Bunyan.  I answered,  No,  I did  not. 

Keelin.  He  asked  me,  Why? 

Bunyan.  I said,  Because  I did  not  fiud  it 
commanded  in  the  word  of  God. 

Keelin.  He  said,  We  were  commanded  to 
pray. 

Bunyan.  I said,  But  not  by  the  common, 
prayer-book. 

Keelin.  He  said,  How  then? 


682 


BUNYAN’ S COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Bunyan.  I said,  With  the  Spirit.  As  the 
apostle  saith,  “ I will  pray  with  the  Spirit, 
with  understanding.” 

Keelin.  Pie  said,  We  might  pray  with  the 
Spirit,  with  understanding  and  with  the  com- 
mon prayer-book  also. 

Banyan.  I said  that  those  prayers  in  the 
common  prayer-book  were  such  as  were  made 
by  other  men,  and  not  by  the  motions  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  within  our  hearts;  and,  as  I said, 
the  apostle  saith  he  will  pray  with  the  Spirit 
and  with  understanding,  not  with  the  Spirit 
and  the  common  prayer-book. 

Another  Justice.  What  do  you  count  prayer? 
Do  you  think  it  is  to  say  a few  words  over  be- 
fore or  among  a people? 

Bunyan.  I said,  No,  not  so;  for  men  might 
have  many  elegant  or  excellent  words,  and  yet 
not  pray  at  all ; but  when  a man  prayeth  he 
doth  through  a sense  of  those  things  which  he 
■wants  (which  sense  is  begotten  by  the  Spirit) 
pour  out  his  heart  before  God  through  Christ, 
though  his  words  be  not  so  many  and  so  ex- 
cellent as  others  are. 

Justices.  They  said  that  was  true. 

Bunyan.  I said,  This  might  be  done  without 
the  common  prayer-book. 

Another.  One  of  them  said,  (I  think  it  was 
Justice  Blundale  or  Justice  Snagg,)  Plow 
should  we  know  that  you  do  not  write  out 
your  prayers  first,  and  then  read  them  after- 
wards to  the  people?  This  he  spake  in  a 
laughing  way. 

Bunyan.  I said,  It  is  not  our  use  to  take  a 
pen  and  paper  and  write  a few  words  thereon, 
and  then  go  and  read  it  over  to  a company  of 
people. 

But  how  should  we  know  it?  said  he. 

Bunyan.  Sir,  it  is  none  of  our  custom,  said  I. 

Keelin.  But,  said  Justice  Keelin,  it  is  lawful 
to  use  common  prayer,  and  such  like  forms, 
for  Christ  taught  his  disciples  to  pray,  as  John 
also  taught  his  disciples.  And  further,  said 
he,  cannot  one  man  teach  another  to  pray? 
Faith  comes  by  hearing;  and  one  mau  may 
convince  another  of  sin,  and  therefore  prayers 
made  by  men  and  read  over  are  good  to  teach 
and  help  men  to  pray. 

While  he  was  speaking  these  words,  God 
brought  that  word  into  my  mind  in  the  eighth 
of  the  Romans,  at  the  2Gth  verse — I say  God 
brought  it,  for  I thought  not  on  it  before;  but 
as  he  was  speaking  it  came  so  fresh  into  my 


* If  any  say  now  that  God  useth  means,  I answer, 
hat  not  the  common  prayer-book,  for  that  is  none  of 


mind,  and  was  set  so  evidently  before  me,  as 
if  the  Scripture  had  said,  Take  me,  take  me; 
so  when  he  had  done  speaking, 

Bunyan.  I said,  Sir,  the  Scripture  saith  that 
“it  is  the  Spirit  that  helpeth  our  infirmities;” 
for  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as 
we  ought,  but  the  Spirit  itself  maketh  inter- 
cession for  us,  with  sighs  and  groanings  which 
cannot  be  uttered.  Mark,  said  I,  it  doth  not 
say  the  common  prayer-book  teaches  us  how 
to  pray,  but  the  Spirit.  “And  it  is  the  Spirit 
that  helpeth  our  infirmities,”  saith  the  apostle; 
he  doth  not  say  it  is  the  common  prayer-book. 

And  as  to  the  Lord’s  Prayer,  although  it  be 
an  easy  thing  to  say,  Our  Father,  &c.,  with  the 
mouth,  yet  there  are  very  few  that  can,  in  the 
Spirit,  say  the  two  first  words  of  that  prayer — 
that  is,  that  can  call  God  their  Father — as 
knowing  what  it  is  to  be  born  again,  and  as 
having  experience  that  they  are  begotten  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  which  if  they  do  not  all  is 
but  babbling,  &c. 

Keelin.  Justice  Keelin  said  that  that  was  a 
truth. 

Bunyan.  And  I say  further,  as  to  your  say- 
ing that  one  man  may  convince  another  of 
sin,  and  that  faith  comes  by  hearing,  and  that 
one  man  may  tell  another  how  he  should 
pray,  &c. — I say  men  may  tell  each  other  of 
their  sins,  but  it  is  the  Spirit  that  must  con- 
vince them.* 

And  though  it  be  said  that  faith  comes  by 
hearing,  yet  it  is  the  Spirit  that  worketh  faith 
in  the  heart  through  hearing,  or  else  “they 
are  not  profited  by  hearing.”  Heb.  iv.  12. 

And  that  though  one  man  may  tell  another 
how  he  should  pray,  yet,  as  I said  before,  he 
cannot  pray,  nor  make  his  condition  known  to 
God,  except  the  Spirit  help.  It  is  not  the 
common  prayer-book  that  can  do  this.  It  is 
the  “Spirit  that  showeth  us  our  sins,”  (John 
xvi.  16,)  and  the  “Spirit  that  showeth  us  a 
Saviour,”  (Matt.  xi.  27,)  and  the  Spirit  that 
stirreth  up  in  our  hearts  desire  to  come  to  God 
for  such  things  as  we  stand  in  need  of,  even 
sighing  out  our  souls  unto  him  for  them  with 
groans  which  cannot  be  uttered.  With  other 
words  to  the  same  purpose.  At  this  they  were  set. 

Keelin.  But,  says  Justice  Keelin,  what  have 
you  against  the  common  prayer-book  ? 

Bunyan.  I said,  sir,  if  you  will  hear  me,  I 
shall  lay  down  my  reasons  against  it. 

Keelin.  He  said  I should  have  liberty.  But 


his  institution;  it  is  the  Spirit  in  the  word  that  is 
God's  ordinance. 


IMPRISONMENT  OF  JOHN  RUNYAN. 


G83 


first,  said  lie,  let  me  give  you  one  caution : 
take  heed  of  speaking  irreverently  of  the  com- 
mon prayer-book,  for  if  you  do  so  you  will 
bring  great  damage  upon  yourself. 

Runyan.  So  I proceeded  and  said,  My  first 
reason  was,  because  it  was  not  commanded 
in  the  word  of  God,  and  therefore  I could  not 
do  it. 

Another.  One  of  them  said,  Where  do  you 
find  it  commanded  in  the  Scripture  that  you 
should  go  to  Elstow  or  Bedford,  and  yet  it  is 
lawful  to  go  to  either  of  them,  is  it  not? 

Runyan.  I said,  To  go  to  Elstow  or  Bedford 
was  a civil  thing,  and  not  material,  though 
not  commanded,  and  yet  God’s  word  allowed 
me  to  go  about  my  calling,  and  therefore  if  it 
lay  there  then  to  go  thither,  &c.  But  to  pray 
was  a great  part  of  the  divine  worship  of  God, 
and  therefore  it  ought  to  be  done  according  to 
the  rule  of  God’s  word. 

Another.  One  of  them  said,  He  will  do 
harm ; let  him  speak  no  further. 

Justice  Keelin.  Justice  Keclin  said,  No,  no, 
never  fear  him ; we  are  better  established 
than  so;  he  can  do  no  harm;  we  know  the 
common  prayer-book  has  been  ever  since  the 
apostles’  time,  and  is  lawful  to  be  used  iu  the 
church. 

Runyan.  I said,  Show'  me  the  place  in  the 
epistles  where  the  common  prayer-book  is 
written,  or  one  text  of  Scripture  that  com- 
mands me  to  read  it,  and  I will  use  it.  But 
yet  notwithstanding,  said  I,  they  that  have  a 
mind  to  use  it,  they  have  their  liberty— that 
is,*  I would  not  keep  them  from  it — but  for 
our  parts,  we  can  pray  to  God  without  it. 
Blessed  be  his  name! 

With  that  one  of  them  said,  Who  is  your 
God — Beelzebub?  Moreover,  they  often  said 
that  I was  possessed  with  the  spirit  of  delu- 
sion and  of  the  devil.  All  which  sayings  I 
passed  over.  The  Lord  forgive  them ! And 
further  I said,  Blessed  be  the  Lord  for  it!  we 
are  encouraged  to  meet  together  and  to  pray, 
and  exhort  one  another ; for  we  have  had  the 
comfortable  presence  of  God  among  us,  for 
ever  blessed  be  his  holy  name  ! 

Keelin.  Justice  Keelin  called  this  pedlar’s 
French,  saying  that  I must  leave  oft’  my  cant- 
ing. The  Lord  open  his  eyes ! 

Runyan.  I said  that  we  ought  to  exhort 
one  another  daily  while  it  is  called  to-day,  &c. 

Keelin.  Justice  Keelin  said  that  I ought 

® It  is  not  the  spirit  of  a Christian  to  persecute  any 
for  their  religion,  but  to  pity  them,  and,  if  they  will 
turn,  to  instruct  them. 


not  to  preach,  and  asked  me  where  I had 
my  authority;  with  many  other  such  like 
words. 

Runyan.  I said  that  I would  prove  that  it 
was  lawful  for  me,  and  such  as  I am,  to  preach 
the  word  of  God. 

Keelin.  He  said  unto  me,  By  what  Scripture  ? 

I said,  By  that  in  the  first  Epistle  of  Peter, 
the  4th  chapter,  the  11th  verse,  and  Acts 
xviii.,  with  other  Scriptures,  which  he  would 
not  suffer  me  to  mention.  But  hold!  said  he, 
not  so  many : which  is  the  first? 

Runyan.  I said,  This:  “As  every  man  hath 
received  the  gift,  even  so  let  him  minister  the 
same  unto  another,  as  good  stewards  of  the 
manifold  grace  of  God  ; if  any  man  speak,  let 
him  speak  as  the  oracles  of  God,”  &c. 

Keelin.  He  said,  Let  me  a little  open  that 
Scripture  to  you.  As  every  man  hath  re- 
ceived the  gift — that  is,  said  he,  as  every  man 
hath  received  a trade — so  let  him  follow'  it. 
If  any  man  hath  received  a gift  of  tinkering, 
as  thou  hast  done,  let  him  follow  his  tinkering. 
And  so  other  men  their  trades.  And  the 
divine  his  calling,  &c. 

Runyan.  Nay,  sir,  said  I,  but  it  is  most  clear 
that  the  apostle  speaks  here  of  preaching  the 
wrord ; if  you  do  but  compare  both  the  verses 
together,  the  next  verse  explains  this  gift, 
what  it  is,  saying,  “ If  any  man  speak,  let  him 
speak  as  the  oracles  of  God;”  so  that  it  is 
plain  that  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  not  so  much 
in  this  place  exhort  to  civil  callings  as  to  the 
exercising  of  those  gifts  that  we  have  re- 
ceived from  God.  I would  have  gone  on,  but 
he  would  not  give  me  leave. 

Keelin.  He  said  we  might  do  it  in  our  fami- 
lies, but  not  otherways. 

Runyan.  I said,  If  it  was  lawful  to  do  good 
to  some,  it  v7as  lawfful  to  do  good  to  more. 
If  it  w7as  a good  duty  to  exhort  our  fami- 
lies, it  is  good  to  exhort  others ; but  if  they 
held  it  a sin  to  meet  together  to  seek  the 
face  of  God  and  exhort  one  another  to  follow 
Christ,  I should  sin  still,  for  so  v7e  should  do. 

Keelin.  He  said  he  was  not  so  well  versed 
in  Scripture  as  to  dispute,  or  w'ords  to  that 
purpose.  And  said,  moreover,  that  they  could 
not  wait  upon  me  any  longer;  but  said  to 
me,  Then  you  confess  the  indictment,  do  you 
not?  Now,  and  not  till  now,  I saw  I was 
indicted. 

Runyan.  I said, This  I confess:  we  have  had 
many  meetings  together,  both  to  pray  to  God 
and  to  exhort  one  another,  and  that  w7e  had 
the  swreet,  comforting  presence  of  the  Lord 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


among  us  for  our  encouragement,  blessed  be 
his  name  therefor!  I confess  myself  guilty 
no  otherwise. 

Keelin.  Then  said  he,  Hear  your  judgment: 
You  must  be  had  back  again  to  prison,  and 
there  lie  for  three  months  following;  and  at 
three  months’  end,  if  you  do  not  submit  to  go 
to  church  to  hear  divine  service,  and  leave 
your  preaching,  you  must  be  banished  the 
realm ; and  if,  after  such  a day  as  shall  be 
appointed  you  to  be  gone,  you  shall  be  found 
in  this  realm,  &c.,  or  be  found  to  come  over 
again  without  special  license  from  the  king, 
&c.,  you  must  stretch  by  the  neck  for  it,  I tell 
you  plainly ; and  so  he  bid  my  jailer  have  me 
away. 

Bunyan.  I told  him,  As  to  this  matter,  I 
was  at  a point  with  him,  for  if  I was  out  of 
prison  to-day  I would  preach  the  Gospel  again 
to-morrow,  by  the  help  of  God. 

Another.  To  which  one  made  me  some  an- 
swer, but  my  jailer  pulling  me  away  to  be 
gone,  I could  not  tell  what  he  said. 

Thus  I departed  from  them ; and  I can 
truly  say,  I bless  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  it 
that  my  heart  was  sweetly  refreshed  in  the 
time  of  my  examination,  and  also  afterwards 
at  my  returning  to  the  prison ; so  that  I found 
Christ’s  words  more  than  bare  trifles  where 
he  saith,  “ he  will  give  a mouth  and  wisdom, 
even  such  as  all  the  adversaries  shall  not  re- 
sist or  gainsay,”  and  that  his  peace  no  man 
can  take  from  us. 

Thus  have  I given  you  the  substance  of  my 
examination.  The  Lord  make  these  profitable 
to  all  that  shall  read  or  hear  them ! Farewell. 

The  Substance  of  some  Discourse  had  between  the 
Clerk  of  the  Peace  and  myself,  when  he  came 
to  admonish  me  according  to  the  tenor  of  that 
law  by  which  I was  in  prison. 

"When  I had  lain  in  prison  other  twelve 
weeks,  and  now  not  knowing  what  they  in- 
tended to  do  with  me,  upon  the  third  of  April 
comes  Mr.  Cobb  unto  me,  (as  he  told  me,) 
being  sent  by  the  justices  to  admonish  me  and 
demand  of  me  submittance  to  the  Church  of 
England,  &c.  When  he  was  come  into  the 
house  he  sent  for  me  out  of  my  chamber;  and 
when  I was  come  unto  him  he  said, 

Cobb.  Neighbour  Bunyan,  how  do  you  do? 
Bunyan.  I thank  you,  sir,  said  I,  very  well, 
blessed  be  the  Lord ! 

Cobb.  Saith  he,  I come  to  tell  yoxt  that  it  is 
desired  you  would  submit  yourself  to  the  laws 
of  the  land,  or  else  at  the  next  sessions  it  will 


go  worse  with  you,  even  to  be  sent  away  out 
of  the  nation,  or  else  worse  than  that. 

Bunyan.  I said  that  I did  desire  to  demean 
myself  in  the  world  both  as  becometli  a man 
and  a Christian. 

Cobb.  But,  saith  he,  you  must  submit  to  ths 
laws  of  the  land,  and  leave  off  those  meetings 
which  you  were  wont  to  have,  for  the  statute 
law  is  directly  against  it;  and  I am  sent  to 
you  by  the  justices  to  tell  you  that  they  do  in- 
tend to  prosecute  the  law  against  you  if  you 
submit  not. 

Bunyan.  I said,  Sir,  I conceive  that  that  law 
by  which  I am  in  prison  at  this  time  doth  not 
reach  or  condemn  either  me  or  the  meetings 
w'hich  I do  frequent:  that  law  was  made 
against  those  that,  being  designed  to  do  evil  in 
their  meetings,  make  the  exercise  of  religion 
their  pretence  to  cover  their  wickedness.  It 
doth  not  forbid  the  private  meetings  of  those 
that  plainly  and  simply  make  it  their  only  end 
to  worship  the  Lord  and  to  exhort  one  another 
to  edification.  My  end  in  meeting  with  others 
is  simply  to  do  as  much  good  as  I can  by  ex- 
hortation and  counsel,  according  to  that  small 
measure  of  light  -which  God  hath  given  me, 
and  not  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the  nation. 

Cobb.  Every  one  will  say  the  same,  said  he: 
you  see  the  late  insurrection  at  London,  under 
what  glorious  pretences  they  went,  and  yet  in- 
deed they  intended  no  less  than  the  ruin  of 
the  kingdom  and  commonwealth. 

Bunyan.  That  practice  of  theirs  I abhor, 
said  I ; yet  it  doth  not  follow  that  because  they 
did  so,  therefore  all  others  will  do  so.  I look 
upon  it  as  my  duty  to  behave  myself  under  the 
king’s  government,  both  as  becomes  a man 
and  a Christian ; and  if  an  occasion  was  of- 
fered me  I should  willingly  manifest  my  loy- 
alty to  my  prince  both  by  -word  and  deed. 

Cobb.  Well,  said  he,  I do  not  profess  myself 
to  be  a man  that  can  dispute  ; but  this  I say 
truly,  neighbour  Bunyan,  I would  have  you 
consider  this  matter  seriously  and  submit  your- 
self; you  may  have  your  liberty  to  exhort 
your  neighbour  in  private  discourse,  so  be  you 
do  not  call  together  an  assembly  of  people; 
and  truly  you  may  do  much  good  to  the 
Church  of  Christ  if  you  would  go  this  way ; 
and  this  you  may  do  and  the  law  not  abridge 
you  of  it.  It  is  your  private  meetings  that  the 
law  is  against. 

Bunyan.  Sir,  said  I,  if  I may  do  good  to  one 
by  my  discourse,  why  may  I not  do  good  to 
two?  And  if  to  two,  why  not  to  four,  and  so 
to  eight,  &c.  ? 


IMPRISONMENT  OF  JOHN  BUN Y AN. 


685 


Cobb.  Ay,  saith  he,  and  to  an  hundred,  I 
warrant  you. 

Banyan.  Yes,  sir,  said  I;  I think  I should 
not  bo  forbid  to  do  as  much  good  as  I can. 

Cobb.  But,  said  he,  you  may  but  pretend  to 
do  good,  and  indeed,  notwithstanding,  do  harm 
by  seducing  the  people ; you  arc  therefore  de- 
nied your  meeting  so  many  together,  lest  you 
should  do  harm. 

Banyan.  And  yet,  said  I,  you  say  the  law 
tolerates  me  to  discourse  with  my  neighbour; 
surely  there  is  no  law  tolerates  me  to  seduce 
any  one;  therefore  if  I may  by  the  law  dis- 
course with  one,  surely  it  is  to  do  him  good ; 
and  if  I by  discoursing  may  do  good  to  one, 
surely  by  the  same  law  I may  do  good  to 
many. 

Cobb.  The  law,  saith  he,  doth  expressly  for- 
bid your  private  meetings,  therefore  they  are 
not  to  be  tolerated. 

Banyan.  I told  him  that  I would  not  enter- 
tain so  much  uncharitableness  of  that  Parlia- 
ment in  the  35th  of  Elizabeth,  or  of  the  queen 
herself,  as  to  think  they  did  by  that  law  intend 
the  oppressing  of  any  of  God’s  ordinances  or 
the  interrupting  any  in  the  way  of  God ; but 
men  may,  in  the  wresting  of  it,  turn  it  against 
the  way  of  God ; but  take  the  law  in  itself,  and 
it  only  fighteth  against  those  that  drive  at  mis- 
chief in  their  hearts  and  meetings,  making  re- 
ligion only  their  cloak,  colour  or  pretence ; for 
so  are  the  words  of  the  statute:  “If  any 
meetings,  tinder  colour  or  pretence  of  relig- 
ion,” &c. 

Cobb.  Very  good;  therefore  the  king  seeing 
that  pretences  are  usually  in  and  among  peo- 
ple as  do  make  religion  their  pretences  only, 
therefore  he,  and  the  law  before  him,  doth  for- 
bid such  private  meetings  and  tolerates  only 
public;  you  may  meet  in  public. 

Banyan.  Sir,  said  I,  let  me  answer  you  in  a 
similitude.  Set  the  case!  that,  at  such  a wood 
corner,  there  did  usually  come  forth  thieves  to 
do  mischief;  must  there  therefore  a law  be 
made  that  every  one  that  cometh  out  there 
shall  be  killed  ? May  not  there  come  out  true 
men  as  well  as  thieves  from  thence?  Just  thus 
is  it  in  this  case ; I do  think  there  may  be 
many  that  may  design  the  destruction  of  the 
commonwealth,  but  it  doth  not  follow  therefore 
that  all  private  meetings  are  unlawful ; those 
that  transgress,  let  them  be  punished  ; and  if 
at  any  time  I myself  should  do  any  act  in  my 
conversation  as  doth  not  become  a man  and  a 
Christian,  let  me  bear  the  punishment.  And 
as  for  your  saying  I may  meet  in  public,  if  I 


may  be  suffered  I would  be  glad  to  do  it;  let 
me  have  but  meetings  enough  in  public,  and  I 
shall  care  the  less  to  have  them  in  private.  I 
do  not  meet  in  private  because  I am  afraid  to 
have  meetings  in  public.  I bless  the  Lord  that 
my  heart  is  at  that  point  that  if  any  man  can 
lay  anything  to  my  charge,  either  in  doctrine 
or  practice,  in  this  particular,  that  can  be 
proved  error  or  heresy,  I am  willing  to  disown 
it,  even  in  the  very  market-place,  but  if  it  be 
truth,  then  to  stand  to  it  to  the  last  drop  of 
my  blood.  And,  sir,  said  I,  you  ought  to  coin-.; 
mend  me  for  so  doing.  To  err,  and  to  be  a 
heretic,  are  two  things ; I am  no  heretic,  be- 
cause I will  not  stand  refractorily  to  defend 
any  one  thing  that  is  contrary  to  the  word ; 
prove  any  thing  which  I hold  to  be  an  error, 
and  I will  recant  it. 

Cobb.  But,  goodman  Bunyan,  said  he,.me- 
thinks  you  need  not  stand  so  strictly  upon  this 
one  thing  as  to  have  meetings  of  such  publio 
assemblies.'  Cannot  you  submit,  and  notwith- 
standing do  as  much  good  as  you  can  in  a 
neighbourly  way,  without  having  such  meet- 
ings ? 

Bunyan.  Truly,  sir,  said  I,  I do  not  desire 
to  commend  myself,  but  to  think  meanly  of 
myself;  yet  when  I do  most  despise  myself, 
taking  notice  of  that  small  measure  of  light 
which  God  hath  given  me,  also  that  the  people 
of  the  Lord  (by  their  own  saying)  are  edified 
thereby— besides,  when  I see  that  the  Lord 
through  grace  hath  in  some  measure  blessed 
my  labour — I dare  not  but  exercise  that  gift 
which  God  hath  given  me  for  the  good  of  the 
people.  And  I said  further  that  I would  will- 
ingly speak  in  public  if  I might. 

Cobb.  He  said  that  I might  come  to  the 
public  assemblies  and  hear.  What  though 
you  do  not  preach,  you  may  hear.  Do  not 
think  yourself  so  well  enlightened,  and  that 
you  have  received  a gift  so  far  above  others, 
but  that  you  may  hear  other  men  preach ; or 
to  that  purpose. 

Bunyan.  I told  him  I was  as  willing  to  be 
taught  as  to  give  instruction,  and  I looked 
upon  it  as  my  duty  to  do  both ; for,  said  I,  a 
man  that  is  a teacher,  he  himself  may  learn 
also  from  another  that  teacheth ; as  the  apos- 
tle saith : “ We  may  all  prophesy,  one  by  one, 
that  all  may  learn ;”  that  is,  every  man  that 
hath  received  a gift  from  God,  he  may  dispense 
it,  that  others  may  be  comforted ; and  when  he 
hath  done  he  may  hear,  and  learn,  and  be 
comforted  himself  of  others. 

Cobb.  But,  said  he,  what  if  you  should  for- 


686 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


bear  a while  and  sit  still,  till  you  see  further 
how  things  will  go  ? 

Bunyan.  Sir,  said  I,  Wichliffe  saith  that  he 
which  leaveth  off  preaching  and  hearing  of  the 
word  of  God  for  fear  of  excommunication  of 
men,  he  is  already  excommunicated  of  God, 
and  shall  in  the  day  of  judgment  be  counted  a 
traitor  to  Christ. 

Cobb.  Ay,  saith  he,  they  that  do  not  hear 
shall  he  so  counted  indeed ; do  you  therefore 
hear. 

Bunyan.  But,  sir,  said  I,  he  saith,  He  that 
shall  leave  off  either  preaching  or  hearing,  &c.  ; 
that  is,  if  he  hath  received  a gift  for  edifica- 
tion, it  is  his  sin  if  he  doth  not  lay  it  out  in  a 
way  of  exhortation  and  counsel,  according  to 
the  proportion  of  his  gift,  as  well  as  to  spend 
his  time  altogether  in  hearing  others  preach. 

Cobb.  But,  said  he,  how  shall  we  know  that 
you  have  received  a gift? 

Bunyan.  Said  I,  Let  any  man  hear  and 
search,  and  prove  the  doctrine  by  the  Bible. 

Cobb.  But  will  you  be  willing,  said  he,  that 
two  indifferent  persons  shall  determine  the 
case,. and  will  you  stand  by  their  judgment? 

Bunyan.  I said,  Are  they  infallible? 

Cobb.  He  said,  No. 

Bunyan.  Then  said  T,  It  is  possible  my  judg- 
ment may  be  as  good  as  theirs,  but  yet  I will 
pass  by  either,  and  in  this  matter  be  judged  by 
the  Scriptures : I am  sure  that  is  infallible  and 
cannot  err. 

Cobb.  But,  said  he,  who  shall  be  judge  be- 
tween you,  for  you  take  the  Scriptures  one  way 
and  they  another? 

Bunyan.  I said,  The  Scriptures  should,  and 
that  by  comparing  one  Scripture  with  another; 
for  that  will  open  itself  if  it  be  rightly  com- 
pared. As,  for  instance,  if  under  the  different 
apprehensions  of  the  word  mediator,  you  would 
know  the  truth  of  it,  the  Scriptures  open  it, 
and  tell  us  that  he  that  is  a mediator  must 
take  up  the  business  between  two,  and  a me- 
diator is  not  a mediator  of  one,  “but  God  is 
one,  and  there  is  one  Mediator  between  God 
and  man,  even  the  man  Jesus  Christ.”  So 
likewise  the  Scripture  calleth  Christ  a com- 
plete, or  perfect,  or  able  high  priest.  That  is 
opened  in  that  he  is  called  man  and  also  God. 
His  blood  also  is  discovered  to  be  effectually 
efficacious  by  the  same  things.  So  the  Scrip- 
ture, as  touching  the  matter  of  meeting  toge- 
ther, &c.,  doth  likewise  sufficiently  open  itself 
and  discover  its  meaning. 

Cobb.  But  are  you  willing,  said  he,  to  stand 
to  the  judgment  of  the  Church? 


Bunyan.  Yes,  sir,  said  I,  to  the  approbation 
of  the  Church  of  God,  (the  Church’s  judgment 
is  best  expressed  in  Scripture.)  We  had  much 
other  discourse,  which  I cannot  well  remem- 
ber, about  the  laws  of  the  nation  and  submis- 
sion to  governments ; to  which  I did  tell  him 
that  I did  look  upon  myself  as  bound  in  con- 
science to  walk  according  to  all  righteous  laws, 
and  that  whether  there  was  a king  or  no ; and 
if  I did  anything  that  was  contrary,  I did  hold 
it  my  duty  to  bear  patiently  the  penalty  of  the 
law  that  was  provided  against  such  offenders, 
with  many  more  words  to  the  like  effect ; and 
said,  moreover,  that  to  cut  off  all  occasions  of 
suspicion  from  any,  as  touching  the  harmless- 
ness of  my  doctrine  in  private,  I would  willingly 
take  the  pains  to  give  any  one  the  notes  of  all 
my  sermons,  for  I do  sincerely  desire  to  live 
quietly  in  my  country  and  to  submit  to  the 
present  authority. 

Cobb.  Well,  neighbour  Bunyan,  said  he,  but 
indeed  I would  wish  you  seriously  to  consider 
of  these  things  between  this  and  the  quarter 
sessions  and  to  submit  yourself.  You  may  do 
much  good  if  you  continue  still  in  the  land ; 
but,  alas ! what  benefit  will  it  be  to  your 
friends,  or  what  good  can  it  do  to  them,  if  you 
should  be  sent  away  beyond  the  seas  into 
Spain,  or  Constantinople,  or  some  other  re- 
mote part  of  the  world  ? Pray  be  ruled. 

Jailer.  Indeed,  sir,  I hope  he  will  be  ruled. 

Bunyan.  I shall  desire,  said  I,  in  all  godli- 
ness and  honesty  to  behave  myself  in  the  na- 
tion whilst  I am  in  it.  And  if  I must  be  so 
dealt  withal  as  you  say,  I hope  God  will  help 
me  to  bear  what  they  shall  lay  upon  me.  I 
know  no  evil  that  I have  done  in  this  matter 
to  be  so  used.  I speak  as  in  the  presence  of 
God. 

Cobb.  You  know,  saith  he,  that  the  Scrip- 
ture saith,  “ The  powers  that  are  are  ordained 
of  God?” 

Bunyan.  I said  yes,  and  that  I was  to  sub- 
mit to  the  king  as  supreme,  also  to  the  gov- 
ernors as  to  them  that  are  sent  by  him. 

Cobb.  Well,  then,  said  he,  the  king  com- 
mands you  that  you  should  not  have  any  pri- 
vate meetings,  because  it  is  against  his  law  ; 
and  he  is  ordained  of  God,  therefore  you  should 
not  have  any. 

Bunyan.  I told  him  that  Paul  did  own  the 
powers  that  were  in  his  day  as  to  be  of  God, 
and  yet  he  was  often  in  prisou  under  them  for 
all  that.  And  also,  though  Jesus  Christ  told 
Pilate  that  he  had  no  power  against  him  but 
of  God,  yet  he  died  under  the  same  Pilate. 


J" 


IMPRISONMENT  OF  JOHN  II  UN  VAN. 


087 


and  yet,  said  I,  I hope  you  will  not  say  that 
either  Paul  or  Christ  was  such  as  did  deny 
magistracy,  and  so  sinned  against  Cod  in 
slighting  the  ordinance.  Sir,  said  I,  the  law 
hath  provided  two  ways  of  obeying:  the  one 
to  do  that  which  I in  my  conscience  do  be- 
lieve that  I am  bound  to  do  actively ; and 
where  I cannot  obey  actively,  there  I am  will- 
ing to  lie  down  and  to  suffer  what  they  shall 
do'  unto  me.  At  this  he  sat  still  and  said 
no  more;  which  when  he  had  done,  I did 
thank  him  for  his  civil  and  meek  discoursing 
with  me;  and  so  we  parted.  Oh  that  we 
might  meet  in  heaven  1*  Farewell.  J.  B. 

Here  followcth  a Discourse  between  my  Wife  and 

the  Judges , with  others,  touching  my  Deliver- 
ance at  the  Assizes  following  ; the  which  I took 

from  her  own  mouth. 

After  that  I had  received  this  sentence  of 
banishing  or  hanging  from  them,  and  after  the 
former  admonition  touching  the  determination 
of  justices  if  I did  not  recant,  just  when  the 
time  drew  nigh  in  which  I should  have  ab- 
jured or  have  done  worse,  (as  Mr.  Cobb  told 
me,)  came  the  time  in  which  the  king  was  to 
be  crowned.  Nowr  at  the  coronation  of  a king 
there  is  usually  a releasement  of  divers  pris- 
oners by  virtue  of  his  coronation;  in  which 
privilege  also  I should  have  had  my  share,  but 
that  they  took  me  for  a convicted  person,  and 
therefore,  unless  I sued  out  a pardon,  (as  they 
called  it,)  I could  have  no  benefit  thereby  not- 
withstanding; yet  forasmuch  as  the  coronation 
proclamation  did  give  liberty  from  the  day  the 
king  was  crowned  to  that  day  twelvemonth  to 
sue  them  out,  therefore,  though  they  would 
not  let  me  out  of  prison  as  they  let  out  thou- 
sands, yet  they  could  not  meddle  with  me  as 
touching  the  execution  of  their  sentence,  be- 
cause of  the  liberty  offered  for  the  suing  out 
of  pardons.  Whereupon  I continued  in  prison 
till  the  next  assizes,  which  are  called  midsum- 
mer assizes,  being  then  kept  in  August,  1661. 

Now  at  that  assizes,  because  I would  not 
leave  any  possible  means  unattempted  that 
might  be  lawful,  I did,  by  my  wife,  present  a 
petition  to  the  judges  three  times  that  I might 
be  heard,  and  that  they  would  impartially  take 
my  case  into  consideration. 

The  first  time  my  wife  went  she  presented  it 

* Happy  would  it  be  for  Christians  in  general,  and 
for  the  interest  of  religion  also,  if  ceremonials  and 
non-essentials  bad  no  tendency  to  disunite  them  as 
brethren  and  servants  of  the  same  loving  Saviour ; for 
in  the  kingdom  of  glory  above  there  will  be  no  party 


to  Judge  Hales,  who  very  mildly  received  it  at 
her  hand,  lolling  her  that  lie  would  do  her  and 
me  the  best  good  he  could,  but  he  feared,  he 
said,  lie  could  do  none.  The  next  day  again, 
lest  they  should,  through  the  multitude  of 
business,  forget  me,  we  did  throw  another  pe- 
tition into  the  coach  to  Judge  Twisdon  ; who, 
when  he  had  seen  it,  snapt  her  up  and  angrily 
told  her  that  I was  a convicted  person,  and 
could  not  be  released  unless  I would  promise 
to  preach  no  more,  &c. 

Well,  after  this  she  yet  again  presented  an- 
other to  Judge  Ilales  as  he  sat  on  the  bench, 
who,  as  it  seemed,  was  willing  to  give  her  au- 
dience; only  Justice  Chester,  being  present, 
stept  up  and  said  that  I was  convicted  in  the 
court,  and  that  I was  a hot-spirited  fellow,  or 
words  to  that  purpose,  whereat  he  waived  it 
and  did  not  meddle  therewith.  But  yet  my 
wife,  being  encouraged  by  the  high  sheriff,  did 
venture  once  more  into  their  presence,  (as  the 
poor  widow  did  to  the  unjust  judge,)  to  try 
what  she  could  do  with  them  for  my  liberty 
before  they  went  forth  of  the  town.  The 
place  where  she  went  to  them  was  to  the  Swan 
Chamber,  where  the  two  judges  and  many  jus- 
tices and  gentry  of  the  country  were  in  com- 
pany together.  She  then,  coming  into  the 
chamber,  with  a bashful  face  and  a trembling 
heart  began  her  errand  to  them  in  this  manner: 

Woman.  My  lord,  (directing  herself  to  Judge 
Hales,)  I make  bold  to  come  once  again  to 
your  lordship  to  know  what  may  be  done  to 
my  husband. 

Judge  Hales.  To  whom  he  said,  Woman,  I 
told  thee  before  I could  do  thee  no  good,  be- 
cause they  have  taken  that  for  a conviction 
which  thy  husband  spoke  at  the  sessions ; and 
unless  there  be  something  done  to  undo  that, 
I can  do  thee  no  good. 

Woman.  My  lord,  said  she,  he  is  kept  un- 
lawfully in  prison ; they  clapped  him  up  be- 
fore there  was  any  proclamation  against  the 
meetings ; the  indictment  also  is  false ; besides, 
they  never  asked  him  whether  he  was  guilty 
or  no  ; neither  did  lie  confess  the  indictment. 

One  of  Vie  Justices.  Then  one  of  the  justices 
that  stood  by,  whom  she  knew  not,  said,  My 
lord,  he  was  lawfully  convicted. 

It  is  false,  said  she ; for  when  they 
said  to  him,  Do  you  confess  the  indictment? 
he  said  only  this,  that  he  had  been  at  several 

spirit,  no  parting  string,  but  the  hearts  and  voices  of 
the  celestial  assembly  will  emulate  each  other  in  the 
very  sweetest  and  loudest  notes  to  redeeming  graet 
and  dying  love ! 


688 


JBUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


meetings,  both  where  there  was  preaching  the 
word  and  prayer,  and  that  they  had  God’s 
presence  among  them. 

Judge  Twisdon.  Whereat  Judge  Twisdon  an- 
swered very  angrily,  saying,  What!  you  think 
we  can  do  what  we  list;  your  husband  is  a 
breaker  of  the  peace  and  is  convicted  by  the 
law,  &c.  Whereupon  Judge  Hales  called  for 
the  statute-book. 

Woman.  But,  said  she,  my  lord,  he  was  not 
lawfully  convicted. 

Chester.  Then  Justice  Chester  said,  My  lord, 
he  was  lawfully  convicted. 

Woman.  It  is  false,  said  she ; it  was  but  a 
word  of  discourse  that  they  took  for  a convic- 
tion, (as  you  heard  before.) 

Chester.  But  it  is  recorded,  woman,  it  is  re- 
corded, says  Justice  Chester.  As  if  it  must  be 
of  necessity  true  because  it  was  recorded ! 
With  which  words  he  often  endeavoured  to 
stop  her  mouth,  having  no  other  argument 
to  convince  her  but,  It  is  recorded,  it  is  re- 
corded. 

Woman.  My  lord,  said  she,  I was  awhile  since 
in  London,  to  see  if  I could  get  my  husband’s 
liberty,  and  there  I spoke  with  my  Lord  Bark- 
wood,  one  of  the  House  of  Lords,  to  whom  I 
delivered  a petition,  who  took  it  of  me  and 
presented  it  to  some  of  the  rest  of  the  House 
of  Lords,  for  my  husband’s  releasement ; who, 
when  they  had  seen  it,  they  said  that  they  could 
not  release  him,  but  had  committed  his  release- 
ment to  the  judges  at  the  next  assizes.  This 
he  told  me;  and  now  I come  to  you  to  see 
if  any  thing  may  be  done  in  this  business,  and 
you  give  neither  releasement  nor  relief.  To 
which  they  gave  her  no  answer,  but  made  as  if 
they  heard  her  not. 

Chester.  Only  Justice  Chester  was  often  up 
with  this,  He  is  convicted,  and  it  is  recorded. 

Woman.  If  it  be,  it  is  false,  said  she. 

Chester.  My  lord,  said  Justice  Chester,  he  is 
a pestilent  fellow ; there  is  not  such  a fellow 
in  the  country  again. 

Twisdon.  What!  will  your  husband  leave 
preaching?  If  he  will  do  so,  then  send  for 
him. 

Woman.  My  lord,  said  she,  he  dares  not 
leave  preaching  as  long  as  he  can  speak. 

Twisdon.  See  here,  what  should  we  talk  any 
more  about  such  a fellow  ? Must  he  do  what 
he  lists  ? He  is  a breaker  of  the  peace. 

Woman.  She  told  him  again  that  he  desired 
to  live  peaceably  and  to  follow  his  calling,  that 
his  family  might  be  maintained ; and  more- 
over said,  My  lord,  I have  four  small  children 


that  cannot  help  themselves,  of  which  one  is 
blind,  and  have  nothing  to  live  upon  but  the 
charity  of  good  people. 

Hales.  Hast  thou  four  children?  said  Judge 
Hales ; thou  art  but  a young  woman  to  have' 
four  children. 

Woman.  My  lord,  said  she,  I am  but  mother- 
in-law  to  them,  having  not  been  married  to 
him  yet  full  two  years.  Indeed  I was  with 
child  when  my  husband  was  first  apprehended, 
but  being  young  and  unaccustomed  to  such 
things,  said  she,  I,  being  dismayed  at  the  news, 
fell  into  labour,  and  so  continued  for  eight 
days,  and  then  was  delivered,  but  my  child 
died. 

Hales.  Whereat  he,  looking  very  soberly  on 
the  matter,  said,  Alas,  poor  woman ! 

Twisdon.  But  Judge  Twisdon  told  her  that 
she  made  poverty  her  cloak ; and  said,  more- 
over, that  he  understood  I was  maintained  bet- 
ter by  running  up  and  down  a-preaching  than 
by  following  my  calling. 

Hales.  What  is  his  calling?  said  Judge 
Hales. 

Answer.  Then  some  of  the  company  that 
stood  by  said,  A tinker,  my  lord. 

Woman.  Yes,  said  she,  and  because  he  is  a 
tinker  and  a poor  man,  therefore  he  is  despised 
and  cannot  have  justice. 

Hales.  Then  Judge  Hales  answered,  very 
mildly,  saying,  I tell  thee,  woman,  seeing  it  is 
so  that  they  have  taken  what  thy  husband 
spake  for  a conviction,  thou  must  either  apply 
thyself  to  the  king,  or  sue  out  his  pardon,  or 
get  a writ  of  error. 

Chester.  But  when  Justice  Chester  heard 
him.  give  her  this  counsel,  and  especially 
(as  she  supposed)  because  he  spoke  of  a writ 
of  error,  he  chafed  and  seemed  to  be  very  much 
offended,  saying,  My  lord,  he  will  preach  and 
do  what  he  lists. 

Woman.  He  preacheth  nothing  but  the  word 
of  God,  said  she. 

Twisdon.  He  preach  the  word  of  God!  said 
Twisdon,  (and  withal  she  thought  he  would 
have  struck  her;)  he  runneth  up  and  down, 
and  doeth  harm. 

Woman.  No,  my  lord,  said  she,  it  is  not  sj  ; 
God  hath  owned  him,  and  done  much  good  by 
him. 

Twisdon.  God ! said  he : his  doctrine  is  the 
doctrine  of  the  devil. 

Woman.  My  lord,  said  she,  when  the  right- 
eous Judge  shall  appear  it  will  be  known 
that  his  doctrine  is  not  the  doctrine  of  the 
devil. 


IMPRISONMENT  OF  JOHN  II UN Y AN. 


C89 


Twisdon.  My  lord,  said  lie  to  Judge  Hales, 
do  not  mind  her,  but  send  her  away. 

links.  Then  said  Judge  Hales,  I am  sorry, 
woman,  that  I can  do  thee  no  good ; thou  must 
do  one  of  those  three  things  aforesaid — namely, 
either  to  apply  thyself  to  the  king,  or  sue  out 
his  pardon,  or  get  a writ  of  error ; but  a writ 
of  error  will  be  cheapest. 

Woman.  At  which  Chester  again  seemed  to 
be  in  a chafe,  and  put  off  his  hat,  and,  as  she 
thought,  scratched  his  head  for  anger;  but 
when  I saw,  said  she,  that  there  was  no  pre- 
vailing to  have  my  husband  sent  for,  though  I 
often  desired  them  that  they  would  send  for 
him  that  he  might  speak  j'or  himself,  telling 
them  that  lie  could  give  them  better  satisfac- 
tion than  I could  in  what  they  demanded  of 
him,  with  several  other  things,  which  now  I 
forget — only  this  I remember,  that  though  I 
was  somewhat  timorous  at  my  first  entrance 
into  the  chamber,  yet  before  I went  out  I could 
not  but  break  forth  into  tears,  not  so  much  be- 
cause they  were  so  hardhearted  against  me 
and  my  husband,  but  to  think  what  a sad  ac- 
count such  poor  creatures  will  have  to  give  at 
the  coming  of  the  Lord,  when  they  shall  there 
answer  for  all  things  whatsoever  they  have 
done  in  the  body,  whether  it  be  good  or  whether 
it  be  bad. 

So  when  I departed  from  them  the  book  of 
statutes  was  brought,  but  what  they  said  of  it  I 
know  nothing  at  all,  neither  did  I hear  any 
more  from  them. 

Some  Carnages  of  the  Adversaries  of  God’s  Truth 
with  me  at  the  next  Assizes,  which  was  on  the 
Nineteenth  of  the  First  Month,  1662. 

I shall  pass  by  what  befell  between  these 
two  assizes — how  I had,  by  my  jailer,  some 
liberty  granted  me  more  than  at  the  first,  and 
how  I followed  my  wonted  course  of  preach- 
ing, taking  all  occasions  that  were  put  into 
my  hand  to  visit  the  people  of  God,  exhorting 
them  to  be  steadfast  in  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  to  take  heed  that  they  touched  not 
the  common  prayer,  &c.,  but  to  mind  the  word 
of  God,  which  giveth  direction  to  Christians 
in  every  point,  being  able  to  make  the  man  of 
God  perfect  in  all  things  through  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thoroughly  to  furnish  him 
up  to  all  good  works.  Also  how  I having,  I 
say,  somewhat  more  liberty,  did  go  to  see 
Christians  at  London,  which  my  enemies  hear- 
ing of,  were  so  angry  that  they  had  almost  cast 
my  jailer  out  of  his  place,  threatening  to  in- 
dict him  and  to  do  what  they  could  against 
41 


him.  They  charged  me  also  that  I went 
thither  to  plot  and  raise  division  and  make 
insurrection,  which  God  knows  was  a slander; 
whereupon  my  liberty  was . more  straitened 
than  it  was  before,  so  that  I must  not  look  out 
of  the  door.  Well,  when  the  next  sessions 
came,  which  was  about  the  10th  of  the  11th 
month,  I did  expect  to  have  been  very  roundly 
dealt  withal ; but  they  passed  me  by  and  would 
not  call  me,  so  that  I rested  till  the  assizes, 
which  was  the  19th  of  the  first  month  follow- 
ing; and  when  they  came,  because  I had  a 
desire  to  come  before  the  judge,  I desired  my 
jailer  to  put  my  name  into  the  calendar, 
among  the  felons,  and  made  friends  to  the 
judge  and  high  sheriff,  who  promised  that  I 
should  be  called  ; so  that  I thought  what  I had 
done  might  have  been  effectual  for  the  obtain- 
ing of  my  desire;  but  all  was  in  vain ; for  when 
the  assizes  came,  though  my  name  was  in  the 
calendar,  and  also  though  both  the  judge  and 
sheriff  had  promised  that  I should  appear  be- 
fore them,  yet  the  justices  and  the  clerk  of  the 
peace  did  so  work  it  about  that  I,  notwith- 
standing, was  deferred  and  might  not  appear. 
And  though  I say  I do  not  know  of  all  their 
carriages  towards  me,  yet  this  I know,  that  the 
clerk  of  the  peace  did  discover  himself  to  be 
one  of  my  greatest  opposers ; for,  first  he  came 
to  my  jailer,  and  told  him  that  I must  not  go 
down  before  the  judge,  and  therefore  must  not 
be  put  into  the  calendar ; to  whom  my  jailer 
said  that  my  name  was  in  already.  He  bid 
him  put  me  out  again ; my  jailer  told  him  that 
he  could  not,  for  he  had  given  the  judge  a 
calendar  with  my  name  in  it,  and  also  the 
sheriff  another.  At  which  he  was  very  much 
displeased,  and  desired  to  see  that  calendar 
that  was  yet  in  my  jailer’s  hand ; who  when  he 
had  given  it  him  he  looked  on  it  and  said  it 
was  a false  calendar ; he  also  took  the  calendar 
and  blotted  out  my  accusation,  as  my  jailer 
had  writ  it,  (which  accusation  I cannot,  tell 
what  it  was,  because  it  was  so  blotted  out,) 
and  he  himself  put  in  words  to  this  purpose : 
That  John  Bunyan  was  committed  in  prison, 
being  lawfully  convicted  for  upholding  of  un- 
lawful .meetings  and  conventicles,  &c.  But 
yet  for  all  this,  fearing  that  what  he  had  done, 
unless  he  added  thereto,  would  not  do,  he  first 
ran  to  the  clerk  of-  the  assizes,  then  to  the 
justices,  and  afterwards,  because  he  would  not 
leave  any  means  unattempted  to  hinder  me, 
he  comes  again  to  my  jailer,  and  tells  him  that 
if  I did  go  down  before  the  judge  and  was  re- 
leased, he  would  make  him  pay  my  fees,  which 


690 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


he  said  were  due  to  him ; and  further  told  him 
that  he  would  complain  of  him  at  the  next 
quarter  sessions  for  making  of  false  calendars, 
though  my  jailer  himself,  as  I afterwards 
learned,  had  put  in  my  accusation  worse  than 


in  itself  it  was  by  far.  And  thus  was  I hin- 
dered and  prevented  at  that  time  also  from 
appearing  before  the  judge,  and  left  in  prison 
Farewell. 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


PRISON  MEDITATIONS 


DEDICATED  TO  THE  HEART 


OF  SUFFERING  SAINTS  AND  REIGNING 
SINNERS. 


Fkiend,  I salute  thee  in  the  Lord, 
And  wish  thou  may’st  abound 

In  faith,  and  have  a good  regard 
To  keep  on  holy  ground. 

Thou  dost  encourage  me  to  hold 
My  head  above  the  flood ; 

Thy  counsel  better  is  than  gold : 

In  need  thereof  I stood. 

Good  counsel’s  good  at  any  time ; 

The  wise  will  it  receive, 

Tho’  fools  count  he  commits  a crime 
Who  doth  good  counsel  give. 

I take  it  kindly  at  thy  hand 
Thou  didst  unto  me  write ; 

My  feet  upon  Mount  Zion  stand, 

In  that  take  thou  delight. 

I am  indeed  in  prison  now 
In  body,  but  my  mind 

Is  free  to  study  Christ,  and  how 
Unto  me  he  is  kind. 

For  tho’  men  keep  my  outward  man 
Within  their  locks  and  bars, 

Yet  by  the  faith  of  Christ  I can 
Mount  higher  than  the  stars. 

Their  fetters  cannot  spirits  tame, 

Nor  tie  up  God  from  me ; 

My  faith  and  hope  they  cannot  lame  ; 
Above  them  I shall  be. 

I here  am  very  much  refreshed 
To  think,  when  I was  out 

I preached  life  and  peace  and  rest 
To  sinners  round  about. 

My  business  then  was  souls  to  save 
By  preaching  grace  and  faith, 

Of  which  the  comfort  now  I have, 
And  have  it  shall  till  death. 


They  were  no  fables  that  I taught, 

Devis’d  by  cunning  men, 

But  God’s  own  word,  by  which  were  caught 
Some  sinners  now  and  then. 

Whose  souls  by  it  were  made  to  see 
The  evil  of  their  sin ; 

And  need  of  Christ  to  make  them  free 
From  death,  which  they  were  in. 

And  now  those  very  hearts  that  then 
Were  foes  unto  the  Lord, 

Embrace  his  Christ  and  truth,  like  men 
Conquer’d  by  his  word. 

I hear  them  sigh,  and  groan,  and  cry 
For  grace  to  God  above; 

They  loathe  their  sin,  and  to  it  die  ; 

’Tis  holiness  they  love. 

This  was  the  work  I was  about 
When  hands  on  me  were  laid ; 

’Twas  this  from  which  they  pluck’d  me  out, 
And  vilely  to  me  said : 

You  heretic,  deceiver,  come, 

To  prison  you  must  go ; 

You  preach  abroad,  and  keep  not  home, 
You  are  the  Church’s  foe. 

But  having  peace  within  my  soul, 

And  truth  on  every  side, 

I could  with  comfort  them  control, 

And  at  their  charge  deride. 

Wherefore  to  prison  they  me  sent. 

Where  to  this  day  I lie ; 

And  can  with  very  much  content 
For  my  profession  die. 

The  prison  very  sweet  to  me 
Hath  been  since  I came  here, 

And  so  would  also  hanging  be, 

If  God  would  there  appear. 


691 


692 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Here  dwells  good  conscience,  also  peace ; 

Here  be  my  garments  white ; 

Here,  though  in  bonds,  I have  release 
From  guilt,  which  else  would  bite. 

When  they  do  talk  of  banishment, 

Of  death,  or  such  like  things, 

Then  to  me  God  send  heart’s  content, 
That  like  a fountain  springs. 

Alas ! they  little  think  what  peace 
They  help  me  to,  for  by 
Their  rage  my  comforts  do  increase ; 
Bless  God,  therefore,  do  I. 

If  they  do  give  me  gall  to  drink, 

Then  God  doth  sweet’ning  cast — 

So  much  thereto  that  they  can’t  think 
How  bravely  it  doth  taste. 

For  as  the  devil  sets  before 
Me  heaviness  and  grief, 

So  God  sets  Christ  and  grace  much  more, 
Whereby  I take  relief. 

Though  they  say  then  that  we  are  fools 
Because  we  here  do  lie, 

I answer,  Jails  are  Christ  his  schools, 

In  them  we  learn  to  die. 

’Tis  not  the  baseness  of  this  state 
Doth  hide  us  from  God’s  face ; 

He  frequently,  both  soon  and  late, 

Doth  visit  us  with  grace. 

Here  come  the  angels,  here  come  saints, 
Here  comes  the  Spirit  of  God, 

To  comfort  us  in  our  restraints 
Under  the  wicked’s  rod. 

God  sometimes  visits  prisoners  more 
Than  lordly  palaces ; 

He  often  knocketh  at  the  door 
When  he  their  houses  miss. 

The  truth  and  life  of  heav’nly  things 
Lift  up  our  hearts  on  high, 

And  carry  us  on  eagles’  wings 
Beyond  carnality. 

It  takes  away  those  clogs  that  hold 
The  hearts  of  other  men, 

And  makes  us  lively,  strong  and  bold 
Thus  to  oppose  their  sin. 

By  which  means  God  doth  frustrate 
That  which  our  foes  expect — 

Namely,  our  turning  th’  apostate, 

Like  those  of  Judas’  sect. 


Here  comes  to  our  remembrance 
The  troubles  good  men  had 
Of  old,  and  for  our  furtherance 
Their  joys  when  they  were  sad. 

To  them  that  here  for  evil  lie 
The  place  is  comfortless, 

But  not  to  me,  because  that  I 
Lie  here  for  righteousness. 

The  truth  and  I were  both  here  cast 
Together,  and  we  do 
Lie  arm  in  arm,  and  so  hold  fast 
Each  other ; this  is  true. 

This  jail  to  us  is  as  a hill, 

From  whence  we  plainly  see 
Beyond  this  world,  and  take  our  fill 
Of  things  that  lasting  be. 

From  hence  we  see  the  emptiness 
Of  all  the  world  contains; 

And  here  we  feel  the  blessedness 
That  for  us  yet  remains. 

Here  we  can  see  how  all  men  play 
Their  parts,  as  on  a stage — 

How  good  men  suffer  for  God’s  way, 
And  bad  men  at  them  rage. 

Here  we  can  see  who  holds  that  ground 
Which  they  in  Scripture  find : 

Here  we  see  also  who  turns  round 
Like  weathercocks  with  wind. 

We  can  also  from  hence  behold 
How  seeming  friends  appear 
But  hypocrites,  as  we  are  told 
In  Scripture  everywhere. 

When  we  did  walk  at  liberty 
We  were  deceiv’d  by  them, 

Who  we  from  hence  do  clearly  see 
Are  vile,  deceitful  men. 

These  politicians  that  profess 
For  base  and  worldly  ends, 

Do  not  appear  to  us  at  best 
But  Machiavellian  friends. 

Though  men  do  say  we  do  disgrace 
Ourselves  by  lying  here 
Among  the  rogues,  yet  Christ  our  face 
From  all  such  filth  will  clear. 

We  know  there’s  neither  flout  nor  frown 
That  we  now  for  him  bear, 

But  will  add  to  our  heavenly  crown 
When  he  comes  in  the  air— 


PRISON  M EDITA  TIONS. 


693 


When  lie  our  righteousness  forth  brings 
Bright  shining  as  the  day, 

And  wipeth  off  those  sland'rous  things 
That  scorners  on  us  lay. 

Wo  sell  our  earthly  happiness 
For  heavenly  house  and  home ; 

We  leave  this  world  because  ’tis  less 
And  worse  than  that  to  come. 

We  change  our  drossy  dust  for  gold, 
From  death  to  life  we  flv ; 

Wo  let  go  shadows,  and  take  hold 
Of  immortality. 

We  trade  for  that  which  lasting  is, 

And  nothing  for  it  give 
But  that  which  is  already  His 
By  whom  we  breathe  and  live. 

That  liberty  we  lose  for  him 
Sickness  might  take  away; 

Our  goods  might  also  for  our  sin 
By  fire  or  thieves  decay. 

Again  we  see  what  glory  ’tis 
Freely  to  bear  our  cross 
For  Him  who  for  us  took  up  his 
When  he  our  servant  was. 

I am  most  free  that  men  should  see 
A hole  cut  through  my  ear ; 

If  others  will  ascertain  me, 

They’ll  hang  a jewel  there. 

Just  thus  it  is : we  suffer  here 
For  Him  a little  pain, 

Who  when  he  doth  again  appear 
Will  with  him  let  us  reign. 

If  all  must  either  die  for  sin 
A death  that’s  natural, 

Or  else  for  Christ,  ’tis  best  with  him 
Who  for  the  last  doth  fall. 

Who  now  dare  say  we  throw  away 
Our  goods  or  liberty, 

When  God’s  most  holy  word  doth  say 
We  gain  thus  much  thereby? 

Hark  yet  again,  you  carnal  men, 

And  hear  what  I shall  say 
In  your  own  dialect,  and  then 
I’ll  you  no  longer  stay. 

You  talk  sometimes  of  valour  much, 
And  count  such  bravely  mann’d 
That  will  not  stick  to  have  a touch 
With  any  in  the  land. 


If  these  be  worth  commending,  then, 
That  vainly  show  their  might, 

How  dare  you  blame  those  holy  men 
That  in  God’s  quarrel  fight? 

Though  you  dare  crack  a coward’s  crown, 
Or  quarrel  for  a pin, 

You  dare  not  on  the  wicked  frown, 

Nor  speak  against  their  sin. 

For  all  your  spirits  are  so  stout 
For  matters  that  are  vain, 

Yet  sin  besets  you  round  about; 

You  are  in  Satan’s  chain. 

You  dare  not  for  the  truth  engage, 

You  quake  at  ’prisonment; 

You  dare  not  make  the  tree  your  stage 
For  Christ,  that  King  potent. 

Know,  then,  true  valour  there  doth  dwell 
Where  men  engage  for  God 

Against  the  Devil,  death  and  hell, 

And  bear  the  wicked’s  rod. 

These  be  the  men  that  God  doth  count 
Of  high  and  noble  mind ; 

These  be  the  men  that  do  surmount 
What  you  in  nature  find. 

First,  they  do  conquer  their  own  hearts, 
All  worldly  fears,  and  then 

Also  the  devil’s  fiery  darts, 

And  persecuting  men. 

They  conquer  when  they  thus  do  fall, 
They  kill  when  they  do  die; 

They  overcome  then  most  of  all, 

And  get  the  victory. 

The  worldling  understands  not  this, 

’Tis  clear  out  of  his  sight; 

Therefore  he  counts  this  world  his  bliss, 
And  doth  our  glory  slight. 

The  lubber  knows  not  how  to  spring 
The  nimble  footman’s  stage ; 

Neither  can  owls  or  jackdaws  sing 
When  they  are  in  the  cage. 

The  swine  doth  not  the  pearls  regard, 
But  them  doth  slight  for  grains, 

Though  the  wise  merchant  labours  hard 
For  them  with  greatest  pains. 

Consider,  man,  what  I have  said, 

And  judge  of  things  aright; 

When  all  men’s  cards  are  fully  play’d. 
Whose  will  abide  the  light? 


694 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Will  those  who  have  us  hither  cast? 

Or  they  who  do  us  scorn? 

Or  those  who  do  our  houses  waste  ? 

Or  us  who  this  have  borne? 

And  let  us  count  those  things  the  best 
That  best  will  prove  at  last ; 

And  count  such  men  the  only  blest 
That  do  such  things  hold  fast. 


And  what  tho’  they  us  dear  do  cost, 
Yet  let  us  buy  them  so ; 

We  shall  not  count  our  labour  lost 
When  we  see  others’  woe. 

And  let  saints  be  no  longer  blam’d 
By  carnal  policy, 

But  let  the  wicked  be  asham’d 
Of  their  malignity. 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED; 

OR, 

THE  DOCTRINE  OF  ETERNAL  ELECTION  AND  REPROBATION 

PROMISCUOUSLY  HANDLED:  IN  ELEVEN  CHAPTERS. 

WHEREIN  THE  MOST  MATERIAL  OBJECTIONS  MADE  BY  THE  OPPOSERS  OF  THIS  DOCTRINE 
ARE  FULLY  ANSWERED,  SEVERAL  DOUBTS  REMOVED,  AND  SUNDRY  CASES  OF  CON- 
SCIENCE RESOLVED. 

What  then?  Israel  bath  not  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh  for;  hut  the  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the 

rest  were  blinded. — Rom.  xi.  7. 


CHAPTER  I. 

That  there  is  a Reprobation. 

In  my  discourse  upon  this  subject  I shall 
study  as  much  brevity  as  clearness  and  edifica- 
tion will  allow  me ; not  adding  words  to  make 
the  volume  swell,  but  contracting  myself  with- 
in the  hounds  of  a few  lines,  for  the  profit  and 
convenience  of  those  that  shall  take  the  pains 
to  read  my  labours.  And  though  I might 
abundantly  multiply  arguments  for  the  evin- 
cing and  vindicating  this  conclusion,  yet  I shall 
content  myself  with  some  few  Scripture  dem- 
onstrations ; the  first  of  which  I shall  gather 
out  of  the  ninth  of  the  Romans,  from  that  dis- 
course of  the  apostle’s  touching  the  children 
of  the  flesh  and  the  children  of  the  promise. 

1.  At  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  we  find 
the  apostle  grievously  lamenting  and  bemoan- 
ing of  the  Jews  at  the  consideration  of  their 
miserable  state.  “ I say  the  truth  in  Christ,” 
saith  he,  “and  lie  not,  my  conscience  also 
bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  I 
have  great  heaviness  and  continual  sorrow  in 
my  heart;  for  I could  wish  myself  accursed 
from  Christ  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen,  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh.”  Poor  hearts ! (saith  he,) 
they  will  perish ; they  are  a miserable,  sad  and 
helpless  people ; their  eyes  are  darkened  that 
they  may  not  see,  and  their  back  is  bowed 
down  alway.  Rom.  xi.  10.  Wherefore?  have 
they  not  the  means  of  grace?  Yes,  verily,  and 
that  in  goodly  measure;  first,  they  are  Israel- 


ites, to  whom  pertaineth  the  adoption,  and  the 
glory,  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the 
law,  and  the  service  of  God,  and  the  promises ; 
whose  are  the  fathers,  and  of  whom,  as  con- 
cerning the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all, 
God  blessed  for  ever,  Amen.  What  then 
should  be  the  reason?  Why,  saith  he, 
“ though  they  be  the  children  of  Abraham  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh,  yet  they  are  the  children 
of  Abraham  but  according  to  the  flesh ; for 
they  are  not  all  Israel  (in  the  best  sense)  that 
are  of  Israel ; neither  because  they  are  the  seed 
of  Abraham  are  they  children;  but  in  Isaac 
shall  thy  seed  be  called.”  That  is,  they  that 
are  the  children  of  the  flesh,  they  are  not  the 
children  of  God,  but  the  children  of  the  prom- 
ise shall  be  counted  for  the  seed.  Then,  here 
you  see  that  they  that  are  only  the  children  of 
the  flesh,  (as  the  greatest  part  of  Israel  were,) 
they  are  those  that  are  neither  counted  for  the 
seed,  the  children  of  the  promise,  nor  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  but  are  rejected  and  of  the  repro- 
bation. This  therefore  shall  at  this  time  serve 
for  the  first  Scripture  demonstration. 

2.  Another  Scripture  you  have  in  the  elev- 
enth chapter  of  this  epistle  from  these  words : 
“The  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest 
were  blinded.”  Rom.  xi.  7.  These  words  are 
shedding  words,  they  sever  between  men  and 
men  ; the  election,  the  rest ; the  chosen,  the  left ; 
the  embraced,  the  refused ; “ the  election  have 
obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded.”  By  rest 
| here  must  needs  be  understood  those  not  elect, 

695 


696 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


because  set  one  in  opposition  to  the  other,  and 
if  not  elect,  what  then  but  reprobate  ? 

3.  A third  Scripture  is  that  in  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles:  “And  as  many  as  were  ordained 
to  eternal  life  believed.”  And  as  many.  By 
these  words,  as  by  the  former,  you  may  see 
how  the  Holy  Ghost  distinguisheth  or  divideth 
between  men  and  men,  the  sons  and  the  sons 
of  Adam.  “As  many  as  were  ordained  to 
eternal  life  believed.”  If  by  many  here  we 
are  to  understand  every  individual,  then  not 
only  the  whole  world  must  at  last  believe  the 
Gospel,  of  which  we  see  the  most  fall  short, 
but  they  must  be  ordained  to  eternal  life, 
which  other  Scriptures  contradict;  for  there  is 
the  rest,  besides  the  elect;  the  stubble  and 
chaff,  as  well  as  wheat;  many  therefore  must 
here  include  but  some ; “for  though  Israel  be 
as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  a remnant  shall  be 
saved.” 

I might  here  multiply  many  other  texts,  but 
in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  shall 
every  word  be  established.  Let  these  there- 
fore for  this  suffice  to  prove  that  there  is  a 
reprobation.  For  this  I say,  though  the  chil- 
dren of  the  flesh,  the  rest  besides  the  election, 
and  the  like,  were  not  mentioned  in  the  word, 
yet  seeing  there  is  such  a thing  as  the  children 
of  the  promise,  the  seed,  the  children  of  God, 
and  the  like,  and  that  too  under  several  other 
phrases,  as  predestinated,  foreknown,  chosen 
in  Christ,  and  written  in  the  book  of  life,  and 
appointed  unto  life,  with  many  others — I say, 
seeing  these  things  are  thus  apparent,  it  is 
without  doubt  that  there  is  such  a thing  as  a 
reprobation  also. 

Nay,  further,  from  the  very  word  election  it 
followeth  unavoidably;  for  whether  you  take 
it  as  relating  to  this,  of  distinguishing  between 
persons  as  touching  the  world  to  come,  or  with 
reference  to  God’s  acts  of  choosing  this  or  that 
man  to  this  or  that  office,  work,  or  employ- 
ment in  this  world,  it  still  signifietli  such  a 
choosing  as  that  but  some  are  therein  con- 
cerned, and  that  therefore  some  are  thence  ex- 
cluded. Are  all  the  elect,  the  seed,  the  saved, 
the  vessels  of  mercy,  the  chosen  and  peculiar  ? 
Are  not  some  (yea  the  most)  the  children  of 
the  flesh,  the  rest,  the  lost,  the  vessels  of 
wrath,  of  dishonour,  and  the  children  of  per- 
dition?* 


* Those  who  hold  the  doctrines  of  free  grace  will  ac- 
knowledge that  all  salvation  is  of  the  Lord,  whose 
eternal  purpose  is  to  save  a remnant  of  the  fallen  race 
of  Adam  ; who  accordingly  in  due  time  are  quickened, 
enlightened,  justified,  sanctified,  and  will  be  eternally 


CHAPTER  II. 

What  Reprobation  is. 

Haying  thus  showed  you  that  there  is  such 
a thing  as  a reprobation,  I come  now  to  show 
what  it  is,  which,  that  I may  do  to  your  edifi- 
cation, I shall  first  show  you  what  this  word 
reprobation  siguifieth  in  the  general,  as  it  con- 
cerneth  persons  temporary  and  visibly  repro- 
bate. Secondly,  more  particular,  as  it  con- 
cerneth  persons  that  are  eternally  and  invisibly 
reprobate. 

First  generally,  as  it  concerneth  persons 
temporary  and  visibly  reprobate : thus,  to  bo 
reprobate  is  to  be  disapproved,  void  of  judg- 
ment, and-rejected,  &c.  To  be  disapproved,  that 
is,  when  the  word  condemns  them,  either  as 
touching  the  faith  or  the  holiness  of  the  Gospel ; 
the  which  they  must  needs  be  that  are  void  of 
spiritual  and  heavenly  judgment  in  the  mys- 
teries of  the  kingdom,  a manifest  token  they 
are  rejected.  And  hence  it  is  that  they  are 
said  to  be  reprobate  or  void  of  judgment  con- 
cerning the  faith;  reprobate  or  void  of  judg- 
ment touching  every  good  work ; . having  a 
reprobate  mind  to  do  those  things  that  are  not 
convenient  either  as  to  faith  or  manners.  And 
hence  it  is  again  that  they  are  also  said  to  be 
rejected  of  God,  cast  away  and  the  like. 

I call  this  temporary,  visible  reprobation, 
because  these  appear  and  are  detected  by  the 
word  as  such  that  are  found  under  the  above- 
named  errors,  and  so  adjudged  without  the 
grace  of  God.  Yet  it  is  possible  for  some  of 
these,  (however  for  the  present,  disapproved,) 
through  the  blessed  acts  and  dispensations  of 
grace  not  only  to  become  visible  saints,  but 
also  saved  for  ever.  Who  doubts  but  that  he 
who  now  by  examining  himself  concerning 
faith  doth  find  himself,  though  under  profes- 
sion, graceless,  may,  after  that,  he  seeing  bis 
woeful  state,  not  only  cry  to  God  for  mercy, 
but  find  grace,  and  obtain  mercy  to  help  in 
time  of  need?  Though  it  is  true  that  for  the 
most  part  the  contrary  is  fulfilled  on  them. 

But  to  pass  this,  and  more  particularly  to 
touch  the  eternal,  invisible  reprobation,  which 
I shall  thus  hold  forth.  It  is  to  be  passed  by 
in  or  left  out  of  God’s  election,  yet  so  as  consid- 
ered upright ; in  which  position  you  have  these 
four  things  considerable : 

First.  The  act  of  God’s  election. 

glorified;  while  the  rebel  angels  are  left  to  perish, 
without  the  offer  of  a Saviour,  who  “ verily  (as  the 
apostle  exults)  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels, 
but  the  seed  of  Abraham.” 


UK  PRO  BA  TION  ASSERTED. 


GO  7 


Secondly.  The  negative  of  that  act. 

Thirdly.  The  persons  reached  by  that  neg- 
ative. And, 

Fourthly.  Their  qualification  when  thus 
reached  by  it. 

For  the  first.  This  act  of  God  in  electing, 
it  is  a choosing  or  foreappointing  of  some  in- 
fallibly unto  eternal  life,  which  he  also  hath 
determined  shall  be  brought  to  pass  by  the 
means  that  should  be  made  manifest  and  effi- 
cacious to  that  very  end. 

Secondly.  Now  the  negative  of  this  act  is 
a passing  by  or  a leaving  of  those  not  con- 
cerned in  this  act — a leaving  of  them,  I say, 
without  the  bounds  and  so  the  saving  privi- 
leges of  this  act;  as  it  followeth  by  natural 
consequence  that  because  a man  chooseth  but 
some,  therefore  he  chooseth  not  all,  but  leav- 
eth,  as  the  negative  of  that  act,  all  others  what- 
soever. Wherefore,  as  I said  before,  those  not 
contained  within  this  blessed  act  arc  called  the 
rest  besides  the  election : “The  election  hath 
obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded.” 

Thirdly.  The  persons  then  that  are  con- 
tained under  the  negative  of  this  act,  they 
are  those  (and  those  only)  that  pass  through 
this  wicked  world  without  the  saving  grace  of 
God’s  elect;  those,  I say,  that  miss  the  most 
holy  faith  which  they  in  time  are  blest  withal 
who  are  foreappointed  unto  glory. 

And  now  for  the  qualification  they  were 
considered  under  when  this  act  of  reprobation 
laid  hold  upon  them — to  wit,  they  were  con- 
sidered upright. 

This  is  evident — 

First,  from  this  consideration  : that  reproba- 
tion is  God’s  act,  even  the  negative  of  his 
choosing  or  electing,  and  none  of  the  acts  of 
God  make  any  man  a sinner. 

Secondly.  It  is  further  evident  by  the  sim- 
ilitude that  is  taken  from  the  carriage  of  the 
potter  in  the  making  of  his  pots ; for  by  this 
comparison  the  God  of  heaven  is  pleased  to 
show  unto  us  the  nature  of  his  determining  in 
the  act  of  reprobation.  “Hath  not  the  potter 
power  over  the  clay  of  the  same  lump?”  &c. 
Consider  a little,  and  you  shall  see  that  these 
three  things  do  necessarily  fall  in  to  complete 
the  potter’s  action  in  every  pot  he  makes : 

1.  A determination  in  his  own  mind  what 
pot  to  make  of  this  or  that  piece  of  clay — a de- 
termination, I say,  precedent  to  the  fashion 

* God  cannot  be  justly  charged  with  partially  or 
severity  in  bestowing  his  graco  upon  some  while  he 
withholds  it  from  others ; herein  he  doth  what  he 
pleases  with  his  own.  So  that  the  reprobates,  not 


of  the  pot;  the  which  is  true  in  the  highest 
degree  in  Him  that  is  excellent  in  working; 
he  determines  the  end  before  the  beginning  is 
perfected : “ For  this  very  purpose  have  I 
raised  thee  up.” 

2.  The  next  thing  considerable  in  the  pot- 
ter, it  is  the  (so)  making  of  the  pot,  even  as 
he  determined,  a vessel  to  honour  or  a vessel 
to  dishonour.  There  is  no  confusion  or  disap- 
pointment under  the  hand  of  this  eternal  God ; 
his  work  is  perfect  and  every  way  doth  answer 
to  what  he  hath  determined. 

3.  Observe  again,  that  whether  the  vessel 
be  to  honour  or  to  dishonour,  yet  the  potter 
makes  it  good,  sound,  and  fit  for  service;  his 
foredetermining  to  make  this  a vessel  to  dis- 
honour hath  no  persuasion  at  all  with  him  to 
break  or  mar  the  pot;  which  very  thing  doth 
well  resemble  the  state  of  man  as  under  tbo 
act  of  eternal  reprobation,  for  “ God  made 
man  upright.” 

From  these  conclusions  then  consider — 

1.  That  the  simple  act  of  reprobation,  it  is 
a leaving  or  passing  by,  not  a cursing  of  the 
creature. 

2.  Neither  doth  this  act  alienate  the  heart 
of  God  from  the  reprobate,  nor  tie  him  up  from 
loving,  favouring,  or  blessing  of  him;  no,  not 
from  blessing  of  him  with  the  gift  of  Christ, 
of  faith,  of  hope,  and  many  other  benefits.  It 
only  denieth  them  that  benefit  that  will  infal- 
libly bring  them  to  eternal  life,  and  that  in 
despite  of  all  opposition  ; it  only  denieth  so  to 
bless  them  as  the  elect  themselves  are  blessed. 
Abraham  loved  all  the  children  he  had  by  all 
his  wives,  and  gave  them  portions  also;  but 
his  choice  blessing,  as  the  fruit  of  his  chiefest- 
love,  he  reserved  for  chosen  Isaac. 

Lastly.  The  act  of  reprobation  doth  harm 
to  no  man,  neither  means  him  any ; nay,  it 
rather  decrees  him  upright,  lets  him  be  made 
upright,  and  so  be  turned  into  the  world.* 


CHAPTER  III. 

Of  the  Antiquity  of  Reprobation. 

Haying  now  proceeded  so  far  as  to  show 
you  what  reprobation  is,  it  will  not  be  amiss 
in  this  place  if  I briefly  show  you  its  an- 

having  the  divine  image  reinstamped  upon  them 
by  the  regenerating  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  are 
consequently  disapproved  of  God  and  perish  in  their 


sins. 


698 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


tiquity,  even  when  it  began  its  rise ; the 
which  you  may  gather  by  these  following 
particulars  : 

I.  Reprobation  is  before  the  person  cometh 
into  the  world  or  hath  done  good  or  evil;  this 
is  evident  by  that  of  Paul  to  the  Romans : 
“For  the  children  being  not  yet  born,  neither 
having  done  any  good  or  evil,  that  the  pur- 
pose of  God,  according  to  election,  might 
stand,  it  was  said  unto  Rebecca,  The  elder 
shall  serve  the  younger.”  Here  you  find 
twain  in  their  mother’s  womb,  and  both  re- 
ceiving their  destiny,  not  only  before  they 
had  done  good  or  evil,  but  before  they  were  in 
a capacity  to  do  it,  they  being  yet  unborn — 
their  destiny,  I say,  the  one  unto,  the  other 
not  unto,  the  blessing  of  eternal  life;  the  one 
chosen,  the  other  refused;  the  one  elect,  the 
other  reprobate.  The  same  also  might  be  said 
of  Ishmael  and  his  brother  Isaac,  both  which 
did  also  receive. their  destiny  before  they  came 
into  the  world.  For  the  promise  that  this 
Isaac  should  be  the  heir,  it  was  also  before 
Ishmael  was  born,  though  he  was  elder  by 
fourteen  years  or  more  than  his  brothex-.  And 
it  is  yet  further  evident — 

1.  Because  election  is  an  act  of  gi'ace : 
“There  is  a remnant,  according  to  the  elec- 
tion of  grace,”  which  act  of  grace  saw  no  way 
so  fit  to  discover  its  purity  and  independency 
as  by  fastening  on  the  object  before  it  came 
into  the  world,  that  being  the  state  in  which 
at  least  no  good  were  done,  either  to  procure 
good  from  God  or  to  eclipse  and  darken  this 
precious  act  of  grace;  for  though  it  is  true 
that  no  good  thing  that  we  have  done  before 
conversion  can  obtain  the  grace  of  election, 
yet  the  gi-aee  of  election  then  appeareth  most 
when  it  prevents  our  doing  good,  that  we 
might  be  loved  therefor;  wherefore  he  saith 
again,  “ That  the  pui-pose  of  God  according  to 
election  might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  Him 
that  calleth,  it  was  said  unto  her,  The  elder 
shall  serve  the  younger.” 

2.  This  is  most  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the 
promise  of  giving  seed  to  Abraham ; which  pro- 
mise, as  it  was  made  before  the  child  was  con- 
ceived, so  it  was  fulfilled  at  the  best  time  for 
the  discovery  of  the  act  of  grace  that  could 
have  been  pitched  upon  : “At  this  time  will  I 
come,  (saith  God,)  and  Sarah  shall  have  a son ;” 
which  promise,  .because  it  carried  in  its  bowels 
the  very  grace  of  electing  love,  therefore  it  left 
out  Ishmael,  with  the  children  of  Keturah: 
“For  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called.” 

3.  This  was  the  best  and  fittest  way  for  the 


decrees  to  receive  sound  bottom,  even  for  God 
both  to  choose  and  refuse  before  the  creature 
hath  done  good  or  evil,  and  so  before  they 
came  into  the  world:  “That  the  purpose  of 
God,  according  to  election,  might  stand,  saith 
he,  therefore  before  the  children  were  yet  born, 
or  had  done  any  good  or  evil,  it  was  said  unto 
her,”  &c.  God’s  decree  would  for  ever  want 
foundation  should  it  depend  at  all  upon  the 
goodness  and  holiness  either  of  men  or  angels; 
especially  if  it  were  to  stand  upon  that  good 
that  is  wrought  before  conversion,  yea,  or  after  ' 
convei'sion  either.  We  find  by  daily  experience 
how  hard  and  difficult  it  is  for  even  the  holiest 
in  the  world  to  bear  up  and  maintain  their  faith 
and  love  to  God ; yea,  so  hard  as  not  at  all  to 
do  it  without  continual  supplies  from  heaven. 
How  then  is  it  possible  for  any  so  to  carry  it 
before  God  as  to  lay  by  this  his  holiness  a 
foundation  for  election,  as  to  maintain  that 
foundation  and  thereby  to  procure  all  those 
graces  that  infallibly  save  the  sinner?  But 
now  the  choice,  I say,  being  a choice  of  grace, 
as  is  manifest,  it  being  acted  before  the  crea- 
ture’s birth,  here  grace  hath  laid  the  corner- 
stone and  determined  the  means  to  bring  the 
work  to  perfection.  “Thus  the  foundation  of 
God  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  The  Lord 
knoweth  who  are  his;”  that  is,  who  he  hath 
chosen,  having  excluded  works,  both  good  and 
bad,  and  founded  all  in  an  unchangeable  act 
of  grace ; the  negative  whereof  is  this  harmless 
reprobation. 

II.  But,  secondly,  to  step  a little  backward, 
and  so  to  make  all  sure,  this  act  of  reprobation 
was  before  the  world  began ; which  therefore 
must  needs  confirm  that  which  was  said  but 
now,  that  they  were,  before  they  were  born, 
both  destinated  before  they  had  done  good  or 
evil.  This  is  manifest  by  that  of  Paul  to  the 
Ephesians  at  the  beginning  of  his  epistle; 
where,  speaking  of  election,  whose  negative  is 
reprobation,  he  saith,  “God  hath  chosen  us  in 
Christ  befoi'e  the  foundation  of  the  world.” 
Nay  furthei’,  if  you  please,  consider  that  as 
Chi'ist  was  oi'dained  to  suffer  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world,  and  as  we  that  are  elected 
were  chosen  in  him  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  so  it  was  also  ordained  we  should 
know  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world ; 
oi'dained  that  we  should  be  holy  befoi'e  him  in 
love  before  the  foundation  of  the  world ; and 
that  we  in  time  should  be  created  in  him  to 
good  works,  and  ordained  before  that  we  should 
walk  in  them.  Wherefore  repi-obation  also, 
it  being  the  negative  of  electing  love;  that  is, 


RE  PR  OB  A TION  ASSER  TED. 


609 


because  God  elected  but  some,  therefore  he  left 
the  rest;  these  rest  therefore  must  needs  be  of 
as  ancient  standing  under  reprobation  as  the 
chosen  are  under  election;  both  which,  it  is 
also  evident,  was  before  the  world  began. 
Which  serveth  yet  further  to  prove  that  rep- 
robation could  not  be  with  respect  to  this  or 
the  other  sin,  it  being  only  a leaving  them, 
and  that  before  the  world,  out  of  that  free 
choice  which  he  was  pleased  to  bless  the  other 
with.  Even  as  the  clay  with  which  the  dis- 
honourable vessel  is  made  did  not  provoke  the 
potter,  for  the  sake  of  this  or  that  impediment, 
therefore  to  make  it  so,  but  the  potter  of  his 
own  will,  of  the  clay  of  the  same  lump,  of  the 
clay  that  is  full  as  good  as  that  of  which  he 
hath  made  the  vessel  to  honour,  did  make  this 
and  the  other  vessel  to  dishonour,  &c.* 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  the  Causes  of  Reprobation. 

Haying  thus  in  a word  or  two  showed  the 
antiquity  of  reprobation,  I now  come  in  this 
place  to  show  you  the  causes  thereof;  for 
doubtless  this  must  stand  a truth,  that  what- 
ever God  doth,  there  is  sufficient  ground  there- 
for, whether  by  us  apprehended  or  else  with- 
out our  reach. 

First,  then.  It  is  caused  from  the  very  na- 
ture of  God.  There  are  two  things  in  God 
from  which  or  by  the  virtue  of  which  all 
things  have  their  rise — to  wit,  the  eternity  of 
God  in  general,  and  the  eternal  perfection  of 
every  one  of  his  attributes  in  particular;  for 
as  by  the  first  he  must  needs  be  before  all 
things,  so  by  virtue  of  the  second  must  all 
things  consist.  And  as  he  is  before  all  things, 
they  having  consistence  by  him,  so  also  is  he 
before  all  states  or  their  causes,  be  they  either 
good  or  bad,  of  continuance  or  otherwise,  he 
being  the  first  without  beginning,  &c.,  whereas 
all  other  things,  with  their  causes,  have  rise, 
dependence,  or  toleration  of  being  from 
him. 

Hence  it  follows  that  nothing,  either  person 
or  cause,  &c.,  can  by  any  means  have  a being 
but  first  he  knows  thereof,  allows  thereof,  and 

* They  who  diligently  attend  to  the  Scriptures  will 
find  throughout  the  whole  a vein  of  election  and  rep- 
robation. The  holy  seed  may  be  traced  in  many  in- 
stances and  in  divers  families  in  the  Bible,  from 
A dam  to  the  birth  of  our  Saviour,  whose  ancestors  ac- 


decrees  it  shall  be  so:  “Who  is  he  that  saith 
and  it  cometli  to  pass  when  the  Lord  com- 
mandeth  it  not?”  Now,  then,  because  that 
reprobation,  as  well  as  election,  are  subordi- 
nate to  God,  his  will  also,  which  is  eternally 
perfect,  being  most  immediately  herein  con- 
cerned, it  was  impossible  that  any  should  be 
reprobate  before  God  hath  both  willed  and  de- 
creed it  should  be  so.  It  is  not  the  being  of  a 
thing  that  administers  matter  of  knowledge  or 
foresight  thereof  to  God,  but  the  perfection  of  ^ 
his  knowledge,  wisdom,  and  power,  &c.,  that 
giveth  the  thing  its  being.  God  did  not  fore- 
decree there  should  be  a world  because  he  fore- 
saw there  would  be  one,  but  there  must  be  one 
because  he  had  before  decreed  there  should  be 
one.  The  same  is  true  as  touching  the  case  in 
hand:  “For  this  very  purpose  have  I raised 
thee  up,  that  I might  show  in  thee  my 
power.” 

Secondly.  A second  cause  of  eternal  repro 
bation  is  the  exercise  of  God’s  sovereignty; 
for  if  this  is  true,  that  there  is  nothing  either 
visible  or  invisible,  whether  in  heaven  or  earth, 
but  hath  its  being  from  him,  then  it  must  most 
reasonably  follow  that  he  is  therefore  sovereign 
Lord,  &c.,  and  may  also  according  to  his  own 
will,  as  he  pleaseth  himself,  both  exercise  and 
manifest  the  same,  being  every  whit  absolute, 
and  can  do  and  may  do  whatsoever  his  soul 
desireth  ; and  indeed  good  reason,  for  he  hath 
not  only  made  them  all,  but  for  his  pleasure 
they  both  were  and  are  created. 

Now  the  very  exercise  of  this  sovereignty 
produceth  reprobation ; therefore  bath  he  mercy 
on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he 
will  he  hardeneth ; hath  not  the  potter  power 
over  the  clay'  of  the  same  lump  ? and  doth  he 
not  make  his  pots  according  to  liis  pleasure? 
Here  therefore  the  mercy',  justice,  wisdom,  and 
power  of  God  take  liberty  to  do  what  they 
will,  saying,  “My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I 
will  do  all  my'  pleasure.” 

Thirdly.  Another  cause  of  eternal  reproba- 
tion is  the  act  and  working  of  distinguishing 
love  and  everlasting  grace.  God  hath  univer- 
sal love  and  particular  love,  general  love  and 
distinguishing  love;  and  so  accordingly  doth 
decree,  purpose,  and  determine,  from  general 
love,  the  extension  of  general  grace  and  mercy, 
but  from  that  love  that  is  distinguishing,  pe- 

cording  to  the  flesh  were  of  the  line  of  election  or  the 
godly,  which  those  who  are  only  born  after  the  flesh, 
and  not  after  the  Spirit — namely,  the  reprobate — have 
always  despised  and  persecuted,  and  will  do  so  to  th« 
end  of  time. 


700 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


culiar  grace  and  mercy:  “Was  not  Esau  Ja- 
cob’s brother?  Yet  I loved  Jacob,”  saith  the 
Lord;  (yet  I loved  Jacob,)  that  is,  with  a bet- 
ter love,  or  a love  that  is  more  distinguishing ; 
as  he  farther  makes  appear  in  his  answer  to 
our  father  Abraham,  when. he  prayed  to  God 
for  Ishmael : “ As  for  Ishmael,  (saith  he,)  I 

have  heard  thee ; behold  I have  blessed  him 

* 

and  will  also  make  him  fruitful ; but  my  cove- 
nant will  I establish  with  Isaac,  whom  Sarah 
shall  bear  unto  thee.”  Touching  which  words 
there  are  these  things  observable : 

1.  That  God  had  better  love  for  Isaac  than 
he  had  for  his  brother  Ishmael.  Yet, 

2.  Not  because  Isaac  had  done  more  worthy 
and  goodly  deeds,  for  Isaac  was  yet  unborn. 

3.  This  choice  blessing,  could  not  be  denied 
to  Ishmael  because  he  had  disinherited  himself 
by  sin,  for  this  blessing  was  entailed  to  Isaac 
before  Ishmael  had  a being  also. 

4.  These  things  therefore  must  needs  fall  out 
through  the  working  of  distinguishing  love 
and  mercy,  which  has  so  cast  the  business 
“ that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election 
might  stand.” 

Further.  Should  not  God  decree  to  show  dis- 
tinguishing love  and  mercy,  as  well  as  that 
which  is  general  and  common,  he  must  not 
discover  his  best  love  at  all  to  the  sons  of  men. 
Again,  if  he  should  reveal  and  extend  his  best 
love  to  all  the  world  in  general,  then  there 
would  not  be  such  a thing  as  love  that  doth  dis- 
tinguish ; for  distinguishing  love  appeareth  in 
separating  between  Isaac  and  Ishmael,  Jacob 
and  Esau,  the  many  called  and  the  few  chosen. 
Thus  by  virtue  of  distinguishing  love  some 
must  be  reprobate,  for  distinguishing  love 
must  leave  some,  both  of  the  angels  in  heaven 
and  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth ; wherefore 
the  decree  also  that  doth  establish  it  must 
needs  leave  some. 

Fourthly.  Another  cause  of  reprobation  is 
God’s  willingness  to  show  his  wrath  and  to 
make  his  power  known.  This  is  one  of  those 
arguments  that  the  holy  apostle  setteth  against 
the  most  knotty  and  strong  objection  that  ever 
was  framed  against  the  doctrine  of  eternal 
reprobation:  “Thou  wilt  say  then,  (saith  he,) 
Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault?  for  if  it  be  his 
will  that  some  should  be  rejected,  hardened,  and 
perish,  why  then  is  he  offended  that  any  sin 

It  is  of  God’s  mere  mercy  and  grace  that  any  sin- 
ners are  called  and  admitted  to  the  privilege  of  justi- 
fication and  adoption  upon  God’s  own  terms.  The 
reason  why  the  sinful  and  unworthy  heathen  (of  whom 
Britain  is  a part)  were  called  to  be  a people  who  were 


against  him,  for  who  hath  resisted  his  will  ?” 
Hold,  saith  the  apostle ; stay  a little  here ; first 
remember  this : is  it  meet  to  say  uuto  God, 
What  doest  thou?  Shall  the  thing  formed 
say  to  him  that  formed  it,  Why  hast  thou 
made  me  thus?  Hath  not  the  potter  powei 
over  the  clay  of  the  same  lump?”  &c.  Be- 
sides, when  you  have  thought  your  worst — to 
wit,  that  the  effects  of  reprobation  must  needs 
be  consummate  in  the  eternal  perdition  of  the 
creature — yet  again  consider  what  if  God  be 
willing  to  show  his  wrath  as  well  as  grace  and 
mercy?  And  what  if  he,  that  he  may  so  do, 
exclude  some  from  having  share  in  that  grace 
that  would  infallibly,  against  all  resistance, 
bring  us  safe  unto  eternal  life?  What  then? 
Is  he  therefore  the  author  of  your  perishing  or 
his  eternal  reprobation  either?  Do  you  not 
know  that  he  may  refuse  to  elect  who  he  will 
without  abusing  of  them?  Also  that  lie  may 
deny  to  give  them  that  grace  that  would  preserve 
them  from  siu  without  being  guilty  of  their 
damnation  ? May  he  not,  to  show  his  wrath, 
suffer  with  much  long-suffering  all  that  are  the 
vessels  of  wrath  by  their  own  voluntary  will, 
to  fit  themselves  for  wrath  and  for  destruction  ? 
Yea,  might  he  not  even  in  the  act  of  reproba- 
tion conclude  also  to  suffer  them  thus  left  to  fall 
from  the  state  he  had  left  them  in — that  is  as 
they  were  considered,  upright — and  when  fallen 
to  bind  them  fast  in  chains  of  darkness  unto 
the  judgment  of  the  great  day,  but  he  must 
needs  be  charged  foolishly?  You  shall  see  in 
that  day  what  a harmony  and  what  a glory 
there  will  be  found  in  all  God’s  judgments  in 
the  overthrow  of  the  sinner;  also  how  clear 
the  Lord  will  show  himself  of  having  any 
working  hand  in  that  which  causeth  eternal 
ruin,  notwithstanding  he  hath  reprobated 
such,  doth  suffer  them  to  sin,  and  that  too  that 
he  might  show  his  wrath  on  the  vessels  of  his 
wrath ; the  which  I also  after  this  next  chap- 
ter shall  further  clear  up  to  you.  As  the  Lord 
knows  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  tempta- 
tion without  approving  of  their  miscarriages, 
so  he  also  knoweth  how  to  reserve  the  ungodly 
unto  the  day  of  judgment  to  be  punished,  yet 
never  to  deserve  the  least  of  blame  for  his  so 
reserving  of  them,  though  none  herein  can 
see  his  way,  for  he  alone  knows  how  to  do 
it* 


not  a people,  while  the  Jews  were  left  out  anti  cast  off 
for  their  obstinate  unbelief,  was  not  because  the  Gen- 
tiles were  either  more  worthy  or  more  willing,  (for  they 
were  all  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,)  but  from  God’s 
discriminating  grace  and  mercy. 


HE  PR  OB  A TION  A SSER  TE  D. 


701 


CHAPTER  V. 

Of  the  Unchangeableness  of  Eternal  Repro- 
bation. 

Many  opinions  have  passed  through  the 
hearts  of  the  sons  of  men  concerning  reproba- 
tion, most  of  them  endeavouring  so  to  hold  it 
forth  as  therewith  they  might,  if  not  heal  their 
conscience  slightly,  yet  maintain  their  own 
opinion  in  their  judgment  of  other  things; 
still  wringing  now  the  word  this  way,  and 
anon  again  that,  for  their  purpose;  also  fram- 
ing within  their  soul  such  an  imagination  of 
God  and  his  acts  in  eternity  as  would  suit  with 
such  opinions,  and  so  present  all  to  the  world. 
And  the  rather  they  have  with  greatest  labour 
strained  unweariedly  at  this  above  many  other 
truths  because  of  the  grim  and  dreadful  face  it 
carrieth  in  most  men’s  apprehensions.  But 
none  of  these  things,  however  they  may  please 
the  creature,  can  by  any  means  in  any  meas- 
ure either  cause  God  to  undo,  unsay,  or  unde- 
termine what  he  hath  concerning  this  decreed 
and  established. 

First.  Because  they  suit  not  with  his  nature, 
especially  in  these  foundation  acts.  The  foun- 
dation of  God  standeth  sure,  even  touching 
reprobation,  that  the  purpose  of  God  according 
to  election  might  stand.  “ I know  (saith 
Solomon)  that  whatsoever  the  Lord  doth,  it 
abideth  for  ever ; nothing  can  be  put  unto  it 
nor  anything  taken  from  it,  &c.  Hath  he  said 
it,  and  shall  he  not  do  it?  Hath  he  spoken, 
and  shall  he  not  bring  it  to  pass?”  His  de- 
crees are  composed  according  to  his  eternal 
wisdom,  established  upon  his  unchangeable 
will,  governed  by  his  knowledge,  prudence, 
power,  justice,  and  mercy,  and  are  brought  to 
conclusion  (on  his  part)  in  perfect  holiness, 
through  the  abiding  of  his  most  blessed  truth 
and  faithfulness:  “He  is  a rock,  his  way  is 
perfect,  for  all  his  works  are  judgment:  a God 
of  truth  and  without  iniquity,  just  and  right 
is  he.” 

Secondly.  This  decree  is  made  sure  by  the 
number,  measure,  and  bounds  of  election,  for 
election  and  reprobation  do  enclose  all  reason- 
able creatures;  that  is,  either  the  one  or  the 
other — election,  those  that  are  set  apart  for 
glory ; and  reprobation,  those  left  out  of  this 
choice. 

Now  as  touching  the  elect,  they  are  by  this 
decree  confined  to  that  limited  number  of  per- 
sons that  must  amount  to  the  complete  making 


up  the  fulness  cf  the  mystical  body  of  Christ; 
yea,  so  confined  by  his  eternal  purpose  that 
nothing  can  be  diminished  from  or  added 
thereunto ; and  hence  it  is  that  they  are  called 
his  body  and  members  in  particular,  the  ful- 
ness of  Him  that  fills  all  in  all,  and  the  measure 
of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ ; which 
body,  considering  him  as  the  Head  thereof,  in 
conclusion  maketh  up  one  perfect  man  and 
holy  temple  for  the  Lord.  These  are  Christ’s 
substance,  inheritance,  and  lot;  and  are  said 
to  be  booked,  marked,  and  sealed  with  God’s 
most  excellent  knowledge,  approbation,  and 
liking.  As  Christ  said  to  his  Father,  “ Thine 
eyes  did  see  my  substance  yet  being  imperfect, 
and  in  thy  book  are  all  my  members  written, 
which  in  continuapce  were  fashioned  when  as 
yet  there  was  none  of  them.”  This  being 
thus,  I say  it  is  in  the  first  place  impossible 
that  any  of  those  members  should  miscarry, 
“for  who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of 
God’s  elect?”  And  because  they  are  as  to 
number  every  way  sufficient,  being  his  body 
and  so  by  their  completing  to  be  made  a per- 
fect man,  therefore  all  others  are  rejected,  that 
the  “purpose  of  God  according  to  election 
might  stand.”  Besides,  it  would  not  only 
argue  weakness  in  the  decree,  but  monsfrous- 
ness  in  the  body,  if  after  this  any  appointed 
should  miscarry  or  any  besides  them  be  added 
to  them. 

Thirdly.  Nay,  further,  that  all  may  see  how 
punctual,  exact  and  to  a tittle  this  degree  of 
election  is,  God  hath  not  only  as  to  number 
and  quantity  confined  the  persons,  but  also 
determined  and  measured,  and  that  before  the 
world,  the  number  of  the  gifts  and  graces  that 
are  to  be  bestowed  on  these  members  in  gen- 
eral, and  also  what  graces  and  gifts  to  be  be- 
stowed on  this  or  that  member  in  particular : 
“ He  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  bless- 
ings in  Christ,  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us 
in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world;” 
and  bestoweth  them  in  time  upon  us,  “ accord- 
ing to  the  eternal  purpose  which  he  purposed 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.”  He  hath  given  to 
the  eye  the  grace  that  belongeth  to  the  eye, 
and  to  the  hand  that  which  he  also  hath  ap- 
pointed for  it ; and  so  to  every  other  member 
of  the  body  elect  he  doth  deal  out  to  them 
their  determined  measures  of  grace  and  gifts 
most  fit  for  their  place  and  office.  Thus  is  the 
decree  established  both  of  the  saved  and  also 
of  the  non-elect.* 


*■  Election  is  a free,  unmerited  favour,  vouchsafed 
to  some,  hut  not  to  all.  God’s  people  are  chosen  in 


Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  they 
should  be  holy,  &o.  Eph.  i.  4.  Ho  chose  when  he 


702 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Fourthly.  But  again,  another  thing  that 
doth  establish  this  decree  of  eternal  reproba- 
tion is  the  weakness  that  sin  in  the  fall  and 
since  hath  brought  all  reprobates  into;  for 
though  it  be  most  true  that  sin  is  no  cause  of 
eternal  reprobation,  yet  seeing  sin  hath  seized 
on  the  reprobate,  it  cannot  be  but  thereby  the 
decree  must  needs  be  the  faster  fixed.  If  the 
king,  for  this  or  the  other  weighty  reason,  doth 
decree  not  to  give  this  or  that  man  (who  yet 
did  never  offend  him)  a place  in  his  privy 
chamber,  if  this  man  after  this  shall  be  in- 
fected with  the  plague,  this  rather  fastens  than 
loosens  the  king’s  decree;  as  the  angels  that 
were  left  out  of  God’s  election,  by  reason  of 
the  sin  they  committed  after,  are  so  far  off 
from  being  by  that  received  into  God’s  decree 
that  they  are  therefore  bound  for  it  in  chains 
of  everlasting  darkness  to  the  judgment  of  the 
great  day. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Whether  to  he  Reprobated  he  the  same  with 
being  Appointed  beforehand  unto  Eternal 
Condemnation  ? If  not,  how  do  they 
Differ  f Also  whether  Reprobation  be  the 
Cause  of  Condemnation  ? 

It  hath  been  the  custom  of  ignorant  men 
much  to  quarrel  at  eternal  reprobation,  con- 
cluding (for  want  of  knowledge  in  the  mystery 
of  God’s  will)  that  if  he  reprobate  any  from 
eternity  he  had  as  good  as  said,  “ I will  make 
this  man  to  damn  him ; I will  decree,  this 
man,  without  any  consideration,  to  the  ever- 
lasting pains  of  hell,”  when,  in  very  deed, 
for  God  to  reprobate,  and  to  appoint  before- 
hand to  eternal  condemnation,  are  two  distinct 
things,  properly  relating  to  two  distinct  attri- 
butes, arising  from  two  distinct  causes. 

First.  They  are  two  distinct  things.  Rep- 
robation is  a simple  leaving  of  the  creature 
out  of  the  bounds  of  God’s  election,  but  to 
appoint  to  condemnation  is  to  bind  them  over 
to  everlasting  punishment.  Now,  there  is  a 
great  difference  between  my  refusing  to  make 
of  such  a tree  a pillar  in  my  house,  and  of 
condemning  it  unto  the  fire  to  be  burned. 

Secondly.  As  to  the  attributes.  Reproba- 
tion respects  God’s  sovereignty,  but  to  appoint 
to  condemnation,  his  justice. 

might  have  refused  : his  book  is  a book  of  love  : the 
cause  of  our  love  is  in  the  object,  not  the  subject ; the 


Thirdly.  As  to  the  causes.  Sovereignty 
being  according  to  the  will  of  God,  but  justice 
according  to  the  sin  of  man.  For  God,  though 
he  be  the  only  sovereign  Lord,  and  that  to  the 
height  of  perfection,  yet  he  appointeth  no  man 
to  the  pains  of  everlasting  fire,  merely  from 
sovereignty,  but  by  the  rule  of  justice.  God 
damneth  not  the  man  because  he  is  a man,  but 
a sinner,  and  foreappoints  him  to  that  place 
and  state  by  foreseeing  of  him  wicked. 

Again,  as  reprobation  is  not  the  same  with 
foreappointing  to  eternal  condemnation,  so 
neither  is  it  the  cause  thereof. 

If  it  be  the  cause,  then  it  must  either — 

1.  Leave  him  infirm ; or, 

2.  Infuse  sin  into  him ; or, 

3.  Take  from  him  something  that  otherwise 
would  keep  him  upright ; or, 

4.  Or  both  license  Satan  to  tempt  and  the 
reprobate  to  close  in  with  the  temptation.  But 
it  doth  none  of  these ; therefore  it  is  not  the 
cause  of  the  condemnation  of  the  creature. 

That  it  is  not  the  cause  of  sin  it  is  evident — 

1.  Because  the  elect  are  as  much  involved 
therein  as  those  that  are  passed  by. 

2.  It  leaveth  him  not  infirm ; for  he  is  by  an 
after  act — to  wit,  of  creation — formed  perfectly 
upright. 

3.  That  reprobation  infuseth  no  sin  appear- 
eth,  because  it  is  the  act  of  God. 

4.  That  it  taketh  nothing  (that  good  is)  from 
him  is  also  manifest,  it  being  only  a leaving 
of  him. 

5.  And  that  it  is  not  by  this  act  that  Satan 
is  permitted  to  tempt  or  the  reprobate  to  sin  is 
manifest;  because  as  Christ  was  tempted,  so 
the  elect  fall  as  much  into  the  temptation,  at 
least  many  of  them,  as  many  of  those  that  are 
reprobate;  whereas  if  these  things  came  by 
reprobation,  then  the  reprohate  would  be  only 
concerned  therein.  All  which  will  be  further 
handled  in  these  questions  yet  behind. 

Objection.  From  what  hath  been  said,  there 
is  concluded  this  at  least,  that  God  hath  in- 
fallibly determined,  and  that  before  the  world, 
the  infallible  damnation  of  some  of  his  crea- 
tures ; for  if  God  hath  before  the  world  bound 
some  over  to  eternal  punishment,  and  that,  as 
you  say,  for  sin,  then  this  determination  must 
either  be  fallible  or  infallible;  not  fallible,  for 
then  your  other  position  of  the  certainty  of 
the  number  of  God’s  elect  is  shaken,  unless 
you  hold  that  there  may  be  a number  that 

reason  of  God’s  love  is  in  himself:  “He  will  have 
mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy.”  The  gifts  of 
God  are  sovereign  as  well  as  free. 


l£  PRINT.  CAT.  SUPP.  IRAfl-5? 


R EPR  OB  A TION  A SSER  TED. 


703 


shall  neither  go  to  heaven  or  hell.  Well,  then, 
if  God  hath  indeed  determined,  foredetermined, 
that  some  must  infallibly  perish,  doth  not  this 
his  determination  lay  a necessity  on  the  repro- 
bate to  sin,  that  he  may  be  damned?  for  no 
sin,  no  damnation.  That  is  your  own  argu- 
ment. 

Answer.  That  God  hath  ordained  (Jude  4) 
the  damnation  of  some  of  his  creatures  is  evi- 
dent; but  whether  this  his  determination  be 
positive  and  absolute,  there  is  the  question  ; 
for  the  better  understanding  whereof  I shall 
open  unto  you  the  variety  of  God’s  determi- 
nations and  their  nature,  as  also  rise. 

The  determinations  of  God  touching  the  de- 
struction of  the  creature,  they  are  either  ordi- 
nary or  extraordinary ; those  I count  ordinary 
that  were  commonly  pronounced  by  the  proph- 
ets and  apostles,  &c.,  in  their  ordinary  way  of 
preaching,  to  the  end  men  might  be  affected 
with  the  love  of  their  own  salvation  ; now  these 
are  either  hound  or  loosed  but  as  the  condition 
or  qualification  was  answered  by  the  creature 
under  sentence,  and  no  otherwise. 

Again.  These  extraordinary,  though  they 
respect  the  same  conditions,  yet  they  are  not 
grounded  immediately  upon  them,  hut  upon 
the  infallible  foreknowledge  and  foresight  of 
God,  and  are  thus  distinguished : first,  the  or- 
dinary determination;  it  stands  hut  at  best 
upon  a supposition  that  the  creature  may  con- 
tinue in  sin,  and  admits  of  a possibility  that  it 
may  not,  hut  the  extraordinary  stands  upon  an 
infallible  foresight  that  the  creature  will  con- 
tinue in  sin;  wherefore  this  must  needs  he 
positive  and  as  infallible  as  God  himself. 

Again.  These  two  determinations  are  also 
distinguished  thus:  the  ordinary  is  applicable 
to  the  elect  as  well  as  to  the  reprobate,  but  the 
other  to  the  reprobate  only;  it  is  proper  to 
say,  even  to  the  elect  themselves,  “ He  that 
believeth  shall  be  saved,  and  he  that  believeth 
not  shall  be  damned ;”  but  not  to  say  to  them, 
These  are  appointed  to  utter  destruction,  or 
that  they  shall  utterly  perish  in  their  own  cor- 
ruptions, or  that  for  them  is  reserved  the  black- 
ness of  darkness  for  ever. 

So,  then,  though  God  by  these  determina- 
tions doth  not  lay  some  under  irrecoverable 
condemnation,  yet  by  one  of  them  he  doth,  as 
is  further  made  out  thus : 

1.  God  most  perfectly  foreseeth  the  final 
impenitency  of  those  that  do  sin  from  the  be- 
ginning to  the  end  of  the  world. 

2.  Now  from  this  infallible  foresight  it  is 
most  easy  and  rational  to  conclude,  and  that 


positively,  the  infallible  overthrow  of  every 
such  creature.  Did  I infallibly  foresee  that 
this  or  that  man  would  cut  out  his  heart  in 
the  morning,  I might  infallibly  determine  his 
death  before  night. 

Objection.  But  still  the  question  is,  Whether 
God  by  this  his  determination  doth  not  lay  a 
necessity  on  the  creature  to  sin  ? for  no  sin, 
no  condemnation.  This  is  true  by  your  own 
assertion. 

Answer.  No,  by  no  means,  for — 

1.  Though  it  be  true  that  sin  must  of 
absolute  necessity  go  before  the  infallible 
condemnation  and  overthrow  of  the  sinner, 
and  that  it  must  also  be  preconsidered  by 
God,  yet  it  needs  not  lay  a necessity  upon 
him  to  sin ; for  let  him  but  alone  to  do  what 
he  will,  and  the  determination  cannot  be  more 
infallible  than  the  sin  which  is  the  cause  of  its 
execution. 

2.  As  it  needs  not,  so  it  doth  not;  for  this 
positive  determination  is  not  grounded  upon 
what  God  will  effect,  but  on  what  the  creature 
will ; and  that  not  through  the  instigation  of 
God,  but  the  instigation  of  the  devil.  What! 
might  not  I,  if  I most  undoubtedly  foresaw 
that  such  a tree  in  my  garden  would  only 
cumber  the  ground,  (notwithstanding  reason- 
able means,) — might  not  I,  I say,  from  hence 
determine  (seven  years  before)  to  cut  it  down 
and  burn  it  in  the  fire,  but  I must,  by  so  deter- 
mining, necessitate  this  tree  to  be  fruitless? 
The  case  in  hand  is  the  very  same.  God. 
therefore  may  most  positively  determine  the 
infallible  damnation  of  his  creature,  and  yet 
not  at  all  necessitate  the  creature  to  sin  that 
he  might  be  damned. 

Objection.  But  how  is  this  similitude  perti- 
nent? For  God  did  not  only  foresee  sin 
wbuld  be  the  destruction  of  the  creature, 
but  let  it  come  into  the  world  and  so  destroy 
the  creature.  If  you,  as  you  foresee  the  fruit- 
lessness of  your  tree,  should  withal  see  that 
which  makes  it  so,  and  that  too  before  it 
makes  it  so,  and  yet  let  the  impediment  come 
and  make  it  so,  are  not  you  now  the  cause 
of  the  unfruitfulness  of  that  tree  which  you 
have  before  condemned  to  the  fire  to  be 
burned  ? for  God  might  have  chosen  whether 
he  would  have  let  Adam  sin,  and  so  sin  to 
have  got  into  the  world  by  him. 

Answer.  Similitudes  never  answer  every 
way:  if  they  be  pertinent  to  that  for  which 
they  are  intended,  it  is  enough ; and  to  that 
it  answereth  well,  being  brought  to  prove  no 
more  but  the  natural  consequence  of  a true 


704 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  infallible  foresight.  And  now  as  to  what 
is  objected  further,  as  that  God  might  have 
chosen  whether  sin  should  have  come  into  the 
world  by  Adam  to  the  destruction  of  so  many, 
to  that  I shall  answer — 

1 That  sin  could  not  have  come  into  the 
world  without  God’s  permission,  it  is  evident 
both  from  the  perfection  of  his  foresight  and 
power. 

2.  Therefore  all  the  means,  motives,  and  in- 
ducements thereunto  must  also  by  him  be  not 
only  foreseen,  but  permitted. 

3.  Yet  so  that  God  will  have  the  timing, 
proceeding,  bounding,  and  ordering  thereof  at 
his  disposal : “ Surely  the  wrath  of  man  shall 
praise  thee,  and  the  remainder  of  wrath  shalt 
thou  restrain.” 

4.  Therefore  it  must  needs  come  into  the 
world,  not  without,  but  by  the  knowledge  of 
God ; not  in  despite  of  him,  but  by  his  suffer- 
ing of  it. 

Objection.  But  how  then  is  he  clear  from 
having  a hand  in  the  death  of  him  that 
perish  eth? 

Answer.  Nothing  is  more  sure  than  that 
God,  could  have  kept  sin  out  of  the  world 
if  it  had  been  his  will;  and  this  is  also  as 
true,  that  it  never  came  into  the  world  with 
his  liking  and  compliance;  and  for  this  you 
must  consider  that  sin  came  into  the  world  by 
two  steps — 

1.  By  being  offered. 

2.  By  prevailing. 

Touching  the  first  of  these,  God,  without 
the  least  injury  to  any  creature  in  heaven  or 
earth,  might  not  only  suffer  it,  but  so  far 
countenance  the  same  that  is  so  far  forth  as 
for  trial  only,  as  it  is  said  of  Abraham,  “God 
tempted  Abraham  to  slay  his  only  son,  and 
led  Christ  by  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness  to 
be  tempted  of  the  devil.”  This  is  done  with- 
out any  harm  at  all;  nay,  it  rather  produceth 
good,  for  it  tends  to  discover  sincerity,  to  ex- 
ercise faith  in  and  love  to  his  Creator,  also  to 
put  him  in  mind  of  the  continual  need  he  hath 
of  depending  on  his  God  for  the  continuation 
of  help  and  strength,  and  to  provoke  to 
prayers  to  God  whenever  so  engaged. 

Objection.  But  God  did  not  only  admit  that 
sin  should  be  offered  for  trial,  and  there  to 
stay,  but  did  suffer  it  to  prevail  aud  overcome 
the  world. 

Answer.  Well,  this  is  granted;  but  yet  con- 
sider— 

1.  God  did  neither  suffer  it  nor  yet  consent 
lit  should,  but  under  this  consideration : if 


Adam,  upright  Adam,  gave  way  thereto  by 
forsaking  his  command,  “in  the  day  thou 
eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely  die  ” — which 
Adam  did,  not  because  God  did  compel  him 
or  persuade  him  to  it,  but  voluntarily  of  his 
own  mind,  contrary  to  his  God’s  command — so, 
then,  God,  by  suffering  sin  to  break  into  the 
world,  did  it  rather  in  judgment,  as  disliking 
Adam’s  act,  and  as  a punishment  to  man  for 
listening  to  the  tempter,  and  as  a discovery 
of  his  anger  at  man’s  disobedience,  fhan 
to  prove  that  he  is  guilty  of  the  misery  of  his 
creature. 

2.  Consider  also  that  when  God  permitted 
sin  for  trial,  it  was,  when  offered  first,  to  them 
only  who  were  upright  and  had  sufficient 
strength  to  resist  it. 

3.  They  were  by  God’s  command  to  the 
contrary  driven  to  no  strait  to  tempt  them  to 
incline  to  Satan  : “Of  every  tree  of  the  garden 
thou  mayest  freely  eat,  saith . God ; only  let 
this  alone.” 

4.  As  touching  the  beauty  and  goodness 
that  was  in  the  object  unto  which  they  were 
allured,  what  was  it?  Was  it  better  than 
God  ? yea,  was  it  better  than  the  tree  of  life, 
for  from  that  they  were  not  exempted  till 
after  they  had  sinned?  Did  not  God  know 
best  what  was  to  do  them  good? 

2.  Touching  him  that  persuaded  them  to  do 
this  wicked  act:  was  his  word  more  to  be 
valued  for  truth,  more  to  be  ventured  on  for 
safety,  or  more  to  be  honoured  for  the  worthi- 
ness of  him  that  spake,  than  was  His  that  had 
forbade  it;  the  one  being  the  devil,  with  a lie, 
and  to  kill  them ; the  other  being  God,  with 
his  truth,  and  to  preserve  them  safe? 

Question.  But  was  not  Adam  unexpectedly 
surprised?  Had  he  notice  beforehand  and 
warning  of  the  danger,  for  God  foresaw  the 
business  ? 

Answer.  Doubtless  God  was  fair  and  faithful 
to  his  creature  in  this  thing  also,  as  clearly 
doth  appear  from  these  considerations : 

1.  The  very  commandment  that  God  gave 
him  forebespake  him  well  to  look  about  him, 
and  did  indeed  insinuate  that  he  was  likely  to 
be  tempted. 

2.  It  is  yet  more  evident,  because  God  doth 
even  tell  him  of  the  danger : “ In  the  day  thou 
eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die.” 

3.  Nay,  God  by  speaking  to  him  of  the  very 
tree  that  was  to  be  forborne,  telling  him  also 
where  it  stood,  that  he  might  the  better  know 
it,  did  in  effect  expressly  say  to  him,  “ Adani, 
if  thou  he  tempted,  it  will  be  about  that  tree 


R EPR  OB  A TION  A SSER  TED. 


705 


and  the  fruit  thereof;  wherefore,  if  thou  findest 
the  tempter  there,  then  beware  thy  life.” 

To  conclude,  then.  Though  sins  did  not 
come  into  the  world  without  God’s  sufferance, 
yet  it  did  without  his  liking;  God  suffered  also 
Cain  to  kill  his  brother,  and  Ishmael  to  mock 
at  Isaac,  but  he  did  not  like  the  same. 

Secondly.  Therefore  though  God  was  first 
in  concluding  sin  should  be  offered  to  the 
world,  yet  man  was  the  first  that  consented  to 
a being  overcome  thereby. 

Thirdly,  then.  Though  God  did  foredeter- 
mine  that  sin  should  enter,  yet  it  was  not  but 
with  respect  to  certain  terms  and  conditions, 
which  yet  were  not  to  be  enforced  by  virtue  of 
the  determination,  but  permitted  to  be  com- 
pleted by  the  voluntary  inclination  of  a per- 
fect and  upright  man.  And  in  that  the  deter- 
mination was  most  perfectly  infallible  it  was 
through  the  foresight  of  the  undoubted  incli- 
nation of  this  good  and  upright  person. 

Question.  But  might  not  God  have  kept 
Adam  from  inclining  if  he  would? 

Answer.  What  more  certain  ? But  yet  con- 
sider— 

1.  Adam  being  now  an  upright  man,  he  was 
able  to  have  kept  himself  had  he  but  looked  to 
it  as  he  should  and  might. 

2.  This  being  so,  if  God  had  here  stepped  in, 
he  had  either  added  that  which  had  been  need- 
less, and  so  had  not  obtained  thankfulness,  or 
else  had  made  the  .strength  of  Adam  useless, 
yea  his  own  workmanship  in  so  creating  him 
superfluous,  or  else,  by  consequence,  imper- 
fect. 

3.  If  he  had  done  so,  he  had  taken  Adam 
from  his  duty,  which  was  to  trust  and  believe 
his  Maker ; he  had  also  made  void  the  end  of 
the  commandment,  which  was  to  persuade  to 
watchfulness,  diligence,  sobriety,  and  content- 
edness ; yea,  and  by  so  doing  would  not  only 
himself  have  tempted  Adam  to  transgression, 
even  to  lay  aside  the  exercise  of  that  strength 
that  God  had  already  given  him,  but  should 
have  become  the  pattern  or  the  fil'st  father  to 


* The  final  condemnation  of  the  wicked  does  not 
spring  from  God’s  sovereign  will  to  destroy  any  of  his 
rational  creatures ; this  is  evident  from  the  many 
pressing  invitations,  declarations,  and  promises  in  the 
word  of  God,  for  Jehovah  swears  by  his  great  self  that 
he  desires  not  the  death  of  a sinner ; but  our  Lord  as- 
signs the  cause  of  reprobation  in  these  words : “ Ye 
will  not  come  unto  me  that  ye  might  have  light 
wherefore  Christ,  the  only  remedy  for  their  cure,  being 
rejected,  the  sinner  is  condemned  and  rendered  the 
objeot  of  wrath  and  punishment  by  the  law  and  jus- 
45 


all  looseness,  idleness  and  neglect  of  duty; 
which  would  also  not  only  have  been  an  ill  ex- 
ample to  Adam  to  continue  to  neglect  so  rea- 
sonable and  wholesome  duties,  but  would  have 
been  to  himself  an  argument  of  defence  to  re- 
tort upon  his  God  when  he  had  come  another 
time  to  reckon  with  him  for  his  misdemean- 
ours.* 

Many  other  weighty  reasons  might  here  be 
further  added  for  God’s  vindication  in  this  par- 
ticular, but  at  this  time  let  these  suffice. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Whether  any  under  Eternal  Reprobation 

have  Just  Cause  to  Quarrel  with  God  for 

not  Electing  of  them  ? 

That  the  answer  to  this  question  may  be  to 
edification,  recall  again  what  I have  before  as- 
serted— to  wit,  that  for  a man  to  be  left  out  of 
God’s  election,  and  to  be  made  a sinner,  is  two 
things;  and  again,  for  a man  to  be  not  elect, 
and  to  be  condemned  to  hell-fire,  is  two  things 
also.  Now  I say,  if  non-election  makes  no 
man  a sinner,  and  if  it  appoints  no  man  to 
condemnation  neither,  then  what  ground  hath 
any  reprobate  to  quarrel  with  God  for  not 
electing  of  him?  Nay,  further,  reprobation 
consideretli  him  upright,  leaveth  him  upright, 
and  so  turnetli  him  into  the  woi'ld ; what 
wrong  doth  God  do  him  though  he  hath  not 
elected  him?  What  reason  hath  he  that  is 
left  in  this  case  to  quarrel  against  his  Maker? 

If  thou  say,  Because  God  hath  not  chosen 
them  as  well  as  chosen  others,  I answer,  “ Nay 
but,  0 man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against 
God?  Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that 
formed  it,  Why  hast  thou  made  me  thus?  Be- 
hold, as  the  clay  is  in  the  hand  of  the  potter, 
so  are  ye  in  my  hand,  0 house  of  Israel,  saith 
the  Lord  God.”  So  then,  if  I should  say  no 
more  but  that  God  is  the  only  Lord  and  Crea- 
tor, and  that  by  his  sovereignty  he  hath  power 
to  dispose  of  them  according  to  his  pleasure, 

ties  of  God,  because  the  same  word  of  truth  which 
says,  “Whosoever  will,  let  him  come  and  take  of  the 
water  of  life  freely,”  also  says,  “ The  soul  that  sinneth 
(or  lives  and  dies  in  sin  unpardoned)  shall  die.”  Thus 
sin  is  the  object  of  God's  hatred,  and  not  the  man, 
abstractedly  considered.  May  we  therefore  each  of 
us  have  grace  to  look  to  Christ  for  full  and  complete 
salvation,  who  hath  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of 
himself,  whereby  he  has  perfected  for  ever  them  that 
are  sanctified !” 


706 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


either  to  choose  or  to  refuse  according  to  the 
counsel  of  his  own  will,  who  could  object 
against  him  and  be  guiltless?  “He  givcth  no 
account  of  any  of  his  ways,  and  what  his  soul 
desireth  that  doth  he.” 

Again,  God  is  wiser  than  man,  and  there- 
fore can  show  a reason  for  what  he  acts  and 
does,  both  when  and  where  at  present  thou 
seest  none.  Shall  God,  the  only  wise,  be  ar- 
raigned at  the  bar  of  thy  blind  reason,  and 
there  be  judged  and  condemned  for  his  acts 
done  in  eternity?  “Who  hath  directed  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord,  or  who  hath  been  his  coun- 
sellor?” Do  you  not  know  that  he  is  far  more 
above  us  than  we  are  above  our  horse  or  mule 
that  is  without  understanding?  “ Great  things 
doth  he  that  we  cannot  comprehend ; great 
things,  and  unsearchable  and  marvellous 
things,  without  number.” 

But,  I say,  should  we  take  it  well  if  our 
beast  should  call  us  to  account  for  this  and  the 
other  righteous  act,  and  judge  us  unrighteous 
and  our  acts  ridiculous,  and  all  because  it  sees 
no  reason  for  our  so  doing?  Why,  we  are  as 
beasts  before  God. 

But  again,  to  come  yet  more  close  to  the 
point,  the  reprobate  quarrels  with  God  because 
he  hath  not  elected  him ; well,  but  is  not  God 
the  master  of  his  own  love?  and  is  not  his  will 
the  only  rule  of  his  mercy?  and  may  he  not, 
without  he  give  offence  to  thee,  lay  hold  by 
electing  love  and  mercy  on  whom  himself 
pleaseth?  Must  thy  reason,  nay,  thy  lust,  be 
the  ruler,  orderer,  and  disposer  of  his  grace? 

“ May  I not  do  what  I will  with  mine  own  ? 
(saith  he.)  Is  thine  eye  evil  because  mine  is 
good?” 

Further,  wdrat  harm  doth  God  to  any  repro- 
bate, by  not  electing  of  him  ? He  was,  as  hath 
been  said,  considered  upright,  so  formed  in  the 
act  of  creation  and  so  turned  into  the  world; 
indeed  he  was  not  elected,  but  hath  that  taken 
anything  from  him?  No,  verily,  but  leaveth 
him  in  good  condition ; there  is  good,  and  bet- 
ter, and  best  of  all ; he  that  is  in  a good  estate 
(though  others  through  free  grace  are  in  a far 
better)  hath  not  any  cause  to  murmur  either 
with  Him  that  gave  him  such  a place  or  at 
him  that  is  placed  above  him.  In  a word, 
reprobation  maketh  no  man  personally  a sin- 
ner, neither  doth  election  make  any  man  per- 
sonally righteous : it  is  the  consenting  to  sin 
that  makes  a man  a sinner,  and  the  imputation 
of  grace  and  righteousness  that  makes  gospelly  . 
and  personally  just  and  holy. 

But  again,  seeing  it  is  God’s  act  to  leave 


some  out  of  the  bounds  of  his  election,  it  must 
needs  be,  therefore,  positively  good;  is  that 
then  which  is  good  in  itself  made  sin  unto 
thee?  God  forbid!  God  doth  not  evil  by 
leaving  this  or  that  man  out  of  his  electing 
grace,  though  he  chooses  others  to  eternal  life 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Wherefore 
there  is  not  a reprobate  that  hath  any  cause, 
and  therefore  no  just  cause,  to  quarrel  with  his 
Maker  for  not  electing  of  him. 

And  that,  besides  what  hath  been  spoken,  if 
you  consider — ■ 

1.  For  God  to  elect  is  an  act  of  sovereign 
grace,  but  to  pass  by  or  to  refuse  so  to  do  is 
an  act' of  sovereign  power,  not  of  injustice. 

2.  God  might  therefore  have  chosen  whether 
he  would  have  elected  an}',  or  so  many,  or  few, 
and  also  which  and  where  he  would. 

3.  Seeing,  then,  that  all  things  are  at  his 
disposal,  he  may  fasten  electing  mercy  where 
he  pleaseth,  and  other  mercy,  if  he  will,  to 
whom  and  when  he  will. 

4.  Seeing,  also,  that  the  least  of  mercies  are 
not  deserved  by  the  best  of  sinners,  men,  in- 
stead of  quarrelling  against  the  God  of  grace 
because  they  have  not  what  they  list,  should 
acknowledge  they  are  unworthy  of  their  breath, 
and  also  should  confess  that  God  may  give 
mercy  where  he  pleaseth,  and  that,  too,  both 
which  or  what,  as  also  to  whom  and  when  he 
will,  and  yet  be  good,  and  just,  and  very 
gracious  still.  Nay,  Job  saith,  “He  taketh 
away,  who  can  hinder  him  ? or  who  will  say 
unto  him,  What  dost  thou?” 

The  will  of  God  is  the  rule  of  all  righteous- 
ness ; neither  knoweth  he  any  other  way  by 
which  he  governeth  and  ordereth  any  of  his 
actions.  Whatsoever  God  doth,  it  is  good  be- 
cause he  doth  it,  whether  it  be  to  give  grace  or 
to  detain  it,  whether  in  choosing  or  refusing. 
The  consideration  of  this  made  the  holy  men 
of  old  ascribe  righteousness  to  their  Maker 
even  then  when  yet  they  could  not  see  the 
reason  of  his  actions ; they  would  rather  stand 
amazed  and  wonder  at  the  heights  and  depths 
of  his  unsearchable  judgments,  than  quarrel  at 
the  strange  and  most  obscure  of  them. 

God  did  not  intend  that  all  that  ever  he 
would  do  should  be  known  to  every  man,  no 
nor  yet  to  the  wise  and  prudent;  it  is  as  much 
a duty  sometimes  to  stay  ourselves  and  wonder, 
and  to  confess,  our  ignorance  in  many  things 
of  God,  as  it  is  to  do  other  things  that  are  duty 
without  dispute.  So,  then,  let  poor  dust  and 
ashes  forbear  to  condemn  the  Lord  because  he 
goeth  beyond  them  ; and  also  they  should  be- 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


707 


ware  they  speak  not  wickedly  for  him,  though 
it  be,  ns  they  think,  to  justify  his  actions: 
“ The  Lord  is  righteous  in  all  his  ways,  and 
holy  in  all  his  works.”* 


CHATTER  VIII. 

Wheth  er  Eternal  Reprobation  in  itself,  or  in 
its  Doctrine,  be  in  very  deed  an  Hindrance 
to  any  Man  in  seeking  the  Salvation  of  bis 
Soul  f 

In  my  discourse  upon  this  question  I must 
entreat  the  reader  to  mind  well  what  is  pre- 
mised in  the  beginning  of  the  former  chapter, 
which  is,  that  reprobation  makes  no  man  a 
sinner,  appoints  no  man  to  condemnation,  but 
lcaveth  him  upright  after  all.  So,  then,  though 
God  doth  leave  the  most  of  men  without  the 
bounds  of  his  election,  his  so  doing  is  neither 
in  itself  nor  yet  its  doctrine  (in  very  deed)  an 
hindrance  to  any  man  in  seeking  the  salvation 
of  his  soul. 

I.  It  hindereth  not  in  itself,  as  is  clear  by 
the  ensuing  considerations : 

1.  That  which  hindereth  him  is  the  weak- 
ness that  came  upon  him  by  reason  of  sin. 
Now  God  only  made  the  man,  but  man’s  lis- 
tening to  Satan  made  him  a sinner,  which  is 
the  cause  of  all  his  weakness.  This  therefore 
is  it  that  hindereth  him,  and  that  also  disen- 
ableth  him  in  seeking  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 
“ Let  no  man  say  when  he  is  tempted,  I am 
tempted  of  God ; for  God  cannot  be  tempted 
of  evil,  neither  tempteth  he  any  man.  God 
made  man  upright,  but  he  hath  sought  out 
many  inventions.” 

2.  It  hindereth  not  in  itself,  for  it  taketh  not 
any  thing  from  a man  that  would  help  him 
might  it  continue  with  him  ; it  takes  not  away 
the  least  part  of  his  strength,  wisdom,  courage, 
innocency,  or  will  to  good ; all  these  were  lost 
by  the  fall  in  that  day  when  he  died  the  death. 
Nay,  reprobation,  under  some  consideration, 
did  rather  establish  all  these  upon  the  repro- 
bate; for  as  it  decrees  him  left,  so  it  left  him 


* “ Secret  things  belong  to  God,  but  those  that  are 
revealed  belong  to  us.”  It  is  a vain  thing  for  men  to 
cavil  at  the  doctrine  of  peculiar  election,  and  to  quar- 
rel with  God  for  choosing  some  and  passing  by  others. 
Their  best  way  would  be  to  assure  themselves  of  then- 
own  election  by  using  the  means  and  walking  in  the 
ways  of  God’s  appointment  as  laid  down  iu  the  word  ; 
and  then  they  will  find  that  God  cannot  deny  himself, 


upright.  Wherefore  man’s  hindrance  cometh 
on  him  from  other  means,  even  by  the  fall,  and 
not  by  the  simple  act  of  eternal  reprobation. 

3.  As  reprobation  hindereth  not  either  of 
these  two  ways,  so  neither  is  it  from  this  sim- 
ple act  that  Satan  is  permitted  either  to  tempt 
them,  that  they  might  be  tried  or  that  they 
might  be  overthrown. 

1.  It  is  not  by  this  act  that  Satan  is  permit- 
ted to  tempt  them  that  they  might  be  tried, 
because  then  the  Son  of  God  himself  must  be 
reached  by  this  reprobation,  he  being  tempted 
by  the  devil  as  much  if  not  more  than  any ; 
yea,  and  then  must  every  one  of  the  elect  be 
under  eternal  reprobation;  for  they  also,  and 
that  after  their  conversion,  are  greatly  as- 
saulted by  him : “ Many  are  the  troubles  of 
the  righteous,”  &c. 

2.  Neither  is  it  from  the  act  of  reprobation 
that  sin  hath  entered  the  world,  no  more  than 
from  election,  because  those  under  the  power 
of  election  did  not  only  fall  at  first,  but  do 
still  generally,  as  foully,  before  conversion,  as 
the  reprobate  himself.  Whereas,  if  either  the 
temptation  or  the  fall  were  by  virtue  of  rep- 
robation, then  the  reprobates,  and  they  only, 
should  have  been  tempted  and  have  fallen. 
The  temptation,  then,  and  the  fall,  doth  come 
from  other  means,  and  so  the  hindrance  of  the 
reprobate,  than  from  eternal  reprobation.  For 
the  temptation,  the  fall,  and  hindrance  being 
universal,  but  the  act  of  reprobation  partic- 
ular, the  hindrance  must  needs  come  from  such 
a cause  as  taketh  hold  on  all  men,  which  in- 
deed is  the  fall ; the  cause  of  which  was 
neither  election  nor  reprobation,  but  man’s 
voluntary  listening  to  the  tempter. 

3.  It  is  yet  far  more  evident  that  reproba- 
tion hindereth  no  man  from  seeking  the  salva- 
tion of  his  soul,  because,  notwithstanding  all 
that  reprobation  doth,  yet  Godgiveth  to  divers 
of  the  reprobates  great  encouragements  there- 
to; to  wit,  the  tenders  of  the  Gospel  in  general, 
not  excluding  any;  great  light  also  to  under- 
stand it,  with  many  a sweet  taste  of  the  good 
work  of  God  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to 
come ; he  maketh  them  sometimes  also  to  be 
partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  admitteth 


but  will  make  good  to  them  every  promise  therein  ; and 
thus,  by  Scripture  evidence,  they  will  find  that  they 
are  elected  unto  life,  and  will  he  thaukful  and  humble. 
They  will  then  find  that  an  hearty,  affectionate  trust- 
ing in  Christ  for  all  his  salvation,  as  freely  promised 
to  us,  hath  naturally  enough  in  it  to  work  in  our  souls 
a natural  bent  and  inclination  to  and  ability  for  the 
practico  of  all  holiness. 


708 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


many  of  them  into  fellowship  with  his  elect ; 
yea,  some  of  them  to  be  rulers,  teachers,  and 
governors  in  his  house;  all  which,  without 
doubt,  both  are  and  ought  to  be  great  encour- 
agements, even  to  the  reprobates  themselves,  to 
seek  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 

II.  As  it  hindereth  not  in  itself,  so  it  hin- 
deretlr  not  by  its  doctrine;  for  all  that  this 
doctrine  saith  is,  that  some  are  left  out  of 
God’s  election,  as  considered  upright.  Now 
this  doctrine  cannot  hinder  any  man,  for — 

1.  No  man  still  stands  upright. 

2.  Though  it  saith  some  are  left,  yet  it  points 
at  no  man,  it  nameth  no  man,  it  binds  all  faces 
in  secret.  So,  then,  if  it  hinder,  it  hindereth 
all,  even  the  elect  as  well  as  reprobate ; for  the 
reprobate  hath  as  much  ground  to  judge  him- 
self elect  as  the  very  elect  himself  hath  before 
he  be  converted,  being  both  alike  in  a state  of 
nature  and  unbelief,  and  both  alike  visibly 
liable  to  the  curse  for  the  breach  of  the  com- 
mandment. Again,  as  they  are  equals  here, 
so  also  have  they  ground  alike  to  close  in 
with  Christ  and  live ; even  the  open,  free,  and 
full  invitation  of  the  Gospel  and  promise 
of  life  and  salvation  by  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

3.  It  is  evident  also  by  experience  that  this 
doctrine  doth  not  indeed,  neither  can  it,  hin- 
der any,  (this  doctrine,  I mean,  when  both 
rightly  stated  and  rightly  used,)  because  many 
who  have  been  greatly  afflicted  about  this  mat- 
ter have  yet  at  last  had  comfort;  which  com- 
fort, when  they  have  received  it,  hath  been  to 
them  as  an  argument  that  the  thing  they 
feared  before  was  not  because  of  reprobation, 
rightly  stated,  but  its  doctrine  much  abused 
was  the  cause  of  their  affliction  ; and  had  they 
had  the  same  light  at  first  they  received  after- 
wards, their  troubles  then  would  soon  have 
fled,  as  also  now  they  do.  Wherefore  discour- 
agement comes  from  want  of  light,  because  they 
are  not  skilful  in  the  word  of  righteousness ; 
for  had  the  discouragement  at  first  been  true, 
(which  yet  it  could  not  be,  unless  the  person 
knew  by  name  himself  under  eternal  reproba- 
tion, which  is  indeed  impossible,)  then  his 
light  would  have  pinched  him  harder ; light 
would  rather  have  fastened  this  his  fear  than 
at  all  have  rid  him  of  it. 

Indeed  the  Scripture  saith,  The  word  is  to 

* The  reader  is  advised  to  attend  diligently  to  the 
reasoning  here  advanced ; which  if  he  do  it  will  ap- 
pear that  men  continue  in  a reprobate  state  by  reason 
of  the  depravity  and  enmity  of  their  own  corrupt 
hearts  and  for  want  of  calling  upon  God,  reading 


some  the  savour  of  death  unto  death,  when  to 
others  the  savour  of  life  unto  life.  But  mark, 
it  is  not  this  dogtrine  in  particular,  if  so  much 
as  some  other,  that  doth  destroy  the  reprobate. 
It  was  respite  at  which  Pharaoh  hardened  his 
heart,  and  the  grace  of  God  that  the  repro- 
bates of  old  did  turn  into  lasciviousness.  Yea, 
Christ  the  Saviour  of  the  world  is  a stumbling- 
block  unto  some  and  a rock  of  offence  unto 
others.  But  yet,  again,  consider  that  neither 
he  nor  any  of  God’s  doctrines  are  so  simply 
and  in  their  own-  true  natural  force  and  drift; 
for  they  beget  no  unbelief,  they  provoke  to  no 
wantonness,  neither  do  they  in  the  least  en- 
courage to  impenitency;  all  this  comes  from 
that  ignorance  and  wickedness  that  came  by 
the  fall.  Wherefore  it  is  by  reason  of  that  also 
that  they  stumble,  and  fall,  and  grow  weak, 
and  are  discouraged,  and  split  themselves, 
either  at  the  doctrine  of  reprobation  or  at  any 
other  truth  of  God. 

Lastly.  To  conclude  as  I began,  there  is  no 
man  while  in  this  world  that  doth  certainly 
know  that  he  is  left  out  of  the  electing  love  of 
the  great  God;  neither  hath  he  any  word  in 
the  whole  Bible  to  persuade  him  so  to  conclude 
and  believe,  for  the  Scriptures  hold  forth  sal- 
vation to  the  greatest  of  sinners.  Wherefore, 
though  the  act  of  reprobation  were  far  more 
harsh,  and  its  doctrine  also  more  sharp  and 
severe,  yet  it  cannot  properly  be  said  to  hinder 
any.  It  is  a foolish  thing  in  any  to  be  troubled 
with  those  things  which  they  have  no  ground 
to  believe  concerns  themselves,  especially  when 
the  latitude  of  their  discouragement  is  touch- 
ing their  own  persons  only : “ The  secret  things 
belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God.”  Indeed  every 
one  of  the  words  of  God  ought  to  put  us  upon 
examination,  and  into  a serious  inquiry,  of 
our  present  state  and  condition,  and  how  we 
now  do  stand  for  eternity ; to  wit,  whether  we 
are  ready  to  meet  the  Lord,  or  how  it  is  with 
us.  Yet,  when  search  is  fully  made,  and  the 
worst  comes  unto  the  worst,  the  party  can  find 
himself  no  more  than  the  chief  of  sinners,  not 
excluded  from  the  grace  of  God  tendered  in 
the  Gospel;  not  from  an  invitation,  nay,  a 
promise,  to  be  embraced  and  blest  if  he  comes 
to  Jesus  Christ.  Wherefore  he  hath  no  ground 
to  be  discouraged  by  the  doctrine  of  reproba- 
tion.* 

his  word,  and  using  the  means  of  grace.  Instead  of 
men's  perplexing  their  minds  concerning  the  doctrine 
of  reprobation,  calling  it  an  horrible  decree,  as  some 
do,  they  should  be  looking  up  to  God  to  enable  them 
to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  then  they  will  be 


11  El'll  OVA  TION  A SSEll  TE D. 


709 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Whether  God  would  in  deed  and  in  truth 
that  the  Gospel,  with  the , Grace  thereof, 
should  be  tendered  to  those  that  yet  he  hath 
bound  up  under  Eternal  Reprobation  f 
To  this  question  I shall  answer — 

First.  In  the  language  of  our  Lord,  “Go 
preach  the  Gospel  unto  every  creature and 
again,  “ Look  unto  me,  all  ye  ends  of  the 
earth,  and  be  ye  saved ; and  whosoever  will, 
let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely.”  And 
the  reason  is,  because  Christ  died  for  all,  tasted 
death  for  every  man,  is  the  Saviour  of  the 
world,  and  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world. 

Secondly.  I gather  it  from  those  several  cen- 
sures that  even  every  one  goeth  under  that 
doth  not  receive  Christ  when  offered  in  the 
general  tenders  of  the  Gospel : “ He  that  be- 
lieveth not  shall  be  damned;  he  that  believeth 
not  makes  God  a liar,  because  he  believeth  not 
the  record  that  God  hath  given  of  his  Son 
and,  “ Woe  unto  thee,  Capernaum,  woe  unto 
thee,  Corazin,  woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida;”  with 
many  other  sayings;  all  which  words,  with 
many  other  of  the  same  nature,  carry  in  them 
a very  great  argument  to  this  very  purpose ; 
for  if  those  that  perish  in  the  days  of  the  Gos- 
pel shall  have  at  least  their  damnation  height- 
ened because  they  have  neglected  and  refused 
to  receive  the  Gospel,  it  must  needs  be  that 
the  Gospel  was  with  all  faithfulness  to  be  ten- 
dered unto  them ; the  which  it  could  not  be 
unless  the  death  of  Christ  did  extend  itself 
unto  them  ; for  the  offer  of  the  Gospel  cannot, 
with  God’s  allowance,  be  offered  any  further 
than  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  doth  go;  be- 
cause. if  that  be  taken  away  there  is  indeed  no 
Gospel  nor  grace  to  be  extended.  Besides,  if 
by  every  creature  and  the  like  should  be  meant 
only  the  elect,  then  are  all  the  persuasions  of 
the  Gospel  to  no  effect  at.  all ; for  still  the  un- 
converted, who  are  here  condemned  for  refusing 
of  it,  they  return  it  as  fast  again : I do  not 
know  I am  elected,  and  therefore  dare  not 
come  to  Jesus  Christ;  for  if  the  death  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  so  the  general  tender  of  the  Gospel, 
concern  the  elect  alone,  I,  not  knowing  myself 
to  be  one  of  that  number,  am  at  a mighty 
plunge;  nor  know  I whether  is  the  greatest 
sin,  to  believe  or  to  despair;  for  I say  again, 
if  Christ  died  only  for  the  elect,  &c.,  then,  I, 

sheltered  from  the  storm  in  Christ,  the  city  of  refuge ; 
and  though  we  can  have  no  evidence  of  our  particular 
election  before  we  believed,  yet  wo  are  to  trust  in 


not  knowing  myself  to  be  one  of  that  number, 
dare  not  believe  the  Gospel  that  holds  forth  his 
blood  to  save  me ; nay,  I think  with  safety  may 
not,  until  I first  do  know  I am  elect  of  God 
and  appointed  thereto. 

Thirdly.  God  the  Father  and  Jesus  Christ 
his  Son  would  have  all  men  whatever  invited 
by  the  Gospel  to  lay  hold  of  life  by  Christ, 
whether  elect  or  reprobate;  for  though  it  be 
true  that  there  is  such  a thing  as  election  and 
reprobation,  yet  God,  by  the  tenders  of  the 
Gospel  in  the  ministry  of  his  word,  looks  upon 
men  under  another  consideration — to  wit,  as 
sinners — and  as  sinners  invites  them  to  believe, 
lay  hold  of,  and  embrace  the  same.  He  saith 
not  to  his  ministers,  “Go  preach  to  the  elect 
because  they  are  elect,  and  shut  out  others  be- 
cause they  are  not  so.”  But,  “ Go  preach  the 
Gospel  to  sinners ; and  as  they  are  such,  go  bid 
them  come  to  me  and  live.”  And  it  must 
needs  be  so,  otherwise  the  preacher  could 
neither  speak  in  faith  nor  the  people  hear  in 
faith ; first,  the  preacher  could  not  speak  in 
.faith,  because  he  knoweth  not  the  elect  from 
the  reprobate;  nor  they  again  hear  in  faith, 
because,  as  unconverted,  they  would  be  always 
ignorant  of  that  also;  so,  then,  the  minister 
neither  knowing  whom  he  should  offer  life 
unto,  nor  yet  the  people  which  of  them  are  to 
receive  it,  how  could  the  word  now  be  preached 
in  faith  with  power  ? and  how  could  the  people 
believe  and  embrace  it?  But  now  the  preacher 
offering  mercy  in  the  Gospel  to  sinners  as  they 
are  sinners,  here  is  way  made  for  the  word  to 
be  spoken  in  faith,  because  his  hearers  are 
sinners ; yea,  and  encouragement  also  for  the 
people  to  receive  and  close  therewith,  they 
understanding  they  are  sinners : “ Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.” 

Fourthly.  The  Gospel  must  be  preached  to 
sinners,  as  they  are  sinners,  without  distinction 
of  elect  or  reprobate,  because  neither  the  one 
nor  yet  the  other  (as  considered  under  these 
simple  acts)  are  fit  subjects  to  embrace  the 
Gospel— -for  neither  the  one  act  nor  yet  the 
other  doth  make  either  of  them  sinners — but 
the  Gospel  is  to  be  tendered  to  men  as  they  are’ 
sinners  and  personally  under  the  curse  of  God 
for  sin ; wherefore  to  proffer  grace  to  the  elect 
because  they  are  elect,  it  is  to  proffer  grace  and 
mercy  to  them  as  not  considering  them  as  sin- 
ners. And,  I say,  to  deny  it  to  the  reprobate 
because  he  is  not  elected,  it  is  not  only  a de- 

Christ  assuredly  to  make  it  evident  to  us,  by  giving 
us  that  salvation  which  is  the  peculiar  portion  of  the 
elect  only. 


710 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


nial  of  grace  to  them  that  have  no  deed  there- 
of, but  also  before  occasion  is  given  on  their 
part  for  such  a dispensation.  And  I say  again, 
therefore,  to  offer  Christ  and  grace  to  man 
elect,  as  simply  so  considered,  this  administers 
to  him  no  comfort  at  all,  he  being  here  no  sin- 
ner, and  so  engageth  not  the  heart  at  all  to 
Jesus  Christ,  for  that  comes  in  and  is  effected 
on  them  as  they  are  sinners.  Yea,  to  deny  the 
Gospel  also  to  the  reprobate  because  he  is  not 
elect,  it  will  not  trouble  him  at  all ; for,  saith 
he,  “ So  I am  not  a sinner,  and  so  do  not  need 
a Saviour.”  But  now,  because  the  elect  have 
no  need  of  grace  in  Christ  by  the  Gospel  but  as 
they  are  sinners,  nor  the  reprobates  cause  to  re- 
fuse it  as  they  are  sinners,  therefore  Christ,  by 
the  word  of  the  Gospel,  is  to  be  proffered  to 
both,  without  considering  elect  or  reprobate, 
even  as  they  are  sinners.  “ The  whole  have 
no  need  of  the  physician,  but  those  that  are 
sick.  I came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sin- 
ners, to  repentance.” 

Thus  you  see  the  Gospel  is  to  be  tendered  to 
all  in  general,  as.  well  to  the  reprobate  as  to 
the  elect,  to  sinners  as  sinners;  and  so  are 
they  to  receive  it  and  to  close  with  the  tenders 
thereof.* 


CHAPTER  X. 

Seeing , 'then,  that  the  Grace  of  God  in  the 
Gospel  is  by  that  to  be  Proffered  to  Sin- 
ners as  Sinners,  as  well  to  the  Reprobate 
as  the  Elect,  is  it  possible  for  those  who  in- 
deed are  not  Elect  to  Receive  it  and  be 
Saved f 

To  this  question  I shall  answer  several 
things,  but  first  I shall  show  you  what  that 
grace  is  that  is  tendered  in  the  name  Gospel, 
and  secondly,  what  it  is  to  receive  it  and  be 
saved. 

First,  then.  The  grace  that  is  offered  to 
sinners  as  sinners,  without  respect  to  this  or 
that  person,  it  is  a sufficiency  of  righteous- 
ness, pardoning  grace,  and  life,  laicl  up  in  the 
person  of  Christ,  held  forth  in  the  exhorta- 
tion and  word  of  the  Gospel,  and  promised  to 
be  theirs  that  receive  it ; yea,  I say,  in  so 

* None  are  excluded  the  benefit  of  the  great  and 
precious  salvation  procured  and  finished  by  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  but  they  who,  by  perverseness,  unbelief, 
and  impeniteney,  exclude  themselves.  Sinners,  mis- 
erable, helpless,  and  hopeless  sinners,  are  the  objects 


universal  a tender  that  not  one  is  by  it  ex- 
cluded or  checked  in  the  least,  but  rather  en- 
couraged if  he  hath  the  least  desire  to  life; 
yea.  it  is  held  forth  to'  beget  both  desires 
and  longings  after  the  life  thus  laid  up  in 
Christ. 

Secondly.  To  receive  this  grace  thus  ten- 
dered by  the  Gospel,  it  is — 

1.  To  believe  it  is  true. 

2.  To  receive  it  heartily  and  unfeignedly 
through  faith.  And, 

3.  To  let  it  have  its  natural  sway,  course 
and  authority  in  the  soul,  and  that  in  that 
measure  as  to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  good 
living  in  heart,  word,  and  life,  both  before 
God  and  man. 

Now  then  to  the  question: 

Is  it  possible  that  this  tender,  thus  offered 
to  the  reprobate,  should  by  him  be  thus  re- 
ceived and  embraced  and  he  live  thereby? 

To  which  I answer  in  the  negative.  Nor 
yet  to  the  elect  themselves — I mean  as  con- 
sidered dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  which  is 
the  state  of  all  men,  elect  as  well  as  reprobate. 
So,  then,  though  there  be  a sufficiency  of  life 
and  righteousness  laid  up  in  Christ  for  all 
men,  and  this  tendered  by  the  Gospel  to  them 
without  exception,  yet  sin  coming  in  between 
the  soul  and  the  tender  of  this  grace,  it  hath 
in  truth  disabled  all  men,  and  so,  notwith- 
standing this  tender,  they  continue  to  be 
dead.  For  the  Gospel,  I say,  coming  in  word 
only,  saveth  no  man,  because  of  man’s  im- 
pediment ; wherefore  those  that  indeed  are 
saved  by  this  Gospel,  the  word  comes  not  to 
them  in  word  only,  but  also  in  power,  and  in 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  mixed  with  faith,  even 
with  the  faith  .of  the  operation  of  God,  by 
whose  exceeding  great  and  mighty  power 
they  are  raised  from  this  death  of  sin  and 
enabled  to  embrace  the  Gospel.  Doubtless, 
all  men  being  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and 
so  captivated  under  the  power  of  the  devil, 
the  curse  of  the  law,  and  shut  up  in  unbelief, 
it  must  be  the  power  of  God,  yea,  the  exceed- 
ing greatness  of  that  power,  that  raiseth  the 
soul  from  this  condition  to  receive  the  holy 
Gospel. 

For  man  by  nature  (consider  him  at  best) 
can  see  no  more  nor  do  no  more  than  what 
the  principles  of  nature  understands  and  helps 

of  this  salvation.  Whosoever  is  enabled  to  see,  in  the 
light  of  God’s  Spirit,  their  wretched  and  forlorn  state, 
to  feel  their  want  of  Christ  as  a suitable  Saviour,  and 
to  repent  and  forsake  their  sins,  shall  find  mercy,  for 
“ God  is  no  respecter  of  persons.” 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


to  do;  which  nature  being  below  the  discern- 
ings  of  things  truly,  spiritually,  and  savingly 
good,  it  must  needs  fall  short  of  receiving, 
loving,  and  delighting  in  them.  “The  nat- 
ural man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  unto 
him  ; neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned.”  Now,  I say,  if  the 
natural  man  at  best  (for  the  elect  before  con- 
version are  no  more,  if  quite  so  much)  cannot 
do  this,  how  shall  they  attain  thereto,  being 
now  not  only  corrupted  and  infected,  but  de- 
praved, bewitched  and  dead,  swallowed  up  of 
unbelief,  ignorance,  confusion,  hardness  of 
heart,  hatred  of  God,  and  the  like?  When 
a thorn  by  nature  beareth  grapes,  and  a this- 
tle beareth  figs,  then  may  this  thing  be.  To 
lay  hold  of  and  receive  the  Gospel  by  a true 
aud  saving  faith,  it  is  an  act  of  the  soul,  has 
made  a new  creature,  which  is  the  workman- 
ship of  God : “ Now  He  that  hath  wrought  us 
for  the  selfsame  thing  is  God.  For  a corrupt 
tree  cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit.  Can  the 
Ethiopian  change  his  skin  ?” 

But  yet  the  cause  of  this  impossibility — 

1.  Lieth  not  in  reprobation,  the  elect  them- 
selves being  as  much  unable  to  receive  it  as 
the  other. 

2.  Neither  is  it  because  the  reprobate  is  ex- 
cluded in  the  tender,  for  that  is  universal. 

3.  Neither  is  it  because  there  wanteth  argu- 
ments in  the  tenders  of  the  Gospel,  for  there  is 
not  only  plenty,  but  such  as  be  persuasive, 
clear,  and  full  of  rationality. 

4.  Neither  is  it  because  these  creatures  have 
no  need  thereof,  for  they  have  broken  the  law. 

5.  Wherefore  it  is  because  indeed  they  are 
by  sin  dead,  captivated,  mad,  self-opposers, 
blind,  alienated  in  their  minds,  and  haters  of 
the  Lord.  Behold  the  ruins  that  sin  hath 
made ! 

Wherefore,  whoever  receiveth  the  grace  that 
is  tendered  in  the  Gospel,  they  must  be  quick- 
ened by  the  power  of  God,  their  eyes  must  be 
opened,  their  understandings  illuminated,  their 
ears  unstopped,  their  hearts  circumcised,  their 
wills  also  rectified,  and  the  Son  of  God  revealed 
in  them;  yet,  as  I said,  not  because  there 
wanteth  argument  in  these  tenders,  but  be- 
cause men  are  dead,  and  blind,  and  cannot 
hear  the  word.  “ Why  do  you  not  understand 
my  speech?  (saith  Christ:)  even  because  you 
cannot  hear  my  word.” 

For  otherwise,  as  I said  but  now,  there  is — 

1.  Rationality  enough  in  the  tenders  of  the 
Gospel. 


711 

2.  Persuasions  of  weight  enough  to  provoke 
to  faith.  And, 

3.  Arguments  enough  to  persuade  to  con- 
tinue therein. 

First.  Is  it  not  reasonable  that  man  should 
believe  God  in  the  proffer  of  the  Gospel  and 
live  by  it  ? 

Secondly.  Is  there  not  reason,  I say,  both 
from  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God,  from 
the  sufficiency  of  the  merits  of  Christ,  as  also 
from  the  freeness  and  fulness  of  the  promise? 
What  unreasonable  thing  doth  the  Gospel  bid 
thee  credit?  Or  what  falsehood  doth  it  com- 
mand thee  to  receive  for  truth?  Indeed,  in 
many  points  the  Gospel  is  above  reason,  but 
yet  in  never  a one  against  it,  especially  in  those 
things  wherein  it  beginneth  with  the  sinner  in 
order  to  eternal  life. 

Again,  touching  its  persuasions  to  provoke 
to  faith — 

First.  With  how  many  signs  and  wonders, 
miracles  and  mighty  deeds,  hath  it  been  once 
and  again  confirmed,  and  that  to  this  very 
end ! 

Secondly.  With  how  many  oaths,  declara- 
tions, attestations,  and  proclamations  is  it 
avouched,  confirmed,  and  established  ! 

Thirdly.  And  why  should  not  credence  be 
given  to  that  Gospel  that  is  confirmed  by  blood, 
the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  himself — yea, 
that  Gospel  that  did  never  yet  fail  any  that  in 
truth  have  cast  themselves  upon  it  since  the 
foundation  of  the  world? 

Again,  as  there  is  rationality  enough  and 
persuasion  sufficient,  so  there  is  also  argument 
most  prevalent,  to  persuade  to  continue  there- 
in, and  that  too  heartily,  cheerfully,  and  un- 
feignedly,  unto  the  end,  did  not,  as  I have  said, 
blindness,  madness,  deadness,  and  wilful  re- 
bellion carry  them  away  in  the  vanity  of  their 
minds  and  overcome  them. 

For,  first,  if  they  could  but  consider  how 
they  have  sinned,  how  they  have  provoked 
God,  &c. — if  they  could  but  consider  what  a 
dismal  state  the  state  of  the  damned  is,  and 
also  that  in  a moment  their  condition  is  like  to 
be  the  same — would  they  not  cleave  to  the  Gos- 
pel and  live? 

Secondly.  The  enjoyment  of  God,  and  Christ, 
and  saints,  and  angels  being  the  sweetest,  the 
pleasures  of  heaven  the  most  comfortable,  and 
to  live  always  in  the  height  of  light,  life,  joy, 
gladness  imaginable,  one  would  think  were 
enough  to  persuade  the  very  damned  now  in 
hell. 

There  is  no  man  that  perisheth  for  want  of 


712 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


sufficient  reason  in  the  tenders  of  the  Gospel, 
nor  any  for  want  of  persuasions  to  faith,  nor 
yet  because  there  wanteth  arguments  to  pro- 
voke to  continue  therein.  But  the  truth  is, 
the  Gospel  in  this  hath  to  do  with  unreason- 
able creatures,  with  such  as  will  not  believe  it, 
and  that  because  it  is  truth  : “ And  because  I 
tell  you  the  truth,”  saith  Christ,  (therefore) 
“ you  believe  me  not.” 

Question.  Well,  but  if  .this  in  truth  be  thus, 
how  then  comes  it  to  pass  that  some  receive  it 
and  live  for  ever?  for  you  have  said  before 
that  the  elect  are  as  bad  as  the  reprobate,  and 
full  as  unable  as  they  (as  men)  to  close  with 
these  tenders  and  live. 

Answer.  Doubtless  this  is  true,  and  were  the 
elect  left  to  themselves,  they,  through  the 
wickedness  of  their  heart,  would  perish  as  do 
others.  Neither  could  all  the  reasonable,  per- 
suasive, prevalent  arguments  of  the  Gospel  of 
God  in  Christ  prevail  to  make  any  receive  it  and 
live.  Wherefore  here  you  must  consider  that  as 
there  is  mercy  proclaimed  in  the  general  ten- 
ders of  the  Gospel,  so  there  is  also  the  grace 
of  election ; which  grace  kindly  overruleth 
and  winneth  the  spirit  of  the  chosen,  working 
in  them  that  unfeigned  closing  therewith  that 
makes  it  effectual  to  their  undoubted  salvation  ; 
which  indeed  is  the  cause  that  not  only  in  other 
ages,  but  also  to  this  day,  there  is  a remnant 
that  receive  this  grace,  they  being  appointed, 
I say,  thereto  before  the  world  began,  preserved 
in  time  from  that  which  would  undo  them, 
and  enabled  to  embrace  the  glorious  Gospel  of 
grace,  and  peace,  and  love. 

Now  there  is  a great  difference  between  the 
grace  of  election  and  the  grace  that  is  wrap- 
ped up  in  the  general  tenders  of  the  Gospel — 
a difference,  I say,  and  that  both  as  to  its  tim- 
ing, latituding,  and  working. 

1.  Touching  its  timing : it  is  before,  yea, 
long  before,  there  was  either  tender  of  the 
grace  wrapped  up  in  the  Gospel  to  any,  or  any 
need  of  such  a tender. 

2.  They  also  differ  in  latitude : the  tenders 
of  grace  in  the  Gospel  are  common  and  uni- 
versal to  all,  but  the  extension  of  that  of  elec- 
tion special  and  peculiar  to  some.  “ There  is 
a remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace.” 

3.  Touching  the  working  of  the  grace  of 
election : it  differs  much  in  some  things  from 
the  working  of  the  grace  that  is  offered  in  the 
general  tenders  of  the  Gospel ; as  is  manifest 
in  these  particulars : 

1.  The  grace  that  is  offered  in  the  general 
tenders  of  the  Gospel  calleth  for  faith  to  lay 


hold  upon  and  accept  thereof,  but  the  special 
grace  of  election  worketh  that  faith  which  doth 
lay  hold  thereof. 

2.  The  grace  that  is  offered  in  the  general 
tenders  of  the  Gospel  calleth  for  faith  as  a 
condition  in  us,  without  which  there  is  no  life, 
but  the  special  grace  of  election  worketh  faith 
in  us  without  any  such  conditions. 

3.  The  grace  that  is  offered  in  the  general 
tenders  of  the  Gospel  promisetli  happiness 
upon  the  condition  of  persevering  in  the  faith 
only,  but  the  special  grace  of  election  causeth 
this  perseverance. 

4.  The  grace  offered  in  the  general  tenders 
of  the  Gospel  when  it  sparkleth  most  leaveth 
the  greatest  part  of  men  behind  it,  but  the 
special  grace  of  election,  when  it  sliineth  least, 
doth  infallibly  bring  every  soul  therein  con- 
cerned to  everlasting  life. 

5.  A man  may  overcome  and  put  out  all  the 
light  and  life  that  is  begotten  in  him  by  the 
general  tenders  of  the  Gospel,  but  none  shall 
overcome,  or  make  void,  or  frustrate  the  grace 
of  election. 

6.  The  general  tenders  of  the  Gospel,  con- 
sidered without  a concurrence  of  the  grace 
of  election,  help  not  the  elect  himself  when 
sadly  fallen.  Wherefore,  when  I say  the  grace 
that  is  offered  in  the  general  tenders  of  the 
Gospel,  I mean  that  grace  when  offered  as  not 
being  accompanied  with  a special  operation  of 
God’s  eternal  love  by  way  of  conjunction 
therewith.  Otherwise  the  grace  that  is  ten- 
dered in  the  general  offers  of  the  Gospel  is 
that  which  savetlr  the  sinner  now  and  that 
brings  him  to  everlasting  life;  that  is,  when 
conjoined  with  that  grace  that  blesseth  and 
maketh  this  general  tender  effectually  effica- 
cious. The  grace  of  election  worketh  not 
without,  but  by  these  tenders  generally ; neither 
doth  the  grace  thus  tendered  effectually  work 
but  by  and  with  the  grace  of  election:  “As 
many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed,” 
the  word  being  then  effectual  to  life,  when  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  is  effectually  therewith  to 
that  end.  “ They  spake  (saith  the  text)  unto 
the  Grecians,  preaching  the  Lord  Jesus ; and 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  them,  and  a 
great  number  believed  and  turned  unto  the 
Lord.” 

We  must  always  put  difference  between  the 
word  of  the  Gospel  and  the  power  that  man- 
ageth  that  word;  we  must  put  difference  be- 
tween the  common  and  more  special  operations 
of  that  power  also,  even  as  there  is  evidently 
a difference  to  be  put  between  those  words  of 


REPROBA  TION  ASSERTED. 


713 


Christ  that  were  effectual  to  do  what  was  said, 
and  o!'  those  words  of  his  which  were  but  words 
only,  or  at  least  not  (so)  accompanied  with 
power.  As  for  instance:  that  same  Jesus  that 
said  to  the  leper,  “Say  nothing  to  any  man,” 
said  also  to  Lazarus,  “ Come  forth yet  the 
one  obeyed,  the  other  did  not,  though  he  that 
obeyed  was  least  in  a capacity  to  do  it,  he 
being  now  dead  and  stunk  in  his  grave.  In- 
deed, unbelief  hath  hindered  Christ  much,  yet 
not  when  lie  puttcth  forth  himself  as  Almighty, 
but  when  he  doth  suffer  himself  by  them  to  be 
abused  who  are  to  be  dealt  with  by  ordinary 
means;  otherwise  legions  of  devils,  with  ten 
thousand  impediments,  must  fall  down  before 
him  and  give  way  unto  him.  There  is  a speak- 
ing and  a (so)  speaking:  “They  (so)  spake 
that  a great  multitude,  both  of  the  Jews  and 
also  of  the  Greeks,  believed.”  Even  as  I have 
hinted  already,  there  is  a difference  between 
the  coming  of  the  word  when  it  is  in  power 
and  when  it  is  in  word  only.  So,  then,  the 
blessed  grace  of  election  chooseth  this  man  to 
good,  not  because  he  is  good;  it  chooseth  him 
to  believe,  not  because  he  doth  believe;  it 
chooseth  him  to  persevere,  not  because  he  doth 
so ; it  foreordains  that  this  man  shall  be  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  not  if  a man 
will  create  himself  thereto. 

What  shall  we  say  then?  Is  the  fault  in 
God,  if  any  perish?  Doubtless,  no;  nor  yet 
in  his  act  of  eternal  reprobation  neither;  it  is 
grace  that  saveth  the  elect,  but  sin  that  damns 
the  rest : it  is  superabundant  grace  that  causeth 
the  elect  to  close  with  the  tenders  of  life  and 
live,  and  it  is  the  abounding  of  sin  that  holds 
off  the  reprobate  from  the  rational  necessity 
and  absolute  tenders  of  grace.  To  conclude, 
then : The  Gospel  calleth  for  credence  as  a 
condition,  and  that  both  from  the  elect  and 
reprobate ; but  because  none  of  them  both,  as 
dead  in  sin,  will  close  therewith  and  live, 
therefore  grace,  by  virtue  of  electing  love,  puts 
forth  itself  to  work  and  do  for  some  beyond 
reason,  and  justice  cuts  off  others  for  slighting 
so  good,  so  gracious,  and  necessary  a means  of 
salvation,  so  full  both  of  kindness,  mercy,  and 
reason.* 


No  man  ever  quickened  his  own  soul,  or  had  any 
power  to  take  a single  step  in  the  way  of  salvation, 
till  God  made  him  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power. 
This  every  real  Christian  will  readily  allow;  therefore 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Seeing  it  is  not  possible  that,  the  llryirobatf 
should  receive  this  Groce  and  live,  and 
also  seeing  this  is  infalliblg  Foreseen  of 
God,  and  again,  seeing  God.  hath  Fore- 
determined  to  suffer  it  so  to  be,  why  doth 
he  yet  Will  and  Command  that  the  Gospel, 
and  so  Grace  in  the  general  tenders  thereof, 
should  be  proffered  unto  them  f 

Why,  then,  is  the  Gospel  offered  them? 
Well,  that  there  is  such  a tiling  as  eternal  rep- 
robation I have  showed  you,  also  what  this 
eternal  reprobation  is  I have  opened  unto  you; 
and  shall  now  show  you  also  that  though  these 
reprobates  will  infallibly  perish,  which  God 
not  only  foresaw,  but  foredetermined  to  suffer 
them  most  assuredly  to  do  so,  yet  there  is 
reason,  great  reason,  why  the  Gospel,  and  so 
the  grace  of  God  thereby,  should  be  tendered, 
and  that  iu  general  terms,  to  them  as  well  as 
others. 

But  before  I come  to  lay  the  reasons  before 
you  I must  mind  you  afresh  of  these  particu- 
lars : 

1.  That  eternal  reprobation  makes  no  man 
a sinner. 

2.  That  the  foreknowledge  of  God  that  the 
reprobate  would  perish  makes  no  man  a sin- 
ner. 

3.  That  God’s  infallibly  determining  upon 
the  damnation  of  him  that  perisketli  makes  no 
man  a sinner. 

4.  God’s  patience  and  long-suffering  and  for- 
bearance until  the  reprobate  fits  himself  for 
eternal  destruction  makes  no  man  a sinner. 

So,  then,  God  may  reprobate,  may  suffer  the 
reprobate  to  sin,  may  foredetermine  his  infalli- 
ble damnation,  through  the  preconsideration 
of  him  in  sin,  and  may  also  forbear  to  work 
that  effectual  work  in  his  soul  that  would  in- 
fallibly bring  him  out  of  this  condition,  and 
yet  neither  be  the  author,  contriver,  nor  means 
of  man’s  sin  and  misery. 

Again,  God  may  infallibly  foresee  that  this 
reprobate,  when  he  hath  sinned,  will  be  an  un- 
reasonable opposer  of  his  own  salvation,  and 

all  is  of  grace,  as  saith  the  apostle  : “ By  grace  are  ye 
saved,  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves  ; it  is 
the  gift  of  God;  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should 
boast.” 


714 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


may  also  determine  to  suffer  him  to  sin  and  be 
thus  unreasonable  to  the  end,  yet  he  gracious, 
yea,  very  gracious,  if  he  offer  him  life,  and 
that  only  upon  reasonable  terms,  which  yet  he 
denieth  to  close  with. 

The  reasons  are — 

1.  Because  not  God,  but  sin,  hath  made  him 
unreasonable,  without  which,  reasonable  terms 
had  done  his  work  for  him ; for  reasonable 
terms  are  the  most  equal  and  righteous  terms 
that  can  be  propounded  between  parties  at  dif- 
ference ; yea,  the  terms  that  most  suiteth  and 
agreeth  with  a reasonable  creature,  such  as 
man;  nay,  reasonable  terms  are,  for  terms,  the 
most  apt  to  work  with  that  man  whose  reason 
is  brought  into  and  held  captive  by  very  sense 
itself. 

2.  God  goeth  yet  further : he  addeth  prom- 
ises of  mercy,  as  those  that  are  inseparable  to 
the  terms  he  offereth,  even  to  pour  forth  his 
Spirit  unto  them:  “Turn  at  my  reproof,  and 
behold  I will  pour  forth  of  my  Spirit  unto  you, 
and  incline  your  ear ; come  unto  me,  hear,  and 
your  soul  shall  live.” 

Now,  then,  to  the  question  itself — to  wit, 
that  seeing  it  is  impossible  the  reprobate 
should  be  saved,  seeing  also  this  is  infallibly 
foreseen  of  God,  and  seeing  also  that  God  hath 
beforehand  determined  to  suffer  it  so  to  be,  yet 
I shall  show  you  it  is  requisite,  yea,  very  req- 
uisite, that  he  should  both  will  and  command 
that  the  Gospel,  and  so  grace,  in  the  general 
tenders  thereof,  should  be  proffered  unto  them. 

THE  FIRST  REASON. 

And  that,  first,  to  show  that  this  reprobation 
doth  not  in  itself  make  any  man  absolutely  in- 
capable of  salvation  ; for  if  God  had  intended 
that  by  the  act  of  reprobation  the  persons 
therein  concerned  should  also  by  that  only  act 
have  been  made  incapable  of  everlasting  life, 
then  this  act  must  also  have  tied  up  all  the 
means  from  them  that  tendeth  to  that  end,  or 
at  least  have  debarred  the  Gospel’s  being  of- 
fered to  them  by  God’s  command  for  that  in- 
tent; otherwise  who  is  there  but  would  have 
charged  the  Holy  One  as  guilty  of  guile  and 
worthy  of  blame  for  commanding  that  the  Gos- 
pel of  grace  and  salvation  should  be  offered 
unto  this  or  that  man,  whom  yet  he  hath  made 
incapable  to  receive  it  by  his  act  of  reproba- 
tion? Wherefore  this  very  thing — to  wit,  that 
the  Gospel  is  yet  to  be  tendered  to  those  eter- 
nally reprobated— showeth  that  it  is  not  sim- 
ply the  act  of  God’s  reprobation,  but  sin,  that 
incapacitateth  the  creature  of  life  everlasting; 


which  sin  is  no  branch  of  this  reprobation,  as 
is  evident,  because  the  elect  and  reprobate  are 
both  alike  defiled  therewith. 

THE  SECOND  REASON. 

Secondly.  God  also  showeth  by  this  that 
the  reprobate  doth  not  perish  for  want  of  the 
offers  of  salvation,  (though  he  hath  offended 
God,)  and  that  upon  most  righteous  terms,  ac- 
cording to  what  is  written : “ As  I live,  saith 
the  Lord,  I have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of 
him  that  dieth,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from 
his  wicked  way  and  live.  Turn  unto  me,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  and  I will  turn  unto  you, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.”  So,  then,  here  lieth 
the  point  between  God  and  the  reprobate,  (I 
mean  the  reprobate  since  he  hath  sinned :)  God 
is  willing  to  save  him  upon  reasonable  terms, 
but  not  upon  terms  above  reason  ; but  no  rea- 
sonable terms  will  down  with  the  reprobate, 
therefore  he  must  perish  for  his  unreasonable- 
ness. 

That  God  is  willing  to  save  even  those  that 
perish  for  ever  is  apparent,  both  from  the  con- 
sideration of  the  goodness  of  his  nature,  of 
man’s  being  his  creature,  and  indeed  in  a mis- 
erable state.  But,  I say,  as  I have  also  said 
already,  there  is  a great  difference  between  his 
being  willing  to  save  them  through  their  com- 
plying with  these  his  reasonable  terms,  and 
his  being  resolved  to  save  them  whether  they, 
as  men,  will  close  therewith  or  no ; so  only  he 
saveth  the  elect  themselves,  even  according  to 
the  riches  of  his  grace,  even  according  to  his 
riches  in  glory,  by  Christ  Jesus,  working  ef- 
fectually in  them  what  the  Gospel,  as  a condi- 
tion, calletli  for  from  them.  And  hence  it  is 
that  he  is  said  to  give  faith,  (yea  the  most  holy 
faith,  for  that  is  the  faith  of  God’s  elect,)  to 
give  repentance,  to  give  a new  heart,  to  give 
his  fear,  even  that  fear  that  may  keep  them  for 
ever  from  everlasting  ruin,  still  engaging  his 
mercy  and  goodness  to  follow  them  all  the  days 
of  their  lives,  that  they  may  dwell  in  the  house 
of  the  Lord  for  ever;  and  as  another  Scripture 
saith,  “ Now  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for  the 
selfsame  thing  is  God.” 

But,  I say,  his  denying  to  do  thus  fcr  every 
man  in  the  world  cannot  properly  be  said  to 
be  because  he  is  not  heartily  willing  they 
should  close  with  the  tenders  of  the  grace  held 
forth  in  the  Gospel  and  live.  Wherefore  you 
must  consider  that  there  is  a distinction  to  be 
put  between  God’s  denying  grace  on  reasonable 
terms  and  denying  it  absolutely,  and  also  that 
there  is  a difference  between  his  withholding 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


715 


further  grace  and  of  hindering  men  from  clos- 
ing with  the  grace  at  present  offered ; also  that 
God  may  withhold  much  when  lie  taketh  away 
nothing,  yea,  take  away  much  when  once 
abused,  and  yet  be  just  and  righteous  still. 
Further,  God  may  deny  to  do  this  or  that  ab- 
solutely, when  yet  he  hath  promised  to  do  not 
only  that,  but  more,  conditionally.  Which 
things  considered,  you  may  with  case  conclude 
that  he  may  be  willing  to  save  those  not  elect 
upon  reasonable  terms,  though  not  without 
them. 

It  is  no  unrighteousness  in  God  to  offer  grace 
unto  the  world,  though  but  on  those  terms 
only  that  they  are  also  foreseen  by  him  infal- 
libly to  reject,  both  because  to  reject  it  is  un- 
reasonable, especially  the  terms  being  so  rea- 
sonable as  to  believe  the  truth  and  live,  and 
also  because  it  is  grace  and  mercy  in  God  so 
much  as  once  to  offer  means  of  reconciliation 
to  a sinner,  he  being  the  offender,  but  the  Lord 
the  God  offended,  they  being  but  dust  and 
ashes,  he  the  heavenly  Majesty.  If  God,  when 
man  had  broke  the  law,  had  yet  with  all 
severity  kept  the  world  to  the  utmost  condi- 
tion of  it,  had  he  then  been  unjust  ? had  he 
injured  man  at  all?  was  not  every  tittle  of  the 
law  reasonable,  both  in  the  first  and  second 
table?  How  much  more,  then,  is  he  merciful 
and  gracious  even  in  but  mentioning  terms  of 
reconciliation,  especially  seeing  he  is  also  will- 
ing so  to  condescend  if  they  will  believe  his 
word  and  receive  the  love  of  the  truth ! 
Though  the  reprobate  then  doth  voluntarily 
and  against  all  strength  of  reason  run  him- 
self upon  the  rocks  of  eternal  misery,  and 
split  himself  thereon,  he  perisheth  in  his  own 
corruption  by  rejecting  terms  of  life. 

Objection  1.  But  the  reprobate  is  not  now 
in  a capacity  to  fulfil  these  reasonable  terms. 

Answer.  But,  I say,  suppose  it  should  be 
granted,  is  it  because  reprobation  made  him 
incapable,  or  sin?  Not  reprobation,  but  sin; 
if  sin,  then  before  he  quarrel  let  him  consider 
the  case  aright,  where,  in  the  result,  he  will 
find  sin,  being  consented  to  by  his  voluntary 
mind,  hath  thus  disabled  him,  and  because,  I 
say,  it  was  sin  by  his  voluntary  consent  that 
did  it,  let  him  quarrel  with  himself  for  con- 
senting so  as  to  make  himself  incapable  to 
close  with  reasonable  terms,  yea,  with  those 
terms  because  reasonable,  therefore  most  suit- 
able (as  terms)  for  him,  notwithstanding  his 
wickedness.  And  I say  again,  forasmuch  as 
these  reasonable  terms  have  annexed  unto 
them,  as  their  inseparable  companions,  such 


wonderful  mercy  and  grace,  as  indeed  there  is, 
let  even  them  that  perish  yet  justify  God,  yea, 
cry,  “ His  goodness  endureth  for  ever,”  though 
they,  through  the  wretchedness  of  their  hearts, 
get  no  benefit  by  it. 

THE  THIRD  REASON. 

•Thirdly.  God  may  will  and  command  that 
his  Gospel,  and  so  the  grace  thereof,  be  ten- 
dered to  those  that  shall  never  be  saved,  (be- 
sides what  hath  been  said,)  to  show  to  all 
spectators  what  an  enemy  sin,  being  once  em- 
braced, is  to  the  salvation  of  man.  Sin,  with- 
out the  tenders  of  the  grace  of  the  Gospel, 
could  never  have  appeared  so  exceeding  sinful 
as  by  that  it  both  hath  and  doth:  “If  I had 
not  come  and  spoken  unto  them/’saith  Christ, 
“ they  had  not  had  sin,  but  now  they  have  no 
cloak  for  their  sin.”  As  sins  that  oppose  the 
law  are  discovered  by  the  law — that  is,  by  the 
goodness,  and  justness,  and  holiness  of  the 
law — so  the  sins  that  oppose  the  Gospel  are 
made  manifest  by  that,  even  by  the  love,  and 
mercy,  and  forgiveness  of  the  Gospel.  (“If 
he  that  despised  Moses’s  law  died  without 
mercy,  of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  sup- 
pose ye,  shall  he  be  thought  worthy  who  hath 
trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God?”)  Who 
could  have  thought  that  sin  would  have  op- 
posed that  which  is  just,  but  especially  mercy 
and  grace,  had  we  not  seen  it  with  our  eyes? 
And  how  could  we  have  seen  it  to  purpose 
had  not  God  left  some  to  themselves?  Here 
indeed  is  sin  made  manifest:  “ For  all  he  had 
done  so  many  miracles  amongst  them,”  (to 
wit,  to  persuade  them  to  mercy,)  “ yet  they  be- 
lieved him  not.”  Sin,  where  it  reigneth,  is  a 
mortal  enemy  to  the  soul ; it  blinds  the  eyes, 
holds  the  hands,  ties  the  legs,  and  stops  the 
ears,  and  makes  the  heart  implacable  to  resist 
the  Saviour  of  souls.  That  man  will  neither 
obey  the  law  nor  the  Gospel  who  is  left  unto 
his  sin ; which  also  God  is  willing  should  be 
discovered  and  made  manifest,  though  it  cost 
the  damnation  of  some:  “For  this  very  pur- 
pose,” saith  God  to  Pharaoh,  “ have  I raised 
thee  up,  that  I might  show  in  thee  my  power, 
and  that  my  name  might  be  declared  in  all 
the  earth.”  For  God,  by  raising  up  Pharaoh 
to  his  kingdom  and  suffering  him  to  walk  to 
the  height  according  as  his  sin  did  prompt 
him  forward,  showed  unto  all  beholders  what 
a dreadful  thing  sin  is,  and  that  without  the 
special  assistance  of  his  Holy  Spirit  sin  would 
neither  be  charmed  by  law  nor  Gospel.  This 
reason,  though  it  be  nc  profit  unto  those  that 


716 


BUN  YAK’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


are  damned,  yet  it  is  for  the  honour  of  God 
and  the  good  of  those  he  hath  chosen. 

It  is  for  the  honour  of  God,  even  for  the 
honour  of  his  power  and  mercy,  for  his  power 
is  now  discovered  indeed,  when  nothing  can 
tame  sin  hut  that;  and  his  mercy  is  here  seen 
indeed,  because  that  doth  engage  him  to  do 
it.  Read  Rom.  ix.  22,  23. 

THE  FOURTH  REASON. 

Fourthly.  God  commandeth  that  the  tender 
of  the  Gospel,  and  the  grace  thereof,  be  in 
general  offered  to  all,  that  means  thereby 
might  be  sufficiently  provided  for  the  elect, 
both  to  beget  them  to  faith  and  to  maintain 
it  in  them  to  the  end,  in  what  place,  or  state, 
or  condition  soever  they  are.  God,  through 
the  operation  of  his  manifold  wisdom,  hath  an 
end,  and  an  end  in  his  acts  and  doings  amongst 
the  children  of  men,  and  so  in  that  he  com- 
mandeth that  his  Gospel  be  tendered  to  all — An 
end,  I say,  to  leave  the  damned  without  excuse 
and  to  provide  sufficiency  of  means  for  the 
gathering  all  his  elect.  “Oh  that  God  would 
speak,”  saitli  Zophar,  “and  open  his  mouth 
against  thee,  and  show  thee  the  secrets  of 
wisdom,  that  they  are  double  to  that  which 
is  !”  For  though  God  worketh  with  and  upon 
the  elect  otherwise  than  with  and  upon  the 
reprobate,  yet  he  worketh  with  and  upon  the 
elect  with  and  by  the  same  word  he  com- 
mandeth should  be  held  forth  and  offered  to 
the  reprobate.  Now  the  text  thus  running  in 
most  free  and  universal  terms,  the  elect  then 
hearing  thereof,  do,  through  the  mighty  power 
of  God,  close  in  with  the  tenders  therein  held 
forth,  and  are  saved.  Thus  that  word  that  was 
offered  to  the  reprobate  Jews,  and  by  them 
most  fiercely  rejected,  even  that  word  became 
yet  effectual  to  the  chosen,  and  they  were 
saved  thereby.  “ They  gladly  received  the 
word,  and  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal 
life  believed.*  Not  as  though  the  word  of 
God  had  taken  none  effect ; God  hath  not  cast 


# As  the  same  sun  which  softens  the  wax  hardens 
the  clay,  so  it  is  with  the  preached  Gospel,  which  is 
to  some  “ the  savour  of  death  unto  death,  and  to 
others  the  savour  of  life  unto  life.”  The  Gospel  is 
ineffectual  to  any  saving  purpose  respecting  the  rep- 
robate; partly  through  pride  and  in  not  enduring  to 
be  reproved  by  it ; partly  through  prejudice  against 
the  ministers  who  publish  it  : partly  through  slothful- 
ness, in  not  coming  under  the  sound  of  it;  and  prin- 
cipally through  cursed  infidelity,  in  not  believing  the 
gracious  message  it  brings.  Let  it  be  well  attended 
to  that  all  who  hear  the  Gospel  are  obliged  to  the  duty 


away  his  people  whom  he  foreknew.”  The 
word  shall  accomplish  the  thing  for  which 
God  hath  sent  it,  even  the  salvation  of  the 
few  that  are  chosen,  when  tendered  to  all, 
though  rejected  by  most,  through  the  rebel- 
lion of  their  hearts. 

Objection  2.  But  if  God  hath  elected,  as  you 
have  said,  what  need  he  lay  a foundation  so 
general  for  the  begetting  faith  in  his  chosen 
particulars,  seeing  the  same  Spirit  that  work- 
eth in  them  by  such  means  could  also  work  in 
them  by  other,  even  by  a word,  excluding  the 
most,  iu  the  first  tenders  thereof,  amongst  men  ? 

Answer.  I told  you  before  that  though  this 
be  a principal  reason  of  the  general  tenders  of 
the  grace  of  the  Gospel,  yet  it  is  not  all  the 
reason  why  the  tender  should  be  so  general  as 
the  three  former  reasons  show. 

But  again,  in  the  bowels  of  God’s  decree  of 
election  is  contained  the  means  that  are  also 
ordained  for  the  effectual  bringing  of  those 
elected  to  that  glory  for  which  they  were  fore- 
appointed,  even  to  gather  together  in  one  all 
the  children  of  God ; “ whereupon  he  called 
you,”  saith  Paul,  “ by  our  Gospel,  to  the  ob- 
taining of  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.” 
God’s  decree  of  election,  then,  destroyeth  not 
the  means  which  his  wisdom  hath  prepared;  it 
rather  establisheth,  yea,  ordains  and  establish- 
eth  it;  and  maketh  that  means  which  in  the 
outward  sign  is  indefinite  and  general  effectual 
to  this  and  that  man,  through  a special  and 
particular  application;  thus  that  Christ  that 
in  general  was  offered  to  all  is  by  a special  act 
of  faith  applied  to  Paul  in  particular:  “He 
loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me.” 

Further.  As  the  design  of  the  heavenly 
Majesty  is  to  bring  his  elect  to  glory  by  means, 
so  by  the  means  thus  universal  and  general  as 
most  behooveful  and  fit,  if  we  consider  not  only 
the  way  it  doth  please  him  to  work  with  some 
of  his  chosen,  in  order  to  this  their  glory,  but 
also  the  trials,  temptations,  and  other  calam- 
ities they  must  go  through  thereto. 


of  believing  as  well  as  to  all  the  duties  of  the  moral  law, 
and  that  before  they  know  their  particular  election  ; for 
we  cannot  have  a certain  knowledge  of  our  election 
to  our  eternal  life  before  we  do  believe;  it  is  a thing 
hidden  in  the  unsearchable  counsel  of  God  until  it  be 
manifest  by  our  effectual  calling  and  believing  on 
Christ;  therefore  we  must  believe  on  Christ  before  we 
know  our  election,  or  else  we  shall  never  know  it  and 
shall  never  believe.  All  joy,  peace,  comfort,  assur- 
ances are  communicated  to  the  soul  in  the  way  of 
believing.  May  the  Lord  give  and  increase  saving 
faith ! 


RE  PR  OB  A TION  ASSER  TED. 


717 


1.  Touching  his  working  with  some,  how 
invisible  is  it  to  those  in  whose  souls  it  is  yet 
begun ! How  is  the  word  buried  under  the 
clods  of  their  hearts  for  months,  yea,  years  to- 
gether ! Only  thus  much  is  discovered  there- 
of: it  showeth  the  soul  its  sin,  the  which  it 
doth  also  so  aggravate  and  apply  to  the  con- 
science (Jesus  still  refraining,  like  Joseph,  to 
make  himself  known  to  his  brethren)  that  were 
there  not  general  tenders  of  mercy,  and  that  to 
the  worst  of  sinners,  they  would  soon  miscarry 
and  perish  as  do  the  sons  of  perdition.  But 
by  these  the  Lord  upholdeth  and  helpeth  them, 
that  they  stand  when  others  fall  for  ever. 

2.  And  so  likewise  for  their  trials,  tempta- 
tions and  other  calamities,  because  God  will 
not  bring  them  to  heaven  without,  but  by 
them,  therefore  he  hath  also  provided  a word 
so  large  as  to  lie  fair  for  the  support  of  the  soul 
in  all  conditions,  that  it  may  not  die  for  thirst. 

3.  I might  add  also  in  this  place  that  their 
imperfect  state  after  grace  received  doth  call 
for  such  a word,  yea,  many  other  things  which 
might  be  named,  which  God,  only  wise,  hath 
thought  fit  should  accompany  us  to  the  ship, 
yea,  in  the  sea,  to  our  desired  haven. 

THE  FIFTH  REASON. 

Fifthly.  God  willeth  and  commandeth  the 
Gospel  should  be  offered  to  all,  that  thereby 
distinguishing  love,  as  to  an  inward  and  spirit- 
ual work,  might  the  more  appear  to  be  indeed 
the  fruit  of  special  and  peculiar  love.  For  in 
that  the  Gospel  is  tendered  to  all  in  general 
when  yet  but  some  do  receive  it,  yea,  and 
seeing  these  some  are  as  unable,  unwilling, 
and  by  nature  as  much  averse  thereto  as 
those  that  refuse  it  and  perish,  it  is  evident 
that  something  more  of  heaven  and  the  opera- 
tion of  the  Spirit  of  God  doth  accompany  the 
word  thus  tendered  for  their  life  and  salvation 
that  enjoy  it;  not  now  as  a word  barely  tend- 
ered, but  backed  by  the  strength  of  heaven : 
“Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath 
bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the 
children  of  God ! — even  we  who  believe  ac- 
cording to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power 
which  he  wrought  in  Christ  when  lie-  raised 
him  from  the  dead.”  This  provoketh  to  dis- 
tinguishing admiration,  yea,  and  also  to  a love 
like  that  which  hath  fastened  on  the  called, 
the  preserved,  and  the  glorified:  “He  hath 
not  dealt  so  with  any  nation ; and  as  for  his 
judgments,  they  have  not  known  them.  Praise 
ye  the  Lord.”  Now  are  the  sacrifices  bound 
even  to  the  horns  of  the  altar,  with  a “ Lord, 


how  is  it  that  thou  shouldst  manifest  thyself 
to  us,  and  not  unto  the  world  ? He  sent  from 
above,  he  took  me,  he  drew  me  out  of  many 
waters,  he  delivered  me  from  my  strong  enemy 
and  from  them  that  hated  me,  for  they  were 
too  strong  for  me.” 

For  thus  the  elect  considercth : Though  we 
all  came  alike  into  the  world  and  are  the  chil- 
dren of  wrath  by  nature,  yea,  though  we  have 
alike  so  weakened  ourselves  by  sin  that  the 
whole  head  is  sick  and  the  whole  heart  faint, 
being  altogether  gone  out  of  the  way,  and 
every  one  become  altogether  unprofitable,  both 
to  God  and  ourselves,  yet  that  God  should 
open  mine  eyes,  convert  my  soul,  give  me 
faith,  forgive  my  sins,  raise  me,  when  I fall, 
fetch  me  again  when  I am  gone  astray — this  is 
wonderful ! Yea,  that  he  should  prepare  eter- 
nal mansions  for  me,  and  also  keep  me  by  his 
blessed  and  mighty  power  for  that;  and  that 
in  a way  of  believing,  which  without  his  as- 
sistance I am  in  no  way  able  to  perform — that 
he  should  do  this  notwithstanding  my  sins, 
though  I had  no  righteousness,  yea,  that  he 
should  do  it  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord,  even  according  to  an  ever- 
lasting covenant  of  grace,  which  yet  the  great- 
est part  of  the  world  are  void  of,  and  will  for 
ever  miss  and  fall  short  of!  Besides,  that  he 
should  mollify  my  heart,  break  it,  and  then  de- 
light in  it,  put  his  fear  in  it,  and  then  look  to 
me,  and  keep  me  as  the  apple  of  his  eye;  yea, 
resolve  to  guide  me  with  his  counsel,  and  then 
receive  me  to  glory!  Further,  that  all  this 
should  be  the  effect  of  unthought-of,  unde- 
served, and  undesired  love — that  the  Lord 
should  think  on  this  before  he  made  the  world, 
and  sufficiently  ordain  the  means  before  he 
had  laid  the  foundation  of  the  hills, — for  this 
he  is  worthy  to  be  praised ; yea,  “ Let  every 
thing  that  hath  breath  praise  the  Lord ; praise 
ye  the  Lord.” 

Objection  3.  But  you  have  said  before  that 
the  reprobate  is  also  blessed  with  many  Gos- 
pel mercies,  as  with  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
faith,  light,  the  gift  of  the  Ploly  Ghost,  and 
the  tastes  or  relish  of  the  powers  of  the  world 
to  come;  if  so,  then  what  should  be  the  reason 
that  yet  he  perisheth?  Is  it  because  the  grace 
that  he  receiveth  differeth  from  the  grace  that 
the  elect  are  saved  by?  If  they  differ,  where 
lieth  the  difference?  Whether  in  the  nature, 
or  in  the  degree,  or  in  the  management  thereof? 

Answer.  To  this  objection  I might  answer 
many  things,  but  for  brevity  take  this  reply: 


718 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


1.  That  a non-elect  may  travel  very  far  both 
in  the  knowledge,  faith,  light,  and  sweetness 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  may  also  attain  to  the 
partaking  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  yea,  and  by  the 
very  operation  of  these  things  also  escape  the 
pollution  of  the  world  and  become  a visible 
saint,  join  in  church  communion  and  be  as 
chief  amongst  the  very  elect  themselves.  This 
the  Scriptures  everywhere  do  show  us. 

The  question  then  is,  Whether  the  elect  and 
reprobate  receive  a differing  grace?  To  which 
I answer,  Yes,  in  some  respects,  both  as  to  the 
nature  thereof  and  also  the  degree. 

To  begin,  then,  with  the  nature  of  it: 

1.  The  faith  that  the  chosen  are  blessed  with, 
it  goeth  under  another  name  than  any  faith  be- 
sides, even  the  faith  of  God’s  elect,  as  of  a faith 
belonging  to  them  only,  of  which  none  others 
do  partake;  which  faith  also,  for  the  nature  of 
it,  is  called  faith  most  holy,  to  show  it  goes  be- 
yond all  other,  and  can  be  fitly  matched  no- 
where else  but  with  their  most  blessed  faith 
who  infallibly  attain  eternal  glory;  even  like 
precious  faith  with  us,  saith  Peter,  with  his 
elect  companions.  And  so  of  other  things. 
For  if  this  be  true  that  they  differ  in  their 
faith,  they  must  needs  therewith  differ  in  other 
things;  for  faith,  being  the  mother  of  grace, 
produceth  all  the  rest  according  to  its  own  na- 
ture— to  wit,  love  that  abounds,  that  never 
fails,  and  that  is  never  contented  till  it  attain 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  &c. 

They  differ  as  to  their  nature  in  this:  the 
faith,  and  hope,  and  love  that  the  chosen  re- 
ceive, it  is  that  which  floweth  from  election 
itself;  he  hath  blessed  us  according  as  he  hath 
chosen  us,  even  with  those  graces  he  set  apart 
for  us  when  he  in  eternity  did  appoint  us  to 
life  before  the  foundation  of  the  world ; which 
grace,  because  the  decree  in  itself  is  most  ab- 
solute and  infallible,  they  also,  that  they  may 
completely  answer  the  end,  will  do  the  work 
infallibly  likewise,  still  through  the  manage- 
ment of  Christ:  “I  have  prayed  that  thy  faith 
fail  not.” 

But  secondly.  As  they  differ  in  nature,  they 
differ  also  in  degree;  for  though  it  be  true  that 
the  reprobate  is  blessed  with  grace,  yet  this  is 
also  as  true,  that  the  elect  are  blessed  with  more 
grace;  it  is  the  privilege  only  of  those  that 
are  chosen,  to  be  blessed  with  [all  ] spiritual 
blessings,  and  to  have  [all]  the  good  pleasure 
of  the  goodness  of  God  fulfilled  in  and  upon 
them.  Those  who  are  blessed  with  [all]  spir- 
itual blessings  must  needs  be  blessed  with 
eternal  life;  and  those  in  whom  the  Lord  not 


only  works  all  his  good  pleasure,  but  fulfilletb 
all  the  good  pleasure  of  his  goodness  upon 
them,  they  must  needs  be  preserved  to  his 
heavenly  kingdom;  but  none  of  the  non-elect 
have  these  things  conferred  upon  them ; there- 
fore the  grace  bestowed  upon  the  one  doth 
differ  both  in  nature  and  degree  from  the 
other. 

Thirdly.  There  is  a difference  as  to  the  man- 
agement also;  the  reprobate  is  principal  fur 
the  management  of  the  grace  he  receiveth,  but 
Jesus  Christ  is  principal  for  the  management 
of  the  grace  the  elect  receiveth.  When  I say 
principal,  I mean  chief;  for  though  the  repro- 
bate is  to  have  the  greatest  hand  in  the  man- 
agement of  what  mercy  and  goodness  the  Lord 
bestoweth  on  him,  yet  not  so  as  that  the  Lord 
will  not  help  him  at  all;  nay,  contrariwise,  he 
will,  if  first  the  reprobate  do  truly  the  duty 
that  lieth  on  him:  “If  thou  do  well,  shalt 
thou  not  be  accepted?  But  if  not  well,  be- 
hold sin  lieth  at  the  doo7.”  Thus  it  was  also 
with  Saul,  who  was  rejected  of  God  upon  this 
account.  And  I say,  as  to  the  elect  them- 
selves, though  Jesus  Christ  our  blessed  Saviour 
be  chief  as  to  the  management  of  the  grace 
bestowed  on  his  chosen,  yet  not  so  as  that  he 
quite  excludeth  them  from  striving  according 
to  his  working  which  worketh  in  them  might- 
ily; nay,  contrariwise,  if  those  who  in  truth 
are  elect  shall  yet  be  remiss  and  do  wickedly, 
they  shall  feel  the  stroke  of  God’s  rod,  it  may 
be  till  their  bones  do  break.  But  because  the 
work  doth  not  lie  at  their  door  to  manage  as 
chief,  but  at  Christ’s,  therefore  though  he  may 
perform  his  work  with  much  bitterness  and 
grief  to  them,  yet  he,  being  engaged  as  the 
principal,  will  perform  that  which  concerneth 
them,  even  until  the  day  (the  coming)  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

From  what  hath  been  said  there  ariseth  this 
conclusion : 

The  elect  are  always  under  eternal  mercy, 
but  those  not  elect  always  under  eternal  jus- 
tice; for  you  must  consider  this:  there  is 
eternal  mercy  and  eternal  justice,  and  there  is 
present  mercy  and  present  justice.  So,  then, 
for  a man  to  be  in  a state  of  mercy,  it  may  be 
either  a state  of  mercy  present  or  both  present 
and  eternal  also.  And  so,  again,  for  a man  to 
be  in  a state  under  justice,  it  may  be  under- 
stood either  of  present  justice  only  or  of  both 
present  and  eternal  also.  • 

That  this  may  yet  further  be  opened  I shall 
somewhat  enlarge. 

I begin  with  present  mercy  and  present  jus- 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


719 


tice.  That  which  I call  present  mercy  is  that 
faith,  light,  knowledge,  and  state  of  the  good 
word  of  God  that  a man  may  have  and  perish. 
This  is  called  in  Scripture  “believing  for 
awhile,  during  for  awhile,  and  rejoicing  in  the 
light  for  a season.”  Now  I call  this  mercy, 
both  because  none  (as  men)  can  deserve  it,  and 
also  because  the  proper  end  thereof  is  to  do 
good  to  those  that  have  it.  But  I call  it  pres- 
ent' mercy,  because  those  that  are  only  blessed 
with  that  may  sin  it  away  and  perish ; as  did 
some  of  the  Galatians,  Hebrews,  Alexandrians, 
with  the  Asians,  and  others.  But  yet  observe 
again,  I do  not  call  this  present  mercy  because 
God  hath  determined  it  shall  last  but  awhile 
absolutely,  but  because  it  is  possible  for  man 
to  lose  it,  yea,  determined  he  shall,  condi- 
tionally. 

Again.  As  to  present  justice,  it  is  that  which 
lasteth  but  awhile  also;  and  as  present  mercy 
is  properly  the  portion  of  those  left  out  of 
God’s  election,  so  present  justice  chiefly  hath 
to  do  with  God’s  beloved,  who  yet  at  that  time 
are  also  under  eternal  mercy.  This  is  that  jus- 
tice that  afflicted  Job,  David,  Heman,  and  the 
godly,  who  notwithstanding  do  infallibly  at- 
tain, by  virtue  of  this  mercy,  eternal  life  and 
glory.  I call  this  justice,  because  in  some 
sense  God  dealeth  with  his  children  according 
to  the  quality  of  their  transgression ; and  I 
call  it  also  present  justice,  because  though  the 
hand  of  God  for  the  present  be  never  so  heavy 
on  those  that  are  his  by  election,  yet  it  lasteth 
but  awhile ; wherefore  though  this  indeed  be 
called  wrath,  yet  this  is  but  a little  wrath — 
wrath  for  a moment,  time,  or  season.  “ In  a 
little  wrath  I hid  my  face  from  thee  for  a 
moment,  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I 
have  mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Re- 
deemer.” 

Thus  you  see  there  is  present  mercy  and  pres- 
ent justice;  also  that  the  elect  maybe  under 
present  justice  when  the  rest  may  be  under 
present  mercy. 

Again.  As  there  is  present  mercy  and  present 
justice,  so  there  is  eternal  mercy  and  eternal 
justice;  and  I say,  as  the  elect  may  be  under 
present  justice  when  the  non-elect  may  be 
under  present  mercy,  so  the  elect  at  that  time 
are  also  under  eternal  mercy,  but  the  other 
under  eternal  justice. 

That  the  elect  are  under  eternal  mercy,  and 
that  when  under  present  justice,  is  evident 
from  what  hath  been  said  before — namely, 
from  their  being  chosen  in  Christ  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  as  also  from  the  con- 


sideration of  their  sound  conversion  and  safe 
preservation  quite  through  this  wicked  world, 
even  safe  unto  eternal  life;  as  he  also  saith  by 
the  prophet  Jeremiah : “ Yea,  I have  loved 
thee  with  an  everlasting  love,  therefore  with 
loving-kindness  have  I drawn  thee;”  and 
hencC  it  is  that  he  calleth  the  elect  his  sliccp, 
his  children,  and  people,  and  that  before  con- 
version ; for  though  none  of  them  as  yet  were 
his  children  by  calling,  yet  were  they  his  ac- 
cording to  election. 

Now  the  elect  being  under  this  eternal  grace 
and  mercy,  they  must  needs  be  under  it  before 
present  justice  seizeth  upon  them,  while  it  sciz- 
etli  them  and  also  continucth  with  them  longer 
than  present  justice  can,  it  being  from  ever- 
lasting to  everlasting.  This  being  so,  here  is 
the  reason  why  no  sin,  nor  yet  temptation  of 
the  enemy,  with  any  other  evil,  can  hurt  or 
destroy  those  thus  elect  of  God ; yea,  this  is 
that  which  maketh  even  those  things  that  in 
themselves  are  the  very  bane  of  men,  yet  prove 
very  much  for  good  to  those  within  this  pur- 
pose; and  as  David  saith,  “It  is  good  for  me 
that  I have  been  afflicted;”  and  again,  “For 
when  we  are  judged  of  the  Lord  we  are  chas- 
tened, that  we  should  not  be  condemned  with 
the  world.”  Now  afflictions,  &c.,  in  themselves 
are  not  only  fruitless  and  unprofitable,  but, 
being  unsanctified,  are  destructive:  “I  smote 
him,  and  he  went  on  frowardlv;”  but  now 
eternal  mercy,  working  with  this  or  that  af- 
fliction, makes  it  profitable  to  the  chosen  : “ I 
have  seen  his  ways,  and  will  heal  him,  and 
will  restore  comfort  to  him  and  to  his  mourn- 
ers ; ” as  he  saith  in  another  place,  “ Blessed  is 
the  man  whom  thou  chastisest  and  teaehest 
out  of  thy  law.”  For  eternal  mercy  doth  not 
look  on  those  who  are  the  elect  and  chosen  of 
God  as  poor  sinful  creatures  only,  but  also  as 
the  generation  whom  the  Lord  hath  blessed, 
in  whom  he  hath  designed  to  magnify  his 
name  to  the  utmost  by  pardoning  the  trans- 
gressions of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage,  hav- 
ing predestinated  us  to  the  adoption  of  chil- 
dren by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  wherein  also 
he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved. 
Wherefore,  I say,  the  elect,  as  they  do  also  re- 
ceive that  grace  and  mercy  that  may  be  sinned 
away,  so  they  have  that  grace  and  mercy  which 
cannot  be  lost  and  that  sin  cannot  deprive 
them  of,  even  mercy  that  abounds  and  goeth 
beyond  all  sin ; such  mercy  as  hath  engaged 
the  power  of  God,  the  intercession  of  Christ, 
and  the  communication  of  the  blessed  Spirit 
of  adoption ; which  Spirit  also  engageth  the 


720 


BUNT  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


heart,  directs  it  into  the  love  of  God,  that  it 
may  not  depart  from  God  after  that  rate  as 
the  reprobates  do.  “ I will  make  an  everlast- 
ing covenant  with  them,  (saith  God,)  that  I 
will  not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good, 
but  -will  put  my  fear  in  their  heart,  that  they 
shall  not  depart  from  me.” 

But  now  I say,  God’s  dealing  with  the  non- 
elect is  far  otherwise,  they  being  under  the 
consideration  of  eternal  justice,  even  then 
when  in  the  enjoyment  of  present  grace  and 
mercy.  And  lienee  it  is  that  as  to  their  stand- 
ing before  the  God  of  heaven  they  are  counted 
dogs,  and  sows,  and  devils,  even  then  when  be- 
fore the  elect  of  God  themselves  they  are 
counted  saints  and  brethren : “ The  dog  is  re- 
turned to  his  own  vomit  again,  and  the  sow 
that  was  washed  to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire.” 
And  the  reason  is,  because  notwithstanding  all 
their  show  before  the  world  their  old  nature 
and  corruptions  do  still  bear  sway  within, 
which  in  time  also,  according  to  the  ordinary 
judgment  of  God,  is  suffered  so  to  show  itself 
that  they  are  visible  to  saints  that  are  elect,  as 
was  the  case  of  Simon  Magus  and  that  wicked 
apostate  Judas,  who  went  out  from  us,  “but 
they  were  not  of  us,  for  if  they  had  been  of  us, 
they  should  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us ; 
but  they  went  out  from  us,  that  it  might  be 
manifest  they  were  not  all  of  us:”  they  were 
not  elect  as  we,-  nor  were  they  sanctified  as  the 
elect  of  God  themselves ; wherefore  eternal 
justice  counts  them  the  sons  of  perdition  when 
under  their  profession.  And  I say,  they  being 

* “ It  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that 
runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy.”  Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  flow  from  God  the  Father  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Sin  is  the  root  and  cause  of 
all  moral  evil;  and  God  cannot,  consistent  with  his 
justice,  show  mercy  to  the  sinner  but  on  the  expia- 
tion of  it.  There  is  an  infinite  fulness  and  sufficiency 
in  Christ,  out  of  which  the  elect  receive,  and  grace  for 
grace.  We  presume  this  subject  cannot  be  more 
suitably  closed  than  by  transcribing  the  XVIIth  arti- 
cle of  the  Church  of  England,  of  Predestination  and 
Election,  which  is  as  follows: 

“Predestination  to  life  is  the  everlasting  purpose 
of  God,  whereby  (before  the  foundations  of  the  world 
were  laid)  he  hath  constantly  decreed,  by  his  counsel, 
secret  to  us,  to  deliver  from  curse  and  damnation  those 
whom  he  hath  chosen  in  Christ  out  of  mankind,  and 
to  bring  them  by  Christ  to  everlasting  salvation,  as 
vessels  made  to  honour.  Wherefore  they  which  be 
endued  with  so  excellent  a benefit  of  God  he  called, 
according  to  God’s  purpose,  by  his  Spirit  working  in 
due  season  : they  through  grace  obey  the  calling;  they 
be  justified  freely  ; they  be  made  sons  of  God  by  adop- 
tion ; they  be  made  like  the  image  of  his  only-begotten 


under  this  eternal  justice,  it  must  needs  have 
to  do  with  them  in  the  midst  of  their  profes- 
sion ; and  because  also  it  is  much  offended  with 
them  for  conniving  with  their  lusts,  it  taketh 
away  from  them,  and  that  most  righteously, 
those  gifts  and  graces,  and  benefits  and  privi- 
leges that  present  mercy  gave  them  ; and  not 
only  so,  but  cuts  them  oft'  for  their  iniquity, 
and  layeth  them  under  wrath  for  ever.  “ They 
have  forsaken  the  right  way,  (saith  God,)  they 
have  followed  the  way  of  Balaam,  the  son  of 
Bosor;  these  are  wells  without  water,  clouds 
that  are  carried  with  a tempest,  trees  whose 
fruit  withereth,  without  fruit,  twice  dead, 
plucked  up  by  the  roots,  for  whom  is  reserved 
the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever.” 

These  things  thus  considered,  you  see — 

1.  That  there  is  present  grace  and  present 
mercy,  eternal  grace  and  eternal  mercy. 

2.  That  the  elect  are  under  eternal  mercy, 
and  that  when  under  present  justice ; and  that 
the  reprobate  is  under  eternal  justice,  and  that 
when  under  present  mercy. 

3.  Thus  you  see  again  that  the  non-elect 
perish  by  reason  of  sin,  notwithstanding  pre 
sent  mercy,  because  of  eternal  justice;  and 
that  the  elect  are  preserved  from  the  death 
(though  they  sin  and  are  obnoxious  to  the 
strokes  of  present  justice)  by  reason  of  eternal 
mercy.*  What  shall  we  say,  then?  Is  there 
unrighteousness  with  God  ? God  forbid ; “ He 
hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and 
compassion  on  whom  he  will  have  compas- 
sion.” 

Son  Jesus  Christ;  they  walk  righteously  in  good 
works ; and  at  length,  by  God’s  mercy,  they  attain  to 
everlasting  felicity. 

“ As  the  godly  consideration  of  Predestination  ana 
our  Election  in  Christ  is  full  of  sweet,  pleasant,  and 
unspeakable  comfort  to  godly  persons,  and  such  as 
feel  in  themselves  the  working  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
mortifying  the  works  of  the  flesh  and  their  earthly 
members  and  drawing  up  their  minds  to  high  and 
heavenly  things,  as  well  because  it  doth  greatly  estab- 
lish and  confirm  their  faith  of  eternal  salvation  to  be 
enjoyed  through  Christ,  as  because  it  doth  fervently 
kindle  their  love  towards  God,  so,  for  curious  and 
carnal  persons,  lacking  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  to  have 
continually  before  their  eyes  the  sentence  of  God's 
predestination  is  a most  dangerous  downfall,  whereby 
the  devil  doth  thrust  them  either  into  desperation  or 
into  wretchedness  of  most  unclean  living,  no  less 
perilous  than  desperation. 

“ Furthermore,  we  must  receive  God’s  promises  in 
such  wise  as  they  be  generally  set  forth  to  us  in  Holy 
Scripture ; and  in  our  doings  that  will  of  God  is  to  be 
followed  which  we  have  expressly  declared  unto  us  in 
the  word  of  God.” 


THE  STRAIT  GATE; 


OR, 

THE  GREAT  DIFFICULTY  OF  GOING  TO  HEAVEN. 


Kilter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate ; for  wide  is  the  gate  and  broad  is  the  way  that  leadcth  to  destruction,  and  many 
tlioro  be  which  go  in  thereat;  because  strait  is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few 
there  be  that  find  it. — Matt.  vii.  13,  14. 


TO  THE 

Courteous  Reader  : 

God  (I  hope)  hath  put  it  into  my  heart  to 
write  unto  thee  another  time,  and  that  about 
matters  of  the  greatest  moment,  (for  now  we 
discourse  not  about  things  controverted  among 
the  godly,  but  directly  about  the  saving  or 
damning  of  the  soul : yea,  moreover,  this  dis- 
course is  about  the  fewness  of  them  that  shall 
be  saved,  and  it  proves  that  many  an  high  pro- 
fessor will  come-sliort  of  eternal  life;)  where- 
fore the  matter  must  needs  be  sharp,  and  so 
disliked  by  some,  but  let  it  not  be  rejected  by 
thee.  The  text  calls  for  sharpness,  so  do  the 
times;  yea,  the  faithful  discharge  of  my  duty 
towards  thee  hath  put  me  upon  it. 

I do  not  now  pipe,  but  mourn,  and  it  will  be 
well  for  thee  if  thou  canst  graciously  lament. 
Some  (say  they)  make  the  gate  of  heaven  too 
wide,  and  some  make  it  too  narrow ; for  my 
part,  I have  here  presented  thee  with  as  true  a 
measure  of  it  as  by  the  word  of  God  I can. 
Read  me,  therefore,  yea,  read  me,  and  compare 
me  with  the  Bible,  and  if  thou  findest  my 
48 


READER. 

doctrine  and  that  book  of  God  concur,  embrace 
it,  as  thou  wilt  answer  the  contrary  in  the  day 
of  judgment.  This  awakening  work  (if  God 
will  make  it  so)  was  prepared  for  thee ; if  there 
be  need  and  it  wounds,  get  healing  by  blood ; 
if  it  disquiets,  get  peace  by  blood ; if  it  takes 
away  all  thou  hast,  because  it  was  naught,  (for 
this  book  is  not  prepared  to  take  away  true 
grace  from  any,)  then  buy  of  Christ  gold  tried 
in  the  fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich,  and  white 
raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed  and  that 
the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  doth  not  appear, 
and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that  thou 
mayest  see.  Self-flatteries,  self-deceivings  are 
easy  and  pleasant,  but  damnable.  The  Lord 
give  thee  an  heart  to  judge  right  of  thyself, 
right  of  this  book,  and  so  prepare  for  eternity, 
that  thou  mayest  not  only  expect  entrance,  but 
be  received  into  the  kingdom  of  Cln-ist  and  of 
God  1 Amen. 

So  prays  thy  friend, 

JOHN  BUN Y AN. 

721 


THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate;  for  many,  I say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  iWa. — 

Loke  xiii.  24. 


These  are  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  are  therefore,  in  especial  manner, 
to  be  heeded ; besides,  the  subject-matter  of  the 
words  is  the  most  weighty — to  wit,  how  we 
should  attain  salvation — and  therefore  also  to 
be  heeded. 

The  occasion  of  the  words  was  a question 
which  one  that  was  at  this  time  in  the  com- 
pany of  the  disciples  put  to  Jesus  Christ ; the 
question  was  this : “ Lord,  are  there  few  that 
be  saved?”  A serious  question,  not  such  as 
tended  to  the  subversion  of  the  hearers,  as  too 
many  now-a-days  do,  but  such  as  in  its  own 
nature  tended  to  the  awakening  of  the  com- 
pany to  good,  and  that  called  for  such  an  an- 
swer that  might  profit  the  people  also.  This 
question  also  well  pleased  Jesus  Christ,  and  he 
prepareth  and  giveth  such  an  answer  as  was 
without  the  least  retort  or  show  of  distaste — 
such  an  answer,  I say,  as  carried  in  it  the  most 
full  resolve  to  the  question  itself  and  help  to 
the  persons  questioning : “And  he  said  unto 
them,  Strive  to  enter  in,”  &c.  The  words  are 
an  answer  and  an  instruction  also. 

1.  An  answer,  and  that  in  the  affirmative; 
the  gate  is  strait,  many  that  seek  will  not  be 
able,  therefore  but  few  shall  be  saved. 

'2.  The  answer  is  an  instruction  also : “Strive 
to  enter  in,”  &c. ; good  counsel  and  instruc- 
tion ; pray  God  help  me,  and  my  reader,  and 
all  that  love  their  own  salvation,  to  take  it. 

My  manner  of  handling  the  words  will  be, 
first,  by  way  of  explication,  and  then  by  way 
of  observation. 

1.  By  way  of  explication. 

The  words  are  to  he  considered,  first,  with 
reference  to  their  general  scope,  and  then  with 
reference  to  their  several  phrases. 

First.  The  general  scope  of  the  text  is  to  be 
considered,  and  that  is  that  great  thing,  salva- 
tion ; for  these  words  do  immediately  look  at, 
point  to,  and  give  directions  about  salvation  : 
722 


“Are  there  few  that  be  saved?  Strive  to  enter 
in  at  the  strait  gate.” 

The  words,  I say,  are  to  direct  us  not  only  to 
talk  of  or  to  wish  for,  but  to  understand  how 
we  shall,  and  to  seek  that  we  may  be  effect- 
ually saved,  and  therefore  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance. To  be  saved ! What  is  like  being 
saved?  To  be  saved  from  sin,  from  hell,  from 
the  wrath  of  God,  from  eternal  damnation ! 
what  is  like  it?  To  be  made  an  heir  of  God, 
of  his  grac<?,  of  his  kingdom  and  eternal  glory! 
Avhat  is  like  it?  And  yet  all  this  is  included 
in  this  word  saved,  and  in  the  answer  to  that 
question,  Are  there  few  that  be  saved?  Indeed, 
this  word  saved  is  but  of  little  use  in  the  world 
save  to  them  that  are  heartily  afraid  of  damn- 
ing. This  word  lies  in  the  Bible  as  excellent 
salves  lie  in  some  men’s  houses,  thrust  into  a 
hole  and  not  thought  on  for  many  months,  be- 
cause the  household  people  have  no  wounds 
nor  sores.  In  time  of  sickness  what  so  set  by 
as  the  doctor’s  glasses  and  gallipots  full  of 
his  excellent  things?  but  when  the  person  is 
grown  well  the  rest  is  thrown  to  the  dunghill. 
Oh,  when  men  are  sick  of  sin  and  afraid  of 
damning,  what  a text  is  that  where  this  word 
saved  is  found  ! Yea,  what  a word  of  worth, 
and  goodness,  aud  blessedness  is  it  to  him  that 
lies  continually  upon  the  wrath  of  a guilty 
conscience ! “ But  the  whole  need  not  the 

physician.”  He  therefore,  and  he  only,  knows 
what  saved  means  that  knows  what  hell,  and 
death,  and  damnation  mean:  “What  shall  I 
do  to  be  saved?”  is  the  language  of  the  tiem- 
bling  sinner.  “Lord,  save  me!”  is  the  lan- 
guage of  the  sinking  sinner;  and  none  admire 
the  glory  that  is  in  that  word  saved  but  such 
as  see,  without  being  saved,  all  things  in 
heaven  and  earth  are  emptiness  to  them;  they 
also  that  believe  themselves  privileged  in  all 
the  blessedness  that  is  wrapped  up  in  that  word 
bless  and  admire  God  that  hath  saved  them  ■ 


T1IE  STRAIT  GATE. 


723 


wherefore,  since  the  thing  intended  both  in  the 
question  and  the  answer  is  no  less  than  the 
salvation  of  the  soul,  I beseech  you  to  give  the 
more  earnest  heed. 

But  to  come  to  the  particular  phrases  in  the 
words,  and  to  handle  them  orderly,  I find  four 
things : 

1.  An  intimation  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ; 
2.  A description  of  the  entrance  into  it;  3.  An 
exhortation  to  enter  into  it;  and,  4.  A motive 
to  enforce  that  exhortation. 

1.  An  intimation  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ; 
for  when  he  saith,  “Strive  to  enter  in;”  and 
in  such  phrases  there  is  supposed  a place  or 
state,  or  both,  to  be  enjoyed.  “ Enter  in ;” 
enter  into  what,  or  whither,  but  into  a state 
or  place,  or  both;  and  therefore  when  you 
read  these  words  enter  in,  you  must  say  there 
is  certainly  included  in  the  text  that  good 
thing  that  yet  is  not  expressed.  “Enter  in,” 
into  heaven,  that  is  the  meaning,  where  the 
saved  are  and  shall  be;  into  heaven,  that 
place,  that  glorious  place,  where  God,  and 
Christ,  and  angels  are,  and  the  souls  or  spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect.  “ Enter  in  ;”  that 
thing  included,  though  not  expressed  in  the 
words,  is  called  in  another  place,  the  Mount 
Sion,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  general  as- 
sembly and  Church  of  the  first-born  which  are 
written  in  heaven.  And  therefore  the  words 
signify  unto  us  that  there  is  a state  most  glor- 
ious, and  that  when  this  world  is  ended,  and 
that  this  place  and  state  is  likewise  to  be  en- 
joyed and  inherited  by  a generation  of  men 
for  ever.  Besides,  these  words  “enter  in,” 
signify  that  salvation  to  the  full  is  to  be  en- 
joyed only  there,  and  that  there  only  is  eter- 
nal safety;  all  other  places  and  conditions  are 
hazardous,  dangerous,  full  of  snares,  imperfec- 
tions, temptations,  and  afflictions;  but  there 
all  is  well ; there  is  no  devil  to  tempt,  no  des- 
perately wicked  heart  to  deliver  us  up,  no  de- 
ceitful lust  to  entangle,  nor  any  enchanting 
world  to  bewitch  us ; there  all  shall  be  well  to 
all  eternity.  Further,  all  the  parts  of  and 
circumstances  that  attend  salvation  are  only 
there  to  be  enjoyed ; there  only  is  immortality 
and  eternal  life ; there  is  the  glory  and  fulness 
of  joy  and  the  everlasting  pleasures;  there  is 
God  and  Christ  to  be  enjoyed  by  open  vision  ; 
and  more,  there  are  the  angels  and  the 
saints;  further,  there  is  no  death,  nor  sick- 
ness, nor  sorrow,  nor  sighing  for  ever;  there  is 
no  pain,  nor  persecutor,  nor  darkness  to 
eclipse  our  glory.  Oh  this  Mount  Sion ! Oh 
this  heavenly  Jerusalem ! 


Behold,  therefore,  what  a great  thing  the 
Lord  Jesus  hath  included  by  this  little  word, 
in.  In  this  word  is  wrapped  up  an  whole 
heaven  and  eternal  life,  even  as  there  is 
also  by  other  little  words  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures of  truth,  as  where  he  saith,  “ Knock,  and 
it  shall  be  opened  unto  you,”  and  the  elect 
have  obtained  it.  This  should  teach  us  not 
only  to  read,  but  to  attend  in  reading;  not 
only  to  read,  but  to  lift  up  our  hearts  to  God 
in  reading;  for  if  we  be  not  heedful,  if  he 
gives  us  not  light  and  understanding,  we  may 
easily  pass  over  without  any  great  regard 
such  a word  as  may  have  have  a glorious 
kingdom  and  eternal  salvation  in  the  bowels 
of  it;  yea,  sometimes,  as  here,  a whole  heaven 
is  intimated  where  it  is  not  at  all  expressed. 
The  apostles  of  old  did  use  to  fetch  great 
things  out  of  the  Scriptures,  even  out  of  the 
very  order  and  timing  of  the  several  things 
contained  therein. 

2.  As  we  have  here  an  intimation  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  so  we  have  a description 
of  the  entrance  into  it,  and  that  by  a double 
similitude:  1.  It  is  called  a gate;  2.  A strait 
gate : “ Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate.” 

1st.  It  is  set  forth  by  the  similitude  of  a 
gate.  A gate,  you  know,  is  of  a double  use;  it 
is  to  open  and  shut,  and  so,  consequently,  to 
let  in  or  to  keep  out,  and  to  do  both  these  at 
the  season  ; as  he  said,  “ Let  not  the  gates  of 
Jerusalem  be  opened  till  the  sun  be  hot;”  and 
again,  “ 1 commanded  that  the  gates  should  be 
shut,  and  charged  that  they  should  not  be 
opened  till  after  the  sabbath.”  And  so  you 
find  of  this  gate  of  heaven,  when  the  five  wise 
virgins  came  the  gate  was  opened,  birt  after- 
wards came  the  other  virgins  and  the  door  was 
shut.  So  then  the  entrance  into  heaven  is 
called  a gate,  to  show  there  is  a time  when 
there  may  be  entrance,  and  there  will  come 
a time  when  there  shall  be  none ; and  indeed 
this  is  a chief  truth  contained  in  the  text: 
“ Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  for  many) 
I say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able.”  I read  in  the  Scriptures  of  two 
gates  or  doors  through  which  they  that  go  to 
heaven  must  enter. 

(1.)  There  is  the  door  of  faith,  the  door 
which  the  grace  of  God  hath  opened  to  the 
Gentiles;  this  door  is  Jesus  Christ,  as  also 
himself  doth  testify,  saying,  “ I am  the  door,” 
&c.  By  this  door  men  enter  into  God’s  favour 
and  mercy,  and  find  forgiveness  through  faith 
in  his  blood,  and  live  in  hope  of  eternal  life; 
and  therefore  himself  also  said,  “ I am  the 


724 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


door;  by  me,  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be 
saved;”  that  is,  received  to  mercy  and  inherit 
eternal  life.  But, 

(2.)  There  is  another  door  or  gate,  (for  that 
which  is  called  in  the  text  a gate  is  twice  in 
the  next  verse  called  a door;)  there  is,  I say, 
another  gate,  and  that  is  the  passage  into  the 
very  heaven  itself,  the  entrance  into  the  celes- 
tial mansion-house,  and  that  is  the  gate  men- 
tioned in  the  text  and  the  door  mentioned 
twice  in  the  verse  that  follows.  And  thus 
Jacob  called  it  when  he  said  Bethel  was  the 
house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven — 
that  is,  the  entrance,  for  he  saw  the  entrance 
into  heaven.  One  end  of  Jacob’s  ladder  stands 
in  Bethel,  God’s  house,  and  the  other  end 
reacheth  up  to  the  gate  of  heaven.  Jacob’s 
ladder  was  the  figure  of  Christ,  which  ladder 
was  not  the  gate  of  heaven,  but  the  way  from 
the  Church  to  that  gate  which  he  saw  above 
at  the  top  of  the  ladder.  But  again,  that  the 
gate  in  the  text  is  the  gate  or  entrance  into 
heaven,  consider — 

(1.)  It  is  that  gate  that  letteth  men  into  or 
shutteth  men  out  of  that  place  or  kingdom 
where  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob  are; 
which  place  is  that  paradise  where  Christ 
promised  the  thief  that  he  should  be  that  day 
that  he  asked  to  be  with  him  in  his  kingdom ; 
it  is  that  place  into  which  Paul  said  he  was 
caught  when  he  heard  words  unlawful  or  im- 
possible for  a man  to  utter. 

Question.  But  is  not  Christ  the  gate  or  en- 
trance into  this  heavenly  place? 

Answer.  ITe  is — he  without  whom  no  man 
can  get  thither,  because  by  his  merits  men 
obtain  that  world,  and  also  because  he  (as  the 
Father)  is  the  donor  and  disposer  of  that  king- 
dom to  whom  he  will.  Further,  this  place  is 
called  his  house  and  himself  the  master  of  it, 
(when  once  the  master  of  the  house  is  risen 
up  and  hath  shut  to  the  door.)  But  we  used 
to  say  that  the  master  of  the  house  is  not  the 
door.  Men  enter  into  heaven,  then,  by  him, 
not  as  he  is  the  gate,  or  door,  or  entrance  into 
the  celestial  mansion-house,  but  as  he  is  the 
giver  and  disposer  of  that  kingdom  to  them 
whom  he  shall  count  worthy,  because  he  hath 
obtained  it  for  them. 

(2.)  That  this  gate  is  the  very  passage  into 
heaven,  consider  the  text  hath  special  refer- 
ence to  the  day  of  judgment,  when  Christ  will 
have  laid  aside  his  mediatory  office,  which 
before  he  exercised  for  the  bringing  to  the 
faith  his  own  elect,  and  will  then  act,  not  as 
one  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  but  as  one  that 


judgeth  sinners.  He  will  now  be  risen  up 
from  the  throne  of  grace,  and  shut  up  the  door 
against  all  the  impenitent,  and  will  be  set 
upon  the  throne  of  judgment,  from  thence  to 
proceed  with  ungodly  sinners. 

Objection.  But  Christ  bids  strive:  “Strive 
now  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;”  but  if  that 
gate  be,  as  you  say,  the  gate  or  entrance  into 
heaven,  then  it  should  seem  that  we  should 
not  strive  till  the  day  of  judgment,  for  we  shall 
not  come  at  that  gate  till  then. 

Answer.  Christ,  by  this  exhortation,  Strive, 
&c.,  doth  not  at  all  admit  of  or  countenance 
delays,  or  that  a man  should  neglect  his  own 
salvation,  but  puttetli  poor  creatures  upon  pre- 
paring for  the  judgment,  and  counselletli  them 
now  to  get  those  things  that  will  then  give 
them  entrance  into  glory.  This  exhortation 
is  much  like  these,  “Be  ye  therefore  ready 
also,  for  at  such  an  hour  as  you  think  not  the 
Son  of  man  cometli.  And  they  that  were 
ready  went  in  with  him  to  the  marriage,  and 
the  door  was  shut.” 

So  that  when  he  saith,  “ Strive  to  enter  in,” 
it  is  as  much  as  if  he  should  say,  Blessed  are 
they  that  shall  be  admitted  another  day  to 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; but  they 
that  shall  be  accounted  worthy  of  so  unspeak- 
able a favour  must  be  well  prepared  and  fitted 
for  it  beforehand.  Now  the  time  to  be  fitted 
is  not  the  day  of  judgment,  but  the  day  of 
grace;  not  then,  but  now.  Therefore  strive 
now  for  those  things  that  will  then  give  you 
entrance  into  the  heavenly  kingdom.  But— 

2dly.  As  it  is  called  a gate,  so  it  is  called  a 
strait  gate:  “Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate.” 

The  straitness  of  this  gate  is  not  to  be  un- 
derstood carnally,  but  mystically.  You  are 
not  to  understand  it  as  if  the  entrance  into 
heaven  was  some  little  pinching  wicket ; no, 
the  straitness  of  this  gate  is  quite  another 
thing.  This  gate  is  wide  enough  for  all  them 
that  are  the  truly  gracious  and  sincere  lovers 
of  Jesus  Christ,  but  so  strait  as  that  not  one  of 
the  other  can  by  any  means  enter  in.  “ Open 
to  me  the  gates  of  righteousness : I will  go  into 
them,  and  I will  praise  the  Lord,  this  gate  of 
the  Lord  into  which  the  righteous  shall  en- 
ter.” By  this  word  therefore  Christ  Jesus  hath 
showed  unto  us  that  without  due  qualifications 
there  is  no  possibility  of  entering  into  heaven ; 
the  strait  gate  will  keep  all  others  out.  When 
Christ  spake  this  parable  he  had  doubtless  his 
eye  upon  some  passage  or  passages  of  the  Old 
Testament  with  which  the  Jews  were  well  ac- 


THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


725 


quainted.  I will  mention  two,  and  so  go 
on : 

(1.)  'I'lie  place  by  which  God  turned  Adam 
and  bis  wife  out  of  Paradise.  Possibly  our 
Lord  might  have  his  eye  upon  that,  for  though 
that  was  wide  enough  for  them  to  come  out  at, 
yet  it  was  too  strait  for  them  to  go  in  at.  But 
what  should  be  the  reason  of  that?  Why, 
they  had  sinned,  and  therefore  “ God  set  at 
the  east  of  that  garden  cherubims  and  a flam- 
ing sword,  turning  every  way,  to  keep  the  way 
of  the  tree  of  life.”  The  cherubims  and  this 
flaming  sword,  they  made  the  entrance  too 
strait  for  them  to  enter  in.  Souls,  there  are 
cherubims  and  a flaming  sword  at  the  gates  of 
heaven,  to  keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life; 
therefore  none  but  them  that  are  duly  fitted 
for  heaven  can  enter  in  at  this  strait  gate;  the 
flaming  sword  will  keep  all  others  out.  “ Know 
you  not  that  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God?  Be  not  deceived : neither 
fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor 
effeminate,  nor  abusers  of  themselves  with 
mankind,  nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunk- 
ards, nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners  shall  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  God.” 

(2.)  Perhaps  our  Lord  might  have  his  eye 
upon  the  gates  of  the  temple  when  he  spoke 
this  word  unto  the  people,  for  though  the  gates 
of  the  temple  were  six  cubits  wide,  yet  they 
were  so  strait  that  none  that  were  unclean  in 
anything  might  enter  in  thereat,  because  there 
were  placed  at  them  porters,  whose  office  was 
to  look  that  none  but  those  that  had  right  to 
enter  might  go  in  thither.  And  so  it  is  writ- 
ten : “ Jehoiada  set  porters  at  the  gates  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord,  that  none  that  were  unclean 
in  anything  might  enter  in.”  Souls,  God 
hath  porters  at  the  gates  of  the  temple,  at  the 
gate  of  heaven — porters,  I say,  placed  there 
by  God,  to  look  that  none  that  are  unclean  in 
anything  may  come  in  thither.  In  at  the  gate 
of  the  Church  none  may  enter  now  that  are 
open  profane  and  scandalous  to  religion ; no, 
though  they  plead  they  are  beloved  of  God : 
“ What  hath  my  beloved  to  do  in  mine  house, 
(saith  the  Lord,)  seeing  she  hath  wrought 
lewdness  with  many?” 

I sav,  I am  very  apt  to  believe  that  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  had  his  thoughts  upon  these  two 
texts  when  he  said,  The  gate  is  strait;  and 
that  which  confirms  me  the  more  in  the  thing 
is  this:  a little  below  the  text  he  saith,  “There 
shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  when 
you  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
and  all  the  prophets  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 


and  you  yourselves  thrust  out.”  Thrust  out, 
which  signifieth  a violent  act,  resisting  with 
striving  those  that  would  (though  unqualified) 
enter.  The  porters  of  the  temple  were,  for 
this  very  thing,  to  wear  arms,  if  need  were, 
and  to  be  men  of  courage  and  strength,  lest  the 
unsanctified  or  unprepared  should  by  some 
means  enter  it.  We  read  in  the  book  of  Rev- 
elations of  the  holy  city,  and  that  it  had  twelve 
gates,  and  at  the  gates  twplve  angels;  but 
what  did  they  do  there?  Why,  amongst  the 
rest  of  their  service  this  was  one  thing,  that 
there  might  in  nowise  enter  in  anything  that 
defileth  or  worketh  abomination,  and  that 
maketh  a lie. 

But  more  particularly  to  show  what  it  is  that 
maketh  this  gate  so  strait.  There  are  three 
things  that  maketh  it  strait:  1.  There  is  sin  ; 
2.  There  is  the  word  of  the  law;  3.  There  are 
the  angels  of  God. 

1st.  There  is  sin,  the  sin  of  the  profane  and 
the  sin  of  the  professor. 

(1.)  The  sin  of  the  profane.  But  this  needs 
not  be  enlarged  upon,  because  it  is  concluded 
upon  at  all  hands  where  there  is  the  common 
belief  of  the  being  of  God  and  the  judgment  to 
come,  that  “the  wicked  shall  be  turned  into 
hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God.” 

(2.)  But  there  is  the  sin  of  professors;  or 
take  it  rather  thus,  there  is  a profession  that 
will  stand  with  an  unsanctified  heart  and  life; 
t]je  sin  of  such  will  overpoise  the  salvation  of 
their  souls,  the  sin-end  being  the  heaviest  end 
of  the  scale;  I say,  that  being  the  heaviest  end 
which  hath  sin  in  it,  they  tilt  over,  and  so 
are,  notwithstanding  their  glorious  profession, 
drowned  in  perdition  and  destruction : “ For 
none  such  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  and  of  God ; therefore  let  no 
man  deceive  you  with  vain  words,  for  because 
of  these  things  comes  the  wrath  of  God  upon 
the  children  of  disobedience;”  neither  will  a 
profession  be  able  to  excuse  them.  The  gate 
will  be  too  strait  for  such  as  these  to  enter  in 
thereat.  A man  may  partake,  of  salvation  in 
part,  but  not  of  salvation  in  whole.  God 
saved  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  but 
overthrew  them  in  the  wilderness:  “I  will 
therefore  put  you  in  remembrance,  though 
you  once  knew  this,  how  that  the  Lord,  hav- 
ing saved  the  people  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
afterwards  destroyed  them  that  believed  not.” 
So  we  see  that  (notwithstanding  their  begin- 
ning) “they  could  not  enter  in  because  of  un- 
belief.” 

2dly.  There  is  the  word  of  the  law,  and  that 


726 


JD  UN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


will  make  tlie  gate  strait  also.  None  must  go 
in  thereat  but  those  that  can  go  in  by  the  leave 
of  the  law;  for  though  no  man  be,  or  can  be, 
justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  yet  unless 
the  righteousness  and  holiness  by  which  they 
attempt  to  enter  into  this  kingdom  be  justified 
by  the  law,  it  is  in  vain  once  to  think  of  en- 
tering in  at  this  strait  gate.  Now  the  law 
justifieth  not  but  upon  the  account  of  Christ’s 
righteousness;  if  therefore  thou  be  not  indeed 
found  in  that  righteousness,  thou  wilt  find  the 
law  lie  just  in  the  passage  into  heaven  to  keep 
thee  out;  every  man’s  work  must  be  tried  by 
fire,  that  it  may  be  manifest  of  what  sort  it  is. 
There  are  two  errors  in  the  world  about  the 
law:  one  is,  when  men  think  to  enter  in  at  the 
strait  gate  by  the  righteousness  of  the  law; 
the  other  is,  when  men  think  they  may  enter 
into  heaven  without  the  leave  of  the  law. 
Both  these,  I say,  are  errors;  for  as  by  the 
works  of  the  law'  no  flesh  shall  be  justified,  so 
without  the  consent  of  the  law  no  flesh  shall 
be  saved:  “Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away 
before  one  jot  or  tittle  of  the  law  shall  fail  till 
all  be  fulfilled.”  He  therefore  must  be  damned 
that  cannot  be  saved  by  the  consent  of  the  law. 
And  indeed  this  law  is  the  flaming  sword  that 
turnetli  every  way,  yea,  that  lieth  to  this  day 
in  the  way  to  heaven,  for  a bar  to  all  unbe- 
lievers and  unsanctified  professors,  for  it  is 
taken  out  of  the  way  for  the  truly  gracious 
only.  It  will  be  found  as  a roaring  lion  to  de- 
vour all  others;  because  of  the  law,  therefore, 
the  gate  will  be  found  too  strait  for  the  unsanc- 
tified to  enter  in.  When  the  apostle  had  told 
the  Corinthians  that  the  unrighteous  should 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  that  such 
were  some  of  them,  he  adds,  “But  ye  are 
washed,  but  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justi- 
fied in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  by  the 
Spirit  of  our  God,”  closely  concluding  that 
had  they  not  been  washed,  and  sanctified,  and 
justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the 
law,  for  their  transgressions,  would  have  kept 
them  out;  it  would  have  made  the  gate  too 
strait  for  them  to  enter  in. 

3dly.  There  are  also  the  angels  of  God,  and 
oy  reason  of  them  the  gate  is  strait.  The 
Lord  Jesus  calleth  the  end  of  the  world  his 
harvest,  and  saith,  moreover,  that  the  angels 
are  his  reapers;  these  angels  are  therefore  to 
gather  his  wheat  into  his  barn,  but  to  gather 
the  ungodly  into  bundles  to  burn  them;  un- 
less therefore  the  man  that  is  unsanctified  can 
master  the  law  and  conquer  angels,  unless  he 
<'an,  as  I may  say,  pull  them  out  of  the  gate- 


way of  heaven,  himself  is  not  to  come  thither 
for  ever.  No  man  goeth  to  heaven  but  by  the 
help  of  the  angels,  I mean  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment: “For  the  Son  of  man  shall  send  forth 
his  angels  with  a great  sound  of  a trumpet, 
and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from 
the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the 
other.”  If  those  that  shall  enter  in  at  the 
strait  gate  shall  only  enter  in  thither  by  the 
conduct  of  the  holy  angels,  pray  when  do  you 
think  those  men  will  enter  in  thither  concern- 
ing whom  the  angels  are  commanded  to  gather 
them,  to  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them? 
This  therefore  is  a third  difficulty:  the  angels 
will  make  this  entrance  strait,  yea,  too  strait 
for  the  unjustified  and  unsanctified  to  enter  in 
thither. 

3.  I come  now  to  the  exhortation,  which  is 
to  strive  to  euter  in : “Strive  to  enter  in  at  the 
sti'ait  gate.”  These  words  are  fitly  added,  for 
since  the  gate  is  strait,  it  follows  that  they  who 
wall  enter  in  must  strive. 

“Strive.”  This  word  strive  supposeth — 1. 
That  great  idleness  is  natural  to  professors: 
they  think  to  get  to  heaven  by  lying,  as  it 
were,  on  their  elbows.  2.  It  also  suggesteth 
that  many  will  be  the  difficulties  that  profess- 
ors will  meet  with  before  they  get  to  heaven. 
3.  It  also  concludeth  that  only  the  labouring 
Christian  man  or  woman  will  get  in  thither. 
“Strive,”  &c. 

Three  questions  I will  propound  upon  the 
word,  an  answer  to  which  may  give  us  light 
into  the  meaning  of  it:  1.  What  doth  the 
word  strive  import?  2.  How  should  we  strive ? 
3.  Why  shall  we  strive  ? 

1st.  What  doth  this  word  strive  import? 

Answer.  When  he  saith,  Strive,  it  is  as  much 
as  to  say,  Bend  yourselves  to  the  work  with  all 
your  might:  “ Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to 
do,  do  it  with  all  thy  might,  for  there  is  no 
work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom 
in  the  grave,  whither  thou  goest.”  Thus 
Samson  did  when  he  set  himself  to  destroy  the 
Philistines;  he  bowed  himself  with  all  his 
might.  Thus  David  did  also  when  he  made 
provision  for  the  building  and  beautifying  of 
the  temple  of  God.  And  this  must  thou  do 
if  ever  thou  enterest  into  heaven. 

2dly.  When  he  saith,  Strive,  he  calleth  for 
the  mind  and  will,  that  they  should  be  on  his 
side  and  on  the  side  of  the  things  of  his  king- 
dom ; for  none  strive  indeed  but  such  as  have 
given  the  Son  of  God  their  heart,  of  which 
the  mind  and  will  are  a principal  part;  for 
saving  conversion  lieth  more  in  the  turning  of 


THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


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(lie  mind  and  will  to  Christ,  and  to  the  love 
of  his  heavenly  things,  than  in  all  knowledge 
and  judgment.  And  this  the  apostle  con- 
firmeth  when  he  saith,  “Stand  fast  in  one 
spirit,  with  one  mind,  striving,”  &c. 

3dly.  And  more  particularly  this  word  strive 
is  expressed  by  several  other  terms,  as — 1.  It 
is  expressed  by  that  word,  “ So  run  that  you 
may  obtain.”  2.  It  is  expressed  by  that  word, 
“Fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  lay  hold  of 
eternal  life.”  3.  It  is  expressed  by  that  word, 
“Labour  not  for  the  meat  that  perisheth,  but 
for  that  meat  that  endureth  to  everlasting  life.” 
4.  It  is  expressed  by  that  word,  “ We  wrestle 
with  principalities  and  powers  and  the  rulers 
of  the  darkness  of  this  world.”  Therefore, 
when  he  saith,  Strive,  it  is  as  much  as  to  say, 
Run  for  heaven,  fight  for  heaven,  labour  for 
heaven,  wrestl'e  for  heaven,  or  you  are  like  to 
go  without  it. 

The  second  question  is,  How  should  we 
strive  ? 

Answer.  The  answer  in  general  is,  Thou  must 
strive  lawfully : “ And  if  a man  also  strive  for 
the  mastery,  yet  is  he  not  crowned  except  he 
strive  lawfully.” 

But  you  will  say,  What  Is  it  to  strive  law- 
fully? 

Ansiver.  (1.)  To  strive  against  the  things 
which  are  abhorred  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  yea, 
to  resist  to  the  spilling  of  your  blood,  striving 
against  sin ; to  have  all  those  things  that  are 
condemned  by  the  word,  yea,  though  they  be 
thine  own  right  hand,  right  eye,  or  right  foot, 
in  abomination ; and  to  seek  by  all  godly 
means  the  utter  suppression  of  them. 

(2.)  To  strive  lawfully  is  to  strive  for  those 
things  that  are  commanded  in  the  word.  But 
thou,  O man  of  God,  fly  the  world  and  follow 
after;  that  is,  strive  for  righteousness,  godli- 
ness, faith,  love,  patience,  meekness;  fight  the 
good  fight  of  faith,  lay  hold  on  eternal  life,  &c. 

(3.)  He  that  striveth  lawfully  must  be  there- 
fore very  temperate  in  all  the  good  and  lawful 
things  of  this  life.  And  every  one  that  striveth 
for  the  mastery  is  temperate  in  all  things ; now 
they  do  it  to  obtain  a corruptible  crown,  but 
we  an  incorruptible.  Most  professors  give 
leave  to  the  world  and  vanity  of  their  hearts 
to  close  with  them  and  to  hang  about  their 
necks,  and  make  their  striving  to  stand  rather 
In  an  outcry  of  words  than  a hearty  labour 
against  the  lusts  and  love  of  the  world  and 
their  own  corruptions ; but  this  kind  of  striv- 
ing is  but  a beating  of  the  air,  and  will  come 
to  just  nothing  at  last. 


(4.)  He  that  striveth  lawfully  must  take  God 
and  Christ  along  with  him  to  the  work,  other- 
wise he  will  certainly  be  undone : “ Whereunto 
(said  Paul)  I also  labour,  striving  according  to 
His  working,  which  worketh  in  me  mightily.” 
And  for  the  right  performing  of  this  he  must 
observe  these  following  particulars : 

(1.)  He  must  take  heed  that  he  do  not  strive 
about  things  or  words  to  no  profit,  for  God  will 
not  then  be  with  him : “ Of  these  things  (saith 
the  apostle)  put  them  in  remembrance:  charg- 
ing them  before  the  Lord  that  they  strive  not 
about  words  to  no  profit,  but  to  the  subverting 
of  the  hearers.”  But,  alas ! how  many  pro- 
fessors in  our  days  are  guilty  of  this  transgres- 
sion, whose  religion  stands  chiefly,  if  not  only, 
in  a few  unprofitable  questions  and  vain 
wranglings  about  words  and  things  to  no 
profit,  but  to  the  destruction  of  the  hearers  I 

(2.)  He  must  take  heed  that  whilst  he  strives 
against  one  sin  he  does  not  harbour  and  shelter 
another,  or  that  whilst  he  cries  out  against 
other  men’s  sins  he  does  not  countenance  his 
own. 

(3.)  In  the  striving  strive  to  believe,  strive 
for  the  faith  of  the  Gospel ; for  the  more  we 
believe  the  Gospel  and  the  reality  of  the  things 
of  the  world  to  come,  with  the  more  stomach 
and  courage  shall  we  labour  to  possess  the 
blessedness.  Let  us  labour  therefore  to  enter 
into  that  rest,  lest  any  man  fall  after  the  same 
example  of  unbelief. 

(4.)  As  we  should  strive  for  and  by  faith,  so 
we  should  strive  by  prayer,  by  fervent  and 
effectual  prayers.  Oh  the  swarms  of  our 
prayerless  professors ! What  do  they  think  of 
themselves?  Surely  the  gate  of  heaven  was 
heretofore  as  wide  as  in  these  our  days,  but 
what  striving  by  prayer  was  there  then  among 
Christians  for  the  thing  that  gives  admittance 
into  this  kingdom  over  that  there  is  in  these 
latter  days ! 

(5.)  We  should  also  strive  by  mortifying  our 
members  that  are  upon  the  earth:  “I  there- 
fore so  run,  (said  Paul,)  so  fight  I,  not  as  one 
that  beats  the  air,  but  I keep  under  my  body 
and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest  that  by  any 
means,  when  I preached  the  Gospel  to  others, 
I myself  should  be  a castaway.”  But  all  this 
is  spoken  principally  to  professors ; so  I would 
be  understood. 

I come  now  to  the  third  question — namely, 
But  why  should  we  strive  ? 

Answer.  (1.)  Because  the  thing  for  which 
you  are  here  exhorted  to  strive,  it  is  worth  the 
striving  for ; it  is  for  no  less  than  for  a whole 


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BURYAK’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


heaven  and  an  eternity  of  felicity  there.  How 
will  men  that  have  before  them  a little  honour, 
a little  profit,  a little  pleasure,  strive ! I say 
again,  how  will  they  strive  for  this!  Now 
they  do  it  for  a corruptible  crown,  but  we  an 
incorruptible.  Methinlcs  this  word  heaven 
and  this  eternal  life;  what  is  there  again, 
either  in  heaven  or  earth,  like  them  to  pro- 
voke a man  to  strive? 

(2.)  Strive,  because  otherwise  the  devil  and 
hell  will  assuredly  have  thee : “ He  goes  about 
like  a roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  de- 
vour.” These  fallen  angels,  they  are  always 
watchful,  diligent,  unwearied;  they  are  also 
mighty,  subtle,  and  malicious,  seeking  nothing 
more  than  the  damnation  of  thy  soul.  O thou 
that  art  like  the  harmless  dove,  strive ! 

(3.)  Strive,  because  every  lust  strives  and 
wars  against  thy  soul.  The  flesh  lusteth 
against  the  Spirit : “ Dearly  beloved,  I beseech 
you,  (said-  Peter,)  as  strangers  and  pilgrims, 
abstain  from  fleshly  lusts,  which  war  against 
the  soul.”  It  is  a rare  thing  to  see  or  find  out 
a Christian  that  indeed  can  bridle  his  lusts, 
but  no  strange  thing  to  see  such  professors  that 
are  not  only  bridled,  but  saddled  too,  yea,  and 
ridden  from  lust  to  sin,  from  one  vanity  to 
another,  by  the  very  devil  himself,  and  the 
corruptions  of  their  hearts. 

(4.)  Strive,  because  thou  hast  a whole  world 
against  thee.  The  world  hateth  thee  if  thou 
art  a Christian ; the  men  of  the  world  hate 
thee,  the  things  of  the  world  are  snares  for 
thee,  even  thy  bed  and  table,  thy  wife  and 
husband ; yea,  thy  most  lawful  enjoyments 
have  that  in  them  that  will  certainly  sink  thy 
soul  to  hell  if  thou  dost  not  strive  against  the 
snares  that  are  in  them. 

The  world  will  seek  to  keep  thee  out  of 
heaven  with  mocks,  flouts,  taunts,  threaten- 
ings,  jails,  gibbets,  halters,  burnings,  and  a 
thousand  deaths;  therefore  strive.  Again,  if 
it  cannot  overcome  thee  with  these,  it  will 
flatter,  promise,  allure,  entice,  entreat,  and  use 
a thousand  tricks  on  this  hand  to  destroy  thee ; 
and  observe,  many  that  have  been  stout  against 
the  threats  of  the  world  have  yet  been  over- 
come with  the  bewitching  flatteries  of  the 
same.  There  ever  was  enmity  between  the 
devil  and  the  Church,  and  betwixt  his  seed  and 
her  seed  too;  Michael  and  his  angels,  and  the 
dragon  and  his  angels,  these  make  war  con- 
tinually. There  hath  been  great  desires  and 
endeavours  among  men  to  reconcile  these  two 
in  one — to  wit,  the  seed  of  the  serpent  and  the 
seed  of  the  woman — -but  it  could  never  yet  be 


accomplished.  The  world  says,  They  will 
never  come  over  to  us;  and  we  again  say,  By 
God’s  grace  we  will  never  come  over  to  them. 
But  the  business  hath  not  ended  in  words ; 
both  they  and  we  have  also  added  our  endeav- 
ours to  make  each  other  submit,  but  endeav- 
ours have  proved  ineffectual  too.  They,  for 
their  part,  have  devised  all  manner  of  cruel 
torments  to  make  us  submit,  as  slaying  with 
the  sword,  stoning,  sawing  asunder,  flames, 
wild  beasts,  banishments,  hunger,  and  a thou- 
sand miseries.  We  again,  on  the  other  side, 
have  laboured  by  prayers  and  tears,  by  pa- 
tience and  long-suffering,  by  gentleness  and 
love,  by  sound  doctrine  and  faithful  witness- 
bearing against  their  enormities,  to  bring  them 
over  to  us,  but  yet  the  enmity  remains ; so  that 
they  must  conquer  us  or  wre  must  conquer  them. 
One  side  must  be  overcome,  but  the  weapons 
of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty 
through  God. 

(5.)  Strive,  because  there  is  nothing  of 
Christianity  got  by  idleness:  “Idleness  clothes 
a man  with  rags,  and  the  vineyard  of  the 
slothful  is  grown  over  with  nettles.”  Pro- 
fession that  is  not  attended  with  spiritual  la- 
bour cannot  bring  the  soul  to  heaven.  The 
fathers  before  us  were  not  slothful  in  business, 
but  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord : 
“ Therefore  be  not  slothful,  but  followers  of 
them  who  through  faith  and  patience  inherit 
the  promises.” 

“Strive  to  enter  in.”  Methinks  the  words 
at  the  first  reading  do  intimate  to  us  that  the 
Christian,  in  all  that  ever  he  does  in  this  world, 
should  carefully  heed  and  regard  his  soul — I 
say,  in  all  that  ever  he  does.  Many  are  for 
their  souls  by  fits  and  starts,  but  a Christian 
indeed,  -in  all  his  doings  and  designs  which  he 
contriveth  and  manageth  in  this  world,  should 
have  a special  eye  to  his  own  future  and  ever- 
lasting good;  in  all  his  labours  he  should 
strive  to  enter  in:  “Wisdom  (Christ)  is  the 
principal  thing ; therefore  get  wisdom,  and  in 
all  thy  gettings  get  understanding.”  Get 
nothing  if  thou  canst  not  get  Christ  and  grace 
and  further  hopes  of  heaven  in  th.fl  getting; 
get  nothing  with  a bad  conscience,  with  the 
hazard  of  thy  peace  with  God,  and  that  in 
getting  it  thou  weakenest  thy  graces  which 
God  hath  given  thee;  for  this  is  not  to 
strive  to  enter  in.  Add  grace  to  grace  both 
by  religious  and  worldly  duties,  for  so  an  en- 
trance shall  be  ministered  unto  you  abundantly 
into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Beligious  duties  are 


THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


729 


not  tho  only  striving  times  ; he  that  thinks  so 
is  out.  Thou  mnyest  help  thy  faith  and  thy 
hope  in  the  godly  management  of  thy  calling, 
and  mnyest  get  farther  footing  in  eternal  life, 
by  studying  theglory  of  God  in  all  thy  worldly 
employment.  I am  speaking  now  to  Chris- 
tians that  are  justified  freely  by  grace,  and  am 
encouraging,  or  rather  counselling,  them  to 
strive  to  enter  in;  for  there  is  an  entering  in 
by  faith  and  good  conscience  now,  as  well  as 
our  entering  in  body  and  soul  hereafter;  and 
I must  add  that  the  more  common  it  is  to  thy 
soul  to  enter  in  now  by  faith,  the  more  stead- 
fast hope  slralt  thou  have  of  entering  in  here- 
after in  body  and  soul. 

“Strive  to  enter  In.”  By  these  words  also 
the  Lord  Jesus  giveth  sharp  rebuke  to  those 
professors  that  have  not  eternal  glory,  but  other 
temporal  things  in  their  eye,  by  all  the  bustle 
that  they  make  in  the  world  about  religion. 
Some  there  be,  what  a stir  they  make,  what  a 
noise  and  clamour  with  their  notions  and 
forms,  and  yet  perhaps  all  is  for  the  loaves, 
because  they  have  eaten  of  the  loaves  and  are 
filled!  They  strive  indeed  to  enter,  but  it  is 
not  into  heaven  ; they  find  religion  hath  a good 
trade  at  the  end  of  it,  or  they  find  that  it  is 
the  way  to  credit,  repute,  preferment,  and  the 
like;  and  therefore  they  strive  to  enter  into 
these.  But  these  have  not  the  strait  gate  in 
their  eye,  nor  yet  in  themselves  have  they  love 
to  their  poor  and  perishing  souls;  wherefore 
this  exhortation  nippeth  such  by  predicting  of 
their  damnation. 

“ Strive  to  enter  in.”  These  words  also 
sharply  rebuke  them  who  content  themselves 
as  the  angel  of  the  Church  of  Sardis  did — to 
wit,  “ To  have  a name  to  live,  and  be  dead” — 
or  as  they  of  the  Laodiceans,  who  took  their 
religion  upon  trust,  and  were  content  with  a 
poor,  wretched,  lukewarm  profession  ; for  such 
as  these  do  altogether  unlike  to  the  exhorta- 
tion in  the  text  that  says,  Strive,  and  they  sit 
and  sleep;  that  says,  Strive  to  enter  in,  and 
they  content  themselves  with  a profession  that 
is  never  like  to  bring  them  thither. 

“ Strive  to  enter  in.”  Further,  these  words 
put  us  upon  proving  the  truth  of  our  graces 
now ; I say,  they  put  us  upon  the  proof  of  the 
truth  of  them  now ; for  if  the  strait  gate  be 
the  gate  of  heaven,  and  yet  we  are  to  strive  to 
enter  into  it  now,  even  while  we  live  and  be- 
fore we  come  thither,  then  doubtless  Christ 
means  by  this  exhortation  that  we  should  use 
lawful  means  to  prove  our  graces  in  this  world 
whether  they  will  stand  in  the  day  of  judg- 


ment or  not.  Strive  to  enter  in  ; get  those 
graces  now  that  will  prove  true  graces  then  ; 
and  therefore  try  them  you  have,  and  if  upon 
trial  they  prove  not  right,  cast  them  away  and 
cry  for  better,  lest  they  cast  thee  away  when 
better  are  not  to  be  had:  “Buy  of  me  gold 
tried  in  the  fire;”  buy  of  me  faith  and  grace 
that  will  stand  in  the  judgment;  strive  for 
that  faith,  buy  of  me  that  grace,  and  also 
white  raiment,  that  thou  mnyest  be  clothed, 
that  the  shame  of  thy  wickedness  doth  not 
appear,  and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve, 
that  thou  mayes't  see.  Mind  you  this  advice; 
this  is  right  striving  to  enter  in. 

But  you  will  say,  How  should  we  try  oux 
graces?  Would  you  have  us  run  into  tempta- 
tion to  try  if  they  be  sound  or  rotten  ? 

Answer.  You  need  not  run  into  trials.  God 
hath  ordained  that  enough  of  them  shall  over- 
take thee  to  prove  thy  graces  either  rotten  or 
sound  before  the  day  of  thy  death.  Sufficient 
to  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof  if  thou  hast  but  a 
sufficiency  of  grace  to  withstand.  I say,  thou 
shalt  have  trials  enough  overtake  thee  to  prove 
thy  graces  sound  or  rotten.  Thou  mayest,  there- 
fore, if  God  shall  help  thee,  see  how  it  is  like 
to  go  with  thee  before  thou  goest  out  of  this 
world — to  wit,  whether  thy  graces  be  such  as 
will  carry  thee  in  at  the  gates  of  heaven  or  no. 

But  how  should  we  try  our  graces  now? 

Answer.  How  dost  thou  find  them  in  out- 
ward trials?  How  dost  thou  find  thyself  in 
the  inward  workings  of  sin?  How  dost  thou 
find  thyself  under  the  most  high  enjoyment 
of  grace  in  this  world? 

But  what  do  you  mean  by  these  three 
questions? 

Answer.  I mean  graces  show  themselves  at 
these  their  seasons  whether  they  be  rotten  or 
sound. 

How  do  they  show  themselves  to  be  true 
under  the  first  of  these? 

Answer.  By  mistrusting  our  own  sufficiency ; 
by  crying  to  God  for  help ; by  desiring  rather 
to  die  than  to  bring  any  dishonour  to  the 
name  of  God;  and  by  counting  that  if  God  be 
honoured  in  the  trial  thou  hast  gained  more 
than  all  the  world  could  give  thee. 

How  do  they  show  themselves  to  be  true 
under  the  second  ? 

Answer.  By  mourning,  and  confessing,  and 
striving,  and  praying  against  them ; by  not 
being  content,  shouldst  thou  have  heaven,  if 
they  live  and  defile  thee;  by  counting  of  holi- 
ness the  greatest  beauty  in  the  world  ; and  by 
flying  to  Jesus  Christ  for  life. 


730 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


How  do  they  show  themselyes  to  be  true 
under  the  third  ? 

Answer.  By  prizing  the  true  graces  above  all 
the  world;  by  praying  heartily  that  God  will 
give  thee  more  ; by  not  being  content  with  all 
the  grace  thou  canst  be  capable  of  enjoying 
on  this  side  heaven  and  glory. 

“Stiive  to  enter  in.”  The  reason  why 
Christ  added  these  words,  “to  enter  in,”  is 
obvious — to  wit,  because  there  is  no  true  and 
lasting  happiness  on  this  side  heaven ; I say, 
none  that  is  both  true  and  lasting — I mean,  as 
to  our  sense  and  feeling,  as  there  shall ; here 
have  we  no  continuing  city,  but  we  seek  one 
to  come.  The  heaven  is  within — strive  there- 
fore to  enter  in;  the  glory  is  within — strive 
therefore  to  enter  in ; the  Mount  Sion  is  with- 
in— strive  therefore  to  enter  in;  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem  is  within — strive  therefore  to  enter 
in  ; angels  and  saints  are  within — strive  there- 
fore to  enter  in  ; and,  to  make  up  all,  the  God 
and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  that 
glorious  Redeemer,  are  within — strive  there- 
fore to  enter  in. 

“ Strive  to  enter  in  ;”  for  without  are  dogs, 
sorcerers,  whoremongers,  and  murderers,  and 
idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a 
lie.  Without  are  also  the  devils,  and  hell, 
and  death,  and  all  damned  souls ; without  is 
howling,  weeping,  wailing,  and  gnashing  of 
teeth;  yea,  without  are  all  the  miseries,  sor- 
rows, and  plagues  that  an  infinite  God  can  in 
justice  and  power  inflict  upon  an  evil  and 
wicked  generation : “Strive  therefore  to  enter 
in  at  the  strait  gate.” 

“Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  for 
many,  I say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in, 
and  shall  not  be  able.” 

4.  We  are  now  come  to  the  motive  which 
our  Lord  urges  to  enforce  his  exhortation. 

He  told  us  before  that  the  gate  was  strait ; 
he  also  exhorted  us  to  strive  to  enter  in  there- 
at, or  to  get  those  things  now  that  will  fur- 
ther our  entrance  then,  and  to  set  ourselves 
against  those  things  that  will  hinder  our  en- 
tering in. 

In  this  motive  there  are  five  things  to  be 
minded : 

(1.)  That  there  will  be  a disappointment  to 
some  at  the  day  of  judgment;  they  will  seek 
to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able. 

(2.)  That  not  a few,  but  many,  will  meet 
with  this  disappointment;  “for  many  will 
seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.” 

(3.)  This  doctrine  of  the  miscarriage  of 
many  then,  it  standeth  upon  the  validity  of 


the  word  of  Christ:  “For  many,  I say,  will 
seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.” 

(4.)  Professors  shall  make  a great  heap 
among  the  many  that  shall  fall  short  of 
heaven  : “For  many,  I say  unto  you,  will  seek 
to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.” 

(5.)  Where  grace  and  striving  are  wanting 
now,  seeking  and  contending  to  enter  in  will 
be  unprofitable  then  : “ For  many,  I say  unto 
you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be 
able.” 

But  I will  proceed  in  my  former  method— 
to  wit,  to  open  the  words  unto  you. 

“For  many,”  &c.  If  he  had  said,  For 
some  will  fall  short,  it  had  been  a sentence 
to  be  minded ; if  he  had  said,  For  some  that 
seek  will  fall  short,  it  had  been  very  awaken- 
ing; but  when  he  saith,  Many,  many,  will 
fall  short,  yea,  many  among  professors  will 
fall  short,  this  is  not  only  awakening,  but 
dreadful. 

“For  many,”  &c.  I find  this  word  many 
variously  applied  in  Scripture. 

(1.)  Sometimes  it  intendeth  the  open  pro- 
fane, the  wicked  and  ungodly  world,  as  where 
Christ  saith,  “Wide  is  the  gate  and  broad  is 
the  way  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many 
there  be  that  go  in  thereat.”  I say  by  the 
many  here  he  intends  those  chiefly  that  go  on 
in  the  broad  way  of  sin  and  profaneness,  bear- 
ing the  tokens  of  their  damnation  in  their 
foreheads,  those  whose  daily  practice  pro- 
claims “ that  their  feet  go  down  to  death  and 
their  steps  take  hold  of  hell.” 

(2.)  Sometimes  this  word  many  intendeth 
those  that  cleave  to  the  people  of  God  de- 
ceitfully and  in  hypocrisy,  or  as  Daniel  hath 
it,  “ Many  shall  cleave  unto  the  Church  with 
flatteries.”  The  word  many  in  this  text  in- 
cludeth  all  those  who  feign  themselves  better 
than  they  are  in  religion;  it  includeth,  I say, 
those  that  have  religion  only  for  an  holiday 
suit,  to  set  them  out  at  certain  times  and  when 
they  come  among  suitable  company. 

(3.)  Sometimes  this  word  many  intendeth 
them  that  apostatize  from  Christ,  such  as  for 
a while  believe  and  in  time  of  temptation  fall 
away,  as  John  saith  of  some  of  Christ’s  disci- 
ples: “From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples 
Avent  back,  and  walked  no  more  Avith  him.” 

(4.)  Sometimes  this  Avord  many  intendeth 
them  that  make  a great  noise  and  do  many 
great  things  in  the  Church,  and  yet  Avatit  saving 
grace:  “Many  (saith  Christ)  Avill  say  unto  me 
in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  Ave  not  prophe- 
sied in  thy  name,  and  in  thy  name  cast  out 


THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


731 


devils,  and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful 
works?”  Mark,  there  will  be  many  of  these. 

(5.)  Sometimes  this  word  many  intendeth 
those  poor,  ignorant,  deluded  souls  that  are 
led  away  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  those 
who  are  caught  with  the  cunning  and  crafty 
deceiver  who  lieth  in  wait  to  beguile  unstable 
souls:  “And  many  shall  follow  their  pernicious 
ways,  by  reason  of  whom  the  way  of  truth 
shall  be  evil  spoken  of.1’ 

(6.)  Sometimes  this  word  many  includeth 
all  the  world,  good  and  bad:  “And  many  of 
them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
awake,  some  to  everlasting  life  and  some  to 
everlasting  shame  and  contempt.” 

(7.)  Lastly.  Sometimes  this  word  many  in- 
tendeth the  good  only,  “ even  them  that  shall 
be  saved.” 

Since  then  that  the  word  is  so  variously  ap- 
plied, let  us  inquire  how  it  must  be  taken  in 
the  text.  And — 

(1.)  It  must  not  be  applied  to  the  sincerely 
godly,  for  they  shall  never  perish.  (2.)  It 
cannot  be  applied  to  all  the  world,  for  then  no 
flesh  should  be  saved.  (3.)  Neither  is  it  ap- 
plied to  the  open  profane  only,  for  then  the 
hypocrite  is  by  it  excluded.  (4.)  But  by  the 
many  in  the  text  our  Lord  intended  in  special 
the  professor — the  professor,  I say,  how  high 
soever  he  seems  to  be  now,  that  shall  be  found 
without  saving  grace  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

Now  that  the  professor  is  in  special  intended 
in  this  text,  consider:  So  soon  as  the  Lord  had 
said,  “ Many  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able,”  he  pointeth,  as  with  his  finger, 
at  the  many  that  then  he  in  special  intendeth 
— to  wit,  them  among  whom  he  had  taught; 
them  that  had  eat  and  drunken  in  his  pres- 
ence ; them  that  had  prophesied  and  cast  out 
devils  in  1. is  name,  and  in  his  name  had  done 
many  wonderful  works.  These  are  the  many 
intended  by  the  Lord  in  this  text,  though 
others  also  are  included  under  the  sentence  of 
damnation  by  his  word  in  other  places.  “For 
many,”  &e.  Matthew  saith  concerning  this 
strait  gate  that  there  are  but  few  that  find  it. 
But  it  seems  the  castaways  in  my  text  did  find 
it,  for  you  read  that  they  knocked  at  it  and 
cried,  “ Lord,  open  unto  us.” 

So,  then,  the  meaning  may  seem  to  be  this  : 
many  of  the  few  that  find  it  will  seek  to  enter 
in,  and  shall  not  be  able.  I find  at  the  day  of 
judgment  some  will  be  crying  to  the  rocks  to 
cover  them,  and  some  at  the  gates  of  heaven 
for  entrance.  Suppose  that  those  that  cry  to 
the  rock*  to  cover  them  are  they  whose  con- 


science will  not  suffer  them  once  to  look  God 
in  the  face,  because  they  are  fallen  under 
present  guilt  and  the  dreadful  fears  of  the 
wrath  of  the  Lamb,  and  that  those  that  stand 
crying  at  the  gate  of  heaven  are  those  whose 
confidence  holds  out  to  the  last,  even  those 
whose  boldness  will  enable  them  to  contend 
even  with  Jesus  Christ  for  entrance — them,  I 
say,  that  will  have  profession,  casting  out  of 
devils,  and  many  wonderful  works  to  plead. 
Of  this  sort  are  the  many  in  my  text:  “P'or 
many,  I say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in, 
and  shall  not  be  able.”  “ For  many,”  &c. 
Could  we  compare  the  professors  of  the  times 
with  the  everlasting  word  of  God,  this  doc- 
trine would  more  easily  appear  to  the  children 
of  men.  How  few  among  the  many,  yea, 
among  the  swarms  of  professors,  have  heart  to 
make  conscience  of  walking  before  God  in  this 
world  and  to  study  his  glory  among  the  chil- 
dren of  men!  How  few,  I say,  have  his  name 
lie  nearer  their  hearts  than  their  own  carnal 
concerns ! Nay,  do  not  many  make  his  word 
and  his  name  and  his  ways  a stalking-horse  to 
their  own  worldly  advantages  ? God  calls  for 
faith,  good  conscience,  moderation,  self-denial, 
humility,  heavenly-mindedness,  love  to  saints, 
to  enemies,  and  for  conformity  in  heart,  in 
word,  and  life  to  his  will ; but  where  is  it? 

“ For  many,  I say  unto  you.”  These  latter 
words  carry  in  them  a double  argument  to 
prove  the  truth  asserted  before:  First,  in  that 
he  directly  pointeth  at  his  followers : “ I say 
unto  you.”  Many,  I say  unto  you,  even  you 
that  are  my  disciples,  to  you  that  have  eat  and 
drunk  in  my  presence.  I know  that  sometimes 
Christ  hath  directed  his  speech  to  his  disciples, 
not  so  much  upon  their  accounts  as  upon  the 
accounts  of  others,  but  here  it  is  not  so;  there- 
fore I say  unto  you  in  this  place  it  immedi- 
ately concerned  some  of  themselves : “ I say 
unto  you,  Ye  shall  begin  to  stand  without,  and 
to  knock,  saying,  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us,  and 
he  shall  answer  and  say  unto  you,  I know  you 
not  whence  you  are;  then  shall  ye  begin  to 
say,  W e have  eat  and  drunk  in  thy  presence, 
and  thou  hast  taught  in  our  streets;  but  he 
shall  say,  I tell  you  I know  you  not  whence  you 
are;  depart  from  me,  all  ye  workers  of  iniquity;” 
it  is  you,  you,  you  that  I mean.  “I  say  unto 
you.”  It  is  common  with  a professing  people, 
when  they  hear  a smart  and  a thundering  ser- 
mon, to  say,  Now  has  the  preacher  paid  off  the 
drunkard,  the  swearer,  the  liar,  the  covetous, 
and  adulterer,  forgetting  that  these  sins  may 
be  committed  in  a spiritual  and  mystical  way. 


732 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


There  is  spiritual  drunkenness,  spiritual  adul- 
tery, and  a man  may  be  a liar  that  calls  God 
his  Father  when  he  is  not,  or  that  calls  him- 
self a Christian  and  is  not.  Wherefore  per- 
haps all  these  thunders  and  lightnings  in  this 
terrible  sermon  may  more  concern  thee  than 
thou  art  aware  of:  “I  say  unto  you” — unto 
you,  professors,  may  be  the  application  of  all 
this  thunder. 

But  I shall  show  you  why  the  poor,  carnal, 
ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven,  and  then  why 
the  knowing  professors  miss  of  it  also. 

1.  The  poor,  carnal,  ignorant  world  miss  of 
heaven  even  because  they  love  their  sins  and 
cannot  part  with  them : “ Men  love  darkness 
rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil.” 
The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven  be- 
cause they  are  enemies  in  their  minds  to  God, 
his  word,  and  holiness;  they  must  be  all 
damned  who  take  pleasure  in  unrighteousness. 
The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven  be- 
cause they  stop  their  ears  against  convictions 
and  refuse  to  come  when  God  calls : “ Because 
I have  called  and  ye  refused,  I have  stretched 
out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded,  but  have 
set  at  naught  all  my  counsels,  and  would  none 
of  my  reproofs,  I also  will  laugh  at  your  ca- 
lamities, and  mock  when  your  fear  cometh  as 
desolation,  and  your  destruction  like  a whirl- 
wind, when  distress  and  anguish  cometh  upon 
you;  then  shall  you  call  upon  me,  but  I will 
not  answer ; they  shall  seek  me  early,  but  shall 
not  find  me.” 

2.  The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven 
because  the  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded 
their  eyes,  that  they  can  neither  see  the  evil 
and  damnable  state  they  are  in  at  present,  nor 
the  way  to  get  out  of  it ; neither  do  they  see 
the  beauty  of  Jesus  Christ,  nor  how  willing  he 
is  to  save  poor  sinners. 

3.  The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven 
because  they  put  off  and  defer  coming  to 
Christ  until  the  time  of  God’s  patience  and 
grace  is  over.  Some  indeed  are  resolved  never 
to  come,  but  some  again  say,  We  will  come 
hereafter,  and  so  it  comes  to  pass  that  because 
God  called  and  they  did  not  hear,  so  they  shall 
cry  and  I will  not  hear,  saith  the  Lord. 

4.  The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven 
because  they  have  false  apprehensions  of  God’s 
mercy.  They  say  in  their  hearts,  We  shall 
have  peace,  though  we  walk  in  the  imagination 
of  our  heart,  to  add  drunkenness  to  thirst. 
But  what  saith  the  word? — “The  Lord  will 
not  spare  him ; but  then  the  anger  of  the  Lord 
and  his  jealousy  shall  smoke  against  that  man, 


and  all  the  curses  that  are  written  in  this  book 
shall  be  upon  him,  and  God  shall  blot  out  his 
name  from  under  heaven.” 

5.  The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven 
because  they  make  light  of  the  Gospel  that  of- 
fereth  mercy  to  them  freely,  and  because  they 
lean  upon  their  own  good  meanings,  and  think- 
ings, and  doings. 

6.  The  poor  carnal  world  miss  of  heaven  be- 
cause by  unbelief,  which  reigns  in  them,  they 
are  kept  for  ever  from  being  clothed  with 
Christ’s  righteousness  and  from  washing  in  his 
blood,  without  which  there  is  neither  remission 
of  sin  nor  justification.  But  to  pass  these  till 
anon. 

I come,  in  the  next  place,  to  show  you  some 
reasons  why  professors  fall  short  of  heaven. 

First.  In  the  general,  they  rest  in  things 
below  special  grace,  as  in  awakenings  that  are 
not  special,  in  repentance  that  is  not  special, 
&c. ; and  a little  to  run  a parallel  betwixt  the 
one  and  the  other,  that,  if  God  will,  you  may 
see  and  escape : 

1.  Have  they  that  shall  be  saved  awakenings 
about  their  state  by  nature?  So  have  they 
that  shall  be  damned.  They  that  never  go  to 
heaven  may  see  much  of  sin  and  of  the  wrath 
of  God  due  thereto.  This  had  Cain  and  Judas, 
and  yet  they  came  short  of  the  kingdom.  The 
saved  have  convictions  in  order  to  their  eter- 
nal life,  but  the  others’  convictions  are  not  so. 
The  convictions  of  the  one  do  drive  them  sin- 
cerely to  Christ;  the  convictions  of  the  other 
do  drive  them  to  the  law,  and  the  law  to  des- 
peration at  last. 

2.  There  is  a repentance  that  will  not  save — 
a repentance  to  be  repented  of,  and  a repent- 
ance to  salvation,  not  to  be  repented  of.  Yet 
so  great  a similitude  and  likeness  there  is  be- 
twixt the  one  and  the  other  that  most  times 
the  wrong  is  taken  for  the  right,  and  through 
this  mistake  professors  perish. 

As,  (1.)  In  saving  repentance  there  will  be 
an  acknowledgment  of  sin,  and  one  that  hath 
the  other  repentance  may  acknowledge  his  sins 
also.  (2.)  In  saving  repentance  there  is  a cry- 
ing out  under  sin,  but  one  that  hath  the  other 
repentance  may  cry  out  under  sin  also.  (3.) 
In  saving  repentance  there  will  be  humiliation 
for  sin,  and  one  that  hath  the  other  repentance 
may  humble  himself  also.  (4.)  Saving  repent- 
ance is  attended  with  self-loathing,  but  he  that 
hath  the  other  repentance  may  have  loathing 
of  sin  too:  a loathing  of  sin  because  it  is  sin, 
that  he  cannot  have,  but  a loathing  of  sin  be- 
cause it  is  offensive  to  him,  that  he  may  have. 


THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


733 


The  clop;  doth  not  loathe  that  which  troubleth 
his  stomach  because  it  is  there,  but  because  it 
troubleth  him  ; when  it  has  done  troubling  of 
him  he  can  turn  to  it  again  and  lick  it  up  as 
before  it  troubled  him.  (5.)  Saving  repent- 
ance is  attended  with  prayers  and  tears,  but  he 
that  hath  none  hut  the  other  repentance  may 
have  prayers  and  tears  also.  (6.)  In  saving 
repentance  there  is  fear  and  reverence  of  the 
word  and  ministers  that  bring  it,  but  this  may 
be  also  where  there  is  none  but  the  repentance 
that  is  not  saving,  for  Herod  feared  John, 
knowing  that  he  was  a just  man  and  holy,  and 
observed  him;  when  he  heard  him  he  did 
many  things,  and  heard  him  gladly.  (7.)  Sav- 
ing repentance  makes  a man’s  heart  very  ten- 
der of  doing  anything  against  the  word  of  God, 
but  Balaam  could  say,  “If  Balak  would  give 
me  his  house  full  of  silver  and  gold,  I cannot 
go  beyond  the  word  of  the  Lord.” 

Behold,  then,  how  far  a man  may  go  in  re- 
pentance, and  yet  be  short  of  that  which  is 
called  “ repentance  unto  salvation,  not  to  be 
repented  of:”  1.  He  may  be  awakened;  2.  He 
may  acknowledge  his  sin;  3.  He  may  cry  out 
under  the  burden  of  sin  ; 4.  He  may  have  hu- 
mility for  it;  5.  He  may  loathe  it;  6.  May 
have  prayers  and  tears  against  it ; 7.  May  de- 
light to  do  many  things  of  God ; 8.  May  be 
afraid  of  sinning  against  him ; and  after  all 
this  may  perish,  for  want  of  saving  repent- 
ance. 

Secondly.  Have  they  that  shall  be  saved 
faith  ? Why,  they  that  shall  not  be  saved  may 
have  faith  also  ; yea,  a faith  in  many  things  so 
like  the  faith  that  saveth  that  they  can  hardly 
be  distinguished,  (though  they  differ  both  in 
root  and  branch.)  To  come  to  particulars: 

1.  Saving  faith  hath  Christ  for  its  object,  and 
so  may  the  faith  have  that  is  not  saving. 
Those  very  Jews  of  whom  it  is  said  they  be- 
lieved on  Christ,  Christ  tells  them,  and  that 
after  their  believing,  “ Ye  are  of  your  father 
the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  hither  ye  will 
do.”  2.  Saving  faith  is  wrought  by  the  word 
of  God,  and  so  may  the  faith  be  that  is  not 
saving.  3.  Saving  faith  looks  for  justification 
without  works,  and  so  may  a faith  do  that  is 
not  saving.  4.  Saving  faith  will  sanctify  and 
purify  the  heart,  and  a faith  that  is  not  saving- 
may  work  a man  off  from  the  pollutions  of  the 
world,  as  it  did  Judas,  Demas,  and  others.  5. 
Saving  faith  will  give  a man  tastes  of  the  world 
to  come,  and  also  joy  by  them  tastes,  and  so 
will  the  faith  do  that  is  not  saving.  6.  Saving- 
faith  will  help  a man,  if  called  thereto,  to  give 


his  body  to  be  burned  for  his  religion,  and  so 
will  the  faith  do  that  is  not  saving.  7.  Saving 
fait!)  will  help  a man  to  look  for  an  inheritance 
in  the  world  to  come,  and  that  may  the  faith 
do  that  is  not  saving:  “ All  those  virgins  took 
their  lamps  and  went  forth  to  meet  the  bride- 
groom.” 8.  Saving  faith  will  not  only  make  a 
man  look  for,  but  prepare  to  meet,  the  bride- 
groom, and  so.  may  the  faith  do  that  is  not  sav- 
ing : “ Then  all  these  virgins  arose  and  trimmed 
their  lamps.”  9.  Saving  faith  will  make  a 
man  look  for  an  interest  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  with  confidence,  and  the  faith  that  is 
not  saving  will  even  demand  entrance  of  the 
Lord : “ Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us.”  10.  Sav- 
ing faith  will  have  good  works  follow  it  into 
heaven,  and  the  faith  that  is  not  saving  may 
have  great  works  follow  it  as  far  as  to  heaven- 
gates  : “ Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy 
name,  and  in  tby  name  cast  out  devils,  and  in 
thy  name  done  wondrous  works  ?” 

Now,  then,  if  the  faith  that  is  not  saving 
may  have  Christ  for  its  object,  be  wrought 
by  the  word,  look  for  justification  without 
works,  work  men  off  from  the  pollutions  of 
the  world,  and  give  men  tastes  of  and  joy  in 
the  things  of  another  world — I say  again,  if 
it  will  help  a man  to  burn  for  his  judgment, 
and  to  look  for  an  inheritance  in  another 
world,  yet  if  it  will  keep  a man  to  prepare 
for  it,  claim  interest  in  it,  and  if  it  can  carry 
great  works,  many  great  and  glorious  works, 
as  far  as  heaven-gates,  then  no  marvel  if 
abundance  of  people  take  this  faith  for  the 
saving-  faith,  and  so  fall  short  of  heaven  there- 
by. Alas,  friends ! there  are  but  few  that  can 
produce  such  for  repentance ; and  such  faith, 
as  yet  you  see,  I have  proved  even  reprobates 
have  had  in  several  ages  of  the  Church.  But — 

Thirdly.  They  that  go  to  heaven  are  a pray- 
ing people,  but  a man  may  pray  that  shall  not 
be  saved.  Pray ! he  may  pray  daily ; yea,  he 
may  ask  of  God  the  ordinances  of  justice, 
and  may  take  delight  in  approaching  to  God ; 
nay,  further,  such  souls  may,  as  it  were,  cover 
the  altar  of  the  Lord  with  tears,  with  weeping 
and  crying  out. 

Fourthly.  Do  God’s  people  keep  holy  fasts? 
They  that  are  not  his  people  may  keep  fasts 
also,  may  keep  fasts  often,  even  twice  a week : 
“The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with 
himself:  God,  I thank  thee  that  I am  not  as 
other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers, 
or  even  as  this  publican : I fast  twice  a week, 
I give  tithes  of  all  that  I possess.”  I might 
enlarge  upon  things,  but  I intend  but  a little 


734 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


book.  I do  not  question  but  many  Balaamites 
will  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  to  con- 
demnation-men that  have  had  visions  of  God, 
and  that  knew  the  knowledge  of  the  Most 
High ; men  that  have  had  the  Spirit  of  God 
come  upon  them,  and  that  have  by  that  been 
made  other  men;  yet  these  shall  go  to  the 
generations  of  their  fathers,  they  shall  never 
see  light. 

I read  of  some  men  whose  excellency  in  re- 
ligion mounts  up  to  the  heavens,  and  their 
heads  reach  unto  the  clouds,  who  yet  shall 
perish  for  ever  like  their  own  dung,  and  he 
that  in  this  world  hath  seen  them  shall  say  at 
the  judgment,  Where  are  they?  There  will 
be  many  a one  that  were  gallant  professors  in 
this  world  wanting  among  the  saved  in  the  day 
of  Christ’s  coming;  yea,  many  whose  damna- 
tion was  never  dreamed  of.  Which  of  the  twelve 
ever  thought  that  JudaS  would  have  proved  a 
devil?  Nay,  when  Christ  suggested  that  one 
among  them  was  naught,  they  each  were  more 
afraid  of  themselves  than  of  him.  Who  ques- 
tioned the  salvation  of  the  foolish  virgins? 
The  wise  ones  did  not;  they  gave  them  the 
privilege  of  communion  with  themselves.  The 
discerning  of  the  heart  and  the  infallible  proof 
of  the  truth  of  saving  grace  is  reserved  to  the 
judgment  of  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming;  the 
Church  and  best  of  saints  sometimes  hit  and 
sometimes  miss  in  their  judgments  about  this 
matter;  and  the  cause  of  our  missing  in  our 
judgment  is — 1.  Partly,  because  we  cannot  in- 
fallibly, at  all  times,  distinguish  grace  that 
saveth  from  that  which  doth  but  appear  to  do 
so.  2.  Partly  also  because  some  men  have  the 
art  to  give  right  names  to  wrong  things.  3. 
And  partly  because  we,  being  commanded  to 
receive  him  that  is  weak,  are  afraid  to  exclude 
the  least  Christian,  by  which  means  hypocrites 
creep  into  the  churches;  but  what  saith  the 
Scripture? — “I  the  Lord  search  the  heart,  I 
try  the  reins.”  And  again,  “ All  the  churches 
shall  know  that  I am  He  that  searches  the 
reins  and  hearts,  and  I will  give  to  every  one 
of  you  according  to  your  works.”  To  this 
Searcher  of  hearts  is  the  time  of  infallible  dis- 
cerning reserved,  and  then  you  shall  see  how 
far  grace  that  is  not  saving  hath  gone,  and  also 
how  few  will  be  saved  indeed.  The  Lord 
awaken  poor  sinners  by  these  warnings  and 
cautions ! 

I come  now  to  make  some  brief  use  and  ap- 
plication of  the  whole;  and  my  first  word 
shall  be  to  the  open  profane.  Poor  sinner, 
thou  readest  here  that  but  a few  will  be  saved 


— that  many  that  expect  heaven  will  go  wi  Ik- 
out  heaven.  What  sayest  thou  to  this,  poor 
sinner?  Let  me  say  it  over  again.  There  are 
but  few  to  be  saved,  but  very  few ; let  me  add, 
but  few  professors,  but  few  eminent  professors. 
What  sayest  thou  now,  sinner?  If  judgment 
begins  at  the  house  of  God,  what  will  the  end 
of  them  be  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  God? 
This  is  Peter’s  question : canst  thou  answer  it, 
sinner?  Yea,  I say  again,  if  judgment  must 
begin  at  them,  will  it  not  make  thee  think, 
What  shall  become  of  me?  And  I add,  when 
thou  shalt  see  the  stars  of  heaven  to  tumble 
down  to  hell,  canst  thou  think  that  such  a 
muck-heap  of  sin  as  thou  art  shall  be  lifted  up 
to  heaven  ? Peter  asks  thee  another  question — 
to  wit:  “If  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved, 
where  shall  the  ungodly  and  sinners  appear?” 
Canst  thou  answer  this  question,  sinner  ? Stand 
among  the  righteous  thou  mayestnot:  “The 
ungodly  shall  not  stand  in  the  judgment,  nor 
sinners  in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous.” 
Stand  among  the  wicked  thou  then  wilt  not 
dare  to  do:  where  wilt  thou  appear,  sinner? 
To  stand  among  the  hypocrites  will  avail  thee 
nothing:  “The  hypocrite  shall  not  come  be- 
fore hi  m” — that  is,  with  acceptance—"  but  shall 
perish.”  Because  it  concerns  thee  much,  let 
me  over  with  it  again.  When  thou  shalt  see 
less  sinners  than  thou  art  bound  up  by  angels 
in  bundles  to  burn  them,  where  wilt  thou  ap- 
pear, sinner?  Thou  mayest  wish  thyself 
another  man,  hut  that  will  not  help  thee,  sin- 
ner; thou  mayest  wish,  Would  I had  been 
converted  in  time!  but  that  will  not  help  thee 
neither.  And  if,  like  the  wife  of  Jeroboam, 
thou  should  feign  thyself  to  be  another  wo- 
man, the  Prophet,  the  Lord  Jesus,  would  soon 
find  thee  out.  What  wilt  thou  do,  poor  sin- 
ner ? Heavy  tidings,  heavy  tidings,  will  attend 
thee  except  thou  repent,  poor  sinner ! Oh  the 
dreadful  state  of  a poor  sinner,  of  an  open 
profane  sinner!  Everybody  that  hath  but 
common  sense  knows  that  this  man  is  in  the 
broad  way  to  death,  yet  he  laughs  at  his  own 
damnation. 

Shall  I come  to  particulars  with  thee? 

1.  Poor  unclean  sinner,  the  harlot’s  house  is 
the  way  to  hell,  going  down  to  the  chambers 
of  death. 

2.  Poor  swearing  and  thievish  sinner,  God 
hath  prepared  the  curse  that  every  one  that 
stealeth  shall  be  cut  off  as  on  this  side,  accord- 
ing to  it;  and  every  one  that  sweareth  shall  be 
cut  off  on  that  side,  according  to  it. 

3.  Poor  drunken  sinner,  what  shall  I say  to 


THE  STB  A IT  GATE. 


735 


thee?  “Woe  to  the  drunkards  of  Ephraim, 
woe  to  them  that  are  mighty  to  drink  wine, 
and  men  of  strong  drink ! they  shall  not  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  heaven.” 

4.  Poor  covetous,  worldly  man,  God’s  word 
Bays  “that  the  covetous  the  Lord  abhorreth; 
that  the  covetous  man  is  an  idolater;  and  that 
the  covetous  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God.” 

5.  And  thou,  liar,  what  wilt  thou  do?  “All 
liars  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  that 
burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone.” 

I shall  not  enlarge;  poor  sinner,  let  no  man 
deceive  thee,  for  because  of  these  things  cometh 
the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience. I will  therefore  give  thee  a short  call 
and  so  leave,  thee. 

Sinner,  awake;  yea,  I say  unto  thee,  Awake! 
Sin  lieth  at  thy  door,  and  God’s  axe  lieth  at 
thy  root,  and  hell-fire  is  right  underneath  thee: 
I say  again,  Awake!  “Every  tree  therefore 
that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn 
down  and  cast  into  the  fire.” 

Poor  sinner,  awake!  Eternity  is  coming, 
and  his  Son:  they  are  both  coming  to  judge 
the  world.  Awake!  art  yet  asleep,  poor  sin- 
ner? Let  me  set  the  trumpet  to  thine  ear 
once  again.  The  heavens  will  be  shortly  on  a 
burning  flame,  the  earth  and  the  works  thereof 
shall  be  burned  up,  and  then  wicked  men  shall 
go  into  perdition:  dost  thou  hear  this,  sinner? 
Hark  again ! The  sweet  morsels  of  sins  will 
then  be  fled  and  gone,  and  the  bitter,  burning 
fruits  of  them  only  left. 

What  sayest  thou  nowr,  sinner?  Canst  thou 
drink  hell-fire?  will  the  wrath  of  God  be  a 
pleasant  dish  to  thy  taste?  This  must  be  thine 
every  day’s  meat  and  drink  in  hell,  sinner. 

I will  yet  propound  to  thee  God’s  ponderous 
question,  and  then  for  this  time  leave  thee: 
“Can  thine  heart  endure  or  can  thine  hands 
be  strong  in  the  day  that  I shall  deal  with 
thee,  saith  the  Lord?”  What  sayest  thou? 
wilt  thou  answer  this  question  now  or  wilt 
thou  take  time  to  do  it?  or  wilt  thou  be  des- 
perate and  venture  all?  And  let  me  put  this 
text  in  thine  ear  to  keep  it  open,  and  so  the 
Lord  have  mercy  upon  thee:  “Upon  the 
wicked  shall  the  Lord  rain  snares,  fire  and 
brimstone,  and  an  horrible  tempest;  this  shall 
be  the  portion  of  their  cup.” 

Secondly.  My  second  word  is  to  them  that 
are  upon  the  potter’s  wheel,  concerning  whom 
we  know  not  as  yet  whether  their  convictions 
and  awakenings  will  end  in  conversion  or  no; 
several  things  I shall  say  to  you,  both  to 


further  your  convictions  and  to  caution  you 
from  staying  anywhere  below  or  short  of  sav- 
ing grace. 

1.  Remember  that  but  few  shall  be  saved, 
and  if  God  should  count  thee  worthy  to  be 
one  of  that  few,  what  a mercy  would  that  be! 
2.  Be  thankful  therefore  for  convictions ; con- 
version begins  at  conviction,  though  all  con- 
viction doth  not  end  in  conversion.  It  is  a 
great  mercy  to  be  convinced  that  we  are  sin- 
ners and  that  we  need  a Saviour;  count  it 
therefore  a mercy;  and  that  thy  convictions 
may  end  in  conversion,  do  thou — 

1.  Take  heed  of  stifling  of  them;  it  is  the 
way  of  poor  sinners  to  look  upon  convictions 
as  things  that  are  hurtful,  and  therefore  they 
use  to  shun  the  awakening  ministry  and  to 
check  a convincing  conscience.  Such  poor 
sinners  are  much  like  to  the  wanton  boy  that 
stands  at  the  maid’s  elbow  to  blow  out  her 
candle  as  fast  as  she  lights  it  at  the  fire.  Con- 
vinced sinner,  God  lighteth  thy  candle,  and 
thou  puttest  it  out;  God  lights  it  again,  and 
thou  puttest  it  out,  (“yea,  how  oft  is  the  candle 
of  the  wicked  put  out!”)  At  last  God  resolveth 
he  will  light  thy  candle  no  more;  and  then, 
like  the  Egyptians,  you  dwell  all  your  days  in 
darkness,  and  never  see  light  more  but  by  the 
light  of  hell-fire;  wherefore  give  glory  to  God, 
and  if  he  awakens  thy  conscience  quench  not 
thy  convictions.  “Do  it  (saith  the  prophet) 
before  he  cause  darkness,  and  before  your  feet 
stumble  upon  the  dark  mountains,  and  he  turn 
your  convictions  into  the  shadow  of  death  and 
make  them  gross  darkness.” 

1.  Be  willing  to  see  the  worst  of  thy  condi- 
tion ; it  is  better  to  see  it  here  than  in  hell,  for 
thou  must  see  thy  misery  here  or  there.  2. 
Beware  of  little  sins ; they  will  make  way  for 
great  ones,  and  they  again  will  make  way  for 
bigger,  upon  which  God’s  wrath  will  follow ; 
and  then  may  thy  latter  end  be  worse  than  thy 
beginning.  3.  Take  heed  of  bad  company  and 
evil  communication,  for  that  w ill  corrupt  good 
manners.  God  saith  evil  company  will  turn 
thee  away  from  following  him,  and  will  tempt 
thee  to  serve  other  gods,  devils : “ So  the  anger 
of  the  Lord  will  be  kindled  against  thee  and 
destroy  thee  suddenly.”  4.  Beware  of  such  a 
thought  as  bids  thee  delay  repentance,  for  that 
is  damnable.  5.  Beware  of  taking  example 
by  some  poor  carnal  professor,  whose  religion 
lies  in  the  tip  of  his  tongue.  Beware,  I say, 
of  the  man  wfliose  head  swims  with  notions, 
but  his  life  is  among  the  unclean.  “ He  that 
walketh  with  wise  men  shall  be  wise,  but  a 


736 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


companion  of  fools  shall  be  destroyed.”  6. 
Give  thyself  much  to  the  word,  and  prayer, 
and  good  conference.  7.  Labour  to  see  the  sin 
that  cleaveth  to  the  best  of  thy  performances, 
and  know  that  all  is  nothing  if  thou  art  not 
found  in  Jesus  Christ.  8.  Keep  in  remem- 
brance that  God’s  eye  is  upon  thy  heart  and 
upon  all  thy  ways : “ Can  any  hide  himself  in 
secret  places  that  I should  not  see  him?  saith 
the  Lord ; do  not  I fill  heaven  and  earth?  saith 
the  Lord.”  9.  Be  often  meditating  upon  death 
and  judgment.  10.  Be  often  thinking  what  a 
dreadful  end  sinners  that  have  neglected  Christ 
will  make  at  that  day  of  death  and  judgment. 
11.  Put  thyself  often,  in  thy  thoughts,  before 
Christ’s  judgment-seat  in  thy  sins,  and  con- 
sider with  thyself,  Were  I now  before  my 
Judge  how  should  I look,  how  should  I shake 
and  tremble ! 12.  Be  often  thinking  of  them 

that  are  now  in  hell  past  all  mercy : I say,  be 
often  thinking  of  them,  thus : 

1.  They  were  once  in  the  world,  as  I now 
am.  2.  They  once  took  delight  in  sin,  as  I 
have  done.  3.  They  once  neglected  repent- 
ance, as  Satan  would  have  me  do.  4.  But 
now  they  are  gone,  now  they  are  in  hell,  now 
the  pit  hath  shut  her  mouth  upon  them. 

Thou  mayest  also  double  thy  thoughts  of  the 
damned,  thus : 

1.  If  these  poor  creatures  were  in  the  world 
again,  would  they  sin  as  they  did  before? 
would  they  neglect  salvation  as  they  did  be- 
fore? 2.  If  they  had  sermons,  as  I have;  if 
they  had  the  Bible,  as  I have;  if  they  had 
good  company,  as  I have,— yea,  if  they  had  a 
day  of  grace,  as  I have,  would  they  neglect  it 
as  they  did  before  ? Sinner,  couldst  thou  soberly 
think  of  these  things,  they  might  help  (God 
blessing  them)  to  awaken  thee,  and  to  keep 
thee  awake  to  repentance — to  the  repentance 
that  is  to  salvation,  never  to  be  repented  of. 

Objection.  But  you  have  said,  Few  shall  be 
saved,  and  some  that  go  a great  way  yet  are 
not  saved.  At  this  therefore  I am  even  dis- 
couraged and  awakened  : I think  I had  as  good 
go  no  further ; I am  indeed  under  conviction, 
but  I may  perish,  and  if  I go  on  in  my  sins  I 
can  but  perish ; and  it  is  ten,  twenty,  an  hun- 
dred to  one  if  I be  saved  should  I be  never  so 
earnest  for  heaven. 

Answer.  That  few  will  be  saved  must  needs 
be  a truth,  for  Christ  hath  said  it ; that  many 
go  far  and  come  short  of  heaven  is  as  true, 
being  testified  by  the  same  hand;  but  what 
then  ? Why,  then  had  I as  good  never  seek. 
Who  told  thee  so  ? Must  nobody  seek  because 


few  are  saved?  This  is  just  contrary  to  the 
text,  that  bids  us  therefore  strive,  strive  to 
enter  in,  because  the  gate  is  strait,  and  because 
many  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be 
able.  But  why  go  back  again,  seeing  that  is 
the  next  way  to  hell?  Never  go  over  hedge 
and  ditch  to  hell.  If  I must  needs  go  thither, 
I will  go  the  farthest  way  about.  But  who  can 
tell,  though  there  should  not  be  saved  so  many 
as  there  shall,  but  thou  mayest  be  one  of  that 
few?  They  that  miss  of  life  perish  because 
they  will  not  let  go  their  sins,  or  because  they 
take  up  in  profession  short  of  the  saving  faith 
of  the  Gospel.  They  perish,  I say,  because 
they  are  content  with  such  things  as  will  not 
prove  graces  of  a saving  nature  when  they 
come  to  be  tried  in  the  fire;  otherwise  the 
promise  is  free,  and  full,  and  everlasting: 
“ Him  that  cometh  to  me  (says  Christ)  I will 
in  nowise  cast  thee  out,  for  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  might  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life.”  Wherefore  let  not 
this  thought,  Few  shall  be  saved,  weaken  thy 
heart,  but  let  it  cause  thee  to  mend  thy  pace, 
to  mend  thy  cries,  to  look  well  to  thy  grounds 
for  heaven ; let  it  make  thee  fly  faster  from  sin 
to  Christ;  let  it  keep  thee  awake  and  out  of 
carnal  security,  and  thou  mayest  be  saved. 

Thirdly.  My  third  word  is  to  professors. 
Sirs,  give  me  leave  to  set  my  trumpet  to  your 
ears  again  a little.  When  every  man  hath  put 
in  all  the  claim  they  can  for  heaven,  but  few 
will  have  it  for  their  inheritance — I mean  but 
few  professors,  for  so  the  text  intendeth,  and 
so  I have  also  proved : “For  many,  I say  unto 
you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be 
able.” 

Let  me  therefore  a little  expostulate  the 
matter  with  you,  0 ye  thousands  of  professors! 

1.  I begin  with  you  whose  religion  lietli  only 
in  your  tongues ; I mean  you  who  are  little  or 
nothing  known  from  the  rest  of  the  rabble  of 
the  world,  only  you  can  talk  better  than  they. 
Hear  me  a word  or  two : “ If  I speak  with  the 
tongue  of  men  and  angels,  and  have  not  charity, 
(that  is,  love  to  God,  and  Christ,  and  saints, 
and  holiness,)  I am  nothing,”  no  child  of  God, 
and  so  have  nothing  to  do  with  heaven.  A 
prating  tongue  will  not  unlock  the  gates  of 
heaven  nor  blind  the  eyes  of  thy  Judge ; look 
to  it:  “The  wise  in  heart  will  receive  com- 
mandments, but  a prating  fool  shall  fall.” 

2.  Covetous  professor,  thou  that  makest  a 
gain  of  religion,  that  usest  thy  profession  to 
bring  grist  to  thy  mill,  look  to  it  also : gain  is 


THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


737 


not  godliness.  Judas’s  religion  lay  much  in 
the  bag,  but  his  soul  is  now  burning  in  hell. 
All  covetousness  is  idolatry ; but  what  is  that, 
or  what  will  you  call  it,  when  men  are  relig- 
ious for  filthy  lucre’s  sake? 

3.  Wanton  professors,  I have  a word  for  you : 
I mean  you  that  can  tell  how  to  misplead 
Scripture,  to  maintain  your  pride,  your  ban- 
queting, and  abominable  idolatry.  Read  what 
Peter  says : You  are  the  snare  and  damnation 
of  others;  “ you  allure  through  the  lust  of  the 
flesh,  through  much  wantonness,  those  that 
were  clean  escaped  from  them  who  live  in 
error.”  Besides,  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  a great 
deal  against  you  for  your  feastings,  and  eating 
without  fear,  not  for  health,  but  gluttony. 
Farther,  Peter  says,  “ that  you  that  count  it 
pleasure  to  riot  in  the  daytime  are  spots  and 
blemishes,  sporting  yourselves  with  your  own 
deceivings.”  And  let  me  ask,  Did  God  give 
his  word  to  justify  your  wickedness?  or  doth 
grace  teach  you  to  plead  for  the  flesh  or  the 
making  provision  for  the  lusts  thereof?  Of 
these  also  are  they  that  feed  their  bodies  to 
strengthen  their  lusts,  under  pretence  of 
strengthening  frail  nature.  But  pray  remem- 
ber the  text:  “Many,  I say  unto  you,  will 
seek  to  enter  in.  and  shall  not  be  able.” 

4.  I come  next  to  the  opinionist : I mean  to 
him  whose  religion  lieth  in  some  circumstan- 
tials of  religion ; with  this  sort  this  kingdom 
swarms  at  this  day.  These  think  all  out  of  the 
way  that  are  not  of  their  mode,  when  them- 
selves may  be  out  of  the  way  in  the  midst  of 
their  zeal  for  their  opinions.  Pray  do  you  also 
observe  the  text : “ Many,  I say  unto  you, 
will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.” 

5.  Neither  is  the  formalist  exempted  from 
this  number.  He  is  a man  that  hath  lost  all 
but  the  shell  of  religion  ; he  is  hot  indeed  for 
his  form,  and  no  marvel,  for  that  is  his  all  to 
contend  for;  but  his  form  being  without  the 
power  and  spirit  of  godliness,  it  will  leave  him 
in  his  sins  ; nay,  he  standeth  now  in  them  in 
the  sight  of  God,  and  is  one  of  the  many  that 
“ will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.” 

6.  The  legalist  comes  next,  even  him  that 
hath  no  life  but  what  he  makes  out  of  his  du- 
ties. This  man  hath  chosen  to  stand  and  fall 
by  Moses,  who  is  the  condemner  of  the  world: 
“ There  is  one  that  accuseth  you,  even  Moses, 
in  whom  ye  trust.” 

7.  There  is,  in  the  next  place,  the  libertine, 
he  that  pretendeth  to  be  against  forms  and 
duties  as  things  that  gender  to  bondage,  ne- 
glecting the  order  of  God.  This  man  pretends 

47 


to  pray  always,  but  under  that  pretence  prays 
not  at  all ; he  pretends  to  keep  every  day  a 
Sabbath,  but  this  pretence  serves  him  only  to 
cast  off  all  set  times  for  the  worship  of  God. 
This  is  also  one  of  the  many  that  “ will  seek  to 
enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  ablo.” 

8.  There  is  the  temporizing  latitudinarian ; 
he  is  a man  that  hath  no  God  but  his  belly, 
nor  any  religion  but  that  by  which  his  belly  is 
worshipped.  His  religion  is  always  like  the 
times,  turning  this  way  and  that  way,  like  the 
cock  on  the  steeple ; neither  hath  he  any  con- 
science but  a benumbed  and  seared  one,  and  is 
next  door  to  a downright  atheist ; and  also  is 
one  of  the  many  that  “ will  seek  to  enter  in, 
and  shall  not  be  able.” 

9.  There  is  also  the  wilfully  ignorant  pro- 
fessor, or  him  that  is  afraid  to  know  more  for 
fear  of  the  cross.  He  is  for  picking  and  choos- 
ing of  truth,  and  loveth  not  to  hazard  his  all 
for  that  worthy  name  by  which  he  would  be 
called.  When  he  is  at  any  time  overset  by 
arguments  or  awakenings  of  conscience  he 
uses  to  heal  all  by,  I was  not  brought  up  in 
this  faith,  as  if  it  were  unlawful  for  Christians 
to  know  more  than  hath  been  taught  them  at 
first  conversion.  There  are  many  Scriptures 
that  lie  against  this  man  as  the  mouths  of 
great  guns,  and  he  is  one  of  the  many  that 
“will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.” 

10.  We  will  add  to  all  these  the  professor 
that  would  prove  himself  a Christian  by  com- 
paring himself  with  others,  instead  of  compar- 
ing himself  with  the  word  of  God.  This  man 
comforts  himself  because  he  is  as  holy  as  such 
and  such ; he  also  knows  as  much  as  that  old 
professor,  and  then  concludes  he  shall  go  to 
heaven ; as  if  he  certainly  knew  that  those 
with  whom  he  compareth  himself  would  be 
undoubtedly  saved.  But  how  if  he  should  be 
mistaken?  nay,  may  they  not  both  fall  short? 
But  to  be  sure  he  is  in  the  wrong  that  hath 
made  the  comparison,  and  a wrong  foundation 
will  not  stand  in  the  day  of  judgment.  This 
man  therefore  is  one  of  the  many  that  “ will 
seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.” 

11.  There  is  yet  another  professor,  and  he 
is  for  God  and  for  Baal  too ; he  can  be  any- 
thing for  any  company ; he  can  throw  stones 
with  both  hands ; his  religion  alters  as  last  as 
his  company ; he  is  a frog  of  Egypt,  and  can 
live  in  the  water  and  out  of  the  water ; he  can 
live  in  religious  company  and  again  as  well 
out.  Nothing  that  is  disorderly  comes  amiss 
to  him ; he  will  hold  with  the  hare  and  run 
with  the  hound;  he  carries  fire  in  ODe  hand 


738 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  water  in  the  other ; he  is  a very  anything 
but  what  he  should  be ; this  is  also  one  of  the 
many  that  “will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not 
be  able.” 

12.  There  is  also  that  free-wilier  who  denies 
to  the  Holy  Ghost  the  sole  work  in  conversion ; 
and  that  Socinian,  who  denieth  to  Christ  that 
he  hath  made  to  God  satisfaction  for  sin ; and 
that  Quaker,  who  takes  from  Christ  the  two 
natures  in  his  person ; and  I might  add  as 
many  more,  touching  whose  damnation  (they 
dying  as  they  are)  the  Scripture  is  plain. 
These  “ will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be 
able.” 

But,  fourthly.  If  it  be  so,  what  a strange 
disappointment  will  many  professors  meet 
with  at  the  day  of  judgment ! I speak  not  now 
to  the  open  profane ; everybody,  as  I have  said, 
that  hath  but  common  understanding  between 
good  and  evil,  knows  that  they  are  in  the 
broad  way  to  hell  and  damnation,  and  they 
must  needs  come  thither ; nothing  can  hinder 
it  but  repentance  unto  salvation,  except  God 
should  prove  a liar  to  save  them,  and  it  is  hard 
venturing  of  that. 

Neither  is  it  amiss  if  we  take  notice  of  the 
examples  that  are  briefly  mentioned  in  the 
Scriptures  concerning  professors  that  have 
miscarried. 

1.  Judas  perished  from  among  the  apostles. 
2.  Demas,  as  I think,  perished  from  among  the 
evangelists.  3.  Diotrephes,  from  among  the 
ministers  or  them  in  ofhce  in  the  Church.  4. 
And  as  for  Christian  professors,  they  have 
fallen  by  heaps  and  almost  by  whole  churches. 
5.  Let  us  add  to  these  that  the  things  men- 
tioned in  the  Scriptures  about  these  matters 
are  but  brief  hints  and  items  of  what  is  after- 
wards to  happen ; as  the  apostle  said,  “ Some 
men’s  sins  are  open  beforehand,  going  before 
to  judgment;  and  some  men  they  follow  after.” 
So  that,  fellow-professors,  let  us  fear  lest  a 
promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into  this  rest, 
any  of  us  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it.  Oh 
to  come  short!  nothing  kills  it,  nothing  will 
burn  like  it.  I intend  not  discouragements, 
but  awakenings;  the  churches  have  need  of 
awakening,  and  so  have  all  professors.  Do 
not  despise  me,  therefore,  but  hear  me  over 
again.  What  a strange  disappointment  will 
many  professors  meet  with  at  the  day  of  God 
Almighty ! — a disappointment,  I say,  and  that 
as  to  several  things : 

1.  They  will  look  to  escape  hell,  and  yet 
fall  just  into  the  mouth  of  hell:  what  a disap- 
pointment will  here  be!  2.  They  will  look 


for  heaven,  hut  the  gate  of  heaven  will  be 
shut  against  them : what  a disappointment 
is  here!  3.  They  will  expect  that  Christ 
should  have  compassion  for  them,  but  will 
find  that  he  hath  shut  up  all  bowels  of  com- 
passion from  them : what  a disappointment  is 
here ! 

Again,  fifthly.  As  this  disappointment  will 
be  fearful,  so  certainly  it  will  be  very  full  of 
amazement. 

1.  Will  it  not  amaze  them  to  be  unexpect- 
edly excluded  from  life  and  salvation?  Will 
it  not  be  amazing  to  them  to  see  their  own 
madness  and  folly,  while  they  consider  how 
they  have  dallied  with  their  own  souls,  and 
took  lightly  for  granted  that  they  had  that 
grace  that  would  save  them,  but  hath  left 
them  in  a damnable  state?  3.  Will  they  not 
also  be  amazed,  one  at  another,  while  they 
remember  how  in  their  lifetime  they  counted 
themselves  fellow-heirs  of  life?  To  allude  to 
that  of  the  prophet,  “ They  shall  be  amazed 
one  of  another,  their  faces  shall  be  as  flames.” 
4.  Will  it  not  be  amazing  to  some  of  the 
damned  themselves  to  see  some  come  to  hell 
that  then  they  shall  see  come  thither? — to  see 
preachers  of  the  word,  professors  of  the  word, 
practisers  in  the  word  to  come  thither?  What 
wondering  was  there  among  them  at  the  fall 
of  the  king  of  Babylon,  since  he  thought  to 
have  swallowed  up  all,  because  he  was  run 
down  by  the  Medes  and  Persians ! “ How  art 

thou  fallen  from  heaven,  Lucifer,  son  of  the 
morning ! How  art  thou  cut  down  to  the 
ground  that  didst  weaken  the  nations!”  If 
such  a thing  as  this  will  with  amazement  sur- 
prise the  damned,  what  an  amazement  will  it 
be  to  them  to  see  such  a one  as  he,  whose 
head  reached  to  the  clouds — to  see  him  come 
down  to  the  pit  and  perish  for  ever  like  his 
own  dung ! “ Hell  from  beneath  is  moved  for 

thee,  to  meet  thee  at  thy  coming;  it  stirreth 
up  the  dead  for  thee,  even  all  the  chief  ones 
of  the  earth.”  They  that  see  thee  shall  nar- 
rowly look  upon  thee  and  consider  thee,  say- 
ing, Is  this  the  man?  Is  this  he  that  pro- 
fessed, and  disputed,  and  forsook  us?  but 
now  he  is  come  to  us  again.  Is  this  he 
that  separated  from  us?  but  now  is  he  fallen 
with  us,  into  the  same  eternal  damnation 
with  us ! 

Sixthly.  Yet  again  one  word  more,  if  I 
may  awaken  professors : 1.  Consider,  though 
the  poor  carnal  world  shall  certainly  perish, 
yet  they  will  want  these  things  to  aggra- 
vate their  sorrow  which  thou  wilt  meet  with 


THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


739 


in  every  thought  that  thou  wilt  have  of  the 
condition  thou  wast  in  when  thou  wast  in  the 
world : 

1.  They  will  not  have  a profession  to  bite 
them  when  they  come  thither.  2.  They  will 
not  have  a taste  of  a lost  heaven  to  bite  them 
when  they  come  thither.  3.  They  will  not 
have  the  thoughts  of,  I was  almost  at  heaven, 
to  bite  them  when  they  come  thither.  4. 
They  will  not  have  the  thoughts  of  how  they 
cheated  saints,  ministers,  churches,  to  bite 
them  when  they  come  thither.  5.  They  will 
not  have  the  dying  thoughts  of  false  faith, 
false  hope,  false  repentance,  and  false  holiness 
to  bite  them  wrhen  they  come  thither:  I was 
at  the  gates  of  heaven,  I looked  into  heaven,  I 
thought  I should  have  entered  into  heaven. 
Oh  how  will  these  things  sting ! They  will, 
if  I may  call  them  so,  be  the  sting  of  the 
sting  of  death  in  liell-fire. 

Seventhly.  Give  me  leave  now  in  a word  to 
give  you  a little  advice. 

1.  Dost  thou  love  thine  own  soul?  Then 
pray  to  Jesus  Christ  for  an  awakened  heart — 
for  an  heart  so  awakened  with  all  the  things 
of  another  world  that  thou  mayest  be  allured 


to  Jesus  Christ.  2.  When  thou  comest  there 
beg  again  for  more  awakenings  about  sin,  hell, 
grace,  and  about  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
3.  Cry  also  for  a spirit  of  discerning,  that  thou 
mayest  know  that  which  is  saving  grace  in- 
deed. 4.  Above  all  studies  apply  thyself  to  the 
study  of  those  things  that  show  thee  the  evil 
of  sin,  the  shortness  of  man’s  life,  and  which 
is  the  way  to  be  saved.  5.  Keep  company 
with  the  most  godly  among  professors.  6. 
When  thou  hearest  what  the  nature  of  true 
grace  is,  defer  not  to  ask  thine  own  heart  if 
this  grace  be  there.  And  here  take  heed — 

1.  That  the  preacher  himself  be  sound  and 
of  good  life.  2.  That  thou  takest  not  seeming 
graces  for  real  ones,  nor  seeming  fruits  for 
real  fruits.  3.  Take  heed  that  a sin  in  thy 
life  goes  not  unrepeuted  of,  for  that  will  make 
a flaw  in  thine  evidence,  a wound  in  thy  con- 
science, and  a breach  in  thy  peace;  and  a 
hundred  to  one  if  at  last  it  doth  not  drive  all 
the  grace  in  thee  into  so  dark  a corner  of  thy 
heart  that  thou  shalt  not  be  able,  for  a time, 
by  all  the  torches  that  are  burning  in  the  Gos- 
pel, to  find  it  out  to  thine  own  comfort  and 
consolation. 


THE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN; 


OR, 

A DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  MAN  THAT  GETS  TO  HEAVEN: 

TOGETHER  WITH  THE  WAY  HE  RUNS  IN,  THE  MARKS  HE  GOES  BY;  ALSO  SOME  DIREC- 
TIONS HOW  TO  RUN  SO  AS  TO  OBTAIN, 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  they  had  brought  them  forth  abroad,  that  he  said,  Escape  for  thy  life;  look  not 
behind  thee,  neither  stay  thou  in  all  the  plain.  Escape  to  the  mountain,  lest  thou  be  consumed. — Gen.  xix.  17. ' 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  ALL  THE  SLOTHFUL  AND  CARELESS  PEOPLE. 


Friends  : 

Solomon  saith,  “that  the  desire  of  the  sloth- 
ful killeth  him ; ” and  if  so,  what  will  sloth- 
fulness itself  do  to  those  that  entertain  it? 
The  proverb  is,  “He  that  sleepetli  in  harvest 
is  a son  that  causeth  shame;”  and  this  I dare 
he  hold  to  say  : no  greater  shame  can  befall  a 
man  than  to  see  that  he  hath  fooled  away  his 
soul  and  sinned  away  eternal  life.  And  I am 
sure  this  is  the  next  way  to  do  it — namely,  to 
be  slothful;  slothful,  I say,  in  the  work  of  sal- 
vation. The  vineyard  of  the  slothful  man,  in 
reference  to  the  things  of  this  life,  is  not  fuller 
of  briers,  nettles,  and  stinking  weeds  than  he 
that  is  slothful  for  heaven  hath  his  heart  full 
of  heart-choking  and  soul-damning  sin. 

Slothfulness  hath  these  two  evils : first,  to 
neglect  the  time  in  which  it  should  be  getting 
of  heaven  : and  by  that  means  doth,  in  the 
second  place,  bring  in  untimely  repentance. 
I will  warrant  you  that  he  who  should  lose  his 
soul  in  this  world  through  slothfulness  will 
have  no  cause  to  be  glad  thereat  when  he 
comes  to  hell. 

Slothfulness  is  usually  accompanied  with 
carelessness,  and  carelessness  is  for  the  most 
part  begotten  by  senselessness,  and  senseless- 
ness doth  again  put  fresh  strength  into  sloth- 
fulness,  and  by  this  means  the  soul  is  left 
remediless. 

Slothfulness  shutteth  out  Christ,  slothfulness 
shameth  the  soul. 

Slothfulness  is  condemned  even  by  the  fee- 
blest of  all  creatures.  “ Go  to  the  ant,  thou 


sluggard;  consider  her  ways  and  be  wise.” 
“ The  sluggard  will  not  plough  by  reason  of 
the  cold,  (that  is,  he  will  not  break  up  the 
fallow  ground  of  his  heart,  because  there  must 
be  some  pains  taken  by  him  that  will  do  it ;) 
therefore  he  shall  beg  in  harvest,”  (that  is, 
when  the  saints  of  God  shall  have  their  glori- 
ous heaven  and  happiness  given  to  them  ;)  but 
the  sluggard  shall  have  nothing — that  is,  be 
never  the  better  for  his  crying  for  mercy,  ac- 
cording to  that  in  Matt.  xxv.  10,  11,  12. 

If  you  would  know  a sluggard  in  the  things 
of  heaven,  compare  him  with  one  that  is 
slothful  in  the  things  of  this  world;  as — 

1.  He  that  is  slothful  is  loth  to  set  about  the 
work  he  should  follow ; so  is  he  that  is  sloth- 
ful for  heaven. 

2.  He  that  is  slothful  is  one  that  is  willing 
to  make  delays;  so  is  he  that  is  slothful  for 
heaven. 

3.  He  that  is  a sluggard,  any  small  matter 
that  cometh  in  between  he  will  make  it  a suf- 
ficient excuse  to  keep  him  off  from  playing  his 
works ; so  it  is  also  with  him  that  is  slothful 
for  heaven. 

4.  He  that  is  slothful  doth  his  work  by  the 
halves;  and  so  it  is  with  him  that  is  slothful 
for  heaven.  He  may  almost,  but  he  shall 
never  altogether,  obtain  perfection  of  deliver- 
ance from  hell;  he  may  almost,  but  he  shall 
never  (without  he  mend)  altogether,  be  a 
saint. 

5.  They  that  are  slothful  do  usually  lose  the 
season  in  which  things  are  to  be  done;  and 

741 


742 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


thus  it  is  also  with  them  that  are  slothful  for 
heaven  ; they  miss  the  seasons  of  grace.  And 
therefore,  . 

6.  They  that  are  slothful  have  seldom  or 
never  good  fruit ; so  also  it  will  he  with  the 
soul-sluggard. 

7.  They  that  are  slothful,  they  are  chid  for 
the  same ; so  also  will  Christ  deal  with  those 
that  are  not  active  for  him.  Thou  wicked  or 
slothful  servant ! out  of  thine  own  mouth  will 
I judge  thee ; thou  saidst  I was  thus  and  thus  ; 
wherefore  then  gavest  not  thou  my  money  to 
the  bank?  &c.  Take  the  unprofitable  servant 
and  cast  him  into  utter  darkness,  ivhere  shall 
be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

1.  What  shall  I say  ? Time  runs,  and  will  ye 
be  slothful? 

2.  Much  of  your  lives  are  past,  and  will  you 
be  slothful  ? 

3.  Your  souls  are  worth  a thousand  worlds, 
and  will  you  be  slothful  ? 

4.  The  day  of  death  and  judgment  is  at  the 
door,  and  will  you  be  slothful  ? 

5.  The  curse  of  God  hangs  over  your  heads, 
and  will  you  be  slothful? 

6.  Besides,  the  devils  are  earnest,  laborious, 
and  seek  by  all  means,  every  day,  by  every  sin, 
to  keep  you  out  of  heaven  and  hinder  you  of 
salvation ; and  will  you  be  slothful  ? 

7.  Also  your  neighbours  are  diligent  for 
things  that  will  perish,  and  will  you  be  sloth- 
ful for  things  that  will  endure  for  ever? 

8.  Would  you  be  willing  to  be  damned  for 
slothfulness? 

9.  Would  you  be  willing  the  angels  of  God 
should  neglect  to  fetch  your  souls  away  to 
heaven  when  you  lie  a-dying,  and  the  devils 
stand  by  ready  to  scramble  for  them  ? 

10.  Was  Christ  slothful  in  the  work  of  your 
redemption  ? 

11.  Are  his  ministers  slothful  in  tendering 
this  unto  you? 

12.  And  lastly.  If  all  this  will  not  move,  I 
tell  you  God  will  not  be  slothful  or  negligent 
to  damn  you,  (whose  damnation  now  of  a long 
time  slumbereth  not,)  the  devils  will  not  ne- 
glect to  fetch  thee,  nor  hell  neglect  to  shut  its 
mouth  upon  thee. 

Sluggard,  art  thou  asleep  still?  Art  thou 
resolved  to  sleep  the  sleep  of  death?  Will 
neither  tidings  from  heaven  nor  hell  awake 
thee?  Wilt  thou  say  still,  Yet  a little  sleep,  a 
little  slumber,  and  a little  folding  of  the  arms 
to  sleep?  Wilt  thou  yet  turn  thyself  in  thy 
sloth  as  the  door  is  turned  upon  the  hinges? 
Olr  that  I was  one  that  was  skilful  in  lamenta- 


tion, and  had  but  a yearning  heart  towards 
thee,  how  would  I pity  thee ! How  would  I 
bemoan  thee ! Oh  that  I could,  with  Jeremiah, 
let  my  eyes  run  down  with  rivers  of  waters  for 
thee ! Poor  soul,  lost  soul,  dying  soul,  what  a 
hard  heart  have  I that  I cannot  mourn  for 
thee ! If  thou  shouldst  lose  but  a limb,  a child, 
or  a friend,  it  would  not  be  so  much,  but,  poor 
man,  it  is  thy  soul ; if  it  was  to  lie  in  hell  but 
for  a day,  but  for  a year,  nay,  ten  thousand 
years,  it  would  (in  comparison)  be  nothing ; 
but  oh  it  is  for  ever!  Oh  this  cutting  ever! 
What  a soul-amazing  word  will  that  be  which 
saith,  “ Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  ever- 
lasting fire  l”  &c. 

Objection.  But  if  I should  set  in  and  run  as 
you  would  have  me,  then  I must  run  from  all 
my  friends,  for  none  of  them  are  running  that 
way. 

Answer.  And  if  thou  dost  thou  wilt  run  into 
the  bosom  of  Christ  and  of  God,  and  then  what 
harm  will  that  do  thee  ? 

Objection.  But  if  I run  this  way,  then  I must 
run  from  all  my  sins. 

Answer.  That  is  true,  indeed,  yet  if  thou  dost 
not,  thou  wilt  run  into  hell  -fire. 

Objection.  But  if  I run  this  way  I shall  be 
bated,  and  lose  the  love  of  my  friends  and  re- 
lations, and  of  those  that  I expect  benefit  from 
or  have  reliance  on,  and  I shall  be  mocked  of 
all  my  neighbours. 

Answer.  And  if  thou  dost  not,  thou  art  sure 
to  lose  the  love  and  favour  of  God  and  Christ, 
the  benefits  of  heaven  and  glory,  and  be 
mocked  of  God  for  thy  folly,  (“  I will  laugh  at 
your  calamities,  and  mock  when  your  fear 
cometh;”)  and  if  thou  wouldst  not  be  hated 
and  mocked,  then  take  heed  thou,  by  thy  folly, 
dost  not  procure  the  displeasure  and  mockings 
of  the  great  God;  for  his  mocks  and  hatred 
will  be  terrible,  because  they  will  fall  upon 
thee  in  terrible  times,  even  when  tribulation 
and  anguish  taketh  hold  on  thee;  which  will 
be  when  death  and  judgment  comes,  when  all 
the  men  in  the  earth  and  all  the  angels  in 
heaven  cannot  help  thee. 

Objection.  But  surely  I may  begin  this  time 
enough  a year  or  two  hence,  may  I not  ? 

Answer.  First.  Hast  thou  any  lease  of  thy 
life?  Did  ever  God  tell  thee  thou  shalt  live 
half  a year  or  two  months  longer?  Nay,  it 
may  be  thou  mayest  not  live  so  long.  And 
therefore, 

Secondly.  Wilt  thou  be  so  sottish  and  un- 
wise as  to  venture  thy  soul  upon  a little  uncer- 
tain time  ? 


THE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN. 


743 


Thirdly.  Dost  thou  know  whether  the  day 
of  grace  will  last  a week  longer  or  no?  For 
the  day  of  grace  is  past  with  some  before  their 
life  is  ended ; and  if  it  should  be  so  with  thee, 
wouldst  thou  not  say,  Oh  that  I had  begun  to 
run  before  the  day  of  grace  had  been  past  and 
the  gates  of  heaven  shut  against  me!  But, 

Fourthly.  If  thou  shouldst  see  any  of  thy 
neighbours  neglect  the  making  sure  of  either 
house  or  land  to  themselves  if  they  had  it  prof- 
fered to  thorn,  saying,  Time  enough  hereafter, 
when  the  time  is’  uncertain,  and  besides,  they 
do  not  know  whether  ever  it  will  be  proffered 
to  them  again  or  no — I say,  wouldst  thou  not 
then  call  them  fools?  And  if  so,  then  dost 
thou  think  that  thou  art  a wise  man  to  let  thy 
immortal  soul  hang  over  hell  by  a thread  of 
uncertain  time,  which  may  soon  be  cut  asunder 
by  death  ? 

But,  to  speak  plainly,  all  these  are  the  words 


of  a slothful  spirit.  Arise,  man  ! be  slothful  no 
longer;  set  foot,  and  heart,  and  all  into  the 
way  of  God,  and  run ; the  crown  is  at  the  end 
of  the  race;  there  also  standeth  the  loving 
Forerunner,  even  Jesus,  who  hath  prepared 
heavenly  provision  to  make  thy  soul  welcome, 
and  he  will  give  it  thee  with  a willingcr  heart 
than  ever  thou  canst  desire  it  of  him.  Oh 
therefore  do  not  delay  the  time  any  longer,  but 
put  into  practice  the  words  of  the  men  of  Dan 
to  their  brethren  after  they  had  seen  the  good- 
ness of  the  land  of  Canaan:  “Arise,”  (say 
they,  &c.,)  “for  we  have  seen  the  land,  and  be- 
hold it  is  very  good,”  and  ye  are  still,  (or  do 
you  forbear  running.)  “Be  not  slothful  to 
go  and  to  enter  to  possess  the  land.”  Fare- 
well. 

I wish  our  souls  may  meet  with  comfort  at 
the  journey’s  end ! 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


THE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN; 

OR, 

A DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  MAN  THAT  GETS  TO  HEAVEN. 

So  run  that  ye  may  obtain. — 1 Cou.  ix.  24. 


HeayejST  and  happiness  is  that  which  every 
one  desireth,  insomuch  that  wicked  Balaam 
could  say,  “Let  me  die  the  death  of  the 
righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his ;” 
yet  for  all  this  there  are  hut  few  that  do  ob- 
tain that  ever-to-be-desired  glory,  insomuch 
that  many  eminent  professors  drop  short  of  a 
welcome  from  God  into  this  pleasant  place. 
The  apostle,  therefore,  because  he  did  desire 
the  salvation  of  the  Corinthians  to  whom  he 
writes  this  epistle,  layeth  them  down  in  these 
words  such  counsel,  which,  if  taken,  would 
be  for  their  help  and  advantage. 

First.  Not  to  be  wicked,  and  sit  still  and 
wish  for  heaven,  but  to  run  for  it. 

Secondly.  Not  to  content  themselves  with 
every  kind  of  running,  but,  saith  he,  “So  run 
that  ye  may  obtain.”  As  if  he  should  say, 
Some,  because  they  would  not  lose  their  souls, 
they  begin  to  run  betimes,  they  run  apace, 
they  run  with  patience,  they  run  the  right  way  : 
do  you  so  run.  Some  run  from  both  father 
and  mother,  friends  and  companions,  and 
thus  that  they  may  have  the  crown : do  you 
so  run.  Some  run  through  temptations,  afflic- 
tions, good  report,  evil  report,  that  they  may 
win  the  pearl:  do  you  so  run.  “So  run  that 
ye  may  obtain,” 

These  words  are  taken  from  men’s  running 
for  a wager — a very  apt  similitude  to  set  before 
the  eyes  of  the  saints  of  the  Lord.  “Know 
you  not  that  they  which  run  in  a race  run 
all  but  one  obtains  the  prize?  So  run  that 
ye  may  obtain.”  That  is,  do  not  only  run, 
but  be  sure  you  wdn  as  well  as  run.  “So  run 
that  ye  may  obtain.” 

I shall  not  need  to  make  any  great  ado  in 
opening  the  words  at  this  time,  but  shall 
rather  lay  down  one  doctrine  that  I do  find 
744 


in  them ; and  in  prosecuting  that  I shall 
show'  you,  in  some  measure,  the  scope  of  the 
woi'ds. 

The  doctrine  is  this:  They  that  will  have 
heaven  must  run  for  it;  I say,  they  that  will 
have  heaven,  they  must  run  for  it.  I beseech 
you  to  heed  it  well.  “ Know  ye  not  that  they 
which  run  in  a race  run  all,  but  one  obtaineth 
the  prize?”  So  run  ye.  The  prize  is  heaven, 
and  if  you  -will  have  it  you  must  run  for  it. 
You  have  another  Scripture  for  this  in  the 
12th  of  the  Hebrews,  the  1st,  2d,  and  3d 
verses : “ Wherefore,  seeing  also,”  saith  the 
apostle,  “that  we  are  compassed  about  with 
so  great  a cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  lay  aside 
every  weight  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily 
beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race 
that  is  set  before  us.”  And  let  us  run, 
saith  he. 

Again,  saith  Paul,  “I  so  run,  not  as  uncer- 
tainly : so  fight  I,”  &c. 

But  before  I go  any  farther. 

1.  Fleeing. 

Observe,  that  this  running  is  not  an  or- 
dinary or  any  sort  of  running,  but  it  is  to  be 
understood  of  the  swiftest  sort  of  running; 
and  therefore  in  the  6th  of  the  Hebrews  it  is 
called  a fleeing : “That  we  might  have  strong 
consolation,  who  have  fled  for  refuge,  to  lay 
hold  on  the  hope  set  before  us.”  Mark  who 
have  fled.  It  is  taken  from  the  20th  of 
Joshua,  concerning  the  man  that  was  to  flee 
to  the  city  of  refuge  when  the  avenger  of 
blood  was  hard  at  his  heels  to  take  vengeance 
on  him  for  the  offence  he  had  committed  ; 
therefore  it  is  a running  or  fleeing  for  one’s 
life — a running  with  all  might  and  main,  as 
we  used  to  say.  So  run. 


TIIE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN. 


745 


2.  Pressing. 

Secondly.  This  running  in  another  place  is 
called  a pressing:  “I  press  toward  the  mark;” 
which  signifieth  that  they  that  will  have 
heaven,  they  must  not  stick  at  any  difficulties 
they  meet  with,  but  press,  crowd,  and  thrust 
through  all  that  may  stand  between  heaven 
and  their  souls.  So  run. 

3.  Continuing. 

This  running  is  called  in  another  place  a 
continuing  in  the  way  of  life.  “If  you  con- 
tinue in  the  faith,  grounded  and  settled,  and 
be  not  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.”  Not  to  run  a little  now 
and  then,  by  fits  and  starts,  or  halfway  or  al- 
most thither,  but  to  run  for  thy  life,  to  run 
through  all  difficulties,  and  to  continue  therein 
to  the  end  of  the  race,  which  must  be  to  the 
end  of  thy  life.  “ So  run  that  ye  may  obtain.” 
And  the  reasons  for  this  point  are  these: 

1.  Because  all  or  every  one  that  runneth 
doth  not  obtain  the  prize;  there  be  many  that 
do  run,  yea,  and  run  far  too,  who  yet  miss  of 
the  crown  that  standeth  at  the  end  of  the  race. 
You  know  that  all  that  run  in  a race  do  not 
obtain  the  victory:  they  all  run,  but  one  wins. 
And  so  it  is  here ; it  is  not  every  one  that  run- 
neth, nor  every  one  that  seeketh,  nor  every 
one  that  striveth  for  the  mastery,  that  hath  it. 
“Though  a man  do  strive  for  the  mastery,” 
saitli  Paul,  “yet  he  is  not  crowned  unless  he 
strive  lawfully ;”  that  is,  unless  he  so  run  and 
so  strive  as  to  have  God’s  approbation.  What! 
do  you  think  that  every  heavy-heeled  professor 
will  have  heaven?  What!  every  lazy  one? 
every  wanton  and  foolish  professor,  that  will 
be  stopped  by  any  thing,  kept  back  by  any 
thing,  that  scarce  runneth  so  fast  heavenward 
as  a snail  creepeth  on  the  ground?  Nay, 
there  are  some  professors  that  do  not  go  on  so 
fast  in  the  way  of  God  as  a snail  doth  go  on 
tire  wall,  and  yet  these  think  that  heaven  and 
happiness  is  for  them.  But  stay;  there  be 
many  more  that  run  than  there  be  that  ob- 
tain; therefore  he  that  will  have  heaven  must 
run  for  it. 

2.  Because  you  know  that  though  a man  do 
run,  yet  if  he  do  not  overcome  or  win  as  well 
as  run,  what  will  they  be  the  better  for  their 
running?  They  will  get  nothing.  You  know 
the  man  that  runneth,  he  doth  do  it  that  he 
may  win  the  prize;  but  if  he  doth  not  obtain 
it  he  doth  lose  his  labour,  spend  his  pains  and 
time,  and  that  to  no  purpose;  I say,  he  gettetli 
nothing.  And  ah ! how  many  such  runners 


will  there  be  found  in  the  day  of  judgment! 
Even  multitudes — multitudes  that  have  run, 
yea,  run  so  far  as  to  come  to  heaven’s  gates, 
and  not  able  to  get  any  further,  but  there  stand 
knocking  when  it  is  too  late,  crying,  Lord, 
Lord!  when  they  have  nothing  but  rebukes 
for  their  pains.  Depart  from  me;  you  come 
not  here,  you  come  too  late,  you  run  too  lazy: 
the  door  is  shut.  “ When  once  the  Master  of 
the  house  is  risen  up,”  saith  Christ,  “and  hath 
shut  to  the  door,  and  ye  begin  to  stand  with- 
out and  knock,  saying,  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us, 
I will  say,  I know  you  not;  depart,”  &c.  Oh, 
sad  will  the  state  of  those  be  that  run  and 
miss;  therefore,  if  you  will  have  heaven  you 
must  run  for  it,  and  “so  run  that  ye  may  ob- 
tain.” 

3.  Because  the  way  is  long  (I  speak  meta- 
phorically) and  there  is  many  a dirty  step, 
many  a high  hill,  much  work  to  do,  a wicked 
heart,  world,  and  devil  to  overcome;  I say 
there  are  many  steps  to  be  taken  by  those  that 
intend  to  be  saved  by  running  or  walking  in 
the  steps  of  that  faith  of  our  father  Abraham. 
Out  of  Egypt  thou  must  go  through  the  Red 
Sea;  thou  must  run  a long  and  tedious  journey 
through  the  vast  howling  wilderness  before 
thou  come  to  the  land  of  promise. 

4.  They  that  will  go  to  heaven  must  run  for 
it,  because,  as  the  way  is  long,  so  the  time  in 
which  they  are  to  get  to  the  end  of  it  is  very 
uncertain;  the  time  present  is  the  only  time; 
thou  bast  no  more  time  allotted  thee  than  that 
thou  now  enjoyest:  “Boast  not  thyself  of  to- 
morrow, for  thou  knowest  not  what  a day  may 
bring  forth.”  Do  not  say,  I have  time  enough 
to  get  to  heaven  seven  years  hence;  for  I tell 
thee  the  bell  may  toll  for  thee  before  seven 
days  more  be  ended;  and  when  death  comes 
away  thou  must  go,  whether  thou  art  provided 
or  not;  and  therefore  look  to  it,  make  no  de- 
lays; it  is  not  good  dallying  with  things  of  so 
great  concernment  as  the  salvation  or  damna- 
tion of  thy  soul.  You  know  he  that  hath  a 
great  way  to  go  in  a little  time,  and  less  by  half 
than  he  thinks  of,  he  had  need  to  run  for  it. 

5.  They  that  will  have  heaven  must  run  for 
it,  because  the  devil,  the  law,  sin,  death  and 
hell  follow  them.  There  is  never  a poor  soul 
that  is  going  to  heaven  but  the  devil,  the  law. 
sin,  death,  and  hell  make  after  that  soul. 
“The  devil,  your  adversary,  as  a roaring  lion, 
goeth  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour.” 
And  I will  assure  you  the  devil  is  nimble,  he 
can  run  apace,  he  is  light  of  foot,  he  hath  over- 
taken many,  he  hath  turned  up  their  heels, 


746 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  hath  given  them  an  everlasting  fall. 
Also  the  law,  that  can  shoot  a great  way  ; have 
a care  thou  keep  out  of  the  reach  of  those 
great  guns,  the  ten  commandments.  Hell  also 
hath  a wide  mouth ; it  can  stretch  itself 
farther  than  you  are  aware  of.  And  as  the 
angel  said  to  Lot,  “Take  heed,  look  not  be- 
hind thee,  neither  tarry  thou  in  all  the  plain,” 
(that  is,  anywhere  between  this  and  heaven,) 
“lest  thou  be  consumed,”  so  say  I to  thee, 
Take  heed,  tarry  not,  lest  either  the  devil,  hell, 
death,  or  the  fearful  curses  of  the  law  of  God 
do  overtake  thee  and  throw  thee  down  in  the 
midst  of  thy  sins,  so  as  never  to  rise  and  re- 
cover again.  If  this  were  well  considered, 
then  thou,  as  well  as  I,  wouldst  say,  They  that 
will  have  heaven  must  run  for  it. 

6.  They  that  will  go  to  heaven  must  run  for 
it,  because,  perchance,  the  gates  of  heaven 
may  shut  shortly.  Sometimes  sinners  have 
not  heaven’s  gates  open  to  them  so  long  as 
they  suppose ; and  if  they  be  once  shut  against 
a man,  they  are  so  heavy  that  all  the  men  in 
the  world  nor  all  the  angels  in  heaven  are  not 
able  to  open  them.  “I  shut,  and  no  man  can 
open,”  saith  Christ.  And  how  if  thou  shouklst 
come  but  one  quarter  of  an  hour  too  late?  I 
tell  thee  it  will  cost  thee  an  eternity  to  bewail 
thy  misery  in.  Francis  Spira  can  tell  thee 
what  it  is  to  stay  till  the  gate  of  mercy  be 
-quite  shut,  or  to  run  so  lazily  that  they  be 
shut  before  thou  get  within  them.  What!  to 
be  shut  out!  what!  out  of  heaven!  Sinner, 
rather  than  lose  it  run  for  it;  yea,  and  “so  run 
that  thou  mayest  obtain.” 

7.  Lastly.  Because  if  thou  lose  thou  losest 
all,  thou  losest  soul,  God,  Christ,  heaven,  ease, 
peace,  &c.  Besides,  thou  layest  thyself  open 
to  all  the  shame,  contempt,  and  reproach  that 
either  God,  Christ,  saints,  the  world,  sin,  the 
devil,  and  all  can  lay  upon  thee.  As  Christ 
saith  of  the  foolish  builder,  so  will  I say  of 
thee  if  thou  be  such  a one  who  runs  and  miss- 
eth — I say,  even  all  that  go  by  will  begin  to 
mock  at  thee,  saying.  This  man  began  to  run 
well,  but  was  not  able  to  finish.  But  more  of 
this  anon. 

Question.  But  how  should  a poor  soul  do  to 
run  ? For  this  very  thing  is  that  which  afflict- 
eth  me  sore,  (as  you  say,)  to  think  that  I may 
run  and  yet  fall  short.  Methinks  to  fall  short 
at  last,  oh  it  fears  me  greatly ! Pray  tell  me, 
therefore,  how  I should  run  ? 

Answer.  That  thou  mayst  indeed  be  satis- 
fied in  this  particular,  consider  these  following 
.thingst 


The  First  Direction. 

If  thou  wouldst  so  run  as  to  obtain  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  then  be  sure  that  thou  get  into 
the  way  that  leadeth  thither;  for  it  is  a vain 
thing  to  think  that  ever  thou  shalt  have  the 
prize,  though  thou  runnest  never  so  fast,  un- 
less thou  art  in  the  way  that  leads  to  it.  Set 
the  case  that  there  should  be  a man  in  London 
that  was  to  run  to  York  for  a wager ; now 
though  he  run  never  so  swiftly,  yet  if  he  run 
full  south,  he  might  run  himself  quickly  out 
of  breath  and  be  never  nearer  the  prize,  but 
rather  the  farther  off.  Just  so  it  is  here ; it  is 
not  simply  the  runner,  nor  yet  the  hasty  run- 
ner, that  winneth  the  crown,  unless  he  be  in 
the  way  that  leadeth  thereto.  I have  observed, 
that  little  time  which  I have  been  a professor, 
that  there  is  a great  running  to  and  fro,  some 
this  way  and  some  that  way;  yet  it  is  to  be 
feared  most  of  them  are  out  of  the  way,  and 
then,  though  they  run  as  swift  as  the  eagle  can 
fly,  they  are  benefited  nothing  at  all. 

Here  is  one  runs  a-quaking,  another  a-rant- 
ing;  one  again  runs  after  the  Baptism,  and 
another  after  the  Independency ; here  is  one 
for  Free-will,  and  another  for  Presbytery ; and 
yet,  possibly,  most  of  all  these  sects  run  quite 
the  wrong  way,  and  yet  every  one  is  for  his 
life,  his  soul,  either  for  heaven  or  hell. 

If  thou  now  say,  Which  is  the  way  ? I tell 
thee  it  is  CHRIST,  THE  SON  OF  MARY, 
THE  SON  OF  GOD.  Jesus  saith,  “I  am  the 
way,  the  truth,  and  the  life;  no  man  cometh 
to  the  Father  but  by  me.”  So  then  thy  busi- 
ness is  (if  thou  wouldst  have  salvation)  to  see 
if  Christ  be  thine  with  all  his  benefits,  whether 
he  hath  covered  thee  with  his  righteousness,, 
whether  he  hath  showed  thee  that  thy  sins  are 
washed  away  with  his  heart-blood,  whether 
thou  art  planted  into  him,  and  whether  thou 
have  faith  in  him,  so  as  to  make  a life  out  of 
him  and  to  confirm  thee  to  him ; that  is,  such 
faith  as  to  conclude  that  thou  art  rightedus 
because  Christ  is  thy  righteousness,  and  so 
constrained  to  walk  with  him  as  the  joy  of  thy 
heart  because  he  saved  thy  soul.  And  for  the 
Lord’s  sake  take  heed  and  do  not  deceive  thy- 
self, and  think  thou  art  in  the  way  upon  too 
slight  grounds;  for  if  thou  miss  of  the  way, 
thou  wjlt  miss  of  the  prize,  and  if  thou  miss 
of  that,  I am  sure  thou  wilt  lose  thy  soul,  even 
that  soul  which  is  worth  more  than  the  whole 
world. 

But  I have  treated  more  largely  on  this  in 
my  book  of  the  Two  Covenants,  and  therefore 
shall  pass  it  now;  only  I beseech  thee  to  have 


TIIE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN. 


747 


a care  of  thy  soul,  and  that  thou  mayst  so  do 
take  this  counsel : 

Mistrust  thy  own  strength  and  throw  it 
away;  down  on  thy  knees  in  prayer  to  the 
Lord  for  the  Spirit  of  truth  ; search  his  word 
for  direction:  flee  seducers’  company;  keep 
company  with  the  soundest  Christians  that 
have  most  experience  of  Christ;  and  be  sure 
thou  have  a care  of  Quakers,  Ranters,  Free- 
willers ; also  do  not  have  too  much  company 
with  some  Anabaptists,  though  I go  under  that 
name  myself.  I tell  thee  this  is  such  a serious 
matter,  and  I fear  thou  wilt  so  little  regard  it, 
that  the  thoughts  of  the  worth  of  the  thing 
and  of  thy  too  light  regarding  of  it  doth  even 
make  my  heart  ache  whilst  I am  writing  to 
thee.  The  Lord  teach  thee  the  way  by  his 
Spirit,  and  then  I am  sure  thou  wilt  know  it ! 
So  run. 

Only,  by  the  way,  let  me  bid  thee  have  a 
care  of  two  things,  and  so  I shall  pass  to  the 
next  thing : 

1.  Have  a care  of  relying  on  the  outward 
obedience  to  any  of  God’s  commands,  or  think- 
ing thyself  ever  the  better  in  the  sight  of  God 
for  that. 

2.  Take  heed  of  fetching  peace  for  thy  soul 
from  any  inherent  righteousness.  But  if  thou 
canst  believe  that  thou  art  a sinner,  so  thou 
art  justified  freely  by  the  love  of  God  through 
the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ;  and  that 
God  for  Christ’s  sake  hath  forgiven  thee,  not 
because  he  saw  any  thing  done  or  to  be  done 
in  or  by  thee  to  move  him  thereunto  to  do  it ; 
for  that  is  the  right  way ; the  Lord  put  thee 
into  it  and  kept  thee  in  it ! 

The  Second  Direction. 

As  thou  shouldst  get  into  the  way,  so  thou 
shouldst  also  be  much  in  studying  and  musing 
on  the  way.  You  know  men  that  would  be 
expert  in  any  thing,  they  are  usually  much  in 
studying  of  that  thing,  and  so  likewise  is  it 
with  those  that  quickly  grow  expert  in  any 
thing.  This  therefore  thou  shouldst  do:  let 
thy  study  be  much  exercised  about  Christ,  who  I 
is  the  way — what  he  is,  what  he  hath  done, 
and  why  he  is  what  he  is,  and  why  he  hath 
done  what  is  done;  as,  why  “he  took  upon 
him  tho  form  of  a servant;”  why  ke  was 
“ made  in  the  likeness  of  man ;”  why  he  cried ; 
why  he  died;  why  he  “bare  the  sins  of  the 
world;”  why  he  was  made  sin,  and  why  he 
was  made  righteousness;  why  he  is  in  heaven 
in  the  nature  of  man,  and  what  he  doth  there. 
Be  much  in  musing  and  considering  of  these 


things;  be  thinking  also  enough  of  those 
places  which  thou  must  not  come  near,  but 
leave  some  on  this  hand,  and  some  on  that 
hand  ; as  it  is  with  those  that  travel  into  other 
countries,  they  must  leave  such  a gate  on  this 
hand,  and  such  a bush  on  that  hand,  and  go  by 
such  a place,  where  standeth  such  a thing. 
Thus,  therefore,  you  must  do.  “ Avoid  such 
things  which  are  expressly  forbidden  in  the 
word  of  God.”  “ Withdraw  thy  foot  far  from 
her,  and  come  not  nigh  the  door  of  her  house, 
for  her  steps  take  hold  of  hell,  going  down  to 
the  chambers  of  death.”  And  so  of  every  thinj 
that,  is  not  in  the  way , have  a care  of  it,  that 
thou  go  not  by  it;  come  not  near  it,  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  So  run. 

The  Third  Direction. 

Not  only  thus,  but  in  the  next  place  thou 
must  strip  thyself  of  those  things  that  may 
hang  upon  thee  to  the  hindering  of  thee  in 
the  way  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  covet- 
ousness, pride,  lust,  or  whatsoever  else  thy 
heart  may  be  inclined  unto  which  may  hinder 
thee  in  this  heavenly  race.  Men  that  run  for 
a wager,  if  they  intend  to  win  as  well  as  run, 
they  do  not  use  to  encumber  themselves  or 
carry  those  things  about  them  that  may  be  an 
hindrance  to  them  in  their  running.  “ Every 
man  that  striveth  for  the  mastery  is  temperate 
in  all  things ;”  that  is,  he  layeth  aside  every 
thing  that  would  be  any  wise  a disadvantage 
to  him;  as  saith  the  apostle,  “Let  us  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  that  doth  so 
easily  beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience 
the  race  that  is  set  before  us.”  It  is  but  a 
vain  thing  to  talk  of  going  to  heaven  if  thou 
let  thy  heart  be  encumbered  with  those  things 
that  would  hinder.  Would  you  not  say  that 
such  a man  would  be  in  danger  of  losing, 
though  he  run,  if  he  fill  his  pocket  with 
stones,  hang  heavy  garments  on  his  shoulders, 
and  great  lumpish  shoes  on  his  feet?  So  it  is 
here;  thou  talkest  of  going  to  heaven,  and 
yet  fillest  thy  pocket  with  stones — i.  e.,  fillcst 
thy  heart  with  this  world,  lettest  that  hang 
on  thy  shoulders,  with  its  profits  and  pleas- 
ures. Alas,  alas ! thou  art  widely  mistaken 
if  thou  intendest  to  win.  thou  must  strip, 
thou  must  lay  aside  every  weight,  thou  must 
be  temperate  in  all  things.  Thou  must  so  run. 

The  Fourth  Direction. 

Beware  of  by-paths ; take  heed  thou  dost 
not  run  into  those  lanes  which  lead  out  of  the 
way.  There  are  crooked  paths,  paths  in 


748 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


which  men  go  astray,  paths  that  lead  to 
death  and  damnation,  but  take  heed  of  all 
those.  Some  of  them  are  dangerous  because 
of  practice,  some  because  of  opinion,  but 
mind  them  not;  mind  the  path  before  thee, 
look  right  before  thee,  turn  neither  to  the 
right  nor  to  the  left,  but  let  thine  eyes  look 
right  on,  even  right  before  thee : “ Ponder  the 
path  of  thy  feet,  and  let  all  thy  ways  be  estab- 
lished.” Turn  not  to  the  right  hand  nor  to 
the  left:  “Kernove  thy  foot  far  from  evil.” 
This  counsel  being  not  so  seriously  taken  as 
given  is  the  reason  of  that  starting  from  opin- 
ion to  opinion,  reeling  this  way  and  that  wav; 
out  of  this  lane  into  that  lane,  and  so  missing 
the  way  to  the  kingdom.  Though  the  way  to 
heaven  be  but  one,  yet  there  are  many  crooked 
lanes  and  by-paths  shoot  down  upon  it,  as  I 
may  say.  And  again,  notwithstanding  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  be  the  biggest  city,  yet 
usually  those  by-paths  are  most  beaten,  most 
travellers  go  those  ways ; and  therefore  the 
way  to  heaven  is  hard  to  be  found,  and  as 
hard  to  be  kept  in  by  reason  of  these.  Yet 
nevertheless  it  is  in  this  case  as  it  was  with 
the  harlot  of  Jericho ; she  had  one  scarlet 
thread  tied  in  her  window  by  which  her 
house  was  known.  So  it  is  here : the  scarlet 
streams  of  Christ’s  blood  run  throughout  the 
way  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; therefore 
mind  that,  see  if  thou  do  find  the  besprink- 
ling of  the  blood  of  Christ  in  the  way,  and  if 
thou  do,  be  of  good  cheer,  thou  art  in  the 
right  way;  but  have  a care  thou  beguile  not 
thyself  with  a fancy,  for  then  thou  mayest 
light  into  any  lane  or  way;  but  that  thou 
mayest  not  be  mistaken,  consider,  though  it 
seem  never  so  pleasant,  yet  if  thou  do  not  find 
that  in  the  very  middle  of  the  road  there  is 
written  with  the  heart-blood  of  Christ  that  he 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  and  that 
we  are  justified  though  we  are  ungodly,  shun 
that  way,  for  this  it  is  which  the  apostle 
meaneth  when  he  saith,  “We  have  boldness 
to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
by  a new  and  living  way  which  he  hath  con- 
secrated for  us,  through  the  veil — that  is  to 
say,  his  flesh.”  How  easy  a matter  is  it  in 
this  our  day  for  the  devil  to  be  too  cunning 
for  poor  souls  by  calling  his  by-paths  the  way 
to  the  kingdom ! If  such  an  opinion  or  fancy 
be  but  cried  up  by  one  or  more,  this  inscrip- 
tion being  set  upon  it  by  the  devil,  This  is  the 
way  of  God,  how  speedily,  greedily,  and  by 
heaps  do  poor  simple  souls  throw  away  them- 
selves upon  it,  especially  if  it  be  daubed  over 


with  a few  external  acts  of  morality,  if  sc 
good!  But  this  is  because  men  do  not  know 
painted  by-paths  from  the  plain  way  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  They  have  not  yet 
learned  the  true  Christ,  and  what  his  right- 
eousness is,  neither  have  they  a sense  of  their 
own  insufficiency;  but  are  bold,  proud,  pre- 
sumptuous, self-conceited.  And  therefore, 

The  Fifth  Direction. 

Do  not  thou  be  too  much  in  looking  too 
high  in  thy  journey  heavenwards.  You  know 
men  that  run  a race  do  not  use  to  stare  and 
gaze  this  way  and  that,  neither  do  they  use  to 
cast  up  their  eyes  too  high,  lest  haply,  through 
their  too  much  gazing  with  their  eyes  after 
other  things,  they  in  the  mean  time  stumble 
and  catch  a fall.  The  very  same  case  is  this: 
if  thou  gaze  and  stare  after  every  opinion  and 
way  that  comes  into  the  world,  also  if  thou  be 
prying  overmuch  into  God’s  secret  decrees,  or 
let  thy  heart  too  much  entertain  questions 
about  some  nice,  foolish  curiosities,  thou  may- 
est stumble  and  fall,  as  many  hundreds  in 
England  have  done,  both  in  ranting  and 
quakery,  to  their  own  eternal  overthrow,  with- 
out the  marvellous  operation  of  God’s  grace 
be  suddenly  stretched  forth  to  bring  them 
back  again.  Take  heed,  therefore;  follow  not 
that  proud,  lofty  spirit  that,  devil-like,  can- 
not be  content  with  his  own  station.  David 
was  of  excellent  spirit  where  he. saith,  “Lord, 
my  heart  is  not  haughty  nor  mine  eyes  lofty, 
neither  do  I exercise  myself  in  great  matters 
or  things  too  high  for  me.  Surely  I have  be- 
haved and  quieted  myself  as  a child  that  is 
weaned  of  his  mother.  My  soul  is  even  as  a 
weaned  child.”  Do  thou  so  run. 

The  Sixth  Direction. 

Take  heed  that  you  have  not  an  ear  open  to 
every  one  that  calleth  after  you  as  you  are  in 
your  journey.  Men  that  run,  you  know,  if  any 
do  call  after  them,  saying,  I would  speak  with 
you,  or,  Go  not  too  fast  and  you  shall  have  my 
company  with  you,  if  they  run  for  some  great 
matter,  they  use  to  say,  Alas ! I cannot  stay,  I 
am  in  haste,  pray  talk  not  to  me  now ; neither 
can  I stay  for  you,  I am  running  for  a wager ; 
if  I win  I am  made,  if  I lose  I am  undone; 
and  therefore  hinder  me  not.  Thus  wise  are 
men  when  they  run  for  corruptible  things,  and 
thus  shouldst  thou  do ; and  thou  hast  more 
cause  to  do  so  than  they,  forasmuch  as  they  run 
but  for  things  that  last  not,  but  thou  for  an  in- 
corruptible glory.  I give  thee  notice  of  this 


TIIE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN. 


749 


betimes,  knowing  that  thou  shalt  have  enough 
call  after  thee,  even  the  devil,  sin,  this  world, 
vain  company,  pleasure,  profits,  esteem  among 
men,  ease,  pomp,  pride,  together  with  an  in- 
numerable company  of  such  companions ; one 
crying,  Stay  for  me:  the  other  saying,  Do  not 
leave  me  behind:  a third  saying,  And  take  me 
along  with  you.  What,  will  you  go,  saith  the 
devil,  without  your  sins,  pleasures,  and  profits? 
Are  you  so  hasty  ? Can  you  not  stay  and  take 
these  along  with  you  ? Will  you  leave  your 
friends  and  companions  behind  you  ? Can  you 
not  do  as  your  neighbours  do — carry  the  world, 
siu,  lust,  pleasure,  profit,  esteem  among  men 
along  with  you  ? Have  a care  thou  do  not  let 
thine  ear  now  be  open  to  the  tempting,  enticing, 
alluring  and  soul-entangling  flatteries  of  such 
sink-souls  as  these  are.  “ My  son,”  saith  Solo- 
mon, “ if  sinners  entice  thee,  consent  thou  not.” 

You  know  what  it  cost  the  young  man  which 
Solomon  speaks  of  in  the  7th  of  Proverbs;  that 
was  enticed  by  a harlot:  “ With  much  fair  speech 
she  won  him  and  caused  him  to  yield,  with  the 
flattering  of  her  lips  she  forced  him,  till  he 
went  after  her  as  an  ox  to  the  slaughter,  or  as 
a fool  to  the  correction  of  the  stocks;”  even 
so  far  “ till  the  dart  struck  through  his  liver, 
and  knew  not  that  it  was  for  his  life.  Hearken 
unto  me  now  therefore,”  saith  he,  “ 0 ye  chil- 
dren, and  attend  to  the  words  of  my  mouth : 
let  not  thine  heart  decline  to  her  ways,  go  not 
astray  in  her  paths,  for  she  hath  cast  down 
many  wounded,  many  strong  men  have  been 
slain  (that  is,  kept  out  of  heaven)  by  her.  Her 
house  is  the  way  to  hell,  going  down  to  the 
chambers  of  death.”  Soul,  take  this  counsel, 
and  say,  Satan,  sin,  lust,  pleasure,  profit,  pride, 
friends,  companions,  and  every  thing  else,  let 
me  alone,  stand  off,  come  not  nigh  me,  for  I 
am  running  for  heaven,  for  my  soul,  for  God, 
for  Christ,  from  hell  and  everlasting  damna- 
tion ; if  I win,  I win  all ; and  if  I lose,  I lose 
all ; let  me  alone,  for  I will  not  hear.  So  run. 

The  Seventh  Direction. 

In  the  next  place,  be  not  daunted  though 
thou  meetest  with  never  so  many  discourage- 
ments in  thy  journey  thither.  That  man  that 
is  resolved  for  heaven,-  if  Satan  cannot  win 
him  by  flatteries  he  will  endeavour  to  weaken 
him  by  discouragements,  saying,  Thou  art  a 
sinner,  thou  hast  broke  God’s  law,  thou  art  not 
elected,  thou  comest  too  late,  the  day  of  grace 
is  past,  God  doth  not  care  for  thee,  thy  heart 
is  naught,  thou  art  lazy,  with  an  hundred  other 
discouraging  suggestions.  And  thus  it  was 


with  David,  where  he  saith,  “I  had  fainted, 
unless  I had  believed,  to  see  the  loving-kind- 
ness of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living.” 
As  if  he  should  say,  The  devil  did  so  rage,  and 
my  heart  was  so  base,  that,  had  I judged  ac- 
cording to  my  own  sense  and  feeling,  I had 
been  absolutely  distracted;  but  I trusted  to 
Christ  in  the  promise,  and  looked  that  God 
would  be  as  good  as  his  promise  in  having 
mercy  upon  me,  an  unworthy  sinner;  and  this 
is  that  which  encouraged  me  and  kept  me  from 
fainting.  And  thus  must  thou  do  when  Satan, 
or  the  law,  or  thy  own  conscience  do  go  about 
to  dishearten  thee,  either  by  the  greatness  of 
thy  sins,  the  wickedness  of  thy  heart,  the  te- 
diousness of  the  way,  the  loss  of  outward  en- 
joyments, the  hatred  that  thou  wilt  procure 
from  the  world,  or  the  like ; then  thou  must 
encourage  thyself  with  the  freeness  of  the 
promises,  the  tender-heartedness  of  Christ, 
the  merits  of  his  blood,  the  freeness  of  his  in- 
vitations to  come  in,  the  greatness  of  the  sin 
of  others  that  have  been  pardoned,  and  that 
the  same  God,  through  the  same  Christ,  liold- 
eth  forth  the  same  grace  as  free  as  ever.  If 
these  be  not  thine  meditations,  thou  wilt  draw 
very  heavily  iu  the  way  to  heaven,  if  thou  do 
not  give  up  all  for  lost,  and  so  knock  off  from 
following  any  farther;  therefore,  I say,  take 
heart  in  thy  journey,  and  say  to  them  that 
seek  thy  destruction,  “ Rejoice  not  against  me, 
0 my  enemy,  for  when  I fall  I shall  arise, 
when  I sit  in  darkness  the  Lord  shall  be  a 
light  unto  me.” 

The  Eighth  Direction. 

Take  heed  of  being  offended  at  the  cross 
that  thou  must  go  by  before  thou  come  to 
heaven.  You  must  understand  (as  I have 
already  touched)  that  there  is  no  man  that 
goetli  to  heaven  but  he  must  go  by  the  cross. 
The  cross  is  the  standing  waymark  by  which 
all  they  that  go  to  glory  must  pass  by. 

“ We  must  through  much  tribulation  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Yea,  and  all  that 
will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  per- 
secution.” If  thou  art  in  thy  way  to  the 
kingdom,  my  life  for  thine  thou  wilt  come  to 
the  cross  shortly,  (the  Lord  grant  thou  dost 
not  shrink  at  it,  so  as  to  turn  thee  back  again !) 
“ If  any  man  will  come  after  me,”  saith  Christ, 
“ let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross 
daily,  and  follow  me.”  The  cross ! it  stands 
and  hath  stood  from  the  beginning  as  a way- 
mark  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  You  know*, 
if  one  ask  you  the  way  to  such  and  such  a 


750 


B U NY  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


place,  you,  for  the  better  direction,  do  not 
only  say,  This  is  the  way,  but  then  also  say, 
You  must  go  by  such  a gate,  by  such  a 
stile,  such  a bush,  tree,  bridge,  or  such  like. 
Why,  so  it  is  here.  Art  thou  inquiring  the 
way  to  heaven?  Why,  I tell  thee,  Christ  is 
the  way ; into  him  thou  must  get,  into  his 
righteousness  to  be  justified ; and  if  thou  art 
in  him,  thou  wilt  presently  see  the  cross ; thou 
must  go  close  by  it,  thou  must  touch  it,  nay, 
thou  must  take  it  up,  or  else  thou  wilt  quickly 
go  out  of  the  way  that  leads  to  heaven,  and 
turn  up  some  of  those  crooked  lanes  that  lead 
down  to  the  chambers  of  death. 

Now  thou  mayest  know  the  cross  by  these 
six  things : 

1.  It  is  known  in  the  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion ; 2.  In  the  doctrine  of  mortification;  3. 
In  the  doctrine  of  perseverance;  4.  In  self- 
denial  ; 5.  Patience ; 6.  Communion  with  poor 
saints. 

1.  In  the  doctrine  of  justification,  there  is  a 
great  deal  of  the  cross  in  that ; a man  is  forced 
to  suffer  the  destruction  of  his  own  righteous- 
ness for  the  righteousness  of  another.  This  is 
no  easy  matter  for  a man  to  do ; I assure  to 
you  it  stretcheth  every  vein  in  his  heart  before 
he  will  be  brought  to  yield  to  it.  What ! for 
a man  to  deny,  reject,  abhor,  and  throw  away 
all  his  prayers,  tears,  alms,  keeping  of  sabbaths, 
hearing,  reading,  with  the  rest,  in  the  point  of 
justification,  and  to  count  them  accursed;  and 
to  be  willing,  in  the  very  midst  of  the  sense  of 
his  sins,  to  throw  himself  wholly  upon  the 
righteousness  and  obedience  of  another  man, 
abhorring  his  own,  counting  it  as  deadly  sin, 
as  the  open  breach  of  the  law — I say,  to  do 
this  in  deed  and  in  truth  is  the  biggest  piece 
of  the  cross ; and  therefore  Paul  calleth  this 
very  thing  a “suffering”  where  he  saith, 
“And  I have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things 
(which  principally  was  his  righteousness)  that 
I might  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not 
having  (but  rejecting)  my  own  righteousness.” 
That  is  the  first. 

r 2.  In  the  doctrine  of  mortification  is  also 
much  of  the  cross.  Is  it  nothing  for  a man  to 
lay  hands  on  his  vile  opinions,  on  his  vile  sins, 
on  his  bosom  sins,  on  his  beloved,  pleasant, 
darling  sins,  that  stick  as  close  to  him  as  the 
flesh  sticks  to  the  bones?  What!  to  lose  all 
these  brave  things  that  my  eyes  behold  for 
that  which  I never  saw  with  my  eyes ! What ! 
to  lose  my  pride,  my  covetousness,  my  vain 
company,  sports  and  pleasures,  and  the  rest! 

I tell  you  this  is  no  easy  matter;  if  it  were, 


what  need  all  these  prayers,  sighs,  watchings? 
What  need  we  be  so  backward  to  it?  Nay,  do 
you  not  see  that  some  men,  before  they  will 
set  about  this  work,  they  will  even  venture  the 
loss  of  their  souls,  heaven,  God,  Christ,  and 
all?  What  means  else  all  those  delays  and 
put-offs,  saying,  Stay  a little  longer,  I am  loth 
to  leave  my  sins  while  I am  so  young  and  in 
health?  Again,  what  is  the  reason  else  that 
others  do  it  so  by  the  halves,  coldly  and  sel- 
dom, notwithstanding  they  are  convinced  over 
and  over,  nay,  and  also  promise  to  amend,  and 
yet  all’s  in  vain  ? I will  assure  you,  to  cut  off 
right  hands  and  pluck  out  right  eyes  is  no 
pleasure  to  the  flesh. 

3.  The  doctrine  of  perseverance  is  also  cross 
to  the  flesh,  which  is  not  only  to  begin,  but  to 
hold  out ; not  only  to  bid  fair  and  to  say,  Would 
I had  heaven ! but  so  to  know  Christ,  to  puton 
Christ,  and  walk  with  Christ,  as  to  come  to 
heaven.  Indeed  it  is  no  great  matter  to  begin 
to  look  for  heaven,  to  begin  to  seek  the  Lord, 
to  begin  to  shun  sin  ; oh  but  it  is  a very  great 
matter  to  continue  with  God’s  approbation  I 
“My  servant  Caleb  (saith  God)  is  a man  of 
another  spirit;  he  hath  followed  me  (followed 
me  always,  he  hath  continually  followed  me) 
fully ; he  shall  possess  the  land.”  Almost  all 
the  many  thousands  of  the  children  of  Israel 
in  their  generation  fell  short  of  perseverance 
when  they  walked  from  Egypt  toward  the  land 
of  Canaan.  Indeed  they  went  to  work  at  first 
pretty  willingly,  but  they  were  very  short- 
winded,  they  were  quickly  out  of  breath,  and  in 
their  hearts  they  turned  back  again  into  Egypt. 

It  is  an  easy  matter  for  a.  man  to  run  hard 
for  a spurt,  for  a furlong,  for  a mile  or  two : 
oh,  but  to  hold  out  for  a hundred,  for  a thou- 
sand, for  ten  thousand  miles ; that  man  that 
doth  this  he  must  look  to  meet  with  cross, 
pain,  and  wearisomeness  to  the  flesh,  especially 
if  as  he  goeth  he  meeteth  with  briers,  and 
quagmires,  and  other  encumbrances  that  make 
his  journey  so  much  the  more  painful. 

Nay,  do  you  not  see  with  your  eyes  daily 
that  perseverance  is  a very  great  part  of  the 
cross  ? Why  else  do  men  so  soon  grow  weary? 
I could  point  out  many  that,  after  they  had 
followed  the  ways  of  God  about  a twelvemonth, 
others  it  may  be  two,  three,  or  four  (some 
more,  some  less)  years,  they  have  been  beat 
out  of  wind,  have  taken  up  their  lodging  and 
rest  before  they  have  got  halfway  to  heaven, 
some  in  this,  some  in  that  sin,  and  have  se- 
cretly, nay  sometimes  openly,  said  that  the 
way  is  too  strait,  the  race  too  long,  the  religion 


THE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN. 


751 


too  holy,  and  I cannot  hold  out,  I can  go  no 
farther. 

And  so  likewise  of  the  other  three — to  wit, 
patience,  self-denial,  communion  and  commun- 
ication with  and  to  the  poor  saints — how  hard 
arc  these  things  I It  is  an  easy  matter  to  deny 
another  man,  but  it  is  not  so  easy  a matter  to 
deny  one’s  self — to  deny  myself  out  of  love  to 
God,  to  his  Gospel,  to  his  saints  of  this  advan- 
tage and  of  that  gain,  nay,  of  that  which  other- 
wise I might  lawfully  do  were  it  not  for 
offending  them.  That  Scripture  is  but  seldom 
read,  and  seldomer  put  in  practice,  which  saitli, 
“ I will  cat  no  flesh  while  the  world  standeth 
if  it  make  my  brother  to  offend  again,  “ We 
that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirmities 
of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  ourselves.”  But 
how  forward,  how  hasty,  how  peevish,  and 
self  resolved  are  the  generality  of  professors  at 
this  day!  Alas!  how  little  considering  the 
poor,  unless  it  be  to  say,  Be  thou  warmed  and 
filled ! But  to  give  is  a seldomer  work,  also 
especially  to  give  to  any  poor.  I tell  you  all 
things  are  cross  to  flesh  and  blood ; and  that 
man  that  hath  but  a watchful  eye  over  the 
flesh,  and  also  some  considerable  measure  of 
strength  against  it,  he  shall  find  his  heart  in 
these  things  like  unto  a starting  horse  that  is 
rid  without  a curbing  bridle,  ready  to  start  at 
everything  that  is  offensive  to  him,  yea,  and 
ready  to  run  away  too,  do  what  the  rider  can. 

It  is  the  cross  which  keepetli  those  that  are 
kept  from  heaven.  I am  persuaded  were  it 
not  for  the  cross,  where  we  have  one  professor 
we  should  have  twenty,  but  this  cross,  that  is 
it  which  spoileth  all. 

Some  men,  as  I said  before,  when  they  come 
at  the  cross,  they  can  go  no  farther,  but  back 
again  to  their  sins  they  must  go.  Others,  they 
stumble  at  it  and  break  their  necks;  others 
again,  when  they  see  that  the  cross  is  ap- 
proaching, they  turn  aside  to  the  left  hand  or 
to  the  right  hand,  and  so  think  to  get  to  heaven 
another  way,  but  they  will  be  deceived.  “ For 
all  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall” 
— mark,  shall — “ be  sure  to  suffer  persecution.” 
There  are  but  few  when  they  come  at  the  cross 
cry,  Welcome,  cross!  as  some  of  the  martyrs 
did  to  the  stake  they  were  burned  at.  There- 
fore if  you  meet  with  the  cross  in  thy  journey, 
in  what  manner  so  ever  it  be,  be  not  daunted 
and  say,  Alas!  what  shall  I do  now?  But 
rather  take  courage,  knowing  that  by  the  cross 
is  the  way  to  the  kingdom.  Can  a man  be- 
lieve in  Christ  and  not  be  hated  by  the  devil ? 
Can  he  make  a profession  of  this  Christ,  and 


that  sweetly  and  convincingly,  and  the  children 
of  Satan  hold  their  tongue?  Can  darkness 
agree  with  light,  or  the  devil  endure  that 
Christ  Jesus  should  be  honoured  both  by  faith 
and  a heavenly  conversation,  and  let  that  soul 
alone  at  quiet?  Did  you  never  read  that  “ the 
dragon  persecuted  the  woman?”  And  that 
Christ  saith,  “ In  the  world  you  shall  have 
tribulations.” 

The  Ninth  Direction. 

Beg  of  God  that  he  would  do  these  two 
things  for  thee:  First  enlighten  thine  under- 
standing; and,  secondly,  inflame  thy  will.  If 
these  two  be  but  effectually  done,  there  is  no 
fear  but  thou  wilt  go  safe  to  heaven. 

One  of  the  great  reasons  why  men  and 
women  do  so  little  regard  the  other  world,  it  is 
because  they  see  so  little  of  it ; and  the  reason 
why  they  see  so  little  of  it  is  because  they  have 
their  understanding  darkened.  A nd  therefore, 
saith  Paul,  “ Do  not  you  believers  walk  as  do 
other  Gentiles,  even  in  the  vanity  of  their 
minds,  having  their  understandings  darkened, 
being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God  through 
the  ignorance  (or  foolishness)  that  is  in  them, 
because  of  the  blindness  of  their  heart.”  Walk 
not  as  those,  run  not  with  them : Alas,  poor 
souls ! they  have  their  understandings  dark- 
ened, their  hearts  blinded,  and  that  is  the  rea- 
son they  have  such  undervaluing  thoughts  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the  salvation  of 
their  souls.  For  when  men  do  come  to  see 
the  things  of  another  world,  what  a God,  what 
a Christ,  what  a heaven,  and  what  an  eternal 
glory  there  is  to  be  enjoyed,  also  when  they  see 
that  it  is  possible  for  them  to  have  a share  in 
it,  I tell  you  it  will  make  them  run  through 
thick  and  thin  to  enjoy  it.  Moses  having  a 
sight  of  this  because  his  understanding  was 
enlightened,  “ he  feared  not  the  wrath  of  the 
king,  but  chose  rather  to  suffer  afflictions  with 
the  people  of  God  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures 
of  sin  for  a season.”  He  refused  to  be  called 
the  son  of  the  king’s  daughter,  accounting  it 
wonderful  riches  to  be  accounted  worthy  of  so 
much  as  to  suffer  for  Christ  with  the  poor  de- 
spised saints;  and  that  was  because  he  saw 
Him  who  was  invisible,  and  had  respect  unto 
the  recompense  of  reward.  And  this  is  that 
which  the  apostle  usually  prayeth  for  in  his 
epistles  for  the  saints — namely,  “That  they 
might  know  what  is  the  hope  of  God’s  calling, 
and  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance 
in  the  saints ; and  that  they  might  be  able  to 
comprehend  with  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth 


752 


BUN Y AN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  length,  and  depth  and  height,  and  know 
the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge.” 
Pray,  therefore,  that  God  would  enlighten  thy 
understanding ; that  will  be  a very  great  help 
unto  thee.  It  will  make  thee  endure  many  a 
hard  brunt  for  Christ;  as  Paul  saith,  “After 
you  were  illuminated  ye  endured  a great  fight 
of  afflictions.  You  took  joyfully  the  spoiling 
of  your  goods,  knowing  in  yourselves  that  ye 
have  in  heaven  a better  and  an  enduring  sub- 
stance.” If  there  be  never  such  a rare  jewel 
lie  just  in  a man’s  way,  yet  if  he  sees  it  not  he 
will  rather  trample  upon  it  than  stoop  for  it, 
and  it  is  because  he  sees  it  not.  Why  so  it  is 
here : though  heaven  be  worth  never  so  much, 
and  thou  hast  never  so  much  need  of  it,  yet  if 
thou  see  it  not — that  is,  have  not  thy  under- 
standing opened  or  enlightened  to  see — thou 
wilt  not  regard  at  all;  therefore  cry  to  the 
Lord  for  enlightening  grace,  and  say,  “ Lord/ 
open  my  blind  eyes ; Lord,  take  the  veil  off  my 
dark  heart,”  show  me  the  things  of  the  other 
world,  and  let  me  see  the  sweetness,  glory,  and 
excellency  of  them  for  Christ  his  sake.  This 
is  the  first. 

The  Tenth  Direction. 

Cry  to  God  that  he  would  inflame  thy  will 
also  with  the  things  of  the  other  world;  for 
when  a man’s  will  is  fully  set  to  do  such  or 
such  a thing,  then  it  must  be  a very  hard  mat- 
ter that  shall  hinder  that  man  from  bringing 
about  his  end.  When  Paul’s  will  was  set  re- 
solvedly to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  (though  it  was 
signified  to  him  before  what  he  should  there 
suffer,)  he  was  not  daunted  at  all;  nay,  saith 
he,  “I  am  ready  (or  willing)  not  only  to  be 
bound,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.”  His  will  was  in- 
flamed with  love  to  Christ,  and  therefore  all 
the  persuasions  that  could  be  used  wrought 
nothing  at  all. 

Your  self-willed  people,  nobody  knows  what 
to  do  with  them ; we  used  to  say,  He  will  have 
his  own  will,  do  what  you  can.  Indeed  to 
have  such  a will  for  heaven  is  an  admirable 
advantage  to  a man  that  undertaketh  a race 
thither;  a man  that  is  resolved  and  hath  his 
will  fixed,  saith  he,  I will  do  my  best  to  ad- 
vantage myself;  I will  do  my  worst  to  hinder 
my  enemies;  I will  not  give  out  as  long  as  I 
can  stand ; I will  have  it  or  I will  lose  my  life; 
“ though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I trust  in  him.” 
“ I will  not  let  thee  go  except  thou  bless  me.” 
I will,  I will,  I will.  Oh  this  blessed  inflamed 
will  for  heaven!  What  is  like  it?  If  a man 


be  willing,  then  any  argument  shall  be  matter 
of  encouragement ; but  if  unwilling,  then  any 
argument  shall  give  discouragement ; this  is 
seen  both  in  saints  and  sinners,  in  them  that 
are  the  children  of  God,  and  also  those  that 
are  the  children  of  the  devil.  As — 

1.  The  saints  of  old,  they  being  willing  and 
resolved  for  heaven,  what  could  stop  them? 
Could  fire  and  faggot,  sword  or  halter,  filthy 
dungeons,  whips,  bears;  bulls,  lions,  cruel  rack- 
ings,  stoning,  starving,  nakedness,  &c.  ? “ And 
in  all  these  things  they  were  more  than  con- 
querors, through  Him  that  loved  them,”  who 
had  also  made  them  “ willing  in  the  day  of  his 
power.” 

2.  See  again,  on  the  other  side,  the  children 
of  the  devil,  because  they  are  not  willing,  how 
many  shifts  and  starting-holes  they  will  have : 
I have  married  a wife,  I have  a farm,  I shall 
offend  my  landlord,  I shall  offend  my  master, 
I shall  lose  my  trading,  I shall  lose  my  pride, 
my  pleasures,  I shall  be  mocked  and  scoffed ; 
therefore  I dare  not  come.  I,  saith  another, 
will  stay  till  I am  older,  till  my  children  are 
out,  till  I am  got  a little  aforehand  in  the 
world,  till  I have  done  this  and  that  and  the 
other  business;  but,  alas!  the  thing  is,  they 
are  not  willing;  for  were  they  but  soundly 
willing,  these,  and  a thousand  such  as  these, 
would  hold  them  no  faster  than  the  cords  held 
Samson  when  he  broke  them  like  burnt  flax; 
I tell  you  the  will  is  all : that  is  one  of  the 
chief  things  which  turns  the  wheel  either 
backwards  or  forwards ; and  God  knoweth  that 
full  well,  and  so  likewise  doth  the  devil,  and 
therefore  they  both  endeavour  very  much  to 
strengthen  the  will  of  their  servants.  God,  he 
is  for  making  of  his  a willing  people  to  serve 
him ; and  the  devil,  he  doth  what  he  can  to 
possess  the  will  and  affection  of  those  that  are 
his  with  love  to  sin ; and  therefore  when  Christ 
comes  close  to  the  matter,  indeed,  saith  he, 
“ You  will  not  come  to  me.”  “ How  often 
would  I have  gathered  you  as  a hen  doth  her 
chickens,  but  you  would  not!”  The  devil  had 
possessed  their  wills,  and  so  long  he  was  sure 
enough  of  them.  Oh  therefore  cry  hard  to 
God  to  inflame  thy  will  for  heaven  and  Christ 
— thy  will,  I say : if  that  be  rightly  set  for 
heaven,  thou  wilt  not  be  beat  off  with  discour- 
agements ; and  this  was  the  reason  that  when 
Jacob  wrestled  with  the  angel,  though  he  lost 
a limb  as  it  were,  and  the  hollow  of  his  thigh 
was  put  out  of  joint  as  he  wrestled  with  him, 
yet,  saith  he,  “ I will  not” — mark,  I will  not — 
“let  thee  go  except  thou  bless  me.”  Get  thy 


THE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN. 


will  tipt  with  the  heavenly  grace  and  resolu- 
tion against  all  thy  discouragements,  and  then 
thou  goest  full  speed  for  heaven;  but  if  thou 
falter  in  thy  will  and  be  not  sound  there,  thou 
wilt  run  hobbling  and  halting  all  the  way  thou 
runnest,  and  also  to  be  sure  thou  wilt  fall  short 
at  last.  The  Lord  give  thee  a will  and  cour- 
age! 

Thus  have  I done  with  directing  thee  how  to 
run  to  the  kingdom ; be  sure  thou  keep  in 
memory  what  I have  said  unto  thee,  lest  thou 
lose  thy  way.  But  because  1 would  have  thee 
think  of  them,  take  all  in  short  in  this  little 
bit  of  paper: 

1.  Get  into  the  way.  2.  Then  study  on  it. 
3.  Then  strip  and  lay  aside  everything  that 
would  hinder.  4.  Beware  of  by-paths.  5.  Do 
not  gaze  and  stare  too  much  about  thee,  but  be 
sure  to  ponder  the  path  of  thy  feet.  6.  Do  not 
stop  for  any  that  call  after  thee,  whether  it  be 
the  world,  the  flesh,  or  the  devil,  for  all  these 
will  hinder  thy  journey  if  possible.  7.  Be  not 
daunted  with  any  discouragements  thou  meet- 
est  with  as  thou  goest.  8.  Take  heed  of  stum- 
bling at  the  cross.  9.  Cry  hard  to  God  for  an 
enlightened  heart  and  willing  mind,  and  God 
give  thee  a prosperous  journey ! 

Yet  before  I do  quite  take  my  leave  of  thee 
let  me  give  thee  a few  motives  along  with  thee. 
It  may  be  they  will  be  as  good  as  a pair  of 
spurs  to  prick  on  thy  lumpish  heart  in  this 
rich  journey. 

The  First  Motive. 

Consider,  there  is  no  way  but  this : thou 
must  either  win  or  lose.  If  thou  winnest,  then 
heaven,  God,  Christ,  glory,  ease,  peace,  life, 
yea,  life  eternal,  is  thine;  thou  shalt  be  made 
equal  to  the  angels  in  heaven  ; thou  shalt  sor- 
row no  more,  sigh  no  more,  feel  no  more  pain ; 
thou  shalt  be  out  of  the  reach  of  sin,  hell, 
death,  the  devil,  the  grave,  and  whatever  else 
may  endeavour  thy  hurt.  But  contrariwise, 
and  if  thou  lose,  then  thy  loss  is  heaven,  glory, 
God,  Christ,  ease,  peace,  and  whatever  else 
which  tendeth  to  make  eternity  comfortable  to 
the  saints ; besides,  thou  procurest  eternal 
death,  sorrow,  pain,  blackness,  and  darkness, 
fellowship  with  devils,  together  with  the  ever- 
lasting damnation  of  tliy  own  soul. 

The  Second  Motive. 

Consider  that  this  devil,  this  hell,  death  and 
damnation  follow  after  thee  as  hard  as  they 
can  drive,  and  have  their  commission  so  to 
do  by  the  law,  against  which  thou  hast  sin- 
48 


753 

ned;  and  therefore,  for  the  Lord’s  sake,  make 
haste. 

The  Third  Motive. 

If  they  seize  upon  thee  before  thou  get  ti 
the  city  of  refuge,  they  will  put  an  everlast- 
ing stop  to  thy  journey.  This  also  cries,  Ilun 
for  it. 

The  Fourth  Motive. 

Know  also  that  now  heaven-gates,  the  heart 
of  Christ,  with  his  arms,  are  wide  open  to  re- 
ceive thee.  Oh  methinks  that  this  considera- 
tion, that  the  devil  followeth  after  to  destroy, 
and  that  Christ  standeth  open-armed  to  re- 
ceive, should  make  thee  reach  out  and  fly  with 
all  haste  and  speed  1 And  therefore 

The  Fifth  Motive. 

Keep  thine  eye  upon  the  prize ; be  sure  that 
thy  eyes  be  continually  upon  the  profit  thou 
art  like  to  get.  The  reason  why  men  are  so 
apt  to  faint  in  their  race  for  heaven,  it  lieth 
chiefly  in  either  of  these  two  things : 

1.  They  do  not  seriously  consider  the  worth 
of  the  prize;  or  else  if  they  do,  they  are  afraid 
it  is  too  good  for  them,  but  must  lose  heaven 
for  want  of  considering  the  prize  and  the  worth 
of  it.  And  therefore,  that  thou  mayest  not  do 
the  like,  keep  thine  eye  much  upon  the  excel- 
lency, the  sweetness,  the  beauty,  the  comfort, 
the  peace  that  is  to  be  had  there  by  those  that 
win  the  prize.  This  was  that  which  made  the 
apostle  run  through  any  thing — good  report, 
evil  report,  persecution,  affliction,  hunger, 
nakedness,  peril  by  sea  and  peril  by  land, 
bonds  and  imprisonments.  Also  it  made 
others  endure  to  be  stoned,  sawn  asunder,  to 
have  their  eyes  bored  with  augers,  their  bodies 
broiled  on  gridirons,  their  tongues  cut  out  of 
their  mouths,  boiled  in  caldrons,  thrown  to 
the  wild  beasts,  burned  at  the  stake,  whipped 
at  posts,  and  a thousand  other  fearful  torments, 
“ while  they  looked  not  at  the  things  that  are 
seen,  (as  the  things  of  this  world,)  but  at  the 
things  that  are  not  seen ; for  the  things  which 
are  seen  are  temporal,  but  the  things  which, 
are  not  seen  are  eternal.”  Oh  this  word 
“eternal!”  That  was  it  that  made  them, 
when  they  might  have  had  deliverance,  not 
accept  of  it,  for  they  knew  in  the  world  to 
come  they  should  have  a better  resurrection. 

2.  And  do  not  let  the  thoughts  of  the  rare- 
ness of  the  place  make  thee  say  in  thy  heart, 
This  is  too  good  for  me;  for  I tell  thee  heaven 
is  prepared  for  whosoever  will  accept  of  it,  and 
they  shall  be  entertained  with  a hearty  good 


754 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


welcome.  Consider,  therefore,  that  as  bad  as 
thou  have  got  thither ; thither  went  scrubbed, 
beggarly  Lazarus,  &c.  Nay,  it  is  prepared  for 
the  poor:  “Hearken,  my  beloved  brethren, 
(saith  James — take  notice  of  it,)  hath  not  God 
chosen  the  poor  of  this  world  rich  in  faith  and 
heirs  of  the  kingdom?”  Therefore  take  heart 
and  run,  man.  And 

The  Sixth  Motive. 

Think  much  of  them  that  are  gone  before. 
First,  how  really  they  go  into  the  kingdom. 
Secondly,  how  safe  they  are  in  the  arms  of 
Jesus ; would  they  he  here  again  for  a thou- 
sand worlds?  Or  if  they  were,  would  they  be 
afraid  that  God  would  not  make  them  wel- 
come? Thirdly,  what  would  they  judge  of 
thee  if  they  knew  thy  heart  began  to  fail  thee 
in  thy  journey,  or  thy  sins  began  to  allure  thee 
and  to  persuade  thee  to  stop  thy  race?  Would 
they  not  call  thee  a thousand  fools,  and  say, 
Oh  that  he  did  hut  see  what  we  see,  feel  what 
we  feel,  and  taste  of  the  dainties  that  we  taste 
of  I Oh  if  he  were  one  quarter  of  an  hour  to 
behold,  to  see,  to  feel,  to  taste  and  enjoy  but 
the  thousandth  part  of  what  we  enjoy,  what 
would  he  do?  What  would  he  suffer?  What 
would  he  leave  undone?  Would  he  favour 
sin?  Would  he  love  this  world  below?  Would 
he  be  afraid  of  friends,  or  shrink  at  the  most 
fearful  threatenings  that  the  greatest  tyrants 
could  invent  to  give  him?  Nay,  those  who 
have  had  but  a sight  of  these  things  by  faith, 
when  they  have  been  as  far  off  from  them  as 
heaven  from  earth,  yet  they  have  been  able  to 
say,  with  a comfortable  and  merry  heart,  as 
the  bird  that  sings  in  the  spring,  that  this  and 
more  shall  not  stop  them  from  running  to 
heaven.  Sometimes,  when  my  base  heart  hath 
been  inclining  to  this  world  and  to  loiter  in 
my  journey  towards  heaven,  the  very  consid- 
eration of  the  glorious  saints  and  angels  in 
heaven,  what  they  enjoy,  and  what  , low 
thoughts  they  have  of  the  things  of  this 
world  together,  how  they  would  befool  me  if 
they  did  but  know  that  my  heart  was  drawing 
back,  hath  caused  me  to  rush  forward,  to  dis- 
dain these  poor,  low,  empty,  beggarly  things, 
and  to  say  to  my  soul,  Come,  soul,  let  us  not 
be  weary;  let  us  see  what  this  heaven  is;  let 
us  even  venture  all  for  it,  and  try  if  that  will 
quit  the  cost.  Surely  Abraham,  David,  Paul 
and  the  rest  of  the  saints  of  God  were  as  wise 
as  any  are  now,  and  yet  they  lost  all  for  this 
glorious  kingdom.  Oh  therefore  throw  away 
your  lusts,  follow  after  righteousness,  love  the  I 


Lord  Jesus,  devote  thyself  unto  his  fear.  I’ll 
warrant  thee  he  will  give  thee  a goodly  recom- 
pense. Reader,  what  sayest  thou  to  this?  Art 
thou  resolved  to  follow  me?  Nay,  resolve  if 
thou  canst  to  get  before  me.  So  run  that  ye 
may  obtain. 

The  Seventh  Motive. 

To  encourage  thee  a little  further,  set  to  the 
work,  and  when  thou  hast  run  thyself  down 
weary,  then  the  Lord  Jesus  will  take  thee  up 
and  carry  thee.  Is  not  this  enough  to  make 
any  poor  soul  begin  his  race?  Thou  (perhaps) 
criest,  Oh  but  I am  feeble,  I am  lame,  &c. 
Well,  but  Christ  hath  a bosom;  consider, 
therefore,  when  thou  hast  run  thyself  down 
weary  he  will  put  thee  in  his  bosom:  “He 
shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arms  and  carry 
them  in  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  those 
that  are  with  young.”  This  is  the  way  that 
fathers  take  to  encourage  their  children,  say- 
ing, Run,  sweet  babe,  until  thou  art  weary, 
and  then  I will  take  thee  up  and  carry  thee. 
“ He  will  gather  his  lambs  with  his  arms  and 
carry  them  in  his  bosom.”  When  they  are 
weary  they  shall  ride. 

The  Eighth  Motive. 

Or  else  he  will  convey  new  strength  from 
heaven  into  thy  soul,  which  will  be  as  well. 
“The  youths  shall  faint  and  be  weary,  and  the 
young  men  shall  utterly  fail,  but  they  that 
wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength  ; 
they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  like  eagles, 
they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  they  shall 
walk  and  not  be  faint.”  What  shall  I say  be- 
sides what  hath  already  been  said?  Thou 
shalt  have  good  and  easy  lodging,  good  and 
wholesome  diet,  the  bosom  of  Christ  to  lie  in, 
the  joys  of  heaven  to  feed  on.  Shall  I speak 
of  the  satiety  and  of  the  duration  of  all  these? 
Verily  to  describe  them  to  the  height,  it  is  a 
work  too  hard  for  me  to  do. 

The  Ninth  Motive. 

Again,  methinks  the  very  industry  of  the 
devil  and  the  industry  of  his  servants,  &c., 
should  make  you  that  have  a desire  to  heaven 
and  happiness  to  run  apace.  Why,  the  devil, 
he  will  lose  no  time,  spare  no  pains,  also 
neither  will  his  servants,  both  to  seek  the  de- 
struction of  themselves  and  others;  and  shall 
not  we  be  as  industrious  for  our  own  salva- 
tion? Shall  the  world  venture  the  damnation 
of  their  souls  for  a poor  corruptible  crown, 
and  shall  not  we  venture  the  loss  of  a few 
trifles  for  an  eternal  crown  ? Shall  they  ven- 


THE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN. 


755 


turc  the  loss  of  eternal  friends,  as  God  to  love, 
Christ  to  redeem,  the  Holy  Spirit  to  comfort, 
heaven  for  habitation,  saints  and  angels  for 
company,  and  all  this  to  get  and  hold  commu- 
nion with  sin,  and  this  world,  and  a lew  base, 
drunken,  swearing,  lying,  covetous  wretches 
like  themselves,  and  shall  not  we  labour  as 
hard,  run  as  fast,  seek  as  diligently,  nay,  a 
hundred  times  more  diligently,  for  the  com- 
pany of  these  glorious,  eternal  friends,  though 
with  the.  loss  of  such  as  these,  nay,  with  the 
loss  of  ten  thousand  times  better  than  these 
poor,  low,  base,  contemptible  things?  Shall  it 
be  said  at  the  last  day  that  wicked  men  made 
more  haste  to  hell  than  you  did  make  to 
heaven? — that  they  spent  more  hours,  days, 
and  that  early  and  late,  for  hell,  than  you 
spent  for  that  which  is  ten  thousand  thousand 
of  thousand  times  better?  Oh  let  it  not  be  so, 
but  run  with  all  might  and  main. 

Thus  you  see  I have  here  spoken  some- 
thing, though  but  little.  Now  I shall  come 
to  make  some  use  and  application  of  what 
hath  been  said,  and  so  conclude. 

The  First  Use. 

You  see  here  that  he  that  will  go  to  heaven, 
he  must  run  for  it;  yea,  and  not  only  run,  but 
so  run;  that  is,  (as  I have  said,)  to  run  earn- 
estly, to  run  continually,  to  strip  off  every 
thing  that  would  hinder  in  his  race  with  the 
rest.  Well,  then,  do  you  so  run. 

1.  And  now  let  us  examine  a little.  Art 
thou  got  into  the  right  way?  Art  thou  in 
Christ’s  righteousness?  Do  not  say  yes  in 
thy  heart,  when  in  truth  there  is  no  such  mat- 
ter. It  is  a dangerous  thing,  you  know,  for  a 
man  to  think  he  is  in  the  right  way  when  he 
is  in  the  wrong.  It  is  the  next  way  for  him 
to  lose  his  way,  and  not  only  so,  but  if  he  run 
for  heaven,  as  thou  sayest  thou  dost,  even  to 
lose  that  too.  Oh  this  is  the  misery  of  most 
men,  to  persuade  themselves  that  they  run 
right,  when  they  never  had  one  foot  in  the 
way.  The  Lord  give  thee  understanding  here, 
or  else  thou  art  undone  for  ever.  Prithee, 
soul,  search  when  was  it  thou  turned  out  of 
thy  sins  and  righteousness  into  the  righteous- 
ness of  Jesus  Christ.  I say,  dost  thou  see  thy- 
self in  him,  and  is  he  more  precious  to  thee 
than  the  whole  world  ? Is  thy  mind  always 
musing  on  him,  and  also  to  be  walking  with 
him?  Dost  thou  count  his  company  more 
precious  than  the  whole  world?  Dost  thou 
count  all  things  but  poor,  lifeless,  empty, 
vain  things  without  communion  with  him? 


Doth  his  company  sweeten  all  things,  and  his 
absence  embitter  all  tilings?  Soul,  1 beseech 
thee  be  serious  and  lay  it  to  heart,  and  do  not 
take  things  of  such  weighty  concernment  as 
the  salvation  or  damnation  of  thy  soul  without 
good  ground. 

2.  Art  thou  unladen  of  the  things  of  this 
world,  as  pride,  pleasures,  profits,  lusts,  vani- 
ties? What!  dost  thou  think  to  run  fast 
enough  with  the  world,  thy  sins  and  lusts 
in  thy  heart?  I tell  thee,  soul,  they  that 
have  laid  all  aside,  every  weight,  every  sin, 
and  are  got  into  the  nimblest  posture,  they 
find  work  enough  to  run — so  to  run  as  to  hold 
out. 

To  run  through  all  that  opposition,  all  the 
jostles,  all  these  rubs,  over  all  the  stumbling- 
blocks,  over  all  the  snares,  from  all  the  en- 
tanglements that  the  devil,  sin,  the  world,  and 
their  own  hearts  lay  before  them — I tell  thee 
if  thou  art  going  heavenward  thou  wilt  find 
it  no  small  or  easy  matter.  Art  thou  there- 
fore discharged  and  unladen  of  these  things? 
Never  talk  of  going  to  heaven  if  thou  art  not. 
It  is  to  be  feared  thou  wilt  be  found  among 
the  “ many  that  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able.” 

The  Second  Use. 

If  so,  then,  in  the  next  place,  what  will  be- 
come of  them  that  are  grown  weary  before 
they  are  got  halfway  thither?  Why,  man,  it 
is  he  that  holdeth  out  to  the  end  that  must  be 
saved ; it  is  he  that  overcometh  that  shall  in- 
herit all  things;  it  is  not  every  one  that 
begins.  Agrippa  gave  a fair  step  for  a sud- 
den ; he  steps  almost  into  the  bosom  of  Christ 
in  less  than  half  an  hour.  “Thou  (saith  he 
to  Paul)  hast  almost  persuaded  me  to  be  a 
Christian.”  Ah ! but  it  was  but  almost,  and 
so  he  had  as  good  have  been  never  a whit;  he 
stept  fair  indeed,  but  yet  he  stopt  short;  he 
was  hot  while  he  was  at  it,  but  he' was  quickly 
out  of  wind.  Oh  this  but  almost!  I tell  you, 
this  but  almost,  it  lost  his  soul.  Methinks  I 
have  seen  sometimes  how  these  poor  wretches 
that  get  but  almost  to  heaven,  how  fearfully 
their  almost  and  their  but  almost  will  torment 
them  in  hell,  when  they  shall  cry  out  in  bit- 
terness of  their  soul,  saying,  “Almost  a Chris- 
tian.” I was  almost  got  into  the  kingdom, 
almost  out  of  the  hands  of  the  devil,  almost 
out  of  my  sins,  almost  from  under  the  curse 
of  God;  almost,  and  that  was  all;  almost,  but 
not  all  together.  Oh  that  I should  be  almost 
at  heaven,  and  should  not  go  quite  through ! 


756 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Friend,  it  is  a sad  thing  to  sit  down  before  we 
are  in  heaven,  and  to  grow  weary  before  we 
come  to  tire  place  of  rest;  and  if  it  should  be 
thy  case,  I am  sure  thou  dost  not  so  run  as  to 
obtain.  But  again, 

The  Third  Use. 

In  the  next  place.  What  then  will  become 
of  them  that  some  time  since  were  running 
post-haste  to  heaven,  (insomuch  that  they 
seemed  to  outstrip  many,)  but  now  are  run- 
ning as  fast  back  again?  Do  you  think  those 
will  ever  come  thither?  What!  to  run  back 
again — back  again  to  sin,  to  the  world,  to  the 
devil — back  again  to  the  lust  of  the  flesh ! 
Oh,  “it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have 
known  the  way  of  righteousness,  than  after 
they  have  known  it  to  turn  (to  turn  back 
again)  from  the  holy  commandment.”  Those 
men  shall  not  only  be  damned  for  sin,  but  for 
professing  to  all  the  world  that  sin  is  better 
than  Christ;  for  the  man  that  runs  back  again, 
he  doth  as  good  as  say,  I have  tried  Christ, 
and  I have  tried  sin,  and  I do  not  find  so  much 
profit  in  Christ  as  in  sin.  I say,  this  man  de- 
clareth  this,  even  by  his  running  back  again. 
Oh  sad!  What  a doom  they  will  have  who 
were  almost  at  heaven-gates  and  then  run 
back  again ! “ If  any  draweth  back,”  saith 

Christ,  “ my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in 
him.”  Again,  “No  man  having  put  his  hand 
to  the  plough,  (that  is,  set  forward  in  the  ways 
of  God,)  and  looking  back,  (turning  back 
again,)  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven.” 
And  if  not  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  then 
for  certain  he  must  needs  be  fit  for  the  fire  of 
hell.  And  therefore  (saith  the  apostle)  those 
that  bring  forth  these  apostatizing  fruits,  as 
“briers  and  thorns,  are  rejected,  being  nigh 
unto  cursing,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned.” 
Oh  there  is  never  another  Christ  to  save  them 
by  bleeding  and  dying  for  them ! And  if 
they  “shall  not  escape  that  neglect,”  then 
how  shall  they  escape  that  reject  and  turn 
their  back  upon  “so  great  a salvation  ?”  And 
if  the  righteous — that  is,  they  that  run  for  it — 
will  find  work  enough  to  get  to  heaven,  “then 
where  will  the  ungodly  (backsliding)  sinner 
appear?”  Or,  if  Judas  the  traitor  or  Francis 
Spira  the  backslider  were  but  now  alive  in 
the  world  to  whisper  these  men  in  the  ear  a 
little,  and  tell  them  what  it  hath  cost  their 
souls  for  backsliding,  surely  it  would  stick  by 
them  and  make  them  afraid  of  running  back 
again  so  long  as  they  had  one  day  to  live  in 
this  world. 


The  Fourth  Use. 

So  again,  fourthly.  How  like  to  these  men’s 
sufferings  will  those  be  that  have  all  this  while 
sat  still,  and  have  not  so  much  as  set  one  foot 
forward  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ! Surely  he 
that  backslideth  and  he  that  sitteth  still  in  sin, 
they  are  both  of  one  mind ; the  one  he  will  not 
stir,  because  he  loveth  his  sins  and  the  things 
of  this  world  ; the  other  he  runs  back  again, 
because  he  loveth  his  sins  and  the  things  of 
this  world;  is  it  not  one  and  the  same  thing? 
They  are  all  one  here,  and  shall  not  one  and 
the  same  hell  hold  them  hereafter?  He  is  an 
ungodly  one  that  never  looked  after  Christ, 
and  he  is  an  ungodly  one  that  did  once  look 
after  him  and  then  ran  quite  back  again  ; and 
therefore  that  word  must  certainly  drop  out  of 
the  mouth  of  Christ  against  them  both,  “ De- 
part from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire, 
prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.” 

The  Fifth  Use. 

Again,  here  you  may  see  in  the  next  place. 
That  is,  they  that  will  have  heaven  must  run 
for  it ; then  this  calls  aloud  to  those  who  began 
but  awhile  since  to  run;  I say,  for  them  to 
mend  their  pace  if  they  intend  to  win ; you 
know  that  they  which  come  hindmost  had 
need  run  fastest.  Friend,  I tell  thee  there  be 
those  that  have  run  ten  years  to  thy  one,  nay, 
twenty  to  five,  and  yet  if  thou  talk  with  them, 
sometimes  they  will  say  they  doubt  they  shall 
come  late  enough.  How  then  will  it  be  with 
thee?  Look  to  it,  therefore,  that  thou  delay 
no  time,  not  an  hour’s  time,  but  part  speedily 
with  all,  with  everything  that  is  an  hindrance 
to  thee  in  thy  journey,  and  run;  yea,  and  so 
run  that  thou  mayest  obtain. 

The  Sixth  Use. 

Again,  sixthly.  You  that  are  old  professors, 
take  you  heed  that  the  young  striplings  of 
Jesus,  that  began  to  strip  but  the  other  day,  do 
not  outrun  you,  so  as  to  have  that  Scripture 
fulfilled  on  you,  “ The  first  shall  be  last  and 
the  last  first;”  which  will  be  a shame  to  you 
and  a credit  for  them.  What!  for  a young 
soldier  to  be  more  courageous  than  he  that  hath 
been  used  to  wars ! To  you  that  are  hinder- 
most,  I say,  Strive  to  outrun  them  that  are 
before  you ; and  you  that  are  foremost,  I say, 
Hold  your  ground,  and  keep  before  them  in 
faith  and  love  if  possible ; for  indeed  that  is 
the  right  running,  for  one  to  strive  to  outrun 
another;  even  for  the  Undermost  to  endeavour 
to  overtake  the  foremost,  and  he  that  is  before 


T1IE  HEAVENLY  FOOTMAN. 


757 


should  be  sure  to  lay  out  himself  to  keep  his 
ground,  even  to  the  very  utmost.  But  then, 

The  Seventh  Use. 

Again.  How  basely  they  do  behave  them- 
selves, how  unlike  are  they  to  win,  that  think 
it  enough  to  keep  company  with  the  hindmost! 
There  are  some  men  that  profess  themselves 
such  as  run  for  heaven  as  well  as  any ; yet  if 
there  he  but  any  lazy,  slothful,  cold,  half- 
hearted professors  in  the  country,  they  will  be 
sure  to  take  example  by  them;  they  think  if 
they  can  but  keep  pace  with  them  they  shall 
do  fair;  but  these  do  not  consider  that  the 
hindmost  lose  the  prize.  You  may  know  it  if 
you  will  that  it  cost  the  foolish  virgins  dear 
for  their  coming  too  late:  “They  that  were 
ready  went  in  with  him,  and  the  door  was 
shut.  Afterward  (mark,  afterward !)  came  the 
other  (the  foolish)  virgins,  saying,  Lord,  open 
to  us ; but  he  answered  and  said,  Depart,  I 
know  you  not.”  Depart,  lazy  professors,  sloth- 
ful professors.  Oh,  methinks  the  word  of  God 
is  so  plain  for  the  overthrow  of  your  lazy  pro- 
fessors that  it  is  to  be  wondered  men  do  take 
no  more  notice  of  it.  How  was  Lot’s  wife 
served  for  running  lazily  and  for  giving  but 
one  look  behind  her  after  the  things  she  left 
in  Sodom  ? How  was  Esau  served  for  staying 
too  long  before  he  came  for  the  blessing?  And 
how  were  they  served  that  are  mentioned  in 
the  13th  of  Luke,  for  staying  till  “ the  door 
was  shut?”  Also  the  foolish  virgins ; a heavy 
after-groan  will  they  give  that  have  thus  stayed 
too  long.  It  turned  Lot’s  wife  into  a pillar  of 
salt;  it  made  Esau  weep  with  an  exceeding 
loud  and  bitter  cry  ; it  made  Judas  hang  him- 
self; yea,  and  it  will  make  thee  curse  the  day 
in  which  thou  wast  born  if  thou  miss  of  the 
kingdom,  as  tk'ou  wilt  certainly  do  if  this  be 
thy  course.  But, 

The  Eighth  Use. 

Again.  How  and  if  thou  by  thy  lazy  run- 
ning should  not  only  destroy  thyself,  but  also 
thereby  be  the  cause  of  the  damnation  of  some 
others  ? For  thou  being  a professor,  thou  must 
think  that  others  will  take  notice  of  thee;  but 
because  thou  art  but  a poor,  cold,  lazy  runner, 
and  one  that  seeks  to  drive  the  world  and 
pleasure  along  with  thee,  why,  thereby  others 
will  think  of  doing  so  too.  Nay,  say  they, 
why  may  not  we  as  well  as  he?  He  is  a pro- 
fessor, and  yet  he  seeks  for  pleasures,  riches, 
profits ; he  lovetli  vain  company,  and  he  is  so 
and  so,  and  professetli  that  he  is  going  for 


heaven  ; yea,  and  he  saith  also  he  doth  not  fear 
but  he  shall  have  entertainment;  let  us  there- 
fore keep  pace  with  him;  we  shall  fare  no 
worse  than  he.  Oh  how  fearful  a thing  will  it 
be  if  that  thou  shalt  be  instrumental  to  the 
ruin  of  others  by  thy  halting  in  the  way  of 
righteousness!  Look  to  it;  thou  wilt  have 
strength  little  enough  to  appear  before  God  to 
give  an  account  of  the  loss  of  thy  own  soul; 
thou  needest  not  have  to  give  an  account  for 
others  why  thou  didst  stop  them  from  entering 
in.  How  wilt  thou  answer  that  saying,  You 
would  not  enter  in  yourselves,  and  them  that 
would,  you  hinder;  for  that  saying  is  eminently 
fulfilled  on  them  that  through  their  own  idle- 
ness do  keep  themselves  out  of  heaven,  and 
by  giving  of  others  the  same  examples  hinder 
them  also. 

The  Ninth  Use. 

Therefore,  now  to  speak  a word  to  both  of 
you,  and  so  I shall  conclude. 

1.  I beseech  you  in  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  that  none  of  you  do  run  so  lazily 
in  the  way  to  heaven  as  to  hinder  either  your- 
selves or  others.  I know  that  even  he  which 
runs  laziest,  if  he  should  see  a man  running 
for  a temporal  life,  if  he  should  so  much  ne- 
glect his  own  well-being  in  this  world  as  to 
venture,  when  he  is  a-running  for  his  life,  to 
pick  up  here  and  there  a lock  of  wool  that 
hangeth  by  the  wayside,  or  to  step  now  and 
then  aside  out  of  the  way  for  to  gather  up  a 
straw  or  two  or  any  rotten  stick — I say,  if  he 
should  do  this  when  he  is  a-running  for  his 
life,  thou  wouldst  condemn  him ; and  dost  thou 
not  condemn  thyself  that  dost  the  very  same 
effect,  nay  worse — that  loiterest  in  thy  race, 
notwithstanding  thy  soul,  heaven,  glory,  and 
all  is  at  stake?  Have  a care,  have  a care; 
poor,  wretched  sinner,  have  a care. 

2.  If  yet  there  shall  be  any  that,  notwith- 
standing this  advice,  will  still  be  flagging  and 
loitering  in  the  way  to  the  kingdom  of  glory, 
be  thou  so  wise  as  not  to  take  example  by 
them.  Learn  of  no  man  farther  than  he  fol- 
loweth  Christ.  But  look  unto  Jesus,  who  is 
not  only  the  author  and  finisher  of  faith,  but 
who  did,  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him, 
endure  the  cross,  despise  the  shame,  and  is 
now  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of  God;  I say, 
look  man  to  learn  of  him  farther  than 

he  fol^^th  Christ.  “Be  ye  followers  of  me,” 
saith  Paul,  “ even  as  I am  of  Christ.”  Though 
he  was  an  eminent  man,  yet  his  exhortation 
was  that  none  should  follow  him  any  farther 
than  he  followed  Christ. 


758 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Provocation. 

Now,  that  you  may  be  provoked  to  run  with 
the  foremost,  take  notice  of  this.  When  Lot 
and  his  wife  were  running  from  cursed  Sodom 
to  the  mountains  to  save  their  lives,  it  is  said 
that  his  wife  looked  back  from  behind  him, 
and  she  became  a pillar  of  salt ; and  yet  you 
see  tha ; neither  her  practice,  nor  the  judgment 
of  God  that  fell  upon  her  for  the  same,  would 
cause  Lot  to  look  behind  him.  I have  some- 
times wondered  at  Lot  in  this  particular  ; his 
wife  looked  behind  her  and  died  immediately, 
but  let  what  would  become  of  her,  Lot  would 
not  so  much  as  look  behind  him  to  see  her. 
We  do  not  read  that  he  did  so  much  as  once 
look  where  she  was  or  what  was  become  of 
her;  his  heart  was  indeed  upon  his  journey, 
and  well  it  might:  there  was  the  mountain 
before  him  and  the  fire  and  brimstone  behind 
him ; his  life  lay  at  stake,  and  he  had  lost  it 
if  he  had  but  looked  behind  him.  Do  thou  so 
run  ; and  in  thy  race  remember  Lot’s  wife  and 
remember  her  doom,  and  remember  for  what 
that  doom  did  overtake  her,  and  remember  that 
God  made  her  an  example  for  all  lazy  runners 
to  the  end  of  the  world ; and  take  heed  thou 
fall  not  after  the  same  example.  But — 

If  this  will  not  provoke  thee,  consider  thus: 
1.  Thy  soul  is  thy  own  soul  that  is  either  to  be 
saved  or  lost ; thou  shalt  not  lose  my  soul  by 
thy  laziness.  It  is  thy  own  soul,  thy  own  ease, 
thy  own  peace,  thy  own  advantage  or  disad- 
vantage. If  it  were  my  own  that  thou  art  de- 
sired to  be  good  unto,  methinks  reason  should 
move  thee  somewhat  to  pity  it.  But,  alas ! it 
is  thy  own,  thy  own  soul.  “What  shall  it 
profit  a man  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world 
and  lose  his  own  soul  ?”  God’s  people  wish 
well  to  the  souls  of  others,  and  wilt  not  thou 
wish  well  to  thy  own?  And  if  this  will  not 
provoke  thee,  then  think — 

Again,  2.  If  thou  lose  thy  soul,  it  is  thou 
also  that  must  bear  the  blame.  It  made  Cain 
stark  mad  to  consider  that  he  had  not  looked 
to  his  brother  Abel’s  soul.  How  much  more 


will  it  perplex  thee  to  think  that  thou  hadst 
not  a care  of  thy  own!  And  if  this  will  not 
provoke  thee  to  bestir  thyself,  think  again — 

3.  That  if  thou  wilt  not  run,  the  people  of 
God  are  resolved  to  deal  with  thee  even  as  Lot 
dealt  with  his  wife — that  is,  leave  thee  behind 
them.  It  may  be  thou  hast  a father,  mother, 
brother,  &c.,  going  post-haste  to  heaven ; 
wouldst  thou  be  willing  to  be  left  behind 
them  ? Surely  no. 

Again,  4.  Will  it  not  be  a dishonour  to  thee 
to  see  the  very  boys  and  girls  in  the  country 
to  have  more  wit  than  thyself?  It  may  be  the 
servants  of  some  men,  as  the  housekeeper, 
ploughman,  scullion,  &c.,  are  more  looking 
after  heaven  than  their  masters.  I am  apt  to 
think,  sometimes,  that  more  servants  than  mas- 
ters, that  more  tenants  than  landlords,  will  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  heaven.  But  is  not  this 
a shame  for  then}  that  are  such  ? I am  per- 
suaded you  scorn  that  your  servants  should  say 
that  they  are  wiser  than  you  in  the  things  of 
the  world,  and  yet  I am  bold  to  say  that  many 
of  them  are  wiser  than  you  in  the  things  of  the 
world  to  come,  which  are  of  greater  concern- 
ment. 

Expostulation. 

Well,  then,  sinner,  what  sayest  thou?  Where 
is  thy  heart?  Wilt  thou  run?  Art  thou  re- 
solved to  strip,  or  art  thou  not?  Think 
quickly,  man  ; it  is  not  dallying  in  this  matter. 
Confer  not  with  flesh  and  blood ; look  up  to 
heaven,  and  see  how  thou  likest  it ; also  to 
hell,  (of  which  thou  may est  understand  some- 
thing in  my  book,  called  “ A Few  Sighs  from 
Hell;  or,  The  Groans  of  a Damned  Soul,” 
which  I wish  thee  to  read  seriously  over,)  and 
accordingly  devote  thyself.  If  thou  dost  not 
know  the  way,  inquire  at  the  word  of  God;  if 
thou  wantest  company,  cry  for  God’s  Spirit; 
if  thou  wantest  encouragement,  entertain  the 
promises.  But  be  sure  thou  begin  betimes; 
get  into  the  way,  run  apace,  and  hold  out  to 
the  end,  and  the  Lord  give  thee  a prosperous 
journey!  Fakewell. 


% 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL; 

OR, 

THE  GROANS  OF  A DAMNED  SOUL: 

DISCOVERING  FROM  LUKE  IV.  THE  LAMENTABLE  ESTATE  OF  THE  DAMNED;  AND  MAY 
FITLY  SERVE  AS  A WARNING  WORD  TO  SINNERS,  BOTH  OLD  AND  YOUNG,  BY  FAITH  IN 
JESUS  CHRIST  TO  AVOID  THE  SAME  PLACE  OF  TORMENT;  WITH  A DISCOVERY  OF  THE 
USEFULNESS  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES  AS  OUR  SAFE  CONDUCT  FOR  AVOIDING  THE  TOR 
MENTS  OF  HELL. 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


Friend,  because  it  is  a dangerous  tiling  to 
be  walking  towards  the  place  of  darkness  and 
anguish,  and  again,  because  it  is  (notwith- 
standing) the  journey  that  most  of  the  poor 
souls  in  the  world  are  taking,  and  that  with 
delight  and  gladness,  as  if  there  was  the  only 
happiness  to  be  found,  I have  therefore  thought 
it  my  duty,  (being  made  sensible  of  the  danger 
that  will  befall  those  that  fall  therein,)  for  the 
preventing  of  thee,  (0  thou  poor  man  or  wo- 
man!) to  tell  thee,  by  opening  this  parable, 
what  sad  success  those  souls  have  had  and  are 
like  to  have  that  have  been  or  shall  be  found 
persevering  therein. 

We  use  to  count  him  a friend  that  will  fore- 
warn his  neighbour  of  the  danger  when  he 
knowetli  thereof,  and  doth  also  see  that  the  way 
his  neighbour  is  walking  in  doth  lead  right 
thereto,  especially  when  we  think  that  our 
neighbour  may  be  either  ignorant  or  careless 
of  his  way.  Why,  friend,  it  may  be,  nay, 
twenty  to  one  but  thou  hast  been  ever  since 
thou  didst  come  into  the  world  with  thy  back 
towards  heaven  and  thy  face  towards  hell,  and 
thou  either  through  ignorance  or  carelessness, 
(which  is  as  bad,  if  not  worse,)  hast  been  run- 
ning full  hastily  that  way  ever  since.  Why,  I 
beseech  thee,  put  a little  stop  to  thy  earnest 
race,  and  take  a view  of  what  entertainment 
thou  art  like  to  have  if  thou  do  indeed  and  in 
truth  persist  in  this  thy  course.  Thy  way 
“leads  down  to  death,  and  thy  steps  take  hold 
on  hell.”  Prov.  v.  5.  It  may  be  the  path  in- 


deed is  pleasant  to  the  flesh,  but  the  end  there- 
of will  be  bitter  to  thy  soul.  Hark ! dost  thou 
not  hear  the  bitter  cries  of  them  that  are  but 
newly  gone  before,  saying,  “Let  him  dip  the 
tip  of  his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue 
that  is  so  tormented  in  this  flame?”  Luke  xiv. 
Dost  thou  not  hear  them  say,  Send  out  from 
the  dead  to  prevent  my  father,  my  brother, 
and  my  father’s  house  from  coming  into  this 
place  of  torment  ? Shall  not  then  these  mourn- 
ful groans  pierce  thy  flinty  heart?  Wilt  thou 
stop  thine  ears  and  shut  thy  eye?  And  wilt 
thou  not  regard  ? Take  warning  and  stop  thy 
journey  before,  it  be«too  late.  Wilt  thou  be 
like  the  silly  fly,  that  is  not  quiet  unless  she  be 
either  entangled  in  the  spider’s  web  or  burned 
in  the  candle?  Wilt  thou  be  like  the  bird  that 
hasteth  to  the  snare  of  the  fowler  ? 'Wilt  thou 
be  like  that  simple  one  named  in  the  7th  of 
Proverbs,  that  will  be  drawn  to  the  slaughter 
by  the  cord  of  a silly  lust?  O sinner,  sinner! 
there  are  better  things  than  hell  to  be  had,  and 
at  a cheaper  rate  by  the  thousandth  part ! Oh 
(there  is  no  comparison)  there  is  heaven, 
there  is  God,  there  is  Christ,  there  is  commu- 
nion with  an  innumerable  company  of  saints 
and  angels.  Hear  the  message,  then,  that  God 
doth  send,  that  Christ  doth  send,  that  saints 
do  bring,  nay,  that  the  dead  do  send  unto 
thee : “ I pray  thee  therefore  that  thou  wouldst 
send  him  to  my  father’s  house ; if  one  went  to 
them  from  the  dead  they  would  repent.” 
“ How  long,  ye  simple  ones,  will  ye  love  sim- 

759 


760 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


plicity?  And  ye,  scorners,  delight  in  scorn- 
ing? And  ye,  fools,  hate  knowledge?  Turn 
ye  at  ray  reproof,  and  behold,  saith  God,  I will 
pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  you  ; I will  make 
known  my  words  unto  you.”  I say,  hear  this 
voice,  0 silly  one,  and  turn  and  live,  thou  sin- 
ful soul,  lest  he  make  thee  hear  that  other 
saying : “ But  because  I have  called  and  you 
have  refused,  I have  stretched  out  my  hand 
and  no  man  regarded,  I also  will  laugh  at 
your  calamity,  and  mock  when  your  fear 
cometh.” 

0 poor  soul,  if  God  and  Christ  did  wish  thee 
for  thine  harm,  it  would  be  another  matter; 
then  if  thou  didst  refuse,  thou  mightest  have 
some  excuse  to  make  or  fault  to  find  and  ground 
to  make  delays.  But  this  is  for  thy  profit,  for 
thy  advantage,  for  the  pardoning  of  thy  sins, 
the  salvation  of  thy  soul,  the  delivering  thee 
from  liell-fire,  from  the  wrath  to  come,  from 
everlasting  burnings,  into  favour  with  God, 
Christ,  and  communion  with  all  happiness, 
(that  is  so  indeed.) 

But  it  may  be  thou  wilt  say,  All  that  hath 
been  spoken  to  in  this  discourse  is  but  a par- 
able, and  parables  are  no  realities. 

1 could  put  thee  off  with  this  answer,  That 
though  it  be  a parable,  yet  it  is  a truth  and 
not  a lie ; and  thou  shalt  find  it  so  too,  to  thy 
cost,  if  thou  shalt  be  found  a slighter  of  God, 
Christ,  and  the  salvation  of  thy  own  soul. 

But  secondly,  know  for  certain  that  the 
things  signified  by  parables  are  wonderful 
realities.  Oh  what  a glorious  reality  was  there 
signified  by  that  parable,  “The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  like  to  a net  that  is  cast  into  the 
sea!”  &c.,  signifying  that  sinners  of  all  sorts, 
of  all  nations,  should  be  brought  into  God’s 
kingdom  by  the  net  of  the  Gospel.  And  oh 
how  real  a thing  shall  the  other  part  thereof 
be,  when  it  is  fulfilled,  which  saith,  “And 
when  it  was  full  they  drew  it  to  the  shore,  and 
put  the  good  into  vessels,  but  threw  the  bad 
away!”  (Matt.  xiii.  47,  48,)  signifying  the 
mansions  of  glory  that  the  saints  should  have, 
and  also  the  rejection  that  God  will  give  to  the 
ungodly  and  to  sinners.  And  also  that  par- 


able— what  a glorious  reality  is  there  in  it ! — ■ 
which  saith,  “ Except  a corn  of  wheat  fall  to 
the  ground  and  die,  it  abidetli  alone ; but  if  it 
die,  it  doth  bring  forth  much  fruit,”  (John  xii. 
24,)  to  signify  that  unless  Jesus  Christ  did  in- 
deed spill  his  blood  and  die  the  cursed  death, 
he  should  abide  alone — that  is,  have  never  a 
soul  into  glory  with  him ; but  if  he  died,  he 
should  bring  forth  much  fruit — that  is,  save 
many  sinners.  And  also  how  real  a truth 
there  was  in  that  parable  concerning  the  Jews 
putting  Christ  to  death,  which  the  poor  dis- 
persed Jews  can  best  experience  to  their  cost; 
for  they  have  been  almost  ever  since  a banish- 
ed people,  and  such  as  have  God’s  sore  dis- 
pleasure wonderfully  manifested  against  them, 
according  to  the  truth  of  the  parable.  Matt, 
xxi.  33-41.  Oh  therefore,  for  Jesus  Christ’s 
sake,  do  not  slight  the  truth  because  it  is  dis- 
covered in  a parable ! For  by  this  argument 
thou  mayest  also — nay,  thou  wilt  also — slight 
almost  all  the  things  that  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  did  speak,  for  he  spake  to  them  for  the 
most  part  (if  not  all)  in  parables.  Why  should 
it  be  said  of  thee  as  it  is  said  of  some,  “ These 
things  are  spoken  to  them  that  are  without  in 
parables,  that  seeing  they  might  not  see,  and 
that  hearing  they  might  not  understand?” 
Luke  viii.  10.  I say,  take  heed  of  being  a 
quarreller  against  Christ’s  parables,  lest  Christ 
also  object  against  the  salvation  of  thy  soul  at 
the  judgment-day. 

Friend,  I have  no  more  to  say  to  thee  now. 
If  thou  dost  love  me,  pray  for  me,  that  my 
God  would  not  forsake  me  nor  take  his  Holy 
Spirit  from  me,  and  that  God  would  fit  me  to 
do  and  suffer  what  shall  be  from  the  world  or 
devil  inflicted  upon  me.  I must  tell  thee,  the 
world  rages,  they  stamp  and  shake  their  heads, 
and  fain  they  would  be  doing ; the  Lord  help 
me  to  take  all  they  shall  do  with  patience,  and 
when  they  smite  the  one  cheek  to  turn  the 
other  to  them,  that  I may  do  as  Christ  hath 
bidden  me,  for  then  the  Spirit  of  God  and  of 
glory  shall  rest  upon  me.  Farewell. 

I am  thine  to  serve  in  the  Lord  Jesus. 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL; 

OR, 

THE  GROANS  OF  A DAMNED  SOUL. 


LUKE  XVI.  19-31. 


Ver.  19.  There  was  a certain  rich  man , which 
was  clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen,  and  fared 
sumptuously  every  day. 

This  Scripture  was  not  spoken  by  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  show  you  the  state  of  two 
single  persons  only,  (as  some  through  igno- 
rance of  the  drift  of  Christ  in  his  parables  do 
dream,)  but  to  show  you  the  state  of  the  godly 
and  ungodly  to  the  world’s  end,  as  is  clear  to 
him  that  is  of  an  understanding  heart;  for  he 
spake  them  to  the  end  that  after  generations 
should  take  notice  thereof,  and  fear  lest  they 
also  fall  into  the  same  condition. 

Now  in  my  discourse  upon  these  words  I 
shall  not  be  tedious,  but  as  briefly  as  I may  I 
shall  pass  through  the  several  verses,  and  lay 
you  down  some  of  the  several  truths  contained 
therein ; and  the  Lord  grant  that  they  may  be 
profitable  and  of  great  advantage  to  those  that 
read  them  or  hear  them  read ! 

The  19th  and  20th  verses  also  I shall  not 
spend  much  time  upon,  only  give  you  three  or 
four  short  hints,  and  so  pass  to  the  next  verses, 
for  they  are  the  words  I do  intend  most  especi- 
ally to  insist  upon. 

The  19th,  20th,  and  21st  verses  run  thus: 
“There  was  a certain  rich  man  which  was 
clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen,  and  fared 
(deliciously,  or)  sumptuously  every  day.  And 
there  was  a certain  beggar  named  Lazarus, 
which  was  laid  at  his  gate  full  of  sores,”  &c. 

1.  If  those  verses  had  been  spoken  by  Jesus 
Christ,  and  no  more,  all  the  world  would  have 
gone  near  to  have  cast  a wrong  interpretation 
upon  them  ; I say,  if  Jesus  had  said  only  this 
much,  “ There  was  a certain  rich  man  which 
fared  sumptuously  daily,  and  a certain  beggar 
laid  at  his  gate  full  of  sores,”  the  world  would 
have  made  this  conclusion  of  them:  The  rich 


man  was  the  happy  man,  for  at  the  first  view 
it  doth  represent  such  a thing;  but  take  all 
together — that  is,  read  the  whole  parable — and 
you  shall  find  that  there  is  no  man  in  a worse 
-condition  than  he,  as  I shall  clearly  hold  forth 
afterwards. 

2.  Again,  if  a man  would  judge  of  men  ac- 
cording to  outward  appearance  he  shall  ofttimes 
take  his  mark  amiss.  Here  is  a man  to  out- 
ward appearance  appears  the  only  blessed  man, 
better  by  half  than  the  beggar,  inasmuch  as 
he  is  rich,  the  beggar  poor ; he  is  well  clothed, 
but  peradventure  the  beggar  is  naked ; he  hath 
good  food,  but  the  beggar  would  be  glad  of 
dogs’  meat.  “ And  he  desired  to  be  fed  with 
the  crumbs  which  fell  from  the  rich  man’s 
table;”  the  rich  man  fares  well  every  day,  but 
the  beggar  must  be  glad  of  a bit  when  he  can 
get  it.  Oh  who  would  not  be  in  a rich  man’s 
state?  A wealthy  man,  sorts  of  new  suits,  and 
dainty  dishes  every  day  ; enough  to  make  one 
who  minds  nothing  but  his  belly,  and  his  back, 
and  his  lusts  to  say,  Oh  that  I were  in  that 
man’s  condition ! Oh  that  I had  about  me  as 
that  man  has ! Then  I should  live  a life  in- 
deed; then  should  I have  heart’s-ease  good 
store;  then  I should  live  pleasantly,  and  might 
say  to  my  soul,  “Soul,  be  of  good  cheer,  eat, 
drink,  and  be  merry;”  thou  hast  everything 
plenty,  and  art  in  a most  blessed  condition. 

I say,  this  might  be  the  conclusion  with 
them  that  judge  according  to  outward  appear- 
ance. But  if  the  whole  parable  be  well  con- 
sidered, you  will  see  that  which  is  had  in  high 
estimation  with  men  is  an  abomination  in  the 
sight  of  God.  And  again,  that  condition  that 
is  the  saddest  condition,  according  to  outward 
appearance,  is  ofttimes  the  most  excellent,  for 
the  beggar  had  ten  thousand  degrees  the  best 


761 


762 


£ UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


of  it,  though  to  outward  appearance  his  state 
was  the  saddest ; from  whence  we  shall  observe 
thus  much : 

1.  That  those  who  judge  according  to  out- 
ward appearance  do  for  the  most  part  judge 
amiss. 

2.  That  they  that  look  upon  their  outward 
enjoyments  to  be  tokens  of  God’s  special  grace 
unto  them  are  also  deceived;  for,  as  it  is  here 
in  the  parable,  a man  of  wealth  and  a child  of 
the  devil  may  make  but  one  person  ; or  a man 
may  have  abundance  of  outward  enjoyments 
and  yet  be  carried  by  the  devils  into  eternal 
burning.  But  this  is  the  trap  in  which  the 
devil  hath  caught  many  thousands  of  poor 
souls — namely,  by  getting  them  to  judge  ac- 
cording to  outward  appearance  or  according  to 
God’s  outward  blessings. 

Do  but  ask  a poor,  carnal,  covetous  wretch 
how  he  should  know  a man  to  be  in  a happy 
state,  and  he  will  answer,  Those  that  God 
blesseth  and  giveth  abundance  of  this  world 
unto,  when,  for  the  most  part,  they  are  they 
that  are  the  cursed  men.  Alas,  poor  men! 
they  are  so  ignorant  as  to  think  that  because  a 
man  is  increased  in  outward  things,  and  that 
by  a small  stock,  therefore  God  doth  love  that 
man  with  a special  love,  or  else  he  would  never' 
do  so  much  for  him,  never  bless  him  so,  and 
prosper  the  work  of  his  hands.  Ah,  poor 
soul ! it  is  the  rich  man  that  goes  to  hell.  And 
the  rich  man  died,  and  in  hell — mark,  in  hell 
— he  lift  up  his  eyes,  &c. 

Methinks  to  see  how  the  great  ones  of  the 
world  will  go  strutting  up  and  down  the  street 
sometimes,  it  makes  me  wonder.  Surely  they 
look  ujjon  themselves  to  be  the  only  happy 
men,  but  it  is  because  they  judge  according  to 
outward  appearance;  they  look  upon  them- 
selves to  be  the  only  blessed  men,  when  the 
Lord  knows  the  generality  are  left  out  of  that 
blessed  condition.  “ Not  many  wise  men  after 
the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble 
are  called.”  Ah ! did  those  that  do  now  so 
brag  that  nobody  dare  scarce  look  on  them 
but  believe  this,  it  would  make  them  hang- 
down  their  heads  and  cry,  Oh  give  me  a Laz- 
arus’s portion ! 

I might  here  enlarge  very  much,  but  I shall 
not;  only  thus  much  I shall  say  to  you  that 
have  much  of  this  world:  Have  a care  that 
you  have  not  your  portion  in  this  world. 
Take  heed  that  it  be  not  said  to  you  hereafter, 
when  you  would  very  willingly  have  heaven, 
Remember  in  your  lifetime  you  had  your  good 
things,  in  your  lifetime  you  had  your  portion. 


And,  friend,  thou  that  seekest  after  this 
world  and  desirest  riches,  let  me  ask  this  ques 
tion  : Wouldst  thou  be  content  that  God  should 
put  thee  off  with  a portion  in  this  life? 
Wouldst  thou  be  glad  to  be  kept  out  of  heaven 
with  a_back  well  clothed  and  a belly  well  filled 
with  the  dainties  of  this  world  ? Wouldst  thou 
be  glad  to  have  all  thy  good  things  in  thy  life- 
time, to  have  thy  heaven  to  last  no  longer  than 
while  thou  dost  live  in  this  world?  Wouldst 
thou  be  willing  to  be  deprived  of  eternal  hap- 
piness and  felicity?  If  thou  say  no,  then 
have  a care  of  the  world  and  thy  sins  ; have  a 
care  of  desiring  to  be  a rich  man,  “ lest  thy 
table  be  made  a snare  unto  thee,”  lest  the 
wealth  of  this  world  do  bar  thee  out  of  glory. 
For,  as  the  apostle  saith,  “They  that  will  be 
rich  do  fall  into  temptation  and  a snare,  and 
into  many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which 
drown  men  in  perdition  and  destruction.” 
Thus  much  in  general,  but  now  particularly. 

These  two  men  here  spoken  of,  as  I said,  do 
hold  forth  to  us  the  state  of  the  godly  and  un- 
godly ; the  beggar  holdeth  forth  the  godly,  and 
the  rich  man  the  ungodly.  “ There  was  a cer- 
tain rich  man,”  &c. 

But  why  are  the  ungodly  held  forth  under 
the  notion  of  a rich  man  ? 

1.  Because  Christ  would  not  have  them 
look  too  high,  as  I said  before,  but  that  those 
who  have  riches  would  have  a care  that  they 
be  not  all  their  portion. 

2.  Because  rich  men  are  most  liable  to  the 
devil’s  temptations,  are  most  ready  to  be  puffed 
up  with  pride,  stoutness,  cares  of  this  world,  in 
which  things  they  spend  most  of  their  time — 
in  lusts,  drunkenness,  wantonness,  idleness,  to- 
gether with  other  works  of  the  flesh : “ For 
which  things’  sake  the  wrath  of  God  cometh 
upon  the  children  of  disobedience.” 

3.  Because  he  would  comfort  the  hearts  of 
his  own,  which  are  most  commonly  of  the 
poorer  sort,  but  God  hath  chosen  the  poor, 
despised,  and  base  things  of  this  world. 
Should  God  have  set  the  rich  man  in  the 
blessed  state,  his  children  would  have  con- 
cluded, being  poor,  that  they  had  no  share  in 
the  life  to  come. 

And  again,  had  not  God  given  such  a dis 
covery  of  the  sad  condition  of  those  that  are 
for  the  most  part  rich  men,  we  should  have 
had  men  conclude  absolutely  that  the  rich  are 
the  blessed  men.  Nay,  albeit  the  Lord  him- 
self doth  so  evidently  declare  that  the  rich 
ones  of  the  world  are  for  the  most  part  in  the 
saddest  condition,  yet  they  through  unbelief, 


SIGHS  FROM  JIELL. 


763 


or  else  presumption,  do  harden  themselves 
nnd  seek  for  the  glory  of  this  world,  as  though 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  did  not  mean  as  he  said, 
or  else  that  he  will  say  more  than  will  assur- 
edly come  to  pass;  hut  let  them  know  that 
the  Lord  hath  a time  to  fulfil  what  he  had  a 
time  to  declare,  for  the  Scripture  cannot  be 
broken. 

But  again,  the  Lord  by  his  word  doth  not 
mean  those  are  ungodly  who  are  rich  in  the 
world,  and  no  other;  for  then  must  all  those 
that  are  poor  yet  graceless  and  vain  men  be 
saved  and  delivered  from  eternal  vengeance; 
which  would  be  contrary  to  the  word  of  God, 
which  saitli  that,  together  with  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and  the  chief 
captains,  and  the  mighty  men,  there  are  bond- 
men  or  servants  and  slaves  that  cry  out  at  the 
appearance  of  the  Almighty  God  and  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ  to  judgment. 

So  that,  though  Christ  doth  say,  “ there 
was  a certain  rich  man,”  yet  you  must  under- 
stand he  meaneth  all  the  ungodly,  rich  or 
poor.  Nay,  if  you  will  not  understand  it  so 
now,  you  shall  be  made  to  understand  it  to  be 
so  meant  at  the  day  of  Christ’s  second  coming, 
when  all  that  are  ungodly  shall  stand  at  the 
left  hand  of  Christ,  with  pale  faces  and  guilty 
consciences,  with  the  vials  of  the  Almighty’s 
wrath  ready  to  be  poured  out  upon  them. 
Thus  much,  in  brief,  touching  the  19th  verse. 
I might  have  observed  other  things  from  it, 
but  now  I forbear,  having  other  things  to 
speak  of  at  this  time. 

Ver.  20.  And  there  was  a certain  beggar  named 

Lazarus,  which  was  laid  at  his  gate  full  of 

sores. 

This  verse  doth  chiefly  hold  forth  these 
things:  1.  That  the  saints  of  God  are  a poor, 
contemptible  people:  “There  was  a certain 
beggar.”  If  you  understand  the  word  beggar 
to  hold  forth  outward  poverty  or  scarcity  in 
outward  things,  such  are  saints  of  the  Lord; 
for  they  are,  for  the  most  part,  a poor,  des- 
pised, contemptible  people.  But  if  you  alle- 
gorize it  and  interpret  it  thus — they  are  such 
as  beg  earnestly  for  heavenly  food — this  is 
also  the  spirit  of  the  children  of  God,  and  it 
may  be  as  truth  in  this  sense,  though  not  so 
naturally  gathered  from  this  Scripture. 

2.  “ That  he  was  laid  at  his  gate  full  of 
sores.”  These  words  hold  forth  the  distempers 
of  believers,  saying,  “ he  was  full  of  sores ;” 
which  may  signify  the  many  troubles,  tempta- 
tions, persecutions,  and  afflictions  in  body 


and  spirit  which  they  meet  withal  while  they 
are  in  the  world,  and  also  the  entertainment 
they  meet  with  at  the  hands  of  those  ungodly 
ones  who  live  upon  the  earth.  Whereas  it  is 
said,  “ He  was  laid  at  his  gate  full  of  sores,” 
mark,  he  was  laid  at  his  gate,  not  in  his 
house;  that  was  thought  too  good  for  him, 
but  he  was  laid  at  his  gate  full  of  sores.  From 
whence  observe  that  the  ungodly  world  do  not 
desire  to  entertain  and  receive  the  poor  saints 
of  God  into  their  houses.  If  they  must  needs 
be  somewhere  near  unto  them,  yet  they  shall 
not  come  into  their  houses,  but  shut  them  out 
of  doors ; if  they  will  needs  be  near  us,  let  them 
be  at  the  gate.  “ And  he  was  laid  at  his  gate 
full  of  sores.”  2.  Observe,  the  world  are  not 
at  all  touched  with  the  afflictions  of  God’s 
children,  for  all  they  are  full  of  sores  : a de- 
spised, afflicted,  tempted,  persecuted  people 
the  world  doth  not  pity,  no,  but  rather  labour 
to  aggravate  their  trouble  by  shutting  them 
out  of  doors ; sink  or  swim,  what  cares  the 
world?  They  are  resolved  to  disown  them; 
they  will  give  them  no  entertainment;  if  the 
lying  in  the  streets  will  do  them  any  good,  if 
hard  usage  will  do  them  any  good,  if  to  be 
disowned,  rejected,  and  shut  out  of  doors  by 
the  world  will  do  them  any  good,  they  shall 
have  enough  of  that,  but  otherwise  no  refresh- 
ment, no  comfort  from  the  world.  “And  he 
was  laid  at  his  gate  full  of  sores.” 

Ver.  21.  And  desiring  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs 
which  fell  from  the  rich  man’s  table.  More- 
over, the  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores. 

By  these  words  our  Lord  Jesus  doth  show 
us  the  frame  of  a Christian’s  heart,  and  also 
the  heart  and  carriage  of  worldly  men  towards 
the  saints  of  the  Lord.  The  Christian’s  heart 
is  held  forth  by  this,  that  any  thing  will  con- 
tent him  while  he  is  on  this  side  glory.  “ And 
he  desired  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs,”  the 
dogs’  meat,  any  thing.  I say,  a Christian 
will  be  content  with  any  thing;  if  he  have 
but  to  keep  life  and  soul  together  (as  we  use 
to  say)  he  is  content,  he  is  satisfied ; he  hath 
learned  (if  he  hath  learned  to  be  a Christian) 
to  be  content  with  any  thing ; as  Paul  saitli, 
“ I have  learned  in  whatsoever  state  I am,  there- 
with to  be  content.”  He  learns  in  all  conditions 
to  study  to  love  God,  to  walk  with  God,  to 
give  up  himself  to  God;  and  if  the  crumbs 
that  fall  from  the  rich  man’s  table  will  but 
satisfy  nature  and  give  him  bodily  strength, 
that  thereby  he  may  be  the  more  able  to  walk 
in  the  way  of  God,  he  is  contented.”  “And 


764 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


he  desired  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs  which 
fell  from  the  rich  man’s  table.”  But  mark, 
he  had  them  not;  you  do  not  find  that  he  had 
so  much  as  a crumb  or  a scrap  allowed  unto 
him.  No,  then  the  dogs  will  be  beguiled; 
that  must  be  preserved  for  the  dogs.  From 
whence  observe  that  the  ungodly  world  do 
love  their  dogs  better  than  the  children  of 
God.  You  will  say,  That  is  strange.  It  is 
so  indeed,  yet  it  is  true,  as  will  be  clearly 
manifested.  As  for  instance:  how  many 
pounds  do  some  men  spend  on  their  dogs 
when  in  the  mean  while  the  poor  saints  of 
God  may  starve  for  hunger!  They  will  build 
houses  for  their  dogs,  when  the  saints  must  be 
glad  to  wander  and  lodge  in  dens  and  caves 
of  the  earth.  And  if  they  be  in  any  of  their 
houses  for  the  hire  thereof,  they  will  warn 
them  out  or  eject  them,  or  pull  down  the 
houses  over  their  heads,  rather  than  not  rid 
themselves  of  such  tenants.  Again,  some 
men  cannot  go  half  a mile  from  home  but 
they  must  have  dogs  at  their  heels,  but  they 
can  very  willingly  go  half  a score  miles 
without  the  society  of  a Christian.  Nay,  if 
when  they  are  busy  with  their  dogs  they 
should  chance  to  meet  a Christian,  they  would 
willingly  shift  him  if  they  could.  They  will 
go  on  the  other  side  the  hedge  or  the  way, 
rather  than  they  will  have  any  society  with 
him.  And  if  at  any  time  a child  of  God 
should  come  into  a house  where  there  are  but 
two  or  three  ungodly  wretches,  they  do  com- 
monly wish  either  themselves  or  the  saint  out 
of  doors;  and  why  so?  Because  they  cannot 
down  with  the  society  of  a Christian ; though 
if  there  come  in  at  the  same  time  a dog,  or  a 
drunken,  swearing  wretch,  (which  is  worse 
than  a dog,)  they  will  make  him  welcome;  he 
shall  sit  down  with  them  and  partake  of  their 
dainties.  And  now  tell  me,  you  that  love  your 
sins  and  your  pleasures,  had  you  not  rather 
keep  company  with  a drunkard,  a swearer,  a 
strumpet,  a thief,  nay,  a dog,  than  with  an 
honest-hearted  Christian?  If  you  say  no, 
what  means  your  sour  carriage  to  the  people 
of  God?  Why  do  you  look  on  them  as  if  you 
would  eat  them  up?  Yet  at  the  very  same 
time  if  you  can  but  meet  your  dog  or  a 
drunken  companion  you  can  fawn  upon  them, 
take  acquaintance  with  them,  to  the  tavern  or 
alehouse  with  them,  if  it  be  two  or  three  times 
in  a week.  But  if  the  saints  of  God  meet  to- 
gether, pray  together,  and  labour  to  edify  one 
another,  you  will  stay  till  doomsday  before 
you  will  look  into  the  house  where  they  are. 


Ah,  friends!  when  all  comes  to  all,  you  will 
be  found  to  love  drunkards,  strumpets,  dogs, 
any  thing,  nay,  to  serve  the  devil,  rather  than 
to  have,  loving  and  friendly  society  with  the 
saints  of  God. 

“Moreover,  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his 
sores.”  Here  again  you  may  see  not  only  the 
afflicted  state  of  saints  of  God  in  this  world, 
but  also  that  even  dogs  themselves,  according 
to  their  kind,  are  more  favourable  to  the  saints 
than  the  sinful  world;  though  the  ungodly 
will  have  no  mercy  on  the  saints,  yet  it  is 
ordered  so  that  these  creatures,  dogs,  lions, 
&c.,  will.  Though  the  rich  man  would  not 
entertain  him  in  his  house,  yet  his  dogs  will 
come  and  do  him  the  best  good  they  can,  even 
to  lick  his  running  sores.  It  was  thus  with 
Daniel ; when  the  world  was  mad  against  him, 
and  would  have  thrown  him  to  the  lions  to  be 
devoured,  the  lions  shut  their  mouths  at  him, 
(or  rather  the  Lord  did  shut  them  up,)  so  that 
there  was  not  that  hurt  befell  him  as  was  de- 
sired by  the  adversaries.  And  of  this  I am 
persuaded,  that  would  the  creatures  do  as  some 
men  would  have  them,  the  saints  of  God  should 
not  walk  so  quietly  up  and  down  the  streets 
and  other  places  as  they  do.  And  as  I said 
before,  so  I say  again,  I am  persuaded  that  at 
the  day  of  judgment  many  men’s  conditions 
and  carriages  will  be  so  laid  open  that  it  will 
evidently  appear  they  have  been  very  merci- 
less and  mad  against  the  children  of  God ; in- 
somuch that  when  the  providence  of  God  did 
fall  out  so  as  to  cross  their  expectation  they 
have  been  very  much  offended  thereat,  as  is 
very  evidently  seen  in  them  who  set  them- 
selves to  study  how  to  bring  the  saints  into 
bondage  and  to  thrust  them  into  corners,  as  in 
these  late  years.  And  because  God  hath  in 
his  goodness  ordered  things  otherwise,  they 
have  gnashed  their  teeth  thereat.  Hence  then 
let  the  saints  learn  not  to  commit  themselves 
to  their  enemies.  Beware  of  men.  They  are 
very  merciless  men,  and  will  not  so  much 
favour  you  (if  they  can  help  it)  as  you  may 
suppose  they  may.  Nay,  unless  the  over- 
ruling hand  of  God  in  goodness  do  order 
things  contrary  to  their  natural  inclination, 
they  will  not  favour  you  so  much  as  a dog. 

Ver.  22.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  beggar 

died,  and  was  carried  by  the  angels  into  Abra- 
ham’s bosom : the  rich  man  also  died,  and  was 

buried. 

The  former  verses  do  briefly  hold  forth  the 
carriage  of  the  ungodly  in  this  life  towards  the 


SIGHS  FROM  IIFLL. 


765 


saints.  Now  this  verse  doth  hold  fortli  the  de- 
parture both  of  the  godly  and  ungodly  out  of 
this  life. 

Where  he  said,  “And  it  came  to  pass  that 
the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried  into  Abra- 
ham’s bosom;  and  the  rich  man  died  also.” 
This  beggar  died — that  represents  the  godly ; 
and  the  rich  man  died — that  represents  the 
ungodly.  From  whence  observe,  neither  godly 
nor  ungodly  must  live  always  without  a change 
either  by  death  or  judgment.  The  good  man 
died  and  the  bad  man  died.  The  Scripture 
doth  also  back  this  truth,  that  good  and  bad 
must  die,  marvellous  well,  where  it  is  said, 
“And  it  is  appointed  unto  all  men  once  to  die, 
and  after  that  the  judgment.” 

Mark,  he  doth  not  say  it  is  so  that  men  by 
chance  may  die,  which  might  beget  in  the 
hearts  of  the  ungodly  especially  some  hope  to 
escape  the  bitterness  of  it;  but  he  'saith,  It  is 
a thing  most  certain,  it  is  appointed.  Mark, 
“It  is  appointed  unto  all  men  once  to  die, 
and  after  that  the  judgment.”  God  hath  de- 
creed it  that  since  men  have  fallen  from  that 
happy  state  that  God  at  the  first  did  set  them 
in,  “they  shall  die.”  NoV  when  it  is  said 
the  beggar  died  and  the  rich  man  died,  part 
of  the  meaning  is,  they  ceased  to ‘be  any  more 
in  this  world;  I say,  partly  the  meaning  is, 
but  not  altogether.  Though  it  be  altogether 
the  meaning  when  some  of  the  creatures 
die,  and  yet  it  is  but  in  part  the  meaning 
when  it  is  said  that  men,  women  or  chil- 
dren die;  for  there  is  to  them  something  else 
to  be  said,  more  than  a barely  going  out  of  the 
world.  For  if  when  unregenerate  men  and 
women  die  there  were  an  end  of  them,  not  only 
in  this  world,  but  also  in  tl^e  world  to  come, 
they  would  be  happier  than  they  will  be  now  ; 
for  when  ungodly  men  and  women  die  there  is 
that  to  come  after  death  that  will  be  very  ter- 
rible to  them — namely,  to  be  carried  by  the 
angels  of  darkness  from  their  deathbeds  to  hell, 
there  to  be  reserved  to  the  judgment  of  the 
great  day,  when  both  body  and  soul  shall  meet 
and  be  united  together  again,  and  made  capa- 
ble to  undergo  the  utmost  vengeance  of  the 
Almighty  to  all  eternity.  That  is  that,  I say, 
which  doth  follow  a man  (that  is  not  born 
again)  after  death,  as  it  is  clear  from  that  in  1 
Pet.  iii.  18,  19,  where,  before  speaking  of  Christ 
being  raised  again  by  the  power  of  his  eternal 
Spirit,  he  saith,  “ By  which  (that  is,  by  that 
Spirit)  he  went  and  preached  to  the  spirits  in 
prison.”  But  what  is  the  meaning  of  this? 
Why,  thus  much,  that  those  souls  who  were 


once  alive  in  the  world  in  the  time  or  days  in 
which  Noah  lived,  being  disobedient  in  their 
times  to  the  calls  of  God  by  his  Spirit  in  Noah 
— for  so  I understand  it — was,  according  to  that 
which  was  foretold  by  that  preacher,  deprived 
of  life  and  overcome  by  the  flood,  and  are  now 
in  prison.  Mark,  he  preached  to  the  spirits  in 
prison.  He  doth  not  say  who  were  in  prison 
under  chains  of  darkness,  reserved  or  kept 
there  in  that  prison  in  which  now  they  are, 
(ready,  like  villains  in  the  jail,  to  be  brought 
before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ  at  the  great 
day.)  But  of  this  I shall  speak  further  by  and 
by.  Now  if  this  one  truth,  that  men  must  die 
and  depart  this  world,  and  either  enter  into  joy 
or  else  into  prison  to  be  reserved  to  the  day  of 
judgment,  were  believed,  we  should  not  have 
so  many  wantons  walk  up  and  down  the  streets 
as  there  do ; at  least  it  would  put  a mighty 
check  to  their  filthy  carriage,  so  that  they 
would  not,  could  not,  walk  so  basely  and  sin- 
fully as  they  do.  Belshazzar,  notwithstanding 
that  he  was  so  far  from  the  fear  of  God  as  he 
was,  yet  when  he  did  but  see  God  was  offended 
and  threatened  him  for  his  wickedness,  it  made 
him  hang  down  his  head  and  knock  his  knees 
together.  Dan.  v.  5,  6.  If  you  read  the  verses 
before  you  will  find  he  was  careless,  and  satis- 
fying his  lusts  in  drinking,  and  playing  the 
wanton  with  his  concubines;  but  so  soon  as 
he  did  perceive  the  finger  of  an  hand  writing, 
“ then  (saith  the  Scripture)  the  king’s  coun- 
tenance was  changed  and  his  thoughts  troubled 
him,  so  that  the  joints  of  his  loins  were  loosed 
and  his  knees  smote  one  against  another.” 
And  when  Paul  told  Felix  of  righteousness, 
temperance,  and  judgment  to  come,  it  made 
him  tremble.  And  let  me  tell  thee,  soul,  who- 
ever thou  art,  that  if  thou  didst  but  verily  be- 
lieve that  thou  must  die  and  come  to  judgment, 
it  would  make  thee  turn  over  a new  leaf.  But 
this  is  the  misery : the  devil  doth  labour  by 
all  means  as  to  keep  out  other  things  that  are 
good,  so  to  keep  out  of  the  heart,  as  much  as 
in  him  lies,  the  thoughts  of  passing  from  this 
life  into  another  world ; for  he  knows  if  he.  can 
but  keep  them  from  the  serious  thoughts  of 
death  he  shall  the  more  easily  keep  them  in 
their  sins,  and  so  from  closing  with  Jesus 
Christ;  as  Job  saith,  “Their  houses  are  safe 
from  fear,  neither  is  the  rod  of  God  upon 
them.”  Which  makes  them  say  to  God,  “ De- 
part from  us,  for  we  desire  not  the  knowledge 
of  thy  ways.”  Because  there  is  no  fear  of  death 
and  judgment  to  come,  therefore  they  do  put 
off  God  and  his  ways,  and  spend  their  days  in 


766 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


their  sins,  and  in  a moment — that  is,  before 
they  are  aware — go  down  to  their  grave.  And 
thus  it  fared  also  with  the  man  spoken  of  in 
Luke  xii.  20.  The  man,  instead  of  thinking 
on  death,  he  thought  how  he  might  make  his 
barns  bigger;  but  in  the  midst  of  his  business 
in  the  world  he  lost  his  soul  before  he  was 
aware,  supposing  that  death  had  been  many 
years  off;  but  God  said  unto  him,  Thou  fool! 
thou  troublest  thyself  about  things  of  this  life ; 
thou  puttest  off  the  thoughts  of  departing  this 
world,  when  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  taken 
from  thee;  or,  This  night,  they — that  is,  the 
devils — will  fetch  away  thy  soul  from  thee. 
And  here  it  comes  to  pass,  men  not  being  ex- 
ercised with  the  thoughts  of  departing  this 
life,  that  they  are  so  unexpectedly  to  them- 
selves and  their  neighbours  taken  away  from 
the  pleasures  and  profits,  yea,  and  all  the  en- 
joyments they  busy  themselves  withal  while 
they  live  in  this  world.  And  hence  it  is  again 
that  you  have  some  in  your  towns  and  cities 
that  are  so  suddenly  taken  away — some  from 
haunting  the  alehouses,  others  from  haunting 
the  whorehouses,  others  from  playing  and 
gaming,  others  from  the  cares  and  covetous 
desires  after  this  world,  unlooked  for  as  by 
themselves  or  their  companions.  Hence  it  is 
also  that  men  do  so  wonder  at  such  tidings  as 
these — that  there  is  such  a one  dead,  such  a 
one  departed;  it  is  because  they  do  so  little 
consider  both  the  transitoriness  of  themselves 
and  their  neighbours;  for  had  they  but  their 
thoughts  well  exercised  about  the  shortness  of 
this  life,  and  the  danger  that  will  befall  such 
as  do  miss  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  would 
make  them  more  wary  and  sober,  and  spend 
more  time  in  the  service  of  God,  and  be  more 
delighted  and  diligent  in  inquiring  after  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  “ who  is  the  deliverer  from 
the  wrath  to  come.”  For,  as  I said  before,  it 
is  evident  that  they  who  live  after  the  flesh,  in 
the  lusts  thereof,  do  not  really  and  seriously 
think  on  death  and  the  judgment  that  doth 
follow  after;  neither  do  they  indeed  endeavour 
so  to  do ; for  did  they  it  would  make  them  say 
with  the  holy  Job,  “ All  the  days  of  my  ap- 
pointed time  will  J wait  till  my  change  come.” 
And,  as  I said  before,  not  only  the  wicked, 
but  also  the  godly,  have  their  time  to  depart 
this  life.  And  the  beggar  died.  The  saints 
of  the  Lord,  they  must  be  deprived  of  this  life 
also;  they  must  yield  up  the  ghost  into  the 
hands  of  the  Lord  their  God;  they  must  also 
be  separated  from  their  wives,  children,  hus- 
bands, friends,  goods,  and  all  that  they  have 


in  the  world.  For  God  hath  decreed  it;  it  is 
appointed,  namely,  by  the  Lord,  '‘for  men 
once  to  die,  and  we  must  appear  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ.”  But  it  may  be  ob- 
jected, If  the  godly  die  as  well  as  the  wicked, 
and  if  the  saints  must  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat as  well  as  the  sinners,  then  what 
advantage  have  the  godly  more  than  the  un- 
godly ? And  how  can  the  saints  be  in  a better 
condition  than  the  wicked? 

Answer.  Read  the  22d  verse  over  again,  and 
you  will  find  a marvellous  difference  between 
them,  as  much  as  is  between  heaven  and  hell, 
everlasting  joy  and  everlasting  torments ; for 
you  find  that  when  the  beggar  died,  who  repre- 
sents the  godly,  he  was  carried  by  the  angels 
into  Abraham’s  bosom,  or  into  everlasting  joy. 
Ps.  i.  But  the  ungodly  are  not  so,  but  are 
hurried  by  the  devils  into  the  bottomless  pit, 
drawn  away  in  their  wickedness,  (Prov.  iv.  32,) 
for  he  saith,  “ And  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes.” 
When  the  ungodly  do  die  their  misery  begin- 
neth,  for  then  appear  the  devils,  like  so  many 
lions,  waiting  every  moment  till  the  soul  de- 
part from  the  body.  Sometimes  they  are  vis- 
ible to  the  dying  party,  but  sometimes  more 
invisible ; but  always  this  is  certain,  they 
never  miss  of  the  soul  if  it  do  die  out  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  do  haul  it  away  to  the 
prison,  as  I said  before,  there  to  be  tormented 
and  reserved  until  the  great  and  dreadful  day 
of  judgment,  at  which  day  they  must,  body 
and  soul,  receive  a final  sentence  from  the 
righteous  Judge,  and  from  that  time  be  shut 
out  from  the  presence  of  God  into  everlasting 
woe  and  distress.  But  the  godly,  when  the 
time  of  their  departure  is  at  hand,  then  also 
are  the  angels  of  the  Lord  at  hand ; yea,  they 
are  ready  waiting  upon  the  soul  to  conduct  it 
safe  into  Abraham’s  bosom.  I do  not  say  but 
the  devils  are  ofttimes  very  busy,  doubtless, 
and  attending  the  saints  in  their  sickness ; ay, 
and  no  question  but  they  should  willingly  de- 
prive the  soul  of  glory.  But  here  is  the  com- 
fort— as  the  devils  come  from  hell  to  devour  the 
soul  (if  it  be  possible)  at  its  departure,  so  the 
angels  of  the  Lord  come  from  heaven  to  watch 
over  and  conduct  the  soul  (in  spite  of  the 
devils)  safe  into  Abraham’s  bosom. 

David  had  the  comfort  of  this,  and  speaks  it 
forth  for  the  comfort  of  his  brethren,  saying, 
“The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round 
about  them  that  fear  him,  and  delivereth 
them.”  Mark,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  encamp- 
eth round  about  his  children  to  deliver  them. 
From  what?  From  their  enemies,  of  which 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


767 


the  devil  is  not  the  least.  This  is  an  excellent 
comfort,  at  any  time,  to  have  the  holy  angels 
of  God  to  attend  a poor  man  or  woman,  but  es- 
pecially it  is  comfortable  in  the  time  of  dis- 
tress, at  the  time  of  death,  when  the  devils  be- 
set the  soul  with  all  the  power  that  hell  can 
afford  them.  But  now  it  may  be  that  the 
glorious  angels  of  God  do  not  appear  at  the 
first  to  the  view  of  the  soul ; nay,  rather,  hell 
stands  before  it,  and  the  devils  ready  as  if  they 
would  carry  it  thither ; but  this  is  the  com- 
fort— the  angels  do  always  appear  at  the  last, 
and  will  not  fail  the  soul,  but  will  carry  it  safe 
into  Abraham’s  bosom.  Ah,  friends!  consider, 
here  is  an  ungodly  man  upon  his  deathbed, 
and  he  hath  none  to  speak  for  him,  none  to 
speak  comfort  unto  him ; but  it  is  not  so  with 
the  children  of  God,  for  they  have  the  Spirit 
to  comfort  them.  Here  are  the  ungodly,  and 
they  have  no  Christ  to  pray  for  their  safe  con- 
duct to  glory,  but  the  saints  have  an  interces- 
sor. Job  xvii.  9.  Here  is  the  world ; when 
they  die  they  have  none  of  the  angels  of  God 
to  attend  upon  them,  but  the  saints  have  their 
company.  In  a word,  the  unconverted  person, 
when  he  dies,  he  sinks  into  the  bottomless  pit ; 
but  the  saints,  when  they  die,  do  ascend  with 
and  by  the  angels  into  Abraham’s  bosom,  or 
into  unspeakable  glory. 

Again,  it  is  said  that  the  rich  man  when  he 
died  was  buried,  or  put  into  the  earth,  but 
when  the  beggar  died  he  was  carried  by  the 
angels  into  Abraham’s  bosom.  The  one  in  a 
very  excellent  style : where  he  saith  he  was  car- 
ried by  angels  into  Abraham’s  bosom,  it  de- 
notes the  excellent  condition  of  the  saints  of 
God,  as  I said  before  ; and  not  only  so,  “ but 
also  the  preciousness  of  the  death  of  the  saints 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,”  that  after  generations 
may  see  how  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord 
the  death  of  his  saints  is,  when  he  saith  they 
are  carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham’s 
bosom. 

Thus  many  times  the  Lord  adorneth  the 
death  and  departure  of  his  saints,  to  hold  forth 
to  after  generations  how  excellent  they  are  in 
his  eyes.  It  is  said  of  Enoch  that  God  took 
him ; of  Abraham,  that  he  died  in  a good  old 
age;  of  Moses,  that  the  Lord  buried  him;  of 
Elijah,  that  he  was  taken  up  into  heaven ; that 
the  saints  sleep  in  Jesus ; that  they  die  in  the 
Lqrd  ; that  they  rest  from  their  labours ; that 
their  works  follow  them  ; that  they  are  under 
the  altar;  that  they  are  with  Christ;  that  they 
are  in  light;  that  they  are  to  come  with  the 
Lord  Jesus  to  judge  the  world.  All  which 


sayings  signify  thus  much,  that  to  die  as  a 
saint  is  a very  great  honour  and  dignity.  But 
the  ungodly  are  not  so.  The  rich  or  ungodly 
dies  and  is  buried;  he  is  carried  from  his 
dwelling  to  his  grave,  and  there  he  is  buried, 
hid  in  the  dust,  and  his  body  doth  not  so  fast 
moulder  and  come  to  naught  there  but  his 
name  doth  stink  as  fast  in  the  world.  As  saith 
the  Holy  Scripture,  The  name  of  the  wicked 
shall  rot.  And  indeed  the  names  of  the  godly 
are  not  in  so  much  honour  after  their  depart- 
ure but  the  wicked  and  their  names  do  as  much 
rot.  What  a dishonour  to  posterity  was  the 
death  of  Balaam,  Agag,  Aliithophel,  Hainan, 
Judas,  Herod,  with  the  rest  of  his  compan- 
ions ! 

Thus  the  wicked  have  their  names  written 
on  the  earth,  and  they  do  perish  and  rot,  and 
the  names  of  the  saints  cast  forth  a dainty  sa- 
vour to  following  generations ; and  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  doth  signify  where  he  saith,  “ The 
godly  are  carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham’s 
bosom.”  And  the  wicked  are  nothing  worth 
where  he  saith,  “ The  ungodly  die  and  are 
buried.” 

Yer.  23.  And  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes,  being  in 

torments,  and  seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and 

Lazarus  in  his  bosom. 

The  former  verse  speaks  only  of  the  depart- 
ure of  the  ungodly  out  of  this  life,  together 
with  the  glorious  conduct  that  the  godly  have 
into  the  kingdom  of  their  Father.  Now,  our 
Lord  doth  show  in  this  verse  partly  what  doth 
and  shall  befall  to  the  reprobate  after  this  life 
is  ended,  where  he  saith,  “And  in  hell  he  lift 
up  his  eyes.”  That  is,  the  ungodly  after  they 
depart  this  life  do  lift  up  their  eyes  in  hell. 
From  these  words  may  be  observed  these 
things : 

1.  That  there  is  an  hell  for  souls  to  be  tor- 
mented in  when  this  life  is  ended.  Mark,  after 
he  was  dead  and  buried  “ in  hell  he  lift  up  his 
eyes.” 

2.  That  all  that  are  ungodly  and  do  live  and 
die  in  their  sins,  so  soon  as  ever  they  die  they 
go  into  hell : lie  died  and  was  buried,  and 
“ in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes.” 

3.  That  some  are  so  fast  asleep  and  secure  in 
their  sins  that  they  scarce  know  well  where 
they  are  till  they  come  into  hell,  and  that  I 
gather  from  these  words : “ In  hell  he  lift  up 
his  eyes.”  He  was  asleep  before,  but  hell 
makes  him  lift  up  his  eyes. 

As  I said  before,  it  is  evident  that  there  is  au 
hell  for  souls,  yea,  and  bodies  too,  to  be  tor- 


768 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


mented  in  after  they  depart  this  life,  as  is 
clear — first,  because  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  cannot  lie,  did  say  that  after  the  sinner 
was  dead  and  buried  “in  hell  he  lift  up  his 
eyes.” 

Now,  if  it  be  objected  that  by  hell  is  here 
meant  the  grave,  that  I plainly  deny — 

1.  Because  there  the  body  is  not  sensible  of 
torment  or  ease ; but  in  that  hell  into  which 
the  spirits  of  the  damned  depart  they  are  sen- 
sible of  torment,  and  would  very  willingly  be 
free  from  it  to  enjoy  ease,  which  they  are  sen- 
sible of  the  want  of,  as  is  clearly  discovered  in 
this  parable:  “Send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip 
the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water  to  cool  my 
tongue.” 

2.  It  is  not  meant  the  grave,  but  some  other 
place ; because  the  bodies,  so  long  as  they  lie 
there,  are  not  capable  of  lifting  up  their  eyes 
to  see  the  glorious  condition  of  the  children  of 
God,  as  the  souls  of  the  damned  do : “ In  hell 
he  lift  up  his  eyes.” 

3.  It  cannot  be  the  grave ; for  then  it  must 
follow  that  the  soul  was  buried  there  with  the 
body,  which  cannot  stand  with  such  a dead 
state  as  is  here  mentioned ; for  he  saith,  “ The 
rich  man  died” — that  is,  his  soul  was  separated 
from  his  body — “and  in  hell  he  lift  up  his 
eyes.” 

If  it  be  again  objected  that  there  is  no  hell 
but  in  this  life,  that  I do  also  deny,  as  I said 
before : After  he  was  dead  and  buried  “ in  hell 
he  lift  up  his  eyes.”  And  let  me  tell  thee,  O 
soul,  whoever  thou  art,  and  if  thou  close  not 
in  savingly  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
lay  hold  on  what  he  hath  done  and  is  doing  in 
his  own  person  for  sinners,  thou  wilt  find  such 
an  hell  after  this  life  is  ended  that  thou  wilt 
not  get  out  of  again  for  ever  and  ever.  And 
thou  that  art  wanton,  and  dost  but  make  a 
mock  at  the  servants  of  the  Lord  when  they 
tell  thee  of  the  torments  of  hell,  thou  wilt  find 
that  when  thou  departest  out  of  this  life  that 
hell,  even  the  hell  which  is  after  this  life,  will 
meet  thee  in  thy  journey  thither,  and  will, 
with  its  hellish  crew,  give  thee  such  a sad 
salutation  that  thou  wilt  not  forget  it  to  all 
eternity — when  that  Scripture  comes  to  be  ful- 
filled on  thy  soul,  in  Isa.  xiv.  9:  “Hell  from 
beneath  is  moved  for  thee  to  meet  thee  at  thy 
coining ; it  stirreth  up  the  dead  for  thee,  even 
all  the  chief  ones  of  the  earth ; it  hath  raised 
from  their  thrones  all  the  kings  of  the  nations. 
All  they  ” — that  is,  that  are  in  hell— “ shall  say, 
Art  thou  become  as  weak  as  we?  Art  thou 
become  like  unto  us  ?”  Oh,  sometimes  when 


I have  had  but  thoughts  of  going  to  hell,  and 
considered  the  everlastingness  of  their  ruin 
that  fall  in  thither,  it  hath  stirred  me  up  rather 
to  seek  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  deliver  me 
from  thence,  than  to  slight  it  and  make  a mock 
at  it. 

“And  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes.”  The 
second  thing  I told  you  was  this : that  all  the 
ungodly  that  live  and  die  in  their  sins  so  soon 
as  ever  they  depart  this  life  do  descend  into 
hell.  This  is  also  verified  by  the  words  in  this 
parable,  where  Christ  saith,  “ He  died  and  was 
buried,  and  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes.”  “As 
the  tree  falls,  so  it  shall  lie,  whether  it  be  to 
heaven  or  hell.”  And  as  Christ  said  to  the 
thief  on  the  cross,  “This  day  shalt  thou  be 
with  me  in  paradise,”  even  so  the  devil,  in  like 
manner,  may  say  unto  the  soul,  To-morrow 
shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  hell.  See,  then,  what 
a miserable  case  he  that  dies  in  an  unregenerate 
state  is  in ! He  departs  from  a long  sickness 
to  a longer  hell,  from  the  gripings  of  death  to 
the  everlasting  torments  of  hell.  “And  in 
hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes.”  Ah,  friends ! if  you 
were  but  yourselves,  you  would  have  a care  of 
your  souls ; if  you  did  but  regard,  you  would 
see  how  mad  they  are  that  slight  the  salvation 
of  their  souls : “ Oh  what  will  it  profit  thy  soul 
to  have  pleasure  in  this  life  and  torment  in 
hell?”  Thou  hadst  better  part  with  all  thy 
sins,  and  pleasures,  and  companions,  or  what- 
soever thou  delightest  in,  than  to  have  soul 
and  body  cast  into  hell.  “Oh  then  do  not 
neglect  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  lest  thou  drop 
down  to  hell !”  Consider,  would  it  not  wound 
thee  to  thine  heart  to  come  upon  thy  deathbed, 
and  instead  of  having  the  comfort  of  a well- 
spent  life,  and  the  merits  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  together  with  the  comfort  of  his  glori- 
ous Spirit,  to  have,  first,  the  sight  of  an  ill- 
spent  life,  thy  sins  flying  in  thy  face,  thy  con- 
science uttering  of  itself  with  thunderclaps 
against  thee,  the  thoughts  of  God  terrifying 
of  thee,  death,  with  his  merciless  paw,  seizing 
upon  thee,  the  devils  standing  ready  to  scramble 
for  thy  soul,  and  hell  enlarging  herself  and 
ready  to  swallow  thee  up,  and  an  eternity  of 
misery  and  torment  attending  upon  thee,  from 
which  there  will  be  no  release  ? For,  mark, 
death  doth  not  come  alone  to  an  unconverted 
soul,  but  with  such  company  as,  wast  thou  but 
sensible  of,  it  would  make  thee  tremble..  1 
pray  consider  that  Scripture  in  Bev.  vi.  8: 
“ And  I looked  and  beheld  a pale  horse,  and 
his  name  that  sat  upon  him  was  Death,  and 
Hell  followed  with  him.”  Mark,  death  doth 


SIGHS  FROM  IIELL. 


76  D 


not  come  alone  to  the  ungodly,  no,  but  hell 
gocth  with  him.  0 miserable  comforters!  O 
miserable  society  ! Here  come  death  and  hell 
unto  thee.  Death  goeth  into  thy  body  and 
separates  body  and  soul  asunder;  hell  stands 
without  (as  I may  say)  to  embrace,  or  rather 
to  crush,  thy  soul  between  its  everlasting 
grinders.  Then  thy  mirth,  thy  joy,  thy  sinful 
delights  will  be  ended  when  this  comes  to  pass. 
Lo,  it  will  come.  Blessed  are  all  those  that, 
through  Jesus  Christ’s  mercies,  by  faith,  do 
escape  these  soul-murdering  companions! 
“And  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes.” 

The  third  thing,  you  know,  that  we  did  ob- 
serve from  these  words  was  this — that  some  are 
so  fast  asleep  and  secure  in  their  sins  that  they 
scarce  know  where  they  are  until  they  come 
into  hell.  And  that,  I told  you,  I gather  by 
these  words,  “ In  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes.” 
Mark,  it  was  in  hell  that  he  lift  up  his  eyes. 
Now  some  do  understand  by  these  words  that 
he  came  to  himself,  or  began  to  consider  with 
himself,  or  to  think  with  himself,  in  what 
an  estate  he  was  and  what  he  was  deprived 
of;  which  is  still  a confirmation  of  the  thing 
laid  down  by  me.  There  it  is  that  they  come 
to  themselves — that  is,  there  they  are  sensible 
where  they  are  indeed.  Thus  it  fares  with 
some  men  that  they  scarce  know  where  they 
are  till  they  lift  up  their  eyes  in  hell.  It  is 
with  those  people  as  with  those  that  fall  down 
in  a swoon ; you  know  if  a man  do  fall  down 
in  a swoon  in  one  room,  though  you  take  him 
up  and  carry  him  into  another,  yet  he  is  not 
sensible  where  he  is  till  he  cometh  unto  him- 
self and  lifts  up  his  eyes. 

Truly,  thus,  as  it  is  to  be  feared,  it  is  with 
many  poor  souls ; they  are  so  senseless,  so  .hard, 
“so  seared  in  their  conscience,”  that  they  are 
ignorant  of  their  state,  and  when  death  comes 
it  strikes  them  as  it  were  into  a swoon,  (es- 
pecially if  they  die  suddenly,)  and  so  they  are 
hurried  away,  and  scarce  know  where  they  are 
till  in  hell  they  lift  up  their  eyes;  this  is  he 
who  dieth  in  his  full  strength,  fully  at  ease  and 
quiet. 

Of  this  sort  are  they  spoken  of  in  Ps. 
xxxvii.,  where  he  saith,  “ There  are  no  bonds 
in  their  death,  but  their  strength  is  firm : they 
are  not  troubled  as  other  folk,  neither  are  they 
plagued  like  other  men.”  And  again,  “ They 
spend  their  days  in  wealth,  and  in  a moment” 
— mark,  in  a moment,  before  they  are  aware — 
they  “go  down  into  the  grave.” 

Indeed,  this  is  too  much  known  by  woeful 
and  daily  experience ; sometimes  when  we  go 
49 


to  visit  them  that  arc  sick  in  the  towns  and 
places  where  we  live,  oh  how  senseless,  how 
seared  in  their  conscience  are  they  ! They  are 
neither  sensible  of  heaven  nor  of  hell,  of  sin 
nor  of  a Saviour;  speak  to  them  of  their  con- 
dition and  the  state  of  their  souls,  and  you 
shall  find  them  as  ignorant  as  if  they  had  no 
souls  to  regard.  Others,  though  they  lie  ready 
to  die,  yet  they  are  busying  themselves  about 
their  outward  affairs,  as  though  they  should 
certainly  live  here,  even  to  live  and  enjoy  the 
same,  for  ever.  Again,  come  to  others,  speak 
to  them  about  the  state  of  their  souls,  though 
they  have  no  more  experience  of  the  new  birth 
than  a beast,  yet  will  they  speak  as  confidently 
of  their  eternal  estate  and  the  welfare  of  their 
souls  as  if  they  had  the  most  excellent  experi- 
ence of  any  man  or  woman  in  the  world,  say- 
ing, “ I shall  have  peace,”  when,  as  I said,  even 
now  the  Lord  knows  they  are  as  ignorant  of 
the  new  birth,  of  the  nature  and  operation  of 
faith,  of  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  as  if  there 
was  no  new  birth,  no  faith,  no  witness  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  in  any  of  the  saints  in  the 
world.  Nay,  thus  many  of  them  are  even  an 
hour  or  less  before  their  departure.  Ah,  poor 
souls ! though  they  may  go  away  here  like  a 
lamb,  as  the  w'orld  says,  yet  if  you  could  but 
follow  them  a little,  to  stand  and  listen  soon 
after  their  departure,  it  is  to  be  feared  you 
shall  hear  them  roar  like  a lion  at  their  first 
entrance  into  hell,  far  worse  than  ever  did 
Korah,  &c.,  when  they  went  down  quick  into 
the  ground. 

Now,  by  this  one  thing  doth  the  devil  take 
great  advantage  on  the  hearts  of  the  ignorant, 
suggesting  unto  them  that  because  the  party 
deceased  departed  so  quietly,  without  all  doubt 
they  are  gone  to  rest  and  joy;  when,  alas!  it 
is  to  be  feared  the  reason  why  they  went  away 
so  quietly  was  rather  because  they  were  sense- 
less and  hardened  in  their  conscience,  yea, 
dead  before  in  sins  and  trespasses.  For  had 
they  but  some  awakenings  on  their  deathbeds, 
as  some  have  had,  they  would  have  made  all 
the  town  ring  of  their  doleful  condition,  but 
because  they  are  seared  and  ignorant,  and  so 
depart  quietly,  therefore  the  world  takes  heart 
of  grace,  (as  we  use  to  say,)  and  makes  no  great 
matter  of  living  and  dying  they  cannot  tell 
how : “ Therefore  pride  compasseth  them  as 
a chain.”  But  let  them  look  to  themselves, 
for  if  they  have  not  an  interest  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  now  while  they  live  in  the  world,  they 
will,  whether  they  die  raging  or  still,  go  unto 
the  same  place  and  lift  up  their  eyes  in  hell. 


770 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


0 my  friends!  did  you  but  know  what  a 
miserable  condition  they  are  in  that  go  out  of 
this  world  without  an  interest  in  the  Son  of 
God,  it  would  make  you  smite  upon  your  thigh 
and  in  the  bitterness  of  your  souls  cry  out, 
“ Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  to  be 
saved?”  And  not  only'  so,  but  thou  wouldst 
not  be  comforted  until  thou  didst  find  a rest 
for  thy  soul  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Yer.  23.  And  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes,  being  in 

torment,  and  seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Laza- 
rus in  his  bosom. 

Something  in  brief  I have  observed  from 
the  first  part  of  this  verse — namely,  from  these 
words : “ And  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes.” 
And  indeed  I have  observed  but  some  things, 
for  they  are  very  full  of  matter  and  many 
things  might  be  taken  notice  of  in  them. 
There  is  one  thing  more  that  I might  touch 
upon  as  couched  in  this  saying,  and  that  is 
this:  Methinks  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  doth 
hereby  signify  that  men  are  naturally  unwilling 
to  see  or  to  take  notice  of  their  sad  state — I say 
l)y  nature — but,  though  now  they  are  willingly 
ignorant,  yet  in  hell  they  shall  lift  up  their 
eyes.  That  is,  in  hell  they  shall  see  and  un- 
derstand their  miserable  condition  ; and  there- 
fore to  these  words,  “In  hell  he  lift  up  his 
eyes,”  he  adds,  “ being  in  torment,”  as  if  he 
had  said,  Though  once  they  shut  their  eyes, 
though  once  they  were  willingly  ignorant,  yet 
when  they  depart  into  hell  they  shall  be  so 
miserably  'handled  and  tormented  that  they 
shall  be  forced  to  lift  up  their  eyes.  While 
men  live  in  this  world  and  are  in  a natural 
state  they  will  have  a good  conceit  of  them- 
selves and  of  their  condition  ; they  will  con- 
clude that  they  are  Christians,  that  Abraham 
is  their  father,  and  their  state  to  be  as  good  as 
the  best;  they  will  conclude  they  have  faith, 
the  Spirit,  good  hope,  an  interest  in  the  Lord 
.Jesus  Christ;  but  when  they  drop  into  hell 
and  lift  up  their  eyes  there,  and  behold,  first, 
their  souls  to  be  in  extreme  torments,  their 
dwelling  to  be  the  bottomless  pit,  their  com- 
pany thousands  of  damned  souls,  also  the  in- 
numerable company  of  devils,  and  the  hot 
scalding  vengeance  of  God  not  only  to  drop, 
but  to  fall  very  violently  upon  them,  then  they 
will  be  awakened  who  all  their  lifetime  were 
in  a sleep — I say,  when  this  comes  to  pass — for 
lo,  it  will — then  in  hell  they  shall  lift  up  their 
eyes,  in  the  midst  of  torment  they  shall  lift  up 
.their  eyes. 

Again,  you  may  observi  in  these  words, 


“ And  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes,  being  in  tor- 
ment,” that  ungodly  men  will  smart  for  their 
sins  in  the  torments  of  hell.  Now,  here  I am 
put  to  a stand  when  I consider  the  torments 
of  hell  into  which  the  damned  do  fall.  0 un- 
speakable torments  ! 0 endless  torments  ! 

Now,  that  thy  soul  might  be  made  to  flee 
from  those  intolerable  torments  into  which 
the  damned  do  go,  I shall  show  you  briefly 
what  are  the  torments  of  hell.  First,  by  the 
names  of  it ; secondly,  by  the  sad  state  thou 
wilt  be  in  if  thou  comest  there.  First,  the 
names.  It  is  called  a never-dying  worm, 
(Mark  ix. ;)  it  is  called  an  oven,  fire-liot,  (Mai. 
iv.  1;)  it  is  called  a furnace,  a fiery  furnace, 
(Matt.  xiii. ;)  it  is  called  the  bottomless  pit, 
the  unquenchable  fire,  fire  and  brimstone, 
hell-fire,  the  lake  of  fire,  devouring  fire,  ever- 
lasting fire,  eternal  fire,  a stream  of  fire. 
Rev.  xxi. 

1.  One  part  of  thy  torments  will  be  this: 
thou  shalt  have  a full  sight  of  all  thy  ill- 
spent  life,  from  first  to  last;  though  here  thou 
eanst  sin  to-day  and  forget  it  by  to-morrow, 
yet  there  thou  shalt  be  made  to  remember 
how  thou  didst  sin  against  God  at  such  a 
time  and  in  such  a place,  for  such  a thing 
and  with  such  a one,  which  will  be  a hell 
unto  thee.  Ps.  1.  21 : “ God  will  set  them  in 
order  before  thine  eyes.” 

2.  Thou  shalt  have  the  guilt  of  them  all  lie 
heavy  on  thy  soul — not  only  the  guilt  of  one 
or  two,  but  the  guilt  of  them  all  together — 
and  there  they  shall  lie  in  thy  soul,  as  if  thy 
belly  were  full  of  pitch  and  set  on  a light  fire. 
Here  men  can  sometimes  think  on  their  sins 
with  delight,  but  there  with  unspeakable  tor- 
ment; .for  that  I understand  to  be  the  fire  that 
Christ  speaketh  of,  which  shall  never  be 
quenched.  While  men  live  here,  oh  how 
doth  the  guilt  of  one  sin  sometimes  crush  the 
soul ! It  makes  a man  in  such  plight  that  he 
is  weary  of  his  life,  so  that  he  can  neither  rest 
at  home  nor  abroad,  neither  up  nor  in  bed. 
Nay,  I do  know  that  they  have  been  so  tor- 
mented with  the  guilt  of  one  sinful  thought 
that  they  have  been  even  at  their  wits’  ends 
and  have  hanged  themselves.  But  now  when 
thou  comest  into  hell,  and  hast  not  only  one, 
or  two,  or  an  hundred  sins,  with  the  guilt  of 
them  all,  on  thy  soul  and  body,  but  all  the 
sins  that  ever  thou  didst  commit  since  thou 
earnest  into  the  world  altogether  clapped  on 
thy  conscience  at  one  time,  as  one  should 
clap  a red-hot  iron  to  thy  breast,  and  there  to 
conf'nue  to  all  eternity,  this  is  miserable. 


SIGHS  FROM  1IEI.L. 


771 


3.  Again,  then  thou  shall  have  brought  into 
thy  remembrance  the  slighting  of  the  Gospel 
of  Christ ; here  thou  shalt  consider  how  will- 
ing Christ  was  to  come  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  and  for  what  a trifle  thou  didst  reject 
him.  This  is  plainly  held  forth  in  Isa.  xxviii., 
where,  speaking  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
foundation  of  salvation,  (ver.  16,)  he  saith  of 
them  that  reject  the  Gospel  that  when  the 
overflowing  scourge  doth  pass  through  the 
earth,  (which  I understand  to  be  at  the  end 
of  the  world.)  then,  saith  he,  “ It  shall  take 
you  morning  by  morning,  by  day  and  by 
night  shall  it  pass  over  you;”  that  is,  contin- 
ually, without  any  intermission.  “ And  it 
shall  be  a vexation  only  to  hear  the  report.” 
A vexation — that  is,  a torment,  or  a great  part 
of  hell — only  to  understand  the  report,  to  un- 
derstand the  good  tidings  that  came  into  the 
world  by  Christ’s  death  for  poor  sinners.  And 
you  will  find  this  verily  to  be  the  mind  of  the 
Spirit,  if  you  compare  it  with  Isa.  liii.  1, 
where  he  speaks  of  men’s  turning  their  backs 
upon  the  tenders  of  God’s  grace  in  the  Gos- 
pel; he  saith,  “Who  hath  believed  our  re- 
port,” or  the  Gospel  declared  by  us?  Now 
this  will  be  a mighty  torment  to  the  ungodly, 
when  they  shall  understand  the  goodness  of 
God  was  so  great  that  he  even  sent  his  Son 
out  of  his  bosom  to  die  for  sinners,  and  yet 
that  they  should  be  so  foolish  as  to  put  him 
off  from  one  time  to  another;  that  they 
should  be  so  foolish  as  to  lose  heaven  and 
Christ  and  eternal  life  in  glory  for  the  society 
of  a company  of  drunkards;  that  they  should 
lose  their  souls  for  a little  sport,  for  this 
world,  for  a strumpet,  for  that  which  is  lighter 
than  vanity  and  nothing — I say,  this  will  be  a 
very  great  torment  unto  thee. 

4.  Another  part  of  thy  torment  will  be  this: 
thou  shalt  see  thy  friends,  thy  acquaintance, 
thy  neighbours— nay,  it  may  be,  thy  father, 
thy  mother,  thy  wife,  thy  husband,  thy  chil- 
dren, thy  brother,  thy  sister,  with  others — in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  thyself  thrust 
out.  Luke  xiii.  28.  There  shall  be  weeping, 
&c.,  when  you  shall  see  Abraham,  (your 
father,)  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  (together  with 
your  brethren)  the  prophets,  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  and  you  yourselves  thrust  out. 
Nay,  saith  he,  “ They  shall  come  from  the 
east  and  from  the  west  ’’—that  is,  those  that 
thou  didst  never  see  in  all  thy  life  before — 
and  they  shall  sit  down  with  thy  friends,  and 
thy  neighbours,  thy  wife  and  children  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  and  thou,  for  thy  sins  arid 


disobedience,  shall  be  shut,  nay,  thrust  out 
O wonderful  torment ! 

5.  Again,  thou  shalt  have  none  but  a com- 
pany of  damned  souls,  with  an  innumerable 
company  of  devils,  to  keep  company  with 
thee.  While  thou  art  in  this  world  the  very 
thought  of  the  devils  appearing  to  thee  makes 
thy  flesh  to  tremble  and  thine  hair  ready  to 
stand  upright  on  thy  head.  But  oh  what  wilt 
thou  do  when  not  only  the  supposition  of  the 
devils  appearing,  but  the  real  society  of  all 
devils  of  hell  will  be  with  thee,  howling  and 
roaring,  screeching  and  roaring  in  such  a 
hideous  manner  that  thou  wilt  be  even  at  thy 
wits’  end,  and  be  ready  to  run  stark  mad  again 
for  anguish  and  torments? 

6.  Again,  that  thou  mightest  be  tormented 
to  purpose,  the  mighty  God  of  heaven  will  lay 
as  great  wrath  and  vengeance  upon  thee  as 
ever  he  can  by  the  might  of  his  glorious  power. 
As  I said  before,  thou  shalt  have  his  wrath  not 
by  drops,  but  by  whole  showers  shall  it  come, 
thunder  upon  thy  body  and  soul  so  last  and  so 
thick  that  thou  shalt  be  tormented  out  of 
measure.  And  so  saith  the  Scripture,  (2 
Thess.  iii.  9,)  speaking  of  the  wicked,  “who 
shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and  from  the 
glory  of  his  power,”  when  the  saints  shall  be 
admiring  his  goodness  and  glory. 

Again,  this  thou  shalt  have,  as  I said  before, 
without  any  intermission : thou  shalt  not  have 
any  ease  so  long  as  while  a man  may  turn 
himself  round;  thou  shalt  have  it  always, 
every  hour,  day  and  night ; for  their  worm 
never  dies,  but  always  gnaws,  and  their  fire  is 
never  quenched. 

Again,  in  this  condition  thou  must  be  for 
ever,  and  that  is  as  sad  as  all  the  rest.  For  if 
a man  were  to  have  all  his  sins  laid  to  his 
charge,  and  communion  with  the  devils,  and 
as  much  wrath  as  the  great  God  of  heaven  can 
inflict  upon  him — I say,  if  it  were  but  for  a 
time,  even  ten  thousand  years,  and  so  end, 
there  would  be  ground  of  comfort  and  hopes 
of  deliverance;  but  here  is  thy  misery,  this  is 
thy  state  for  ever,  here  thou  must  be  for  ever  ; 
when  thou  lookest  about  thee,  and  seest  what 
an  innumerable  company  of  howling  devils 
thou  art  amongst,  thou  shalt  think  this  again, 
This  is  my  portion  for  ever.  When  thou  hast 
been  in  hell  so  many  thousand  years  as  there 
are  stars  in  the  firmament  or  drops  in  the  sea 
or  sands  on  the  sea-shore,  yet  thou  hast  to  lie 
there  for  ever.  Oh  this  one  word  ever,  bow 
will  it  torment  thy  soul ! 


772 


BIMYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Friends,  I have  only  given  a very  short 
touch  of  the  torments  of  hell.  Oh  I am  set,  I 
am  set,  and  am  not  able  to  utter  what  my  mind 
conceives  of  the  torments  of  hell.  Yet  this  let 
me  say  to  thee : accept  of  God’s  mercy  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  lest  thou  feel  that  with 
thy  conscience  which  I cannot  express  with 
my  tongue,  and  say,  I am  sorely  tormented  in 
this  flame. 

1.  “ And  seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Laz- 
arus in  his  bosom.”  When  the  damned  are  in 
this  pitiful  state,  surrounded  with  fears,  with 
terrors,  with  torment  and  vengeance,  one  thing 
they  shall  have,  which  is  this:  they  shall  see 
the  happy  and  blessed  state  of  God’s  children. 
He  seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his 
bosom,  which,  as  I said  before,  is  the  happy 
state  of  the  saints  when  this  life  is  ended. 
This  now  shall  be  so  far  from  being  an  ease 
unto  them  that  it  shall  most  wonderfully  ag- 
gravate or  heighten  their  torment,  as  I said 
before.  There  shall  he  weeping  or  cause  of 
lamentation  when  they  shall  see  Abraham  and 
Isaac  and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
and  themselves  thrust  out. 

Observe,  those  that  die  in  their  sins  are  far 
from  going  to  heaven.  He  seeth  Abraham 
afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom.  And  in- 
deed it  is  just  with  God  to  deal  with  them  that 
die  in  their  sins  according  to  what  they  have 
done,  and  to  make  them  who  are  far  from 
righteousness  now  to  stand  far  from  heaven  to 
all  eternity.  Hearken  to  this,  ye  stout-hearted, 
that  are  far  from  righteousness  and  that  are 
resolved  to  go  on  in  your  sins : when  you  die 
you  will  be  far  from  heaven  ; you  will  see 
Lazarus,  but  it  will  be  afar  off. 

Again:  “He  seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and 
Lazarus  in  his  bosom.” 

These  are  some  of  the  things  the  damned  do 
behold  so  soon  as  they  come  into  torment. 
Mark,  “And  he  seeth  Lazarus  in  Abraham’s 
bosom.”  Lazarus!  who  was  he?  Why,  even 
he  that  was  so  slighted,  so  disregarded,  so  un- 
dervalued by  this  ungodly  one  while  he  was  in 
the  world.  He  seeth  Lazarus  in  his  bosom. 

From  whence  observe,  that  those  who  live 
and  die  the  enemies  of  the  saints  of  God,  let 
them  be  never  so  great  and  stout,  let  them 
bear  never  so  much  sway  while  they  are  in  the 
world,  let  them  brag  and  boast  never  so  much 
while  they  are  here,  they  shall,  in  spite  of  their 
teeth,  see  the  saints,  yea,  the  poor  saints,  even 
the  Lazaruses,  or  the  ragged  ones  that  belong 
to  Jesus,  to  be  in  a better  condition  than  them- 
selves. Oh,  who  do  you  think  was  in  the  best 


condition?  Who  do  you  think  saw  them- 
selves in  the  best  condition — he  that  was  in 
hell  or  he  that  was  in  heaven  ? he  that  was  in 
darkness  or  he  that  was  in  light?  he  that  was 
in  everlasting  joy  or  he  that  was  in  everlasting 
torments?  The  one  with  God,  Christ,  saints, 
angels;  the  other  in  tormenting  flames,  under 
the  curse  of  God’s  eternal  hatred,  with  the 
devils  and  their  angels,  together  with  an  innu- 
merable company  of  howling,  roaring,  cursing, 
ever-burning  reprobates?  Certainly  this  ob- 
servation will  be  easily  proved  to  be  true  here 
in  this  world  by  him  that  looks  upon  it  with 
an  understanding  heart,  and  will  clear  itself  to 
be  true  in  the  world  to  come  by  such  as  shall 
go  either  to  heaven  or  to  hell. 

2.  The  second  observation  from  these  words, 
“ And  seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in 
his  bosom,”  is  this  : they  that  are  the  persecu- 
tors of  the  saints  of  the  Lord  now  in  this 
world  shall  see  the  Lord’s  persecuted  ones  to 
be  they  that  are  so  highly  esteemed  by  the 
Lord  as  to  sit  or  be  in  Abraham’s  bosom,  (in 
everlasting  glory,)  though  the  enemies  to  the 
children  of  God  did  so  lightly  esteem  them 
that  they  scorned  to  let  them  gather  up  the 
dogs’  meat  that  fell  under  their  table.  This  is 
also  verified  and  held  forth  plainly  by  this 
parable.  And  therefore  be  not  grieved,  0 
you  that  are  temjffed,  persecuted,  afflicted, 
sighing,  praying  saints  of  the  Lord:  though 
your  adversaries  look  upon  you  now  with  a 
disdainful,  surly,  rugged,  proud,  and  haughty 
countenance,  yet  the  time  shall  come  when 
they  shall  spy  you  in  Abraham’s  bosom. 

I might  enlarge  upon  these  things,  but  shall 
leave  them  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  which 
can  better  by  ten  thousand  degrees  enlarge 
them  on  thy  heart  and  conscience  than  I can 
upon  a piece  of  paper.  Therefore,  leaving 
thee  to  the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  I shall  come 
to  the  next  verse,  and  shall  be  brief  in  speak- 
ing to  that  also,  and  so  pass  to  the  rest. 

Yer.  24.  And  he  cried,  and  said,  Father  Abra- 
ham, have  mercy  upon  me,  and  send  Lazarus, 
that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water, 
and  cool  my  tongue;  for  I am  tormented  in 
this  flame. 

You  know  I told  you  that  verse  22d  is  a 
discovery  of  the  departure  of  the  godly  and 
the  ungodly  out  of  this  life,  where  it  saith, 
“The  beggar  died,  and  the  rich  man  also 
died.”  The  23d  verse  is  a discovery  of  the 
proper  places  both  of  the  godly  and  ungodly 
after  death,  one  being  in  Abraham’s  bosom  or 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


773 


in  glory,  the  other  in  hell.  Now,  verse  24th  is 
a discovery  of  part  of  the  too-late  repentance 
of  the  ungodly  when  they  are  dropped  down 
into  hell:  “And  he  cried,  and  said,  Father 
Abraham,  have  mercy  on  me.” 

From  the  words,  “ And  he  cried,”  we  may 
observe,  first,  what  a change  the  ungodly  will 
have  when  they  come  into  hell.  He  cried! 
It  is  like  he  was  laughing,  jesting,  jeering, 
drinking,  mocking,  swearing,  cursing,  prating, 
persecuting  of  the  godly  in  his  prosperity, 
among  his  filthy  companions.  But  now  the 
case  is  otherwise;  now  he  is  in  another 
frame,  now  his  proud,  stout,  currish  carriage 
is  come  down.  And  he  cried!  The  laughter 
of  the  ungodly  will  not  last  always,  but  will  be 
sure  to  end  in  a cry : “The  triumphing  of  the 
wicked  is  short.”  Consider,  you  must  have  a 
change  either  here  or  in  hell.  If  you  be  not 
new  creatures,  regenerate  persons,  new-born 
babes  in  this  world  before  you  go  hence, 
your  note  will  be  changed,  your  conditions 
will  be  changed ; for  if  you  come  into  hell 
you  must  cry.  Oh,  did  but  the  singing 
drunkards,  when  they  are  making  merry  on 
the  alehouse  bench,  think  on  this,  it  would 
make  them  change  their  note  and  cry,  What 
shall  I do?  Whither  shall  I go  when  I die? 
But,  as  I said  before,  the  devil,  as  he  labours 
to  get  poor  souls  to  follow  their  sins,  so  he 
labours  also  to  keep  the  thoughts  of  eternal 
damnation  out  of  their  minds.  And  indeed 
these  two  things  are  so  nearly  linked  together 
that  the  devil  cannot  well  get  the  soul  to  go 
on  in  sin  with  delight  unless  he  can  keep  the 
thoughts  of  that  terrible  after-clap  out  of  their 
minds. 

But  let  them  know  that  it  shall  not  always 
be  thus  with  them;  for  if  when  they  depart 
they  drop  down  into  eternal  destruction,  they 
shall  have  such  a sense  of  their  sins  and  the 
punishment  due  to  the  same  that  it  shall 
make  them  cry.  And  he  cried  ! Oh  what  an 
alteration  will  there  be  among  the  ungodly 
when  they  go  out  of  this  world ! It  may  be  a 
fortnight  or  a month  before  their  departure ; 
they  were  light,  stout,  surly,  drinking  them- 
selves drunk,  slighting  God’s  people,  mocking 
at  goodness  and  delighting  in  sin,  following 
the  world,  seeking  after  riches,  faring  de- 
liciously, keeping  company  with  the  bravest; 
but  now  they  are  dropped  down  into  hell  they 
cry.  A little  while  ago  they  were  painting 
their  faces,  feeding  their  lusts,  following  their 
whores  robbing  their  neighbours,  telling  of 
lies,  fol'owing  of  plays  and  sports  to  pass  away 


the  time ; but  now  they  are  in  hell  they  do 
cry.  It  may  be  last  year  they  heard  some 
good  sermons,  were  invited  to  receive  heaven, 
were  told  their  sins  should  be  pardoned  if 
they  closed  in  with  Jesus : but  refusing  his 
proffers  and  slighting  the  grace  that  was  once 
tendered,  they  are  now  in  hell  and  do  cry. 

Before,  they  had  so  much  time  they  thought 
that  they  could  not  tell  how  to  spend  it  unless 
it  were  in  hunting  and  whoring,  in  dancing 
and  playing,  and  spending  whole  hours,  yea, 
days,  nay,  weeks,  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh ; but 
when  they  depart  into  another  place,  and 
begin  to  lift  up  their  eyes  in  hell  and  consider 
their  miserable  and  irrecoverable  condition, 
they  will  cry. 

Oh  what  a condition  wilt  thou  fall  into 
when  thou  dost  depart  this  world ! If  thou 
depart  unconverted  and  not  born  again,  thou 
hadst  better  have  been  smothered  the  first 
hour  thou  wast  born;  thou  hadst  better  have 
been  plucked  one  limb  from  another;  thou 
hadst  better  have  been  made  a dog,  a toad,  a 
serpent,  nay,  any  other  creature  in  the  visible- 
world,  than  to  die  unconverted ; and  this  thou 
wilt  find  to  be  true  when  in  hell  thou  dost  lift 
thine  eyes  and  dost  cry. 

Here  then,  before  we  go  any  farther,  you 
may  see  that  it  is  not  without  good  ground 
that  these  words  are  here  spoken  by  our  Lord, 
that  when  any  of  the  ungodly  do  depart  into 
hell  they  will  cry.  Cry  ! why  so? 

1.  They  will  cry  to  think  that  they  should 
be  cut  off  from  the  land  of  the  living,  never 
more  to  have  any  footing  therein. 

2.  They  will  cry  to  think  that  the  Gospel 
of  Christ  should  be  so  often  proffered  to  them, 
and  yet  they  are  not  profited  by  it. 

3.  They  will  cry  to  think  that  now,  though 
they  would  never  so  willingly  repent  and  be 
saved,  yet  they  are  past  all  recovery. 

4.  They  will  cry  to  think  that  they  should 
be  so  foolish  as  to  follow  their  pleasures  when 
others  were  following  Christ. 

5.  They  will  cry  to  think  that  they  must  be 
separate  from  God,  Christ,  and  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  and  that  for  ever. 

6.  To  think  that  their  crying  will  now  do 
them  no  good. 

7.  To  think  that  at  the  day  of  judgment 
they  must  staud  at  the  left  hand  of  Christ, 
among  an  innumerable  company  of  damned 
ones. 

8.  They  will  cry  to  think  that  Lazarus, 
whom  once  they  slighted,  must  be  of  them 
that  must  sit  down  with  Christ  to  judge,  or, 


774 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


together  with  Christ,  to  pass  sentence  of  con- 
demnation on  their  souls  for  ever. 

9.  Cry  to  think  that  when  the  judgment  is 
over  and  others  are  taken  into  the  everlasting 
kingdom  of  glory,  then  they  must  depart  back 
again  into  that  dungeon  of  darkuess  from 
whence  they  came  out,  (to  appear  before  the 
terrible  tribunal,)  where  they  shall  be  tor- 
mented so  long  as  eternity  lasts,  without  the 
least  intermission  or  ease. 

How  sayest  thou,  O thou  wanton,  proud, 
swearing,  lying,  ungodly  wretch!  whether  this 
be  to  be  slighted  and  made  a mock  at?  And 
again,  tell  me  now  if  it  be  not  better  to  leave 
sin  and  to  close  in  with  Christ  Jesus,  notwith- 
standing that  reproach  thou  shalt  meet  with 
for  so  doing,  than  to  live  a little  while  in  this 
world,  in  pleasures  and  feeding  thy  lusts,  in 
neglecting  the  welfare  of  thy  soul,  and  re- 
fusing to  be  justified  by  Jesus,  and  in  a mo- 
ment to  drop  down  to  hell  and  to  cry  ? Oh 
consider,  I say,  consider  betimes,  and  put  not 
off  the  tenders  of  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  lest  you  lift  up  your  eyes  in  hell  and 
cry  for  anguish  of  spirit. 

“And  he  cried,  and  said,  Father  Abraham, 
have  mercy  upon  me,  and  send  Lazarus,”  &c. 

These  words  do  not  only  hold  forth  the 
lamentable  condition  of  the  damned  and  their 
lamentable  howling  and  crying  out  under  their 
anguish  of  spirit,  but  also  they  do  signify  to  us 
(as  I said  before)  their  too  late  repentance; 
and  also  that  they  would  very  willingly,  if 
they  might,  be  set  at  liberty  from  that  ever- 
lasting misery  that  by  their  sins  they  have 
plunged  themselves  into.  I say,  these  words 
do  hold  a desire  that  the  damned  have  to  be 
delivered  from  those  torments  that  they  now 
are  in:  “0  Father  Abraham,  (saith  lie,)  have 
mercy  upon  me,  and  send  Lazarus,  that  he 
may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water  and  cool 
my  tongue,  for  I am  tormented  in  this  flame.” 
These  words,  “Father  Abraham,”  may  have 
some  difficulty  in  them.  It  is  possible  that 
some  may  think  them  to  be  meant  of  Abraham, 
and  those,  or  him  that  crieth  out  here,  to  be 
the  Jews.  Or  it  may  be  some  may  understand 
it  to  be  God  or  Jesus  Christ  his  Son,  which  I 
rather  suppose  it  may  be,  that  is  here  cried 
unto/  because  you  find  the  same  cry  to  him  as 
it  was  uttered  by  the  ungodly  in  other  places 
of  Scripture:  “Then  shall  they  say,  Lord, 
Lord,  we  have  eat  and  drank  in  thy  presence, 
and  thou  hast  taught  in  our  streets.”  Nay, 
more,  “In  thy  name  have  we  cast  out  devils, 
and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works.” 


This  was  just  at  their  rejection.  And  again, 
they  cry  again  to  him,  even  to  Jesus,  “Lord 
Lord,  open  to  us.”  And  he  there  again  gives 
them  a repulse,  as  also  in  this  parable.  But 
however  or  whosoever  Abraham  is,  yet  these 
truths  may  be  observed  from  the  words : 

1.  That  the  damned,  when  in  an  irrecover- 
able state,  will  seek  for  or  desire  deliverance 
from  the  wrath  that  they  are  and  shall  be  in 
for  eternity:  “Surely  in  the  floods  of  great 
waters  they  shall  not  come  nigh  unto  him.” 

2.  That  they  will  pray  (if  I may  so  call  it) 
earnestly  for  deliverance  from  their  miserable 
estate.  These  two  things  are  clear  from  the 
words;  for,  mark,  he  not  only  said,  Father 
Abraham,  have  mercy  on  me,  but  he  cried  and 
said,  Father  Abraham,  have  mercy  on  me. 
From  whence  take  a third  observation,  and  that 
is — there  is  a time  coming  wherein,  though 
men  shall  both  cry  and  pray,  yet  they  are  like 
to  have  no  mercy  at  the  hand  of  God ; for  so 
was  this  man  served,  as  I shall  further  show 
by  and  by,  when  I come  to  it. 

Some  peo]3le  are  so  deluded  by  the  devil  as 
to  think  that  God  is  so  merciful  as  to  own  and 
regard  anything  for  prayer;  they  think  any- 
thing will  go  for  current  and  good  satisfaction 
while  they  are  here  in  this  world,  through 
ignorance  of  the  true  nature  of  the  mercy  of 
God  and  the  knowledge  in  what  way  God  is 
satisfied  for  sinners.  Now,  I say,  through 
ignorance  they  think  that  if  they  do  but  mut- 
ter over  some  form  of  prayers,  though  they 
know  not  what  they  say  nor  what  they  request, 
yet  God  is  satisfied,  yea,  very  well  satisfied, 
with  their  doings,  when,  alas!  there  is  noth- 
ing less.  0 friends,  I beseech  you  to  look 
about  you,  and  seek  in  good  earnest  for  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  so  to  help  you  now  to  strive 
and  pray,  and  to  enable  you  to  lay  hold  on 
Christ,  that  your  souls  may  be  saved,  lest  the 
time  come  that  though  you  cry  and  pray,  and 
wish  also  that  you  had  laid  hold  on  the  Lord 
Jesus,  yet  you  must  and  shall  be  damned. 

Then  again,  you  may  see  that  though  God 
be  willing  to  save  sinners  at  some  time,  yet 
this  time  doth  not  always  last.  No,  he  that 
can  find  in  his  heart  to  turn  his  back  upon 
Jesus  Christ  nowr  shall  have  the  hack  turned 
upon  him  hereafter  when  he  may  cry  and  pray 
for  mercy,  and  yet  go  without  it.  God  will 
have  a time  to  meet  with  them  that  now  do 
not  seek  after  him.  They  shall  have  a time, 
yea,  time  enough  hereafter,  to  repent  their 
folly  and  to  befool  themselves  for  turning  their 
backs  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  “ I will 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


775 


laugh  at  their  calamities,  (saith  he,)  and  mock 
when  their  fear  comcth.” 

Again,  this  should  admonish  us  to  take  time 
while  it  is  proffered,  lest  we  repent  us  of  our 
unbelief  and  rebellion  when  we  are  deprived 
of  it.  Ah,  friends,  time  is  precious,  an  hour’s 
time  to  hear  a sermon  is  precious.  I have 
sometimes  thought  thus  with  myself:  Set  the 
case,  the  Lord  should  send  two  or  three  of  his 
servants, -the  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  to  hell, 
among  the  damned,  with  this  commission,  Go 
ye  to  hell,  and  preach  my  grace  to  those  that 
are  there ; let  your  sermon  be  an  hour  long, 
and  hold  forth  the  merits  of  my  Son’s  birth, 
righteousness,  death,  resurrection,  ascension, 
and  intercession,  with  all  my  love  in  him,  and 
proffer  it  to  them,  telling  them  that  now,  once, 
do  I proffer  the  means  of  reconciliation  to 
them.  They  who  are  now  roaring,  being  past 
hope,  would  then  leap  at  the  least  proffer  of 
mercy  : oh  they  that  could  spend  whole  days, 
weeks,  nay,  years,  in  rejecting  the  Son  of  God, 
would  now  be  glad  of  one  tender  of  that  mercy: 
“Father,  (saith  lie,)  have  mercy  on  me.” 

Again,  from  these  words  you  may  observe 
that  mercy  would  be  welcome  when  souls  are 
under  judgment.  Now  this  soul  is  in  the  fire, 
now  he  is  under  the  wrath  of  God,  now  he  is 
in  hell,  there  to  be  tormented,  now  he  is  with 
the  devils  and  damned  spirits,  now  he  feels  the 
vengeance  of  Gocl:  Now,  oh  now,  have  mercy 
upon  me.  Here  you  may  see  that  mercy  is 
prized  by  them  that  are  in  hell ; they  would  be 
glad  if  they  could  have  it.  Father,  have  mercy 
on  me ; for  my  poor  soul’s  sake  send  me  a little 
mercy. 

“And  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the 
tip  of  his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue.” 

These  words  do  not  only  hold  forth  that  the 
ungodly  have  a desire  of  mercy,  but  what  those 
mercies  are  that  these  poor  creatures  would  be 
glad  of. 

As — 1.  To  have  the  company  of  a Lazarus 
granted  to  them:  “Father  Abraham,  have 
mercy  upon  me,  and  send  Lazarus.”  Now 
Lazarus  was  he  that  was  beloved  of  God,  and 
also  he  that  was  hated  of  them.  Therefore, 

2.  Observe,  that  those  saints  that  the  world 
in  their  lifetime  could  not  endure,  now  they 
are  departed  they  would  be  glad  to  have 
society  with  them.  Oh  now  send  Lazarus! 
Though  the  time  was  when  I cared  not  for 
him,  yet  now  let  me  have  some  society  with 
him. 

Though  the  world  disregard  the  society  of 
God’s  children  now,  yet  there  is  a time  coming 


in  which  they  would  be  glad  to  have  the  least 
company  with  them.  Nay,  do  but  observe, 
those  of  the  saints  that  are  now  most  rejected 
by  them,  even  from  them  shall  they  be  glad  of 
comfort,  if  it  might  be.  Send  Lazarus — he 
that  I slighted  more  than  my  dogs,  he  that  I 
could  not  endure  should  come  into  my  house, 
but  must  lie  at  my  gate — send  him.  Now 
Lazarus  shall  be  welcome  to  me,  now  I desire 
some  comfort  from  him;  but  he  shall  go  with- 
out it. 

From  whence  again  observe  that  there  is  a 
time  coming,  O ye  surly,  dogged  persecutors 
of  the  saints!  that  they  shall  slight  you  as 
much  as  ever  you  slighted  them.  You  have 
given  them  many  an  hard  word,  told  many  a 
lie  of  them,  given  them  many  a blow;  and 
now,  in  your  greatest  need  and  extremity, 
they  shall  not  pity  you;  the  righteous  shall 
rather  rejoice  when  he  seetli  the  vengeance  of 
God  upon  thee. 

“And  send  Lazarus.”  From  whence  ob- 
serve that  any  of  the  saints  shall  then  be 
owned  by  you  to  be  saints.  Now  you  look 
upon  them  to  be  the  sect  with  Iiymeneus  and 
Philetus,  but  then  you  shall  see  them  to  be  the 
Lazaruses  of  God,  even  God’s  dear  children. 
Though  now  the  saints  of  the  Lord  will  not 
be  owned  by  you,  because  they  are  beggarly, 
low,  poor,  contemptible  among  you,  yet  the 
day  is  coming  that  you  shall  own  them,  desire 
their  company,  and  wish  for  the  least  courtesy 
from  them. 

“Send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of 
his  finger  in  water  and  cool  my  tongue;  for  I 
am  tormented  in  this  flame.” 

Thus  shall  the  souls  that  abide  in  their  sins 
cry  out  in  the  bitterness  of  their  spirits  with 
wonderful  anguish  and  torment  of  conscience, 
without  intermission,  “That  he  may  dip  the 
tip  of  his  finger  in  water  and  cool  my  tongue.” 
That  he— namely,  the  man  whom  before  I 
scorned  should  eat  with  the  dogs  of  my  flock, 
that  before  I slighted  and  had  no  regard  of, 
that  I shut  out  of  door — send  him,  that  he 
may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water  and  cool 
my  tongue. 

Now  these  words,  “that  he  may  dip  the  tip 
of  his  finger  in  water,”  &c.,  do  hold  forth  the 
least  friendship  or  favour;  as  if  he  should 
have  said,  Now  I would  be  glad  of  the  least 
mercy,  now  I would  be  glad  of  the  least  com- 
fort, though  it  be  but  one  drop  of  cold  water 
on  the  tip  of  his  finger.  One  would  have 
thought  that  this  had  been  a small  request,  a 
small  courtesy.  One  drop  of  water ! what  is. 


776 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


that?  Take  a pailful  of  it,  if  that  will  do  thee 
any  good.  But  mark,  he  is  not  permitted  to 
have  so  much  as  one  drop,  not  so  much  as  a 
man  may  hold  on  the  tip  of  his  finger.  This 
signifies  that  they  that  fall  short  of  Christ 
shall  be  tormented  even  as  long  as  eternity 
lasteth,  and  shall  not  have  so  much  as  the 
least  ease,  no,  not  so  long  as  while  a man  may 
turn  himself  round,  not  so  much  leave  as  to 
swallow  his  spittle,  not  one  drop  of  cold 
water. 

Oh  that  these  things  did  take  place  in  your 
hearts,  how  would  it  make  you  to  seek  after 
rest  for  your  souls  before  it  be  too  late,  before 
the  sun  of  the  Gospel  be  set  upon  you ! 

Consider,  I say,  the  misery  of  the  ungodly 
that  they  shall  be  in,  and  avoid  their  vices  by 
closing  in  with  the  tenders  of  mercy,  lest  you 
partake  of  the  same  portion  with  them,  and 
cry  out  in  the  bitterness  of  your  souls,  One 
drop  of  cold  water  to  cool  my  tongue ! 

“For  I am  tormented  in  this  flame.” 

Indeed,  the  reason  why  the  poor  world  do 
not  so  earnestly  desire  mercy  is  partly  because 
they  do  not  so  seriously  consider  the  torment 
that  they  must  certainly  fall  into  if  they  die 
out  of  Christ.  For,  let  me  tell  you,  did  but 
poor  souls  indeed  consider  that  wrath  that 
doth  by  right  fall  to  their  shares  because  of 
their  sins  against  God,  they  would  make  more 
haste  to  God  through  Christ  for  mercy  than 
they  do;  then  we  should  have  them  say,  It  is 
a good  closing  with  Christ -to-day,  before  we 
fall  into  such  distress. 

But  why  is  it  said,  “Let  him  dip  the  tip  of 
his  finger  in  water  and  cool  my  tongue?”  Be- 
cause that,  as  the  several  members  in  the  body 
have  their  share  in  sin  and  committing  of  that, 
so  the  several  members  of  the  body  shall  at 
that  time  be  punished  for  the  same.  There- 
fore, when  Christ  is  admonishing  his  disciples 
that  they  should  not  turn  aside  from  him,  and 
that  they  should  rather  fear  and  dread  the 
power  of  their  God  than  another  power,  he 
saith,  “ Fear  him,  therefore,  that  can  cast  both 
body  and  soul  into  hell.”  And  again,  “Fear 
him  that  can  destroy  both  body  and  soul  in 
hell.”  Here  is  not  one  member  only,  but  all 
the  body,  the  whole  body,  of  which  the  hands, 
feet,  eyes,  ears,  and  tongue  are  members.  And 
I am  persuaded  that  though  this  may  be  judged 
carnal  by  some  now,  yet  it  will  appear  to  be  a 
truth  then,  to  the  greater  misery  of  those  who 
shall  be  forced  to  undergo  that  which  God  in 
his  just  judgment  shall  inflict  upon  them.  Oh 
then  they  will  cry,  One  drachm  of  ease  for  my 


cursing,  swearing,  lying,  jeering  tongue ! Some 
ease  for  my  bragging,  braving,  flattering,  threat- 
ening, dissembling  tongue!  Now  men  can  let 
their  tongues  run  at  random,  as  we  use  to  say ; 
now  they  will  be  apt  to  say,  Our  tongues  are 
our  own,  who  shall  control  them?  Ps.  xii.  4. 
But  then  they  will  be  in  another  mind;  then, 
Oh  that  I might  have  a little  ease  for  my  de- 
ceitful tongue!  Methinks  sometimes  to  con- 
sider how  some  men  do  let  their  tongues  run 
at  random  ; it  makes  me  marvel.  Surely  they 
do  not  think  they  shall  be  made  to  give  an  ac- 
count for  their  offending  with  their  tongue. 
Did  they  but  think  they  shall  be  made  to  give 
an  account  to  Him  who  is  ready  to  judge  the 
quick  and  the  dead,  surely  they  would  be  more 
wary  of  and  have  more  regard  unto  their 
tongue. 

“ The  tongue  (saith  James)  is  an  unruly 
member,  full  of  deadly  poison ; it  setteth  on 
fire  the  whole  frame  of  nature,  and  is  set  on 
fire  of  hell.”  The  tongue,  how  much  mischief 
will  it  stir  up  in  a very  little  time  ! Flow  many 
blows  and  wounds  doth  it  cause ! How  many 
times  doth  it  (as  James  saith)  curse  man! 
How  oft  is  the  tongue  made'  the  conveyer  of 
that  hellish  poison  that  is  in  the  heart,  both 
to  the  dishonour  of  God,  the  hurt  of  its  neigh- 
bours, and  the  utter  ruin  of  its  own  soul ! 
And  do  you  think  the  Lord  will  sit  still  (as  I 
may  say)  and  let  thy  tongue  run  as  it  lists,  and 
yet  never  bring  you  to  an  account  for  the 
same?  No,  stay.  The  Lord  will  not  always 
keep  silence,  but  will  reprove  thee  and  set  thy 
sins  in  order  before  thine  eyes,  O sinner;  yea, 
and  thy  tongue,  together  with  the  rest  of  thy 
members,  shall  be  tormented  for  sinning.  And 
I say,  I am  very  confident  that  though  this  be 
made  light  of  now,  yet  the  time  is  coming 
when  many  poor  souls  will  rue  the  day  that 
ever  they  did  speak  with  a tongue.  Oh,  will 
one  say,  that  I should  so  disregard  my  tongue! 
Oh  that  I,  when  I said  so  and  so,  had  before 
bitten  off  my  tongue!  that  I had  been  born 
without  a tongue ! My  tongue,  my  tongue ! 
a little  water  to  cool  my  tongue,  for  I am  tor- 
mented in  this  flame,  even  in  that  flame  which 
my  tongue,  together  with  the  rest  of  my  mem- 
bers, by  sinning,  have  brought  me  to.  Poor 
souls  will  now  let  their  tongues  say  any  thing 
for  a little  profit,  for  twopence  or  threepence 
gain.  But  oh  what  a grief  will  this  be  at  that 
day  when  they,  together  with  their  tongue, 
must  smart  for  that  which  they  by  their 
tongues  have  done  while  they  were  in  this 
world!  Then  you  that  love  your  souls,  look  to 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


777 


your  tongues,  lest,  you  bind  yourselves  down  so 
fast  to  hell  with  the  sins  of  your  tongues  that 
you  will  never  be  able  to  get  loose  again  to  all 
eternity;  for  by  thy  words  thou  slialt  be  con- 
demned if  thou  have  not  a care  of  thy  tongue. 
“ For  I say  unto  you  that  for  every  idle  word 
that  man  shall  speak  he  shall  give  an  account 
thereof  ii;  the  day  of  judgment.” 

Yer.  25.  But  Abraham  said,  Son,  remember  that 
thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things, 
and  likewise  Lazarus  evil  things  ; but  now  he 
is  comforted,  and  thou  art  tormented. 

These  words  are  the  answer  to  the  request 
of  the  damned.  The  verse  before  (as  I told 
you)  is  a discovery  of  the  desires  that  they 
have  after  they  depart  this  world.  Here  is  the 
answer.  Son,  remember,  &c. 

The  answer  signifies  thus  much : that,  in- 
stead of  having  any  relief  or  ease,  they  are 
hereby  the  more  tormented,  and  that  by  fresh 
recollections,  or  by  bringing  afresh  their  former 
ill-spent  life  while  in  the  world  into  their  re- 
membrance. Son,  remember  thou  hadst  good 
things  in  thy  lifetime;  as  much  as  if  he  had 
said,  Thou  art  now  sensible  what  it  is  to  lose 
thy  soul ; thou  art  now  sensible  what  it  is  to 
put  off  repentance  ; thou  art  now  sensible  that 
thou  hadst  befooled  thyself  in  that  thou  didst 
spend  that  time  in  seeking  after  outward,  mo- 
mentary, earthly  things  which  thou  shouldst 
have  spent  in  seeking  to  make  Jesus  Christ 
sure  to  thy  soul;  and  now,  through  thy  anguish 
of  spirit  in  the  pains  of  hell,  thou  wouldst  en- 
joy that  which  in  former  time  thou  didst  make 
light  of  : but,  alas ! thou  art  here  beguiled  and 
altogether  disappointed;  thy  crying  will  now 
avail  thee  nothing  at  all;  this  is  not  the  ac- 
ceptable time,  this  is  not  a time  to  answer  the 
desires  of  damned  l'eprobates.  If  thou  hadst 
cried  out  in  good  earnest  while  grace  was  of- 
fered, much  might  have  been  ; but  then  thou 
wast  careless  and  didst  turn  the  forbearance 
and  goodness  of  God  into  wantonness.  Wast 
thou  not  told  that  those  who  would  not  hear 
the  Lord  when  he  did  call  should  not  be  heai'd 
(if  they  turned  away  from  him)  when  they  did 
call,  but,  contrariwise,  “ he  would  laugh  at 
their  calamity,  and  mock  when  their  fear  did 
come?” 

Now,  therefore,  instead  of  expecting  the 
least  drop  of  mercy  and  favour,  call  into  thy 
mind  how  thou  didst  spend  those  days  which 
God  did  permit  thee  to  live;  I say,  l-emember 
that  in  thy  lifetime  thou  didst  behave  thyself 
rebelliously  against  the  Lord,  in  that  thou 


wert  careless  of  his  word  and  ordinances,  yea, 
and  of  the  welfare  of  thine  own  soul  also. 
Therefore  now,  I say,  instead  of  expecting  or 
hoping  for  any  relief,  thou  must  be  forced  to 
call  to  remembrance  thy  filthy  ways,  and  feed 
upon  them,  to  thine  everlasting  astonishment 
and  confusion. 

From  these  words,  therefore,  which  say, 
“Remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receiv- 
edst thy  good  things,”  there  are  these  things  1 1 
be  taken  notice  of : 

1.  They  that  by  putting  off  repentance  and 
living  in  their  sins  lose  their  souls  shall,  in- 
stead of  having  the  least  measure  of. comfort 
when  they  come  into  hell,  have  their  ill-spent 
life  always  very  fresh  in  their  remembrance. 
While  they  live  here  they  can  sin  and  forget 
it,  but  when  they  depart  they  shall  have  it 
before  them;  they  shall  have  a remembrance 
or  their  memory  notably  enlightened,  and  a 
clearer  and  a continual  sight  of  all  their 
wicked  practices  that  they  wrought  and  did 
while  they  were  in  the  world.  “Son,  remem- 
ber,” saith  he.  Then  you  will  be  made  to  re- 
member— 

1.  How  you  were  born  in  sin,  and  brought 
up  in  the  same. 

2.  Remember  how  thou  hadst  many  a time 
the  Gospel  preached  to  thee  for  taking  away 
of  the  same  by  Him  whom  the  Gospel  doth 
hold  forth. 

3.  Remember  that  out  of  love  to  thy  sins 
and  lusts  thou  didst  turn  thy  back  on  the 
tenders  of  the  samq  Gospel  of  good  tidings 
and  peace. 

4.  Remember  that  the  reason  why  thou  didst 
lose  thy  soul  was  because  thou  didst  not  close 
in  with  free  grace  and  the  tenders  of  a loving 
and  free-hearted  Jesus  Christ. 

5.  Remember  how  near  thou  wast  to  turn- 
ing at  such  and  such  a time,  only  thou  wast 
willing  to  give  way  to  thy  lusts  when  they 
wrought,  to  drunkards  when  they  called,  to 
pleasures  when  they  proffered  themselves,  to 
the  cai'es  and  encumbrances  of  the  world, 
which,  like  so  many  thorns,  did  choke  that  or 
those  convictions  that-  were  set  on  thy  heart. 

6.  Remember  how  willing  thou  wast  to  sat- 
isfy thyself  with  an  hypocrite’s  hope,  and  with 
a notion  of  the  things  of  God,  without  the  real 
power  and  life  of  the  same. 

7.  Remember  how  thou,  when  thou  wast 
admonished  to  turn,  didst  put  off  turning  and 
repenting  till  another  time. 

8.  Remember  how  thou  didst  dissemble  at 
such  a time,  lie  at  such  a time,  cheat  thy  neigh- 


778 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


hour  at  such  a time,  mock,  flout,  scoff,  taunt, 
hate,  persecute  the  people  of  God  at  such  a 
time,  in  such  a place,  among  such  company. 

9.  Remember,  that  while  others  were  met 
together  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  to  seek  him, 
thou  v/ast  met  with  a company  of  vain  com- 
panions to  sin  against  him ; while  the  saints 
were  a-praying,  thou  wast  a-cursing;  while 
they  were  speaking  good  of  the  name  of  God, 
thou,  wast  speaking  evil  of  the  saints  of  God. 
Oh  then  thou  shalt  have  a scalding  hot  remem- 
brance of  all  thy  sinful  thoughts,  words,  and 
actions,  from  the  very  first  to  the  last  of  them 
that  ever  thou  didst  commit  in  all  thy  lifetime. 
Then  thou  wilt  find  that  Scripture  to  be  a 
truth,  (Deut.  xxviii.  65,  66,  67,)  “The  Lord 
shall  give  thee  there  a trembling  heart,  and 
failing  of  eyes,  and  sorrow  of  mind.  And  thy 
life  shall  hang  in  doubt  before  thee,  and  thou 
shalt  fear  day  and  night,  and  shalt  have  none 
assurance  of  thy  life.  In  the  morning  thou 
shalt  say,  Would  to  God  it  were  evening!  for 
the  fear  of  thine  heart  wherewith  thou  shalt 
fear,  and  for  the  sight  of  thine  eyes  which  thou 
shalt  see.”  Nay,  thou  shalt  find  worse  things 
to  thy  woe  than  this  Scripture  doth  manifest, 
for  indeed  there  is  no  tongue  able  to  express 
the  horror,  terror,  torment,  and  eternal  misery 
that  those  poor  souls  shall  undergo,  without 
the  least  mitigation  of  ease ; a very  great  part 
of  it  shall  come  from  that  quick,  full,  and  con- 
tinual remembrance  of  their  sins  that  they 
shall  have.  And  therefore  there  is  much 
weight  in  these  words:  “Son,  remember 
that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  hadst  thy  good 
things.” 

From  these  words  you  see  this  is  to  be  ob- 
served, that  the  ungodly  shall  remember  or 
have  in  remembrance  the  misspending  their 
lives : Remember  that  in  thy  lifetime  thou 
hadst  thy  good  things.  You  may  take  these 
words,  “good  things,”  either  simply  for  the 
things  of  this  world,  which  in  themselves  are 
called  and  may  be  called  good  things ; or  else 
with  these  words,  namely,  “ the  things  of  this 
life,”  all  the  pleasures,  delights,  profits,  and 
vanities  which  the  ignorant  people  of  the  world 
do  count  their  good  things,  and  do  very  much 
cheer  themselves  therewith.  Soul,  soul,  eat, 
drink,  and  be  merry,  for  thou  hast  much  goods 
laid  up  for  many  years.  Luke  xii.  20.  Now,  I 
say,  God,  according  to  his  glorious  power  and 
wisdom,  will  make  poor  creatures  have  always 
in  their  minds  a fresh  and  clear  remembrance 
of  their  ill-spent  life:  he  will  say  unto  them, 
Remember,  remember  that  in  thy  lifetime  it 


was  thus  and  thus  with  thee,  and  in  thy  life- 
time thy  carriage  was  so  and  so. 

If  sinners  might  have  their  choice  they 
would  not  have  their  sins  and  transgressions  so 
much  in  the  remembrance,  as  it  is  evident  by 
their  carriages  here  in  this  world ; for  they  will 
not  endure  to  entertain  a serious  thought  of 
their  filthy  life;  they  put  far  away  the  evil 
day,  and  labour  by  all  means  to  put  the 
thoughts  of  it  out  of  their  mind;  but  there 
they  shall  be  made  to  remember  to  purpose 
and  to  think  continually  of  their  ungodly 
deeds.  And  therefore  it  is  said  that  when  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  comes  to  judgment,  it  will 
be  to  convince  the  ungodly  world  of  their 
wicked  and  ungodly  deeds ; mark,  to  convince 
them.  They  will  not  willingly  take  notice  of 
them  now,  but  then  they  shall  hereafter,  in 
spite  of  their  teeth  ; for  those  that  die  out  of 
Christ  shall  be  made  to  see,  acknowledge,  and 
confess  their  guilt,  do  what  they  can,  when 
they  lift  up  their  eyes  in  hell  and  remember 
their  transgressions.  God  will  be  a swift  wit- 
ness against  them,  and  will  say,  Remember 
what  thou  didst  in  thy  lifetime,  how  thou  didst 
live  in  thy  lifetime.  Ha,  friend!  if  thou  dost 
not  in  these  days  of  light  remember  the  days 
of  darkness,  (the  days  of  death,  hell,  and  judg- 
ment,) thou  shalt  be  made  in  the  days  of  dark- 
ness, death,  hell,  and  at  the  judgment  too,  to 
remember  the  days  of  the  Gospel,  and  how 
thou  didst  disregard  them  too,  to  thy  own  de- 
struction and  everlasting  misery.  This  is  inti- 
mated in  the  25th  of  St.  Matthew. 

“ Remember  that  in  thy  lifetime  thou  re- 
ceivedst  thy  good  things.” 

The  great  God,  instead  of  giving  the  un- 
godly any  ease,  will  even  aggravate  their  tor- 
ments—first,  by  slighting  their  perplexities, 
and  by  telling  of  them  what  they  must  be 
thinking  of.  Remember,  saith  he,  0 ye  lost 
souls,  that  you  had  your  joy  in  your  lifetime, 
your  peace  in  your  lifetime,  your  comforts,  de- 
lights, ease,  wealth,  health,  your  heaven,  your 
happiness,  and  your  portion  in  your  lifetime. 

Oh  miserable  state!  Thou  wilt  then  be  in  a 
sad  condition  indeed  when  thou  shalt  see  that 
thou  hast  had  thy  good  things,  thy  best  things, 
thy  pleasant  things ; for  that  is  clearly  signi- 
fied in  these  words,  “Remember  that  thou  in 
thy  lifetime  hadst  thy  good  things,”  or  all  the 
good  things  thou  art  like  to  have.  From 
whence  take  notice  of  another  truth,  (though 
it  be  a dreadful  one,)  which  is  this:  there  are 
many  poor  creatures  who  have  all  their  good, 
sweet,  and  comfortable  things  in  this  life  or 


SIGIIS  FROM  HELL. 


779 


while  they  are  alive  in  this  world:  “ Remem- 
ber (saith  he)  that  in  thy  lifetime  thou  hadst 
thy  good  things.” 

The  wicked’s  good  things  will  shortly  have 
an  end ; they  will  last  no  longer  with  them 
than  this  life  or  their  lifetime.  That  Scripture 
was  not  written  in  vain  : It  is  like  the  crack- 
ling of  thorns  under  a pot,  makes  a little  blaze 
for  a sudden,  a little  heat  for  a while;  but 
come  and  consider  them  by  and  by,  and  in- 
stead of  a comfortable  heat  you  will  find  noth- 
ing but  a few  dead  ashes,  and  instead  of  a 
flaming  fire,  nothing  but  a smell  of  smoke. 

There  is  a time  coming  that  the  ungodly 
would  be  glad  of  a better  portion,  when  they 
shall  see  the  vanity  of  this;  that  is,  when  they 
shall  see  what  a poor  thing  it  is  for  a man  to 
have  his  portion  in  this  world.  It  is  true, 
while  they  are  here  on  this  side  hell  they  think 
there  is  nothing  to  be  compared  with  riches, 
honours,  and  pleasures  in  this  world,  which 
make  them  cry  out,  Who  will  show  us  any 
good  that  is  comparable  to  the  pleasures, 
profits,  and  glory  of  this  world?  But  then 
they  will  see  there  is  another  thing  that  is 
better  and  of  more  value  than  ten  thousand 
worlds.  And,  seriously,  friends,  will  it  not 
grieve  you,  trouble,  perplex,  and  torment  you, 
when  you  shall  see  that  you  lost  heaven  for  a 
little  pleasure  and  profit  in  your  lifetime? 
Certainly  it  will  grieve  you  and  perplex  you 
exceedingly  to  see  what  a blessed  heaven  you 
left  for  a dunghill  world.  Oh  that  you  did  but 
believe  this!  that  you  did  but. consider  this, 
and  say  within  yourselves,  What!  shall  I be 
contented  with  my  portion  in  this  world? 
What!  shall  I lose  heaven  for  this  world?  I 
say,  consider  it  while  you  have  daylight  and 
Gospel-light,  while  the  Son  of  God  doth  hold 
out  terms  of  reconciliation  to  you,  lest  you  be 
made  to  hear  such  a voice  as  this  is : “ Son,  re- 
member that  in  thy  lifetime  thou  receivedst 
thy  good  things,”  thy  comforts,  thy  joys,  thy 
ease,  thy  peace,  and  all  the  heaven  thou  art 
like  to  have.  0 poor  heaven ! O short  pleas- 
ures ! What  a pitiful  thing  it  is  to  be  left  in 
such  a case ! Soul,  consider,  is  it  not  miserable 
to  lose  heaven  for  twenty,  thirty,  or  fifty  years’ 
sinning  against  God  ? When  thy  life  is  done 
tliy  heaven  is  also  done ! When  death  comes 
to  separate  thy  soul  and  body,  in  that  day  also 
thou  must  have  thy  heaven  and  happiness 
separated  from  thee  and  thou  from  that.  Con- 
sider these  things  betimes,  lest  thou  have  thy 
portion  in  thy  lifetime.  For  if  in  this  life  only 
we  have  our  portion  we  are  of  all  people  the 


most  miserable.  Again,  consider  that  when 
other  men  (the  saints)  are  to  receive  their  good 
things,  then  thou  hast  had  thine;  when  others 
are  to  enter  into  joy,  then  thou  art  to  leave 
and  depart  from  thy  joy ; when  others  arc  to 
go  to  God,  thou  must  go  to  the  devil.  O 
miserable ! thou  hadst  better  never  been  born 
than  to  be.  an  heir  of  such  a portion;  there- 
fore, I say,  have  a care  it  be  not  thy  condition. 

“ Remember  that  thou  receivedst  thy  good 
things,  and  Lazarus  evil  things.” 

These  words  do  not  only  hold  forth  the 
misery  of  the  wicked  in  this  life,  but  also  great 
consolation  to  the  saints,  where  he  saith,  “ And 
Lazarus  evil  things ;”  that  is,  Lazarus  had  his 
evil  things  in  his  lifetime,  or  when  he  was  in 
the  world. 

From  whence  observe — 

1.  That  the  life  of  the  saints,  so  long  as  they 
are  in  this  world,  is  attended  with  many  evils 
or  afflictions,  which  may  be  discovered  to  be  of 
divers  natures,  as  saith  the  Scripture,  “Many 
are  the  troubles  of  the  righteous,  but  the  Lord 
delivereth  him  out  of  them  all.” 

2.  Take  notice  that  the  afflictions  or  evils 
that  accompany  the  saints  may  continue  with 
them  their  lifetime,  so  long  as  they  live  in  this 
vale  of  tears ; yea,  and  they  may  be  divers — 
that  is,  of  several  sorts — some  outward,  some 
inward — and  that  as  long  as  they  shall  continue 
here  below,  as  hath  been  the  experience  of  all 
saints  in  all  ages ; and  this  might  be  proved  at 
large,  but  I only  hint  at  these  things,  though  I 
might  enlarge  much  upon  them. 

3.  The  evils  that  do  accompany  the  saints 
will  continue  no  longer  with  them  than  their 
lifetime ; and  here  indeed  lies  the  comfort  of 
believers,  the  Lazaruses,  the  saints : they  must 
have  all  their  bitter  cup  wrung  up  to  them  in 
their  lifetime : here  must  be  all  their  trouble, 
here  must  be  all  their  grief.  “ Behold,  (saith 
Christ,)  the  world  shall  rejoice,  but  ye  shall 
lament ; but  your  mourning  shall  ” — mark,  it 
shall — “be  turned  into  joy.”  You  shall  la- 
ment, you  shall  be  sorrowful,  you  shall  weep 
in  your  lifetime,  but  your  sorrow  shall  be 
turned  into  joy,  and  your  joy  no  man  (let  him 
be  what  he  will,  no  man)  shall  take  away  from 
you.  Now  if  you  think  when  I say  the  saints 
have  all  their  evil  things  in  their  lifetime  that 
I mean  they  have  nothing  else  but  trouble  in 
this  their  lifetime,  this  is  your  mistake ; for  let 
me  tell  you  that  though  the  saints  have  all 
their  evil  things  in  their  lifetime,  yet  even  in 
their  lifetime  they  have  also  joy  unspeakable 
and  full  of  glory,  while  they  look  no',  at  the 


780 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


things  that  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which 
are  not  seen.  The  joy  that  the  saints  have 
sometimes  in  their  heart,  by  a believing  con- 
sideration of  the  good  things  to  come  when 
this  life  is  ended,  doth  fill  them  fuller  of  joy 
than  all  the  crosses,  troubles,  temptations,  and 
evils  that  accompany  them  in  this  life  can  fill 
them  with  grief. 

But  some  saints  may  say,  My  troubles  are 
such  as  are  ready  to  overcome  me. 

Answer.  Yet  be  of  good  comfort;  they  shall 
last  no  longer  than  thy  lifetime. 

But  my  trouble  is,  I am  perplexed  with  an 
heart  full  of  corruption  and  sin,  so  that  I am 
much  hindered  in  walking  with  God. 

Answer.  It  is  like  so,  hut  thou  shalt  have 
these  troubles  no  longer  than  thy  lifetime. 

But  I have  a cross  husband,  and  that  is  a 
great  grief  to  me. 

Well,  but  thou  shalt  be  troubled  with  him 
no  longer  than  thy  lifetime,  and  therefore  be 
not  dismayed,  be  not  discomforted ; thou  shalt 
have  no  trouble  longer  than  this  lifetime. 

Art  thou  troubled  with  cross  children,  cross 
relations,  cross  neighbours  ? They  shall  trouble 
thee  no  longer  than  this  lifetime. 

Art  thou  troubled  with  a cunning  devil,  with 
unbelief?  Yea,  let  it  be  what  it  will,  thou 
shalt  take  thy  farewell  of  them  all  (if  thou  be 
a believer)  after  thy  lifetime  is  ended.  Oh  ex- 
cellent ! Then  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  your  eyes ; there  shall  be  no  more  death, 
nor  sorrow,  nor  crying,  nor  any  more  pain,  for 
the  former  things  are  passed  away. 

But  now,  on  the  contrary,  if  thou  be  not  a 
right  and  sound  believer,  then,  though  thou 
shouldst  live  a thousand  years  in  this  world, 
and  meet  with  sore  afflictions  every  day,  yet 
these  afflictions,  be  they  never  so  great  and 
grievous,  they  are  nothing  to  that  torment  that 
will  come  upon  thee,  both  in  soul  and  body, 
after  this  life  is  ended. 

I say,  be  what  thou  wilt,  if  thou  be  found  in 
unbelief  or  under  the  first  covenant,  thou  art 
sure  to  smart  for  it  at  the  time  when  thou  dost 
depart  this  world.  But  the  thing  so  lamented 
is,  for  all  this  is  so  sad  a condition  to  be  fallen 
into,  yet  poor  souls  are  for  the  most  part  sense- 
less of  it ; yea,  so  senseless  (at  some  times)  as 
though  there  was  no  such  misery  to  come  here- 
after, because  the  Lord  doth  not  immediately 
strike  with  his  sword,  but  doth  bear  long  with 
his  creatures,  waiting  that  he  might  be  gra- 
cious ; therefore  I say,  the  hearts  of  some  of 
the  sons  of  men  are  wholly  set  upon  it  to  do 
mischief.  Eccles.  viii.  11.  And  that  forbear- 


ance and  goodness  of  God  that  one  would  think 
should  lead  them  to  repentance,  the  devil  hard- 
ening of  them,  by  their  continuing  in  sin  and 
by  blinding  their  eyes  as  to  the  end  of  God’s 
forbearance  toward  them,  they  are  led  away 
with  a very  hardened  and  senseless  heart,  even 
until  they  drop  into  eternal  destruction. 

But,  poor  hearts ! they  must  have  a time  in 
which  they  must  be  made  sensible  of  theii 
former  behaviour,  when  the  just  judgments  of 
the  Lord  shall  flame  about  their  ears,  insomuch 
that  they  shall  be  made  to  cry  out  again  with 
anguish,  I am  sorely  tormented  in  this  flame. 

“ But  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art  tor- 
mented.” 

As  if  he  should  say,  Now  hath  God  recom- 
pensed both  Lazarus  and  you  according  to 
what  you  sought  after  while  you  were  in  this 
world.  As  for  your  part,  you  did  neglect  the 
precious  mercy  and  goodness  of  God ; you  did 
turn  your  back  on  the  Son  of  God  that  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners;  you  made  a 
mock  of  preaching  the  Gospel;  you  was  ad- 
monished over  and  over  to  close  in  with  the 
loving-kindness  of  the  Lord  in  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ.  The  Lord  let  you  live  twenty,  thirty, 
forty,  fifty,  sixty  years;  all  which  time,  you, 
instead  of  spending  it  to  make  your  calling 
and  election  sure,  did  spend  it  in  making  of 
eternal  damnation  sure  to  thy  soul.  And  also 
Lazarus,  he  in  his  lifetime  did  make  it  his 
business  to  accept  of  my  grace  and  salvation 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  When  thou  wast  in 
the  alehouse  he  frequented  the  word  preached ; 
when  thou  wert  jeering  at  goodness  he  was 
sighing  for  the  sins  of  the  times.  While  thou 
wert  swearing  he  was  praying.  In  a word, 
while  thou  wert  making  sure  of  eternal  ruin, 
he  by  faith  in  the  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  was  making  sure  of  eternal  salvation. 
Therefore  “ now  he  is  comforted  and  thou  art 
tormented.” 

Here  then  you  may  see  that  as  the  righteous 
shall  not  be  always  void  of  comfort  and  blessed- 
ness, so  neither  shall  the  ungodly  go  always 
without  their  punishment.  As  sure  as  God  is 
in  heaven  it  will  be  thus ; they  must  have  their 
several  portions.  And  therefore  you  that  are 
the  saints  of  the  Lord,  follow  on,  be  not  dis- 
mayed, “ forasmuch  as  you  know  that  your 
labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord.”  Your  por- 
tion is  eternal  glory.  And  you  that  are  so 
loth  now  to  close  in  with  Jesus  Christ  and  to 
leave  your  sins  to  follow  him,  your  day  is 
coming,  (Ps.  xxxvi.  13,)  in  which  you  shall 
know  that  your  sweet  morsels  of  sin  that  you 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


781 


bo  easily  take  down,  (Job  xx.  12,  13,  14,)  and 
it  scarce  troubles  you,  will  have  a time  so  to 
work  within  you  to  your  eternal  ruin  that  you 
will  be  in  a worse  condition  than  if  you  had 
ten  thousand  devils  tormenting  you;  nay,  you 
had  better  have  been  plucked  limb  from  limb 
a thousand  times  (if  it  could  be)  than  to  be 
partakers  of  this  torment  which  will  assuredly 
without  mercy  lie  upon  you. 

Ver.  26.  And  besides  all  this,  between  us  and  you 
there  is  a great,  gulf  fixed ; so  that  they  which 
would  go  from  hence  to  you  cannot,  neither  can 
they  come  to  us  that  would  come  from  thence. 
These  words  are  still  part  of  that  answer  that 
the  souls  in  hell  shall  have  for  all  the  sobbings, 
sighings,  grievous  cries,  tears,  and  desires  that 
they  have  to  be  released  out  of  those  intoler- 
able pains  they  feel  and  are  perplexed  with. 
And  oh  methinks  the  words  at  the  first  view, 
if  rightly  considered,  are  enough  to  make  any 
hard-hearted  sinner  in  the  world  to  fall  down 
dead.  The  verse  I last  spoke  to  was  and  is  a 
very  terrible  one,  and  aggravates  the  torment 
of  poor  sinners  wonderfully,  where  he  saith, 
“ Remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  hadst 
thy  good  things,  and  Lazarus  his  evil  things,” 
&c. — I say  these  words  are  very  terrible  to 
those  poor  souls  that  die  out  of  Christ.  But 
these  latter  words  do  much  more  hold  out  their 
sorrow.  They  were  spoken  as  to  the  present 
condition  of  the  sinner.  These  do  not  only 
back  the  former,  but  do  yet  further  aggravate 
their  misery,  holding  forth  that  which  will  be 
more  intolerable.  The  former  verse  is  enough 
to  smite  any  sinner  into  a swoon,  but  this  is  to 
make  them  , fall  down  dead,  where  he  saith, 
And  besides  all  this,  there  is  still  something 
to  aggravate  thy  misery  yet  far  more  abun- 
dantly. I shall  briefly  speak  to  the  words  as 
they  have  relation  to  the  terror  spoken  of  in 
the  verses  before.  As  if  he  had  said,'  Thou 
thinkest  the  present  state  insupportable;  it 
makes  thee  to  rue  the  time  that  ever  thou 
wert  born ; now  thou  findest  the  want  of  mer- 
cy ; now  thou  wouldest  leap  at  the  least  drachm 
of  it ; now  thou  feelest  what  it  is  to  slight  the 
tenders  of  the  grace  of  God;  now  it  makes 
thee  to  sob,  sigh,  and  roar  exceedingly  for  the 
anguish  that  thou  art  in.  “ But  besides  all 
this,”  I have  other  things  to  tell  thee  of  that 
will  break  thine  heart  indeed.  Thou  art  now 
deprived  of  a being  in  the  world ; thou  art 
deprived  of  hearing  the  Gospel ; the  devil 
hath  been  too  hard  for  thee  and  hath  made 
thee  miss  of  heaven ; thou  art  now  in  hell 


among  an  innumerable  company  of  devils, 
and  all  thy  sins  beset  thee  round ; thou  art  all 
overwrapped  in  flames,  and  canst  not  have  one 
drop  of  water  to  give  thee  any  ease;  thou 
criest  in  vain,  for  nothing  will  be  granted; 
thou  secst  the  saints  in  heaven,  which  is  no 
small  trouble  to  thy  damned  soul ; thou  seest 
that  neither  God  nor  Christ  takes  any  care  to 
ease  thee  or  speak  any  comfort  unto  thee. 
“But  besides  all  this,”  there  thou  art  like  to 
lie;  never  think  of  any  ease,  never  look  for 
any  comfort ; repentance  now  will  do  thee  no 
good ; the  time  is  past  and  can  never  be  called 
again ; look,  what  thou  hast  now  thou  must 
have  for  ever. 

It  is  true,  I spoke  enough  before  to  break 
thine  heart  asunder,  “but  besides  all  this,” 
there  lie  and  swim  in  flames  for  ever.  These 
words,  “Besides  all  this,”  are  terrible  words 
indeed.  I will  give  you  the  scope  of  them  in 
a similitude.  Set  the  case : You  should  take  a 
man  and  tie  him  to  a stake,  and  with  red-hot 
pincers  pinch  off  his  flesh  by  little  pieces  for 
two  or  three  years  together,  and  at  last,  when 
the  poor  man  cries  out  for  ease  and  help,  the 
tormentors  answer,  Nay,  “but  besides  all  this,” 
you  must  be  handled  worse.  We  will  serve 
you  thus  these  twenty  years  together,  and  after 
that  we  will  fill  your  mangled  body  full  of 
scalding  lead,  or  run  you  through  with  a red- 
hot  spit.  Would  not  this  be  lamentable? 
Yet  this  is  but  a fleabiting  to  the  sorrow'  of 
those  that  go  to  hell,  for  if  a man  were  served 
so,  there  would,  ere  it  tvere  long,  be  an  end  of 
him.  But  he  that  goes  to  hell  shall  suffer  ten 
thousand  times  worse  torments  than  these,  and 
yet  shall  never  be  quite  dead  under  them. 
There  they  shall  be  ever  whining,  pining,  w’eep- 
ing,  mourning,  ever  tormented  without  ease, 
and  yet  never  dissolved  into  nothing;  if  the 
biggest  devil  in  hell  might  pull  thee  all  to 
pieces,  and  rend  thee  small  as  dust,  and  dis- 
solve thee  into  nothing,  thou  w'ouldst  count 
this  a mercy.  But  here  thou  mayest  lie  and 
fry,  scorch  and  broil,  and  burn  for  ever ; — for 
ever ! that  is  a long  while,  and  yet  it  must  be 
so  long.  “Depart  from  me  (saith  Christ) 
into  everlasting  fire,  (into  the  fire  that  burns 
for  ever,)  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels.”  0 thou  that  wast  loth  to  foul  thy 
foot  if  it  were  but  dirty  or  did  but  rain ; thou 
that  wast  loth  to  come  out  of  the  chimney- 
corner  if  the  wind  did  but  blow'  a little  cold, 
and  was  loth  to  go  half  a mile,  yea,  half  a fur- 
long, to  hear  the  word  of  God  if  it  were  but  a 
little  dark ; thou  that  wast  loth  to  leave  a few 


782 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


vain  companions  to  edify  thy  soul ! thou  shalt 
have  fire  enough,  thou  shalt  have  night  enough, 
and  evil  company  enough,  thy  belly  full,  if 
thou  mi&s  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  besides  all  this, 
thou  shalt  have  them  for  ever  and  for  ever. 

O thou  that  dost  spend  whole  nights  in 
carding  and  dicing,  in  rioting  and  wantonness; 
thou  that  countest  it  a brave  thing  to  swear  as 
fast  as  the  bravest,  to  spend  with  the  greatest 
spendthrift  in  the  country,  thou  that  lovest  to 
sin  in  a corner  when  nobody  sees  thee!  0 
thou  that  for  by-ends  dost  carry  on  the  hypo- 
crite’s profession,  because  thou  wouldst  be 
counted  somebody  among  the  children  of  God, 
but  art  an  enemy  to  the  things  of  Christ  in 
thine  heart;  thou  that  dost  satisfy  thyself 
either  with  sins  or  a bare  profession  of  godli- 
ness ! thy  soul  will  fall  into  extreme  torments 
and  anguish  so  soon  as  ever  thou  dost  depart 
this  world,  and  there  thou  shalt  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  thy  teeth.  And  besides  all  this, 
thou  art  like  never  to  have  any  ease  or  remedy, 
never  look  for  any  deliverance;  thou  shalt  die 
in  thy  sins,  and  be  tormented  as  many  years  as 
there  are  stars  in  the  firmament  or  sands  on 
the  sea-shore;  and  besides  all  this,  thou  must 
abide  it  for  ever. 

“ And  besides  all  this,  between  us  and  you 
there  is  a great  gulf  fixed,  so  that  they  which 
would  pass  from  hence  to  you  cannot;  neither 
can  they  come  to  us  that  would  come  from 
thence.”  “ There  is  a great  gulf  fixed.”  You 
will  say,  What  is  that? 

Answer.  It  is  a nice  question ; therefore  first 
seek  thou  rather  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate 
than  curiously  to  inquire  what  this  gulf  is. 

But  secondly.  If  thou  wouldst  needs  know, 
if  thou  do  fall  short  of  heaven  thou  wilt  find  it 
this — namely,  the  everlasting  decree  of  God; 
that  is,  there  is  a decree  gone  forth  from  God 
that  those  who  fall  short  of  heaven  in  this 
world,  God  is  resolved  they  shall  never  enjoy 
it  in  the  world  to  come.  And  thou  wilt  find 
this  gulf  so  deep  that  thou  shalt  never  be  able 
to  wade  through  it  as  long  as  eternity  lasts. 
As  Christ  saith,  “Agree  with  thine  adversary 
quickly,  while  thou  art  in  the  way  with  him, 
lest  he  hale  thee  to  the  judge,  and  the  judge 
deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  thou  be  cast 
into  prison : I tell  thee  thou  shalt  in  nowise 
come  out  thence,”  (there  is  the  gulf,  the  de- 
cree.) Thou  shalt  not  depart  thence  till  thou 
hast  paid  the  utmost  farthing  or  very  last  rrfite. 
These  words,  therefore,  “ There  is  a great  gulf 
fixed,”  I do  understand  to  be  the  everlasting 
decree  of  God.  God  hath  decreed  that  those 


who  go  to  heaven  shall  never  go  from  thence 
again  into  a worse  place ; and  also  those  that 
go  to  hell  and  would  come  out,  they  shall  not 
come  out  from  thence  again.  And,  friend, 
this  is  such  a gulf,  so  fixed  by  Him  that  can- 
not lie,  that  thou  wilt  find  it  so  which  way 
soever  thou  goest,  whether  it  be  to  heaven  or 
hell.  Here,  therefore,  thou  seest  how  secure 
God  will  make  those  who  die  in  the  faith.  God 
will  keep  them  in  heaven  : but  those  that  die 
in  their  sins,  God  will  throw  them  to  hell  and 
keep  them  there ; so  that  they  that  would  go 
from  heaven  to  hell  cannot,  neither  can  they 
come  from  hell  that  would  go  to  heaven. 
Mark,  he  doth  not  say,  They  would  not ; for 
oh  how  fain  would  those  who  have  lost  their 
souls  for  a lust,  for  twTopence,  for  a jug  of  ale, 
for  an  harlot,  for  this  world,  come  out  of  that 
hot,  scalding,  fiery  furnace  of  God’s  eternal 
vengeance  if  they  might!  But  here  is  their 
misery:  they  that  would  come  from  you  to  us 
— that  is,  from  hell  to  heaven — cannot,  they 
must  not,  they  shall  not;  God  hath  decreed  it, 
and  is  resolved  the  contrary.  Here,  therefore, 
lies  the  misery,  not  so  much  that  they  are  in 
hell,  but  there  they  must  lie  for  ever  and  ever. 
Therefore  if  thy  heart  would  at  any  time  tempt 
thee  to  sin  against  God,  cry  out,  No,  for  then 
I must  go  to  hell  and  lie  there  for  ever.  If  the 
drunkards,  swearers,  liars,  and  hypocrites  did 
but  take  this  doctrine  soundly  down,  it  would 
make  them  tremble  when  they  think  of  sin- 
ning. But,  poor  souls  ! now  they  will  make  a 
mock  of  sin,  and  play  with  it  as  a child  doth 
play  with  a rattle ; but  the  time  is  coming  that 
these  rattles  that  now  they  play  with  will  make 
such  a noise  in  their  ears  and  consciences  that 
they  shall  find  that  if  all  the  devils  in  hell 
were  yelling  at  their  heels  the  noise  would  not 
be  comparable  to  it.  Friend,  thy  sins,  as  so 
many  bloodhounds,  will  first  hunt  thee  out, 
and  then  take  thee  and  bind  thee  and  hold 
thee  down  for  ever.  They  will  gripe  thee  and 
gnaw  thee  as  if  thou  had  a nest  of  poisonous 
serpents  in  thy  bowels,  and  this  will  not  be  for 
a time,  but,  as  I have  said,  for  ever,  for  ever, 
for  ever. 

Ver.  27.  Then  he  said,  I pray  thee  therefore, 
father,  that  thou  wouldst  send  him  to  my 
father's  house. 

The  verse  before,  I told  you,  was  spoken 
partly  to  hold  forth  a desire  that  the  damned 
have  to  be  freed  of  their  endless  misery.  Now 
this  verse  still  holds  forth  the  cries  of  those 
poor  souls  very  vehement;  they  would  very 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


783 


fain  lave  something  granted  to  them,  but  it 
will  not  be,  as  will  more  clearly  appear  after- 
ward. 

“ Then  he  said,  I pray  thee  therefore, 
father,”  &c.  As  if  he  should  say,  Seeing  I 
have  brought  myself  into  such  a miserable 
condition  that  God  will  not  regard  me,  that 
my  exceeding  loud  and  bitter  cries  will  not  be 
heard  for  myself;  seeing  I must  not  be  ad- 
mitted to  have  so  much  as  one  drop  of  cold 
water  nor  the  least  help  from  the  poorest 
saints ; and  seeing,  besides  all  this,  here  my 
soul  must  lie  to  all  eternity,  broiling  and  fry- 
ing ; seeing  I must,  whether  I will  or  no,  un- 
dergo the  hand  of  eternal  vengeance  and  the 
rebukes  of  devouring  fire ; seeing  my  state  is 
such  that  I would  not  wish  a dog  in  my  condi- 
tion,— send  him  to  my  father’s  house.  It  is 
worthy  to  be  taken  notice  of  (again)  who  it  is 
he  desired  to  be  sent — namely,  Lazarus.  0 
friend,  see  here  how  the  stout  hearts  and 
stomachs  of  poor  creatures  will  be  humbled, 
(as  I said  before;)  they  will  be  so  brought 
down  that  those  things  that  they  disdained 
and  made  light  of  in  this  world  they  would  be 
glad  of  in  the  life  to  come.  He  who  by  this 
man  was  so  slighted  as  that  he  thought  it 
a dishonour  that  he  should  eat  witli  the  dogs 
of  his  flock — What ! shall  I regard  Lazarus, 
scrubbed,  beggarly  Lazarus?  What!  shall  I 
so  far  dishonour  my  fair,  sumptuous,  and  gay 
house  with  such  a scabbed  creep-hedge  as  he? 
No;  I scorn  he  should  be  eutertained  under 
my  roof.  Thus  in  his  lifetime,  while  he  was 
in  his  bravery,  but  now  he  is  come  into  an- 
other world,  now  he  is  parted  from  his  pleas- 
ures, now  he  sees  his  fine  house,  his  dainty 
dishes,  his  rich  neighbours  and  companions 
and  he  are  parted  asunder;  now  he  finds,  in- 
stead of  pleasures,  torments ; instead  of  joys, 
heaviness;  instead  of  heaven,  hell;  instead 
of  the  pleasures  of  sin,  the  horror  and  guilt 
of  sin— oh  now  send  Lazarus ! 

Lazarus,  it  may  be,  might  have  done  him 
some  good  if  he  might  have  been  enter- 
tained in  times  past,  and  might  have  per- 
suaded him  at  least  not  to  have  gone  on  so 
grievously  wicked ; but  he  slights  him,  will 
not  regard  him,  he  is  resolved  to  disown  him, 
though  he  lose  his  own  soul  for  so  doing.  Ay, 
but  now  send  Lazarus — if  not  to  me,  to  my 
father’s  house,  and  let  him  toll  them  from  me 
that  if  they  run  on  in  sin  as  I have  done,  they 
must  and  shall  receive  the  same  wages  that  I 
have  received. 

Take  notice  of  this,  you  that  are  despisers 


of  the  least  of  the  Lazaruses  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ:  it  may  be  now  you  are  loth  to 
receive  these  little  ones  of  his,  because  they 
are  not  gentlemen,  because  they  cannot,  with 
Pontius  Pilate,  speak  Hebrew,  Greek,  and 
Latin.  Nay,  they  must  not,  shall  not  speak 
to  them  to  admonish  them  ; and  all  because 
of  this. 

Though  now  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  may  be  preached  to  them  freely  and  for 
nothing,  nay,  they  are  now  desired  to  hear 
and  receive  it — though  now  they  will  not  own, 
regard,  and  embrace  these  Christian  proffers 
of  the  glorious  truths  of  Jesus,  because  they 
come  out  of  some  of  the  basest  earthen  vessels 
— yet  the  time  is  coming  when  they  will  both 
sing  and  cry,  Send  him  to  my  father’s  house. 
I say,  remember  this,  ye  that  despise  the  day 
of  small  things:  the  time  is  coming  when  you 
would  be  glad  if  you  might  enjoy  from  God, 
from  Christ,  or  his  saints  one  small  drop  of 
cold  water,  though  now  you  are  unwilling  to 
receive  the  glorious  distilling  drops  of  the  Gos- 
p>el  of  our  Lord  Jesus. 

Again,  see  here  the  lamentable  state  they 
are  in  that  go  to  hell  from  their  fathers, 
mothers,  sisters,  brothers,  &c.  While  they  are- 
in  this  world  men  delight  to  set  their  children 
ill  examples,  and  also  children  love  to  follow 
the  wicked  steps  of  their  ungodly  parents. 
But  when  they  depart  this  life  and  drop  down 
into  hell,  and  find  themselves  in  irrecover- 
able misery,  then  they  cry,  Send  somebody  to 
my  father’s  house,  to  my  brother’s  house.  Tell 
them  my  state  is  miserable,  tell  them  I am 
undone  for  ever,  and  tell  them  also  that  if  they 
will  be  walking  in  these  ungodly  steps  where- 
in I left  them,  they  will  assuredly  fall  into  this 
place  of  torments. 

il  I pray  thee  send  him  to  my  father’s 
house.”  Ah,  friends  and  neighbours,  it  is 
like  you  little  think  of  this,  that  some  of 
your  friends  and  relations  are  crying  out  in 
hell,  Lord,  send  somebody  to  my  father’s 
hpuse  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  them,  lest  they 
also  come  into  these  torments. 

Here,  men  while  they  live  can  willingly 
walk  together  in  the  way  of  sin,  and  when 
they  are  parted  by  death  they  that  are  living 
seldom  or  never  consider  of  the  sad  condition 
that  they  that  are  dead  are  descended  into. 
But,  ye  ungodly  fathers,  how  are  your  ungodly 
children  roaring  now  in  hell ! and  your  un- 
godly parents,  that  lived  and  died  ungodly, 
now  in  the  pains  of  hell  also ! And  one 
drunkard  is  singing  on  the  alehouse  bench, 


784 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  another  roaring  under  the  wrath  of  God, 
saying.  Oh  that  I was  with  him,  how  would  I 
rebuke  him  and  persuade  him  by  all  means  to 
leave  off  these  evil  courses ! Oh  that  they  did 
but  consider  what  I now  suffer  for  pride,  cov- 
etousness, drunkenness,  lying,  swearing,  steal- 
ing, whoring,  and  the  like!  Oh  did  they  but 
feel  the  thousandth  part  thereof,  it  would 
make  them  look  about  them,  and  not  buy  sin 
at  so  dear  a rate  as  I have  done,  even  with  the 
loss  of  my  precious  soul. 

“Send  him  to  my  father’s  house.”  Not  to 
my  father,  but  to  my  father’s  house.  It  may 
be  there  are  ungodly  children,  there  are  un- 
godly servants  wallowing  in  their  ungod- 
liness ; send  him  therefore  to  my  father’s 
house.  It  is  like  they  are  still  the  same  that 
I left  them  ; I left  them  wicked,  and  they  are 
wicked  still:  I left  them  slighters  of  the  Gos- 
pel, saints,  and  ways  of  God,  and  they  do  it 
still.  “Send  him  to  my  father’s  house;”  it  is 
like  there  is  but  little  between  them  and  the 
place  where  I am  ; send  him  to-day,  before  to- 
morrow, “ lest  they  come  into  the  same  place 
of  torment.”  I pray  thee  thou  wouldst  send 
him.  I beg  it  on  my  bended  knee,  with  cry- 
ing and  with  tears,  in  the  agony  of  my  soul. 
It  may  be  they  will  not  consider  if  thou  do  not 
send  him.  I left  them  sottish  enough,  hard- 
ened as  well  as  I ; they  have  the  same  devil 
to  tempt  them,  the  same  lusts  and  world  to 
overcome  them : “ I pray  thee  therefore  that 
thou  wouldst  send  him  to  my  father’s  house.” 
Make  no  delay,  lest  they  lose  their  souls,  lest 
they  come  hither;  if  they  do,  they  are  like 
never  to  return  again.  Oh,  little  do  they 
think  how  easily  they  may  lose  their  souls; 
they  are  apt  to  think  their  condition  to  be  as 
good  as  the  best,  as  I once  through  ignorance 
did;  but  send  him,  send  him  without  delay, 
“lest  they  come  into  this  place  of  torment.” 
Oh  that  thou  wouldst  give  him  commission ; 
do  thou  send  him  thyself;  the  time  was  when 
I,  together  with  them,  slighted  those  that 
were  sent  of  God,  though  we  could  not  deny 
but  that  he  spake  the  word  of  God  and  was 
sent  of  him,  as  our  conscience  told  us;  yet  we 
preferred  the  calls  of  men  before  the  calls  of 
God ; for  though  they  had  the  one,  yet  because 
they  had  not  the  other  in  that  anti-Christian 
way  which  we  thought  meet,  we  could  not, 
would  not,  either  hear  him  ourselves  nor  yet 
give  consent  that  others  should.  But  now 
a call  from  God  is  worth  all.  Do  (thou) 
therefore  send  him  to  my  father’s  house. 

The  time  was  when  we  did  not  like  it,  ex- 


cept it  might  be  preached  in  the  synagogue, 
we  thought  it  a low  thing  to  preach  and  pray 
together  in  houses;  we  were  too  high-spirited, 
too  superstitious ; the  Gospel  would  not  down 
with  us  unless  we  had  it  in  such  a place  by 
such  a man;  no,  nor  then,  neither,  effectually. 
But  now,  oh  that  I was  to  live  in  the  world 
again,  and  might  have  that  privilege  to  have 
some  acquaintance  with  blessed  Lazarus,  some 
familiarity  with  that  holy  man,  what  attend- 
ance would  I give  unto  his  wholesome  words! 
How  would  I affect  his  doctrine  and  close  in 
with  it ! How  would  I square  my  life  thereby ! 
Now,  therefore,  as  it  is  better  to  hear  the 
Gospel  under  a hedge  than  to  sit  roaring  in  a 
tavern,  it  is  better  to  welcome  God’s  begging 
Lazaruses  than  the  wicked  companions  of 
this  world.  It  is  better  to  receive  a saint  in 
the  name  of  a saint,  “a  disciple  in  the  name 
of  a disciple,”  (Luke  x.  16,)  than  to  do  as  I 
have  done.  Oh,  it  is  better  to  receive  a child 
of  God  that  can  by  experience  deliver  the 
things  of  God,  his  free  love,  his  tender  grace, 
his  rich  forbearance,  and  also  the  misery  of 
man  if  without  it,  than  to  be  “daubed  up  with 
untempered  mortar.”  Ezek.  xiii.  Oh,  I may 
curse  the  day  I gave  way  to  the  flatteries  and 
fawning  of  a company  of  carnal  men;  but 
this  my  repentance  is  too  late : I should  have 
looked  about  me  sooner  if  I would  have  been 
saved  from  this  woeful  place.  Therefore  send 
him  not  only  to  the  town  I lived  in,  and  to 
some  of  my  acquaintance,  but  to  my  father’s 
house. 

In  my  lifetime  I did  not  care  to  hear  that 
word  that  cut  me  most  and  showed  me  mine 
estate  aright.  I was  vexed  to  hear  my  sins 
mentioned  and  laid  to  my  charge;  I loved 
him  best  that  deceived  me  most — that  said, 
Peace,  peace,  when  there  was  no  such  thing. 
Jer.  v.  20,  31.  But  now,  oh  that  I had  been 
soundly  told  of  it!  Oh  that  it  had  pierced 
both  mine  ears  and  heart,  and  had  stuck 
so  fast  that  nothing  could  have  cured  me 
saving  the  blood  of  Christ!  It  is  better  to 
be  dealt  plainly  with  than  that  we  should  be 
deceived;  they  had  better  see  their  lost  condi- 
tion in  the  world  than  stay  to  be  damned  as  I 
have  done.  Therefore  send  Lazarus,  send  him 
to  my  father’s  house.  Let  him  go  and  say,  I 
saw  your  son,  your  brother,  in  hell,  weeping 
and  wailing  and  gnashing  his  teeth.  Let  him 
bear  them  down  in  it  and  tell  them  plainly  it 
is  so,  and  that  they  shall  see  their  everlasting 
misery  if  they  have  not  a special  care.  Send 
him  to  my  father’s  house. 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


785 


Ver.  28.  For  I have  five  brethren;  that  he  may 

testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also  come  into  this 

place  of  torment. 

These  words  are  (if  I may  so  say)  a reason 
given  by  those  in  hell  why  they  are  restless 
and  do  cry  so  aloud;  it  is  that  their  com- 
panions might  be  delivered  from  those  intol- 
erable torments  which  they  must  and  shall 
undergo  if  they  fall  short  of  everlasting  life 
by  Jesus  Christ:  “Send  him  to  my  father’s 
house ; for  I have  five  brethren,”  &c.  Though 
while  they  lived  among  them  in  the  world 
they  were  not  so  sensible  of  their  ruin,  yet 
now  they  are  passed  out  of  the  world,  and  do 
partake  of  that  which  they  were  before  warned 
of,  they  can,  I say,  then  cry  out,  Now  I find 
that  to  be  true  indeed  which  was  once  and 
again  told  and  declared  to  me  that  it  would 
certainly  come  to  pass. 

“For  I have  five  brethren.”  Here  you  may 
see  that  there  may  be  and  are  whole  house- 
holds in  a damnable  state  and  condition,  as 
our  Lord  Jesus  doth  by  this  signify.  Send 
him  to  my  father’s  house,  for  they  are  all  in 
one  state.  I left  all  my  brethren  in  a pitiful 
case.  People  while  they  live  here  cannot  en- 
dure to  hear  that  they  should  be  all  in  a mis- 
erable condition,  but  when  they  are  under  the 
wrath  of  God  they  see  it,  they  know  it,  and 
are  very  sure  of  it;  for  they  themselves,  when 
they  were  in  the  world,  lived  as  they  do,  but 
they  fell  short  of  heaven,  and  therefore,  if 
they  go  on,  so  shall  they.  Oh,  therefore,  send 
quickly  to  my  father’s  house,  for  all  the  house 
is  in  an  undone  condition,  and  must  be  damned 
if  they  continue  so. 

The  thing  observable  is  this — namely,  that 
those  that  are  in  hell  do  not  desire  that  their 
companions  should  come  thither;  nay,  rather, 
saith  he,  Send  him  to  my  father’s  house,  and 
let  him  testify  to  them  that  are  therein,  lest 
they  also  come,  &c. 

Question.  But  some  may  say,  What  would 
be  the  reason  that  the  damned  should  desire 
not  to  have  their  companions  come  into  the 
same  condition  that  they  are  fallen  into,  but 
rather  that  they  might  be  kept  from  it  and 
escape  that  dreadful  state  ? 

Answer.  I do  believe  there  is  scarce  so  much 
love  in  any  of  the  damned  in  hell  as  really  to 
desire  the  salvation  of  any.  But  in  that  there 
is  any  desire  in  them  that  are  damned  that 
their  friends  and  relations  should  not  come  into 
that  place  of  torment,  it  appears  to  me  to  be 
rather  for  their  own  ease  than  for  their  neigh- 
bours’ good;  for,  let  me  tell  you,  this  I do 
50 


believe,  that  it  will  aggravate  the  grief  and 
horror  of  them  to  see  their  ungodly  neighbours 
in  the  like  destruction  with  them.  For  where 
the  ungodly  do  live  and  die  and  descend  into 
the  pit  together,  the  one  is  rather  a vexation 
to  the  other  than  any  thing  else.  And  it  must 
needs  be  so,  because  there  are  no  ungodly 
people  that  so  Jive  ungodly  together  but  they 
do  learn  ill  examples  one  of  another;  as  thus: 
if  there  live  one  in  the  town  that  is  very  ex- 
pert and  cunning  for  the  world,  why  now'  the 
rest  that  are  of  the  same  mind  with  him,  they 
will  labour  to  imitate  and  follow  his  steps; 
this  is  commonly  seen. 

Again,  if  there  be  one  given  to  drunkenness, 
others  of  the  town,  through  his  means,  run  the 
more  into  that  sin  with  him,  and  do  accustom 
themselves  the  more  unto  it  because  of  his 
enticing  them,  and  also  by  setting  such  an  ill 
example  before  them.  And  so,  if  there  be  any 
addicted  to  pride,  and  must  needs  be  in  all  the 
newest  fashions,  how  do  their  examples  pro- 
voke others  to  love  and  follow  the  same  vanity, 
spending  that  upon  their  lusts  with  which  they 
should  relieve  their  own  and  others’  wants ! 
Also,  if  there  be  any  given  to  jesting,  scoffing, 
lying,  whoring,  backbiting,  junketing,  wan- 
tonness,  or  any  other  sin.  they  that  are  most 
expert  in  these  things  do  ofttimes  entangle 
others  that  peradventure  would  not  have  been 
so  vile  as  now  they  are  had  they  not  had  such 
an  example;  and  hence  they  are  called  cor- 
rupters. 

Now  these  will,  by  their  doings,  exceedingly 
aggravate  the  condemnation  of  one  another. 
He  that  did  set  his  neighbour  an  ill  example, 
and  thereby  caused  him  to  walk  in  sin,  he  will 
be  found  one  cause  of  his  friend’s  destruction, 
insomuch  that  he  will  have  to  answer  for  his 
own  sin  and  for  a great  part  of  his  neighbour’s 
too,  which  will  add  to  his  destruction ; as  the 
Scripture  in  Ezekiel  showeth,  where,  speaking 
of  the  watchmen  that  should  give  the  people 
warning,  if  he  do  not,  though  the  man  did  die 
in  his  sins,  “yet  his  blood  shall  be  required  at 
the  watchman’s  hand.” 

So  here  let  me  tell  thee  that  if  thou  shouldst 
be  such  an  one  as  by  thy  conversation  and 
practices  shall  be  a trap  and  a stumbling-block 
to  cause  thy  neighbour  to  fall  into  eternal  ruin, 
though  he  be  damned  for  his  own  sin,  yet  God 
may,  nay  he  will,  charge  thee  as  being  guilty 
of  his  blood,  in  that  thou  didst  not  content 
thyself  to  keep  from  heaven  thyself,  but  didst 
also  by  thy  filthy  conversation  keep  away 
others  and  cause  them  to  fall  with  thee.  Oh, 


786 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


therefore,  will  not  this  aggravate  thy  torment? 
Yea,  if  thou  shouldst  die  and  go  to  hell  before 
thy  neighbours  or  companions,  besides  the 
guilt  of  thine  own  sins  thou  wouldst  be  so 
loaded  with  the  fear  of  the  damnation  of 
others  to  be  laid  to  thy  charge  that  thou 
wouldst  cry  out,  Oh  send  one  from  the  dead 
to  this  companion  and  that  companion  with 
whom  I had  society  in  my  lifetime,  for  I see 
my  cursed  carriage  will  be  one  cause  of  his 
condemnation  if  he  fall  short  of  glory.  I left 
him  living  in  foul  and  heinous  offences,  but  I 
was  one  of  the  first  instruments  to  bring  him 
to  them.  Oh,  I shall  be  guilty  both  of  my  own 
and  his  damnation  too ! Oh  that  he  might  be 
kept  out  hence,  lest  my  torments  be  aggra- 
vated by  his  coming  hither ! 

For  where  ungodly  people  do  dwell  together, 
they  being  a snare  and  stumbling-block  one  to 
another  by  their  practice,  they  must  be  a tor- 
ment one  to  another  and  an  aggravation  of 
each  other’s  damnation.  Oh  cursed  be  thy 
face,  saith  one,  that  ever  I set  mine  eyes  on 
thee!  It  was  along  of  thee;  I may  thank  thee; 
it  was  thee  that  did  entice  me  and  ensnare 
me;  it  was  your  filthy  conversation  that  was 
a stumbling-block  to  me;  it  was  your  covet- 
ousness, it  was  your  pride,  your  haunting 
the  alehouse,  your  gaming  and  whoring;  it 
was  along  of  you  that  I fell  short  of  life ; if 
you  had  set  me  a good  example  as  you  set 
me  an  ill  one,  it  may  be  I might  have  done 
better  than  now  I do,  but  I learned  of  you, 
I followed  your  steps,  I took  counsel  of  you. 
Oh  that  I had  never  seen  your  face!  Oh 
that  thou  hadst  never  been  born  to  do  my  soul 
this  wrong,  as  you  have  done ! Oh,  saith  the 
other,  and  I may  as  much  blame  you,  for  do 
you  not  remember  how  at  such  a time  and  at 
such  a time  you  drew  me  out  and  drew  me 
away,  and  asked  me  if  I would  go  with  you 
when  I was  going  about  other  business,  about 
my  calling;  but  you  called  me  away,  you  sent 
for  me;  you  are  as  much  in  fault  as  I.  Though 
I were  covetous,  you  were  proud,  and  if  you 
learned  covetousness  of  me,  I learned  pride 
and  drunkenness  of  you.  Though  I learned 
you  to  cheat,  you  learned  me  to  whore,  to  lie, 
to  scoff  at  goodness.  Though  I,  base  wretch ! 
did  stumble  you  in  some  things,  you  did  as 
much  stumble  me  in  others ; I can  blame  you 
as  you  blame  me;  and  if  I have  to  answer  for 
some  of  your  most  filthy  actions,  you  have  to 
answer  for  some  of  mine.  I would  you  had 
not  come  hither;  the  very  looks  of  you  do 
wound  my  soul  by  bringing  my  sins  afresh  into 


my  mind— the  time  when,  the  manner  how, 
the  place  where,  the  persons  with  whom.  It 
was  with  you,  you!  grief  to  my  soul ! Since 
I could  not  shun  thy  company  there,  oh  that  I 
had  been  without  thy  company  here! 

I say,  therefore,  for  those  that  have  sinned 
together  to  go  to  hell  together,  it  will  very 
much  perplex  and  torment  them  both:  there- 
fore I judge  this  one  reason  why  they  that  are 
in  hell  do  desire  that  their  friends  or  compan- 
ions do  not  come  thither  into  the  same  place 
of  torment  that  they  are  in,  and  therefore 
why  Christ  saith  that  the  damned  souls  cry 
out,  Send  to  our  companions,  that  they  may  be 
warned  and  commanded  to  look  to  themselves. 
Oh  send  to  my  five  brethren  ! It  is  because 
they  would  not  have  their  own  torments 
heightened  by  their  company,  and  a sense, 
yea,  a continual  sense,  of  their  sins  which  they 
caused  them  to  commit  when  they  were  in  the 
world  with  them.  For  I do  believe  that  the 
very  looks  of  those  that  have  heen  beguiled 
of  their  fellows— I say  their  very  looks  will  be 
a torment  to  them ; for  thereby  will  the  re- 
membrance of  their  own  sins  be  kept  (if  pos- 
sible) the  fresher  on  their  consciences  which 
they  committed  with  them  ; and  also  they  will 
wonderfully  have  the  guilt  of  others’  sins  upon 
them,  in  that  they  were  partly  the  cause  of 
their  committing  ■them,  being  instruments  in 
the  hands  of  the  devil  to  draw  them  in  too. 
And  therefore  lest  this  come  to  pass,  “I  pray 
thee  send  him  to  my  father’s  house.”  For  if 
they  might  not  come  hither,  perad venture  my 
torment  might  have  some  mitigation  ; that  is, 
if  they  might  be  saved,  then  their  sins  will  be 
pardoned  and  not  so  heavily  charged  on  my 
soul.  But  if  they  do  fall  in  the  same  place 
where  I am,  the  sins  that  I have  caused  them 
to  commit  will  lie  so  heavy,  not  only  on  their 
soul,  but  also  on  mine,  that  they  sink  me  into 
eternal  misery  deeper  and  deeper.  “ Oh  there- 
fore send  him  to  my  father’s  house,  to  my  five 
brethren,  and  let  him  testify  to  them,  lest  they 
come  into  this  place  of  torment.” 

These  words  being  thus  understood,  what  a 
condition  doth  it  show  them  to  be  in — them 
that  now  much  delight  in  being  the  very  ring- 
leaders of  their  companions  into  sins  of  all 
sorts  whatsoever ! 

While  men  live  here,  if  they  can  be  counted 
the  cunningest  in  cheating,  the  boldest  for 
lying,  the  subtlest  for  coveting  and  getting 
the  world — if  they  can  cunningly  defraud,  un- 
dermine, cross  and  anger  their  neighbours,  yea, 
and  hinder  them  from  the  means  of  grace,  the 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


787 


Gospel  of  Christ — they  glory  in  it,  take  a pride 
in  it,  and  think  themselves  pretty  well  at  case, 
and  their  minds  are  somewhat  quiet,  being  be- 
guiled with  sin. 

But,  friend,  when  thou  hast  lost  this  life, 
and  dost  begin  to  lift  up  thine  eyes  in  hell,  and 
seest  what  thy  sins  have  brought  thee  to,  and 
not  only  so,  but  that  thou  by  thy  filthy  sins 
didst  cause  others  (devil-like)  to  fall  into  the 
same  condemnation  with  thee,  and  that  one  of 
the  reasons  for  their  damnation  was  this,  that 
thou  didst  lead  them  to  the  commission  of 
those  wicked  practices  of  this  world  and  the 
lusts  thereof,  then,  oh  that  somebody  would 
stop  them  from  coming,  lest  they  also  come 
into  this  place  of  torment  and  be  damned  as  I 
am  ! How  will  it  torment  me  ! Balaam  could 
not  to  be  contented  to  be  damned  himself,  but 
also  he  must  by  h's  wickedness  cause  others  to 
stumble  and  fall.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees 
could  not  be  content  to  keep  out  of  heaven 
themselves,  but  they  must  labour  to  keep  out 
others  too.  Therefore  theirs  is  the  greater 
damnation. 

The  deceived  cannot  be  content  to  be  de- 
ceived himself,  but  he  must  labour  to  deceive 
others  also.  The  drunkard  cannot  be  content 
to  go  to  hell  for  his  sins,  but  he  must  labour  to 
cause  others  to  fall  into  the  same  furnace  with 
him.  But  look  to  yourselves,  for  here  will  be 
damnation  upon  damnation — daipned  for  thy 
own  sins,  and  damned  for  thy  being  partaker 
with  others  in  their  sins,  and  damned  for  being 
guilty  of  the  damnation  of  others.  Oh  how 
will  the  drunkards  cry  for  leading  their  neigh- 
bours into  drunkenness!  How  will  the  cov- 
etous person  howl  for  setting  his  neighbour, 
his  friend,  his  brother,  his  children  and  rela- 
tions so  wicked  an  example,  by  which  he  hath 
not  only  wronged  his  own  soul,  but  also  the 
souls  of  others!  The  liar,  by  lying,  learneth 
others  to  lie ; the  swearer  learns  others  to  swear ; 
the  whoremonger  learned  others  to  whore. 

Now  all  these,  with  others  of  the  like  sort, 
will  be  guilty  not  only  of  their  own  damnation, 
but  of  others.  I tell  you  that  some  men  have 
so  much  been  the  authors  of  the  damnation  of 
others  that- 1 am  ready  to  think  that  the  dam- 
nation of  them  will  trouble  them  as  much 
as  their  own  damnation.  Some  men  (it  is  to 
be  feared)  at  the  day  of  judgment  will  be  found 
to  be  the  authors  of  destroying  whole  nations. 
How  many  souls,  do  you  think,  Balaam  with 
his  deceit  will  have  to  answer  for?  How  many 
Mahomet?  How  many  the  Pharisees,  that 
hired  the  soldiers  to  say  the  disciples  stole 


away  Jesus,  and  by  that  means  stumbled  their 
brethren  to  this  day,  and  was  one  means  of 
binding  them  from  believing  the  things  of  God 
and  Jesus  Christ,  and  so  the  cause  of  the  dam- 
nation of  their  brethren  to  this  very  day? 

How  many  poor  souls  hath  Bonner  to  an- 
swer for,  think  you?  And  several  filthy,  blind 
priests,  how  many  souls  have  they  been  the 
means  of  destroying  by  their  ignorance  and 
corrupt  doctrine— preaching  (that  was  no  bet- 
ter for  their  souls  than  ratsbane  to  the  body) 
for  filthy  lucre’s  sake!  They  shall  see  that 
they,  many  of  them,  it  is  to  be  feared,  will 
have  whole  towns  to  answer  for,  whole  cities  to 
answer  for.  Ah,  friend  ! I tell  thee,  thou  that 
hast  taken  in  hand  to  preach  to  the  people,  it 
may  be  thou  hast  taken  in  hand  thou  canst  not 
tell  what.  Will  it  not  grieve  thee  to  see  thy 
whole  parish  come  bellowing  after  thee  to  hell, 
crying  out,  This  we  may  thank  thee  for,  this 
is  along  of  thee  ; thou  didst  not  teach  us  the 
truth,  thou  didst  lead  , us  away  with  fables, 
thou  wast  afraid  to  te*il  us  of  our  sins,  lest  we 
should  not  put  meat  fast  enough  into  thy 
mouth.  0 cursed  wretch ! that  ever  thou 
shouldst-  beguile  us  thus,  deceive  us  thus,  flat- 
ter us  thus!  We  would  have  gone  out  to  hear 
the  word  abroad,  but  that  thou  didst  reprove 
us,  and  also  tell  us  that  that  which  we  see  now 
is  the  way  of  God  was  heresy  and  a deceivable 
doctrine;  and  wast  not  contented  (blind  guide 
as  thou  wert !)  to  fall  into  the  ditch  thyself,  but 
hast  also  led  us  thither  with  thee. 

I say,  look  to  thyself,  lest  thou  cry  out  when 
it  is  too  late,  Send  Lazarus  to  my  people,  my 
friends,  my  children,. my  congregation  to  whom 
I preached  and  beguiled  through  my  folly. 
Send  him  to  the  town  in  which  I did  preach 
last,  lest  I be  the  cause  of  their  damnation. 
Send  him  to  my  friends  from  whence  I came, 
lest  I he  made  to  answer  for  their  souls  and 
mine  own  too. 

Oh  send  him,  therefore,  and  let  him  tell 
them  and  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also  c me 
into  this  place  of  torment.  Consider,  ye  that 
live  thus  in  the  world,  while  ye  are  in  the  land 
of  the  living,  lest  you  fall  into  this  condition. 
Set  the  case:  thou  sliouldest  by  thy  carriage 
destroy  but  a soul,  but  one  poor  soul,  by  one 
of  thy  carriages  or  actions,  by  thy  sinful 
works;  consider  it  now,  I say,  lest  thou  be 
forced  to  cry,  “ I pray  thee  therefore  that  thou 
wouldst  send  him  to  my  father’s  house,  for  I 
have  five  brethren,  that  he  may  testify  untr 
them,  lest  they  also  come  into  this  place  or 
torment.” 


788 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


If  so,  then  I shall  not  only  say  to  the  blind 
guides,  Look  you  to  yourselves  and  shut  not 
out  others,  no,  but  this  doth  reach  unto  all 
those  that  do  not  only  keep  souls  from  heaven 
by  preaching  and  the  like,  but  speaks  forth  the 
doom  of  those  that  shall  anyways  be  instru- 
mental to  hinder  others  from  closing  in  with 
Jesus  Christ.  Oh  what  red  lines  will  those  be 
against  all  those  rich,  ungodly  landlords  that 
so  keep  under  their  poor  tenants  that  they  dare 
not  go  out  to  hear  the  word,  for  fear  their  rent 
should  be  raised  or  they  turned  out  of  their 
houses!  What  sayest  thou,  landlord?  Will 
it  not  cut  thy  soul  when  thou  slialt  see  that 
thou  couldst  not  be  content  to  miss  heaven 
thyself,  but  thou  must  labour  to  hinder  others 
also?  Will  it  not  give  thee  an  eternal  wound 
in  thy  heart,  both  at  death  and  judgment,  to 
be  accused  of  the  ruin  of  thy  neighbour’s  soul, 
thy  servant’s  soul,  thy  wife’s  soul,  together 
with  the  ruin  of  thine  own?  Think  on  this, 
you  drunken,  proud,  rich,  and  scornful  land- 
lords; think  on  this,  mad-brained,  blasphemous 
husbands,  that  are  against  the  godly  and  chaste 
conversation  of  your  wives ; also  you  that  hold 
your  servants  so  hard  to  it  that  you  will  not 
spare  them  time  to  hear  the  word,  unless  it  be 
where  and  when  your  lusts  let  you.  If  you 
love  your  own  souls,  your  tenants’  souls,  your 
wives’  souls,  your  servants’  souls,  your  chil- 
dren’s souls,  if  you  would  not  cry,  if  you  would 
not  howl,  if  you  would  not  bear  the  burden  of 
the  ruin  of  others  for  ever,  then  I beseech  you, 
consider  this  doleful  story,  and  labour  to  avoid 
the  soul-killing  torment  that  this  poor  wretch 
groaneth  under  when  he  saith,  “ I pray  thee 
therefore  that  thou  wouldst  send  him  to  my 
father’s  house.” 

“ For  I have  five  brethren  that  he  may  tes- 
tify ” — mark,  that  he  may  testify — “ unto  them, 
lest  they  come  into  this  place  of  torment.” 

These  words  have  still  something  more  in 
them  than  I have  yet  observed  from  them ; 
there  are  one  or  two  things  more  that  I shall 
briefly  touch  upon ; and  therefore  mark,  he 
saith,  “ That  he  may  testify  unto  them,”  &c. 
Mark,  I pray  you,  and  take  notice  of  the  word 
testify.  He  doth  not  say,  And  let  him  go  unto 
them,  or  speak  with  or  tell  them  such  and  such 
things.  No,  but  let  him  testify  or  affirm  it 
constantly,  in  case  any  should  oppose  it.  “ Let 
him  testify  unto  them.”  It  is  the  same  word 
the  Scripture  uses  to  set  forth  the  vehemency 
of  Christ  in  his  telling  of  his  disciples  of  him 
that  should  betray  him.  “ And  he  testified, 
saying,  One  of  you  shall  betray  me.”  And  he 


testified — that  is,  he  spake  it  so  as  to  lash  or 
overcome  any  that  should  have  said,  It  shall 
not  be.  It  is  a word  that  signifies  that  in  case 
any  should  opqiose  the  thing  spoken  of,  yet 
that  the  party  speaking  should  still  continue 
constant  in  his  saying.  “And  he  commanded 
them  to  preach  and  to  testify  that  it  is  He  that 
was  ordained  of  God  to  be  the  judge  of  quick 
and  dead.”  To  testify — mark,  that  is  to  be 
constant,  irresistible,  undaunted  in  case  it 
should  be  opposed  and  objected  against.  So 
here  let  him  testify  to  them,  lest  they  come 
into  this  place  of  torment 

From  whence  observe  that  it  is  not  an  easy 
matter  to  persuade  them  who  are  in  their  sins 
alive  in  this  world  that  they  must  and  shall  be 
damned  if  they  turn  not  and  be  converted  to 
God.  “ Let  him  testify  to  them  let.  him 
speak  confidently,  though  they  frown  upon 
him  or  dislike  his  way  of  speaking.  And  how 
is  this  truth  verified  and  cleared  by  the  car- 
riage of  almost  all  men  now  in  the  world  to- 
ward them  that  preach  the  Gospel,  and  show 
their  own  miserable  state  plainly  to  them  if 
they  close  not  with  it!  If  a man  do  but  in- 
deed labour  to  convince  sinners  of  their  sins 
and  lost  condition  by  nature,  though  they  must 
be  damned  if  they  live  and  die  in  that  condi- 
tion, oh  how  angry  are  they  at  it ! Look  how 
he  judges,  say  they ; hark  how  he  condemns  us ; 
he  tells  us  we  must  be  damned  if  we  live  and 
die  in  this  state.  We  are  offended  at  him,  we 
cannot  abide  to  hear  him  or  any  such  as  he ; 
we  will  believe  none  of  them  all,  but  go  on  in 
the  way  we  are  going.  “ Forbear,  why  shouldst 
thou  be  smitten?”  said  the  ungodly  king  to 
the  prophet  when  he  told  him  of  his  sins. 

I say,  tell  the  drunkard  he  must  be  damned 
if  he  leaves  not  his  drunkenness,  the  swearer, 
liar,  cheater,  thief,  covetous,  railers,  or  any 
ungodly  persons,  they  must  and  shall  lie  in 
hell  for  it  if  they  die  in  this  condition,  they 
will  not  believe  you  nor  credit  you. 

Again.  Tell  others  that  there  are  many  .n 
hell  that  have  lived  and  died  in  their  condi- 
tions, and  so  are  they  like  to  be  if  they  convert 
not  to  Jesus  Christ  and  be  found  in  him,  or 
that  there  are  others  that  are  more  civil  and 
sober  men,  who,  (although  we  know  that  their 
civility  will  not  save  them,)  if  we  do  but  tell 
them  plainly  of  the  emptiness  and  unprofit- 
ableness of  that  as  to  the  saving  of  their  souls, 
and  that  God  will  not  accept  them  nor  love 
them,  notwithstanding  these  things,  and  that 
if  they  intend  to  be  saved  they  must  be  better 
provided  than  with  such  righteousness  as  this 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


789 


they  will  either  fling  away  and  come  to  hear 
no  more,  or  else  if  they  do  come  they  will 
bring  such  prejudice  with  them  in  their  hearts 
“ that  the  word  preached  shall  not  profit  them, 
it  being  mixed  not  with  faith,  but  with  preju- 
dice in  them  that  hear  it.”  Nay,  there  will 
some  of  them  be  so  full  of  anger  that  they  will 
break  out  and  call  even  those  that  speak  the 
truth  heretics,  yea,  and  kill  them.  And  why 
so?  Because  they  tell  them  that  if  they  live 
in  their  sins,  that  will  damn  them;  yet  if  they 
turn  and  live  a righteous  life,  according  to  the 
holy  and  just  and  good  law  of  God,  that  will 
not  save  them.  Yea,  because  we  tell  them 
plainly  that  unless  they  leave  their  sins  and 
unrighteousness  too,  and  close  in  with  a naked 
Jesus  Christ,  his  blood  and  merits,  and  what 
he  hath  done,  and  is  now  doing  for  sinners, 
they  cannot  be  saved,  and  unless  they  do  eat 
the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man  and  drink  his 
blood  they  have  no  life  abiding  in  them,  they 
gravel  presently  and  are  offended  at  it,  (as  the 
Jews  were  with  Christ  for  speaking  the  same 
thing  to  them,)  and  fling  away  themselves, 
their  souls  and  all,  by  quarrelling  against  the 
doctrine  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  indeed  they  do, 
though  they  will  not  believe  they  do ; and 
therefore  he  that  is  a preacher  of  the  word  had 
need,  not  only  to  tell  them,  but  to  testify  to 
them,  again  and  again,  that  their  sins,  if  they 
continue  in  them,  will  damn  them  and  damn 
them  again.  And  tell  them  again  their  living 
honestly  according  to  the  law,  their  paying 
every  one  their  own,  their  living  quietly  with 
their  neighbours,  their  giving  to  the  poor,  their 
notion  of  the  Gospel,  and  saying  they  do  be- 
lieve in  Christ,  will  do  them  no  good  at  the 
general  day  of  judgment.  Ha,  friends!  how 
many  of  you  are  there  at  this  very  day  that 
have  been  told  ouce  and  again  of  your  lost, 
undone  condition,  because  you  want  the  right, 
real,  and  saving  work  of  God  upon  your  souls? 
I say,  hath  not  this  been  told  you,  yea,  testi- 
fied unto  you  from  time  to  time,  that  your 
state  is  miserable,  that  yet  you  are  never  the 
better,  but  do  still  stand  where  you  did,  some 
in  an  open  ungodly  life,  and  some  drowned 
in  a self-conceited  holiness  of  Christianity? 
Therefore,  for  God’s  sake,  if  you  love  your 
souls,  consider,  and  beg  of  God  for  Jesus 
Christ’s  sake  that  he  would  work  such  a work 
of  grace  in  your  hearts,  and  give  you  such  a 
faith  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  that  you  may  not 
only  have  rest  here,  as  you  think,  not  only 
think  your  state  safe  while  you  live  here,  as 
you  may  be  safe  indeed,  not  only  here,  but 


also  when  you  are  gone,  lest  you  do  cry  in  the 
anguish  and  perplexity  j> f your  souls,  Send  one 
of  my  companions  that  have  been  beguiled  by 
Satan,  as  I have  been,  and  so  by  going  on 
come  into  this  place  of  torment  as  I have 
done. 

Again,  one  thing  more  is  to  be  observed 
from  these  words,  “ Let  him  testify  to  them, 
lest  they  come  into  this  place  of  torment.” 

Mark,  lest  they  come  in,  as  if  he  had  said. 
Or  else  they  will  come  into  this  place  of  tor- 
ment, as  sure  as  I am  here.  From  whence 
observe  that  though  some  souls  do  for  sin  fall 
into  the  bottomless  pit  of  hell  before  their  fel- 
lows, because  they  depart  this  world  before 
them,  yet  the  others,  abiding  in  the  same 
course,  are  as  sure  to  go  to  the  same  place  as 
if  they  were  there  already.  How  so?  Be- 
cause that  all  are  condemned  together,  they 
have  all  fallen  under  the  same  law,  and  have 
all  offended  the  same  justice,  and  must  for  cer- 
tain, if  they  die  in  that  condition,  drink  as 
deep,  if  not  deeper,  of  the  same  destruction. 
Mark,  I pray  you,  what  the  Scripture  says, 
“ He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  al- 
ready.” 

He  is  condemned  as  well  as  they,  having 
broken  the  same  law  with  them.  If  so,  then 
what  hinders  but  they  will  partake  of  the 
same  destruction  with  them,  only  the  one 
hath  not  the  law  yet  so  executed  upon  them, 
because  they  are  here;  the  others  have  had  the 
law  executed  upon  them ; they  are  gone  to 
drink  that  which  they  have  been  brewing, 
and  thou  art  brewing  that  in  this  life  which 
thou  must  certainly  drink.  The  same  law,  I 
say,  is  in  force  against  you  both,  only  he  is 
executed  and  thou  art  not.  Just  as  if  there 
was  a company  of  prisoners  at  the  bar,  and  all 
condemned  to  die:  what!  because  they  ate  not 
all  executed  in  one  day,  therefore  shall  they 
not  be  executed  at  all?  Yes)  the  same  law 
that  executed  its  severity  upon  the  parties 
now  deceased  will  for  certain  be  executed 
upon  them  that  are  alive,  in  its  appointed 
time.  Even  so  it  is  here:  we  are  all  con- 
demned by  nature;  if  we  close  not  in  with  the 
grace  of  God  by  Jesus  Christ,  we  must  and 
shall  be  destroyed  with  the  same  destruction  ; 
“and  therefore  send  him,”  saith  he,  “ lest” — 
mark,  lest — “they  come  into  this  place  of 
torment.” 

Again,  “ Send  him  to  my  father’s  house,  and 
let  him  testify  to  them,  lest  they  come  into 
this  place  of  torment.”  As  if  he  had  said,  It 
may  be  he  may  prevail  with  them,  it  may  be 


790 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


he  may  win  upon  them,  and  so  they  may  be 
kept  from  hence,  from  coming  into  this  griev- 
ous place  of  torment.  Observe,  again,  that 
there  is  a possibility  of  obtaining  mercy,  if 
now,  I say,  now  in  this  day  of  grace,  we  turn 
from  our  sins  to  Jesus  Christ;  yea,  it  is  more 
than  possible.  And  therefore,  for  thy  encour- 
agement, do  thou  know  for  certain  that  if  thou 
shaft  in  this  thy  day  accept  of  mercy  upon 
God’s  own  terms,  and  close  with  him  effect- 
ually, God  hath  promised,  yea,  made  many 
promises,  that  thy  soul  shall  be  conducted 
safe  to  glory,  and  shall  for  certain  escape  all 
the  evil  that  I have  told  thee  of;  ay,  and 
many  more  that  I can  imagine.  Do  but 
search  the  Scriptures,  and  see  how  full  of  con- 
solation they  are  to  a poor  soul  that  is  minded 
to  close  in  with  Jesus  Christ.  “ He  that 
cometh  to  me,”  saith  Christ,  “I  will  in  nowise 
cast  out.”  Though  he  be  an  old  sinner,  “I 
will  in  nowise  cast  him  out” — mark,  “in  no- 
wise,” though  he  be  a great  sinner.  “ I will 
in  nowise  cast  him  out”  if  he  comes  to  me. 
Though  he  has  slighted  me  never  so  many 
times,  and  not  regarded  the  welfare  of  his  own 
soul,  yet  let  him  now  come  to  me,  and  not- 
withstanding this,  “I  will  in  nowise  cast  him 
out”  nor  throw  away  his  soul.  Again,  saith 
the  apostle,  “Now”- — mark,  now — “is  the  ac- 
cepted time,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation.” 
Now  here  is  mercy  in  good  store ; now  God’s 
heart  is  open  to  sinners  ; now  he  will  make 
you  welcome;  now  he  will  receive  anybody 
if  they  do  but  come  to  Christ.  “He  that 
cometh  to  me,”  saith  Christ,  “ I will  in  no- 
wise cast  out.”  And  why?  Because,  “now 
is  the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of  salva- 
tion.” As  if  the  apostle  had  said,  If  you  will 
have  mercy,  have  it  now,  receive  it  now,  close 
in  with  it  now. 

God  hath  a certain  day  to  hold  out  his  grace 
to  sinners;  now  is  the  time,  now  is  the  day. 
It  is  true  there  is  a day  of  damnation,  but  this 
is  a day  of  salvation.  There  is  a day  coming 
wherein  sinners  “ must  cry  to  the  mountains 
to  fall  on  them,  to  the  hills  to  cover  them 
from  the  wrath  of  God ;”  but  now,  now  is  the 
day  in  which  he  doth  hold  out  his  grace. 
There  is  a day  coming  in  which  you  will  not 
be  admitted  to  have  the  privilege  of  one  drop 
of  water  to  cool  your  tongue,  if  now,  I say,  if 
now  you  slight  his  grace  and  goodness  which 
he  holds  out  to  you.  Ah,  friends,  consider 
there  are  now  hopes  of  mercy,  but  then  there 
will  not;  now  Christ  holds  forth  mercy  unto 
you,  but  then  he  will  not.  Now  there  are  his 


servants  that  do  beseech  you  to  accept  of  his 
grace,  but  if  thou  lose  the  opportunity  that  is 
put  into  thine  hand,  thou  thyself  mayest  be- 
seech hereafter  and  no  mercy  be  given  thee. 
“And  he  cried  and  said,  Father  Abraham, 
have  mercy  on  me,  and  send  Lazarus,  that  he 
may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water,  and 
cool  my  tongue,”  and  there  was  none  given. 
Therefore  let  it  never  be  said  of  thee,  as  it 
will  be  said  of  some,  “ Why  is  there  a price 
put  into  the  hand  of  a fool,  seeing  he  hath  no 
heart  to  it,”  seeing  he  hath  no  heart  to  make 
a good  use  of  it?  Consider  therefore  with  thy- 
self, and  say,  It  is  better  going  to  heaven  than 
hell;  it  is  better  to  be  saved  than  damned;  it 
is  better  to  be  with  saints  than  with  damned 
souls ; and  to  go  to  God  is  better  than  to  go 
to  the  devil. 

Therefore  “ seek  the  Lord  while  he  may  be 
found,  and  call  upon  him  while  he  is  near,” 
lest  in  thy  trouble  he  leave  thee  to  thyself,  and 
say  unto  thee  plainly,  “ Where  I am  thither  ye 
cannot  come.” 

Oh,  if  they  that  are  in  hell  might  but  now 
again  have  one  such  invitation  as  this,  how 
would  they  leap  for  joy!  I have  thought 
sometimes,  Should  God  send  but  one  of  his 
ministers  to  the  damned  in  hell,  and  give  him 
commission  to  preach  the  free  love  of  God  in 
Christ  extended  to  him  and  held  out  to  them, 
if  now  while  it  is  proffered  to  them  they  will 
accept  of  his  kindness,  oh  how  welcome  would 
they  make  this  news  and  close  in  with  it  on 
any  terms ! 

Certainly  they  would  say,  W e will  accept  of 
grace  on  any  terms  in  the  world,  and  thank 
you  too,  though  it  cost  life  and  limbs  to  boot; 
we  will  spare  no  cost  nor  charge  if  mercy  may 
be  had.  But,  poor  souls ! while  they  live  here 
they  will  not  part  from  sin,  with  hell-bred, 
devilish  sin;  no,  they  will  rather  lose  their 
souls  than  lose  their  filthy  sins. 

But,  friend,  thou  wilt  change  thy  note  before 
it  be  long,  and  cry,  0 simple  wretch  that  I am, 
that  I should  damn  my  soul  by  sin ! It  is  true, 
I have  had  the  Gospel  preached  to  me,  and 
have  been  invited  in ; I have  been  preached  to 
and  have  been  warned  of  this ; but  “ how  have 
I hated  instruction,  and  mine  heart  despised 
reproof!  I have  not  obeyed  the  voice  of  my 
teachers,  nor  inclined  mine  ear  to  them  that 
instructed  me.” 

Oh  therefore,  I say,  poor  soul ! is  there  hope? 
Then  lay  thine  hand  upon  thy  mouth  and  kiss 
the  dust,  and  close  in  with  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  make  much  of  his  glorious  mercy , 


SIGHS  FROM  IIELL. 


791 


and  invite  also  tliy  companions  to  close  in  with 
the  same  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  lest  one  of  you  do 
go  to  hell  beforehand,  and  expect  with  grief 
of  heart  your  companions  to  come  after;  and 
in  the  mean  time,  with  anguish  of  heart,  do 
sigh  and  say,  Oh  send  him  to  my  companions,, 
and  let  him  testify  to  them,  lest  they  also  come 
into  this  place  of  torment. 

Now,  then,  from  what  hath  been  said  there 
might  many  things  be  spoken  by  way  of  use 
and  application,  but  I shall  be  very  brief,  and 
but  touch  some  things,  and  so  wind  up. 

And,  first,  I shall  begin  with  the  sad  con- 
dition of  those  that  die  out  of  Christ,  and 
speak  somewhat  to  that.  v 

Secondly,  to  the  latter  end  of  the  parable, 
which  more  evidently  concerns  the  Scripture, 
and  speak  somewhat  to  that. 

1.  Therefore  you  see  that  the  first  part  of 
the  parable  contains  a sad  declaration  of  the 
state  of  one  living  and  dying  out  of  Christ — 
how  that  they  lose  heaven  for  hell,  God  for  the 
devil,  light  for  darkness,  joy  for  sorrow. 

2.  How  that  they  have  not  so  much  as  the 
least  comfort  from  God  who,  in  the  time  they 
lie  here  below,  neglect  coming  to  him  for 
mercy;  not  so  much  as  one  drop  of  cold 
water. 

3.  That  such  souls  will  repent  of  their  folly 
when  repentance  will  do  them  no  good  or  when 
they  shall  be  past  recovery. 

4.  That  all  the  comforts  such  souls  are  like 
to  have  they  have  in  this  world. 

5.  That  all  their  groanings  and  sighs  will  not 
move  God  to  mitigate  in  the  least  his  heavy 
hand  of  vengeance  that  is  upon  them  for  the 
transgressions  they  have  committed  against 
him. 

6.  That  their  sad  state  is  irrevocable,  for 
they  must  never— -mark,  never— come  out  of 
that  condition. 

7.  Their  desires  will  not  be  heard  for  their 
ungodly  neighbours. 

From  these  things,  then,  I pray  you  consider 
the  state  of  those  that  die  out  of  Christ  Jesus; 
yea,  I say,  consider  their  miserable  state,  and 
think  thus  with  thyself,  Well,  if  I neglect 
coming  to  Christ,  I must  go  to  the  devil,  and  he 
will  not  neglect  to  fetch  me  away  into  those 
intolerable  torments. 

Think  thus  with  thyself,  What ! shall  I lose 
a long  heaven  for  short  pleasure  ? Shall  I buy 
the  pleasures  of  this  world  at  so  dear  a rate  as 
to  lose  my  soul  for  obtaining  of  them  ? Shall 
I content  myself  with  a heaven  that  will  last 
no  longer  than  my  lifetime  ? What  advantage 


will  these  be  to  me  when  the  Lord  shall  sepa- 
rate soul  and  body  asunder,  and  send  one  to 
the  grave,  the  other  to  hell,  and  at  the  judg- 
ment-day the  final  sentence  of  eternal  ruin 
must  be  passed  upon  me? 

1.  Consider  that  the  profits,  pleasures,  and 
vanities  of  this  world  will  not  last  for  ever,  but 
the  time  is  coming,  yea,  just  at  the  doors,  when 
they  will  give  thee  the  slip,  and  leave  thee  in 
the  suds  and  in  the  brambles  for  all  that  thou 
hast  done. 

2.  And,  therefore,  to  prevent  this  thy  dismal 
state,  think  thus  with  thyself,  It  is  true,  I love 
my  sins,  my  lusts,  my  pleasures,  but  what  good 
will  they  do  me  at  the  day  of  death  and  of 
judgment?  Will  my  sins  do  me  good  then? 
Will  they  be  able  to  help  me  when  I come  to 
fetch  my  last  breath?  What  good  will  my 
profits  do  me?  And  what  good  will  your 
vanities  do  when  death  says  he  will  have  no 
nay?  What  good  will  all  companions,  fellow- 
jesters,  jeerers,  liars,  drunkards,  and  all  my 
wantons  do  me?  Will  they  help  to  ease  the 
pains  of  hell?  Will  these  help  to  turn  the 
hand  of  God  from  inflicting  his  fierce  anger 
upon  me?  Nay,  will  they  not  rather  cause 
God  to  show  me  no  mercy,  to  give  me  no  com- 
fort, but  rather  to  thrust  me  down  in  the 
hottest  place  of  hell,  where  I may  swim  in  fire 
and  brimstone? 

3.  Consider  thus  with  thyself,  Would  I be 
glad  to  have  all,  every  one  of  my  sins,  to  come 
in  against  me  to  inflame  the  justice  of  God 
against  me?  Would  I be  glad  to  be  bound  up 
in  them,  as  the  three  children  were  bound  in 
their  clothes,  and  to  be  as  really  thrown  into 
the  fiery  furnace  of  the  wrath  of  Almighty 
God  as  they  were  into  Nebuchadnezzar’s  fiery 
furnace  ? 

4.  Consider  thus,  Would  I be  glad  to  have 
all  and  every  one  of  the  ten  commandments  to 
discharge  themselves  against  my  soul — the 
first  saying,  Damn  him,  for  he  hath  broken 
me;  the  second  saying,  Damn  him,  for  he  hath 
broken  me?  &c. 

Consider  how  terrible  this  will  be,  yea,  more 
terrible  than  if  thou  sliouldst  have  ten  of  the 
biggest  pieces  of  ordnance  in  England  to  be 
discharged  against  thy  body,  thunder,  thunder, 
one  after  another ! Nay,  this  would  not  be  com- 
parable to  the  reports  that  the  law  (for  the 
breach  thereof ) will  give  against  thy  soul ; for 
those  can  but  kill  the  body,  but  these  will  keep 
both  body  and  soul ; and  that  not  for  an  hour, 
a day,  a month,  or  a year,  but  they  will  con- 
demn thee  for  ever. 


792 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Mark,  it  is  for  ever,  for  ever.  It  is  into 
everlasting  damnation,  eternal  destruction, 
eternal  wrath  and  displeasure  from  God, 
eternal  gnawings  of  conscience,  eternal  con- 
tinuance with  devils. 

Oh  consider,  it  may  be  the  thought  of  seeing 
the  devil  doth  now  make  thine  hair  to  stand 
right  up  on  thine  head.  Oh  but  this,  to  be 
damned,  to  be  among  all  the  devils,  and  that 
not  only  for  a time,  as  I said  before,  but  for 
ever,  to  all  eternity ! 

This  is  so  wonderfully  miserable,  ever  mis- 
erable, that  no  tongue  of  man,  no  nor  of  an- 
gels, is  able  to  express  it. 

5.  Consider  much  with  thyself,  Not  only  my 
sins  against  the  law  will  be  laid  to  my  charge, 
but  also  the  sins  I have  committed  in  slight- 
ing the  Gospel,  the  glorious  Gospel ; these  also 
must  come  with  a voice  against  me;  as  thus: 
Nay,  he  is  worthy  to  be  damned,  for  he  re- 
jected the  Gospel,  he  slighted  the  free  grace 
of  God  tendered  in  the  Gospel.  How  many 
times  wast  thou  (damned  wretch!)  invited, 
entreated,  beseeched  to  come  to  Christ,  to  ac- 
cept of  mercy,  that  thou  mightest  have  heaven, 
thy  sins  pardoned,  thy  soul  saved,  thy  body 
and  soul  glorified,  and  all  this  for  nothing  but 
the  acceptance,  and  through  faith  forsaking 
those  imps  of  Satan  which  by  their  embrace- 
ments  have  drawn  thee  down  toward  the  gulf 
of  God’s  eternal  displeasure! 

How  often  didst  thou  read  the  promises,  yea, 
the  free  promises,  of  the  common  salvation ! 
How  oft  didst  thou  read  the  sweet  counsels 
and  admonitions  of  the  Gospel  to  accept  of 
the  grace  of  God!  But  thou  wouldst  not,  thou 
regardedst  it  not,  thou  didst  slight  all. 

Secondly.  As  I would  have  thee  consider 
the  sad  and  woeful  state  of  those  that  die  out 
of  Christ  and  are  past  all  recovery,  so  would  I 
have  thee  consider  the  many  mercies  and  privi- 
leges thou  enjoyest  above  some  (peradventure) 
of  thy  companions  that  are  departed  to  their 
proper  place. 

As — 1.  Consider,  thou  hast  still  the  thread 
of  thy  life  lengthened,  which  for  thy  sins 
might  seven  years  ago  or  more  have  been  cut 
asunder  and  thou  have  dropped  down  among 
the  flames. 

2.  Consider,  the  terms  of  reconciliation  by 
faith  in  Christ  are  still  proffered  unto  thee, 
and  thou  invited,  yea,  entreated,  to  accept  of 
them. 

3.  Consider,  the  terms  of  reconciliation  are 
but  (bear  with  me  though  I say  but)  only  to 
believe  in  Jesus  Christ  with  faith  that  purifies 


the  heart,  and  enables  thy  soul  to  feed  on  him 
effectually,  and  be  saved  from  this  sad  state. 

4.  Consider,  the  time  of  thy  departure  is  at 
hand,  and  the  time  is  uncertain,  and  also  that, 
for  aught  thou  knowest,  the  day  of  grace  may 
be  past  to  thee  before  thou  diest,  not  lasting 
so  long  as  the  uncertain  life  in  this  world. 
And  if  so,  then  know  for  certain  that  thou  art 
as  sure  to  be  damned  as  if  thou  wast  in  hell 
already,  if  thou  convert  not  in  the  mean  while. 

5.  Consider,  it  may  be  some  of  thy  friends 
are  giving  all  diligence  to  make  their  calling 
and  election  sure,  being  resolved  for  heaven, 
and  thou  thyself  eudeavourest  as  fast  to  make 
sure  of  hell,  as  if  resolved  to  have  it;  and  to- 
gether with  this  consider  how  it  will  grieve 
thee  that  while  thou  wast  making  sure  of  hell 
thy  friends  were  making  sure  of  heaven.  But 
more  of  this  by  and  by. 

6.  Consider,  what  a sad  reflection  this  will 
have  on  thy  soul  to  see  thy  friends  in  heaven 
and  thyself  in  hell;  thy  father  in  heaven  and 
thou  in  hell ; thy  mother  in  heaven  and  thou 
in  hell;  thy  brother,  thy  sister,  thy  children 
in  heaven  and  thou  in  hell.  As  Christ  said  to 
the  Jews  of  their  relations  according  to  the 
flesh,  so  may  I say  to  thee  concerning  thy 
friends,  “There  shall  be  weeping,  and  wailing, 
and  gnashing  of  teeth”  when  you  shall  see 
your  fathers  and  mothers,  brethren  and  sisters, 
husbands  and  wives,  children  and  kinsfolk, 
with  your  friends  and  neighbours,  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  and  thou  thyself  thrust  out. 

But  again,  because  I would  not  only  tell 
thee  of  the  damnable  state  of  those  that  die 
out  of  Christ,  but  also  persuade  thee  to  take 
hold  of  life  and  go  to  heaven,  take  notice  of 
these  following  things: 

1.  Consider,  that  whatever  thou  canst  do  as 
to  thy  acceptance  with  God  is  not  worth  the 
dirt  of  thy  shoes,  but  is  all  as  filthy  rags. 

2.  Consider,  that  all  the  conditions  of  the 
new  covenant  (as  to  salvation)  are  and  have 
been  completely  fulfilled  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  that  for  sinners. 

3.  Consider,  that  the  Lord  calls  to  thee  for 
to  receive  whatsoever  Christ  hath  done,  and 
that  on  free  cost.  Rev.  xxii.  17. 

4.  Consider,  that  thou  canst  not  honour 
God  more  than  to  close  in  with  his  proffers  of 
grace,  mercy,  and  pardon  of  sin.  Rom.  iv. 

Again,  that  which  will  add  to  all  the  rest, 
thou  shalt  have  the  very  mercy  of  God,  the 
blood  of  Christ,  the  preachers  of  the  word,  to 
gether  with  every  sermon,  all  the  promises, 
invitations,  exhortations,  and  all  the  counsels 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


703 


and  threaten  ings  of  the,  blessed  word  of  God — 
thou  shalt  have  all  thy  thoughts,  words,  and 
actions,  together  with  all  thy  food,  thy  raiment, 
thy  sleep,  thy  goods,  and  also  all  hours,  days, 
weeks,  months,  and  years,  together  with  what- 
soever else  God  hath  given  thee — I say,  thy 
abuse  of  all  these  shall  come  up  in  judgment 
against  thy  soul,  for  God  will  reckon  with  thee 
for  every  thing,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad. 
Eccles.  xii.  14. 

5.  Nay,  further,  it  is  so  unreasonable  a thing 
for  a sinner  to  refuse  the  Gospel  that  the  very 
devils  themselves  will  come  in  against  thee,  as 
well  as  Sodom,  that  damned  crew.  May  not 
they,  I say,  come  in  against  thee,  and  say,  O 
thou  simple  man!  0 vile  wretch!  that  had 
not  so  much  care  of  thy  soul,  thy  precious  soul, 
as  the  beast  hath  of  its  young  or  the  dog  of 
the  very  bone  that  lieth  before  him ! Was  thy 
soul  worth  so  much,  and  didst  thou  so  little 
regard  it  ? Were  the  thunderclaps  of  the  law 
so  terrible,  and  didst  thou  so  slight  them? 
Besides,  was  the  Gospel  so  freely,  so  frequently, 
so  fully  tendered  to  thee,  and  yet  hast  thou  re- 
jected all  these  things? 

Hast  thou  valued  sin  at  a higher  rate  than 
thy  soul — than  God,  Christ,  angels,  saints, 
and  communion  with  them  in  eternal  blessed- 
ness and  glory  ? Wast  thou  not  told  of  hell- 
fire,  those  intolerable  flames  ? Didst  thou  never 
hear  of  those  intolerable  roarings  of  the  damned 
ones  that  are  therein  ? Didst  thou  never  hear 
or  read  that  doleful  saying  in  the  16th  of  Luke, 
how  the  sinful  man  cries  out  among  the  flames, 
“ One  drop  of  water  to  cool  my  tongue  ?”  Thus, 
I say,  may  the  very  devils,  being  ready  to  go 
with  thee  into  the  burning  furnace  of  fire  and 
brimstone,  though  not  for  sins  of  so  high  a na- 
ture as  thine,  trembling  say,  Oh  that  Christ 
had  died  for  devils  as  he  died  for  men  ! And, 
Oh  that  the  Gospel  had  been  preached  to  us 
as  it  hath  been  to  thee ! How  would  we  have 
laboured  to  have  closed  in  with  it ! But  woe 
be  to  us,  for  we  might  never  have  it  proffered ; 
no,  not  in  the  least,  though  we  would  have 
been  glad  of  it ! But  you,  you  have  it  proffered, 
preached,  and  proclaimed  unto  you.  Prov.  viii. 
4.  Besides,  you  have  been  entreated  and  be- 
seeched  to  accept  of  it,  but  you  would  not.  0 
simple  fools ! that  might  have  escaped  wrath, 
vengeance,  hell-fire,  and  that  to  all  eternity, 
and  had  no  heart  at  all  to  do  it ! 

6.  May  not  the  messengers  of  Jesus  Christ 
also  come  in  with  a shrill  and  terrible  note 
against  thy  soul  when  tlioustandest  at  the  bar 
of  God's  justice,  saying,  Nay,  thou  ungodly 


one,  how  often  hast  thou  been  forewarned  of 
this  day ! Did  not  we  sound  an  alarm  in 
thine  cars,  by  the  trumpet  of  God’s  word,  day 
after  day?  How  often  didst  thou  hear  us  tell 
thee  of  these  things!  Did  we  not  tell  thee 
sin  would  damn  thy  soul?  Did  we  not  tell 
thee  that  without  conversion  there  was  no  sal- 
vation? Did  we  not  tell  thee  that  they  who 
loved  their  sins  should  be  damned  at  this  dark 
and  gloomy  day  ? (as  thou  art  like  to  be.)  Yea, 
did  we  not  tell  thee  that  God,  out  of  his  love 
to  sinners,  sent  Christ  to  die  for  them,  that 
they  might  (by  coming  to  him)  be  saved  ? Did 
we  not  tell  thee  of  these  things?  Did  we  not 
run,  ride,  labour,  and  strive  abundantly  (if  it 
might  have  been)  for  the  good  of  thy  soul? 
(though  now  a damned  soul.)  Did  we  not  ven- 
ture our  goods,  our  names,  our  lives?  Yea, 
did  we  not  even  kill  ourselves  with  our  earnest 
entreaties  of  thee  to  consider  of  thine  estate, 
and  by  Christ  to  escape  this  dreadful  day? 
Oh  sad  doom ! when  thou  shalt  be  forced,  full 
sore  against  thy  will,  to  fall  under  the  truth 
of  this  judgment,  saying,  “ Oh  how  have  I 
hated  instruction,  and  how  hath  my  heart  de- 
spised reproof!  (for  indeed)  I have  not  obeyed 
the  voice  of  my  teachers,  nor  inclined  mine 
ear  to  them  that  instructed  me.”  Prov.  v.  12, 13. 

7.  May  not  thy  father,  thy  mother,  thy 
brother,  thy  sister,  thy  friend,  &c.,  appear  with 
gladness  against*  thee  at  the  terrible  day,  say- 
ing, O thou  silly  wretch,  how  rightly  hath  God 
met  with  thee!  Oh  how  righteously  doth  his 
sentence  pass  upon  thee ! Remember,  thou 
wouldst  not  be  ruled  nor  persuaded  in  thy  life- 
time. As  thou  didst  not  care  for  us  and  our  ad- 
monitions then,  so  neither  do  we  care  for  thy 
ruin,  terror,  and  damnation  now.  No,  but  we 
will  stand  on  God’s  side  in  sentencing  of  thee 
to  that  portion  which  the  devils  must  be  par- 
takers of.  “ The  righteous  shall  rejoice  when 
he  seeth  the  vengeance ; he  shall  wash  his  foot 
in  the  blood  of  the  wicked.”  Ps.  lviii.  10.  Oh 
sad ! It  is  enough  to  make  mountains  tremble 
and  rocks  rend  in  pieces  to  hear  this  doleful 
sound.  Consider  these  things,  and  if  thou 
wouldst  be  loth  to  be  in  this  condition,  then 
have  a care  of  living  in  sin  now.  How  loth 
wilt  thou  be  to  be  thrust  away  from  the  gates 
of  heaven ! and  how  loth  wilt  thou  be  to  be 
deprived  of  the  mercy  of  God  ! 

How  unwillingly  wilt  thou  set  foot  forward 
toward  the  lake  of  fire!  Never  did  malefac- 
tor so  unwillingly  turn  off  the  ladder  when 
the  halter  was  about  his  neck  as  thou  wilt 
turn  from  God  to  the  devil,  from  heaven  to 


794 


LUKYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Bell,  when  the  sentence  is  passed  upon  thy 
soul. 

Oh  how  wilt  thou  sigh  and  groan ! How 
willingly  wouldst  thou  hide  thyself  and  run 
away  from  justice!  But,  alas!  as  it  is  with 
them  that  are  on  the  ladder  ready  to  be  exe- 
cuted, so  it  will  be  with  thee.  They  would 
fain  run  away,  hut  there  are  many  halbert- 
men  to  stay  them ; and  so  the  angels  of  God 
will  beset  thee  round,  I say  round  on  every 
side,  so  that  thou  mayest  indeed  look,  but  run 
thou  caust  not.  Thou  mayest  wish  thyself 
under  some  rock  or  mountain,  but  how  to  get 
under  thou  knowest  not. 

Oh  how  unwilling  wilt  thou  be  to  let  thy 
father  go  to  heaven  without  thee ! thy  mother 
or  friends,  &c.,  go  to  heaven  without  thee ! 
How  willingly  wouldst  thou  hang  on  them  and 
not  let  them  go ! 0 father ! cannot  you  help 

me?  Mother,  cannot  you  do  me  some  good? 
Oh  how  loth  am  I to  burn  and  fry  in  hell  while 
you  are  singing  in  heaven!  But,  alas!  the 
father,  mother,  or  friends  reject  them,  slight 
them,  and  turn  their  backs  upon  them,  saying, 
You  would  have  none  of  heaven  in  your  life- 
time, therefore  you  shall  have  none  of  it  now; 
you  slighted  our  counsels  then,  and  we  slight 
your  tears,  cries,  and  condition  now.  What 
sayest  thou,  sinner?  Will  not  this  persuade 
thine  heart,  or  make  thee  bethink  thyself? 
This  is  now  before  thou  fall  ill  to  that  dreadful 
place,  that  fiery  furnace.  But  oh  consider 
how  dreadful  the  place  itself,  the  devils  them- 
selves, the  fire  itself  will  be!  And  this  at  the 
end  of  all — here  thou  must  lie  for  ever!  here 
thou  must  fry  for  ever  and  for  ever ! This 
will  be  more  to  thee  than  any  man  with  tongue 
can  express  or  with  pen  can  write.  There  is 
none  that  can,  I say,  by  the  ten  thousandth 
part  discover  the  state  and  condition  of  such  a 
soul. 

I shall  conclude  this,  then,  with  a few  con- 
siderations of  encouragement. 

1.  Consider,  (for  I would  fain  have  thee 
come  in,  sinner,)  that  there  is  a way  made 
by  Jesus  Christ  for  them  that  are  under 
the  curse  of  God  to  come  to  this  comfort- 
able and  blessed  state  of  Lazarus  I was 
speaking  of. 

2.  Consider,  what  pains  Christ  Jesus  took 
for  the  ransoming  of  thy  soul  from  all  the 
curses,  thunderclaps,  and  tempests  of  the  law, 
from  all  the  intolerable  flames  of  hell,  from 
that  soul-sinking  appearance  of  thy  person 
(on  the  left  hand)  before  the  judgment-seat 
of  Christ  Jesus,  from  everlasting  fellowship 


with  innumerable  companies  of  yelling  and 
soul-amazing  devils — I say,  consider  what 
pains  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  took  in  bringing 
in  redemption  for  sinners  from  these  things. 

In  that  “ though  he  was  rich,  yet  he  be 
came  poor,  that  thou,  through  his  poverty, 
might  be  made  rich.”  He  laid  aside  his 
glory  (John  vii.)  “ and  became  a servant.” 
Phil.  ii.  He  left  the  company  of  angels  and 
encountered  with  the  devil.  Luke  iv.  He  left 
heaven’s  ease  for  a time  to  lie  upon  hard 
mountains.  John  viii.  In  a word,  he  became 
poorer  than  those  that  go  with  flail  and  rake, 
yea,  than  the  very  birds  or  foxes,  and  all  to 
do  thee  good.  Besides,  consider  a little  of 
those  unspeakable  and  intolerable  slightings 
and  rejections  and  the  manifold  abuses  that 
came  from  men  upon  him — how  he  was  falsely 
accused,  being  a sweet,  harmless,  and  unde- 
filed lamb ; how  he  was  undervalued,  so  that 
a murderer  was  counted  less  worthy  of  con- 
demnation than  he;  besides,  how  they  mock 
him,  spit  on  him,  beat  him  over  the  head  with 
staves,  and  the  hair  plucked  from  his  cheeks: 
“ I gave  my  back  to  the  smiters,  (saith  he,)  and 
my  cheeks  to  them  that  plucked  off  the  hair; 
I hid  not  my  face  from  shame  and  spitting  ” — 
his  head  crowned  with  thorns,  his  hands 
pierced  with  nails,  and  his  side  with  a spear; 
together  with  how  they  used  him,  scourged 
him,  and  so  miserably  misusing  him  that  they 
had  even  spent  him  in  a great  measure  before 
they  did  crucify  him,  insomuch  that  there  was 
another  fain  to  carry  his  cross. 

Again,  not  only  this,  but  lay  to  heart  a little 
what  he  received  from  God  his  dear  Father, 
though  he  was  his  dear  and  tender  Son  : first, 
in  that  he  did  deal  with  him  as  the  greatest 
sinner  and  rebel  in  the  world,  for  he  laid  the 
sins  of  thousands,  and . ten  thousands,  and 
thousands  of  thousands  of  sinners  to  his 
charge,  (Isa.  li ii.,)  and  caused  him  to  drink 
the  terrible  cup  that  was  due  to  them  all; 
and  not  only  so,  but  did  delight  in  so  doing: 
“For  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him.” 
God  dealt  indeed  with  his  Son  as  Abraham 
would  have  dealt  with  Isaac ; ay,  and  more 
terribly  by  ten  thousand  parts,  for  he  did  not 
only  tear  his  body  like  a lion,  but  made  his 
soul  an  offering  for  sin.  And  this  was  not 
done  feignedly,  but  really,  (for  justice  called 
for  it,  he  standing  in  the  room  of  sinners:) 
witness  that  horrible  and  unspeakable  agony 
that  fell  on  him  suddenly  in  the  garden,  as  if 
all  the  vials  of  God’s  unspeakable  scalding 
vengeance  had  been  cast  upon  him  all  at 


SIGHS  FROM  IIELL. 


once,  and  all  the  devils  in  hell  had  broken 
loose  from  thence  at  once  to  destroy  him,  and 
that  for  ever;  insomuch  that  the  very  pangs 
of  death  seized  upon  him  in  the  same  hour; 
for,  saith  he,  “My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful 
and  amazed,  even  unto  death.” 

Witness  also  that  strange  kind  of  sweat 
that  trickled  down  his  most  blessed  face, 
where  it  is  said,  And  he  sweat,  as  it  were, 
graat  drops  or  dodders  of  blood,  trickling 
down  to  the  ground.  O Lord  Jesus!  what  a 
load  didst  thou  carry  ! what  a burden  didst  thou 
hear  of  the  sins  of  the  world  and  the  wrath 
of  God!  0 thou  that  didst  not  only  bleed  at 
nose  and  mouth  with  the  pressure  that  lay 
upon  thee,  hut  thou  wast  so  pressed,  so  loaded 
that  the  pure  blood  gushed  through  the  flesh  and 
skin,  and  so  ran  trickling  down  to  the  ground  ! 
“And  his  sweat  was  as  it  were  great  drops  of 
blood,  trickling  or  falling  down  to  the  ground.” 
Canst  thou  read  this,  0 thou  wicked  sinner! 
and  yet  go  on  in  sin?  Canst  thou  think  of 
this,  and  defer  repentance  one  hour  longer? 
O heart  of  flint,  yea,  harder!  O miserable 
wretch  ! what  place  in  hell  will  be  hot  enough 
for  thee  to  have  thy  soul  put  into  if  thou  shalt 
persist  or  go  on  still  to  add  iniquity  to  iniquity  ? 

Besides,  his  soul  went  down  to  hell  (Ps. 
xvi.  10;  Acts  ii.  31)  and  his  body  to  the  bars 
of  the  grave;  and  had  hell,  death,  or  the 
grave  been  strong  enough  to  hold  him,  then 
he  had  suffered  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire 
to  all  eternity.  But,  O blessed  Jesus!  how 
didst  thou  discover  thy  love  to  man  in  thy 
thus  suffering!  and,  0 God  the  Father!  how 
didst  thou  declare  the  purity  and  exactness 
of  thy  justice,  in  that,  though  it  was  thine 
only,  holy,  innocent,  harmless,  and  undefiled 
Son  Jesus  that  did  take  on  him  our  nature 
and  represent  our  persons,  answering  for  our 
sins  instead  of  ourselves,  thou  didst  so  won- 
derfully pour  out  thy  wrath  upon  him  to  the 
making  of  him  to  cry  out,  “ My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?”  And,  0 Lord 
Jesus!  what  a glorious  conquest  hast  thou 
made  over  the  enemies  of  our  souls,  even 
wrath,  sin,  death,  hell,  and  devils,  in  that- 
thou  didst  wring  thyself  from  under  the 
power  of  them  all ! and  not  only  so,  but  hast 
led  them  captive  which  would  have  led  us 
captive,  and  also  hast  received  for  us  that 
glorious  and  unspeakable  inheritance  “that 
eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath 
it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive,” 
and  also  hast  given  them  some  discovery 
thereof  through  the  Spirit. 


795 

And  now,  sinner,  together  with  this,  con- 
sider— 

Fourthly.  That  though  Jesus  Christ  hath 
done  all  these  things  for  sinners,  yet  the  devil 
makes  it  his  whole  work  and  continual  study 
how  he  may  keep  thee  and  others  from  enjoy- 
ing of  these  blessed  privileges  that  have  been 
thus  obtained  for  sinners  by  this  sweet  Jesus. 
He  labours,  I say, 

1.  To  keep  thee  ignorant  of  thy  state  by  na- 
ture. 

2.  To  harden  thy  heart  against  the  ways  of 
God. 

3.  To  inflame  thy  heart  with  love  to  sin  and 
the  ways  of  darkness. 

And,  4.  To  get  thee  to  continue  herein.  For 
that  is  the  way,  he  knows,  to  get  thee  to  be  a 
partaker  with  him  of  flaming  hell-fire,  even 
the  same  that  he  himself  is  fallen  into,  together 
with  the  rest  of  the  wicked  world,  by  reason 
of  sin.  Look  to  it,  therefore. 

But  now,  in  the  next  place,  a word  of  en- 
couragement to  you  that  are  the  saints  of  the 
Lord. 

1.  Consider  what  a happy  state  thou  art  in 
that  hast  gotten  the  faith  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
into  thy  soul.  (But  be  sure  thou  have  it.)  I 
say,  how  safe,  how  sure,  how  happy  art  thou. 
For  when  others  go  to  hell,  thou  must  go  to 
heaven ; when  others  go  to  the  devil,  thou  must 
go  to  God ; when  others  go  to  prison,  thou 
must  be  set  at  liberty,  at  ease,  and  at  freedom ; 
when  others  must  roar  for  sorrow  of  heart,  thou 
shalt  also  sing  for  the  joy  of  heart. 

2.  Consider,  thou  must  have  all  thy  well- 
spent  life  to  follow  thee,  instead  of  all  thy  sins, 
and  the  glorious  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  in- 
stead of  the  dreadful  curses  and  condemna- 
tions of  the  law  ; the  blessings  of  the  Father, 
instead  of  a fiery  sentence  from  the  Judge. 

3.  Let  dissolution  come  when  it  will,  it  can 
do  thee  no  harm  ; for  it  will  be  only  a passage 
out  of  a prison  into  a palace;  out  of  a sea  of 
troubles  into  an  heaven  of  rest;  out  of  a cloud 
of  enemies  to  an  innumerable  company  of 
true,  loving,  and  faithful  friends;  out  of  shame, 
reproach  and  contempt  into  exceeding  great 
and  eternal  glory;  for  death  shall  not  hurt 
thee  with  his  sting  nor  bite  thee  with  his  soul- 
murdering  teeth,  but  shall  be  a welcome  guest 
to  thee,  eveq  to  thy  soul,  in  that  it  is  sent  to 
free  thee  from  thy  troubles  which  thou  art  in 
whilst  here  in  this  world,  dwelling  in  the  tab- 
ernacle of  clay. 

4.  Consider,  however  it  goes  with  friends 
and  relations,  yet  it  will  go  well  with  thee. 


796 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


However  it  goes  with  the  wicked,  yet  I know 
-mark,  yet  I know,  saith  he — that  it  shall  go 
well  with  them  that  fear  the  Lord,  that  fear 
before  him. 

And  therefore  let  this,  in  the  first  place, 
cause  thee  cheerfully  to  exercise  thy  patience 
under  all  the  calamities,  crosses,  troubles  and 
afflictions  that  may  come  upon  thee,  and  by 
patient  continuance  in  well-doing  to  commit 
both  thyself  and  thine  affairs  and  actions  into 
the  hands  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  as  to  a 
faithful  Creator,  who  is  true  to  his  word,  and 
loveth  to  give  unto  thee  whatsoever  he  hath 
promised  to  thee. 

And  therefore  to  encourage  thee,  while  thou 
art  here,  with  comfort  to  hold  on  for  all  thy 
crosses  in  this  thy  journey,  be  much  in  consid- 
ering the  place  that  thou  must  go  iuto  so  soon 
as  dissolution  comes. 

It  must  be  into  heaven,  to  God  the  Judge 
of  all,  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels, 
to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  to  the 
general  assembly  and  Church  of  the  first-born 
whose  names  are  written  in  heaven,  and  to 
Jesus,  (to  the  Redeemer,)  who  is  the  mediator 
of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of 
sprinkling,  that  speaks  better  things  for  thee 
than  Abel’s  did  for  Cain. 

Consider,  that  when  the  time  of  the  dead 
that  they  shall  be  raised  is  come,  then  shall 
thy  body  be  raised  out  of  the  grave  and  be 
glorified,  and  be  made  like  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Phil.  iii.  21.  0 excellent  condition  ! 

When  Jesus  Christ  shall  sit  on  the  throne 
of  his  glory,  you  shall  also  sit  with  him,  even 
when  he  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of  his  glory. 
Oh,  will  not  this  be  glorious,  that  when  thou- 
sands and  thousands  of  thousands  shall  be 
arraigned  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ, 
then  for  them  to  sit  with  him  upon  the  throne, 
together  with  him  to  pass  the  sentence  upon 
the  ungodly  ? Will  it  not  be  glorious  to  enjoy 
those  things  that  eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear- 
heard,  neither  hath  entered  into  the  heart  of 
man  to  conceive? 

Will  it  not  be  glorious  to  have  this  sentence, 
“Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world?”  Will  it  not  be  glorious  to 
enter  then  with  the  angels  and  saints  into  that 
glorious  kingdom?  Will  it  not  be  glorious  for 
thee  to  be  in  glory  with  them,  while  others  are 
in  unutterable  torments  ? Oh  then  how  will  it 
comfort  thee  to  see  thou  hast  not  lost  that 
glory,  to  think  that  the  devil  hath  not  got  thy 
soul,  that  thy  soul  should  be  saved,  and  that 


not  from  a little,  but  a great,  exceeding  dan- 
ger— not  with  a little,  but  a great  salvation ! 
Oh  therefore  let  the  saints  be  joyful  in  glory, 
let  them  triumph  over  all  their  enemies.  Let 
them  begin  to  sing  heaven  upon  earth,  triumph 
before  they  come  to  glory,  even  when  they  are 
in  the  midst  of  their  enemies;  “for  this  hon- 
our shall  all  his  saints  have.” 

Ver.  29.  Abraham  said  unto  him , They  have 

Moses  and  the  prophets  ; let  them  hear  them. 

In  the  verse  foregoing  you  see  there  is  a dis- 
covery of  the  lamentable  state  of  the  poor  soul 
that  dies  out  of  Christ  and  the  special  favour 
of  God,  and  also  how  little  the  glorious  God 
of  heaven  doth  regard  and  take  notice  of  their 
most  miserable  condition. 

Now,  in  this  verse  he  doth  magnify  the 
words  which  were  spoken  to  the  people  by  the 
prophets  and  apostles.  “ They  have  Moses  and 
the  prophets;  let  them  hear  them.”  As  if  he 
should  say,  Thou  askest  me  that  I should  send 
Lazarus  back  again  into  the  world  to  preach 
to  them  that  live  there,  that  they  might  escape 
that  doleful  place  that  thou,  art  in.  What 
needs  that?  Have  they  not  Moses  and  the 
prophets?  Have  they  not  had  my  ministers 
and  servants  sent  unto  them  and  coming  as 
from  me?  I sent  Enoch  and  Noah,  Moses  and 
Samuel;  I sent  David,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Eze- 
kiel, Daniel,  Hosea,  and  the  rest  of  the  proph- 
ets, together  with  Peter,  Paul,  John,  Matthew, 
James,  Jude,  with  the  rest.  “Let  them  hear 
them.”  What  they  have  spoken  by  divine  in- 
spiration I will  own,  whether  it  be  for  the  dam- 
nation of  those  that  reject  or  the  saving  of 
them  that  receive  their  doctrine.  And  there- 
fore what  need  have  they  that  one  should  be 
sent  unto  them  in  another  way?  “They  have 
Moses  and  the  prophets;  let  them  hear  them;” 
let  them  receive  their  word,  close  in  with  the 
doctrine  declared  by  them.  I shall  not  at  this 
time  speak  anything  to  that  word  Abraham, 
having  touched  upon  it  already,  but  shall  tell 
you  what  is  to  be  understood  by  these  words, 
“They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets;  let  them 
hear  them.”  The  things  that  I shall  observe 
from  hence  are  these:  1.  That  the  Scriptures 
spoken  by  the  holy  men  of  God  are  a sufficient 
rule  to  instruct  to  salvation  them  that  do  as- 
suredly believe  and  close  in  with  what  they  hold 
forth.  “ They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets; 
let  them  hear  them.”  That  is,  if  they  would 
escape  that  doleful  place,  and  be  saved  indeed 
from  the  intolerable  pains  of  hell-fire,  as  they 
desire,  they  have  that  which  is  sufficient  to 


S 10 IIS  FROM  HELL. 


Counsel  them,  “They  have  Moses  and  the 
prophets;”  let  them  be  instructed  by  them, 
“let  them  hear  them.”  2 Tim.  iii.  16,  17.  “For 
all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for 
correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness.” 
Why?  “That  the  man  of  God  may  be  per- 
fect, thoroughly  furnished  to  every  good 
work.” 

Do  but  mark  these  words:  “All  Scripture  is 
profitable.”  All — take  it  where  you  will  and 
what  place  you  will — all  is  profitable.  For 
what?  “That  the  man  of  God,”  or  he  that  is 
bound  for  heaven,  would  instruct  others  in 
their  progress  thither. 

It  is  profitable  to  instruct  him  in  case  he  be 
ignorant ; to  reprove  him  in  case  he  transgress ; 
to  correct  him  if  he  hath  need  of  it;  to  con- 
firm him  if  he  be  wavering.  It  is  profitable 
for  doctrine,  and  all  this  in  a very  righteous 
way,  that  the  poor  soul  may  not  only  be  helped, 
but  thoroughly  furnished,  not  only  to  some, 
but  to  all,  good  works.  And  when  Paul  would 
counsel  Timothy  to  stick  close  to  the  things 
that  are  sound  and  sure,  presently  he  puts  him 
upon  the  Scripture,  saying,  “ Thou  hast  from 
a child  known  the  Scriptures,  which  are  able 
to  make  thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through 
faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.”  The  Scrip- 
ture holds  forth  God’s  mind  and  will,  his  love 
and  mercy  towards  man,  and  also  the  crea- 
ture’s carriage  towards  him  from  first  to  last; 
so  if  thou  wouldst  know  the  love  of  God  in 
Christ  to  sinners,  “then  search  the  Scriptures, 
for  they  are  they  that  testify  of  him.” 

Wouldst  thou  know  what  thou  art  and  what 
is  in  thine  heart?  Then  search  the  Scriptures, 
and  see  what  is  written  in  them.  (Rom.  iii.  9- 
18;  i.  29,  30,  31 ; Jer.  xvii.  9;  Gen.  vi.  5;  viii. 
21;  Eph.  iv.  18,  with  many  others.)  The 
Scriptures,  I say,  they  are  able  to  give  a man 
perfect  instruction  into  any  of  the  things  of 
God  necessary  to  faith  and  godliness,  if  he 
hath  but  an  honest  heart  seriously  to  weigh 
and  ponder  the  several  things  contained  in 
them.  As  to  instance  in  things  more  partic- 
ular for  the  further  clearing  up  of  this. 
And  first,  if  we  come  to  the  creation  of  the 
world. 

Wouldst  thou  know  somewhat  concerning 
that?  Then  read  Gen.  i.  and  ii.,  and  compare 
them  with  Ps.  xxxiii.,  at  the  6th  verse ; also 
Isa.  lxvi.  2;  Prov.  viii.,  towards  the  end. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  he  made  them 
of  something  or  nothing?  Read  Heb.  xi.  3. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  he  put  forth 


797 

any  labour  in  making  them,  as  we  do  in  mak- 
ing things?  Read  Ps.  xxxiii.  2. 

If  thou  wouldst  know  whether  man  was 
made  by  God  corrupt  or  upright,  read  Eccles. 
vii.  26;  Gen.  i.  10,  18,  25,  31. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whither  God  did  place 
man  after  he  had  made  him?  Read  Gen.  ii.  15. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  that  man  did 
live  there  all  his  time  or  not?  Then  read  Gen. 
iii.  23,  24. 

If  thou  wouldst  know  whether  man  be  still 
in  that  state  by  nature  that  God  did  place  him 
in,  then  read  Eccles.  vii.  26,  and  compare  it 
with  Rom.  v.  16  and  Eph.  ii.  1,  2,  3 : “ God 
made  man  upright,  but  he  hath  found  out 
many  inventions.” 

If  thou  wouldst  know  whether  man  was  first 
beguiled,  or  the  woman  that  God  made  an 
helpmate  for  him,  read  Gen.  iii.  6,  and  com- 
pare it  with  1 Tim.  ii.  14. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  God  looked 
upon  Adam’s  eating  the  forbidden  tree  to  be 
sin  or  no?  Read  Rom.  v.  12,  13,  14,  15,  and 
compare  it  with  Gen.  iii.  17. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  it  were  the 
devil  who  beguiled  them,  or  whether  it  was  a 
natural  serpent,  such  as  do  haunt  the  desolate 
places?  Read  Gen.  iii.  12,  with  Rev.  xx.  1, 
2,3. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  that  sin  be  im- 
puted to  us?  Read  Rom.  v.  12, 13,  14,  15,  and 
, compare  it  with  Eph.  ii.  2. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  man  was  cursed 
for  his  sin  ? Read  Gal.  iii.  10 ; Rom.  v.  15. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  the  curse  did 
fall  on  man,  or  on  the  whole  creation  with 
him  ? Compare  Gen.  iii.  7 with  Rom.  viii.  20, 
21,  22. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  a man  be  de- 
filed in  every  part  of  him  by  the  sin  he  hath 
indulged  in?  Then  read  Isa.  i.  6. 

Wouldst  thou  know  man’s  inclination  so 
soon  as  he  is  born?  Read  Ps.  lviii.  3 : “The 
wicked  are  estranged  from  the  womb,  they  go 
astray  so  soon  as  they  be  born.” 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  man,  once 
fallen  from  God  by  transgression,  can  recover 
himself  by  all  he  can  do?  Then  read  Rom. 
iii.  20,  23. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  it  be  the  de- 
sire of  the  heart  of  man  by  nature  to  follow 
God  in  his  own  way  or  no?  Compare  Gen.  vi. 
5 and  Gen  viii.  21  with  Hos.  xi.  7. 

Wouldst  thou  know  how  God’s  heart  stood 
affected  towards  man  before  the  world  began? 
Compare  Eph.  i.  4 with  2 Tim.  i.  9. 


798 


B UN Y AN'S  COMPLETE  'WORKS. 


Wouldst  thou  know  whether  sin  were  suf- 
ficient to  draw  God’s  love  from  his  creatures? 
Compare  Jer.  iii.  7 and  Mic.  vii.  18  with  Rom. 
v.  6,  7,  8. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  God’s  love  did 
still  abide  towards  his  creatures  for  any  thing 
they  could  do  to  make  him  amends?  Then 
read  Dent.  xi.  5,  6,  7,  8. 

Wouldst  thou  know  how  God  could  still  love 
his  creatures,  and  do  his  justice  no  wrong? 
Read  Rom.  iii.  24,  25,  26:  “Being  justified 
freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  whom  God  hath  set 
forth  to  be  a propitiation  for  sin,  through  faith 
in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for 
the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the 
forbearance  of  God.  To  declare  (I  say)  at  this 
time,  his  righteousness,  that  he  might  be  just 
and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in 
Jesus.”  That  is,  God  having  his  justice  satis- 
fied in  the  blood,  and  righteousness,  and  death 
of  his  own  Son  Jesus  Christ  for  the  sins  of  poor 
sinners,  he  can  now  save  them  that  come  to 
him,  though  never  so  great  sinners,  and  do  his 
justice  no  wrong,  because  it  hath  had  a full 
and  complete  satisfaction  given  it  by  that 
blood. 

Wouldst  thou  know  who  he  was  and  what 
he  was  that  did  out  of  his  love  die  for  sinners? 
Then  compare  John  iii.  17, 19;  Rom.  v.  8 with 
Isa.  ix.  6. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  this  Saviour 
had  a body  of  flesh  and  bones  before  the  world 
was,  or  took  it  from  the  Virgin  Mary?  Then 
read  Gal.  iv.  4. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  he  did  in  that 
body  bear  all  our  sins,  and  where?  Then 
read  1 Pet.  ii.  4:  “Who  bore  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree.” 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  he  did  rise 
again  after  he  was  crucified  with  the  very  same 
body?  Then  read  Luke  xxiv.  38,  39,  40,  41. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  he  did  eat  or 
drink  with  his  disciples  after  he  rose  out  of  the 
grave?  Then  read  Luke  xxiv.  42;  Acts  x.  41. 

If  thou  wouldst  be  persuaded  of  the  truth 
of  this,  that  that  very  body  is  now  above  the 
clouds  and  stars,  read  Acts  i.  9,  10,  11  and 
Luke  xxiv.  to  the  end. 

If  thou  wouldst  know  that  the  Quakers  hold 
an  error  that  say  the  body  of  Christ  is  within 
them,  consider  the  same  Scripture. 

Wouldst  thou  know  what  that  Christ  that 
died  for  sinners  is  doing  in  that  place  whither 
he  is  gone?  Then  read  Heb.  vii.  24. 

Wouldst  thou  know  who  shall  have  life  by 


him?  Read  1 Tim.  i.  14,  15  and  Rom.  v.  6,  7 
8,  which  say,  Christ  died  for  sinners,  for  the 
ungodly. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  they- that  live 
and  die  in  their  sins  shall  go  to  heaven  or  not? 
Then  read  1 Cor.  vi.  10 ; Rev.  xxi.  8,  27,  which 
saith,  “They  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake 
that  burns  with  fire  and  brimstone.” 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  men’s  obe- 
dience will  obtain  that  Christ  should  die  for 
them  or  save  them  ? Then  read  Mark  ii.  17  ; 
Rom.  v.  7. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  righteousness, 
justification,  and  sanctification  do  come  through 
the  virtue  of  Christ’s  blood?  Compare  Rom. 
v.  9 with  Heb.  xii.  12. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  a natural  man 
abstains  from  the  outward  act  of  sin  against 
the  law  merely  by  a principle  of  nature  ? Then 
compare  well  Rom.  ii.  14  with  Phil.  iii.  6. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  a man  by  na- 
ture may  know  something  of  the  invisible 
things  of  God?  Compare  seriously  Rom.  i. 
20,  31  with  Rom.  ii.  14,  15. 

Wouldst  thou  know  how  far  a man  may  go 
in  a profession  of  the  Gospel  and  yet  fall  away? 
Then  read  Heb.  vi.  4,  5,  6 : “ They  may  taste 
the  good  word  of  God  and  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come:  they  may  taste  the  heavenly 
gift  and  be  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,”  and 
yet  so  fall  as  never  to  be  recovered  or  renewed 
again  unto  repentance.  See  also  Luke  xiii. 

Wouldst  thou  know  how  hard  it  is  to  go  to 
heaven?  Read  Matt.  vii.  13, 14;  Luke  xiii.  24. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whether  a man  by  na- 
ture be  a friend  to  God  or  an  enemy?  Then 
read  Rom.  v.  11 ; Col.  i.  21. 

Wouldst  thou  know  what  or  who  they  are 
that  shall  go  to  heaven?  Then  read  John  iii. 
3,  5,  7 and  2 Cor.  v.  7.  Also,  wouldst  thou 
know  what  a sad  thing  it  is  for  any  to  turn 
their  backs  upon  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ? 
Then  read  Heb.  x.  28,  29  and  Mark  xvi.  16. 

Wouldst  thou  know  what  is  the  wages  of 
sin  ? Then  read  Rom.  vi.  23. 

Wouldst  thou  know  whither  those  do  go 
that  die  unconverted  to  the  faith  of  Christ? 
Then  read  Ps.  ix.  17  and  Isa.  xiv.  9. 

Reader,  here  might  I spend  many  sheets  of 
paper,  yea,  I might  upon  this  subject  write  a 
very  great  hook,  but  I shall  now  forbear,  de- 
siring thee  to  be  very  conversant  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, “for  they  are  they  that  will  testify  of 
Jesus  Christ.”  The  Bereans  were  counted 
noble  upon  this  account : “ These  were  nobler 
than  those  of  Thessalonica,  in  that  they  re- 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


799 


ceivi  d the  word  with  all  readiness  of  mind  and 
searched  the  Scriptures  daily.”  But  here  let 
me  give  thee  one  caution : that  is,  have  a care 
that  thou  do  not  satisfy  thyself  with  a bare 
search  of  them,  without  a real  application  of 
Him  whom  they  testify  of  to  thy  soul,  lest,  in- 
stead of  faring  better  for  thy  doing  this  work, 
thou  dost  fare  a great  deal  worse,  and  thy  con- 
demnation be  very  much  heightened,  in  that 
though  thou  didst  read  so  often  the  sad  state 
of  those  that  die  in  sin,  and  tire  glorious  estate 
of*  them  that  close  in  with  Christ,  yet  thou  thy- 
self shouldst  be  such  a fool  as  to  lose  Jesus 
Christ,  notwithstanding  thy  hearing  and  read- 
ing so  plentifully  of  him. 

“They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets;  let 
them  hear  them.” 

As  if  he  should  say,  What  need  have  they 
that  one  should  be  sent  to  them  from  the  dead? 
Have  they  not  Moses  and  the  prophets?  Hath 
not  Moses  told  them  the  danger  of  living  in 
sin?  Hath  he  not  told  them  what  a sad  state 
those  persons  are  in  that  deceive  themselves 
with  the  deceit  of  their  hearts,  saying,  they 
shall  have  peace  though  they  follow  their  sins, 
in  these  words:  “And  when  he  heareth  the 
words  of  this  curse,  he  blesseth  himself  in  his 
heart,  saying,  I shall  have  peace  though  I go 
on  or  walk  in  the  imagination  of  my  heart,  to 
add  drunkenness  to  thirst.  The  Lord  will  not 
spare  that  man,  but  then  the  anger  of  the 
Lord  and  his  jealousy  shall  smoke  against 
him,  and  all  the  curses  that  are  written  in  this 
book  shall  lie  upon  him  ; and  the  Lord  shall 
blot  out  bis  name  from  under  heaven.”  Again, 
did  not  Moses  write  of  the  Saviour  that  was  to 
come  afterwards  into  the  world?  Nay,  have 
not  all  the  prophets  from  Samuel,  with  all 
those  that  follow  after,  prophesied  and  foretold 
these  things?  Therefore  what  need  have  they 
that  I should  work  such  a miracle  as  to  send 
one  from  the  dead  unto  them?  “They  have 
Moses  and  the  prophets;  let  them  hear  them.” 

From  whence  observe  again  that  God  doth 
honour  the  writings  of  Moses  and  the  prophets 
as  much,  nay  more,  than  if  one  should  rise 
from  the  dead.  “Should  not  a people  seek 
unto  their  God?  What!  seek  for  the  living 
among  the  dead  ? To  the  law  and  to  the  testi- 
mony,” (saith  God;)  “if  they  speak  not  ac- 
cording to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no 
light  in  them.”  And  let  me  tell  you  plainly, 
I do  believe  that  the  devil  knows'  this  full  well, 
which  makes  him  labour  to  beget  in  the  hearts 
of  his  disciples  and  followers  light  thoughts  of 
them,  and  doth  persuade  them  that  even  a 


motion  from  their  own  beguiled  conscience  or 
from  his  own  wicked  spirit  is  to  be  observed 
and  obeyed  before  them.  When  the  very 
apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  though  he  heard  a 
voice  from  the  Excellent  Glory,  saying,  “This 
is  my  beloved  Son,”  &c.,  yet,  writing  to  the 
churches,  he  commends  the  writing  of  the 
prophets  before  it,  saying,  “ We  have  also  a 
more  sure  word  of  the  prophets,  unto  which 
ye  do  well  to  take  heed.”  Now,  if  thou  doutt- 
est  whether  in  that  place  he  meant  the  Scrip- 
tures, the  words  of  the  prophets  or  no,  read 
but  the  next  verse,  where  he  addeth,  for  a 
certain  confirmation  thereof,  these  words : 
“Knowing  this  first,  that  there  is  no  prophecy 
of  the  Scriptures  of  any  private  interpretation. 
For  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will 
of  man,  but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.” 

And  therefore  what  a sad  thing  is  it  for  those 
that  go  about  to  disown  the  Scriptures ! I tell 
you,  however,  they  may  slight  them  now,  yet 
when  they  come  into  hell  they  will  see  their 
folly : “ They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets ; 
let  them  hear  them.” 

Further.  Who  are  they  that  are  so  tossed  to 
and  fro  with  the  several  winds  of  doctrine  that 
have  been  broached  in  these  days  but  such,  for 
the  most  part,  as  have  had  a light  esteem  of 
the  Scriptures?  for  the  ground  of  error  (as 
Christ  saith)  is  because  they  know  them  not. 
And  indeed  it  is  just  with  God  to  give  them 
over  to  follow  their  own  dark,  blind  consciences, 
to  be  led  into  errors,  that  they  might  be  damned 
in  hell  who  did  not  believe  that  the  things 
contained  in  the  Scripture  were  the  truth,  that 
they  might  be  saved  and  go  to  heaven.  I can- 
not well  tell  how  to  have  done  speaking  for 
and  on  the  Scriptures’  side;  only  this  I con- 
sider, a word  is  enough  to  the  wise,  and  there- 
fore I shall  commit  these  things  into  the  hands 
of  them  that  are  of  God ; and  as  for  the  rest,  I 
shall  say  to  them,  Rather  than  God  will  save 
them  from  hell  with  the  breach  of  his  holy 
word,  if  they  had  a thousand  souls  apiece  God 
would  destroy  them  all;  “for  the  Scriptures 
cannot  be  broken.” 

Yer.  80.  And  he  said,  Nay,  father  Abraham; 

bid  if  one  went  unto  them  from  the  dead,  they 

will  repent. 

The  verse  before,  you  know,  as  I told  you,  it 
was  part  of  an  answer  to  such  as  lose  their 
souls,  for  it  is  a vindication  of  the  Scripture 
of  Moses  and  the  prophets : “ They  have  Moses 
and  the  prophets ; let  them  hear  them.” 


800 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Now  this  verse  is  an  answer  to  what  was 
said  in  the  former,  and  such  an  one  as  hath 
in  it  a rejection  of  the  former  answer.  “ Nay, 
father  Abraham.”  Nay,  saith  he,  do  not  say 
so,  do  not  put  them  off  with  this;  send  one 
from  the  dead,  and  there  will  be  some  hopes. 
It  is  true,  thou  speakest  of  the  Scripture,  of 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  and  sayest,  “ let  them 
hear  them,”  but  these  things  are  not  so  well  as 
I could  wish ; I had  rather  thou  wouldst  send 
one  from  the  dead.  In  these  words,  therefore, 
“Nay,  father  Abraham,”  there  is  a repulse 
given — Nay,  let  it  not  be  so.  Nay,  I do  not 
like  of  that  answer,  Hear  Moses  and  the  proph- 
ets. Nay.  The  same  expression  is  used  by 
Christ.  “ Think  y ou  that  they  upon  whom  the 
tower  of  Siloam  fell  were  sinners  above  others  ? 
I tell  you  nay ; for  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall 
all  likewise  perish.”  So  here,  “Nay,  father 
Abraham,”  &c.  By  this  word,  Nay',  therefore, 
is  signified  a rejecting  the  first  answer. 

Now  observe,  I pray  you,  the  reason  why  he 
says  nay  is,  because  God  doth  put  over  all  those 
that  would  be  saved  to  observe  and  receive  the 
truth  contained  in  Scripture,  and  believe  that, 
to  have  a high  esteem  of  them,  and  to  love  and 
search  them ; as  Christ  saith,  “ Search  the 
Scriptures,  for  they  are  they  which  testify  of 
me.”  But  the  damned  says,  Nay,  as  if  he  had 
said,  This  is  the  thing : to  be  short,  my  brethren 
are  unbelievers,  and  do  not  regard  the  word  of 
God.  I know  it  by  myself ; for  when  I was  in 
the  world  it  was  so  with  me;  many  a good 
sermon  did  I hear ; many  a time  was  I admon- 
ished, desired,  entreated,  beseeched,  threatened, 
forewarned  of  what  I now  suffer ; but,  alas ! I 
was  ignorant,  self-conceited,  surly,  obstinate, 
and  rebellious.  Many  a time  the  preachers 
told  me  hell  would  be  my  portion,  the  devil 
would  wreak  his  malice  on  me,  God  would 
pour  on  me  his  sore  displeasure;  but  he  had 
as  good  have  preached  to  the  stock,  to  the  post, 
to  the  stones  I trod  on ; his  words  rang  in  mine 
ears,  but  I kept  them  from  mine  heart.  I re- 
member he  alleged  many  a Scripture,  but  those 
I valued  not;  The  Scriptures,  thought  I,  what 
are  they  ? A dead  letter,  a little  ink  and  paper, 
of  three  or  four  shillings’  price.  Alas ! what 
is  the  Scripture?  Give  me  a ballad,  a news- 
book,  George  on  horseback  or  Bevis  of  South- 
ampton. Give  me  some  book  that  teaches 
curious  arts,  that  tells  of  old  fables;  but  for 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  I cared  not.  And  as  it  was 
with  me  then,  so  it  is  with  my  brethren  now ; 
we  were  all  in  one  spirit,  loved  all  the  same 
sins,  slighted  all  the  same  counsels,  promises, 


encouragements,  and  threatenings  of  the  Scrip- 
ture ; they  are  still  as  I left  them — still  in  un- 
belief, still  provoking  God,  and  rejecting  good 
counsel ; so  hardened  in  their  ways,  so  bent  to 
follow  sin,  that  let  the  Scriptures  be  showed  to 
them  daily,  let  the  messengers  of  Christ  preach 
till  their  hearts  ache,  till  they  fall  down  dead 
with  preaching,  they  will  rather  trample  it 
under  foot,  and  swine-like  rend  them,  than 
close  in  with  those  gentle  and  blessed  proffers 
of  the  Gospel. 

“Nay,  father  Abraham;  hut  if  one  should 
rise  from  the  dead,  they  would  repent.” 
Though  they  have  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
(the  Scriptures,)  they  will  not  repent  and 
close  in  with  Jesus  Christ,  though  the  Scrip- 
tures do  witness  against  them.  If  therefore 
there  be  any  good  done  to  them,  they  must 
have  it  another  way.  I think,  saith  he,  it 
would  work  much  on  them  “if  one  should 
rise  from  the  dead.”  And  this  truth  is  so 
evident  that  ungodly  ones  have  a light  esteem 
of  the  Scriptures  that  it  needs  not  many  strong 
arguments  to  prove  it,  being  so  evidently  mani- 
fested by  their  every  day’s  practice,  both  in 
words  and  actions,  almost  in  all  things  they 
say  and  do.  Yet  for  the  satisfaction  of  the 
reader  I shall  show  you,  by  a Scripture  or  two, 
(though  I might  show  many,)  that  this  was 
and  is  true  with  the  generality  of  the  world. 
See  the  words  of  Nehemiah  in  his  9th  chapter 
concerning  the  children  of  Israel,  who,  though 
the  Lord  offered  them  mercy  upon  mercy, 
“Nevertheless  they  were  disobedient  for  all 
thy  goodness  towards  them,  and  rebelled 
against  thee,”  (but  how?)  “and  cast  thy  law 
behind  their  back;  slew  the  prophets  which 
testified  against  them  to  turn  them  to  thee, 
and  they  wrought  great  provocations.”  Ob- 
serve— 1.  They  sinned  against  mercy.  And 
then,  2.  They  slighted  the  law  or  word  of 
God.  3.  They  slew  the  prophets  that  de- 
clared it  unto  them.  4.  The  Lord  counts  it  a 
great  provocation.  “But  they  refused  to 
hearken,  and  pulled  away  the  shoulder,  and 
stopped  their  ears,  that  they  should  not  hear 
the  law.  Yea,  they  made  their  hearts  hard  as 
an  adamant  stone,  lest  they  should  hear  the 
law  and  the  words  which  the  Lord  of  hosts 
sent  unto  them  by  his  Spirit  in  the  former 
prophets,”  &c.  Mark,  I pray  you,  here  is 
also — 

1.  A refusing  to  hearken  to  the  words  of  the 
prophets. 

2.  That  they  might  so  do  they  stopped  their 
ears. 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


801 


3.  If  any  thing  was  to  be  done  they  pulled 
away  their  shoulder. 

4.  To  effect  this  they  labour  to  make  their 
hearts  as  an  adamant  stone. 

5.  And  all  this  lest  they  should  hear  and 
close  in  with  Jesus  and  live,  and  be  delivered 
from  the  wrath  to  come.  All  which  things  do 
hold  out  an  unwillingness  to  submit  to  and 
embrace  the  words  of  God,  and  so  Jesus  Christ, 
which  is  testified  of  by  them.  Many  other 
Scriptures  I might  bring  in  for  confirmation 
of  the  thing.  Read  seriously  that  saying  in 
2 Cliroti.,  where  he  saith,  “And  the  Lord  God 
of  their  fathers  sent  unto  them  by  his  messen- 
gers rising  up  betimes,  because  he  had  com- 
passion on  his  people  and  on  his  dwelling- 
place.”  And  did  they  make  them  welcome? 
No,  “but  mocked  the  messengers  of  God  and 
despised  his  words.”  And  was  that  all?  No, 
“they  misused  his  prophets.”  How  long? 
“Until  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  arose  against 
them,  till  there  was  no  remedy.” 

And  besides,  the  conversion  of  almost  all 
men  doth  bear  witness  to  the  same,  both  re- 
ligious and  profane  persons,  in  that  they  daily 
neglect,  reject,  and  turn  their  backs  upon  the 
plain  testimony  of  the  Scriptures. 

As — 1.  Take  the  tlireatenings  laid  down  in 
holy  writ,  and  how  are  they  disregarded ! 
There  are  but  a few  places  in  the  Bible  but 
there  are  tlireatenings  against  one  sinner  or 
other — against  drunkards,  swearers,  liars, 
proud  persons,  strumpets,  whoremongers, 
covetous,  railers,  extortioners,  thieves,  lazy 
persons;  in  a word,  all  manner  of  sins  are  re- 
proved; and  without  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
there  is  a sore  punishment  to  be  executed  on 
the  committers  of  them;  and  all  this  made 
mention  of  in  the  Scriptures. 

But  for  all  this,  how  thick  and  by  heaps  do 
these  wretches  walk  up  and  down  our  streets! 
Do  but  go  into  the  alehouse,  and  you  shall  see 
almost  every  room  besprinkled  with  them,  so 
foaming  out  their  own  shame  that  it  is  enough 
to  make  the  heart  of  a saint  to  tremble,  inso- 
much that  they  would  not  be  bound  to  have 
society  with  them  any  longer  while  for  all  the 
world.  For  as  the  ways  of  the  godly  are  not 
liked  of  by  the  wicked,  even  “so  the  ways  of 
the  wicked  are  an  abomination  to  the  just.” 

The  Scriptures  say,  “Cursed  is  the  man  that 
trusteth  in  man  and  maketli  flesh  his  arm,  and 
whose  heart  departeth  from  the  Lord.” 

And  yet  how  many  poor  souls  are  there  in 
the  world  that  stand  in  so  much  awe  and  dread 
of  men,  aud  do  so  highly  esteem  their  favour, 
51 


that  they  will  rather  venture  their  souls  in  the 
hands  of  the  devil  with  their  favour  than  they 
will  fly  to  Jesus  Christ  for  the  salvation  of 
their  souls!  Nay,  though  they  be  convinced 
in  their  souls  that  the  way  is  the  way  of  God, 
yet  how  do  they  labour  to  stifle  conviction  and 
turn  their  ears  away  from  the  truth,  and  all 
because  they  will  not  lose  the  favour  of  an  op-  , 
posite  neighbour.  Oh  I dare  not  for  my  master, 
my  brother,  my  landlord ; I shall  lose  his  favour, 
his  house  of  work,  and  so  decay  my  calling. 
Oh,  saith  another,  I would  willingly  go  in  this 
way  but  for  my  father ; lie  chides,  and  tells  me 
he  will  not  stand  my  friend  when  I come  to 
want;  I shall  never  enjoy  a pennyworth  of 
his  goods,  he  will  disinherit  me.  And  I dare 
not,  saith  another,  for  my  husband;  for  he  will 
be  a-railing,  and  tells  me  he  will  turn  me  out 
of  doors,  he  will  beat  me  and  cut  off  my  legs. 
But  I tell  you,  if  any  of  these  or  any  other 
things  be  so  prevalent  with  thee  now  as  to 
keep  thee  from  seeking  after  Christ  in  his 
ways,  they  will  also  be  so  prevalent  with  God 
against  thee  as  to  make  him  cast  off  thy  soul, 
because  thou  didst  rather  trust  man  than  God, 
and  delight  in  the  embracing  of  man  rather 
than  in  the  favour  of  the  Lord. 

2.  Again  the  Scripture  saith,  “He  that  be- 
ing often  reproved  hardeneth  his  neck  shall 
suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that  without 
remedy.”  Yet  many  are  so  far  from  turning, 
though  they  have  been  convinced  of  their 
wretched  state  an  hundred  times,  that  when 
conviction  or  trouble  for  sin  comes  on  their 
consciences  they  go  on  still  in  the  same  man- 
ner, resisting  and  choking  the  same,  though 
remediless  destruction  be  hard  at  their  heels. 

3.  Again,  thou  hast  heard  say,  “Unless  a 
man  be  born  again  he  cannot  enter  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.”  And  yet.  thou  goest  on 
in  a natural  state,  an  unregenerate  condition  ; 
nay,  thou  dost  resolve  never  to  turn  nor  be 
changed,  though  hell  be  appointed  on  pur- 
pose to  swallow  up  such.  “ The  wicked  shall 
be  turned  into  hell,  and  all  the  nations  that 
forget  God.” 

4.  Again  the  Scripture  saith  plainly  that 
“he  that  loveth  and  maketli  a lie  shall  have 
his  part  in  the  lake  that  burneth  with  fire 
and  brimstone.”  And  yet  thou  art  so  far  from 
dreading  it  that  it  is  thy  delight  to  jeer  and 
jest  and  lie  for  a penny,  or  twopence,  or  six- 
pence again.  And  also,  if  thou  make  the  rest 
of  thy  companions  merry  by  telling  things 
that  are  false  of  them  that  are  better  than  thy- 
self, thou  dost  not  care  a straw;  or  if  thou 


802 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


liearest  a lie  from  or  of  another,  thou  wilt 
tell  it  and  swear  to  the  truth  of  it.  0 
miserable ! 

5.  Thou  hast  heard  and  read  that  “he  that 
believes  not  shall  be  damned,”  “and  that  all 
men  have  not  faith,”  and  yet  thou  dost  so 
much  disregard  these  things  that  it  is  like 
thou  didst  scarce  ever  so  much  as  examine 
seriously  whether  thou  wast  in  the  faith  or  no ; 
but  doth  content  thyself  with  the  hypocrite’s 
hope,  which  at  the  last  God  will  cut  off,  count 
it  no  better  than  the  spider’s  web  or  the  house 
that  is  built  on  the  sand.  Nay,  thou  per- 
adventure  didst  flatter  thyself,  and  thinkest 
that  thy  faith  is  as  good  as  the  best  of  them 
all;  when,  alas,  poor  soul ! thou  mayest  have 
no  saving  faith  at  all,  which  thou  hast  not 
if  thou  art  not  born  again  and  made  a new 
creature. 

6.  Thou  hast  heard  that  “he  that  neglects 
God’s  great  salvation  shall  never  escape  his 
great  damnation.”  And  yet  when  thou  art 
invited,  entreated,  and  beseeched  to  come  in 
thou  wilt  make  any  excuse  to  serve  the  turn. 
Nay,  thou  wilt  be  so  wicked  as  to  put  oft' 
Christ  time  after  time,  notwithstanding  he  is 
so  freely  proffered  to  thee ; a little  ground,  a 
few  oxen,  a farm,  a wife,  a twopenny  matter, 
a play,  nay,  the  fear  of  a mock,  a scoff  or  a 
jeer  is  of  greater  weight  to  draw’  thee  back 
than  the  salvation  of  thy  soul  to  draw  thee 
forward. 

7.  And  thou  hast  heard  that  “whosoever 
would  be  a friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy 
of  God.”  But  thou  regardest  not  these  things, 
but,  contrariwise,  rather  than  thou  wilt  be  out 
of  the  friendship  and  favour  of  this  world  thou 
wilt  sin  against  thine  own  conscience,  and  get 
thyself  into  favour  by  fawning  and  flattering 
of  the  world ; yea,  rather  than  thou  wilt  go 
without  it  thou  wilt  dissemble,  lie,  backbite 
thy  neighbour,  and  an  hundred  other  tricks 
thou  wilt  have. 

8.  You  have  heard  that  the  day  of  judgment 
is  near,  in  which  you  and  I,  all  of  us,  must 
appear  before  the  tribunal  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
there  be  made  to  give  an  account  to  Him  that 
is  ready  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead,  even 
of  all  that  we  ever  did,  yea,  of  all  our  sins  in 
thought,  word,  and  deed,  and  shall  be  cer- 
tainly damned  for  them  too  if  we  close  not 
with  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  what  he  hath 
done  and  suffered  for  eternal  life ; and  that  not 
notionally  or  traditionally,  but  really  and 
savingly,  in  the  power  and  by  the  operation 
of  the  Spirit  through  faith.  “And  I saw  the 


dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God,  and 
the  books  were  opened,  and  another  book  was 
opened,  which  is  the  book  of  life,  and  the  dead 
were  judged  out  of  those  things  that  were 
written  in  the  books.”  There  is  the  book  of 
the  creature,  the  book  of  conscience,  the  book 
of  the  Lord’s  remembrance,  the  book  of  the 
law,  the  book  of  the  Gospel.  “ Then  shall  he 
separate  them  from  one  another,  as  a shep- 
herd divideth  his  sheep  on  the  right  hand 
and  the  goats  on  his  left.  And  shall  say  to 
them  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed ; 
but  to  the  other,  Go,  or  depart,  ye  cursed.” 
Yet,  notwithstanding  the  Scriptures  do  so 
plainly  and  plentifully  speak  of  these  things, 
alas!  who  is  there  that  is  weaned  from  the 
world  and  from  their  sin  and  pleasures  to  fly 
the  wrath  to  come,  notwithstanding  the  Scrip- 
ture saith  also  “ that  heaven  and  earth  shall 
pass  away,  rather  than  one  jot  or  tittle  of  the 
word  shall  fail  till  all  be  fulfilled,”  they  are 
so  certain  ? 

But,  leaving  the  threatenings,  let  us  come 
to  the  promises,  and  speak  somewhat  of  them, 
and  you  may  see  how  light  men  make  of 
them  and  how  little  they  set  by  them,  not- 
withstanding the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  them. 

As — 1.  “ Turn,  ye  fools,  ye  scorners,  ye  sim- 
ple ones,  at  my  reproof,  and  behold  I will 
pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  you.”  And  yet  per- 
sons bad  rather  be  in  their  foolishness  and 
scorning  still,  and  bad  rather  embrace  some 
filthy  lust,  than  the  holy,  utidefiled,  and 
blessed  Spirit  of  Christ  through  the  promise, 
though  by  it  as  many  as  receive  it  “ are  sealed 
unto  the  day  of  redemption,”  and  although  he 
that  lives  and  dies  without  it  is  none  of 
Christ’s. 

2.  God  hath  said  if  you  do  but  come  to  him 
in  Christ,  “ though  your  sins  be  as  red  as 
scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow ; and 
he  will  by  no  means  cast  thee  away yet 
poor  souls  will  not  “ come  to  Christ  that  they 
might  have  life,”  but  rather,  “ after  their 
hardness  and  impenitent  heart,  treasure  up 
unto  themselves  wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judg- 
ment of  God.” 

3.  Christ  Jesus  hath  said  in  the  word  of 
truth  that  if  any  man  will  serve  and  follow 
him,  “where  he  is  there  shall  his  servant 
be but  yet  poor  souls  choose  rather  to  fol- 
low sin,  Satan,  and  the  world,  though  their 
companions  be  devils  and  damned  souls  for 
ever. 


SIGHS  FROM  1IELL. 


803 


4.  lie  hath  also  said,  “Seek  first  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  all  other  things  shall  be 
added.”  But  let  whoso  will  seek  after  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  first  for  them;  for  they 
will  take  the  first  time,  while  time  serves,  to 
get  the  things  of  this  life.  And  if  it  be  so 
that  they  must  needs  seek  after  heaven  or 
else  be  damned,  they  must  stay  till  they  have 
morq  leisure,  or  till  they  can  better  attend  to 
it,  or  till  they  have  other  things  handsome 
about  them,  or  till  they  are  older  ; when  they 
have  little  else  to  do,  or  when  they  come  to  be 
sick  and  die.  Then  Lord  have  mercy  upon 
them ! though  it  be  ten  thousand  to  one  but 
they  perish  for  ever. 

For,  commonly,  the  Lord  hath  his  way  to 
deal  with  sinners  who  put  him  off  when  he  is 
striving  with  them — either  “to  laugh  at  their 
calamity,  and  mock  when  their  fear  cometh,” 
or  else  send  them  to  the  gods  they  have  served, 
which  are  the  devils.  Judg.  x.  13,  14.  “ Go  to 

the  gods  ye  have  saved,  and  let  them  deliver 
you,”  saith  he. 

5.  He  hath  said,  “ There  is  no  man  that  for- 
saketh  father,  or  mother,  wife,  children,  or 
lands,  for  his  sake  and  the  Gospel’s,  but  he 
shall  have  a hundred-fold  in  this  world,  with 
persecutions,  and  in  the  world  to  come  life 
everlasting.” 

But  men,  for  the  most  paid,  are  so  far  off 
from  believing  the  certainty  of  this,  they  will 
scarce  lose  the  earning  of  a penny  to  hear  the 
word  of  God,  the  Gospel  of  salvation.  Nay, 
they  will  neither  go  themselves,  nor  suffer 
others  to  go  (if  they  can  help  it)  without 
threatening  to  do  them  a mischief  if  it  lie  in 
their  way.  Nay,  further,  many  are  so  far 
from  parting  from  any  worldly  gain  for  Christ’s 
sake  and  the  Gospel’s  that  they  are  still  striv- 
ing by  hook  and  crook,  as  we  say,  by  swearing, 
lying,  cozening,  stealing,  covetousness,  extor- 
tion, oppression,  forgery,  bribery,  flattery,  or 
any  other  w'ay  to  get  more,  though  they  get, 
together  with  these,  death,  wrath,  damnation, 
hell,  the  devil,  and  all  the  plagues  that  God 
can  pour  upon  them.  And  if  any  do  not  run 
with  them  on  the  same  excess  of  riot,  but 
rather  from  all  their  threats  will  be  so  bold 
and  careless  (as  they  call  it)  as  to  follow' 
the  ways  of  God,  if  they  can  do  no  more,  yet 
they  will  whet  their  tongues  like  a sword  to 
wound  them  and  do  them  the  greatest  mis- 
chief they  can,  both  in  speaking  against  them 
to  neighbours,  to  wives,  to  husbands,  to  land- 
lords, and  raising  false  reports  of  them.  But 
let  such  take  heed,  lest  they  be  in  such  a state 


and  woeful  condition  as  he  wras  in  who  said, 
in  vexation  and  anguish  of  soul,  One  drop  of 
cold  water  to  cool  my  tongue! 

Thus  might  I add  many  things  out  of  the 
holy  writ,  both  threatenings  and  promises,  be- 
sides those  heavenly  counsels,  loving  reproofs, 
free  invitations  to  all  sorts  of  sinners,  both 
old  and  young,  rich  and  poor,  bond  and  free, 
wise  and  unwise.  All  which  have  been,  now 
are,  and,  it  is  to  be  feared,  as  long  as  this  world 
lasts  will  be,  trampled  under  the  feet  of  those 
swine  (I  call  them  not  men)  who  will  con- 
tinue in  the  same.  But  take  a review'  of  some 
of  them : 

1.  Counsel.  What  heavenly  counsel  is  that 
where  Christ  saith,  “Buy  of  me  gold  tried 
with  fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich,  and  white 
raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  that  the 
shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear. — Ho, 
every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  to  the  w'aters ; 
yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk,  without  money 
and  without  price. — Hear,  and  your  souls  shall 
live. — Lay  hold  of  my  strength,  that  you  may 
make  peace  with  me,  and  you  shall  make  peace 
with  me  I” 

2.  Instruction.  What  instruction  is  here  I 

“ Hear  instruction  and  be  wise,  and  refuse  it 

not. — Blessed  is  the  man  that  heareth  me, 
(saith  Christ,)  w'atching  daily  at  my  gates, 
waiting  at  the  posts  of  my  doors ; for  whoso 
findeth  me  findeth  life,  and  shall  obtain  favour 
of  the  Lord. — Take  heed  that  no  man  deceive 
you  by  any  means. — Labour  not  for  the  meat 
that  perisheth,  but  for  that  which  endureth  unto 
everlasting  life. — Strive  to  enter  in  at  the 
strait  gate. — Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved.  Believe  not  on  every 
spirit,  but  try  the  spirits. — Quench  not  the 
Spirit. — Lay  hold  on  eternal  life.- — Let  your 
light  so  shine  before  men  that  they  may  see 
your  good  works  and  glorify  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.— Take  heed  and  beware 
of  hypocrisy — watch  and  be  sober — learn  of 
me,  (saith  Christ.) — Come  unto  me.” 

3.  Forewarning.  What  forewarning  is  here ! 

“ Because  there  is  wrath,  beware  lest  he  take 

away  with  his  stroke;  then  a great  ransom 
cannot  deliver  thee. — Be  ye  not  mockers,  lest 
your  bands  be  made  strong ; for  I have  heard 
from  the  Lord  of  hosts,  a consumption  even 
determined  upon  the  whole  earth. — Beware, 
therefore,  lest  that  come  upon  you  that  is  writ- 
ten, Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder  and  per- 
ish.— For  behold  I work  a work  in  your  days 
which  ye  shall  in  nowise  believe,  though  a 
man  declare  it  unto  you. — Let  him  that  think- 


804 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


etk  he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall. — Watch 
and  pray,  lest  you  enter  into  temptation. — Let 
us  fear,  therefore,  lest  a promise  being  left  us 
of  entering  into  his  rest,  any  of  you  should 
seem  to  come  short  of  it. — I will  therefore  put 
you  in  remembrance,  though  you  once  knew 
this,  how  that  the  Lord,  having  saved  the  peo- 
ple out  of  Egypt,  afterward  destroyed  them 
that  believed  not. — Hold  fast  that  thou  hast ; 
let  no  man  take  thy  crown.” 

4.  Comfort.  What  comfort  is  here ! 

“ He  that  cometh  unto  me  I will  in  nowise 
cast  out. — Come  unto  me,  all  ye  tiiat  labour 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I will  give  you  rest. — 
Be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee. — 
I will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee,  (for) 
I have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love. — I 
lay  down  my  life  for  my  sheep,  I lay  down  my 
life  that  they  may  have  life ; I am  come  that 
they  might  have  life,  and  that  they  may  have 
it  more  abundantly. — I have  heard  thee  in  a 
time  accepted,  and  in  the  day  of  salvation 
have  I succoured  thee. — Though  their  sins  be 
as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow ; 
though  they  are  as  crimson,  they  shall  be  as 
wool. — For  I have  blotted  out  as  a thick  cloud 
thy  transgressions,  and  as  a cloud  thy  sins ; re- 
turn unto  me,  for  I have  redeemed  thee.” 

5.  Grief  to  those  that  fall  short.  Oh  sad 
grief ! • 

“ How  have  I hated  instruction,  and  my 
heart  despised  reproof,  and  have  not  obeyed 
the  voice  of  my  teachers,  nor  inclined  my  ear 
to  them  that  instructed  me ! — They  shall  curse 
their  king  and  their  God,  and  look  upward. 
And  they  shall  look  to  the  earth,  and  behold 
trouble,  and  darkness,  and  dimness  of  anguish, 
and  they  shall  be  driven  into  darkness. — He 
hath  dispersed  abroad,  he  hath  given  to  the 
poor,  his  righteousness  enduretk  for  ever.  The 
wicked  shall  see  it  and  be  grieved,  he  shall 
gnash  his  teeth,  and  melt  away;  the  desire  of 
the  wicked  shall  perish.” 

“ There  shall  be  weeping  when  ye  shall  see 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  and  all  the 
prophets  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  your- 
selves thrust  out;”  all  which  things  are 
slighted  by  the  world. 

Thus  much  in  short  touching  this,  that  un- 
godly men  undervalue  the  Scriptures,  and  give 
no  credit  to  them  when  the  truth  that  is  con- 
tained in  them  is  held  forth  in  simplicity  unto 
them,  but  rather  cry  out,  “Nay,  but  if  one 
should  rise  from  the  dead;”  then  they  think 
something  might  be  done ; when,  alas ! though 
signs  and  wonders  are  wrought  by  the  hands 


of  those  that  preach  the  Gospel,  those  poor 
creatures  would  never  the  sooner  convert, 
though  they  suppose  they  should,  as  is  evident 
by  the  carriages  of  their  forerunners,  who, 
albeit  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself  did  con- 
firm his  doctrines  by  miracles,  as  opening 
blind  eyes,  casting  out  devils,  and  raising  the 
dead,  they  were  so  far  from  receiving  either 
him  or  his  doctrine  that  they  put  him  to  death 
for  his  pains;  though  he  had  done  so  many 
miracles  among  them,  yet  they  believed  not  in 
him.  But  to  pass  this,  I shall  lay  down  some 
of  the  grounds  of  their  rejecting  and  under- 
valuing the  Scriptures,  and  so  pass  on  : 

1.  Because  they  do  not  believe  that  they  are 
the  word  of  God,  but  rather  suppose  them  to 
be  the  inventions  of  men,  written  by  some 
politicians  on  purpose  to  make  poor  ignorant 
people  to  submit  to  some  religion  and  govern- 
ment. Though  they  do  not  say  this,  yet  their 
practices  testify  the  same,  as  he  that  when  he 
hears  the.  word  of  the  curse  yet  blesseth  him- 
self in  his  heart,  and  saith  he  shall  have  peace, 
though  God  saith  he  shall  have  none.  And 
this  must  needs  be,  for  did  men  but  believe 
this,  that  it  is  the  word  of  God,  then  they 
must  believe  that  He  that  spake  it  is  true, 
therefore  shall  every  word  and  tittle  be  fulfilled. 
And  if  they  come  once  to  this,  unless  they  be 
stark  mad,  they  will  have  a care  how  they  do 
throw  themselves  under  the  lash  of  eternal 
vengeance.  For  the  reason  why  the  Thessa- 
lonians  received  the  word  was,  because  they 
believed  it  was  the  word  of  God,  and  not  the 
word  of  man,  which  did  effectually  work  in 
them  by  their  thus  believing.  “ When  ye  re- 
ceived the  word  which  ye  heard  of  us,  (saith 
he,)  ye  received  it  not  as  the  word  of  man, 
but  (as  it  is  indeed)  the  word  of  God,  which 
effectually  worketh  in  you  that  believe.”  So 
that,  did  but  a man  receive  it  in  hearing,  or 
reading,  or  meditating,  as  it  is  the  word  of 
God,  they  would  be  converted.  “ But  the  word 
preached  doth  not  profit,  not  being  mixed  with 
faith  in  them  that  hear  it.” 

2.  Because  they  do  not  indeed  see  them- 
selves by  nature  heirs  of  that  exceeding  wrath 
and  vengeance  that  the  Scriptures  testify  of. 
For  did  they  but  consider  what  God  intends  to 
do  with  those  that  live  and  die  in  a natural 
state,  it  would  either  sink  them  into  despair 
or  make  them  fly  for  refuge  to  the  hope  that  is 
set  before  them.  But  if  there  be  never  so  great 
sins  committed,  and  never  so  great  wrath  de- 
nounced, and  the  time  of  execution  be  never 
so  near,  yet  if  the  party  that  is  guilty  be 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


805 


senseless  and  altogether  ignorant  thereof,  he 
will  be  careless  and  regard  it  nothing  at  all. 
And  that  mail  by  nature  is  in  this  condition  is 
evident.  For  take  the  same  man  that  is  sense- 
less and  ignorant  of  that  misery  he  is  in  by 
nature — I say,  take  him  at  another  time,  when 
he  is  a little  awakened,  and  then  you  will  hear 
him  roar  and  cry  out  so  long  as  trouble  is  upon 
him  and  a sense  of  the  wrath  of  God  hang 
over  his  head,  “ Good  sirs,  what  must  I do  to 
be  saved?” 

Though  the  same  man  at  another  time  (when 
his  conscience  is  fallen  asleep  and  grown  hard) 
will  lie  like  the  smith’s  dog  at  the  foot  of  the 
anvil,  though  the  fire-sparks  fly  in  his  face. 
But,  as  I said  before,  when  any  one  is  a little 
awakened,  oh  what  work  will  one  verse,  one 
line,  nay,  one  word,  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
make  in  his  heart!  He  cannot  eat,  sleep, 
work,  nor  keep  company  with  his  former  com- 
panions; and  all  because  he  is  afraid  that  the 
damnation  spoken  of  in  Scripture  will  fall  to 
his  share;  like  Balaam,  who  said,  “I  cannot 
go  beyond  the  word  of  the  Lord,”  so  long  as 
he  had  something  of  the  word  of  the  Lord 
with  authority,  severity,  and  power  on  his 
heart;  but  at  another  time  he  could  teach 
“Balak  to  cast  a stumbling-block  before  the 
childreu  of  Israel.” 

3.  Because  the  carnal  priests  do  tickle  the 
ears  of  their  hearers  with  vain  philosophy  and 
deceit,  and  thereby  harden  their  hearts  against 
the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel  and  word  of  God, 
which  things  the  apostle  admonished  those 
that  have  a mind  to  close  in  with  Christ  to' 
avoid,  saying,  “ Beware  lest  any  man  (be  he 
what  he  will)  spoil  you  through  philosophy 
and  vain  deceit,  after  the  traditions  of  men 
and  rudiments  of  the  world,  and  not  after 
Christ.”  And  you  who  muzzle  up  your  people 
in  ignorance  with  Aristotle,  Plato,  and  the  rest 
of  the  heathenish  philosophers,  and  preach 
little  if  any  thing  of  Christ  rightly,  I say  unto 
you  that  you  will  find  you  have  sinned  against 
God  and  beguiled  your  hearers  when  God 
shall,  in  the  judgment-day,  lay  the  cause  of 
the  damnation  of  many  thousands  of  souls  to 
your  charge,  and  say  he  will  require  their 
blood  at  your  hands. 

4.  Another  reason  why  the  carnal,  unbeliev- 
ing world  do  so  slight  the  Scriptures,  the  word 
of  God,  is  because  the  judgment  spoken  of  in 
the  Scripture  is  not  presently  executed  on  the 
transgressors : “ Because  sentence  against  an 
evil  act  is  not  speedily  executed,  therefore  the 
hearts  of  the  sons  of  men  are  wholly  set  in 


them  to  do  evil.”  Because  God  doth  not 
presently  strike  the  poor  wretch  as  soon  as  he 
sins,  but  waits  and  forbears  and  is  patient, 
therefore  the  world,  judging  God  to  be  unfaith- 
ful, go  to  it  again  and  again,  and  every  lime 
grow  harder  and  harder,  till  at  last  God  is 
forced  either  to  stretch  out  his  mighty  power 
to  turn  them,  or  else  send  death  with  the  devil 
and  hell  to  fetch  them.  “Thou  thoughtesl 
(saith  God)  that  \ was  altogether  such  an  one 
as  thyself,  but  I will  reprove  thee  and  set  them ^ 
in  order  before  thy  face.  Now,  consider  this, 
ye  that  forget  God,  lest  I tear  you  in  pieces 
and  there  be  none  to  deliver.” 

5.  Another  reason  why  the  blind  world  do 
slight  the  authority  of  Scripture  is  because 
they  give  ear  to  the  devil,  who  through  his 
subtlety  casteth  false  evasions  and  corrupt  in- 
terpretations on  them,  rendering  them  not  so 
point-blank  the  mind  of  God  and  a rule  for 
direction  to  poor  souls,  persuading  them  that 
they  must  give  ear  and  way  to  something  else 
besides  and  beyond  that ; or  else  he  labours  to 
render  it  vile  and  contemptible,  by  persuading 
them  that  it  is  a dead  letter,  which  indeed 
they  know  not  what  they  say  or  whereof  they 
affirm.  For  the  Scripture  is  not  so  dead  but 
that  the  knowledge  of  it  is  able  to  make  any 
man  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  and 
love  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  is  profitable 
for  instruction,  reproof,  and  correction  in 
righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
thoroughly  furnished  to  all  good  works. 

And  where  it  is  said  the  letter  killetli  he 
meaneth  the  law,  as  it  is  the  ministration  of 
damnation  or  a covenant  of  works ; and  so  in- 
deed it  doth  kill,  and  doth  do  so  because  it  is 
just,  forasmuch  as  the  party  that  is  under  the 
same  is  not  able  to  yield  to  it  a complete  and 
continual  obedience.  But  yet  I will  call  Peter 
and  Paul  to  witness  that  the  Scriptures  are  of 
a very  glorious  concernment,  inasmuch  as  in 
them  is  held  forth  to  us  the  way  of  life,  and 
also  in  that  they  do  administer  good  ground  of 
hope  to  us.  “ For  whatsoever  things  were 
written  aforetime  were  written  for  our  learning, 
that  we,  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the 
Scripture,  might  have  hope.”  And  again: 
“ Now  to  Him  that  is  of  power  to  establish  you 
according  to  my  Gospel  and  the  preaching  of 
Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  revelation  of  the 
mystery  which  was  kept  hid  since  the  world 
began,  but  now  is  made  manifest,  and  by  the 
Scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according  to  the 
commandments  of  the  everlasting  God,  made 
known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedience  of 


806 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


faith.”  And  therefore  whosoever  they  be  that 
slight  the  Scriptures,  they  slight  that  which  is 
no  less  than  the  word  of  God;  and  they  who 
slight  that  slight  Him  that  spake  it;  and  they 
that  do  so,  let  them  look  to  themselves,  for 
God  will  be  revenged  on  such.  Much  more 
might  be  said  to  this  thing,  but  I would  not  be 
tedious. 

A word  or  two  more,  so  I have  done  with 
this.  Consider  the  danger  of  slighting  the 
words  of'the  prophets  or  apostles,  whether  they 
be  correction,  reproof,  admonition,  forewarn- 
ing, or  the  blessed  invitations  and  promises 
contained  in  them. 

1 . Such  souls  do  provoke  God  to  anger  and 
, to  execute  his  vengeance  on  them.  “They 

refused  to  hearken,  they  pulled  away  their 
shoulders,  they  stopped  their  ears,  lest  they 
should  hear  the  law,  and  they  make  their 
hearts  as  an  adamant  stone,  that  they  might 
not  hear  the  law  and  the  words  that  were 
spoken  to  them  by  his  Spirit  in  the  former 
prophets:  therefore  came  a great  wrath  upon 
them.” 

2.  God  will  not  regard  them  in  their  calam- 
ity. “Because  I called,  and  ye  refused,  I 
stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded, 
but  set  at  naught  all  my  counsels'  and  would 
have  none  of  my  reproof,  I also  will  laugh  at 
your  calamities,  and  mock  when  your  fear 
cometh.  When  their  fear  cometh  as  desolation 
and  destruction  like  a whirlwind,  then  shall 
they  call,  but  I will  not  answer:  they  shall 
seek  me  early,  but  they  shall  not  find  me.” 

3.  God  doth  commonly  give  up  such  men  to 
delusions,  to  believe  lies.  “ Because  they  re- 
ceived not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they 
might  be  saved,  therefore  God  shall  send  them 
strong  delusions,  that  they  should  believe  a 
lie,  that  they  all  might  be  damned.” 

4.  In  a word,  they  that  do  continue  to  reject 
and  slight  the  word  of  God,  they  are  such,  for 
the  most  part,  as  are  ordained  to  be  damned. 
Old  Eli,  his  sons  not  hearkening  to  the  voice 
of  their  father,  reproved  them  for  their  sins, 
but  disobeying  his  voice,  it  is  said,  “ it  was 
because  the  Lord  would  slay  them.”  Again, 
Amaziali  having  sinned  against  the  Lord,  he 
sends  him  a prophet  to  reprove  him;  but 
Amaziah  says,  “Forbear,  wherefore  shouldst 
thou  be  smitten?”  (He  did  not  hearken  to 
the  word  of  God.)  “ Then  the  prophet  for- 
bore, saying,  I know  that  God  hath  determined 
to  destroy  thee,  because  thou  hast  not  heark- 
ened to  my  counsels.”  Read,  therefore,  and 
the  Lord  give  thee  understanding.  For  a 


miserable  end  will  those  have  that  go  on  in 
sinning  against  God,  rejecting  his  word. 

Other  things  might  • have  been  observed 
from  this  verse  which  at  this  time  I shall  pass 
by,  partly  because  the  sum  of  them  hath  been 
touched  already,  and  may  be  more  clearly 
hinted  at  in  the  following  verse;  and  therefore 
1 shall  speak  a few  words  to  the  next  verse, 
and  so  draw  towards  a conclusion. 

Ver.  31.  And  he  said  unto  him,  If  they  hear 

not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither  ivill  they 

be  persuaded  though  one  rose  from  the  dead. 

“And  he  said” — that  is,  God  made  answer 
to  the  words  spoken  in  the  verse  before — 
“And  he  said  unto  him,  If  they  hear  not 
Moses,”  &c.  As  if  he  had  said,  Moses  was  a 
man  of  great  renown,  a man  of  worthy  note,  a 
man  that  talked  with  God  face  to  face,  as  a 
man  speaketb  to  his  friend.  The  words  that 
Moses  spake  were  such  as  I commanded  him 
to  speak.  Let  him  who  will  question  them,  I 
will  own  them,  credit  them,  bless  them  that 
close  in  with  them,  and  curse  those. that  reject 
them. 

I myself  sent  the  prophets,  they  did  not  run 
of  their  own  heads : I gave  them  commission  ; 
I thrust  them  out  and  told  them  what  they 
should  say.  In  a word,  they  have  told  the 
world  what  my  mind  is  to  do  both  to  sinners 
and  to  saints : “ They  have  Moses  and  the 
prophets ; let  them  hear  them.”  Therefore, 
he  that  shall  reject  and  turn  his  back  either 
upon  the  threatenings,  counsels,  admonitions, 
invitations,  promises,  or  whatsoever  else  I have 
commanded  them  to  speak  as  to  salvation  and 
life,  and  to  directions  therein,  shall  be  sure  to 
have  a share  in  the  many  curses  that  they 
have  spoken  and  the  doctrine  that  is  pro- 
nounced by  them.  Again,  “ If  they  hear  not 
Moses  and  the  prophets,”  &c.  As  if  he  had 
said,  Thou  wouldst  have  me  send  one  from  the 
dead  unto  them  : what  needs  that?  They  have 
my  mind  already;  I have  declared  unto  them 
what  I intend  to  stand  to,  both  for  saving 
them  that  believe  and  damning  them  that  do 
not.  That,  therefore,  which  I have  said  I will 
make  good,  whether  they  hear  or  forbear. 
And  as  for  this  desire  of  yours,  you  had  as 
good  desire  me  to  make  a new  Bible,  and  so  to 
revoke  my  first  sayings  by  the  mouth  of  my 
prophets.  But  I am  God  and  not  man,  and 
my  word  is  immutable,  unchangeable,  and 
shall  stand  as  fast  as  my  decrees  can  make  it  _ 
“heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  one 
jot  or  tittle  of  my  word  shall  not  pass.”  If 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


807 


thou  liadst  ten  thousand  brethren,  and  every 
one  in  danger  of  losing  his  soul  if  he  did  not 
close  in  with  what  is  contained  and  recorded 
in  the  Scriptures  of  truth,  they  must  even 
every  one  of  them  perish  and  be  for  ever 
damned  in  hell,  for  the  Scriptures  cannot  be 
broken ; I did  not  send  them  so  unadvisedly  to 
recall  them  again  by  another  consideration. 
No;  “for  I speak  in  righteousness  and  in 
judgment,”  and  in  much  wisdom  and  counsel. 
It  being  therefore  gone  out  of  my  mouth  in 
this  manner,  “it  shall  not  return  in  vain  until 
it  hath  accomplished  the  thing  whereunto  I 
have  sent  it.” 

But  again,  thou  supposeth  that  miracles 
and  wonders  will  work  on  them,  which  makes 
thee  say,  “Send  one  from  the  dead.”  But 
herein  thou  art  mistaken ; for  I have  proved 
them  with  that  once  and  again,  by  more  than 
one,  or  two,  or  three  of  my  servants.  How 
many  miracles  did  my  servant  Moses  work  by 
commandment  from  me  in  the  land  of  Egypt, 
at  the  Red  Sea,  and  in  the  wilderness!  Yet 
they  of  that  generation  were  never  the  sooner 
converted  for  that,  but  notwithstanding  re- 
belled and  lusted,  and  in  their  hearts  turned 
back  into  Egypt.  Acts  vii.  IIow  many  mira- 
cles did  Samuel,  David,  Elias,  Elisha,  Daniel, 
and  the  prophets,  together  with  my  Son,  who 
raised  the  dead,  cast  out  devils,  made  them  to 
see  that  they  were  born  blind,  gave  and  re- 
stored limbs!  Yet  for  all  this  (as  I said 
before)  they  hated  him,  they  crucified  him. 
He  raised  him  again  from  the  dead,  and  he 
appeared  to  his  disciples,  who  were  called, 
and  chosen,  and  faithful,  and  he  gave  them 
commandment  and  commission  to  go  and  tes- 
tify the  truth  of  this  to  the  world ; and  to  con- 
firm the  same,  he  enabled  them  to  speak  with 
divers  tongues  and  to  work  miracles  most 
plentifully,  yet  there  was  so  great  a persecu- 
tion raised  against  them,  insomuch  that  but 
a few  of  them  died  in  their  beds,  and  there- 
fore, though  thou  thinkest  that  a miracle  will 
do  so  much  with  the  world,  yet  I say,  No; 
“ for  if  they  will  not  believe  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  neither  will  they  be  persuaded 
though  one  should  rise  from  the  dead.” 

From  these  words,  therefore,  take  notice  of 
this  truth — namely,  that  those  who  reject  and 
believe  not  Moses  and  the  prophets  are  a very 
hard-hearted  people,  that  will  not  be  per- 
suaded though  one  rise  from  the  dead. 

They  that  regard  not  the  Holy  Scriptures  to 
turn  to  God,  finding  them  to  testify  of  his 
goodness  and  mercy,  there  is  but  little  hopes 


of  their  salvation;  “for  if  they  will  not” — 
mark,  they  will  not — “ be  persuaded  though 
one  should  rise  from  the  dead.”  This  truth  is 
confirmed  by  Jesus  himself.  If  you  read  John 
v.,  where  the  Lord  is  speaking  of  himself  that 
he  is  the  very  Christ,  he  brings  in  four  or  five 
witnesses  to  back  what  he  said  : 1.  John  Bap- 
tist; 2.  The  works  that  his  Father  gave  him 
to  do;  3.  His  Father  speaking  from  heaven; 
4.  The  testimony  of  the  Scriptures.  When  all 
this  was  done,  seeing  yet  they  would  not  be- 
lieve, he  lays  the  fault  upon  one  of  these  two 
things : 

1.  Their  regarding  an  esteem  among  men. 

2.  Their  not  believing  of  the  prophets’ 
writings,  even  Moses  and  the  rest.  “ For 
had  ye  Relieved  Moses,  (saitli  lie,)  ye  would 
have  believed  me,  for  he  wrote  of  me.  But 
if  ye  believe  not  his  writings,  how  can  ye  be- 
lieve my  words?”  Now,  I say,  he  that  shall 
slight  the  Scriptures,  and  the  testimony  of  the 
prophets  in  them  concerning  Jesus  Christ, 
must  needs  be  in  great  danger  of  losing  his 
soul  if  he  abide  in  this  condition,  because  he 
that  slights  the  testimony  doth  also  slight  the 
thing  testified  of,  let  him  say  the  contrary 
never  so  often.  For  as  Jesus  Christ  hath 
here  laid  down  the  reason  of  men’s  not  re- 
ceiving him,  so  the  apostle  in  another  place 
lays  down  the  reason  again  with  high  and 
mighty  aggravation,  saying,  “ He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  the  witness  in 
himself;  he  that  believeth  not  on  God  bath 
made  him  a liar,  because  he  believeth  not  the 
record” — mark,  the  record — “that  God  gave 
of  his  Son.”  The  record,  you  will  say,  what  is 
that?  Why,  even  the  testimony  that  God 
gave  of  him  by  the  mouth  of  all  the  holy 
prophets  since  the  world  began.  Acts  iii.  20. 
That  is,  God  sending  his  Holy  Spirit  into  the 
hearts  of  his  servants  the  prophets  and  apos- 
tles, he,  by  his  Spirit  in  them,  did  bear  wit- 
ness or  record  to  the  truth  of  salvation  by  his 
Son  Jesus,  both  before  and  after  his  coming. 
And  thus  is  that  place  also  to  be  understood 
which  saitli,  “There  are  three  that  bear 
record  in  earth — the  Spirit,  the  water,  and 
the  blood  ;”  that  is,  the  Spirit  in  the  apostles, 
which  preached  him  to  the  world,  as  is  clear 
if  you  read  seriously  1 Thess.  iv.  8.  The  apos- 
tle, speaking  of  Jesus  Christ  and  obedience 
through  him,  saith  thus,  “Now  he  that  de- 
spiseth,  despiseth  not  us,  but  God.”  But  it  is 
you  that  speak.  True,  but  it  is  by  and 
through  the  Spirit : “ He  therefore  that  de- 
spiseth, despiseth  not  man,  but  God,  who 


808 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


also  hath  given  us  of  his  Holy  Spirit.”  This 
is  therefore  a mighty  confirmation  of  this 
truth,  that  he  that  slights  the  record  or  testi- 
mony that  God  by  his  Spirit,  in  his  prophets 
and  apostles,  hath  testified  unto  us,  slights 
the  testimony  of  the  Spirit,  who  moved  them 
to  speak  these  things ; and  if  so,  then  I would 
fain  know  how  any  man  can  be  saved  by 
Jesus  Christ  that  slights  the  testimony  con- 
cerning Christ,  yea,  the  testimony  of  his  own 
Spirit  concerning  his  own  self.  It  is  true, 
men  may  pretend  to  have  the  testimony  of  the 
Spirit,  and  from  that  conceit  set  a low  esteem 
on  the  Holy  Scriptures ; but  that  spirit  that 
dwelleth  in  them  and  teacheth  them  so  to  do 
it  is  no  better  than  the  spirit  of  Satan,  though 
it  calls  itself  by  the  name  of  the  Spirit  of 
Christ.  “ To  the  law,  therefore,  and  to  the 
testimony  try  them  by  that;  “if  they  speak 
not  according  to  the  word,  it  is  because  there 
is  no  light  in  them.” 

The  apostle  Peter  when  he  speaks  of  the 
glorious  voice  that  he  had  from  his  excellent 
Majesty,  saying  of  Christ,  “ This  is  my  be- 
loved Son,  hear  him,”  saith  thus  to  them 
whom  he  wrote  unto : “ You  have  also  a more 
sure  word  of  prophecy,”  (or  of  the  prophets, 
for  so  you  may  read  it,)  “unto  which  you  do 
well  that  you  take  heed.”  That  is,  though  we 
tell  you  that  we  had  this  excellent  testimony 
from  his  own  mouth  evidently,  yet  you  have 
the  prophets.  We  tell  you  this,  and  ye  need 
not  doubt  of  the  truth  of  it ; but  if  you  should, 
yet  you  may  not,  must  not,  ought  not  to  ques- 
tion them.  Search,  therefore,  unto  them  until 
the  day  dawn  and  the  day-star  arise  in  your 
hearts;  that  is,  until  by  the  same  Spirit  that 
gave  forth  the  Scriptures  you  find  the  truth 
confirmed  to  your  souls  which  you  have  re- 
corded in  the  Scriptures.  That  this  word  of 
prophecy  or  of  the  prophets  is  the  Scriptures, 
read  on ; for,  saith  he,  “ knowing  this  first, 
that  no  prophecy  of  the  Scriptures  is  of  any 
private  interpretation,”  &c. 

But  you  will  say,  What  needs  all  this  ado, 
and  why  is  all  this  time  and  pains  spent  in 
speaking  to  this  that  is  surely  believed  already? 
This  is  a thing  received  by  all,  that  they  be- 
lieve the  Scriptures  to  be  the  word  of  God,  that 
sure  word  of  prophecy  ; and  therefore  you  need 
not  spend  your  time  -in  proving  these  things 
and  the  truth  of  them,  seeing  we  grant  and 
confess  the  truth  of  it  before  you  begin  to 
speak  your  judgment  of  them. 

Answer  1.  The  truths  of  God  cannot  be 
borne  witness  unto  too  often.  You  may  as 


well  say,  You  need  not  preach  Jesus  Christ  so 
much,  seeing  he  hath  been  and  is  received  for 
the  true  Messias  already. 

2.  Though  you  may  suppose  that  they  do  be- 
lieve the  Scriptures,  yet  if  they  were  but  well 
examined  you  will  find  them  either  by  word 
of  mouth,  or  else  by  conversation,  to  deny,  re- 
ject, and  slight  the.  Holy  Scriptures.  It  is 
true,  there  is  a notional  and  historical  assent 
in  the  head — I say,  in  the  head — of  many  or 
most  to  the  truth  contained  in  Scripture ; but 
try  them,  I say,  and  you  shall  find  but  a little, 
if  any,  of  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God  in 
the  hearts  of  poor  men  to  believe  the  Scrip- 
tures and  things  contained  in  them.  Many, 
yea,  most  men,  believe  the  Scriptures  as  they 
believe  a fable,  a story,  a tale,  of  which  there 
is  no  certainty.  But,  alas ! there  are  but  few 
that  do  indeed  and  in  truth  believe  the  Scrip- 
tures to  be  the  very  word  of  God. 

Objection.  But  you  will  say,  This  seems 
strange  to  me. 

Answer.  And  it  seems  as  true  to  me ; and  I 
doubt  not  but  to  make  it  manifest  that  there 
are  but  few,  yea,  very  few,  that  do  effectually 
(for  that  I aim  at)  believe  the  Scriptures  and 
the  truth  contained  in  and  spoken  of  by  them. 
But  to  make  this  appear,  and  that  to  purpose, 
(if  God  will,)  I shall  lay  you  down  the  several 
operations  that  the  Scriptures  have  on  them 
who  do  effectually  believe  the  things  contained 
in  them. 

1.  He  that  doth  effectually  believe  the  Scrip- 
tures hath,  in  the  first  place,  been  killed — I 
say,  killed — by  the  authority  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, struck  stark  dead,  in  a spiritual  sense, 
by  the  Holy  Scriptures  being  set  home  by  that 
Spirit  which  gave  them  forth  upon  the  soul. 
“ The  letter  killetli ;”  the  letter  strikes  men 
dead.  And  this  Paul  witnessed  and  found  be- 
fore he  could  say,  “I  believe  all  tlu.t  the 
prophets  have  spoken;”  where  he  saith,  “I 
was  alive  without  the  law  once” — that  is,  in 
my  natural  state,  before  the  law  was  set  on  my 
heart  with  power — “but  when  the  command- 
ment came,  sin  revived,  and  I died.  And  that 
law  that  was  ordained  to  life  I found  to  be 
unto  death ; for  sin,  taking  occasion  by  the 
commandment,  deceived  me,  and  thereby  slev 
me.”  Now  that  which  is  called  the  letter  in 
2 Cor.  is  called  the  law  in  Rom.  vii. , which,  by 
its  power  and  operation,  as  it  is  wielded  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  doth  in  the  first  place  kill  and 
slay  all  those  that  are  enabled  to  believe  the 
Scriptures.  I kill,  saith  God ; that  is,  with  mj 
law  I pierce,  I wound,  I prick  men  into  the 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


809 


% 

very  heart,  by  showing  them  their  sins  against 
the  law  ; and  he  that  is  ignorant  of  this  is  also 
ignorant  of,  and  doth  not  really  and  effectually 
believe,  the  Scripture. 

Tbit  you  will  say,  How  doth  the  law  kill  and 
strike  dead  the  poor  creatures? 

Answer.  First,  the  letter  or  law  doth  kill 
thus : it  is  set  home  upon  the  soul,  and  dis- 
covers to  the  soul  its  transgressions  against  the 
law,  and  shows  the  soul  also  that  it  cannot 
completely  satisfy  the  justice  of  God  for  the 
breach  of  his  law,  therefore  it  is  condemned. 
Mark,  “He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned 
already;”,  to  wit,  by  the  law;  that  is,  the  law 
doth  condemn  him ; yea,  it  hath  condemned 
him  already  for  his  sins  against  it;  as  it  is 
written,  “ Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  all  things  that  are  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them.”  Now  all  men,  as  they 
come  into  the  world,  are  in  this  condition — 
that  is,  condemned  by  the  law  ; yet  not  believ- 
ing their  condemnation  by  the  law  really,  they 
do  not  also  believe  really  and  effectually  the 
law  that  doth  condemn  them.  For  as  men 
have  but  a notion  of  the  one — that  is,  their 
condemnation  because  of  sins  against  the  law 
— so  they  have  but  a notion  of  the  condemning, 
killing,  and  destroying  power  of  the  law ; for, 
as  the  one  is,  so  in  these  things  always  is  the 
other.  There  is  no  man  that  doth  really  be- 
lieve the  law  or  Gospel  further  than  they  do 
feel  the  power  and  authority  of  them  in  their 
hearts.  “Ye  err,  not  knowing  the  Scrip- 
tures nor  the  power  of  God.”  Now,  this  letter 
or  law  is  not  to  be  taken  in  the  largest  sense, 
but  is  strictly  to  be  tied  to  the  ten  command- 
ments, whose  proper  work  is  only,  by  showing 
the  soul  its  sin  against  the  law,  to  kill,  and 
there  leaves  him  stark  dead,  not  giving  him 
the  least  life  or  support  or  comfort,  but  leaves 
the  soul  in  an  helpless  and  hopeless  condition 
as  from  itself  or  any  other  mere  creature. 

It  is  true,  the  law  hath  laid  all  men  for  dead 
as  they  come  into  the  world,  but  all  men  do* 
not  see  themselves  dead  until  they  see  the  law 
that  struck  them  dead  striking  in  their  souls 
and  having  struck  them  that  fatal  blow.  As  a 
man  that  is  fast  asleep  in  a house,  and  that  on 
fire  about  his  ears,  and  he  not  knowing  of  it 
because  he  is  asleep,  even  so,  because  poor 
souls  are  asleep  in  sin,  though  the  wrath  of 
God,  the  curse  of  his  law,  and  the  flames  of 
hell  have  beset  them  round  about,  yet  they  do 
not  believe  it,  because  they  are  asleep  in  sin. 
Now,  as  he  that  is  awakened  and  sees  this,  sees 
that  through  this  he  is  a dead  man,  even  so 


they  that  do  sec  their  state  by  nature,  being 
such  a sad  condition,  do  also  see  themselves  by 
that  law  to  be  dead  men  naturally. 

But  now,  when  didst  thou  feel  the  power  of 
this  first  part  of  the  Scripture,  the  law,  so 
mighty  as  to  strike  thee  dead  ? If  not,  thou 
dost  not  so  much  as  verily  believe  that  part  of 
the  Scripture  that  doth  contain  the  law  in  it  to 
be  the  truth  of  God.  Yet  if  thou  sliouldst 
have  felt  something — I say,  something — of  the 
killing  power  of  the  law  of  God  in  thine  heart, 
this  is  not  an  argument  to  prove  that  thou  be- 
lievest  all  the  things  contained  in  the  Scripture, 
for  there  is  Gospel  as  well  as  law ; and  there- 
fore. I shall  speak  to  that  also — that  is,  whether 
thou  hast  felt  the  power  of  the  Gospel,  as  well 
as  something  of  the  power  of  the  law. 

2.  Then  thou  hast  found  the  power  of  the 
Gospel,  and  so  believed  it;  thou  hast  found  it 
thus  with  thy  soul. 

1.  Thou  hast  been  showed  by  the  word  of 
truth  of  the  Gospel,  in  the  light  of  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  that  by  nature  thou  wert  without 
the  true  faith  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  that  by 
nature  thou  wert  without  the  true  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God  in  thy  soul ; for  when  “ he,  the 
Spirit,  is  come,  he  shall  show  men  that  they 
believe  not  in  me,”  saith  Christ.  Mark,  though 
thou  hast,  as  I said  before,  felt  somewhat  of  the 
power  of  the  law,  letter,  or  ten  commandments, 
yet  as  thou  hast  not  been  brought  to  this,  to 
see  by  the  Spirit  in  the  Gospel  that  thou  art 
without  faith  by  nature,  thou  hast  not  yet 
tasted,  much  less  believed,  any  part  of  the 
Gospel ; for  the  Gospel  and  the  law  are  two 
distinct  covenants;  and  they  that  are  under 
the  law  may  be  convinced  by  it,  and  so  believe 
the  law  or  first  covenant,  and  yet  in  the  mean 
time  be  strangers  to  the  covenant  of  promise, 
that  is,  the  Gospel,  and  so  have  no  hope  in 
them.  There  is  not  any  promise  that  can  be 
savingly  believed  until  the  soul  be  by  the  Gos- 
pel converted  to  Jesus  Christ.  For  though 
men  do  think  never  so  much  that  they  believe 
the  things  or  the  word  of  the  Gospel  of  our 
salvation,  yet  unless  they  have  the  work  of 
grace  in  their  souls,  they  do  not,  cannot, 
rightly  believe  the  things  contained  in  the 
Scriptures. 

2.  Again,  as  the  law  killeth  those  that  believe 
it,  even  so  the  promises  contained  in  the  Gos- 
pel do,  through  faith,  administer  comfort  to 
those  that  believe  it  aright.  “My  words,” 
saith  Christ,  “my  words  they  are  spirit  and 
they  are  life.”  As  if  he  had  said,  The  words 
contained  in  the  law  as  a covenant  of  works, 


810 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


they  wound,  they  kill,  they  strike  dead  those 
that  are  under  them.  But  as  for  me,  “The 
words  that  I speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit 
and  they  are  life.”  That  is,  whosoever  doth 
receive  them  believingly  shall  find  them  full 
of  operation  to  comfort,  quicken,  and  revive 
the  soul.  For  as  I did  not  come  into  the  world 
to  destroy  men’s  lives,  so  that  the  words  that  I 
speak,  (as  I am  sent  to  preach  the  Gospel,) 
they  have  no  such  tendency  unto  those  that 
believe  them.  The  promises  that  are  in  the 
Gospel,  oh  how  do  they  comfort  them ! Such 
a promise,  and  such  a promise,  oh  how  sweet 
it  is ! How  comfortable  to  those  that  believe 
them ! Alas  ! there  are  many  ]roor  souls  that 
think  they  believe  the  Scriptures  to  be  the 
word  of  God,  and  yet  they  never  enjoyed  any 
thing  of  the  life  and  promises ; they  come  in 
upon  the  heart  to  quicken,  to  revive  thee,  to 
raise  thee  from  sentence  of  death  that  is  passed 
on  thee  by  the  law,  and  through  the  faith  that 
is  wrought  in  thy  soul  by  the  operation  of 
God’s  Holy  Spirit  (though  once  killed  by  the 
law  or  letter)  thou  art  made  alive  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  is  presented  to  thy  soul  in 
the  promises. 

3.  Dost  thou  indeed  and  in  truth  believe  the 
Scriptures  to  be  the  word  of  God  ? Then  the 
things  contained  in  them,  especially  the  things 
of  the  Gospel,  are  very  excellent  to  thy  soul, 
as  the  birth  of  Christ,  the  death,  the  resurrec- 
tion, intercession  and  second  coming.  Oh  how 
precious  and  excellent  are  they  to  thy  soul, 
insomuch  that  thou  regardest  nothing  in  com- 
parison of  them ! Oh  it  is  Christ’s  birth,  death, 
blood,  resurrection,  &c.,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures, that  thou  dost  rejoice  in  exceedingly  and 
abundantly  desire  after;  whom  having  not 
seen  ye  love;  in  whom,  though  now  ye  see 
him  not,  yet,  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory. 

4.  Dost  thou  believe  the  Scriptures  to  be  the 
word  of  God?  Then  thou  standest  in  awe  of 
and  dost  much  reverepce  them.  Why,  they 
are  the  word  of  God,  the  true  sayings  of  God ; 
they  are  the  counsel  of  God;  they  are  his 
promises  and  his  threatenings.  Poor  souls 
are  apt  to  think,  If  I could  hear  God  speak  to 
me  from  heaven  with  an  audible  voice,  then 
sure  I should  be  serious  and  believe  it.  But 
truly,  if  God  should  speak  to  thee  from  heaven, 
except  thou  wert  converted  thou  wouldst  not 
regard  nor  really  believe  him.  But  if  thou 
dost  believe  the  Scriptures,  thou  seest  that 
they  are  the  truth  as  really  as  if  God  should 
speak  to  thee  from  heaven  through  the  clouds ; 


and  therefore  never  flatter  thyself,  foolishly 
thinking  that  if  it  were  so  and  so  then  thou 
couldst  believe.  I tell  thee,  saith  Christ,  “If 
they  believe  not  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
neither  will  they  believe  though  one  should 
rise  from  the  dead.”  But — 

5.  Dost  thou  believe  the  Scriptures  to  be  the 
word  of  God?  Then  through  faith  in  Christ 
thou  endeavourest  to  have  thy  life  squared  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptures,  both  in  word  and 
practice.  Nay,  I say,  thou  mayest  have, 
though  thou  do  not  believe  them  all.  My 
meaning  is,  that  if  thou  believe  none  but  the 
ten  commandments,  thy  life  may  be,  according 
to  them,  a legal,  holy  life ; and  if  thou  do  be- 
lieve the  Gospel  too,  then  thy  life  will  be  the 
faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  that  is,  either 
thou  wilt  live  in  the  blessed  and  holy  enjoy-' 
ment  of  what  is  testified  in  the  Scripture  con- 
cerning the  glorious  things  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  or  else  thou  wilt  be  exceedingly  pant- 
ing after  them.  For  the  Scriptures  carry  such 
a blessed  beauty  in  them  to  that  soul  that  hath 
faith  in  the  things  contained  in  them  that  they 
do  take  the  heart  and  captivate  the  soul  of  him 
that  believeth  them  into  the  love  and  liking  of 
them,  believing  all  things  that  are  written  in 
the  law  and  the  prophets,  and  have  hope  to- 
wards God  that  there  shall  be  a resurrection 
of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust;  and 
herein  do  I exercise  myself  to  have  always  a 
conscience  void  of  offence  both  towards  God 
and  towards  man. 

6.  He  that  believes  the  Scriptures  to  be  the 
word  of  God,  if  he  do  but  suppose  that  any 
one  place  of  Scripture  doth  exclude  him  and 
shut  him  out  of  and  from  a share  in  the 
promises  contained  in  them,  oh  it  will  trouble 
him,  grieve  him,  perplex  him;  yea,  he  will 
not  be  satisfied  until  he  be  resolved  and  the 
contrary  sealed  to  his  soul,  for  he  knows  that 
the  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  God,  all  truth, 
and  therefore  he  knows  that  if  any  one  sen- 
tence doth  exclude  or  bar  him  out  for  want  of 
this  or  the  other  qualifications,  he  knows  also 
that  not  the  word  alone  shuts  him  out,  but  He 
that  speaks  it,  even  God  himself;  and  there- 
fore he  cannot,  will  not,  dare  not,  be  contented 
until  he  and  his  soul  and  Scripture  together 
(with  the  things  contained  therein)  do  em- 
brace each  other,  and  a sweet  correspondency 
and  agreement  exist  between  them.  For  you 
must  know  that  to  him  that  believes  the  Scrip- 
tures aright  the  promises  or  threatenings  are 
of  more  power  to  comfort  or  cast  down  thaD 
all  the  promises  or  threatenings  of  all  the  men 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


811 


in  the  world.  And  this  was  the  cause  wlty  the 
martyrs  of  Jesus  did  so  slight  both  the  prom- 
ises of  their  adversaries  when  they  would  have 
overcome  them  with  proffering  the  great  things 
of  this  world  unto  them,  and  also  their  threat- 
enings  when  they  told  them  they  would  rack 
them,  hang  them,  burn  them.  None  of  these 
things  could  prevail  upon  them  or  against 
them,  because  they  did  most  really  believe 
the  Scriptures  and  the  things  contained  in 
them,  as  is  clearly  found  and  to  be  seen  in 
Ileb.  xi.,  and  also  in  Mr.  Fox’s  record  of  their 
brethren. 

7.  He  that  believeth  the  Scriptures  to  be  the 
word  of  God  believeth  that  men  must  be  born 
again,  and  also  be  partakers  of  that  faith 
which  is  of  the  operation  of  God,  (according 
as  he  hath  read  and  believed,)  or  else  he  must 
and  shall  be  damned.  And  he  that  believeth 
this  aright  will  not  be  contented  until  (accord- 
ing as  it  is  written)  he  do  partake  of  and  en- 
joy the  new  birth,  and  until  he  do  find  through 
grace  that  faith  that  is  wrought  by  the  opera- 
tion of  God  in  his  soul.  For  this  is  the  cause 
why  men  do  satisfy  themselves  with  so  slender 
a conceited  hope  that  their  state  is  good,  (when 
it  is  nothing  so,)— namely,  because  they  do  not 
credit  the  Scriptures;  for  did  they,  they  would 
look  into  their  own  hearts,  and  examine  seri- 
ously whether  that  faith,  that  hope,  that  grace 
which  they  think  they  have  be  of  that  nature 
and  wrought  by  that  Spirit  and  power  which 
the  Scripture  speaketh  of.  I speak  this  of  an 
effectual  believing,  without  which  all  other  is 
nothing,  unto  salvation.  Now,  then,  because  I 
would  not  be  tedious,  I shall  at  this  time  lay 
down  no  more  discoveries  of  such  an  one  as 
doth  savingly  believe  the  Scriptures  and  the 
things  contained  in  them,  but  shall  speak  a 
few  words  of  examination  concerning  the 
things  already  mentioned.  As — 

1.  Thou  sayest  thou  dost  indeed  and  in  truth 
effectually  believe  the  Scriptures.  I ask,  there- 
fore, Wast  thou  ever  killed  stark  dead  by  the 
law  of  works  contained  in  the  Scriptures — 
killed  by  the  law  or  letter,  and  made  to  see 
thy  sins  against  it,  and  left  in  an  helpless  con- 
dition by  the  law?  For,  as  I said,  the  proper 
work  of  the  law  is  to  slay  the  soul  and  to  leave 
it  dead,  in  an  helpless  state.  For  it  doth 
neither  give  the  soul  any  comfort  itself  when 
it  comes,  nor  doth  it  show  the  soul  where  com- 
fort is  to  be  had ; and  therefore  it  is  called 
“the  ministration  of  condemnation,  the  min- 
istration of  death.”  For  though  men  may 
have  a notion  of  the  blessed  word  of  God,  as 


the  children  had,  yet  before  they  be  converted 
it  may  be  truly  said  of  them,  “Ye  err,  not 
knowing  the  Scriptures  nor  the  power  of 
God.” 

2.  You  say  you  do  believe  the  Scriptures  to 
be  the  word  of  God.  I say  again,  Examine: 
wert  thou  ever  quickened  from  a dead  state  by 
the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  through  the 
other  part  of  the  Scriptures — that  is  to  say,  by 
the  power  of  God  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ 
though  the  covenant  of  promise?  I tell  thee 
from  the  Lord,  if  thou  hast,  thou  hast  felt  such 
a quickening  power  in  the  words  of  Christ 
(John  vi.)  that  thou  hast  been  lifted  out  of 
that  dead  condition  that  thou  before  wert  in ; 
and  that  when  thou  wast  under  the  guilt  of 
sin,  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  the  power  of  the 
devil,  and  the  justice  of  the  great  God,  thou 
hast  been  enabled  by  the  power  of  God  in 
Christ,  revealed  to  thee  by  the  Spirit  through 
and  by  the  Scripture,  to  look  sin,  death,  the 
devil,  and  the  law,  and  all  things  that  are  at 
enmity  w'ith  thee  with  boldness  and  comfort  in 
the  face,  through  the  blood,  death,  righteous- 
ness, resurrection,  and  intercession  of  Christ, 
made  mention  of  in  the  Scriptures. 

And,  3.  On  this  account  oh  how  excellent 
are  the  Scriptures  to  thy  soul ! Oh  how  much 
virtue  dost  thou  see  in  such  a promise,  in  such 
an  invitation!  They  are  so  large  as  to  say, 
Christ  will  in  nowise  cast  me  out;  my  crimson 
sins  shall  be  white  as  snow.  I tell  thee,  friend, 
there  are  some  promises  that  the  Lord  hath 
helped  me  to  lay  hold  of,  Jesus  Christ  through 
and  by,  that  I would  not  have  out  of  the  Bible 
for  as  much  gold  and  silver  as  can  lie  between 
York  and  London,  piled  up  to  the  stars,  be- 
cause through  them  Christ  is  pleased  by  his 
Spirit  to  convey  comfort  to  my  soul.  I say, 
when  the  law  curses,  when  the  devil  tempts^ 
when  hell-fire  flames  in  my  conscience,  my 
sins,  with  the  guilt  of  them,  tearing  of  me, 
then  is  Christ  revealed  so  sweetly  to  my  soul 
through  the  promises  that  all  is  forced  to  fly 
and  leave  off  to  accuse  my  soul.  So  also  when 
the  world  frowns,  when  the  enemies  rage  and 
threaten  to  kill  me,  then  also  the  precious, 
the  exceeding  great  and  precious,  promises  do 
weigh  down  all  and  comfort  the  soul  against 
all.  This  is  the  effect  of  believing  the  Scrip- 
tures savingly;  for  they  that  do  so  have,  by 
and  through  the  Scriptures,  good  comfort  and 
also  ground  of  hope,  believing  those  things  to 
be  its  own  which  the  Scriptures  hold  forth. 

4.  Examine : dost  thou  stand  in  awe  of  sin- 
ning against  God  because  lie  hath  in  the  Scrip- 


812 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


tures  commanded  thee  to  abstain  from  it? 
Dost  thou  give  diligence  to  make  thy  calling 
and  election  sure  because  God  commanded  it 
in  Scripture?  Dost  thou  examine  thyself 
whether  thou  be  in  the  faith  or  no,  having  a 
command  in  Scripture  so  to  do  ? Or  dost  thou 
(notwithstanding  what  thou  readest  in  the 
Scripture)  follow  the  world,  delight  in  sin,  ne- 
glect coming  to  Jesus  Christ,  speak  evil  of  the 
saints,  slight  and  make  a mock  at  the  ordi- 
nance of  God,  delight  in  wicked  company,  and 
the  like?  Then  know  that  it  is  because  thou 
dost  not  indeed  and  in  truth  believe  the  Scrip- 
tures effectually.  For,  as  I said  before,  if  a 
man  do  believe  them,  and  that  savingly,  then 
he  stands  in  awe,  he  looks  to  his  steps,  he  turns 
his  feet  from  evil,  and  endeavours  to  follow 
that  which  is  good,  which  God  hath  com- 
manded in  the  Scriptures  of  truth,  yet  not  from 
a legal  or  natural  principle— that  is,  to  seek  for 
life  by  doing  that  good  thing — but  knowing 
that  salvation  is  already  obtained  for  him  by 
the  blood  of  that  man,  Christ  Jesus,  on  the 
cross,  because  he  believes  the  Scriptures ; there- 
fore (mark,  I pray,  therefore)  I say,  he  labours 
to  walk  with  his  God  in  all  well-pleasing  and 
godliness,  because  the  sweet  power  of  the  love 
of  Christ,  which  he  feels  in  his  soul  by  the 
Spirit  according  to  the  Scriptures,  constrains 
him  so  to  do. 

5.  Examine  again:  dost  thou  labour  after 
those  qualifications  that  the  Scriptures  do  de- 
scribe a child  of  God  by — that  is,  faith,  yea, 
the  right  faith,  the  most  holy  faith,  the  faith 
of  the  operation  of  God  ? And  also  dost  thou 
examine  whether  there  is  a real  growth  of 
grace  in  thy  soul,  as  love,  zeal,  self-denial,  and 
a seeking  by  all  means  to  attain  (if  possible) 
to  the  resurrection  of  the  dead — that  is,  not  to 
satisfy  thyself  until  thou  be  dissolved  and  rid 
of  this  body  of  death,  and  be  transformed  into 
that  glory  that  the  saints  should  be  in  after  the 
resurrection-day?  And  in  the  mean  time  dost 
labour  and  take  all  opportunities  to  walk  as 
near  as  may  be  to  the  pitch,  though  thou  knovv- 
est  thou  canst  not  attain  it  perfectly?  Yes,  I 
say,  thou  dost  aim  at  it,  seek  after  it,  press  toward 
it;  and  to  hold  on  in  thy  race  thou  shunnest 
that  which  may  any  way  hinder  thee,  and  also 
closest  in  with  what  may  any  way  further  the 
same,  knowing  that  that  must  be  or  desiring 
that  it  should  be  thine  eternal  frame,  and 
therefore  out  of  love  and  liking  to  it  thou 
dost  desire  and  long  after  it  as  being  the  thing 
that  doth  most  please  thy  soul. 

Or  how  is  it  with  thy  soul?  Art  thou  such 


an  ofhe  as  regards  not  these  things,  hut-  rather 
busiest  thy  thoughts  about  the  things  here  be- 
low, following  those  things  that  have  no  scent 
of  divine  glory  upon  them  ? If  so,  look  to  thy- 
self ; thou  art  an  unbeliever,  and  so  under  the 
wrath  of  God,  and  wilt  for  certain  fall  into  the 
same  place  of  torment  that  thy  fellows  have 
fallen  into  before  thee,  to  the  grief  of  thy  own 
soul  and  thy  everlasting  destruction. 

Consider  and  regard  these  things,  and  lay 
them  to  thy  heart  before  it  be  too  late  to  recover 
thyself  by  repenting  of  the  one  and  desiring 
to  close  in  with  the  other.  Oh,  I say,  regard, 
regard,  for  hell  is  hot.  God’s  hand  is  up ! 
the  law  is  resolved  to  discharge  against  thy 
soul!  the  judgment-day  is  at  hand ! the  graves 
are  ready  to  fly  ojien  ! the  trumpet  is  near  the 
sounding ! the  sentence  will  ere  long  be  past, 
and  then  you  and  I cannot  call  time  again  ! 

But  again,  seeing  they  are  so  certain,  so  sure, 
so  irrecoverable,  and  firm,  and  seeing  the  sav- 
ing faith  of  the  things  contained  therein  is  to 
reform  the  soul  and  bring  it  over  to  the  things 
of  God,  really  conforming  it  to  the  things  con- 
tained therein,  both  to  the  point  of  justifica- 
tion and  also  an  impartial  walking,  and  giving 
up  thy  soul  and  body  to  a conformity  to  all  the 
commands,  counsels,  instructions,  and  exhort- 
ations contained  therein,  this  then  will  learn 
us  how  to  judge  of  those  who  give  up  them- 
selves to  walk  in  the  imaginations  of  their  own 
hearts,  who  slight  and  lay  aside  the  Scriptures, 
counting  them  but  empty  and  uncertain  things, 
and  will  live  every  day  in  open  contradiction  to 
what  is  contained,  commanded,  and  forbidden 
therein. 

As,  first.  This  will  show  us  that  all  your 
drunkards,  whoremasters,  liars,  thieves,  swear- 
ers, backbiters,  slanderers,  scoffers  at  goodness, 
&c. — I say,  we  may  see  by  this  that  they  that 
live  in  such  things  have  not  the  faith  of  these 
things  contained  in  their  hearts,  seeing  they 
delight  to  practice  those  things  that  are  forbid- 
den by  and  in  them.  And  so  they  continuing 
living  and  dying  in  this  state,  we  may  conclude 
without  fear  that  these  portions  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture belong  unto  them,  and  shall  for  certain  be 
fulfilled  upon  them : “ He  that  believetlr  not 
shall  be  damned. — The  unrighteous  shall  not 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. — But  the  abomi- 
nable, the  unbelieving,  the  whoremongers,  and 
all  liars  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  that 
burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone. — Depart,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devils  and  his  angels.”  Depart,  depart  from 
me,  for  I will  not  save  you.  Depart,  for  my 


SIGHS  FROM  HELL. 


813 


blood  .shall  not  at  all  wash  you.  Depart,  for 
you  shall  not  set  one  foot  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 

Depart,  ye  cursed!  Ye  are  cursed  of  God, 
cursed  of  his  law,  cursed  of  me,  cursed  by  the 
saints,  and  cursed  by  the  angels,  cursed  all 
over,  nothing  but  cursfed,  and  therefore  depart 
from  me.  And  whither?  Into  everlasting 
fire;  fire  that  will  scald,  scorch,  burn,  and 
flame  to  purpose;  “fire  that  shall  never  be 
quenched ; ” fire  that  will  last  to  eternity. 
And  must  we  be  all  alone  ? No,  you  shall  have 
company,  store  of  company  with  you — name- 
ly, all  the  raging,  roaring  devils,  together  with 
an  innumerable  company  of  fellow-damned 
sinners,  men,  women,  and  children.  And  if 
the  Scriptures  be  true,  (as  they  will  one  day 
wonderfully  appear  to  be,)  then  this  must  and 
shall  be  thy  portion  if  thou  live  and  die  in 
this  state,  and  of  all  them  who  continue  in 
sinning  against  the  truth  contained  in  the 
Scriptures. 

As — 1.  Dost  thou  delight  to  sin  against 
plain  commands?  “Thou  art  gone.” 

2.  Dost  thou  slight  and  scorn  the  counsels 
contained  in  the  Scriptures,  and  continue  iu 
so  doing?  “ Then  thou  art  gone.” 

3.  Dost  thou  continually  neglect  to  come  to 
Christ,  and  use  arguments  in  thine  own  heart 
to  satisfy  thy  soul  in  so  doing?  “Then  thou 
art  gone.”  Luke  xiv.  17,  IS  compare  with 
verse  24  and  Heb.  ii.  3.  “ How  shall  we  es- 
cape if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation  ?”  How 
shall  we  escape? — that  is,  there  is  no  way  to 
escape. 

1.  Because  God  hath  said  we  shall  not. 
“ See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketli ; 
for  if  they  escaped  not  who  refused  him  that 
spake  on  earth,  (that  was  Moses,)  much  more 
shall  not  we  escape  if  we  turn  away  from  Him 
that  speaketh  from  heaven.” 

2.  Because  he  hath  not  only  said  they  shall 
not,  but  also  hath  bound  it  with  an  oath,  say- 
ing, “So  I sware  in  my  wrath,  They  shall  not 
enter  into  my  rest.”  To  whom  did  he  swear 
that  they  should  not  enter  into  his  rest? 
Answer,  To  them  that  believed  not.  “ So  we 
see  they  could  not  enter  in,  because  of  un- 
belief.” 

Secondly.  This  will  teach  us  what  to  think 
and  conclude  of  such  who,  though  they  do  not 
so  openly  discover  their  folly  by  open  and 
gross  sins  against  the  law,  yet  will  give  more 
heed  to  their  own  spirits  and  the  movings 
thereof,  though  they  be  neither  commanded 
nor  commended  for  the  same  in  Scripture,  nay, 


though  the  Scripture  command  and  commend 
the  contrary,  than  they  will  to  the  holy  and 
revealed  wil.l  of  God.  I say,  such  men  are  in 
as  bad  a state  as  the  other  to  the  full,  being 
disobedient  to  God’s  will  revealed  in  his  word 
as  well  as  they,  though  in  a different  manner; 
the  one  openly  transgressing  against  the  plain 
and  well-known  truths  revealed  in  it;  the 
other,  though  more  close  and  hidden,  yet 
secretly  rejecting  and  slighting  them,  giving 
more  heed  to  their  own  spirits  and  the  notions 
thereof,  although  not  warranted  by  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

A few  words  more,  and  so  I shall  conclude. 

And — 1.  Take  heed  that  you  content  not 
yourselves  with  a bare  notion  of  the  Scriptures 
in  your  heads,  by  which  you  may  go  far,  even 
so  far  as  to  be  able  to  dispute  for  the  truth,  to 
preach  the  Gospel,,  and  labour  to  vindicate  it 
in  opposition  to  gainsayers,  and  yet  be  found 
at  the  left  hand  of  Christ  at  the  judgment-day, 
forasmuch  as  thou  didst  content  thyself  with 
a portion  of  traditional  knowledge  of  them. 

2.  Have  a care  that  thou  own  the  whole 
Scripture,  and  not  own  one  part  and  neglect 
another  or  slight  it;  as  thus,  to  own  the  law 
and  slight  the  Gospel,  or  to  think  that  thou 
must  be  saved  by  thy  good  doings  and  works, 
for  that  is  all  one  as  if  thou  didst  thrust  Christ 
away  from  thee;  or  else  so  to  own  the  Gospel 
as  if  by  it  thou  wert  exempted  from  all  obedi- 
ence to  the  ten  commandments  and  conformity 
to  the  law  in  life  and  conversation,  for  in  so 
doing  thou  wilt  for  certain  make  sure  of 
eternal  vengeance. 

3.  Have  a care  that  thou  put  not  wrong 
names  on  the  things  contained  in  the  Scrip- 
ture, as  to  call  the  law  Christ  and  Christ  the 
law,  for  some  having  done  so  (in  my  know- 
ledge) have  so  darkened  to  themselves  the 
glorious  truth  of  the  Gospel  that  in  a very 
little  time  they  have  been  resolved  to  thwart 
and  oppose  them,  and  so  have  made  room  in 
their  own  souls  for  the  devil  to  inhabit,  and 
obtained  a place  in  hell  for  their  own  souls  to 
be  tormented  for  ever  and  ever. 

Against  this  danger,  therefore,  in  reading 
and  receiving  the  testimomy  of  Scripture, 
learn  to  distinguish  between  the  law  and  the 
Gospel,  and  to  keep  them  clear  asunder  as  to 
the  salvation  of  thy  soul.  And  that  thou 
mayest  so  do,  in  the  first  place  beg  of  God  that 
he  would  show  thee  the  nature  of  the  Gospel, 
and  set  it  home  effectually  with  life  and  power 
upon  thy  soul  by  faith ; which  is  this,  that 
God  would  show  thee  that  as  thou,  being  man, 


814 


JBUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


hast  sinned  against  God,  so  Christ,  being  God- 
man,  hath  bought  thee  again,  and  with  his 
most  precious  blood  set  thee  free  from  the 
bondage  thou  hadst  fallen  into  by  thy  sins ; 
and  that  not  upon  condition  that  thou  wilt  do 
thus  and  thus,  this  and  the  other  good  work, 
but  rather  that  thou,  being  justified  freely  by 
mere  grace  through  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
shouldst  also  receive  thy  strength  from  Him 
who  hath  bought  thee,  to  walk  before  him  in 
all  well-pleasing,  being  enabled  thereto  by 
virtue  of  his  Spirit,  which  hath  revealed  to  thy 
soul  that  thou  art  delivered  already  from  wrath 
to  come,  by  the  obedience,  not  of  thee,  but  of 
another  man — viz.,  Jesus  Christ. 

1.  Then  if  the  law  thou  readest  of  tell  thee 
in  thy  conscience  thou  must  do  this  and  the 
other  good  work  of  the  law  if  ever  thou  wilt 
be  saved,  answer  plainly  that  for  thy  part, 
thou  art  resolved  not  only  to  work  for  life,  but 
to  believe  in  the  virtue  of  that  blood  shed  upon 
the  cross,  upon  Mount  Calvary,  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins ; and  yet,  because  Christ  hath  jus- 
tified thee  freely  by  his  grace,  thou  wilt  serve 
him  in  holiness  and  righteousness  all  the  days 
of  thy  life,  yet  not  in  a legal  spirit  or  in  a 
covenant  of  works,  but  mine  obedience  (say 
thou)  I will  endeavour  to  have  it  free  and 
cheerful,  out  of  love  to  my  Lord  Jesus. 

2.  Have  a care  thou  receive  not  this  doc- 
trine in  the  notion  only,  lest  thou  bring  a just- 
damnation  upon  thy  soul  by  professing  thyself 
to  be  freed  by  Christ’s  blood  from  the  guilt  of 


sin,  while  thou  remainest  still  a servant  to  the 
filth  of  sin.  For  I must  tell  you  that  unless 
you  have  the  true  and  saving  work  of  the  faith 
and  grace  of  the  Gospel  in  your  hearts,  you 
will  either  go  on  in  a legal  holiness,  according 
to  the  tenor  of  the  law,  or  else,  through  a no- 
tion of  the  Gospel,  (the  devil  bewitching  and 
beguiling  thy  understanding,  will,  and  affec- 
tions,) thou  wilt,  Ranter-like,  turn  the  grace  of 
God  into  wantonness,  and  bring  upon  thy  soul 
double  if  not  treble  damnation,  in  that  thou 
couldst  not  be  contented  to  be  damned  for  thy 
sins  against  the  law,  but  also,  to  make  ruin  sure 
to  thy  soul,  thou  wouldst  dishonour  the  Gos- 
pel, and  turn  the  grace  of  God  held  forth  and 
discovered  to  men  by  that  into  licentiousness. 

But,  that  thou  mightest  be  sure  to  escape  these 
dangerous  rocks  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the 
left,  see  that  thy  faith  be  such  as  is  spoken  of 
in  the  Scripture,  and  that  thou  be  not  satisfied 
without  that,  which  is  a faith  wrought  by  the 
mighty  operation  of  God,  revealing  Christ  to 
and  in  thee,  as  having  wholly  freed  thee  from 
thy  sins  by  his  most  precious  blood ; which 
faith,  if  thou  attain  unto,  will  so  work  in  thy 
heart  that  first  thou  wilt  see  the  nature  of  the 
law,  and  also  the  nature  of  the  Gospel,  and 
delight  in  the  glory  of  it ; and  also  thou  wilt 
find  an  engaging  of  thy  heart  and  soul  to  Je- 
sus Christ,  even  to  the  giving  up  of  thy  whole 
man  unto  him,  to  be  ruled  and  governed  by 
him  to  his  glory  and  thy  comfort,  by  the  faith 
of  the  Lord  Jesus. 


A 


CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITH 

AND 

A REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE; 

OR,  WITH  WHO,  AND  WHO  NOT,  I CAN  HOLD  CHURCH  FELLOWSHIP  OR  THE  COMMUNION 
OF  SAINTS:  SH0AVIN6,  BY  DIVERS  ARGUMENTS,  THAT  THOUGH  I DARE  NOT  COMMUNI- 
CATE WITH  THE  OPEN  PROFANE,  YET  I CAN  WITH  THOSE  VISIBLE  SAINTS  THAT  DIFFER 
ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM;  WHEREIN  IS  ALSO  DISCOURSED  WHETHER  THAT  BE  THE 
ENTERING  ORDINANCE  INTO  FELLOWSHIP  OR  NO. 


I believed,  and  therefore  have  I spoken. — Ps.  exvi.  10. 


TO  THE 

Sir  : 

I marvel  not  tliat  both  yourself  and  others 
do  think  my  long  imprisonment  strange,  or 
rather  strangely  of  me  for  the  sake  of  that ; for 
verily  I should  also  have  done  it  myself  had  not 
the  Holy  Ghost  long  since  forbidden  me.  Nay, 
verily,  that  notwithstanding,  had  the  adver- 
sary but  fastened  the  supposition  of  guilt  upon 
me,  my  long  trials  might  by  this  time  have 
put  it  beyond  dispute ; for  I have  not  hitherto 
been  so  sordid  as  to  stand  to  a doctrine  right 
or  wrong,  much  less  when  so  weighty  an  argu- 
ment as  above  eleven  years’  imprisonment  is 
continually  dogging  of  me  to  weigh  and  pause, 
and  pause  again,  the  grounds  and  foundation 
of  those  principles  for  which  I thus  have  suf- 
fered ; but  having  not  only  at  my  trial  asserted 
them,  but  also  since,  even  all  this  tedious  track 
of  time,  in  cold  blood,  a thousand  times,  by 
the  word  of  God,  examined  them  and  found 
them  good,  I cannot,  I dare  not,  now  revolt  or 
deny  the  same,  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation. 

And  that  my  principles  and  practice  may  be 
open  to  the  view  and  judgment  of  all  men, 
(though  they  stand  and  fall  to  none  but  the 
word  of  God  alone,)  I have  in  this  small  treat- 
ise presented  to  this  generation  A Confession  of 
my  Faith  and  a Reason  of  my  Practice  in  the 
Worship  of  God;  by  which,  although  it  be 
brief,  candid  Christians  may,  I hope,  without 


READER. 

a violation  to  faith  or  love,  judge  I may  have 
the  root  of  the  matter  found  in  me. 

Neither  have  I in  this  relation  abusively 
presented  my  reader  with  other  doctrines  or 
practices  than  what  I held,  professed  and 
preached  when  apprehended  and  cast  into 
prison.  Nor  did  I then  or  now  retain  a doc- 
trine besides  or  which  is  not  thereon  grounded. 
The  subject  I should  have  preached  upon, 
even  then  when  the  constable  came,  was,  Dost 
thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God?  From  whence 
I intended  to  show  the  absolute  need  of  faith 
in  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  it  was  also  a thing  of 
the  highest  concern  for  men  to  inquire  into, 
and  to  ask  their  own  hearts  whether  they  had 
it  or  no. 

Faith  and  holiness  are  my  professed  princi- 
ples, with  an  endeavour,  so  far  as  in  me  lieth, 
to  be  at  peace  with  all  men.  What  shall  I 
say?  Let  mine  enemies  themselves  be  judges 
if  anything  in  these  following  doctrines,  or  if 
aught  that  any  man  hath  heard  me  preach, 
doth  or  hath,  according  to  the  true  intent  of 
my  words,  savoured  either  of  heresy  or  rebel- 
lion. I say  again,  let  they  themselves  be 
judges  if  aught  they  find  in  my  writing  or 
preaching  doth  render  me  worthy  of  almost 
twelve  years’  imprisonment,  or  one  that  de- 
serveth  to  be  hanged  or  banished  for  ever, 
according  to  their  tremendous  sentence.  In- 


Slo 


816 


B UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


deed,  my  principles  are  such  as  lead  me  to  a 
denial  to  communicate  in  the  things  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  with  the  ungodly  and  open 
profane;  neither  can  I,  in  or  by  the  supersti- 
tious inventions  of  this  world,  consent  that  my 
soul  should  he  governed  in  any  of  my  ap- 
proaches to  God,  because  commanded  to  the 
contrary  and  commended  for  so  refusing. 
Wherefore,  excepting  this  one  thing,  for  which 
I ought  not  to  be  rebuked,  I shall,  I trust,  in 
despite  of  slander  and  falsehood,  discover  my- 
self at  all  times  a peaceable  and  an  obedient 
servant.  But  if  nothing  will  do  unless  I make 
of  my  conscience  a continual  butchery  and 
slaughter-shop,  unless,  putting  out  my  own 
eyes,  I commit  me  to  the  blind  to  lead  me,  as 
I doubt  is  desired  by  some,  T have  determined, 
the  Almighty  God  being  my  help  and  shield, 
yet  to  suffer,  if  frail  life  might  continue  so 


long,  even  till  the  moss  shall  grow  on  mine 
eyebrows,  rather  than  thus  to  violate  my  faith 
and  principles.  Will  a man  leave  the  snow 
of  Lebanon  that  cometh  from  the  rock  of  the 
field?  or  shall  the  cold  flowing  waters  that 
come  from  another  place  be  forsaken  ? “ Hath 
a nation  changed  their  gods  which  yet  are  no 
gods?  For  all  people  will  walk  every  one 
in  the  name  of  his  god,  and  we  will  walk  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  our  God  for  ever  and 
ever.” 

Touching  my  practice  as  to  communion 
with  visible  saints,  although  not  baptized 
with  water,  I say  it  is  my  present  judgment 
so  to  do,  and  am  willing  to  render  a farther 
reason  thereof,  shall  I see  the  leading  hand 
of  God  thereto.  Thine,  in  the  bonds  of  the 
Gospel, 


JOHN  BUNYAN. 


A CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITH. 


1.  I believe  that  there  is  but  one  only 
true  God,  and  that  there  is  none  other  but  he: 
“ To  us  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Father,  of 
whom  are  all  things.  And  this  is  life  eternal, 
that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only  true 
God,”  &e. 

2.  I believe  that  this  God  is  almighty,  eter- 
nal, invisible,  incomprehensible,  &c. : “ I am 
the  4-1  mighty  God  ; walk  before  me,  and  be 
thou  perfect.”  “The  eternal  God  is  thy  re- 
fuge.” “ Now  unto  the  King  eternal,  immor- 
tal, invisible,  the  only  wise  God,  be  honour 
and  glory  for  ever  and  ever.” 

3.  I believe  that  this  God  is  unspeakably 
perfect  in  all  his  attributes  of  power,  wisdom, 
justice,  truth,  holiness,  mercy,  love,  &c.  His 
power  is  said  to  be  eternal,  his  understanding 
and  wisdom  infinite;  he  is  called  the  just 
Lord,  in  opposition  to  all  things  ; he  is  said 
to  be  truth  itself,  and  the  God  thereof.  There 
is  none  holy  as  the  Lord.  “God  is  love.” 
“Canst  thou  by  searching  find  ouf  God? 
Canst  thou  find  out  the  Almighty  unto  per- 
fection?” 

4.  I believe  that  in  the  Godhead  there  are 
three  persons  or  subsistences : “ There  are 
three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father, 
the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.” 

5.  I believe  that  these  three  are,  in  nature, 
essence,  and  eternity,  equally  one:  “These 
three  are  one.” 

C.  I believe  “ there  is  a world  to  come.” 

7.  I believe  that  there  shall  be  a resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust. 
“ Many  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth 
shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and 
some  to  everlasting  shame  and  contempt. 
Marvel  not  at  this.  For  the  hour  is  coming 
in  the  which  all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall 
hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth ; they 
that  have  done  good,  to  the  resurrection  of 
life ; and  they  that  have  done  evil,  to  the  re- 
surrection of  damnation.” 

8.  1 believe  that  they  that  shall  be  counted 

52 


worthy  of  that  world  and  of  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in 
marriage,  neither  can  they  die  any  more ; 
“ for  they  are  equal  to  the  angels,  and  are  the 
children  of  God,  being  the  children  of  the 
resurrection.” 

9.  I believe  that  those  that  die  impenitent 
shall  be  tormented  with  the  devil  and  his 
angels,  and  shall  be  cast  with  them  into  the 
lake  that  burns  with  fire  and  brimstone. 
“ where  the  worm  dietli  not  and  the  fire  is 
not  quenched.” 

10.  I believe  that,  because  God  is  naturally 
holy  and  just,  even  as  he  is  good  and  merci- 
ful, therefore,  all  having  sinned,  none  can  be 
saved  without  the  means  of  a Redeemer. 
“Then  he  is  gracious  unto  him,  and  saitli, 
Deliver  him  from  going  down  to  the  pit;  I 
have  found  a ransom.  We  have  redemption 
through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  our 
sins.  For  which,  without  shedding  of  blood, 
is  no  remission.” 

11.  I believe  that  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord 
himself  is  the  Redeemer.  “ They  remem- 
bered that  God  was  their  rock  and  the  high 
God  their  Redeemer.”  “Forasmuch  as  ye 
know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  cor- 
ruptible things,  such  as  silver  and  gold,  from 
your  vain  conversation,  received  by  tradition 
from  your  fathers,  but  with  the  precious  blood 
of  Christ,  as  of  a lamb  without  blemish  and 
without  spot.” 

12.  I believe  that  the  great  reason  why  the 
Lord,  the  second  person  in  the  Godhead,  did 
clothe  himself  with  our  flesh  and  blood  was, 
that  he  might  be  capable  of  obtaining  the  re- 
demption that  before  the  world  was  intended 
for  us.  “Forasmuch,  then,  as  the  children 
were  made  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he 
also  himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same, 
(mark,)  that  through  death  he  might  destroy 
him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the 
devil,  and  deliver  them  who  through  fear  of 
death  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bond- 

S17 


818 


B UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


age.  'When  the  fulness  of  time  was  come, 
God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a woman, 
made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that 
were  under  the  law.  Wherefore  it  behooved 
him  in  all  things  to  be  made  like  unto  his 
brethren,  that  he  might  be  a merciful  and 
faithful  high  priest  in  things  pertaining  to 
God,  to  make  reconciliation  for  the  sins  of  the 
people;  for  in  that  himself  hath  suffered,  being 
tempted,  he  is  able  to  succour  them  that  are 
tempted.  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the 
curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a curse  for  us. 
As  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
hangeth  on  a tree.  That  the  blessing  of 
Abraham  might  come  upon  the  Gentiles, 
through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.” 

13.  I believe  that  the  time  when  he  clothed 
himself  with  our  flesh  was  in  the  days  of  the 
reign  of  Caesar  Augustus ; then,  I say,  and  not 
till  then,  was  the  Word  made  flesh  or  clothed 
with  our  nature. 

‘•'And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days  that 
there  went  out  a decree  from  Caesar  Augustus 
that  all  the  world  should  be  taxed  ; and  Joseph 
went  up  from  Galilee,  out  of  the  city  of 
Nazareth,  into  Judea,  unto  the  city  of  David, 
which  is  called  Bethlehem,  because  he  was 
of  the  house  and  lineage  of  David,  (to  be 
taxed,  with  Mary  his  espoused  wife,)  being 
great  with  child;  and  so  it  was  that  while 
they  were  there  the  days  were  accomplished 
that  she  should  be  delivered.”  This  child 
was  he  of  whom  godly  Simeon  was  told  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  when  he  said  that  he  should 
not  see  death  until  he  had  seen  the  Lord 
Christ. 

14.  I believe,  therefore,  that  this  very  child, 
as  afore  is  testified,  is  both  God  and  man,  the 
Christ  of  the  living  God.  “ And  she  brought 
forth  her  first-born  son,  and  wrapt  him  in 
swaddling-clothes,  and  laid  him  in  a manger, 
because  there  was  no  room  for  them  in  the 
inn.  And  there  were  in  the  same  country 
shepherds  keeping  watch  over  their  flocks  by 
night.  And  lo,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came 
upon  them,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shined 
round  about  them ; and  they  were  sore  afraid. 
And  the  angel  said  unto  them,  Fear  not:  for 
behold  I bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy, 
■which  shall  be  to  all  people.  For  unto  you  is 
born  this  day,  in  the  city  of  David,  a Saviour, 
which  is  Christ  the  Lord.  And  this  shall  be 
.a  sign  unto  you:  ye  shall  find  the  babe 
wrapped  in  swaddling-clothes,  lying  in  aman- 
,ger.”  Again : “ But  while  he  thought  on  these 
■things,  behold  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared 


unto  him,  saying,  Joseph,  thou  son  of  David, 
fear  not  to  take  unto  thee  Mary  thy  wife,  for 
that  which  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  And  she  shall  bring  forth  a son,  and 
thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus,  for  he  shall 
save  his  people  from  their  sins.  Now  all  this 
was  done  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was 
spoken  of  the  Lord  by  tt ; prophet,  saying, 
Behold  a virgin  shall  be  with  child,  and  shall 
bring  forth  a son,  and  they  shall  call  his  name 
Immanuel,  which,  being  interpreted,  is  God 
with  us.” 

15.  I believe,  therefore,  that  the  righteous- 
ness and  redemption  by  which  we  that  believe 
stand  just  before  God,  as  saved  from  the  curse 
of  the  law,  is  the  righteousness  and  redemp- 
tion that  consists  in  the  personal  acts  and  per- 
formances of  this  child  Jesus,  the  God-man, 
the  Lord’s  Christ;  it  consisteth,  I say,  in  his 
personal  fulfilling  the  law  for  .us  to  the  utmost 
requirement  of  the  justice  of  God.  “Do  not 
think  (saith  he)  that  I am  come  to  destroy  the 
law  or  the  prophets;  I am  not  come  to  de- 
stroy, but  to  fulfil.  By  which  means  he  be- 
came the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to 
every  one  that  believeth.  For  what  the  law 
could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the 
flesh,  God  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness 
of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in 
the  flesh.  So,  finishing  transgressions,  and 
making  an  end  of  sins,  and  making  recon- 
ciliation for  iniquity,  he  brought  in  everlast- 
ing righteousness.” 

16.  I believe  that  for  the  completing  of  this 
work  he  was  always  sinless,  did  always  the 
things  that  plea’serl  God’s  justice;  that  every 
one  of  his  acts,  both  of  doing  and  suffering, 
and  rising  again  from  the  dead,  was  really 
and  infinitely  perfect,  being  done  by  him  as 
God-man  ; wherefore  his  acts  before  he  died 
are  called  “ the  righteousness  of  God,”  his 
blood,  “the  blood  of  God;”  and  “herein  per- 
ceive we  the  love  of  God,  in  that  he  laid  down 
his  life  for  us.”  The  Godhead,  which  gave 
virtue  to  all  the  acts  of  the  human  nature, 
was  then  in  perfect  union  with  it  when  he 
hanged  upon  the  cross  for  our  sins. 

17.  I believe,  then,  that  the  righteousness 
that  saveth  the  sinner  from  the  wrath  to  come 
is  properly  and  personally  Christ’s,  and  ours 
but  as  we  have  union  with  him,  God  by  grace 
imputing  it  to  us.  “Yea  doubtless,  and  I 
count  all  things  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  for  whom 
I have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do 
count  them  but  dung,  that  I may  win  Chrisi 


810 


A CONFESSION 

1 

and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  my  own 
righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that 
which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  right- 
eousness which  is  of  God  by  faith.  For  of 
him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is 
made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and 
sanctification,  and  redemption.  For  he  hath 
made  Him  to  be  sin  for  us  who  knew  no  sin, 
that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of 
God  in  him.” 

18.  I believe  that  God,  as  the  reward  of 
Christ’s  undertaking  for  us,  hath  exalted  him 
to  his  own  right  hand  as  our  Mediator,  and 
given  him  a name  above  every  name;  and 
hath  made  him  Lord  of  all,  and  judge  of  quick 
and  dead ; and  all  this  that  we  who  believe 
might  take  courage  to  believe  and  hope  in 
God.  “ And  being  found  in  fashion  as  a man, 
he  humbled  himself  unto  death,  even  the 
death  of  the  cross,  where  he  died  for  our  sins ; 
wherefore  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and 
given  him  a name  above  every  name,  that  at 
the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow, 
both  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth, 
and  things  that  are  under  the  earth  ; and  that 
every  tongue  shall  confess  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.  And 
he  commanded  us  to  preach  unto  the  people, 
and  to  testify  that  it  was  he  that  was  or- 
dained of  God  to  be  the  judge  of  quick  and 
dead ; who  verily  was  foreordained  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  but  was  manifest 
in  the  last  times  for  you  who  by  him  do  be- 
lieve in  God,  who  raised  him  from  the  dead, 
and  gave  him  glory,  that  your  faith  and  hope 
might  be  in  God.” 

19.  I believe  that,  being  at  the  right  hand 
of  God  in  heaven,  he  doth  there  effectually  ex- 
ercise all  the  offices  of  his  excellent  priesthood 
and  mediatorship,  presenting  himself  before 
God  in  the  righteousness  which  was  accom- 
plished for  us  when  he  was  in  the  world;,  for 
by  the  efficacy  of  his  blood  he  not  only  went 
into  the  holy  place,  but  being  there,  and  hav- 
ing by  it  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us, 
now  is  receiving  the  worth  and  merit  thereof 
from  the  Father,  doth  bestow  upon  us  grace, 
repentance,  faith,  and  the  remission  of  sins; 
yea,  he  also  received  for  us  the  Holy  Ghost,  to 
be  sent  unto  us  to  ascertain  us  of  our  adoption 
and  glory ; for  if  he  were  on  earth,  he  should 
not  be  a priest.  “ Seeing  then  we  have  a great 
high  priest  that  is  entered  into  the  heavens, 
Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  let  us  hold  fast  our  pro- 
fession. For  there  is  one  God  and  one  Medi- 
ator between  God  and  man,  the  man  Christ 


OF  MY  FAITH. 

Jesus.  For  by  his  own  blood  he  entered  into 
the  holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  re- 
demption for  us.  For  Christ  is  not  entered 
into  the  holy  place  made  with  hands,  which  is 
the  figure  of  the  true,  but  into  heaven  itself, 
now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us. 
Therefore  being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  ex- 
alted, and  having  received  of  the  Father  the 
promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth 
this  which  ye  now  see  and  hear.” 

20.  I believe  that,  being  there,  he  shall  so 
continue  till  the  restitution  of  all  things ; and 
then  he  shall  come  again  in  glory,  and  shall 
sit  in  judgment  upon  all  flesh ; and  I believe 
that  according  to  his  sentence,  so  shall  their 
judgment  be.  “ Repent  ye,  therefore,  and  be 
converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out 
when  the  times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord.  And  he  shall  send 
Jesus  Christ,  which  before  was  preached  unto 
you,  whom  the  heavens  must  receive,  until  the 
restitution  of  all  things,  spoken  of  by  the 
mouth  of  all  the  holy  prophets  since  the  world 
began.  For  this  same  Jesus,  which  ye  have 
seen  go  up  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like 
manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven. 
For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from 
heaven  with  a shout,  and  with  the  voice  of  the 
archangel  and  the  trumpet  of  God,”  &e. 
“ When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his 
glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then 
he  shall  sit  upon  the  throne'of  his  glory.  And 
before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations;  and 
he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a 
shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats. 
And  he  shall  set  his  sheep  on  his  right  hand, 
but  the  goats  on  the  left.  Then  shall  the 
King  say  to  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye 
blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world.  Then  shall  he  say  to  them  on  the  left 
hand,  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  ever- 
lasting fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels.  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlast- 
ing punishment,  but  the  righteous  into  life 
eternal.  For  the  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as 
a thief  in  the  night,  in  the  which  the  heavens 
shall  pass  away  with  a great  noise,  and  the  ele- 
ments shall  melt  with  fervent  heat ; the  earth 
also,  and  the  works  that  are  therein,  shall  be 
burnt  up.  Seeing,  then,  that  all  these  things 
must  be  dissolved,  what  manner  of  persons 
ought  we  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation  and 
godliness,  looking  for  and  hastening  unto  the 
coming  of  the  day  of  God,  wherein  the 
heavens,  being  on  fire,  shall  be  dissolved, 


820 


BUKYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent 
heat?” 

21.  I believe  that  when  he  comes  his  saints 
shall  have  a reward  of  grace  for  all  their  work 
and  labour  of  love  which  they  showed  to  his 
name  in  the  world : “ And  every  man  shall  re- 
ceive his  own  reward,  according  to  his  own  la- 
bour. And  then  shall  every  man  have  praise 
of  God.  And  behold  I come  quickly,  and  my 
reward  is  with  me,  to  give  to  every  man  ac- 
cording as  his  work  shall  be.  Wherefore,  my 
beloved  brethren,  be  steadfast,  immovable, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your  labour  is  not 
in  vain  in  the  Lord,  knowing  that  of  the  Lord 
ye  shall  receive  the  reward  of  inheritance,  for 
you  serve  the  Lord  Christ.” 

How  Christ  is  made  ours  ; or  by  what  means  this 

or  that  man  hath  that  benefit  by  him  as  to  stand 

just  before  God  now  and  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. 

1.  I believe,  we  being  sinful  creatures  in  our- 
selves, that  no  good  thing  done  by  us  can  pro- 
cure of  God  the  imputation  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  Jesus  Christ,  but  that  the  imputation 
thereof  is  an  act  of  grace,  a free  gift  without 
our  deserving:  “Being  justified  freely  by  his 
grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus 
Christ.  He  called  us,  and  saved  us  with  an 
holy  calling;  not  according  to  our  works,  but 
according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which 
was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus.” 

2.  I believe  also  that  the  power  of  imputing 
righteousness  resideth  only  in  God  by  Christ : 
1.  Sin  being  the  transgression  of  the  law.  2. 
The  soul  that  hath  sinned  being  his  creature, 
and  the  righteousness  also  his,  and  his  only; 
even  as  David  also  describeth  the  blessedness 
of  the  man  to  whom  God  imputeth  righteous- 
ness without  works,  saying,  “Blessed  are  they 
whose  iniquities  are  forgiven  and  whose  sin  is 
covered.  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the 
Lord  will  not  impute  sin.”  Hence,  therefore, 
it  is  said  again,  “That  men  shall  abundantly 
utter  the  memory  of  his  great  goodness  and 
sing  of  his  righteousness.  For  he  saith  to 
Moses,  I will  have  mercy  on  whom  I will  have 
mercy,  and  I will  have  compassion  on  whom 
I will  have  compassion.  So,  then,  it  is  not  in 
him  that  willeth  nor  in  him  that  runneth,  but 
in  God  that  showeth  mercy.” 

8.  I believe  that  the  offer  of  this  righteous- 
ness, as  tendered  in  the  Gospel,  is  to  be  re- 
ceived by  faith,  we  still  in  the  very  act  of  re- 
ceiving it  judging  ourselves  sinners  in  our- 


selves. “0  wretched  man  that  I am!  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death? 
I thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  Believe 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved.  The  Gospel  is  preached  in  all  nations 
for  the  obedience  of  faith.  Being  justified 
freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  whom  God  hath  set 
forth  to  be  a propitiation  ” (a  sacrifice  to  ap- 
pease the  displeasure  of  God)  “through  faith 
in  his  blood;  to  declare  his  righteousness  for 
the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the 
forbearance  of  God;  to  declare,  I say,  at  this 
time,  his  righteousness,  that  he  might  be  just 
and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  on 
Jesus.  Be  it  known  unto  you,  therefore,  men 
and  brethren,  that  through  this  man  is 
preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and 
by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all 
things  from  which  they  could  not  be  justified 
by  the  law  of  Moses.” 

4.  I believe  that  this  faith,  as  it  respecteth 
the  imputation  of  this  righteousness  for  justi- 
fication before  God,  doth  put  forth  itself  in 
such  acts  as  purely  respect  the  offer  of  a gift. 
It  receiveth,  accepteth  of,  embraceth,  or  trust- 
eth  to  it.  “As  many  as  received  him,  to 
them  he  gave  power  to  become  the  sons  of 
God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his  name, 
This  is  a faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  ac- 
ceptation, That  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I am  chief.  In 
whom  ye  also  trusted,  after  that  ye  heard  the 
word  of  truth,  the  Gospel  of  your  salvation; 
in  whom  also,  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were 
sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise.”  I 
believe,  therefore,  that  as  to  my  justification 
from  the  curse  of  the  law  I am,  as  I stand  in 
myself,  unworthy  to  receive,  accept  of,  em- 
brace, and  trust  to  the  righteousness  that  is 
already  provided  by  and  wrapped  up  in  the 
personal  doings  and  sufferings  of  Chris.,  it  be- 
ing faith  in  that,  and  that  only,  that  can  jus- 
tify a sinner  in  the  sight  of  God. 

5.  I believe  that  the  faith  that  so  doth  is  not 
to  be  found  with  any  but  those  in  whom  the 
Spirit  of  God,  by  mighty  power,  doth  work  it; 
all  others,  being  fearful  and  incredulous,  dare 
not  venture  their  souls  and  eternity  upon  it. 
And  hence  it  is  called  the  faith  that  is  wrought 
by  the  “exceeding  great  and  mighty  power  of 
God,”  the  faith  “of  the  operation  of  God.” 
And  hence  it  is  that  others  are  said  to  be  fear- 
ful, and  so  unbelieving.  These,  with  other 
ungodly  sinners,  “must  have  their  part  in  the 
lake  of  fire.” 


A CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITH. 


821 


6.  I believe  that  this  faith  is  effectually 
wrought  in  none  but  those  which,  before  the 
world,  were  appointed  unto  glory.  “And  as 
many  as  were  ordained  unto  eternal  life  be- 
lieved, that  lie  might  make  known  the  riches 
of  his  glory  upon  the  vessels  of  mercy  which 
be  had  before  prepared  unto  glory.  We  give 
thanks  unto  God  always  for  you  all,  making 
mention  always  of  you  in  our  prayers,  remem- 
bering without  ceasing  your  w’ork  of  faith, 
and  labour  of  love,  and  patience  of  hope  in 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  sight  of  God: 
kr. owing,  brethren  beloved,  your  election  of 
God.”  But  of  the  rest  he  saith,  “Ye  believed 
not,  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep,  as  I said,” 
which  latter  words  relate  to  the  16th  verse, 
which  respecteth  the  election  of  God.  “There- 
fore they  could  not  believe,  because  (Esaias 
said  again)  he  hath  blinded  their  eyes  and 
hardened  their  hearts,  that  they  should  not 
see  with  their  eyes  nor  understand  with  their 
heart,  and  I should  heal  them.” 

Of  Election. 

1.  I believe  that  election  is  free  and  perma- 
nent, being  founded  in  grace  and  the  un- 
changeable will  of  God.  “Even  so,  then,  at 
this  present  time  also  there  is  a remnant  ac- 
cording to  the  election  of  grace;  and  if  by 
grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of  works;  otherwise 
grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works, 
then  it  is  no  more  of  grace,  otherwise  work  is 
no  more  work.  Nevertheless,  the  foundation 
of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  The 
Lord  knoweth  who  are  his.  In  wThom  also  we 
have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predesti- 
nated, according  to  the  purpose  of  Him  who 
worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own 
will.” 

2.  I believe  that  this  decree,  choice,  or  elec- 
tion was  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
and  so  before  the  elect  themselves  had  being- 
in  themselves;  for  God,  who  quickcneth  the 
dead,  and  calleth  those  things  which  be  not  as 
though  they  were,  stays  not  for  the  being  of 
things  to  determine  his  eternal  purpose  by; 
but  having  all  things  present  to  him,  in  his 
wisdom  he  made  his  choice  before  the  world 
was. 

3.  I believe  that  the  decree  of  election  is  so 
far  from  making  works  in  us  foreseen  the 
ground  or  cause  of  the  choice  that  it  con- 
taineth  in  the  bowels  of  it  not  only  the  per- 
sons, but  the  graces  that  accompany  their  sal- 
vation. And  hence  it  is  said  that  “we  are 
predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 


his  Son;”  not  because  we  arc,  but  ‘tnat  we 
should  be,  holy  and  without  blame  Oefore  him 
in  love.  For  we  are  his  workmanship,  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God 
hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in 
them.  He  blessed  us  according  as  he  chose  us 
in  Christ.”  And  hence  it  is  again  that  the 
salvation  and  calling  of  which  wc  arc  now 
made  partakers  is  no  other  than  what  was 
given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  be- 
gan, according  to  his  eternal  purpose  which  he 
purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. 

4.  I believe  that  Christ  Jesus  is  he  in  whom 
the  elect  are  always  considered,  and  that  with- 
out him  there  is  neither  election,  grace,  nor 
salvation,  “Having  predestinated  us  to  the 
adoption  of  children,  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  him- 
self, according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will 
to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  wherein 
he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  Beloved;  in 
whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood, 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches 
of  his  grace.  That  in  the  dispensation  of  the 
fulness  of  time  he  might  gather  together  in 
one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in 
heaven  and  which  are  in  earth,  even  in  him. 
Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other;  for 
there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given 
among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved.” 

5.  I believe  that  there  is  not  any  impedi- 
ment attending  the  elect  of  God  that  can  hinder 
their  conversion  and  eternal  salvation.  “ More- 
over, whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also 
called ; and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also 
justified;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also 
glorified.  What  shall  we  say  then  to  these 
things?  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against 
us?  Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of 
God’s  elect?  It  is  God  that  justifieth;  who  is 
he  that condemneth ? &c.  What,  then?  Israel 
hath  not  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh  for, 
but  the  elect  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest 
were  blinded.  For  Israel  hath  not  been  for- 
saken, nor  Judah  of  his  God,  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  though  their  land  was  filled  with  sin 
against  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.”  When  An- 
anias made  intercession  against  Saul,  saying, 
Lord,  I have  heard  by  many  of  this  man  how 
much  evil  he  hath  done  to  thy  saints  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  here  he  hath  authority  from  the 
high  priest  to  bind  all  that  call  upon  thy  name, 
what  said  God  unto  him? — “Go  thy  way,  for 
he  is  a chosen  vessel  unto  me  to  bear  my  name 
before  the  Gentiles  and  kings,  and  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.” 

6.  I believe  that  no  man  can  know  his  elec- 


822 


HUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


lion  but  by  bis  calling.  The  vessels  of  mercy 
which  God  afore  prepared  unto  glory  do  thus 
claim  a share  therein  : “ Even  us,  say  they, 
whom  he  hath  called,  not  only  of  the  Jews, 
but  also  of  the  Gentiles as  he  also  saith  in 
llosea,  “ I will  call  them  my  people  which 
were  not  my  people,  and  her  beloved  which 
was  not  beloved.” 

7.  I believe,  therefore,  that  election  doth  not 
forestall  or  prevent  the  means  which  are  of 
God  appointed  to  bring  us  to  Christ,  to  grace, 
and  to  glory,  but  rather  putteth  a necessity 
upon  the  use  and  effect  thereof,  because  they 
are  chosen  to  he  brought  to  heaven  that  way ; 
that  is,  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  is 
the  end  of  effectual  calling.  “Wherefore  the 
rather,  brethren,  give  diligence  to  make  yopr 
calling  and  election  sure.” 

Of  Calling. 

1.  I believe  that  to  effectual  calling  the  Holy 
Ghost  must  accompany  the  word  of  the  Gospel, 
and  that  with  mighty  power:  I mean  that 
calling  which  of  God  is  made  to  be  the  fruit 
of  electing  love.  “Knowing,”  saith  Paul  to 
the  Thessalonians,  “ brethren  beloyed,  your 
election  of  God ; for  our  Gospel  came  not  unto 
you  in  word  only, -but  also  in  power,  and  in 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance,”  &c. 
Otherwise  men  will  not,  cannot,  hear  and 
turn.  Samuel  was  called  four  times  before  he 
knew  the  voice  of  Him  that  spake  from  heaven. 
It  is  said  of  them  in  Hosea  that,  as  the  proph- 
ets called  them,  so  they  went  from  them  ; and 
instead  of  turning  to  them,  “sacrificed  to 
Baalim  and  burnt  incense  to  graven  images.” 
The  reason  is,  because  men  by  nature  are  not 
only  dead  in  sins,  “ but  enemies  in  their  minds, 
by  reason  of  wicked  works.”  The  call  then  is, 
“ Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the 
dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light.”  Un- 
derstand, therefore,  that  effectual  calling  is 
like  that  word  of  Christ  that  raised  Lazarus 
from  the  dead — a word  attended  with  an  arm 
that  was  omnipotent:  “Lazarus,  come  forth.” 
It  was  a word  to  the  dead;  but  not  only  so,  it 
was  a word  for  the  dead — a word  that  raised 
him  from  the  dead ; a word  that  outwent  all 
opposition,  and  that  brought  him  forth  from 
the  grave,  though  bound  hand  and  foot  therein. 
And  hence  it  is  that  calling  is  sometimes  ex- 
pressed by  quickening,  awakening,  illumi- 
nating, or  bringing  them  forth  of  darkness  to 
light,  that  amazeth  and  astonislieth  them. 
For  as  it  is  a strange  thing  for  a man  that  lay 
long  dead,  or  never  saw  the  light  with  his 


eyes,  to  be  raised  out  of  the  grave,  or  to  be 
made  to  see  that  which  he  could  not  so  much 
as  once  think  of  before,  so  it  is  with  effectual 
calling.  Hence  it  is  that  Paul,  when  called, 
stood  “trembling  and  was  astonished,”  and 
that  Peter  saith,  “ He  hath  called  us  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light.”  In  effect- 
ual calling  the  voice  of  God  is  heard  and  the 
gates  of  heaven  are  opened.  When  God  called 
Abraham  he  appeared  to  him  in  glory.  That 
of  Ananias  to  Saul  is  experienced  but  by  few  : 
“ The  God  of  our  fathers  hath  chosen  thee,” 
saith  he,  “that  thou  shouldst  know  his  will 
and  see  that  just  One,  and  shouldst  hear  the 
voice  of  his  mouth.”  True,  Saul’s  call  was  out 
of  the  ordinary  way,  hut  yet,  as  the  matter  and 
truth  of  the  work,  it  was  no  other  than  all  the 
chosen  have — viz. : 

1st.  An  effectual  awakening  about  the  evil 
of  sin,  and  especially  of  unbelief.  And  there- 
fore when  the  Lord  God  called  Adam  he  also 
made  unto  him  an  effectual  discovery  of  sin, 
insomuch  that  he  stripped  him  of  all  his  right- 
eousness. Thus  he  also  served  the  jailer.  Yea, 
it  is  such  an  awakening  as  by  it  he  sees  he  was 
without  Christ,  without  hope,  and  a stranger 
to  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  without 
God  in  the  world.  Oh  the  dread  and  amaze- 
ment that  the  guilt  of  sin  brings  with  it  when 
it  is  revealed  by  the  God  of  heaven  ! And  like 
to  it  is  the  sight  of  mercy  when  it  pleaseth 
God,  “ who  calleth  us  by  his  grace,  to  reveal 
his  Son  in  us.” 

2dly.  In  effectual  calling  there  'are  great 
awakenings  about  the  world  to  come  and  the 
glory  of  unseen  things.  The  resurrection  of 
the  dead  and  eternal  judgment,  the  salvation 
that  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love 
him,  with  the  blessedness  that  will  attend  us 
and  be  upon  us  at  the  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  are  great  things  in  the  soul  that  is 
under  the  awakening  calls  of  God.  And  hence 
we  are  said  to  be  “ called  to  glory,  to  the  ob- 
taining of  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.” 

3dly.  In  effectual  calling  there  is  also  a 
sanctifying  virtue;  and  hence  we  are  said  to 
he  called  with  an  holy  calling,  with  an  heav- 
enly calling,  called  to  glory  and  virtue.  “ But 
ye  are  a chosen  generation,  a royal  priesthood, 
a holy  nation,  a peculiar  people,  that  ye  should 
show  forth  the  praises  of  Him  who  hath  called 
you  out  of  darkness  into  marvellous  light.” 
Yea,  effectual  calling  hath  annexed  to  it,  as  its 
inseparable  companion,  the  promise  of  thorough 
sanctification : “ Faithful  is  He  that  hath  called 
you,  who  also  will  do  it.” 


A CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITII. 


823 


2.  1 believe  that  effectual  calling  doth  there- 
fore produce — 

1st.  Faith;  and  therefore  it  is  said  that  faith 
cometh  by  hearing — by  hearing  the  word  that 
calleth  us  unto  the  grace  of  Christ.  For  by 
the  word  that  calleth  us  is  Jesus  Christ  held 
forth  to  us,  and  offered  to  be  our  righteousness. 
And  therefore  the  apostle  saith  again,  that 
“ God  hath  called  us  unto  the  fellowship  of 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ;  that  is,  to  be  made  par- 
takers of  the  riches  of  grace  and  the  right- 
eousness that  is  in  him.” 

2dly.  It  produceth  hope,  it  giveth  a ground 
to  hope ; and  therefore  hope  is  said  to  be  the 
“ hope  of  our  calling.”  And  again,  “ Even  as 
ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling.” 
Now  the  godly  wise  know  whoso  misseth  of 
effectual  calling  misseth  of  eternal  life,  because 
God  justifieth  none  but  them  whom  he  calleth, 
and  glorifies  none  but  those  whom  he  justifies; 
and  therefore  it  is  that  Peter  said  before, 
“Make  your  calling,  and  (so)  your  election 
sure.”  Make  it  sure ; that  is,  prove  your  call- 
ing right  by  the  word  of  God,  for  whoso  stag- 
geretli  at  the  certainty  of  bis  calling  cannot 
comfortably  hope  for  a share  in  eternal  life. 
“ Remember  the  word  unto  thy  servant  where- 
on thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.  My  soul 
fainted  for  thy  salvation,  but  I hope  in  thy 
word.” 

3dly.  It  produceth  repentance.  For  when  a 
man  hath  heaven  and  hell  before  his  eyes,  (as 
he  will  have  if  he  be  under  the  power  of  effect- 
ual calling,)  or  when  a man  hath  a revelation 
of  the  mercy  and  justice  of  God,  with  an  heart- 
drawing  invitation  to  lay  hold  on  the  tender 
forgiveness  of  sins,  and  being  made  also  to  be- 
hold the  goodly  beauty  of  holiness,  it  must 
needs  be  that  repentance  appears,  and  puts 
forth  itself  unto  self-revenging  acts  for  all  its 
wickedness  which  in  the  days  of  ignorance  it 
delighted  in.  And  hence  is  that  saying,  “ I 
came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to 
repentance.”  For  the  effecting  of  which  the 
preaching  of  the  word  of  the  kingdom  is  most 
proper.  “ Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
at  hand.” 

1.  Repentance  is  a turning  the  heart  to  God 
in  Christ — a turning  of  it  from  sin,  and  the 
devil,  and  darkness  to  the  goodness,  and  grace, 
and  holiness  that  is  in  him.  Wherefore  they 
that  of  old  are  said  to  repent,  are  said  to  loathe 
and  abhor  themselves  for  all  their  abomina- 
tions. “I  abhor  myself,”  said  Job,  “and  re- 
pent in  dust  and  ashes.” 

'2.  Godly  repentance  doth  not*  only  affect  the 


soul  with  the  loathsome  nature  of  sin  that  is 
past,  but  filleth  the  heart  with  godly  hatred  of 
sins  that  yet  may  come.  When  Moses  feared 
that  through  his  being  overburdened  with  the 
care  of  the  children  of  Israel  some  unruly  or 
sinful  passions  might  show  themselves  in  him, 
what  saith  lie? — “I  beseech  thee  kill  me  out 
of  hand  if  I have  found  grace  in  thy  sight, 
and  let  me  not  see  my  wretchedness.” 

3.  See  also  how  that  which  Paul  calleth  godly 
repentance  wrought  in  the  upright  Corinthians : 
“Behold,  (saith  he,)  this  selfsame  thing  that 
ye  sorrowed  after  a godly  sort,  what  careful- 
ness it  wrought  in  you ; what  clearing  of  your- 
selves; yea,  what  fear;  yea,  what  vehement 
desire ; yea,  what  zeal ; yea,  what  revengS.  In 
all  things  ye  have  approved  yourselves  to  be 
clear  in  this  matter.” 

4.  It  produceth  also  love;  wherefore  Paul, 
when  he  had  put  the  Church  in  remembrance 
that  they  were  called  of  God,  adds  that  con- 
cerning brotherly  love  they  had  no  need  that 
he  should  write  unto  them.  As  who  should 
say,  If  God  be  so  kind  to  us  to  forgive  us  our 
sins,  to  save  our  souls,  and  to  give  us  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  let  these  be  motives,  beyond 
all  other,  to  provoke  us  to  love  again.  Farther, 
if  we  that  are  thus  beloved  of  God  are  made 
members  of  one  man’s  body,  all  partakers  of 
his  grace,  clothed  all  with  his  glorious  right- 
eousness, and  are  together  appointed  to  be  the 
children  of  the  next  world,  why  should  we  not 
love  one  another  ? “ Beloved,  if  God  so  loved 
us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another.”  And 
truly  so  we  shall  if  the  true  grace  of  God  be 
upon  us,  because  we  also  see  them  to  be  the 
called  of  Jesus.  Travellers  that  are  of  the 
same  country  love  and  take  pleasure  one  in 
another  when  they  meet  in  a strange  land. 
Why,  we  sojourn  here  in  a strange  country 
with  them  that  are  heirs  together  with  us  of 
the  promised  kingdom  and  glory.  Now,  as  I 
said,  this  holy  love  worketh  by  love.  Mark, 
love  in  God  and  Christ,  when  discovered,  con- 
straineth  us  to  love. 

The  name,  therefore,  and  word,  and  truth  of 
God  in  Christ,  together  with  the  sincerity  of 
grace,  of  faith  and  holiness  in  us,  are  the  de- 
lightful objects  of  this  love.  For  it  embraceth 
with  delight  and  complacency  but  as  it  dis- 
cerneth  the  image  of  God  and  of  Christ  in  the 
soul,  his  presence  in  the  ministry,  and  a suit- 
ableness in  our  worship  to  the  word  and  mind 
of  Christ. 

Love  also  hath  a blessed  faculty  and  heav- 
enly in  bearing  and  suffering  afflictions,  putting 


824 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Up  with  wrongs,  overlooking  the  infirmities  of 
the  brethren,  and  in  serving  in  all  Christian 
offices  the  necessities  of  the  saints.  “ Charity 
suffereth  long  and  is  kind;  charity  envieth 
not;  charity  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed 
up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh 
not  her  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  thinketh 
no  evil,  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  hut  rejoiceth 
in  the  truth ; beareth  all  things,  believeth  all 
things,  liopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things; 
charity  never  faileth.”  In  a word,  it  designeth 
a holy  conversation  in  this  world,  that  God, 
and  Christ,  and  the  word  of  Christ  may  be 
glorified  thereby. 

Of  the  Scriptures. 

Touching  which  word  of  God  I thus  believe 
and  confess : 

1.  That  all  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  words 
of  God.  “ All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspira- 
tion of  God.  For  the  prophecy  of  the  Scrip- 
ture came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man, 
but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved 
by  the  Holy  Ghost.” 

2.  I believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures,  of 
themselves,  without  the  addition  of  human 
inventions,  are  able  to  make  the  man  of  God 
perfect  in  all  things,  and  thoroughly  to  furnish 
him  unto  all  good  works.  They  are  able  to 
make  thee  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith 
in  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  instruct  thee  in  all 
other  things  that  either  respect  the  worship  of 
God  or  thy  walking  before  all  men. 

3.  I believe  the  great  end  why  God  commit- 
ted the  Scriptures  to  writing  was,  that  we 
might  be  instructed  to  Christ,  taught  how  to 
believe,  encouraged  to  patience  and  hope  for 
the  grace  that  is  to  be  brought  unto  us  at  the 
revelation  of  Jesus  Christ;  also  that  we  might 
understand  what  is  sin,  and  how  to  avoid  the 
commission  thereof.  “ Concerning  the  works 
of  men,  (said  David,)  by  the  word  of  thy  lips 
I have  kept  me  from  the  paths  of  the  de-- 
stroyer.  Through  thy  precepts  I get  under- 
standing, therefore  I hate  every  false  way.  I 
have  hid  thy  word  in  my  heart,  that  I might 
not  sin  against  thee.” 

4.  I believe  that  they  cannot  be  broken,  but 
will  certainly  be  fulfilled  in  all  the  prophecies, 
threatenings,  and  promises,  either  to  the  salva- 
tion or  damnation  of  men.  They  are  like  that 
flying  roll  that  will  go  over  all  the  earth  to  cut 
off  and  curse.  In  them  is  contained  also  the 
blessing ; they  preach  to  us  also  the  way  of 


salvation.  “ Take  heed,  therefore,  lest  thai 
come  upon  you  which  is  written  in  the  proph- 
ets: Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder  and 
perish.  For  I work  a work  in  your  days — a 
work  which 'you  shall  in  nowise  believe,  though 
a man  declare  it  unto  you.” 

5.  I believe  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  word  of  the 
Scriptures,  will  judge  all  men  at  the  day  of 
doom,  for  that  is  the  book  of  the  law  of  the 
Lord  according  to  Paul’s  Gospel. 

6.  I believe  that  this  God  made  the  world 
and  all  things  that  are  therein.  “For  in  six 
days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea, 
and  all  that  in  them  is ; ” also,  that  after  the 
time  of  the  making  thereof  he  disposed  of  it 
to  the  children  of  men,  with  a reserve  thereof 
for  the  children  of  God  that  should  in  all  ages 
be  born  thereunto.  When  the  Most  High  di- 
vided to  the  nations  their  inheritance,  when 
he  separated  the  sons  of  Adam,  he  set  the 
bounds  of  the  people  according  to  the  number 
of  the  children  of  Israel;  for,  as  “he  made  of 
one  blood  all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  upon 
the  face  of  the  earth,  so  he  hath  determined 
the  times  before  appointed  and  the  bounds  of 
their  habitation.” 

Of  Magistracy. 

I believe  that  magistracy  is  God’s  ordinance, 
which  he  hath  appointed  for  the  government 
of  the  whole  world,  and  that  it  is  a judgment 
of  God  to  be  without  those  ministers  of  God 
which  he  hath  ordained  to  put  wickedness  to 
shame.  “Whosoever,  therefore,  resisteth  the 
power,  resisteth  the  ordinance  of  God ; and 
they  that  resist  shall  receive  to  themselves 
damnation.  For  rulers  are  not  a terror  to  good 
works,  but  to  the  evil.  Wilt  thou  not  then  be 
afraid  of  the  power?  Do  that  which  is  good, 
and  thou  shalt  have  praise  of  the  same ; for  he 
is  the  minister  of  God  to  thee  for  good.  But 
if  thou  do  that  which  is  evil,  be  afraid,  for  he 
beareth  not  the  sword  in  vain ; for  he  is  the 
minister  of  God,  a revenger,  to  execute  wrath 
upon  him  that  doth  evil.  Wherefore  ye  must 
needs  be  subject,  not  only  for  wrath,  but  also  for 
conscience’  sake.  For  this  cause  pay  ye  tribute 
also,  for  they  are  God’s  ministers  attending 
continually  unto  this  very  thing.”  Many  are 
the  mercies  we  receive  by  a well-qualified 
magistrate;  and  if  any  shall  at  any  time  be 
otherwise  inclined,  let  us  show  our  Christianity 
in  a patient  suffering  for  well-doing  what  it 
shall  please  God  to  inflict  by  them. 


A REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


825 


A REASON  OF  MY  PR 

Having  thus  made  confession  of  my  faith,  I 
now  come  to  show  you  my  practice  in  worship, 
with  the  reasons  thereof ; the  which  I shall 
have  occasion  to  touch  under  two  distinct  heads : 

1.  With  whom  I dare  not  hold  communion  ; 

2.  With  whom  I dare. 

Only,  first,  note  that  by  the  word  communion 
I mean  fellowship  in  the  things  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  or  that  which  is  commonly 
Called  church  communion,  the  communion  of 
mints ; for  in  civil  affairs  and  in  things  of  this 
world  that  are  honest  I am  not  altogether  tied 
up  from  the  fornicators  thereof;  wherefore  in 
my  following  discourse  understand  me  in  the 
first  sense. 

Now,  then,  I dare  not  have  communion  with 
them  that  profess  not  faith  and  holiness,  or 
that  are  not  visible  saints  by  calling ; but  note 
that  by  this  assertion  I meddle  not  with  the 
elect  but  as  he  is  a visible  saint  by  calling, 
neither  do  I exclude  the  secret  hypocrite  if  he 
be  hid  from  me  by  visible  saintship.  Where- 
fore I dare  not  have  communion  with  men 
from  a single  supposition  that  they  may  be 
elect,  neither  dare  I exclude  the  other  from  a 
single  supposing  that  he  may  be  a secret  hypo- 
crite. I meddle  not  here  with  these  things;  I 
only  exclude  him  that  is  not  a visible  saint ; 
now  he  that  is  visibly  or  openly  profane  can- 
not be  then  a visible  saint,  for  he  that  is  a 
visible  saint  must  profess  faith  and  repentance, 
and  consequently  holiness  of  life;  and  with 
none  else  dare  I communicate. 

First.  Because  God  himself  hath  so  strictly 
put  the  difference,  both  by  word  and  deed;  for 
from  the  beginning  he  did  not  only  put  a 
difference  between  the  seed  of  the  woman  and 
the  children  of  the  wicked,  only  the  instinct 
of  grace  and  change  of  the  mind  as  his  own, 
but  did  cast  out  from  his  presence  the  father 
of  all  the  ungodly,  even  cursed  Cain,  when  lie 
showed  himself  openly  profane,  and  banished 
him  to  go  into  the  land  of  the  runagate  or 
vagabond,  where  from  God’s  face  and  the 
privileges  of  the  communion  of  saints  he  was 
ever  afterward  hid. 

Besides,  when  after  this,  through  the  policy 
of  Satan,  the  children  of  Cain  and  the  seed  of 
Seth  did  commix  themselves  in  worship,  and 
by  that  means  had  corrupted  the  way  of  God, 
what  followed  but  first  God  judged  it  wicked- 
uess,  raised  up  Noah  to  preach  against  it ; and, 


ACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 

after  that,  because  they  would  not  be  re* 
claimed,  he  brought  the  Flood  upon  the  whole 
world  of  these  ungodly,  and  saved  only  Noah 
alive  and  his,  because  he  had  kept  himself 
righteous. 

Here  I could  enlarge  abundantly,  and  add 
many  more  instances  of  a like  nature,  but  I 
am  here  only  for  a touch  upon  things. 

Secondly.  Because  it  is  so  often  commanded 
in  the  Scriptures  that  all  the  congregation 
should  be  holy.  ‘‘Iam  the  Lord  your  God; 
ye  shall  therefore  sanctify  yourselves,  and  ye 
shall  be  holy,  for  I am  holy.  Ye  shall  be  holy, 
for  I the  Lord  your  God  am  holy.  Sanctify 
yourselves,  therefore,  and  be  ye  holy,  for  I am 
the  Lord  your  God.”  Besides — 1.  The  gates 
of  the  temple  were  to  be  shut  against  all  other. 
“Open  ye  the  gates,  that  the  righteous  nation 
that  keepeth  the  truth  may  enter  in — this 
gate  of  the  Lord  into  which  the  righteous  shall 
enter.  Thus  saitli  the  Lord,  No  stranger,  un- 
circumcised in  heart  or  uncircumcised  in  flesh, 
shall  enter  into  my  sanctuary,  of  any  stranger 
which  is  amongst  the  children  of  Israel.”  2. 
Because  the  things  of  worship  are  holy.  “ Be 
ye  holy  that  bear  the  vessels  of  the  Lord.” 
3.  Because  all  the  limits  and  bounds  of  com 
munion  are  holy.  “ This  is  the  law  of  the 
house  upon  the  top  of  the  mountain:  the 
whole  limit  thereof  shall  be  most  holy;  be- 
hold, this  is  the  law  of  the  house.” 

Thirdly.  I dare  not  have  communion  with 
them,  because  the  example  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment churches  before  us  have  been  a commu- 
nity of  visible  saints.  Paul  to  the  Bomans 
writes  thus  : “To  all  that  are  at  Borne  beloved 
of  God.  called  to  be  saints;”  and  to  the  rest 
of  the  churches  thus:  “Unto  the  Church  of 
God  which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are 
sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints. 
To  the  saints  that  are  at  Ephesus,  and  to  the 
faithful  in  Christ  Jesus.  To  all  the  saints  that 
are  at  Philippi,  with  the  bishops  and  deacons. 
To  the  saints  and  faithful  brethren  which  are 
at  Colosse.  To  the  Church  of  the  Thessalo- 
nians,  which  is  in  God  the  Father  and  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,”  &c.  Thus  you  see  under 
what  denomination  those  persons  went  of  old 
who  were  counted  worthy  to  be  members  of  a 
visible  Church  of  Christ.  Besides,  the  mem 
bers  of  such  churches  go  under  such  characters 
as  these: 


826 


BUN  VAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


1.  The  called  of  Christ  Jesus.  Rom.  i.  6. 

2.  Men  that  have  drank  into  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus  Christ.  1 Cor.  vii.  13. 

3.  Persons  in  whom  was  God  the  Father. 
Eph.  iv.  6. 

4.  They  were  all  made  partakers  of  the  joy 
of  the  Gospel.  Phil.  i.  7. 

5.  Persons  that  were  circumcised  inwardly. 
Col.  ii.  11. 

6.  Persons  that  turned  from  idols  to  serve 
the  living  and  true  God.  1 Thess.  i.  4. 

7.  Those  that  were  the  body  of  Christ  and 
members  in  particular;  that  is,  those  that 
were  visibly  such,  because  they  made  profes- 
sion of  faith,  of  holiness,  of  repentance,  of 
love  to  Christ,  and  of  self-denial  at  their  re- 
ceiving into  fellowship. 

Fourthly.  J dare  not  hold  communion  with 
the  open  profane. 

1.  Because  it  is  promised  to  the  Church 
that  she  shall  dwell  by  herself;  that  is,  as  she 
is  a Church  and  spiritual.  “ Lo,  the  people 
shall  dwell  alone,  and  shall  not  be  reckoned 
among  the  nations.”  Num.  xxiii.  9. 

2.  Because  this  is  their  privilege  : “ But  ye 
are  a chosen  generation,  a royal  priesthood,  an 
holy  nation,  a peculiar  people,  that  ye  should 
show  forth  the  praises  of  Him  who  hath 
called  you  out  of  darkness  into  marvellous 
light.”  1 Pet.  i.  9,  10. 

3.  Because  this  is  the  fruit  of  the  death  of 
Christ,  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might 
redeem  us  from  all  iniquity  and  purify  unto 
himself  a peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works. 

4.  Because  this  is  the  commandment : “Save 
yourselves  from  the  untoward  generation.” 
Acts  ii.  40. 

5.  Because  with  such  it  is  not  possible  we 
should  have  true  and  spiritual  communion. 
“Be  not  unequally  yoked  together  with  unbe- 
lievers, for  what  fellowship  hath  righteousness 
with  unrighteousness?  and  what  communion 
hath  light  with  darkness?  and  what  concord 
hath  Christ  with  Belial?  or  what  part  hath  he 
that  believeth  with  an  infidel?  or  what  agree- 
ment hath  the  temple  of  God  with  idols?  For 
ye  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God  ; as  God 
hath  said,  I will  dwell  in  them  and  walk  in 
them,  and  I will  be  their  God  and  they  shall 
be  my  people.  Wherefore  come  out  from 
among  them  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the 
Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing ; and 
I will  receive  you  and  will  be  a father  unto 
you,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty.” 


Fifthly.  I dare  not  hold  communion  with 
the  open  profane — 

1.  Because  this  would  be  ploughing  with  an 
ox  and  an  ass  together.  Heavenly  persons 
suit  best  for  communion  in  heavenly  matters. 
I)eut.  xxii.  10. 

2.  It  subjecteth  not  the  nature  of  our  dis- 
cipline, which  is  not  forced,  but  free,  in  a pro- 
fessed subjection  to  the  will  and  command- 
ment of  Christ,  others  being  excluded  by 
God’s  own  prohibition.  Lev.  i.  3;  Rom.  vi. 
17;  2 Cor.  viii.  12;  ix.  7,  13;  viii.  5. 

Paul  also,  when  he  exhorteth  Timothy  to 
follow  after  righteousness,  faith,  charity,  peace, 
&c.,  which  are  the  bowels  of  church  commu- 
nion, he  saith,  “ Do  it  with  those  that  call  on 
the  name  of  the  Lord  out  of  a pure  heart.” 

Sixthly.  In  a word,  to  hold  communion  with 
the  open  profane  is  most  pernicious  and  de- 
structive. 

1.  It  was  the  wicked  multitude  that  fell 
a-lusting  and  that  tempted  Christ  in  the 
desert.  Num.  xi.  4. 

2.  It  was  the  profane  heathen  of  whom 
Israel  learned  to  worship  idols.  They  were 
mingled  among  the  heathen,  and  learned 
their  works  and  served  their  idols,  which 
were  a snare  to  them. 

3.  It  is  the  mingled  people  that  God  hath 
threatened  to  plague  with  those  deadly  pun- 
ishments of  his  with  which  he  hath  threat- 
ened to  furnish  Babylon  itself,  saying,  “ When 
a sword  is  upon  her  liars,  her  mighty,  her 
chariots  and  treasures,  a sword  also  shall  be 
upon  her  mingled  people  that  are  in  the  midst 
of  her.” 

And  no  marvel ; for— 

1.  Mixed  communion  polluteth  the  ordi- 
nances of  God.  “ Say  to  the  rebels,  saith  the 
Lord  God,  Let  it  suffice  you  of  all  your  abom- 
inations that  you  have  brought  into  my  sanc- 
tuary strangers,  uncircumcised  in  heart  and 
uncircumcised  in  flesh,  to  be  in  my  sanctuary 
to  pollute  it,  even  my  house,  when  ye  offered 
my  bread  and  the  fat  and  the  blood ; and  they 
have  broken  my  covenant  because  of  all  their 
abominations.” 

2.  It  violateth  the  law  . “ Her  priests  have 
violated  my  law  and  profaned  my  holy  things. 
(How?)  They  have  put  no  difference  be- 
tween the  holy  and  profane,  neither  have  they 
showed  difference  between  the  unclean  and 
the  clean.” 

3.  It  profaneth  the  holiness  of  God:  “Judah 
hath  dealt  treacherously,  and  an  abomination 


A REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


827 


is  committed  in  Israel  and  Jerusalem ; for 
Judah  hath  profaned  the  holiness  of  the  Lord 
which  he  loved,  and  hath  married  the  daugh- 
ter of  a strange  god.” 

4.  It  defileth  the  truly  gracious : “ Know  ye 
not  that  a little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole 
lump?  Look  diligently,  therefore,  lest  any 
root  of  bitterness,  springing  up,  trouble  you, 
and  thereby  many  be  defiled.” 

Lastly.  To  conclude,  as  I said  before,  it  pro- 
voketh  God  to  punish  with  severe  judgments, 
and  therefore  heed  well. 

].  As  I said  before,  the  drowning  of  the 
whole  world  was  occasioned  by  the  sons  of 
God  commixing  themselves  with  the  daugh- 
ters of  men,  and  the  corruption  of  worship 
that  followed  thereupon. 

2.  lie  sent  a plague  upon  the  children  of 
Israel  for  joining  themselves  unto  the  people 
of  Moab,  and  for  following  their  abominations 
in  worship.  And  let  no  man  think  that  now 
I have  altered  the  state  of  the  question,  for  it 
is  all  one  with  the  Church  to  communicate 
with  the  profane  and  to  sacrifice  and  offer 
their  gifts  to  the  devil.  The  reason  is,  be- 
cause such  have  by  their  sin  forsaken  the 
protection  of  Heaven,  and  are  given  up  to 
their  own  heart-lusts,  and  left  to  be  over- 
come of  the  wicked,  to  whom  they  have  joined 
themselves. 

‘‘Join  not  yourselves  (saith  God)  to  the 
wicked,  neither  in  religion  nor  marriages ; for 
they  will  turn  away  thy  sons  from  following 
me,  that  they  may  serve  other  gods ; so  will  the 
anger  of  the  Lord  be  kindled  against  you  and 
destroy  thee  suddenly.”  Did  not  Solomon, 
king'of  Israel,  sin  by  these  things?  yet  among 
many  nations  was  there  no  king  like  him  who 
was  beloved  of  his  God. 

Hear  how  Paul  handleth  the  point : “ This 
I say,  (saith  lie,)  that  the  things  which  the 
Gentiles  (or  open  profane)  sacrifice,  they  sacri- 
fice to  devils  and  not  to  God ; and  I would 
not  that  you  should  have  fellowship  with 
devils.  Ye  cannot  drink  of  the  cup  of  the 
Loi'd  and  the  cup  of  devils;  ye  cannot  be 
partakers  of  the  table  of  the  Lord  and  of  the 
table  of  devils.  Do  we  provoke  the  Lord  to 
jealousy?  Are  we  stronger  than  he?”  I con- 
clude that  therefore  it  is  an  evil  and  a danger- 
ms  thing  to  hold  church  communion  with  the 
open  profane  and  ungodly.  It  polluteth  his 
ordinances,  it  violateth  his  law,  it  profaneth 
his  holiness,  it  defileth  his  people,  and  pro- 
voketh  the  Lord  to  severe  and  terrible  judg- 
ments. 


Objection.  But  we  can  prove  in  all  ages 
there  have  been  the  open  and  profane  in  the 
Church  of  God. 

Answer.  In  many  ages  indeed  it  hath  been 
so ; but  mark,  they  appeared  not  such  when 
first  they  were  received  into  communion, 
neither  were  they,  with  God’s  liking,  as  such 
to  be  retained  among  them,  but  in  order  to 
their  admonition,  repentance,  and  amendment 
of  life;  of  which  if  they  failed  God  presently 
threatened  the  Church,  and  either  cut  them 
off  from  the  Church,  as  he  did  idolaters,  for- 
nicators, nmrmurers,  tempters,  sabbath-break- 
ers, with  Ivorah,  Dathan,  Achan,  and  others, 
or  else  cut  off  them,  with  the  Church  and  all, 
as  he  served  the  ten  tribes  at  one  time  and  the 
two  tribes  at  another.  “ My  God  shall  cast 
them  away,  because  they  did  not  hearken  to 
him,  and  they  shall  be  wanderers  among  the 
nations.” 

Many  have  pleaded  for  the  profane  that 
they  should  abide  in  the  Church  of  God,  but 
such  have  not  considered  that  God’s  wrath  at 
all  times  hath,  with  great  indignation,  been 
showed  against  such  offenders  and  their  con- 
ceits. Indeed,  they  like  not  to  plead  for  them 
under  that  notion,  but  rather  as  Ivorah  and 
his  company,  “All  the  congregation  is  holy, 
every  one  of  them.”  Num.  xvi.  3.  But  it 
maketh  no  matter  by  what  name  they  are 
called  if  by  their  deeds  they  show  themselves 
openly  wicked,  for  names  and  notions  sanctify 
not  the  heart  and  nature;  they  make  not  vir- 
tues of  vices,  neither  can  it  save  such  advo- 
cates from  the  heavy  curse  both  of  God  and 
men.  “The  riglit^Sus  men,  they  shall  judge 
them  after  the  manner  of  adulteresses,  and 
after  the  manner  of  women  that  shed  blood ; 
because  they  are  adulteresses  and  blood  is  in 
their  hands.” 

Thus  have  I showred  you  with  whom  I dire 
not  have  communion,  and  now  to  show  you 
with  v’hom  I dare.  But  in  order  thereto  I 
desire  you  first  to  take  notice  that,  touching 
shadowdsh  or  figurative  ordinances,  I believe 
that  Christ  hath  ordained  but  two  in  his 
Church — viz.,  water  baptism  and  the  supper 
of  the  Lord,  both  which  are  of  excellent  use 
to  the  Church  in  this  world,  they  being  to  us 
representations  of  the  death  and  resurrection 
of  Christ,  and  are,  as  God  shall  make  them, 
helps  to  our  faith  therein.  But  I count  them 
not  the  fundamentals  of  our  Christianity,  nor 
grounds  of  rule  to  communion  with  saints. 
Servants  they  are,  and  our  mystical  ministers 
I to  teach  and  instruct  us  in  the  most  weighty 


828 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


matters  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  I therefore 
here  declare  my  reverent  esteem  of  them,  yet 
dare  not  remove  them,  as  some  do,  from  the 
place  and  end  where  by  God  they  are  set  and 
appointed,  nor  ascribe,  unto  them  more  than 
they  were  ordered  to  have  in  their  first  and 
primitive  institution.  It  is  possible  to  commit 
idolatry  even  with  God’s  own  appointments. 
But  I pass  this,  and  come  to  the  thing 
propounded. 

Secondly,  then.  I dare  have  communion, 
church  communion,  with  those  that  are  visible 
saints  by  calling,  with  those  that  by  the  word 
of  the  Gospel  have  been  brought  over  to  faith 
and  holiness.  And  it  maketh  no  matter  to  me 
what  their  life  was  heretofore  “if  they  now  be 
washed,  if  they  be  sanctified,  if  they  be  justified 
in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  our  God.”  Now;,  in  order  to  the 
discovery  of  this  faith  and  holiness,  and  so  to 
fellow'ship  in  church  communion,  I hold  it  re- 
quisite that  a faithful  relation  be  made  thereof 
by  the  party  thus  to  be  received,  yea,  if  need 
he,  by  witnesses  also,  for  the  satisfaction  of  the 
Church,  that  she  may  receive  in  faith  and 
judgment  such  as  best  shall  suit  her  holy  pro- 
fession. Observe  it,  these  texts  do  respect  ex- 
traordinary officers,  and  yet  see  that,  in  order 
to  their  reception  by  the  Church,  there  was 
made  to  them  a faithful  relation  of  the  faith 
and  holiness  of  these  very  persons ; for  no  man 
may  intrude  himself  upon,  or  thrust  himself 
upon,  or  thrust  himself  into,  a Church  of  Christ 
without  the  Church  have  first  the  knowledge 
and  liking  of  the  person  to  be  received ; if 
otherwise,  there  is  a door  opened  for  all  the 
heretics  in  the  world ; yea,  for  devils  also,  if 
they  appear  in  human  shapes.  But  Paul  shows 
you  the  manner  of  receiving  by  pleading  (after 
some  disgrace  thrown  upon  him  by  false  apos- 
tles) for  his  own  admission  of  his  companions: 
“Beceive  us,  (saith  he,)  we  have  wronged  no 
man ; we  have  defrauded  no  man ; we  have 
corrupted  no  man.”  And  so  concerning  Tim- 
othy: “If  Timothy  come,  (saith  he,)  see  that 
he  may  be  with  you  without  fear;  for  he 
worketh  the  work  of  the  Lord,  as  I also  do.” 
Also  when  Paul  supposed  that  Titus  might  be 
suspected  by  some,  see  how  he  pleads  for  him  : 
“ If  any  do  inquire  of  Titus,  he  is  my  partner 
and  fellow-helper  concerning  you;  or  our 
brethren  be  inquired  of,  they  are  the  messen- 
gers of  the  churches  and  the  glory  of  Christ.” 
Phebe  also,  when  she  was  to  be  received  by 
the  Church  at  Rome,  see  how  he  speaketb  in 
her  behalf:  “I  commend  unto  you  Phebe  our 


sister,  which  is  a servant  of  the  Church  which 
is  at  Cenchrea,  that  ye  receive  her  in  the  Lord, 
as  becometh  saints ; and  that  ye  assist  her  in 
whatsoever  business  she  hath  need  of  you;  for 
she  hath  been  a succourer  of  many  and  of  my- 
self also.”  Yea,  when  the  apostles  and 
brethren  sent  their  epistles  from  Jerusalem  to 
Antioch,  under  what  characters  do  those  go 
that  were  the  messengers  to  them  ? — “It  seemed 
good  unto  the  Holy  Ghost  and  to  us  to  send 
chosen  men  unto  you,  with  our  beloved  Bar- 
nabas and  Saul— men  that  have  hazarded  theii 
lives  for  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,” 
&c.  Now,  though  the  occasion  upon  which 
these  commendations  were  written  were  not 
simply  or  only  in  order  to  church  relation,  but 
also  for  other  causes,  yet,  because  the  persons 
concerned  were  of  the  churches  to  be  received 
as  faithful,  and  such  who  would  partake  of 
church  privileges  with  them,  they  have  there- 
fore their  faith  and  faithfulness  related  to  the 
churches  as  those  that  were  particularly  em- 
bodied there.  Besides,  Timothy  and  Titus, 
being  extraordinary  officers,  stood  as  members 
and  officers  in  every  Church  where  they  were 
received.  Likewise  Barnabas  and  Saul,  Judas 
and  Silas  abode  as  members  and  officers  where 
they  were  sent.  It  was  requisite,  therefore, 
that  the  letters  of  recommendation  should  be 
in  substance  the  same  with  that  relation  that 
ought  to  be  made  to  the  Church  by  or  for  the 
person  that  is  to  be  embodied  there.  But  to 
return;  I dare  have  communion,  church  com- 
munion, with  those  that  are  visible  saints  by 
calling. 

Question.  But  by  what  rule  would  you  re- 
ceive them  into  fellowship  with  yourselves? 

Answer.  Even  by  a discovery  of  their  faith 
and  holiness,  and  their  declaration  of  willing- 
ness to  subject  themselves  to  the  laws  and  gov- 
ernment of  Christ  in  his  Church. 

Question.  But  do  you  not  count  that  by 
water  baptism,  and  not  otherwise,  that  being 
the  initiating  and  entering  ordinance,  they 
ought  to  be  received  into  fellowship? 

Answer.  No.  But  tarry  and  take  my  sense 
with  my  word  ; for  herein  lies  the  mistake,  to 
think  that  because  in  time  past  baptism  was 
administered  upon  conversion,  that  therefore 
it  is  the  initiating  and  entering  ordinance  into 
church  communion,  when  by  the  word  no  such 
thing  is  testified  of  it.  Besides,  that  it  is  not 
so  will  be  manifest  if  we  consider  the  nature 
and  power  of  such  an  ordinance.  That  ordi- 
nance, then,  that  is  the  initiating  or  entering 
ordinance,  as  before,  doth  give  to  ’them  that 


A REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


829 


partake  thereof  a right  to,  and  a being  of 
membership  with,  that  particular  church  by 
which  it  is  administered ; I say,  a right  to  and 
a being  of  membership  without  the  addition 
of  another  church  act.  This  is  evident  by  the 
law  of  circumcision,  which  was  the  initiating 
law  of  old ; for  by  the  administration  of  that 
very  ordinance  the  partaker  thereof  was  forth- 
with a member  of  that  congregation,  without 
the  addition  of  another  church  act.  Gen.  xvii. 
This  is  declared  in  the  first  institution,  and 
therefore  it  is  called  the  token  of  the  covenant, 
the  token  or  sign  of  righteousness,  of  Abra- 
ham’s faith,  and  of  the  visible  membership  of 
those  that  joined  themselves  to  the  Church 
with  him — the  very  inlet  into  church  commu- 
nion that  gave  a being  of  membership  among 
them.  And  thus  Moses  himself  expounds  it: 
“ Every  man-servant  (saith  he)  that  is  bought 
with  money,  when  thou  hast  circumcised  him, 
he  shall  eat  of  the  passover;”  without  the  ad- 
dition of  another  church  act  to  empower  him 
thereunto,  his  circumcision  hath  already  given 
him  a being  there,  and  so  a right  to  and  priv- 
ilege in  church  relation.  “ A foreigner  and  a 
hired  servant  shall  not  eat  thereof,”  because 
not  circumcised;  “but  when  a stranger  that  so- 
journeth  with  thee  will  keep  the  passover  to 
the  Lord,  let  all  his  males  be  circumcised,  and 
then  let  him  come  near  and  keep  it,”  for  then 
he  is  one  of  the  Church  ; “and  he  shall  be  as 
one  born  in  the  land;  for  no  uncircumcised 
person  shall  eat  thereof.”  Ex.  xii.  43-50. 
Neither  could  any  other  thing,  according  to 
the  law  of  circumcision,  give  the  devoutest 
person  that  hath  breathed  a being  of  member- 
ship with  them  : “ He  that  is  born  in  thy  house 
and  he  that  is  bought  with  thy  money  must 
needs  be  circumcised ; and  the  uncircumcised 
man-child,  whose  flesh  of  his  foreskin  is  not 
circumcised,  that  soul  shall  be  cut  off  from  his 
people.” 

Note,  then,  that  that  which  is  the  initiating 
ordinance  admitteth  none  into  church  com- 
munion but  those  that  first  partake  thereof. 
The  angel  sought  to  kill  Moses  himself  for 
attempting  to  make  his  child  a member  with- 
out it.  Note,  again,  that  as  it  admitteth  of 
none  to  membership  without  it,  so,  as  I said, 
* the  very  act  of  circumcising  them,  without  the 
addition  of  another  church  act,  gave  them  a 
being  of  membership  with  that  very  Church 
by  whom  they  were  circumcised.  But  none 
of  this  can  be  said  of  baptism.  First.  There 
is  none  debarred  nor  threatened  to  be  cut  off 
from  the  Church  if  they  be  not  first  baptized. 


Secondly.  Neither  doth  it  give  to  the  person 
baptized  a being  of  membership  with  this  or 
that  Church  by  whose  members  he  hath  been 
baptized.  John  gathered  no  particular  Church, 
yet  was  he  the  first  and  great  baptizer  with 
water.  He  preached  Christ  to  come,  and  bap- 
tized with  the  baptism  of  repentance,  and  left 
his  disciples  to  be  gathered  by  him  : “And  to 
him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be.” 
Besides,  after  Christ’s  ascension,  Philip  bap- 
tized the  eunuch,  but  made  him  by  that  no 
member  of  any  particular  Church.  We  only 
read  that  Philip  was  caught  away  from  him, 
and  that  the  eunuch  saw  him  no  more,  but 
went  on  his  way  rejoicing  to  his  master  and 
country  of  Ethiopia.  Neither  was  Cornelius 
made  a member  of  the  Church  at  Jerusalem 
by  his  being  baptized  at  Peter’s  command  at 
Cmsarea.  Neither  were  they  that  were  con- 
verted at  Antioch  by  them  that  were  scattered 
from  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  by  their  bap- 
tism, if  they  were  baptized  at  all,  joined  to  the 
Church  at  Jerusalem.  No,  they  were  after 
gathered  and  embodied  among  themselves  by 
other  church  acts.  What  shall  I say  ? Into 
what  particular  Church  wras  Lydia  baptized  by 
Paul  or  those  first  converts  at  Philippi?  Tea, 
even  in  the  2d  of  the  Acts  baptizing  and  adding 
to  the  Church  appear  to  be  acts  distinct ; but 
if  baptism  were  the  initiating  ordinance,  then 
was  he  that  we  baptized  made  a member,  made 
a member  of  a particular  Church,  by  the  very 
act  of  water  baptism.  Neither  ought  any,  by 
God’s  ordinance,  to  have  baptized  any  but  with 
respect  to  the  admitting  them  by  that  act  to  a 
being  of  membership  of  this  particular  Church. 
For  if  it  be  the  initiating  ordinance,  it  entereth 
them  into  the  Church.  What  Church  ? Into 
a visible  Church.  Now  there  is  no  Church 
visible  but  that  which  is  particular,  the  uni- 
versal being  utterly  invisible  and  known  to 
none  but  God.  The  person,  then,  that  is  bap- 
tized stands  by  that  a member  of  no  Church  at 
all,  neither  of  the  visible  nor  yet  of  the  invis- 
ible. A visible  saint  he  is,  but  not  made  so 
by  baptism;  for  he  must  be  a visible  saint 
before,  else  he  ought  not  to  be  baptized. 

Take  it  again.  Baptism  makes  thee  no  mem- 
ber of  the  Church,  neither  particular  nor  uni- 
versal; neither  doth  it  make  thee  a visible 
saint;  it  therefore  gives  thee  neither  right  to 
nor  being  of  membership  at  all. 

Question.  But  why,  then,  were  they  bap- 
tized ? 

Answer.  That  their  own  faith  by  that  figure 
might  be  strengthened  in  the  death  and  resur- 


830 


EUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


rection  of  Christ,  and  that  themselves  might 
see  that  they  have  professed  themselves  dead 
and  buried,  and  risen  with  him  to  newness  of 
life.  It  did  not  seal  to  the  Church  that  they 
were  so,  (their  satisfaction  as  to  that  arose 
from  better  arguments,)  but  taught  the  party 
himself  that  he  ought  so  to  be.  Farther,  it 
confirmed  to  his  own  conscience  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins  if  by  unfeigned  faith  he  laid  hold 
upon  Jesus  Christ. 

Now,  then,  if  baptism  be  not  the  initiating 
ordinance,  we  must  seek  for  entering  some 
other  way,  by  some  other  appointment  of 
Christ,  unless  we  will  say  that,  without  rule, 
without  order,  and  without  an  appointment  of 
Christ,  we  may  enter  into  his  visible  kingdom. 
The  Church  under  the  law  had  their  initiating 
and  entering  ordinance ; it  must  not  therefore 
he,  unless  we  should  think  that  Moses  was 
more  punctual  and  exact  than  Christ,  but  that 
also  our  Lord  hath  his  entering  appointment. 
Now,  that  which  by  Christ  is  made  the  door 
of  entrance  into  the  Church,  by  that  we  may 
doubtless  enter;  and,  seeing  baptism  is  not 
that  ordinance,  we  ought  not  to  seek  to  enter 
thereby,  but  may  with  good  conscience  enter 
without  it. 

Question.  But  by  what  rule,  then,  would  you 
gather  persons  into  church  communion? 

Answer.  Even  by  that  rule  by  which  they 
are  discovered  to  the  Church  to  be  visible 
saints  and  willing  to  be  gathered  into  their 
body  and  fellowship.  By  that  word  of  God, 
therefore,  by  which  their  faith,  experience, 
and  conversation  (being  examined)  is  found 
good;  by  that  the  Church  should  receive  them 
into  fellowship  with  them.  Mark,  not  as  they 
practise  things  that  are  circumstantial,  but  as 
their  faith  is  commended  by  a word  of  faith 
and  their  conversation  by  a moral  precept. 
Wherefore  that  is  observable  that  after  Paul 
had  declared  himself  sound  of  faith  he  falls 
down  to  the  body  of  the  law:  “Receive  us, 
(saith  he;)  we  have  wronged  no  man,  we  have 
corrupted  no  man,  we  have  defrauded  no  man.” 
He  saith  not,  “ 1 am  baptized,  but  I have 
wronged  no  man,”  &c.  And  if  churches,  after 
the  confession  of  faith,  made  more  use  of  the 
ten  commandments  to  judge  of  the  fitness  of 
persons  by,  they  might  not  exceed,  by  this 
seeming  strictness,  Christian  tenderness  to- 
wards them  they  receive  to  communion. 

I will  say,  therefore,  that  by  the  word  of 
faith  and  of  good  works,  moral  duties  Gospel- 
ized,  we  ought  to  judge  of  the  fitness  of  mem- 
bers by— by  which  we  ought  also  to  receive 


them  to  fellowship:  “For  he  that  in  these 
things  proveth  sound,”  he  hath  the  antitype 
of  circumcision,  which  was  before  the  entering 
ordinance.  “For  he  is  not  a Jew  which  is 
one  outwardly,  neither  is  that  circumcision 
which  is  outwardly  in  the  flesh ; but  he  is  a 
Jew  which  is  one  inwardly,  and  circumcision 
is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit,  whose  praise 
is  not  of  men,  but  of  God.” 

Now,  a confession  of  This  by  word  and  life 
makes  this  inward  circumcision  visible.  When 
you  know  him  therefore  to  he  thus  circum- 
cised, you  ought  to  admit  him  to  the  Lord’s 
passover;  he,  if  any,  hath  a share,  not  only  in 
church  communion,  but  a visible  right  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

Again,  “For  the  kingdom  of  God  (or  our 
service  to  Christ)  consistetli  not  in  meats  nor 
in  drinks,  but  in  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy 
in  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  he  that  in  these  things 
serveth  Christ  is  accepted  of  God  and  ap- 
proved of  men.”  By  which  word  righteousness 
he  meaneth,  as  James  doth,  the  royal  law,  the 
perfect  law,  which  is  the  moral  precept  evan- 
gelized or  delivered  to  us  by  the  hand  of 
Christ.  James  ii.  8,  9.  The  law  was  given 
twice  at  Sinai ; the  last  time  it  was  given  with 
a proclamation  of  grace  and  mercy  of  God 
and  of  the  pardon  of  sins  going  before.  Ex. 
xix.;  xxxiv.  1-10.  The  second  giving  is 
here  intended,  for  so  it  cometh  after  faith, 
which  first  receiveth  the  proclamation  of  for- 
giveness. Plence  we  are  said  to  do  this  right- 
eousness in  the  joy  and  peace  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Now,  he  that  in  these  things  serveth 
Christ  is  accepted  of  God  and  approved  of 
men.  For  who  is  he  that  can  justly  find 
fault  with  him  that  fulfilleth  the  royal  law 
from  a principle  of  faith  and  love?  “If  ye 
fulfil  the  royal  law  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures, Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thy- 
self, ye  do  well,”  ye  are  approved  of  men. 
Again,  he  that  hath  loved  another  hath  ful- 
filled the  law,  for  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law.  He,  then,  that  serveth  Christ  according 
the  royal  law,  from  faith  and  love  going  before, 
he  is  a fit  person  for  church  communion.  God 
accepteth  him,  men  approve  him.  Now,  that 
the  royal  law  is  the  moral  precept  read  the 
place  in  James  ii.  8,  9,  10,  11,  12.  It  is  also 
called  the  “ law  of  liberty,”  because  the  bond- 
age is  taken  away  by  forgiveness  going  before; 
and  this  is  it  by  which  we  are  judged,  as  is 
said,  meet  or  unmeet  for  church  communion, 
&c. 

Therefore,  I say,  the  rule  by  which  we  re- 


A REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  lN  WORSHIP. 


831 


oeive  church  members,  it  is  the  word  of  the 
faith  of  Christ  and  of  the  moral  precept  evan- 
gelized, as  I said  before.  “I  am  under  the 
law  to  Christ,”  saith  Paul.  So,  when  lie  for- 
biddeth  us  communion  with  men,  they  be  such 
as  are  destitute  of  the  faith  of  Christ  and  live 
in  the  transgression  of  a moral  precept.  “I 
have  written  unto  you  (saith  he)  not  to  keep 
company  if  any  man  that  is  called  a brother 
be  a fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or 
a railer,  or  a drunkard,  or  an  extortioner; 
with  such  an  one  no  not  to  eat.”  He  saith 
not,  “If  any  man  be  not  baptized,  have  not 
hands  laid  on  him,  or  join  with  the  unbap- 
tized these  are  fictions,  Scriptureless  no- 
tions. “For  this,  Thou  slialt  not  commit 
adultery,  Thou  shalt  not  kill,  Thou  shalt  not 
steal,  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness,  Thou 
shalt  not  covet;  and  if  there  be  any  other 
commandment,  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in 
this  saying,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself.  Love  thinketh  no  ill  to  his  neigh- 
bour; therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law.”  Rom.  xiii.  9,  10. 

The  word  of  faith  and  the  moral  precept  is 
that  which  Paul  enjoins  the  Galatians  and  Phil- 
ippians,  still  avoiding  outward  circumstances. 
Hence,  therefore,  when  he  had  to  the  Gala- 
tians treated  of  faith,  he  falls  point-blank 
upon  moral  duties:  “For  in  Christ  Jesus 
neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor 
uncircumcision,  but  a new  creature;  and  as 
many  as  walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  be 
on  them  and  mercy,  and  upon  the  Israel  of 
God.”  “As  many  as  walk  according  to  this 
rule.”  What  rule  ? The  rule  by  which  men 
are  proved  new  creatures — the  word  of  faith 
and  the  moral  precept.  Wherefore  Paul  ex- 
horteth  the  Ephesians  not  to  walk,  as  other 
Gentiles,  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind,  seeing 
they  had  received  Christ,  and  had  heard  him, 
and  had  been  taught  by  him,  as  the  truth  is  in 
Jesus — that  they  should  put  off  the  old  man. 
What  is  that?  Why  the  former  conversation, 
which  is  corrupt,  according  to  the  deceitful 
lusts,  lying,  anger,  sin,  giving  place  to  the 
devil,  corrupt  communications,  all  bitterness, 
wrath,  clamour,  evil-speaking,  with  all  malice, 
and  that  they  would  put  on  a new  man.  What 
is  that?  That  which  is  created  in  righteous- 
ness and  true  holiness,  a being  renewed  in  the 
spirit  of  their  mind,  and  a putting  away  all 
these  things.  Epli.  iv.  “ For  in  Christ  Jesus;” 
these  words  are  put  in  on  purpose  to  show  us 
the  nature  of  New  Testament  administrations, 
and  how  they  differ  from  the  Old.  In  Moses 


an  outward  conformity  to  an  outward  and 
carnal  ordinance  was  sufficient  to  give  (they 
subjecting  themselves  thereto)  a being  of 
membership  with  the  Jews.  But  in  Christ 
Jesus  it  is  not  so.  Of  Abraham’s  flesh  was 
the  national  Jewish  congregation,  but  it  is 
Abraham’s  faith  that  makes  the  New  Testa- 
ment churches.  “They  that  are  of  faith  are 
the  children  of  faithful  Abraham.  They  that 
are  of  faith,  the  same  are  the  children  of 
Abraham.”  So  then,  the  seed  being  now 
spiritual,  the  rule  must  needs  be  spiritual  also 
— viz.,  the  word  of  faith  and  holiness.  This  is 
the  Gospel  concision-knife,  sharper  than  any 
two-edged  sword,  and  that  by  which  New  Tes- 
tament saints  are  circumcised  in  heart,  ears, 
and  lips.  For  in  Christ  Jesus  no  outward  and 
circumstantial  thing,  but  the  new  creature; 
none  subjects  of  the  visible  kingdom  of  Christ, 
but  visible  saints  by  calling.  Now,  that  which 
manifesteth  a person  to  be  a visible  saint 
must  be  conformity  to  the  word  of  faith  and 
holiness:  “And  they  that  are  Christ’s  have 
crucified  the  flesh,  with  the  affections  and 
lusts.”  Hearken  how  delightfully  Paul  handled 
the  point:  “The  new  creatures  are  the  Israel 
of  God.  The  new  creature  hath  a rule  by  him- 
self to  walk  by ; and  as  many  as  walk  accord- 
ing to  this  rule,  peace  be  on  them  and  mercy, 
and  upon  the  Israel  of  God.”  Paul  to  the 
Philippians  commandeth  as  much,  where, 
treating  of  his  own  practice  in  the  doctrine  of 
faith  and  holiness,  he  requireth  them  to  walk 
by  the  same  rule,  to  mind  the  same  thing : “ I 
desire  to  be  found  in  Christ,  (saith  he ;)  I reach 
forward  toward  the  things  that  are  before ; my 
conversation  is  in  heaven,  and  flatly  opposite 
to  them  whose  God  is  their  belly,  whose  glory 
is  their  shame,  and  who  mind  earthly  things.” 
“ Brethren,  (saith  he,)  be  ye  followers  together 
with  me,  and  mark  them  that  walk  so.”  Mark 
them — for  what?  For  persons  that  are  to  be 
received  into  fellowship  and  the  chiefest  com- 
munion of  saints.  And  indeed  this  is  the 
safest  way  to  judge  of  the  meetness  of  persons 
by,  for  take  away  the  confession  of  faith  and 
holiness,  and  what  can  distinguish  a Christian 
from  a Turk  ? He  that  indeed  receiveth  faith, 
that  squareth  his  life  by  the  royal,  perfect 
moral  precept,  and  that  walketh  therein  in  the 
joy  and  peace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  no  man  can 
reject  him ; he  cannot  be  a man  if  he  object 
against  him — not  a man  in  Christ,  not  a man 
in  understanding.  “ The  law  is  not  made  for 
a righteous  man,”  neither  to  debar  him  the 
communion  of  saints  if  he  desire  it,  nor  to 


832 


B UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


cast  him  out  if  he  were  in,  “but  for  the  law- 
less and  disobedient,  for  the  ungodly  and  for 
sinners,  for  unholy  and  profane,  for  murderers 
of  fathers  and  for  murderers  of  mothers,  for 
man-slayers,  for  whoremongers,  for  them  that 
defile  themselves  with  mankind,  for  men- 
stealers,  for  perjured  persons,  and  if  there  he 
any  other  thing  contrary  to  sound  doctrine  ac- 
cording to  the  glorious  Gospel  which  is  com- 
mitted to  my  trust.”  1 Tim.  i.  9,  10,  11.  Paul 
also,  when  he  would  leave  an  everlasting  con- 
viction upon  the  Ephesians  concerning  his  faith 
and  holiness,  treating  first  of  the  sufficiency 
of  Christ’s  blood  and  the  grace  of  God  to  save 
us,  he  adds,  “ I have  coveted  no  man’s  silver, 
or  gold,  or  apparel.”  He  bringeth  them  to  the 
moral  precept,  to  prove  the  sincerity  of  his 
good  conversation,  by  Acts  xx.  28,  32,  33.  And 
when  men  have  juggled  what  they  can,  and 
made  never  such  a prattle  about  religion,  yet 
if  their  greatest  excellency,  as  to  the  visibility 
of  their  saintship,  lieth  in  an  outward  con- 
formity to  an  outward  circumstance  in  religion, 
their  profession  is  not  worth  two  mites:  “Let 
us  walk  honestly  as  in  the  day;  not  in  rioting 
and  drunkenness,  not  in  chambering  and 
wantonness,  not  in  strife  and  envy ; but  put 
ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  make  no 
provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts 
thereof.”  Rom.  xiii.  13,  14.  And  it  is  observ- 
able that  after  the  apostle  had,  in  the  9th  aud 
10th  verses  of  this  chapter,  told  us  that  the 
moral  precept  is  the  rule  of  a good  conversa- 
tion, and  exhorted  us  to  make  no  provision  for 
the  flesh,  he  adds  (these  things  provided)  we 
may  receive  any  that  believe  in  Christ  Jesus 
unto  communion  with  us,  how  weak  soever 
and  dark  in  circumstantials,  and  chiefly  designs 
the  proof  thereof  in  the  remaining  part  of  his 
epistle.  For  he  that  is  of  sound  faith  and  of 
conversation  honest  in  the  world,  no  man, 
however  he  may  fail  in  circumstances,  may 
lightly  reproach  or  vilify  him.  And  indeed 
such  persons  are  the  honour  of  Christian  con- 
gregations. Indeed  he  is  prejudiced  for  want  of 
light  in  those  things  about  which  he  is  dark,  as 
of  baptism  or  the  like ; but  seeing  that  is  not 
the  initiating  ordinance,  or  the  visible  charac- 
ter of  a saint,  yea,  seeing  it  maketh  no  breach 
in  a good  and  holy  life,  nor  entrencheth  upon 
any  man’s  right  but  his  own,  and  seeing  his 
faith  may  be  effectual  without  it  and  his  life 
approved  by  the  worst  of  his  enemies,  why 
should  his  friends,  while  he  keeps  the  law, 
dishonour  God  by  breaking  of  the  same? 
“ Speak  not  evil  one  of  another,  brethren ; he 


that  speaketh  evil  of  his  brother  and  judgeth 
his  brother,  speaketh  evil  of  the  law  and  judg- 
eth the  law;  but  if  thou  judge  the  law,  thou 
art  not  a doer  of  the  law,  but  a judge.”  He 
that  is  judged  must  needs  fail  somewhere  in 
the  apprehension  of  him  that  judgeth  him, 
else  why  is  he  judged?  But  he  must  fail  in 
substance,  for  then  he  is  worthy  to  be  judged. 
1 Cor.  v.  12.  His  failure  is  then  in  a circum- 
stance for  which  he  ought  not  to  be  judged. 

Objection.  But,  notwithstanding  all  that  you 
have  said,  water  baptism  ought  to  go  before 
church  membership.  Show  me  one  in  all  the 
New  Testament  that  was  received  into  fellow- 
ship without  it. 

Answer  1.  That  water  baptism  hath  formerly 
gone  first  is  granted,  but  that  it  ought  of  ne- 
cessity so  to  do  I never  saw  proof. 

2.  None  ever  received  it  without  light  going 
before,  unless  they  did  play  the  hypocrite; 
and  besides,  no  marvel,  though  in  the  prim- 
itive times  it  was  so  generally  practised  first, 
for  the  unconverted  themselves  know  it  be- 
longed to  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ.  John 
i.  24,  25,  26,  27.  Yet  that  all- that  were  receiv- 
ed into  fellowship  were  even  then  baptized 
first  would  strain  a weak  man’s  wit  to  prove  if 
arguments  were  closely  made  upon  these  three 
texts  of  Holy  Scriptures:  1 Cor.  i.  14,  15,  19; 
Gal.  iii.  27 ; Rom.  vi.  3.  But  I pass  them,  and 
say,  if  you  can  show  me  the  Christian  that  in 
the  primitive  times  remained  dark  about  it,  I 
will  show  you* the  Christian  that  was  received 
without  it. 

But  should  I grant  more  than  can  be  proved 
— viz.,  that  baptism  was  the  initiating  ordi- 
nance, and  that  it  once  did,  as  circumcision  of 
old,  give  a being  of  membership  to  the  par- 
takers— yea,  set  the  case,  that  men  are  forbid- 
den then  to  enter  into  fellowship  without  it, 
yet  the  case  may  so  he  that,  these  things  not- 
withstanding, men  might  be  received  into 
fellowship  without  it.  All  these  things  en- 
tailed to  circumcision ; that  was  the  initiating 
ordinance  that  gave  being  of  membership ; 
that  was  it  without  which  it  was  positively 
commanded  none  should  be  received  into  fel- 
lowship. Josh.  v.  Yet,  for  all  this,  more  than 
six  hundred  thousand  were  received  into  the 
Church  without  it ; yea,  received  and  also  re- 
tained there,  and  that  by  Moses  and  Joshua, 
even  those  to  whom  the  land  was  promised 
when  the  uncircumcised  were  cut  off".  But  why 
then,  were  they  not  circumcised?  Doubtless 
there  was  a reason ; either  they  wanted  time, 
or  opportunity,  or  instruments,  or  something. 


A REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


833 


Hut  they  could  not  render  a bigger  reason  than 
this — / have  no  light  therein;  which  is  the 
cause  at  this  day  that  many  a faithful  man 
denieth  to  take  up  the  ordinance  of  baptism. 
But  I say,  whatever  the  hindrance  was  it  mat- 
tercth  not;  our  brethren  have  a manifest  one, 
an  invincible  one — one  that  all  the  men  on 
earth  and  angels  in  heaven  cannot  remove; 
for  it  is  God  that  createth  light,  and  for  them 
to  do  it  without  light  would  but  prove  them 
unfaithful  to  themselves  and  make  them  sin- 
ners against  God : “ For  whatsoever  is  not  of 
faith  is  sin.”  If,  therefore,  Moses  and  Joshua 
thought  tit  to  communicate  with  six  hundred 
thousand  uncircumcised  persons,  when  by  the 
law  not  one  such  ought  to  have  been  received 
among  them,  why  may  not  I have  communion, 
the  closest  communion,  with  visible  saints  as 
afore  described,  although  they  want  light  in, 
and  so  cannot  submit  to,  that  which  of  God 
was  never  made  the  wall  of  division  betwixt 
us?  I shall  therefore  hold  communion  with 
such — 

First.  Because  the  true  visible  saint  hath 
already  subjected  to  that  which  is  better,  even 
to  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ,  by  which  he  stands  just  before 
God;  he  also  hath  made  the  most  exact  and 
strict  rule  under  heaven,  that  whereby  he 
squares  his  life  before  men.  He  hath  like 
precious  frith  with  the  best  of  saints,  and  a 
conversation  according  to  light  received,  be- 
coming the  Gospel  of  Christ;  he  is  therefore 
to  be  received — received  I say,  not  by  thy  light, 
not  for  that  in  circumstances  he  jumpeth  with 
thy  opinion,  but  according  to  his  own  faith, 
which  he  ought  to  keep  to  himself  before  God. 
‘‘Conscience,  I say,  not  thine  own,  but  of  the 
other;  for  why  is  my  liberty  judged  by  an- 
other man’s  conscience?”  Some  indeed  do 
object  that  what  the  apostles  wrote  they  wrote 
to  gathered  churches,  and  so  to  such  as  were 
baptized,  and  therefore  the  arguments  that 
are  in  the  epistles  about  things  circumstantial 
respect  not  the  case  in  hand.  But  I will  tell 
such  as  to  the  first  part  of  their  objection  they 
are  utterly  under  a mistake.  The  first  to  the 
Corinthians,  the  epistle  of  James,  both  them 
of  Peter,  and  the  first  epistle  of  John  were 
expressly  written  to  all  the  godly,  as  well  as 
particular  churches.  Again,  if  water  baptism, 
as  the  circumstances  with  which  the  churches 
were  pestered  of  old,  trouble  their  peace, 
wound  the  consciences  of  the  godly,  dismem- 
ber and  break  their  fellowship,  it  is,  although 
an  ordinance,  for  the  present  to  be  prudently 
53 


shunned;  for  the  edification  of  the  Church, 
as  I shall  show  anon,  is  to  be  preferred  before 
it. 

Secondly,  and  observe  it.  “ One  Spirit,  one 
hope,  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  (not 
of  water,  for  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  baptized 
into  one  body,)  one  God  and  Father  of  all, 
who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  all,” 
is  a sufficient  rule  for  us  to  hold  communion 
by,  and  also  to  endeavour  the  maintaining  that 
communion,  and  to  keep  it  in  unity  within  the 
bond  of  peace  against  all  attempts  whatsoever. 
Eph.  iv.  1,  6 ; Cor.  xii.  16. 

Thirdly.  I am  bold  therefore  to  have  com- 
munion with  such  (Heb.  vi.  2)  because  they 
also  have  the  doctrine  of  baptisms.  I say  the 
doctrine  of  them ; for  here  you  must  note  I 
distinguish  between  the  doctrine  and  practice 
of  water  baptism— the  doctrine  being  that 
which  by  the  outward  sign  is  presented  to  us, 
or  which  by  the  outward  circumstances  of  the 
act  is  preached  to  the  believer,  viz.:  ‘‘The 
death  of  Christ,  my  death  with  Christ;  also 
his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  mine  with 
him  to  newness  of  life.”  This  is  the  doctriiie 
which  baptism  preacheth,  or  that  which  by 
the  outward  action  is  signified  to  the  believing 
receiver.  Now,  I say,  he  that  believeth  in 
Jesus  Christ,  that  richer  and  better  than  that, 
viz.,  is  dead  to  sin,  and  that  lives  to  God  by 
him,  he  hath  the  heart,  power,  and  doctrine  of 
baptism ; all  then  that  he  wanteth  is  but  the 
sign,  the  shadow,  or  the  outward  circumstances 
thereof ; nor  yet  is  that  despised,  hut  forborne 
for  want  of  light.  The  best  of  baptisms  he 
hath;  he  is  baptized  by  that  one  Spirit;  he 
hath  the  heart  of  water  baptism  ; he  wanteth 
only  the  outward  show,  which,  if  he  had, 
would  not  prove  him  a truly  visible  saint;  it 
would  not  tell  me  he  had  grace  in  his  heart; 
it  is  no  characteristic  note  to  another  of  my 
sonship  with  God.  Indeed  it  is  a sign  to  the 
person  baptized  and  an  help  to  his  own  faith : 
he  should  know  by  that  circumstance  that  he 
hath  received  remission  of  sins,  if  his  faith  be 
as  true  as  his  being  baptized  is  felt  by  him. 
But  if  for  want  of  light  he  partake  not  of  that 
sign,  his  faith  can  see  it  in  other  things,  ex- 
ceeding great  and  precious  promises.  Yea,  as 
I also  have  hinted  already,  if  he  appear  not  a 
brother  before,  he  appeareth  not  a brother  by 
that ; and  those  that  shall  content  themselves 
to  make  that  the  note  of  visible  church  mem- 
bership, I doubt  make  things  not  much  better 
the  note  of  their  sonship  with  God. 

Fourthly.  I am  bold  to  bold  communion 


834 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


with  visible  saints  as  afore,  because  God  hath 
communion  with  them,  whose  example  in  the 
case  we  are  straightly  commanded  to  follow: 
“Receive  ye  one  another,  as  Christ  hath  re- 
ceived you,  (saith  Paul,)  to  the  glory  of  God.” 
Yea,  though  they  be  saints  of  opinions  con- 
trary to  you,  though  it  goeth  against  the  mind 
of  them  that  are  strong,  “ We  that  are  strong 
ought  to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and 
not  to  please  ourselves.”  What  infirmities? 
Those  that  are  natural  are  incident  to  all ; 
they  are  infirmities  then  that  are  sinful,  that 
cause  a man  for  want  of  light  to  err  in  circum- 
stantials. And  the  reason  upon  which  he 
grounds  this  admonition  is,  “that  Christ 
pleased  not  himself;  but  as  it  is  written,  The 
reproaches  of  them  that  reproached  thee  have 
fallen  upon  me.”  You  say,  to  have  commu- 
nion with  such  weak  brethren  reproacheth 
your  opinions  and  practice.  Grant  it;  your 
dulness,  and  deadness,  and  imperfections  also 
reproach  the  holiness  of  God.  If  you  say, 
No,  for  Christ  hath  born  our  sins,  the  answer 
is  still  the  same,  Their  sins  algo  are  fallen  upon 
Christ.  He,  then,  that  hath  taken  away  thy 
sins  from  before  the  throne  of  God  hath  taken 
away  their  shortness  in  conformity  to  an  out- 
ward circumstance  in  religion.  Both  your 
infirmities  are  fallen  upon  Christ;  yea,  if  not- 
withstanding thy  great  sins,  thou  standest  by 
Christ  complete  before  the  throne  of  God,  why 
may  not  thy  brother,  notwithstanding  his  lit- 
tle ones,  stand  complete  before  thee  in  the 
Church  ? 

Yain  man!  think  not  by  the  straitness  of 
thine  order  in  outward  and  bodily  conformity 
to  outward  and  shadowish  circumstances  that 
thy  peace  is  maintained  with  God ; for  peace 
with  God  is  by  faith  in  the  blood  of  His  cross 
who  hath  borne  the  reproaches  of  you  both. 
Wherefore  he  that  hath  communion  with  God 
for  Christ’s  sake  is  as  good  and  as  worthy  of 
the  communion  of  saints  as  thyself.  He  erreth 
in  a circumstance,  thou  errest  in  a substance. 
Who  must  bear  these  errors?  Upon  whom 
must  these  reproaches  fall  ? Some  of  the  things 
of  God  that  are  excellent  have  not  been  ap- 
proved by  some  of  the  saints.  What  then  ? 
Must  these  for  this  be  cast  out  of  the  Church? 
No;  these  reproaches  by  which  the  wisdom  of 
heaven  is  reproached  have  fallen  upon  me, 
saith  Christ.  But  to  return:  God  hath  received 
him,  Christ  hath  received  him,  therefore  do 
you  receive  him.  There  is  more  solidity  in 
this  argument  than  if  all  the  churches  of  God 
had  received  him.  This  receiving,  then,  be- 


cause it  is  set  an  example  to  the  Church,  is 
such  as  must  needs  be  visible  to  tliem,  and  is 
best  described  by  that  word  which  discovereth 
the  visible  saint.  Whoso,  therefore,  you  can, 
by  the  word,  judge  a visible  saint,  one  that 
walketh  wfith  God,  you  may  judge  by  the  self- 
same word  that  God  hath  received  him.  Now, 
him  that  God  receiveth  and  holdetli  commu- 
nion with,  him  you  should  receive  and  hold 
communion  with.  Will  any  say,  We  cannot 
believe  that  God  hath  received  any  but  such 
as  are  baptized?  I will  not  suppose  a brother 
so  stupefied,  and  therefore  to  that  I will  not 
answer. 

“ Receive  him  to  the  glory  of  God.”  “ To 
the  glory  of  God ” is  put  in  on  purpose  to  show 
what  dishonour  they  bring  to  God  who  despise 
to  have  communion  with  them  who  yet  they 
know  have  communion  with  God.  For  how  doth 
this  man  or  that  Church  glorify  God  or  count 
the  wisdom  and  holiness  of  heaven  beyond 
them,  when  they  refuse  communion  with  them 
concerning  whom  they  are  by  the  word  con- 
vinced that  they  have  communion  with  God? 

“Now  the  God  of  patience  and  consolation 
grant  you  to  be  like-minded  one  towards 
another,  according  to  Christ  Jesus.”  By  this 
word  “patience”  Paul  insinuateth  how  many 
imperfections  the  choicest  Christians  do  mingle 
their  best  performances  with,  and  by  this  of 
“consolation,”  how  readily  God  overlooks, 
passeth  by  them,  and  comforteth  you,  notwith- 
standing. Now,  that  this  mind  should  be  in 
Christians  one  to  another  is  manifest,  because 
Paul  prays  that  it  might  be  so.  But  this  is  an 
heavenly  gift,  and  therefore  must  be  fetched 
from  thence.  But  let  the  patience  of  God,  and 
the  willingness  of  Christ  to  bear  the  reproaches 
of  the  weak,  and  the  consolations  that  they 
have  in  God,  notwithstanding,  moderate  your 
passions,  and  put  you  upon  prayer  to  be  minded 
like  Jesus  Christ. 

Fifthly.  Because  a failure  in  such  a circum- 
stance as  water  doth  not  unchristian  us.  This 
must  needs  be  granted,  not  only  from  what 
wras  said  before,  but  for  that  thousands  of  thou- 
sands that  could  not  consent  thereto  as  wo 
have,  more  gloriously  than  we  are  like  to  do, 
acquitted  themselves  and  their  Christianity  be- 
fore men,  and  are  now  with  the  innumerable 
company  of  angels  and  the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect.  What  is  said  of  eating,  or  the 
contrary,  may,  as  to  this,  be  said  of  water  bap- 
tism. Neither  if  I be  baptized,  am  I the  better ; 
neither  if  I be  not,  am  I the  worse — not  the 
better  before  God,  not  the  worse  before  men ; 


A REASON  OF  MY  PRACTrCE  IN  WO  RSI  TIP. 


835 


still  meaning  as  Paul  doth,  provided  I walk 
according  to  my  light  with  God;  otherwise  it 
is  false ; for  if  a man  that  seetli  it  to  be  his 
duty  shall  despisiiigly  neglect  it,  or  if  he  that 
hath  no  faith  therein  shall  foolishly  tako  it  up, 
both  these  are  for  this  the  worse,  being  con- 
victed in  themselves  for  transgressors.  He 
therefore  that  doth  it  according  to  his  light 
doth  well ; and  he  that  doth  it  not,  or  dare  not 
do  it  for  want  of  light,  doth  not  ill ; for  he  ap- 
proveth  his  heart  to  be  sincere  with  God ; he 
dare  not  do  any  thing  but  by  light  in  the  word. 
If  therefore  he  be  not  by  grace  a partaker  of 
light  in  that  circumstance  which  thou  pro- 
fessest,  yet  he  is  a partaker  of  that  liberty  and 
mercy  by  which  thou  standest.  He  hath  lib- 
erty to  call  God  Father,  as  thou,  and  to  believe 
he  shall  be  saved  by  Jesus ; his  faith,  as  thine, 
hath  purified  his  heart ; he  is  tender  of  the 
glory  of  God  as  thou  art,  and  can  claim  by 
grace  an  interest  in  heaven,  which  thou  must 
not  do  because  of  water ; ye  are  both,  then, 
Christians  before  God,  and  men  without  it: 
he  that  can,  let  him  preach  to  himself  by  that; 
he  that  cannot,  let  him  preach  to  himself  by 
the  promises ; but  yet  let  us  rejoice  in  God  to- 
gether, let  us  exalt  his  name  together.  Indeed, 
the  baptized  can  thank  God  for  that  for  which 
another  cannot;  but  may  not  he  that  is  unbap- 
tized thank  God  for  that  which  the  baptized 
cannot?  Wouldst  thou  be  content  that  I 
should  judge  thee  because  thou  canst  not  for 
my  light  give  thanks  with  me?  Why,  then, 
should  he  judge  me  for  that  I cannot  give 
thanks  with  him  for  his?  “Let  us  not 
therefore  judge  one  another  any  more;  hut 
judge  this  rather,  that  no  man  put  a stumb- 
ling-block or  occasion  of  offence  in  his  broth- 
er’s way.”  And  seeing  the  things  wherein  we 
exceed  each  other  are  such  as  neither  make 
nor  mar  Christianity,  let  us  love  one  another, 
and  walk  together  by  that  glorious  rule  above 
specified,  leaving  each  other  in  all  such  cir- 
cumstances to  our  own  Master,  to  our  own 
own  faith.  “ Who  art  thou  that  judgest 
another  man’s  servant?  To  his  own  master 
he  standeth  or  falleth : yea,  he  shall  be  holden 
up,  for  God  is  able  to  make  him  stand.” 
Sixthly.  I am  therefore  for  holding  commu- 
nion thus,  because  the  edification  of  souls  in 
the  faith  and  holiness  of  the  Gospel  is  of 
greater  doucernment  than  an  agreement  in  out- 
ward things:  I say,  it  is  of  greater  concern- 
ment with  us,  and  of  far  more  profit  to  our 
brother,  than  our  agreeing  in  or  contesting  for 
the  business  of  water  baptism.  That  the  edi- 


fication of  the  soul  is  of  the  greatest  concern 
is  out  of  measure  evident,  because  heaven  and 
eternal  happiness  are  so  immediately  con- 
cerned therein.  Besides,  this  is  that  for  which 
Christ  died,  for  which  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
given,  yea,  for  which  the  Scriptures  and  the 
gifts  of  all  the  godly  are  given  to  the  Church  ; 
yea,  and  if  gifts  are  not  bent  to  this  very  work, 
the  persons  are  said  to  be  proud  or  uncharitable 
that  have  them,  and  stand  but  for  ciphers,  or 
worse,  among  the  churches  of  God.  Further, 
edification  is  that  that  cherisheth  all  grace, 
and  maketli  the  Christian  quick  and  lively, 
and  maketh  sin  lean  and  dwindling,  and  filleth 
the  mouth  with  thanksgiving  to  God.  But  to 
contest  with  gracious  men,  with  men  that  walk 
with  God,  to  shut  such  out  of  the  churches  be- 
cause they  will  not  sin  against  their  souls,  ren- 
dereth  thee  uncharitable.  Thou  seekest  to 
destroy  the  word  of  God  ; thou  begettest  con- 
tentions, janglings,  murmurings,  and  evil-sur- 
misings ; thou  ministerest  occasion  for  whis- 
perings, backbitings,  slanders  and  the  like, 
rather  than  godly  edifying,  contrary  to  the 
whole  current  of  the  Scriptures  and  peace  of 
all  communities.  Let  us,  therefore,  leave  off 
these  contentions,  and  follow  after  things  that 
make  for  peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may 
edify  another.  And  know  that  the  edification 
of  the  Church  of  God  dependeth  not  upon, 
neither  is  tied  to,  this  or  that  circumstance. 
Especially  when  there  are  in  the  hearts  of  the 
godly  different  persuasions  about  it,  then  it  be- 
cometh  them,  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  to  take 
more  care  for  their  peace  and  unity  than  to 
widen  or  make  large  their  uncomfortable  dif- 
ferences. 

Although  Aaron  transgressed  the  law  be- 
cause he  ate  not  the  sin-offering  of  the  people, 
yet  seeing  he  could  not  do  it  with  satisfaction 
to  his  own  conscience,  Moses  was  content  that 
he  left  it  undone.  Lev.  x.  16-20. 

Joshua  was  so  zealous  against  Eldad  and 
Medad  for  prophesying  in  the  camp,  without 
first  going  to  the  Lord  to  the  door  of  the  tab- 
ernacle, as  they  were  commanded,  that  he  de- 
sired Moses  to  forbid  them,  (Nuin.  xi.  16- 
26;)  but  Moses  calls  his  zeal  envy,  and  prays 
to  God  for  more  such  prophets,  knowing  that, 
although  they  failed  in  a circumstance,  they 
were  right  in  that  which  was  better.  The  edi- 
fication of  the  people  in  the  camp  was  that 
which  pleased  Moses. 

In  Hezekiah’s  time,  though  the  people  came 
to  the  passover  in  an  undue  manner,  and  did 
eat  it  otherwise  than  it  was  written,  yet  the 


836 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


wise  king  would  not  forbid  them,  but  rather 
admitted  it,  knowing  that  their  edification 
was  of  greater  concern  than  to  hold  them  to  a 
circumstance  or  two.  2 Chron.  xxx.  13-27. 
Yea,  God  himself  did  like  the  wisdom  of  the 
king,  and  healed — that  is,  forgave — the  people 
at  the  prayer  of  Hezekiah.  And  observe  it, 
notwithstanding  this  disorder  as  to  circum- 
stances, the  feast  was'  kept  with  great  glad- 
ness, and  the  Levites  and  priests  praised  the 
Lord  day  by  day,  singing  with  loud  instru- 
ments unto  the  Lord ; yea,  there  was  not  the 
like  joy  in  Jerusalem  from  the  time  of  Solo- 
mon unto  that  same  time.  What  shall  we 
say?  All  things  must  give  place  to  the  profit 
of  the  people  of  God,  yea,  sometimes  laws 
themselves  for  their  outward  preservation, 
much  more  for  godly  edifying.  When  Christ’s 
disciples  plucked  the  ears  of  corn  on  the  sab- 
bath, no  doubt  for  very  hunger,  and  were  re- 
buked by  the  Pharisees  for  it,  as  for  that 
which  was  unlawful,  how  did  their  Lord  suc- 
cour them  ? By  excusing  them  and  rebuking 
their  adversaries:  “Have  ye  not  read  (said  he) 
what  David  did  when  he  was  an  hungered, 
and  they  that  were  with  him— how  he  entered 
into  the  house  of  God,  and  did  eat  the  shew- 
bread,  which  was  not  lawful  for  him  to  eat, 
neither  for  them  that  were  with  him,  but  for 
the  priests  only?  Or  have  ye  not  read  in  the 
law  how  that  on  the  sabbath-day  the  priests 
in  the  temple  profaned  the  sabbath,  and  were 
blameless?”  Why  blameless?  Because  they 
did  it  in  order  to  the  edification  of  the  people. 
If  laws  and  ordinances  of  old  have  been  broken, 
and  the  breach  of  them  borne  with  (when  yet 
the  observance  of  outward  things  were  more 
strictly  commanded  than  now)  when  the  profit 
and  edification  of  the  people  came  in  competi- 
tion, how  much  more  may  not  we  have  com- 
munion, church  communion,  where  no  law  is 
transgressed  thereby ! 

Seventhly.  Therefore  I am  for  holding  com- 
munion thus,  because  love,  which,  above  all 
things  we  are  commanded  to  put  on,  is  of 
much  more  worth  than  to  break  about  baptism. 
Love  is  also  more  discovered  when  it  receiveth 
for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  grace  than  when  it 
refuseth  for  want  of  water.  And  observe  it,  as 
I have  also  said  before,  this  exhortation  to 
love  is  grounded  upon  the  putting  on  of  the 
new  creature,  which  new  creature  hath  swal- 
lowed up  all  distinctions  that  have  before  been 
common  among  the  churches.  As  I am  a Jew, 
you  are  a Greek;  I am  circumcised,  you  are 
not ; T am  free,  you  are  bound,  because  Christ 


was  all  in  all  these:  “Put  on  therefore,  (saith 
he,)  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved, 
bowels  of  mercy,  kindness,  humbleness  of 
mind,  long-suffering,  (that  is,  with  reference 
to  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,)  forbearing  one 
with  another  and  forgiving  one  another.  If 
any  man  have  a quarrel  against  any,  even  as 
Christ  forgave  you,  so.  also  do  ye  ; and,  above 
all  things,  put  on  charity,  which  is  the  bond 
of  perfectness  which  forbearing  and  forgiv- 
ing respecteth  not  only  private  and  personal 
injuries,  but  also  errors  in  judgment  about  in- 
clinations and  distinctions,  tending  to  divis- 
ions and  separating  upon  the  grounds  laid 
down,  which,  how  little  soever  they  now  seem 
to  us  who  are  beyond  them,  were  strong  a.nd 
of  weight  to  them  who  in  that  day  were  en- 
tangled with  them.  Some  saints  then  were 
not  free  to  preach  to  any  but  the  Jews,  deny- 
ing the  word  of  life  to  the  Gentiles,  and  con- 
tending with  them  who  proffered  it  to  them ; 
which  was  a greater  error  than  this  of  bap- 
tism. But  what  should  we  do  with  such  kind 
of  saints?  Why,  love  them  still,  forgive  them, 
bear  with  them,  and  maintain  church  commu- 
nion with  them.  Why  ? Because  they  are 
new  creatures,  because  they  are  Christ’s,  for 
these  swallow  up  all  distinctions;  further,  be- 
cause they  are  elect  and  beloved  of  God. 
Divisions  and  distinctions  are  of  a shorter 
date  of  election.  Let  not  them,  therefore, 
that  are  but  momentary  and  hatched  in  dark- 
ness break  that  bond  that  is  from  everlasting. 
It  is  love,  not  baptism,  that  discovereth  us  to 
the  world  to  be  Christ’s  disciples.  It  is  love 
that  is  the  undoubted  character  of  our  interest 
in  and  sonship  with  God ; I mean,  when  we 
love  as  saints  and  desire  communion  with 
others  because  they  have  fellowship  one  with 
another  in  their  fellowship  with  God  the 
Father  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  And  now, 
though  the  truth  and  sincerity  of  our  love  to 
God  be  then  discovered  when  we  keep  his 
commandments  in  love  to  his  name,  yet  we 
should  remember  again  that  the  two  head 
and  chief  commandments  are,  faith  in  Jesus 
and  love  to  the  brethren.  So,  then,  he  that 
pretendeth  to  love,  and  yet  seeks  not  the 
profit  of  his  brother  in  chief,  he  loveth,  but 
they  are  his  own  opinions  and  froward  notions. 
“ Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,”  but  he  ful- 
fils it  not  who  judgeth  and  setteth  at  naught 
his  brother,  who  stumbleth,  offendeth,  and 
maketh  weak  his  brother ; and  all  for  the 
sake  of  a circumstance — that  to  which  he  can- 
not consent  except  he  sin  against  his  own 


A REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


837 


Boul,  or,  papist-like,  live  by  an  implicit  faith. 
Love,  therefore,  is  sometimes  more  seen  and 
showed  in  forbearing  to  urge  and  press  what 
we  know  than  in  publishing  and  imposing. 
“ I could  not,”  saitli  Paul — love  would  not  let 
me — “speak  unto  you  as  unto  spiritual,  but  as 
unto  carnal,  even  as  unto  babes  in  Christ;  I 
have  fed  you  with  milk,  and  not  with  strong 
meat;  for  hitherto  you  have  not  been  able  to 
bear  it,  neither  yet  now  are  you  able.” 

The  .apostle  considered  not  only  the  know- 
ledge that  he  had  in  the  mysteries  of  Christ, 
but  the  temper,  the  growth,  and  strength  of 
the  churches,  and  accordingly  kept  back  or 
communicated  to  them  what  might  be  their 
profit.  So  Christ:  “I  have  many  things  to 
say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now.” 
It  may  be  some  will  count  these  old  and 
threadbare  texts,  but  such  must  know  that  the 
word  of  the  Lord  must  stand  for  ever.  And  I 
should  dare  to  say  to  such,  If  the  best  of  thy 
new  shifts  be  to  slight  and  abuse  old  Scrip- 
tures, it  shows  thou  art  more  fond  of  thy  un- 
warrantable opinion  than  swift  to  hear  and 
ready  to  yield  to  the  authority  that  is  infalli- 
ble. But  to  conclude  this : when  we  attempt 
to  force  our  brother  beyond  his  light  or  to 
break  his  heart  with  grief,  to  thrust  him  be- 
yond his  faith  or  to  bar  him  from  his  privilege, 
how  can  we  say,  I love?  What  shall  I say? 
To  have  fellowship  one  with  another  for  the 
sake  of  an  outward  circumstance,  or  to  make 
that  the  door  to  fellowship  which  God  hath 
not — yea,  to  make  that  the  including,  excluding 
charter,  the  bounds,  bar,  and  rule  of  com- 
munion, when  by  the  word  of  the  everlasting 
testament  there  is  no  warrant  for  it — to  speak 
charitably,  if  it  be  not  for  want  of  love  it  is  for 
want  of  knowledge  in  the  mysteries  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.  Strange!  Take  two 
Christians  equal  in  all  points  but  this,  nay, 
let  one  go  beyond  the  other  far  for  grace  and 
holiness — yet  this  circumstance  of  water  shall 
drown  and  sweep  away  all  his  excellencies, 
not  counting  him  worthy  of  that  reception  that 
with  hand  and  heart  shall  be  given  a novice 
in  religion  because  he  consents  to  water. 

Eighthly.  But  for  God's  people  to  divide 
into  parties,  or  to  shut  each  other  from  church 
communion,  though  from  greater  points  and 
upon  higher  pretences  than  this  of  water  bap- 
tism, hath  heretofore  been  counted  carnal  and 
the  actors  herein  babyish  Christians.  Paul 
and  Apollos,  Cephas  and  Christ  were  doubt- 
less higher  things  than  those  about  which  we 
contend,  yet  when  they  made  divisions  for 


them  how  sharply  are  they  rebuked!  Are  ye 
not  carnal,  carnal,  carnal?  For  whereas 
there  are  among  you  envyings,  strife,  divis- 
ions, or  factions,  are  ye  not  carnal?  1 Cor.  i. 
11,  12,  and  iii.  1,  2,  3,  4.  While  one  saith,  I 
am  of  Paul,  and  another,  I am  of  Apollos,  arq 
ye  not  carnal?  See  therefore  from  whence 
arise  all  thy  endeavours,  zeal,  and  labour  to 
accomplish  divisions  among  the  godly.  Let 
Paul,  or  Cephas,  or  Christ  himself  be  the  bur- 
den of  thy  song,  yet  the  heart  from  whence 
they  flow  is  carnal,  and  thy  actions  discoveries 
of  childishness.  But  doubtless,  when  these 
contentions  were  among  the  Corinthians,  and 
one  man  vilified  that  another  might  be  pro- 
moted, a lift  with  a carnal  brother  was  thought 
great  wisdom  to  widen  the  breach.  But  why 
should  he  be  rebuked  that  said  he  was  for 
Christ?  Because  he  was  for  him  in  opposition 
to  his  holy  apostles.  Hence  he  saith,  Is  Christ 
divided  or  separate  from  his  servants?  Note, 
therefore,  that  these  divisions  are  deserted  by 
the  persons  the  divisions  were  made  about ; 
neither  Paul,  nor  Apollos,  nor  Cephas,  nor 
Christ  is  here.  Let  the  cry  be  never  so  loud, 
Christ,  Order,  The  rule,  The  command,  or  the 
like,  carnality  is  at  the  bottom,  and  they  are 
but  babes  that  do  it;  their  zeal  is  but  a puff. 
1 Cor.  iv.  6.  And  observe  it,  the  great  divis- 
ion at  Corinth  was  helped  forward  by  water 
baptism.  This  the  apostle  intimates  by, 
“ Were  ye  baptized  in  the  name  of  Paul  ?” 
Ah,  brethren  ! carnal  Christians,  with  outward 
circumstances,  will,  if  they  be  let  alone,  make 
sad  work  in  the  churches  of  Christ  against  the 
spiritual  growth  of  the  same.  “ But  I thank 
God  (saith  Paul)  that  I baptized  none  of  you,” 
&c.  Not  but  that  it  was  then  an  ordinance  of 
God,  but  they  abused  it  in  making  parties 
thereby.  “ I baptized  none  of  you  but  Crispus 
and  Gaius,  and  the  household  of  Stephanas;” 
men  of  note  among  the  brethren,  men  of  good 
judgment,  and  reverenced  by  the  rest;  they 
can  tell  you  I intended  not  to  make  a party  to 
myself  thereby.  “ Besides,  I know  not  whether 
I baptized  any  other.”  By  this  negligent  re- 
lating of  whom  were  baptized  by  him  he 
showeth  that  he  made  no  such  matter  of  bap 
tism  as  some  in  these  days  do ; nay,  that  he 
made  no  matter  at  all  thereof  with  respect  to 
church  communion ; for  if  he  did  not  heed 
who  himself  had  baptized,  he  much  less  heeded 
who  were  baptized  by  others.  But  if  baptism 
had  been  the  initiating  or  entering  ordinance, 
and  so  appointed  of  God,  no  doubt  he  had 
made  more  conscience  thereof  than  so  lightly 


838 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


to  pass  it  over.  “For  Christ  sent  me  not  to 
baptize,  but  to  preach  the  Gospel.”  The 
Gospel  then  may  be  effectually  preached,  and 
yet  baptism  neither  administered  nor  men- 
tioned— the  Gospel  being  good  tidings  to  sin- 
ners upon  the  account  of  free  grace  through 
Christ;  but  baptism,  with  things  of  like  na- 
ture, are  duties  enjoined  such  a people  who 
received  the  Gospel  before.  I speak  not  this 
because  I would  teach  men  to  break  the  least 
of  the  commandments  of  God,  but  to  persuade 
my  brethren  of  the  baptized  way  not  to  hold 
too  much  thereupon,  not  to  make  it  an  essen- 
ti  tl  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  nor  yet  of  com- 
munion of  saints.  “ He  sent  me  not  to  baptize.” 
These  words  are  spoken  with  a holy  indigna- 
tion against  them  that  abuse  this  ordinance  of 
Christ.  So,  when  he  speaketh  of  the  ministers 
themselves,  which  also  they  had  abused,,  in 
his  speaking  he  as  it  were  trampled  upon  them 
as  if  they  were  nothing  at  all : “Who  then  is 
Paul  ? And  who  is  Apollos  ? He  that  plant- 
eth  is  not  anything,  neither  is  he  that  watereth, 
but  God  that  giveth  the  increase.”  Yet  for  all 
this  the  ministers  and  their  ministry  are  a 
glorious  appointment  of  God  in  the  world. 
Baptism  also  is  a holy  ordinance ; but  when 
Satan  abuseth  it  and  wrenclieth  it  out  of  its 
place,  making  that  which  was  ordained  of  God 
for  the  edification  of  believers  the  only  weapon 
to  break  in  pieces  the  love,  the  unity,  the  con- 
cord of  saints,  then  what  is  baptism?  then 
neither  is  baptism  any  thing.  And  this  is  no 
new  doctrine ; for  God,  by  the  mouth  of  his 
prophets  of  old,  cried  out  against  his  own  in- 
stitutions when  abused  by  his  people:  “To 
what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacri- 
fices to  me?  saith  the  Lord:  I am  full  of 
burnt-offerings  of  rams  and  the  fat  of  fed 
beasts : I delight  not  in  the  blood  of  bullocks, 
or  of  lambs,  or  of  h e-goats.  When  you  come 
to  appear  before  me,  who  hath  required  these 
things  at  your  hands  to  tread  my  courts  ? 
Bring  no  more  vain  oblations;  incense  is  an 
abomination  to  me ; the  new  moons  and  the 
sabbaths  and  the  calling  of  assemblies  I can- 
not away  with  ; it  is  iniquity,  even  the  solemn 
meeting.  Your  new  moons  and  your  ap- 
pointed feasts  my  soul  hateth ; they  are  a 
trouble  unto  me;  I am  even  weary  to  bear 
them.”  And  yet  all  these  were  his  own  ap- 
pointments. But  why  then  did  he  thus  abhor 
them?  Because  they  retained  the  evil  of  their 
doings,  and  used  them  as  they  did  other  of  his 
appointments — viz.,  for  strife  and  debate,  and 
to  strike  with  the  fist  of  wickedness.  Isa.  lviii. 


4.  Wherefore  when  that  of  God  that  is  great 
is  overweighed  by  that  which  is  small,  it  is  the 
wisdom  of  them  that  see  it  to  put  a load  to  the 
other  end  of  the  scale,  until  the  things  thus 
abused  poise  in  their  own  place.  But  to  pass 
this  and  proceed. 

Ninthly.  If  we  shall  reject  visible  saints  by 
calling,  saints  that  have  communion  with  God, 
that  have  received  the  law  at  the  hand  of 
Christ,  that  are  of  holy  conversation  among 
men,  they  desiring  to  have  communion  with 
us,  as  much  as  in  us  lieth  we  take  from  them 
their  very  privilege  and  the  blessings  to  which 
they  are  born  of  God.  For  Paul  saith,  not 
only  to  the  gathered  Church  at  Corinth,  but  to 
all  scattered  saints  that  in  every  place  call 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  “ That  Jesus 
Christ  is  theirs,  that  Paul  and  Apollos,  and 
the  world,  and  life,  and  death,  and  all  things 
are  theirs,”  because  they  are  Christ’s  and 
Christ  is  God’s.  “ But  (saith  he)  let  no  man 
glory  in  men,”  such  as  Paul  and  Cephas, 
though  these  were  excellent,  because  this  priv- 
ilege comes  to  you  upon  another  bottom,  even 
by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ.  “ Drink  ye  all  of 
this”  is  entailed  to  faith,  not  baptism.  Nay, 
baptized  persons  may  yet  be  excluded  this 
when  he  that  discerncth  the  Lord’s  body  hath 
right  and  privilege  to  it.  1 Cor.  xi.  28,  29.  But 
to  exclude  Christians  from  church  communion, 
and  to  debar  them  their  heaven-born  priv- 
ileges, for  the  want  of  that  which  yet  God 
never  made  a wall  of  division  between  us— 

1.  This  looks  too  like  a spirit  of  persecution. 

2.  It  respecteth  more  a form  than  the  spirit 
and  power  of  godliness. 

3.  This  is  to  make  laws  where  God  hath 
made  none,  and  to  be  wise  above  Avhat  is  writ- 
ten, contrary  to  God’s  word  and  our  own  prin- 
ciples. 

4.  It  is  a directing  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

5.  It  bindeth  all  men’s  faith  and  light  to 
mine  opinion. 

6.  It  taketh  away  the  children’s  bread. 

7.  It  withlioldeth  from  them  the  increase  of 
faith. 

8.  It  tendeth  to  harden  the  hearts  of  the 
wicked. 

9.  It  tendeth  to  make  wicked  the  hearts  of 
weak  Christians. 

10.  It  setteth  open  a door  to  all  temptations. 

11.  It  tempteth  the  devil  to  fall  upon  those 
that  are  alone  and  have  none  to  help  them. 

12.  It  is  the  nursery  of  all  vain  janglings, 
backbitings,  and  strangeness  among  the  Chris- 
tians. 


A REASON  OF  31 Y PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


830 


13.  It  occ.asionetli  the  world  to  reproach  us. 

14.  It  holdeth  staggering  consciences  in 
doubt  of  the  right  way  of  the  Lord. 

15.  It  givcth  occasion  to  many  to  turn  aside 
to  most  dangerous  heresies. 

16.  It  abuseth  the  Holy  Scriptures ; it  wrest- 
eth  God’s  ordinances  out  of  their  place. 

17.  It  is  a prop  to  Antichrist. 

18.  Shall  I add,  is  it  not  that  which  greatly 
prevailed  to  bring  down  those  judgments  which 
at  present  we  feel  and  groan  under?  I will 
dare  to  say  it  was  the  cause  thereof. 

Tenthly,  and  lastly.  Bear  with  one  word 
farther.  What  greater  contempt  can  be  thrown 
upon  the  saints  than  for  their  brethren  to  cast 
them  off  or  to  debar  them  church  communion? 
Think  you  not  that  the  world  may  groundly 
say,  “ Some  great  iniquity  lies  hid  in  the  skirts 
of  your  brethren,”  when  in  truth  the  trans- 
gression is  yet  your  own?  But  I say,  what 
cau  the  Church  do  more  to  the  sinners  or 
open  profane?  Civil  commerce  you  will  have 
with  the  worst,  and  what  more  will  you  have 
with  these?  Perhaps  you  will  say,  “We  can 
pray  and  preach  with  these,  and  hold  them 
Christians,  saints,  and  godly.”  Well,  but  let 
me  ask  you  one  word  farther : Do  you  believe 
that,  of  very  conscience,  they  cannot  consent, 
as  you,  to  that  of  water  baptism,  and  that  if 
they  had  light  therein,  they  would  as  willingly 
do  it  as  you?  Why  then,  as  I have  showed 
you,  our  refusal  to  hold  communion  with  them 
is  without  a ground  from  the  word  of  God. 

But  can  you  commit  your  soul  to  their  min- 
istry and  join  with  them  in  prayer,  and  yet  not 
count  them  meet  for  other  Gospel  privileges? 
I would  know  by  what  Scripture  you  do  it. 
Perhaps  you  will  say,  I commit  not  my  soul  to 
their  ministry,  only  hear  them  occasionally  for 
trial.  If  this  be  all  the  respect  thou  hast  for 
them  and  their  ministry,  thou  mayest  have  as 
much  for  the  worst  that  pissetli  against  the 
wall.  But  if  thou  canst  hear  them  as  God’s 
ministers,  and  sit  under  their  ministry  as  God’s 
ordinance,  then  show  me  where  God  hath  such 
a Gospel  ministry  as  that  the  persons  minis- 
tering may  not,  though  desiring  it,  be  admitted 
with  you  to  the  closest  communion  of  saints. 
But  if  thou  sittest  under  their  ministry  for 
fleshly,  politic  ends,  thou  liearest  the  word  like 
an  atheist,  and  art  thyself,  while  thou  judgest 
thy  brother,  in  the  practice  of  the  worst  of  men. 
But  I say,  where  do  you  find  this  piecemeal 
communion  with  men  that  profess  faith  and 
holiness  as  you  and  separation  from  the  world? 

If  you  object  that  my  principles  lead  me  to 


have  communion  with  all,  I answer,  With  all, 
as  afore  described,  if  they  will  have  commu- 
nion with  me. 

Objection.  Then  you  may  have  communion 
with  the  members  of  Antichrist? 

Answer.  If  there  be  a visible  saint  yet  re- 
maining in  that  Church,  let  him  come  to  us 
and  we  will  have  communion  with  him. 

Question.  What!  though  he  yet  stand  a mem- 
ber of  that  sinful  number  and  profess  himself 
one  of  them  ? 

Answer.  You  suppose  an  impossibility;  for 
it  cannot  be  that  at  the  same  time  a man 
should  visibly  stand  a member  of  two  bodies 
diametrically  opposite  one  to  another.  Where- 
fore it  must  be  supposed  that  he  who  pro- 
fesseth  himself  a member  of  a Church  of 
Christ  must  forthwith,  nay  before,  forsake  the 
antichristian  one.  The  which,  if  he  refuseth 
to  do,  it  is  evident  he  doth  not  sincerely  de- 
sire to  have  fellowship  with  the  saints. 

But  he  saith  he  cannot  see  that  that  com- 
pany to  which  you  stand  opposite,  and  con- 
clude antichristian,  is  indeed  the  antichristian 
Church. 

If  so,  he  cannot  desire  to  join  with  another 
if  he  know  them  to  be  professedly  and  directly 
opposite. 

I hold,  therefore,  to  what  I said  at  first: 
“That  if  there  be  any  saints  in  the  antichris- 
tian Church,  my  heart  and  the  door  of  our 
congregation  are  open  to  receive  them  into 
closest  fellowship  with  us.” 

Objection.  But  how  if  they  yet  retain  some 
antichristian  principles? 

Answer.  If  they  be  such  as  eat  out  the 
bowels  of  a Church  so  soon  as  they  are  de- 
tected, they  must  either  be  kept  out  while  out 
or  cast  out  if  in.  For  it  must  be  the  prudence 
of  every  community  to  preserve  its  own  unity 
with  peace  and  truth;  the  which  the  churches 
of  Christ  may  do,  and  yet,  as  I have  showed 
already,  receive  such  persons  as  differ  upon 
the  point  of  water  baptism,  for  the  doing  or  not 
doing  of  that  neither  maketh  nor  marretli  the 
bowels  or  foundation  of  church  communion. 

Objection.  But  this  is  receiving  for  opinion’s 
sake,  as  before  you  said  of  us. 

Answer.  No;  we  receive  him  for  the  sake  of 
Christ  and  grace,  and  for  our  mutual  edifica- 
tion in  the  faith;  and  that  we  respect  not 
opinions,  I mean  in  lesser  matters,  it  is  evi- 
dent, for  things  wherein  we  differ  are  no 
breach  of  communion  among  us ; we  let  every 
man  have  his  own  faith  in  such  things  to  him- 
self before  God. 


840 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


I now  come  to  a short  application. 

1.  Keep  a strict  separation,  I pray  you,  from 
communion  with  the  open  profane,  and  let  no 
man  use  his  liberty  in  church  relation  as  an 
occasion  to  the  flesh;  but  in  love  serve  one 
another,  looking  diligently  lest  any  root  of 
bitterness,  (any  poisonous  herb,  Deut.  xxix. 
18,)  springing  up,  trouble  you,  and  thereby 
many  be  defiled;  and  let  those  that  before 
were  reasons  for  thy  separation  be  motives  to 
you  to  maintain  the  like;  and  remember  that 
when  men  have  said  what  they  can  for  a sinful 
mixture  in  the  worship  of  God,  the  arm  of  the 
Lord  is  made  bare  against  it. 

2.  In  the  midst  of  your  zeal  for  the  Lord 
remember  that  the  visible  saint  is  his,  and  is 
privileged  in  all  those  spiritual  things  that 
you  have  in  the  word  and  live  in  the  practice 
of,  and  that  he  is  to  partake  thereof  according 
to  his  light  therein.  Quarrel  not  with  him 
about  things  that  are  circumstantial,  but  re- 
ceive him  in  the  Lord,  as  becometh  saints;  if 
he  will  not  have  communion  with  you,  the  ne- 
glect is  his,  not  yours.  But,  saith  the  open 
profane,  “ Why  cannot  we  be  reckoned  saints 
also?  We  have  been  christened,  we  go  to 
church,  we  take  the  communion.”  Poor 
people!  this  will  not  do;  for  so  long  as  in 
life  and  conversation  you  appear  to  be  open 
profane,  we  cannot,  unless  we  sin,  receive 
you  into  our  fellowship,  for  by  your  ungodly 
lives  you  show  that  you  know  not  Christ; 
and  while  you  are  such  by  the  word,  you  are 
reputed  but  beasts.  Now,  then,  judge  your- 
selves if  it  be  not  a strange  community  that 
consisteth  of  men  and  beasts.  Let  beasts  be 
with  the  beasts;  you  know  yourselves  do  so; 
you  receive  not  your  horse  nor  your  hog  to 
your  table;  you  put  them  in  a room  by  them- 
selves. Besides,  I have  showed  you  before 
that  for  many  reasons  we  cannot  have  com- 
munion with  you. 

1st.  The  Church  of  God  must  be  holy.  Lev. 
xi.  44;  xix.  2;  xx.  7;  1 Pet.  i.  15,  16;  Isa. 
xxvi.  2;  Ps.  cxxviii.  20;  Ezek.  xliii.  12;  xliv. 
9;  Isa.  lii.  11. 

2dly.  The  example  of  the  churches  of 
Christ  before  hath  been  a community  of  visi- 
ble saints.  Bom.  i.  7 ; 1 Cor.  i.  2 ; Eph.  i.  1, 
2;  Col.  i.  1;  1 Thess.  i.  1,  2;  2 Thess.  i.  1. 
Poor,  carnal  man!  there  are  many  other 
reasons  urged  in  this  little  book  that  show 
why  we  cannot  have  communion  with  thee; 
not  that  we  refuse  of  pride  or  stoutness,  or  be- 
cause we  scorn  you  as  men;  no,  we  pity  you, 
and  pray  to  God  for  you,  and  could,  if  you 


were  converted,  with  joy  receive  you  to  fellow- 
ship with  us.  Did  you  never  read  in  Daniel 
that  “iron  is  not  mixed  with  miry  clay?” 
Dan.  ii.  43.  No  more  can  the  saints  with  you 
in  the  worship  of  God  and  fellowship  of  the 
Gospel.  When  those  you  read  of  in  the  4th 
of  Ezra  attempted  to  join  in  temple-work 
with  the  children  of  the  captivity,  what  said 
the  children  of  Judah? — “You  have  nothing 
to  do  with  us,  to  build  an  house  to  the  Lord 
our  God;  but  we  ourselves  together  will  build 
unto  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,”  &c. 

I return  now  to  those  that  are  visible  saints 
by  calling,  that  stand  at  a distance  one  from 
another  upon  the  accounts  before  specified. 
Brethren,  close,  close;  be  one,  as  the  Father 
and  Christ  are  one. 

1.  This  is  the  way  to  convince  the  world 
that  you  are  Christ’s  and  the  subjects  of  one 
Lord,  whereas  the  contrary  makes  them  doubt 
it.  John  xiii.  34,  35;  xvii.  23. 

2.  This  is  the  way  to  increase  love,  that 
grace  so  much  desired  by  some  and  so  little 
enjoyed  by  others.  2 Cor.  vii.  14,  15. 

3.  This  is  the  way  to  savour  and  taste  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  each  other’s  experience ; for 
which,  if  you  find  it  in  truth,  you  cannot  but 
bless  (if  you  be  saints)  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  1 Thess.  i.  2,  3,  4. 

4.  This  is  the  way  to  increase  knowledge,  or 
to  see  more  in  the  word  of  God,  for  that  may  be 
known  by  two  that  is  not  seen  by  one.  Isa.  lii.  8. 

5.  This  is  the  way  to  remove  secret  jeal- 
ousies and  murmurings  one  against  the  other, 
yea,  this  is  the  way  to  prevent  much  sin  and 
greatly  to  frustrate  that  design  of  hell.  Prov. 
vi.  16-20. 

6.  This  is  the  way  to  bring  them  out  of  the 
world  into  fellowship  that  now  stand  off  from 
our  Gospel  privileges  for  the  sake  of  our  vain 
j anglings. 

7.  This  is  the  way  to  make  Antichrist  shake, 
totter,  and  tremble.  Isa.  xi.  13,  14. 

8.  This  is  the  way  to  leave  Babylon  as  an 
habitation  for  devils  only,  and  to  make  it  an 
hold  for  foul  spirits  and  a cage  only  for  every 
unclean  and  hateful  bird. 

9.  This  is  the  way  to  hasten  the  works  of 
Christ’s  kingdom  in  the  world,  and  to  forward 
his  coming  to  the  eternal  judgment. 

10.  And  this  is  the  way  to  obtain  much  of 
that,  “Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant!” 
when  you  stand  before  his  face. 

I beseech  you,  brethren,  suffer  the  words  of 
exhortation  ; for  I have  written  a letter  unto 
you  in  few  words.  Heb.  xiii.  22. 


DIFFERENCES  IN  JUDGMENT  ABOUT  WATER 
BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


TO  COMMUNICATE  WITH  SAINTS,  AS  SAINTS,  PROVED  LAWFUL,  IN  ANSWER  TO  A BOOK 
WRITTEN  BY  TIIE  BAPTISTS,  AND  PUBLISHED  BY  MR.  T.  P.  AND  MR.  W.  K„  ENTITLED 
“SOME  SERIOUS  REFLECTIONS  ON  THAT  PART  OF  MR,  BUNYAN’S  CONFESSION  OF  FAITH 
TOUCHING  CHURCH  COMMUNION  WITH  UNBAPTIZED  BELIEVERS;”  WHEREIN  THEIR 
OBJECTIONS  AND  ARGUMENTS  ARE  ANSWERED,  AND  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  COMMUNION 
STILL  ASSERTED  AND  VINDICATED.  HERE  IS  ALSO  MR.  HENRY  JESSE’S  JUDGMENT  IN 
TIIE  CASE,  FULLY  DECLARING  THE  DOCTRINE  I HAVE  ASSERTED. 


" Should  not  the  multitude  of  words  be  answered?  And  should  a man  full  of  talk  he  justified  ? Should 
thy  lies  make  men  hold  their  peace?  And  when  thou  inockest,  shall  no  man  make  thee  an  answer?” — Job 
xi.  2,  3. 

“ I am  for  peace  ; but  when  I speak,  they  are  for  war.” — Ps.  cxx.  7. 


TO  THE 

Courteous  Reader: 

Be  entreated  to  believe  me  I liad  not  set 
pen  to  paper  about  this  controversy  had  we 
been  let  at  quiet  alone  in  our  Christian  com- 
munion. But  being  assaulted  for  more  than 
sixteen  years,  wherein  the  brethren  of  the 
baptized  way,  as  they  had  their  opportunity, 
have  sought  to  break  us  in  pieces  merely  be- 
cause we  are  not,  in  their  way,  all  baptized 
first,  I could  not,  I durst  not,  forbear  to  do  a 
little,  if  it  might  be,  to  settle  the  brethren,  and 
to  arm  them  against  the  attempts  which  also 
of  late  they  began  to  revive  upon  us.  That  I 
deny  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  or  that  I have 
placed  one  piece  of  an  argument  against  it, 
though  they  feign  it,  is  quite  without  colour  of 
truth.  All  I say  is,  that  the  Church  of  Christ 
hath  not  warrant  to  keep  out  of  their  commu- 
nion the  Christian  that  is  discovered  to  be  a vis- 
ble  saiiit  by  the  word,  the  Christian  that  walk- 
eth  according  to  his  light  with  God.  I will 
not  make  reflections  upon  those  unhandsome 
brands  that  my  brethren  have  laid  upon  me 
for  this,  as  that  I am  a Machiavellian,  a man 


READER. 

devilish,  proud,  insolent,  presumptuous,  and 
the  like;  neither  will  I say,  as  they,  “The 
Lord  rehuke  thee !” — -words  fitter  to  be  spoken 
to  the  devil  than  a brother.  But,  reader,  read 
and  compare,  lay  aside  prejudice  and  judge. 
What  Mr.  Kiffin  hath  done  in  the  matter  I 
forgive,  and  love  him  never  the  worse,  but 
must  stand  by  my  principles,  because  they  are 
peaceable,  godly,  profitable,  and  such  as  tend 
to  the  edification  of  my  brother,  and,  as  I be- 
lieve, will  be  justified  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. 

I have  also  here  presented  thee  with  the 
opinion  of  Mr.  Henry  Jesse  in  the  case, 
which  providentially  I met  with  as  I was 
coming  to  London  to  put  my  papers  to  the 
press.  And  that  it  was  his  judgment  is  as- 
serted to  me,  known  many  years  since  to  some 
of  the  Baptists,  to  whom  it  was  sent,  but 
never  yet  answered ; and  will  yet  be  attested 
if  need  shall  require.  Farewell. 

Thine,  in  all  Christian  service, 

According  to  my  light  and  power, 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


S41 


DIFFERENCES  IN  JUDGMENT,  &c. 


Bjr  , 

Your  seemingly  serious  reflections  upon 
that  part  of  my  plain-liearted  Confession  of 
Faith  which  rendereth  a reason  of  my  free- 
dom to  communicate  with  those  of  the  saints 
and  faithful  who  differ  from  me  about  water 
baptism,  I have  read  and  considered,  and  have 
weighed  them  so  well  as  my  rank  and  abilities 
will  admit  me  to  do.  But  finding  yours  (if  I 
mistake  not)  far  short  of  a candid  replication, 
I thought  convenient,  not  only  to  tell  you  of 
those  impertinencies  everywhere  scattered  up 
and  down  in  your  hook,  but  also  that,  in  my 
simple  opinion,  your  rigid  and  church-dis- 
quieting principles  are  not  fit  for  any  age  and 
state  of  the  Church. 

But  before  I enter  the  body  of  your  book 
give  me  leave  a little  to  discourse  with  you 
about  your  preamble  to  the  same,  wherein 
are  two  miscarriages  unworthy  your  pre- 
tended seriousness,  because  void  of  love  and 
humility. 

The  first  is  in  that  you  closely  disdain  my 
person  because  of  my  low  descent  among 
men,  stigmatizing  me  for  a person  of  that 
rank  that  need  not  to  be  heeded  or  attended 
unto.  P.  1. 

Answer.  What  it  is  that  gives  a man  rever- 
ence with  you  I know  not,  but  for  certain 
“he  that  despiseth  the  poor  reproacheth  his 
Maker;”  yet  a poor  man  is  better  than  a liar. 
To  have  gay  clothing  or  gold  rings,  or  the 
persons  that  wear  them,  in  admiration,  or  to 
be  partial  in  your  judgment  or  respects  for 
the  sake  or  upon  the  account  of  flesh  and 
blood,  doubtless  convicteth  you  to  be  of  the 
law  a transgressor,  and  not  without  partiality, 
&c.,  in  the  midst  of  your  seeming  sanctity. 

Again,  you  say,  “I  had  not  meddled  with 
the  controversy  at  all,  had  I found  any  of 
parts  that  would  divert  themselves  to  take 
notice  of  you.”  P.  2. 

Answer.  What  need  you,  before  you  have 
showed  one  syllable  of  a reasonable  argument 
842 


in  opposition  to  what  I assert,  thus  trample 
my  person,  my  gifts,  and  grace  (have  I any) 
so  disdainfully  under  your  feet?  What  a 
kind  of  you  am  If  and  why  is  my  rank  so 
mean  that  the  most  gracious  and  godly  among 
you  may  not  duly  and  soberly  consider  of 
what  I have  said?  Was  it  not  the  art  of  the 
false  apostles  of  old  to  say  thus — to  bespatter 
a man  that  his  doctrine  might  he  disregarded? 
“Is  not  this  the  carpenter?”  and  “ His  bodily 
presence  is  weak  and  contemptible,”  did  not 
use  to  be  in  the  mouths  of  the  saints,  for  they 
knew  “ the  wind  blew  where  it  listed.”  Neither 
is  it  high  birth,  worldly  breeding,  or  wealth, 
but  electing  love,  grace,  and  the  wisdom  that 
comes  from  heaven,  that  those  who  strive  for 
strictness  of  order  in  the  things  and  kingdom 
of  Christ  should  have  in  regard  and  esteem. 
Need  I read  you  a lecture?  “Hath  not  God 
chosen  the  foolish,  the  wreak,  the  base,  yea, 
and  even  things  that  are  hot,  to  bring  to 
naught  things  that  are?”  Why,  then,  do  you 
despise  my  rank,  my  state,  and  quality  in  the 
world? 

As  for  my  Confession  of  Faith,  which  you 
also  secretly  despise,  (p.  1,)  if  it  be  good  and 
godly  why  may  it  not  be  accepted?  “If  I 
have  spoken  evil,  bear  witness  of  the  evil;  but 
if  well,  why  smitest  thou  me?”  If  you  and 
the  brethren  of  your  way  did  think  it  conve- 
nient to  show  to  the  world  what  you  held,  if 
perhaps  by  that  means  you  might  escape  the 
prison,  why  might  not  I,  after  above  eleven 
years’  endurance  there,  give  the  world  a view 
of  my  faith  and  practice,  if  peradventure 
wrong  thoughts  and  false  judgments  of  me 
might  by  that  means  be  abated  and  removed? 

But  you  suggest  I did  it  because  I was  so 
willing  to  he  known  in  the  world  by  my  sin- 
gular faith  and  practice. 

How  singular  my  faith  and  practice  is  may 
be  better  known  to  you  hereafter;  but  that  I 
did  it  for  a popular  applause  and  lame,  as 
your  words  seem  to  bear,  (for  they  proceed 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  B ATT  ISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


843 


from  a taunting  spirit,)  that  will  be  known  to 
you  better  in  the  clay  of  God,  when  your  evil 
surmises  of  your  brother  and  my  designs  in 
writing  my  book  will  be  published  upon  the 
house-tops. 

And  even  now,  before  I go  any  further,  I 
will  give  you  a touch  of  the  reason  of  my  pub- 
lishing that  part  thereof  which  you  so  hotly 
oppose. 

It  was  because  of  those  continual  assaults 
that  the  rigid  brethren  of  your  way  made,  not 
only  upon  this  congregation  to  rend  it,  but 
also  upon  many  others  about  us,  if  peradven- 
ture  they  might  break  us  in  pieces  and  draw 
from  us  disciples  after  them. 

Assaults,  I say,  upon  this  congregation  by 
times,  for  no  less  than  these  sixteen  or  eighteen 
years ; yea,  myself  they  have  sent  for  and  en- 
deavoured to  persuade  me  to  break  communion 
with  my  brethren ; also  with  many  others  they 
have  often  tampered  if  haply  their  seeds  of 
division  might  take.  Neither  did  they  alto- 
gether fail  of  their  purpose ; for  some  they  did 
rend  and  dismember  from  us,  but  none  but 
those  of  whom  now  they  begin  to  be  ashamed; 
the  judgment  of  God  so  following  their  design 
that  the  persons  which  then  they  prevailed 
upon  are  now  a stain  and  reproach  to  religion. 
Neither  were  these  spirits  content  with  that 
discord  they  did  sow  among  us,  but  they  pro- 
ceeded to  seize  upon  others.  But  to  pass  these, 
the  wild  and  unsound  positions  they  have 
urged  to  maintain  their  practice. would  be  too 
large  here  to  insert. 

Now,  sir,  to  settle  the  brethren  (the  brethren 
of  our  community)  and  to  prevent  such  disor- 
ders among  others  was  the  cause  of  my  pub- 
lishing my  papers ; and,  considering  my  con- 
cern in  the  house  of  God,  I could  do  no  less 
than  to  give  them  warning,  that  every  man 
might  deliver  his  soul. 

You  proceed,  saying,  “It  is  my  liberty,  as 
well  as  others  into  whose  hands  it  falls,  to 
weigh  what  you  have  said  in  truth’s  balance ; 
and  if  it  be  found  too  light  to  reject  it,  whether 
you  will  or  no.” 

Ansiver.  Do  but  grant  me,  without  mocking 
of  me,  the  liberty  you  desire  to  take,  and,  God 
helping  me,  I desire  no  more  to  shift  for  my- 
self among  you. 

As  to  vour  saying  that  I proudly  and  impe- 
riously insult  because  I say  they  are  babes  and 
carnal  that  attempt  to  break  the  peace  and 
communion  of  churches,  though  upon  no  bet- 
ter pretences  than  water,  you  must  know  I am 
still  of  that  mind,  and  shall  be  so  long  as  I see 


the  effects  that  follow  — viz.,  the  breach  of 
love,  taking  off  Christians  from  the  more 
weighty  things  of  God,  and  to  make  them 
quarrel  and  have  heart-burnings  one  against 
another. 

Where  you  are  pleased  to  charge  me  with 
raging  for  laying  those  eighteen  particular 
crimes  to  the  charge  of  such  who  exclude 
Christians  from  church  communion,  and  debar 
them  their  heaven-born  privileges,  for  the 
want  of  that  which  yet  God  never  made  the 
wall  of  division  between  us,  (p.  116,)  I say, 
when  you  can  prove  that  God  hath  made  water 
baptism  that  wall,  and  that  the  stress  of  the 
after  eighteen  charges  lies  wholly  and  only 
in  that,  then  you  may,  time  enough,  call  my 
language  such  as  wantetli  charity ; but  I ques- 
tion, though  that  was  granted,  whether  your 
saying  I rage  will  be  justified  in  the  day  of 
judgment.  My  great  noise,  as  you  call  it, 
about  an  initiating  ordinance  you  say  you 
shall  take  no  notice  of.  P.  3. 

An-svwr.  Although  you  do  not,  I must.  For 
if  baptism  be  not  that,  but  another,  and  if  vis- 
ible saints  may  enter  into  fellowship  by  that 
other,  and  are  nowhere  forbidden  so  to  do,  be- 
cause they  have  no  light  into  water  baptism,  it 
is  of  weight  to  be  considered  by  me,  yea,  and 
of  others  too  who  are  unprejudiced. 

2.  How  ignorant  you  are  of  such  as  hold  it 
the  initiating  ordinance  I know  not,  and  how 
long  you  have  been  of  that  persuasion  I know 
not.  This  I know,  that  men  of  your  own 
party,  as  serious,  godly,  and  it  may  he  more 
learned  than  yourself,  have  within  less  than 
this  twelvemonth  urged  it.  Mr.  D.,  in  my 
hearing  did,  from  Rom.  vi.  1,  2,  in  the  meeting 
in  Lothbury,  affirm  it;  also  my  much-esteemed 
Mr.  D.  A.  did  twice  in  a conference  with  me 
assert  it. 

3.  But  whatever  you  say,  whether  for  or 
against,  it  is  no  matter ; for  while  you  deny  it 
to  be  the  entering  ordinance,  you  account  it 
the  wall,  bar,  bolt  and  door,  even  that  which 
must  separate  between  the  righteous  and  the 
righteous ; nay,  you  make  want  of  light  there- 
in a ground  to  exclude  the  most  godly  from 
your  communion,  when  every  novice  in  re- 
ligion shall  be  received  into  your  bosom  and 
be  of  esteem  with  you  because  he  hath  (and 
from  what  ground  God  knows)  submitted  to 
water  baptism. 

I am  glad  that  in  p.  4 you  conclude  with  me 
what  is  the  initiating  ordinance ; but  withal 
give  me  leave  to  correct,  as  I think,  »ne  ex- 
travagant expression  of  yours. 


844 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


You  say,  “It  is  consent  on  all  hands,  and 
nothing  else,  that  makes  them  members  of 
particular  churches;  and  not  faith  and  bap- 
tism.” P.  4. 

You  might  have  stopped  at  “and  nothing 
else.”  You  need  not,  in  particular,  have  re- 
jected faith;  your  first  error  was  bad  enough. 
What!  nothing  else  but  consent?  What!  not 
so  much  as  a respect  to  the  matter  or  end? 
Why,  then,  are  not  all  the  communities  of  all 
the  highwaymen  in  the  land  truly  constituted 
churches  of  Christ,  unless  you  can  prove  that 
they  hold  together,  but  not  by  consent? 

What!  consent  and  nothing  else?  But  why 
do  you  throw  out  faith?  Why,  I throw  out 
baptism;  which,  because  you  cannot  as  to  the 
case  in  hand  fetch  in  again,  therefore  out  must 
faith  go  too.  Your  action  is  much  like  that 
harlot’s  that  stood  to.  be  judged  by  Solomon, 
who,  because  her  own  child  was  dead,  would 
have  her  neighbour’s  killed  also.  Faith,  sir, 
both  in  the  profession  and  confession  of  it,  _s 
of  immediate  and  absolute  concern,  even  in 
the  very  act  of  the  Church’s  reception  of  this 
or  another  member.  Throw  out  faith,  and 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  a Christian,  neither 
visible  or  invisible.  You  ought  to  receive  no 
man  but  upon  a comfortable  satisfaction  to  the 
Church  that  you  are  now  receiving  a believer. 
Faith,  whether  it  be  savingly  there  or  no,  is 
the  great  argument  with  the  Church  in  receiv- 
ing any ; we  receive  not  men  as  men,  but  the 
man  immediately  under  that  supposition  : He 
hath  faith,  he  is  a Christian.  Sir,  consent 
simply,  without  faith,  makes  no  man  a mem- 
ber of  the  Church  of  God,  because  then  would 
a Church  not  cease  to  be  a Church,  whoever 
they  received  among  them;  yea,  by  this  asser- 
tion you  have  justified  the  Church  of  Home 
itself  to  be  to  ibis  day  both  good  and  godly, 
unless  you  can  prove  that  they  did  at  first  and 
do  now  receive  their  unbelieving  members 
without  their  own  consent. 

The  Church  hath  no  such  liberty  to  receive 
men  without  respect  to  faith  ; yea,  faith  and 
holiness  must  be  the  essentials  or  basis  up>on 
and  for  the  sake  of  which  you  receive  them — 
holiness,  I say,  yet  not  such  as  is  circumstan- 
tial, but  that  which  is  such  in  the  very  heart 
of  it.  Pray  you,  in  your  next,  therefore,  word 
it  better,  lest  while  you  slight  and  trample 
upon  me,  you  stand  before  all  blameworthy 
yourself. 

The  Scriptures  you  speak  of  I did  not  in  my 
first  (p.  68)  produce  to  show  that  persons  un- 
baptized might  hold  communion  with  the 


Church,  (though  I am  fully  convinced  they 
may,)  but  to  show  that  knowledge  of  those 
persons,  of  their  faith  and  holiness  in  general, 
ought  first  to  be  showed  to  the  Church,  before 
she  can  lawfully  receive  them.  Acts  ix.  2-6, 
26,  27 ; 1 Cor.  xvi.  10 ; 2 Cor.  viii.  23. 

As  to  my  answer  to  a question  (p.  70)  which 
you  have  at  p.  5 of  yours  corrupted,  and  then 
abused,  I tell  you,  again,  that  a discovery  of 
the  faith  and  holiness,  and  a declaration  of  the 
willingness  of  a person  to  subject  himself  to 
the  laws  and  government  of  Christ  in  his 
Church,  is  a ground  sufficient  to  receive  such 
a member. 

But  you  descant,  “Is  baptism  none  of  the 
laws  of  Christ?” 

Answer.  It  is  none  of  those  laws,  neither  any 
part  of  them,  that  the  Church,  a«  a Church, 
should  show  her  obedience  by.  For  albeit 
that  baptism  be  given  by  Christ  our  Lord  to 
the  Church,  yet  not  for  them  to  worship  him 
by  as  a Church.  Show  me  what  church  ordi- 
nance it  is,  and  when  or  where  the  Church  as 
a Church  is  to  practice  it  as  one  of  those  laws 
and  appointments  that  he  hath  commanded 
his  Church  to  show  to  him  her  obedience 
by? 

Again,  that  submitting  to  water  baptism  is  a 
sign  or  note  that  was  ever  required  by  any  of 
the  primitive  churches  of  him  that  would  hold 
fellowship  with  them,  or  that  it  infuseth  such 
grace  and  holiness  into  those  that  submit  there- 
to as  to  capacitate  them  for  such  a privilege,  or 
that  they  did  acknowledge  it  a sign  thereof,  I 
find  not  in  all  the  Bible. 

I find  not,  as  I told  you  in  my  first,  that 
baptism  is  a sign  to  any  but  the  person  that  is 
baptized.  The  Church  hath  her  satisfactions 
of  the  person  from  better  proof.  Col.  ii.  12; 
Rom.  vi.  1,  2,  3,  4;  1 Cor.  xv.  29;  Acts  ii.  38; 
xxii.  16 ; 1 Pet.  iii.  21. 

I told  you  also  that  baptism  makes  thee  no 
member  of  the  Church,  neither  doth  it  make 
thee  a visible  saint ; it  giveth  thee,  therefore, 
neither  right  to  nor  being  of  membership  at 
all.  Why,  sir,  did  you  not  answer  these  things, 
but  slip  them  with  others,  as  if  you  were  un- 
concerned, troubling  your  reader  with  such 
kind  of  insinuations  as  must  needs  be  unsa- 
voury to  godly  ears  ? 

You  make  the  moral  law  none  of  Christ’s 
but  Moses’s ; not  the  Son’s,  but  the  servant’s ; 
and  tell  me,  because  I plead  for  faith  and  holi- 
ness, according  to  moral  duties  gospelized, 
(they  are  my  words,  p.  79,)  whereby  we  ought 
to  judge  of  the  fitness  of  members,  that  there- 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION.  845 


fore  Moses  is  more  beholden  to  me  than  Christ. 

P.  6. 

• Sir,  know  you  not  yet  that  a difference  is  to 
he  put  betwixt  those  rules  that  discover  the 
essentials  of  holiness  and  those  that  in  them- 
selves are  not  such,  and  that  that  of  faith  and 
the  moral  law  is  the  one,  and  baptism,  &c.,  the 
other? 

Is  not  love  to  God,  abhorrence  of  idols,  to 
forbear  blaspheming,  to  honour  our  parents,  to 
do  no  murder,  to  forbear  theft,  not  to  bear  false 
witness,  nor  covet,  &c. — are  not,  I say,  these 
the  precepts  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  because  de- 
livered by  Moses?  Or  are  these  such  as  may 
better  be  broken  than,  for  want  of  light,  to 
forbear  baptism  with  water?  Or  doth  a man, 
while  he  liveth  in  the  neglect  of  these,  and  in 
the  mean  time  bustles  about  those  you  call 
Gospel  commands,  most  honour  Christ  or  best 
fit  himself  for  fellowship  with  the  saints? 
Need  I tell  you  that  the  faith  of  Christ,  with 
the  ten  commandments,  are  as  much  now  Gos- 
pel commands  as  baptism,  and  ought  to  be  in 
as  much  and  far  more  respect  with  the  holy 
ones  than  that  or  other  the  like? 

Yea,  shall  I tell  you  that  baptism  will  neither 
admit  a man  into  fellowship  nor  keep  him  there 
if  he  be  a transgressor  of  a moral  precept ; and 
that  a man  who  believeth  in  Jesus  and  fulfilleth 
the  moral  law  doth  more  glorify  God  and  hon- 
our religion  in  the  world  than  he  that  keepeth, 
if  there  were  so  many,  ten  thousand  figurative 
laws  ? 

As  to  those  commands  that  respect  God’s  in- 
stituted worship  in  a Church  as  a Church,  I 
have  told  you  that  baptism  is  none  of  them, 
and  you  have  been  driven  to  confess  it;  the 
Church,  then,  must  first  look  to  faith,  then  to 
good  living  according  to  the  ten  command- 
ments ; after  that  she  must  respect  those  ap- 
pointments of  our  Lord  Jesus  that  respect  her 
outward  order  and  discipline;  and  then  she 
walks  as  becomes  her,  sinning  if  she  neglectetli 
either,  sinning  if  she  overvalueth  either. 

But  why  did  you  not  answer  those  texts  I 
produced  for  the  strengthening  of  my  argu- 
ment—-viz.,  Rom.  xiv.  18;  Deut.  xxiii.  47; 
James  ii.  8-12 ; 1 Cor.  ix.  21 ; v.  9, 10, 11 ; Gal. 
vi.  15, 16 ; Philern.  3 ; 1 Tim.  i.  9, 10, 11 ; Acts 
xx.  28,  32;  Rom.  xiii.  13;  James  iv.  11;  1 
Cor.  v.  12? 

Deal  fairly;  answer  those  texts,  with  the 
argument  made  upon  them ; and  when  you 
have,  after  a godly  manner,  done  that,  you 
may  the  more  boldly  condemn. 

You  tell  me  that  in  p.  93  of  mine  I say, 


“None  ever  received  baptism  without  light 
therein.” 

What  if  I did,  as  I did  not?  but  you  grant 
it.  And  now  I will  ask  you — and  pray  deal 
fairly  in  your  answer — Maya  man  be  a visible 
saint  without  light  therein?  May  he  have  a 
good  conscience  without  light  therein  ? And 
seeing  that  baptism  is  none  of  the  worship  that 
Christ  instituted  in  his  Church  for  them  to 
practice  as  a Church,  must  he  be  kept  dark 
about  all  other  things  concerning  the  worship 
of  God  in  his  Church  until  he  receive  light 
therein  ? 

Yrou  have  answered  already  (p.  7)  “that 
they  ought  to  be  ashamed,  and  to  repent  of 
that  abomination,  (their  sprinkling,)  before 
they  come  to  have  a sight  of  the  pattern  of 
the  house  of  God,  the  goings  in  and  the 
comings  out  thereof.”  Ezek.  xliii.  10, 11. 

But,  sir,  whereof  do  you  find  that  want  of 
light  in  water  baptism,  or  because  a man  hath 
been  sprinkled,  that  he  is  to  be  kept  dark  in 
all  other  temple  institutions  till  he  be  ashamed 
and  repent  of  that?  Pray  produce  the  texts, 
for  Ezekiel  helps  you  nothing.  He  speaks 
only  of  the  pattern  of  the  house,  the  going3 
out  and  comings  in  thereof.  As  for  the  coming 
in,  you  have  already  confessed  that  baptism  is 
not  the  entering  ordinance.  And  as  for  the 
worship  that  Christ  hath  instituted  in  his 
Church  as  a Church,  I say,  and  you  also  have 
said  it,  (p.  40,)  baptism  is  none  of  the  forms 
thereof,  none  of  the  ordinances  thereof ; for 
baptism  is,  as  to  the  practice  of  it,  that  which 
is  without  the  Church,  without  the  house  of 
God.  Then,  by  your  own  text,  if  a man  do 
repent  him  of  his  christening  in  his  childhood, 
he  may  be  received  into  fellowship  without 
submitting  to  baptism.  But  I will  not  strain 
you  too  far. 

You  add,  “Is  it  a person’s  light  that  giveth 
being  to  a precept  ?” 

Answer.  Who  said  it?  Yet  it  is  his  light 
and  faith  about  it  that  can  make  him  do  it 
acceptably. 

You  ask  again,  “Suppose  men  plead  want 
of  light  in  other  commands?” 

Answer.  If  they  be  not  such  the  forbearance 
of  which  discapacitates  him  of  membership, 
he  may  yet  be  received  to  fellowship. 

“ But  what  if  a man  want  light  in  the  sup- 
per?” P.  7. 

Answer.  There  is  more  to  be  said  in  that 
case  than  in  the  other,  for  that  is  a part  of 
that  worship  which  Christ  hath  instituted  for 
his  Church  to  be  conversant  in  as  a Church, 


846 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


presenting  them  as  such,  with  their  commu- 
nion with  their  Head  and  with  one  another  as 
members  of  him.  “ The  cup  of  blessing  which 
we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  blood 
of  Christ?  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it 
not  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ? 
For  we  being  many,  are  one  bread  and  one 
body,  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one 
bread.”  1 Cor.  x.  16,  17.  Wherefore  this  being 
a duty  incumbent  on  the  Church  as  a Church, 
and  on  every  member  of  that  body  as  such, 
they  are  obliged  in  that  case  more  closely  to 
deal  with  the  members  than  in  that  wherein 
they  are  not  so  concerned,  and  with  which 
as  such  they  have  nothing  to  do.  No  man 
baptizeth  by  virtue  of  his  office  in  the  Church  ; 
no  man  is  baptized  by  virtue  of  his  member- 
ship there. 

“ But  what  if  a man  want  light  in  his  duty 
to  the  poor?”  P.  8. 

Answer.  If  he  doth,  God  must  give  it  him — 
I mean,  to  know  his  duty  as  a church  mem- 
ber. Now  I will  add,  But  what  if  he  that  can 
give  a shilling  giveth  nothing?  I suppose 
all  that  the  Church  can  do  in  that  case  is  but 
to  warn,  to  exhort,  and  charge,  and  to  show 
him  his  duty;  and  if  he  neglect,  to  show  him 
“ that  he  that  soweth  sparingly  shall  not  reap 
plentifully.”  But  to  cut  a man  off  for  this, 
as  you  frowardly  urge,  (page  8,)  would  argue 
that  Church  (at  least  I think  so)  a little  too 
bold  with  so  high  and  weighty  a censure.  I 
plead  not  here  for  the  churl,  but  seek  to  allay 
your  heat ; and  should  it  be  granted  that  such 
deserve  as  you  would  have  it,  this  makes  no 
matter  to  the  case  in  hand. 

Now,  whereas  you  suggest  that  “ moral  evils 
are  hut  sins  against  men,”  (p.  8,)  you  are  too 
much  unadvised.  The  moral  evil,  as  you  call 
it,  whether  you  respect  the  breach  of  the  first 
or  second  table,  is  first  and  immediately  a 
sin  against  God ; and  more  insufferable,  yea 
and  damnable,  than  for  a man  for  want  of  light 
to  forbear  either  baptism  or  the  Lord’s  Supper. 

But  you  say,  “ We  have  now  found  an  ad- 
vocate for  sin  against  God  in  the  breach  of  one 
of  his  holy  commands.” 

Answer.  As  if  none  of  the  moral  precepts 
were  his ! But,  sir,  who  have  I pleaded  for  in 
the  denial  of  any  one  ordinance  of  God,  yea, 
or  for  their  neglect  of  it  either?  What  I say 
is  but  that  men  must  have  light,  that  they 
may  not  do  in  darkness,  or  papist-like  live  by 
an  implicit  faith. 

But  I see  you  put  no  difference  between  an 
open  breach  of  the  law  and  a forbearing  that 


which  to  him  is  doubtful.  But  I will  suppose 
a case : There  is  a man  wants  light  in  bap- 
tism, yet  by  his  neighbour  is  pressed  to  it;  he 
saith  he  seeth  it  not  to  be  his  duty ; the  other 
saith  he  sins  if  he  doth  it  not.  Now,  seeing 
whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin,  what  should 
this  man  do?  If  you  say,  “Let  him  use  the 
means,”  I say  so  too..  But  what  if,  when  he 
hath  used,  he  still  continueth  dark  about  it, 
what  will  you  advise  him  now?  If  you  bid 
him  wait,  do  you  not  encourage  him  to  live  in 
sin  as  much  as  I do?  Nay,  and  seeing  you 
will  not  let  him,  for  want  of  light  in  that, 
obey  God  in  other  his  institutions,  what  is  it 
but  to  say,  “ Seeing  you  live  for  want  of  light 
in  the  neglect  of  baptism,  we  will  make  you, 
while  you  continue  so,  live,  though  quite 
against  your  light,  in  the  breach  of  all  the 
rest?”  And  where  you  are  commanded  thus, 
you  may  show  the  place  when  you  find  it. 

Now,  where  you  urge  that  you  are  one  of 
them  that  say,  “The  epistles  were  writ  to 
particular  churches,  and  so  serve  nothing  at 
all  for  our  kind  of  communion,”  urging  fur- 
ther, “ That  it  will  be  difficult  for  me  to  prove 
that  they  were  also  directed  to  particular 
saints.” 

Answer.  I wish  there  were  nothing  harder 
that  were  good  for  me  to  do. 

But  what  should  be  the  reason  that  our 
author,  with  others  of  his  opinion,  should 
stickle  so  hard  to  prove  all  the  epistles  were 
wrote  to  particular  churches?  Why,  because 
those  members  were,  as  they  think,  every  one 
baptized;  and  so  the  epistles  from  which  we 
fetch  our  arguments  for  the,  love  and  concord 
of  saints  to  be  only  proper  to  themselves.  But 
if  this  be  true,  there  is  virtue  indeed,  and 
more  than  ever  I dreamed  of,  in  partaking  of 
water  baptism  ; for  if  that  shall  take  away  the 
epistles,  and  consequently  the  whole  Bible, 
from  all  that  are  not  baptized,  then  are  the 
other  churches,  and  also  particular  saints,  in  a 
very  deplorable  condition.  For  he  asketh  me 
very  devoutly,  “ Whether  any  unbaptized  per- 
sons were  concerned  in  these  epistles?”  P.  9. 
But  why  would  they  take  from  us  the  Holy 
Scriptures?  Verity,  that  we  might  have 
naught  to  justify  our  practice  withal;  for 
if  the  Scriptures  belong  only  to  baptized 
believers,  they  then  belong  not  to  the  rest; 
and  in  truth  if  they  could  persuade  us  to 
yield  them  this  grant,  we  should  but  sorrily 
justify  our  practice.  But  I wopld  ask  these 
men  if  the  word  of  God  came  out  from  them  ? 
or  if  it  came  to  them  only?  or  whether 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


847 


Christ  hath  not  given  his  whole  word  to 
every  one  that  believeth,  whether  they  be 
baptized  or  in  or  out  of  church  fellowship? 
(John  xviii.,)  or  whether  every  saint,  in  some 
sort,  hath  not  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  which  are  the  Scriptures  and  their 
power  ? 

Would  to  God  they  had  learned  more  mod- 
esty than  thus  to  take  from  all  others  and 
appropriate  to  themselves,  and  that  for  the 
sake  of  their  observing  a circumstance  in  re- 
ligion, so  high  and  glorious  a privilege! 

But  we  will  come  a little  to  proof.  What 
Church  will  this  author  find  in  Borne,  that 
time  the  epistle  was  sent  to  the  brethren  there, 
besides  that  Church  that  was  in  Aquila’s  house, 
although  many  more  saints  were  then  in  the 
city?  Yea,  the  apostle,  in  his  salutation  at 
the  beginning,  embraceth  them  only  as  breth- 
ren, without  the  least  intimation  of  their  being- 
gathered  into  fellowship.  “To  all  that  beat 
Borne,  beloved  of  God,  called  to  be  saints, 
grace  to  you,”  &c.  To  all  there,  to  all  in  that 
city,  beloved  of  God  and  that  are  converted  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  A Church  there  was 
in  Aquila’s  house,  and  that  there  were  many 
more  saints  besides  is,  and  that  by  the  text, 
manifest.  Besides,  considering  the  rules  that 
are  given  them  in  the  14tli  and  15th  chapters 
about  their  receiving  one  another,  doth  yet 
strongly  suggest  to  me  that  they  were  not  yet 
in  fellowship,  but  as  it  were  now  about  it, 
when  Paul  wrote  his  epistle  to  them. 

The  first  epistle  written  to  Corinth  was  also 
wrote  to  “ all  them  that  in  every  place  called 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.”  1 
Cor.  i.  2.  But  it  will  be  hard  work  for  our 
author  to  make  it  manifest  that  none  in  those 
days  did  call  on  the  name  of  our  Lord  but 
those  that  were  first  baptized. 

The  second  epistle,  also,  was  not  only  writ- 
ten to  the  Church  at  Corinth,  but  also  “to  all 
the  saints  which  were  in  all  Achaia.”  To  the 
Galatians  and  Thessalonians,  indeed,  his  salu- 
tation was  only  to  the  churches  there,  but  the 
three  epistles  before  were  as  well  to  all  other, 
as  also  that  to  the  Ephesians,  Philippians,  and 
Colossians,  in  which  the  faithful  and  saints  in 
Christ  Jesus  were  also  every  one  compre- 
hended. Besides,  to  what  particular  Church 
was  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  wrote?  or  the 
epistle  of  J ames  ? both  those  of  Peter  and  the 
first  of  John?  Nay,  that  of  John  was  wrote 
to  some  at  that  time  out  of  fellowship,  “ that 
they  might  have  fellowship  with  the  Church.” 
Chap.  i.  1,  2,  3,  4.  So  that  these  brethren 


must  not  have  all  the  Scriptures.  We  have, 
then,  a like  privilege  with  all  the  saints 
to  use  the  Scriptures  for  our  godly  edi- 
fying, and  to  defend  ourselves  thereby  from 
the  assaults  of  those  that  would  make  spoil  of 
us.  But  to  pass  this  and  come  to  the  next. 

You  object  for  that  I said,  “ If  water  bap- 
tism (as  the  circumstances  with  which  the 
Church  was  pestered  of  old)  trouble  the  peace 
and  wound  the  consciences  of  the  godly,  dis- 
member and  break  their  fellowship,  it  is,  al- 
though an  ordinance,  for  the  present  prudently 
to  be  shunned.”  P.  86. 

At  this,  as  I said,  you  object  and  say,  “ Did 
I ever  find  baptism  a pest  or  a plague  to  the 
churches?  and  did  ever  God  send  an  ordinance 
to  be  a pest  and  a plague  to  his  people?” 

I answer,  I said  not  that  God  did  send  it  for 
any  such  end  at  all : God’s  ordinances  are 
none  of  this  in  themselves  ; not  if  used  as  and 
for  the  end  for  which  God  sent  them.  But  yet 
both  baptism  and  the  supper  of  the  Lord  have 
(by  being  wrested  out  of  their  place)  been  a 
great  affliction  to  the  godly  both  in  this  and 
other  ages.  What  say  you  to  breaking  of 
bread,  which  the  devil,  by  abusing,  made  an 
engine  in  the  hands  of  papists  to  burn,  starve, 
hang,  and  draw  thousands  ? What  say  you  to 
John  of  Leyden  ? What  work  did  he  make 
by  the  abuse  of  the  ordinance  of  water  bap- 
tism ! And  I wish  this  age  had  not  given 
cause,  through  the  church-rending  spirit  that 
some  are  possessed  with,  to  make  complaint  of 
this  matter,  who  have  also  had  for  their  engine 
the  baptism  with  water.  Yea,  yourself,  sir,  so 
far  as  I can  perceive,  could  you  get  but  the 
opportunity — yourself,  I say,  under  pretence 
of  this  innocent  ordinance,  as  you  term  it — • 
would  not  stick  to  make  inroads,  and  outroads 
too,  in  all  the  churches  that  suit  not  your  fancy 
in  the  land.  For  you  have  already  been  bold 
to  affirm,  “ That  all  those  that  have  been 
baptized  infants  ought  to  be  ashamed  and  re- 
pent before  they  be  showed  the  pattern  of  the 
house.”  And  what  is  this  but  to  threaten  that 
could  you  have  your  will  of  them  you  would 
quickly  take  from  them  their  present  church 
privileges,  and  let  them  see  nothing  thereof 
till  those  qualifications,  especially  subjection 
to  water  baptism,  were  found  to  attend  to  each 
of  them ? 

As  to  the  persons  you  speak  of,  “ who  have 
rent  churches  in  pieces  by  making  preaching 
by  method,  doctrine,  reason,  and  use  to  be  an- 
ticliristian,”  or  because  they  could  not  have 
other  miuistrations  performed  after  their  fan  - 


848 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


cies,  (pp.  11, 12,)  the  imprudence  of  such  with 
yourselves  hath  been  heartbreaking  to  many 
a gracious  soul,  an  high  occasion  of  stumbling 
to  the  weak,  and  a reproach  to  the  ways  of 
the  Lord.  That  it  may  be  prudently  shunned. 
I referred  you  then  for  proof  to  what  should 
be  offered  after ; but  to  this  you  cry  out,  and 
so  pass  it. 

And  now,  reader,  although  this  author  hath 
thus  objected  against  some  passages  in  this  my 
first  argument  for  communion  with  persons  un- 
baptized, yet  the  body  of  my  argument  he 
misseth  and  passeth  over,  as  a thing  not  worth 
the  answering ; whether  because  he  forgot,  or 
because  he  was  conscious  to  himself  that  he 
knew  not  what  to  do  therewith,  I will  not  now 
determine. 

1.  I effectually  prove,  “That  baptism  is  not 
the  initiating  ordinance.”  Pp.  71,  75. 

2.  I prove,  “ That  though  it  was,  yet  the 
case  may  so  fall  out  that  members  might  be  re- 
ceived without  it.”  Pp.  82,  83. 

3.  I prove,  “That  baptism  makes  no  man  a 
visible  saint,  nor  giveth  any  right  to  church 
fellowship.”  P.  76. 

4.  I prove,  “ That  faith,  and  a life  becoming 
the  law  of  the  ten  commandments,  should  be 
the  chief  and  most  solid  argument  with  the 
true  churches  to  receive  saints  to  fellowship.” 

5.  I prove,  “That  circumcision  in  the  flesh, 
which  was  the  entering  ordinance  of  old,  was 
a type  of  circumcision  in  the  heart.”  Pp.  79,  80. 

These  things,  with  others,  our  author  letteth 
pass,  although  in  the  proof  of  them  abideth 
the  strength  of  this  first  argument,  to  which  I 
must  entreat  him  in  his  next  to  cast  his  eye 
and  give  a fair  answer,  as  also  to  the  Scriptures 
on  which  each  are  built,  or  he  must  suffer  me 
to  say  I am  abused.  Further,  I make  a ques- 
tion upon  three  Scriptures : Whether  all  the 
saints,  even  in  the  primitive  times,  were  bap- 
tized with  water  ? To  which  also  he  answereth 
nothing ; whereas  he  ought  to  have  done  it  if 
he  will  take  in  hand  to  confute.  The  Scrip- 
tures are — 1 Cor.  i.  14,  15,  16;  Rom.  vi.  2; 
Gal.  iii.  27.  Yet  were  they  effectually  an- 
swered my  argument  is  nothing  weakened. 

You  come  to  my  second  argument,  drawn 
from  Eph.  iv.  4,  5,  6,  upon  which  a little  more 
now  to  enlarge,  and  then  to  take  notice  of 
your  objection. 

The  apostle,  then,  in  that  4th  of  the  Ephe- 
sians, exhorteth  the  Church  there,  “ with  all 
lowliness,  and  meekness,  with  long-suffering 
and  forbearing  one  another,  to  endeavour  to 
keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of 


peace.”  This  done,  he  presents  them  with 
such  arguments  as  might  fasten  his  exhorta- 
tion to  purpose  upon  them. 

1.  The  first  is,  because  the  body  is  one: 
“There  is  one  body;”  therefore  they  should 
not  divide ; for  if  the  Church  of  Christ  be  a 
body,  there  ought  not  to  be  a rent  or  schism 
among  them. 

2.  His  second  argument  is,  “There  is  one 
Spirit,”  or  one  quickening  principle,  by  which 
the  body  is  made  to  live.  For  having  asserted 
before  that  Christ  hath  indeed  a body,  it  was 
meet  that  he  showed  also  that  this  body  hath 
life  and  motion.  Now  that  life,  being  none 
other  than  that  nourishment  or  spirit  of  life 
from  which  the  “whole  body,  fitly  joined  to- 
gether, and  compact  by  that  which  every  joint 
supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual  working 
of  the  measure  in  every  part,  maketh  increase 
of  the  body,  to  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love” 
— now  this  spirit,  being  first  and  chiefly  in  the 
head,  therefore  none  other  but  those  that  hold 
the  head  can  have  this  nourishment  ministered 
to  them.  Besides,  this  is  the  spirit  that  knits 
the  body  together,  and  makes  it  increase  with 
the  increase  of  God.  Col.  ii.  16.  This  is  the 
unity  of  the  Spirit  which  he  before  exhorts 
them  to  keep. 

3.  The  third  argument  is,  because  their  hope 
is  also  but  one : “ Even  as  you  are  called  (saith 
he)  in  one  hope  of  your  calling.”  As  who 
should  say,  My  brethren,  if  you  are  called 
with  one  calling — if  your  hope,  both  as  to  the 
grace  of  hope  and  also  the  object,  be  but  one — 
if  you  hope  for  one  heaven  and  for  one  eternal 
life,  then  maintain  that  unity  of  the  Spirit  and 
hope,  while  here,  in  love  and  the  bond  of 
peace. 

4.  The  fourth  argument  is,  “There  is  one 
Lord,”  or  Husband,  or  Prince,  to  whom  this 
Church  belongs;  therefore  if  we  have  hus- 
band but  one,  lord  and  prince  but  one,  let 
us  not  rend  into  many  parties,  as  if  we  had 
many  husbands,  lords,  and  princes  to  govern 
us  as  his  wife,  his  house,  and  kingdom.  Is 
Christ  divided? 

5.  The  fifth  argument  is,  “There  is  one 
faith,”  by  which  we  all  stand  justified  by  one 
Lord  Jesus  Christ;  one  faith  by  which  we  es- 
cape the  wrath  of  God;  one  faith  by  which 
only  they  that  have  it  are  blessed.  Yea,  seeing 
there  is  but  one  faith,  by  which  we  are  all  put 
into  one  way  of  salvation,  let  us  hold  together 
as  such. 

6.  The  sixth  argument,  “ There  is  one  bap- 
tism.” Now  we  are  come  to  the  pinch — viz., 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


819 


Whether  it  be  that  of  water  or  no?  which  I 
must  positively  deny — 

1.  Because  water  baptism  hath  nothing  to  do 
in  a Church  as  a Church;  it  neither  bringeth 
ua  into  the  Church,  nor  is  any  part  of  our  wor- 
ship when  we  come  there:  how,  then,  can  the 
peace  and  unity  of  the  Church  depend  upon 
water  baptism?  Besides,  he  saith  expressly  it 
is  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  not  water,  that  is 
here  intended  ; and  the  arguments  brought  to 
enforce  it  are  such  as  wholly  and  immediate- 
ly relate  to  the  duty  of  the  Church  as  a 
Church. 

2.  Further,  that  other  text  that  treatetli  of 
our  being  baptized  into  a body  saith  expressly 
it  is  done  by  the  Spirit:  “For  by  one  Spirit 
wre  are  all  baptized  into  one  body.”  1 Cor.  xii. 
13.  Here  is  the  Church  presented  as  under 
the  notion  of  a body ; here  is  a baptism  men- 
tioned by  which  they  are  brought  or  initiated 
into  this  body ; now  that  this  is  the  baptism 
of  water  is  utterly  against  the  words  of  the 
text:  “For  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  baptized 
into  one  body.”  Besides,  if  the  baptism  here 
be  of  w’ater,  then  is  it  the  initiating  ordi- 
nance ; but  the  contrary  I have  proved,  and  this 
author  stands  by  my  doctrine.  So,  then,  the 
baptism  here  respecting  the  Church  as  a body, 
and  water  having  nothing  to  do  to  enter  men 
into  the  Church  nor  to  command  them  to  prac- 
tice it  as  a Church  in  order  to  their  peace  or 
communion,  or  respecting  the  worship  of  God 
as  such — and  I say  again  the  baptism  in  the 
sixth  argument  being  urged  precisely  for  no 
other  purpose  but  with  respect  to  the  Church’s 
peace  as  a body — it  must  needs  be  that  bap- 
tism by  virtue  of  which  they  were  initiated, 
and  joined  together  m one ; and  that  baptism 
being  only  that  which  the  Spirit  executeth, 
this  therefore  is  that  one  baptism. 

7.  The  other  argument  is  also  effectual: 
“There  is  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is 
above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all.” 
If  we  are  one  body,  if  to  it  there  be  but  one 
Spirit,  if  we  have  but  one  hope,  one  faith,  and 
be  all  baptized  by  one  Spirit  into  that  one 
body,  and  if  we  have  but  one  Lord,  one  God, 
and  he  in  every  one  of  us,  let  us  be  also  one, 
and  let  them  that  are  thus  qualified  both  join 
together  and  hold  iu  one. 

But  our  author  against  this  objecteth,  “That 
now  I employ  my  pen  against  every  man,  and 
give  the  lie  to  all  expositors ; for  they  hold  this 
one  baptism  to  be  none  other  than  that  of 
water.”  P.  13. 

Answer.  What  if  I should  also  send  you  to 
54 


answer  those  expositors  that  expound  certain 
Scriptures  for  infant  baptism,  and  that  by  them 
brand  us  for  Anabaptists?  Must  this  drive 
you  from  your  belief  of  the  truth?  Exposi- 
tors I reverence,  but  must  live  by  mine  own 
faith.  God  hath  nowhere  bound  himself  to 
them  more  than  to  others  with  respect  to  the 
revelation  of  his  mind  in  his  word. 

But  it  becomes  not  you  to  run  thus  to  ex- 
positors, who  are,  as  to  your  notions  in  many 
things,  but  of  yesterday:  “To  the  law  and  to 
the  testimony,”  for  out  of  the  mouth  of  babes 
the  Lord  hath  ordained  strength. 

But  you  bid  me  tell  you  “what  I mean  by 
Spirit  baptism.” 

Answer.  Sir,  you  mistake  me:  I treat  not 
here  of  our  being  baptized  with  the  Spirit, 
with  respect  to  its  coming  from  heaven  into 
us,  but  of  that  act  of  the  Spirit,  when  come, 
which  baptizeth  us  into  a body  or  Church.  It 
is  one  thing  to  be  baptized  with  the  Spirit  in 
the  first  sense,  and  another  to  be  baptized  by 
it  in  the  sense  I treat  of:  for  the  Spirit  to  come 
upon  me  is  one  thing,  and  for  that,  when  come, 
to  implant,  embody,  or  baptize  me  into  the 
body  of  Christ  is  another. 

Your  question  therefore  is  grounded  on  a 
mistake  both  of  my  judgment  and  the  words 
of  the  apostle.  Wherefore  thus  I soon  put  an 
end  to  your  objections.  P.  14.  For  the  Spirit 
to  come  down  upon  me  is  one  thing,  and  for 
the  Spirit  to  baptize  or  implant  me  into  the 
Church  is  another;  for  to  be  possessed  with 
the  Spirit  is  one  thing,  and  to  be  led  by  that 
Spirit  is  another.  I conclude,  then,  seeing 
the  argument  taken  from  that  one  baptism 
respecteth  church  fellowship  properly,  and 
seeing  water  baptism  meddleth  not  with  it  as 
such,  it  is  the  other,  even  that  in  1 Cor.  xii. 
16,  that  is  here  intended,  and  no  other. 

But  you  add,  “If  nothing  but  extraordinary 
gifts  are  called  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  in  a 
strict  sense,  then  that  baptism  (1  Cor.  xii.) 
must  be  water  baptism,  as  well  as  that  in 
Ephesians.” 

Hold  : you  make  your  conclusions  before  you 
have  cause.  First  prove  that  in  the  Ephe- 
sians to  be  meant  of  water  baptism,  and  that 
the  baptism  in  1 Cor.  xii.  16  is  the  baptism 
you  would  have  it,  and  then  conclude  my  ar- 
gument void. 

That  is  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ac- 
cording to  the  common  notion,  I say  not;  for 
you  to  assert  it  is  the  baptism  of  water  gives 
the  lie  to  the  text;  but  that  it  is  an  act  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  baptizing  the  saints  into  a body 


850 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


or  Church,  you  will  hardly  he  able  to  make 
the  contrary  appear  to  be  truth. 

But  behold,  while  here  you  would  have  this 
to  be  baptism  with  water,  how  you  contradict 
and  condemn  your  own  notion!  You  say 
water  baptism  is  not  the  entering  ordinance, 
yet  the  baptism  here  is  such  as  baptizeth  us 
into  a body;  wherefore,  before  you  say  next 
time  that  this  in  1 Cor.  xii.  13  is  meant  of 
water  baptism,  affirm  that  water  baptism  is 
the  initiating  or  entering  ordinance,  that  your 
opinion  and  doctrine  may  hang  better  to- 
gether. 

We  come  to  my  third  argument,  which  is, 
“To  prove  it  is  lawful  to  hold  church  commu- 
nion with  the  godly,  sincere  believer,  though 
he  hath  not  been  baptized  with  water,  because 
he  hath  the  doctrine  of  baptism.  Heb.  vi.” 
Which  doctrine  I distinguish  from  the  practice 
of  it;  the  doctrine  being  that  which  by  the 
outward  sign  is  presented  to  us,  or  which 
by  the  outward  circumstance  of  the  act  is 
preached  to  the  believer — viz.,  the  death  of 
Christ,  my  death  with  Christ;  also  his  resur- 
rection from  the  dead,  and  mine  with  him  to 
newness  of  life.  This  our  author  calleth  “one 
of  the  strangest  paradoxes  that  he  hath  lightly 
observed.” 

Answer.  How  light  he  is  in  his  observation 
of  things  I know  not;  this  f am  sure,  the 
apostle  makes  mention  of  the  doctrine  of  bap- 
tism; now  that  the  doctrine  of  a man  or  ordi- 
nance is  the  signification  of  what  is  preached 
is  apparent  to  very  sense.  What  is  Christ’s 
doctrine,  Paul’s  doctrine,  Scripture  doctrine, 
but  the  truth  couched  under  the  words  that 
are  spoken?  So  the  doctrine  of  baptism,  yea, 
and  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord’s  Supper,  are 
those  truths  or  mysteries  that  such  ordinances 
preach  unto  us.  And  that  the  doctrine  of 
baptism  in  this  sense  is  the  great  end  for 
which  that  and  the  Lord’s  Supper  were  in- 
stituted is  apparent  from  all  the  Scriptures. 
It  is  that  which  the  apostle  seeketh  for  in  that 
eminent  6th  of  the  Romans:  “Know  you  not 
that  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus 
Christ  were  baptized  into  his  death?  There- 
fore we  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism,  that 
like  as  Christ  was  raised  from  the  dead  by  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  so  we  should  walk  in  new- 
ness of  life.  For  if  we  have  been  planted  to- 
gether in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall 
also  be  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection.” 
What  is  here  discoursed  but  the  doctrine  of  or 
that  which  baptism  teacheth:  with  an  intima- 
tion that  that  was  the  chief  for  the  sake  of 


which  that  shadow  was  instituted,  as  also  that 
they  that  have  the  doctrine,  or  that  which  is 
signified  thereby,  they  only  must  reign  with 
Christ? 

Again.  This  is  that  which  he  seeketh  for 
among  the  Corinthians : “ If  the  dead  rise  not 
at  all,  (saith  he,)  why  then  were  you  baptized 
for  the  dead?”  Why  then  were  you  baptized? 
what  did  baptism  teach  you?  what  doctrine 
did  it  preach  to  you?  Further,  “Buried  with 
him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  you  are  risen 
again  with  him  through  the  faith  of  the  ope- 
ration of  God,  who  raised  him  from  the  dead.” 
What  is  here  in  chief  asserted  but  the  doc- 
trine only  which  water  baptism  preacheth, 
with  an  intimation  that  they,  and  they  only, 
are  the  saved  of  the  Lord  that  have  heard,  re- 
ceived, and  that  live  in  this  doctrine?  Col.  ii. 
12,  13. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  the  Lord’s  Supper; 
it  also  hath  its  doctrine.  But  against  this  our 
author  objecteth,  saying,  “ That  this  is  called 
the  doctrine  of  baptism  I am  yet  to  learn.” 

Answer.  Your  ignorance  of  the  truth  makes 
it  not  an  error;  but  I pray  you,  what  is  the 
doctrine  of  baptism  if  not  that  which  baptism 
teacheth,  even  that  which  is  signified  thereby 
as  that  is  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  the  Scrip- 
tures which  he  and  they  teach  as  the  mind  of 
God? 

But  you  say,  “ I took  the  doctrine  of  baptism 
to  be  the  command  that  a believer  should  be 
baptized  for  such  ends  as  the  Gospel  express- 
eth.” 

Answer.  To  assert  that  a figurative  ordinance 
is  of  God  is  one  thing,  but  the  doctrinal  signi- 
fication of  that  ordinance  is  another;  a man 
may  preach  the  command,  yet  none  of  the 
doctrines  which  baptism  preacheth.  The  doc- 
trine lieth  not  in  the  command,  but  the  mystery 
discovered  to  faith  by  the  act. 

You  object,  “ If  the  resurrection  be  the  doc- 
trine of  baptism,  why  doth  the  apostle  make 
that  an'd  the  doctrine  of  baptism  things  distinct 
in  Heb.  vi.  ?” 

Answer.  The  resurrection,  simply  considered, 
is  not  the  doctrine  of  baptism,  but  Christ’s, 
and  mine  by  him.  Besides,  there  is  more  in 
it  than  the  mystery  of  this  resurrection ; there 
is  my  death  first,  and  then  my  rising  with  him. 

But  you  add,  “Under  the  law,  all  the  sacri- 
fices of  that  dispensation,  with  their  sabbaths, 
were  types  of  that  Christ  who  was  the  sub- 
stance of  all  those  ceremonies.  If  any  of 
them,  then,  that  professed  faith  in  the  Messias 
to  come  should,  upon  scruples  or  want  of  pre- 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


851 


tended  light,  neglect  the  whole  or  part  of  that 
typical  worship,  why  may  not  a man  say  of 
them,  as  this  advocate  of  the  practice  under 
debate,  They  had  the  richer  and  better  sacri- 
fice?” 

Answer.  First,  that  the  brethren  which  re- 
fuse to  be  baptized,  as  you  and  I would  have 
them,  refuse  it  for  want  of  pretended  light,  be- 
comes you  not  to  imagine,  unless  your  boldness 
will  lead  you  to  judge  that  all  men  want  sin- 
cerity that  come  not  up  to  our  judgment. 
Their  conscience  may  be  better  than  either 
yours  or  mine,  yet  God,  for  purposes  best 
known  to  himself,  may  forbear  to  give  them 
conviction  of  their  duty  in  this  particular. 
But  what ! because  they  are  not  baptized,  have 
they  not  Jesus  Christ?  or  must  we  now  be 
afraid  to  say,  Christ  is  better  than  water  bap- 
tism? Yea,  God  himself,  for  the  sake  of  this 
better  thing,  hath  suffered  in  his  Church  a 
suspension  of  some  of  his  ordinances,  yet 
owned  them  for  his  truly  constituted  congre- 
gation. What  say  you  to  the  Church  in  the 
wilderness?  I touched  you  with  it  in  my  first, 
but  perceived  you  listed  not  to  meddle  there- 
with. That  Church  received  members  the  way 
which  was  not  prescribed  by,  but  directly 
against,  the  revealed  mind  of  God,  yet  stood  a 
true  Church,  their  members  true  members; 
also  that  Church  in  that  state  was  such  before 
whom,  among  whom,  and  to  whom  God  con- 
tinually made  known  himself  to  be  their  God 
and  owned  them  for  his  peculiar  treasure. 

And  now  I am  fallen  upon  it,  let  me  a little 
enlarge.  This  Church,  according  to  the  then 
instituted  worship  of  God,  had  circumcision 
for  their  entering  ordinance,  (Gen.  xvii.  18, 
14,)  without  which  it  was  unlawful  to  receive 
any  into  fellowship  with  them ; yea,  he  that 
without  it  was  received  was  to  be  cut  off  and 
cast  out  again.  Further,  as  to  the  passover, 
the  uncircumcised  was  utterly  forbidden  to  eat 
it.  Ex.  xii.  Now,  if  our  brethren  had  as  express 
prohibition  to  justify  their  groundless  opinion 
as  here  is  to  exclude  the  uncircumcised  from 
the  communion  of  the  Church  and  the.  pass- 
over — I say,  if  they  could  find  it  written,  “No 
unbaptized  person  shall  enter,  no  unbaptized 
person  shall  eat  of  the  supper  ” — what  a noise 
would  they  make  about  it!  But  yet  let  the 
reader  observe  that  although  circumcision  was 
the  entering  ordinance,  and  our  author  saith 
baptism  is  not,  yea,  though  this  Church  was 
expressly  forbidden  to  receive  the  uncircum- 
cised, (and  we  have  not  a syllable  now  to  forbid 
the  unbaptized,)  yet  this  Church  received 


members  without  and  otherwise  than  by  this 
entering  ordinance.  They  also  admitted  them 
to  the  passover;  yea,  entertained,  retained, 
and  held  communion  with  them  so  long  as 
forty  years  without  it.  I say  again,  that  the 
number  of  this  sort  of  communicants  was  not 
so  few  as  six  hundred  thousand.  Moreover,  to 
these  uncircumcised  was  the  land  of  Canaan 
given,  yea,  a possession  of  part  thereof,  before 
they  were  circumcised,  but  the  old  circumcised 
ones  might  not  enter  therein.  I am  the  larger 
in  this  because  our<mthor  hath  overlooked  my 
first  mention  thereof.  And  now  I ask,  What 
was  the  reason  that  God  continued  his  presence 
with  this  Church,  notwithstanding  this  trans- 
gression ? Was  it  not  because  they  had  that 
richer  and  better  thing,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ? 
“ For  they  did  all  cat  of  that  spiritual  bread, 
and  drank  of  that  spiritual  rock  which  follow- 
ed them  ; and  that  rock  was  Christ.”  1 Cor.  x. 
I confess  I find  them  under  rebukes  and  judg- 
ments in  the  wilderness,  and  that  they  were 
many  times  threatened  to  be  destroyed,  but  yet 
I find  not  so  much  as  one  check  for  their  re- 
ceiving of  members  uncircumcised.  Further, 
in  the  New  Testament,  where  we  have  a cata- 
logue of  their  sins,  and  also  of  their  punish- 
ment for  them,  we  find  not  a word  about 
circumcision,  nor  the  smallest  intimation  of 
the  least  rebuke  for  neglecting  the  entering 
ordinance.  1 Cor.  x.  5,  10.  I will  therefore 
say  of  them,  as  I have  also  said  of  my  brethren, 
“ They  had  the  richer  and  better  thing.” 

But  you  object,  “ This  putteth  the  whole  of 
God’s  instituted  worship,  both  under  the  law 
and  Gospel,  to  the  highest  uncertainties.”  P. 
17. 

Answer.  This  putteth  our  opposers  out  of 
their  road,  and  quencheth  the  flame  of  their 
unwarrantable  zeal.  For  if  the  entering  ordi- 
nance, if  the  ordinance  without  which  no  man 
might  be  added  to  the  Church,  was  laid  aside 
for  forty  years — yea,  if  more  than  six  hundred 
thousand  did  communicate  with  them  without 
it — I say  again,  if  they  did  it.  and  held  com- 
munion with  God,  that  notwithstanding,  yea, 
and  had  not,  that  we  read  of.  all  that  time  one 
small  check  for  so  doing,  why  may  not  we  now 
enter  communion,  bold  communion,  maintain 
communion,  church  communion,  without  be- 
ing judged  and  condemned  by  you,  because 
we  cannot,  for  want  of  light,  be  all  baptized 
before,  especially  considering  baptism  makes 
no  man  a saint,  is  not  the  entering  ordinance, 
is  no  part  of  the  worship  of  God  enjoined  the 
Church  as  a Church  ? To  conclude,  although 


852 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


we  receive  members  unbaptized,  we  leave  not 
God’s  instituted  worship  at  uncertainties,  es- 
pecially what  he  hath  commanded  us  as  his 
Church  : we  only  profess  our  want  of  light  in 
some  things,  but  see  no  word  to  warrant  the 
forbearance  of  our  duty  in  all  for  want  of  per- 
suasion in  one. 

You  object,  “I  call  baptism  a circumstance 
• — an  outward  show  I nickname  it.” 

Answer.  Deep  reproof ! But  why  did  you 
not  show  me  my  evil  in  thus  calling  it  when 
opposed  to  the  substance  *nd  the  thing  signi- 
fied? Is  it  the  substance?  Is  it  the  thing 
signified?  And  why  may  not  I give  it  the 
name  of  a show,  when  you  call  it  a symbol 
and  compare  it  to  a gentlemen’s  livery?  P.  52. 

But  you  say  I call  it  an  outward  show. 

Answer.  Is  it  an  inward  one?  What  is  it? 
“ It  is  a command.” 

Answer.  But  doth  that  install  it  in  that 
place  and  dignity  that  was  never  intended  for 
it? 

You  object  further,  “They  cannot  have  the 
doctrine  of  baptism  that  understand  not  our 
way  of  administering  it.”  P.  18. 

This  is  your  mistake,  both  of  the  doctrine 
and  thing  itself.  But  if  you  will  not  scorn  to 
take  notice  of  me,  I advise  you  again  to  con- 
sider that  a man  may  find  baptism  to  be  com- 
manded, may  be  informed  who  ought  to  ad- 
minister it,  may  also  know  the  proper  subject, 
and  that  the  manner  of  baptizing  is  dipping, 
and  may  desire  to  practice  it  because  it  is 
commanded,  and  yet  know  nothing  of  what 
water  baptism  preacheth  or  of  the  mystery 
baptism  showeth  to  faith.  But  that  the  doc- 
trine of  baptism  is  not  the  practice  of  it,  not 
the  outward  act,  but  the  thing  signified,  and 
that  every  believer  hath  that,  must  argue  you 
more  than  bold  to  deny  it. 

But  say  you,  “ Who  taught  you  to  divide 
betwixt  Christ  and  his  precepts,  that  you  word 
it  at  such  a rate,  That  he  that  hath  the  one?” 
&c. 

Answer.  To  say  nothing  of  faith  and  the 
word,  verily  reason  itself  teacheth  it.  For  if 
Christ  be  my  righteousness,  and  not  water,  if 
Christ  be  my  advocate,  and  not  water,  if  there 
be  that  good  and  blessedness  in  Christ  that  is 
not  in  water,  then  is  Jesus  Christ  better  than 
water,  and  also  in  these  to  be  eternally  divided 
from  water,  unless  we  will  make  them  co-sa- 
viours, co-advocates,  and  such  as  are  equally 
good  and  profitable  to  men. 

But  say  you,  “I  thought  that  he  that  hath 
Christ  had  an  orderly  right  to  all  Christ’s 


promises  and  precepts,  and  that  the  precepts 
of  Christ  are  part  of  the  riches  that  a believer 
hath  in  and  by  Christ.” 

Answer.  A believer  hath  more  in  Christ 
than  either  promise  or  precept,  but  all  believ- 
ers know  not  all  things  that  of  God  are  given 
to  them  by  Christ.  But  must  they  not  use  and 
enjoy  that  which  they  know  because  they 
knowr  not  all  ? or  must  they  neglect  the 
weightier  matters  because  they  want  mint, 
anise,  and  cummin?  Your  pretended  orderly 
rite  is  your  fancy : there  is  not  a syllable  in 
the  whole  Bible  that  bids  a Christian  to  for- 
bear his  duty  in  other  things,  because  he 
wanteth,  as  you  term  it,  the  symbol  or  watei 
baptism. 

But  say  you,  “ He  that  despiseth  his  birth- 
right of  ordinances,  our  church  privileges, 
will  be  found  to  be  a profane  person,  as  Esau, 
in  God’s  account.” 

Baptism  is  not  the  privilege  of  a Church  as 
such.  But  what!  are  they  all  Esaus  indeed? 
Must  we  goto  hell  and  be  damned  for  want  of 
faith  in  water  baptism?  And  take  notice, 
do  not  plead  for  a despising  of  baptism,  but  a 
bearing  with  our  brother  that  cannot  do  it  for 
want  of  light.  The  best  of  baptism  he  hath — 
viz.,  the  signification  thereof;  he  wanteth  only 
the  outward  show,  which,  if  he  had,  would  not 
prove  him  a truly  visible  saint;  it  would  not 
tell  me  he  had  the  grace  of  God  in  his  heart ; 
it  is  no  characteristical  note  to  another  of  my 
sonship  with  God. 

But  why  did  you  not  answer  these  parts  of 
my  argument?  Why  did  you  only  cavil  at 
words,  which,  if  they  had  been  left  out,  the 
argument  yet  stands  good?  “He  that  is  not 
baptized,  if  yet  a true  believer,  hath  the  doc- 
trine of  baptism ; yea,  he  ought  to  have  it 
before  he  be  convinced  it  is  his  duty  to  be  bap- 
tized, or  else  he  playeth  the  hypocrite.  There 
is  therefore  no  difference  between  that  believer 
that  is  and  he  that  is  not  yet  baptized  with 
water,  but  only  his  going  down  into  the  water, 
there  to  perform  an  outward  ceremony  of  the 
substance  which  he  hath  already ; which  yet 
he  is  not  commanded  to  do  with  respect  to 
membership  with  the  Church,  but  to  obtain 
by  that  further  understanding  of  his  privilege 
by  Christ,  which  before  he  made  profession  of, 
and  that  as  a visible  believer.” 

But  to  come  to  my  fourth  argument,  which 
you  so  tenderly  touch  as  if  it  burnt  your 
fingers:  “I  am  bold,  say  I,  to  have  commu- 
nion with  visible  saints  as  before,  because  God 
hath  communion  with  them,  whose  example 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


in  the  case  we  are  strictly  commanded  to  fol- 
low.” Receive  ye  one  another,  as  Christ 
Jesus  hath  received  you  to  the  glory  of  God. 
Yea,  though  they  be  saints  in  opinion  contrary 
to  you  or  I,  “ we  that  are  strong,  ought  to 
bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  not  to 
please  ourselves” — infirmities  that  are  sinful, 
for  they  that  are  natural  are  incident  to  all. 
Infirmities,  therefore,  they  are  that  for  want 
of  light  cause  a man  to  err  in  circumstantials. 
And  the  reason  upon  which  Paul  groundeth 
this  admonition  is,  “For  Christ  pleased  not 
himself,  but,  as  it  is  written,  The  reproaches 
of  them  that  reproached  thee  are  fallen  on 
me.” 

You  say  to  this,  (p.  20,)  “That  it  is  Paul’s 
direction  to  the  Church  at  Rome  how  to  re- 
ceive their  brethren  church  members.” 

I answer: 

1.  What!  are  not  the  poor  saints  nowin  this 
city,  are  not  they  concerned  in.  these  instruc- 
tions? Or  is  not  the  Church,  by  these  words, 
at  all  directed  how  to  carry  it  to  those  that 
were  not  yet  in  fellowship?  A bold  assertion, 
but  grounded  upon  nothing  but  that  you 
would  have  it  so. 

2.  But  how  will  you  prove  that  there  was  a 
Church,  a right-constituted  Church  at  Rome, 
besides  that  in  Aquila’s  house?  Chap.  xvi. 
Neither  doth  this  epistle,  nor  any  other  in 
the  whole  book  of  God,  affirm  it.  Besides, 
since  Paul,  in  this  last  chapter,  saluteth 
the  Church  in  this  man’s  house,  but  the  other 
only  as  particular  saints,  it  giveth  farther 
ground  of  conviction  to  you  that  those  others 
were  not  as  yet  embodied  in  such  a fellowship. 

3.  But  suppose  there  was  another  Church 
besides,  it  doth  not  therefore  follow  that  the 
apostle  cxhorteth  them  only  to  receive  persons 
already  in  fellowship,  but  him,  even  every 
him,  that  there  was  weak  in  faith,  but  not  to 
doubtful  disputations. 

4.  Suppose,  again,  the  receiving  here  ex- 
horted to  be  such  as  you  would  have  it,  yet 
the  rule  by  which  they  are  directed  to  do  it  is 
that  by  which  we  perceive  that  Christ  hath 
received  them;  but  Christ  did  not  receive 
them  by  baptism,  but  as  given  to  him  by 
the  Father.  Him  therefore  concerning  whom 
we  are  convinced  that  he  by  the  Father  is 
given  to  Christ,  him  should  we  receive. 

5.  But  what  need  I grant  you  that  which 
cannot  be  proved?  Y'et  if  you  could  prove  it, 
it  availeth  nothing  at  all,  because  you  may 
not,  cannot,  ought  not,  to  dare  to  limit  the 
exhortation  to  receiving  one  another  into  each 


853 

other’s  affections  only,  and  not  also  receiving 
saints  into  communion. 

But  you  object,  “ To  make  God’s  receiving 
the  rule  of  our  receiving  in  all  cases  will  not 
hold.”  P.  21. 

Answer.  Keep  to  the  thing,  man  : if  it  hold 
in  the  case  in  hand,  it  is  enough,  the  which 
you  have  not  denied.  And  that  it  holds  thus 
is  plain,  because  commanded.  But  let  the 
reader  know  that  your  putting  in  that  way 
of  his  receiving  which  is  invisible  to  us  is  but 
an  unhandsome  straddling  over  my  argument, 
which  treateth  only  of  a visible  receiving, 
such  as  is  manifest  to  the  Church.  This  you 
knew,  but  sought,  by  evading,  to  turn  the 
reader  from  considering  the  strength  of  this 
my  argument.  “The  receiving,  then,  (said  I, 
p.  29,)  because  it  is  set  as  an  example  to  the 
Church,  is  such  as  must  needs  be  visible  unto 
them,  and  is  best  discovered  by  that  word  that 
describeth  the  visible  saints.  Whoso  then  you 
can  judge  a visible  saint,  one  that  walketh 
with  God,  you  may,  nay,  ought  to,  judge  by 
the  same  word  God  hath  received  him.  Now, 
him  that  God  receiveth,  him  should  you  re- 
ceive.” But  will  any  object  they  cannot  be- 
lieve that  God  receiveth  the  unbaptized  saints? 
I will  not  suppose  you  so  much  stupefied,  and 
therefore  shall  make  no  answer.  But  you 
seem  to  be  much  offended  because  I said, 
“ Vain  man  ! think  not,  by  the  straituess  of 
thine  order  in  outward  and  bodily  conformity 
to  outward  and  shadowish  circumstances,  that 
thy  peace  is  maintained  with  God.” 

But  why  so  much  offended  at  this? 

“ Because  you  intend  by  this  the  brethren 
of  the  baptized  way.” 

Answer.  If  they  be  vain  men  and  set  up 
their  own  order,  how  strait  soever  they  make 
it,  they  are  worthy  to  be  reproved.  “If  they 
have  rejected  the  word  of  the  Lord,  what  wis- 
dom is  in  them?”  And  as  you  suggest  the 
first,  I affirm  the  second.  But  if  you  would 
be  justified  in  excluding  those  with  whom  yet 
you  see  God  hath  communion,  because  they 
yet  see  not  a shadow  with  you,  produce  the 
Scripture  for  such  order,  that  we  may  believe 
it  is  the  order  of  God;  but  deal  fairly,  lest  we 
show  your  nakedness  and  others  see  your 
shame. 

You  tell  me  of  the  order  of  the  Colossians. 
Chap.  ii.  5.  But  if  you  can  prove  that  that 
Church  refused  to  hold  communion  with  that 
saint  whom  they  knew  to  be  received  by 
Christ  and  held  communion  with  him,  or  that 
none  but  those  that  are  baptized  are  received 


854 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


by  and  hold  communion  with  him,  then  you 
justify  your  order.  In  the  mean  while  the 
whole  of  my  argument  stands  firm  against 
you:  “You  must  have  communion  with  visi- 
ble saints,  because  God  hath  communion  with 
them,  whose  example  in  the  case  we  are 
strictly  commanded  to  fellow/’ 

But  you  ask  me,  “If  outward  and  bodily 
conformity  has  become  a crime?”  P.  23. 

Answer.  I nowhere  said  it,  but  know  that 
to  glorify  God  with  our  bodies  respecteth 
chiefly  far  higher  and  more  weighty  things 
than  that  of  water  baptism : “ Whatsoever  is 
not  of  faith  is  sin and  to  set  up  an  ordi- 
nance, though  an  ordinance  of  God,  that 
by  it  the-  Church  may  be  pulled  in  pieces 
or  the  truly  visible  saints  excluded  commu- 
nion with  their  brethren — I say  again,  to 
make  water  baptism  a bar  and  division  be- 
tween saint  and  saint  every  whit  otherwise 
gracious  aud  holy  alike,  “ this  is  like  fasting 
for  strife  and  debate,  and  to  smite  with  the 
fist  of  wickedness,”  and  is  not  to  be  found 
within  the  whole  Bible,  but  is  only  an  order 
of  your  own  devising.  As  to  the  peace  you 
make  an  objection  about,  (p.  23,)  you  have 
granted  me  what  I intended ; and  now  I add 
further,  that  for  church  peace  to  be  founded 
in  baptism  or  any  other  external  rite,  not 
having  to  do  with  the  Church  as  a Church,  is 
pure  peace  indeed.  Church  peace  is  founded 
in  blood  and  love  to  each  other  for  Jesus’ 
sake,  bearing  with  and  forbearing  one  another 
in  all  things  circumstantial  that  concern  not 
church  worship  as  such.  And  in  my  other  I 
have  proved  that  baptism  is  not  such,  and 
therefore  ought  not  to  be  urged  to  make  rents 
and  divisions  among  brethren. 

But  you  ask,  “Is  my  peace  maintained  in  a 
way  of  disobedience?”  and  conclude,  if  it  be, 
“ you  fear  it  is  false.”  P.  24. 

Answer.  If  the  first  were  true,  you  need  not 
to  doubt  of  the  second  ; but  it  may  be  thought 
he  hath  little  to  say  in  the  controversy  who  is 
forced  to  stuff  out  his  papers  with  such  need- 
less prattles  as  these. 

My  fifth  argument  is,  “That  a failure-  in 
such  a circumstance  as  water  baptism  doth  not 
unchristian  us.”  This  you  are  compelled  to 
grant.  P.  25.  And  I conclude  with  your  words, 
persons  ought  to  be  Christians  before  visible 
Christians,  such  as  any  congregation  in  the  land 
may  receive  to  communion  with  themselves,  be- 
cause God  hath  showed  us  that  he  has  received 
them.  Keceive  him  to  the  glory  of  God.  “ To 
the  glory  of  God”  is  put  in  on  purpose  to  show 


what  dishonour  they  bring  to  him  who  despise 
to  have  communion  with  such  whom  they 
know  do  maintain  communion  with  God.  1 
say  again,  How  doth  this  man  or  that  Church 
glorify  God,  or  count  the  wisdom  and  holiness  of 
heaven  beyond  them,  when  they  refuse  commu- 
nion with  them  concerning  whom  yet  they  are 
convinced  that  they  have  communion  with  God  ? 

But  my  argument  you  have  not  denied,  nor 
meddled  with  the  conclusion  at  all ; which  is, 
“That  therefore,  even  because  a failure  here 
doth  not  unchristian  us,  doth  not  make  us  in- 
sincere, and  I add,  doth  not  lay  us  open  to  any 
revealed  judgment  or  displeasure  of  Gcd,  (if  it 
doth,  show  where,)  therefore  it  should  not,  it 
ought  not,  to  make  us  obnoxious  to  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  Church  of  God.” 

But  you  say,  “I  rank  Gospel  precepts  with 
Old  Testament  abrogated  ceremonies.”  P.  25. 

Answer.  You  should  have  given  your  reader 
my  words,  that  he  might  have  judged  from  my 
own  mouth.  I said  then,  (speaking  before  of 
Christianity  itself,  p.  94,)  “That  thousands  of 
thousands  that  could  not  consent  to  water,  as 
we,  are  now  with  the  innumerable  company  of 
angels  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  per- 
fect.” What  was  said  of  eating  or  the  con- 
trary may  as  to  this  be  said  of  water  baptism  : 
Neither  if  I be  bajrtized  am  I the  better, 
neither  if  I be  not  am  I the  worse;  not  the 
better  before  God,  not  the  worse  before  men ; 
still  meaning,  as  Paul,  provided  I walk  ac- 
cording to  my  light  with  God.  Otherwise  it  is 
false ; for  if  a man  that  seeth  it  to  be  his  duty 
shall  despisingly  neglect  it,  or  if  he  that  hath 
not  faith  about  it  shall  foolishly  take  it  up, 
both  these  are  for  this  the  worse;  I mean  as  to 
their  own  sense,  being  convicted  in  themselves 
as  transgressors.  He  therefore  that  doeth  ac- 
cording to  this  light,  doeth  well,  and  he  that 
doth  it  not  for  want  of  light,  doth  not  ill,  for 
he  approveth  his  heart  to  be  sincere  with  God, 
even  by  that  his  forbearance.  And  I tell  you 
again,  it' is  nowhere  recorded  that  this  man  is 
under  any  revealed  threatening  of  God  for  his 
not  being  baptized  with  water,  he  not  having 
light  therein,  but  is  admitted  through  his  grace 
to  as  many  promises  as  you.  If  therefore  he  be 
not  a partaker  of  that  circumstance,  yet  he  is 
of  that  liberty  and  mercy  by  which  you  stand 
with  God. 

But  that  I practice  instituted  worship  upon 
the  same  account  as  Paul  did  circumcision  and 
shaving  is  too  bold  for  you  to  presume  to  im- 
agine. What ! because  I will  not  suffer  water 
to  carry  away  the  epistles  from  the  Christians, 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


855 


and  because  I will  not  let  water  baptism  be  the 
rule,  the  door,  the  bolt,  the  bar,  the  wall  of  di- 
vision between  the  righteous  and  the  righteous, 
must  I therefore  be  judged  to  be  a man  with- 
out conscience  to  the  worship  of  Jesus  Christ? 
The  Lord  deliver  me  from  superstitious  and 
idolatrous  thoughts  about  any  of  the  ordi- 
nances of  Christ  and  of  God ! But  my  fifth 
argument  standeth  against  you  untouched; 
you  have  not  denied,  much  less  confuted,  the 
least  syllable  thereof. 

You  tell  me  my  sixth  argument  is,  “Edifi- 
cation.” 

Answer.  If  it  be,  why  is  it  not  embraced? 
But  my  own  words  are  these : “ I am  for  hold- 
ing communion  thus,  because  the  edification 
of  souls  in  the  faith  and  holiness  of  the  Gos- 
pel is  of  greater  concern  than  an  agreement  in 
outward  things;  I say,  it  is  of  greater  concern 
with  us,  and  of  far  more  profit  to  our  brother, 
than  our  agreeing  in  or  contesting  for  water 
baptism.  John  xvi.  13 ; 1 Cor.  xiv.  12 ; xiii.  1,  2 ; 
viii.  1.”  Now  why  did  you  not  take  this  argu- 
ment in  pieces,  and  answer  those  Scriptures, 
on  which  the  strength  thereof  depends?  But 
if  to  contest,  and  fall  out  about  water  baptism, 
be  better  than  to  edify  the  house  of  God,  pro- 
duce the  texts,  that  we  may  be  informed. 

You  say,  “ Edification  is  the  end  of  all  com- 
munion, but  all  things  must  be  done  in  order, 
orderly.”  P.  26. 

Answer.  When  you  have  proved  that  there 
is  no  such  thing  as  an  orderly  edifying  of  the 
Church  without  water  baptism  precede,  then 
it  will  be  time  enough  to  think  you  have  said 
something. 

You  add,  “ Edification  as  to  church  fellow- 
ship, being  a building  up,  doth  suppose  the 
being  of  a Church,  but  pray  you  show  us  a 
Church  without  baptism.”  P.  26. 

Answer.  See  here  the  spirit  of  these  men, 
who,  for  the  want  of  water  baptism,  have  at 
once  unchurched  all  such  congregations  of  God 
in  the  world.  But  against  this  I have  and  do 
urge  that  water  baptism  giveth  neither  being 
nor  well-being  to  a Church ; neither  is  any 
part  of  the  instituted  worship  of  God,  that  the 
Church,  as  such,  should  be  found  in  the  prac- 
tice of.  Therefore  her  edification  as  a Church 
may,  yea,  ought  to  be,  attained  unto  without  it. 

But  you  say,  “Show  us  a New  Testament 
Church  without  baptism.”  P.  26. 

Answer.  What  say  you  to  the  Church  all 
along  the  Revelation,  quite  through  the  reign 
of  Antichrist?  Was  that  a New  Testament 
Church  or  no? 


Again.  If  baptism  be  without  the  Church  as 
a Church,  if  it  hath  nothing  to  do  in  the  con- 
stituting of  a Church,  if  it  be  not  the  door  of 
entrance  into  the  Church,  if  it  be  no  part  of 
church  worship  as  such,  then,  although  all  the 
members  of  that  Church  were  baptized,  yet  the 
Church  is  a Church  without  water  baptism. 
But  all  the  churches  in  the  New  Testament 
were  such ; therefore,  &c. 

Again.  If  baptism  respects  believers  as 
particular  persons  only,  if  it  respects  their  own 
conscience  only,  if  it  makes  a man  no  visible 
believer  to  me,  then  it  hath  nothing  to  do  with 
church  membership,  because  that  which  re- 
spects my  own  person  only,  my  own  conscience 
only,  that  which  is  no  character  of  my  visible 
saintship  to  the  Church,  cannot  be  an  argu- 
ment unto  them  to  receive  me  into  fellowship 
with  themselves.  But  this  is  true;  there- 
fore, &c. 

You  proceed,  “ If  by  edification  be  meant 
the  private  increase  of  grace  in  one  another,  in 
the  use  of  private  means,  as  private  Christians 
in  meeting  together,  how  doth  the  principle 
you  oppose  hinder  that?  Endeavour  to  make 
men  as  holy  as  you  can,  that  they  may  be  fitted 
for  church  fellowship  when  God  shall  show 
them  the  orderly  way  to  it(”  P.  66. 

Answer.  What  a number  of  private  things 
have  we  now  brought  out  to  public  view  ? Pri- 
vate Christians,  private  means,  and  a private 
increase,  of  grace.  But,  sir,  are  none  but  those 
of  your  way  the  public  Christians?  or  ought 
none  but  those  that  are  baptized  to  have  the 
public  means  of  grace?  or  must  their  graces 
be  increased  by  none  but  private  means?  Are 
you  awake  now  ? or  are  you  become  so  high  in 
your  own  fantasies  that  none  have,  or  are  to 
have,  but  private  means  of  grace?  And  are 
there  no  public  Christians  or  public  Christian 
meetings  but  them  of  your  way  ? I did  not 
think  that  all  but  Baptists  should  only  abide 
in  holes. 

But  you  find  fault  because  I said,  “ Edifica- 
tion is  greater  than  contesting  about  water 
baptism.”  P.  27. 

Ansivcr.  If  it  be  not,  confute  me ; if  it  be, 
forbear  to  cavil.  Water  baptism  and  all  God’s 
ordinances  are  to  be  used  to  edification,  not  to 
beget  heats  and  contentions  among  the  godly; 
wherefore  edification  is  best. 

Objection.  I had  thought  that  the  preaching 
and  opening  baptism  might  have  been  reck- 
oned a part  of  our  edification. 

Answer.  The  act  of  water  baptism  hath  not 
place  in  church  worship,  neither  in  whole  nor 


856 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


in  part;  wherefore,  pressing  it  upon  the  Church 
is  to  no  purpose  at  all. 

Objection.  Why  may  you  not  as  well  say 
that  edification  is  greater  than  breaking  of 
bread?  P.  27. 

Answer.  So  it  is,  else  that  should  never  have 
been  instituted  to  edify  withal.  That  which 
serveth  is  not  greater  than  he  that  is  served 
thereby.  Baptism  and  the  Lord’s  Supper 
both  were  made  for  us,  not  we  for  them; 
wherefore  both  were  made  for  our  edification, 
but  no  one  for  our  destruction. 

But  again  : The  Lord’s  Supper,  not  baptism, 
is  for  the  Church  as  a Church ; therefore,  as  we 
will  maintain  the  Church’s  edifying,  that  must 
be  maintained  in  it;  yea,  used  oft  to  show 
the  Lord’s  death  till  he  come.  1 Cor.  xi.  22- 
26. 

Besides,  because  it  is  a great  part  of  church 
worship,  as  such,  therefore  it  is  pronounced 
blessed ; the  Lord  did  openly  bless  it  also : 
“The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless.”  Not 
to  say  more,  therefore,  your  reasoning  from  one 
to  the  other  will  not  hold. 

Objection.  How  cotnes  contesting  for  water 
baptism  to  be  so  much  against  you? 

Answer.  First.  Because  weak  brethren  can- 
not bear  it,  whom  yet  we  are  commanded  to 
receive,  but  not  to  doubtful  disputation- 
doubtful  to  them  ; therefore,  for  their  sakes  I 
must  forbear  it.  Bom.  xiv.  1. 

Secondly.  Because  1 have  not  seen  any  good 
effect,  but  the  contrary,  wherever  such  hot 
spirits  have  gone  before  me:  “ For  where  envy 
and  strife  is,  there  is  confusion  (or  tumults) 
and  every  evil  work.” 

Thirdly.  Because  by  the  example  of  the 
Lord  and  Paul  we  must  consider  the  present 
state  of  the  Church,  and  not  trouble  them 
with  what  they  cannot  bear.  John  xvi.  13; 
1 Cor.  iii.  1,  2,  3. 

I conclude,  then,  edification  in  the  Church 
is  to  be  preferred  above  what  the  Church  as  a 
Church  hath  nothing  to  do  withal.  All  things, 
dearly  beloved,  are  for  our  edifying.  1 Cor. 

xiv.  5;  xii.  26;  2 Cor.  xii.  19;  Eph.  iv.  26; 

xv.  2 ; 1 Cor.  xiv.  3 ; 2 Cor.  x.  8 ; xiii.  10 ; 
Rom.  xiv.  19. 

Before  I wind  up  this  argument  I present 
you  with  several  instances  showing  that  the 
breach  of  some  of  God’s  precepts  have  been 
borne  with  when  they  came  in  competition 
with  edification.  As  first,  that  of  Aaron,  who 
let  the  offering  for  sin  be  burnt  that  should  iu- 
deed  have  been  eaten,  (Lev.  x. ;)  yet  because  he 
could  not  do  it  to  his  edification,  Moses  was 


content.  But  the  law  was  thereby  trans- 
gressed : “ The  priest  that  offeretli  it  for  sin 
shall  eat  it.” 

To  this  you  reply,  “ That  was  not  a constant 
continued  forbearing  of  God’s  worship,  but  a 
suspending  of  it  for  a season.” 

Answer.  W e also  suspend  it  but  for  a season : 
when  persons  can  be  baptized  to  their  edifica- 
tion they  have  the  liberty. 

But,  secondly.  This  was  not  a bare  suspen- 
sion, but  a flat  transgression  of  the  law.  “ Ye 
should  indeed  have  eaten  it.”  Yet  Moses  was 
content. 

But  say  you,  “Perhaps  it  was  suspended 
upon  just  and  legal  grounds,  though  not  ex- 
pressed.” 

Answer.  The  express  rule  was  against  it: 
“ Ye  should  indeed  (saith  Moses)  have  eaten  it 
in  the  holy  place,  as  I commanded.”  But, 
good  sir,  are  you  now  for  unwritten  verities? 
for  legal  grounds,  though  not  expressed?  I 
will  not  drive  you  farther;  here  is  room 
enough. 

As  for  Eldad  and  Medad,  it  cannot  be  denied 
but  that  their  edifying  of  the  people  was  pre- 
ferred before  their  conforming  to  every  circum- 
stance. Num.  xi.  16-26. 

You  add,  “That  Paul,  for  a seeming  low 
thing,  did  withstand  Peter.” 

Sir,  if  you  make  but  a seeming  low  thing  of 
dissembling  and  teaching  others  so  to  do,  es- 
pecially where  the  doctrine  of  justification  is 
endangered,  I cannot  expect  much  good  con- 
science from  you. 

As  for  your  answer  to  the  case  of  Hezekiah, 
it  is  faulty  in  two  respects : 

1.  For  that  you  make  the  passover  a type  of 
the  Lord’s  Supper,  when  it  was  only  a type  of 
the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord:  “For  even 
Christ  our  Passover  is  sacrificed  for  us.” 

2.  In  that  you  make  it  an  example  to  you  to 
admit  persons  unprepared  to  the  Lord’s  Sup- 
per. P.  29. 

Answer1.  May  you  indeed  receive  persons 
into  the  Church  unprepared  for  the  Lord’s 
Supper:  yea,  unprepared  for  that,  with  other 
solemn  appointments?  For  so  you  word  it. 
P.  29.  Oh  what  an  engine  have  you  made 
of  water  baptism ! 

Thus,  gentle  reader,  while  this  author  teareth 
us  in  pieces  for  not  making  baptism  the  or- 
derly rule  for  receiving  the  goodly  and  con- 
scientious into  communion,  he  can  receive 
persons,  if  baptized,  though  unprepared  for 
the  supper  and  other  solemn  appointments.  I 
would  have  thee  consult  the  place,  and  see  if 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  11  AFT  IBM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


857 


it  countrnsmceth  such  an  act,  that, a man  who 
pleadeth  lor  water  baptism  above  the  peace 
and  edification  of  the  Church  ought  to  be  re- 
ceived, although  unprepared,  into  the  Church 
to  the  Lord’s  Supper  and  other  solemn  ap- 
pointments, especially  considering  the  nature 
of  right  church  constitution,  and  the  severity 
of  God  towards  those  that  came  unprepared  to 
his  table  of  old.  1 Cor.  xi.  28,  29,  80.  A riddle 
indeed,  that  the  Lord  should,  without  a word, 
so  severely  command  that  all  which  want 
light  in  baptism  be  excluded  church  privi- 
leges, and  yet  against  his  word  admit  of  per- 
sons unprepared  to  the  Lord’s  table  and  other 
solemn  appointments! 

But,  good  sir,  why  so  short-winded?  Why 
could  not  you  make  the  same  work  with  the 
other  Scriptures  as  you  did  with  these?  I 
must  leave  them  upon  you  unanswered,  and 
standing  by  my  argument  conclude  that  if 
laws  and  ordinances  of  old  have  been  broken, 
and  the  breach  of  them  borne  with,  when  yet 
the  observation  of  outward  things  was  more 
strictly  commanded  than  now,  if  the  profit 
and  edification  of  the  Church  come  in  compe- 
tition, how  much  more  may  not  we  have  com- 
munion, church  communion,  when  no  law  of 
God  is  transgressed  thereby ! 

And  note,  that  all  this  while  I plead  not  (as 
you)  for  persons  unprepared,  but  godly  and 
such  as  walk  with  God. 

We  come  now  to  my  seventh  argument  for 
communion  with  the  godly,  though  baptized 
persons,  which  you  say  is  love.  P.  29. 

My  argument  is  this:  “Therefore  I am  for 
communion  thus,  because  love,  which  above 
all  things  we  are  commanded  to  put  on,  is  of 
much  more  worth  than  to  break  about  bap- 
tism.” And  let  the  reader  note  that  of  this 
argument  you  deny  not  so  much  as  one  sylla- 
ble, but  run  to  another  story ; but  I will  follow 
you. 

I add  further,  that  love  is  more  discovered 
when  we  receive  for  the  sake  of  Christ  than 
when  we  refuse  his  children  for  want  of  water; 
aud  tell  you  again  that  this  exhortation  to  love 
is  grounded  not  upon  baptism,  but  the  putting 
on  of  the  new  creature,  which  hath  swallowed 
up  all  distinctions.  Col.  iii.  9-14.  Yea,  there 
are  ten  arguments  in  this  one  which  you  have 
not  so  much  as  touched,  but  thus  object, 
“ That  man  that  makes  affection  the  rule  of 
his  walking,  rather  than  judgment,  it  is  no 
wonder  if  he  go  out  of  the  way.” 

Answer,  Love  to  them  we  are  persuaded  that 
God  hath  received  is  love  that  is  guided  by 


judgment;  and  to  receive  them  that  arc  such 
because  God  hath  bidden  us  (Rom.  xiv.)  is 
judgment  guided  by  rule.  My  argument, 
therefore,  hath  forestalled  all  your  noise,  and 
standeth  still  on  its  legs  against  you. 

As  to  the  duties  of  piety  and  charity  you 
boast  of,  (p.  30,)  sound  not  a trumpet,  tell  not 
your  left  hand  of  it;  we  are  talking  now  of 
communion  of  saints,  church  communion,  and 
I plead  that  to  love  and  hold  together  as  such 
is  better  than  to  break  in  pieces  for  want  of 
water  baptism.  My  reason  is,  because  we  are 
exhorted  in  all  things  to  put  on  love,  the  love 
of  church  communion;  contrariwise,  you  op- 
pose, “above  all  things  put  on  water,”  for  the 
best  saint  under  heaven  that  hath  not  that,  with 
him  you  refuse  communion.  Thus  you  make 
baptism,  though  no  church  ordinance,  a bar  to 
shut  out  the  godly  and  a trap-door  to  let  the 
unprepared  into  churches,  to  the  Lord’s  Sup- 
per and  other  solemn  appointments.  P.  79. 

But  you  object,  “Must  our  love  to  the  un- 
baptized  indulge  them  in  an  act  of  disobedi- 
ence? Cannot  we  love  their  persons,  parts, 
graces,  but  we  must  love  their  sins?”  P.  30. 

Answer.  We  plead  not  for  indulgence.  “But 
are  there  not  with  you,  even  with  you,  sins 
against  the  Lord  your  God?”  2 Chron.  xxviii. 
10.  But  why  can  you  indulge  the  Baptists  in 
any  acts  of  disobedience?  for  to  come  unpre- 
pared into  the  Church  is  an  act  of  disobedi- 
ence; to  come  unprepared  to  the  supper  is  an 
act  of  disobedience;  and  to  come  so  also  to 
other  solemn  appointments  are  acts  of  disobe- 
dience. 

“ But  for  these  things  (you  say)  you  do  not 
cast  nor  keep  any  out  of  the  Church.” 

Answer.  But  what  acts  of  disobedience  do 
we  indulge  them  in? 

“ In  the  sin  of  infant  baptism.” 

Ansicer.  We  indulge  them  not,  but,  being 
commanded  to  bear  with  the  infirmities  of 
each  other,  suffer  it,  it  being  indeed  in  our 
eyes  such,  but  in  theirs  they  say  a duty,  till 
God  shall  otherwise  persuade  them.  If  you 
be  without  infirmity,  do  you  first  throw  a 
stone  at  them;  they  keep  their  faith  in  that  to 
themselves  and  trouble  not  the  brethren  there- 
with ; we  believe  that  God  hath  received  them ; 
they  do  not  want  to  us  a proof  of  their  son- 
ship  with  God ; neither  hath  he  made  water  a 
wall  of  division  between  us;  and  therefore  do 
we  receive  them. 

Objection.  “I  take  it  to  be  the  highest  act 
of  friendship  to  be  faithful  to  these  professors, 
aud  to  tell  them  they  want  this  one  thing  in 


858 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Gospel  order,  wliicli  ought  not  to  be  left  un- 
done.” P.  30. 

Answer.  If  it  be  the  highest  piece  of  friend-, 
ship  to  preach  water  baptism  to  unbaptized 
believers,  the  lowest  act  thereof  must  needs  be 
very€ow.  But,  contrariwise,  I count  it  so  far 
off'  from  being  auy  act  of  friendship  to  press 
baptism  in  our  notion  on  those  that  cannot 
bear  it  that  it  is  a great  abuse  of  the  peace  of 
my  brother,  the  law  of  love,  the  law  of  Christ, 
or  the  society  of  the  faithful.  Love  suffereth 
long  and  is  kind,  is  not  easily  provoked:  let  us 
therefore  follow  after  the  things  that  make  for 
peace  and  things  wherewith  one  may  edify 
another:  let  every  one  of  us  please  his  neigh- 
bour, for  his  good  to  edification,:  bear  you  one 
another’s  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of 
Christ.  1 Cor.  xiii.;  Bom.  xiv.  19;  xv.  2;  Gal. 
vi.  2. 

But  say  you,  “ I doubt  when  this  comes  to 
be  weighed  in  God’s  balance  it  will  be  found 
no  less  than  flattery,  for  which  you  will  be 
reproved.” 

Answer.  It  seems  you  do  but  doubt  it, 
wherefore  the  principles  from  which  you 
doubt  it,  of  that  methinks  you  should  not  be 
certain.  But  this  is  of  little  weight  to  me; 
for  he  that  will  presume  to  appropriate  the  epis- 
tles to  himself  and  fellows  for  the  sake  of  bap- 
tism, and  that  will  condemn  all  the  churches 
of  Christ  in  the  land  for  want  of  baptism,  and 
that  will  account  his  brother 'as  profane  Esau, 
(p.  20,)  and  rejected  as  idolatrous  Ephraim, 
(p.  32,)  because  he  wanteth  liis  way  of  water 
baptism,  he  acts  out  of  his  wonted  way  of 
rigidness  when  he  doth  but  doubt  and  not 
affirm  his  brother  to  be  a flatterer.  I leave 
therefore  this  your  doubt  to  be  resolved  at  the 
day  of  judgment,  and  in  the  mean  time  trample 
upon  your  harsh  and  unchristian  surmises. 

As  to  our  love  to  Christians  in  other  cases,  I 
hojrn  we  shall  also  endeavour  to  follow  the  law 
of  the  Lord ; but  because  it  respects  not  the 
matter  in  hand,  it  concerns  us  not  now  to 
treat  thereof. 

My  argument  treateth  of  church  commu- 
nion, in  the  prosecution  of  which  I prove — 

1.  That  love  is  grounded  upon  the  new 
creature.  Col.  iii.  9,  &c. 

2.  Upon  our  fellowship  with  the  Father  and 
Son.  1 John  i.  2,  3. 

3.  That  with  respect  to  this  it  is  the  fulfill- 
ing of  the  moral  law.  James  iv.  11 ; Bom. 
xiv.  21. 

4.  That  it  shows  itself  in  acts  of  forbear- 
ing rather  than  in  publishing  some  truths, 


communicating  only  what  is  profitable,  for- 
bearing to  publish  what  cannot  he  borne. 
1 Cor.  iii.  1,  2;  Acts  xx.  18,  19,  20;  John 
xvi.  17. 

5.  I show  further,  that  to  have  fellowship 
for,  to  make  that  the  ground  of,  or  to  receive 
one  another  chiefly  upon  the  account  of  an 
outward  circumstance,  to  make  baptism  the 
including  and  excluding  charter,  the  bounds, 
bar,  and  rule  of  communion,  when  by  the 
word  of  the  everlasting  Testament  there  is  no 
word  for  it,  (to  speak  charitably,)  if  it  be  not 
for  want  of  love,  it  is  for  want  of  light  in  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  Strange  ! 
Take  two  Christians  equal  in  all  points  but 
this,  nay,  let  one  go  beyond  the  other  in 
grace  and  goodness  as  far  as  a man  is  beyond 
a babe,  yet  water  shall  turn  the  scale,  shall 
open  the  door  of  communion  to  the  less,  and 
command  the  other  to  stand  back  ; yet  it  is  no 
proof  to  the  Church  of  this  babe’s  faith  and 
hope,  hath  nothing  to  do  with  his  entering 
into  fellowship,  is  no  part  of  the  worship  of 
the  Church.  These  things  should  have  been 
answered,  seeing  you  will  take  upon  you  so 
roundly  to  condemn  our  practice. 

You  come  now  to  my  eighth  argument, 
which  you  do  not  only  render  falsely,  but  hy 
so  doing  abuse  your  reader.  I said  not  that 
the  Church  at  Corinth  did  shut  each  other 
out  of  communion,  but,  for  God’s  people  to 
divide  into  parties,  or  to  shut  each  other  from 
church  communion,  though  for  greater  jnoints 
and  upon  higher  pretences  than  that  of  water 
baptism,  hath  hitherto  been  counted  carnal, 
and  the  actors  therein  babyish  Christians;  and 
then  bring  in  the  factious  that  were  in  the 
Church  at  Corinth.  But  why  may  not  the 
evil  of  denying  church  communion  now,  if 
proved  naught  by  a less  crime  in  the  Church 
at  Corinth,  be  counted  carnal  and  babyish, 
but  the  breach  of  communion  must  be  charged 
upon  them  at  Corinth  also? 

That  my  argument  is  good  you  grant,  (p. 
32,)  saying,  “ The  divisions  of  the  Church  at 
Corinth  were  about  the  highest  fundamental 
principles,  for  which  they  are  often  called 
carnal,”  yet  you  cavil  at  it.  But  if  they  were 
to  be  blamed  for  dividing,  though  for  the 
highest  points,  are  not  you  much  more  for 
condemning  your  brethren  to  perpetual  ban- 
ishment from  church  communion,  though 
found  in  all  the  great  points  of  the  Gospel, 
and  right  in  all  church  ordinances  also,  be- 
cause for  want  of  light  they  fail  only  in  the 
point  of  baptism? 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


859 


As  to  your  quibble  about  Paul  and  Apollos, 
whether  they  or  others  were  the  persons, 
(though  I am  satisfied  you  are  out,)  yet  it 
weakeneth  not  my  argument;  for  if  they  were 
blameworthy  for  dividing,  though  about  the 
highest  fundamental  principles,  (as  you  say,) 
how  ought  you  to  blush  for  carrying  it  as  you 
do  to  persons  perhaps  more  godly  than  your- 
selves, because  they  jump  not  with  you  in  a 
circumstance? 

That  the  divisions  at  Corinth  were  helped 
on  by  the  abuse  of  baptism  to  me  is  evident 
from  Paul’s  so  oft  suggesting  it:  “Were  you 
baptized  in  the  name  of  Paul?  I thank  God 
I baptized  none  of  you,  lest  any  should  say  1 
had  baptized  in  my  own  name.” 

I do  not  say  that  they  who  baptized  them 
designed  this,  or  that  baptism  in  itself  effected 
it,  nor  yet  (though  our  author  feigns  it)  “ that 
they  were  most  of  them  baptized  by  their  fac- 
tious leaders.”  P.  55.  Put  that  they  had  their 
factious  leaders  is  evident,  and  that  these 
leaders  made  use  of  the  names  of  Paul,  Apol- 
los, and  Christ  is  as  evident;  for  by  these 
names  they  were  beguiled  by  the  help  of 
abused  baptism. 

But  say  you,  “ Wherein  lies  the  force  of 
this  man’s  argument  against  baptism,  as  to 
its  place,  worth,  and  continuance?” 

I answer,  I have  no  argument  as  to  its 
place,  worth,  or  continuance,  although  you 
seek  thus  to  scandalize  me.  But  this  kind  of 
sincerity  of  yours  will  never  make  me  one  of 
your  disciples. 

Have  not  I told  you  even  in  this  argument, 
“ That  1 speak  not  as  I do  to  persuade  or 
teach  men  to  break  the  least  of  God’s  com- 
mandments, but  that  my  brethren  of  the  bap- 
tized way  may  not  hold  too  much  thereupon, 
may  not  make  it  an  essential  of  the  Gospel 
nor  yet  of  the  communion  of  saints?”  Yet  he 
feigns  that  I urge  two  arguments  against  it. 
Pp.  3b,  38.  But,  reader,  thou  mayest  know  I 
have  no  such  reasons  in  my  book.  Besides,  I 
should  be  a fool  indeed,  were  I against  it, 
should  I make  use  of  such  weak  arguments. 
My  words,  then,  are  these : ‘“I  thank  God 
(saith  Paul)  that  I baptized  none  of  you  but 
Crispus,’  Ac.  Not  but  that  then  it  was  an  or- 
dinance, but  they  abused  it  in  making  parties 
thereby,  as  they  abused  also  Paul  and  Cephas. 
‘Besides,  (said  he,)  1 know  not  whether  1 bap- 
tized any  other.’  By  this  negligent  relating 
who  were  baptized  by  him  he  'showeth  that 
he  made  no  such  matter  thereof,  as  some  in 
these  days  do,  nay,  that  he  made  no  matter  at 


all  thereof  with  respect  to  a church  commu- 
nion: for  if  he  did  not  heed  who  himself  had 
baptized,  much  less  did  he  heed  who  were 
baptized  by  others.  But  if  baptism  had  been 
the  initiating  ordinance  (and  1 now  add)  es- 
sential to  church  communion,  then  no  doubt 
he  had  made  more  conscience  of  it  than  thus 
lightly  to  pass  it  by.” 

I add  further:  where  he  saith  he  was  not 
sent  to  baptize,  that  he  spake  with  an  holy  in- 
dignation against  those  that  liad  abused  that 
ordinance.  “ Baptism  is  a holy  ordinance,  but 
when  Satan  abuseth  it  and  wreneheth  it  out  of 
its  place,  making  that  which  is  ordained  of 
God  for  the  edification  of  believers  the  only 
weapon  to  break  in  pieces  the  love,  unity, 
and  concord  of  the  saints,  then,  as  Paul  said 
of  himself  and  fellows,  ‘What  is  baptism? 
Neither  is  baptism  any  thing.’  This  is  no 
new  doctrine,  for  God  by  the  mouth  of  the 
prophet  of  old  cried  out  against  his  own  ap- 
pointments when  abused  by  his  own  people, 

‘ because  they  used  them  for  strife  and  debate, 
and  to  smite  with  the  fist  of  wickedness.’  ” 
But  to  forbear  to  take  notice  thus  of  these 
things,  my  argument  stands  firm  against  you: 
“ For  if  they  at  Corinth  were  blameworthy  for 
dividing,  though  their  divisions  were  (if  you 
say  true)  about  the  highest  fundamentals,  you 
ought  to  be  ashamed  thus  to  banish  your 
brethren  from  the  privileges  of  church  com- 
munion for  ever  for  the  want  of  so  low  a thing 
as  water  baptism.”  I call  it  not  low  with  re- 
spect to  God’s  appointment,  though  it  is  far 
from  the  highest  place  in  comparison  of  those 
fundamentals  about  which  you  say  “the  Cor- 
inthians made  their  division.” 

You  come  next  to  my  ninth  argument,  and 
serve  it  as  Hanun  served  David’s  servants,  (2 
Sam.  x.  4 ;)  you  have  cut  otf  one  half  of  its 
beard  and  its  garments  to  its  buttocks,  think- 
ing to  send  it  home  with  shame.  You  state  it 
thus : 

“ That  by  denying  communion  with  unbap- 
tized believers  you  take  from  them  their  privi- 
leges to  which  they  are  born.”  P.  40. 

Answer.  Have  I such  an  argument  in  all  my 
little  book  ? Are  not  my  words  verbatim  these  ? 
“If  we  shall. reject  visible  saints  bv  calling, 
saints  that  have  communion  with  God,  that 
have  received  the  law  at  the  hand  of  Christ, 
that  arc  of  a holy  conversation  among  men, 
they  desiring  to  have  communion  with  us,  as 
much  as  in  us  lieth  we  take  from  them  their 
very  privileges  and  the  blessings  to  which  they 
were  born  of  God.” 


860 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


This  is  my  argument : now  confute  it. 

Paul  saith  (1  Cor.  i.  1,  2;  iii.  22)  not  only  to 
the  gathered  Church  at  Corinth,  but  to  all 
scattered  saints  that  in  every  place  call  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  “that  Jesus  Christ  is 
theirs;  that  Paul,  and  Apollos,  and  Cephas, 
and  the  world,  and  all  things  else  were  theirs.” 

But  you  answer,  “We  take  from  them 
nothing,  hut  we  keep  them  from  a disorderly 
practice  of  Gospel  ordinances;  we  offer  them 
their  privileges  in  the  way  of  Gospel  order.” 

Answer.  Where  have  you  one  word  of  God 
that  forbiddeth  a person  so  qualified,  as  is  sig- 
nified in  mine  argument,  the  best  communion 
of  saints  for  want  of  water?  There  is  not  a 
syllable  for  this  in  the  word  of  God.  So  then, 
you,  in  this  your  plausible  defence,  do  make 
your  scriptureless  light,  which  in  very  deed  is 
darkness,  (Isa.  viii.  20,  21,)  the  rule  of  your 
brother’s  faith ; and  how  well  you  will  come 
off  for  this  in  the  day  of  God  you  might,  were 
you  not  wedded  to  your  worthless  opinion, 
soon  begin  to  conceive. 

I know  your  reply:  “New  Testament  saints 
are  all  baptized  first.” 

Answer.  Suppose  it  granted,  were  they  bap- 
tized that  thereby  they  might  be  qualified  for 
their  right  to  communion  of  saints,  so  that 
without  their  submitting  to  water  they  were  to 
be  denied  the  other?  Further,  suppose  I 
should  grant  this  groundless  notion,  were  not 
the  Jews  in  Old  Testament  times  to  enter  the 
Church  by  circumcision,  for  that,  though  water 
is  not,  was  the  very  entering  ordinance?  Be- 
sides, as  I said  before,  there  was  a full  forbid- 
ding of  all  that  were  not  circumcised  from 
entering  into  fellowship,  with  a threatening  to 
cut  them  off  from  the  Church  if  they  entered 
in  without  it,  yet  more  than  six  hundred  thou- 
sand entered  that  Church  without  it.  But  how 
now  if  such  an  one  as  you  had  then  stood  up 
and  objected,  Sir  Moses,  what  is  the  reason 
that  you  transgress  the  order  of  God  to  receive 
members  without  circumcision?  Is  not  that 
the  very  entering  ordinance?  Are  not  you 
commanded  to  keep  out  of  the  Church  all  that 
are  not  circumcised?  Yea,  and  for  all  those 
that  you  thus  received  are  you  not  commanded 
to  cast  them  out  again,  “to  cut  them  off  from 
among  his  people?” 

I say,  would  not  this  man  have  had  a far 
better  argument  to  have  resisted  Moses  than 
you  in  your  wordless  notion  have  to  shut  out 
men  from  the  Church  more  holy  than  many  of 
ourselves  ? But  do  you  think  that  Moses  and 
Joshua  and  all  the  elders  of  Israel  would  have 


thanked  this  fellow,  or  have  concluded  that  he 
spake  on  God’s  behalf?  or  that  they  should 
then,  for  the  sake  of  a better  than  what  you 
call  order,  have  set  to  the  work  that  you  would 
be  doing,  even  to  break  the  Church  in  pieces 
for  this  ? 

But  say  you,  “If  any  will  find  or  force 
another  way  into  the-  sheepfold  than  by  the 
footsteps  of  the  flock,  we  have  no  such  cus- 
toms, nor  the  churches  of  God.”  P.  41 . 

Answer.  What  was  done  of  old  I have  show- 
ed you;  that  Christ,  not  baptism,  “ is  the  way 
to  the  sheepfold”  is  apparent;  and  that  the 
person  in  mine  argument  is  entitled  to  all 
these— viz.,  Christ,  grace,  and  all  the  things 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  the  Church — is, 
upon  the  Scriptures  urged,  as  evident. 

But  you  add,  “That  according  to  mine  old 
confidence  I affirm,  ‘ That  drink  ye  all  of  this’ 
is  entailed  to  faith,  not  baptism — a tiring,  say 
you,  soon  said,  but  yet  never  proved.” 

Answer  1.  That  it  is  entailed  to  faith  must 
be  confessed  of  all  hands.  2.  That  it  is  the 
privilege  of  him  “that  discerneth  fjie  Lord’s 
body,”  and  that  no  man  is  to  deny  him  it,  is 
also  by  the  text  as  evident,  (and  so  let  him  eat,) 
because  he  is  worthy.  Wherefore  he,  and  he 
only,  “ that  discerneth  the  Lord’s  body,”  he  is 
the  worthy  receiver,  in  God’s  estimation;  but 
that  none  “discerneth  the  Lord’s  body”  buf 
the  baptized  is  both  fond  and  ridiculous  once 
to  surmise. 

Wherefore  to  exclude  Christians,  and  to  de- 
bar them  their  heaven-born  privileges,  for  want 
of  that  which  yet  God  never  made  the  wall  of 
division  betwixt  us,  this  looks  too  like  a spirit 
of  persecution,  (Job  xix.  25,  26,  27,  28,  &c.,) 
and  carrietli  in  it  those  eighteen  absurdities 
which  you  have  so  hotly  cried  out  against. 
And  I do  still  add,  “ Is  it  not  that  which 
greatly  prevajleth  with  God  to  bring  down 
those  judgments,  which  at  present  we  (the  peo- 
ple of  God)  groan  under?  I will  dare  to  say 
it  was  a cause  thereof.”  Yea,  I will  yet  pro- 
ceed : I fear,  I strongly  fear,  that  the  rod  of 
God  is  not  yet  to  be  taken  from  us ; for  what 
more  provoking  sin  among  Christians  than  to 
deny  one  another  their  rights  and  privileges  to 
which  they  are  born  of  God?  And  then  to 
father  these  their  doings  upon  God,  when  yet 
he  hath  not  commanded  it,  neither  in  the  New 
Testament  nor  the  Old  ! 

But  I may  not  lightly  pass  this  by,  for  be- 
cause I have  gathered  eighteen  absurdities 
from  this  abuse  of  God’s  ordinances,  or  from 
the  sin  of  binding  the  brethren  to  observe  or- 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


der  not  founded  on  the  command  of  God,  (and 
I am  sure  you  have  none  to  shut  out  men  as 
good,  as  holy  and  as  sound  in  faith  as  ourselves 
from  communion,)  therefore  you  call  my  con- 
clusion devilish,  (p.  43;)  topfull  of  ignorance  and 
prejudice,  (p.  41 ;)  and  me  one  of  Machiavel’s 
scholars,  (p.  42 ;)  also  proud,  presumptuous , im- 
peaching the  judgment  of  God. 

Ansiver.  But  what  is  there  in  my  proposition 
that  men  considerate  can  be  offended  at? 
These  are  my  words : “ But  to  exclude  Chris- 
tians from  church  communion,  and  to  debar 
them  their  heaven-born  privileges,  for  the 
want  of  that  which  yet  God  never  made  a wall 
of  division  between  us,  this  looks  too  like  a 
spirit  of  persecution,  this  respecteth  more  the 
form  than  the  spirit  and  the  power  of  godli- 
ness, &c.  Shall  I add,  is  it  not  that  which 
greatly  prevailed  to  bring  down  those  judg- 
ments which  at  present  we  feel  and  groan 
under?  I will  dare  to  say  it  was  a cause 
thereof.”  Pp.  116,  117.  A was  in  my  copy, 
instead  whereof  the  printer  put  in  the;  for 
this,  although  I speak  only  the  truth,  I will 
not  beg  of  your  belief;  besides,  the  bookseller 
desired  me,  because  of  the  printer’s  haste,  to 
leave  the  last  sheet  to  be  overlooked  by  him, 
which  was  the  cause  it  was  not  among  the  er- 
rata. 

But,  I say,  wherein  is  the  proposition  offen- 
sive? Is  it  not  a wicked  thing  to  make  bars  to 
communion  where  God  hath  made  none?  Is 
it  not  a wickedness  to  make  that  a wall  of  di- 
vision betwixt  us  which  God  never  commanded 
to  be  so?  If  it  be  not,  justify  your  practice; 
if  it  be,  take  shame.  Besides,  the  proposition 
is  universal ; why  then  should  you  be  the  chief 
intended?  But  you  have  in  this  done  like  to 
the  lawyers  of  old,  who  when  Christ  reproved 
the  Pharisees  of  wickedness  before  them,  said, 
“ Master,  thus  saying  thou  rep  roach  est  us 
also.” 

But  you  feign,  and  would  also  that  the  world 
should  believe,  that  the  eighteen  absurdities 
which  naturally  flow  from  the  proposition  I 
make  to  be  the  effects  of  baptism,  saying  to 
me,  “None  but  yourself  could  find  an  innocent 
truth  big  with  so  many  monstrous  absurdities.” 
P.42. 

I answer:  this  is  but  speaking  wickedly  of 
God,  or  rather  to  justify  your  wordless  prac- 
tice. I say  not  that  baptism  hath  any  ab- 
surdity in  it,  though  your  abusing  it  hath  them 
all,  and  many  more,  while  you  make  it,  with- 
out warrant  from  the  word,  as  the  flaming 
sword  to  keep  the  brotherhood  out  of  commu- 


8G1 

nion,  because  they,  after  your  manner,  cannot 
consent  thereto. 

And  let  no  man  be  offended  for  that  I sug- 
gest that  baptism  may  be  abused  to  the  breed- 
ing such  monstrous  absurdities,  for  greater 
truths  than  that  have  been  as  much  abused. 
What  say  you  to,  “ This  is  my  body?”  To  in- 
stance no  more,  although  I could  instance 
many,  are  not  they  the  words  of  our  Lord? 
Are  not  they  part  of  the  Scriptures  of  truth? 
And  yet  behold,  even  with  those  words,  the 
devil  by  abusing  them  made  an  engine  to  let 
out  the  heart-blood  of  thousands.  Baptism 
also  may  be  abused,  and  is,  when  more  is  laid 
upon  it  by  us  than  is  commanded  by  God. 
And  that  you  do  so  is  manifest  by  what  I have 
said  already,  and  shall  yet  say  to  your  fourteen 
arguments. 

My  last  argument,  you  say,  is  this : 

“ The  world  may  wonder  at  your  carriage  to 
these  unbaptized  persons  in  keeping  them  out 
of  communion.” 

Answer.  You  will  set  up  your  own  words 
and  then  fight  against  them ; but  my  words 
are  these : “ What  greater  contempt  can  be 
thrown  upon  the  saints  than  for  their  brethren 
to  cut  them  off  from  or  to  debar  them  church 
communion !” 

And  now  I add,  is  not  this  to  deliver  them 
to  the  devil,  (1  Cor.  v.,)  or  to  put  them  to 
shame  before  all  that  see  your  acts?  There  is 
but  one  thing  can  hinder  this,  and  that  is, 
bystanders  see  that  these  your  brethren,  that 
you  thus  abuse,  are  as  holy  men  as  ourselves. 
Do  you  more  to  the  open  profane,  yea,  to  all 
wizards  and  witches  in  the  land  ? For  all  you 
can  do  to  them  (I  speak  now  as  to  church  acts) 
is  no  other  than  to  debar  them  the  communion 
of  saints. 

And  now  I say  again,  the  world  may  well 
wonder  when  they  see  you  deny  holy  men  of 
God  that  liberty  of  the  communion  of  saints 
which  you  monopolize  to  yourselves;  and 
though  they  do  not  understand  the  grounds  of 
profession  or  communion,  yet  they  can  both 
see  and  say  those  holy  men  of  God,  in  all  vis- 
ible acts  of  holiness,  are  not  one  inch  behind 
you.  Yea,  I will  put  it  to  yourselves,  if  those 
many,  yea  very  many,  who  thus  severely  (but 
with  how  little  ground  is  seen  by  men  of  God) 
you  deny  communion  with  are  not  of  as  good, 
as  holy,  as  unblamable  in  life,  as  sound,  if  not 
sounder,  in  the  faith  than  many  among  our- 
selves? Here  only  they  make  the  stop — they 
cannot,  without  light,  be  driven  into  water 
baptism — I mean  after  our  notion  of  it;  but 


862 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


what  if  they  were,  it  would  be  little  sign  to 
me  that  they  were  sincere  with  God. 

To  conclude  this : when  you  have  proved  that 
water  baptism  (which  you  yourself  have  said 
is  not  a church  ordinance,  p.  40)  is  essential  to 
church  communion,  and  that  the  Church  may, 
by  the  word  of  God,  bolt,  bar,  and  for  ever 
shut  out  those  far  better  than  ourselves  that 
have  not,  according  to  our  notion,  been  bap- 
tized with  water,  then  it  will  be  time  enough 
to  talk  of  ground  for  so  doing.  In  the  mean 
time  I must  take  leave  to  tell  you  there  is  not 
in  all  the  Bible  one  syllable  for  such  a practice ; 
wherefore  your  great  cry  about  your  order  is 
wordless,  and  therefore  faithless,  and  is  a mere 
human  invention. 

I come  now  to  your  fourteen  arguments, 
and  shall  impartially  consider  them. 

Your  first  argument,  to  prove  it  lawful  to  re- 
ject the  unbaptized  saint,  is:  “Because  the 
great  commission  of  Christ  (Matt,  xxviii.)  from 
which  all  persons  have  their  authority  for  their 
ministry  (if  any  authority  at  all)  doth  clearly 
direct  the  contrary.  By  that  commission 
ministers  are  first  to  disciple,  and  then  to  bap- 
tize them  so  made  disciples,  and  afterwards  to 
teach  them  to  observe  all  that  Christ  com- 
mands them  as  to  other  ordinances  of  worship. 
If  ministers  have  no  other  authority  to  teach 
them  other  parts  of  Gospel  worship  before 
they  believe  and  are  baptized,  it  may  be 
strongly  supposed  they  are  not  to  admit  them 
to  other  ordinances  before  they  have  passed 
this  first  enjoined  in  the  commission.” 

Ansvter  1.  That  the  ministers  are  to  disci- 
ple and  baptize  is  granted.  But  that  they  are 
prohibited  (by  the  commission,  Matt,  xxviii.) 
to  teach  the  disciples  other  parts  of  Gospel 
worship  that  have  not  light  in  baptism,  re- 
mains for  you  to  prove.  Shall  I add,  this 
position  is  so  absurd  and  void  of  truth  that 
none  who  have  ever  read  of  the  love  of  Christ, 
the  nature  of  faith,  the  end  of  the  Gospel,  or 
of  the  reasbn  of  instituted  worship,  which  is 
edification  with  understanding,  should  so  much 
as  once  imagine. 

But  where  are  they  here  forbidden  to  teach 
them  other  truths  before  they  be  baptized? 
This  text  as  fairly  denieth  to  the  unbaptized 
believer  heaven  and  glory.  Nay,  our  author 
in  the  midst  of  all  his  flutter  about  the  28th 
of  Matthew  dare  venture  to  gather  no  more 
therefrom  but  that  it  may  be  strongly  sup- 
posed. Behold,  therefore,  gentle  reader,  the 
ground  on  which  these  brethren  lay  the  stress 


of  their  separation  from  their  fellows  is  noth- 
ing else  but  a supposition,  without  warrant, 
screwed  out  of  this  blessed  word  of  God. 
Strongly  supposed!  But  may  it  not  be  as 
strongly  supposed  that  the  presence  and  bless- 
ing of  the  Lord  Jesus  with  his  ministers  is 
laid  upon  the  same  grounds  also?  For  thus 
he  concludes  the  text:  “And  lo ! I am  with 
you  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world.” 
But  would,  I say,  any  man  from  these  words 
conclude  that  Christ  Jesus  hath  here  promised 
his  presence  only  to  them  that  after  disciplin- 
ing baptize  those  that  are  so  made,  and  that 
they  that  do  not  baptize  shall  neither  have  his 
presence  nor  his  blessing?  I say  again, 
should  any  so  conclude  hence,  would  not  all 
experience  prove  him  void  of  truth  ? The 
words  therefore ' must  be  left  by  you  as  you 
found  them ; they  favour  not  at  all  your 
groundless  supposition. 

To  conclude,  these  words  have  not  laid  bap- 
tism in  the  way  to  debar  the  saint  from  fellow- 
ship of  his  brethren,  no  more  than  to  hinder 
his  inheritance  in  life  and  glory.  Mark  reads 
it  thus : “ He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized 
shall  be  saved ; but  he  that  believeth  not  shall 
be  damned;”  letting  baptism,  which  he  men- 
tioned in  the  promise,  fall  when  he  came  at 
the  threatening. 

God  also  doth  thus  with  respect  to  his  wor- 
ship in  the  Church;  he  commands  all  and 
every  whit  of  his  will  to  be  done,  but  beareth 
with  our  coming  short  in  this,  and  that,  and 
the  other  duty.  But  let  us  go  on. 

Your  second  argument  is  : 

“That  the  order  of  Christ’s  commission,  as 
well  as  the  matter  therein  contained  to  be  ob- 
served, may  easily  be  concluded  from  God’s 
severity  towards  them  that  sought  him  not  ac- 
cording to  due  order.  1 Chron.  xv.  13.  Was  God 
so  exact  with  his  people  then  that  all  things 
to  a pin  must  be  according  to  the  pattern  in 
the  mount,  (Heh.  vii.16;  ix.  11,)  whose  worship 
then,  comparatively  to  the  Gospel,  was  but 
after  the  law  of  a carnal  commandment,  and 
can  it  be  supposed  he  should  be  so  indifferent 
now  to  leave  men  to  their  own  liberty  to  time 
and  place  his  appointments,  contrary  to  what 
he  hath  given  an  express  rule  for  in  his  word 
as  before?  Ezek.  xliv.  7,  9,  10.  It  was  the 
priest’s  sin  formerly  to  bring  the  uncircurn- 
cised  in  heart  and  flesh  into  his  house.” 

Answer.  That  there  is  no  such  order  in  that 
commission  as  you  feign  I have  proved.  As 
for  your  far-fetched  instance,  (1  Chron.  xv.,) 
it  is  quite  beside  your  purpose.  The  express 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


863 


word  was,  that  the  priest,  not  a cart,  should 
bear  the  ark  of  God.  Also  they  were  not  to 
touch  it,  ami  yet  Uzza  did.  Ex.  xxv.  14;  1 
Chron.  xv.  12-10;  Num.  iv.  15;  1 Chron.  xiii. 
Now  if  you  can  make  the  28th  of  Matthew 
say,  “ Receive  none  that  are  not  baptized 
first,  or  that  Christ  would  have  them  of  his 
that  are  not  yet  baptized  kept  ignorant  of  all 
other  truths  that  respect  church  communion, 
then  you  say  something,  else  you  do  but  raise 
a mist  before  the  simple  reader;  but  whoso 
listeth  may  hang  on  your  sleeve. 

As  for  the  pins  and  tacks  of  the  tabernacle, 
they  were  expressly  commanded;  and  when 
you  have  proved  by  the  word  of  God  that  you 
ought  to  shut  saints  out  of  your  communion 
for  want  of  baptism,  then  you  may  begin  more 
justly  to  make  your  parallel.  How  fitly  you 
have  urged  Ezek.  xliv.  to  insinuate  that  un- 
baptized  believers  are  like  the  uncircumcised 
in  heart  and  flesh,  I leave  it  to  all  Gospel 
novices  to  consider. 

Your  third  argument  is: 

“The  practice  of  the  first  Gospel  ministers 
with  them  that  first  trusted  in  Christ  discovers 
the  truth  of  what  I assert.  Certainly,  they 
that  lived  at  the  spring-head  or  fountain  of 
truth,  and  had  the  law  of  Christ’s  own  mouth, 
knew  the  meaning  of  his  commission  better 
than  we ; but  their  constant  practice  in  con- 
formity to  that  commission,  all  along  the  acts 
of  the  apostles,  discovers  that  they  never 
arrived  to  such  a latitude  as  men  plead  for 
now-a-davs.  They  that  gladly  received  the 
word  were  baptized,  and  they,  yea,  they  only, 
were  received  into  the  Church.” 

Ansiver.  How  well  you  have  proved  what 
you  have  asserted  is  manifest  by  my  answer  to 
the  two  former  arguments.  I add,  that  the 
ministers  and  servants  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the 
first  churches  (for  that  you  are  to  prove)  were 
commanded  to  forbear  to  preach  other  truths 
to  the  unbaptized  believers,  or  that  they  were 
to  keep  them  out  of  the  Church,  or  that  the 
apostles  and  first  fathers  have  given  you  to  un- 
derstand by  their  example  that  you  ought  to 
keep  as  good  out  of  churches  as  yourselves, 
hath  not  yet  been  showed  by  the  authority  of 
the  word.  The  second  of  the  Acts  proveth 
not  that  the  three  thousand  were  necessitated 
to  be  baptized  in  order  to  their  fellowship  with 
the  Church;  neither  doth  it  say  they,  yea, 
they  only,  were  received  into  the  Church. 
But  suppose  all  this,  as  much  was  done  at  the 
first  institution  of  circumcision,  &c.,  yet  after- 
wards thousands  were  received  without  it. 


Your  fourth  argument  is: 

“ None  of  the  Scripture  saints  ever  at- 
tempted this  church  privilege  without  bap- 
tism, (if  they  did,  let  it  be  shown.)  The 
eunuch  first  desired  baptism  before  any  thing 
else;  Paul  was  first  baptized  before  he  did 
essay  to  join  with  the  Church.  Our  Lord 
Christ,  the  great  example  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, entered  not  upon  his  public  ministry, 
much  less  any  other  Gospel  ordinance  of  wor- 
ship, till  he  was  baptized.” 

Answer.  That  none  of  the  Scripture  saints 
(if  there  be  any  unscripture  ones)  so  much  as 
attempted  this  church  privilege,  first  remains 
for  you  to  prove.  But  suppose  they  were  all 
baptized  because  they  had  light  therein,  what 
then?  Doth  this  prove  that  baptism  is  essen- 
tial to  church  communion,  or  that  Christ  com- 
manded in  the  2Sth  of  Matthew,  or  gave  his 
ministers  by  that  authority,  not  to  make  known 
to  believers  other  parts  of  Gospel  worship  if 
they  shall  want  light  in  baptism  ? The  eunuch, 
Paul,  and  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus  did  none  of 
them,  by  their  baptism,  set  themselves  to  us 
examples  how  to  enter  into  church  commu- 
nion. What  Church  was  the  eunuch  baptized 
into  or  made  a member  of?  But  where  is  it 
said  that  the  unbaptized  believer,  how  excel- 
lent soever  in  faith  and  holiness,  must,  for  want 
of  water  baptism,  be  shut  out  from  the  com- 
munion of  saints  or  be  debarred  the  privilege 
of  his  Father’s  house?  This  you  are  to  prove. 
Your  fifth  argument  is: 

“If  Christ  himself  was  made  manifest  to  be 
the  Sent  of  God  by  baptism,  as  appears,  (Mark 
i.  9,  10,)  then  why  may  not  baptism,  as  the 
first-fruits  of  faith  and  the  first  step  of  Gospel 
obedience  as  to  instituted  worship,  be  a mani- 
festing, discovering  ordinance  upon  others  who 
thus  follow  Christ’s  steps?” 

Answer.  That  Jesus  Christ  was  manifested 
as  the  Sent  of  God  by  baptism,  or  that  baptism 
is  the  first-fruit  of  faith  and  the  first  step  of 
Gospel  obedience  as  to  instituted  worship,  is 
both  without  proof  and  truth : the  text  saith 
not  he  was  manifest  to  be  the  Sent  of  God  by 
baptism ; nay,  it  saith  not  that  by  that  he  was 
manifest  to  others  to  be  anything:  you  have 
therefore  but  wronged  the  text  to  prove  your 
wordless  practice  by.  Yea,  John  himself, 
though  he  knew  him  before  he  was  baptized  to 
be  a man  of  God ; for,  saith  he,  “ I have  need 
to  be  baptized  of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me?” 
and  knew  him  after  to  be  the  Sent  of  God ; 
yet  not  in  or  by,  but  after  lie  was  baptized — 
viz.,  by  the  descending  of  the  Holy  Ghost 


864 


BUJS lYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


after  lie  was  come  out  of  the  water,  as  he  was 
in  prayer ; for  the  heavens  were  opened  to 
John,' and  he  saw  and  bore  record,  because  he 
saw  the  Spirit  descend  from  heaven  and  abide 
upon  Jesus  after  his  baptism,  as  he  was  in 
prayer.  Matt.  iii.  13-17 ; Luke  iii.  21,  22. 
Thus  we  find  him  made  known  before  and 
after,  but  not  at  all  by  baptism,  to  be  the  Sent 
of  God. 

And  that  baptism  is  the  fruit  of  faith,  or 
that  faith  ought  to  be  tied  to  take  its  first  step 
in  water  baptism  in  the  instituted  worship  of 
God,  (this  you  must  prove,)  is  not  found  ex- 
pressed within  the  whole  Bible.  Faith  acts 
according  to  its  strength  and  as-  it  sees ; it  is 
not  tied  or  hound  to  any  outward  circumstance  ; 
one  believeth  he  may  and  another  believeth  he 
may  not  either  do  this  or  that. 

Your  sixth  argument  is: 

“ If  baptism  be  in  any  sense  any  part  of  the 
foundation  of  a Church  as  to  order,  (Heb.  vi. 
1,  2,)  it  must  have  place  here  or  nowhere : why 
are  those  things  called  first  principles  if  not 
first  to  be  believed  and  practised  ? Why  are 
they  rendered  by  the  learned  the  A,  B,  C,  of  a 
Christian  and  the  beginning  of  Christianity 
milk  for  babes  if  it  be  no  matter  whether  bap- 
tism be  practised  or  no  ? If  it  be  said,  Water 
baptism  is  not  there  intended,  let  them  show 
me  how  many  baptisms  there  are  besides  water 
baptism.  Can  you  build  and  leave  out  a stone 
in  the  foundation  ? I intend  not  baptism  a foun- 
dation any  other  way  but  in  respect  of  order, 
and  it  is  either  intended  for  that  or  nothing.” 

Answer.  Baptism  is  in  no  sense  the  founda- 
tion of  a Church.  I find  no  foundation  of 
a Church  but  Jesus  Christ  himself.  Matt, 
xvi.  18;  1 Cor.  iii.  11.  Yea,  the  founda- 
tion mentioned  (Heb.  iv.  1,  2)  is  nothing  else 
but  this  very  Christ.  For  he  is  the  founda- 
tion, not  only  of  the  Church,  but  of  all  that 
good  that  at  any  time  is  found  in  her.  He  is 
the  foundation  of  our  repentance  and  of  our 
faith  towards  God.  Ver.  1,  2.  Further,  bap- 
tisms are  not  here  mentioned  with  respect  to 
the  act  in  water,  but  of  the  doctrine — that  is, 
the  signification  thereof,  the  doctrine  of  bap- 
tisms. And  observe,  neither  faith,  nor  re- 
pentance, nor  baptisms  are  called  here  founda- 
tions. Another  thing  for  a foundation  is  here 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  intended,  even  a foundation 
for  them  all — a foundation  of  faith,  of  re- 
pentance, of  the  doctrine  of  baptisms,  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  of  eternal  judg- 
ment. And  this  foundation  is  Jesus  Christ 
himself,  and  these  are  the  first  principles,  the 


milk,  the  A,  B,  C,  and  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  religion  in  the  world. 

I dare  not  say,  No  matter  whether  water 
baptism  be  practised  or  no.  But  it  is  not  s 
stone  in  the  foundation  of  a Church,  no  not 
respecting  order;  it  is  not  to  another  a sign  of 
my  sonship  with  God;  it  is  not  the  door  into 
fellowship  with  the  saints;  it  is  no  church  or- 
dinance, as  you  yourself  have  testified.  P.  40. 
So,  then,  as  to  church  work,  it  hath  no  place 
at  all  therein. 

Your  seventh  argument  is : 

“ If  Paul  knew  the  Galatians  only  upon  the 
account  of  charity,  no  other  ways  to  be  the 
sons  of  God  by  faith  hut  by  this  part  of  their 
obedience,  as  he  seems  to  import,  then  the 
same  we  may  judge  of  the  truth  of  men’s 
profession  of  faith  when  it  shows  itself  by 
this  self-same  obedience,  (Gal.  iii.  26,  27;) 
baptism  being  an  obligation  to  all  following 
duties.” 

Ansiver.  This  your  argument,  being  builded 
upon  no  more  than  a seeming  import,  and 
having  been  above  ten  times  overthrown 
already,  I might  leave  still  with  you  till  your 
seeming  import  is  come  to  a real  one,  and  both 
to  a greater  persuasion  upon  your  own  con- 
science. But  verily,  sir,  you  grossly  abuse 
your  reader.  Must  imports,  yea,  must  seem- 
ing imports,  now  stand  for  arguments,  thereby 
to  maintain  your  confident  separation  from 
your  brethren?  Yea,  must  such  things  as 
these  be  the  basis  on  which  you  build  those 
heavy  censures  and  condemnations  you  raise 
against  your  brethren  that  cannot  comply 
without  you,  because  you  want  the  word?  A 
seeming  import!  But  are  these  words  of 
faith?  or  do  the  Scriptures  only  help  you  to 
seeming  imports  and  me-hap-soes  for  your 
practice?  No,  nor  yet  to  them  neither,  for  I 
dare  boldly  affirm  it,  and  demand  if  you  can 
to  prove  that  there  is  so  much  as  a seeming 
import  in  all  the  word  of  God  that  couute- 
nanceth  your  shutting  men  better  than  our- 
selves from  the  things  and  privileges  of  our 
Father’s  house. 

That  to  the  Galatians  saith  not  that  Paul 
knew  them  to  be  the  sons  of  God  by  faith  no 
other  way  but  by  this  part  of  their  obedience; 
but  puts  them  upon  concluding  themselves  the 
sons  of  God  if  they  were  baptized  into  the 
Lord  Jesus,  which  could  not  (ordinarily)  be 
known  but  unto  themselves  aione,  because  be- 
ing thus  baptized  respecteth  a special  act  of 
faith,  which  only  God  and  him  that  hath  and 
acteth  it  can  be  privy  to.  It  is  one  thing  for 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


865 


him  that  administereth  to  baptize  in  the  name 
cf  Jesus;  another  thing  for  him  that  is  the 
subject  by  that  to  be  baptized  into  Jesus 
Christ.  Baptizing  into  Christ  is  rather  the 
act  of  the  faith  of  him  that  is  baptized  than 
his  going  into  water  and  coming  out  again; 
but  that  Paul  knew  this  to  be  the  state  of  the 
Galatians  no  other  way  but  by  their  external 
acts  of  being  baptized  with  water  is  both  wild 
and  unsound,  and  a miserable  import  indeed. 

Your  eighth  argument  is: 

“If  being  baptized  into  Christ  be  a putting 
on  of  Christ,  as  Paul  expresses,  then  they 
have  not  put  on  Christ,  in  that  sense  he  means, 
that  are  not  baptized;  if  this  putting  on  of 
Christ  doth  not  respect  the  visibility  of  Chris- 
tianity, assign  something  else  as  its  significa- 
tion ; great  men’s  servants  are  known  by  their 
master’s  liveries,  so  are  Gospel  believers  by 
this  livery  of  water  baptism,  that  all  that  first 
trusted  in  Christ  submitted  unto,  which  is  in 
itself  as  much  an  obligation  to  all  Gospel  obe- 
dience as  circumcision  was  to  keep  the  whole 
law.” 

Answer.  For  a reply  to  the  first  part  of  this 
argument  go  back  to  the  answer  of  the 
seventh. 

Now  that  none  have  put  on  Christ  in  Paul’s 
sense,  yea,  in  a saving,  in  the  best  sense,  but 
them  that  have,  as  you  would  have  them,  gone 
into  water,  will  be  hard  for  you  to  prove,  yea, 
is  ungodly  for  you  to  assert. 

Your  comparing  water  baptism  to  a gentle- 
man’s livery,  by  which  his  man  is  known  to  be 
his,  is  fantastical. 

Go  you  but  ten  doors  from  where  men  have 
knowledge  of  you,  and  see  how  many  of  the 
world  or  Christians  will  know  you  by  this 
goodly  livery  to  be  one  that  hath  put  on 
Christ.  What!  known  by  water  baptism  to 
be  one  that  hath  put  on  Christ,  as  a gentle- 
man’s man  is  known  to  be  his  master’s  ser- 
vant by  the  gay  garment  his  master  gave  him ! 
Away,  fond  man!  you  do  quite  forget  the  text: 
“By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  you  are  my 
disciples,  if  you  love  one  another.” 

That  baptism  is  in  itself  obliging,  to  speak 
properly,  it  is  false,  for  set  it  by  itself  and  it 
stands  without  the  stamp  of  heaven  upon  it, 
and  without  its  signification  also;  and  how,  as 
such,  it  should  be  obliging  I see  not. 

Where  you  insinuated  it  comes  in  the  room 
of  and  obligeth  as  circumcision,  you  say  you 
know  not  what.  Circumcision  was  the  initiat- 
ing ordinance,  but  this  you  have  denied  to 
baptism.  Further,  circumcision  then  bound 
55 


men  to  the  whole  obedience  of  the  law  when 
urged  by  the  false  apostles  and  received  by  an 
erroneous  conscience.  Would  you  thus  urge 
water  baptism?  Would  you  have  men  to  re- 
ceive it  with  such  consciences?  Circumcision 
in  the  flesh  was  a type  of  circumcision  in  the 
heart,  and  not  of  water  baptism. 

Your  ninth  argument  is: 

“If  it  were  commendable  in  the  Thessalo- 
nians  that  they  follow  the  footsteps  of  the 
Church  of  Judea,  (1  Tliess.  ii.  24,)  who  it  ap- 
pears followed  this  order  of  adding  baptized 
believers  unto  the  Church,  then  they  that 
have  found  out  another  way  of  making  church 
members  arc  not  by  that  rule  praiseworthy, 
but  rather  to  be  blamed : it  was  not  what  was 
since  in  corrupted  times,  but  that  which  was 
from  the  beginning:  the  first  churches  were 
the  purest  pattern.” 

Ansiver.  That  the  text  saith  there  was  a 
Church  of  Judea  I find  not.  1 Thess.  ii.  14. 
And  that  the  Thessalonians  are  commended 
for  refusing  to  have  communion  with  the  un- 
baptized believers,  (for  that  is  our  question,) 
prove  it  by  the  word,  and  then  you  do  some- 
thing. Again,  that  the  commendations  (1 
Thess.  ii.  14)  do  chiefly  or  at  all  respect  their 
being  baptized,  “ or  because  they  followed  the 
churches  of  God  which  in  Judea  were  in 
Christ  Jesus”  in  the  example  of  water  bap- 
tism, is  quite  beside  the  word.  The  verse 
runs  thus : “ For  the  brethren  became  fol- 
lowers of  the  churches  of  God  which  in  Judea 
are  in  Christ  Jesus,  for  ye  also  have  suffered 
like  things  of  your  own  countrymen,  even  as 
they  have  of  the  Jews,”  &c.  This  text  then 
commends  them,  not  for  that  they  were  bap- 
tized with  water,  but  for  that  they  stood  their 
ground  although  baptized  with  suffering,  like 
them  in  Judea,  for  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus:  “For  suffering  like  things  of  their 
own  countrymen,  as  they  did  of  the  Jews.” 
Will  you  not  leave  off  to  abuse  the  word  of 
God,  and  forbear  turning  it  out  of  its  place  to 
maintain  your  unchristian  practice  of  reject- 
ing the  people  of  God  and  excluding  them 
their  blessed  privileges? 

The  unbaptized  believer,  instead  of  taking 
shame  for  entering  into  fellowship  without  it, 
will  be  ready,  I doubt,  to  put  you  to  shame  for 
bringing  Scriptures  so  much  beside  the  pur- 
pose, and  for  stretching  them  so  miserably  to 
uphold  you  in  your  fancies. 

Your  tenth  argument  is: 

“ If  it  so  be  that  any  of  the  members  at  Co- 
rinth, Galatia,  Colosse,  Borne,  or  them  that 


866 


BUN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Peter  wrote  to,  were  not  baptized,  then  Paul’s 
arguments  for  the  resurrection  to  them,  or  to 
press  them  to  holiness  from  that  ground, 
(Horn.  vi. ; Col.  ii. ; 1 Cor.  xv.,)  was  out  of 
doors  and  altogether  needless ; yea,  it  be- 
speaks his  ignorance,  and  throweth  contempt 
upon  the  Spirit’s  wisdom  (Heb.  vi.;  1 Pet. 
iii.  12)  by  which  he  wrote;  if  that  must  be 
asserted  as  a ground  to  provoke  them  to  such 
an  end  which  had  no  being,  and  if  all  the 
members  of  all  those  churches  were  baptized, 
why  should  any  plead  for  an  exemption  from 
baptism  for  any  such  member  now?” 

Answer.  Suppose  all,  if  all  these  churches 
were  baptized,  what  then?  that  answereth  not 
our  question.  We  ask  where  you  find  it 
written  that  those  that  are  baptized  should 
keep  men  as  holy  and  as  much  beloved  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  as  themselves  out  of  church  com- 
munion for  want  of  light  in  water  baptism? 

Why  we  plead  for  their  admission,  though 
they  see  not  yet  that  that  is  their  duty,  is  be- 
cause we  are  not  forbidden,  but  commanded, 
to  receive  them,  because  God  and  Christ  hath 
done  it.  Rom.  xiv.  15. 

Your  eleventh  argument  is  : 

“If  unbaptized  persons  must  be  received 
into  churches  only  because  they  are  believers, 
though  they  deny  baptism,  then  why  may  not 
others  plead  for  the  like  privileges  that  are 
negligent  in  any  other  Gospel  ordinance  of 
worship,  from  the  same  ground  of  want  of 
light,  let  it  be  what  it  will?  So,  then,  as  the 
consequence  of  this  principle,  churches  may 
be  made  up  of  visible  sinners  instead  of  visi- 
ble saints.” 

Answer.  I plead  not  for  believers  simply  be- 
cause they  are  believers,  but  for  such  believers 
of  whom  we  are  persuaded  by  the  word  that 
God  hath  received  them. 

2.  There  are  some  of  the  ordinances  that, 
ne  they  neglected,  the  being  of  a Church,  as 
to  her  visible  Gospel  constitution,  is  taken 
quite  away;  but  baptism  is  none  of  them,  it 
being  no  church  ordinance  as  such,  nor  any 
part  of  faith,  nor  of  that  holiness  of  heart  or 
life  that  showeth  me  to  the  Church  to  be  in- 
deed a visible  saint.  The  saint  is  a saint  be- 
fore, and  may  walk  with  God,  and  be  faithful 
with  the  saints  and  to  his  own  light  also, 
though  he  never  be  baptized.  Therefore  to 
plead  for  his  admission  makes  no  way  at  all 
for  the  admission  of  the  open  profane,  or  to 
receive,  as  you  profess  you  do,  persons  unpre- 
pared to  the  Lord’s  table  and  other  solemn 
appointments.  P.  29. 


Your  twelfth  argument  is: 

“ Why  should  professors  have  more  light  in 
breaking  of  bread  than  baptism,  that  tins 
must  be  so  urged  for  their  excuse?  Hath 
God  been  more  sparing  in  making  out  his 
mind  in  the  one  rather  than  the  other?  Is 
there  more  of  precept  or  precedent  for  the 
supper  than  baptism.?  Hath  God  been  so 
bountiful  in  making  out  himself  about  the 
supper  that  few  or  none  that  own  ordinances 
scruple  at  it?  And  must  baptism  be  such  a 
rock  of  offence  to  professors  that  few  will  in- 
quire after  it  or  submit  to  it?  Hath  not  man’s 
wisdom  interposed  to  darken  this  part  of 
God’s  counsel,  by  which  professors  seem  will- 
ingly led,  though  against  so  many  plain  com- 
mands and  examples,  written  as  with  a sun- 
beam, that  he  that  runs  may  read?  And 
must  an  advocate  be  entertained  to  plead  for 
so  gross  a piece  of  ignorance  that  the  meanest 
babes  of  the  first  Gospel  times  were  never 
guilty  of?” 

Answer.  Many  words  to  little  purpose. 

1.  Must  God  be  called  to  an  account  by 
you  why  he  giveth  more  light  about  the  sup- 
per than  baptism  ? May  he  not  show  to  or 
conceal  from  this  or  any  other  of  his  ser- 
vants which  of  his  truths  he  pleaseth?  Some 
of  the  members  of  Jerusalem  had  a greater 
truth  than  this  kept  from  them,  for  aught 
I know,  as  long  as  they  lived,  (Acts  xi.  19,) 
yet  God  was  not  called  in  question  about  it. 

2.  Breaking  of  bread,  not  baptism,  being  a 
church  ordinance,  and  that  such  also  as  must 
be  often  reiterated,  yea,  it  being  an  ordinance 
so  full  of  blessedness  as  likely  to  present  union 
and  communion  with  Christ  to  all  the  mem- 
bers that  worthily  eat  thereof — I say,  the 
Lord’s  Supper  being  such  that  while  the 
members  sit  at  that  feast  they  show  to  each 
other  the  death  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  as 
they  ought  to  do,  till  he  comes,  (1  Cor.  x.  15, 
16,  17 ; xi.  22,  23,  24,  25,  26,)  the  Church  as 
a Church  is  much  more  concerned  in  that 
than  in  water  baptism,  both  as  to  her  faith 
and  comfort,  both  as  to  her  union  and  com- 
munion. 

3.  Your  supposition  that  very  few  professors 
will  seriously  inquire  after  water  baptism  is 
too  rude.  What!  must  all  the  children  of  God 
that  are  not  baptized  for  want  of  light  be  still 
stigmatized  with  want  of  serious  inquiry  alter 
God’s  mind  in  it? 

3.  That  I am  an  advocate,  entertained  to 
plead  for  so  gross  a piece  of  ignorance  as  want 
of  light  in  baptism,  is  but  like  the  rest  of  your 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


807 


jumbling.  I plead  for  communion  with  men 
godly  and  faithful;  I plead  that  they  may  be 
received  that  God  hath  showed  us  lie  hath  re- 
ceived and  commanded  we  should  receive 
them. 

Your  thirteenth  argument  is: 

“ If  obedience  must  discover  the  truth  of  a 
man’s  faith  to  others,  why  must  baptism  be 
shut  out,  as  if  it  was  no  part  of  Gospel  obedi- 
dience?  Is  there  no  precept  for  this  practice, 
that  it  must  be  thus  despised  as  a matter  of 
little  list'?  Or  shall  one  of  Christ’s  precious 
commands  be  blotted  out  of  a Christian’s  obe- 
dience, to  make  way  for  a church  fellowship 
of^ mail's  devising?” 

Answer  1.  This  is  but  round,  round,  the 
same  thing  over  and  over.  That  my  obedience 
to  water  is  not  a discovery  of  my  faith  to 
others  is  evident;  from  the  body  of  the  Bible 
we  find  nothing  that  affirms  it. 

And  I will  now  add,  that  if  a man  cannot 
show  himself  a Christian  without  water  bap- 
tism, “ he  shall  never  show  either  saint  or 
sinner  that  he  is  a Christian  by  it.” 

2.  Who  they  are  that  despise  it  I know  not ; 
but  that  church  membership  may  be  without 
it  (seeing  even  you  yourself  have  concluded  it 
is  no  church  ordinance,  p.  40,  nor  the  entering 
ordinance,  pp.  3,  4)  standeth  both  with  Scrip- 
ture and  reason,  as  mine  arguments  make 
manifest.  So  that  all  your  arguments  prove 
no  more  than  this,  “ that  you  are  so  wedded  to 
your  wordless  notions  that  charity  can  have 
no  place  with  you.”  Have  you  all  this  while 
so  much  as  given  me  one  small  piece  of  a text 
to  prove  it  unlawful  for  the  Church  to  receive 
those  whom  she,  by  the  word,  pereeiveth  the 
Lord  God  and  her  Christ  hath  received?  No; 
and  therefore  you  have  said  so  much  as 
amounts  to  nothing. 

Your  last  argument  is: 

“The  baptism  of  John  was  so  far  honoured 
and  dignified  that  they  that  did  submit  to  it 
are  said  to  justify  God,  and  those  that  did  it 
not  are  said  to  reject  his  counsel  against  them- 
selves; so  that  their  receiving  or  rejecting  the 
whole  doctrine  of  God  hath  its  denomination 
from  this  single  practice.  And  is  there  not  as 
much  to  be  said  of  the  baptism  of  Christ,  un- 
less you  will  say  it  is  inferior  to  John's  in 
worth  and  use?” 

Answer  1.  That  our  denomination  of  be- 
lievers, and  of  our  receiving  the  doctrine  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  is  not  to  be  reckoned  from  our 
baptism  is  evident,  because,  according  to  our 
notion  of  it,  they  only  that  have  before  re- 


ceived the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  and  so  show 
it  us  by  their  confession  of  faith,  they  only 
ought  to  be  baptized.  This  might  serve  for 
an  answer  for  all ; but — 

2.  The  baptism  of  John  was  “ the  baptism 
of  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins,”  of 
which  water  was  but  an  outward  signification 
Mark  i.  4.  Now  what  is  the  baptism  of  re- 
pentance but  an  unfeigned  acknowledgment 
that  they  were  sinners,  and  so  stood  in  need  of 
a Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.  This  baptism,  or 
baptism  under  this  notion,  the  Pharisees  would 
not  receive,  “ for  they  trusted  to  themselves 
that  they  were  righteous,  that  they  were  not 
•os  other  men,  that  they  had  need  of  no  repent- 
ance ;”  not  but  that  they  would  have  been 
baptized  with  water,  might  that  have  been 
without  an  acknowledgment  that  they  were 
sinners;  wherefore,  seeing  the  counsel  of  God 
respected  rather  the  remission  of  sins  by  Jesus 
Christ  than  the  outward  act  of  water  baptism, 
ye  ought  not,  as  you  do  by  this  your  reason- 
ing, to  make  it  rather,  at  least  in  the  revela- 
tion of  it,  to  terminate  in  the  outward  act  of 
being  baptized,  but  in  unfeigned  and  sound 
repentance  and  the  receiving  Jesus  Christ  by 
faith. 

Further.  A desire  to  submit  to  John’s  water 
baptism,  or  of  being  baptized  by  him  in  water, 
did  not  demonstrate  by  that  single  act  the  re- 
ceiving of  the  whole  doctrine  of  God,  as  you 
suggest. 

Why  did  John  reject  the  Pharisees  that 
would  have  been  baptized,  and  Paul  examine 
them  that  were?  Matt.  iii.  7 ; Acts  xix.  2,  3. 

If  your  doctrine  be  true,  why  did  they  not 
rather  say,  Oh,  seeing  you  desire  to  be  bap- 
tized, and  seeing  you  have  been  baptized,  you 
need  not  to  be  questioned  any  further;  your 
submitting  to  John’s  water  to  us  is  a sufficient 
testimony,  even  that  single  act,  that  you  have 
received  the  whole  doctrine  of  God. 

But  I say,  why  did  John  call  them  vipers, 
and  Paul  ask  them  whether  they  had  yet  re- 
ceived the  Holy  Ghost?  Yea,  it  is  evident 
that  a man  may  be  desirous  of  water,  that  a 
man  may  be  baptized,  and  neither  own  the 
doctrine  of  repentance  nor  know  on  whom 
he  should  believe — evident  I say,  arid  that  by 
the  same  texts. 

You  have  grounded  therefore  this  your  last 
argument,  as  also  the  rest,  upon  an  utter  mis- 
take of  things. 

I come  now  to  your  questions;  which 
although  they  be  mixed  with  gall,  I will 


868 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


with  patience  see  if  I can  turn  them  into 
food. 

Your  first  question  is: 

“ I ask  your  own  heart  whether  popularity 
and  applause  of  variety  of  professors  be  not 
in  the  bottom  of  what  you  have  said — that 
hath  been  your  snare  to  pervert  the  right  ways 
of  the  Lord,  and  lead  others  into  a path 
wherein  we  can  find  none  of  the  footsteps  of 
the  flock  of  the  first  ages?” 

Answer.  Setting  aside  a retaliation  like  your 
question,  I say,  and  God  knows  I speak  the 
truth,  I have  contemplated  to  do  what  I have 
done  by  a provocation  of  sixteen  years  long — 
tempted,  I say,  by  the  brethren  of  your  way, 
who,  whenever  they  saw  their  opportunity, 
have  made  it  their  business  to  seek  to  rend  us 
iu  pieces;  mine  own  self  they  have  endeav- 
oured to  persuade  to  forsake  the  Church  ; some 
they  have  rent  quite  off  from  us,  others  they 
have  attempted  and  attempted  to  divide  and 
break  off  from  us,  but  by  the  mercy  of  God 
have  hitherto  prevented. 

A more  large  account  you  may  have  in  my 
next,  if  you  think  good  to  demand  it;  but  I 
thank  God  that  I have  written  what  I have 
written. 

Question  2.  “ Have  you  dealt  brotherly  or 
like  a Christian  to  throw  so  much  dirt  upon 
your  brethren,  in  print,  in  the  face  of  the 
world,  when  you  had  opportunity  /to  converse 
with  them  of  reputation  amongst  us  before 
printing,  being  allowed  the  liberty  by  them  at 
the  same  time  for  you  to  speak  among  them  ?” 

Answer.  I have  thrown  no  dirt  upon  them, 
nor  laid  anything  to  their  charge,  if  their 
practice  be  warrantable  by  the  word  ; but  you 
have  not  been  offended  at  the  dirt  yourselves 
have  thrown  at  all  the  godly  in  the  land  that 
are  not  of  your  persuasion,  in  counting  them 
unfit  to  be  communicated  with  or  to  be  accom- 
panied with  in  the  house  of  God.  This  dirt 
you  never  complained  of,  nor  would,  I doubt, 
to  this  day,  might  you  be  still  let  alone  to 
throw  it.  As  to  my  book,  it  was  printed  be- 
fore I spake  with  any  of  you  or  knew  whether 
I might  be  accepted  of  you.  As  to  them  of 
reputation  among  you,  I know  others  not  one 
tittle  inferior  to  them,  and  have  my  liberty  to 
consult  with  whom  I like  best. 

Question  3.  “ Doth  your  carriage  answer  the 
law  of  love  or  civility,  when  the  brethren  used 
means  to  send  for  you  for  a conference,  and 
their  letter  was  received  by  you,  that  you 
should  go  out  again  from  the  city,  after  know- 
ledge of  their  desires  and  not  vouchsafe  a 


meeting  with  them,  when  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  vindication  of  so  many  churches  is 
concerned?” 

Answer.  The  reason  why  I came  not  amongst 
you  was,  partly  because  I consulted  mine  own 
weakness,  and  counted  not  myself  (being  a 
dull-headed  man)  able  to  engage  so  many  of 
the  chief  of  you  as  I was  then  informed  in- 
tended to  meet  me ; I also  feared,  in  personal 
disputes,  heats  and  bitter  contentions  might 
arise,  a thing  my  spirit  hath  no  pleasure  in. 
I feared  also  that  both  myself  and  words  would 
be  misrepresented,  and  that  not  without  cause; 
for  if  they  that  answer  a book  will  alter  and 
screw  arguments  out  of  their  places,  and  make 
my  sentences  stand  in  their  own  words,  not 
mine — when  (I  say)  my  words  are  in  a book  to 
be  seen,  what  would  you  have  done,  had  I in 
the  least,  either  in  matter  or  manner,  though 
but  seemingly,  miscarried  among  you? 

As  for  the  many  churches  which  you  say  are 
concerned,  as  also  the  glory  of  God,  1 doubt 
not  to  say  they  are  only  your  wordless  opinions 
that  are  concerned ; the  glory  of  God  is  vindi- 
cated: “We  receive  him  that  God  hath  re- 
ceived, and  that  to  the  glory  of  God.”  Horn, 
xv.  16. 

Question  4.  “Is  it  not  the  spirit  of  Diotre- 
plies  of  old  in  you,  who  loved  to  have  the  pre- 
eminence, that  you  are  so  bold  to  keep  out  all 
the  brethren  that  are  not  of  your  mind  in  this 
matter  from  having  any  entertainment  in  the 
churches  or  meetings  to  which  you  belong, 
though  you  yourself  have  not  been  denied  the 
like  liberty  among  them  that  are  contrary- 
minded  to  you?  Is  this  the  way  of  your  re- 
taliation? Or  are  you  afraid  lest  the  truth 
should' invade  your  quarters?” 

Answer.  I can  say  I would  not  have  the 
spirit  you  talk  of;  what  I have  of  it,  God  take 
it  from  me.  But  what  was  the  spirit  of  Dio- 
trephes?  Why,  not  to  receive  the  brethren 
into  the  Church  and  to  forbid  them  that  would. 
3 John  • 9,  10.  This  do  not  I ; I am  for  com- 
munion with  saints  because  they  are  saints;  I 
shut  none  of  the  brethren  out  of  the  churches, 
nor  forbid  them  that  would  receive  them.  I 
say  again,  show  me  the  man  that  is  a visible 
believer  and  that  wallceth  with  God,  and  though 
he  differ  with  me  about  baptism,  the  doors  of 
the  Church  stand  open  for  him,  and  all  our 
heaven-born  privileges,  he  shall  be  admitted 
to  them.  But  how  came  Diotrephes  so  lately 
into  our  parts?  Where  was  he  in  those  days 
that  our  brethren  of  the  bapt’zed  way  woujd 
neither  receive  into  the  Church  nor  pray  with 


DIFFERENCES  A ROUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION, 


8G9 


men  ns  good  as  themselves,  because  they  were 
not  baptized,  but  would  cither,  like  Quakers, 
stand  with  their  hats  on  their  heads  or  else 
withdraw  till  we  had  done? 

As  to  our  not  suffering  those  you  plead  for  to 
preach  in  our  assemblies,  the  reason  is  because 
we  cannot  yet  prevail  with  them  to  repent  of 
their  church-rending  principles.  As  to  the  re- 
taliation, mind  the  hand  of  God  and  remember 
Adonibezek.  Judg.  i.  7. 

Let  the  truth  come  into  our  quarters  and  wel- 
come, but  sowers  of  discord,  because  the  Lord 
hates  it,  we  also  ourselves  will  avoid  them. 

Question  5.  “ Is  there  no  contempt  cast  upon 
the  brethren  who  desired  your  satisfaction,  that 
at  the  same  time  when  you  had  opportunity  to 
speak  to  them,  instead  of  that  you  committed 
the  letters  to  others  by  way  of  reflection  upon 
them?” 

Answer.  It  is  no  contempt  at  all  to  consult 
men  more  wise  and  judicious  than  him  that 
wrote  or  myself  either.  But  why  not  consult 
with  others?  Is  wisdom  to  die  with  you  ? Or 
do  you  count  all  that  yourselves  have  no  hand 
in  done  to  your  disparagement  ? 

Question  6.  “Did  not  your  presumption 
prompt  you  to  provoke  them  to  printing  in 
your  letter  to  them,  when  they  desired  to  be 
found  in  no  such  practice,  lest  the  enemies  of 
truth  should  take  advantage  by  it?”  x 

Answer.  What  provoked  you  to  print  will  be 
best  known  at  the  day  of  judgment — whether 
you  fear  of  losing  your  wordless  opinion  or  my 
plain  answer  to  your  letter.  The  words  in  my 
letter  are,  “As  for  my  book,  never  defer  its 
answer  till  you  speak  with  me,  for  I strive  not 
for  mastery,  but  truth.”  Though  you  did  not 
desire  to  write,  yet  with  us  there  was  continual 
labour  to  rend  us  to  pieces,  and  to  prevent  that 
which  was  in  my  first  book  written.  And  let 
who  will  take  advantage,  so  the  truth  of  God 
and  the  edification  of  my  brother  be  promoted. 

Question  7.  “ Whether  your  principle  and 
practice  is  not  equally  against  others  as  well  as 
us — viz.,  Episcopals,  Presbyterians,  and  Inde- 
pendents— who  are  also  of  our  side  for  our 
practice,  though  they  differ  with  us  about  the 
subject  of  baptism?  Do  you  delight  to  have 
your  hand  against  every  man  ?” 

Answer.  I own  water  baptism  to  be  God’s 
ordinance,  but  I make  no  idol  of  it.  Where 
you  call  now  the  Episcopal  to  side  with  you, 
and  also  the  Presbyterian,  &c.,  you  will  not 
find  them  easily  persuaded  to  conclude  with 
you  against  me.  They  are  against  your  man- 
ner of  dipping,  as  well  as  the  subject  of  water 


baptism ; neither  do  you,  for  all  you  flatter 
them,  agree  together  in  all  but  the  subject. 
Do  you  allow  their  sprinkling?  Do  you 
allow  their  signing  with  the  cross?  Why 
then  have  you  so  stoutly,  an  hundred  times 
over, condemned  these  things  as  antichristian? 
I am  not  against  every  man,  though  by  yonr 
abusive  language  you  would  set  every  one 
against  me;  but  I am  for  union,  concord,  and 
communion  of  saints  as  saints,  and  for  that 
cause  I wrote  my  book. 

To  conclude : 

1.  In  all  I have  said  I put  a difference  be- 
tween my  brethren  of  the  baptized  way ; I 
know  some  are  more  moderate  than  some. 

2.  When  I plead  for  the  unbaptized,  1 
chiefly  intend  those  that  are  not  so  baptized 
as  my  brethren  judge  right,  according  to  the 
first  pattern. 

3.  If  any  shall  count  my  papers  worth  the 
scribbling  against,  let  him  deal  with  mine 
arguments  and  things  immediately  depend- 
ing upon  them,  and  not  conclude  he  hath 
confuted  a book  when  he  hath  only  quar- 
relled at  words. 

4.  I have  done  when  I have  told  you  that  1 
strive  not  for  mastery  nor  to  show  myself  sin- 
gular, but,  if  it  might  be,  for  union  and  com- 
munion among  the  godly.  And  count  me  not 
as  an  enemy  because  I tell  you  the  truth. 

5.  And  now,  dissenting  brethren,  I com- 
mend you  to  God,  who  can  pardon  your  sin, 
and  give  you  more  grace  and  an  inheritance 
among  them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


IIEEE  FOLLOWETII  MR.  HENRY  JESSE’S 

JUDGMENT  UPON  THE  SAME  ARGU- 
MENT. 

Suck  as  are  weak  in  the  faith  receive  you,  Ac. — 
Rom.  xiv.  1. 

Whebeas  some  suppose  the  receiving  there 
mentioned  was  but  receiving  into  brotherly 
affection  such  as  were  in  church  fellowship, 
but  not  a receiving  of  such  as  were  weak  into 
the  Church ; 

For  answer  unto  which,  consider — 

That  in  the  text  are  two  things  to  be  in- 
quired into : 

First.  What  weakness  of  faith  this  is  that 
must  not  hinder  receiving. 

Secondly.  By  whom  and  to  what  he  that  is 
weak  in  the  faith  is  to  be  received. 


870 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


To  the  first,  What  weakness  of  faith  this  is 
that  must  not  hinder  receiving — whether  was 
it  weakness  in  the  graces  of  faith  or  in  the 
doctrine  of  faith?  It  is  conceived  the  first 
is  included,  but  the  second  principally  in- 
tended. 

First.  That  some  of  the  Lord’s  people  are 
weak  in  the  graces  of  faith  will  he  confessed 
by  all,  and  that  the  Lord  would  have  his 
lambs  fed  as  well  as  his  sheep,  and  his  chil- 
dren as  well  as  grown  men,  and  that  he  hath 
given  the  right  to  Gospel  privileges  not  to  de- 
grees of  grace,  but  to  the  truth.  “ Him  that 
is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  you,”  or  unto 
you,  as  some  good  translations  read  it.  Rom. 
xiv.  1. 

Secondly.  It  is  supposed  this  command  of 
receiving  him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  doth 
principally  intend  he  that  is  weak  in  the  doc- 
trine of  faith,  and  that  not  so  much  in  the 
doctrine  of  justification  as  in  Gospel  institu- 
tions, as  doth  appear  by  the  second  and  sixth 
verses,  which  show  that  it  was  in  matters  of 
practice,  wherein  some  were  weak  and  at 
which  others  were  offended;  notwithstanding 
the  glorious  Lord,  who  bears  all  Israel  upon 
his  heart,  receives  (verse  3)  and  commandeth, 
“ Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  you,” 
or  unto  you. 

Therefore,  here  we  are  to  inquire  of  the 
receiving  in  the  text,  “ by  whom  and  to 
what”  he  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  should 
be  received? 

In  which  inquiry  there  are  two  parts: 

First.  By  whom? 

Secondly.  To  what? 

To  the  first.  The  text  makes  answer,  “Him 
that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  you,”  or 
unto  you;  which  must  be  the  Church  at 
Rome,  to  whom  the  epistle  was  writ,  as  also 
to  all  the  beloved  of  God,  called  to  be  saints. 
Rom.  i.  7.  And  as  to  them,  so  unto  all 
churches  and  saints  beloved  and  called  through- 
out the  world. 

Note,  that  epistles  are  as  well  to  direct  how 
churches  are  to  carry  things  towards  saints 
without  as  to  saints  within,  and  also  towards  all 
men,  so  as  to  give  no  offence  to  Jew  or  Gen- 
tile, nor  to  the  Church  of  God. 

The  second  part  of  the  inquiry  is,  To  what 
he  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  is  to  be  received? 
Whether  only  unto  mutual  affection,  as  some 
affirm,  as  if  he  were  in  church  fellowship 
before  that  were  weak  in  the  faith  ? Or 
whether  the  text  doth  as  well,  if  not  rather, 
intend  the  receiving  such  as  were  and  are 


weak  in  the  faith  not  only  unto  mutual  affec- 
tion if  in  the  Church,  but  unto  church  fellow- 
ship also  if  they  were  out.  For  clearing  of 
which  consider  to  whom  the  epistle  was  writ- 
ten. Rom.i.  7.  Not  only  to  the  Church  there, 
but  unto  all  that  were  beloved  of  God  and 
called  to  be  saints  in  all  ages.  And  as  at 
Rome  it  is  like  there  then  were,  and  in  other 
places  now  are,  saints  weak  in  the  faith,  both 
in  and  out  of  church  fellowship,  so  it  is  prob- 
able there  then  were,  and  elsewhere  now  are, 
those  that  will  cast  such  out  of  their  mutual 
affection.  And  if  they  will  cast  such  out  of 
their  mutual  affection  that  are  within,  no 
doubt  they  will  keep  out  of  their  church  fel- 
lowship those  that  are  without. 

Argument  1.  Whereas  the  Lord’s  care  ex- 
tends to  all  his,  and  if  it  were  a good  argu- 
ment in  the  third  verse  for  them  to  receive 
those  within  because  God  hath  received  them, 
it  would  be  as  good  an  argument  to  receive  in 
those  without,  for  God  hath  received  them 
also;  unless  it  could  be  proved  that  all  that 
were  and  are  weak  in  the  faith  were  and  are 
in  church  fellowship,  which  is  not  likely,  for 
if  they  would  cast  such  out  of  their  affection 
that  are  within,  they  would,  upon  the  same 
account,  keep  them  out  of  church  fellowship 
that  were  without.  Therefore,  as  it  is  a duty 
to  receive  those  within  unto  mutual  affection, 
so  it  is  no  less  a duty,  by  the  text,  to  receive 
such  weak  ones  as  are  without  into  church 
fellowship. 

Argument  2 is  urged  from  the  words  them- 
selves, which  are,  “ Receive  him  that  is  weak 
in  the  faith,”  wherein  the  Lord  puts  no  lim- 
itation in  this  text  or  in  any  other ; and  who  is 
he  then  that  can  restrain  it,  unless  he  will 
limit  the  Holy  One  of  Israel?  And  how  would 
such  an  interpretation  foolishly  charge  the 
Lord,  as  if  he  took  care  only  of  those  within, 
but  not  like  care  of  those  without;  whereas  he 
commandeth  them  to  receive  them,  and  useth 
this  motive,  he  had  received  them;  and  he  re- 
ceiveth  those  that  are  weak  in  the  faith,  if 
without  as  well  as  those  within. 

From  the  example,  viz.,  that  God  had  re- 
ceived them ; whereas  had  he  been  of  the 
Church,  they  would  have  been  persuaded  of 
that  before  the  motive  was  urged,  for  no  true 
Church  of  Christ’s  would  take  in  or  keep  in 
any  whom  they  judged  the  Lord  had  not  re- 
ceived ; but  those  weak  ones  were  such  as  they 
questioned  whether  the  Lord  had  received 
them,  else  the  text  had  not  been  an  answer 
sufficient  for  their  receiving  them.  There 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


871 


might  have  been  objected,  They  hold  up  Jew- 
ish observations  of  meats  and  days,  which  by 
the  death  of  Christ  were  abolished,  and  so  did 
deny  some  of  the  effects  of  his  death  ; yet  the 
Lord,  who  was  principally  wronged,  could  pass 
th is  by,  and  commandcth  others  to  receive 
them  also.  And  if  it  be  a good  argument  to 
receive  such  as  are  weak  in  anything  whom 
the  Lord  hath  received,  then  there  can  be  no 
good  argument  to  reject  for  anything  for  which 
the  Lord  will  not  reject  them;  for  else  the 
command  in  the  first  verse  and  this  example 
in  the  third  verse  were  insufficient  without 
some  other  arguments,  unto  the  Church,  be- 
sides his  command  and  example. 

Some  object,  “Receive  ye  one  another,  as 
Christ  hath  received  11s  unto  the  glory  of  God,” 
and  from  thence  supposing  they  were  all  in 
church  fellowship  before,  whereas  the  text 
saith  not  so ; for  if  you  consider  the  8th  and 
9th  verses,  you  may  see  he  speaks  unto  Jews 
and  Gentiles  in  general,  that  if  the  Jews  had 
the  receiving,  they  should  receive  Gentiles, 
and  if  the  Gentiles  had  the  receiving,  they 
should  receive  Jews ; for  had  they  not  been  on 
both  sides  commanded,  the  Jews  might  have 
said  to  the  Gentiles,  You  are  commanded  to 
receive  us,  but  we  are  not  commanded  to  re- 
ceive you;  and  if  the  weak  had  the  receiving, 
they  should  receive  the  strong,  and  if  the 
strong  had  the  receiving,  they  should  not  keep 
out  the  weak  ; and  the  text  is  reinforced  with 
the  example  of  the  Son’s  receiving  us  unto 
the  glory  of  God,  that  as  he  receiveth  Jews 
and  poor  Gentiles,  weak  and  strong,  in  church 
fellowship  or  out  of  church  fellowship,  so 
should  they,  to  the  glory  of  God.  And  as  the 
Lord  Jesus  received  some,  though  they  held 
some  things  more  than  were  commanded  and 
some  things  less  than  were  commanded,  and 
as  those  that  were  weak  and  in  church  fellow- 
ship, so  those  that  were  weak  and  out  of  church 
fellowship,  and  that  not  only  into  mutual  af- 
fection, but  unto  fellowship  with  himself; 
and  so  should  they  not  only  receive  such 
as  were  weak  within  into  mutual  affection, 
but  such  as  were  without  both  to  mutual 
affection  and  to  church  fellowship,  or  else  such 
weak  ones  as  were  without  had  been  excluded 
by  the  text.  Oh  how  is  the  heart  of  God  the 
Father  and  the  Son  set  upon  this,  to  have  his 
children  in  his  house  and  in  one  another’s 
hearts  as  they  are  in  his,  and  are  borne  upon 
the  shoulders  and  breasts  of  his  Son,  their 
High  Priest!  And  as  if  all  this  will  not  do  it, 
but  the  devil  will  divide  them  still,  whose  work 


it  properly  is ; “ Rut  the  God  of  peace  will 
come  in  shortly,  and  bruise  Satan  under  their 
feet,”  as  in  Rom.  xvi.  20.  And  they  will  agree 
to  be  in  one  house  when  they  arc  more  of  one 
heart;  in  the  mean  time  pray  as  in  Rom.  xv. 
5 : “ Now  the  God  of  patience  and  consolation 
grant  that  we  be  like-minded  one  towards 
another,  to  Christ  Jesus.” 

I shall  endeavour  the  answering  of  some  ob- 
jections, and  leave  it  unto  consideration. 

Objection.  Some  say,  “This  bearing  or  re- 
ceiving was  but  in  things  indifferent.” 

Answer.  That  eating  or  forbearing  upon  a 
civil  account  are  things  indifferent  is  true,  but 
not  when  done  upon  the  account  of  worship, 
as  keeping  of  days  and  establishing  Jewish 
observations  about  meats,  which  by  the  death 
of  Christ  are  taken  away ; and  it.  is  not  fairly' 
to  be  imagined  the  same  Church  at  Rome 
looked  so  upon  them  as  indifferent,  nor  that 
the  Lord  doth.  That  it  were  all  alike  to  him 
to  hold  up  Jewish  observations  or  to  keep  days 
or  no  days,  right  days  or  wrong  days,  as  indif- 
ferent things,  which  is  a great  mistake,  and  no 
less  than  to  make  God’s  grace  little  in  receiv- 
ing such  ; for  if  it  were  but  in  things  wherein 
they'  had  not  sinned,  it  were  no  great  matter 
for  the  Lord  to  receive, .and  it  would  have  been 
as  good  an  argument  or  motive  to  the  Church 
to  say  the  things  were  indifferent  as  to  say  the 
Lord  had  received  them. 

Whereas  the  text  is  to  set  out  the  riches  of 
grace  to  the  vessels  of  mercy,  as  Rom.  ix.  15. 
That  as  at  first  he  did  freely  choose  and  accept 
them,  so  when  they  fail  and  miscarry  in  many 
things,  yea,  about  his  worship  also,  although 
he  be  most  injured  thereby,  yet  he  is  first  in 
passing  it  by,  and  persuading  others  to  do  the 
like:  that  as  the  good  Samaritan  did  in  the 
Old  Testament,  so  our  good  Samaritan  doth  in 
the  New,  when  priest  and  Levite  passed  by', 
pastor  and  people  pass  by,  yet  he  will  not,  but 
pours  in  oil,  and  carries  them  to  his  inn,  and 
calls  for  receiving  and  setting  it  upon  his  ac- 
count. 

Objection.  “That  this  bearing  with  and  re- 
ceiving such  as  are  weak  in  the  faith  must  be 
limited  to  meats,  and  day's,  and  such  like 
things  that  had  been  old  Jewish  observations, 
but  not  unto  the  being  ignorant  in  or  doubting 
of  any  New  Testament  institution.” 

Answer.  Where  the  Lord  puts  no  limitation, 
men  should  be  wary  how  they  do  it,  for  they 
must  have  a command  or  example  before  they 
can  limit  this  command;  for  although  the 
Lord  took  this  occasion  from  their  difference 


872 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


about  meats  and  days  to  give  this  command, 
yet  the  command  is  not  limited  there,  no  more 
than  in  Matt.  xii.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7.  That  when 
they  made  use  of  his  good  law  rigorously  in 
the  letter,  he  presently  published  an  act  of 
grace  in  the  7th  verse,  and  tells  them,  “Had 
they  known  what  this  meaneth,  I will  have 
mercy  and  not  sacrifice,  they  would  not  have 
condemned  the  guiltless;”  as  also  in  Matt.  ix. 
13 : “ Go  learn  what  this  meaneth : I will  have 
mercy  and  not  sacrifice,”  which  is  not  to  be 
limited  unto  what  was  the  present  occasion  of 
publishing  the  command,  but  observed  as  a 
general  rule  upon  all  occasions  wherein  mercy 
and  sacrifice  come  in  competition,  to  show 
the  Lord  will  rather  have  a duty  omitted  that 
is  due  to  him  than  mercy  to  his  creatures 
omitted  by  them.  So  in  the  text,  when  some 
would  not  receive  such  as  were  weak  in  the 
faith  as  to  matters  of  practice,  the  Lord  was 
pleased  to  publish  this  act  of  grace : “ Him 
that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  you,  but  not 
to  doubtful  disputation.”  Now  unless  it  be 
proved  that  no  saint  can  he  weak  in  the  faith 
in  anything  but  meats  and  days  or  in  some  Old 
Testament  observations,  and  that  he  ought  not 
to  be  judged  a saint  that  is  weak  in  the  faith 
as  it  relates  to  Gospel  institutions  in  matters 
of  practice,  you  cannot  limit  the  text,  and  you 
must  dlso  prove  his  weakness  such  as  that  the 
Lord  will  not  receive  him,  else  the  command 
in  the  first  verse,  and  the  reason  or  motive  in 
the  third  verse,  will  both  be  in  force  upon  you 
— viz.,  “ Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive 
you,  (or  unto  you,)  for  God  hath  received 
him.” 

Objection.  But  some  may  object  from  1 Cor. 
xii.  13,  “ For  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  bap- 
tized into  one  body,  whether  we  be  Jews  or 
Gentiles.”  Some  there  are  that  affirm  this  to 
be  meant  of  water  baptism,  and  that  particular 
churches  are  formed  thereby,  and  all  persons 
are  to  be  admitted  and  joined  unto  such 
churches  by  water  baptism. 

Answer.  That  the  baptism  intended  in  the 
text  is  the  Spirit’s  baptism,  and  not  water  bap- 
tism, and  that  the  body  the  text  intends  is  not 
principally  the  Church  of  Corinth,  but  all  be- 
lievers, both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  being  baptized 
into  one  mystical  body,  as  in  Eph.  iv.  4: 
“There  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit,”  wherein 
there  is  set  out  the  uniter  and  the  united; 
therefore  in  the  third  verse  they  are  exhorted 
to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace.  The  united  are  all  the  faithful  in  one 
body.  Into  whom  ? In  the  fifth  verse,  in  one 


Lord  Jesus  Christ.  By  what?  One  faith, 
one  baptism;  which  cannot  be  meant  of  water 
baptism,  for  water  baptism  doth  not  unite  all 
this  body,  for  some  of  them  never  had  water 
baptism,  and  are  yet  of  this  body  and  by  the 
Spirit  gathered  into  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
(Eph.  i.  10,)  both  which  are  in  heaven  and  in 
earth,  Jew  and  Gentile,  (Eph.  ii.  16,)  that  he 
might  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one  body  by 
his  cross ; the  instrument  you  have  in  ver.  18, 
“by  one  Spirit.”  That  the  Gentiles  should  be 
fellow-heirs  of  the  same  body,  (ver.  15,)  “of 
whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth 
is  named.”  And  the  reason  of  their  keeping  the 
unity  of  the  Spirit  in  Eph.  iv.  3 is  laid  down 
in  verses  4,  5,  being  one  body,  one  Spirit, 
having  one  hope,  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  bap- 
tism, whether  they  were  Jews  or  Gentiles,  such 
as  were  in  heaven  or  in  earth ; which  cannot 
be  meant  of  water  baptism,  for  in  that  sense 
they  had  not  all  one  baptism,  nor  admitted  and 
united  thereby:  “For  by  one  Spirit  we  are  all 
baptized  into  one  body,  whether  Jews  or  Gen- 
tiles, whether  we  be  bond  or  free,  we  having 
been  all  made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit ;”  which 
cannot  be  meant  of  water  baptism,  in  regard 
all  the  body  of  Christ,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  bond 
and  free,  partook  not  thereof. 

Objection.  “ But  Eph.  iv.  5 saith,  There  is 
but  ‘ one  baptism,’  and  by  what  hath  been 
said,  if  granted,  water  baptism  will  be  ex- 
cluded, or  else  there  is  more  baptisms  than 
one.” 

Ansvier.  It  followeth  not  that  because  the 
Spirit  will  have  no  co-rival,  that  therefore 
other  things  may  not  be  in  their  places ; that 
because  the  Spirit  of  God  taketh  the  pre-emi- 
nence, therefore  other  things  may  not  be  sub- 
servient. The  apostle  tells  them,  “That  the 
anointing  which  they  had  received  of  him 
abidetli  in  them ; and  you  need  not  (saith  he) 
that  any  man  teach  you,  but  as  the  same 
anointing  teaclieth  you  all  things.”  By  this 
some  may  think  John  excludes  the  ministry; 
no  such  matter,  though  the  Holy  Ghost  hath 
confirmed  and  instructed  them  so  in  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel  as  that  they  were  furnished 
against  seducers  in  ver.  26,  yet  you  see  John 
goes  on  still  teaching  them  in  many  things  as 
also  in  Eph.  iv.  11,  12,  13;  he  gave  some 
apostles,  some  evangelists,  some  pastors,  and 
teachers,  (ver.  12,)  for  the  perfecting  of  the 
saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edi- 
fying of  the  body  of  Christ;  verse  13:  “Till 
we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a per- 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


873 


feet  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of 
the  fulness  of  Christ.”  Bo  in  the  Spirit’s  bap- 
tism, though  it  have  the  pre-eminence,  and 
appropriated  some  things  as  peculiar  to  itself, 
it  doth  not  thereby  destroy  the  use  and  end  of 
water  baptism,  or  any  other  ordinance  in  its 
place ; for  water  baptism  is  a means  to  increase 
grace,  and  in  it  and  by  it  sanctification  is  for- 
warded and  remission  of  sins  more  cleared  and 
witnessed ; yet  the  giving  graces  and  regenerat- 
ing and  renewing  is  the  Iloly  Spirit’s  pecu- 
liar. Consider  Tit.  iii.  5:  “By  the  washing 
of  regeneration  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,”  baptism  being  the  outward  sign  of  the 
inward  graces  wrought  by  the  Spirit,  a repre- 
sentation or  figure,  as  in  1 Pet.  iii.  21:  “The 
like  figure  whercunto  baptism  doth  now  also 
save  us,  not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of 
the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a good  conscience 
towards  God,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ,”  not  excluding  water  baptism,  but 
showing  that  the  spiritual  part  is  chiefly  to  be 
looked  at ; though  such  as  slight  water  bap- 
tism, as  the  Fharisees  and  lawyers  did,  (Luke 
vii.  30,)  reject  the  counsel  of  God  against 
themselves,  not  being  baptized ; and  such  as 
would  set  water  baptism  in  the  Spirit’s  place 
exalt  a duty  against  the  deity  and  dignity  of 
the  Spirit,  and  do  give  the  glory  due  unto  him, 
as  God  blessed  for  ever,  unto  a duty. 

By  which  mistake  of  setting  up  water  bap- 
tism in  the  Spirit’s  place,  and  assigning  it  a 
work  which  was  never  appointed  unto  it,  of 
forming  the  body  of  Christ,  either  in  general, 
(as  in  1 Cor.  xii.  13;  Eph.  iv.  5,)  or  as  to  par- 
ticular churches  of  Christ,  we  may  see  the 
fruit,  that  instead  of  being  the  means  of  unit- 
ing as  the  Spirit  doth,  that  it  hath  not  only 
rent  his  seamless  coat,  but  divided  his  body, 
which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood, 
and  opposed  that  great  design  of  Father,  Son, 
and  Spirit  in  uniting  poor  saints,  thereby  pull- 
ing in  pieces  what  the  Spirit  hath  put  together. 
“ Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  you, 
for  God  hath  received  him being  such  as 
the  Spirit  had  baptized  and  admitted  of  the 
body  of  Christ,  he  would  have  his  churches 
receive  them  also ; whose  baptism  is  the  only 
baptism,  and  so  is  called  the  one  baptism. 
Therefore  consider  whether  such  a practice 
hath  a command  or  an  example  that  persons 
must  be  joined  into  church  fellowship  by 
water  baptism;  for  John  baptized  many,  yet 
he  did  not  baptize  some  into  one  Church  and 
some  into  another,  nor  all  into  one  Church,  (as 
the  Church  of  Rome  doth;)  and  into  what 


Church  did  Philip  baptize  the  eunuch,  or  the 
apostle  the  jailer  and  his  house?  And  all 
the  rest  they  baptized,  were  they  not  left  free 
to  join  themselves  for  their  convenience  and 
edification?  All  which  I leave  to  considera- 
tion. I might  have  named  some  inconveni- 
encies,  if  not  absurdities,  that  would  follow 
the  assertion ; as  to  father  the  mistakes  of  the 
baptizers  on  the  Spirit’s  act,  who  is  not  mis- 
taken in  any  he  baptized ; no  false  brethren 
creep  in  unawares  into  the  mystical  body  by 
him;  and  also  how  this  manner  of  forming 
churches  would  suit  a country  where  many  are 
converted  and  willing  to  be  baptized,  but 
there  being  no  Church  to  be  baptized  into, 
how  shall  such  a church  state  begin?  The 
first  must  be  baptized  into  no  Church,  and  the 
rest  into  him  as  the  Church,  or  the  work  stand 
still  for  want  of  a Church. 

Objection.  “ But  God  is  a God  of  order,  and 
hath  ordained  order  in  all  the  churches  of 
Christ;  and  for  to  receive  one  that  holds  the 
baptism  he  had  in  his  infancy,  there  is  no 
command  nor  example  /or,  and  by  the  same 
rule  children  will  be  brought  in  to  be  church 
members.” 

Answer.  That  God  is  a God  of  order,  and 
hath  ordained  orders  in  all  the  churches  of 
Christ,  is  true,  and  that  this  is  one  of  the  or- 
ders, to  receive  him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith, 
is  as  true.  And  though  there  be  no  example  or 
command  in  so  many  words — Receive  such  an 
one  that  holds  the  baptism  he  had  in  his  in- 
fancy, nor  to  reject  such  an  one — but  there  is 
a command  to  receive  him  that  is  weak  in  the 
faith,  without  limitation;  and  it  is  like  this 
might  not  be  a doubt  in  those  days,  and  so 
not  spoken  of  in  particular. 

But  the  Lord  provides  a remedy  for  all  times 
in  the  text,  “Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  re- 
ceive you;”  for  else  receiving  would  not  be 
upon  the  account  of  saintship,  but  upon  know- 
ing and  doing  all  things  according  to  rule  and 
order;  and  that  must  be  perfectly,  else  for  to 
deny  any  thing  or  affirm  too  much  is  disor- 
derly and  would  hinder  receiving;  but  the 
Lord  deals  not  so  with  his  people,  but  ac- 
counts love  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  though 
they  be  ignorant  in  many  things  both  as  to 
knowing  and  doing;  and  receives  them  into 
communion  and  fellowship  with  himself,  and 
would  have  others  do  the  same  also;  and  if  he 
would  have  so  much  in  bearing  apostles’  days, 
when  they  had  infallible  helps  to  expound 
truths  unto  them,  much  more  now  the  Church 
I hath  been  so  long  in  the  wilderness  and  in 


874 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


captivity,  and  not  that  his  people  should  be 
driven  away  in  the  dark  day,  though  they  are 
sick  and  weak.  And  that  it  should  be  sup- 
posed such  tenderness  would  bring  in  children 
in  age  to  be  church  members,  yea,  and  wel- 
come, if  anybody  could  prove  them  in  the 
faith,  though  never  so  weak;  for  the  text  is, 
“Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  you;” 
it  is  not  he,  and  his  wife,  and  children,  unless 
it  can  be  proved  they  are  in  the  faith. 

Objection.  “By  this  some  ordinances  may  be 
lost  or  omitted ; and  is  it  to  be  supposed  the 
Lord  would  suffer  any  of  his  ordinances  to  be 
lost  or  omitted  in  the  Old  or  New  Testament, 
or  the  right  use  of  them,  and  yet  own  such 
for  true  churches?  and  what  reason  can  there 
be  for  it?” 

Answer.  The  Lord  hath  suffered  some  ordi- 
nances to  be  omitted  and  lost  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, and  yet  owned  the  Church.  Though 
circumcision  were  omitted  in  the  wilderness, 
yet  he  owned  them  to  be  his  Church,  and 
many  of  the  ordinances  were  lost  in  the  cap- 
tivity. See  Ainsworth  upon  Ex.  xxviii.  30, 
&c.,  which  showed  what  the  high  priest  was 
to  put  on,  and  were  not  to  be  omitted  ujjon 
pain  of  death,  as  the  Urim  and  Thummim; 
yet  being  lost,  and  several  other  ordinances, 
the  ark,  with  the  mercy-seat  and  cherubims, 
the  fire  from  heaven,  the  majesty  and  divine 
presence,  &c.,  yet  he  owns  the  second  temple, 
though  short  of  the  first,  and  filled  it  with  his 
glory,  and  honoured  it  with  his  Son  being  a 
member  and  a minister  therein : “ The  Lord 
whom  you  seek  will  suddenly  come  to  his  tem- 
ple.” So  in  the  New  Testament,  since  their 
wilderness  condition  and  great?  and  long  caji- 
tivity,  there  is  some  darkness  and  doubts  and 
want  of  light  in  the  best  of  the  Lord’s  people 
in  many  of  his  ordinances,  and  that  for  several 
ages;  and  yet  how  hath  the  Lord  owned  them 
for  his  churches,  wherein  he  is  to  have  “glory 
and  praise  throughout  all  ages!”  And  so 
should  we  own  them,  unless  we  will  condemn 
the  generation  of  the  just.  It  must  be  con- 
fessed that  if  exact  practice  be  required  and 
clearness  in  Gospel  institutions  before  commu- 
nion, who  dare  be  so  bold  as  to  say  his  hands 
are  clean,  and  that  he  hath  done  all  the  Lord’s 
commands  as  to  institutions  in  his  worship? 
and  must  not  confess  the  change  of  times  doth 
necessitate  some  variation,  if  not  alteration, 
either  in  the  matter  or  manner  of  things  ac- 
cording to  primitive  practice?  yet  owned  for 
true  churches  and  received  as  visible  saints, 
though  ignorant  either  wholly  or  in  great 


measure  in  laying  on  of  hands,  singing,  wash- 
ing of  feet,  and  anointing  with  oil,  in  the  gifts 
of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim of  the  Gospel?  And  it  cannot  be  proved 
that  the  churches  were  so  ignorant  in  the 
primitive  times,  nor  yet  that  such  were  re- 
ceived into  fellowship;  yet  now  herein  it  is 
thought  meet  there  should  be  bearing,  and  why 
not  in  baptism,  especially  in  such  as  own  it 
for  an  ordinance,  though  in  some  things  miss 
it,  and  do  yet  show  their  love  unto  it  and  unto 
the  Lord,  and  unto  his  law  therein,  that  they 
could  be  willing  to  die  for  it  rather  than  to 
deny  it,  and  to  be  baptized  in  their  blood; 
which  showeth  they  hold  it  in  conscience  their 
duty,  while  they  have  further  light  from  above, 
and  are  willing  to  hear  and  obey  as  far  as  they 
know,  though  weak  in  the  faith  as  to  clearness 
in  Gospel  institutions;  surely  the  text  is  on 
their  side,  or  else  it  will  exclude  all  the  former: 
“ Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  you, 
but  not  to  doubtful  disputation.”  Let  every 
man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind,  and 
such  the  Lord  hath  received. 

As  to  the  query,  “ What  reason  is  there  why 
the  Lord  should  suffer  any  of  his  ordinances 
to  be  lost?” 

Answer.  If  there  were  no  reason  to  be  shown 
it  should  teach  us  silence,  for  he  doth  nothing 
without  the  highest  reason ; and  there  doth 
appear  some  reason  in  the  Old  Testament  why 
those  ordinances  of  Urim  and  Thummim,  &c., 
were  suffered  to  be  lost  in  the  captivity,  that 
they  might  long  and  look  for  the  Lord  Jesus, 
the  Priest  that  was  to  stand  up  with  Urim  and 
Thummim,  which  the  Lord  by  this  puts  them 
upon  the  hoping  for,  and  to  be  in  expectation 
of  so  great  a mercy,  which  was  the  promise  of 
the  Old  Testament,  and  all  the  churches’  losses 
in  the  New  Testament.  By  all  the  dark  night 
of  ignorance  she  hath  been  in,  and  long  cap- 
tivity she  hath  been  under  in  her  wandering 
wilderness  state,  therein  she  hath  rather  been 
fed  with  manna  from  heaven  than  by  men 
upon  earth  ; and  after  all  her  crosses  and  losses 
the  Lord  lets  light  break  in  by  degrees  and 
deliverance  by  little  and  little;  “and  she  is 
coming  out  of  the  wilderness  leaning  upon  her 
Beloved  ; and  the  Lord  hath  given  the  valley 
of  Achor  for  a door  of  hope,”  that  ere  long  she 
may  receive  the  promise  of  the  Gospel  richly  by 
the  Spirit,  to  be  poured  upon  us  from  on  high, 
“ and  the  wilderness  be  a fruitful  field,  and  the 
fruitful  field  become  a forest,  and  then  the 
Lord  will  take  away  the  covering  cast  over  all 
people  and  the  veil  that  is  spread  over  all  na- 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


875 


lions;  for  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea.  Then  Ephraim  shall  not  envy  Judah, 
and  Judah  shall  not  vex  Ephraim.”  Thus 
will  the  God  of  peace  bruise  Satan  under  foot 
shortly;  and  one  reason  why  the  Lord  may 
suffer  all  the  darkness  and  differences  that 
have  been,  and  yet  are,  is,  that  we  might  long 
and  look  for  this  blessed  promise  of  the  Gospel, 
the  pourings  out  of  the  Spirit. 

Objection.  “ But  many  authors  do  judge  that 
the  weak  and  strong  were  all  in  church  fellow- 
ship before,  and  that  the  receiving  was  but 
into  mutual  affection.” 

Answer.  Tt  ought  to  be  seriously  weighed 
how  any  differ  from  so  'many  worthy  authors 
is  confessed,  to  whom  the  world  is  so  much 
beholden  for  their  help  in  many  things;  but 
it  would  be  of  dangerous  consequence  to  take 
all  for  granted  they  say,  and  unlike  the  noble 
Bereans.  Though  they  had  some  infallible 
teachers,  yet  they  took  not  their  words  or  doc- 
trines upon  trust;  and  there  may  be  more 
ground  to  question  expositors  on  this  text,  in 
regard  their  principles  necessitate  them  to 
judge  that  the  sense ; for  if  it  be  in  their  judg- 
ments a duty  to  compel  all  to  come  in,  and  to 
receive  all  and  their  children,  they  must  needs 
judge  by  that  text  they  were  all  of  the  Church 
and  in  fellowship  before  their  scrupling  meats 
and  days,  because  that  is  an  act  of  grown  per- 
sons at  years  of  discretion,  and  therefore  the 
receiving  is  judged  by  them  to  be  only  into 
mutual  affection,  for  it  is  impossible  for  them 
to  hold  their  opinion  and  judge  otherwise  of 
the  text;  for  in  baptism  they  judge  infants 
should  be  r ceived  into  church  fellowship,  and 
then  scrupling  meats  and  days  must  needs  be 
after  joining.  Their  judgments  might  as  well 
be  taken  that  it  is  a duty  to  baptize  infants  as 
that  they  can  judge  of  this  text  rightly  and 
hold  their  practice. 

Objection.  “ But  no  un  circumcised  person 
was  to  eat  the  passover.  And  doth  not  the 
Lord  as  well  require  the  sign  of  baptism  now 
as  of  circumcision  then?  And  is  there  not 
like  reason  for  it?” 

Answer.  The  Lord,  in  the  Old  Testament, 
expressly  commanded  no  uncircumcised  per- 
son should  eat  the  passover,  (Ex.  xii.  28,)  and 
in  Ezek.  xxxiv.  9 that  no  stranger,  uncircum- 


cised in  heart  or  uncircumcised  in  flesh,  should 
enter  into  his  sanctuary;  and  had  the  Lord 
commanded  that  no  unbaptized  person  should 
enter  into  his  churches,  it  had  been  clear ; and 
no  doubt  Christ  was  as  faithful  as  a Son  in  all 
his  house  as  Moses  was  as  a servant;  and  al- 
though there  had  been  but  little  reason  if  the 
Lord  had  commanded  it  so  to  be ; yet  in  God’s 
worship  we  must,  not  make  the  likeness  of  any 
thing  in  our  reason,  but  the  will  of  God,  the 
ground  of  duty:  for  upon  such  a foundation 
some  would  build  the  baptizing  of  infants,  be- 
cause it  would  be  like  unto  circumcision,  and 
so  break  the  second  commandment,  in  making 
the  likeness  of  things  of  their  own  contrivance 
of  force  with  institutions  in  the  worship  of  God. 

The  most  that  I think  can  be  said  is,  that 
we  have  no  Gospel  example  for  receiving  with- 
out baptism  or  rejecting  any  for  want  of  it; 
therefore  it  is  desired  what  hath  been  said 
may  be  considered,  lest  while  we  look  for  an 
example  we  do  not  overlook  a command  upon 
a mistake,  supposing  that  they  were  all  in 
church  fellowship  before ; whereas  the  text 
saith  not  so, but  “him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith 
receive  you,”  or  unto  you. 

We  may  see  also  how  the  Lord  proceeds 
under  the  law:  though  he  accounts  those 
things  that  were  done  contrary  to  his  law  sin- 
ful, though  done  ignorantly,  yet  never  required 
the  offender  to  offer  sacrifice  till  be  knew 
thereof.  Lev.  v.  5,  compared  with  loth  and 
16th  verses.  And  that  may  be  a man’s  own 
sin  through  his  ignorance,  that  though  it  may 
be  another’s  duty  to  endeavour  to  inform  him 
in,  yet  not  thereupon  to  keep  him  out  of  his 
Father’s  house ; for  surely  the  Lord  would  not 
have  any  of  his  children  kept  out  without  we 
have  a word  for  it.  And  though  they  scruple 
some  meats  in  their  Father’s  house;  yet  it  may 
be  dangerous  for  the  stronger  children  to  deny 
them  all  the  rest  of  the  dainties  therein  till 
the  weak  and  sick  can  eat  strong  meat; 
whereas  Peter  had  meat  for  one  and  milk  for 
another,  and  Peter  must  feed  the  poor  lambs 
as  well  as  the  sheep ; and  if  others  will  not  do 
it,  the  great  Shepherd  will  come  ere  long  and 
look  up  what  hath  been  driven  away.  “He 
will  feed  bis  flock  like  a shepherd  ; he  shall 
gather  the  lambs  into  his  bosom,  and  gently 
lead  those  that  are  with  young.” 


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v 

. 

PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE; 

OR, 

A BRIEF  ANSWER 


TO 

MR.  DANVERS’  AND  MR.  PAUL’S  BOOKS  AGAINST  MY  CONFESSION  OF  FAITH,  AND  DIF- 
FERENCES IN  JUDGMENT  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION;  WHERE- 
IN THEIR  SCRIPTURELESS  NOTIONS  ARE  OVERTHROWN  AND  MY  PEACEABLE  PRINCI- 
PLES STILL  MAINTAINED. 


Do  ye  indeed  speak  righteousness,  0 congregation?  Do  ye  judge  uprightly,  0 ye  sons  of  men? — Ps.  lviii.  1. 


Sir: 

I HAVE  received  and  considered  your  short 
reply  to  my  “ Differences  in  Judgment  about 
Water  Baptism  no  Bar  to  Communion,”  and 
observe  that  you  touch  not  the  argument  at 
all,  but  rather  labour  what  you  can,  and  be- 
yond what  you  ought,  to  throw  odiums  upon 
your  brother  for  reproving  you  for  your  error 
— viz.:  “That  those  believers  that  have  been 
baptized  after  confession  of  faith  made  by 
themselves  ought  and  are  in  duty  bound  to 
exclude  from  their  church  fellowship  and 
communion  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  those  of 
their  holy  brethren  that  have  not  been  so  bap- 
tized.” This  is  your  error : error,  I call  it,  be- 
cause it  is  not  founded  upon  the  word,  but  a 
mere  human  device;  for  although  I do  not 
deny,  but  acknowledge,  that  baptism  is  God’s 
ordinance,  yet  I have  denied  that  baptism 
was  ever  ordained  of  God  to  be  a wall  of 
division  between  the  holy  and  the  holy — the 
holy  that  are,  and  the  holy  that  are  not  so 
baptized  with  water  as  we.  You,  on  the  con- 
trary, both  by  doctrine  and  practice,  assert 
that  it  is,  and  therefore  do  separate  yourself 
from  all  your  brethren  that  in  that  matter 
differ  from  you,  accounting  them,  notwith- 
standing their  saving  faith  and  holy  lives,  not 
fitly  qualified  for  church  communion,  and  all 
because  they  have  not  been,  as  you,  baptized; 
further,  you  count  their  communion  among 
themselves  unlawful,  and  therefore  unwar- 
rantable; and  have  concluded,  “They  are 


joined  to  idols,  and  that  they  ought  not  to  be 
showed  the  pattern  of  the  house  of  God  until 
they  be  ashamed  of  their  sprinkling  in  their 
infancy,  and  accept  of  and  receive  baptism 
as  you.”  Yea,  you  count  them  as  they  stand 
not  the  churches  of  God,  saying,  We  have  no 
such  custom,  nor  the  churches  of  God. 

At  this  I have  called  for  your  proofs,  the 
which  you  have  attempted  to  produce  ; but  in 
conclusion  have  showed  none  other,  but  “ that 
the  primitive  churches  had  those  they  re- 
ceived, baptized  before  so  received.” 

I have  told  you  that  this,  though  it  were 
granted,  comes  not  up  to  the  question:  “For 
we  ask  not  whether  they  were  so  baptized,  but 
whether  you  find  a word  in  the  Bible  that  jus- 
tifietlr  your  concluding  that  it  is  your  duty  to 
exclude  those  of  your  holy  brethren  that  have 
not  been  so  baptized?”  From  this  you  cry  out 
that  I take  up  the  arguments  of  them  that  plead 
for  infant  baptism.  I answer,  I take  up  no 
other  argument  but  your  own — viz.,  “That 
there  being  no  precept,  precedent,  nor  example 
in  all  the  Scripture  for  our  excluding  our  holy 
brethren  that  differ  in  this  point  from  us,  there- 
fore we  ought  not  to  dare  to  do  it,”  but,  con- 
trariwise, to  receive  them,  because  God  hath 
given  us  sufficient  proof  that  himself  hath  re- 
ceived them,  whose  example  in  this  case  he 
hath  commanded  us  to  follow.  Rom.  xiv.  15. 

This  might  serve  for  an  answer  to  your  reply, 
but  because,  perhaps,  should  I thus  conclude, 
some  might  make  an  ill  use  of  my  brevity,  I 

S'7 


878 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


shall  therefore  briefly  step  after  you,  and  ex- 
amine your  short  reply,  at  least  where  show  of 
argument  is. 

Your  first  five  pages  are  spent- to  prove  me 
either  proud  or  a liar  for  inserting  in  the  title- 
page  of  my  Differences,  &c.,  that  your  book  was 
written  by  the  Baptists  or  brethren  of  your  way. 

In  answer  to  which,  whoso  (if  unbiassed) 
readeth  your  second,  your  fifth  and  sixth  ques- 
tions to  me  may  not  perhaps  be  easily  persuad- 
ed to  the  contrary ; but  the  two  last  in  your 
reply  are  omitted  by  you,  whether  for  brevity’s 
sake,  or  because  you  were  conscious  to  your- 
self that  the  sight  of  them  would  overthrow 
your  insinuations,  I leave  to  the  sober  to  judge. 
But  put  the  case  I had  failed  herein,  doth  this 
warrant  your  unlawful  practice? 

You  ask  me  next,  “ How  long  is  it  since  I 
was  a Baptist?”  and  then  add,  “‘Tis  an  ill 
bird  that  bewrays  his  own  nest.” 

Answer.  I must  tell  you,  (avoiding  your  slov- 
enly language,)  I know  none  to  whom  that 
titie  is  so  proper  as  to  the  disciples  of  John. 
And  since  you  would  know  by  what  name  I 
would  be  distinguished  from  others,  I tell  you, 
I would  be,  and  hope  I am,  a Christian ; and 
choose,  if  God  should  count  me  worthy,  to  be 
called  a Christian,  a believer,  or  other  such 
name  which  is  approved  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  as  for  those  factious  titles  of  Anabaptists, 
Independents,  Presbyterians,  or  the  like,  I 
conclude  that  they  came  neither  from  Jerusa- 
lem nor  Antioch,  but  rather  from  hell  and 
Babylon,  for  they  naturally  tend  to  divisions : 
you  may  know  them  by  their  fruits. 

Next,  you  tell  me  of  “your  goodly  harmony 
in  London,  or  of  the  amicable  Christian  cor- 
respondency betwixt  those  of  divers  persua- 
sions there  until  my  turbulent  and  mutineer- 
ing  spirit  got  up.” 

Answer.  The  cause  of  my  writing  I told  you 
of,  which  you  have  neither  disapproved  in 
whole  nor  in  part.  And  now  I ask  what  kind 
of  Christian  correspondency  you  have  with 
them?  Is  it  such  as  relates  to  church  com- 
munion, or  such  only  as  you  are  commanded 
to  have  with  every  brother  that  walketli  dis- 
orderly, that  they  may  be  ashamed  of  their 
church  communion,  which  you  condemn?  If 
so,  your  great  flourish  will  add  no  praise  to 
them ; and  why  they  should  glory  in  a corre- 
spondency with  them  as  Christians  who  yet 
count  them  under  such  deadly  sin,  which  will 
not  by  any  means,  as  they  now  stand,  suffer 
you  to  admit  them  to  their  Father’s  table,  to 
me  is  not  easy  to  believe. 


Further,  your  Christian  correspondency  (as 
you  call  it)  will  not  keep  you  now  and  then 
from  fingering  some  of  their  members  from 
them,  nor  from  teaching  them  that  you  so  take 
away  to  judge  and  condemn  them  that  are  left 
behind.  Now  who  boasteth  in  this  besides 
yourself  I know  not. 

Touching  Mr.  Jesse’s  judgment  in  the  case 
in  hand,  you  know  it  condemned  your  practice ; 
and  since  in  your  first  you  have  called  for  an 
author’s  testimony,  I have  presented  you  with 
one  whose  arguments  you  have  not  condemned. 

For  your  insinuating  my  abusive  and  unwor- 
thy behaviour  as  the  cause  of  the  brethren’s 
attempting  to  break  our  Christian  communion 
is  not  only  false,  but  ridiculous — false,  for  they 
have  attempted  to  make  me  also  one  of  their 
disciples,  and  sent  to  me  and  for  me  for  that 
purpose.  Besides,  it  is  ridiculous : surely  their 
pretended  order  and,  as  they  call  it,  our  dis- 
order, was  the  cause,  or  they  must  render 
themselves  very  malicious,  to  seek  the  over- 
throw of  a whole  congregation  for  (if  it  had 
been  so)  the  unworthy  ^behaviour  of  one. 

Now  since  you  tell  me  (p.  9)  “that  Mr. 
Kiffin  had  no  need  of  my  forgiveness  for  the 
wrong  he  hath  done  me  in  his  epistle  ” — 

I ask,  Did  he  tell  you  so  ? But  let  it  lie  as 
it  doth;  I will  at  this  time  turn  his  argument 
upon  him,  and  desire  his  direct  answer: 
“ There  being  no  precept,  precedent,  or  ex- 
ample for  Mr.  Kiffin  to  exclude  his  holy  breth- 
ren from  Christian  communion  that  differ  with 
him  about  water  baptism,  he  ought  not  to  do 
it;  but  there  is  neither  precept,  precedent,  nor 
example;  therefore,”  &c. 

You  blame  me  for  writing  his  name  at  length, 
but  I know  he  is  not  ashamed  of  his  name; 
and  for  you,  though  at  the  remotest  rate,  to  in- 
sinuate it,  must  needs  be  damage  to  him. 

Your  artificial,  squibbing  suggestions  to  the 
world  about  myself,  imprisonment,  and  ■ the 
like  I freely  bind  upon  me  as  an  ornament, 
among  the  rest  of  my  reproaches,  till  the  Lord 
shall  wipe  them  off  at  his  coming.  But  they 
are  no  argument  that  you  have  a word  that 
binds  you  to  exclude  the  holy  brethren  com- 
munion. 

Now  what  if  (as  you  suggest)  the  sober  Dr. 
Owen,  though  he  told  me  and  others  at  first  he 
would  write  an  epistle  to  my  book,  yet  waived 
it  afterwards  ? This  is  also  to  my  advantage, 
because  it  was  through  the  earnest  solicitations 
of  several  of  you  that  at  that  time  his  hand 
was  stopped  ; and  perhaps  it  was  more  for  the 
glory  of  God  that  truth  should  go  naked  into 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AM)  TRUE. 


the  world  than  as  seconded  hy  so  mighty  an 
armour-bearer  as  he. 

You  tell  me  also  that  some  of  the  sober  In- 
dependents have  showed  dislike  to  my  writing 
on  this  subject : what  then?  If  I should  also 
say,  as  I can  without  lying,  that  several  of  the 
Baptists  have  wished  yours  burnt  before  it  had 
come  to  light,  is  your  book  ever  the  worse  for 
that? 

In  p.  13  you  tell  us,  “ You  meddle  not  with 
Presbyterians,  Independents,  Mixed  Commu- 
nionists,  (a  new  name,)  but  arc  for  liberty  for 
all,  according  to  their  light.” 

Answer.  I ask  then,  suppose  an  holy  man  of 
God  that  dillereth  from  you,  as  those  above 
named  do,  in  the  manner  of  water  baptism — I 
say,  suppose  such  an  one  should  desire  com- 
munion with  you,  yet  abiding  by  his  own  light 
as  to  the  things  in  question,  would  you  receive 
him  to  fellowship?  If  no,  do  you  not  dis- 
semble? 

But  you  add,  “If  unbaptized  believers  do 
not  walk  with  us  they  may  walk  with  them 
with  whom  they  are  better  agreed.” 

Answer.  Then  it  seems  you  do  but  flatter 
them.  You  are  not,  for  all  you  pretend  to  give 
them  their  liberty,  agreed  they  should  have  it 
with  you;  thus  do  the  Papists  give  the  Prot- 
estants their  liberty,  because  they  can  neither 
will  nor  choose. 

Again.  But  do  you  not  follow  them  with 
clamours  and  outcries  that  their  communion, 
even  amongst  themselves,  is  unwarrantable? 
Now,  how  then  do  you  give  them  their  liberty? 
Nay,  do  not  even  these  things  declare  that  you 
would  take  it  away  if  you  could? 

“ For  the  time  that  I have  been  a Baptist 
(say  you)  I do  not  remember  that  ever  I knew 
that  one  unbaptized  person  did  so  much  as 
offer  himself  to  us  for  church  fellowship.” 

. Answer.  This  is  no  proof  of  your  love  to  your 
brethren,  but  rather  an  argument  that  your 
rigidness  was  from  that  day  to  this  so  appar- 
ent that  those  good  souls  despaired  to  make 
such  attempts;  we  know  they  have  done  it 
elsewhere  where  they  hoped  to  meet  with  en- 
couragement. 

In  p.  14  you  seem  to  retract  your  denial  of 
baptism  to  be  the  initiating  ordinance.  And 
indeed  Mr.  Danvers  told  me  that  you  must  re- 
tract that  opinion,  and  that  he  had  or  would 
speak  to  you  to  do  it ; yet  by  some  it  is  still  so 
acknowledged  to  be,  and  in  particular  by  your 
great  helper,  Mr.  Denne,  who  strives  to  main- 
tain it  by  several  arguments ; but  your  denial 
may  be  a sufficient  confutation  to  him,  so  I 


879 

leave  you  together  to  agree  about  it,  and  con- 
clude you  have  overthrown  him. 

But  it  seems,  though  you  do  not  now  own  it, 
to  be  the  inlet  into  a ] articular  Cl  tilth,  yet 
(as  you  tell  us  in  p.  14  of  your  last)  “you 
never  denied  that  baptism  doth  not  make  a be- 
liever a member  of  the  universal,  orderly 
Church  visible.”  And  in  tl.is  Mr.  Danvers 
and  you  agree.  “Persons  enter  into  the  visi- 
ble Church  thereby,”  saith  lie. 

Answer.  Universal  — that  is,  the  whole 
Church.  This  word  now  comprehcndeth  all 
the  parts  of  it,  even  from  Adam  to  the  very 
world’s  end,  whether  in  heaven  or  earth,  &c. 
Now  that  baptism  makes  a man  a member  of 
this  Church  I do  not  yet  believe,  nor  can  you 
show  me  why  I should. 

1.  The  universal,  orderly  Church.  What 
Church  this  should  be  (if  by  orderly  y<  u mean 
harmony  or  agreement  in  the  outward  parts 
of  worship)  I do  not  understand  neither. 

And  yet* thus  you  should  mean,  because  you 
add  the  word  visible  to  all  at  the  last— the  uni- 
versal, orderly,  visible  Church.  Now  I would 
learn  of  this  brother  where  this  Church  is,  for 
if  it  be  visible  he  can  tell  and  also  show  it. 
But  to  be  short,  there  is  no  such  Church  ; the 
universal  Church  cannot  be  visible;  a great 
part  of  that  vast  body  being  already  in  heaven, 
and  a great  part  as  yet  (perhaps)  unborn. 

But  if  he  should  mean  by  universal,  the  whole 
of  that  part  of  this  Church  that  is  on  earth, 
then  neither  is  it  visible  nor  orderly. 

1.  Not  visible;  for  the  part  remains  always 
to  the  best  man’s  eye  utterly  invisible. 

2.  This  Church  is  not  orderly;  that  is,  hath 
not  harmony  in  its  outward  and  visible  parts 
of  worship,  some  parts  opposing  and  contra- 
dicting the  other  most  severely.  Yea,  would  it 
be  uncharitable  to  believe  that  some  of  the 
members  of  this  body  cotdd  willingly  die  in 
opposing  that  which  others  of  the  members 
hold  to  be  a truth  of  Christ  ? As  for  instance 
at  home:  could  not  some  of  those  called  Bap- 
tists die  in  opposing  infant  baitism?  And 
again,  some  of  them  that  are  for  infant  bap- 
tism die  for  that  as  a truth?  Here  theiefore 
is  no  order,  but  an  evident  contradiction,  and 
that  too  in  such  parts  of  worship  as  both  count 
visible  parts  of  worship  indeed. 

So  then  by  universal,  orderly,  visible  Church 
this  brother  must  mean  those  of  the  saints 
only  that  have  been  or  are  baptized  as  we; 
this  is  clear,  because  baptism  (saith  he)  maketh 
a believer  a member  of  this  Church ; his  mean- 
ing then  is,  that  there  is  an  universal,  orderly, 


880 


£ UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


visible  Church,  and  they  alone  are  the  Bap- 
tists ; and  that  every  one  that  is  baptized  is  by 
that  made  a member  of  the  universal,  orderly, 
visible  Church  of  Baptists,  and  that  the  whole 
number  of  the  rest  of  the  saints  are  utterly 
excluded. 

But  now  if  other  men  should  do  as  this  man, 
how  many  universal  churches  should  we  have? 
An  universal,  orderly,  visible  Church  of  Inde- 
pendents ; an  universal,  orderly,  visible  Church 
of  Presbyterians,  and  the  like : and  who  of 
them,  if  as  much  confused  in  their  notions 
as  this  brother,  might  not  (they  judging  by 
their  own  light)  contend  for  their  universal 
Church  as  he  for  his  ? But  they  have  more 
wit. 

But  suppose  that  this  unheard-of,  fictitious 
Church  were  the  only  true  universal  Church, 
yet  whoever  they  baptize  must  be  a visible 
saint  first;  and  if  a visible  saint,  then  a visible 
member  of  Christ;  and  if  so,  then  a visible 
member  of  his  body,  which  is  the  Church,  be- 
fore they  be  baptized ; now  he  that  is  a visible 
member  of  the  Church  already,  that  which 
hath  so  made  him  hath  prevented  all  those 
claims  that  by  any  may  be  made  or  imputed 
to  this  or  that  ordinance  to  make  him  so.  His 
visibility  is  already ; he  is  already  a visible 
member  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  after  that 
baptized.  His  baptism,  then,  neither  makes 
him  a member  nor  visible  member  of  the  body 
of  Christ. 

You  go  on:  “That  I said  it  was  consent 
that  makes  persons  members  of  particular 
churches  is  true.” 

Answer.  But  that  it  is  consent  and  noth- 
ing else ; consent  without  faith,  &c.,  is  false. 
Your  after  endeavour  to  heal  your  unsound 
saying  will  do  you  no  good  ; faith  gives  being 
to,  as  well  as  probation  for,  membership. 

What  you  say  now  of  the  epistles,  that  they 
were  written  to  particular  saints,  and  those 
too  out  of  churches  as  well  as  in,  I always 
believed ; but  in  your  first  you  were  pleased 
to  say,  “You  were  one  of  them  that  objected 
against  our  proofs  out  of  the  epistles,  because 
they  were  written  to  particular  churches,  (in- 
tending these  baptized,)  and  that  they  were 
written  to  other  saints  would  be  hard  for  me 
to  prove;”  but  you  do  well  to  give  way  to  the 
truth. 

What  I said  about  baptism  being  a pest, 
take  my  words  as  they  lie  and  I stand  still 
thereto : “ Knowing  that  Satan  can  make  any 
of  God’s  ordinances  a pest  and  plague  to  his 
people,  even  baptism,  the  Lord’s  table,  and 


the  Holy  Scriptures;  yea,  the  ministers  also 
of  Jesus  Christ  may  be  suffered  to  abuse  them, 
and  wrench  them  out  of  their  place.”  Where- 
fore I pray,  if  you  write  again,  either  consent 
to  or  deny  this  position  before  you  proceed  in 
your  outcry. 

But  I must  still  continue  to  tell  you,  though 
you  love  not  to  hear  thereof,  that,  supposing 
your  opinion  hath  hold  of  your  conscience,  if 
you  might  have  your  will  you  would  make  in- 
roads and  outroads  too  in  all  the  churches  that 
are  not  as  you  in  the  land.  You  reckon  that 
church  privileges  belong  not  to  them  who  are 
not  baptized  as  we,  saying,  “ How  can  we  take 
these  privileges  from  them  before  they  have 
them?  We  keep  them  from  a disorderly  prac- 
tice of  ordinances,  especially  among  ourselves,” 
intimating  you  do  what  you  can  also  among 
others ; and  he  that  shall  judge  those  he  walk- 
eth  not  with,  or  say,  as  you,  that  “they,  like 
Ephraim,  are  joined  to  an  idol,  and  ought  to 
repent  and  be  ashamed  of  that  idol  before 
they  be  showed  the  pattern  of  the  house,”  and 
then  shall  back  all  with  the  citation  of  a text, 
doth  it  either  in  jest  or  in  earnest:  if  in  jest, 
it  is  abominable;  if  in  earnest,  his  conscience 
is  engaged ; and  being  engaged,  it  putteth  him 
upon  doing  what  he  can  to  extirpate  the  thing 
he  counteth  idolatrous  and  abominable  out  of 
the  churches  abroad,  as  well  as  that  he  stands 
in  relation  unto.  This  being  thus,  ’tis  reason- 
able to  conclude  you  want  not  an  heart,  but 
opportunity,  for  your  inroads  and  outroads 
among  them. 

Touching  those  five  things  I mentioned  in 
my  second,  you  should  not  have  counted  they 
were  found  nowhere  because  not  found  under 
that  head  which  I mention;  and  now, lest  you 
miss  them  again,  I will  present  you  with  them 
here : 

1.  Baptism  is  not  the  initiating  ordinance. 

2.  Th'at  though  it  was,  the  case  may  so 
fall  out  that  members  might  be  received  with- 
out it. 

3.  That  baptism  makes  no  man  a visible 
saint. 

4.  That  faith  and  a life  becoming  the  ten 
commandments  should  be  the  chief  and  most 
solid  argument  with  churches  to  receive  to 
fellowship. 

5.  That  circumcision  in  the  flesh  was  a type 
of  circumcision  in  the  heart,  and  not  of  water 
baptism. 

To  these  you  should  have  given  fair  an- 
swers ; then  you  had  done  like  a workman. 

Now  we  are  come  to  pp.  22  and  23  of  yours, 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


881 


where  you  labour  to  insinuate  “that  a trans- 
gression against  a positive  precept  respecting 
instituted  worship  hath  been  punished  with 
the  utmost  severity  that  God  hath  executed 
against  men,  on  record,  on  this  side  hell.” 

Answer.  Mr.  Danvers  says,  “That  to  trans- 
gress a positive  precept  respecting  worship  is 
a breach  of  the  first  and  second  command- 
ments.” If  so,  then  ’tis  for  the  breach  of  them 
that  these  severe  rebukes  befall  the  sons  of  men. 

1.  But  you  instance  the  case  of  Adam,  his 
eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  yet  to  no  great 
purpose.  Adam’s,  first  transgression  was,  that 
he  violated  the  law  that  was  written  in  his 
heart  in  that  he  hearkened  to  the  tempting 
voice  of  his  wife,  and  after  because  he  did  eat 
of  the  tree:  he  was  bad,  then,  before  he  did  eat 
of  the  tree,  which  badness  was  infused  over  his 
whole  nature,  and  then  he  bare  this  evil  fruit 
of  eating  things  that  God  hath  forbidden. 
“ Either  make  the  tree  good  and  his  fruit 
good,  or  the  tree  bad  and  his  fruit  bad;”  men 
must  be  bad  ere  they  do  evil,  and  good  ere 
they  do  good. 

Again,  which  was  the  greatest  judgment,  to 
be  defiled  and  depraved  or  to  be  put  out  of 
paradise,  do  you  in  your  next  determine. 

But  as  to  the  matter  in  hand : “ What  posi- 
tive precept  do  they  transgress  that  will  not 
reject  him  that  God  bids  us  receive”  if  he 
want  light  in  baptism  ? 

As  for  my  calling  for  Scripture  to  prove  it 
lawful  thus  to  exclude  them,  blame  me  for  it 
no  more;  verily  I still  must  do  it;  and  had 
you  but  one  to  give,  I had  had  it  long  before 
this.  But  you  wonder  I should  ask  for  a 
Scripture  to  prove  a negative. 

Answer.  Are  you  at  that  door,  my  brother? 
If  a drunkard,  a swearer,  or  whoremonger 
should  desire  communion  with  you, .and  upon 
your  refusal  demand  your  grounds,  would  you 
think  his  demands  such  you  ought  not  to  an- 
swer? Would  you  not  readily  give  him  by 
scores?  So  doubtless  would  you  deal  with  us 
but  that  in  this  you  are  without  the  lids  of  the 
Bible. 

2.  But  again,  you  have  acted  as  those  that 
must  produce  a positive  rule.  You  count  it 
your  duty,  a part  of  your  obedience  to  God,  to 
keep  those  out  of  church  fellowship  that  are 
not  baptized  as  you.  I then  demand  what 
precept  bids  you  do  this?  Where  are  you 
commanded  to  do  it? 

You  object  that  in  Eph.  iv.  and  1 Cor. 
xii.  is  not  meant  of  Spirit  baptism,  but  Mr. 
Jesse  says  it  is  not,  cannot  be,  the  baptism 
56 


with  water;  and  you  have  not  at  all  refuted 
him. 

And  now  for  the  Church  in  the  wilderness: 
you  thought,  as  you  say,  I would  have  an- 
swered myself  in  the  thing,  but  yet  I have  not, 
neither  have  you.  But  let  us  see  what  you 
urge  for  an  answer. 

1.  Say  you,  “Though  God  dispensed  with 
their  obedience  to  circumcision  in  that  time, 
it  follows  not  that  you  or  I should  dis- 
pense with  the  ordinance  of  water  baptism 
now.” 

Answer.  God  commanded  it  and  made  it  the 
initiating  ordinance  to  Church  communion. 
But  Moses,  and  Aaron,  and  Joshua,  and  the 
elders  of  Israel  dispensed  with  it  for  forty 
years;  therefore  the  dispensing  with  it  was 
ministerial,  and  that  with  God’s  allowance,  as 
you  affirm.  Now  if  they  might  dispense  with 
circumcision,  though  the  initiating  ordinance, 
why  may  not  we  receive  God’s  holy  ones  into 
fellowship,  since  we  are  not  forbidden  it,  but 
commanded?  yea,  why  should  we  make  water 
baptism,  which  God  never  ordained  to  that 
end,  a bar  to  shut  out  and  let  in  to  church 
communion? 

2.  You  ask,  “Was  circumcision  dispensed 
with  for  want  of  light,  it  being  plainly  com- 
manded?” 

Answer.  Whatever  was  the  cause,  want  of 
light  is  as  great  a cause;  and  that  it  must 
necessarily  follow,  they  must  needs  see  it,  be- 
cause commanded  savours  too  much  of  a tang 
of  free  will,  or  of  the  sufficiency  of  our  under- 
standing, and  entrencheth  too  hard  on  the 
glory  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  whose  work  it  is  “ to 
bring  all  things  to  our  remembrance,  whatso- 
ever Christ  hath  said  to  us.” 

3.  You  ask,  “Cannot  you  give  yourself  a 
reason  that  their  moving,  travelling  state 
made  them  uncapable,  and  that  God  was  mer- 
ciful? Can  the  same  reason,  or  any  thing  like 
it,  for  refusing  baptism  be  given  now?” 

Answer.  I cannot  give  myself  this  reason, 
nor  can  you  by  it  give  me  any  satisfaction. 

First.  Because  their  travelling  state  could 
not  hinder,  if  you  consider  that  they  might, 
and  doubtless  did,  lie  still  in  one  place  years 
together. 

1.  They  were  forty  years  going  from  Egypt 
to  Canaan,  and  they  had  but  forty-two  jour- 
neys thither. 

2.  They  at  times  went  several  of  these  jour- 
neys in  one  and  the  same  year.  They  weut 
(as  I take  it)  eleven  of  them  by  the  end  of 
the  third  month  after  they  came  out  of  the 


882 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


land  ol  Egypt.  Compare  Ex.  xix.  1 with 
Num.  xxxiii.  15. 

3.  Again,  in  the  fortieth  year  we  find  them 
in  Mount  Hor,  where  Aaron  died  and  was 
buried.  Now  that  was  the  year  they  went  into 
Canaan,  and  in  that  year  they  had  nine  jour- 
neys more,  or  ten  by  that  they  got  over  Jordan. 
Here,  then,  were  twenty  journeys  in  less  than 
a year  and  a half.  Divide  then  the  rest  of 
the  time  to  the  rest  of  the  journeys,  and  they 
had  above  thirty-eight  years  to  go  their  two 
and  twenty  journeys  in.  And  how  this  should 
be  such  a travelling,  moving  state  as  that  it 
should  hinder  their  keeping  this  ordinance  in 
its  season  viz.,  “to  circumcise  their  children 
the  eighth  day” — especially  considering  to 
circumcise  them  in  their  childhood,  as  they 
were  born,  might  be  with  more  security  than 
to  let  them  live  while  they  were  men — I see 
not. 

If  you  should  think  that  their  wars  in  the 
wilderness  might  hinder  them,  I answer,  they 
had,  for  aught  I can  discern,  ten  times  as  much 
fighting  in  the  land  of  Canaan  where  they 
were  circumcised  as  in  the  wilderness  where 
they  were  not.  And  if  carnal  or  outward 
safety  had  been  the  argument,  doubtless  they 
would  not  have  circumcised  themselves  in  the 
sight  (as  it  were)  of  one  and  thirty  kings — I 
say,  they  would  not  have  circumcised  their  six 
hundred  thousand  warriors  and  have  laid  them 
open  to  the  attempts  and  dangers  of  their  ene- 
mies. No  such  thing,  therefore,  as  you  are 
pleased  to  suggest,  was  the  cause  of  their  not 
being  as  yet  circumcised. 

Fourthly.  “An  extraordinary  instance  to  be 
brought  into  a standing  rule  are  no  parellels.” 
That  is  the  sum  of  your  fourth. 

Answer.  The  rule  was  ordinary,  which  was 
circumcision ; the  laying  aside  of  this  rule  be- 
came as  ordinary  so  long  a time  as  forty  years, 
and  in  the  whole  Church  also.  But  this  is  a 
poor  shift,  to  have  nothing  to  say  but  that  the 
case  was  extraordinary  when  it  was  not. 

But  you  ask,  “Might  they  do  so  when  they 
came  in  Canaan?” 

Answer.  No,  no.  No  more  shall  we  do  as 
we  do  now  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come. 

You  add,  “Because  the  Church  in  the  wil- 
derness could  not  come  by  ordinances,  &c., 
therefore  when  they  may  be  come  at  we  need 
not  practise  them.” 

Answer.  Nobody  told  you  so.  But  are  you 
out  of  that  wilderness  mentioned  in  Bev.  xii.? 
Is  Antichrist  down  and  dead  to  aught  but 
your  faith?  Or  are  we  only  out  of  that  Egyp- 


tian darkness  that  in  baptism  have  got  the 
start  of  our  brethren?  For  shame,  be  silent: 
yourselves  are  yet  under  so  great  a cloud  as  to 
imagine  to  yourselves  a rule  of  practice  not 
found  in  the  Bible;  that  is,  “to  count  it  a sin 
to  receive  your  holy  brethren,  though  not  for- 
bidden, but  commanded  to  do  it.” 

Your  great  flourish  against  my  fourth  argu- 
ment I leave  to  them  that  can  judge  of  the 
weight  of  your  words,  as  also  what  you  say  of 
the  fifth  or  sixth. 

For  the  instance  I give  you  of  Aaron,  David, 
and  Hezekiah,  who  did  things  not  commanded, 
and  that  about  holy  matters,  and  yet  were  held 
excusable,  you,  nor  yet  your  abettors  for  you, 
can  by  any  means  overthrow.  Aaron  trans- 
gressed the  commandment;  David  did  what 
was  not  lawful ; and  they  in  Hezekiah’s  time 
did  eat  the  passover  otherwise  than  it  was 
written.  But  here  I perceive  the  shoe  pincheth, 
which  makes  you  glad  of  Mr.  Denne’s  evasion 
for  help.  At  this  also  Mr.  Danvers  (but  you 
to  no  purpose)  cries  out,  charging  me  with  as- 
serting “that  ignorance  absolves  from  sin  of 
omission  and  commission.”  But,  sirs,  fairly 
take  from  me  the  texts,  with  others  that  I can 
urge,  and  then  begin  to  accuse. 

You  have  healed  your  suggestion  of  unwrit- 
ten verities  poorly.  But  any  shift  to  shift  off 
the  force  of  truth.  After  the  same  manner 
also  you  have  helped  your  asserting,  “That 
you  neither  keep  out  nor  cast  out  from  the 
Church,  if  baptized,  such  as  come  unprepared 
to  the  supper  and  other  solemn  appointments.” 
Let  us  leave  yours  and  mine  to  the  pondering 
of  wiser  men. 

My  seventh  argument  (as  I said)  you  have 
not  so  much  as  touched,  nor  the  ten  in  that 
one,  but  only  derided  at  the  ten.  But  we  will 
show  them  to  the  reader: 

1.  Love,  which  above  all  other  things  we 
are  commanded  to  put  on,  is  much  more  worth 
than  to  break  about  baptism. 

2.  Love  is  more  discovered  when  we  receive 
for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  grace  than  when  we 
refuse  for  want  of  water. 

3.  The  Church  at  Colosse  was  charged  to  re- 
ceive and  forbear  the  saints  because  they  were 
new  creatures. 

4.  Some  saints  were  in  the  Church  at  Jeru- 
salem that  opposed  the  preaching  of  salvation 
to  the  Gentiles,  and  yet  retained  their  mem- 
bership. 

5.  Divisions  and  distinctions  among  saints 
are  of  later  date  than  election  and  the  signs 
of  that,  and  therefore  should  give  place. 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


883 


6.  It  is  love,  not  baptism,  that  discovereth 
us  to  the  world  to  bo  Christ’s  disciples.  John 
xiii,  35. 

7.  It  is  love  that  is  the  undoubted  character 
of  our  interest  in  and  fellowship  with  Christ. 

8.  Fellowship  with  Christ  is  sufficient  to  in- 
vite to,  and  the  new  creature  the  great  rule 
of,  our  fellowship  with  Christ. 

9.  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law;  where- 
fore he  that  hath  it  is  accepted  with  God,  and 
ought  to  be  approved  of  men ; but  he  fulfils  it 
not  who  judgeth  and  setteth  at  naught  his 
brother. 

10.  Love  is  sometimes  more  seen  and  showed 
in  forbearing  to  urge  and  press  what  we  know 
than  in  publishing  and  imposing.  John  xvi. 
12;  1 Cor.  iii.  1,  2. 

11.  When  we  attempt  to  force  our  brother 
beyond  his  light  or  to  break  his  heart  with 
grief,  to  thrust  him  beyond  his  faith  or  bar  him 
from  his  privileges,  how  can  we  say,  I love? 

12.  To  make  that  the  door  to  communion 
which  God  hath  not,  to  make  that  the  includ- 
ing, excluding  charter,  the  bar,  bounds,  and 
rule  of  communion,  is  for  want  of  love. 

Here  are  two  into  the  bargain. 

If  any  of  these,  sir,  please  you  not  in  this 
dress,  give  me  a word  and  I shall,  as  well  as 
my  wit  will  serve,  give  you  them  in  a syllogis- 
tical  mode. 

Now  that  you  say,  (practically,)  “ for  some 
speak  with  their  feet”  (their  walking)  that 
water  is  above  love  and  all  other  things,  is  ev- 
ident, because  have  they  all  but  water  you  re- 
fuse them  for  want  of  that,  yea,  and  will  be  so 
hardy,  though  without  God’s  word,  to  refuse 
communion  with  them. 

In  our  discourse  about  the  carnality  that  was 
the  cause  of  the  divisions  that  were  at  Corinth 
you  ask,  “Who  must  the  charge  of  carnality 
fall  upon — them  that  defend  or  them  that  op- 
pose the  truth?” 

Answer.  Perhaps  on  both,  but  be  sure  upon 
them  that  oppose:  “Wherefore  look  ye  to 
yourselves,  who,  without  any  command  of  God 
to  warrant  you,  exclude  your  brother  from 
communion — your  brother,  whom  God  hath 
commanded  you  to  receive.” 

My  ninth  argument  you  make  yourself 
merry  with  in  the  beginning,  but  why  do 
you,  by  and  by,  so  cut  and  hack  and  cast  it  as 
it  were  in  the  fire?  These  seventeen  absurdi- 
ties you  can  by  no  means  avoid.  For  if  you 
have  not,  as  indeed  you  have  not,  (though  you 
mock  me  for  speaking  a word  in  Latin,)  one 
word  of  God  that  commands  you  to  shut  out 


your  brethren  for  want  of  water  baptism  from 
your  communion — I say,  if  you  have  not  one 
word  of  God  to  make  this  a duty  to  you,  then 
unavoidably — 

1.  You  do  it  by  a spirit  of  persecution. 

2.  With  more  respect  to  a form  than  the 
spirit  and  power  of  godliness. 

3.  This  also  makes  laws  where  God  makes 
none,  and  is  to  be  wise  above  what  is  written. 

4.  It  is  a directing  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

5.  And  bindeth  all  men’s  consciences  to  our 
light  and  opinion. 

6.  It  talceth  away  the  children’s  bread. 

7.  And  withholdeth  from  them  the  increase 
of  faith. 

8.  It  tendeth  to  make  wicked  the  hearts  of 
weak  Christians. 

9.  It  tendeth  to  harden  the  hearts  of  the 
wicked. 

10.  It  setteth  open  a door  to  all  temptation. 

11.  It  tempeth  the  devil  to  fall  upon  them 
that  are  alone. 

12.  It  is  the  nursery  of  all  vain  janglings. 

13.  It  occasioneth  the  world  to  reproach  us. 

14.  It  holdeth  staggering  consciences  in 
doubt  of  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord. 

15.  It  abuseth  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

16.  It  is  a prop  to  Antichrist. 

17.  And  giveth  occasion  to  many  to  turn 
aside  to  most  dangerous  errors. 

And  though  the  last  is  so  abhorred  by  you 
that  you  cannot  contain  yourselves  when  you 
read  it,  yet  do  I affirm,  as  I did  in  my  first, 
(p.  116,)  “That  to  exclude  Christians  from 
church  communion,  and  to  debar  them  their 
heaven-born  privileges,  for  the  want  of  that 
which  God  never  yet  made  a wall  of  division 
between  us,  did,  and  doth,  and  will  prevail 
with  God  to  send  those  judgments  we  have  or 
may  hereafter  feel.”  Like  me  yet  as  you 
will. 

I come  next  to  what  you  have  said  in  justi- 
fication of  your  fourteen  arguments.  “Such 
as  they  were,  (say  you,)  I am  willing  to  stand 
by  them : what  I have  offered  I have  offered 
modestly,  according  to  the  utmost  light  I have 
into  those  Scriptures  upon  which  they  are  bot- 
tomed; having  not  arrived  unto  such  a pe- 
remptory way  of  dictatorship  as  what  I render 
must  be  taken  for  laws  binding  to  others  in 
faith  and  practice,  and  therefore  express  my- 
self by  suppositions,  strong  presumptions,  and 
fair-seeming  conclusions  from  the  premises.” 

Answer.  Your  arguments,  as  you  truly  say, 
are  budded  upon  or  drawn  from  suppositions 
and  presumptions,  and  all  because  you  want 


884 


BUNT  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


for  your  help  the  words  of  the  Holy  Scripture. 
And  let  the  reader  note,  for  as  I have  often 
called  for  the  word,  but  as  yet  could  never  get 
it,  because  you  have  it  not,  neither  in  precept, 
precedent,  nor  example,  therefore  come  you 
forth  with  your  seeming  imports  and  presump- 
tions. 

The  judicious  reader  will  see  in  this  last 
that  not  only  here,  but  in  other  places,  to 
what  poor  shifts  you  are  driven  to  keep  your 
pen  going. 

But,  sir,  since  you  are  not  peremptory  in 
your  proof,  how  came  you  to  be  so  absolute  in 
your  practice?  For  notwithstanding  all  your 
seeming  modesty,  you  will  neither  grant  these 
communion  with  you  nor  allow  of  their  com- 
munion among  themselves  that  turn  aside  from 
your  seeming  imports  and  that  go  not  with 
you  in  your  strong  presumptions.  You  must 
not,  you  dare  not,  lest  you  countenance  their 
idolatry  and  nourish  them  up  in  sin;,  they 
live  in  the  breach  of  Gospel  order,  and,  Epli- 
raim-like,  are  joined  to  an  idol.  And  as  for 
your  love,  it  amounts  to  this : you  deal  with 
them  and  withdraw  from  them,  and  all  because 
of  some  strong  presumptions  and  suppositions. 

But  you  tell  me,  “I  use  the  arguments  of 
the  Pedobaptist,  viz. : But  where  are  infants 
forbidden  to  be  baptized  ?” 

But  I ingenuously  tell  you  I know  not  what 
Pedo  means,  and  how  then  should  I know  his 
arguments? 

I take  no  man’s  argument  but  Mr.  Iv.’s,  (I 
must  not  name  bim  farther;) — I say,  I take 
no  man’s  argument  but  his  now,  viz.:  “That 
there  being  no  precept,  precedent,  or  example 
for  you  to  shut  your  holy  brethren  out  of 
church  communion,  therefore  you  should  not 
do  it.”  That  you  have  no  command  to  do  it 
is  clear,  and  you  must  of  necessity  grant  it. 
Now,  where  there  is  no  precept  for  a founda- 
tion, it  is  not  what  you  by  all  your  reasonings 
can  suggest  can  deliver  you  from  the  guilt  of 
adding  to  his  word. 

Are  you  commanded  to  reject  them  ? If  yea, 
where  is  it?  If  nay,  for  shame  be  silent. 

“ Let  us  say  what  we  will  (say  you)  for  our 
own  practice,  unless  we  bring  positive  Scrip- 
tures that  yours  is  forbidden,  though  nowhere 
written,  you  will  be  as  a man  in  a rage  without 
it,  and  would  have  it  thought  you  go  away 
with  the  garland.” 

Answer.  1.  I am  not  in  a rage,  but  contend 
with  you  earnestly  for  the  truth.  And  say 
what  you  will  or  can,  though  with  much  more 
squibbling,  frumps,  and  taunts  than  hitherto 


you  have  mixed  your  writing  with,  Scripture, 
Scripture,  we  cry  still ; and  it  is  a bad  sign 
that  vour  cause  is  naught  when  you  snap  and 
snarl  because  I call  for  Scripture. 

2.  Had  you  a Scripture  for  this  practice 
that  you  ought  to  keep  your  brethren  out  of 
communion  for  want  of  water  baptism,  I had 
done;  but  you  are  left  of  the  word  of  God,  and 
confess  it. 

3.  And  as  you  have  not  a text  that  justifies 
your  own,  so  neither  that  condemns  our  holy 
and  Christian  communion;  we  are  commanded 
also  to  “receive  him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith, 
for  God  hath  received  him.”  I read  not  of 
garlands,  but  those  in  the  Acts  ; take  you  them. 
And  I say,  moreover,  that  honest  and  holy  Mr. 
Jesse  hath  justified  our  practice,  and  you  have 
not  condemned  his  arguments;  they  therefore 
stand  upon  their  feet  against  you. 

I leave  your  2d,  3d,  4th,  5th,  and  6th  argu- 
ments under  my  answers,  where  they  are  sup- 
pressed. In  your  7th  you  again  complain  for 
that  I touch  your  seeming  import,  saying,  “I 
do  not  use  to  say,  as  John  Bunyan,  This  I say, 
and  I dare  to  §ay.  I please  myself  by  com- 
mending my  apprehension  soberly  and  submis- 
sively to  others  much  above  me.” 

Answer  1.  Seeming  imports  are  a base  and 
unworthy  foundation  for  a practice  in  religion, 
and  therefore  I speak  against  them. 

2.  Where  you  say  you  submit  your  appre- 
hensions soberly  to  those  much  above  you,  it 
is  false,  unless  you  conclude  none  are  above 
you  but  those  of  your  own  opinion.  Have 
you  soberly  and  submissively  commended  your 
apprehensions  to  those  congregations  in  Lon- 
don that  are  not  of  your  persuasion  in  the  case 
in  hand  ? and  have  you  consented  to  stand  by 
their  opinion?  Have  you  commended  your 
apprehensions  soberly  and  submissively  to 
those  you  call  Independents  and  Presbyters? 
and  are  you  willing  to  stand  by  their  judgment 
in  the  case?  Do  you  not  reserve  to  yourself 
the  liberty  of  judging  what  they  say,  and  of 
choosing  what  you  judge  is  right,  whether  they 
conclude  with  you  or  no  ? If  so,  why  do  you 
so  much  dissemble  with  all  the  world  in  print 
to  pretend  to  submit  to  others’  judgment  and 
yet  abide  to  condemn  their  judgments?  You 
have  but  one  help ; perhaps  you  think  they 
are  not  above  you.  and  by  that  proviso  secure 
yourself ; but  it  will  not  do. 

For  the  offence  you  take  at  my  comment 
upon  your  calling  baptism  a livery,  and  for 
your  calling  it  the  Spirit’s  metaphorical  de- 
scription of  baptism,  both  phrases  are  boldness 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


885 


without  th e word  ; neither  do  I find  it  called  a 
listing  ordinance  nor  the  solemnization  of  the 
marriage  betwixt  Christ  and  a believer.  But 
perhaps  you  had  this  from  Mr.  Danvers,  who 
pleaseth  himself  with  this  kind  of  wording  it, 
and  says,  moreover,  in  justification  of  you, 
“ That  persons  entering  into  the  visible  Church 
thereby  (by  baptism,  which  is  untrue,  though 
Mr.  Baxter  also  saith  it)  are  by  consent  ad- 
mitted into  particular  congregations,  where 
they  may  claim  the  privileges  due  to  baptized 
believers,  being  orderly  put  into  the  body,  and 
put  on  Christ  by  their  baptismal  vow  and  cov- 
enant; for  by  that  public  declaration  of  con- 
sent is  the  marriage  and  solemn  contract  made 
betwixt  Christ  and  a believer  in  baptism. 
And  (saith  he)  if  it  be  preposterous  and 
wicked  for  a man  and  woman  to  cohabit  to- 
gether and  to  enjoy  the  privileges  of  a married 
estate  without  the  passing  of  that  public  so- 
lemnity, so  it  is  no  less  disorderly,  upon  a 
spiritual  account,  for  any  to  claim  the  privi- 
leges of  a Church,  or  be  admitted  to  the  same, 
till  the  passing  of  this  solemnity  by  them.” 

Answer.  But  these  words  are  very  black. 

First.  Here  he  hath  not  only  implicitly  for- 
bidden Jesus  Christ  to  hold  communion  with 
the  saints  that  are  not  yet  his  by  baptism,  but 
is  bold  to  charge  him  with  being  as  preposter- 
ous and  wicked  if  he  do  as  a man  that  livetli 
with  a woman  in  the  privileges  of  a married 
state,  without  passing  that  public  solemnity. 

Secondly.  He  here  also  chargeth  him  as 
guilty  of  the  same  wickedness  that  shall  but 
dare  to  claim  church  communion  without  it; 
yea,  and  the  whole  Church  too,  if  they  shall 
admit  such  members  to  their  fellowship. 

And  now,  since  cleaving  to  Christ  by  vow 
and  covenant  will  not  do  without  baptism 
after  personal  confession  of  faith,  what  a state 
are  all  those  poor  saints  of  Jesus  in  that  have 
avowed  themselves  to  be  his  a thousand  times 
without  this  baptism  ! yea,  and  what  a case  is 
Jesus  Christ  in  too,  by  your  argument,  to 
hold  that  communion  with  them  that  belong- 
eth  only  unto  them  that  are  married  to  him  by 
this  solemnity! 

Brother,  God  gave  him  repentance.  I wot 
that  through  ignorance  and  a preposterous 
zeal  he  said  it.  Unsay  it  again  with  tears, 
and  by  a public  renunciation  of  so  wicked 
and  horrible  words.  But  I thus  sparingly 
pass  you  bv. 

I shall  not  trouble  the  world  any  farther 
with  an  answer  to  the  rest  of  your  books. 
The  books  are  public  to  the  world ; let  men 


read  and  judge.  And  had  it  not  been  foi 
your  endeavouring  to  stigmatize  me  with  re 
proach  and  scandal,  (a  thing  that  does  not 
become  you,)  I need  not  have  given  you  two 
lines  in  answer. 

And  now,  my  angry  brother,  if  you  shall 
write  again,  pray  keep  to  the  question — 
namely,  “ What  precept,  precedent,  or  exam- 
ple have  you  in  God’s  word  to  exclude  your 
holy  brethren  from  church  communion  for 
want  of  water  baptism  ?” 

Mr.  Denne’s  great  measure,  please  yourself 
with  it;  and  when  you  shall  make  his  argu- 
ments your  own,  and  tell  me  so,  you  perhaps 
may  have  an  answer;  but  considering  him, 
and  comparing  his  notions  with  his  conversa- 
tion, I count  it  will  be  better  for  him  to  be 
better  in  morals  before  he  be  worthy  of  an 
answer. 


THE  CONCLUSION. 

Reader:  When  Moses  sought  to  set  the 
brethren  that  strove  against  each  other  at  one, 
he  that  did  the  wrong  thrust  him  away,  as  un- 
willing to  be  hindered  in  his  ungodly  attempts  ; 
but  Moses  continuing  to  make  peace  betwixt 
them,  the  same  person  attempted  to  charge 
him  with  a murderous  and  bloody  design, 
saying,  “ Wilt  thou  kill  me  as  thou  didst  the 
Egyptian  yesterday?” — a thing  too  commonly 
thrown  upomthose  that  seek  peace  and  ensue 
it.  “My  soul  (saith  David)  hath  long  dwelt 
with  him  that  hateth  peace.  I am  for  peace, 
(saith  he,)  but  when  I speak  they  are  for  war.” 
One  would  think  that  even  nature  itself  should 
count  peace  and  concord  a thing  of  greatest 
worth  among  saints,  especially  since  they, 
above  all  men,  know  themselves;  for  he  that 
best  knoweth  himself  is  best  able  to  pity  and 
bear  with  another;  yet  even  among  these 
such  will  arise  as  will  make  divisions  among 
their  brethren,  and  seek  to  draw  away  dis- 
ciples after  them,  crying  still  that  they,  even 
they,  are  in  the  right,  and  all  that  hold  not 
with  them  in  the  wrong  and  to  be  withdrawn 
from. 

But  whenever  he  hath  said  all  that  he  can, 
it  is  one  of  the  things  which  the  Lord  hateth, 
to  sow  discord  among  brethren. 

Yet  many  years’  experience  we  have  had 
of  these  mischievous  attempts,  as  also  have 
others  in  other  places,  as  may  be  instanced  if 
occasion  require  it;  and  that  especially  by 


886 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


those  of  the  rigid  way  of  our  brethren,  the 
Baptists  so  called,  whose  principles  will  neither 
allow  them  to  admit  to  communion  the  saint 
that  differeth  from  them  about  baptism,  nor 
consent  they  should  communicate  in  a church 
state  among  themselves ; but  take  occasion 
still,  ever  as  they  can,  both  to  reproach  their 
church  state  and  to  finger  from  amongst  them 
who  they  can  to  themselves.  These  things 
being  grievous  to  those  concerned,  (as  we  are, 
though  perhaps  those  at  quiet  are  too  little 
concerned  in  the  matter,)  therefore,  when  I 
could  no  longer  forbear,  I thought  good  to 
present  to  public  view  the  warrantableness  of 
our  holy  communion  and  the  unreasonable- 
ness of  their  seeking  to  break  us  to  pieces. 
At  this  Mr.  William  K.,  Mr.  Thomas  Paul, 
and  Mr.  Henry  Danvers,  and  Mr.  Denue,  fell 
in  might  and  main  upon  me;  some  comparing 
me  to  the  devil,  others  to  a bedlam,  others  to 
a sot,  and  the  like,  for  my  seeking  peace  and 
truth  among  the  godly.  Nay,  further,  they 
began  to  cry  out  murder,  as  if  I intended 
nothing  less  than  to  accuse  them  to  the  mag- 
istrate and  to  render  them  incapable  of  a 
share  in  the  commonwealth,  when  I only 
struck  at  their  heart-breaking,  church-rend- 
ing principles  and  practice^  in  their  excluding 
their  holy  brethren’s  communion  from  them, 
and  their  condemning  of  it  among  them- 
selves. They  also  follow  me  with  slanders 
and  reproaches,  counting  (it  seems)  such 
things  arguments  to  defend  themselves. 

But  I,  in  the  mean  time,  call  for  proof, 
Scripture  proof,  to  convince  me  it  is  a duty  to 
refuse  communion  with  those  of  the  saints 
that  ditt'er  from  them  about  baptism.  At  this 
Mr.  P.  takes  offence,  calling  my  demanding 
of  proof  for  their  rejecting  the  unbaptized  be- 
liever, Low  excellent  soever  in  faith  and  holi- 
ness, a clamorous  calling  for  proof  with  high 
and  swelling  words,  which  he  counteth  not 
worthy  of  answer;  but  I know  the  reason — he, 
by  this  demand,  is  shut  out  of  the  Bible,  as 
himself  also  suggesteth ; wherefore,  when 
coming  to  assault  me  with  arguments,  he  can 
do  it  but  by  seeming  import,  suppositions, 
and  strong  presumptions ; and  tells  you  fur- 
ther, in  his  reply, ‘‘That  this  is  the  utmost 
of  his  light  in  the  Scriptures  urged  for  his 
practice;”  of  which  light  thou  mayest  easily 
judge,  good  reader,  that  hast  but  the  common 
understanding  of  the  mind  of  God  concerning 
brotherly  love.  Strange ! that  the  Scripture,  that 
everywhere  commandetii  and  presseth  to  love, 
to  forbearance,  and  bearing  the  burden  of  our 


brother,  should  yet  imply  or  implicitly  import 
that  we  should  shut  them  out  of  our  Father’s 
house,  or  that  those  Scriptures  that  command 
us  to  receive  the  weak  should  yet  command  us 
to  shut  out  the  strong  ! Thinkest  thou,  reader, 
that  the  Scripture  hath  two  faces  and  speakest 
with  two  mouths?  Yet  we  must  do  so  by 
these  men’s  doctrine.  It  saith  expressly, 
“Deceive  one  another,  as  Christ  also  received 
us  to  the  glory  of  God.”  But  these  men  say 
it  is  not  our  duty ; it  is  preposterous  and  idol- 
atrous; concluding  that  to  receive  this  brother 
is  not  a custom  of  them  nor  yet  of  the  churches 
of  God;  consequently  telling  thee  that  those 
who  receive  such  a brother  are  not  (let  them 
talk  while  they  will)  any  of  the  churches  of 
God.  See  their  charity,  their  candour,  and 
love  in  the  midst  of  their  great  pretensions  of 
love ! 

But  be  thus  assured,  Christian  reader,  that 
for  these  their  uncharitable  words  and  actions 
they  have  no  footing  in  the  word  of  God, 
neither  can  they  heal  themselves  with  suggest- 
ing their  amicable  correspondence  to  the  world. 
Church  communion  I plead  for,  church  com- 
munion they  deny  them;  yet  church  com- 
munion is  Scripture  communion,  and  we  read 
of  none  other  among  the  saints.  True,  we  are 
commanded  to  withdraw  from  every  brother 
that  walks  disorderly,  that  they  may  be  asham- 
ed, yet  not  to  count  him  an  enemy,  but  to  ad- 
monish him  as  a brother.  If  this  be  that  they 
intend,  for  I know  not  of  another  communion 
that  we  ought  to  have  with  those  to  whom  we 
deny  church  communion,  then  what  ground  of 
rejoicing  those  have  that  are  thus  respected  by 
their  brethren,  I leave  it  to  themselves  to  con- 
sider of. 

In  the  mean  while  I affirm  that  baptism  with 
water  is  neither  a bar  nor  bolt  to  communion 
of  saints,  nor  a door  nor  inlet  to  communion 
of  saints.  The  same  which  is  the  argument 
of  my  books,  and,  as  some  of  the  moderate 
among  themselves  have  affirmed,  that  neither 
Mr.  K.,  Mr.  P.,  nor  Mr.  Danvers  have  made 
invalid,  though  sufficiently  they  have  made 
their  assault. 

For  Mr.  Denne,  I suppose  they  count  him 
none  of  themselves,  though  both  he  and  Mr. 
Lamb  (like  to  like)  are  brought  for  authors 
and  abettors  of  their  practice  and  to  repel  my 
peaceable  principles.  For  Mr.  Denne,  if  either 
of  the  three  will  make  his  arguments  their 
own,  they  may  see  what  their  servant  can  do ; 
but  I shall  not  bestow  paper  and  ink  upon  him, 
nor  yet  upon  Mr.  Lamb — the  one  already 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


having  given  his  profession  the  lie,  and  for  the 
other,  perhaps  they  that  know  his  life  will  sec 
little  of  conscience  in  the  whole  of  his  re- 
ligion, and  conclude  him  not  worth  the  taking 
notice  of.  Besides,  Mr.  P.  hath  also  concluded 
against  Mr.  Dcnnc  that  baptism  is  not  the  in- 
itiating ordinance,  and  that  his  utmost  strength 
for  the  justification  of  his  own  practice  is  sup- 
positions, imports,  and  strong  presumptions — 
things  that  they  laugh  at,  despise,  and  deride 
when  brought  by  their  brethren  to  prove  in- 
fant baptism. 

Railing  for  railing  I will  not  render,  though 
one  of  these  opposers  (Mr.  Dan  by  name)  did 
tell  me  that  Mr.  Paul’s  reply,  when  it  came 
out,  would  sufficiently  provoke  me  to  so  beastly 
a work ; but  what  is  the  reason  of  his  so  writ- 
ing if  not  the  peevishness  of  his  own  spirit  or 
the  want  of  better  matter  ? 

This  I thank  God  for,  that  some  of  the 
brethren  of  this  way  are  of  late  more  moderate 
than  formerly,  and  that  those  that  retain  their 
former  sourness  still  are  left  by  the  brethren 
to  the  vinegar  of  their  own  spirits,  their  breth- 
ren ingenuously  confessing  that  could  these  of 
their  company  bear  it  they  have  liberty  in 
their  own  souls  to  communicate  with  saints  as 


887 

saints,  though  they  differ  about  water  bap- 
tism. 

Well,  God  banish  bitterness  out  of  the 
churches,  and  pardon  them  that  are  the  main- 
tainors of  schisms  and  divisions  among  the 
godly.  “ Behold  how  good  and  how  pleasant 
it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity ! 
It  is  like  the  precious  ointment  upon  the  head, 
that  ran  down  upon  the  beard,  even  Aaron’s 
beard,  and  that  went  down  to  the  skirts  of  his 
garment;  (farther)  it  is  as  the  dew  of  Hermon, 
that  descended  on  the  mountains  of  Sion. 
(Mark!)  For  there  the  Lord  commanded  the 
blessing,  even  life  for  evermore.” 

I was  advised  by  some,  who  considered  the 
wise  man’s  proverb,  not  to  let  Mr.  Paul  pass 
with  all  his  bitter  invectives,  but  I considered 
that  the  wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  right- 
eousness of  God ; therefore  I shall  leave  him 
to  the  censure  and  rebuke  of  the  sober,  where 
I doubt  not  but  his  unsavoury  ways  with  me 
will  be  seasonably  brought  to  his  remem- 
brance. Farewell. 

I am  thine  to  serve  thee,  Christian,  so  long 
as  I can  look  out  at  those  eyes  that  have  had 
so  much  dirt  thrown  at  them  by  many. 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


i 


I 


QUESTIONS 

• ABOUT 

THE  NATURE  AND  PERPETUITY  OF  THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH; 

\ 

AND  rilOOF  THAT  TIIE  FIRST  DAY  OF  THE  WEEK  IS  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  SABBATH. 


The  Son  of  man  is  Lord  also  of  the  sabbath  day. 
/ 


TO  THE 

Some  may  think  it  strange,  since  God’s 
Church  has  already  been  so  well  furnished 
with  sound  grounds  and  reasons  by  so  many 
wise  and  godly  men  for  proof  that  the  first  day 
of  the  week  is  our  true  Christian  sabbath,  that 
I should  now  offer  this  small  treatise  upon  the 
same  account.  But  when  the  scales  are  even  by 
what  already  is  put  in,  a little  more,  you  know, 
makes  the  weight  the  better. 

Or  grant  that  we  had  down-weight  before, 
yet  something  over  and  above  may  make  his 
work  the  harder  who  shall,  by  hanging  fictions 
on  the  other  end,  endeavour  to  make  things 
seem  too  light. 

Besides,  this  book,  being  little,  may  best  suit 
such  as  have  but  shallow  purses,  short  memo- 
ries, and  but  little  time  to  spare,  which  usually 
is  the  lot  of  the  mean  and  poorest  sort  of  men. 

I have  also  written  upon  this  subject  for  that 
I would,  as  in  other  Gospel  truths,  be  a fellow- 
witness  with  good  men  that  the  day  in  which 
our  Lord  rose  from  the  dead  should  be  much 
set  by  of  Christians. 

I have  observed  that  some,  otherwise  sound 
in  faith,  are  apt  to  be  entangled  with  a Jewish 
sabbath,  &c. ; and  that  some  also  that  are  far 
off  from  the  observation  of  that,  have  but 
little  to  say  for  their  own  practice,  though 
good ; and  might  I help  them  I should  be  glad. 

A Jewish  seventh-day  sabbath  has  no  prom- 
ise of  grace  belonging  to  it,  if  that  be  true  (as 
to  be  sure  it  is)  where  Paul  says,  “ The  com- 
mand to  honour  parents  is  the  first  command- 
ment with  promise.” 

Also  it  follows  from  hence  that  the  sabbath 


READER. 

that  has  a promise  annexed  to  the  keeping  of 
it  is  rather  that  which  the  Lord  Jesus  shall 
give  to  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles.  Isa.  lvi. 

Perhaps  my  method  here  may  not  in  all 
things  keep  the  common  path  of  argumenta- 
tion with  them  that  have  gone  before  me ; but 
I trust  the  godly  wise  will  find  a taste  of  Scrip- 
ture truth  in  what  I present  them  with  as  to 
the  sanction  of  our  Christian  sabbath. 

I have  here,  by  handling  four  questions, 
proved  that  the  seventh-day  sabbath  was  not 
moral.  For  that  must  of  necessity  be  done 
before  it  can  be  made  to  appear  that  the  first 
day  of  the  week  is  that  which  is  the  sabbath 
day  for  Christians.  But  withal  it  follows  that 
if  the  seventh-day  sabbath  was  not  moral,  the 
first  day  is  not  so.  What  is  it  then?  Why  a 
sabbath  for  holy  worship  is  moral,  but  this  or 
that  day  appointed  for  such  service  is  sanctified 
by  precept  or  by  approved  example.  The 
timing,  then,  of  a sabbath  for  us  lies  in  God, 
not  man ; in  grace,  not  nature  ; nor  in  the  min- 
istration of  death  written  and  engraven  in 
stones;  God  always  reserving  to  himself  a 
power  to  after  and  change  both  time  and  modes 
of  worship  according  to  his  own  will. 

A sabbath,  then,  or  day  of  rest  from  worldly 
affairs,  to  solemnize  worship  to  God  in,  all  good 
men  do  by  nature  conclude  is  meet,  yea,  neces- 
sary ; yet  that,  not  nature,  but  God  reveals. 

Nor  is  that  day  or  time  by  God  so  fixed  on, 
in  its  own  nature,  better  than  any  other;  the 
holiness  then  of  a sabbath  lies  not  in  the  na- 
ture or  place  of  a day,  but  in  the  ordinance  of 
God. 


8S9 


890 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Nor  doth  our  sanctifying  of  it  to  the  ends 
for  which  it  is  ordained  lie  in  a bare  confession 
that  it  is  such,  but  in  a holy  performance  of 
the  duty  of  the  day  to  God  by  Christ  accord- 
ing to  his  word. 


But  I will  not  enlarge  to  detain  the  reader 
longer  from  the  following  sheets,  but  shall 
commit  both  him  and  them  to  the  wise  dis- 
posal of  God,  and  rest, 

Thine  to  serve  thee, 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


i 


QUESTIONS,  &c. 


QUESTION  I. 

Whether  the  seventh-day  sabbath  is  of,  or  made 
known  to  man  by,  the  law  and  light  of  nature? 

Something  must  bo  here  premised  before  I 
show  the  grounds  of  this  question. 

First,  then.  By  the  law  or  light  of  nature 
I mean  that  law  which  was  concreate  with 
man ; that  which  is  natural  to  him,  being  orig- 
inal with  and  essential  to  himself;  consequently 
that  which  is  invariable  and  unalterable,  as  is 
that  nature. 

Secondly.  I grant  that  by  this  law  of  nature 
man  understands  that  there  is  one  eternal 
God ; that  this  God  is  to  be  worshipped  ac- 
cording to  his  own  will ; consequently  that 
time  must  be  allowed  to  do  it  in  ; but  whether 
the  law  or  light,  of  nature  teacheth,  and  that  of 
itself  without  the  help  of  revelation,  that  the 
seventh  day  of  the  week  is  that  time  sanctified 
of  God  and  set  apart  for  his  worship,  that  is 
the  question  ; and  the  grounds  of  it  are  these : 

First.  Because  the  law  of  nature  is  antece- 
dent to  this  day,  yea,  completed  as  a law  before 
it  was  known  or  revealed  to  man  that  God 
either  did  or  would  sanctify  the  seventh  day 
of  the  week  at  all. 

Now  this  law,  as  was  said,  being  natural  to 
a man,  (for  “man  is  a law  unto  himself,”) 
could  only  teach  the  things  of  a man,  and 
there  the  apostle  stints  it.  But  to  be  able  to 
determine,  and  that  about  things  that  were  yet 
without  being  either  in  nature  or  by  revela- 
tion, is  that  which  belongs  not  to  a man  as  a 
man;  and  the  seventh-day  sabbath,  as  yet, 
was  such.  For  Adam  was  completely  made 
the  day  before,  and  God  did  not  sanctify  the 
seventh  day  before  it  was  none  otherwise  than 
by  his  secret  decree.  Therefore,  by  the  law  of 
nature  Adam  understood  it  not;  it  was  not 
made  known  to  him  thereby. 

Secondly.  To  affirm  the  contrary  is  to  make 
the  law  of  nature  supernatural,  which  is  an 
impossibility.  Yea,  they  that  do  so  make  it  a 
predictor,  a prophet — a prophet  about  divine 


things  to  come;  yea,  a prophet  able  to  foretell 
what  shall  be,  and  that  without  a revelation, 
which  is  a strain  that  never  yet  prophet  pre- 
tended to. 

Besides,  to  grant  this  is  to  run  into  a griev- 
ous error,  for  this  doth  not  only  make  the  law 
of  nature  the  first  of  prophets,  contrary  to 
Gen.  iii.  10,  compared  with  John  i.  1,  but  it 
seems  to  make  the  will  of  God  made  known 
by  a revelation  a needless  thing.  For  if  the 
law  of  nature,  as  such,  can  predict  or  foretell 
God’s  secrets,  and  that  before  he  reveals  them, 
and  this  law  of  nature  is  universal  in  every 
individual  man  in  the  world,  what  need  i3 
there  of  particular  prophets  or  of  their  holy 
writings?  (and  indeed  here  the  Quakers  and 
others  split  themselves.)  For  if  the  law  of 
nature  can  of  itself  reveal  unto  me  one  thing 
pertaining  to  instituted  worship,  for  that  we 
are  treating  of  now,  and  the  exact  time  which 
God  has  not  yet  sanctified  and  set  apart  for  the 
performance  thereof,  why  may  it  not  reveal 
unto  me  more,  and  so  still  more,  and  at  last  all 
that  is  requisite  for  me  to  know,  both  as  to  my 
salvation  and  how  God  is  to  be  worshipped  in 
the  Church  on  earth  ? 

Thirdly.  If  it  be  of  the  law  of  nature,  then 
all  men  by  nature  are  convinced  of  the  neces- 
sity of  keeping  it,  and  that  though  they  never 
read  or  heard  of  the  revealed  will  of  God 
about  it;  but  this  we  find  not  in  the  world. 

For  though  it  is  true  that  the  law  of  nature 
is  common  to  all,  and  that  all  men  are  to  this 
day  under  the  power  and  command  thereof, 
yet  we  find  not  that  they  are  by  nature  under 
a conviction  of  the  necessity  of  keeping  of  a 
seventh-day  sabbath.  Yea,  the  Gentiles, 
though  we  read  not  that  they  ever  despised 
the  law  of  nature,  yet  never  had,  as  such,  a 
reverence  of  a seventh-day  sabbath,  but  rather 
the  contrary. 

Fourthly.  If,  therefore,  the  seventh-day 
sabbath  is  not  of  the  law  of  nature,  then  it 
should  seem  not  to  be  obligatory  to  all.  For 
instituted  worship  and  the  necessary  circuin- 

S91 


892 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


stances  thereunto  belonging  is  obligatory  but 
to  some.  The  tree  that  Adam  was  forbid  to 
eat  of,  we  read  not  but  that  bis  children  might 
have  eaten  the  fruit  thereof;  and  circumcision, 
the  passover,  and  other  parts  of  the  instituted 
worship  were  enjoined  but  to  some. 

Fifthly.  I doubt  the  seventh-day  sabbath  is 
not  of  the  law  of  nature,  and  so  not  moral ; 
because  though  we  read  that  the  law  of 
nature,  and  that  before  Moses,  was  charged 
upon  the  world,  yet  I find  not  till  then  that 
the  profanation  of  a seventh-day  sabbath  was 
charged  upon  the  world;  and  indeed  to  me 
this  very  thing  makes  a great  scruple  in  the 
case. 

A law,  as  I said,  we  read  of,  and  that  from 
Adam  to  Moses.  The  transgression  also  of 
that  law  we  read  of  then,  and  that  particu- 
larly, as  in  Genesis,  Ezekiel,  Deuteronomy, 
and  Romans  the  first  and  second  chapters. 

But  in  all  the  Scriptures  we  do  not  read 
that  the  breach  of  the  seventh-day  sabbath 
was  charged  upon  men  as  men  all  that  time. 
Whence  I gather,  that  either  a seventh-day 
sabbath  was  not  discerned  by  the  light  of 
nature,  and  'so  not  by  that  law  imposed ; or 
else  that  men,  by  the  help  and  assistance  of 
that,  (for  we  speak  of  >men  as  men,)  in  old 
time  kept  it  better  than  in  after  ages  did  the 
Church  of  God  with  better  assistance  by  far, 
for  they  are  there  yet  found  fault  with  as 
breakers  of  that  sabbath. 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  if  the  law  of 
nature  doth  not  of  itself  reveal  to  us,  as  men, 
that  the  seventh  day  is  the  holy  sabbath  of 
God,  that  that  day,  as  to  the  sanction  of  it, 
is  not  moral,  but  rather  arbitrary — to  wit,  im- 
posed by  the  will  of  God  upon  his  people  until 
the  time  he  thought  fit  to  change  it  for  an- 
other day. 

And  if  so,  it  is  hence  to  be  concluded  that, 
though  by  the  light  of  nature  men  might  see 
that  time  must  be  allowed  and  set  apart  for 
the  performance  of  that  worship  that  God 
would  set  up  in  his  house,  yet,  as  such,  it 
could  not  see  what  time  the  Lord  would  to 
that  end  choose.  Nature  therefore  saw  that 
by  a positive  precept  or  a word  revealing  it, 
and  by  no  other  means. 

Nor  doth  this  at  all  take  away  a whit  of  that 
sanction  which  God  once  put  upon  the  seventh- 
day  sabbath,  unless  any  will  say,  and  by  suf- 
ficient argument  prove,  that  an  ordinance  for 
divine  worship  receiveth  greater  sanction 
from  the  law  of  nature  than  from  a divine 
precept,  or  standeth  stronger  when  it  is  es- 


tablished by  a law  human,  for  such  is  the 
law  of  nature,  than  when  imposed  by  revela- 
tion of  God. 

But  the  text  will  put  this  controversy  to 
an  end.  The  sanction  of  the  seventh-day 
sabbath,  even  as  it  was  the  “ rest  of  God,” 
Avas  not  till  after  the  law  of  nature  was  com- 
pleted: “God  rested  the  seventh  day,  and 
sanctified  it ’’—sanctified  it;  that  is,  set  it 
apart  to  the  end  there  mentioned — to  wit,  to 
rest  thereon. 

Other  grounds  of  this  question  I might  pro- 
duce, but  at  present  I will  stop  here,  and  con- 
clude that  if  a seventh-day  sabbath  was  an 
essential  necessary  to  the  instituted  worship 
of  God,  then  itself  also,  as  to  its  sanction  for 
that  work,  was  not  founded  but  by  a positive 
precept,  consequently  not  known  of  man  at 
first  but  by  the  revelation  of  God. 

QUESTION  II. 

Whether  the  seventh-day  sabbath , as  to  man’s 
keeping  of  it  holy,  was  ever  made  known  to  or 
imposed  by  a positive  precept  upon  him  until 
the  time  of  Moses,  which  f rom  Adam  was  about 
tivo  thousand  years  ? 

Something  must  also  be  here  premised  in 
order  to  my  propounding  of  my  grounds  for 
this  question;  and  that  is,  that  the  seventh 
day  was  sanctified  so  soon  as  it  had  being  in 
the  world  unto  the  rest  of  God,  (as  it  is  Gen. 
ii.  2,  3,)  and  he  did  rest  from  all  his  works 
which  he  had  made  therein.  But  the  ques- 
tion is,  Whether,  when  God  did  thus  sanctify 
this  day  to  his  own  rest,  he  did  also,  by  the  space 
of  time_  above  mentioned,  impose  it  as  an  holy  sab- 
bath of  rest  upon  men,  to  the  end  they  might 
solemnize  worship  to  him  in  special  manner 
thereon  ? And  I question  this — 

First.  Because  that  we  read  not  that  it  ivas. 
And  reading — I mean  of  the  divine  testimony 
— is  ordained  of  God,  for  us  to  find  out  the 
mind  of  God,  both  as  to  our  faith  and  our  per- 
formance of  acceptable  service  to  him. 

In  reading  also  we  are  to  have  regard  to  two 
things : 

1.  To  see  if  we  can  find  a precept;  or, 

2.  A countenanced  practice  for  what  we  do. 
For  both  these  ways  we  are  to  search,  that  we 
may  find  out  what  is  that  good,  that  accept- 
able will  of  God. 

For  the  first  of  these  we  have  Gen.  ii.  16, 17 ; 
and  for  the  second,  Gen.  viii.  20,  21. 

Now  as  to  the  imposing  of  a seventh-day 
sabbath  upon  men  from  Adam  to  Moses,  of 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATII. 


893 


that  we  find  nothing  in  holy  writ  either  from 
precept  or  example.  True,  we  find  that  sol- 
emn worship  was  performed  by  the  saints  that 
then  lived — for  both  Abel,  Noah,  Abraham, 
Isaac,  Jacob  sacrificed  unto  God — but  we  read 
not  that  the  seventh  day  was  the  time  prefixed 
of  God  for  their  so  worshipping,  or  that  they 
took  any  notice  of  it.  Some  say  that  Adam 
in  eating  the  forbidden  fruit  broke  also  the 
seventh-day  sabbath,  because  he  fell  on  that 
day,  but  we  read  not  that  the  breach  of  the 
sabbath  was  charged  upon  him.  That  which 
we  read  is  this:  “Hast  thou  eaten  of  the  tree 
whereof  I commanded  thee  that  thou  shouldst 
not  eat?”  Some  say  also  that  Cain  killed 
Abel  on  a sabbath  day,  but  we  read  not  that 
in  his  charge  God  laid  any  such  thing  at  his 
door.  This  was  it  of  which  he  stood  guilty 
before  God — namely,  “That  Iris  brother’s 
blood  cried  unto  God  against  him  from  the 
ground.” 

I therefore  take  little  notice  of  what  a man 
saith,  though  he  flourisheth  his  matter  with 
many  brave  words,  if  he  bring  not  with  him, 
“ Thus  saith  the  Lord.”  For  that,  and  that 
only,  ought  to  be  my  ground  of  faith  as  to 
how  my  God  would  be  worshipped  by  me. 
For  in  the  matters  material  to  the  worship  of 
God  it  is  safest  that  thus  I be  guided  in  my 
judgment,  for  here  only  I perceive  “ the  foot- 
steps of  the  flock.”  They  say  further  that  for 
God  to  sanctify  a thing  is  to  set  it  apart.  This 
being  true,  then  it  follows  that  the  seventh-day 
sabbath  was  sanctified — that  is,  set  apart — for 
Adam  in  paradise ; and  so  that  it  was  or- 
dained a sabbath  of  rest  to  the  saints  from  the 
beginning. 

But  I answer,  as  I hinted  before,  that  God 
did  sanctify  it  to  his  own  rest.  “The  Lord 
also  hath  set  apart  him  that  is  godly  for  him- 
self.” But  again,  it  is  one  thing  for  God  to 
sanctify  this  or  that  thing  to  an  use,  and 
another  thing  to  command  that  that  thing  be 
forthwith  in  being  to  us.  As  for  instance,  the 
land  of  Canaan  was  set  apart  many  years  for 
the  children  of  Israel  before  they  possessed 
that  land.  Christ  Jesus  was  long  sanctified — 
that  is,  set  apart  to  be  our  Redeemer — before 
God  sent  him  into  the  world. 

If,  then,  by  God's  sanctifying  of  the  sev- 
enth day  for  a sabbath  you  understand  it  for 
a sabbath  for  man,  (but  the  text  saith  not  so,) 
yet  it  might  be  so  set  apart  for  man  long 
before  it  should  be,  as  such,  made  known  unto 
him.  And  that  the  seventh-day  sabbath  was 
not  as  yet  made  known  to  men,  consider — 


Secondly.  Moses  himself  seems  to  have  the 
knowledge  of  it  at  first,  not  by  tradition , but 
by  revelation;  as  it  is,  (Ex.  xvi.  23,)  “This  is 
that,”  saith  he,  “that  the  Lord  hath  said,” 
(namely,  to  me,  for  we  read  not,  as  yet,  that 
he  said  it  to  anybody  else,)  “To-morrow  is 
the  sabbath  of  the  holy  rest  unto  the  Lord.” 

Also  holy  Nehemiah  suggesteth  this  when 
he  saith  of  Israel  to  God,  “Thou  madest 
known  to  them  thy  holy  sabbaths.”  The  first 
of  these  texts  shows  us  that  tidings  of  a 
seventh-day  sabbath  for  men  came  first  to 
Moses  from  heaven ; and  the  second,  that  it 
was  to  Israel  before  unknown. 

But  how  could  be  either  the  one  or  the 
other  if  the  seventh-day  sabbath  was  taught 
men  by  the  light  of  nature,  which  is  the  moral 
law,  or  if  from  the  beginning  it  was  given  to 
men  by  a positive  precept  for  to  be  kept? 

This  therefore  strengtheneth  my  doubt  about 
the  affirmative  of  the  first  question,  and  also 
prepareth  an  argument  for  what  I plead  as  to 
this  we  have  now  under  consideration. 

Thirdly.  This  yet  seems  to  me  more  scrupu- 
lous because  that  the  punishment  due  to  the 
breach  of  the  seventh-day  sabbath  was  hid 
from  men  to  the  time  of  Moses,  as  is  clear  for 
that  it  is  said  of  the  breaker  of  the  sabbath, 
“They  put.  him  in  ward,  because  it  was  not  as 
yet  declared  what  should  be  done  unto  him.” 
But  methinks,  had  this  seventh-day  sabbath 
been  imposed  upon  men  from  the  beginning, 
the  penalty  or  punishment  due  to  the  breach 
thereof  had  certainly  been  known  before  now. 

When  Adam  was  forbidden  to  eat  of  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  the 
penalty  was  then,  if  he  disobeyed,  annexed  to 
the  prohibition.  So  also  it  was  it  was  as  to 
circumcision,  the  passover,  and  other  ordi- 
nances for  worship.  How  then  cau  it  be 
thought  that  the  seventh-day  sabbath  should 
be  impose^  upon  men  from  the  beginning, 
and  that  the  punishment  for  the  breach  thereof 
should  be  hid  with  God  for  the  space  of  two 
thousand  years? 

Fourthly.  God’s  giving  of  the  seventh-day 
sabbath  was  with  respect  to  stated  and  stinted 
worship  iu  his  Church;  the  which,  until  the 
time  of  Moses,  was  not  set  up  among  his 
people.  Things  till  then  were  adding  or 
growing — now  a sacrifice,  then  circumcision, 
then  again,  long  after  that,  the  passover,  &c. 
But  when  Israel  was  come  into  the  wilderness, 
there  to  receive,  as  God’s  congregation,  a 
stated,  stinted,  limited  way  of  worship,  then  he 
! appoints  them  a time  and  times  to  perform  this 


894 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


worship  in ; blit,  as  I said  afore,  before  that  it 
was  not  so,  as  the  whole  five  books  of  Moses 
plainly  show;  wherefore  the  seventh-day  sab- 
bath, as  such  a limited  day,  cannot  be  moral 
or  of  the  law  of  nature,  nor  imposed  till  then. 

And  methinks  Christ  Jesus  and  his  apostles 
do  plainly  enough  declare  this  very  thing; 
for  that  when  they  repeat  unto  the  people  or 
expound  before  them  the  moral  law,  they 
quite  exclude  the  seventh-day  sabbath;  yea, 
Paul  makes  that  law  to  us  complete  without  it. 

We  will  first  touch  upon  what  Christ  doth 
in  this  case. 

As  in  his  sermon  upon  the  mount,  in  all  that 
large  and  heavenly  discourse  upon  this  law, 
you  have  not  one  syllable  about  the  seventh- 
day  sabbath. 

So  when  the  young  man  came  running  and 
kneeling,  and  , asking  what  good  thing  he 
should  do  to  inherit  eternal  life,  Christ  bids  him 
keep  the  commandments ; but  when  the  young 
man  asked  which,  Christ  quite  leaves  out  the 
seventh  day  and  puts  him  upon  the  other. 

You  will  say  he  left  out  the  first,  and  second, 
and  third  likewise.  To  which  I say,  that  was 
because  the  young  man  by  his  question  did 
presuppose  that  he  had  been  a doer  of  them, 
for  he  professed  in  his  supplication  that  he  was 
a lover  of  that  which  is  naturally  good,  which 
is  God,  in  that  his  petition  was  so  universal 
for  every  thing  which  he  had  commanded. 

Paul  also,  when  he  makes  mention  of  the 
moral  law,  quite  leaves  out  of  that  the  very 
name  of  the  seventh-day  sabbath,  and  profess- 
eth  that  to  us  Christians  the  law  of  nature  is 
complete  without  it. 

“He  that  loveth  another,”  saith  he,  “hath 
fulfilled  the  law.  For  this,  Thou  shalt  not 
commit  adultery,  thou  shalt  not  kill,  thou  shalt 
not  steal,  thou  shalt  not  covet;  and  if  there  be 
any  other  commandment,  it  is  briefly  compre- 
hended under  this  saying,  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself.  Love  worketh  no  ill  to 
his  neighbour  ; therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law.” 

I make  not  an  argument  of  this,  but  take 
an  occasion  to  mention  it  as  I go.  But,  cer- 
tainly, had  the  seventh-day  sabbath  been  moral 
or  of  the  law  of  nature,  (as  some  would  fain 
persuade  themselves,)  it  would  not  so  slenderly 
have  been  passed  over  in  all  these  repetitions 
of  this  law,  but  would  by  Christ  or  his  apos- 
tles have  been  pressed  upon  the  people  where 
so  fair  an  opportunity  as  at  these  times  offered 
itself  unto  them.  But  they  knew  what  they 
did,  and  wherefore  they  were  so  silent  as  to 


the  mention  of  the  seventh-day  sabhath  when 
they  so  well  talked  of  the  law  as  moral. 

Fifthly.  Moses  and  the  prophet  Ezekiel  both 
do  fully  confirm  what  has  been  insinuated  by 
us — to  wit,  that  the  seventh  day  as  a sabbath 
was  not  imposed  upon  men  until  Israel  was 
brought  into  the  wilderness. 

1.  Moses  saith  to-  Israel,  “ Remember  that 
thou  wast  a servant  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and 
that  the  Lord  thy  God  brought  thee  out  thence 
through  a mighty  hand  and  by  a stretcbed-out 
arm ; therefore  the  Lord  thy  God  commandetk 
thee  to  keep  the  sabbath  day.” 

Yea,  he  tells  us  that  the  covenant  which  God 
made  with  them  in  Horeb,  that  written  in 
stones,  “ was  not  made  with  their  forefathers, 
(to  wit,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,)  but  with 
them.” 

2.  Ezekiel  also  is  punctual  as-  to  this : “ I 
caused 'them,”  saith  God  by  that  prophet,  “to 
go  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  brought 
them  into  the  wilderness.  And  I gave  them 
my  statutes  and  showed  them  my  judgments, 
which  if  a man  do  he  shall  even  live  in  them. 
Moreover,  I gave  them  my  sabbaths  to  be  a 
sign  between  me  and  them,  that  they  might 
know  that  I am  the  Lord  that  sanctifieth 
them.” 

What  can  be  more  plain  ? And  these,  to  be 
sure  are  two  notable  witnesses  of  God,  who,  as 
you  see,  do  jointly  concur  in  this — to  wit,  that 
it  was  not  from  paradise,  nor  from  the  fathers, 
but  from  the  wilderness  and  from  Sinai  that 
men  received  the  seventh-day  sabbath  to  keep 
it  holy. 

True,  it  was  God’s  sabbath  before,  for  on  the 
first  seventh  day  we  read  that  God  rested  there- 
on and  sanctified  it.  Hence  he  calls  it,  in  the 
first  place,  my  sabbath  : “ I gave  them  my  sab- 
bath.” But  it  seems  it  was  not  given  to  the 
Church  till  he  had  brought  them  into  the  wil- 
derness. 

But,  I say,  if  it  had  been  moral  it  had  been 
natural  to  man,  and  by  the  light  of  nature  men 
would  have  understood  it,  even  both  before  it 
was,  and  otherwise.  But  of  this  you  see  we 
read  nothing,  either  by  positive  law  or  counte- 
nanced example,  or  any  other  way,  but  rather 
the  flat  contrary — to  wit,  that  Moses  had  the 
knowledge  of  it  first  from  heaven,  not  by  tra- 
dition ; that  Israel  had  it  not  of  or  from  their 
fathers,  but  in  the  wilderness  from  him,  to  wit, 
Moses,  after  he  had  brought  them  out  of  the 
laud  of  Egypt;  and  that  that  whole  law  in 
which  this  seventh-day  sabbath  is  placed  was 
given  for  the  bound ipg  and  better  ordering  of 


895 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  SEVENTH-DA  Y SABBATH. 


them  in  their  church  state  for  their  time,  till 
the  Messias  should  come  and  put,  by  a better 
ministration,  this  out  of  his  Church,  as  we 
shall  further  show  anon. 

The  seventh-day  sabbath,  therefore,  was  not 
from  paradise,  nor  from  nature,  nor  from  the 
fathers,  but  from  the  wilderness  and  from 
Sinai. 

QUESTION  III. 

Whether,  when  the  seventh-day  sabbath  was 
given  to  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  the  Gentiles, 
as  such,  were  concerned  therein  ? 

Befoiie  I show  my  ground  for  this  question 
I must  also  first  premise  that  the  Gentiles,  as 
such,  were  then  without  the  Church  of  God 
and  pale  thereof;  consequently  had  nothing  to 
do  with  the  essentials  or  necessary  circum- 
stances of  that  worship  which  God  had  set  up 
for  himself  now  among  the  children  of  Israel. 
Now  then  for  the  ground  of  the  question  : 
First.  We  read  not  that  God  gave  it  to  any 
but  to  the  seed  of  Jacob.  Hence  it  is  said  to 
Israel,  and  to  Israel  only,  “ The  Lord  hath 
given  (you)  his  sabbath and  again,  “ I also 
gave  (them)  my  sabbaths.” 

Now  if  the  gift  of  the  seventh-day  sabbath 
was  only  to  Israel,  as  these  texts  do  more  than 
seem  to  say,  then  to  the  Gentiles,  as  such,  it 
was  not  given ; unless  any  should  conclude 
that  God  by  thus  doing  preferred  the  Jew  fo  a 
state  of  Gentilism,  or  that  he  bestowed  on 
them  by  thus  doing  some  high  Gentile  privi- 
lege ; but  this  would  be  very  fictious ; for,  to 
lay  aside  reason,  the  text  always,  as  to  prefer- 
ence, did  set  the  Jew  in  the  first  of  places, 
(Rom.  ii.  10,)  nor  was  his  giving  the  seventh- 
day  sabbath  to  them  but  a sign  and  token 
thereof. 

But  the  great  objection  is  because  the  sev- 
enth-day sabbath  is  found  amongst  the  rest  of 
those  precepts  which  is  so  commonly  called 
the  Moral  Law,  for  thence  it  is  concluded  to  be 
of  a perpetual  duration. 

But  I answer,  that  neither  that,  as  given  on 
Sinai,  is  moral ; I mean  as  to  the  manner  and 
ends  of  its  ministration,  of  which,  God  per- 
mitting, we  shall  say  more  in  our  answer  to 
the  fourth  question,  whither  I direct  you  for 
satisfaction.  But, 

Secondly.  The  Gentiles  could  not  be  con- 
cerned. as  such,  with  God’s  giving  of  a seventh- 
day  sabbath  to  Israel,  because,  as  I have  show- 
ed before,  it  was  given  to  Israel  considered  as 
the  Onurch  of  God.  Acts  vii.  31. 


Nor  was  it  given  to  them  as  such,  but  with 
rites  and  ceremonies  thereto  belonging.  Lev. 
xxiv.  5-9;  Num.  xxviii.  9,  10;  Neh.  xiii.  22; 
Ezek.  xlvi.  4. 

Now,  I say,  if  this  sabbath  hath  ceremonies 
thereto  belonging,  and  if  these  ceremonies 
were  essential  to  the  right  keeping  of  the  sab- 
bath, and  again,  if  these  ceremonies  were  given 
to  Israel  only,  excluding  all  but  such  as  were 
their  proselytes,  then  this  sabbath  was  given  to 
them  as  excluding  the  Gentiles  as  such.  But 
if  it  had  been  moral,  the  Gentiles  could  as 
soon  have  been  deprived  of  their  nature  as  of 
a seventh-day  sabbath,  though  the  Jews  should 
have  appropriated  it  unto  themselves  only. 

Again,  to  say  that  God  gave  this  seventh- 
day  sabbath  to  the  Gentiles,  as  such,  (and  yet 
so  he  must  if  it  be  of  the  moral  law,)  is  as 
much  as  to  say  that  God  hath  ordained  that 
that  sabbath  should  be  kept  by  the  Gentiles 
without,  but  by  the  Jews  not  without,  her  cere- 
monies. And  what  conclusion  will  follow 
from  hence  but  that  God  did  at  one  and  the 
same  time  set  up  two  sorts  of  acceptable  wor- 
ship in  the  world — one  among  the  Jews,  an- 
other among  the  Gentiles  ? But  how  ridiculous 
such  a thought  would  be,  and  how  repugnant 
to  the  wisdom  of  God,  you  may  easily  perceive. 

Yea,  what  a diminution  would  this  be  to 
God’s  Church  that  then  was,  for  one  to  say  the 
Gentiles  were  to  serve  God  with  more  liberty 
than  the  Jew!  For  the  law  was  a yoke,  and 
yet  the  Gentile  is  called  the  dog,  and  said  to  be 
without  God  in  the  world.  Deut.  vii.  7 ; Ps. 
cxlvii.  19,  20;  Matt.  xv.  26;  Eph.  ii.  11,  12. 

Thirdly.  When  the  Gentiles,  at  the  Jews’ 
return  from  Babylon,  came  and  offered  their 
wares  to  sell  to  the  children  of  Israel  at  Jeru- 
salem on  this  sabbath,  yea,  and  sold  them  too, 
yet  not  they,  but  the  Jews,  were  rebuked  as 
the  only  breakers  of  that  sabbath.  Nay,  there 
dwelt  then  at  Jerusalem  men  of  Tyre  that  on 
this  sabbath  sold  their  commodities  to  the 
Jews  and  men  of  Judah,  yet  not  they,  but  the 
men  of  Judah,  were  contended  with  as  the 
breakers  of  this  sabbath. 

True,  good  Nehemiah  did  threaten  the  Gen- 
tiles that  were  merchants  for  lying  then  about 
the  walls  of  the  city,  for  that  by  that  means 
they  were  a temptation  to  the  Jews  to  break 
their  sabbaths,  but  still  he  charged  the  breach 
thereof  only  upon  his  own  people.  Neh.  xiii. 
15,  16,  17,  18,  19,  20. 

But  can  it  be  imagined,  had  the  Gentiles  now 
been  concerned  with  this  sabbath  by  the  law 
divine,  that  so  holy  a man  as  Nehemiah  would 


896 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Lave  let  them  escape  without  a rebuke  for  so 
notorious  a transgression  thereof,  especially 
concerning  that  now  also  they  were  upon  God’s 
ground — to  wit,  within  and  without  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem  ? 

Fourthly.  Wherefore  he  saith  to  Israel  again, 
“Verily,  my  sabbaths  (ye)  shall  keep.”  And 
again,  (Ye)  “shall  keep  my  sabbaths.”  And 
again,  “ The  children  of  Israel  shall  keep  my 
sabbaths,  to  observe  my  sabbath  throughout 
(their)  generations.” 

What  can  be  more  plain,  these  things  thus 
standing  in  the  Testament  of  God,  than  that 
the  seventh-day  sabbaths,  as  such,  were  given 
to  Israel,  to  Israel  only,  and  that  the  Gentiles, 
as  such,  were  not  concerned  therein? 

Fiftliiy.  The  very  reason  also  of  God’s  giving 
of  the  seventh-day  sabbath  to  the  Jews  doth 
exclude  the  Gentiles,  as  such,  from  having  any 
concern  therein.  For  it  was  given  to  the  Jews, 
as  was  said  before,  as  they  were  considered 
God’s  Church,  and  for  a sign  and  token  by 
which  they  should  know  that  he  had  chosen 
and  sanctified  them  to  himself  for  a peculiar 
people.  Ex.  xxxi.  13,  14, 15, 16, 17  ; Ezek.  xx. 
12,  13.  And  a great  token  and  sign  it  was 
that  he  had  so  chosen  them,  for  in  that  he  had 
given  to  them  this  sabbath  he  had  given  to 
them  (his  own  rest)  a figure  and  pledge  of  his 
sending  his  Son  into  the  world  to  redeem  them 
from  the  bondage  and  slavery  of  the  devil ; of 
whom,  indeed,  this  sabbath  was  a shadow  or 
type.  Col.  ii.  16,  17. 

Thus  have  I concluded  my  ground  for  this 
third  question:  I shall  therefore  propound 
another. 

QUESTION  IV. 

Whether  the  seventh-day  sabbath  did  not  fall,  as 
such,  with  the  rest  of  the  Jewish  rites  and  cere- 
monies? Or  whether  that  day,  as  a sabbath, 
was  afterwards  by  the  apostles  imposed  upon 
the  churches  of  the  Gentiles  ? 

I would  now  also,  before  I show  the  grounds 
of  my  proposing  this  question,  premise  what 
is  necessary  thereunto — to  wit,  that  time  and 
day  were  both  fixed  upon  by  law  for  the  solemn 
performance  of  divine  worship  among  the 
Jews,  and  that  time  and  day  is  also  by  law  fixed 
for  the  solemnizing  of  divine  worship  to  God 
in  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles;  but  that  the 
seventh-day  sabbath,  as  such,  is  that  time,  that 
day,  that  still  I question. 

Now,  before  I show'  the  grounds  of  my  ques- 
tioning of  it,  I shall  inquire  into  the  nature  of 


that  ministration  in  the  bowels  of  which  this 
seventh-day  sabbath  is  placed.  And — 

First.  I say,  as  to  that,  the  nature  of  the  law 
is  moral,  but  the  ministration  and  circum- 
stances thereunto  belonging  are  shadowish  and 
figurative. 

By  the  nature  of  it,  I mean  the  matter  there- 
of ; by  the  ministration  and  circumstances 
thereto  belonging,  I do  mean  the  giving  of  it 
by  such  hands,  at  such  a place  and  time,  in 
such  a mode,  as  when  it  was  given  to  Israel  in 
the  wilderness. 

The  matter  therefore — to  wit,  “Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and 
with  all  thy  strength,  and  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself” — is  everlasting,  (Mark  xii.  29,  30,  31,) 
and  is  not  from  Sinai -nor  from  the  two  tables 
of  stone,  but  in  nature;  for  this  law  com- 
menced and  took  being  and  place  that  day  in 
which  man  was  created ; yea,  it  was  concreate 
with  him,  and  without  it  he  cannot  be  a ra- 
tional creature,  as  he  was  in  the  day  in  which 
God  created  him.  But  for  the  ministration  of 
it  from  Sinai,  with  the  circumstances  belong- 
ing to  that  ministration,  they  ,are  not  moral, 
not  everlasting,  but  shadowish  and  figurative 
only. 

That  ministration  cannot  be  moral,  for  three 
reasons : 

1.  It  commenced  not  when  morality  com- 
menced, but  two  thousand  years  after. 

2.  It  was  not  universal,  as  the  moral  law  is ; 
it  was  given  only  to  the  Church  of  the  Jews 
in  those  tables. 

3.  Its  end  is  passed  as  such  a ministration, 
though  the  same  law,  as  to  the  morality  thereof, 
abides.  Where  are  the  tables  of  stone  and 
this  law  as  therein  contained?  We  only,  as 
to  that,  have  the  notice  of  such  a ministration 
and  a rehearsal  of  the  law,  with  that  mode  of 
giving  it,  in  the  Testament  of  God. 

But  to  come  to  particulars : 

1.  The  very  preface  to  that  ministration 
carrieth  in  it  a type  of  our  deliverance  from 
the  bondage  of  sin,  the  devil,  and  hell,  Pha- 
raoh, and  Egypt,  and  Israel’s  bondage  there 
being  a type  of  these. 

2.  The  very  stones  in  which  this  law  was 
engraven  were  a figure  of  the  tables  of  the 
heart.  The  first  two  were  a figure  of  the 
heart  carnal,  by  which  the  law  was  broken  ; 
the  last  two  of  the  heart  spiritual,  in  which 
the  new  law,  the  law  of  grace,  is  written  and 
preserved.  Ex.  xxxiv.  1 ; 2 Cor.  iii.  3. 

2.  The  very  mount  on  which  this  ministra- 


897 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  TIIE  SEVENTH-DAY  SAP, BATII. 


tion  was  given  was  typical  of  Mount  Zion. 
See  Heb.  xii.,  where  they  are  compared. 

3.  Yea,  the  very  Church  whom  that  minis- 
tration was  given  to  was  a figure  of  the 
Church  of  the  Gospel  that  is  on  Mount  Zion. 
See  (he  same  Scripture,  and  compare  it  with 
Acts  vii.  38  ; Rev.  xiv. 

5.  That  ministration  was  given  in  the  hand 
and  by  the  disposition  of  angels,  to  prefigure 
how  the  new  law  or  ministration  of  the  Spirit 
was  to  be  given  afterwards  to  the  churches, 
under  the  New  Testament,  by  the  hands  of. 
the  angel  of  God’s  everlasting  covenant  of 
grace,  who  is  his  only-begotten  Son. 

6.  It  was  given  to  Israel  also  in  the  hand 
of  Moses  as  a mediator,  to  show  or  typify  out 
that  the  law  of  grace  was  in  aftertimes  to 
come  to  the  Church  of  Christ  by  the  hand 
and  mediation  of  Jesus  our  Lord. 

7.  As  to  this  ministration,  it  was  to  con- 

tinue “but  till  the  Seed  should  come,”  and 
then  must,  as  such,  give  place  to  a better 
ministration.  Gal.  iii.  19.  “ A better  cove- 

nant, established  upon  better  promises.”  Heb. 

viii.  6. 

Front  all  this,  therefore,  I conclude  that 
there  is  a difference  to  be  put  between  the 
morality  of  the  law  and  the  ministration 
of  it  upon  Sinai.  The  law,  as  to  its  moral- 
ity, was  before,  but  as  to  this  ministration, 
it  was  not  till  the  Church  was  with  Moses 
and  he  with  the  angels  on  Mount  Sinai  in 
the  wilderness. 

Now  in  the  law,  as  moral,  we  conclude  a 
time  propounded,  but  no  seventh-day  sabbwth 
enjoined ; but  in  that  law  as  thus  ministered, 
which  ministration  is  already  out  of  doors,  we 
find  a seventh  day — that  seventh  day  on  which 
God  rested,  on  which  God  rested  from  all  his 
works — enjoined.  What  is  it,  then?  Why, 
the  whole  ministration  as  written  and  en- 
graven in  stones  being  removed,  the  seventh- 
day  sabbath  must  also  be  removed ; for  that 
the  time,  nor  yet  the  day,  was,  as  to  our  holy 
sabbath  or  rest,  moral,  but  .imposed  with  that 
whole  ministration,  as  such,  upon  the  Church, 
until  the  time  of  reformation;  which  time 
being  come,  this  ministration,  as  I said,  as 
such,  ceaseth,  and  the  whole  law,  as  to  the 
morality  of  it,  is  delivered  into  the  hand  of 
Christ,  who  imposes  it  now  also,  but  not  as  a 
law  of  works,  nor  as  that  ministration  written 
and  eugraven  in  stones,  but  as  a rule. of  life 
to  those  that  have  believed  in  him.  1 Cor. 

ix.  21. 

So,  then,  that  law  is  still  moral,  and  still 
57 


supposes,  since  it  teaches  that  there  is  a God, 
that  time  must  be  set  apart  for  his  Church  to 
worship  him  in,  according  to  that  will  of  his 
that  he  hath  revealed  in  his  word.  But 
though  by  that  law  time  is  required,  yet  by 
that,  as  moral,  the  time  never  was  prefixed. 
The  time,  then,  of  old  was  appointed  by  such 
a ministration  of  that  law  as  we  have  been 
now  discoursing  of,  and  when  that  ministra- 
tion ceased  that  time  did  also  vanish  with  it. 
And  now  by  our  new  Lawgiver,  the  Son  of 
God,  he  being"  Lord  also  of  the  sabbath  day,” 
we  have  a time  prefixed,  as  the  law  of  nature 
requireth,  a new  day,  by  him  who  is  Lord  of 
it — I say,  appointed,  wherein  we  may  worship, 
not  in  the  oldness  of  that  letter  written  and 
engraven  in  stones,  but  according  to,  and  most 
agreeing  with,  his  new  and  holy  Testament. 
And  this  I confirm  further  by  those  reasons 
that  now  shall  follow  : 

First.  Because  we  find  not,  from  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ  to  the  end  of  the  Bible,  any 
thing  written  by  which  is  imposed  that  sev- 
enth-day sabbath  upon  the  churches.  Time, 
as  I said,  the  law  as  moral  requires,  but  that 
time  we  find  no  longer  imposed;  and  in  all 
duties  pertaining  to  God  and  his  true  worship 
in  his  churches  we  must  be  guided  by  his 
laws  and  testaments — by  his  old  laws  when 
his  old  worship  was  in  force,  and  by  his  new 
laws  when  his  new  worship  is  in  force.  And 
he  hath  verily  now  said,  “ Behold,  I make  all 
things  new.” 

Secondly.  I find,  as  I have  showed,  that 
this  seventh-day  sabbath  is  confined  not  to 
the  law  of  nature,  as  such,  but  to  that  minis- 
tration of  it  which  was  given  on  Sinai;  which 
ministration,  as  it  is  come  to  an  end  as  such, 
for  it  is  rejected  by  Paul  as  a ministration  no 
ways  capable  of  abiding  in  the  Church  now, 
since  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  also  hath 
taken  its  place.  2 Cor.  iii.  Wherefore,  in- 
stead of  propounding  it  to  the  churches  with 
arguments  tending  to  its  reception,  he  seeks, 
by  degrading  it  of  its  own  lustre  and  glory,  to 
wean  the  churches  from  any  likement  thereof. 

Thirdly.  1.  By  calling  of  it  the  ministration 
of  death,  of  the  letter,  and  of  condemnation — ■ 
a term  more  frightful,  but  no  ways  alluring  to 
the  godly. 

2.  By  calling  it  a ministration  that  now 
has  NO  glory,  by  reason  of  the  exceeding 
glory  of  that  ministration  under  which  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  the  New  Testament  churches 
are ; and  these  are  weaning  considerations.  2 
Cor.  iii. 


898 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


3.  By  telling  of  them  it  is  a ministration 
that  tendeth  to  blind  the  mind  and  to  veil  the 
heart  as  to  the  knowledge  of  their  Christ;  go 
that  they  cannot,  while  under  that,  behold  his 
beauteous  face  but  as  their  heart  shall  turn 
from  it  to  him.  2 Cor.  iii. 

4.  And  that  they  might  not  be  left  in  the 
dark,  but  perfectly  know  what  ministration  it 
is  that  he  means,  he  saith  expressly  it  is  “ that 
written  and  engraven  in  stones.”  See  again  2 
Cor.  iii.  And  in  that  ministration  it  is  that 
this  seventh-day  sabbath  is  found. 

But  shall  we  think  that  the  apostle  speaks 
any  thing  of  all  here  said  to  wean  saints  from 
the  law  of  nature,  as  such  ? No,  verily  ; that 
he  retains  in  the  Church,  as  being  managed 
there  by  Christ.  But  this  ministration  is 
dangerous  now,  because  it  cannot  be  main- 
tained in  the  Church  but  in  a way  of  con- 
tempt to  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  and  is 
derogatory  to  the  glory  of  that. 

Now  these,  as  I said,  are  weaning  consid- 
erations. No  man,  I do  think,  that  knows 
himself  or  the  glory  of  a Gospel  ministration, 
can,  if  he  understands  what  Paul  says  here, 
desire  that  such  a ministration  should  be  re- 
tained in  the  churches. 

Fourthly.  This  seventh-day  sabbath  has  lost 
its  ceremonies,  (those  unto  which  before  you 
are  cited  by  the  texts,)  which  were  with  it  im- 
posed upon  the  old  Church  for  her  due  per- 
formance of  worship  to  God  thereon.  How 
then  can  this  sabbath  now  be  kept — kept,  I 
say,  according  to  law?  For  if  the  Church  on 
which  it  was  at  first  imposed  was  not  to  keep 
it,  yea  could  not  keep  it  legally  without  the 
practising  of  those  ceremonies,  and  if  those 
ceremonies  are  long  ago  dead  and  gone,  how 
will  those  that  pretend  to  a belief  of  a contin- 
uation of  the  sanction  thereof  keep  it,  I say, 
according  as  it  is  written  ? 

If  they  say  they  retain  the  day,  but  change 
their  manner  of  observation  thereof,  I ask. 
Who  has  commanded  them  so  to  do?  This  is 
one  of  the  laws  of  the  sabbath : “ Thou  shalt 
take  fine  flour  and  bake  twelve  cakes  thereof : 
two  tenth  deals  shall  be  in  one  cake.  And 
thou  shalt  set  them  in  two  rows,  six  on  a row, 
upon  the  pure  table  of  the  Lord.  And  thou 
shalt  put  pure  frankincense  upon  each  row, 
that  it  may  be  on  the  bread  for  a memorial, 
even  an  offering  made  by  fire  unto  the  Lord. 
Every  sabbath  he  shall  set  it  in  order  before 
the  Lord  continually,  being  taken  from  the 
children  of  Israel  by  an  everlasting  covenant.” 
Lev.  xxiv.  5-9. 


V 

Now  if  these  be  the  laws  of  the  sabbath, 
this  seventh-day  sabbath,  and  if  God  did  never 
command  that  this  sabbath  should  by  his 
Church  be  sanctified  without  them,  and,  as 
was  said  before,  if  these  ceremonies  have  been 
long  since  dead  and  buried,  how  must  this 
sabbath  be  kept? 

Let  men  take  heed,  lest  while  they  plead  for 
law,  and  pretend  themselves  to  be  the  only 
doers  of  God’s  will,  they  be  not  found  the  big- 
gest transgressors  thereof.  And  why  can  they 
not  as  well  keep  the  other  sabbaths  as  the  sab- 
baths of  months,  of  years,  and  the  jubilee? 
For  this,  as  I have  showed,  is  no  moral  pre- 
cept ; it  is  only  a branch  of  the  ministration 
of  death  and  condemnation. 

Fifthly.  The  seventh-day  sabbath,  as  such, 
was  a sign  and  shadow  of  things  to  come;  and 
a sign  cannot  be  the  thing  signified  and  sub- 
stance too.  Wherefore  when  the  thing  signi- 
fied or  substance  is  come,  the  sign  or  thing 
shadowing  ceaseth.  And  I say,  the  seventh- 
day  sabbath  being  so,  as  a seventh-day  sab- 
bath it  ceaseth  also.  See  again  Ex.  xxxi.  13, 
14;  Ezek.  xx.  12,  21;  Col.  ii;  14. 

Nor  do  I find  that  our  Protestant  writers, 
notwithstanding  their  reverence  of  the  sab- 
bath, do  conclude  otherwise,  but  that  though 
time,  as  to  worshipping  God,  must  needs  be 
contained  in  the  bowels  of  the  moral  law  as 
moral,  yet  they,  for  good  reasons,  forbear  to 
affix  the  seventh  day  as  that  time  thereto. 
They  do  it,  I say,  for  good  reasons — reasons 
drawn  from  the  Scripture — or  rather  for  that 
the  Scripture  draws  them  so  to  conclude,  yet 
they  cast  not  away  the  morality  of  a sabbath 
of  rest  to  the  Church.  It  is  to  be  granted, 
then,  that  time  for  God’s  worship  abideth  for 
ever,  but  the  seventh  day  vanishes  as  a shadow 
and  sign,  because  such  indeed  it  was,  as  the 
Scripture  above  cited  declares  as  to  the  sanc- 
tion thereof  as  a sabbath. 

The  law  of  nature,  then,  calls  for  time,  but 
the  God  of  nature  assigns  it,  and  has  given 
power  to  his  Son  to  continue  such  time  as 
himself  shall,  by  his  eternal  wisdom,  judge 
most  meet  for  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles  to 
solemnize  worship  to  God  by  him  in.  Hence 
he  is  said  to  be  the  “ Lord  even  of  the  sabbath 
day.”  Matt.  xii.  9. 

Sixthly.  I find  by  reading  God’s  word  that 
Paul,  by  authority  apostolical,  takes  away  the 
sanctions  of  all  the  Jews’  festivals  and  sab- 
baths. 

This  is  manifest  for  that  he  leaves  the  ob- 
servation or  non-observation  of  them  as  things 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  SEVENTII-DA  V SABBATH. 


SOD 


indifferent  to  the  mind  :i»d  discretion  of  the 
believers:  “One  man  esteemeth  one  day  above 
another:  another  esteemeth  every  day  alike. 
Let  every  man  he  fully  persuaded  in  his  own 
mind.” 

By  this  last  clause  of  the  verse,  “ Let  every 
man  be  fully, persuaded  in  his  own  mind,”  he 
doth  plainly  declare  that  such  days  are  now 
stript  of  their  sanction;  for  none  of  God’s 
laws,  while  they  retain  their  sanction,  are  left 
to  the  will  and  mind  of  the  believers  as  to 
whether  they  will  observe  them  or  no.  Men, 
I say,  are  not  left  to  their  liberty  in  such  a 
case;  for  when  a stamp  of  divine  authority  is 
upon  the  law,  and  abides,  so  long  we  are  bound 
not  to  our  mind,  but  to  that  law  ; but  when  a 
thing  once  sacred  has  lost  its  sanction,  then 
it  falls,  as  to  faith  and  conscience,  among 
other  common  or  indifferent  things.  And  so 
the  seventh-day  sabbath  did.  Again — 

Seventhly.  Thus  Paul  writes  to  the  Church 
of  Colossians : “Let  no  man  judge  you  in 
meat,  or  in  drink,  or  in  respect  of  any  holy  day, 
or  of  the  new  moon,  or  of  the  sabbath,  which 
are  a shadow  of  things  to  come,  but  the  body 
is  Christ.”  Here  also  as  he  serveth  other  holy 
days  he  serveth  the  sabbath ; he  gives  a liberty 
to  believers  to  refuse  the  observation  of  it,  and 
commands  that  no  man  should  judge  against 
them  for  their  so  doing.  And  as  you  read  the 
reason  of  his  so  doing  is  because  the  body,  the 
substance,  is  come : Christ  saith  he,  is  the 
body,  or  that  which  these  things  were  a shadow 
or  figure  of.  “ The  body  is  Christ.” 

Nor  hath  the  apostle,  (since  he  saith,  “or  of 
the  sabbath,”)  one  would  think,  left  any  hole 
out  at  which  men’s  inventions  could  get,  but 
man  has  sought  out  many,  and  so  many  he 
will  use. 

But  again.  That  the  apostle  by  this  word 
mbbath  intends  the  seventh-day  sabbath  is 
clear,  for  that  it  is  by  Moses  himself  counted 
for  a sign,  as  we  have  showed,  and  for  that 
none  of  the  other  sabbaths  were  a more  clear 
shadow  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  than  this. 
For  that,  and  that  alone,  is  called  “ the  rest  of 
God ;”  in  it  God  rested  from  all  his  works. 
Hence  he  calls  it,  by  way  of  eminency,  my 
sabbath  and  my  holy  day. 

Yet  could  that  rest  be  nothing  else  but  typi- 
cal, for  God  never  since  the  world  began  really 
rested  but  in  his  Son:  “This  is  he  (saith  God) 
in  whom  I am  well  pleased.”  This  sabbath, 
then,  was  God’s  rest  typically,  and  was  given 
to  Israel  as  a sign  of  his  grace  towards  them 


in  Christ;  wherefore  when  Christ  was  risen  it 
ceased,  and  was  no  longer  of  obligation  to  bind 
the  conscience  to  the  observation  thereof. 
(“Or  of  the  sabbath.”)  He  distinctly  singleth 
out  this  seventh  day  as  that  which  was  a noble 
shadow,  a most  exact  shadow.  And  then  puts 
that  with  the  other  together,  saying  they  are  a 
shadow  of  things  to  come,  and  that  Christ 
hath  answered  them  all.  “The  body  is 
Christ.” 

Eighthly.  No  man  will,  I think,  deny  but 
that  Heb.  iv.  4 intends  the  seventh-day  sab- 
bath, on  which  “ God  rested  from  all  his  works,” 
for  the  text  doth  plainly  say  so;  yet  may  the 
observing  reader  easily  perceive  that  both  it 
and  the  rest  of  Canaan  also,  made  mention  of 
in  verse  5,  were  typical  as  to  a day  made  men- 
tion of  in  verse  7 and  8,  which  day  he  calls 
another.  He  would  not  afterwards  have  made 
mention  of  another  day : If  Joshua  had  given 
them  rest,  he  would  not.  Now  if  they  had 
not  that  rest  in  Joshua’s  days,  be  sure  they 
had  it  not  by  Moses,  for  he  was  still  before. 

And  all  the  rests  therefore  that  Moses  gave 
them,  and  that  Joshua  gave  them  too,  were 
but  typical  of  another  day,  in  which  God 
would  give  them  rest.  Verses  9,  10.  And 
whether  the  day  to  come  was  Christ  or  heaven, 
it  makes  no  matter:  it  is  enough  that  they  be- 
fore did  fail,  as  always  shadows  do,  and  that 
therefore  mention  by  David  is,  and  that  after- 
ward, made  of  another  day.  “There  remains, 
therefore,  a rest  to  the  people  of  God.”  A 
rest  to  come,  of  which  the  seventh  day  in  which 
God  rested  and  the  land  of  Canaan  was  a type ; 
which  rest  begins  in  Christ  now,  and  shall  bo 
consummated  in  glory. 

And  in  that  he  saith,  “There  remains  a 
rest,”  referring  to  that  of  David,  what  is  it  if 
it  signifies  not  that  the  other  rests  remain  not? 
There  remains  therefore  a rest— a rest  pre- 
figured by  the  seventh  day  and  by  the  rest  of 
Canaan,  though  they  are  fled  and  gone. 

“There  remains  a rest” — a rest  which  stands 
not  now  in  signs  or  shadows  in  the  seventh 
day  or  Canaan,  but  in  the  Son  of  God  and  his 
kingdom,  to  whom  and  to  which  the  weary  are 
invited  to  come  for  rest.  Isa.  xxxviii.  12; 
Matt.  xi.  28;  Heb.  iv.  11. 

Yet  this  casts  not  out  the  Christian’s  holy 
day  or  sabbath;  for  that  was  not  ordained  to 
be  a type  or  shadow  of  things  to  come,  but  to 
sanctify  the  name  of  their  God  in,  and  to  per- 
form that  worship  to  him  which  was  also  in  a 
shadow  signified  by  the  ceremonies  of  the  law, 


900 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


as  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  doth  plentifully 
declare. 

And  I say  again,  the  seventh-day  sabbath 
cannot  be  it,  for  the  reason  showed  afore. 

Ninthly.  Especially  if  you  add  to  all  this 
that  nothing  of  the  ministration  of  death 
written  and  engraven  in  stones  is  brought  by 
Jesus  or  his  apostles  into  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  as  a part  of  his  instituted  worship. 
Hence  it  is  said  of  that  ministration  in  the 
bowels  of  which  this  seventh-day  sabbath  is 
found  that  it  hag  now  no  glory,  that  its  glory 
is  done  away  in  or  by  Christ,  and  so  is  laid 
aside,  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  that 
excels  in  glory  being  come  in  the  room 
thereof. 

I will  read  the  text  to  you: 

“But  if  the  ministration  of  death,  written 
and  engraven  in  stones,  was  glorious,  so  that 
the  children  of  Israel  could  not  steadfastly  be- 
hold the  face  of  Moses  for  the  glory  of  his 
countenance,  which  glory  was  to  be  done  away, 
(it  was  given  at  first  with  this  proviso,  that  it 
should  not  always  retain  its  glory,  that  sanc- 
tion, as  a ministration,)  how  shall  not  the  min- 
istration of  the  Spirit  be  rather  glorious!  For 
if  the  ministration  of  condemnation  be  glory, 
much  more  doth  the  ministration  of  right- 
eousness exceed  in  glory.  For  even  that  which 
was  made  glorious  had  no  glory  in  this  re- 
spect, by  reason  of  the  glory  that  excelleth. 
For  if  that  which  was  done  away  was  glorious, 
much  more  that  which  remaineth  is  glorious!” 

' 2 Cor.  iii. 

What  can  be  more  plain?  The  text  says 
expressly  that  this  ministration  doth  not  re- 
main ; yea,  and  insinuates  that  in  its  first  in- 
stitution it  was  ordained  with  this  proviso,  “It 
was  to  be  done  away.”  Now  if  in  its  first  in- 
stitution upon  Sinai  it  was  thus  ordained,  and 
if  by  the  coming  in  of  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit  this  ordination  is  now  executed — that  is, 
if  by  it,  and  the  apostle  saith  it,  it  is  done 
away  by  a ministration  that  remains — then 
where  is  that  seventh-day  sabbath  ? 

Thus,  therefore,  I have  discoursed  upon  this 
fourth  question ; and  having  showed  by  this 
discourse  that  the  old  seventh-day  sabbath  is 
abolished  and  done  away,  and  that  it  has 
nothing  to  do  with  the  churches  of  tire  Gen- 
tiles, I am  next  to  show  what  day  it  is  that 
must  abide,  that  must  abide  as  holy  to  the 
Christians,  and  for  them  to  perform  their 
New  Testament  church  service  in.  Take  the 
question  thus: 


QUESTION  V. 

Since  it  is  denied  that  the  seventh-day  sabbath  is 
moral,  and  found  that  it  is  not  to  abide  as  a 
sabbath  for  ever  in  the  Church , what  time  is  to 
be  fixed  on  for  Neiv  Testament  saints  to  per- 
form together  divine  worship  to  God  by  Christ 
in  ? 

Upoh  this  question  hangs  the  stress  of  all 
as  to  the  subject  now  under  consideration. 
But  before  I can  speak  distinctly  to  it  I must 
premise,  as  I have  in  order  to  my  speaking  to 
the  questions  before,  something  for  the  better 
clearing  of  our  way : 

First,  then.  We  are  not  now  speaking  of 
all  manner  of  worshipping  God,  nor  of  all 
times  in  which  all  manner  of  worship  is  to  be 
performed,  but  of  that  worship  which  is  church 
worship,  or  worship  that  is  to  be  performed  by 
the  assembly  of  saints,  when  by  the  will  of 
God  they,  in  all  parts  of  his  dominion,  as- 
semble together  to  worship  him ; which  wor- 
ship hath  a prefixed  time  allotted  to  or  for  its 
performance,  and  without  which  it  cannot,  ac- 
cording to  the  mind  of  God,- be  done.  This  is 
the  time,  I say,  that  we  are  to  discourse  of, 
and  not  of  all  time  aj^pointed  for  all  manner 
of  worship. 

I do  not  question  but  that  worship  by  the 
godly  is  performed  to  God  every  day  of  the 
week,  yea,  and  every  night  too,  and  that  time 
is  appointed  or  allowed  of  God  for  the  per- 
formance of  such  worship.  But  this  time  is 
not  fixed  to  the  same  moment  or  hour  univer- 
sally, but  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  be- 
lievers, as  their  frame  of  spirit,  or  occasions, 
or  exigences,  or  temptations,  or  duty  shall 
require. 

We  meddle  then  only  with  that  time  that  the 
worship  aforesaid  is  to  be  performed  in  ; which 
time  the  law  of  nature,  as  such,  supposes,  but 
the  God  of  nature  chooses.  And  this  time,  as 
to  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles,  we  have  proved 
is  not  that  time  which  was  assigned  to  the 
Jews — to  wit,  that  seventh  day  which  was 
imposed  upon  them  by  the  ministration  of 
death — for,  as  we  have  showed  already,  that 
ministration  indeed  is  done  away  by  a better 
and  more  glorious  ministration,  the  ministra- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  which  ministration  surely 
would  be  much  more  inferior  than  that  which 
has  now  no  glory,  was  it  defective  as  to  this — 
that  is,  if  it  imposed  a Gospel  service,  but  ap- 
pointed no  time  to  perform  that  worship  in,  or 
if,  notwithstanding  all  its  commendation,  it 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  TIIE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


901 


should  be  forced  to  borrow  of  a ministration 
inferior  to  itself- — that,  to  wit,  the  time  without 
which  by  no  means  its  most  solemn  worship 
can  be  performed. 

This,  then,  is  the  conclusion,  that  time  to 
worship  God  in  is  required  by  the  law  of 
nature;  but  that  the  law  of  nature  doth,  as 
such,  fix  it  on  the  seventh  day  from  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world,  that  I utterly  deny,  for  what 
1 have  said  already  and  have  yet  to  say  on  that 
behalf.  Yea,  I hope  to  make  it  manifest,  as  I 
have,  that  this  seventh  day  is  removed — that 
God,  by  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  has 
changed  the  day  to  another  time — to  wit,  the 
first  day  of  the  week.  Therefore  we  conclude 
the  time  is  fixed  for  the  worship  of  the  New 
Testament  Christians  or  churches  of  the  Gen- 
tiles unto  that  day. 

Now  in  my  discourse  upon  this  subject  I 
shall — 

1.  Touch  upon  those  texts  that  are  more 
close,  yet  have  a divine  intimation  of  this 
thing  in  them. 

2.  And  then  I shall  come  to  texts  more  ex- 
press. 

First,  for  those  texts  that  are  more  close, 
3ret  have  a divine  intimation  of  this  thing  in 
them. 

First.  The  comparison  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
makes  between  the  rest  of  God  from  his  works 
and  the  rest  of  Christ  from  his  doth  intimate 
such  a thing : “ He  that  hath  entered  into  his 
rest,  he  also  hath  ceased  from  his  own  works, 
as  God  did  from  his.”  Heb.  iv.  10. 

Now  God  rested  from  his  works,  and  sancti- 
fied a day  of  rest  to  himself,  as  a signal  of  that 
rest ; which  day  he  also  gave  to  his  Church  as 
a day  of  holy  rest  likewise.  And  if  Christ 
thus  rested  from  his  own  works,  (and  the  Holy 
Ghost  says  he  did  thus  rest,)  he  also  hath 
sanctified  a day  to  himself  as  that  in  which  he 
hath  finished  his  work,  and  given  it  also  to  his 
Church  to  be  an  everlasting  memento  of  his  so 
doing,  and  that  they  should  keep  it  holy  for 
his  sake. 

And  see,  as  the  Father’s  work  was  first,  so 
his  day  went  before,  and  as  the  Son’s  work 
came  after,  so  his  day  accordingly  succeeded. 
The  Father’s  day  was  on  the  seventh  day  from 
the  creation — the  Son’s,  the  first  day  following. 

Nor  may  this  be  slighted,  because  the  text 
says  as  God  finished  his  work,  so  Christ  finish- 
ed his:  “He  also  hath  ceased  from  his  own 
works,  as  God  did  from  his.”  He  rested,  I 
say,  as  God  did ; but  God  rested  on  his  resting- 
day,  and  therefore  so  did  Christ.  Not  that  he 


rested  on  the  Father’s  resting-day,  for  it  is 
evident  that  then  he  had  great  part  of  his 
work  to  do,  for  he  had  not  as  then  got  his  con- 
quest over  death ; but  the  next  day  he  also 
entered  into  his  rest,  having,  by  his  rising 
again,  finished  his  work — viz.,  made  a conquest 
over  the  powers  of  darkness,  and  brouglrt  life 
and  immortality  to  light  through  his  so  doing. 

So,  then,  that  being  the  day  of  the  rest  of 
the  Son  of  God,  it  must  needs  be  the  day  of 
the  rest  of  his  churches  also.  For  God  gave 
his  resting-day  to  his  Church  to  be  a sabbath : 
“and  Christ  rested  from  his  own  works  as  God 
did  from  his;”  therefore  he  also  gave  the  day 
in  which  he  rested  from  his  works  a sabbath 
to  the  churches,  as  did  the  Father.  Not  that 
there  are  two  sabbaths  at  once.  The  Father’s 
was  imposed  for  a time,  even  until  the  Son’s 
should  come ; yea,  as  I have  showed  you,  even 
in  the  very  time  of  its  imposing  it  was  also  or- 
dained to  be  done  away.  Hence  he  saith  that 
ministration  was  to  be  done  away.  2 Cor.  iii. 
Therefore  we  plead  not  for  two  sabbaths  to  be 
at  one  time,  but  that  a succession  of  time  was 
ordained  to  the  New  Testament  saints  or 
churches  of  the  Gentiles  to  worship  in  ; which 
time  is  that  in  which  the  Son  rested  from  his 
own  works,  as  God  did  from  his. 

Secondly.  Hence  he  calls  himself  “ the  Lord 
even  of  the  sabbath  day,”  as  Luke  v.  and 
Matt.  xii.  show.  Now,  to  be  a Lord  is  to 
have  dominion,  dominion  over  a thing,  and  so 
power  to  alter  or  change  it  according  to  that 
power ; and  where  is  he  that  dares  say  Christ 
has  not  this  absolutely  ? 

We  will  therefore  conclude  that  it  is  granted 
on  all  hands  he  hath.  The  question  then  is, 
Whether  he  hath  exercised  that  power  to  the 
demolishing  or  removing  of  the  Jews’  seventh 
day  and  establishing  another  in  its  room  ? The 
which  I think  is  easily  answered  in  that  he  did 
' not  rest  from  his  own  works  therein,  but  chose 
for  his  own  rest  to  himself  another  day. 

Surely  had  the  Lord  Jesus  intended  to  have 
established  the  seventh  day  to  the  churches  of 
the  Gentiles,  he  would  himself  in  the  first 
place  have  rested  from  his  owu  works  therein ; 
but  since  he  passed  by  that  day  and  took  no 
notice  of  it  as  to  the  finishing  of  his  own 
works,  as  God  took  notice  of  it  when  he  had 
finished  his,  it  remains  that  he  fixed  upon 
another  day,  even  the  first  day  of  the  week ; 
on  which,  by  his  rising  again  and  showing 
himself  to  his  disciples  before  his  passion,  he 
made  it  manifest  that  he  had  chosen,  as  Lord 
of  the  sabbath,  that  day  for  his  own  rest ; con- 


902 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


tiequentlv,  and  for  the  rest  of  his  churches  and 
for  his  worship  to  be  solemnized  in. 

Thirdly.  And  on  this  day  some  of  the  saints 
that  slept  arose  and  began  their  eternal  sab- 
bath. See  how  the  Lord  Jesus  had  glorified 
this  day!  Never  was  such  a stamp  of  divine 
honour  put  upon  any  other  day,  no  not  since 
the  world  began.  “And  the  graves  were 
opened,  and  many  bodies  of  the  saints  which 
slept  arose  and  came  out  of  their  graves  after 
his  resurrection,”  &c.  That  is,  they  rose  as 
soon  as  he  was  risen.  But  why  was  not  all 
this  done  on  the  seventh  day?  No,  that  day 
was  set  apart  that  saints  might  adore  God  for 
the  works  of  creation,  and  that  saints  through 
that  might  look  for  redemption  by  Christ. 
But  now  a work  more  glorious  than  that  is  to 
he  done,  and  therefore  another  day  is  assigned 
for  the  doing  of  it  in — a work,  I say,  of  re- 
demption completed.  A day,  therefore,  by  it- 
self must  be  assigned  for  this,  and  some  of  the 
saints  to  begin  their  eternal  sabbath  with  God 
in  heaven ; therefore  a day  by  itself  must  be 
appointed  for  this.  Yea,  and  that  this  day 
might  not  want  that  glory  that  might  attract 
the  most  dim-sighted  Christian  to  a desire 
after  the  sanction  of  it,  the  resurrection  of 
Christ  and  also  of  those  saints  met  together  on 
it ; yea,  they  both  did  begin  their  eternal  rest 
thereon. 

Fourthly.  The  Psalmist  speaks  of  a day  that 
the  Lord  Jehovah,  the  Son  of  God,  has  made, 
and  saitli,  “ We  will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it.” 
But  what  day  is  this?  Why,  the  day  in  which 
Christ  was  made  “the  head  of  the  corner,” 
which  must  be  applied  to  the  day  in  which  he 
was  raised  from  the  dead,  which  is  the  first  of 
the  week. 

Hence  Peter  saitli  to  the  Jews,  when  he 
treateth  of  Christ  before  them,  and  particu- 
larly of  his  resurrection,  “This  is  the  stone 
which  (was)  set  at  naught  of  you  builders, 
which  (is)  become  the  head  of  the  comer.” 
He  was  set  at  naught  by  them  the  whole 
course  of  his  ministry  unto  his  death,  and 
was  made  the  head  of  the  corner  by  God  that 
day  he  rose  from  the  dead.  This  day,  there- 
fore, is  the  day  that  the  Lord  Jehovah  has 
made  a day  of  rejoicing  to  the  Church  of 
Christ,  and  we  will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it. 

For  can  it  be  imagined  that  tiie  Spirit  by 
the  prophet  should  thus  signalize  this  day  for 
nothing,  saying,  “ This  is  the  day  which  the 
Lord  hath  made,”  to  no  purpose?  Yes,  you 
may  say,  for  the  resurrection  of  his  Son. 

But  i add  that  this  is  not  all;  it  is  a day 


that  the  Lord  has  both  made  for  that,  and 
that  “we  might  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it.” 
Rejoice,  that  is,  before  the  Lord,  while  solemn 
divine  worship  is  performed  on  it  by  all  the 
people  that  shall  partake-  of  the  redemption 
accomplished  then. 

Fifthly.  God  the  Father  again  leaves  such 
another  stamp  of  divine  note  and  honour  upon 
this  day  as  he  never  before  did  leave  upon  any, 
where  he  saitli  to  our  Lord,  “Thou  art  my 
Son,  this  day  have  I begotten  thee ;”  still,  I 
say,  having  respect  to  “the  first  day  of  the 
week,”  for  that,  and  no  other,  is  the  day  here 
intended  by  the  apostle  ; This  day,  saitli  God, 
is  the  day.  “ And  as  concerning  that  he 
raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  now  no  more  to 
return  to  corruption,  he  saith  on  this  wise:  I 
will  give  thee  the  sure  mercies  of  David ;” 
wherefore  he  saith  in  another  Psalm,  “ Thou 
shalt  not  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corrup- 
tion.” Wherefore,  the  day  in  which  God  did 
this  work  is  greater  than  that  in  which  he  fin- 
ished the  work  of  the  creation  ; for  his  making 
of  the  creation  saved  it  not  from  corruption, 
but  now  he  hath  done  a work  which  corrup- 
tion cannot  touch ; wherefore,  the  day  on 
which  he  did  this  has  this  note  from  his 
own  mouth,  This  day,  as  a day  that  doth 
transcend. 

And,  as  I said,  this  day  is  the  first  of  the 
week,  for  it  was  in  that  day  that  God  begat 
his  beloved  Son  from  the  dead.  This  first  day 
of  the  week,  therefore  on  it  God  found  that 
pleasure  which  he  found  not  in  the  seventh 
day  from  the  world’s  creation,  for  that  in  it 
his  Son  did  live  again  to  him. 

Now  shall  not  Christians,  when  they  do 
read  that  God  saith,  This  day,  and  that  too 
with  reference  to  a work  done  on  it  by  him 
so  full  of  delight  to  him  and  so  full  of  life  and 
heaven  to  them,  set  also  a remark  upon  it? 
“This  was  the  day  of  God’s  pleasure,”  for  that 
his  Son  did  rise  thereon,  “ and  shall  it  not  be 
the  day  of  my  delight  in  him?”  This  is  the 
day  in  which  his  Son  was  both  begotten, 
and  born,  and  became  the  first  fruits  to  God 
of  them  that  sleep ; yea,  and  in  which  also 
he  was  made  by  him  the  chief  and  head 
of  the  corner;  and  shall  not  we  rejoice 
in  it? 

Shall  kings,  and  princes,  and  great  men  set 
a remark  upon  the  day  of  their  birth  and 
coronation,  and  expect  that  both  subjects  and 
servants  should  do  them  high  honour  on  that 
day,  and  shall  the  day  in  which  Christ  was 
both  begotten  and  born  be  a day  contemned 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATII. 


by  Christians,  and  his  name  not  be  but  of  a 
common  regard  on  that  day? 

I say  again,  shall  God,  as  with  his  finger, 
point,  and  that  in  the  face  of  the  world,  at 
this  day,  saying,  “Thou  art  my  Son,  this 
day,”  &c.,  and  shall  not  Christians  fear  and 
awake  from  their  employments  to  worship  the 
Lord  on  this  day  ? 

If  God  remembers  it,  well  may  I.  If  God 
says,  and  that  with  all  gladness  of  heart, 
“Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I begot- 
ten thee,”  may  not,  ought  not,  I also  to  set 
this  day  apart  to  sing  the  songs  of  my  re- 
demption in? 

This  day  my  redemption  was  finished. 

This  day  my  dear  Jesus  revived. 

This  day  he  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  with  power. 

Yea,  this  is  the  day  in  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  finished  a greater  work  than  ever  yet 
was  done  in  the  world  ; yea,  a work  in  which 
the  Father  himself  was  more  delighted  than 
he  was  in  making  of  heaven  and  earth.  And 
shall  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death  stain 
this  day,  or  shall  a cloud  dwell  on  this  day  ? 
Shall  God  regard  this  day  from  above,  and 
shall  not  his  light  shine  upon  this  day?  What 
shall  be  done  to  them  that  curse  this  day,  and 
would  not  that  the  stars  should  give  their  light 
thereon?  T/i is  day  I After  this  day  was  come, 
God  never,  that  we  read  of,  made  mention 
with  delight  of  the  old  seventh-day  sabbath 
more. 

Sixthly.  Nor  is  that  altogether  to  be  slighted 
when  he  saith,  “When  he  bringeth  his  first- 
begotten  into  the  world  let  all  the  angels  of 
God  worship  him” — to  wit,  at  that  very  time 
and  day. 

I know  not  what  our  expositors  say  of  this 
text,  but  to  me  it  seems  to  be  meant  of  his  res- 
urrection from  the  dead,  both  because  the 
apostle  is  speaking  of  that  and  closes  that  ar- 
gument with,  this  text,  “Thou  art  my  Sou, 
this  day  have  I begotten  thee.”  And  again, 
“ I will  be  his  Father,  and  he  shall  be  my  Son.” 
And  again,  when  he  bringeth  his  first-begotten 
into  the  world  he  saith,  “ And  let  all  the  angels 
of  God  worship  him.” 

So,  then,  for  God’s  bringing  of  his  first-be- 
gotten now  into  the  world,  was  by  his  raising 
him  again  from  the  dead  after  they  by  cruci- 
fying of  him  had  turned  him  out  of  the 
same. 

Thus,  then,  God  brought  him  into  the  world, 
never  by  them  to  be  hurried  out  of  it  again : 
for  “ Christ,  being  now  raised  from  the  dead, 


903 

dies  no  more;  death  hath  no  more  dominion 
over  him.” 

Now,  saith  the  text,  when  he  bringeth  him 
thus  into  the  world  he  requireth  that  worship 
to  be  done  unto  him.  When?  That  very 
day,  and  that  by  all  the  angels  of  God.  And 
if  by  all,  then  ministers  are  not  excluded;  and 
if  not  ministers,  then  not  churches;  for  what 
is  said  to  the  angels  is  said  to  the  Church 
itself. 

So,  then,  if  the  question  be  asked,  When 
must  they  worship  him?  the  answer  is,  When 
he  brought  him  into  the  world,  which  was  “ on 
the  first  day  of  the  week  ;”  for  then  he  bring- 
eth him  again  from  the  dead,  and  gave  the 
whole  world  and  the  government  thereof  into 
his  holy  hand.  This  text,  therefore,  is  of 
weight  as  to  what  we  have  now  under  con- 
sideration— to  wit,  that  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  the  day  in  which  God  brought  his  first- 
begotten  into  the  world,  should  be  the  day  of 
worshipping  him  by  all  the  angels  of  God. 

Seventhly.  Hence  this  day  is  called  the 
Lord’s  day,  as  John  saith,  “ I was  in  the  Spirit 
on  the  Lord’s  day,”  the  day  in  which  he  rose 
from  the  dead. 

The  Lord’s  day ! Every  day,  say  some,  is 
the  Lord’s  day.  Indeed  this,  for  discourse 
sake,  may  be  granted,  but,  strictly,  no  day  can 
so  properly  be  called  the  Lord’s  day  as  this 
first  day  of  the  week,  for  that  no  day  of  the 
week  or  of  the  year  has  those  badges  of  the 
Lord’s  glory  upon  it,  nor  such  divine  grace 
put  upon  it,  as  his  first  day  of  the  week.  This 
we  have  already  made  appear  in  part,  and  sha'I 
make  appear  much  more  before  we  have  done 
therewith. 

There  is  nothing,  as  I know  of,  that  bears 
this  title  but  the  Lord’s  Supper  and  this  day. 
And  since  Christians  count  it  an  abuse  to  alle- 
gorize the  first,  let  them  also  be  ashamed  to 
fantasticalize  the  last.  The  Lord’s  day  is 
doubtless  the  day  in  which  he  rose  from  the 
dead.  To  be  sure  it  is  not  the  old  seventh- 
day,  for  from  the  day  that  he  arose  to  the  end 
of  the  Bible  we  find  not  that  he  did  hang  so 
much  as  one  twist  of  glory  upon  that;  but 
this  day  is  beautified  with  glory  upon  glory, 
and  that  both  by  the  Father  and  the  Son,  by 
the  prophets,  and  those  that  were  raised  from 
the  dead  thereon  ; therefore  this  day  must  be 
more  than  the  rest. 

But  we  are  as  yet  but  upon  divine  intima- 
tions drawn  from  such  texts,  which,  if  can- 
didly considered,  do  very  much  smile  upon 
this  great  truth — namely,  that  the  first  day  of 


904 


RUNYAN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


the  week  is  to  be  accounted  the  Christian  sab- 
bath or  holy  day  for  divine  worship  in  the 
churches  of  the  saints.  And  now  I come  to 
the  texts  that  are  more  express. 

Secondly,  then : 

. First.  This  was  the  day  in  the  which  he  did 
use  to  show  himself  to  his  people  and  to  con- 
gregate with  them  after  he  rose  from  the  dead. 
On  the  first  day,  even  on  the  day  on  which 
he  rose  from  the  dead,  he. visited  his  people, 
both  when  together  and  apart,  over  and  over 
and  over,  as  both  Luke  and  John  do  testify, 
“And  preached  such  sermons  of  his  resurrec- 
tion, and  gave  unto  them,”  yea,  and  gave  them 
such  demonstration  of  the  truth  of  all  as  was 
never  given  them  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world.  Showing,  he  showed  them  his  risen 
body;  opening,  he  opened  their  understand- 
ings ; and  dissipating,  he  so  scattered  their  un- 
belief on  this  day  as  he  never  had  done  before . 
and  this  continued  one  way  or  another  even 
from  before  day  until  the  evening. 

Secondly.  On  the  next  first  day  following 
the  Church  was  within  again — that  is,  congre- 
gated to  wait  upon  their  Lord.  And  John  so 
relates  the  matter  as  to  give  us  to  understand 
that  they  were  not  so  assembled  together  again 
till  then.  “ After  eight  days,”  saith  he,  “ again 
the  disciples  were  within,”  clearly  concluding 
that  they  were  not  so  on  the  days  between,  no, 
not  on  the  old  seventh  day. 

Now,  why  should  the  Holy  Ghost  thus  pre- 
cisely speak  of  their  assembling  together  upon 
the  first  day  if  not  to  confirm  us  in  this,  that 
the  Lord  hath  chosen  that  day  for  the  new 
sabbath  of  his  Church?  Surely  the  apostles 
knew  what  they  did  in  their  meeting  together 
upon  that  day;  yea,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  also, 
for  that  he  used  so  to  visit  them  when  so  as- 
sembled made  his  practice  a law  unto  them ; 
for  practice  is  enough  for  us  New  Testament 
saints,  especially  when  the  Lord  Jesus  himself 
is  in  the  head  of  that  practice,  and  that  after 
he  rose  from  the  dead. 

Perhaps  some  may  stumble  at  the  word 
after — ■“  after  eight  days ; ” but  the  meaning  is, 
at  the  conclusion  of  the  eighth  day-,  or  when 
they  had  spent  in  a manner  the  whole  of  their 
sabbath  in  waiting  upon  their  Lord,  then  in 
comes  their  Lord  and  finisheth  that  their  day’s 
service  to  him  with  confirming  Thomas’s  faith, 
and  by  letting  drop  other  most  heavenly  treasure 
among  them.  Christ  said  he  must  lie  three 
days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart  of  the  earth, 
yet  it  is  evident  that  he  rose  the  third  day. 

We  must  take,  then,  a part  for  the  whole, 


and  conclude  that  from  the  time  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  rose  from  the  dead  to  the  time  that  he 
showed  his  hands  and  his  side  to  Thomas, 
eight  days  were  almost  expired ; that  is,  he 
had  sanctified  unto  them  the  two  first  days, 
and  had  accepted  that  service  they  had  per- 
formed to  him  therein,  as  he  testified  by  giving 
of  them  so  blessed  a farewell  at  the  conclusion 
of  both  those  days. 

Hence  now  we  conclude  that  this  wras  the 
custom  of  the  Church  at  this  day — to  wit, 
upon  the  first  day  of  the  week — to  meet  to- 
gether and  to  wait  upon  their  Lord  therein. 
For  the  Holy  Ghost  counts  it  needless  to  make 
a continued  repetition  of  things;  it  is  enough, 
therefore,  if  we  have  now  and  then  mention 
made  thereof. 

Objection.  “But  Christ  showed  himself  alive 
to  them  at  other  times  also.” 

Answer.  The  names  of  all  those  days  in 
which  he  so  did  are  obliterated  and  blotted  out, 
that  they  might  not  be  idolized,  for  Christ  did 
not  set  them  apart  for  worship ; but  this  day, 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  by  its  name  is  kept 
alive  in  the  Church,  the  Holy  Ghost  surely 
signifying  thus  much,  that,  how  hidden  soever 
other  days  were,  Christ  would  have  his  day, 
the  first  day,  had  in  everlasting  remembrance 
among  saints.  < 

Churches  also  meet  together  now  on  the 
wetk-days,  and  have  the  presence  of  Christ 
with  them  too  in  their  employments  ; but  that 
takes  not  off  from  them  the  sanction  of  the  old 
seventh  day  had  it  still  continued  holy  to 
them  ; wherefore  this  is  no  let  or  objection  to 
hinder  our  sanctifying  of  the  . first  day  of  the 
week  to, our  God.  But, 

Thirdly.  Add  to  this,  that  upon  Pentecost, 
which  was  the  first  day  of  the  week,  mention  is 
made  of  their  being  together  again  ; for  Pen- 
tecost was  always  the  morrow  after  the  sabbath, 
the  old  seventh-day  sabbath.  Upon  this  day, 
I say,  the  Holy  Ghost  saith,  “ they  were  with 
one  accord  together  in  one  place.” 

But  oh  the  glory  that  then  attended  them  by 
the  presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  among  them  ! 
Never  was  such  a thing  done  as  was  done  on 
that  first  day  till  then.  We  will  read  the  text : 
“ And  when  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  fully 
come,  they  were  all  with  one  accord  in  one 
place.  And  suddenly  there  came  a sound  from 
heaven  as  of  a rushing,  mighty  wind,  and  it 
filled  all  the  house  where  they  were  sitting. 
And  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  tongues, 
as  of  fire.  And  it  sat  upon  each  of  them,  and 
they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.” 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  SEVENTH- DAY  SABBATH. 


905 


Here’s  a first  day  glorified ! Here’s  a coun- 
tenance given  to  the  day  of  their  Christian 
assembling.  But  we  will  note  a few  things 
upon  it : 

First.  The  Church  was  now,  as  on  other  first 
days,  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place.  We 
read  not  that  they  came  together  by  virtue  of 
any  precedent  revelation,  not  by  accident,  but 
contrariwise,  by  agreement;  they  were  to- 
gether with  one  accord,  or  by  appointment,  in 
pursuance  of  their  duty,  setting  apart  that  day, 
as  they  had  done  the  first  days  before,  to  the 
holy  service  of  their  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ. 

Secondly.  We  read  that  this  meeting  of 
theirs  was  not  begun  on  the  old  sabbath,  but 
when  Pentecost  was  fully  come ; the  Holy 
Ghost  intimating  that  they  had  left  now,  and 
begun  to  leave,  the  seventh-day  sabbath  to  the 
unbelieving  Jews. 

Thirdly.  Nor  did  the  Holy  Ghost  come  down 
upon  them  till  every  moment  of  the  old  sab- 
bath was  past;  Pentecost,  as  was  said,  was 
fully  come  first : “ And  when  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost was  fully  come,  they  were  all  with  one 
accord  in  one  place,  and  then,”  &c. 

And  why  was  not  this  done  on  the  seventh- 
day  sabbath  but,  possibly,  to  show  that  the  min- 
istration of  death  and  condemnation  was  not 
that  by  or  through  which  Christ  the  Lord  would 
communicate  so  good  a gift  unto  his  churches? 

This  gift  must  be  referred  to  the  Lord’s  day, 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  to  fulfil  the  Scrip- 
ture, and  to  sanctify  yet  further  this  holy  day 
unto  the  use  of  all  New  Testament  churches 
of  the  saints.  For  since  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week  our  Lord  did  rise  from  the  dead,  and 
by  his  special  presence — I mean  his  personal 
— did  accompany  his  Church  therein,  and  so 
preach,  as  he  did,  his  holy  truths  unto  them, 
it  was  most  meet  that  they  on  the  same  day 
also  should  receive  the  first  fruits  of  their 
eternal  life  most  gloriously. 

And,  I say  again,  since  from  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ  to  this  day  the  Church  then  did 
receive  upon  the  first  day  (but,  as  we  read, 
upon  no  other)  such  glorious  things  as  we 
have  mentioned,  it  is  enough  to  beget  in  the 
hearts  of  them  that  love  the  Son  of  God  a 
high  esteem  of  the  first  day  of  the  week.  But 
how  much  more  when  there  shall  be  joined  to 
fiiese  proof  that  it  was  the  custom  of  the  first 
Gospel  Church,  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Jeru- 
salem, after  our  Lord  was  risen,  to  assemble 
together  to  wait  upon  God  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  with  their  Lord  as  leader. 


To  say  little  more  to  this  head,  but  only  to 
repeat  what  is  written  of  this  day  of  old — to 
wit,  that  it  should  be  proclaimed  the  self-same 
day — to  wit,  the  morrow  after  the  sabbath, 
which  is  the  first  day  of  the  week,  “ that  it 
may  be  an  holy  convocation  unto  you:  you 
shall  do  no  servile  work  therein  : it  shall  be  a 
statute  for  ever  in  all  your  dwellings.” 

This  ceremony  was  about  the  sheaf  that  was 
to  be  waved  and  the  bread  of  first  fruits,  which 
was  a type  of  Christ,  for  he  is  unto  God  “the 
first  fruits  of  them  that  sleep.” 

This  sheaf  or  bread  must  not  be  waved  on 
the  old  seventh  day,  but  on  the  morrow  after, 
which  is  the  first  day  of  the  week,  the  day  in 
which  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  and  waved 
himself  as  the  first  fruits  of  the  elect  unto 
God.  Now  from  this  day  they  were  to  count 
seven  sabbaths  complete,  and  on  the  morrow 
after  the  seventh  sabbath,  which  was  the  first 
day  of  the  week  again,  and  this  Pentecost 
upon  which  we  now  are,  then  they  were  to 
have  a new  meat-offering,  with  meat-offerings 
and  drink-offerings,  &c. 

And  on  the  selfsame  day  they  were  to  pro- 
claim that  that  first  day  should  be  a holy  con- 
vocation unto  them:  the  which  the  apostles 
did,  and  grounded  that  their  proclamation  so 
on  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  not  on 
ceremonies,  that  at  the  same  day  they  brought 
three  thousand  souls  to  God. 

Now,  what  another  signal  was  here  put  upon 
the  first  day  of  the  week  ! — the  day  in  which 
our  Lord  rose  from  the  dead,  assembled  with 
his  disciples,  poured^out.  so  abundantly  of  the 
Spirit,  and  gathered,  even  by  the  first  draught 
that  his  fishermen  made  by  the  Gospel,  such  a 
number  of  souls  to  6od. 

Thus  then  they  proclaimed  and  thus  they  ga- 
thered sinners  on  the  first  day  they  preached ; 
for  though  they  had  assembled  together  over 
and  over  with  their  Lord  before  therein,  yet 
they  began  not  jointly  to  preach  until  this  first 
day  of  Pentecost. 

Now  after  this  the  apostles  to  the  churches 
did  never  make  mention  of  a seventh-day  sab- 
bath. For  as  the  wave-sheaf  and  the  bread 
of  first  fruits  were  a figure  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
and  the  waving  of  his  life  from  the  dead,  so 
that  morrow  after  the  sabbath  on  which  the 
Jews  waved  their  sheaf  was  a figure  of  that  in 
which  our  Lord  did  rise;  consequently,  when 
their  morrow  after  the  sabbath  ceased,  our 
morrow  after  that  began,  and  so  has  continued 
a blessed  morrow  after  their  sabbath,  as  a holy 
sabbath  to  Christians  from  that  time  ever  since. 


906 


£ UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Fourthly.  We  come  yet  more  close  to  the 
custom  of  churches— I mean,  to 'the  custom  of 
the  churches  of  the  Gentiles — for  as  yet  we 
have  spoken  but  of  the  practice  of  the  Church 
of  God  which  was  at  Jerusalem;  only  we  will 
add,  that  the  customs  that  were  laudable  and 
binding  with  the  Church  at  Jerusalem  were 
with  reverence  to  be  imitated  by  the  churches 
of  the  Gentiles,  for  there  was  but  one  law  of 
Christ  for  them  both  to  worship  by. 

Now,  then,  to  come  to  the  point — to  wit, 
that  it  was  the  custom  of  the  churches  of  the 
Gentiles  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  but  upon 
no  other  that  we  read  of,  to  come  together  to 
perform  divine  worship  to  their  Lord. 

Hence  it  is  said,  “And  upon  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  when  the  disciples  were  come  to- 
gether to  break  bread,”  &c.  Acts  xx.  7.  This 
is  a text  that,  as  to  matter  of  fact,  cannot  be 
contradicted  by  any,  for  the  text  saith  plai  nly 
they  did  so  ; the  disciples  then  came  together 
to  break  bread — the  disciples  among  the  Gen- 
tiles did  so. 

Thus  you  see  that  the  solemnizing  of  a first 
day  to  holy  uses  was  not  limited  to,  though 
first  preached  by,  the  Church  that  was  at 
Jerusalem.  The  Church  at  Jerusalem  was 
the  mother  Church,  and  not  that  at  Rome,  as 
some  falsely  imagine,  for  from  this  Church 
went  out  the  law  and  the  holy  word  of  God  to 
the  Gentiles.  Wherefore  it  must  be  supposed 
that  this  meeting  of  the  Gentiles  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week  to  break  bread  came  to  them 
by  holy  traditions  from  the  Church  at  Jerusa- 
lem, since  they  were  thp  first  that  kept  the 
first  day  as  holy  unto  the  Lord  their  God. 

And  indeed  they  had  the  best  advantage  to 
do  it,  for  they  had  their  Lord  at  the  head  of 
them  to  back  them  to  it  by  his  presence  and 
preaching  thereon. 

But  we  will  a little  comment  upon  the  text. 

“ Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week.”  Thus 
you  see  the  day  is  nominated,  and  so  is  kept 
alive  among  the  churches ; for  in  that  the  day 
is  nominated  on  which  this  religious  exercise 
was  performed  it  is  to  be  suivposed  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  would  have  it  live  and  be  taken 
notice  of  by  the  churches  that  succeed. 

It  may  also  be  nominated  to  show  that  both 
the  Church  at  Jerusalem  and  those  of  the  Gen- 
tiles did  harmonize  in  their  sabbath,  jointly 
concluding  to  solemnize  worship  on  one  day; 
and  then  again  to  show  that  they  all  had  left 
the  old  sabbath  to  the  unbelievers,  and  jointly 
chose  to  sanctify  the  day  of  the  rising  of  their 
Lord  to  this  work. 


“ They  came  together  to  break  bread — to  par- 
take of  the  supper  of  the  Lord  ” And  -what 
day  so  fit  as  the  Lord’s  day  for  this?  This 
was  to  be  the  work  of  that  day — to  wit,  to 
solemnize  that  ordinance  among  themselves, 
adjoining  other  solemn  worship  thereto  to  fill 
up  the  day,  as  the  following  part  of  the  verse 
shows.  This  day,  therefore,  was  designed  for 
this  work — the  whole  day,  for  the  next  declares 
it.  The  first  day  of  the  week  was  set  by  them 
apart,  for  this  work. 

“Upon  the  first  day;”  not  upon  a first,  or 
upon  one  first  day,  or  upon  such  a first  day, 
for  had  he  said  so,  we  had  had  from  thence 
not  so  strong  an  argument  for  our  purpose ; 
but  when  he  saith  “ upon  the  first  day  of  the 
week”  they  did  it,  he  insinuates  it  was  their 
custom : (also  upon  one  of  these  Paul,  being 
among  them,  preached  unto  them,  ready  to 
depart  on  the  morrow.)  Upon  the  first  day. 
What  or  which  first  day? — of  this,  or  that,  of 
the  third  or  fourth  week  of  the  month  ? No, 
but  upon  the  first  day,  every  first  day,  for  so 
the  text  admits  us  to  judge.  . 

“Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the 
disciples  were  come  together,”  supposes  a cus- 
tom when  or  as  they  were  wont  to  come  to- 
gether to  perform  such  service  among  them- 
selves to  God : then  Paul  preached  to  them,  &c. 

It  is  a text  also  that  supposes  an  agreement 
among  themselves  as  to  this  thing.  They 
came  together  then  to  break  bread ; they  had 
appointed  to  do  it  then,  for  that  then  was  the 
day  of  their  Lord’s  resurrection,  and  that  in 
which  he  himself  congregated,  after  he  revived , 
with  the  first  Gospel  Church,  the  Church  at 
Jerusalem. 

Thus  you  see,  breaking  of  bread  was  the 
work— the  work  that  by  general  consent  was 
agreed  to  be  by  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles 
performed  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week.  I 
say,  by  the  churches,  for  I doubt  not  but  that 
the  practice  here  was  also  the  practice  of  the 
rest  of  the  Gentile  churches,  even  as  it  had 
been  before  the  practice  of  the  Church  at  Je- 
rusalem. For  this  practice  now  did  become 
universal,  and  so  this  text  implies;  for  he 
speaks  here  universally  of  the  practice  of  all 
disciples,  as  such,  though  he  limits  Paul’s 
preaching  to  that  Church  with  whom  he  at 
present  personally  was.  Upon  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  “when  the  disciples  were  come  to- 
gether to  break  bread,”  Paul,  being  at  that 
time  at  Troas,  preached  to  them  on  that  day. 

Thus  then  you  see  how  the  Gentile  churches 
did  use  to  break  bread,  not  on  the  old  sabbath, 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


907 


but  on  the  first  day  of  the  week.  Ami  I say 
they  had  it  from  the  Church  of  Jerusalem, 
where  the  apostles  were  first  seated  and  beheld 
the  way  of  their  Lord  with  their  eyes. 

Now,  I say,  since  we  have  so  ample  an  ex- 
ample, not  only  of  the  Church  at  Jerusalem, 
but  also  of  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles,  for 
the  keeping  of  the  first  day  to  the  Lord,  and 
that  as  countenanced  by  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles, we  should  not  be  afraid  to  tread  in  their 
steps,  for  their  practice  is  the  same  with  the 
law  and  commandment. 

But,  fifthly.  We  will  add  to  this  another 
text:  “Now,  (saith  Paul,)  concerning  the  col- 
lection for  the  saints,  as  I have  given  order  to 
the  churches  of  Galatia,  even  so  do  ye.  Upon 
the  first  day  of  the  week  let  every  one  of  you 
lay  by  him  as  God  has  prospered  him,  that 
there  be  no  gatherings  when  I come.” 

This  text  some  have  greatly  sought  to  evade, 
counting  the  duty  here  on  this  day  to  be  done 
a duty  too  inferior  for  the  sanction  of  an  old 
seventh-day  sabbath,  when  yet  to  show  mercy 
to  an  ass  on  the  old  sabbath  was  a work  which 
our  Lord  no  way  condemns. 

But  to  pursue  our  design.  We  have  a duty 
enjoined,  and  that  of  no  inferior  sort,  if  charity 
be  indeed,  as  it  is,  the  very  bond  of  perfect- 
ness, and  if  without  it  all  our  doings,  yea,  and 
sufferings  too,  are  'not  worth  as  much  as  a 
rush. 

We  have  here  a duty,  T say,  that  a seventh- 
day  sabbath,  when  in  force,  was  not  too  big  for 
it  to  be  performed  in. 

The  work  now  to  be  done  was,  as  you  see, 
to  bestow  their  charity  upon  the  poor,  yea,  to 
provide  for  time  to  come.  And,  I say,  it  must 
be  collected  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week. 
Upon  the  first  day,  not  A first  day,  as  signify- 
ing one  or  two,  but  upon  the  first  day,  even 
every  first  day,  for  so  your  ancient  Bibles  have 
it;  also  our  later  must  be  so  understood,  or 
else  Paul  had  left  them  to  whom  he  did  write 
utterly  at  a loss.  For  if  he  intended  not  every 
first  day,  and  yet  did  not  specify  a particular 
one,  it  could  hardly  even  have  been  under- 
stood which  first  day  he  meant.  But  we  need 
not  stand  upon  this:  this  work  was  a work  for 
A first  day,  for  every  first  day  of  the  week. 

Note  again,  that  we  have  this  duty  here 
commanded  and  enforced  by  an  apostolical 
order:  “I  have  given  order  (saith  Paul)  for 
this and  his  orders,  as  he  saith  in  another 
place,  “ are  the  commandments  of  the  Lord.” 
You  have  it  in  the  same  epistle,  chap.  xiv. 
verse  37. 


Whence  it  follows  that  there  was  given, 
even  by  the  apostles  themselves,  a holy  re- 
spect to  the  first  day  of  the  week  above  all 
the  days  of  the  week,  yea,  of  the  year  besides. 

Further,  I find  also  by  this  text  that  this 
order  is  universal:  “I  have  (saith  he)  given 
this  order  not  only  to  you,  but  to  the  churches 
in  Galatia;”  consequently  to  all  others  that 
were  concerned  in  this  collection.  2 Cor.  viii. 
and  ix.,  &c. 

Now  this,  whatever  others  may  think,  puts 
yet  more  glory  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
for  in  that  all  the  churches  are  commanded,  as 
to  make  their  collections,  so  to  make  them  on 
this  day,  what  is  it  but  that  this  day,  by 
reason  of  the  sanction  that  Christ  put  upon  it, 
was  of  virtue  to  sanctify  the  offering  through 
and  by  Christ  Jesus,  as  the  altar  and  temple 
afore  did  sanctify  the  gift  and  gold  that  were 
offered  on  them.  The  proverb  is,  “The  better 
day  the  better  deed.”  And  I believe  that 
things  done  on  the  Lord’s  day  are  better  done 
than  on  other  days  of  the  week,  in  his  wor- 
ship. 

Objection.  But  yet,  say  some,  here  are  no 
orders  to  keep  this  first  day  holy  to  the  Lord. 

Answer  1.  That  is  supplied  for  that  by  this 
very  text  this  day  is  appointed,  above  all  the 
days  of  the  week,  to  do  this  holy  duty  in. 

2.  You  must  understand  that  this  order  is 
additional,  and  now  enjoined  to  fill  up  that 
which  was  begun,  as  to  holy  exercise  of  re- 
ligious worship,  by  the  churches  long  before. 

3.  The  universality  of  the  duty  being  en- 
joined to  this  day,  supposes  that  this  day 
-was  universally  kept  by  the  churches  as  holy 
already. 

4.  And  let  him  that  scrupleth  this  show  me, 
if  he  can,  that  God,  by  the  mouth  of  his  apos- 
tles, did  ever  command  that  all  the  churches 
should  be  confined  to  this  or  that  duty  on  such 
a day,  and  yet  put  no  sanction  upon  that  day; 
or  that  he  has  commanded  that  this  work 
should  be  done  on  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
and  yet  has  reserved  other  church  ordinances 
as  a public  solemnization  of  worship  to  him  to 
be  done  of  another  day,  as  of  a day  more  fit  or 
more  holy. 

5.  If  charity,  if  a general  collection  for  the 
saints  in  the  churches,  is  commanded  on  this 
day,  and  on  no  other  day  but  this  day,  (for 
church  collection  is  commanded  on  no  other,) 
there  must  be  a reason  for  it;  and  if  that 
reason  hath  not  respect  to  the  sanction  of  the 
day,  I know  not  why  the  duty  should  be  so 
strictly  confined  to  it. 


908 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


6.  But  for  this,  the  apostle  now  to  give  a 
particular  command  to  the  churches  to  sanc- 
tify that  day  as  holy  unto  the  Lord  had  been 
utterly  superfluous;  for  that  they,  already,  and 
that  by  the  countenance  of  their  Lord  and  his 
Church  at  Jerusalem,  had  done. 

Before  now,  I say,  it  was  become  a custom, 
as  by  what  hath  been  said  already  is  manifest; 
wherefore  what  need  that  their  so  solemn  a 
practice  be  imposed  again  upon  the  brethren? 
An  intimation  now  of  a continued  respect 
thereto,  by  the  very  naming  of  the  day,  is 
enough  to  keep  the  sanctity  thereof  on  foot  in 
the  churches.  How  much  more,  then,  when  the 
Lord  is  still  adding  holy  duty  to  holy  duty,  be 
performed  upon  that  day.  So,  then,  in  that  the 
apostle  writes  to  the  churches  to  do  this  holy 
duty  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  he  puts 
them  in  mind  of  the  sanction  of  the  day,  and 
insinuates  that  he  would  still  have  them  have 
a due  respect  thereto. 

Question.  But  is  there  yet  another  reason 
why  this  holy  duty  should  in  special,  as  it  is, 
be  commanded  to  be  performed  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week? 

Answer.  Yes;  for  that  now  the  churches 
were  come  together  in  their  respective  places, 
the  better  to  agree  about  collections  and  to 
gather  them.  You  know  church  worship  is  a 
duty  so  long  as  we  are  in  the  world,  and  so 
long  also  is  this  of  making  collections  for  the 
saints.  And  forasmuch  as  the  apostle  speaks 
here,  as  I have  hinted  afore,  of  a church  col- 
lection, when  is  it  more  fit  to  be  done  than 
when  the  Church  is  come  together  upon  the 
first  day  of  the  week  to  worship  God? 

2.  This  part  of  worship  is  most  comely  to 
be  done  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and 
that  at  the  close  of  that  day’s  work ; for  there- 
by the  Church  shows  not  only  her  thankful- 
ness to  God  for  a sabbath  day’s  mercy,  but 
also  returneth  him,  by  giving  to  the  poor, 
that  sacrifice  for  their  benefit  that  is  most 
behooveful  to  make  manifest  their  professed 
subjection  to  Christ.  Prov.  xix.  17;  2 Cor.  ix. 

It  is  therefore  necessary  that  this  work  be 
done  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  for  a comely 
close  of  the  worship  that  we  perform  to  the 
Lord  our  God  on  that  day. 

3.  On  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the 
Church  is  performing  of  holy  worship  unto 
God,  then  that  of  collection  for  the  saints  is 
most  meet  to  be  performed,  because  then,  in 
all  likelihood,  our  hearts  will  be  most  warm 
with  the  divine  presence,  consequently  most 
open  and  free,  to  contribute  to  the  necessity 


of  the  saints.  You  know  that  a man  when 
his  heart  is  open  is  taken  with  some  excellent 
thing;  then,  if  at  all,  it  is  most  free  to  do 
something  for  the  promotion  thereof. 

Why?  Waiting  upon  God  in  the  way  of 
his  appointments  opens  and  makes  free  the 
heart  to  the  poor;  and  because  the  first  day 
of  the  week  was  it  in  which  now  such  solemn 
service  to  him  was  done,  therefore  also  the 
apostle  commanded  that  upon  the  same  day 
also,  as  on  a day  most  fit,  this  duty  of  collect- 
ing for  the  poor  should  be  done:  “For  the 
Lord  loves  a cheerful  giver.”  2 Cor.  ix.  6,  7. 

Wherefore  the  apostle  by  this  takes  the 
churches  as  it  were  at  the  advantage,  and, 
as  we  might  say,  while  the  iron  is  hot,  to  the 
intent  he  might,  what  in  him  lay,  make  their 
collections  not  sparing  nor  of  a grudging 
mind,  but  to  flow  from  cheerfulness.  And 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  though  its  institu- 
tion was  set  aside,  doth  most  naturally  tend  to 
this,  because  it  is  the  day,  the  only  day,  m 
which  we  received  such  blessings  from  God. 
Acts  iii.  26. 

This  is  the  day  on  which  at  first  it  rained 
manna  all  day  long  from  heaven  upon  the 
New  Testament  Church,  and  so  continues  to 
do  to  this  day.  Oh  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 
which  was  on  this  day,  and  the  riches  that  we 
receive  thereby,  though  it  should  be,  and  is,  I 
hope,  thought  on  every  day,  yet  when  the  first 
day  of  the  week  is  fully  come!  Then  fo-day! 
this  day  ! This  is  the  day  to  be  warmed  ; this 
day  he  was  begotten  from  the  dead.  The 
thought  of  this  will  do  much  with  an  honest 
mind.  This  is  the  day,  I say,  that  the  first 
saints  did  find,  and  that  after  saints  DO  find, 
the  blessings  of  God  come  down  upon  them ; 
and  therefore  this  is  the  day  here  commanded 
to  be  set  apart  for  holy  duties. 

And  although  what  I have  said  may  be  but 
little  set  by  of  some,  yet  for  a closing  word  as 
to  this,  I do  think  could  but  half  so  much  be 
produced  (as  for  the  day  Christ  rose  from  the 
dead)  quite  down  for  the  sanction  of  a seventh- 
day  sabbath  in  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles,  it 
would  much  sway  with  me.  But  the  truth  is, 
neither  doth  the  Apostle  Paul  nor  any  of  his 
fellows  so  much  as  once  speak  one  word  to 
the  churches  that  shows  the  least  regard,  as  to 
conscience  to  God,  of  a seventh-day  sabbath 
more.  No,  the  first  day,  the  first  day,  the 
first  day,  is  now  all  the  cry  in  the  churches  by 
the  apostles  for  the  performing  church  wor- 
ship unto  God.  Christ  began  it  on  that  day; 
then  the  Holy  Ghost  seconded  it  on  that  day; 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  T1IE  SEVENTH-DAY  SAB RATIL 


then  the  churches  practised  it  on  that  day ; 
and,  to  conclude,  the  apostle,  by  the  com- 
mand now  under  consideration,  continues  the 
sanction  of  that  day  to  the  churches  to  the  end 
of  the  world. 

But  as  to  the  old  seventh-day  sabbath,  as 
hath  been  said  afore  in  this  treatise,  Paul, 
who  is  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  has  so 
taken  away  that  whole  ministration  in  the 
bowels  of  which  it  is,  yea,  and  has  so  stript  it 
of  its  Old  Testament  grandeur,  both  by  terms 
and  arguments,  that  it  is  strange  to  me  it 
should  by  any  be  still  kept  up  in  the  churches, 
especially  since  the  same  apostle,  and  that  at 
the  same  time,  has  put  a better  ministration 
in  its  place. 

But  when  the  consciences  of  good  men  are 
captivated  with  an  error,  none  can  stop  them 
from  a prosecution  thereof  as  if  it  were  itself 
of  the  best  of  truths. 

Objection.  But  Paul  preached  frequently  on 
the  old  sabbath,  and  that  after  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ. 

Answer.  To  the  unbelieving  Jews  and  their 
proselytes  I grant  he  did.  But  we  read  not 
that  he  did  it  to  any  New  Testament  Church 
on  that  day,  nor  did  he  celebrate  the  insti- 
tuted worship  of  Christ  in  the  churches  on 
that  day.  For  Paul,  who  had  before  cast  out 
the  ministration  of  death,  as  that  which  had 
no  glory,  would  not  now  take  thereof  any  part 
for  New  Testament  instituted  worship;  for  he 
knew  that  that  would  veil  the  heart  and  blind 
the  mind  from  that  which  yet  instituted  wor- 
ship was  ordained  to  discover. 

He  preached,  then,  on  the  seventh-day  sab- 
bath, of  a divine  and  crafty  love,  to  the  salva- 
tion of  the  unbelieving  Jews. 

I say,  he  preached  now  on  that  day  to  them 
and  their  proselytes,  because  that  day  was 
theirs  by  their  estimation  : he  did  it,  I say,  of 
great  love  to  their  souls,  that,  if  possible,  he 
might  save  some  of  them. 

Wherefore,  if  you  observe  you  shall  still 
find  that  where  it  is  said  that  he  preached  on 
that  day,  it  was  to  that  people,  not  to  the 
churches  of  Christ. 

Thus,  though  he  had  put  away  the  sanction 
of  that  day  as  to  himself,  and  had  left  the 
Christians  that  were  weak  to  their  liberty  as 
to  conscience  to  it,  yet  he  takes  occasion  upon 
it  to  preach,  to  the  Jews  that  still  were  wedded 
to  it,  the  faith,  that  they  might  be  saved  by 
grace. 

Paul  did  also  many  other  thiugs  that  were 
Jewish  and  ceremonial,  for  which  he  had,  as 


909 

then,  no  conscience  at  all  as  to  any  sanction 
that  he  believed  was  in  them  — 

As  his  circumcising  of  Timothy ; 

His  shaving  of  his  head  ; 

His  submitting  to  Jewish  purifications; 

TIis  acknowledging  of  himself  a Pharisee; 

His  implicit  owning  of  Ananias  for  high 
priest  after  Christ  was  risen  from  the  dead. 

He  tells  us  also,  “that  to  the  Jew  he  be- 
came as  a Jew,  that  lie  might  save  the  Jew. 
And  without  law  to  them  that  were  without 
law,”  that  also  he  might  gain  them.  Yea,  he 
became,  as  he  saith,  “ all  things  to  all  men,  that 
he  might  gain  the  more.” 

But  these  things,  as  I said,  he  did  not  of 
conscience  to  the  things,  for  he  knew  that 
their  sanction  was  gone ; nor  would  he  suffer 
them  to  be  imposed  upon  the  churches  directly 
or  indirectly;  no,  not  by  Peter  himself. 

Were  I in  Turkey  with  a Church  of  Jesus 
Christ,  I would  keep  the  first  day  of  the  week 
to  God  and  for  the  edification  of  his  people, 
and  would  also  preach  the  word  to  the  infidels 
on  their  sabbath  day,  which  is  our  Friday; 
and  be  glad  too  if  I might  have  such  oppor- 
tunity to  try  to  persuade  them  to  a love  of 
their  own  salvation. 

Objection.  But  if  the  seventh-day  sabbath  is, 
as  you  say,  to  be  laid  aside  by  the  churches  of 
the  Gentiles,  why  doth  Christ  say  to  his,  “ Pray 
that  your  flight  be  not  in  the  winter  nor  on  the 
sabbath  day  ?”  for,  say  some,  by  this  saying  it 
appears  that  the  old  seventh-day  sabbath,  as 
you  have  called  it,  will,  as  to  the  sanction  of 
it,  abide  in  force  after  Christ  is  ascended  into 
heaven. 

Answer.  I say  first,  these  words  were  spoken 
to  the  Jewish  Christians,  not  to  the  Gentile 
churches ; and  the  reason  of  this  first  hint  you 
will  see  clearly  afterwards. 

The  Jews  had  several  sabbaths,  as  their 
seventh-day  sabbath,  their  monthly  sabbath, 
their  sabbath  of  years,  and  their  jubilee.  Now 
if  he  means  their  ordinary  sabbaths,  or  that 
called  the  seventh-day  sabbath,  why  doth  he 
join  the  winter  thereto?  for  in  that  he  joineth 
the  winter  with  that  sabbath  that  he  exhorteth 
them  to  pray  their  flight  might  not  be  in,  it 
should  seem  he  meaneth  rather  their  sabbath 
of  years,  or  their  jubilee,  which  did  better 
answer  one  to  another  than  one  day  and  a 
winter  could. 

And  I say  again,  that  Christ  should  suppose 
that  their  flight  should  or  might  last  some  con- 
siderable part  of  a winter,  and  yet  that  then 
they  should  have  their  rest  on  those  seventh- 


910 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


day  sabbaths,  is  a little  beside  my  reason,  if  it 
be  considered  again  that  the  Gentiles,  before 
whom  they  were  then  to  fly,  were  enemies  to 
their  sabbath,  and  consequently  would  take 
opportunity  at  their  sabbaths  to  afflict  them  so 
much  the  more.  Wherefore  I would  that  they 
who  plead  for  a continuation  of  the  seventh- 
day  sabbath  from  this  text  would  both  better 
consider  it  and  the  incoherence  that  seems  to 
be  betwixt  such  a sabbath  and  a winter. 

But  again,  were  it  granted  that  it  is  the 
seventh-day  sabbath  that  Christ  here  intendeth, 
yet  since,  as  we  have  proved,  the  sanction  be- 
fore this  was  taken  away — I mean,  before  this 
flight  should  be — he  did  not  press  them  to  pray 
thus  because  by  any  law  of  Heaven  they 
should  then  be  commanded  to  keep  it  holy, 
but  because  some  would,  through  their  weak- 
ness, have  conscience  of  it  till  then.  And 
such  would,  if  their  flight  should  happen 
thereon,  be  as  much  grieved  aud  perplexed  as 
if  it  yet  stood  obligatory  to  them  by  a law. 

This  seems  to  have  some  truth  in  it,  because 
among  the  Jews  that  believed  these  continued 
a long  time  many  that  were  wedded  yet  to  the 
law,  to  the  ceremonial  part  thereof,  and  were 
not  so  clearly  evangelized  as  the  churches  of 
the  Gentiles  were.  “Thou  seest,  brother, 
(said  James  to  Paul,)  how  many  thousands  of 
the  Jews  there  are  that  believe,  and  they  are 
all  zealous  of  the  law.” 

Of  these,  and  such  weak,  unbelieving  Jews, 
perhaps  Christ  speaks  when  he  gives  this  ex- 
hortation to  them  to  pray  thus,  whose  con- 
sciences he  knew  would  be  weak,  and,  being 
so,  would  bind  when  they  were  entangled  with 
an  error  as  fast  as  if  they  were  bound  by  a law 
indeed. 

Again,  though  the  seventli-day  sabbath  and 
ceremonies  lost  their  sanction  at  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ,  yet  they  retained  some  kind  of 
being  in  the  Church  of  the  Jews  until  the  des- 
olation spoken  of  by  Daniel  should  be. 

Hence  it  is  said  that  then  the  oblation  and 
sacrifices  shall  cease.  And  hence  it  is  that 
Jerusalem  and  the  temple  are  still  called  the 
holy  place,  even  until  this  flight  should  be. 

Now  if  Jerusalem  and  the  temple  are  still 
called  holy,  even  after  the  body  and  substance 
of  which  they  were  shadows  was  come,  then 
no  marvel  though  some  to  that  day  who  be- 
lieved were  entangled  therewith,  &c.  For  it 
may  very  well  be  supposed  that  all  conscience 
of  them  would  not  be  quite  taken  away  until 
all  reason  for  that  conscience  should  be  taken 
awaj  also.  But  when  Jerusalem  and  the  tem- 


ple, and  the  Jews’ worship  by  the  Gentiles  was 
quite  extinct  by  ruins,  then  in  reason  that  con- 
science did  cease.  And  it  seems,  by  some 
texts,  that  all  conscience  to  them  was  not 
taken  away  till  then. 

Question.  But  what  kind  of  being  had  the 
seventh-day  sabbath  and  other  Jewish  rites 
and  ceremonies  that  by  Christ’s  resurrection 
was  taken  away  ? 

Answer.  These  things  had  a virtual  and  a 
nominal  being.  As  to  their  virtual  being, 
that  died  that  day  Christ  did  rise  from  the 
dead,  they  being  crucified  with  him  on  the 
cross. 

But  now,  when,  the  virtual  being  was  gone, 
they  still  with  the  weak  retained  their  name 
(among  many  of  the  Jews  that  believed)  until 
the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate  stood  in 
the  holy  place ; for  in  Paul’s  time  they  were, 
as  to  that,  but  ready  to  vanish  away. 

Now,  I say,  they  still  retaining  their  nominal 
grandeur,  though  not  by  virtue  of  a law,  they 
could  not,  till  time  and  dispensation  came,  be 
swept  out  of  the  way.  We  will  make  out  what 
hath  been  said  as  to  this  by  a familiar  simili- 
tude : 

There  is  a lord  or  great  man  dies;  now, 
being  dead,  he  has  lost  his  virtual  life.  He 
has  now  no  relation  to  a wife,  to  children, 
virtually,  yet  his  name  still  abides,  and  that  in 
that  family  to  which  otherwise  he  is  dead. 
Wherefore  they  embalm  him,  and  also  keep 
him  above  ground  for  many  days ; yea,  he  is 
still  reverenced  by  those  of  the  family,  and 
that  in  several  respects,  nor  doth  any  thing 
but  time  and  dispensation  wear  this  name 
away. 

Thus,  then,  the  Old  Testament  signs  and 
shadows  went  off  the  stage  in  the  Church  of 
Christ  among  the  Jews.  They  lost  their  virtue 
and  signification  when  Christ  nailed  them  to 
his  cross.  But  as  to  their  name  and  the  gran- 
deur that  attended  that,  it  continued  with  many 
that  were  weak,  and  vanished  not  but  when 
the  abomination  that  made  them  desolate  came. 

The  sum  then  and  conclusion  of  the  matter 
is  this:  The  seventli-day  sabbath  lost  its  glory 
when  that  ministration  in  which  it  was  was  lost, 
but  yet  the  name  thereof  might  abide  a long 
time  with  the  Jewish  legal  Christians,  and  so 
might  become  obligatory  still,  though  not  by 
the  law,  to  their  conscience,  even  as  circum- 
cision and  other  ceremonies  did ; and  to  them 
it  would  be  as  grievous  to  fly  on  that  day  as  if 
by  law  it  was  still  in  force. 

For  I say,  to  a weak  conscience  that  law 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


which  has  lost  its  life  may  yet,  through  their 
ignorance,  be  as  binding  as  if  it  stood  still 
upon  the  authority  of  God. 

Things,  then,  become  obligatory  these  two 
ways : 

1 By  an  institution  of  God. 

2.  By  the  overruling  power  of  man’s  misin- 
formed conscience.  And  although  by  virtue 
of  an  institution  divine  worship  is  acceptable 
to  God  by  Christ,  yet  conscience  will  make 
that  a man  shall  have  but  little  ease  if  such 
rules  and  dictates  as  it  imposes  be  not  observed 
by  him. 

This  is  my  answer  upon  a supposition  that 
the  seventh-day  sabbath  is  in  this  text  in- 
tended; and  the  answer,  I think,  stands  firm 
and  good. 

Also  there  remains,  notwithstanding  this  ob- 
jection, no  divine  sanction  in  or  upon  the  old 
seventh-day  sabbath. 

Some  indeed  will  urge  that  Christ  here  meant 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  which  here  he  puts 
under  the  term  of  sabbath.  But  this  is  foreign 
to  me,  so  1 waive  it  till  I receive  more  satis- 
faction in  the  thing. 

Question.  But  if  indeed  the  first  day  of  the 
week  be  the  new  Christian  sabbath,  why  is 
there  no  more  spoken  of  its  institution  in  the 
Testament  of  Christ  ? 

Ansiver.  No  more ! What  need  is  there  of 
more  than  enough  ? Yea,  there  is  a great  deal 
found  in  the  Testament  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to 
prove  its  authority  divine: 

1.  For  we  have  showed  from  sundry  Scrip- 
tures that  from  the  very  day  our  Lord  did  rise 
from  the  dead,  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  in 
which  the  twelve  apostles  were,  did  meet  to- 
gether on  that  day,  and  had  the  Lord  himself 
for  their  preacher,  while  they  were  auditors; 
and  thus  the  day  began. 

2.  We  have  showed  that  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  third  person  in  the  Trinity,  did  second  this 
of  Christ  in  coming  down  from  heaven  upon 
this  day  to  manage  the  apostles  in  their  preach- 
ing; and  in  that  very  day  so  managed  them 
in  that  work  that  by  this  help  they  then  did 
bring  three  thousand  souls  to  God. 

3.  We  have  showed  also  that  after  this  the 
Gentile  churches  did  solemnize  this  day  for 
holy  worship,  and  that  they  had  from  Paul 
both  countenance  and  order  so  to  do. 

And  now  I will  add  that  more  need  not  be 
spoken,  for  the  practice  of  the  first  Church, 
with  their  Lord  at  the  head  of  them  to 
manage  them  in  that  practice,  is  as  good  as 
many  commands.  What,  then,  shall  we  say 


911 

when  we  see  a first  practice  turned  into  holy 
custom  ? 

I say,  moreover,  that  though  a seventh-day 
sabbath  is  not  natural  to  man  as  man,  yet  our 
Christian  holy  day  is  natural  to  us  as  saints  if 
our  consciences  are  not  clogged  before  with 
some  old  fables  or  Jewish  customs. 

But  if  an  old  religion  shall  get  footing  and 
rooting  in  us,  though  the  grounds  thereof  be 
vanished  away,  yet  the  man  concerned  will  be 
hard  put  to  it,  should  he  be  saved,  to  get  clear 
of  his  clouds  and  devote  himself  to  that  ser- 
vice of  God  which  is  of  his  own  prescribing. 

Luther  himself,  though  he  saw  many  things 
were  without  ground  which  he  had  received 
for  truth,  had  yet  work  hard  enough,  as  him- 
self intimates,  to  get  his  conscience  clear  from 
all  those  roots  and  strings  of  inbred  error. 

But,  I say,  to  an  untainted  and  well-bred 
Christian  we  have  good  measure,  shaken  to- 
gether and  running  over,  for  our  Christian 
Lord’s  day.  And  I say  again,  that  the  first  day 
of  the  week  and  the  spirit  of  such  a Christian 
suit  one  another,  as  nature  suiteth  nature;  for 
there  is,  as  it  were,  a natural  instinct  in  Chris- 
tians, as  such,  when  they  understand  what  in 
a first  day  was  brought  forth,  to  fall  in  there- 
with to  keep  it  holy  to  their  Lord. 

1.  The  first  day  of  the  week ! Why  it  was 
the  day  of  our  life.  After  two  days  he  will  re- 
ceive us,  and  in  the  third  day  we  shall  live  in 
his  sight.  After  two  days.  There  is  the  Jews’ 
preparation  and  seventh-day  sabbath  quite  passed 
over ; and  in  the  third  day — that  is,  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  which  is  the  day  our  Lord  did 
rise  from  the  dead — we  began  to  live  by  him 
in  the  sight  of  God. 

2.  The  first  day  of  the  week ! That  is  the 
day  in  which,  as  I hinted  before,  our  Lord  was 
wont  to  preach  to  his  disciples  after  he  rose 
from  the  dead ; in  which  also  he  did  use  to 
show  them  his  hands  and  his  feet,  to  the  end 
they  might  be  confirmed  in  the  truth  of  his 
victory  over  death  and  the  grave  for  them ; the 
day  in  which  he  made  himself  known  to  them 
in  breaking  bread;  the  day  in  which  he  so 
plentifully  poured  out  the  Holy  Ghost  upon 
them ; the  day  in  which  the  Church,  both  at 
Jerusalem  and  those  of  the  Gentiles,  did  use  to 
perform  to  God  divine  worship;  all  which  has 
before  been  sufficiently  proved.  And  shall  we 
not  imitate  our  Lord,  nor  the  Church  that  was 
immediately  actuated  by  him  in  this,  and  the 
churches  their  fellows?  Shall,  I say,  the  Lord 
Jesus  do  all  this  in  his  Church,  and  they  to- 
gether with  him;  shall  the  churches  of  the 


912 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Gentiles  also  fall  in  with  their  Lord  and  with 
their  mother  at  Jerusalem  herein  ; and  again, 
shall  all  this  be  so  punctually  committed  to 
sacred  story,  with  the  day  in  which  these 
things  were  done,  under  denomination  over 
and  over,  saying,  These  things  were  done  on 
the  first  day,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  while 
all  other  days  are,  as  to  name,  buried  in  ever- 
lasting oblivion, — and  shall  we  not  take  that 
notice  thereof  as  to  follow  the  Lord  Jesus  and 
the  churches  herein?  0 stupidity ! 

3.  This  day  of  the  week ! They  that  make 
hut  observation  of  what  the  Lord  did  of  old  to 
many  sinners  and  with  his  churches  on  this 
day  must  need  conclude  that  in  this  day  the 
treasures  of  heaven  were  broken  up  and  the 
richest  things  therein  communicated  to  his 
Church.  Shall  the  children  of  this  world  be, 
as  to  this  also,  wiser  in  their  generation  than 
the  children  of  light,  and  former  saints,  upon 
whose  shoulders  we  pretend  to  stand,  go  be- 
yond us  here  also? 

Jacob  could,  by  observation,  gather  that  the 
place  where  he  lay  down  to  sleep  was  no  other 
but  the  house  of  God  and  the  very  gate  of 
heaven. 

Laban  could  gather  by  observation  that  the 
Lord  blessed  him  for  Jacob’s  sake. 

David  could  gather  by  what  he  met  with 
upon  Mount  Moriah  that  that  was  the  place 
where  God  would  have  the  temple  budded : 
therefore  he  sacrificed  there. 

Ruth  was  to  mark  the  place  where  Boaz  lay 
down  to  sleep ; and  shall  not  Christians  also 
mark  the  day  in  which  our  Lord  “ rose  from 
the  dead?” 

I say,  shall  we  not  mark  it  when  so  many 
memorable  things  were  done  on  it  for,  and  to, 
and  in  the  churches  of  God!  Let  saints  be 
ashamed  to  think  that  such  a day  should  be 
looked  over  or  counted  common  (when  tempted 
to  it  by  Satan)  when  kept  to  religious  service 
of  old,  and  when  beautified  with  so  many  di- 
vine characters  of  sanctity  as  we  have  proved 
Ly  Christ,  his  Church,  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
the  command  of  apostolical  authority  it 
was. 

But  why,  I say.  is  this  day,  on  which  our 
Lord  rose  from  the  dead,  nominated  as  it  is? 
Why  was  it  not  sufficient  to  say,  “ He  rose 
again,”  or,  He  rose  again  the  third  day,  with- 
out a specification  of  the  very  name  of  the 
day?  For,  as  we  said  afore,  Christ  appeared 
to  his  disciples  after  his  resurrection  on  other 
days  also,  yea,  and  thereon  did  miracles  too. 
Why,  then,  did  not  these  days  live?  why  was 


their  name,  for  all  that,  blotted  out,  and  this 
day  only  kept  alive  in  the  churches? 

The  day  on  which  Christ  was  born  of  a vir- 
gin, the  day  of  his  circumcision,  the  day  of 
his  baptism  and  transfiguration,  are  not,  by 
their  names,  committed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
Holy  Writ  to  be  kept  alive  in  the  word,  nor 
yet  such  days  in  which  he  did  many  great  and 
wonderful  things.  But  this  day,  this  day,  is 
still  nominated — the  first  day  of  the  week  is 
the  day.  I say,  why  are  things  thus  left  with 
us  but  because  we,  as  saints  of  old,  should 
gather  and  separate  what  is  of  divine  author- 
ity from  the  rest?  For  in  that  this  day  is  so 
often  nominated  while  all  other  days  lie  dead 
in  their  grave,  it  is  as  much  as  if  God  should 
say,  Remember  the  first  day  of  the  week  to 
keep  it  holy  to  the  Lord  your  God. 

And,  set  this  aside,  I know  not  what  reason 
can  be  rendered  or  what  prophecy  should  be 
fulfilled  by  the  bare  naming  of  the  day. 

When  God  of  old  did  sanctify  for  the  use  of 
his  Church  a day,  as  he  did  many,  he  always 
called  them  either  by  the  name  of  the  day  of 
the  month  or  of  the  week,  or  by  some  other 
signal  by  which  they  might  be  certainly  known. 
Why  should  it  not  then  be  concluded  that  for 
this  reason  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  thus 
often  nominated  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the 
Testament  of  Christ? 

Moreover,  he  that  takes  away  the  first  day 
as  to  his  service,  leaves  us  now  no  day  as 
sanctified  of  God  for  his  solemn  worship  to  be 
by  his  churches  performed  in.  As  for  the 
seventh-day  sabbath,  that,  as  we  see,  is  gone 
to  its  grave  with  the  signs  and  shadows  of  the 
Old  Testamant;  yea,  and  has  such  a dash  left 
upon  it  by  apostolical  authority  that  it  is 
enough  to  make  a Christian  fly  from  it  foi 
ever.  2 Cor.  iii. 

Now,  I say,  since  that  is  removed  by  God,  if 
we  should  suffer  the  first  day  also  to  be  taken 
away  by  man,  what  day  that  has  a divine 
stamp  upon  it  would  be  left  for  us  to  worship 
God  in  ? 

Alas ! the  first  day  of  the  week  is  the  Chris- 
tian’s market-day — that  which  they  so  solemnly 
trade  in  for  soul-provision  for  all  the  week  fol- 
lowing. This  is  the  day  that  they  gather 
manna  in.  To  be  sure,  the  seventh-day  sab- 
bath is  not  that,  for  of  old  the  people  of  God 
could  never  find  manna  on  that  day.  “ On  the 
seventh  day,”  said  Moses,  “ which  is  the  sab- 
bath, in  it  there  shall  be  none.” 

Any  day  of  the  week  manna  could  be 
fouud,  but  on  that  day  it  was  not  to  be  found 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH.  913 


upon  the  face  of  the  ground.  But  now  our 
first  day  is  the  manna-day,  the  only  day  that 
the  churches  of  the  New  Testament,  even  of 
old,  did  gather  manua  in.  But  more  of  this 
anon. 

Nor  will  it  out  of  mind  but  that  it  is  a very 
high  piece  of  ingratitude  and  of  uncomely  be- 
haviour to  deny  the  Son  of  God  his  day,  the 
Lord's  day,  the  day  that  he  has  made;  and,  as 
we  have  showed  already,  this  first  day  of  the 
week  is  it ; yea,  and  a great  piece  of  unman- 
nerliness is  it  too  for  any,  notwithstanding  the 
old  seventh  day  is  so  degraded  as  it  is,  to  at- 
tempt to  impose  it  on  the  Son  of  God — to  im- 
pose a day  upon  him  which  yet  Paul  denies  to 
be  a branch  of  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit 
and  of  righteousness.  Yea,  to  impose  a part 
of  that  ministration  which  he  says  plainly  was 
to  be  done  away,  for  that  a better  ministra- 
tion stript  it  of  its  glory,  is  a high  attempt 
indeed. 

Yet  again  the  apostle  smites  the  teachers  of 
the  law  upon  the  mouth,  saying,  “ They  un- 
derstand neither  what  they  say  nor  whereof 
they  aflirm.” 

The  seventh-day  sabbath  was  iudeed  God’s 
rest  from  the  works  of  creation;  but  yet  the 
rest  that  he  found  in  what  the  first  day  of  the 
week  did  produce,  for  Christ  was  born  from 
the  dead  in  it,  more  pleased  him  than  did  all 
the  seventh  days  that  ever  the  world  brought 
forth ; wherefore,  as  I said  before,  it  cannot  be 
but  the  well-bred  Christian  must  set  apart  this 
day  for  solemn  worship  to  God  and  to  sanctify 
his  name  therein. 

Must  the  Church  of  old  be  bound  to  remem- 
ber that  night  in  which  they  did  come  out  of 
Egypt;  must  Jephthah’s  daughter  have  four 
days  for  the  virgins  of  Israel  yearly  to  lament 
her  hard  case  in;  yea,  must  two  days  be  kept 
by  the  Church  of  old  yearly  for  their  being 
delivered  from  Hainan’s  fury ; and  must  not 
one  to  the  world’s  end  be  kept  by  the  saints 
for  the  Son  of  God  their  Redeemer,  for  all  he 
has  delivered  them  from  a worse  than  Pha- 
raoh or  Haman,  even  from  the  devil,  and  death, 
and  sin,  and  hell f 0 stupidity! 

A day!  say  some — God  forbid  but  he 
should  have  a day ! But  what  day  ? Oh,  the 
old  day  comprised  within  the  bounds  and 
bowels  of  the  ministration  of  death. 

And  is  this  the  love  that  thou  hast  to  thy 
Redeemer,  to  keep  that  day  to  him  for  all  the 
service  that  he  hath  done  for  thee,  which  has 
a natural  tendency  in  it  to  draw  thee  otf 
from  the  consideration  of  the  works  of  thy 
5S 


redemption  to  the  creation  of  the  world?  0 
stupidity  ! 

But  why  must  he  be  imposed  upon?  Has 
he  chosen  that  day?  did  he  finish  his  work 
thereon?  Is  there,  in  all  the  New  Testament 
of  our  Lord,  from  the  day  he  rose  from  the 
dead  to  the  end  of  his  holy  book,  one  syllable 
that  signifies  in  the  least  the  tenth  part  of 
such  a thing?  Where  is  the  Scripture  that 
saith  that  this  Lord  of  the  sabbath  com- 
manded his  Church,  from  that  time,  to  do 
any  part  of  church  service  thereon?  Where 
do  we  find  the  churches  to  gather  together 
thereon  ? 

But  why  the  seventh  day?  What  is  it, 
take  but  the  shadow  thereof  away  ? Or  what 
shadow  now  is  left  in  it  since  its  institution  as 
to  divine  service  is  taken  long  since  from  it? 

Is  tflere  any  thing  in  the  works  that  were 
done  in  that  day  more  than  shadow,  or  that  in 
the  least  tends  otherwise  to  put  us  in  mind  of 
Christ?  and,  he  being  come,  what  need  have 
we  of  that  shadow?  And  I say  again,  since 
that  day  was  to  be  observed  by  a ceremonial 
method,  and  no  way  else,  as  we  find,  and 
since  ceremonies  are  ceased,  what  way  by 
divine  appointment  is  there  left  to  keep  that 
old  sabbath  by  Christians  in  ? 

If  they  say,  Ceremonies  are  ceased,  by  the 
same  argument  so  is  the  sanction  of  the  day 
in  which  they  were  to  be  performed.  I would 
gladly  see  the  place,  if  it  is  to  be  found,  where 
it  is  said  -that  day  retains  its  sanction  which 
yet  has  lost  that  method  of  service  which  was 
of  God  appointed  for  the  performance  of  wor- 
ship to  him  thereon. 

When  Canaan  worship  fell  the  sanction  of 
Canaan  fell.  When  temple  worship,  and  altar 
worship,  and  the  sacrifices  of  the  Levitical 
priesthood  fell,  down  also  came  the  things 
themselves.  Likewise  so  when  the  service 
or  shadow  and  ceremonies  of  the  seventh- 
day  sabbath  fell,  the  seventh-day  sabbath  fell 
likewise. 

On  the  seventh-day  sabbath,  as  I told  you, 
manna  was  not  to  be  found.  But  why?  For 
that  day  was  of  Moses  and  of  the  ministration 
of  death.  But  manna  was  not  of  him. 
“Moses,”  says  Christ,  “gave  you  not  that 
bread  from  heaven.”  Moses,  as  was  said, 
gave  that  sabbath  in  tables  of  stone,  and  God 
gave  that  manna  from  heaven.  Christ  nor 
his  Father  gives  grace  by  the  law,  no  not  by 
that  law  in  which  is  contained  the  old  seventh- 
day  sabbath  itself. 

The  law  is  not  of  faith ; why  then  should 


914 


LUKYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


grace  be  by  Christians  exppcted  by  observa- 
tion of  the  law?  The  law,  even  the  law  writ- 
ten and  engraven  in  stones,  enjoins  perfect 
obedience  thereto  on  pain  of  the  curse  of  God. 
Nor  can  that  part  of  it  now  under  considera- 
tion, according  as  is  required,  be  fulfilled  by. 
anj  man  was  the  ceremony  thereto  belonging 
allowed  to  be  laid  aside.  Never  man  yet  did 
keep  it  perfectly,  except  he  whose  name  is 
Jesus  Christ;  in  him,  therefore,  we  have 
kept  it,  and  by  him  are  set  free  from  that  law 
and  brought  under  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit. 

But  why  should  we  be  bound  to  seek  manna 
on  that  day  on  which  God  says  “ none  shall 
be  found?” 

Perhaps  it  will  be  said  that  the  sanction  of 
that  day  would  not  admit  that  manna  should 
be  gathered  on  it. 

But  that  was  not  all,  for  on  that  day  there 
was  none  to  be  found.  And  might  I choose,  I 
had  rather  sanctify  that  day  to  God  on  which 
I might  gather  this  bread  of  God  all  day  long 
than  set  my  mind  at  all  upon  that  in  which  no 
such  bread  was  to  be  had. 

The  Lord’s  day,  as  was  said,  is  to  Christians 
the  principal  manna-day. 

On  this  day,  even  on  it,  manna  in  the  morn- 
ing very  early  gathered  was,  by  the  disciples 
of  our  Lord,  as  newly  springing  out  of  the 
ground.  The  true  bread  of  God,  the  sheaf  of 
first  fruits,  which  is  Christ  from  the  dead,  was 
ordained  to  be  waved  before  the  Lord  on  the 
morrow  after  the  sabbath,  the  day  on  which 
“ our  Lord  ceased  from  his  own  work,  as  God 
did  from  his.” 

Now,  therefore,  the  disciples  found  then- 
green  ears  of  corn  indeed.  Now  they  read 
life,  both  in  and  out  of  the  sepulchre  in 
which  the  Lord  was  laid.  Now  they  could 
not  come  together,  nor  speak  to  one  another, 
but  either  their  Lord  was  with  them  or  they 
had  heart-inflaming  tidings  from  him.  Now 
cries  one  and  says,  The  Lord  is  risen ; and 
then  another  and  says,  He  hath  appeared  to 
such  and  such. 

Now  come  tidings  to  the  eleven  that  their 
women  were  early  at  the  sepulchre,  where 
they  had  a vision  of  angels  that  told  them 
their  Lord  was  risen:  then  comes  another, 
and  says,  The  Lord  is  risen  indeed.  Two 
also  come  from  Emmaus  and  cry,  We  have 
seen  the  Lord;  and  by  and  by,  while  they 
were  speaking,  their  Lord  showed  himself  in 
the  midst  of  them. 

Now  he  calls  to  their  mind  some  of  the 


eminent  passages  of  his  life,  and  eats  and 
drinks  in  their  presence,  and  opens  the  Scrip- 
tures to  them  ; yea,  and  opens  their  under- 
standing too,  that  their  hearing  might  not  be 
unprofitable  to  them ; all  which  continued 
from  early  in  the  morning  till  late  at  night. 
Oh  what  a manna-day  was  this  to  the  Church ! 
And  more  than  all . this  you  will  find,  if 
you  read  but  the  four  evangelists  upon  this 
subject. 

Thus  began  the  day  after  the  sabbath,  and 
thus  it  has  continued  through  all  ages  to  this 
very  day.  Never  did  the  seventh-day  sabbath 
yield  manna  to  Christians.  A new  world  was 
now  begun  with  the  poor  Church  of  God,  for 
so  said  the  Lord  of  the  sabbath,  “ Behold  I 
make  all  things  new.”  A new  covenant!  and 
why  not  then  a new  resting-day  to  the  Church, 
or  why  must  the  old  sabbath  be  joined  to  this 
new  ministration  ? Let  him  that  can  show  a 
reason  for  it. 

Christians,  if  I have  not  been  so  large  upon 
things  as  some  might  expect,  know  that  my 
brevity  on  this  subject  is  from  consideration 
that  much  needs  not  be  spoken  thereto,  and 
because  I may  have  occasion  to  write  a Second 
Part. 

Christians,  beware  of  being  entangled  with 
Old  Testament  ministrations,  lest  by  one  you 
be  brought  into  many  inconveniences. 

I have  observed  that  though  the  Jewish  rites 
have  lost  their  sanction,  yet  some  that  are  weak 
in  judgment  do  bring  themselves  into  bondage 
by  them.  Yea,  so  high  have  some  been  car- 
ried as  to  a pretended  conscience  to  these  that 
they  have  at  last  proceeded  to  circumcision,  to 
many  wives,  and  the  observation  of  many  bad 
things  besides. 

Yea,  I have  talked  with  some  pretending  to 
Christianity  who  have  said,  and  affirmed  as 
well  as  they  could,  that  the  Jewish  sacrifices 
must  up  again. 

But  do  you  give  no  heed  to  these  Jewish 
fables  “ that  turn  from  the  truth.”  Do  you,  I 
say,  that  love  the  Lord  Jesus  keep  close  to  his 
Testament,  his  word,  bis  Gospel,  and  observe 
his  holy  day. 

And  this  caution  in  conclusion  I would  give 
to  put  a stop  to  this  Jewish  ceremony:  to  wit, 
that  a seventh-day  sabbath,  pursued  according 
to  its  imposition  by  law,  (and  I know  not  that 
it  is  imposed  by  the  apostles,)  leads  to  blood 
and  stoning  to  death  those  that  do  but  gather 
sticks  thereon— a thing  which  no  way  becomes 
the  Gospel,  that  ministration  of  the  Spirit  and 
of  righteousness,  nor  yet  thej) rofessors  thereof. 


QUESTIONS  RELATIVE  TO  TIIE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


915 


Nor  can  it  with  fairness  be  said  that  that 
sabbath  day  remains,  though  the  law  thereof 
is  repealed,  for  confident  I am  that  there  is  no 
more  ground  to  make  such  a conclusion  than 
there  is  to  say  that  circumcision  is  still  of 
force,  though  the  law  for  cutting  off  the  uncir- 
cumcised is  by  the  Gospel  made  null  and 
void. 

I told  you  also  in  the  epistle  that  if  the  fifth 
commandment  was  the  first  that  was  with 
promise,  then  it  follows  that  the  fourth,  or  that 
seventh-day  sabbath,  had  no  promise  entailed 
to  it;  whence  it  follows  that  where  you  read  in 
the  prophet  of  a promise  annexed  to  a sab- 
bath, it  is  best  to  understand  it  of  our  Gospel 
sabbath. 

Now,  if  it  be  asked,  What  promise  is  en- 
tailed to  our  first-day  sabbath?  I answer,  the 
biggest  of  promises.  For— 

First.  The  resurrection  of  Christ  was  tied  by 
promise  to  this  day,  and  to  none  other.  He 
rose  the  third  day  after  his  death,  and  that  was 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  according  to  what 
was  forepromised  in  the  Scriptures. 

Second.  That  we  should  live  before  God  by 
him  is  a promise  to  be  fulfilled  on  this  day: 
“After  two  days  he  will  revive  us,  aud  in  the 
third  day  we  shall  live  in  his  sight.”  Hos.  vi. 
2.  See  also  Isa.  xxvi.  19,  and  compare  them 
again  with  1 Cor.  xv.  4. 

Third.  The  great  promise  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment— to  wit,  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit — 
fixetli  upon  these  days,  and  so  he  began  in  the 
most  wonderful  effusion  of  it  upon  Pentecost, 
which  was  the  first  day  of  the  week,  that  the 
Scriptures  might  be  fulfilled. 

Nor  could  these  three  promises  be  fulfilled 
upon  any  other  days,  for  that  the  Scripture 
had  fixed  them  to  the  first  day  of  the  week. 

I am  of  opinion  that  these  things,  though 
but  briefly  touched  upon,  cannot  be  fairly  ob- 
jected against,  however  they  may  be  disrel- 
ished by  some. 

Nor  can  I believe  that  any  part  of  our  relig- 
ion, as  we  are  Christians,  stands  in  not  kind- 
ling of  fires  and  not  seething  of  victuals,  or  in 
binding  of  men  not  to  stir  out  of  those  places 
on  the  seventh  day  in  which,  at  the  dawning 
thereof,  they  were  found ; and  yet  these  are  or- 
dinances belonging  to  that  seventh-day  sab- 
bath. 

Certainly  it  must  needs  be  an  error  to  im- 
pose these  things  by  divine  authority  upon 
New  Testament  believers,  our  worship  stand- 
ing now  in  things  more  weighty,  spiritual,  aud 
heavenly. 


Nor  can  it  be  proved,  as  I have  hinted  be- 
fore, that  this  day  was  or  is  to  be  imposed 
without  those  ordinances,  with  others  in  other 
places  mentioned  and  adjoined,  for  the  sanc- 
tion of  that  day,  they  being  made  necessary 
parts  of  that  worship  that  was  to  be  performed 
thereon. 

I have  charity  for  those  that  abuse  them- 
selves and  their  Lord  by  their  preposterous 
zeal  and  affection  for  the  continuing  of  this 
day  in  the  churches ; for  I conclude  that  if 
they  did  either  believe  or  think  of  the  incoher- 
ence that  this  day  with  its  rites  and  ceremonies 
has  with  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  our 
New  Testament  ministration,  they  would  not 
so  stand  in  their  own  light  as  they  do,  nor  so 
stiffly  plead  for  a place  for  it  in  the  churches 
of  the  Gentiles.  But,  as  Paul  insinuates  in 
other  cases,  there  is  an  aptness  in  men  to>  be 
under  the  law  because  they  do  not  hear  it. 

Nor  will  it  out  of  my  mind  but  if  the 
seventh-day  sabbath  was  by  divine  authority, 
and  to  be  kept  holy  by  the  churches  of  the 
Gentiles,  it  should  not  have  so  remained  among 
the  Jews,  Christ’s  deadliest  enemies,  and  been 
kept  so  much  hid  from  the  believers,  his  best 
friends.  For  who  has  retained  the  pretended 
sanction  of  that  day  from  Christ’s  time  quite 
down  in  the  world  but  the  Jews  and  a few 
Jewish  Gentiles?  (I  will  except  some.)  But, 
I say,  since  a sabbath  is  that  without  which 
the  great  worship  of  God  under  the  Gospel 
cannot  be  well  performed,  how  can  it  be 
thought  that  it  should,  as  to  the  knowledge  of 
it,  be  confined  to  so  blasphemous  a generation 
as  the  Jews,  with  whom  that  worship  is  not? 

J will  rather  conclude  that  those  Gentile 
professors  that  adhere  thereto  are  Jewified, 
legalized,  and  so  far  gone  back  from  the  au- 
thority of  God,  who  from  such  bondages  has 
set  his  churches  free. 

I do  at  this  time  but  hint  upon  things,  re- 
serving a fuller  argument  upon  them  for  a time 
and  place  more  fit;  where  and  when  I may 
perhaps  also  show  some  other  w ild  notions  of 
those  that  so  stiffly  cleave  to  this. 

Meantime,  I entreat  those  who  are  captivated 
with  this  opinion  not  to  take  it  ill  at  my  hand 
that  I thus  freely  speak  my  mind.  I entreat 
them  also  to  peruse  my  book  without  preju- 
dice to  my  person.  The  truth  is,  one  thing 
that  has  moved  me  to  this  work  is  the  shame 
that  has  covered  the  face  of  my  soul  when  I 
have  thought  of  the  fictions  and  fancies  that 
are  growing  among  professors,  aud  when  I see 
each  fiction  turn  itself  to  a faction,  to  the  loss 


916 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


of  that  good  spirit  of  love  and  that  oneness 
that  formerly  was  with  good  men. 

I doubt  not  but  some  unto  whom  this  book 
may  come  have  had  seal  from  God  that  the 
first  day  of  the  week  is  to  be  sanctified  by  the 
Church  to  Jesus  Christ;  not  only  from  his 
testimony,  which  is  and  should  be  the  ground 
of  our  practice,  but  also  for  that  the  first  con- 
viction that  the  Holy  Ghost  made  upon  their 
consciences  to  make  them  known  that  they 
were  sinners  began  with  them  for  breaking 
this  sabbath  day;  which  day,  by  that  same  1 


Spirit  was  told  them,  was  that  now  called  the 
first  day,  and  not  the  day  before,  (and  the 
Holy  Ghost  doth  not  use  to  begin  this  work 
with  a lie;)  which  first  conviction  the  Spirit 
has  followed  so  close,  with  other  things  tend- 
ing to  complete  the  same  work,  that  the  soul 
from  so  good  a beginning  could  not  rest  until 
it  found  rest  in  Christ.  Let  this,  then,  to  such 
be  a second  token  that  the  Lord’s  day  is  by 
them  to  be  kept  in  commemoration  of  their 
Lord  and  his  resurrection,  and  of  what  he  did 
1 on  this  day  for  their  salvation.  Amkx. 


MR.  BUNYAN’S  LAST  SERMON 

PREACHED  JULY,  1688. 


Whi  jh  were  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God. — John  i.  13. 


The  words  have  a dependence  on  what  goes 
before,  and  therefore  I must  direct  you  to  them 
for  the  right  understanding  of  it.  You  have 
it  thus:  “He  came  to  his  own,  but  his  own  re- 
ceived him  not;  but  as  many  as  believed  on 
him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the 
sons  of  God,  even  to  them  which  believe  on 
his  name;  which  were  born  not  of  blood,  nor 
of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  but  of  God.”  In  the 
words  before  you  have  two  things: 

First.  Some  of  his  own  rejecting  him  when 
he  offered  himself  to  them. 

Secondly.  Others  of  his  own  receiving  him 
and  making  him  welcome;  those  that  reject 
him  he  also  passes  by,  but  those  that  receive 
him,  he  gives  them  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God.  Now,  lest  any  one  should  look  upou 
it  as  a good  luck  or  fortune,  says  he,  “They 
were  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the 
flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.” 
They  that  did  not  receive  him,  they  were  only 
born  of  flesh  and  blood,  but  those  that  receive 
him,  they  have  God  to  their  Father,  they  re- 
ceive the  doctrine  of  Christ  with  a vehement 
desire. 

First.  I’ll  show  you  what  he  means  by 
blood.  They  that  believe  are  born  to  it  as  an 
heir  is  to  an  inheritance;  they  are  born  of 
God,  not  of  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but 
of  God ; not  of  blood — that  is,  not  by  genera- 
tion— -not  born  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  by 
the  flesh ; not  because  I am  the  son  of  a godly 
man  or  woman — that  is  meant  by  blood.  He 
has  made  of  one  blood  all  nations,  but  when 
he  says  here,  “Not  of  blood,”  he  rejects  all 
carnal  privileges  they  did  boast  of.  They 
boasted  they  were  Abraham’s  seed.  No,  no, 
says  he,  it  is  not  of  blood;  think  not  to  say 
you  have  Abraham  to  your  father;  you  must 


be  born  of  God  if  you  go  to  the  kingdom  cf 
heaven. 

Secondly.  “Nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh.” 
What  must  we  understand  by  that? 

First.  It  is  taken  for  those  vehement  incli- 
nations that  are  in  man  to  all  manner  of 
looseness;  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh — 
that  must  be  understood  here.  Men  are  not 
made  the  children  of  God  by  fulfilling  their 
lustful  desires;  it  must  be  understood  here  in 
the  best  sense ; there  is  not  only  in  carnal  men 
a will  to  be  vile,  but  there  is  in  them  a will  to 
be  saved  also,  a will  to  go  to  heaven  also.  But 
this  it  will  not  do;  it  will  not  privilege  a man 
in  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God;  natural 
desires  after  the  things  of  another  world,  they 
are  not  an  argument  to  prove  a man  shall  go 
to  heaven  whenever  he  dies.  I am  not  a free- 
wilier,  I do  abhor  it;  yet  there  is  not  the 
wickedest  man  but  he  desires  some  time  or 
other  to  be  saved;  he  will  read  some  time  or 
other,  or  it  may  be  pray ; but  this  will  not  do : 
“It  is  not  in  him  that  wills,  nor  in  him  that 
runs,  but  in  God  that  showeth  mercy;”  there 
is  willing  and  running,  and  yet  to  no  purpose. 
Rom.  ix.  16.  “Israel,  which  followed  after 
the  law  of  righteousness,  have  not  obtained 
it.”  Here  I do  not  understand  as  if  the  apos- 
tle had  denied  a virtuous  course  of  life  to  be 
the  way  to  heaven,  but  that  a man  without 
grace,  though  he  have  natural  gifts,  yet  he 
shall  not  obtain  privilege  to  go  to  heaven  and 
be  the  son  of  God.  Though  a man  without 
grace  may  have  a will  to  be  saved,  yet  he  can- 
not have  that  will  God’s  way.  Nature,  it  can- 
not know  any  thing  but  the  things  of  nature; 
the  things  of  God  knows  no  man,  but  by  the 
Spirit  of  God;  unless  the  Spirit  of  God  be  in 
you,  it  will  leave  you  on  this  side  the  gates  of 

917 


918 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


heaven:  “Not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the 
flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.”  It 
may  be  some  may  have  a will,  a desire  that 
Ishmael  may  be  saved;  know  this,  it  will  not 
save  thy  child.  If  it  was  our  will  I would 
have  you  all  go  to  heaven.  How  many  are 
there  in  the  world  that  pray  for  their  chil- 
dren, and  cry  for  them  and  ready  to  die,  and 
this  will  not  do ! God’s  will  is  the  rule  of  all ; 
it  is  only  through  Jesus  Cln-ist.  “ Which 
were  born  not  of  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man, 
but  of  God.”  Now  I come  to  the  doctrine. 

Men  that  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  to  the 
effectual  receiving  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  are 
born  to  it.  He  does  not  say  they  shall  be  born 
to  it,  but  they  are  born  to  it — born  of  God  unto 
God  and  the  things  of  God,  before  he  receives 
God  to  eternal  salvation : “ Except  a man  be 
born  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.” 
Now  unless  he  be  born  of  God  he  cannot  see 
it.  Suppose  the  kingdom  of  God  be  what  it 
will,  he  cannot  see  it  before  he  be  begotten  of 
God;  suppose  it  be  the  Gospel,  he  cannot  see 
it  before  he  be  brought  into  a state  of  regenera- 
tion ; believing  is  the  consequence  of  the  new 
birth : “ Not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  man, 
but  of  God.” 

First.  I will  give  you  a clear  description  of 
it  under  one  similitude  or  two : A child,  before 
it  be  born  into  the  world,  is  in  the  dark  dun- 
geon of  its  mother’s  womb  ; so  a child  of  God, 
before  he  be  born  again,  in  the  dark  dungeon 
of  sin  sees  nothing  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
therefore  it  is  called  a new  birth;  the  same 
soul  has  love  one  way  in  its  carnal  condition, 
another  way  when  it  is  born  again. 

Secondly.  As  it  is  compared  to  a birth — re- 
sembling a child  in  its  mother’s  womb — so  it 
is  compared  to  a man  being  raised  out  of  the 
grave ; and  to  be  born  again  is  to  be  raised  out 
of  the  grave  of  sin : “ Awake,  thou  that  sleep- 
est,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall 
give  thee  life.”  To  be  raised  from  the  grave 
of  sin  is  to  be  begotten  and  born.  In  Eev.  i. 
5 there  is  a famous  instance  of  Christ:  “He  is 
the  first-begotten  from  the  dead,  the  first-born 
from  the  dead,”  unto  which  our  regeneration 
alludeth ; that  is,  if  you  be  born  again  by 
seeing  those  things  that  are  above,  then  there 
is  a similitude  betwixt  Christ’s  resurrection 
and  the  new  birth ; which  was  born,  which 
was  restored  out  of  this  dark  world,  and  trans- 
lated out  of  the  kingdom  of  this  dark  world 
into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son,  and  made 
us  live  a new  life ; this  is  to  be  born  again ; 
and  he  that  is  delivered  from  the  mother’s 


womb,  it  is  by  the  help  of  the  mother;  so  he 
that  is  born  of  God,  it  is  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 
I must  give  you  a few  consequences  of  a new 
birth. 

First  of  all.  A child,  you  know,  is  incident 
to  cry  as  soon  as  it  comes  into  the  world,  foi 
if  there  be  no  noise,  they  say  it  is  dead ; you 
that  are  born  of  God  and  Christians,  if  you  be 
not  criers  there  is  no  spiritual  life  in  you ; if 
you  be  born  of  God  you  are  crying  ones ; as 
soon  as  he  has  raised  you  out  of  the  dark  dun- 
geon of  sin  you  cannot  but  cry  to  God,  What 
shall  I do  to  be  saved  ? As  soon  as  ever  God 
had  touched  the  jailer,  he  cries  out,  “Men  and 
brethren,  what  must  I do  to  be  saved  ?”  Oh ! 
how  many  prayerless  professors  are  there  in 
London  that  never  .pray ! Coffee-houses  will 
not  let  you  pray ; trades  will  not  let  you  pray; 
looking-glasses  will  not  let  you  pray ; but  if 
you  was  born  of  God  you  would. 

Secondly.  It  is  not  only  natural  for  a child 
to  cry,  but  it  must  crave  the  breast,  it  cannot 
live  without  the  breast ; therefore  Peter  makes 
it  the  true  trial  of  a new-born  babe:  the  new- 
born babe  desires  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word, 
that  he  may  grow  thereby ; if  you  be  born  of 
God,  make  it  manifest  by  desiring  to  be  nour- 
ished of  God.  Do  you  long  for  the  milk  of 
promises?  A man  lives  one  way  when  he  is 
in  the  world — another  way  when  he  is  brought 
unto  Jesus  Christ.  Isa.  lxvi. : “They  shall 
suck  and  be  satisfied.”  If  you  be  born  again 
there  is  no  satisfaction  till  you  get  the  milk  of 
God’s  word  into  your  souls.  Isa.lxvi.il:  “To 
suck  and  be  satisfied  with  the  breasts  of  conso- 
lation.” Oh,  what  is  a promise  to  a carnal 
man ! A brothel  it  may  be  is  more  sweet  to 
him,  but  if  you  be  born  again  you  cannot  live 
without  the  milk  of  God’s  word.  What  is  a 
woman’s  breast  to  a horse?  but  what  is  it  to  a 
child?  There  is  its  comfort  night  and  day, 
there  is  its  succour  night  and  day;  oh,  how 
loth  are  they  it  should  be  taken  from  them  ! 
Minding  heavenly  things,  says  a carnal  man, 
is  but  vanity,  but  to  a child  of  God  there  is  his 
comfort. 

Thirdly.  A child  that  is  newly  born,  if  it 
have  not  other  comforts  to  keep  it  warm  than 
it  had  in  its  mother’s  womb,  it  dies : it  must 
have  something  got  for  its  succour ; so  Christ 
had  swaddling-clothes  prepared  for  him : so 
those  that  are  born  again,  they  must  have 
some  promise  of  Christ  to  keep  them  alive ; 
those  that  are  in  a carnal  state,  they  warm 
themselves  with  other  things;  but  those  that 
are  born  again,  they  cannot  live  without  sbme 


919 


MR.r  JWNYAN’S 

promise  of  Christ  to  keep  them  alive,  as  he  did 
to  the  poor  infant  in  Ezekiel  xvii. : “ I covered 
thee  with  embroidered  gold  and  when  women 
are  with  child  what  fine  things  will  they  pre- 
pare for  their  child  1 Oh  but  what  fine  things 
has  Christ  prepared  to  wrap  all  in  that  are 
born  again  ! Oh  what  wrappings  of  gold  has 
Christ  prepared  for  all  that  are  born  again! 
Women  will  dress  their  children  that  every 
one  may  see  them  how  fine  they  are;  so  he  in 
Ezekiel  xvi.  11 : “I  decked  thee  also  with  or- 
naments, and  I also  put  bracelets  upon  thine 
hand  and  a chain  on  thy  neck,  and  I put  a 
jewel  on  thy  forehead  and  earrings  in  thine 
ears,  and  a beautiful  crown  upon  thine  head;” 
and  says  he  in  the  13th  verse,  “Thou  didst 
prosper  to  a kingdom.”  This  is  to  set  out 
nothing  in  the  world  but  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  and  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  without 
which  a new-born  babe  cannot  live,  unless  it 
have  the  golden  righteousness  of  Christ. 

Fourthly.  A child  when  it  is  in  his  mother’s 
lap,  the  mother  takes  great  delight  to  have 
that  which  will  be  for  its  comfort;  so  it  is 
with  God’s  children ; they  shall  be  kept  on  his 
knee.  Isa.  lxvi.  11:  “ They  shall  suck  and  be 
satisfied  with  the  breasts  of  her  consolation.” 
Yerse  13th  : “ As  one  whom  his  mother  com- 
forteth,  so  I will  comfort  you.”  There  is  a 
similitude  in  these  things  that  nobody  knows 
of  but  those  that  are  born  again. 

Fifthly.  There  is  usually  some  similitude 
betwixt  the  father  and  the  child : it  may  be 
the  child  looks  like  its  father ; so  those  that 
are  born  again,  they  have  a new  similitude, 
they  have  the  image  of  Jesus  Christ.  Gal.  iv. 
Every  one  that  is  born  of  God  has  something 
of  the  features  of  heaven  upon  him.  Men 
love  those  children  that  are  likest  them  most 
usually;  so  does  God  his  children,  therefore 
they  are  called  the  children  of.  God;  but 
others  do  not  look  like  him,  therefore  they  are 
called  sodomites.  Christ  describes  children  of 
the  devil  by  their  features ; the  children  of  the 
devil,  his  works  they  will  do  ; all  works  of  un- 
righteousness they  are  the  devil’s  works;  if 
you  are  earthly,  you  have  borne  the  image  of 
the  earthly,  if  heavenly  you  have  borne  the 
image  of  the  heavenly. 

Sixthly.  When  a man  has  a child  he  trains 
him  up  to  his  own  liking ; such  children  have 
learned  the  custom  of  their  father’s  house ; so 
are  those  that  are  born  of  God,  they  have 
learned  the  custom  of  the  true  Church  of  God ; 
there  they  learn  to  cry,  My  Father  and  my 
God ; they  are  brough*  up  in  God’s  house, 


LAST  SERMON. 

they  learn  the  method  and  form  )f‘ God’s 
house  for  regulating  their  lives  in  this  world. 

Seventhly.  Children,  it  is  natural  for  them 
to  depend  upon  their  father  for  what  they 
want:  if  they  want  a pair  of  shoes  they  go 
and  tell  him  ; if  they  want  bread  they  go  and 
tell  him;  so  should  the  children  of  God  do. 
Do  you  want  spiritual  bread?  Go  tell  God  of 
it.  Do  you  want  strength  of  grace?  Ask  it 
of  God.  Do  you  want  strength  against  Sa- 
tan’s temptations?  Go  and  tell  God  of  it. 
When  the  devil  tempts  you  run  home  and  tell 
your  heavenly  Father;  go  pour  out  your  com- 
plaints to  God  ; this  is  natural  to  children  : if 
any  wrong  them,  they  go  and  tell  their  father; 
so' do  those  that  are  born  of  God,  when  they 
meet  with  temptations,  go  and  tell  God  of 
them. 

The  first  use  is  this,  to  make  a strict  inquiry 
whether  you  be  born  of  God  or  not.  Examine 
by  those  things  I laid  down  before  of  a child 
of  nature  and  a child  of  grace.  Are  you 
brought  out  of  the  dark  dungeon  of  this  world 
into  Christ'?  Have  you  learned  to  cry,  My 
Father?  Jer.  iii.  16:  “And  I said,  Thou  shalt 
call  me  thy  Father.”  All  God’s  children  are 
criers;  cannot  you  be  quiet  without  you  are 
filled  with  the  milk  of  God’s  word;  cannot 
you  be  satisfied  without  you  have  peace  with 
God?  Pray  you  consider  it,  and  be  serious 
with  yourselves ; if  you  have  not  these  marks 
you  will  fall  short  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
you  shall  never  have  an  interest  there;  there 
is  no  intruding:  they  will  say,  “Lord,  Lord, 
open  to  us,  and  he  will  say.  I know  you  not;” 
no  child  of  God,  no  heavenly  inheritance. 
We  sometimes  give  something  to  those  that  are 
not  our  children,  but  not  our  lauds.  Oh  do 
not  flatter  yourselves  with  a portion  among  the 
sous  unless  you  live  like  sons.  When  we  see 
a king’s  son  playing  with  a beggar,  this  is  un- 
becoming; so  if  you  be  the  King’s  children, 
live  like  the  King’s  children  ; if  you  be  risen 
with  Christ,  set  your  affections  on  things 
above  and  not  on  things  below;  when  you 
come  together,  talk  of  what  your  Father 
promised  you ; you  should  all  love  your  Fa- 
ther’s will,  and  be  content  and  pleased  with 
the  exercises  you  meet  with  in  the  world.  If 
you  are  the  children  of  God,  live  together 
lovingly ; if  the  world  quarrel  with  you,  it  is 
no  matter,  but  it  is  sad  if  you  quarrel  to- 
gether; if  this  be  among  you  it  is  a sign  of 
ill  breeding:  it  is  according  to  uo  rules  you 
have  in  the  word  of  God.  Dost  thou  see  a 
soul  that  has  the  image  of  God  in  him  ? Love 


920 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


him,  love  him  ; say,  This  man  and  I must  go 
to  heaven  one  day ; serve  one  another,  do  good 
for  one  another;  and  if  any  wrong  you,  pray 
to  God  to  right  you  and  love  the  brother- 
hood. 

Lastly.  If  you  he  the  children  of  God  learn 
that  lesson,  gird  up  the  loins  of  your  mind  as 


obedient  children,  not  fashioning  yourselves 
according  to  your  former  conversation,  but  be 
ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation ; con- 
sider that  the  holy  God  is  your  Father,  and  let 
this  oblige  you  to  live  like  the  children  of  God, 
that  you  may  look  your  Father  in  the  face 
with  comfort  another  day. 


OF  THE  TRINITY  AND  A CHRISTIAN. 

HOW  A YOUNG  OR  SHAKEN  CHRISTIAN  SHOULD  DEMEAN  HIMSELF  UNDER  THE  WEIGHTY 
THOUGHTS  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY  OR  PLURALITY  OF  PERSONS  IN  THE 
ETERNAL  GODHEAD. 


The  reason  why  I say  a young  or  shaken 
Christian,  it  is  because  some  that  are  not 
young,  but  of  an  ancient  standing,  may  not 
only  be  assaulted  with  violent  temptations 
concerning  Gospel  principles,  but  a second 
time  may  become  a child,  a babe,  a shallow 
man  in  the  things  of  God ; especially,  either 
when  by  backsliding  he  hath  provoked  God  to 
leave  him,  or  when  some  new,  unexpected,  and 
(as  to  present  strength)  over-weighty  objection 
doth  fall  upon  the  spirit;  by  means  of  which 
great  shakings  of  mind  do  commonly  attend 
such  a soul  in  the  most  weighty  matters  of 
the  concerns  of  faith,  of  which  this  is  one  that 
I have  supposed  in  the  abovenamed  question. 
Wherefore,  passing  other  things,  I will  come 
directly  to  that,  and  briefly  propose  some  helps 
to  a soul  in  such  a case. 

I.  The  first  preparative. 

First,  then,  be  sure  thou  keep  close  to  the 
word  of  God,  for  that  is  the  revelation  of  the 
mind  and  will  of  God,  both  as  to  the  truth  of 
what  is  either  in  himself  or  ways,  and  also  as 
to  what  he  requireth  and  expecteth  of  thee, 
either  concerning  faith  in  or  obedience  to  what 
he  hath  so  revealed.  Now,  for  thy  better  per- 
forming of  this,  I shall  give  thee  in  brief 
these  following  directions: 

1.  Suffer  thyself,  by  the  authority  of  the 
word,  to  be  persuaded  that  the  Scripture  indeed 
is  the  word  of  God,  the  Scriptures  of  truth, 
the  words  of  the  Holy  One,  and  that  they  there- 
fore must  be  every  one  true,  pure,  and  for  ever 
settled  in  heaven. 

2.  Conclude  therefore  from  the  former  doc- 
trine that  that  God  whose  words  they  are  is 
able  to  make  a reconciliation  and  most  sweet 
and  harmonious  agreement  with  all. the  sayings 
therein,  how  obscure,  cross,  dark  and  contra- 
dictory soever  they  seem  to  thee.  To  un- 
derstand all  mysteries,  to  have  all  knowledge, 


to  be  able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints  is  a 
great  work,  enough  to  crush  the  spirit,  and  to 
stretch  the  strings  of  the  most  capacious  and 
widened  soul  that  breatheth  on  this  side  glory, 
be  they  notwithstanding  exceedingly  enlarged 
by  revelation.  Paul,  when  he  was  caught  up 
to  heaven,  saw  that  which  was  unlawful,  be- 
cause impossible,  for  man  to  utter.  And  saith 
Christ  to  the  reasoning  Pharisee,  “ If  I have 
told  you  earthly  things,  and  ye  believe  not, 
how  shall  you  believe  if  I tell  you  of  things 
that  are  heavenly?”  It  is  great  lewdness  and 
also  unsufferable  arrogancy  to  come  to  the 
word  of  God  as  conceiting  already  that  what- 
ever thou  readest  must  either  by  thee  be  un- 
derstood or  of  itself  fall  to  the  ground  as  a' 
senseless  error.  But  God  is  wiser  than  man, 
wherefore  fear  thou  him  and  tremble  at  his 
word,  saying  still,  with  godly  suspicion  of  thine 
own  infirmity,  What  I see  not  teach  thou  me, 
for  thou  art  God  only  wise ; but  as  for  me,  I 
was  as  a beast  before  thee. 

4.  Take  heed  of  taking  a part  of  the  word 
only,  lest  thou  thereby  go  away  with  the  truth 
as  mangled  in  pieces.  For  instance,  where 
thou  readest,  “ The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord,” 
there  take  heed  that  thou  dost  not  thence  con- 
clude, Then  there  are  not  three  persons  in  the 
Godhead ; or  when  thou  readest  of  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  then  take  heed 
of  concluding  there  must  therefore  either  be 
three  Gods,  or  else  that  Jesus  Christ  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  are  not  true  God,  but  the  Father 
only.  Wherefore,  to  help  thee  here,  observe — 

II.  The  second  preparative. 

1.  That  the  Christian  religion  requireth 
credit  concerning  every  doctrine  contained  in 
the  word — credit,  I say,  according  to  the  true 
relation  of  every  sentence  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
hath  revealed  for  the  asserting,  maintaining 
or  vindicating  that  same  truth. 


921 


922 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


2.  And  therefore  hence  it  is  that  a Chris- 
tian is  not  called  a doer,  a reasoner,  an  objec- 
tor, and  perverse  disputer,  but  a believer.  Be 
thou  an  example  to  the  believers ; “ and  be- 
lievers were  added  to  the  Church,”  &c. 

3.  Therefore  know  again  that  the  word,  if  it 
saith  or  expressetk  that  this  or  that  is  so  and 
so  as  to  the  matter  in  hand,  thou  art  bound 
and  obliged,  both  by  the  name,  profession,  and 
the  truth  unto  which  thou  hast  joined  thyself, 
to  assent  to,  confess,  and  acknowledge  the 
same,  even  when  thy  carnal  reason  will  not 
stoop  thereto.  “ Righteous  art  thou,  0 God, 
(saith  Jeremiah,)  yet  let  me  plead  with  thee: 
Wherefore  do  the  wdcked  live  ?”  Mark,  first 
he  acknowledgeth  that  God’s  way  with  the 
wdcked  is  just  and  right,  even  theu  when  yet 
he  could  not  see  the  reason  of  his  actings  and 
dispensations  towards  them.  The  same  reason 
is  good  as  to  our  present  case.  And  hence  it 
is  that  the  apostle  saith  the  spiritual  armour 
of  Christians  should  be  much  exercised  against 
those  high-towering  and  self-exalting  imagina- 
tions that  within  our  own  bosoms  do  exalt 
themselves  against  the  knowledge  of  God, 
that  every  thought  or  carnal  reasoning  may 
be  not  only  taken,  but  brought  as  captive  into  I 


obedience  to  Christ ; that  is,  be  made  to  stoop 
to  the  word  of  God,  and  to  give  w:ay  and  place 
to  the  doctrine  therein  contained,  how  cross 
soever  our  thoughts  and  the  word  lie  to  each 
other.  And  it  is  observable  that  he  here  saith, 
They  exalt  themselves  against  the  knowledge 
of  God,  which  cannot  be  understood  that  our 
carnal  or  natural  reason  doth  exalt  itself  against 
an  eternal  Deity,  simply  considered,  for  that 
nature  itself  doth  gather  from  the  very  things 
that  are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  God- 
head. It  must  be  then  that  they  exalt  them- 
selves against  that  God  as  thus  and  thus  revealed 
in  the  word — to  wit,  against  the  knowdedge  of 
one  God  consisting  of  three  persons,  Father, 
Son,  and  Spirit,  for  this  is  the  doctrine  of  the 
Scriptures  of  truth  ; and  therefore  it  is  observ- 
able these  thoughts  must  be  brought  captive  and 
be  made  subject  in  particular  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  to  the  second  person  in  the  Godhead ; 
for  the  Father  is  ever  acknoudedged  by  all  that 
profess  the  least  of  religion,  but  the  Son  is  that 
stumbling-stone  and  rock  of  offence  against 
which  thousands  dash  themselves  in  pieces, 
though  in  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wis- 
dom and  knowdedge,  and  in  him  dwells  the 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily. 


OF  THE  LAW  AND  A CHRISTIAN 


Tiie  law  was  given  twice  upon  Mount  Sinai, 
but  the  appearance  of  the  Lord,  when  he  gave 
it  the  second  time,  was  wonderfully  different 
from  that  of  his  when  at  first  he  delivered  it 
to  Israel. 

1.  When  he  gave  it  the  first  time  he  caused 
his  terror  and  severity  to  appear  before  Moses 
to  the  shaking  of  his  soul  and  the  dismaying 
of  Israel ; but  when  he  gave  it  the  second 
time,  he  caused  all  his  goodness  to  pass  before 
Moses,  to  the  comfort  of  his  conscience  and 
the  bowing  of  his  heart. 

2.  When  he  gave  it  the  first  time  it  was  with 
thunderings  and  lightnings,  with  blackness 
and  darkness,  with  flame  and  smoke,  and  a 
tearing  sound  of  the  trumpet;  but  when  he 
gave  it  the  second  time,  it  was  with  a procla- 
mation of  his  name  to  be  merciful,  gracious, 
long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and 
truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving 
iniquity,  transgressions,  and  sins. 

3.  When  he  gave  it  the  first  time,  Moses  was 
called  to  go  up  to  receive  it  through  the  fire, 
which  made  him  exceedingly  to  fear  and  quake  ; 
but  when  he  went  to  receive  it  the  second  time, 
he  was  laid  in  a cleft  of  the  rock. 

4.  From  all  which  I gather  that  though  as  to 
the  matter  of  the  law,  both  as  to  its  being  given 
the  first  time  and  the  second,  it  binds  the  un- 
believer under  the  pains  of  eternal  damnation, 
(if  he  close  not  with  Christ  by  faith,)  yet  as  to 
the  manner  of  its  giving  at  these  two  times,  I 
think  the  first  doth  more  principally  intend  its 
force  as  a covenant  of  works,  not  at  all  respect- 
ing the  Lord  Jesus;  but  this  second  time  not 
(at  least  in  the  manner  of  its  being  given)  re- 
specting such  a covenant,  but  rather  as  a rule 
or  directory  to  those  who  already  are  found  in 
the  cleft  of  the  rock,  Christ;  for  the  saint 
himself,  though  he  be  without  law  to  God,  as 
it  is  considered  the  first  or  old  covenant,  yet 
even  he  is  not  without  law  to  him  as  consider- 
ed under  grace,  nor  without  law  to  God,  but 
under  the  law  to  Christ. 


5.  Though  therefore  it  be  sad  with  the  un- 
believer, because  he.  only  and  wholly  standeth 
under  the  law  as  it  is  given  in  fire,  in  smoke, 
in  blackness,  and  darkness,  and  thunder,  all 
which  threaten  him  with  eternal  ruin  if  he 
fulfil  not  the  utmost  tittle  thereof,  yet  the  be- 
liever stands  to  the  law  under  no  such  con- 
sideration, neither  is  he  so  at  all  to  hear  or  re- 
gard it,  for  he  is  now  removed  from  thence  to 
the  blessed  mountain  of  Zion,  to  grace  and 
forgiveness  of  sins ; he  is  now,  I say,  by  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus,  shrouded  under  so  perfect 
and  blessed  a righteousness  that  this  thunder- 
ing law  of  Mount  Sinai  cannot  find  the  least 
fault  or  diminution  therein,  but  rather  ap- 
provetli  and  alloweth  thereof  either  when  or 
wherever  it  find  it.  This  is  called  the  right- 
eousness of  God  without  the  law,  and  is  also 
said  to  be  witnessed  by  both  the  law  and  the 
prophets ; even  the  righteousness  of  God, 
which  is  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  unto  all  and 
upon  all  them  that  believe,  for  there  is  no 
difference. 

6.  Wherefore,  whenever  thou  who  believest 
in  Jesus  doth  hear  the  law  in  its  thundering 
and  lightning  fits  as  if  it  would  burn  up  heaven 
and  earth,  then,  say  thou,  I am  freed  from  this 
law ; these  thunderings  have  nothing  to  do  with 
my  soul;  nay,  even  this  law,  while  it  thus 
thunders  aud  roareth,  it  doth  both  allow  and 
approve  of  my  righteousness.  I know  that 
Hagar  would  sometimes  be  domineering  and 
high  even  in  Sarah’s  house  and  against  her ; 
but  this  she  is  not  to  be  suffered  to  do,  nay, 
though  Sarah  herself  be  barren;  wherefore 
serve  it  also  as  Sarah  serveth  her,  and  expel 
her  out  of  thy  house.  My  meaning  is,  when 
this  law  with  its  thundering  threatenings  doth 
attempt  to  lay  hold  on  thy  conscience,  shut  it 
out  with  a promise  of  grace ; cry,  The  inn  is 
taken  up  already;  the  Lord  Jesus  is  here  en- 
tertained, and  here  is  no  room  for  the  law. 
Indeed,  if  it  will  be  content  with  being  my  in- 
former, and  so  lovingly  leave  off  to  judge  me, 

923 


924 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


I will  be  content ; it  shall  be  my  sight,  I will 
also  delight  therein;  but  otherwise,  I being 
now  made  upright  without  it,  and  that  too 
with  that  righteousness  which  this  law  speaks 
well  of  and  approveth,  I may  not,  will  not, 
cannot,  dare  not,  make  it  my  saviour  and 
judge,  nor  suffer  it  to  set  up  its  government 
in  my  conscience;  for  by  so  doing  I fall 
from  grace,  and  Christ  Jesus  doth  profit  me 
nothing. 

7.  Thus,  therefore,  the  soul  that  is  married 
to  Him  that  is  raised  up  from  the  dead  both 
may  and  ought  to  deal  with  this  law  of  God; 
yea,  it  doth  greatly  dishonour  its  Lord  and 
refuse  its  Gospel  privileges  if  at  any  time  it 
otherwise  doth  whatever  it  seeth  or  feels.  The 
law  hath  power  over  the  wife  so  long  as  her 
husband  liveth,  but  if  her  husband  be  dead 
she  is  freed  from  that  law,  so  that  she  is  not 
an  adulteress  though  she  be  married  to  an- 
other man.  Indeed,  so  long  as  thou  art  alive 
to  sin  and  to  thy  righteousness,  which  is  of 
the  law,  so  long  thou  hast  them  for  thy  hus- 
band, and  they  must  reign  over  thee.  But 
when  once  they  are  become  dead  unto  thee, 


as  they  then  most  certainly  will  when  thou 
closest  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  then,  I 
say,  thy  former  husbands  have  no  more  to 
meddle  with  thee,  thou  art  freed  from  their 
law.  Set  the  case : A woman  be  cast  into 
prison  for  a debt  of  hundreds  of  pounds;  if 
after  this  she  marry,  yea,  though  while  she  is 
in  the  jailer’s  hand,  in  the  same  day  that  she  is 
joined  to  her  husband  her  debt  is  all  become 
his ; yea,  and  the  law  also,  that  arrested  and 
imprisoned  this  woman,  as  freely  tells  her,  Go; 
she  is  freed,  saith  Paul,  from  that,  and  so 
saith  the  law  of  this  land.  The  sum,  then, 
of  what  hath  been  said  is  this:  The  Christian 
hath  now  nothing  to  do  with  the  law  as  it 
thundereth  and  burneth  on  Sinai,  or  as  it 
bindeth  the  conscience  to  wrath  and  the  dis- 
pleasure of  God  for  sin  ; for  from  its  thus  ap- 
pearing it  is  freed  by  faith  in  Christ.  Yet  it 
is  to  have  regard  thereto  and  is  to  count  it 
holy,  just,  and  good,  which  that  it  may  do  it 
is  always,  when  it  seeth  or  regards  it,  to  re- 
member that  He  who  giveth  it  to  us  is  merci- 
ful, gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in 
goodness  and  truth,  &c. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT: 

BEINQ 

A SALVE  TO  CURE  THAT  GREAT  WANT  OF  KNOWLEDGE  IN 
BOTH  OLD  AND  YOUNG. 


PREPARED  AND  PRESENTED  TO  THEM  IN  A PLAIN  AND  EASY  DIALOGUE,  FITTED  TO 

TIIE  CAPACITY  OF  THE  WEAKEST. 


My  people  perish  for  lack  of  knowledge. — Hos.  iv.  6. 


TO  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST  IN  AND  ABOUT  BEDFORD. 


Holy  and  Beloved: 

Although  I have  designed  this  little  treatise 
for  public  and  common  benefit,  yet  consider- 
ing that  I am  to  you  a debtor,  not  only  in 
common  charity,  but  by  reason  of  special 
bonds  which  the  Lord  hath  laid  upon  me  to 
you-ward,  I could  do  no  less  (being  driven 
from  you  in  presence,  not  affection)  but  first 
present  you  with  this  little  book;  not  for  that 
you  are  wanting  in  the  things  contained  here- 
in, but  to  put  you  again  in  remembrance  of 
first  things,  and  to  give  you  occasion  to  pre- 
sent something  to  your  carnal  relations,  that 
may  be  (if  God  will)  for  their  awakening  and 
conversion.  Accept  it,  therefore,  as  a token 
of  my  Christian  remembrance  of  you. 

•S  Formal,  customary,  unconverted  hearers  of  the 
true  Gospel,  especially  those  of  long  standing,  may 
be  compared  to  rank  weeds  in  the  garden  of  paradise. 


Next,  I present  it  to  all  those  unconverted, 
old  and  young,  who  have  been  at  any  time 
under  my  preaching  and  yet  remain  in  their 
sins.*  And  I entreat  them  also  that  they  re- 
ceive it  as  a token  of  my  love  to  their  immor- 
tal souls.  Yea,  I charge  them,  as  they  will 
answer  it  in  the  day  of  terrible  judgment, 
that  they  read,  ponder,  and  receive  this  whole- 
some medicine  prepared  for  them.  Now  the 
God  of  blessing  bless  it  to  the  awakening  of 
many  sinners  and  the  salvation  of  their  souls 
by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ!  Amen. 

Yours,  to  serve  you  by  my  ministry  (when  I 
can)  to  your  edification  and  consolation, 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


Let  all  such  know  that  without  union  to  Christ  there 
is  no  Christianity;  and  without  the  life,  spirit  and 
power  of  religion  in  the  heart  professors  are  mero 
skeletons.  See  Ezek.  xxxvii.  S,  9. 


925 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


Question.  How  many  gods  are  there? 

Answer.  To  the  Christians  there  is  but  one 
God,  the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things  and 
we  of  him.  1 Cor.  viii.  9. 

Q.  Why  is  not  the  God  of  the  Christians  the 
God  of  them  that  are  no  Christians? 

A.  tie  is  their  Maker  and  Preserver,  but 
they  have  not  chosen  him  to  be  their  God. 
Acts  xvii.  24;  Ps.  xxxvi.  6;  Judg.  x.  14. 

Q.  Are  there  then  other  gods  besides  the 
God  of  the  Christians? 

A.  There  is  none  other  true  God  but  he; 
but  because  they  want  the  grace  of  Christians, 
therefore  they  choose  not  him,  but  such  gods 
as  will  suit  with  and  countenance  their  lusts. 
John  viii.  44. 

Q.  What  gods  are  they  that  countenance 
the  lusts  of  wicked  men? 

A.  The  devil,  who  is  the  god  of  this  world ; 
the  belly,  that  god  of  gluttons,  drunkards,  and 
riotous  persons ; and  idle  pleasures  and  vani- 
ties, which  are  for  the  most  part  the  gods  of- 
the  youth. 

Q.  Who  is  a Christian  ? 

A.  One  that  is- born  again,  a new  creature  : 
one  that  sits  at  Jesus’s  feet  to  hear  his  word; 
one  that  hath  his  heart  purified  and  sanctified 
by  faith  which  is  in  Christ.* 

Q.  How  do  you  distinguish  the  God  of  the 
Christians  from  the  gods  of  other  people  ? 

A.  He  is  a Spirit.  John  iv.  24. 

Q.  Is  there  no  other  Spirit  but  the  true 
God? 

A.  Yes,  there  are  many  spirits.  1 John  iv.  1. 

Q.  What  spirits  are  they? 

A.  The  good  angels  are  spirits,  the  bad 
angels  are  spirits,  and  the  souls  of  men  are 
spirits. 

Q.  How  then  is  the  true  God  distinguished 
from  other  spirits  ? . 

A.  Thus:  No  spirit  is  eternal  but  he;  no 
spirit  is  almighty  but  he;  no  spirit  is  incom- 

* The  new  creation,  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the 
word  and  Spirit  of  God,  is  an  undoubted  evidence  of 
an  interest  in  Christ  and  title  to  salvation ; for  where 
926 


prehensible  and  unsearchable  but  he : he  is 
also  most  merciful,  most  just,  most  holy. 

Q.  Is  this  God,  being  a spirit,  to  be  known? 

A.  Yes,  and  that  by  his  works  of  creation, 
by  his  providences,  by  the  judgments  that  he 
executeth,  and  by  his  word. 

Q.  Do  you  understand  him  by  the  works  of 
creation  ? 

A.  “ The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  firmament  showeth  his  handiwork;  so 
that  the  invisible  things  of  him  from  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world,  are  clearly  seen,  being  un- 
derstood by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  his 
eternal  power  and  Godhead.” 

Q.  Do  his  works  of  providence  also  declare 
him? 

A.  They  must  needs  do  it,  since  through  liis 
providence  the  whole  creation  is  kept  in  such 
harmony  as  it  is,  and  that  in  despite  of  sin  and 
devils ; also  if  you  consider  that  from  an  angel 
to  a sparrow  nothing  falls  to  the  ground  with- 
out the  providence  of  our  heavenly  Father. 
Matt.  x.  29. 

Q.  Is  he  known  by  his  judgments  ? 

A.  God  is  known  by  his  judgments  which  he 
executeth ; the  wicked  is  snared  in  the  work 
of  his  own  hands.  Ps.  ix.  16. 

Q.  Is  he  known  by  his  word  ? 

A.  Yes,  most  clearly;  for  by  that  he  re- 
vealeth  his  attributes,  his  decrees,  his  prom- 
ises, his  way  of  worship,  and  how  he  is  to  be 
pleased  by  us. 

Q.  Of  what  did  God  make  the  world? 

A.  Things  that  are  seen  were  not  made  of 
things  that  do  appear.  Heb.  xi.  3. 

Q.  How  long  was  he  in  making  the  world? 

A.  In  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and 
earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  is  in  them,  and  on 
the  seventh  day  God  ended  all  his  works  which 
he  had  made.  Ex.  xx.  11 ; Gen.  ii.  2. 

Q.  Of  what  did  God  make  man  ? 

A.  The  Lord  God  formed  man  of  the  dust 

the  new  creature  is,  there  all  the  saving  .and  sanctify- 
ing graces  of  the  Spirit  are,  as  a pledge  and  earnest 
of  future  glory  and  felicity. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


of  the  ground,  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils 
the  breath  of  life,  and  man  became  a living 
soul.  Gen  ii.  7. 

Q.  Why  doth  it  say,  God  breathed  into  him 
the  breath  of  life? — is  man’s  soul  of  the  very 
nature  of  the  Godhead  ? 

A.  This  doth  not  teach  that  the  soul  is  of 
the  nature  of  the  Godhead,  but  sboweth  that 
it  is  not  of  the  same  matter  as  his  body,  which 
is  dust.  Gen.  xviii.  27. 

Q.  Is  not  the  soul,  then,  of  the  nature  of 
the  Godhead? 

A.  No;  for  God  cannot  sin,  but  the  soul 
doth  :*  God  cannot  be  destroyed  in  hell,  but 
the  souls  of  the  impenitent  shall.  Ezek.  xviii. 
4;  Matt.  x.  28. 

Q.  How  did  God  make  man  in  the  day  of 
his  first  creation  ? 

A.  God  made  man  upright:  in  the  image  of 
God  created  he  him.  Eccles.  vii.  29;  Gen.  i.  27. 

Q.  Did  God,  when  he  made  man,  leave  him 
without  a rule  to  walk  by? 

A.  No;  he  gave  him  a law  in  his  nature, 
and  imposed  upon  him  a positive  precept,  but 
he  offered  violence  to  them  and  brake  them 
both.  Gen.  iii.  3,  6. 

Q.  What  was  the*  due  desert  of  that  trans- 
gression? 

A.  Spiritual  death  in  the  day  he  did  it, 
temporal  death  afterwards,  and  everlasting- 
death  last  of  all. 

Q.  What  is  it  to  be  spiritually  dead? 

A.  To  be  alienate  vfrom  God,  and  to  live 
without  him  in  the  world,  through  the  ignor- 
ance that  is  in  men  and  through  the  power  of 
their  sins.  Eph.  iv.  18,  19. 

Q.  Wherein  doth  this  alienation  from  God 
appear  ? 

A.  In. the  love  they  have  to  their  sins;  in 
their  being  loth  to  come  to  him ; in  their  plead- 
ing idle  excuses  for  their  sins,  and  in  their 
ignorance  of  the  excellent  mysteries  of  his 
blessed  Gospel. 

Q.  What  is  temporal  death  ? 

A.  To  have  body, and  soul  separated  asunder, 
the  body  returning  to  the  dust  as  it  was,  and 
the  soul  to  God  that  gave  it.  Gen.  iii.  19; 
Eccles.  xii.  7. 

Q.  What  is  everlasting  death  ? 

A.  For  body  and  soul  to  be  separated  for 
ever  from  God  and  to  be  cast  into  hell-fire. 
Luke  xiii.  27 ; Mark  ix.  43. 

* The  soul  was  originally  pure  and  holy,  in  the 
image  of  God,  which  the  sin  of  our  first  parents  to- 
tally defaced. 

+ Original  sin  is  manifested  in  all  natural  men,  who 


927 

Q.  Do  men  go  body  and  soul  to  jell  so  soon 
as  they  die? 

A.  The  body  abideth  in  the  grave  till  the 
sound  of  the  last  trump;  but  the  soul,  if  the 
man  dies  wicked,  goes  presently  from  the  face 
of  God  into  hell  as  into  a prison,  there  to  be 
kept  till  the  day  of  judgment.  1 Cor.  xv.  52; 
Isa.  xxiv.  22;  Luke  xii.  20. 

Q.  Do  we  cotne  into  the  world  as  upright  as 
did  our  first  parent? 

A.  No;  he  came  into  the  world  sinless, 
being  made  so  of  God  Almighty,  but  we  come 
into  the  world  sinners,  being  made  so  by  his 
pollution. f 

Q.  ITow  doth  it  appear  that  we  came  into 
the  world  polluted? 

A.  We  are  the  fruit  of  an  unclean  thing, 
are  defiled  in  our  very  conception,  and  are  by 
nature  the  children  of  wrath.  Job  xiv.  4;  Ps. 
li.  5;  Eph.  ii.  3. 

Q.  Can  you  make  further  proof  of  this? 

A.  Yes;  it  is  said  that  by  one  man  came  sin, 
death,  judgment,  and  condemnation  upon  all 
men.  Rom.  v. 

Q.  Do  we  then  come  sinners  into  the  world? 

A.  Yes : we  are  transgressors  from  the  womb, 
and  go  astray  as  soon  as  we  are  born,  speaking 
lies. 

Q.  But  as  Adam  fell  with  us  in  him,  so  did 
he  not  by  faith  rise  with  us  in  him?  for  he  had 
no  seed  until  he  had  the  promise. 

A.  He  fell  as  a public  person,  but  believed 
the  promise  as  a single  person.  Adam’s  faith 
saved  not  the  world,  though  Adam’s  sin  over- 
threw it. 

Q.  But  do  not  some  hold  that  we  are  sin- 
ners only  by  imitation  ? 

A.  Yea,  bein'g  themselves  deceived.  But 
God’s  word  saith  we  are  children  of  wrath  by 
nature — that  is,  by  birth  and  generation. 

Q.  Can  you  bring  further  proof  of  this? 

A.  Yes.  In  that  day  that  we  were  born  we 
were  polluted  in  our  own  blood,  and  cast  out 
to  the  loathing  of  our  persons.  Again,  the 
children  of  old  that  were  dedicated  unto  the 
Lord,  a sacrifice  was  offered  for  them  at  a 
month  old,  which  was  before  they  were  sinners 
by  imitation.  Ezek.  xvi.  4-9;  Num.  xviii.  14, 
15,  16. 

Q.  Can  you  make  this  appear  by  experi- 
ence? 

A.  Yes.  The  first  things  that  bloom  and 

have  an  enmity  against  the  being  and  sovereignty  of 
God,  against  his  holy  nature  aud  his  holy  law;  they 
hate  the  Gospel  of  his  Son,  the  doctrines  of  his  grace, 
and  the  work  of  his  Spirit  upon  the  heart. 


928 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


^ put  forth  themselves  in  children  show  their 
ignorance  of  God,  their  disobedience  to  pa- 
rents, and  their  innate  enmity  to  holiness  of 
life;  their  inclinations  naturally  run  to  vanity. 
Besides,  little  children  die,  but  that  they  could 
not  were  they  not  of  God  counted  sinners;  for 
“death  is  the  wages  of  sin.”  Bom.  vi.  23. 

Q.  What  is  sin? 

A.  “It  is  a transgression  of  the  law.”  1 
John  iii.  4. 

Q.  A transgression  of  what  law? 

A.  Of  the  law  of  our  nature,  and  of  the 
law  of  the  ten  commandments,  as  written  in 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  Rom.  ii.  12,  14,  15 ; Ex. 
xx. 

Q.  When  doth  one  sin  against  the  law  of 
nature? 

A.  When  you  do  any  thing  that  your  con- 
science tells  you  is  a transgression  against  God 
or  man.  Rom.  ii.  14,  15. 

Q.  When  do  we  sin  against  the  law  as  writ- 
ten in  the  ten  commandments? 

A.  When  you  do  any  thing  that  they  forbid, 
although  you  be  ignorant  of  it.  Ps.  xix.  12. 

Q.  How  many  ways  are  there  to  sin  against 
this  law? 

A.  Three : by  sinful  thoughts,-  by  sinful 
words,  and  also  by  sinful  actions.* 

Q.  What  if  we  sin  but  against  one  of  the 
ten  commandments? 

A.  “ Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law 
and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all  ; 
for  he  that  said,  Do  not  commit  adultery,  said 
also,  Do  not  kill ; now  if  thou  commit  no 
adultery,  yet  if  thou  kill,  thou  art  a trans- 
gressor of  the  law.”  James  ii.  10,  11. 

Q.  ’Where  will  God  punish  sinners  for  their 
sins  ? 

A.  “ Both  in  this  world  and  in  that  which 
is  to  come.” 

Q,.  How  are  men  punished  in  this  world  for 
sin  ? 

A.  Many  ways,  as  with  sickness,  losses, 
crosses,  disappointments,  and  the  like:  some- 
times, also,  God  giveth  them  up  to  their  own 
hearts’  lusts,  to  blindness  of  mind  also  and 
hardness  of  heart;  yea,  and  sometimes  to 
strong  delusions,  that  they  might  believe  lies 
and  be  damned. 


* Not  only  the  sin  of  Adam  is  imputed  to  us  by 
original  transgression,  but  a defiled  nature  communi- 
cated to  us,  which  breaks  out  into  numberless  actual 
sins  : being  therefore,  on  this  account,  exposed  to  the 
curse  and  infinite  wrath  of  God,  there  is  no  way  of 
escape  but  by  the  God-man  Christ  Jesus,  whose  blood 
is  an  efficacious  antidote  to  sin. 


Q.  How  are  sinners  punished  in  the  world 
to  come? 

A.  “ With  a worm  that  never  dies,  and 
with  a fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched.” 
Mark  ix.  44. 

Q.  Whither  do  sinners  go  to  receive  this 
punishment? 

A.  “The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell, 
and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God.”  Ps.  ix.  27. 

Q.  What  is  hell? 

A.  It  is  a place  and  a state  most  fearful. 
Luke  xvi.  28;  Acts  i.  25;  Luke  xvi.  21. 

Q.  Why  do  you  call  it  a place? 

A.  Because  in  hell  shall  all  the  damned  be 
confined  as  in  a prison,  in  their  chains  of 
darkness  for  ever.  Luke  xii.  5,  58;  xvi.  26; 
Jude  6. 

Q.  What  a place  is  hell  ? 

A.  It  is  a dark,  bottomless,  burning  lake  of 
fire,  large  enough  to  hold  all  that  perish. 
Matt.  xxii.  13;  Rev.  xx.  1,  25;  Isa.  xxx.  37 ; 
Prov.  xxvii.  20. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  when  you  say  it  is  a 
fearful  state  ? 

A.  I mean  that  it  is  the  lot  of  those  that  are 
cast  in  thither' to  be  tormented  in  most  fearful 
manner — to  wit,  with  wratji  and  fiery  indigna- 
tion. Rom.  ii.  9;  Heb.  x.  26,  27. 

Q.  In  what  parts  shall  they  be  thus  fear- 
fully tormented? 

A.  In  body  and  soul ; for  hell-fire  shall 
kindle  upon  botli  beyond  what  now  can 
be  thought.*  Matt.  x.  28 ; Luke  xvi.  24 ; James 
v.  3. 

Q.  How  long  shall  they  he  in  this  con- 
dition ? 

A.  “These  shall  go  away  into  everlasting 
punishment,  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment 
ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever,  and  they 
have  no  rest  day  nor  night;  for  they  shall  be 
punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord  and  from  the  glory 
of  his  power.”  Matt.  xxv.  46;  Rev.  xiv.  11;  2 
Tliess.  i.  9. 

Q.  But  why  might  not  the  ungodly  be 
punished  with  this  punishment  in  this  world, 
that  we  might  have  seen  it  and  believe? 

A.  If  the  ungodly  should  with  punishment 
have  been  rewarded  in  this  world,  it  would  in 

■*  licit  consists  chiefly  in  the  separation  of  the  soul 
from  God  and  happiness  for  ever.  Nothing  less  than 
God  can  make  rational  creatures  happy;  therefore  a 
disunion  from  him  is  the  privation  of  every  desirable 
good,  and  the  being  pluuged  into  mental  darkness, 
rage,  horror,  anguish,  despair,  and  endless  and  irre- 
trievable misery  and  woe. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


929 


nil  probability  have  overthrown  the  whole 
order  that  God  hath  settled  here  among  men. 
For  who  could  have  endured  here  to  have 
seen  the  flames  of  fire,  to  have  heard  the 
groans,  and  to  have  seen  the  tears  perhaps  of 
damned  relations,  as  parents  or  children? 
Therefore,  as  Tophet  of  old  was  without  the 
city,  and  as  the  gallows  and  gibbets  are  built 
without  the  town  so  Christ  hath  ordered  that 
they  who  are  to  be  punished  with  this  kind 
of  torment  shall  betaken  away:  “Take  him 
away  (saith  he,  out  of  this  world)  and  cast 
him  into  utter  darkness,  and  let  him  have  his 
punishment;  there  there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth.”  Besides,  faith  is  not  to 
be  wrought  by  looking  into  hell  and  seeing 
the  damned  tormented  befoue  our  eyes,  but 
by  hearing  the  word  of  God ; for  he  that  shall 
not  believe  Moses  and  the  prophets,  will  not 
be  persuaded  should  one  come  from  the  dead, 
yea,  should  one  come  to  them  in  flames  to 
persuade  them.  Matt.  xxii.  13;  Bom.  x.  17 ; 
Luke  xvi.  27-32. 

Q.  Are  there  degrees  of  torments  in  hell? 

A.  Yes ; for  “ God  will  reward  every  one 
according  to  their  works.  “Woe  to  the  wicked! 
It  shall  go  ill  with  him,  for  the  reward  of  his 
hands  shall  be  given  unto  him.”  Isa.  iii.  11. 

Q.  Who  are  like  to  be  most  punished  there 
— men  or  children  ? 

A.  The  punishment  in  hell  comes  not  upon 
sinners  according  to  age,  but  sin;  so  that 
whether  they  be  men  or  children,  the  greater 
sin  the  greater  punishment,  for  there  is  no  re- 
spect of  persons  with  God.  Rom.  ii.  11. 

Q.  How  do  you  distinguish  between  great 
sins  and  little  ones? 

A.  By  their  nature  and  by  the  circum- 
stances that  attend  them. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  their  nature? 

A.  I mean  w'hen  they  are  very  gross  in 
themselves. 

Q.  What  kind  of  sins  are  the  greatest? 

A.  Adultery,  fornication,  murder,  theft, 
swearing,  lying,  covetousness,  witchcraft,  se- 
dition, heresies,  or  any  the  like. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  circumstances 
that  attend  sin? 

A.  I mean  light,  knowledge,  the  preaching 
of  the  word,  godly  acquaintance,  timely  cau- 
tion, &c. 

Q.  Will  these  make  an  alteration  in  the  sin? 

* There  aro  no  little  sins : every  sin  is  an  affrout  to 
and  rebellion  against  the  Majesty  of  heaven,  who  is 
infinitely  pure  and  holy.  But  sin  is  the  more  aggra- 
vated and  provoking  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of 
b'i 


A.  These  things  attending  sinners  will  make 
little  sins*  great — yea,  greater  than  greater 
sins  that  are  committed  in  grossest  ignorance. 

Q.  How  do  you  prove  that? 

A.  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  wallowed  in  all 
or  most  of  those  gross  transgressions  above 
mentioned;  yea,  they  were  said  to  be  sinners 
exceedingly ; they  lived  in  such  sins  as  may 
not  be  spoken  of  without  blushing;  and  yet 
God  swears  that  Israel,  his  Church,  had  done 
worse  than  they,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  also 
seconds  it  in  that  threatening  of  his,  “I  say 
unto  you  that  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  in 
that  day  for  Sodom  than  for  thee.”  Ezek.  xvi. 
48;  Matt.  xi.  24;  Luke  x.  12. 

Q.  And  was  this  the  reason — namely,  be- 
cause they  had  such  circumstances  attending 
them  as  Sodom  had  not? 

A.  Yes ; as  will  plainly  appear  if  you  read 
the  three  chapters  above  mentioned. 

Q.  When  do  I sin  against  light  and  know- 
ledge? 

A.  When  you  sin  against  convictions  of 
conscience,  when  you  sin  against  a known  law 
of  God,  when  you  sin  against  counsels  and 
^issuasion  of  friends,  then  you  sin  against 
light  and  knowdedge.  Rom.  i.  32. 

Q.  When  do  I sin  against  preaching  of  the 
word  ? 

A.  When  you  refuse  to  hear  God’s  ministers, 
or,  hearing  them,  refuse  to  follow  their  whole- 
some doctrine. 

Q.  When  else  do  I sin  against  preaching  of 
the  word  ? 

A.  When  you  mock,  or  despise,  or  reproach 
the  ministers;  also  when  you  raise  lies  and 
scandals  of  them,  or  receive  such  lies  or  scan- 
dals raised ; you  then  also  sin  against  the 
preaching  of  the  word  when  you  persecute 
them  that  preach  it  or  are  secretly  glad  to  see 
them  so  used. 

Q.  How  will  godly  acquaintance  greaten 
my  sin  ? 

A.  When  you  sin  against  their  counsels, 
warnings,  or  persuasions  to  the  contrary ; also 
when  their  lives  and  conversations  are  reproof 
to  you,  and  yet  against  all  you  will  sin.  Thus 
sinned  Ishmael,  Esau,  Eli’s  sons,  Absalom  and 
Judas;  they  had  good  company,  good  coun- 
sels, and  a good  life  set  before  them  by  their 
godly  acquaintance,  but  they  sinned  against 
all,  and  their  judgment  was  the  greater. 

light  and  conviction  in  the  sinner  by  whom  it  is  com- 
mitted. This  accounts  for  God's  very  severe  punish- 
ments to  his  own  people  at  this  day.  Professing 
Christian,  watch  and  pray. 


930 


BUKYAN’S  complete  works. 


lshmael  was  cast  away,  Esau  hated,  Eli’s 
sons  died  suddenly,  Absalom  and  Judas  were 
both  strangely  hanged. 

Q.  Are  sins  thus  heightened  distinguished 
from  others  by  any  special  name? 

A.  Yes;  they  are  called  rebellion,  and  are 
compared  to  the  sin  of  witchcraft;  they  are 
called  wilful  sins,  they  are  called  briers  and 
thorns,  and  they  that  bring  them  forth  are 
nigh  unto  cursing,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned.* 

Q.  Are  there  any  other  things  that  can 
make  little  sins  great  ones? 

A.  Yes,  as  when  you  sin  against  the  judg- 
ments of  God ; as,  for  example,  you  see  the 
judgments  of  God  come  upon  some  for  their 
transgressions,  and  you  go  on  in  their  iniqui- 
ties ; as  also  when  you  sin  against  the  patience, 
long-suffering,  and  forbearance  of  God;  this 
will  make  little  sins  great  ones. 

Q.  Did  God  ever  punish  little  children  for 
sin  against  him  ? 

A.  Yes ; when  the  flood  came  he  drowned  all 
the  little  children  that  were  in  the  old  world ; 
he  also  burned  up  all  the  little  children  which 
were  in  Sodom  ; and  because,  upon  a time,  the 
little  children  at  Bethel  mocked  the  prophet 
as  he  was  a-going  to  worship  God,  God  let 
loose  tw'o  she-bears  upon  them,  which  tore 
forty-and-two  of  them  to  pieces.  2 Kings  ii. 
22,  23. 

Q.  Alas!  what  shall  we  little  children  do? 

A.  Either  go  on  in  your  sins,  or  “ remem- 
ber now  your  Creator  in  the  days  of  your 
youth,  before  the  evil  days  come.”  Eccles. 
xii.  1. 

Q.  Why  do  you  mock  us  to  hid  us  go  on  in 
our  sins?  You  had  need  pray  for  us  that  God 
would  save  us. 

A.  I do  not  mock  you,  but  as  the  wise  man 
doth  ; and  besides,  I pray  for  you  and  wish 
your  salvation. 

Q.  How  doth  the  wise  man  mock  us? 

A.  Thus:  “Rejoice,  0 young  man,  in  thy 
youth,  and  let  thy  heart  cheer  thee,  in  the 
days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in  the  ways  of 
thy  heart  and  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes  ; but 
know  thou  that  for  all  these  things  God  will 
bring  thee  to  judgment.”  Eccles.  xi.  9. 

Q.  What  a kind  of  mocking  is  this? 

A.  Such  an  one  as  is  mixed  with  the  great- 
s' The  friendly  warnings  and  admonitions  of  pious 
ministers  and  private  Christians  will  add  exceedingly 
to  the  condemnation  of  the  ungodly  and  impenitent, 
who  to  the  last  have  slighted  the  Lord's  counsel  by 
them,  and  would  have  none  of  their  reproof.  Prov.  i. 
25,  30. 


est  seriousness ; as  if  he  should  say,  Ay,  do, 
sinner,  go  on  in  your  sins  if  you  dare;  do 
live  in  your  vauities,  but  God  will  have  a time 
to  judge  you  for  them. 

Q.  Is  not  this  just  as  when  my  father  bids 
me  be  naught  if  I will,  but  if  I be  naught  he 
will  beat  me  for  it? 

A.  Yes;  or  like  that  saying  of  Joshua,  “If 
it  seem  evil  to  you  to  serve  the  Lord,  choose 
you  this  day  whom  you  will  serve :”  serve 
your  sins  at  your  peril.  Josh.  xxiv.  15. 

Q.  Is  it  not  best,  then,  for  me  to  serve  God? 

A.  Yes  ; for  they  that  serve  the  devil  must 
be  where  he  is,  and  they  that  serve  God  and 
Christ  must  be  where  they  are.  John  xii.  16; 
Matt.  xxv.  41. 

Q.  But  when,  had  I best  begin  to  serve 
God? 

A.  Just  now:f  “Remember  now  thy  Cre- 
ator;” now  thou  hast  the  Gospel  before  thee; 
now  thy  heart  is  tender  and  will  be  soonest 
broken. 

Q.  But  if  I follow  my  play  and  sports  a lit- 
tle longer,  may  I not  come  time  enough  ? 

A.  I cannot  promise  thee  that,  for  there  be 
little  graves  in  the  churchyard  ; and  who  can 
tell  but  that  thy  young  life  is  short;  or,  if 
thou  dost  live,  perhaps  thy  day  of  grace  may 
be  as  short  as  was  Ishmael’s  of  old.  Read  also 
Prov.  i.  24-26. 

Q.  But  if  I stay  a little  longer  before  I turn, 
I may  have  more  wit  to  serve  God  than  now  I 
have,  may  I not? 

A.  If  thou  stay  est  longer  thou  wilt  have 
more  sin,  and  perhaps  less  wit;  for  the  bigger 
sinner  the  bigger  fool.  Prov.  i.  22. 

Q.  If  I serve  God  sometimes  and  my  sin 
sometimes,  how  then? 

A.  No  man  can  serve  two  masters : thou 
canst  not  serve  God  and  thy  sins.  God  saith, 
“My  son,  give  me  thy  heart.”  Also  thy  soul 
and  body  are  his  ; but  the  double-minded  man 
is  forbidden  to  think  that  he  shall  receive  any 
thing  of  the  Lord.  Matt.  vi.  24 ; Prov.  xxiii. 
26 ; 1 Cor.  vi.  28 ; James  i.  7,  8. 

Q.  Do  you  find  many  such  little  children  as 
I am  serve  God  ? 

A.  Not  many,  yet  some  I do  : Samuel  served 
him  being  a child ; when  Josiali  was  young  he 
began  to  seek  after  the  God  of  his  father  David ; 

•)•  “ Now  is  the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of  sal- 
vation.” The  next  moment  is  not  our  own  : the  soul 
may  then  be  launched  into  the  world  of  spirits. 
Moreover,  a continuance  in  sin  augments  the  hard- 
ness and  impenitence  of  the  heart.  Oh  therefore 
“ seek  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found.”  Isa.  lv.  6,  &o. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


931 


and  how  kindly  did  our  Lord  Jesus  take  it  to 
see  the  little  children  run  tripping  before  him 
and  crying,  “Hosannah  to  the  Bon  ot  David ! 

Q.  Then  I am  not  like  to  have  many  com- 
panions if  I,  thus  young,  begin  to  serve  God, 
am  I? 

A.  “Strait  is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the 
way  that  lcadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be 
that  find  it.”  Yet  some  companions  thou  wilt 
have.  David  counted  himself  a companion  of 
all  them  that  love  God’s  testimonies;  all  the 
godly,  though  gray-headed,  will  be  thy  com- 
panion:-; yea,  and  thou  shalt  have  either  one 
or  more  of  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven  to  at- 
tend on  and  minister  for  thee. 

Q.  But  I am  like  to  be  slighted  and  despised 
by  other  little  children  if  I begin  already  to 
serve  God,  am  I nof  ? 

A.  If  children  be  so  rude  as  to  mock  the 
prophets  and  ministers  of  God,  no  marvel  it 
they  also  mock  thee;  but  it  is  a poor  heaven 
that  is  not  worth  enduring  worse  things  than 
to  be  mocked  for  the  seeking  and  obtaining  of* 
Q.  But  how  should  I serve  God?  I do  not 
know  how  to  worship  him? 

A.  The  true  worshippers  worship  God  in 
spirit  and  in  truth.  John  iv.  24;  Phil.  iii.  3. 

Q.  What  is  meant  by  worshipping  him  in 
the  spirit? 

A.  To  worship  him  in  God’s  Spirit  and  in 
mine  own ; that  is,  to  worship  him,  being 
wrought  over  in  my  very  heart  by  the  good 
Spirit  of  God  to  an  hearty  compliance  with  his 
will.  Rom.  i.  9 ; vi.  17 ; Ps.  ci.  3. 

Q.  What  is  it  to  worship  him  in  truth. 

A.  To  do  all  that  we  do  in  his  worship  ac- 
cording to  his  word,  for  his  word  is  truth,  and 
to  do  it  without  dissimulation.  Heb.  viii.  5; 
John  xvii.  17  ; Ps.  xxvi.  6;  cxviii.  19,  20.  You 
may  take  the  whole  thus : Then  do  you  wor- 
ship God  aright  when  in  heart  and  life  you 
walk  according  to  his  word. 

Q,.  How  must  I do  to  worship  him  with  my 
spirit  and  heart? 

A.  Thou  must  first  get  the  good  knowledge 
?/f  him : “ And  thou  Solomon,  my  son,  (said 
David,)  know  thou  the  God  of  thy  father,  and 
serve  him  with  a perfect  heart.”  Mind  you, 
he  first  bids  him  know  him,  and  then  serve 
him  with  a perfect  heart.  1 Chron.  xxviii.  9. 

Q.  Is  it  easy  to  get  a true  knowledge  of 
God  ? 

* Sincere  Christians  who,  through  divine  grace,  are 
separated  from  the  world  in  judgment,  affection,  and 
practice,  must  expect  to  he  hated  and  persecuted  by 
it;  but  the  now  exalted  Jesus,  whose  cause  they  es- 


A.  No.  Thou  must  cry  after  knowledge, 
and  lift  up  thy  voice  for  understanding:  “If 
thou  seekest  for  her  as  silver,  and  searchest 
for  her  as  for  hid  treasure,  then  shalt  thou 
understand  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the 
knowledge  of  God.”  Prov.  ii.  1-5. 

Q.  How  comes  it  to  be  so  difficult  i thing  to 
attain  the  true  knowledge  of  God? 

A.  By  reason  of  the  pride  and  ignorance 
that  is  in  us,  as  also  by  reason  of  our  wicked 
ways. 

Q.  But  do  not  every  one  profess  they  know 
God? 

A.  Yes;  but  their  supposed  knowledge  of 
him  varieth  as  much  as  do  their  faces  or  com- 
plexions, some  thinking  he  is  this  and  some 
that. 

Q.  Will  you  show  me  a little  how  they  vary 
in  their  thoughts  about  him? 

A.  Yes.  Some  count  him  a kind  of  an 
heartless  God,  that  will  neither  do  evil  nor 
good ; some  count  him  a kind  of  an  ignorant 
and  blind  God,  that  can  neither  know  nor  see 
through  the  clouds;  some  again  count  him  an 
inconsiderable  God,  not  worth  the  enjoying  if 
it  must  not  be  but  with  the  loss  of  this  world 
and  their  lusts.  Moreover,  some  think  him  to 
be  altogether  such  au  one  as  themselves — one 
that  hath  as  little  hatred  to  sin  as  them- 
selves, and  as  little  love  to  holiness  as  them- 
selves. 

Q.  Are  there  any  more  false  opinions  of 
God? 

A.  Yes.  There  are  three  otheu  false  opin- 
ions of  God : 1.  Some  think  he  is  all  mercy 
and  no  justice,  and  that  therefore  they  may 
live  as  they  list.  2.  Others  think  he  is  all 
justice  and  no  mercy,  and  that  therefore  they 
had  as  good  go  in  their  sins  and  be  damned  as 
turn  and  be  never  the  better.  3.  Others  think 
he  is  both  justice  and  mercy,  but  yet  think  also 
that  his  justice  is  such  as  they  can  pacify  with 
their  own  good  works  and  save  themselves 
with  their  own  right  hand. 

Q.  How,  then,  shall  I know  when  I have 
the  true  knowledge  of  God? 

A.  When  the  knowledge  of  him  aud  the 
Holy  Scriptures  agree. 

Q.  The  Scriptures ! Do  not  all  false  opin- 
ions of  him  flow  from  the  Scriptures? 

A.  No,  in  nowise.  It  is  true,  men  father 
their  errors  upon  the  Scriptures,  when  indeed 

pouse,  will  stand  by  them:  in  his  strength,  then,  let 
them  boldly  proclaim  his  name  and  truth,  in  spite  of 
all  opposition,  and  he  will  make  them  more  than  con- 
querors. 


932 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


they  flow  from  the  ignorance  of  their  hearts. 
Eph.  iv.  18. 

Q.  But  how  if  I do  not  understand  the  Holy 
Bible,  must  I then  go  without  the  true  know- 
ledge of  God? 

A.  His  name  is  manifested  by  his  word;  the 
Scriptures  are  they  that  testify  of  him,  and 
they  are  able  to  make  the  man  of  God  perfect 
in  all  things  and  wise  unto  salvation  through 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  John  xvii.  6,  7,  8;  v. 
89  ; 2 Tim.  iii.  15,  16. 

Q.  But  what  must  one  that  knoweth  not 
God  do  to  get  the  knowledge  of  God? 

A.  Let  him  apply  his  heart  unto  the  Scrip- 
tures, as  unto  a light  that  shineth  in  a dark 
place,  (even  this  world,)  until  the  day  dawn 
and  the  day-star  arise  in  his  heart. 

Q.  But  how  shall  I know  when  I have  found 
by  the  Scriptures  the  true  knowledge  of  God  ? 

A.  When  thou  hast  also  found  a true  know- 
ledge of  thyself.  Isa.  vi.  5;  Job  xlii.  5. 

Q.  What  is  it  for  me  to  know  myself? 

A.  Then  thou  knowest  thyself  when  thou 
art  in  thine  own  eyes  a loathsome,  polluted, 
wretched,  miserable  sinner,  and  that  not  any 
thing  done  by  thee  can  pacify  God  unto  thee.* 

OF  CONFESSION  OF  SIN. 

Q.  You  have  showed  me  if  I will  indeed 
worship  God,  I must  first  know  him  aright; 
now,  then,  to  the  question  in  hand  : Pray  how 
must  I worship  him? 

A.  In  confessing  unto  him.  Neh.  ix.  1,  2,  3. 

Q.  What  must  I confess  ? 

A.  Thou  must  confess  thy  transgressions 
unto  the  Lord.  Ps.  xxxii.  5. 

Q.  Was  this  the  way  of  the  godly  of  old? 

A.  Yes;  Nehemiali  confessed  his  sins,  David 
confessed  his  sins,  Daniel  confessed  his  sins, 
and  they  that  were  baptized  by  John  in  Jor- 
dan confessed  their  sins. 

Q.  What  sins  must  I confess  to  God? 

A.  All  sins  whatsoever ; for  he  that  covereth 
his  sins  shall  not  prosper,  but  whoso  confesseth 
and  forsaketh  them  shall  find  mercy.  Prov. 
xxviii.  13;  1 John  i.  9. 

Q.  But  how  if  I do  neither  know  nor  re- 
member all  my  sins  ? 

A.  Thou  must  then  search  and  try  thy  ways 

# The  knowledge  of  ourselves  as  vile  and  abomin- 
able, deserving  God’s  wrath  and  damnation,  and,  as 
such,  hopeless  and  helpless,  is  one  great  step  to- 
wards our  recovery ; the  next  is,  “to  know  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  hath  sent/' 
as  revealed  in  the  word  of  truth ; this  is  eternal 
life. 


, by  the  holy  word  of  God.  Lam.  iii.  40 ; Ps. 
lxxvii.  6. 

Q.  But  how  if  I do  not  make  this  search 
after  my  sins  ? 

A.  If  thou  dost  not,  God  will ; if  thou  dost 
not  search  them  out  and  confess  them,  God  will 
•search  them  out  and  charge  them  upon  thee, 
and  tear  thee  in  pieces  for  them.  Ps.  1.  21,  22, 

Q.  Where  must  I begin  to  confess  my  sins? 

A.  Where  God  beginnetli  to  show  thee  them. 
Observe,  then,  where  God  beginnetli  with  con- 
viction for  sin,  and  there  begin  thou  with  con- 
fession of  it.  Thus  David  began  to  confess, 
thus  Daniel  began  to  confess.  2 Sam.  vii.  18 ; 
Dan.  ix.  3-9. 

Q.  What  must  I do,  when  God  hath  showed 
me  any  sin,  to  make  right  confession  thereof? 

A.  Thou  must  follow  that  conviction  until  it 
shall  bring  thee  to  the  original  and  fountain  of 
that  sin,  which  is  thine  own  heart.  1 Kings 
viii.  38  ; Ps.  li.  5. 

Q.  Is  my  heart,  then,  the  fountain  and  orig- 
inal of  sin  ? 

A.  Yes:  “ For  from  within,  out  of  the  heart 
of  man,  proceed  evil  thoughts,  adulteries,  for- 
nication, murders,  thefts,  covetousness,  wick- 
edness, deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye, 
blasphemy,  pride,  foolishness ;”  all  these  evil 
things  come  from  within,  and  defile  the  man. 

Q.  When  a man  sees  this  what  will  he  think 
of  himself? 

A.  Then  he  will  not  only  think,  but  con- 
clude, that  he  is  an  unclean  tiling;  that  his 
heart  has  deceived  him ; that  it  is  most  despe- 
rate and  wicked ; that  it  may  not  be  trusted  by 
any  means ; that  every  imagination  and  thought 
of  his  heart  (naturally)  is  only  evil,  and  that 
continually. 

Q.  You  have  given  me  a very  bad  character 
of  the  heart,  but  how  shall  I know  that  it  is  so 
bad  as  you  count  it? 

A.  Both  by  the  text  and  by  experience. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  experience? 

A.  Keep  thine  eyes  upon  thy  heart  and  also 
upon  God’s  word,  and  thou  shaltsee  with  thine 
own  eyes  the  desperate  wickedness  that  is  in 
thine  heart;  for  thou  must  know  sin  by  the 
law,  that  bidding  thee  do  one  thing  and  thy 
heart  inclining  to  another.-}-  Rom.  vii.  7,  8,  9. 

f The  heart  of  man  is  the  very  sink  of  sin  and  the 
fountain  of  all  pollution;  all  the  irregularity  of  our 
lives  flows  from  the  impurities  of  our  hearts  and 
natures;  for,  as  our  Lord  observes,  “out  of  the  heart 
proceeds  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  fornica- 
tions, thefts,  false-witness,  blasphemies:  these  defile 
a man.”  Create  in  us  a clean  heart,  0 Godl 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


933 


Q.  May  I thus,  then,  know  my  heart? 

A.  Yes;  that  is,  something  of  it,  especially 
the  carnality  of  thy  mind,  because  the  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God;  for  “it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can 
be.”  Rom.  viii.  7. 

Q.  Can  you  particularize  some  few  things 
wherein  the  wickedness  of  the  heart  of  man 
shows  itself? 

A.  Yes;  by  its  secret  hankering  after  sin, 
although  the  word  forbids  it;  by  its  deferring 
of  repentance;  by  its  being  weary  of  holy 
duties;  by  its  aptness  to  forget  God;  by  its 
studying  to  lessen  and  hide  sin ; by  its  feigning 
itself  to  be  better  than  it  is;  by  being  glad 
when  it  can  sin  without  being  seen  of  men ; 
by  its  hardening  itself  against  the  threaten- 
ings  and  judgments  of  God;  by  its  desperate 
inclinings  to  unbelief,  atheism,  and  the 
like. 

Q.  Is  there  any  thing  else  to  be  done  in 
order  to  a right  confession  of  sin  ? 

A.  Yes;  let  this  conviction  sink  down  into 
thy  heart,  that  God  sees  much  more  wicked- 
ness in  thee  than  thou  canst  see  in  thyself.  If 
thy  heart  condemn  thee,  God  is  greater  than 
thy  heart  and  lie  knows  all  things ; besides,  he 
hath  set  thy  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  his 
countenance.  1 John  iii.  20;  Ps.  xc.  8. 

Q.  Is  there  any  thing  else  that  must  go  to  a 
right  confession  of  sin  ? 

A.  Yes;  in  thy  confession  thou  must  greaten 
and  aggravate  thy  sin  by  all  just  circumstances. 

Q.  How  must  I do  that? 

A.  By  considering  against  how  much  light 
and  mercy  thou  hast  sinned,  against  how  much 
patience  and  forbearance  thou  hast  sinned ; 
also  against  what  warnings  and  judgments 
thou  hast  sinned,  and  against  how  many  of 
thine  own  vows,  promises,  and  engagements 
thou  hast  sinned;  these  things  heighten  and 
aggravate  sin.  Ezra  ix.  10-16. 

Q.  But  what  need  I confess  my  sins  to  God, 
seeing  he  •knows  them  already? 

A.  Confession  of  sin  is  necessary  for  many 
reasons. 

Q.  Will  you  show  me  some  of  those  reasons  ? 

A.  Yes ; one  is,  by  a sincere  and  hearty  con- 
fession of  sin  thou  acknowledgest  God  to  be 
thy  Sovereign  Lord,  and  that  he  hath  right  to 
impose  his  law  upon  thee.  Ex.  xx. 

Q.  Can  you  show  me  another  reason  ? 

* It  is  the  blessed  office  of  the  heavenly  Comforter, 
the  Spirit  of  Uod,  to  convince  of  sin,  righteousness, 
and  judgment ; “ Behold,  I am  vile ! ” was  the  lan- 
guage of  one  of  old ; and  of  another,  “ Enter  not  into 


A.  Yes ; by  confessing  thy  sin  thou  subscrib- 
est  to  his  righteous  judgments  that  arc  pro- 
nounced against  it.  Ps.  li.  3,  4. 

Q.  Can  you  show  me  another  reason? 

A.  Yes;  by  confessing  of  sin  thou  showest 
how  little  thou  deservest  the  least  mercy  from 
God.* 

Q.  Have  you  yet  another  reason  why  I 
should  confess  my  sin  ? 

A.  Yes;  by  so  doing  thou  showest  whetlic r 
thy  heart  loves  it  or  hates  it.  He  that  heartily 
confesseth  his  sin  is  like  him  who,  having  a 
thief  or  traitor  in  his  house,  brings  him  out  to 
condign  punishment;  but  he  that  forbears  to 
confess  is  like  him  who  hideth  a thief  or  trai- 
tor against  the  laws  and  peace  of  our  Lord  the 
King. 

Q.  Give  me  one  more  reason  why  I should 
confess  my  sins  to  God. 

A.  He  that  confesseth  his  sin  casteth  him- 
self at  the  feet  of  God’s  mercy,  utterly  con- 
demns and  casts  away  his  own  righteousness, 
concludeth  there  is  no  way  to  stand  just  and 
acquit  before  God  but  by  and  through  the 
righteousness  of  another,  whither  God  is  re- 
solved to  bring  thee  if  ever  he  saves  thy  soul. 
Ps.  li.  1,  2,  3 ; 1 John  i.  9 ; Phil.  iii.  6,  7,  8. 

Q.  What  frame  of  heart  should  I be  in  when 
I confess  my  sins  ? 

A.  Do  it  heartily,  and  to  the  best  of  thy 
power  thoroughly,  for  to  feign  in  this  work  is 
abominable ; to  do  it  by  halves  is  wickedness ; 
to  do  it  without  sense  of  sin  cannot  be  accept- 
able; and  to  confess  it  with  the  mouth  and  to 
love  it  with  the  heart  is  a lying  unto  God  and 
a provocation  of  the  eyes  of  his  glory. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  feigning  and  dis- 
sembling in  this  work  ? 

A.  When  men  confess  it,  yet  know  not  what 
it  is;  or  if  they  think  they  know  it,  do  not 
conclude  it  so  bad  as  it  is ; or  when  men  ask 
pardon  of  God,  but  do  not  see  their  need  of 
pardon ; such  men  must  need  dissemble. 

Q,.  What  do  you  mean  by  doing  it  by  the 
halves? 

A.  When  men  confess  some,  but  not  all  that 
they  are  convinced  of,  or  if  they  confess  all, 
yet  labour  in  their  confession  to  lessen  it;  or 
when  in  their  confession  they  turn  not  from  all 
sin  to  God,  but  from  one  sin  to  another : “ They 
turned,  but  not  to  the  Most  High,  none  of  them 
did  exalt  him.”  Prov.  xviii.  13. 

judgment  with  thy  servant,  0 Lord  : for  in  thy  sight 
shall  no  flesh  living  be  justified.”  This  also  should 
be  ours,  for  “ we  have  all  sinned,  and  come  short  of 
God.” 


934 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Q.  What  is  it  to  confess  sin  without  the 
sense  of  sin? 

A.  To  do  it  through  custom  or  tradition  when 
there  is  no  guilt  upon  the  conscience : now  this 
cannot  be  acceptable. 

Q.  What  is  it  to  confess  it  with  the  mouth, 
to  love  it  with  the  heart? 

A.  When  men  condemn  it  with  their  mouth, 
but  refuse  to  let  it  go : when  with  their  mouth 
they  show  much  love,  but  their  heart  goeth 
after  their  covetousness. 

Q.  But  I ask  you  what  frame  of  heart  I 
should  be  in  in  my  confessions? 

A.  I have  showed  you  how  you  should  not 
be ; well,  I will  show  you  now  what  frame  of 
heart  becomes  you  in  your  confessions  of  sin. 
Labour  by  all  means  for  a sense  of  the  evil 
that  is  in  sin. 

Q.  What  evil  is  there  in  sin  ? 

A.  No  man  with  tongue  can  express  what 
may  by  the  heart  be  felt  of  the  evil  of  sin  ;* 
but  this  know,  it  dishonoured  God,  it  provok- 
eth  him  to  wrath,  it  damneth  the  soul.  Horn, 
ii.  28. 

Q.  What  else  would  you  advise  me  to  in  this 
great  work? 

A.  When  you  confess  sin,  tears,  shame,  and 
nrokenness  of  heart  become  us.  Jer.  1.  4. 

Q.  What  else  becomes  me  in  my  confessions 
of  sin? 

A.  Great  detestation  of  sin,  with  unfeigned 
sighs  and  groans  that  express  that  thou  dost  it 
heartily.  Job  xlii..  5,  6. 

Q.  Is  here  all  ? 

A.  No ; tremble  at  the  word  of  God  ; trem- 
ble at  every  judgment,  lest  it  overtake  thee; 
tremble  at  every  promise,  lest  thou  shouldst 
miss  thereof:  “For  (saith  God)  to  this  man 
will  I look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a 
contrite  spirit,  and  that  trembles  at  my  word.” 
Isa.  lxvi.  2;  Heb.  iv.  1,  2. 

Q.  What  if  I cannot  thus  confess  my  sins? 

A.  Bewail  the  hardness  of  thy  heart,  keep 
close  to  the  best  preachers,  remember  that  thou 
liangest  over  hell  by  the  weak  thread  of  an  un- 
certain life;  and  know  God  counts  it  a great 
evil  not  to  be  ashamed  of,  not  to  blush  at  sin. 

Q.  Are  there  no  thanks  to  be  rendered  to 
God  in  confessions? 


* To  make  a verbal  confession  of  our  sins,  how  just 
soever,  will  not  avail  us,  unless  the  heart  be  touched 
with  a feeling  of  the  aggravated  nature  of  them,  so  as 
to  make  the  soul  cry  out  with  the  royal  penitent, 
“ Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I sinned,  and  done  this 
evil  in  thy  sight,  that  thou  inightest  be  justified,”  <fcc. 
Ps.  li.  4. 


A.  Oh  yes.  Thank  him  for  that  he  hath  let 
thee  see  thy  sins;  thank  him  that  he  hath 
given  thee  time  to  acknowledge  thy  sins — thou 
mightest  now  have  been  confessing  in  hell ; 
thank  him  also  that  he  hath  so  far  condescended 
as  to  hear  the  self-bemoaning  sinner,  and  that 
he  hath  promised  surely  to  have  mercy  upon 
such.  Jer.  xxxi.  18,  19,  20. 

OF  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

Q.  I AM  glad  that  you  have  instructed  me 
into  this  part  of  the  worship  of  God ; I pray 
thee  tell  me  also  how  else  I should  worship  him. 

A.  Thou  must  believe  his  word. 

Q.  Is  that  worshipping  of  God? 

A.  Yes:  “After  the  way  which  you  call 
heresy,  so  worship  I the  God  of  my  fathers, 
believing  all  things  that  are  written  in  the  law 
and  the  prophets,”  &c.  Acts  xxiv.  14. 

Q.  Why  should  believing  be  considered  a 
part  of  God’s  worship  ? 

A.  Because  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to 
please  him.  Heb.  xi.  6. 

Q.  Why  not  possible  to  please  him  without 
believing? 

A.  Because  in  all  true  worship  a man  must 
believe  that  God  is,  and  that  he  is  a rewarder 
of  them  that  diligently  seek  him.  Besides,  he 
that  worships  God  must  also  of  necessity  be- 
lieve his  word,  else  he  cannot  worship  with 
that  reverence  and  fear  that  becomes  him,  but 
will  do  it  in  a superstitious,  profane  manner;? 
“ for  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin.”  Rom. 
xiv.  23. 

Q.  But  do  not  all  believe  as  you  have  said? 

A.  “ That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh, 
and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.” 
And  again,  “ The  children  of  the  flesh,  these  are 
not  the  children  of  God,  but  the  children  of 
the  promise  are  counted  for  the  seed.”  John 
iii.  6;  Rom.  ix.  8. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  that? 

A.  Thou  must  be  born  twice  before  thou 
canst  truly  believe  once. 

Q.  How  do  you  prove  that? 

A.  Because  believing  is  a Christian  act,  and 
none  are  true  Christians  but  those  that  are 
born  again.  But  I mean  by  believing,  believ- 
ing unto  salvation. 

Q.  Can  you  prove  this  ? 

j-  If  you  would  draw  near  to  God  in  a duty  of  his 
worship  with  a true  heart,  you  must  do  it  in  full  as- 
surance of  faith  concerning  your  enjoyment  of  Christ 
and  his  salvation,  looking  for  grace  to  be  enabled  to 
hear  and  receive  the  word  as  the  word  of  God,  and  tc 
I meditate  upon  it  with  profit  and  delight. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


A.  Yes ; they  that  believe  in  the  name  of 
Christ  are  such  which  are  horn  not  of  blood, 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of 
man,  but  of  God.  John  i.  12,  13. 

Q.  What  is  believing? 

A.  It  is  such  an  act  of  a gracious  soul  as 
layeth  hold  on  God’s  mercy  through  Christ. 
Acts  xv.  1 1. 

Q.  Why  do  you  call  it  an  act  of  a gracious 
soul? 

A.  Because  their  minds  are  disposed  that 
way  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Rom. 
xv.  13. 

Q.  If  such  a poor  sinner  as  I am  would  be 
saved  from  the  wrath  to  come,  how  must  I be- 
lieve ? 

A.  Thy  first  question  should  be,  On  whom 
must  I believe?  John  ix.  35,  36. 

Q.  On  whom,  then,  must  I believe  ? 

A.  On  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Acts  xvi.  31, 
32, 

Q.  Who  is  Jesus  Christ,  that  I might  believe 
in  him  ? 

A.  He  is  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God. 
John  iii.  16. 

Q.  Why  must  I believe  on  him? 

A.  Because  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 
2 Pet.  i. ; 1 John  iv.  1-1. 

Q.  How  is  he  the  Saviour  of  the  world  ? 

A.  By  the  Father’s  designation  and  send- 
ing: “ For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world 
to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the  world 
through  him  might  be  saved.”  John  iii.  13. 

Q.  How  did  he  come  into  the  world? 

A.  In  man’s  flesh,  in  which  flesh  he  fulfilled 
the  law,  died  for  our  sins,  conquered  the  devil 
and  death,  and  obtained  eternal  redemption 
for  us.* 

Q.  But  is  there  no  other  way  to  be  saved 
but  by  believing  in  Jesus  Christ? 

A.  There  is  uo  other  name  given  under 
heaven  among  men  whereby  we  must  be 
saved;  and  therefore  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned.  Acts  iv.  12 ; Mark  xvi.  16 ; 
John  iii.  18,  36. 

Q.  What  is  believing  on  Jesus  Christ? 

A.  It  is  a receiving  of  him,  with  what  is  in 
him,  as  the  gift  of  God  to  thee  a sinner.  John 
i.  12. 

* The  adorable  God-man  lived  and  suffered  and 
died  as  the  representative  of  his  people.  The  right- 
eousness of  his  life  was  to  be  their  right  and  title  to 
life,  and  the  righteousness  of  his  sufferings  and  death 
was  to  save  them  from  all  the  sufferings  due  to  their 
sins.  Hereby  tho  law,  justice,  faithfulness,  and  holi- 
ness of  God  will  be  eternally  glorified. 


935 

Q.  What  is  in  Jesus  Christ  to  encourage  me 
to  receive  him  ? 

A.  Infinite  righteousness  to  justify  thee,  and 
the  Spirit  without  measure  to  sanctify  thee. 
Isa.  xlv.  24,  25. 

Q.  Is  this  made  mine  if  I receive  Christ  ? 

A.  Yes,  if  thou  receive  him  as  God  offereth 
him  to  thee.  John  iii.  16. 

Q.  How  doth  God  offer  him  to  me? 

A.  Even  as  a rich  man  freely  off'ereth  an 
alms  to  a beggar,  and  so  must  thou  receive 
him.  John  vi.  32-36. 

Q.  Hath  he  indeed  made  amends  for  sin, 
and  would  indeed  have  me  accept  of  what  he 
hath  done  ? 

A.  That  he  hath  made  amends  for  sin,  it  is 
evident,  because  God  for  Christ’s  sake  forgiv- 
eth  thee.  And  it  is  as  evident  that  he  would 
have  thee  accept  thereof,  because  he  offereth  it 
to  thee,  and  hath  sworn  to  give  thee  the  ut- 
most benefit — to  wit,  eternal  life — if  thou  dost 
receive  it;  yea,  and  hath  threatened  thee  with 
eternal  damnation  if,  after  all  this,  thou  shalt 
neglect  so  great  salvation. 

Q.  But  how  must  I be  qualified  before  I 
shall  dare  to  believe  in  Christ? 

A.  Come  sensible  of  thy  sins  and  of  the 
wrath  of  God  due  unto  them,  for  thus  thou  art 
bid  to  come.  Matt.  xi.  28. 

Q.  Did  ever  any  come  thus  to  Christ? 

A.  David  came  thus,  Paul  and  the  jailer 
came  thus;  also  Christ’s  murderers  came  thus. 
Ps.  li.  1,  2,  3 ; Acts  ix.  6 ; xvi.  30,  31 ; ii.  37. 

Q.  But  doth  it  not  seem  most  reasonable 
that  we  should  first  mend  and  be  good  ? 

A.  “ The  whole  have  no  need  of  the  physi- 
cian, but  those  that  are  sick.  Christ  came  not 
to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners,  to  repent- 
ance.” Mark  ii.  17. 

Q.  But  is  it  not  the  best  way,  if  one  cau,  to 
mend  first? 

A.  This  is  just  as  if  a sick  man  should  say, 
Is  it  not  best  for  me  to  be  well  before  I go  to 
the  physician  ? or  as  if  a wounded  man  should 
say,  When  I am  cured  I will  lay  on  the  pias- 
ter.! 

Q.  But  when  a poor  creature  sees  its  vile- 
ness it  is  afraid  to  come  to  Christ,  is  it  not? 

A,  Yes;  but  without  ground,  for  he  hath 

f God  will  give  us  his  consolations  before  our  good 
works  as  well  as  after  them,  that  we  may  know  that 
he  giveth  everlasting  consolation  and  good  hope 
through  grace,  and  not  through  the  procurement  of 
our  works.  2 Thess.  ii.  16.  The  more  desperate  our 
disease  the  faster  we  should  flee  to  Christ  for  a 


cure. 


936 


BTJNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


said,  “Say  to  them  that  are  of  a fearful  heart, 
Be  strong,  fear  not;  and  to  this  man  will  I 
look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a con- 
trite spirit,  and  trembles  at  my  word.”  Isa. 
xxxv.  4 ; lxvi.  2. 

Q.  What  encouragement  can  be  given  us 
thus  to  come? 

A.  The  prodigal  came  thus,  and  his  father 
received  him  and  fell  upon  his  neck  and 
kissed  him.  Thus  he  received  the  Colossians, 
and  consequently  all  that  are  saved.  Luke 
xv. ; Col.  ii.  13. 

Q.  Will  you  give  me  one  more  encourage- 
ment? 

A.  The  promises  are  so  worded  that  they 
that  are  scarlet  sinners,  crimson  sinners,  blas- 
phemous sinners  have  encouragement  to  come 
to  him  with  hopes  of  life.  Isa.  i.  18;  Mark 
iii.  28;  John  vi.  36;  Luke  xxxiv.  47 ; Acts 
xiii.  36. 

Q.  Shall  any  one  that  believeth  be  saved  ? 

A.  If  they  believe  as  the  Scriptures  have 
said,  if  the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled  in  their  be- 
lieving. John  vii.  38;  James  ii.  23. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  that? 

A.  When  faith  which  a man  saith  he  hath 
proveth  itself  to  be  of  the  right  kind  by  its  acts 
and  operations  in  the  mind  of  a poor  sinner. 
James  ii.  19-23. 

Q.  Why,  are  there  many  kinds  of  faith? 

A.  Yes;  there  is  a faith  that  will  stand 
with  a heart  as  hard  as  a rock ; a short- 
winded  faith,  which  dureth  for  a while,  and 
in  time  of  temptation  such  fall  away.  Luke 
viii.  13. 

Q,.  Is  there  any  other  kind  of  faith? 

A.  Yes;  there  is  a faith  that  hath  no  more 
life  in  it  than  hath  the  body  of  a dead  man. 
James  ii.  26. 

Q.  Is  there  yet  another  of  these  unprofit- 
able faiths? 

A.  Yes;  there  is  a faith  that  is  of  our- 
selves, and  not  of  the  special  grace  of  God? 
Eph.  ii.  8. 

Q.  Tell  me  if  there  be  yet  another? 

A.  There  is  a faith  that  standeth  in  the 
wisdom  of  men  and  not  in  the  power  of  God. 
1 Cor.  ii.  5. 

Q.  Is  here  all? 

A.  No;  there  is  a faith  that  seems  to  be 
holy,  but  it  will  not  do,  because  it  is  not  the 
most  holy  faith.  2 Pet.  ii.  20;  Jude  20. 


* Divine  and  saving  faith  brings  us  to  believe  in 
Christ  as  alone  sufficient  and  all-sufficient  for  our  hap- 
piness and  salvation,  despairing  altogether  of  any.at- 


Q.  Alas ! if  there  be  so  many  kinds  of  faith 
that  will  not  profit  to  salvation,  how  easy  is  it 
for  me  to  be  deceived ! 

A.  It  is  easy  indeed;  and  therefore  the 
Holy  Ghost  doth  in  this  thing  so  often  cau- 
tion us,  “Be  not  deceived,  let  no  man  deceive 
you,  and  if  a man  thiuketh  himself  to  .be 
something  when  he  is  nothing,  he  deceiveth 
himself.” 

Q.  But  is  there  no  way  to  distinguish  the 
right  faith  from  that  which  is  wrong?* 

A.  Yes;  and  that  by  the  manner  of  its 
coming  and  operation? 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  manner  of  its 
coming? 

A.  Nay,  you  must  make  two  questions  of 
this  one ; that  is,  What  is  it  for  faith  to  come? 
and,  In  what  manner  doth  it  come? 

Q.  Well,  then,  what  is  it  for  faith  to  come? 

A.  This  word,  faith  comes,  supposeth  thou 
wert  once  without  it;  it  also  supposeth  that 
thou  didst  not  fetch  it  whence  it  was ; it  also 
supposeth  it  hath  a way  of  coming.  Gal.  iii. 
23,  25. 

Q.  That  I was  once  without  it  you  inti- 
mated before,  but  must  I take  it,  without 
proof,  for  granted? 

A.  I will  give  you  a proof  or  two : God  hath 
concluded  them  all  in  unbelief;  and  again  it  is 
said,  Faith  comes,  and  again,  the  Holy  Ghost 
insinuateth  our  estate  to  be  dreadful  before 
faith  come. 

Q.  Why,  how  is,  it  with  men  before  faith 
comes  ? 

A.  Without  faith,  or  before  faith  comes,  it 
is  impossible  to  please  God ; for  whether  their 
actions  be  civil  or  religious,  they  sin  in  all 
they  do:  “The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an 
abomination,  and  the  ploughing  of  the  wicked 
is  sin.”  Prov.  xxi.  4,  27. 

Q.  Is  not  this  a very  sad  condition  ? 

A.  Yes;  but  this  is  not  all;  for  their  pres- 
ent unbelief  bindeth  them  over  to  wrath  by 
shutting  them  up  to  the  law ; it  also  draweth 
them  away  from  God,  and  will  drown  them  in 
everlasting  damnation  if  the  grace  of  God 
prevent  not. 

Q.  What  if  a man  saw  himself  in  this 
condition  ? 

A.  There  are  many  see  themselves  in  this 
condition  ? 

Q.  How  came  they  to  see  it? 


tainment  of  happiness  by  our  own  wisdom,  strength, 
works  of  righteousness,  or  any  fleshly,  worldly,  con- 
fidences whatsoever. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


937 


A.  By  the  preaching  and  hearing  the  word 
of  God.  John  xvi.  8,  9. 

Q.  And  what  do  such  think  of  themselves? 

A.  They  do  not  only  think,  but  know,  that 
in  this  condition  they  are  without  Christ, 
without  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world. 
Eph.  ii.  11,  12. 

Q.  Are  not  they  happy  that  see  not  them- 
selves in  this  condition? 

A.  Yes ; if  they  have  seen  themselves  de- 
livered therefrom  by  a work  of  faith  in  their 
souls,  else  not. 

Q.  How  do  you  mean? 

A.  I mean,  if  they  have  seen  themselves  de- 
livered from  this  state  by  being  by  the  word 
and  Spirit  of  God  implanted  into  the  faith  of 
Christ. 

Q.  Are  not  they  happy  that  are  never  trou- 
bled with  this  sad  sight  of  their  condition? 

A.  They  are  just  so  happy  as  is  that  man  . 
who  lieth  fast  asleep  in  his  house  while  it  is 
on  fire  about  his  ears.  Can  a man  be  happy 
that  is  ignorant  that  he  is  without  God,  and 
Christ,  and  hope?  Can  a man  be  happy  that 
is  ignorant  that  he  is  hanging  over  hell  by 
the  poor  weak  thread  of  an  uncertain  life  ? * 
For  this  is  the  state  of  such  an  one. 

Q.  But  may  not  faith  come  to  a man  without 
he  see  himself  to  be  first  in  this  condition? 

A.  It  is  God’s  ordinary  way  to  convince  men 
of  this  their  sad  condition  before  he  revealeth 
to  them  the  righteousness  of  faith,  or  work 
faith  in  them  to  lay  hold  of  that  righteous- 
ness. 

Q.  How,  then,  do  you  conclude  of  them  that 
never  saw  themselves  shut  up  by  unbelief  under 
sin  and  the  curse  of  God  ? 

A.  I will  not  judge  them  for  the  future; 
God  may  convert  them  before  they  die,  but  at 
present  their  state  is  miserable;  for  because 
they  are  shut  up  and  held  prisoners  by  the 
law,  by  their  lusts,  and  by  the  devil  and  unbe- 
lief, therefore  they  cannot  so  much  as  with 
their  hearts  desire  that  God  would  have  mercy 
upon  them  and  bring  them  out  of  their  snares 
and  chains. 

Q.  Then  do  you  count  it  better  for  a man  to 
see  his  condition  by  nature  than  to  be  ignorant 
thereof? 

A.  Better  a thousand  times  to  see  it  in  this 


* The  awful  condition  of  the  unconverted  consists 
in  their  being  in  a state  of  separation  from  God,  in- 
sensible of  that  dismal  state,  utterly  unable  to  extri- 
cate themselves  out  of  it,  and  loathsome  to  God  while 
they  continue  in  it.  The  unregenerate  are  twice 
dead,  being  legally  and  spiritually  so. 


world  than  to  see  it  in  hell-fire,  for  he  must 
see  it  there  or  here.  Now  if  he  sees  it  here, 
this  is  the  place  of  prayer,  here  is  the  preach- 
ing of  the  word,  which  is  God’s  ordinance  to 
beget  faith.  Besides,  here  God  applieth  prom- 
ises of  mercy  to  the  desolate?,  and  Christ  also 
hath  protested  that  he  that  cometh  to  him  he 
will  in  nowise  cast  out.  John  vi.  37. 

Q.  I am  convinced  that  I was  once  without 
faith,  and  also  that  I cannot  fetch  it;  but  pray 
toll  me  the  way  of  its  coming? 

A.  “ Faith  comes  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by 
the  word  of  God.” 

Q.  How  by  hearing? 

A.  God  mixed  it  with  the  word  when  he  ab- 
solutely intendeth  the  salvation  of  the  sinner. 

Q.  And  how  do  men  hear  when  faith  i3 
mixed  with  the  word? 

A.  They  hear  the  word  not  as  the  word  of 
man,  but,  as  it  is  in  truth,  the  word  of  God, 
which  worketli  effectually  in  them  that  believe. 
1 Thess.  ii.  13. 

Q.  Pray  tell  me  now  the  manner  of  its  com- 
ing? 

A.  It  comes  through  difficulty,  it  comes 
gradually. 

Q.  What  are  the  difficulties  which  oppose  it 
at  its  coming? 

A.  Sense  of  unworthiness,  guilt  of  con- 
science, natural  reason,  unbelief,  and  argu- 
ments forged  in  hell,  and  thence  suggested  by 
the  devil  into  the  heart  against  it. 

Q.  How  doth  faith  come  gradually? 

A.  Perhaps  at  first  it  is  but  like  a grain  of 
mustard  seed,  small  and  weak.  Matt.  xvii.  20. 

Q.  Will  you  explain  it  further? 

A.  Faith  at  first,  perhaps,  may  have  its  ex- 
cellency lie  in  view  only — that  is,  in  seeing 
where  justification  and  salvation  is;f  after 
that  it  may  step  a degree  higher,  and  be  able 
to  say,  It  may  be  or  who  can  tell  but  I may 
obtain  this  salvation?  Again,  it  may  perhaps 
go  yet  a step  higher,  and  arrive  to  some  short 
and  transient  assurance. 

Q.  But  doth  faith  come  only7  by  hearing? 

A.  It  is  usually  begotten  by  the  word 
preached,  but  after  it  is  begotten  it  is  in- 
creased several  ways.  It  is  increased  by 
prayer;  it  is  increased  by  Christian  confer- 
ence; it  is  increased  by  reading;  it  is  in- 

f The  most  effectual  knowledge  for  our  salvation  is, 
to  understand  these  two  points : the  desperate  sinful- 
ness and  misery  of  our  own  natural  condition,  and  the 
alone-sufficiency  of  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ  for  our 
salvation,  that  we  may  be  abased  as  to  the  flesh,  and 
exalted  in  Christ  alone. 


938 


B UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


creased  by  meditation;  it  is  increased  by  the 
remembrance  of  former  experiences. 

Q.  What  do  these  things  teach  us? 

A.  They  teach  us  that  the  men  of  this  world 
are  very  ignorant  of,  and  as  much  without  de- 
sire after,  faith;  they  neither  hear  nor  pray, 
confer  nor  read,  nor  meditate  for  the  sake  of 
faith. 

Q.  But  you  said  even  now  that  this  faith 
was  distinguished  from  that  which  profiteth 
not  to  salvation,  as  by  the  manner  of  its  com- 
ing, so  by  its  operation  : pray  what  is  its  ope- 
ration? 

A.  It  causeth  the  soul  to  see  in  the  light 
thereof  that  there  is  no  righteousness  in  this 
world  that  can  save  the  sinner.  Isa.  lxiv.  6. 

Q.  How  doth  it  give  the  soul  this  sight? 

. A.  By  giving  him  to  understand  the  law, 
and  his  own  inability  to  do  it.  Gal.  ii.  15,  16. 

Q.  And  doth  it  always  show  the  soul  where 
justifying  righteousness  is? 

A.  Yes;  it  shows  that  justifying  righteous- 
ness is  only  to  be  found  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  what  he  hath  done  and  suffered  in 
the  flesh.  Isa.  xlv.  24,  25;  Phil.  iii.  3-9. 

Q.  How  doth  faith  find  this  righteousness  in 
Christ? 

A.  By  the  word,  which  is  therefore  called 
the  word  of  faith,  because  faith  by  that 
findeth  sufficient  righteousness  in  him.  Bom. 
x.  6-9. 

Q.  How  else  doth  it  operate  in  the  soul? 

A.  It  applieth  this  righteousness  to  the  sin- 
ner, and  also  helps  him  to  embrace  it'.* 

Q.  How  else  doth  it  operate? 

A.  By  this  application  of  Christ  the  soul  is 
quickened  to  life,  spiritualized,  and  made 
heavenly.  For  right  faith  quickeneth  to  spir- 
itual life,  purifies  and  sanctifies  the  heart,  and 
worketh  up  the  man  that  hath  it  into  the  im- 
age of*  Jesus  Christ. 

Q.  How  else  doth  it  operate? 

A.  It  giveth  the  soul  peace  with  God  through 
Jesus  Christ.  Bom.  v.  1. 

Q.  Surely  Christ  is  of  great  esteem  with 
them  that  have  this  faith  in  him,  is  he  not? 

A.  Yes,  yes.  Unto  them  therefore  which 
believe  he  is  precious — precious  in  his  person, 
precious  in  his  undertakings,  precious  in  his 
word. 

* Faith  is  the  instrumental  cause  of  justification,  for 
it  is  the  proper  act  of  faith  to  receive  remission  of  sins, 
(Acts  xxvi.  18,)  to  receive  the  gift  of  righteousnesSj 
(Rom.  v.  17,)  to  receive  Christ  in  the  promise  as  the 
gift  of  the  Father.  Johni.  12;  iv.  10.  This  is  the  only 
way  to  obtain  peace  with  God. 


Q.  Can  these  people,  then,  that  have  this  faith 
endure  to  have  this  Christ  spoken  against  ? 

A.  Oh  no.  This  is  a sword  in  their  bones 
and  a burden  that  they  cannot  bear.  Ps.  xlii. 
10;  Zepli.  iii.  18,  19. 

Q.  Doth  it  not  go  near  them  when  they  see 
his  ways  and  people  discountenanced  ? 

A.  Yes;  and  they- also  choose  rather  to  be 
despised  and  persecuted  with  them  than  to 
enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a season.  Heb. 
xi.  24,  25; 

Q.  Do  they  not  pray  much  for  his  second 
coming? 

A.  Yes,  yes;  they  would  fain  see  him  on 
this  side  the  clouds  of  heaven ; their  conver- 
sation is  in  heaven,  from  whence  they  look  for 
the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Phil.  iii. 
20. 

Q.  And  do  they  live  in  this  world  as  if  he 
were  to  come  presently  ? 

A.  Yes ; for  his  coming  will  be  glorious  and 
dreadful,  full  of  mercy  and  judgment : “ The 
day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a thief  in  the 
night,  in  which  the  heavens  shall  pass  away 
with  a great  noise,  and  the  elements  shall 
melt  with  fervent  heat ; the  earth  also  and  the 
works  therein  shall  be  burnt  up.  Seeing,  then, 
that  all  these  things  shall  be  dissolved,  what 
manner  of  persons  ought  we  to  be  in  all  holy 
conversation  and  godliness  ?”  2 Pet.  iii.  10, 11. 

OF  PRAYER. 

Q.  Well,  I am  glad  that  you  have  showed 
me  that  I must  worship  God  by  confession  of 
sin  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  Is  there  any 
other  thing  a part  of  the  true  worship  of  God? 

A.  Yes,  several;  I will  mention  only  two 
more  at  this  time. 

Q.  What  are  they  ? 

A.  Prayer  and  self-denial. f 

Q.  Is  prayer,  then,  a part  of  the  worship  of 
God? 

A.  Yes ; a great  part  of  it. 

Q.  How  do  you  prove  that? 

A.  “Oh  come  let  us  worship  and  bow  down, 
let  us  kneel  before  the  Lord  our  Maker.”  Ps. 
xcv.  6. 

Q.  Is  there  another  Scripture  proves  it? 

A.  Yes;  “Then  she  came  and  worshipped 
him,  saying,  Lord,  help  me.”  Matt.  xv.  25. 

Q.  What  is  prayer  ? 

f “ The  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  the  righteous 
(or  justified  person)  availeth  much.”  James  iv.  16, 
“In  all  things,  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with 
thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  he  made  known  unto 
God.”  Phil.  iv. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  T1IK  IGNORANT. 


A.  A.  sincere,  sensible,  affectionate  pouring 
out  of  the  soul  to  God,  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
for  what  God  hath  promised. 

Q.  Doth  not  everybody  pray  ? 

A.  No:  “The  wicked,  through  the  pride  of 
his  countenance,  will  not  seek  after  God ; God 
is  not  in  all  his  thoughts.”  Ps.  xl.  4. 

Q.  What  will  become  of  them  that  do  not 
pray? 

A.  They  do  not  worship  God,  and  he  will 
destroy  them : “ Pour  out  thy  fury  (saith  the 
prophet)  upon  the  heathen,  and  upon  the 
families  that  call  not  upon  thy  name.”  Ps. 
lxxix.  6;  Jer.  x.  25. 

Q.  But  seeing  God  knowetli  what  we  want, 
why  doth  he  not  give  us  what  we  need  without 
praying? 

A.  His  counsel  and  wisdom  leadeth  him 
otherwise:  “Thus  saith  the  Lord,  I will  yet 
be  intpiired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel  to  do  it 
for  them.”  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37. 

Q.  Why  will  God  have  us  pray? 

A.  Because  he  would  be  acknowdedged  by 
thee  that  he  is  above  thee,  and  therefore  would 
have  thee  come  to  him  as  the  mean  come  to 
the  mighty.  Thus  Abraham  came  unto  him. 
Gen.  xviii.  27,  30. 

Q.  Is  there  another  reason  why  I should 
pray  ? 

A.  Yes ; for  by  prayer  thou  acknowledges! 
that  help  is  not  in  thine  owrn  power.  2 Chron. 
xx.  6,  12. 

Q.  What  reason  else  have  you  why  I should 
pray  ? 

A.  By  prayer  thou  confessest  that  help  is 
only  in  him.  Ps.  lxii.  1. 

Q.  What  other  reasons  have  you  ? 

A.  By  prayer  thou  confessest  thou  canst  not 
live  without  his  grace  and  mercy.  Matt.  xiv. 
30 ; Heb.  iv.  1G. 

Q.  Are  all  that  pray  heard  of  the  Lord? 

A.  No:  “They  looked,  (that  is,  prayed,) 
but  there  was  none  to  save  them ; even  unto 
the  Lord,  but  he  answered  them  not.”  * 2 Sam. 
xxii.  42. 

Q.  To  what  doth  God  compare  the  prayers 
which  he  refuseth  to  answer? 

A.  He  compareth  them  to  the  howling  of  a 
dog.  Hos.  vii.  14. 

Q.  Who  be  they  whose  prayers  God  will  not 
answer  ? 

A.  Theirs  who  think  to  be  heard  for  their 
much  speaking  and  vain  repetition.  Matt.  vi.  7. 

s “ Tho  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomination  to 
ine  Lord,  but  the  prayer  of  the  upright  is  his  delight.” 
Prov.  xv.  S.  That  our  prayers  may  be  heard,  the 


939 

Q.  Is  there  any  other  whose  prayer  God  re- 
fuseth ? 

A.  Yes;  there  are  that  ask  and  have  not, 
because  what  they  ask  they  would  spend  upon 
their  lusts.  James  iv.  3. 

Q.  Is  there  any  other  whose  prayer  God  re- 
fuseth ? 

A.  Yes:  “If  I regard  iniquity  in  my  hear* 
the  Lord  will  not  hear  my  prayer.”  Ps.  lxvi 
18. 

Q.  Is  the  regarding  of  sin  in  our  heart  such 
a deadly  hindrance  to  prayer? 

A.  “Son  of  man,  (saith  God,)  these  men 
have  set  up  their  idols  in  their  heart,  and 
have  put  the  stumbling-block  of  their  iniquity 
before  their  face;  should  I be  inquired  of  at 
all  by  them  ? f will  set  my  face  against  that 
man,  and  will  make  him  a sign  and  a proverb, 
and  I will  cut  him  off  from  the  midst  of  my 
people.”  Ezek.  xiv.  3,  8. 

Q.  Whose  prayers  be  they  that  God  will 
hear  ? 

A.  The  prayers  of  the  poor  and  needy.  Ps. 
xxxiv.  6 ; Isa.  xli.  17. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  poor? 

A.  Such  as  have  poverty  in  spirit.  Matt.  v. 
3. 

Q.  Who  are  they  that  are  poor  in  spirit? 

A.  They  that  are  sensible  of  the  want  and 
necessity  of  all  those  things  of  God  that  pre- 
pare a man  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Q.  What  things  are  they? 

A.  Faith,  hope,  love,  joy,  peace,  a new 
heart,  the  Holy  Ghost,  sanctification.  See 
James  iii.  5;  2 Thess.  ii.  16. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  needy  ? 

A.  Those  whose  souls  long  and  cannot  be 
satisfied  without  the  enjoyment  of  these  blessed 
things.  Ps.  lxiii.  1 ; cxix.  20. 

Q.  Will  God  hear  the  prayers  of  such  ? 

A.  Yes;  “For  he  satisfieth  the  longing 
soul,  and  filleth  the  hungry  soul  with  good 
things.”  Ps.  evii.  9. 

Q.  How  shall  I know  that  I am  one  of  those 
to  whom  God  will  give  these  things? 

A.  If  thou  seest  a beauty  in  them  beyond 
the  beauty  of  all  other  things.  Ps.  cx.  3. 

Q.  Plow  else  shall  I know  he  heareth  me? 

A.  If  thou  desirest  them  for  their  beauties’ 
sake.  Ps.  xc.  14,  17. 

Q.  How  else  should  I know  I shall  hav6 
them? 

A.  When  thy  groauings  after  them  are  be- 
yond expression.  Rom.  viii.  26. 


heart  should  be  right  with  God  and  the  soul  at  peace 
with  him,  through  the  Son  of  his  love. 


940 


JBUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Q.  How  else  should  I know,  and  so  be  en- 
couraged to  pray? 

A.  When  thou  followest  hard  after  God  in 
all  his  ordinances  for  the  obtaining  of  them. 
Isa.  iv.  31 ; lxiv.  5. 

Q.  How  else  should  I know? 

A.  When  thou  makest  good  use  of  that  lit- 
tle thou  hast  already.  Rev.  iii.  8. 

Q.  Are  here  all  the  good  signs  that  my 
prayers  shall  be  heard  ? 

A.  No ; there  is  one  more,  without  which 
thou  shalt  never  obtain. 

Q.  Pray  what  is  that? 

A.  Thou  must  jdead  with  God  the  name  and 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  whose  sake  only 
God  giveth  thee  these  things:  “ If  we  ask  any 
thing  in  his  name,  he  heareth'  us,  and  whatso- 
ever you  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  (saitli 
Christ,)  I will  do  it.”*  John  xiv.  13,  14. 

Q.  Doth  God  always  answer  presently? 

A.  Sometimes  he  doth,  and  sometimes  he 
doth  not.  Isa.  xxx.  19;  Dan.  x.  12. 

Q.  Is  not  God’s  deferring  a sign  of  his 
anger? 

A.  Sometimes  it  is  not,  and  sometimes  it  is. 

Q.  When  is  it  no  sign  of  his  anger? 

A.  When  we  have  not  wickedly  departed 
from  him  by  our  sins.  Luke  xviii.  7. 

Q.  When  is  it  a sign  of  his  anger  ? 

A.  When  we  have  backslidden,  when  we 
have  not  repented  some  former  miscarriages. 
Hos.  v.  14,  15. 

Q.  Why  doth  God  defer  to  hear  their  pray- 
ers that  have  not  wickedly  departed  from  him? 

A.  He  loves  to  hear  their  voice,  to  try  their 
faith,  to  see  their  importunity,  and  to  observe 
how  they  can  wrestle  with  him  for  a blessing. 

Q.  But  is  not  deferring  to  answer  prayer  a 
great  discouragement  to  praying  ? 

A.  Though  it  is  because  of  our  unbelief, 
yet  it  ought  not,  because  God  is  faithful : 
“ Therefore  men  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not 
to  faint.”  Luke  x.  1-7. 

OF  SELF-DENTAL. 

Q.  I am  glad  you  have  thus  far  granted  my 
request;  but  you  told  me  that  there  was  an- 
other part  of  God’s  worship  ; pray  repeat  that 
again. 

* In  Christ,  God  is  always  well  pleased;  our  pray- 
ers must  be  offered  up  through  his  mediation,  in  obe- 
dience to  God’s  command,  with  an  eye  to  his  glory, 
and  for  what  is  agreeable  to  his  will  and  heavenly 
wisdom  to  grant,  “lifting  up  h >ly  hands,  without 
wrath  or  doubting,”  (1  Tim.  ii.  8,)  for  God’s  service 
must  be  in  faith,  love,  and  purity  of  heart. 


A.  It  is  self-denial. 

Q.  Now  I remember  it  well ; pray  how  do 
you  prove  that  self-denial  is  called  a part  of 
God’s  worship? 

A.  It  is  said  of  Abraham  that  when  he  went 
to  offer  up  his  son  Isaac  upon  the  altar  for  a 
burnt-offering,  which  was  to  him  a very  great 
part  of  self-denial,  that  he  counted  that  act 
of  his  worshipping  God. 

Q,.  Will  you  be  pleased  to  read  the  text? 

A.  Yes:  “And  Abraham  said  unto  his 
young  men,  Abide  ye  here  with  the  ass,  and 
I and  the  lad  will  go  yonder  and  worship,” 
&c.  This  now  was  when  he  was  going  to  slay 
his  son  Isaac.  Gen.  xxii.  5. 

Q.  What  is  self-denial  ? 

A.  It  is  for  a man  to  forsake  his  all  for  the 
sake  of  Jesus  Christ.f 

Q.  Will  you  prove  this  by  a Scripture  or 
two  ? 

A.  Yes : “Whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  for- 
saketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my 
disciple.”  Luke  xiv.  33. 

Q.  Indeed  this  is  a full  place:  can  you  give 
me  one  more? 

A.  Yes:  “What  things  were  gain  to  me, 
those  I counted  loss  for  Christ;  yea  doubtless, 
and  I count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excel- 
lency of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord,  for  whom  I have  suffered  the  loss  of  all 
things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I 
may  win  Christ,”  &c.  Phil.  iii.  7,  8. 

Q.  These  two  are  indeed  a sufficient  answer 
to  my  question ; but  pray  will  you  now  give 
me  some  particular  instances  of  the  self-denial 
of  them  that  have  heretofore  been  the  follow- 
ers of  Christ? 

A.  Yes:  Abel  denied  himself,  to  the  losing 
of  his  blood:  Abraham  denied  himself,  to  the 
losing  of  his  country  and  his  father’s  house: 
Moses  denied  himself  a crown  and  a kingdom 
and  of  ease  and  tranquillity : Joseph  denied 
himself  of  fleshly  lusts.  Gen.  iv.  8;  xii.  1-4; 
Heb.  ix.  24-27  ; Gen.  xxxix.  7,  8,  9. 

Q.  But  these  men  each  of  them  denied 
themselves  but  of  some  things;  did  they  ? 

A.  You  see  Abel  lost  all,  his  blood  and 
all ; Abraham  left  his  country,  to  the  hazard 
of  his  life ; so  did  Moses,  in  leaving  the  crown 

•f  Meaning  that  we  prefer  Christ  above  all  things 
this  world  affords  or  the  heart  can  wish  for,  which  the 
Christian  may  with  good  reason  do,  for  in  him  dwells 
the  fulness  of  the  Godhead;  he  has  unsearchable 
riches  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  to  bestow,  all-suffi- 
cient grace  and  strength  to  enable  us  to  do  and  suffer 
his  will,  and  everlasting  glory  in  heaven. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  TIIE  IGNORANT. 


941 


nml  kingdom ; and  Joseph  in  denying  his 
mistress.  Gen.  xii.  13 ; llcb.  xi.  27  ; Gen.  xxxix. 
10-15. 

Q.  Will  you  discourse  a little  particular  of 
self-denial? 

A.  With  all  my  heart. 

Q.  First,  then,  pray,  in  what  spirit  must 
this  self-denial  be  performed? 

A.  It  must  be  done  in  the  spirit  of  faith, 
of  love,  and  of  a sound  mind;  otherwise,  “if 
a man  should  sell  all  that  he  hath  and  give 
to  the  poor,  and  his  body  to  be  burnt  be- 
sides, it  would  profit  him  nothing.”  1 Cor. 
xiii.  1,  2,  3. 

Q.  Who  are  like  to  miscarry  here? 

A.  They  whose  ends  in  self-denial  are  Hot 
according  to  the  proposals  of  the  Gospel. 

Q.  Who  are  they? 

A.  They  that  sutler  through  strife  and  vain- 
glory; or  thus,  they  who  seek  in  their  suffer- 
ings the  praise  of  men  more  than  the  glory  of 
Christ  and  profit  of  their  neighbour. 

Q.  Who  else  are  like  to  miscarry  here? 

A.  They  that  have  designs,  like  Ziba,  to 
ingratiate  themselves  by  their  pretended  self- 
denial  into  the  affections  of  the  godly,  and  to 
enrich  themselves  by  this  means.  2 Sam.  xiv. 
1-4. 

Q.  Are  there  any  other  like  to  miscarry 
here  ? 

A.  Yes;  they  that  by  denying  themselves 
think  with  the  Pharisee  to  make  themselves 
stand  more  righteous  in  God’s  eyes  than 
others.  Luke  xviii.  11,  12. 

Q.  Who  else  are  in  danger  of  miscarrying 
here  ? 

A.  They  who  have  fainted  in  their  works, 
they  whose  self-denial  hath  at  last  been  over- 
come by  self-love.*  Gal.  iii.  4;  vi.  9. 

Q.  Shall  I propound  a few  more  questions? 

A.  If  you  please. 

Q.  What,  then,  if  a man  promiseth  to  deny 
himself  hereafter  and  not  now,  is  not  this  one 
step  to  this  kind  of  worship? 

A.  No,  by  no  means;  for  the  reason  why 
this  man  refuseth  to  deny  himself  now  is  be- 
cause his  heart  at  present  sticks  closer  to  his 
lusts  and  the  world  than  to  God  and  Christ. 


* The  consideration  of  the  immense  price  and  value 
of  our  redemption  by  the  Son  of  God,  whose  love  was 
stronger  than  death,  should  lay  us  under  the  strictest 
obligations  to  holy  obedience  ; for  no  tongue  can  utter 
or  heart  conceive  the  unspeakable  reward  which  an 
unwearied,  unfainting  diligence  in  well-doing  will 
procure  to  the  humble  believer  in  the  next  life, 
through  the  rich,  unmerited  grace  of  his  covenant  God. 


Q.  Can  you  give  me  a Scripture  instance  to 
make  this  out? 

A.  Yes;  Esau  never  intended  for  ever  to 
part  with  the  blessing,  he  intended  to  have  it 
hereafter;  but  God  counted  his  not  choosing 
of  it  at  present  a despising  of  it  and  a prefer- 
ring of  his  lusts  before  it : and  therefore  when 
he  would,  God  would  not  but  reject  both  him 
and  his  tears.  Gen.  xxv.  30-34;  Heb.  xii.  14, 
15,  16. 

Q.  How  and  if  a man  shall  say  thus,  I am 
willing  to  deny  myself  in  many  things,  though 
he  cannot  deny  himself  in  all,  is  not  this  one 
step  in  this  part  of  this  worship  of  God? 

A.  No,  in  nowise ; for  this  man  doth  just 
like  Saul;  he  will  slay  a part,  and  will  keep  a 
part  alive;  the  kingdom  must  be  taken  from 
him  also.  1 Sam.  xv. 

Q.  How  if  a man  be  willing  to  lose  all  but 
his  life? 

A.  He  that  will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it, 
but  he  that  will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  saith 
Christ,  shall  save  it  unto  life  eternal.  Matt, 
xvi.  25  ; John  xii.  25. 

Q.  How  if  a man  has  been  willing  to  lose 
all  that  he  hath,  but  is  not  now,  will  not  God 
accept  of  his  willingness  in  time  past,  though 
he  be  otherwise  now  ? 

A.  No ; for  the  true  disciple  must  deny  him- 
self daily,  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  go  after 
Jesus  Christ.  Luke  ix.  23. 

Q.  But  how  if  a man  carrieth  it  well  out- 
wardly, so  that  he  doth  not  dishonour  the 
Gospel  before  men,  may  not  this  be  counted 
self-denial? 

A.  No,  if  he  be  not  right  at  heart;  for 
though  man  looketh  on  the  outward  appear- 
ance, God  looketh  at  the  heart.  1 Sam.  xvi.  7. 

Q.  But  if  I be  afraid  my  heart  may  deceive 
me  in  this  great  work,  if  hard  things  come 
upon  me  hereafter,  is  there  no  way  to  find  out 
whether  it  will  deceive  me  then  or  no? 

A.  I will  give  you  a few  answers  to  this 
question,  and  will  show  you  first  whose  heart 
is  like  to  deceive  him  in  this  work. 

Q.  Will  you  befriend  me  so  much? 

A.  Yes.  1.  He  that  makes  not  daily  con- 
science of  self-denial  is  very  unlike  to  abide 
a disciple  for  times  to  come  if  difficult.! 

f Christ  came  not  to  do  his  own  will,  but  his  heav- 
enly Father’s;  let  us  look  for  grace  to  tread  in  his 
steps.  If  we  please  ourselves  we  are  not  the  servants 
of  the  crucified  Jesus.  Let  us  remember  that  this  sin- 
ful, polluted,  destruction-devoted  world  is  not  our  rest, 
but  heaven.  Oh  that  our  hearts’  desires  and  affections 
may  be  there  also  by  a blessed  anticipation ! 


942 


BUN Y AN\S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Judas  did  not  deny  himself  daily,  and  there- 
fore fell  when  the  temptation  came.  John 

xii.  6. 

Q.  Will  you  give  me  another  sign? 

A.  Yes;  he  that  indulgeth  any  one  secret 
lust  under  a profession  is  not  like  to  deny 
himself  in  all  things  for  Christ. 

Q.  Who  are  they  that  indulge  their  lusts? 

A.  They  that  make  provision  for  them 
either  in  apparel  or  diet,  or  otherwise.  Rom. 

xiii.  12,  13,  14;  Isa.  iii.  6-21;  Amos  vi.  3-6. 

Q.  Who  else  do  so? 

A.  They  that  excuse  their  sins,  and  keep 
them  disguised  that  they  may  not  he  repre- 
hended, as  Saul  did,  &c.  1 Sam.  xv.  18-22. 

Q.  Who  else  are  they  that  indulge  their 
lusts? 

A.  They  that  heap  up  to  themselves  such 
teachers  as  favour  their  lusts.  2 Tim.  iv.  3,  4; 
Isa.  xxx.  10. 

Q.  Who  else  do  indulge  their  sins? 

A.  They  that  choose  rather  to  walk  by  the 
imperfect  lives  of  professors  than  by  the  holy 
word  of  God  ; or  thus,  they  that  make  the 
miscarriages  of  some  good  men  an  encour- 
agement unto  themselves  to  forbear  to  be 
exact  in  self-denial ; these  eat  up  the  sins  of 
God’s  people  as  men  eat  bread.  Hos.  iv.  7-9. 

Q.  Will  you  now  show  me  who  are  like  to 
do  this  part  of  God’s  worship  acceptably? 

A.  Yes;  he  whose  heart  is  set  against  sin  as 
sin  is  like  to  deny  himself  acceptably.  Rom. 
vii.  13,  14. 

Q,.  Who  else? 

A.  He  that  hath  the  sense  and  savour  of  for- 
giveness of  sins  upon  his  heart.  2 Cor.  v.  14. 

Q,.  Who  else  is  like  to  deny  himself  well  ? 

A.  He  that  hath  his  affections  set  upon 
things  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right 
hand  of  God.  Col.  iii.  1-5. 

Q.  Who  else  is  like  to  deny  himself  well  for 
Christ? 

A.  He  that  seeth  a greater  treasure  in  self- 
denial  than  in  self-seeking.  2 Cor.  xii.  9,  10, 
11 ; Heb.  xi.  24,  25,  26. 

Q.  Are  there  none  other  signs  of  one  that  is 
like  to  do  this  part  of  God’s  worship  accept- 
ably ? 

A.  Yes ; he  that  takes  up  his  cross  daily  and 
makes  Christ’s  doctrine  his  example.  Luke  vi. 
47,  48;  John  xii.  25,  26. 

* Tl.ere  cannot,  surely,  be  a greater  grief  to  the 
sincere  and  loving  Christian  than  to  see  that  many 
content  themselves  with  a customary  attendance  on 
the  service  of  God  while  they  are  strangers  to  the 
power  of  religion.  The  reason  is,  they  lull  themselves 


Q.  But  how  do  you  discover  a man  to  be 
such  a one  ? 

A.  He  lceepeth  his  heart  with  all  diligence, 
he  had  rather  die  than  sin';  ill  carriages  of 
professors  break  his  heart  ;*  nothing  is  so  dear 
to  him  as  the  glory  of  Christ. 

Q.  Pray  can  you  give  me  some  nfotive  to 
self-denial  ? 

A.  Yes;  the  Lord  Jesus  denied  himself  for 
thee.  What  sayest  thou  to  that? 

Q.  Wherein  did  Christ  deny  himself  for 
me? 

A.  He  left  his  heaven  for  thee,  he  denied  for 
thy  sake  to  have  so  much  of  this  world  as  hath 
a fox  or  a bird,  and  he  spilt  his  most  precious 
blood  for  thee. 

Q.  Can  you  give  another  motive  to  self-de- 
nial? 

A.  Yes:  “What  shall  it  profit  a man  if  he 
shall  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
soul?”  Luke  viii.  36. 

Q.  But  why  doth  God  require  self-denial  of 
them  that  will  be  saved? 

A.  God  doth  not  require  self-denial  as  the 
means  to  obtain  salvation,  but  hath  laid  it 
down  as  a proof  of  the  truth  of  a man’s  affec- 
tions to  God  and  Christ. 

Q.  How  is  self-denial  a proof  of  the  truth 
of  a man’s  affections  to  God  ? 

A.  In  that  for  the  sake  of  his  service  he 
leaveth  all  bis  enjoyments  in  this  world.  Thus 
he  proved  Abraham’s  affections,  thus  he  proved 
Peter’s  affections,  and  thus  he  proved  their  af- 
fections that  you  read  of  in  the  Gospel.  Gen. 
xxii.  12;  Matt.  iv.  18-22;  Luke  ix.  57-63. 

Q.  What  reason  else  can  you  produce  why 
God  requireth  self-denial  ? 

A.  Self-denial  is  one  of  the  distinguishing 
characters  by  which  true  Christians  are  mani- 
fested from  the  feigned  ones ; for  those  that  are 
feigned  flatter  God  with  their  mouth,  but  their 
hearts  seek  themselves ; but  the  sincere,  for  the 
love  that  he  hath  to  Christ,  forsaketh  all  that 
he  hath  for  his  sake.  Ps.  lxxviii.  36,  37 ; Ezek. 
xxxiii.  31,  32. 

Q.  Is  there  yet  another  reason  why  God  re- 
quireth self-denial  of  them  that  profess  his 
name? 

A.  Yes;  because  by  self-denial  the  power 
and  goodness  of  the  truths  of  God  are  made 
manifest  to  the  incredulous  world.  For  they 

in  a carnal  sleep  in  the  arms  of  ease  and  security, 
while  they  are  enemies  to  the  cross  of  Christ  and  des- 
titute of  that  grace  which  bringeth  salvation.  Let 
these  remember  that  the  decisive  day  of  the  Lord  is  at 
hand. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


cannot  sec  but  by  the  self-denial  of  God’s  peo- 
ple that  there  is  such  power,  glory,  goodness, 
and  desirableness  in  God’s  truth  as  indeed 
there  is. 

Q.  Have  you  another  reason  why  God  re- 
quireth  self-denial? 

A.  Yes;  because  self-denial  prepareth  a 
man,  though  not  for  the  pardon  of  his  sin,  yet 
for  that  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  glory  that  is  laid  up  only  for  them  that  deny 
all  that  they  have  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  his 
name,  and  cause  in  this  world. 

Q.  Before  you  conclude  will  you  give  me  a 
few  instances  of  the  severity  of  God’s  hand 
upon  some  professors  that  have  not  denied 
themselves  when  called  thereto  by  him? 

A.  Yes,  willingly;  Lot’s  wife,  for  but  look- 
ing behind  her.  towards  Sodoin  when  God 
called  her  from  it,  was  stricken  from  heaven 
and  turned  into  a pillar  of  salt;  therefore  re- 
member Lot’s  wife.* 

Q.  Can  you  give  me  another  instance? 

A.  Yes;  Esau,  for  not  denying  himself  of 
one  morsel  of  meal,  was  denied  a share  in  the 
blessing,  and  could  never  obtain  it  after,  though 
he  sought  it  carefully  with  tears. 

Q.  Have  you  at  hand  another  instance? 

A.  Yes;  Judas,  for  not  denying  himself, 
lost  Christ,  his  soul,  and  heaven,  and  is  con- 
tinued the  great  object  of  God’s  wrath  among 
all  damned  souls. 

Q.  Will  you  give  one  more  instance,  aud  so 
conclude? 

A.  Yes;  Ananias,  and  Sappliira  his  wife, 
did,  for  the  want  of  self-denial,  pull  upon 
themselves  such  wrath  of  God  that  he  slew 


* Unbelief,  disobedience,  worldly-mindcdness,  con- 
tempt of  God’s  threatenings,  and  lingerings  after  the 
forbidden  society  of  lewd  and  wicked  persons  prove 
the  destruction  of  many  precious  souls.  Considering 
therefore  our  own  weakness  and  depravity,  we  should 
be  ever  attentive  to  the  good  word  of  infallible  truth, 
bclievo  it,  and  entreat  the  Lord  to  make  us  happy 
partakers  of  all  its  great  and  precious  promises. 


943 

them  while  they  stood  in  the  midst  before  the 
apostles.  Acts  v.  1-15. 

THE  CONCLUSION. 

Before  I wind  up  this  discourse  I would  lay 
down  these  few  things  for  you  to  consider  of 
and  meditate  upon. 

1.  Consider  that,  seeing  every  one  by  nature 
are  accounted  sinners,  it  is  no  matter  whether 
thy  actual  sins  be  little  or  great,  few  or  many, 
thy  sinful  nature  hath  already  laid  thee  under 
the  curse  of  the  law. 

2.  Consider  that,  therefore,  thou  hast  already 
ground  for  humiliation,  sins  to  repent  of,  wrath 
to  fly  from,  or  a soul  to  be  damned. 

3.  Consider  that  time  stays  not  for  thee,  and 
also  that  as  time  goes  sin  increaseth ; so  that 
at  last  the  end  of  thy  time  and  the  completing 
of  thy  sin  are  like  to  come  upon  thee  in  one 
moment. 

4.  Bring  thy  last  day  often  to  thy  bedside, 
and  ask  thy  heart,  if  this  morning  thou  wast  to 
die,  if  thou  be  ready  to  die  or  no? 

5.  Know  it  is  a sad  thing  to  lie  a-dying,  and 
to  be  afraid  to  die ; to  lie  a-dying,  and  not  to 
know  whither  thou  art  going ; to  lie  a-dying, 
and  not  to  know  whether  good  angels  or  bad 
must  conduct  thee  out  of  this  miserable  world. 

6.  Be  often  remembering  what  a blessed 
thing  it  is  to  be  saved,  to  go  to  heaven,  to  be 
made  like  angels,  and  to  dwell  with  God  and 
Christ  to  all  eternity. 

7.  Consider  how  sweet  the  thought  of  salva- 
tion will  be  to  thee  when  thou  seest  thyself  in 
heaven  while  others  are  roaring  in  hell.f 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  thy  spirit  I 

f The  kingdom  of  God  comes  with  life,  power,  and 
muoh  assurance.  The  salvation  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  infinitely  precious,  as  it  redeems  the  soul 
from  all  possible  misery,  and  reinstates  it  in  the 
favour,  love  and  protection  of  almighty  God,  whose 
glorious  perfections  and  attributes  are  all  engaged  to 
save  it  from  the  ruins  of  time  till  possessed  of  tha 
riches  of  eternity. 


OF  JUSTIFICATION 

. BY 

AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS; 


OR, 

NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN  BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST. 


Justification  is  to  be  diversely  taken  in 
the  Scripture. 

1 Sometimes  it  is  taken  for  the  justification 
of  persons; 

2.  Sometimes  for  the  justification  of  actions ; 

3.  And  sometimes  for  the  justification  of 
the  person  and  action  too. 

It  is  taken  for  the  justification  of  persons, 
and  that — 

1.  As  to  justification  with  God;  or, 

2.  As  to  justification  with  men. 

As  to  justification  with  God:  that  is,  when 
a man  stands  clear,  quit,  free,  or  in  a saved 
condition  before  him,  in  the  approbation  of  his 
holy  law. 

As  to  justification  with  men  ; that  is,  when 
a man  stands  clear  and  quit  from  just  ground 
of  reprehension  with  them. 

Justification  also  is  to  be  taken  with  refer- 
ence to  actions ; and  that  may  be  when  they 
are  considered — 

1.  As  flowing  from  true  faith ; or, 

2.  Because  the  act  done  fulfils  some  transient 
law. 

1.  As  actions  flow  from  faith,  so  they  are 
justified,  because  done  before  God  in,  and 
made  complete  through,  the  perfections  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

2.  As  by  the  doing  of  the  act  some  transient 
law  is  fulfilled,  as  when  Jehu  executed  judg- 
ment upon  the  house  of  Aliab.  “ Thou  hast 
done  well,”  said  God  to  him,  “in  executing 
that  which  is  righteous  in  mine  eyes,  and  hast 
done  to  the  house  of  Aliab  all  that  was  in  mine 
heart.”  2 Kings  x.  30. 

As  to  such  acts,  God  may  or  may  not  look  at 
60 


the  qualification  of  those  that  do  them,  and  it 
is  clear  that  he  had  not  respect  to  any  good 
that  was  in  Jehu  in  the  justifying  of  this  ac- 
tion ; nor  could  he,  for  Jehu  stuck  close  yet  to 
the  sins  of  Jeroboam,  but  “took  no  heed  to 
walk  in  the  law  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel.” 

2 Kings  x.  29,  31. 

I might  hence  also  show  you  that  a man  may 
be  justified  even  then  when  his  action  is  con- 
demned; also  that  a man  may  be  in  a state  of 
condemnation  when  his  action  may  be  jus- 
tified. But  with  these  distinctions  I will  not 
take  up  time,  my  intention  being  to  treat  of 
justification  as  it  sets  a man  free  or  quit  from 
sin,  the  curse  and  condemnation  of  the  lawr  in 
the  sight  of  God  in  order  to  eternal  salvation. 

And  that  I may  with  the  more  clearness 
handle  this  point  before  you,  I will  lay  down 
and  speak  to  this  proposition : 

That  there  is  no  other  way  for  sinners  to  be 
justified  from  the  curse  of  the  law  in  the  sight 
of  God  than  by  the  imputation  of  that  right- 
eousness long  ago  performed  by,  and  still  re- 
siding with  the  person  of,  Jesus  Christ. 

The  terms  of  this  proposition  are  easy,  yet  . 
if  it  will  help  I will  speak  a word  or  twTo  for 
explication. 

1.  By  a sinner  I mean  one  that  has  trans- 
gressed the  law,  for  sin  is  the  transgression  of 
the  law. 

2.  By  the  curse  of  the  law  I mean  that  sen- 
tence, judgment  or  condemnation  which  the 
law  pronounceth  against  the  transgressor. 

3.  By  justifying  righteousness,  I mean  that 
which  stands  in  the  doing  and  suffering  of 
Christ  when  he  was  in  the  world. 


915 


946 


BUN Y AN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


4.  By  the  residing  of  this  righteousness  in 
Christ’s  person,  I mean  it  still  abides  with  him 
as  to  the  action,  though  the  benefit  is  bestowed 
upon  those  that  are  his. 

5.  By  the  imputation  of  it  to  us,  I mean 
God’s  making  of  it  ours  by  an  act  of  his  grace, 
that  we  by  it  might  be  secured  from  the  curse 
of  the  law. 

6.  When  I say  there  is  no  other  way  to  be 
justified,  I cast  away,  to  that  end,  the  law, 
and  all  the  works  of  the  law  as  done  by 
us. 

Thus  I have  opened  the  terms  of  the  propo- 
sition. 

Now  the  two  first — to  wit,  What  sin  and  the 
curse  is — stand  clear  in  all  men’s  sight,  unless 
they  be  atheists  or  desperately  heretical.  I 
shall  therefore  in  few  words  clear  the  other 
four. 

First,  therefore,  justifying  righteousness  is 
the  doing  and  suffering  of  Christ  when  he  was 
in  the  world.  This  is  clear,  because  we  are 
said  to  be  justified  by  his  obedience,  (Rom.  v. 
19,)  by  his  obedience  to  the  law.  Hence  he  is 
said  again  to  be  the  end  of  the  law  for  that 
very  thing.  “ Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness,”  &c.  Rom.  x.  4.  The  end, 
What  is  that?  Why,  the  requirement  or  de- 
mand of  the  law.  But  what  are  they  ? Why, 
righteousness,  perfect  righteousness.  Gal.  iii. 
10.  Perfect  righteousness ! Perfect  right- 
eousness, what  to  do  ? That  the  soul  con- 
cerned might  stand  spotless  in  the  sight  of 
God.  Now,  this  lies  only  in  the  doings  and 
sufferings  of  Christ ; for,  “ by  his  obedience 
many  are  made  righteous.”  Wherefore,  as  to 
this  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law,  that  being 
found  in  that  obedience,  that  becomes  to  us 
sufficient  for  our  justification.  Hence  we  are 
said  to  be  made  righteous  by  his'  obedience, 
yea,  and  to  be  washed,  purged,  and  justified  by 
his  blood. 

Secondly.  That  this  righteousness  still  re- 
sides in  and  with  the  person  of  Christ,  even 
then  when  wre  stand  just  before  God  thereby, 
is  clear,  for  that  we  are  said  when  justified  to 
be  justified  in  him.  “In  the  Lord  shall  all 
the  seed  of  Israel  be  justified.”  And  again, 
“Surely,  shall  one  say,  In  the  Lord  I have 
righteousness,”  &c.  And  again,  “For  him 
are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  made  unto  us 
of  God  righteousness.” 

Mark.  The  righteousness  is  still  in  him, 
not  in  us,  even  then  when  we  are  made  par- 
takers of  the  benefit  of  it,  even  as  the  wing 
and  feathers  still  abide  in  the  hen  when  the 


chickens  are  covered,  kept,  and  warmed 
thereby. 

For  as  my  doings,  though  my  children  are 
fed  and  clothed  thereby,  are  still  my  doings, 
not  theirs,  so  the  righteousness  wherewith  we 
stand  just  before  God  from  the  curse  still  re- 
sides in  Christ,  not  in  us.  Our  sins,  when 
laid  upon  Christ,  were  yet  personally  ours, 
not  his ; so  his  righteousness,  when  put  upon 
us,  is  yet  personally  his,  not  ours.  What  is  it 
then?  Why,  “He  was  made  to  be  sin  for  us 
who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him.” 

Thirdly.  It  is  therefore  of  a justifying  virtue 
only  by  imputation,  or  as  God  reckoneth  it  to 
us;  even  as  our  sins  made  the  Lord  Jesus  a 
sinner,  nay,  sin,  by  God’s  reckoning  of  them 
to  him. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  this  be  known 
of  us;  for  if  the  understanding  be  muddy  as 
to  this  it  is  impossible  that  such  should  be 
found  in  the  faith.  Also  in  temptation  that 
man  will  be  at  a loss  that  looketh  for  a 
righteousness,  for  justification  in  himself, 
when  it  is  to  be  found  nowhere  but  in  Jesus 
Christ. 

The  apostle,  who  was  his  craftsmaster  as  to 
this,  was  always  looking  to  Jesus,  rhat  he 
might  be  found  in  him,  knowing  that  nowhere 
else  could  peace  or  safety  be  had. 

And  indeed  this  is  one  of  the  greatest  mys- 
teries in  the  world — namely,  that  a righteous- 
ness that  resides  with  a person  in  heaven 
should  justify  me,  a sinner,  on  earth. 

Fourthly.  Therefore  the  law  and  the  works 
thereof,  as  to  this,  must  by  us  be  cast  away, 
not  only  because  they  here  are  useless,  but 
also,  they  being  retained,  are  an  hindrance. 
That  they  are  useless  is  evident,  for  that  sal- 
vation comes  by  another  name.  Acts  iv.  12. 
And  that  they  are  an  hindrance,  it  is  clear; 
for  the  very  adhering  to  the  law,  though  it  be 
but  a little  or  in  a little  part,  prevents  justifi- 
cation by  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 

What  shall  I say?  As  to  this,  the  moral 
law  is  rejected,  the  ceremonial  law  is  rejected, 
and  man’s  righteousness  is  rejected,  for  that 
they  are  here  both  weak  and  unprofitable. 

Now,  if  all  these  and  our  works,  as  to  our 
justification,  are  rejected,  where  but  in  Christ 
is  righteousness  to  be  found? 

Thus  much  therefore  for  the  explication  of 
the  proposition — namely,  that  there  is  no  other 
way  for  sinners  to  be  justified  from  the  curse 
of  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God  than  by  the  im- 
putation of  that  righteousness  long  ago  per 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


947 


formed  by,  and  still  residing  with  the  person 
of,  Jesus  Christ. 

Now,  from  this  proposition  I drew  these  two 
positions : 

First.  That  men  are  justified  from  the  curse 
of  the  law  before  God  while  sinners  in  them- 
selves. • 

Secondly.  That  this  can  be  done  by  no  other 
righteousness  than  that  long  ago  performed  by, 
and  residing  with  the  person  of,  Jesus  Christ. 

Let  us  then  now  enter  into  the  consideration 
of  the  first  of  these — namely,  that  men  are 
justified  from  the  course  of  the  law  before 
God  while  sinners  in  themselves. 

This  I shall  manifest — 

1.  By  touching  upon  the  mysterious  act  of 
our  redemption ; 

2.  By  giving  of  you  plain  texts  which  dis- 
cover it ; and, 

3.  By  reasons  drawn  from  the  texts. 

For  the  first  of  these — to  wit,  the  mysterious 
act  of  our  redemption — and  that  I shall  speak 
to  under  these  two  heads: 

1.  I shall  show  you  what  that  is;  and, 

2.  How  we  were  concerned  therein. 

That  which  I call,  and  that  rightly,  the 
mysterious  act  of  our  redemption,  is  Christ’s 
sufferings  as  a common  though  a particular 
person,  and  as  a sinner,  though  always  com- 
pletely righteous. 

That  he  suffered  as  a common  person  is  true. 
By  common,  I mean  a public  person,  or-  one 
that  presents  the  body  of  mankind  in  himself. 
This  a multitude  of  Scriptures  bear  witness  to, 
especially  that  5th  chapter  to  the  Romans 
where  by  the  apostles  lie  is  set  before  us  as  the 
Head  of  all  the  elect,  even  as  Adam  was  once 
head  of  all  the  world.  Thus  he  lived  and 
thus  he  died;  and  this  was  a mysterious  act. 

And  that  he  should  die  as  a sinner  when 
yet  himself  “did  no  sin  nor  had  any  guile 
found  in  his  mouth,”  made  this  act  more  mys- 
terious. That  he  died  as  a sinner  is  plain: 
“ He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin.  And  the  Lord 
laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all.”  Isa.  liii. 
That  then,  as  to  his  own  person,  he  was  com- 
pletely sinless  is  also  as  truly  manifest,  and 
that  by  a multitude  of  Scriptures. 

Now,  I say,  that  Christ  Jesus  should  be  thus 
considered  and  thus  die  was  the  great  mystery 
of  God.  Hence  Paul  tells  us  that  when  he 
preached  Christ  crucified,  he  preached  not 
.jnly  the  wisdom  of  God,  but  the  wisdom  of 
God  in  a mystery,  even  hidden  wisdom;  for 
indeed  this  wisdom  is  hidden  and  kept  close 
from  the  fowls  of  the  air. 


It  is  also  so  mysterious  that  it  goes  beyond 
the  reach  of  all  men,  except  those  to  whom  an 
understanding  is  given  of  God  to  apprehend  it. 

That  one  particular  man  should  represent  all 
the  elect  in  himself,  and  that  the  most  right- 
eous should  die  as  a sinner  by  the  hand  of  a 
just  and  holy  God,  is  a mystery  of  the  greatest 
depth. 

Secondly.  And  now  I come  to  show  you  how 
the  elect  are  concerned  therein — that  is,  in 
this  mysterious  act  of  this  most  blessed  One — 
and  this  will  make  this  act  yet  more  mysteri- 
ous to  you. 

Now,  then,  we  will  speak  of  this  first — as  to 
how  Christ  prepared  himself  thus  mysteriously 
to  act: 

1.  He  took  hold  of  our  nature.  I say,  he 
took  hold  of  us  by  taking  upon  him  flesh  and 
blood.  The  Son  of  God,  therefore,  took  not 
upon  him  a particular  person,  though  he  took 
to  him  a human  body  and  soul ; but  that 
which  he  took  was,  as  I may  call  it,  a lump  of 
the  common  nature  of  man,  and,  by  that,  hold 
of  the  wdiole  elect-  seed  of  Abraham.  Heb.  ii. 
16:  “For  verily  he  took  not  on  him  the  na- 
ture of  angels,  but  he  took  on  him  the  seed  of 
Abraham.” 

Hence  he,  in  a mystery,  became  us,  and  was 
counted  as  all  the  men  that  were  or  would  be 
saved.  And  this  is  the  reason  why  we  are  said 
to  do  when  only  Jesus  Christ  did  do.  As,  for 
instance, 

First.  When  Jesus  Christ  fulfilled  the  right- 
eousness of  the  law  it  is  said  it  was  fulfilled  in 
us,  because  indeed  fulfilled  in  our  nature: 

“ For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it 
was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God  sending  his 
owm  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and 
for  sin  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,  that  the 
righteousness  of  the  law'  might  be  fulfilled  in 
us,”  &c.  But  because  none  should  appropriate 
this  unto  themselves  that  have  not  had  passed 
upon  them  a work  of  conversion,  therefore  he 
adds,  “who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  hut  after 
the  Spirit.”  For  there  being  an  union  between 
head  and  members,  though  things  may  be  done 
hv  the  head,  and  that  for  the  members,  the 
things  are  counted  to  the  members  as  if  not 
done  only  by  the  head.  The  righteousness  of 
the  law  is  fulfilled  in  us,  and  that  truly,  be- 
cause fulfilled  in  that  common  nature  which 
the  Son  of  God  took  of  the  Virgin.  Where- 
fore in  this  sense  we  are  said  to  do  what  only 
was  done  by  him,  even  as  the  client  doth  by 
his  lawyer  when  his  lawyer  personates  him. 
The  client  is  said  to  do  when  it  is  the  lawyei  ' 


948 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


only  that  does,  and  to  overcome  by  doing, 
when  it  is  the  lawyer  that  overcomes.  The 
reason  is,  because  the  lawyer  does  in  the  cli- 
ent’s name.  Plow  much  more,  then,  may  it  be 
said  we  do  when  only  Christ  does,  since  he 
does  what  he  does  not  in  our  name  only,  but 
in  our  nature  too!  <;For  the  law  of  the  spirit 
of  life  in  Christ  (not  in  me)  has  set  me  free 
from  the  law  of  sin  and  death;”  he  doing  in 
his  common  flesh  what  could  not  be  done  in 
my  particular  person,  that  so  I might  have  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  fulfilled  in  me,  my 
flesh  assumed  by  Christ,  though  impossible  to 
be  done,  because  of  the  weakness  of  my  per- 
son. 

The  reason  of  all  this  is  because  we  are  said 
to  be  in  him,  in  his  doing— in  him  by  our  flesh 
and  also  by  the  election  of  God.  So,  then,  as 
all  men  sinned  when  Adam  fell,  so  all  the 
elect  did  righteousness  when  Christ  wrought 
and  fulfilled  the  law;  for  “as  in  Adam  all 
died,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.” 

Secondly.  As  we  are  said  to  do  by  Christ,  so 
we  are  said  to  suffer  by  him,  to  suffer  with  him. 
“I  am  crucified  with  Christ,”  said  Paul.  And 
again,  “Forasmuch,  then,  as  Christ  hath  suf- 
fered for  us  in  the  flesh,  arm  yourselves  like- 
wise with  the  same  mind;  for  he  that  hath 
suffered  in  the  flesh  hath  ceased  from  sin.” 
Mark  how  the  apostle  seems  to  change  the 
person.  First,  he  says  it  is  Christ  that  suf- 
fered, and  that  is  true;  but  then  he  insinuates 
that  it  is  us  that  suffered,  for  the  exhortation 
is  to  believers  to  walk  in  newness  of  life,  and 
the  argument  is  because  they  have  suffered  in 
the  flesh:  “For  he  that  hath  suffered  in  the 
flesh  hath  ceased  from  sin,  that  he  no  longer 
should  live  the  rest  of  his  time  in  the  flesh,  to 
the  lusts  of  men,  but  to  the  will  of  God.” 

We  then  suffered  when  Christ  suffered.  We 
then  suffered  in  his  flesh,  and  also  our  old  man 
was  crucified  with  him — that  is,  in  his  cruci- 
fixion ; for  when  he  hanged  on  the  cross  all 
the  elect  hanged  there  in  their  common  flesh 
which  he  assumed,  and  because  he  suffered 
there  as  a public  man. 

Thirdly.  As  we  are  said  to  suffer  with  him, 
sc  we  are  said  to  die,  to  be  dead  with  him — 
with  him,  that  is, by  the  dying  of  his  body: 
“ Now  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  believe 
that  we  shall  also  live  with  him.” 

Wherefore  he  saith  in  other  places,  “Breth- 
ren, ye  are  become  dead  to  the  law  by  the 
body  of  Christ,”  for  indeed  we  died  then  to  it 
by  him — to  the  law — that  is,  the  law  now  has 
nothing  to  do  with  us,  for  that  it  has  already 


executed  its  curse  to  the  full  upon  us  by  its 
slaying  of  the  body  of  Christ,  for  the  body  of 
Christ  was  our  flesh ; upon  it  also  was  laid  our 
sin.  The  law  too  spent  that  curse  that  was 
due  to  us  upon  him  when  it  condemned, 
killed,  and  cast  him  into  the  grave.  Where- 
fore, it  ha\wng  thus  spent  its  whole  curse 
upon  him,  as  standing  in  our  stead,  we  are 
exempted  from  its  curse  forever;  we  are  be- 
come dead  to  it  by  that  body;  it  has  done 
with  us  as  to  justifying  righteousness;  nor 
■need  we  fear  its  damning  threats  any  more, 
for  by  the  death  of  this  body  we  are  freed  from 
it,  and  are  for  ever  now  coupled  to  a living 
Christ. 

Fourthly.  As  we  are  said  thus  to  be  dead, 
so  we  are  said  also  to  rise  again  by  him: 
“Thy  dead  men  (saith  he  to  the  Father)  shall 
live ; together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they 
arise.”  And  again,  “ After  two  days  he  will 
revive  us,  and  in  the  third  day  we  shall  live  in 
his  sight.” 

Both  these  Scriptures  speak  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ,  of  the  resurrection  of  his  body 
on  the  third  day.  But  behold,  as  we  were 
said  before  to  suffer  and  be  dead  with  him,  so 
now  we  are  said  also  to  rise  and  live  in  God’s 
sight  by  the  resurrection  of  his  body.  For, 
as  was  said,  the  flesh  was  ours ; he  took  part 
of  our  flesh  when  he  came  into  the  world, 
and  in  it  he  suffered,  died,  and  rose  again 
Pleb.  ii.  14.  We  also  were  therefore  counted 
by  God  in  that  God-man  when  he  did  this, 
yea,  he  suffered,  died,  and  rose  as  a common 
Hea,d. 

Hence  also  the  New  Testament  is  full  of 
this  saying:  “If  ye  be  dead  with  Christ:  if  ye 
be  risen  with  Christ.”  And  again,  “He  hath 
quickened  us  together  with  him.” 

“We  are  quickened  together  with  him.” 
Quickened,  and  quickened  together  with  him. 
The  apostle  hath  words  thai  cannot  easily  be 
shifted,  or  evaded.  Christ  then  was  quick- 
ened when  lie  was  raised  from  the  dead.  Nor 
is  it  proper  to  say  that  he  was  ever  quickened 
either  before  or  since.  This  text  also  con- 
cludes that  we — to  wit,  the  whole  body  of 
God’s  elect — were  also  quickened  then,  and 
made  to  live  with  him  together..  True,  we 
also  are  quickened  personally  by  grace  the 
day  in  which  we  are  born  unto  God  by  the 
Gospel,  yet  afore  that  we  are  quickened  in 
our  Head — quickened  when  he  was  raised  from 
the  dead,  quickened  together  with  him. 

Fifthly.  Nor  are  we  thus  considered— to 
wit,  as  dying  and  rising — and  so  left;  but  the 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


019 


apostle  pursues  his  arguments,  and  tells  us 
that  we  also  reap  by  him,  as  being  considered 
in  him  the  benefit  which  Christ  received,  both 
in  order  to  his  resurrection  and  the  blessed 
elFect  thereof. 

1.  We  received,  by  our  thus  being  counted 
in  him,  that  benefit  which  did  *precede  his 
rising  from  the  dead;  and  what  was  that  but 
the  forgiveness  of  sins?  For  this  stands  clear 
to  reason,  that  if  Christ  had  our  sins  charged 
upon  him  at  his  death,  he  then  must  be  dis- 
charged of  them  in  order  to  his  resurrection. 
Now,  though  it  is  not  proper  to  say  they  were 
forgiven  to  him  because  they  were  purged 
from  him  by  merit,  yet  they  may  be  said  to  be 
forgiven  us  because  we  receive  this  benefit  by 
grace. 

And  this,  I say,  was  done  precedent  to  his 
resurrection  from  the  dead:  “He  hath  quick- 
ened us  together  with  him,  having  forgiven  us 
all  trespasses.”  He  could  not  be  quickened 
till  we  were  discharged,  because  it  was  not  for 
himself  but  for  us  that  he  died.  Hence  we 
are  said  to  be  at  that  time  (as  to  our  own  per- 
sonal estate)  dead  in  our  sins,  even  when  we 
are  “ quickened  with  him.” 

Therefore,  both  the  quickening  and  forgive- 
ness too,  so  far  as  we  are  in  this  test  con- 
cerned, is  to  him  as  we  are  considered  in  him, 
or  him  with  respect  to  us. 

“Having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses;”  for 
necessity  so  required,  because  else  how  was  it 
possible  that  the  pains  of  death  should  be 
loosed  in  order  to  his  rising  so  long  as  one  sin 
stood  still  charged  on  him  as  that  for  the  com- 
mission of  which  God  had  not  received  a plen- 
ary satisfaction?  As  therefore  we  suffered, 
died,  and  rose  again  by  him,  so,  in  order  to 
his  so  rising,  he,  as  presenting  of  us  in  his 
person  and  suffering,  received  for  us  remission 
of  all  our  trespasses.  A full  discharge,  there- 
fore, was  in  and  by  Christ  received  of  God  of 
all  our  sins  afore  he  arose  from  the  dead,  as 
his  resurrection  truly  declared,  for  he  “ was 
delivered  for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  again 
for  our  justification.” 

This  therefore  is  one  of  the  privileges  we 
receive  by  the  rising  again  of  our  Lord,  for 
that  we  were  in  his  flesh  considered,  yea,  and 
In  his  death  and  suffering  too. 

2.  By  this  means  also  we  have  now  escaped 
death.  “ Knowing  that  Christ,  being  raised 
from  the  dead,  dies  no  more,  death  hath  no 
more  dominion  over  him  ; for  in  that  he  died, 
he  died  unto  (or  for)  sin  once,  but  in  that  he 
liveth,  he  liveth  unto  God.” 


Now  in  all  this,  considering  what  has  been 
said  before,  we  that  are  of  the  elect  are  privi- 
leged, for  that  we  also  are  raised  up  by  the 
rising  of  the  body  of  Christ  from  the  dead. 
And  thus  the  apostle  bids  us  reckon  : “ Like- 
wise (saitli  he)  reckon  also  yourselves  to  be 
dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God 
through  Jesus  Christ.” 

Hence  Christ  says,  “He  is  the  resurrection 
and  the  life,”  for  that  all  his  are  safe  in  him, 
suffering,  dying,  and  rising.  He  is  the  life, 
our  life  ; yea,  so  our  life  that  by  him  the  elect 
do  live  before  God,  even  then  when,  as  to 
themselves,  they  yet  are  dead  in  their  sins. 
Wherefore,  hence  it  is  that  in  time  they  par- 
take of  quickening  grace  from  this  their 
Head,  to  the  making  of  them  also  live  by 
faith,  in  order  to  their  living  hereafter  with 
him  in  glory.  For  if  Christ  lives  they  cannot 
die  that  were  sharers  with  him  in  his  resurrec- 
tion. Hence  they  are  said  to  live,  being  quick- 
ened together  with  him.  Also,  as  sure  as  at 
his  resurrection  they  lived  by  him,  so  sure  at 
his  coming  shall  they  be  gathered  to  him. 
Nay,  from  that  day  to  this  all  that,  as  aforesaid, 
were  in  him  at  his  death  and  resurrection  are 
already  in  the  fulness  of  the  dispensation  of 
time  daily  gathering  to  him.  For  this  he 
hath  proposed,  wherefore  none  can  disannul 
it:  “ In  the  fulness  of  the  dispensation  of  time 
to  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ  ; 
both  which  are  in  heaven  and  which  are  in 
earth,  even  in  him.” 

3.  To  secure  this  the  more  to  our  faith  that 
believe,  as  we  are  said  to  be  “ raised  up  to- 
gether with  him,”  so  we  are  said  “ to  be  made 
to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus.”  Epli.  ii.  6.  We  died  by  him,  we  rose 
by  him,  and  are  together,  even  all  the  elect, 
set  down  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus;  for  still,  even  now  he  is  on  the  right 
hand  of  God,  he  is  to  be  considered  as  our 
public  man,  our  Head,  and  so  one  in  whom  is 
concluded  all  the  elect  of  God.  We  then  are 
by  him  already  in  heaven — in  heaven,  I say, 
by  him ; yea,  set  down  there  in  our  places  of 
glory  by  him.  Hence  the  apostle,  speaking 
of  us  again,  saitli  that  as  we  are  predestinate, 
we  are  called,  justified,  and  glorified — called, 
justified,  glorified.  All  is  done,  already  done, 
as  thus  considered  in  Christ,  (Rom.  viii.  30,) 
for  that  in  his  public  work  there  is  nothing 
yet  to  do  as  to  this.  Is  not  he  called?  Is 
not  he  justified?  Is  not  he  glorified?  And 
are  we  not  in  him,  even  as  so  considered? 

Nor  doth  this  doctrine  hinder  or  forestall  the 


950 


PUNY  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


loctrine  of  regeneration  or  conversion.  Nay, 
it  lays  a foundation  for  it ; for  by  this  doctrine 
,ve  gather  assurance  that  Christ  will  have  his 
own ; for  if  already  they  live  in  their  Head, 
what  is  that  but  a pledge  that  they  shall  live 
in  their  persons  with  him,  and  consequently 
that  to  that  end  they  shall,  in  the  times  allotted 
for  that  end,  be  called  to  a state  of  faith  which 
God  has  ordained  shall  precede  and  go  before 
their  personal  enjoyment  of  glory? 

Nor  doth  this  hinder  their  partaking  of  the 
symbol  of  regeneration,  and  of  their  other 
privileges  to  which  they  are  called  in  the  day 
of  grace ; yea,  it  lays  a foundation  for  all  these 
things ; for  if  I am  dead  with  Christ,  let  me  be 
like  one  dead  with  him,  even  to  all  things  to 
which  Christ  died  when  he  hanged  on  the  tree; 
and  then  he  died  to  sin,  to  the  law,  and  to  the 
rudiments  of  this  world. 

And  if  I be  risen  with  Christ,  let  me  live 
like  one  born  from  the  dead,  in  newness  of 
life,  and  having  my  mind  and  affections  on  the 
things  where  Christ  now  sitteth  on  the  right 
hand  of  God.  And  indeed  he  professes  in 
vain  that  talketh  of  these  things  and  caretli 
not  to  have  them  also  answered  in  himself. 
This  was  the  apostle’s  way— namely,  “ To 
covet  to  know  him  and  the  power  of  his  resur- 
rection, and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings, 
being  made  conformable  to  his  death.” 

And  when  we  are  thus,  that  thing  is  true 
both  in  him  and  us.  Then,  as  is  the  heavenly 
such  are  they  that  are  heavenly ; for  he  that 
saith  he  is  in  him,  and  by  being  in  him  a par- 
taker of  these  privileges  by  him,  “ ought  him- 
self to  walk  even  as  he  walked.”  * 

But  to  pass  this  digression  and  to  come  to 
my  argument — hamely,  that  men  are  justified 
from  the  curse  of  the  law  before  God  while 
sinners  in  themselves. 

This  is  evident  by  what  hath  already  been 
said;  for  if  the  justification  of  their  persons  is 
by,  in,  and  through  Christ,  then  it  is  not  by,  in, 
and  through  their  own  doings.  Nor  was  Christ 
engaged  in  this  work  but  of  necessity,  even 
because  else  there  had  not  been  salvation  for 
the  elect.  “ Father,”  saith  he,  “ if  it  be  pos- 
sible, let  this  cup  pass  from  me.”  If  what  be 
possible?  Why,  that  my  elect  may  be  saved 
and  I not  spill  my  blood.  Wherefore  he  saith 
again,  Christ  ought  to  suffer.  Christ  must 
needs  have  suffered,  for  without  shedding  of 
blood  is  no  remission  of  sin. 

* If  thou  hast  righteousness  in  Christ,  God  will 
make  thee  holy.  The  new  covenant  which  promiseth 
k new  heart  is  confirmed  in  Christ.  If  sin  he  for- 


2.  We  will  now  come  to  the  present  state 
and  condition  of  those  that  are  justified — I 
mean  with  respect  to  their  own  qualifications— 
and  so  prove  the  truth  of  this  our  great  posi- 
tion. And  this  I will  do — 

1.  By  giving  of  you  plain  texts  that  discover 
it,  and  that  consequently  prove  our  point. 

2.  And  after  that,  by-  giving  of  you  reasons 
drawn  from  the  texts. 

For  the  first  of  these — 

First.  “ Speak  not  in  thine  heart,  (no,  not  in 
thine  heart,)  after  that  the  Lord  thy  God  hath 
cast  out  thine  enemies  before  thee,  saying,  For 
my  righteousness  do  I possess  the  land.  Not 
for  thy  righteousness  or  for  the  uprightness  of 
thine  heart  dost  thou  go  in  to  possess  the  land. 
Understand,  therefore,  that  the  Lord  thy  God 
giveth  thee  not  this  good  land  to  possess  it  for 
thy  righteousness,  for  thou  art  a stiff-necked 
people.” 

In  these  words,  very  pat  for  our  purpose, 
two  things  are  worthy  our  consideration : 

1.  The  people  here  spoken  to  were  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  and  so  by  God  himself  are  they 
here  twice  acknowledged  to  be:  “The  Lord 
thy  God,  the  Lord  thy  God.”  So,  then  the 
righteousness  here  intended  is  not  the  right- 
eousness that  is  in  the  world,  but  that  which 
the  people  of  God  perform. 

2.  The  righteousness  here  intended  is  not 
some,  but  all  and  every  whit,  of  that  the 
Church  performs  to  God.  “ Say  not  in  thine 
heart,  after  the  Lord  hath  brought  thee  in,  It 
was  for  my  righteousness.”  No ; all  thy  right- 
eousness, from  Egypt  to  Canaan,  will  not  pur- 
chase Canaan  for  thee. 

That  this  is  true  is  evident,  because  it  is 
thrice  repeated : “ Not  for  thy  righteousness,  not 
for  thy  righteousness,  not  for  thy  righteousness, 
dost  thou  possess  the  land.”  Now,  if  the  right- 
eousness of  the  people  of  God  of  old  could  not 
merit  for  them  Canaan,  which  was  but  a type 
of  heaven,  liow  can  the  righteousness  of  the 
world  now  obtain  heaven  itself?  I say  again, 
if  godly  men,  as  these  were,  could  not  by  their 
works  purchase  the  type  of  heaven,  then  must 
the  ungodly  be  justified,  if  ever  they  be  justi- 
fied from  the  curse  and  sentence  of  the  law, 
while  sinners  in  themselves.  The  argument  is 
clear ; for  if  good  men,  by  what  they  do,  can- 
not merit  the  less,  bad  men,  by  what  they  do, 
cannot  merit  more. 

Secondly.  “Remember  me,  0 my  God,  for 

given,  thou  shall  be  delivered  from  its  power,  and 
quickened  by  the  same  death  and  resurrection  of 
Christ  whereby  thou  art  justified.  Col.  ii.  12,  13. 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


951 


tliis  ; and  wipe  not  out  my  good  deeds  that  I 
have  done.” 

These  words  were  spoken  hy  holy  Nehemiah, 
and  that  at  the  end  of  all  the  good  that  we 
read  he  did  in  the  world.  Also,  the  deeds  here 
spoken  of  were  deeds  done  for  God,  for  his  peo- 
ple, for  his  house,  and  for  the  offices  thereof. 

Yet  godly  Nehemiah  durst  not  stand  before 
God  in  these,  nor  yet  suffer  them  to  stand  to 
his  judgment  by  the  law,  but  prays  to  God  to 
he  merciful  both  to  him  and  them,  and  to  spare 
him  “ according  to  the  multitude  of  his  mercy.” 

God  blots  out  no  good  but  for  the  sake  of  sin  ; 
and  forasmuch  as  this  man  prays  God  would 
not  blot  out  his,  it  is  evident  that  lie  was  con- 
scious to  himself  that  in  his  good  works  were 
sin.  Now,  I say,  if  a good  man’s  works  are  in 
danger  of  being  overthrown  because  there  is 
in  them  a tang  of  sin,  how  can  bad  men  think 
to  stand  just  before  God  in  their  works,  which 
are,  in  all  parts,  full  of  sin?  "Yea,  if  the  works 
of  a sanctified  man  are  blameworthy,  how 
shall  the  works  of  a bad  man  set  him  clear  in 
the  eyes  of  divine  justice? 

Thirdly.  “ But  we  are  all  as  an  unclean 
thing,  and  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy 
rags  ; and  we  do  all  fade  away  as  a leaf ; and 
our  iniquities,  like  the  wind,  have  taken  us 
away.” 

In  these  words  we  have  a relation  both  of 
persons  and  things. 

1.  Of  persons:  And  they  are  a righteous 
people,  a righteous  people  put  all  together: 
We,  we  all  are,  &c. 

2.  The  conditions  of  this  people,  even  of  all 
of  them,  take  them  at  the  best,  are,  and  that 
by  their  own  confession,  as  an  unclean  thing. 

3.  Again ; the  things  here  attending  this 
people  are  their  good  things,  put  down  under 
this  large  character,  righteousnesses,  “ All  our 
righteousnesses.”  These  expressions,  there- 
fore, comprehend  all  their  religious  duties, 
both  before  and  after  faith  too.  But  what  are 
all  these  righteousnesses  ? Why,  they  are  all  as 
filthy  rags  when  set  before  the  justice  of  the 
law.  Yea,  it  is  also  confessed,  and  that  by 
these  people,  that  their  iniquities,  notwith- 
standing all  their  righteousness,  like  the  wind, 
if  grace  prevent  not,  would  carry  them  away. 
This  being  so,  how  is  it  possible  for  one  that 
.is  in  his  sins  to  work  himself  into  a spotless 

condition  by  works  done  before  faith,  by  works 
done  by  natural  abilities,  or  to  perform  a right- 
eousness which  is  able  to  look  God  in  the  face, 
his  law  in  the  face,  and  to  demand  and  obtain 
the  forgiveness  of  sins  and  the  life  that  is  eter- 


nal? It  cannot  be.  Men  must  therefore  be  jus- 
tified from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while 
sinners  in  themselves,  or  not  at  all. 

Fourthly.  “ There  is  not  a just  man  upon 
the  earth,  that  doth  good  and  sinneth  not.” 

Although  the  words  before  are  large,  yet  these 
seem  far  larger : There  is  not  a man,  not  a just 
man,  upon  the  earth,  that  doth  good  and  sin- 
neth not.  Now,  if  no  good  man,  if  no  good 
man  upon  earth,  doth  good  and  sinneth  not, 
then  no  good  man  upon  earth  can  set  himself 
by  his  own  actions  justified  in  the  sight  of  God, 
for  he  has  sin  mixed  with  his  good.  How, 
then,  shall  a bad  man,  any  bad  man,  the  best 
bad  man  upon  earth,  think  to  set  himself  by 
his  best  things  just  in  the  sight  of  God  ? And 
if  the  tree  makes  the  fruit  either  good  or  evil, 
then  a bad  tree  (and  a bad  man  is  a bad  tree) 
can  bring  forth  no  good  fruit;  how  then  shall 
such  an  one  do  that  that  shall  “cleanse  him 
from  his  sin”  and  set  him  as  “spotless  before 
the  face  of  God  ?” 

Fifthly.  “ Hearken  to  me,  ye  stout-hearted, 
that  are  far  from  righteousness:  I bring  here 
my  righteousness,”  &c. 

1.  This  call  is  general,  and  so  proves,  what- 
ever men  think  of  themselves,  that  in  the  judg- 
ment of  God  there  is  none  at  all  righteous 
men,  as  men  are  far  from  being  so. 

2.  This  general  offer  of  righteousness,  of  the 
righteousness  of  God,  declares  that  it  is  in 
vain  for  men  to  think  to  be  set  just  and  right- 
eous before  God  by  any  other  means. 

3.  There  is  here  also  insinuated  that  for  him 
that  thinks  himself  the  worst,  God  has  pre- 
pared a righteousness,  and  therefore  would  not 
have  him  despair  of  life  that  sees  himself  far 
from  righteousness.  F rom  all  these  Scriptures, 
therefore,  it  is  manifest  that  men  must  be  jus- 
tified from  the  curse  of  the  law  in  the  sight  of 
God  while  sinners  in  themselves. 

Sixthly.  “ Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I will  give  you  rest.” 

Here  we  have  a labouring  people,  a people 
labouring  for  life.  But  by  all  their  labour,  you 
see,  they  cannot  ease  themselves  ; their  burden 
still  remains  upon  them ; they  yet  are  heavy 
laden.  The  load  here  is,  doubtless  guilt  of  sin, 
such  as  David  had  when  he  said  by  reason 
thereof  “ he  was  not  able  to  look  up.” 

Hence,  therefore,  you  have  an  experiment  set- 
before  you  of  those  that  are  trying  what  they 
can  do  for  life.  But  behold,  the  more  they  stir 
the  more  they  sink  under  the  weight  of  the 
burden  that  lies  upon  them. 

And  the  conclusion — to  wit,  Christ’s  call  to 


952 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


them  to  come  to  him  for  rest  declares  that  in 
his  judgment  rest  was  not  to  be  had  elsewhere. 
And  I think  one  may  with  as  much  safety  ad- 
here to  Christ’s  judgment  as  to  any  man’s 
alive.  Wherefore  men  must  be  justified  from 
the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in 
themselves. 

Seventhly.  “ There  is  none  righteous,  no  not 
one:  there  is  none  that  understandeth,  there 
is  none  that  seeketh  after  God ; they  are  all 
gone  out  of  the  way ; they  are  together  become 
unprofitable ; there  is  none  that  doth  good,  no, 
not  one.” 

These  words  have  respect  to  a righteousness 
which  is  justified  by  the  law,  and  they  con- 
clude that  none  by  his  own  performances  is 
righteous  with  such  a righteousness.  And  it 
is  concluded  from  five  reasons: 

1.  Because  they  are  not  good,  for  a man 
must  be  good  before  he  doth  good,  and  per- 
fectly good  before  he  doth  good  and  sinneth 
not. 

2.  Because  they  understand  not:  how,  then, 
should  they  do  good?  For  a man  must  know 
before  he  does,  else  how  should  he  divert  him- 
self to  do? 

3.  Because  they  want  a heart:  they  seek  not 
after  God  according  to  the  way  of  his  own  ap- 
pointment. 

4.  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way : how, 
then,  can  they  walk  therein? 

5.  They  are  together  become  unprofitable: 
what  worth  or  value  then  can  there  be  in  any 
of  their  doings? 

These  are  the  reasons  by  which  he  proveth 
that  there  is  “ none  righteous,  no,  not  one.” 
And  the  reasons  are  weighty,  for  by  them  he 
proves  the  tree  is  not  good ; how  then  can  it 
yield  good  fruit? 

Now,  as  he  concludes  from  these  five  reasons 
that  not  one  indeed  is  righteous,  so  he  con- 
cludes by  five  more  that  none  can  do  good  to 
make  him  so: 

1.  For  that  internally  they  are  as  an  open 
sepulchre,  as  full  of  dead  men’s  bones;  their 
minds  and  consciences  are  defiled  : how,  then, 
can  sweet  and  good  proceed  from  thence? 

■ 2.  Their  throat  is  filled  with  this  stink:  all 
their  vocal  duties  therefore  smell  thereof. 

3.  Their  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and  bit- 
terness: how,  then,  can  there  be  found  one 
word  that  should  please  God  ? 

4.  Their  tongue,  which  should  present  their 
praise  to  God,  has  been  used  to  work  deceit : 
how  then,  till  it  is  made  a new  one,  should  it 
speak  in  righteousness? 


5.  The  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips: 
therefore  whatever  comes  from  them  must  bo 
polluted. 

Thus  you  see  he  sets  forth  their  internal 
part,  which  being  a true  report,  as  to  be  sure 
it  is,  it  is  impossible  that  any  good  should  so 
much  as  be  framed  in  such  an  inward  part,  or 
come  clean  out  of  such  a throat,  by  such  a 
tongue,  through  such  lips  as  these. 

And  yet  this  is  not  all.  He  also  proves,  and 
that  by  five  reasons  more,  that  it  is  not  pos- 
sible they  should  do  good : 

1.  “Their  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood.” 
This  implies  an  inclination,  an  inward  incli- 
nation. to  evil  courses — a quickness  of  motion 
to  do  evil,  but  a backwardness  to  do  good. 

\2.  “Destruction  and  miseries  are  in  their 
ways.”  Take  ways  for  their  doings,  and  in  the 
best  of  them  destruction  lurks,  and  misery  yet 
follows  them  at  the  heels. 

3.  “ The  way  of  peace  they  have  not  known : 
that  is  far  above,  out  of  their  sight.”  Where- 
fore the  labour  of  these  foolish  ones  will  weary 
every  one  of  them,  because  “they  know  not 
the  way  that  goes  to  the  city.” 

4.  “There  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their 
eyes.”  Flow,  then,  can  they  do  any  thing 
with  that  godly  reverence  of  his  holy  majesty 
that  is  and  must  be  essential  to  every  good 
work?  For  to  do  things,  but  not  in  God’s 
fear,  to  what  will  it  amount?  Will  it  avail? 

5.  All  this  while  they  are  under  a law  that 
calls  for  works  that  are  perfectly  good,  that 
will  accept  of  none  but  what  are  perfectly 
good,  and  that  will  certainly  condemn  them, 
because  they  neither  are  nor  can" be  perfectly 
good  : “ For  whatever  things  the  law  saith,  it 
saitli  it  to  them  that  are  under  the  law,  that 
every  mouth  may  be  stopped  and  all  the  world 
may  become  guilty  before  God.” 

Thus  you  see  that  Paul  here  proves  by  fif- 
teen reasons  that  none  are  nor  can  be  right- 
eous before  God  by  works  that  they  can  do. 
Therefore  men  must  be  justified  from  the  curse 
in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  them- 
selves. 

Eighthly.  “But  now  the  righteousness  of 
God,  without  the  law,  is  manifest,  being  wit- 
nessed by  the  law  and  the  prophets.”  Bom, 
iii.  21. 

This  text  utterly  excludes  the  law.  What 
law?  The  law  of  works,  the  moral  law,  (ver. 
27,)  and  makes  mention  of  another  righteous- 
ness, even  a righteousness  of  God ; for  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  is  the  righteousness 
of  men,  men’s  own  righteousness. 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


953 


Now  if  the  law,  as  to  a justifying  righteous- 
ness, is  rejected,-  then  the  very  matter  upon 
and  by  which  man  should  work  is  rejected; 
and  if  so,  then  he  must  be  justified  by  the 
righteousness  of  God  or  not  at  all ; for  he 
must  be  justified  by  a righteousness  that  is 
without  the  law — to  wit,  the  righteousness  of 
God.  Now  this  righteousness  of  God,  what- 
ever it  is,  to  be  sure  it  is  not  a righteousness 
that  flows  from  men,  for  that,  as  I said,  is  re- 
jected, and  the  righteousness  of  God  opposed 
unto  it,  being  called  a righteousness  that  is 
without  the  law,  without  our  personal  obedi- 
ence to  it. 

The  righteousness  of  God,  or  a righteous- 
ness of  God’s  completing,  a righteousness  of 
God’s  bestowing,  a righteousness  that  God  also 
gives  unto  and  puts  upon  all  them  that  believe, 
(ver.  22,)  a righteousness  that  stands  in  the 
works  of  Christ,  and  that  is  imputed  both  by 
the  grace  and  justice  of  God. 

Where  now  is  room  for  man’s  righteousness, 
either  in  the  whole  or  as  to  any  part  thereof — 
I say.  where  as  to  justification  with  God? 

Ninthly.  “ What  shall  we  say,  then,  that 
Abraham  our  father,  as  pertaining  to  the  flesh, 
hath  found?” 

Now  the  apostle  is  at  the  root  of  the  matter, 
For  Abraham  is  counted  the  father  of  the 
faithful,  consequently  the  man  whose  way  of 
attaining  justification  must  needs  be  exem- 
plary to  all  the  children  of  Abraham. 

Now  the  question  is,  How  Abraham  found? 
— how  he  found  that  which  some  of  his  chil- 
dren sought  and  missed?  (Rom.  ix.  32;)  that 
is,  how  he  found  justifying  righteousness? — for 
it  was  that  which  Israel  sought  and  attained 
not  unto. 

“ Uid  he  find  it  (saith  Paul)  by  the  flesh  ?” 
Or  as  he  was  in  the  flesh  ? Or  by  acts  and 
works  of  the  flesh  ? But  what  are  they?  Why, 
the  next  verse  tells  you,  “ They  are  the  works 
of  the  law.” 

. If  Abraham  was  justified  by  works — that  is, 
as  pertaining  to  the  flesh,  for  the  works  of  the 
law  are  none  other  but  the  best  sort  of  the 
works  of  the  flesh ; and  so  Paul  calls  all  they 
that  he  had  before  his  conversion  to  Christ: 
“If  any  other  man  (saith  he)  thinketh  he  hath 
whereof  he  may  trust  in  the  flesh,  I more.” 
And  then  he  counteth  up  several  of  his  privi- 
leges, to  which  he  at  last  adjoineth  the  right- 
eousness of  the  moral  law,  saying,  “ Touching 
the  righteousness  which  is  in  the  law,  I was 
blameless.” 

And  it  is  proper  to  cal'  the  righteousness  of 


the  law  the  work  of  the  flesh,  because  it  is  the 
work  of  a man,  of  a man  in  the  flesh ; for  the 
Holy  Ghost  doth  not  attend  the  law,  or  the 
work  thereof,  as  to  this,  in  man  as  man;  that 
has  confined  itself  to  another  ministration, 
whose  glorious  name  it  bears. 

I say,  it  is  proper  to  call  the  works  of  the 
law  the  works  of  the  flesh,  because  they  are 
done  by  that  selfsame  nature  in  and  out  of 
which  come  all  those  things  tlyit  are  more 
grossly  so  called,  (Gal.  v.  19,  20,)— to  wit,  from 
the  corrupt  fountain  of  fallen  man’s  polluted 
nature. 

This,  saith  he,  was  not  the  righteousness  by 
which  Abraham  found  justification  with  God; 
for  if  Abraham  was  justified  by  works,  he  hath 
whereof  to  glory,  but  not  befi  re  God.  But 
what  saith  the  Scripture?  — “Abraham  be- 
lieved God,  and  it  was  counted  to  him  for 
righteousness.”  This  believing  is  also  set  in 
flat  opposition  to  works  and  to  the  law  of 
works;  wherefore,  upon  pain  of  great  con- 
tempt to  God,  it  must  not  be  reckoned  as  a 
work  to  justify  withal,  but  rather  as  that  which 
receivelh  and  applietli  that  righteousness. 

From  all  this,  therefore,  it  is  manifest  that 
men  must  be  justified  from  the  curse  of  the 
law  in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  them- 
selves. But — 

Tenthly.  “Now  to  him  that  worketh  is  the 
reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt.” 

These  words  do  not  only  back  what  went  be- 
fore as  to  the  rejection  of  the  law  for  right- 
eousness as  to  justification  with  God,  but,  sup- 
posing the  law  was  offeree  to  justify,  life  must 
not  be  admitted  to  come  that  way,  because  of 
the  evil  consequences  that  will  unavoidably 
flow  therefrom. 

First.  By  this  means,  grace  and  justification 
by  grace  would  be  rejected,  and  that  would  be 
a foul  business ; it  would  not  be  reckoned  of 
grace. 

Secondly.  By  this  God  would  become  the 
debtor  and  so  the  underling,  and  so  we  in  this 
the  more  honourable.  It  would  not  be  reck- 
oned of  grace,  but  of  debt.  And  what  would 
follow  from  hence?  Why — 

1.  By  this  we  should  frustrate  the  design  of 
heaven,  which  is  to  justify  us  freely  by  grace 
through  a redemption  brought  in  bv  Christ. 

2.  By  this  we  should  make  ourselves  the  sa- 
viours, and  jostle  Christ  quite  out  of  doors. 

4.  We  should  have  heaven  at  our  own  dis- 
posal as  a debt,  not  by  promise,  and  so  not  be 
beholden  to  God  for  it.  It  must  then  be  of 
grace,  not  of  works,  for  the  preventing  of  these 


954 


B TINY  AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


evils.  Again,  it  must  not  be  of  works,  because 
if  it  should,  then  God  would  be  the  debtor  and 
we  the  creditor.  Now  much  blasphemy  would 
flow  from  hence;  as, 

First.  God  himself  would  not  be  his  own  to 
dispose  of ; for  the  inheritance  being  God,  as 
well  as  his  kingdom,  for  so  it  is  written,  “ Heirs 
of  God,”  himself,  I say,  must  needs  be  our  pur- 
chase. 

Secondly.  If  so,  then  we  have  a right  to  dis- 
pose of  him,  of  his  kingdom  and  glory  and  all. 
Be  astonished,  0 heavens,  at  this ! for  if  he  be 
ours  by  works,  then  he  is  ours  of  debt ; if  he  be 
ours  of  debt,  then  he  is  ours  by  purchase  ; and 
then  again,  if  so  he  is  no  longer  his  own,  but 
ours,  and  at  our  disposal,  &c. 

Therefore,  for  these  reasons,  were  there  suf- 
ficiency in  our  personal  works  to  justify  us,  it 
would  be  even  inconsistent  with  the  being  of 
God  to  suffer  it. 

So,  then,  men  are  justified  from  the  curse  in 
the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  themselves. 

Eleventhly.  “ But  to  him  that  worketh  not, 
but  believeth  on  Him  that  justifieth  the  un- 
godly, his  faith  is  counted  for  righteous- 
ness.” 

These  words  show  how  we  must  stand  just 
in  the  sight  of  God  from  the  curse  of  the  law, 
both  as  it  respecteth  justification  itself,  and  also 
the  instrument  or  means  that  receiveth  that 
righteousness  which  justifieth. 

First.  As  for  that  righteousness  that  justi- 
fieth, it  is  not  personal  performances  in  us  ; for 
the  person  here  justified  stands  in  that  respect 
as  one  that  worketh  not,  as  one  that  is  un- 
godly. 

Secondly.  As  it  respecteth  the  instrument 
that  receiveth  it,  that  faith,  as  in  the  point  of 
justifying  righteousness,  will  not  work,  but  be- 
lieve, but  receive  the  works  and  righteousness 
of  another,  for  works  and  faith  in  this  are  set 
in  opposition : “ He  doth  not  work,  he  doth 
believe.”  He  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on 
Him  who  justifieth  us  ungodly;  as  Paul  also 
saith  in  another  place,  “The  law  is  not  of 
faith.”  And  again,  works  say  on  this  wise, 
faith  far  different.  The  law  saith,  “ Do  this, 
and  live,”  but  the  doctrine  of  faith  saith,  “If 
thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart  that 
God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt 
be  saved ; for  with  the  heart  man  believeth 
unto  righteousness,”  &c. 

Objection.  But  faith  is  counted  for  righteous- 
ness. 

Answer.  True,  but  yet  consider  that  by  faith 


we  do  often  understand  the  doctrine  of  remis- 
sion of  sins  as  well  as  the  act  of  believing. 

But  again,  faith  when  it  hath  received  the 
Lord  Jesus,  it  hath  done  that  which  pleaseth 
God ; therefore  the  very  act  of  believing  is  the 
most  noble  in  the  world : believing  sets  the 
crown  upon  the  head  of  grace ; it  seals  to  the 
truth  of  the  sufficiency,  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  and  giveth  all  the  glory  to  God,  and 
therefore  it  is  a righteous  act;  but  Christ  him- 
self, he  is  the  “ righteousness  that  justifieth.” 

Besides,  faith  is  a relative,  and  hath  its  rela- 
tion as  such.  Its  relation  is  the  righteousness 
that  justifieth,  which  is  therefore  called  the 
righteousness  of  faith,  or  that  with  which  faith 
hath  to  do.  Separate  these  two,  and  justifica- 
tion cannot  be,  because  faith  now  wants  his 
righteousness;  and  hence  it  is  you  have  so 
often  such  sayings  as  these,  “He  that  be- 
lieveth in  me;  He  that  believeth  on  him;  Be- 
lieve in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved.”  Faith,  then,  as  separate  from 
Christ,  doth  nothing — nothing  neither  with 
God  nor  man — because  it  wants  its  relative. 
But  let  it  go  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  let  it  behold 
him  as  dying,  &c.,  and  it  fetches  righteousness, 
and  life,  and  peace,  out  of  the  virtue  of  his 
blood,  &c. ; or  rather  sees  it  there  as  sufficient 
for  me  to  stand  just  thereby  in  the  sight  of 
eternal  justice:  “For  him  hath  God  set  forth 
to  be  a propitiation,”  through  faith  (belief)  in 
his  blood,  with  intent  to  justify  him  that  be- 
lieveth in  Jesus. 

Twelfthly.  “Even  as  David  also  describeth 
the  blessedness  of  the  man  to  whom  God  im- 
puted righteousness  without  works.” 

Did  our  adversaries  understand  this  one  text, 
they  would  not  so  boldly  affirm,  as  they  do 
that  the  w'ords  impute,  imputed,  impuieth,  im- 
puting, &c.,  are  not  used  in  Scripture  but  to 
express  men  really  and  personally  to  be  that 
wdiich  is  imputed  unto  them;  for  men  are  not 
really  and  personally  faith,  yet  faith  is  im- 
puted to  men;  nay,  they  are  not  really  and 
personally  sin,  nor  really  and  personally  right- 
eousness, yet  these  are  imputed  to  men;  so, 
then,  both  good  things  and  bad  may  sometimes 
be  imputed  to  men,  yet  themselves  be  really 
and  personally  neither. 

But  to  come  to  the  point.  What  righteous- 
ness hath  that  man  that  hath  no  works? 
Doubtless  none  of  his  own,  yet  God  imputeth 
righteousness  to  him;  yea,  what  works  of  that 
man  doth  God  impute  to  him  that  he  yet  jus- 
tifies as  ungodly? 

Further.  He  that  hath  works  as  to  justifica- 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


955 


tion  from  the  curse  before  God,  not  one  of 
them  is  regarded  of  God;  so,  then,  it  mat- 
tercth  not  whether  thou  hast  righteousness  of 
thine  own  or  none. 

f‘  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  im- 
puteth  righteousness  without  works.”  Man’s 
blessedness,  then,  the  blessedness  of  justifica- 
tion from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God,  lieth 
not  in  good  works  done  by  us,  either  before  or 
after  faith  received,  but  in  a righteousness 
which  God  imputeth  without  works,  as  we 
work  not  as  we  are  ungodly:  “Blessed  is  the 
man  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven  and  whose 
sin  is  covered.”  To  forgive  and  to  cover  are 
acts  of  mercy,  not  the  cause  of  our  merit. 
Besides,  where  sin  is  real  there  can  be  no  per- 
fect righteousness,  but  the  way  of  justification 
must  be  through  perfect  righteousness,  there- 
fore by  another  than  our  own : “Blessed  is  the 
man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin.” 
The  first  cause,  then,  of  justification  before 
God  dependeth  upon  the  will  of  God,  who 
will  justify  because  he  will;  therefore  the 
meritorious  cause  must  also  be  of  his  own 
providing,  else  his  will  cannot  herein  be  abso- 
lute; for  if  justification  depend  upon  our  per- 
sonal performances,  then  not  upon  the  will  of 
God.  He  may  not  have  mercy  upon  whom  he 
will,  but  on  whom  man’s  righteousness  will 
give  him  leave;  but  his  will,  not  ours,  must 
rule  here;  therefore  his  righteousness,  and  his 
only.  So  then  men  are  justified  from  the 
curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in 
themselves.  • 

Having  passed  over  those  few  Scriptures,  I 
shall  come  to  particular  instances  of  persons 
who  have  been  justified,  and  shall  briefly 
touch  their  qualifications  in  the  act  of  God’s 
justifying  them. 

First.  By  the  Old  Testament  types. 

Secondly.  By  the  New. 

First.  By  the  Old. 

“And  unto  Adam  also,  and  to  his  wife,  did 
the  Lord  God  make  coats  of  skins,  and  clothed 
them.” 

In  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  you  find 
these  two  persons  reasoning  with  the  serpent; 
the  effect  of  which  discourse  was,  they  take 
of  the  forbidden  fruit,  and  so  break  the  com- 
mand of  God;  this  done,  they  hide  themselves 
and  cover  their  nakedness  with  aprons;  but 
God  finds  out  their  sin,  from  the  highest 
branch  even  to  the  roots  thereof. 

What  followeth?  Not  one  precept  by  which 
they  should  by  works  obtain  the  favour  of  God, 
but  the  promise  of  a Saviour;  of  which  prom- 


ise Gen.  iii.  21  is  a mystical  interpretation 
“The  Lord  God  made  them  coats  of  skins; 
coats  of  skins,  and  clothed  them.” 

Hence  observe — 

First.  That  these  coats  were  made  not  be- 
fore, but  after,  they  had  made  themselves 
aprons — a plain  proof  their  aprons  were  not 
sufficient  to  hide  their  shame  from  the  sight 
of  God. 

Secondly.  These  coats  were  made  not  of 
Adam’s  inherent  righteousness,  for  that  was 
lost  before  by  sin,  but  of  the  skins  of  the 
slain,  types  of  the  death  of  Christ  and  of  the 
righteousness  brought  in  thereby:  “By  whose 
stripes  we  are  healed.” 

Thirdly.  This  is  further  manifest:  for  the 
coats,  God  made  them ; and  for  the  persons, 
God  clothed  them  therewith,  to  show  that  as 
the  righteousness  by  which  we  must  stand  just 
before  God  from  the  curse  is  a righteousness 
of  Christ’s  performing,  not  of  their,  so  he,  not 
they,  must  put  it  on  them  also ; for  of  God  we 
are  in  Christ,  and  of  God  his  righteousness  is 
made  ours. 

But,  I say,  if  you  would  see  their  antecedent 
qualifications,  you  find  them  under  two  heads: 

First.  Rebellion. 

Secondly.  Hypocrisy. 

Rebellion,  in  breaking  God’s  command; 
hypocrisy,  in  seeking  how  to  hide  their  faults 
from  God.  Expound  this  by  Gospel  language, 
and  then  it  shows  that  men  are  justified  from 
the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in 
themselves. 

Secondly.  “The  Lord  had  respect  to  Abel 
and  his  offering.” 

By  these  words  we  find  the  person  first  ac- 
cepted : “ The  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel.” 
And  indeed  where  the  person  is  not  first  ac- 
cepted the  offering  will  not  be  pleasing;  the 
altar  sanctifies  the  gift,  and  the  temple  sauc- 
tifieth  the  gold ; so  the  person,  the  condition 
of  the  person,  is  that  which  makes  the  offering 
either  pleasing  or  displeasing.  In  the  epistle 
to  the  Hebrew's  it  is  said,  “By'  faith  Abel 
offered  unto  God  a more  excellent  sacrifice 
than  Cain,  by  w'hich  he  obtained  witness  that 
he  was  righteous  ” — righteous  before  he  offered 
his  gift,  as  his  sacrifice  testified,  for  God 
accepted  of  it. 

“ By  faith  he  offered.”  Wherefore  faith 
wras  precedent  or  before  he  offered.  Now 
faith  hath  to  do  w'itli  God  through  Christ,  not 
with  him  through  our  works  of  righteousness. 
Besides,  Abel  was  righteous  before  he  offered, 
before  he  did  do  good,  otherwise  God  would 


956 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


not  have  testified  of  his  gift.  By  faith  he  ob- 
tained witness  that  he  was  righteous,  for  God 
approved  of  his  gifts.  Now  faith,  I say,  as  to 
our  standing  quit  before  the  Father,  respects 
the  promise  of  forgiveness  of  sins  through  the 
undertaking  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Wherefore 
Abel’s  faith,  as  to  justifying  righteousness 
before  God,  looked  not  forward  to  what  should 
be  done  by  himself,  but  back  to  the  promise 
of  the  Seed  of  the  woman  that  was  to  destroy 
the  power  of  hell  and  to  redeem  them  that 
were  under  the  law.  By  this  faith  he  shrouds 
himself  under  the  promise  of  victory  and  the 
merits  of  the  Lord  Jesus;  now,  being  there, 
God  finds  him  righteous,  and  being  righteous, 
he  offered  to  God  a more  excellent  sacrifice 
than  his  brother,  lor  Cain’s  person  was  not 
first  accepted  through  the  righteousness  of 
faith  going  before,  although  he  seemed  fore- 
most as  to  personal  acts  of  righteousness. 
Abel  therefore  was  righteous  before  he  did 
good  works,  but  that  could  not  be  but  alone 
through  that  respect  God  had  to  him  for  the 
sake  of  the  Messias,  promised  before.  Gen.  iii. 
15.  But  the  Lord’s  so  respecting  Abel  pre- 
supposeth  that  at  that  time  he  stood  in  him- 
self by  the  law  a sinner,  otherwise  he  needed 
not  to  be  respected  for  and  upon  the  account 
of  another.  Yea,  Abel  also,  forasmuch  as  he 
acted  faith  before  he  offered  sacrifice,  must 
thereby  entirely  respect  the  promise ; which 
promise  was  not  grounded  upon  a condition 
of  works  to  be  found  in  Abel,  but  in  and  for 
the  sake  of  the  Seed  of  the  woman,  which  is 
Christ;  which  promise  he  believed,  and  so 
took  it  for  granted  that  this  Christ  should 
break  the  serpent’s  head;  that  is,  destroy  by 
himself  the  works  of  the  devil — to  wit,  sin, 
death,  the  curse,  and  hell.  By  this  faith 
he  stood  before  God  righteous,  because  he 
had  put  on  Christ,  and  being  thus  he  offered  ; 
by  which  act  of  faith  God  declared  he  was 
pleased  with  him,  because  he  accepted  of  his 
sacrifice. 

Thirdly.  “And  the  Lord  said  unto  her, 
The  elder  shall  serve  the  younger.”  These 
words,  after  Paul’s  exposition,  are  to  be  un- 
derstood of  justification  in  the  sight  of  God, 
according  to  the  purpose  and  decree  of  elect- 
ing love,  which  had  so  determined  long  before 
that  one  of  these  children  should  be  received 
to  eternal  grace.  But  mark  ! not  by  works  of 
righteousness  which  they  should  do,  but  before 
they  had  done  either  good  or  evil;  otherwise 
the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election — not 
our  works,  but  of  Him  that  calleth — could  not 


stand,  but  fall  in  pieces.  But  none  are  re- 
ceived into  eternal  mercy  but  such  as  are  just 
before  the  Lord  by  a righteousness  that  is 
complete;  and  Jacob,  having  done  no  good, 
could  by  no  means  have  that  of  his  own, 
and  therefore  it  must  be  by  some  other  right- 
eousness, and  so  himself  be  justified  from  the 
curse  in  the  sight  of.  God  while  a sinner  in 
himself. 

Fourthly.  The  same  may  be  said  concerning 
Solomon,  whom  the  Lord  loved  with  special 
love  as  soon  as  born  into  the  world,  which  he 
also  confirmed  with  signal  characters:  “He 
sent  (saith  the  Holy  Ghost)  by  the  hand  of 
Nathan  the  projfiiet,  and  he  called  his  name 
Jedidiah,  because  the  Lord  loved  him.”  Was 
this  love  of  God  extended  to  him  because  of 
his  personal  virtues?  No,  verily,  l'or  he  was 
yet  an  infant.  He  was  justified  then  in  the 
sight  of  God  from  the  curse  by  another  than 
his  own  righteousness. 

Fifthly.  “And  when  I passed  by  thee,  and 
saw  thee  polluted  in  thine  own  blood,  I said 
unto  thee  when  thou  wast  in  thy  blood,  Live; 
yea,  I said  unto  thee,  when  thou  wast  in  thy 
blood,  Live.”  The  state  of  this  people  you 
have  in  the  former  verses  described,  both  as 
to  their  rise  and  practice  in  the  world. 

(1.)  As  to  their  rise,  their  origin  was  the 
same  with  Canaan,  the  men  of  God’s  curse. 
“Thy  birth  and  thy  nativity  is  of  the  land  of 
Canaan  ;”  the  same  with  other  carnal  men  : 
“Thy  father  was  an  Amorite  and  thy  mother 
an  Pittite.”  > 

(2.)  Their  condition  is  showed  us  by  this 
emblem : 

1.  They  had  not  been  washed  in  water;  2. 
They  had  not  been  swaddled ; 3.  They  had 
not  been  salted;  4.  They  brought  filth  with 
them  into  the  world  ; 5.  They  lay  stinking  in 
their  cradle ; 6.  They  were  without  strength 
to  help  themselves.  Thus  they  appear  and 
come  by  generation. 

Again,  as  to  their  practice: 

1.  They  polluted  themselves  in  their  own 
blood;  2.  They  so  continued  till  God  passed 
by.  “ And  when  I passed  by  thee,  I saw  thee 
polluted  in  thine  own  blood;”  in  thy  blood,  in 
thy  blood;  it  is  doubled.  Thus  we  see  they 
were  polluted  born,  they  continued  in  their 
blood  till  the  day  that  the  Lord  looked  upon 
them;  I say,  to  “the  loathing  of  their  per 
sons,”  &c.  Now,  this  was  the  time  of  love. 
“ And  when  I passed  by  thee,  and  saw  thee 
polluted  in  thine  own  blood,  I said  unto 
thee,  when  thou  wast  in  thy  blood,  Live ; yea, 


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957 


I said  unto  thee,  when  thou  wast  in  thy  blood, 
Live.” 

Question.  But  how  could  an  holy  God  say, 
Live,  to  such  a sinful  people? 

Answer.  Though  they  had  naught  but  sin, 
yet  he  had  love  and  righteousness.  He  had— 

1.  Love  to  pity  them;  2.  Righteousness  to 
cover  them.  “Now  when  I passed  by  thee, 
and  looked  upon  thee,  behold,  thy  time  was 
the  time  of  love.”  What  follows?  1.  “I 
spread  my  skirt  over  thee and  2.  “ Covered 
thy  nakedness ;”  yea,  3.  “ I sware  unto  thee 
and  4.  “Entered  into  covenant  with  thee;” 
and  5.  “Thou  becamest  mine.”  My  love 
pitied  thee:  my  skirt  covered  thee.  Thus 
God  delivered  them  from  the  curse  in  his 
sight.  “ Then  I washed  thee  with  water, 
(after  thou  wast  justified;)  yea,  I thoroughly 
washed  away  thy  blood  from  thee,  and  anointed 
thee  with  oil.”  Sanctification,  then,  is  conse- 
quential; justification  goes  before.  The  Holy 
Ghost,  by  this  Scripture,  setteth  forth  to  the 
life  free  grace  to  the  sons  of  men  while  they 
themselves  are  sinners.  I say,  while  they  are 
unwashed,  unswaddled,  unsalted,  but  bloody 
sinners;  for  by  these  words  not  washed,  not 
salted,  uot  swaddled,  he  setteth  forth  their  un- 
sanctified state  ; yea,  they  were  not  only  un- 
sanctified,  but  also  cast  out  without  pity,  to  the 
loathing  of  their  persons;  yea,  no  eye  pitied 
them  to  do  any  of  these  things  for  them  ; no 
eye  but  His  whose  glorious  grace  is  unsearch- 
able, no  eye  but  His  who  could  look  and 
love;  all  others  looked  and  loathed.  But 
blessed  be  God  that  hath  passed  by  us  in  that 
day  that  we  wallowed  in  our  own  blood  ; and 
blessed  be  God  for  the  skirt  of  his  glorious 
righteousuess,  wherewith  he  covered  us  when 
we  lay  before  him  naked  in  blood.  It  was 
when  we  were  in  our  blood  that  he  loved 
us ; when  we  were  in  our  blood  he  said,  Live. 
Therefore,  men  are  justified  from  the  curse 
in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  them- 
selves. 

Sixthly.  “ Now  Joshua  was  clothed  with 
filthy  garments,  and  stood  before  the  angel. 

The  standing  of  Joshua  here  is  as  men  used 
to  stand  that  were  arraigned  before  a judge. 
Joshua  stood  before  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  and 
Satan  standing  at  his  right  hand  to  resist  him 
• — the  same  posture  as  Judas  stood  in  when  he 
was  to  be  condemned:  “ Setthou  (saith  David) 
a wicked  man  over  him,  and  let  Satan  stand  at 
his  right  hand.”  Thus  therefore  Joshua  stood. 
Now  Joshua  was  clothed  (not  with  righteous- 
uess, but)  with  filthy  rags!  Sin  upon  him 


and  Satan  by  him,  and  this  before  the  angel  I 
What  must  he  do  now  ? Go  away  ? No ; there 
he  must  stand.  Can  he  speak  for  himself? 
Not  a word:  guilt  had  made  him  $umb.  Had 
he  no  place  clean  ? No ; he  was  clothed  with 
filthy  garments.  But  his  lot  was  to  stand  be 
fore  Jesus  Christ,  that  maketh  intercession  for 
transgressors : “ And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan 
The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  O Satan  ; even  the  Lord 
that  hath  chosen  Jerusalem  rebuke  thee.” 
(Thus  Christ  saveth  from  present  condemna- 
tion those  that  be  still  in  their  sin  and  blood.) 

But  is  he  now  quit?  No;  he  standeth  yet 
in  filthy  garments;  neither  can  he  by  aught 
that  is  in  him  or  done  by  him  clear  himself 
from  them.  How  then?  Why  the  Lord  clothes 
him  with  change  of  raiment;  the  iniquities 
were  his  own,  the  raiment  was  the  Lord’s : 
“ This  is  the  heritage  of  the  servants  of  the 
Lord ; and  their  righteousness  is  of  me,  saith 
the  Lord.”  We  will  not  here  discourse  of 
Joshua’s  sin,  what  it  was  or  when  committed: 
it  is  enough  to  our  purpose  that  he  was  clothed 
with  filthy  garments,  and  that  the  Lord  made 
a change  with  him,  by  causing  his  iniquities 
to  pass  from  him  and  by  clothing  him  with 
change  of  raiment.  But  what  had  Joshua 
antecedent  to  this  glorious  and  heavenly  cloth- 
ing? The  devil  at  his  right  hand  to  resist  him. 
and  himself  in  filthy  garments : “ Now  Joshua 
was  clothed  with  filthy  garments,  and  stood 
before  the  angel.  And  he  answered  and  spake 
to  those  that  stood  before  him,  saying,  Take 
away  the  filthy  garments  from  him.  And  unto 
him  he  said,  Behold,  I have  caused  thy  iniquity 
to  pass  from  thee,  and  I will  clothe  thee  wfith 
change  of  raiment.” 

But  to  pass  the  Old  Testament  types,  and  to 
come  to  the  New : 

First.  “And  when  he  was  come  into  the 
ship,  he  that  had  been  possessed  with  the  devil 
prayed  him  that  he  might  go  with  him;  but 
Jesus  suffered  him  not,  but  saith  unto  him,  Go 
home  to  thy  friends,  and  tell  them  how  great 
things  God  hath  done  for  thee,  and  hath  had 
compassion  on  thee.” 

The  present  state  of  this  man  is  sufficiently 
declared  in  these  particulars : 

1.  He  was  possessed  with  a devil — with 
devils,  with  many,  with  a whole  legion,  which 
some  say  is  six  thousand  or  thereabouts. 

2.  These  devils  had  so  the  mastery  of  him 
as  to  drive  him  from  place  to  place  into  the 
wilderness,  among  the  mountains,  and  so  to 
dwell  in  the  tombs  among  the  dead. 

3.  He  was  out  of  his  wits ; he  would  cut  his 


958 


B UNTAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


flesh,  break  his  chains,  nay,  no  man  could 
tame  him. 

4.  When  he  saw  Jesus,  the  devil  in  him,  as 
being  lord  and  governor  there,  cried  out  against 
the  Lord  Jesus.  In  all  this  what  qualification 
shows  itself  as  precedent  to  justification? 
None  but  such  as  devils  work  or  as  rank  bed- 
lams have.  Yet  this  poor  man  was  dispos- 
sessed, taken  into  God’s  compassion,  and  was 
bid  to  show  it  to  the  world  : “ Go  home  to  thy 
friends,  and  tell  them  how  great  things  the 
Lord  hath  done  for  thee,  and  hath  had  com- 
passion on  thee which  last  words,  because 
they  are  added  over  and  above  his  being  dis- 
possessed of  the  devils,  I understand  to  be  the 
fruit  of  electing  lov.e : “ I will  have  compassion 
on  whom  I will  have  compassion,”  which  bless- 
eth  us  with  the  mercy  of  a justifying  righteous- 
ness ; and  all  this,  as  by  this  is  manifest,  with- 
out the  least  precedent  qualifications  of  ours. 

Secondly.  “ And  when  they  had  nothing  to 
pay,  he  frankly  forgave  them  both.” 

The  occasion  of  these  words  was  for  that  the 
Pharisee  murmured  against  the  woman  that 
washed  Jesus’s  feet,  because  she  was  a sinner; 
for  so  said  the  Pharisee  and  so  saith  the  Holy 
Ghost.  But,  saith  Christ,  Simon,  I will  ask 
thee  a question:  “A  certain  man  had  two 
debtors : the  one  owed  him  five  hundred  pence, 
and  the  other  fifty ; and  when  they  had  noth- 
ing to  pay,  he  frankly  forgave  them  both.” 

Hence  I gather  these  conclusions : 

1.  That  men  that  are  wedded  to  their  own 
righteousness  understand  not  the  doctrine  of 
the  forgiveness  of  sin.  This  is  manifested  by 
the  poor  Pharisee;  he  objected  against  the 
woman  because  she  was  a sinner. 

2.  Let  Pharisees  murmur  still,  yet  Christ 
hath  pity  and  mercy  for  sinners. 

3.  Yet  Jesus  doth  not  usually  manifest  mercy 
until  the  sinner  hath  nothing  to  pay;  and 
when  they  had  nothing  to  pay,  he  frankly  (or 
freely,  or  heartily)  forgave  them  both.  If 
they  had  nothing  to  pay,  then  they  were  sin- 
ners ; but  he  forgiveth  no  man  but  with  respect 
to  a righteousness.  Therefore  that  righteous- 
ness must  be  another’s,  for  in  the  very  act  of 
mercy  they  are  found'  sinners.  They  had 
nothing  but  debt,  nothing  but  sin,  nothing  to 
pay.  “Then  they  were  justified  freely  by 
grace  through  that  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus 
Christ.”  So,  then,  men  are  justified  from  the 
curse  in  the  sight  of  God,  while  sinners  in 
themselves. 

Thirdly.  “ And  when  he  saw  their  faith,  he 
said  unto  the  man,  Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee.” 


This  man  had  not  righteousness  to  stand 
just  before  God  withal,  for  his  sins  as  yet  re- 
mained unforgiven.  Wherefore,  seeing  guilt 
remained  until  Christ  remitted  him,  he  was 
discharged  while  ungodly. 

And  observe  it:  The  faith  here  mentioned 
is  not  to  be  reckoned  so  much  the  man’s  as 
the  faith  of  them  that  brought  him:  neither 
did  it  reach  to  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  but  to 
the  miracle  of  healing ; yet  this  man,  in  this 
condition,  had  his  sins  forgiven  him. 

But  again,  set  the  case,  the  faith  was  only 
his,  (as  it  was  not,)  and  that  it  reached  to  the 
doctrine  of  forgiveness,  yet  it  did  it  without 
respect  to  righteousness  in  himself,  for  guilt 
lay  still  upon  him ; he  had  now  his  sins  for- 
given him. 

But  this  act  of  grace  was  a surprisal,  it  was 
unlooked  for : “ I am  found  of  them  that 
sought  me  not.”  They  came  for  one  thing,  he 
gave  them  another : they  came  for  a cure  upon 
his  body,  but  to  their  amazement  he  cured  first 
his  soul : “ Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.” 

Besides,  to  have  his  sins  forgiven  betokeneth 
an  act  of  grace ; but  grace  and  works  as  to  this 
are  opposite:  therefore  men  are  justified  from 
the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in 
themselves. 

Fourthly.  “Father,  I have  sinned  against 
Heaven  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son.” 

What  this  man  was  is  sufficiently  declared 
in  Luke  xv.  13,  &c. ; as — 1.  A riotous  spender 
of  all — of  time,  talent,  body,  and  soul. 

2.  He  added  to  this  his  rebellion  great  con- 
tempt of  his  father’s  house : “ He  joined  him- 
self to  a stranger”  and  became  an  associate 
with  swine. 

At  last,  indeed,  he  came  to  himself.  But 
then  observe — 1.  He  sought  not  justification 
by  personal  performances  of  his  own ; 2. 
Neither  did  he  mitigate  his  wickedness;  3. 
Nor  excuse  himself  before  his  father,  but  first 
resolveth  to  confess  his  sin ; and,  coming  to  his 
father,  did  confess  it,  and  that  with  aggravating 
circumstances : “ I have  sinned  against  Heaven ; 
I have  sinned  against  thee;  I am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son.”  Now,  what  he 
said  was  true  or  false : if  true,  then  he  had  not 
righteousness;  if  false,  he  could  not  stand  just 
in  the  sight  of  his  father  by  virtue  of  his  own 
performances.  And  indeed  the  sequel  of  the 
parable  clears  it.  His  father  said  to  his  ser- 
vant, “Bring  forth  the  best  robe,  (the  justify- 
ing righteousness,)  and  put  it  upon  him,  and 
put  a ring  on  his  hand  and  shoes  on  his  feet.” 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


959 


This  beat  robe  then,  being  in  his  father’s  house, 
was  not  in  the  prodigal’s  heart;  neither  stayed 
the  father  for  further  qualifications,  but  put  it 
upon  him  as  he  was,  surrounded  with  sin  and 
oppressed  with  guilt;  therefore  men  are  justi- 
fied from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while 
sinners  in  themselves. 

Fifthly.  “ For  the  Son  of  man  came  to  seek 
and  to  save  that  which  was  lost.” 

The  occasion  of  these  words  was,  for  that  the 
Pharisees  murmured  because  Jesus  was  gone 
to  be  a guest  to  one  that  was  a sinner,  yea,  a 
sinner  of  the  publicans,  and  are  most  fitly  ap- 
plied to  the  case  in  hand ; for  though  Zaccheus 
climbed  the  tree,  yet  Jesus  Christ  found  him 
first,  and  called  him  down  by  his  name ; add- 
ing withal,  “For  to-day  I must  abide  at  thy 
house ;”  which,  being  opened  by  Luke  xix.  9, 
is  as  much  as  to  say,  I am  come  to  be  thy  sal- 
vation. Now  this  being  believed  by  Zaccheus, 
he  made  haste  and  came  down  and  received 
him  joyfully.  And  not  only  so,  but  to  declare 
to  all  the  simplicity  of  his  faith,  and  that  he 
unfeignedly  accepted  of  this  word  of  salvation, 
he  said  unto  the  Lord,  and  that  before  all 
present,  “ Behold,  Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods 
I give  to  the  poor,  and  if  I have  taken  any 
thing  from  any  man  by  false  accusation,  (a 
supposition  intimating  an  affirmative,)  I re- 
store him  fourfold.”  This  being  thus,  Christ 
doubleth  his  comfort,  saying  to  him  also,  and 
that  before  the  people,  “ This  day  is  salvation 
come  to  this  house.”  Then,  by  adding  the 
next  words,  he  expounds  the  whole  of  the  mat- 
ter : “ For  I am  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost ;”  to  seek  it  till  I find  it,  to  save 
it  when  I find  it.  He  finds  them  that  sought 
him  not.  And  saith  Zaccheus,  “ Behold  me !” 
to  a people  that  asked  not  after  him.  So  then, 
seeing  Jesus  findeth  this  publican  first,  preach- 
ing salvation  to  him  before  he  came  down  from 
the  tree,  it  is  evident  he  received  this  as  he  was 
a sinner.  From  which  faith  flowed  his  follow- 
ing words  and  works  as  a consequence. 

Sixthly.  “ Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Verily  I say 
unto  thee,  This  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in 
paradise.” 

This  was  spoken  to  the  thief  upon  the  cross, 
who  had  lived  in  wickedness  all  his  days; 
neither  had  he  so  much  as  truly  repented,  no 
not  till  he  came  to  die ; nay,  when  he  first  was 
hanged  he  then  fell  to  railing  on  Christ  ; for 
though  Luke  leaves  it  out,  beginning  but  at  his 
conversion,  yet  by  Matthew’s  relating  the  whole 
tragedy,  we  find  him  at  first  as  bad  as  the  other. 
This  man  then  had  no  moral  righteousness,  for 


he  had  lived  in  the  breach  of  the  law  of  God. 
Indeed,  by  faith  lie  believed  Christ  to  be  King, 
and  that  when  dying  with  him.  But  what  was 
this  to  a personal  performing  the  command- 
ments, or  of  restoring  what  he  had  oft  taken 
away  ? Yea,  he  confessetli  his  death  to  be  just 
for  his  sin,  and  so,  leaning  upon  the  mediation 
of  Christ,  he  goeth  out  of  the  world.  Now,  he 
that  truly  confesseth  and  acknowlcdgeth  his 
sin  acknowledgeth  also  the  curse  to  be  due 
thereto  from  the  righteous  hand  of  God ; so 
then,  where  the  curse  of  God  is  due,  that  man 
wanteth  righteousness.  Besides,  he  that  makes 
to  another  for  help  hath  by  that  condemned 
his  own  (had  he  any)  of  utter  insufficiency. 
But  all  these  did  this  poor  creature;  where- 
fore he  must  stand  just  from  the  law,  in  the 
sight  of  God,  while  sinful  in  himself. 

Seventhly.  “ Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me 
to  do?”  What  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?  Ig- 
norance is  here  set  forth  to  the  full.  Lie  hith- 
erto knew  not  Jesus,  neither  what  he  would 
have  him  to  do;  yet  a mighty  man  for  the  law 
of  works,  and  for  zeal  towards  God  according 
to  that.  Thus  you  see  that  he  neither  knew 
that  Christ  was  Lord  nor  what  was  his  mind 
and  will.  “I  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief : ” 
I did  not  know  him,  I did, not  believe  he  was 
•to  save  us.  I thought  I must  be  saved  by  liv- 
ing righteously,  by  keeping  the  law  of  God. 
This  thought  kept  me  ignorant  of  Jesus  and 
of  justification  from  the  curse  by  him.  Poor 
Saul!  how  many  fellows  hast  thou  yet  alive! 
Every  man  zealous  of  the  law  of  works,  yet 
none  of  them  know  the  law  of  grace ; each  of 
them  seeking  for  life  by  doing  the  law,  when 
life  is  to  be  had  by  naught  but  believing  in 
Jesus  Christ. 

Eighthly.  “ Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved.” 

A little  before  we  find  Paul  and  Silas  in  the 
stocks  for  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ — in  the 
stocks  in  the  inward  prison,  by  the  hands  of  a 
sturdy  jailer;  but  at  midnight,  when  Paul  and 
his  companion  sang  praises  to  God,  the  foun- 
dations of  the  prison  shook  and  every  man’s 
bands  were  loosed.  Now,  the  jailer  being  awak- 
ened by  the  noise  of  this  shaking,  and  supposing 
he  had  lost  his  prisoners,  drew  his  sword  with 
intent  to  kill  himself,  but  Paul  cried  out,  “ Do 
thyself  no  harm,  for  we  are  all  here.”  Then 
he  called  for  a light,  and  sprang  in  and  came 
trembling,  and  fell  down  before  Paul  and  Silas, 
and  brought  them  out,  and  said,  “Sirs,  what 
must  I do  to  be  saved?”  In  all  this  relation  here 
is  not  aught  that  can  justify  the  jailer.  For— 


960 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


1.  His  whole  life  was  idolatry,  cruelty,  and 
enmity  to  God  ; yea, 

2.  Even  now,  while  the  earthquake  shook 
the  prison,  he  had  murder  in  his  heart,  yea, 
and  in  his  intentions  too.  Murder,  I say,  and 
that  of  an  high  nature — even  to  have  killed  his 
own  body  and  soul  at  once.  Well — 

3.  When  he  began  to  shake  under  the  fears 
of  everlasting  burnings,  yet  then  his  heart  was 
wrapped  up  in  ignorance  as  to  the  way  of  sal- 
vation by  Jesus  Christ.  What  must  I do  to 
he  saved  ? He  knew  not  what ; no,  not  he. 
His  condition  then  was  this : he  neither  had 
righteousness  to  save  him,  nor  knew  he  how  to 
get  it.  Now,  what  was  Paul’s  answer?  Why, 
"Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (look  for 
righteousness  in  Christ,)  and  then  thou  shall 
he  saved.”  This,  then,  still  holdeth  true, 
"Men  are  justified  from  the  curse  in  the  sight 
of  God  while  sinners  in  themselves.” 

I should  now  come  to  the  second  conclu- 
sion— viz.,  That  this  can  be  done  by  no  other 
righteousness  than  that  long  ago  performed 
by,  and  remaining  with  the  person  of,  Christ. 
But  before  I speak  to  that  I will  a little  further 
press  this,  by  urging  for  it  several  reasons  : 

I.  First.  Men  must  be  justified  from  the 
curse  while  sinners  in  themselves,  because 
" by  nature  all  are  under  sin.  All  have  sin- 
ned, and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  He 
hath  concluded  all  in  unbelief;  he  hath  con- 
cluded all  under  sin.”  Now,  having  sinned, 
they  are  in  body  and  soul  defiled  and  become 
an  unclean  thing;  wherefore,  whatever  they 
touch,  with  an  intent  to  work  out  righteous- 
ness thereby,  they  defile  that  also.  And 
hence,  as  I have  said,  all  the  righteousness 
they  seek  to  accomplish  is  but  as  filthy  raga; 
therefore  they  are  sinners  still. 

Indeed,  to  some  men’s  thinking,  the  Phari- 
see is  holier  than  the  publican,  but  in  God’s 
sight,  in  the  eyes  of  divine  justice,  they  stand 
alike  condemned.  “All  have  sinned;”  there 
is  the  poison.  Therefore,  as  to  God  without 
Christ,  “ all  throats  are  an  open  sepulchre.” 

The  world  in  general  is  divided  into  two 
sorts  of  sinners : 

1.  The  open  profane. 

2.  The  man  that  seeks  life  by  the  works  of 
the  law.  The  profane  is  judged  by  all,  but 
the  other  by  a few.  Oh,  but  God  judgeth 
him — 

First,  for  an  hypocrite,  because  that,  not- 
withstanding he  hath  sinned,  “he  would  be 
thought  to  be  good  and  righteous.”  And 
hence  it  is  that  Christ  calls  such  kind  of  holy 


ones,  Pharisees,  hypocrites — Pharisees,  hyp* 
ocrites,  because  by  their  gay  outside  they  de- 
ceived those  that  beheld  them.  But,  saith  he, 
“ God  sees  your  hearts you  are  but  like 
“painted  sepulchres,  within  you  are  full  of 
dead  men’s  bones.”  Such  is  the  root  from 
whence  flows  all  their  righteousness. 

But  doth  the  blind  Pharisee  think  his  state 
is  such?  No,  his  thoughts  of  himself  are  far 
otherwise.  “ God,  I thank  thee  (saith  he)  I 
am  not  as  other  men,  extortioners,  unjust, 
adulterers,  or  even  like  this  publican.”  Ay, 
but  still  God  judgeth  him  for  an  hypocrite. 

Secondly.  God  judgeth  him  for  one  that 
spurnetli  against  Christ,  even  by  every  such 
work  he  doth.  And  hence  it  is  when  Paul 
was  converted  to  Jesus  Christ  that  he  calls  the 
righteousness  he  had  before  madness,  blas- 
phemy, injury,  because  what  he  did  to  save 
himself  by  works  was  in  direct  opposition  to 
grace  by  Jesus  Christ. 

Behold,  then,  the  evil  that  is  in  a man's  own 
righteousness ! 

1.  It  curseth  and  condemneth  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ. 

2.  It  blindeth  the  man  from  seeing  his 
misery. 

3.  It  hardeneth  his  heart  against  his  own 
salvation. 

Thirdly.  But  again,  God  judgeth  such  for 
those  that  condemn  him  of  foolishness.  “ The 
preaching  of  the  cross  (that  is,  Christ  crucified) 
is  to  them  that  perish  foolishness.”  What ! 
(saith  the  merit-monger,)  will  you’  look  for 
life  by  the  obedience  of  another  man?  will 
you  trust  to  the  blood  that  was  shed  upon  the 
cross,  that  run  down  to  the  ground  and  per- 
ished in  the  dust?  Thus  deridingly  they  scoff 
at,  stumble  upon,  and  are  taken  in  the  gin 
that  attends  the  Gospel;  not  to  salvation,  but 
to  their  condemnation,  because  they  have  con- 
demned the  Just,  that  they  might  justify  their 
own  filthy  righteousness. 

But,  I say,  if  all  have  sinned,  if  all  are  de- 
filed, if  the  best  of  a man’s  righteousness  be  but 
madness,  blasphemy,  injury,  if  for  their  right- 
eousness they  are  judged  hypocrites,  condemned 
as  opposers  of  the  Gospel,  and  as  such  have 
counted  God  foolish  for  sending  his  Son  into 
the  world,  then  must  the  best  of  men  be  justi- 
fied from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while 
sinners  in  themselves,  because  they  still  stand 
guilty  in  the  sight  of  God;  their  hearts  are 
also  still  filthy,  infected.  “ Though  thou  wash 
thee  with  nitre,  and  take  thee  much  soap,  yet 
thine  iniquity  is  marked  before  me,  saith  the 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN 

Lord  God.”  It  stands  marked  still  before  God. 
So,  then,  what  esteem  soever  men  have  of  the 
righteousness  of  the  world,  yet  God  accounts 
it  horrible  wickedness,  and  the  greatest  enemy 
that  Jesus  hath.  Wherefore,  this  vine  is  the 
vine  of  Sodom  ; these  clusters  arc  the  clusters 
of  Gomorrah  ; these  grapes  are  grapes  of  gall ; 
these  clusters  are  bitter;  they  are  the  poison 
of  dragons  and  the  cruel  venom  of  asps.  No 
marvel,  then,  if  John  in  his  ministry  gives  the 
first  rebuke  and  jostle  to  such,  still  calling 
them  serpents  and  vipers,  and  concluding  it  is 
almost  impossible  they  should  escape  the  dam- 
nation of  hell ; for,  of  all  sin,  man’s  own  right- 
eousness in  special  bids  defiance  to  Jesus 
Christ. 

II.  Another  reason  why  not  one  under  heav- 
en can  be  justified  by  the  law  or  by  his  own  per- 
sonal performances  to  it  is,  because  sin  was  in 
the  world,  God  hath  rejected  the  law  and  the 
works  thereof  for  life. 

It  is  true  before  man  had  sinned  it  was  or- 
dained to  be  unto  life,  but  since,  and  because 
of  sin,  the  God  of  love  gave  the  word  of  grace. 
Take  the  law,  then,  as  God  hath  established 
it — to  wit,  to  condemn  all  flesh — and  then  there 
is  room  for  the  promise  and  the  law — the  one 
to  kill,  the  other  to  heal.  And  so  the  law  is 
not  against  the  promise ; but  make  the  law  a 
justifier,  and  faith  is  made  void,  and  the  prom- 
ise is  made  of  none  effect,  and  the  everlasting 
Gospel,  by  so  doing,  thou  endeavourest  to  root 
out  of  the  world. 

Methinks,  since  it  hath  pleased  God  to  reject’ 
the  law  and  the  righteousness  thereof  for  life, 
such  dust  and  ashes  as  we  are  should  strive  to 
consent  to  his  holy  will,  especially  when  in  the 
room  of  this  of  works  there  is  established  a bet- 
ter covenant,  and  that  upon  better  promises., 

The  Lord  hath  rejected  the  law  for  the  weak- 
ness and  unprofitableness  thereof : “ For  (find- 
ing fault  with  them  of  the  law)  the  days  come, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  I will  make  a new  cove- 
nant with  the  house  of  Israel,”  &c.  Give  God 
leave  to  find  fault  with  us,  and  to  condemn 
our  personal  performances  to  death,  as  to  our 
justification  before  him  thereby — let  him  do  it, 

I say,  and  the  rather  because  he  doth  by  the 
Gospel  present  us  with  the  better,  and  certainly, 
if  ever  lie  be  pleased  with  us,  it  will  be  when  he 
findeth  us  in  that  righteousness  that  is  of  his 
own  appointing. 

To  conclude.  Notwithstanding  all  that  hath 
or  can  be  said,  there  are  six  things  that  have 
great  power  with  the  heart  to  bend  it  to  seek 
life  before  God  by  the  law;  of  all  which  I 
61 


IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  961 

would  caution  that  soul  to  beware  that  would 
have  happiness  in  another  world: 

1 . Take  heed  thou  be  not  made  to  seek  to  the 
law  for  life  because  of  that  name  and  majesty 
of  God  which  thou  findest  upon  the  doctrine 
of  the  law.  God  indeed  spake  all  the  words 
of  the  law,  and  delivered  them  in  that  dread 
and  majesty  to  men  that  shook  the  hearts  of 
all  that  heard  it.  Now  this  is  of  great  au- 
thority with  some,  even  to  seek  for  life  and 
hliss  by  the  law.  “ We  know,”  said  some, 
“ that  God  spake  to  Moses.”  And  Saul  re- 
jected Christ,  even  of  zeal  towards  God.  What 
zeal  ? Zeal  towards  God  according  to  the 
law,  which  afterwards  he  left  and  rejected 
because  he  had  found  out  a better  way.  The 
life  that  he  once  lived,  it  was  by  the  law ; but 
afterwards,  saith  he,  “The life  that  I now  live, 
it  is  by  faith,”  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ. 
So  that,  though  the  law  was  the  appointment 
of  God,  and  had  also  his  name  and  majesty 
upon  it,  yet  now  he  will  not  live  by  the  law. 
Indeed,  God  is  in  the  law,  but  yet  only  as  just 
and  holy,  not  as  gracious  and  merciful ; so  he 
is  only  in  Jesus  Christ.  “The  law  (the  word 
of  justice)  was  given  by  Moses,  but  grace  and 
truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ.”  WTherefore, 
whatever  of  God  thou  findest  in  the  law,  yet, 
seeing  grace  and  mercy  are  not  there,  let 
neither  the  name  of  God,  nor  that  majesty 
that  thou  findest  of  him  in  the-  law,  prevail 
with  thee  to  seek  life  by  all  the  holy  commands 
of  the  law. 

2.  Take  heed  that  the  law,  by  taking  hold 
on  thy  conscience,  doth  not  make  thee  seek 
life  by  the  law.  The  heart  of  man  is  the  seat 
of  the  law.  This  being  so,  the  understanding 
and  conscience  must  needs  be  in  danger  of 
being  bound  by  the  law.  Man  is  a law  unto 
himself,  and  showeth  that  the  works  of  the 
law  are  written  in  his  heart.  Now,  the  law 
being  thus  nearly  related  to  man,  it  easily 
takes  hold  of  the  understanding  and  conscience ; 
by  which  hold,  if  it  be  not  quickly  broken  off 
by  the  promise  and  grace  of  the  Gospel,  it  is 
captivated  to  the  works  of  the  law.  For  con- 
science is  such  a thing  that,  if  it  once  be  pos- 
sessed with  a doctrine,  yea,  though  but  with 
the  doctrine  of  an  idol,  it  will  cleave  so  fast 
thereto  that  nothing  but  an  hand  from  heaven 
can  loosen  it;  and  if  it  be  not  loosed,  no  Gos- 
pel can  be  there  embraced.  Conscience  is  little 
ease  if  man  resist  it,  whether  it  be  rightly  or 
wrongly  informed.  How  fast  then  will  it  hold 
when  it  knows  it  cleaves  to  the  law  of  God  I 
Upon  this  account  the  condition  of  the  un- 


962 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


believer  is  most  miserable;  for  not  having 
faith  in  the  Gospel  of  grace,  through  which  is 
tendered  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  they  like  men 
drowning  hold  fast  that  which  they  have  found ; 
which  being  the  law  of  God,  they  follow  it; 
but  because  righteousness  flies  from  them,  they 
at  last  are  found  only  accursed  and  condemned 
to  hell  by  the  law.  Take  heed,  therefore,  that 
thy  conscience  be  not  entangled  by  the  law. 

3.  Take  heed  of  fleshly  wisdom.  Reasoning 
suiteth  much  with  the  law.  I thought,  verily, 
that  I ought  to  do  many  things  against  the 
name  of  Jesus,  and  so  to  have  sought  for  life 
by  the  law;  my  reason  told  me  so;  for  thus 
will  reason  say,  Here  is  a righteous  law,  the 
rule  of  life  and  death.  Besides,  what  can  be 
better  than  to  love  God  and  my  neighbour  as 
myself?  Again,  God  hath  thus  commanded, 
and  his  commands  are  just  and  good;  there- 
fore doubtless  life  must  come  by  the  law. 
Further,  to  love  God  and  keep  the  law  are 
better  than  to  sin  and  break  it;  and  seeing 
men  lost  heaven  by  sin,  how  should  they  get 
it  again  but  by  working  righteousness?  Be- 
sides, God  is  righteous,  and  will  therefore  bless 
the  righteous.  Oh  the  holiness  of  the  law! 
It  mightily  swayeth  with  reason  when  a man 
addicteth  himself  to  religion.  The  light  of 
nature  teacheth  that  sin  is  not  the  way  to 
heaven ; and  seeing  no  word  doth  more  con- 
demn sin  than  the  words  of  the  ten  command- 
ments, it  must  needs  be,  therefore,  the  most 
perfect  rule  for  holiness.  Wherefore,  saith 
reason,  the  safest  way  to  life  and  glory  is  to 
keep  myself  close  to  the  law.  But  a little 
here  to  correct.  Though  the  law  indeed  be 
holy,  yet  the  mistake  as  to  the  matter  in  hand 
is  as  wide  as  the  east  from  the  west.  For 
therefore  the  law  can  do  thee  no  good  because 
it  is  holy  and  just,  for  what  can  he  that  hath 
sinned  expect  from  a law  that  is  holy  and 
just?  Naught  but  condemnation.  Let  them 
lean  to  it  while  they  will:  “There  is  one  that 
accuseth  you,  (saith  Christ,)  even  Moses,  in 
whom  you  trust.” 

4.  Man’s  ignorance  of  the  Gospel  suiteth 
well  with  the  doctrine  of  the  law.  They, 
through  their  being  ignorant  of  God’s  right- 
eousness, fall  in  love  with  that.  Yea,  they  do 
not  only  suit,  but  when  joined  in  act  the  one 
strengtheneth  the  other;  that  is,  the  law 
strengtheneth  our  blindness,  and  bindeth  the 
veil  more  fast  about  the  face  of  our  souls. 
The  law  suiteth  much  our  blindness  of  mind, 
for  until  this  day  remains  the  veil  untaken 
away  in  the  reading  of  the  Old  Testament, 


especially  in  the  reading  of  that  which  was 
written  and  engraven  in  stones — to  wit,  the 
ten  commandments,  that  perfect  rule  for  holi- 
ness; which  veil  is  done  away  in  Christ.  But 
even  to  this  day,  when  Moses  is  read,  the  veil 
is  over  their  hearts;  they  are  blinded  by  the 
duties  enjoined  by  the  law  from  the  sight  and 
hopes  of  forgiveness  of  sins  by  grace.  Never- 
theless, when  it  (the  heart)  shall  turn  to  the 
Lord,  the  veil  shall  be  taken  away.  The  law 
then  doth  veil  the  heart  from  Christ,  and 
holds  the  man  so  down  to  doing  and  working 
for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  that  he  quite  for- 
gets the  forgiveness  of  sins  by  mercy  through 
Christ.  Now  this  veiling  or  blinding  by  the 
law  is  occasioned — 

1st.  By  reason  of  the  contrariety  of  doc- 
trine that  is  in  the  law  to  that  which  was  in 
the  Gospel.  The  law  requireth  obedience  to 
all  its  demands,  upon  pain  of  everlasting 
burnings:  the  Gospel  promiseth  forgiveness 
of  sins  to  him  that  worketli  not,  but  believeth. 
Now  the  heart  cannot  receive  both  these  doc- 
trines; it  must  either  let  go  doing  or  believ- 
ing. If  it  believe,  it  is  dead  to  doing;  if  it  be 
set  to  doing  for  life,  it  is  dead  to  believing. 
Besides,  he  that  shall  think  both  to  do  and  be- 
lieve for  justification  before  God  from  the 
curse,  he  seeks  for  life  but,  as  it  were,  by  the 
law;  he  seeks  for  life  but,  as  it  were,  by  Christ; 
and  he,  being  direct  in  neither,  shall  for  cer- 
tain be  forsaken  of  either.  Wherefore?  Be- 
cause “ he  seeks  it  not  by  faith,  but,  as  it  were, 
by  the  works  of  the  law.” 

2dly.  The  law  veils  and  blinds  by  that  guilt 
and  horror  for  sin  that  seizeth  the  soul  by  the 
law;  for  guilt,  when  charged  close  upon  the 
conscience,  is  attended  with  such  aggravations, 
an(j  that  with  such  power  and  evidence,  that 
the  conscience  cannot  hear  nor  see  nor  feel 
any  thing  else  but  that.  When  David’s  guilt 
for  murder  and  blood  did  roar  by  the  law 
in  his  conscience,  notwithstanding  he  knew 
much  of  the  grace  of  the  Gospel,  he  could 
hear  nothing  else  but  terror:  the  sound  of 
blood,  the  murder  of  Uriah,  was  the  only 
noise  that  he  heard.  Wherefore  lie  crieth  to 
God  that  he  would  make  him  hear  the  Gos- 
pel: “Make  me  (saith  he)  to  hear  jo.y  and 
gladness,  that  the  bones  which  thou  hast 
broken  may  rejoice.”  And  as  he  could  not 
hear,  so  neither  could  he  see;  the  law  had 
struck  him  deaf  and  blind.  “I  am  (saith 
he)  not  able  to  look  up,”  not  up  to  Christ 
for  mercy:  As  if  David  had  said,  0 Lord, 
the  guilt  of  sin  which  is  by  the  law  makes 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


963 


such  a noise  and  horror  in  my  conscience 
that  I can  neither  hear  nor  see  the  word 
of  peace  unless  it  is  spoken  with  a voice  from 
heaven.  The  serpents  that  bit  the  people  in 
the  days  of  old  were  types  of  guilt  and  sin. 
Now  these  were  fiery  serpents,  and  such  as  (I 
think)  could  fly;  wherefore,  in  my  judgment, 
they  stung  the  people  about  their  faces,  and  so 
swelled  up  their  eyes,  which  made  it  the  more 
difficult  for  them  to  look  up  to  the  brazen  ser- 
pent, which  was  the  type  of  Christ.  Just  so 
doth  sin  by  the  law  do  now;  it  stings  the  soul, 
the  very  face  of  the  soul,  which  is  the  cause 
that  looking  up  to  Jesus  or  believing  in  him 
is  so  difficult  a task  in  time  of  terror  of  con- 
science. 

3dly.  This  is  not  only  so  at  present,  hut  so 
long  as  guilt  is  on  the  conscience,  so  long  re- 
mains the  blindness;  for  guilt  standing  before 
the  soul,  the  grace  of  God  is  intercepted,  even 
as  the  sun  is  hid  from  the  sight  of  mine  eyes 
by  the  cloud  that  cometh  between.  “My  sin 
(said  David)  is  ever  before  me,”  and  so  kept 
other  things  out  of  his  sight — sin,  I say,  when 
applied  by  the  law.  When  the  law  came  to 
Paul  be  remained  without  sight  until  the  good 
man  came  unto  him  with  the  word  of  forgive- 
ness of  sins. 

4thly.  Again,  where  the  law  comes  with 
power,  there  it  begettcth  many  doubts  against 
the  grace  of  God,  for  it  is  only  a revealer  of 
sin  and  the  ministration  of  death;  that  is,  a 
doctrine  that  showeth  sin  and  condemneth  for 
the  same.  Hence,  therefore,  as  was  hinted  be- 
fore, the  law  being  the  revealer  of  sin,  where 
that  is  embraced,  there  sin  must  needs  be  dis- 
covered and  condemned,  and  the  soul  for  the 
6ake  of  that.  Further,  it  is  not  only  a re- 
vealer of  sin,  but  that  which  makes  it  abound. 
So  that  the  closer  any  man  sticks  to  the  law 
for  life,  the  faster  sin  doth  cleave  to  him. 
“That  law  (saith  Paul)  which  was  ordained  to 
be  unto  life  I found  to  be  unto  death,”  for  by 
the  law  I became  a notorious  sinner.  I thought 
to  have  obtained  life  by  obeying  the  law,  but 
sin,  taking  occasion  by  the  commandment,  de- 
ceived me,  and  thereby  slew  me.  A strange 
way  of  deceivableness,  and  it  is  hid  from  the 
most  of  men ! but,  as  I have  already  told  you, 
you  see  how  it  comes  to  pass. 

(1.)  Man  by  nature  is  carnal,  and  the  law 
itself  is  spiritual.  Now,  betwixt  these  two 
ariseth  great  difference;  the  law  is  exceeding 
good,  the  heart  exceeding  bad  : these  two  op- 
posites therefore  (the  heart  so  abiding)  can  by 
no  means  agree. 


(2.)  Therefore,  at  every  approach  of  the  law 
to  the  heart,  with  intent  to  impose  duty  or  to 
condemn  for  the  neglect  thereof,  at  every  such 
approach  the  heart  starteth  back,  especially 
when  the  law  comes  home  indeed  and  is 
heard  in  his  own  language.  This  being  thus, 
the  conscience  perceiving  this  is  a fault,  begins 
to  tremble  at  the  sense  of  judgment;  the  law 
still  continueth  to  command  to  duty  and  to 
condemn  for  the  neglect  thereof.  From  this 
struggling  of  these  two  opposites  arise,  I say, 
those  doubts  and  fears  that  drive  the  heart 
into  unbelief;  and  that  makes  it  so  blind  to 
the  work  of  the  Gospel  that  it  can  neither  see 
nor  understand  any  thing  but  that  it  is  a sin- 
ner, and  that  the  law  must  be  fulfilled  by  it 
if  ever  it  be  saved. 

5.  But  again,  another  thing  that  hath  great 
influence  upon  the  heart  to  make  it  lean  to 
the  law  for  life  is,  the  false  names  that  Satan 
and  his  instruments  have  put  upon  it;  such 
as  these — to  call  the  law  the  Gospel ; conscience, 
the  Spirit  of  Christ ; works,  faith  ; and  the  like. 
With  these  weak  consciences  have  been  might- 
ily pestered,  yea,  thousands  deluded  and  de- 
stroyed. This  was  the  way  whereby  the  en- 
emy attempted  to  overthrow  the  Church  of 
Christ  of  old;  as,  namely,  those  in  Galatia 
and  at  Corinth  &e.  I say,  by  the  feigned 
notion  that  the  law  was  the  Gospel,  the  Gala- 
tians were  removed  from  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
and  Satan,  by  appropriating  to  himself  and 
his  ministers  the  names  and  titles  of  the  min- 
isters of  the  Lord  Jesus,  prevailed  with  many 
at  Corinth  to  forsake  Paul  and  his  doctrine. 
Where  the  Lord  Jesus  hath  been  preached  in 
truth  and  something  of  his  doctrine  known,  it 
is  not  there  so  easy  to  turn  people  aside  from 
the  sound  of  the  promise  of  grace,  unless  it  be 
by  the  noise  and  sound  of  a Gospel.  There- 
fore, I say,  the  false  apostles  came  thus  among 
the  churches;  another  Gospel,  another  Gos- 
pel, which,  in  truth,  saith  Paul,  “ is  not  an- 
other, but  some  would  pervert  the  Gospel  of 
Christ,”  and  thrust  that  out  of  doors,  by  gild- 
ing the  law  with  that  glorious  name.  So 
again  for  the  ministers  of  Satan,  they  must  be 
called  the  apostles  of  Christ  and  ministers  of 
righteousness ; which  thing,  I say,  is  of  great 
force,  especially  being  accompanied  with  so 
holy  and  just  a doctrine  as  the  word  of  the  law 
is ; for  what  better  to  the  eye  of  reason  than 
to  love  God  above  all,  and  our  neighbour  as 
ourselves?  which  doctrine,  being  the  scope  of 
the  ten  words  given  on  Sinai,  no  man  can  con- 
tradict, for  in  truth  they  are  holy  and  good. 


964 


RUN  YAK’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


But  here  is  the  poison — to  set  this  law  in  the 
room  of  a mediator,  as  those  do  that  seek  to 
stand  just  before  God  thereby;  and  then  noth- 
ing is  so  dishonourable  to  Christ  nor  of  so 
soul-destroying  a nature  as  the  law ; for  that 
thus  placed  hath  not  only  power  when  souls 
are  deluded,  but  power  to  delude  by  its  real 
holiness  the  understanding,  conscience,  and 
reason  of  a man,  and  by  giving  the  soul  a sem- 
blance of  heaven  to  cause  it  to  throw  away 
Christ,  grace,  and  faith.  Wherefore  it  be- 
hooveth  all  men  to  take  heed  of  names  and  of 
appearances  of  holiness  and  goodness. 

Lastly.  Satan  will  yet  go  further ; he  will 
make  use  of  something  that  may  be  at  a dis- 
tance from  a moral  precept,  and  therewith 
bring  souls  under  the  law.  Thus  he  did  with 
some  of  old : he  did  not  make  the  Galatians 
fall  from  Christ  by  virtue  of  one  of  the  ten 
words,  but  by  something  that  was  aloof  of — by 
circumcision,  days  and  months,  that  were 
Levitical  ceremonies ; for  he  knows  it  is  no 
matter  nor  in  what  testament  he  found  it,  if  he 
can  therewith  hide  Christ  from  the  soul : “ Be- 
hold I,  Paul,  say  unto  you  that  if  you  be 
circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing ; 
for  I testify  again  to  every  man  that  is  cir- 
cumcised that  he  is  a debtor  to  the  whole 
law.”  Why  so,  seeing  circumcision  is  not 
one  of  the  ten  words?  Why,  because  they 
did  it  in  conscience  to  God,  to  stand  just 
before  him  thereby.  Now,  here  we  may  be- 
hold much  cunning  of  the  devil;  he  begins 
with  some  at  a distance  from  that  law  which 
curseth,  and  so  by  little  and  little  bringeth  them 
under  it ; even  as  by  circumcision  the  Gala- 
tians were  at  length  brought  under  the  law 
that  condemneth  all  men  to  the  wrath  and 
judgment  of  God.  I have  often  wondered 
when  I have  read  how  God  cried  out  against 
the  Jews  for  observing  his  own  command- 
ment, (Isa.  i. ;)  but  I perceive  by  Paul  that  by 
these  things  a man  may  reject  and  condemn 
the  Lord  Jesus,  which  those  do  that  for  life 
set  up  aught,  whether  moral  or  other  institu- 
tion, besides  the  faith  of  Jesus. 

Let  men,  therefore,  warily  distinguish  be- 
twixt names  and  things,  between  statutes  and 
commandments,  lest  they  by  doing  the  one 
transgress  against  the  other.  Study,  there- 
fore, the  nature  and  end  of  the  law  with  the 
nature  and  end  of  the  Gospel ; and  if  thou 
canst  keep  them  distinct  in  thy  understand- 
ing and  conscience,  neither  names  nor  things, 
neither  statutes  nor  commandments,  can  draw 
thee  from  the  faith  of  the  Gospel.  I 


And  that  thou  mayest  yet  be  helped  in  this 
matter,  I shall  now  come  to  speak  to  the 
second  conclusion,  viz. : 

That  men  can  be  justified  from  the  curse 
before  God  while  sinners  in  themselves  by  no 
other  righteousness  than  that  long  ago  per- 
formed by  and  remaining  with  the  person  of 
Christ. 

For  the  better  prosecuting  of  this  position  I 
shall  observe  two  things : 

1.  That  the  righteousness  by  which  we 
stand  just  before  God  from  the  curse  was  per- 
formed by  the  person  of  Christ. 

2.  That  this  righteousness  is  inherent  only 
in  him. 

I.  As  to  the  first  of  these  I shall  be  but 
brief. 

Now  that  the  righteousness  that  justifieth  us 
was  performed  long  ago  by  the  person  of 
Christ,  besides  what  hath  already  been  said,  is 
further  manifest  thus : 

1.  He  is  said  to  have  purged  our  sins  by 
himself:  “When  he  had  by  himself  purged 
our  sins,  he  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of 
God.”  I have  showed  that  in  Christ,  for  the 
accomplishing  of  righteousness,  there  were 
both  doing  and  suffering — doing,  to  fulfil  all 
the  commands  of  the  law;  suffering,  to  answer 
its  jienalty  for  sin.  The  second  is  that  which, 
in  this  to  the  Hebrews,  is  in  special  intended 
by  the  apostle,  where  he  saith  he  hath 
“ purged  our  sins” — that  is,  by  his  precious 
blood,  for  it  is  that  alone  can  purge  our  sins, 
either  out  of  the  sight  of  God  or  out  of  the 
sight  of  the  soul.  Now  this  was  done  by  him- 
self, saith  the  apostle ; that  is,  in  or  by  his 
personal  doings  and  sufferings.  And  hence  it 
is  that  when  God  had  rejected  the  offerings  of 
the  law  he  said,  “ Lo,  I come ! A body  hast 
thou  prepared  me  to  do  thy  will,  O God.” 
Now  by  this  will  of  God  (saith  the  Scripture) 
we  are  sanctified.  By  what  will?  Why,  by 
the  “ offering  up  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ,” 
for  that  was  God’s  will,  that  thereby  we  might 
be  an  habitation  for  him.  As  he  saith  again, 
“Jesus  also,  that  he  might  sanctify  the  people 
with  his  own  blood,  suffered  without  the 
gate.” 

2.  As  it  is  said  he  hath  “ purged  our  sins  by” 
himself,  so  it  was  by  himself  at  once:  “For  by 
one  offering  hath  he  perfected  for  ever  them 
that  are  sanctified.”  Now  by  this  word,  at 
once,  or  by  one  offering,  are  cut  off  all  those  im- 
aginary sufferings  of  Christ  which  foolish  men 
conceive  of;  as  that  he  in  all  ages  hath  suf- 
fered or  suffereth  for  sin  in  us.  No,  he  did 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


this  work  but  once : “ Not  that  he  should  offer 
himself  often,  as  the  high  priest  entered  into 
the  holy  place  every  year,  with  the  blood  of 
others ; for  then  must  he  often  have  suffered 
since  the  foundation  of  the  world.  But  now 
once,  in  the  end  of  the  world,  (in  the  time  of 
Pilate,)  hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by 
the  sacrifice  of  himself.”  Mark  how  to  the 
purpose  the  Holy  Ghost  expresseth  it:  he'hath 
suffered  but  once  ; and  that  once,  now  ; now  once. 
Now  he  is  God  and  man  in  one  person  ; now  he 
hath  taken  the  body  that  was  prepared  of  God ; 
now  once,  “in  the  end  of  the  world,  hath  he 
appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of 
himself,”  by  the  offering  up  of  the  body  of 
Jesus  Christ  once  for  all. 

3.  It  further  appears  in  that  by  his  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead  the  mercies  of  God  are  made 
sure  to.  the  soul,  God  declaring  by  that,  as  was 
said  before,  how  well  pleased  he  is  by  the  un- 
dertaking of  his  Son  for  the  salvation,  of  the 
world:  “And  as  concerning  that  he  raised  him 
up  from  the  dead,  now  no  more  to  return  to 
corruption,  he  said  on  this  wise,  I will  give 
thee  the  sure  mercies  of  David.”  For  Christ 
being  clothed  with  man’s  flesh,  and  undertak- 
ing for  man’s  sins,  did  then  confirm  all  sure  to 
us  by  his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  So  that 
by  the  rising  of  that  man  again  mercy  and 
grace  are  made  sure  to  him  that  hath  believed 
on  Jesus.  Wherefore,  from  these  things,  to- 
gether with  what  hath  been  discovered  about 
his  addressing  himself  to  the  work,  I conclude 
that  men  can  be  justified  from  the  curse  before 
God  while  sinners  in  themselves  by  no  other 
righteousness  than  that  long  ago  performed  by 
the  person  of  Christ.  Now  the  conclusion  is 
true  from  all  show  of  contradiction,  for  the 
Holy  Ghost  saith,  He  hath  done  it;  hath  done 
it  by  himself,  and  that  by  the  will  of  God,  at 
once,  even  then  when  he  took  the  prepared 
body  upon  him.  “ By  the  will  of  God  we  are 
sanctified,  through  the  offering  up  of  the  body 
of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all.” 

II.  This  being  so,  the  second  position  is  also 
manifest — namely,  that  the  righteousness  by 
which  we  stand  just  from  the  curse  before  God 
is  only  inherent  in  Jesus  Christ.  For  if  he 
hath  undertaken  to  bring  in  a justifying  right- 
eousness, and  that  by  works  and  merits  of  his 
own,  then  that  righteousness  must  of  necessity 
be  inherent  in  him  alone,  and  ours  only  by  im- 
putation ; and  hence  it  is  called,  in  that  5tli  to 
the  Romans,  the  gift,  the  gift  of  righteousness, 
because  neither  wrought  nor  obtained  by 
works  of  ours,  but  bestowed  upon  us  as  a gar- 


965 

merit  already  prepared  by  the  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ. 

There  are  four  things  that  confirm  this  for  a 
truth  : 

1.  This  righteousness  is  said  to  be  the  right- 
eousness of  one,  not  of  many ; I mean,  of  one 
properly  and  personally,  as  his  own  particular 
personal  righteousness.  The  gift  of  grace, 
which  is  the  gift  of  righteousness,  it  is  by  one 
man,  Jesus  Christ:  “Much  more  they  that  re- 
ceive abundance  of  grace  and  of  the  gift  of 
righteousness  shall  reign  in  life  by  one  Jesus 
Christ.  Therefore,  as  by  the  offence  of  one 
judgment  came  upon  all  to  condemnation, 
even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one  the  free 
gift  came  upon  all  men  to  justification  of  life: 
for  as  by  one  man’s  disobedience  many  were 
made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  shall 
many  be  made  righteous.”  Mark,  the  right- 
eousness of  one,  the  obedience  of  one — the  right- 
eousness of  one  man,  of  one  man,  Jesus.  Where- 
fore, the  righteousness  that  justifieth  a sinner, 
it  is  personally  and  inherently  the  righteous- 
ness of  that  person  only  who  by  works  and  acts 
of  obedience  did  complete  it,  even  the  obedi- 
ence of  one,  of  one  man,  Jesus  Christ;  and  so 
ours  only  by  imputation.  It  is  improper  to 
say  Adam’s  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit  was 
personally  and  inherently  an  act  of  mine:  it 
was  personally  his,  and  imputatively  mine; 
personally  his,  because  he  did  it ; imputatively 
mine,  because  I was  then  in  him.  Indeed,  the 
effects  of  his  personal  eating  is  found  in  my 
person — to  wit,  defilement  and  pravity.  The 
effects  also  of  the  imputation  of  Christ’s  per- 
sonal righteousness  is  truly  found  in  those  that 
are  in  him  by  electing  love  and  unfeigned  faith, 
even  holy  and  heavenly  dispositions;  but  a 
personal  act  is  one  thing,  and  the  effects  of 
that  act  another.  The  act  may  be  done  by  and 
be  only  inherent  in  one ; the  imputation  of  the 
merit  of  the  act,  as  also  the  effects  of  the  same, 
may  be  in  a manner  universal,  extending  itself 
unto  the  most  or  all.  This  the  cases  of  Adam 
and  Christ  doth  manifest : the  sin  of  one  is 
imputed  to  his  posterity ; the  righteousness  of 
the  other  is  reckoned  the  righteousness  of  those 
that  are  his. 

2.  The  righteousness  by  which  we  stand  just 
before  God  from  the  curse  is  called  “ the  right- 
eousness of  the  Lord,  the  righteousness  of 
God,  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ,”  &c., 
and  that  by  way  of  opposition  to  the  right- 
eousness of  God’s  own  holy  law : “ That  I 
might  be  found  in  him,  not  having  on  ir.y  own 
righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that 


966 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  right- 
eousness which  is  of  God  by  faith.”  Now,  by 
this  opposition  (as  by  what  was  said  before) 
the  truth  is  made  exceedingly  clear ; for  by 
these  words,  “ not  having  my  own  righteous- 
ness,” is  not  only  excluded  what  qualifications 
we  suppose  to  be  in  us,  but  the  righteousness 
through  which  we  stand  just  in  the  sight  of 
God  by  them  is  limited  and  confined  to  a per- 
son absolutely  distinct — distinct,  I say,  as  to 
*kis  person  and  performances  who  here  is 
called  God  and  Jesus  Christ;  as  he  saith  also 
in  the  prophet  Isaiah  : “In  the  Lord  shall  all 
the  seed  of  Israel  be  justified,  and  shall  glory.” 
In  the  Lord,  not  in  the  law ; in  the  Lord,  not 
in  themselves.  “ And  their  righteousness  is 
of  me,  saith  the  Lord.”  Of  me,  not  of  them- 
selves; of  me,  not  of  the  law.  And  again, 
“Surely  shall  one  say,  In  the  Lord  have  I 
righteousness  and  strength.”  Now,  as  I have 
already  said,  all  this  is  to  be  understood  of  the 
righteousness  that  was  fulfilled  by  acts  and 
works  of  obedience,  which  the  person  of  the 
Son  of  God  accomplished  in  the  days  of  his 
flesh  in  the  world — by  that  man,  I say,  “the 
Lord  our  righteousness.”  Christ  indeed  is 
naturally  and  essentially  righteousness;  but 
as  he  is  simply  such,  so  he  justifieth  no  man  ; 
for  then  he  need  not  to  bear  our  sins  in  his 
flesh  and  become  obedient  in  all  points  of  the 
law  for  us ; but  the  righteousness  by  which  we 
stand  just  before  God  is  a righteousness  con- 
sisting of  works  and  deeds,  of  the  doings  and 
sufferings  of  such  a person,  who  also  is  essen- 
tially righteousness.  And  hence,  as  before  I 
have  hinted,  we  are  said  to  be  justified  by  the 
obedience  and  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  the  doings  and  sufferings  of  the  Son  of  God. 
And  hence  again  it  is  that  he  first  is  called 
King  of  righteousness ; that  is,  “ a King  of 
righteousness,”  as  God-man,  which  of  necessity 
supposeth  his  personal  performances,  and  after 
that  “ King  of  peace ;”  for  what  he  is  naturally 
and  eternally  in  his  Godhead  he  is  not  to  us, 
but  himself;  but  what  he  is  actively  and  by 
works  he  is  not  to  himself,  but  to  us.  So, 
then,  he  is  neither  King  of  righteousness  nor 
of  peace  to  us,  as  he  is  only  the  eternal  Son  of 
the  Father,  without  his  being  considered  as 
our  priest  and  undertaker;  he  hath  obtained 
(by  works  of  righteousness)  eternal  redemption 
for  us.  So,  then,  the  righteousness  by  which 
we  stand  just  before  God  is  a righteousness  in- 
herent (only)  in  Christ,  because  a righteous- 
ness performed  by  him  alone. 

Now,  that  righteousness  by  which  we  stand 


just  before  God  must  be  a righteousness  con- 
sisting of  personal  performances.  The  reason 
is,  because  persons  had  sinned.  This  the 
nature  of  justice  requireth,  that  “ since  by 
man  came  death,  by  man  shall  come  also  the 
resurrection  from  the  dead.”  The  angels 
therefore,  for  this  very  reason,  abide  under 
the  chains  of  everlasting  darkness,  because  lio 
“took  not  hold  on  them” — that  is,  by  fulfill- 
ing the  righteousness  for  them  in  their  nature. 
That  is  a blessed  word : “ To  you,  to  you,  is 
born  this  day  in  the  city  of  David  a Saviour, 
which  is  Christ  the  Lord.”  To  you,  not  to 
angels ; to  you  is  born  a Saviour. 

3.  It  is  yet  further  evident  that  the  right- 
eousness by  which  we  stand  just  before  God 
from  the  curse  is  a righteousness  inherent  not 
in  us,  but  Christ,  because  it  is  a righteousness 
besides  and  without  the  law  itself.  Now,  take 
away  the  law  and  you  take  away  the  rule  of 
righteousness.  Again,  take  away  the  rule  and 
the  act  as  to  us  must  cease : “ But  now  the 
righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  mani- 
fested, being  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the 
prophets.”  So,  then,  by  such  a righteousness 
we  are  justified  as  is  not  within  the  power  of 
the  law  to  command  of  us. 

Question.  But  what  love  is  that  which  hath 
not  power  to  command  our  obedience  in  the 
point  of  our  justification  with  God? 

Answer.  The  moral  law,  or  that  called  the 
ten  commandments.  Therefore  we  are  neither 
commanded  to  love  God  or  our  neighbour  as 
the  means  or  part  of  our  justifying  righteous- 
ness. Nay,  he  that  shall  attempt  to  do  these 
things,  to  be  delivered  from  the  curse  thereby, 
by  the  Scripture  is  holden  accursed  of  God: 
“As  many  as  are  of  the  works  (or  duties)  of 
the  law  are  under  the  curse,”  &c.,  because  we 
are  justified,  not  by  that  of  the  law,  but  by  the 
righteousness  of  God,  without  the  law — that  is, 
without  its  commanding  of  us,  without  our 
obedience  to  it,  “Freely  by  his  grace,  through 
the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a propitiation,  through 
faith  in  his  blood.”  This  is  the  righteousness 
of  God  without  the  law;  that  is,  without  any 
of  our  obedience  to  the  law.  Wherefore,  the 
righteousness  by  which  we  stand  just  in  the 
sight  of  God  cannot  be  inherent  in  us,  but  in 
Christ  the  King  thereof. 

4.  This  is  further  made  apparent  by  the  ca- 
pacity that  God  will  consider  that  soul  in  to 
whom  he  imputetli  justifying  righteousness; 
and  that  is  as  one  that  worketh  not,  as  one 
that  stands  ungodly  in  the  judgment  of  the 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


967 


law.  But  this  I have  handled  before,  and 
therefore  shall  pass  it  here. 

5.  To  conclude.  If  any  works  of  ours  could 
justify  us  before  God,  they  would  be  works 
after  faith  received,  but  it  is  evident  that  these 
do  not.  Therefore  the  righteousness  that  jus- 
tifies us  from  the  curse  before  God  is  a right- 
eousness inherent  only  in  Christ. 

That  works  after  faith  do  not  justify  us  from 
the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  is  evident — 

1.  Because  no  works  of  the  saints  can  be 
justified  by  the  moral  law,  considering  it  as 
the  law  of  works  for  life,  for  this  must  stand 
a truth  for  ever.  Whatsoever  justifieth  us 
must  be  justified  by  the  moral  law,  for  that  it 
is  tliat  pronouncetli  the  curse;  unless  then 
that  curse  be  taken  away  by  the  work,  the 
work  cannot  justify  us  before  God.  But  the 
curse  cannot  be  taken  away  but  by  a righteous- 
ness that  is  first  approved  of  by  that  law  that 
so  curseth ; for  if  that  shall  yet  complain  for 
want  of  a full  satisfaction,  the  penalty  reinain- 
eth.  This  is  evident  to  reason,  and  confirmed 
by  the  authority  of  God’s  word,  as  hath  been 
already  proved,  because  the  law,  once  broken, 
pronounceth  death,  expectetli  death,  and  ex- 
ecuteth  the  same  on  him  that  will  stand  to  the 
judgment  of  the  law.  But  no  work  of  a be- 
liever is  capable  of  answering  this  demand  of 
the  law ; therefore  none  of  his  works  can  justify 
him  before  God,  lor  the  law  that  notwithstand- 
ing complaineth. 

2.  No  works  of  faith  can  justify  us  from  the 
curse  before  God,  because  of  the  want  of  per- 
fection that  is  in  the  greatest  faith  in  us.  No\y 
if  faith  be  not  perfect,  the  work  cannot  be 
perfect — I mean  with  that  perfection  as  to 
please  divine  justice.  Consider  the  person, 
one  that  hath  to  do  with  God  immediately  by 
himself.  Now,  that  faith  is  not  capable  of 
this  kind  of  perfection  it  is  evident,  because 
when  men  here  know  most  they  know  but  in 
part.  Now,  he  that  knows  but  in  part  can  do 
but  in  part,  and  he  that  doth  but  in  part  hath 
a part  wanting  in  the  judgment  of  the  justice 
of  God.  So,  then,  when  thou  hast  done  all 
thou  canst,  thou  hast  done  but  part  of  thy 
duty,  and  so  art  short  of  justification  from  the 
curse  by  what  thou  hast  done. 

3.  Besides,  it  looks  too  like  a monster  that 
the  works  of  frith  should  justify  us  before 
God,  because  then  faith  is  turned,  as  it  were, 
with  its  neck  behind  it.  Faith,  in  its  own 
nature  and  natural  course,  respecteth  the 
mercy  of  God  through  the  mediator  Jesus 
Christ,  and  as  such  its  virtue  and  excellency 


is  to  expect  justification  by  grace  through 
him;  but  by  this  doctrine  faith  is  turned 
round  about,  and  now  makes  a life  out  of  what 
itself  hath  done.  But  methinks  faith  should 
be  as  noble  as  its  fruits,  that  being  the  first, 
and  they  but  the  fruits  of  that. 

Besides,  seeing  the  work  is  only  good  be- 
cause it  floweth  from  faith,  (for  “faith  puri- 
fietli  the  heart,”)  therefore  faith  is  it  that 
justifieth  all  its  works.  If,  then,  we  be  justified 
by  either,  it  is  by  faith,  and  .not  by  his  works, 
unless  we  will  say  there  is  more  virtue  in  the 
less  than  in  the  greater.  Now,  what  is  faith 
but  a believing,  a trusting,  a relying  act  of  the 
soul  ? What,  then,  must  it  rely  upon  or  trust 
in?  Not  in  itself — that  is  without  Scripture; 
not  in  its  works — they  are  inferior  to  itself: 
besides,  this  is  the  way  to  make  even  the 
works  of  faith  the  mediator  between  God  and 
the  soul,  and  so  by  them  thrust  Christ  out  of 
doors.  Therefore  it  must  trust  in  Christ ; and 
if  so,  then  no  man  can  be  justified  from  the 
curse  before  God  by  the  works  that  flow  from 
faith. 

4.  To  put  all  out  of  doubt,  the  saint  when 
he  hath  done  what  he  can  to  bring  forth  good 
works  by  faith,  yet  he  dares  not  show  these 
works  before  God  but  as  they  pass  through  the 
mediator  Christ,  but  as  they  are  washed  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb.  And  therefore  Peter 
saith  those  sacrifices  of  ours  that  are  truly 
spiritual  are  only  then  accepted  of  God  when 
offered  up  by  Jesus  Christ.  And  therefore  it  is 
said  again  that  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  which 
are  the  fruits  of  faith,  “come  up  before  the 
throne  of  God  through  the  angel’s  hand” — 
that  is,  through  the  hand  of  Christ,  through 
his  golden  censer,  perfumed  with  his  incense, 
made  acceptable  by  his  intercession. 

It  is  said  in  the  book  of  the  Revelations 
that  it  is  granted  to  the  bride,  the  Lamb’s 
wife,  that  she  should  be  “ arrayed  in  fine  linen, 
clean  and  white,”  which  “white  linen  is  the 
righteousness  of  saints.”  This  fine  linen,  in 
my  judgment,  is  the  works  of  godly  men,  their 
works  that  sprang  from  faith.  But  how  came 
they  clean?  How  came  they  white?  Not 
simply  because  they  were  the  works  of  faith. 
But  mark,  “They  washed  their  robes  and 
made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb; 
and  therefore  they  stand  before  the  throne  of 
God.”  Yea,  therefore  it  is  that  their  good 
works  stand  there  too. 

I conclude,  then,  our  persons  are  justified 
while  we  are  sinners  in  ourselves:  our  works,, 
even  the  works  of  faith,  are  no  otherwise  ac- 


968 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


cepted  but  as  they  come  through  Jesus  Christ, 
even  through  his  intercession  and  blood.  So, 
then,  Christ  doth  justify  both  our  person  and 
works,  not  by  way  of  approbation,  as  we  stand 
in  ourselves  or  works  before  God,  but  by  pre- 
senting of  us  to  his  Father  by  himself,  wash- 
ing what  we  are  and  have  from  guilt  in  his 
blood,  and  clothing  us  with  his  own  perform- 
ances. This  is  the  cause  of  our  acceptance 
with  God,  and  that  our  works  are  not  cast 
forth  of  his  presence. 

Use.  — Is  justifying  righteousness  to  be 
found  in  the  person  of  Christ  only?  Then 
this  should  admonish  us  to  take  heed  of  seek- 
ing it  in  ourselves — that  is,  of  working  right- 
eousness, thereby  to  appease  the  justice  of 
God,  lest  by  so  doing  we  affront  and  blaspheme 
the  righteousness  of  Christ.  He  that  shall  go 
about  to  establish  his  own  righteousness,  he  as 
yet  doth  defiance  to  that  which  is  of  God,  of 
God’s  appointing,  of  God's  providing,  and  that 
only  wherewith  the  justice  of  the  law  must  be 
well  pleased.  Wherefore,  take  heed,  I say,  of 
doing  such  a thing,  lest  it  provoke  the  eyes  of 
the  Lord’s  glory.  “When  I shall  say  to  the 
righteous  that  he  shall  surely  live,  if  he  trust 
to  his  own  righteousness  and  commit  iniquity 
all  his  righteousness  shall  not  be  remembered, 
but  for  his  iniquity  that  he  hath  committed, 
he  shall  die  for  it.”  Mark,  though  he  be 
righteous,  yea,  though  he  have  a promise  of 
life,  yet  he  shall  die.  But  why?  Because  he 
sinned  against  the  Lord  by  trusting  to  his  own 
righteousness ; therefore  he  must  die  for  it. 

There  are  some  things  that  will  preserve  a 
man  from  splitting  upon  this  rock;  as — 

1.  Get  good  acquaintance  with  the  covenant 
of  grace,  and  of  the  persons  concerned  in  the 
conditions  of  that  covenant.  The  conditions 
(of  that  covenant)  are — that  a righteousness 
shall  be  brought  into  the  world  that  shall 
please  the  justice  of  God  and  answer  ( and  so 
remove  the  curse  of)  the  law.  Now,  he  that 
doth  perform  this  condition  is  Christ.;  there- 
fore the  covenant  is  not  immediately  with 
man,  but  with  Him  that  will  be  the  mediator 
betwixt  God  and  man. 

“ As  for  thee,  by  the  blood  of  thy  covenant,” 
(speaking  of  Christ.)  So  then  Christ,  the  man 
Christ,  is  he  who  was  to  bring  in  these  con- 
ditions— to  wit,  everlasting  righteousness. 
And  hence  it  is  that  God  hath  said,  “ Christ 
shall  be  the  covenant  of  the  people;”  that  is, 
he  shall  be  our  condition  to  God-ward.  He 
therefore  is  all  our  righteousness  as  to  the 
point  of  our  justification  before  God;  he  is 


the  covenant  of  the  people  as  well  as  the  light 
of  the  Gentiles ; for  as  no  man  can  see  hut  in 
the  light  of  his  Spirit,  so  no  man  can  stand 
but  in  and  by  him:  “He  is  the  covenant  of 
the  people,  the  conditions  and  qualifications 
of  the  people.”  So  that  to  God-ward  “ Christ 
is  all  in  all,”  and  no  man  any  thing  at  all. 
“ He  hath  made  with  -me  an  everlasting  cov- 
enant ;”  with  me  as  I stand  in  my  head,  Christ, 
who,  because  he  hath  brought  in  everlasting 
righteousness,  therefore  hath  removed  the 
curse  of  the  law.  Wherefore  he  adds,  this 
covenant  “ is  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure,” 
because  all  points  that  concern  me,  as  to  re- 
demption from  the  curse,  are  taken  away  by 
Christ,  (as  before  is  discoursed.)  Look,  then, 
upon  Christ  as  the  man,  mediator,  undertaker, 
and  accomplisher  of  that  righteousness  in  him- 
self wherein  thou  must  stand  just  before  God, 
and  that  he  is  the  covenant  or  conditions  of  the 
people  to  God-ward,  always  having  in  himself 
the  righteousness  that  the  law  is  well  pleased 
with,  and  always  presenting  himself  before 
God  as  our  only  righteousness. 

2.  That  this  truth  may  be  the  more  heartily 
inquired  into  by  thee,  consider  thine  own  per- 
fections; I say,  study  how  polluted  thou  art, 
even  from  the  heart  throughout.  No  man 
hath  an  high  esteem  of  the  Lord  Jesus  that  is 
a stranger  to  his  own  sore.  Christ’s  Church  is 
an  hospital  of  sick,  wounded,  and  afflicted  peo- 
ple, even  as  when  he  was  in -the  world  the 
afflicted  and  distressed  set  the  highest  price 
upon  Jesus  Christ.  Why?  They  were  sick 
and  he  was  the  physician,  but  the  whole  have 
no  need  of  him.  And  just  thus  it  is  now : 
Christ  is  offered  to  the  world  to  be  the  right- 
eousness and  life  of  sinners ; but  no  man  will 
regard  him  save  he  that  seeth  his  own  pollution, 
he  that  seeth  he  cannot  answer  the  demands 
of  the  law,  he  that  sees  himself  from  top  to 
toe  polluted,  and  that  therefore  his  service 
cannot  be  clean  as  to  justify  him  from  the 
curse  before  God;  he  is  the  man  that  must 
needs  die  in  despair  and  be  damned,  or  must 
trust  in  Jesus  Christ  for  life. 

Further,  this  rule  I would  have  all  receive 
that  come  to  Jesus  Christ  for  life  and  salva- 
tion : 

1.  Not  to  stick  at  the  acknowledgment  of 
sin,  but  to  make  that  of  it  which  the  law  makes 
of  it.  “Acknowledge  thine  iniquity,”  saith 
the  Lord.  This  is  a hard  pinch,  (I  know  what 
I say,)  'for  a man  to  fall  down  under  the  sense 
of  sins  by  acknowledging  them  to  be  what  the 
Lord  saith  they  are — to  acknowledge  them,  I 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


969 


gay,  in  their  own  defiling  and  polluting  nature ; 
to  acknowledge  them  in  their  unreasonable  and 
aggravated  circumstances;  to  acknowledge 
them  in  their  God-offending  and  soul-destroy- 
ing nature,  especially  when  the  conscience  is 
burdened  with  the  guilt  of  them.  Yet  this  is 
duty : “ If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive;”  yea,  to  this  is  annexed 
the  promise,  “ lie  that  confesseth  and  forsaketli 
them  shall  find  mercy.”  This  made  David  as 
it  were  lay  claim  to  the  mercy  of  God.  “ Wash 
me  thoroughly,”  said  he,  “ from  mine  iniquity, 
and  cleanse  me  from  my  sin,  for  I acknowledge 
my  transgression,  and  my  sin  is  ever  before 
me.”  Though  then  thou  art  to  blush  and  be 
ashamed  when  thou  rememberest  thy  sins  and 
iniquities,  yet  do  not  hide  them:  “He  that 
hideth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper.”  Do  not 
lessen  them ; do  not  speak  of  them  before  God 
after  a mincing  way  : “ Acknowledge  thine  in- 
iquities, that  thou  hast  sinned  against  the  Lord 
thy  God,  and  hast  scattered  thy  ways  to  the 
strangers  under  every  green  tree ; and  ye  have 
not  obeyed  my  voice,  saith  the  Lord.” 

2.  If  we  would  come  to  Christ  aright,  we 
must  only  acknowledge  our  sins,  we  must  only 
acknowledge  them,  and  there  stop ; stop,  I say, 
from  attempting  to  do  aught  to  present  us 
.good  before  God,  but  only  to  receive  the  mercy 
offered.  Only  acknowledge  thine  iniquities. 
Men  are  subject  to  two  extremes — either  to 
confess  sins  notionally  and  by  the  halves,  or 
else,  together  with  the  confession  of  them,  to 
labour  to  do  some  holy  work,  thereby  to  ease 
their  burdened  conscience  and  beget  faith  in 
the  mercy  of  God.  Now,  both  these  are 
dangerous  and  very  ungodly — dangerous,  be- 
cause the  wound  is  healed  falsely;  and  un- 
godly, because  the  command  is  transgressed. 
Only  acknowledge  thy  sin,  and  there  stand  (as 
David)  till  thy  guilt  is  taken  away.  Joshua 
stood  before  the  angel  from  top  to  toe  in  filthy 
garments  till  the  Lord  put  other  clothes  upon 
him.  In  the  matter  of  thy  justification  thou 
must  know  nothing,  see  nothing,  hear  nothing 
but  thine  own  sins  and  Christ’s  righteousness. 
Only  acknowledge  thine  iniquities.  Now  the 
Saviour  and  the  soul  come  rightly  together  - 
the  Saviour  to  do  his  work,  which  is  to  spread 
his  skirt  over  the  sinner;  and  the  sinner  to  re- 
ceive by  believing  this  blessed  imputed  right- 
eousness. And  hence  the  Church,  when  she 
comes  to  God,  lieth  down  in  her  shame,  and 
her  confusion  covereth  her,  and  so  lieth  till 
pardon  comes. 

Use  II. — I come  now  to  the  second  use: 


Have  faith  in  Christ.  But  what  are  we  to 
understand  by  faith  ? 

Answer.  Faith  importeth  as  much  as  to  say, 
Receive,  embrace,  accept  of  or  trust  in  the 
benefit  offered;  all  which  are  (by  holy  men  of 
God)  words  used  on  purpose  to  show  that  the 
mercy  of  God,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and 
eternal  life  are  not  to  be  had  by  doing  or  by 
the  law,  but  by  receiving,  embracing,  accept- 
ing, or  trusting  to  the  mercy  of  God  through 
Christ : “ We  believe  that  through  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  shall  be  saved,  even 
as  they.”  Thus  you  see  what  the  Gospel  is, 
and  what  faith  doth  do  in  thg  salvation  of  the 
soul. 

Now,  that  faith  might  be  helped  in  this 
work,  (for  great  are  they  that  oppose  it,)  there- 
fore the  Scriptures  (the  word  of  truth)  have 
presented  us  with  the  invitation  in  most  plain 
and  suitable  sentences;  as,  that  “Christ  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners;  Christ  died  for 
our  sins;  Christ  gave  himself  for  our  sins; 
Christ  bare  our  sins  in  his  body  on  the  tree ;” 
and  that  “ God,  for  Christ’s  sake,  hath  forgiven 
you.”  Further,  as  the  invitations  are  plain 
and  easy,  so  the  threatening  to  the  opposers 
are  sore  and  astonishing:  “He  that  believeth 
not  shall  be  damned;  Because  they  received 
not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be 
saved,  God  gave  them  up  to  strong  delusions, 
that  they  all  might  be  damned.” 

Objection.  But  faith  is  said  to  be  an  act  of 
obedience. 

Answer.  And  well  it  may,  for  it  is  the  most 
submitting  act  that  a man  can  do ; it  throweth 
out  all  our  righteousness ; it  makes  the  soul 
poor  in  itself;  it  liveth  upon  God  and  Christ, 
as  the  alms-man  doth  upon  his  lord ; it  con- 
senteth  to  the  Gospel,  that  it  is  true  ; it  giveth 
God  and  Christ  the  glory  of  their  mercy  and 
merit;  it  loveth  God  for  his  mercy  and  Jesus 
Christ  for  his  service ; whatever  good  it  doth, 
it  still  crieth,  Hereby  am  I not  justified,  but 
He  that  justifietli  me  is  the  Lord. 

Well,  but  is  there  in  truth  such  a thing  as 
the  obedience  of  faith?  Then  let  Christians 
labour  to  understand  it,  and  distinguish  it 
aright,  and  to  separate  it  from  the  law  and 
all  man’s  righteousness;  and  remember  that  it 
is  a receiving  of  mercy,  an  embracing  of  for- 
giveness, an  accepting  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  and  a trusting  to  these  for  life.  Re- 
member again  that  it  putteth  the  soul  upon 
coming  to  Christ  as  a sinner,  and  to  receive 
forgiveness  as  a sinner,  as  such.  We  now 
treat  of  justification. 


970 


BUN  YAK’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


But  a little  to  insert  at  large  a few  more  of 
the  excellencies  of  it,  and  so  draw  towards  a 
conclusion. 

First.  The  more  thou  believest  for  remis- 
sion of  sins,  the  more  of  the  light  of  the  glori- 
ous Gospel  of  Christ  thou  receivest  into  thy 
soul.  “For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of 
God  revealed  from  faith  to  faith that  is,  ac- 
cording to  the  degree  of  faith:  little  faith 
seeth  but  little,  but  great  faith  seeth  much; 
and  therefore  he  saith  again  that  by  faith  we 
have  “access  into  the  grace  of  God.”  The 
reason  is — 

1.  Because  faith,  having  laid  hold  upon 
Christ,  “hath  found  Him  in  whom  are  hid  all 
the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge.”  In 
him  therefore  it  finds  and  sees  those  heights 
and  depths  of  Gospel  mysteries  that  are  no- 
where else  to  be  found ; nay,  let  a man  be 
destitute  of  faith,  and  it  is  not  possible  he 
should  once  think  of  some  of  them. 

2.  By  this  means  the  Holy  Spirit  is  plenti- 
fully received.  Now  the  Spirit  of  God  is  a 
spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  but  yet  so  as 
in  the  knowledge  of  Christ;  otherwise  the 
Spirit  will  show  to  man  not  any  mighty 
thing,  its  great  delight  being  to  open  Christ 
and  to  reveal  him  unto  faith.  Faith  indeed 
can  see  him,  for  that  is  the  eye  of  the  soul  ; 
and  the  Spirit  alone  can  reveal  him,  that 
being  the  searcher  of  the  deep  things  of  God. 
By  these,  therefore,  the  mysteries  of  heaven 
are  revealed  and  received ; and  hence  it  is 
that  the  mystery  of  the  Gospel  is  called  the 
mystery  of  faith,  or  the  mystery  with  which 
faith  only  hath  to  do.  Wouldst  thou  then 
know  the  greatest  things  of  God?  Accustom 
thyself  to  the  obedience  of  faith,  live  upon  thy 
justifying  righteousness. 

And  never  think  that  to  live  always  on 
Christ  for  justification  is  a low  and  beggarly 
thing,  and,  as  it  were,  a staying  at  the  founda- 
tion ; for,  let  me  tell  you,  depart  from  a sense 
of  the  meritorious  means  of  your  justification 
with  God,  and  you  will  quickly  grow  light, 
and  frothy,  and  vain  : besides,  you  will  always 
be  subject  to  errors  and  delusions ; for  this  is 
not  to  hold  the  head,  from  or  “through  which 
nourishment  is  administered.”  Further,  no 
man  that  buildeth  forsakes  the  good  founda- 
tion— that  is,  the  ground  of  his  encouragement 
to  work — for  upon  that  is  laid  the  stress  of  all, 
and  without  it  nothing  that  is  framed  can  be 
supported,  but  must  inevitably  fall  to  the 
ground.  Again,  why  not  live  upon  Christ 
always,  and  especially  as  he  standeth'  the  me- 


diator between  God  and  the  soul,  defending 
thee  with  the  merit  of  his  blood,  and  covering 
thee  with  his  infinite  righteousness  from  the 
wrath  of  God  and  curse  of  the  law?  Can 
there  be  any  greater  comfort  ministered  to 
thee  than  to  know  thy  person  stands  just 
before  God— just  and  justified  from  all  things 
that  would  otherwise  swallow  thee  up?  Is 
peace  with  God  and  assurance  of  heaven  of  so 
little  respect  with,  thee  that  thou  slightest  the 
very  foundation  thereof,  even  faith  in  the 
blood  and  righteousness  of  Christ?  And  are 
notions  and  whimsies  of  such  credit  with  thee 
that  thou  must  leave  the  foundation  to  follow 
them?  But  again,  what  mystery  is  desirable 
to  be  known  that  is  not  to  be  found  in  Jesus 
Christ,  as  priest,  prophet,  or  King  of  saints? 
“In  him  is  hid  all  the  treasures  of  them,”  and 
he  alone  hath  the  key  of  David  to  open  them. 
Paul  was  'So  taken  with  Jesus  Christ  and  the 
knowledge  of  this,  that  he  was  crucified  for  us, 
that  he  desired,  nay,  determined,  not  to  know 
any  thing  else  among  the  Corinthians,  that 
itched  after  other  wisdom. 

Objection.  But  I see  not  that  in  Christ  now 
that  I have  seen  in  him  in  former  days : besides, 
I find  the  Spirit  leads  me  forth  to  study  other 
things. 

Answer.  To  the  first  part  of  this  objection  I 
wmuld  answer  several  things : 

1.  The  cause  why  thou  seest  not  that  in 
Christ  now  which  thou  hast  seen  in  him  in 
former  days  is  not  in  Christ,  but  in  thy  faith  ; 
he  is  the  same,  as  fresh,  and  as  good,  and  as 
full  of  blessedness  as  when  thou  did  most  re- 
joice in  him. 

3.  Sin  is  the  same  as  ever,  and  so  is  the 
curse  of  the  law : the  devil  is  as  busy  as  ever, 
and  beware  of  the  law  in  thy  members.  Re- 
turn therefore  to  thy  rest,  0 soul ! for  he  is 
thy  life  and  the  length  of  thy  days. 

4.  Guilt  is  to  be  taken  off  now,  as  it  was 
years  ago ; and  whether  thou  seest  it  or  no, 
thou  sinnest  in  all  thy  works : how,  then, 
canst  thou  stand  clear  from  guilt  in  thy  soul 
who  neglectest  to  act  faith  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb?  There  thou  must  wash  thy  robes, 
and  there  thou  must  make  them  white.  Rev. 
vii.  14,  15. 

5.  I conclude,  then,  thou  art  a polluted,  sur- 
feited, corrupted,  hardened  creature,  whosoever 
thou  art  that  thus  objectest. 

But  1 find  (sayest  thou)  as  if  the  Spirit  led 
me  forth  to  study  other  matters. 

Answer.  What  other  matters?  What  mat- 
ters besides,  above,  or  beyond  the  glorious  Gos- 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


971 


pel  of  JesUs  Christ  and  of  our  acceptance  with 
God  through  him?  What  spirit.,  or  doctrine, 
or  wisdom  soever  it  be  that  centres  not  in,  that 
cometh  not  from,  and  that  terminates  not 
within  the  bonds  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ 
is  not  worthy  the  study  of  the  sons  of  God ; 
neither  is  it  food  for  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ, 
for  that  is  the  flesh  of  Christ,  (and  that  is  eter- 
nal life.)  Whither  will  you  go?  Beware  of 
the  spirit  of  Antichrist,  for  many  false  spirits 
are  gone  out  into  the  world.  I told  you  before 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  the  spirit  of  wisdom 
and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and 
that  without  and  besides  the  Lord  Jesus  it  dis- 
covereth  nothing;  it  is  sent  to  testify  of  him ; 
it  is  sent  to  bring  his  words  to  our  remem- 
brance; it  is  sent  to  take  of  his  things  and 
show  them  unto  us.  Wherefore,  never  call 
that  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  which  leads  you  away 
from  the  blood  and  righteousness  of  Christ: 
that  is  but  the  spirit  of  delusion  and  of  the 
devil,  whose  teachings  end  in  perdition  and 
destruction.  Tempt  not  Christ  as  they  of  old 
did.  But  how  did  they  tempt  him  ? Why,  in 
loathing  the  manna,  which  was  the  type  of  his 
flesh  and  blood,  which  we  are  to  eat  of  by  be- 
lieving. I say,  tempt  him  not,  lest  you  be  de- 
stroyed by  the  serpent,  by  the  gnawing  guilt 
of  sin  ; for  take  away  Christ  and  sin  remains, 
and  there  is  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin ; if  so, 
thou  wilt  be  destroyed  by  the  destroyer,  &e. 

But  again.  Living  by  faith  begets  in  the 
heart  a son-like  boldness  and  confidence  to 
God-ward  in  all  our  Gospel-duties,  under  all 
our  weaknesses  and  under  all  our  tempations. 
It  is  a blessed  thing  to  be  privileged  with  an 
holy  boldness  and  confidence  God-ward  that 
he  is  on  our  side,  that  he  taketh  part  with  us, 
and  that  he  will  plead  our  cause  with  them 
that  rise  up  against  us.  But  this  boldness 
faith  helpeth  us  to  do,  and  also  manageth  in 
our  heart.  This  is  that  which  made  Paul 
always  triumph  and  rejoice  in  God  and  the 
Lord  Jesus.  He  lived  the  life  of  faith,  for 
faith  sets  a man  in  the  favour  of  God  by  Christ, 
and  makes  a man  see  that  what  befalls  him  in 
this  life,  it  shall,  through  the  wisdom  and 
mercy  of  God,  not  only  prove  for  his  forward- 
ing to  heaven,  but  to  augment  his  glory  when 
lie  conies  there.  This  man  now  stands  on 
high ; he  lives,  he  is  rid  of  slavish  fears  and 
carking  cares,  and  in  all  his  straits  he  hath  a 
God  to  go  to.  Thus  David,  when  all  things 
looked  awry  upon  him,  “ encouraged  himself 
in  the  Lord  his  God.”  Daniel  also  believed 
in  his  God,  and  knew  that  all  his  trouble, 


losses,  and  crosses  would  be  abundantly  made 
up  in  his  God.  And  David  said,  “ I had  fainted 
unless  I had  believed.”  Believing,  therefore, 
is  a great  preservative  against  all  such  impedi- 
ments, and  makes  us  confident  in  our  God  and 
with  boldness  to  come  into  his  presence,  claim 
ing  privilege  in  what  he  is  and  hath.  For,  by 
faith,  I say,  he  secth  his  acceptance  through 
the  Beloved,  and  himself  interested  in  the 
mercy  of  God  and  riches  of  Christ  and  glory 
in  the  world  to  come.  Thus  man  can  look 
upon  all  the  dangers  in  hell  and  earth  without 
paleness  of  countenance;  he  shall  meditate 
terror  with  comfort,  “ because  he  beholds  the 
King  in  his  beauty.” 

Again,  living  by  faith  makes  a man  exercise 
patience  and  quietness  under  all  his  afflictions, 
for  faith  shows  him  that  his  best  part  is  safe 
that  his  soul  is  in  God’s  special  care  and  pro- 
tection, purged  from  sin  in  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Faith  also  shows  him  that  after  a little  while 
he  shall  be  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  that  which 
now  he  believes  is  coming : “ We,  through  the 
Spirit,  wait  for  the  hope  of  righteousness  by 
faith.”  Wherefore,  upon  this  ground  it  is  that 
James  exhorteth  the  saints  to  whom  he  wrote 
to  patience,  because  they  knew  the  harvest 
would  in  due  time  come.  Faith  lodgeth  the 
soul  with  Christ:  “I  know  (saith  Paul)  on 
whom  I have  believed,”  and  to  whom  I have 
committed  my  soul,  “and  am  persuaded  (I  be- 
lieve it)  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I 
have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day.” 
Therefore  it  were  no  shame  to  him  to  wear  a 
chain  for  his  name  and  sake.  Oh  it  is  a blessed 
thing  to  see,  I say,  by  the  faith  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  that  we  are  embarked  in  the  same  ship 
with  him ; this  will  help  us  greatly  both  to 
“hope  and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of 
the  Lord.” 

Further,  I might  add  that  living  by  faith  is 
the  way  to  receive  fresh  strength  from  heaven, 
thereby  to  manage  thine  every- day’s  work  with 
life  and  vigour  ; yea,  every  look  by  faith  upon 
Jesus  Christ  as  thine  doth  this  great  work.  It 
is  said  when  Paul  saw  the  brethren  that  came 
to  meet  him  “ he  thanked  God  and  took  cour- 
age.” Oh  how  much  more  then  shall  the 
Christian  be  blessed  with  fresh  strength  and 
courage,  even  at  the  beholding  of  Christ! 
“ whom  beholding  as  in  a glass,  we  are  changed 
(even  by  beholding  of  him  by  faith  in  the 
word)  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory, 
even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.” 

But  to  be  brief.  Make  conscience  of  the 
duty  of  believing,  and  be  as  afraid  of  falling 


972 


II UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


short  here  as  in  any  other  command  of  God. 
“ This  is  his  commandment,  that  you  believe ; ” 
believe,  therefore,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  This  is  the  will  of  God,  that  you  be- 
lieve ; believe,  therefore,  to  the  saving  of  the 
soul.  Unbelief  is  a fine-spun  thread,  not  so 
easily  discerned  as  grosser  sins,  and  therefore 
that  is  truly  the  sin  that  doth  so  easily  beset 
us.  The  light  of  nature  will  show  those  sins 
that  are  against  the  law  of  nature,  but  the  law 
of  faith  is  a command  beyond  what  flesh  or 
nature  teacheth.  Therefore  to  live  by  faith  is 
so  much  the  harder  work ; yet  it  must  be  done, 
otherwise  thine  other  duties  profit  thee  noth- 
ing ; for  if  a man  give  way  to  unbelief,  though 
he  be  most  frequent  in  all  other  duties  besides, 
so  often  as  he  worshippeth  God  in  these  he  yet 
saith  God  is  a liar  in  the  other,  even  because 
he  hath  not  believed:  “ He  that  believeth  not 
God  hath  made  him  a liar,  because  he  believ- 
eth not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Sou. 
And  this  is  the  record  that  God  hath  given  us 
of  eternal  life;  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son.” 
So,  then,  when  thou  givest  way  to  unbelief, 
when  thou  dost  not  venture  the  salvation  of 
thy  soul  upon  the  justifying  life  that  is  in 
Christ,  that  is  in  his  blood,  &c.,  at  once  thou 
givest  the  lie  to  the  whole  testament  of  God ; 
yea,  thou  tramplest  upon  the  promise  of  grace, 
and  countest  this  precious  blood  an  unholy 
and  unworthy  thing.  Now  how  (thou  doing 
thus)  the  Lord  should  accept  of  thy  other  du- 
ties, of  prayer,  alms,  thanksgiving,  self-denial, 
or  any  other,  will  be  hard  for  thee  to  prove. 
In  the  mean  time  remember  that  faith  pleaseth 
God,  and  that  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to 
please  him.  Remember  also  that  for  this 
cause  it  was  that  the  offering  of  Cain  was  not 
accepted.  “ By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a 
more  excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain;”  for  by 
faith  Abel  first  justified  the  promise  of  the 
Messias,  by  whom  a ^onquest  should  be  ob- 
tained over  the  devil  and  all  the  combination 
of  hell  against  us.  Then  he  honoured  Christ 
by  believing  that  he  was  able  to  save  him ; and 
in  token  that  he  believed  these  things  indeed 
he  presented  the  Lord  with  the  firstlings  of 
his  flock,  as  a remembrance  before  God  that 
he  believed  in  his  Christ;  and  therefore  it  is 
said,  “By  faith  he  offered;”  by  which  means 
the  offering  was  accepted  of  God,  for  no  man’s 
offering  can  be  accepted  with  God  but  his  that 
stands  righteous  before  him  first.  But  unbe- 
lief holdeth  men  under  their  guilt,  because 
they  have  not  believed  in  Christ  and  by  that 
means  put  on  his  righteousness.  Again,  he 


that  believeth  not  hath  made  invalid  (what  in 
him  lies)  the  promise  of  God,  and  merits  of 
Christ,  of  whom  the  Father  hath  spoken  so 
worthily.  Therefore  what  duties  or  acts  of 
obedience  soever  he  perform eth,  God  by  no 
means  can  be  pleased  with  him. 

By  this,  therefore,  you  see  this  miserable 
state  of  the  people  that  have  not  faith : what- 
ever they  do,  they  sin  ; if  they  break  the  law, 
they  sin ; if  they  endeavour  to  keep  it,  they 
sin.  They  sin,  I say,  upon  a double  account, 
first,  because  they  do  it  but  imperfectly ; and, 
secondly,  because  they  yet  stay  upon  that,  re- 
sisting that  which  is  perfect,  even  that  which 
God  hath  appointed.  It  mattereth  not  (as  to 
justification  from  the  curse)  therefore,  men 
wanting  faith,  whether  they  be  civil  or  pro- 
fane, they  are  such  as  stand  accursed  of  the 
law,  “ because  they  have  not  believed,”  and 
“ because  they  have  given  the  lie  to  the  truth,” 
and  to  the  God  of  truth.  Let  all  men,  there- 
fore, that  would  please  God,  make  conscience 
of  believing — on  pain,  I say,  of  displeasing 
him,  on  pain  of  being  with  Cain  rejected,  and 
on  pain  of  being  damned  in  hell.  “He  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned.”  Faith  is  the 
very  quintessence  of  all  Gospel  obedience,  it 
being  that  which  must  go  before  other  duties, 
and  that  which  also  must  accompany  whatever 
I do  in  the  worship  of  God  if  it  be  accepted  of 
him.  Here  you  may  see  a reason  why  the 
force  and  power  of  hell  is  so  bent  against  be- 
lief: Satan  hateth  all  the  parts  of  our  Chris- 
tian obedience,  but  the  best  and  cliiefest  most. 
And  hence  the  apostle  saith  to  the  Thessalo- 
nians  that  he  sent  to  know  their  faith,  lest  by 
some  means  the  tempter  have  tempted  them, 
and  so  his  labour  had  been  in  vain.  Indeed, 
where  faith  is  wanting  or  hath  been  destroyed, 
all  the  labour  is  in  vain ; nothing  can  profit 
any  man,  neither  as  to  peace  with  God  nor  the 
acceptance  of  any  religious  duty;  and  this,  I 
say,  Satan  knows,  which  makes  him  so  to  bend 
his  force  against  us. 

There  are  three  things  in  the  act  of  believ- 
ing which  make  this  grace  displeasing  to  the 
wicked  one : 

1.  Faith  discovereth  the  truth  of  things  to 
the  soul — the  truth  of  things  as  they  are, 
whether  they  be  things  that  are  of  this  world 
or  of  that  which  is  to  come,  the  things  and 
pleasures  above,  and  also  those  beneath. 
Faith  discovereth  to  the  soul  the  blessedness, 
and  goodness,  and  durableness  of  the  one,  the 
vanity,  foolishness,  and  transitoriness  of  the 
other.  Faith  giveth  credit  to  all  things  that 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


973 


arc  written  in  the  law  and  in  the  prophets, 
both  'is  to  the  being,  nature,  and  attributes  of 
God,  the  blessed  undertaking  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  the  glory  of  heaven  and  torments 
of  bed,  the  sweetness  of  the  promise  and  the 
terror  of  the  threatenings  and  curses  of  the 
word,  By  which  means  Satan  is  greatly  frus- 
trated in  his  assaults  when  he  tempteth  either  to 
love  this  world  or  slight  that  which  is  to  come; 
for  he  can  do  no  great  matter  in  these  things 
to  any  but  those  who  want  the  faith.  “In 
vain  is  the  snare  laid  in  the  sight  of  any  bird;” 
therefore  he  must  first  blind  and  hold  blind 
the  minds  of  men,  “that  the  light  of  the  glor- 
ious Gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God, 
should  not  shine  into  them,”  else  he  can  do  no 
harm  to  the  soul.  Now,  faith  is  the  eye  of  the 
godly  man,  and  that  sees  the  truth  of  things, 
whatever  Satan  suggests,  either  about  the  glory 
of  this  world,  the  sweetness  of  sin,  the  uncer- 
tainty of  another  world,  or  the  like. 

2.  Faith  wraps  the  soul  up  in  the  bundle  of 
life  with  God ; it  encloseth  it  in  the  righteous- 
ness of  Jesus,  and  presents  it  so  perfect  in  that, 
that  whatever  he  can  do,  with  all  his  cunning, 
cannot  render  the  soul  spotted  or  wrinkled  be- 
fore the  justice  of  the  law;  yea,  though  the 
man,  as  to  his  own  persdn  and  acts,  be  full  of 
sin  from  top  to  toe,  Jesus  Christ  coveretli  all; 
faith  sees  it,  and  holds  the  soul  in  its  godly 
sense  and  comfort  of  it.  The  man,  therefore, 
standing  here  stands  shrouded  under  that 
goodly  robe  that  makes  him  glisten  in  the  eye 
of  justice;  yea,  all  the  answer  that  Satan  can 
get  from  God  against  such  a soul  is  that  he 
“doth  not  see  iniquity  in  Jacob  nor  behold 
perverseness  in  Israel ; for  here  Israel  hath  not 
been  forsaken,  nor  Judah  of  his  God,  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  though  (as  to  their  own  persons) 
their  land  was  filled  with  sin  against  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel.”  Thus,  therefore,  the  soul  be- 
lieving is  hid  from  all  the  power  of  the  enemy, 
and  dwells  safely  under  the  dominion  of  grace. 

3.  Faith  keeps  the  soul  from  giving  credit  to 
any  of  his  insinuations ; for,  whatever  Satan 
■saith,  either  about  the  acceptance  of  my  person 
or  performances,  so  long  as  I believe  that  both 
are  accepted  of  God  for  Christ’s  sake,  he  sug- 
gesteth  to  the  wind ; wherefore  faith  doth  the 
same'  against  the  devil  that  unbelief  doth  to 
God.  Doth  unbelief  count  God  a liar?  Faith 
counts  the  devil  a liar.  Doth  unbelief  hold 
the  soul  from  the  mercy  of  God?  Faith  holds 
the  soul  from  the  malice  of  the  devil.  Doth 
unbelief  quench  thy  graces?  Faith  kindleth 
them  even  into  a flame.  Doth  unbelief  fill  thy 


soul  full  of  sorrow?  Faith  fills  it  full  of  the 
joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  a word,  Doth  un- 
belief bind  down  thy  sins  upon  thee?  Why, 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ  releaseth  thee  of  them 
all. 

4.  As  faith  keeps  the  soul  from  giving  credit 
to  the  insinuations  of  Satan,  so  when  he  makes 
his  assaults  it  overmasters  him  and  makes  him 
retreat:  “Resist  the  devil  and  he  will  flee  from 
you;  whom  resist,  steadfast  in  the  faith.”  Be- 
lieve, as  I have  already  said,  that  God  loveth 
you,  that  the  blood  of  Christ  was  shed  for  you, 
that  your  person  is  presented  complete  before 
him  through  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and 
Satan  must  give  place;  thy  crediting  of  the 
Gospel  makes  him  fly  before  thee;  but  thou 
must  do  it  steadfast  in  the  faith  ; every  waver 
giveth  him  advantage.  And  indeed  this  is 
the  reason  that  the  godly  are  so  foiled  with 
his  assaults ; they  do  not  resist  him  steadfast 
in  the  faith ; they  often  stagger  through  unbe- 
lief. Now  at  every  stagger  he  recovereth  lost 
ground  again,  and  giveth  battle  another  time. 
Besides,  by  this  and  the  other  stagger  he 
taketh  heart  to  attempt  by  other  means,  and 
so  doubleth  the  afflictions  with  manifold 
temptations.  This  is,  I say,  for  want  of  being 
steadfast.  “Above  all,  taking  the  shield  of 
faith,  wherewith  you  shall  be  able  to  quench 
all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked  ” — to  quench 
them,  though  they  come  from  him  as  kindled 
with  the  very  fire  of  hell.  None  know  save 
him  that  feels  it  how  burning  hot  the  fiery 
darts  of  Satan  are,  and  how,  when  darted,  they 
kindle  upon  our  flesh  and  unbelief;  neither 
can  any  know  the  power  and  worth  of  faith 
to  quench  them  but  he  that  hath  it  and  hath 
power  to  act  it. 

5.  Lastly.  If  justifying  righteousness  be 
alone  to  be  found  in  the  person  of  Jesus 
Christ,  then  this  shows  us  the  sad  condition 
of  two  sorts  of  men : 

1.  Of  those  that  hartg  in  doubt  betwixt 
Christ  and  the  law. 

2.  Of  those  that  do  professedly  make  denial 
of  the  sufficiency  of  this  most  blessed  right- 
eousness. 

1..  The  first  sort,  though  they  may  seek  life, 
yet  thus  continuing  are  never  like  to  find  it. 
Wherefore?  Because  they  seek  it  not  by 
faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law. 
Indeed  they  will  not  be  merit-mongers ; they 
will  not  wholly  trust  to  the  law;  they  will 
partly  venture  on  Christ  and  partly  trust  to 
the  law'.  Well,  but  therefore  they  shall  be 
damned, -because  they  trust  to  Christ  but  in 


974 


B UN Y AN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


part,  and  in  part,  as  it  were,  to  the  works  of 
the  law ; for  such  sinners  make  Christ  but  a 
Saviour  in  part.  Why  then  should  he  be 
their  Saviour  in  whole?  No;  because  they 
halt  between  Christ  and  the  law,  therefore 
they  shall  fall  between  Christ  and  the  law; 
yea,  because  they  will  trust  to  their  works  in 
part,  they  shall  be  but  almost  saved  by  Christ: 
“ Let  not  that  man  think  that  he  shall  obtain 
any  thing  from  the  Lord.”  What  man? 
Why,  he  that  doubteth  or  wavereth  in  his 
mind  about  the  truth  of  the  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ;  therefore  the  exhortation  is,  “But  let 
him  ask  in  faith;  for  he  that  wavereth  (or 
that  halteth  between  law  and  Christ  for  life)  is 
like  a wave  of  the  sea  driven  of  the  wind  and 
tossed.”  In  conclusion,  he  resteth  nowhere: 
“A  double-minded  man  is  unstable  in  all  his 
ways.”  This  man,  therefore,  must  miscarry; 
he  must  not  see  the  good  land  that  flows  with 
milk  and  honey;  no,  let  him  not  have  a 
thought  of  life  in  his  heart:  “Let  not  that 
man  think  that  he  shall  receive  any  thing  of 
the  Lord.” 

This  was  the  case  of  many  in  the  primitive 
times,  for  whose  sake  this  caution  was  writ- 
ten ; for  the  devout  and  religious  Jew  and 
proselyte  when  they  fell  away  from  the  word 
of  the  Gospel,  they  did  not  fall  to  those  gross 
and  abominable  pollutions  in  which  the  open 
profane,  like  sows  and  swine,  do  wallow,  but 
they  fell  from  the  grace  of  God  to  the  law,  or 
at  least  did  rest  betwixt  them  both,  doubting 
of  the  sufficiency  of  either;  and,  thus  being 
fearful,  they  distrust ; wherefore,  being  found 
at  length  unbelieving,  they  are  reputed  of 
God  abominable,  as  murderers,  whoremongers, 
sorcerers,  idolaters,  and  liars,  and  so  have 
their  portion  in  the  lake  (with  them)  that 
burn  with  fire  and  brimstone.  The  reason  is, 
because  where  Christ  is  rejected  sin  remaineth, 
and  so  the  wrath  of  God  for  sin.  Neither  will 
he  be  a Saviour  in  part;  he  must  be  all  thy 
salvation  or  none  : “ Let  not  that  man  think 
that  he  shall  receive  any  thing  of  the  Lord.” 

Not  any  thing.  There  is  no  promise  for 
him,  no  pardon  for  him,  no  heaven  for  him, 
no  salvation  for  him,  no  escaping  of  his  fire. 
What  condition  is  this  man  in  ! yet  he  is  a re- 
ligious man,  for  he  prays : he  is  a seeking 
man,  a desiring  man,  for  he  prays.  But  he 
halts  between  two,  he  leaneth  to  his  righteous- 
ness and  committeth  iniquity  ; he  is  afraid  to 
venture  all  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Let 
not  that  man  think  of  receiving  any  thing 
from  the  Lord. 


Yet  the  words  suggest  that  he  is  apt  to 
think  he  shall  receive  something  because  God 
is  merciful,  because  his  promise  is  great;  but 
this  expectation  is  by  this  word  cut  off,  and 
this  sinner  is  cast  away.  Let  not  that  man 
think,  let  him  forbear  to  think,  of  having  any 
thing  at  the  hand  of  God.  The  Israelites 
thought  to  go  up  to  the  land  the  day  after 
they  had  despised  it.  Agag  thought  the  bit- 
terness of  death  was  past,  even  that  day  in 
which  he  wras  hewn  in  pieces.  Rechab  and 
Baanah  his  brother  thought  to  have  received 
reward  of  David  that  day  they  were  hanged 
over  the  pool  in  Hebron.  Let  not  that  man 
think  that  he  shall  receive  any  thing  of  the 
Lord. 

2.  As  for  those  that  do  professedly  make 
denial  of  the  sufficiency  of  this  most  blessed 
righteousness,  the  whole  book  is  conviction  to 

them,  and  shall  assuredly,  if  it  comes  to  their 
hands,  rise  up  in  judgment  against  them. 
They  have  rejected  the  wisdom  and  mercy  of 
God;  they  have  rejected  the  means  of  their 
salvation  ; they  have  trampled  upon  the  blood 
of  the  Son  of  God;  wherefore  judgment  wait- 
eth  for  them,  and  fiery  indignations,  which 
shall  devour  the  adversaries. 

To  conclude.  One  word  also  to  you  that  are 
neglecters  of  Jesus  Christ:  “How  shall  we  es- 
cape if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?”  Here, 

then,  we  may  see  how  we  ought  to  judge  of 
all  such  persons  as  neglect  the  Lord  Jesus, 
under  what  guise,  name,  or  notion  soever  they 
be.  We  ought,  I say,  to  judge  of  such  “that 
they  are  at  present  in  a state  of  condemna- 
tion”— of  condemnation,  “because  they  have 
not  believed  in  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God.” 

It  is  true  there  is  no  man  more  at  ease  in 
his  mind  (with  such  ease  as  it  is)  than  the  man 
that  hath  not  closed  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  but 
is  shut  up  in  unbelief.  Oh  but  that  is  the 
man  that  stands  convict  before  God,  and  that 
is  bound  over  to  the  great  assize.  That  is  the 
man  whose  'sins  are  still  his  own,  and  upon 
whom  the  wrath  of  God  abidetli.  For  the 
ease  and  peace  of  such,  though  it  keep  them 
far  from  fear,  is  but  like  to  that  of  the  secure 
thief  that  is  ignorant  that  the  constable  standeth 
at  the  door;  the  first  sight  of  an  officer  makes 
his  peace  to  give  up  the  ghost.  Ah ! how 
many  thousands  that  can  now  glory  that  they 
never  were  troubled  for  sin  against  God — I 
say,  how  many  be  there  that  God  will  trouble 
worse  than  he  troubled  cursed  Achan,  because 
their  peace  (though  false  and  of  the  devil)  was 
rather  chosen  by  them  than  “peace  by  Jesus 


OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


975 


Christ,”  than  “peace  with  God  by  the  blood 
of  his  cross!” 

Awake!  careless  sinners,  awake!  and  arise 
from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  you  light. 
Content  not  yourselves  either  with  sin  or  right- 
eousness if  you  be  destitute  of  Jesus  Christ; 
but  cry,  cry,  oh  cry  to  God  for  light  to  see  your 
condition  by — for  light  in  the  word  of  God,  for 
therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed. 
Cry,  therefore,  for  light  to  see  this  righteous- 
ness by;  it  is  a righteousness  of  Christ’s  finish- 
ing, of  God’s  accepting,  and  that  which  alone 
can  save  the  soul  from  the  stroke  of  eternal 
justice. 

There  are  six  things  that  on  man’s  part  are 
the  cause  he  receivetli  not  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
and  so  life  by  him : 

1.  They  see  not  “their  state  by  nature,”  how 
polluted  they  are  with  original  sin. 

2.  They  see  not  the  justice  of  God  against 
sin ; they  know  not  Him  that  hath  said,  “Ven- 
geance belongeth  unto  me,  I will  recompense.” 

3.  They  cannot  see  the  beauty  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

4.  Unbelief  being  mighty  in  them,  they  dare 
not  venture  their  souls  with  Jesus  Christ ; they 
dare  not  trust  to  liis  righteousness,  and  to  that 
only;  for, 

5.  Their  carnal  reason  also  sets  itself  against 
the  word  of  faith,  and  cannot  stoop  to  the 
grace  of  Jesus  Christ. 

6.  They  love  to  have  honour  one  of  another; 
they  love  to  be  commended  for  their  own  vain- 
glorious righteousness;  aud  the  fools  think 
that  because  they  are  commended  of  men  they 
shall  be  commended  of  God  also.  How  can 
you  believe  who  seek  honour  one  of  another, 
and  seek  not  the  honour  that  cometh  from 
God  only?  This  last  thing — to  wit,  desire  of 
vain-glory — is  the  bane  of  thousands;  it  is  the 
legalist’s  bane ; it  is  the  civilian’s  bane ; it 
is  the  formalist’s  bane;  yea,  (which  yet  is 
stranger,)  it  is  the  bane  of  the  vicious  and  de- 
bauched also;  for  though  there  be  a genera- 
tion that,  to  one’s  thinking,  have  not  regard  to 
righteousness,  yet  watch  them  narrowly,  and 
they  have  their  times  of  doing  something  that 
looks  like  good;  and  though  possibly  it  be  but 
seldom,  yet  this  wretch  counteth  that  for  the 
sake  of  that  God  accepteth  him  and  counteth 
his  glorious  righteousness. 

I might  add  a seventh  cause,  which  is,  want 
of  serious  meditation  upon  eternal  judgment 
and  what  shall  follow.  This  consideration,  did 
it  take  a deep  place  in  the  heart,  would  doubt- 
less produce  the  workings  of  spirit  after  Jesus 


Christ  for  justification  that  now  is  wanting  in 
the  most  of  men.  This  made  Felix,  yea,  it 
makes  the  devils,  tremble;  and  would,  I say, 
couldst  thou  deeply  meditate,  make  thee  start 
and  turn  thy  wanton  thoughts  into  heavy  sighs 
after  God’s  mercy  in  Jesus  Christ,  lest  thou 
also  come  into  their  place  of  torment. 

Before  I conclude  this  use,  I would  lay  down 
a few  motives  if  so  be  thou  mayest  be  pre- 
vailed with  to  look  after  thine  own  everlasting 
state. 

1.  Consider  God  hath  put  men  (above  all 
the  creatures  in  this  visible  world)  into  a state 
of  abiding  for  ever;  they  cannot  be  annihi- 
lated, they  shall  never  again  be  turned  into 
nothing,  but  must  live  with  God  or  the  devil 
for  ever  and  ever.  And  though  the  Scripture 
saith,  “Man  hath  not  pre-eminence  over  a 
beast  in  his  death,”  yet  the  beast  hath  pre- 
eminence above  many  men,  for  he  shall  not 
rise  again  to  come  into  judgment,  as  man 
must,  nor  receive  that  dismal  sentence  for  sin 
and  transgression,  as  mau  shall.  This,  there- 
fore, is  worthy  to  be  considered  with  serious- 
ness of  all  that  have  souls  to  be  saved  or 
damned.  They  must  one  day  come  to  judg- 
ment, there  to  stand  before  that  Judge  of  all 
the  earth,  whose  eyes  are  like  a flame  of  fire, 
from  the  sight  of  which  thou  canst  not  hide 
one  of  thy  words,  or  thoughts,  or  actions,  be- 
cause thou  wantest  the  righteousness  of  God. 
The  fire  of  his  justice  shall  burn  up  all  thy 
rags  of  righteousness,  wherewith  by  the  law 
thou  hast  clothed  thyself,  and  will  leave  thee 
nothing  but  a soul  full  of  sin  to  bemoan  and 
eternal  burnings  to  grapple  with.  Oh  the 
burnings  that  will  then  beset  sinners  on  every 
side,  and  that  will  eat  their  flesh,  and  torment 
their  spirit  with  far  more  terror  than  if  they 
were  stricken  with  scorpions!  And,  observe 
it,  the  torment  will  there  be  higher  than  other 
where : there  is  the  guilt  of  neglecting  Jesus 
Christ,  he  being  indeed  the  Saviour  and  him 
that  was  sent  on  purpose  to  deliver  men  from 
the  wrath  to  come. 

2.  Consider,  once  past  grace  and  ever  past 
grace.  When  the  door  is  shut  against  thee,  it 
will  open  no  more,  and  then  repentings,  de- 
sires, wishings,  and  wouldings  come  all  too 
late;  good  may  be  done  to  others,  but  to  thee 
none;  aud  this  shall  be  because,  even  because, 
thou  hast  withstood  the  time  of  thy  visitation, 
and  not  received  grace  when  offered:  “My 
God  shall  cast  them  away,  because  they  did  not 
hearken  unto  him.”  Cain  was  driven  out 
from  the  presence  of  God  (for  aught  I know) 


976 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


some  hundreds  of  years  before  his  death : Ish- 
mael  was  cast  away  after  seventeen  years  of 
age;  Esau  lived  thirty  or  forty  years  after  he 
had  sold  his  birth-right.  Oh  many,  very  many, 
are  in  this  condition;  for  though  God  be  gra- 
cious, yea,  very  gracious,  yet  he  will  not  be 
slighted  nor  abused  always;  there  are  plenty 
of  sinners  in  the  world— -if  one  will  not, 
another  will.  Christ  was  soon  repulsed  by 
and  sent  away  from  the  country  of  the  Gada- 
renes,  but  on  the  other  side  of  the  sea  “there 
were  many  ready  with  joy  to  receive  him.” 
Acts  xiii.  46,  47,  48.  So,  when  the  Jews  con- 
tradicted and  blasphemed,  “the  Gentiles  gladly 
received  the  word.”  Look  to  it,  sinner:  here 
is  life  and  death  set  before  thee— life,  if  it 
be  not  too  late  to  receive  it;  but  if  it  be  it 
is  not  too  late  for  death  to  swallow  thee  up; 
and,  tell  me,  will  it  not  be  dreadful  to  be 
carried  from  under  the  Gospel  to  the  damned, 
there  to  lie  in  endless  torment,  because  thou 
wouldst  not  be  delivered  therefrom  ? Will  it 
be  comfort  to  thee  to  see  the  Saviour  turn 
judge,  to  see  Him  that  wept  and  died  for  the 
sin  of  the  world  now  ease  his  mind  on  Christ- 
abhorring  sinners  by  rendering  to  them  the 
just  judgment  of  God?  For  all  their  abomi- 
nable filthiness,  had  they  closed  with  Christ, 
they  had  been  shrouded  from  the  justice  of 
the  law,  and  should  not  have  come  into  con- 
demnation, but  had  been  passed  from  death  to 
life;  but  they  would  not  take  shelter  there, 
they  would  venture  to  meet  the  justice  of 
God  in  its  fury;  wherefore  now  it  shall 
swallow  them  up  for  ever  and  ever.  And  let 
me  ask  further,  is  not  he  a madman  who, 
being  loaded  with  combustible  matter,  will 
run  headlong  into  the  fire  upon  a bravado,  or, 
being  guilty  of  felony  or  murder,  will  despe- 
rately run  himself  into  the  hand  of  the  officer, 
as  if  the  law,  the  judge,  the  sentence,  execu- 
tion were  but  a jest  or  a thing  to  be  played 
witlial?  And  yet  thus  mad  are  poor,  wretched, 


miserable  sinners,  who,  flying  from  Christ  as 
if  he  were  a viper,  they  are  overcome  and 
cast  off  for  ever  by  “the  just  judgment  of  the 
law.”  But  ah ! how  poorly  will  these  be  able 
to  plead  the  virtues  of  the  law  to  which  they 
have  cleaved  when  God  shall  answer  them, 
“Whom  dost  thou  pass  in  beauty?  Go  down, 
and  be  thou  laid  with  the  uncircumcised.” 
Ezek.  xxxii.  19.  Go  down  to  hell,  and  there  be 
laid  with  those  that  refused  the  grace  of  God. 

Sinners,  take  my  advice,  with  which  I shall 
conclude  this  use.  Call  often  to  remembrance 
that  thou  hast  a precious  soul  within  thee,  that 
thou  art  in  the  way  to  thine  end,  ai  which  thy 
precious  soul  will  be  in  special  concerned,  it 
being  then  time  to  delay  no  longer,  the  time 
of  reward  being  come.  I say  again,  bring  thy 
end  home;  put  thyself  in  thy  thoughts  into 
the  last  day  thou  must  live  in  the  world,  seri- 
ously arguing  thus : How  if  this  day  were  my 
last ! How  if  I never  see  the  sun  rise  more ! 
How  if  the  first  voice  that  rings  to-morrow 
morning  in  my  heavy  ears  be,  “ Arise,  ye  dead, 
and  come  to  judgment?”  or,  How  if  the  next 
sight  I see  with  mine  eyes  be  the  Lord  in  the 
clouds,  with  all  his  angels  raining  floods  of  fire 
and  brimstone  upon  the  world?  Am  I in  a 
case  to  be  thus  near  mine  end— to  hear  this 
triumph  of  God,  or  to  see  this  great  appearance 
of  this  great  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ? 
Will  my  profession  or  the  faith  T think  I have 
carry  me  through  all  the  trials  of  God’s  tri- 
bunal? Cannot  his  eyes,  which  are  as  a flame 
of  fire,  see  in  my  words,  thoughts,  and  actions 
enough  to  make  me  culpable  of  the  wrath  of 
God?  Oh  how  serious  should  sinners  be  in 
this  work  of  remembering  things  to  come,  of 
laying  to  their  heart  the  greatness  and  terror 
of  that  notable  day  of  God  Almighty,  and  in 
examining  themselves  how  it  is  like  to  go  with 
their  souls  when  they  shall  stand  before  the 
Judge  indeed?  To  this  end,  God  make  this 
word  effectual ! Amen. 


POETICAL  PIECES  OF  MR.  JOHN  BUNYAN. 


EBAL  AND  GERIZIM; 

OR, 

THE  BLESSING  AND  THE  CURSE: 

BEING  A SHORT  EXHORTATION  TO  SINNERS,  BY  THE  MERCY  AND  SEVERITY  OF  GOD. 


FROM  MOUNT  GERIZIM. 
Besides  what  I said  of  the  four  last  things, 
And  of  the  weal  and  woe  that  from  them 
springs, 

An  after-word  still  runneth  in  my  mind, 
Which  I shall  here  expose  unto  that  wind, 
That  may  it  blow  into  that  very  hand 
That  needs  it.  Also,  that  it  may  be  scann’d 
With  great  soberness  shall  be  my  pray  r, 

As  well  as  diligence  and  godly  care 

So  to  present  it  unto  public  view 

That  only  truth  and  peace  may  thence  ensue. 

My  talk  shall  be  of  that  amazing  love 
Of  God  we  read  of ; which,  that  it  may  prove 
By  its  engaging  arguments  to  save 
Thee,  I shall  lay  out  that  poor  help  I have 
Thee  to  entice,  that  thou  wouldst  dearly  fall 
In  love  with  thy  salvation,  and  with  all 
That  doth  thereto  concur,  that  thou  mayst  be 
As  blessed  as  the  blessed  can  make  thee; 

Not  only  here,  but  in  the  world  to  come, 

In  bliss  which  I pray  God  may  be  thy  home. 

But,  first,  I would  advise  thee  to  bethink 
Thyself  how  sin  hath  laid  thee  at  the  brink 
Of  hell,  where  thou  art  lulled  fast  asleep 
In  Satan’s  arms,  who  also  will  thee  keep 
As  senseless  and  secure  as  e’er  he  may, 

Lest  thou  shouldst  wake  and  see’t  and  run 
away 

Unto  that  Jesus  whom  the  Father  sent 
Into  the  world  for  this  cause  and  intent — 
That  such  as  thou  from  such  a thrall  as  this 
Mightst  be  released  and  made  heir  of  bliss. 
Now,  that  thou  mayst  awake,  the  danger  flv, 
And  so  escape  the  death  that  others  die, 

Come,  let  me  set  my  trumpet  to  thine  ear ; 

Be  willing  all  my  message  for  to  hear. 

’Tis  for  thy  life ; oh  do  it  not  refuse; 

Woe  unto  them  good  counsel  do  abuse. 


Thou  art  at  present  in  that  very  case, 

Which  argues  thou  art  destitute  of  grace. 

Thou  art  like  him  that  sleepeth  in  the  sea 
On  broken  boards,  which,  without  guide  or  stay, 
Are  driven  whither  winds  and  water  will, 
While  greedy  beasts  do  wait  to  have  their  fill 
By  feeding  on  his  carcass  when  he  shall 
Turn  overboard,  and  without  mercy  fall 
Into  the  jaws  of  such  as  make  a prey 
Of  those  whom  justice  drowneth  in  the  sea. 

Thou  art  like  him  that,  snoring,  still  doth  lie 
Upon  the  bed  of  vain -security, 

Whilst  all  about  him  into  burning  flams 
By  fire  is  turned,  yea,  and  while  the  frame 
And  building  where  he  lies  consuming  is, 

And  while  himself  these  burnings  cannot  miss. 

What  shall  I say  ? wilt  thou  not  yet  awake, 
Nor  yet  of  thy  poor  soul  some  pity  take  ? 
Among  the  lions  it  hoodwinked  lies ; 

Oh  that  the  Lord  would  open  once  thine  eyes, 
That  thou  mightst  see  it ! Then  I dare  say 
thou, 

As  half  bereft  of  wits,  wouldst  cry  out,  How 
Shall  I escape?  Lord,  help,  oh  help  with 
speed ! 

Reach  down  thy  hand  from  heav’n,  for  help  I 
need 

To  save  me  from  the  lions,  for  I fear 
This  soul  of  mine  they  will  in  pieces  tear. 

Come,  then,  and  let  us  both  expostulate 
The  case  betwixt  us,  till  we  animate 
And  kindle  in  our  hearts  that  burning  love 
To  Christ,  to  grace,  to  life,  that  we  may  move 
Swifter  than  eagles  to  this  blessed  prey : 

Then  shall  it  well  be  with  us  in  that  day 
The  trumpet  shall  sound,  the  dead  may  arise 
and  stand, 

Then  to  receive,  for  breach  of  God’s  com- 
mand, 


979 


980 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Such  thunderclaps  as  these : “ Depart  from  me” 
Into  hell-fire,  you  that  the  wicked  be, 

Prepared  for  the  devil,  and  for  those 
That  with  him  and  his  angels  rather  chose 
To  live  in  filthy  sin  and  wickedness, 

Whose  fruit  is  everlasting  bitterness. 

We  both  are  yet  on  this  side  of  the  grave, 
We  also  Gospel-privileges  have — 

The  word  and  time  to  pray : God  give  us  hearts 
That,  like  the  wise  man,  we  may  act  our  parts 
To  get  the  pearl  of  price  ; then  we  shall  be 
Like  godly  Mary,  Peter,  Paul ; and  we, 

Like  Jacob  too,  the  blessing  shall  obtain 
While  Esau  rides  a hunting  for  the  gain 
Of  worldly  pelf,  which  will  him  not  avail 
When  death  or  judgment  shall  him  sore  assail. 

If  guilt  of  sin  sfill  lieth  at  our  door, 

Us  to  discourage,  let  us  set  before 
Our  eyes  a bleeding  Jesus,  who  did  die 
The  death ; and  let’s  believe  the  reason  why 
He  did  it  was,  that  we  might  ever  be 
From  death,  and  sin,  and  hell,  and  wrath  set  free. 
Yea,  let’s  remember  for  tbat  very  end 
It  was  his  blessed  Father  did  him  send, 

That  he  the  law  of  God  might  here  fulfil, 

That  so  the  mystery  of  his  blessed  will 
Might  be  revealed  in  the  blessedness 
Of  those  that  fly  to  Christ  for  righteousness. 

Now  let  us  argue  with  ourselves,  then,  thus: 
That  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  came  to  save  us, 
By  bearing  of  our  sins  upon  his  back, 

By  hanging  on  a cross  as  on  a rack, 

While  justice  cut  him  off  on  every  side, 

While  smiles  divine  themselves  from  him  did 
hide, 

While  earth  did  quake,  and  rocks  in  pieces  rent, 
And,  while  the  sun  as  veiled,  did  lament 
To  see  the  innocent  and  harmless  die 
So  sore  a death,  so  full  of  misery. 

Blood  was  his  sweat  too  in  his  agony 
That  we  may  live  in  joyful  ecstacy ; 

He  apprehended  was  and  led  away, 

That  grace  to  us  ward  never  might  decay — 
With  swords  and  bills,  and  outrage  in  the  night, 
That  to  the  peace  of  heaven  we  might  have 
right. 

Condemn’d  he  was  between  two  thieves  to  die, 
That  we  might  ever  in  his  bosom  lie ; 

His  head  was  crown’d  with  thorns,  that  we 
might  be 

Crowned  with  glory  and  felicity  ; 

He  hanged  was  upon  a cursed  tree, 

That  we  delivered  from  death  might  be  ; 

His  Father  from  him  hides  his  smiles  and  face, 
That  we  might  have  them  in  the  heav’nly 
place. 


He  cried,  “ My  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me?” 

That  we  forsaken  of  him  might  not  be ; 

Into  his  side  was  thrust  a bloody  spear, 

That  we  the  sting  oi  death  might  never  fear ; 
He  went  into  the  grave  after  all  this, 

That  we  might  up  to  beav’n  go  and  have  bliss; 
Yea,  rise  again  he  did  out  of  the  earth, 

And  shook  off  from  him  all  the  chains  of  death. 
Then  at  his  chariot  wheels  he  captive  led 
His  foes,  and  trod  upon  the  serpent’s  head, 
Biding  in  triumph  to  his  Father’s  throne, 
There  to  possess  his  kingdom  as  his  own. 
What  say’st  thou  ? Wilt  not  yet  unto  him  come? 
His  arms  are  open,  in  his  heart  is  room 
To  lay  thee.  Be  not  then  discouraged, 
Although  thy  sins  be  many,  great  and  red. 

For  us  God  made  him  perfect  righteousness, 
That  he  his  love  might  to  the  height  express, 
And  us  present  complete  before  the  throne. 
Sanctification,  too,  of  his  own, 

He  hath  prepared,  in  which  we  do  stand, 
Complete  in  holiness  at  his  right  hand. 

Now  this  sanctification  is  not 
That  holiness  which  is  in  us,  but  that 
Which  in  the  person  of  this  Jesus  is, 

And  can  inherently  be  only  his ; 

But  it  is  imputed  to  us  for  our  good 
As  his  active  righteousness  and  blood ; 

Which  is  the  cause,  though  we  infirm  are  found, 
That  mercy  and  forgiveness  doth  abound 
To  usward,  and  that  why  we  are  not  spent 
And  empty,  and  away  rebuked  sent, 

Because  that  all  we  do  imperfect  is. 

Bless  God,  then,  for  this  holiness  of  his, 

And  learn  to  look  by  faith  on  that  alone. 
When  thou  seest  thou  hast  nothing  of  thy  own  ; 
Yea,  when  thy  heart  most  willing  is  to  do 
What  God  by  his  good  word  doth  call  thee  to, 
And  when  thou  findest  most  holiness  within, 
And  greatest  power  over  every  sin, 

Yet  then  to  Jesus  look,  and  thou  shalt  see 
In  him  sanctification  for  thee 
Far  more  complete  than  all  that  thou  cans!;  find 
In  the  most  upright  heart  and  willing  mind 
That  ever  man  or  angels  did  possess 
When  most  fill’d  with  inherent  righteous- 
ness. 

Besides,  if  thou  forgettest  here  to  live, 

And  Satan  get  thee  once  into  his  sieve, 

He  will  so  hide. thy  wheat  and  show  thy  bran 
That  thou  wilt  quickly  cry,  I am  undone. 

Alas ! thy  godliest  attainments  here, 

Tho’  like  the  fairest  blossoms  they  appear, 
How  quickly  will  they  lower  and  decay, 

And  be  as  if  they  all  were  fled  away, 


EBAL  AND  GERIZIM. 


981 


When  once  the  east  winds  of  temptation  beat 
Upon  thee  with  their  dry  and  blasting  heat! 

If  thou  be  wise,  consider  what  I say, 

And  look  for  all  in  Christ,  where  no  decay 
Is  like  to  be;  then,  though  thy  present  fame 
Be  much  in  up  and  down,  yet  he  the  same 
Abideth,  yea,  and  still  at  God’s  right  hand 
As  thy  most  perfect  holiness  will  stand. 

Yea,  this  will  fill  thy  mouth  with  argument 
Against  the  tempter,  when  he  shall  present 
Before  thee  all  thy  weakness,  and  shall  hide 
From  thee,  thy  graces  that  thou  mayst  abide 
Under  the  fretting  fumes  of  unbelief, 

Which  never  yielded  Christian  man  relief; 
Nor  help  thyself  thou  mayest  against  him 
thus, 

0 Satan,  though  my  heart  indeed  be  worse 
Than  ’twas  a while  ago,  yet  I perceive 
Thou  shalt  me  not  of  happiness  bereave; 

Nor  yet  of  holiness,  for  by  the  word 

1 find  that  Jesus  Christ,  our  blessed  Lord, 

Is  made  sanctification'  for  me 

In  his  own  person,  where  all  graces  be 
As  water  in  the  fountain,  and  that  I 
By  means  of  that  have  yet  a sanctity 
Both  personal  and  perfect  every  way ; 

And  that  is  Christ  himself,  as  Paul  doth  say. 
Now,  tho’  my  crazy  pitcher  oft  doth  leak, 

By  means  of  which  my  graces  are  so  iveak 
And  so  much  spent  that  one  I cannot  find 
Able  to  stay  or  help  my  feeble  mind  ; 

Yet  then  I look  to  Jesus,  and  see  all 
In  him  that  wanting  is  in  me,  and  shall 
Again  take  courage,  and  believe  he  will 
Present  me  upright  in  his  person,  till 
He  humble  me  for  all  my  foolishness, 

And  then  again  fill  me  with  holiness. 

Now,  if  thou  lovest  inward  sanctity, 

As  all  the  saints  do  most  unfeignedly, 

Then  add  to  what  I have  already  said 
Faith  in  the  promise,  and  be  not  afraid 
To  urge  it  often  at  the  throne  of  grace 
And  to  expect  it  in  its  time  and  place  ; 

Then  He  that  true  is  and  that  cannot  lie 
Will  give  it  unto  thee,  that  thou  thereby 
Mayest  serve  with  faith,  with  fear,  iu  truth 
and  love 

That  God  did  at  the  first  thy  spirit  move 
To  ask  it  to  his  praise,  that  he  might  be 
Thy  God,  and  that  he  might  delight  in  thee. 

If  I should  here  particulars  relate, 

Methinks  it  could  not  but  much  animate 
Thy  heart,  though  very  listless  to  inquire 
How  thou  mayst  that  enjoy  which  all  desire 
That  love  themselves  and  future  happiness. 
But  oh  I cannot  fully  it  express: 


The  promise  is  so  open  and  so  free 
In  all  respects  to  those  that  humble  be, 

That  want  they  cannot  what  for  them  is  good, 
But  there  ’tis,  and  confirmed  is  with  blood; 

A certain  sign  all  those  enjoy  it  may 
That  see  they  want  it,  and  sincerely  pray 
To  God  the  Father  in  that  Jesus’  name 
Who  bled  on  purpose  to  confirm  the  same. 
Now  wouldst  thou  have  a heart  that  tender  is, 
A heart  that  forward  is  to  close  with  bliss, 

A heart  that  will  impressions  freely  take 
Of  the  new  covenant,  and  that  will  make 
The  best  improvement  of  the  word  of  grace, 
And  that  to  wickedness  will  not  give  place? 
All  this  is  in  the  promise,  and  it  may 
Obtained  be  of  them  that  humbly  pray. 
Wouldst  thou  enjoy  that  Spirit  that  is  free. 
And  looseth  those  that  in  their  spirits  be 
Oppressed  with  guilt,  or  filth,  or  unbelief — 
That  Spirit  that  will  where  it  dwells  be  chief. 
Which  breaketh  Samson’s  cord  as  rotten  thread, 
And  raiseth  up  the  spirit  that  is  dead — 

That  sets  the  will  at  liberty  to  choose 
Those  things  that  God  hath  promis’d  to  infuse 
Into  the  humble  heart?  All  this,  I say, 

The  promise  holdetli  out  to  them  that  pray. 
Wouldst  thou  have  that  good,  that  blessed  mind 
That  is  so  much  to  heavenly  things  inclin’d 
That  it  aloft  will  soar,  and  always  be 
Contemplating  on  blest  eternity — 

That  mind  that  never  thinks  itself  at  rest 
But  when  it  knows  it  is  for  ever  blest — 

That  mind  that  cau  be  here  no  more  content 
Than  he  that  in  the  prison  doth  lament — 
That  blessed  mind  that  counts  itself  then  free 
When  it  can  at  the  throne  with  Jesus  be, 
There  to  behold  the  mansions  he  prepares 
For  such  as  be  with  him  and  his  co-heirs? 

This  mind  is  in  the  covenant  of  grace, 

And  shall  be  theirs  that  truly  seek  his  face. 

Is  godly  fear  delightful  unto  thee — 

That  fear  that  God  himself  delights  to  see 
Bear  sway  in  them  that  love  him  ? Then  he 
will 

Thy  godly  mind  in  this  request  fulfil, 

By  giving  thee  a fear  that  tremble  shall 
At  every  trip  thou  takest,  lest  thou  fall 
And  him  offend,  or  hurt  thyself  by  sin, 

Or  cause  poor  souls  that  always  blind  have  been 
To  stumble  at  thy  falls,  and  harder  be 
Against  their  own  salvation  and  thee — 

That  fear  that  of  itself  would  rather  choose 
The  rod  than  to  offend  or  to  abuse 
In  anything  that  blessed  worthy  name 
That  hath  thee  saved  from  that  death  and 
shame 


982 


B UN Y AN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


That  sin  would  soon  have  brought  thee  to,  if  he 
Had  not  imputed  righteousness  to  thee. 

“ I will  love  them,”  saith  God,  and  not  depart 
From  them,  but  put  my  fear  within  their  heart, 
That  I to  them  may  always  lovely  be, 

And  that  they  never  may  depart  from  me.” 
The  next  word  that  I would  unto  thee  say 
Is  how  thou  mavst  attain  without  delay 
Those  blessed  graces  and  that  holiness 
Thou  dost  with  so  much  godly  zeal  express ; 
Thy  love  to  and  thy  longing  to  enjoy, 

That  sins  and  weakness  might  thee  less  annoy. 
Know,  then,  as  I have  hinted  theretofore, 

And  shall  now  speak  unto  a little  more, 

All  graces  in  the  person  of  the  Son 
Are  by  the  Father  hid,  and  therefore  none 
Can  them  obtain  but  they  who  with  him  close; 
All  others  graceless  are  but  only  those; 

For  of  his  fulness  ’tis  that  we  receive, 

And  grace  for  grace ; let  no  man  then  deceive 
Himself  or  others  by  a feigned  show 
Of  holiness,  if  Jesus  they  eschew. 

When  he  ascended  to  his  Father,  then 
It  was  that  he  received  gifts  for  men. 

Faith,  hope,  and  love,  true  zeal,  an  upright 
heart, 

Right  humbleness  of  mind,  and  every  part 
Of  what  the  word  of  God  counts  holiness, 

God  then  laid  up  in  him,  that  we  redress 
And  help  might  have  who  do  unto  him  fly 
For  righteousness  and  Gospel  sanctity. 

Now  if  thou  wouldst  inherit  righteousness, 
And  so  sanctification  possess 
In  body,  soul  and  spirit,  then  thou  must 
To  Jesus  fly  as  one  ungodly  first; 

And  so  by  him  crave  pardon  for  thy  sin 
Which  thou  hast  loved  and  hast  lived  in; 

For  this  cannot  at  all  forgiven  be 
For  any  righteousness  that  is  in  thee. 

Then  righteousness  imputed  thou  must  have, 
Thee  from  that  guilt  and  punishment  to  save 
Thou  liest  under  as  a sinful  man, 

Throughout  polluted,  and  that  never  can 
By  any  other  means  acquitted  be, 

Or  ever  have  true  holiness  in  thee. 

The  reason  is,  because  all  graces  are 
Only  in  Christ,  and  be  infused  where 
Or  into  those  whom  he  doth  justify 
By  what  himself  hath  done,  that  he  thereby 
Might  be  the  whole  of  all  that  happiness 
The  sinner  shall  enjoy  here  and  possess: 
Besides,  if  holiness  should  first  be  found 
In  those  whom  God  doth  pardon,  then  the 
ground 

Why  we  forgiven  are  would  seem  to  be, 

He  first  found  holiness  in  thee  and  me. 


But  this  the  Holy  Scriptures  will  refute, 

And  prove  that  righteousness  he  doth  impute 
Without  respect  to  goodness  first  in  man ; 

For,  to  speak  truth  indeed,  no  goodness  can 
Be  found  in  those  that  underneath  the  law 
Do  stand ; for  if  God  goodness  in  them  saw, 
Why  doth  he  once  and  twice  say,  “There  is 
none 

That  righteous  be,  no,  not  so  much  as  one :” 
None  understandeth,  none  seek  after  God, 

His  ways  they  haVe  not  known,  but  have  abode 
In  wickedness:  unprofitable  they 
Must  needs  appear  to  be,  then,  every  way; 
Their  throats  an  open  sepulchre  also, 

Their  mouths  are  full  of  filthy  cursings  too, 
And  bitterness;  yea,  underneath  their  lips 
The  asp  has  poison.  Oh  how  many  slips 
And  falls  in  sin  must  such  poor  people  have ! 
Now  where’s  the  holiness  that  should ’em  save, 
Or  as  a preparation  go  before, 

To  move  God  to  do  for  them  less  or  more  ? 

No,  grace  must  on  thee  righteousness  bestow, 
Or  else  sin  will  for  ever  thee  undo. 

Sweet  Paul  this  doctrine  also  doth  express 
Where  he  saith,  “ Some  may  have  righteous- 
ness, 

Tho’  works  they  have  not;”  and  it  thus  may 
stand : 

Grace  by  the  promise  gives  what  the  command 
Requireth  us  to  do,  and  so  are  we 
Quitted  by  doings  and  by  grace  made  free. 

The  word  of  faith  unto  me  pardon  brings, 
Shows  me  the  ground  and  reason  whence  it 
springs — 

To  wit,  free  grace,  which  moved  God  to  give 
His  Son  to  die  and  bleed  that  I might  live. 
This  word  doth  also  loudly  preach  to  me, 
Though  I a miserable  sinner  be, 

Yet  in  this  Son  of  God  I stand  complete, 
Whose  righteousness  is  without  all  deceit  ; 

’Tis  that  which  God  himself  delighteth  in, 
And  that  by  which  all  his  have  saved  been. 

When  I do  this  begin  to  apprehend, 

My  heart,  my  soul,  and  mind  begin  to  bend 
To  God-ward,  and  sincerely  for  to  love 
His  Son,  his  ways,  his  people,  and  to  move 
With  brokenness  of  spirit  after  Him 
Who  broken  was  and  killed  for  my  sin. 

Now  is  mine  heart  grown  holy,  now  it  cleaves 
To  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord,  and  now  it  leaves 
Those  ways  that  wicked  be;  it  mourns  because 
It  can  conform  no  more  unto  the  laws 
Of  God,  who  loved  nie  when  I was  vile, 

And  of  sweet  Jesus,  who  did  reconcile 
Me  unto  his  justice  by  his  precious  blood, 
When  no  way  else  was  left  to  do  me  good. 


EBAL  AND  OERIZIM. 


983 


If  you  would  know  how  this  can  operate 
Thus  on  the  soul,  I shall  to  you  relate 
A lit  tic  farther  what  my  soul  hath  seen 
Since  I have  with  the  Lord  acquainted  been. 

The  word  of  grace,  when  it  doth  rightly  seize 
The  spirit  of  a man,  and  so  at  ease 
Doth  set  the  soul,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
Doth  then  with  might  accompany  the  word, 

In  which  it  sets  forth  Christ  as  crucified, 

And  by  that  means  the  Father  pacified 
With  such  a wretch  as  thou,  and  by  this  sight 
Thy  guilt  is  in  the  first  place  put  to  flight. 

For  thus  the  Spirit  doth  expostulate : 

Behold  how  God  doth  now  communicate 
(By  changing  of  the  person)  grace  to  thee, 

A sinner,  but  to  Christ  great  misery, 

Tho’  he  the  Just  One  was,  and  so  could  not 
Deserve  the  punishment:  behold  then  what 
The  love  of  God  is!  how  !tis  manifest, 

And  where  the  reason  lies  that  thou  art  blest. 
This  doctrine  being  spoken  to  the  heart, 
Which  also  is  made  yield  to  every  part 
Thereof,  it  doth  the  same  with  sweetness  fill, 
And  so  doth  sins  and  wickednesses  kill; 

For  when  the  love  of  God  is  thus  revealed, 
And  thy  poor  drooping  spirit  thereby  sealed, 
And  when  thy  heart,  as  dry  ground,  drinks 
this  in 

Unto  the  roots  thereof,  which  nourish  sin, 

It  smites  them  as  the  worm  did  Jonah’s 
gourd, 

And  makes  them  dwindle  of  their  own  accord, 
And  die  away ; instead  of  which  there  springs 
Up  life  and  love,  and  other  holy  things. 
Besides,  the  Holy  Spirit  now  is  come, 

And  takes  possession  of  thee  as  its  home ; 

By  which  a war  maintained  always  is 
Against  the  old  man  and  the  deeds  of  his. 

When  God  at  first  upon  Mount  Sinai  spake 
He  made  his  very  servant  Moses  quake ; 

But  when  he  heard  the  law  the  second  time 
His  heart  was  comforted,  his  face  did  shine. 
What  was  the  reason  of  this  difference, 

Seeing  no  change  was  in  the  ordinance? 
Altho’  a change  was  in  the  manner  when 
The  second  time  he  gave  it  unto  men, 

At  first  ’twas  given  in  severity, 

In  thunder,  blackness,  darkness,  tempest  high ; 
In  fiery  flames  it  was  delivered. 

This  struck  both  Moses  and  the  host  as  dead ; 
But  Moses,  when  he  went  into  the  mount 
The  second  time  upon  the  same  account, 

No  fear,  nor  dread,  nor  shaking  of  his  mind 
Do  we  in  all  the  Holy  Scriptures  find, 

But  rather  in  his  spirit  he  had  rest, 

And  look’d  upon  himself  as  greatly  blest. 


Jehosaphat,  when  he  was  sore  opprest 
By  Ammon,  and  by  Moab,  and  the  rest 
Of  them  that  sought  his  life,  no  rest  he  found, 
Until  a word  of  faith  became  a ground 
To  stay  himself  upon ; oh  then  they  fell ; 

His  very  song  became  their  passing  bell. 

Then  understand  my  meaning  by  my  words, 
How  sense  of  mercy  unto  faith  affords 
Both  grace  to  sanctify  and  holy  make 
That  soul  that  of  forgiveness  doth  partake. 

Thus  having  briefly  showed  you  what  is 
The  way  of  life,  of  sanctity,  of  bliss, 

I would  not  in  conclusion  have  you  think, 

By  what  I say,  that  Christian  men  should  drink 
In  these  words  with  lightness,  or  that  they 
Are  not  exempted  from  what  every  day 
Their  duty  is.  No,  God  doth  still  expect, 

Yea,  doth  command,  that  they  do  not  neglect 
To  pray,  to  read,  to  hear,  and  not  dissent 
From  being  sober,  grave,  and  diligent 
In  watching,  self-denial,  and  with  fear 
To  serve  him  all  the  time  thou  livest  here. 
Indeed  I have  endeavoured  to  lay 
Before  your  eyes  the  right  and  only  way 
Pardon  to  get,  and  also  holiness ; 

Without  which  never  think  that  God  will  bless 
Thee  with  the  kingdom  he  shall  give  to  those 
That  Christ  embrace,  and  holy  lives  do  choos8 
To  live  where  all  others  go  astray, 

And  shall  in  time  to  come  be  cast  away. 


FROM  MOUNT  EBAL. 

Thus  having  heard  from  Gerizim,  I shall 
Next  come  to  Ebal,  and  you  thither  call — 

Not  there  to  curse  you,  but  to  let  you  hear 
How  God  doth  curse  that  soul  that  shall  appear 
An  unbelieving  man,  a graceless  wretch, 
Because  he  doth  continue  in  the  breach 
Of  Moses’  law,  and  also  doth  neglect 
To  close  with  Jesus;  him  will  God  reject 
And  cast  behind  him,  for  of  right  his  due 
Is  that  from  whence  all  miseries  ensue. 
“Cursed,”  saith  he,  “are  they  that  do  trans- 
gress 

The  least  of  my  commandments,  more  or  less.’ 

First,  thou  must  know  that  God,  as  he  is  love, 
So  he  is  justice,  therefore  cannot  move, 

Or  in  the  least  be  brought  to  favour  those 
His  holiness  and  justice  do  oppose. 

For  tho’  thou  mayest  imagine  in  thy  heart 
That  God  is  this  or  that,  yet  if  thou  art 
At  all  beside  the  truth  of  what  he  is, 

And  so  dost  build  thy  hope  for  life  amiss, 


984 


B UNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Still  lie  the  same  abidetli,  and  will  be 
The  same— the  same  for  ever  unto  thee. 

As  God  is  true  unto  his  promise,  so 
Unto  his  threatening  he  is  faithful  too: 

Cease  to  be  God  he  must,  if  he  should  break 
One  tittle  that  his  blessed  mouth  did  speak. 

Now,  then,  none  can  be  saved  but  the  men 
With  whom  the  Godhead  is  contented  when 
It  them  beholds  with  the  severest  eye 
Of  justice,  holiness,  and  yet  can  spy 
No  fault  or  blemish  in  them ; these  be  they 
That  must  be  saved,  as  the  Scriptures  say. 

If  this  be  true,  as  ’tis  assuredly, 

Woe  be  to  them  that  wicked  live  and  die ! 

Alas ! our  God  is  a consuming  fire  ; 

So  is  his  law,  by  which  he  doth  require 
That  thou  submit  to  him,  and  ever  be 
In  that  pure  justice  found  that  can  save  thee. 

What  I have  said  will  yet  evinced  be, 

And  manifest  abundantly  to  thee, 

If  what  I have  already  spoken  to 
Be  joined  with' these  lines  that  do  ensue. 
Justice  discovers  its  antipathy 
Against  profaneness  and  malignity, 

Not  only  by  the  law  it  gave  to  men, 

And  threatenings  thereunto  annexed  then, 

But  inasmuch  as  long  before  that  day 
He  did  prepare  for  such  as  go  astray 
That  dreadful,  that  so  much  amazing  place, 
Hell,  with  its  torments,  for  those  men  that  grace 
And  holiness  of  life  slight  and  disdain, 

There  to  bemoan  themselves  with  hellish  pain. 

This  place  also,  the  pains  so  dismal  be, 

Both  as  to  name  and  nature,  that  in  me 
It  is  not  to  express  the  damning  weights, 

The  hellish  torture,  and  the  fearful  plights 
Thereof ; for  as  intolerable  they 
Must  needs  be  found  by  those  that  disobey 
The  Lord,  so  can  no  word  or  thought  express 
Unto  the  full  the  height  of  that  distress — 
Such  miserable  caitiffs  that  shall  there 
Rebukes  of  vengeance  for  transgressions  bear. 

Indeed  the  Holy  Scriptures  do  make  use 
Of  many  metaphors  that  do  conduce 
Much  to  the  symbolizing  of  the  place 
Unto  our  apprehension;  but  the  case, 

The  sad,  the  woeful  case  of  those  that  lie 
As  racked  there  in  endless  misery 
By  all  similitudes  no  mortals  may 
Set  forth  in  its  own  nature ; for  I say 
Similitudes  are  but  a shade  and  show 
Of  those  or  that  they  signify  to  you. 

The  fire  that  doth  within  thy  oven  burn, 

The  prison  where  poor  people  sit  and  mourn, 
Chains,  racks  and  darkness,  and  such  others,  be 
As  paintings  on  the  wall,  to  let  thee  see 


By  words  and  figures  the  extremity 
Of  such  as  shall  within  these  burnings  lie. 

But  certainly,  if  wickedness  and  sin 
Had  only  foolish  toys  and  trifles  been, 

And  if  God  had  not  greatly  hated  it, 

Yea,  could  he  any  ways  thereof  admit 
And  let  it  pass,  he  would  not  thus  have  done. 
He  doth  not  use  to  punish  any  one 
With  any  place  or  punishment  that  is 
Above  or  sharper  than  the  sin  of  his 
Hath  merited,  and  justice  seeth  due; 

Read  sin,  then,  by  the  death  that  doth  ensue. 

Most  men  do  judge  of  sin,  not  by  the  fruits 
It  bears  and  bringeth  forth,  but  as  it  suits 
Their  carnal  and  deluded  hearts,  that  be 
With  sensual  pleasures  eaten  up ; but  he 
That  now  so  judgeth  shall  shortly  perceive 
That  God  will  judge  thereof  himself,  and  leave 
Such  men  no  longer  to  their  carnal  lusts, 

To  judge  of  wickedness,  and  of  the  just 
And  righteous  punishments  that  doth  of  right 
Belong  thereto ; and  will  too,  in  despite 
Of  all  their  carnal  reason,  justify 
Himself  in  their  eternal  misery. 

Then  hell  will  be  no  fancy ; neither  will 
Men’s  sin  be  pleasant  to  them,  but  so  ill 
And  bitter,  yea,  so  bitter  that  none  can 
Fully  express  the  same,  or  ever  stand 
Under  the  burden  that  will  on  them  lay 
When  they  from  life  and  bliss  are  sent  away. 
When  I have  thought  how  often  God  doth  speak 
Of  their  destruction  who  his  law  do  break, 
And  when  the  nature  of  the  punishment 
I find  so  dreadful,  and  that  God’s  intent, 

Yea,  resolution  is,  it  to  inflict 
On  every  sinner  that  shall  stand  convict, 

I have  amazed  been  yet  to  behold 
And  see  poor  sinners  yet  with  sin  so  bold, 
That  like  the  horse  that  to  the  battle  runs 
Without  all  fear,  and  that  no  danger  shuns 
Till  down  he  falls.  0 resolute  attempts ! 

0 sad,  amazing,  damnable  events 
The  end  of  such  proceeding  needs  must  be ! 
From  which,  0 Lord,  save  and  deliver  me  I 
But  if  thou  think  that  God  thy  noble  race 
Will  more  respect  than  into  such  a place 
To  put  thee,  hold,  tho’  thou  his  offspring  be, 
And  art  so  lovely,  yet  sin  hath  made  thee 
Another  kind  of  creature  than  when  thou 
Didst  from  his  fingers  drop,  and  therefore  now 
Thy  first  creation  stands  thee  in  no  stead ; 
Thou  hast  transgressed,  and  in  every  deed 
Set  God  against  thee,  who  is  infinite, 

And  that  for  certain  never  will  forget 
Thy  sins,  nor  favour  thee  if  thou  shalt  die 
A graceless  man ; this  is  thy  misery. 


EBAL  AND  QERIZIM. 


985 


When  angels  sinned,  tho’  of  higher  race 
Than  thou,  and  also  put  in  higher  place, 

Yet  them  lie  spared  not,  but  east  them  down 
From  heaven  to  hell,  where,  also  they  lie  bound 
In  everlasting  chains,  and  no  release 
Shall  ever  have,  but  wrath,  that  shall  increase 
Upon  them,  to  their  everlasting  woe. 

As  for  the  state  they  were  exalted  to, 

That  will  by  no  means  mitigate  their  fear, 

But  aggravate  their  hellish  torment  here; 

For  he  that  highest  stands,  if  he  shall  fall, 

Ilis  danger  needs  must  be  the  greatest  of  all. 
Now  if  God  notable  angels  did  not  spare 
Because  they  did  transgress,  will  he  forbear 
Poor  dust  and  ashes?  Will  he  suffer  them 
To  break  his  law  and  sin,  and  not  condemn 
Them  for  so  doing?  Let  no  man  deceive 
Himself  or  others;  they  that  do  bereave 
Themselves  by  sin  of  happiness  shall  be 
Cut  off  by  justice,  and  have  misery. 

Witness  his  great  severity  upon 
The  world  that  first  was  planted,  wherein  none 
But  only  eight  the  Deluge  did  escape; 

All  others  of  that  vengeance  did  partake. 

The  reason  was,  that  world  ungodly  stood 
Before  him,  therefore  he  did  send  the  flood, 


Which  swept  them  all  away — a just  reward 
For  their  most  wicked  ways  against  the  Lord, 
Who  could  no  longer  bear  them  and  their 
ways, 

Therefore  into  their  bosom  vengeance  pays. 
We  read  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  too, 

What  judgments  they  for  sin  did  undergo — 
How  God  from  heaven  did  fire  upon  them  rain 
Because  they  would  not  wicked  ways  refrain, 
Condemning  of  them  with  an  overthrow, 

And  turned  them  to  ashes.  Who  can  know 
The  miseries  that  these  poor  people  felt 
While  they  did  underneath  these  burnings 
melt? 

Now  these,  and  many  more  that  I could  name 
That  have  been  made  partakers  of  the  flame 
And  sword  of  justice,  God  did  them  cut  off, 
And  make  examples  unto  all  that  scoff 
At  holiness  or  do  the  Gospel  slight ; 

And  long  it  will  not  be  before  the  night 
And  judgment  painted  out  by  what  he  did 
To  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  fulfilled 
Upon  such  sinners  be,  that  they  may  know 
That  God  doth  hate  the  sin  and  persons  too 
Of  such  as  still  rebellious  shall  abide, 
Although  they  now  at  judgment  may  deride. 


ONE  THING  IS  NEEDFUL; 

OR, 

SERIOUS  MEDITATIONS  UFON  THE  FOUR  LAST  THINGS— DEATH 
AND  JUDGMENT,  HEAVEN  AND  HELL. 


AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  ENSUING 
DISCOURSE. 

1.  These  lines  I at  this  time  present 

To  all  that  will  them  heed, 

Wherein  I show  to  what  intent 
God  saith,  Convert  with  speed; 

2.  For  these  four  things  come  on  apace, 

Which  we  would  know  full  well — 

Both  death  and  judgment,  and,  in  place 
Next  to  them,  heaven  and  hell. 

3.  For  doubtless  man  was  never  born 

For  this  life  and  no  more; 

No,  in  the  resurrection-morn 
They  must  have  weal  or  woe. 

4.  Can  any  think  that  God  should  take 

That  pains  to  form  a man 
So  like  himself,  only  to  make 
Him  here  a moment  stand? 

5.  Or  that  he  should  make  much  ado, 

By  justice  and  by  grace, 

By  prophets  and  apostles  too, 

That  men  might  see  his  face? 

6.  Or  that  the  promise  he  hath  made, 

Also  the  threatenings  great, 

Should  in  a moment  end  and  fade? 

Oh  no;  this  is  a cheat. 

7.  Besides,  who  is  so  mad  (or  worse) 

To  think  that  Christ  should  come 
From  glory  to  be  made  a curse, 

And  that  in  sinners’  room, 

8.  If  nothing  should  by  us  be  had 

When  we  are  gone  from  hence, 

But  vanities  while  here?  O mad 
And  foolish  confidence! 


9.  Again,  shall  God,  who  is  the  truth, 

Say  there  is  heaven  and  hell, 

And  shall  men  play  that  trick  of  youth, 
To  say,  But  who  can  tell? 

10.  Shall  He  that  keeps  his  promise  sure 

In  things  both  low  and  small, 

Yet  break  it  like  a man  impure 
In  matters  great’st  of  all  ? 

11.  Oh  let  all  tremble  at  that  thought 

That  puts  on  God  the  lie — 

That  saith,  Men  shall  turn  unto  naught 
When  they  be  sick  and  die. 

12.  Alas ! death  is  but  as  the  door 

Through  which  all  men  do  pass 
To  that  which  they  for  evermore 
Shall  have  by  wrath  or  grace. 

13.  Let  all  therefore  that  read  my  liues 

Apply  them  to  the-heart; 

Yea,  let  them  read,  and  turn  betimes 
And  get  the  better  part. 

14.  Mind,  therefore,  what  I treat  on  here— 

Yea,  mind  and  weigh  it  well : 

’Tis  death  and  judgment,  and  a clear 
Discourse  of  heaven  and  hell. 


OF  DEATH. 

1.  Death,  as  a king  rampant  and  stout, 
The  world  he  dare  engage ; 

He  conquers  all,  yea,  and  doth  rout 
The  great,  strong,  wise,  and  sage. 

987 


988 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


2.  No  king  so  great,  nor  prince  so  strong, 

But  death  can  make  to  yield, 

Yea,  bind  and  lay  them  all  along, 

And  make  them  quit  the  field. 

3.  Where  are  the  victors  of  the  world, 

With  all  their  men  of  might? 

Those  that  together  kingdoms  hurl’d 
By  death  are  put  to  flight. 

4.  How  feeble  is  the  strongest  hand 

When  death  begins  to  gripe  ! 

The  giant  now  leaves  off  to  stand, 

Much  less  withstand  and  fight. 

5.  The  man  that  hath  a lion’s  face 

Must  here  give  place  and  bend; 

Yea,  tho’  his  bones  were  bars  of  bi'ass, 

’Tis  vain  here  to  contend. 

6.  Submit  he  must  to  feeble  ones, 

To  worms,  who  will  enclose 
His  skin  and  flesh,  sinews  and  bones, 

And  will  thereof  dispose 

7.  Among  themselves,  as  merchants  do 

The  prizes  they  have  got, 

Or  as  the  soldiers  give  unto 
Each  man  the  share  and  lot 

8.  Which  they  by  dint  of  sword  have  won 

From  their  most  daring  foe, 

While  he  lies  by  as  still  as  stone, 

Not  knowing  what  they  do. 

9.  Beauty,  death  turns  to  rottenness, 

And  youth  to  wrinkled  face  ; 

The  witty  he  brings  to.  distress, 

And  wantons  to  disgrace. 

10.  The  wild  he  tames,  and  spoils  the  mirth 

Of  all  that  wanton  are ; 

He  takes  the  worldling  from  his  worth, 
And  poor  man  from  his  care. 

11.  Death  favours  none ; be  lays  at  all 

Of  all  sorts  and  degree; 

Both  old  and  young,  both  great  and  small, 
Rich,  poor,  and  bond,  and  free. 

12.  No  fawning  words  will  flatter  him, 

Nor  threatenings  make  him  start; 

He  favours  none  for  worth  or  kin; 

All  must  taste  of  bis  dart. 

13.  What  shall  I say  ? The  graves  declare 

That  death  shall  conquer  all ; 

There  lie  the  skulls,  dust,  bones,  and  there 
The  mighty  daily  fall. 


14.  Death  puts  on  things  another  face 

Than  we  in  health  do  see; 

Bin,  Satan,  hell,  death,  life  and  grace 
Now  great  and  weighty  be. 

15.  Yea,  now  the  sick  man’s  eye  is  set 

Upon  a world  to  come ; 

He  also  knows  too,  without  let, 

That  there  must  be  his  home, 

16.  Either  in  joy,  in  bliss,  and  light, 

Or  sorrow,  woe,  and  grief; 

Either  with  Christ  and  saints  in  white, 

Or  fiends  without  relief. 

17.  But  oh  the  sad  estate  that  then 

They  will  be  in  that  die 
Both  void  of  grace  and  life  ! Poor  men . 
How  will  they  fear  and  cry ! 

18.  Ha ! live  I may  not,  though  I would 

For  life  give  more  than  all ; 

And  die  I dare  not,  though  I should 
The  world  gain  by  my  fall. 

19.  No,  here  he  must  no  longer  stay, 

He  feels  his  life  run  out; 

His  night  is  come,  also  the  day 
That  makes  him  fear  and  doubt. 

20.  Death  doth  already  strike  his  heart 

With  his  most  fearful  sting 
Of  guilt,  which  makes  his  conscience  start 
And  quake  at  every  thing. 

21.  For  only  he  that  God  doth  fear 

Will  now  be  counted  wise; 

Yea,  he  that  feareth  him  while  here, 

He  only  wins  the  prize. 

22.  ’Tis  he  that  shall  by  angels  be 

Attended  to  that  bliss 
That  angels  have ; for  he,  oh  he, 

Of  glory  shall  not  miss. 

23.  Those  weapons  and  those  instruments 

Of  death  that  others  fright, 

Those  dreadful  fears  and  discontents 
That  bring  on  some  that  night 

24.  That  never  more  shall  have  a day, 

Bring  this  man  to  that  rest 
Which  none  can  win  but  only  they 
Whom  God  hath  call’d  and  blest 

25.  With  the  first  fruits  of  saving  grace, 

With  faith,  hope,  love,  and  fear 
Him  to  offend;  this  man  his  face 
In  visions  high  and  clear 


SERIOUS  MEDITATIONS  UPON  THE  FOUR  LAST  THINGS. 


989 


26.  Shall  in  that  light  which  no  eye  can 

Approach  unto — behold 
The  rays  and  beams  of  glory,  and 
Find  there  his  name  enroll’d 

27.  Among  those  glittering  stars  of  light 

That  Christ  still  holdeth  fast 
In  his  right  hand,  with  all  his  might, 
Until  that  danger’s  past 

28.  That  shakes  the  world,  and  most  have  dropt 

Into  grief  and  distress. 

Oh  blessed  then  is  he  that’s  wrapt 
In  Christ  his  righteousness. 

29.  This  is  the  man  death  cannot  kill, 

For  he  hath  put  on  arms ; 

Him  sin  or  Satan  hath  not  skill 
To  hurt  with  all  their  charms. 

30.  An  helmet  on  his  head  doth  stand  ; 

A breastplate  on  his  heart : 

A shield  also  is  in  his  hand 
That  turneth  every  dart. 

31.  Truth  girds  him  round  the  reins,  also 

His  sword  is  on  his  thigh  ; 

His  feet  on  shoes  of  peace  do  go 
The  ways  of  purity. 

32.  His  heart,  it  groaneth  to  the  Lord, 

Who  hears  him  at  his  call, 

And  doth  him  help  and  strength  afford, 
Wherewith  he  conquers  all. 

33.  Thus  fortified,  he  keeps  the  field, 

While  death  is  gone  and  fled  ; 

And  then  lies  down  upou  his  shield 
Till  Christ  doth  raise  the  dead. 


OF  JUDGMENT. 

1.  As  ’tis  appointed  men  should  die, 

So  judgment  is  the  next 
That  meets  them  most  assuredly ; 

For  so  saith  holy  text. 

2.  Wherefore  of  judgment  I shall  now 

Inform  you  what  I may, 

That  you  may  see  what  ’tis,  and  how 
’Twill  be  with  men  that  day. 

3.  This  world,  it  hath  a time  to  stand  ; 

Which  time  once  ended,  then 
Will  issue  judgment  out  of  hand 
Upon  all  sorts  of  men. 


4.  The  Judge  we  find  in  God’s  record 

The  Son  of  man,  for  he 
By  God’s  appointment  is  made  Lord 
And  Judge  of  all  that  be. 

5.  Wherefore  this  Son  of  man  shall  come 

At  last  to  ’count  with  all, 

And  unto  them  shall  give  just  doom, 
Whether  they  stand  or  fall. 

6.  Behold  ye  now  the  majesty 

And  state  that  shall  attend 
This  Lord,  this  Judge  and  Justice  high 
When  he  doth  now  descend. 

7.  He  comes  with  head  as  white  as  snow, 

With  eyes  like  flames  of  fire, 
Injustice  clad  from  top  to  toe, 

Most  glorious  in  attire. 

8.  His  face  is  fill’d  with  gravity ; 

His  tongue  is  like  a sword ; 

His  presence  awes  both  stout  and  high; 
The  world  shakes  at  his  word. 

9.  He  comes  in  flaming  fire,  and 

With  angels  clear  and  bright, 

Each  with  a trumpet  in  his  hand, 
Clothed  in  shining  white. 

10.  The  trump  of  God  sounds  in.  the  air, 

The  dead  do  hear  his  voice; 

The  living  do  run  here  and  there 
Who  made  not  him  their  choice. 

11.  Thus  to  his  place  he  doth  repair, 

(Appointed  for  his  throne,) 

Where  he  will  sit  to  judge,  and  where 
He’ll  ’count  with  every  one. 

12.  Angels  attending  on  his  hand 

By  thousands  on  a row ; 

Yea,  thousands,  thousands  by  him  stand 
And  at  his  word  do  go. 

13.  Thus  being  sate,  the  books  do  ope 
* In  which  all  crimes  are  writ — 

All  virtues  too,  of  faith  and  hope, 

Of  love,  and  every  whit 

14.  Of  all  that  man  hath  done  or  said, 

Or  did  intend  to  do, 

Whether  they  sinn’d,  or  were  afraid 
Evil  to  come  into. 

15.  Before  this  bar  each  sinner  now 

In  person  must  appear, 

Under  his  judgment  there  to  bow 
With  trembling  and  with  fear; 


990 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


16.  Within  whose  breast  a witness  then 

Will  certainly  arise 
That  to  each  charge  will  say,  Amen, 
While  they  seek  and  devise 

17.  To  shun  the  sentence  which  the  Lord 

Against  them  then  will  read 
Out  of  the  book  of  God’s  record, 

With  majesty  and  dread. 

18.  But  every  heart  shall  opened  be 

Before  this  Judge  most  high  ; 

Yea,  every  thought  to  judgment  he 
Will  bring  assuredly. 

19.  And  every  word  and  action  too 

He  there  will  manifest; 

Yea,  all  that  ever  thou  didst  do 
Or  keep  within  thy  breast 

20.  Shall  then  be  seen  and  laid  before 

The  world,  that  then  will  stand 
To  see  thy  Judge  ope  every  sore, 

And  all  thy  evils  scann’d, 

21.  Weighing  each  sin  and  wickedness 

With  so  much  equity, 

Proportioning  of  thy  distress 
And  woeful  misery; 

22.  With  so  much  justice  doing  right 

That  thou  thyself  shalt  say, 

My  sins  have  brought  me  to  this  plight; 

I threw  myself  away. 

23.  Into  the  gulf  my  sins  have  brought 

Me  justly  to  possess, 

For  which  I blame  not  Christ;  I wrought 
It  out  by  wickedness. 

24.  But  oh  how  willingly  would  these 

That  thus  in  judgment  be, 

If  that  they  might  have  help  or  ease, 
Unto  the  mountains  flee! 

25.  They  would  rejoice,  if  that  they  might 

But  underneath  them  creep,  • 

To  hide  them  from  revenging  right. 

For  fear  of  which  they  weep. 

26  No  mask  nor  vizor  here  can  hide 
The  heart  that  rotten  is ; 

All  cloaks  now  must  be  laid  aside, 

No  sinner  must  have  bliss. 

27.  The  tree  of  life  this  paradise 
Doth  always  beautify, 

’Cause  of  our  health  it  is  the  rise 
And  perpetuity. 


28.  Here  stands  the  golden  throne  of  grace, 

From  out  of  which  do  run 
Those  crystal  streams  that  make  this  place 
Far  brighter  than  the  sun. 

29.  Here  stands  Mount  Zion  with  her  King, 

Jerusalem  above, 

That  holy  and  delightful  thing, 

So  beautified  with  love. 

30.  That  as  a mother  succours  those 

Which  of  her  body  be, 

So  she  far  more  all  such  as  close 
In  with  her  Lord;  and  she 

31.  Her  grace,  her  everlasting  doors, 

Will  open  wide  unto 
Them  all,  with  welcome,  welcome — poor, 
Rich,  bond,  free,  high  and  low — 

32.  Unto  the  kingdom  which  our  Lord 

Appointed  hath  for  all 
That  hath  his  name  and  word  ador’d 
Because  he  did  them  call; 

33.  Unto  that  work  which  also  they 

Sincerely  did  fulfil, 

Not  shunning  always  to  obey 
His  gracious,  holy  will. 

34.  Besides,  this  much  doth  beautify 

This  godly  paradise, 

That  from  all  quarters  constantly 
Whole  thousands,  as  the  price 

35.  Of  precious  blood,  do  here  arrive, 

A.s  safe  escaping  all 
Sin,  hell,  and  Satan  did  contrive 
To  bring  them  into  thrall; 

36.  Each  telling  his  deliverance 

In  open  face  of  heaven, 

Still  calling  to  remembrance 
How  fiercely  they  were  driven 

37.  By  deadly  foe,  who  did  pursue 

As  swift  as  eagles  fly; 

Which  if  you  have  not,  down  thou  must 
With  those  that  then  shall  die 
The  second  death,  and  be  accurst 
Of  God.  For  certainly, 

38.  The  truth  of  grace  shall  only  here 

Without  a blush  be  bold 
To  stand,  whilst  others  quake  and  fear, 
And  dare  not  once  behold. 


SERIOUS  MEDITATIONS  UPON  TIIE  FOUR  LAST  THINGS. 


991 


S9.  That  heart  that  here  was  right  for  God 
Shall  there  be  comforted; 

But  those  that  evil  ways  have  trod 
Shall  then  hang  down  their  head; 

40.  For  every  one  must  now  receive 

According  to  their  ways — 

They  that  unto  the  Lord  did  cleave 
The  everlasting  joys; 

41.  Those  that  die  in  wickedness 

To  execution  sent, 

There  still  to  grapple  with  distress, 
Which  nothing  can  prevent. 

42.  Of  which  two  states  I next  shall  write, 

Wherefore  I pray  give  ear, 

And  to  them  bend,  with  all  your  might, 
Your  heart  with  filial  fear. 


OF  HEAVEN. 

1.  Heaven  is  a place,  also  a state; 

It  doth  all  things  excel; 

No  man  can  fully  it  relate, 

Nor  of  its  glory  tell. 

2.  God  made  it  for  his  residence, 

To  sit  on  as  a throne. 

Which  shows  to  us  the  excellence 
Whereby  it  may  be  known. 

3.  Doubtless  the  fabric  that  was  built 

For  this  so  great  a King 
Must  needs  surprise  thee,  if  thou  wilt 
But  duly  mind  the  thing. 

4.  If  all  that  build  do  build  to  suit 

The  glory  of  their  state, 

What  orator  (though  most  acute) 

Can  fully  heaven  relate? 

5.  If  palaces  that  princes  build 

(Which  yet  are  made  of  clay) 

Do  so  amaze  when  much  beheld, 

Of  heaven  what  shall  we  say  ? 

6.  It  is  the  high  and  holy  place ; 

No  moth  can  there  annoy, 

Nor  make  to  fade  that  goodly  grace 
That  saints  shall  there  enjoy. 

7.  Mansions  for  glory  and  for  rest 

Do  there  prepared  stand ; 

Buildings  eternal  for  the  blest 
Are  there  provided,  and 


8.  The  glory  and  the  comeliness 

By  deepest  thought  none  may, 

With  heart  or  mouth,  fully  express, 

Nor  can  before  that  day 

9.  These  heavens  we  see  be  as  a scroll 

Or  garment  folded  up, 

Before  they  do  together  roll, 

And  we  called  in  to  sup 

10.  There  with  the  King,  the  Bridegroom,  and 

By  him  are  led  into 
His  palace-chambers,  there  to  stand 
With  his  prospect  to  view ; 

11.  And  taste,  and  smell,  and  be  inflam’d 

And  ravished  to  see 
The  buildings  he  hath  for  us  fram’d, 

How  full  of  heaven  they  be. 

12.  Its  state  also  is  marvellous, 

For  beauty  to  behold ; 

All  goodness  there  is  plenteous, 

And  better  far  than  gold ; 

13.  Adorn’d  with  grace  and  righteousness, 

While  fragrant  scents  of  love 
O’erflow  with  everlasting  bliss 
All  that  do  well  above. 

14.  The  heavenly  Majesty,  whose  face 

Doth  far  exceed  the  sun, 

Will  there  cast  forth  its  ray  of  grace 
After  this  world  is  done ; 

15.  Which  rays  and  beams  will  so  possess 

All  things  that  there  shall  dwell 
With  so  much  glory,  light  and  bliss 
That  none  can  think  or  tell. 

16.  That  wisdom  which  doth  order  all 

Shall  there  be  fully  shown ; 

That  strength  that  bears  the  world  there 
shall 

By  every  one  he  known. 

17.  That  holiness  and  sanctity 

Which  doth  all  thought  surpass 
Shall  there  in  present  purity 
Outshine  the  crystal  glass. 

IS.  The  beauty  and  the  comeliness 
Of  this  Almighty  shall 
Make  amiable  with  lasting  bliss 
Those  he  thereto  shall  call. 

19.  The  presence  of  this  God  will  be 
Eternal  life  in  all, 

And  health  and  gladness,  while  we  see 
Thy  face,  0 Immortal ! 


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BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


20.  Here  will  the  Lord  make  clear  and  plain 

How  sweetly  did  agree 
His  attributes  when  Christ  was  slain, 

Our  Saviour  for  to  be ; 

21.  How  wisdom  did  find  out  the  way ; 

How  strength  did  make  him  stand ; 
How  holiness  did  bear  the  sway 
And  answer  j ust  demand ; 

22.  How  all  these  attributes  did  bend 

Themselves  to  work  our  life 
Through  Jesus  Christ,  whom  God  did  send 
To  save  us  by  his  might. 

23.  All  this  will  sparkle  in  our  eye 

Within  the  holy  place, 

And  greatly  raise  our  melody, 

And  flow  our  hearts  with  grace, 

24.  The  largest  thought  that  can  arise 

Within  the  widest  heart 
Shall  then  be  filled  with  surprise, 

And  pleas’d  in  every  part. 

25.  All  mysteries  shall  here  be  seen, 

And  ev’ry  knot  untied ; 

Electing  love,  that  hid  hath  been, 

Shall  shine  on  every  side. 

26.  The  God  of  glory  here  will  be 

The  life  of  every  one, 

Whose  godly  attributes  shall  we 
Possess  them  as  our  own. 

27.  By  wisdom  we  all  things  shall  know, 

By  light  all  things  shall  see  ; 

By  strength  (too)  all  things  we  shall  do 
When  we  in  glory  be. 

28.  The  Holy  Lamb  of  God  also, 

Who  for  our  sakes  did  die, 

The  holy  ones  of  God  shall  know, 

And  that  most  perfectly. 

29.  Those  small  and  short  discoveries 

That  we  have  of  him  here 
Will  there  be  seen  with  open  eyes, 

In  visions  full  and  clear. 

30.  Those  many  thousand  acts  of  grace 

That  here  we  feel  and  find 
Shall  there  be  read  with  open  face 
Upon  his  heart  most  kind. 

31.  There  he  will  show  us  how  he  was 

Our  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King, 

And  how  he  did  maintain  our  cause, 

And  us  to  glory  bring. 


32.  There  we  shall  see  how  he  was  touch’d 

With  all  our  grief  and  pain, 

(As  in  his  word  he  hath  avouch’d,) 

When  we  with  him  shall  reign : 

33.  He’ll  show  us  also  how  he  did 

Maintain  our  faith  and  love, 

And  why  his  face  sometimes  he  hid 
From  us,  who  are  his  dove. 

34.  That  head  that  once  was  crowned  with 

thorns 

Shall  now  with  glory  shine, 

That  heart  that  broken  was  with  scorns 
Shall  flow  with  life  divine. 

35.  That  man  that  here  met  with  disgrace 

We  there  shall  see  so  bright 
That  angels  can’t  behold  his  face 
For  its  exceeding  light. 

36.  What  gladness  shall  possess  our  heart 

When  we  shall  see  these  things  I 
What  light  and  life  in  every  part 
Will  rise  like  lasting  springs ! 

37.  Oh  blessed  face  and  holy  grace ! 

When  shall  we  see  this  day?_ 

Lord,  fetch  us  to  this  goodly  place, 

We  humbly  do  thee  pray. 

38.  Next  to  this  Lamb  we  shall  behold 

All  saints,  both  more  and  less, 

With  whited  robes  in  glory  roll’d, 

. ’Cause  him  they  did  confess ; 

39.  Each  walking  in  his  righteousness, 

With  shining  crowns  of  gold, 
Triumphing  still  in  heavenly  bliss 
Amazing  to  behold. 

40.  Thus  as  they  shine  in  their  estate, 

So  too  in  their  degree ; 

Which  is  most  goodly  to  relate 
And  ravishing  to  see. 

41.  The  Majesty  whom  they  adore 

Doth  them  in  wisdom  place 
Upon  the  thrones,  and  that  before 
The  angels,  to  their  grace. 

42.  The  saints  of  the  Old  Testament, 

Full  right  to  their  degree, 

Likewise  the  New,  in  excellent 
Magnificency  be. 

43.  Each  one  his  badge  of  glory  wears 

According  to  his  place, 

According  as  were  his  affairs 
Here  in  the  time  of  grace. 


SERIOUS  MEDITATIONS  UPON  TIIE  FOUR  LAST  THINGS. 


993 


44.  Some  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Lamb, 

Likewise  some  on  the  left, 

With  robes  and  golden  chains  do  stand, 
Most  grave,  most  sage,  and  deft. 

45.  The  martyr  here  is  known  from  him 

Who  peaceably  did  die, 

Both  by  the  place  he  sitteth  in 
And  by  his  dignity. 

46.  Each  father,  saint,  and  prophet  shall, 

According  to  his  worth, 

Enjoy  the  honour  of  his  call, 

And  plainly  hold  it  forth. 

47.  Those  bodies  which  sometimes  were  torn, 

And  bones  that  broken  were, 

For  God’s  word,  he  doth  now  adorn 
With  health  and  glory  fair. 

48.  Thus,  when  in  heav’nly  harmony 

These  blessed  saints  appear, 

Adorn’d  with  grace  and  majesty. 

What  gladness  will  be  there! 

49.  This  shall  we  see,  thus  shall  we  be: 

Oh  would  the  day  were  come ! 

Lord  Jesus,  take  us  up  to  thee, 

To  this  desired  home. 

50.  Angels  also  we  shall  behold 

When  we  on  high  ascend, 

Each  shining  like  to  men  of  gold, 

And  on  the  Lord  attend. 

51.  These  goodly  creatures,  full  of  grace, 

Shall  stand  about  the  throne, 

Each  one  with  lightning  in  liis  face, 

And  shall  to  us  be  known. 

52.  These  cherubims  with  one  accord 

Shall  cry  continually, 

Ah,  holy,  holy,  holy  Lord, 

And  heavenly  Majesty ! 

53.  These  will  ns  in  their  arms  embrace, 

And  welcome  us  to  rest, 

And  joy  to  see  us  clad  with  grace, 

And  of  the  heavens  possessed. 

54.  This  we  shall  hear,  this  we  shall  see, 

While  raptures  take  us  up, 

When  we  with  blessed  Jesus  be, 

And  at  his  table  sup. 

65.  O shining  angels ! what!  must  we 
With  you  lift  up  our  voice? 

We  must,  and  with  you  ever  be, 

And  with  you  must  rejoice. 

63 


56.  Our  friends  that  lived  godly  here 

Shall  there  be  found  again — 

The  wife,  the  child,  and  father  dear, 

With  others  of  our  train; 

57.  Each  one  down  to  the  foot  in  white, 

Fill’d  to  the  brim  with  grace, 

Walking  among  the  saints  in  light, 

With  glad  and  joyful  face. 

58.  Those  God  did  use  us  to  convert 

We  there  with  joy  shall  meet, 

And  jointly  shall  with  all  our  heart 
In  life  each  other  greet. 

59.  A crown  to  them  we  then  shall  be, 

A glory  and  a joy, 

And  that  before  the  Lord,  when  he 
The  world  comes  to  destroy. 

60.  This  is  the  place,  this  is  the  state 

Of  all  that  fear  the  Lord; 

Which  men  nor  angels  may  relate 
With  tongue,  or  pen,  or  word. 

61.  No  night  is  here  for  to  eclipse 

Its  spangling  rays  so  bright, 

Nor  doubt  nor  fear  to  shut  the  lips 
Of  those  within  this  light. 

62.  The  strings  of  music  here  are  tun’d 

For  heavenly  harmony, 

And  every  spirit  here  perfum’d 
With  perfect  sanctity. 

63.  Here  run  the  crystal  streams  of  life 

Quite  through  all  our  veins, 

And  here  by  love  we  do  unite 
With  glory’s  golden  chains. 

64.  Now,  that  which  sweeteneth  all  will  be 

The  lasting  of  this  state  ; 

This  heightens  all  we  hear  and  see 
To  a transcendent  rate ; 

65.  For  should  the  saints  enjoy  all  this 

But  for  a certain  time, 

Oh  how  would  they  their  mark  then  miss, 
And  at  this  thing  repine  I 

66.  Yea,  ’tis  not  possible  that  they 

Who  then  shall  dwell  on  high 
. Should  be  content,  unless  they  may 
Dwell  there  eternally. 

67.  A thought  of  parting  with  this  place 

Would  bitter  all  their  sweet, 

And  darkness  put  upon  the  face 
Of  all  they  there  do  meet. 


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BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


68.  But  far  from  this  the  saints  shall  be; 

Their  portion  is  the  Lord, 

Whose  face  for  ever  they  shall  see, 

As  saith  the  holy  word ; 

69.  And  that  with  everlasting  peace, 

Joy,  and  felicity: 

From  this  time  forth  they  shall  increase 
Unto  eternity. 


OF  HELL,  AND  THE  ESTATE  OF 
THOSE  THAT  PERISH. 

1.  Thus  having  show’d  you  what  I see 

Of  heaven,  I now  will  tell 
You  also,  after  search,  who’ll  be 
The  damned  wights  of  hell. 

2.  And  oh  that  they  that  read  my  lines 

Would  ponder  soberly, 

And  lay  to  heart  such  things  betimes 
As  touch  eternity  I 

3.  The  sleepy  sinner  little  thinks  ' 

AVhat  sorrows  will  abound 
Within  him  when  upon  the  brinks 
Of  Tophet  he  is  found. 

4.  Hell  is  beyond  all  thought  a state 

So  doubtful  and  forlorn, 

So  fearful,  that  none  can  relate 
The  pangs  that  there  are  borne. 

5.  God  will  exclude  them  utterly 

From  his  most  blessed  face, 

And  then  involve  in  misery, 

In  shame,  and  in  disgrace. 

6.  God  is  the  fountain  of  all  bliss, 

Of  life,  of  light,  and  peace ; 

They  then  must  needs  be  comfortless 
Who  are  depriv’d  of  these. 

7.  Instead  of  life,  a living  death 

Will  there  in  all  be  found  ; 

Dyings  will  be  in  every  breath — 

Thus  sorrow  will  abound. 

8.  No  light,  but  darkness  here  doth  dwell, 

No  peace,  but  horror  strange ; 

The  fearful,  damning  wights  of  hell 
In  all  will  make  this  change. 

9.  To  many  things  the  damneds’  woe 

Is  likened  in  the  word  ; 

And  that  because  no  one  can  show 
The  vengeance  of  the  Lord. 


10.  Unto  a dreadful  burning  lake, 

All  on  a fiery  flame, 

Hell  is  compared,  for  to  make 
All  understand  the  same. 

11.  A burning  lake,  a furnace  hot, 

A burning  oven  too, 

Must  be  the  portion,  share,  and  lot 
Of  those  which  evil  sow. 

12.  This  plainly  shows  the  burning  heat 

With  which  it  will  oppress 
All  hearts,  and  will  like  burnings  eat 
Their  souls  with  sore  distress. 

13.  This  burning  lake,  it  is  God’s  wrath, 

Incensed  by  the  sin 
Of  those  who  do  reject  his  path, 

And  wicked  ways  walk  in  ; 

14.  Which  wrath  will  so  perplex  all  parts 

Of  body  and  of  soul, 

As  if  up  to  the  very  hearts 
In  burnings  they  did  roll. 

15.  Again,  to  show  the  loathsome  state 

Of  this  so  sad  a case, 

Like  burning  brimstone  God  doth  make 
The  hidings  of  his  face. 

16.  And  truly  as  the  stream  and  smoke 

And  flames- of  brimstone  smell, 

To  blind  the  eyes  and  stomach  choke, 

So  are  the  pangs  of  hell. 

17.  To  see  a sea  of  brimstone  burn, 

Who  would  it  not  affright? 

But  they  whom  God  to  hell  doth  turn 
Are  in  most  woeful  plight. 

18.  This  burning  cannot  quenched  be, 

No,  not  with  tears  of  blood ; 

No  mournful  groans  in  misery 
Will  here  do  any  good. 

19.  O damned  men  ! this  is  your  fate; 

The  day  of  grace  is  done; 

Repentance  now  doth  come  too  late, 
Mercy  is  fled  and  gone. 

20.  Your  groans  and  cries  the  sooner  should 

Have  sounded  in  mine  ears, 

If  grace  you  would  have  had,  or  would 
Have  me  regard  your  tears. 

21.  Me  you  offended  with  your  sin, 

Instructions  you  did  slight ; 

Your  sins  against  my  law  hath  been: 
Justice  shall  have  his  right. 


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995 


22.  I gave  my  Son  to  do  you  good, 

I gave  you  space  and  time 
With  him  to  close,  which  you  withstood,  • 
And  did  with  hell  combine. 

23.  Justice  against  you  now  is  set, 

Which  you  cannot  appease: 

Eternal  Justice  doth  you  let 
From  either  life  or  case. 

24.  Thus  lie  that  to  this  place  doth  come 

May  groan,  and  sigh,  and  weep, 

But  sin  hath  made  that  place  his  home, 
And  there  it  will  him  keep; 

25.  Wherefore  hell,  in  another  place, 

Is  called  a prison  too, 

And  all  to  show  the  evil  case 
Of  all  sin  doth  undo. 

26.  Which  prison,  with  its  locks  and  bars 

Of  God’s  lasting  decree, 

Will  hold  them  fast.  Oh  how  this  mars 
All  thought  of  being  free! 

27.  Out  at  these  brazen  bars  they  may 

The  saints  in  glory  see, 

But  this  will  not  their  grief  allay, 

But  to  them  torment  be. 

28.  Thus  they  in  this  infernal  cave 

Will  now  be  holdcu  fast 
From  heavenly  freedom;  tho’  they  crave, 
Of  it  they  may  not  taste. 

29.  The  chains  that  darkness  on  them  hangs, 

Still  rattling  in  their  cars, 

Create  within  them  heavy  pangs, 

And  still  augment  their  fears. 

30.  Thus,  hopeless  of  all  remedy, 

They  dyingly  do  sink 
Into  the  jaws  of  misery, 

And  seas  of  sorrow  drink ; 

81.  For  being  copp’d  on  every  side 
With  helplessness  and  grief, 

Headlong  into  despair  they  slide, 

Bereft  of  all  relief. 

32.  Therefore  this  hell  is  call’d  a pit, 

Prepar’d  for  those  that  die 
The  second  death — a term  most  fit 
To  show  their  misery. 

83.  A pit  that’s  bottomless  is  this, 

A gulf  of  grief  and  woe, 

A dungeon  which  they  canuot  miss 
That  will  themselves  undo. 


34.  Thus  without  stay  they  always  sink, 

Thus-fainting  still  they  fail; 

Despair  they  up  like  water  drink ; 

These  prisoners  have  no  bail. 

35.  Here  meets  them  now  that  worm  that  gnaws 

And  plucks  their  bowels  out; 

The  pit  too  on  them  shuts  her  jaws; 

This  dreadful  is,  no  doubt. 

36.  This  ghastly  worm  is  guilt  for  sin, 

That  on  the  conscience  feeds 
With  viper’s  teeth,  both  sharp  and  keen, 
Whereat  it  sorely  bleeds. 

37.  This  worm  is  fed  by  memory, 

Which  strictly  brings  to  mind 
All  things  done  in  prosperity, 

As  we  in  Scripture  find. 

38.  No  word,  nor  thought,  nor  act  they  did 

But  now  is  set  in  sight; 

Not  one  of  them  can  now  be  hid — 
Memory  gives  them  light; 

39.  On  which  the  understanding  still 

Will  judge  and  sentence  pass; 

This  kills  the  mind,  and  wounds  the  will; 
Alas ! alas  ! alas ! 

40.  Oh,  conscience  is  the  slaughter-shop; 

There  hangs  the  axe  and  knife; 

’Tis  there  the  worm  makes  all  things  hot, 
And  wearies  out  the  life. 

41.  Here,  then,  is  execution  done 

On  body  and  on  soul ; 

For  conscience  will  be  bribed  of  none, 

But  gives  to  all  their  dole. 

42.  This  worm,  ’tis  said,  shall  never  die, 

But  in  the  belly  be 
Of  all  that  in  the  flames  shall  lie: 

Oh  dreadful  sight  to  see ! 

43.  This  worm  now  needs  must  in  them  live, 

For  sin  will  still  be  there, 

And  guilt,  for  God  will  not  forgive, 

Nor  Christ  their  burden  bear, 

44.  But  take  from  them  all  help  and  stay, 

And  leave  them  to  despair, 

Which  feeds  upon  them  night  and  day: 
This  is  the  damneds’  share. 

45.  Now  will  confusion  so  possess 

These  monuments  of  ire, 

And  so  confound  them  with  distress. 

And  trouble  their  desire, 


B TJNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


996 

46.  That  what  to  think,  or  what  to  do, 

Or  where  to  lay  their  head. 

They  know  not;  ’tis  the  damneds’  woe 
To  live,  and  yet  be  dead. 

47.  These  castaways  would  fain  have  life, 

But  no,  they  never  shall ; 

They  would  forget  their  dreadful  plight, 
But  that  sticks  fast'st  of  all. 

48.  God,  Christ,  and  heaven  they  know  are  best, 

Yet  dare  not  on  them  think; 

The  saints  they  know  in  joys  do  rest, 
Whilst  they  their  tears  do  drink. 

49.  They  cry,  alas  ! but  all  in  vain, 

They  stick  fast  in  the  mire; 

They  would  be  rid  of  present  pain, 

Yet  set  themselves  on  fire. 

50.  Darkness  is  their  perplexity, 

Yet  do  they  hate  the  light; 

They  always  see  their  misery, 

Yet  are  themselves  all  night. 

51.  They  are  all  dead,  yet  live  they  do; 

Yet  neither  live  nor  die: 

They  die  to  weal,  and  live  to  woe; 

This  is  their  misery. 

52.  Now  is  the  joy  they  lived  in 

All  turn’d  to  brinish  tears, 

And  resolute  attempts  to  sin 
Turn’d  into  hellish  fears. 

53.  Their  dolour,  in  their  bitterness, 

So  greatly  they  bemoan 
That  hell  itself  this  to  express 
Doth  echo  with  their  groan  : 

54.  I once  was  fair  for  light  and  grace. 

My  days  were  long  and  good  ; 

I lived  in  a blessed  place, 

Where  was  most  heav’nly  food; 

55.  But,  wretch  I am,  I slighted  life, 

And  chose  in  death  to  live; 

Oh  for  these  days  now,  if  I might, 

Ten  thousand  worlds  would  give. 

06.  Ah,  golden  time!  I did  thee  spend 
In  sin  and  idleness  ; 

Ah,  health  and  wealth ! I did  you  lend 
To  bring  me  to  distress. 

57.  My  feet  to  evil  I let  run, 

And  tongue  of  folly  talk ; 

My  eyes  to  vanity  have  gone: 

' Thus  did  I plainly  walk. 


58.  I did  as  greatly  toil  and  strain 

Myself  with  sin  to  please 
As  if  that  everlasting  gain 

Could  have  been  found  in  these. 

59.  But  nothing,  nothing  have  I found 

But  weeping  and  alas  ! 

And  sorrow  which  doth  now  surround 
Me,  and  augment  my  cross. 

60.  Ah,  bleeding  conscience!  how  did  I 

Thee  check  when  thou  didst  tell 
Me  of  my  faults,  for  which  I lie 
Dead,  while  I live  in  hell ! 

61.  I took  thee  for  some  peevish  foe 

When  thou  didst  me  accuse; 

Therefore  I did  thee  buffet  so, 

And  counsel  did  refuse. 

62.  Ah,  mind!  why  didst  thou  do  those  things 

That  now  do  work  my  woe  ? 

Ah,  will!  why  wast  thou  thus  inclin’d 
Me  ever  to  undo? 

63.  My  senses!  how  were  you  beguiled, 

When  you  said  sin  was  good ! 

It  hath  in  all  parts  me  defiled, 

And  drown’d  me  like  a flood. 

64.  Ah  ! that  I now  a being  have 

In  sorrow  and  in  pain! 

Mother,  would  you  had  been  my  gravel 
But  this  I wish  in  vain. 

65.  Had  I been  made  a cockatrice, 

A toad,  or  such-like  thing, 

Yea,  had  I been  made  snow  or  ice, 

Th'en  had  I had  no  sin. 

66.  A stock,  a stock,  a stone,  or  clot 

Is  happier  than  I ; 

For  they  know  neither  cold  nor  hot, 

To  live,  nor  yet  to  die. 

67.  I envy  now  the  happiness 

Of  those  that  are  in  light; 

I hate  the  very  name  of  bliss, 

’Cause  I have  there  no  right. 

68.  Again,  still  as  they  in  this  muse 

Are  feeding  on  the  fire, 

To  mind  there  comes  yet  other  news 
To  screw  their  torments  higher; 

69.  Which  is  the  length  of  this  estate 

Where  they  at  present  lie, 

Which  in  a word  I thus  relate : 

’Tis  to  eternity ! 


SERIOUS  MEDITATIONS  UTON  THE  FOUR  LAST  THINGS. 


70.  This  thought  now  is  so  firmly  fix’d 
In  all  that  comes  to  mind, 

And  also  is  so  strongly  mix’d 
With  wrath  of  every  kind, 

71  So  that  whatever  they  do  know, 

Or  see,  or  think,  or  feel, 

FOR  EVER  still  doth  strike  them  through, 
As  with  a bar  of  steel. 

72.  For  ever  shineth  in  the  fire, 

Ever  is  on  the  chains ; 

’Tis  also  in  the  pit  of  ire, 

And  tastes  in  all  their  pains. 

73.  For  ever  separate  from  God, 

From  peace,  and  life,  and  rest; 

For  ever  underneath  the  rod 
That  vengeance  liketli  best. 


74.  Oh  ever,  ever ! this  will  drown 

Them  quite,  and  make  them  cry: 
We  never  shall  get  o’er  thy  bound, 

0 great  eternity ! 

75.  They  sooner  now  the  stars  may  count 

Than  loose  these  dismal  bands, 

Or  see  to  what  the  motes  amount, 

Or  number  up  the  sands, 

76.  Than  see  an  end  of  this  their  woe 

Which  now  for  sin  they  have; 

0 wantons ! take  heed  what  you  do ; 
Sin  will  you  never  save. 

77.  Yea,  when  they  have,  time  out  of  min 

Been  in  this  case  so  ill, 

For  ever,  ever  is  behind, 

Yet  for  them  to  fulfil. 


A CAUTION 


TO  STIR  UP  TO  WATCH  AGAINST  SIN. 


The  first  eight  lines  one  did  commend  to  me, 

The  rest  I thought  good  to  commend  to  thee : 
Bender,  in  reading  bo  thou  rul’d  by  me: 

With  rhymes  nor  lines,  but  truths,  afi’ectcd  be. 

Sin  will  at  first,  just  like  a beggar,  crave 
One  penny  or  one  halfpenny  to  have; 

But  if  you  grant  its  first  suit,  ’twill  aspire 
From  pence  to  pounds,  and  still  will  mount  up 
higher, 

To  the  whole  soul ; but  if  it  makes  its  moan, 
Then  say,  Here  is  not  for  you ; get  you  gone ! 
For  if  you  give  it  entrance  at  the  door, 

It  will  come  in,  and  may  go  out  no  more. 

Sin,  rather  than  ’twill  out  of  action  be, 

Will  pray  to  stay,  though  a short  space,  with 
thee : 

One  night,  one  hour,  one  moment,  will  it  cry, 
Embrace  me  in  thy  bosom,  or  I die. 

Time  to  repent  (saith  it)  I will  allow, 

And  help  if  to  repent  thou  know’st  not  how. 
But  if  you  give  it  entrance  at  the  door, 

It  will  come  in,  and  may  go  out  no  more. 

If  begging  doth  not  do,  Sin  promise  will 
Rewards  to  those  that  shall  his  lusts  fulfil ; 
Some  pence  in  hand,  yea  pounds,  ’twill  offer 
thee, 

If  at  its  motion  and  its  beck  thou’lt  be. 

’Twill  Heaven  seem  to  outbid,  and  all  to  gain 
Thy  love,  and  win  thee  it  to  entertain. 

But  give  it  not  admittance  at  thy  door, 

Lest  it  comes  in,  and  so  goes  out  no  more. 

If  promising  and  begging  will  not  do 
’Twill  by  its  wiles  attempt  to  flatter  you: 

I’m  harmless,  mean  no  ill,  be  not  so  shy, 

Will  every  soul-destroying  motion  cry. 

Its  sting  ’twill  hide,  ’twill  change  its  native  hue ; 
Vile  ’twill  not,  but  a beauty  seem,  to  you. 

But  if  you  give  it  entrance  at  the  door, 

Its  sting  will  in,  and  may  come  out  no  more. 


Rather  than  fail,  Sin  will  itself  divide, 

Bid  thee  do  this,  and  lay  the  rest  aside, 

Take  little  ones,  (’twill  say,)  throw  great  ones  by, 
(As  if  for  little  sins  men  should  not  die.) 

Yea,  Sin  with  itself  a quarrel  will  maintain, 
On  purpose  that  by  it  thou  miglitst  be  slain. 
Beware  the  cheat,  then  keep  it  out  of  doorj 
It  would  come  in,  and  would  go  out  no  more. 

Sin,  if  you  will  believe  it,  will  accuse 
What  is  not  hurtful,  and  itself  excuse ; 

’Twill  make  a vice  of  virtue,  and  ’twill  say, 
Good  is  destructive,  doth  men’s  souls  betray : 
’Twill  make  a law  where  God  has  made  man 
free, 

And  break  those  laws  by  which  men  bounded  be. 
Look  to  thyself,  then,  keep  it  out  of  door ; 
Thee  ’twould  entangle  and  enlarge  thy  score. 

Sin  is  that  beastly  thing  that  will  defile 
Soul,  body,  name,  and  fame  in  little  while ; 
’Twill  make  him  who  some  time  God’s  image 
was 

Look  like  the  devil,  love  and  plead  his  cause ; 
Like  to  the  plague,  poison,  or  leprosy, 

Defile  it  will  and  infect  contagiously. 
Wherefore  beware,  against  it  shut  the  door; 
If  not,  it  will  defile  thee  more  and  more. 

Sin,  once  possessed  of  the  heart,  will  play 
The  tyrant,  force  its  vassal  to  obey : 

’Twill  make  thee  thine  own  happiness  oppose, 
And  offer  open  violence  to  those 
That  love  thee  best ; yea,  make  thee  to  defy 
The  law  and  counsel  of  the  Deity. 

Beware,  then,  keep  this  tyrant  out  of  door, 
Lest  thou  be  his,  and  so  thine  own  no  more, 

Sin  harden  can  thy  heart  against  thy  God, 
Make  thee  abuse  his  grace,  despise  his  rod ; 
’Twill  make  you  run  upon  the  very  pikes; 
Judgments  foreseen  bring  such  to  no  dislikes 

993 


]000 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Of  sinful  hazards ; no,  they  venture  shall, 

For  one  base  lust,  their  soul,  and  heaven,  and  all. 
Take  heed,  then,  hold  it,  crush  it  at  the  door; 
It  comes  to  rob  thee  and  to  make  thee  poor. 

Sin  is  a prison,  hath  its  bolts,  its  chains, 
Brings  into  bondage  who  it  entertains, 

Hangs  shackles  on  them,  bends  them  to  its  will, 
Holds  them,  as  Samsons,  grinding  at  the  mill  ; 
’Twill  blind  them,  make  them  deaf;  yea,  ’twill 
them  gag, 

And  ride  them  as  the  devil  rides  his  hag. 
Wherefore  look  to  it,  keep  it  out  of  door; 

If  once  its  slave,  thou  mayst  be  free  no  more. 

Though  Sin  at  first  its  rage  dissemble  may, 
’Twill  soon  upon  thee  as  a lion  prey ; 

’Twill  roar,  ’twill  rend,  ’twill  tear,  ’twill  kill 
outright ; 

Its  living  death  will  gnaw  thee  day  and  night. 
Thy  pleasures  now  to  paws  and  teeth  it  turns ; 
In  thee  its  tickling  lusts  like  brimstone  burns. 
Wherefore  beware,  and  keep  it  out  of  door, 
Lest  it  should  on  thee  as  a lion  roar. 

Sin  will  accuse,  will  stare  thee  in  the  face, 
Will,  for  its  witness,  quote  both  time  and  place 
Where  thou  it  didst  commit  and  so  appeal 
To  conscience,  who  thy  facts  dare  not  conceal, 
But  on  thee  as  a judge  such  sentence  pass 
As  will  to  thy  sweet  meats  prove  bitter  sauce. 
Wherefore  beware,  against  it  shut  thy  door ; 
Repent  what’s  past,  believe,  and  sin  no  more. 

Sin  is  the  living  worm,  the  lasting  fire ; 

Hell  would  soon  lose  its  heat  could  sin  expire: 


Better  sinless  in  hell  than  to  be  where 
Heaven  is  and  to  be  found  a sinner  there. 

One  sinless  with  internals  might  do  -well, 

But  sin  would  make  a very  heaven  a hell, 
Look  to  thyself,  then,  to  keep  it  out  of  door 
Lest  it  gets  in,  and  never  leaves  thee  more. 

No  match  has  Sin  but  God,  in  all  the  world; 
Men,  angels  it  has  from  their  station  hurl’d, 
Holds  them  in  chains  as’ captives,  in  despite 
Of  all  that  here  below  is  called  might. 
Release,  help,  freedom  from  it  none  can  give 
But  even  He  by  whom  we  breathe  and  live. 
Watch,  therefore,  keep  this  giant  out  of  door 
Lest,  if  once  in,  thou  get  him  out  no  more. 

Fools  make  a mock  at  sin,  will  not  believe 
It  carries  such  a dagger  in  its  sleeve : 

How  can  it  be  (say  they)  that  such  a thing, 

So  full  of  sweetness,  should  e’er  wear  a sting  ? 
They  know  not  that  it  is  the  very  spell 
Of  Sin  to  make  men  laugh  themselves  to 
hell. 

Look  to  thyself,  then,  deal  with  sin  no 
more, 

Lest  He  that  saves  against  thee  shuts  the  door. 

Now  let  the  God  that  is  above, 

That  hath  for  sinners  so  much  love, 

These  lines  so  help  thee  to  improve 
That  he  to  him  thy  heart  may  move ; 

Keep  thee  from  outward  enemies, 

Help  the  infernal  to  despise, 

Deliver  thee  from  them  infernal, 

And  bring  thee  safe  to  life  eternal. 

Amen. 


DIVINE  EMBLEMS; 

OR, 

TEMPORAL  THINGS  SPIRITUALIZED: 

FITTED  FOR  TIIE  USE  OF  BOYS  AND  GIRLS. 


TO  THE 

Courteous  Reader: 

The  title-page  will  show,  if  thou  wilt  look, 
Who  are  the  proper  subjeets  of  this  book  : 
They’re  boys  and  girls,  of  all  sorts  and  degrees, 
From  those  of  age  to  children  on  the  knees. 
Thus  comprehensive  am  I in  my  notions; 

They  tempt  me  to  it  by  their  childish  motions. 
We  now  have  boys  with  beards,  and  girls  that 
be 

Huge  as  old  women,  wanting  gravity. 

Then  do  not  blame  me,  since  I thus  describe 
’em ; 

Flatter  I may  not,  lest  thereby  I bribe  them 
To  have  a better  judgment  of  themselves 
Than  wise  men  have  of  babies  on  the  shelves. 
Their  antic  tricks,  fantastic  modes  and  way 
Show  they  like  very  boys  and  girls  do  play 
With  all  the  frantic  fooleries  of  the  age, 

And  that  in  open  view,  as  on  a stage : 

Our  bearded  men  do  act  like  beardless  boys, 
Our  women  please  themselves  with  childish 
toys. 

Our  ministers  long  time  by  word  and  pen 
Dealt  with  them,  counting  them  not  boys,  but 
men : 

They  shot  their  thunders  at  them  and  their  toys, 
But  hit  them  not,  ’cause  they  were  girls  and 
boys. 

The  better  charg’d  the  wilder  still  they  shot, 
Or  else  so  high  these  dwarfs  they  touched  not. 
Instead  of  men,  they  found  them  girls  and  boys, 
To  naught  addicted  but  to  childish  toys. 

Wherefore,  dear  reader,  that  I save  them  may 
I now  with  them  the  very  dotril  play ; 

And  since  at  gravity  they  make  a tush, 

My  very  beard  I cast  behind  a bush, 


READER. 

And  like  a fool  stand  fing’ring  of  their  toys, 
And  all  to  show  they  are  but  girls  and  boys. 

Nor  do  I blush,  altho’  I think  some  may 
Call  me  a child,  because  I with  them  play: 

I aim  to  show  them  how  each  fingle-fangle 
On  which  they  dote  does  but  their  souls  entan* 
g!e, 

As  with  a web,  a trap,  a gin,  a snare, 

And  will  destroy  them,  have  they  not  a care. 

Paul  seem’d  to  play  the  fool,  that  he  might 
gain 

Those  that  were  fools  indeed,  if  not  in  grain ; 
He  did  it  by  such  things,  to  let  them  see 
Their  emptiness,  their  sin  and  vanity — 

A noble  act  and  full  of  honesty ! 

Nor  he,  nor  I,  would  like  them  be  in  vice, 
But  by  their  playthings  I would  them  entice, 
That  they  might  raise  their  thoughts  from 
childish  toys 

To  heaven,  for  that’s  prepar’d  for  girls  and  boy3. 
Nor  would  I so  confine  myself  to  these 
As  to  shun  graver  things,  but  seek  to  please 
Those  more  composed  with  better  things  than 
toys, 

Tho’  I would  thus  be  catching  girls  and  boys. 

Wherefore,  if  men  inclined  are  to  look, 
Perhaps  their  graver  fancies  may  be  took 
With  what  is  here,  tho’  but  in  homely  rhymes; 
But  he  who  pleases  all  must  rise  betimes. 
Some,  I persuade  me,  will  be  finding  fault, 
Concluding  here  I trip  and  there  I halt: 

No  doubt  some  could  those  grovelling  notions 
raise 

By  fine-spun  terms,  that  challenge  might  the 
bays. 


1001 


1002 


BUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Should  all  be  forc’d  their  brains  to  lay  aside 
That  cannot  regulate  the  flowing  tide 
By  this  or  that  man’s  fancy,  we  should  have 
The  wise  unto  the  fool  become  a slave. 

What,  tho’  my  text  seems  mean,  my  morals  be 
Grave,  as  if  fetch’d  from  a sublimer  tree. 

And  if  some  better  handle  can  a fly 
Than  some  a text,  wherefore  should  we  deny 
Their  making  proof  or  good  experiment 
Of  smallest  things,  great  mischiefs  to  prevent? 

Wise  Solomon  did  fools  to  pismires  send 
To  learn  true  wisdom,  and  their  lives  to 
mend ; 

Yea,  God,  by  swallows,  cuckoos,  and  the  ass, 
Shows  they  are  fools  who  let  the  season  pass 
Which  he  put  in  their  hand,  that  to  obtain 
Which  is  both  present  and  eternal  gain. 

I think  the  wiser  sort  my  rhyme  may 
slight; 

While  I peruse  them  fools  will  take  delight. 


Then  what  care  I?  The  foolish  God  has  chose, 
And  doth  by  foolish  things  their  minds  com- 
pose, 

And  settle  upon  that  which  is  divine: 

Great  things  by  little  ones  are  made  to  shine. 

I could,  were  I so  pleas’d,  use  higher  strains, 
And  for  applause  or  tenters  stretch  my  brains; 
But  what  needs  that?  The  arrow  out  of  sight 
Does  not  the  sleeper  nor  the  watchman  fright: 
To  shoot  too  high  doth  make  but  children  gaze; 
’Tis  that  which  hits  the  man  doth  him  amaze. 

As  for  the  inconsiderableness 
Of  things  by  which  I do  my  mind  express, 
May  I by  them  bring  some  good  thing  to  pass 
As  Samson  with  the  jawbone  of  an  ass, 

Or  as  brave  Slmmgar  with  his  ox’s  goad, 

(Both  things  unmanly,  not  for  war  in  mode,)' 

I have  my  end,  tho’  I myself  expose. 

For  God  will  have  the  glory  at  the  close. 

J.  B. 


DIVINE  EMBLEMS,  &c. 


UPON  THE  LARK  AND  THE  FOWLER. 

Thou  simple  bird,  what  makes  thee  here  to 
play  ? 

Look,  there’s  the  fowler,  prithee  come  away. 
Dost  not  behold  the  net?  Look,  there  ’tis 
spread ; 

Venture  a little  further,  thou  art  dead. 

Is  there  not  room  enough  in  all  the  field 
For  thee  to  play  in,  but  thou  needs  must  yield 
To  the  deceitful  glitt’ring  of  a glass 
Between  nets  placed,  to  bring  thy  death  to  pass? 

Bird,  if  thou  art  so  much  for  dazzling  light, 
Look,  there’s  the  sun  above  thee,  dart  up- 
right; 

Thy  nature  is  to  soar  up  to  the  sky ; 

Why  wilt  thou,  then,  come  down  to  the  nets 
and  die? 

Heed  not  the  fowler’s  tempting,  flattering 
call ; 

This  whistle  he  enchanteth  birds  withal. 

Wh  at  tho’  thou  seest  a live  bird  in  his  net? 
She’s  there  because  from  thence  she  cannot  get. 

Look  how  he  tempteth  thee  with  his  decoy, 
That  he  may  rob  thee  of  thy  life,  thy  joy. 
Come,  prithee,  bird;  I prithee  come  away; 
Why  shouldst  thou  to  this  net  become  a prey? 

Hadst  thou  not  wings,  or  were  thy  feathers 
pull’d, 

Or  wast  thou  blind,  or  fast  asleep  wert  lull’d, 
The  case  would  somewhat  alter,  but  for  thee, 
Thy  eyes  are  ope,  and  thou  hast  wings  to  flee. 

Remember  that  thy  song  is  in  thy  rise, 

Not  in  thy  fall;  earth’s  not  thy  paradise. 

Keep  up  aloft,  then ; let  thy  circuits  be 
Above,  where  birds  from  fowlers’  nets  are  free. 

COMPARISON. 

This  fowler  is  an  emblem  of  the  devil, 

His  nets  and  whistle  fingers  of  all  evil; 


Ill's  glass  an  emblem  is  of  sinful  pleasure, 
Decoying  such  who  reckon  sin  a treasure. 

This  simple  lark’s  a shadow  of  a saint, 
Under  allurings  ready  now  to  faint. 

What  you  have  read  a needful  warning  is, 
Design’d  to  show  the  soul  its  share  and  bliss. 


MEDITATIONS  UPON  AN  EGG. 

The  egg’s  no  chick  by  falling  from  the  hen, 
Nor  man  a Christian  till  he’s  born  again. 

The  egg’s  at  first  contained  in  the  shell; 

Men  afore  grace  in  sins  aud  darkness  dwell. 
The  egg,  when  laid,  by  warmth  is  made  a 
chicken, 

And  Christ  by  grace  the  dead  in  sin  doth 
quicken, 

The  chick  at  first  is  in  the  cell  confin’d; 

So  heaven-born  souls  are  in  the  flesh  detain’d. 
The  shell  doth  crack,  the  chick  doth  chirp  and 
peep ; 

The  flesh  decays,  and  men  then  pray  and  weep. 
The  shell  doth  break,  the  chick’s  at  liberty; 
The  flesh  Tails  off,  the  soul  mounts  up  on  high. 
But  both  do  not  enjoy  the  selfsame  plight — 
The  soul  is  safe,  the  chick  now  fears  the  kite. 

But  chicks  from  rotten  eggs  do  not  proceed, 
Nor  is  an  hypocrite  a saint  indeed. 

The  rotten  egg,  tho’  underneath  the  hen, 

If  crack’d,  is  foul,  and  loathsome  unto  men  ; 
Nor  doth  her  warmth  make  what  is  rotten 
sound : 

What’s  rotten,  rotten  will  at  last  be  found. 

The  hypocrite,  sin  has  in  him  possession  ; 

He  is  a rotten  egg  under  profession. 

Some  eggs  bring  cockatrices ; and  some  men 
Seem  hatch’d  and  brooded  in  the  viper’s  den. 

1003 


BUNT  Aim  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


1004 

Some  eggs  briDg  wild-fowls;  and  some  men 
there  be 

As  wild  as  are  the  wildest  fowls  that  flee. 

Some  eggs  bring  spiders ; and  some  men  appear 
More  venom’d  than  the  worst  of  spiders  are. 
Some  eggs  bring  pismires ; and  some  seem  to  me 
As  much  for  trifles  as  the  pismires  be. 

And  thus  do  divers  eggs  form  diff  ’rent  shapes, 
As  like  some  men  as  monkeys  are  like  apes; 
But  this  is  but  an  egg  ; were  it  a chick, 

Here  had  been  legs,  and  wings,  and  bones  to 
pick. 


UPON  THE  FLINT  IN  THE  WATER. 

This  flint  timeout  of  mind  hath  there  abode 
Where  crystal  streams  make  their  continual 
road, 

Yet  it  abides  a flint  as  much  as  ’twere 
Before  it  touch’d  the  water  or  came  there. 

Its  hardness  is  not  in  the  least  abated, 

’Tis  not  at  all  by  water  penetrated ; 

Though  w'ater  hath  a soft’ning  virtue  in’t, 

It  can’t  dissolve  the  stone,  for  ’tis  a flint. 

Yea,  tho’  in  the  water  it  doth  still  remain, 
Its  fiery  nature  still  it  does  retain ; 

If  you  oppose  it  with  its  opposite, 

Then  in  your  very  face  its  fire  ’twill  spit. 

COMPARISON. 

This  flint  an  emblem  is  of  those  that  lie 
Under  the  word  like  stones  until  they  die ; 

Its  crystal  streams  have  not  their  natures 
chang’d ; 

They  are  not  from  their  lusts  by  grace  estrang’d. 


UPON  THE  FISH  IN  THE  WATER. 

The  water  is  the  fish’s  element: 

Take  her  from  thence,  none  can  her  death 
prevent ; 

And  some  have  said,  who  have  transgressors 
been, 

As  good  not  be  as  to  be  kept  from  sin. 

The  water  is  the  fish’s  element : 

Leave  her  but  there  and  she  will  be  content; 
So’s  he  who  in  the  path  of  life  doth  plod  ; 
Take  all,  says  he ; let  me  but  have  my  God. 


The  water  is  the  fish’s  element  : 

Her  sportings  there  to  her  are  excellent  ; 
So  is  God’s  service  unto  holy  men  ; 

They  are  not  in  their  element  till  then. 


UPON  TPIE  SWALLOW. 

This  pretty  bird,  oh  how  she  flies  and  sings ! 
But  could  she  do  so  if  she  had  not  wings? 

Her  wings  bespeak  my  faith,  her  songs  my 
peace ; 

When  I believe  and  sing  my  doubtings  cease. 


UPON  THE  BEE. 

The  bee  goes  out,  and  honey  home  doth  bring, 
And  some  who  seek  that  honey  find  a sting. 
Now  wouldst  thou  have  the  honey,  and  be  free 
From  stinging,  in  the  first  place  kill  the  bee, 

comparison. 

This  bee  an  emblem  truly  is  of  sin, 

Whose  sweet  unto  a many  death  hath  been : 
Wouldst  thou  have  sweet  from  sin,  and  yet  not 
die, 

Sin,  in  the  first  place,  thou  must  mortify. 


UPON  OVERMUCH  NICENESS. 

’Tis  strange  to  see  how  overnice  are  some 
About  their  clothes,  their  bodies,  and  their 
home, 

While  what’s  of  worth  they  slightly  pass  it  by, 
Not  doing  it  at  all,  or  slovenly. 

Their  houses  mustwell  furnish’d  be  in  print, 
While  their  immortal  soul  has  no  good  in’t; 
Its  outside  also  they  must  beautify, 

While  there  is  in’t  scarce  common  honesty. 

Their  bodies  they  must  have  trick’d  up  and 
trim, 

Their  inside  full  of  filth  up  to  the  brim ; 

Upon  their  clothes  there  must  not  be  a spot, 
Whereas  their  lives  are  but  one  common  blot. 

How  nice,  how  coy  are  some  about  their  diet 
That  can  their  crying  souls  with  hogs’  meat 
quiet ! 

All  must  be  drest  to  a hair,  or  else  ’tis  naught, 
While  of  the  living  bread  they  have  no  thought. 


DIVINE  EMBLEMS  FOR  YOUTII. 


1005 


MEDITATIONS  UPON  A CANDLE. 

Man’s  like  a candle  in  a candlestick, 

Made  up  of  tallow  and  a little  wick; 

For  what  the  candle  is  before  ’tis  lighted, 

Just  such  be  they  who  are  in  sin  benighted; 
Nor  can  a man  his  soul  with  grace  inspire, 
More  than  the  candles  set  themselves  on  fire. 

Candles  receive  their  light  from  what  they 
are  not ; 

Men  grace  from  Him  for  whom  at  first  they 
care  not. 

We  manage  candles  when  they  take  the  fire ; 
God,  men,  when  he  with  grace  doth  them  in- 
spire. 

And  biggest  candles  give  the  better  light, 

As  grace  on  biggest  sinners  shines  most  bright. 

The  candle  shines  to  make  another  see ; 

A saint  unto  his  neighbour  light  should  be. 

The  blinking  candle  we  do  much  despise; 
Saints  dim  of  light  are  high  in  no  man’s  eyes. 

Again,  though  it  may  seem  to  some  a riddle, 
We  use  to  light  our  candle  at  the  middle. 

True  light  doth  at  the  candle’s  end  appear, 
And  grace  the  heart  first  reaches  by  the  ear ; 
But  ’tis  the  wick  the  fire  doth  kindle  on, 

As  ’tis  the  heart  that  grace  first  works  upon. 
Thus  both  do  fasten  upon  what’s  the  main, 
And  so  their  life  and  vigour  do  maintain. 

The  tallow  makes  the  wick  yield  to  the  fire, 
And  sinful  flesh  doth  make  the  soul  desire 
That  grace  may  kindle  on  it,  in  it  burn; 

So  evil  makes  the  soul  from  evil  turn. 

But  caudles  in  the  wind  are  apt  to  flare, 

And  Christians  in  a tempest  to  despair. 

We  see  the  flame  with  smoke  attended  is, 

And  in  our  holy  lives  there’s  much  amiss. 

Sometimes  a thief  will  candlelight  annoy, 
And  lusts  do  seek  our  graces  to  destroy. 

What  brackish  is  will  make  a candle  splutter; 
’Twist  sin  and  grace  there’s  oft  a heavy  clutter. 
Sometimes  the  light  burns  dim,  ’cause  of  the 
snuff, 

And  sometimes  ’tis  blown  quite  out  with  a puff ; 
But  watchfulness  preventeth  both  these  evils, 
[veeps  candles  light,  and  grace,  in  spite  of 
devils. 

But  let  not  snuffs  nor  puffs  make  us  to  doubt ; 
Our  candles  may  be  lighted,  tho’  puff’d  out. 


The  candle  in  the  night  doth  all  excel ; 

Nor  sun,  nor  moon,  nor  stars  then  shine  so  well. 
So  is  the  Christian  in  our  hemisphere, 

Whose  light  shows  others  how  their  course  to 
steer. 

When  candles  are  put  out,  all’s  in  confusion; 
Where  Christians  are  not  devils  make  intrusion. 
They  then  are  happy  who  such  candles  have; 
All  others  dwell  in  darkness  and  the  grave. 
But  candles  that  do  blink  within  the  socket, 
And  saints  whose  eyes  are  always  in  their 
pocket, 

Are  much  alike ; such  candles  make  us  fumble, 
Andatsuch  saints  good  men  and  baddostumble. 

Good  candles  don’t  offend,  except  sore  eyes, 
Nor  hurt,  unless  it  be  the  silly  flies; 

Thus  some  hate  burning  candles  in  the  night, 
As  some  do  living  holy  for  delight. 

But  let  us  draw  towards  the  candle’s  end, 

The  fire,  you  see,  doth  wick  and  tallow  spend, 
As  grace  man’s  life,  until  his  glass  is  run ; 

And  so  the  candle  and  the  man  is  done. 

The  man  now  lays  him  down  upon  his  bed ; 
The  wick  yields  up  its  fire,  and  so  is  dead. 

The  candle  now  extinct  is,  but  the  man 
By  grace  mounts  up  to  glory,  there  to  stand. 


UPON  THE  SACRAMENTS. 

Two  sacraments  I do  believe  there  be, 

Ev’n  Baptism  and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord . 

Both  mysteries  divine,  which  do  to  me, 

By  God’s  appointment,  benefit  afford. 

But  shall  they  be  my  God,  or  shall  I have 
Of  them  so  foul  and  impious  a thought 
To  think  that  from  the  curse  they  can  me  save  ? 
Bread,  wine,  or  water  me  uo  ransom  bought. 


UPON  THE  SUN’S  REFLECTION  UPON 
THE  CLOUDS.  IN  A FAIR  MORNING. 

Look  yonder!  Ah!  me  thinks  mine  eyes 
do  see 

Clouds  edg’d  with  silver,  as  fine  garments  be: 
They  look  as  if  they  saw  the  golden  face 
That  makes  black  clouds  most  beautiful  with 
grace. 


1006 


RUNYAN'S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Unto  the  saints’  sweet  incense  of  their  prayer 
These  smoky,  curled  clouds  I do  compare; 

For  as  these  clouds  seem  edg’d  or  lac’d  with 
gold, 

Their  prayers  return  with  blessings  manifold. 


THE  SINNER  AND  THE  SPIDER. 
Sinner. 

What  black,  what  ugly,  crawling  thing  art 
thou  ? 

Spider. 

I am  a spider — 

Sinner. 

A spider,  ay ; truly  a filthy  creature. 

Spider. 

Not  filthy  as  thyself  in  name  or  feature. 

My  name  entailed  is  to  my  creation, 

My  feature  from  the  God  of  thy  salvation. 

Sinner. 

I am  a man,  and  in  God’s  image  made; 

I have  a soul  shall  neither  die  nor  fade; 

God  has  possessed  me  with  human  reason; 
Speak  not  against  me,  lest  thou  speakest 
treason, 

For  if  I am  the  image  of  my  Maker, 

Of  slanders  laid  on  me  he  is  partaker. 

Spider. 

I know  thou  art  a creature  far  above  me, 
Therefore  I .shun,  I fear,  and  also  love  thee. 
But  tho’  thy  God  hath  made  thee  such  a 
creature, 

Thou  hast  against  him  often  play’d  the  traitor. 
Thy  sin  has  fetch’d  thee  down : leave  off  to 
boast ; 

Nature  thou  hast  defiled,  God’s  image  lost. 
Yea,  thou  thyself  a very  beast  hast  made, 

And  art  become  like  grass,  which  soon  doth 
fade. 

Thy  soul,  thy  reason,  yea,  thy  spotless  state, 
Sin  has  subjected  to  th’  most  dreadful  fate; 
But  I retain  my  primitive  condition  ; 

I’ve  all  but  what  I lost  by  thy  ambition. 

Sinner. 

Thou  venom’d  thing,  I know  not  what  to 
call  thee : 

The  dregs  of  nature  surely  did  befall  thee; 


Thou  wast  compos’d  o’  th’  dross  and  scum  of 
all; 

Men  hate  thee,  and  in  scorn  thee  Spider  call. 
Spider. 

My  venom’s  good  for  something,  since  God 
made  it ; 

Thy  nature  sin  hath  spoil’d  and  doth  degrade 
it. 

Thou  art  despoil’d  of  good,  and,  tho’  I fear 
thee, 

I will  not,  tho’  I might,  despise  and  jeer  thee. 
Thou  sayst  I am  the  very  dregs  of  nature ; 
Thy  sin’s  the  spawn  of  devils,  ’tis  no  creature. 
Thou  sayst  man  hates  me  ’cause  I am  a spider; 
Poor  man ! thou  of  thy  God  art  a derider  ; 

My  vemon  tendeth  to  my  preservation; 

Thy  pleasing  follies  work  out  thy  damnation. 
Poor  man  ! I keep  the  rules  of  my  creation ; 
Thy  sin  has  cast  thee  headlong  from  thy  sta- 
tion. 

I hurt  nobody  willingly,  but  thou 
Art  a self-murderer;  thou  knowst  not  how 
To  do  what’s  good ; no,  for  thou  lovest  evil ; 
Thou  fly’st  God’s  law,  adherest  to  the  devil. 

Sinner. 

Thou  ill-shap’d  thing  ! there’s  an  antipathy 
’T*vixt  man  and  spiders,  ’tis  in  vain  to  lie; 
Stand  off,  I hate  thee ; if  thou  dost  come  nigh 
me, 

I’ll  crush  thee  with  my  foot ; I do  defy  thee. 
Spider. 

They  are  ill-shap’d  who  warped  are  by  sin : 
Hatred  in  thee  to  God  hath  long  time  been ; 
No  marvel  then,  indeed,  if  me  his  creature 
Thou  dost  defy,  pretending  name  and  feature; 
But  why  stand  off?  My  presence  shall  not 
throng  thee ; 

’Tis  not  my  venom,  but  thy  sin,  doth  wrong 
thee. 

Come,  I will  teach  thee  wisdom ; do  but  hear 
me : 

I was  made  for  thy  profit — do  not  fear  me. 

But  if  thy  God  thou  wilt  not  hearken  to, 
What  can  .the  swallow,  ant,  and  spider  do? 

Yet  I will  speak;  I can  but  be  rejected: 
Sometimes  great  things  by  small  means  are 
effected. 

Hark,  then!  Tho’  man  is  noble  by  creation, 
He’s  lapsed  now  to  such  degeneration 
As  not  to  grieve,  so  careless  is  he  grown, 

Tho’  he  himself  has  sadly  overthrown 


DIVINE  EMBLEMS  FOR  YOUTII. 


1007 


And  brought  to  bondage  every  earthly  thing, 
Ev’n  from  the  very  spider  to  the  king. 

This  we  poor  sensitives  do  feel  and  sec, 

For  subject  to  the  curse  you  made  us  be. 

Tread  not  upon  me,  neither  from  me  go  ; 

’Tis  man  which  lias  brought  all  the  world  to 
woe. 

The  law  of  my  creation  bids  me  teach  thee: 
I will  not  for  thy  pride  to  God  impeach  thee. 

I spin,  I weave,  and  all  to  let  thee  see 
Thy  best  performances  but  cobwebs  be. 

Thy  glory  now  is  brought  to  such  an  ebb 
It  doth  not  much  excel  the  spider’s  web. 

My  webs,  becoming  snares  and  traps  for  flies, 
Do  set  the  wiles  of  hell  before  thine  eyes; 
Their  tangling  nature  is  to  let  thee  see 
Thy  sins  (too)  of  a tangling  nature  be. 

My  den  or  hole,  for  that  ’tis  bottomless, 

Doth  of  damnation  show  the  lastingness. 

My  lying  quiet  till  the  fly  is  catcht, 

Shows  secretly  hell  hath  thy  ruin  hatcht; 

In  that  I on  her  seize  when  she  is  taken, 

I show  who  gathers  whom  God  hath  forsaken. 
The  fly  lies  buzzing  in  my  web  to  tell 
How  sinners  always  roar  and  howl  in  hell. 

Now,  since  I show  thee  all  these  mysteries, 
How  canst  thou  hate  me  or  me  scandalize? 

Sinner. 

Well,  well ; I will  no  more  be  a derider  ; 

I did  not  look  for  such  things  from  a spider. 

Spider. 

Come,  hold  thy  peace.  What  I have  yet  to 
say, 

If  heeded,  may  help  thee  another  day. 

Since  I an  ugly,  ven’mous  creature  be, 

There’s  some  resemblance  ’twixt  vile  man  and 
me. 

My  wild  and  heedless  runnings  are  like  those 
Whose  ways  to  ruin  do  their  souls  expose. 
Daylight  is  not  my  time;  I work  i’  th’  night, 
To  show  they  are  like  me  who  hate  the  light. 
The  maid  sweeps  one  web  down ; I make  an- 
other, 

To  show  how  heedless  ones  convictions 
smother. 

My  web  is  no  defence  at  all  for  me, 

Nor  will  false  hopes  at  judgment  be  to  thee. 

Sinner. 

0 spider,  I have  heard  thee,  and  do  wonder 
A.  spider  should  thus  lighten  and  thus  thunder. 


Spider. 

Do  but  hold  still,  and  I will  let  thee  see 
Yet  in  my  ways  more  mysteries  there  be. 

Shall  not  I do  thee  good  if  I thee  tell, 

I show  to  thee  a fourfold  way  to  nell  ? 

For  since  I set  my  web  in  sundry  places, 

I show  men  go  to  hell  in  divers  traces. 

One  I set  in  the  window,  that  I might 
Show  some  go  down  to  hell  with  Gospel  light. 

One  I set  in  a corner,  as  you  see, 

To  show  how  some  in  secret  snared  be. 

Gross  webs  great  store  I set  in  darksome 
places, 

To  show  how  many  sin  with  brazen  faces. 

Another  web  I set  aloft  on  high, 

To  show  there’s  some  professing  men  must  die. 
Thus  in  my  ways  God’s  wisdom  doth  conceal, 
And  by  my  ways  that  wisdom  doth  reveal. 

I hide  myself  when  I for  flics  do  wait, 

So  doth  the  devil  when  he  lays  his  bait; 

If  I do  fear  the  losing  of  my  prey, 

I stir  me  and  more  snare's  upon  her  lay : 

This  way  and  that  her  wings  and  legs  I tie, 
That  sure  as  she  is  catch’d  so  she  must  die; 
But  if  I see  she’s  like  to  get  away, 

Then  with  my  venom  I her  journey  stay; 

All  which  my  ways  the  devil  imitates 
To  catch  men,  ’cause  he  their  salvation  hates. 

Sinner. 

0 spider,  thou  delight’st  me  with  thy  skill: 
I pray  thee  spit  this  venom  at  me  still. 

Spider. 

1 am  a spider,  yet  I can  possess 
The  palace  of  a king,  where  happiness 

So  much  abounds.  Nor  when  I do  go  thither, 
Do  they  ask  what  or  whence  I come,  or  whither 
I make  my  hasty  travels ; no,  not  they ; 

They  let  me  pass,  and  I go  on  my  way. 

I seize  the  palace,  do  with  hands  take  hold 
Of  doors,  of  locks,  or  bolts ; yet  I am  bold, 
When  in,  to  clamber  up  unto  the  throne, 

And  to  possess  it,  as  if  ’twere  my  own ; 

Nor  is  there  any  law  forbidding  me 
Here  to  abide  or  in  this  palace  be. 

At  pleasure  I ascend  the  highest  stories, 
And  then  I sit,  and  so  behold  the  glories 
Myself  is  compass’d  with,  as  if  I were 
One  of  the  cliiefest  courtiers  that  be  there. 

Here  lords  and  ladies  do  come  round  about  me 
With  grave  demeanour,  nor  do  any  flout  me 


1008 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


For  this  my  brave  adventure;  no,  not  they: 
They  come,  they  go,  but  leave  me  there  to  stay. 

Now,  my  reproach er,  I do  by  all  this 
Show  how  thou  mayst  possess  thyself  of  bliss. 
Thou  art  worse  tliau  a spider,  but  take  hold 
On  Christ  the  door;  thou  shalt  uot  be  con- 
troll’d  : 

By  him  do  thou  the  heavenly  palace  enter; 
None  e’er  will  chide  thee  for  thy  brave  adven- 
ture. 

Approach  thou  then  unto  the  very  throne; 
There  speak  thy  mind,  fear  not,  the  day’s 
thine  own. 

Nor  saint  nor  angel  will  thee  stop  or  stay, 

But  rather  tumble  blocks  out  of  the  way. 

My  venom  stops  not  me;  let  not  thy  vice 
Stop  thee ; possess  thyself  of  paradise. 

Go  on,  I say,  although  thou  be  a sinner, 
Learn  to  be  bold  in  faith  of  me,  a spinner. 
This  is  the  way  true  glories  to  possess, 

And  to  enjoy  what  no  man  can  express. 

Sometimes  I find  the  palace  door  up-lockt, 
And  so  my  entrance  thither  has  up-blockt; 
But  am  I daunted?  No,  I here  and  there 
Do  feel  and  search;  and  so  if  anywhere, 

At  any  chink  or  crevice,  find  my  way, 

I crowd,  I press  for  passage,  make  no  stay ; 

And  so  thro’  difficulty  I attain 

The  palace,  yea,  the  throne,  where  princes  reign. 

I crowd,  sometimes,  as  if  I’d  burst  in  sunder. 
And  art  thou  crush’d  with  striving?  Do  not 
wonder. 

Some  scarce  get  in ; and  yet  indeed  they  enter. 
Knock,  for  they  nothing  have  that  nothing 
venture. 

Nor  will  the  King  himself  throw  dirt  on  thee, 
As  thou  hast  cast  reproaches  upon  me. 

He  will  not  hate  thee,  0 thou  foul  backslider! 
As  thou  didst  me  because  I am  a spider. 

Now  to  conclude:  since  I much  doctrine 
bring, 

Slight  me  no  more,  call  me  not  ugly  thing. 
God  wisdom  hath  unto  the  pismire  given, 

And  spiders  may  teach  men  the  way  to  heaven. 

Sinner. 

Well,  my  good  spider,  I my  errors  see; 

I was  a fool  for  railing  so  at  thee : 

Thy  nature,  venom,  and  thy  fearful  hue 
But  show  what  sinners  are  and  what  they  do. 


Thy  way  and  works  do  also  darkly  tell 
How  some  men  go  to  heaven,  and  some  t« 
hell. 

Thou  art  my  monitor,  and  I am  a fool : 

They  may  learn  that  to  spiders  go  to  school. 


OF  THE  MOLE  IN  THE  GROUND. 

The  mole’s  a creature  very  smooth  and 
sleek  ; 

She  digs  i’  th’  dirt,  but  ’twill  not  on  her 
stick ; 

So’s  he  who  counts  this  world  his  greatest  gains, 
Yet  nothing  gets  but  labour  for  his  pains. 
Earth’s  the  mole’s  element;  she  can’t  abide 
To  be  above  ground,  dirt-lieaps  are  her  pride, 
And  he  is  like  her  who  the  worldling  plays; 
He  imitates  her  in  her  works  and  ways. 

Poor  silly  mole ! that  thou  shouldst  love  to  be 
Where  thou  nor  sun,  nor  moon,  nor  stars  canst 
see ; 

But  oh  how  silly’s  he  wdio  doth  not  care, 

So  he  gets  earth,  to  have  of  heav’n  a share! 


OF  THE  CUCKOO. 

Thou  booby  ! say’st  thou  nothing  but  Cuckoo? 
The  robin  and  the  wren  can  thee  outdo : 

They  to  us  play  through  their  little  throats, 
Not  one,  but  sundry  pretty  tuneful  notes. 

But  thou  hast  fellows : some  like  thee  can  do 
Little  but  suck  our  eggs  and  sing  Cuckoo. 

Thy  notes  do  not  first  welcome  in  our  spring, 
Nor  dost  thou  its  first  tokens  to  us  bring  : 

Birds  less  than  thee  by  far,  like  prophets,  do 
Tell  us  ’tis  coming,  tho’  not  by  Cuckoo. 

Nor  dost  thou  summer  have  away  with  thee, 
Though  thou  a yawling,  bawling  cuckoo  be ; 
When  thou  dost  cease  among  us  to  appear, 
Then  doth  our  harvest  bravely  crown  our  year. 
But  thou  hast  fellows:  some  like  thee  can  do 
Little  but  suck  our  eggs,  and  sing  Cuckoo. 

Since  cuckoos  forward  not  our  early  spring, 
Nor  help  with  notes  to  bring  our  harvest  in, 
And  since,  while  here,  she  only  makes  a noise, 
So  pleasing  unto  none  as  girls  and  boys, 

The  formalist  we  may  compare  her  to, 

For  he  doth  suck  our  eggs  and  sing  Cuckoo. 


I 


DIVINE  EMBLEMS  FOR  YOUTH. 


OF  THE  BOY  AND  THE  BUTTERFLY. 

Behold,  how  eager  this  our  little  boy 
Is  for  this  butterfly,  as  if  all  joy, 

All  profits,  honours,  yea,  and  lasting  pleasures, 
Were  wrapt  up  in  her,  or  the  richest  treasures 
Found  in  her  would  be  bundled  up  together, 
When  all  her  all  is  lighter  than  a feather. 

He  halloo3,  runs,  and  cries  out,  Here,  boys, 
here ! 

Nor  doth  he  brambles  or  the  nettles  fear: 

He  stumbles  at  the  molehills;  up  he  gets, 

And  runs  again,  as  one  bereft  of  wits; 

And  all  his  labour  and  this  large  outcry 
Is  only  for  a silly  butterfly. 

COMPARISON. 

This  little  boy  an  emblem  is  of  those 
Whose  hearts  are  wholly  at  the  world’s  dispose. 
The  butterfly  doth  represent  to  me 
The  world’s  best  things  at  best  but  fading  be: 
All  are  but  painted  nothings  and  false  joys, 
Like  this  poor  butterfly  to  these  our  boys, 

His  running  through  nettles,  thorns  and  briers 
To  gratify  his  boyish,  fond  desires, 

His  tumbling  over  molehills  to  attain 
His  end — namely,  his  butterfly  to  gain — 

Doth  plainly  show  what  hazards  some  men  run 
To  get  what  will  be  lost  as  soon  as  won. 

Men  seem  in  choice  than  children  far  more  wise, 
Because  they  run  not  after  butterflies, 

When  yet,  alas ! for  what  are  empty  toys 
They  follow  children,  like  to  beardless  boys. 


OF  THE  FLY  AT  THE  CANDLE. 

What  ails  this  fly,  thus  desperately  to  enter 
A combat  with  the  candle?  Will  she  venture 
To  clash  at  light?  Away,  thou  silly  fly ! 

Thus  doing  thou  wilt  burn  thy  wings  and  die. 

But  ’tis  a folly  here  advice  to  give ; 

She’ll  kill  the  candle,  or  she  will  not  live. 
Slap,  says  she,  at  it : then  she  makes  retreat, 
So  wheels  about  and  does  her  blows  repeat. 

Nor  doth  the  candle  let  her  quite  escape, 
But  gives  some  little  check  unto  the  ape, 
Throws  up  her  nimble  heels,  and  down  she  falls, 
Where  she  lies  sprawling  and  for  succour  calls. 

When  she  recovers,  up  she  gets  again, 

And  at  the  candle  comes  with  might  and  main ; 
But  now  behold,  the  candle  takes  the  fly, 

And  holds  her  till  she  doth  by  burnings  die. 

64 


1009 

COMPARISON. 

This  candle  is  an  emblem  of  that  light 
Our  Gospel  gives  in  this  our  darksome  night: 
The  fly  a lively  picture  is  of  those 
That  hate  and  do  this  Gospel  light  oppose. 

At  last  the  Gospel  doth  become  their  snare — 
Doth  tliev/  with  burning  hands  in  pieces  tear. 


ON  THE  RISING  OF  THE  SUN. 

Look,  look ! Brave  Sol  doth  peep  up  from 
beneath, 

Shows  us  his  golden  face,  doth  on  us  breathe ; 
Yea,  he  doth  compass  us  around  with  glories, 
Whilst  he  ascends  up  to  his  highest  stories, 
Where  he  his  banner  over  us  displays, 

And  gives  us  light  to  see  our  works  and  ways. 

Nor  are  we  now,  as  at  the  peep  of  light, 

To  question,  Is  it  day  or  is  it  night? 

The  night  is  gone,  the  shadows  fled  away, 

And  now  we  are  most  certain  that  ’tis  day. 

And  thus  it  is  when  Jesus  shows  his  face, 
And  doth  assure  us  of  his  love  and  grace. 


UPON  THE  PROMISING  FRUITFUL- 
NESS OF  A TREE. 

A comely  sight  indeed  it  is  to  see 
A world  of  blossoms  on  an  apple  tree ; 

Yet  far  more  comely  would  this  tree  appear 
If  all  its  dainty  blooms  young  apples  were; 
But  how  much  more  might  one  upon  it  see 
If  each  would  hang  there  till  it  ripe  should  be! 
But  most  of  all  in  beauty  would  abound 
If  every  one  should  then  be  truly  sound. 

But  we,  alas!  do  commonly  behold 
Blooms  fall  apace  if  mornings  be  but  cold. 
They,  too,  which  hang  till  they  young  apples 
are, 

By  blazing  winds  and  vermin  take  despair. 
Store  that  do  hang  while  almost  ripe,  we  see, 
By  blust’ring  winds  are  shaken  from  the  tree ; 
So  that  of  many  only  some  there  be 
That  grow  and  thrive  to  full  maturity. 

COMPARISON. 

This  tree  a perfect  emblem  is  of  those 
Which  do  the  garden  of  the  Lord  compose. 


1010 


RUNYAN’S  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


Its  blasted  blooms  are  motions  unto  good, 
Which  chill  affections  do  nip  in  the  bud. 

Those  little  apples  which  yet  blasted  are 
Show  some  good  purposes — no  good  fruit  bear. 
Those  spoil’d  by  vermin  are  to  let  us  see 
How  good  attempts  by  bad  thoughts  ruin’d  be. 

Those  which  the  wind  blows  down  while 
they  are  green 

Show  good  works  have  by  trials  spoiled  been. 
Those  that  abide  while  ripe  upon  the  tree 
Show  in  a good  man  some  ripe  fruit  will  be. 

Behold,  then,  how  abortive  some  fruits  are 
Which  at  the  first  most  promising  appear ! 
The  frost,  the  wind,  the  worm,  with  time  doth 
show 

There  flow  from  much  appearance  works  but 
few. 


UPON  THE  THIEF. 

The  thief,  when  he  doth  steal,  thinks  he 
doth  gain, 

Yet  then  the  greatest  loss,  he  doth  sustain. 
Come,  thief,  tell  me  thy  gains,  but  do  not  falter. 
When  summ’d,  what  comes  it  to  more  than  the 
hal  ter  ? 

Perhaps  thou’lt  say,  The  halter  I defy; 

So  thou  mayst  say,  yet  by  the  halter  die. 
Thou’lt  say,  Then  there’s  an  end;  no,  prithee, 
hold, 

He  was  no  friend  of  thine  that  thee  so  told. 
Hear  thou  the  word  of  God : that  will  thee  tell 
Without  repentance  thieves  must  go  to  hell. 
But  should  it  be  as  thy  false  prophet  says, 

Yet  naught  but  loss  doth  come  by  thievish  ways. 

All  honest  men  will  flee  thy  company ; 

Thou  liv’st  a rogue,  and  so  a rogue  will  die; 
Innocent  boldness  thou  hast  none  at  all ; 

Thy  inward  thoughts  do  thee  a villain  call. 

Sometimes,  when  thou  liest  warmly  on  thy 
bed, 

Thou  art  like  one  unto  the  gallows  led  ; 

Fear  as  a constable  breaks  in  upon  thee ; 

Thou  art  as  if  the  town  was  up  to  stone  thee. 

If  hogs  do  grunt  or  silly  rats  do  rustle, 
Thou  art  in  consternation ; think’st  a bustle 
By  men  about  the  door  is  made  to  take  thee ; 
And  all  because  good  conscience  doth  forsake 
thee. 


Thy  case  is  so  deplorable  and  bad 
Thou  shunn’st  to  think  on’t  lest  thou  shouldst 
be  mad ; 

Thou  art  beset  with  mischiefs  every  way ; 

The  gallows  groaneth  for  thee  every  day. 

Wherefore,  I prithee,  thief,  thy  theft  forbear; 
Consult  thy  safety,  prithee  have  a care ; 

If  once  thy  head  be  got  within  the  noose, 
’Twill  be  too  late  a longer  life  to  choose. 

As  to  the  penitent  thou  readest  of, 

What’s  that  to  them  who  at  repentance  scoff? 
Nor  is  that  grace  at' thy  command  or  pow’r, 
That  thou  shouldst  put  it  off  to  the  last  hour. 

I prithee,  thief,  think  on’t  and  turn  betime; 
Few  go  to  life  who  do  the  gallows  climb. 


OF  THE  CHILD  WITH  THE  BIRD  ON 
THE  BUSH. 

My  little  bird,  how  canst  thou  sit 
And  sing  amidst  so  many  thorns? 

Let  me  but  hold  upon  thee  get, 

My  love  with  honour  thee  adorns. 

Thou  art  at  present  little  worth ; 

Five  farthings  none  will  give  for  thee; 

But  prithee,  little  bird,  come  forth; 

Thou  of  more  value  art  to  me. 

’Tis  true  it  is  sunshine  to-day, 

To-morrow  birds  will  have  a storm ; 

My  pretty  one,  come  thou  away  ; 

My  bosom  then  shall  keep- thee  warm. 

Thou  subject  art  to  cold  o’  nights, 

When  darkness  is  thy  covering ; 

At  days  thy  danger’s  great  by  kites; 

How  canst  tliou  then  sit  there  and  sing? 

Thy  food  is  scarce  and  scanty  too ; 

’Tis  worms  and  trash  which  thou  dost  eat: 
Thy  present  state  I pity  do; 

Come,  I’ll  provide  thee  better  meat. 

I’ll  feed  thee  with  white  bread  and  milk, 

And  sugar-plums,  if  thou  them  crave ; 

I’ll  cover  thee  with  finest  silk, 

That  from  the  cold  I may  thee  save. 

My  father’s  palace  shall  be  thine ; 

Yea,  in  it  thou  shalt  sit  and  sing: 

My  little  bird,  if  thou’lt  be  mine, 

The  whole  year  round  shall  be  thy  spring, 


DIVINE  EMBLEMS  FOR  YOUTII. 


1015 


Oli  leave  us  not!  When  once  thou  hidest  thy 
head 

Our  horizon  with  darkness  will  be  spread. 

Tell,  who  hath  thee  offended.  Turn  again: 
Alas!  too  late;  entreaties  arc  in  vain  I 

COMPARISON. 

I The  Gospel  here  has  had  a summer’s  day, 
But  in  its  sunshine  we,  like  fools,  did  play, 


Or  else  fall  out,  and  with  each  other  wrangle, 
And  did,  instead  of  work,  not  much  but 
jangle. 

And  if  our  sun  seems  angry,  hides  his  face, 
Shall  it  go  down,  shall  night  possess  this 
place  ? 

Let  not  the  voice  of  night-birds  us  afflict, 

And  of  our  misspent  summer  us  convict. 


THE  END. 


i 


WESTCOTT  £ THOMSON",  STEREOTYPEKS,  PHILADELPHIA. 


£ 


